ã€ŠBack to the Past: The Rise of the False Heiress Marrying the True Tycoonã€‹


 Chapter 1

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi was woken up by a woman¡¯s crying. before she could open her eyes, a bunch of unfamiliar memories flashed through her mind.

    just then, footsteps could be heard in the distance, and the woman¡¯s crying gradually stopped.

    ¡°no, i absolutely won¡¯t allow my own daughter to marry an older man with three children!¡±

    ¡°i never expected that we mixed up our daughter with the lin family. the lins are so poor, and they agreed to marry our precious daughter into such a household. you need to think about this, lin miao is our real daughter, not gu zi. you should think about our real daughter.¡±

    gu zi groggily opened her eyes and saw a man standing by the window, while the woman by her bedside was still weeping and wiping away tears.

    it then dawned on her that she had transmigrated into the historical novel she had read just last night.

    the real heiress of the gu family, lin miao, had recently shown up at their doorstep. she was a spitting image of madam gu, zhang mei, when she was young. the gu couple had even had her authenticated, and it turned out that lin miao was indeed their daughter.

    the original host used to be pampered, but her position in the gu family was now very awkward.

    lin miao, the real heiress, had lived in poverty, and as soon as gu zi heard about the mix-up, she clung to the gu family and refused to leave.

    the original host of this body was going to marry the chief¡¯s son according to her parents¡¯ agreement.she was on the verge of ascending to a high social status. who would have thought that the appearance of the real daughter would cause her life to undergo earth-shattering changes?

    originally, the gu family had wanted to keep both daughters, but the lin family objected. they had long planned for lin miao to marry an older man with three children, and now that lin miao was gone, the lin family could only make the original host take her place.

    the original host couldn¡¯t accept her current situation. she was forced to marry an old man and mistreated his three children, ultimately leading to a bitter end, with the husband divorcing her and her tragic death on the streets.

    because the original host wasn¡¯t the main character, her story was just a side note in the novel.

    now, the current timeline of the story was at the point where the original host learned she was to marry the divorced older man and had attempted suicide by jumping into a river. however, she was rescued.

    gu zi noticed that the two people in the room hadn¡¯t realized she had woken up. she struggled to sit up, making some noise, but the gu couple remained lost in their own world and didn¡¯t hear her.

    from gu zi¡¯s point of view, the gu zi in the book was too arrogant and had never faced real challenges, which is why she exploded over small matters.

    but she was different; she was thirty years old now and had experienced many hardships. she had just bought a house and a car, ready to reach the pinnacle of her life, only to wake up in this novel¡¯s world.

    gu zi looked at zhang mei, her supposed mother, and softly said, ¡°please don¡¯t cry. i¡¯m willing to marry him.¡±

    gu shan turned his head to look at gu zi on the bed but remained silent.

    zhang mei suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. she looked at gu zi¡¯s calm face and thought of what she had just said. a trace of embarrassment flashed across her eyes. ¡°zizi, i¡¯m sorry. it¡¯s all my fault. i couldn¡¯t protect you and had no choice but to let¡­¡±

    ¡°mom, i understand,¡± gu zi flashed a sweet smile and said softly, ¡°if i stay with the gu family now, people might think i want to steal lin miao¡¯s fianc¨¦. mom and dad, thank you for taking care of me all these years. i¡¯m fine now. we don¡¯t need to go back. i can go directly to my fianc¨¦¡¯s house.¡±

    hearing gu zi¡¯s words, zhang mei felt guilty and uncomfortable. gu shan also couldn¡¯t bear it.

    for over a decade, they had treated gu zi like their precious daughter. if gu zi had caused a scene, they might have felt like they wasted all those years raising her. but now, gu zi was being so obedient, it touched their hearts.

    the door opened, and the real heiress, lin miao, walked in. she saw that gu zi had awakened and that her parents were hesitant to send her away. with teary eyes, she said, ¡°gu zi, you should stay here. i¡¯ll go get married¡­¡±

    gu shan and zhang mei looked at lin miao¡¯s weak appearance, and the guilt in their hearts instantly disappeared. they reasoned with themselves that gu zi was just returning to her rightful place.

    gu zi looked at lin miao, who was being super fake, and smiled, saying, ¡°miao miao, this is your home. i should be the one to leave.¡±

    gu zi got out of bed and, as if remembering something, looked at zhang mei, who was in front of her. ¡°can you lend me some money? i need to take a bus to my fianc¨¦¡¯s house.¡±

    zhang mei, upon hearing this, quickly took out ten yuan and handed it to gu zi, saying, ¡°on your way there¡­¡±

    before zhang mei could finish her sentence, gu shan furrowed his brows and pulled out a hundred yuan. ¡°zi zi, just take it! don¡¯t talk about borrowing. if you ever need anything, just call.¡±

    gu zi thanked him. it would be a waste not to accept it.

    gu shan¡¯s words sounded nice. he gave her a hundred yuan and refused to let her return it. in other words, he did not want her to come back to the gu family again.

    he even said that she could call them directly if there was anything. this sounded nice, but in reality, he was cutting ties with her.

    gu zi still obediently said ¡°thank you¡± and left without taking anything with her.

    as gu zi walked away, zhang mei couldn¡¯t help but watch her retreating form, a growing sense of unease settling within her.

 Chapter 2

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    today was the day when gu zi was to marry the older man.

    the older man¡¯s name was su shen. he was thirty years old this year and owned a pig farm. to make it easier to manage the farm, he had moved his home close to the pig farm and lived in the countryside.

    he had three children, none of whom were his biological children; they were orphans from his sister¡¯s family.

    it was precisely because he had three children to take care of at home that he had planned to get married last year. however, not long after getting married, the woman had insisted on a divorce.

    su shen not only had to handle the farm¡¯s affairs but also care for the three children. so, he was eager to find another wife.

    money makes the world go round.

    and lin miao was more than willing to go the extra mile for that.

    everyone thought it was the lin family wanting to marry lin miao off to su shen for money, but in reality, lin miao had volunteered herself.

    however, as soon as lin miao found out her true identity as the real heiress, she immediately returned home and passed the responsibility for this marriage onto gu zi.

    the su family was in the countryside. gu zi had to take a bus to the countryside. gu shan and zhang mei were worried she might get lost, so they gave her a map with directions to su¡¯s home.

    gu zi¡¯s thoughts were quite different from lin miao¡¯s. in her previous life, she didn¡¯t want to have children at all, which had driven away many potential suitors.

    there was nothing more beautiful than finding a man with three children and becoming a mother without the pain of childbirth.

    when gu zi arrived at the village entrance, she got off the bus and started walking towards su¡¯s home.

    gu zi could have a reasonable conversation with gu shan and zhang mei because she was acting more submissive, not wanting lin miao to make fun of her.

    as for clothing and jewelry, she doubted that the gu family would let her take anything with her. she figured it was better to leave without taking anything with her.

    the path beneath her feet was rough and muddy, and gu zi almost twisted her ankle several times.

    while looking at the hand-drawn map, gu zi walked toward su¡¯s home. when she arrived, she saw a two-story western-style bungalow.

    gu zi glanced at the other houses in the village, which were all made of stacked stones, and they couldn¡¯t compare to this house.

    could this really be su shen¡¯s home?

    no way!

    su shen was just an ordinary person. logically speaking, such a grand house was much better than a house in the city. it cost a lot of money, and the su family couldn¡¯t possibly have that much money.

    seeing someone passing by, gu zi quickly approached and asked, ¡°excuse me, do you know where su shen¡¯s house is?¡±

    ¡°brother shen?¡± the youth carrying the pole looked at gu zi with confusion in his eyes. ¡°who are you?¡±

    he had been lost in thought just a moment ago, and now this young lady, who looked like she came from the city, was talking to him. she seemed pretty.

    ¡°i see you know su shen. well, i am his wife,¡± gu zi explained simply.

    hearing gu zi¡¯s words, the young man was puzzled. if he remembered correctly, wasn¡¯t brother shen¡¯s wife unwilling to come here?

    it was rumored that the woman had initially agreed to marry brother shen, but then changed her mind. he hadn¡¯t expected that this girl in front of him was that wife.

    the young man impatiently pointed at the small bungalow with a hint of disdain in his eyes. ¡°it¡¯s this one.¡±

    ¡°thank you!¡± gu zi expressed her gratitude and quickly walked toward the house.

    honestly, she didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the young man¡¯s expression. her mind was filled with thoughts of the two-story western-style bungalow!

    she really didn¡¯t expect that the wealthiest person in the village would be su shen.

    well, this turned out to be quite profitable!

    the gu family had a respectable position in the military, but their house was not as good as su shen¡¯s. in any case, it was far inferior to the su family residence.

    it seemed su shen had excellent conditions.

    gu zi walked to the door of the house and was about to knock when he saw a middle-aged woman coming out with fruits in her hands.

    gu zi smiled. ¡°hello, i¡¯m su shen¡¯s wife. i¡­¡±

    unexpectedly, the middle-aged woman frowned and interrupted her mercilessly. her tone was cold as she said sharply, ¡°what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°i am su shen¡¯s wife. who are you¡­¡± gu zi looked at the middle-aged woman in confusion.

    the middle-aged woman not only didn¡¯t answer gu zi¡¯s question, but she also criticized her harshly, ¡°so, you are lin miao, huh? how shameless can you be? you refused to return the 3,000 yuan dowry that su gave you, and last month, you made such a big fuss. how dare you come here now and claim to be su shen¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°i think there¡¯s a misunderstanding. my name is gu zi,¡± gu zi patiently explained, her gaze shifting on the middle-aged woman¡¯s face. ¡°and you are¡­¡±

    the middle-aged woman¡¯s face flashed with embarrassment as she muttered softly, ¡°gu zi? i remember su shen¡¯s wife¡¯s name is lin miao.¡±

    she snapped back to reality and looked at gu zi coldly. ¡°well, here¡¯s the thing. i am the nanny su shen hired to take care of the children. just call me aunt chu. what¡¯s your relationship with su shen?¡±

    she looked at gu zi with hostility.

    gu zi¡¯s eyes briefly showed confusion, but she quickly regained her composure and patiently explained, ¡°let me clarify. originally, the one getting married to su shen was the daughter of the lin family. but as you may have heard, lin miao found her biological parents, and i am the real daughter of the lin family. now, i am fulfilling the marriage contract according to the agreement between the two families.¡±

    aunt chu¡¯s pupils dilated, and she looked at the well-dressed city girl in front of her with disbelief.

    however, she quickly calmed down and said coldly, ¡°leave! get out of here! do you think we¡¯re playing house? what¡¯s with the exchange? we¡¯re all honest people here. we won¡¯t listen to your deceit. let me tell you, you better leave now, or don¡¯t blame me for not being polite!¡±

 Chapter 3

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi frowned slightly and her tone became unfriendly, ¡°you are here as someone su shen invited to take care of the children, to be precise, you are just a nanny for the kids. as a nanny, do you have the authority to make decisions for the family?¡±

    ¡°miss, i¡¯m being polite by talking to you like this. let me make it clear: a few casual words from me and su shen will listen. it¡¯s because we have a good relationship that su shen asked me to help take care of the children. go back to where you came from. don¡¯t cause a scene here. if it comes to that, your reputation will be ruined!¡± aunt chu said impatiently, one hand on her hip, clearly unwilling to let gu zi inside.

    gu zi sensed that aunt chu didn¡¯t want her to enter. her expression turned cold as she said, ¡°where is su shen? i want to see su shen. this is a matter between him and me, and i want him to talk to me in person!¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m trying to persuade you to leave out of goodwill. if su shen comes back and finds you here, he¡¯ll definitely drag a marriage scammer like you to the police station. hurry up and leave. don¡¯t embarrass yourself here!¡± the disdain in aunt chu¡¯s eyes could not be more obvious.

    aunt chu saw the young man nearby and rolled her eyes and complained, ¡°you came at the right time. this woman cheated su shen of three thousand yuan at first, and now she¡¯s here again. she might want to cheat him for more money. hurry up and help me chase her away!¡±

    when the youth heard that, he frowned and looked at gu zi.

    gu zi glanced coldly at aunt chu and said coldly, ¡°lin miao, who was previously engaged to su shen, has already found her biological parents. she went back to the gu family, and as the real daughter of the lin family, i¡¯m now here to fulfill the engagement on lin miao¡¯s behalf. i never took the three thousand yuan. i don¡¯t understand why aunt chu is unwilling to let me in. could it be¡­¡±

    the young man¡¯s eyebrows relaxed. he knew it. how could such a good-looking girl be a bad person?

    gu zi paused and looked at aunt chu¡¯s face. ¡°could it be that you harbor some secrets?¡±

    ¡°you¡­ you¡¯re bullshitting. what secrets can i have? i¡­¡± aunt chu stammered, not knowing what to say.

    gu zi had only said it casually, but she did not expect it to really hit aunt chu¡¯s sore spot. she looked at aunt chu meaningfully and then at the young man beside her. ¡°do you know where su shen is right now?¡±

    ¡°brother shen should be at the pig farm now. it¡¯s a busy time, so he probably won¡¯t be back until late. why don¡¯t i go find him now and ask him to come back earlier?¡± said the young man, who went by the name li zhu.

    ¡°work is important. i¡¯ll wait for him here,¡± gu zi said understandingly. she then looked at aunt chu and asked, ¡°aunt chu, do you think it¡¯s better for me to wait for him inside the house, or should i go to the pig farm right now?¡±

    aunt chu¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she squinted her eyes with clear displeasure. she knew gu zi was trying to pressure her. reluctantly, she agreed, ¡°well, i¡¯m old, and i must be getting forgetful. i mistook you for lin miao. come inside, this is all a misunderstanding. come in!¡±

    ¡°is it really a misunderstanding?¡± gu zi looked at aunt chu, her smile hiding a deeper meaning as she saw the malice in aunt chu¡¯s eyes.

    with her foot in the door, gu zi knew she couldn¡¯t let this nanny stay. she didn¡¯t want to be blown up by this unpredictable time bomb!

    gu zi looked at li zhu and thanked him softly before walking into the house.

    as she entered, she made a quick estimate of the house. the house had to be at least 300-400 square meters.

    as soon as she walked in, she found herself in a spacious living room of nearly 50 square meters, with leather sofas and a television.

    in this era, having such luxuries indicated wealth. it seemed su shen was quite well-off. gu zi naturally took a seat on the living room sofa.

    aunt chu walked in and looked at gu zi with a sinister gaze. she placed the fruit in her hand on the cabinet at the side, and the corners of her lips curled up into a wicked smile. she turned around and walked out.

    when aunt chu came in again, there was a large tibetan mastiff weighing around 70 pounds following her.

    when the tibetan mastiff saw the stranger in the house, it immediately rushed towards gu zi.

 Chapter 4

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°woof woof!¡±

    gu zi was taken aback when she heard the dog barking. turning towards the sound, she saw a tibetan mastiff, about the height of a person, charging straight at her.

    aunt chu, who was standing at the door, watched gu zi¡¯s face turn pale in fear with a smirk on her face.

    the su family¡¯s dog was particularly fierce and loved to bite people. if it weren¡¯t for su shen¡¯s instructions, she might have been bitten by that dog.

    gu zi?

    that seemed to be the name.

    she wanted to see if gu zi would still be able to show off in front of her after having one of her legs bitten off by a tibetan mastiff.

    this gu zi was not more than a vixen who owed money and refused to return it. how dare she try to show off in front of her.

    gu zi froze in place when she saw the dog charging towards her, but the next moment, the dog obediently sat down at her feet.

    even so, gu zi was still very flustered.

    at that moment, she felt someone tugging at her clothes. she looked down and saw a dirty little girl sitting on the ground, looking up at her.

    the tibetan mastiff sat beside the little girl, wearing a big smile.

    gu zi looked at the dirty little girl with tangled, messy hair. despite her appearance, the girl was adorable, with round, big eyes fixed on gu zi.

    ¡°yiya yiya¡­¡± the little girl made babbling sounds and smiled sweetly, looking up at gu zi.

    gu zi bent down and picked up the little girl. she looked to be about two years old and didn¡¯t seem to be able to speak yet.

    gu zi took a white rabbit candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in the little girl¡¯s mouth. the little girl happily wiggled her tiny feet.

    aunt chu, who was standing at the side, rolled her eyes in disgust and said sarcastically, ¡°oh, look at that, the act starts as soon as you step in. no matter how well you perform, it won¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re a wicked woman with malicious intentions.¡±

    gu zi looked at the tibetan mastiff and then at aunt chu who was standing not far away. she originally thought that aunt chu would play some tricks to make things difficult for her in the future, but now it seemed that she was wrong.

    aunt chu was so impatient for her to leave as soon as possible that she brought the tibetan mastiff over.

    when the tibetan mastiff had lunged at her earlier, it was so ferocious and looked as if it would kill buddha if buddha blocked its way. perhaps it was because of the little girl¡¯s presence that it had stopped its attack.

    gu zi helped the dirty little girl tidy up her hair and calmly said, ¡°this dog was probably locked in the backyard, right? it doesn¡¯t look like an ordinary dog. it must have bitten quite a few people.¡±

    gu zi noticed aunt chu¡¯s haughty attitude as she stood nearby, seemingly unfazed. she continued, ¡°it seems you do know that this dog has bitten people before. well, i¡¯ll wait for su shen to come, and then i¡¯ll report it to the police.¡±

    aunt chu wrinkled her brow slightly and quickly walked up to gu zi, looking down at her condescendingly. she questioned, ¡°report it to the police? what are you going to report, you little wretch? do you dare report it? before you can even report it, i¡¯ll teach you a lesson you won¡¯t forget!¡±

    ¡°attempted murder. i think that might land you in jail for a few years,¡± gu zi said calmly.

    aunt chu met gu zi¡¯s cold eyes. she felt as if she was in an ice cellar and could not move. ¡°you¡­ you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m talking nonsense?¡± gu zi glanced at the tibetan mastiff beside her and smiled faintly. ¡°do you really have no intention of letting the dog harm me?¡±

    aunt chu clenched her teeth, trying to defend herself, ¡°i¡¯m not a murderer!¡±

    ¡°well, attempted murder. don¡¯t worry; the police will make sure you spend some extra years behind bars,¡± gu zi said indifferently, seeing aunt chu¡¯s panic. she then cast a sidelong glance at the tibetan mastiff. ¡°but, you know, maybe we can discuss this¡­¡±

    aunt chu, who was desperate, was eager to hear what gu zi had in mind. she was afraid that gu zi would make a big demand, but she couldn¡¯t afford to refuse.

    aunt chu knew that gu zi had dug a pit for her, but she still jumped into it willingly. aunt chu asked cautiously, ¡°what¡­ what do you want me to do?¡±

    gu zi looked up at aunt chu, and upon seeing that the other party was a little flustered, the smile on her face became even more obvious. ¡°don¡¯t you know?¡±

    then, she kicked the ball in front of aunt chu.

    aunt chu pursed her lips slightly and looked at gu zi with a complicated expression. after a long time, she said, ¡°what exactly is it you want me to do for you?¡±

    gu zi smiled. ¡°what do you think?¡±

    aunt chu, ¡°nothing good obviously!¡±

 Chapter 5

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi leisurely sipped her tea while playing with the child in her arms.

    after about an hour, footsteps approached the door, and gu zi caught a faint whiff of blood. she held the child and looked towards the door.

    a man in his thirties entered. he was a pig farmer. with lin miao¡¯s eagerness to escape, gu zi expected to see a beer belly and a simple demeanor.

    but what she didn¡¯t expect was that a cold and slender man entered. he was dressed in traditional chinese clothing, exuding an air of coldness.

    as the man approached, gu zi stood up, still holding the child.

    the man was quite handsome, with well-defined features. in her era, he could have become a celebrity solely based on his looks.

    su shen sized gu zi up. when he saw her carrying the child, the coldness in his eyes dissipated a little. ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°gu zi,¡± gu zi replied, focusing her gaze on the man¡¯s face, her voice gentle. ¡°i¡¯m eighteen years old. lin miao, who was engaged to you before, is the biological daughter of the gu family. i¡¯m the daughter of the lin family, so i¡¯m here to fulfill the marriage agreement between our two families.¡±

    su shen¡¯s eyes shifted to the sofa, his expression indifferent. ¡°please, have a seat.¡±

    gu zi sat down on the sofa while holding the child. she didn¡¯t know what to say as su shen sat nearby, scrutinizing her.

    su shen had heard about lin miao finding her biological parents and the rumor that gu zi refused to return to the lin family because of her dislike for poverty. however, he couldn¡¯t understand why she had come to him of her own accord now.

    ¡°you might not be aware of my situation,¡± su shen said succinctly. ¡°i¡¯m thirty years old now. have you really thought this through?¡±

    he was twelve years older than her.

    gu zi smiled faintly and nodded. ¡°i¡¯m aware of your age. i¡¯ve thought it through.¡±

    su shen was slightly stunned. his sharp eyes were locked onto gu zi. ¡°i have three children, all of whom were adopted from my sister. even if i remarry, i don¡¯t intend to have any more children.¡±

    gu zi smiled and shifted the child in her arms slightly towards su shen. with one hand holding the child, she extended the other towards him. ¡°i will do my best to be a good stepmother and take care of these three.¡±

    su shen only paused for a moment, then glanced at gu zi¡¯s fair and smooth hand. he hesitated briefly, shook her hand briefly, and quickly withdrew his own.

    ¡°well, then, you can stay here for now,¡± su shen said calmly.

    ¡°thank you,¡± gu zi smiled.

    aunt chu, who had been watching this scene, was anxious and had beads of cold sweat on her forehead. she had wanted to remind su shen about the lin family¡¯s deceit, but when she remembered what gu zi had said earlier, she hesitated.

    aunt chu knew she couldn¡¯t interfere in this matter involving gu zi. she approached su shen and said, ¡°little su, the lin family is full of tricksters. why are you¡­¡±

    ¡°aunt chu, the one i was engaged to before was lin miao. she deceived me, not her,¡± su shen said with a complex expression as he looked at aunt chu.

    gu zi thought aunt chu wouldn¡¯t dare to speak carelessly, but she was surprised to hear her speak out. she smiled and said, ¡°aunt chu is very enthusiastic towards me. as soon as i entered, she brought the dog over to greet me.¡±

    su shen¡¯s face darkened. his dog was capable of causing fatal harm. aunt chu¡¯s intentions were clear, but gu zi¡­

    ¡°that dog is so cute and commanding, not at all aggressive,¡± gu zi smiled as she looked at the little girl in her arms. ¡°our lele also loves dogs, right?¡±

    the little girl in gu zi¡¯s arms was called su le. she was su shen¡¯s youngest child.

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on gu zi¡¯s face. only then did he realize that she was not complaining, but stating a fact.

    su shen looked at gu zi and continued, ¡°as long as you¡¯re good to the children, that¡¯s enough. as for the wedding, if your family doesn¡¯t want to hold it, so i haven¡¯t prepared for it either. if you want to, we can pick a suitable date later.

    ¡°if you don¡¯t have any other matters to discuss, i¡¯ll head to the farm. things have been busy there recently,¡± su shen said calmly.

    ¡°sure,¡± gu zi smiled and nodded. ¡°whether we have a wedding or not doesn¡¯t matter. i just wanted to know where i¡¯ll be staying.¡±

    when su shen heard gu zi¡¯s words, his expression froze.

    there were quite a few rooms in the house. other than his and the three children¡¯s room, the other rooms were still empty. there were no beds in those rooms.

    ¡°the first master bedroom on the second floor, right next to the stairs, is where you¡¯ll stay,¡± su shen said.

    gu zi smiled and said, ¡°great. you can go about your business. i can handle the rest myself.¡±

 Chapter 6

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen nodded and walked out of the room.

    as su shen left, aunt chu, with a cold expression, approached gu zi and sneered, ¡°people from the city are indeed different. you really know how to talk.¡±

    ¡°if i didn¡¯t know better, i¡¯d think you were su shen¡¯s mother. why are you so nosy? is this your seaside residence?¡± gu zi raised an eyebrow at aunt chu and said with confusion, ¡°or have you already taken this place as your own and that¡¯s why you¡¯re acting so arrogant?¡±

    ¡°you¡­ you¡¯re shameless!¡± aunt chu was exasperated.

    ¡°auntie, please recognize your position. you¡¯re just a nanny here. don¡¯t overstep your boundaries.¡±

    when aunt chu heard the word ¡°nanny¡±, her expression turned even uglier.

    in ancient times, a ¡°nanny¡± was just a servant. how dare this impudent city girl call her a servant.

    ¡°you¡­ you really have no manners at all.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i only have manners when dealing with people,¡± gu zi smiled slightly, carrying a large bag and holding lele in her arms as she walked upstairs.

    when gu zi left the gu family residence, she hadn¡¯t taken anything with her. however, on her way here, she realized there wouldn¡¯t be any clothes to wear and decided to buy some clothes, beddings, and other necessities at the local store. she carried a bag with her on the bus ride to su shen¡¯s house.

    she walked to the room su shen mentioned. as soon as she pushed open the door, she saw a wooden bed in the middle of the room. there was a wardrobe beside the door, and there was a table and a chair beside the window not far away.

    apart from that, there was nothing else in the room.

    the room was quite spacious, but it looked empty.

    gu zi¡¯s gaze landed on the bed. the bedsheets were neatly spread, the duvet was folded into a block at the head of the bed, and there was even a pillow on top of it.

    a folded duvet in block form.

    she remembered that back when she was in military school, everyone used to fold their duvets into blocks. after that, they wouldn¡¯t bother folding them again unless a teacher checked.

    gu zi placed lele on the ground, then took out the newly bought clothes and bedding. she organized them in the room, leaving some daily necessities on the table.

    she headed outside where there was running water in the yard. since it was hot, the clothes would dry quickly after washing. gu zi washed her clothes and, within a few hours, they were almost dry.

    afterward, she returned to her room and arranged the daily necessities. whether it was for bathing or regular face cleansing, she had bought new ones with her own money.

    gu zi then busied herself cleaning the second-floor rooms one by one. the clothes had almost dried, so she folded them and placed them in the wardrobe. she also had lele join her for a bath.

    her room had a separate bathroom with a water heater, so there was no need to heat water for a bath.

    after their baths, gu zi changed into a simple white long dress. her hair was still wet, hanging loosely over her shoulders. she sat at the table to wipe her face.

    the original host of this body had good skin, and gu zi didn¡¯t want to neglect it.

    the original host was a high school student and a top student. it was said that she ranked first in the school every year.

    if it weren¡¯t for her infatuation with her military officer fianc¨¦, she would probably still be studying in school.

    the reason she quit school was mainly due to her military officer fianc¨¦, who was twenty-five years old. both families hoped they would marry early and have children.

    precisely because of this, the gu family agreed to let the original host drop out of school.

    after all, her officer fianc¨¦ was the son of the chief, and his future was exceedingly bright.

    not long after the original host dropped out of school, the real heiress came crying to the door. when the original host heard this, she refused to leave the gu family no matter what.

    no, something was wrong.

    gu zi¡¯s eyes flashed coldly as she recalled the scene in the original owner¡¯s room. beside the bedside table, not far from the desk, piles of books were stacked.

    the original owner must have been very fond of studying, but she was also a hopeless romantic.

    after she wiped her face, she wiped lele¡¯s face and helped lele dry her hair.

    lele looked more obedient and cute after washing up, but she was frighteningly thin.

    suddenly, she heard a dog barking happily from outside. she looked through the window and saw the tibetan mastiff circling around the two teenagers, its tail wagging vigorously.

    the two teenagers were carrying school bags.

    the taller one had a gloomy expression, somewhat resembling su shen.

    the other teenager was shorter and was happily greeting the tibetan mastiff.

    gu zi glanced at the little girl in her arms. why were all three of su shen¡¯s children so thin? they looked like big-headed dolls.

    logically speaking, su shen should have doted on the three of them very much. these three children should not be so skinny even if they were not fair and fat.

    ¡°yiyiyaya.¡± lele held the comb in her hand and was about to put it in her mouth.

    gu zi quickly took the comb from lele¡¯s hand and kissed lele¡¯s forehead with a smile.

 Chapter 7

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi had read this novel before. in the novel, the original owner of the body reluctantly married into the family and immediately turned into a vicious stepmother. she abused these three children every day.

    as a result, the three children all grew crooked and were led astray.

    and with su shen¡¯s intimidating aura, the three children were too scared to even approach him!

    as a result, the three children became villains.

    the eldest, su bing, grew up distrusting women. despite excelling academically and joining a research team, his terrible personality turned him into a feared demon everyone dreaded.

    su li, the second brother who happily greeted the tibetan mastiff, looked thin and frail now. he would later grow to be incredibly strong, capable of taking a life with a single punch. he would drop out of junior high school and start hanging out with the wrong crowd, getting into fights with knives every day, eventually meeting his end in a chaotic brawl.

    as for su le in her arms, her lack of love in childhood led her to become obsessed with romantic relationships. she would endure bullying in school and fall for a scumbag. eventually, she would end up getting photographed naked and coerced into a porno. unable to bear the humiliation and scrutiny, she would take her own life by jumping into a river.

    apart from the eldest, su bing, who continued to suffer, the other two had tragic endings.

    su shen, for all the sacrifices he made for these three children, couldn¡¯t bring them happiness.

    it was truly heartbreaking.

    gu zi believed she could change everything when she came here. she was confident she could help these three children grow into strong individuals, like towering trees.

    as for the su shen¡­

    he was good-looking,but she hadn¡¯t yet assessed his other qualities. she planned to guide him in the direction she desired.

    in just a short while, gu zi had already mapped out her future plans:

    1. take good care of the physical and mental health of the three children and never let them go down the wrong path.

    2. cultivate su shen and mold him into her ideal husband.

    3. despite the current decent state of the household, she would continue her education as a backup plan. if she couldn¡¯t change them, she had other paths to explore.

    to gu zi, the fact that su shen did not want to have children made her very happy. she admired motherhood but didn¡¯t want to experience it herself.

    painless motherhood, what a wonderful concept!

    su shen seemed reserved; she wondered what he¡¯d be like in bed. the thought made the corners of her lips curl.

    gu zi carried the child and was about to go down when suddenly, the image of her original body reading an english book at night flashed across her mind.

    she was studying late at night under dim lighting, with her gaze fixed on a piece of paper that read ¡°study abroad!¡±

    gu zi suddenly came back to his senses and slowly lowered his eyes, his expression lonely.

    she snapped back to reality, her eyes downcast, a sense of melancholy washing over her. in her past life, she came from an ordinary family, worked hard to get into a top university, and even considered studying abroad after graduation. although foreign universities offered tuition waivers, the high cost of living abroad was beyond her means.

    she couldn¡¯t help but reflect on how deeply the previous host had loved her military officer fianc¨¦, which led her to give up her dream of studying abroad.

    gu zi carried the child downstairs.

    when she reached the ground floor, aunt chu had already prepared dinner. the eldest and the second child were sitting at the table, ready to eat.

    the noise of her descent caught their attention, and they looked at gu zi in astonishment. she was wearing a white dress with her hair flowing loosely, and the evening sun¡¯s glow made her look like a fairy stepping out of a painting.

    su li, the second child, couldn¡¯t help but gape at her; he had never seen anyone so beautiful.

    su bing, the eldest, was more composed. he noticed the baby in gu zi¡¯s arms and quickly said, ¡°come and eat.¡±

    eat?

    gu zi¡¯s gaze fell on the table with blackened potatoes and a wilted cabbage. she then looked at the porridge in the bowl that only had a few grains of rice. her brows furrowed slightly.

    this was their dinner?

    the children were still growing. how could they eat this?

    gu zi walked to the table and saw that there were only two bowls on the table. it seemed that aunt chu had not prepared dinner for lele.

    ¡°ya ya!¡± when lele saw the food, she shouted excitedly.

    ¡°why are you making so much noise? there¡¯s no food for you!¡± aunt chu snapped irritably, shooting an angry glance at lele.

    seeing that the other two were looking at gu zi and not eating, she scolded, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to eat, then don¡¯t! get out of here!¡±

    su bing and su li¡¯s bodies stiffened. they immediately lowered their heads and ate, not daring to make another sound.

    gu zi furrowed her brow slightly and turned her gaze to aunt chu¡¯s face, asking, ¡°no dinner for lele?¡±

 Chapter 8

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    aunt chu rolled her eyes and ignored gu zi.

    seeing the two children eating quietly, gu zi¡¯s expression turned stern, and she questioned in a cold voice, ¡°the su family invited you here to take care of the children, not to intimidate them!¡±

    aunt chu originally did not want to argue with gu zi. she slammed her chopsticks onto the table, stood up, and pointed at gu zi¡¯s face, saying, ¡°you say i¡¯m intimidating the children? if you¡¯ve got the guts, show me some evidence. we live differently in the countryside; we¡¯re not like you city folks, pampered and afraid of a little hardship!¡±

    gu zi let out a cold chuckle and replied, ¡°so, this is how you raise children in the countryside. alright, i¡¯ll remember that. when i meet your sons and grandsons, i¡¯ll make sure to teach them the same way.¡±

    ¡°how dare you!¡± aunt chu was so angry that she raised her hand to slap gu zi¡¯s face.

    gu zi placed lele on a chair at the side and raised her hand to deflect aunt chu¡¯s hand. without waiting for aunt chu to speak, she continued, ¡°i¡¯m only learning it from you. and when i see them, i¡¯ll be sure to ask them if you also taught them how to commit murder.¡±

    ¡°you!¡± aunt chu was so angry that her lips were trembling. she had thought it through when she was cooking just now. no one had seen her bringing the dog in front of gu zi. as long as she refused to admit it, the crime of attempted murder would not be pinned on her. ¡°you¡¯re just talking nonsense. if you keep making baseless accusations, i¡¯ll call the police!¡±

    ¡°go ahead,¡± gu zi glanced at the dishes on the table and questioned, ¡°i¡¯m curious, su shen seems like someone who cares about the children. so why does he only provide them with this kind of food every day?¡±

    ¡°if you¡¯re so great at cooking, do it yourself! stop talking nonsense and don¡¯t meddle in our affairs. i don¡¯t want to talk to a vixen like you,¡± aunt chu snapped irritably.

    ¡°thank you,¡± gu zi replied with a hint of sarcasm.

    aunt chu was momentarily taken aback by gu zi¡¯s thanks and responded in an annoyed tone, ¡°i was insulting you.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m thanking you. after all, ugly people won¡¯t be called vixens in their lives. someone like you will at most be called piggy. in any case, even the pig would be insulted that you¡¯re called after it.¡±

    with that, gu zi turned and walked towards the kitchen, carrying lele with her.

    aunt chu was so angry that she threw her chopsticks on the ground and gritted her teeth as she looked at gu zi¡¯s back.

    she had heard about lin miao finding her biological parents and the families¡¯ plans to exchange the children. lin miao¡¯s biological family had come to take their biological daughter home, but she had refused to leave.

    aunt chu could understand gu zi¡¯s choice at that time. after all, she had become accustomed to a comfortable life, and no one wanted to endure hardships after enjoying a good life.

    gu zi had a handsome appearance and fair skin. just by looking at her delicate hands, it was clear she wasn¡¯t accustomed to physical labor!

    su shen must be out of his mind to marry a woman who couldn¡¯t do anything!

    aunt chu had intentionally cooked less food. if gu zi tried to compete with the children for their share, aunt chu would simply complain to little su. he would surely kick gu zi out of the house.

    aunt chu sat back down smugly. seeing that the two children were looking at her, she said unhappily, ¡°what are you looking at? hurry up and eat!¡±

    back in the kitchen, gu zi gently placed lele in a chair and said with a tender smile, ¡°lele, be a good girl and wait here. mommy will make you something delicious.¡±

    lele tilted her little head, her grape-like eyes blinking, making her look exceptionally cute.

    gu zi¡¯s heart immediately softened. how could this child be so sweet and adorable?

    the kitchen was a mess, with a large pot on the left side of the stove, some rice and noodles nearby, and only salt, soy sauce, vinegar, with not even sugar for seasoning.

    in a corner on the floor, there were some sprouting potatoes and a wilted cabbage.

    gu zi furrowed her brow slightly. the su family wasn¡¯t lacking in money, so why were they raising children like this, with only these meager ingredients?

    gu zi remembered that su shen had returned home briefly and left in a hurry after a few words. it seemed he had no time to care for the children.

    she glanced around and her eyes fell on a basket in the corner.

    inside the basket, there was an overturned large bowl. when she opened it, she found a piece of pork belly and three eggs. she quickly took them out and discovered fine flour at the bottom.

    why are all these things in the basket?

    gu zi thought of the food on the table again, and her eyes gradually darkened. it seemed that aunt chu had not been honest.

    no wonder the three children were so skinny.

    gu zi took a deep breath and looked towards the dining room, meeting aunt chu¡¯s triumphant gaze.

    gu zi took out the meat and was about to cut it when aunt chu ran in like the wind and shouted, ¡°what are you doing?!¡±

 Chapter 9

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi tilted her head to look at aunt chu. she turned her body to shield the meat behind her and asked, ¡°i¡¯m preparing to cook. is there a problem?¡±

    aunt chu¡¯s eyes were red. she stretched her neck to look at the meat behind gu zi.

    that piece of meat was sent over by su shen this morning. aunt chu had intentionally hidden it, planning to take it back home for her beloved grandson to eat tonight!

    if this woman hadn¡¯t discovered the meat, it would definitely have ended up in her precious grandson¡¯s belly!

    ¡°no¡­¡± aunt chu could not bear to part with that piece of meat. her eyes were red and her voice trembled. ¡°you took such a big piece of meat; it¡¯s such a waste!¡±

    when gu zi heard this, she immediately chuckled and replied, ¡°aunt chu, this is my house. even if i waste it, it¡¯s my family¡¯s waste. what¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°you¡­¡±

    ¡°besides, if we don¡¯t eat this meat, it might end up in someone else¡¯s stomach, right?¡± after gu zi said that, she washed the meat briefly and began to cut the meat into slices.

    aunt chu watched as the piece of meat became smaller and smaller until it became pieces of meat. her heart ached so much that it bled. she was so angry that she had a headache. she turned around and walked out. when she saw the two children sitting at the table and drinking the soup silently, she glared at them fiercely.

    ¡°you both heard it, right? look at your stepmother. she¡¯s a wasteful woman. she only thinks about eating and drinking well all day long. despite that, she talks all high and mighty with a mouthful of principles.¡± aunt chu complained with one hand on her waist.

    when she saw gu zi starting to crack eggs, her heart could not take it anymore. she quickly turned her head.

    ¡°she¡¯s so arrogant and looks like a vixen. when she¡¯s together with little su, she¡¯ll probably bewitch him and might even kick you three out!¡± aunt chu ranted, then stormed off.

    su li, the second brother, was so scared that his chopsticks fell to the ground. he sat there dumbfounded, not daring to speak.

    su bing clenched his chopsticks tightly in his hand, his lips tightly sealed.

    as for gu zi in the kitchen, she had no idea what was happening outside.

    she planned to make noodles and then braised pork with cabbage.

    after preparing the pork, she started washing the cabbage, then set these ingredients aside to knead the dough and roll out the noodles.

    once the noodles were ready, she placed the pot on the left burner, filled it with water, and began cooking the noodles. on the right burner, she started simmering the cabbage in another pot.

    lele sat in the kitchen, quietly observing gu zi¡¯s activities.

    su li forgot about his chopsticks on the ground. he got up and walked to su bing¡¯s side, asking cautiously, ¡°big brother, she¡­¡±

    su bing didn¡¯t say a word, but his face tightened further, and his eyes grew even colder.

    gu zi quickly cooked the noodles, then prepared three large bowls of noodles and a small bowl of egg custard. finally, she brought out the pork stew with cabbage.

    gu zi only took half an hour to do this.

    su li stood by the dining table, staring at the dishes with stars in his eyes. he couldn¡¯t help but swallow and said excitedly, ¡°oh my, it smells so good!¡±

    su bing also found the aroma incredibly tempting. he had barely eaten anything earlier when aunt chu served them what she called ¡°soup,¡± which was more like water with a few grains of rice.

    ¡°and there¡¯s meat!¡± su li¡¯s mouth watered, and his eyes turned red. ¡°big bro, i haven¡¯t had meat in so long. this meat smells amazing!¡±

    su bing also hadn¡¯t had meat in a long time. he swallowed hard, gently grabbed su li¡¯s arm, and whispered, ¡°let¡¯s go upstairs to do our homework.¡±

    ¡°big brother,¡± su li¡¯s eyes welled up with tears due to his craving.

    as for lele, who was sitting in the kitchen, she was already drooling. she kept making ¡°yi yi ya ya¡± sounds as she sat on her chair.

    gu zi carried three large bowls of noodles to the table, along with a small bowl of egg custard.

    su li stood beside the dining table, looking at the food on the table. his eyes were sparkling, and he kept wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth.

    his hand reached out almost instinctively toward the dish, but su bing¡¯s quick action prevented him from touching the meat.

    su li snapped out of his trance and looked at su bing with a pleading expression.

    su bing, facing su li¡¯s gaze, gently shook his head, silently advising him not to indulge just yet.

    gu zi retrieved four pairs of chopsticks from the kitchen. she noticed su li¡¯s eager anticipation and chuckled. with warmth in her voice, she said, ¡°enjoy the noodles!¡±

    su li stared at the enticing bowl of noodles before him. each one was crowned with a golden egg pancake, its aroma wafting through the air.

    su li mechanically accepted the chopsticks gu zi offered him, while she extended another pair toward su bing.

 Chapter 10

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing looked coldly at gu zi in front of him and then swatted the chopsticks out of su li¡¯s hand.

    gu zi blinked in slight confusion, unsure of what had just transpired.

    su li, feeling wronged, turned to look at su bing.

    su bing looked warily at gu zi in front of her. the last stepmother had poisoned the three of them in order to snatch their father away.

    su li had also nearly died from her cooking due to his insatiable appetite.

    su bing recalled what aunt chu had said earlier. even though she had been stingy with their meals, she wouldn¡¯t have poisoned them.

    however, this woman was so beautiful, so she definitely had bad intentions.

    gu zi met su bing¡¯s gaze and felt a chill run down her spine. he was only a ten-year-old child, yet he had such a cold gaze.

    su li¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. he picked up the fallen chopsticks and wiped them clean with his hand, ready to eat the noodles. however, his chopsticks were once again swatted away by su bing.

    ¡°big brother, i want to eat,¡± su li said with teary eyes.

    ¡°i¡¯ve already told you, you can¡¯t eat it!¡± su bing said, his tone unwavering as he looked sternly at su li.

    gu zi, observing the situation, decided to take matters into her own hands. she picked up her own chopsticks and took a bite from both su bing¡¯s and su li¡¯s bowls of noodles. she then said, ¡°i¡¯ve had some too, so these noodles are safe.¡±

    gu zi placed su bing¡¯s chopsticks back in front of his bowl and returned to her seat. she picked up her bowl of egg custard and began feeding a ravenous lele, who had been crying for food.

    lele was two years old this year. she was already drooling from the smell of rice. gu zi took a small handkerchief to help lele wipe the corner of her mouth before scooping a spoonful of egg soup into lele¡¯s mouth.

    the egg custard smelled fragrant. it was soft, smooth, and melted in her mouth. her eyes lit up with joy, and she started eating without any need for force-feeding.

    meanwhile, su bing and su li remained in a daze.

    su li glanced at the noodles in the bowl, picked up the chopsticks again, and began to eat the noodles silently. he eagerly pick up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

    when su bing came back to his senses, su li had already eaten a few pieces of meat. he looked at su li¡¯s normal expression and frowned slightly.

    it was strange.

    there was something wrong with this woman.

    their previous stepmother had been terrible at cooking, and she had withheld good food from them. she would keep the delicious food for herself.

    the only time that woman had prepared delicious food for them was when su li almost died after eating it.

    in the end, that woman was chased away by her adoptive father.

    aunt chu prepared meals for them, but every time she cooked, the food was not delicious, and they were not full every time.

    therefore, in su bing¡¯s opinion, as long as someone served him delicious food, it had to be problematic. they must want to harm them.

    however, this woman really didn¡¯t seem to have tampered with the food.

    how was this possible?

    su bing¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and tighter. there was definitely something wrong with this woman.

    the reason why he tolerated aunt chu¡¯s terrible cooking was because she would only starve them and not poison them to death.

    aunt chu would always take away all the good food that their father had sent over, leaving only the unpalatable food for them.

    if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he was afraid that the next person who came to take care of them would poison them, he would have told his father about this long ago.

    after gu zi fed lele the egg custard, she fed lele some vegetables and meat. when lele touched her stomach happily, gu zi then moved her chopsticks to eat.

    she saw su li had finished a bowl of noodles and smiled. ¡°there are still some more noodles in the pot.¡±

    su li¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard that. he quickly got down from the chair and went to the kitchen with the bowl.

    su bing wanted to hold su li back, but when he saw that the woman was also eating, he was sure that there was nothing wrong with the dishes.

    gu zi¡¯s appetite was relatively small. after she finished eating, she saw that su bing still had not touched the food. so she said, ¡°i¡¯m done eating. remember to wash the dishes when you¡¯re done!¡±

    gu zi knew that su bing was suspicious of people who showed goodwill for no reason.

    from another perspective, if she were a little fiercer, perhaps su bing would think that she only cooked because she wanted to eat meat as well and would not suspect that she had ulterior motives.

    after gu zi finished eating, she carried lele upstairs.

    after su li saw gu zi leave, he said to su bing, ¡°big brother, the noodles she makes are really delicious.¡±

    ¡°aren¡¯t you afraid of being poisoned?¡± su bing said coldly.

    ¡°big brother, didn¡¯t she eat a few mouthfuls first? that means the noodles in the bowl are fine. she ate everything she cooked with us. don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± su li looked at gu zi with anticipation and said excitedly, ¡°i really hope she cooks for us every day!¡±

    su bing was speechless.

 Chapter 11

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing was just ten years old himself. he felt a bit relieved when he saw that gu zi had already eaten some of the noodles and vegetables. he then picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

    the first bite of noodles aroused his appetite. he wasn¡¯t typically a picky eater, but this food was irresistible. mixing the vegetables with the noodles made it even more delicious.

    in no time, su bing had finished his meal. he heard su li say with a happy smile, ¡°big brother, i told you her cooking is amazing! this is the best meal i¡¯ve ever had!¡±

    su bing remained silent as he cleaned up the dishes.

    ¡­

    aunt chu went home in a huff. she pushed open the door and walked straight to her room.

    aunt chu¡¯s daughter, chu tian, was washing clothes in the courtyard. when she saw her mother return empty-handed, she quickly washed her hands and walked toward aunt chu¡¯s room.

    chu tian saw her mother sitting by the bed sulking. she asked in puzzlement, ¡°mom, why didn¡¯t you bring anything back? did you forget? you said we were having meat today, and it would have been perfect for us¡­¡±

    ¡°eating, eating, all you ever think about is eating!¡± aunt chu snapped, her face turning ugly. she glared at chu tian and continued, ¡°you see, i¡¯m getting old, and i have to take care of those three little brats. if you set your sights on su shen, that¡¯s your business, but why should i be the one doing all the hard work?¡±

    ¡°and now, look at you. you¡¯ve gained so much weight in recent years, and on top of that, you never clean yourself up. your face is dirty, and your hands are covered in grime. how can you compare to gu zi?¡± aunt chu muttered a string of complaints, her expression growing increasingly gloomy as she pursed her lips.

    chu tian had been slim and attractive in her younger years, but now she was carrying extra weight. what bothered aunt chu even more was her daughter¡¯s lack of hygiene. she was covered in dirt, both on her face and hands.

    gu zi, on the other hand, was stunningly beautiful with fair skin. she appeared to be a well-bred young lady.

    she only had one daughter, and she wanted to find a better family for her daughter.

    previously, he had introduced a family to chu tian. the man from that family had been assigned to a poorer place because of his poor family background.

    chu tian had broken things off with him, and while it wasn¡¯t her fault, the villagers believed she brought bad luck to her potential in-laws.

    as a result, chu tian was now twenty-six years old. aunt chu had taken good care of her in the past, but now her daughter¡¯s standards were high. she aimed to marry someone from the city.

    however, in the countryside, no one wanted to marry her, and the city was even less likely to have a place for someone like her.

    when chu tian found out that su shen had divorced, she couldn¡¯t wait to be with him. she was eager to assist him with anything, and was daydreaming about it every day.

    aunt chu had initially believed that by helping su shen, her daughter chu tian could get closer to him and win his heart. little did she know that gu zi would suddenly appear in the picture.

    when aunt chu mentioned su shen¡¯s potential wife, chu tian¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise. she smiled and said, ¡°mom, you¡¯re getting worked up over this?¡±

    aunt chu frowned.

    chu tian continued with a smile, ¡°haven¡¯t you heard that lin miao has found her biological parents and wants to annul her marriage? could it be that lin miao has returned?¡±

    before aunt chu could respond, chu tian added, ¡°mom, you¡¯re making a fuss over nothing. even if lin miao came back, su shen definitely wouldn¡¯t be interested in her anymore.¡±

    although su shen¡¯s family was wealthy, people nowadays preferred those with stable jobs. after all, job security was the most desirable quality.

    someone like su shen, who was a self-employed individual, couldn¡¯t compare.

    ¡°it¡¯s not lin miao; it¡¯s gu zi,¡± aunt chu gritted her teeth.

    ¡°gu zi?¡± chu tian¡¯s eyes widened with confusion. she asked, ¡°who¡¯s gu zi?¡±

    ¡°the lin family¡¯s real daughter, gu zi. she said she¡¯s here to fulfill the marriage contract. you¡­¡± aunt chu¡¯s words were interrupted by chu tian¡¯s laughter.

    ¡°are you talking about that girl who refused to leave the gu family because she thought the lin family was too poor?¡± chu tian chuckled. ¡°that¡¯s impossible, mom. are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡±

    ¡°why would i lie to you?¡± aunt chu rolled her eyes and said irritably, ¡°she¡¯s already living in the su family residence now.¡±

    ¡°what?¡± chu tian was anxious now. she grabbed aunt chu¡¯s arm and said, ¡°mom, why didn¡¯t you chase her out? if she marries su shen, what will i do? su shen won¡¯t agree to marry her, right?¡±

    ¡°su shen agreed!¡± aunt chu nodded seriously.

    chu tian was so frightened that she sat down abruptly on the ground, her face pale.

 Chapter 12

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°it¡¯s impossible, absolutely impossible.¡±

    chu tian frowned and said impatiently, ¡°how could su shen agree to let gu zi stay in the su family? the one he was engaged to was lin miao, not gu zi.¡±

    ¡°what can we do? right now, gu zi is the one fulfilling the marriage contract on behalf of lin miao,¡± aunt chu said, with a slight frown and tightly pursed lips. there was hatred in her eyes when she mentioned gu zi. ¡°but i don¡¯t think she¡¯ll behave herself for long. she looks like a vixen, and before you know it, she¡¯ll reveal her true colors. those three brats will also try to get rid of her, and she might leave sooner than expected.¡±

    she had already made up her mind. she wouldn¡¯t go to the su family to take care of those three children. su li and su bing were not easy to handle, and gu zi, being such a delicate girl, would be overwhelmed.

    when that happened, gu zi would likely run away.

    at that time, the responsibility of taking care of those three children would fall back to her.

    aunt chu had a beautiful plan in mind. if it weren¡¯t for the purpose of letting her daughter and su shen get together sooner, she wouldn¡¯t have considered becoming a nanny for the su family.

    chu tian sighed in relief, praising her mother, ¡°mom, you¡¯re so smart. my future happiness depends on you now.¡±

    ¡°well, when you marry su shen and have a child, your child will be your reliance. by then, you should control all of su¡¯s family¡¯s money,¡± aunt chu said with a smile.

    meanwhile, at the gu family residence.

    zhang mei, sat on the bed, holding gu zi¡¯s photo in her hands, and sighed, ¡°i heard it¡¯s very tough in the countryside. i wonder if zi zi can handle it. we¡¯ve raised her like a precious gem.¡±

    gu shan frowned slightly, and a trace of guilt flashed in his eyes. he could not help but sigh.

    they had raised gu zi like a precious gem. it was heartbreaking to think that she would marry someone from the countryside. she was so delicate and tender.

    he felt terrible.

    lin miao stood outside the door and peeked at the situation inside. a trace of anger flashed in her eyes, especially when he saw that zhang mei was still weeping for gu zi. she wanted nothing more than to tear gu zi apart.

    gu zi had stolen 18 years of her beautiful life. she had finally found where she truly belonged, but her parents were still thinking about gu zi.

    lin miao tried to calm herself and knocked on the door.

    hearing the knocking, zhang mei quickly wiped away her tears and cleared her throat. she said, ¡°come in.¡±

    lin miao pushed the door open and walked in. tears welled up in her eyes as she said softly, ¡°mom, dad, should i go find gu zi? i believe that if i talk to her, she¡¯ll come back to this family.¡±

    lin miao paused and continued, ¡°as for the lin family, i¡¯ll persuade them to return the three thousand yuan betrothal gift that man gave. if they¡¯re unwilling, i¡¯ll go to work and help gu zi pay off the betrothal gift as soon as possible. i don¡¯t want you to be sad all the time.¡±

    ¡°work? you don¡¯t plan to study anymore?¡± zhang mei immediately tensed up and looked at lin miao worriedly.

    ¡°i don¡¯t want to study anymore. if i continue to study, i don¡¯t know when i¡¯ll be able to pay off that three thousand yuan.¡±

    when gu shan and zhang mei heard that, they immediately became anxious.

    ¡°no, you can¡¯t go to work!¡± gu shan frowned and said hastily, ¡°you are now a daughter of the gu family. you lack nothing. why go to work?¡±

    gu shan¡¯s eyes darkened. lin miao didn¡¯t compare to gu zi in terms of appearance. also, lin miao had come from the countryside. gu shan was worried that the gong family wouldn¡¯t look favorably upon their daughter who was from the countryside. he thought that lin miao should at least have a proper education, which would make her seem like an intellectual. it would boost her reputation.

    he really couldn¡¯t understand why the lin family was so shameless. they had accepted a dowry of three thousand yuan from the groom, but they still refused to return the money when the marriage was canceled.

    ordinary people earned only thirty to forty yuan a month. even if lin miao went to work, who knows when she could earn that much money.

    if it were just a hundred or so yuan, he would have been willing to pay for gu zi to be free of the marraige. after all, he had watched gu zi grow up.

    but three thousand yuan was not a small sum.

    perhaps he should force the lin family to return the money.

    in any case, although gu zi had been wronged, lin miao had already suffered for more than twenty years. he did not want any more trouble for lin miao.

    a glimmer of determination flashed in lin miao¡¯s eyes. there was no way she would go to work for gu zi. her strategy was to feign pity so that gu family would not want to have anything to do with gu zi anymore.

 Chapter 13

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi carried lele to the second floor. children have limited energy, and now that lele had eaten and drunk her fill, she started to feel sleepy.

    she gently placed lele on the bed, which now had her light pink silk bedding and sheets. luckily, such things were not expensive in this era, and the money she received from the gu family was enough.

    gu zi tiptoed downstairs, and as soon as she descended, she saw the two children tidying up the dining room.

    when they noticed her coming down, they immediately stood up straight, looking stiff as if they had seen something terrifying.

    gu zi glanced at them and said, ¡°lele is asleep now. please be quieter.¡±

    with that, she walked towards the door.

    su bing and su li remained stiff until gu zi left the yard. only then did they relax slightly.

    su li looked up at su bing and whispered, ¡°brother, should i follow her? we can¡¯t let her escape; otherwise, we won¡¯t have good food in the future.¡±

    su bing, with a disdainful look, glanced at su li and furrowed his brows. he said, ¡°she¡¯s gone, that¡¯s good. it saves us from her poisoning you!¡±

    su li was speechless.

    the two brothers walked upstairs. they went to gu zi¡¯s room first.

    their father¡¯s ex-wife also lived alone in this room in the past.

    su bing carefully pushed open the door, and suddenly, a pleasant fragrance wafted out from inside.

    he was stunned and saw a vase of wildflowers on the windowsill. these were common wildflowers found on the roadside, but they looked particularly precious now. there were also books on the table and various colorful bottles and jars.

    the once cold and uninviting room had completely changed, and su bing even thought he might be having an illusion.

    he blinked, but everything in the room remained the same, looking beautiful.

    the bedsheets were all light pink, and su le was sleeping soundly on the bed.

    he quietly walked to the side of the bed. when su le was asleep, the corners of her mouth were still curled up, her hair was gently hanging down, and her small chest was heaving up and down.

    was this his sister?

    his memory of his sister was of a messy-haired, dirty-faced child with grimy hands and feet. he cautiously touched his sister¡¯s face, and his whole body stiffened.

    was this his sister¡¯s face?

    it was so soft and smooth. why was it so comfortable?

    a pleasant fragrance wafted into his nose. he leaned closer to su le and realized that it was the fragrance coming from su le¡¯s body.

    ¡®sister smells so good!¡¯

    su li had also approached and looked at his elder brother, then at his little sister. he whispered softly, ¡°brother, our little sister smells so nice.¡±

    ¡°yes, she does,¡± su bing replied with complicated emotions.

    he gazed dumbfoundedly at his clean and sweet-smelling little sister who was sleeping so soundly. he fell into deep thought.

    ¡­

    meanwhile, gu zi made her way to the village cooperative.

    she first bought some seasonings. without seasonings, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make delicious dishes no matter how good her cooking skills were.

    every time she went shopping, gu zi was amazed by the prices in this era; they were incredibly cheap.

    after buying a lot of things, she had only spent less than five yuan.

    she had bought everything she needed and was about to head home when she spotted someone selling white rabbit milk candies.

    even though daily necessities were inexpensive, white rabbit candies were sold at more than ten yuan per catty.

    gu zi decided to buy a little, along with some white sugar.

    she thought about reminding su shen to bring back some spare ribs next time so that she could make sweet and sour spare ribs. although the gu family had good living conditions, they rarely bought spare ribs because they were expensive.

    she was really satisfied with being with su shen now. in this era, she could enjoy many servings of sweet and sour spare ribs.

    gu zi was originally born in 2000. at that time, her house was still a small place. there were not many electrical appliances at home. it was not even as good as su shen¡¯s small bungalow.

    what pleased gu zi the most was that su shen didn¡¯t want her to have children.

    this was a fantastic arrangement; she wouldn¡¯t have to experience the pain of childbirth.

    when she returned home, it was already around five in the afternoon.

    as soon as she walked in, su li, who had been doing his homework, immediately perked up, his eyes shining brightly.

    su bing glanced at his little brother. su li was undoubtedly thinking about all the good food he could enjoy in the future.

    su bing lightly stepped on su li¡¯s foot to remind him to focus on his homework.

    su li nodded half-heartedly and then glanced at the bag of white rabbit candies in gu zi¡¯s hand. he blinked his eyes hard and whispered, ¡°brother, she has candy, white rabbit candies. i heard they¡¯re quite expensive.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m sure there¡¯s none for you, so just concentrate on your homework!¡± su bing said impatiently.

 Chapter 14

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su li stuck out his little tongue and licked his lips. he looked towards the kitchen with a serious expression and said, ¡°i just want to take a look, brother. do you think white rabbit milk candies are exceptionally sweet?¡±

    su bing continued to focus on his homework, ignoring su li.

    in the past, their father had given his previous wife money to buy candy for them, but she always appeared unwilling and ate all the candy herself without giving them a single piece.

    after gu zi finished organizing the kitchen, she took out two pieces of candy, walked over to su bing and su li, and placed one candy in front of each of them. then, she turned and went back into the kitchen.

    su li looked at the white rabbit milk candy with wide eyes, unable to resist the temptation.

    he was about to grab one when su bing caught his hand.

    ¡°brother,¡± su li looked at su bing with a pitiful expression.

    ¡°you¡¯re not allowed to eat it,¡± said su bing.

    ¡°brother, i heard that this is very delicious.¡± su li licked the saliva at the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

    su bing pointed at su li¡¯s exercise book and said, ¡°hurry up and do your homework.¡±

    su li obediently picked up his pen and started writing in his workbook. after a while, he stopped and looked at su bing with reluctance, then continued to do his homework.

    su bing finished his homework and told su li to do it well. then, he went upstairs to look for su le.

    su li took this opportunity and quickly opened a white rabbit milk candy and popped it in his mouth.

    the milky and creamy taste instantly spread throughout his entire mouth. his eyes instantly sparkled as he thought to himself that this must be the most delicious candy in the world.

    after about five minutes, su bing held su le¡¯s hand and walked down. he saw that one of the candies on the table was missing, and his face darkened. he looked at su li with a serious expression.

    su li didn¡¯t want to admit it at first, but su bing¡¯s stare made him uncomfortable. so he said unwillingly, ¡°brother, i ate it. this candy is really sweet. you should have one too!¡±

    su bing was speechless.

    gu zi was preparing to cook in the kitchen. she had just been to the village cooperative and spent around fifteen yuan.

    while su shen had allowed her to stay in the su family¡¯s house, she wasn¡¯t sure about his intentions or if he truly intended to marry her.

    today, she had almost spent half of her savings, and at this rate, her money would soon run out.

    she still intended to continue her education, but she couldn¡¯t expect su shen to pay for her tuition.

    furthermore, she had some doubts about the su family¡¯s financial situation.

    although the su family¡¯s house was well-built and the items in the house were expensive, the three children looked very thin, like lollipops. she suspected that su shen might be running out of money, which could explain why the children were going without food.

    she felt that she had to rely on herself to earn money.

    gu zi had only prepared half of the meat for lunch earlier, and the other half was in the refrigerator. she took out the meat, washed it, and began marinating it with various seasonings.

    afterward, she started boiling water to steam rice.

    the left stove was for steaming rice, while the right stove was for stewing the meat.

    half an hour later, she placed the marinated meat directly into the pot on the right. she poured in the seasoning that she had prepared in advance, then covered the lid and waited for the pot to simmer slowly.

    the weather was hot, so she prepared to serve cucumbers to go with the dishes.

    the pot started to boil, and she quickly adjusted the heat to low.

    the aroma of the cooking meat filled the kitchen and wafted out through the partially open kitchen door.

    in the living room, su li had finished eating his white rabbit candy and was about to sneakily take the one in front of su bing when he suddenly smelled the rich aroma of meat.

    su li¡¯s mouth watered, and his eyes remained fixed on the direction of the kitchen.

    su bing held su lele¡¯s hand and stiffened slightly, gazing directly towards the kitchen.

    aunt chu usually only prepared lunch and dinner for them, and in the morning, they often went hungry.

    their meals consisted of watery soup with a few grains of rice and some wilted vegetable leaves. it had been a long time since they had eaten meat.

    although su bing had eaten noodles for lunch and wasn¡¯t hungry, the scent of the meat still drew his attention toward the kitchen.

    as for su le, she was ecstatic and started dancing in excitement. if su bing hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, she might have jumped out of his arms.

    su li leaned in closer to su bing and whispered, ¡°brother, our stepmother¡¯s cooking smells so good, it¡¯s the aroma of meat!¡±

    su li was already salivating from the delicious scent.

    su bing¡¯s expression became complicated as he withdrew his gaze and looked at su li beside him.

 Chapter 15

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing sighed helplessly and whispered to su li, ¡°su li, control your mouth.¡±

    su li absentmindedly responded and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

    just then, su li saw gu zi bringing out the steamed rice and placing it on the dining table. he hadn¡¯t expected to have rice for today¡¯s meal.

    a joyful smile spread across su li¡¯s face, and when he saw gu zi bringing out the braised pork, he immediately rushed to the dining table.

    earlier in the afternoon, his brother had told him not to eat the food their stepmother prepared in the future. however, the food she cooked looked delicious, smelled heavenly, and he was sure it would taste incredibly good.

    gu zi also served stir-fried green beans, cold cucumber salad, and four bowls of egg soup.

    gu zi dished out the rice, set up the chopsticks, and said to su bing, who was sitting dumbfounded nearby, ¡°let¡¯s dig in.¡±

    su bing looked at gu zi with a complicated expression. in his memory, his father had always been busy, and his previous stepmother had never treated them well, nor had she ever given them anything to eat.

    after aunt chu arrived, she did cook for them, but the meals were barely edible. even on special occasions, when his father instructed her to steam rice for them, it was usually mixed with corn.

    he glanced at su li. his younger brother was obviously scared silly by so much delicious food. he stood rooted to the ground, not daring to move.

    su li seemed to have noticed su bing¡¯s gaze. he turned his head and saw that his big brother was also looking at the dishes on the table.

    su bing walked to the dining table step by step, holding su le¡¯s hand.

    su li was young, and he couldn¡¯t remember everything clearly, but he remembered that his mother had never been kind to him. she never cooked anything delicious for him.

    what¡¯s more, every time that man came, she would reluctantly feed him a little and then force him to cry and beg the man to stay.

    most of the time, the man didn¡¯t listen to their mother¡¯s pleas and left without hesitation.

    once the man disappeared behind the courtyard gate, their mother would mercilessly beat them. there were several times when su li had feared he might be beaten to death.

    then, their current father adopted them and married another woman. initially, she was gentle with them, but as soon as their father went to work, she turned into a fierce and cruel woman, just like their mother. eventually, she even tried to kill them.

    gu zi sat at the table and raised her head, meeting su bing¡¯s resentful gaze. she couldn¡¯t help but shiver, feeling a chill down her spine.

    when she had been reading this novel, she had thought that su bing¡¯s dark and calculating personality might have been a result of the abuse from the original body¡¯s stepmother.

    however, now it seemed that whether or not the original body had suffered abuse, su bing had developed this gloomy personality regardless.

    she looked at su bing, sighed silently, and realized that changing su bing¡¯s personality, especially at his age, would be no easy task.

    she knew the fate of these three children, and she didn¡¯t want them to lead unhappy lives.

    however, some things were not as simple as she had initially thought, especially changing a person¡¯s fundamental personality, which was incredibly difficult.

    ¡°let¡¯s eat. do i have to invite you to the table?¡± gu zi walked over to su bing and bent down to pick up su le.

    su le¡¯s eyes squinted with delight, and she happily waved her little hands, pointing at the egg soup on the table.

    gu zi placed su le in a chair next to her and then picked up a spoonful of egg soup, feeding it to su le.

    the reason why gu zi did this was to hint to su bing and su li that there was nothing wrong with her cooking.

    however, the two children still stood there without moving.

    she could see that su li was about to sit on the stool and eat, but su li was pulled back by su bing before he could touch the chair.

    gu zi only fed su le a little. after that, she handed the spoon to su le and encouraged her to try eating on her own.

    gu zi didn¡¯t say anything more. she picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, tasting each dish carefully.

    the food in this era wasn¡¯t created using advanced technology, but it was incredibly delicious.

    su bing looked at gu zi with a complex expression. he finally released his grip on su li¡¯s hand.

    su li couldn¡¯t wait any longer and rushed to his seat, subconsciously reaching out to grab a piece of meat from the plate.

    gu zi stretched out her hand to block su li¡¯s hand.

    su li was so frightened that he immediately pulled back his hand, his face pale. he stood there, helpless and unsure of what to do.

 Chapter 16

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing immediately glared at gu zi with a look of resentment. this woman was no different from the others, preparing all these delicious dishes but not allowing his little brother to eat. she was deliberately bullying him!

    su bing clenched his fists tightly, but he didn¡¯t move closer immediately.

    ¡°if you want to eat, wash your hands. also, remember to use chopsticks while eating, not your hands,¡± gu zi gently reminded su li, her voice soft.

    when su bing heard gu zi say that, he was momentarily stunned. before he could react, his younger brother had already washed his hands and sat down at the table, directly picking up a piece of meat and putting it in his bowl, then began eating.

    as he savored the aroma of the braised pork, tears welled up in his eyes. uncontrollable drops of tears fell down.

    he quickly wiped away the tears and swallowed the mouthwatering braised pork, which was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

    he tightly pursed his lips, looking at su bing beside him, his voice choked, ¡°brother, let¡¯s eat!¡±

    su bing nodded, washed his hands, and then sat down next to su li. he tentatively picked up a piece of meat and placed it in his bowl. seeing that gu zi was still leisurely eating, he felt a bit relieved.

    gu zi typically didn¡¯t eat much, and once she had finished her meal and ensured su le had eaten, she carried su le away. she knew that if she remained at the table, the two brothers might keep staring at her while they ate.

    gu zi walked out of the dining room and said to the two brothers who were eating, ¡°remember to wash the dishes. by the way, there are meat buns in the kitchen fridge that i prepared for you guys for breakfast tomorrow. if i don¡¯t wake up early tomorrow, you guys can heat up the buns yourselves and eat them!¡±

    after saying that, she brought lele upstairs.

    after gu zi left the dining room, only the two brothers were left.

    the two brothers devoured the food on the table.

    su li¡¯s eyes sparkled as he said happily, ¡°brother, her cooking is delicious!¡±

    su bing, who had been silently eating, didn¡¯t respond. he got up and started clearing the dishes.

    gu zi returned to her room and let su lele play on the bed while she sat at the table to read.

    time passed slowly, and she couldn¡¯t help but yawn. she was just about to change into her pajamas and go to sleep.

    just as she took out her silk nightgown, removed her top, and was about to change into her nightgown, the door suddenly opened.

    ¡°ah!¡± gu zi¡¯s face turned red instantly. she quickly covered her body and moved away from the door.

    the person outside quickly retreated and closed the door behind them.

    gu zi, still flustered, hurriedly put on her nightgown.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry.¡± a man¡¯s low and slow voice came from outside the door. it sounded like he had been drinking.

    gu zi, feeling embarrassed, quickly finished putting on her nightgown. she had been single all her life in her previous life, and she didn¡¯t expect to encounter such an awkward situation on her first day in this world.

    she knew very well that the man did not do it on purpose, but she still felt a little uncomfortable.

    then she thought about how, in the modern world, people would wear bikinis on the beach.

    her nightgown reached down to her ankles. thinking that the man was still outside, she had something to discuss with him, so she stepped to the door.

    she took a deep breath and opened the door.

    as soon as she stepped out, she met the man¡¯s deep eyes with a complicated expression. she felt as if she was in the deep sea and could not breathe. she could only stand there in a daze.

    this man was indeed terrifying, just as described in the book. he was always alone, and no one could approach him, not even those three children.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry.¡±

    upon hearing his words, gu zi felt a bit of the pressure lift from her shoulders.

    ¡°i just forgot that you were here.¡± su shen stood up straight, his sharp eyes filled with apology.

    he attended a social gathering today and drank a lot. his head was dizzy, and he had forgotten that there was someone new in the house. subconsciously, he had returned to his room and was met with a surprise.

    this made him sober up instantly, and he also recalled the conversation with gu zi in the afternoon.

    he had originally thought that gu zi, a city woman, would leave soon. he had not expected to offend her on the very first day.

    thinking about the embarrassing incident just now, gu zi¡¯s face turned even redder. she turned her head to the side, pretending to be calm, and said, ¡°no problem.¡±

    su shen, hearing this, simply responded with a low ¡°hmm¡± and was thinking about leaving for another room to sleep.

    gu zi, noticing the smell of alcohol on su shen¡¯s body, was surprised that there was no trace of sweat odor. she then thought that he might not have eaten much earlier. she asked, ¡°are you hungry? should i make you a bowl of noodles?¡±

 Chapter 17

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen¡¯s feet seemed to be rooted to the spot; he couldn¡¯t move. his gaze was fixed on the young woman in front of him.

    the young woman was wearing a pale yellow nightgown. he didn¡¯t know what material it was made of, but it emitted a soft glow under the light, making her look even more gentle.

    her previously tied-up hair now cascaded down her back, accentuating her fair skin. her skin was especially delicate, with no visible pores.

    she raised her hand to tuck some stray strands of hair behind her ear. her hands were long and delicate, not the hands of someone accustomed to hard work.

    a pampered young girl like her volunteered to marry him?

    su shen still couldn¡¯t help but think that this young girl had made a mistake in her decision. his own circumstances were far from ideal.

    he not only had to think about raising his sister¡¯s three children but also wanted to avoid having children himself. in this society, every woman was eager to have children.

    with his stringent conditions, it was unlikely that anyone would accept him.

    su shen replied succinctly, ¡°i¡¯ve already eaten.¡±

    ¡°oh,¡± gu zi responded awkwardly. it seemed that they were from completely different worlds, and she didn¡¯t know what to talk about. she stood there feeling uncomfortable.

    su shen¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her face, and he could sense her unease.

    she looked innocent and gullible, but he was already used to seeing all kinds of people in his life, and they were not from the same world after all.

    perhaps this was the generation gap between them.

    su shen¡¯s gaze remained on gu zi¡¯s face as he continued, ¡°although i don¡¯t know why you changed your mind, you can stay here for a week to see if you can adapt. if you find it unacceptable, you can leave.

    ¡°and if you feel¡­ if you feel that we are a good match, then we can get married.¡±

    su shen thought back to accidentally entering her room earlier, feeling slightly embarrassed. he reassured her, ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯m busy with the pig farm, and i rarely come home.¡±

    he had a resting area in the office at the pig farm, which allowed him to stay overnight.

    he had only come back every day to check on the three children.

    gu zi thought about the situation for a moment and replied, ¡°it¡¯s fine, really. there are plenty of rooms in the house, and there¡¯s enough space for me.

    ¡°besides, we need to get to know each other better to see if we¡¯re the right fit.¡±

    although he had accidentally seen her changing clothes earlier, she wasn¡¯t from this era, and she didn¡¯t want to force him into taking responsibility for it.

    su shen nodded in agreement. ¡°alright.¡±

    with that, he was about to leave, but he heard gu zi ask, ¡°does aunt chu usually take good care of children in general?¡±

    su shen¡¯s expression froze, and a trace of confusion flashed across his eyes. however, he still nodded and asked, ¡°why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°just curious. you should go rest now. good night.¡± gu zi smiled and waved at su shen.

    after saying that, gu zi entered her room.

    su shen stood there, deep in thought about what gu zi had just said.

    ..

    sunlight filtered through the curtains as gu zi slowly opened her eyes. she looked at the peacefully sleeping su lele beside her. the little girl looked adorable when she was asleep.

    gu zi got up, washed her face, and changed into fresh clothes. she then opened the curtains and the windows.

    the room was filled with the scent of fresh grass, and the air was crisp and invigorating. gu zi took in a deep breath, enjoying the sensation.

    she made her way downstairs. the backpacks that had been placed on the living room couch were now gone, indicating that the two boys had already gone to school.

    yesterday, when she had gone to the cooperative store, she had inquired about the situation in the town.

    there were three villages in this town. the village she was in was the largest in the town, but there was only one school in the entire town.

    their home was about five kilometers away from the school, which meant it would take them over an hour to walk there.

    in these times, it wasn¡¯t easy for children to go to school.

    the living room was quite dark, so gu zi opened all the curtains to let the sunlight in. the previously cold room instantly warmed up.

    however, she noticed that the curtains were quite dusty, likely because nobody had cleaned them in a long time.

    she heated a bun for breakfast and rolled up her sleeves, ready to start cleaning.

    she had already cleaned her room yesterday, so she wanted to clean the rooms on the second floor today.

    she entered su bing¡¯s room, which was unlocked. the room was dark, with black curtains blocking out all the light.

    gu zi opened the curtains and then the windows.

    su bing¡¯s room was neatly arranged, everything in its proper place.

 Chapter 18

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    she turned and entered su li¡¯s room. the curtains were open, but the room was messy, with books and papers scattered on the bed and desk. after opening the window, she moved on to the next room.

    this was a guest room, and as she was about to enter, she found that the door was being pushed open from the inside.

    she was taken aback for a moment and then noticed that su shen had opened the door from the inside.

    she blinked in surprise and looked at su shen. ¡°you¡­ didn¡¯t go to work?¡±

    she had assumed that su shen had already gone to work. however, he was here in the guest room.

    morever, she had thought he might have slept with su bing or su li since there was no bed in the guest room.

    so, how had he slept here?

    she tilted her head slightly and noticed that there was a straw mat on the floor in the room.

    su shen¡¯s gaze landed on gu zi¡¯s face. she was standing in the corridor, and the sunlight from the windows on one side illuminated her, making her look even more fair and translucent, as if she could disappear with a touch.

    su shen cleared his throat and shifted his gaze, pressing his temples. ¡°uh, i¡¯ll go in a while.¡±

    ¡°why didn¡¯t you sleep with one of the boys?¡± gu zi asked with concern.

    ¡°i was afraid of waking them up. why are you up so early?¡± su shen looked at gu zi, noting that it was only six o¡¯clock, which was earlier than most young people woke up.

    gu zi smiled and replied, ¡°i woke up, so i got up.¡±

    she felt a bit sorry that su shen had slept in the guest room without a bed.

    ¡°it¡¯s alright,¡± su shen said nonchalantly. ¡°i¡¯m heading to the pig farm now.¡±

    gu zi raised her eyes to look at su shen and asked, ¡°do you want me to heat up some buns for you, so you can have breakfast before you go?¡±

    su shen understood now. no wonder he had smelled the aroma of meat buns when he had woken up. gu zi had made them.

    he nodded slightly.

    ¡°alright, you freshen up, and i¡¯ll go heat up the buns,¡± gu zi said, then turned and headed to the kitchen downstairs.

    after su shen freshened up, he walked to the second-floor corridor, where all the doors were open, and the curtains were drawn back. the previously dim corridor now felt bright.

    he walked down the stairs, and the living room was also well-lit. it looked completely different from what he remembered.

    the aroma of meat buns filled the room. he saw gu zi carrying a plate of buns to the dining table.

    aunt chu had been working here for a long time, but she had never steamed buns that smelled so good. these buns must have been made by gu zi.

    he hadn¡¯t expected gu zi, a city girl, to know how to cook. he had heard rumors about her before, that she was some spoiled rich girl who had a bad temper and looked down on the poor.

    clearly, the gu zi he saw now was completely different from the one in the rumors.

    gu zi smiled at su shen and said, ¡°take your time eating. i¡¯ll go clean the rooms.¡±

    with that, she walked away without looking back and went back upstairs to continue cleaning.

    she opened the curtains in the guest room and heard barking coming from below. when she looked out the window, she saw the dog wagging its tail obsequiously in su shen¡¯s direction.

    su shen squatted down in front of the dog and used a hand gesture to make it sit quietly. the dog¡¯s tail was still wagging vigorously.

    su shen placed his hand on the dog¡¯s head and patted it gently.

    perhaps her gaze was too intense, because the next moment, she saw the man looking up at her.

    she grabbed the curtain with her hand and couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. her ears turned bright red as she looked at the man downstairs. she had accidentally fallen into his deep, captivating gaze, as if she had fallen into a vast universe.

    her heart skipped a beat, then raced faster. her face blushed uncontrollably. she lowered her head and averted her gaze, silently walking toward the door of the room.

    she was just curious about that big and fierce dog. why was she feeling shy after being looked at by him?

    why was she so uncomposed?

    gu zi pursed her lips. she would look at the dog in a more open and straightforward manner next time. when she reached the window, she realized that su shen had already left, leaving only the big dog wagging its tail toward the door.

    she removed all the curtains and put them in the washing machine for cleaning. then, she cleaned the entire second floor.

    it was difficult to clean the rooms that were mostly empty.

    when she was done mopping the floor, she moved on to cleaning the cabinets and chairs.

    she couldn¡¯t help herself; she had a slight obsession with cleanliness and wanted her living space to be spotless and bright.

 Chapter 19

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when su le woke up, gu zi made her a cup of milk powder for breakfast.

    the second floor¡¯s floor was now clean, and she had been gradually cleaning and organizing other areas in the house over the past few days.

    as noon approached, she took little su le to the kitchen.

    gu zi remembered from books that children usually started speaking between the ages of eight to ten months, and su le was almost two years old but still couldn¡¯t speak.

    the book version of su le had normal language abilities during high school, which meant that her lack of speech might be due to a lack of guidance.

    gu zi sat next to su le, selecting vegetables and gently said, ¡°brother.¡±

    su le tilted her little head, her big eyes blinking, and in a babyish voice, she said, ¡°bro¡­ther.¡±

    gu zi¡¯s eyes brightened, and she leaned in to kiss su le¡¯s forehead, smiling warmly. ¡°oh my, our little lele is so smart.¡±

    su le¡¯s eyes narrowed with happiness.

    ¡°lele, say it again, ¡®brother,''¡± gu zi gently encouraged.

    ¡°brother~¡±

    this time, su le said it more naturally.

    ¡°lele is very smart!¡±

    ¡°yiya yiya~¡±

    ¡°okay, now say daddy,¡± gu zi said tenderly. she spoke slowly, concerned that su le might not understand.

    ¡°yiya yiya¡­¡±

    ¡°say mommy''¡± gu zi said patiently.

    ¡°mom¡­ mommy!¡±

    listening to su le¡¯s voice, gu zi couldn¡¯t help but smile. judging from the progress su le had made just now, she was indeed very intelligent, and with time and teaching, she would likely learn to speak fluently.

    she put the vegetables into the water, started preparing lunch, and taught su le how to eat. afterward, she had her own meal.

    there were still leftovers in the pot, so she mixed them all together.

    she noticed that the dog¡¯s food bowl contained leftovers, and she thought the dog might eat these as well.

    she walked over to the tethered dog, recalling the scene from yesterday when the big dog had jumped towards her.

    taking a deep breath, she approached the dog cautiously.

    the dog was lying down with its eyes half-closed and didn¡¯t seem to notice her getting closer.

    she didn¡¯t dare get too close. she crouched down and poured the leftover food into the dog¡¯s bowl, then quickly stepped back.

    the dog slowly opened its eyes, glanced at the bowl, then at gu zi, and then lowered its head to eat.

    seeing the dog eating peacefully, gu zi breathed a sigh of relief. it seemed that this dog was quite gentle.

    she returned to the room and cleaned up the kitchen, then noticed su le crawling happily towards the outside.

    su le was almost two years old and should start learning to walk. thinking of this, gu zi gently helped su le stand up and encouraged her to take her first steps.

    su le stood still, her little legs trembling slightly, and she looked up at gu zi. in a babyish voice, she said, ¡°mommy.¡±

    ¡°lele, now you need to learn to walk,¡± gu zi said in a gentle tone. she took a step forward with her left foot and looked at su le. ¡°do you understand?¡±

    at first, su le just looked at gu zi¡¯s face, her clear, big eyes blinking.

    gu zi pointed to her own left leg. when su le followed her gaze, she said, ¡°walk.¡±

    this time, su le seemed to understand and took her first shaky step. her body swayed, but gu zi quickly supported her.

    they were standing by the doorway, and gu zi heard voices from outside.

    ¡°it smells so good, it¡¯s meat! grandma, i want to eat meat, i want to see lele!¡±

    gu zi looked over and saw a three-year-old child sniffing as he spoke loudly to a middle-aged woman beside him.

    the middle-aged woman didn¡¯t reply but looked at gu zi curiously.

    she lived next door to the su family and knew that aunt chu came over every day to cook for the three children. but when did such a pretty girl like gu zi appear in the su family?

    this young girl had radiant white skin and seemed very gentle as she taught the child to walk.

    could it be that she was the one who made the dog¡¯s food?

    ¡°who are you?¡± zhang cuihua asked hesitantly.

    gu zi smiled politely and introduced herself, ¡°auntie, hello, i¡¯m from the lin family, and i¡¯m here to fulfill the arranged marriage agreement with mr. su.¡±

    zhang cuihua¡¯s smile disappeared instantly, and she looked at gu zi with a cold expression, scrutinizing her from head to toe. she said icily, ¡°so, you¡¯re lin miao from the lin family?¡±

 Chapter 20

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi remained calm and patiently explained, ¡°i am from the lin family, but i am not lin miao. we were switched at birth when we were babies. my name is gu zi.¡±

    there was a flicker of surprise in zhang cuihua¡¯s eyes, but then she smiled warmly and said, ¡°you must be the city-raised girl, huh? i knew you looked different from the local girls.¡±

    the people who had gathered outside, originally drawn by the commotion, now joined the conversation.

    ¡°oh my, this girl is so fair, like she¡¯s made of dough.¡±

    ¡°yeah, she¡¯s as beautiful as a flower.¡±

    ¡°she¡¯s a city girl for sure! she¡¯s so pretty; she must be way better than that lin miao from the countryside!¡±

    listening to the comments from the villagers, zhang cuihua thought about the past when lin miao had demanded a huge dowry, and then suddenly decided to leave for the city, claiming she had found her biological parents and didn¡¯t want to stay with su shen anymore.

    zhang cuihua¡¯s house was right next to the su family¡¯s, so she had heard about the dowry and felt indignant. three thousand yuan as a dowry was already a hefty sum, and even in the city, it was considered excessive.

    now that the biological daughter of the lin family had come, looking like a fairy descended from the heavens, zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the girl. ¡°you¡¯ve been through a lot, coming here to fulfill the marriage arrangement.¡±

    ¡°mr. su is a good man, and the three children are good too. i don¡¯t feel wronged at all,¡± gu zi replied with a smile.

    not only zhang cuihua but also the other villagers started to think highly of gu zi. they praised her for her beauty and kindness, and they all felt that su shen had great luck to marry such a lovely wife.

    however, children have different priorities from adults.

    the chubby boy next to zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the empty dog bowl, drooling as he stared at it. ¡°it smells so good! it¡¯s really fragrant!¡±

    the boy looked at gu zi with hopeful eyes and asked, ¡°fairy sister, your family¡¯s food smells so good, even the dog¡¯s food smells delicious.¡±

    gu zi, now holding su le and standing by the courtyard gate, reached into her pocket, took out a few candies, and handed them to the boy with a warm smile. ¡°here, have some candy. in the future, you can come here to eat.¡±

    the boy instinctively reached for the candy but was stopped by zhang cuihua, his grandmother. he looked at the candy with longing eyes.

    zhang cuihua was clearly exasperated and said to the child, ¡°look at how greedy you are. you took auntie¡¯s candy and didn¡¯t even say thank you!¡±

    the boy quickly grabbed a piece of candy, unwrapped it, and put it into his mouth. then, he smiled happily at gu zi.

    zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. this child was such a glutton. when she spoke to him, she said, ¡°look at how greedy you are, taking auntie¡¯s candy. say thank you to the fairy sister.¡±

    the little fatty heaved a sigh of relief. his gaze fell on gu zi¡¯s face. ¡°thank you, fairy sister!¡±

    gu zi smiled and said, ¡°good boy. just call me auntie in the future.¡±

    the boy, with his mouth full of candy, shook his head. ¡°no, i¡¯ll call you fairy sister, you look just like a fairy!¡±

    gu zi hadn¡¯t expected the child to be so eloquent. she smiled and patted his head.

    the other villagers, who had gathered to watch, were surprised. ¡°these candies are quite expensive. is she rich since she¡¯s from the city?¡±

    ¡°yeah, you¡¯d think she¡¯s loaded, unlike us.¡±

    ¡°look at how she spends money. can she really survive in our village?¡±

    ¡°i doubt it!¡±

    while the su family had money, in the eyes of the villagers, they were still not as well-off as city folks. they found it hard to believe that this young and beautiful girl would willingly stay in the village, especially with her apparent extravagance.

 Chapter 21

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when aunt zhang heard what the onlookers said, she turned around and glared at them. they immediately fell silent.

    ¡°is it chu xi who cooked lunch today?¡± zhang cuihua curiously looked at the dog bowl and then at gu zi, somewhat uncertain.

    chu xi was the name of the lady who usually cooked for them, and in zhang cuihua¡¯s memory, her cooking was nothing more than putting ingredients into boiling water. she wondered when chu xi had learned how to stir-fry dishes.

    ¡°no, i cooked it,¡± gu zi explained with a smile. ¡°i just made a couple of simple dishes.¡±

    ¡°oh my, you are truly skilled and lovely,¡± zhang cuihua praised. then she asked, ¡°did chu xi not come to cook today?¡±

    gu zi gently shook her head. ¡°no.¡±

    zhang cuihua frowned and said with a look of disdain, ¡°i knew she was lazy. she took the money from su shen and didn¡¯t come over to cook for the child. i figured she would be angry and wanted to make things difficult for you. she can¡¯t wait for you to leave the su family, then she¡¯ll let her lazy-ass daughter marry su shen!¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t expect to hear this over a casual conversation. she finally understood why aunt chu tried her best to chase her away yesterday.

    ¡°aunt zhang, i will take good care of the three children. at the very least, i won¡¯t let them go hungry,¡± gu zi reassured with a warm smile.

    when aunt zhang heard that, she liked gu zi even more.

    although gu zi was a girl from the city, she knew how to cook and was especially diligent. looking at the clean courtyard, it was obvious that gu zi had cleaned it up.

    aunt zhang¡¯s gaze landed on su le who was in gu zi¡¯s arms.

    su le was dirty and smelly a few days ago. now, she was clean and sparkling, and she could even smell her fragrance.

    this little wife of su shen was really capable.

    ¡°you¡¯re a good girl, and auntie likes diligent and smart girls like you,¡± zhang cuihua said with a beaming smile, and then she reminded gu zi, ¡°usually, chu xi delivers lunch to mr. su first and then comes to take care of lele. it seems like today you¡¯ll have to deliver lunch to mr. su.¡±

    gu zi was slightly surprised. ¡°deliver lunch?¡±

    ¡°yes, i suspected that chu xi wouldn¡¯t tell you about this. the su pig farm is very busy, and it¡¯s all men working there. nobody has time to cook, so the wives usually take turns delivering food. chu xi used to do it,¡± zhang cuihua explained, her tone tinged with disdain. ¡°she would only come to take care of lele in the afternoon.¡±

    zhang cuihua shared this information because she wanted gu zi to be cautious and not be deceived by chu xi. she often heard lele crying throughout the day. however, today, lele had been surprisingly quiet, and zhang cuihua had found it strange.

    ¡°thank you, auntie. i¡¯ll go prepare lunch for mr. su now, and i might trouble you to look after lele later,¡± gu zi replied warmly.

    ¡°sure, go ahead and take care of your work,¡± zhang cuihua agreed readily.

    gu zi thanked her and then brought su le into the kitchen. if she hadn¡¯t talked to zhang cuihua, she wouldn¡¯t have known she needed to deliver lunch to su shen.

    it was clear now that chu xi hadn¡¯t mentioned this detail on purpose, likely intending to make things difficult for her. she probably wanted to aggravate the conflict between her and su shen and then take the opportunity to chase her away.

    in the kitchen, gu zi prepared a meal consisting of stir-fried potatoes, reheated buns from the previous night, and tomato and egg soup. once she had finished, she left the kitchen.

    the little fatty, shi tou, who was playing next door, smelled the fragrance of meat and immediately looked up at the su family¡¯s courtyard.

    zhang cuihua was busy washing vegetables in the yard. she saw her grandson drooling as he eagerly stared at the su family¡¯s courtyard. she wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and sighed, ¡°why are you so helpless?¡±

    ¡°grandma, the buns smell so good,¡± shi tou said, swallowing hard.

    ¡°alright, we¡¯ll eat soon,¡± zhang cuihua replied with a hint of helplessness. she loved her grandson dearly, but he was quite the glutton.

    just then, gu zi emerged from her room and saw shi tou looking at her with excitement.

    ¡°fairy sister!¡± shi tou shouted happily.

    after gu zi greeted shi tou, she walked out of the courtyard. she turned a corner and arrived at aunt zhang¡¯s courtyard. ¡°auntie, could you please help look after su le for a while?¡±

    ¡°of course, put her on the cool mat. i¡¯ll watch over her and make sure her little dress stays clean,¡± zhang cuihua said, her eyes twinkling with kindness.

    shi tou, eager to interact with his new playmate, quickly dropped the wooden stick he was holding, washed his hands, and sat on the mat. when su le approached, he greeted her with a smile. ¡°sister, i¡¯ll play with you!¡±

 Chapter 22

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi smiled and handed the basket of steamed buns to zhang cuihua. ¡°auntie zhang, these are the steamed buns i made. please try them.¡±

    as she lifted the lid on the basket, the aroma of the meat buns filled the air.

    zhang cuihua¡¯s nose twitched, and she swallowed saliva, her eyes fixed on the meat buns in the basket. she hesitated and politely declined, ¡°i don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate.¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it,¡± gu zi placed the basket on the ground and invited shi tou, who was playing nearby, to join them. ¡°come over and have a bun.¡±

    she saw shi tou put the candy she gave him directly into lele¡¯s mouth. although he really wanted to eat it, he still left some for lele.

    this child was truly considerate.

    ¡°thank you, fairy sister!¡± shi tou was already drooling and immediately walked to gu zi¡¯s side.

    just as he was about to take the buns, he saw that the buns were white and tender. his hands paused and then he retracted them. he quickly ran to the side to wash his hands before coming over to take the buns to eat.

    gu zi smiled gently at shi tou. ¡°shi tou is a good big brother. help me keep lele company. is that okay?¡±

    shi tou nodded with a smile.

    aunt zhang had also washed her hands. it was not good to eat buns now. so, she enthusiastically pointed out the way to the pig farm for gu zi. after gu zi went home to grab su shen¡¯s lunch box, aunt zhang immediately picked up the buns and started eating.

    ¡°how fragrant!¡± aunt zhang only wanted to take a bite and leave the rest of the bun for shi tou. however, after taking a bite, she couldn¡¯t help but eat the entire bun. she put the basket next to shi tou with a guilty expression.

    meanwhile, gu zi headed back home to fetch the lunchbox she had prepared for su shen. the path from their home to the pig farm was straightforward, following the main road.

    the weather was a little hot, but there were trees on both sides of the road. the dense leaves blocked out the sunlight, and occasionally there was a breeze, making the walk quite pleasant.

    gu zi wore a straw hat adorned with a lace butterfly bow, which not only complemented her facial features but also shielded her from most of the sunlight.

    she donned a sky-blue sundress, cinched at the waist to accentuate her graceful figure, and the skirt flowed down to reveal her fair and slender legs. on her feet, she wore a pair of black leather shoes, adding to her delicate and beautiful appearance.

    it was the middle of the day, and both sides of the main road were lined with fields. many people were sitting under the trees, having their lunch. when they saw gu zi approaching, they couldn¡¯t help but look in her direction, curious about who had city relatives visiting and who this young girl was.

    although gu zi had arrived in the village the day before, she had not ventured outside, so only a few people had seen her so far.

    the villagers began to gossip and speculate about her background, eager to find out more about the city girl.

    gu zi remained unfazed by their curious stares. to her, the opinions of these people were not important. she had come from the city and was considered to have ¡°married down¡± by rural standards. there was no need for her to try to please everyone. she simply offered a polite smile in their direction as a way of acknowledging their presence.

    the villagers were taken aback by gu zi¡¯s friendly gesture. they had not expected the city girl to greet them.

    most of the people in the countryside did not have ulterior motives, and as long as they felt the goodwill of city folks, they would reciprocate with kindness.

    gu zi looked around at her surroundings. except for su shen¡¯s family, most of the others had modest living conditions.

    she recalled the years of hard work and long hours she had put in back in her world, with no time for herself.

    she had hoped to save money to renovate her home and secure her retirement, but inflation had outpaced her salary increases, making it impossible to achieve financial freedom.

    this time, entering a book world felt like experiencing a different life. she wanted to live well in this world, to achieve financial independence, and if she could change the plot, she would. if not, she would focus on taking care of herself.

    meanwhile, in the pig farm¡¯s main hall, a group of men sat on the floor, exhausted from their work. they fanned themselves with handheld fans, and there were plates of food that their wives had sent with them on the ground. some of the men¡¯s wives were even sitting with them, eating and chatting.

    the entire hall was bustling with activity.

    while the work at the pig farm was not easy, it paid well. the men hoped the farm would get even busier so they could earn more money.

    one man, sitting near the entrance, was enjoying the meal his wife had prepared. when he spotted someone approaching in the distance, he quickly called out to the others, ¡°oooo! chu xi¡¯s precious daughter is here with a lunchbox for the boss!¡±

 Chapter 23

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the other men joined in with the teasing.

    the villagers were familiar with each other, and everyone knew that chu xi¡¯s only daughter had a special liking for their boss, su shen. it seemed like it was because of their teasing, so the boss eventually had chu xi¡¯s mom deliver lunch to him.

    but for the other men in the crowd, it didn¡¯t make much of a difference. it just showed how close the chu family was with the su family.

    su shen heard the men teasing and knew they were just playing around. he furrowed his brows and walked to the entrance of the hall.

    chu tian, with her charming eyes, glanced at su shen. she had also heard the teasing from the men and blushed at the thought of marrying su shen.

    today, she was wearing a white blouse, which made her dark complexion stand out even more.

    chu tian had her hair tied up in two braids today. she handed the lunchbox to su shen, shyly looking down at the ground. she softly said, ¡°brother su shen, this is for you.¡±

    seeing chu tian like this, the others joined in with more teasing.

    previously, the prospective bride lin miao had demanded a hefty dowry of three thousand yuan and had severed ties with their leader. so, they had no good feelings towards the lin family from the neighboring village.

    however, they hoped their leader would find a spouse soon. so, even if chu tian had a dark and strong appearance, they thought she would be a good match because a strong female appearance was favored by rural folks for being sturdy and good for childbearing.

    even if the leader didn¡¯t want children, a strong girl like her would be efficient at work!

    chu tian used to be lazy when it came to chores, but every time she was outside, she would act particularly diligent!

    some of the wives, seeing their husbands fixated on chu tian, couldn¡¯t hide their discontent. ¡°look at her attire, it¡¯s clear she¡¯s trying to allure people ¨C not at all proper!¡±

    ¡°isn¡¯t she dressed quite elegantly? it¡¯s not like she¡¯s dressed like a man, as you are¡­¡± the man¡¯s words were cut short as his wife pinched him, causing him to wince in pain.

    su shen remained unfazed by the teasing from the others; he simply nodded nonchalantly and uttered a soft ¡°hmm.¡±

    the moment su shen accepted the lunchbox from chu tian, he noticed a sudden hush in the previously teasing crowd. sharp intakes of breath filled the air as everyone¡¯s gaze converged in one direction.

    turning to enter the house, he followed their collective gaze and found a woman approaching the pigsty yard while carrying a lunchbox.

    she was adorned in elegant attire, her loose hair framing her face with an artful touch of disheveled beauty.

    her water-blue skirt swayed like gentle ripples in the breeze, seemingly dissipating the summer heat. her slender, fair legs were gracefully accentuated by black leader shoes.

    a black belt encircled her waist, enhancing her shapely figure. as she walked, her skirt danced like a fish¡¯s tail, captivating every onlooker.

    the young woman possessed a striking face, fair skin, and a faintly upturned mouth, exuding a warmth that drew people closer yet made them hesitate to approach.

    she resembled a rare blossom atop a lofty peak, admired from afar by all.

    had a local woman dressed similarly, it might have been deemed immodest, but in her case, it was evident she hailed from wealth and sophistication.

    gu zi gazed at su shen, the lunchbox in his grasp, and paused at the pigsty¡¯s entrance.

    she hadn¡¯t anticipated another person bringing him food, nor did she realize his popularity within the village.

    if she had known someone else was already delivering a meal, she might not have made the effort.

    raising her hand, gu zi knocked gently on the pig farm¡¯s entrance gate and politely inquired, ¡°may i enter, please?¡±

    as the crowd heard her voice, they finally shook off their daze and turned their attention toward her, questioning, ¡°miss, whom are you looking for?¡±

    su shen shifted his gaze toward gu zi, taking a step closer to the gate. in his deep, magnetic voice, he inquired, ¡°why have you come here?¡±

    the others were all shocked. they didn¡¯t expect such a beautiful girl to be here to look for their boss.

    their boss was perpetually engrossed in pigsty duties, and they wondered when he had encountered someone so remarkable.

    it was at that moment that they took notice of the lunchbox in the young woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°goodness, is she here to deliver food to our boss?¡±

    ¡°our boss is incredibly fortunate, with two women delivering his meals!¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m still single; anyone needs a partner?¡±

    ¡­

    gu zi looked at su shen, tilting her head slightly. she briefly glanced at chu tian, who stood nearby in a cream-colored outfit, radiating an innocent expression in her eyes. ¡°did i perhaps arrive at an inconvenient time?¡±

 Chapter 24

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi looked up at the man in front of her. he was standing against the light, his face obscured, leaving only a squinted glimpse of his eyes, which remained inscrutable.

    ¡°no,¡± the man¡¯s voice remained as cold as ever, devoid of any emotion.

    su shen was puzzled. had aunt chu not informed gu zi that her daughter, chu tian, would be helping with the food delivery?

    or did aunt chu never visit his house at all, and gu zi had come of her own accord?

    realizing this, a dangerous glint flickered in su shen¡¯s narrowed eyes. he gestured for gu zi to enter, saying, ¡°please, come in.¡±

    gu zi smiled and followed su shen into the farm.

    the interior of the farm carried a heavy odor, but gu zi paid it no mind.

    su shen walked up to chu tian and looked down at the lunch box in his hand. then, he handed it to chu tian. ¡°you can take this back. it must have been exhausting for you to come all the way here.¡±

    chu tian stood in place, dumbfounded, her brain failing to process what was happening. she held the lunchbox, seemingly frozen.

    su shen glanced at gu zi behind him, then led gu zi towards the main hall.

    as gu zi passed by chu tian, she gave her a quick glance before her gaze settled calmly on su shen¡¯s back.

    su shen walked into the main hall, and the people around immediately made way for him.

    upon reaching the innermost part, su shen pointed to a chair and said, ¡°please, have a seat.¡±

    a nearby man astutely offered his own chair to su shen, saying with a smile, ¡°boss, you can have my seat.¡±

    afterward, he sat on the ground nearby, keeping his gaze fixed on su shen and curiously asking, ¡°boss, who is this¡­¡±

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on gu zi¡¯s face. he saw gu zi sitting there elegantly. she was as beautiful as a painting and did not fit in with everything around her.

    he originally did not want gu zi to come here. the matter between the two of them was rather special, and the fewer people who knew about it, the better.

    su shen¡¯s gaze shifted to gu zi¡¯s face. he lowered his eyelids and contemplated for a moment before speaking the truth, ¡°she¡­ is from the lin family. she arrived here yesterday and intends to fulfill our marriage arrangement.¡±

    when everyone heard the word ¡°lin family¡±, their expressions instantly turned ugly.

    their village was originally impoverished, with families struggling to make ends meet.

    su shen had returned at a time when they were in dire straits, helping the entire village prosper. their village had become one of the wealthiest in the vicinity, and more and more young women were willing to marry him.

    however, due to his decision to adopt his sister¡¯s three children and his unwillingness to have more children, there weren¡¯t many who were willing to marry him, despite the high dowry he offered. nevertheless, some were still drawn by the allure of such a generous dowry.

    the lin family¡¯s daughter, lin miao, had been attracted by the substantial dowry. people in the area were keenly aware of su shen¡¯s situation and were eagerly anticipating a grand wedding.

    little did they know that lin miao was so heartless¡ªshe had taken the dowry and then canceled the wedding, leaving su shen as the laughingstock of the region.

    hence, the villagers held a deep grudge against lin miao.

    they never expected lin miao to show her face here again.

    everyone looked at gu zi with disgust, wishing they could tear her to pieces.

    gu zi wore a gentle smile on her face, her gaze calm as a serene lake. her voice was like a gentle breeze as she said, ¡°i believe there might be some misunderstanding between us. i am indeed from the lin family, but i am not lin miao. my name is gu zi.¡±

    ¡°i and lin miao were switched at birth when we were very young. lin miao is the true daughter of the gu family, and she has returned to her rightful family. i, on the other hand, am the biological daughter of the lin family. therefore, my presence here is to fulfill my marriage agreement with mr. su.¡±

    gu zi keenly felt the hostility in the air dissipate.

    ¡°i¡¯ve heard that lin miao might have found her biological parents, but i never expected it to be true.¡±

    ¡°why didn¡¯t she just return the dowry money?¡±

    ¡°who knows what she¡¯s thinking?¡±

    ¡°are you from the city?¡±

    gu zi nodded in response to a young woman¡¯s question.

    the crowd let out collective gasps of surprise.

    no wonder they felt that gu zi was different from the others. she was like a fairy in a painting. it turned out that she was a girl from the city.

    they couldn¡¯t believe that a delicately raised city girl would willingly leave the city to come to the countryside and actively fulfill a marriage contract!

    their jaws nearly dropped in shock.

 Chapter 25

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°i used to live in the city,¡± gu zi explained patiently.

    everyone looked at gu zi¡¯s fair and delicate appearance, initially assuming she was just a pampered young lady who did nothing. they hadn¡¯t expected her to come and deliver food to their leader.

    this city girl spoke gently and had a smile on her face. she looked like someone who was easy to talk to.

    one person furrowed their brow slightly, puzzled, and asked, ¡°didn¡¯t they say that lin miao went to the gu family over a month ago? why didn¡¯t you leave back then?¡±

    as this question emerged, everyone turned their curious gazes to gu zi.

    ¡°the situation on that side is somewhat complicated,¡± gu zi explained while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. she continued, ¡°i was previously engaged as well. i had to pass this engagement to lin miao before i could leave.¡±

    ¡°i only found out recently about lin miao¡¯s engagement in this area. since the lin family and mr. su had arranged a marriage, i had to come here, because i am the real daughter of the lin family.¡±

    hearing this, the onlookers sighed in sympathy.

    the lin family¡¯s husband and wife had collected the dowry money, and they refused to return it. they would rather force this young girl to fulfill the marriage contract.

    many felt that gu zi¡¯s biological parents from the lin family were truly heartless, giving up their own daughter for the sake of money.

    they looked at gu zi with sympathy and affection, thinking what a good child she was.

    lin miao had acted terribly, finding her wealthy biological parents and then abruptly ending her engagement, leaving gu zi with all these complicated matters.

    lin miao¡¯s actions had only made gu zi appear even kinder, more obedient, and sensible.

    many people gathered around gu zi, offering soft words of comfort. ¡°you¡¯re a really good kid. you¡¯re so much better than that lin miao!¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right, don¡¯t worry. we¡¯re all kind-hearted people in our village. if you need help, just let us know. we¡¯re willing to help you.¡±

    ¡°our boss is really great. you¡¯ll definitely be happy marrying him!¡±

    ¡°i can guarantee you that our boss is a good person and very responsible! although he had a marriage before, that matter was not his fault. he¡¯s truly a good man!¡±

    gu zi listened to everyone¡¯s words and looked at su shen in surprise. so this was his second marriage.

    however, she was more touched. they had immediately stood by her side because of a few words she had spoken.

    gu zi glanced at su shen and met his deep eyes. he frowned slightly and immediately looked away.

    su shen looked very serious just now. could it be that he still cared about his ex-wife?

    gu zi pursed her lips tightly. she hated men who had other women in their hearts the most.

    gu zi lowered her eyes thoughtfully. she originally wanted to be with su shen. she thought it would be fine as long as they lived their own lives.

    but now, she didn¡¯t think so. she didn¡¯t want a man who carried another woman in his heart. if su shen still cared deeply for his ex-wife, she was prepared to leave.

    she couldn¡¯t directly ask su shen about this matter, as men¡¯s mouths were deceitful. she would discuss it with aunt zhang later.

    just then, su shen spoke up, saying, ¡°she just arrived yesterday, and our situation needs some time to sort out.¡±

    ¡°the wedding must be held, and i¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t feel uncomfortable,¡± su shen said solemnly.

    the people around them immediately echoed their agreement.

    ¡°boss is the best! we must make this wedding grand and festive!¡±

    ¡°yes, yes, we absolutely must have a grand celebration!¡±

    ¡°we should hire opera singers!¡±

    ¡­

    gu zi remained seated calmly, not saying anything. she planned to discuss with su shen privately when they returned home about not holding a wedding.

    watching from a distance, chu tian snapped back to her senses as the crowd cheered. she looked at su shen in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.

    she watched as gu zi opened the lunch box and handed it to su shen. she bit her lower lip and became even more desperate!

    she had been by su shen¡¯s side for so long, so why did su shen want to marry that vixen?

    if they got together, what would happen to her?

    unable to bear it any longer, chu tian held the lunchbox and, fighting back her tears, walked away.

    all the attention was now focused on gu zi, as they eagerly questioned her about life in the city.

    gu zi answered truthfully, and her honest demeanor won the favor of the crowd.

    everyone felt that gu zi and their boss were a good match, and they envied their boss for being able to marry such a beautiful and well-mannered wife.

 Chapter 26

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi smiled and chatted with the people for a while before she spoke up, ¡°it¡¯s getting late, and i need to get back home to take care of the children.¡±

    hearing gu zi¡¯s words, everyone was stunned for a moment. everyone in the village knew that their boss had spent money to ask aunt chu to take care of the child. so why was gu zi in such a hurry to go back and take care of the child?

    ¡°is the child at home alone?¡± someone couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    gu zi shook her head with a smile. she explained, ¡°when i came here, i took lele to our neighbor aunt zhang¡¯s house. i need to get back early so i don¡¯t keep aunt zhang waiting. i¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    everyone looked at each other and thought of aunt chu¡¯s daughter, chu tian, who had just come to deliver food.

    they originally thought that aunt chu was taking care of lele at the boss¡¯s house and couldn¡¯t spare the time to come here herself, so she asked chu tian to bring food to boss.

    now it seemed that aunt chu didn¡¯t go to the su family¡¯s house to take care of lele today. she even asked her daughter to deliver food and seduce boss.

    bah!

    how disgusting.

    the group had initially stayed in the hall to enjoy the cool, but now they wanted to give the two of them some space for private conversation, so they began to find excuses to leave.

    ¡°my stomach doesn¡¯t feel well. i¡¯m going outside.¡±

    ¡°i remembered i need to mix pig feed. i¡¯ll go take care of it.¡±

    ¡°i need to check on the piglets.¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°let¡¯s go together!¡±

    in the blink of an eye, the hall was left with only su shen and gu zi.

    gu zi watched as the others left, realizing that they were creating an opportunity for the two of them. however, she didn¡¯t need that opportunity.

    she stood up, intending to bid farewell to su shen. as she looked at his face, she noticed his scrutinizing gaze, causing her eyebrows to furrow slightly.

    gu zi didn¡¯t understand why he was looking at her like that. however, she was still polite as she said, ¡°i¡¯ll head back now. take your time with your meal.¡±

    as she turned to leave, she heard su shen¡¯s calm voice.

    ¡°i don¡¯t understand why you changed your mind, but since you¡¯ve come here, i will treat you well.¡±

    gu zi stopped and turned to look at su shen. she was about to respond when he continued.

    ¡°this is my situation. if you can¡¯t accept it, you can refuse. i¡¯m well aware of your situation, so there¡¯s no need to lie.¡±

    a trace of disgust flashed across su shen¡¯s heart. he hated hypocritical people the most.

    when gu zi heard su shen say that, a hint of puzzlement flashed across her eyes. she asked, ¡°what did i lie about?¡±

    su shen frowned and looked at gu zi coldly.

    gu zi met su shen¡¯s gaze fearlessly. from the moment she transmigrated into this body, she had already made up her mind.

    what did the host¡¯s thoughts have to do with her?!

    she was not the original owner of this body!

    could it be that the person su shen cared about was lin miao, so he couldn¡¯t bear to see her tell the truth?

    she pursed her lips tightly and her eyes were cold.

    although lin miao was the female lead of this book, she did not think that lin miao was a good person when she read the book.

    although the gu family and the lin family had mixed up their children at birth and lin miao was forced to be a country girl for more than ten years, in the book, even after lin miao returned to the gu family, she still spent her days attacking the host of this body. the original owner of this body died miserably in the end.

    she tightened her lips and replied calmly, ¡°some things may sound untrue when heard, and not everything you see is the truth. but time will reveal one¡¯s true colors.¡±

    after saying this, gu zi turned to leave once more.

    however, su shen was still puzzled by her words and called out, ¡°wait.¡±

    gu zi turned back to look at su shen with a hint of confusion in her eyes, but her gaze was devoid of warmth.

    she originally thought that su shen was a good man, but now she had to change her mind. although he was good-looking and rich, his words were not pleasant. it seemed that there was no fate between them.

    it seemed that she would have to rely on herself to make a fortune in the future.

    su shen did not care about gu zi¡¯s attitude. in his opinion, it was normal for gu zi to be young and uncertain.

    he put the lunch box aside and walked toward gu zi. he took out some money from his pocket and handed it to gu zi. ¡°take this money. buy whatever you want. if it¡¯s not enough, come and find me.¡±

    su shen remembered that gu zi had come to deliver food, so he politely said, ¡°thank you.¡±

    gu zi accepted the money with a polite ¡°thank you.¡± her frosty demeanor had softened, and she smiled as she said, ¡°thank you. it¡¯s my honor to bring you your meal.¡±

    she took the money and walked away, her smile still in place. gu zi realized that she had been wrong about su shen.

    despite his good looks and wealth, he was indeed a good man.

 Chapter 27

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi held the thick stack of money in her hand, roughly estimating that it was a few hundred yuan.

    in this era, where people earned only a few dozen yuan per month, this man had casually handed over several hundred yuan, which was far more generous than anyone else.

    she admitted to herself that she was a shallow person. faced with this much money, it was indeed hard not to be superficial.

    su shen hadn¡¯t expected gu zi to change her attitude so suddenly, and he found it somewhat surprising. however, he didn¡¯t say anything about it.

    facing her benefactor, gu zi waved her hand in response and then bid farewell. her smile was as radiant as a flower.

    she walked out of the pig farm and found a quiet place where she carefully counted the money.

    as she counted, her hands couldn¡¯t help but tremble.

    this man was really generous!

    a total of 520 yuan!

    in this era, that was a considerable sum of money. if any family had that much in savings, they would probably be laughing every day!

    no wonder this man was willing to pay 3,000 yuan as a betrothal gift. he was not short of money.

    aunt chu was hired by su shen to take care of the children. she probably received a lot of money for her ¡°hard work¡±. in addition, aunt chu was a little greedy, so she probably took a lot of advantage to gain significant benefits for herself!

    ¡­

    after gu zi left the pig farm, those people surrounded su shen again and started asking questions.

    ¡°boss, what did you talk to sister-in-law about?¡±

    ¡°boss, you should have brought sister-in-law over yesterday to introduce her to everyone. are you afraid that we will snatch her away, that¡¯s why you hid her at home?¡±

    ¡°boss, hurry up and open your lunch box. when sister-in-law came just now, i smelled the delicious food from the lunchbox.¡±

    su shen sat on the stool calmly and opened the lunch box under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes.

    at the top layer of the lunchbox was beautifully braised pork, glistening with oil and releasing a mouthwatering aroma.

    the next two dishes were also so fragrant that they made everyone there drool. the bottom layer was a bowl of rice and four steamed buns.

    even though everyone had already eaten, they couldn¡¯t help but salivate, and each of them took out their chopsticks.

    ¡°boss, this braised pork looks really good. do you want me to taste it for you?¡±

    ¡°taste what? do you even know what you¡¯re talking about? braised pork is a rare dish. i¡¯ve only had it at city restaurants, and it¡¯s quite expensive. besides, that didn¡¯t smell half as good as what sister-in-law made. if you eat it, boss won¡¯t have any left.¡±

    ¡°this is definitely not made by aunt chu. every time aunt chu brings you lunch, it feels like she washed the wild vegetables in the field and stewed them in a pot.¡±

    ¡°boss, sister-in-law cooks so well. when are you inviting us to dinner at your place? we want a free meal too!¡±

    su shen looked at the spread of dishes on the table and his eyes darkened for a moment.

    these dishes were undoubtedly made by gu zi. there was no one else in the village who could cook like this, and gu zi wouldn¡¯t have hired someone to deceive him.

    he also recalled the words gu zi had spoken earlier, and a faint smile crossed his face.

    it seemed that she was indeed different from the rumors.

    or perhaps someone with ill intentions had tried to tarnish gu zi¡¯s reputation.

    su shen¡¯s eyes turned serious again.

    ¡­

    after leaving the pig farm, gu zi headed to aunt zhang¡¯s house. she found aunt zhang sitting under the shade of a tree, sewing clothes. upon seeing gu zi, aunt zhang gestured for her to keep her voice down and whispered, ¡°you¡¯re back. be quiet; both the children are asleep inside. don¡¯t wake them up.¡±

    gu zi thanked aunt zhang and took a small stool. she sat down and said, ¡°thank you, aunt zhang. i really appreciate your help this time.¡±

    aunt zhang handed a stool to gu zi and smiled, ¡°no need to thank me. su shen is a good person. he sells pork to the villagers at a low price, and we all benefit from it. his pig farm also provides jobs for many people in the village. if we want to thank anyone, it should be you guys.¡±

    ¡°i just helped look after lele for a while. she¡¯s a well-behaved child; she didn¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± aunt zhang said with a warm smile.

    gu zi thought about the villagers¡¯ attitudes toward su shen and the encounter with the young man on her first day here. she also considered what aunt zhang had just said. it seemed that su shen had a good reputation in the village.

    in theory, su shen should have a decent relationship with his ex-wife if the issue wasn¡¯t related to the three children.

    after all, su shen had been clear when they met that he didn¡¯t want to raise his own child. gu zi¡¯s thoughts drifted as she contemplated these matters.

    she asked aunt zhang in a soft voice, ¡°aunt zhang, can i ask you something?¡±

 Chapter 28

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°what is it?¡± aunt zhang asked.

    ¡°why did mr. su divorce his ex-wife?¡± gu zi was genuinely curious.

    upon hearing gu zi¡¯s question, aunt zhang¡¯s face darkened, and she spoke with a serious tone, ¡°you¡¯re new here, so you probably don¡¯t know about this!¡±

    gu zi¡¯s expression also turned serious. she remembered the villagers¡¯ cold and disdainful attitude when they mentioned su shen¡¯s ex-wife, and even su shen¡¯s eyes had grown cold.

    ¡°can you tell me what happened?¡± gu zi asked.

    because su shen was not the main character, the novel didn¡¯t provide details about this.

    aunt zhang paused her sewing work, sighed, and said with a grave expression, ¡°actually, this matter is no longer a secret. it caused quite a stir when they divorced.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s not really su shen¡¯s fault; it¡¯s mainly because of that woman. she was truly wicked, worse than an animal!¡±

    ¡°you know the situation with su shen. he doesn¡¯t plan to have any more children. they had already discussed this matter properly, and that woman also agreed back then.

    ¡°as you know, su shen¡¯s financial situation is pretty good. the house is large and in good condition. although he is not very talkative, he is generous with his family. even though the pig farm is in the village, people from both the town and the county come here to buy pork!

    ¡°when that woman first came here, she was well-behaved and kind to the children. everyone liked her initially and thought she was a good person.

    ¡°but later, she found out that su shen had earned a lot of money. she became obsessed with having her own child and wanted to secure all the wealth for her child.

    ¡°i can¡¯t say her desire was wrong. if she wanted a child, she should have just lived peacefully at home. perhaps su shen would have changed his mind in the future.

    ¡°but no one expected her to poison the three children. the second child was particularly gluttonous, and after just one bite, he started foaming at the mouth. if the eldest hadn¡¯t noticed the second child¡¯s condition and rushed him to the hospital, all three children might have been killed.

    ¡°but that woman refused to admit that she did it. later, the person who sold her the poison personally came to testify against her. it was only then that she admitted it.

    ¡°su shen immediately reported her to the police, and they got divorced. she¡¯s still in prison.

    ¡°after that woman left, some people were interested in su shen, but they all changed their minds after finding out that su shen didn¡¯t want any more children. no one wanted to raise someone else¡¯s children.¡±

    aunt zhang couldn¡¯t help but sigh and say, ¡°the three children are really pitiful. at that time, they trusted that woman, but she almost killed them.

    ¡°gu zi, i¡¯m telling you this because i think that if you treat the three children better, su shen will definitely treat you especially well.¡±

    gu zi really did not expect the three children to encounter such a terrifying thing. her eyes were filled with shock.

    the previous night, when she had prepared dinner for them, the eldest and the second child had been wary of her.

    she had initially thought they were overly cautious, but now she realized that she had underestimated the trauma they had experienced.

    it seemed that their transformation into villains and antagonists was related to their experiences growing up.

    she would work hard to improve her relationship with them in the future. she did not expect them to treat her well in the future. as long as they did not treat her as an enemy, that would be enough. after all, they would be villains in the future, according to the novel!

    gu zi nodded earnestly and said, ¡°aunt zhang, rest assured, i will take good care of them.¡±

    aunt zhang heaved a sigh of relief. she sincerely hoped that the three children would have a better life.

    ¡­

    aunt chu was lying on the straw mat in the courtyard, preparing to take an afternoon nap. when she heard the door open, she looked up and saw that her daughter had returned. she slowly sat up.

    she was now a big contributor to the family. since she started helping out at su¡¯s house, she could earn fifty yuan a month. of course, this money also included the money for grocery shopping.

    in the countryside, everyone grew vegetables in their yards, so there was no need to spend money on buying them.

    moreover, every time su shen sent meat back home, she would steal all of them back to her own home. so her in-laws treated her like a deity now.

    her only worry was that gu zi might ask su shen to dismiss her. if she really lost this well-paying and easy job, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find anything remotely close to this ever again.

 Chapter 29

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when aunt chu saw her daughter, chu tian, coming back with a lunch box, a smile appeared on her face.

    gu zi had just come to the countryside, so she definitely didn¡¯t know that she had to deliver food to su shen at noon. aunt chu planned to use this opportunity to let her daughter interact more with su shen. maybe they would hit it off, and su shen would eventually send that city girl packing!

    ¡°how did it go? what did you talk about with su shen?¡± aunt chu wondered why chu tian had taken so long, suspecting that they must have talked a lot.

    chu tian had initially kept her head down, but now, hearing her mother¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer. she bit her lip and looked at her mother with a resentful expression.

    aunt chu¡¯s expression showed a slight frown of confusion as she approached her daughter, concerned. ¡°what happened? why are you crying?¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s your terrible idea!¡± chu tian exclaimed, handing the lunchbox to aunt chu and walking towards the house, her face filled with sadness.

    aunt chu held the lunch box in her hand and was slightly stunned.

    it seemed like su shen hadn¡¯t eaten the meal she had prepared.

    su shen hadn¡¯t eaten the food that her daughter brought over to him?

    aunt chu furrowed her brows and quickly followed her daughter into the house. she anxiously asked, ¡°you have to tell me what happened!¡±

    chu tian stood in the room and looked at aunt chu with her mouth pursed. the resentment in her eyes could not be more obvious.

    ¡°i won¡¯t know what happened if you don¡¯t tell me. i¡¯m your mother. if you tell me, i can help you think of a way!¡± aunt chu treasured chu tian very much. she couldn¡¯t bear to scold chu tian at all, so she could only suppress her temper and coax her.

    ¡°brother su didn¡¯t touch my food at all! it¡¯s because that girl from the lin family also came to deliver lunch. she was dressed like a seductress and instantly captivated big brother su. he accepted her meal and didn¡¯t want mine!¡± chu tian wiped away her tears with her hand, sniffled, and said pitifully, ¡°so many people were watching; it was so embarrassing. i won¡¯t be able to show my face anymore!¡±

    the more she thought about the contemptuous looks those people gave her, she felt even more miserable.

    she was a young lady, and she had delivered lunch to a married man in front of everyone. even if they didn¡¯t say it out loud, they must be criticizing her behind her back!

    aunt chu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, and she asked, ¡°who delivered the lunch?¡±

    ¡°the lin family¡¯s daughter!¡± chu tian became angrier as she thought about it, and tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°mom, did you deliberately embarrass me? i couldn¡¯t bear it in front of so many people!¡±

    ¡°sweetie, how could you think that? mom would never do that.¡±

    ¡°really?¡± chu tian didn¡¯t believe her mother¡¯s words at all and said with no mercy, ¡°didn¡¯t you say she can¡¯t cook? but it turns out she can. didn¡¯t you say she had no idea she had to bring lunch for su shen? but it turns out she went and did it!¡±

    the more chu tian thought about it, the more she believed it was her mother¡¯s fault. she cried out, ¡°i¡¯m your own daughter! how could you do this to me?¡±

    aunt chu¡¯s mind was blank for a moment. she had never expected that woman to be capable of cooking.

    even if she could cook, how did she find out that she needed to bring lunch for su shen?

    aunt chu shook herself out of her thoughts. the most important issue now wasn¡¯t about the woman bringing lunch; it was about her job.

    if she lost her job at su¡¯s house, she would lose fifty yuan a month. her nearly senile mother-in-law would torment her every day!

    aunt chu frowned, regretting her decision to send her daughter to deliver the lunch. if she had gone herself, maybe she could have embarrassed that woman.

    chu tian cried sadly. seeing her mother in a daze, she stomped her feet and went straight into her room.

    chu tian¡¯s forceful door slam snapped aunt chu back to reality. she hurriedly walked to her daughter¡¯s door and kindly said, ¡°tian tian, don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll figure this out. i promise i will find a way for you to marry su shen.¡±

    however, all aunt chu received in response was chu tian¡¯s heartbroken sobs.

    aunt chu continued toward su¡¯s house, her brain racing as she pondered how to drive that woman out of su shen¡¯s life.

    as she reached the su family residence doorstep, a sudden inspiration flashed in her mind. her eyes instantly lit up, and the corners of her lips curled up.

    for su shen, the most crucial factor was the feelings of those three children. as long as all three of them sided with her, she would win this battle

    aunt chu breathed a sigh of relief, her lips curling into a confident smile. she turned and headed toward the path where su bing and su dong would be returning from school.

 Chapter 30

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    aunt chu sat in the shade and waited. after a while, she saw two children carrying school bags walking over from afar.

    she immediately stood up and waited for the two children to come closer. when she saw them clearly, she immediately pretended to be anxious and ran over.

    ¡°oh no, su bing, su li, i finally found you. please hurry back home!¡± aunt chu panted, her face filled with anxiety and worry.

    su bing and su li, upon hearing aunt chu¡¯s words, turned pale in an instant.

    su li was in a state of panic, not knowing what to do, and nervously looked at su bing.

    su bing, being the older brother, managed to keep his composure for now. he furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°aunt chu, what happened?¡±

    ¡°since you were both at school, you have no idea what happened at home!¡± as aunt chu said this, tears welled up in her eyes. she wailed, ¡°that woman is so bad. she abused lele at home. lele was still so young. yet, she purposely pinched lele hard. lele cried in pain, and i wanted to carry lele out of there, but she pushed me out. she wouldn¡¯t let me back into the house, so i could only wait for you here.¡±

    aunt chu sniffed sadly.

    ¡°quick, we must hurry back home!¡± su bing didn¡¯t doubt aunt chu¡¯s words at all and immediately pulled su li towards home.

    aunt chu hurriedly held them both back, seeing their puzzled expressions. she frowned and said, ¡°you two can¡¯t rush back home like this. that woman is really good at pretending.¡±

    ¡°she definitely knows you¡¯ve finished school by now, and she will be extra nice to lele. if lele behaves well, we won¡¯t have any evidence of her mistreating your sister. if you tell your dad, she might even turn it around and accuse you of framing her.¡±

    aunt chu made a suggestion, ¡°so, you must remain calm for now. don¡¯t confront her. that woman is as cunning as a fox, and she probably has plans to get rid of you. we need to play it smart.¡±

    su bing and su li were trembling with anger, their faces turning pale.

    su bing, being older, thought more about the situation. he knew aunt chu was right; that woman wouldn¡¯t show any mercy. but he didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°what should we do then?¡± su li looked helpless as he asked aunt chu.

    aunt chu thought for a moment upon hearing su bing¡¯s concerns. she had an idea and said seriously, ¡°su bing, i have never laid a hand on you two, despite my bad temper. you know that, right?¡±

    su bing lowered his eyelids, his long eyelashes hiding the complexity in his eyes. after some thought, he nodded.

    aunt chu had a hunch that these two kids would stand with her on this.

    ¡°i initially thought it would be a good thing if your father had a new wife to take care of you, but that woman can¡¯t be gu zi.

    ¡°gu zi is young and beautiful. one look and you can tell that she¡¯s a rich lady from the city. your father might not like her at first, but a vixen has many ways to seduce people!

    ¡°if your father really falls in love with her, she will definitely chase you out of the house. by then, you will really be at your wit¡¯s end. you won¡¯t be able to eat or wear warm clothes, let alone go to school.

    ¡°i really can¡¯t stand to see that vixen bullying you, so let¡¯s chase her out together. just do as i say¡­¡±

    ..

    in the afternoon, after almost finishing cleaning the entire second floor, gu zi took lele downstairs to the living room to watch tv.

    gu zi was concerned that lele might get hungry, so she placed the egg cakes she had bought earlier at the cooperative store on the coffee table for the little baby to enjoy while watching cartoons. she then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    it was about time for the other two children to come back from school, so it was the perfect time to prepare dinner.

    gu zi had been busy all day and was feeling a bit tired. she decided to make a simple dish of beef noodles since it was convenient and could be cooked quickly when the kids returned home.

    she rolled out the noodles on the dining table and had just finished cutting them when she sensed an unfriendly gaze fixed on her. she looked up and saw su bing glaring at her with a sinister expression.

    gu zi had goosebumps all over her body from being stared at. the noodles in her hand fell onto the cutting board, but she quickly recovered and smiled at su bing.

    ¡°school¡¯s over, huh? you guys can start your homework, and i¡¯ll call you when dinner¡¯s ready,¡± gu zi said before lowering her head to collect the already cut noodles into a large bowl.

 Chapter 31

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi cast a sidelong glance at su bing, who was not far away and had not moved. he seemed as if he hadn¡¯t heard her speak at all.

    she didn¡¯t say anything either but couldn¡¯t help feeling disturbed by the intense look su bing had just given her.

    no wonder the novel described su bing as eccentric and even somewhat eerie.

    she recalled su bing¡¯s gaze from earlier, and it almost felt like he wanted to harm her.

    did he want to kill his stepmother?

    the novel did mention that su bing had such thoughts.

    a shiver ran down gu zi¡¯s spine as she raised her eyes to look at su bing, whose appearance was indeed handsome, but the coldness in his eyes was too apparent.

    when su bing caught gu zi¡¯s gaze, he turned and headed towards the living room with his backpack.

    gu zi, still holding the bowl of cut noodles, walked into the kitchen.

    in the living room, su bing carefully checked lele¡¯s condition. seeing his little sister happily devouring the egg cake, his expression became complex.

    su li sat on another sofa, holding an egg cake and enjoying it. when he saw his older brother looking at him, he quickly said, ¡°brother, have one too; these things are delicious!¡±

    su bing took a deep breath, ignoring the tempting aroma of the egg cakes on the coffee table. he spoke in a cold tone, ¡°finish eating that and then come do your homework!¡±

    su li and su bing sat at the study desk on the ground floor to do their homework. they carried lele over to join them.

    just then, the aroma of sesame oil chicken and the savory smell of meat drifted in, wafting into the room.

    su bing continued to work diligently on his homework, completely ignoring the enticing smell of food.

    su li put down his pen, turned his head to look at the kitchen not far away, where he could see gu zi busy preparing food.

    he casually patted his sister¡¯s hair beside him and stared at the kitchen, his mouth watering. ¡°brother, what should we do? the food smells so good, and i¡¯m hungry again.¡±

    su bing finished writing the last word, closed his notebook, and calmly looked at lele, who had cake crumbs all over his mouth. he took out a handkerchief and helped lele wipe the crumbs away. then he said, ¡°just be patient.¡±

    ¡°brother, i like her around at home. if only she didn¡¯t mistreat our little sister,¡± su li said with a worried expression as he looked at lele beside him.

    su bing, watching lele with a clean mouth and recalling what chu xi had said, had a complex expression. ¡°what do you think of aunt chu?¡±

    su li was momentarily stunned when he heard the question. then, he thought about it seriously and said, ¡°when aunt chu was here, we didn¡¯t have enough to eat every day. besides, the food she cooked was terrible. she would always ask dad for money, saying that we spent too much, even though we didn¡¯t. she kept coming up with excuses¡­¡±

    he stopped there.

    although they didn¡¯t spend much money, aunt chu always found reasons to ask their dad for more money.

    su li¡¯s brows furrowed tighter and tighter. why did he suddenly feel like aunt chu wasn¡¯t a good person either?

    su bing looked at lele¡¯s rosy cheeks and held her in his arms, adding calmly, ¡°aunt chu has always been a liar.¡±

    su li stared at su bing and said earnestly, ¡°she always tries to get more money from dad.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right,¡± su bing affirmed.

    just at that moment, they heard the sound of the kitchen door opening in the distance. su bing and su li fell silent at the same time.

    ¡°su bing, su li, it¡¯s time for dinner!¡±

    the gentle voice of gu zi called out, and the two brothers exchanged a glance. they got up and headed outside. su bing still carried lele responsibly.

    gu zi looked at the two older boys in their patched and dirty clothes. it seemed that when aunt chu came here to work, she hadn¡¯t washed their clothes.

    the older brother was slightly taller than the younger one. the older brother had a cold and expressionless demeanor, while the younger one kept his head down, looking cautious.

    gu zi hadn¡¯t even reached su bing, the older brother, before she noticed lele¡¯s bright and shining eyes fixed on her. lele reached out her hands, seemingly wanting to be held.

    ¡°mommy!¡± lele¡¯s voice made su bing and su li freeze. both of them turned their gaze to lele.

    lele was completely unaware that she had become the center of attention for her two older brothers. she continued to reach out to gu zi, her voice filled with childish innocence. ¡°mommy!¡±

    gu zi¡¯s eyes were filled with a gentle smile as she tenderly picked up lele from su bing¡¯s stunned arms and carried her toward the kitchen.

    su bing watched gu zi and lele walking away, his gaze becoming increasingly complex.

 Chapter 32

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°brother,¡± su li walked up to su bing and whispered, ¡°sister can talk now!¡±

    ¡°i heard,¡± su bing whispered back, his mind racing.

    children¡¯s emotions were simple and pure; they were kind to those who were kind to them.

    when aunt chu was at home, lele never actively sought her out but would always come to him for comfort.

    but today, as he held lele, she actually wanted to be held by gu zi.

    su bing pursed his lips and walked towards the dining room.

    su li touched the back of his head, not quite understanding what his older brother meant but tagged along behind him anyway.

    on the dining table were several large bowls of noodles, each topped with a beautifully fried sunny-side-up egg. moreover, there was some braised pork in each bowl, emitting a delicious aroma.

    ¡°gurgle.¡± su li¡¯s stomach couldn¡¯t help but growl.

    he quickly covered his belly with his hands.

    gu zi sat at the dining table and then placed lele in the seat beside her. she looked at the two boys and said, ¡°go ahead. there¡¯s more in the kitchen.¡±

    after saying that, gu zi picked up the bowl in front of lele. it was only half filled because lele had just eaten cake before dinner. she certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to eat much now.

    after finishing the small portion of noodles, lele happily patted her belly and gazed at gu zi, as if telling her that she was full.

    ¡°are you full?¡± gu zi asked patiently.

    lele nodded.

    gu zi began to eat as well. now she noticed that the two brothers were eating without her prompting. they were devouring their noodles hungrily while she slowly enjoyed her own bowl of noodles.

    su li quickly finished a bowl of noodles. he got up and walked to the kitchen. he scooped another bowl of noodles for himself before continuing to eat.

    this was the first time he had eaten such delicious noodles.

    aunt chu had never cooked noodles for them before, and the food she cooked was super disgusting.

    their stepmother was truly amazing; she could make such delicious noodles.

    after finishing her meal, gu zi didn¡¯t say anything as the two kids voluntarily cleared their dishes and utensils. she left them to look after lele and went upstairs to take a shower.

    after gu zi left, su bing and su li quickly stopped what they were doing and gathered around le le.

    su bing looked at lele, who was smiling sweetly, and asked earnestly, ¡°lele, can you say ¡®mommy¡¯ one more time?¡±

    lele waved her hands joyfully in the air and nodded, saying, ¡°mommy, mommy!¡±

    su bing¡¯s eyes filled with amazement. aunt chu had complained to him before, saying that lele was mute and couldn¡¯t speak. but his little sister was clearly intelligent and could talk.

    seeing su bing staring at her, lele danced with excitement and said, ¡°brother!¡±

    su bing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. he looked at lele in disbelief.

    su li was so shocked that he plopped down onto a nearby chair, his mouth wide open in astonishment.

    ¡°brother!¡± lele called out again.

    hearing lele¡¯s repeated calls of ¡°brother,¡± su bing and su li¡¯s eyes began to well up with tears.

    ¡­

    upstairs.

    gu zi had just removed her outerwear and was about to take a shower when she heard a knock on the door. assuming it was lele coming to find her, she began to put on a short-sleeved shirt, but before she could pull it down, she laughed and teased, ¡°lele, it seems like you can¡¯t be away from me¡­¡±

    gu zi¡¯s shirt barely covered her chest, and she looked towards the door with a playful expression. however, when she saw su shen entering the room, her smile froze, and she stared at the door in disbelief.

    su shen also paused for a moment, then immediately closed the door.

    gu zi was taken aback but managed to pull her short-sleeved shirt down, looking at the doorknob with a hint of annoyance.

    in her modern life, she had always lived alone and hadn¡¯t developed the habit of locking her bedroom door.

    when she opened the door, she saw the man with his back turned, looking to the side.

    gu zi looked at the man¡¯s back. the man was really too tall. his singlet was drenched and clung to his body. vaguely, you could even see the contours of his back muscles.

    she cleared her throat, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and asked, ¡°what¡­ what are you doing here?¡±

    su shen turned around, his gaze slightly lowered. his eyes happened to fall on the strands of hair falling beside her face.

    her black hair accentuated her fair complexion.

    su shen recalled the glimpse of her fair skin from just before he closed the door, and his earlobes turned slightly red.

 Chapter 33

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen pursed his lips slightly and tried to act calm. ¡°it seems like there¡¯s a problem with the water pipes in the bathroom on the first floor. can i borrow your bathroom for now?¡±

    gu zi suddenly snapped back to reality and found herself looking at the lower half of the man¡¯s body¡­

    she quickly averted her gaze and looked up at su shen, nodding earnestly. ¡°sure.¡±

    after she spoke, she hurriedly lowered her head.

    ¡°thank you,¡± su shen replied and stepped aside to make way.

    gu zi walked downstairs.

    she had always thought that su shen was very busy and would come back late, so she didn¡¯t expect him to return so early.

    it was mealtime, and gu zi went to the kitchen to prepare noodles for su shen. after all, he had given her a whopping 520 yuan.

    su shen only took five minutes to finish his shower and came down from upstairs.

    he was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt that was still emitting steam. his hair was wet, making his clothes damp.

    he had just noticed that the entire house looked different. it seemed much cleaner than usual, with far fewer flies and mosquitoes. the things that had been scattered around were nowhere to be found, and the white floor was so clean that it reflected light.

    aunt chu had worked for him for so long, but he had never seen the room so clean. it was probably the work of that woman.

    as he followed the scent of food, he walked to the dining room and saw a white glass vase on the dining table. inside the vase were some common wildflowers, giving the whole house an added sense of warmth.

    the glass door of the dining room was closed, and the lights inside were on. he could see gu zi¡¯s busy figure, and somewhere deep in his heart, he softened involuntarily.

    he then glanced at the sofa not far away, where the three children were sitting quietly, watching tv.

    even lele, who used to look unkempt and dirty, was now clean and looked like a cute doll.

    he looked at lele, who was holding a piece of candy and occasionally licking it.

    his gaze shifted to the coffee table beside her, where there were egg cakes, candies, biscuits, and some fruits.

    he remembered that aunt chu had never bought these things for the children.

    he used to think things were simple ¨C as long as the children weren¡¯t hungry, it was fine. he believed that ensuring they had regular meals was enough.

    that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hesitate to spend money on aunt chu to buy food for the children.

    however, he was perplexed by the fact that no matter what he did, the three children couldn¡¯t seem to gain weight. he even began to wonder if they were naturally predisposed to being thin.

    but now, he was starting to doubt his own thoughts. perhaps children needed to have a more varied diet, including both snacks and proper meals, to grow well.

    as a man, he hadn¡¯t considered such fine details before, and he wasn¡¯t experienced in child-rearing.

    that¡¯s why he had married a wife before, but he hadn¡¯t imagined that she would turn out to be so wicked and even want to harm his children.

    without a wife to help take care of the children, he had to hire someone to look after them. however, despite his efforts, the children¡¯s health remained fragile and they couldn¡¯t seem to put on weight.

    ¡°dad.¡±

    ¡°dad.¡±

    the voices of su bing and su li brought su shen back from his reverie. he smiled and sat down on the sofa, about to speak, when he heard a sweet, childish voice.

    ¡°daddy!¡±

    su shen was momentarily taken aback, his gaze landing on the youngest, lele, and met her smiling eyes.

    lele smiled sweetly and called out again in a childish voice, ¡°daddy!¡±

    su shen walked over to lele and lifted her into his arms. ¡°is the candy tasty?¡±

    lele nodded, her eyes curved like crescent moons.

    su shen then turned his attention to su bing and su li. their facial features bore a resemblance to his sister. thoughts of his elder sister tugged at his heart, and he let out a quiet sigh before asking, ¡°how are your studies going?¡±

    hearing su shen¡¯s question, the two of them instantly sat up straight.

    su bing replied calmly, ¡°they¡¯re going well, same as before.¡±

    su li¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he said, ¡°i¡¯m¡­ doing okay.¡±

    su shen listened to their responses and offered some encouragement, telling them to study hard. he didn¡¯t quite know what else to say; after all, he wasn¡¯t sure how to communicate with these two children.

    ¡°brother!¡±

    ¡°daddy!¡±

    lele¡¯s sweet voice once again captured su shen¡¯s attention. he looked at her and then back at the two boys. ¡°when did lele start speaking?¡±

    su bing spoke up, saying, ¡°we¡¯re not sure either. when we came back from school, we suddenly heard lele speaking.¡±

    just then, gu zi walked out from the kitchen.

 Chapter 34

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi looked at lele in su shen¡¯s arms and smiled tenderly. she spoke softly, ¡°mr. su, the noodles are ready. please have some.¡±

    su shen nodded slightly and was about to put lele on the sofa when he saw lele reaching out her hands toward gu zi.

    ¡°mommy!¡± lele stared at gu zi with unwavering anticipation in her eyes.

    ¡°give me the child,¡± gu zi naturally took lele from su shen¡¯s arms, her smile gentle.

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on gu zi¡¯s arm and hand that was holding lele.

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on gu zi¡¯s arm and hand as she held lele. she seemed to emit a radiant glow, with fair, rosy skin and slender, delicate fingers. her hands didn¡¯t look at all like those of someone who would cook.

    with lele in gu zi¡¯s embrace, the little girl was ecstatic, calling out ¡°mommy¡± repeatedly.

    su shen sat down at the table, and gu zi joined him, still holding lele. she spoke softly, ¡°lele is very clever. she just learned to address people today, and now she can use it fluently.¡±

    su shen did not eat fast, nor did he make much noise. he looked much more refined than most people.

    when he heard gu zi say that, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes. he looked at her with a hint of surprise. ¡°did you teach her?¡±

    gu zi smiled and nodded. ¡°yes.¡±

    su shen simply glanced at gu zi meaningfully, didn¡¯t say anything more, and lowered his head to eat.

    he finished his bowl of noodles quickly and even drank up all the soup.

    gu zi liked it when people finished the food she made. it gave her a sense of satisfaction in knowing that her efforts were appreciated.

    gu zi¡¯s voice was gentle as she asked, ¡°there are some noodles left in the kitchen. would you like another bowl?¡±

    ¡°i¡¯ve good, thank you,¡± su shen replied calmly, his tone as flat as an inanimate object. he continued, ¡°you cook well, and you¡¯ve taught lele very effectively.¡±

    although su shen had only spoken a few simple sentences, his eyes were locked onto gu zi without blinking.

    gu zi felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze, and her ears turned slightly red. she replied, ¡°i enjoy cooking, and lele is intelligent. she learns quickly.¡±

    when su shen heard the words ¡°learns quickly,¡± he squinted his eyes ever so slightly.

    he had heard from the people at the pig farm that precocious children start speaking at a few months old, while others start around a year and a bit.

    however, lele, who was now two years old, had only just started speaking.

    could it be that because no one had taught her to speak earlier, that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t spoken until now?

    realizing this, su shen involuntarily clenched his hands under the table. he looked at gu zi with a serious expression and said, ¡°in the future, i¡¯ll rely on you to take care of these three children.¡±

    gu zi looked at su shen¡¯s serious demeanor and couldn¡¯t help but smile. she responded, ¡°mr. su, you¡¯re being too polite. i¡¯m willing to be here, which means i¡¯m prepared to take care of these three children. besides, they are so well-behaved.¡±

    su bing and su li were already able to help with household chores, and they spent most of their time at school, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about them.

    as for lele, she was a very obedient child, tidying up herself and playing quietly. she had never seen such a well-behaved child before.

    gu zi had different interests compared to most people of her time.

    she enjoyed cooking, and in this era where everyone had to work outside, su shen didn¡¯t expect her to engage in manual labor.

    he had plenty of money, so as long as she cooked, everything would be fine, making it a rather easy task.

    talking about work, flashes of memories crossed gu zi¡¯s mind.

    if she remembered correctly, the original owner of this body dropped out of high school in order to marry her fianc¨¦. she taught herself broadcasting and managed to secure a job as a radio announcer in the county town.

    broadcasters had to go through layers of screening. not only did they have to be good-looking, but they also had to have a good voice. anyway, there were very few people who could be selected to be a broadcaster.

    no matter which era it was, physical attractiveness was always an advantage.

    the original owner was not only beautiful but also had excellent mandarin and even fluent english. she outperformed all other candidates, and with her capabilities, she easily landed the job as a broadcaster.

    there were very few broadcasters in the county. being able to become one essentially meant becoming a government employee. the monthly salary of 50 yuan was considered outstanding in the entire county.

    later, when lin miao, the real daughter of the gu family reconnected with the gus, the original owner¡¯s life became somewhat aimless. she neglected her job, even hiring others to take her shifts.

    in this era, jobs could be bought and sold, and since she was planning to stay in the village, she wouldn¡¯t have time to go to the city. it made more sense to sell her job.

    this way, she could make some money, which she could use for her university tuition and living expenses when she went back to university.

 Chapter 35

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi thought about all of this and looked at su shen gently. she said, ¡°mr. su, i have something to do in the city tomorrow.¡±

    when su shen heard that gu zi wanted to go to the city, his first reaction was that gu zi wanted to leave. he felt a little uncomfortable, but he still nodded and agreed. ¡°sure.¡±

    ¡°then i¡¯ll get aunt chu to take care of lele.¡± su shen¡¯s gaze fell on lele, who was in gu zi¡¯s arms. he still remembered that when he went home in the past, lele would always hide in a dirty place and refuse to let aunt chu carry her.

    it was a stark contrast to her behavior now. lele seemed to be unable to leave gu zi at all times.

    when gu zi heard the words ¡°aunt chu¡±, her brows furrowed slightly. she shook her head and said, ¡°that¡¯s not necessary. i can take lele to the city with me.¡±

    gu zi did not want aunt chu to take care of lele anymore. given aunt chu¡¯s behavior, she feared she might mistreat lele.

    if it weren¡¯t for the fact that she wasn¡¯t familiar with su shen, she would have simply asked aunt chu to leave.

    besides, aunt chu was more reliable in su shen¡¯s eyes compared to her. if she badmouthed aunt chu, su shen might not be pleased and might even suspect her of having ulterior motives.

    it was better to avoid unnecessary complications.

    su shen¡¯s deep black eyes briefly gleamed as he considered that she might be homesick. bringing a child to town might lead to people gossiping about her. ¡°is it convenient for you?¡±

    actually, he could understand gu zi¡¯s situation. she was a young lady from a wealthy family, but in the end, she married a man who was more than ten years older and had three children.

    if this became public knowledge, there would surely be gossip and criticism.

    gu zi smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s alright, i just need to run some errands.¡±

    su shen, however, observed her with a gaze that held a hint of something more.

    ..

    gu zi woke up naturally the next morning.

    in an era without smartphones or computers, she no longer had a reason to stay up late, and had gone to bed early the night before.

    as she got up, she walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened it wide.

    fresh air rushed in, and she gazed at the distant green hills and clear waters. she felt rejuvenated.

    heading downstairs, she heard some activity coming from the kitchen. she figured it might be the two children preparing breakfast.

    although she was responsible for taking care of the three children, she wasn¡¯t a nanny and couldn¡¯t handle every detail.

    besides, boys learning to cook was a plus, and they would figure it out as they grew up.

    she believed that if she could help su bing overcome his aversion to women, that would already be a significant accomplishment.

    when she reached the dining room, she saw su li, who had been half-leaning on the table, immediately stand up straight and lower his head, pretending not to notice her.

    without saying anything, she walked towards the kitchen and found su bing standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot.

    she opened the kitchen door and noticed su bing becoming instantly alert.

    without commenting, she approached the pot, looked at what was inside, and furrowed her eyebrows. in a soft voice, she asked, ¡°is this little amount enough for a meal?¡±

    the children here didn¡¯t come home during lunchtime, and the school didn¡¯t have a cafeteria. it seemed like the students had to bring their own lunch.

    gu zi looked at the two pitiful sweet potatoes in the pot. these two children only ate two sweet potatoes during the day.

    she then remembered the dinner aunt chu had made for them and instantly understood why these two children had become so thin. they hardly ate anything during the day.

    no wonder these two children, who were clearly around ten years old, were not as robust as seven or eight-year-olds from other families.

    she remembered it clearly from the book she had read.

    ¡°su bing admired his father, su shen, the most, especially his father¡¯s tall and strong physique, which gave him a sense of security. however, his own body was too frail, as if a gust of wind could blow him away. he had to give up his dream of joining the military and chose the path of scientific research¡­¡±

    knowing this, she realized that the larger sweet potato was probably meant for su li, while su bing would be left with the smaller one.

    she looked at su bing beside her, initially intending to say something but ultimately remaining silent, just pursing her lips.

    su bing noticed her subtle movement and couldn¡¯t help but feel a lump in his throat. he maintained a calm demeanor and said, ¡°do you want to eat sweet potatoes too? i can¡­ i can wash a few more sweet potatoes.¡±

    gu zi looked into su bing¡¯s eyes. he had disguised his emotions very well, but she could still see the fear and horror in his eyes.

    perhaps su shen¡¯s previous wife left a dreadful impact on su bing. he seemed to be afraid of her too.

    however, su bing had a refined appearance, especially his eyes, which resembled lele¡¯s.

    imagining him as lele, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    this made su bing even more nervous.

 Chapter 36

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing¡¯s hands clenched into fists, worried that at any moment, gu zi would do something excessive to him.

    gu zi looked at su bing with a gentle smile and said, ¡°i didn¡¯t realize you don¡¯t know how to cook. i¡¯ll take the time to teach you in the future.¡±

    the tension in su bing¡¯s heart suddenly eased. he looked at gu zi in surprise and saw her bending down to pick up some sweet potatoes from a basket.

    she didn¡¯t scold him.

    she didn¡¯t hit him.

    she even smiled and said she would teach him to cook.

    su bing¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly. he took a deep breath and realized that he had been too nervous earlier, to the point where he almost forgot to breathe.

    gu zi picked a few more large sweet potatoes, washed them, and placed them in the pot. when the sweet potatoes were cooked, she took them out and handed one to su bing, saying, ¡°peel the skin off this sweet potato.¡±

    gu zi glanced at the still steaming sweet potato and added, ¡°be careful; it¡¯s quite hot.¡±

    su bing raised his eyes to look at gu zi, his heart racing like a startled deer.

    su li quickly ran over to help.

    gu zi noticed that the sweet potato was ready. she mixed it with powdered milk and cooked it in the pot, turning it into sweet potato porridge. in no time, the pot emitted a fragrant milk aroma.

    su li eagerly sniffed the air, and the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up.

    gu zi found some flour she had bought earlier, thinking of making a few pancakes so that the two children could take them to school.

    she quickly stir-fried some shredded potatoes and placed them on a plate.

    on the side, su bing saw gu zi crack four eggs into a bowl, whisk them, and then turn them into egg pancakes, cutting them into small pieces.

    gu zi washed the pot clean and waited for the water in the pot to evaporate before wiping the pot with oil. then, she greased the pan with some oil before placing the thin pancake inside. soon, the pancake turned a golden orange color. she added egg pancakes and shredded potatoes on top of the pancake, along with some homemade sauce from the previous night. she then rolled the entire pancake up.

    she made a total of six potato and egg pancakes. afterward, she handed two of them to su bing and su li, saying, ¡°each of you gets a bowl of sweet potato porridge and one pancake for breakfast. take the remaining ones to school for lunch.¡±

    as gu zi spoke, she scooped two bowls of sweet potato porridge for them and asked them to go to the dining room to eat.

    then, she packed the lunch box and placed it in front of the two brothers. she turned around and went into the kitchen to scoop herself a bowl of sweet potato porridge.

    she didn¡¯t eat much for breakfast. a bowl of sweet potato porridge was enough.

    as she took the first bite, the fragrant, sweet, and soft taste filled her mouth. this dish was indeed perfect for breakfast.

    after finishing her meal, she noticed that the two children hadn¡¯t finished theirs. she said, ¡°today, i¡¯ll be taking lele with me to the city. if i haven¡¯t returned by the time you finish school, prepare your own meals.¡±

    su li, who had been eating with his mouth full of food, immediately became nervous upon hearing gu zi¡¯s words.

    he had heard stories about child traffickers kidnapping and selling children, and the thought of his sister¡­

    su li didn¡¯t dare to think further. he looked to su bing for help, but his elder brother remained calm as if nothing was wrong.

    just as he was about to speak up to remind his elder brother, su bing simply said, ¡°alright.¡±

    the half-eaten pancake in su li¡¯s hand fell onto the table. the once delicious treat lost its appeal as he stared at su bing, raising his eyebrows. however, su bing continued eating his meal, paying no attention to him.

    su li felt a sense of panic. he thought that his elder brother must be afraid of that woman, so he dared not object. just as he was about to speak, su bing stuffed the pancake back into his mouth.

    silently, su li enjoyed his pancake.

    this pancake was really delicious!

    his big brother had agreed, his little sister should be safe!

    ¡­

    gu zi went upstairs and woke lele up. after helping lele wash up, she dressed her in a lovely princess dress and changed into fresh clothes herself. then, she took lele out with her.

    lele had always stayed at home and had never ventured far. now, she followed gu zi onto the public bus heading to the city. excitement filled her as she leaned against the window, her big, grape-like eyes fixed on everything outside.

    the road wasn¡¯t entirely smooth, and gu zi was starting to feel a bit drowsy. however, lele, in her eagerness, remained wide awake. she gazed at everything outside with unblinking curiosity.

    the passengers on the bus couldn¡¯t help but praise lele for her adorable and well-behaved demeanor.

 Chapter 37

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when they arrived in the city, gu ziy carried lele off the bus. this time, she didn¡¯t intend to visit the gu family. the gu family had become strangers to her. her main purpose in coming to the city was to deal with her work as a radio broadcaster.

    as she walked into the building of the radio station, heading towards the office of her supervisor, she heard an annoyed voice behind her.

    ¡°gu ziy?¡±

    hearing her name, gu ziy turned her head instinctively.

    the girl who called her had short hair and was wearing a blue business suit. she looked energetic.

    when the young woman saw gu ziy, she raised an eyebrow and appraised her from head to toe. her eyes were filled with disdain. ¡°gu ziy, what are you doing here? don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve had enough of the lin family in the countryside and you¡¯ve come running to try to reenter the gu family¡¯s doors?

    ¡°or is it that life in the countryside is too tough for you, and you can¡¯t handle it anymore?¡±

    gu ziy squinted her eyes slightly. she found this young woman somewhat familiar and, after a moment of thought, it hit her.

    this young woman was gong xin, the younger sister of gong zhan, the original host¡¯s fianc¨¦.

    the original host and gong xin were about the same age, but they had always had a rocky relationship, constantly arguing and fighting since childhood.

    gong xin was the daughter of a high-ranking official in the military district, but both her looks and academic achievements were not as impressive as the original host¡¯s.

    gong xin also had a volatile temper, which made her dislike the original host even more.

    she couldn¡¯t have imagined that the original host would eventually marry her brother, which deepened their conflict.

    in order to marry her military officer fianc¨¦, the original host dropped out of school to work as a broadcaster. coincidentally, she ended up competing with gong xin.

    gong xin wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get married; she simply hated studying, so she took advantage of her father¡¯s inattention and applied for the radio broadcaster position herself.

    since there were very few openings for radio broadcasters, the two of them became competitors.

    the original host was selected as a radio host, but gong xin didn¡¯t make the cut. however, the organization offered gong xin a logistics role, with the possibility of becoming a radio host in the future.

    gong xin stayed in the city for work, but every time she saw the original host hosting a radio show, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of discomfort.

    when gong xin discovered that gu ziy was actually a country girl, her sense of superiority surged once again. she thought that gu ziy was no longer a threat and was eager to see how gu ziy was faring in the countryside.

    to see the person she hated standing in front of her right now, it could be said she was being polite by not raising her hand at gu zi.

    gu ziy glanced at gong xin and then turned to walk towards her supervisor¡¯s office.

    ¡°gu ziy, where are you going? i haven¡¯t finished speaking!¡± gong xin hurriedly walked up to gu ziy and blocked her path. she frowned and said, ¡°is there something wrong with your ears now? i was talking to you, but it seems like you can¡¯t hear me.¡±

    gu ziy looked at the shorter girl in front of her with an expressionless face.

    gong xin hated her short stature the most. she always felt that others looked down on her because of her height. so, she placed her hand on her hip and tried to boost her own confidence.

    despite being the daughter of a high-ranking official, she couldn¡¯t stand the fact that someone better than her had appeared in the military district compound.

    it was infuriating.

    ¡°why should i have to answer your questions?¡± gu ziy asked coldly.

    hearing gu ziy¡¯s response, gong xin¡¯s expression froze for a moment. she immediately raised her chin and put on an arrogant demeanor. ¡°you are no longer part of this organization. this is my workplace, and you are a stranger. i have every right to inquire.¡±

    gu ziy furrowed her brows slightly, carefully recalling the original host¡¯s situation. it seemed that the original host had only arranged for someone to cover her shifts and hadn¡¯t officially resigned.

    moreover, without her personally written resignation letter, why would the organization claim that she had quit?

    gu ziy¡¯s gaze focused on gong xin¡¯s face as she calmly replied, ¡°there were some recent complications, and i had someone cover my shifts for a few days. i didn¡¯t resign.¡±

    gong xin¡¯s expression froze, and she straightened her posture, looking at gu ziy with surprise. ¡°that¡¯s not right. lin miao came to the organization, saying that you handed over your work to her!¡±

    gong xin had her own pride. although she was annoyed that gu ziy was more attractive and academically superior, she couldn¡¯t deny gu ziy¡¯s competence.

    but lin miao was a different story!

    lin miao had come to the organization, claiming that gu ziy had transferred her responsibilities to lin miao.

    due to this, gong xin had to assist lin miao with various tasks daily. gu ziy had never treated her this way when she was still around.

    what was even more infuriating was lin miao¡¯s non-standard mandarin, which was quite unpleasant to listen to!

 Chapter 38

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°but i heard that you went back to the countryside and it was even said you gave the job to lin miao. you have no idea how terrible lin miao¡¯s mandarin is, and i¡­¡± gong xin started to go off-topic.

    she threw all those messy thoughts aside and fixed her gaze on gu zi¡¯s face. ¡°you were finally chosen as the radio broadcaster after all the hard work. i was wondering why you were so generous, giving the job to someone else! i didn¡¯t know you were unaware of it!¡±

    gong xin looked at gu zi as if she were an idiot. in her eyes, even though gu zi wasn¡¯t gu family¡¯s biological daughter, she was good at her job and could live comfortably in the city by herself. so why would she hand over the job to lin miao?

    ¡°lin miao,¡± gu zi said with a serious expression. the original host had previously asked another radio host to cover her shifts, and in this era, shifts could be covered, allowing the substitute to earn double pay.

    when she discussed this with the substitute radio host, the person had been quite happy about it.

    how did the job end up in lin miao¡¯s hands?

    when gong xin thought of lin miao¡¯s smug attitude, she wished she could tear lin miao apart. she briefly explained the situation to gu zi.

    ¡°at first, you had yu jie cover your shifts. later, when you didn¡¯t come out of the gu family, lin miao took over the job, and she even claimed that it was your request.¡± gong xin¡¯s initial thought was that with gu zi gone, she would become the military district¡¯s top beauty. the position of the broadcaster might also be hers.

    but who would have thought that lin miao would get the job instead, thanks to her connections.

    she, the daughter of a dignified chief, had not been able to get the position of a broadcaster with her own abilities. it enraged her even more that it was later snatched away by a crude village girl.

    why should she have to put up with this?

    she had thought at the time that it would be better for gu zi to come to work. after all, gu zi had defeated her fairly with her skills and knowledge.

    now that gu zi had sorted out her thoughts, she realized that the original host probably didn¡¯t plan to quit and had intended to continue as a radio host in the future, which is why she had kept her position.

    when gu zi arrived in this book world, she didn¡¯t even think about the job position that she held and left directly for the village.

    according to gong xin, when the host was still in the gu family, lin miao had already taken over her job and directly occupied her position.

    the original host had a deep dislike for lin miao, and gu zi couldn¡¯t stand her either.

    the position of a radio host was meant for someone with talent, not for someone like lin miao, who relied on connections.

    after thinking about all of this, gu zi looked at the aggrieved gong xin and said softly, ¡°i got this job from five hundred competitors back then. it¡¯s my own job, unrelated to the gu family. even if i¡¯m not working here, this job would have to be offered to someone else. there¡¯s no way i would just give it to lin miao for free. i¡¯m not that foolish.¡±

    when gong xin heard gu zi¡¯s words and remembered the pitiful state gu zi had been in during that time, her eyes filled with sympathy. ¡°you¡¯ve really been through a lot. you lost your parents, your fianc¨¦, and your job was taken away. but what you said is absolutely right. you earned this radio host position yourself, and i think you¡¯re much more suitable for it than lin miao. she¡¯s completely unsuitable!¡±

    when gong xin thought of gu zi¡¯s tragic experience, the more she looked at gu zi, the more she found her pleasing to the eye.

    gu zi really, really loved gong xin¡¯s elder brother. she had to overcome so many setbacks, yet she still managed to stand up again. it was truly commendable.

    gong xin thought of lin miao¡¯s pretentious manner. every time lin miao broadcasted, she would broadcast a lot of nonsense and her mandarin was not even up to standard. ¡°lin miao¡¯s mandarin is far worse than yours!¡±

    when gu zi heard gong xin¡¯s words, she instantly understood.

    lin miao had only recently returned to the city and was unfamiliar with everything.

    gu zi was about to leave when she heard gong xin rambling on about lin miao.

    initially, gu zi thought that gong xin would continue causing trouble for her as before, but now it seemed that gong xin¡¯s anger was directed entirely at lin miao. gu zi was about to interrupt gong xin, but she was pushed by gong xin towards the broadcasting room.

    ¡°let¡¯s go and see lin miao now. when i went to the bathroom just now, sister chen was scolding her!¡±

    just like that, gu zi was pushed into the broadcasting studio by gong xin. as soon as she entered, she saw sister chen standing in front of lin miao with a gloomy expression. sister chen seemed to be very angry.

    sister chen was a veteran at the radio station. she specialized in training radio broadcasters.

    despite the original host¡¯s abilities, sister chen had scolded her several times, earning herself the nickname ¡°female devil¡± among some of the staff.

    gong xin looked at lin miao, who was like a frightened little mouse in front of sister chen, and cheerfully exclaimed, ¡°sister chen, look who¡¯s here!¡±

 Chapter 39

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    among this year¡¯s rookie broadcasters, sister chen valued gu zi the most. not only was gu zi good-looking, her mandarin was impeccable, her voice was gentle, and she was also hardworking.

    she was such a good seedling, yet she gave the job to a newbie who knew nothing. she had to keep an eye on that idiot lin miao every day, and not a single day went well for her.

    therefore, when sister chen saw gu zi, her expression turned even more sour.

    gu zi also noticed lin miao¡¯s fearful expression. she calmly retracted her gaze and looked at sister chen from the side. she carried lele and walked to sister chen. her voice was gentle and tactful. ¡°sister chen, i¡¯ve settled my personal matters, so i¡¯ve come back to work.¡±

    hearing gu zi¡¯s words, lin miao¡¯s face turned even paler. her body was on the verge of collapse.

    when sister chen heard gu zi¡¯s words, the gloominess on her face gradually dissipated. her eyes were filled with confusion. she looked at lin miao and then at gu zi and asked, ¡°didn¡¯t you already appoint lin miao to take over your job?¡±

    upon hearing sister chen¡¯s question, lin miao, as if grasping at the last straw, quickly said, ¡°sister gu zi, didn¡¯t you return to the countryside? since you couldn¡¯t work as a radio broadcaster anymore, my parents had no choice but to send me here to replace you.¡±

    lin miao directly shifted the responsibility of filial piety onto gu zi.

    gong xin, who had been growing increasingly resentful of lin miao, sneered at her words. ¡°lin miao, what nonsense are you spouting? gu zi has only been back in the countryside for two days, while you¡¯ve been working here for half a month.¡±

    when sister chen heard gong xin¡¯s words, she glared daggers at lin miao.

    gu zi looked at lin miao indifferently. in the novel, the original owner went to the countryside in a daze and was immersed in the fact that her life was going to be ruined by an old man with three children. she did not think about work at all.

    if she hadn¡¯t accidentally chatted with su shen last night and thought about work, the job would have stayed comfortably in lin miao¡¯s hands.

    gu zi retracted her thoughts and said calmly, ¡°please don¡¯t call me sister. we¡¯re not related by blood.¡±

    she paused for a moment and continued, ¡°this job is for the capable. due to personal matters at home, i had someone fill in for me temporarily. sister chen, i already discussed this with you remember? i¡¯d asked yu-jie to stand in for me.¡±

    sister chen nodded in agreement when she heard gu zi¡¯s words.

    lin miao had originally thought that becoming a radio host at the station would earn her some respect from her fianc¨¦¡¯s family, the gong family. but she hadn¡¯t expected gu zi to return.

    she absolutely couldn¡¯t let the gong family know that she had secretly replaced gu zi. if they found out, they would surely look down on her.

    thinking this, lin miao hastily said, ¡°sister gu zi, my parents would be delighted if they knew you were back in town. they even said they¡¯d like to have dinner together. let¡¯s go back together now!¡±

    gu zi heard lin miao¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, her gaze even colder.

    this female lead was just too annoying. she easily pinned the blame of being unfilial on her without any hesitation. she was like a moral manipulator, pretending to be virtuous and righteous, all the while having a deceitful heart.

    ¡°i¡¯ve said it before, we have no blood relation. if you call me ¡®sister¡¯ again, don¡¯t blame me for being impolite,¡± gu zi didn¡¯t want any connection with lin miao. her eyes turned even colder. ¡°furthermore, i got this job through a nationwide audition. it has nothing to do with my parents.¡±

    she adjusted lele in her arms with one hand and continued with an icy tone, ¡°you don¡¯t need to bring my parents into this. if you want to be a radio host, start from the nationwide auditions, go through each level of selection, and earn the position yourself. don¡¯t¡­ all i know is that i worked hard for this job, and i haven¡¯t transferred it to anyone.¡±

    seeing lin miao nearly collapsing, gu zi showed no sympathy. she shifted her gaze to sister chen and calmly said, ¡°sister chen, i¡¯m a responsible person. before this, i just had someone temporarily fill in for me. even if i wanted to transfer the job, i¡¯d find someone with a similar level of competence, not someone who knows nothing.¡±

    when sister chen heard gu zi say this, the expression on her face became much gentler.

    she had not been in contact with gu zi for a long time, but she knew gu zi¡¯s personality very well, so she nodded in agreement.

    gu zi continued to say, ¡°sister chen, if i remember correctly, even if it¡¯s a transfer of work, it still requires the signature of the person who is transferring the work. but i haven¡¯t signed it. why would the organization give my work to someone else without my consent? could this be a new policy?¡±

 Chapter 40

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°of course there is no such policy!¡± sister chen denied it without hesitation. ¡°our department is different from other places. the initial selection of the broadcaster has to go through an audition, and then layers of screening. only the most capable candidates are chosen and then trained to become skilled radio hosts. how could someone with backdoor connections possibly get in?¡±

    sister chen¡¯s words were clearly mocking lin miao.

    she was a workaholic and took her work very seriously. she hated incompetent people the most, especially those who got in through the back door and were incompetent. people like that disgusted her.

    upon hearing this, gong xin immediately felt relieved and chimed in, ¡°exactly, there must be something fishy going on. even gu zi herself didn¡¯t know when her job was given to someone else!¡±

    sister chen was an old woman who had seen many ups and downs. her gaze fell on lin miao¡¯s face and saw that lin miao was standing there trembling in fear.

    lin miao¡¯s actions were akin to taking someone else¡¯s high school exam results to enter college¡ªit was simply outrageous.

    not only that, she showed no remorse and instead continued to use filial piety to silence gu ziy and hide the truth.

    lin miao felt her scalp tingling under sister chen¡¯s scrutinizing gaze. her legs trembled involuntarily as she sensed the disdainful looks from those around her. her eyes were red, and she lowered her head pitifully, saying, ¡°my parents made this decision, and i didn¡¯t know anything about it. i was just following their instructions.¡±

    gong xin burst into laughter after hearing lin miao¡¯s explanation. ¡°lin miao, i remember when you first went to the gu family, you insisted on having a dna test to prove you were their daughter. i didn¡¯t see you being so obedient back then!¡±

    everyone present laughed.

    gu ziy observed lin miao¡¯s pathetic act. while the gu family¡¯s parents could be somewhat materialistic, she couldn¡¯t believe they had gone to such extremes when she was still with them.

    ¡°that¡¯s right. mr. and mrs. gu¡¯s concerns are also right. since i¡¯m willing to come back, there¡¯s no need to trouble you with taking my shifts.¡±

    lin miao widened her eyes in disbelief.

    she had endured sister chen¡¯s scolding for half a month for nothing? all this trouble for what?

    lin miao had initially been worried and fearful, but now she was furious.

    gu zi walked up to sister chen and sighed lightly. she said, ¡°sister chen, my parents were right. now that i¡¯ve gone to the countryside, i¡¯m afraid i won¡¯t be able to come to work every day. and if i take frequent leaves, it would be too troublesome for you.¡±

    sister chen looked at the two-year-old child in gu zi¡¯s arms and her heart softened a little.

    it was a pity that such a good seedling was gone.

    gu zi clearly had a bright future, but all of this was gone now.

    sister chen sighed and asked, ¡°so, what do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°i can¡¯t let someone who doesn¡¯t know anything replace me.that would just be troublesome for you. you¡¯ve taken care of me so well, and i can¡¯t let you deal with such problems.¡± gu ziy spoke with sincerity.

    lin miao was so angry that smoke was coming out of her nostrils. gu zi was clearly trying to embarrass her on purpose.

    it was a pity that this was not the gu family¡¯s residence, so she couldn¡¯t give orders to gu zi.

    ¡°sister chen, i¡¯ve been thinking about this for the past few days. i plan to sell this job.¡± gu ziy sighed softly, lowered her head, and said gently.

    sister chen still remembered how happy gu zi looked when she was a broadcaster and knew that gu zi liked this job very much.

    ¡°but i¡¯ll sell it to a professional within the department.¡± gu zi said softly.

    when gong xin heard this, she immediately perked up. her eyes were fixed on gu ziy, and it was as if she had ¡°sell it to me¡± written on her forehead.

    ¡°then have you decided who you want to sell it to?¡± sister chen asked.

    gu zi¡¯s gaze landed on gong xin¡¯s face. gong xin was so nervous that she forgot to breathe.

    ¡°when i came in with gong xin, her mandarin was also impeccable, and she had a good image,¡± gu zi said softly.

    sister chen remembered that gong xin was also a rich lady who got in based on her abilities. the only reason she hadn¡¯t been selected as a radio host initially was because she was a bit short.

    she remembered that gu zi and gong xin did not have a good relationship. she did not expect gu zi to recommend gong xin. ¡°i wonder if gong xin is willing¡­¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m willing!¡± gong xin immediately said, ¡°let¡¯s settle this today. my brother said he was coming here for some business, so we can ride with him, and you can come to my place to get the money!¡±

    as soon as gong xin finished speaking, footsteps approached from outside the room. everyone turned to see several people in military uniforms entering.

    gu zi immediately noticed the man standing in the center of the group.

    he was tall and commanding, with deep and intense eyes. he looked down at her from above, and his features were chiseled.

    he was gong zhan, the original body owner¡¯s military officer fianc¨¦.

    gong zhan glanced at gong xin and his eyes held a piercing and chilly demeanor. he then turned his cold gaze toward gu zi and began walking toward her step by step.

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Be My Sister

    chapter 41: be my sister-in-law

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi still retained the memories of the original host of her body.

    the original host held deep affection for gong zhan, but gong zhan remained indifferent to the original owner.

    gu zi averted her gaze with an air of indifference.

    gong xin jogged over to gong zhan and inquired, ¡°brother, are you here for something?¡±

    gong zhan withdrew his gaze from gu zi, his expression complicated. he lowered his eyes and addressed gong xin with much gentleness. ¡°i¡¯m here to discuss something with your leader. i¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    gong xin¡¯s eyes lit up instantly as she eagerly added, ¡°that¡¯s great! go find my leader first. i¡¯ll take your car home to get the money later.¡±

    gong zhan was perplexed.

    gong xin was too excited to bother with gong zhan at that moment and quickly tugged gu zi along as they departed.

    gu zi passed by gong zhan, cradling lele in her arms, without even acknowledging his presence.

    gong zhan halted and proceeded to make his way to sister chen.

    gu zi and gong xin headed to the human resources department together to complete their work handover. then, they descended downstairs to wait for gong zhan.

    just then, lin miao exited the radio station building, clearly exasperated.

    gong xin watched lin miao¡¯s departing figure and pursed her lips unhappily. she complained, ¡°i don¡¯t want her to be my sister-in-law. i think you¡¯re perfect for my brother now. have you ever considered becoming my sister-in-law?¡± upon hearing this, gu zi promptly declined, ¡°no, i¡¯m already married.¡±

    gong xin was momentarily stunned. she looked at the child in gu zit s arms and asked softly, ¡°are you truly willing to marry her father?¡±

    in gong xin¡¯s eyes, the person gu zi loved the most was her big brother.

    back then, gu zi had adamantly declared that she wouldn¡¯t marry anyone but big brother. so, why did gu zi appear so different now?

    was it because she was with the child, and she couldn¡¯t speak freely in front of the child?

    gu zi nodded, responding with a simple ¡°yes.¡±

    gong xin gazed at gu zi intently, feeling a twinge of sympathy for her.

    how could her future husband force her to bring a child with her into the city? he must have asked the child to monitor gu zi.

    sigh, gu zi must be living in an abyss of suffering now.

    little did gong xin know that gu zi was no longer the same person she once was.

    to gu zi, this story had a particular favoritism toward gong zhan and lin miao, both of whom had strong auras as the male and female leads.

    gong zhan resembled a central air conditioner, spreading kindness to every woman without confirming or denying their affections. he consistently made women believe that the male protagonist was in love with them.

    on the other hand, lin miao was amiable to all the men around her. it was the small misunderstandings and ups and downs involving these men and women that gave depth to the love between gong zhan and lin miao.

    the original host of gu zi¡¯s body was but a malicious supporting female who quickly faded into obscurity in this tale.

    gu zi¡¯s decision to sell the job to lin miao had more to it than met the eye.

    in the original book, gong xin had a bad relationship with the original owner.

    in the original narrative, gong xin had a strained relationship with the original host. yet, the rapport between gong xin and lin miao was even worse. to gong xin, lin miao was just a village girl who would ascend to greatness by marrying her brother.

    after the original host married and moved to the countryside, she never returned to work in the city.

    lin miao naturally took over the original host¡¯s work, but lin miao later passed on the responsibilities to gong xin, thus fostering a strong friendship between the two.

    gu zi had initially been baffled by lin miao¡¯s decision to give up her job. now, it seemed that she recognized her own limitations and wanted to curry favor with gong xin, using her job as a bargaining chip.

    in the tale, lin miao eventually attended university. her solid grades earned her respect even from the gong family, who had once looked down on her.

    gu zi was eager to see how lin miao would navigate her relationship with gong xin in the future now that she had intervened in this timeline.

    in gu zits eyes, gong xin was straightforward. if you treated gong xin well, she would consider you a good friend.

    so, since she was on good terms with gong xin now, gong xin was bound to be lin miao¡¯s adversary.

    at that moment, gong xin noticed gong zhan coming out. she quickly stood up and inquired, ¡°brother, can you give us a ride home now?¡±

    ¡°i have other matters to attend to, so i¡¯ll take my leave,¡± gong zhan replied with a cold demeanor and without looking back as he left.

    gong xin was livid.

    she pointed at gong zhan¡¯s retreating figure and stomped her foot. ¡°who does he think he is? he said he could pick me up, and now he¡¯s saying he¡¯s not available!¡±

    gong xin pursed his lips and lamented, ¡°with that stern expression, anyone who doesn¡¯t know better might think someone owes him a lot of money!¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Intentionally Suppressing Lin Miao

    chapter 42: intentionally suppressing lin miao

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gong xin turned around to look at gu zi, and the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up.

    gong xin really did not expect that gu zi would be willing to give up her job to her.

    this was a joyous occasion.

    gong xin¡¯s perception of her dear friend and benefactor changed instantly. she said with warmth, ¡°gu zi, let¡¯s head home and retrieve your household register.

    i¡¯ll be able to give you the money then.¡±

    gu zi subconsciously nodded. then, as if she had thought of something, she said with a troubled expression, ¡°i just remembered that my household register is still with the gu family. my former parents gave this job to lin miao. what if they¡­¡±

    she hesitated, wanting to express her concern but stopping herself.

    gong xin¡¯s face darkened when she heard that.

    she imew just how much the gu family now favored lin miao, and she understood the extent of their adoration.

    gu zi had worked hard to secure this job, yet the gu family had handed it over to lin miao without a word to her.

    gong xin despised individuals who exploited connections, especially those who were audacious about it.

    quickly, gong xin reassured her, ¡°don¡¯t be sad. you earned this job through your dedication and effort. the gu family¡¯s decision has no bearing on that.¡±

    growing up together, gong xin knew that gu zi wouldn¡¯t dare to defy the gu couple. ¡°don¡¯t worry. i¡¯ll go with you this time. if lin miao tries to snatch my job, i won¡¯t let her get away with it!¡±

    gu zi looked at gong xin and simply said, ¡°thank you.¡±

    gong xin was taken aback. she hadn¡¯t expected gu zi to express gratitude. momentarily flustered, she awkwardly pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°i¡¯m not doing this for you; i just don¡¯t want my job stolen.¡±

    a smile crossed gu zi¡¯s lips. ¡°i know.¡±

    gong xin blushed as they left together.

    although lele was still quite young, it was tiring for gu zi to carry her all the time.

    gong xin, considerate as ever, flagged down a taxi.

    it was lele¡¯s first experience in a taxi. she looked around with wide, sparkling eyes, excitedly taking in the sights.

    when lele¡¯s gaze met gong xin¡¯s, she saw the young woman looking back at her. lele offered a shy smile before burying her head in gu zi¡¯s arms. gu zi gently patted lele¡¯s back, trying to ease her nervousness.

    gong xin observed the child with a mix of emotions.

    she had always considered herself too young to care for a child.

    besides, she believed gu zi was the most talented and beautiful girl around. logically, gu zi should have had a better life.

    but now, gu zi had not only married an older man but also become a stepmother to someone else¡¯s child.

    gong xin looked at gu zi with concern and ventured carefully

    gu zi offered a gentle smile, nodding in affirmation. ¡°yes, this child is obedient and well-behaved.¡±

    gong xin, her skepticism apparent, pursed her lips. she didn¡¯t trust the child¡¯s appearance; if she were to care for a child, it would be her own. taking care of someone else¡¯s child seemed pointless.

    gong xin was about to continue her persuasion when a small hand reached out toward her. it held a candy, and she found herself following the hand to meet sparkling eyes.

    gong xin blinked, surprised, and inquired, ¡°can she not speak?¡±

    this child seemed older, so why did she only say ¡°yiya yiya¡±?

    gu zi confirmed, ¡°she hasn¡¯t learned to speak yet, but i¡¯ll teach her. she¡¯ll be talking in no time.¡±

    gong xin was left in awe. she admired gu zi¡¯s determination. if she were in that situation, she might have run away long ago.

    in less than ten minutes, the two arrived at the gu family courtyard.

    gu zi looked at the familiar entrance, aware that she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter alone. however, with gong xin at her side, access was guaranteed.

    they were here to retrieve gu zits household register.

    as they approached the entrance, faint sounds of lin miao¡¯s cries reached their ears. the gu couple seemed to be consoling her with gentle words.

    as soon as lin miao arrived home, she had evidently informed her family about gu zi stealing her job.

    gu shan, looking at his biological daughter in tears, couldn¡¯t hide his displeasure. ¡°i didn¡¯t expect her to be so ruthless.¡±

    zhang mei nodded, agreeing, ¡°we¡¯ve always treated her well. she¡¯s targeting lin miao now simply because she¡¯s unhappy with us..¡±

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Stay In The Countryside Forever

    chapter 43: stay in the countryside forever

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu shan clenched his lips, his dissatisfaction with gu zi deepening.

    it was becoming increasingly apparent that gu zits departure was a calculated move to make them feel indebted and guilty while she continued to undermine their daughter behind their backs. when had gu zi become so vindictive and hostile?

    the family could not allow gu zi to remain in the city. they wished for her to stay in the countryside for the rest of her life.

    just as gu shan was pondering this, a knock echoed at the door.

    zhang mei rose to answer it, and when she saw gu zi standing outside, her eyes filled with frost.

    gu shan cast a venomous look at gu zi, wishing he could annihilate her with his glare.

    lin miao¡¯s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. she knew gu zi would require the household register to sell her job, and she had returned early to complain to gu shan and zhang mei. that way, gu zi wouldn¡¯t be able to access the register.

    as long as gu zi could not get the household register, that job would be hers.

    even if she didn¡¯t want the job in the future, she could trade it for benefits.

    but what lin miao didn¡¯t anticipate was that gong xin was accompanying gu

    logically, gu zi and gong xin were like oil and water, despising each other and avoiding each other¡¯s company.

    had they both lost their minds?

    upon seeing gong xin, gu shan and zhang mei concealed their anger. gong xin was gong zhan¡¯s biological sister, and gong zhan was the leader¡¯s son and their daughter¡¯s fianc¨¦. they needed to present their best selves in front of their prospective in-laws.

    if gong zhan grew dissatisfied with lin miao and their engagement fell apart, their family¡¯s prospects would diminish considerably.

    ¡°xin xin is here! come inside quickly!¡± gu shan greeted gong xin with an affectionate smile.

    everyone in the courtyard knew that gong xin, not gong zhan, was the most favored person in the gong family.

    in the past, before their biological daughter re-entered their lives, gu shan had wanted gu zi to cultivate a good relationship with gong xin, hoping to strengthen the bonds between the gu and gong families.

    however, gu zi and gong xin couldn¡¯t stand each other¡¯s presence, and that plan had to be abandoned.

    gu shan was baffled by gong xin¡¯s unexpected presence with gu zi.

    rolling her eyes internally, gong xin explained, ¡°uncle gu, gu zi and i are here to retrieve her household register for a job transfer. could you please provide it? we¡¯ll return it after the transfer is complete.¡±

    gu shan, still processing this information, blinked in confusion. ¡°you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°gu zi has already sold the job to me.¡±

    gu shan¡¯s eyes practically popped out of his head as he turned his gaze to gu

    he had heard about gu zi¡¯s intention to sell her job, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated her selling it to gong xin.

    gu shan hesitated, torn between his initial plan.

    at that very moment, gu zi spoke. ¡°dad, mom, i want to thank you for your constant concern and for allowing lin miao to take over my job. while i was in the countryside, i thought long and hard about my career.

    ¡°it¡¯s not fair to burden lin miao any further. that¡¯s why i¡¯ve decided to transfer the job,¡± gu zi said, her words filled with gratitude towards the gu family.

    gu shan¡¯s anger began to dissipate.

    zhang mei furrowed her brows and approached gu zi, asking, ¡°what are you saying?¡±

    gu zi¡¯s gentle smile remained in place as she continued, ¡°lin miao has been extraordinarily helpful in facilitating my job transfer. i¡¯m genuinely touched by the ongoing concern you both have shown me. however, i can¡¯t keep inconveniencing you. so, i thought about selling the job.¡±

    gong xin chimed in, ¡°auntie, uncle, i¡¯ve made a promise to purchase gu zits job, and i won¡¯t go back on it. so please don¡¯t worry.¡±

    gu shan¡¯s expression froze in disbelief, and zhang mei appeared embarrassed.

    in reality, they had wanted to give the job to lin miao. if lin miao didn¡¯t want it, they could then sell it. however, gu zits sudden return meant lin miao wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to use the job, and they wouldn¡¯t receive the money from selling the job either.

    if gu zi had sold the job to an ordinary person, they could have used their status as adoptive parents to pressure her into transferring it to lin miao.

    but the buyer was gong xin, which changed the dynamics.

    they had to show support to the gong family..

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Not to Be Offended

    chapter 44: not to be offended

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°we¡¯re not worried.¡± gu shan¡¯s face flushed red.

    he loathed the notion of producing the household register for gu zi, who had not only bullied his biological daughter, but had also earned herself the money and secure herself a favor from gong xin.

    changing his approach, gu shan turned to gong xin and stated politely, ¡°indeed, gu zi is rather inexperienced. considering the bond between our two families, there¡¯s no need for financial transactions regarding your job.¡± he shot gu zi a subtle signal, urging her to remain silent.

    gu zi stood there obediently, observing that gong xin¡¯s mood was already deteriorating.

    ¡°uncle gu, are you saying that i should take gu zi¡¯s job for free?¡± gong xin raised an eyebrow, her tone bearing an edge.

    was she such a petty person?

    it was as if they were implying that she was high and mighty, so gu zi should come and suck up to her.

    wouldn¡¯t that be bullying?

    seeing that gong xin¡¯s tone was awry, gu shan swiftly clarified, ¡°no, we intended for you to take it directly.¡±

    gong xin smiled, ¡°thank you for your generosity, uncle gu. nevertheless, i believe you¡¯re aware of the fierce competition that transpired when gu zi initially secured the job. she rightfully earned some compensation for transferring the job to me.¡±

    gong xin¡¯s meaning was clear.

    gu zi had acquired the job through her own merit, so she was entitled to remuneration.

    gu shan reluctantly concurred, ¡°xin xin, you¡¯re so magnanimous.¡±

    his previous tactic having failed, he altered his approach. ¡°the household register is currently not at home. some days ago, my mother borrowed it for a specific task. she should be returning it soon. when that happens, we¡¯ll deliver it to you. what do you think of that?¡±

    zhang mei swiftly concurred, ¡°yes, there¡¯s no rush. let gu zi sign over the job to you today. when the household register returns, i¡¯ll ask miaomiao to deliver it to you. you two can settle the matter together.¡±

    on the surface, they presented their actions as a matter of convenience for gu zi, sparing her the tedium of traversing between the city and countryside. yet, beneath this facade, their objective was to position her as a tool, ensuring the favor ultimately benefited lin miao.

    lin miao approached gong xin and said, ¡°xin xin, i initially intended to give the job to you anyway. i didn¡¯t anticipate that my sister would exchange the job for money. it seems life in the countryside is truly arduous.¡±

    gong xin took a step back, not wanting to be touched by lin miao.

    ¡°i find it fair to purchase the job with money. i don¡¯t think gu zi is doing anything wrong,¡± she remarked, now comprehending that lin miao was two-faced.

    gong xin hadn¡¯t anticipated gu shan¡¯s overt bias towards lin miao. to prevent gu zi from obtaining money from the job¡¯s sale, he had resorted to deceit.

    she had seen it yesterday. gu shan had brought lin miao to the local recruitment office to register her as a new recruit.

    this process necessitated presenting the household register of the primary family, and the document was currently in gu shan¡¯s possession.

    however, they insisted that the household register was not at home, so she could not say anything.

    gong xin gazed at gu zi, stating, ¡°since the household register isn¡¯t currently available, we can address it on another day. i¡¯ll have my brother collect you from the countryside, sparing you the inconvenience.¡±

    following this statement, gong xin took gu zi¡¯s arm, preparing to depart.

    this time, lin miao grew frantic. she glanced tearfully at gu shan, insisting,

    ¡°daddy, please. help me.¡±

    there was no way she could allow gu zi and gong zhan to foster a closer relationship!

    zhang mei implored gu zi to remain, exclaiming, ¡°gu zi, you¡¯ve finally returned, and it would be a shame not to spend time with mom and dad.¡±

    then, she regarded the child in gu zi¡¯s arms. ¡°caring for your family is quite a challenge now. your sister wishes to assist you. give her the opportunity.¡±

    her meaning was clear: on account of our upbringing, grant this favor to lin miao.

    gu zi smiled and replied gently, ¡°i can never forget your kindness in raising me. nonetheless, there¡¯s a great deal to attend to presently. rest assured, when i return next time, i¡¯ll spend time with mom, dad, and lin miao.¡±

    having said that, she prepared to leave with gong xin.

    lin miao was presented with a multiple-choice question: should she retain the household register or provide gu zi and gong zhan the opportunity to grow closer?

    unable to contain herself, lin miao cried out, ¡°have you forgotten? grandlt returned the household register yesterday.¡±

    of course, lin miao selected the option that secured her engagement.

    gu shan smacked his forehead, addressing zhang mei, ¡°i¡¯m old and scatterbrained. go fetch it quickly.¡±

    zhang mei, still disinclined to make the effort, reluctantly went to retrieve document, recognizing that her daughter¡¯s engagement was on the line. after obtaining the household register, gu zi was tugged away by gong xin

    descending the stairs, gong xin clutched her belly, laughing heartily. ¡°did see that? lin miao was practically gnashing her teeth in anger. haha.¡±

    gu zi glanced at the household register in her hand and smiled wryly. ¡°my parents weren¡¯t looking any better either. to acquire this household registe had to become the unfilial daughter of the gu family.¡±

    gong xin abruptly ceased laughing and regarded gu zi with sympathy. gu 1 situation within the gu family was incredibly delicate.

    gong xin patted her chest, pledging, ¡°don¡¯t worry.. i¡¯ll look out for you in tk city from now on!¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Be Her Sister

    chapter 45: be her sister-in-law

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi smiled. ¡°alright, i¡¯m counting on you then.¡±

    gong xin said, ¡°then let¡¯s go get the money from my brother. i don¡¯t have enough money.¡±

    gu zi glanced at the sky. ¡°since we got the household register, let¡¯s go to the radio station to complete the procedures first. after that, we can get the money.¡±

    she was aware that gong xin might not know gong zhan¡¯s whereabouts.

    but she had no concerns about gong xin reneging on the debt. despite their enmity, they had grown up together, and she knew that gong xin was not the type of person to default on a debt.

    gong xin stared at gu zi with her large eyes. ¡°aren¡¯t you worried that i won¡¯t give you the money?¡±

    gu zi, carrying su le, stepped out of the courtyard. ¡°nope. i¡¯ve never heard of

    gong xin failing to repay a debt.¡±

    gong xin watched gu zi¡¯s retreating figure and her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. why didn¡¯t she realize that gu zi knew her so well in the past?

    she even had the urge to rush up and hug gu zi!

    at this moment, they had completely reconciled.

    upon arriving at the radio station, they proceeded directly to the human resources department to complete the necessary paperwork.

    upon finishing the signing, gu zi stared at the job transfer contract for a moment. then, she put down her pen and inscribed the name ¡°gu zi.¡± this time, she was saying goodbye to this job for real.

    however, given the current circumstances, this was the best course of action.

    after setting down her pen, she rose from her seat and exited the radio station with gong xin without looking back.

    ¡°congratulations, you¡¯re officially a broadcaster now!¡± she said to gong xin. gong xin opened her arms and hugged gu zi. ¡°thank you so much.¡± being a broadcaster was her dream, and it had finally come true.

    with a smile on her face, she looked at the little child in gu zi¡¯s arms and teased, ¡°lele, you¡¯re so thin. auntie will treat you and your stepmother to delicious food.¡±

    after saying that, gong xin led gu zi to a nearby food stall.

    gu zi didn¡¯t decline. she was hungry and this was an ideal opportunity to fill her stomach.

    she had read a book about street food stalls in the 1980s, offering a variety of dishes like fried spring rolls, roast duck, rice, and more. they were all delicious and affordable.

    however, such treats were not something that ordinary people could afford.

    this was the perfect time to experience the feeling of being a nouveau riche.

    gong xin summoned the vendor and began ordering. ¡°i¡¯d like an order of spring rolls, a bowl of minced meat porridge, and two herbal tea eggs. and you?¡± she turned to gu zi. ¡°order whatever you like; i¡¯ll cover the bill.¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°i¡¯d like two herbal tea eggs, a bowl of clear broth noodle soup, and another herbal tea egg. please peel and cut it for me; i¡¯ll be feeding it to the child. i apologize for the inconvenience.¡±

    the vendor was efficient, and soon, their food was delivered to the table.

    gu zi passed one of the herbal tea eggs to su le and encouraged her to eat it. then, she and gong xin began savoring their meal.

    ¡°miss, miss gu, there you are.¡±

    gu zi raised her head when she heard the greeting. she recognized him. he was the gong family¡¯s chauffeur. everyone called him uncle yang. gu zi smiled and replied, ¡°hello, uncle yang.¡±

    when uncle yang saw the child in gu zits arms, his smile froze.

    miss gu was quite pitiful.

    she and young master gong had been childhood sweethearts, even engaged. but then, lin miao, the gu family¡¯s biological daughter, had suddenly appeared, and everything had changed.

    not only could gu zi no longer marry the person she loved, but she had been sent to the countryside to marry another guy on behalf of lin miao. it was truly a regrettable situation for her.

    gong xin¡¯s eyes lit up upon spotting uncle yang.

    uncle yang was gong zhan¡¯s chauffeur. if uncle yang was here, it meant that her brother was nearby.

    ¡°uncle yang, where¡¯s my brother?¡± gong xin inquired.

    ¡°young master is entertaining guests at the golden sun restaurant and asked me to come down to purchase a good bottle of wine.

    gong xin promptly set down her spoon, stuffed the last spring roll into her mouth, and tugged gu zi to settle the bill. ¡°let¡¯s go find my brother.¡±

    gu zi had already filled her stomach and didn¡¯t plan to accompany her. ¡°it¡¯s not convenient for me to carry the child and meet your brother. you go get the money. i¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    gong xin asked uncle yang to wait for her and whispered into gu zi¡¯s ear, ¡°don¡¯t you understand my intentions? are you truly content with living in the countryside and becoming someone¡¯s stepmother?¡±

    she had called gu zi over to meet gong zhan and think of a way to bring them together.

    gong xin still believed that gu zi was more suitable to be her sister-in-law than lin miao.

    gu zi, however, was not like lin miao, who was oblivious and lacked imowledge.

    gu zi attentively picked up a noodle and fed it to su le. looking up, she replied, ¡°i sold my job because i wanted to stay in the countryside. hurry up and get the money.¡±

    gong xin was not ready to give up. ¡°are you resigned to your fate? aren¡¯t you going to fight for it? as long as my brother is willing, he can help you repay the three thousand yuan betrothal gift..¡±

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Stop Interacting With Her

    chapter 46: stop interacting with her

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi was still busy peeling the herbal tea eggs as she spoke to gong xin with a serious tone, ¡°i think su le¡¯s father is a good person, and i no longer have those feelings for your brother.¡±

    this was the most straightforward answer she could give. she couldn¡¯t say that the person who loved gong zhan was the original host of her body.

    the current gu zi hailed from the 21st century, an era where handsome men like gong zhan were not that rare.

    gong zhan was very good-looking and came from a reputable family, which were his assets.

    such men tended to be popular with women and attracted many admirers.

    therefore, gong zhan did not hold any special significance for her. gu zi sincerely wished gong zhan and lin miao a long and blissful marriage.

    gong xin found it hard to believe that gu zi¡¯s expression and tone were so calm when discussing gong zhan.

    it seemed that gu zi had moved on, which took some time for gong xin to accept.

    ¡°wait for me,¡± gong xin said. she and uncle yang proceeded to the golden sun restaurant to look for gong zhan.

    gong zhan happened to be coming out of the bathroom and met gong xin and uncle yang. after instructing uncle yang to take the wine to their private room, he asked gong xin about the reason for her visit.

    ¡°bro, i¡¯ve become a broadcaster!¡± gong xin announced with a beaming smile.

    ¡°wow, my sister is outstanding.¡± gong zhan thought that she had nothing else to say. he praised her and was about to enter the private room when he was stopped by gong xin.

    ¡°brother, actually, i bought this job. gu zi went to the countryside, so she sold her job to me. however, i¡¯m short on funds, so i need a loan.¡±

    gong zhan frowned, thinking, ¡®as expected, she isn¡¯t obediently living in the countryside.¡¯

    gu zi was using her job to win gong xin¡¯s favor at the moment. did she believe this would make him fall for her?

    she had already experienced death once, yet her character development remained lacking.

    ¡°how much do you need?¡± he asked.

    gong xin gestured with her hand. ¡°1,300 yuan.¡±

    gong zhan retrieved some money from his wallet and handed it to gong xin, instructing, ¡°give her the money, but stop interacting with her. tell her not to waste her time pursuing me; i¡¯m not interested in her.¡±

    gong xin blushed.

    she had just told gu zi that her brother could assist in repaying the betrothal gift.

    now, gong xin felt glad that gu zi had given up on her brother.

    ¡°did you hear that?¡± gong zhan questioned when he noticed her dazed expression.

    gong xin had no choice but to respond, ¡°i heard it, i heard it. i heard it loud and clear.¡±

    ¡°good,¡± gong zhan patted her head. ¡°you¡¯re too naive and susceptible to manipulation by people with ulterior motives. remember, you can¡¯t become gu zi¡¯s pawn to get close to me. now, go and hand her the money.¡± gong xin was confused about his words.

    she looked at her brother and noticed the stern expression on his face.

    gong zhan surveyed his sister¡¯s puzzled countenance, realizing that she didn¡¯t comprehend.

    ¡°she¡¯s trying to use the job to gain my favor,¡± he said straightforwardly. ¡®you¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand such matters. trust me.¡±

    he was sure gu zi wanted to keep his heart so that she would not have to marry into the countryside.

    gong xin couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, but she couldn¡¯t hide it from him.

    gong zhan harbored a particular aversion to women like gu zi, who had pestered him since childhood and possessed no real personality.

    no matter how beautiful a woman like her was, she was not worthy of him.

    she was only worthy of marrying an old man who raised pigs in the countryside.

    with those thoughts in mind, gong zhan headed back to his private room.

    gong xin looked at his back and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    she decided to ignore her arrogant brother for the time being and pass the money to gu zi.

    gong xin turned and hurried downstairs. soon, she was back at the food stall.

    gu zi had already finished eating and was feeding su le.

    the street was teeming with people. after su le finished her meal, gong xin hailed a taxi and urged gu zi to get into the taxi with her before handing the money to gu zi.

    ¡°i¡¯ll head back now,¡± gong xin bade farewell to gu zi.

    gu zi carried su le out of the taxi and waved goodbye to gong xin.

    then, she took su le to a watch shop. she wanted to purchase a watch.

    watches were considered a must-have accessory for fashion enthusiasts during the 1980s, and they were particularly rare in rural areas.

    however, gu zi wasn¡¯t buying a watch to flaunt; it was for practicality. having a watch that accurately told the time would be convenient for organizing her studies and daily activities.

    a wristwatch would bring significant convenience, and the expense was justified.

    upon entering the store, little lele reached out to grab a hanging watch advertisement, seemingly keen to put it in her mouth.

    gu zits lips curved upward, and she observed the child¡¯s insatiable curiosity about everything around her.

    the store owner approached and, after sizing them up, he smiled and inquired, ¡°miss, which watch would you like to try on?¡±

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Shopping Spree

    chapter 47: shopping spree

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi was beautiful and she had a remarkable presence, even while carrying a child.

    she appeared far from being in a pitiful state.

    the shop owner recognized that she was a high-quality customer based on her demeanor.

    gu zi glanced at the seiko watches on display and ultimately settled on a small, simple one, asking to try it on. ¡°please let me try that.¡±

    the boss smiled and took it out for her to try on.

    she found it appealing and then attempted to haggle, saying, ¡°ninety-eight, i want it.¡±

    the shop owner was initially surprised by gu zits bargaining, considering seiko watches to be for the upper class and gu zi being a young girl.

    he thought that by not naming a price, she would be too embarrassed to haggle.

    ¡°miss, you¡¯re buying a watch, not pork. nobody haggles over the price of a watch,¡± he said coldly. ¡°is this your first time buying a watch? the prices here are very reasonable, and they are all certified. this watch is 128 yuan. you get what you pay for.¡±

    gu zi took off the watch. ¡°you¡¯re right. it¡¯s my first time buying a watch in this place, but my stance remains unchanged. i¡¯ll take it for ninety-eight yuan.¡±

    the boss was stunned, but he quickly reacted and took a watch from the shelf below and offered it for 98 yuan.

    ¡°sorry to disturb you, boss.¡± gu zi carried su le and turned to leave. the boss hastily called her back, saying, ¡°alright, i¡¯ll let you have it for 98 yuan.¡±

    gu zi came back and paid happily.

    the boss put the watch away and handed it to gu zi.

    after securing her newly acquired seiko watch, she left the shop, leaving the shop owner impressed. ¡®what a pity. if this girl were to do business, she would definitely be an unstoppable force. too bad she got married at such a young age and even gave birth to a child.¡¯

    observing the time on her new watch as she left the store, gu zi realized it was already four o¡¯clock.

    she put away her watch and walked toward the bus station. as she walked, she leisurely explored the bustling shopping scene around her.

    gu zi already had enough money for tuition and living expenses. and she still had some money left to buy some new clothes for the children and some supplements.

    along her journey to the bus station, she couldn¡¯t resist indulging in the shopping opportunities the 1980s had to offer.

    they sold food, toys, drinks, clothes¡­

    gu zi continued her shopping spree, acquiring a myriad of items along the way. she couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the 1980s, a time when resources were gradually becoming more abundant, and the overall standard of living was on the rise.

    compared to the 21st century, which was full of currency depreciations, the 1980s were full of opportunities to make money, and the purchasing power of money was strong.

    as long as you were not lazy, you could earn money.

    as long as you had enough money, you could buy whatever you wanted.

    with these thoughts in mind, gu zi collected an array of goods during her shopping expedition.

    it was soon time for her to make her way to the bus station.

    as she approached the station, her serene and contented demeanor caught the eye of a distant observer.

    the observer looked at gu zi standing at the station entrance with a child in her arms.

    the sun cast its warm rays upon gu zi¡¯s tall figure. she wore an elegant straw hat. her long, flowing hair cascaded gracefully behind her, creating a captivating image.

    although she smiled brightly while playing with the child, the observer couldn¡¯t help thinking that too bad it was all fake.

    uncle yang, who was next to the observer, couldn¡¯t help but express his sympathy for gu zi, stating, ¡°miss gu¡¯s current circumstances are truly unfortunate. she was once blessed with beauty, a good background, and the prospect of marrying a remarkable man like you, young master, who had a promising career.¡±

    he lamented how she had gone from having a bright future to being relegated to life in the countryside, responsible for looking after an elderly man¡¯s child. the possibility of her ever escaping this rural life was questionable.

    gong zhan withdrew his gaze and spoke with a hint of disdain, ¡°such is fate. she doesn¡¯t possess the same fortune as lin miao. eventually, she¡¯ll return to poverty. ¡±

    no wonder he had no feelings for her all these years.

    in hindsight, it seemed that fate had intervened to prevent their union, acting as a warning for him to steer clear.

    gong zhan regarded lin miao¡¯s emergence as a stroke of luck.

    uncle yang¡¯s lips quirked with a subtle twitch as he remarked, ¡°young master, miss gu isn¡¯t at fault in this situation. besides, you encountered her on your way back after escorting the leader. we¡¯re all acquainted; a simple greeting wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    it was the parents of both parties who had mixed up the children at birth. how could his young master pin all the blame on miss gu?

    it was unfair to label miss gu as malicious, given that the gu family¡¯s prosperity might have made the lin family reluctant to admit their mistake, having raised lin miao for over a decade.

    however, gong zhan remained indifferent to these considerations. he closed the curtain and issued a cold command, ¡°drive on. there¡¯s no need to waste time on such a person. it¡¯s easy to extend a greeting, but much harder to disentangle from subsequent entanglements.¡±

    uncle yang let out a resigned sigh as he complied with gong zhan¡¯s orders.

    he knew that a woman carrying bags of goods and tending to a child was unlikely to cause any trouble.

    gong zhan, it seemed, was growing increasingly self-assured..

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Big Spender

    chapter 48: big spender

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the bustling train station, gu zi¡¯s attention was predominantly fixated on su le, while a small fraction of her awareness remained on the items she had purchased.

    she knew she had to stay vigilant, especially in a city rife with thieves during this era.

    she had just bought a succulent roast duck when she suddenly found herself the target of two individuals.

    finally finding a moment of respite as they boarded the bus, gu zi leaned back in her seat.

    the middle-aged woman seated in front of them turned around, revealing a set of uneven teeth as she inquired, ¡°miss, are you heading to the countryside to visit your relatives?¡±

    the people in the city were really rich. they brought a multitude of gifts to their rural kin, even roast duck, of all things.

    however, she felt that the child in this woman¡¯s arms looked exceedingly familiar.

    and then it clicked. ¡°isn¡¯t this the child from little su¡¯s family in daqing village? who are you?¡± the middle-aged woman asked inquisitively.

    the woman with crooked teeth scrutinized gu zi, recalling the stories she had heard in recent days.

    rumors had it that su shen¡¯s family had welcomed a city-dwelling wife, and this lady before her was likely the one.

    she was as pretty as a flower.

    this bus was going to daqing village. gu zi quickly understood that this auntie was from su shen¡¯s hometown, and that was why she recognized su le. ¡°i¡¯m gu zi. i¡¯m here to marry mr. su. i¡¯m staying at his residence now.¡±

    auntie crooked teeth nodded with a knowing smile. ¡°that¡¯s wonderful. you¡¯re as beautiful and generous as they say. but i must have a word with you.¡±

    she gestured towards gu zi¡¯s two large bags of supplies and a concerned expression crossed her face. ¡°don¡¯t take offense, dear, but you seem quite extravagant. the women in our village are thrifty. now that you¡¯re a part of our village, you should learn to be frugal.¡±

    the passengers in the bus had become intrigued and now had their eyes on the conversation.

    she was still so extravagant and wasteful. she was just trying to spend as much money as she could when she saw that little su could earn money.

    there was a heated discussion on the bus.

    gu zi maintained her composure and responded with a smile, ¡°auntie, you¡¯ve misunderstood. i used the money from selling my job to purchase these items. you¡¯re absolutely right; now that i¡¯m married to su shen, i can¡¯t continue my city job. so, i sold it.¡±

    auntie crooked teeth found herself at a loss for words.

    her intention had been to impart a valuable lesson to this newcomer to their village, but she had inadvertently given gu zi a platform to shine.

    in this era, employment was highly regarded, and even the villagers coveted city jobs.

    ¡°so that¡¯s how it is. she sold her job for money. what a good wife.¡± ¡°su shen is one lucky man.¡±

    ¡°little su is a good man, that¡¯s why he¡¯s getting such good karma!¡±

    about an hour later, the bus arrived at daqing village.

    gu zi gently lifted su le from the bus and bid auntie crooked teeth farewell with a warm smile.

    what surprised her was that not only did the residents of the pig farm appreciate su shen, but the villagers of daqing village and even those from neighboring communities were also deeply grateful to him. the impact of his generosity seemed to have a wide-reaching radius, and it became clear that his pig farm was quite big.

    no wonder su shen was so generous.

    with this thought in mind, gu zi felt invigorated and headed home with lele, humming a little tune along the way.

    auntie crooked teeth, on the other hand, felt increasingly uncomfortable as she walked along the road. whenever she encountered acquaintances, she would pull them aside to share a few words.

    ¡°su shen¡¯s woman certainly knows how to spend money. i was just giving her some friendly advice to be more frugal in the future. after all, it¡¯s su shen¡¯s hard-earned money. but you won¡¯t believe what she said!¡±

    the other women leaned in to listen attentively.

    ¡°she lied and told me she used the money she earned from selling her job. i find that hard to believe. if she truly had a job in the city, why would she marry into our village?¡±

    ¡°i heard that su shen¡¯s wife is from the city. having a job isn¡¯t unusual.¡± ¡°exactly. how do you know she¡¯s lying?¡± someone chimed in.

    auntie crooked teeth turned her head and responded with a hint of irritation, ¡°she must be lying. i don¡¯t have time to argue with you. i¡¯m going to find chu

    in this village, only chu xi had a friendly rapport with her.

    she bid farewell to the others and made her way to chu xi¡¯s house.

    ¡°chu xi, come out quickly. i have some big news to share.¡±

    chu xi was in the middle of enjoying a dish of braised pork when she heard the commotion outside. she hurriedly instructed chu tian to hide the food and stepped out.

    ¡°hello! what brings you to visit me today?¡± chu xi inquired.

    auntie crooked teeth sighed. she caught a whiff of the mouthwatering aroma of the food inside and peeked into the house.

    chu xi promptly pulled her out. auntie crooked teeth stopped sneaking a glance inside and pulled chu xi aside, speaking in a hushed and mysterious tone, ¡°chu xi, you must talk to su shen. we can¡¯t have a woman like gu zi who spends money recklessly leeching off him.¡±

    chu xi¡¯s eyes sparkled upon hearing this. she had been worried about not being able to find fault with gu zi.

    ¡°hurry up and tell me what happened,¡± she urged eagerly..

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Planning to Get Rid of Gu Zi

    chapter 49: planning to get rid of gu zi

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the crooked teeth auntie finally had a captivated audience, and she shared everything that had been weighing on her mind.

    she spoke eloquently and gestured animatedly, not bothering to consider that her words were distorting the truth.

    chu xi rose from her seat and asked, ¡°did you really see this?¡±

    being from the city and as good-looking as gu zi, chu xi found it hard to believe she had never had a man before.

    gu zi had dressed so elegantly during her city visit, and when she returned, she had concealed something not meant to be seen.

    it made sense to chu xi that she might have met an ex-lover.

    auntie crooked teeth slapped her thigh and asserted, ¡°why would i lie to you? she genuinely hid a bag. think about it, why would such a beautiful woman from the city marry into the countryside? it¡¯s surely for the money.¡±

    chu xi shared the same suspicion, chiming in, ¡°do you think she conspired with someone to deceive su shen and take his money?¡±

    ¡°i¡¯m convinced she wants to run away with the money,¡± auntie crooked teeth declared.

    chu xi had been concerned about not finding an opportunity, but now she saw the chance to get rid of gu zi.

    chu xi felt quite pleased with herself. she had looked after su shen¡¯s child and made a little extra money, sometimes even sneaking some pork home. anyway, su shen was rich, so it was not a big deal.

    gu zi, on the other hand, seemed intent on taking all of su shen¡¯s money.

    chu xi intended to find su shen immediately and go to the su family to expose gu zi, prompting her eviction from daqing village.

    even after gu zi left, chu xi planned to demand a pay raise from su shen.

    with these thoughts, chu xi¡¯s heart was brimming with joy. she left in a hurry without informing chu tian.

    at the gong family.

    gong xin had just returned home when gong zhan called her over.

    in an unusually cheerful mood today, gong xin skipped to gong zhan¡¯s room.

    however, she was taken aback when she entered.

    the once neatly arranged bed was now cluttered with various items, including old toys from their childhood, like iron frogs, marbles, and toy guns.

    some of them were letters with ¡®gu zit¡® written on them.

    gong xin recalled how gu zi had gone to a temple to obtain protective talismans for gong zhan. at the time, she had even teased gu zi for shamelessly pursuing gong zhan.

    there were also a collection of small gifts.

    gong xin couldn¡¯t help but wonder. why did gong zhan bring these items out?

    gong zhan stood there with his arms crossed, and he spoke with a stern tone, ¡°these are all things gu zi pushed onto me in the past. after i pack them up, find an opportunity to return them to her. i don¡¯t want any further interactions with her.¡±

    gong xin was perplexed. why not simply discard these items if he no longer wanted them?

    she reached out to touch gong zhan¡¯s forehead, saying, ¡°you don¡¯t have a fever, do you?¡±

    gong zhan swatted her hand away, his expression sour. ¡°don¡¯t you dare joke about this. i¡¯m just worried that she might try to bribe you to get closer to me.

    i¡¯m truly irritated by her.¡±

    gong xin was momentarily stunned. she never considered the possibility of gu zi trying to pursue gong zhan anymore.

    ¡°you must return these things to her and make it clear that i will not be swayed by her,¡± gong zhan insisted.

    gong xin finally grasped his intentions. ¡°you can rest assured, gong zhan. gu zi won¡¯t come looking for you anymore.¡±

    she felt that she had to make things clear to gong zhan.

    gong zhan didn¡¯t believe her at all. ¡°it seems that you¡¯ve been bribed by her.¡± gong xin found it funny, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to laugh.

    in the end, she really didn¡¯t want to see his arrogant face and compromised with him. ¡°then hurry up and pack up. i¡¯ll help you pass these things back to her when the time comes.¡±

    the sun had just set when gu zi returned home.

    su le, who was in her arms, grabbed her clothes and was about to fall asleep.

    gu zi put everything away and placed some snacks out. seeing that the brothers had not returned, she secured the front door and headed upstairs, cradling su le.

    gu zi was feeling a bit tired after a day of shopping, so she decided to take a quick shower and then rest for a while.

    glancing at the time, she calculated that fifteen minutes was just enough for her to rest before preparing dinner.

    by the time su bing and su li arrived home, it was growing dark.

    they had returned late because su li had been reprimanded by his teacher, and the two of them were understandably delayed.

    ¡°we¡¯re back late today. you don¡¯t think she¡¯ll tattle on us, do you?¡± su li asked anxiously.

    su bing remained silent and simply took out the key to the front door, unlocking it.

    only then did su li realize, ¡°she¡¯s not back yet!¡±

    a sense of dread welled up within su li. his eyes immediately reddened..

    ¡°brother, do you think she sold our sister and ran away?!¡±

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: A Faint Sweetness

    chapter 50: a faint sweetness

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing patted his brother gently and reminded him, ¡°why are you crying? look inside.¡±

    on the low table in the living room, there were peanut candy, letter biscuits, crispy candy, and other snacks, which looked very tempting.

    su li¡¯s tears continued to flow, and he blurted out, ¡°she didn¡¯t run away. she just took her sister- ¡±

    su bing facepalmed, realizing that su li wasn¡¯t using his brain.

    but before he could intervene, he heard babbling sounds and saw gu zi coming down the stairs, carrying su le.

    su li held back his words about trading his sister for snacks.

    su bing shook his head and picked up his school bag to start on his homework.

    gu zi, noticing su li¡¯s worn-out school bag, remembered something. she called out to him, ¡°wait here.¡±

    she placed su le in front of su bing and said, ¡°take care of your sister for now.¡±

    gu zi turned and went upstairs. su li looked at su bing. ¡°brother, she won¡¯t punish us for coming home late, will she

    su li was taken aback, saying, ¡°our little sister has completely betrayed us!¡±

    su bing, grabbing su le, told his brother, ¡°come to the sofa and do your homework.¡±

    ¡°but!¡± su li was still worried about potential punishment.

    su bing looked at him and said, ¡°just be quiet.¡±

    su li was utterly perplexed. his sister was still very young, so it was normal for her to be swayed by treats. but why did his brother appear to be influenced too?

    after all, big brother had said it himself: beautiful stepmothers were all bad people.

    su li couldn¡¯t figure it out, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask. he could only follow his brother to do his homework.

    he glanced at the snacks on the table, biting his lower lip.

    ¡°i bought too many things on the way back, so i purchased two backpacks to store my things. i don¡¯t need them now, so each of you can choose one,¡± gu zi said, placing two brand new backpacks and a black bag on the sofa.

    she continued, ¡°oh, there are also some clothes in the black bag. i picked them up at the stalls, and they were quite affordable.¡±

    she knew that these two children were especially cautious of people who were kind to them for no apparent reason, so she mentioned the affordability on purpose.

    su li put down his pen, unable to believe what he had heard and seen. their stepmother had bought them new school bags and new clothes!

    ¡°can¡­ can we really use them?¡± su li¡¯s voice quivered, and tears welled up in his eyes.

    gu zi picked up a piece of crispy candy and handed it to su le, asking, ¡°do you want this?¡±

    she then offered another piece of crispy candy to su li. su li almost blurted out a ¡°yes¡± and reached out to accept it.

    as he bit into the sweet treat, a delightful blend of sweetness and rice fragrance filled his mouth.

    as he savored the snack, tears streamed down his face. su le, who had walked over, extended her crispy candy toward her brother and exclaimed, ¡°big brother!¡±

    it was as though she was saying, ¡°don¡¯t cry, brother. i¡¯ll share mine with you.¡± unable to hold back any longer, su li burst into tears.

    su bing swiftly handed him a handkerchief to wipe his tears, while he, too, was too embarrassed to look up.

    gu zi stated, ¡°you can have some snacks, but only after you finish your homework. i¡¯ll go start cooking now.¡±

    she hadn¡¯t explicitly said they could have the snacks, so the siblings didn¡¯t dare to take them without permission.

    they understood the unspoken rule.

    with that, gu zi headed to the kitchen. she removed the roast duck from the paper bag and placed it in a large bowl.

    it was a bit late, so she decided to prepare a simple meal.

    gu zi opened the fridge and spotted a bowl of sliced pork.

    she remembered she hadn¡¯t cut the meat earlier.

    did su shen cut this? a mischievous smile formed on her lips as she took out the bowl of meat.

    in that case, she decided to make a meat soup and stir-fry some cabbage.

    there was quite a bit of meat, so she also made sweet and sour pork, a dish she knew kids enjoyed.

    gu zi planned out her menu and set to work.

    she started by steaming the rice, washing the cabbage, and letting it drain.

    she also stir-fried the sweet and sour pork. finally, she added the cabbage to the wok.

    after a brief stir-fry, the last dish was ready.

    the delectable aroma filled the entire kitchen, wafting out into the living room.

    in the living room, su li donned his new clothes and marveled at his wardrobe change.

    the mouthwatering scent drifted over, and su li excitedly looked toward the kitchen. ¡°it smells amazing! brother, guess what¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± su bing glanced at his brother but remained silent.

    su bing bowed his head and observed the crispy candy in his hand. a faint sweetness warmed his heart. he hadn¡¯t expected to enjoy such snacks, especially when now wasn¡¯t the new year celebration.

    the whole situation felt surreal to him.

    su bing stood up and walked to the kitchen.. he asked gu zi, ¡°is there anything i can help with?¡±

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Hurling Insults

    chapter 51: hurling insults

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi understood that she needed to involve su bing to feel more at ease. this would make everything less surreal for him.

    she pointed to the dishes on the stove and told him, ¡°bring these dishes to the dining table. the soup is very hot. bring the soup last. be careful when you carry it.¡±

    ¡°yes,¡± su bing agreed and entered the kitchen to start serving the dishes.

    he began with the cabbage, followed by the sweet and sour pork, and then the roast duck.

    su li carried se lu and they both skipped around the dining table a few times.

    upon seeing the roast duck, su li didn¡¯t know what it was, but he found the scent incredibly enticing.

    ¡°what¡¯s this?¡± su li inquired, eagerly wanting to taste it.

    su li was truly enjoying his current life. there was delicious food every day, and he hoped that their stepmother would remain this kind and caring, sparing them from the hardships of their past.

    ¡°i don¡¯t know,¡± su bing responded. ¡°take care of lele. i¡¯ll get the soup.¡± su li had never tried roast duck before, and neither had su bing.

    su bing went into the kitchen, where he found gu zi slicing cucumbers. it seemed she was preparing a cold dish.

    this brought back memories of their father making cold cucumbers to enjoy with white rice porridge.

    su bing hadn¡¯t tasted it in a while, as their father had been too busy with work.

    ¡°is there anything you need?¡± gu zi noticed su bing¡¯s gaze and asked when their eyes met.

    when their gazes met, su bing¡¯s face turned red, and he stammered, ¡°i¡¯m fine.¡± he grabbed the soup and left the kitchen.

    su bing couldn¡¯t pinpoint the reason, but even though he was less fearful of his stepmother now, he still felt embarrassed when she looked at him.

    just then, aunt chu¡¯s voice came from outside, and it was quite noisy.

    su bing placed the soup on the dining table, and aunt chu happened to spot it.

    su shen observed su bing and told him, ¡°take your brother to the living room and watch tv for a while.¡±

    su bing followed su shen¡¯s instructions and led his brother out without asking questions.

    aunt chu wanted to say something, but gu zi walked out of the kitchen and placed a plate of cold cucumber on the table. seeing the food on the table, including meat, vegetables, and roast duck, aunt chu was overwhelmed with jealousy.

    her only chance for a better life was to drive this woman away.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disdain for aunt chu¡¯s jealousy.

    she walked over to su shen and asked, ¡°mr. su, i asked the children to help with tasks suitable for their abilities. family members should support each other in their daily activities.¡±

    she didn¡¯t want to engage further in this conversation.

    if su shen chose to believe baseless accusations rather than her own words, then there was no reason for her to stay.

    ¡°little su, i suspect she has ulterior motives. she went to the city for a day, and now she¡¯s making the children do chores,¡± aunt chu said, trying to influence su shen¡¯s opinion of gu zi.

    su shen frowned slightly and glanced at chu xi.

    she had followed him back from the pig farm, and all she said on the way was bad things about gu zi.

    she claimed that gu zi was extravagant, didn¡¯t know how to live, and even mistreated the children behind her back.

    chu xi had also insinuated that gu zi was acting strangely and dressing up beautifully, suggesting that she had gone to the city to meet an old lover.

    moreover, she had implied that gu zi was hiding something shameful. and that what was even more outrageous was that gu zi came to look for him just to cheat him of his money.

    ¡°what am i hiding?¡± gu zi asked, looking at aunt chu with a cold tone.

    aunt chu saw that su shen did not speak and thought that he was angry at gu zi, so she spoke even more bluntly.

    ¡°you brought back an exquisite small box from the city. someone saw it, but you still refuse to admit it. who knows which old lover gave it to you? if you have nothing to hide, take it out and let¡¯s have a look. otherwise, i¡¯m sure you¡¯re hiding something shameful.¡±

    when gu zi heard her say this, she knew what she was talking about.

    there were too many things on the way back. she was afraid that she would lose her watch and money, so she was extra careful.

    she did not expect that aunt chu would accuse her of hiding something shameful when she was just protecting her belongings. aunt chu even insinuated that it was a gift from an old lover.

    gu zi said, ¡°i do have an exquisite little box. su shen, would you like to check

    aunt chu looked at su shen with anticipation and encouraged him, ¡°little su, of course, we have to check. there must be something shameful in her box..¡±

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: A 180 Degree Change

    chapter 52: a 180 degree change

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi looked at su shen and waited for his answer.

    su shen looked at chu xi and said clearly. ¡°aunt chu. there¡¯s no basis for what you said. i have no reason to check.¡±

    when he came in just now, he saw a new bag, new clothes, and snacks on the table. looking at lele¡¯s clean and cute face, he felt more certain about his answer.

    although he did not know gu zi very well, if she were truly after money, why would she buy so many things for the children after going to the city?

    regarding the old lover, he found it hard to believe. aunt chu might not have known that gu zi had gone to the city with lele today.

    su shen apologized to gu zi, ¡°i¡¯m sorry for causing you any trouble. there¡¯s no need to check.¡±

    chu xi, however, was increasingly convinced that something was amiss with the box. she insisted, ¡°little su, i am quite certain that she¡­¡±

    su shen interrupted her, saying, ¡°aunt chu, please stop. if there¡¯s nothing more, it¡¯s best for you to leave. i believe her.¡±

    gu zi finally smiled, relieved that su shen trusted her. she said, ¡°since aunt

    chu is interested in seeing what¡¯s in the box, i¡¯ll show it to her.¡±

    she walked toward the stairs and quickly returned with a blue velvet box, which she handed to su shen.

    chu xi was someone who would only stop talking when she was proven wrong. so gu zi decided to prove her wrong.

    su shen took the box and opened it to reveal a small and simple seiko watch. the ticking of its hands was crisp and pleasant to the ears.

    at the same time, gu zi showed su shen the purchase receipt from the trading company, which confirmed the authenticity of the purchase.

    gu zi explained, ¡°i went to the city today to take care of some work. i used to work as a broadcaster in the city. now that i¡¯m marrying you, mr. su, i¡¯m selling my job to avoid the hassle of finding a replacement for my shift.¡±

    su shen¡¯s gaze softened as he listened to gu zi. she was beautiful and straightforward, and he was moved by her honesty.

    even though chu xi had described her negatively, he found her to be quite the opposite.

    chu xi stood there with a pale face, overwhelmed by embarrassment, jealousy, and regret.

    all this fuss was over a watch? she couldn¡¯t help but think about how much money the job would sell for, enough to buy a watch without any problems.

    in her mind, gu zi was scheming and manipulative, trying to buy everyone¡¯s favor with her money. she realized that she had underestimated gu zi¡¯s character.

    now, su shen completely believed gu zi.

    quickly shifting her tone, chu xi chuckled and said to su shen in a flattering manner, ¡°little su, i was overly concerned for you, and i can¡¯t help but think about what your ex-wife did.¡±

    she then turned to gu zi, saying apologetically, ¡°gu zi, i¡¯m sorry. i was misled by others and misunderstood you.¡±

    however, gu zi chose to ignore her, simply putting away her watch, and addressing su shen, ¡°let¡¯s wash our hands and get ready for dinner. i¡¯ll reheat the dishes.¡±

    su shen, who had been feeling hungry while observing the table filled with delectable dishes, replied, ¡°thank you for your hard work.¡±

    then he turned to chu xi with a cold expression, saying, ¡°let¡¯s forget about this incident. please leave now, and there¡¯s no need for you to come back. i¡¯ll pay your salary tomorrow.¡±

    chu xi was taken aback by su shen¡¯s sudden decision.

    she was in a state of shock, wondering where she would find another employer as generous as su shen.

    in a desperate move, chu xi tugged at su shen, pleading, ¡°little su, i¡¯ve been quite confused. it¡¯s my fault for suspecting gu zi based on mere gossip. you can scold me if you wish, but please don¡¯t dismiss me! children, please help me plead for mercy.¡±

    her voice was loud, and her plea reached su bing and su li. they approached with their little sister.

    chu xi mistakenly thought that the children were coming to vouch for her, so she eagerly looked at them, saying, ¡°good children, grandma has always been good to you. please say something on my behalf!¡±

    however, the younger sister in su bing¡¯s arms, who had been initially smiling, started to cry when she saw chu xi.

    her face displayed a frightened expression, and she began to cry loudly.

    everyone could tell that the child was crying out of fear..

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Aunt Chuâ€™s Dismissal

    chapter 53: aunt chu¡¯s dismissal

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen recalled advice he had received from a recent important customer, who happened to be a renowned child psychologist with a side job in child psychology.

    he had learned a few things about children¡¯s psychology during their conversation.

    children, he realized, were inherently straightforward. if you treated them well, they would like you and feel comfortable around you. conversely, if you didn¡¯t treat them well, they¡¯d become afraid and distant.

    observing su le¡¯s reaction, it was clear that she was afraid of chu xi.

    su shen felt a pang of regret for not understanding these dynamics earlier.

    he had never recognized the importance of studying child psychology until he noticed the significant changes in su le after gu zit s involvement in their lives. the disgust in su shen¡¯s eyes intensified. he looked at su bing, wanting to see what he had to say.

    su bing, focused on soothing his sister, responded calmly, ¡°dad, you¡¯re the head of our family. my brother and i will follow your lead.¡±

    with those words, su bing didn¡¯t even glance at chu xi as he carried his sister back to the living room.

    seeing that su bing didn¡¯t voice his support, chu xi turned his attention to su li, hoping that he would intervene.

    su li withdrew her gaze from the dining table and took a step back. ¡°didn¡¯t you always say that taking care of us was tiring? daddy¡¯s doing this to show concern for you. moreover, we have a new stepmother whose cooking seems more suitable for children. please go back and rest well. take care of your health.¡±

    after expressing his opinion, su li ran back into the living room and signaled to su bing, making a gesture indicating ¡°mission accomplished.¡±

    su bing¡¯s guidance had clearly paid off.

    impressed with his brother¡¯s wisdom, su li admired him for being such an excellent teacher.

    he had previously thought that his brother wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in communicating, but now he saw how effective his guidance was.

    hearing this, su shen did not want to say anything else. he walked straight to the door and opened it wide.

    ¡°aunt chu, please go back!¡±

    chu xi glanced at the kitchen. gu zi walked around her and placed the last dish on the table before heading to the living room.

    su shen usually did not speak much, but once his tone became serious, there was a kind of dignity that could not be rejected.

    chu xi was so frightened that she didn¡¯t dare to speak.

    under such circumstances, chu xi felt that if she said anything more, he might pursue the matter and she would not be able to get the rest of his salary.

    chu xi had no choice but to walk out and leave the su family in embarrassment.

    su shen closed the door and looked at the living room.

    gu zi was hugging su le in her arms and teased her with a lively expression, making the little girl so happy that she blossomed.

    as for gu zi, she had a lot of expressions, but because she was very beautiful, no matter how many expressions she made, it was very pleasing to the eye.

    for a moment, su shen was fascinated.

    when su li saw su shen like this, he pushed his brother and said quietly, ¡°dad has never looked at our stepmother like this.¡±

    su bing glanced at him and told him to shut up.

    gu zi also noticed su shen¡¯s gaze. she was a little flustered by his stare, and her face turned hot.

    su shen walked over to her and stretched out his hands. ¡°you rest for a while. i¡¯ll carry lele.¡±

    gu zi was quite content with the way chu xi was promptly dismissed. she gently placed the child in the man¡¯s arms and called out to su bing and su li to wash their hands and get ready to eat.

    afterward, she approached su shen and said, ¡®mr. su, it¡¯s time for dinner. the meal is ready for you. please, have a seat.¡±

    with a natural grace, she held su le in her arms.

    when su shen was a young boy, he lost his parents. he and his sister had to rely on each other and encountered many different experiences along the way.

    in his later years, he served as a soldier and became an officer in the army. however, life took an unexpected turn, and he decided to retire from the army to pursue a career in agriculture, ultimately establishing a pig farm in daqing village.

    these life experiences had significantly enriched his understanding and insight.

    he couldn¡¯t help but recognize the unspoken message in gu zi¡¯s actions.

    would she reward or reprimand him when he made mistakes, perhaps with a mischievous grin or a gentle scolding?

    ¡°thank you,¡± he responded, moving towards the dining area.

    gu zi¡¯s heart fluttered with anticipation, feeling a trace of ambiguity in the man¡¯s gaze when he looked at her moments ago.

    she gently patted her cheeks and followed him to the dining table. at the dining table, gu zi covertly stole glances at su shen from the corner of her eye.

    he ate with remarkable elegance, adhering to a strict routine of not taking the same dish more than three times.

    she couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°is su shen an ascetic by nature?¡±

    despite the strict dining habits, she found herself quite drawn to him.

    gu zi¡¯s face blushed unintentionally.

    su li happily devoured a duck leg. when he looked up, he noticed that gu zi¡¯s attention had shifted away from su shen. her cheeks had taken on a rosy hue, making her even more attractive than usual.

    confused, su li turned to su bing and asked, ¡°brother, do you think she¡¯s feeling shy?¡±

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54. Peace of Mind

    chapter 54. peace of mind

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    was it that obvious? gu zi was stunned. after finishing the last mouthful of rice, she said, ¡°i¡¯m done eating. you guys take your time.¡±

    with that, she carried su le and left without looking back at su shen. despite being a 21st-century homo evolutis, shyness wasn¡¯t foreign to her.

    su shen gazed in the direction where gu zi had sat, a meaningful smile gracing his lips.

    su bing cleared his throat and offered a piece of duck meat to su li while gently reminding him, ¡°keep eating, little brother.¡±

    baffled, su li continued eating.

    but he was convinced that her blushing cheeks signaled shyness, though he couldn¡¯t quite fathom why she would be shy.

    perhaps understanding women was a complex task.

    for instance, their previous stepmother was initially kind, yet her behavior changed over time, becoming horribly bad.

    su li hoped that their current stepmother would remain as wonderful as she seemed.

    after dinner, su shen entered the kitchen while the two brothers willingly took on the task of cleaning up the dining room.

    ¡°you guys go take care of your sister. i¡¯ll clean up.¡± gu zi¡¯s voice called out, and su bing looked at his brother, unsure of what to do.

    remembering su shen¡¯s conversation with gu zi earlier, su bing spoke to her, saying, ¡°thank you.¡±

    he then took su li with him to check on su le.

    gu zi found amusement in su bing¡¯s mature demeanor as she put away the kitchenware. her gaze wandered over to the tall, broad-shouldered figure at the sink.

    he was washing the dishes without saying a word. his movements were agile.

    gu zi recalled the bowl of sliced meat from earlier and thought that compared to modern men who did nothing at home, she had struck gold with her husband.

    most importantly, his mere presence was comforting.

    su shen had already finished washing the dishes and tidying the kitchen.

    he turned around and said, ¡°i¡¯ll be taking care of some household chores from now on. if there¡¯s any dirty or strenuous work, just let me know.¡±

    though he didn¡¯t use flowery words, his actions conveyed his feelings. he didn¡¯t want gu zi to overexert herself, as she was still a young woman who deserved pampering.

    he wanted to express how well he would treat her, but the words that came out of his mouth were just an echo of his earlier statement. ¡°all right, i¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± gu zi replied softly. ¡°could you pass me the cloth on the hook?¡±

    she pointed to the rag on a hook that was just out of her reach. in the past, she had to stand on tiptoes to retrieve it. however, now that he had offered to help, she could request his assistance.

    su shen moved closer to assist her.

    his impressive height of around 1.9 meters allowed him to easily retrieve the cloth, bringing them into close proximity.

    gu zi felt particularly petite standing before the tall man.

    instead of immediately handing her the rag, su shen inquired, ¡°what do i need to do?¡±

    he observed gu zi with interest, recognizing her fair complexion and overall attractiveness. her appearance hinted at a life well-lived in the city, and yet she was now going to be his wife, responsible for household chores and child-rearing.

    su shen¡¯s heart ached at the memory of chu xi¡¯s accusations, and he was determined to work even harder to ensure gu zi¡¯s happiness.

    gu zi replied with a faint smile, not hesitating for a moment. ¡°then i¡¯ll trouble

    you, mr. su. please wipe the low table in the living room.¡±

    with her request made, gu zi exited the kitchen. as she turned away, su shen¡¯s gaze lingered on her slender waist. her figure was undeniably graceful.

    following her outside, su shen noticed gu zi was nowhere to be found. ¡°she went to take out the trash with brother,¡± su li timidly informed him.

    after saying that, su li sat up straight and hid behind his sister to avoid looking at su shen.

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on the snacks on the table and the crumbs around it. in that moment, he realized something had shifted in the house, though he couldn¡¯t quite put it into words.

    after tidying up the table and sofa, a warm feeling blossomed within him, a sense of newfound sweetness. it was then that he recognized this sensation as warmth, the taste of a home filled with love.

    outside the courtyard, gu zi and su bing returned after disposing of the trash. su bing held a flashlight, ensuring he had the proper direction to assist her.

    gu zi observed his actions, akin to su shen¡¯s; actions that spoke louder than words.

    seeing these qualities in su bing, gu zi began to believe in his potential to evolve and change for the better.

    ¡°ah, little su¡¯s family!¡± zhang cuihua stood at the door and called out.

    pausing in her tracks, gu zi turned around, finding herself almost face to face with zhang cuihua.

    ¡°oh, su bing is here too. these are the cabbages grown in my family¡¯s field. please take them and enjoy.¡± saying that, zhang cuihua placed a handful of cabbages in gu zi¡¯s hands..

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Frightened

    chapter 55: frightened

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing nodded at zhang cuihua by way of greeting.

    zhang cuihua didn¡¯t find his silence unusual; after all, everyone in the village was aware of his reserved nature. he was not one to engage in lengthy conversations.

    gu zi clutched the vegetables tightly, deeply moved by the villagers¡¯ genuine kindness. a smile of gratitude lit up her face.

    she understood that this was aunt zhang¡¯s way of showing her appreciation. gu zi still recalled the milk candy she¡¯d given to aunt zhang¡¯s grandson on a previous occasion.

    accepting the cabbages graciously, gu zi responded, ¡°thank you, aunt zhang. we¡¯ll be heading back now.¡±

    ¡°of course, take care and go on ahead,¡± zhang cuihua replied, waving goodbye.

    her grandson, overhearing the conversation, ran up to them and exclaimed, ¡°it¡¯s the fairy sister! it¡¯s the fairy sister!¡±

    he turned to his grandma and asked, ¡°grandma, can we go to fairy sister¡¯s house for dinner?¡±

    the boy vividly remembered the delicious food his ¡°fairy sister¡± had prepared last time and couldn¡¯t help but drool at the thought.

    zhang cuihua chuckled, teasing her grandson, ¡°you little glutton! how can you keep eating at fairy sister¡¯s house? aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡±

    ¡°let¡¯s head back,¡± she added as she held her grandson¡¯s hand and led him away.

    just then, su bing hurried over and handed some crispy candies to the child, saying, ¡°grandma zhang, she asked me to give these to your little grandson.¡±

    with that, su bing turned and left before zhang cuihua could respond. the child eagerly took a bite of the crispy candy, and a sweet smile spread across

    his chubby face. ¡°grandma, fairy sister is the best!¡± he exclaimed.

    zhang cuihua couldn¡¯t help but smile as she watched her delighted grandson.

    back at the su family home, gu zi gave su le a bath and managed to get her to sleep. she then decided to take a shower herself.

    although she had already showered upon returning, the cooking had left her sweating, so she chose to shower again. this time, she showered more quickly.

    after she wrapped herself in a towel and opened the bathroom door, a dark shadow suddenly rushed in from outside. gu zi was so startled that she screamed and fled from the bathroom.

    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡± a man¡¯s deep voice called out.

    gu zi had crashed into a solid chest and instinctively gripped its owner¡¯s waist for support. the sensation was firm and powerful, causing her to blush and hide behind the man.

    gu zi stammered, ¡°i-i think it was a rat.¡±

    in both her previous life and this one, gu zi had been particularly terrified of rats. they were filthy creatures she preferred not to be near.

    su shen was acutely aware of the softness of gu zi¡¯s hands clinging to his waist, and the sensation of her crashing into his arms made his heart race. he felt a sudden thirst, yet he maintained his calm demeanor.

    entering the bathroom to investigate the situation, he assured gu zi, ¡°the rat has already escaped through the window. there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    as he spoke, his gaze unintentionally lingered on gu zit s exposed form, accentuating her delicate limbs and, well, her d¨¦colletage. he held his breath, his self-control wavering for a moment.

    only then did gu zi realize her attire, or lack thereof. she swiftly turned around, her face flushing like a cooked lobster. ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i was really frightened,¡± she stammered, her face red like a lobster.

    su shen¡¯s reply was simple but laced with a concealed restraint. ¡°okay.¡±

    ¡°put on your clothes first. i¡¯ll be right outside the door.¡± with that, he left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

    when the door reopened, gu zi was appropriately attired in her pajamas. meeting su shen¡¯s eyes, she found it difficult to breathe.

    su shen apologized once more, saying, ¡°i¡¯m sorry for scaring you. i¡¯ll buy some rat poison tomorrow.¡±

    gu zi quickly reassured him, ¡°i¡¯m fine now. you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± she raised her head to meet his gaze, admiring his well-defined and handsome features.

    after a brief silence, su shen took something and placed it in gu zits hand. she looked at it and found two hundred yuan. puzzled, she inquired, ¡°what¡¯s this

    su shen explained, ¡°i¡¯m often occupied with work, and there are some household tasks i can¡¯t take care of. you can use this money if you need anything at home or outside. if it¡¯s ever insufficient, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me.¡± gu zi looked at the money in his hand and then at su shen.

    this man exuded a charming aura. apart from being handsome, he was also very rich!

    his generous nature was unmistakable. he had given her a few hundred not long ago, and now he was giving her another few hundred.

    she had to admit that she loved this kind of tacky concern.

    gu zi smiled and said, ¡°alright, i understand. i have something else to ask you..¡±

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Searching for the Lin Family

    chapter 56: searching for the lin family

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi took the money back to her room and stashed it away with a faint smile on her face. the thought of becoming wealthy through marriage crossed her mind.

    she felt that if she married su shen, she might indeed strike it rich.

    she invited su shen inside again, saying, ¡°come in and have a seat.¡± gu zi believed that it was essential to maintain excellent service when dealing with this benefactor.

    su shen nodded with a barely discernible smile playing on his lips. he sensed that his young wife had a slight penchant for money.

    su shen, on the other hand, considered this to be a good trait.

    his primary advantage seemed to be his ability to earn money, a lot of money. as he watched gu zi, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the satisfaction of making money for the first time.

    following her, su shen entered and settled on the small sofa in the room. gu zi took a seat near the bed and tucked su le in comfortably.

    ¡°have you heard about my biological parents? they were lin miao¡¯s adoptive parents.¡± gu zi inquired, as she had never met them before, and something about the situation felt odd.

    according to lin miao, they took the three thousand yuan betrothal gift, so they had probably run away with the money.

    however, gu zi remembered that there was a description of this couple in the original book. they seemed to be quite concerned about the host¡¯s situation.

    in the later parts of the plot, they even came looking for the host, wanting to know her situation.

    su shen nodded and responded, ¡°i¡¯m aware of them, but i believe they moved away about a month ago. i don¡¯t know their current address. would you like to go visit them?¡±

    gu zi hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to go. su shen noticed her predicament but didn¡¯t pressure her. he was willing to support her decision.

    in truth, it no longer mattered to him whether the lin family had taken the money or not.

    at this point, he was solely focused on caring for gu zi and the children and providing them with a good life.

    if gu zi wished to visit her biological parents, he would support her.

    after a pause, gu zi finally said, ¡°then please help me find out the current address of the lin family. i¡¯d like to meet them.¡±

    su shen found her request somewhat unusual since he had heard that the lin family had visited the city to locate gu zi, but she had refused to see them. he considered gu zi a bit unpredictable.

    just like their engagement, she did not agree to marry him in lin miao¡¯s stead at first, but later on, she came to him and said that she was willing to marry him.

    nonetheless, he agreed to her request, saying, ¡°rest for now, and i¡¯ll inquire tomorrow. after we obtain the information, we can plan a visit. i¡¯ll accompany you.¡±

    gu zi hadn¡¯t truly contemplated visiting the lin family¡¯s home but decided to go and uncover the truth behind the money after su shen¡¯s offer. she thanked him and escorted him to the door.

    before he left, she asked, ¡°what would you like to eat tomorrow?¡±

    su shen replied, ¡°what do you feel like making for me?¡±

    gu zi was taken aback by this question. it felt somewhat intimate.

    as she hesitated, su shen added, ¡°i¡¯ll eat whatever you cook. i find your cooking delicious.¡±

    with that, he left, and gu zi looked at his departing figure with a shy smile. she couldn¡¯t help but appreciate how well he complimented her.

    throughout the night, gu zi felt a warm, sweet sensation in her heart. the following day, the sun¡¯s warm rays filled the house, and gu zi gradually awoke from her slumber.

    she had dreamt about su shen the previous night.

    after tending to her morning routine, she noticed that no one was home when she descended the stairs.

    she made herself a bowl of egg noodles and read a book while she ate. su le was still fast asleep.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful that su le was now able to sleep in. in the past, she used to wake up early, which had been unavoidable.

    now, gu zi allowed her to sleep until she woke up naturally.

    su le eventually woke up around ten o¡¯clock. gu zi prepared some rice porridge she had purchased the day before and served it to her.

    ¡°lele, after you finish eating, we¡¯ll bring food to daddy later,¡± gu zi suggested. she didn¡¯t intend to inconvenience anyone to care for su le that day, and she didn¡¯t want to keep her at home.

    exposure to sunlight was beneficial for the child¡¯s development, so they could enjoy the sun during their food delivery trip.

    at noon, gu zi examined the ingredients at home and a thought struck her.

    she decided to prepare several servings of pork chop fried rice, with the cabbage auntie zhang had given her the night before as a side dish.

    it would be a simple, tasty, and nutritious meal.

    gu zi swiftly prepared the dish, and after enjoying lunch with su le, they set off to deliver a meal to su shen..

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Lucky Star

    chapter 57: lucky star

    gu zi had visited the pig farm once before, so she was quite familiar with the route, making it a swift trip.

    as she was about to enter, she nearly collided with someone rushing past her.

    ¡°sorry, are you okay?¡± the young man stopped and inquired.

    gu zi recognized him immediately; it was the youth named li zhu. ¡°i¡¯m fine. what brings you here?¡± she asked.

    ¡°it¡¯s you! are you here to deliver lunch to brother shen? let¡¯s go in together,¡± li zhu suggested.

    ¡°alright,¡± gu zi agreed, and li zhu helped her carry the lunchbox as she held su le in her arms.

    as they walked through the farm, they were greeted warmly by the people there, and the other young wives couldn¡¯t help but comment on how cute su le was.

    ¡°kids are like this. no. 3 looks especially well-behaved and adorable now.¡±

    ¡°yeah, it¡¯s not like when chu xi used to take care of her. she got dirty all the time.¡±

    ¡°i think this new one is really good to the child.¡±

    in the office, su shen was busy with some work.

    when he spotted gu zi, he approached her and reached out to take su le. ¡°why did you bring lele along? let me hold her.¡±

    gu zi explained as she passed su le to him, ¡°i wanted to let lele bask in the sun.¡±

    su shen¡¯s heart ached for gu zi. he saw li zhu, who had come with her, and asked, ¡°did you get the information?¡±

    li zhu handed him a note before leaving.

    at the table, gu zi had already opened the lunchbox, releasing the delightful aroma of pork chop.

    su shen said, ¡°li zhu has found out the new address of the lin family. i¡¯m free tomorrow. do you want to go together?¡±

    gu zi was taken aback by su shen¡¯s efficiency. she agreed, saying, ¡°okay, you should eat first. it tastes best when it¡¯s hot.¡±

    su shen looked at the whole piece of pork chop in the box. it was golden and covered with sauce. beside it was tender cabbage. it looked, smelled, and tasted good.

    he wasn¡¯t hungry at first, but now he felt hungry.

    as su shen enjoyed his meal, gu zi took su le to play nearby.

    however, before su shen could finish eating, he was interrupted by someone who needed to see him.

    gu zi overheard their conversation about ten pigs or more were suddenly vomiting and defecating. she recalled reading about this situation in the novel.

    during the early days of the original owner¡¯s marriage, su shen¡¯s pig farm didn¡¯t address the issue of sick pigs promptly, leading to a significant outbreak of swine fever and heavy financial losses.

    gu zi realized she could provide a simple remedy.

    su shen said to gu zi, ¡°you can go back first. i have to deal with some things now.¡±

    gu zi wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave and instead questioned su shen further, ¡°are these pigs vomiting and defecating? additionally, they haven¡¯t been eating much for the past few days and seem less active.¡±

    su shen confirmed her observations, ¡°yes, a few days ago, i thought it was because of the heat, so the pigs weren¡¯t very active.¡±

    with confidence, gu zi said, ¡°i¡¯ve heard of such cases in the city. it can be treated with a prescription.¡±

    one of the men who had come to find su shen voiced his concerns, saying, ¡°sister-in-law, this is a serious matter. you can¡¯t just come up with random solutions.¡± he doubted the ability of a city girl like her to know about pig farming.

    su shen briefly glanced at the man, causing him to fall silent.

    ¡°it¡¯s not a minor issue. are you sure you can handle it?¡± su shen asked gu zi.

    after some contemplation, gu zi assured him, ¡°yes, i learned about it from an elderly veterinarian in the city.¡±

    she suggested a course of action, ¡°how about this? i¡¯ll explain the procedure to you, and you can write it down. if you find it trustworthy, you can proceed with it, alright?¡±

    su shen looked at her gentle and firm gaze and chose to believe her.

    they would have to journey together through life for many years in the future, and trust was the most basic.

    su shen took a pen and paper. seeing this, the person wanted to persuade him not to mess around with gu zi, but su shen said, ¡°if anything happens, i¡¯ll bear the responsibility alone.¡±

    the man sighed and walked out of the office angrily.

    gu zi looked at su shen with admiration in her eyes.

    su shen trusted her. he was willing to take responsibility for her!

    as su shen started writing, gu zi began explaining the procedure to him.

    her admiration for him grew as she watched him meticulously jot down her instructions.

    his handwriting was confident and legible, displaying a certain air of authority.

    despite being young, su shen had the aura of a military leader. this was a quality gu zi admired.

    in a short time, they formulated a prescription and established several guidelines tor improvmg disease prevention in the pig sped.

    after reviewing their work, su shen looked at gu zi with a sense of wonder and admiration.

    to him, she was like a lucky star sent from the heavens. her youth, beauty, and intelligence were truly remarkable..

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Gifts

    chapter 58: gifts

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi could see that su shen was a capable and rational person. he quickly grasped the feasibility of her plan.

    she picked up su le and said, ¡°then i¡¯ll leave you to it. i¡¯ll head back first.¡±

    ¡°alright, be careful on your way back,¡± su shen replied as he took the written instructions and left the office.

    in the afternoon, as school was about to end, gu zi prepared the fried pork chops from lunch, cut them into small pieces, and sprinkled them with pepper and salt.

    when su bing and su li returned home, they were greeted by the sight and aroma of the golden and fragrant snacks.

    gu zi handed them a small fork and invited them to try the ¡°golden fried pork

    chop.¡±

    she entrusted them with watching over su le while she went to the kitchen to prepare some supplementary food for the baby.

    gu zi steamed sweet potatoes, turned them into sweet potato paste, added a few spoonfuls of milk powder, and then shaped the mixture into small dumplings.

    after steaming them for ten minutes, the room was filled with the sweet fragrance of milk.

    gu zi placed the sweet potato milk dumplings on a plate and brought them to the living room, where su bing and su li were enjoying the snacks.

    su li couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°you are like a magician. you can make all sorts of delicious things.¡±

    gu zi took out a milk dumpling and handed it to su li, saying, ¡°your sister can¡¯t eat so much. if you want to eat it, help yourself.¡±

    su le¡¯s brothers responded in unison, ¡°got it.¡±

    gu zi carried su le over and picked up a small milk dumpling to feed her. the baby¡¯s joy was evident as she savored the sweet treat.

    over the past few days, su le had obviously gained weight, and she had a rosy and chubby face that made her all the more adorable.

    su shen returned home earlier than usual that day. as he entered the courtyard, he heard the sound of his daughter¡¯s laughter.

    he stood by the window, where his gaze eventually landed on gu zi, who was holding su le.

    gu zi wore a white shirt with a lapel and a blue striped linen skirt. the outfit emphasized her slim waist and accentuated her already graceful figure.

    her beautiful hair was tied back with a blue ribbon, lending her an elegant and gentle look.

    her flawless face radiated beauty.

    to su shen, words couldn¡¯t adequately describe her beauty. he was left in awe of her looks, which seemed beyond comparison.

    ¡°you¡¯re back,¡± gu zi greeted him upon noticing his presence.

    as su shen entered the house, gu zi realized he was carrying several things.

    ¡°what are these?¡± she asked.

    su shen walked over and placed a small box in front of gu zi. ¡°your method was very effective. today¡¯s issue has been resolved.¡±

    su shen¡¯s usually deep eyes now sparkled with joy. ¡°i went to the city in the afternoon and picked up a few things. this is a gift for you.¡±

    upon opening the small box he presented, gu zi discovered a simple gold bracelet inside.

    wow, as expected of a rich person. her gift was a gold bracelet. she loved shiny gold things the most.

    she couldn¡¯t help but smile and said playfully, ¡°is this a reward for me?¡±

    su shen explained, ¡°yes, and i also got some gifts for you to bring to the lin family.¡±

    gu zi looked over and noticed five large red boxes, all containing popular gifts from the city. she was astounded by his willingness to spend money.

    not aware of the exact circumstances of the lin family, gu zi had initially planned to take some pork to see them and assess their situation.

    however, with su shen already preparing such grand gifts, gu zi could only say, ¡°this is too extravagant.¡±

    su shen disagreed, saying, ¡°after all, it¡¯s your first time visiting your biological parents. no matter what, i want you to go back with dignity.¡±

    his words carried a deeper meaning, expressing his heartfelt concern for her.

    this warm gesture touched gu zi¡¯s heart and strengthened her resolve to meet the lin family.

    only by going to visit the lin family would she be able to figure out the whereabouts of that money.

    ¡°thank you, mr. su.¡± she said.

    ¡°gu zi, don¡¯t be so formal with me,¡± su shen responded. his tone conveyed his anticipation of the week passing quickly, as he was eager to become a married couple with gu zi and start their life together.

    gu zi¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing him call her ¡°gu zi.¡± it was the first time he had called her by her name..

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: A Great Match

    chapter 59: a great match

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen¡¯s voice had a magnetic and captivating quality, and the way he pronounced ¡°gu zi¡± sounded exceptionally sweet. it was a name that echoed in gu zits dreams.

    the following morning, after su bing and su li had gone to school, gu zi and su shen set off for the lin family. su shen carried su le while holding the five prominent red gift boxes in his hands, making them quite conspicuous.

    gu zi walked beside su shen with a bucket of eggs, her steps struggling to keep up with his long strides. they attracted the attention of aunt zhang. aunt zhang inquired, ¡°where are you going so early?¡±

    gu zi responded, ¡°we¡¯re going to the lin family, to meet my biological parents.¡±

    after su shen nodded to zhang cuihua, they continued on their way. zhang cuihua observed the departing couple¡ªa tall man and a beautiful woman¡ªand couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°they make such a great match!¡±

    in front of zhang cuihua¡¯s house, there were a few other local women sitting and chatting.

    when one of them heard that gu zi was headed to the lin family, she couldn¡¯t hide her bitterness.

    they never raised their own daughter, and now she¡¯s bringing su shen to see them with all these wonderful gifts.¡± she gestured to the gift boxes, filled with things that could only be bought in the city.

    hearing her words, the other women also seemed envious and resentful.

    zhang cuihua wanted to reprimand them for their jealousy when she saw their expressions. ¡°you¡¯re all so jealous. when su shen was looking for a wife, why didn¡¯t you offer your daughters to him?¡±

    these remarks left the women momentarily flustered.

    one of them retorted, ¡®we¡¯re not the type to covet someone else¡¯s wealth.¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. it¡¯s only the lin family that acts out of greed for money.¡±

    zhang cuihua sat on the bench and spoke candidly, ¡°you want to get a good deal, but you¡¯re not willing to part with the capital.¡±

    when su shen was seeking a wife, one of his primary conditions was for his potential spouse to not have children.

    for one, men and women typically desired to have children when they married, who would later provide support as they grew old.

    furthermore, they were concerned that su shen¡¯s wealth would be inherited by his sister¡¯s children, leaving them with nothing.

    otherwise, the su family would have likely already overcome the hurdles of their situation.

    the comments from zhang cuihua stung the local women, and as zhang cuihua went inside to tend to her grandson, they continued to gossip about gu zi behind her back.

    ¡°city people are better at buying favor.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right. give the little chubby boy a few candies, and zhang cuihua will be won over.¡±

    ¡°there¡¯s nothing to envy. look at gu zi now. when she gets old, she won¡¯t even have any descendants to support her.¡±

    as gu zi and su shen continued on their journey, they had left daqing village behind. according to the address that li zhu had acquired, they had to pass through a village called little lin village where the lin family originally lived.

    little lin village retained the original, less developed style of the era. it had few decent houses, many hilly areas, and the roads were particularly challenging to traverse.

    gu zi began to understand why the villagers of daqing village supported su shen so wholeheartedly. without su shen, they might still be living in such underdeveloped conditions.

    su shen noticed that gu zi was struggling with the difficult path, her delicate city upbringing not well-suited for the terrain. she had beads of sweat on her fair chin, panting lightly.

    concerned, su shen stopped and turned to gu zi, ¡°do you need to rest for a while? give me the eggs too.¡±

    gu zi offered a reassuring smile and jogged over. her determination outmatched her discomfort.

    ¡°it¡¯s okay. i can manage,¡± she replied.

    after navigating a small mountain road, they finally reached a relatively level area.

    on both sides of the dirt road, there were green paddy fields and vegetable plots.

    the locals working in the fields noticed the passing couple and cast curious glances their way.

    they were familiar with su shen, the young and ambitious owner of daqing village¡¯s pig farm.

    however, his marital life had been a subject of gossip because he had adopted his sister¡¯s three children.

    his first marriage had been to a malicious woman who later divorced him

    witnessing su shen¡¯s current company, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the unfamiliar, beautiful girl accompanying him..

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Looking for Them

    chapter 60: looking for them

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°who is she to su shen?¡± a villager whispered to his neighbor.

    ¡°she¡¯s so elegant, just like a socialite who returned from overseas!¡± another responded, marveling at gu zi¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°i heard from the people in daqing village that the biological daughter of the lin family is now living in the su family residence,¡± a woman shared.

    as soon as this revelation spread, it became clear to everyone that the beautiful woman was indeed the biological daughter of the lin family.

    the discussions buzzed with increased enthusiasm.

    the news of su shen and gu zi coming to little lin village quickly spread throughout the community.

    however, as is often the case with such rumors, the story underwent alterations. it was now widely believed that su shen and gu zi had come to the lin family to collect debts.

    at this moment, someone in the village saw the lin family¡¯s eldest son and daughter-in-law walking back.

    they deliberately spoke very loudly to vent their dissatisfaction with the lin family.

    ¡°we really misjudged them. they took other people¡¯s money and didn¡¯t return it. what¡¯s the difference between them and thieves?¡± the villager exclaimed, his voice filled with resentment.

    ¡°look, each of them is carrying a tattered sack. who knows who they¡¯re pretending to be pitiful for!¡± another villager chimed in.

    ¡°if you do something wrong and your conscience is not clear, then you definitely have to pretend!¡± a third villager added, further fanning the flames.

    lin cheng and li hua, having heard these derogatory comments, felt embarrassed and disheartened. they lowered their heads and continued walking.

    when they were out of earshot, li hua timidly addressed her husband, ¡°ah-cheng, the su family is here. what should we do?¡±

    they found themselves in an unfortunate situation.

    they had initially gone to the city to work on a construction site, planning to save up money to repay the betrothal gift to the su shen.

    they didn¡¯t expect that their positions would be taken by two people with connections after only a few days.

    having lost their jobs, they had no choice but to come home.

    lin cheng, attempting to offer reassurance, replied, ¡°xiao hua, don¡¯t worry. let¡¯s go back and explain everything to mr. su. it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to return the money, but we just need some time.¡±

    he also felt the pressure of the situation, but seeing his wife¡¯s concern made him try to appear more composed.

    but thinking about it, their family was really unlucky. they had originally hoped that lin miao¡¯s marriage would have a good outcome, but they did not expect it to bring about such a big negative change.

    they first discovered that lin miao, whom they had raised for more than ten years, was not the flesh and blood of their family. later on, lin miao returned to her rich biological parents¡¯ side, and she was no longer willing to fulfill the marriage she had begged for.

    the entire lin family went to the city to see their biological sister, but she refused to see them no matter what.

    in the end, they found that the 3,000 yuan betrothal gift was missing. they couldn¡¯t find it anywhere in the house.

    in order to collect money to pay off their debts, they sold their old house and moved into an uninhabited mountain bay.

    meanwhile, gu zi and su shen labored their way to the foot of the mountain. finding the lin family¡¯s house was not difficult, as it was the only inhabited dwelling in the vicinity.

    the lin family¡¯s abode was constructed on the remnants of an abandoned house. the foundation consisted of old stone bricks and two remaining stone walls.

    the other two walls were makeshift, crafted from tattered sacks, and the roof was covered with a large, torn piece of plastic cloth.

    gu zi was shocked to see the rundown condition of the house. it was hard to fathom how anyone could still live in such a dilapidated structure.

    su shen called out several times, but no one answered. he said, ¡°they¡¯re not at home. they¡¯re probably working in the fields.¡±

    gu zi replied, ¡°it¡¯s alright; we can wait. let me hold lele for a while.¡± she cradled su le and found a clean stone brick to sit on.

    as she took in a deep breath, she felt the crisp mountain air refresh her senses.

    su shen observed her as she sat there, dressed in simple attire. she wore a white short-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a lace sun hat. her dark hair was neatly tied into two braids, creating an image of grace and beauty.

    in that moment, he realized that gu zi was not just a privileged young lady; she possessed the grace and elegance of a princess, residing within a castle. a young miss might throw tantrums, but a princess would forever exude dignity and poise.

    gu zi was undoubtedly that princess.

    however, su shen didn¡¯t want her to wait outside and said, ¡°please wait for me here with lele. i¡¯ll go up and look for them.¡±

    just as he was about to ascend, the sound of approaching footsteps reached their ears, and a man and a woman appeared in front of them.

    su shen turned to gu zi and introduced them, ¡°this is your biological brother, and the person beside him is his wife.¡±

    lin cheng and li hua, visibly anxious, greeted their guests. lin cheng addressed su shen, ¡°mr. su, please come in and have a seat.¡±

    lin cheng couldn¡¯t help but steal a glance at gu zi, and in an instant, he recognized the resemblance between her and their mother when she was

    young.

    however, gu zit s demeanor was that of an affluent young lady, an air of nobility that made him hesitant to meet her gaze..

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Lin Miao l s Deep

    chapter 61: lin miao l s deep-seated hatred

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    at the entrance of little lin village, a small car came to a halt, capturing the attention of the onlookers.

    in the back seat of the car, lin miao observed the envious glances from the villagers outside and smiled with an air of pride.

    she was reborn. she was a city girl in her previous life, yet she was mistakenly taken away when she was still a baby. gu zi had stolen her good life.

    growing up in a destitute mountain village, her parents were ineffectual and couldn¡¯t provide her with the life she longed for. she had to fight for it herself, an decided to change her fate by marrying someone.

    she had taken a fancy to su shen from the neighboring village. he was the owner of a pig farm and the most affluent individual in their region, with assets worth a staggering 10,000 yuan.

    she was also drawn to su shen¡¯s looks; he was tall, handsome, and outshone the other local men.

    fate played a part since su shen was actively seeking a partner who could take good care of his three children.

    she had no inclination to look after those children, but to escape her impoverished family, she had to begrudgingly agree.

    however, she harbored a deep aversion to this condition, and her frustration often manifested in her treatment of the three children. in her mind, their presence made her life unnecessarily challenging.

    she scolded them, hit them, and even threatened them with silence, so they wouldn¡¯t tell su shen.

    where was su shen? he left early and returned late, often staying away under the pretext of work. on numerous occasions, he even slept in a separate room, avoiding any physical intimacy with her.

    lin miao eventually learned the true reason behind su shen¡¯s reluctance to engage with her.

    he had encountered a woman in the city and had fallen in love at first sight. despite that woman being married, su shen remained uninterested in anyone else.

    it was only later that she discovered the woman¡¯s identity ¨C gu zi, the same gu zi who had stolen her life.

    at that time, she realized that she was not the biological daughter of the lin family, but the daughter of the wealthy gu family in the city.

    she was supposed to grow up happily, get engaged to a handsome young officer, get married, and live a happy life.

    yet, due to an upbringing by the wrong person in a destitute village, she had endured undeserved hardship.

    since she was the biological daughter of a rich family in the city, why did she have to suffer so much and take care of su shen¡¯s children in a poor village?

    she stormed into the gu family, demanding to reclaim her true identity.

    however, her inability to conceal her feelings led to her being cast aside. gong zhan¡¯s relationship with gu zi continued to strengthen, while su shen divorced her, and she met her death filled with bitterness.

    it was all gu zi¡¯s fault, gu zi, gu zi!

    lin miao despised gu zi to the core. perhaps the magnitude of her resentment enabled her rebirth.

    in her previous life, she discovered her true identity far too late, leading to the tragic course of her life.

    this time, she had reclaimed her identity as part of the gu family, the woman slated to wed gong zhan and become the wife of an official.

    she vowed to trample gu zi beneath her heel, ensuring she would never rise again.

    she wanted gu zi to marry su shen and endure life with that dull man.

    furthermore, she would contend with the three wretches who weren¡¯t her biological children and care for them in the countryside until they went insane.

    so what if she made a sum of money by selling her job? as long as she was burdened with the su family¡¯s handful of brats, she couldn¡¯t achieve anything.

    su shen¡¯s primary reason for seeking a woman was to care for his sister¡¯s children. he wouldn¡¯t permit her to take money to start a career.

    in a decade, she would become an old woman. by then,it would be impossible to achieve the glory she once held in her previous life.

    that gu zi was exceptionally clever in her former life, earning an ample fortune.

    lin miao felt that gu zits willingness to go to the su family might be to retreat in order to advance. so she told her darents that gu zi was able to work at the radio station because of their upbringing.

    hence, the money derived from selling her job should rightfully belong to the gu family, and they should reclaim it.

    with the money recovered, gu zi would have no choice but to marry su shen.

    the gu couple found the reasoning sound and promptly decided to drive to the lin family and request the reimbursement of the funds for their biological daughter.

    this would put the lin family in a predicament, making them take the gu family¡¯s side and approach the su family to demand that gu zi return the money.

    for the sake of tranquility, su shen certainly wouldn¡¯t want to escalate the situation.

    lin miao was all too familiar with that man. he was as cold as ice and devoid of compassion, an emotionless iceberg.

    at this moment, gu shan emerged from the car and inquired about the lin family¡¯s address.

    ¡°isn¡¯t that lin miao?¡± someone in the crowd exclaimed.

    ¡°yeah, it¡¯s lin miao. look at her! she¡¯s wearing makeup and carries herself like a city dweller!¡±

    the villagers of little lin village had watched lin miao grow up. while her skin was naturally a bit weathered, she was undeniably attractive. now, with her affluent parents by her side, she looked even more stunning in such attire.

    wealth was undeniably appealing.

    observing the gu family¡¯s stylish car, the locals couldn¡¯t help but envy the luxury it represented.

    under the crowd¡¯s watchful eyes, lin miao stepped out of the car in her western-style square heels.

    the car couldn¡¯t drive the rest of the way, so they had to walk.

    when everyone saw that this family was also going to visit the lin family, they sighed.. the lin family was proving to be quite the spectacle today!

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Gu Zi t s Suspicion

    chapter 62: gu zi t s suspicion

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin family.

    after gu zi talked to lin cheng, she learned that the gift money had mysteriously vanished. if this was their reason for not returning the money, it seemed too ridiculous to believe.

    lin cheng, however, assured them, ¡°we¡¯re doing our best to earn the money, and we¡¯ll definitely return it to mr. su.¡±

    ¡°we¡¯re here for another matter,¡± su shen interjected. ¡°let¡¯s put the betrothal gift aside for now.¡±

    gu zi remained silent and studied lin cheng. he had clean skin, a pleasant appearance, and seemed quite honest and endearing.

    gu zi remembered the character background from the original book. lin cheng was 25 years old, married but childless. he was dedicated and loyal to his wife, li hua, who hailed from the same village. a man of such character didn¡¯t seem like a liar.

    looking at the lin family¡¯s present state, it didn¡¯t make sense for them to lie. if they truly took the 3,000 yuan, wouldn¡¯t it have been more straightforward for them to run away?

    she glanced at su shen, a little perplexed. if it wasn¡¯t the betrothal gift, then what was the issue?

    su shen didn¡¯t say a word and smiled knowingly.

    just then, there was a commotion outside. li hua had fetched the two elders of the lin family from the fields.

    gu zi gazed towards the entrance and saw an elderly couple shuffling in. they looked frail, with wrinkled faces, white hair, and slightly hunched backs. their walk was accompanied by coughs, and they didn¡¯t seem to be in the best of health.

    gu zi remembered that the original owner¡¯s parents and gu shan were the same age, both around fifty.

    gu shan was in his prime, while the original owner¡¯s parents appeared to be frail and aged, evoking a sense of sympathy.

    upon closer inspection, it was evident that the man had excellent natural features. he was tall with broad shoulders and a handsome face, though the hardships of life had taken a toll on his appearance.

    the woman, on the other hand, seemed kind-hearted. despite her age, it wasn¡¯t hard to see that her features were finely delicate, strikingly similar to the original owner.

    could such an elderly couple truly pocket the gift money?

    gu zi recalled the details from the original story. the lin family consisted of five members: mr. lin, mrs. lin, lin cheng, li hua, and lin miao.

    the lin family¡¯s financial difficulties stemmed from a reason.

    in their youth, mr. and mrs. lin had some savings, leading a stable life. however, mrs. lin fell seriously ill, and mr. lin depleted all their savings to afford her medical treatment.

    subsequently, mrs. lin¡¯s health never fully recovered. she had to take medication for recovery, making heavy work unfeasible.

    mr. lin toiled tirelessly for an extended period and suffered from chronic heart disease due to lack of sleep. his condition prevented him from securing work in the city, driving the family into deeper poverty.

    nonetheless, they persevered in raising two children.

    in an effort to ensure that lin miao had the opportunity for a good education, the eldest son, lin cheng, left school at the age of ten to contribute to the household. subsequently, he and his wife bore the responsibility of providing for the family, seemingly perpetuating the cycle of hard work and dedication mat naa deen estaonsnea dy cnelr parents.

    from this analysis, it was clear that the lin family did not discriminate between sons and daughters, and they were evidently doting parents, particularly towards lin miao.

    given this context, it seemed highly unlikely that they would retain her gift money for themselves.

    if the lin family wasn¡¯t responsible, then who could have taken the money?

    logically speaking, it was not easy to find something lost in the city because the city was big and there were many people moving around. it was not easy to find money that had been stolen.

    however, there were only a few families in little lin village, and they all knew each other well. under such circumstances, they could at least have an idea of how much money they had lost.

    gu zi shared her doubts with su shen. ¡°wouldn¡¯t it be possible to track the money by contacting the police immediately after losing it?¡±

    mr. lin handed su shen a crumpled wad of cash, saying softly, ¡°this is the 128 yuan we had saved. please accept it first.¡± he avoided eye contact and appeared genuinely remorseful.

    ¡°we¡¯ll make up for the rest of the money,¡± mrs. lin added tearfully. ¡°lin cheng and his wife will return to work as soon as possible.¡±

    even in dire straits, people would not lack ambition. having lived for so many years, she understood this principle well.

    su shen placed the money on the rickety wooden table and retrieved several large red gift boxes from the side. ¡°i apologize for any misunderstanding. these are nutritional supplements and chinese medicine that gu zi and i brought for you.¡±

    he handed the boxes to lin cheng, then brought gu zi forward and introduced her. ¡°this is gu zi, your daughter..¡±

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Reunion

    chapter 63: reunion

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    mrs. lin¡¯s hands trembled, her pupils dilating with astonishment. father lin held mrs. lin¡¯s hand, lips quivering as he was at a loss for words.

    could this fair and beautiful girl standing before them be their biological daughter, gu zi?

    though they had ventured into the city on multiple occasions, their biological daughter had consistently refused to meet them, yet they had never questioned her decision.

    after all, who accustomed to a comfortable city life would willingly endure the hardships of the countryside? this they understood.

    they never anticipated her appearing before them now.

    overwhelmed by emotion, they were eager to embrace their child but felt unworthy.

    gazing at their daughter, she appeared to belong to an entirely different world from them.

    paralyzed in place, they allowed their tears to flow, but they dared not take action. the mere sight of their daughter was profoundly fulfilling.

    ¡°gu zi, go ahead,¡± su shen urged softly, giving her a gentle nudge as if to embolden her.

    gu zi nodded and stepped forward. she took the initiative to speak. ¡°dad, mom, i¡¯m gu zi. i came back especially to see you. please forgive me for being unresponsive in the past. i¡¯m sorry!¡±

    gu zi believed that, regardless of the circumstances, her parents hadn¡¯t abandoned their child willingly, so she should express her understanding.

    advancing further, she reached out to hug mrs. lin and held mr. lin¡¯s hand.

    it seemed that they wanted to embrace her at that moment, but were hesitant, so she took the initiative.

    mrs. lin stood there, her heart struck with a profound sense of disbelief, before tears of joy began to fall.

    she reached out and tried to hold her daughter¡¯s hand, which was fair and delicate.

    tentatively, she extended her hand to grasp her daughter¡¯s hand, which was fair and delicate.

    in that moment, as they met each other¡¯s gaze, mrs. lin apologized, ¡°no need to apologize, my good daughter. it¡¯s more than enough to have you back safely.¡±

    gu zi reached out to wipe her mother¡¯s tears away and responded gently, ¡°then, mom, don¡¯t cry. i¡¯m fine.¡±

    su shen approached and seconded gu zi¡¯s sentiments, ¡°indeed, uncle lin and

    aunt lin. we came here today to share some good news.¡±

    what could be this good news? gu zi was puzzled. she gazed at su shen.

    mrs. and mr. lin gradually ceased their tears and inquired, ¡°what is it?¡±

    su shen and gu zi stood together. he stated with a solemn expression, ¡®we have come here specifically to visit you, and we also seek your approval for my marriage to gu zi.¡±

    after su shen¡¯s declaration, he turned to look at gu zi, causing her cheeks to flush with surprise.

    she hadn¡¯t expected him to broach the topic so directly. hadn¡¯t he mentioned that he¡¯d wait a week before making a decision?

    mr. and mrs. lin found themselves equally taken aback. they wondered how gu zi and su shen had ended up together.

    mrs. lin, too, was flustered, afraid that her daughter was being coerced into the situation.

    gu zi squinted her eyes slightly, sensing that something was amiss.

    the reaction of the elderly couple seemed to suggest a strong reluctance to marry off their daughter in her place. wasn¡¯t this the very outcome they had requested?

    if this matter had not been initiated by the elderly couple, it meant that the lin family shouldn¡¯t have any knowledge of it.

    however, considering lin miao¡¯s claim, the root of the issue was most likely lin miao herself. gu zi pondered the motive behind lin miao¡¯s actions.

    was she afraid that gu zi would vie for the position of the gu family¡¯s daughter or possibly seek to court gong zhan?

    this scenario was entirely plausible, given that both the gu family elders and lin miao placed great importance on this engagement.

    gu zi clarified, ¡°i sought out su shen myself. i believe he¡¯s a very good man.¡±

    a subtle smile danced in su shen¡¯s eyes as he hurriedly added to gu zi¡¯s words, ¡°yes, uncle lin and aunt lin, i¡¯m fully committed to ensuring gu zi has a wonderful life. ¡±

    although su shen and gu zi appeared to be genuinely enthusiastic about this marriage, the elderly couple failed to crack a smile upon hearing their words. in fact, they seemed concerned.

    inquiring further, they asked gu zi, ¡°is this truly what you desire? or were you coerced by the gu family to leave the city and sent to the countryside?¡±

    after giving the matter considerable thought, the elderly couple felt it would be more beneficial for their daughter to remain in the city.

    thus, they did not press the issue any further. as long as she lived a good life, everything else was secondary.

    if indeed the betrothal money had gone missing, they would find a means to repay su shen.

    ultimately, this marriage was initially proposed by lin miao, and since lin miao refused to marry, the betrothal money had to be returned.

    lin miao was the one who had feelings for su shen. lin miao had married su shen willingly, even though he had three children.

    however, it would be wrong to let the innocent gu zi marry su shen. could she really accept su shen, who had three children and was married twice?

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Intimate Contact

    chapter 64: intimate contact

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi could discern their concerns from the worried expressions in their eyes, surmising that they thought she might not be familiar with rural labor.

    not wishing to keep the gu family matter under wraps, gu zi explained, ¡°lin miao is the biological daughter of the gu family. they wanted me to fulfill the engagement on her behalf, so i sought out su shen.¡±

    certain details had yet to be confirmed, and she didn¡¯t want to mention lin miao and cause the family any distress. instead, she cited the gu family as the driving force behind her actions.

    even though gu shan and zhang mei had been enchanted by lin miao, it was undeniable that they were keen on having lin miao replace her.

    ¡°how could they treat you this way? it¡¯s unfair to you,¡± mrs. lin exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief.

    even if they discovered gu zi wasn¡¯t their biological offspring, did their more than a decade-long relationship not matter?

    the entire lim family still remembered lin miao.

    for the gu family to abandon gu zi so easily, they were truly heartless.

    gu zi responded, ¡°it¡¯s not a big deal. later on, i realized it was rather straightforward. i just thought that having meat to eat every day was quite nice, so i went to find su shen myself.¡±

    after saying that, gu zi glanced at su shen, and their eyes met.

    gu zi immediately retracted her gaze, her heart pounding.

    su shen immediately echoed gu zi¡¯s words.

    mr. and mrs. lin could sense his sincerity. otherwise, why would a significant figure like him accompany their daughter to their humble abode?

    ¡°have a cup of hot tea. we don¡¯t have any fancy tea at home,¡± lin cheng and li hua offered two large bowls of tea.

    despite being called ¡°tea,¡± it actually contained no tea leaves but rather several red dates. nevertheless, it was their way of offering the best hospitality they could muster.

    su shen swiftly accepted two bowls of tea and handed one to gu zi. thirsty as well, she raised it to her lips to drink.

    ¡°be careful,¡± su shen cautioned, covering her mouth at the same time.

    the hot tea splashed onto the back of su shen¡¯s hand, reddening it.

    gu zits heart raced, making it difficult to catch her breath. her face turned crimson.

    after all, her lips had just touched the man¡¯s rough palm, marking what seemed to be their most intimate physical contact to date.

    at that moment, an enigmatic look flashed in the man¡¯s eyes, but he promptly concealed it.

    in the lin family¡¯s eyes, su shen had indeed treated gu zi well, and they could see that he was genuinely concerned about her.

    however, they were also anxious as they didn¡¯t have any medicine at home to treat the burns.

    su shen noticed their concern but assured them it was not a problem. he mentioned that he had thick skin and flesh and implied that it wasn¡¯t serious as long as gu zi wasn¡¯t harmed.

    he then went to take a cold shower and returned.

    gu zits heart skipped a beat, and feeling shy, she held su le in her arms to distract herself.

    this time, mr. and mrs. lin were even more convinced of su shen¡¯s genuine care for gu zi. however, they couldn¡¯t help but voice their concerns. mr. lin said, ¡°we understand that you got married primarily to take good care of the child, but we¡¯re worried it¡¯ll be hard to gu zi.¡±

    gu zi raised her eyes, interpreting this as her biological parents doubting her ability to manage her life.

    yet, she decided not to respond and instead waited for su shen¡¯s input.

    su shen began to explain, ¡°it¡¯s interesting. before i met gu zi, i believed that the most important criterion for marriage was helping me take care of my children.

    while speaking, he glanced at gu zi, who was busy playing with su le. su le was laughing joyfully in her arms.

    he felt that gu zi not only possessed physical beauty but also a certain kind of magic that radiated beauty.

    su shen continued, ¡°but things have changed. even if she can¡¯t take care of them, i¡¯ll find someone to assist. uncle lin and aunt lin, gu zi is actually quite competent. she knows how to cook, and everything she prepares is delicious.¡±

    mr. and mrs. lin finally smiled and said, ¡°is that so? that¡¯s great!¡±

    their main concern had been whether or not their daughter would be recognized by her husband. if su shen¡¯s primary expectation was to care for the child and gu zi couldn¡¯t fulfill that role, they saw no reason for them to remain together. their daughter¡¯s happiness was paramount.

    to relieve her flushed face, gu zi touched her cheek and regained her normal temperature. she stood up and handed su le over to su shen. she turned to address the lin family, saying, ¡°i¡¯d like to show my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. let me prepare lunch today!¡±

    upon hearing this, the lin family waved their hands and protested. li hua said,

    ¡°sister, in this household, you¡¯re not supposed to do anything. just follow miaomiao¡¯so example. your brother and i will go prepare lunch now.¡±

    as she spoke, li hua took lin cheng¡¯s hand, and they went to the kitchen, which was located in a thatched shed.

    meanwhile, the gu family had reached the mountain bay. gu shan and zhang mei couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads. they had expected the family¡¯s conditions to be modest, but they had no idea it was this impoverished.

    ¡°miaomiao,¡± zhang mei said apologetically as she hugged lin miao, ¡°you¡¯ve suffered so much all these years!¡±

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: She Owes Lin Miao

    chapter 65: she owes lin miao

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao shook her head and smiled, speaking in a weak tone, ¡°dad, mom, i don¡¯t blame you. i have been doing well all these years. at least they raised me.¡±

    upon hearing her words, gu shan and zhang mei¡¯s hearts ached. their daughter displayed an incredible amount of resilience. despite the bitterness evident in her eyes, she pretended to be strong.

    they had treated gu zi exceptionally well, providing her with the finest things from a young age and ensuring she had a comfortable life. they were determined to prevent her from experiencing hardship and deprivation.

    however, when they looked at their biological daughter now, it was clear that she had suffered from a young age. forced into farm work, she had become emaciated and frail, frequently plagued by relentless coughs.

    the more they thought about it, the more dissatisfied they felt. though gu zi was innocent, in the end, she had enjoyed the good life that lin miao was owed. this was the debt they owed lin miao, and also the debt gu zi owed her.

    gu shan commented, ¡°initially, i had some reservations about coming here.

    before arriving, he had been reminiscing about their ten years together. they had raised gu zi, and it was impossible to deny the bond they had developed.

    however, now that he assessed the situation, he realized there was no need to be overly polite.

    zhang mei embraced lin miao and nodded. ¡°yes, miaomiao, our poor daughter. we will do our best to make it up to you in the future.¡±

    witnessing lin miao¡¯s calculated reaction, they were deeply moved by her composure. she sobbed weakly and leaned on zhang mei for support, as if her legs could barely bear her weight.

    she assured them, ¡°no, mom and dad. it doesn¡¯t matter how i lived in the past. now that i¡¯m with you and you love me, i¡¯m the happiest person.¡±

    gu shan and zhang mei¡¯s hearts nearly shattered. how much pain and hardship must their daughter have endured for her to be this selfless and sensible?

    this further solidified their determination to reclaim the money. zhang mei said, ¡°this money should rightfully belong to miaomiao and the gu family. that girl, gu zi, is heartless. when she deliberately sold her job to gong xin, we should have known she cared more about money than us.¡±

    at the foot of the mountain, lin cheng and his wife were busy preparing dinner, while mr. lin and mrs. lin sat with gu zi and su shen on a stone bench in front of their house, chatting.

    gu zi observed both the inside and outside of the lin family¡¯s humble abode. despite their extreme poverty, the place was kept remarkably clean.

    the house was surrounded by lush greenery, and while there were some mosquitoes, there wasn¡¯t a single fly in sight. even the stone table and bench were spotless.

    mr. lin felt a bit sorry about their limited hospitality. he said, ¡°little zi, su shen, i apologize that we can only offer you a seat here. have some pumpkin seeds; we dried them ourselves.¡±

    he asked his wife to search for some snacks, but she couldn¡¯t find any.

    eventually, she managed to locate a large bag of freshly dried pumpkin seeds.

    su shen and gu zi could sense the nervousness of their hosts. to put them at ease, the two grabbed a small handful of pumpkin seeds and started munching on them.

    gu zi even peeled a few for su le, saying, ¡°come, lele, try these authentic farmer¡¯s pumpkin seeds. we¡¯ll ask grandpa and grandma to bring some back later.¡±

    su shen chimed in, ¡°they actually taste quite good.¡±

    mr. and mrs. lin were about to say something when they abruptly stood up and inquired, ¡°miaomiao, you¡¯re back too! are these mr. and mrs. gu?¡±

    gu zi and su shen also rose to their feet and turned to see lin miao and the gu couple.

    lin miao did not say anything and hid behind the gu couple. when they saw gu zi and a man there, they were a little surprised, but they quickly concealed their emotions.

    gu shan adjusted his neatly pressed suit and confidently stated, ¡°now that all relevant parties are present, we won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±

    he turned his gaze toward gu zi and continued, ¡°we don¡¯t hold a grudge for your previous actions, such as coming to the city to sell your job. as long as you return the money to miaomiao now, we won¡¯t pursue the matter any further.¡±

    as gu shan spoke, lin miao couldn¡¯t help but keep her eyes fixed on su shen and gu zi.

    su shen was tall and handsome, and gu zi was exceptionally beautiful. their compatibility was evident no matter how you looked at it.

    lin miao couldn¡¯t help but recall what people had said in her previous life. they claimed that when she stood next to su shen, those who didn¡¯t know them would think she was a nanny accompanying a wealthy businessman. they didn¡¯t appear like a couple at all.

    compared to gu zi, she felt inadequate. she was blessed with the good genes of the lin family and was exceptionally beautiful herself.

    growing up in a well-off environment in the gu family had endowed her with dignity and grace in every gesture.

    regardless of how meticulously she cared for her appearance and how elegantly she dressed, she believed she still looked like an ugly duckling when standing next to gu zi.

    her envy and resentment towards gu zi ran deep. it was gu zi who had deprived her of the good days she should have enjoyed, making her feel inferior to gu zi in every aspect..

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Playing Games

    chapter 66: playing games

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao gently tugged at gu shan¡¯s clothing and whispered, ¡°dad, please don¡¯t talk to sister like that. she didn¡¯t mean any harm.¡±

    ¡°miaomiao,¡± zhang mei said, her heart aching, ¡°we¡¯re fighting for your sake. i understand that you can¡¯t express it openly. please stay out of this matter.¡±

    gu zi discerned the situation upon hearing these words. she was all too familiar with lin miao¡¯s tactic of feigning weakness to elicit sympathy.

    gu shan and zhang mei¡¯s merciless behavior today was obviously instigated by lin miao.

    however, if they wanted to take the money from selling her job, why didn¡¯t they look for her directly? why did they come after the lin family for it?

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but see through it as a manipulative scheme. she knew lin miao¡¯s tactics all too well.

    gu zi took measured steps towards gu shan and zhang mei, then paused suddenly. her beautiful, crystal-clear eyes held a hint of moisture, giving off an air of innocence that made people want to shower her with affection.

    she wanted to say something but seemed to be at a loss for words. her long, fluttering eyelashes added to her aura of innocence.

    gu shan¡¯s heart wavered. after all, she was the daughter they had raised for more than a decade. the fact that it took her so long even to call him ¡°daddy¡± must mean she felt wronged.

    but when he considered the hardships lin miao had endured, he steeled his heart and uttered harsh words.

    ¡°gu zi, you ought to have a conscience. we¡¯ve raised you for over ten years and treated you well. you secured that job as a member of the gu family. the money from selling your job should rightfully belong to the gu family and lin miao.¡±

    lin miao was correct in her assessment. if gu zi weren¡¯t his daughter, how could she have obtained such favorable conditions for her education and landed such a great job?

    zhang mei, with clenched teeth, added, ¡°that¡¯s right, gu zi. you can¡¯t just keep the money for yourself. if you¡¯re unwilling to return it, you should ask your biological parents to return it to you.¡±

    as these words reached their ears, su shen¡¯s gaze grew increasingly cold, but he remained silent, watching the situation unfold.

    he believed gu zi was exceptionally astute and was eager to see how she would handle the gu family¡¯s unreasonable demands.

    throughout this exchange, su shen¡¯s indifferent gaze remained fixed on gu zi. he didn¡¯t spare even a sideways glance for lin miao.

    lin miao, who expected more attention from su shen, felt intense jealousy.

    they had previously declared their closeness, but his focus was solely on gu zi.

    she was so jealous that she went crazy. why did su shen treat her and gu zi so differently?

    she hid behind gu shan, so no one saw that her eyes were red with anger.

    mr. and mrs. lin were in a state of shock. they couldn¡¯t bear to witness their daughter being treated this way, but they felt helpless about what to do.

    there were some things they couldn¡¯t articulate. just because the lin family was less well-off than the gu family, did that mean they treated lin miao poorly?

    but it was clear that they had spared no effort in raising lin miao.

    she didn¡¯t enjoy doing farm work, so they didn¡¯t make her do it.

    when lin miao found the journey to school too far, they arranged for lin cheng to carry her to and from school every day.

    because i iin miao was the vonngest and the babv sister. all the advantages

    were extended to her first.

    despite the family¡¯s economic hardships, among the village¡¯s girls, lin miao was the only one exempt from chores.

    yet, just because gu zi¡¯s original family wasn¡¯t as well-off as the gu family, the job she secured on her own didn¡¯t belong to her. what sort of logic was this?

    after bottling up her emotions for a while, mrs. lin finally spoke, saying, ¡°mr. and mrs. gu, both gu zi and miaomiao are innocent. if gu zi found that job independently, she has the right to handle it however she sees fit.¡±

    seeing the lin couple being pressured into a corner, gu zi now understood the gu family¡¯s ulterior motive for visiting.

    they aimed to pressure the honorable lin family into submission. in the end, if they couldn¡¯t produce the money, they wanted to persuade her to do so instead. fortunately, the lin family remained reasonable.

    gu zi added, ¡°mom, my adoptive parents have also instilled in me that the kindness of raising me is as boundless as the sky. i should always remember that. they are saying this because they feel sympathy for lin miao. my adoptive parents are actually very reasonable people.¡±

    her tone was gentle and soothing. she didn¡¯t harbor any resentment toward the gu family¡¯s treatment of her. instead, she conveyed her understanding.

    gu shan and zhang mei were slightly perplexed by her nonchalant words.

    could they completely deny gu zi just because they felt sorry for miaomiao?

    they had always been quite satisfied with gu zi. how did things get to this point?

    gu zi noticed that zhang mei¡¯s face was slightly flushed and continued, ¡°i apologize, please forgive me for taking matters into my own hands. i used that money as a dowry for my marriage with su shen. i didn¡¯t want to bring embarrassment upon you and allow others to look down on you..¡±

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Change

    chapter 67: change

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. she didn¡¯t mention that they had no right to demand the money, nor did she accuse them of wrongdoing because they had influential backing.

    she simply provided a respectful explanation for why she needed that sum of money.

    as the adopted daughter of the gu family in the city, her upcoming marriage into the su family in daqing village would become widely known.

    the presence of a dowry at the wedding would naturally reflect the gu family¡¯s prestige.

    even though they had sent her to the countryside, she was still thinking about the gu family. she displayed a deep sense of loyalty to them.

    zhang mei was touched, and even gu shan was moved.

    they felt that perhaps the initial shock of discovering the truth about the gu family¡¯s biological daughter had taken a toll on her and led to this drastic change in her attitude.

    that would be difficult for anyone to accept. it was a process of coming to terms with such a life-altering revelation.

    gu zi had evidently adapted to this process. she now understood their feelings of guilt toward miaomiao. and she had always shown such respect to them as parents. how could they still want the money from her now?

    ¡°have you already decided to get married?¡± gu shan inquired. ¡°in that case, the money will be our dowry.¡±

    naturally, she held herself accountable for her hastiness and didn¡¯t suspect lin miao¡¯s instigation.

    she turned to su shen and remarked, ¡°this must be gu zits fianc¨¦. he¡¯s truly a handsome man. well, it¡¯s settled then. you two have a wonderful life ahead.¡± gu shan and zhang mei felt that this outcome was good too.

    although they did not get the money, at least they confirmed that gu zi and su shen were getting married.

    this was good. actually, as long as miaomiao could keep the engagement with the gong family, this would be the best compensation for her.

    seeing the change in the gu family¡¯s attitude, su shen replied politely, ¡°thank you, mr. and mrs. gu.¡±

    behind gu shan and zhang mei, lin miao was on the brink of losing her mind with anger. they had switched sides so quickly, casting their guilt toward her to the back of their minds.

    lin miao found her biological parents to be excessively hypocritical. they consistently professed their intention to make amends to her, yet they had been effortlessly swayed by gu zi. it was apparent that gu zi still held a place in their hearts.

    she did not want to return empty-handed. she needed to take action to ensure that gu zi wouldn¡¯t have it easy.

    lin miao approached gu zi and held her hand in front of everyone, wearing a slight frown.

    gu zi allowed her to lead her, curious about the purpose behind her actions.

    ¡°sister, i owe you an apology,¡± lin miao began. ¡°i¡¯ve heard rumors circulating in the community that you sold your job to gong xin with the intention of getting closer to gong zhan in the future. ¡±

    she continued, ¡°i thought of you as well, considering how deeply you once loved brother gong zhan in the past.¡± there was a hint of provocation in her eyes, a message meant solely for gu zi.

    gu zi¡¯s narrowed her eyes, fully understanding lin miao¡¯s intentions. she was deliberately making this statement for su shen to hear.

    ¡°however,¡± lin miao went on, ¡°after hearing what sister said today, i¡¯m relieved. regardless of how much you may have loved brother gong zhan, you still value the dignity of the gu family.

    ¡°even if you hate children so much, you¡¯ll definitely live a good life with mr. su, right?¡± lin miao was apologizing, but in reality, she was informing su shen that gu zi married him solely for the sake of the gu family.

    gu zi responded with a faint smile. lin miao¡¯s tactics were quite shrewd!

    gu zi said to lin miao, ¡°i¡¯m glad that you¡¯ve recognized your mistake.¡±

    then she turned to su shen and addressed him directly, ¡°i, gu zi, have only you in my heart now. mr. su, do you mind the fact that i once acted immature and pursued someone else?¡±

    su shen found it difficult not to be affected by her words. he knew that gu zi had been initially reluctant to marry into the countryside.

    however, in this moment, he saw this beautiful woman approaching in front of both families and gently asking him if he minded her past immaturity.

    she explained that she had pursued someone else not because she liked him, but because she wasn¡¯t mature enough. this admission eased the knot in his heart.

    he responded with a warm smile, ¡°i don¡¯t mind.¡±

    at that moment, the two of them could only see each other in their eyes, and their mutual trust was apparent. this infuriated lin miao to the core.

    she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. she had failed in her attempt to sow discord and had, in fact, provided gu zi with an opportunity to express her loyalty.

    lin miao observed gu zi closely and couldn¡¯t help but feel that gu zi had changed too much.

    previously, gu zi would explode at the slightest provocation. a simple

    provocation would easily set her off. however, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case now.

    lin miao couldn¡¯t quite figure out what had happened..

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Family

    chapter 68: family

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°mom, mom!¡± su le toddled over to gu zi, calling her mother.

    lin miao¡¯s gaze also shifted towards the child, her pupils dilating.

    wasn¡¯t this the little girl from her previous life, the one who couldn¡¯t speak even when she was older? she only made noises and was a source of frustration for her. lin miao had even contemplated getting rid of her.

    now, she was calling someone, and it was gu zi!

    these changes were undoubtedly caused by her rebirth. lin miao knew she had to revise her plan accordingly.

    she walked back to gu shan and zhang mei, who were still there. seeing that lunchtime was approaching and that they had no intention of eating in such an environment, gu shan bid farewell.

    ¡°it¡¯s getting late. we need to hurry back to the city, so we¡¯ll take our leave.¡± after the gu family departed, lin cheng and his wife, who had been hiding behind, came forward.

    when the gu family had asked for money earlier, they thought that having more people present would only make the situation more chaotic. additionally, li hua was somewhat reserved, so they decided to stay in the background.

    ¡°our sister is quite impressive. she¡¯s remarkable,¡± lin cheng commented. ¡°but i guess miaomiao, on the other hand, won¡¯t acknowledge us anymore now.¡±

    recalling the days when he used to carry his sister to school, lin cheng couldn¡¯t help but feel like it had just happened yesterday.

    back then, his sister was still a child of their family. however, during their recent encounter, she didn¡¯t even acknowledge the lin couple whom she used to call ¡®parents¡¯.

    li hua suggested, ¡°let¡¯s not dwell on that. it¡¯s time to eat.¡±

    in truth, li hua had already anticipated that lin miao wouldn¡¯t approach them.

    when they were at home, their younger sister had been disdainful of the family¡¯s poverty. in her eyes, gu zi seemed more like a family member than lin miao.

    with a spacious area in front of the house, they sat down at the stone table for their meal.

    there were dishes already prepared on the table, despite having to scrape together what they could. they had three vegetarian dishes and three meat dishes.

    the spread included a bowl of chicken soup, a plate of stir-fried meat with chili, a large bowl of egg-stirred cucumbers, another large bowl of stir-fried vegetables, a generous bowl of stir-fried lettuce, and a side of pickled vegetables.

    while the lin family was less tense compared to their earlier encounter, they still felt a bit awkward.

    lin cheng scratched the back of his head and said, ¡°mr. su, sister, we didn¡¯t know you were coming, so we didn¡¯t prepare much. please bear with us for today.¡±

    su shen replied, ¡°that¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±

    gu zi added, ¡°we¡¯re family now, so there¡¯s no need for formality. don¡¯t treat him as an outsider either.¡±

    with this understanding, gu zi and su shen had their first meal at the lin family¡¯s home.

    after the meal, lin cheng headed to the fields with his hoe, while su shen and mr. lin made their way to the river. they had some discussions they wanted to have.

    gu zi offered to help her sister-in-law with the dishes, and li hua watched in amazement as gil zi efficiently managed the housework

    it turned out that gu zi really knew how to do housework, and she did it very well.

    after tidying up the straw shed, gu zi noticed that su shen and mr. lin hadn¡¯t returned yet. she decided to spend the time chatting with her sister-in-law, returned yet. she decided to spend the time chatting with her sister-in-law, teaching her about the gifts su shen had given, and explaining which box of supplements was suitable for each family member.

    li hua was pleased with gu zi, as it was clear that she was treating her kindly. this was a stark contrast to the way lin miao had treated them in the past.

    in those days, lin miao had never engaged in conversations with someone as ¡°uneducated¡± as li hua. she had always treated them like servants rather than family.

    li hua suggested to gu zi, ¡°sister, you and mr. su can stay here for the night. not this house, but my family lives just up the hill. i can take you there.¡±

    li hua thought it would be too tiring for her sister to bring su le back and forth twice a day, so she offered the suggestion.

    gu zi, however, declined the offer, saying, ¡°thank you, sister-in-law, but we can¡¯t stay tonight. su shen needs to go to the pig farm this afternoon.¡±

    she had made a commitment to take care of the children, and she needed to fulfill that responsibility. she couldn¡¯t simply accept su shen¡¯s money and not do her part.

    moreover, she was concerned about leaving the two brothers at home. no matter how much su bing acted mature, he was still just a child.

    su shen and mr. lin returned from their conversation at the river, and after bidding farewell to the lin family, gu zi and su shen began their journey back.

    when they reached the entrance of daqing village, gu zi and su shen went their separate ways.

    gu zi and su le headed home, while su shen headed to the pig farm.

    gu zi carried su le and walked slowly. they arrived home as the sun was about to set. near the door, they overheard the conversation between the two brothers.

    ¡°brother, do you think she won¡¯t come back tonight?¡± su li asked.

    su bing replied, ¡°it¡¯s possible. now, focus on your homework. later, we¡¯ll cook some sweet potatoes.¡±

    su li said, ¡°i don¡¯t want to eat plain boiled sweet potatoes. i want to eat the braised pork she makes!¡±

    su bing responded, ¡°su li, you need to be more sensible. after all, she¡¯s just our stepmother. don¡¯t be like this.¡±

    both of them were children without a mother, but su bing was older than su li.

    he had quickly come to understand that they had no right to act spoiled. he felt that it was time to tell his brother the cruel truth..

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Useless Lin Cheng

    chapter 69: useless lin cheng

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°stepmother and lele are back!¡± before su bing could gather his thoughts, a woman¡¯s voice reached his ears.

    their stepmother had arrived, carrying their sister into the house, and their loyal dog, big yellow, followed behind, eagerly wagging its tail as if to say, ¡°you¡¯re finally back. i want some braised pork too!¡±

    for a moment, su bing couldn¡¯t help but notice the striking resemblance between the longing expression on big yellow¡¯s face and su li¡¯s earlier plea for braised pork!

    gu zi placed a bag of pumpkin seeds on the low table and playfully teased their sister. ¡°what does our lele want to eat today?¡±

    su le¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she responded with a series of ¡®yi yi ya ya¡± sounds. gu zi continued, ¡°oh, you want to eat braised pork!¡±

    it was clear that their stepmother had overheard their previous conversation, and su li blushed with embarrassment.

    however, their stepmother didn¡¯t seem to be upset with them. she placed su le on the sofa and instructed her, ¡°lele, play with your brothers for now. i¡¯m going to cook.¡±

    this time, it was su bing¡¯s turn to be a little puzzled. he felt that he was the target of something, but it was a strange feeling that he wasn¡¯t entirely opposed to.

    as gu zi entered the kitchen, su li raised his head and asked su bing, ¡°so, is stepmother angry or not?¡±

    su bing questioned, ¡°did you say something bad about her earlier?¡±

    su li shook his head, then suddenly realized something. ¡°she¡¯s not angry, but she sounded weird.¡±

    su bing understood that he meant their stepmother sounded eccentric. he looked at the bag of pumpkin seeds and pondered.

    at the same time, over at little lin village, lin cheng saw through li hua¡¯s thoughts.

    she missed her mother at home and wanted to visit.

    however, he also knew what worried li hua ¨C her father had always looked down on their family and criticized him for being worthless. she didn¡¯t want to listen to his harsh words.

    after finishing his work, lin cheng brought li hua to her family¡¯s home. as a man with limited skills, he was willing to endure her father¡¯s criticism and lectures so that his wife could see her mother.

    li hua was reluctant to enter. ¡°ah-cheng, i don¡¯t want to go in. let¡¯s go back and cook.¡±

    their arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and a mocking voice taunted them, ¡°oh, you¡¯re back?¡±

    li hua knew her father¡¯s nature all too well. if they came back, he would scold lin cheng for being useless, and if they didn¡¯t come back, he would criticize her for being unfilial.

    regardless, she hadn¡¯t married lin hun from next door as her father had wished, so everything they did was wrong.

    they followed mr. li to the entrance of the li family¡¯s house, but li hua went inside to find her mother, while her father-in-law showed no intention of letting lin cheng in.

    ¡°i won¡¯t lend you any money,¡± mr. li said sternly.

    lin cheng lowered his head and responded, ¡°dad, i¡¯m not here to borrow money. i¡¯ll wait for her here.¡±

    ¡°uncle li, why is your useless son-in-law here again? is he here to beg for money? hahahaha.¡± the taunting voice belonged to lin hun, the village overlord of little lin village. he was accompanied by a group of ruffians. mr. li dismissed them with a wave of his hand. ¡°i won¡¯t lend him a single cent.¡±

    lin cheng kept his head down and allowed them to continue their conversation.

    seeing his docile behavior, lin hun grew more excited. he said, ¡®your family is in debt to big boss su now. it¡¯s no surprise you¡¯re seeking help from anyone and everyone.¡±

    with that, he and his ruffian companions burst into laughter once more.

    he stepped on a rock and smacked his thigh. ¡°if you want to borrow money, just call me grandpa, and i¡¯ll lend you ten yuan.¡±

    at that moment, li hua stepped out to defend lin cheng. ¡°lin hun, don¡¯t be so mean!¡±

    li hua¡¯s father shook his head in disbelief. what had lin cheng done to make

    his usually timid daughter defend him so vehemently?

    lin hun was fuming when he saw the woman he wanted to marry defending a good-for-nothing like lin cheng.

    since she didn¡¯t have any affection for him, and had chosen lin cheng instead, he didn¡¯t want her to live an easy life!

    ¡°if you had chosen to be with me back then, you wouldn¡¯t be hiding under this mountain. i don¡¯t understand what you see in him,¡± lin hun retorted.

    ¡°lin hun, show some respect to xiao hua!¡± lin cheng stepped forward to protect li hua, positioning himself between her and lin hun. they could say anything they wanted about him, but he wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone disrespecting li hua.

    lin hun was taken aback at first, then he looked at the ruffians standing behind him, who burst into laughter.

    ¡°the poorest man in our little lin village has now become the poorest wife-slave. hahaha¡­

    li hua said to lin cheng, ¡°ignore them. let¡¯s go home. mom, take care.¡± her mother stood by the door, nodding with a bitter smile.

    as they were about to leave, they were blocked by lin hun and a few of his men.

    ¡°lin cheng, are you going to borrow money from me today? you¡¯ll have to call me grandpa before you can leave,¡± lin hun taunted.

    the gangsters behind him joined in, mocking, ¡°call him grandpa! call him grandpa!¡±

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Su Shen Is Injured

    chapter 70: su shen is injured

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    just as lin cheng and li hua were at a loss, a young man happened to pass by the li family¡¯s house and noticed the commotion.

    he pushed aside the hooligans and confidently walked in. lin hun, the village bully, was visibly irritated. ¡®who¡¯s this little brat? can¡¯t you see we¡¯re in the middle of something?¡±

    li zhu turned and cast a disinterested gaze at lin hun. ¡°you¡¯re the village tyrant of little lin village?¡±

    lin hun grew even more frustrated, but then he lost his arrogance upon hearing the young man¡¯s next words. ¡°i¡¯m from daqing village. i work for brother shen, and i¡¯m here to deliver the keys to the lin family. are you from the lin family?¡± li zhu asked deliberately.

    lin hun contemplated for a moment. brother shen from daqing village could only mean big boss su, but he couldn¡¯t let on that he didn¡¯t know. his face quickly broke into a sycophantic smile. ¡°so you¡¯re one of big boss su¡¯s guys.

    nice to meet you!¡±

    ignoring lin hun¡¯s efforts to impress, li zhu turned to lin cheng and li hua, handing the key to lin cheng. ¡°what does this mean?¡± lin cheng inquired, puzzled.

    li zhu explained, ¡°this is the key to the empty red brick bungalow at the entrance of little lin village. brother shen wanted me to bring it to you.¡±

    as lin hun overheard, he became more alert, sensing that something wasn¡¯t quite right.

    even mr. and mrs. li were perplexed by this turn of events.

    ¡°i won¡¯t need to visit your place if i find you here, brother lin. brother shen instructed me to pass this key to you. you can move in tomorrow, and he¡¯ll arrange for someone to help you,¡± li zhu elaborated before leaving for daqing village, leaving the entire gathering baffled.

    lin cheng and li hua were stunned. did su shen mean to give their family a red brick bungalow?

    li zhu rushed back to daqing village and left after saying a few words to lin cheng. this time, a bunch of people were stunned in front of the li family¡¯s house.

    initially, the hooligans, including lin hun, couldn¡¯t comprehend the implications of li zhu¡¯s words.

    so, su shen¡¯s visit to the lin family wasn¡¯t about collecting debts but to gain old lin¡¯s approval for their marriage?

    lin hun¡¯s face shifted between pale and red, and he appeared quite distraught.

    the hooligans who had gathered behind him tried to gain lin cheng¡¯s favor. some offered cigarettes, some offered drinks, and others pledged to assist with the move.

    lin hun chased away those lackeys, then turned around and put on a smile.

    ¡°brother lin, mrs. lin, since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t you come to my house for a meal?¡±

    lin cheng and li hua looked at each other lin cheng and li hua exchanged astonished glances and then turned their gaze back to lin hun. was this still the same unreasonable village bully from a few minutes ago?

    mr. li took a step forward and promptly escorted lin hun out. ¡°go on, get out of here. if my son-in-law wants to eat, he¡¯ll dine at my place. who do you think you are?¡±

    mrs. li approached li hua and gently spoke, ¡°xiao hua, it¡¯s my weakness that allowed your father to act that way. i¡¯m sorry you had to hear all those unpleasant things over the years.¡±

    mr. li, preoccupied with his tirade, called out to mrs. li, ¡°old woman, hurry up and prepare the meal. we¡¯re entertaining our beloved daughter and son-in-law for dinner tonight.¡±

    without giving lin cheng and li hua a chance to decline, mr. li was insistent, praising his son-in-law, ¡°my good son-in-law, i saw the potential in you when i married my daughter to you. i haven¡¯t been disappointed.¡±

    lin cheng and li hua smiled helplessly. they had no choice but to stay for dinner under mr. li¡¯s kind invitation.

    lin cheng and li hua felt that gu zi was simply their lin family¡¯s lucky star!

    back at the su family¡¯s residence, gu zi had laid out a table full of food, and they were about to begin eating when big yellow, the family dog, began barking.

    as the barking continued, a knock sounded at the courtyard door. after a while, the tibetan mastiff stopped barking.

    big yellow only recognized su shen as its master. it was very likely that it did not know the person it had first seen. then, it saw su shen, so it stopped barking.

    for some reason, gu zi had a bad feeling in her heart.

    she stuffed su le into su bing¡¯s arms and rushed out of the kitchen to open the door.

    as soon as she reached the courtyard, she saw su shen standing at the door with someone supporting him. his right arm was soaked in blood, a stark contrast to the condition he was in when they parted earlier.

    gu zi felt her heart skip a beat and struggled to maintain her composure.

    ¡°you can go back now. thank you for your help,¡± su shen told the person who had aided him, and they departed.

    gu zi quickly opened the door and noticed that not only was su shen¡¯s right arm dripping with blood, but his face was also stained crimson. his complexion was ashen.

    his black shirt was torn in several places, and he¡¯d done a makeshift bandage to stanch the bleeding. gu zi¡¯s heart raced as she took in the sight.

    gu zi quickly went forward to support him. his hand was hanging down, and the blood had stained the gauze.

    at this moment, su bing and su li had also follow gu zi out. they saw su shen¡¯s wound and tears started welling up in their eyes..

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Treating His Wounds

    chapter 71: treating his wounds

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    big yellow, the loyal dog, shared in their distress, crying with tears in its triangular eyes.

    gu zi carefully ushered su shen inside, instructing su bing and su li to join them for dinner, and then she assisted su shen upstairs.

    su shen¡¯s wound required more than just a simple bandage. gu zi knew she needed to properly disinfect it.

    although the injury looked quite severe, her past education had equipped her well. she had majored in physiotherapy and pharmacy at a prestigious university before her rebirth, so she was more than capable of handling the situation.

    as they ascended the stairs, su shen leaned heavily on her for support. his tall form pressed close to her, and she could feel his body¡¯s warmth.

    this close proximity felt both strenuous and intimate, making them acutely aware of each other¡¯s presence.

    the man struggled with his inner turmoil. he wasn¡¯t as frail as he seemed, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pull away from her, seeing how concerned she was.

    yet, as he endured the intimate contact, the attraction was both a pleasure and torture. did this woman even realize he was a red-blooded man?

    with the slightest shift of his gaze, he could catch the alluring curve of her body through her thin attire. her exquisite silhouette from her shoulders down to her slim waist was irresistibly enticing.

    they eventually reached the top of the stairs, and gu zi helped him into her room.

    her room was conveniently located next to the stairs, and it housed the first aid kit.

    gu zi retrieved the kit and began the task of tending to his wounds, first removing the gauze that covered his hand.

    ¡°how did you get injured like this?¡± she inquired.

    su shen¡¯s voice was low as he replied, ¡°one of the pigs in the farm went berserk and nearly attacked a pregnant employee. i saved her and had to wrestle with the crazed pig. it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    su shen lay on gu zi¡¯s bed, enjoying its natural fragrance, though it filled him with desire at the same time.

    the woman was unbuttoning his shirt, her proximity to him intoxicating. her scent made his mouth run dry.

    but he was too good at hiding, gu zi did not notice his abnormality.

    he was quite skilled at concealing his emotions, and gu zi didn¡¯t notice his internal struggle.

    as his clothes were removed, su shen¡¯s tall and well-built upper body was exposed before gu zi for the first time.

    his muscles were sculpted to perfection, emanating raw power. however, his physique was refined, lacking the bulkiness of exaggerated modern gym bodies. instead, his muscles oozed a seductive and appealing tension.o gu zi¡¯s eyes lit up. she really liked this kind of figure.

    however, when she was bandaging the wound, she noticed that there were many old wounds on the man¡¯s body. they had already healed into hideous wounds, forming a huge contrast with his handsome face.

    ¡°what¡¯s the story with all these old wounds?¡± she asked.¡±

    su shen replied, ¡°i used to be in the army. it¡¯s inevitable for me to get injured on missions.¡±

    gu zi looked at him with a hint of admiration in her eyes. this guy was a real man who had experienced a hail of bullets!

    ¡°gu zi, don¡¯t you want to know what your father and i talked about today?¡± su shen suddenly said.

    gu zi, still wrapping his arm with the bandage, looked up at him. ¡°tell me, i¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°he agreed to our marriage,¡± su shen disclosed, ¡°and he asked me to check with you if you¡¯d be willing to set the wedding date for next month.¡±

    gu zi stopped what she was doing. was he asking for permission? she thought that he would decide on his own.

    her gaze fell on his muscular arm. he was a man with such a good appearance and was good at earning money. of course, she was willing.

    gu zi nodded, ¡°alright, next month it is. your arm is all wrapped up. wait here, and i¡¯ll fetch a basin of hot water for you to clean up.¡±

    quickly packing up the medical kit, she practically rushed out of the room.

    actually, her decision to bring su shen into her room had a little hint of selfishness. given their relationship, and according to her modern thinking, she thought it was reasonable for them to embrace and share a kiss.

    nonetheless, speaking directly about this matter seemed inappropriate, so she tried to convey it through her actions.

    however, during their close proximity, su shen had displayed no reaction. this puzzled gu zi.

    his terms for marriage were that she must take good care of his three children, but did he not have any other needs?o

    gu zi realized this might be a problem. while she had no intentions of having children, she hadn¡¯t declared herself a celibate either.

    but broaching this topic was tricky. she couldn¡¯t just ask su shen if he was inadequate..

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Understanding Him More

    chapter 72: understanding him more

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard, and began to contemplate gu zi¡¯s lingering gaze as she had tended to his injuries. he couldn¡¯t help but smirk at the idea that she seemed to love looking at his body.

    it was an unexpected revelation that this young woman harbored such desires.

    at moments during her ministrations, he had been tempted to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

    however, the thought of her being a city girl had restrained him. he didn¡¯t want to startle her; he¡¯d rather take things slow and steady.

    finally, gu zi returned from the bathroom with a basin of water containing a damp towel. she sat back on the bed, wrung the towel dry, and started to wipe away the lingering bloodstains.

    there was a faint trail of blood trickling down his abdomen, disappearing beneath his waistband. eager to begin eating soon, gu zi closed her eyes and moved the towel lower, allowing her fingers to brush across his chest.

    however, despite her efforts, she noticed no signs of arousal from him.

    ¡°su shen, can i ask you something?¡± gu zi inquired.

    su shen breathed a sigh of relief. it seemed she had finally stopped her ministrations. he responded, ¡°of course, we¡¯re getting married. you can ask anything you¡¯d like to know.¡±

    gu zi initially considered a direct question but opted for a more discreet approach, given the conservative norms of this era. she wanted to avoid making him uncomfortable.

    she took a circuitous route and asked, ¡°do you have any hobbies?¡±

    ¡°work,¡± su shen replied after a brief pause. ¡°i spend most of my time working.¡±

    gu zi found this answer somewhat disconcerting. shouldn¡¯t a normal man have hobbies that include interests outside of work?

    she continued with another question, ¡°how many times have you been in love?

    is there a woman from your past whom you can¡¯t forget?¡±

    as she asked, gu zits thoughts drifted to su shen¡¯s previous marriage. they would have had an intimate relationship, as is typical in a marital union.

    su shen sensed that her questions were rather peculiar, but he responded patiently.

    gu zi then inquired more directly, ¡°what¡¯s the most intimate thing you¡¯ve done with your ex-wife?¡±

    su shen, having noticed the unusual nature of her questions, examined gu zi carefully. her long, fluttering eyelashes, with eyes like clear springwater, held his gaze. his breath quickened as he regarded her.

    what was this woman trying to ask?

    these inquiries delved into topics that were sensitive and private, and the fact that she had been observing him so closely all day raised his suspicions.

    gu zi continued her questioning, and su shen pondered the unexpected direction of their conversation.

    however, he still replied earnestly, ¡°my ex-wife and i had an agreement before we got married. her main responsibility was to take good care of the children. i was preoccupied with work, so our interactions were quite limited.¡±

    when gu zi heard this, she was almost certain of one answer ¡ª this man was not interested in women!

    however, it was impossible for a man not to be lecherous. did he perhaps have some sort of hidden illness?

    with these thoughts in mind, gu zi subtly glanced at su shen¡¯s lower body but quickly averted her gaze. she hesitantly asked, ¡°so, after we get married, do we have to maintain this arrangement as well?¡±

    she couldn¡¯t fathom being married to such a handsome and physically fit man but abstaining from phvsical intimacv with him. it seemed like an enormous waste!

    su shen had caught her looking at him somewhere just now. coupled with her question, he understood.

    su shen realized that gu zi was questioning his abilities as a man, especially after she had scrutinized him earlier. he felt a mixture of annoyance and amusement but didn¡¯t intend to prove anything to her at this moment.

    instead, he replied somewhat evasively, ¡°if that¡¯s what you prefer, we can have separate rooms after we get married. i won¡¯t insist on sharing a room.¡±

    gu zi was disappointed by his response and wished that he would stand his ground more firmly.

    yet, it appeared that su shen was unwilling to address the issue directly. she considered the possibility that he might be experiencing some kind of hidden ailment or issue, which made her question his ability.

    su shen stared at her for a while and said in a stiff tone, ¡°i¡¯m a little hungry. can you make me something to eat?¡±

    gu zi thought about the situation for a moment and rose from the bed. she tried to comfort herself that at least su shen was exceptionally good-looking.

    ¡°rest for a while, and i¡¯ll go downstairs to get some food,¡± she told su shen.

    as gu zi descended the stairs, she discovered that the three children had already finished their meal.

    su bing was reheating some dishes in the kitchen, though he was using a simple method, merely steaming them with water.

    upon seeing gu zi, su bing brought out the freshly steamed dishes..

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Underlying Medical Condition

    chapter 73: underlying medical condition

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi looked at the two bowls of piping hot food and smiled. she took them and said to su bing, ¡°thank you, boss!¡±

    with that, she left the kitchen.

    su bing¡¯s face reddened at the compliment, and su li approached, curious. he asked his older brother, ¡°will stepmother always be this nice?¡±

    su bing gazed upstairs at gu zi and whispered to his younger brother, ¡°don¡¯t expect too much, it¡¯s only the beginning.¡± then, he walked towards the living room.

    despite his words, su bing couldn¡¯t help heating two servings of food for gu zi. he believed she hadn¡¯t eaten anything after taking care of their father.

    when gu zi returned to the room, she found su shen sitting by the bed, topless due to the need for air on his wound. his muscular body caught her eye.

    su shen cleared his throat.

    hastily, gu zi picked up her chopsticks and began eating, fearing that she had made her intentions too apparent. she hoped she hadn¡¯t embarrassed herself earlier.

    the man smiled and started eating.

    su bing filled both bowls of rice with the same amount. su shen felt that he would definitely be hungry tonight, and gu zi was a little worried that she might not be able to finish it.

    she took her last mouth and looked up at him. ¡°i can¡¯t eat anymore. i haven¡¯t touched the food here. do you want to eat it?¡±

    gu zi believed it wouldn¡¯t be enough for a grown man, and she worried about wasting food. she tried to make the offer, only to regret it immediately.

    the way su shen looked at her was complicated, and then he graciously accepted her offer. ¡°if you don¡¯t mind, give it to me. i¡¯m a little hungry.¡± gu zi pushed her bowl over. she wanted him to pour the rice over to his own bowl, but she did not expect him to eat it straight from her bowl without any disdain.

    at that moment, gu zi felt an inexplicable feeling in her heart.

    ¡°thank you. the food was delicious,¡± su shen expressed his gratitude, remembering what gu zi had said about bringing warmth to relationships by saying thank you.

    gu zi replied with an ¡°okay¡± and then cleared the dishes. the kitchen had already been cleaned by su bing. gu zi only needed to wash two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks.

    after washing the dishes, gu zi went to the living room to play with su le.

    since tomorrow was saturday, the boys didn¡¯t have school, and gu zi asked if they wanted to join her in gathering bean jelly grass the next day.

    ¡°what¡¯s a bean jelly grass?¡± su li asked in confusion.

    gu zi explained with a smile, ¡°it¡¯s grass that can be used to make a delicious snack. you¡¯ll see tomorrow when we gather it.¡±

    the prospect of food piqued su li¡¯s interest, and he was excited to go. however, he hesitated because he didn¡¯t want to go without his older brother¡¯s approval.

    ¡°then, i¡¯ll steam the sweet potatoes in the morning,¡± su bing said.

    gu zi made an ¡°okay ¡± gesture and carried su le upstairs.

    as su li was less familiar with the gesture, he tried to imitate it and found it quite amusing.

    su bing was impressed with his stepmother¡¯s linguistic abilities, knowing that the language she used was reserved for specially trained talents.

    he couldn¡¯t help but wonder why such an exceptional person would choose to live in the countryside.

    and despite her kindness, he still found it difficult to believe that she genuinely cared for them.

    while su bing pondered these thoughts, gu zi carried su le upstairs.

    su shen was about to return to his room when gu zi called out to him, ¡°you can sleep in my room tonight so that i can keep an eye on you. with such a serious injury, you might have a high fever tonight.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s very troublesome for you, isn¡¯t it? my physical fitness is still fine,¡± su shen said.

    gu zi grabbed su let s clothes and turned around to look at him. ¡°what if you have a high fever in the middle of the night?¡±

    it would be even more troublesome if the fever did not go down in time. moreover, she had already taken the initiative to let him sleep here. what was this man hiding? he was really¡­ like a little girl.

    su shen gave in and sat on the bed.

    gu zi nodded and smiled, making an effort to avert her gaze from his lower body. she then carried su le into the bathroom.

    as she attended to su le, gu zi couldn¡¯t help but wonder if su shen were a virgin, considering his modesty and lack of romantic interest. this thought led her to suspect that he might have an underlying medical condition. she resolved that one of her first tasks after their marriage would be to take him to the city to see a specialist.

    ¡°help me take care of lele. i¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± she said after finishing with su le, gently placing the child next to su shen..

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Sharing a Bed

    chapter 74: sharing a bed

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi paid little attention to the interaction between the father and daughter, grabbing fresh clothes before entering the bathroom.

    as she stood beneath the soothing spray, a catchy tune flowed from her lips. her reflection in the bathroom mirror beckoned her gaze, showcasing her graceful figure.

    the host¡¯s radiant, smooth skin and alluring curves seemed utterly wasted.

    recalling the disheartening fact that su shen didn¡¯t seem to be interested in women, her cheerful singing came to an abrupt halt.

    meanwhile, su shen struggled to entertain the children and eventually let su le amuse herself, leading her to doze off.

    moments later, he glanced at the bathroom door, realizing the cheerful melody had ceased.

    sensing her return, he felt reluctant to let a woman sleep on the floor, so he stood up and prepared to go to the cupboard to get a blanket.

    at this moment, the bathroom door opened. ¡°don¡¯t move. what do you need?¡±

    su shen watched gu zi walk out from the bathroom. she was dressed in a silk

    nightdress adorned with plump peaches.

    her long, lustrous hair cascaded over her shoulders in an alluring fashion, and beneath the hem of her skirt, her two smooth, snow-white legs were distinctly eye-catching.

    su shen¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°i can¡¯t let you sleep on the floor. i¡¯ll sleep on the floor.¡±

    gu zi sighed with a hint of frustration. ¡°then you might as well go and sleep in your room. i¡¯m not going to sleep on the floor, and you shouldn¡¯t either.¡± she approached him and assisted su shen as he sat down, avoiding his gaze.

    innocently, gu zi inquired, ¡°is this nightdress too revealing?

    with that, she twirled in front of him. in her perspective, her attire was quite ordinary, even suitable for wearing at home in the 1980s.

    su shen, on the other hand, had a different concern. the style of the nightdress was indeed quite standard and, as nightwear, wasn¡¯t considered provocative.

    however, it was quite form-fitting. the outline of her peaches and the contour of her bosom were distinctly visible. but how could he tell her that?

    ¡°no. are you sure we want to sleep in the same bed?¡± su shen asked, still feeling unsure.

    gu zi nodded and walked to the other side of the bed. she lifted the blanket and carefully lay down. ¡°lele is still between us. this way, we can both sleep comfortably. i can also look after you. if you have a fever, i can help you lower your temperature.¡±

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but feel regret in her heart. this man had impeccable looks, but unfortunately, he seemed impotent.

    as the woman drifted off to sleep, the fragrance of her body lingered in the air, causing su shen¡¯s body to tense up.

    the presence of her body seemed to narrow the once spacious double bed. he could smell her unique scent, which was both crisp and pleasant.

    gu zi didn¡¯t know when she had fallen asleep. she woke up a few times during the night, and with the moonlight seeping in through the window, her vision remained clear.

    during her restless moments, she checked on su shen¡¯s temperature. to her relief, he was in good health and hadn¡¯t developed a fever.

    however, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pity when her gaze drifted toward his lower body. she recognized that his physique was admirable, but it seemed that a certain part wasn¡¯t functioning as desired.

    gu zi sighed and returned to her dreams. as she fell back into a peaceful sleep, her gentle breathing filled the room.

    su shen, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t managed to fall asleep at all.

    gu zits slumber was far from peaceful, as she often moved restlessly in her sleep.

    she placed her legs on his, and her hands occasionally reached for his face, creating a hot and uncomfortable atmosphere for him. although he was an ordinary man, he struggled to contain the strong desire building inside him.

    furthermore, he noticed that gu zi had a tendency to kick the blanket off. now he understood why she had chosen to cover su le with a separate small blanket.

    just as he was about to close his eyes, gu zi¡¯s restless movements kicked the blanket away once more. as he reached over to pull it back, he found himself gazing at her tender legs.

    his hand froze momentarily, and he struggled to suppress his desires, finally succeeding.

    with the morning sun filtering into the room, gu zi remained fast asleep, seemingly undisturbed by her restless night. it was su le who woke her up.

    when she opened her eyes, she discovered that su le had climbed over to her side of the bed and sat down. she noticed her close proximity to su shen, who was tall enough that he seemed to envelop her.

    gu zi realized that she could feel the warmth of su shen¡¯s body, and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red.

    she squirmed in su le¡¯s direction, and her buttocks seemed to have touched something hard.

    gu zi was shy, but she was also instantly overjoyed.. he could get hard!

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Little Pervert

    chapter 75: little pervert

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi didn¡¯t remain content for long. suddenly, she recalled a symptom of male impotency that she had learned about in her university biology class.

    it was typically when a man was as hard as a gun but couldn¡¯t maintain an erection during intercourse. the scientific term for it was ¡°erectile dysfunction.¡±

    could su shen¡¯s hidden condition be related to this? if so, it might be manageable.

    gu zi knew that this symptom was often attributed to insufficient kidney qi, so she figured that after their marriage, she could oversee su shen¡¯s exercise to help improve the situation.

    as these thoughts occupied her mind, the sensation of their closeness from the morning replayed in her brain, igniting an impish idea.

    his manhood felt pretty strong when it was hard. technically, it should be quite sizeable.

    she pondered the idea of measuring his size prior to their marriage for the sake of their future happiness!

    but as she reached out toward the blanket, su shen¡¯s eyelids fluttered open, making her hand pause abruptly.

    she smiled and said, ¡°you¡¯re awake. i helped cover you with the blanket.¡± with that, she swiftly scooped up su le and departed the scene, playfully pretending it was a harmless gesture.

    su shen¡¯s face was dark. he was covered with a blanket. why would he need another blanket?

    when a man awakened in the morning, he usually found himself in a particular state. why had she tried to lift the blanket? the answer seemed evident to him.

    it seemed that he had guessed correctly last night. she wanted to confirm if he was capable of a normal married life.

    this woman was really a little pervert¡­o

    during breakfast, gu zi brought breakfast up to eat with su shen in order to take care of him.

    however, she focused on feeding su le and was too apprehensive to make eye contact with su shen. she couldn¡¯t be sure if he had figured out her devious actions from earlier.

    actually, she was also very helpless. after all, asking such a question directly would really hurt a man¡¯s self-esteem. she could only rely on her own observation.

    ¡°we can communicate more directly. for example, if you want anything, you can tell me directly,¡± su shen said in a low voice after breakfast.

    gu zi thought, ¡®direct communication about this would be quite the blow to his self-esteem, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯

    she could only reply, ¡°okay.¡±

    later in the morning, gu zi carried su le, while su bing and su li each carried a bamboo basket. the three of them ventured out to harvest jelly grass.

    the bean jelly grass that gu zi found was beside a small ditch at the entrance of daqing village. they walked for a while and finally arrived.

    gu zi put su le down and plucked a leaf for them to see. ¡°it¡¯s an oval leaf like this one. look closely at the tip of the leaf.¡±

    su li and su bing carefully observed and then went to identify it.

    the three of them quickly got to work, but gu zi was slower due to having to tend to su le.

    su li observed the green leaves they were picking and couldn¡¯t see how they could be used to make a tasty snack. he asked su bing, ¡°can these really be turned into a delicious snack?¡±

    su bing didn¡¯t say anything because he felt that this stepmother seemed to be really amazing. she always came out with lots of surprises.

    su bing refrained from expressing his eagerness for the snack, even though he was looking forward to it. he didn¡¯t want to disclose his anticipation to his brother.

    zhang cuihua was about to go to her farm to get some vegetables when she saw a few familiar figures from afar.

    ¡°why are you pulling out all this grass?¡± she asked gu zi as she walked over.

    gu zi saw that it was her neighbor, aunt zhang.

    gu zi explained, ¡°i¡¯m going to make something delicious. when i¡¯m done, i¡¯ll share some with you. ¡±

    zhang cuihua appeared skeptical. ¡°what can you make from this? a salad?¡±

    gu zi kept the snack a secret for now and simply replied, ¡°you¡¯ll find out when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    zhang cuihua nodded and walked away, but before leaving, she mentioned an odd occurrence. ¡°by the way, i remembered something. don¡¯t tell anyone i told you this.¡±

    gu zi nodded.

    zhang cuihua continued, ¡°chu xi has been acting strangely today. i saw her wandering around your house early this morning. she was even walking around your house a few times this morning. i don¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to.¡±

    after saying that, zhang cuihua reminded her again not to say that she was the one who said it and left.

    gu zi felt uneasy. how could she have forgotten about this ticking time bomb?

    it was better to be on guard against people like chu xi.

    she turned around and called out to su bing and su li, ¡°we¡¯re almost done.

    let¡¯s go back.¡±

    su li wasn¡¯t ready to leave and said, ¡°brother, didn¡¯t stepmother say she¡¯d take us to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy spicy sticks after we finish cutting the grass here?¡±

    su bing shook his head. ¡°i told you not to get your hopes up. let¡¯s go..¡±

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chu Xiâ€™s Scheme

    chapter 76: chu xi¡¯s scheme

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the back door of the su family¡¯s house swung open, and chu xi quietly entered.

    she had a spare key, as she had worked with the su family for a long time.

    seeing that the house was empty and the tibetan mastiff was tied up in the front yard, she felt emboldened.

    she sneered and entered the kitchen. when she saw the valuable items on the cabinet, her eyes lit up and she reached out to take them and put them in her pocket.

    chu xi felt delighted beyond measure because she had found an unexpected bonus.

    she then walked to the cupboard and retrieved the bowls belonging to su li, su bing, and su le. she remembered that the children had their own bowls.

    then, she took out a paper bag from her pocket. it was filled with white powder that looked like flour.

    she sprinkled a thin layer in each bowl, and the water at the bottom of the bowls absorbed the powder. she picked up the bowls, shook them, and the powder dissolved. she returned the bowls to their places and concealed the powder bag and the remnants of the powder in the cupboard¡¯s secret compartment.

    after completing these ominous actions, chu xi wore a sinister smile. she couldn¡¯t wait to witness su shen expel gu zi when the three children fell ill from the poison.o

    ¡°su shen, since you won¡¯t let me have any benefits, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless,¡± chu xi muttered.o

    ever since she lost her job, she hadn¡¯t had an easy life at home. her daughter called her useless, her in-laws referred to her as a parasite, and villagers gossiped about her.

    her current mindset was clear: if they wouldn¡¯t allow her an easy life, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to resort to ruthless actions.

    she had to force gu zi, that nuisance, out of daqing village. only then could she regain her job.

    just then, she heard lele¡¯s baby babble in the distance, prompting her to make a hasty escape through the back door.

    gu zi, who had sensed something, opened the door and heard some commotion. she passed su le to su bing and hurried into the kitchen. the kitchen appeared normal, but gu zi couldn¡¯t let her guard down.

    just then, su shen came downstairs.

    when he saw that the children and gu zi had returned, he felt that he was being a little paranoid.

    ¡°did you hear something just now?¡± gu zi asked him.

    gu zi believed that su shen¡¯s injuries were too severe, so he needed at least a day of rest before returning to work. therefore, he had taken the day off.

    however, chu xi was unaware of this, as su shen had returned late the previous night. few people had seen his injuries, and she had heard nothing about it.

    although the kitchen appeared normal, gu zi was not ready to relax. she suspected that chu xi might have been there.

    ¡°yes, isn¡¯t it because you returned?¡± su shen asked.

    gu zi shook her head. ¡°we just got back, but when i opened the door, i heard some noise in the kitchen.¡±

    however, it was already too late when she went to check. the kitchen door was locked.

    su shen, who had awakened with a start, furrowed his brow slightly. ¡°so, it wasn¡¯t you or the kids.¡±

    while he was still groggy, he had heard a commotion. but since he hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night, he had been careless.

    ¡°just now, while we were by the ditch mowing the grass, we met our neighbor. she said that she saw chu xi acting strangely today,¡± gu zi explained.

    gu zi did not directly mention zhang cuihua, but su shen was also a smart person. in this village, the only person who was familiar with gu zi and could see their surroundings was their neighbor, aunt zhang.

    ¡°in what way was she acting strange?¡± su shen asked.

    ¡°she¡¯s been loitering around our house since this morning. when i heard that, i rushed back with the children, ¡± gu zi recounted. regrettably, gu zi had been a

    few steps too late.

    a dark expression filled su shen¡¯s eyes as he concluded, ¡°so chu xi must have thought no one was home and secretly entered our house. she was the source of the noise.¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t have concrete evidence at her disposal. after considering it for a moment, she stated, ¡°that¡¯s my assumption, but nothing appears to be missing from the kitchen.¡±

    it was clear to both of them that they couldn¡¯t make accusations without evidence.

    su shen inquired of su bing, ¡°have you lost your key before?¡±

    their house had the latest anti-theft locks on all the doors. without a key, chu xi couldn¡¯t have entered.

    su bing still didn¡¯t dare to approach su shen closely. he stood at a distance and explained, ¡°i lost it once, but grandma chu had a copy made in the city.¡±

    grandma chu always told them that their father was very busy with work and that they should be sensible and not disturb him with trivial matters.

    therefore, they felt that there was no need to tell their busy father about many things, including the loss of the key.

    ¡°alright, bring your siblings out to play for a while.¡± after su shen finished speaking, his brows furrowed. it seemed that he had to get his men to help out and speed up the investigation..

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: So Vicious

    chapter 77: so vicious

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen turned around and saw gu zi looking uneasy.

    he comforted her, saying, ¡°things can¡¯t be rushed. don¡¯t worry. i¡¯m here for you.¡±

    gu zi nodded and replied, ¡°i understand.¡±

    however, she couldn¡¯t comprehend why chu xi was so fixated on the su family.

    she had clearly taken so many things that she shouldn¡¯t have, but she didn¡¯t know how to restrain herself. she didn¡¯t appear afraid of any potential consequences.

    it became apparent to gu zi that chu xi was a time bomb even more challenging to deal with than initially thought.

    su shen saw that she was still worried and didn¡¯t try to console her further. this matter was indeed puzzling.

    su shen asked her to take care of the child, so he would cook for her today.

    gu zi looked at him when she heard that. ¡°how are you going to cook when you¡¯re injured like this?¡±

    ¡°this small injury is nothing. in the past, on the battlefield, i had to cook for myself even when i had bullet injuries, so don¡¯t worry.¡± su shen said as he began preparing the meal.

    upon hearing this, gu zi couldn¡¯t help but admire him even more. as she stood by the door with lele, she found herself captivated by every move he made.

    he was tall, strong, and his chiseled features exuded masculinity.

    his profile was striking and attractive, but he didn¡¯t appear gentle. after all, he had a naturally cold demeanor and usually didn¡¯t let strangers get close to him. however, what would such a cold man look like in bed?o

    gu zi could not help but recall the beautiful muscles she saw last night. his skin was a beautiful bronze color, and her face could not help but turn red.

    ¡°do you like stir-fried meat or boiled meat in soup?¡± su shen asked.

    ¡°this man really knows how to cook.¡± gu zi thought to herself. she raised her head and replied, ¡°stir-fry the meat. do you need my help?¡±

    ¡°go and rest. i¡¯ll be done soon.¡± su shen turned around and went back to work. his movements were very agile. because of his handsome appearance, the entire cooking process was very enjoyable to watch.

    during lunch, gu zi was still worried. she was about to feed su le, but she saw bubbles under the food.

    crash!

    su bing was about to eat when his bowl was pushed away.

    as su li ate hurriedly, gu zi, too, rushed to grab the bowl. unfortunately, she knocked it to the ground, and it shattered into little pieces.

    everyone was left baffled, not understanding gu zit s actions.

    ¡°the food is contaminated. don¡¯t eat any more,¡± gu zi said, placing su le on the ground for su shen to watch over the baby.

    she inspected everyone¡¯s food. there was nothing wrong with her and su shen¡¯s bowls, except for the strange white bubbles in the bowls that the three children usually ate from.

    su shen would never hurt these three children, so it was not difficult to tell what chu xi had done.

    her heart suddenly sank. if su shen hadn¡¯t been at home today and hadn¡¯t cooked, she could have been wrongly accused as the one who poisoned the children. chu xi was truly ruthless.

    unfortunately, su li had already consumed a few bites.

    su li clutched his stomach and started to cry out in pain. then, he started to vomit.

    su bing looked in horror at his brother, who was once again poisoned by food. his entire body trembled and he almost fainted from the trauma.

    gu zi quickly patted su bing¡¯s back to calm him down. she knew that su bing was deeply frightened.

    su shen picked up his youngest son and hurried out of the house.

    su li was sent to the hospital in the city for emergency treatment.

    gu zi waited outside with the two children, while su shen took the items gu zi had brought along with her to the chinese medicine department.

    an elderly chinese doctor examined the contaminated bowl of rice and shook his head, stating, ¡°mr. su, whoever did this is extremely vicious. this is a powdered substance made from dried poisonous mushrooms, which causes abdominal pain, vomiting, and hallucinations.¡±

    while not necessarily fatal, few people would dare to ingest such a substance. the fact that someone had used it to harm others was truly disturbing.

    ¡°please come with me to the police station,¡± su shen said.

    the elderly chinese doctor responded, ¡°it is my pleasure to assist you, mr. su. let¡¯s go.¡±

    after some time, su li was wheeled out of the emergency room. su bing rushed to his side, breathing a sigh of relief when the nurse assured him that his brother was okay.

    gu zi patted su bing¡¯s back and reassured him, saying, ¡°su bing, everything is fine now, alright? su li will be better soon.¡±

    meanwhile, at chu xi¡¯s house, chu xi was in a rush, with no time to rest. simultaneously, she endured her father-in-law¡¯s scolding. he remarked, ¡°i didn¡¯t see you all morning. if i didn¡¯t know any better, i would think you went out to steal a man.¡±

    her mother-in-law also taunted her, saying, ¡°you can¡¯t do anything right. you even got fired from a job as a nanny. worthless worm.¡±

    chu xi ignored them, secretly anticipating the day when she could regain her job, thinking, ¡°once i get my job back, i¡¯ll see who dares to treat me like this.!

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chu Xi Is Caught

    chapter 78: chu xi is caught

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°is there anyone home? open the door!¡± a voice came from outside the door.

    chu xi¡¯s mother-in-law glared at her, and chu xi quickly stopped her work and rushed to open the door.

    su shen must have come to her for help. she was about to make a comeback!

    however, when she opened the door, she was taken aback, and her immediate instinct was to run away. however, her in-laws stopped her.

    her father-in-law unkindly said, ¡°why are you running away? did you steal someone¡¯s man?¡±

    her mother-in-law sarcastically scolded her, ¡°you can¡¯t do anything right. you even got fired as a nanny. worthless worm.¡±

    chu xi tried to explain, covering her head, ¡°i didn¡¯t, i didn¡¯t!¡±

    two police officers in uniform entered and asked, ¡°who is chu xi?¡±

    chu xi¡¯s in-laws, upon realizing it was the police, were shocked and pointed at her, scolding, ¡°you fool, why did you call the police?¡±

    ¡°you¡¯re chu xi,¡± said a policeman.¡±please come with us to the public security

    bureau.¡±

    chu xi cried out in panic, ¡°no, no, i¡¯m not her. i¡¯m not going!¡±

    however, the police wouldn¡¯t let her make a scene. two policemen carried her into the police car.

    the other villages who were around the area came to watch the commotion and saw this scene.

    ¡°chu xi¡¯s hands and feet have always been dirty. this time, she must be in big trouble!¡±

    ¡°i heard that she was fired by su shen because she took something she shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°you guys don¡¯t know yet, right? i saw the su family rushing off to the city at noon. the second son of the su family seems to have been poisoned!¡±

    in the long hospital corridor, a tall figure stood by the window. as the figure approached, the faint smell of tobacco wafted through the air. it was somewhat pleasant.

    su shen sensed someone approaching him and turned around to see gu zi. she was putting out a cigarette in the cigarette butt box. su shen said, ¡°sorry you have to go through this.¡±

    gu zi gazed at him, her gaze steady. there was a trace of sadness in his otherwise cold profile. she said, ¡°i¡¯m not concerned about all this. what matters is that su li is safe.¡±

    su shen looked at her gratefully. if she hadn¡¯t noticed the abnormality in su li in time, all three children might have been in the hospital right now.

    ¡°chu xi has been arrested. we just need to await the results of further investigation,¡± su shen informed her.

    gu zi was a little surprised. didn¡¯t he only visit the public security bureau today? had they gathered enough evidence so quickly?

    ¡°how can you be sure that you can prosecute chu xi with just a bowl of poisoned rice?¡± she inquired.

    gu zi was starting to think that she had underestimated su shen¡¯s capabilities. he had asked the old chinese doctor to accompany him to the police station, and chu xi was arrested even without conclusive evidence.

    this must be because he had connections in the public security bureau, right?

    ¡°i have my ways, but further investigation is needed to convict her. it¡¯s just a matter of time,¡± su shen replied.

    gu zi nodded, increasingly impressed. he seemed to be very confident.

    ¡°t ,et¡¯s get some rest- i¡¯ve asked the nurse to arrange for two extra beds. so we¡¯ll

    manage for the night,¡± su shen said.

    after su shen finished speaking, the two of them returned to the ward together.

    meanwhile, su li had already fallen asleep after eating, and su bing was keeping a close watch over him.

    gu zi offered, ¡°i¡¯ll stay up tonight. if su li shows any symptoms, i¡¯ll call the nurse on duty immediately.¡±

    su bing shook her head, determined to stay awake and watch over his brother. both su shen and gu zi understood the depth of his concern and didn¡¯t insist on anything further.

    they all understood that it was a big deal for su bing that his younger brother was hospitalized again because of poisoning.

    in the middle of the night, su bing finally succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep by the bedside.

    gu zi smiled. su bing was still a child after all. she went to wake su shen up so he could carry the boy to bed.

    after ensuring su bing was comfortable, su shen said to gu zi, ¡°go and get some rest. i¡¯ll stay awake and keep an eye on them for the rest of the night.¡±

    gu zi, who was very tired, readily accepted his offer and lay down on the bed su shen had been using earlier. his lingering, pleasant scent on the pillow and blanket made her feel cozy, and she quickly drifted off to sleep.

    the next day, the doctor came over to check on su li. he told gu zi, ¡°thanks to the timely treatment, he can be discharged today. however, he has to take his medicine for the next month. and he should avoid consuming any prohibited foods.¡±

    gu zi nodded and requested a written prescription.

    her meticulous and earnest approach was evident, and it moved su li, who was on the verge of tears.

    he had never experienced such genuine care before, but he didn¡¯t want to cry, especially in front of others, so he held back his tears.

    as the doctor left, su shen entered the room.

    he was carrying breakfast in one hand and su le in the other.

    the nurses in the room couldn¡¯t help but admire the couple. ¡°the husband is handsome and the wife is beautiful. they are such a perfect-looking family..¡±

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Getting Kicked Out

    chapter 79: getting kicked out

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen placed su le on the ground, and she quickly crawled onto gu zi¡¯s lap. gu zi picked her up, and su le eagerly pointed at the breakfast su shen had prepared, then at her brother su li, who was still lying in bed looking unwell. it was as if she was saying, ¡°mom, let brother have some breakfast.¡±

    her adorable and obedient behavior touched the hearts of su shen and gu zi.

    after they finished breakfast, su shen went to handle the discharge paperwork.

    once they left the hospital, the family took a leisurely stroll through the city streets, observing the bustling crowds. green, grass-green liberation clothing was all the rage, worn by adults and children alike.

    su li¡¯s eyes were filled with envy as they followed the people wearing green liberation clothes, and he gazed at them longingly.

    su bing noticed su li¡¯s yearning look. he realized that his younger brother wanted a set of liberation clothing too. however, he was hesitant to ask his father for it because he didn¡¯t want to burden him.

    he thought that his father already did so much for them, and asking for more might seem immature and selfish. he remembered what grandma chu used to say about being sensible and not troubling their father with unnecessary requests.

    su bing suggested to su li that they stop looking, signaling that he shouldn¡¯t covet the clothing.

    ¡°mr. su, how about taking su bing, su li, and lele for a little outing?¡± gu zi proposed to su shen.

    su shen held su le and agreed, ¡°sure, we don¡¯t have to rush back today.¡±

    he did not say anything after he finished speaking. the corners of gu zi¡¯s mouth curled up slightly. it seemed that he still had to rely on her to decide where to go.

    she thought for a moment and said, ¡°there¡¯s a children¡¯s palace not far ahead.

    let¡¯s go there first!¡±

    ¡°alright.¡± with that, they set off in the direction of the children¡¯s palace.

    gu zi felt elated, thinking that su shen appeared aloof and distant but was actually easy to get along with.

    su li¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy upon hearing they were going to the children¡¯s palace. many of his classmates had visited, and he heard about the exciting amusement facilities there.

    the prospect of riding moon-flying rockets, exploring fun-house mirrors, or driving bumper cars had him thrilled. he was too excited to think about the liberation clothing for the moment.

    as they entered the children¡¯s palace, they noticed that many city parents were there with their children, enjoying various attractions.

    some parents knew each other and would even exchange a few words with each other.

    they wore glasses, leather shoes, elegant hairstyles, and fashionable outfits.

    suddenly, two boys wearing patched clothes walked in. one look and it was obvious that the boys had been malnourished and were not in good condition, particularly the younger one who appeared very pale.

    people couldn¡¯t help but stare at them, and some even looked with disdain or disgust, as if silently saying, ¡°what are these ragged kids doing here?¡±

    gu zi, focused on providing her family with a fun experience, didn¡¯t notice these reactions. su shen was walking ahead and didn¡¯t pay attention either.

    su li¡¯s heart was only focused on playing, so he didn¡¯t notice the stares. only su bing¡¯s face darkened as he observed the reactions of those around them.

    a disturbing thought crossed his mind: had gu zi deliberately brought them here to be ridiculed?

    having endured so much hardship, su bing had difficulty trusting others. he wasn¡¯t sure if gu zi would always be good to them, and he feared she was on the verge of revealing her true nature.

    in the midst of these unsettling thoughts, a staff member wearing a red armband confronted the two brothers.

    the guard had been alerted by a concerned citizen who reported that two young beggars had entered the premises.

    ¡°you two beggars, get out of here! what are you doing in a place like this?¡± the guard barked in a loud, authoritative voice, drawing the attention of onlookers.

    su li was stunned and hid behind su bing, trembling with fear. why was this city person trying to chase them away? was it because of their shabby clothes?

    su bing, on the other hand, felt hatred welling up as he looked at the guard, tears filling his eyes. he was humiliated and infuriated, but he also felt his fears confirmed: his stepmother had plotted for this to happen, so that they would be ridiculed publicly.

    he felt that his stepmother would definitely start to treat them badly.

    however, in the next moment, a graceful figure stepped forward, shielding su bing from the judgmental stares.

    at that moment, su bing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. it seemed like this stepmother would actually protect them..

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Please Apologize

    chapter 80: please apologize

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the sunlight bathed gu zit s black hair, adding a golden glow that made her look incredibly radiant in the eyes of the two brothers.

    ¡°is that how you address people?¡± gu zi retorted, her voice clear and firm. ¡°just because they have a few patches on their clothes, you call them beggars? i think it¡¯s time for you to register at the psychiatric department and not lose your sanity at such a young age!¡±

    her words were cold, her eyes sharp, and her demeanor exuded an air of nobility and majesty.

    the guard found himself momentarily speechless, standing rooted to the spot. he had heard about two young beggars sneaking in, and he had rushed over to shoo them away.

    the woman before him looked sophisticated, had a good figure, and boasted flawless skin. it was evident that she was from the city.

    even if he had to enforce the rules, there was no need to antagonize a customer on account of two beggars.

    ¡°miss,¡± he said in a respectful tone, ¡°not everyone can enter the children¡¯s palace, especially not children like these in such a state. it could affect the experience of our other guests.¡±

    ¡°apologize to my children!¡± a man with a child in his arms interjected coldly.

    ¡°please apologize to my children.¡±

    the man¡¯s gaze was piercing, and the aura of authority he exuded seemed to crush the guard.

    the two children actually had parents! and their father radiated such a commanding presence.

    on one hand, it would be embarrassing if he apologized in front of everyone. but if he didn¡¯t apologize, he was a little afraid of what this man might do to him.

    while the guard hesitated, unsure of how to respond, su bing and su li¡¯s expressions began to return to normal. they were now experiencing what it felt like to be protected by their parents, especially their father, whose image had just been elevated in their eyes.

    ¡°why should i apologize? it¡¯s clearly your fault, as parents. the children¡¯s palace has a rule that only those who are clean and tidy can enter.¡± the guard said dryly.

    gu zi could tell that he was looking for an excuse not to apologize, so she asked him back, ¡°that¡¯s right. the rules stipulate that clothing must be clean and tidy. how can you claim their clothes are not untidy just because they have patches? they look like children from a poor family, and that¡¯s not the same as being untidy.¡±

    the spectators finally understood that the two children were the couple¡¯s children.

    it was true that their clothes had patches, but just as their mother had said, their clothes were very neat and tidy.

    gu zi continued, ¡°you speak mandarin very well, but you don¡¯t even understand the meaning of the word ¡®tidy¡¯.¡± you¡¯ve unfairly driven my children away without reason, causing them unnecessary psychological distress. why don¡¯t you apologize?¡±

    the guard had no reasonable response left to offer.

    at that point, the director of the children¡¯s palace hurried over, recognizing the need to address the situation as a crowd had gathered.

    sensing the arrival of the director, the guard felt more confident as if he now had a strong ally. this was his cousin-in-law.

    he quickly aired his grievances, ¡°director wang, these two people are causing trouble here. they don¡¯t play any games. they intentionally made everyone think their children are beggars. they even forced me to apologize to their children ¡®

    the two of them were dressed very well, but the child was dressed in such rags. he must have come to extort them on purpose.

    many in the crowd began to side with the guard, thinking that it made sense. why would people only care about dressing themselves well and let children wear tattered clothes?

    a woman wearing a pearl necklace, holding her own child, chimed in, ¡°these two individuals seem to dote on the children, but they don¡¯t seem close to them. moreover, they appear undernourished. who knows if they¡¯re abusing the children behind the scenes? i suggest you investigate the two for human trafficking.¡±

    her remarks gained support from others, and more people started to share similar suspicions.

    ¡°yeah, i agree,¡± one person added. ¡°when you look at the children and those two adults, they don¡¯t seem like a real family.¡±

    seeing the growing support from the onlookers, the guard couldn¡¯t hide his satisfaction and put his hands on his hips , his smug expression unmistakable.

    he believed he was on the verge of making a significant contribution by exposing what he perceived as potential human traffickers.

    su shen couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of guilt as he observed the situation.

    gu zi, too, noticed this and understood that he was blaming himself for not detecting chu xils actions earlier, allowing the children to suffer so much.

    the two brothers, on their part, also felt guilty. in reality, they hadn¡¯t thought to wear their new clothes at home. instead, they had worn their old clothes, intending to save the new ones for school to prevent them from wearing out too quickly.

    they hadn¡¯t expected that yesterday¡¯s events would unfold, prompting them to rush to the city in a hurry. if they had been wearing their new clothes, today¡¯s incident might not have happened..

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: A Proper Sugar Daddy

    chapter 81: a proper sugar daddy

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°dad, we don¡¯t want to play here anymore. and we don¡¯t need an apology from him,¡± su bing said to su shen after thinking it through.

    su li also chimed in, ¡°yes, daddy. let¡¯s go. let¡¯s go!¡±

    su shen observed his two sons who appeared thin with yellow hair, despite gu zi¡¯s careful care. they struggled to adapt to their new life in such a short period.

    when confronted with malice and suspicion from the outside world, their instinctive response was to escape. they seemed to believe that if they hid, people around them wouldn¡¯t be able to direct their malice toward them.

    this coping mechanism was the same as when they endured chu xi¡¯s harsh treatment in the past. they didn¡¯t dare to criticize chu xi to their father, nor did they dare to seek his protection.

    their hearts were sensitive and filled with doubts and fear of the world. this sensitivity had made them careful, cautious, and forbearing. it had also erased their ability to ask for help from their loved ones.

    su shen frowned, and his cold gaze fell on the guard, sending a shiver down the guard¡¯s spine. the guard quickly hid behind director wang, who intended to smooth things over.

    unexpectedly, as director wang turned around and saw su shen, his calm demeanor crumbled, and his pupils constricted. ¡°mr. su, why are you here?¡± he asked in a hoarse voice.

    su shen confirmed director wang¡¯s identity and responded calmly, ¡°we¡¯re here

    to take the children out for a walk.¡±

    director wang¡¯s gaze shifted to the children, and he seemed to grasp the situation. sweat appeared on his forehead, and he exclaimed, ¡°so it¡¯s them¡­¡±

    the guard was baffled, urgently trying to communicate with his cousin-in-law, but he received no response. he realized that they were in serious trouble.

    as director wang smiled upon recognizing the woman beside su shen, gu zi inquired, ¡°i¡¯m mr. su¡¯s fianc¨¦e. do you know each other?¡±

    director wang nodded vigorously. ¡°our children¡¯s palace¡¯s scientific breeding center collaborates with mr. su. when the children from the children¡¯s palace participate in biological science activities, they go to mr. su¡¯s breeding center.¡±

    gu zi, slightly astonished, glanced at su shen, finding it hard to believe that su shen¡¯s pig farm was chosen for such a significant cooperation.

    she was confused. was su shen¡¯s pig farm so powerful?

    director wang spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. it left the crowd shocked, with jaws nearly dropping.

    usually, when parents brought their children here, they would try their best to get their children a spot to participate in the scientific breeding center.

    this was because the scientific breeding center here was cooperating with a large breeding farm, enabling children to engage in scientific practical activities on-site.

    if the children performed well in the activities, they could also receive a considerable cash reward from the farm owner.

    in the eyes of these parents, the owner of the breeding farm was a proper sugar daddy.

    seeing that the guard had chased the owner¡¯s two sons out and even incited parents to suspect them of human trafficking was utterly shocking to everyone.

    panic ensued, and all eyes turned to the woman with the pearl necklace, who appeared visibly nervous.

    some parents, who knew her, couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°you¡¯re a teacher, yet you don¡¯t know right from wrong. how could you form baseless accusations about others so easily?¡±

    ¡°hurry up and give up your child¡¯s spot in the scientific breeding center. otherwise, if people find out that you got your spot through the back door, they¡¯ll laugh their teeth out.¡±

    ¡°she¡¯s a funny one. she said that the owner of the farm is a human trafficker.¡±

    dejected, the woman left with her child in tow amidst the sarcastic comments of the crowd.

    meanwhile, the guard could only stand there dumbfounded, his legs trembling.

    the realization that he had offended a major sponsor began to dawn on the guard as he worked at the children¡¯s palace and was aware of their collaboration with the large-scale breeding farm.

    this collaboration was the result of discussions between the city leaders and the farm owner. the children¡¯s palace was privileged to be in such a partnership.

    he was done for. he had offended a vip!

    ¡°if that¡¯s the attitude of the children¡¯s palace, i don¡¯t think we should talk about the cooperation for the second half of the year, director wang!¡± su shen¡¯s voice grew colder and more resolute.

    when director wang heard this, he looked distressed. if they abandoned this cooperation, he¡¯d likely face repercussions from higher-ups, which was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

    he had worked hard to attain his position as department director, and returning to his previous role would be a significant setback.

    in an effort to salvage the situation, he angrily dragged the guard over. ¡°apologize to mr. su¡¯s family immediately!¡±

    the young guard had lost his previous arrogance and complied by offering a humble apology while bowing for looking down on others.

    su shen, however, didn¡¯t respond. he continued to gaze coldly at director wang..

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Satisfied

    chapter 82: satisfied

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    director wang understood su shen¡¯s look and quickly said, ¡°mr. su, we¡¯ll replace him immediately. don¡¯t worry.¡±

    when the guard saw this, he regretted it so much that he wanted to die. but in the end, it was all his fault for provoking someone he shouldn¡¯t have!

    the people around him looked at the guard mockingly. some people even said, ¡°he deserves it!¡±

    su bing and su li couldn¡¯t hide their smiles; it was the first time they had felt the security of being protected by their parents. the joy on their faces was heartwarming.

    after chief wang dismissed the guard, he respectfully said to gu zi, ¡°what would the children like to play with? i¡¯ll go get the tickets immediately.¡±

    gu zi looked at su bing and su li. ¡®what do you guys want to play?¡±

    su bing gently elbowed su li, encouraging him to share some of the games he was interested in.

    ¡°my brother and i have plans to enjoy bumper cars, funny mirrors, and moon rockets,¡± su li announced with enthusiasm.

    ¡°sounds great! let¡¯s have a blast with bumper cars, amusing mirrors, and moon-bound rockets. how about we throw in a merry-go-round for even more fun?¡± suggested gu zi.

    su li¡¯s face lit up upon hearing the mention of a new addition, and he nodded eagerly.

    gu zi, with the air of a charismatic leader, snapped her fingers and led the children to partake in these delightful activities.

    though su shen didn¡¯t actively participate, he stood by, observing the joyous moments.

    it was only in gu zi¡¯s presence that su shen truly comprehended the innocence and beauty of a child¡¯s smile.

    his attention was primarily fixated on her, and her every expression, be it a furrowed brow or an infectious grin, started to leave an indelible mark on his heart.

    her laughter, especially radiant, seemed to brighten the surroundings.

    whenever her gaze met his, her eyes resembled beams of light piercing into his soul, revealing the hidden depths within.

    su shen was certain that he would forever remember her in this manner.

    after leaving the children¡¯s palace, gu zi led them to the liberation store.

    the liberation store, a four-story white building, might seem unremarkable to a 21st-century eye.

    however, in this era, it was exceptionally popular. it was a high-end shopping mall in the city, offering goods that were not readily available in other shops.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the 1980s. it was in 1978 that the call for reform and opening up had begun to resound. this very movement had given rise to the prosperity of this era.

    though it wasn¡¯t fully open yet, gu zi was already looking forward to the day it would be. ¡°on which floor can we find the liberated clothing?¡± she inquired with the shop assistant.

    the salesperson told them it was on the second floor, where they currently stood.

    su li¡¯s ears perked up when he heard the term ¡°liberators.¡± he glanced at his brother, asking, ¡°is she going to buy us liberated clothing?¡±

    su bing remained silent but admired their stepmother¡¯s keen observation. they hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned their desire for liberated clothing, yet she had discerned it.

    gu zi approached the counter selling liberated clothing and asked, ¡°please bring three sets of liberated clothinz for these children.¡±

    the salesperson escorted the two children to the changing rooms to try on the clothes.

    su li, donned in a fresh set of grass-green attire, clapped his hands in excitement. he no longer needed to envy others; he had his very own set of liberated clothing.

    su bing gazed at himself in the mirror, wearing a satisfied smile, albeit not as openly exuberant as su li.

    su shen noticed it all and thanked gu zi, saying, ¡°you¡¯re truly remarkable. you have a knack for making them happy. thank you for being here.¡±

    gu zi¡¯s cheeks flushed under his gaze. ¡°it¡¯s because you¡¯re a remarkable person,¡± she replied. ¡°i¡¯m more than willing to be here.¡±

    unbeknownst to gu zi, across the counter, someone was watching her intently.

    gong zhan himself was unaware that he had been staring at gu zi, captivated by her presence.

    the woman who had always been by his side was now directing her affection toward another man.

    they seemed to be engrossed in conversation, their height difference making them an ideal match.

    yet, he felt a twinge of unease and promptly averted his gaze. why did he have the impulse to step in between them?

    perhaps he should have not have agreed on this shopping trip with gong xin; it was quite tedious.

    gong xin, bustling with bags of purchased items, prodded him, ¡°brother, can you hurry up? i still need to visit the snack section.¡±

    ¡°alright,¡± gong zhan acquiesced, trailing behind her. he glanced back, but the two had already disappeared.

    a sudden emptiness filled his heart, and it felt like something had vanished from within him..

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Fragrant and Tender

    chapter 83: fragrant and tender

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    after leaving the counter, gu zi and the others ascended to the third floor.

    the first two counters on this floor were brimming with all sorts of books, and there were even more books lining the shelves behind them.

    gu zi selected two books for herself, both related to exams.

    su bing opted for ¡°romance of the three kingdoms,¡± and gu zi couldn¡¯t help but secretly exclaim, ¡°as expected of a future big shot!¡±

    su li, on the other hand, picked ¡°journey to the west,¡± and gu zi felt it suited his future path.

    su shen simply paid for the items. he had never been this content with his money.

    later, they went shopping for toys, fruits, and vegetables. with su shen accompanying them, gu zi had no worries about carrying their purchases.

    she had been concerned about su shen¡¯s injuries not having healed much, but he had reassured her, and she was truly relieved.

    furthermore, to make future shopping in the city easier, gu zi had asked su shen to buy a small bamboo cart.

    once they had paid, they placed lele in the cart along with other heavy items that were cumbersome to carry. su shen pushed the cart.

    they returned home just as the sun was setting.

    gu zi ensured that su shen got some rest, and she took charge of the kitchen. su li was still engrossed with his new toy, a cold iron gun that he couldn¡¯t bear to put down.

    su bing, however, delved into the book he had just acquired.

    gu zi unpacked the vegetables she had purchased, opened the refrigerator, and found some fresh pork ribs. she immediately conceived a menu for the evening in her mind.

    the main dish would be stewed pork ribs with kidney beans and potatoes, accompanied by steamed vermicelli. she planned to use the rib soup to enhance the flavor of the vermicelli, so she ensured there was plenty of soup reserved for the pork ribs.

    once her plan was in place, she set to work. she diced the potatoes, sliced the kidney beans, and prepared onions, ginger, and garlic for later use.

    she blanched the pork ribs, heated some oil in a pot, and saut¨¦ed the onions, ginger, and garlic until they released their fragrance. then, she added the drained pork ribs and stir-fried them.

    when the ribs took on a golden hue, she added soy sauce to give them color and poured in water to submerge the ribs. then, she covered the pot, waiting for the delicious flavors to meld together.

    the pork ribs needed about 20 minutes to cook before adding the potato cubes and kidney beans, giving gu zi ample time to change su shen¡¯s bandages.

    she went upstairs, retrieved the first aid kit, and sat beside su shen.

    despite su shen¡¯s reassurances that the wound wasn¡¯t deep and wasn¡¯t a major concern, gu zi felt it was best to take it seriously, especially since he had lost so much blood.

    su shen thanked her and asked her to apply the medicine.

    her hands were small and delicate, with smooth, gentle skin.

    when she was bandaging him, her fingers occasionally brushed against his arm, creating a soft and comforting sensation.

    after quickly changing su shen¡¯s bandages, she glanced at the tv, which read 6:30 in the evening.

    she had noticed the time on the tv when she had come out of the kitchen earlier, which was 6:20 pm. there were about 15 minutes left before she needed to return to the kitchen to finish preparing the side dishes.

    gu zi watched a cartoon on tv and yawned a few times, eventually dozing off without realizing it.

    just as su shen was about to get up, he felt a weight on his leg. the woman had drifted off and was resting on his lap. he couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath.

    he secretly let out a sigh of relief. a smile appeared in his eyes as he watched her sleep.

    her eyelashes were thick and long, covering her eyes at this moment, making her look quiet and gentle.

    her neck was slender and white, as beautiful as a swan¡¯s neck.

    her side profile was gentle and beautiful. just the way she slept made her look like a piece of art.

    gu zi woke up in a daze and murmured, ¡°my ribs¡­¡± then she realized something was amiss. she had not only fallen asleep but also found herself lying on su shen¡¯s lap.

    she raised her head, a bit embarrassed, and said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry, i don¡¯t know why i fell asleep.¡±

    su shen, understanding, replied, ¡°you¡¯ve been running around a lot since yesterday. it¡¯s normal to feel a bit tired.¡±

    gu zi quickly made her way to the kitchen.

    meanwhile, at chu xi¡¯s house, chaos reigned as chu xi had been taken away. the family was in turmoil, with everyone blaming each other.

    ¡°if you hadn¡¯t treated my mother so harshly, she wouldn¡¯t have done what she did,¡± chu tian accused.

    chu xi¡¯s in-laws glared at their granddaughter, furious. they scolded her, ¡°you, little pig! you¡¯re just like your mother. you¡¯re useless.. how dare you criticize us?¡±

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Blame It On Gu Zi

    chapter 84: blame it on gu zi

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    chu tian despised being called fat; it felt like reopening a wound and pouring salt into it.

    she blushed and retorted, ¡°no matter how fat i am, i¡¯m still better than you two old monsters! you pushed your daughter-in-law to this extent.¡±

    ¡°you! you unfilial girl! watch how i beat you to death today.¡±

    the old man grabbed a broom and moved to strike his granddaughter when the old woman took off her shoes and pursued chu tian.

    just as it seemed she was about to strike, chu tian agilely dodged, fleeing the house and nearly stumbling into the aunt with crooked teeth.

    the elderly couple caught chu tian and started hitting her. she endured a few blows, and her body throbbed with pain, her legs trembling.

    observing the situation, the aunt with crooked teeth intervened and didn¡¯t miss an opportunity to sow discord. ¡°you¡¯re all family. how can you make such a commotion? look at the su family. they¡¯re happy and prosperous. that woman is amazing; she¡¯s the cause of your family¡¯s problems.¡±

    upon hearing this, chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law immediately stopped what they

    were doing. their mean faces were covered in anger.

    speaking of the su family, they were from the same village!

    su shen had acted unreasonably by taking their daughter-in-law to the police station, making their family¡¯s life even more challenging. if chu xi were to be convicted, who would provide for the family in the future?

    the old woman quickly pulled the aunt with crooked teeth aside and inquired, ¡°oh, thank you for the reminder. by the way, didn¡¯t the su family head to the

    ¡°they just returned this afternoon,¡± the aunt with crooked teeth replied with a grin. ¡°you should¡¯ve seen them. they returned with a cart full of treasures, the whole family chatting and laughing. you folks are in deep trouble.¡±

    as she recounted what she had witnessed at the village entrance earlier, the aunt with crooked teeth appeared green with envy.

    hearing her words, chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law¡¯s eyes reddened.

    they had never anticipated that daqing village would have someone as wealthy as su shen.

    back then, the su family had been exceedingly poor and had hardly any presence in the village.

    later, when the country began opening up its economy, su shen, despite being the subject of villagers¡¯ fears, took the bold step of starting a pig farm due to a lack of information and courage.

    this left the villagers concerned that he would implicate everyone and led to calls to expel the su family from daqing village.

    after all, su shen¡¯s actions were far-sighted, and his pursuits were viewed as extremely risky by the average person.

    unexpectedly, around 1980, people in the city began to embrace individual business ventures.

    the country also encouraged the development of self-employed households, initiating an era of ¡°daring to think and work hard¡± to build a career.

    suddenly, everyone was jumping into entrepreneurship and beginning their own businesses.

    previously forbidden phrases like ¡°street stalls,¡± ¡°night markets,¡± and ¡°self-employed households¡± became popular terms of the era.

    even their village had reopened the five-day trading market. the farmers sold some farm fruits and vegetables, and some who were capable sold small commodities.

    since su shen had acted early and positioned himself accurately in the industry, he initiated and expanded his farm, eventually becoming the wealthiest individual in the village.

    those who wanted to chase him out of the village were left eating their words, eagerly aligning themselves with him and acknowledging him as a relative.

    chu xi¡¯s in-laws had even traced their genealogy, conveniently ignoring their tenuous connection to the su family and shamelessly attempting to draw closer to them.

    with this newfound relationship, when no one cared for su shen¡¯s children, it seemed natural for chu xi to care for them.

    ever since chu xi began looking after su shen¡¯s child, their family¡¯s life improved significantly.

    however, since the arrival of the city woman, chu xi had not only lost her job but was also arrested.

    the two old couple gritted their teeth in frustration, their faces dark with anger. they wished they could devour gu zi¡¯s flesh and drink her blood.

    the aunt with crooked teeth wore a sly grin as she observed the situation. deliberately addressing chu tian, who had been sobbing on the sidelines, she said, ¡°why are you crying? you should fight for what¡¯s rightfully yours. have you not seen gu zi? she was smiling so brightly!¡±

    upon hearing this, chu tian, who had been whimpering and kicking her legs, abruptly ceased her tears.

    she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of injustice. she had been with su shen for so long, and her mother had looked after his children for an extended period.

    yet, in the end, they were easily replaced by a city woman who seemed like a cunning fox. what right did she have?

    she immediately stopped being angry about being beaten. she pulled the two elders to the side and said, ¡°grandpa, grandma, it¡¯s all because of gu zi that su shen has become so distant. it¡¯s all her fault.¡±

    ¡°we should go to the su family. we must persuade su shen to kick that city woman out and free your mother,¡± the two elders concurred. with the three of them no longer arguing, the aunt with crooked teeth continued to fan the flames.

    ¡°you¡¯re absolutely right. i don¡¯t think gu zi is a good person. don¡¯t forget, you¡¯ve done so much for su shen..¡±

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Vixen

    chapter 85: vixen

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the su family home, gu zi had just finished steaming the vermicelli when she heard a commotion outside the door.

    even big yellow in the courtyard seemed to sense something amiss and began to bark.

    quickly cleaning up the stove, gu zi rushed outside, only to find that su shen was no longer in the living room. her two brothers were trying to comfort lele.

    earlier, su bing had been playing with lele in the courtyard, but she was frightened to tears by chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law.

    su bing hurriedly scooped lele up, and su shen had gone outside to handle the situation.

    upon realizing the situation, gu zi made her way toward the door, but su li initially blocked her path. however, in the very next moment, he stepped aside quickly.

    ¡°dad said he can handle this. you don¡¯t need to go out,¡± su li informed her.

    chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law had arrived with a confrontational air, likely driven by chu xi¡¯s arrest, and their primary target was gu zi.

    though it had only been a short while, the children had already heard people outside calling her a vixen multiple times.

    of course, they knew that the insult was aimed at their stepmother. yet, judging by her behavior so far, she appeared to be a good person.

    consequently, their father did not want her to face harsh criticism, and they felt the same way.

    gu zi turned to su li and said, ¡°your father and i are about to get married. in a marriage, problems must be faced together. i can¡¯t let him cover for me. it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to hide behind him.¡±

    after her declaration, she turned and walked outside, leaving her stepsons impressed by her bravery.

    holding lele, they took refuge by the living room window to observe the situation outside.

    as gu zi stepped outside, she was met with an old woman berating her, alongside su shen.

    upon seeing that harsh visage, gu zi couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. no wonder lele had been reduced to tears by them; they appeared extremely mean.

    there was a saying that daughters-in-law resembled their parents-in-law, and it seemed to hold true for chu xi and her in-laws.

    the old woman¡¯s tone when addressing su shen was calm, but her words toward gu zi were laced with vitriol. ¡°you¡¯re that vixen, aren¡¯t you?

    that old man also looked over coldly. he looked at gu zi as if he was looking at an enemy.

    ¡°so you¡¯re the vixen who bewitched su shen! before you came, there was no one to look after the su family¡¯s children. our chu xi was the only one who took good care of all of them. the moment you arrived, you instigated su shen to fire her. now, you¡¯ve even taken her to the police station. how heartless!¡±

    at that moment, another plump girl stepped forward. gu zi recognized her; she was chu xi¡¯s daughter, whom she had encountered when delivering food last time.

    ¡°miss gu zi, please be compassionate and let my mother go!¡± she pleaded timidly.

    gu zi was so astonished that she was almost amused. were these people in their right minds? why were they branding her as such a wicked person?

    despite her anger, gu zi remained composed and said slowly, ¡°you both look quite mature. i didn¡¯t expect you to have such sharp eyes. thank you for the compliment. as for chu xi, i suggest you visit the police station to inquire further.¡±

    ¡°what did you say? we¡¯re calling you a vixen, do you not understand?¡± the old woman reiterated.

    gu zi shrugged. ¡°that¡¯s a compliment to my beauty. in this world, only exceptionally attractive people are referred to as vixens.¡±

    the old woman seethed with rage, trembling with anger. she then turned to su shen and slandered gu zi further.

    ¡°how shameless! is she implying that she can seduce men just because she¡¯s attractive? su shen, this woman has a lover in the city!¡±

    su shen¡¯s face had already darkened considerably. when he heard them making unfounded accusations against gu zi, his demeanor grew even graver.

    ¡°stop slandering my fianc¨¦e! i know exactly what kind of person she is. however, i will definitely pursue the matter of chu xi poisoning my children. you all need to leave immediately! ¡±

    his ability to command respect was remarkably strong. the two elderly men were taken aback by his initial statement.

    chu tian was trembling all over and momentarily speechless, and su shen¡¯s subsequent words almost left them off balance.

    chu tian had assumed her mother had, at most, stolen some valuable items from the su family. she never expected it to involve poisoning!

    she had heard about su li¡¯s hospitalization yesterday and that her mother had been taken away by the police. could this really be true?

    chu tian felt an overwhelming fear and left the su family¡¯s residence dispiritedly.

    the two old men stood there without moving. they really didn¡¯t expect this old b * tch to be so bold!

    the two elderly couple remained standing, unwilling to back down. they knew su shen had no concrete evidence yet, so if they remained steadfast in their denial, it would be hard to pin anything on them.

    after a while, the old man retorted defiantly, ¡°did you witness her poisoning it?

    perhaps this vixen is the one who framed my daughter-in-law..¡±

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Protecting Her

    chapter 86: protecting her

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the old woman concurred with him in her thoughts, contemplating how to get her daughter-in-law out first and then deal with her when she returned.

    she said, ¡°su shen, chu xi is at most just a little too greedy for some money.

    she would never do something as heinous as poisoning someone. there must be a misunderstanding. maybe someone used her!¡±

    after she finished speaking, she glared fiercely at gu zi, insinuating that gu zi had nefarious intentions, wanting to harm the children through a proxy.

    su shen shielded gu zi behind him and retorted sternly, ¡°the police will uncover the truth, and i¡¯ll fulfill my duty. i will reclaim all the money chu xi stole that wasn¡¯t part of her salary.¡±

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but want to applaud. the way this man defended her and her family was incredibly impressive.

    the old woman fumed, stamping her feet irrationally, and exclaimed, ¡°su shen, why must you do this?! look at your child. he¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±o

    as she spoke, she glanced at the courtyard, and su li¡¯s head shrank back.

    the old man joined in, discussing family ties. ¡°we see each other all the time. why must you make such a fuss? su shen, you¡¯re a man, and it¡¯s natural to be mesmerized by beauty, but we¡¯re your family!¡±

    gu zi was at a loss for words. why did everything seem to revolve around her? their logic was simply outrageous. could someone be forgiven simply because their attempt to harm another failed?

    moreover, su li was hospitalized. his health was already delicate, and now it had become even worse. how could they claim that he was fine?

    gu zi immediately walked in and called su li out. she held the hospital bill in her hand.

    ¡°come and take a good look. is this your idea of ¡®fine¡¯?¡±

    su li¡¯s lips were ashen, and his face was still pale.

    overnight, his body had grown significantly thinner, like a paper figurine.

    she then presented the hospital bill and pointed to the charges listed on it.

    the two old men were shocked when they saw the cost. the su family wouldn¡¯t ask their family to pay for this, right?o

    su shen¡¯s brows knitted tightly, his handsome features growing cold and menacing, conveying his disinclination to speak further.

    ¡°you¡¯re the ones who have lost your minds! gu zi is my wife. su bing, su li, and

    su le are my children. they are my family. i won¡¯t let anyone who harms my family go unpunished. if you don¡¯t leave, i¡¯ll release the dog.¡±

    as everyone in the village knew, su shen¡¯s tibetan mastiff was notably fierce. many thieves in the area refrained from targeting the su family precisely because of this tibetan mastiff.

    upon hearing su shen¡¯s tone, they did not dare to not believe he would set the beast upon them!

    ¡°su shen, you¡­ you don¡¯t even recognize your family! ¡±

    after saying this, the two elderly men didn¡¯t dare to linger any longer and departed from the su family¡¯s doorstep, leaving in a somewhat embarrassed state.

    he actually said that she was his wife. was she already his wife? and family!

    she gazed at su shen, finding his charisma irresistible.

    moreover, in the face of such an irrational situation, his resolve was unwavering. gu zi wholeheartedly approved of his approach. once more, she felt that she had found a treasure.

    back at chu xi¡¯s house, chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law pushed open the door angrily but didn¡¯t spot chu tian anywhere.

    they both sighed heavily. it was utterly futile! she must¡¯ve retreated into the

    nouse co cry.

    ¡°it¡¯s all over now. i think su shen is determined to get chu xi locked up,¡± the old woman lamented, slapping her thigh in frustration.

    if chu xi did end up in jail, how could their family maintain any dignity in daqing village? wouldn¡¯t they be scorned by everyone?

    that useless daughter-in-law was driving them insane!

    and that vixen! she was really something else. she had enchanted su shen.

    the old man¡¯s face darkened. after a long pause, he said, ¡°i think i know someone who can help us. we¡¯ll go to the city to find her tomorrow morning.¡±

    upon hearing this, the old woman immediately understood whom he was referring to. this person could not only rescue chu xi but also help their family teach that city vixen a lesson¡­

    in the city, at the golden sun hotel,

    the gong family had invited the gu family for dinner to discuss the upcoming marriage between their children.

    gong xin was extremely reluctant to attend, but her parents insisted on bringing her along. they argued that it was the first time they were inviting her formally, and it would be impolite if the whole family didn¡¯t attend.

    she had no choice but to comply, and her forlorn expression irked her mother, ms. chen.

    ¡°this is your future sister-in -law,¡± mrs. chen whispered to her daughter.

    ¡°build a good relationship with her, okay?¡±

    gong xin rolled her eyes. ¡°mom, as long as my brother gets along with her, that¡¯s all that matters. i¡¯m not the one that¡¯s getting married to her..¡±o

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Spinning Lies Out of Thin Air

    chapter 87: spinning lies out of thin air

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    mrs. chen patted her daughter under the table. ¡°you¡¯ve been spoiled by us. look at how obedient lin miao is.¡±

    gong xin followed ms. chen¡¯s satisfied gaze and looked at lin miao, who was sitting next to her brother, wearing a shy expression on her face.

    she held the teacup in her hand and sipped her tea, hardly touching the food.

    lin miao, why do you keep drinking tea? hurry up and eat!¡± mr. chen urged her. ¡°don¡¯t stand on ceremony. let gong zhan foot the bill today.¡±

    ms. chen didn¡¯t have strong objections to the idea of changing wives.

    since lin miao was the biological daughter of the gu family, and her son hadn¡¯t shown affection for gu zi after all these years, she accepted the situation.

    the top priority now was to expedite her son¡¯s marriage so that he could start a family soon.

    lin miao put down her teacup and spoke softly, ¡°actually, i¡¯ve always enjoyed drinking tea. my adoptive parents never understood me and said that drinking tea was a waste of time. now that i have the opportunity to savor the fine tea of the gong family, i consider myself fortunate. i¡¯d like to enjoy it more.¡±

    many people regarded drinking tea as an elegant pastime. lin miao¡¯s words implied that she had an inherent appreciation for refined things.

    the adoptive parents who raised her were not the same kind of people as her, so they did not understand her.

    gong xin didn¡¯t want to drink tea anymore after hearing that. she buried her head in the food. out of sight, out of mind.

    however, those who had yet to see through lin miao¡¯s true nature couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathy for her.

    mrs. chen said, ¡°i feel sorry for you. you¡¯re clearly a young lady from a well-off family, yet you had to grow up in a remote mountain village. it¡¯s only natural that you felt out of place.¡±

    gong zhan¡¯s father added, ¡°once you marry into our family, you can enjoy all the finest tea you desire. we¡¯ll make sure to compensate for what you lacked in your youth. ¡±

    touched by their words, lin miao wiped away her tears with her hand and smiled. ¡°isn¡¯t this a bit embarrassing for me?¡± she continued, ¡°i¡¯m not bitter about what happened. at least i¡¯m still alive and can reunite with my birth parents.¡±

    upon hearing this, gu shan and zhang mei felt an ache in their hearts.

    gong zhan, too, was moved. it was evident that lin miao had endured significant hardship in her adoptive family. the villagers had been truly unkind to her.

    ¡°let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. let¡¯s talk about something happy, ¡± ms. chen quickly stood up and comforted her.

    lin miao wiped away her tears and nodded, holding back her emotions.

    she shifted her mood with a bright smile and exclaimed, ¡°let¡¯s talk about something joyful. the last time we visited my sister, she was preparing for her wedding too!¡±

    upon hearing gu zit s name, everyone in the gong family, except gong xin, felt uncomfortable.

    gu shan and zhang mei didn¡¯t anticipate lin miao mentioning gu zi at this moment. their biological daughter was so naive.

    ms. chen had witnessed gu zits upbringing over the years. if she didn¡¯t say a few words in response, it might reflect poorly on their family.

    she responded with a smile, ¡°that¡¯s indeed great news. now each of you will have your own home and be happy.¡±

    lin miao readily agreed, saying, ¡°yes, it¡¯s great. before we get married, my sister has a small request. she wants gong zhan to accompany her for a meal and take a stroll around the city.¡±

    she then looked at gong zhan and added, ¡°i don¡¯t think my sister¡¯s request is too much. can you fulfill her wish?¡±o

    upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s immediate thought was that gu zi was too cunning!

    comparatively, lin miao was incredibly pure and kind-hearted.

    to fulfill gu zits dream, she was willing to let her exceptional fianc¨¦ spend an entire day with another woman.

    had she considered the consequences if gong zhan had a change of heart after this meal?

    when gu shan and zhang mei heard this, they were puzzled. they couldn¡¯t remember gu zi mentioning this.

    but they couldn¡¯t believe that lin miao, who was so innocent, would make something up.

    if she said it, then gu zi must have as well.

    they assumed that gu zi might have mentioned it when they weren¡¯t paying attention. after all, there were many members of the lin family present that day.

    lin miao observed her parents¡¯ and gong zhan¡¯s reactions. her parents wouldn¡¯t think that she was lying.

    gong zhan¡¯s gaze grew colder. it was clear he still had a deep dislike for gu zi.

    lin miao felt that gong zhan was always surrounded by many women, and her relationship with him had not progressed yet.

    as long as he still hated gu zi, she still had a lot of time to make gong zhan like her.

    ms. chen was relieved that their true identities were revealed early, and lin miao had returned to the gu family.

    she disliked gu zi, who was scheming.

    mrs. chen dromptly declined. saving. ¡°you¡¯re both getting married. and such

    an arrangement isn¡¯t very appropriate. you shouldn¡¯t agree to it..¡±

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: The Watch Is Missing

    chapter 88: the watch is missing

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao was certain that gong zhan would not agree to her request, so she said, ¡°it¡¯s just one day. i don¡¯t want my sister to be unhappy.¡±

    mrs. chen felt sympathy for lin miao and patiently explained, ¡°you can¡¯t exchange your own happiness for your sister¡¯s, my dear.¡± she then turned her gaze to gong zhan. ¡°you won¡¯t be going, right, gong zhan?¡±

    mrs. chen also believed that her son would not agree and looked at him confidently.

    everyone in the room, including gong xin, turned their attention to gong zhan. no one expected him to agree.

    gong zhan nonchalantly raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°i can go. it¡¯s better to quash her hopes before the marriage rather than deal with her pestering in the future. isn¡¯t that right, lin miao?¡±

    lin miao was briefly taken aback by his response before reluctantly agreeing, ¡°yes, i think so too.¡±

    as she said this, lin miao¡¯s fingernails almost dug into her flesh. she had not expected gong zhan to agree at all.

    the others in the room were also stunned, including gong xin. however, gong xin was content with this answer, and she gave gong zhan a thumbs up and almost wrote the words ¡°well done¡± on her face.

    but after a moment of reflection, gong xin found the situation rather strange. gu zi was no longer fond of her brother, so how could she have made such a reanest?

    mrs. chen felt sympathy for lin miao and patiently explained, ¡°you can¡¯t exchange your own happiness for your sister¡¯s, my dear.¡± she then turned her gaze to gong zhan. ¡°you won¡¯t be going, right, gong zhan?¡±

    mrs. chen also believed that her son would not agree and looked at him confidently.

    everyone in the room, including gong xin, turned their attention to gong zhan. no one expected him to agree.

    gong zhan nonchalantly raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°i can go. it¡¯s better to quash her hopes before the marriage rather than deal with her pestering in the future. isn¡¯t that right, lin miao?¡±

    lin miao was briefly taken aback by his response before reluctantly agreeing, ¡°yes, i think so too.¡±

    as she said this, lin miao¡¯s fingernails almost dug into her flesh. she had not expected gong zhan to agree at all.

    the others in the room were also stunned, including gong xin. however, gong xin was content with this answer, and she gave gong zhan a thumbs up and almost wrote the words ¡°well done¡± on her face.

    but after a moment of reflection, gong xin found the situation rather strange. gu zi was no longer fond of her brother, so how could she have made such a request?

    in the su family¡¯s house, the crowing of a rooster in the village woke gu zi. she touched her ears, finding that she didn¡¯t have a fever, but her ears were burning.

    superstition said that hot ears meant someone was thinking about you or scolding you.

    gu zi opened the curtains and observed a flock of birds flying in the distance. she wondered who could be thinking about her or scolding her.

    she remembered her watch and, after a quick search in her bedroom, realized it was missing.

    she recalled leaving it on the kitchen cabinet to keep track of her cooking time.

    curiously, she hadn¡¯t seen it while cooking for the children yesterday.o

    gu zi was puzzled and went downstairs to the kitchen in search of her watch. she checked various places, including cupboards, stoves, and the refrigerator, but found no trace of her seiko watch.

    ¡°why are you up so early?¡±

    su shen, who came to get some water, noticed the kitchen light on and saw gu zi. she seemed to be looking for something.

    gu zi explained that her seiko watch was missing. she suspected it had been lost while she was out cutting jelly grass with the children the day before yesterday.

    she had checked the time on her watch before she went to harvest the jelly grass but hadn¡¯t seen it since she returned to cook.

    she was sure the watch was on the kitchen cupboard.

    hearing her say this, su shen became alert. ¡°chu xi must¡¯ve stolen it when she came here to poison the kids!¡±

    chu xi refused to admit that she had the spare key to the su family¡¯s house, and the police did not find the key on her.

    if he could find the watch on chu xi, it would prove that chu xi had snuck into the su family¡¯s house before dinner.

    su shen said, ¡°i have to go back to the pig farm today. there are some things i have to deal with. i¡¯ll finish up there as soon as possible. when i come back, we¡¯ll go to the city together.¡±

    in the morning, su shen and gu zi arrived at the city¡¯s police station. the police officers were initially confused by their intentions.

    ¡°do you want us to keep chu xi here or let her go? are you from the su family?¡±

    su shen clarified, ¡°i am su shen. isn¡¯t chu xi waiting for further investigation? why are you considering releasing her?¡±

    the officer¡¯s attitude became considerably more respectful upon realizing that the tall and stern man in front of him was su shen.

    he explained in detail, ¡°a lady from the city came just now. she said that she¡¯s your sister, su jing. she said that she was here on your behalf and that it¡¯s going to be resolved privately.¡±

    ¡°where is she now?¡± su shen asked in a deep voice.

    the officer informed them that su jing was handling procedures in the office hall. su shen and gu zi proceeded to the office hall and found chu xi standing there.

    chu xi was accompanied by a woman dressed flamboyantly.

    she wore a leather jacket and a leather skirt, stylish high heels, and a handcrafted leather bag.

    this woman was interacting with the police officer and appeared to be su shen¡¯s sister, su jing.

    su jing suddenly turned around and saw su shen. she hesitated for a second and greeted him as if nothing had happened. ¡°brother, you¡¯re here. come and explain to the police that we¡¯ll settle this privately.¡±

    su shen approached with a stern expression, followed by gu zi.

    the next second, su jing¡¯s gaze fell on gu zi and she smiled contemptuously.. ¡°so you¡¯re the vixen who bewitched my brother!¡±

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Using Her as a Weapon

    chapter 89: using her as a weapon

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi was growing tired of being labeled as a vixen, and she even contemplated if they could at least change the adjective.

    there were plenty of female demons in stories like ¡°journey to the west¡± they could have picked instead.

    she pretended not to hear and dug her ears. avoiding the confrontation.

    seeing gu zits lack of response, su jing¡¯s arrogance escalated. she believed that

    gu zi was afraid and snapped, ¡°don¡¯t think you can really marry my brother. hey, i¡¯m talking to you!¡±

    gu zi, pretending to be surprised, responded, ¡°oh, are you talking to me?¡±

    su jing¡¯s frustration was further exacerbated by gu zits mocking tone. she attempted to move closer and confront gu zi, but su shen¡¯s imposing presence stopped her in her tracks.

    ¡°she¡¯s your sister-in-law. if you still acknowledge me as your brother, then respect her,¡± su shen shielded gu zi and warned his sister in a low voice.

    ¡°but brother, isn¡¯t she the nanny you hired to take care of the children? why should i call her sister-in-law?¡± su jing questioned. while she did not acknowledge gu zits identity, she refrained from using the derogatory term ¡°vixen¡± again.

    previously, her brother was just a retired soldier, and she had relocated to her boyfriend¡¯s home in the city to escape the hardships of rural life.

    now, her brother was the wealthiest person in daqing village, and she still relied on him for financial support.o

    su shen responded coldly, ¡°she¡¯s the woman i want to marry. you don¡¯t have to call her sister-in-law, but if you don¡¯t, remember that you¡¯re not welcome back to the su family.¡±

    this declaration left gu zi pleasantly surprised, and her heart raced. she had thought su shen would try to avoid any conflicts because of his sister, as most people would for their family¡¯s sake.

    however, he had openly informed su jing that she couldn¡¯t return to the su family unless she addressed gu zi as her sister-in-law.

    gu zi was deeply touched by his commitment and felt a growing affection, and perhaps even love, for him.

    after all, su shen was so handsome, so good at earning money, and so protective. it was difficult not to love him!

    su jing saw that su shen had no intention of defending her at all, so she did not dare to make any more noise.

    without the rich backing of the su family, her boyfriend would definitely break up with her.o

    su jing decided to wait and see how the situation would unfold. she half-heartedly called gu zi her sister-in-law.

    gu zi had no objections; she would answer if su jing addressed her properly.

    once su shen resolved the family issues, he glanced at the trembling chu xi and advised su jing, ¡°don¡¯t interfere with what happens next. you don¡¯t have to leave early either. observe how this unfolds.¡±

    realizing that chu xi¡¯s in-laws had caused trouble the previous night and likely sought help from su jing, su shen didn¡¯t press further.

    without asking, he knew that they must have found su jing and used her as a weapon.

    su jing was the youngest in the family. no matter how poor she was, she would not suffer.

    he didn¡¯t mind any of this. after all, she was his biological sister, and he wanted her to live comfortably.

    but the transformation of his once-sensible sister into a domineering and gullible person was baffling. she fell for chu xi¡¯s side of the story without questioning it.

    when he first started the pig farm, she heard from the villagers that he had done something illegal. she was afraid that her boyfriend would break up with her, so she made a fuss and wanted to cut ties with him.

    and now, after listening to chu xi¡¯s people, she blindly believed them and started to attack gu zi. su jing was a silly woman who always believed the words of others after hearing a few words of instigation. if that wasn¡¯t stupid, then what was?

    chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law would definitely not tell su jing the truth. they would only incite her to save chu xi and then use her to deal with gu zi.

    seeing su shen¡¯s cold attitude, su jing wanted to retort, but she did not dare to say anything else.

    seeing that she didn¡¯t say anything, chu xi knelt on the ground in the police lobby and crawled toward su jing.

    ¡°jingjing, please! help me! i was framed,¡± she implored.

    although su jing wanted to defend chu xi, she didn¡¯t dare oppose her brother any further after their earlier altercation.

    ¡°auntie, the police will clear your name,¡± she said to chu xi.

    after saying that, su jing stood behind su shen and distanced herself from chu xi.

    chu xi continued to kneel on the ground, shouting loudly in a bid to attract the attention of the people present.

    the bystanders, however, mostly regarded her with disdain and indifference, choosing to focus on their own matters instead.

    chu xi¡¯s attempt to leverage her age and garner sympathy was entirely fruitless in this environment.

    a few police officers decided to intervene and approached chu xi, delivering a stern warning, ¡°madam, please cooperate with the ongoing investigation. the truth will prevail. no one can unjustly frame you.¡±

    one officer extended a hand to help her stand, not out of pity, but to maintain the police station¡¯s professional demeanor.

    they had seen too many aunties who cried and cried when they were caught for doing something wrong. no one believed her nonsense.

    realizing that no one was paying heed to her, chu xi eventually gave up her efforts.

    anyway, no one saw her poisoning the children.. as long as she refused to admit it, what else could they do?

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Itâ€™s Hard to Be a Stepmother

    chapter 90: it¡¯s hard to be a stepmother

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    at that moment, chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law entered the police station.

    they had just discussed how to persuade su jing to go back to the su family to cause trouble when they saw su shen and gu zi.

    upon seeing su shen and gu zi, they couldn¡¯t hide their smirks. they swiftly made their way over.

    the old man raised his voice, accusing them, ¡°you¡¯re arresting people without any evidence, su shen. you¡¯re bullying your relatives and neighbors now that you¡¯re rich!¡±

    chu xi seized the opportunity to cry out, ¡°i¡¯m innocent! the police came to my house and arrested me for no reason! what heinous crime have i committed?!¡±

    given the lack of concrete evidence, the police had no choice but to temporarily detain her.

    chu xi was resolved not to confess, even convinced that no one had witnessed her entering the su family¡¯s house.

    she cried even more fiercely than before, attracting the people who would handle the matter in the future.

    the two elderly couple moved through the police lobby, fervently appealing to the officers and crying loudly.

    ¡°their children did¡¯t have a mother to take care of them. my daughter-in-law was kind enough to take care of their children. now, the children have just had a stepmother, and they are poisoned. they¡¯re accusing my daughter-in-law of cause trouble when they saw su shen and gu zi.

    upon seeing su shen and gu zi, they couldn¡¯t hide their smirks. they swiftly made their way over.

    the old man raised his voice, accusing them, ¡°you¡¯re arresting people without any evidence, su shen. you¡¯re bullying your relatives and neighbors now that you¡¯re rich!¡±

    chu xi seized the opportunity to cry out, ¡°i¡¯m innocent! the police came to my house and arrested me for no reason! what heinous crime have i committed?!¡±

    given the lack of concrete evidence, the police had no choice but to temporarily detain her.

    chu xi was resolved not to confess, even convinced that no one had witnessed her entering the su family¡¯s house.

    she cried even more fiercely than before, attracting the people who would handle the matter in the future.

    the two elderly couple moved through the police lobby, fervently appealing to the officers and crying loudly.

    ¡°their children did¡¯t have a mother to take care of them. my daughter-in-law was kind enough to take care of their children. now, the children have just had a stepmother, and they are poisoned. they¡¯re accusing my daughter-in-law of poisoning them!¡±

    seeing the puzzled and sympathetic looks of the onlookers, the old woman also cried out, ¡°the police have already said that there¡¯s no conclusive evidence to prove that my daughter-in-law poisoned them. my daughter-in-law is innocent!¡±

    people in the lobby began discussing the matter, their eyes turning to gu zi and su shen. initially, they were hesitant to voice their opinions.

    however, upon hearing chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law¡¯s cries and learning that gu zi was the stepmother of the poisoned child, some couldn¡¯t help but share their thoughts.

    a middle-aged woman with fashionable curly hair directed her words at gu zi, saying, ¡°so you have a stepmother at home. no wonder the child was poisoned.¡±

    for many, the term ¡°stepmother¡± was synonymous with wickedness.

    a thin bespectacled man chimed in, ¡°police officers shouldn¡¯t be duped by one-sided accounts. you should investigate the child¡¯s stepmother instead of

    this lady here who was kind enough to help take care of the children. why would she poison the child? the stepmother seems more suspicious in comparison.¡±

    gu zi found herself at the center of attention. chu xi and her parents-in-law wore triumphant expressions.

    su jing was also secretly rejoicing; her worries were alleviated. she only needed to wait quietly for gu zi to go to jail, and su shen would be humiliated.

    when her brother realized that he had misjudged her, he would have to thank her ¨C she planned to ask for more money.

    gu zi saw everyone¡¯s reaction and understood that the chu family had successfully used her identity as a stepmother to mislead everyone to convict her.

    gu zi finally understood. no wonder people said that it was difficult to be a stepmother!

    seeing that gu zi was a bit upset, su shen gently reached out and pulled her into his embrace, their hearts drawing closer in that moment.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry, gu zi, for making you endure all this criticism,¡± he expressed with sincerity, no longer worried about whether his affectionate gesture might offend her.

    su shen had never felt so anxious before. his greatest fear was losing her, fearing that she would rethink their marriage.

    gu zi looked into his eyes, seeing the youthful passion within them, and spoke softly, ¡°you¡¯re not the one in the wrong. why are you apologizing? i won¡¯t let them say these things about you for nothing. let me handle this.¡±

    after all, the missing watch belonged to her, and only she knew how it had vanished. she was better suited to explain the situation.

    ¡°go ahead, i¡¯ll be right behind you,¡± su shen said, feeling a sense of relief.

    gu zi confidently approached the two people who were talking and asked with a warm smile, ¡°have you finished your discussion? i¡¯d like to get down to business. ¡±

    the pair turned their heads away, their prejudice against a stepmother evident in their expressions.

    unconcerned about their opinions, gu zi recounted how she discovered her watch was missing.

    ¡°now, if the seiko watch is found either on chu xi or in chu xi¡¯s house, it means that chu xi¡¯s actions align with the time of the poisoning. she has to cooperate with the police investigation.¡±

    the middle-aged woman with curly hair, who had been sympathetic toward

    chu xi, suggested, ¡°auntie, let the police conduct an open search.¡±

    chu xi felt a little guilty, but when she remembered that she didn¡¯t have the watch on her, she wasn¡¯t afraid anymore.

    even if they wanted to search her house, they couldn¡¯t do it right away! her parents-in-law would have plenty of time to hide it when they returned.

    she acted as if she wasn¡¯t afraid of her actions being exposed. ¡°officer, feel free to search. if you find anything, may lightning strike me!¡±

    observing the aunt¡¯s attitude, the onlookers began to think that this stepmother must be slandering her.

    after all, gu zi was too beautiful and dressed very fashionably. how could such a woman be willing to be someone else¡¯s stepmother?

    it had to be for personal gain!

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Foresight

    chapter 91: foresight

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    a police officer stepped forward and conducted a thorough search of chu xi in front of the crowd. indeed, nothing incriminating was found on her.

    chu xi proudly straightened her back, and her parents-in-law also wore satisfied expressions. without concrete evidence, they were confident in their position.

    the bespectacled man sneered, ¡°looks like you¡¯re pushing an innocent person to take the blame.¡±

    the curly-haired middle-aged woman swept a cold glance at gu zi. with that small waist and long legs, it was obvious that she was not a good woman.

    ¡°you men only judge by appearances,¡± she retorted. ¡®you can¡¯t just choose a wife based on looks. you¡¯re being too judgmental. you¡¯ll regret it when your family falls apart.¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t hold back in responding, ¡°so, being good-looking means you¡¯re vicious? the great new government has been established for so many years, but your head is still wrapped in a foot-binding cloth!¡±

    the middle-aged woman was so angry that she could not speak.

    gu zi then turned to the bespectacled man and inquired, ¡°so we didn¡¯t find anything on her. are you really confident that we won¡¯t find it in her family home?¡±

    the bespectacled man snorted, ¡°this lady doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would steal the watch. i¡¯ll crawl out of here if she did.¡±

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing when he made such bold claims. some people cared so much about their reputation that they would stubbornly stick to their position, even if they were proven wrong.

    she then looked at su shen, who stood tall and peered past the crowd.

    walking forward, he spoke aloud, ¡°brother, you don¡¯t need to crawl out of here like a dog for someone like that. come here.¡±

    his words were resolute and clear, leaving everyone to wonder whom he was addressing.

    as all eyes followed his gaze, two police officers entered from the door, carrying an item in their hands.

    they walked past the spectators, directly to chu xi.

    in front of the entire assembly, they unveiled a fine watch. chu xi¡¯s expression shifted to one of panic.

    gu zi confirmed that it was her watch and asked, ¡°how did you bring it over so quickly?¡±

    su shen explained, ¡°i suspected chu xi might not have kept the watch on her, so i contacted the police station while i was at the pig farm.¡±

    gu zi suddenly remembered that she had seen a red landline phone in his office before.

    so it seemed the police car had already set off for chu xi¡¯s house earlier. they calculated the time and came back at the right time.

    she couldn¡¯t help but give su shen a thumbs up. he had great foresight.

    su shen looked puzzled, and gu zi corrected herself, saying, ¡°i mean, you¡¯re great.¡±

    she then turned her attention to chu xi and didn¡¯t notice su shen¡¯s gaze, filled with admiration, as he looked at her.

    the police officer inquired, ¡°auntie, is your daughter¡¯s name chu tian?¡±

    chu xi¡¯s lips quivered slightly as she replied, ¡°yes, officer. what¡¯s the matter?¡± the police officer continued, ¡®we searched your house earlier and found this watch under your bed. chu tian claimed that it was your room.¡±

    chu xi¡¯s reaction was immediate; she trembled and nearly lost her balance.

    her parents-in-law rushed forward to quietly remind her, ¡°that watch belongs to you. don¡¯t panic!¡±

    who could testify that the watch belonged to gu zi?

    chu xi quickly said, ¡°yes, this watch is mine. it¡¯s my watch. i can put my watch wherever i want! ¡±

    her body was trembling and she was incoherent. anyone could tell that she

    was guilty.

    but gu zi spoke up, saying, ¡°aunt chu, have some integrity. just because you stole it doesn¡¯t make the watch yours. this is my new watch.¡±

    chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law refused to acknowledge it, insisting, ¡°you can¡¯t just claim it¡¯s yours because you said so.¡±

    the bespectacled man and the middle-aged woman, turning red-faced, were eager to slip away unnoticed.

    however, after hearing their comments, they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to leave. the middle-aged woman echoed, ¡°exactly. she can¡¯t just assert ownership of the watch.¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t waste time with them; luckily, she had the foresight to bring the proof of purchase with her.

    she handed a purchase receipt from the trading company to the police officer. ¡°this is the receipt from when i bought the watch. if it¡¯s still not enough to prove that this watch is mine, you can invite the trading company¡¯s boss here to confirm it.¡±

    the police officers examined the receipt and raised it for everyone to see.

    the purchase time, amount, and trading company address were all clearly stated. the bespectacled man and the middle-aged woman were silenced and left the scene in defeat.

    the other two police officers approached chu xi, and one said, ¡°auntie, the evidence is conclusive. you¡¯ll need to stay and cooperate with the investigation. ¡±

    chu xi didn¡¯t want to stay in this godforsaken place anymore. she was so scared that her legs went limp..

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chu Xi Gets a Good Beating

    chapter 92: chu xi gets a good beating

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°no, no, no. i didn¡¯t steal it. i don¡¯t know you found it under my bed¡­¡± chu xi began to panic and speak incoherently.

    she imew she was the one who had stolen the watch and poisoned the children. her deeds had come back to haunt her.

    but how could they possibly know? no one had seen her.

    she wanted to ask her in-laws for help, but when she looked up, she only saw the backs of the two old in-laws fleeing in a hurry.

    at this moment, the police brought a familiar face to chu xi.

    at that moment, the police brought someone familiar to chu xi, a man of about the same age. his sharp features and intense expression made him seem intimidating.

    this was chu banxian, the cousin who sold the poison to chu xi.

    he cursed at chu xi. ¡°you old whore! you¡¯ve ruined me! why don¡¯t you just die?

    i¡¯ll kill you before going to jail!¡±

    he raged, attempting to break free from the police officers restraining him. chu xi, terrified, retreated until she fell heavily to the ground.

    seeing this, su shen pulled gu zi back, watching the unfolding drama with a cold, detached expression.

    su jing was also frightened and did not dare to move. what was going on? why was everyone saying different things?

    sitting on the ground, chu xi recalled the things chu banxian had told her, and her fury grew.

    that deceitful swindler had manipulated her, and she had fallen for his lies! she didn¡¯t know where she got the strength from. she got up from the ground and pointed at the other party¡¯s nose. ¡°you old liar! give me back my money! ¡±

    but the man was equally obstinate, and the two of them launched into a verbal battle. the police officers decided to let them continue, as nothing they did could keep the feuding pair apart.

    both of them had seemingly lost their sanity as they ranted. within their exchange of insults, they inadvertently revealed their motives, the illicit transaction, and their conspiracy to poison the su family¡¯s children.

    to sum it up, chu xi had sought out her cousin, chu banxian, to concoct a plan to get rid of gu zi and regain her place as the su family nanny.

    chu banxian was aware that chu xi had amassed a significant sum while working for the su family. he had seen an opportunity to extort money from her.

    he suggested that chu xi use a so-called obedient powder, which was essentially a poison made from poisonous insects.

    the powder would not kill but make the children ill, causing them to vomit, experience pain, and become weak for several months. in this vulnerable state, they would become obedient to chu xi.

    chu xi had purchased the ¡°obedient powder¡± at a high price, which was actually disguised as poisonous mushroom powder. together, they schemed to poison

    chu banxian had reassured her that the powder wouldn¡¯t be lethal, but its effects would be enough to help her frame gu zi.

    as long as he framed gu zi, when gu zi was arrested, su shen would need someone to take care of the child. the child would also speak up for chu xi, and chu xi would be able to work at the su family again.

    the people present found these words amusing, but they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to laugh.

    how could anyone believe such absurd claims?

    it was clear that chu xi¡¯s own greed and malice had brought her to this point. she had no one to blame but herself.

    the other spectators gradually departed, leaving only the police, gu zi, su jing and su shen behind.

    as chu banxian continued to curse, his rage escalated, and he managed to break free from the police¡¯s restraint. he lunged toward chu xi and delivered a powerful slap.

    a brawl between the cousins erupted immediately. they exchanged punches and kicks, creating a chaotic and intense scene.

    the police officers eventually managed to separate chu banxian from chu xi. gu zi and su jing couldn¡¯t bear to watch as they witnessed the brutal aftermath of the fight.

    chu xi lay on the ground, her face battered and bloodied, resembling a gruesome sight. blood flowed from her nose and mouth, making it a distressing sight.

    the police took both chu xi and chu banxian to the hospital before they would face the full extent of the law¡¯s punishment.

    after leaving the police station, su shen and gu zi walked out, with su jing following them.

    su jing forced a smile and spoke, ¡°brother, sister-in-law, i want to apologize for my impulsive actions. i was misled by others. i didn¡¯t mean it. i¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    she didn¡¯t feel any remorse for chu xi, who had tried to harm her nephews. in her opinion, chu xi had received what she deserved.

    however, this didn¡¯t mean she accepted gu zi. gu zi¡¯s presence had disrupted the interests of too many people, including herself.

    but su jing knew that she had to maintain a facade of friendship with gu zi in front of her brother.

    she was aware of gu zi¡¯s cunning nature and feared that her brother had fallen for her.

    su jing suspected that gu zi was primarily motivated by money. this was something she couldn¡¯t accept; the su family¡¯s wealth belonged to the su

    family!

    gu zi had noticed the subtle thoughts behind su jing¡¯s eyes but chose not to react since she hadn¡¯t taken any hostile actions.

    ¡°it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s all in the past,¡± she replied with a gentle smile..

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Just Hold On to Me

    chapter 93: just hold on to me

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    seeing that gu zi was so magnanimous, su jing quickly said, ¡°you¡¯re the best,

    sister-in-law!¡±

    gu zi realized that su jing was no fool and understood the value of keeping things civil.

    ¡°we can discuss the facts without getting too worked up,¡± gu zi replied indifferently.

    her message was clear: she was willing to let bygones be bygones for this incident alone. any future grievances would be addressed separately.

    su shen also saw through his sister¡¯s intentions and issued a warning, ¡°think carefully about your actions in the future. if something like this happens again,

    i won¡¯t intervene on your behalf.¡±

    su jing nodded obediently and bid them farewell.

    however, as soon as she turned around, the jealousy in her eyes revealed itself.

    su shen was her brother, and now he was openly and secretly supporting gu zi, an outsider. how could she not feel a sense of imbalance?

    she realized she couldn¡¯t peacefully coexist with gu zi if she wanted to secure her position in the su family.

    it was evident that she needed to pay closer attention to family dynamics in the future, seizing opportunities to undermine gu zi¡¯s standing.

    feeling a rumble in her stomach, gu zi checked her watch and noted it was already past noon.

    she looked up and met su shen¡¯s understanding gaze. he said, ¡°let¡¯s go fill our stomachs first.¡±

    they headed to a nearby state-owned restaurant and ordered a couple of dishes and a soup.

    in those days, state-owned restaurants offered a variety of dishes, which were sufficient for the two of them.

    as they dined, gu zi observed the other patrons in the restaurant. everyone seemed to be in high spirits, and dining here appeared to be a prestigious affair.

    gu zi remembered that in the 1980s, ordinary people could only afford to dine at such restaurants once a year during the new year.

    the waiters who served the dishes in the restaurant were all dressed in white coats, but their service attitude was not very good. they looked very arrogant.

    gu zi took a bite of the tomato scrambled egg. mmm, the taste was really good. it felt authentic.

    putting everything else aside, the hygiene and taste of the food in the state-owned restaurant were guaranteed. at the very least, it would not harm the customers.

    ¡°how did you find chu banxian?¡± gu zi asked su shen.

    she believed there was still time to investigate the matter of aunt chu¡¯s food poisoning, as no one had witnessed chu xi tampering with the food. however, she hadn¡¯t anticipated they would apprehend her accomplice so swiftly.

    su shen, nonchalantly skewering a piece of tender beef, replied, ¡°we¡¯re all from the same village. we know each other¡¯s connections. we can follow the leads.¡± despite his casual explanation, gu zi sensed that chu xi¡¯s family probably didn¡¯t know about su shen¡¯s connections.

    after all, someone aware of those connections wouldn¡¯t attempt to poison the su family¡¯s children.

    nevertheless, since su shen hadn¡¯t delved into more details, gu zi decided not to press further.

    in any case, chu xi had been convicted of theft and poisoning and would likely end up in jail.

    from this brief exchange, gu zi confirmed one thing: su shen wasn¡¯t as simple as he appeared on the surface.

    after their meal, su shen took gu zi to the children¡¯s palace. initially, she thought they were simply going for a walk and followed him without question.

    it wasn¡¯t until they stopped in front of a roller skating club that she expressed her surprise, asking, ¡°where are we going?¡±

    looking at gu zit s happy expression, su shen knew that he had come to the right place. he was originally a little worried that gu zi would not like it.

    but soon, the woman frowned and said in embarrassment, ¡°i don¡¯t know how to ice skate¡­

    so that was the reason. su shen¡¯s heart, which had been hanging in the air because of her frown, was now at ease.

    they entered the skating rink, with su shen¡¯s imposing figure leading the way, providing a reassuring sense of security.

    he purchased tickets for both of them and swiftly changed into his roller skates.

    observing that gu zi was still standing there, seemingly lost, su shen approached her and bent down to tie her shoelaces. he reassured her, ¡°i¡¯ll teach you. just hold on to me tightly.¡±

    as the initially tall su shen bent down for her, their eyes met, creating an invisible current of connection.

    the sparks of affection spread from their optical nerves throughout their bodies.

    su shen straightened up, his usually stern countenance softening in the ambient light. his sharp, eagle-like eyes were now filled with tenderness.

    gu zi didn¡¯t know how she had the courage to take the first step, but as she held su shen¡¯s strong arm, she seemed to be fearless.

    she only needed to move forward because she knew that no matter how unstable she might be, he would never let her fall. he would always there to support her..

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: What Bad Luck

    chapter 94: what bad luck

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    many people often say that when you learn to ice skate, you¡¯re bound to fall at least once. but gu zi did not fall even once because su shen was by her side.

    as she glided gracefully on the skating rink, she sported a radiant smile, akin to a princess dancing a waltz, appearing light and agile.

    in her previous life, she had been consumed by studies and work, leaving her with few hobbies beyond cooking and reading.

    now, she had stumbled upon a new passion¡ªice skating.

    turning around, she spotted su shen following closely, guarding her like a knight.

    the man stood at least 1.9 meters tall, with a robust physique, long legs, and well-proportioned features that were fitting for a knightly figure.

    a peculiar feeling welled up within gu zi. it was a sensation challenging to define but unmistakably one of security.

    perhaps her fixation on him had caused her to lose her balance, and she felt herself stumbling.

    she thought she was about to fall, but just in the nick of time, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.

    she found herself securely encased in his broad embrace, and they continued gliding seamlessly, much to the astonishment of onlookers.

    the pair, a tall and handsome man alongside a beautifully shaped woman, appeared to be an incredibly harmonious match.

    su shen and gu zi were entirely engrossed in their waltz, blissfully unaware of the attention they had garnered at the ice rink.

    among the numerous envious gazes directed at gu zi and su shen, one particular gaze was notably intrusive and unsettling.

    the man wearing a flowery shirt and bell-bottom pants was under the illusion that he exuded irresistible charm. with legs trembling in his bell-bottom pants, he confidently took off the pair of aviators from his shirt collar and strode toward the couple when he saw them approaching the railing.

    ¡°hey there, bro, and who is this lovely lady by your side?¡± the man¡¯s greasy gaze lingered on gu zi as she instinctively sought refuge behind su shen.

    clearly unimpressed, su shen responded in a cold tone, ¡°my fianc¨¦e, gu zi. this is su jing¡¯s boyfriend, tian hai.¡±

    gu zi offered only a brief acknowledgment and did not greet the man. firstly, she felt that there was no need to know him. secondly, she really hated the way this man looked at her. it was so wretched!

    in a flash, a memory resurfaced in her mind.

    gu zi vividly remembered the convoluted story involving tian hai from the original book. in that version of events, tian hai had indeed pursued her, and his influence on su jing had led to su shen working at the pig farm. he had consistently tried to connect with gu zi whenever the opportunity presented itself.

    over time, the villagers began to gossip about the host seducing her sister-in-law¡¯s fianc¨¦, tian hai, and betraying su shen.

    the host, however, held no interest in tian hai, and she believed herself to be innocent, refusing to engage in any attempts to prove herself to others.

    later, when these words reached su jing¡¯s ears and she wanted to break up with tian hai, tian hai panicked.

    if it was in the past, he would have broken up with su jing, but it was different now. su jing¡¯s brother was so rich!

    if su jing broke up with him, where would he go to live off a woman? he was still relying on su jing¡¯s money to flirt with girls.

    he would not give up his entire flower field for a single proud rose.

    he lied to su jing and pushed all the responsibility to the host. he said that the host had seduced him and asked to meet him, but he insisted on his love for su jing and had never done anything to let su jing down.

    su jing believed tian hai and came to find the host and su shen to argue. su shen was very disappointed in the host. this must have been the reason for their divorce.

    as gu zi recalled the contents of the original book, she felt disgusted when she saw tian hai in front of her. what bad luck!

    she and su shen were about to leave the ice rink when su shen headed off to change into his skates.

    seizing the opportunity, tian hai attempted to strike up a conversation with gu zi, using his typical lines to seduce her.

    ¡°zizi, you¡¯re the most beautiful woman i¡¯ve ever seen. let me reintroduce myself. my surname is tian, and my first name is hai. you can call me brother hai in private.¡±

    with unconvincing confidence, tian hai resorted to his usual charm, but to gu

    zi, his advances were repulsive. the mere sight of him made her feel nauseous. tn a retort that caught tian hai off guard. gil zi spanned. ¡°if there¡¯s no mirror

    at home, one can always use urine. what kind of toad are you, hopping around on the streets? get away from me!¡±

    tian hai was stunned. he had never thought that there would be a day when his words of charm would fail.

    this opening line had served him well in the past, and he couldn¡¯t believe it wasn¡¯t working this time.

    he audaciously assessed gu zi¡¯s appearance, her well-endowed breasts, and shapely behind, contemplating the satisfaction of touching them.

    in his experience, women like her were the most likely to respond to his advances.

    there was no way he would give up so easily..

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: My Man Is Awesome

    chapter 95: my man is awesome

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    tian hai decided to take a bold gamble. he leered at gu zi and said, ¡°zizi, you look as delicate as a flower. surely, you need the attention of many men. i¡¯m willing to be your lover.¡±

    gu zi felt like retching and quickly covered herself with su shen¡¯s coat, fearing that those lecherous eyes would see what they shouldn¡¯t.

    disgusted, she spat and returned to where the skates were.

    but the man ran ahead, blocking her path, relentless in his provocation. ¡°su shen can¡¯t have children anyway. marrying him means you¡¯ll be a widow sooner or later. where will you find an outstanding lover like me then?¡±

    tian hai thought any woman willing to marry su shen would surely notice him. he was younger, unmarried, an only child from the city, and not burdened with children.

    su shen publicly claimed he married solely to care for several children, having no intention of having more. he could deceive others with that, but not tian hai. men have their pride; who would admit their sexual dysfunction?

    ¡°don¡¯t spew nonsense with your foul mouth! su shen is perfectly fine. if you keep this up, i¡¯ll tell him immediately when he arrives that you¡¯re harassing me!¡±

    she couldn¡¯t confront a man head-on in public; if he laid a hand on her and refused to let go, it would only seem like an ambiguous relationship.

    in this world, most people care little about the truth; they¡¯re drawn to spectacles and gossip. gu zi didn¡¯t want to be part of that spectacle.

    she also didn¡¯t want su shen to witness her entangled with such a person.

    for now, she could only deal with his nonsense until su shen appeared.

    tian hai, seeing her firmness, felt more driven to conquer the woman before him.

    he continued to tease her. ¡°it¡¯s too tiring for you to always pretend. if you¡¯re with me, i won¡¯t tell su shen. you¡¯re young and don¡¯t understand the loneliness women feel. but you¡¯ll find out soon enough. it¡¯s terrible.¡±

    ¡°hmph! you dare compare yourself to my su shen? who told you su shen is incapable? my man is amazing. trash like you belongs in the bin!¡±

    gu zi¡¯s eyes reddened at the anger. when she saw su shen coming out, she hurriedly ran towards him.

    tian hai, driven by impulse earlier, hadn¡¯t considered the consequences. seeing su shen now, his legs turned to jelly.

    he was determined to bed this beautiful woman, but he¡¯d have to figure it out later.

    he knew women too well; they might resist verbally, but if you persist, they¡¯d eventually comply.

    he wasn¡¯t afraid of her telling su shen; su shen hadn¡¯t heard his words, so what could she do?

    moreover, su jing, that idiot, supported him. with these thoughts, tian hai slipped away.

    seeing gu zi¡¯s unhappy expression, su shen asked, ¡°are you okay?¡±

    su shen never liked su jing¡¯s boyfriend, yet su jing cherished him. it was a matter of others¡¯ emotions, so su shen didn¡¯t say much. but he never expected that the man was so flirtatious and shameless, actually hitting on gu zi just now.

    gu zi didn¡¯t hide what happened and told him, ¡°tian hai said many provocative things to me just now. i didn¡¯t expect him to be so audacious.¡±

    for other matters, gu zi might have tolerated it, not wanting to make things difficult for su shen. but this, she couldn¡¯t tolerate at all.

    su shen did not expect this at all. that bastard!

    he slammed his hand hard on the wall, creating a dent as the wall plaster fell.

    apologetically looking at gu zi, he said, ¡°i¡¯m going to find him right now!¡± and turned to head to su jing¡¯s place.

    gu zi, seeing his demeanor, momentarily doubted if this was the same mature man she knew.

    there was a teenage-like fire in his eyes, as if he were ready for a showdown.

    hurriedly catching up and holding him back, she explained, ¡°no, no, no! i don¡¯t want you to fight him, su shen. i meant if he wants to work at the pig farm, please don¡¯t agree, okay?¡±

    ¡°sorry! i didn¡¯t think about these things.¡± su shen still wanted to drag the scoundrel out and teach him a lesson, but gu zi held onto his hand, asking him not to go.

    after calming down, he mentally noted this incident.

    he told gu zi, ¡°if he appears in front of you again, contact me immediately. i won¡¯t consider giving him a job.¡±

    relieved upon hearing this, gu zi believed that as long as tian hai couldn¡¯t work at the pig farm, he wouldn¡¯t bother her again..

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Fatherâ€™s Back

    chapter 96: father¡¯s back

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi thought of the bean jelly grass that was drying in the sun at home and forgot about the unhappy episode with tian hai.

    she said to su shen, ¡°let¡¯s go to the revival store. i want to buy some things.¡± su shen adjusted his mood and took her to the revival store.

    she bought edible alkali, cornstarch, brown sugar, wolfberries, and also some canned fruits. su shen didn¡¯t know what she was planning, but he didn¡¯t find accompanying her boring. he enjoyed being her bearer of things and the feeling of paying the bill.

    as they returned from the city to daqing village, su li and su bing were just returning from school. they met at the village entrance and walked home together.

    su li walked very slowly because his body had not fully recovered.

    su shen walked up and squatted down.

    gu zi took su li¡¯s backpack and said to him, ¡°su li, go ahead.¡±

    su li couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. was dad going to carry him?

    but now, this love and warmth were right in front of him.

    he walked over and lay on his father¡¯s broad back. his father lifted him and walked forward, feeling stable and secure on his father¡¯s back.

    the teacher had previously assigned a task to write a heartwarming piece about ¡°father¡¯s back.¡±

    he hadn¡¯t known what to write, so he wrote something random to please the teacher.

    but now, he decided he would rewrite a paragraph to give to the teacher!

    su bing looked at gu zi. he knew well that since the stepmother arrived, not only had their meals improved, but even their father had become gentler and more attentive.

    all these changes were because of her arrival.

    and she even saved the lives of the three siblings!

    the icy demeanor in su bing¡¯s eyes seemed to slowly melt, and his gaze became warmer.

    gu zi approached and took his school bag, smiling, ¡°lele is at aunt zhang¡¯s.

    could you help bring her back?¡±

    su bing nodded and quickly walked ahead.

    as the family entered the yard, big yellow, who was freely roaming in the yard, came to greet them.

    it wagged its tail, its triangular eyes shining. it first went to gu zits feet and then rubbed against su shen¡¯s pants.

    su shen put down the younger one and petted big yellow¡¯s head, knowing his old companion had turned traitor.

    among their group in the past, big yellow always bonded with him first because it was a pet he had during his military days, creating a deep bond between man and animal.

    gu zi teased su shen intentionally, ¡°don¡¯t get jealous. it likes me mainly because¡­¡±

    before gu zi could finish her sentence, the man stood up, his tall figure illuminated by the bright light from the porch, making his handsome face appear even more profound and charming.

    the prominent adam¡¯s apple on his neck highlighted the mature man¡¯s unique charm.

    gu zi squinted slightly, feeling a bit dizzy. this man¡¯s appearance was excessively superior.

    ¡°i¡¯m not jealous of you.¡± he was actually a bit jealous of big yellow.

    this woman was so gentle and attentive; even big yellow could sense it. it was reasonable for big yellow to like her.

    gu zi didn¡¯t catch the meaning in his eyes and casually said, ¡°let¡¯s go inside first. we haven¡¯t seen lele all day.¡±

    as gu zi entered the house, lele slid off the sofa and reached out towards her, ¡°mommy, want mommy!¡±

    gu zi hugged the little girl and fed her some canned fruit that she had just bought. she cut the big peach into small pieces and fed lele bit by bit.

    ¡°su li, you and su bing can share the rest of the canned fruits. there are a few cans left. if the medicine tastes bitter later, you can eat some by yourself.¡±

    su li held the transparent can and drooled as he looked at the golden fruit chunks inside.

    he didn¡¯t feel the medicine was bitter at all; with the stepmother¡¯s canned fruits, his heart felt sweet.

    ¡°thank you, stepmom. i¡¯ll wait for my brother to come down and eat together!¡±

    in those times, canned fruits were a luxury item people brought when visiting others. eating canned fruits was considered quite extravagant.

    but gu zi knew how to make canned fruits.

    she bought many fresh seasonal fruits today and some necessary materials. tomorrow, she could make canned fruits herself.

    once she made them, she could give some to the lin family and share some with the neighbor aunt zhang.

    but she was a bit troubled. where could she find containers?

    she glanced at su shen.. ¡°could you help me find some glass jars with lids?¡±

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Magical Stepmother

    chapter 97: magical stepmother

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen said, ¡°of course, what kind of jars do you need?¡±

    gu zi pointed to several cans of fruit and said, ¡°something similar to these. i want to make fruit preserves.¡±

    a hint of surprise flashed in su shen¡¯s eyes. was there anything she couldn¡¯t

    ¡°no problem, i¡¯ll have someone bring them over tomorrow.¡±

    gu zi expressed her satisfaction. this man was reliable when it came to getting things done.

    she placed lele on the sofa and then turned to go to the kitchen to cook.

    seeing this, su shen followed. when he saw gu zi turning back with a puzzled look in her big eyes, he said, ¡°i can help you.¡±

    he had never found cooking enjoyable before; he just believed that if people needed to eat, food had to be made.

    but in gu zi¡¯s enthusiasm for cooking, he saw her passion, making him understand that cooking was a heartwarming activity. cooking together with family was a joyful process.

    gu zi didn¡¯t refuse his offer, and the two of them busied themselves in the kitchen.

    in the living room, su li and su bing were eating canned fruits together.

    they wanted to share some with their little sister, but their stepmom had mentioned that she shouldn¡¯t eat too much, so they could only let her watch them eat.

    ¡°this is my first time eating canned fruits. they¡¯re so delicious!¡± the sweetness felt like it was reaching his heart!

    seeing his younger brother enjoying it so much, su bing didn¡¯t say anything, just ate a piece and didn¡¯t have any more.

    su li, relishing the fruits, said to su bing, ¡°once, a classmate in our class brought half a bottle of canned fruits. he was so proud! he only gave a small piece to those he was close to, not me. but now i get to eat it!¡±

    when gu zi heard this while coming out of the kitchen, she staunchly said, ¡°then tomorrow, you should also bring a can to school, share it with your good friends, give each of them a big piece!¡± su li stared wide-eyed at gu zi. ¡°really?¡±

    ¡°of course!¡± gu zi nodded and went to feed lele.

    because lele ate slowly, gu zi was used to feeding her first.

    su li clapped happily. ¡°bro, we have dad and stepmom supporting us from now on!¡±

    surprisingly, su bing replied this time with a simple ¡°hmm¡± and didn¡¯t discourage su li as he used to.

    su li felt not only had dad changed, but it seemed like even his brother had changed! stepmom was truly a magical woman.

    after the family finished dinner, su shen prepared to go upstairs. gu zi stopped him, asking, ¡°would you like to watch tv with us?¡± su shen paused for a moment, then sat back down on the sofa.

    he wasn¡¯t accustomed to watching tv, but he couldn¡¯t bear to refuse gu zi¡¯s invitation.

    initially, it was quite quiet, with only the sound from the television.

    later, su li had many questions for gu zi, such as how the tv turned actors small and then placed them inside.

    gu zi earnestly explained using simple words to describe the tv¡¯s imaging principle.

    not only did su li listen attentively, but su bing and lele were also engrossed. occasionally, lele even nodded as if she truly understood, which amused everyone.

    su shen¡¯s gaze remained on gu zi. he knew she was a very intelligent and imowledgeable woman, but he had some doubts. was marrying him a setback for her?

    perhaps he should ask her again if she had really thought it through. he didn¡¯t want to hold gu zi back.

    the atmosphere in the su family was exceptionally warm. women passing by heard the laughter and felt their teeth ache from its sweetness. ¡°this city woman is so beautiful and educated. i bet she won¡¯t stay long.¡±

    ¡°i agree. how could such a woman willingly become a stepmother and be so good to the children?¡±

    ¡°when that woman completely controls the su family¡¯s money, the tough times for su¡¯s children will begin!¡±

    the next day, the sun was shining brightly. gu zi took out the jelly bean grass and spread it out in the yard, letting it soak up the sunlight.

    then, she brought out starfruits, peaches, pears, and oranges to process. she washed what needed to be washed and peeled what needed peeling.

    but not long after, someone knocked on the door. when she went out, she saw a man with a center-parted hairstyle standing outside the gate.

    big yellow saw him but didn¡¯t bark, just wagged its tail. gu zi guessed he was a friend of su shen.

    when she came out, the man called out, ¡°sis-in-law, i¡¯m jin long. brother shen asked me to bring you the jars.¡±

    at the moment he saw gu zi, the man was stunned by her beauty.. he had only heard that brother shen¡¯s city wife was good-looking, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be this beautiful!

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: A Good Man Who Comes Home Often

    chapter 98: a good man who comes home often

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi opened the door and greeted the man outside. she noticed a tricycle behind him, carrying several large boxes.

    jin long helped her move all the boxes inside before leaving, his face still red when he departed.

    he had never seen such a gorgeous woman before!

    but wait, how did such a gorgeous woman like her fall for su shen? it wasn¡¯t that su shen wasn¡¯t good, but with those three children, most women probably couldn¡¯t accept that!

    he thought and hastened the tricycle¡¯s pace. he had to hurry back and ask su shen about it.

    gu zi opened all the boxes and roughly counted. there were at least a hundred jars here. it was more than enough!

    she took out twenty glass jars she needed and placed them on the ground. after washing them all, she boiled water in a big pot, sterilized the bottles by boiling, then turned them upside down to air-dry.

    after finishing these tasks, she prepared a large basin of diluted saltwater and continued processing the fruits.

    she placed the prepared pear chunks, starfruit slices, and peach pieces into the diluted saltwater to prevent oxidation and browning.

    next, she filled the jars with these fruit pieces, layering them with sugar. finally, leaving a two-centimeter gap from the top, she poured in cool boiled water and lightly covered the jars.

    she then steamed the filled jars on a large pot for half an hour before taking them out, tightly sealing the lids, and letting them naturally cool.

    it was almost noon when gu zi finished making twenty jars of fruit preserves.

    su shen had told her he had social engagements in the city today and didn¡¯t need a meal.

    looking at the ingredients at home, she cooked a large plate of ham and sausage fried rice and a bowl of tomato pork soup. those were enough for her and lele.

    after lunch, she stood for a while to pass the time, then took lele for a nap.

    when she woke up, she was startled. where was lele?

    she quickly opened the door and went downstairs, only to realize that she had worried for nothing.

    su le was sitting on the sofa and eating peanut candy. her eyes were watery as if she had cried.

    su shen sat opposite her with a slightly confused expression on his handsome face. he probably didn¡¯t know how to get along with such a young child.

    when he saw gu zi coming down, he explained, ¡°i just got back from the city. i heard lele¡¯s voice while changing upstairs, and seeing you were still asleep, i brought her down first. she might not have liked it and started crying.¡±

    after bringing lele down, he was at a loss and could only sit on the sofa, watching her cry, not knowing what to do or say.

    gu zi took lele into her arms, and lele offered her the peanut candy.

    in a gentle voice, gu zi said, ¡°lele, be a good girl and eat it yourself!¡± she pushed the candy back to lele, who placed it near gu zi¡¯s mouth again. su shen noticed that this time, gu zi didn¡¯t just push it back but pretended to take a bite.

    lele joyfully danced around, and this problem was easily solved. he couldn¡¯t help but admire gu zi¡¯s ability to coax children.

    gu zi gave him some guidance. ¡®you need to comfort children when they cry. you can hold her and say, ¡®lele, be a good girl, don¡¯t cry. shall dad hold lele and play with big yellow?¡¯ try to find ways to talk to her.¡±

    su shen nodded after listening, ¡°i will change and learn. i¡¯ll learn how to get along with the children.¡±

    gu zi found the look of the big man¡¯s eager-to-learn demeanor quite adorable and couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    she asked su shen, ¡°aren¡¯t you going to the pig farm this afternoon?¡±

    su shen said, ¡°jin long is taking care of it. i had a bit to drink in the city and wanted to come back to rest.¡±

    actually, he wanted to come back and spend time with them. gu zi said that a man who often returns home is a good man, so he did just that.

    upon hearing that he had a bit to drink, gu zi made a pot of tea in the kitchen. ¡°have some tea. it¡¯ll make you feel better.¡±

    su shen nodded, saying to her, ¡°thanks! i brought some snacks from the city for you. would you like to try?¡±

    gu zi had already noticed the pile of snacks on the low table, a mixture of various fragrances that almost made her dizzy.

    but was it just a bit? she glanced roughly and saw sesame balls, cold noodles, pan-fried meat patties, meat dumplings, and at least a dozen different snacks.

    was this really just a bit?

    regardless, since it was for her, she didn¡¯t hesitate and generously sat down to start tasting.

    su shen¡¯s gaze fell on her hand holding the chopsticks, which, like her, was beautiful, with nails that were translucent white..

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Feeding The Man

    chapter 99: feeding the man

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°are these not to your liking?¡±

    su shen saw that the woman did not eat directly. instead, she used a plate to separate the snacks.

    he thought she might not like them, and he surprisingly felt a bit nervous.

    gu zi quickly divided all the snacks and saved some of each.

    ¡°we definitely can¡¯t finish them all, so i¡¯m saving some for su bing and su li to taste later.¡± after saying this, she started eating, resembling a little greedy cat with a sparkle in her eyes.

    observing this, su shen¡¯s lips slightly curved upward, and he didn¡¯t say anything further.

    as he watched her and lele enjoy the snacks, he also felt a sense of contentment.

    in the next moment, the woman¡¯s beautiful fingers suddenly approached him.

    she said, ¡°you should try this lemon-shredded chicken, it¡¯s delicious!¡± gu zi loved sharing food, so she instinctively fed su shen.

    but when the chicken was near the man¡¯s mouth, she realized this feeding action was too intimate.

    wasn¡¯t it too early for them to be doing this? but she couldn¡¯t do much about it now since she had already said it; there was no reason to take it back.

    in order to hide her embarrassment, she even winked at the man, looking charming and seductive.

    su shen was stunned for a moment. his mouth quickly secreted liquid, and his appetite swelled at this moment.

    he didn¡¯t know if it was because of her blinking or the taste of the shredded chicken, but he opened his mouth and ate the chicken that she fed him.

    the meat was tender, tangy, and refreshing.

    ¡°it¡¯s delicious, thank you,¡± su shen said.

    gu zi smiled and handed him a pair of chopsticks, saying, ¡°let¡¯s eat together. here, for you.¡±

    su shen took it and realized he hadn¡¯t really wanted to eat those foods in the first place. the desire he¡¯d felt earlier wasn¡¯t for the food but for this woman¡ªmore like a desire for intimacy rather than hunger.

    su shen¡¯s gaze deepened as he took a deep breath to compose himself.

    meanwhile, gu zi was only focused on enjoying the delicacies and did not notice the change in his gaze.

    perhaps she felt that eating on the sofa was not satisfying enough, so she took a mat and laid it on the floor.

    she brought lele to the ground and sat down. she placed her elbows on the low table and squinted her beautiful eyes in satisfaction.

    with slightly flushed cheeks and lips glistening with oil, she ate with full concentration.

    seeing this scene, su shen, who had initially decided not to eat anymore, couldn¡¯t resist picking up the chopsticks and eating a little.

    the two didn¡¯t engage in further conversation while eating. only lele

    occasionally called ¡°daddy¡± or ¡°mommy,¡± enlivening the atmosphere.

    after finishing the snacks, gu zi rubbed her slightly bulging stomach and hummed a little tune. she was quite content.

    she rested for a while, then took lele to the courtyard to collect jelly bean grasses.

    she put the dried bean jelly grass into the bamboo basket. lele followed behind her and learned from her to put the bean jelly grass into the basket.

    however, she could only take a little at a time. as she walked, the grass in her hand fell.

    every time, only one or two stalks of grass would be safely placed into the basket. gu zi laughed in amusement.

    su shen came out of the kitchen and said to gu zi, ¡°i¡¯ve cut the spare ribs. let me help you with this.¡±

    with his strength, he quickly collected the few remaining jelly bean grass on the ground. he picked up the basket and walked inside.

    he was wearing a white singlet. his solid and powerful arms were visible, and his veins were faintly visible on his hand as he carried the basket, appearing exceptionally sexy and enticing.

    gu zi carried su le and followed him in. she did not forget to praise the man, ¡°you¡¯re so strong; you finished in a few movements. lele, isn¡¯t dad amazing?

    lele widened her eyes and nodded unexpectedly, saying, ¡°yes,¡± surprising gu zi.

    su shen also turned to look at su le, not expecting her to speak so much already!

    he felt that a simple thank you couldn¡¯t express his gratitude to gu zi. therefore, he secretly resolved to treat gu zi better.

    su bing and su li smelled the delicious fragrance as soon as they entered the courtyard. they hurried in and saw their stepmother bringing a plate of hot food to the low table.

    ¡°these are snacks your father brought back from the city. i heated them for you. eat while they¡¯re warm, finish your homework afterward. dad will be making dinner!¡±

    su bing looked toward the kitchen, his eyes shining.

    su li jumped up in joy and exclaimed, ¡°great! we haven¡¯t eaten dad¡¯s cooking in a long time!¡±

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: The Lin Family Had Turned The Tide

    chapter 100: the lin family had turned the tide

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing and su li were digging into some snacks together when su li stopped gu zi, dropping his guard from before.

    ¡°stepmom, today i took the fruit preserves to share with my friends, and we had a great time!¡± he lowered his head after sharing.

    gu zi walked over and sat down beside him, speaking gently, ¡°that¡¯s great, sharing brings happiness.¡±

    ¡°but, the other classmates also wanted some. so, i¡­ i shared all the fruit preserves. and one of my female classmates really liked the jar, so i gave it to her too,¡± su li sounded a bit remorseful.

    he realized those fruit preserves were bought by his stepmom, and giving away the jar without asking seemed improper.

    however, by the time he thought about it, the jar was already given away.

    gu zits lips curled up. ¡°i asked you to bring it to school so that you can share it with your classmates. as for the jar, we have plenty at home, so don¡¯t worry.¡± su li widened his eyes, surprised that stepmom wasn¡¯t upset.

    and her tone was so gentle! this stepmom was actually very kind.

    gu zi continued, ¡°today, i made twenty cans of fruit preserves at home. you guys can have some, just make sure to keep it clean. if you don¡¯t finish, cover it up and put it in the fridge, okay?¡±

    ¡°okay!¡± su li nodded eagerly, and even su bing nodded along beside him.

    meanwhile, at little lin village, a group had gathered in front of a red brick house at the village entrance. they looked envious.

    li zhu and the truck driver were carrying a brand-new fridge into the house, taking some time before coming out again. they probably needed time to set it up.

    then they unloaded a hundred pounds of prepared pork from the truck into the lin family¡¯s house.

    the aroma of the cooking meat wafted through the air, making everyone almost drool.

    ¡°hey, old lin, things are turning around for you! you¡¯re lucky to have such a good daughter!¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s good to have a daughter and son-in-law. the lin family is different now. congratulations!¡±

    ¡°so, when¡¯s your son-in-law throwing a party to celebrate the wedding? don¡¯t forget to invite us, okay?¡±

    ever since they found out about the connection between the lin and su families, there was no shortage of visitors at the lin house.

    now, things were different. the lin family had turned the tide.

    first, they moved from a remote mountain spot to the best location at the village entrance, settling into the best red brick house.

    now, their affluent son-in-law was sending in a fridge and a bunch of pork.

    seeing the lin family, some were envious, some a little jealous. but on the surface, everyone engaged in conversation with them, to avoid any estrangement.

    papa lin was chatting with the people outside but felt a bit overwhelmed. ¡°yeah, su shen and xiao zi are having a celebration next month!¡±

    mother lin was also in high spirits. she and her daughter-in-law, li hua, chatted with the other ladies.

    lin cheng was boiling water in the kitchen to make tea. he wanted li zhu and the others to have a cup of hot tea to drink before they left.

    but he couldn¡¯t do anything alone. whenever he tried to do something, lin hun was right there to help. wherever he went, lin hun followed.

    when he wanted to make tea, lin hun would rush to pass him the teapot. wherever he went, lin hun would follow.

    lin cheng was flustered, ¡°lin hun, what are you doing?¡±

    lin hun looked up, earnestly saying, ¡°you¡¯re now su shen¡¯s big brother-in-law! you¡¯re doing better than me. i¡¯ve told you before, i¡¯ll be your sidekick. haven¡¯t i said it many times?¡±

    lin cheng was exasperated, ¡°you¡¯re not still into my wife, are you?¡±

    lin hun shook his head vigorously, ¡°nope, just want to hang out with you, bro. ¡±

    lin cheng sighed, knowing what was coming.

    after a moment¡¯s thought, he said, ¡°as long as you don¡¯t pursue my wife, if you want to help out, go ahead.¡±

    lin hun immediately clasped his hands, ¡°bro, i¡¯ll remember that. i¡¯ll be good to you and li hua in the future.¡±

    when li zhu came into the kitchen and saw this scene, he found it a little funny. however, seeing that lin hun was now well-behaved, he did not make fun of him.

    ¡°brother lin, all the stuff has been unloaded. i¡¯ll go and check in with brother shen. oh, and brother shen wants to know if you¡¯ve found a job. if you haven¡¯t, do you want to help out at his pig farm?¡±

    lin hun¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard that. he quickly grabbed lin cheng and said, ¡°brother lin, say yes! bring me along. i¡¯ve been wanting to work there for a long time.¡±

    he had applied to work at su shen¡¯s farm but didn¡¯t get the job as they weren¡¯t hiring at the time.

    lin hun always felt that working with men like su shen was the key to making something of himself..

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Lavish

    chapter 101: lavish

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin cheng was thrilled to hear the news about the job at the pig farm. having the chance to work there was definitely a good opportunity.

    although su shen had been particularly considerate of them because of his sister, lin cheng also wanted to earn a living and support xiao hua with his own hands.

    he told li zhu, ¡°of course, i¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    lin cheng felt he must work hard to repay su shen¡¯s kindness.

    lin hun, once again, pulled lin cheng aside and requested, ¡°brother lin, take me with you. i don¡¯t need a wage; i just want to help you! ¡±

    lin cheng didn¡¯t know why lin hun wanted to go to the pig farm. but considering all the help lin hun had provided, he asked li zhu if it was possible to arrange for lin hun to join them.

    lin hun was ecstatic upon hearing this, eagerly looking at li zhu.

    li zhu helplessly said, ¡°i can¡¯t make the decision, but you can both go to the farm together tomorrow and talk to big brother jin long; he can help you.¡±

    saying that, li zhu drank two bowls of hot tea, and then left with the truck driver.

    the truck driver dropped off li zhu at su¡¯s house and headed back to the city.

    li zhu knocked on the su family¡¯s door, and it was gu zi who answered.

    ¡°li zhu, come in. are you here to see su shen?¡± she asked.

    li zhu walked in and said, ¡°sister-in-law, i just came back from the lin¡¯s. i delivered a fridge and a hundred pounds of pork to your parents. now i¡¯m here to report to brother shen. also, brother lin is planning to work at the pig farm.¡±

    when gu zi heard li zhu¡¯s words, her mouth almost opened into an ¡°o¡± shape. did su shen have to be so generous?!

    a hundred pounds of pork plus a refrigerator¡ªhow much did that cost? and he arranged a job for her brother too.

    she had been thinking of sending ten cans of fruit preserves to the lin family to give them a taste.

    in comparison, she seemed a bit stingy!

    li zhu went straight to the kitchen to find su shen. when he caught sight of his boss, he could hardly believe his eyes.

    the 1.9 -meter-tall man was wearing a flowery apron, skillfully cooking at the stove.

    ¡®wow! sis-in-law is so charming that brother shen willingly skipped work at the pig farm to come home and cook for his wife and child,¡¯ li zhu thought to himself.

    li zhu hesitated for a moment before calling out, ¡°brother shen, i¡¯ve taken care of the things you requested.¡±

    su shen turned around and glanced at li zhu. ¡°okay. ask your sister-in-law if she needs anything taken to the lin¡¯s. you can help her with that tomorrow.¡± li zhu went out and asked gu zi. she pointed at the ten cans of fruit preserves she had set aside, ¡°these need to be sent over. is it okay?¡±

    ¡°no problem, sister-in-law,¡± li zhu said. ¡°i¡¯ll come early tomorrow to pick them up. if you need anything else taken there in the future, just tell me.¡±

    after saying that, li zhu prepared to leave, but gu zi insisted, ¡°stay for dinner and then go.¡±

    ¡°thank you, sister-in-law! but my mom has dinner ready; if i don¡¯t go back, she¡¯ll scold me.¡±

    though li zhu really wanted to taste su shen¡¯s cooking, he figured su shen wouldn¡¯t want him hanging around.

    seeing li zhu insist on leaving, gu zi didn¡¯t press further and gave him a jar of her homemade fruit preserves, which li zhu happily accepted before leaving.

    during dinner, gu zi felt a bit overwhelmed seeing the table full of dishes.

    su shen¡¯s cooking was generous in portions and meat. in short, lavish!

    there was a big bowl of stir-fried bacon with scallions, another big bowl of saut¨¦ed fresh mushrooms with meat, a large bowl of braised tofu, a big bowl of saut¨¦ed vegetables with green peppers, and a large pot of pork rib and soybean soup.

    he had prepared all the meals for the day! although she didn¡¯t say anything, she was already silently planning how to manage the leftovers the next day.

    su bing and su li also seemed a bit surprised. su bing sat down without saying anything, while su li exclaimed, ¡°wow, so much meat! dad, can we skip dinner tonight?¡±

    su shen told su li, ¡°have a bit more meat, but you need to have some rice too. it¡¯s not good for your health otherwise.¡±

    after saying that, he turned to gu zi and added, ¡°i thought of making extra for you all. i have to go on a business trip tomorrow to another place. it might take two or three days before i can come back.¡±

    as the man spoke, his large hand touched su le¡¯s head. the man¡¯s rough fingers were not as soft as gu zi¡¯s hand.

    this unfamiliar touch made su le raise her head and then furrow her brows. she turned around and pulled gu zits hand over, placing it on the man¡¯s large hand.

    as he was going on a business trip for a few days, he prepared a lot of food for them. gu zi found su shen¡¯s consideration particularly endearing.

    while gu zi was feeling happy about this, she didn¡¯t anticipate su let s reaction..

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Kiss

    chapter 102: kiss

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when gu zits hand touched su shen¡¯s, her heart skipped a beat.

    su bing and su li were engrossed in eating the generous portions of meat and didn¡¯t notice.

    only su le, the little one, cheered with joyful ¡°babbling.¡±

    gu zi¡¯s face turned crimson, momentarily forgetting to retract her hand.

    observing her reaction, su shen¡¯s eyes twinkled with a faint smile. he actually enjoyed her touch¡ªher hands were petite and soft, quite comforting.

    however, he realized it made her shy. so, he served her a piece of bacon and said, ¡°quick, eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡±

    only then did gu zi realize and then withdrew her hand to fetch chopsticks, thanking him, ¡°thank you! it smells delicious.¡±

    where did it come from?

    su shen seemed to perceive her confusion and explained, ¡°the bacon was bought from li zhu¡¯s home. his mother¡¯s homemade bacon is quite distinctive. if you want more, just ask him to deliver it.¡±

    gu zi nodded, finding the bacon indeed delicious, and indulged in several more pieces.

    in her previous life, gu zi had a close female friend who taught her how to pickle vegetables. using her method, the pickled vegetables had a golden color and a tangy fragrance, perfect for making fried rice or noodles.

    thinking about this, gu zi was almost drooling. she remembered tomorrow was market day and thought of visiting to see if they had those kinds of pickled vegetables.

    after dinner, su shen went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. gu zi couldn¡¯t beat him to it.

    she noticed a stack of files on the living room table and guessed that they were for his upcoming trip.

    her eyes lit up, asking, ¡°what do you need for your trip? let me pack it for you.¡±

    seeing her straightforwardness, su shen told gu zi that he needed toiletries, two sets of clothes, and the documents from the file pile.

    gu zi found it simple enough and nodded, turning to take the file stack upstairs.

    she opened it and took a look. the documents were organized quite well, but the order was a little messy.

    but she didn¡¯t dare to touch these documents casually. after all, she didn¡¯t know if su shen had specially placed them like this. it was better to ask later.

    she went to su shen¡¯s room. there was a blue cloth bag in the man¡¯s room.

    gu zi opened it and then neatly folded and arranged his clothes and pants from the wardrobe inside.

    the travel toiletries were placed next to his clothes, and the files were neatly put on top.

    just then, su shen pushed the door open and came in. he saw that she had almost finished packing.

    ¡°thank you,¡± su shen said.

    gu zi smiled and suggested rearranging the files to make them more convenient to read.

    su shen allowed her to try, and once she reorganized them, it indeed made for easier reading.

    he asked gu zi, ¡°i¡¯ve never asked you this, but do you regret staying home to take care of the children?¡±

    su shen had thought for a long time; he didn¡¯t want to let go of gu zi, but he also didn¡¯t want to hold her back.

    he understood her capabilities. if she had the time to pursue her own career, she¡¯d also be very successful.

    upon hearing this, gu zi smiled and replied, ¡°i¡¯m not in a hurry, su shen. i can wait until le le is a bit older before doing something else.¡±

    she was quite satisfied with her current life, spending time at home experimenting with recipes, taking care of le le, and feeding big yellow.

    she still had plenty of time to study and prepare for further education. she felt content.

    however, when su shen asked her like that, she could feel that this man cared about her.

    su shen, upon hearing her response, relaxed his previously tense expression. his stern face softened slightly.

    ¡°that¡¯s good, gu zi. if there¡¯s anything you need, just tell me, and i¡¯ll fulfill your wishes,¡± because he wanted to treat her well.

    gu zi looked up at him. her eyes were bright and there was a hint of charm in them.

    ¡°anything?¡± she asked. if she outright asked for his kiss, would he consider her too forward?

    the intensity of her gaze made su shen¡¯s body stiffen, hormones racing through him.

    he replied, ¡°anything.¡±

    as soon as the words left his mouth, gu zi tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his chin before turning around and escaping..

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Going to the Market

    chapter 103: going to the market

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the man stood in place, touching the spot where he¡¯d been kissed, unable to regain his composure for quite some time.

    her lips were so soft. in that instant of contact on his chin, he experienced a tingling sensation like never before.

    he was glad she had fled after that one kiss. even if it was a bit later, he couldn¡¯t guarantee he¡¯d restrain his desires from kissing her.

    in the room, gu zi lay in bed, hands on her cheeks, which were boiling hot. her heart was beating so fast, unable to settle for a long time.

    what had she just done? oh my, gu zi, what were you doing?

    she resolved not to wake up so early tomorrow. she didn¡¯t know how to face that man anymore.

    gu zi regained her composure only after taking a shower. she cautiously peeked out after opening the door.

    once she ensured she wouldn¡¯t encounter su shen, she went downstairs to carry su le upstairs, while instructing su bing and su li not to sleep too late.

    however, the next day, gu zi woke up very early; she had a particularly embarrassing dream.

    she dreamt that su shen pinned her down on the bed, removed her clothes, kissed her lips, kissed her neck, kissed her chest, and panted heavily on her body¡­

    she went to take a shower, hoping to wash away these memories with water. otherwise, she really couldn¡¯t face su shen.

    when she carried lele downstairs, su shen had already gone out. su bing and su li were having breakfast.

    they were eating the dumplings she had specially wrapped and placed in the fridge. they only needed to boil them themselves in the morning.

    however, she noticed a bowl of dumplings placed opposite the two children, seemingly prepared for her.

    seeing her, su li said, ¡°stepmother, you should eat too. brother prepared them for you and lele.¡±

    gu zi thanked su bing, and his cheeks turned slightly red as he responded,

    ¡°you¡¯re welcome.¡±

    gu zi picked up the chopsticks and placed five dumplings in a small bowl. these were for su le; she wanted them to cool down before feeding her.

    since su le was still too young and couldn¡¯t eat very hot food, gu zi started eating her dumplings.

    she noticed su bing and su li were heading to school, so she asked them to take some snacks to school.

    after breakfast, gu zi promptly washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and dining room.

    once li zhu came to take away the canned fruits, she used the bamboo cart she bought last time to take lele out.

    she hadn¡¯t been to the market in daqing village before but heard it was on the west side of the village.

    while walking, gu zi asked for directions. in times before smartphones were common, the mouth was the best navigator.

    when she was nearing the market, she met a few familiar faces.

    gu zi vaguely remembered seeing them at su shen¡¯s pig farm before; they were also delivering meals to their men.

    they greeted her, and gu zi responded with a smile on her face.

    ¡°oh, little le le is so well-behaved today, riding in the little cart looks so fun!¡± someone teased su le.

    su le happily responded, ¡°yes, yes!¡±

    ¡°sister-in-law, i heard chu xi went to your kitchen to poison it and stole things. is your second child alright?¡±

    ¡°that chu xi is too malicious. she even wanted to match her daughter with the boss!¡±

    ¡°she deserves it! hasn¡¯t she done enough wicked things? and that chu banxian is also not a good person! they should have been arrested long ago.¡± the group harshly criticized chu xi¡¯s actions.

    gu zi replied, ¡°the second child is still recuperating, but it¡¯s not a big issue anymore. chu xi has already been dealt with by the law, let the legal system handle her.¡±

    after chatting briefly with them, gu zi bid farewell and continued toward the market.

    in her mind, she thought of making pickled vegetables with cabbage, spinach, radishes, kale, and mustard greens.

    however, she wasn¡¯t sure what kinds of vegetables were available here, so she decided to buy whatever she saw.

    as a result, as soon as gu zi entered the market, she saw an aunt selling green vegetables, precisely the type gu zi thought would be best for pickling.

    she walked over and asked the aunt, ¡°auntie, how much are your vegetables? i¡¯ll take them all.¡±

    the aunt looked up and saw a very beautifully dressed woman before her, fair-skinned and lovely.

    she asked, ¡°are you mrs. su, the big boss su¡¯s wife?¡±

    gu zi wasn¡¯t surprised; there were only a few villages around here, and su shen was a well-known figure. so, it wasn¡¯t unusual for the woman to ask.

    upon hearing gu zit s confirmation, the aunt hurriedly said, ¡°if it¡¯s for you, i won¡¯t take any money, just take them all.¡±

    the aunt stood up and started putting the green vegetables into gu zit s small cart.

    as she put them in, she teased su le, ¡°little lele is living a good life now.. beautiful mommy is treating little lele so well!¡±

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: A Good Person

    chapter 104: a good person

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    she couldn¡¯t easily refuse the aunt¡¯s kindness, so she took out a coin and handed it to the aunt.

    ¡°please take it. this big cabbage is nurtured by your sweat and toil, i can¡¯t accept it for free. ¡±

    the aunt repeatedly waved her hands. ¡°our li zhu receives a lot of care from

    boss su. he works part-time at the pig farm because of boss su¡¯s help.

    hearing this, gu zi realized that this was li zhu¡¯s mother.

    no wonder li zhu was always helping su shen; he was su shen¡¯s little helper!

    in truth, she also liked li zhu, a diligent and capable kid.

    but gu zi liked to stick to her principles, so she insisted on paying.

    ¡°li zhu¡¯s mom, please take it. when you come to the market to sell your produce, it¡¯s to exchange for money. you can¡¯t make a trip for nothing. we need to support the street vendor economy.¡±

    originally, li zhu¡¯s mom didn¡¯t want to accept the money.

    because boss su had helped their family a lot, she remembered every little bit.

    but seeing that gu zi wasn¡¯t someone who took advantage, and genuinely wanted to pay for her vegetables, she accepted the money.

    ¡°as expected of an educated person, i can¡¯t argue with you. but if you ever want these big cabbages again, just let li zhu know, and he¡¯ll bring them to you.¡±

    when she usually came to the market, if she hadn¡¯t sold out her vegetables and met an acquaintance, she¡¯d give some away.

    now that the su family wanted to eat these vegetables, giving them to the su family was better than giving them away elsewhere.

    plus, it spared this fair-skinned young girl from pushing the child here and running a trip for nothing.

    gu zi revealed her bright white teeth. ¡°sure, i was already pleasantly surprised to find this kind of cabbage here! i¡¯ll definitely come to you for purchases in the future. ¡±

    saying goodbye to li zhu¡¯s mom, gu zi continued to browse the market.

    li zhu¡¯s mom looked at the beautiful figure and smiled, shaking her head. she exclaimed, ¡°boss su has finally met a good person!¡±

    she had a feeling that this city girl was definitely different from those vulgar women.

    ¡°raisins for sale! turpan local raisins, not sweet, free of charge! not sweet, free of charge!¡±

    gu zi was drawn to the familiar and energetic shouting. she saw a slightly old but clean tricycle.

    the back of the vehicle was filled with emerald green raisins, large and plump, looking very tempting.

    she noticed the seller sitting on the cart and asked, ¡°big brother, are these really turpan raisins?¡±

    gu zi couldn¡¯t believe that turpan raisins had become famous so early.

    the big brother looked up, feeling delighted by the appearance of this beautiful girl. his trip here was worth it.

    the big brother cheerfully replied, ¡°i have a grocery store in the city, and our goods are all sourced from the local turpan trading market. we guarantee the authentic taste. today, since i had free time, i came out to set up a stall!¡±

    gu zi tasted one and a pure rose fragrance spread in her mouth.

    thick and soft, yet with a good chew, it was indeed high quality!

    he could buy some snacks and make dessert ingredients. anyway, they had many uses.

    the price seemed reasonable to her, so she bought five kilograms in one go.

    the big brother¡¯s face was beaming; even in the city, few people would spend so generously!

    he enthusiastically praised, ¡°young lady, you sure know your stuff! our

    turpan raisins were offered as tribute to the royal court back in the southern

    liang dynasty¡­¡±

    gu zi really wanted to give the big brother a thumbs up; his knowledge base was quite rich!

    pushing her cart forward, gu zi bought two large watermelons and turned back home.

    on the way back, gu zi thought that after she turned the cool bean jelly grass into sweetened grass jelly, she would try setting up a stall at the market.

    when they arrived home, it was exactly eleven o¡¯clock. gu zi placed lele on the sofa and gave her a biscuit to eat.

    then she got to work; she was going to start preparing lunch now and planned to pickle the vegetables in the afternoon.

    in the city, at su jing¡¯s house.

    when tian hai returned home, he saw a basket of apples and a packet of biscuits on the long and narrow table. he reached out to take an apple.

    su jing ran out of the house and snatched the apple back. she also tidied up her meticulously styled hair.

    ¡°brother hai, i bought these five apples on sale. if you eat one, how will we take them to the su family? give it back!¡±

    as soon as tian hai heard ¡°to the su family,¡± his mind was filled with visions of gu zi¡¯s beautiful face and her curves.

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: An Opportunity

    chapter 105: an opportunity

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su jing saw him staring blankly at the apple and smiled shyly, revealing her big front teeth.

    she thought her hairstyle today was stunning and confidently twirled in front of him.

    ¡°brother hai, don¡¯t look at me like that, it¡¯s making me shy!¡±

    tian hai found this woman brainless and uninteresting. he had lost interest in her long ago.

    he rolled his eyes in his mind, but considering the wealth of the su family, he tried to hide his contempt.

    he reluctantly put on an admiring expression. his acting was obviously poor, but it perfectly fooled su jing.

    ¡°darling, you are the most beautiful woman in my eyes!¡±

    tian hai was of average height, and his features were decent.

    with his flashy dressing, he attracted many glances whenever he stepped out.

    but his gaze was off, and the heavy eye bags made him look dull and unimpressive.

    any woman with a bit of insight wouldn¡¯t be interested in such a man.

    but those willing to listen to his sweet words considered him a treasure, like su jing.

    they say one should be positive in life; it¡¯s all about spreading positive vibes.

    people like tian hai were telling you: even if you were a piece of crap, there would be someone willing to become a dog just to eat your crap and fight for you.

    su jing felt as if she had eaten honey when she was praised by him.

    in her eyes, tian hai was not just no crap; he was her ideal prince charming. so even if those familiar with su jing noticed something wrong with tian hai, they wouldn¡¯t advise her to leave.

    after all, if you tried to advise a dog not to eat crap, the dog would think you were trying to steal its food.

    tian hai had other plans in his heart. he did not want to touch this useless woman anymore.

    he would find another woman outside who would make him happier than dealing with her!

    ¡°darling, aren¡¯t you going to play cards today? i see you¡¯re looking rosy today; you¡¯re sure to win money!¡±

    su jing believed him very much and sat up at once, ¡°really?¡±

    tian hai nodded, ¡°absolutely! when have i ever lied to you!¡±

    su jing¡¯s eyebrows were about to fly away with happiness, but the next second they drooped, ¡°but i was planning to go back to the su family this afternoon.¡±

    she couldn¡¯t let gu zi show off alone; she also wanted to display her care for her nephews.

    however, hearing tian hai¡¯s words, she felt like going to play cards again, so she was a bit conflicted.

    tian hai, upon hearing this, thought this was an opportunity for him to get closer to gu zi.

    he cupped her lips and kissed them. ¡°my heart aches for my baby. i really want to run errands for my baby, but i don¡¯t want to leave you.¡±

    when su jing heard tian hai say this, her body started to itch. she just wanted tian hai to kiss and touch her.

    ¡°brother hai, what if we don¡¯t go anywvhere today?¡±

    tian hai couldn¡¯t have that, so he quickly changed his words, ¡°i mean, let me run errands for my darling? you go play cards? i¡¯ll go to your brother¡¯s place!¡±

    su jing found it quite dull, but when she thought about winning money from playing cards, she agreed.

    originally, she didn¡¯t want to go back to the village. if it weren¡¯t for her brother being upset last time after being tricked by chu xi¡¯s family, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to spend the money on the apples and biscuits.

    just as su jing was about to step out, tian hai went into the room.

    he changed into what he thought was the most handsome outfit and even put on his sunglasses.

    when tian hai picked up the fruits and biscuits, he thought that since the su family was so wealthy it would be fine if he just gave them a little gesture.

    therefore, he only took the fruit and went to the bus station. on his way to daqing village, he encountered people from the pig farm again.

    when tian hai found out that su shen had gone on a business trip, a smile appeared on his face. it seemed like luck was on his side!

    meanwhile, at the su family residence, gu zi had just woken up from her afternoon nap and carried lele downstairs.

    at this moment, big yellow shouted in the courtyard. then, there were chaotic knocks on the door.

    gu zi, feeling lazy and not wanting to move, plus not hearing anyone call out, decided to play dead for a while.

    but soon, a greasy male voice sounded, ¡°zizi, it¡¯s me, i¡¯ve brought fruits for you!¡±

    gu zi carried su le and walked out. when she saw the person at the door, she looked disgusted. wasn¡¯t this that disgusting man at the ice rink?

    why was he bringing some rotten apples? did he want to harm her? the last thing this village lacked was gossip.

    since su shen wasn¡¯t home and he came to deliver fruits, it would inevitably lead to gossip. she couldn¡¯t let him in.

    gu zi had a plan and didn¡¯t move forward. instead, she stood at the door, wearing a frown, and said, ¡°we¡¯re not close; why are you bringing fruits? please

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Protect!

    chapter 106: protect!

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    tian hail s lecherous eyes narrowed as they reflected the graceful figure of a woman, she was simply stunning.

    she had a slender figure, but her chest, waist, hips, and other areas were maturely curved and contoured.

    she exuded perfection from head to toe, even in loose-fitting clothes, making him feel aroused.

    reluctant to leave, he wished he had x-ray vision to glimpse her shapely chest beneath her clothes.

    tian hai sighed deeply, ¡°zizi, you didn¡¯t even invite me inside to sit. i specially brought apples for you, could you please open the door¡­¡±

    before he could finish, gu zi interrupted, ¡°i told you i don¡¯t want your stuff. if you don¡¯t leave, i¡¯ll unleash the dog!¡±

    as she spoke, gu zi walked over to big yellow, unclasped its leash, granting it freedom.

    big yellow was already barking nonstop at tian hai. as soon as gu zi released the dog, it lunged toward the gate, revealing fierce teeth that startled tian hai, causing him to step back hastily.

    in his rush, he tripped on a stone, tumbling to the ground. his apples rolled out, leaving him in a disheveled state.

    gu zi sneered, ¡°go away. if you don¡¯t, i¡¯ll open the door.¡±

    at this moment, a woman who passed by came over and helped tian hai up. her eyes were filled with heartache.

    ¡°isn¡¯t this su jing¡¯s boyfriend?¡± she asked gu zi loudly. ¡°you¡¯re too much. you won¡¯t even let him in!¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t expect someone to defend this disgusting and lecherous man. she wouldn¡¯t back down on this matter, no matter whose face it involved.

    she didn¡¯t want to repeat the original storyline or be rumored to have a relationship with such a man; it disgusted her.

    gu zi, holding le le, said calmly, ¡°as i said, if you don¡¯t leave, i¡¯ll open the door. you¡¯ll only have yourself to blame if you get bitten.¡±

    she then moved to open the door, and tian hai swiftly ran off with the woman.

    gu zi entered the house and grabbed a large bone to reward big yellow, patting its head. ¡°it¡¯s all thanks to you, big yellow!¡±

    in fact, gu zi was a bit nervous just now; it was her first time dealing with someone like that.

    if it weren¡¯t for scaring him off with big yellow, he might still be lingering here.

    big yellow, chewing on the bone, then strolled over to the gate and sat down, looking back at gu zi as if saying, ¡°don¡¯t be afraid, i¡¯ll sit here; no one will dare to bully you.¡±

    seeing this, su le, in gu zi¡¯s arms, wanted to get down, so gu zi let her.

    as soon as su le touched the ground, she ran toward big yellow and squatted next to it, then turned to look at gu zi, shouting in her childish voice, ¡°mommy, mommy!¡±

    it was as if she was saying, ¡°mommy, i¡¯ll protect you together with big yellow!¡± in that instant, tears welled up in gu zit s eyes.

    she wasn¡¯t someone who cried easily, but no woman would feel comfortable after being harassed.

    yet, having lele and big yellow by her side made her feel much better.

    just as su le was about to take big yellow¡¯s bone, gu zi walked over and picked her up.

    ¡°mommy will make formula milk for lele, okay?¡±

    su le looked at gu zi brightly, reaching for her face, and said, ¡°yes! yes!¡±

    gu zi was instantly amused by her. she carried su le in and made milk for her.

    then, she went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water. when the water was about to boil, she took a large basin out.

    she had already picked and washed the vegetables that she had bought this morning and placed them in the courtyard to bask in the sun.

    this was a tip from her female classmate; to make pickled vegetables crispy, it was necessary to wilt them under the sun before pickling.

    the sun was shining brightly today. she squatted down to check that the vegetables in the courtyard were all ready.

    she put all the vegetables into a big basin and filled it up. she dragged it to the kitchen.

    after blanching the vegetables in boiling water and rinsing them with running water, gu zi placed them in a ventilated area to naturally drain off excess water.

    she then boiled another pot of water to prepare a glutinous rice flour paste. after the paste was ready, she took a jar with a sealable lid she found on the rooftop at home, something su shen said she could use.

    she neatly arranged the drained vegetables into the jar and poured the glutinous rice paste and a suitable amount of white vinegar into it, sealing the jar.

    looking at the jar in front of her, gu zi felt a sense of accomplishment.. all that was left was to place the pickled vegetable jar in a cool place and let time work its magic to create a delicious dish!

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Sowing Discord

    chapter 107: sowing discord

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in a dimly lit thatched house in daqing village, a woman got out of bed and put on her pants.

    her man had been away working for over a month, and she had been starved for over a month.

    she had just caught up with her former lover in front of gu zi¡¯s house, finally satisfying her desires.

    speaking of which, she was grateful to su jing. if it weren¡¯t for su jing showing off tian hai in the village every day when they were newly in love, she wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to meet this debonair city man.

    ¡°brother hai, be careful when you leave later. don¡¯t let anyone see you.¡±

    as she dressed tian hai, to ensure he remembered her, she even tucked her bra into the man¡¯s pocket.

    tian hai cursed, ¡°you lewd woman, wanting to flirt and also maintain your reputation. classic case of being a whore while setting up a memorial archway! ¡±

    recalling what just happened, he was still unhappy. that gu zi was not easy to handle.

    but the more challenging it became, the more it ignited his competitive spirit. he had to win over that woman!

    after returning to the city, tian hai went straight home. su jing was lying on the sofa, looking lifeless, obviously having lost money again.

    but she didn¡¯t complain to tian hai; she just said, ¡°i don¡¯t know what bad luck

    i¡¯ve touched. i only won a few rounds today.¡±

    tian hail s eyes gleamed darkly. oh, gu zi, since you¡¯re not obedient, don¡¯t blame me for sowing discord among you all!

    he said to su jing, ¡°darling, let me tell you something, don¡¯t get angry.¡±

    su jing felt nothing could make her angrier than losing money. ¡°tell me, i won¡¯t get angry.¡±

    ¡°i went to daqing village today to give you a gift, but i didn¡¯t even step inside. your sister-in-law doesn¡¯t respect you at all. she said that the things you bought were cheap and threw them on the ground.¡±

    ¡®what? how dare she!¡± su jing was furious upon hearing this.

    ¡°why wouldn¡¯t she dare? she even said that if you dare to return to the su family, she¡¯ll set the dog on you.¡±

    ¡°what about my brother? won¡¯t you go to him and complain?¡± su jing was so angry that she paced back and forth.

    tian hai said, ¡°your brother seems to be on a business trip. i think, in the future, you won¡¯t have a place in the su family. but it¡¯s okay, jingjing, i¡¯ll take care of you.¡±

    the more su jing heard, the more infuriated she became. ¡°that¡¯s my home! why shouldn¡¯t i go back? you¡¯ll see, i won¡¯t let that woman off easily.¡±

    daqing village, su family¡¯s house.

    su bing and su li finished their homework very early today. when they saw gu zi busy in the kitchen alone, they felt a little guilty.

    su bing asked su li to take lele, then he walked into the kitchen, asking, ¡°what can i help you with?¡±

    gu zi looked around; the vegetables were washed, and the meat was cut. there wasn¡¯t much for him to do!

    she told su bing, ¡°go and play. just help me take care of your sister.¡± after speaking, gu zi started heating the oil to stir-fry the vegetables.

    however, su bing didn¡¯t leave. he stood for a while before speaking again, ¡°can you teach me how to cook?¡±

    if he knew how to cook, she wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard in the future. he didn¡¯t want her to be so tired.

    seeing him still there and asking to learn to cook, gu zi said, ¡°then watch how

    i do it first.¡±

    so, he stood beside her quietly and watched as she finished preparing all the dishes.

    gu zi thought to herself that he truly was a future leader; for a boy his age, being able to stand and watch for five minutes was already impressive.

    ¡°help me serve the dishes. since you¡¯re so sincere, how about you take the helm for dinner tomorrow?¡± gu zi carried two plates of food and proposed to him.

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll cook tomorrow,¡± su bing said before going to get the dishes.

    the next day, when they returned from school, su bing put down his schoolbag and went straight into the kitchen to help gu zi wash and chop vegetables.

    while cutting cucumbers, gu zi instructed him, ¡°today, you¡¯ll be in charge of stir-frying pork slices with cucumber and tomato and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. cut the cucumber slices into diamond-shaped chunks. let me show you.¡±

    she took the knife, halved the cucumber, and cut it into thick strips. then, she diagonally sliced the flesh into diamond-shaped cucumber pieces.

    su bing watched and used the knife to imitate her cutting style. surprisingly, the cucumber slices he cut turned out quite similar.

    gu zi gave him a thumbs-up, ¡°you have a strong ability to learn!¡±

    su bing lowered his head, a slight blush on his face, and quickly finished cutting the cucumbers.

    gu zi had already explained to him the steps for cooking the two dishes earlier, so now she just needed to remind him of the key points.

    ¡°put the oil in the pan. it needs to be hot before adding the meat to stir-fry..¡±

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Eager to Return Home

    chapter 108: eager to return home

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing followed her instructions as she continued, ¡°after adding the meat, stir-fry it a few times, then add a small amount of white vinegar. this ensures the tenderness of the meat.¡±

    as the white vinegar poured into the pan, it sizzled, causing a few oil splatters.

    initially, gu zi thought to remind him that it was a normal occurrence and not to be afraid. but she soon realized there was no need.

    because not only was su bing unafraid, but he was also considerate enough to shield her from the oil splatters with his hand and continued frying the meat without even a cry of pain.

    she proceeded to guide him, ¡°great, the meat can be taken out now, then add the cucumber slices and stir-fry on high heat.¡±

    su bing executed the tasks skillfully, showing none of the coquettishness gu zi had shown when she first learned how to cook.

    gu zi felt that if she could improve his physical health, having a robust physique, su bing would grow up to be a proper little man.

    gu zi made a secret resolution; she would buy more guangming milk from the city in the future.

    she planned to supervise both him and su li to drink milk regularly and engage in some physical exercises.

    let the children and su shen exercise together! for the children to keep fit and for su shen, to strive for their future happy life together.

    under gu zi¡¯s guidance, su bing quickly finished preparing the two dishes.

    after tasting, gu zi praised su bing¡¯s cooking skills lavishly.

    although su bing knew she was praising him, in reality, the taste was far from what gu zi had made. but, he couldn¡¯t help feeling encouraged.

    gu zi cooked another dish and prepared a soup, and the family enjoyed their dinner happily.

    when going to bed at night, gu zi dreamed of su shen, and she woke up feeling particularly good.

    while le le was still asleep, she cleaned all the rooms on the second floor.

    after su bing and su li left for school, she cleaned the dining room, kitchen, living room, and other areas downstairs, humming songs contentedly.

    at noon, near the pig farm.

    li hua, like other women at the pig farm, delivered meals to lin cheng.

    everyone was aware of the relationship between the lin family and the su family. they all greeted li hua and lin cheng with smiles.

    ¡°li hua, your family is doing well now. that big jar of canned fruit, it must have cost quite a bit, right?¡±

    li hua shared some canned fruit with the people around her, saying it wasn¡¯t bought.

    ¡°then you¡¯re really skilled! you can even make canned fruits, but we can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°miss li hua not only has skilled hands but also a kind heart. she¡¯s set on lin cheng, and now it¡¯s paying off.¡±

    ¡°lin hun didn¡¯t make miss li hua¡¯s heart flutter, and now he¡¯s working as lin cheng¡¯s follower.¡±

    li hua blushed upon hearing these words and hid behind lin cheng. lin cheng said, ¡°you¡¯re all mistaken. this canned fruit was made by my sister.¡± ¡°gu zi is great, she can do anything, and she¡¯s from your lin family!¡±

    lin cheng smiled and continued eating; anyway, everyone was praising the lin family now.

    regardless of what others said, he didn¡¯t have so much on his mind. he came here to work diligently for his brother-in-law

    outside the door, jin long¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°hey hey hey, our boss su is back today. he¡¯s eager as an arrow to return home!¡±

    jin long thought su was spending quite a bit, directly hiring a car to rush back from another city.

    but he could also understand. if he had a super beautiful and gentle wife, he would rush back from outer space too.

    su shen strode through the hall, greeting many people. he responded with nods as usual, maintaining his usual aloof demeanor.

    jin long followed, taking some preserved fruit from lin cheng before entering the office.

    some people couldn¡¯t help but think, faced with his wife, even a beautiful one like gu zi, was su shen still this cold?

    some found themselves getting chills thinking about it. forget it, let¡¯s eat!

    in the office, su shen took out the documents from his bag and organized them systematically.

    jin long entered with the fragrant preserved fruit, deliberately eating it in front of su shen.

    ¡°hmm, the preserved fruit sister-in-law made is even tastier than the store-bought ones. boss su, want to taste?¡±

    su shen glanced at him, his tone carrying a hint of severity, ¡°i¡¯m sending you on a business trip for the next three days.¡±

    after saying that, su shen stood up and left the office. the once-fragrant preserved fruit in jin long¡¯s hands suddenly lost its appeal.

    ¡°my dear brother shen, you must be joking. i¡¯m carsick!¡± he said, ¡°i might vomit my lungs out on such a long journey.¡±

    ¡°that sounds rather scary.¡± su shen finished speaking and closed the door with a calm click.

    ¡°that¡¯s it?¡± jin long regretted it completely.. why did he tease him when there was nothing to tease about?

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Missing His Wife

    chapter 109: missing his wife

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    jin long chased after su shen and caught up to him outside the hall.

    su shen was talking to lin cheng when jin long stopped, panting heavily while patting his chest.

    fortunately, lin cheng was here!

    for the sake of his beautiful wife, su shen had stopped to chat with lin cheng. otherwise, jin long would not be able to catch up.

    jin long looked at lin cheng and suddenly felt his eyes light up.

    ¡°oh, my dear su shen, weren¡¯t you thinking of nurturing our brother lin? i¡¯ve got a great idea¡ªlet him go on that business trip?¡±

    they were about to finish their conversation when jin long suddenly interjected, leaving lin cheng somewhat baffled.

    ¡°jin long, i can manage manual labor at the pig farm, but i can¡¯t handle business trips!¡±

    jin long replied, ¡°su shen has handled the previous tasks. the upcoming days will involve the regular routine and having meals. you can manage that.¡±

    saying this, jin long slung his arm around lin cheng¡¯s shoulder, looking at su shen with flattering eyes, almost like close brothers.

    indeed, su shen had intentions to groom lin cheng. firstly, because of his relationship with gu zi, and secondly, lin cheng was diligent, reliable, and grounded.

    a person of such character, with some additional learning and skills, wouldn¡¯t lack a bright future.

    he felt jin long¡¯s proposal was indeed good and said, ¡°that works. if you¡¯re willing to go, let jin long take you.¡±

    lin cheng felt a bit embarrassed. would this be considered taking advantage of his connections?

    but since his brother-in-law suggested it, he thought it might be worth a try. ¡°then, i¡¯ll go. but what if i mess things up?

    jin long reassured, patting his chest, ¡°i¡¯ve heard you can drink, brother lin.¡±

    it was said that lin cheng could hold his liquor as if it were water, without getting drunk.

    he had a good temperament and didn¡¯t drink excessively. his ability to drink was a natural talent.

    and the members of the lin family were all good-looking; suited up in a shirt and tie, they could all play the role.

    lin cheng scratched his ear, ¡°well, i can drink. our lin family seems to have no problem with it. i¡¯m just not sure if gu zi, my sister, can.¡±

    with his large ears, lin cheng¡¯s nervousness made them slightly red, giving him an innocent and cute appearance.

    upon hearing that he could drink, jin long thought this was a sure thing; drinking prowess would hardly mess things up.

    he informed lin cheng, ¡°nothing at the dining table can¡¯t be solved with a bottle of wine. if one bottle isn¡¯t enough, we¡¯ll try two¡­¡±

    su shen glanced at jin long, ¡°then, take lin cheng for some learning today, and arrange someone to accompany him.¡±

    jin long immediately thought of lin hun. lin cheng was honest, but lin hun wasn¡¯t. he believed the duo would be perfect!

    he displayed an expression that said, ¡®no problem, as long as i don¡¯t have to go far, i¡¯ll arrange everything.¡¯

    with an arm around lin cheng, jin long walked inside, saying, ¡°enough, enough, brother lin, let¡¯s discuss this in the office. as for you, boss su, hurry home. you seem eager to see your wife. i don¡¯t want to take up any more of your time.¡±

    su shen was speechless. he regretted not telling jin long to take lin cheng himself on the business trip.

    having finished lunch, gu zi quickly cleaned the kitchen and dining room. she planned to use a portion of the bean jelly grass to make the jelly this afternoon, so she did not plan to go upstairs for an afternoon nap.

    after putting le le to sleep, she placed her in a corner of the sofa, covering her with a small blanket.

    she then settled herself on the other side of the sofa, resting her hands under her ears, curling up slightly, and soon fell asleep.

    when su shen entered the house, it was quiet. his gaze immediately fell upon the sleeping beauty lying on the couch.

    she was asleep in a very natural posture, her waist and hips astonishingly perfect, exuding an attractive curve.

    the slightly rolled-up skirt revealed a large section of fair and smooth calves. su shen¡¯s adam¡¯s apple bobbed, an uncontrollable hint of desire tinting his deep eyes.

    she didn¡¯t know, that day, when she kissed him voluntarily, he spent days and nights reminiscing about it.

    that touch was deeply imprinted in his mind, unforgettable.

    he squatted beside the couch, observing her beautiful face, ultimately looking at her lips.

    her lips were distinct, full, and had beautiful contours both on the upper and lower lip lines.

    overall, her lips resembled petals, exuding a unique softness and shyness.

    at the moment she kissed him, her lips gently brushed against his chin, almost making him lose control. he couldn¡¯t imagine how tantalizing and arousing it would be if it lasted another second longer.

    perhaps because of his height and physique, a lightly sleeping gu zi suddenly felt a tightness in her chest..

 Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Distant

    chapter 110: distant

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the next moment, gu zi opened her eyes. she was greeted by the mature and handsome face of su shen.

    she rubbed her sleepy eyes, sitting up hesitantly. ¡°su shen, you¡¯re back!¡±

    su shen stood up, glancing at the peacefully sleeping lele. ¡°why not go sleep on the bed? you know to tuck lele in, why not do the same for yourself?¡±

    the man¡¯s deep voice carried a touch of tenderness, yet it was faint, almost imperceptible.

    gu zi felt he was stern. suddenly, she felt as though she was caught red-handed doing something wrong.

    hurriedly, she straightened le le¡¯s blanket, saying, ¡°i was planning to take a short nap, so i didn¡¯t bring le le upstairs.¡±

    gu zi felt an awkwardness creeping in their interaction, probably due to that kiss.

    thinking about it made the scene from that day replay in her mind, making her forehead tense instantly.

    ¡°have you eaten?¡± she asked. ¡°i can make something for you.¡±

    su shen found her awkwardness somewhat amusing. as he turned away, a faint smile flickered across his lips.

    he ascended the stairs, saying, ¡°i¡¯ve already eaten. i¡¯ll go upstairs for a shower.¡±

    when gu zi looked over, the man¡¯s well-defined jaw turned over, revealing a

    slightly cold and severe aura.

    her heart thumped. would su shen find her too impatient and get mad at her?

    ¡®gu zi, as i¡¯ve told you before, don¡¯t rush things!¡¯ she thought to herself.

    she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little depressed as she thought about it. she turned around and took a suitable amount of bean jelly grass into the kitchen.

    she rinsed the dried bean jelly grass with water and soaked it in water. then, she went upstairs to get her watch and put it on. it would be convenient to check the time later.

    when she came out again, su shen had just come out of the shower. his face was much gentler than usual.

    he changed into a black short-sleeved shirt and wore slim, casual pants, giving the impression of legs going on forever.

    but did he not like her being too forward? for the first time, gu zi ignored him, closing the door and going downstairs.

    su shen, who originally wanted to say something, stood still, feeling she had distanced herself from him.

    when gu zi returned to the kitchen, the bean jelly grass had just softened. she took a pair of scissors and cut them into thumb-sized sections.

    she put them into the pot, then added an appropriate amount of water and edible soda and began to boil it.

    su shen came over and asked her if she needed any help. at that moment, le le called for her.

    gu zi resisted the urge to go to lele and said, ¡°you go take care of le le, i can manage here.¡±

    having said that, she proceeded to prepare the ingredients for dinner.

    su shen could only go and look after le le.

    an hour later, the kitchen was filled with a refreshing scent of traditional chinese medicine.

    gu zi turned off the fire and filtered out the thick black juice. then, she poured it into another pot without residue and continued simmering over low heat.

    then, she diluted the appropriate amount of cornstarch with water to form a smooth, grain-free paste. she stirred the juice in the pot with long chopsticks and ponred in the corpflonr paste

    gu zi¡¯s technique was skillful, swiftly transforming the pot¡¯s contents into a thick, glossy gel-like substance.

    she turned off the heat, pouring the thick black liquid into a large basin. this quantity would suffice for the family for three days.

    when it naturally cooled down and took on the appearance of jelly, she could store it in the fridge. when they wanted to eat, it would be effortless.

    he only needed to take an appropriate amount and cut it into small cubes, then add in small ingredients such as raisins, fruit cubes, and nuts.

    simply take an appropriate amount, cut it into small cubes, add raisins, fruit bits, crushed nuts, drizzle honey or brown sugar water on top¡ªon a hot afternoon, it would be incredibly refreshing and smooth!

    gu zi planned that after dinner, she would prepare a bowl for each of them to taste!

    checking the time, su bing and su li were almost back; she had to start cooking.

    when she was about to get the meat, su shen came over and said, ¡°gu zi, let¡¯s talk.¡±

    gu zi nodded. even if he didn¡¯t come to her, after being mad, she would still find su shen for a conversation. she wasn¡¯t someone who liked cold wars.

    at this moment, su bing and su li returned from school. su shen handed su le le to su bing and went upstairs with gu zi.

    su bing sensed something strange in the atmosphere but didn¡¯t say anything.

    as soon as su li entered the house, he was attracted by the pleasant aroma coming from the kitchen. ¡°big brother, i¡¯ll go to the kitchen. stepmom must be experimenting with something delicious again!¡±

    su bing¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°have you finished your homework? only after finishing it can you do other things.¡±

    su li took back the step he had just taken, glancing hopefully towards the kitchen, but obediently sat down to do his homework.

    upstairs in gu zi¡¯s room, the two sat facing each other, and su shen spoke first..

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Letâ€™s Date!

    chapter 111: let¡¯s date!

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°gu zi, to be honest, you¡¯re the first woman i¡¯ve ever been with for an extended period. if there¡¯s anything i¡¯m not doing right, feel free to talk to me about it.¡± per10d. it tnere¡¯s anytmng i¡¯m not domg rmgnt, teel tree to talk to me about lt.¡±

    even though he had been married once before, it wasn¡¯t as close and constant as this.

    back then, he was even busier; after marriage, he barely went home a few times.

    if it weren¡¯t for meeting gu zi, he wouldn¡¯t have understood the significance of being with family.

    he even used to think that if he worked hard and earned more money, su bing and the others could lead a good life.

    he found gu zits little temper tantrum earlier quite cute, but he didn¡¯t want her to hold any grudges inside.

    recalling her own initiative that night made gu zit s ears burn, but she still mustered the courage to gaze at su shen.

    ¡°are you upset about the way i acted towards you that night?¡±

    the man had a firm face with a slightly imposing high nose bridge. even when coaxing someone, he carried a hint of aloofness.

    gu zi belatedly realized she had misunderstood. su shen was naturally the way he was portrayed in books¡ªthick eyebrows, thin lips, and a cold demeanor.

    men like him didn¡¯t display extra expressions on their faces, nor did they have many words to spare.

    but his strength lay in expressing himself through actions, and she had plenty of time to guide him.

    ¡°no, i liked it. my expression has always been the same. if it made you misunderstand, i apologize!¡±

    su shen knew exactly what she meant and surprisingly smirked.

    su shen also just realized how cute it was that she was conflicted about that kiss.

    what he didn¡¯t know was that this smile added a touch of charm to his otherwise cool features.

    in that moment, gu zi found him overwhelmingly charming!

    perhaps all men had an innate instinct when it came to intimacy between genders.

    wait, did he say he really liked that kiss?

    gu zi¡¯s cheeks reddened as she asked softly, ¡°su shen, do you really intend to marry me?¡±

    su shen gazed into her eyes, showing a hint of surprise, then affirmed, ¡°of course. ¡±

    he was worried she might not want to marry him. he also feared he might hinder her if she did.

    it wasn¡¯t that he doubted himself; a man without basic confidence couldn¡¯t achieve success. however, he knew gu zi was young, beautiful, knowledgeable, and smart¡ªa girl like her would attract more than just him.

    and with him being considerably older, aside from earning money to spend on her, he didn¡¯t have much else special to offer.

    ¡°su shen, do you know what foreigners do before getting married?¡±

    her eyes widened as she looked at him, her slightly curved eyebrows indicating a sense of joy.

    her beautifully curved lips lifted high, radiating sweetness and grace.

    inside, she was incredibly nervous, but she felt she needed to express herself to su shen.

    previously in the military, su shen had heard that foreigners valued free love.

    was this girl implying she wanted to date him? the thought made su shen¡¯s forehead tense momentarily; he wasn¡¯t skilled at this.

    but a second later, he figured he could learn. he had good learning abilities, and at worst, he would strive to give her a beautiful dating experience. he smiled lightly and replied earnestly, ¡°dating, gu zi. let¡¯s date!¡±

    gu zi¡¯s pupils dilated at his words, her nose trembling slightly. it all seemed unbelievable to her.

    she thought she needed to explain, yet this man was so understanding.

    nodding, she said, ¡°sure, su shen.¡±

    gu zi felt today¡¯s conversation was incredibly pleasant.

    at dinner, su bing sensed something odd between dad and stepmom, but dad still served stepmom several times, appearing harmonious.

    however, adult matters were too complicated for him to bother about.

    after dinner, su bing astutely took charge of looking after lele.

    su shen and gu zi cleaned the kitchen and dining area together. several times, his gaze unintentionally lingered on her slender waist.

    that delicate waist seemed like it could be snapped with just one hand.

    taking the broom from her hand, su shen nudged her out of the kitchen. ¡°let me sweep; you take a break.¡±

    as gu zi looked at the man¡ªhis perfectly proportioned facial features, tall stature, dressed casually but still exuding elegance and nobility

    especially by that strong masculine aura, it always made her heart flutter.

    lost in thought for a moment, she realized this was what people referred to as an eligible bachelor?

    but now she was troubled.. dating, of course, involved hugs and kisses! how could she make this man understand? even more distressing was the fact that she had no dating experience in her past life!

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Vicious Sister

    chapter 112: vicious sister-in-law

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi felt she couldn¡¯t keep dwelling on this issue. she went to the table in the dining room to prepare a dessert after cooking.

    she cut the bean jelly grass into small cubes and placed them in five bowls.

    then, she added raisins, watermelon chunks, crushed peanuts, canned fruit cubes, and finally drizzled a thick layer of honey over it.

    she called out to the living room, ¡°su bing, su li, come get your dessert!¡± su bing was taking care of su le; he asked su li to come and get theirs.

    su li, looking at the colorful bowls, was fascinated. stepmom must have prepared something delicious again!

    ¡°stepmom, what¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°this is grass jelly. do help yourself to your own bowl; your dad and i will carry the rest.¡±

    su li found this proposal excellent, grabbed his bowl, and ran off. gu zi and su shen carried the remaining bowls over.

    su li had already taken a spoonful, blinked in amazement, and praised, ¡°it¡¯s cool and refreshing, sweet and fragrant, so delicious!¡±

    stepmom was amazing; she was like a heavenly fairy, capable of making anything tasty!

    su shen and su bing didn¡¯t fancy sweet things, but because gu zi always made many delicious dishes, they were looking forward to this dessert.

    after tasting it, both showed surprised expressions. even for those who didn¡¯t like sweets, this seemed good. su bing even took several more bites.

    su shen asked, ¡°is this made from the grass we dried in the yard?¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right. this is made from bean jelly grass. it¡¯s called grass jelly,¡± gu zi said, taking another bite. she had not eaten the grass jelly in a long time, and today, her craving was finally satisfied.

    su bing and su li felt even more amazed when they heard that. su li asked, ¡°is this really made from the grass we cut? that¡¯s incredible!¡±

    gu zi nodded and explained, ¡°this kind of grass can clear heat and toxins and alleviate summer heat. our ancestors used it to make food early on. it¡¯s perfect to eat at this time of the year. tomorrow morning, i¡¯ll pack two portions for you to have after lunch.¡±

    su li happily clapped, ¡°thank you, stepmom!¡±

    su bing also expressed his gratitude.

    at this time, they heard a familiar voice outside, and gu zi recognized it as their neighbor, aunt zhang, and her grandson.

    ¡°no, no, i won¡¯t go back; i want to see fairy sister!¡± the chubby little boy clung to the gate, locking eyes with big yellow from the other side.

    despite big yellow¡¯s buzzing warnings, the boy seemed fearless, holding onto the gate stubbornly.

    ¡°you little rascal, how shameless! fairy sister and the others might still be having dinner,¡± zhang cuihua tried to pull her grandson away, feeling a bit embarrassed.

    gu zi walked to the door and opened the gate warmly, inviting, ¡°oh, aunt

    zhang, come on in!¡±

    as she spoke, she gently touched the boy¡¯s cheek, and the boy instantly laughed happily, calling her fairy sister.

    aunt zhang politely declined a few times but couldn¡¯t budge her grandson, so she reluctantly went in.

    ¡°sit down and watch tv for a while. i¡¯ll get you two two bowls of delicious food,¡± gu zi said.

    ¡°sit down and watch tv for a while; i¡¯ll get you two some delicious treats,¡± gu zi suggested, not waiting for auntie zhang to refuse, and went inside. soon she brought out two bowls of grass jelly.

    ¡°auntie zhang, taste this. this is the dessert i made with the bean jelly grass.¡±

    su li quickly added, ¡°yes, it¡¯s super delicious. you must try it!¡±

    su le, who was in su bing¡¯s arms, also nodded like su li. ¡°yes, yes, eat!¡±

    seeing her grandson gobbling up the food like a starving ghost, aunt zhang decided to eat it too.

    she blushed and said with a smile, ¡°oh, lele is getting smarter now. let¡¯s try it too!¡±

    after a bite, she felt incredibly refreshed, ¡°similar to jelly, but tastier than jelly.

    gu zi, you¡¯re really skillful; you can make anything!¡±

    after saying that, zhang cuihua suddenly sighed and frowned.

    she couldn¡¯t bear injustices and recalled what she heard today. she felt she needed to talk about it now to relieve her thoughts.

    this was also the reason why she had insisted on taking her grandson away just now. after all, there was no need to talk about this if she did not see gu zi.

    ¡°aunt zhang, what¡¯s wrong?¡± gu zi asked when she saw her like this.

    zhang cuihua looked at su shen and then at gu zi. ¡°today, i heard some things. i don¡¯t know if speaking about it will damage your family¡¯s relationships, but not speaking of it makes me feel like you¡¯re being unfairly treated. ¡±

    hearing her say this, su shen said, ¡°auntie, just say it. there¡¯s no need to hold back.¡±

    zhang cuihua then revealed what she had heard, ¡°many people in the village have listened to some malicious slander by aunt fang, and they believe you¡¯re a malicious sister-in-law..¡±

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Rumors

    chapter 113: rumors

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°aunt fang?¡±

    gu zi did not know this person. she looked at su shen, who also seemed clueless about who it was.

    zhang cuihua explained, ¡°yes, that woman has been spreading rumors lately, saying you are malicious, arrogant, and disrespectful. she claimed you treated your younger sister¡¯s fruit gift as garbage and even assaulted her boyfriend.¡±

    because of this, aunt zhang had an argument with aunt fang that day. the gu zi she knew wasn¡¯t like that at all.

    gu zi vaguely felt it must be related to the trouble caused by tian hai that afternoon. she remembered a woman passing by who helped tian hai that day.

    so, since she couldn¡¯t create false rumors about her as per the plot, did they just opt for outright defamation?

    she found that lecherous man disgusting: how could she ever touch him? if

    anything, hitting him would be too good for him!

    as for the apples, wasn¡¯t it that lecherous man who was frightened by big yellow and threw them away? she didn¡¯t even know they were from su jing!

    gu zi asked, ¡°the aunt fang you mentioned, is she a petite woman with shoulder-length hair?¡±

    zhang cuihua nodded repeatedly, ¡°i happened to pass by her house that day and saw tian hai sneaking out from her place. i reckon it was the same day su jing sent him to deliver the apples; something doesn¡¯t add up.¡±

    although tian hai was from the city, ever since he got together with su jing, he often flaunted himself in the village, and many women in the village knew him.

    she could tell tian hai wasn¡¯t a good person; why would he sneak into a woman¡¯s room in broad daylight? of course, that aunt fang wasn¡¯t well-behaved either.

    zhang cuihua continued, ¡°i¡¯m telling you this so you know. aunt fang¡¯s husband works outside the village all year round, and everyone in the village knows her reputation. she¡¯s had quite a few flings with men; nearly twenty or thirty. most people won¡¯t believe what she says, but there are always some who do.¡±

    gu zi nodded, ¡°thank you, auntie zhang, we understand. we won¡¯t mention you told us about all these.¡±

    remembering how that woman had supported tian hai at that time, gu zi had felt something was off. now, hearing zhang cuihua¡¯s account, she understood why. people can have different sides when they sleep in the same bed. when zhang cuihua was leaving, gu zi handed her jar of preserved fruit to taste.

    after seeing zhang cuihua and the little boy off, gu zi returned and saw su shen looking extremely severe.

    he softened his expression slightly upon seeing gu zi but said, ¡°gu zi, tell me what happened. ¡±

    gu zi recounted the events of that afternoon in detail. by the end, tears were welling up in her eyes.

    su shen¡¯s heart ached when he saw her. he hadn¡¯t expected that merely going on a business trip for a few days would result in such an incident!

    su bing and su li were also furious upon hearing it, clenching their fists silently. that tian hai dared to harass their stepmom?

    seeing the man¡¯s tightened fist, gu zi was afraid he might get angry again, so she reached out and held his fist.

    but his fist was huge; she realized she needed both hands to cover it.

    as the woman¡¯s soft, fair, and fragrant hand enveloped the man¡¯s, it felt as if cotton wrapped around it. the warmth from his palm surged, and his eyes, like a cold abyss, stirred with hidden emotions.

    looking at him through misty eyes, she whispered, ¡°don¡¯t worry, i wasn¡¯t harmed. i didn¡¯t even open the door.¡±

    su shen knew gu zi didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for him. how could a woman not suffer when repeatedly harassed by a man?

    gu zi was his girlfriend and his fianc¨¦e. a man who couldn¡¯t protect his woman was nothing!

    however, he didn¡¯t want her to worry, so he just softly murmured, afraid that saying more would reveal his anger.

    gu zi remembered his injury on his arm and said, ¡°the bandage on your arm should be ready to be removed. after your shower, come here, and i¡¯ll help you check it. if it¡¯s healed, we¡¯ll remove the bandage.¡±

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll go shower now.¡± su shen stood up and walked upstairs. his half-squinted eyes instantly widened, revealing a chilling murderous intent.

    this time, he wouldn¡¯t let tian hai off the hook.

    gu zi sat on the sofa, holding su le in her arms, and asked su bing and su li to go shower and sleep.

    of course, she would not give up just like that. someone like tian hai, driven

    by lust, was a disaster tor both the su family and her.

    since tian hai and su jing were still just boyfriend and girlfriend, and there were no children between them, she could try to salvage the situation.

    she needed to find a way to show su jing tian hai¡¯s true colors. what su jing chose after knowing the truth would be her decision..

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Embrace

    chapter 114: embrace

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    later, the originally clear sky suddenly turned dark as lightning and thunder rolled in, and the rain started to pour.

    having just managed to put su le to sleep, gu zi hurriedly closed the windows and drew the curtains, ensuring su le wasn¡¯t disturbed.

    she went in to take a shower. when she came out, su shen was waiting outside the door.

    opening the slightly ajar door, gu zi said, ¡°what are you doing out here? come in quickly.¡±

    she turned to fetch the medical kit, asking su shen to sit at the edge of the bed. carrying the kit, she joined him.

    sitting with an erect posture, his thin lips tightly pursed, su shen undressed, revealing his broad, strong shoulders, prominent chest, and graceful muscle lines, captivating gu zit s gaze once more.

    his figure was impeccable! paired with his cold and resolute face, it was perfect!

    gu zi¡¯s face slightly flushed as she lowered her gaze, carefully removing the bandage from his arm.

    ¡°the wound has healed; you only need to take care of it. but you still need to take the antibiotics,¡± gu zi said, meeting his wet, piercing gaze as he sat upright.

    did she not realize how close they were sitting? if she leaned down just slightly, her lips could touch his shoulder.

    he took a deep breath and said, ¡°i¡¯ll plan well for our relationship.¡±

    gu zi was applying some ointment on his skin. when she heard him say this, her hand paused.

    gu zi did not know what to say for a moment. this was the first time she had heard that a relationship needed to be planned, but she still replied softly, ¡°okay.¡±

    the rainfall outside intensified into a tempest, with the strong wind whipping raindrops against the window like countless lashes.

    the window reverberated with a series of bangs, creating an atmosphere that gu zi found rather unnerving.

    suddenly, a bolt of lightning sliced through the room, illuminating it intensely.

    the subsequent thunderclap was deafening, causing gu zi¡¯s heart to leap. without a second thought, she sought refuge in su shen¡¯s embrace.

    she nestled into him, feeling the comforting softness of his hair. he welcomed her, his adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly.

    after pondering for a while, he found words to reassure her, ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯m here!¡±

    his voice was soothing, brushing past her ears like a warm breath. he extended his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

    gradually, her heartbeat steadied. she glanced at su le, who was sound asleep.

    uncertain if there would be another such thunder, she clung tightly to su shen. he was her fiance, after all!

    his masculine scent filled the air, disrupting her usual composure.

    gu zi recognized this as the love she had longed for in her previous life but had never gotten the chance to experience.

    as the rain softened and the lightning dimmed, gu zi lifted her gaze slightly and said, ¡°su shen, i¡¯m okay now.¡±

    a subtle warmth enveloped his face as he gazed at her tenderly.

    ¡°yes,¡± he replied but didn¡¯t release her. ¡°stay still,¡± he gently requested, reluctant to let go.

    gu zi complied, allowing him to hold her.

    the man¡¯s robust and warm embrace, along with a hidden sense of assertiveness, sent a shiver down gu zi¡¯s spine.

    his muscular physique was discernible even through his clothes.

    for a moment, gu zi¡¯s expression froze. she pondered how if she cured his hidden ailment, this man would undoubtedly be quite formidable in bed.

    finally releasing her, su shen met her gaze.

    he found her slightly endearing but wondered about the amusing thoughts running through her mind.

    he remarked, ¡°during this business trip, someone gifted me two boxes of snow clams. they¡¯re said to be good for beauty. i¡¯ve stored them in the fridge for you, along with a recipe and cooking instructions.¡±

    su shen believed women had a penchant for beauty, especially someone as stunning as gu zi.

    of all the gifts he received, he only retained the two boxes of snow clams, specifically bringing them back for gu zi.

    at the mention of ¡°snow clams,¡± gu zits eyes sparkled. ¡°did you say snow clams

    snow clams were not extensively cultivated at this time, but they were a rare tonic consumed by the wealthy.. they had been considered the ¡°top of the eight treasures¡± since the qing dynasty¡ªwomen would consume them to nourish their yin and liver, while men used them to invigorate their kidneys and strengthen their vitality!

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Nourishment

    chapter 115: nourishment

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi felt an overall surge of energy in her body. how could she keep such a good thing to herself?

    she was already content with the original owner¡¯s appearance and skin condition. this stuff had to be consumed by su shen as well!

    she asked, ¡°where did you put it? let me see.¡±

    not understanding why she suddenly seemed so excited, but since she asked, su shen went downstairs and brought up a box for her to see.

    after receiving the gift box, gu zi examined it carefully, confirming it was indeed snow clams, pure and untainted wild snow clams!

    the snow toad and milk must have a strong nourishing effect.

    she went downstairs with su shen and soaked the snow clams for tomorrow in water. she put the rest back in the fridge.

    gu zi planned in her mind. if there was milk tomorrow, she¡¯d make milk stewed with snow clams. if not, she¡¯d directly steam the snow clams with chinese wolfberries. she was very anxious to nourish su shen.

    ¡°will you be going to the city soon?¡± she asked.

    su shen was drinking water and did not know what she was thinking. he put down the cup and walked over to give her a glass of warm water. ¡°do you need me to bring something back? just tell me.¡±

    ¡°i need two boxes of milk.¡± gu zi took the cup, had a sip, feeling its warmth, and the two of them went upstairs together.

    ¡°alright, i¡¯ll have them delivered tomorrow. you should rest early,¡± the man stood outside the door, waiting for her to enter before heading back to his room.

    gu zi smiled softly, saying in a gentle voice, ¡°goodnight, su shen!¡±

    with that, she entered the room and quickly fell asleep.

    during breakfast the next morning, su shen mentioned he¡¯d come back for lunch and instructed gu zi not to send him lunch.

    he also informed su bing and su li that there¡¯d be something for them tonight.

    su bing and su li¡¯s eyes lit up with anticipation. they cheerfully carried the nutritious meal boxes their stepmother had prepared and happily left the house.

    in the morning, jin long delivered two boxes of milk. he was aware that at this time, only gu zi, a woman, and a child were at home. after bringing the milk into the courtyard and exchanging greetings, he left.

    gu zi first prepared the ingredients for lunch and put the rice in the steamer before fetching two bottles of milk,

    snow clams had few impurities. she took the snow clams that she had soaked in water the previous night, removed the tendons, placed them in a large bowl, added a slice of ginger, two red dates, and a bit of rock sugar.

    finally, she poured milk into the bowl and placed it in a pot to steam.

    at that moment, su le walked into the kitchen holding two pieces of milk candy, calling out, ¡°mom, mom, eat!¡±

    gu zi walked over, lifted her up, took the candy from her hand, and said, ¡°thank you, darling! is lele¡¯s tummy hungry? mommy will make you some milk formula.¡±

    when su shen returned and saw her feeding su le milk, he remarked, ¡°take care of her. i¡¯ll go stir-fry the dishes. what are we having today?¡±

    glancing at him, gu zi noticed his broad back moving towards the kitchen. his neat short hair seemed especially manly.

    without hesitation, she told him the dishes she planned to make for lunch today.

    twenty minutes later, when she entered the kitchen and turned off the heat, the entire room was filled with the fragrance of milk as she lifted the lid off the steamer.

    su shen brought the dishes to the table and went to the living room to carry su le over for lunch. as soon as they sat down, gu zi handed su shen a bowl of stewed snow clams.

    ¡°you work so hard every day; you need some nourishment. milk-stewed snow clams, try it!¡±

    after she finished speaking, she stared straight at su shen. the expectant expression on her face made su shen¡¯s eyes darken.

    he had specially brought back good food for her to eat, so why was she asking him to eat it?

    snow clams were not only expensive but also rare. how could su shen not know their benefits?

    they were beneficial for both women and men, serving as a potent enhancer for men.

    as su shen recalled her excited expression from last night, it clicked. this young woman was craving closeness, perhaps even feeling that he needed nourishment.

    ¡°alright,¡± he said, taking a sip while hiding a smile in his eyes. he hadn¡¯t expected her to be so audacious.

    observing that he had consumed it, gu zi explained, ¡°i believe this is quite beneficial. it¡¯s something we should share. i even kept some for su bing and su su shen finished the bowl in one go, displaying a carefree demeanor.

    presenting the empty bowl to gu zi, he remarked, ¡°yes, it¡¯s delicious and quite invigorating.¡±

    possibly, there was nothing amiss with his body, but after drinking it, he felt a slight warmth within.

    however, what could he do? gu zi believed he needed the nourishment, and he didn¡¯t want to worry her..

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Boss Suâ€™s Desires

    chapter 116: boss su¡¯s desires

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    just then, su shen deliberately avoided looking at gu zi. it was extremely uncomfortable.

    gu zi was very satisfied that he drank all the milk in the bowl and naturally did not notice the helpless expression in the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°it¡¯s good that you like it. in the future, our family will work on nourishing our bodies together!¡± after gu zi finished speaking, she began to feed su le. it was also very beneficial for children to eat snow clams.

    when su le heard gu zi¡¯s words, she innocently chanted, ¡°nourishment, dad, mom, nourishment!¡±

    when gu zi heard su le¡¯s shout, her face flushed red.

    gu zi¡¯s face flushed instantly at su le¡¯s words. why did this little girl sound so ambiguous? but su shen probably didn¡¯t grasp her intention, did he? gu zi lowered her head and focused on her meal.

    su shen quickly glanced across the table. he felt he had gotten himself into this trouble.

    gu zi was smart, yet in this aspect, she seemed somewhat naive. how could she think he wasn¡¯t up for it? su shen, feeling rather troubled after lunch, headed back to the pig farm.

    when su shen arrived at the office, he remembered that he wanted to teach tian hai a lesson. he called for jin long.

    ¡°have you found him?¡± he was all fired up and this was his best outlet for it.

    jin long stared at su shen¡¯s flushed ears and teased him without any sense of boundaries. ¡°i say, boss su, aren¡¯t you a bit too eager? gu zi is still a young girl.¡±

    men tend to favor slender waists and curvy hips, and gu zit s figure perfectly matched every man¡¯s dream lover.

    of course, jin long wasn¡¯t having thoughts about his friend¡¯s woman; he was just speaking his mind.

    boss su looked like he was full of desire. he and gu zi had not registered their marriage yet. he was craving something he couldn¡¯t have, and it was leaving him unsatisfied.

    jin long hadn¡¯t expected to witness the normally aloof su boss acting so passionate. he could brag about this for a lifetime!

    su shen shot a cold glance at jin long, his expression so icy that jin long immediately straightened up.

    ¡°ahem, let¡¯s get back to business, okay! i¡¯ve already found him. i guarantee that tian hai won¡¯t have a good time.¡±

    su shen looked at jin long, raising an eyebrow. his deep eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°go to the city and watch over him for the next few days.¡±

    jin long knew he was in for it. he tried to protest, ¡°my guys me are reliable; do i have to personally go?¡±

    sli shen didn¡¯t sav a word. just stared coldly at tin long. who felt shivers

    running down his spine.

    well, if he had to, he had to. a little vomiting wasn¡¯t much compared to women enduring months of morning sickness during pregnancy. it was better than enduring su shen¡¯s piercing gaze here.

    ¡°i¡¯ll go then. boss su, but i can¡¯t believe you¡¯d ask this of me.¡± jin long bravely turned and walked out, ready to pin his motion sickness and nausea on tian hai. he had to teach that guy a lesson!

    after jin long left, su shen directed all his energy to work, making calls, and handling documents.

    however, the image of gu zi taking an afternoon nap on the sofa that day kept surfacing in his mind. her skirt was rolled up, revealing her pink knee joints and delicate calves¡­

    his lower body, which had just returned to normal, suddenly became as hard as iron.

    su shen had to accept a fact: that bowl of clams stewed in milk had already nourished him excessively.

    at that moment, someone came in to report, ¡°boss su, the new round of sterilization and extermination is complete. do you want to go check now?¡± su shen tried his best to ignore the burning sensation below him.

    ¡°alright.¡± the person went out and murmured to another, ¡°strange, boss su seems off today.¡±

    ¡°yeah, since he came back after lunch, he hasn¡¯t come out. that¡¯s not like him at all.¡±

    ¡°married men are somewhat different, especially with our sister-in-law being such a beautiful woman. can you blame boss su?¡±

    as they spoke, they walked away, leaving behind suggestive smiles.

    when su shen went back in the afternoon, gu zi accidentally bumped into his arms and smelled a strong smell of tobacco on him.

    she placed her hand gently on su shen¡¯s waist and looked up at him.

    su shen¡¯s dark eyes were filled with desire. his hand on the side was uncontrollably lifted but quickly dropped.

    ¡°i¡¯m fine, i¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± su shen walked upstairs after speaking.

    gu zi thought he might be stressed about work; it seemed she would need to give him more nourishment.

    chatgpt

    just then, su shen deliberately avoided looking at gu zi. it was more painful for him if he did.

    gu zi was content to see him finishing every drop of milk in the bowl, naturally oblivious to the man¡¯s expression of resignation in his eyes.

    ¡°you enjoy it, and in the future, we¡¯ll all partake in this nourishment together!¡± gu zi started feeding su le, knowing the clams were beneficial for children too.

    when su le heard gu zi¡¯s words, she innocently chanted, ¡°nourishment, dad, mom, nourishment!¡±

    gu zi¡¯s face flushed instantly at su le¡¯s words. why did this little girl sound so ambiguous? but su shen probably didn¡¯t grasp her intention, did he? gu zi lowered her head and focused on her meal.

    su shen quickly glanced across the table. he felt he had asked for this punishment himself.

    gu zi was smart, yet in this aspect, she seemed somewhat naive. how could she think he wasn¡¯t up for it? su shen, feeling rather troubled after lunch, headed back to the pig farm.

    in his office, su shen remembered his plan to reprimand tian hai and called for jin long.

    ¡°have you got all the people ready?¡± he was all fired up and this was his best outlet for it.

    jin long stared at su shen¡¯s reddening ears without any sense of boundaries and quipped, ¡°i say, boss su, aren¡¯t you a bit too eager? gu zi is still a young

    girl.¡±

    men tend to favor slender waists and curvy hips, and gu zit s figure perfectly matched every man¡¯s dream lover.

    of course, jin long wasn¡¯t having thoughts about his friend¡¯s woman; he was just speaking his mind.

    su boss looked like he was burning with desire, and they hadn¡¯t even tied the knot yet. he was craving something he couldn¡¯t have, and it was leaving him unsatisfied.

    jin long hadn¡¯t expected to witness the normally aloof su boss acting so passionate. he could brag about this for a lifetime!

    su shen shot a cold glance at jin long, his expression so icy that jin long immediately straightened up.

    ¡°ahem, let¡¯s get back to business, okay! are all the people arranged? ensure tian hai¡¯s days won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    su shen looked at jin long, raising an eyebrow. his deep eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°these days, you go keep an eye on the city.¡±

    jin long knew he was in for it. he tried to protest, ¡°the people under me are reliable; do i really have to go?¡±

    su shen didn¡¯t say a word, just stared coldly at jin long, who felt shivers running down his spine.

    well, if he had to, he had to, a little vomiting wasn¡¯t much compared to women enduring months of morning sickness during pregnancy. it was better than enduring su shen¡¯s piercing gaze here.

    ¡°i¡¯ll go, su boss. you sure have a lot of loyalty.¡± jin long bravely turned and walked out, ready to pin his motion sickness and nausea on tian hai. he had to teach that guy a lesson!

    after jin long left, su shen directed all his energy to work, making calls, handling documents. but gu zi¡¯s image lounging on the sofa that day, her skirt rolling up, revealing delicate pink knees and a slender portion of her leg, kept appearing in his mind.

    his lower body, which had just recovered, suddenly became as hard as iron again.

    su shen had to accept a fact: that bowl of clams stewed in milk had already nourished him excessively.

    at that moment, someone came in to report, ¡°boss shen, the new round of sterilization and extermination is complete. do you want to go check now?¡±

    su shen, trying hard to ignore the burning sensation below, said, ¡°you go check; it¡¯s enough if it¡¯s qualified. i have some things to handle here.¡±

    ¡°alright.¡± the person went out and murmured to another, ¡°strange, deep brother seems off today.¡±

    ¡°yeah, since he came back after lunch, he hasn¡¯t come out. that¡¯s not like him before.¡±

    ¡°married men are somewhat different, especially with our sister-in-law being such a beautiful woman. can you blame deep brother?¡±

    as they spoke, they walked away, leaving behind suggestive smiles.

    in the afternoon, when su shen returned, gu zi accidentally bumped into him, catching a whiff of a strong tobacco scent from him.

    her hand lightly rested on su shen¡¯s waist, and she looked up at him, asking,

    ¡°are you okay?¡±

    dark desire hid in su shen¡¯s jet-black eyes. his hand on the side was uncontrollably lifted but quickly dropped.

    ¡°i¡¯m fine, i¡¯ll go take a shower.¡± su shen walked upstairs after speaking.

    gu zi thought he might be stressed about work; it seemed she would need to give him more nourishment.

    in the bathroom, water from the showerhead cascaded down, tracing the exquisite lines of his muscles..

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: A Romantic Bike Ride

    chapter 117: a romantic bike ride

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen closed his eyes and imagined the soft touch of the woman¡¯s delicate hands. his breathing gradually intensified, and a tingling sensation spread throughout his body with a heavy gasp, but in that moment, clarity returned to his eyes.

    in the yard, the two brothers who had just returned from school were gathered around two brand-new bicycles, inspecting them closely.

    seeing gu zi come out, su li couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and asked,

    ¡°stepmom, is this what dad got us?¡±

    gu zi noticed the bicycles only then. su shen¡¯s generosity indeed carried a strong hint of wealth.

    in this era, those who rode bicycles weren¡¯t ordinary people. yet, su shen had purchased two at once!

    ¡°it seems so. it¡¯ll be much more convenient for you to ride to and from school,¡± gu zi smiled.

    at this time, su shen walked out and walked to gu zits side. he said to the brothers, , ¡°after school from now on, you¡¯ll learn how to ride these bicycles.¡± the brothers nodded in agreement, eagerly touching and feeling the bicycles.

    su li could already imagine himself riding confidently into the school¡¯s bicycle shed!

    watching the bicycles before him, su bing admired su shen even more. when he grew up, he also wanted to become a capable person like dad and provide the best for his family.

    gu zi raised her eyes, looking at the man beside her. he was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

    he had just taken a shower and was wearing a white singlet. some of the water droplets on his hair slid down his well-defined face, while others fell on his sexy collarbone and chest.

    this unexpectedly appealing sight stirred something in her!

    he was just talking to the kids, but suddenly turned to her. the play of light and shadow in his eyes made the atmosphere inexplicably flirtatious.

    ¡°i¡¯ll take you for a ride and demonstrate to su bing and the others how to ride a bicycle,¡± su shen said in a low voice.

    looking at the woman¡¯s reddened face, he could not help but smile. she was so shy yet daring.

    this woman seemed to only think about nourishing him, but su shen now doubted if she had considered what to do after his ¡°nourishment.¡± his recent behavior in the bathroom might have startled her.

    gu zi felt that there was something wrong with su shen¡¯s gaze today, but she did not know where to start discussing it.

    riding a bike together with a lover seemed rather romantic! but these old-fashioned bikes might pose a challenge.

    she initially thought they¡¯d each ride a bike, so she was a bit concerned. but then she realized that wasn¡¯t what su shen intended at all.

    he only pushed one bike out and gestured for her to sit at the back.

    extending his long legs, su shen effortlessly mounted the front seat of the bicycle. even with his legs not fully stretched, he said, ¡°get on, hold on tight.¡±

    without hesitation, gu zi sat on the rear seat, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist. his broad back gave her a sense of security.

    the bike surged forward at a decent speed, yet it was steady.

    the wind gently caressed her face, but for some reason, her face was a little hot. she couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh. perhaps this was what being in love felt like!

    as the sun set, the bicycle drew a long and happy shadow across the fields, attracting the attention of many people on the road and in the fields.

    some people envied su shen for being smart and knowing how to make money. to buy such good bikes, not just one but two at once!

    others envied gu zits luck in choosing a good and rich man. many were scared off by su shen¡¯s strict marriage conditions, but not her. now it was all good; following su shen meant enjoying a lot of comfort!

    there were also people who couldn¡¯t bear to see others happy, so their tone was very sour.

    they said su shen was just putting on a show, after all, they hadn¡¯t obtained the marriage certificate yet.

    they said after she registered her marriage, gu zi would also become an old woman. she would do laundry, cook, and take care of the children at home every day.

    and they claimed gu zi had ulterior motives, coveting su shen¡¯s wealth. as soon as her position in the su family was stable, she would be like su shen¡¯s previous wife.

    but at that moment, seated on the back of the bike, gu zi was content. this feeling of being in love seemed just right!

    in her past, she had seen plenty of romantic dramas where the lead couple displayed their love by kissing and hugging at every moment to highlight the sweetness.

    it wasn¡¯t that such gestures weren¡¯t appropriate, but jumping right into cuddling and sleeping together at the start seemed to cheapen the experience. maybe it was fine, but it lacked that emotional depth.

    she asked su shen, ¡°is this your idea of a romantic date?¡±

    the bike traversed a bumpy road, shaking vigorously a few times, and gu zi instinctively clung tightly to the man¡¯s sturdy back.

    reassuringly, he said, ¡°sort of. don¡¯t worry, i won¡¯t fall, or let you get dirty..¡±

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Learning to Ride

    chapter 118: learning to ride

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the man¡¯s voice was deep and carried a convincing gravity.

    gu zi nodded as su shen steered the bicycle to a spacious area and turned back.

    by this time, more people were on the road, returning from the fields to have their meals at home.

    in the crowd walked aunt fang, who also caught sight of this beautiful and conspicuous scene.

    she was seething with jealousy! this gu zi not only looked good but also married such a great man.

    unlike her, who had gone through dozens of men and still hadn¡¯t found a reliable one!

    she grabbed the arm of a woman nearby and spoke in a spiteful tone, ¡°these city-bred pretty women are all hidden vipers. don¡¯t you know? she bullied poor su jing, not allowing her into the house and complaining that su jing¡¯s gift wasn¡¯t valuable enough.¡±

    the women¡¯s expressions turned subtle upon hearing this, their envy transforming into jealousy.

    ¡°su shen is doing better and better. this woman is really scheming. i was wondering why she dared to marry without having children.¡±

    ¡°now, her true colors are out, right? bullying her little sister-in-law now; later, she¡¯ll bully those three children.¡±

    ¡°she onlv pretends to be zentle. remember the dav she wanted to set a dog on

    su jing¡¯s man? if you don¡¯t believe me, ask aunt fang.¡±

    seizing the opportunity to slander again, aunt fang said, ¡°from being malicious sister-in-law now to being a malicious stepmother later. it¡¯s all predestined!¡±

    ¡°i heard su shen bought her parents a red brick house at the entrance of the neighboring village. she¡¯s quite cunning! practically a fox spirit reincarnated.¡±

    ¡°what?! if three thousand yuan was not enough for the betrothal gift, how dare she want a house from the su family? such a greedy woman¡­¡±

    meanwhile, gu zi and su shen were almost at their doorstep, unaware that their brief outing had already painted gu zi as a fox spirit by those people¡¯s descriptions.

    in any case, reality was like this. where there were people, there would be society. where there was society, there¡¯d be a social circle.

    this inevitably led to gossip and disputes, especially in small communities where everyone knew each other, giving some a sense of arrogance because, after all, they were just gossiping within the village, unlikely to escalate into something significant.

    gu zi and su shen entered the courtyard, where su bing had conscientiously finished the remaining bit of his homework.

    su shen called su bing out to learn first, and su li sat nibbling his pen, his face filled with envy.

    gu zi lifted su le, took a small stool, and walked over. she sat beside su li and said, ¡°it¡¯s okay, focus on your writing. i and lele are here with you.¡±

    su li then resumed writing. after a few minutes, he looked up, biting his lip, and asked, ¡°can you teach me? these questions are too difficult, especially math. every time i finish my math homework, i feel like my head¡¯s grown a size bigger.¡±

    gu zi glanced at his problems; they were just basic primary school math questions, which were no problem for her, a graduate from a prestigious school.

    rather than directly providing answers, she took his notebook and explained the relevant calculation formulas to him.

    enthralled by the scent of his stepmother¡¯s hair, su li was captivated. after gu zi finished explaining, he exclaimed in surprise, ¡°stepmom, i don¡¯t feel sleepy when you explain math to me!¡±

    ¡°good! you¡¯re really clever, su li. then, hurry and finish your homework!¡± gu zi encouraged him.

    filled with renewed energy, su li quickly completed his tasks.

    when su bing came back and saw that su li¡¯s answers and formula were accurate and logical, he suspected that his stepmother had helped su li.

    su shen walked over and took the notebook. su li became especially cautious and did not dare to move.

    after a while, su shen¡¯s gaze fell on su li. in a deep voice, he said, ¡°good job.

    come and learn to ride a bike with me.¡±

    su li¡¯s eyes sparkled. dad just said his homework was good? that was so cool!

    excited, he glanced at his stepmom and hurriedly followed his dad¡¯s steps.

    su shen first took him for a ride before letting him sit in the front seat. then, he swapped to the back seat to provide some stability and let su li try paddling.

    initially, su li was quite scared, but because he could see his father behind him every time he turned, he finally relaxed and started practicing.

    after dinner, su li panted as he reported on his progress, ¡°although i fell once,

    i¡¯ll continue practicing tomorrow!¡±

    su bing deliberately provoked him coldly, ¡°actually, you don¡¯t need to learn. i already know how to ride; i¡¯ll take you..¡±

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: My Health Is Fine

    chapter 119: my health is fine

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su li waved his hand vigorously. ¡°no, big brother. stepmother says i¡¯m also a man, just like you and dad. i need to have the ability to protect the women in our family, just like you two!¡±

    gu zi looked at su li in surprise. as expected of the future underworld boss!

    in reality, all she did was to make him absorb the points she was trying to teach by saying he was a boy, just like an older brother.

    she believed that anyone willing to put in the effort could become a fine gentleman like their father. little did she expect him to infer other meanings from her words.

    su bing stood up, ready to tidy up the dishes. ¡°oh, really? i need to see actions, then. ¡±

    knowing his brother¡¯s character well, su bing knew that although he boasted about being invincible at times, he tended to give up easily. he intentionally said those words to provoke him.

    chin held high, su li¡¯s eyes gleamed with determination. ¡°big brother, just wait and watch. i¡¯ll definitely live up to my words!¡±

    joining his brother, su li swiftly helped with the chores, quickly cleaning up the dining table.

    as they were about to wash dishes in the kitchen, gu zi called them over. ¡°hold on before washing up. let¡¯s each have a bowl of snow clam stewed with milk.¡±

    su bing and su li gazed at the milky white liquid in front of them, with semi-transparent objects floating inside, along with red dates.

    they weren¡¯t familiar with what snow clams were, but they assumed those semi-transparent items were the clams.

    upon tasting, they found it surprisingly pleasant. the clams had a slight fishy taste, but it was subdued by the mild ginger flavor, becoming somewhat fragrant. the texture was delicate and smooth to chew, combined with the aroma of milk and red dates, resembling a dessert.

    ¡°why aren¡¯t you eating, su shen?¡± gu zi and lele finished a bowl each and noticed su shen¡¯s hesitation, prompting her to ask.

    with a hint of bitterness in his smile, su shen felt utterly helpless. he should have refused, but he couldn¡¯t bear to reject this woman, who simply wanted to improve his health.

    he took a spoonful before saying, ¡°gu zi, i think i¡¯ve had enough nutrition today. you and the kids should have more. my health is fine, no need to worry.¡±

    the phrase ¡°no need to worry¡± from a man could convey subtle nuances, but it was challenging to provoke thoughts in someone who had already concluded he had sexual dysfunction.

    narrowing her eyes slightly, gu zi wasn¡¯t worried about his physical health; it was his performance she was concerned about!

    a thirty-year-old man, previously married but disinterested in women, made gu zi doubt his capabilities.

    however, this matter couldn¡¯t be rushed. men had strong pride in this regard, something she understood.

    she said, ¡°give your portion to the kids. eating too much in a day isn¡¯t good. su

    bing, su li, your bodies need the nutrition, have some more.¡±

    su shen divided his bowl between the two children, feeling a sense of relief. at least he wouldn¡¯t have to take a cold shower that night.

    yet, he wasn¡¯t sure if gu zi had taken in his earlier words.

    the next day, when they returned for lunch, and she served another bowl of milk stewed with snow clams, su shen understood that this woman hadn¡¯t taken his words to heart.

    her bright eyes anticipated him drinking it, and he couldn¡¯t resist her gaze. she came to marry him without any complaints, pure-hearted, kind, and beautiful. so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t bear to let her go. he wanted to devote himself entirely to caring for her.

    resignedly, su shen drank another bowl, then looked her straight in the eyes. ¡°gu zi, once i¡¯m done with my current commitments, let¡¯s register our marriage. are you willing?¡±

    he wanted to marry her immediately, but before that, he had to provide an explanation to gu zi about tian hai¡¯s matter. if mishandled, he wouldn¡¯t be qualified to marry her.

    his brows furrowed, exuding a compelling aura with a touch of affection in his eyes, and even his thin lips seemed softer.

    the moment gu zi heard this, her mind went blank, leaving only her heart pounding in her chest.

    she thought their relationship only needed formalization when the time was right for a certificate. she never expected him to specifically ask.

    su shen¡¯s approach was spot on, leaving her with no room for hesitation.

    ¡°okay.¡±

    seeing her immediate acceptance, su shen couldn¡¯t suppress a gentle smile. he walked up to gu zi, the coldness in his eyes melting into tenderness, and opened his arms. ¡°may i have a hug?¡±

    ever since that stormy night¡¯s embrace, he had fallen in love with this feeling. he yearned to hold her frequently..

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Slander To His Face

    chapter 120: slander to his face

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist, responding to his query with action.

    his arms encircled her in return, feeling the warmth and softness of her body. the embrace involuntarily tightened a bit.

    if gu zi had a third-person perspective at this moment, she would have seen the usually stern-faced man smiling brightly, displaying an aura of complete possession.

    ¡°su shen, you¡­ you feel a bit hot!¡± gu zi sensed the high temperature emanating from su shen¡¯s body. even through the fabric of their clothes, she distinctly felt the heat of his body.

    her breath grew erratic, and she gently pushed him away. but soon, su shen pulled her back into his embrace again, his tone carrying strong restraint. ¡°gu zi, please don¡¯t push me away for now.¡±

    this time, gu zi felt more like she was being captivated in his arms. his head buried in the nape of her neck, emitting warmth.

    from her ears to the nape of her neck, she felt ticklish. gu zi felt her waist loosening.

    she had always been focused on nourishing su shen. she had never thought about how she, who was single in her previous life, should deal with a man¡¯s feelings.

    she was craving su shen¡¯s body, but it seemed that she was a little careless.

    su shen asked, ¡°gu zi, do you mind my age?¡± the woman in his arms was only eighteen, a budding flower yet to bloom.

    gu zi shook her head and said gently, ¡°you¡¯re mature. you have a good income and you are considerate. i like you.¡±

    su shen¡¯s lips curved slightly. he had forgotten, this woman loved money.

    however, he felt that it was better for gu zi to be a money-grubber. he would earn money to satisfy this little money-grubber.

    he could give her what she needed. this would bring him a great sense of satisfaction, even greater than the satisfaction he felt when he negotiated a big order.

    ¡°are you done? i think there¡¯s someone outside in the yard.¡± gu zi, through the partially open door, could see some shadows.

    ¡°um, yeah.¡± su shen released her, turned around, and opened the door. outside were none other than su jing and tian hai.

    gu zi also noticed the two. su jing seemed ready for a confrontation, wearing heels and pursing her lips tightly.

    but tian hails face was even more sensational, showing that he had had an eventful few days.

    his face was swollen like a pig¡¯s head, as if he had been stung by a bee. there was a bandage wrapped around his head, and he was unable to wear his usual sunglasses.

    he limped as he walked, looking like he had met with retribution.

    the moment su jing saw gu zi, it seemed like she found a target for her grievances.

    she complained to su shen that gu zi looked down on her and threw away the fruits she bought for her nephews.

    she also claimed that gu zi said she couldn¡¯t return to the su family, calling her a troublemaker.

    su shen didn¡¯t say a word, his gaze chillingly fixed on tian hai.

    tian hai felt a chill down his spine and hid behind su jing. she defended, ¡°brother, i¡¯m talking about gu zi to you. why are you glaring at him like that?

    don¡¯t you know he¡¯s also a victim!¡±

    a thin layer of red appeared at the corners of su shen¡¯s eyes. his dark gaze resembled an icy tundra. ¡°were those words said to you by gu zi herself, or did tian hai tell you?¡±

    ¡°brother shen, i¡¯m telling the truth! this woman is not honest at all. she even tried to seduce me!¡± after speaking, tian hai hid behind su jing, thinking he would be safe there.

    originally, he didn¡¯t want to provoke su shen face-to-face, but he had been really unlucky lately.

    every time he went out, he was either accidentally hit on the head or stumbled upon a steel bar, falling flat on his face.

    one day, when he was trying to steal someone¡¯s bicycle to sell for money, he was caught. they beat him up, made him limp, and he had to repay money just to settle things, almost ending up in jail.

    even when he arranged to meet a woman for some happy hour, he was attacked by bees. not only did he miss out on fun, but he also ended up with a head full of swellings!

    tian hai attributed all of this to not successfully seducing gu zi. everything went wrong for him. he couldn¡¯t let this woman have it easy!

    but at this moment, he regretted his rashness. su shen was not someone to be trifled with, and now tian hai dared not lift his head.

    the next moment, su jing was pushed aside, and tian hai was kicked away. his cries of pain attracted the attention of passersby.

    ¡°you scumbag! dare to say gu zi seduced you? say it again, and i¡¯ll beat you again!¡± su shen¡¯s eyes were cold as he spoke.

    su jing hurried over to help her boyfriend, and gu zi quickly pulled su shen back.

    she felt that su shen¡¯s kick was exceptionally satisfying! right now, she felt no sadness and saw no reason to be troubled by the slander of such a person.

    but she couldn¡¯t let su shen act again; more violence would only lead to

    trouble..

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Shit Hits the Fan

    chapter 121: shit hits the fan

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°su shen, how could you hit me? you¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± tian hai was helped up by su jing, trembling and shouting as he crawled away.

    he never expected su shen to directly resort to violence. and since su shen had military experience, tian hai was just here to receive a beating.

    he instantly regretted coming with su jing. he should have let this foolish woman come alone to make a scene!

    ¡°let¡¯s not resort to violence; let¡¯s talk it out,¡± gu zi held onto the man¡¯s hand, unwilling to let go.

    at this moment, su shen¡¯s face was filled with a heavy sense of ruthlessness. tian hai, that weakling, seemed entirely defenseless.

    su shen¡¯s eyes were crimson. despite being a mature and steady thirty-year-old man, he now appeared to have the impetuosity of a youth.

    ¡°if something happens, i¡¯ll take responsibility. but, he must pay the price if he dares to slander you!¡± he had initially thought to resolve this trouble later, but since the other party had come to him, it was time to settle the score.

    when the man was furious, gu zi could not hold him back at all.

    she simply let go of her hand, and su shen rushed toward tian hai.

    ¡°su shen, how can you be responsible if something happens? just let him go.¡± gu zi said.

    only then did the man stop his steps, his gaze still glinting with coldness, like an ice blade that could pierce through the opponent¡¯s heart.

    scared, tian hai kept retreating, his face flushed with anger, feeling more and more aggrieved.

    he hadn¡¯t done anything, yet he ended up being beaten like this.

    seeing su shen being advised by gu zi and refraining from further action, tian hai¡¯s arrogant demeanor inflated again.

    he dared not look at su shen and only loudly cursed at gu zi, ¡°it¡¯s all because of you, seducing me, swinging your hips! you won¡¯t admit it and let your man beat me up! i¡¯ll sue you both!¡±

    gu zi couldn¡¯t believe that just wanting to avoid a big scene would result in such humiliation.

    tears welled up in her beautiful eyes as she stood still, no longer intending to stop su shen.

    holding a stick, su shen walked toward tian hai. seeing him serious, su jing screamed and fled.

    with a ¡°thud¡±, tian hai fell to the ground and clutched his leg, letting out a piercing scream.

    jin long who had been stalking tian hai, followed him and su jing back to daqing village.

    as soon as he returned, he saw tian hai on the ground.

    he knew something big had happened today. su shen was usually cold and didn¡¯t talk much, nor did he ever take advantage of others.

    but if someone truly provoked him or hurt someone he cared about, he would act decisively.

    it seemed that in su shen¡¯s heart, gu zi had become someone significant. otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have done something so reckless without considering the consequences.

    jin long didn¡¯t panic, just asking, ¡°if we don¡¯t rush him to the hospital, his leg might be permanently damaged. should we take him?¡±

    seeing the man on the ground, su jing shouted, ¡°of course, we need to go! brother, he is my boyfriend. why would you treat me like this?¡±

    it was the first time she had heard tian hai insult a woman like that, and she was also surprised.

    tian hai¡¯s behavior was completely different from what she usually saw, but he was still her boyfriend.

    jin long couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, ¡°boyfriend? su shen is your brother! he has given you money whenever you asked, and when did he ever say no to you coming back home?¡±

    it was su jing herself who found these troublesome nephews annoying and didn¡¯t want to come back home.

    she disliked that the su family was still in the countryside and was less convenient than the city.

    jin long didn¡¯t know where su jing found such trash as tian hai. he had long been unable to bear it.

    su shen dropped the stick and sneered, ¡°there will always be a place for you in the su family. but if you want to ruin your life for such a man, i have nothing to say. you can ask jin long; what has this man done behind your back?¡±

    after saying this, su shen signaled to jin long. annoyed, jin long hoisted tian hai onto his back and walked outside.

    seeing this, su jing, red-eyed, spoke to su shen, ¡°i will find out the truth. if he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong, i won¡¯t forgive you!¡±

    after speaking, su jing turned and briskly followed jin long¡¯s steps. the yard regained its calmness, leaving only su shen and gu zi.

    gu zi didn¡¯t want to bother with the idle gossip outside and pulled su shen inside.

    in the living room, the man¡¯s anger had not subsided as he sat silently.

    gu zi went upstairs to check on su le who was napping and then came back down.

    both of them remained silent. gu zi approached to inspect his arm.

    he had just removed the bandages and was now involved in a fight again because of her. she needed to check if the old wound was affected.

    actually, she wasn¡¯t angry at su shen¡¯s impulsive actions. people like tian hai were genuinely despicable and needed to be dealt with once and for all..

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Worried

    chapter 122: worried

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi was a little upset because of su shen¡¯s disregard for consequences.

    resolute in her decision to remain silent, she fetched some medicine upon noticing his injury had slightly split open and proceeded to apply it to him.

    su shen was aware that gu zi was displeased, yet if this situation were to repeat itself, he would still act the same.

    su shen watched as she applied the medicine on him. her long hair cascaded like seaweed down her shoulders to her waist.

    gu zi possessed the curves that men adored ¡ª a slender waist and shapely, round buttocks.

    her breasts were in the shape of water droplets that aroused a heated response. he saw that she wasn¡¯t wearing any underwear that night.

    sensing the increasing intensity of the man¡¯s gaze, gu zi fought to mask the desire in her eyes.

    in gu zi¡¯s view, he appeared angry, but she couldn¡¯t quite grasp the reason behind it.

    her annoyance translated into added force in her hands, causing a slight frown and a sheen of cold sweat on his forehead.

    he heard gu zi say, ¡°you¡¯re tough. endure the pain; don¡¯t shout out in pain.¡±

    speaking of which, she didn¡¯t know how to conclude this matter. breaking someone¡¯s leg was probably not a trivial matter.

    regardless, this situation arose because of her, and she didn¡¯t want su shen to go to jail because of her.

    su shen¡¯s expression was grim, his eyes harboring a dark hostility. he retorted coldly, ¡°don¡¯t bother.¡±

    upon hearing this, gu zi truly felt upset. what did he mean by telling her not to bother?

    they were on the verge of getting their marriage certificate, and now she wasn¡¯t allowed to be concerned?

    ¡°fine, i won¡¯t bother. boss su knows best.¡± with that, she turned to go upstairs, but suddenly, her wrist was grabbed by him.

    he exerted a little strength and gu zi was pulled towards him. she spread her legs and sat on his lap.

    certain parts of their bodies were closely pressed together; the posture was as ambiguous as it could be.

    in just a few seconds, the man¡¯s body temperature caused gu zi to tremble slightly.

    his hand rested on her lower back, enveloping her entirely. it felt like a more intimate embrace.

    his chin nestled on her shoulder, his breath as hot as fire, almost scorching her.

    in a hoarse voice, he explained, ¡°that¡¯s not what i meant. i¡¯ll handle it,¡±

    gu zi was genuinely too worried. now, upon hearing his explanation, she was no longer angry.

    nestling into his arms, she softly said, ¡°su shen, you said we were going to register our marriage. i don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. you can¡¯t go to jail.¡±

    so, she was worried about him going to jail. this woman was truly adorable!

    su shen¡¯s anger had also subsided a lot. his eyes returned to their usual darkness as he gently reassured her, ¡°no, i will marry you.¡±

    it was perhaps due to their honest confirmation of their relationship as lovers that they felt much closer to each other.

    ¡°you¡¯d better live up to your words. i can¡¯t offer you nourishment for nothing,¡± gu zi remarked.

    su shen was speechless. their moment of tenderness was derailed by this sentence.

    only then did gu zi realize she had inadvertently shared half of what was in her heart!

    feeling that there was no point in saying anything more at this moment, su shen let go of her hand, and she got off his lap.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry about this anymore,¡± su shen assured her.

    with that, su shen left the house. gu zi went upstairs to check on su le and slept with her for a while.

    it was only when su le woke up that gu zi carried her downstairs.

    as she descended, she noticed a group of women gathered outside the courtyard, discussing what had just happened.

    at the forefront was aunt fang, loudly spreading rumors, alleging that gu zi was the cause of the worsening relationship between su shen and his sister.

    according to the rumors, tian hai had come to defend his girlfriend, but su shen was too bewitched by gu zi, ignoring even his own sister and directly breaking tian hai¡¯s leg.

    gu zi¡¯s train of thought was that she could choose to ignore them if they were criticizing her, but if they were criticizing her man, she had to act.

    she prepared some milk powder for su le, seating her on the sofa. ¡°mommy is going to deal with the bad guys now. lele, be good and drink your milk, okay?¡± ¡°mommy will deal with the bad guys!¡± su le nodded and echoed.

    outside the courtyard, aunt fang was speaking animatedly when the door to the su family¡¯s courtyard opened from within.

    gu zi gazed at aunt fang coldly.

    seeing gu zi emerge, the other women were taken aback. they hadn¡¯t expected her to confront them openly. this time, there was something truly worth watching.

    gu zi also knew they enjoyed drama, so she decided to give them a real spectacle today..

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Making It Clear

    chapter 123: making it clear

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    aunt fang was just speaking enthusiastically, but upon seeing gu zi emerge, she smiled coyly, portraying an image of both tender compliance and an aversion to confrontation.

    ¡°why do you city folks speak so harshly? when did i spread rumors about your family? i don¡¯t tell lies.¡±

    her shifty eyes were watchful of every movement around her, as if prepared at any moment to defame or incite anyone.

    she looked as if she was ready to slander or incite anyone at any time.

    she already had an appearance that liked to stir up trouble. how could she hope to feign a rational demeanor?

    observing her performance, gu zit s lips curled with a disdainful smile. her acting skills were truly poor.

    ¡°what ¡®city people¡¯ or ¡®country folk¡¯? which city dweller, when tracing back a generation or two, isn¡¯t from the countryside?¡±

    gu zits words initially surprised the surrounding women, but they soon echoed their agreement. indeed, weren¡¯t city dwellers originally from rural areas too? unexpectedly, gu zi wasn¡¯t as aloof as other city visitors usually were. she didn¡¯t consider herself superior.

    nonetheless, they still felt gu zi had gone too far; she shouldn¡¯t have prevented her younger sister-in-law from going home no matter what.

    but people are like this; they say anything behind your back, but in person, they have many reservations.

    gu zi was su shen¡¯s woman. several villages relied on su shen to lead a good life. no one dared to directly accuse gu zi of being malicious.

    someone stepped forward to mediate, trying to please gu zi, ¡°after all, su jing is su shen¡¯s real sister. aunt fang might have misunderstood. she speaks her mind and is straightforward. please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right. that¡¯s how it is in our village. say what you need to say, and once it¡¯s spoken, everyone forgets about it.¡±

    ¡°indeed, this wasn¡¯t a big deal to begin with. let¡¯s just disperse for now.¡± seeing everyone speak up for her, aunt fang felt even more at ease.

    what if she could speak well as a city visitor? not understanding the social rules of village life meant that she couldn¡¯t win people¡¯s hearts.

    although these words didn¡¯t outright accuse gu zi of malice, those who understood knew that it was more unsettling than directly labeling someone as malicious.

    gu zi didn¡¯t retaliate, knowing that everyone had clarified that their comments weren¡¯t heartfelt. if she were to retaliate, she¡¯d appear petty.

    gu zi perfectly understood but wore a faint smile, composed and calm.

    after the women who were trying to reconcile finished speaking, she finally chimed in, ¡°what you said makes sense. i didn¡¯t come out here to argue. but aunt fang, on the day you witnessed everything, why didn¡¯t you clarify things then?¡±

    people often don¡¯t remember what they¡¯ve said but easily remember what others have said. that¡¯s why rumors and gossip can become formidable invisible weapons.

    understanding the importance of clarification, gu zi had the chance to address it in person. even if others didn¡¯t understand, she¡¯d feel much more relieved by speaking the truth.

    when you dare to refute, those who want to slander you will be more wary before attempting to discredit you.

    aunt fang sneered, ¡°how didn¡¯t i clarify? you were planning to set the dogs on us. dare you say you didn¡¯t?¡±

    gu zi smiled slightly, ¡°i indeed intended to set the dozs loose, but on that day,

    when tian hai came to deliver apples, i didn¡¯t let him in. how did that turn into me not allowing su jing in? did you see su jing that day?¡±

    ¡°th-that tian hai represents su jing, doesn¡¯t he? you didn¡¯t let tian hai in; it implies you look down on su jing!¡± aunt fang felt her argument was rational and argued loudly.

    this statement evoked murmurs from the crowd. it turned out that aunt fang had exaggerated things.

    but some people believed aunt fangs logic was reasonable. ¡°yes, tian hai is su jing¡¯s boyfriend. you didn¡¯t let him in; it indeed seems that way, so it¡¯s easy to misunderstand.¡±

    aunt fang, emboldened by someone siding with her, insisted, ¡°exactly! seeing is believing!¡±

    there wasn¡¯t a ripple in gu zi¡¯s bright eyes; she continued, ¡°on that day, i was alone at home. when tian hai knocked, firstly, he didn¡¯t say su jing sent him to deliver the fruits. secondly, in such a situation, any sensible man knows to avoid suspicion. so why would he insist on entering?¡±

    her tone was gentle, her words articulate, and her speech, calm and clear. after her remarks, she exuded a composed elegance, displaying an air of dignity..

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Underwear

    chapter 124: underwear

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi¡¯s superiority made other women momentarily forget their jealousy and even harbor a liking for her.

    the women found her words reasonable. if that was the case, aunt fang was the one stirring up trouble and causing chaos.

    everyone was from the same village, and deep down, they knew aunt fang¡¯s true character.

    when they compared aunt fang¡¯s image to gu zits, there was no need to debate whose words were more credible.

    ¡°that¡¯s right! tian hai shouldn¡¯t have done that! it¡¯s improper.¡±

    ¡°aunt fang, your old habit is acting up again. you¡¯re talking nonsense again.¡±

    ¡°it¡¯s totally unrealistic. luckily, little su¡¯s wife is patient enough to explain to us crude folks.¡±

    aunt fang didn¡¯t expect this woman to turn the tables with just a few words. seeing everyone change sides, she trembled with anger.

    she said to gu zi, ¡°are you too self-absorbed that men have thoughts about you? tian hai is su jing¡¯s boyfriend. he probably hasn¡¯t thought of such things!¡±

    some women found aunt fang¡¯s words reasonable. though gu zi was beautiful, she shouldn¡¯t be so defensive against men.

    it seemed as if gu zi believed she was as beautiful as a celestial being and that all men harbored impure thoughts towards her?

    ¡°little su¡¯s wife is still an unmarried girl and shy. but tian hai is already family. you¡¯re overthinking it.¡±

    ¡°that¡¯s right, we¡¯re all family. there¡¯s no need to be overly cautious. we shouldn¡¯t even set dogs on people.¡±

    ¡°this makes it difficult for your man. look, now you¡¯ve injured tian hai. this creates so much trouble!¡±

    suddenly, it was gu zi at fault again. some felt she had complicated matters.

    gu zi felt a bit speechless inwardly. however, she wasn¡¯t afraid of this small situation. she looked at aunt fang and spoke with a suggestive tone.

    ¡°i wouldn¡¯t be so sensitive towards others, but tian hai¡¯s different. i don¡¯t like

    him, but it has nothing to do with su jing. aunt fang, you should be well aware of what kind of things tian hai says to women!¡±

    aunt fang was momentarily speechless at this remark. ¡°what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°i just wanted to return an item to you since everyone is here today.¡± gu zi took out a piece of red cloth with something wrapped inside, but she didn¡¯t open it in front of everyone.

    gu zi didn¡¯t want to touch the contents, so she directly handed it to aunt fang. however, aunt fang didn¡¯t take it, unable to recall what she had recently lost.

    aunt fang, with a cold face, warily said, ¡°aren¡¯t you going to see what it is? don¡¯t think about harming me!¡±

    upon hearing this, gu zi decided to open the red cloth. from it, she pulled out a peach blossom-patterned underwear with white stains.

    she didn¡¯t want to hold onto it directly, so it was wrapped in red cloth. suddenly, a strong fishy smell permeated the air.

    the experienced women recognized the clumped and granular marks on it as dried semen.

    when semen dries like this, it indicates that the man might be in poor health, possibly suffering from low sperm count.

    everyone knew aunt fang¡¯s husband worked away from home all year. why would there be semen on her underwear?

    things seemed even more intriguing now. the women discussed, astonished and excited.

    aunt fang grabbed the red cloth and wrapped it up.

    the women in the village followed the custom and would embroider their names on their undergarments. she had no reason to say that it was not hers.

    with an unchanging face, aunt fang said, ¡°i must have accidentally lost it, surely taken by some man.¡±

    gu zi coughed lightly, saying, ¡°this item was given to me by someone who found it. they saw tian hai sneakily leaving from under the peach tree and dropping this item, seeing your name embroidered on it, they asked me to return it to tian hai.¡±

    how could aunt fang¡¯s underwear end up in tian hai¡¯s hands? him stealing it and then losing it doesn¡¯t make sense.

    but if aunt fang voluntarily gave it to a man, that would make sense. the crowd looked at aunt fang with contemptuous eyes.

    what relationship could there be between a woman who gave a man her underwear? only lovers or spouses would have that kind of relationship.

    but what kind of relationship was there between aunt fang and tian hai? clearly, they were more than just friends!

    all at once, everyone comprehended why aunt fang persistently stood up for tian hai, claiming gu zi barred him from entering her house.

    yet, aunt fang was resolute in her denial. ¡°gu zi, you¡¯re attempting to set me up! you probably had someone steal my belongings, then ask some dirty guy to soil them!¡±

    with just one witness, regardless of who saw it, there was no way to confirm if tian hai was the one who discarded the underwear..

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Aunt Fang Receives a Beating

    chapter 125: aunt fang receives a beating

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the midst of the chaos, gu zi stood her ground without resorting to personal attacks. ¡°whether or not i¡¯ve slandered you, you know best.¡±

    the undergarment had been found by aunt zhang on that very day. she hadn¡¯t brought it up when she visited the su family that night, only deciding to reveal it the next day.

    it was when she heard aunt fang spreading vicious rumors about how gu zi was out to seize the su family¡¯s assets, that aunt zhang really couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. she couldn¡¯t stand seeing such a woman continue to be arrogant.

    with resolve, she handed the undergarment to gu zi and recounted how she found it.

    gu zi had initially intended to return the item to her privately, intending to expose tian hails true colors to su jing. however, since the other party had taken the initiative to come forward and fabricate stories outside the su household, gu zi had no qualms about shaming her in public.

    ¡°hmph! no matter what you say, it¡¯s all your own fabrication! you¡¯re just trying to frame me!¡± aunt fang pointed her finger at gu zi, cursing.

    two of the women who were good friends with aunt fang had sneaked away. they were also good friends with tian hai, so they did not dare to stay any longer to avoid getting into trouble.

    other women were familiar with aunt fang¡¯s character. this incident was precisely in line with her capabilities; she had slept with many men both inside and outside the village.

    they just hadn¡¯t expected tian hai to be this kind of person. no wonder gu zi refused to let him in. she was beautiful and clever, and she was just safeguarding her reputation. how could someone like aunt fang compare?

    but why was su jing still so reluctant to part ways with that man? with su shen¡¯s business acumen, why was su jing acting so foolishly?

    while everyone was contemplating this, su jing unexpectedly burst into the crowd from some direction, grabbing aunt fang by her hair and pulling her backward.

    before aunt fang could react, she was thrown to the ground by su jing, who then sat on her waist and delivered several slaps to her face.

    ¡°you shameless woman! daring to seduce my man! if i don¡¯t smash your face today, i won¡¯t be surnamed sul¡± with every word, more handprints appeared on aunt fang¡¯s face, and blood trickled from her lips.

    seeing su jing¡¯s intimidating demeanor, the onlookers dared not intervene.

    even gu zi was momentarily stunned by su jing¡¯s actions.

    she hadn¡¯t expected the su family members to be so violent.

    gu zi briefly checked on su le before stepping outside again. by then, aunt fang had been dragged around by su jing for a while, covered in blood and mud, looking utterly disheveled.

    jin long rushed over and restrained su jing. ¡°do you want to end up in jail over some man? that¡¯s enough!¡±

    originally heading to the hospital, su jing learned about tian hai and aunt fang¡¯s affair on the way. she even found a red ribbon from aunt fang¡¯s possession, seemingly torn from a woman¡¯s undergarment.

    su jing was infuriated. she kicked tian hai several times in anguish before instructing the driver to stop the car.

    after alighting, she ran back, seemingly losing control. jin long, understanding her intentions, directed the driver to take the injured to the hospital first, then followed su jing back.

    after su jing was restrained, she threw the red ribbon onto aunt fang. ¡°take your rotten cloth strip! i¡¯ll slap you every time i see you from now on!¡±

    finally noticing, the spectators realized aunt fang¡¯s undergarment was indeed missing a red ribbon.

    aunt fang scuttled away amidst the crowd¡¯s reproach, her clothes torn, her face swollen, her dirty hair dampened with the women¡¯s saliva.

    returning home in a rush, she didn¡¯t anticipate her partner, who hadn¡¯t been away for even a month, waiting inside with a menacing look.

    aunt fang didn¡¯t like her partner; she found him ugly and unworthy of her. however, due to poverty, she had married him for financial reasons. avoiding intimacy with him, she often cited their future happiness to send him off to work in distant places, while she entertained herself with any man she fancied.

    without a word, the man kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying. he proceeded to grab her hair, slamming her head onto the ground, causing blood to gush out. ¡°you despicable woman! i¡¯ve toiled and sweated to earn money for you, and you dare to run around with other men? i¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    meanwhile, at the su family household, gu zi held le le in her arms on one side, while jin long and su jing sat on the other.

    su jing was the first to speak up. ¡°about the fruit incident, i¡¯ll admit that it was a misunderstanding on my part. however, i¡¯ll still keep an eye on you. don¡¯t think you can take anything from our su family!¡±

    gu zi smiled faintly and replied, ¡°then let¡¯s consider this matter settled. su jing, you¡¯ll always be su shen¡¯s younger sister. don¡¯t think too much and ruin it yourself..¡±

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Financial Power

    chapter 126: financial power

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°i certainly won¡¯t allow you to monopolize the su family!¡± su jing raised her chin and stood up, beckoning jin long to leave with her.

    jin long said, ¡°sister-in-law, she¡¯s just that kind of brainless person. you don¡¯t have to bother with her,¡± before following suit and leaving.

    gu zi naturally paid no heed to what su jing said. after the two left, she started preparing dinner.

    while she was cooking, su bing came in right after two dishes were done. the next three dishes were under his supervision, with gu zi offering guidance.

    when it was time for dinner, su shen hadn¡¯t returned home yet, so gu zi and the three children went ahead and ate first. this was because su shen had previously mentioned that they didn¡¯t need to wait for him if he hadn¡¯t returned by mealtime.

    after dinner, gu zi and the children watched tv in the living room, snacked on treats, and had some herbal jelly.

    when su shen returned, gu zi was feeling a bit sleepy and was about to take lele upstairs to sleep.

    ¡°have you eaten?¡± she asked, sitting on the sofa and looking up at him. her feet were on the sofa, but when she was about to get off, she did not see her slippers.

    ¡°i¡¯ve eaten. i have something to tell you,¡± su shen said, picking up gu zi¡¯s light green plastic slippers. he walked over, squatted down beside her, and gu zits face grew slightly warm.

    was he going to help her put on her shoes? the mature man actually knew how to be romantic!

    however, she felt a bit embarrassed and said, ¡°su shen, i can manage it myself. ¡±

    but su shen insisted on doing it this way, firmly holding her ankle. in a deep voice, he said, ¡°you¡¯re my girlfriend. don¡¯t be polite with me.¡±

    he gently slipped the slipper onto her foot, and his gaze involuntarily scanned her fair and tender foot, a hint of subtle desire flickering in his eyes.

    this woman was about to marry him; he would tightly hold onto her and never let her slip away.

    her ankle felt warm under his grasp. ¡°alright, let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    ¡°okay.¡± he released her foot, stood up with his tall figure, and gu zi looked at him. under the lamplight, his mature and handsome face became more charming.

    her eyes narrowed slightly, feeling a bit dizzy. she unexpectedly remembered the scene from her dream, where he loomed over her like a fierce black wolf¡­

    a faint smile curved on su shen¡¯s lips. he bent down, picked su le up and headed upstairs.

    gu zi tapped her face lightly, then followed, instructing su bing and su bing to turn off the tv and go to bed early.

    after the two entered gu zi¡¯s room, su shen placed su le on the bed and said, ¡°i need to get something.¡±

    ¡°this is originally your room, you can take whatever you need,¡± gu zi replied.

    what su shen wanted was on top of the wardrobe, but with his height and long arms, he easily reached it.

    he retrieved a seemingly ordinary wooden box secured with a small copper lock. su shen handed the key and the wooden box to gu zi. ¡°i need to manage some affairs related to the pig farm. sometimes i might not have the time, so i¡¯ll leave the household finances to you.¡±

    gu zi liked money and had mentioned that she admired men with financial capabilities.

    su shen had learned quite a bit of theory during his free time. in love, one must cater to the other¡¯s preferences, while marriage required mutual trust.

    regardless of their current relationship as lovers or future spouses, su shen believed that he should entrust the household finances to her entirely. he was willing to have complete trust in her.

    gu zi initially thought it was just a small gift, but after hearing him, she realized his intention: he wanted to hand over the household¡¯s financial control to her!

    ¡°are you sure?¡± gu zi¡¯s pupils dilated. after all, they hadn¡¯t even registered their marriage yet.

    su shen nodded firmly, ¡°sure. you have the right to manage the money and belongings inside.¡±

    curious, gu zi examined the box and asked, ¡°can i take a look at what¡¯s inside?¡±

    su shen used the key to open the small copper lock. seeing what was inside, gu zi¡¯s mouth formed a perfect ¡®o¡¯ shape.

    inside lay a passbook and approximately half a box of gold necklaces! leaving aside how much money was in the passbook, if the gold were sold, it wouldn¡¯t be a small sum!

    gu zi picked up the passbook, a red-colored book with the words ¡°current savings passbook, people¡¯s bank¡± written on it.

    so, in this era, there was already a savings deposit service in the people¡¯s bank. each transaction inside was handwritten.

    after checking the balance, gu zi realized that su shen was indeed a wealthy man! he was even wealthier than what outsiders knew.

    she confirmed again, ¡°you¡¯re handling control of all these to me? aren¡¯t you worried that i might lose it?¡±

    after all, without an id card, taking a passbook to withdraw money was easy. that posed quite a substantial risk to su shen.

    su shen shook his head, ¡°i¡¯m not worried. i believe you have the ability to manage it properly. and even if something goes wrong, i¡¯m willing to share the responsibility with you..¡±

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Setting Up a Stall

    chapter 127: setting up a stall

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in other words, he was willing to give her absolute trust and face everything that would happen in the future with her.

    his voice was steady and authoritative, his gaze firm and confident, as if he was conveying to her: ¡°no need to worry, your man has the ability to earn money!

    gu zi found su shen incredibly charming. ¡°then i¡¯ll accept it. don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll take good care of it!¡±

    her fascination with money amused su shen, and he suddenly reached out, placing his warm palm on her head.

    ¡°after marriage, a man should bring money home, but he shouldn¡¯t interfere with the household finances. i must main tain this self-discipline; feel free to use and manage the finances,¡± he explained.

    su shen felt that he had to be aware of this when dealing with this little money-grubber. otherwise, he was worried that the little money-grubber would have a change of heart.

    gu zi nodded eagerly, quickly locked the wooden box, and concealed it in a more discreet spot.

    as she stood up, su shen took the initiative, asking, ¡°do you want a hug?¡±

    gu zi revealed a sweet smile, walked towards him, and nestled into his embrace, whispering softly, ¡°goodnight, mr. su!¡±

    su shen patted her back gently. ¡°goodnight, miss gu!¡±

    after su shen left, gu zi spent some time reading before falling asleep. the night¡¯s dreams were sweet as well.

    the next day, gu zi woke up very early. she quickly washed up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. it was her favorite peanut butter noodles. the taste was rich and mellow, and it left an endless aftertaste!

    when su shen, su bing, and su li came down, they were enticed by the aroma. they quickly pulled out chairs and sat down.

    they took a bite and their appetite surged. the three plates of mixed noodles were soon wiped clean.

    gu zi handed the prepared nutritious lunchboxes to su bing and su li as they headed to school.

    when su shen was about to leave, gu zi called out to him, taking the initiative to give him a big hug.

    ¡°what would you like for lunch today? tell me, i¡¯ll make it for you!¡± she offered.

    seeing her eager demeanor, su shen couldn¡¯t bear to refuse. he didn¡¯t mind what he ate, especially when gu zi¡¯s cooking was so delicious.

    he ruffled gu zi¡¯s hair. ¡°let¡¯s have whatever you want. if you like it, i¡¯ll like it. what are you planning to make today?¡±

    gu zi said, ¡°i prepared some herbal jelly in advance yesterday. since today is market day, i thought i¡¯d set up a stall!¡±

    su shen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°you can use the money from yesterday however you want; don¡¯t worry about not having enough money to spend.¡±

    gu zi did not want him to misunderstand. so she explained, ¡°i was thinking there wasn¡¯t much to do, so i¡¯m going to the market to set up a stall. it¡¯s also a good chance to soak up some sun with lele!¡±

    ¡°okay,¡± su shen didn¡¯t say much more. gu zi was a woman with ideas, and he should support what she chose to do.

    he had to go to the city in the morning to deal with tian hai¡¯s matter.

    once that was settled, he would take gu zi to get the marriage certificate.

    gu zi took lele and pushed the stroller out. at the market, she chose a spot near the intersection.

    she took out a large pot of herbal jelly and placed small bowls made from banana leaves in a prominent position.

    then, she set up various toppings, along with a sign that read: ¡°cooling herbal jelly, 1 cent per bowl!¡±

    the setting up of the stall was thus completed.

    as gu zi¡¯s stall was relatively new, many people quickly came to watch. among the crowd were zhang cuihua and her grandson.

    zhang cuihua bought two bowls with a wave of her hand, promoting them to the people around as she ate.

    she promoted, ¡°after eating this, you¡¯ll feel refreshed, no dry mouth, no irritability. this is totally worth your one cent!¡±

    someone gulped and remarked, ¡°one cent per bowl is too expensive. it could buy a pound of vegetables.¡±

    gu zi smiled, ¡°whether it¡¯s worth it or not, you¡¯ll only know after trying it. this herbal jelly is made purely from herbs, mainly for clearing heat, reducing swelling, and removing dampness. the toppings are all selected with care.¡±

    her array of toppings included goji berries, raisins, canned fruit chunks, fresh watermelon bits, and homemade syrup.

    setting aside other things, just the raisins and canned fruits were usually reserved for special occasions like festivals. so, when combined in this way, the price seemed reasonable.

    ¡°then give me a bowl to try. i¡¯ve had a recent heatiness and my teeth ache. will it work?¡± someone asked.

    gu zi replied, ¡°of course, it will work. you¡¯ll know once you try it.¡± gu zi sealed her second successful deal.

    after someone set the pace, more and more people came to buy. gu zi quickly sold out.

    the last bowl was purchased by li zhu¡¯s mother, and gu zi gave her all the remaining toppings. li zhu¡¯s mother enjoyed it thoroughly.

    ¡°those who talk behind your back, saying you¡¯re after the su family¡¯s wealth, don¡¯t take a good look at your capabilities. you probably could earn quite a bit on your own.¡±

    a woman like gu zi did not bother to engage in such petty schemes. even if she spent su shen¡¯s money, it was because su shen was willing..

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Deeper Understanding

    chapter 128: deeper understanding

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°i can¡¯t control other people from gossiping. i¡¯ll just focus on myself and take good care of lele,¡± gu zi said, while packing up her stall, smiling.

    li zhu¡¯s mother had finished eating the herbal jelly and praised, ¡°you¡¯re skilled. eating this makes me feel so comfortable, neither troubled nor overheated. i feel refreshed!¡±

    gu zi replied, ¡°if i have time, i¡¯ll set up the stall again. whenever you¡¯re free, come over for a taste.¡±

    ¡°definitely. your mindset wins over most people. let me tell you, that aunt fang was nearly beaten to death by her husband. early this morning, he took her to the bus station, saying from now on, they would go out to work together.¡±

    recalling her encounter with aunt fang earlier, li zhu¡¯s mother felt pity. her face was all bruised.

    initially, her husband had been good to her. after marrying her, he did everything she asked without hesitation.

    however, she didn¡¯t act properly. she often stirred up trouble and even brought wild men home to sleep with.

    any man would find this intolerable, especially given how much her husband had done for her.

    ¡°didn¡¯t you say that her husband is always out of town?¡± gu zi was a little puzzled.

    this matter had only spread yesterday. how could it have reached aunt fang¡¯s husband¡¯s ears so quickly?

    in that case, it could only be that someone had informed him in advance. that¡¯s why he had rushed back from overseas.

    the only person who knew about it initially was aunt zhang, but she couldn¡¯t have done it. it would take too much effort.

    su jing found out yesterday, but it wasn¡¯t possible either. besides, su jing didn¡¯t have that capability.

    that left only her and su shen. was it su shen who informed aunt fang¡¯s husband?

    li zhu¡¯s mother was also perplexed. ¡°maybe it¡¯s a heaven-sent intervention. anyway, her husband suddenly returned, and i think it¡¯s good they¡¯re leaving together. it will reduce a lot of troubles in the village. i¡¯ll head back to my stall now. ¡±

    ¡°sure.¡± as li zhu¡¯s mother turned away, the faint smile on gu zi¡¯s face vanished.

    perhaps she had gained a deeper understanding of su shen. she saw the real, cruel and indifferent side behind the man¡¯s elegance.

    su shen had dealt quite ruthlessly with aunt fang¡¯s situation, a deadly blow, completely eradicating the potential threat she posed.

    even the previous incident with chu xi, he had resolved it in the most efficient manner.

    to put it bluntly, when he decided to act, his methods were quite ruthless.

    thinking so, gu zi left the market, pushing lele along.

    the flowers and grass along the way were full of life.

    on the way home, she met a fisherman who was fishing. she took a look at the fish he caught and found that it was her favorite kind of mandarin fish.

    this kind of fish was called mandarin fish in gu zi¡¯s original hometown.

    among freshwater fish, the mandarin fish had relatively fewer bones, and its meat was more tender. its nutritional value was higher than that of animal meat such as pork, chicken, and duck. it was easily digested and absorbed by the human body.

    she bought two fish in one go and planned to make one for su shen for lunch. she would make steamed mandarin fish.

    she planned to cook the other one for the two boys.

    after buying the fish, she and lele walked back slowly. occasionally, she taught lele to say a few words, and then hummed a little song along the way. lele also learned to sing from her.

    she enjoyed such a slow pace of life. such a life was a luxury in the 21st century, but it was easily achievable in this era.

    upon returning home, gu zi continued drying the freshly picked bean jelly grass in the courtyard.

    she and le le had a small bowl of herbal jelly each before she started preparing lunch.

    the main dish for lunch today was steamed mandarin fish, plus a fried egg with chives and green peppers.

    she tied her apron neatly, boiled water, and then washed the vegetables and ingredients needed for lunch, soaking the green onions and chili strips in clean water.

    then, she prepared the mandarin fish. she cleaned out the innards, made an incision on the back, rubbed the fish with cooking wine and salt evenly.

    she stuffed ginger slices into the belly and sprinkled some ginger shreds on top.

    the water in the pot was boiling by then, so gu zi placed the prepared gui fish in to steam on high heat.

    there was a ten-minute gap during steaming, enough time for her to finish the garlic chives with eggs and the stir-fried vegetables with green peppers. as she was preparing to serve the two dishes, gu zi heard lele calling for ¡®dad.¡¯

    knowing it was su shen who had returned, she walked to the door gently and asked, ¡°mr.. su, could you help me bring these two dishes to the table?¡±

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Are You Afraid Of Me?

    chapter 129: are you afraid of me?

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°of course.¡± su shen picked up su le and walked over.

    while su shen was serving dishes, gu zi had finished steaming the fish.

    she poured out the excess water from the fish plate, drizzled soy sauce over it, and added the soaked green onion and chili shreds on top.

    then, she heated oil in a pan. once it was hot, she drizzled the oil over the fish. in that instant, the fragrance of ginger, green onions, and chilies was released, blending with the fish aroma, making it enticing and mouthwatering.

    gu zi could already imagine taking a piece of fish, dipping it into the soy sauce in the plate, enveloping it with the condiments, and savoring the exquisite taste.

    she brought the fish to the table and scooped two bowls of rice. she resisted the craving in her heart and said to su shen, ¡°try it!¡±

    her fair complexion, smile at the corner of her mouth, and sparkling eyes blinked at him, looking so lovely and irresistible.

    su shen tasted a piece of fish. it was tender and delicious, with a combination of the broth¡¯s sauce and a mix of oil fragrances.

    ¡°i¡¯ve never had steamed fish this delicious before. your culinary skills are getting better,¡± he complimented.

    gu zi¡¯s smile deepened. with such a handsome face and the increasing praise from his lips, how could she not be fond of him?

    gu zi also started eating the fish. using the same approach, the fish in this era was tastier than in the 21st century; it was incredibly delicious!

    lost in the delight of her meal, she didn¡¯t forget the important task of taking care of su shen¡¯s health.

    ¡°eat more. let me carry lele. she likes me to feed her. i will slowly teach her to eat by herself.¡± as gu zi spoke, she picked up a large piece of egg and chives for him and carried lele back.

    chives were warm in nature, and when eaten appropriately, they had a certain therapeutic effect on male impotence, premature ejaculation, and nocturnal emissions due to the zinc and vitamin c in them.

    although the effect on male potency was not strong, gu zi felt it was better than nothing.

    she knew healing su shen¡¯s hidden illnesses wouldn¡¯t be a short-term task; consistency was key!

    su shen furrowed his brows slightly, hesitating as he held the chopsticks.

    eventually, he ate it.

    gu zi saw this and was happy in her heart. as expected, using chives was not as obvious as using snow clams. she did not know that her little thoughts had long been seen through by the man.

    after the meal, gu zi pulled the man aside to talk. she wanted to know if su shen was the one who informed aunt fang¡¯s husband to return.

    not for anything else, she just wanted to understand this man who would sleep next to her pillow.

    sitting on the sofa, su shen¡¯s clenched hands made his knuckles particularly prominent.

    when she finished speaking, su shen raised his eyes and simply responded with a soft ¡°mm.¡±

    ¡°i asked someone to contact him. that woman can¡¯t stay in this village anymore. also, tian hai¡¯s unfortunate injury was also intentionally and indirectly orchestrated by my men.¡±

    he didn¡¯t want aunt fang to become another chu xi, nor did he want his family to get hurt again when risks could be avoided.

    however, these actions indeed involved some manipulation. he didn¡¯t directly intervene, but it was quite ruthless.

    su shen hesitated whether to be completely honest with gu zi, but since she had asked today, he had no reason to conceal it.

    however, seeing gu zi frozen, he felt a bit panicked. he asked nervously, ¡°gu zi, does this make you afraid of me?¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t respond immediately. she was thinking that everyone had many facets. when one person looked at another, they usually saw only one side.

    her previous impression of su shen had always been one of depth, elegance, and nobility. but this incident made her understand that this man was just better at concealing his wolfish nature. behind his elegant exterior, there lurked a wild wolf eager for flesh.

    in fact, gu zi should have realized this earlier. anyone who started from scratch in any era couldn¡¯t possibly be a sheep.

    a person without ruthless means and efficient capabilities couldn¡¯t succeed in business on their own.

    in her past life, gu zi had seen the ruthless disputes in the business circle.

    they might seem bloodless, but they were often more brutal than bloodshed. the men and women in that circle were wolves, and the sheep were only meant to be eaten.

    seeing his unease, she stood up and approached him, squatting down in front of him, gently brushing his forehead with her hand, feeling a thin layer of cold sweat.

    looking at him, close enough to hear each other¡¯s breaths, she said, ¡°no, i¡¯m just happy to understand you a little better.¡±

    upon hearing her words, the tension in the man¡¯s jawline finally eased, and the heart that had long been shrouded in darkness beat with immense joy.

    suppressing the trembling in his voice, he asked, ¡°shall we register our marriage tomorrow? what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: A Visit to the Lin Family

    chapter 130: a visit to the lin family

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi felt as though everything around her had frozen in time. she gazed up at him, sensing the deep vortex that seemed to draw her in.

    placing her hand on the man¡¯s, she smiled and responded, ¡°sure, i came here to marry you, after all.¡±

    su le, who had been playing nearby, happily joined her parents¡¯ romantic moment, placing her small hand on top of gu zits hand, exclaiming, ¡°okay, okay!¡±

    blushing suddenly, gu zi hugged su le close, and su shen pulled her to sit beside him.

    avoiding eye contact, gu zi could sense the ambiguous atmosphere swirling in his eyes, seemingly about to engulf her.

    su shen shifted the topic, saying, ¡°there have been recent rumors causing concern. your brother and sister-in-law mentioned they and your parents are worried about you. they didn¡¯t want to disturb you by coming directly, so they asked me to tell you that they will always stand by your side.¡±

    hearing these words, warmth surged through gu zi¡¯s heart.

    the lin family truly cared and were concerned about her. she should visit them before getting married.

    she looked up and told su shen, ¡°i want to go back to the lin family in the afternoon and tell them that we¡¯re getting our marriage certificate. at the same time, i want to explain what happened so that they can feel at ease.¡±

    su shen nodded lightly. then, he thought of something and said, ¡°in that case, you can stay at the lin family¡¯s house tonight and accompany them. i¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow morning.¡±

    after saying that, su shen went out. gu zi went upstairs to pack some of her and su le¡¯s things and put them in the cart.

    remembering the fish she hadn¡¯t cooked, she headed back to the kitchen. she intended to prepare the squirrel-shaped sweet and sour mandarin fish in advance, so they could steam it for dinner.

    the method for this dish was a bit more complex than the steamed fish. since su le was taking a nap, she had enough time to complete this dish.

    gu zi cleaned and cut the fish, reserving the fish head. she made incisions along the back, leaving the tail intact.

    then came the process of deboning. gu zi removed the larger bones from the middle and belly of the fish, then continued with the incisions, keeping the fish skin intact.

    she placed the sliced fish and fish head in a bowl, pouring in water, salt, and wine to soak away the fishy smell.

    during this interval, gu zi began simmering the sweet and sour sauce. she poured water into a pot, added the removed fish bones and ginger, and brought it to a boil.

    once boiling, she removed the fish bones and ginger, added tomato sauce, sugar, salt, vinegar, and water starch, continuously stirring with chopsticks until the sauce thickened, then set it aside.

    moving on to frying the fish, she coated the fish head and body thoroughly with dry starch in a bowl.

    in another pan, she heated the oil. when the oil showed wrinkles on its surface and started emitting a faint smoke, it was ready.

    gu zi successively deep-fried the fish head and body until golden brown, then removed them to drain and arranged them on a plate.

    the arranged mandarin fish resembled a squirrel. she poured the prepared sweet and sour sauce over the fish. as the hot sauce met the fish, it produced a sizzling sound.

    a dish with a reddish color, crispy exterior, tender interior, combined with flavor and sound, the classic dish was now ready.

    she placed the squirrel-shaped sweet and sour mandarin fish on the dining table, covering it with a mosquito net. she wrote down some tips on reheating the dish. following these instructions would make it taste just as fresh as when it was made.

    after completing these tasks, gu zi changed into a fresh set of clothes and, with su le in tow, pushed the cart toward little lin village.

    when su bing and su li returned home, the house was empty. however, there were two bowls of herbal jelly neatly placed on the low table in the living room.

    at that moment, both boys were deeply moved. even though no one was at home, they felt cared for, an unprecedented feeling for them. no one had ever cared for them like this.

    su bing¡¯s eyes were slightly red. he didn¡¯t immediately ask his brother to start his homework but sat down to eat the herbal jelly.

    his mouth twitched uncontrollably, but he was a little man; he couldn¡¯t cry.

    su li took a bite, suddenly turned his head away, and his vision became blurry. he began to sob uncontrollably.

    if gu zi had known that her actions would make two little boys cry, she wouldn¡¯t have done it.

    seeing his brother cry like that, su bing was speechless. he felt the same as his brother, probably because they were so moved by their stepmother¡¯s concern.

    after a long while, su li sobbed, ¡°our stepmother is so good to us. we used to be so guarded against her. are we bad? will she not want us anymore?¡± su bing didn¡¯t respond because he didn¡¯t want that day to come either.

    in a cold tone, he said, ¡°finish eating and then start your homework..¡±

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: A Promise Between Men

    chapter 131: a promise between men

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing started clearing the table and wiping it down. he didn¡¯t want their stepmother to come back and find a messy table.

    he could tell their stepmother was a neat person. since her arrival, the house not only became spotless, but it also smelled delightful everywhere. even the scent of osmanthus permeated from the dandelion in the courtyard.

    su li nodded and opened his school bag. suddenly, his nose twitched, and he informed su bing, ¡°our stepmother must have made us something delicious. there¡¯s a unique aroma of meat!¡±

    the two brothers entered the dining room, unveiling the mosquito net covering the dishes. the sauce-red color and tantalizing aroma pleased their senses.

    beside the plates lay a note, written in elegant handwriting.

    ¡°this dish is called squirrel-shaped sweet and sour mandarin fish, made from mandarin fish! hope you enjoy your meal!¡±

    following the dish¡¯s name were the reheating instructions and some notes, meticulous in detail.

    with bright eyes, su li exclaimed, ¡°it really looks like a squirrel! big brother, our stepmother is so lovely!¡±

    su bing didn¡¯t say anything, but his expression confirmed su li¡¯s words. he replaced the mosquito net over the dish.

    when the sky was about to turn dark, su bing steamed rice and reheated the squirrel-shaped sweet and sour mandarin fish according to the note. he also stir-fried some vegetables, preparing dinner for himself and his brother.

    at that moment, su shen returned from outside. seeing the beautifully prepared dish, he felt a sense of pride; his wife truly was remarkable.

    he joined his two sons for dinner. the mandarin fish was crispy on the outside, tender inside, with a sweet and sour flavor, and the three of them finished everything.

    after dinner, su shen called su bing and su li to the living room for a chat. both brothers sat up straighter, lowering their heads, not daring to meet their stern father¡¯s eyes.

    su shen noticed that su li¡¯s eyes were red and asked what happened. su bing and su li truthfully recounted what had just occurred.

    su shen was moved as well. gu zi was indeed a kind woman, but her kindness brought about a certain warm strength.

    such a woman would stir any man¡¯s emotions. therefore, su shen was even more aware that he had to treat her well.

    he told his sons, ¡°we¡¯ll be getting married tomorrow. i thought i should tell you both.¡±

    he had been reading many books on parent-child relationships recently and had sought advice from others.

    although the boys were still young, they should feel involved in family matters and understand the decisions made by adults.

    su bing and su li looked at their beloved father. they felt a sense of importance, something they had never experienced before.

    this feeling made them clearly understand that their father had never seen them as burdens.

    however, boys express themselves subtly, especially between men. often, a glance or a gesture is enough to convey their thoughts.

    they didn¡¯t need excessive verbal communication. su bing succinctly said,

    ¡°dad, i wish you and our stepmother a happy marriage!¡±

    su li hesitated with his small hand raised, saying, ¡°dad, as the men of the su family, we¡¯ll protect our stepmother and little sister.¡±

    it wasn¡¯t just su li¡¯s words; it reflected su bing¡¯s thoughts and even su shen¡¯s intentions.

    this statement was more like an agreement among the su family men, a manifestation of responsibility!

    su shen stood up, patting the shoulders of his two sons reassuringly. ¡°as your stepmother said, take care of yourselves first, nourish your bodies, eat when you should, got it?¡±

    both brothers nodded quickly. but su li remembered something and said, ¡°but

    dad, why does stepmother say you also need to take care of yourself?¡±

    su li thought their stepmother was exaggerating. his dad was tall and robust; where would he need to take care of himself?

    with that said, the room fell silent, filled with an awkward atmosphere. su shen rubbed his forehead, spoke softly, ¡°go to bed early. goodnight!¡±

    the woman always thought he wasn¡¯t capable, hence she wanted to take care of him, but he couldn¡¯t explain that to the children.

    su bing didn¡¯t quite understand the situation either, but he wasn¡¯t interested in figuring it out. he advised su li, ¡°don¡¯t be so curious. if you don¡¯t understand something, keep quiet.¡±

    su li felt a bit aggrieved but replied, ¡°okay,¡± though he was still puzzled: what did dad need to take care of?

    in little lin village, at the lin family¡¯s house.

    after finishing their meal, the family sat in front of the house, enjoying the cool evening.

    people from the neighborhood gathered when they heard that the lin family¡¯s daughter had returned, marveling, ¡°gu zi is truly beautiful.. no wonder boss su is rushing to marry her!¡±

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: The Lin Family

    chapter 132: the lin family

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    due to aunt fang¡¯s gossiping, numerous rumors circulated, alleging that gu zi married into the su family for their money.

    there were even whispers claiming gu zi was outwardly kind but internally malicious, forbidding her younger sister- in-law from entering the house.

    at that time, they had believed it, after all, it sounded so convincing.

    however, upon meeting gu zi in person, she was beautiful, poised, and spoke softly with a gentle demeanor.

    such an outstanding young lady wouldn¡¯t need such manipulations. with her looks, she could easily find a wealthy partner in the city.

    her willingness to marry su shen might just be destiny¡¯s plan.

    gu zi chuckled, ¡°our marriage was already decided. it¡¯s just that there was some drama in the middle, which caused the delay.¡±

    someone asked, ¡°i heard tian hai is still in the hospital. will he cause any trouble?¡±

    seeing gu zi busy taking care of lele, her mother spoke on her behalf, ¡°little zi explained everything when she returned. this situation was unreasonably provoked by tian hai.¡±

    without saying more than necessary, aunt lin had been advised by gu zi earlier to keep the conversation brief. sometimes, being overly detailed could invite gossip.

    her daughter was indeed very intelligent, brave, and considerate in everything.

    this saved them a lot of worry.

    gu zi observed that her mother handled it just as she had instructed, without trying to boast.

    gu zi realized this mother genuinely loved her, and the lin family members were sincere and kind. she found herself growing more fond of the feeling of being part of their family.

    seeing lele about to fall asleep, she said to aunt lin, ¡°i¡¯ll take lele to rest first. mom, you stay and accompany the other aunties.¡±

    after greeting everyone individually, gu zi entered the house. the people outside unanimously praised her.

    after lele fell asleep, the people outside the house dispersed.

    in the living room, aunt lin and li hua sat with gu zi. gu zi then asked aunt lin, ¡°su shen and i plan to go back tomorrow morning to transfer our household registration and get the marriage certificate. can i use the lin family¡¯s household registration? is that okay?¡±

    aunt lin looked troubled, ¡°little zi, i think you should get the marriage certificate first.¡±

    li hua nodded as well. ¡°transferring the household registration is not simple, whether it¡¯s from an agricultural to a non -agricultural household or vice versa, it¡¯s very complicated.¡±

    aunt lin added, ¡°yes, the gu family probably still hasn¡¯t transferred lin miao¡¯s household registration for this reason.¡±

    with the gu family living in the city¡¯s grand courtyard, even with connections, it was difficult. how could su shen and gu zi manage it?

    gu zi was surprised; she hadn¡¯t realized it would be so complicated.

    according to what su shen had mentioned, it sounded quite simple, just needing to bring the household registration books from both the lin and gu families.

    gu zi said, ¡°su shen told me it¡¯s straightforward and instructed me to bring the household registration books. we¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    aunt lin nodded, ¡°if you want the household registration book, take it. but i advise you not to have too high expectations.¡±

    li hua added, pulling gu zi aside, ¡°you and su shen truly want to get married. just get the marriage certificate first. the household registration matter isn¡¯t urgent. ¡±

    ¡°alright, i understand,¡± gu zi responded. aunt lin quickly handed over the lin family¡¯s household registration book and then went to rest.

    li hua then asked gu zi, ¡°sister, let me ask you something. where did

    brother-in-law arrange for brother lin to work?¡±

    lin cheng has been away for several days, making her anxious. they hadn¡¯t been apart for so long since they got married.

    gu zi smiled, ¡°sister-in-law, you miss brother, huh? i heard he went out of town on business, didn¡¯t lin hun go with him?¡±

    gu zi had heard su shen mention it, but she wasn¡¯t sure where they went. however, she found the relationship between her brother and sister-in-law with lin hun quite interesting. it felt like love rivals had finally become brothers.

    li hua blushed. she said worriedly, ¡°it¡¯s because he went that i¡¯m worried. i¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll lead your brother astray.¡±

    gu zi understood li hua¡¯s thoughts and said, ¡°sister-in-law, are you afraid that my brother will have a change of heart? let me teach you. dress up nicely. when my brother returns, i¡¯m sure he will be impressed.¡±

    li hua had a good foundation. as long as she dressed up a little, she would also be a beauty.

    gu zi did not want her brother and sister-in-law¡¯s marriage to break down because their lives were getting better.

    if lin cheng followed su shen, his future would be promising. after all, the su family was not only rich, but their status was also very prominent.

    as lin cheng¡¯s wife, li hua should keep up with the pace and improve herself.

    ¡°you¡¯re right.¡± li hua looked shy as she tugged gu zi¡¯s hand. ¡°in that case,

    sister, teach me how to dress up..¡±

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Youth!

    chapter 133: youth!

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi nodded and agreed. ¡°sister-in-law, it¡¯s late today. tomorrow morning, i¡¯ll help you with makeup.¡±

    li hua was overjoyed and promptly urged gu zi to go to sleep. tomorrow, gu zi had a big day and couldn¡¯t afford to lose sleep.

    the next morning, li hua woke up before dawn. gu zi also opened his eyes in a daze.

    on this side of the red-brick house were three bedrooms: one for lin¡¯s parents, one for lin cheng and li hua, and one dedicated to gu zi and su shen. gu zi and lele had slept in this room,

    gu zi retrieved her makeup bag from the stroller and first applied her own makeup, letting li hua watch.

    li hua admired gu zits delicate, arched eyebrows and rosy lips reflected in the mirror. ¡°sister, you¡¯re truly amazing!¡±

    gu zi got up and guided li hua to sit down. ¡°this is called an arched brow. now let me make you amazing too, sister-in-law.¡±

    during breakfast, mr. and mrs. lin looked at their beautiful daughter and daughter-in-law with smiles on their faces.

    as they chatted, a noise akin to a mechanical hum emanated from outside, loud yet rhythmic.

    at the same time, someone exclaimed, ¡°boss su looks so handsome! he¡¯s here to pick up the lin family¡¯s daughter to register their marriage, right?¡±

    gu zi put down her utensils and walked out, a smile playing on her lips. she saw a sky-blue motorcycle speeding along the lane.

    in the 80s, motorcycles were a status symbol for the wealthy, but their appearance seemed somewhat rustic by modern standards.

    however, a six-foot-three handsome man riding a motorcycle was a sight to behold. he wore a helmet, exuding a dashing aura. his robust physique conveyed immense strength, transforming the rustic bike into a cool, modern machine.

    gu zi was captivated. when he approached and enveloped her small hand entirely in his, gu zi finally regained her senses.

    were they holding hands in public? gu zi¡¯s heart raced.

    su shen said to her parents, ¡°could you kindly take care of lele for us? today,

    i¡¯d like to go with gu zi alone.¡±

    her parents nodded repeatedly. ¡°sure, lele has gotten used to us. you both focus on what needs to be done!¡±

    su shen led gu zi towards the gleaming motorcycle, and everyone who passed by stared.

    until the motorcycle¡¯s roar echoed again, onlookers watched as the blue streak darted away.

    on the road, gu zi held onto su shen¡¯s waist tightly, feeling a bit nervous about this form of transportation that left the human body completely exposed to the surroundings.

    moreover, su shen was riding quite fast, making her feel like they were flying on the road.

    she couldn¡¯t imagine that the seemingly cold and aloof older man would have such an adrenaline-pumping hobby. and it looked pretty cool and handsome!

    seemingly sensing her tension, su shen said, ¡°if you¡¯re scared, press your face against my back and close your eyes.¡±

    gu zi obediently did so. the man¡¯s broad and sturdy back felt comfortable against her face, almost like a massage.

    in her mind¡¯s eye, every muscle on his back appeared sculpted and appealing, evoking hormones almost overflowing.

    she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°su shen, were you wild in your youth?¡±

    seeing him riding the motorcycle made her feel like she was seeing a different side of su shen.

    he replied casually, ¡°i spent most of my youth in the army. we used to call motorcycles ¡®iron horses.¡¯ once, i rode the army officer¡¯s iron horse through dense forests, killing dozens of enemy vanguards.¡±

    gu zi was taken aback. that was no ordinary madness and thrill! she hurriedly asked, ¡°what happened after that?¡±

    ¡°later, the officer reprimanded me. he acknowledged my military achievements but punished me with thirty military lashes. i couldn¡¯t get out of bed for a week.¡±

    his tone was calm, as if he were talking about someone else, and gu zi¡¯s grip around his waist tightened even more.

    however, she wasn¡¯t as scared as she was initially. gradually, she began to reach out and feel the wind.

    for the first time, gu zi felt enveloped by nature, experiencing a pleasant and liberating sensation..

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Messing Around

    chapter 134: messing around

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the sensation was akin to her interactions with su shen. the man appeared deep and aloof, yet gu zi didn¡¯t feel suppressed when she was with him.

    initially, she was drawn to su shen¡¯s appearance and the benefits of painless childbirth. now, she found herself attracted to the man himself. she truly wished to marry him.

    the motorcycle came to a stop in front of the courtyard gates. su shen and gu zi disembarked and entered together.

    initially, gu zi thought that without registration or familiarity, it was impossible to enter the urban military compound. but when the guard peeked and didn¡¯t intervene, she and su shen entered smoothly.

    gu zi was puzzled. ¡°did the rules for entering and exiting the compound change?¡±

    su shen chuckled softly. ¡°seems like it.¡±

    as they walked through the corridor, su shen¡¯s tall figure struggled a bit in the somewhat old hallway. he had to lower his head when he reached the corner.

    gu zi now realized that in terms of economic conditions, the households in this compound were nowhere near su shen¡¯s family. at least, the su family¡¯s space allowed him to move more freely.

    arriving at the entrance of the gu family¡¯s residence, gu zi knocked.

    zhang mei opened the door but immediately shut it upon seeing her, saying to those inside, ¡°nothing, just a mail delivery to the wrong door.¡±

    gu zi looked at su shen behind him and continued to knock on the door. only then did zhang mei open the door and step outside.

    she quickly closed the wooden door behind her. it was obvious that there was someone inside who did not want to see gu zi.

    ¡°why did you come back?¡± she asked with displeasure. don¡¯t even think of going after gong zhan. can¡¯t you just behave yourself?¡±

    before gu zi could speak, she received a scolding from her adoptive mother. that made her feel a little uncomfortable.

    when did she show any intention of getting involved with gong zhan? she wasn¡¯t lin miao; she wasn¡¯t that idle.

    her face still carried a faint smile. after all, she needed the gu family¡¯s household register, and she was eager for the transfer to succeed.

    ¡°mom, i¡¯m not here to find gong zhan. i just want to borrow the household register to transfer my registration.¡±

    unexpectedly, zhang mei sneered upon hearing this. they couldn¡¯t even handle the transfer. what could someone from the countryside do?

    a thirty-year-old rural man with no land, unable to eat or find a proper job, came here to pose as someone wealthy. zhang mei glanced at su shen, thinking he was dressed decently to pose as a rich person today.

    she sneered, ¡°people need to take the right path, stop wandering around aimlessly all day. the household register won¡¯t help you; you can¡¯t do it.¡±

    gu zi found zhang mei unreasonable and restrained her smile. ¡°mom, i just want to use the household register. can we try? as for gong zhan, please rest assured, i have no intention of contacting him, not now, nor in the future.¡±

    she remained composed and polite, without a hint of complaint, making zhang mei find it difficult to keep scolding her.

    however, zhang mei still didn¡¯t want gu zi to see gong zhan inside. in a cold voice, she said, ¡°if you don¡¯t have any intentions with him, then stop parading around the city with your fianc¨¦ using unreasonable excuses. hurry up and leave!¡±

    after saying that, she averted her gaze, looking disdainful as if even glancing at su shen would dirty her eyes.

    gu zi felt a sting from that look. did zhang mei disdain su shen?

    she had a principle: if someone criticized her, she might not care, but if someone criticized her man, she wouldn¡¯t tolerate it.

    but before she could speak, su shen spoke first. ¡°auntie, i can see that you have an important guest. we just need to use the household register and won¡¯t trouble you in the future.¡±

    he remained composed, his tone polite but distant. he was straightforward; if these people had no affection for gu zi, he didn¡¯t need to treat them as elders.

    zhang mei hadn¡¯t expected this countryside man to be so composed. but she thought it might be better to hand them the household register to get rid of them, to avoid trouble with gong zhan.

    recently, the relationship between gong zhan and lin miao had just made a little progress. she couldn¡¯t tolerate any mishaps.

    ¡°wait here; don¡¯t come in without permission,¡± she said before turning and going inside to get the household register.

    inside, gong zhan and gu shan had just finished their conversation and overheard the exchange.

    zhang mei didn¡¯t explain anything and directly retrieved the household register.

    gong zhan sat on a chair in the living room, looking rather grim. he recalled

    gu zi¡¯s words from earlier and felt that the woman was extremely hypocritical.

    on one hand, she had asked lin miao to arrange a meeting with him, and on the other, she was also eager to be with a rural man..

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Transfering The Household Registration

    chapter 135: transfering the household registration

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi epitomized a peasant at heart, always trying to reap benefits without letting go, wanting the best of both worlds.

    how could she compare him to a rural man?

    zhang mei handed over the household register to gu zi, snorted coldly, and said, ¡°take it and leave. when you¡¯re done, just hand it over to aunt wang at the office. no need to return it yourselves.¡±

    then, she went inside, called aunt wang at the office, and instructed her to keep a close eye on the gu family¡¯s household register, fearing these two might try something fishy.

    she didn¡¯t believe they genuinely wanted to transfer registration; most likely, they wanted it for marriage registration.

    she was sure gu zi still hadn¡¯t let go of gong zhan in her heart. so, she devised this excuse to fetch the household register, to indirectly let gong zhan hear about the marriage registration.

    their petty scheme was easily discernible to her. still, even if they went ahead with the marriage registration, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.

    aunt wang also lived in the compound and was well aware of the relationship between the gu and gong families. she was more than willing to help the gu family.

    ¡°don¡¯t worry, sister zhang. i¡¯ll take good care of the household register.¡±

    after hanging up, zhang mei entered the living room and learned that gong zhan was also planning to leave.

    she deliberately said, ¡°the two people just now were gu zi and her fianc¨¦, here to pick up the household register for marriage registration. i figured you wouldn¡¯t want to see them, so i didn¡¯t let them in.¡±

    upon hearing ¡°marriage registration,¡± gong zhan¡¯s expression darkened even more. he said, ¡°auntie, you did the right thing. i indeed detest people like them.¡±

    zhang mei and gu shan exchanged a smile, feeling reassured after hearing gong zhan¡¯s words.

    gu shan asked again, ¡°regarding lin miao¡¯s registration transfer, how should we proceed?¡±

    gong zhan replied, ¡°let me talk to my father. i¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±

    after leaving, gu zi and su shen went directly to the public security bureau. they arrived exactly at ten o¡¯clock, with plenty of time to spare.

    on aunt wang¡¯s side, because zhang mei had called to give her a heads up, she had specially arranged for gu zits matter to be handled at her desk.

    gu zi handed over the necessary documents and two household registers. however, she did not even look at them and said impatiently, ¡°you can¡¯t process the registration transfer. leave the gu family¡¯s register with me. sort out your procedures properly before coming back.¡±

    since zhang mei wanted to drive these two away with the household register to avoid any interaction with gong zhan, aunt wang believed she was being generous enough by pretending to go through the motions while telling them they couldn¡¯t proceed.

    gu zi felt exasperated by her dismissive attitude. she knew that auntie wang was very realistic.

    previously, knowing about the engagement between the original owner and gong zhan, she had tried to curry favor with the original owner¡¯s family. now that she found out gu zi wasn¡¯t the biological daughter of the gu family and not even the one to marry gong zhan, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to pretend.

    ¡°aunt wang, please at least take a look at the documents. we¡¯ve prepared everything. why can¡¯t we proceed?¡± gu zi said.

    aunt wang glanced at gu zi and then at the man beside her, feeling disdainful.

    no wonder zhang mei said this rural man was hypocritical and pretentious. seeing him dressed neatly and exuding such an air, one might mistake him for the offspring of some high-ranking official. but in reality, he was just a farmer!

    as for gu zi, with such good looks, why would she choose to live in the countryside with someone who idled away his days?

    what was the use of a man being good-looking? he was uncultured and ignorant. he was just a complete idiot!

    aunt wang¡¯s impatience grew. ¡°i said it¡¯s not possible! gu zi, you grew up in the military compound; how can¡¯t you understand this rule? it seems that farmers will always be farmers. what¡¯s engraved in their genes can¡¯t be changed.¡±

    hearing this, gu zi found it amusing. silently, she gave aunt wang a scornful look.

    aunt wang slammed the table and stood up. ¡®what¡¯s with that look, gu zi?¡±

    gu zi grinned, ¡°seeing someone like you, i feel proud of being a rural person. there, birds sing, flowers bloom, life is peaceful. in the countryside, dogs aren¡¯t in a hurry to judge others.¡±

    su shen found gu zi¡¯s retort amusing. she was indeed different; she cherished the countryside in such a unique way.

    deciding not to waste more time here, he picked up the documents on the table and said to gu zi, ¡°since it¡¯s not possible here, let¡¯s find another place that can do it.¡±

    as they turned to leave, aunt wang hurriedly caught up, angrily saying, ¡°do you think this is a marketplace? stop causing chaos everywhere! leave immediately and leave the gu family¡¯s household register behind!¡±

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: All Thanks to Gong Zhan

    chapter 136: all thanks to gong zhan

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen paused, his brows furrowing as he looked at her. at that moment, aunt wang involuntarily took a few steps back.

    ¡°we will naturally leave the household register here after we finish our business. but before that, i advise you not to cause any trouble,¡± his tone was sharp, lacking any hint of mercy. even the nearby staff members were intimidated and didn¡¯t dare to intervene on aunt wang¡¯s behalf.

    gazing at su shen, gu zits eyes were filled with admiration. no matter what, this man was incredibly powerful!

    with him by her side, she felt like she could speak freely without any restraint. he provided her with the utmost sense of security and freedom.

    after a few seconds, aunt wang realized that this man merely exuded a stronger aura. he must usually put on a big act, managing to appear genuine even when he was pretending.

    she was glad she hadn¡¯t been fooled by him. she hurriedly went to block their path at the staircase.

    ¡°don¡¯t you know what¡¯s up there? you¡¯re not allowed to go up as you please! ¡± even subordinates like them weren¡¯t allowed to go up without being called for. these two didn¡¯t seem afraid of causing trouble.

    su shen calmly stated, ¡°i had an appointment for business upstairs.¡±

    at su shen¡¯s words, gu zi was astonished. upstairs was the executive office area of the public security bureau.

    had ¡°big shot sul¡® become this influential? she remembered the su family¡¯s rising, but only later in the story.

    aunt wang burst into laughter, holding her stomach. ¡°hahaha! a countryside bumpkin tells lies without a second thought. we¡¯ve never had anyone going upstairs for business at our public security bureau.¡±

    at this moment, a commanding voice came from above. ¡°who are you calling a countryside bumpkin? aunt wang, your voice echoed throughout the building. if you don¡¯t want to work, pack your things and go back to the countryside to farm!¡±

    others didn¡¯t dare to watch the commotion and returned to their tasks.

    aunt wang hurriedly explained, ¡°leader, there are two troublemakers here who insist on going upstairs for business. i was worried they¡¯d disrupt your work.¡±

    the middle-aged man and su shen exchanged a glance. when they looked at aunt wang again, the wrinkles on their faces seemed more pronounced.

    ¡°i think you¡¯re the troublemaker here. there¡¯s an instruction from above for me to handle this transfer of household registration. what? am i causing trouble too?¡± the man replied.

    ¡°no, no, leader, that¡¯s not what i meant.¡± aunt wang repeatedly apologized, bowing. she cursed zhang mei in her heart; how was she supposed to know about the instruction from above?

    the man completely ignored her and invited su shen and gu zi upstairs. then, turning back to aunt wang, he said, ¡°you seem old and unable to see things clearly. starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll work in the cleaning department.¡±

    after speaking, he strode upstairs, leaving aunt wang regretting her actions.

    if only she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in this mess!

    she immediately called zhang mei¡¯s home and began to sob, ¡°how can your daughter¡¯s farmer husband be so capable? he even got the leader on the second floor of the public security bureau to service him! sister zhang, i¡¯m in trouble because of you!¡±

    zhang mei listened to her and felt that it might be a coincidence.

    they had just talked to gong zhan about the transfer of household registration. that must be why the higher-ups ordered the matter to be dealt with.

    she didn¡¯t believe it was the farmer guy¡¯s capability; gong zhan must have made a call to someone higher up. coincidentally, gu zi and the others had gone to the public security bureau carrying the household register.

    she reassured aunt wang, ¡°this was something unexpected for us. we just talked to gong zhan, not knowing he would act so swiftly. don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll talk to gong zhan again and surely get it resolved for you.¡±

    upon hearing this, aunt wang finally relaxed. ¡°i knew a farmer couldn¡¯t influence a leader! sister zhang, i¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡±

    aunt wang¡¯s tone softened again, and zhang mei felt proud to have someone like gong zhan as a prospective son-in-law.

    after hanging up, zhang mei told gu shan about the incident, and gu shan also praised gong zhan. ¡°this kid has a future. he just mentioned going back to discuss, and unexpectedly, it¡¯s already done.¡±

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    ¡°exactly,¡± zhang mei said with a smile. ¡°our miaomiao can finally get registered back under our household. it¡¯s all thanks to gong zhan¡¯s help!¡±

    it seemed that they should have asked gong zhan for help a long time ago, but they didn¡¯t ask him because they were afraid that the gong family would look down on them.

    in the public security bureau¡¯s second-floor lobby, several leaders were conversing pleasantly with su shen.

    gu zi looked at them strangely. why did it feel like su shen was completely at home here?

    although it was not her first time in the public security bureau, it was her first time seeing the leaders, and it sure was the first time she had this feeling..

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Using the Gong Familyâ€™s Name

    chapter 137: using the gong family¡¯s name

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°little zi, you have a good eye for choosing little su. you¡¯ll have a great life ahead with him, you know?¡± a middle-aged female leader patted little zi¡¯s back, speaking in a manner befitting an elder.

    although gu zi didn¡¯t know the relationship between her and su shen, seeing how amiable the woman was toward her, she must be someone who cared about su shen.

    gu zi nodded obediently and softly replied, ¡°i will always remember your words. i also think su shen is an exceptionally good man.¡±

    as these words left her lips, a smile that su shen couldn¡¯t conceal appeared on his face as he gazed affectionately at gu zi.

    feeling the heat of his intense gaze, gu zi felt shy, bowing her head, too bashful to meet su shen¡¯s eyes.

    when the leaders saw this scene, they all laughed and began to tease the two of them.

    ¡°well, it¡¯s the first time i¡¯ve seen little su like this. even an iron-blooded man can show tenderness. back in the day, when he was in the army, a female soldier wanted to date him. he put on a stern face and made her squad leader punish her by copying the military rules twenty times.¡±

    in recent years, influenced by liberal ideologies, a wave of free love had quietly emerged among the younger generation. the societal concept of relationships had become more open and liberal, but long before that, seeds of free love had sprouted in various corners.

    su shen, known as the best-looking man in the army, was naturally admired by female soldiers. even a highly respected senior officer had intentions to arrange his marriage, but he declined.

    later, when the higher-ups in the military wanted to promote him to a central position, he turned down all offers until he resolutely retired for unknown reasons¡­

    the female leader said, ¡°gu zi, you¡¯re so pretty and kind. it¡¯s no wonder little su fell in love. let¡¯s not bring up those ancient stories.¡±

    su shen wasn¡¯t one to talk much, especially considering his wife was present. he didn¡¯t want to bring up past relationship histories.

    the female leader felt that these rough men were really clueless. she was afraid that gu zi would mind it if she heard of su shen¡¯s past.

    however, gu zi¡¯s smile deepened. the way su shen handled the matter with the female soldier showed his maturity and capability.

    the male leader said, ¡°little zi isn¡¯t that petty. you¡¯re the only one who thinks too much, aren¡¯t you, little su?¡±

    saying this, the middle-aged man and su shen linked arms, no longer exhibiting their earlier imposing demeanor.

    su shen, standing among the leaders, exuded a remarkable temperament¡ªa tall and straight figure, a handsome face, thick black eyebrows, a prominent nose, tightly pursed lips¡ªall radiating nobility and elegance.

    he pulled away from the male leader, adjusted his clothes, displaying a sense of aloofness that managed to annoy without being anger-inducing.

    clearly, su shen didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past; he was afraid of scaring away his young wife.

    the male leader, stroking his mediterranean hairstyle, exclaimed, ¡°you¡¯re still so cold, my boy. it¡¯s okay. today, us old fellows can help you out, su shen. it¡¯s been quite a few years since we got to show off in front of old acquaintances.¡±

    at that moment, a junior officer emerged holding two household registers, respectfully handing them to gu zi. ¡°mrs. su, everything has been handled properly. your household register has been transferred to the lin family, and lin miao¡¯s has been transferred to the gu family.¡±

    gu zits face lit up with joy, expressing her gratitude to the person. finally, everything was settled.

    at the same time, the term ¡°mrs. sul¡® brought about a strange and pleasant feeling within her heart. perhaps this was the feeling of having an accomplished man as her husband?

    anyway, even after leaving the public security bureau, gu zi felt a sweetness in her heart because of that ¡°mrs. su.¡±

    su shen said to her, ¡°the civil affairs bureau¡¯s marriage department is just behind. shall we go?¡±

    glancing at su shen, gu zi¡¯s eyes curved into a crescent shape, and she nodded firmly.

    in the distant car, gong zhan found the affectionate display of the two very annoying. his furrowed brows could probably crush a fly.

    in a cold voice, he said, ¡°i wondered why the gu family called to thank me before i had managed to discuss about this matter. turns out these two used the gong family¡¯s name to get things done!¡±

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    earlier, gu shan had called him to express gratitude, saying the matter was resolved with a bit of misunderstanding and asking if he could help aunt wang get her position back.

    now seeing this scene, gong zhan felt gu zi was insulting him. how could he be in the mood to deal with aunt wang¡¯s job change?

    ¡°drive!¡± he said to uncle yang. with that, he closed the car curtains.

    uncle yang was puzzled. since the two were no longer engaged and miss gu hadn¡¯t come to pester him, why was young master becoming increasingly irritable?

    ¡°young master, are you really not going in?¡± he asked helplessly. ¡°you promised the gu family.. why don¡¯t you go in and say a word or two?¡±

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Getting Married!

    chapter 138: getting married!

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gong zhan wore a cold expression. ¡°i¡¯m not going. since they¡¯re so brazenly using my family¡¯s name, let that rural man handle it!¡±

    uncle yang found his words grating, yet he still started the car. ¡°actually, they might not necessarily have used the gong family¡¯s name.¡±

    gong zhan was even more unhappy when he heard what was said. ¡°not use our family¡¯s name? are you saying that rural man did it all on his own? other than being good-looking, what else does he have that can compare to me?¡± transferring the household registration was not a simple matter.

    not only had they completed it shortly after entering, but it wasn¡¯t something that could be easily handled by just anyone. if it wasn¡¯t done using the gong family¡¯s name, he couldn¡¯t believe that rural man had that much influence!

    uncle yang shut his mouth awkwardly and drove. inside, he felt helpless. his young master had received too much of a sense of superiority since childhood. he could no longer distinguish between self-confidence and arrogance.

    little did he know that there will always be someone better than him. no one is the center of the world, but unfortunately, the young master didn¡¯t understand this truth.

    the young master¡¯s attitude towards miss gu was also something to consider. since he couldn¡¯t let go of the past, why act so cold? how long would the young master would cling to these obsessions¡­

    in the photo studio of the civil affairs bureau¡¯s marriage registration department, gu zi and su shen sat side by side on a long bench in front of a red curtain. a staff member brought two small red flowers and pinned them to the newlyweds¡¯ collars, creating a festive atmosphere.

    the staff member sighed, ¡°what a perfect match! it makes me reminisce about my wedding ten years ago. but now that life nowadays is better, you both must cherish each other and live happily together.¡±

    in the 1970s, most people¡¯s first photo was taken with their spouse when they registered their marriage.

    the newlyweds wore green military uniforms and posed tor the picture, which was then affixed to their marriage certificate. that single photograph marked the beginning of a lifetime together.

    nowadays, modern couples seeking fashion opt for western-style clothing, not just for registration but also for grand wedding banquets.

    at the banquet, they don more exquisite attire¡ªbrides in white wedding gowns holding bouquets of plastic flowers, grooms in black suits and ties. this couple was undoubtedly the most eye-catching newlyweds of this era.

    click! the photo slid out of the camera, and they took it to complete their marriage registration.

    when they received their certificates, their fingertips inadvertently touched, deepening their connection.

    as they stepped out, gu zi¡¯s hand hung by her side until su shen took the initiative to hold it. they were now officially a married couple.

    he admitted to feeling a rush of impatience inside; he was extremely joyful. gu zi was finally his wife.

    gu zi sensed his strong possessiveness but didn¡¯t reject it. she flashed her pearly white teeth and sweetly addressed su shen, ¡°husband, please take care of me from now on!¡±

    gu zi knew that those who had served in the army in this era usually had good connections, making it convenient for them to get things done. but she hadn¡¯t expected su shen not only to have connections but also to be highly esteemed by those imposing leaders.

    if he hadn¡¯t retired, his current official position wouldn¡¯t be low. so, his success as one of the first to become wealthy wasn¡¯t solely due to having access to exclusive information; there was more to it.

    as su shen and gu zi descended the steps, an extremely festive truck intercepted them.

    the truck was adorned with red cloth, and a large red flower hung from the front, making it particularly eye-catching on the clean streets.

    jin long, li zhu, and others stood at the truck¡¯s tailgate. after the truck stopped, they jumped out of the open-air trunk. some people went over to move the motorcycle, while others cheered and surrounded the couple to get on board.

    gu zi did not expect them to do this. she was so embarrassed that her cheeks turned red. she lowered her head and hid in su shen¡¯s arms.

    su shen obviously did not know about it either. he said coldly, ¡®what are you guys doing here? trying to make a scene?¡±

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    at this point, everyone wasn¡¯t afraid of su shen¡¯s sternness and continued to cheer. they even turned on the radio, playing chen gexin¡¯s song ¡°rose, rose, i love you.¡±

    ¡°rose, rose, so charming, rose, rose, so lovely¡­ bloom on the branches in spring and summer. rose, rose, i love you¡­¡±

    the loud singing and straightforward lyrics brought the festive atmosphere to a peak.

    passersby turned to look, instantly understanding the situation. they applauded, extending their best wishes.

    someone shouted to them, ¡°happy wedding! wishing the couple a lifetime of happiness together!¡±

 Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Drunk

    chapter 139: drunk

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°the bride looks stunning! can the groom resist going home without a kiss? come on, give her a kiss now!¡± passersby also began to cheer.

    in this era, emotions were still quite reserved. holding hands and embracing in public was acceptable, but kissing was quite rare.

    at this moment, hearing someone shout out such words probably meant they genuinely saw the sincerity of the marriage on the couple¡¯s faces.

    gu zi felt a warm sense of happiness. it wasn¡¯t just su shen¡¯s love that she sensed but also the simple and sincere hearts of the people in this era, all of which deeply moved her.

    in su shen¡¯s eyes, at this moment, she looked shy and smiling, just like a bright rose in the haze, vivid and beautiful, illuminating all the darkness in his life.

    such an image of her was deeply engraved in su shen¡¯s mind, something he never wanted to forget for his entire life.

    jin long said, ¡°in ancient times, weddings had eight-carriage processions. today, we¡¯ve brought a big red celebratory car. don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll take you home, have a few sips of wine, and leave. we won¡¯t delay your intimacy!¡±

    jin long had always been someone to set the atmosphere. his good friend was finally getting married to a wonderful wife, and even if he felt queasy from car sickness, he wanted to create a sense of ceremony.

    ¡°exactly! let the bride and groom get on the truck quickly. a moment of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold!¡±

    gu zi was ushered into the front seat, and as the driver¡¯s seat was already occupied, leaving limited space, she almost sat on su shen¡¯s lap as the car started moving.

    initially, she felt a little awkward sitting so close, and then her legs started feeling numb, so she moved inadvertently.

    su shen held her, his voice low near her ear, ¡°don¡¯t move, sit still.¡±

    gu zi sensed an inexplicable sense of danger and didn¡¯t dare to fidget anymore.

    as the car arrived at the su family home, everyone surrounded them and entered the house. jin long had prepared two bottles of fine wine placed on a low table along with glasses, two red cups obviously intended for the newlyweds.

    ¡°we won¡¯t drink much, just for the celebration. each person at the table will raise a toast to the newlyweds and then leave. how about it?¡±

    the others agreed one after another, and at this point, su shen had no reason to refuse.

    he said, ¡°i¡¯ll drink gu zi¡¯s wine for her. come.¡±

    he proposed, drinking a glass himself.

    jin long squinted and said, ¡°that¡¯s fine. let me toast you first, wishing you a harmonious marriage and blessed with many children!¡±

    after jin long drank, the others also toasted one by one. gu zi was a bit worried that su shen might get drunk, but li zhu assured her that su shen had a good tolerance and wouldn¡¯t easily get drunk, which made her feel relieved.

    when everyone left the su family house, they all had expectant smiles on their faces. li zhu felt that something wasn¡¯t right.

    someone patted jin long on the shoulder, saying, ¡°brother jin long, you¡¯ve planned this well. just a sip of drunkenness, and nobody will be fully alert!¡±

    jin long flipped his middle-parted hair, hands on hips, ¡°of course. su shen is so aloof. it¡¯s not good to neglect his wife.¡±

    li zhu felt betrayed, pointing at them, ¡°how could you spike brother su shen¡¯s drink! ¡±

    jin long patted his shoulder, ¡°you young fella, what do you understand? i¡¯m helping your brother su shen; you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±

    on the couch, su shen sat with a furrowed brow, feeling a sudden heat in his body.

    he immediately understood that jin long had tampered with the alcohol. this was the so-called assist? damn it!

    seeing him uncomfortable, gu zi came over to support him. ¡°su shen, why don¡¯t you go upstairs and rest for a while?¡±

    su shen looked at her, her features delicate, her face carrying an indescribable sense of purity. her white shirt matched with fitted black pants was so simple, yet it showcased her perfect figure.

    her collarbone, soft chest, slim waist, perky buttocks, long legs were all on display, appearing sweet and charming.

    the man¡¯s body grew warmer, his eyelashes quivered slightly due to restraint.

    he pushed gu zi away, restraining himself, ¡°don¡¯t come closer, i¡¯m afraid i might hurt you. ¡±

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    pouting, gu zi felt a bit upset. they were married, so why was he acting so awkward?

    ¡°i¡­ my husband isn¡¯t feeling well. shouldn¡¯t i, as the wife take care of him? how would you hurt me?¡± her voice sounded coquettish, carrying a hint of anger, making her even more seductive.

    the flames of desire surged within su shen. he stood up, grasping her hand to confirm, ¡°you¡¯re not afraid?¡±

    being tall, he towered over gu zi, making her seem particularly petite in his hold.

    gu zi still didn¡¯t quite grasp what su shen meant. she simply nodded, ¡°i¡¯m not afraid of you..¡±

 Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Hot, Passionate Kiss

    chapter 140: hot, passionate kiss

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    with glistening eyes fixed on him, she made his heart skip a beat.

    he reached out and took the cup from her hand, pulling her closer against the sofa¡¯s backrest, his hand firmly holding her chin as he kissed her without resistance.

    it was rough and passionate. his grip on her hand felt as fervent as molten lava. in just a few seconds, everything spiraled out of control.

    gu zi felt a bit startled, but the intimate entanglement of their lips forced her to remain alert and embrace the man¡¯s fiery kiss.

    she placed her hand on his chest. the scorching warmth and powerful heartbeat seemed to be the activation of masculine hormones.

    initially thinking he was just a bit drunk, she intended to comfort him, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated it to lead here, to this kiss she¡¯d long yearned for. so this was the taste of a man¡¯s lips.

    bravely, she leaned into his embrace. though soft and gentle, her movement ignited an uncontrollable passion in the man.

    he seemed like a wild wolf in a forest, using his tongue and teeth to ravish her mouth, disrupting her breath.

    his tongue traced gu zi¡¯s upper palate, causing her to involuntarily moan softly.

    with her long black hair cascading down, her shirt mostly unbuttoned, revealing a hint of her rounded bosom, she promptly held onto the man¡¯s waist.

    gu zi¡¯s voice was tender. ¡°let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    a wicked glint appeared in the man¡¯s eyes as he bent, lifting her up, and carried her upstairs.

    in order to stabilize herself, gu zi took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck. her long legs wrapped tightly around his strong waist so that she would not slip.

    as they walked, he kissed her neck, then pushing the door open, he pinned her onto the bed, his hot lips nibbling at the edge of her chest.

    gu zi¡¯s body carried a faint fragrance, now intensified, mingling with a scent tnat made it nard tor mm to contam nlmselt.

    gu zi¡¯s breathing quickened; her face flushed long ago. she had sensed the man¡¯s arousal.

    as they were ascending the stairs just now, his heated manhood was poking against her legs.

    she was shy and nervous, and she was worried when she thought of the man¡¯s hidden illness.

    seeing her still distracted, su shen, mischievously, touched her waist. she had promised not to be afraid; stirring the fire meant no easy retreat.

    this subtle move prompted gu zi¡¯s already tense body to squirm, inadvertently drawing them closer.

    su shen kissed her bra, causing gu zi to moan.

    she could distinctly feel the change in the man¡¯s lower body. it seemed harder and noticeably larger. had she misjudged? was there no issue after all? she prepared herself for the possibility of pain during her first time.

    but the man¡¯s kiss returned to her lips, leaving her dizzy and flushed as he reluctantly released her.

    su shen stood up stiffly and restrained his body¡¯s passionate desires as he walked into the bathroom. he lacked experience and had consumed aphrodisiacs. he feared hurting her.

    rather than hurting her, he was more willing to learn some foreplay techniques from now on to ensure that he could give her a sweet and comfortable first night.

    he turned on the shower and closed his eyes to recall the erotic scene just now. he let out low, subdued breaths¡­

    gu zi took a while to steady her breath. propping herself up on her arms, she tidied herself.

    glancing down, her once fair and smooth skin now bore marks from the man¡¯s touch, a distinct display of intimacy.

    she didn¡¯t feel disappointed by su shen¡¯s sudden withdrawal. instead of an awkward situation if he couldn¡¯t proceed, she preferred giving him time to recover gradually.

    she would find an opportunity to talk to su shen about going to the hospital to seek treatment.

    contemplating these thoughts, she tidied herself up and left a note on the bedside table before heading out.

    su le was still at the lin family¡¯s house. coincidentally, she planned to stay at lin¡¯s for a few days. after the intimacy they just shared, facing su shen directly seemed challenging.

    she felt helpless. she craved su shen¡¯s body every day, but when it really came down to it, she was a little scared.

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    it was quite a while before su shen emerged from the bathroom. the desire had faded from his face, but upon coming out, he noticed the note.

    ¡°hubby, i¡¯m going to the lin family residence. i¡¯m going to stay there for a few days and then bring lele back.¡±

    su shen pursed his thin lips after reading it. he knew that he was too anxious this time and could not restrain himself.

    his gu zi was always so adorable, both desirous and shy, leaving him in turmoil.

    however, her staying away for a few days might be good. otherwise, she might feel uncomfortable around him..

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Quarreling With Stepmother

    chapter 141: quarreling with stepmother

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen stepped into his room and went right up to the window to light a cigarette.

    he could still hear the woman¡¯s soft breathing beneath him. if he didn¡¯t do something, the restlessness in his heart wouldn¡¯t ease.

    as he neared the end of his cigarette, his gaze regained its usual coldness.

    ready to head downstairs, he spotted su bing giving su li a ride back home.

    su li sat in the backseat, bubbling with excitement. his legs swung back and forth while he fiddled with an empty lunchbox.

    since gu zits arrival, su li¡¯s smile had grown wider, and su bing had changed too.

    there was an abundance of treats at home now, and the meals were more exquisite. she even found ways to cook delicious food for the children.

    her arrival made him realize that besides earning money, being there for his children was crucial too.

    her presence had brought a newfound joy to the family. how could he not be enchanted by such a woman?

    su shen knew gu zit s life wasn¡¯t easy after marrying him. a woman like her could have chosen anyone.

    but she was his wife now, and she belonged to him. he would never let her go.

    downstairs, the two brothers entered the house to find their stepmother missing again.

    they didn¡¯t expect her to always be home, but without her, the home felt less inviting.

    su bing managed to mask his feelings, but su li¡¯s expression turned sour. he sat with drooped shoulders, his face displaying disappointment.

    he slowly took out his homework and couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°big

    brother, did dad and stepmom have a fight?¡±

    wasn¡¯t today the day they were getting their marriage certificate? they left early; they should have been back by now.

    moreover, when stepmom went out before, she would leave them tasty food and little notes. but today, there was nothing.

    the house felt empty, and so did his heart.

    seeing su shen coming downstairs alone, su bing sensed something was off. did their parents really argue?

    ¡°don¡¯t speak if you¡¯re not sure,¡± he sternly warned su li. ¡°do your homework.¡± su shen approached them slowly. why did they seem unhappy to see him?

    he had to go to the pig farm later, so he told su bing, ¡°i¡¯ll be back very late tonight. you guys make your own dumplings.¡±

    seeing him like this, su bing felt even more uneasy. did his stepmother really argue with dad?

    ¡°dad, where¡¯s lele?¡± he asked.

    su li heard his question and looked up at su shen expectantly.

    his sister was still young and needed stepmom¡¯s care. wherever his sister was, stepmom would be there. his brother was so smart!

    ¡°they¡¯re staying at the lin family¡¯s for a few days,¡± su shen said. ¡°i¡¯ll make time to come back and cook for you.¡±

    su bing stayed quiet, and su li lowered his head, feeling disheartened.

    they just got their marriage certificate today. one went back to their parents¡¯ homes, and the other wanted to go to work. seeing this situation, they must have had an argument.

    even though the conversation among the three was brief, su shen frowned after leaving the room.

    he had a feeling the two brothers weren¡¯t very pleased with him. inside the house, su li gazed at the empty lunchbox, feeling a heavy heart.

    ¡°i wanted to share with stepmom that i finished all the rice she made today.

    my classmates were envious. when i was eating, they kept peeking at my

    lunchbox.¡±

    before, he used to envy others¡¯ lunchboxes. but now, he made others envious, all thanks to stepmom.

    he had a great day until he came home and found stepmom wasn¡¯t there. his heart sank instantly.

    su bing also remembered a girl from his class who timidly asked him for some food during lunch.

    the girl was shy but so hungry she gathered the courage to request a bit of rice to try.

    she said, ¡°i don¡¯t want your ribs. i just want some rice. it smells so good. your mom is amazing!¡±

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    su bing had always disliked women because of the ones he met. that¡¯s why he never interacted with girls in class. but today, for the first time, he remembered a girl¡¯s name.

    perhaps because the girl¡¯s eyes and tone resembled stepmom¡¯s¡ªkind and gentle.

    at night, su bing and su li couldn¡¯t sleep. they were both wondering when their stepmother would come back.

    the next morning, when they went downstairs, they heard sounds from the kitchen. they hurried over and saw a tall figure.

    the joy in their eyes was instantly replaced by disappointment..

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Fortunately, He Has a Hidden Illness

    chapter 142: fortunately, he has a hidden illness

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen turned to see the disappointed looks in the two children¡¯s eyes, finally confirming that last night was no misconception¡ªhe was being avoided.

    he initially thought that gu zi¡¯s place in the children¡¯s hearts had merely shifted, but it had reached a point where it was irreplaceable.

    it appeared that whether he was present or not, gu zi always devoted herself to them wholeheartedly.

    sincere care begets the earnest reliance and support of the children.

    during breakfast, su shen explained, ¡°she went back to the lin family because our wedding banquet is approaching, and she wants to spend time with her family.¡±

    the two children lifted their heads, not expecting their father to explain these things to them.

    su li¡¯s eyebrows lifted in excitement. ¡°so stepmom isn¡¯t angry because you¡¯re so cold, and she¡¯s not leaving us, right?¡±

    uncle jin long had mentioned that dad had a reserved temperament and usually had trouble getting along with women, so it was normal for his relationships not to go smoothly.

    yesterday, he thought uncle jin long¡¯s words were coming true again and worried a lot, leading to his current outburst.

    su shen was speechless. was he that cold? it seemed that he had to be more enthusiastic and proactive toward gu zi.

    su bing broke out in a cold sweat from worrying about his brother¡¯s emotional intelligence.

    however, knowing that dad and stepmom didn¡¯t have a quarrel, his suspended anxiety also dissipated.

    he said to his brother, ¡°finish your meal, you¡¯re getting confused from the slight cold.¡±

    su shen figured it out; they were afraid gu zi might leave. indeed, not only were they afraid, he was afraid of losing her too.

    he felt he couldn¡¯t wait for gu zi to return on her own. he wanted to go find her.

    but he couldn¡¯t rush things; after all, they were intimate yesterday. perhaps guzi had slipped away due to shyness.

    after much consideration, he spoke up, ¡°how about the day after tomorrow,

    saturday? we go find them together?¡±

    at these words, su li nodded eagerly, and though su bing didn¡¯t say much, he noticeably quickened his pace of eating noodles.

    after finishing his meal, su bing started cleaning up. su shen was busy at the pig farm and didn¡¯t have time to prepare lunch for them.

    he said, ¡°here¡¯s money for you. buy lunch at school.¡±

    su bing replied, ¡°dad, we don¡¯t need it. i¡¯ve learned to cook. stepmom taught me. i¡¯ll prepare lunch myself. if you¡¯re busy in the evening, you don¡¯t need to rush back. i can cook.¡±

    su shen nodded, a look of contentment in his eyes, and replied, ¡°alright.¡± he turned and left.

    in the little lin village, at the lin family¡¯s house.

    gu zi woke up early and made potato pancakes and pork congee with century egg for her family.

    li hua looked at the exquisite breakfast on the table and praised, ¡°sis, you¡¯re so capable! but let me do it in the future. when you come back home, there¡¯s no reason for you to do anything. a woman visiting her family should be cared for by her family.¡±

    li hua thought that the current gu zi was so much better than the previous lin miao in every aspect.

    ¡°i woke up too early. i saw that there were ingredients in the kitchen, so i made something. try it.¡± gu zi said, picking up a piece of potato pancake for li hua.

    at this moment, mr. and mrs. lin and lin cheng also came over. they all praised gu zit s cooking skills.

    gu zi hadn¡¯t slept well last night; every time she closed her eyes, she¡¯d see scenes of her and su shen being intimate.

    she even vividly remembered the man¡¯s scorching touch. she knew she was getting addicted to su shen.

    gu zi woke up very early today, noticing the slight swelling on her lips had subsided.

    she recalled that when she arrived at the lin family¡¯s house yesterday, everyone had looked at her with strange gazes. they had joked, ¡°i was worried that they had quarreled. however, it seems that their relationship is very good!¡±

    she only realized this morning that everyone was teasing her about her strange lips. she was instantly embarrassed and angry.

    su shen had unexpectedly exerted so much force. thankfully, he had an underlying issue; otherwise, she might not have been able to get out of bed yesterday.

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    she did not dare to think about it anymore. she had to say something to divert her attention.

    ¡°brother, how do you feel about the socializing for work?¡± she asked lin cheng.

    lin cheng paused in his meal of lean meat congee, appearing a tad uneasy when his sister directed a question at him. he set down his chopsticks, taking a moment before speaking. ¡°it¡¯s not as challenging as i thought, but doing physical labor doesn¡¯t seem as¡­¡±

    he scratched his head, briefly at a loss for words to articulate his thoughts.

    ¡°do you perhaps mean socializing tires you out while rough work only demands physical strength?¡± gu zi suggested..

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Buying Dowry Items

    chapter 143: buying dowry items

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin cheng nodded repeatedly, his cheeks slightly flushed. ¡°that¡¯s exactly it. xiao hua also mentioned to me that everything has an adaptation process; we don¡¯t want to embarrass you.¡±

    starting out might be tough, but lin cheng was willing to adapt to changes for the sake of his family.

    gu zi found her elder brother quite adorable. she encouraged, ¡°brother, you¡¯ve got this. but if you feel overwhelmed by anything, make sure to communicate with su shen promptly.¡±

    lin cheng was about to speak when lin hun barged in, his eyes lighting up upon seeing gu zi. ¡°wow, the lady boss is such a beauty!¡±

    gu zi nodded in acknowledgment, greeting him with a simple ¡°hello.¡±

    lin hun showered her with compliments, calling her a true swan. he remembered lin miao as somewhat pretty, but she paled in comparison!

    li hua, witnessing lin hun sitting close to her husband and munching on his food, felt quite upset. did lin hun have a vendetta against her? first, he wanted to snatch lin cheng from her, now he was trying to take him away again!

    she pulled lin cheng closer, shooing lin hun away. ¡°could you stop trailing behind ah cheng?¡±

    lin hun, thick-skinned as ever, grinned back. ¡°oh, li hua sister-in-law, i¡¯m just here for some free food. i¡¯m not trying to steal your husband.¡±

    gu zi was amused by lin hun¡¯s antics but didn¡¯t laugh. instead, she busied herself, feeding food to su le in her arms.

    mrs. lin said to gu zi, ¡°since you¡¯re back, it¡¯s perfect. we were thinking of getting some dowry items for you. let¡¯s go together today.¡±

    although they were rural folks and their financial situation was just getting a bit stable, marriage was a lifelong affair that warranted some attention to details.

    they had initially planned to use the bride price to prepare the dowry for their daughter, but unfortunately, the money had disappeared.

    however, now that su shen didn¡¯t ask for repayment, the money saved to repay the debt could be used to buy dowry items for their daughter.

    gu zi was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. she hadn¡¯t expected this family to think this far ahead for her. her eyes turned misty.

    however, she felt that the su family had everything they needed, and su shen had mentioned he would prepare the dowry; there was no need to burden them further.

    she said, ¡°mom, dad, your thoughts mean the world to me. su shen mentioned he¡¯d take care of the dowry.¡±

    her father added, ¡°daughter, listen to your mother. although we don¡¯t have much, we also want to contribute.¡±

    lin cheng chimed in, ¡°gu zi, please don¡¯t refuse. the more dowry, the better.¡±

    lin hun, with his mouth full of potato cake, mumbled, ¡°hmm, i¡¯ll come along too, lady boss. me and lin, we¡¯ll be your laborers!¡±

    with everyone insisting, gu zi had no reason to decline. after finishing breakfast, she went into town with the lin family. mr. lin stayed behind to watch the house and do some farming.

    in town, they split up and quickly purchased the required items. two dark red leather suitcases for the dowry, two yellow towels with red flower patterns, a red thermos, a pair of red ¡°double happiness¡± porcelain cups, a pair of ¡°double

    happiness¡± basins, a basin stand, and an exquisite makeup mirror in a red case.

    the most celebratory items were undoubtedly the ¡°double happiness¡± series, adorned with peonies and butterflies. the most eye-catching element was the ¡°double happiness¡± mark.

    it seemed they weren¡¯t wrong. it felt really different for her family to prepare the dowry items for her.

    mrs. lin and li hua calculated the remaining money in their hands, as if they were afraid that they would not be able to use up all the money.

    li hua said, ¡°mom, we still need to buy a pair of dragon and phoenix flower candles!¡±

    from ancient times till now, lighting candles adorned with dragon, phoenix, and floral patterns on the wedding night was an essential ritual. it symbolized auspicious blessings for the marriage. in the eyes of the older generation, only after lighting the dragon and phoenix flower candles could a couple be considered officially married.

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    mrs. lin said, ¡°i almost forgot. ah cheng and lin hun, you both wait here for us.¡±

    then she brought her daughter and daughter-in-law to the red and white wedding shop in town. with the load lin cheng and lin hun had, it was indeed a wise choice for them not to join, saving them some effort.

    the red and white wedding shop specialized in selling items for weddings and funerals. gu zi looked at the various dragon and phoenix flower candles displayed by the shop owner, finding the carvings exquisite.

    it was evident that people in the past pursued a sense of ceremony just as much as those who claimed to be modern and civilized nowadays. their aesthetics were truly exceptional.

    the shop owner was summoned elsewhere, leaving the store clerk behind. on catching sight of mrs. lin and li hua¡¯s clothing, the clerk seemed to perceive them as rural folks. there was not much enthusiasm on her face..

 Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Lin Miao â€˜s Classmate

    chapter 144: lin miao ¡®s classmate

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the store clerk approached and, upon recognizing mrs. lin and li hua, was taken aback. ¡°are you lin miao¡¯s mother and sister-in-law?¡±

    lin miao had previously mentioned that despite their rural residence, their family was rather well-off. however, they were discreet about their wealth, fearing envy from others in the village.

    during a parent-teacher conference in her final year of high school, she recalled seeing mrs. lin and li hua elegantly dressed. it contrasted starkly with their current appearance, resembling that of impoverished individuals.

    the clerk remarked, ¡°so, you¡¯re pretending to be poor even though you¡¯ve come to the city? where¡¯s lin miao? she used to hang out with me, but now she¡¯s disappeared. ¡±

    li hua, feeling uncomfortable, whispered, ¡°mo li, we¡¯re not pretending. we¡¯re not wealthy villagers. ¡±

    mrs. lin chimed in, ¡°during that parent-teacher conference, we wore new clothes, which might have caused the misunderstanding. we¡¯re sorry for that.¡± mrs. lin was at a loss. lin miao had always been somewhat vain.

    every time before such events, she insisted on wearing her finest clothes and shoes. to avoid any embarrassment, they portrayed themselves as affluent rural folks.

    especially with mo li, lin miao had sought her friendship because mo li¡¯s parents had respectable jobs.

    mo li¡¯s father worked in the power supply bureau and her mother was an official worker in the textile factory.

    hence, mo li could not be blamed for thinking that lin miao was well-off. of course, that was also the reason why she kept in contact with lin miao.

    gu zi understood what was going on when he saw this scene. he did not expect lin miao to be so vain!

    mo li, however, seemed unwilling to accept the explanations. she continued, ¡°auntie, you can¡¯t fool me. lin miao used to treat everyone and always carried around five-hundred yuan bills. but it¡¯s been over a month since i last saw her. ¡±

    mo li did not know why lin miao had not contacted her recently, as if she had vanished from the face of the earth.

    who knew she would bump into lin miao¡¯s mother and sister-in-law here?

    mrs. lin¡¯s face turned red. she really didn¡¯t know how to explain.

    ¡°our entire family doesn¡¯t even have that much money. how is it possible she would carry that around?¡± li hua said.

    gu zi narrowed his eyes slightly and felt that it was very strange. lin miao should have been at the lin family¡¯s house more than a month ago. where did she get so much cash on her at that time?

    if a person suddenly became very rich, it was really a little suspicious.

    ¡°miss mo, can we talk in private?¡± she asked as she handed su le over to li

    hua.

    it was at that moment when mo li finally noticed the elegant woman accompanying mrs. lin. judging by her attire, she seemed like a city resident, and her refined demeanor suggested she hailed from a wealthy background.

    ¡°absolutely,¡± she replied, smiling as she ushered gu zi indoors.

    gu zi was very good at expressing herself and communicating with others. she quickly clarified some things and explained mo li¡¯s misunderstanding.

    mo li¡¯s face turned red with anger when she realized that she had been deceived for so long.

    ¡°she¡¯s too pretentious. to think that i thought of her as a close friend!¡± mo li lamented, learning that lin miao actually hailed from a poor farming family in a mountain village.

    however, with lin miao nowhere in sight, mo li didn¡¯t have a target for her frustration. she resolved to focus on her business and rake in a bit more commission.

    ¡°what you say counts. buy the most expensive pair of dragon and phoenix candles from me,¡± mo li requested gu zi.

    ¡°no problem. go fetch them; i¡¯ll settle the bill right away,¡± gu zi replied cheerfully.

    knowing that there was money to be made, mo li became nimble and quickly packed up a pair of exquisite dragon and phoenix candles and handed them to gu zi. ¡°fifty yuan!¡±

    gu zi took the candle and paid the money without hesitation. she felt that after figuring out this matter, 50 yuan was worth it even if she did not want the candle.

    ¡°why did you end up paying by yourself in the end? did she demand more money?¡± mrs. lin inquired.

    ¡°it¡¯s alright; we¡¯re all family,¡± gu zi reassured her. ¡°mom, let me ask you something. did lin miao mention staying at mo li¡¯s house a few days before or after the dowry went missing?¡±

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    ¡°yes, is that important?¡± mrs. lin responded after a moment¡¯s thought.

    gu zi explained, ¡°mo li and i reviewed the timeline just now. she mentioned that lin miao¡¯s flaunting of cash likely happened after the gift money went missing. furthermore, during her stay at mo li¡¯s place, she frequently left early and returned late, often alone.¡±

    gu zi had been puzzled before. little lin village had suffered a significant loss of money, prompting the involvement of the police. one would expect clues to emerge during a door-to-door investigation.

    yet, the reality was different. the authorities had failed to advance their inquiries. gu zi speculated that their lack of progress might be due to

    overlooking someone with a solid alibi..

 Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Lin Miaoâ€™s Lie

    chapter 145: lin miao¡¯s lie

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi¡¯s words were somewhat vague, but mrs. lin managed to grasp their meaning.

    lin miao had claimed that mo li was going through a tough time post-breakup, and she wished to support her for a few days.

    however, lin miao¡¯s behavior at mo li¡¯s place was suspicious¡ªleaving early and returning late. mo li herself denied ever experiencing heartbreak, indicating that lin miao¡¯s motive might have been to establish an alibi.

    moreover, lin miao was flaunting lavish spending and showing off large sums of cash, adding to the suspicion.

    mrs. lin¡¯s hands trembled as she processed these thoughts. the more she contemplated, the more hollow her gaze became.

    ¡°gu zi, i don¡¯t doubt you, but how could it be lin miao?¡± her voice trembled with disbelief.

    for the lin family, lin miao was a cherished and loved member. despite knowing lin miao was not biologically related and had a penchant for pretense, she couldn¡¯t fathom her committing such an act of theft. everyone had their flaws, but this accusation seemed beyond belief.

    she couldn¡¯t accept the idea that lin miao would steal from the family that had cared for her. it would mean not only dirtying her hands but also betraying the kindness and trust the lin family had shown her.

    ¡°mom, i¡¯m sorry for distressing you. but what i¡¯m about to say might be disappointing,¡± gu zi said gently, holding mrs. lin¡¯s hand, trying to console her.

    understanding the lin family¡¯s kindness made gu zi more determined not to let deception prevail.

    li hua¡¯s usually warm expression turned cold. she addressed mrs. lin, ¡°mom, i¡¯ve been wanting to say this for a while. i believe lin miao is ungrateful. why are you still protecting her now?¡±

    li hua had an easy-going personality and never liked to care about doing more for others.

    li hua was typically easy-going but harbored resentment due to several incidents involving lin miao. despite her forgiving nature, she couldn¡¯t ignore the perceived ingratitude.

    she had refrained from voicing her grievances earlier to maintain family harmony, given how much lin miao had been favored, especially by lin cheng. but now, she felt it was time to stop covering for a potential thief, despite the conflict it might cause within the family.

    mrs. lin glanced at li hua and felt a pang of guilt. she understood li hua¡¯s temperament and realized that for her to voice such concerns, she must have endured more than she should have.

    in their family, whether it was lin cheng or li hua, they tended to give in to lin miao due to her being the younger sister.

    addressing li hua and gu zi, she said, ¡°give me a little time to process, xiao hua. after all, i raised lin miao myself. little zi, there¡¯s no need to apologize. speak your mind.¡±

    gu zi nodded. ¡°according to lin miao, the lin family absconded with the money and needed me, their biological daughter, to marry someone in their place in the countryside. until now, my adoptive parents still believe you took the money.¡±

    both mrs. lin and li hua were stunned, taking a while to regain their composure.

    li hua explained, ¡°how could we do that? when we discovered the mix-up between you and lin miao, we decided lin miao¡¯s engagement with su shen couldn¡¯t proceed. we intended to return the gift money.¡±

    the concept of a substitute marriage had never crossed their minds. they were perplexed by lin miao¡¯s claims.

    mrs. lin nodded in disappointment at lin miao¡¯s deceit and concern for gu zi¡¯s marriage.

    ¡°didn¡¯t you say that the gu family asked you to marry su shen? then did you marry su shen willingly? daughter, you have to tell the truth. as long as you¡¯re not married yet, it¡¯s not too late!¡±

    ¡°mom, don¡¯t worry. i married su shen willingly,¡± gu zi assured softly. ¡°but it was indeed lin miao who said i wanted to marry into the countryside. to cut ties with me, the gu family also wanted me to marry su shen.¡±

    mrs. lin felt relief knowing gu zi¡¯s willingness.

    ¡°why didn¡¯t you inform me of this earlier? why did lin miao lie?¡± she sighed.

    gu zi explained, ¡°i sensed your concern for lin miao. i didn¡¯t want to make you sad, thinking it was unnecessary. from our first meeting, i realized you weren¡¯t the people lin miao described.¡±

    during the initial encounter, there was no hint of the missing gift money. despite her suspicions of lin miao, gu zi didn¡¯t dare jump to conclusions.

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    now, things were different. gu zi felt the need to seek the assistance of the public security bureau for an investigation.

    ¡°mrs. lin, would you come with me to the police station?¡± she asked.

    initially hesitant, mrs. lin was swayed when li hua reminded her, ¡°remember, mom, i told you someone saw lin miao return on the day the money vanished.

    you can¡¯t hesitate now.¡±

    ¡°no,¡± mrs. lin replied. ¡°i was just upset. of course, i¡¯m willing to go to the police station..¡±

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Confrontation

    chapter 146: confrontation

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the trio first met with lin cheng and lin hun but had little time to explain. gu zi and mrs. lin proceeded to the public security bureau while li hua and the two men returned to the village.

    before the mother and daughter could enter the police station, they encountered a middle-aged man who warmly greeted gu zi.

    ¡°little zi, here for business? why aren¡¯t you with su shen?¡± he inquired.

    gu zi recognized the familiar mediterranean-style haircut and recalled he was the male leader who had assisted in teaching aunte wang a lesson last time. she had heard people referring to him as deputy chief he.

    ¡°yes, deputy chief he, i¡¯m here for some business!¡± she replied with a smile.

    deputy chief he thought su shen¡¯s wife was very polite and smart but felt she was overly courteous.

    he expressed, ¡°given my relationship with su shen, you should call me uncle.

    if uncle has met you here for something, there¡¯s no reason i shouldn¡¯t help. what brings you here?¡±

    declaring he had no plans to go out, deputy chief he personally escorted gu zi and mrs. lin into the public security bureau.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t refuse his offer. with his support, tasks became notably more convenient. also, considering su shen¡¯s rapport with him, addressing him as uncle he didn¡¯t seem out of place.

    following uncle he¡¯s lead, gu zi and her mother entered the bureau.

    mrs. lin was quietly amazed. she hadn¡¯t anticipated her future son-in-law¡¯s influence¡ªhaving an acquaintance who was not only within the public security bureau but also held the position of deputy director!

    she realized the saying that having more connections makes tasks easier held true.

    deputy director he arranged for them to sit in a specific department downstairs, where someone promptly served them tea and snacks.

    gu zi felt their visit to the public security bureau seemed less like reporting a case and more akin to being entertained at a teahouse. it was all too comfortable.

    of course, deputy chief he couldn¡¯t just let them sit there and do nothing. he quickly called the person in charge of investigating the lin family¡¯s dowry gift money theft case.

    gu zi and mother lin provided details about lin miao¡¯s unusual behavior. mrs. lin collaborated, adding further explanations, while the investigator earnestly took notes.

    ¡°miss gu,¡± he said respectfully, ¡°the clue you provided is very important. we will investigate in this direction.¡±

    gu zi expressed her gratitude and continued, ¡°regarding the follow-up investigation, i have some ideas that i¡¯d like to discuss with you privately.¡±

    downstairs in the pavilion of the military compound, the gu and gong families had arranged to meet before proceeding to the golden sun hotel for lunch. their agenda was to discuss lin miao and gong zhan¡¯s marriage certificate and wedding-related matters.

    upon seeing the gong couple, the gu couple extended profuse thanks. ¡°chief, madam chen, we¡¯re immensely grateful for your help with the household register transfer. lin miao, you should also express your gratitude to the elders!¡±

    gong zhan stood silently to the side, offering no words. the gong couple appeared puzzled.

    confused, they glanced at their son, wondering when they had aided in the transfer. the gu family hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about it.

    lin miao had already bowed in gratitude, expressing, ¡°thank you so much. i thought i¡¯d never be able to return to the gu family¡¯s household register in this lifetime. i didn¡¯t expect your assistance.¡±

    this time, she wasn¡¯t lying. after all, she had transferred her rural household registration to a city household registration. she didn¡¯t have to be a farmer anymore!

    as they spoke, the group had already walked out of the courtyard. however, they encountered lin cheng and li hua waiting outside the door.

    they were supposed to go back, but after parting ways with gu zi and the others, lin cheng asked li hua why she wanted to go to the public security

    bureau.

    li hua felt that there was nothing to hide, so she told lin cheng about lin miao¡¯s previous lies.

    everyone had seen how lin cheng had loved lin miao since he was young, even lin hun had always called him a sister slave.

    lin cheng couldn¡¯t help but cry when he heard this. even lin hun was stunned by lin miao¡¯s shamelessness.

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    unable to believe lin miao¡¯s actions, lin cheng insisted on confronting lin miao about her accusations against the lin family regarding su shen¡¯s 3,000 yuan dowry. li hua accompanied him.

    lin miao felt an inexplicable unease upon seeing the pair. she tried to ignore them, but lin cheng halted her and asked in a quivering voice, ¡°sister lin miao, why did you accuse the lin family of taking su shen¡¯s 3,000 yuan wedding gift?¡±

    lin miao¡¯s body trembled, feigning ignorance. ¡°brother, what¡­ what are you talking about?¡±

    gu shan and zhang mei swiftly shielded their daughter, scolding the pair, ¡°this is the city. why are you causing a scene? how could lin miao falsely accuse you? don¡¯t create unnecessary trouble!¡±

    the gong family remained silent, considering it a personal issue that needed resolution between the parties involved..

 Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Postponing the Wedding Date

    chapter 147: postponing the wedding date

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    if it had been anyone else disparaging the lin family, lin cheng wouldn¡¯t have bothered to confront them. but it had to be lin miao.

    he couldn¡¯t fathom why. the lin family had consistently shielded her, yet upon leaving, she could turn around and strike back like a venomous serpent.

    just because they weren¡¯t her blood relatives anymore, did all the bonds they once shared become null and void?

    this time, he wasn¡¯t willing to compromise or cower. addressing gu shan and his wife, he said, ¡°mr. and mrs. gu, i just want to clarify this once. the su family¡¯s gift money was indeed stolen, but the lin family never proposed that

    gu zi replace lin miao to marry su shen.¡±

    ¡°yes, while gu zi is willing to marry su shen, the lin family absolutely didn¡¯t pocket the gift money and scheme for their daughter to marry in lin miao¡¯s place, as she claimed,¡± li hua affirmed in a hushed tone.

    li hua almost revealed her encounter with mo li but halted herself, recollecting gu zi¡¯s plea to keep the matter confidential.

    gu shan and his wife were taken aback by this revelation. they recollected that indeed, lin miao had accused the lin family of accepting the gift money and pressuring gu zi to marry in her place.

    however, now the lin family refuted this claim. this could only mean lin miao fabricated the accusation.

    yet, they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to believe their innocent and kind-hearted daughter would harbor such thoughts. a moment of silence ensued.

    the gong couple beside them furrowed their brows. if the lin family¡¯s claims were accurate, then wasn¡¯t lin miao orchestrating a ploy to persuade gu zi to assist in her marriage? their thoughts grew darker.

    observing this, they were more inclined to believe the lin family¡¯s account. if they truly accepted the gift money and agreed for their biological daughter to marry instead, there would be no need for them to confront lin miao here.

    furthermore, witnessing the honesty of these two lin family members, it seemed evident they were furious and had hurried over.

    gong zhan¡¯s countenance darkened upon hearing the phrase, ¡°gu zi is willing to marry su shen.¡± his heart chilled. how could that villager charm her so? gu zi truly had poor taste!

    lin miao felt flustered under everyone¡¯s scrutinizing gazes but being someone who had been reborn, she didn¡¯t let her guilty conscience show.

    lowering her gaze, she bit back at lin cheng innocently, ¡°you can defame me as you wish just because you¡¯re gu zits brother now? i only mentioned it because i heard you say so. now that you¡¯re getting along well, do you want to pin all the blame on me?¡±

    with that said, tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to enact her crying act once again.

    lin cheng and li hua recognized that mask all too well. in the past, lin miao had worn it within the lin family. whatever she desired, tears became the tool to achieve it.

    regrettably, today they saw through the charade.

    ¡°lin miao, how can you lie so blatantly?¡± lin cheng expressed in anguish. ¡®who is actually slandering whom?¡±

    li hua observed her husband¡¯s distress and was no longer reserved. standing up, she addressed lin miao, ¡°lin miao, have you forgotten how lin cheng used to shield you? he didn¡¯t fear getting hurt to protect you. how could such a person slander you?¡±

    li hua¡¯s final question struck deep. lin miao had no defense against it.

    she could only fault the lin family for being exceedingly kind to her in the

    past. but even though the lin family was kind, what did it matter considering their poverty?

    the timing was too coincidental for lin cheng and li hua¡¯s families to be present alongside the gong family. this discomforted lin miao further, especially since this occurred right before her marriage to gong zhan. her animosity towards gu zi deepened.

    gu zi must have told the lin family these things! gritting her teeth, lin miao¡¯s lips turned pale.

    upon finishing their words, li hua and lin cheng departed together. the atmosphere between the families became tense.

    before the gu family could respond, mr. gong intervened, ¡°gu shan, i believe we can skip the meal today. let¡¯s delay the wedding for now. we¡¯ll discuss it later when we have the time.¡±

    he held a higher status, and the gu family was subordinate. there was no need to beat around the bush.

    the gong family only wanted to find a simple daughter-in-law. that¡¯s how the gu family even got this opportunity in the first place.

    however, today indicated that this lin miao wasn¡¯t a simple person at all. further investigation was imperative.

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    mr. gong led his wife and son back to the courtyard. gu shan¡¯s expression soured. he had lost all dignity at the courtyard entrance!

    back home, gu shan erupted in anger. he paced the living room and suddenly fixed lin miao with a gloomy stare.

    ¡°why did you do that back then? if someone has something on you, it¡¯ll haunt you forever!¡±

    gu shan was also unwilling to believe that lin miao would tell such a lie, but even a fool could see that the lin family was furious.

    this was the first time he felt disappointed and angry at his biological daughter.. she was really too foolish!

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Redeeming Herself

    chapter 148: redeeming herself

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao was not only foolish but also malicious! the more gu shan thought about it, the angrier he became. he sat down on the chair and stood up again, then he walked to the window to calm himself.

    for a moment, gu shan even thought it would have been better if gu zi were still his daughter. she never embarrassed the gu family.

    on the contrary, she was excellent and beautiful, always bringing praise to the gu family.

    seeing gu shan truly furious, lin miao timidly glanced at her parents, lowered her head, and bit her lip as she started to explain.

    ¡°mom, dad, i really didn¡¯t do such a thing. i don¡¯t understand why lin cheng would falsely accuse me, especially coming at a time when i¡¯m about to finalize my marriage. i didn¡¯t refute immediately because lin cheng has always been good to me before. i never imagined he would defame me without reason, sob¡­¡±

    after speaking, lin miao couldn¡¯t help but cry. she felt her acting skills were excellent and believed she could be a great actress given the chance.

    she had been reborn once and gained the opportunity to change her fate. she couldn¡¯t afford to let it be ruined like this.

    she had been emotionally manipulated by the lin family earlier. now she had to do her best to dispel her parents¡¯ suspicions and regain her father¡¯s trust. zhang mei was a little upset initially, but upon hearing her daughter¡¯s words,

    seeing her daughter unjustly distressed and trying to smile through it, zhang mei felt a pang of heartache and immediately sided with her.

    ¡°miaomiao, of course we believe you. i think the lin family isn¡¯t good. gu shan, you¡¯re being foolish, trusting outsiders over your daughter. the lin family must be trying to take advantage of miaomiao now that she¡¯s in a better place. they¡¯re deliberately taking the opportunity to extort her.¡±

    zhang mei now thought the lin family was pretending to be honest. why didn¡¯t they mention the issue of the betrothal gifts earlier?

    they waited until the gong family was present to bring this up. how very cunning!

    seeing his wife defending their daughter unconditionally, gu shan angrily said, ¡°what are you thinking? did the lin family mention money even once?¡±

    lin miao, seeing her father still not believing her, threw herself into zhang mei¡¯s arms and cried until she was almost out of breath.

    zhang mei¡¯s heart ached. she said to gu shan, ¡°people who want money don¡¯t mind how much they can get. i think they¡¯re very greedy. they didn¡¯t mention it directly because they were waiting for miaomiao to offer money to silence them. if the lin family were honest, how could they be so poor?¡±

    last time they visited the lin family and saw that desolate valley and the dilapidated house with leaking walls, zhang mei was shocked.

    zhang mei always believed that being poor was often related to laziness.

    though that family appeared honest and kind, they were probably pretending to be poor and would take advantage whenever possible.

    gu shan felt a little relieved after hearing this, thinking his wife made sense.

    although the lin family didn¡¯t mention money, bringing that topic up at such a time was pretty obvious they were trying to sabotage the relationship between the two families, right?

    gu shan¡¯s face turned red, realizing he was too angry and had misunderstood lin miao.

    seeing this, lin miao immediately said pitifully, ¡°dad, mom, stop arguing. it¡¯s all my fault. i have embarrassed our family. i must go back to the lin family and ask them for an explanation. i can¡¯t be slandered for no reason, because i¡¯m representing the gu family now.¡±

    looking at his sensible daughter, gu shan¡¯s heart was touched even more, and he increasingly felt his wife was right.

    yes, he was blinded by anger. how could he not trust his own daughter?

    the lin family had no evidence; it was all baseless accusations. he had been really foolish!

    zhang mei glared at gu shan and comforted her daughter, saying, ¡°it¡¯s not your fault. blame those with ill intentions. i think this matter has something to do with gu zi.¡±

    now that gu zi was close to the lin family in the countryside, she must still resent being forced to marry an older man and wanted to disrupt lin miao¡¯s marriage. how malicious.

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    they had raised her for over a decade in the gu family, and they never expected her to turn out to be a snake! zhang mei grew even more dissatisfied with gu zi.

    lin miao was quite satisfied with zhang mei¡¯s line of thinking and pretended to be alarmed as she asked, ¡°but why would sister do this?¡±

    zhang mei confidently replied, ¡°gu zi has always liked gong zhan. although she¡¯s marrying that rural man, deep down, she¡¯s not content. she doesn¡¯t want you to have a better life than her.¡±

    after hearing this, lin miao was more determined to marry gong zhan. she believed that only by being with gong zhan could she have a happy ending.

    she thought that gu zi lived such a happy life in the past because gu zi had managed to snatched away gong zhan..

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: They Wonâ€™t Help

    chapter 149: they won¡¯t help

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao felt that zhang mei had reminded her ¨C indeed, gu zi had previously liked gong zhan so much, and she must still be unable to let him go.

    not only did she plan to visit the lin family, but she also intended to take gong zhan along to make gu zi envy and feel uneasy.

    internally delighted, yet externally appearing teary-eyed and red, lin miao threw herself into zhang mei¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°mom, thank you for believing in me, both you and dad. no one has ever trusted me this much from childhood until now.¡±

    seeing this, gu shan completely softened and said to lin miao, ¡°find gong zhan and have him accompany you to the lin family. it¡¯ll serve as evidence, let the gong family see your fearless attitude and prove that you haven¡¯t lied.¡±

    gong¡¯s family head did not directly annul the engagement but mentioned postponing the wedding.

    gu shan that if the gong family saw lin miao¡¯s innocence, there might still be a chance for the union between the gu family and the gong family.

    after all, gong zhan wasn¡¯t young anymore. starting anew with someone else would take time, and finding someone trustworthy wouldn¡¯t be easy. the gong family wouldn¡¯t easily give up on lin miao.

    gu shan¡¯s suggestion aligned perfectly with lin miao¡¯s intentions. she replied, ¡°all right, dad.¡±

    in the gong family¡¯s living room, the atmosphere was tense. gong xin hid in her room, leaving the door slightly ajar, listening to the commotion outside.

    madam chen asked her husband, ¡°do you have a different opinion about lin

    miao now?¡±

    the two families had met so many times; she and her husband weren¡¯t overly critical of lin miao.

    she felt that her son was old and should have started a family long ago. the gu family was well known and easy to control. they were the best choice to be in-laws.

    although lin miao wasn¡¯t outstanding like gu zi, she was indeed the gu family¡¯s biological daughter and well-behaved.

    however, what happened today made madam chen a little afraid. she felt that perhaps the real lin miao was different from the lin miao they saw.

    ¡°you¡¯re right.¡± mr. gong frowned and said in a low, cold tone, ¡°with our judgment, we can tell that those two young people from the lin family aren¡¯t liars. so, who do you think is lying?

    madam chen didn¡¯t say anything. of course, she knew that lin miao was most likely lying.

    after a long while, madam chen finally said, ¡°let¡¯s follow your plan and observe for now. i¡¯ll secretly look for other suitable girls within the quad as a backup.¡±

    mr. gong¡¯s silence was his agreement.

    gong zhan didn¡¯t express an opinion. he felt there weren¡¯t many women who could match him. his parents would choose the most suitable one for him; he didn¡¯t need to worry about such matters.

    however, he was still thinking about gu zi. he couldn¡¯t understand why she willingly married the rural man.

    was it to spite him? such an action seemed too childish.

    madam chen recalled the matter of transferring household registration mentioned by the gu family earlier and asked her son, ¡°what¡¯s the deal with the household registration transfer? tell us about it.¡±

    they had wanted to ask the gu family about it earlier, but lin cheng¡¯s appearance interrupted them.

    gong zhan recounted the incident of gu zi returning to transfer her household registration, leaving gong¡¯s parents even more bewildered.

    mr. gong said, ¡°your mother and i didn¡¯t know about this. how could we help? perhaps it¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡±

    gong zhan contemptuously said, ¡°there¡¯s no need for your intervention. gu zi took that rural man to the gu family first and then went to the public security bureau to get things done using the gong family¡¯s name.¡±

    everyone knew that the gong family name was extremely powerful. how else could gu zi have gotten the deed done then?

    gong zhan felt there was no need for further interrogation. he didn¡¯t understand why his parents were pondering over it.

    madam chen shook her head. ¡°who told you that using the gong family¡¯s name will get things done in the public security bureau? don¡¯t you know most officers there, led by deputy chief he, detest mixing personal and official matters?¡±

    madam chen looked at her husband helplessly. they didn¡¯t know what had gotten into their son lately; he kept saying things that didn¡¯t make sense.

    many times, she wished gong xin were a boy. her character was more suitable for taking over the gong family business compared to gong zhan.

    mr. gong also spoke up, ¡°the people at the public security bureau don¡¯t get along with me. don¡¯t you know? they won¡¯t help.¡±

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    gong zhan suddenly realized that this was true. who else could wield such influence aside from the gong family? did gu zi cozy up to some influential man while in the city?

    he felt he needed to investigate with the radio station.

    gong xin found this all too thrilling but felt a bit thirsty after listening for so long.

    she waited until it was quiet outside before opening the door to get some water.

    unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, she met gong zhan¡¯s gaze, as if he had been waiting for her. she really wanted to turn around and run..

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Investigation

    chapter 150: investigation

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gong zhan approaching her voluntarily surely didn¡¯t wasn¡¯t good news, thought gong xin. but hindered by her short legs, she might not be able to escape.

    ¡°what do you want to say?¡± she asked calmly as she walked up to him and poured herself some water.

    gong zhan wasn¡¯t coy either and asked, ¡°when gu zi worked as a broadcaster at the radio station, did she have an affair with the station¡¯s leader?¡±

    in response to gong zhan¡¯s astonishing and infuriating question, gong xin spat out the water she was drinking.

    ¡°gong zhan, don¡¯t tell me you think that some man helped gu zi? couldn¡¯t it be because of her husband¡¯s connections?¡±

    although it was said that gu zi was marrying a pig farmer, at least he owned a pig farm.

    since he was running a business, what was so odd about knowing one or two officials? how could gong zhan jump to conclusions and question gu zits character? men¡¯s thinking was too dreadful!

    gong zhan¡¯s face was cold as he firmly believed in his own judgment. ¡°ask around at the station and see if there was anything unusual about her previously,¡± he said.

    ¡°please don¡¯t order me around!¡± gong xin said with her hands on her hips. ¡°besides, what¡¯s wrong with you? you both are about to get married separately, yet you¡¯re still meddling in gu zi¡¯s affairs?¡±

    gong xin felt that something was amiss, and she shot a strange glare at her brother.

    after gong zhan left, gong xin suddenly realized something. could it be that her brother liked gu zi?

    if that was the case, gu zi was really unfortunate. how did she fall in love with an egotistical person like her brother from the beginning?

    however, gong zhan was her biological brother after all. if gu zi still liked gong zhan and knew that gong zhan was developing feelings for her, would she be willing to become her sister-in-law?

    gong xin made an important decision. when she had time, she would visit gu zi, considering it an effort to help her foolish brother!

    at the public security bureau.

    after gu zi left, the person in charge quickly initiated the investigation, exactly as she had instructed.

    this was a matter that even deputy chief he was paying attention to. if he handled this case well, a promotion this year was likely.

    he first went to visit lin miao¡¯s classmates in the city. based on their words, they could confirm that lin miao was an extremely vain person.

    she had boasted to her classmates that her family was a hidden rich family in the village and after graduating, she had treated them all to a big meal.

    with such an attitude, after receiving that sum of money, naturally, she wouldn¡¯t entrust it to her family but rather use it to flaunt herself among her classmates.

    however, she didn¡¯t openly ask her family for that sum of money. after leaving the lin family, she accused them of withholding the money.

    all this indicated that lin miao had ample motive. but that wasn¡¯t enough; they still needed to gather more evidence. the next step was to visit little lin village.

    at the lin family¡¯s residence, lin cheng, gu zi, and others had already arrived home.

    after setting things down, lin hun squatted on the low wall by the lin family¡¯s door, smoking. he grabbed anyone who passed by, complaining about lin miao¡¯s ingratitude and sympathizing with the lin family.

    the villagers blushed in embarrassment as they remembered that they had previously believed the lin family had embezzled that money and had been criticizing them behind their backs.

    some villagers were reluctant to admit their mistakes, saying, ¡°just because you say so, should we believe it? lin miao isn¡¯t in the village now, and you¡¯re blaming everything on her. we don¡¯t know what¡¯s the real truth.¡±

    someone asked lin hun, ¡°weren¡¯t you the one who criticized the lin family the most?¡±

    lin hun stomped out the cigarette rudely. ¡°i was fooled by lin miao at that time, too! but i¡¯m better than you all; i can admit my mistakes.¡±

    just then, a police car stopped at the lin family¡¯s gate, and two officers got out, making everyone nervous.

    the officers asked, ¡®who¡¯s from the lin family?¡±

    lin cheng and li hua stepped forward to respond. the police asked li hua,

    ¡°regarding the missing gift money, do you remember someone seeing lin

    miao returning to the village on that day? can you find that witness?¡±

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    li hua affirmed that she could and, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, got into the police car to look for the witness.

    those who had been unwilling to admit their mistakes were instantly refuted. at this rate, it was clear the lin family couldn¡¯t have lied.

    after dinner, mrs. lin and li hua took gu zi into a room.

    mrs. lin handed a pair of red embroidered shoes with intertwined lotus patterns to gu zi, while li hua gave her a red box, instructing gu zi not to open it yet.

    mrs. lin said, ¡°since ancient times, wealthy families have provided their daughters with everything they need from birth to death, as part of the dowry to take to their husband¡¯s home. we don¡¯t have that capability, but we want to provide what we can..¡±

 Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Did You Not Miss Me?

    chapter 151: did you not miss me?

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    they wished for their daughter to be able to stand firmly and proudly in their husband¡¯s home.

    although the lin family were not rich, they also wanted to do their best.

    they told gu zi that they were still making two new bedsheets, new bed curtains, new pillows, and new quilts. when they were done, they would ask lin cheng to send them to the su family to decorate the new house.

    gu zi¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. at first, she only wanted to fulfill her filial piety on behalf of the original owner, but she did not expect to receive such sincere affection in return.

    ¡°thank you, mom and sister-in-law. i¡¯ll definitely use it well,¡± she said. the three women hugged for a while.

    gu zi kept those gifts and went out to hug lele. lin cheng was teasing her. he was still in his twenties, and still had a natural naivety air about him.

    after gu zi held lele, she was pulled into a conversation by the people chatting at the door. she didn¡¯t speak much; mainly, she listened.

    everyone was talking about su li. someone mentioned that su li and her son were classmates and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ¡°su li was so pitiful. not only was he dressed in rags, but he also ate half-cooked sweet potatoes for lunch every day. every time my son came back and told me, i was surprised. the su family is so rich. how could they treat their children like this?¡±

    later, she discovered it was due to the harsh treatment from a previous stepmother and then chu xi.

    someone added, ¡°that chu xi was no good either. not only did she take money from the su family and not do her job, but she also stole meat from the su family, making the two kids eat rotten leafy greens. luckily, she got caught.¡±

    another lady said, ¡°¡±but it¡¯s good now that gu zi¡¯s here. you don¡¯t know, but su li is quite different at school now. every day, he goes in and out of the school¡¯s bicycle shed with his brother. he¡¯s well-dressed and eats exquisite food. he also brings some canned fruit, grass jelly, and other snacks to school. my son is so envious that he keeps pestering me for some bean jelly grass every day.¡± everyone praised gu zi for her pure nature and kindness to the children.

    however, someone remarked that gu zi, being so beautiful and intelligent, not having children with su shen was a pity and unfair to her.

    gu zi felt bad when she heard the first part of the conversation. it turned out that su bing did not even know how to cook sweet potatoes in the past.

    she imew that the two boys had been mistreated before, but she had never thought that it would be so overboard.

    chu xi took the su family¡¯s money and didn¡¯t even prepare lunch for the children?

    she started to miss those two boys. she wondered if they had eaten properly.

    when she heard one of the ladies talking about the changes in su li recently, a smile appeared on her lips.

    since she had agreed to marry su shen, she would treat the children well. she should nurture them well and give them love.

    thinking of this, gu zi wanted to return to the su family immediately.

    she said, ¡°there¡¯s nothing unfair about it. su shen said from the beginning that he doesn¡¯t want children. i think it¡¯s fine. nothing is regrettable.¡±

    when the lin family heard gu zi say this, their eyes revealed a doting expression.

    at the same time, they felt sorry for the plight of the su family¡¯s children. why did they keep encountering such malicious people?

    they suddenly realized that if lin miao had married into the su family, those children might have suffered.

    they now had a clear view of lin miao and did not have any expectations for her. however, they also hoped that she would be fine and would not make any more mistakes in the future. they also really hoped that lin miao did not take the money.

    saturday, at the su family residence.

    father and sons woke up before dawn to pack. su shen was cooking in the kitchen, while su bing and su li were preparing snacks.

    su li kept stuffing spicy strips into a bag. he remembered that his stepmother loved these, so he asked his dad to buy them yesterday.

    when su shen came to call them for breakfast, he saw the bulging bags they were carrying and thought, ¡®are these two children trying to lure gu zi back with snacks?¡¯

    the three of them ate very quickly. even su li, who loved to talk the most, didn¡¯t say much today.

    at the lin family¡¯s side, gu zi had just finished washing up when she heard the rhythmic mechanical roar.

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    she rushed to the door and saw the figures she had been expecting. it was su shen with the two boys.

    su shen stopped the motorcycle and let the two children get off first. then, he walked toward her.

    under the faint morning sunlight, the man¡¯s handsome and mature face gradually became clearer.

    when mrs. lin saw them, she said to the two children, ¡°you must be su bing and su li. gu zi just said that she misses you, and you came along with daddy. you really have the tacit understanding of a mother and son.¡±

    su shen walked up to gu zi and unexpectedly felt a tinge of jealousy.. he asked her, ¡°gu zi, didn¡¯t you miss me?¡±

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Letâ€™s Pick Out a Wedding Dress

    chapter 152: let¡¯s pick out a wedding dress

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    his burning gaze landed on gu zi. her heart raced while her cheeks started to heat up.

    gu zi wondered, what happened to the cold personality, noble and elegant?

    he stood before her, exuding elegance, yet he seemed less aloof towards her. in fact, he seemed a bit flirtatious.

    was he jealous? if so, gu zi admitted that she was swayed by the older man¡¯s attention.

    su shen noticed her shyness. as there were many people waiting and not receiving her response, he turned to greet the lin family and handed the milk and eggs he brought to lin cheng.

    mrs. lin said, ¡°you don¡¯t have to bring so much every time. the food you sent last time is enough for a long time.¡±

    su shen said, ¡°my own parents have passed away.

    the two children walked to gu zi¡¯s side and took out all the snacks in their pockets.

    gu zi was dumbfounded. then, she smiled and asked, ¡°are these for me?¡± su bing said yes, and su li nodded.

    gu zi took a pack of spicy strips and said, ¡°thank you, i really like these.¡±

    both of them were blushing because they overheard their grandmother mention their stepmother thinking about them. they were children who were now cared for by their mother.

    they both really wanted to call her ¡°mom¡± but were afraid she might get upset.

    after all, those previous aunts had refused to marry their dad because of them.

    nobody would want three tag-alongs calling themselves ¡°mom.¡±

    mrs. lin saw these two children and remembered yesterday¡¯s conversation. she felt a deep affection for them.

    she fried eggs for them to eat. as the two children were not very familiar, they didn¡¯t want to say they had eaten already, so they followed her to the dining table.

    lin cheng and li hua were having breakfast. when they saw the two boys arrive, just like with su le yesterday, they kept offering them delicious treats.

    su bing and su li were so happy they didn¡¯t want to refuse. they discovered that not only did their mother truly love them, but her family didn¡¯t dislike them either.

    on the way here, they were worried that their mother¡¯s family might despise them as baggage, but now they were relieved.

    mrs. lin went outside to help mr. lin sun-dry chili peppers, leaving su shen and gu zi alone.

    su shen asked, ¡°lele hasn¡¯t woken up yet?¡±

    gu zi shook her head, ¡°she¡¯s inside. let me take you to see her.¡±

    as they entered the room, su shen suddenly embraced her, catching gu zi off guard. her heart raced wildly.

    she remembered the scene between them on the bed that day and lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him.

    with her hands against his chest, she whispered, ¡°su shen, weren¡¯t we going to see lele?¡±

    as if a switch had been turned on, he became quite the charmer. his voice was ambiguous as he said, ¡°but you haven¡¯t answered me yet¡ªdo you miss me?¡±

    gu zi thought that the question had already passed, but the older man wouldn¡¯t let it go.

    she hesitantly replied, ¡°i do miss you.¡± her face turned crimson.

    inwardly, she complained. the older man had become mischievous, but what was the point of it?

    his body couldn¡¯t perform, making it impossible for her to enjoy the pleasures of intimacy.

    seeing her shy, su shen didn¡¯t want to tease her further. he let her go and said, ¡°how about today we go pick out a wedding dress?¡±

    gu zi looked up and, sitting on the edge of the bed, replied, ¡°isn¡¯t there work at your pig farm? i can go by myself to pick a dress.¡±

    in truth, gu zi hadn¡¯t thought about wearing a wedding dress. in this era, rural brides usually wore a new outfit for the wedding.

    however, she secretly anticipated it. modern women could accept not getting married, but hardly any modern woman could resist the temptation of a wedding dress.

    after hearing her response, he fell silent. this woman wanted to leave him alone to buy her own wedding dress.

    looking at gu zi, he said, ¡°i want to be the first one to see you in your wedding dress. don¡¯t worry about the pig farm; jinlong is taking care of it.¡±

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    gu zi¡¯s gaze unintentionally lingered on him. his attire today was quite different-

    he wore a fitted black short-sleeved top that resembled a military training outfit. his clothes highlighted his well-built biceps and chest, drawing attention to his smooth physique, making it hard to look away.

    paired with camouflage pants tucked into black boots, he appeared casual yet extremely cool.

    most importantly, this outfit completely released his masculine charm, making her feel a tingling sensation.

    could she resist such a masculine guy? she couldn¡¯t..

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Sheâ€™s A Temptress

    chapter 153: she¡¯s a temptress

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen caught the woman¡¯s gaze directly fixed on him, and his throat involuntarily tightened.

    earlier, she was shy and demure, but now she stared at him like a wild cat eyeing its prey.

    the woman¡¯s swift change in demeanor surprised him. sitting on the bed, he tensed slightly.

    at this moment, gu zi wasn¡¯t focused on being shy. she took the initiative to sit close beside him.

    her fair arms wrapped around the man¡¯s neck, and her slender fingers caressed the man¡¯s adam¡¯s apple wantonly. their eyes met, and the temperature rose where their skin touched.

    gu zi had never been in a relationship in her past life. although she had never had a boyfriend, she had always followed some public accounts that discussed sexual health and intimate topics.

    one article discussed how caressing a man¡¯s throat could arouse his desire.

    it was the most vulnerable and sensitive area for a man. if he allowed you to touch it without reservation, it meant he fully trusted you.

    of course, the premise was a gentle touch. you had to be delicate; you had to protect the man¡¯s vulnerability.

    gu zi was surprised by her own talent. looking into the man¡¯s eyes, she thought she did quite well for her first attempt.

    su shen¡¯s eyes slightly darkened. the woman¡¯s seductive eyes were captivating and ambiguous. he couldn¡¯t discern her thoughts, but he was sure they weren¡¯t entirely pure.

    this woman turned out to be quite a seductress. su shen began to anticipate their wedding night.

    but for now, he couldn¡¯t let this little temptress have her way. his rough fingers pinched her wrist lightly, a subtle curve forming at the corner of his lips. ¡°gu zi, sit properly; otherwise, it might not be good for you.¡±

    his voice was low, magnetic, and steady, making the woman willingly compliant and easily controlled.

    gu zi, like a child caught in mischief, withdrew her hand, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    was this usually composed older man threatening her? how did he know it wouldn¡¯t be good? he had restrained himself again. well, this man was probably not that capable.

    but was she too eager? she even found a man with hidden issues exuding such sexual tension.

    there¡¯s that saying, ¡°if you¡¯re not good at cards, being skilled at shuffling can make a woman yearn for ecstasy, right?¡±

    she could try guiding su shen toward shuffling; as long as he excelled in bed, it didn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t perform at crucial moments.

    gu zi resigned herself to the thought, lowered her head to pick up and hug lele, who was turning over¡ªher signal that it was time to get up.

    once she lifted lele, the child opened her eyes. she had not seen su shen for a day. when she saw su shen, she called out, ¡°daddy!¡±

    su shen replied. he felt that gu zi was making his daughter more and more lovable. indeed, children grew to resemble their caretakers.

    he took lele from gu zi¡¯s hands, and the three of them exited the room. he informed mrs. lin that they were going to the town to choose a wedding dress and traditional clothing for toasts.

    at this time, lin cheng had already left for work, and li hua was also preparing to go to the fields.

    she said to gu zi and su shen,¡±why don¡¯t you two come with me to bask in the sun?¡± playing in the mud is more fun than staying at home.¡±

    li hua suggested, ¡°would the two older ones like to come with me to bask in the sun? playing in the fields is more fun than staying cooped up at home.¡±

    li hua felt that the two boys were physically weak, so she wanted them to accompany her to the fields. she didn¡¯t intend to make them work but believed that more physical activity would strengthen them.

    gu zi said, ¡°you two, su bing, su li, would you like to go with auntie?¡±

    su bing and su li had already accepted gu zi as their mother, and naturally, they didn¡¯t reject the lin family. they were willing to accompany li hua.

    mrs. lin looked at the frail backs of the two boys and couldn¡¯t help but recall the words of the village women from the previous night.

    she couldn¡¯t help but think about how much hardship they had faced in the past. the lin family used to be so poor and tough, yet both lin cheng and lin miao grew up so robustly.

    now that gu zi was taking care of them, she hoped they would grow strong quickly.

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    mrs lin hugged su le and said,¡± don¡¯t worry. the three children are part of the lin family now. be good, lele. grandma has made some corn porridge for you to eat; we¡¯ll go and have it now.¡±

    lele, upon hearing about food, happily waved to gu zi and su shen, seemingly saying, ¡°mom and dad, i¡¯m going to eat!¡±

    a smile appeared in gu zi¡¯s eyes. ¡°it seems lele is as much of a little foodie as su li.¡±

    su shen looked at her. a radiant maternal glow had descended upon her young and beautiful face, making her even more attractive.

    he could see that she genuinely loved lele and also su bing and su li. her careful nurturing made him feel inadequate..

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Weâ€™re Not Free Today

    chapter 154: we¡¯re not free today

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen noticed her lightly dressed and said, ¡°it¡¯s windy today. go inside and grab a jacket. when riding the motorcycle, it¡¯ll help to shield you from the wind.¡±

    gu zi was pushed by su shen to go inside to fetch some clothes. his large hands were placed on her back, his tall stature providing her with a sense of security, and she could not help but snicker.

    just then, a car stopped outside the lin family¡¯s new house. lin miao looked through the car window and could not hide the jealousy in his eyes.

    the courtyard of the brand-new red brick house was spacious and bright. the courtyard was filled with dried chili peppers and corn seeds, red and yellow. it was all very eye-catching.

    they had come here after asking for directions. initially hearing that su shen had given a house to the lin family, she had assumed it was a typical old-style rural house. she hadn¡¯t expected it to be this nice.

    su shen was really generous with gu zi. he had never been so generous when she married him in her previous life.

    gu zi had taken her place and claimed all of her luck. how could she let her get away with it?

    however, she clearly remembered that in her previous life, su shen wasn¡¯t this wealthy during this period. previously, due to an outbreak of swine fever at the pig farm, he had lost quite a bit of money and had limited cash on hand.

    could he have borrowed money to buy this house just to save face?

    lin miao felt that she had seen too many people who appeared wealthy but were actually burdened with debts during the later stages of her previous life.

    as for those in official positions, it was different. although they might not seem as wealthy, they had stability. they might even have more cash on hand than those doing business.

    with this thought, lin miao found herself happier and seeing more of a prince charming in gong zhan.

    so what if su shen was wealthy? being with him wouldn¡¯t lead to a good ending. he was no match for gong zhan.

    the two of them alighted from the car, and lin miao walked proudly beside gong zhan.

    when they entered the lin family¡¯s courtyard, they encountered gu zi and su shen.

    lin miao and gong zhan were both briefly surprised. what were gu zi and su shen doing at the lin family¡¯s house?

    lin miao felt that it was just right. it saved her the trouble of making another trip. she took the initiative to hold gong zhan¡¯s hand, and gong zhan surprisingly did not push her away.

    ¡°so sister is here. no wonder lin cheng slandered me yesterday. gong zhan, do you think sister feels guilty about what she has done?¡± she said with grievance.

    she was hinting to gong zhan that gu zi was the one who instigated lin cheng to find trouble with her yesterday, not that she had lied.

    gong zhan¡¯s pupils slightly darkened as he stared at gu zi. she appeared very intimate with this rural man.

    could she be this close to any man? he had thought she was only like this with him¡ªdisgusting!

    he said to gu zi, ¡°since the instigator is here, it saves us the trouble. gu zi, you¡¯ll have to give an explanation to lin miao.¡±

    seeing gong zhan¡¯s unfriendly gaze, su shen shielded gu zi beside him and spoke in a stern tone, ¡°my fianc¨¦e doesn¡¯t need to explain anything. if you want to cause trouble, we¡¯ll settle this another day. we¡¯re busy today.¡±

    gu zi pursed her lips; she had no intention of engaging with the original host¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦ from the past. she couldn¡¯t help but look admiringly at su shen¡ªso handsome, such a macho man! she just couldn¡¯t resist a macho man.

    there was no expression on the man¡¯s face; his cold and compelling gaze made people afraid to look directly at him.

    gong zhan felt uncomfortable. how could a rural man have such an aura? indeed, as zhang mei said, he might be overacting the role of a big shot.

    gong zhan failed to understand one thing: standing next to su shen, who had been nurtured on the battlefield, as someone raised in a wealthy family, he appeared shallow and immature.

    gong zhan was unwilling to be suppressed by this rural roughneck. he pretended to be calm and said, ¡°i wasn¡¯t talking to you. i was talking to her.¡± gu zi did not want her wedding dress to be delayed, so she pulled su shen.

    gu zi didn¡¯t want her perfect day for choosing a wedding dress to be disrupted. she tugged on su shen¡¯s arm and then said to gong zhan, ¡°lin cheng didn¡¯t slander her. whether you believe it or not, i don¡¯t care. but don¡¯t delay our wedding dredaration. interfering in someone¡¯s marriage might invoke divine punishment!¡±

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    yesterday, lin cheng and li hua had told gu zi about the incident. gu zi didn¡¯t feel lin cheng had done anything wrong. lin miao had indeed disappointed the lin family¡¯s affection, which was infuriating.

    but lin cheng had happened to encounter gong zhan¡¯s family there.

    gu zi felt it was probably divine justice exposing lin miao¡¯s deceit on the spot. that lin miao was just acting all along.

    this gong zhan was also mentally ill. how could he believe lin miao¡¯s clumsy acting skills?

    lin miao didn¡¯t expect gu zi to speak to gong zhan this way, and she noticed that gu zi didn¡¯t seem to care when she saw lin miao and gong zhan holding hands..

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: I Didnâ€™t Say That

    chapter 155: i didn¡¯t say that

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao always felt that the current gu zi was different, and now she was even more certain.

    since gong zhan couldn¡¯t provoke her, she could only try a different approach.

    tears welled up in her eyes as she said to gu zi, ¡°sister, what are your true intentions? it was clearly you who asked to break off the engagement with su shen before. now you accuse me of scheming against you. what¡¯s next? will you accuse me of taking the betrothal money?¡±

    so what if it was her, lin miao, who took the betrothal money? nowadays, there were no cameras around, and the internet wasn¡¯t well developed. could the police even investigate it?

    she dared to say this because she was confident that those lazy police officers wouldn¡¯t be able to uncover anything.

    in the eyes of outsiders, she looked like someone who had kindly helped gu zi but unexpectedly got bitten in return.

    gu zi looked at her brimming with grievance and strength and couldn¡¯t help but applaud her shamelessness.

    gu zi felt a bit tired and calmly said, ¡°i never mentioned anything about the betrothal money; those were your words. you can¡¯t simply accuse me of something baseless here! as for whether you took them or not, the public security bueau will give you a fair judgment.¡±

    after saying this, su shen and gu zi bypassed the two and headed towards the motorcycle. gong zhan immediately distanced himself from lin miao.

    lin miao looked at their retreating figures, coupled with gong zhan¡¯s heartless attitude, her heart felt like it was about to explode with anger.

    but she suppressed her anger and softly said to gong zhan, ¡°how about we go look at wedding dresses too?¡±

    no matter what, catching and confirming the engagement with gong zhan was the top priority now. she had to live a happier life than gu zi in this lifetime!

    gong zhan responded impatiently and turned to leave the courtyard, and lin miao quickly followed.

    behind the door, mrs. lin looked at her daughter whom she had raised for over ten years, feeling thoroughly disappointed.

    she was dressed a little like gu zi. she was wearing a white shirt, jeans, and a small hat on her head.

    unfortunately, there was a sense of awkwardness in her attempt to imitate. her stature was clearly more suited to wearing a skirt that would make her appear taller.

    moreover, it seemed that she had returned to the lin family residence just to cause trouble. she probably intending to pick a fight with lin cheng to scold him.

    it just so happened that gu zi and su shen were also there.

    mrs. lin had seen through it now and just treated it as if she had never raised lin miao.

    on the small road, su shen and gu zi got onto the motorcycle. su shen swiftly inserted the key into the ignition and, with a ¡°vroom,¡± the bike shot forward.

    gu zi hugged the man¡¯s waist tightly, and her face was still pressed against his back. it gave off the feeling of a couple in love. it was a beautiful scene.

    gong zhan drove behind them, filled with suppressed anger.

    this road was too narrow; he could only overtake when they reached a wider road.

    gong zhan felt he had fallen into gu zi¡¯s trap. otherwise, why would he feel particularly uncomfortable witnessing this scene?

    that must be it. this woman was full of schemes. by pretending not to care about him and getting close to that rural man, she just wanted to incite his emotions, seeking revenge for his indifference towards her for so many years.

    lin miao looked at him and said very maturely, ¡°gong zhan, don¡¯t blame gu zi. she loves you too much¡ªlove deeply and blame sharply. not being able to have you makes her upset. women are childish like that.¡±

    lin miao didn¡¯t care if gu zi genuinely didn¡¯t care or was pretending not to care, but she knew gong zhan disliked gu zi the most when she showed him love.

    saying this would only tarnish gu zi¡¯s image further in gong zhan¡¯s mind, and she seemed to have hit the mark.

    gong zhan¡¯s face was gloomy. he sneered, ¡°but i can never fall in love with her. let¡¯s go pick out a wedding dress. as for today¡¯s events, i will explain to my parents.¡±

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    gong zhan felt that the lin family¡¯s actions were merely to prevent the gu family and the gong family from succeeding in their union.

    lin miao looked down, looking like she might cry, and said, ¡°thank you for believing me. as long as you believe me, i¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡±

    it seemed she had found the secret to control gong zhan¡ªpraising him, saying nice things to him, using gu zi to stir him up.

    lin miao felt she was incredibly clever. when she became the wife of an officer, she wouldn¡¯t fear being overshadowed by gu zi!

    what was the use of su shen being powerful in the future? gu zi was nothing more than a live-in nanny in the su family under the guise of being the wife..

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: The Story of a Cuckold

    chapter 156: the story of a cuckold

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao believed that gu zi appeared to be enjoying the limelight now, but in reality, those troublesome kids from the su family were enough to cause chaos. she was just waiting for a spectacle to unfold.

    when the time came, she would be the lofty officer¡¯s wife, while gu zi would just be an aged housewife looking after the children.

    no matter how things progressed, the principle of merchants not being able to compete with officials would never change. su shen would always fall shorter than gong zhan.

    thinking of this, lin miao¡¯s mood instantly improved a lot.

    on the motorcycle, gu zi and su shen didn¡¯t have as many thoughts, even forgetting about lin miao and gong zhan behind them.

    they were simply enjoying the time they spent together, just like a couple in love.

    gu zi looked at the motorcycle¡¯s handlebars reflecting their shiny green helmets and suggested to su shen, ¡°can we spray-paint our helmets a different color? i¡¯m not too keen on this shade of green.¡±

    su shen asked if she didn¡¯t like green, and gu zi shook her head, saying, ¡°green isn¡¯t very auspicious.¡±

    su shen asked, ¡°how so?¡±

    he thought women looked pretty good wearing it; the fresh green complemented her fair complexion, making her look more playful, like a woodland fairy princess.

    gu zi recounted a little story she had stored in her mind and told him, ¡°in ancient times, wearing a green headscarf indicated a low status. later, people used the green hat as a signal for an extramarital affair.¡±

    su shen didn¡¯t expect her to speak so boldly. where did this young girl learn about such things?

    gu zi continued with the story of a long time ago when a lonely woman, dissatisfied with her husband who frequently traveled for business, felt lonely at home and had an affair with a young man.

    but worried about being caught by her husband, she made a green hat for him. whenever he went on a distant journey, he would wear it, signaling the lover to visit her.

    the poor husband would proudly boast about his wife¡¯s thoughtfulness whenever he wore the green hat, unaware of the mockery behind his back: ¡°that man wearing the green hat is such a fool!¡±

    after finishing the story, gu zi only heard the wind blowing past her ears.

    su shen was speechless.

    su shen did not say anything, and gu zi thought he was too composed. she expected him to ask where she had heard such things from. but she quickly understood; older men were just not easily intrigued. it was many years later that gu zi learned how much impact that small story had left on the man. she even gave it a name: ¡°greenphobia

    the cool motorcycle stopped in front of a photo studio in the city. there was a storefront beside the studio specializing in wedding dress rentals and sales.

    after parking the motorcycle, su shen led gu zi inside, completely unaware of the trailing tail behind them.

    actually, it wasn¡¯t really a tail, because gong zhan wasn¡¯t familiar with the road. even after he got on the main road, he wasn¡¯t as fast as su shen.

    his driving skills were also affected by his mood. the whole journey was bumpy, and lin miao, who was in the front passenger seat, felt like vomiting several times.

    however, in order not to make a fool of herself in front of gong zhan, she forcefully held it in.

    since it was the weekend, there were quite a lot of people in the city.

    su shen¡¯s motorcycle was more flexible, allowing them to maneuver through the crowd easily, while gong zhan¡¯s car frequently had to stop, always lagging behind.

    only after su shen and gu zi had been in the bridal shop for a while did the car appear outside the photo studio.

    lin miao immediately opened the car door to get some fresh air. she felt as if her chest was blocked by a stone. she was afraid that she would vomit if she was a little slower.

    as for gong zhan, he was even worse off. originally intending to leave su shen far behind, he ended up trailing them all the way, his face completely darkened.

    there were many customers going in and out of the bridal shop.

    even though these days, taking wedding photos or buying a wedding dress was considered a luxury expense, it didn¡¯t deter people from pursuing happiness.

    plus, there were still quite a few who could afford it.

    gu zi and su shen got a queue number, and lin miao and gong zhan walked in as well.

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    both of them looked helpless, never expecting they would still end up following them.

    at this moment, lin miao felt stifled, both in her heart and chest. when she walked directly towards gu zi, although she wore a smile, to onlookers, it seemed uglier than crying. unconsciously, people moved away from her.

    she said to gu zi, ¡°sister gu zi, are you here to rent a wedding dress? it doesn¡¯t seem fitting for the countryside. beautiful wedding gowns would get soiled there.¡¯

    her voice was loud, afraid that the people around wouldn¡¯t hear that gu zi lived in the countryside.

    in this day and age, people took pride in being city dwellers and most would regard villagers as inferior..

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Acquaintance

    chapter 157: acquaintance

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao was deliberately exploiting the mentality of certain people to embarrass gu zi, making it seem like gu zi wasn¡¯t a down-to-earth villager.

    upon hearing this, a woman dressed like a butterfly chimed in, ¡°oh, these days even villagers don¡¯t focus on practical things anymore, dressing up so nicely. can you still do farm work when you go back to the village?¡±

    the woman¡¯s tone was heavily tinged with jealousy. people around could tell she envied gu zi¡¯s youth and beauty.

    gu zi wasn¡¯t angered. she had long seen through lin miao¡¯s intentions.

    if it was just to inform others that she, gu zi, shouldn¡¯t wear a wedding dress because she¡¯s a villager, then she felt relieved.

    at least, she wasn¡¯t trying to harm her here.

    gu zi felt that in comparison to lin miao, she was still more cunning.

    with a smile, gu zi replied to the butterfly-dressed woman, ¡°auntie, i disagree with your opinion that i can¡¯t do farm work while dressed like this. auntie, when you have time, come to our village and let me show you how to elegantly work in the fields. so, auntie, you won¡¯t have such narrow views like a young girl in the future.¡±

    gu zi¡¯s words sparked laughter all around. just when everyone was bored waiting in line, this beauty turned out to be quite humorous.

    even su shen smiled lightly, as she was mocking the butterfly lady for being ignorant and also poking fun at lin miao for stirring up trouble.

    and he retorted effortlessly. he did not feel uncomfortable at all because he was in the countryside.

    and effortlessly returning fire without feeling constrained because of her rural background made her relaxed demeanor more appealing than her stunning beauty. who would care whether she was a villager or not?

    the butterfly lady indeed appeared not very young, worthy of being addressed as ¡°auntie.¡±

    some people felt indignant for gu zi. she was just beautiful and did not provoke anyone. why did the older lady stir up trouble? it was really embarrassing for the people in the city.

    another person teased, ¡°auntie, is this your second marriage? this gentleman beside you seems old enough to be your son!¡±

    the man next to the butterfly lady blushed and almost cried. didn¡¯t he want to marrv an eighteen-vear-old beautv?

    he just didn¡¯t want to work; was that wrong of him? why were they all laughing at him?

    did they think everyone could accept being a sugar baby? especially being a man? it was too much to drag him into this, too much¡­

    a man in traditional chinese clothing greeted gu zi warmly, ¡°little zi, haven¡¯t seen you for so long, you¡¯ve grown into a young lady.¡±

    gu zi looked at the source of the voice and felt delighted. so, the original owner was very familiar with this place from childhood. the shop owner, uncle li, was considered her acquaintance.

    no wonder when she came in just now, she naturally went to take the number and queued up. she felt that everything was very familiar.

    she responded affably, ¡°uncle li, so you¡¯re in the shop. i and my fianc¨¦ came to buy a wedding dress.¡±

    gu zi glanced at su shen as she spoke, and su shen greeted uncle li.

    uncle li looked at the tall and handsome man in front of him with a satisfied expression. he said, ¡°you¡¯re a perfect match. come, you don¡¯t have to wait in line. uncle li will take you in and prioritize your selection.¡±

    uncle li moved to take gu zi and su shen inside. lin miao, feeling indignant, stepped forward and said, ¡°this isn¡¯t fair! why don¡¯t they need to wait in line? if they go in, we should too.¡±

    uncle li looked at this strangely dressed girl with an expression of helplessness. what kind of aesthetic sense did this young girl have?

    ¡°this is my shop. gu zi is an acquaintance of mine. she used to be a child model for our shop, and she did it for free. look over there, there are pictures of gu zi when she was a child model. so lovely.¡±

    uncle li pointed to a photo wall opposite them, where dozens of pictures were framed in a big star-shaped frame in the upper left corner. the pictures showcased the same girl at different stages of her life.

    everyone sighed; this girl had indeed grown from a beautiful child to a beautiful young lady!

    this wasn¡¯t a villager at all; she was simply a little princess.

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    on the other hand, the person who initially said this beauty was a villager seemed more like a troublemaking countrywoman.

    disdainful gazes fell upon lin miao, making her blush deeply.

    that damned gu zi! if she hadn¡¯t stolen her life, she would have been the flower girl model instead!

    lin miao was so angry that she gritted her teeth. she couldn¡¯t care less about maintaining her gentle and polite image, nor did she notice that gong zhan, who was standing next to her, distanced himself silently.

    uncle li continued, ¡°in theory, i should pay her for advertising, but she never takes money. even if i¡¯m returning a favor by letting her skip the line, it¡¯s not unreasonable. if you feel it¡¯s unfair, you¡¯re welcome to leave the store by turning left after going out. thank you..¡±

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Clown

    chapter 158: clown

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    lin miao¡¯s fingertips trembled, and her face reddened considerably. she hadn¡¯t expected the shop owner to show no respect to her, as a customer.

    ¡°do you¡­do you know that customers are like gods? doing business like this is so unreasonable!¡±

    lin miao struggled to come up with a sentence and thought she had made a strong point that everyone would support.

    but the crowd¡¯s reactions were chilly. they didn¡¯t feel that the shop owner lacked respect. everyone knew that uncle li was very kind.

    when their relatives and friends got married, they would buy and rent wedding dresses here.

    sometimes, when the newlyweds couldn¡¯t afford the costs and really wanted a particular dress, uncle li would consider reducing fees or allow them to pay later.

    nobody had ever accused him of being disrespectful. besides, uncle li¡¯s reasoning was quite sound. even if he closed the shop to take pictures for that beautiful lady, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    here, whether it was in the countryside or in the city, there was an important marriage custom: the bride must have a flower girl when she got married, symbolizing the early birth of noble children and a harmonious marriage.

    if a wedding lacked a flower girl, it was considered a serious taboo, leading to reduced blessings and joy.

    therefore, in this era¡¯s photography studios, apart from models for bridal shoots, flower girls played an especially important role.

    many studios spared no expense to find a child model who could showcase the studio¡¯s style.

    this beautiful girl had once been a child model for the shop owner without charging a penny; it was a huge favor!

    someone impatiently said to lin miao, ¡°if you¡¯re not going to take pictures, just leave and stop wasting our time here.¡±

    lin miao¡¯s lips trembled. se wanted to say something, but when she saw so many unfriendly gazes, she could not say anything at all. she could only stand awkwardly in place.

    originally, she had wanted to provoke these city folks into mocking gu zi, but it seemed that the city¡¯s snobbery wasn¡¯t as abundant as she had imagined.

    ultimately, she became the one being mocked. how could she forget that gu zi was the one who grew up in the city?

    why would she use her own weakness to target gu zi? wasn¡¯t this giving gu zi a chance to show off? she felt immensely frustrated with herself.

    uncle li completely ignored lin miao and asked gu zi, ¡°how are your parents doing lately?¡±

    when gu zi was about to respond, lin miao interrupted.

    lin miao thought she had another chance to belittle gu zi, as she was the true heiress of the gu family.

    uncle li must have been considerate of the gu family¡¯s face when he chose gu zi to be the child model. that¡¯s why he was so polite to her.

    she tried to get close to him. ¡°uncle li, you don¡¯t know about all the recent events. i¡¯m actually the gu family¡¯s daughter. we were swapped as children and have now returned to our respective families. gu zi¡¯s real family lives in the countryside.¡±

    upon hearing this, uncle li felt a bit emotional. fate often played tricks on people!

    he expressed concern for gu zi, ¡°i didn¡¯t realize you went through such big changes. is everything okay?¡±

    gu zi shook her head and smiled, ¡°it¡¯s true as she said, but it¡¯s not a big deal. i¡¯ve returned to my original family and am getting married soon. it doesn¡¯t affect me much.¡±

    uncle li nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. he then turned to lin miao and said, ¡°you better go and queue up.¡±

    his tone was full of ¡®i¡¯m not close to you.¡¯ after speaking, he led gu zi inside without paying any attention to lin miao-

    lin miao was furious! she wished she could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

    the onlookers couldn¡¯t be bothered with her anymore. they couldn¡¯t understand why she kept inviting disdainful looks upon herself.

    however, internally, they couldn¡¯t help but ridicule her foolishness. she thought the beautiful girl relied on her parents¡¯ status to become a child model.

    but as it turned out, she had a good personality and was well-liked on her own merits, not relying on her parents¡¯ name to be chosen and favored by the shop owner. this woman was but a clown.

    someone whispered, ¡°look, the man who was standing next to her just now is now so far away.¡±

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    another whispered back, ¡°he¡¯s a fine young man. how did he end up with such a woman? the two of them don¡¯t seem compatible at all!¡±

    only then did lin miao notice gong zhan, who had been standing beside her when they entered, was now quite far away from her.

    she felt anxious. gong zhan hadn¡¯t said a word to support her, and now he was standing so far away. did he not intend to go pick a wedding dress with her anymore?

    no, his gaze wasn¡¯t even on her; it was fixed on the photo wall.

    gong zhan didn¡¯t notice it himself. his eyes inadvertently swept across the wall and he didn¡¯t want to look away..

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Memories

    chapter 159: memories

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    a large star-shaped frame on the photo wall was full of pictures of a girl as a flower girl from the age of four to twelve.

    the little girl had fair skin, a sweet smile, and a delicate face. she wore a small wreath on her head and held a flower basket decorated with fresh flowers in her hand.

    she wore flower girl dresses in white, pink, or sky blue, looking like an angel.

    in the photos, she portrayed various poses. sometimes standing properly behind the newlyvveds, sometimes tossing flower petals, and occasionally holding hands with the boy playing the flower boy.

    there was one particular photo where she wore a pink dress, with her hair in cute braids and a wide-brimmed hat resembling a cape, delicately framing her face. petals adorned her entire outfit, and she smiled radiantly, as if there were stars in her eyes.

    he suddenly remembered that she had come to look for him when she was wearing this dress.

    she had placed a handful of candies in front of him and told him about her shoot with a smile.

    those moments seemed like yesterday, but today, the person who had come to choose a wedding dress with her was not him!

    his heart suddenly sank, his tall figure almost stumbling, and his gaze blank. he felt a sense of desolation enveloping him.

    if he could stand by her side, so what if he fell into her trap?

    but now, she insisted on marrying a rural man. he was not inadequate; why should he let her manipulate him?

    ultimately, gong zhan was defeated by his own pride. he walked back to lin miao, who then felt relieved.

    upstairs, gu zi was selecting a wedding dress from a row of gowns, while su shen was inspecting the flower girl outfits on the opposite side.

    his mind had memorized gu zi¡¯s childhood flower girl photos, wondering if there were similar styles available.

    it was a pity he hadn¡¯t had the chance to know that little girl from the bygone years.

    she had always been beautiful since childhood, with delicate features, resembling a princess doll displayed in a store.

    ¡°uncle li, are these designs the same as the original batch?¡± he asked.

    ¡°little zi used to wear model outfits. they¡¯re all still in the storeroom.¡± uncle li smiled.

    su shen fell silent for a moment, saying, ¡°can i buy those dresses she wore? i want to gift them to gu zi as a memento.¡±

    he was jealous that gong zhan could witness her growth. he couldn¡¯t have those memories, but he wanted to take these dresses away.

    uncle li was stunned for a moment. he understood what su shen meant and joked, ¡°those are not for sale; memories don¡¯t have a price.¡±

    su shen replied, ¡°no matter how much, i¡¯m willing to pay for them.¡± after speaking, he clasped his hands together and bowed to uncle li.

    uncle li chuckled, ¡°i¡¯ll charge you according to market price. i was just teasing you; your sincerity is commendable.¡±

    with that, he instructed someone to fetch the dresses.

    gu zi overheard their conversation but felt hesitant to approach. if su shen wanted to buy them, so be it. after all, he had a lot of money.

    su shen borrowed a phone from uncle li and called the office at the pig farm to have someone come to the bridal shop to collect the items.

    uncle li approached gu zi, saying, ¡°you¡¯ve found a rich man! well, a wealthy man and a beautiful woman match perfectly, and more importantly, this man loves you.¡±

    uncle li was a man with experience and wisdom. this bridal shop had been open for more than ten years and had experienced many twists and turns before reaching its peak.

    the history of this shop was like a microcosm of his life. he had seen many fianc¨¦es coming and going every day.

    he could tell at a glance whether a man¡¯s love was genuine or feigned.

    gu zi raised her eyebrows slightly. she did not expect uncle li to still believe in love at this age. it was quite adorable.

    perhaps it was because he was in the bridal shop business, or perhaps love in this era was indeed more genuine.

    she smiled and replied, ¡°he runs a pig farm in the countryside. while life isn¡¯t luxurious, it¡¯s decent.¡±

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    in the end, gu zi chose two wedding dresses of similar styles in different colors to try on. when she emerged after changing into the first one, she stunned everyone in the bridal showroom.

    she wore an elegant lace chiffon dress with a large area of hollow lace on the chest, paired with a long, full skirt, conveying the grandeur of marriage.

    all eyes were on her as she emerged. her classic pearl flower veil exuded a rich republican-era charm.

    she appeared dignified and gentle, yet exuded a lively, youthful aura.

    in her previous life, gu zi had admired such republican-era style wedding dresses. she didn¡¯t expect to find them in a bridal shop from the 1980s, so she picked a set in white and another in pink without hesitation to try on..

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Wedding Photograph

    chapter 160: wedding photograph

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the bride was beautiful and adorable, and her bearing was also excellent. she lifted the train of her dress and walked toward the groom, who was in his sharp suit and leather shoes. su shen was momentarily lost in awe.

    ¡°i always thought this style was old-fashioned and unappealing, but today i find it exudes a vintage charm.¡±

    ¡°this kind of simple wedding dress is the most selective. do you think just anyone can have such an effect when they wear it?¡±

    ¡°her fianc¨¦ matches her so well. his features are profound, and he looks great in a suit!¡±

    the other staff members and customers who were choosing wedding dresses had all focused their attention on su shen and gu zi who had superior looks and temperament.

    su shen, at this moment, couldn¡¯t hear the external noises; he only watched as the woman moved closer, standing in front of him.

    she raised her long and thick eyelashes. her eyes were like black grapes soaked in morning dew, and she only had eyes for him.

    his throat felt dry, and he wished for a sip of water.

    ¡°gu zi, you are beautiful.¡± beautiful enough that even without makeup, she was stunning.

    gu zi looked at him. he had also changed his clothes. he was wearing a white shirt with a black vest and a coffee-colored checkered suit. he was holding a white top hat in his hand.

    it turned out that the calm and cold tough man could be so elegant and handsome with a little embellishment. su shen now appeared refined and handsome, akin to a debonair young gentleman returning from studying abroad.

    he could not hide the heat in his eyes as he stared straight at her. his ambiguous aura made her blush shyly and she cast her eyes down.

    uncle li walked over, saying, ¡°there¡¯s a studio next door; come with me, i¡¯ll take a set of wedding photos for you.¡±

    having seen gu zi grow up, this was his congratulatory gift for her upcoming marriage, something he wouldn¡¯t charge for.

    of course, he didn¡¯t explicitly state this; when they settled the bill later, he would silently deduct this expense.

    su shen led gu zi to the studio, expressing gratitude, ¡°thank you, uncle li!¡± the two of them went to the studio.

    the studio¡¯s backdrop depicted lively scenes, a vintage yet vibrant setting that perfectly complemented the essence of their attire.

    uncle li directed them to stand in front of the backdrop. ¡°little su, don¡¯t be shy; put your arm around the bride¡¯s waist and get a little closer.¡±

    su shen complied, holding her waist, distinctly feeling the soft curves of her body.

    he looked down at her. the white tassels hanging from the woman¡¯s head made her face look even more gentle.

    the camera snapped a few times, and gu zit s face was already dyed with natural blush.

    ¡°don¡¯t be nervous, gu zi,¡± su shen comforted her softly.

    gu zi felt a bit helpless; if he didn¡¯t hold her so tightly, would she be this nervous?

    ¡°alright, let¡¯s change the pose; stand apart and hold hands facing each other,¡± uncle li directed, satisfied as he pressed the shutter.

    after the wedding photos, gu zi tried on the other pink wedding dress. pink wedding gowns were not common in this era, symbolizing the latest trends, so she wanted to give it a try.

    just as she finished wearing the gown and put on high heels, she missed a step and fell in the changing room, struggling to get up.

    su shen heard the commotion and hurriedly asked from outside, ¡°are you okay?¡±

    ¡°i think my foot is injured, it hurts,¡± she replied.

    su shen didn¡¯t hesitate. he opened the door and went in. as he lifted the veil, he saw her black hair coiled up into a bun.

    her smoky pink wedding dress outlined her graceful and slender figure, and her slender fingers held the hem of her dress against the wall.

    her one font was harp in the carnet _ the other dangling her fair and tender

    feet were very seductive.

    he walked forward and picked her up, and as gu zi met his gaze, an indescribable emotion seemed to pass between them, as if a special understanding had formed.

    in a slightly hoarse but tender voice, he reassured her, ¡°it¡¯s okay. let me massage it for you.¡±

    he carried the woman out of the fitting room.

    just then, lin miao and gong zhan happened to come in to choose a wedding dress and saw them.

    lin miao¡¯s expression darkened; she never expected su shen to have such a tender side.

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    she was so jealous that her eyes turned red.

    gong zhan was also staring in the direction they came from. the tall man carried the beautiful bride and gently placed her on the sofa.

    then, he squatted down and took her feet in his hands and started massaging them.

    perhaps sensing gong zhan¡¯s gaze, su shen deliberately used his tall figure to shield gu zi, guarding her like a wolf protecting its mother wolf, not allowing anyone to peek and pry.

    gong zhan felt a sense of constriction but found himself unable to resist stealing glimpses of gu zi. draped in a pink veil, she exuded an otherworldly charm, captivating every heart and soul around her..

 Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Changing Helmets

    chapter 161: changing helmets

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the rural man was holding on to her foot so intimately in front of everyone.

    men considered a woman¡¯s feet as an intimate part; it was believed to be a ¡°third sexual organ.¡±

    gong zhan felt that gu zi and the man were shameless!

    unable to bear it any longer, gong zhan left, leaving lin miao behind.

    lin miao¡¯s face darkened, but she had to follow him. she regretted coming along.

    seeing gong zhan leave, su shen revealed a hint of victorious delight in his eyes. at that moment, he seemed like a dazed teenager, prompting a smile from gu zi.

    at that moment, uncle li brought some medicated oil over and asked su shen to apply it. su shen quickly covered gu zi¡¯s feet with a piece of cloth.

    it wasn¡¯t because of old traditions that he did this, but out of consideration for gu zi¡¯s feelings. after all, many women were sensitive about their feet, feeling uncomfortable when too many people stared at them.

    of course, he also had his own reasons; he didn¡¯t want anyone to see her beautiful feet.

    ¡°i¡¯ll apply it for you. it might sting a bit, but you¡¯ll be able to walk soon after.¡± su shen held her ankle, deftly applying the medicated oil.

    during his military days, he handled minor injuries on his own without the need for a military doctor. so, this wasn¡¯t a big problem for him now. he was just afraid of causing her pain with his rough touch.

    ¡°i¡¯m not afraid. it feels nice when you press it.¡± she closed her eyes, letting him massage her feet, while also recalling gong zhan¡¯s expression earlier.

    she found it strange. didn¡¯t gong zhan dislike the original host? why did he just now act jealous and leave his fiancee, lin miao, behind?

    lin miao was even more puzzling. why did she follow them? it seemed like she

    did everything and yet did nothing.

    regardless, those two nuisances had left, and gu zi felt much more at ease.

    in the end, gu zi settled on the white wedding gown for the wedding day; the pink one was beautiful, but she didn¡¯t want it.

    for the toast gown, she let su shen choose. she wanted to see what kind of clothes a straight man would pick.

    she didn¡¯t expect the result to be quite good. he picked a dark red cheongsam for her. the style was fine, but the color could make her look older.

    gu zi was glad that she had the original host¡¯s figure and appearance, so the dress didn¡¯t make her look old; it even had a bewitching feeling.

    after paying a large sum, su shen left the wedding dress and other items in the bridal shop for pick-up. he and gu zi went to the jewelry shop and bought a pearl necklace and pearl earrings to match the wedding dress.

    finally, su shen took her to the motorcycle shop downstairs in the department store. ¡°is your foot still hurting?¡±

    gu zi sat behind him and replied honestly, ¡°it¡¯s still a bit numb.¡±

    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll carry you.¡± the man got off the motorcycle, wrapped his arm around her waist, and before she could react, he picked her up.

    it was only then that gu zi realized that foot pain came with this kind of special treatment!

    there was a single guy in the store who felt hurt. he walked towards the two and said to su shen, ¡°brother shen, you¡¯re also keeping up with the times in love now? where did you find such a beautiful girlfriend?¡±

    the man was chubby, his face round like a bun, with a very genial expression.

    his gaze swept across gu zi¡¯s body for a moment before he reluctantly retracted it. he was quite righteous.

    gu zi felt that this fatty knew his limits, so she smiled at him to express her greeting. he happily nodded back.

    su shen tossed the helmets from the motorcycle to him.

    he caught both helmets, then heard su shen sternly correcting him, ¡°this is my wife, gu zi. call her sister-in-law.¡±

    fatty¡¯s eyes widened. brother shen got married again? jinlong was not a good friend. he did not tell him about such a big thing!

    he was depressed about his lack of information but politely greeted her as sister-in-law, then led the two into the store.

    when su shen mentioned that this person was the owner of the shop, gu zi was surprised.

    no wonder he looked so well-off!

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    fatty examined the helmets from all angles but couldn¡¯t detect any issues with it.

    ¡°gu zi doesn¡¯t like this color. change it,¡± su shen said. he didn¡¯t like it anymore.

    gu zi looked up. she thought that he did not take the story she had told him just now to heart. she did not expect him to be so sincere and want to change the color so quickly.

    if the motorcycle were green, would he have changed the entire vehicle?

    the plump shopkeeper grinned knowingly. ¡°ah, brother shen is quite thoughtful and meticulous. i¡¯ll get to it right away.¡±

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Mom

    chapter 162: mom

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi looked at su shen and then at the size of the shop. it was quite large.

    the fact that the owner of such a big shop addressed su shen as ¡°brother¡± indicated that su shen was truly enigmatic!

    however, what surprised gu zi even more was yet to come. after they got new helmets and paid the bill, they were about to leave when the fat shop owner called out to them.

    he handed a red envelope to gu zi, saying, ¡°this is my gift to my sister-in-law, wishing you both a happy marriage!¡±

    when she opened it and saw the 250 yuan gift money inside, she did not know what to do.

    although she was happy to receive the money, wasn¡¯t 250 yuan too much as a token of blessing?

    su shen saw that she was a little uneasy and said, ¡°since he gave it to you, just accept it. don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    gu zi nodded and kept the money. then, the two of them went to the department store to buy some things before returning to little lin village together.

    at the lin family¡¯s house, li hua was making pancakes for the three children in the kitchen.

    when the pancakes were ready, mrs. lin brought them out to the dining room. at that moment, su shen and gu zi returned.

    su bing and su li, upon seeing them carrying so many bags, quickly set down the pancakes and rushed over to help. even little lele scrambled to run to them.

    gu zi picked up su le and sat down, while su shen placed the items he was carrying down. they were a bit hungry and joined the children to eat the pancakes.

    the pancakes had some chopped green onions and minced meat, blended with the fragrance of the flour, making them quite delicious.

    after everyone finished eating, su shen told mrs. lin that he would bring gu zi back to the su family residence. mrs. lin didn¡¯t insist on them staying as she had long seen that gu zi¡¯s heart was already with the su family.

    when two people¡¯s hearts were connected, that was what made them a family. as long as they could visit frequently, mrs. lin would be content.

    su shen first took the two sons and the belongings back to the su family¡¯s house and then returned to pick up gu zi and su le.

    as soon as gu zi returned home, she began busying herself with preparing dinner, and su shen came over to help.

    gu zi asked him, ¡°have you noticed that su li hasn¡¯t been acting right today?¡±

    su li was usually quite talkative, but today he hadn¡¯t said more than three sentences in total and seemed rather listless.

    after gu zi brought this to su shen¡¯s attention, he pushed her out, saying, ¡°you go ask, leave the dinner to me.¡±

    gu zi glanced back at him; she figured that big straight guys weren¡¯t really good at communicating with kids.

    she went to the brothers. su bing was taking care of lele, while su li was lying on the sofa, half asleep.

    she gently woke su li up, ¡°su li, are you not feeling well?¡±

    the woman¡¯s voice was very gentle. su li sat up quickly and said, ¡°i¡¯m¡­ i¡¯m tired, and my throat hurts.¡±

    gu zi furrowed her brows slightly. he really seemed unwell. she touched su li¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°next time, if you¡¯re not feeling well, tell su bing or me, or even your dad.¡±

    su li nodded reluctantly. he used to get better on his own when he was unwell and didn¡¯t think to inform his family.

    gu zi¡¯s heart ached when she saw this. she understood why su li wouldn¡¯t speak up; he didn¡¯t know that a sick child would normally be given extra care by his family.

    gu zi held back her tears and went upstairs to get some anti-inflammatory medicine for him to eat. sh said to him, ¡°su li, i don¡¯t blame you for not telling us about it. if you still don¡¯t feel better tomorrow after taking the medicine, we¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡¯

    su li had been poisoned before and hadn¡¯t fully recovered. if he wasn¡¯t feeling well, it was best to go to the hospital.

    su bing watched silently, his eyes softened. their mother was truly kind.

    at that moment, gu zi¡¯s gentle gaze fell on su bing. he felt flustered and lowered his head.

    gu zi said to him, ¡°su bing, if you notice su li isn¡¯t feeling well in future, make sure to tell me, alright? you shouldn¡¯t bear it alone, understood?¡±

    su bing said, ¡°i understand.¡±

    however, he did not dare to say, ¡®mom.¡¯

    at night, gu zi was worried about su li and went to his room to check on him.

    he rolled around on the bed, looking very uncomfortable. gu zi went over and touched his forehead. it was burning hot.

    he was tossing and turning in bed, looking very uncomfortable.

    gu zi went downstairs, heated water, and soaked a towel to wipe his body. once the child¡¯s temperature dropped a little, she called out to him.

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    ¡°su li, come on. get up and take the fever medicine. wake up!¡±

    su li, in a daze from the fever, struggled to open his eyes. he saw a gentle and beautiful woman sitting by his bedside.

    she was looking at him with concern, her face full of worry. for some reason, at that moment, his feverish eyes filled with tears.

    he sat up and hugged her, bursting into tears and sobbing, ¡°mom, mom!¡± gu zi was stunned for a moment. was he calling her mom?

    then, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. she hugged su li and stroked his black hair. she replied, ¡°yes, su li. mom¡¯s here for you..¡±

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Sacrifice

    chapter 163: sacrifice

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when su li heard gu zi¡¯s response, he couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡® mom, brother and i always thought that you would be angry if we called you mom, just like how sister calls you.¡±

    they had long wanted to call her ¡°mom¡±. they also wanted a mother.

    gu zi patted his back soothingly, feeling secretly moved herself.

    originally, she just wanted to be a little nicer to the kids because they had indeed suffered too much in the past.

    moreover, they were a family now, and she didn¡¯t want these two children to live in darkness their whole lives.

    she had never expected the children to want to call her ¡°mom.¡±

    she said, ¡°i won¡¯t be angry. mommy is also very happy to get your approval. now, be good, take the medicine first.¡±

    gu zi touched his forehead; the temperature was still very high. although it wasn¡¯t as hot as initially, it still needed attention.

    tears shimmered in su li¡¯s eyes, a smile playing on his lips. he obediently took the fever medicine, holding his mom¡¯s hand, and drifted into a deep sleep.

    seeing him asleep, gu zi got up and went back to her room to check on lele. then she grabbed a book and stayed by su li¡¯s bedside.

    outside the room, su shen was still awake. when he heard movement outside, he woke up and witnessed gu zi taking care of the children through the whole process.

    he really wanted to go in and take care of the children together, but he didn¡¯t dare to enter.

    he felt like no matter how much he did to help out, it seemed like he couldn¡¯t make up for her losses.

    as uncle li had said, time had no price. he could buy back the flower girl dress from her childhood, but he couldn¡¯t buy back her lost youth.

    at this moment, she was inside reading. su shen knew from the foreign language content that it was probably related to overseas studies content.

    even though she said she was willing to marry him, the fact remained that she had sacrificed a lot by staying here.

    in recent years, the country needed various highly skilled talents for social development, and the government highly encouraged young people with talent and knowledge to study western science and culture abroad.

    a smart and knowledgeable woman like gu zi was exactly the high-end talent suitable for studying abroad.

    if she hadn¡¯t come to the countryside to marry him, if she hadn¡¯t had to take care of lele, she would probably be fighting for her study abroad dreams in a bright and hopeful classroom, enjoying her own youth.

    it was not the first time su shen had noticed her reading foreign language books; he just always listened and watched secretly.

    he used to think about letting her go, but now he didn¡¯t want to let go because he knew that by losing gu zi, he would miss out on the most beautiful thing in this world.

    ultimately, the man still didn¡¯t push open the partially open door. he walked to the balcony, lit a cigarette.

    outside, it was pitch black, and the drizzle that had started turned into a heavy rain.

    by now, the sky was beginning to lighten. gu zi suddenly woke up as she heard the rain.

    she remembered there were clothes still hanging on the balcony, and with such heavy rain, they would surely get wet.

    she tucked su li in and headed out to the large balcony on the second floor, where she saw a tall figure.

    the man leaned against the edge of the balcony, letting the cool breeze move his clothes. he held a cigarette in one hand, the faint blue smoke swirling around him, appearing cold, noble, and a bit melancholic.

    behind him, the rain formed a curtain, adding a touch of melancholy to his handsome features.

    gu zi continued to approach, and the man noticed her. he extinguished the faintly lit cigarette with his fingers.

    ¡°why are you out here? it¡¯s chilly; go inside quickly.¡±

    the man¡¯s voice was husky, full of male charm, and his deep eyes stared at her. gu zi¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster. she scanned the balcony, finding it empty.

    she asked him, ¡°did you take in the clothes? why are you still not asleep? do you have a habit of smoking in the early morning?

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    she didn¡¯t immediately go inside; this man seemed off today.

    su shen was afraid that she hated the smell of cigarettes, so he explained, ¡°actually, i don¡¯t smoke often. only when i¡¯m in a particularly bad mood or need to vent excitement. if you don¡¯t like it, i won¡¯t smoke again.¡±

    gu zi felt that he probably wasn¡¯t in an excited state now; perhaps, his mood wasn¡¯t great.

    she didn¡¯t mind a man occasionally smoking; she just didn¡¯t like men who smoked a lot and ended up with yellow teeth.

    it she minded even this, it would be too unreasonable..

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: will You Help Me?

    chapter 164: will you help me?

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi could tell that he seemed afraid she might dislike him smoking. she shook her head and said, ¡°how could that be? i find my boyfriend smoking very classy, very manly.¡±

    she said this while locking her gaze onto his thin lips, which appeared cold but always turned fervent whenever he kissed her.

    that scene just now was full of undeniable sexual tension!

    there was still a faint smell of tobacco lingering on his body, but it was not unpleasant at all.

    she wondered if a man¡¯s lips tinged with the smell of smoke would make someone even more intrigued and captivated.

    the man squinted slightly and confirmed, ¡°do you really think so?¡± this woman always had such unique thoughts. he really wished she wasn¡¯t so unique.

    maybe then he wouldn¡¯t be so greedy and eager to claim her for himself.

    gu zi asserted, ¡°of course, my boyfriend is neat and clean, doesn¡¯t have any other vices, what¡¯s wrong with smoking a little? people need a place to release emotions, after all.¡±

    ¡°yeah, gu zi, i want¡­¡± he moved towards her, pulling her into an embrace. gu zi looked up at him, feeling a tremor in her heart, and softly asked, ¡°what?¡±

    he whispered in her ear, ¡°i¡¯ve come up with a new way to release emotions. can you help me?¡±

    his warm breath against her ear sent tingles down her spine.

    gu zi felt coaxed into something, her body responding to an indescribable surge of emotions.

    ¡°if i can help¡­¡± her words weren¡¯t finished before the man sealed her lips with his.

    a faint smile crossed the man¡¯s lips; a hint of wickedness appeared in his eyes. seeing her startled and wide-eyed, he felt satisfied, like he had successfully captured his prey.

    he continued kissing her, his tongue skillfully seeking hers, teasing and entwining with it.

    his hands roamed, landing on her breasts, caressing them sensually.

    his play was surprisingly skilled; his rough thumb gently pressed on her nipple, sending a jolt of electricity down, creating a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen.

    ¡°mmm¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t help but let out a quivering moan. her supple body twisted under his touch, the scene becoming sensual.

    at this moment, gu zi couldn¡¯t afford to feel shy. her breath was filled with the scent of tobacco from the man, and the kiss was intense and passionate.

    it seemed that this man was quite talented in this regard, always knowing how to unleash a woman¡¯s charm.

    gu zi hadn¡¯t expected things to progress this far with him, but being intimate like this with him seemed quite fulfilling.

    she had even wanted to teach him card games; it seemed he had been diligently learning on his own.

    indeed, as the saying goes, ¡°a willing learner will learn without being taught, an unwilling one will not learn even if taught.¡±

    this man knew how to earn monev. sdend it on his wife, and dlease his wife: she couldn¡¯t be happier.

    ¡°little zi, when lele grows up a bit, you can do what you want. i won¡¯t stop you.¡± he restrained his desire to go further and pulled the woman into his arms.

    gu zi opened her eyes, finally understanding the source of his worry.

    no wonder he kissed and touched her so domineeringly. she thought that the man was finally going to take action.

    after all, that feeling just now made her feel like su shen might devour her whole.

    she didn¡¯t know how to tell him, nor did she say anything, just nestled in his embrace for a long time.

    for the first time, she experienced this kind of happiness of hugging and snuggling. even if she did not do anything, she was very fulfilled.

    gu zi always believed that people shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. in her previous life, she had enjoyed many moments of solitary living.

    although she had worked hard in school and experienced a lot of youthful joy, now that she had encountered su shen, choosing him and slowing down for two years for him and lele didn¡¯t seem that bad.

    when lele could go to school, she could still pursue her dreams.

    she didn¡¯t want to live like in her previous life; she just wanted to take life a little easier now, and that was fine.

    the next morning, su li¡¯s fever had subsided, but his throat was still dry and sore.

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    he barely ate any breakfast before falling asleep on the table.

    su shen laid the second son comfortably on the couch, and gu zi fetched a blanket to cover him.

    su bing was doing homework nearby. he knew he wasn¡¯t needed to constantly watch over his younger brother now; he could put more focus on his own tasks.

    gu zi said to su shen, ¡°are you busy with the pig farm today? if not, can you go to the village clinic and get some medicine? i¡¯ll write the prescription down for you.¡±

    su shen said he wasn¡¯t busy. after gu zi wrote the prescription, su shen took it and rode his motorcycle to the clinic..

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Taking Care of Him

    chapter 165: taking care of him

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi took some bean jelly grass to make the grass jelly, and soon su shen came back with the medicine.

    taking the medicine package, she said to su shen, ¡°can you help me take out two snow pears from the fridge?¡±

    she poured the medicine into a pot with water. then, she cut the snow pears that su shen brought into small slices.

    after the sea coconut in the pot was boiled for half an hour, she added other chinese herbs, the pear slices, and rock sugar into the pot.

    the resulting broth displayed a clear light brown color. she quickly brought a bowl to the living room.

    ¡°su li, get up and drink this. it¡¯s particularly good for your throat,¡± she urged.

    su bing couldn¡¯t help but look over when he heard that. it looked very delicious.

    su le also waved her hand and walked over to gu zi, her eyes shining as she looked at the bowl of sweetened drinks.

    su bing stood up and immediately took lele to the kitchen.

    gu zi, seeing how obedient the future bigshot su bing was, couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of pride.

    gu zi woke su li up and fed him spoonful by spoonful. he found it extremely comforting to drink and his throat wasn¡¯t as dry anymore.

    ¡°mom, mom, what is this? it feels so refreshing,¡± su li now seemed to want to call ¡®mom¡¯ at every opportunity, as if he wanted to make up for all the years he hadn¡¯t called her.

    gu zi said, ¡°this is sea coconut with snow pear syrup. it moisturizes the lungs and throat. you¡¯ll feel better after drinking it.¡±

    su shen also drank a bowl and felt his entire body feel much more refreshed. seeing a few beads of sweat on gu zi¡¯s forehead, he took a tissue and wiped them away for her.

    gu zi felt his proximity and seemed to be used to it by now. she let him touch her without worry.

    ¡°thank you, mr. su!¡± she turned around and thanked su shen with a smile.

    ¡°you¡¯re welcome,¡± su shen said. ¡°if anyone needs thanking, i should thank you for taking such good care of the child.¡±

    gu zi went to put the bowl away and seeing su bing and the others almost done, she called them to the living room.

    her gaze fell on su bing and then on su li. the two boys blushed and sat up straight.

    ¡°su bing, su li, is there something you haven¡¯t told dad and me?¡± gu zi took the initiative to ask.

    su shen¡¯s gaze also fell on the two children. his slender fingers clenched tightly, and a sense of guilt slowly rose in his heart.

    if gu zi hadn¡¯t noticed that su li wasn¡¯t feeling well, he might have been like before, waiting for the illness to go away on its own.

    due to his previous neglect, the two children had developed a habit of keeping everything to themselves. it would take time to change that.

    su shen remembered his own childhood. he had grown up in similar conditions, maybe even tougher than su bing and su li.

    when he was sick, he relied on his body to recover on its own. when the weather was cold, he relied on his body to endure it. when he was hungry and tired, he relied on sleep to survive.

    at that time, he felt that perhaps the poor should live like this. only the strong could survive.

    su shen didn¡¯t feel life was bitter back then, nor did he feel the need for someone to take care of him. he was a lone wolf and was supposed to grow naturally.

    however, gu zi¡¯s arrival made him understand that a child should not live such a dull life.

    children needed love and care, and even more so, they needed their parents to teach them by example.

    not everyone was like him, capable of being a lone wolf, even in the wilderness, growing wildly under the sun.

    su bing and su li shook their heads. they didn¡¯t think of anything to say.

    gu zi said, ¡°since you can¡¯t think of anything, let me tell you. last night, while taking care of your younger brother, i found a school invitation letter near your pillow. can you tell us what that¡¯s about?¡±

    she accidentally saw the envelope and knew it was a school invitation for parents to attend some event.

    but she didn¡¯t read its contents because it involved the children¡¯s privacy, and she wouldn¡¯t actively read it.

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    su li¡¯s hand grasped his pant leg, seeking help from su bing.

    su bing calmly said, ¡°the school is hosting a parent-child reading event next tuesday. we weren¡¯t planning to go, so we didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    in the past, when his father was very busy, that vicious stepmother would always promise to attend the parent-teacher conference or other school activities.

    but in reality, she never did, and gradually, whenever such events came up, he and his younger brother wouldn¡¯t participate.

    therefore, they did not tell their parents about the invitation this time..

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Picking Mushrooms

    chapter 166: picking mushrooms

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the present moment, it wasn¡¯t so much a worry that gu zi might not be willing to go; rather, they simply felt it wasn¡¯t necessary to bother her.

    on top of taking care of lele and managing the household meals, they worried that they would burden her even more.

    gu zi and su shen exchanged a glance, their silence speaking volumes.

    ¡°do you not want to go?¡± su shen asked. ¡°or do you think it¡¯s inconvenient?¡±

    psychology books mentioned that children at su bing and su li¡¯s age are generally sociable and willing to engage in activities. it wasn¡¯t likely that they didn¡¯t want to attend the school event; there probably was another reason.

    su bing wanted to say they didn¡¯t want to go. however, looking at the anticipation in his younger brother¡¯s eyes, the words failed to escape his lips.

    he didn¡¯t really mind going or not; it didn¡¯t matter to him. yet, he understood his brother¡¯s strong desire to attend. his brother longed for more friends, for communication with others.

    now that their mother had finally discovered the invitation, the younger brother must be hoping for their mother to attend.

    su bing said, ¡°dad, you¡¯re too busy with work, and mom has to take care of our sister. we think it¡¯s okay not to go.¡±

    when he called her ¡°mom,¡± he felt relieved. it didn¡¯t seem as difficult to say as he thought.

    gu zi¡¯s lips curled into a smile upon hearing this. she gently patted su bing¡¯s head and said, ¡°so you both want to go, right? then let¡¯s go.¡±

    su bing felt somewhat immobilized as gu zi¡¯s hand rested on his head. he felt like a pet being stroked. it was a strange sensation, magical but not quite as reassuring as he thought a mother¡¯s touch would be.

    upon hearing gu zi¡¯s agreement, su li, excitedly stood up. ¡°really? mom, you¡¯ll

    gu zi smiled and expressed that she was very happy to participate.

    su li felt the weight lift off his chest, the cloud in his mind dissipating. he joyfully ran around the living room before rushing to the yard to share the news with their dog, big yellow. ¡°big yellow! mom is taking us to the parent-child activity!¡±

    big yellow lay still, gazing with melancholic triangular eyes, seemingly saying, ¡°what¡¯s it got to do with me? mom never takes me along. all the happiness is yours, i¡¯m just here guarding the house.¡±

    after lunch, su shen headed out. it rained heavily the previous night, so he needed to check on the pig farm.

    once lele fell asleep, gu zi also left, heading to the cooperative to buy some soy sauce and vinegar, among other seasonings.

    before leaving, she instructed the two brothers to take good care of their sister and prepare her formula when she woke up.

    gu zits eyes sparkled with delight as she briskly approached these white objects. squatting down for a closer look confirmed her suspicions ¨C they were the much sought-after mushrooms.

    these mushrooms, known as ¡°cow dung mushrooms, ¡± grew in grassy fields.

    their current whiteness and tender texture meant they were fresh and edible.

    without hesitation, she joyfully began picking the mushrooms. she remembered her previous life where there were many parks around her residence. during seasons of ample rain, as soon as the weather cleared, she and the neighbor¡¯s kids would head to the lawns to gather these mushrooms.

    they would compete to see who could collect the most. the one gathering the most mushrooms was hailed as the ¡°mushroom-picking champion,¡± although there were no actual rewards. still, it was a happy memory of childhood.

    they would take the mushrooms home for the adults to cook. while not ideal for stir-frying, these mushrooms were perfect for making soup and exceptionally flavorful. gu zi always finished every drop of soup in her bowl.

    ¡°gu zi? it¡¯s really you!¡± a familiar voice sounded behind her. gu zi, upon turning around, saw gong xin.

    gu zi felt as though she were hallucinating from mushroom picking. how could gong xin be here?

    however, as gong xin approached her, she confirmed it wasn¡¯t a hallucination.

    putting the mushrooms in the basket, gu zi wiped off some sweat and asked, ¡°gong xin, what brings you here?¡±

    looking at her sweating profusely, hands full, gong xin felt a pang of pity. gu zi was leading such a hard life. her husband clearly didn¡¯t know how to take care of a woman!

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    despite the su family¡¯s wealth, they made gu zi work. it was simply unfair!

    she pulled gu zi out of the field and said angrily, ¡°i¡¯m here to rescue you, gu zi.

    don¡¯t serve that older man here. i¡¯ll take you to find my brother.¡±

    gu zi widened her eyes in confusion, not understanding what was happening..

    she reached out and touched gong xin¡¯s forehead, ¡°are you running a fever?¡±

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Stubborn

    chapter 167: stubborn

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi felt she wasn¡¯t experiencing an illusion; it was gong xin who seemed to be in a daze.

    gong xin waved away gu zi¡¯s hand and said, ¡°it¡¯s a long story. hurry, take me to your place for a drink, and we can talk slowly.¡±

    she didn¡¯t want to admit she got lost on her way to find gu zi; that would be embarrassing. nonetheless, her body did crave hydration at the moment.

    gu zi observed gong xin¡¯s parched lips and felt a touch of helplessness. how did gong xin, the pampered miss, get herself into such a state?

    gong xin seemed to have come here specifically to look for her. could she have gotten lost?

    without mocking her, gu zi led her home, and gong xin stood in astonishment before the two-story building.

    she knew the man gu zi was to marry was a pig farmer, and he likely had some money, but she never expected such luxurious living conditions¡ªa two-story house with a front yard.

    no wonder gu zi was willing to marry and become a stepmother to three kids in the countryside. even city dwellers couldn¡¯t match these living conditions.

    it seemed gu zi had tamed both humans and animals here!

    ¡°have some water; i¡¯ll prepare some dessert for you,¡± gu zi offered, handing her a glass of water before heading inside.

    gong xin gulped down the water, simultaneously scanning her surroundings with wide eyes, remaining in a perpetual state of surprise, unable to articulate her thoughts.

    the living room was spacious and bright, adorned with imported tiles that reflected clear images. it was furnished with a television stand, sofas, wooden tables, and chairs¡ªa complete set of furniture. various modern appliances adorned the space as well.

    there were not many people in the city who could meet this condition. she did not expect the su family in the countryside to be so ahead of times. they must be extremely wealthy!

    suddenly, gong xin felt her meager gift seemed inadequate. seeing gu zi approaching with something, she was unsure whether to present it.

    gu zi placed the grass jelly dessert she had prepared in front of her, explaining it was a cooling and thirst-quenching dessert.

    gong xin had not completely quenched her thirst after drinking the water. when she heard gu zi say this, she immediately picked it up and ate it.

    su li, who was doing his homework nearby, watched her with surprise. were city folks this greedy?

    su bing reminded him in a hushed tone not to get distracted from his homework, so su li continued writing.

    seeing gong xin enjoy the food, gu zi felt genuinely content.

    how should she put it? although gong xin had never been on good terms with the original owner since she was young, she never harbored any ill intentions.

    especially after gu zi sold her job to gong xin, their relationship seemed to have naturally become harmonious.

    gu zi hadn¡¯t expected gong xin to visit her in the countryside.

    after finishing the dessert, gong xin sighed, ¡°i feel so good after eating this.

    my parched throat finally feels relieved.¡±

    ¡°why didn¡¯t you bring a bottle of water with you?¡± gu zi was a little speechless.

    gong xin pouted. ¡°do you know how hard it is to find your place?¡±

    she had arrived around noon and intended to have lunch here, but she couldn¡¯t find the location. she had even run out of water.

    gu zi then remembered that gong xin was terrible with directions. she had gotten lost many times in the city during her childhood.

    teasing her, gu zi said, ¡°missy, you¡¯re quite something. not recognizing the way yet daring to come to the countryside alone. what brings you to find me?¡±

    gong xin imew she had let slip, fearing the woman¡¯s mocking gaze, which made her blush slightly. but knowing her purpose here was serious, she refrained from engaging in verbal banter.

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    ¡°i was serious just now. you¡¯re not married yet, so it¡¯s not too late. come back and be my sister-in-law. i mean it. i can tell my brother acts tough, but he cares about you.¡±

    gong xin acknowledged the older man¡¯s wealth but felt he was too old! and being a pig farmer¡ª who knows how intimidating he might look!

    her once arch-nemesis, this flower-like beauty, couldn¡¯t possibly bow down to wealth alone. she felt that although gu zi might have given up on gong zhan, having liked him for so long, if she knew he truly cared, she might reconsider.

    gu zi¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, her eyes slightly narrowed. ¡°my dear, did you come all this way just to say that?¡±

    gong xin felt a chill run down her spine for some unknown reason. holding her arms, she said, ¡°yes, i think you and my brother are well-matched. as for the old man from the su family, he¡¯s wealthy but not a suitable match..¡±

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: The Old Man Is Blessed

    chapter 168: the old man is blessed

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gong xin finished speaking but still felt a chill down her spine. she glanced over and met a pair of gloomy eyes. unwilling to linger, she quickly looked away.

    that seemed to be the eldest boy from the su family. he had greeted them when he entered just now.

    why was he staring like that? gong xin felt a sense of terror in a child¡¯s expression for the first time.

    she found it too stifling. if the su family¡¯s kids were like this, it indicated the father was even more difficult to deal with.

    no wonder even a greedy person like lin miao would give up the rich life here and go to live in a shabby house in the city. life might not be so good even with all the money!

    gu zi didn¡¯t know what she was thinking, but she was clear that she felt nothing for gong zhan, the original host¡¯s first love.

    as for su shen, she initially had a superficial interest, but now, she might genuinely be in love.

    ¡°nonsense. i think he¡¯s great, just the type i like right now,¡± said gu zi.

    gong xin, still reluctant, asked, ¡°can you really let go of my brother, even if he likes you?¡±

    gu zi bluntly responded, ¡°of course. whatever happened between gong zhan and i are in the past. people need to focus on the present. their father is the present that i need to focus on.¡±

    as she spoke, she looked at su le¡¯s doting face. gu zi knew these people here wouldn¡¯t understand the joy of being a mom without having to go through childbirth.

    the two brothers doing homework behind them felt relieved after hearing this conversation.

    su li looked at gong xin unhappily. he didn¡¯t understand why this bad auntie wanted to snatch their mother away from them. this was the good mother they had waited so long for.

    su bing¡¯s face remained grim. that woman actually said their dad wasn¡¯t a match for their mom and called him an old man! apparently, not all city women had good taste as their mom did.

    gong xin was a little disappointed. it seemed that there was no hope of gu zi being her sister-in-law.

    she reckoned gu zi might have been dazzled by the old man¡¯s wealth! but indeed, a wealthy man was a good condition.

    she wasn¡¯t one to deceive herself. since the other party had made her intentions clear, she wouldn¡¯t insist.

    ¡°well, since you¡¯ve made up your mind, i can only say the old man is lucky,¡± she said.

    that idiot gong zhan was still there admiring himself. gu zi¡¯s thoughts were no longer focused on him, and it served him right.

    gu zi breathed a sigh of relief when gong xin finally stopped urging her to be her sister-in-law. she elegantly started savoring her grass jelly dessert.

    she noticed the bag next to gong xin and gong xin also noticed her gaze. so, she generously took out the bag and placed it on the table.

    ¡°this is a little snack i brought for your kids. i¡¯m not trying to please you, but to thank you for selling me the job,¡± gong xin stated.

    gu zi knew she had always been a bit of a spoiled child, so she said, ¡°then i¡¯ll thank aunt gong xin on behalf of the kids.¡±

    gong xin, a little pouty, said, ¡°why call me ¡®aunt¡¯? it should be ¡®big sister¡¯! oh, and i have something to tell you: you shouldn¡¯t have contact with the gu family and other people from our gong family for the foreseeable future, and it¡¯s better not to return to the quad.¡±

    gong xin¡¯s tone became serious as she spoke. she had overheard the conversation between her parents and the gu couple last night. now, they all thought that gu zi was behind it and that gu zi was causing trouble behind the scenes, making things difficult for both families.

    after accepting the snacks and putting them aside, gu zi asked, ¡®what¡¯s going

    yesterday, when they were selecting wedding dresses, lin miao and gong zhan also tagged along. for some reason, those two seemed to have had an unpleasant altercation.

    it seemed gong zhan left early without selecting the wedding dress. gu zi wondered if they would once again blame her for these matters.

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    thinking this, she listened as gong xin explained the situation, confirming her suspicions.

    she felt that lin miao was very strange. it seemed that lin miao was always in a hurry to target her.

    having been targeted several times, she seemed to understand lin miao¡¯s mindset, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what she had done to offend her. was it because their identities had been swapped, and lin miao felt she had stolen her luxurious life?

    lin miao was a very vain person, so that might be the case.

    gong xin continued, ¡°lin miao said it was you who incited your brother to ruin her reputation. she thinks you hold a grudge and are intent on ruining her relationship with my brother. as a result, my brother left her behind on the day of the wedding dress selection. i think they¡¯re going to settle the score with you. you should be cautious.¡± gong xin didn¡¯t trust lin miao at all..

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: The Proud Gong Xin

    chapter 169: the proud gong xin

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    initially, gong xin¡¯s parents were already suspicious of lin miao. however, last night, lin miao came in crying and acting pitiful, which made everyone side with her.

    it wasn¡¯t just the gu family and their gong family; even other people in the quad knew about lin miao being slandered by gu zi.

    now, everyone accused gu zi of not appreciating the gu family¡¯s upbringing, repaying kindness with enmity. the rumors had solidified gu zi¡¯s ¡°crime¡±.

    however, gong zhan was determined to ignore lin miao this time. when lin miao came to their house last night, he didn¡¯t even step out of his room.

    gong xin¡¯s resolve to come to the countryside to find gu zi strengthened upon seeing gong zhan¡¯s attitude.

    originally, she thought that if gu zi still had feelings for her brother, she could play the role of mediator to reconcile her with gong zhan and jointly deal with lin miao.

    now that she knew gu zi had no intention of reuniting with gong zhan, she was willing to inform gu zi of the true situation so that she could be on guard.

    gu zi listened with a furrowed brow and then smiled in relief, ¡°do i look like that kind of jealous woman?¡±

    gong xin shook her head and couldn¡¯t help but boast a bit, ¡°of course not. that¡¯s why i¡¯m here. if those people in the quad saw your current flourishing life, they¡¯d probably be sour. after all, not everyone has my level of tolerance.¡± she felt a bit sour herself, but now she believed that gu zi was destined to have

    a blessed life.

    a woman like gu zi would not have a bad life no matter where she went. why should she be sour about it? it did not benefit her to be sour about the situation.

    just as gong xin was thinking about this, her stomach suddenly rumbled. she awkwardly raised her brows, ¡°it¡¯s not that i¡¯m hungry. it¡¯s just my stomach hasn¡¯t been feeling well lately, so you don¡¯t have to give me anything to eat.¡±

    watching gong xin¡¯s proud expression, gu zi felt a little happy. why hadn¡¯t the original owner found gong xin interesting before?

    gu zi thought if gong xin were a man, it might have been more reasonable for the original owner to like her.

    why did the original owner like gong zhan, that arrogant and conceited person? after all, being young meant lacking foresight!

    standing up, gu zi said, ¡°i¡¯m going to make some mushroom soup now. could you help taste it?¡±

    gong xin hadn¡¯t eaten lunch, and her stomach had been empty for a while. so, when gu zi extended this offer, she eagerly nodded.

    it had been a long time since she last ate gu zi¡¯s cooking and she missed it!

    gu zi handed su le over to gong xin, ¡°help me take care of lele,¡± and then went into the kitchen.

    gong xin watched the smiling little girl in her arms and felt her heart melting. how come she found the little girl even cuter than the first time she saw her? it made her feel like she wanted a daughter herself.

    however, without a suitable partner in sight, she felt thinking about this issue was a bit too far off.

    she began to size up the su family residence again. there was another floor up the stairs, and it looked very big.

    gu zi, oh, gu zi, she had the fate of a rich woman. even if she had married someone from the countryside, she still married the richest person there.

    she teased lele. ¡°although i don¡¯t really want to admit it, when your mother was in the quad, she was indeed the most beautiful and outstanding one in the quad. if your father wasn¡¯t rich, he would never have married such a beautiful wife. ¡±

    su li snorted coldly by the side and muttered stubbornly, ¡°even if dad doesn¡¯t have money, he¡¯s still the best dad. mommy will still fall in love with dad.¡±

    meanwhile, in the kitchen, gu zi washed the mushrooms and cut them into small pieces. she peeled garlic cloves and added them to the pot before pouring in water to bring it to a boil.

    after adding the mushroom chunks to the simmering broth, she took some sweet potato starch and coated the meat slices before delicately placing them into the soup to simmer and set.

    in less than fifteen minutes, a pot of fragrant and delicious fresh mushroom and meat soup was ready, tantalizing with its aroma.

    gong xin entered the dining room, holding su le in her arms. she gulped and remarked, ¡°how is your cooking getting better and better?¡±

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    gu zi served her a bowl of rice, then asked her to sit and eat. then, she went to call the two children to taste the mushroom soup. the kids settled across from gong xin.

    gong xin sensed an eerie atmosphere from the children, but preoccupied with tending to her own appetite, she paid little attention to it.

    in no time, she devoured a bowl of rice, relishing the tender meat slices and the delightful flavor of the mushrooms. it was so delicious it was almost heavenly!

    glancing up, she noticed gu zi preparing to leave with a thermos. ¡°where are you off to?¡± she asked.

    gu zi instructed su bing and su li to take care of their younger sister and mentioned she was heading to the pig farm to let su shen taste something new. su shen had mentioned earlier that he might not return tonight, so she decided to take a trip there..

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Checking Out the Old Manâ€

    chapter 170: checking out the ¡°old man¡±

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi said to gong xin, ¡°i¡¯m going to drop off something for the kids¡¯ dad. you stay home; you can watch tv or read. i¡¯ll take you to the station later.¡±

    gong xin hastily finished most of the mushroom soup in her bowl and stood up. ¡°i¡¯m not as diligent as you; i don¡¯t love to read books. i¡¯ll come with you, see your ¡®old man,¡±¡® she remarked.

    she felt compelled to see who this man was, prompting gu zi, the studious overachiever, to stay home, cook soup, and look after the children.

    at the same time, she felt that the two boys of the su family were too terrifying. she could not imagine how suffocating it would be to stay alone with them.

    without objection, gu zi took her along to the pig farm.

    arriving at the farm¡¯s lobby, they found jin long on the truck, cleaning it with a hose.

    when jin long spotted the cheerful gu zi, his eyes brightened. but as his gaze shifted to the woman beside her, he felt a sudden awkwardness.

    the woman had short, bobbed hair, and a slightly upturned nose. she appeared lively and clever.

    her ensemble, with a red short-sleeved top paired with bright yellow shorts, cinched with a light yellow belt, and carrying a black handbag, clearly suggested she hailed from the city, much like gu zi.

    jin long, feeling self-conscious in his bare-chested, rough-looking state, abruptly diverted his gaze.

    after inquiring about su shen¡¯s whereabouts, gu zi proceeded toward him with the thermos. however, gong xin, who had just been eager to see the ¡®old man¡¯, didn¡¯t follow.

    gong xin gazed at the man on the truck, with his trendy middle-parted hairstyle and striking features radiating a sense of righteousness. surprisingly, he resembled a movie star. but now, with no shirt on and sporting slippers, he exuded a rugged, rustic charm that made gong xin¡¯s blood boil.

    this man had an amazing physique. were there really such handsome men in the countryside?

    wait a minute, he seemed to be an employee here. could she ask him about the ¡®old man¡¯?

    noticing her lingering, jin long set down the hose, put on a shirt, and hopped down from the truck, his movements displaying ease.

    ¡°are you a friend of sister-in-law?¡± he inquired.

    jin long had met quite a few city girls before, but she was the first who, despite seeing a shirtless man, didn¡¯t seem shy but rather kept staring. gong xin nodded, her eyes sparkling. ¡°i¡¯m gong xin. and you?¡±

    ¡°jin long,¡± the man replied, leading her inside. he explained, ¡°the farm has a bit of a smell, but we¡¯re all doing the cleaning work. compared to other farms, the smell here is quite minimal.¡±

    jin long felt compelled to explain, perhaps out of politeness.

    gong xin, however, didn¡¯t mind at all. her grandparents had also dealt with pig farming when she was younger, so it wasn¡¯t unfamiliar to her.

    every time she returned to the countryside, her happiest moment was to go to the pigsty and play with the little pigs.

    jin long could tell this girl wasn¡¯t that kind of delicate girl; she walked in without even covering her nose.

    indeed, people are of different kinds.

    he led gong xin to the office area for a rest and even fetched a drink for her.

    gong xin expressed her thanks without hesitation and inquired, ¡°why don¡¯t we see your boss around?¡±

    ¡°he¡¯s over by the water source, giving instructions to the staff. sister-in-law should be looking for him there,¡± jin long replied honestly. there had been some oversight among the employees today, and su shen was furious, more so than he¡¯d been in a long time.

    in such situations, he preferred to steer clear because when su shen got really angry, the pressure was too much to handle.

    gong xin widened her eyes and whispered, ¡°is the ¡®old man¡¯ not easygoing? i¡¯ve heard that men of a certain age tend to have a bad temper. poor my dear sister, coming here to deliver food in this scorching heat. is your boss not treating her well?¡±

    jin long almost chuckled when he heard the girl calling su shen an ¡®old man.¡¯ little did she know, he was often jealous of su shen.

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    although he was younger, su shen looked better and maintained a perfect physique. honestly, jin long often felt inferior in comparison.

    hardly anyone who had seen su shen could resist his charm. if su shen¡¯s conditions for marriage weren¡¯t so unique, plenty of women would have been willing to be his second wife.

    ¡°it¡¯s the employees¡¯ fault. if they hadn¡¯t messed up so badly, su shen wouldn¡¯t be so angry,¡± he explained.

    ¡°is he ugly?¡± gong xin nodded, not fully understanding.

    if he were unattractive, she thought she might just avoid delving further into this. she couldn¡¯t bear the reality of seeing someone so much less worthy with the gem that was gu zi..

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Judging A Person By His Appearance

    chapter 171: judging a person by his appearance

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°upon hearing these words, jin long was momentarily stunned, then his inner joy reached a new height.

    su shen was hailed as a ¡®military wolf¡¯ among female soldiers in the army, and now in the village, he was the wealthy and handsome single man in the eyes of women.

    his image always elicited admiration and envy, but this girl described su shen as old and ugly.

    ¡°hahaha!¡± jin long found it highly amusing; he couldn¡¯t hold back and burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

    just to tease her a bit, he added, ¡°men all look the same when the lights are off, you shouldn¡¯t judge solely based on appearance!¡±

    unaware of why he found it so amusing, gong xin thought this man was quite affable.

    she calmly shook her head. she believed that gu zi was probably captivated by the old man¡¯s money, but she refrained from expressing it.

    after all, gu zi was going to live here, and voicing her thoughts might make her future life difficult.

    ¡°i mean, gu zi is radiant wherever she goes, right? i still think she deserves a handsome guy.¡±

    seeing her seriousness, jin long stopped laughing and curiously asked, ¡°have you met our boss? how do you know he¡¯s unattractive?¡±

    jin long knew she probably hadn¡¯t met su shen, but he found the girl intriguing and couldn¡¯t help asking a few more questions.

    ¡°at thirty years old, the boss of a pig farm ¡ª i¡¯ve encountered such characters before. isn¡¯t he just round-faced, with big ears, a big belly, short stature, and balding? but as the saying goes, ¡®nine out of ten bald men are rich¡­¡±¡®

    as gong xin spoke, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, sending shivers through her body.

    at that moment, the office door was pushed open, and gu zi entered, followed by a tall man.

    the man was tall and handsome, even more appealing than jin long. his demeanor exuded sophistication. gong xin found it inexplicably fitting for him to stand beside gu zi.

    gong xin hadn¡¯t expected to find so many handsome men in this small countryside.

    however, there was a cold aura about this man, making him seem distant and hard to approach.

    comparatively, gong xin found jin long to be more approachable.

    as the man approached, gu zi hurriedly covered gong xin¡¯s mouth, whispering, ¡°please stop talking, my dear friend.¡±

    if she continued, su shen¡¯s image would be completely ruined, especially since su shen was standing right there, overhearing everything.

    what made gu zi even more embarrassed was that gong xin¡¯s description coincided with the image she had of su shen before.

    gong xin was truly an amazing friend.

    gong xin asked, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? didn¡¯t you go deliver food to your man?¡±

    initially, she wanted to mention ¡®old man,¡¯ but when she saw the stern expression behind gu zi, she refrained from using the word ¡®old.¡¯

    gu zi coughed lightly and introduced, ¡°this is my fianc¨¦, su shen. he¡¯s sorted out things at the water source and i asked him to return to the office to have soup.¡±

    while gu zi spoke, su shen politely greeted and exchanged pleasantries with gong xin.

    gong xin was completely stunned.

    she incredulously looked at gu zi, forcing a stiff smile, ¡°th-this, i must say gu

    zi has a good eye, you guys look like a match made in heaven!¡±

    gong xin felt the air around her suffused with awkwardness. if possible, she wished she could vanish into thin air.

    feeling awkward, she stood stiffly behind jin long. she didn¡¯t care if they were familiar or not; he seemed sturdy enough to shield her.

    jin long didn¡¯t say anything; seeing su shen and recalling gong xin¡¯s description from earlier, he struggled to contain his laughter.

    su shen glanced at him, and he immediately quieted down.

    to alleviate the suffocating atmosphere, gu zi said to gong xin, ¡°you¡¯ve seen him now, so you can relax. let¡¯s go; i¡¯ll take you to the station.¡±

    upon hearing this, gong xin felt a sense of relief. after all, she had spoken ill of someone in their presence and had no intention of staying longer.

    in a deep voice, su shen spoke, ¡°let jin long take her; he can drive, which is faster than walking.¡±

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    jin long agreed but mentioned that he needed to take motion sickness pills first.

    could he not see the intention behind his boss¡¯s words? brother shen wanted some alone time with his wife.

    gong xin also consented.

    as jin long escorted gong xin out, he conveniently closed the office door, leaving gu zi and su shen alone in the room.

    gu zi blushed and dared not look at su shen; she had just witnessed how he reprimanded someone earlier..

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Pretty Brave

    chapter 172: pretty brave

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen donned a sleek black short-sleeved shirt that accentuated his cold and austere demeanor. the dark hue seemed to amplify the icy edge to his profile, making him appear even more distant and unyielding.

    his gaze sliced through the air with an intensity beyond its usual sharpness, akin to a chilling arrow poised to strike, casting an oppressive aura that hung heavily over everyone present.

    across from him, the few employees kept their heads bowed, their hands tightly gripping their attire, some even visibly perspiring with nervousness.

    as someone called out, ¡°sister-in-law is here!¡± and attention shifted, su shen¡¯s gaze turned, yet the glacial frost in his eyes hadn¡¯t entirely subsided.

    a secret tremor coursed through gu zi¡¯s heart.

    it was the first time she witnessed su shen losing his composure. no wonder he typically shrouded his emotions; once unleashed, the weight of his authority could be stifling.

    su shen had heard all of gong xin¡¯s words just now. gu zi felt a little guilty at this moment.

    approaching the desk, she intended to open the thermos when a firm grip seized her wrist abruptly.

    before gu zi could react, the man¡¯s towering figure enclosed her before the desk.

    ¡°su shen, we¡¯re still in the office. how about having some soup?¡± gu zits voice unintentionally softened in the tense atmosphere, adding a sweet note. and as the man heard it, there was a subtle lift in his natural demeanor.

    he pinched the woman¡¯s neck and let her take the initiative to kiss his soft lips. he licked them and parted her lips with the tip of his tongue to kiss them.

    gu zi found herself momentarily lost in a whirlwind of emotions, her heartbeat drowning out all other sounds.

    as she steadied herself, she instinctively pressed her hand against the man¡¯s solid chest, trying to catch her breath.

    just as she felt she might collapse into his embrace, he released her lips. his rough hands moved to steady her at the waist, helping her regain her balance.

    in a low, raspy voice, the man cautioned, ¡°don¡¯t use such an enticing tone with other men, alright?¡± his jealousy seemed ready to consume him, disregarding any other consideration¡ªhe desired her for himself.

    gu zi¡¯s mind struggled for oxygen, and she numbly nodded in response.

    su shen gently pressed his fingers against her lips, a gesture almost nostalgic.

    ¡°so, you thought i was a bald old man before meeting me for the first time?

    then why did you still come looking for me? you¡¯re quite brave.¡±

    her eyes glistened with tears. as she met his gaze, his eyes appeared exceptionally dark, a rare hint of a wicked allure playing at the corner of his mouth.

    she found herself enamored by su shen¡¯s kiss, which felt incredibly natural and comforting. in that moment, her mind was consumed by nothing else but the desire for his kiss to continue.

    it appeared that the man had sensed her longing, as he gently lifted her and settled her on the desk, leaning in to kiss her once more.

    as they progressed, the woman¡¯s attire became disheveled, revealing a portion of her pristine, snow-white bosom.

    her complexion was as fair and delicate as the exposed skin, the curves resembling fluid droplets in motion. su shen was captivated by this sight, instinctively covering it with his hand, moved by its allure.

    gu zi felt an overwhelming sensation, almost as if she were suffocating, her eyes rolling in response.

    he kissed her with a tender yet fervent passion, as though he aimed to engulf her entirely.

    the depth of a man¡¯s affection often transcends mere words. it is in his deeds that one glimpses the extent of his love.

    reluctantly, su shen released her lips, and gu zi immediately looked up, breathing heavily.

    she assumed the moment was done, yet she found herself still unwilling to part from him. unexpectedly, the next second, he tenderly drew near and kissed the upper curve of her chest.

    an involuntary gasp escaped her, causing her body to slacken, unable to withstand the intensity of the sensation.

    driven by an uncontrollable impulse, he lightly bit her. her skin was as soft and smooth as a ball of cotton, inviting him to sink into its velvety texture.

    he planted kisses along her collarbone and trailed down to her neck, attempting to appease the frenzied longing coursing through his body¡ªhe yearned for her touch.

    gu zi found herself deeply entangled in the man¡¯s overwhelming desire. he was undeniably handsome; his broad and commanding forehead coupled with deep, captivating eyes exuded a potent allure. in that moment, his demeanor was saturated with lust, his prominent nose nuzzling against her skin, exuding a dominating fervor.

    her cheeks flushed crimson, adding an extra layer of beauty to her countenance. she was aware of the dampness between her legs, a mix of shame and elation flooding her. eventually, she sought solace by burying her face in the man¡¯s embrace.

    su shen enveloped the woman¡¯s elegant frame in his arms, his own body temperature rising with desire. with a bold move, his hand slipped beneath her skirt.

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    on the truck, gong xin engaged in lively conversation with jin long throughout the journey. she expressed her intention to treat jin long to a meal whenever the opportunity presented itself.

    jin long, a man of integrity, found it uncommon for a woman to extend such a gesture. without hesitation, he promptly replied, ¡°if the chance arises, i¡¯ll be the one treating you!¡±

    ¡°agreed,¡± gong xin responded, feeling satisfied with the pleasant conversation. curious, she inquired further, ¡°do you think your boss will be upset about what just happened?¡±

    jin long flashed a reassuring smile as he pledged, ¡°he won¡¯t hold any grudge against a young lady like you. besides, you¡¯re a close friend of sister-in-law¡¯s. don¡¯t worry. considering how much our brother shen cherishes sister-in-law, he wouldn¡¯t be upset.¡±

    speaking of which, jin long missed the old su shen. back then, life was more relaxed, unlike the current period when he was incessantly occupied with tasks, barely finding a moment to pause..

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Too Charming

    chapter 173: too charming

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in the past, su shen was a workaholic, dedicating almost 20 hours a day to the farm. he managed nearly all the farm work himself.

    now, not only did he make it home in time for dinner every day, but he also had to personally oversee matters related to marriage.

    jin long used to find contentment and relaxation at the farm, but now it felt like a miserable place. he had taken on all the tasks that su shen used to handle.

    ¡°from what you¡¯ve described, their relationship seems quite strong,¡± remarked gong xin.

    recalling gu zi¡¯s satisfaction with su shen, gong xin realized that gu zi had indeed found someone she truly liked.

    gong xin couldn¡¯t help but feel contempt for lin miao. gu zi had a husband like su shen. she was affluent, beautiful, and lived a comfortable life. why would she even bother to disrupt their lives in such a shameless manner?

    she held a similar view of gong zhan, considering him a psychopath. hadn¡¯t he seen su shen before? shouldn¡¯t he feel ashamed?

    from gong xin¡¯s standpoint, other than being a few years younger than su shen, her brother didn¡¯t seem to have any other significant advantages.

    ¡°by the way, are the three children from su shen¡¯s ex-wife?¡± gong xin shivered at the thought of the boys¡¯ gloomy gazes.

    jin long shook his head. ¡°su bing and the others are actually su shen¡¯s sister¡¯s children. his sister passed away, so su shen adopted them under his name for easier care.¡±

    gong xin was somewhat surprised by this revelation. they weren¡¯t his biological children. su shen truly had a generous heart.

    the three children appeared to be quite pitiful, especially lele, who had lost her biological parents at a young age.

    as the car arrived at the station, jin long stopped and mentioned, ¡°there are still some tasks for me at the pig farm. i won¡¯t be able to wait for the bus with you. can you manage on your own?¡±

    carefully stepping out of the car, gong xin smiled sweetly as she looked up. ¡°of course. thank you, brother jin long.¡±

    she turned and walked towards the bus stop, even turning around to wave at jin long.

    under the sunlight, her smile was particularly captivating. jin long raised his hand in farewell, feeling a tinge of reluctance within.

    only after the girl had walked a distance did he start the engine and return to the pig farm. he indeed had responsibilities, like checking the water source with su shen to ensure its safety.

    upon entering the office, his eyes widened. through partially drawn curtains, he witnessed an incredibly intimate scene.

    the man inside noticed his gaze and used his tall frame to shield the woman in his embrace.

    jin long took a deep breath, caught off guard. he hadn¡¯t expected boss su, typically reserved, to reveal such a passionate side.

    the age-old saying proved true: even heroes from ancient times couldn¡¯t resist the allure of beauty! wisely, he sensibly decided to step away once more.

    the office was steeped in an intense atmosphere when suddenly, the man paused.

    silently, he adjusted her dress and draped his coat over her.

    ¡°i need to step out for a while. rest for a bit and then head home.¡±

    gu zi had just experienced the man¡¯s advances. in this moment, her expression appeared unusually gentle, with a hint of allure in her eyes.

    she nodded and put on the man¡¯s coat. the man¡¯s fervor had been overwhelming, tearing her dress in the process.

    ¡°remember to have the soup. you can take it upstairs to drink.¡±

    su shen took the thermos box and briskly left the office. gu zi didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer. the atmosphere seemed to instantly intensify her longing for su shen.

    after su shen and jin long departed, gu zi composed herself and left the office.

    upon returning home, she ascended to the upper floor to freshen up and change her clothes.

    sitting by the bed, she embraced su shen¡¯s coat. she leaned in slightly, trying to capture the scent¡ªcold and comforting¡ªemanating from su shen¡¯s coat. she couldn¡¯t help but ponder. wasn¡¯t it often said that men were only driven by their needs? yet why did she feel a bit enticed herself? she could only blame the older man for being too charming.

    at that moment, a voice called from downstairs¡ªit seemed to be lin cheng.

    gu zi set aside the man¡¯s coat and hurried downstairs to open the door.

    there stood lin cheng, lin hun, and li hua, carrying a carrying pole, a box, and a bag laden with various items for the su family.

    li hua spoke, ¡°these are the items you¡¯ll need to decorate your new house.

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    mom and i worked overnight to prepare them and rushed here to deliver.¡±

    gu zi swiftly invited them inside. li hua, feeling a bit apprehensive upon spotting big yellow, sought refuge behind lin cheng as they entered.

    the trio set down their belongings and took seats on the sofa, appearing somewhat reserved.

    they were aware that su shen was the first in the village to construct a two-story building, but they hadn¡¯t anticipated it to be so magnificent.

    the furniture and electrical appliances within the house were remarkably comprehensive. the house exuded a sense of sophistication and affluence that seemed incongruent with the rural setting..

 Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Causing Trouble

    chapter 174: causing trouble

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    today, gu zi had prepared a red bean coconut water chestnut cake at home and deemed it ready for serving.

    she made her way to the kitchen and opened the glass box. the dessert inside had solidified into a firm pastry.

    turning the glass box upside down, she carefully removed the molded pastry and proceeded to slice it with a knife into diamond-shaped pieces. placing them on two plates, she arranged them in the form of two flowers, while the remaining portions were stored in the refrigerator to maintain their freshness. this particular pastry was known to taste better when chilled.

    ¡°thank you for your hard work. enjoy the desserts i¡¯ve made. su bing, su li, come and have some too,¡± she called out.

    su li had already been eagerly waiting. upon hearing his mother¡¯s call, he hastened over.

    taking a piece of pastry, su li found it enchanting. soft and supple, it resembled a layered steamed cake, featuring four white layers and three brownish-red layers, amounting to seven layers in total. the brownish-red layers were infused with abundant red beans, exuding a delightful fragrance.

    su li eagerly took a bite. the coldness in his mouth offered a sticky yet not-too-adherent sensation. the fusion of red bean aroma with coconut delighted his taste buds.

    lin cheng, li hua, and the others also tried the pastry, unanimously praising its incredible taste and lauding gu zi¡¯s skill.

    ¡°sister-in-law and mother are very nimble. i, for one, don¡¯t know how to make quilts or embroider,¡± gu zi remarked with a smile.

    in this era, many women excelled in needlework, which was considered their forte.

    receiving these items had stirred quite an emotional chord within gu zi. every stitch and thread symbolized the sincerity and blessings from her family. this sentiment was beyond monetary worth.

    blushing with pleasure at the praise, li hua responded, ¡°sister, you¡¯re really eloquent. i enjoy listening to you.¡±

    gu zi proposed, ¡°then, why don¡¯t you all stay for dinner tonight? brother and

    sister-in-law, help me prepare some food.¡±

    she preemptively offered, hoping to spare them any embarrassment and make it harder for them to decline.

    lin cheng and li hua headed to the kitchen to assist. one lit the fire while the other began to select the vegetables.

    observant as ever, lin hun noticed the low stack of firewood in the kitchen. he asked gu zi for a basket and went outside to collect more firewood.

    su bing and su li eagerly pitched in, returning soon with a substantial basket brimming with dried branches.

    gu zi took charge as the head chef in the bustling kitchen. the aroma of braised pork filled one pot, while chicken soup simmered gently in another. adjacent to these, a pot sizzled with plum blossoms used for stir-frying vegetables.

    ¡°woof! woof! woof!¡±

    suddenly, amidst the activities, a frantic series of barks echoed from big yellow in the courtyard, startling gu zi.

    big yellow, usually composed, rarely sounded such alarmed barks. its urgent calls indicated an imminent danger.

    as she rushed outside, lin hun, su bing, and su li stood up.

    lin hun said, ¡°sister-in-law, trouble¡¯s brewing. a man claiming to be from the tian family insists you return his son¡¯s leg.¡±

    gu zi immediately recognized that tian hai¡¯s family had come looking for her.

    she wondered, ¡°wasn¡¯t this resolved as su shen said?¡±

    urging su bing and su li to stay inside with lele, she ventured out alongside lin hun and lin cheng.

    since the door hadn¡¯t been locked, upon stepping outside, the group outside had already forced their way into the courtyard.

    as gu zi emerged, she spotted a familiar figure swiftly blending into the crowd, disappearing from sight.

    there wasn¡¯t time to dwell on the mysterious figure. she felt an odd sense of unease and fear.

    big yellow continued to bark incessantly but was restrained.

    the leader of the intruders brandished a hefty stick and charged straight toward gu zi.

    ¡°you¡¯re that vixen, right? how dare you instigate su shen to hurt my son¡¯s leg?

    damn it, return it to him!¡±

    the man, roughly 50 years old, bore a resemblance to tian hai. agitated, he raised his club to strike.

    in the face of this aggression, lin hun and lin cheng refused to stand idly by while someone bullied gu zi.

    ¡°you old scoundrel!¡± lin hun barked, seizing the man¡¯s arm. his voice dripped with fury. ¡°you dare lay a hand on a woman! who do you think you are?¡±

    lin hun wasn¡¯t one to shy away from confrontation. with his rough edges and fearsome reputation, he was the village tough guy of little lin village.

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    he had heard rumors about tian hai¡¯s past actions. tian hai wasn¡¯t a decent person. not only did he flirt with women recklessly, but he also aimed to tarnish gu zits reputation.

    back then, no matter how much he loved li hua, he had never bullied her or ruined her reputation.

    he was angry that she chose lin cheng over him. this was also the reason why he always bullied lin cheng, but he would never strike a woman.

    unlike tian hai, a coward, who, after being confronted by su shen, sought his father to intimidate a woman.

    observing this person about to strike his sister, lin cheng positioned himself in front of gu zi. typically quiet, his eyes burned red as he faced these people who harbored malicious intent..

 Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Fighting

    chapter 175: fighting

    translator: endlessfantasy translation       editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°you can voice your grievances, but if you try anything, we won¡¯t allow it!¡± declared lin cheng firmly. he might not have many skills, but he possessed the physical strength honed through years of farm labor since childhood. he had never lost a fight.

    that was why, despite the lin family¡¯s previous poverty, few dared to bully lin miao. lin cheng had been trained to defend lin miao, and now, he was ready to use that strength to protect his biological sister.

    ¡°if you¡¯re going to attack, bring it on. i won¡¯t back down today!¡± tian hai¡¯s father spoke as he swung the club once more. his two companions joined in the assault.

    lin cheng and lin hun exchanged a knowing smile and retaliated. despite being outnumbered, they held their ground well.

    three men stood behind tian hai¡¯s father, hesitating to engage but glaring fiercely at gu zi.

    li hua stepped forward, pulling gu zi back and positioning herself by her side. ¡°sister, don¡¯t worry. your brother can handle this.¡±

    gu zi felt a rush of apprehension; this was an unfamiliar and intimidating situation for her.

    she hadn¡¯t anticipated li hua, who usually appeared timid, to display such composed assurance amid the conflict.

    the commotion had drawn the attention of numerous villagers. amid the crowd, li zhu maneuvered his way to stand in front of gu zi and li hua.

    he shouted at the group, ¡°tian hai¡¯s disgraceful actions have already violated public laws and societal morals, insulting women and committing other illegal and criminal acts. please stop picking quarrels and causing trouble. otherwise, when brother shen returns, be prepared for tian hai to face legal consequences!¡±

    as soon as li zhu said this, tian hail s father and his lackeys halted their aggression. they said that they would not fight anymore and that they just wanted an explanation for the matter.

    tian hail s father recalled su shen¡¯s intentions to press charges against tian hai. su shen wasn¡¯t apprehensive about facing legal repercussions for assaulting tian hai.

    it was su jing¡¯s persistent pleas had spared tian hai from police involvement. however, influenced by others¡¯ provocations, tian hails father acted impulsively, seeking retribution against gu zi.

    realizing the repercussions, if he caused harm to gu zi, su shen might not spare the tian family from consequences.

    furthermore, facing these two big guys, they couldn¡¯t gain any advantage. instead, they ended up taking a few punches and kicks for nothing.

    lin cheng and lin hun released their hold and returned to gu zi¡¯s side, confronting the opposing group.

    gu zits courage swelled. she spoke icily, ¡°your son is involved with su jing and continues to pursue other women. he even attempted to defame me. if he hadn¡¯t cursed me in front of su shen and if su shen hadn¡¯t witnessed it, he wouldn¡¯t have struck tian hai.¡±

    the people outside the door sighed. they had long perceived tian hai as untrustworthy, despite su jing¡¯s fondness for him. when they initially heard about su shen nearly crippling tian hai¡¯s leg, it had stunned everyone.

    su shen had always been composed. although reserved, he seldom glared at people with fiery eyes.

    now they comprehended that tian hai, this despicable individual, had actually targeted gu zi. it was utterly repulsive.

    everyone also knew that earlier, aunt fang had been involved with tian hai and had tried to falselv accuse gil zi of mistreating sli ting-

    tian hai¡¯s father understood his son¡¯s nature all too well. put bluntly, tian hai resembled his younger self. he believed they hadn¡¯t done anything wrong; it was these women who couldn¡¯t resist his son¡¯s allure.

    it was just that gu zi knew how to pretend. if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that su shen was richer, wouldn¡¯t she have been slept with by his son?

    he insinuated, ¡°if you hadn¡¯t seduced my son, would he have paid you any attention?¡±

    gu zi scoffed, ¡°i grew up in a military compound. i have standards far beyond what you imply. why wouldn¡¯t i value a decent man like su shen, and instead get involved with your useless son? merely being a woman in your eyes equates to seduction? then why don¡¯t you all go live on another planet?¡±

    tian hai¡¯s father quivered with rage. in her eyes, his only beloved son was nothing more than trash!

    the others from the tian family found themselves speechless, unable to formulate a response.

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    the villagers outside the courtyard erupted into applause and cheers. it was evident that the tian family was capitalizing on su shen¡¯s absence to unleash their fury on gu zi.

    little did they know, encountering gu zi¡¯s family turned out to be an unfortunate coincidence for them. even if they couldn¡¯t triumph, they still insisted they couldn¡¯t lose¡ªa rather ludicrous stance.

    tian hail s father held it in for a long time before he finally said, ¡°you¡­ you¡¯re simply irrational. my son isn¡¯t as awful as you portray!¡±

    gu zi furrowed her brow, assessing him with a cold disdain evident on her otherwise beautiful face.

    in that moment, the onlookers grasped that gu zi¡¯s usual friendliness stemmed from her being a kind-hearted person and offering respect. however, they now understood she wasn¡¯t weak nor easily intimidated..

 Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Compensation

    chapter 176: compensation

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    in truth, when gu zi became serious, others couldn¡¯t hope to match her stature, even if they climbed to a higher position.

    her figure and appearance were far beyond lowering herself to seduce tian hai ¡ªit was clearly his own initiative.

    ¡°i was being polite when i called him trash. trash can still be useful when picked up. your son¡¯s value is so pitifully low that even the first use is worthless, let alone any prospect of recycling. you may not see what kind of person he is, but others certainly can,¡± gu zi remarked with finality, eliciting pointing and murmurs from the crowd.

    many found gu zi¡¯s words undeniably true. tian hai might seem presentable as a city dweller, but apart from that, he appeared to lack significant worth.

    this realization made some people reconsider their envy toward su jing for having a boyfriend from the city. at this moment, they realized that merely being a city dweller held little actual value.

    tian hai¡¯s father found her words particularly cutting, and though he wanted to retaliate, the widespread agreement from the villagers made him momentarily apprehensive.

    this was daqing village. if the villagers sided with gu zi, he couldn¡¯t afford to further incite public discord.

    however, he couldn¡¯t simply leave without compensation. he insisted, ¡°i don¡¯t care about this. i know i can¡¯t win against you. but since this matter started because of you and your reliance on su shen¡¯s influence, you have to compensate our tian family with 800 yuan!¡±

    the others accompanying him eagerly supported this demand as soon as they heard it.

    despite being relatives and friends of tian hai, their motivation to come was solely fueled by the expectation of extracting money from the su family.

    the moment tian hai¡¯s father requested money, the tension spiked once again.

    lin cheng, lin hun, and li zhu positioned themselves protectively in front of

    this time, gu zi wasn¡¯t afraid. earlier, su bing had brought big yellow out and handed the leash to gu zi.

    that gesture made gu zi realize how much she had been rattled by the preceding commotion. she had completely forgotten about big yellow. she grasped the dog¡¯s leash and stepped forward, standing before the three men. big yellow advanced, barking fiercely at the tian family members opposite, intimidating them into repeated retreat.

    ¡°are you intending to set the dog on us? you vicious woman!¡± tian hai¡¯s father¡¯s voice quivered with agitation.

    gu zi smiled and responded, ¡°negotiations require equal strength. you brought so many people to cause trouble at my home, but i can¡¯t have a dog guard against it?¡± she then added, ¡°i¡¯m willing to compensate, but let¡¯s settle the bill now.¡±

    father tian was left flabbergasted, unable to figure out how to proceed.

    ¡°i won¡¯t admit it, ¡± he retorted, thinking himself clever. ¡°your side was involved in the fight too. i won¡¯t admit it!¡±

    gu zi countered, ¡°i won¡¯t insist on that, but you must return the money su jing took from the su family to aid the tian family. according to su shen¡¯s calculation, 1,000 yuan isn¡¯t unreasonable. your demand for 800 yuan is exaggerated, but i¡¯ll let it pass. nevertheless, you still owe the su family 200 yuan!¡±

    as soon as these words were said, everyone despised the tian family even more. they had long heard that tian hai wandered around the city all day and did not have a proper job. so it was true.

    he and su jing were apparently reliant on su shen¡¯s money for survival. they

    didn¡¯t lcnnw how tn he orntpflll and pvpn wanted tn  rhpn¡¯q wife tf he

    hadn¡¯t faced repercussions, who would have stopped him?

    gu zi¡¯s reasoning was indeed clear. even in this situation, she still sought repayment of the money owed. it was evident that she was a scholar.

    tian hai¡¯s father couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer. not only was he not being paid, but now there was a demand for the return of the money! this woman was truly unyielding.

    ¡°that money was voluntarily given by su jing to tian hai,¡± he declared loudly.

    ¡°why should we repay it just because you demand it?¡±

    ¡°su jing is a part of the su family. i have no objection to using su shen¡¯s money.

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    if tian hai were to openly marry su jing and declare it¡¯s for the family¡¯s support, i wouldn¡¯t object. but tian hai hasn¡¯t married her yet, and he¡¯s already asking her to support his family? that¡¯s unacceptable!¡± gu zi¡¯s words were articulate and her tone forthright. despite not being loud, everyone heard her clearly.

    it dawned on everyone that sister-in-law fang¡¯s accusations against gu zi were baseless. gu zi didn¡¯t treat su jing as an outsider. in fact, she seemed genuinely invested in helping su jing change for the better¡ªa truly good sister-in-law.

    tian hai¡¯s father was left speechless, his anger evident as his chest heaved up and down.

    just as he struggled for a response, someone shouted, ¡°isn¡¯t that su jing? su jing is here!¡±

    despite gu zi¡¯s intentions being for su jing¡¯s benefit, many suspected that su jing¡¯s naivety might not allow her to appreciate gu zi¡¯s efforts..

 Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Sister

    chapter 177: sister-in-law joining hands

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    if these events had unfolded in reality, it would have been more captivating than any drama. everyone was eagerly anticipating the outcome.

    when tian hai¡¯s father recognized that it was indeed su jing, he felt a surge of confidence.

    no matter how clever gu zi might be, it wouldn¡¯t matter. as long as su jing remained by his son¡¯s side, she would side with the tian family.

    she didn¡¯t want them to pay her back, so why would they need to pay her back? she could also take the opportunity to teach this gu zi a lesson.

    ¡°if you still wish to marry into the tian family, talk kindly and regain my respect!¡± he whispered to su jing.

    others from the tian family also murmured to sow discord. ¡°this woman is acting like a tyrant in your home. if you don¡¯t stand up to her, your brother will likely cast you out of the su family.¡±

    su jing responded and continued approaching gu zi. the members of the tian family wore smug smiles.

    the onlookers held their breaths, eagerly waiting to see how su shen would intervene if su jing and gu zi got into a confrontation.

    this incident was sure to become the hottest topic in the village for the year. the spectators were thrilled to be witness to this unfolding drama.

    lin cheng and the others were perplexed as su jing approached them. they couldn¡¯t possibly lay a hand on a woman, could they?

    in that moment, li hua gathered her courage and stood by gu zi. she said to

    gu zi, ¡°sister, don¡¯t worry. i¡¯m here for you!¡±

    ¡°thank you, sister-in-law, but she probably won¡¯t do anything foolish,¡± gu zi reassured li hua.

    observing su jing, gu zi noticed an unusual calmness in her demeanor today, a sense of rationality she hadn¡¯t seen before.

    in matters of love, women often lost their rationality, sinking deeper into emotional complexities.

    gu zi wanted to help su jing get out of it and asked su shen to give her a chance.

    she had chosen her own path. gu zi didn¡¯t seek pity, nor did she anticipate gratitude from su jing.

    she just didn¡¯t want to see a woman sacrifice herself for love, only to be betrayed countless times in return.

    su jing lifted her gaze towards gu zi and then turned her head, pointing accusingly at the tian family members with a cold tone.

    ¡°what my sister-in-law says is right. your family lives off my money. tian hai doesn¡¯t work but uses my money for his indiscretions. i¡¯ve seen through your schemes now. regarding tian hai¡¯s leg, the doctor said it can recover. i¡¯ll cover the medical expenses, but you have to repay the money you owe to my family.

    not a cent less!¡±

    su jing felt that she was really muddle-headed in the past. even on her way here, she was torn between which side to take.

    however, hearing gu zi¡¯s words in the midst of the crowd made her realize that gu zi didn¡¯t aim to push her out of the su family. she didn¡¯t have much independence yet and still relied on her brother. she couldn¡¯t break ties with the su family due to a worthless man.

    in truth, she had noticed tian hai¡¯s misconduct before, but she avoided confronting the truth. now, she couldn¡¯t deny the disappointment she harbored towards him.

    most importantly, her brother had spoken to her, and all the household funds were now handed over to gu zi. if she persisted, she would gain nothing. after contemplating for a few days, she chose not to become adversaries with

    ¡°you, you guys¡­¡± tian hai¡¯s father was left speechless and shaking with anger, pointing at su jing in disbelief. he didn¡¯t expect su jing, this idiot, to suddenly turn to her family.

    the tian family and the spectators were stunned, perplexed by su jing¡¯s sudden shift in behavior. they had anticipated a showdown between the sisters-in-law but were instead witnessing the su family¡¯s sisters-in-law uniting.

    while this turn of events could still spark conversation, it wasn¡¯t as scandalous as a su family dispute. their hopes for drama dissipated, and they felt suddenly disheartened.

    gu zi regarded su jing with an approving smile. only a smart person knew how to adapt to the development of the situation.

    she hadn¡¯t expected su jing to rectify her error. it was a splendid turnaround!

    not only did the tian family¡¯s ill intentions falter, but the villagers eager for a spectacle from the su family were silenced.

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    with the crowd gathered to witness, gu zi understood that the villagers weren¡¯t genuinely concerned about her; they were there for the spectacle.

    eyeing tian hai¡¯s father and his group, gu zi addressed them firmly. ¡°aren¡¯t you leaving? oh, and don¡¯t forget about returning the 200 yuan.¡±

    as she finished speaking, she pretended to loosen the dog leash suddenly. startled, the tian family members fled in a panic.

    gu zi didn¡¯t actually release the leash entirely; with so many bystanders, allowing the dog to run freely might cause more trouble if it startled or bit

    someone..

 Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: A Real Man

    chapter 178: a real man

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the troublemakers were intimidated by big yellow and swiftly scattered away. the crowd realized the spectacle was over and dispersed as well.

    tian hai¡¯s father and his group dashed away, finally stopping far enough to catch their breath after making sure the fierce tibetan mastiff didn¡¯t chase after them.

    exhausted and humiliated, they had neither the money nor their dignity.

    they¡¯d hoped for su jing¡¯s aid, only for her to switch sides. the sight of tian hai¡¯s father irritated them further.

    a young man stepped forward and kicked tian hai¡¯s father into the mud. despite his attempts, tian hai¡¯s father couldn¡¯t get up. he ended up lying there in disgrace.

    ¡°you promised profits, and we¡¯re left with bruises. if you don¡¯t compensate for our injuries today, i¡¯ll break your legs too!¡± the young man¡¯s threat echoed, and the others rallied behind him.

    ¡°give us what we came for, or face the consequences!¡±

    the troublemakers, led by tian hails father and his companions, were intimidated by the dogs and swiftly scattered away. the crowd realized the spectacle was over and dispersed as well.

    tian hai¡¯s father and his group dashed away, finally stopping far enough to catch their breath, making sure the fierce tibetan mastiff didn¡¯t chase after them.

    exhausted and humiliated, they had neither the money nor their dignity.

    they¡¯d hoped for su jing¡¯s aid, only for her to switch sides. the sight of tian hai¡¯s father irritated them further.

    a young man stepped forward and kicked tian hails father into the mud.

    despite his attempts, tian hai¡¯s father couldn¡¯t get up, lying there in disgrace.

    ¡°you promised profits, and we¡¯re left with bruises. if you don¡¯t compensate for our injuries today, i¡¯ll break your legs too!¡± the young man¡¯s threat echoed, and the others rallied behind him.

    ¡°give us what we came for, or face the consequences!¡±

    ¡°why don¡¯t you head back and bring the money? or we¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t walk!¡±

    tian hail s father, wallowing in the mud, pointed at the young man with teary eyes, pleading, ¡°how can you do this? i¡¯m your uncle!¡±

    the group surrounding tian hail s father mainly consisted of tian hails regular companions, so their lack of moral integrity was somewhat expected.

    yet, the surprising blow came from his own nephew, striking him with an unexpected intensity. in that moment, tian hai¡¯s father couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of ill fortune crashing upon him.

    the young man, in a display of vehement anger, spat out his words sharply, ¡°damn your uncle. do you think an old thug like you deserves respect? go back and fetch my money! ¡±

    ¡°no! it¡¯s all because of those two old fools from chu xi¡¯s family. otherwise, i wouldn¡¯t be here!¡± determined, he marched back, intending to confront them.

    meanwhile, li zhu overheard tian hai¡¯s father¡¯s words from a distance as he followed.

    it struck him as odd; su shen had supposedly resolved the issue, so why were the tians still causing trouble?

    so it was those two old people instigating from behind the scenes.

    li zhu turned back to the su family, pondering the situation. shortly after, a police car arrived, and officers apprehended tian hail s father and his companions.

    ¡°you and tian hai are suspected of engaging in hooliganism. please cooperate and come with us for questioning!¡±

    in those times, the penalties for such criminal acts were severe. should one be found guilty of orchestrating hooliganism, they could face more than seven years of imprisonment.

    faced with the police, the culprits lacked the audacity to act insolently; their only solace was to hope that su shen wouldn¡¯t press charges against them.

    after tian hai¡¯s father and his associates departed, su jing promptly took action. she alerted the authorities and left for the city in a police vehicle.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t comprehend why su jing hadn¡¯t completely severed ties with tian hai yet, but she refrained from commenting on it.

    in the living room, li hua diligently applied medicine to lin cheng¡¯s wounds, while lin hun tended to his own injuries. others might not understand why li hua held such admiration for lin cheng, but she alone knew that her man possessed true courage and integrity.

    observing the scene before her, gu zi felt a deep sense of contentment. being safeguarded and supported by her family was an incredibly gratifying feeling.

    ¡°brother lin, i see you as my true elder brother now and forever,¡± said lin hun.

    initially, he had aimed to secure a position in the breeding farm through lin cheng and serve under su shen. however, he had come to realize that the man he once belittled as a servant to his sister and wife was, in fact, a resolute and honorable individual.

    after lin cheng, lin hun, and li hua finished tending to their injuries, they busied themselves cleaning up the courtyard.

    meanwhile, gu zi set the table with the prepared dishes and called everyone to gather for the meal.

    in the midst of the meal, li zhu returned and shared what he had witnessed earlier.

    gu zi suddenly recalled glimpsing chu xi¡¯s father-in-law lurking around when the tian family had arrived. it all made sense now.

    li zhu said, ¡°i just came in and saw those two old people hiding beside the house. should i go and get them?¡±

    gu zi shook his head. ¡°ignore them for now. you should stay for dinner.¡±

    gu zi, considering the potential consequences, advised against it. she believed it was wiser to let them be for now rather than risk any further complications.

    she had a better idea. she didn¡¯t want to waste time looking for them.

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    li zhu looked at the delicious spread on the table and couldn¡¯t move his legs.

    after dinner, lin cheng, li zhu and lin hun returned to little lin village.

    when su shen and jin long received the urgent news and hurried back home, gu zi was just about to head upstairs.

    earlier that day, jin long and gu zi had traveled a considerable distance to the water source. the urgency of the situation prompted su shen to speed his return.

    despite taking motion sickness medicine, jin long still felt nauseous and vomited several times during the journey. upon arriving and seeing that everything was resolved without incident, jin long couldn¡¯t help but feel his earlier discomfort had been for naught.

 Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Discussion

    chapter 179: discussion

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    jin long said, ¡°you two carry on, i¡¯m heading back to lie down.¡±

    he didn¡¯t feel like engaging with his ¡°fake-brother,¡± su shen, and after exchanging a brief greeting with gu zi, he left.

    su shen was preoccupied and didn¡¯t have time to attend to him. after checking

    gu zi over and ensuring she wasn¡¯t injured, he affirmed, ¡°i won¡¯t let the tian

    family ott the hook.¡±

    su li rushed over to inform su shen, ¡°dad, those people were fierce and wanted to hurt mom. uncle lin cheng and the others protected her.¡±

    su shen ruffled his son¡¯s hair, and gu zi also embraced su le, saying, ¡°su li, you¡¯re very good, and su bing is very capable too. he protected me as well.¡±

    su bing blushed at the praise. he felt it wasn¡¯t much protection; he had simply brought big yellow to her. their mom was exaggerating.

    su shen said, ¡°you¡¯re all the best. go to bed quickly; i¡¯ll buy you gifts tomorrow.¡±

    the brothers happily turned off the tv and went upstairs. gu zi handed su le over to su shen and went to the kitchen to reheat the dishes for him.

    she was still wondering why su jing had been so supportive today. it turned out that su shen was considerate enough to have a conversation with su jing beforehand.

    from her recent discussion with su shen, she learned that him handing her control over the household finances had an additional layer of intention.

    if su jing had any sense left, upon finding out that gu zi was in charge of the money, she would realize the futility of going against her. he was alleviating the pressure in their sister-in -law relationship and resolving the root of the issue.

    gu zi prepared the dishes, and she made two heart-shaped fried eggs for su shen as he had a hearty appetite, and two eggs were just right.

    su shen said, ¡°i¡¯m sorry i couldn¡¯t rush back in time. i¡¯ll thank lin cheng for protecting you and apologize to uncle lin and aunt lin. it¡¯s unbelievable that someone would dare to bully you at home.¡±

    gu zi served him some food and replied, ¡°you¡¯ve been busy with work. how could i blame you? some things are just unforeseeable.¡±

    she informed su shen about the mischief that chu xi¡¯s in-laws had been up to behind the scenes.

    su shen stated, ¡°i¡¯ll handle this matter.¡±

    gu zi nodded; she truly didn¡¯t want to face those two unreasonable and scheming old people.

    at this moment, su le was feeling sleepy, so su shen said, ¡°take the child upstairs. i¡¯ll wash the dishes.¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t hesitate; she carried the child upstairs, gave su le a quick wash and changed her clothes before lulling her to sleep. then she went to take a shower herself.

    looking at her graceful figure in the mirror, she reminisced about the day¡¯s events in the office.

    su shen¡¯s kiss had enthralled her. he even touched her chest and slipped his hand between her thighs. at that moment, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble.

    it was an unprecedented, exquisite experience of pleasure. if su shen hadn¡¯t been interrupted, would he have continued further?

    she patted her face, telling herself she shouldn¡¯t dwell on it, stopped looking at the mirror, and swiftly finished her shower before coming out.

    in order to calm her mind and prevent herself from overthinking, she read a book for a while. when she was ready to sleep, she suddenly remembered the new bed sheets and duvets that lin cheng and the others had brought for the new house. should she tell su shen about it?

    regardless, it was their new home, and they should discuss how to decorate it.

    she walked out and knocked on su shen¡¯s door. he opened the door with damp hair.

    he had just finished showering, casually dressed in a blue pajama shirt, water droplets trickling down his jawline and neck, faintly revealing his chest muscles.

    gu zi felt her lips dry up as she averted her gaze and said, ¡°shall we discuss the new decoration for the master bedroom?¡±

    su shen made space and invited her in. the room was filled with a subtle fragrance, much like the scent of a man.

    shen following suit.

    he asked, ¡°i¡¯ll have the main bedroom decorated soon. what style do you like?¡±

    gu zi replied, ¡°something festive. today, my brother and the others brought bed sheets and duvets for the bed. i think we should use those for the bed.¡±

    su shen nodded, ¡°i¡¯ll arrange for the rest and mainly focus on the style you prefer.¡±

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    he believed that it was most important that gu zi liked the decorations. but the fact that she was willing to discuss it with him made him quite pleased.

    gu zi stood up and said, ¡°that¡¯s settled then. you should rest early too and take care of yourself.¡±

    recently, su shen had been quite occupied with the pig farm¡¯s affairs. there were times when she noticed him leaving home very late.

    her voice was tender and caring, and her eyes reflected concern. su shen¡¯s stern face softened a bit.

    he didn¡¯t say anything, choosing not to advise her to sleep early. instead, he gazed at her, causing her cheeks to suddenly flush..

 Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Sleeping Together

    chapter 180: sleeping together

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi lowered her gaze slightly, not daring to meet his eyes. she even forgot that she was supposed to return to her room. ¡°su shen, let me dry your hair.¡±

    men tended to be a bit rough in certain aspects, like not bothering to dry their hair properly after washing it.

    su shen handed her a towel and sat down, allowing her to towel-dry his hair.

    her movements were light and skilled, quickly drying his hair halfway through.

    she stood between his legs with a towel in her hand, thinking that there was no reason for her to stay any longer.

    emotions swirled darkly in su shen¡¯s eyes. unable to hold back any longer, he abruptly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her fiercely.

    however, soon after, his biting actions softened unconsciously, as if handling the most precious treasure.

    gu zi responded eagerly, feeling content. she realized she had been overthinking¡ªafter all, they were dating, so why wouldn¡¯t there be a reason to stay a little longer?

    his deep voice softly called out her name, pushing her down onto the bed, his hand slipping beneath her clothing to explore her skin.

    su shen¡¯s hands were broad, warm, and with a slight roughness in the palms, yet they brought her a sense of comfort as they touched her soft skin.

    when their lips and tongues intertwined, he moved down and kissed her neck and collarbone.

    gu zi¡¯s long lashes quivered as she gazed up, pressing herself closer against him, her breaths becoming erratic.

    the potent masculine scent enveloped her, momentarily causing a rush of panic. would she appear unkempt in this state? her lovely lips parted slightly, and her body tensed.

    sensing her unease, su shen released his grip on her and kissed her lips once more.

    ¡°xiao zi, you¡¯re stunning and delightful. i adore you just the way you are,¡± he reassured her.

    gu zits anxious heart eased a bit at his words. she looked at su shen through tearv eves.

    yet he hadn¡¯t removed anything. in that instant, she found an unexpected surge of courage and reached out, clutching his shirt, as if wanting to unbutton it.

    su shen comprehended her desire. wasn¡¯t she longing for his physique the most?

    he emitted a mischievous chuckle. ¡°don¡¯t worry, i¡¯ll undress for you.¡±

    as he spoke, he pressed the woman down, kissing her deeply. with one hand, he deftly undid the buttons of his shirt, swiftly discarding it, revealing his captivatingly chiseled muscles that stirred a fiery allure.

    his gaze reddened slightly as he pressed her against the bed.

    gu zi¡¯s pupils dilated, a hint of fear creeping in. she had anticipated the man¡¯s skill, but his intensity surprised her.

    his touch urged her to writhe, a desire to scream in the most alluring way.

    she dared not dwell on such thoughts. if he harbored no underlying ailment, could he truly render her bedridden?

    noticing her distraction, su shen intensified the strength of his kisses and caresses, asserting a domineering sense of intrusion.

    ¡°focus,¡± he reminded her in a hoarse voice.

    at his words, she drew back. a gossamer strand linked their lips, lending a sense of intimacy tinged with peculiarity.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t predict his next move. she closed her eyes in apprehension, yet there was an undeniable anticipation for what he might do next.

    she closed her eyes, softly panting as the sensations settled. suddenly, her body felt lighter as the man got off the bed. ¡°don¡¯t worry, i won¡¯t cross that line before the wedding,¡± he assured.

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    as she opened her eyes, he had already left. gu zi glanced at her disheveled state and bit her lip. he had shown concern by not going too far. in that moment, she wasn¡¯t sure if she felt relieved or disappointed.

    gu zi tidied herself up and returned to her room. the bathroom was vacant, indicating he must have gone downstairs. she grabbed fresh underwear but found it damp; she didn¡¯t dare inspect it closely.

    emerging from the bathroom, she heard a knock. su shen was at the door, asking, ¡°can i sleep here with you tonight?¡±

    opening the door slightly, the man entered. seeking to embrace her for the night, he nestled in beside her.

    gu zi safeguarded su le beside her and shielded her with her hands. once su shen got into bed, he wrapped his arms around her waist, providing a comforting and secure sensation..

 Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Morning Kiss

    chapter 181: morning kiss

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi awoke feeling exceptionally rested that night. surprisingly, she hadn¡¯t kicked off the blanket in her sleep, although she couldn¡¯t recall how many times the man had covered her throughout the night.

    ¡°su shen, did you rest well last night?¡± she lay still upon waking, sensing the warmth of his breath beside her, causing her body to tense involuntarily.

    glancing sideways, she observed him under the soft, dim light. the man rested on his arm, lost in thought.

    his hands, dry and slender, displayed distinct joints and visible veins on their backs.

    meeting gu zi¡¯s gaze, he swiftly rose and pinned her down, reaching out to tilt her chin with his slightly rough fingers, sending a tingling sensation through her.

    ¡°you slept soundly,¡± he replied, before leaning in to nervously claim her slightly parted lips. his forceful intrusion with his tongue conveyed an untamed fervor, as if he sought to steal her breath away.

    the intensity of that morning kiss couldn¡¯t be denied, especially with a child peacefully sleeping nearby.

    ¡°lele,¡± she gasped as she held back her panting and pressed against his chest.

    ¡°she¡¯s sleeping soundly,¡± the man said. ¡°keep your voice down.¡±

    after saying that, he continued to kiss her. his large hand caressed her. a warm current spread from her legs. she seemed to be more and more responsive.

    gu zi¡¯s hand, initially resisting, gradually weakened its hold.

    after a prolonged moment, he released gu zi from his embrace. ¡°try not to look at me like that in the mornings from now on,¡± he said, half-jokingly. ¡°i might end up skipping work.¡±

    gu zi nodded in understanding. as he dressed and freshened up, she touched her heated cheeks, reminiscing about the events of the previous day.

    discovering a kind of happiness with a man that had eluded her in her past life felt like it had been found in su shen.

    she realized that intimate relationships held a sweetness she hadn¡¯t experienced before. the interaction with a man seemed truly enchanting and wonderful to her.

    it dawned on gu zi why her childhood friend had relentlessly pursued finding a partner, despite her tumultuous relationships and frequent changes in boyfriends. her friend had a famous saying: ¡°i¡¯m wealthy anyway. even if i¡¯m not married by 50, i¡¯ll still be that little babe craving the care of a gentle guardian!¡±

    yet, gu zi sensed that she didn¡¯t need to seek out such a guardian; su shen was more than enough.

    su shen took charge of breakfast and even mimicked gu zi by preparing lunchboxes for their two children.

    as su bing and su li inspected the disheveled lunchboxes in their hands, they made a displeased expression. they adored their father dearly, but they preferred their mother¡¯s lunchboxes. hers were always impeccably crafted and heartwarmingly delightful.

    after her two sons finished breakfast and headed off to school, gu zi slowly carried lele downstairs. despite not going all out the previous night, the man¡¯s lingering effect still persisted, making her feel a bit tortured. she managed to catch some sleep before coming downstairs.

    su shen embraced her gently and planted a kiss on her cheek. ¡°breakfast is set in the dining room. i¡¯m heading out.¡±

    following their recent intimate connection, their bond had deepened. it made her reflect on the saying that to reach a woman¡¯s heart, one must first connect with her physically. for the first time, gu zi found truth in that sentiment.

    although su shen hadn¡¯t completely crossed that boundary with her, her sentiments toward him had noticeably changed. there seemed to be an intangible magnetic pull between them.

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    in the morning, there was a knock on the su family¡¯s door. gu zi saw a police officer and promptly answered.

    ¡°you must be comrade gu zi. this is the 200 yuan returned by the tian family. take it first. also, come with me.¡±

    as he spoke, he called out to the side, and chu xi¡¯s parents-in-law approached the door with trembling hands. reluctantly, they handed over a hundred yuan, hesitating to release it for quite some time.

    they hadn¡¯t anticipated the tian family¡¯s elderly member to be so powerless. not only did he fail to recover any money, but he was also taken to the police station.

    initially, the su family hadn¡¯t been eager to pursue the money that chu xi had embezzled. but now, it had all been returned. had they known earlier, they wouldn¡¯t have pushed the tian family to create such a commotion. gu zi accepted the 200 yuan from the officer and expressed her gratitude.

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: It Should Have Been Gu Zi

    chapter 182: it should have been gu zi

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°you should have returned this money long ago. are you still attempting to hold on?¡± gu zi¡¯s tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

    despite the reluctance of the elderly couple, they reluctantly handed over the 100 yuan to gu zi, pledging in front of the police that they wouldn¡¯t dare to cause any further trouble.

    after multiple warnings from the police, the men were finally allowed to leave. hopefully, the scare would keep them in check for a while.

    gu zi returned inside to resume preparing desserts. su li informed her about a food exhibition at the parent-child reading event scheduled for the next day.

    parents were encouraged to bring homemade or store-bought snacks to sell at the school.

    the money earned could be utilized by the child as they wished ¨C either for a toy gift bag provided by the school or as a donation to a hope primary school in a remote mountainous region, buying necessary books in the child¡¯s name.

    deciding to take part in the event, gu zi found it meaningful. it not only allowed the child to learn about financial responsibility but also fostered a sense of ownership.

    moreover, as someone who enjoyed cooking, she welcomed the opportunity to sell delicious food on such a great platform.

    at the gong family¡¯s city residence, gong zhan accompanied lin miao to select a new wedding dress, but her expression remained dissatisfied.

    throughout the process, she hadn¡¯t sensed gong zhan¡¯s genuine concern; it seemed he was simply going through the motions.

    observing lin miao¡¯s reticence, madam chen, gong zhan¡¯s mother, stepped in to comfort her. ¡°miaomiao, are you still upset with gong zhan? that boy can be a bit dense sometimes. just ignore him.¡±

    lin miao¡¯s mood lightened slightly upon seeing madam chen trying to ease her discomfort.

    but in reality, madam chen did not feel good about it either. in the past, gu zi never needed her coaxing nor caused her such trouble.

    given her status as the chief¡¯s wife for many years, she had to maintain her dignity.

    now, she had no choice but to lower her voice and coax lin miao for her son.

    juggling both ends, she couldn¡¯t afford to neglect the stability of the gu family. therefore, she allowed her son and lin miao to proceed with choosing the wedding dress, sticking to the original plan.

    but it was becoming apparent that lin miao¡¯s emotional control was lacking compared to gu zi. any negligence from gong zhan could easily provoke her.

    if there were future conflicts with gong zhan, it would bring disgrace to everyone, which was burdensome to madam chen.

    however, it was too late for them to regret now. they heard that gu zi and that country bumpkin¡¯s wedding date was approaching.

    she did not know what gu zi was thinking. was she really willing to be trapped in the countryside for the rest of her life?

    madam chen¡¯s unease only intensified the more she contemplated the situation. a sense of unease lingered in her thoughts.

    the ideal daughter-in-law for their family should have been gu zi.

    despite not being biologically related to the gu family, gu zi was the one engaged to gong zhan and had spent her formative years in the city.

    gu zi possessed beauty, education, and refinement¡ªqualities that had initially delighted madam chen when she was gong zhan¡¯s fianc¨¦e.

    it was a pity that there had been a mix-up at birth.

    gong xin returned home at noon from work and found gong zhan standing at the door. lin miao was also present, visibly unhappy as she glared at gong zhan before storming inside.

    accompanying lin miao in choosing a wedding dress, gong zhan was in a foul mood. only now did he realize that when gu zi had previously pestered him, he might have been annoyed, but he hadn¡¯t felt this low-spirited.

    he called out to gong xin with a cold expression. ¡°you¡¯ve been acting like you¡¯ve swallowed gunpowder since you returned yesterday. what¡¯s bothering you?¡±

    ¡°what¡¯s the matter? i just can¡¯t stand your behavior,¡± replied gong xin, turning around with a cold retort.

    gong zhan refused to listen, his temper flaring. ¡°explain yourself!¡±

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    gong xin glanced at him and then shifted his gaze to lin miao. ¡°isn¡¯t it evident enough? you two don¡¯t get along, so you went on to tarnish gu zi¡¯s reputation. now, the entire neighborhood is buzzing, claiming that gu zi slandered lin

    miao. hmph, was it really slander?¡±

    gong zhan was momentarily speechless, but he quickly responded, ¡°i didn¡¯t say anything. why are you blaming me?¡±

    gong xin rolled his eyes in frustration. he couldn¡¯t match up to su shen at all.

    ¡°true, you didn¡¯t say anything. but don¡¯t you know how to clarify? gu zi has been acquainted with us for years.. gong zhan, what kind of man are you if you can¡¯t even stand up for your friend?¡±

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Amazing Culinary Skills

    chapter 183: amazing culinary skills

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gong xin had reached a breaking point with them, especially after witnessing gu zi¡¯s life in the countryside and seeing gu zi¡¯s fianc¨¦. only then did she realize how repulsive gong zhan and lin miao¡¯s actions were.

    instead of focusing on their own lives, they seemed to thrive on causing trouble for others and tarnishing their reputation.

    she was aware that all these rumors stemmed from lin miao, but did gong

    zhan not possess a voice of his own? was he content to let gu zi be slandered?

    she felt that it was right for gu zi to leave the city to marry su shen. it seemed like the right thing to do!

    observing her beloved daughter and son embroiled in a heated argument,

    madam chen was torn about whose side to take. she approached and pulled

    gong xin back, whispering, ¡°lin miao is still here. what are you both doing?!¡±

    gong zhan clenched his fists in anger. regardless of where he was, owing to his father¡¯s status, people treated him respectfully and sought to please him.

    even at home, being the only son, no matter how much his parents cherished gong xin, gong xin had never spoken to him in such a manner.

    but today, for an outsider like gu zi, gong xin seemed to disregard him entirely.

    he was completely infuriated. ¡°gong xin, since you don¡¯t treat me like a brother, don¡¯t call me your brother from now on!¡±

    he stormed into the room, forcefully slamming the door shut, causing the three women to startle. lin miao¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.

    ¡°i¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered softly. ¡°i shouldn¡¯t have come. i¡¯ll leave immediately.¡±

    madam chen felt a sense of dismay. why was everyone being so troublesome?

    however, gong xin¡¯s response was cold and harsh. ¡°you shouldn¡¯t have come here in the first place. lin miao, stop pretending to cry. your presence has brought nothing but misfortune upon us.¡±

    lin miao, consumed by anger, burst into tears and hastily fled from the gong family¡¯s residence. madam chen sat on the sofa, pressing her hand against her forehead in exasperation. she didn¡¯t go after lin miao; she felt too drained to do so.

    at daqing village¡¯s su family residence, su shen arrived home punctually for lunch, carrying the promised gifts for su bing and su li.

    it was two car-shaped pencil boxes. gu zi anticipated the joy the children would express upon seeing them. she knew these pencil boxes were considered a form of status symbol among kids in this era, a way to flaunt their possessions to classmates.

    observing a red box among the gifts, she inquired, ¡°what¡¯s this?¡±

    su shen handed her the box, revealing it contained liquor-filled chocolates, a trendy snack of the time.

    gu zi smiled faintly, acknowledging su shen¡¯s romantic gesture. his act of buying chocolates to appease her indicated his sincerity in their relationship.

    she opened the box. inside were twelve individually wrapped black cone-shaped chocolates. she picked one, unwrapped it, and took a bite. the outer layer was smooth chocolate, while the inside held a liquid with a subtle scent of alcohol.

    she nibbled and tasted the sweet liquid within.

    taking another one, she naturally offered it to su shen. without hesitation, he opened his mouth and playfully sucked on her fingertip, a gesture filled with suggestive ambiguity.

    gu zi felt a surge of sensation coursing through her body, prompting her to swiftly put away the chocolate. her face flushed, she stammered, ¡°wash your hands and have some. i¡¯ll go get lele.¡±

    su shen made his way to the dining room. today, only a portion of the table was occupied by food while the rest was adorned with an array of colorful snacks. these treats were elegantly packed in gift boxes crafted from banana leaves, presenting a visually tempting display.

    in the past, su shen hadn¡¯t been particularly drawn to sweet treats, but gu zi¡¯s passion for culinary experimentation intrigued him.

    whether it was main courses, desserts, or sweet soups, gu zi loved preparing them all.

    her desserts, unlike many others, weren¡¯t overly sweet. they held a refreshing quality that appealed even to those who typically avoided sugary dishes. both su shen and su bing found themselves eagerly looking forward to her creations.

    noticing su shen eyeing the snacks, gu zi informed him, ¡°these are all for sale at the school tomorrow. try this.¡±

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    she offered him a piece of taro cake. su shen took a bite, pleasantly surprised by its taste.

    the light purple pastry boasted a golden, crispy exterior while remaining tender within. it carried a delightful aroma of taro and bacon, offering a balanced savory flavor that impressed him.

    he lauded her efforts, setting down his chopsticks and complimenting, ¡®you¡¯re truly ingenious. you¡¯ve gone to great lengths for the children.¡±

    observing his fondness for the snacks, gu zi offered him another piece. she mentioned having prepared more and suggested he take some for the workers at the pig farm when he visited later. she meticulously packed portions separately for lin cheng and lin hun.

    su shen was hesitant, not wanting her to exert herself too much. however, acknowledging her genuine love for cooking, he chose not to voice his concerns.

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Guarding His Taro Cakes

    chapter 184: guarding his taro cakes

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    a tall and burly man was carrying two bamboo baskets covered with cloth. it was a peculiar sight that almost made passersby stumble.

    as people regained their senses, they realized it was su shen, the village¡¯s tough guy, prompting widened eyes all around.

    striding purposefully with the baskets his young wife had given him, he vanished from sight in no time.

    the cloth draped over the baskets was even more remarkable, adorned with dainty floral patterns and lace borders.

    it was utterly surprising to see those cloth-covered baskets in su shen¡¯s hands!

    the scene was simply too intriguing; it seemed mr. su had a soft side hidden deep within.

    upon reaching the pig farm, employees gazed in astonishment at su shen¡¯s arrival. they acknowledged his wife¡¯s adeptness in managing her husband!

    however, as soon as su shen¡¯s gaze swept over them, they quickly went about their own tasks.

    handing one basket to jin long for distribution, su shen carried the other into the office.

    jin long promptly followed suit. su shen had already divided the contents of the basket according to gu zit s instructions, placing several portions on his desk for a break-time snack when he got tired.

    the remaining pieces stayed untouched in the basket as su shen left it in the office, instructing jin long to inform lin cheng and others to collect them after work.

    having relished one piece earlier, jin long marveled at the delectable flavor of the taro cake. eyeing the ones on su shen¡¯s desk, he was ready to indulge once more.

    su shen caught a glimpse of his movements and quickly covered his taro cakes with something.

    jin long frowned. ¡°you¡¯re too stingy, nothing like my generous sister-in-law.¡±

    with a cold tone, su shen replied, ¡°hmm, not sharing.¡± at that moment, he was fiercely guarding his share.

    jin long retorted, ¡°alright, su shen, i¡¯ve got you marked. next time i see

    sister-in-law, i¡¯ll ask her to make me a plate!¡±

    having said his piece, jin long swiftly departed, refusing to give su shen any opportunity to retort.

    jin long slipped away without giving su shen any chance to meddle with him.

    in the afternoon, when the children returned from school, gu zi handed them the gifts su shen had bought. they were all very happy.

    su bing swiftly stowed away the blue car-shaped pencil case into the innermost compartment of his backpack.

    meanwhile, su li was captivated by his new gadget, incessantly showing it off to su le. his pencil case could automatically open and close¡ªtoo cool!

    it even had hidden compartments for segregating the eraser, ruler, and pencils, resembling a fighter jet within a pencil case.

    observing her older brothers with their new toys, su le looked on longingly.

    eventually, she turned away and went outside to sit beside big yellow, ignoring su li¡¯s attempts to call her back.

    it wasn¡¯t until su shen came home and lifted her up that she agreed to go inside, her little mouth calling out, ¡°daddy, daddy!¡± in a pleasing tone.

    su li followed suit into the house, leaving only big yellow behind, watching them with forlorn eyes, seemingly harboring a sense of resentment.

    when gu zi brought its dinner, big yellow finally wagged its tail, seeking to please gu zi by nuzzling against her leg.

    as if saying, ¡°only mom loves me the most!¡±

    later that night, su shen and gu zi slept on the same bed, but nothing embarrassing occurred. after su le fell asleep, they kissed each other for a long time.

    the following morning, gu zi woke up early to prepare breakfast and get things ready for school. by the time she woke up, su shen had already left, mentioning that he had deliveries to make that day.

    ¡°is gu zi up? i¡¯m here to pick up lele,¡± zhang cuihua¡¯s voice echoed from outside the courtyard.

    gu zi had visited zhang¡¯s house last night to ask mrs. zhang for help in looking after su le. surprisingly, before gu zi could send the child over, mrs. zhang had arrived.

    guzi quickly opened the door and said, ¡°lele hasn¡¯t woken up yet. would you mind carrying her over? also, here¡¯s the porridge lele wanted for breakfast. there isn¡¯t much left, but it¡¯s enough to share with your grandson.¡±

    mrs. zhang carefully held onto lele and accepted the food prepared by gu zi, noticing that gu zi had also packed some snacks for her grandson.

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    mrs. zhang felt gu zi was being overly polite, but knowing she couldn¡¯t convince her otherwise, she planned to return the favor by bringing some vegetables from her garden when gu zi came back.

    taking su le with her as the morning light dawned, mrs. zhang swiftly departed. su bing and su li finished breakfast at lightning speed and rode their bikes to school.

    today, their beautiful mother was going to attend their school event. now, they had a mother too!

    gu zi wasted no time either. she loaded everything into the small bamboo-woven cart, dressed appropriately, and slung her bag across her shoulder.

    she had to take a bus to the city and then go to the school. with so many things to carry, it was the only way she could manage to carry everything..

 Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Beautiful Mother

    chapter 185: beautiful mother

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the elementary school was named chenglong elementary, situated on the border between the urban area and the suburbs. behind the school, there stretched a patch of farmland that formed a picturesque backdrop.

    after leaving the bus station, gu zi walked for ten minutes before reaching the school. the school gate wasn¡¯t extensive, roughly about the width of six thin individuals walking side by side.

    outside the gate, an elderly person was selling traditional ice pops, attracting a fair number of students.

    wiping the sweat from her forehead, she bought one of the ice pops to enjoy. they cost five cents each and tasted refreshingly sweet, devoid of any artificial flavoring¡ªclean and crisp.

    it held the taste of nostalgic memories, a sense of enduring happiness.

    finishing the ice pop, gu zi continued pushing her small cart forward. a few steps past the gate and she could almost see the entire school.

    on the left stood noticeboards and a map wall displaying the national and world maps along with several posters.

    behind the noticeboards were two-story teaching buildings, with a standalone structure perpendicular to them designated for staff offices. opposite stood a small shop and two table tennis tables made of side-by-side stone blocks.

    between the store and the teaching building lay the playground and the flag-raising platform, marked with white lines on the ground.

    to the right lay a rather rudimentary 200 -meter track, with some outdoor climbing equipment along its edge and a row of lush mango trees.

    it might have seemed quite basic, but in those times, the school¡¯s facilities were already considered relatively good.

    today was the school¡¯s activity day, with many parents and children relaxing under the shade of the mango trees. gu zi remembered su li mentioning that the snack sale was taking place there.

    pushing the cart, she attracted a lot of attention as several gazes followed her, some even tracking her movement from afar. dressed in a pristine white blouse paired with an a-line long umbrella skirt, she wore a vivid red hat, radiating a bright and elegant charm, becoming the most striking figure among the parents.

    secret murmurs circulated, certain that she was someone¡¯s older sister, not the mother ¨C after all, where could such a beautiful mother exist?

    under a mango tree, su bing and su li had secured their spots, eagerly awaiting their mother¡¯s arrival. however, they were besieged by several annoying students who had lingered there to watch the brothers¡¯ humiliation.

    ¡°why is your mom so late? haha!¡± jeered the lead student.

    ¡°must be some shady business going on at their place, making money and flaunting new clothes, new bags, and dining lavishly,¡± remarked another.

    ¡°su li even said his mom makes fruit preserves, hilarious! such an expensive thing, could she make it casually?¡±

    laughter erupted among the students as su bing chose to ignore them. as long as they didn¡¯t resort to violence, he wouldn¡¯t engage with their taunts. meanwhile, su li hoped that once their mother arrived, their mockery would cease.

    as he thought about it, he lifted his gaze and indeed spotted the awaited figure approaching them. a gentle breeze whisked through the sunlight, causing the beautiful skirt to sway like a blossoming flower. waving at them, she attracted the attention of the students who had mocked su bing. ¡°wow, where did this gorgeous lady come from?¡±

    ¡®maybe she¡¯s an actress from tv? did the school invite her?¡±

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    ¡°she¡¯s even pushing a bamboo cart! it feels like a scene from a fairy tale come to life.¡±

    more and more students and parents began heading in their direction, instantly bolstering su li¡¯s confidence.

    despite his small stature, he gently maneuvered past the students who had mocked them, asserting, ¡°move, you¡¯re blocking my mom¡¯s way!¡±

    the students who had teased the su brothers earlier were left agape ¡ª had a motherly angel fallen from the heavens for the su brothers?

    others were equally astonished ¨C these two motherless children suddenly had a mother, and she was the most beautiful one!

 Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Gourmet Stall

    chapter 186: gourmet stall

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    ¡°mom, you¡¯re here!¡± su li deliberately raised his voice, fearing someone might not hear that she was his mother.

    gu zi sensed his intention and responded loudly. it was great to have a cautious su li, rather than someone involved in shady dealings. she vowed to put in effort to care for them, hoping they wouldn¡¯t tread the same paths as written in the novel.

    the classmates who had mocked them had quietly retreated into the crowd but hadn¡¯t gone far.

    there was a delightful fragrance emanating from the bamboo cart.

    su bing also called out ¡°mom,¡± but not as dramatically as su li. people around were still expecting to see what they would be selling. su bing assisted gu zi in setting up the stall, placing the exquisite delicacies on display.

    along the stall¡¯s edge were the names of the treats and hand-drawn illustrations, all prepared by gu zi overnight.

    there were red bean coconut cakes, taro cakes, mala cakes, grass jelly, sweet potato cakes, and more, all in vibrant colors. many kids were so enticed that they couldn¡¯t resist and tugged their parents to buy.

    before gu zi had even finished setting up the stall, she had already sold two portions of grass jelly, a portion of taro cake, and one of red bean coconut cakes.

    even the classmates who had previously ridiculed the su brothers couldn¡¯t resist their cravings. they approached their mother, wanting to buy some treats, but she refused.

    one of them immediately quipped, ¡°look at that mom, she¡¯s beautiful and capable. and then there¡¯s you¡­ what about you can match up to her!¡±

    then he found himself being chased and scolded by his own mother with a stick, becoming a unique spectacle in the school.

    as more students gathered under the mango tree, gu zi put up a signboard with the stall¡¯s name.

    su li¡¯s eyes welled with emotion when he saw the banner with the words ¡°su li¡¯s snack stall.¡± his heart swelled with warmth. he did not expect his mother to use his name for the stall.

    his emotions surged, nearly bringing tears to his eyes. just as he opened his mouth to speak, a small piece of chilled pastry was placed into his mouth. he stared blankly at gu zi, momentarily forgetting to chew.

    gu zi was amused by his reaction and shouted, ¡°delectable homemade treats!

    come quickly before the young boss, su li, finishes them all!¡±

    su li, still dazed from finishing the pastry, also shouted excitedly, ¡°hurry and buy the snacks my mom made, or else i¡¯ll eat them all!¡±

    with their high-quality products and unique slogan, su li¡¯s snack stall became the hottest spot at the food fair.

    most of the buyers were city kids; the rural children stood nearby, yearningly watching. seeing this, gu zi asked su bing and su li to cut some desserts into smaller pieces and share them with the kids who couldn¡¯t afford to buy.

    su bing and su li both deeply remembered this moment. they realized that sometimes, they could share unconditionally. this act might not bring in money, but it enriched them with sweet little feelings that money couldn¡¯t buy.

    the other stalls looked on with envy; even the kids at the neighboring stall were salivating. they envied the su brothers¡ªwhat their mom made seemed even tastier than what was sold outside.

    some were buying snacks with money, but the su brothers had their mom making whatever they wanted to eat. what could be cooler than having such an amazing mom?

    pouting, one boy asked his mom, ¡°mom, i really want to try the snacks from the next stall. can i have a sample?¡±

    his mom, looking rather irritated, retorted, ¡°how could you boost the sales of other people¡¯s shops? we should take care of our own! absolutely not!¡± the child grunted faintly, ¡°if only i could have a different mom.¡±

    seeing she hadn¡¯t sold many sesame seed balls, the mom became furious. she glanced at her own son and exclaimed, ¡°you¡¯re always eating! you seem like a snack yourself! why don¡¯t you eat yourself, you hollow little ball? can moms be traded?¡±

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    the su brothers were helping their mother so diligently. how could she end up with such a useless son? how she wanted to stuff this lazy son back into her stomach and remake him!

    within an hour, the snacks that gu zi had planned to sell in the morning was completely sold out. they had earned a total of 15-40 yuan. their delightful snack stand closed perfectly.

    the brothers decided to donate the money. gu zi was a bit surprised and said,

    ¡°if you wanted to buy a big bag of snacks, i wouldn¡¯t have minded.¡±

    su li replied, ¡°mom, when you asked us to share with the other kids, we had already decided to donate the money..¡±

 Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Quarrel

    chapter 187: quarrel

    translator: endlessfantasy translation      editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su bing nodded in agreement, and gu zi said, ¡°if that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s donate. i¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±

    the three of them went to the office building nearby and separately found su bing¡¯s and su li¡¯s homeroom teachers. they split the money in half and, on behalf of the brothers, donated it to the hope primary school.

    the teachers were somewhat familiar with the situation at su¡¯s home. after all, their family situation was unique, and there were occasional private discussions among the teachers.

    seeing gu zi surprised them. a young, beautiful woman like her had actually married into the su family as a stepmother.

    it was hard for them not to speculate whether this young woman was attracted to the pig farm owner¡¯s status, thinking she could skip a few decades of hard work.

    after all, the previous woman who married into the su family acted pretty well in front of the children¡¯s father, but she had never attended a parent-teacher meeting. in the end, she even poisoned the children. no one wished for such an incident to happen again.

    su li¡¯s teacher, mr. cai jian, coincidentally had something to discuss and asked gu zi to stay back for a conversation, letting the children participate in the reading activities on the playground first.

    although the main activities were scheduled for the afternoon, the grounds had already been set up in the morning, and there were already quite a few students and parents over there.

    after bidding farewell to the teacher, su bing and su li left the office. cai jian remarked, ¡°these are two good kids, but their backgrounds are a bit unfortunate. mrs. su, have you looked into the children¡¯s academic progress?¡±

    gu zi sensed a tinge of lament in the male teacher¡¯s words. they must have known something about the su family¡¯s situation or suspected her of being a stepmother with ulterior motives, perhaps wanting to caution her.

    however, she didn¡¯t have much concern about it. smiling, she replied, ¡°according to su li, su bing ranks among the top students in the grade, but his scores are average overall, especially in math.¡±

    teacher cai seemed satisfied with her response. at least she showed concern and accompanied the children to participate in the event.

    he commented, ¡°indeed, the scores aren¡¯t the most crucial at this stage. however, it¡¯s the foundational phase for them, and su li¡¯s foundations aren¡¯t sturdy. i hope as parents, you can provide some necessary guidance at home.¡±

    gu zi thought for a moment and said, ¡°that¡¯s true. i¡¯ll tutor him when he¡¯s doing his homework from now on.¡±

    teacher cai¡¯s face revealed a trace of relief. this stepmother seemed to be more caring than the previous one.

    outside, su bing was engrossed in a history picture book while su li, not reading, played with his red pencil case, frequently peeking toward the office building.

    teacher cai must be complaining about his math results to his mother. he looked worried and asked his brother, ¡°bro, do you think mom will think i¡¯m dumb?¡±

    su bing, without lifting his head, replied, ¡°then, you should work a bit harder; there¡¯s still hope.¡±

    su li sneered. his brother looked even more aloof than usual while reading. he picked up his pencil case and went elsewhere to play.

    as he approached the ping-pong table, he was intercepted by his classmate,

    chen fu. chen fu eyed the pencil case greedily, wanting to claim it as his own. ¡°su li, that¡¯s a new pencil case, isn¡¯t it? let me play with it.¡±

    recognizing chen fu, su li immediately safeguarded the pencil case close to his chest. he knew him well; he often snatched things in class, claiming to borrow but never returning.

    chen fu always behaved this way, grabbing what he didn¡¯t have or destroying it if he couldn¡¯t get it.

    ¡°i won¡¯t give it to you; it¡¯s a gift from my dad, ¡± su li stated before attempting to run towards his brother.

    seeing that he couldn¡¯t get it, chen fu tried to snatch it directly. su li, a frail figure, was no match for him. chen fu¡¯s robust hands forcefully grabbed the pencil case and took it into his possession.

    at that moment, su bing approached. seeing the bigger brother¡¯s arrival and recognizing that it would be two against one, he loosened his grip, causing the pencil case to fall heavily to the ground, breaking into two halves.

    chen fu smirked triumphantly, ¡°i didn¡¯t do it on purpose. i asked you to let me play, but you refused. look, it¡¯s broken now.¡±

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    su li¡¯s heart shattered into two. ¡°uwaah!! he cried, his voice breaking. chen fu turned and prepared to leave.

    su bing swiftly moved towards chen fu, grabbing his arm to prevent him from leaving. they began to argue, drawing the attention of children and parents nearby.

    ¡°you¡¯re so mean! you owe my brother for the pencil case! hurry up and pay!¡± su bing¡¯s compelling voice startled chen fu, freezing him in place.

    he remained motionless until he spotted his own mother heading their way. then, he started feigning tears, ¡°mom! mom! these brothers are bullying me.¡±

    a fashionably dressed but somewhat unsophisticated-looking woman rushed over and forcefully pushed su bing away..

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: More Like A Stepmom, Iâ€™d Say

    chapter 188: more like a stepmom, i¡¯d say

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the rustic-looking woman held her son tenderly, exclaiming, ¡°oh, my darling, are you alright? let mommy see if you¡¯re hurt anywhere.¡±

    chen fu, being the villain, was quick to complain, ¡°they¡¯re bullying me, accusing me of damaging their pencil case.¡±

    some of the surrounding parents were astonished. they had witnessed the whole ordeal; this kid was utterly malicious, lying without a second thought!

    soon, a child ran to the office to report, ¡°teacher cai, teacher cai, the su brothers are arguing with chen fu! ¡±

    teacher cai swiftly followed the child outside, and concerned, gu zi hurried out of the office as well.

    by the ping-pong table, a familiar-looking woman was chastising su bing and su li.

    gu zi hurried forward to stand between the two kids. she suddenly recognized the woman before them. wasn¡¯t she the ¡°butterfly¡± she saw at the bridal boutique the other day with her younger boyfriend, selecting wedding dresses?

    it seemed she was chen fu¡¯s parent.

    gu zi¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°why are you scolding my son? picking on children, are we?¡±

    seeing the redness in the younger one¡¯s eyes made gu zi ache inside.

    the woman snorted coldly and recognized gu zi. after all, gu zi¡¯s appearance and temperament were too outstanding.

    ¡°oh, you¡¯re their mom? more like a stepmom, i¡¯d say!¡±

    gu zi chuckled icily, ¡°i¡¯m their stepmother, but still a mother. don¡¯t project your own dirty mindset onto others; it¡¯s shameful.¡¯

    the people around them did not expect the su brothers to have such a young and beautiful stepmother, but since she admitted it so frankly, there was obviously no problem.

    teacher cai, observing the escalating tension among the parents, stepped in as a mediator, standing in the middle. addressing chen fu¡¯s mother, he calmly said, ¡°chen fu¡¯s parent, please let the child explain the situation without resorting to foul language or attacking the other parent.¡±

    chen fu¡¯s mother, clutching her beloved son, urged, ¡°speak up, my darling. mommy will handle it for you!¡±

    chen fu adamantly stuck to his story, confident that his mother would back him up. ¡°they broke their own pencil case and blamed me. i¡¯m leaving, but his brother won¡¯t let me go.¡±

    he then hid behind his mother, sticking his tongue out and making faces at gu zi and the others.

    amidst sobs, su li countered, ¡°that¡¯s not true! he snatched my pencil case and deliberately smashed it on the ground. when brother came to help me, the case was already broken.¡±

    some parents, witnessing the incident, couldn¡¯t remain silent and vocally shared what they saw.

    gu zi swiftly grasped the situation¡ªsu bing and su li were innocent, and chen fu was simply a troublemaker.

    seeing su li¡¯s distressed expression deeply affected gu zi. she handed him a tissue, gently wiping away his tears.

    ¡°su li, mom trusts you. don¡¯t worry; i¡¯ll ensure justice is served.¡±

    su li felt a wave of relief upon hearing gu zit s words. he was afraid his actions might have upset his mom, but thankfully, she was there to comfort him.

    with gu zits presence, su bing also felt reassured. they were no longer children without someone to speak up for them.

    upon hearing the accusations, chen fu¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t contain her anger. ¡°what? how dare you all slander my son! is it a case of bullying the outnumbered?¡± her furious demeanor intimidated many witnesses into silence.

    she stomped her feet as she spoke. her fierce and aggressive appearance scared away many onlookers.

    the onlookers, who had merely accompanied their children to the school event and didn¡¯t wish to get involved in any trouble, chose to remain quiet.

    unfazed by her aggression, gu zi retorted, ¡°with so many people witnessing your son bullying others, do you still deny the truth? i understand why your son behaves this way, after all, he has a mother like you.¡±

    chen fu¡¯s mother, hands on her hips, adopted a confrontational stance. ¡°i imow my son, and he¡¯s absolutely incapable of such deeds. it¡¯s those two there, thin as sticks, with the deepest cunning!¡±

    chen fu chimed in, ¡°that¡¯s right, mom! they¡¯re really cunning!¡±

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    unable to find a way to attack gu zi directly, chen fu¡¯s mother resorted to targeting the two children.

    chen fu himself harbored jealousy towards the su siblings. in the past, they used to dress shabbily and barely had enough to eat. but suddenly, one day, they were all smartly dressed and had plenty of delicious treats and fun things.

    he couldn¡¯t stand seeing others having more than him. that¡¯s why he decided to ruin their pencil case!

    teacher cai couldn¡¯t bear the toxicity of the situation any longer. how could this mother and son be so malicious?

    he addressed the pair, ¡°this isn¡¯t such a big issue. why is it so hard to admit the truth? chen fu, how can you speak ill of your classmates? just apologize to them, and then your mother can compensate with a similar pencil case..¡±

 Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: The Right to Refuse

    chapter 189: the right to refuse

    translator: endlessfantasy translation editor: endlessfantasy translation

    chen fu wore a smug expression while pulling faces, and teacher cai had observed this all along.

    though he taught at an elementary school, teacher cai had studied numerous psychology courses. determining whether a child was lying, bullying, or being bullied was something he could easily discern.

    he hadn¡¯t intervened earlier because he wanted the two parents to communicate first. the eyes of the crowd were keen, and after their discussion, the truth was clear without the need for additional words.

    however, when chen fu¡¯s mother heard the teacher siding against her son, she became defiant. she raised her sharp and unkind chin, accusing the teacher of bias.

    teacher cai felt irritated by her unreasonable behavior. how could someone be so illogical?

    but as an educator, he couldn¡¯t behave as irrationally as she did, nor could he stoop to her level.

    speaking gently, he said, ¡°chen fu¡¯s parent, if you trust your son so much, let me ask him a few questions. if he insists on lying, then i¡¯ll have nothing more to say.¡±

    gu zi observed teacher cai, finding him remarkably sensible. she felt a sense of relief. in such situations at school, when confronted with unreasonable parents and children, a teacher was the best mediator.

    teacher call exempphea this approach, unlike many equcators ana schools in the future who would avoid involvement or evade responsibility whenever possible.

    in comparison, educators of this era seemed more responsible and caring.

    chen fu¡¯s mother exuded confidence in her son¡¯s skill at dodging questions, appearing entirely convinced of her righteousness. she proclaimed loudly, ¡°go ahead, ask him! but, teacher, after you¡¯re done, please don¡¯t show such favoritism.¡±

    ignoring her, teacher cai brought chen fu closer and calmly examined him for a prolonged moment with steady eyes.

    chen fu¡¯s gaze was evasive. he did not even dare to look straight into the teacher¡¯s eyes.

    no matter how unreasonable he was, he was still young. many of his distorted values were influenced by his parents.

    he still held a primal reverence for the teacher, and within moments, his palms were sweaty with anxiety.

    teacher cai finally spoke, ¡°chen fu is also a good child. good children don¡¯t lie. tell me, why did you break su li¡¯s pencil case?¡±

    under the weight of the moment, chen fu, in his anxiety, faltered and confessed before his mother could intervene, ¡°because i wanted to play with it.

    su li wouldn¡¯t let me, so i snatched¡­¡±

    chen fu¡¯s mother tried to cover her son¡¯s mouth, but the truth had already escaped his lips. he admitted to snatching su li¡¯s pencil case and then breaking it.

    though he found some solace in his confession, chen fu pondered why he was compelled to deny his actions. was it not acceptable for him to derive pleasure from tormenting others?

    yet, he recalled his mother¡¯s instructions to always deny misdeeds. consequently, whenever he bullied someone, he automatically resorted to lies and denial, despite feeling internal discomfort.

    gu zi and the other rational parents around felt relieved, hoping the matter could be properly resolved without further conflict.

    however, chen fu¡¯s mother¡¯s shameless defense left everyone speechless. she upheld her son, saying, ¡°even if my son took it, it¡¯s still the fault of that su kid. who does he think he is, not sharing? so stingy, can¡¯t even let others play! he lacks manners!¡±

    her aggressive and irrational behavior shocked many. her son had admitted to the wrongdoing, yet she continued to argue?

    even teacher cai found himself at a loss. this woman had no shame!

    there was a moment of silence until gu zi comforted su li and raised her voice to counter chen fu¡¯s mother¡¯s words.

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    ¡°it belongs to my son. he has the right to refuse to share it. while you are free to ask, if my child declines, he has the right to say no! i see no problem with that. ¡±

    teacher cai echoed, ¡°indeed, even if su li didn¡¯t want to share, chen fu, you shouldn¡¯t have snatched. this is a civilized society, a school environment, and you¡¯re a student. how could you act so uncivilized?¡±

    chen fu blushed, feeling utterly embarrassed. yet, internally, he didn¡¯t see a problem with snatching. if it was wrong, why would his mother defend him? he couldn¡¯t understand.

    chen fu¡¯s mother snorted. ¡°stinginess is stinginess. you¡¯re making a big deal out of nothing!¡±

    gu zi remained composed, ¡°your child¡¯s belongings weren¡¯t the ones damaged, that¡¯s why you speak this way.. but living in society, how can you not consider other people¡¯s feelings?

 Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Apologize

    Chapter 190: Apologize

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother, casting a disdainful glance at Gu Zi, waved off the conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on this, shall we? No need to make a fuss over a pencil case. We¡¯ll compensate you and be done.¡±

    Many bystanders felt it was a mere child¡¯s dispute and best left unextended.

    If she was willing to settle with money, it seemed acceptable. This woman appeared quite adamant. No one expected an apology. Payment was considered sufficient.

    However, Gu Zi believed the issue wasn¡¯t about compensation. What she sought was an apology for her sons.

    More important than money was safeguarding the children¡¯s emotional well-being.

    Without an apology from Chen Fu¡¯s mother and him, it wouldn¡¯t be a fair resolution, even with compensation.

    Su Bing and Su Li also felt unjustly treated. By accepting only compensation, would it imply they lacked understanding of sharing?

    Su Li knew his refusal wasn¡¯t about being selfish. He was cautious because he anticipated trouble from Chen Fu. Should he give away his possessions, knowing it might lead to trouble?

    The pencil case held sentimental value from his dad. An apology mattered more than money.

    Gu Zi comforted Su Bing and Su Li, giving them a sense of assurance that she wouldn¡¯t allow them to be treated unfairly.

    Su Bing admired the resolve of this woman. She seemed determined to stand up for them.

    Gu Zi insisted, ¡°Consider this scenario: If you were enjoying dessert in the park, would you allow someone to demand it from you? You wouldn¡¯t. Polite people don¡¯t snatch nor show displeasure at a refusal.¡±

    It was evident who lacked manners here. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t stand by as accusations tarnished the reputation of Su Bing and Su Li.

    Having reason and fairness was crucial. Gu Zi wanted Su Bing and Su Li to understand this principle.

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother was at a loss, visibly agitated. ¡°That¡¯s because your son was unwilling to share. If your son had been willing, would this unpleasantness have occurred?¡±

    Gu Zi argued, ¡°Every individual is independent. Sharing assumes respect for another person¡¯s individuality. Otherwise, it¡¯s not sharing; it¡¯s seizing! It¡¯s thievery and bullying. Merely compensating isn¡¯t enough. Both you and your son owe mine an apology!¡±

    The surrounding parents began discussing. Some admired the woman, noting her rational arguments, her pursuit of proper compensation, and her defense of her children¡¯s emotional well-being.

    They couldn¡¯t help but contemplate how they might handle such a situation if it were their own child. They realized they might not be as eloquent or as adept at fighting for justice.

    As a stepmother, her dedication to these two kids was truly remarkable.

    This matter was indeed not just about compensation. Chen Fu¡¯s mother and son needed to apologize for their rudeness and counter-accusations.

    However, surprisingly, some sided with Chen Fu¡¯s mother, considering it trivial since compensation had been agreed upon.

    They said, ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re too idealistic. It¡¯s unnecessary to nitpick everything. These kids barely understand right from wrong. Let it go, compensation settles it.¡±

    ¡®Yes, today¡¯s supposed to be a joyful day at school. Don¡¯t drag us into your family squabbles!¡±

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    Su Bing felt uneasy hearing these remarks. Chen Fu¡¯s mother and son were clearly out of line. How could they blame his mother?

    He wanted to retaliate but was stopped by Gu Zi, who calmly stated, ¡°We don¡¯t need everyone¡¯s approval, just fairness and human rights. Don¡¯t mind them; after all, it¡¯s not their child feeling aggrieved.¡±

    Su Bing stood still obediently. Those who advocated for peace suddenly became quieter. Their attempted moral pressure didn¡¯t seem to affect this young woman.

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother adopted an arrogant posture. ¡°Apologize? Impossible! Neither my son nor I are at fault. If you think I¡¯ve broken the law, call the police!¡±

    She was a sales assistant at a pork stall in a department store. This was a very prestigious official job, and it was always others who came to curry favor with her..

 Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Deaf and Blind

    Chapter 191: Deaf and Blind

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother stood with pride, head held high. Many of those who supported her were acquainted with her.

    Her respectable job, even after divorcing, made even the handsome young men in town eager to marry her. She was quite successful.

    Apologize publicly to these rural women and children? That would be humiliating! She would never apologize.

    Someone whispered to Gu Zi, ¡°Young lady, let it go. She¡¯s the saleswoman at Xinghua Department Store¡¯s pork section. It¡¯s better not to make things unpleasant. You might need to buy pork or something in the future.¡±

    Gu Zi found it amusing. If it were someone else, perhaps it would have bothered them more.

    But, she thought, she couldn¡¯t help it. Her husband was remarkable; they always had an abundance of pork at home.

    Gu Zi expressed gratitude, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, but we don¡¯t fancy pork at home.¡±

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother shrugged, her weighty figure shaking a little, ¡°Don¡¯t like it? Looks like you can¡¯t afford it. You look all dressed up but maybe you¡¯re just living in some rundown rural shack.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled calmly, ¡°Perhaps pork might not be affordable, but I find Xinghua

    Department Store quite commendable. They¡¯re inclusive, hiring even people with disabilities.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li couldn¡¯t help but admire Gu Zi inwardly. Their mother was so cool, always so articulate!

    On the other hand, Chen Fu¡¯s mother was unable to see reason and blinded to the truth. Didn¡¯t that imply that she was both blind and deaf?

    The onlookers were surprised; this seemingly gentle young woman had a sharp tongue when it came to verbal sparring.

    Yet, they didn¡¯t find her harsh. Clearly, this older woman must have pushed her over the edge.

    No wonder the older woman was so arrogant. Apparently, she was an official employee at the department store, a decent job indeed.

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother clenched her teeth and retorted, ¡°Are you just jealous of me?

    I won¡¯t stoop to your level. You won¡¯t be buying pork at Xinghua Department Store anymore. People like you, rural folks, will never belong in a place of such sophistication.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, ¡°With an employee like you who can¡¯t discern right from wrong and argues unreasonably, that place will lose its class.¡±

    The surrounding rural parents found Gu Zits words relieving. What¡¯s wrong with city folk? It¡¯s not like they had three heads and six hands. They were just

    as human with one head and a pair of hands.

    Suddenly, Cai Jian remembered something and addressed Chen Fu¡¯s mother, ¡°Why not apologize to her children? There¡¯s no shame in admitting your mistake. The pork section at Xinghua Department Store partners with Su Shen¡¯s pig farm. She has no reason to be jealous of you.¡±

    What Cai Jian didn¡¯t mention was that the head of the meat department at Xinghua Department Store was his wife¡¯s brother, so he was privy to many details about the Su family.

    As an educator, he disliked getting involved in such connections and rarely disclosed his network.

    But he knew that if Chen Fu¡¯s mother understood the Su family¡¯s background, she would think twice, hastening the resolution of this issue.

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother was left stunned. How could Xinghua Department Store¡¯s supplier be based in a rural area?

    Was the teacher deceiving her?

    How could a pig farm be so influential, and directly connected to such a large department store? But the teacher¡¯s tone didn¡¯t seem deceptive.

    She was just a mere salesperson. If the Su family was indeed a supplier of pork, wouldn¡¯t the woman in front of her be the supplier¡¯s boss?

    If this matter escalated, her job could be at risk.

    Onlookers were also astonished. Their children were attending the same school as the children of Xinghua Department Store¡¯s pork supplier? What a stroke of luck!

    Initially, many believed that someone like Gu Zi, a stepmother, must have had ulterior motives. They assumed she insisted on an apology to set up a good image for herself.

    Looking at how thin and weak these two children were, who knew if this stepmother was abusing them behind the scenes.

    However, upon closer inspection, Mrs. Su was young and attractive, while Mr. Su was affluent and influential ¨C a perfect match. As for the children, they might naturally have a frail constitution.

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    There seemed to be no dark, hidden connections; This was simply the most compatible husband and wife combination.

    The crowd turned against Chen Fu¡¯s mother and son, demanding an apology. ¡°We all witnessed your son deliberately snatching and maliciously damaging the other child¡¯s pencil case.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he deliberately dropped it when the other kid was coming. What a malicious child!¡±

    The sudden turn against them left Chen Fu in tears. Why were they all suddenly siding against him and calling him a bad kid?

    Although he enjoyed bullying others, he didn¡¯t want to be labeled as a bad child..

 Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Mommy Will Reward You

    Chapter 192: Mommy Will Reward You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was somewhat surprised. Her husband always managed to surprise her. He had connections at the Children¡¯s Palace, the Public Security Bureau, and even the city¡¯s largest department store¡ªwhat a network!

    These parents were quite adorable, weren¡¯t they? Now they were all brave enough to speak the truth. Money truly had a persuasive power.

    It was the first time she found it quite cute how the fence-sitters were being swayed by the wind¡ªwas this the difference between those in power and those below?

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother¡¯s arrogant face turned unpleasant, looking as if she had swallowed a fly.

    Despite feeling irritated and envious inside, the thought of losing her job as a salesperson made her feel powerless.

    She pulled her son forward to apologize to Gu Zi.

    However, Gu Zi replied, ¡°It¡¯s not me who deserves an apology. You should apologize to my two sons.¡±

    Chen Fu¡¯s mother approached Su Bing and Su Li to apologize, yet at this moment, Chen Fu, who had cried before, became resistant. Why was his mother making him apologize again?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! I did nothing wrong. Mom, you taught me that if I don¡¯t have it, just grab it, and if I can¡¯t get it, destroy it. I¡¯m just a kid, so as long as I deny it, nobody can do anything to me!¡±

    The onlookers shuddered. In this day and age, such an unscientific approach to education?

    This kind of mother was doing serious harm. One could easily imagine what kind of person this boy would grow up to be¡ªa lifelong troublemaker.

    At this moment, Chen Fu¡¯s mother, already annoyed and envious, vented all her anger onto her child.

    She pulled down Chen Fu¡¯s pants and taught him a lesson on the spot. She gave him a few slaps on his butt. The protective look she had just now was completely gone.

    ¡°Apologize or not? I¡¯ll make you apologize! Why are you talking so much nonsense?¡±

    Under the forceful coercion, Chen Fu repeatedly apologized to Su Bing and Su Li, even kneeling down out of fear.

    The onlookers shook their heads sympathetically; in truth, this troublesome kid was quite pitiable given the kind of mother he had!

    Gu Zi observed quietly without saying much. She discreetly thanked Teacher Cai. Without his intervention, this matter might have dragged on. After all, Chen Fu¡¯s mother was simply unreasonable.

    After making Chen Fu apologize, Chen Fu¡¯s mother took him away and did not plan to participate in the afternoon activities.

    Su Li stood beside the ping-pong table, appearing somewhat unhappy.

    Approaching him, Gu Zi inquired gently. He explained, ¡°Mom, my brother and I aren¡¯t conniving kids. We¡¯re not petty, and we¡¯re not selfish. Please don¡¯t dislike us.¡±

    Gu Zi knew that many people, due to not learning to share, eventually turned into selfish individuals. But more than that, she feared her children becoming unable to refuse, endlessly pleasing others while neglecting their own needs.

    Someone who continually satisfies others¡¯ demands will eventually make a mess of their own life.

    If education had to lean towards an extreme, she¡¯d prefer her children to be a bit selfish.

    Su Bing, listening to Gu Zit s words, fell into contemplation. Their mother was truly different, notably progressive in her views. Was it solely because she was smart?

    During lunchtime, Gu Zi took the two brothers to a nearby state-operated restaurant near the school, as a reward for them.

    As she was letting the two boys order their meals, Gu Zi lifted her gaze and noticed a somewhat familiar figure. It was MO Li, a classmate of Lin Miao.

    Simultaneously, MO Li also noticed Gu Zi. She hesitated for a moment, then without greeting, swiftly exited the restaurant, her eyes holding emotions that were hard to interpret.

    Gu Zi felt puzzled. Why did it seem like the other person was avoiding her? A sense of unease began to well up within her.

    ¡°Mom, the beef meatballs are here!¡± Su Li called out, bringing Gu Zi back to the present.

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    Su Bing also asked with concern, ¡°Mom, is everything okay?¡±

    Gu Zi refocused her gaze and smiled, ¡°Nothing, I was just thinking about something. Let¡¯s eat, and after that, I¡¯ll take you guys to the shop next door to play some video games.¡±

    Su Li waved excitedly, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s awesome! We get to play video games too!¡±

    Outside the restaurant, MO Li tried to calm herself, placing a hand over her chest.

    In recent days, she had made efforts to understand what happened after Lin Miao and her classmates severed ties, and she was genuinely surprised by what she found out..

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: The Pencil Box of Love

    Chapter 193: The Pencil Box of Love

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    MO Li was feeling indecisive at the moment, but thankfully, she had learned

    Lin Miao¡¯s current address. She needed to contact Lin Miao as soon as possible.

    After finishing their meal, Gu Zi stepped out of the restaurant with the children. There was no one outside by then. However, for some unknown reason, Gu Zi glanced toward the entrance.

    There lay a hair ornament¡ªa jasmine flower¡ªMo Li¡¯s usual headpiece.

    What was she panicking about? How could she have lost her hair accessory here? Moreover, the ornament had fallen near the door, suggesting that she must have lingered here for a while.

    Noticing the pearl-embellished flower, Gu Zi estimated it to be quite expensive. She assumed MO Li would come back to retrieve it.

    Handing the ornament to a waiter, Gu Zi explained that she found it outside the door and expected someone to come back for it soon. The waiter lazily stowed the ornament away in a designated lost-and-found box.

    Meanwhile, Su Bing and Su Li went to play the whack-a-mole arcade game. Su Bing, after a cursory look at the game rules, found it unchallenging. He played a round, scored full marks, and then handed his remaining game coins to his younger brother.

    Su Li played five rounds of the game. As he grew more accustomed, he scored full marks in the last two rounds.

    Observing him closely, Gu Zi realized that their younger son was not unintelligent at all. In areas that interested him, he was adept at learning and exploring on his own. She needed to figure out how to channel this ability into his studies.

    If he could transform from passive learning to independent learning, he wouldn¡¯t need to be afraid of not getting good grades.

    In the afternoon, Gu Zi accompanied her two sons to participate in reading activities and various book-related games, earning several prizes.

    During a parent-child math competition, Gu Zi and Su Bing worked together seamlessly, effortlessly clinching the championship and receiving the first prize.

    Many people envied their success, marveling at the intelligence of both the mother and the son. They were truly an outstanding family!

    When Gu Zi and her sons were receiving their awards, she chose to exchange the original prize, a listening device, for the red pencil box awarded to the second-place family. This decision was made because the pencil box was identical to the one destroyed that belonged to Su Li.

    The second-place family unexpectedly obtained the first-place prize and were overjoyed. After all, the listening device was much more valuable than a red pencil box!

    Both families happily exchanged their prizes. A teacher nearby took this opportunity to impart a lesson on value to the children.

    ¡°Sometimes, the economic value of an object isn¡¯t the most important thing. Of course, money matters, but let me tell you, a sincere heart, genuine love, and warmth are often more important than money. Do you know why Su Li¡¯s mother and brother chose to exchange the valuable prize for something cheaper?¡±

    The children eagerly responded, ¡°Because that pencil box would make Su Li very happy! Now he has a red pencil box again!¡±

    The teacher continued, ¡°Exactly. While the pencil box may not have the same economic value as the listening device, its emotional value far surpasses it.

    This pencil box represents love.¡±

    Su Li, under the expectant gazes of everyone, took the pencil box. Without hesitation, he kissed the box, then hugged his mother tightly and playfully jumped onto his brother¡¯s back.

    The emotional fulfillment he experienced made him forget his usual guard against his surroundings and people. It was as if he was feeling the freedom of being a carefree child for the first time.

    The happiness and joy he felt at that moment were more profound than all the happiness he had experienced in the past put together.

    Su Bing¡¯s gaze towards Gu Zi no longer held any coldness or darkness; instead, it reflected trust and admiration.

    In the past, the love they felt from others seemed to diminish, but with her, the maternal affection they experienced only continued to grow.

    Eventually, the school held an award ceremony on the flag podium. The Su brothers, along with other children who chose to donate, were recognized as ¡°Angels of Love¡± and were called to the stage to receive their awards.

    Many kids from Su Bing and Su Li¡¯s classes looked at them eagerly, their eyes filled with admiration.

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    The Su brothers used to seem uninteresting, but now, with their beautiful mother, they seemed so cool!

    Their mother was like a warrior goddess, ready to protect them bravely and fight against any challenges. It was truly amazing!

    As Su Bing descended from the stage, a girl from their class approached him, smiling, ¡°Su Bing, you look especially good today.¡±

    Su Bing blushed slightly, recognizing her as the girl who had asked for food the other day. He managed a ¡°thank you¡± with a bashful smile.

    The activity day ended early, and by three thirty, everyone was gradually leaving the school..

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: I Want to Pinky Promise Too

    Chapter 194: I Want to Pinky Promise Too

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Gu Zi led the kids out of the school, they ran into Jin Long, who mentioned that Su Shen was quite occupied and requested him to pick up Gu Zi and her sons in his truck.

    Gu Zi felt sorry for the trouble caused, considering he had carsickness and yet came to pick them up. Jin Long reassured her, mentioning that he took motion sickness medicine and was accustomed to driving, so it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. During the ride, Su Li proudly displayed his stationery box while Gu Zi asked about the collaboration between the pig farm and Xinghua Department Store in the city. She also gave him a brief account of the morning¡¯s events.

    Jin Long did not hide anything from Gu Zi. He said that both parties were indeed in a cooperative partnership, and it was the other party who begged them to cooperate.

    He also had information about Chen Fu and his mother. He said, ¡°Brother Shen might not know that woman, but I¡¯m quite familiar. Chen Fu¡¯s mother is named Chen Die. She¡¯s from Chen Village, the village next to Daqing Village.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised to learn that Chen Fu¡¯s mother¡¯s name was Chen Die. ¡°She¡¯s from a village too?¡±

    How could she belittle villagers and constantly use that term? It was quite astonishing!

    ¡°That woman is like that, born in the countryside but looks down upon it. She and Chen Fu¡¯s dad are from the same village, but neither of them is decent. After Chen Die married, she had Chen Fu, and not long after childbirth, she got involved with a wealthy man from the city.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow. Despite her appearance not being exceptional, she managed to get involved with a wealthy man?

    Seems like in this era, there were already rich people with abnormal tastes.

    Gu Zi listened intently, treating it as if she were hearing a story.

    ¡°Are you curious how someone like Chen Die managed to hook a rich man with that kind of demeanor? Well, that man had a quirk; he liked to smell a woman¡¯s breast milk scent. He particularly sought out women who had just given birth. The two quickly got together, and the man even said he wanted to support Chen Die and her child.¡±

    Gu Zi blushed slightly at the explicitness of the conversation but didn¡¯t blame Jin Long. In this era, words like ¡°breast milk¡± or ¡°old lady¡± weren¡¯t considered crude in the village, and Jin Long wasn¡¯t saying it with any malicious intent.

    ¡°With this newfound confidence, Chen Die kicked out that lazy father of Chen Fu¡¯s and moved with her son to the city. But not long after, the man grew tired of her and broke up. Chen Die protested, so the man arranged for her a job as a saleswoman. She continued to secretly maintain contact with Chen Fu¡¯s father behind the scenes. Anyway, when you run into those people from Chen Village, be a bit cautious, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Gu Zi assured Jin Long that she¡¯d be careful. Soon enough, the car arrived at

    Su¡¯s house. Gu Zi helped her two sons out of the car, and Jin Long drove away.

    After opening the door, Gu Zi picked a small gift from the stroller and went over to the neighboring Zhang family¡¯s house.

    She came to pick up Lele and also brought a small windmill as a gift for Aunt Zhang¡¯s son, Shi Tou. Shi Tou looked especially delighted, running around with the windmill, bringing smiles to Lele¡¯s face.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to bring Lele back home, Aunt Zhang brought out a

    basket of vegetables. She said, ¡°These are from our own fields; they aren¡¯t worth much. Take them, cook porridge, or make soup, they¡¯re delicious! ¡±

    Winter melon greens were considered the king of vegetables by rural folks, and loved by many city dwellers too. It was thought to be especially beneficial, especially for women during the lactating period.

    Zhang Cuihua believed that the best thing she could offer from her fields was winter melon greens, so she filled a whole basket.

    Gu Zi, catching sight of the winter melon greens, recalled her mother in her past life often making porridge with winter melon greens for her.

    She really wanted to eat it, so she did not reject Aunt Zhang¡¯s kindness. She prepared to pay for it. However, Aunt Zhang frowned and said, ¡°If you keep doing this, I won¡¯t dare to help you take care of Lele in the future, nor will I allow Shi Tou to accept things from you.¡±

    Gu Zi was left with no choice but to accept the vegetables. Seeing her struggling to hold Su Le with the basket, Aunt Zhang carried it to the doorstep, where Su Bing and Su Li quickly came to help.

    Gu Zi noticed that Shi Tou was trailing behind Aunt Zhang, so she discreetly slipped two White Rabbit creamy candies into his hand and gestured with a ¡°shh¡± expression.

    Shi Tou looked as his unaware mother and obediently hid the milk candy. He made a gesture of sealing his lips. This was his little secret with Fairy Sister.

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    He extended his pinky finger, indicating that he wouldn¡¯t tell his mom about eating candy from Fairy Sister again. Gu Zi reciprocated by linking pinkies with him.

    Observing her mother and Shi Tou sharing a warm moment, Su Li felt a pang of jealousy. His mother was so affectionate toward Little Shi Tou! She hadn¡¯t even made any similar gesture to him yet.

    After Shi Tou and Aunt Zhang left, Su Li approached Gu Zi and said, ¡°Mom, I want to make a pinky promise too.¡±

    Gu Zi was momentarily surprised but quickly grasped the situation. So, Su Li was feeling envious.

    She extended her hand and hooked her pinky finger with her son¡¯s. She spoke rather formally, ¡°Mommy will cook delicious meals for Su Li from now on. The pinky swear remains the same.. If I fail, I¡¯ll become a big turtle!¡±

 Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Real Growth

    Chapter 195: Real Growth

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi finished speaking and Su Li chuckled, ¡°No, no, no, Mom won¡¯t turn into a big turtle.¡±

    Su Li was quickly appeased. He then hooked his pinky finger with Su Le¡¯s, trying to disguise his feeling of jealousy.

    Turning to him, Gu Zi said, ¡°You not only need to teach Su Le to hook pinkies but also teach her to study! You¡¯re her big brother.¡±

    Su Li found the advice very logical. Looking at his elder brother Su Bing already engrossed in a book, he said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll start studying now. I¡¯ll teach Su Le how to study in the future.¡±

    Su Bing was amazed at how effective their mother was. When he used to encourage Su Li to study, it was a struggle. He never expected that with just a couple of words, Mom could sort it out.

    During dinner, Gu Zi prepared egg vegetable pancakes, braised pork ribs, tofu in sauce, and also made a soup with winter melon greens.

    She planned to make the remaining winter melon greens into a porridge tomorrow and take it in a small cart to the pig farm for everyone to share.

    Winter melon greens, a native vegetable, had been cultivated widely since the Spring and Autumn Period.

    They were known for their ability to clear heat, relieve cough, soothe the nerves, and promote bowel movements, offering certain heart and stomach-nourishing effects. However, excessive consumption could be hard on digestion, hence they were best used for soups and porridges.

    Su Li looked hesitantly at the vegetable soup before him. Granny Chu used to frequently serve them winter melon green soup to save trouble; it filled their stomachs and wasn¡¯t easy to get hungry afterward. Plus, any leftover soup could be used to cook noodles in the evening.

    Su Bing noticed his brother¡¯s unease, knowing he recalled unpleasant memories associated with the soup. He wasn¡¯t particularly fond of winter melon greens either.

    However, not wanting to disappoint their mother, Su Bing took the lead by taking a sip. Oddly enough, he found the winter melon green soup wasn¡¯t as unpalatable as he remembered.

    Following suit, Su Li also took a sip and even ate a piece of winter melon green leaf, smooth and not as distasteful as expected.

    They exchanged a glance and continued sipping the soup.

    It turned out they didn¡¯t dislike eating winter melon greens; they carried a shadow from their past memories of it. Now, their mother had dispelled the darkness lingering in their hearts.

    The next day, before Su Bing and Su Li went to school, Gu Zi specifically instructed Su Li about a few things.

    That rascal Chen Fu would definitely cause trouble for Su Li again. Neither she nor anyone else could be with Su Li forever. Therefore, she wanted to teach Su Li how to independently handle and resolve problems.

    Only when Su Li could solve problems on his own would he truly grow in this matter.

    As soon as Su Li entered the classroom, as Gu Zi anticipated, something happened. Chen Fu swaggered over and intercepted him.

    However, unlike before, Su Li wasn¡¯t scared this time. After the events of yesterday, he realized he had someone strong backing him up¡ªhis mother. Thinking of his mother gave him confidence.

    To bolster himself, he straightened his posture and calmly asked, ¡°Chen Fu, is your butt still sore from yesterday?¡±

    The surrounding classmates burst into laughter, surprised at how Su Li had seemingly transformed overnight.

    Chen Fu didn¡¯t expect Su Li not to be afraid of him. Before, Su Li was the most timid, quietly shedding tears when bullied.

    Now, not only was Su Li unafraid, but he was also leading other students in mocking Chen Fu¡¯s embarrassing incident!

    Chen Fu was angry when he thought of how his pants were taken off in public yesterday. Despite his mother repeatedly urging him not to provoke Su Li again, he was unwilling to listen. After all, his mother¡¯s words didn¡¯t carry weight.

    He pretended to be fierce, stepping onto Su Li¡¯s chair with a menacing expression. He threatened, ¡°If you mention that incident again, you¡¯ll regret it!

    Su Li, come here now and apologize on your knees for yesterday¡¯s incident. Otherwise, you¡¯re finished. After school, I¡¯ll bring my fifth-grade cousin to beat you up.¡±

    Hearing Chen Fu mention bringing his fifth-grade cousin, the other kids in the class stopped laughing. He often used this elder cousin to intimidate everyone, and everyone was afraid of him.

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    Su Li felt a bit apprehensive. What if Chen Fu¡¯s fifth-grade cousin actually came? Even if Su Bing came to help him, there was no guarantee he would win the fight. After all, Chen Fu¡¯s cousin was in the fifth grade!

    Most younger students had a strong sense of obedience and awe towards older students. They often viewed higher-grade students as powerful and almost godlike.

    But Su Li remembered Gu Zi¡¯s words: ¡°Even if you feel fear inside, don¡¯t show it. Remember, you are the strongest. Every problem has a solution. Stay calm and don¡¯t panic.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, Su Li unexpectedly said something that surprised everyone, ¡°Hmph! Let him come! I¡¯m not scared of you. So what if you have a fifth-grade cousin? My brother and I have money!¡±

    HIS DOICI response stunned ms classmates..

 Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Sister-in-law Misses Brother Shen

    Chapter 196: Sister-in-law Misses Brother Shen

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li pulled out two 50-cent coins his mom had given him and waved them around, acting as though he had plenty more money.

    He wasn¡¯t deliberately lying; he was simply trying to solve the problem. His mom had mentioned that in times of crisis, telling a lie could be a useful strategy.

    For kids their age, a single 50-cent coin was already considered a significant amount of money, let alone two. The other classmates gazed with envy at the coins.

    No one questioned Su Li because they had learned yesterday that Su Li¡¯s dad was a supplier for Xinghua Department Store, a sign that his family was wealthy.

    This completely threw Chen Fu off guard. His momentum weakened instantly. ¡°W-What¡¯s the use of this? Are you trying to bribe my cousin?¡±

    Su Li¡¯s eyes gleamed as he replied, ¡°Do you think he recognizes you as a cousin brother, or does he recognize my money? What if he turns around and ends up beating you?¡±

    Although Su Li seemed confident on the outside, he was a bit anxious inside, gambling on whether he could bluff Chen Fu successfully.

    Chen Fu suddenly felt panicked. His older cousin was unlikely to come to his aid. In their village, people often insulted his mom and called him a bastard.

    He had been using his cousin as a scare tactic before, never thinking it wouldn¡¯t work now.

    Chen Fu unsteadily shuffled away from Su Li¡¯s stool and retorted, ¡°Hmph, I won¡¯t lower myself to your level!¡±

    Turning to head back to his seat, he suddenly paused as the teacher entered the classroom.

    Su Li raised his hand to notify Teacher Cai, ¡°Teacher Cai, Chen Fu stepped on my stool.¡±

    Teacher Cai instructed Chen Fu to clean the stool and apologize. Seeing Chen Fu looking defeated, Su Li suddenly realized that bad kids weren¡¯t all that intimidating.

    He had thought they were very powerful, but it turned out they weren¡¯t. He vowed never to become a bad kid. He wanted to be smart and brave, just like his mom had said!

    Meanwhile, in the morning, Gu Zi was at home cooking winter melon porridge. She also checked the jar of pickled vegetables; it was golden and fragrant, ready to eat.

    For lunch, she planned to keep it simple: a bowl of vegetable porridge with a side of stir-fried pork strips with pickled vegetables. However, she made a

    larger portion of the stir-fry; she intended to take it to the pig farm later.

    She couldn¡¯t just have Su Shen drink porridge, and the men working at the pig farm needed something more substantial. They required a well-balanced meal to sustain their labor, not just porridge.

    Gu Zi spent the morning skimming through a book and spent time teaching Lele to speak, patiently going through words one by one. By midday, after finishing lunch, she headed towards the pig farm with Lele.

    Her steps quickened involuntarily, perhaps due to Su Shen¡¯s absence last night. She actually missed him quite a bit.

    Upon reaching the pig farm, the men were having lunch in the hall. Gu Zi pushed the cart over, and Jin Long hurried over to assist her. ¡°Sister-in-law, why are you pushing such a big pot? Are we all getting a share?¡± Jin Long asked.

    Gu Zi mentioned that she had prepared some pickled vegetables and rice porridge for everyone to taste.

    The men cheered, ¡°Thanks to Brother Shen, we get to enjoy Sister-in-law¡¯s delicious food again!¡±

    They were still thinking about the delightful pastries they had last time. It was the first time these grown men found the sweet treats so delectable.

    Gu Zi opened the lid, and the men lined up to get their portions of porridge and side dishes. Having a meal prepared by their wives made them feel content, and adding the pickled vegetables and meat strips to the rice porridge left them even more satisfied. They felt energized for the afternoon¡¯s work. As everyone ate, they did not forget to praise Gu Zits cooking skills. Some wives who sent their husbands¡¯ meals were curious and asked for a portion. Thankfully, Gu Zi¡¯s portions were sufficient, and everyone got a taste.

    Jin Long teased, ¡°I get it now. We should keep Brother Shen around the factory more often. If our sister-in-law doesn¡¯t see him for a night, it¡¯s like years have passed. When she starts missing Brother Shen, we get to enjoy good food.¡±

    Gu Zi blushed at the teasing and was about to go find Su Shen when she noticed a tall figure heading her way, swiftly reaching her side.

    The men immediately became serious as soon as Su Shen glanced around the

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    area.

    When Su Shen took the thermos from Gu Zi¡¯s hand and led her to the office, the others couldn¡¯t resist joining in the playful banter led by Jin Long. ¡°First time we see our Boss Shen taking care of a woman so considerately!¡±

    ¡°Hey, wife, isn¡¯t that heavy? I¡¯ll carry it back later tonight. I need to learn from our boss.¡±

    ¡°Look at how nervous and protective he is. Not only does Sister-in-law miss Brother Shen, but Brother Shen also misses Sister-in-law!¡±

    Once inside the office, Gu Zi, trying to ease her nervousness, asked with a smile, ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±

 Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: I Missed You

    Chapter 197: I Missed You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen placed the thermos down, not in a rush to open it, and replied, ¡°I heard the commotion outside, so I guessed it must be you.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t gone home last night due to the busy workload. He had asked Li Zhu to pass on a message to Gu Zi, yet he still felt indebted to her.

    Reaching out, he pulled the woman close, settling her on his lap. Gu Zi enjoyed the feeling of being held by him. She voluntarily wrapped her arms around his neck.

    Perhaps because they hadn¡¯t met last night, the contact at this moment felt unusually satisfying to her.

    Looking up at the man, his clean-cut features and stern look hinted at a wildness in bed, not to mention she had seen his defined abs, showcasing a sexually charged body.

    Despite his noble demeanor, she sensed that his gaze was undressing her, especially considering he had seen more than just her clothing.

    Lost in her thoughts, she blushed but boldly kissed the man¡¯s lips, saying, ¡°Su

    Shen, I missed you.¡±

    Su Shen held her even tighter, gently inhaling the scent of her hair, passionately kissing her earlobe, whispering, ¡°I missed you too.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. How had his kissing skills improved so quickly?

    Su Shen continued to kiss the side of her neck. His hot breath made Gu Zi tremble uncontrollably.

    A strong desire welled up in his heart. He really wanted to press this wild cat under his body and conquer her. He wanted to have her whole.

    He felt like he spoke too soon, promising Gu Zi that he would wait until their wedding night. It was a matter of his confidence in self-restraint that he now questioned, as he felt he might lose control soon.

    These few seconds passed nervously for Gu Zi. What did his intense and probing gaze signify? Could he possibly want to be with her right here in the office? For a person of the twenty-first century, that would be quite exhilarating!

    In the next moment, the phone rang, breaking the intense atmosphere between them. Quickly, Gu Zi got up from where she sat on him, while Su Shen changed his expression promptly, answering the call.

    Upon hearing the voice from the other end, Su Shen slightly furrowed his brows, questioning, ¡°Why the sudden change in statement? Hmm, I see.¡±

    Thinking it was work-related, Gu Zi opened the thermos for him, saying, ¡°Here¡¯s the porridge and pickled pork with cabbage I made. Finish it before you get back to work. I¡¯ll head home first.¡±

    Su Shen lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag, and mentioned, ¡°It was a call from the Public Security Bureau. They said MO Li, Lin Miao¡¯s classmate, has suddenly regretted her decision and doesn¡¯t want to be a witness or make a record as evidence.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised. She hadn¡¯t realized Su Shen was still invested in this matter. But why would MO Li suddenly change her mind?

    She suddenly recalled how MO Li had left in a panic when she saw her yesterday. Her gut feeling was right; there indeed was an issue.

    In this era, the internet was hardly reliable. Only with substantial testimonies and evidence could someone be convicted.

    Initially, if MO Li had acted as a witness, it would have made things exceptionally straightforward. But now, it had gotten complicated.

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    Gu Zi inquired, ¡°Perhaps Lin Miao had gone to see MO Li and offered her something?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°Unlikely. The police have been keeping an eye on Lin Miao lately, and she hasn¡¯t visited MO Li recently.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s expression changed slightly. If that was the case, it would be even more troublesome.

    If Lin Miao had gone to see MO Li, she might have found some clues to handle this situation. But if not, it meant that MO Li, for some reason, wanted to help Lin Miao cover something up.

    They needed to know what MO Li expected to gain from Lin Miao in this situation..

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Getting Sweeter

    Chapter 198: Getting Sweeter

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was lost in thought. Su Shen noticed her earnest expression and decided not to disturb her, instead picking up the thermos to have some porridge and the accompanying dish.

    The winter melon porridge Gu Zi made was especially fragrant. After having a mouthful of the pickled pork with cabbage, his appetite was thoroughly

    whetted.

    Su Shen felt like she had already aligned herself perfectly with his taste buds. He couldn¡¯t let her slip away for the rest of his life.

    Gu Zits gaze fell on Su Shen as he enjoyed the food she had prepared. He ate quickly, yet maintained a pleasant eating demeanor.

    As she watched him, a passage from a book flashed through her mind. It was a depiction from the original book she had read, describing Lin Miao stumbling upon a scene where Gong Zhan was intimately close with another woman.

    Gong Zhan was seated at his desk, while the woman sat on his lap, feeding him a bowl of nourishing soup. At the moment the woman¡¯s face turned, Lin Miao recognized her, her hands trembling with anger.

    It turned out to be her high school classmate trying to seduce her man! What a shameless and despicable person!

    At the time when Gu Zi read this passage, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it. After all, the original book¡¯s author was a man. Men, at times, fantasized more than women did. In their novels, women always seemed to fall for the male leads; it wasn¡¯t a new trope.

    Moreover, the original book didn¡¯t mention the name of this woman who was being flirtatious with the male lead, only stating that she was Lin Miao¡¯s high school classmate.

    Gu Zi furrowed her brows slightly, a hint of surprise in her eyes.

    MO Li was also Lin Miao¡¯s high school classmate. Could this female classmate from the book have already appeared? Could it be MO Li?

    Su Shen wiped his mouth after finishing the meal and noticed that she had finally returned from her reverie. ¡°Thinking about the case?¡±

    Gu Zi brought her thoughts back and said, ¡°No, I was just admiring how graceful you look while eating.¡±

    Gu Zi felt no guilt because she hadn¡¯t lied. He did look quite good. She simply couldn¡¯t outright say what she was truly pondering; she couldn¡¯t reveal that she was someone transmigrated from a book.

    As she spoke, she began to pack up the thermos box. Lele had just been brought to play by Jin Long. She was planning to pick up Lele and then head back together.

    At that moment, Su Shen was stirred by her words and felt unwilling to let her leave so soon.

    He took the items from her hands and set them aside, then pulled her closer to him, embracing her gently as he teased, ¡°Your lips have become sweeter after that kiss. Seems like what the book says is true.¡±

    Gu Zi felt like the older man was being a little mischievous for the first time. Why was he teasing her again?

    ¡°What book and what does it say?¡± she asked.

    He coughed lightly and covered his mouth with a clenched hand, his brows lowering slightly, exuding a roguish charm.

    ¡°It¡¯s a book teaching me how to provide you with a great romantic experience.

    It suggests that kissing and caressing can make a woman more tender.¡±

    Su Shen now completely believed that not only did it make her tender, but it also made her all dewy with a kiss.

    Unaware of the thoughts swirling in the older man¡¯s mind, Gu Zi was surprised.

    He had actually learned how to love, and from reading a book no less. It felt like he had an air of a seasoned professor treating love as a research project with strict methodology¡­

    In the city.

    Lin Miao descended from upstairs and paused at the stairwell in front of a row of mailboxes.

    In the courtyard, there were rows of mailboxes arranged conveniently for the residents to collect their mail.

    Each mailbox had its own lock, requiring a key belonging to each household to open it.

    Subsequently, she used some manipulative tactics, feigned innocence, and maligned Gu Zi, successfully gaining her parents¡¯ trust. She acquired Gu Zi¡¯s mailbox key, leading her parents to distance themselves from Gu Zi.

    The mailbox key was the first tangible item she retrieved from Gu Zi, and it brought her immense satisfaction, even more so than the day she returned to the Gu family.

    At that time, Gu Zi was particularly aloof and didn¡¯t bother arguing with her, making it easy for her to achieve her goals.

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    However, Gu Zi seemed to have transformed entirely now, becoming increasingly difficult to handle. Moreover, she appeared to be doing well after being with Su Shen, something Lin Miao found particularly distressing.

    However, things weren¡¯t going according to her wishes, and now it seemed like she was the one trapped in a predicament.

    Gong Zhan was giving her the cold shoulder, and her biological parents were showing dissatisfaction towards her, even starting to order her to come down and collect the mail.

    With a stern expression, she inserted the key into the lock and turned it, retrieving two letters. Surprisingly, the one on top was addressed to ¡°Lin Miao.¡±

    Having grown up in the countryside, Lin Miao wasn¡¯t very adept at socializing in the city. So, she had few acquaintances who would write letters to her..

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: A Decent Job

    Chapter 199: A Decent Job

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the beginning, Lin Miao wanted to display her identity as the true Miss Gu by eagerly coming to collect the mail here. However, as time passed, she no longer wished to come. She felt like a mere errand girl because of it.

    She tore open the envelope and began reading the letter. To her surprise, the sender was her high school classmate, MO Li. How did MO Li know this address? Lin Miao felt a sense of panic rising within her.

    ¡°Tomorrow afternoon at two o¡¯clock, casually come to the tea house near the Central Park and sit in Room Five. You must keep the appointment on time.

    The police have approached me, and if you don¡¯t come, you might regret it.¡±

    Reading the contents of the letter, Lin Miao¡¯s eyes widened. Was the reason Lin Cheng came to her because he had got hold of a lead regarding the lost dowry?

    Apart from her involvement in the dowry, she couldn¡¯t think of any other reason why the police would approach MO Li. And why didn¡¯t they approach her directly?

    Her thoughts began to blur. She swiftly folded the letter and glanced around before turning around and rushing upstairs.

    Her expression now was very dull and anxious. She knew MO Li wasn¡¯t a good person. Her visit now meant something, but she wasn¡¯t sure what. However, it certainly wasn¡¯t something good.

    However, just as MO Li had said in her letter, she would be in even more danger if she did not go.

    Upon returning home, she left Gu Shan¡¯s mail on the table and headed straight to her room. Zhang Mei called her from behind, but she didn¡¯t respond.

    Zhang Mei shook her head helplessly. Lin Miao was good in many aspects, but she wasn¡¯t as adept as Gu Zi in pleasing the Gong family¡¯s parents.

    She had intended to mention that she had made soup for Lin Miao to take to the Gong family, hoping to mend the relationship with Gong Zhan. But seeing Lin Miao¡¯s absent-minded state now, she feared it might cause more offense. Well, she decided it was better to take it herself to ensure it was delivered properly.

    Zhang Mei planned to mention that Lin Miao had made the soup herself, hoping to help restore Lin Miao¡¯s image in front of the Gong family members.

    Lin Miao had a restless night and woke up early the next day. She felt unsure of what to do, but staying at home made her anxious. She even worried that the police might come to interrogate her at any moment.

    With no other option, Lin Miao informed Zhang Mei and left early for Central Park.

    When the time came for their meeting in the afternoon, Lin Miao appeared quite weary. As she sat down in the private room, she seemed a bit nervous.

    MO Li stood up and poured tea for her former sidekick while sizing her up.

    In the past, she thought Lin Miao was rather attractive, now, upon closer observation, she didn¡¯t compare to Gu Zi at all.

    Lin Miao had her hair tied in a ponytail with an unnecessary white bow headband. Her short stature didn¡¯t favor her, especially with a white polka dot long skirt. She wore trendy red ladies¡¯ flat sandals. In fact, everything seemed quite fashionable, yet it was presented in a very unrefined manner.

    A trace of disdain quickly flickered across MO Li¡¯s eyes. Growing up in the countryside, Lin Miao might have changed her status, but her aesthetic sense seemed challenging to improve.

    Lin Miao had relied on her knack for lying to establish herself at school, claiming her family was some kind of landowner, and MO Li had actually believed it.

    Thinking back, MO Li felt quite angry. How could she be deceived by such a foolish woman?

    However, now was not the time to dwell on such matters. Despite being foolish, this woman could be of unexpected help to MO Li in achieving her goals.

    MO Li wore a smile across her face and said, ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Right now, you need my help to clear your suspicion and avoid conviction.¡± She explained the encounter with Gu Zi and the incident where the police sought her out.

    She was quite clear in her words. Even though Lin Miao might not have been the sharpest, she understood. Gu Zi and the others intended to use MO Li to find evidence of her stealing the dowry.

    But why was MO Li helping her? And why go through the trouble of meeting her?

    Lin Miao wasn¡¯t a stranger to dealing with MO Li. This woman was driven by self-interest and wouldn¡¯t lend a hand for free.

    With a guarded expression, Lin Miao asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±

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    ¡°As expected of the person who managed to fool our classmates,¡± MO Li teased. ¡°You¡¯re so smart. Of course, I don¡¯t have the intention of bringing up old scores.

    We¡¯re all classmates, so let¡¯s not talk about the past.¡±

    She deliberately praised Lin Miao, appearing genuinely earnest.

    Lin Miao was uncertain and asked again, ¡®What do you want?¡±

    MO Li didn¡¯t plan to beat around the bush either, smiling as she said, ¡°What I want is simple¡ªa decent job. I¡¯m currently working at a small event planning shop, and it¡¯s neither well-paying nor respectable. I just want a decent job to give my dad some dignity..¡±

 Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Threatened

    Chapter 200: Threatened

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao¡¯s eyes fixed on MO Li; she didn¡¯t seem like she was lying.

    MO Li¡¯s father was a formal employee at the power supply bureau, where coworkers often compared their children¡¯s job placements, marriages, and promotions¡ªa common practice among colleagues.

    For MO Li to seek a decent job was advantageous, both for herself and her family. Lin Miao could understand that much.

    But Lin Miao couldn¡¯t fathom how she could provide MO Li with a respectable job when she was not in a good position herself.

    Rather than admit her inadequacy, which would make her appear useless, Lin Miao inquired, ¡°What kind of job are you talking about?¡±

    Taking a sip of her tea, MO Li smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re pretending not to know. I know your current status. Not only are you the heiress of the Gu family, but also the chosen future daughter-in-law of Director Gong. Isn¡¯t your fianc¨¦, Young Master Gong Zhan, looking for a secretary lately?¡±

    MO Li¡¯s words instantly caught Lin Miao off guard. She had wanted to apply for the position of Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary herself, but he had declined, citing her lack of qualifications.

    However, after learning the job¡¯s requirements, she hesitated to apply. She found many of the documents incomprehensible.

    And now, MO Li was apparently seeking her help to become Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary. Although MO Li wasn¡¯t particularly attractive, she was still a woman, and her learning ability was pretty good. To have her as a secretary¡­

    Feeling somewhat threatened by MO Li¡¯s calm demeanor, Lin Miao knew that if she didn¡¯t agree to these terms, MO Li would surely expose her. She finally spoke after a long silence, ¡°Normally, I don¡¯t intervene in Gong Zhan¡¯s affairs. But since you¡¯ve made such a sincere request, I¡¯ll inquire about it for you and then recommend you.¡±

    Lin Miao was concerned about MO Li getting close to Gong Zhan and uncertain whether he would accept her. For now, she had to stall MO Li while she figured out how to approach Gong Zhan.

    However, MO Li wasn¡¯t easy to deal with. She remarked, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days. I want the chance for an interview for that job. Of course, I¡¯ll cooperate fully with you.¡±

    MO Li was also surprised to learn that Lin Miao¡¯s identity had changed. She had heard from her parents that the Gong family in the military compound had been looking for a potential partner for their son recently. The Gu family¡¯s daughter had a conflict with him and was rather unhappy about it.

    Furthermore, the rumors about the real and fake heiresses, as well as the mistaken identities of the children, intrigued MO Li. Upon inquiring more, she was pleasantly surprised to hear them mention Lin Miao¡¯s name.

    Afterward, she diligently inquired about Lin Miao¡¯s situation and learned a plethora of details, the most crucial being that Lin Miao was now Gong Zhan¡¯s betrothed.

    Considering that the Gong family had contemplated seeking a more suitable match, there must be an underlying tension between Gong Zhan and Lin Miao. It seemed an opportune time to exploit this rift.

    In this part of the city, who wasn¡¯t familiar with the young military officer from the Gong family? He had a reputable lineage and was strikingly handsome¡ªa veritable knight in shining armor for many women. And MO Li was no exception.

    Moreover, MO Li had encountered the young master of the Gong family herself. In her estimation, she was the best candidate to become his partner. Any way you sliced it, she was definitely a better choice than Lin Miao, a country girl.

    Therefore, her true intent was to get close to Gong Zhan, not for the sake of a respectable job. Even if Lin Miao became aware of this, MO Li remained unfazed.

    She hadn¡¯t initially expected to completely avoid arousing Lin Miao¡¯s suspicions. After all, a woman¡¯s intuition in such matters was remarkably astute. But Lin Miao had no other option; she had to agree.

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    What Lin Miao was unaware of was MO Li¡¯s deep-seated jealousy. Despite knowing that Lin Miao had concocted lies out of vanity before, MO Li still felt

    envious of Lin Miao¡¯s apparent compliance with her foster parents. Even though Lin Miao was poor, she was willing to go along with their charade.

    At the age of marriage, Lin Miao was discovered to be the daughter of the Gu family from the military district compound. She returned directly to her biological parents and became engaged to Director Gong¡¯s son, completely ousting the outstanding and beautiful Gu Zi.

    MO Li felt that Lin Miao had been blessed with too much fortune from the heavens. It was only fair for her to take a piece of that.

    In line with MO Li¡¯s expectations, Lin Miao found herself with no other recourse but to agree, ¡°I can do it. Wait for my message..¡±

 Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Controlling Emotions

    Chapter 201: Controlling Emotions

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The two of them stepped out of the private room only to unexpectedly run into a familiar face head-on¡ªthe owner of the bridal shop, Uncle Li.

    He wore a Chinese tunic suit and exuded a gentle and courteous demeanor. He often frequented this tea house with friends for tea and light refreshments.

    Although the first encounter between Lin Miao and Gong Zhan¡¯s second visit to his shop resulted in Uncle Li speaking harshly to Lin Miao on behalf of Gu Zi, they were acquaintances now. Moreover, he was also acquainted with the Gu family. It wouldn¡¯t do to continually show a cold face to their biological daughter, as it would make him seem petty.

    Upon spotting Lin Miao, he naturally greeted her, ¡°Dining with friends?¡±

    Lin Miao felt a bit flustered but couldn¡¯t just leave after being addressed. She smiled, ¡°Yes, Uncle Li. We have some urgent matters to attend to.¡±

    Noticing Mr. Li¡¯s glance lingering on MO Li for a moment, Lin Miao quickly took MO Li¡¯s hand and started heading out.

    MO Li felt exasperated internally. They were just standing close; it wasn¡¯t necessary to admit they were friends.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a big issue. For MO Li, Lin Miao¡¯s lack of intellect was actually beneficial.

    In the tea house, Lin Miao and MO Li parted ways, one leaving through the front door and the other through the rear.

    Initially, Lin Miao had intended to give Gong Zhan the cold shoulder for a few days due to their quarrel, but now she had no choice but to put that aside. It was better to mend things with Gong Zhan as soon as possible.

    Passing by a dim sum shop, Lin Miao went in and bought a few delicate pastries. Instead of going home, she headed directly to Gong Zhan¡¯s office.

    carried the pastries inside as she instructed, but soon returned with them in the same state.

    ¡°Miss Lin Miao, you¡¯d better go back. The Young Master is in a bad mood and doesn¡¯t want to see you,¡± he relayed with regret.

    Lin Miao was so angry that she was about to explode. However, when she thought of her current situation, she had no choice but to suppress those petty emotions.

    She had known Gong Zhan well enough¡ªhe required people to cater to him and flatter him. She had to master controlling her emotions; she couldn¡¯t afford any more mistakes.

    In this second chance at life, she needed to become Mrs. Gong, to always keep Gu Zi underfoot.

    Moreover, her current situation demanded it¡ªshe had to bind herself to the Gong family to avoid being further ostracized by her parents, becoming the discarded daughter of the Gu family.

    She wanted to establish a relationship with the Gong Family. If the Public Security Bureau were to find out anything, the Gong Family would definitely protect her for the sake of their reputation. Then, MO Li would no longer be able to threaten her.

    ¡°Alright, please take care of him. I¡¯ll come to see him next time,¡± she said to Uncle Yang.

    Her tone carried no trace of dissatisfaction. She took a few steps before turning back.

    Uncle Yang was surprised. She didn¡¯t lose her temper this time. If it was before, she would have given him a hard time.

    Keeping a calm exterior, he inquired, ¡°Miss Lin Miao, is there anything else you¡¯d like to mention?¡±

    ¡°Keep the pastries,¡± Lin Miao instructed calmly. ¡°You can have some if you like.

    Also, with autumn¡¯s dryness setting in, remind him to drink more warm water.¡±

    Behind the door, Gong Zhan¡¯s face finally revealed a satisfied smile. He, Gong Zhan, was indeed worth every woman¡¯s effort to love deeply.

    However, he did not go out immediately. He would only treat this woman nicely the next time she came. This period of time would teach her a lesson.

    Daqing Village and Little Lin Village were bustling more than usual in recent days, all for one reason: the upcoming union of the Su and Lin families in marriage.

    Both the Su and Lin families were in high spirits, busy with wedding arrangements, resulting in frequent visitors and lively atmospheres in both households.

    In the courtyard of the Su family residence, a group of men and women gathered around a table, deeply engrossed in discussing the wedding procedures. Both Su Shen and Gu Zi¡¯s father wore solemn expressions, as if dealing with a matter of great national importance.

    Outside the Lin family¡¯s home, Gu Zi¡¯s mother and Li Hua, along with several relatives, were earnestly sewing red silk without their usual chatter, dedicating themselves entirely to the needlework at hand.

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    Meanwhile, the soon-to-be bride was neither at the Su family nor the Lin family residence. On this fine day, she decided to take her three children out early for a picnic in the grassy field where they used to gather mushrooms.

    Su Shen had encouraged her to enjoy herself and not worry about the wedding preparations, and she found herself genuinely not worrying.

    Initially, she hadn¡¯t anticipated Su Shen arranging the affair with such grandeur. Now, almost the entire vicinity of the three villages¡ªDaqing, Little Lin, and Chen¡ªknew they would hold the wedding in the long-forgotten Su ancestral hall.

    Gu Zi also came to know that these vast areas, once belonged to the Su family, had been divided into the three separate villages over time.

    The village history of Daqing Village documented that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a branch of the Xianbei ethnic group migrated to Luoyang with Emperor Xiaowen, embracing Han culture and adopting the single surname of Su. The Su family here, including Su Shen, traced their origins back to these early ancestors..

 Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Mom Is Delicious

    Chapter 202: Mom Is Delicious

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi felt that the original author had crafted a rich background, yet in the original book, Su Shen was merely a supporting character, leaving many details unexplored. She mentioned to Su Bing and Su Li, ¡°In a way, you¡¯re descendants of nobility.¡±

    Yesterday, she had gone with Su Shen to pay respects at the Su family ancestral hall. There, they heard some stories from the old custodian about the ancestors of this place.

    She narrated these tales as anecdotes for her three children. Not for any other reason but that she believed knowing where their ancestors came from would help them better remember this land, instilling a firm belief in their homeland.

    She wanted her children to deeply understand that they were no less than anyone else. They should bravely be themselves, just like their ancestors, accumulating wisdom to enrich their lives and expand their horizons.

    Su Bing listened to her stories with a seemingly calm expression, but a warm current surged in his heart.

    He knew it was a fervor rooted in his genes, existing due to the persistent beliefs of their forefathers.

    Su Li, however, didn¡¯t grasp the depth of the sentiment. He sat, eating the fried chicken legs his mother had made, not entirely understanding her stories but catching one idea: the ancestors of the Su family were formidable, incredibly

    His thoughts were soon filled with how delicious the chicken legs were, especially when dipped in his mom¡¯s homemade tomato sauce!

    The fried shrimp sticks were fantastic, particularly when paired with his mom¡¯s homemade egg-yolk milk sauce!

    Even the stir-fried herbal jelly was divine, especially with all sorts of condiments!

    Su Le was close to Su Li, so she kept hearing her brother say that this was delicious, and that was also delicious.

    Hence, when Gu Zi was about to feed her a bite, she showcased her impeccable sentence construction skills, ¡°Mom is delicious, Brother is delicious, Lele is delicious, Dad is delicious.¡±

    Su Li burst out laughing. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s Lele, this little goofball, saying?¡±

    Gu Zi fed a bite of shrimp stick to Le Le and replied, ¡°She¡¯s counting everyone in our family. Lele is amazing. She knows that there¡¯s a mother, brothers, father, and herself at home.¡±

    When Lele heard her mother praise her, her tiny mouth turned upwards immediately, clapping her little hands joyfully, ¡°Mom is delicious! Mom is delicious!¡±

    After Su Le finished speaking and saw everyone laughing at her, her face momentarily blushed, and she turned, seeking refuge in her mother¡¯s embrace. Su Li teased, ¡°The little one¡¯s even feeling shy, huh.¡±

    Su Bing shot him a look and defended her sister, ¡°You were also a child once, even sillier than her.¡± Gu Zi agreed, nodding slightly.

    Su Li suddenly felt the chicken leg in his hand losing its appeal. For a moment, he felt a pang in his heart: his brother and mom preferred Lele.

    But looking at the adorable Le Le, he quickly reasoned it out: It¡¯s alright, I like Lele too. If Brother and Mom like Lele, that¡¯s the same as liking me!

    Successfully comforting himself, he resumed gnawing on the chicken leg. The bones in front of him were piled up like a little mountain, more than the combined piles of Gu Zi¡¯s and Su Bing¡¯s.

    Almost simultaneously, Gu Zi and Su Bing cautioned, ¡°Stop eating for now, be careful not to get too much heat.¡±

    Gu Zi added, ¡°I am planning to make many delicious dishes tomorrow. If you get too much heat today, you might not be able to enjoy them tomorrow.¡±

    Hearing this, Su Li, in the midst of reaching for another chicken leg, paused in mid-air, then slowly retracted his hand.

    Reluctantly glancing at the chicken leg, he extended his hand toward the herbal jelly in front of him. He told himself that he wouldn¡¯t eat so much now so that he could eat more tomorrow.

    As it approached eleven o¡¯clock, Gu Zi and the children finished their picnic, packed their belongings into a small cart, and headed back to the Su household.

    She felt it was normal to say that outside, but for some reason, when Lele said it in front of Su Shen, she found it odd. She sensed Su Shen¡¯s gaze towards her wasn¡¯t entirely innocent.

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    Su Shen didn¡¯t tease her further and said, ¡°Lunch is ready. Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded mechanically, then picked up her bowl and started eating. But as she ate, she felt as if she had something to say.

    She was about to speak when Su Shen beat her to it, ¡°This morning, Jin Long got a call from the bridal shop. They informed that our wedding photos are ready for pickup. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head into the city, collect the photos, and buy the necessary things for the wedding.¡±

    Gu Zi agreed, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything else they needed to buy. They had pork at home, and the bridal chamber already had new bedding.

    She remembered that in this era, people considered wearing a wedding dress and hosting a banquet as the best celebration.. What else would they need to buy?

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Su Shenâ€™s Purchasing Power

    Chapter 203: Su Shen¡¯s Purchasing Power

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi drifted off to sleep with a sense of curiosity. The next day, they arrived at the bridal shop early.

    As soon as the two of them arrived, Uncle Li warmly greeted them at the entrance, seemingly waiting for their arrival.

    Leading them into the shop, Li Shu took them to the photo selection room, showcasing the wedding photos taken the other day. The groom looked stable and handsome with a strong build and long legs, while the bride appeared gentle and beautiful with a graceful figure. Each photo exuded a sense of style and sophistication.

    Of course, Uncle Li didn¡¯t allow them to choose; instead, he packaged all the photos for them to take away, which the shop assistant had already arranged.

    Finally, the shop assistant handed Su Shen a large, flat, purple box with a carrying handle, which was quite convenient to carry around.

    As they were leaving, Uncle Li told Gu Zi that a few days ago, spotted Lin Miao meeting with another woman at a teahouse. When Lin Miao saw him, she was very flustered. He could tell but did not show it.

    However, the main point he wanted to talk about was not Lin Miao, but the woman beside Lin Miao.

    ¡°That woman by Lin Miao¡¯s side didn¡¯t look simple. She seemed restless and not very stable. If you happen to know her, it¡¯s best to steer clear of her in the future. She¡¯s undoubtedly someone who prioritizes her own interests and can be quite capricious.¡±

    He described the woman¡¯s physical features¡ªhooked nose, faint eyebrows. Gu Zi immediately recognized he was referring to MO Li. It seemed the two had indeed met, and it appeared they had negotiated some terms.

    She didn¡¯t know how Uncle Li discerned MO Li¡¯s capricious nature, but it seemed he wasn¡¯t entirely mistaken.

    Based on her memory, Uncle Li always seemed interested in studying various fortune-telling and physiognomy-related things.

    He had previously praised the original host several times, claiming she had a ¡°Phoenix Fate¡± and her husband was of an incredibly noble status.

    However, Uncle Li couldn¡¯t have predicted that the original host was blinded by fantasies. staunchlv believing that Gong Zhan was the true knight in shining armor, completely exhausting herself trying to win him over. The present Gu Zi was no longer the same as before.

    Reflecting now, Gu Zi realized that the original host excelled in many aspects. She had a noble character and relatively simplistic thoughts.

    At that time, unable to see through things and unwilling to marry into the countryside, her initial decisions actually made sense.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen left the bridal shop and went to a department store, where Su Shen finally answered the question of what else they needed for the wedding through action.

    First, they purchased three large rolls of three-meter-wide red carpet. Each roll was thick enough; Gu Zi couldn¡¯t even embrace it with both hands stretched out.

    He paid for it and arranged for it to be held for pick-up later when someone would come by car to collect it.

    Next were red flower lights, potted table flowers, colored ribbons, balloons, ceremonial cannons, red envelopes of various sizes, and so on. The extravagance almost prompted the store director of the department store to personally attend to them.

    Later, they went to a furniture store and bought a considerable amount of furniture, which equally alarmed the management of the furniture store.

    Gu Zi felt that if the circumstances allowed, Su Shen might even arrange for camera equipment and a filming crew by himself. She no longer doubted Su Shen¡¯s purchasing power; it was terrifying.

    Finally, they separately visited an old winery in the city and ordered a batch of top-notch ¡°Daughter¡¯s Red Wine¡± as part of the wedding liquor.

    The couple had lunch in the city, and by the time they returned home, it was already dusk.

    Gu Zi was astounded to find that the furniture they bought had arrived even before they had reached home. Jin Long was already unloading with his team and moving things into the house.

    Su Li was busy with the neighborhood kids, coming in and out of the house, and Shitou from next door was also there.

    Spotting Gu Zi, Shitou dashed towards her, ¡°Fairy Sister, you look so pretty today!¡±

    Seeing his adorable demeanor, Gu Zi grabbed his hand and headed toward his house.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Lele all day and missed her terribly. Indeed, caring for the children herself felt more intimate.

    Lele spotted her favorite person from the Zhangs¡¯ house in the distance. She struggled out of Aunt Zhang¡¯s arms and ran towards Gu Zi.

    The moment Gu Zi held Su Le, she felt an extraordinary surge of joy. She asked Aunt Zhang not to cook dinner tonight and to come to the courtyard to eat later.

    Everyone in the village did not ask for compensation for their help, so it was only right for them to treat everyone to dinner.

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    Under such circumstances, Aunt Zhang had no reason to refuse. She immediately closed the house door, mentioning she would help Gu Zi later.

    Entering the house, Gu Zi noticed the adults were still busy moving things around and counted fifteen children including Su Bing and Su Li. She decided to prepare some snacks for the children.

    Taking a glance at the ingredients in the house, which were quite abundant, she chose to make potato chips and double-skinned milk for a quick snack.

    She swiftly peeled and thinly sliced the potatoes, soaked them in water, then drained and seasoned them.

    Outside, a child accidentally fell and started crying loudly, tears and snot streaming. However, upon catching a whiff of the rich aroma of potatoes coming from the house, the child suddenly forgot about crying and, like the other kids, dashed inside..

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Fairy-like Mother

    Chapter 204: Fairy-like Mother

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the potato slices were soaking, Gu Zi already had the milk boiled and poured into the refrigerator¡¯s cooling compartment for preservation.

    By the time she finished frying the potato chips and draining the oil, the milk had cooled down. A thick layer of cream had congealed on top of more than a dozen small bowls.

    The aroma of the chips wafted through the kitchen, drawing the children in. The tantalizing scent made them forget their trivial worries; even just catching a whiff felt like savoring a delicious bite.

    Glancing back at the eager kids crowded around the kitchen door, Gu Zi realized she needed to hasten her pace. She couldn¡¯t afford to let these eager little ones go hungry.

    Su Li caught a whiff of the delicious scent too. But when he tried to squeeze into the kitchen, he found it impossible.

    Standing on tiptoes, craning his neck to peer into the group of kids, he couldn¡¯t help but swallow saliva. Mom had made something delicious again!

    Using a fork, Gu Zi poked holes in the layer of cream, then carefully poured the milk from each bowl into another, leaving the cream layer at the bottom of the original bowls.

    She separated some egg whites, added sugar, and briskly whisked them. After sieving, she combined the egg whites with the milk, blending them meticulously.

    The children were captivated, watching this cooking process that seemed more like an experiment. How intricate it was!

    Every move she made was elegant, without a trace of clumsiness.

    Gu Zi poured the well-mixed egg-milk solution back into each of the original bowls, precisely filling fifteen of them.

    Placing the bowls into a large steamer and covering it, she commenced steaming. Then, using the leftover egg yolks, she mixed them with flour to make pancakes.

    She filled a large platter with potato chips and egg pancakes. Turning to the children, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s start with these chips and pancakes, shall we? Could you make way for me, please?¡±

    The children widened their eyes. Did she mean they could eat?

    Bewildered, they cleared a path. Gu Zi carried the food to the dining table. A man outside came to call his child.

    ¡°Tie Zhu, don¡¯t just barge into someone else¡¯s kitchen without manners! Come out!¡± He was about to take his son away and nodded apologetically to Gu Zi.

    He worked at the pig farm and had come specifically to help the boss move things. Thanks to Su Shen¡¯s job opportunity, his son could attend school.

    Since it was a weekend and Tie Zhu had no school, and there was work at home, he had brought his child along. Usually, the child tagged along with him at the pig farm.

    ¡°No problem at all. These things were meant for the kids to eat anyway,¡± Gu Zi reassured them, addressing the children, ¡°Come on, start eating. I still have dessert steaming in the kitchen. By the time you finish, dessert will be ready to eat too.¡±

    As Su Li saw his mom inviting the kids to eat, he joined in, helping out and even taking the kids to fetch stools.

    He felt thrilled when the kids praised him for having a fairy-like mom. They all gathered around the dining table, forming a circle.

    The man thanked Gu Zi after seeing how well she cared for his child and went back to work.

    Other men, observing how attentively their children were being looked after, felt grateful to Gu Zi, and they worked even harder.

    In the kitchen, Gu Zi turned off the heat after a while and let the double-skinned milk stew for another five minutes before serving it.

    About ten minutes later, the double-skinned milk had solidified to a nice consistency¡ªstill a bit warm, perfect for the kids.

    Gu Zi served each child a bowl, saving one for Lele.

    Since there was no room left at the dining table, Su Bing and Su Li took their bowls to the living room to eat. Their mom had said it was their own home, so they could be a bit casual. Therefore, they gave up their seats at the table for the other kids.

    Su Li took three large spoonfuls, savoring the smooth and delightful taste that lingered on his lips. It was almost divine.

    Su Bing also savored each spoonful carefully.

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    Su Li thought he was a fast eater, but the children in the dining room finished even quicker. They came out and stared eagerly at Su Bing, Su Li, and Gu Zi, who was feeding Lele.

    Someone enviously asked Su Li, ¡°Su Li, where did your dad find such a fairy-like mom? We want our dads to find one too.¡±

    Su Li felt quite proud after hearing that. ¡°You won¡¯t find a fairy-like mom like mine. Only my dad can.¡±

    Seeing more children gathering, Su Bing finished his dessert, took his and his brother¡¯s bowls, and headed to the dining room to clean up, seeking refuge from the noisy atmosphere there.

    Listening to these children¡¯s innocent words warmed Gu Zits heart. However, she noticed Su Bing seemed a bit overly mature. She didn¡¯t insist on making Su Bing become like Su Li. After all, each child had their unique traits, and having differences in character was actually quite good¡ªjust like the proverb ¡°Nine sons of the dragon each have their distinct traits..¡±

 Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: What Would I Do?

    Chapter 205: What Would I Do?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing and Su Li, one calm and composed, the other lively and spirited¡ªa pretty balanced combination.

    After feeding Lele, Gu Zi asked Su Li to look after her, handed some money to Su Bing, and tasked him with pushing the small cart to the supply and sales cooperative to buy a box of beer and some peanuts and melon seeds.

    She then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    As she had already decided on the menu early in the morning, Aunt Zhang had prepped most of the meat and vegetables as per Gu Zi¡¯s instructions, so all she needed to do was cook. It turned out to be quite effortless.

    Aunt Zhang saw Gu Zi enter the kitchen and asked, ¡°Everything¡¯s prepared. Just let me know if there¡¯s anything else left to do.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°No need. You can go to the living room and watch TV. Please help me take care of Lele while you¡¯re at it. I¡¯m worried Su Li might get carried away with playing.¡±

    Aunt Zhang thought that it was indeed worrying for a child to take care of another child, so she went out.

    Gu Zi began cooking. The first dish she simmered in a covered pot was braised pork trotters with soybeans, which required the longest cooking time. She filled a large pot with it¡ªenough for just this dish alone to feed everyone.

    She also planned to prepare a dish of cold -cooked pig¡¯s head meat and a simplified version of shredded pork with garlic sauce.

    Gu Zi felt there was no need to cook rice; instead, she boiled water and decided to cook noodles directly later. It alleviated concerns about cooking too much or too little rice.

    Moreover, Gu Zi believed that noodles, legumes, and meat were the best for combating fatigue and replenishing energy. After eating, they would all feel invigorated, and the men wouldn¡¯t have sore backs and aches the next day. After returning from the pig farm, Su Shen was told that Gu Zi was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner for everyone.

    Stepping into the kitchen, he saw several pots simmering simultaneously.

    Amidst it all was the composed and graceful figure of the woman by the stove. Beads of sweat dotted her fair forehead, which made him feel a pang of concern.

    As Gu Zi turned around to fetch something, she caught sight of Su Shen. In a moment of distraction, she nearly bumped into him, hastily reaching out to steady herself by gripping his hand.

    His hand was large, fingers long and evenly proportioned, the joints distinct. The back of his hand displayed pronounced veins due to the combined pressure of their hands, exuding a sense of strength.

    He gently adjusted her waist, urging her to stand straight while drawing her a bit closer.

    With a hand, he wiped the sweat from her forehead, his voice deep and tender,

    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. I¡¯ll take over from here. Go and rest.¡±

    Gu Zi, with her fluttering eyelashes, looked at the man. He carried a hint of dust due to his busy work at the pig farm.

    This time, she didn¡¯t readily accept his care. In fact, she felt a tad displeased.

    Why did he always say she was working hard, as if they weren¡¯t a married couple? Weren¡¯t they both busy preparing for the wedding? How could it be solely her effort?

    Without stepping out, Gu Zi spoke gently but icily, ¡°I¡¯ve rested since I came back. On the contrary, someone has been busy all day long, running around everywhere. Do you think you¡¯re made of iron? How can you manage this way?

    Have you ever thought about how tired you might get? What if you fell sick? What would I do? What would the children do?¡±

    Listening to her peculiar tone, Su Shen felt a warm sensation inside. Though not one for melodrama, it was the first time someone showed concern for him, especially a young woman, which softened his heart.

    He lowered his gaze and chuckled softly, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t get too tired. I¡¯m very physically fit, after all, I¡¯m a man.¡±

    Gu Zi pretended to glare at him angrily, yet she was incredibly endearing. She looked like a vexed little kitten, lacking any real intimidation, making one want to gather her into their arms and cradle her.

    She pushed the man out of the kitchen area, saying, ¡°Just because you¡¯re a man doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re made of iron. Do whatever you want, just don¡¯t come in here, okay?¡±

    Su Shen shook his head in resignation. This silly girl was genuinely worried about him. He couldn¡¯t contain a smile.

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    Upstairs, he changed his clothes and joined the men in moving things around, arranging furniture. The replaced old furniture, which was still in good condition, was taken away by the helping hands as per their needs.

    Those pieces might not have been old, but Su Shen wanted to give Gu Zi entirely new things, providing them with a fresh start.

    The men were grateful to their boss. They weren¡¯t greedy and took what was necessary. They even agreed to help each other, planning to take away whatever they needed.

    By the time the men finished their work, Gu Zi¡¯s meal was also ready. She asked Jin Long to call everyone to come and have noodles.

    Jin Long saw Gu Zi and Aunt Zhang arranging dishes of noodles. Bowls of noodles were neatly placed on the table, topped with shredded pork in garlic sauce, cold mixed pig¡¯s head meat, and braised pork trotters with yellow beans. It was an appetizing sight that made everyone¡¯s mouths water..

 Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: A Good Host

    Chapter 206: A Good Host

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long swiftly called everyone over, grabbed his own bowl of noodles, and sat down at the table, eagerly digging in.

    The men observed the generous servings of meat atop each bowl of noodles and felt that Gu Zi was going above and beyond in hosting this dinner. Even during festive occasions in their own homes, they wouldn¡¯t dare to indulge in such a meat feast.

    She was kind-hearted, not only attending to the children but also generously treating them with an abundance of meat. It left them speechless.

    Most country men were not skilled in expressing themselves, and they seemed particularly constrained now. Each of them went up, grabbed a bowl of noodles and a pair of chopsticks, preparing to go outside to the yard to eat.

    Gu Zi stopped the leader among them and said, ¡°We¡¯ve prepared so many stools for you. How can you eat outside in the yard? Come inside and sit, don¡¯t let the wind blow you away. Everyone, come sit in!¡±

    Aunt Zhang also ushered them inside, ¡°Quickly sit down and eat. No need for formalities. Our boss lady has prepared so many dishes. If you run out of noodles, we¡¯ll cook more. There¡¯s plenty of food. You¡¯re all grown men, stop dilly-dallying.¡±

    Jin Long added, ¡°Hurry up and sit down to eat more. Otherwise, it¡¯ll seem like you¡¯re dissatisfied with Sister-in-law¡¯s cooking. Look at how comfortable I am.¡±

    A few men glanced at Jin Long, thinking that if they had half of Jin Long¡¯s carefreeness, things would be much better.

    The men repeatedly expressed their gratitude, all sitting around the table to eat noodles. Gu Zi and Aunt Zhang went to call the children to come for their noodles too.

    With so many things arranged for these days¡¯ affairs, various ingredients, utensils, tables, and stools were all well-prepared. Serving dozens of people was no problem at all.

    Su Bing returned with the items he bought. Following his mother¡¯s instructions, he and his brother set out the beer and peanuts on the table, allowing the uncles to freely eat and drink.

    Under the lively atmosphere set by Jin Long, the men gradually relaxed and engaged in lively conversation.

    Men, in reality, were quite simple. A warm bed for their wives and children, paired with beer for three meals a day ¨C an atmosphere like this was simply indescribable. Everyone was extremely happy.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t see Su Shen come for dinner, so after she finished her tasks, she went to look for him.

    Walking into the courtyard, she saw Su Shen coming back, leading Big Yellow. Her heart pounded hard at the sight.

    Under the dim light, the man stood at the gate of the courtyard, dressed in a dark green short-sleeved shirt, camouflage pants, and black leather boots. His stature was tall and straight, exuding a commanding presence, akin to a commanding officer returning from patrol. There was a sense of righteousness in his bearing, a strong masculine aura.

    Big Yellow, noticing his halt, obediently sat behind him. There was a newfound air of dignity in its eyes, as if it were a seasoned military dog.

    Approaching her, the man spoke first, ¡°Realized it¡¯s been a while since I took it for a walk, so I did.¡±

    Big Yellow was his best comrade-in-arms during his military days, no doubt about it.

    He gestured to Big Yellow, and it obediently wagged its tail, walking towards Gu Zi and brushing against her leg.

    Gu Zi squatted down to pat Big Yellow, taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart before standing up to say, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll leash Big Yellow. You should go and have something to eat.¡±

    At that moment, she understood that a true soldier didn¡¯t necessarily need to be clad in a military uniform to exude an air of authority.

    She felt like this man was born to be a soldier. She just couldn¡¯t fathom why he retired.

    He was simply too handsome and striking, making her feel as though she were seeing him through a military filter.

    Su Shen also glanced at her, his cheeks slightly flushed, lost in his own thoughts. He simply acknowledged her and handed Big Yellow over to her care.

    After the helpers left for the night, the house quieted down. Gu Zi was in the kitchen cleaning up, and Su Shen came over to help.

    Su Bing asked Su Li to keep an eye on Lele while they helped to tidy up the living room and dining area.

    When Gu Zi emerged from the kitchen, she noticed Su Bing working enthusiastically. Unable to resist, she ruffled his hair a few times. Even though her own child had a cold demeanor, he still looked rather cute.

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    Su Bing felt as though he was being treated like Big Yellow, finding it made him feel somewhat immature, but he didn¡¯t resist. If Mom wanted to touch, let her. After all, one should indulge their own mother.

    Observing the wilting wildflowers on the table, Gu Zi immediately went out to gather some flowers and herbs to replace them.

    Su Li thought that since Mom arrived, the house was always clean, beautiful, and even fragrant. In the future, he wanted a wife like Mom.

    It was already quite late when the family finished cleaning the house. Although they were tired, they were happy.

    Su Shen held Gu Zi¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s go to your parents¡¯ home for the ceremony..¡±

 Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Betrothal Ceremony

    Chapter 207: Betrothal Ceremony

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was a bit puzzled and asked, ¡°What ceremony?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°It¡¯s the betrothal ceremony, a crucial procedure before the wedding. I can¡¯t let you be unfairly treated.¡±

    Realizing that this was indeed significant in traditional customs, Su Shen had already provided a betrothal gift, hadn¡¯t he? Wasn¡¯t that enough?

    Besides, he had handed over all their household money to her; was the betrothal ceremony really important?

    She felt inexperienced and somewhat careless. Everything seemed to be the older man¡¯s consideration.

    But she quickly forgave herself. After all, it was her first marriage, and her lack of understanding was somewhat reasonable. Besides, didn¡¯t it show how considerate the older man was?

    Gu Zi said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say. And truly, marrying you doesn¡¯t feel like a compromise, so stop saying such things.¡±

    Her tone carried a hint of coyness as she spoke. He found it soothing and promised to remember her words.

    Su Shen still had some paperwork to handle for the pig farm. Not wanting to disturb him, Gu Zi asked Su Bing to take his younger brother to bed. She then carried Su Le upstairs.

    Their new bed came with the latest mattress, providing a very comfortable sleep.

    In the middle of the night, the bed sank deeply on the other side. Gu Zi turned over and naturally nestled into the man¡¯s arms.

    Looking at her beautiful face illuminated by the moonlight, he couldn¡¯t resist kissing her. They lingered in that embrace for a long while.

    During these nights sharing the same bed, he found himself habitually kissing her before sleeping, as if not doing so would hinder his ability to fall asleep.

    The following day at the Lin family residence¡­

    In the early morning, Jin Long set off for the town to make purchases. By mid-morning, he had managed to deliver the new furniture right at the doorstep of the Lin household. The procession attracted quite a crowd of curious onlookers along the way.

    Although the Lins had moved into a new house, they were lacking many essential pieces of furniture. Su Shen had insisted on completing everything in one fell swoop this time.

    Su Shen¡¯s generosity stunned the Lin household. Those who helped out and even those who came along were left awestruck.

    These were all top-grade redwood furniture pieces, the kind that even city dwellers might not be able to afford. It was simply extravagant!

    While they knew Su Shen was the wealthy person in the village, known as ¡°Boss Su,¡± they didn¡¯t have a clear concept of how rich he truly was. Seeing this display of wealth, however, certainly emphasized that he was exceptionally affluent.

    Among the items unloaded from the vehicle was an exquisite redwood vanity. Jin Long mentioned that it was handpicked by Gu Zi for his sister-in-law. Li Hua¡¯s face lit up upon hearing this.

    Gu Zi had told her in private that if a woman wanted to hold a man¡¯s heart, it was useless to look at him every day. She had to learn to hook a man¡¯s soul and let him come back on his own. Maintaining her beauty was the most important point.

    Initially, Li Hua thought her sister-in-law was merely speaking in jest. However, her actions proved otherwise. With this dressing table, she was determined to take care of her appearance more diligently.

    Among the onlookers, some envied, while others felt resentful. Word about the extravagant purchases quickly spread throughout Little Lin village. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was present among the crowd, her eyes filled with a tinge of envy.

    Initially skeptical upon hearing that Lin Lao¡¯erO¡¯s household had a new house, she decided to come and take a look for herself today. She was astounded by what she saw¡ªnot only a new house but a better one than theirs. And now, they were even replacing their old furniture with brand-new, high-quality redwood pieces!

    Rumors had it that Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s biological daughter had found herself an outstanding man, one who was more than willing to spend money lavishly on her maternal family. It seemed that the rumors were indeed true. That Lin Lao¡¯er! How could he keep such wealth a secret?!

    She swiftly rushed into her plot of land, pulling aside Lin Laoyao, her husband, who was working. ¡®What are you still doing here? Your brother¡¯s family has struck it rich. They¡¯re in the middle of replacing their furniture. I¡¯ve taken a liking to a redwood vanity. You go and get it for our daughter-in-law who hasn¡¯t joined our family yet.¡±

    She had planned it all out. Her son, Lin Ye, was about to get married to a girl from the town. She was fretting over not having anything impressive to give as a gift. But now, with the redwood vanity, that problem was solved.

    Lin Laoyao looked at his greedy wife with some helplessness. He didn¡¯t want to go. Their family already owed a lot to his brother¡¯s family.

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    Back when they were dividing property and homes, because his second brother didn¡¯t like to fight, their mother had given him the smallest and least fertile plot of land. There wasn¡¯t enough for a house, so they didn¡¯t even get one. Despite this, Second Brother and his wife never complained.

    Later on, as the families expanded, their mother took care of the older brother¡¯s family and his children. She also helped with their family¡¯s children, but she never lent a hand to his second brother¡¯s household.

    Over the years, Second Brother¡¯s family had managed to get through all the hardships on their own. What right did they have to ask for things now?

    Especially in their family, his eldest brother and sister-in-law were particularly snobbish, so they alienated Second Brother¡¯s family but never deliberately suppressed them.

    On the other hand, his own wife was not only was status-conscious but also deliberately took advantage of his second brother¡¯s family.

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Taking Advantage

    Chapter 208: Taking Advantage

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At the Lin family household, Lin Laoyao, also fearful of confrontations with his wife and unwilling to challenge her authority, found himself tagged with the moniker ¡°henpecked husband.¡±

    He paid little attention to this label, hoping that one day his wife would be content and stop her insatiable demands.

    However, despite occupying numerous things over the years, she remained dissatisfied. Lin Laoyao spoke coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t go. It¡¯s way too embarrassing to do that!¡±

    His wife¡¯s complexion changed dramatically at his refusal. Pointing her finger accusingly at Lin Laoyao, she shouted, ¡°Have I had a single good day since I married you? Can you justify yourself, Lin Laoyao? If you won¡¯t go, we¡¯re getting a divorce.¡±

    Once youthful and able to carry off such tantrums with some charm, her advancing years had stripped her of that appeal. Despite her current intimidating presence, Lin Laoyao paid her no mind and reluctantly agreed to

    When they arrived at Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s house, they found a small crowd gathered, chatting animatedly with the once downtrodden Lin Lao¡¯er, who now looked remarkably lively despite his graying hair. He sported a healthy glow on his face.

    The large redwood dressing table remained outside, awaiting a suitable spot inside. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, with a signal to her husband, strode directly towards the dressing table, reaching out to touch and feel its texture.

    Li Hua noticed Lin Laoyao and his wife. She tugged on her mother-in-law¡¯s arm warily. Mother Lin¡¯s smile disappeared.

    Lin Laoyao greeted his second brother but refrained from mentioning the message conveyed by his wife. Others around couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. Why were Lin Laoyao and his wife here? Didn¡¯t Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife declare she didn¡¯t want anything to do with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family anymore?

    However, it was evident that Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was no longer the destitute sight it used to be. Given Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife¡¯s behavior, she was probably here to take advantage of him again. As expected, what happened next confirmed everyone¡¯s guess.

    When the youngest daughter-in-law saw that her man did not speak, she said it herself. She had never been shy when it came to asking for things. She had always felt that it was hers when she asked for it.

    Noticing her husband¡¯s silence, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife took charge, unapologetically accustomed to claiming what she wanted. ¡°Sister-in-law, oh, Li Hua is here too. Oh, this dressing table is fantastic, perfect for a newlywed bride. I think it¡¯s just right for Lin Ye¡¯s wife.

    Li Hua¡¯s heart sank upon hearing this. Once again, it was a ploy to take advantage, and now, they were eyeing her dressing table.

    However, being a daughter-in-law, she found herself in a difficult position. She hesitated to confront her mother-in- law, who always gave in to Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife. Her dressing table seemed to be in jeopardy.

    Mother Lin wore a deeply unpleasant expression as she spoke, ¡°This was a gift from Gu Zi to her sister-in-law; I cannot make this decision.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, driven by greed, shifted her gaze onto Li Hua and remarked, ¡°That¡¯s simple then. Li Hua has always been very sensible. She¡¯ll surely be willing to give the dressing table to Lin Ye¡¯s wife, right?¡±

    Li Hua, emboldened by her mother-in-law¡¯s refusal, confidently shook her head, ¡°This was given to me by Gu Zi, and I¡¯m not willing to part with it.¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife¡¯s expression immediately changed upon Li Hua¡¯s refusal. Her tone became harsh, directed at Li Hua, ¡°You¡¯ve been married for so many years. Do you still need such a good dressing table? Even after all these years, you haven¡¯t been able to have children. What right do you have to use such a good thing?¡±

    Those words made Li Hua¡¯s tears stream down instantly. How dare she speak to her like that?

    Neither her mother-in-law nor Lin Cheng had ever scolded her like this! Trembling hands desperately fought back the urge to cry.

    When Lin Cheng heard this, he immediately came over to protect his wife and comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to the nonsense of outsiders. Why are you crying?

    Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Mother Lin¡¯s expression changed as well. For the first time, she spoke to her youngest sister-in-law in a harsh tone. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far. I can¡¯t bear to see my daughter-in-law spoken to so maliciously.¡±

    Witnessing the humiliation of a woman he once admired, Lin Hun couldn¡¯t stay calm. He jumped up to confront Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, yelling, ¡°You old witch! Have you brushed your teeth? Your mouth stinks!¡±

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    Seeing that he was about to go up and beat her up, the surrounding people hurriedly pulled him back and told him not to be rash.

    Lin Laoyao rushed to his wife¡¯s side, attempting to calm her, but she pushed him away, displaying an unruly appearance.

    She retorted with hostility, ¡°Alright, Lin Cheng. Your family has become wealthy, and now, we¡¯re outsiders, right? I haven¡¯t lied. Your wife can¡¯t bear children. With all the good things in your house, you won¡¯t even give me a dressing table. Your uncle and your father are biological brothers. You guys are too stingy.¡±

    As she spoke, not just Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family but everyone present fell silent.

    They were well aware that Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife had a penchant for taking advantage, but they hadn¡¯t expected such a direct emotional manipulation combined with verbal insults! What was the difference between this and outright robbery?

 Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Embarrassing Little Aunt

    Chapter 209: Embarrassing Little Aunt

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Su Shen could hear the commotion from a distance, and as they approached, they witnessed a robust woman, larger than life, pointing and scolding Lin Cheng and his family. Her demeanor was undeniably unseemly.

    During her time in Daqing Village, she had heard a fair share of gossip. She had deliberately inquired about the original owner¡¯s family.

    The second brother was honest, kind, and loyal, and his wife never contested or contended. When the family property was divided, they received a patch of barren land. Nevertheless, the couple was incredibly filial to their elderly mother, bearing no grievances.

    The youngest brother was timid and subservient¡ªalways catering to his mother before marriage and to his wife afterward. His wife was renowned for taking advantage of situations, particularly Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. In her youth, she had been envious of Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s wife¡¯s beauty and had always been one to take advantage of Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family.

    Gu Zi felt that this was a family matter. Today was about the formalities of engagement for Su Shen. She didn¡¯t want him involved in these troublesome affairs. She said to Su Shen, ¡°Go back and wait with the others under the tree. I¡¯ll handle this, and then we can proceed.¡±

    Adorned in a white blouse and flared jeans, her demurely coiled hair gave her an air of grace and beauty, even in the midst of the situation.

    When she spoke, her determination was evident. Su Shen couldn¡¯t help but notice a glint of strength in her, and he chuckled, ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll need to hide behind you in the future and be the man behind your shadow.¡±

    Gu Zi did not expect Su Shen to joke. She paused for a moment before responding with a smile, ¡°Not that I want to show off, but I believe today is a special day, and I can¡¯t let you down. I must rid ourselves of these unsettling distractions.¡±

    She didn¡¯t fear that her actions might hurt his pride. A man¡¯s pride came from within himself, not from a woman¡¯s acceptance.

    A man who couldn¡¯t stand beside a woman in certain situations wasn¡¯t genuinely strong; it was, in fact, a manifestation of inferiority.

    Su Shen wanted to say that these people couldn¡¯t affect his mood, but seeing the woman taking care of him like this, he felt genuinely touched and reluctantly agreed.

    He turned and gestured to the group a short distance away, signaling them to halt. The entourage bearing the betrothal gifts stopped under the big tree. They all needed a break; the sheer magnitude of the gifts made them feel like they were in an aristocratic family¡¯s wedding from decades ago.

    Logically, a procession this grand should have caught the attention of onlookers, yet everyone was so engrossed in the commotion at Lin¡¯s residence that they paid no attention to what was happening a short distance away.

    Gu Zi walked up to the crowd alone, casting a nonchalant glance at Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife. She asked Mother Lin with a composed demeanor, ¡°Mom, why is there so much excitement today?¡±

    At the same time, Gu Zi could feel her aunt¡¯s gaze starting to scrutinize her, but she didn¡¯t bother to return the stare and instead remained unperturbed.

    Before Mother Lin could say anything, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife interrupted, ¡°Ah, so this is my niece from Second Brother¡¯s family. I¡¯m your aunt-in-law, and this is your uncle. How can relatives not know each other?¡±

    When Gu Zi heard this, she pretended to be confused and said, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Little Uncle and Little Aunt. Mother told me long ago that Little Uncle and Little Aunt are the best. I didn¡¯t expect you to come visit before I had a chance to pay my respects. It makes me seem rude. Mom, we can¡¯t accept the gifts from Little Uncle and Little Aunt. Let¡¯s ask them to take them back.¡±

    Since Lin Lao¡¯er and his wife had found their biological daughter, it was normal to expect the Little Uncle and Aunt to come and show their concern. They should bring some gifts as well.

    Gu Zi knew very well that they hadn¡¯t brought anything and weren¡¯t really there to visit her. Still, she intentionally phrased her words in such a way that implied they were being shameless, which made it more interesting than outright calling them out.

    The people around couldn¡¯t help but chuckle upon hearing her words. They hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi, at such a young age, to be so adept at dealing with people.

    Lin Laovao¡¯s wife was known for her sharD tongue and a habit of being shameless, and there wasn¡¯t much point in competing with her in that regard.

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    However, with Gu Zi taking this indirect approach, it made it difficult for her to throw a tantrum.

    It took some time for Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife to respond to Gu Zi¡¯s statement. She finally said, ¡°Where¡­ where in the world do elders give gifts to younger ones? You city-raised kids don¡¯t really understand customs.¡±

    Mother Lin immediately stepped in to defend her daughter upon hearing such words. ¡°Indeed, such a custom doesn¡¯t exist in your dictionary. Your mouth has always been the only ¡®custom¡¯ you¡¯ve adhered to. Our Little Zi has been so respectful by calling you uncle and aunt. If only she knew what you¡¯re really here for.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at Mother Lin and praised her mother in her heart. She had always thought that her mother had a soft personality that could be manipulated by anyone. It turned out that her mother also had a temper. That was good!

    Pretending to be surprised, Gu Zi asked Mother Lin, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t Little Uncle and Little Aunt here to visit me?¡±

 Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Selfish

    Chapter 210: Selfish

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s face was gentle, her eyes wide and clear, giving off the impression that she genuinely didn¡¯t know the actual situation.

    She secretly acknowledged that Lin Miao¡¯s pretentious tactics could be quite handy when necessary.

    Some people in the vicinity couldn¡¯t stand by any longer. How could they push Gu Zi like this? Was it that the more sensible you were, the less care you received?

    Someone spoke up to Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, ¡°You are an elder after all, but your lack of understanding is worse than a younger one. You¡¯re always creating trouble. You should stop.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! If your son is getting married, then he should earn a vanity table through his own means. How can you come to Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family to snatch things by force?¡±

    ¡°Moreover, you¡¯re Gu Zi¡¯s Little Aunt. Today¡¯s a happy occasion for your niece, but instead of bringing a gift during your first meeting, you¡¯re trying to take advantage. It¡¯s embarrassing to say the least!¡±

    Lin Laoyao felt that if this continued, the villagers¡¯ collective spit could drown him and his wife.

    He forcefully pulled his wife, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Look at yourself. I¡¯ve told you countless times not to behave like this!¡±

    Seeing the situation, Gu Zi continued in a gentle tone, ¡°Little Uncle, why rush off? Stay back and have lunch with Little Aunt. I may not be a great cook, but I can still prepare something edible. Besides, we¡¯re all family. Whether you bring gifts or not is not that important.¡±

    Papa Lin, Mother Lin, and Lin Cheng finally figured it out. Gu Zi had intentionally spoken like that. This girl was indeed clever!

    Li Hua also chimed in graciously, saying, ¡°Actually, Little Aunt¡¯s words earlier weren¡¯t wrong. I indeed haven¡¯t had a child yet. It was a good reminder from Little Aunt. Please don¡¯t be upset. It¡¯s our fault, Lin Cheng and I were thoughtless. Please stay and have lunch.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi continued her confusion, ¡°Hm, what is this about having a child?¡±

    Gu Zi continued her inquiries, trying to find out their true reason for coming.

    That wav, whether she needed to get anzrv or ask them to leave, she would have a valid reason, and onlookers wouldn¡¯t find fault with her actions.

    Seeing this, Lin Laoyao quickly interjected, pulling his wife and saying,

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong; you¡¯ve been thoughtful. We just came to see you. There¡¯s still a lot of work to do in the fields, so we won¡¯t stay for lunch. We wish you a happy wedding!¡±

    Lin Laoyao finished speaking and hurriedly dragged his wife away. No matter how much the woman shouted or struggled, he didn¡¯t stop in his tracks.

    In reality, a man¡¯s strength is indeed greater than a woman¡¯s. In a direct confrontation, the his wife wouldn¡¯t be able to overpower him.

    Gu Zi thought to herself, people in the village said that her Little Uncle had been ruined by this dominant and fierce woman, but in truth, this kind of man was the most selfish.

    The most honest thought in his heart was that he hoped that his fierce wife could snatch more things through shameless means, but his upbringing taught him to maintain his dignity.

    In actuality, he was the most shameless and greedy. His actions toward his wife were never out of helplessness but rather silent approval.

    Today, by firmly taking his wife away, it was just that he guessed continuing would not achieve his goals. It was better to safeguard his reputation first. If it was Little Aunt who had the upper hand today, Little Uncle would still be the cowardly and henpecked uncle.

    Gu Zi had always believed in one saying: ¡°Two people sleeping in the same bed won¡¯t have very different attitudes.¡±

    Mother Lin only smiled when she saw that the troublemakers had gone far away. She had suffered a lot from that troublemaking couple over the years.

    On the surface, Lin Laoyao always appeared quite helpless, but whenever his wife tried to take advantage, he would secretly instigate his mother to make things difficult for her. That¡¯s why she always gave in.

    Now she was no longer afraid. With a good daughter and son-in-law, continuing to endure their mistreatment would only bring disgrace to her daughter and son-in-law.

    ¡°Little Zi, why are you here alone? Where¡¯s Lele?¡± Mother Lin asked.

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Su Shen came today for the engagement, so we asked the neighboring auntie to look after Lele¡±

    Suddenly, everyone noticed a festive procession approaching from behind, adorned in vibrant red attire. The Lin family members turned their attention in that direction.

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    Dressed in red engagement attire, some carried boxes, others held their chests up, forming a long line.

    Su Shen, tall and striding confidently, led the group in a sleek black suit and black leather shoes. His hair was impeccably styled, likely by the hands of a skilled woman, and he wore an expensive wristwatch that caught everyone¡¯s eyes.

    The onlookers were stunned.

    So, the furniture was just the warm-up act! This was the official start of flaunting their wealth!

    Had they known Su Shen would be so rich, they wouldn¡¯t have even considered his condition of not having children when he was looking for a wife back then!

 Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Determination

    Chapter 211: Determination

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Lin family was dumbfounded, and when Su Shen approached, Gu Zits father asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you just needed to give Little Zi three gold

    pieces of jewelry?¡± It seemed different from what they had discussed by the river!

    Su Shen replied, ¡°At that time, I hadn¡¯t thought it through. I believe I should express my determination to marry Gu Zi in the most direct way.¡±

    As he spoke, the people in front of Lin¡¯s house cleared a path, and the bridal procession had arrived at the door.

    The Lin family had been decorating for their daughter¡¯s wedding, and the arrival of the procession added even more festivity to the atmosphere.

    After Jin Long and others finished moving and arranging the furniture, they came over to express their blessings and then hurriedly left.

    With the gifts delivered, Jin Long had to check on the pig farm.

    After all, it was his good friend¡¯s wedding, and he was willing to help out as much as he could. Su Shen had put in a lot of extra hours for him before, so it was only fair.

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua brought over some chairs, inviting Su Shen and Gu Zi to take a seat. They then headed to the kitchen, fetching tea and snacks to offer the bridal party some refreshments on the side.

    The formal ceremony kicked off, with the bridal procession lining up neatly. A professional wedding announcer stepped forward to convey blessings and recite the list of gifts.

    ¡°Under the radiant sunshine and amidst lively drumbeats, congratulations on the union of the Su and Lin families! The betrothal gifts encompass a pair of mandarin ducks, gold rings, gold earrings, gold necklace, gold bracelets, and a gold pendant set. The betrothal money amounts to 8888 yuan, accompanied by six boxes of gift candies and cakes¡­¡±

    While the announcer spoke, she approached Gu Zi¡¯s parents, placing each gift before them. The bamboo baskets and red boxes swiftly piled up, creating a small mountain. For many, such scenes had only been heard of in stories, and witnessing it today was truly enlightening.

    As soon as the sum ¡°8888 yuan¡± was mentioned, everyone seemed to hold their breath. Facial muscles twitched as they grasped that Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was undeniably prosperous, now being the wealthiest in Little Lin Village.

    The pair of mandarin ducks represented an unwavering commitment, while the gold items conveyed wishes for prosperity and happiness in married life.

    Since ancient times, rich families generally refrained from flaunting their wealth, but major life events and ceremonies were exceptions to this norm.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t sure when Su Shen had arranged all of this, but she was certain that what he had done surpassed what met the eye. This man was truly deserving of marriage.

    Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but ponder: Were these betrothal gifts too lavish? Glancing at Su Shen, he responded with a tender smile, and his eyes held a profound affection that made Gu Zi¡¯s heart beat faster.

    After the betrothal gifts were presented, Mr. and Mrs. Lin didn¡¯t exhibit the kind of exuberant joy seen in those who suddenly struck it rich. Their happiness stemmed more from the fact that their daughter had found a good man rather than the extravagant gifts.

    After a short while, they invited Su Shen and Gu Zi into the house, while Lin Cheng took charge of having the betrothal gifts brought in.

    Li Hua opened a box of gift candies and cakes, distributing them to the villagers present.

    Inside the house, Gu Zi¡¯s father expressed to Su Shen, ¡°Your courtesy has deeply moved us. We are overjoyed that Little Zi is marrying you, not just because of the extravagant betrothal gifts. However, traditionally, it¡¯s not customary to accept the entire betrothal. We¡¯ll keep these items, but the betrothal money and gold are for Little Zi to take back. Consider it our return gift. ¡±

    The elderly couple handed over the betrothal money along with the gold to Gu Zi, aiming to boost her confidence.

    With Lin Cheng as a capable son, they believed their family could sustain itself, and they were still quite active themselves.

    Having alreadv received a considerable amount from Su Shen, thev couldn¡¯t accept more. This money wasn¡¯t something they could take.

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    Mother Lin said to Gu Zi, ¡°Take this money back. Let Su Shen help you open an account, deposit the betrothal money in there, and consider it your personal savings given by your parents.¡±

    Gu Zi was very touched when she heard Mother Lin¡¯s words. She recognized the practicality of keeping the money safe, especially considering the recent commotion. Lin Miao might still cause trouble, and it was better to keep the money secured until needed.

    Reflecting on the generosity of the older couple, Gu Zi wondered if this was the famed tenderness of caring elderly.

    Su Shen found her smile and slightly bashful demeanor adorable. Men are inherently goal-oriented creatures, and for him, spending this money was about making her happy, and her happiness, in turn, brought him joy. He desired her but also sought legitimacy through traditional rituals.

    Su Shen did not have any objections to Mr. and Mrs. Lin¡¯s suggestion, and he held an even deeper respect for the elderly couple. Despite enduring poverty for a long time, their spirit remained unbroken. Having such people to call father and mother, Su Shen felt sincerely honored..

 Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Flower Girl

    Chapter 212: Flower Girl

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Su Shen then served tea to Mr. and Mrs. Lin. They also invited the elderly couple to the Su family¡¯s house tomorrow afternoon to see their wedding photos.

    In this era, photography was still a rare occurrence, and wedding photos were even more scarce. After obtaining them, it was inevitable to call over family members for inspection and discussion.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen left Lin¡¯s house after having lunch. When they arrived home, someone from the pig farm came with a message.

    In the morning, the pig farm office received a call from Uncle Li, the owner of a bridal shop. He wanted to introduce a girl named Jiang Nuan as a flower girl for Su Shen and Gu Zi¡¯s wedding.

    Jiang Nuan, a seven-year-old girl, was the child of his friend. She had a calm yet lively personality, looked cute, and had a particularly charming smile, making her suitable for the role of a flower girl.

    Gu Zi then remembered that they hadn¡¯t started looking for a flower girl yet!

    Su Shen asked for Gu Zi¡¯s opinion, and she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go meet her tomorrow morning as Uncle Li suggested. The people he recommends are usually reliable. We can also buy the flower girl¡¯s dress when we go.¡±

    The man nodded, instructing the messenger to go back and convey their response and arrange a meeting for tomorrow morning.

    As they entered the house, they saw Su Bing and Su Li doing their homework. Su Shen found it somewhat unbelievable.

    Su Bing was diligent and conscientious when it came to homework, which was normal. However, Su Li was surprisingly focused today, even when they returned. He only greeted them with a simple ¡°hello, mom and dad¡± before lowering his head to resume his homework.

    Su Shen was puzzled by this level of concentration.

    Gu Zi noticed his gaze and understood his expression. She said to him, ¡°Our Su Li is actually quite good; he just needs a little guidance.¡±

    Su Shen hugged her waist and kissed her cheek, praising, ¡°It¡¯s your magic touch!¡±

    Gu Zi playfully pushed him, and he released his hold, going along with her gesture.

    She reminded him in a serious tone, ¡°There are children around; let¡¯s be serious. By the way, who should we find for the male flower boy?¡±

    Flower boys were usually chosen from the children of relatives and friends; strictly speaking, one¡¯s own children couldn¡¯t be flower boys.

    Su Shen had also inquired with the elders in the village and mentioned, ¡°For male flower boys, it¡¯s usually better to choose someone a bit chubby and likeable. ¡±

    While they were discussing this, Shi Tou from next door stood outside the courtyard gate and shouted, ¡°Fairy Sister is back; Grandma, quickly bring Lele over!¡±

    When Gu Zi heard that childish voice, she clapped her hands. ¡°Shi Tou is five years old this year, right? He¡¯s very lively and energetic. How about him?¡±

    Su Shen also felt that it was appropriate. When Aunt Zhang brought her grandson over with Su Le, they discussed the matter with her.

    ¡®With his bear-like appearance, are you sure you want him to be a flower boy?¡± Aunt Zhang chuckled.

    Shi Tou looked at her grandmother bitterly when he heard this. Wasn¡¯t she his real grandmother? Why couldn¡¯t he be a flower boy for Fairy Sister? ¡°I want to be a flower boy for Fairy Sister! I want to be a flower boy!¡±

    Zhang Cuihua gave Shi Tou a glance; this naughty child had no sense of reserve.

    Gu Zi said sincerely, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re sure. Aunt Zhang, if you agree, we¡¯ll take Shi Tou to the city tomorrow to buy clothes and shoes. I guarantee that he¡¯ll appear beautifully on the day.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Cuihua realized that this couple had indeed set their eyes on her grandson as a flower boy.

    As a grandmother, she was delighted. Although she often teased Shi Tou for his foolish appearance, deep down, she couldn¡¯t bear to part with him.

    Zhang Cuihua readily agreed. If Shi Tou could be a flower boy for Su Shen and Gu Zi, it would bring her some face. Who would still say that her Shi Tou only knew how to eat and nothing else?

    Gu Zi was a little sleepy as she hugged Su Le. She had been busy with wedding preparations, and even her afternoon naps had been neglected for several days.

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    Considering the current situation where Su Shen was handling most of the matters, she couldn¡¯t help but imagine how much more challenging it would be if the groom didn¡¯t participate at all. Planning everything alone would be quite a daunting task.

    Seeing Gu Zi yawning, Su Shen said to her, ¡°Take Lele and go rest for a while. Someone will be coming later, and I¡¯ll handle it. The closer we get to the wedding, the busier it becomes. If you¡¯re tired, just rest. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±

    Gu Zi agreed but added, ¡°I¡¯ll just lie down for a while. When the guest arrives, wake me up. It¡¯s not right for a man to handle everything when it comes to matters at home. What about your dignity?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mind these things. As long as you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Gu Zi gently said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t mind, I do. I have to maintain my man¡¯s dignity. Besides, feeling busy makes me realize that I¡¯m truly going to marry you. This shared experience of preparing for the wedding together is precious. Don¡¯t even think about shouldering all the happiness alone..¡±

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Seductress

    Chapter 213: Seductress

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was articulate, and even her rebuttals sounded melodious¡ªSu Shen loved listening to her.

    In the end, Su Shen compromised. He gently pushed her back and suggested she go upstairs to sleep, promising to wake her up when the guests arrived.

    When he came to call her, she was deeply asleep, showing no signs of waking up. Su Shen hesitated, reluctant to disturb her peaceful rest.

    She lay there, with her black hair sprawled over the pillow, wearing a silk nightgown that partially concealed her enchanting figure. Her slender and rounded shoulders gleamed like snow, and her exposed upper body revealed alluring curves.

    Unbeknownst to him, she wasn¡¯t even wearing underwear beneath the nightgown. Gu Zi was a devoted advocate of sleeping in the nude, a habit she had developed in her past life due to living alone. This made it convenient for her, and she had continued the practice of not wearing underwear at home.

    A captivating woman is often a combination of an angel and a seductress, and Gu Zi was precisely that.

    Observing her, Su Shen felt a dryness in his throat, and a fiery desire kindled in his lower abdomen.

    He had forgotten that his initial purpose was to wake her up. Driven by personal desire, he carried Su Le to his room, and upon returning, he couldn¡¯t resist leaning down for a passionate kiss.

    A man¡¯s love for beauty is innate, and in his relationship with Gu Zi, there was no need to feign modesty or hide this natural inclination.

    A mature man, when facing a woman he desires, doesn¡¯t shy away from expressing his sexual desire. Instead, he communicates with a firm, even assertive attitude, as seen in this moment.

    Only when he received a positive response from the woman would he continue to escalate things. If she resisted, he would respect her wishes.

    Gu Zi was awakened by his passionate kiss. Instead of pushing him away, she embraced the fact that charismatic men were a blend of both gentlemen and beasts.

    Responding fervently, she managed to catch her breath and whispered in his ear, ¡°Is this how you wake people up?¡±

    The man remained silent, deepening the kiss. After a considerable time, the woman¡¯s lips turned a rosy hue, resembling rose petals battered by a storm.

    Lowering his gaze, he noticed her flushed cheeks and ears. The corner of his mouth curled, and he embraced her.

    Gu Zits body trembled slighty under him, and his body tensed up even more.

    Meanwhile, the man¡¯s tongue skillfully invaded her partially opened lips, and Gu Zi emitted a passionate sound in response to the kiss.

    Unconsciously, she tightened her legs, clasping them together.

    Suddenly, Su Shen¡¯s hand loosened. One hand held her wrist, while the other slid between her tightly squeezed legs. A sudden realization struck him¡ªthis woman wasn¡¯t wearing underwear.

    In a low, teasing voice, he whispered into her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t like wearing underwear? Don¡¯t wear it even in your room usually?¡±

    Gu Zi, biting her lower lip, felt like dying. How did he become so naughty?

    She believed that sleeping without underwear was more comfortable, but now it seemed she couldn¡¯t do it anymore. This man would tease her if he found out¡ªtoo wicked.

    ¡°Stop it, I¡¯ll wear it in the future,¡± she begged.

    Su Shen¡¯s lips curled with a wicked smirk, and he said with a meaningful tone,

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    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re used to not wearing it at home, then don¡¯t. No big deal.¡± Though she was shy and hesitant to look at him, he chose this moment to inform her that guests had arrived at home. It was hard to believe he wasn¡¯t doing it on purpose. Who does such a thing? Hosts being intimate upstairs while leaving guests downstairs?

    Despite being angry, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t summon the energy to express her displeasure. The room was filled with a sense of passion, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to be angry.

    Seeing her state, Su Shen decided to stop. He cradled her gently.

    Her body was limp, and she couldn¡¯t gather her strength immediately. Su Shen comforted her, saying, ¡°Take your time to settle down; I¡¯ll go downstairs first.¡± His eyes regained their clarity, as if nothing had happened just now.

    On the other hand, Gu Zi examined herself. Her lips were tinted with a rosy hue, and the ambiguous traces were too evident..

 Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Waste of Resources

    Chapter 214: Waste of Resources

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi changed into a new outfit and sat in front of the brand-new dressing table. Her vibrant and charming face appeared in the intricately carved bronze mirror, looking particularly enchanting.

    When receiving guests, formality was essential. She applied a bold red lipstick, creating a formal look while concealing the hint of coquetry brought out by the man.

    Using a makeup brush, she lightly swept her face, instantly exuding an air of grace and delicacy around her eyebrows and eyes.

    Taking out a small and simple gold necklace from the drawer, she adorned herself with it. The addition lent her an extra touch of elegance and sophistication. She felt that it was just right.

    As she descended the stairs, Su Shen was busy brewing tea for the guests.

    The guests were three elegantly dressed ladies, clearly women of high status. It seemed that Su Shen had quite a few influential connections.

    Approaching slowly, Su Shen had already noticed her descent. He politely excused himself from the three ladies, saying, ¡°Please enjoy your tea; I¡¯ll escort her down.¡± He then walked over to Gu Zi.

    A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of the three ladies. When did Su Shen become so considerate?

    To ease Gu Zi¡¯s nerves, Su Shen embraced her waist and introduced each lady one by one. The leader was Mrs. He, the wife of Deputy Chief He, and the other two were also wives of officials. Under Su Shen¡¯s guidance, Gu Zi exchanged greetings with each of them.

    The trio of official wives responded warmly, discreetly sizing up Gu Zi.

    With her striking facial features and graceful figure, dressed in a light blue chiffon maxi dress, her long hair neatly coiled into a flower bud at the back of her head, she seemed youthful yet exuded a sense of beauty and dignity. Despite her apparent young age, she left an impression of a beautiful and poised woman ¨C truly a remarkable person!

    In the end, all three ladies showed satisfied expressions, thinking that her figure and demeanor did not at all belittle the former prospective son-in-law they had once considered.

    This was the first time Mrs. He had seen Su Shen being so intimate with a woman, and her gaze carried a subtle hint of affection.

    Teasingly, she remarked that she had expected to witness a rather peculiar scene, but instead, what unfolded before her eyes was the normal appearance of an impending wedding between a man and a woman deeply in love. It seemed that Mr. He was right; it was true love.

    Gu Zi blushed slightly. but she maintained her composure well. She smiled and

    asked, ¡°Mrs. He, what was he like before?¡±

    Mrs. He noticed Gu Zi¡¯s unfamiliarity with her title and reminded her, ¡°Just call me Auntie He. Well, back then, quite a few female soldiers in the army had a secret crush on him. Some even brought him food. He would sternly reprimand them for not focusing on their duties, neglecting their parents¡¯ expectations, and wasting the country¡¯s resources. Later, the higher-ups wanted to arrange a marriage for him, but he claimed to be too young to marry, infuriating the leaders¡­¡±

    The Deputy Chief¡¯s wife had no airs about her; she spoke like a kind elder gossiping about a younger generation. The other two ladies followed suit and quickly joined in the banter about Su Shen.

    Su Shen remained silent, calmly listening and frequently observing the reactions of the woman beside him.

    Gu Zi had previously heard the leaders at the police station complain about Su Shen¡¯s peculiarities. However, this kind of banter felt more like the affectionate teasing of elders, much like how Aunt Zhang complained about Shi Tou.

    Sensing this, Gu Zi felt the tension she had towards the wives dissipate. The atmosphere gradually lightened up.

    Another lady added, ¡°Later, my husband insisted on Su Shen becoming our son-in-law, wanting to marry our daughter to him. However, this guy¡¯s marriage condition was not having children after marriage. My daughter wanted to have her own child, so she refused. They argued about this every day, and my life was quite lively during that time.¡±

    Gu Zi glanced at Su Shen, catching his gaze. His lips curled into a faint smile, and there seemed to be a vortex in his eyes, ready to pull her in.

    She silently took a breath; he was so handsome and captivating¡ªabsolutely irresistible!

    She turned her head, avoiding his gaze, and continued chatting with the ladies. It was then that she learned just how sought-after Su Shen was.

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    It turned out that the other two official wives had considered introducing their daughters to Su Shen earlier. However, upon learning that Su Shen had a condition of not having children after marriage due to his commitment to the three children, they hesitated.

    The wives were open about it, revealing that their daughters were not willing to come to the countryside, wanted to pursue their studies, and lacked confidence in raising non-biological children wholeheartedly.

    Although the fathers had high regard for Su Shen as a potential son-in-law, their love for their daughters prevailed. After careful consideration, they decided not to insist.

    Mrs. He, with a tone of sincerity and concern, told Gu Zi, ¡°In any case, your appearance is a blessing from heaven, a blessing for Su Shen and the three children. But you have to believe, this man is worth it.¡±

    During the conversation, Gu Zi brought out a few pastries, claiming she made them herself. The ladies were surprised; not only was this beautiful woman skilled in the kitchen, but she was also going to make her husband and children very happy..

 Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Su Shen Is So Popular

    Chapter 215: Su Shen Is So Popular

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The three children in the Su family were also close to Gu Zi, showing that she genuinely treated them well.

    After confirming that Gu Zi was well-matched with Su Shen, Mrs. He and her friends felt relieved. They were ready to go back and reassure their husbands. Su Bing and Su Li, who were playing on the side, were very happy.

    Su Li whispered to his sister, ¡°You too, can¡¯t make Mom angry in the future, okay?¡±

    Su Le was a bit bewildered, but as soon as she heard the word ¡°Mom,¡± she didn¡¯t care anymore. She nodded repeatedly, saying, ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Su Li tried again, saying, ¡°Mom said Lele is a little silly.¡±

    Su Le nodded again, giggling.

    Su Li said, ¡°Mom is the best!¡± Su Le clapped her hands and responded, ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    Su Li figured it out¡ªno matter what he said, as long as it had the words ¡°Mom,¡± the little one would be excited. She just couldn¡¯t say it yet, but she also loved Mom very much.

    Mrs. He noticed this scene with the children and smiled sincerely. She exchanged a few words with the two other ladies beside her in a low voice. One of them went out, and their driver brought in some items.

    There were seven large gift boxes, with the transparent side revealing red envelopes and golden bracelets inside. Mrs. He took her own and handed the box to Gu Zi. In addition to the red envelope, hers contained a more valuable gold chain necklace.

    She said, ¡°You should wear this gold chain on your wedding day. Su Shen¡¯s parents left early, so Uncle He and I have prepared this for you. These gifts, including some brought by others, have blessing letters inside. Su Shen knows who they are.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that it was a bit too valuable. She looked to Su Shen for help with her eyes.

    Immediately, she heard Su Shen say, ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡±

    After expressing gratitude, Su Shen accepted the gifts on her behalf and assured the three ladies that they would be worn on the wedding day.

    Gu Zi appeared calm on the surface, but internally, she was already thinking¡ªwhat if everyone wears these, will it blind the eyes of those attending the wedding?

    Although it was a custom to receive gold and silver gifts at weddings, she still felt a bit pressured when it came to herself.

    Outside the gate, many people gathered upon hearing the news, pretending to pass by the Su family but actually coming to watch the excitement.

    Three small cars were parked in front of the Su family¡¯s house, each with a dedicated driver. It was evident that the visitors had some status, as Su Shen was a wealthy man and had connections with influential people.

    They believed that Su Shen, who could manage a pig farm, couldn¡¯t be a fool.

    It was clear that Su Shen took this marriage seriously, not only organizing the wedding grandly but also involving the Su family ancestral hall.

    This kind of treatment, neither the previous woman who married into the family nor the one who took a dowry of three thousand yuan and didn¡¯t marry had experienced.

    It showed that Gu Zi had indeed gained Su Shen¡¯s approval.

    All the rumors circulating in the village were just baseless gossip, probably spread by jealous individuals.

    As people discussed these matters, they saw Su Shen and Gu Zi escorting the three noble ladies out. The scene seemed like something out of a TV drama. Especially Gu Zi, she wasn¡¯t overshadowed by the powerful aura of the three noble ladies. On the contrary, she displayed the grace and gentleness befitting a gracious host, standing next to the tall and handsome Su Shen, looking exceptionally pleasing.

    With her demeanor, it was clear that she wouldn¡¯t engage in malicious deeds.

    After the three cars had driven away, the couple returned to the house and brought all the gift boxes upstairs.

    Su Shen instructed Gu Zi to write down the names, amounts of money, and details of the gifts in a notebook. In the future, if these people had any requests, they would reciprocate accordingly.

    Once these tasks were completed, Gu Zi stored the gold lock and bracelets separately. When she came out, she accidentally kicked the leg of a stool, stumbling a bit.

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    Su Shen strode over and steadied her, catching her as she leaned forward. He lifted her and placed her gently on the bed.

    He asked tenderly, ¡°Why are you still being absent-minded?¡±

    Gu Zi looked up at him and said, ¡°1 just didn¡¯t expect you to be so popular.¡± She thought that she had a discerning eye.

    Su Shen sat by the bed and hugged her. The faint fragrance of her filled the air. His large hand held hers, surprisingly soft and delicate, with slender fingers.

    The faint fragrance of her filled the air. His large hand held hers, surprisingly soft and delicate, with slender fingers¡ªspecifically referring to Gu Zi¡¯s hand..

 Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: A Way Out

    Chapter 216: A Way Out

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Every time Su Shen hooked his arm around her waist, it was effortlessly easy for him to grasp it. This woman, with small hands and a slender waist, how could everything about her be so petite? Sometimes, he even found it hard to bring himself to touch her.

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes darkened as he asked her in a low voice, ¡°So, what exactly are you trying to express?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s hand, held by the man, grew warm, and she felt a burning sensation where their skin touched.

    With a shy yet playful smile, she proudly stated, ¡°I believe I have excellent taste.¡±

    Su Shen smiled in agreement, saying, ¡°Your taste is indeed impeccable in every aspect.¡±

    While speaking, his gaze fell on her chest, creating an ambiguous atmosphere that Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to pursue. Changing the topic, she asked, ¡°Do I really have to wear all those gold pieces at my wedding?¡±

    The man lightly patted her back and explained, ¡°Wearing gold at the wedding is a sign of respect to relatives and friends who give gifts. Will it feel too heavy? I¡¯ll help you put on some.¡±

    He thought Gu Zi looked perfect adorned with gold, and the more she wore, the more beautiful she became.

    Although it might not be suitable in normal circumstances, for a wedding, it was just right. He wanted to adorn her with everything shiny and valuable.

    Unaware of the man¡¯s extravagant thoughts, Gu Zi had no idea about his firm stance on this matter. She surprisingly didn¡¯t find it off-putting, thinking, ¡°Who would complain about gold being heavy? I just wonder if it might be too extravagant. ¡±

    She previously considered the betrothal gifts extravagant, not realizing that wearing gold could be equally opulent. The idea of rich people showcasing their wealth only when necessary didn¡¯t escape her notice.

    Su Shen was delighted to hear her say this and responded, ¡°Not at all exaggerated, Gu Zi, you deserve to have the best in the world.¡±

    The man kissed her and then proceeded to continue what they hadn¡¯t finished earlier. His kisses were tender yet seductive, disrupting her thoughts and stirring her heart.

    Sitting on the man¡¯s lap, she clung to his strong and powerful waist, her light dress and his firm camouflage pants fitting closely together.

    The woman, kissed to the point of teary-eyed mistiness, involuntarily responded to his movements.

    He squinted his eyes, his fingers exploring a hidden place, earnestly feeling the sensation and temperature there.

    No matter how much the wild beast beneath him wanted to rush in and break that layer, he would restrain it.

    If, before their wedding night, she suddenly didn¡¯t want to marry him, at least she wouldn¡¯t be criticized by her future in-laws if she chose to marry someone

    His little woman was young and naive; he didn¡¯t want her to regret it. He was willing to keep a good way out for her.

    However, this way out was only for the period before their wedding night. Once he penetrated that layer, he would never let her go.

    The strength in his hands gathering on his fingers prevented them from going any deeper, and he even withdrew them. He said, ¡®Gu Zi, our wedding is just a few days away. At that time, we¡¯ll truly become one.¡±

    Gu Zits body had long become soft and muddled, and that place had been made itchy and numb by him. She really wanted to ask the man to give her a

    pleasurable experience and just insert himself.

    But she didn¡¯t want to reject the man¡¯s restraint and respect for her. So, gritting her teeth, she endured and agreed.

    The man went to the balcony to smoke and lit up many cigarettes.

    Meanwhile, Gong Xin walked into the city¡¯s jewelry store, carrying her small bag. She asked the store attendant to show her some creatively designed gold rings.

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    Her friend Gu Zits wedding was approaching, and Gong Xin, being the considerate person she was, wanted to express sincere blessings.

    ¡°Gong Xin?¡± Suddenly, a familiar and pleasant male voice sounded. Gong Xin immediately turned around and was surprised to see the man, Jin Long, whom she had met in the countryside before.

    Gong Xin asked, ¡°What a coincidence! Are you also here to buy gold for Gu Zi¡¯s wedding?¡± He was Su Shen¡¯s close friend, so it made sense for him to buy gold for the bride.

    Jin Long was indeed there to purchase gold rings. He thought Gu Zi was just an amazing person, worthy of him buying gold for her.

    The elders usually gave valuable gifts like gold necklaces and bracelets, while peers only needed to express goodwill. Typically, they would give gold rings or other small gold jewelry items..

 Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Much Better Than You

    Chapter 217: Much Better Than You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Seeing two customers at once, the store attendant¡¯s face lit up with a broad smile. As it was a private jewelry store, the attendants worked on a sales commission basis, so they eagerly served the two customers.

    When the customers finished selecting and were ready to make payment, the store attendant felt that their luck had soared today.

    The male customer, who seemed quite ordinary in appearance, unexpectedly chose two gold rings at once. The store attendant instinctively nodded and provided attentive service.

    Gong Xin watched as Jin Long paid, somewhat mesmerized. Perhaps, men really did radiate a certain halo when paying the bill!

    Gong Xin also paid and asked, ¡°Are you buying two rings as a gift?¡±

    Jin Long explained that it wasn¡¯t for him; these were gifts his friend had entrusted him to buy.

    ¡°That fatty was too busy to leave the shop and insisted on me helping him to buy and deliver the gift. So here I am, ¡± said Jin Long.

    Gong Xin thought the man in front of her was honest and didn¡¯t take the opportunity to show off. She felt he was quite nice.

    She asked, ¡°By the way, could you help me deliver my gifts to Gu Zi too?

    Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to give them to her on the wedding day.¡±

    She had planned to do it herself at first, but now that she had met Jin Long, she felt that she could ask him for help.

    Jin Long willingly agreed, saying, ¡°As long as you trust me, there¡¯s no problem.¡±

    Gong Xin happily said, ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Having spent over a hundred on a gold ring, Gong Xin handed them over to a man she had only seen twice. For some reason, she felt a sense of trust in him.

    She and Jin Long walked out of the jewelry store. At the door, they bid farewell, and Gong Zhan¡¯s car happened to pass by.

    He instructed the driver to stop, got out of the car, and called out to Gong Xin, inviting her to join him for the ride home.

    Gong Xin had barely settled into her seat when her brother interrogated her,

    ¡°Are you in a relationship? He looks so ordinary!¡±

    He had seen the man looking like he was in a hurry, directly getting into an old truck and driving away. Definitely not someone from a respectable profession.

    Gong Xin, irritated by her brother¡¯s disdainful attitude, didn¡¯t immediately explain that she wasn¡¯t in a relationship. Instead, she retorted, ¡°He¡¯s much better than you!¡±

    The siblings engaged in a silent war throughout the journey, and their argument continued when they reached home.

    Gong¡¯s parents, upon hearing the content of the argument, weren¡¯t entirely convinced by their son¡¯s words.

    Mrs. Chen remarked, ¡°If she were really in love, I would be delighted, but it¡¯s impossible. This girl can¡¯t keep a secret; she would have told us about it long ago.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gong Xin shot her brother a glare, then playfully nestled into her mother¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°A mother knows her daughter best; you¡¯re the best, Mom!¡±

    Gong Zhan coldly uttered a few words, ¡°Flatterer!¡±

    Ignoring him, Gong Xin calmly explained to her parents that the wedding date for Gu Zi was approaching, and she was just buying a gift. She had even taken leave from work to attend the upcoming wedding.

    The couple, upon hearing the news of Gu Zi¡¯s wedding, felt a mix of emotions. Gu Zi was finally marrying someone else.

    They didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. Gong Zhan¡¯s gaze was disdainful, and he commented, ¡°What¡¯s there to attend in a countryside wedding? Your lie is not convincing at all.¡±

    Gong Xin, feeling her brother was overly critical, retorted, ¡°Are you suggesting

    I¡¯m going there to find a man?¡±

    Gong Zhan, feeling frustrated, spoke even harsher words, ¡°You¡¯re like a man yourself. Better not get into a relationship; you might end up being rejected.¡±

    Mrs. Chen couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer and gave her son a pat, saying, ¡°How can you say that to your sister? Go to your room and rest, so you don¡¯t argue further. Also, calm down and think about your situation with Lin Miao.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know what went wrong. The wedding had been arranged for her son long ago, and yet, they still hadn¡¯t gotten married.

    If things proceeded like this, by the time Gu Zi¡¯s child was born, Gong Zhan and Lin Miao would still be in a stalemate.

    She didn¡¯t say it explicitly, but she wanted her son to think it through. If he really didn¡¯t think it was suitable, it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t find another marriage partner.

    Gong Xin took the opportunity to echo her mother, ¡°I actually think he¡¯s quite suitable for Lin Miao. Both are equally difficult to bring into high society!¡± Gong Zhan ignored her, went back to his room, and slammed the door shut.

    Su family residence.

    Early the next morning, Jin Long arrived, and Gu Zi obtained three more gold rings. She noted each one in the gift registry before taking them upstairs.

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    Gu Zi invited Jin Long to have breakfast, and after the meal, Su Shen asked him to leave the delivery truck behind.

    Jin Long exaggeratedly remarked, ¡°Sure, just let me run all over the place, right? Good brothers are meant to be used and abused.¡±

    Fine, he would walk back to the pig farm all alone. What else could he do? He couldn¡¯t possibly compete with Gu Zi for favor!

    Su Shen glanced at him and said in a deep voice, ¡°You¡¯re so talkative when you¡¯re full. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have let you eat here.¡±

    Gu Zi went to Aunt Zhang¡¯s house and brought Shi Tou over. Then she led the four children into the truck..

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Temporary Separation

    Chapter 218: Temporary Separation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    They were set to buy flower girl dresses today. Gu Zi thought that on the wedding day, the three children should also be dressed up nicely. It was a perfect opportunity to purchase their outfits as well.

    Su Shen drove steadily and swiftly. When they arrived at the bridal shop in the city, Uncle Li had just arrived at the store.

    He went to pick up Jiang Nuan, and as soon as Gu Zi saw the girl, she recognized her immediately. She said to Su Bing, ¡°Isn¡¯t she your classmate?¡±

    She remembered the girl had spoken to Su Bing the last time they were at school.

    Jiang Nuan smiled at Su Bing, her smile particularly bright. However, she greeted the adults first before approaching Su Bing. It was evident that she was considerate, but the innocence on her face was genuine.

    Gu Zi was very satisfied with this girl and immediately told Uncle Li to let her try on the clothes.

    Jiang Nuan said to Su Bing, ¡°Your parents are preparing for the wedding very grandly.¡±

    Su Bing responded, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    After all, their dad had never been so devoted to anyone before. Although Su Bing didn¡¯t understand why his dad was making it so extravagant this time, contrary to his usual style, especially when mom suggested keeping it simple.

    It wasn¡¯t until later, when Su Bing racked his brains to plan a century wedding for the woman he loved, that he understood the significance of a wedding.

    The morning went by very quickly.

    Uncle Li even took some time to train Shi Tou while Jiang Nuan guided him like a little brother.

    Just like Gu Zi, her parents were friends with Uncle Li. When she was very young, Uncle Li had chosen her to be a flower girl model in the shop. Previously, she had even attended a wedding as a flower girl. She was more than qualified now.

    The family, along with Shi Tou and Uncle Li, had lunch in the city before returning. Due to an afternoon dance class, Jiang Nuan was picked up early by her mother.

    Gu Zi, after dropping Shi Tou off at home, took a nap and woke up just as her maternal family arrived.

    She went to the kitchen to prepare double-skinned milk and snacks to treat her family. She had already regarded the original owner¡¯s parents as her own and was determined to get along well with them. She was always happy to befriend sincere and kind-hearted people.

    Su Shen went upstairs to get the wedding photos to show to the Lin family. It wasn¡¯t the first time Su Li hadn¡¯t seen them, but he still sat down and picked up a photo, complimenting how handsome Dad looked and how beautiful Mom was, dragging Su Bing into the conversation.

    Su Bing didn¡¯t say anything and quietly listened to his younger brother.

    Gu Zi¡¯s parents were also very satisfied with the wedding photos. Lin Cheng, feeling guilty about Li Hua, made up his mind to work hard at the pig farm. He decided he would give Li Hua a set of wedding photos.

    However, Li Hua didn¡¯t mind. Other people¡¯s lives were other people¡¯s lives. She married Lin Cheng, and she was content with the life he could provide.

    After viewing the photos, they started discussing a topic that weighed heavily on the Su family. According to custom, Gu Zi had to stay at the Lin family¡¯s house for two days before officially marrying into the Su family on the wedding day.

    Su Shen was reluctant to part, but for the sake of his woman¡¯s reputation, he insisted on following this tradition.

    Su Bing and Su Li also didn¡¯t want their mom to go back by herself. Although they knew it was just a brief separation, and she would return in two days after getting married, they were still reluctant.

    Seeing the two boys feeling down, Gu Zi went over to comfort them, ¡°While Mom¡¯s not at home, you must take care of the house. Su Bing has learned to cook many dishes now; you have to take care of your little brother, okay?¡±

    Su Bing nodded, and Su Li couldn¡¯t suppress his emotions and started crying. If only he were as big as Lele, he could go to the Lin family with Mom!

    Seeing the children cry so heartbreakingly, the Lin family felt a bit sorry. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Gu Zi to go back the day before the wedding.

    But the son-in-law insisted, and they had no choice. He genuinely cared for Gu Zi and didn¡¯t want her to be criticized by others.

    After Gu Zi left with Lele, Su Li did not eat much for dinner. Su Shen smoked a few cigarettes in the courtyard.

    Su Bing asked his father, since he didn¡¯t want her mother to return to the Lin family, why did he insist on following the customs?

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    Su Shen didn¡¯t know whether he should discuss such matters with his child. After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Do you remember our previous conversation? I¡¯m protecting her in my own way.¡±

    Even in their situation, there was no reason for the new bride to stay at the Su family¡¯s house for the first few nights before the wedding.

    If she didn¡¯t go back, it would give others an opportunity to gossip. It was just two days and nights; he would rather endure the separation than give others the chance to talk.

    Su Bing was very smart and roughly understood what his father meant. This was the communication between men, simple and efficient.

    He went to comfort Su Li, who was still sniffling, ¡°You said you wanted to be a man who protects Mom and your sister.. If Mom briefly leaves, isn¡¯t it beneficial for her? Are you still going to cry?¡±

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Workaholic Mode

    Chapter 219: Workaholic Mode

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    These words were very useful. Su Li stuffed two toffees into his mouth

    aggrievedly and forced back his tears. ¡°I won¡¯t cry, I won¡¯t cry!¡±

    Su Shen went upstairs to brush his teeth. He did not smoke often, but he felt like smoking when Gu Zi left.

    After he came down, he brought Su Bing and Su Li out to the ancestral hall. Here, the wedding venue was being arranged in full swing. This was his wedding for Gu Zi, and he wanted to be actively involved.

    Su Bing and Su Li also helped hang the red lanterns and pasted the word ¡°double happiness¡± on them. They worked especially hard because it was their mother¡¯s wedding.

    Meanwhile, at the Lin family residence, Gu Zi seemed a bit dispirited. She played with Su Le in the room, but her mind was filled with thoughts about Su Shen.

    She couldn¡¯t shake off the idea that Su Shen was hiding something from her. He claimed to have retired from the military, but why were Deputy Chief He and the others still closely connected with him? Typically, people move on after someone leaves.

    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Gu Zi said, ¡°Come in, I haven¡¯t locked the door.¡±

    Mama Lin and Li Hua walked in. Li Hua even brought in cut fruits for Su Le. On the wedding day, Gu Zi was the main character and would be very busy.

    Li Hua was her sister-in-law. According to tradition, the bride¡¯s sister-in-law could not send her off when she got married, so she took care of Su Le. She had to build a good relationship with the little one!

    Su Le looked at the plate of cutely cut food and threw herself into Li Hua¡¯s arms. Li Hua fed her fruits.

    Mama Lin took this opportunity to say to Gu Zi, ¡°On the day of your wedding, there should be a maternal aunt as the leader to accompany you to the husband¡¯s family. But, don¡¯t mention brothers, even in my family, there isn¡¯t one. However, I found someone for you. She¡¯s experienced and can serve as the leader. ¡±

    The person leading the wedding was usually the maternal aunt from the bride¡¯s family. If there was no one, they could find other experienced people to do it for them.

    This person would guide the bride through all the traditional rituals on the wedding day until she returned to her husband¡¯s home. This included ceremonies of worship and blessing, bowing to the ancestral hall, and how to offer tea to elders. The leader assisted and prompted the bride throughout.

    With the accompaniment of the leader, the bride would look especially dignified, and the overall ceremony would become more grand.

    Gu Zi felt that Mama Lin was very considerate of her. ¡°What kind of person is

    Mama Lin said, ¡°It¡¯s our former neighbor, Aunt Yang. However, she moved to Daqing Village with her son and daughter-in-law, not far from the Su family. She is a nice person, but life has been tough for her these years. If you mind, we can find someone else.¡±

    Mama Lin had more interactions with Aunt Yang in the past and received many favors from her. Knowing that she was a good and experienced person, she suggested her daughter use Aunt Yang as the guiding person.

    Due to the difficulties Aunt Yang had faced over the years, she didn¡¯t like others discussing her family matters. Mama Lin refrained from providing detailed information to her daughter.

    Meanwhile, Li Hua, who was accompanying Lele, said to Gu Zi, ¡°Aunt Yang is a good person, dear. In any case, there is no one better than her. She was just unlucky to have encountered some bad people.¡±

    Gu Zi, seeing both her mother and sister- in-law recommending Aunt Yang, agreed. After all, Aunt Yang was just helping out, and her circumstances wouldn¡¯t affect Gu Zi.

    She took out a red envelope and handed it to Mama Lin, saying, ¡°Then, please go ahead and hire her. Don¡¯t let her help for nothing.¡±

    Gu Zi was the kind of person who wouldn¡¯t owe favors if money could solve the problem ¨C one of the reasons she liked money.

    Mama Lin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared the money. You don¡¯t need to give it to me.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t insist on declining Mama Lin¡¯s kind gesture and playfully said, ¡°Well then, thanks, Mom!¡±

    In the ancestral hall.

    This place had undergone a complete transformation from inside out. The once dusty carved beams and painted walls now exuded the charming elegance of ancient times. It was adorned with lanterns and decorations everywhere, as if one could catch a glimpse of the glory of the Su family from thousands of years ago.

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    Su Shen found someone to decorate the place. Three meals a day would be provided to the host or the helpers.

    The Su family¡¯s father and sons had dinner here. The workers finished their dinner early, and it was still daylight when they were done.

    The elderly man in charge of guarding the ancestral hall persuaded Su Shen to have quite a few drinks. Feeling grateful that young Su didn¡¯t refuse, the old man insisted on making sure he got his fair share of drinks.

    In the end, Su Shen had the old man completely knocked out and, with his two sons, returned to the Su family residence. He then headed straight to the pig farm, telling his sons that he wouldn¡¯t be back tonight and to lock the doors securely!

    Su Li looked at Su Bing and asked, ¡°Brother, why has Dad entered workaholic mode again?¡±

 Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Seduction

    Chapter 220: Seduction

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing didn¡¯t say anything, but he knew that his father must have missed his mother.

    He felt that adults were sometimes quite funny. They would advise children but could not control their emotions.

    But wasn¡¯t that just human nature? Seeing through this didn¡¯t affect his admiration for Dad. Besides, his father didn¡¯t hide this kind of longing. He was a real man if he dared to admit it.

    Outside the Su family¡¯s house, Chu Xi¡¯s parents-in-law saw Su Shen heading toward the pig farm and immediately quickened their pace to go home.

    This was the perfect opportunity ¨C Gu Zi had really gone back to her mother¡¯s house these past two days! Wasn¡¯t this a great chance?

    They called their granddaughter Chu Tian out of her room, told her to put on her best outfit, and handed her a food box and a wine jug. They instructed her to go to the pig farm and deliver supper to Su Shen.

    They had just heard that Su Shen had drunk a lot in the ancestral hall, and alcohol could loosen one¡¯s inhibitions. Besides, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t around ¡ª it was a golden opportunity!

    Luckily, Chu Tian had a decent foundation, and she had lost some weight these days. Dressed in a tank top and a short skirt, she still had a certain allure.

    Chu Tian never had much hope of marrying into a good family. After her mother went to jail, it was even more impossible for her to get married.

    It was better to seize the opportunity and take a gamble. If she hooked up with Su Shen, wouldn¡¯t everything be negotiable? Chu Xi¡¯s in-laws didn¡¯t believe there was a man who wouldn¡¯t cheat!

    Chu Tian couldn¡¯t believe they were asking her to seduce Su Shen. It was too embarrassing, and she didn¡¯t want to do it.

    Chu Xi¡¯s in-laws patiently persuaded her this time, saying, ¡°Our family is counting on you this time. If you manage to sleep with him, Su Shen will surely give you a hefty sum of money to keep you stable. By then, you¡¯ll be the big shot in our family!¡±

    Chu Tian was tempted by the idea. If that happened, she wouldn¡¯t have to work and could just enjoy life at home.

    However, she still felt embarrassed, and what if Su Shen didn¡¯t touch her?

    Then she heard her grandparents say, ¡°Men aren¡¯t as complicated as you think. If you bring him food, there¡¯s no reason for him not to eat it. Let him have a few drinks, and when he¡¯s tipsy, just take off your clothes in front of him that¡¯s how it works.¡±

    Chu Tian was skeptical, ¡°Really?¡± Her grandparents emphatically vouched for it.

    After some hesitation, Chu Tian headed to the pig farm. She thought her grandparents had a point. If she had been more proactive earlier, she might already belong to Su Shen.

    As she walked, she imagined Su Shen¡¯s appearance ¡ª tall and handsome. Being intimate with him must be exciting.

    It was very late, and there were basically very few people at the pig farm, only the night guards and those working overtime.

    Chu Tian told the security guard that Gu Zi had asked her to help deliver supper. When the security guard saw her revealing attire, he thought to himself, ¡®Does this woman think I¡¯m a fool? Or was this woman too stupid to lie?

    She was obviously dressed to seduce men, but her looks could not be compared to Gu Zi¡¯s. Did the toad give her such confidence?

    However, even if he said that this woman was stupid, she knew how to use Gu Zi¡¯s name as an excuse. The guard felt that he had to give Gu Zi face.

    He asked Chu Tian to wait and went inside to check with Su Shen.

    Su Shen, upon learning about it, sternly declared, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. In the future, don¡¯t let this person in.¡±

    The guard was about to agree when he saw Chu Tian walking towards the office door on her own. Su Shen looked up and noticed her.

    His expression turned cold, like a layer of frost covering his brows, nearly making Chu Tian stumble. She hadn¡¯t realized before ¨C the man¡¯s aura was so overpowering that it felt suffocating.

    However, looking at the man in front of her and thinking about his wealth, she still walked in boldly.

    Seeing this, the guard was speechless, thinking, ¡°Chu Xi has no bottom line, and her daughter doesn¡¯t either! And she¡¯s foolish, can¡¯t she see that Brother Shen is already angry?¡±

    She said to Su Shen, ¡°Brother Shen, I¡¯ve brought you supper and some good wine. Have some.¡±

    The guard couldn¡¯t help but cringe. Why did this woman¡¯s coquettish voice sound so disgusting?

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    Did she ever consider that even if she appeared naked in front of Brother Shen, he wouldn¡¯t be tempted?

    Brother Shen was known as the cold-hearted man in the pig farm. They used to tease him behind his back, saying he was fit for cultivating immortality. Only a beauty like his wife could stir his earthly desires.

    Su Shen¡¯s mood today was far from good, and now he had to deal with this nauseating fool. His eyes darkened to the extreme.

    As the woman was about to place the food box on the desk, he looked at her coldly and uttered a single word, ¡°Get out!¡±

    Chu Tian was frightened, and her hands trembled, causing the food box and wine jug to crash onto the floor, creating chaos in the otherwise tidy office..

 Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Reeds

    Chapter 221: Reeds

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen stood up and glanced at the security guard, calmly instructing, ¡°Throw this piece of trash out. Now.¡±

    The guard¡¯s legs went weak and he almost fell when he was swept by that cold gaze. He hurriedly pulled Chu Tian out. Chu Tian was also scared silly. Tears and snot flowed out uncontrollably.

    Su Shen was not in the mood to stay here any longer, so he turned around and left.

    He did not go home. Instead, he leaned against a big tree and smoked a cigarette. The anger in his eyes gradually dissipated.

    He walked aimlessly in the dark night, feeling that walking a certain distance was like experiencing a segment of life. You never knew whom or what you might encounter on this path.

    Before Gu Zi appeared, he had never considered the possibility of falling in love.

    She was so young, only eighteen, while he was thirty.

    Now, it was hard to see, but when she turned thirty, he would be in his forties.

    She would still be beautiful and kind. She always said that marrying him was not a grievance. However, Su Shen was not oblivious. He knew he didn¡¯t match up to her in this marriage. She deserved someone better.

    Yet, he was unwilling to let go. The inherent flaw in a man made him unable to resist the desire to claim her for himself.

    In the Lin family residence, when Gu Zi woke up, the sky was just starting to brighten.

    For some reason, she couldn¡¯t sleep well, feeling like something was weighing on her heart.

    She got out of bed to freshen up, thinking since she couldn¡¯t sleep, she might as well get up and do something.

    The Lin family¡¯s sink was located in the open area behind the house, making it convenient for tasks like washing up, cleaning vegetables, and doing laundry.

    Having just finished freshening up, she looked up and saw a familiar figure on the small path behind the house ¡ª Su Shen!

    She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was truly in love or having hallucinations about a man.

    As she looked up again, the man was already by her side, pulling her into his arms.

    To be precise, she had bumped into him because he had used a little too much force and he smelled of alcohol.

    Their eyes met, and the currents triggered by hormones intersected intensely. Before she could say anything, the man took her into the reeds behind the house.

    Then, he kissed her lips passionately and wildly, pressing her down.

    Worried about the reeds hurting her, he took off his coat and placed it beneath her. There were a few scratches on his arm, but that was nothing for him. Unlike this delicate woman, he needed to protect her well.

    He unbuttoned her nightgown. The sharp contrast between the cold air around and the scorching body heightened the stimulation, causing Gu Zi to tremble more sensitively than before.

    His rough fingertips kneaded and teased her, bringing a satisfied smile to his face.

    She wanted to glare at him, but the next moment, her lower body tightened dramatically, making her appear incredibly charming.

    He even told her, ¡°It¡¯s okay to moan; the place is open, and no one will hear.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that she had really underestimated her man. How did he become so wild? Wasn¡¯t that too bold? He wouldn¡¯t think of doing it here, right?

    She felt she couldn¡¯t accept it, panicked, and started crying, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Seeing her frightened, Su Shen comforted her, ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll stop.¡±

    He had promised the woman that he would consummate their marriage on their wedding night, and he wouldn¡¯t break that promise. However, just now, when he saw her in that moment, his blood surged, making him want to kiss and touch her. Suppressing those desires, he was about to go crazy.

    Gu Zi found it easy to trust him. With just a few words, her emotions stabilized.

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    She let the man kiss her, feeling his hardness gradually subside.

    Only then did she realize that she had misunderstood. In this state, he didn¡¯t seem like someone with erectile dysfunction¡­

    The night before Gu Zi¡¯s wedding, in the Gu family¡¯s residence in the city.

    Zhang Mei had just learned about Gu Zi¡¯s wedding from Mrs. Chen. When she returned and told Gu Shan, his expression became unpleasant.

    Gu Shan slammed the table and said, ¡°She¡¯s going too far. After raising her for over a decade, she didn¡¯t even send us an invitation for the wedding..¡±

 Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Good Days

    Chapter 222: Good Days

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan was very angry, feeling that Gu Zi simply did not see them as her foster parents!

    Zhang Mei also said coldly, ¡°Exactly, whether we go or not is one thing. Even if we don¡¯t go, as a person who was once our daughter, she should have a proper attitude! Forget it, if we don¡¯t go, we don¡¯t go. Who cares about attending that rural wedding banquet.¡±

    Seeing that her parents were dissatisfied with Gu Zi¡¯s actions, Lin Miao was quite pleased.

    In this situation, if they were to attend Gu Zi¡¯s wedding, they would definitely give her a good scolding.

    Moreover, she believed that Su Shen had already spent three thousand yuan on the betrothal gifts previously, so he wouldn¡¯t spend much more on the wedding. The ceremony would definitely be shabby.

    She was determined to attend Gu Zi¡¯s wedding to witness her embarrassment.

    She made up her mind and said to her parents, ¡°Mom, Dad, we have to go. We can¡¯t let others gossip about us.¡±

    Zhang Mei thought it made sense. Gu Zi was not sensible, and as elders, if they weren¡¯t sensible either, wouldn¡¯t they be the subject of mockery? It would make them look petty.

    She said, ¡°I think it¡¯s better to go. Just buy some inexpensive gifts. They can¡¯t afford anything expensive. No need for a red envelope. Honestly, I don¡¯t even want to go to a rural wedding.¡±

    Gu Shan, seeing his wife and daughter both agreeing, said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go. It¡¯s also an opportunity to remind Gu Zi not to forget our nurturing grace!¡±

    Late at night, Lin Miao called MO Li, telling her that she would go to the countryside tomorrow and asked MO Li to help her buy some pastries to send to Gong Zhan, saying that she made them.

    MO Li assured him that she would definitely get it done.

    After hanging up, MO Li sneered and put down the phone.

    She thought Lin Miao was truly stupid, but that was good. If Lin Miao wasn¡¯t stupid, she wouldn¡¯t be able to manipulate her.

    She was already Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary. If things went well, she wasn¡¯t far from taking that next step¡­

    On the ninth day of the ninth month in the lunar calendar, it was the auspicious day for the grand wedding of Su Shen and Gu Zi.

    The autumn weather was clear, and the entire route from Daqing Village to Little Lin Village was adorned with festive decorations, even the bamboo fences by the vegetable fields were adorned with red ribbons.

    The villagers believed that this would undoubtedly be the most splendid wedding ceremony their village had seen since the founding of the nation.

    The Su Family Ancestral Hall radiated the most dazzling brilliance on this day, with the sound of firecrackers echoing repeatedly.

    People came in and out, carrying offerings for the ancestors and finalizing the decoration of the wedding hall. The catering for the banquet was handled by the kitchen team Su Shen had hired, and they were also busy. The entire ancestral hall was immersed in a bustling and joyful atmosphere.

    The bride had not yet arrived, and the villagers gathered at the entrance of the ancestral hall, chatting. Some felt that the chosen date was not very auspicious, as it was the Double Ninth Festival and also Senior Citizens¡¯ Day, which might not be very propitious.

    The elderly guardian of the ancestral hall, hearing this, covered his own wine jug and retorted, ¡°What do you know? I¡¯ve calculated it. This date is the best for the young couple. The number nine is excellent¡ªlasting forever, growing old together.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never woken up from your drunken stupor. It¡¯s hard for us to believe you, but we believe that Su Shen and Gu Zi will be fine.¡±

    The crowd said, ¡°You¡¯re always drunk; it¡¯s hard to believe what you say. But we believe that Su Shen and Gu Zi will do well.¡±

    Su Shen had led Daqing Village out of poverty, and Gu Zi could help take care of the family. Most of the villagers with a normal mindset hoped for their continued prosperity, believing that this would contribute to the betterment of Daqing Village.

    In the ancestral hall, the flower boy and girl had already arrived. After breakfast, they would go to change into their costumes.

    The three children of the Su family were also present. Su Le was brought by Gu Zi¡¯s sister-in-law, Li Hua. She had brought Su Le to the ancestral hall in advance.

    Su Le was dressed in a pink princess dress today, with a bow on her head. She looked like a little princess¡ªadorable and charming, especially lovable.

    Su Bing wore a deep gray denim jacket and jeans today, with a white shirt as a base inside. His hair was intentionally styled.

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    A cold and exquisite handsomeness emanated from him, especially his side profile. He was simply a handsome young man!

    Su Li¡¯s choice of clothes was much cuter. He wore a sky-blue jacket paired with bright blue jeans. His hairstyle was the same as Su Bing¡¯s, but he exuded a lively and adorable vibe.

    Jiang Nuan looked at the two of them, circling around, but in the end, her gaze fell on Su Bing. People in the class thought Su Bing was difficult to approach due to his personality, but Jiang Nuan felt he was fine, just not much of a talker.

    Perhaps because she herself was talkative, she tended to enjoy hanging out with those who spoke less.

    She walked over to Su Bing and handed him a steaming hot corn cob..

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Dazzling

    Chapter 223: Dazzling

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Last time, I ate the food your mother cooked for you. This time, I¡¯ll treat you to the corn my mother cooked.¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice was sweet, but not overly so like other girls. Su Bing felt that her voice made it hard for him to refuse.

    Unconsciously, he reached out and took it, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡± He didn¡¯t say any unnecessary words.

    Jiang Nuan, however, continued talking to him naturally, ¡°It¡¯s okay, sharing is caring. Besides, I need to change clothes soon. It won¡¯t look good if my belly gets too full.¡±

    After saying this, Jiang Nuan pulled Shi Tou from Zhang Cuihua and took him to the costume stylist to change clothes together.

    At the Lin family¡¯s house, Gu Zi woke up even earlier today. She had already finished dressing, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, and having breakfast at the main table in front of the house.

    After accompanying the relatives on her maternal side for breakfast, she would go to change into her wedding dress.

    However, she already looked dazzling at this moment. Her black and thick hair was styled into a retro wavy hairstyle. The bright and beautiful appearance managed to control the rich bridal makeup of this era. Her demeanor was elegant and charming, like a glamorous Hong Kong-style beauty.

    Mama Lin and Aunt Yang sat beside her, handling questions from the relatives and friends around. They just wanted her to eat well.

    Mama Lin¡¯s eyes contained tears, but also a smile. Her daughter¡¯s glorious marriage was the greatest comfort to her, which could be seen as a compensation for her own regrets.

    Aunt Yang was a woman in her sixties. She had a bright smile on her face, but traces of the hardships of time could be seen on her skin.

    The first impression she gave Gu Zi was that she still had a noble air about her, but she was bent over by life.

    Just as Mama Lin had said, she was the daughter of the former village secretary. Even though the Yang family was not as prosperous as before, the grace she had accumulated in the first half of her life had not been completely worn away by hardships.

    After having breakfast and conducting some ceremonies, Gu Zi returned to her room to change into her wedding dress, waiting for the procession of the bridal party.

    The people who came to Lin¡¯s house for the breakfast were very fond of Gu Zi. There was an old man who accidentally coughed near her, and she immediately went into the house.

    Everyone held their breath, thinking that this city girl would probably frown due to disgust. After all, it was a joyous day, and having an old man¡¯s phlegm land on her was considered unlucky. However, her actions surprised everyone.

    Instead of getting angry, she not only stayed calm but also brought out a steamed salty orange for the old man to eat.

    She said that it was very effective in relieving cough and reducing phlegm. She even earnestly explained to the old man how to use it.

    The required materials were readily available in the village, as there were citrus trees everywhere and every household had salt. He could just get it and bring it home to make it.

    They thought this girl handled things appropriately, showing great respect for others. Beautiful in appearance and with a beautiful heart, she reminded them of Mama Lin when she was young.

    They had heard from Lin Laoyao¡¯s family that Gu Zi was tricky and arrogant, and they almost didn¡¯t dare to come. Some relatives indeed chose not to attend because of this. Fortunately, they eventually came; otherwise, they would have unjustly maligned this girl.

    At ten minutes past ten in the morning, accompanied by the roar of machinery, a black sedan stopped in front of Lin¡¯s house.

    The car looked brand new, adorned with red silk on the front and ¡°Double Happiness¡± symbols on the windows.

    A procession of ten motorcycles followed the car, each driven by tall and handsome men in suits. Women of all ages couldn¡¯t help but have hearts filled with pink bubbles at the sight.

    However, no matter how handsome and powerful these men were, they all appeared inferior the moment Su Shen stepped out of the car.

    His face was handsome and noble, exuding a strong masculine aura. Even on this joyous day, a hint of sternness was still apparent as he pursed his thin lips.

    Wearing a suit that showcased a straight neck and exuded a strong oppressive presence, Su Shen stepped out of the car and walked towards the house with long strides. His imposing demeanor made the people who were supposed to block the door forget their duty until he reached the entrance.

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    However, there was no need to worry. Boss Su was very generous when he got married. The men from the motorcycle convoy handed out red envelopes to the doorkeepers and even distributed small red envelopes to the children present, with amounts that satisfied everyone. Laughter and joy filled the air.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were opened. Previously, they thought Su Shen¡¯s pig farm, although profitable, might not have much cash on hand to organize a wedding. Little did they know that the red envelopes were given out generously, like a shower of red envelopes.

    Then, the tall man with a height of over six feet opened the door to Gu Zi¡¯s room.

    Gu Zi sat on the edge of the bed, wearing a white wedding dress and adorned with pearl accessories. She looked both enchanting and pure. If compared to blooming flowers, even the most beautiful blossoms would appear dull in comparison.

    With his hands behind his back, Su Shen approached her. His deep-set eyes gazed at her, and the high bridge of his nose reached her forehead..

 Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: The Most Beautiful Medal

    Chapter 224: The Most Beautiful Medal

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Gu Zi, I¡¯ve come to marry you,¡± Su Shen said dotingly.

    After speaking, he stood up straight. Gu Zi had some questions to ask him, and just as she was about to speak, he took out a thick black book from behind and handed it to her.

    Her hands were slender and beautiful, with a rich and fair complexion. The nails had a faint pearly sheen, just like the woman herself, as if she carried a halo of light.

    She flipped open the book, and her eyes revealed a hint of surprise. She looked up at the man, who remained calm and gestured for her to continue flipping through.

    She did as she was told. Every page after that shocked her. This man indeed hid some things from her.

    He said, ¡°This book is specially made, usually kept in a secret compartment in my room. Besides me, no one else knows about it. You are the second person to see this book.¡±

    Flipping through the book in her hands, though she already had an idea, she still wanted to hear him say it in person. She asked, ¡°What does this mean?¡±

    Su Shen knelt down on one knee in front of her and placed his large hand on the edge of her dress. He explained solemnly, ¡°I haven¡¯t actually retired from the military yet. I apologize for not being able to disclose specific reasons as it involves some classified information. I¡¯ve already applied in advance to confess this to you today. Of course, you still have time to think about it¡±

    The man¡¯s hawk-like sharp eyes turned gentle at this moment, and there was even a hint of pleading in them.

    Of course, Gu Zi knew what he meant when he said that she could think about it. It turned out that he had been holding back on that step because he was leaving her a way out.

    The moment she saw the first page, she knew there was no need to ask. His concealment was reasonable and noble.

    She wasn¡¯t the type to delve into every detail. His secrecy was, in fact, unrelated to their private life.

    Opening the book, the first and second pages held his military officer credentials. The subsequent pages were filled with military commendations, medals, and other honors, arranged in descending order of merit.

    There were also the military rank insignias he had once worn, ranging from lower to higher, showing a steady progression.

    It was as if she glimpsed a precious chapter of a man¡¯s fervent journey in safeguarding the homeland and facing the trials of the battlefield. The man¡¯s stature was tall and majestic, but wasn¡¯t his soul the same? Such a man was a hero.

    Gu Zi carefully closed the book, kissed it gently, and placed it on her lap.

    She reached out and touched his shoulders, chest, and back, where she had seen heartbreaking scars.

    She said, ¡°Su Shen, the most beautiful medal is on you. I¡¯ve said before, marrying you is not a compromise, I am willing.¡±

    Su Shen said, ¡°You¡¯re still young, I know you¡¯re smarter than the average girl. But deciding to marry a soldier is like taking a bold gamble. Once orders are given, I will shift my focus from our small home to the larger cause. Considering the confidentiality agreements, there are many things I must keep from you.¡±

    Everyone praises soldiers as great, but Su Shen has always believed that military wives are even greater; they are the strong support behind the soldiers.

    Being a military wife requires courage, resilience, and the ability to endure loneliness and grievances.

    He knew that none of these would be difficult for Gu Zi. In terms of his rank, she wouldn¡¯t have to work as hard as the wives of other officers.

    But the most important thing for him was that military marriages are not easily dissolved. Once he married her, he wouldn¡¯t let her go.

    This is what he thought and also what he told Gu Zi.

    After listening, Gu Zi smiled lightly and said, ¡°How do you know if I would leave? A real man aspires to explore the world. I don¡¯t need you to always watch over me. When you have tasks to do, missions to fulfill as a soldier, I won¡¯t cause trouble. Trust me, I can handle it. Mr. Su, please bring me my shoes from under the bed.¡±

    She also had things she wanted to do, and many of them. She didn¡¯t feel it would make her feel wronged.

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    The shoes she mentioned were the wedding shoes. When the groom came to take the bride, he needed to find the wedding shoes hidden by the bride¡¯s family in the bride¡¯s room and put them on for her. This was to successfully take the bride away.

    Gu Zi directly told him the location, which was a way of telling him he could take her away.

    The man quickly took out the wedding shoes from the red box under the bed. They were lotus-red embroidered shoes handmade by Gu Zi¡¯s mother, exquisite and vintage. Surprisingly, they harmonized perfectly with the pure white Western-style wedding dress.

    He cradled her foot in his hands, one by one putting on the wedding shoes for her, and the suspended anxiety in his heart finally dissipated.

    In the end, amid the blessings of the crowd, Gu Zi was lifted into the wedding car by the tall and handsome groom. The onlookers were also amazed at the beauty of the bride, and as they watched the car turn and leave, they couldn¡¯t come back to their senses for a long time..

 Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: High Profile

    Chapter 225: High Profile

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s father and mother stood at the forefront, watching for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until the procession carrying the dowry disappeared that they returned to their seats.

    When a daughter got married, parents were not allowed to follow her to the groom¡¯s house; it went against tradition, and they didn¡¯t want their daughter to become the subject of gossip.

    About an hour later, the Gu family¡¯s car appeared on the village road leading to the Lin family residence.

    Lin Miao noticed the festive decorations along the way, her expression turning extremely unpleasant. However, deep down, she was unwilling to believe a certain possibility. She was convinced that the ribbons were hung because of the Double Ninth Festival.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei also didn¡¯t think these decorations were for Su Shen and Gu Zi¡¯s wedding; they naturally assumed it was for the traditional festival.

    Zhang Mei said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the countryside to still value traditional festivals.¡±

    Gu Shan added, ¡°Even without you saying it, I wouldn¡¯t have thought it¡¯s wedding decor. How could a rural wedding be so grand, especially for a man on his second marriage? He wouldn¡¯t have the face to celebrate extravagantly.¡±

    Lin Miao coquettishly asked, ¡°Will it be too ostentatious if we drive there? It might overshadow the newlyweds.¡±

    Zhang Mei said, ¡°We are people from the city military compound. We already live a better life than them. There¡¯s no question of overshadowing. The fact that we came and brought a gift is already giving face to Gu Zi.¡±

    When the Gu family arrived at the Lin family residence, the luncheon was about to begin.

    Lin Cheng, Lin Hun, and Li Hua had all gone to the ancestral hall to help. Today¡¯s feast would rely on Papa Lin to preside over.

    As soon as Mama Lin had a moment to spare, she saw the Gu family walking toward them, and for a moment, she felt uneasy.

    Initially, she didn¡¯t have this attitude toward the Gu family. She was full of gratitude, considering the Gu family had raised Gu Zi for eighteen years, and Lin Miao was also brought up with care by the Lin family.

    However, her heart had grown cold towards Lin Miao, and the attitude of Gu Shan and his wife towards Gu Zi was also very indifferent.

    She thought that since things were this way, they should each keep to their own peace. Little did she know they would come today.

    But on such a joyous day, there was no need to put on a cold face; guests were guests, and they should be treated well.

    Mama Lin stepped forward to welcome them to their seats. The gazes of the others also shifted towards them. The relatives and friends were familiar with Lin Miao, but the glances directed at her now carried a hint of coldness.

    Lin Miao secretly clenched the corner of her clothes. Clearly, when she came back before, these people were envious of her. Why did it feel hostile today? It must be Gu Zi poisoning their minds behind her back!

    Gu Shan did not lead his family to take their seats. Instead, he said arrogantly,

    ¡°We¡¯re just here to ask for directions. We want to know where their wedding is. We¡¯ll leave after we deliver the gifts. I was afraid that others wouldn¡¯t be able to guide us there, so we came straight here.¡±

    They had actually arrived late and only said this after hearing that Gu Zi had already been taken away.

    Seeing that they were about to leave, Mama Lin told them to follow the road with the ribbons to the wedding venue.

    Zhang Mei¡¯s gaze swept across the front of the Lin family¡¯s house. It seemed like they had decorated everything as if to show off, probably because Gu Zi was well taken care of by the Gu family.

    It annoyed her to think about it. The Gu family had raised Gu Zi so well, but back then, they couldn¡¯t even provide a decent place for Lin Miao. She was really upset about Lin Miao¡¯s fate!

    However, where did the Lin family get the money to lay such a wide red carpet and arrange such a lavish feast with a variety of meats, poultry, fish, and shrimp?

    Could it be that the man named Su paid for it? He was really vain. A man who raised pigs for a living and was marrying for the second time was afraid that others would not know about his second marriage.

    She heard from Lin Miao that the Lin family¡¯s current house was bought by that Su guy with a loan.

    As Zhang Mei was leaving, she asked Mama Lin, ¡°Have you checked his background properly? Is this Su Shen secretly involved in any illicit business?¡±

    Hearing her say this, Mama Lin felt that Zhang Mei was looking down on people too much. She replied, ¡°Su Shen is very upright. Please refrain from baseless accusations. I¡¯m busy, you can do as you please.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to entertain this family anymore. There were so many people who came to bless the newlyweds today, and they were not the only ones. However, the most offensive remarks came from the Gu family.

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    Others who overheard were also displeased. Why were these city folks behaving this way?

    Did they not know Su Shen¡¯s standing in their hearts? This was really outrageous!

    The crowd discussed among themselves, conveying the message that if the Gu family looked down on the rural area, they should stay away. Their presence was unwelcome.

    Gu Shan felt these villagers were simply unreasonable and quickly got into his car.

    Lin Miao also pulled Zhang Mei into the car. After listening to her daughter¡¯s advice, Zhang Mei said, ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no need to argue with these villagers. But we really shouldn¡¯t have come and endured this humiliation.¡±

 Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Wedding

    Chapter 226: Wedding

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Most of the villagers in Little Lin Village were generally simple and kind-hearted. Their attitude towards Lin Miao had turned cold because they felt she had been ungrateful.

    Keen observers could easily discern the resentment held by the Gu family towards the Lin family.

    The Gu family had likely believed that Lin Miao had suffered a lot in the Lin family and the village. It was evident that she had never spoken a fair word about the Lin family that had raised her.

    Ironically, Lin Miao had been living a pampered life in the village in recent years. She didn¡¯t have to do laundry or household chores. Apart from studying, her life mainly revolved around leisure, making the surrounding young girls envy her.

    Her family conditions were slightly better than some other families who adhered to the traditional preference for boys over girls. Some girls in other families were even treated like beasts of burden, while Lin Miao was akin to the young mistress of the Lin family.

    Everyone in Little Lin Village had witnessed how the Lin family treated Lin Miao.

    They had also witnessed Gu Zhi¡¯s culinary skills and knew that this city girl could prepare many delicious dishes. Without the experience of cooking every day in the Gu family, it would have been impossible for her to develop such excellent culinary skills.

    Everyone then understood that judging a person based solely on their outward appearance was too one-sided ¨C enjoying a comfortable life in the city, suffering in the village. It was far too simplistic.

    In the ancestral hall, on the red carpet, the flower boy and girl had walked ahead, holding flower baskets. They scattered petals while waving to the guests on either side.

    The most important ceremony of the wedding would be completed at this time, and the time was short. In addition, since there weren¡¯t enough seats arranged due to limited space, everyone had to stand.

    When it was luncheon time, everyone would move to the courtyard behind to eat.

    Shi Tou was especially obedient today. He did whatever Sister Jiang Nuan did, and his chubby face looked especially cute and adorable.

    Needless to say, Jiang Nuan¡¯s smile was as bright as a blooming sunflower. When the guests saw her smile, they instantly forgot all their worries and wholeheartedly gave the newlyweds their best wishes.

    Of course, the most dazzling thing at this moment was the golden jewelry hanging on Gu Zi¡¯s body. It was simply exuding opulence and prosperity!

    Su Shen was incredibly wealthy! It was a level of wealth they hadn¡¯t considered. Absolutely at the level of a big boss! In the future, they would have to show respect to the Su family. When the Su family is well-off, everyone benefits.

    Aunt Yang supported Gu Zi and walked to the ancestral tablets. She whispered some etiquette in Gu Zits ear and then stepped to the side. During the wedding ceremony, she could not stand beside the bride.

    Gong Xin took on the role of the impromptu host, pushing the proceedings forward. Jin Long and the chubby shopkeeper led the cheering, setting the festive atmosphere.

    After seeing Su Shen and Gu Zi exchange rings and complete the ceremony, Gong Xin became even more excited. The atmosphere in the hall was filled with joy and harmony, drowning out the sound of firecrackers outside the door.

    Two hundred firecrackers were set off outside the ancestral hall, signaling the arrival of guests. However, who could be arriving so late? The wedding ceremony was already completed.

    Outside the ancestral hall, the Gu family¡¯s small car hesitated for a moment before coming to a stop.

    The Gu family had followed Mama Lin¡¯s instructions and drove all the way here. A classical and exquisite ancestral hall appeared in front of the family, and they were a little stunned.

    Lin Miao knew this place. It was the Su Family Ancestral Hall. As far as she could remember from her memories of her past life, it had always been locked.

    In her past life, she had asked Su Shen to hold the wedding here. He had mentioned the need to communicate with the elders of the clan, which was quite troublesome. Consequently, they didn¡¯t use this place. But now, he opened it for Gu Zi¡¯s wedding. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be troublesome?

    When she saw the car parked outside the ancestral hall, she felt that it was dazzling. She hadn¡¯t expected Su Shen to specially borrow a car as the wedding car and even hired a motorcycle team!

    As the Su family didn¡¯t have many relatives and friends, in her past life, when she married Su Shen, they just set up a few tables at the village office entrance.

    Compared to the scene before her eyes, it seemed quite rudimentary.

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    Because Su Shen had given a generous betrothal gift, she hadn¡¯t minded. After all, this was how weddings were conducted in the village, and they were already considered grand. However, in her past life, she had no idea what kind of wedding was considered grand.

    Now she realized she hadn¡¯t been greedy enough. In her past life, she should have asked Su Shen for more!

    Lin Miao¡¯s hands gripped the edge of her seat, leaving fingerprints on the car seat. She had only just broken the ice with Gong Zhan, and there was still MO Li wanting a share of the pie.

    She had no idea when she would marry Gong Zhan. It was infuriating!

    Gu Shan and his wife¡¯s expressions turned especially bad when they saw the scene in front of them. Zhang Mei complained, ¡°What a hypocrite! They must not have a decent house, that¡¯s why they¡¯re having the wedding in the ancestral hall..¡±

 Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Debt of Nurturing

    Chapter 227: Debt of Nurturing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei didn¡¯t think it was too great; what a waste! The whole road was adorned with ribbons, and even the wooden stakes had the characters for ¡°double happiness¡± pasted on them. Were they afraid no one would know it was his second marriage?

    Gu Shan also shook his head and said in a deep voice, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s take a look.¡±

    A well-organized wedding might look good, but what was the point? The attendees were all villagers, and there wasn¡¯t much grandeur.

    If Lin Miao and Gong Zhan were getting married, with Gong Zhan¡¯s position, many important figures would come to congratulate them. That would be grand.

    For the Gu family to attend was considered giving face to Gu Zi, their adopted daughter.

    Lin Miao remained silent because she knew that the Su family not only had a decent house but a large one, much bigger than the Gu family¡¯s.

    However, no matter how big the house was, it was still in the countryside and couldn¡¯t compare to the Gu family¡¯s in the city.

    Both Zhang Mei and Lin Miao had meticulously dressed up, thinking that no one among the guests could outshine their family.

    As they got out of the car, they raised their chins and walked towards the ancestral hall with straight backs. Those who were there to welcome the guests came forward. They didn¡¯t recognize the Gu family, but judging by their style, they were probably the adoptive parents of the bride from the city.

    They warmly invited the family inside, ignoring their cold expressions. It was a

    joyous occasion, and every guest was welcome!

    Inside, Su Shen went to attend to the guests while Aunt Yang brought Gu Zi to change into her toasting dress.

    Draped in a pristine and beautiful wedding gown, Gu Zi looked like a goddess. Wherever she went, she was the most eye-catching presence.

    As soon as Gu Shan and the others entered, they spotted her. The veins on their foreheads twitched twice in unison.

    Gu Zi, with her exaggerated voluminous train, was escorted by a group of people as she walked outside. She carried a large circle of gold jewelry around her neck, and both wrists were adorned with six differently styled but undoubtedly high-value gold bracelets. She exuded an aura of prosperity.

    Lin Miao¡¯s eves turned red with iealousv. Not onlv did Su Shen give Gu Zi a grand wedding, but he also gave Gu Zi so many gold jewelry. Did he give Gu Zi a new betrothal gift?

    No, it couldn¡¯t be. She hadn¡¯t received such treatment. Why should Gu Zi?

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei exchanged a glance, disdainfully curling their lips. They both independently thought that the gold jewelry worn by Gu Zi was likely gold -plated.

    Due to such customs, many families used gold-plated ornaments to pretend they were pure gold, presenting a facade for themselves. It could be framed as seeking goodwill, but, in harsher terms, it was deceitful and ostentatious.

    Even if it was gold-plated, wearing a set would suffice. Yet, Gu Zi paraded around with so many counterfeit items, truly embarrassing!

    They looked down upon Gu Zi, feeling that their well-raised daughter had become vain after spending too much time with the rural older man.

    The surrounding guests seemed to confirm their assumptions. There were no significant figures present, and the wedding lacked any substantial weight.

    Gu Zi noticed the sudden appearance of the Gu family and felt helpless. Logically, the Gu family should want to disassociate themselves from her, and she hadn¡¯t even sent them an invitation. Why were they here?

    Moreover, she keenly sensed the palpable dissatisfaction emanating from the Gu family. It seemed the unexpected guests harbored negative emotions.

    She approached without addressing them as Mom and Dad, as Zhang Mei had previously mentioned during the household registration episode that she, Gu Zi, and the Gu family no longer had any relations.

    ¡°Uncle, Auntie, why are you here?¡± Gu Zi asked.

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    Gu Shan placed his hands behind his back. His face grew colder upon hearing her address. He said, ¡°Do you still consider us as your foster parents? If we hadn¡¯t come, we wouldn¡¯t have seen you fooling around with that rural guy, wearing all those fake ornaments. Isn¡¯t it embarrassing?¡±

    Lin Miao said, ¡°Sister, I know you feel wronged marrying a divorced man. But as a person, you need to rely on your own strong heart. Depending on external possessions won¡¯t make you genuinely powerful. Moreover, you¡¯re using fake goods, making it seem very cheap.¡±

    Gu Zi, upon hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh. Did they actually think the gold she wore was fake? They were too naive.

    Nevertheless, Gu Zi didn¡¯t care about what they thought. She said, ¡°If you think it¡¯s fake, then it¡¯s fake. As for Su Shen, I don¡¯t feel wronged marrying him at all. Lin Miao, I want to thank you. You¡¯ve given me such a wonderful husband.¡±

    Zhang Mei, angered by her response, said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel embarrassed to admit it. We just came to check on you. As for you wearing fake gold, we can¡¯t control that. Just a friendly reminder, the debt of nurturing is greater than the sky.. Reflect on it yourself!¡±

 Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Big Shot

    Chapter 228: Big Shot

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao had Zhang Mei by her side, but at this moment, she couldn¡¯t find joy.

    For some reason, she felt like she had taken the wrong step. Even though Su Shen was cold and unfeeling, he was a wealthy and handsome man. She felt like she had given Gu Zi an advantage!

    Moreover, in this new life, Su Shen didn¡¯t seem as indifferent as in the previous one. Otherwise, why would he organize such a grand wedding?

    But weren¡¯t there those three gloomy children? With those three around, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t have an easy life.

    Thinking of this, Lin Miao felt somewhat relieved.

    Gu Zi could tell that the Gu family was blaming her because she didn¡¯t actively send them wedding invitations. But didn¡¯t the Gu family say they didn¡¯t want any more connections?

    When she went to change her household registration and get married, even though she didn¡¯t change her name, she had mentally agreed to sever ties with the Gu family. It didn¡¯t matter whether she changed her name; people had called her that for so many years.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t angry. She calmly said, ¡°I misunderstood. Aunt Zhang, when you said as long as I didn¡¯t wander aimlessly in the city, it would be the greatest repayment to the Gu family, I thought that meant you wouldn¡¯t come to the wedding either.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei frowned upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words. They did have such thoughts.

    As for coming today, they were indeed upset because Gu Zi hadn¡¯t invited them.

    People around heard Gu Zits words and rolled their eyes. The Gu family didn¡¯t want anything to do with Gu Zi, but now they came to the wedding to lecture her? How absurd!

    Lin Miao, seeing that her parents were in the wrong, hurriedly said, ¡°Sister,

    Mom and Dad actually care a lot about you. The way they spoke before was to ease your worries and with good intentions. Now that you¡¯re getting married, they are truly concerned and came to support you.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei immediately agreed with Lin Miao¡¯s words. They considered themselves significant figures in this scenario. Hadn¡¯t they come all the way here just to give Gu Zi some face?

    Hearing this, along with the surrounding guests, Aunt Yang rolled her eyes secretly. The sense of superiority among city people was quite strong.

    She couldn¡¯t see anything remarkable about the Gu family. Instead, she felt they were quite impolite, troubling the bride like this. Didn¡¯t they see the bride was about to change clothes?

    Gu Zi was also speechless, the audacity of these people.

    Just then, firecrackers sounded at the entrance again. Soon, a man and a woman walked in¡ªDeputy Chief He and his wife, He Ting. Both Gu Shan and Zhang Mei recognized them.

    Seeing Gu Zi with a bright smile, they didn¡¯t pay attention to the Gu family. They greeted Gu Zi and had the driver carry a delicately wrapped gift box to the helpers.

    Gu Zi also greeted them warmly, ¡°Uncle He, Aunt He, welcome! The banquet is about to start; it¡¯s in the back. I¡¯ll have someone take you there. Su Shen is also over there.¡±

    He Ting said, ¡°You must be going to change your clothes. Don¡¯t mind us; go ahead. Oh, this is a gold lock necklace we gave you. It looks beautiful on you.¡± Seeing the bride all in gold, He Ting was especially pleased.

    Aunt Yang also showed a smile from the side. This was the demeanor of influential figures!

    Gu Zi said, ¡°I also think Aunt He¡¯s gold lock is beautiful, and the gold bracelets and rings from others look great too. They definitely can¡¯t be gold-plated.

    Uncle Gu, Aunt Zhang, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    He Ting¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Who¡¯s talking nonsense? How could I possibly give gold-plated items?¡±

    Her gaze immediately turned into a sharp sword, directed at the Gu family.

    He Ting recalled the incident of her husband helping Gu Zi change her household registration. Suddenly, she understood the relationship between the Gu family and Gu Zi.

    Gu Shan, Zhang Mei, and Lin Miao had expressions that looked like they were suffering from constipation. If facial expressions could have colors, the faces of the Gu family would be a kaleidoscope.

    How come Deputy Chief He and his wife were here? This couple was known for avoiding private relationships within their social circle.

    Even when the Gonz family held major events, this couple wasn¡¯t pecessarily

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    present. And the fact that the gold lock Gu Zi wore was a gift from He Ting!

    Gu Zi even referred to them as Uncle He and Aunt He.

    Most importantly, compared to Deputy Chief He, Gu Shan, a mere company commander, was nothing in terms of status. This was embarrassing!

    But Gu Shan was an old fox after all. Despite feeling guilty, he remained calm on the surface. He said to Lin Miao, ¡°These two are Uncle He and Aunt He; quickly address them.¡±

    Lin Miao quickly went forward and addressed them politely, but Deputy Chief He did not respond at all..

 Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Thank You, Uncle Gu

    Chapter 229: Thank You, Uncle Gu

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    He Ting straightforwardly said, ¡°Gu Zi can call us that way, but we¡¯re not familiar with you. It¡¯s better to address me as Mrs. He.¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s face immediately turned red, but restrained by the presence of these important figures, she couldn¡¯t afford to be confrontational. She could only navigate through the situation like an unignited incendiary bomb¡ªhow to move forvvard and how to retreat.

    Gu Shan and his wife, sensing that the He family wasn¡¯t giving face, felt displeased inside. However, they maintained smiling faces and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a form of address, no harm done. Why did the two of you come here today?¡±

    Last time, when Gu Zi went to the Public Security Bureau to transfer her household registration, Aunt Wang in the compound was demoted to the cleaning department by Deputy Chief He. Aunt Wang hadn¡¯t been reinstated to her original position yet.

    So, Deputy Chief He had helped in that matter. Su Shen and Deputy Chief He must have a personal relationship!

    Su Shen was in the pig slaughtering business. He was vain and probably didn¡¯t follow a legitimate path.

    Deputy Chief He held power, one in officialdom and the other in business. Could there be some kind of collusion between them?

    If Gu Shan could gather evidence, wouldn¡¯t a promotion be in sight?

    Deputy Chief He said, ¡°We¡¯re here to attend the wedding. Isn¡¯t that obvious? Or does Captain Gu think one should come to a wedding empty-handed?¡±

    The He couple had already noticed that the Gu family arrived with empty hands. Considering the situation just now, it seemed like they were here to watch a joke.

    They probably thought that people from the countryside couldn¡¯t organize a decent wedding. Besides, they were probably not be aware of Su Shen¡¯s past glory and assumed he was just an ordinary butcher.

    If the He couple remembered correctly, there was a marriage contract between the Gu family and the Gong family. The Gu family had come to flaunt.

    The Gu family even claimed that the gold Gu Zi wore was all gold-plated, which was downright laughable!

    He Ting said, ¡°I¡¯m almost certain that Captain Gu¡¯s perspectives seem to differ from the norm. They claim we gave fake gold, but it seems Captain Gu didn¡¯t even give the newlyweds anything, not even fake gold.¡±

    After saying that, she even searched in front of Gu Zi, making the Gu family feel like they were standing on pins and needles.

    Gu Zi felt quite comfortable looking at the Gu family¡¯s deflated appearance. It was supposed to be a happy day for her, but they had to come and cause trouble.

    The ones claiming to disassociate themselves were the Gu family, yet the ones who came knocking were also the Gu family. Gu Zi realized that it was impossible for her to cut ties with people like the Gu family.

    She could only seize the opportunity to let them bleed. Only when it hurt would there be a chance to cut ties cleanly. The next time they came to cause trouble, they would have to think twice.

    She explained for the Gu family, ¡°Uncle He, Aunt He, it¡¯s not as you said. Uncle Gu and Aunt Zhang did raise me for over ten years. Just like Lin Miao said, they can¡¯t bear to part with me.¡±

    The Gu family didn¡¯t expect Gu Zi to help explain, and quickly said with a smile, ¡°Exactly, after all, we are Gu Zi¡¯s foster parents. Deputy Chief He and Mrs. He certainly wouldn¡¯t give fake gold. It was just a joke Lin Miao made to her sister.¡±

    Watching Gu Zi¡¯s wedding being so grand and the bride herself adorned with gold, Lin Miao was already jealous to the point of madness.

    She didn¡¯t expect to become a scapegoat now. With a stifling feeling in her chest, she was about to suffocate.

    Zhang Mei saw that Lin Miao was about to lose control of her expression. She quickly pulled Lin Miao aside and whispered, ¡°Family reputation matters a lot. Just endure it for now.¡± Lin Miao had to suppress her emotions, her heart throbbing with pain.

    Gu Zi continued, ¡°Just now, Lin Miao said it. Uncle Gu and Aunt Zhang didn¡¯t know what style of gold necklace I liked, They said they would give me money to buy it myself. Isn¡¯t that right, Uncle Gu?¡±

    Gu Shan didn¡¯t expect Gu Zi to use this tactic. His mouth twitched, and he wanted to get angry. How did Gu Zi learn the tricks of the village people, sucking blood like this?

    But watching Deputy Bureau Chief He and his wife present, he ultimately didn¡¯t lose his temper and gritted his teeth, saying, ¡°Yes.¡±

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    He immediately took out three hundred yuan from his wallet. However, three hundred wasn¡¯t enough to buy a gold necklace. He then asked Lin Miao to bring the two hundred yuan he gave her this morning. Lin Miao reluctantly took it out.

    That money was intended for her by her dad to buy new clothes. Now, it unexpectedly had to be used to buy a gold necklace for Gu Zi! She regretted this trip. Not only didn¡¯t she see the joke, but she also ended up paying five hundred yuan! Lin Miao felt that their family now resembled a joke.

    Gu Zi accepted the five hundred yuan. For the Gu family, this was not a small amount.

    She smiled brightly and said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Gu, thank you, Aunt Zhang. You¡¯ve been so good to me. Please come and visit me more in the future! Initially, when you asked me to help Lin Miao marry into the countryside, I thought you no longer wanted me as your foster daughter.¡±

    Gu Zits tone was filled with gratitude, but the words she spoke revealed the harsh reality that made the Gu family face disdainful looks.

 Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Grand Lineup

    Chapter 230: Grand Lineup

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Yang couldn¡¯t believe it. The reason why Gu Zi married into the countryside was unexpectedly for this reason. This family was too selfish!

    Fortunately, she met Su Shen. If it were any other country bumpkin, wouldn¡¯t a beauty like Gu Zi have to suffer in the countryside for Lin Miao for the rest of her life?

    She couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer and helped Gu Zi to change her clothes.

    Others who heard this also shook their heads. Deputy Chief He walked towards the banquet area with his wife, ignoring the Gu family.

    Zhang Mei and Lin Miao were distressed about the five hundred yuan. They both said to Gu Shan, ¡®We shouldn¡¯t have come here today! Gu Zi, that girl, doesn¡¯t know how to speak sensibly. Let¡¯s leave.¡±

    People around them were pointing and gossiping. Who could eat a meal in such an embarrassing atmosphere?

    Gu Shan, however, didn¡¯t care about these things at all. All he could think about was how to get close to Deputy Chief He, gain his trust, and obtain evidence of collusion with Su Shen. This way, he could get promoted!

    He said, ¡°We can¡¯t leave. Deputy Chief He is still here.¡±

    Hence, Gu Shan, his wife, and his daughter followed behind Deputy Chief He.

    The guests at the banquet had basically been seated, and the sudden appearance of these new guests naturally attracted attention.

    Since both the Gu family and the He family were not ordinary, especially He Ting, even though she wasn¡¯t heavily dressed up, she still looked elegant and imposing. As a result, they became the focus of the entire room as they entered, and people began to discuss.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the official¡¯s wife who went to Su¡¯s house to deliver gifts before? The man next to her must be her husband, an official!¡±

    ¡°I know him. He¡¯s Deputy Chief He from the Public Security Bureau. I saw his picture on the information board when I went to the Public Security Bureau.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve only heard that Boss Su is a retired soldier. I didn¡¯t know he had a relationship with Deputy Chief He. He really keeps a low profile!¡±

    However, these were not the most surprising things. Lin Cheng was arranging seats for the newcomers when two more men hurriedly entered through the door.

    These two men had extraordinary auras. One was slim, the other well-built, but they both exuded a kind of mountain king vibe.

    They seemed to be in a hurry, and the slim, older-looking one walked in front, beckoning to the one behind. ¡°Little Huo, you need to train. You can¡¯t even catch up to an old man like me.¡±

    The well-built middle-aged man waved his hand, saying, ¡°Commander Kong, you are still robust and strong. Please excuse my late arrival. I finally made it to Su Shen¡¯s wedding. My subordinates are so useless. They only told me about the wedding yesterday.¡±

    Commander Kong stopped and waited for him. He patted the man¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s the same, it¡¯s the same. I just rushed over from the Central Southern Military Region today. I¡¯ve been driving so fast that my old lungs are about to give out. This Su Shen is ungrateful; he didn¡¯t even invite me. I must settle the score with him!¡±

    Deputy Chief He saw the two approaching and greeted them, ¡°My old commander, why did you both come together? Boss Huo, weren¡¯t you on a business trip abroad?¡±

    The old commander said, ¡°Hurry up and call Su Shen over. I have to teach that kid a lesson!¡±

    Boss Huo said, ¡°I just rushed back from abroad. Even if Brother Su¡¯s wedding is far away, I have to come and have a drink! Look, Commander Kong has also come. ¡±

    Deputy Chief He laughed and said, ¡°You might not be able to beat Su Shen, my old commander. Let¡¯s outsmart him. We¡¯ll make him drink until he collapses later. ¡±

    The three big shots laughed heartily, completely at ease, not noticing that everyone else was stunned.

    Closest to where they were sitting were a few young people whose eyes were fixed on them.

    What kind of lineup was this? Thanks to Su Shen and Gu Zi, these villagers were actually sitting at the same table for a meal with the commander of the Central Southern Military Region, the deputy chief of the Public Security Bureau, and Boss Huo from Xinghua Department Store.

    They felt that they would never accomplish anything more prestigious in their lives!

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    Gu Shan gradually realized that even the commander of the Central Southern Military Region had arrived, along with the owner of the largest department store in the city. His dream of promotion was now shattered.

    If it were just Deputy Bureau Chief He and Su Shen having a close relationship, he had every reason to suspect some shady dealings between them. However, with Commander Kong present, Gu Shan knew that his previous speculation was impossible.

    He immediately took out a pack of premium cigarettes and walked over to Commander Kong to introduce himself, bringing his wife and daughter along.

    When Zhang Mei saw this extravagance and lineup, she was secretly glad that she did not bring the gifts out of the car.

    They originally wanted Gu Zi to get them herself, but now, looking at the situation, those gifts were completely overshadowed. If they were taken out, the Gu family would become a laughingstock..

 Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Big Shots

    Chapter 231: Big Shots

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao was dumbfounded. In her previous life, when she married Su Shen, there were no such big shots who came to participate, and it was not so grand.

    Could it be that in this reincarnation, some things had changed due to her rebirth?

    If that were the case, it made sense. It seemed that Su Shen had become more successful earlier in this life.

    A common retired soldier responding to the country¡¯s economic reform call, starting a pig farm, and leading villagers to prosperity ¨C it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for him to make connections with influential figures.

    Now that Su Shen was famous, these influential people naturally wanted to associate with him. However, when it came down to it, Su Shen was just a businessman. How could he compare to the Gong family in the city?

    Commander Kong and Boss Huo looked at the family of three who were trying to get close to them. They gave Deputy Chief He a look and asked him what was going on.

    Deputy Chief He chuckled, ¡°Captain Gu is just a bit enthusiastic. Commander Kong, I suppose you¡¯re not someone who cares about formalities. We¡¯ve said this before, and now that we¡¯ve met, let Captain Gu take his seat. I believe both

    Commander and Boss Huo must be hungry.¡±

    Commander Kong quickly agreed, ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m very hungry. Shall we start? This pork elbow and boiled prawns look so tempting.¡±

    Boss Huo had already picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a garlic-flavored scallop into his bowl, and then set his sights on the lychee-stuffed pork belly and diced lily cashew nut dish beside it, saying, ¡°These dishes suit my taste perfectly! I¡¯ll help myself first!¡±

    The two big shots were overwhelmed by the delicious food on the table, and they didn¡¯t spare a glance at the Gu family. Although there were four seats at this table, there was no intention of having them sit together. With Deputy Chief He¡¯s words, it was a complete snub for the three of them.

    Gu Shan had to smile and lead his wife and daughter to an unoccupied table nearby, hoping for an opportunity to approach later.

    Gu Shan complained to Lin Miao, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that Su Shen has so many good connections?¡±

    This was truly embarrassing! If Lin Miao had informed them earlier, they wouldn¡¯t be so clueless about everything!

    Lin Miao never expected Gu Shan to blame her. She explained with a sense of grievance, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear about Su Shen having these connections before. It¡¯s probably recent. He runs a pig farm as a business, so there might be some business dealings.¡±

    Gu Shan, however, felt otherwise. He said, ¡°Did you not hear what they said just now? One rushed over from the military district, and the other came back from abroad. These connections sound quite extraordinary.¡±

    Seeing her daughter being blamed, Zhang Mei spoke up in her defense, ¡°You¡¯re a man, and you know how to handle social situations. These people are probably just passing by and happen to have some free time. Miao Miao grew up in the village next door. She knows more about the situation than we do.

    She already said there weren¡¯t these connections before, so it must be recent.¡±

    If Su Shen had known figures like Commander Kong and Boss Huo for a long time, wouldn¡¯t he have spread the news far and wide?

    Gu Shan looked at the table where the big shots were seated. They were indeed earnestly enjoying their meal and didn¡¯t even look for Su Shen.

    Moreover, Gu Zi had never mentioned Su Shen¡¯s powerful connections before.

    It should be, as Lin Miao said, just a passing show to join in the excitement. This made him feel much more relieved.

    Gu Shan said, ¡°I might have been too anxious. I¡¯ll ask Gu Zi what¡¯s going on when I see her later. If Su Shen has really become a big businessman, he might be able to help our family in the future.¡±

    Lin Miao took the opportunity to redirect the resentment towards Gu Zi, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think my sister will tell the truth. If she had given us a little reminder earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have said that Mrs. He¡¯s gold was fake. But it¡¯s not entirely her fault. This place in the countryside is too complicated. My sister turned out like this, and it¡¯s partly my fault. If I hadn¡¯t come back, maybe¡­¡±

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    Zhang Mei grabbed her daughter¡¯s hand and comforted her, ¡°Silly girl, how can you say that? It¡¯s our Gu family who raised an ingrate. What does it have to do with you?¡±

    At this moment, Zhang Mei felt more heartache for Lin Miao, and there was more resentment towards Gu Zi.

    Thinking about how Gu Zi had asked him for money earlier, Gu Shan was also angry and exclaimed, ¡°How dare she not tell the truth! We raised her for over ten years!¡±

    As the Gu family spoke, Su Shen had already brought Gu Zi out, who had just changed.

    They were surrounded by a crowd, and the Gu family couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of them, let alone question Gu Zi..

 Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Tea

    Chapter 232: Tea

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation      Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao looked at the lively banquet scene in front of her. People from several villages seemed to have gathered here. She felt more and more uneasy, realizing that the splendor Gu Zi was enjoying now was all because she had given it up for Gu Zi herself.

    Unexpectedly, in this second chance at life, Su Shen seemed to have undergone significant changes. Lin Miao deeply regretted her wrong move.

    But there were still those three children, right? Her gaze fell on the boy in denim not far away.

    Su Bing¡¯s dark and cold aura had not changed. This was good; with him around, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t have an easy time!

    Lin Miao observed Su Bing standing next to a table specifically set up for water bottles and teapots. He was using boiling hot water to make tea.

    If it were someone else, Lin Miao would find this behavior normal. However, because it was Su Bing, she knew too well about the darkness within this boy.

    He must be planning to cause trouble. He would maliciously splash the hot tea onto Gu Zi and act as if it were unintentional.

    Lin Miao felt secretly delighted and then saw Su Li walking over. After a serious conversation with Su Bing, Su Li also started making tea.

    A smile of anticipation played on Lin Miao¡¯s lips. She didn¡¯t expect this foolish second son to dislike Gu Zi so much. There would be a good show soon.

    At the tea table, Su Li, after making tea with his brother, asked worriedly,

    ¡°Brother, if your tea tastes better than mine, will Mom like you more in the

    Today, they were going to serve tea to their mother, which was a serious matter. So Su Li had dropped his usual carefree demeanor, and, coupled with his concern that his brother might do better, he couldn¡¯t even muster a smile at the moment.

    Su Bing replied, ¡°Mom is not as boring as you think. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Leading Su Li, Su Bing walked towards the crowd. People made way when they saw the two children carrying tea, creating a path for them.

    Lin Miao also saw Gu Zi and was amazed.

    Gu Zi had changed into a red cheongsam that looked particularly old-fashioned, but her fair skin was radiant. With her beauty, grace, and temperament, she stood out. Even in that peculiar cheongsam, she exuded a new level of beauty, creating a world of her own that seemed separate from the people and things around her.

    However, Lin Miao¡¯s jealous emotions this time weren¡¯t as intense, and she even felt a bit pleased.

    What did it matter if Gu Zi looked beautiful now? In a while, those two little devils would scald her with hot tea, and it would be even better if it splashed onto her face, ruining her appearance directly!

    She couldn¡¯t help but say to her parents, ¡°Mom and Dad, those are Su Shen¡¯s two sons. They are quite sinister, and who knows what crazy things they¡¯ll do later.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei looked at the two children, feeling no goodwill towards them.

    Originally, having these children already made people think this marriage was embarrassing enough. Did they want to play tricks at the wedding? Wouldn¡¯t that be even more disgraceful?

    Gu Shan wanted to go over and stop them, but it was too late. The two boys knelt down in front of Gu Zi, one in front of the other.

    Just when Gu Shan¡¯s heart was in his throat and Lin Miao¡¯s anticipation was at its peak, Su Bing bowed to Gu Zi, raising the tea cup high with both hands, and said loudly, ¡°Mom, please have some tea! It¡¯s hot water, be careful not to scald yourself.¡±

    Although his tone had no emotional ups and downs, Gu Zi knew that this was Su Bing¡¯s expression of love.

    She took the tea cup, took a sip, and handed him a red envelope, patting his head, saying, ¡°Su Bing, thank you!¡±

    Su Shen helped his son up, and then it was Su Li¡¯s turn. He also imitated his brother, presenting tea with a serious look, and Gu Zi similarly gave him a red envelope.

    Su Li reminded, ¡®Mom, pat my head too!¡±

    This sentence made the people around them burst into laughter, praising Gu Zi for her excellent parenting and genuine love for the children.

    Even little Lele, who couldn¡¯t present tea, was clapping his hands in Li Hua¡¯s arms, shouting, ¡®Mom, pat my head, Lele¡­¡±

    Everyone laughed even more heartily, and the faces of the Gu family turned completely dark.

    Who was this delightful atmosphere staged for? Were they intentionally trying to provoke them?

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    Gu Shan snorted coldly and didn¡¯t say anything more. If it weren¡¯t for

    Commander Kong and the others, he might have turned around and left.

    Lin Miao not only had an unpleasant expression but also trembled slightly. She couldn¡¯t understand why everything Gu Zi encountered was different from what she had experienced in her previous life.

    It must be an illusion, just an illusion.

    ¡°Miaomiao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhang Mei noticed her daughter¡¯s appearance and thought that she might be unwell..

 Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Suspect

    Chapter 233: Suspect

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation     Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m feeling a bit uncomfortable. I¡¯d like to rest in the car for a while.¡±

    Zhang Mei replied, ¡°You¡¯re here as a guest for the wedding. How can you lock yourself in the car to rest? If you want to rest, I¡¯ll ask your sister to arrange a place for you to rest comfortably.¡±

    Lin Miao responded very sensibly, ¡°It¡¯s better not to trouble her. With so many dignitaries and important guests here today, I think it¡¯s unnecessary to bother my sister.¡±

    In fact, she felt that if Zhang Mei could stir things up a bit for Gu Zi, she would feel more at ease.

    Zhang Mei was already feeling uneasy today. When she heard Lin Miao¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t bear to see Lin Miao being mistreated any further.

    She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go find her now. I¡¯ll ask her to arrange a place for you to rest. After all, I am her foster mother. If she has time to socialize with outsiders, she should have time to take care of her sister. What kind of reasoning is this?¡±

    Thinking she was in the right, Zhang Mei took Lin Miao and went to find Gu Zi.

    Gu Shan didn¡¯t go over. The main table only had four heavyweight big shots, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for him to join without an invitation.

    Now that Su Shen had married Gu Zi, he could be considered half a son-in-law to him. There was no reason not to invite him to sit at the main table. This way, Gu Shan could also understand how capable Su Shen really was.

    Of course, the most important thing was to get close to the big shots at the main table.

    After Gu Zi toasted the people at the main table, she noticed that the commander seemed to have a lot to discuss with Su Shen. She asked Su Shen to stay at the main table and accompany them. She would go and toast the guests at the other tables. She took her two children to toast at other tables.

    Atter toasting at two tables, when she was about to go to the third table, she was stopped by Zhang Mei, who asked her to find a place for Lin Miao to rest.

    Gu Zi said she was busy at the moment and told them to rest in the small room behind the hall. However, Zhang Mei complained that it was too noisy there.

    Even though Lin Miao was not feeling uncomfortable anymore, she pretended to be weak and said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t trouble my sister. I¡¯ll go to the car by myself.¡±

    Zhang Mei, angry, questioned, ¡°Gu Zi, is it that difficult for you to arrange a place for your sister to rest? You and your sister were switched by two families since childhood. After being the darling of the Gu family for over ten years, have you forgotten the gratitude for your upbringing?¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s words were just short of revealing Gu Zi¡¯s identity as the city¡¯s heiress who had occupied Lin Miao¡¯s rightful position for more than ten years.

    However, the gazes cast upon this mother-daughter pair were full of disgust. People knew that even though the Gu family had better conditions, Lin Miao had lived quite well in the Lin family over the years.

    Moreover, the fact that the Gu family had forced Gu Zi to act as a substitute bride for their biological daughter was well-known, making people speechless.

    Humans were indeed selfish. It was acceptable to want to compensate for one¡¯s biological daughter, but why did it have to come at the expense of Gu Zi? The Gu family had successfully forced Gu Zi into the marriage, yet they still clung to her.

    On the one hand, they were afraid that their adopted daughter would not be able to leave the Gu family and would fight for resources with their biological daughter, Lin Miao. On the other hand, they didn¡¯t sever ties with Gu Zi completely. On such a joyous occasion, they still managed to make people unhappy. It was simply outrageous!

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to waste words at this moment and directly said, ¡°Aunt Zhang, it was you who advised me to stay in the countryside, not to return to the Gu family, and to marry on behalf of the Lin family for the sake of Lin Miao. You asked me to do it to repay you. As for Lin Miao, I wont specially arrange a place for her to rest. According to the Public Security Bureau records, Lin Miao is still a suspected thief who stole wedding gifts. We have many valuable items at home, and I¡¯m afraid of them being stolen.¡±

    Hearing this, some people from Little Lin Village remembered that not long ago, Lin Hun had complained that Lin Miao had stolen the wedding gifts. Everyone now realized that the Lin family had raised an ingrate for so many years.

    Moreover, there had been a police investigation into the matter, and the discussion among the people reached Zhang Mei¡¯s ears.

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    Zhang Mei accused Gu Zi, saying, ¡°You¡¯re spreading rumors to discredit your sister! ¡±

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°Aunt Zhang, as someone from the big compound, you shouldn¡¯t be so ignorant. The Public Security Bureau has filed a case for investigation. Do you still think it¡¯s just a rumor?¡±

    Gu Zits casual remark left Zhang Mei momentarily speechless, and Lin Miao¡¯s heart raced.

    However, at the thought that MO Li was on her side, she felt relieved again. She calmly said to Gu Zi, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m not afraid of a police investigation if I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. I just didn¡¯t expect to become a suspect. If you hate me, you can hit me or scold me. I didn¡¯t expect you to choose to slander me.¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Zi laughed. She responded effortlessly, ¡°Lin Miao, don¡¯t think that everything will go smoothly just because MO Li has switched sides. The truth will come out sooner or later. People will always pay for their actions. Let me remind you, you can¡¯t control MO Li at all..¡±

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Venting

    Chapter 234: Venting

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With these words, Lin Miao¡¯s face turned pale. Indeed, MO Li was not the only key witness in this matter!

    Moreover, MO Li had ambitious plans and was completely uncontrollable. That¡¯s why Lin Miao needed to firmly grasp the engagement with Gong Zhan and strive to become the official¡¯s wife as soon as possible.

    At this moment, others couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and began to criticize the people from the Gu family. They said, ¡°These people from the city¡¯s big compound have no dignity as elders. They dress brightly, but their hearts are rotten.¡±

    ¡°Lin Miao, you are simply an ingrate. Have you forgotten the time when you were bullied as a child? Even though your brother Lin Cheng almost got beaten to death, he still wanted to seek justice for you and support you. How has the Lin family treated you badly?¡±

    ¡°You just accused Gu Zi of forgetting the kindness of upbringing, why don¡¯t you let Lin Miao go back to the Lin family to show filial piety?¡±

    Seeing this scene, Gong Xin felt relieved. She had wanted to say these things for a long time but refrained from doing so in front of her parents. Now she found the opportunity.

    Gong Xin said to a villager next to her, ¡°Lin Miao¡¯s current fianc¨¦ is a military officer. Originally, he was supposed to be Gu Zi¡¯s fianc¨¦, but after Lin Miao came back, he became hers.¡±

    After saying this, Gong Xin hid behind Jin Long. Jin Long was strong, and he completely covered her.

    Jin Long¡¯s mouth curled up in a faintly indulgent smile as he said to her, ¡°Hide well.¡±

    The fat shopkeeper pursed his lips and asked Gong Xin, ¡°I am also burly. Why don¡¯t you hide behind me?¡±

    Gong Xin glanced at him and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with you.¡±

    The fat shopkeeper squinted, ¡°Are you familiar with Jin Long?¡± As far as he knew, they had only met a few times. Gong Xin replied, ¡°Slightly more familiar than with you.¡± The fat shopkeeper frowned, secretly heartbroken.

    Hearing Gong Xin¡¯s words, the villagers were astonished. They shouted loudly, ¡°What! So the Gu family not only forced Gu Zi into a substitute marriage but also supported their biological daughter Lin Miao in taking over Gu Zi¡¯s original engagement?¡±

    People were disgusted by the shamelessness of the Gu family, and accusations were pouring in. The spit might as well have formed an ocean, enough to drown the Gu family.

    Zhang Mei was both embarrassed and angry. Her face was so uncontrollably distorted that she had no face to stay any longer. She pulled Lin Miao away and fled.

    The commander had sharp ears. Although he was chatting and laughing at the main table, he could hear the movements on the other side clearly.

    He glanced at Gu Shan with a somewhat chilly expression, genuinely puzzled about how someone like Gu Shan became a company leader.

    When Gu Shan had come over to offer cigarettes earlier, Commander Kong hadn¡¯t accepted. Gu Shan, with his smiling face, could strike up conversations, probably because he had thick skin and knew how to flatter. However, achieving the rank of company leader at this age indicated a rather mediocre level of capability.

    Commander Kong actually wanted to discuss some military matters with Su Shen, but Su Shen had subtly implied that it wouldn¡¯t be convenient with so many people around. Wasn¡¯t he just evading the topic?

    He had no choice but to switch to another topic, saying, ¡°You¡¯re doing well with the pig farm. I¡¯ve heard about your reputation even in the Central Southern Military Region.¡±

    He was genuinely concerned. If things continued like this, Su Shen might not return to the army!

    ¡°Commander Kong, I see you still have a habit of enjoying gossip,¡± Su Shen said, taking a sip of his drink and giving the commander a glance, clearly not considering the matter worth discussing.

    Deputy Chief He continued, ¡°Calling it gossip simplifies it. During wartime, it¡¯s all about intelligence. But, Commander Kong, this young Su doesn¡¯t have much interest in money. You don¡¯t need to worry about what you¡¯re concerned about. ¡±

    Su Shen was just making money on the side; his loyalty to the country was unquestionable.

    Commander Kong chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s good. I guess it wasn¡¯t in vain for me to make this trip!¡±

    The conversation among the people was like a cryptic puzzle. Even the astute Boss Huo was in the dark, leaving Gu Shan even more perplexed.

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    However, he caught an important piece of information ¡ª it seemed that Su Shen¡¯s pig farm was quite large.

    Gu Shan raised his cup to toast Su Shen. His tone, unlike the usual arrogance, changed to a flattering smile, ¡°I can tell at a glance, son-in-law, that you¡¯re a person who does great things. We can rest assured handing Little Zi over to you. Let¡¯s have a drink.¡±

    Gu Shan had initially felt guilty about forcing Gu Zi to marry in the countryside. However, now he thought that it was all thanks to their actions that Su Shen¡¯s benefits hadn¡¯t fallen into the hands of outsiders.

    Gu Zi had to thank the Gu family for being able to marry Su Shen.

    However, Gu Zi had gone too far.. If she had known that Su Shen¡¯s pig farm was doing well, why didn¡¯t she inform the family in advance? They would definitely have a word with her later!

 Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Surnamed Lin, Not Gu

    Chapter 235: Surnamed Lin, Not Gu

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan was fully immersed in thoughts of befriending these big shots. He had no idea about the embarrassing escape of his wife and daughter.

    In fact, he was planning for the future ¨C with two sons-in-law, one in the military and one in business, the Gu family would have connections in both fields. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry anymore.

    In reality, Deputy Chief He and Boss Huo had noticed the commotion earlier, and they both despised the Gu family¡¯s actions. They were reluctant to sit with Gu Shan.

    However, they couldn¡¯t speak out now; they needed to see Su Shen¡¯s attitude toward his father-in-law first.

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes narrowed, as if he heard something amusing. The curve at the corner of his mouth displayed contempt and arrogance. The atmosphere tensed up immediately, and Gu Shan felt his scalp tingling.

    Su Shen said, ¡°My father-in-law¡¯s surname is Lin, not Gu. Mr. Gu, you got it wrong.¡±

    After Su Shen finished speaking, he ignored Gu Shan.

    After saying this, Su Shen didn¡¯t pay any more attention to Gu Shan. From the current facts pieced together, Su Shen couldn¡¯t imagine how much injustice Gu Zi had suffered after confirming she had been switched at birth.

    He would never forgive the Gu family for abandoning Gu Zi. They didn¡¯t deserve to be called in-laws. Only the Lin family, who truly loved Gu Zi, deserved that title!

    Gu Shan sat on the cold bench, feeling a headache and pain in his heart. However, he didn¡¯t dare to explode in anger.

    At this moment, Deputy Chief He and the others also clarified Su Shen¡¯s attitude towards Gu Shan ¨C disdain and contempt.

    Deputy Chief He sneered, ¡°Captain Gu, how can you still sit here, why not go and comfort your wife and daughter? Don¡¯t you think you should console them after making decisions that brought them insults?¡±

    Regardless of who orchestrated the plan to force Gu Zi into the marriage, Gu Shan, as the head of the family, should bear the blame and face everyone¡¯s disdain.

    Mrs. He provided a way out, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right, Captain Gu might find it hard to eat here. You people are really thoughtless, still asking him to drink after what he and his family have been through.¡±

    The redness on Gu Shan¡¯s face spread to his ears. Although Mrs. He¡¯s words embarrassed him, they also provided an escape route. If he didn¡¯t take this way down, it would be truly embarrassing to stay any longer.

    Pretending nothing happened, he bid farewell to the big shots at the main table and left the banquet in big strides.

    In the Gu family¡¯s car, Zhang Mei interrogated Lin Miao, trying to determine the truth behind the words they heard.

    Despite Zhang Mei¡¯s bias toward her daughter, this time she didn¡¯t dare to skip a detailed questioning. The matter had been filed at the Public Security Bureau, and if the accusations were true, Lin Miao would end up in prison. The Gu family would lose all face.

    Lin Miao was also panicking inwardly. She understood that Zhang Mei had suspicions, but at the moment, all she could do was deny it vehemently. ¡°Mom, I really didn¡¯t take that money. Moreover, the fight Lin Cheng got into was entirely his fault. I¡¯m just taking the blame for him.¡±

    After saying this, Lin Miao cried sorrowfully, as if she had truly become Lin Cheng¡¯s scapegoat.

    Listening to this, Zhang Mei put aside her suspicions. She thought Lin Cheng was truly despicable, acting like an innocent person when, in reality, he was far from it.

    At this moment, Gu Shan came out. When he closed the car door with a loud noise, it was evident he was seething with anger. Even his most precious car was now used to vent his frustration.

    After informing Zhang Mei about Su Shen¡¯s situation, the couple unanimously believed it was Gu Zit s fault. They blamed Gu Zi for not telling them the truth earlier. If they hadn¡¯t treated Su Shen the way they did, he wouldn¡¯t have turned the tables on them like this.

    Zhang Mei said, ¡°We can only find an opportunity to talk to Gu Zi again. We are her foster parents, and right now, she¡¯s under the influence of others in the countryside, her mind is not clear. As long as we don¡¯t give up, she will eventually realize her mistakes.¡±

    Gu Shan also agreed with this approach.

    As they left the village, they passed by the two-story house with a yard they had seen before. People were going in and out, appearing to move things, creating a lively atmosphere.

    Gu Shan and his wife only then noticed the big red ¡°Double Happiness¡± characters on the front door, a reality they were reluctant to believe suddenly becoming clear in their minds.

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    At that moment, someone shouted, ¡°Hurry up and move, hurry up with the preparations! I still have to go to the ancestral hall for the banquet!¡±

    Someone echoed, ¡°Brother Su Shen instructed us. This is a surprise for Gu Zi. Once we finish decorating, won¡¯t this be better than a banquet?¡±

    The speaker exuded joy and enthusiasm, but inside Gu¡¯s family car, the atmosphere was heavy. This was the Su family house!

    They had previously believed that Su¡¯s family didn¡¯t even have a decent place to live. Now, seeing this large house, the Gu couple were amazed. They regretted not treating Su Shen better in the past.

    If only they had been kinder to Su Shen earlier.. In any case, now Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were filled with remorse!

 Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Surprise

    Chapter 236: Surprise

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After the Gu family left, the atmosphere in the ancestral hall became even more festive. Everyone raised their glasses, chatted, and laughed.

    They also watched the flower girl and boy performance brought by Jiang Nuan and Shi Tou. Jiang Nuan danced at the back, pulling Su Li and other children to join. Finally, she went over to grab Su Bing for a game of charades.

    Before Su Bing could refuse, Jiang Nuan deprived him of the opportunity to speak by tying a red cloth around his mouth.

    She said, ¡°You go first, no speaking, only use actions to act out the words you

    See.

    Su Bing¡¯s face was cold. The other children¡¯s minds went blank when they saw him. In the end, only Jiang Nuan dared to partner up with him for the guessing game, and they cooperated seamlessly, becoming the champions of the game.

    To add more fun for the children, Gu Zi took out White Rabbit milk candies as rewards for the game. The championship team, consisting of Su Bing and Jiang Nuan, received three candies each.

    The second and third-place teams received two candies each, while Su Li and Shi Tou, being enthusiastic participants, like the other children, got one candy each.

    Su Bing handed both candies to Jiang Nuan, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t like sweet things.¡± He gave the remaining one to Su Li.

    Su Li was especially happy and asked Gu Zi to unwrap it for him. Su Bing watched calmly from the side.

    After the other children scattered, Jiang Nuan said to Gu Zi, ¡°Auntie, please give this candy to Su Bing and help him unwrap it. Every child needs candies unwrapped by their mom.¡±

    After the lunch, Jiang Nuan and her mother returned to the city. Gu Zi suddenly realized that she might have overlooked Su Bing, who was sensible. Just because he said he didn¡¯t want something, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean he didn¡¯t need it.

    Jiang Nuan was undoubtedly a warm-hearted girl. Following her suggestion, Gu Zi gave the unwrapped candy to Su Bing. Su Bing was momentarily stunned but couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse a candy unwrapped by his mom.

    He placed the candy in his mouth, finding it exceptionally delicious, as if the sweetness came not just from the candy itself.

    The helpers in the ancestral hall were tidying up the tables and preparing for the evening banquet.

    Su Shen accompanied Gu Zi back home, instructing her to take a good rest.

    Deputy Chief He and the other big shots also followed him back to the Su family¡¯s residence and took a nap in the Su family¡¯s guest room.

    For Su Shen¡¯s wedding banquet, they needed to complete the entire course to feel satisfied.

    Inside the bridal chamber, Gu Zi carefully removed her wedding shoes and placed them aside, walking barefoot into the room.

    Su Shen had decorated the room in a dreamlike manner, with rose petals covering the floor and a fragrance filling the air.

    The bed was adorned with beddings hand-embroidered by Mama Lin and Li Hua. In the center of the bed, there was a large ¡°Double Happiness¡± character made of peanuts, red dates, walnuts, and other foods, creating a festive atmosphere.

    Gu Zi also noticed an additional item near her dressing table, covered with a red cloth.

    She heard the sound of the door opening and knew that it was Su Shen. She asked, ¡°What is this?¡±

    Su Shen walked over and put his arm around her waist. She was dressed in a cheongsam personally selected by him, with classical updo and elegant makeup featuring plum blossom accessories, making her look noble and charming.

    The man kissed the red plum on her forehead and said, ¡°It¡¯s for you to do research and also a way to kill time.¡±

    He took her hand to lift the red cloth, revealing the latest model of a computer in Gu Zi¡¯s sight. She was genuinely surprised, exclaiming, ¡°It¡¯s a computer!¡±

    Considering that computers were luxury items in this era, with high prices even in foreign countries, where computer usage was not yet widespread. In China, an average person¡¯s lifetime income might not be enough to afford one.

    Computers were primarily used by institutions, research institutes, etc., for business purposes. It was rare for households to own a computer, especially in rural areas.

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    Gu Zi felt ecstatic about having a computer. Holding Su Shen, she tiptoed and initiated a kiss.

    The man¡¯s desire was ignited by her actions. His strong arms embraced her soft waist, and the delicate, warm skin felt wonderful. The cheongsam was quickly disheveled, and he shifted from being passive to taking the lead, devouring the tip of her tongue into his mouth.

    Su Shen¡¯s kisses left Gu Zi with rosy cheeks, breathless. However, her breath was stifled as the man sealed her lips, and she couldn¡¯t even let out a whimper.

    It wasnt until she was pressed against the wall, a few buttons of her cheongsam undone, that the man¡¯s tongue explored her ample chest. Gu Zi finally breathed in the fresh air.

    He mumbled, ¡°Gu Zi, are you a bit nervous?¡± Her heart raced rapidly, the kind of accelerated heartbeat stimulated by desire..

 Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Nap

    Chapter 237: Nap

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen¡¯s hands were far from idle; he moved with deliberate intent down the side of her cheongsam, delicately handling each button. With a skilled touch, he pushed the cheongsam upward, his rough fingers tracing the contours of the silk underwear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Gu Zi suddenly found herself airborne as he effortlessly lifted her, gently placing her on the bed. Before she could utter more than a few words, she broke free, her hand instinctively covering her mouth to stifle any explicit sounds that threatened to escape.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t sure if the room was soundproofed, hence her embarrassment heightened. Since other guests in adjacent rooms were on their lunch break, and any inadvertent cries would be a mortifying revelation.

    Su Shen chuckled, his fingers deftly undoing the buttons of his trousers. He discarded his underwear, allowing the fervent beast beneath to be unleashed. The veins on his body pulsated vehemently, as if proclaiming its eagerness.

    A suppressed groan escaped Su Shen¡¯s throat as he guided his erect form against her acupuncture point. The thin fabric yielded to the pressure, and his substantial presence met her damp flesh wall, causing a swell in his lower body.

    ¡°Su Shen, it hurts¡­¡± He penetrated from the side of her underwear, advancing cautiously, eliciting a tremor of pain from her.

    Aware of his urgency, Su Shen retreated momentarily.

    The lingering desire within Su Shen¡¯s being remained unabated.

    He sensually caressed her flushed and tender chest, his face stained with the aftermath of passion, yet still undeniably handsome. There was a trace of commanding allure about him, enticing those beneath him to willingly revel in the moment.

    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Gu Zi asked softly, seeing the pain etched across his features.

    It was clear that she couldn¡¯t proceed at this moment. Su Shen¡¯s intimate aspect¡ªout of sight, out of mind. However, the sight of it, once revealed, left her utterly astonished.

    She couldn¡¯t shake the thought that getting out of bed might pose a challenge later. There was a dinner party to attend, and despite only consuming drinks, the aftermath might render her unable to stand. Anxiety crept in.

    Su Shen remained silent, choosing instead to kiss her lips once more. Taking her hand, he led her to a stable position, guiding her to embrace that intimate aspect.

    Gu Zi¡¯s hand trembled; it was the first time she had held it. The thickness of it struck her.

    With little time for emotions, she recalled the illicit books from her past life and cautiously began to explore. The man¡¯s slightly anxious breath heightened the tension in the room.

    Su Shen basked in the pleasure, closing his eyes as he kissed her.

    He sensed the woman¡¯s gentle touch. The tingling sensation traveled from the roots to the very core, and his breath gradually grew labored.

    Gu Zi¡¯s hands grew weary, prompting her to release her grip and take over the task herself. She found pleasure in this intimate act as well. Eventually, with the man lying on the bed, she positioned herself between his legs, continuing her ministrations, her pert buttocks in motion.

    Studying the object with utmost concentration, she regarded it seriously. Strong as a weapon, its aesthetic was captivating. The color, though not dark, bore a subtle fierceness in the twitching of its form. After a while, any initial apprehension faded, replaced by a rather endearing sentiment.

    With a few more attentive strokes, a milky white liquid sprayed onto Gu Zi¡¯s chest and face. The heat caught her off guard, leaving Gu Zi momentarily stunned.

    She recognized it as a man¡¯s essence, a sight not unfamiliar from her previous-life encounters with adult content. Yet, observing it in real life, particularly as a participant, presented a distinct experience.

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    The pair retreated to the bathroom for a refreshing shower, indulging in their love for a while. When they emerged, the clock displayed 1:30 p.m., signaling the commencement of their afternoon repose.

    Su Shen carried her to bed and covered her with the blanket. He kissed her forehead and said, ¡°Go to sleep.¡±

    Gu Zi stared at the man¡¯s handsome face for a while and said, ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re so handsome.¡± After saying that, she closed his eyes.

    Su Shen smiled affectionately, cradling her in his arms as she drifted into slumber.

    Meanwhile, downstairs, Deputy Chief He and Mrs. He had woken up from their afternoon nap. Commander Kong and Boss Huo joined them downstairs. The three male bigshots summoned Jin Long to put up a mahjong table in the courtyard..

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: You Were So Loud

    Chapter 238: You Were So Loud

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin sat in the living room, munching on an apple, watching TV, and suddenly mentioned that she thought she heard something during her recent nap.

    Mrs. He responded with a knowing smile, remarking, ¡°Newlyweds. Young people are always in a hurry. You¡¯ll understand once you have a boyfriend.¡±

    Despite the He family and the Gong family not being on great terms in official matters, the female members of both families had a cordial relationship in private. Mrs. He regarded Gong Xin as a junior.

    Upon hearing Mrs. He¡¯s words, Gong Xin seemed to catch on, and her face blushed instantly, resembling a boiled shrimp.

    Was her sister that eager and impatient that she couldn¡¯t even wait until the wedding night? Tsk tsk¡­

    Gong Xin had just taken a bite of the apple when Su Le walked over, holding out a piece of candy for her, and said, ¡°Lele, candy!¡±

    Gong Xin joyfully widened her eyes and asked, ¡°Is this for me to eat?¡± Goodness, this cutie! Gong Xin felt like she was about to melt.

    Su Le nodded and handed the candy to Gong Xin, saying, ¡°Lele, candy, eat.¡±

    Gong Xin took the candy from her and unwrapped it before slowly putting it into her mouth. It wasn¡¯t until the little girl clapped her hands happily at seeing her eat the candy that Gong Xin could relax. The candy from the little girl was indeed meant for her to enjoy.

    Gong Xin asked Li Hua to take a break and played with Su Le. Unexpectedly, they ended up playing until just before the evening banquet.

    During the evening banquet, Su Shen and Gu Zi went to each table together to toast and express gratitude to the villagers for their attendance.

    As the bride, Gu Zi could drink normal beverages instead of alcohol, but Su Shen had no reason not to drink. In fact, Gu Zi was a bit worried that he might get drunk.

    Su Shen said that he could hold his liquor and that she did not have to worry. Gu Zi didn¡¯t fully believe it until Su Shen successively defeated several big shots at the main table.

    Boss Huo was the first to surrender. He was helped into the car by his driver. Before leaving, he said to Su Shen, ¡°Today doesn¡¯t count, I¡¯ll make you K.O. next time!¡±

    Su Shen curled his lips slightly, glancing at Gu Zi as if to say, ¡°See, your man is the best at drinking. He can knock others out with just a few sips.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s face turned slightly red, and she lowered her head, focusing on her food, ignoring him.

    Next was Deputy Chief He, who was so drunk that he sprawled across the table, snoring loudly. His wife, He Ting, discreetly kicked him, feeling a bit embarrassed by her husband¡¯s behavior. She bid farewell to Su Shen and Gu Zi, then signaled the driver to come and help escort him away.

    Commander Kong was now in high spirits, insisting on challenging Su Shen to a drinking contest.

    Su Shen shook his head. Considering Commander Kong¡¯s old age and the fact that he would have to hit the road soon. He forcefully helped the old man onto the Kong family¡¯s car, paying no mind to the grumbling.

    At the neighboring table, Gong Xin was also getting drunk. Holding a bottle, she came over to Gu Zi with a playful smile, saying, ¡°You¡¯re not playing fair.

    You got married before me. Just now at noon, you were so loud!¡±

    Gu Zi tried to cover her mouth, but realized it was futile when she saw the meaningful smiles and heard the hushed discussions around her.

    The Gong family was a prestigious family in the community, known for their strict demeanor. They couldn¡¯t afford to lose face.

    For Gong Xin, this was repressive. It was tolerable when she was younger, but as she grew up, there were many instances when Gong Xin had to be cautious to maintain her parents¡¯ reputation, leading to a restrained and constricted life.

    Tonight, she wanted to liberate herself a bit, so let¡¯s forgive her for that!

    However, being this intoxicated and staying here wasn¡¯t permissible. Moreover, she needed to return to the city. Gu Zi intended to find someone to escort her back.

    Gu Zi surveyed the surroundings, and her gaze coincided with Jin Long¡¯s. Jin Long, who hadn¡¯t been drinking tonight and was responsible for driving the truck, was also someone Su Shen trusted.

    However, leaving a lone man and woman together wasn¡¯t ideal, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to have Gong Xin sent back to the compound once they reached the city.

    In the end, Gu Zi called for an auntie and Jin Long to accompany her, to ensure that the intoxicated Gong Xin was safely transported back to the city.

    Everyone enjoyed the evening banquet even more than the lunch, and by the time Gu Zi and Su Shen returned home, it was already late at night.

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    They had earlier instructed Su Bing and Su Li to bring their younger sister back first, and by all accounts, they should be fast asleep by now.

    Su Bing and Su Li could take care of their sister occasionally, so they didn¡¯t have to worry.

    However, when they returned home, the living room was still lit. When they entered the living room, they saw Su Bing burying his head in her homework. The living room was also very clean.

    Gu Zi felt gratified, but at the same time, her heart ached. Su Bing, at his age, should be enjoying his youth, yet he always presented himself as remarkably mature, making it easier for the people around him to ignore him.

    Su Shen seemed to have noticed this too. He approached Su Bing and said, ¡°Go to bed, you can finish the homework tomorrow..¡±

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: First Night

    Chapter 239: First Night

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen was a formidable soldier, but he never endorsed the idea of extreme and grueling training. In his opinion, training should be conducted scientifically ¡ª if one could master it, they should, and if not, then they weren¡¯t fit for military service.

    When he recruited soldiers, he focused on finding those who could be trained scientifically, rather than those who needed to toil tirelessly, far more than others, to qualify.

    He explained to Su Bing that the body needed refinement, not torture; tormenting the body to learn was impractical.

    Hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration. She thought her man had the potential to be a university professor.

    Gu Zi also agreed with Su Shen¡¯s viewpoint that learning was something that required diligence but should prioritize maintaining good health.

    Su Bing packed up his schoolwork and said, ¡°I understand. I¡¯m going to sleep now, goodnight, Mom and Dad.¡±

    The experiences of these years had made Su Bing realize that continuous learning and maintaining good academic performance were his only way forward.

    So even though his grades were consistently good, he remained diligent in his studies. But now, with a caring mother and a father who was becoming more attentive to the family, he didn¡¯t need to strain himself as much.

    After Su Bing went upstairs, Gu Zi had some water and then led Su Shen upstairs.

    ¡°I think we should find some time to talk to the kids. I¡¯ll create an exercise plan for them, and you can spare some time to be their coach. What do you think?¡±

    The eldest and the second child were physically weak due to prolonged malnutrition in the past. To make them stronger, mere dietary supplements wouldn¡¯t suffice; they needed physical activity, which could yield better results with less effort.

    Su Shen, being a military officer with exceptional physical fitness, would have no trouble guiding his two sons in exercise and teaching them self-defense techniques like boxing and martial arts. The only challenge would be finding the time, given his busy schedule managing the pig farm.

    She mentioned it, wanting to gauge Su Shen¡¯s opinion. If he couldn¡¯t spare the time, she¡¯d figure something out.

    Su Shen contemplated for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make time for it. Once you¡¯ve planned it out, let me know.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised. ¡°You agreed so easily? You didn¡¯t need to think it over?¡±

    Su Shen chuckled and patted her head. ¡°When the kids have a dedicated mom like you, I can¡¯t lag behind. It won¡¯t take much time, just a bit initially, and then they can train on their own for the most part.¡±

    Gu Zi realized that he was right.

    In any case, the exercise plan could wait. For now, the most important thing was tonight ¨C their first night together. She wondered if he had the same plans in mind as she did.

    She fetched some clean clothes, her heart filled with anticipation, and entered the bathroom. When she emerged, he was sitting on the couch, deep in thought.

    Gu Zi got onto the bed and asked him to take a shower. He got up, opened the closet, and took out his clothes.

    His clothes had already been moved to her side of the closet. On the left were his pajamas, taking up only a small space, while the rest was filled with various styles of women¡¯s sleepwear and lingerie, from classic to sensual.

    With a dry throat, he closed the closet door and entered the bathroom. He planned to take a thorough shower, paying extra attention to his intimate areas.

    Though he knew that considering her small size, she might not be able to handle penetration, he had no intentions of pushing it tonight. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her or make her apprehensive about intimacy in the future.

    After Su Shen finished his shower, Gu Zi lay on the bed pretending to sleep, her cheeks flushed with anticipation. She listened to his approaching footsteps, her heart racing. Would he make a move tonight, just as she hoped?

    In fact, she was looking forward to it.

    One side of the bed slowly sank as he lifted the covers and carefully pulled her into his embrace. Gu Zi felt a bit anxious; she hadn¡¯t actually fallen asleep. She was eagerly anticipating their first night together.

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    He kissed her earlobe softly, and then, there was silence.

    After waiting for a while, Gu Zi turned to face him and whispered, ¡°Su Shen, I haven¡¯t fallen asleep yet.¡±

    She spoke softly, not daring to look at him, waiting for his response.

    Su Shen remained silent but turned on his side to kiss her. His tongue, as gentle as a snake, explored her mouth before he slowly shifted his body, pressing her beneath him. He released her lips.

    Their eyes locked, and Gu Zi was captivated by the intensity of his gaze. Her heart raced..

 Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Traces of Red

    Chapter 240: Traces of Red

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    She blinked her eyelashes, mustering the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind. ¡°Don¡¯t you want me?¡±

    This time, she didn¡¯t avoid the man¡¯s gaze, and her fair fingers gently caressed his chest.

    Gu Zi¡¯s skin was delicate, soft, and tender to the touch, making it irresistible. How could he not want her? He was just afraid of causing her pain.

    However, her alluring figure, slender waist, ample chest, and curvaceous hips, combined with her tender inquiry in his arms, shattered his once-prided restraint.

    He replied, ¡°I do.¡±

    He captured her lips dominantly, and his lower body became heated. He had the look of a trapped beast about to break free, but his actions were deliberate and gentle as he pushed up her thin nightgown.

    A pair of full, snowy-white breasts were exposed to the air. Even as she lay flat, they remained plump and ample, adorned with delicate rosy tips, as if they could yield milk at a mere touch.

    His throat rumbled, and he said in a low voice, ¡°Gu Zi, your breasts are so beautiful, like peaches.¡±

    Gu Zi had only seen Su Shen as gentle and elegant before, so his words were unexpectedly coarse, shocking her.

    Su Shen extended his tongue to tease her earlobe, lifting her up to remove her skirt. He fixed his gaze on her snowy white and slightly reddened body, his breathing becoming rapid.

    She was wearing panties today, and he patted her hip gently, saying, ¡°Raise your buttocks.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s mind was numb, and she had lost her ability to think. She obediently complied, arching her waist and lifting her buttocks. The next moment, she felt her panties being pulled off by the man.

    The man bit one of her breasts, teasing the nipple with his tongue, holding her hands with one hand and playing with the other breast.

    After a while, he sat up, unbuckled his belt, and pushed her down again.

    Gu Zi found being pinned by him surprisingly comfortable, and her waist felt limp.

    She liked being pressed by him and his scent.

    She had seen his erect and well-endowed member earlier, thick and long, standing tall and straight. She was already wet.

    Su Shen kissed her for a while, then placed a pillow behind her, spreading her legs into an ¡°M¡± shape. His throbbing member pressed against her hot and moist entrance.

    The massive member pushed inside her a bit, causing Gu Zi to shiver and involuntarily take a sharp breath.

    He continued to push in, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t force it. If it hurts, tell me, and I¡¯ll stop.¡±

    Gu Zi was already overwhelmed by desire. She wanted him inside her, and although it was a bit painful, wasn¡¯t the first time supposed to be a bit painful? She could endure it.

    Her soft hand gripped the man¡¯s strong arm as she whispered, ¡°Su Shen, I want you inside me, take me.¡±

    Seeing her reaction, the man smiled softly. She was truly a little fox. He teased her entrance for a while, then pressed her waist and pushed past the resistance.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Gu Zi felt a sharp pain as if she had been stabbed, but luckily, the foreplay had been thorough. Otherwise, this thrust might have torn her.

    Su Shen kissed her lips and tangled his tongue with hers, the sound of their passionate kissing filling the air.

    Once the barrier was broken, he had no reason to hold back. The man waited for her to adjust before slowly increasing the pace of his thrusts.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t hold back her moans, and her face turned flushed. After the initial pain, there was a stronger, more intense pleasure, like being sent to the clouds, though the thin air made it slightly uncomfortable.

    Sweat rolled down his rugged profile, and he quickened his movements. The deep thrusts felt like they could shatter her soul.

    The pleasure accumulated rapidly, and her lower back began to tingle. She left conspicuous red scratches on his back and arms. Uncomfortable but extremely enjoyable sensations overwhelmed her.

    The night grew late, and the ambiguous sounds in the room echoed one after another. Finally, after one last thrust, he pushed deep inside her and released his seed at her entrance and thighs.

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    Her newly deflowered passage had been thoroughly explored and was now red and swollen.

    Gu Zi¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but tremble, and tears fell from her eyes.

    The mixture of her fluids and his semen flowed onto the sheets, leaving them damp.

    Su Shen lowered his head and saw a trace of red on his member and a little blood on the sheets. It was her virgin blood.

    He felt an inexplicable excitement and tears welled up in his eyes. He comforted the woman in his arms and used a tissue to clean her body..

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Empty Wine Bottles on the Ground

    Chapter 241: Empty Wine Bottles on the Ground

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Afterwards, the man became even more tender and patient. He asked, ¡°Shall I take you to the bathroom?¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know why she was crying, perhaps it was because of the intensity of the experience that brought tears to her eyes. She hooked her arms around the man¡¯s neck and nodded.

    The man got up and carried her into the bathroom. Soon, ambiguous sounds filled the room again, lasting for a long time¡­

    When the morning light shone onto the balcony on the second floor, Su Shen finished his cigarette, extinguished it, and entered the room.

    The woman was still asleep, her lips slightly upturned, a faint blush on her cheeks. Her black hair spread over the red pillow, making her look radiant and stunning. She appeared tranquil in her slumber, showing no signs of waking up.

    Su Shen had started living a military life since his youth, participating in important battles, witnessing the bloody violence of the battlefield, and becoming accustomed to life and death farewells.

    He used to think that falling in love with someone was just a boring excuse people used to justify their mundane marriages.

    He believed he would never need such a dull reason.

    But it wasn¡¯t until she entered his world that he realized nothing was impossible. Some people were never meant to appear in your life, but she had arrived anyway, just like Gu Zi.

    He had entered her body, and she had entered his heart. With each thrust inside her, he felt a pleasure a hundred times stronger than killing an enemy on the battlefield.

    He was no longer just a soldier or a father; he was her husband, and he would spend the rest of his life with her.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine a future where she wasn¡¯t by his side; it would be a tragedy.

    Su Shen covered her with the blanket, got up, and went downstairs to make breakfast for the children.

    Su Li walked into the kitchen, disappointed not to see his mother. He asked with a disappointed look, ¡°Dad, where¡¯s Mom?¡±

    Su Shen brought the breakfast to the table and replied in a low voice, ¡°She¡¯s sleeping. Don¡¯t disturb her.¡±

    Su Bing called Su Li over to sit down, and the father and sons began to eat breakfast.

    Su Li didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood this morning after not seeing his mother. Surprisingly, he only ate half a bowl of noodles before claiming he was full.

    Su Bing¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as obvious, but Su Shen had keen observation skills and could tell that he wasn¡¯t too happy either.

    However, seeing that both of his sons favored Gu Zi, he felt content. At least it proved that Gu Zi loved them, and they would provide positive feedback to her. That was a good thing.

    Su Shen remembered the exercise plan that Gu Zi had mentioned yesterday and discussed it with the children. Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard that it was their mother¡¯s plan. ¡°I want to join! I want to join!¡±

    Su Bing also showed some excitement. ¡°Dad, I agree.¡±

    Su Shen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait for your mother to come up with the details.¡±

    After finishing breakfast, Su Shen left the house. He had just taken a few steps outside the front gate when he turned back. He noticed empty wine bottles scattered on the ground in the corner and the still-damp wine stains. It seemed that someone had been drinking near the house, and they hadn¡¯t left long ago.

    Did someone drink here last night? For some reason, Su Shen felt a sense of displeasure.

    He picked up the bottles, disposed of them, and then went to the pig farm.

    Just as he parked his motorcycle, Jin Long approached and mentioned that he had seen an unfamiliar car parked outside their house last night. He was curious about who would visit the Su family¡¯s house late at night and disrupt Su Shen and Gu Zi¡¯s wedding night.

    Su Shen¡¯s intuition told him that it might be Gong Zhan.

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    He told Jin Long, ¡°There¡¯s an important contract meeting in the city this afternoon. Represent me and go there. I¡¯ll come later to collect the documents.¡± The man nodded and watched as Su Shen headed to the office.

    Gu Zi had slept until noon, and when she sat up, she felt sore all over. Su Shen had worn her out last night.

    After they had finished on the bed, he had suggested taking a bath, and she had actually believed it was for a legitimate bath. However, the man had been relentless and taken her again in the bathroom.

    Last night had been her first time, and he had claimed her twice. Even towards the end, he had seemed full of energy.

    Gu Zi figured he must have controlled himself, or else she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed today. She regretted being so forward; maybe she should be more reserved in the future. Otherwise, she would be the one needing nourishment..

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Comfort His Little Wife

    Chapter 242: Comfort His Little Wife

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi thought about it, and her eyelashes fluttered slowly before she closed her eyes again.

    Today, she didn¡¯t need to worry about Su Le. Su Shen had left a note for her, and he had taken Su Le to Aunt Zhang¡¯s house early in the morning, telling her to rest well. She wondered what Su Le was doing at the moment, but she soon drifted back to sleep.

    At the pig farm, Jin Long had taken motion sickness pills and resigned himself to getting on the truck. Following Su Shen¡¯s instructions, he had brought Lin Cheng along to drive the truck and get accustomed to the business negotiation environment.

    Chinese tradition emphasized the importance of maternal uncles, and Su Shen¡¯s intention to promote Lin Cheng as the maternal uncle was quite clear. For Jin Long, this was a comfortable situation, and it would also earn him a favor from Su Shen.

    Most importantly, having Lin Cheng along would make things much easier for Jin Long. This honest man sometimes provided unexpected surprises.

    For example, on their last business dinner, Lin Cheng might not have been good with words or charming, but his sincerity and reliability were highly valued. He could hold his liquor and never refused a drink. While he did have a bit of a temper when it came to matters that truly mattered to him, that had worked in their favor when dealing with a particular northern client.

    After that dinner, the client¡¯s satisfaction had reached an all-time high, and he even specifically requested that Lin Cheng be present at their next meeting, stating that he wouldn¡¯t come if Lin Cheng wasn¡¯t there.

    As Jin Long started the engine and drove the truck away, Lin Hun noticed that his big brother was acting alone. He rushed out from the pigsty and shouted, ¡°Lin Cheng, you¡¯re so heartless, you didn¡¯t even call me to come along!¡±

    Jin Long had already started the engine and was driving the truck out. Lin Hun took a quick stride, reached the back of the truck, and skillfully climbed aboard. His swift movements and handsome appearance dazzled some of the married women who were there to deliver food to their husbands.

    However, before the women could finish swooning, they saw a tall, mature, and charismatic man step out of the office in the sunlight.

    He was wearing a dark vest, and his muscles in the chest, arms, and other areas were exposed to the air, inviting one¡¯s imagination to wander about how well-defined and powerful they might be. His chiseled and sharp facial features, combined with his cold and intense gaze, exuded an aura of dominance and uncontrollability. He seemed sharp all over.

    The women sighed inwardly. It was true that Boss Su was a high-quality handsome man, but he was so aloof that he gave the impression of having no interest in women. They couldn¡¯t help but think that he was indifferent to women¡¯s charms, which made them refrain from fantasizing too much about him.

    One of the women whispered, ¡°It¡¯s not that he has no interest in women; he¡¯s just not interested in ordinary women. Don¡¯t you know that one night, Chu Tian used the excuse of delivering supper to try and seduce Boss Su!¡±

    Another woman exclaimed, ¡°Really? That¡¯s so bold! Has Chu Tian lost all sense of shame?¡±

    ¡°Even if Chu Tian were to strip naked and stand in front of Boss Su, Boss Su wouldn¡¯t even look at her. But if it were our Boss Lady, it would be a different story. With her delicate and beautiful appearance, Boss Su probably couldn¡¯t resist. ¡±

    ¡°Did you all notice the scratches on Boss¡¯s neck? Last night, it seems that Boss was quite enthusiastic in bed! Our delicate Boss Lady must have been pressed down all night, and she probably can¡¯t get out of bed today. Boss even skipped work to go back and comfort his little wife.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s normal for a newlywed couple to come home late on their wedding night. Young couples are full of energy, and I bet they¡¯ll go for another round. It¡¯s a pity they don¡¯t want children; their genes are so excellent. It would be great if they had a child!¡±

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    As the women chatted about Su Shen, the men ate their food quietly. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit uneasy as their wives discussed other men so openly in front of them.

    However, what the men didn¡¯t realize was that their wives were only discussing Su Shen in their presence.

    A few women seemed to have become addicted to talking and continued their conversation on the way home, with even more private and spicy topics.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get out of bed after the first time with my husband. His thing is so amazing; I feel so satisfied every time.¡±

    ¡°I wish my husband was half as good as yours. His thing is completely useless.¡± The woman couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. If her husband were better in bed, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to the cornfield for an affair with a stranger in the middle of the night..

 Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Very Similar to Gu Zi

    Chapter 244: Very Similar to Gu Zi

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan confronted Lin Miao, saying, ¡°You couldn¡¯t even hold onto your man¡¯s heart, and you dare to introduce your female classmate to him? What were you thinking?¡±

    He had always thought that his daughter was quite foolish, but he didn¡¯t expect her to be this foolish!

    If it were Gu Zi by Gong Zhan¡¯s side, such a thing would never have happened. He had to admit that in terms of various abilities, Lin Miao was far inferior to Gu Zi.

    However, who could have predicted this? Their Gu family had put so much effort into raising their daughter, but she wasn¡¯t even their biological child. Considering Lin Miao had lived in the countryside for so many years without going astray, he couldn¡¯t blame her too much.

    But this incident was truly infuriating. He couldn¡¯t find an outlet for his anger right now, so he could only scold his estranged daughter.

    Zhang Mei defended Lin Miao, saying, ¡°Given the current situation, it¡¯s not really Miao Miao¡¯s fault. She was just trying to help her classmate find a job, right? Why blame her? We should see how the Gong family handles this situation. They owe the Gu family an explanation.¡±

    At this moment, Lin Miao was nestled in Zhang Mei¡¯s arms, her eyes filled with tears. She felt a mixture of anger and fear. If the Gong family chose MO Li after this incident, she would be finished. What should she do?

    Gu Shan paced around the room, seething with anger. He wanted to vent his frustration, but he didn¡¯t know where to start.

    For now, they could only wait for news and see how the Gong family would decide.

    On the Gong family¡¯s side, they had just experienced a heated argument between father and son. Even military batons had been used, making the atmosphere even more suffocating than at the Gu family.

    At this moment, Commander Gong sat on the main seat of the sofa, his face grim, while Mrs. Chen sat on the other side with a furrowed brow and a flushed face.

    They had just argued about who was to blame for their son¡¯s behavior. The husband and wife were now giving each other the silent treatment, neither wanting to look at the other.

    Upstairs, in Gong Zhan¡¯s room, the role of mediator had been automatically assumed by Gong Xin. She pushed open the door with a freshly brewed herbal medicine and found Uncle Yang tucking Gong Zhan into bed.

    Although Gong Zhan¡¯s haughty attitude annoyed her, he was still her biological brother, and he had been decent to her since they were young. When she saw him endure a dozen strokes from their father, she couldn¡¯t help but feel some sympathy.

    She walked over and sat down by the bedside, offering the bowl of herbal medicine with a soft voice, ¡°Mom asked me to make a herbal remedy for bruises. Drink it quickly.¡±

    Gong Zhan, despite being in pain, tried to maintain a tough exterior. ¡°Take it away. I won¡¯t drink it.¡±

    She had to admit that her brother was actually very handsome.

    Not only was he 1.89 meters tall, but his figure was also very good-looking. His lips were square and his eyebrows were like ink paintings. His eyes revealed the kind of lofty and self-confidence that the children of the quad were born with. It made him give off a feeling that he was not easy to approach but one could not help but want to please him. He had the tone of a cold and handsome man.

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t argue and got up to leave, but she couldn¡¯t help teasing him. After all, it was rare for her brother to show any vulnerability. She tapped his head, and in a deliberate provocation, she said, ¡°Drink it or not, brother. Your butt is all bruised. If you don¡¯t drink it, you won¡¯t get better, and more people will make fun of you.¡±

    Although Gong Zhan heard the sarcasm in her words, the sight of the herbal medicine in Uncle Yang¡¯s hands finally convinced him. He waved Uncle Yang closer, and reluctantly agreed, ¡°Fine, give it to me.¡±

    Unable to contain her laughter, Gong Xin teased Gong Zhan, but he retaliated by delivering a firm slap to her forehead, venting his frustration. He snarled, ¡°Laugh all you want, now get out!¡±

    Gong Xin smirked at her brother¡¯s grumpy response, understanding that he was finally agreeing to take the medicine. She playfully stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving. But just so you know, there are some people who can¡¯t even move right now.¡±

    Seeing that he was willing to take the medicine, Gong Xin felt reassured and left the room.

    As Uncle Yang administered the medicine and applied it to Gong Zhan¡¯s injuries, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the events of that morning. It had been so sudden.

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    Uncle Yang fed Gong Zhan some medicine and thought back to what happened this morning. It was too sudden.

    Last night, the young master hadn¡¯t instructed him to pick him up from the quad. However, Uncle Yang didn¡¯t question these unusual circumstances.

    When he arrived at the office this morning, the young master hadn¡¯t arrived yet, but the new secretary, Ms. MO, was already waiting in the office.

    Upon seeing Ms. MO, Uncle Yang couldn¡¯t help but steal a few extra glances. Not because he was a lecher ¨C he never engaged in such activities. Rather, it was because Ms. Mots attire closely resembled that of Miss Gu Zi. Without careful observation, one might mistake her for Miss Gu Zi.

    However, after taking a closer look, Uncle Yang could discern the differences. Miss Gu Zi possessed an appearance and demeanor that were difficult for others to replicate. Even her scholarly aura was challenging to imitate..

 Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Misunderstanding

    Chapter 245: Misunderstanding

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    However, the secretary MO Li was undeniably skilled, capable of making people mistake her for Gu Zi upon first glance. Privately, she must have put in considerable effort.

    A bit later, their young master staggered into the office, reeking of alcohol, which suggested that he hadn¡¯t returned home the previous night.

    Before he could ask anything, MO Li, who had been behaving herself for the past few days, walked up to him and started discussing work.

    In recent days, MO Li had been obedient and diligent. She now approached the young master, discussing work matters with him. She was always eager to learn and asked the young master various questions, effectively winning his favor. Given her role as a secretary, it seemed quite ordinary.

    However, Uncle Yang began to feel that something was amiss. While it might be acceptable for MO Li to emulate Gu Zi¡¯s beauty by imitating her makeup and attire, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that MO Li had imitated Gu Zi¡¯s voice while talking to the young master.

    Uncle Yang wasn¡¯t aware of MO Li¡¯s familiarity with Gu Zi, but since Gu Zi used to work as a radio announcer, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for MO Li, in her capacity as the young master¡¯s secretary, to obtain some of Gu Zi¡¯s previous voice recordings from the radio station.

    What puzzled Uncle Yang was MO Li¡¯s reason for imitating Gu Zi in such a manner. It seemed like MO Li was aware that the young master would get drunk today.

    This girl seems a little scheming, Uncle Yang realized.

    However, Uncle Yang remembered the Young Master¡¯s rejection of Miss Gu Zi and felt that he should not do anything to get drunk. He still had work to do later, so it was more important to buy him some hangover medicine and a change of clothes. He went out.

    However, Uncle Yang remembered the young master¡¯s aversion to Miss Gu Zi, so he didn¡¯t believe that the young master would engage in any drunken misconduct. Uncle Yang still had errands to run, as he needed to buy hangover remedies and a change of clothes for the young master. Thus, he left.

    Upon his return, as he opened the door, he witnessed a shocking sight: MO Li, disheveled, was descending from the young master¡¯s lap. At that moment, Lin Miao had come to deliver some snacks.

    Lin Miao, upon seeing this scene, dropped the snack box with a ¡°clatter¡± and immediately ran out in tears.

    Blushing, MO Li turned to the young master and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯ve been misunderstood again.¡± Then, she chased after Lin Miao.

    Uncle Yang¡¯s face turned crimson. Was this a misunderstanding or not?

    MO Li had not only imitated Gu Zits appearance but also her voice. Uncle Yang believed that MO Li had intentionally let someone witness this scene. Did the young master share this perspective?

    The young master had always had a peculiar way of thinking, and Uncle Yang dared not inquire further. In any case, the young master was currently occupied with official business. He was urgently summoned home by the chief, who reprimanded him for his debauchery and the damage it had done to the Gong family¡¯s reputation.

    It was the first time Uncle Yang had seen the Bureau Chief so angry at his only son. He had beaten him with a dozen military batons. The military batons were long and thick. An ordinary person might not be able to withstand one hit. It was obvious that the Bureau Chief was really angry.

    Uncle Yang said, ¡°Young Master, I can go to Miss Lin¡¯s place this afternoon and try to resolve the situation on your behalf. The Gong family also needs to provide an explanation to the Gu family.¡±

    Gong Zhan furrowed his brows upon hearing this. He had developed a strong aversion to Lin Miao¡¯s involvement in this matter. Nevertheless, he realized that he was being blackmailed, and he couldn¡¯t afford to let it damage the Gong family¡¯s reputation.

    After a moment of contemplation, he said, ¡°Buy some gifts and visit her. Tell her that the Gong family will provide an explanation. To save face for both families, we shouldn¡¯t let this matter spread any further.¡±

    Uncle Yang agreed and, after applying the medicine, left with the medicine bowl.

    Upon entering the living room, Uncle Yang noticed that the husband and wife were still in a standoff, discussing Gong Zhan¡¯s marriage.

    He could not help but go forward to persuade them. ¡°Sir, Madam, now is not the time for family to be angry. It¡¯s better to start planning the next step.¡± After Uncle Yang finished speaking, Gong Xin sent him out.

    Uncle Yang was more than just a hired driver to the Gong Family. He had been loyal to the Gong Family for decades, and Gong Xin had long regarded him as a respected elder.

    When Gong Xin entered the house again, his parents had stopped fighting and were discussing Gong Zhan¡¯s marriage.

    Mrs. Chen said, ¡°That girl MO Li is so calculating. Lin Miao is too naive. How could she trust someone like that?¡±

    The Gong family desired a straightforward daughter-in-law. Someone as scheming as MO Li clearly didn¡¯t fit the bill.

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    Gong Xin could sense from her mother¡¯s words that she was leaning towards Lin Miao.

    At this moment, she heard Mr. Gong say, ¡°Let¡¯s swiftly arrange Gong Zhan¡¯s marriage to Lin Miao. We should make the engagement ceremony lively to discourage any lingering hopes from others.¡±

    While Gong Xin also disliked scheming individuals, she couldn¡¯t help but think that Lin Miao had brought this upon herself.

    Sarcastically, she remarked, ¡°Fine, Lin Miao got lucky. What a lucky girl.¡± His parents responded to her sarcastic comment with stern glances, their eyes

    filled with disapproval..

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Embarrassment

    Chapter 246: Embarrassment

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin quickly adopted a submissive and appeasing demeanor before slipping away, saying, ¡°My dear parents, look at you both, so well-coordinated. Haha! I¡¯ll go check on my brother. Don¡¯t punish him too much; I¡¯ll feel sorry for him. ¡±

    In the village, at the Su family¡¯s residence:

    Gu Zi had spent nearly the entire day sleeping, and she felt somewhat better the next day. She managed to get out of bed, though it was already afternoon.

    She believed her condition was due to a deficiency in her vitality. The previous day, she had asked Su Shen to prepare some snow lotus, which she now used to make a nutritious stew.

    She sliced red dates and ginger, placing them into the snow lotus before setting it on a steamer. Suddenly, she remembered that her sister-in-law had given her a gift to open on her wedding night. Unfortunately, she had forgotten about it until now.

    The stew needed some time to cook, and Lele was engrossed in watching television in the living room. It was a good opportunity for Gu Zi to go upstairs and retrieve the gift. It would also serve as an opportunity to express her gratitude to her sister-in-law.

    When she went upstairs to retrieve the red box she intended to open, Su Shen entered the room. She glanced up, realizing her husband had returned early.

    She asked, ¡°Why are you back so early today?¡±

    Su Shen walked over to her, enveloping her in his arms and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. He replied, ¡°I¡¯m not busy today. What¡¯s this?¡±

    Seeing that her husband had noticed the red box in her hand, Gu Zi warmly invited him to join her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a wedding night gift from my sister-in-law. I forgot about it, but now we can open it together.¡±

    She opened the box, revealing a pair of exquisitely handcrafted sachets. At first glance, the embroidered patterns appeared incredibly intricate and lifelike, showcasing exceptional folk artistry.

    However, upon closer inspection, Gu Zi was left dumbfounded. Her pupils dilated, and her cheeks grew warm. The meticulously embroidered designs depicted explicit sexual scenes. On the left sachet, two naked figures were entwined intimately, while on the right, a man was positioned behind a woman.

    Gu Zi recalled reading about these sachets in ¡°Dream of the Red Chamber¡± they were known as ¡°Embroidered Spring Pouches.¡±

    These were a form of sex education, where older female family members or mothers would use these pouches to enlighten newlyweds about sexual matters. Inside the pouches were often aphrodisiacs and various substances to enhance desire.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t believe her sister-in-law had gifted her something so scandalous !

    This was an eye-opening experience for her; she had no idea that such customs still existed in rural areas these days.

    Embarrassment washed over her as her face turned crimson, and she couldn¡¯t bear to meet Su Shen¡¯s scorching gaze.

    He explained in a low, soothing voice, ¡°These are beautifully made. It¡¯s a tradition in these villages for the bride¡¯s family to gift these. It¡¯s a heartfelt gesture. Besides, I¡¯m your husband. Why be shy?¡±

    Su Shen was also feigning composure, but in reality, holding his tender wife, her fragrance and voice acting like an aphrodisiac, had caused his blood to boil.

    Unexpectedly, another pair of Embroidered Spring Pouches appeared, making it difficult for him not to entertain thoughts about experimenting with the depicted positions with his own woman.

    If he had slightly weaker self-control, he might have already pinned her down and initiated their exploration.

    He kissed his woman¡¯s lips, feeling as though one kiss was insufficient, so he kissed her again.

    At this point, Gu Zi spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m surprised too. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this. Let¡¯s put it away.¡±

    Gu Zi quickly closed the box and stashed it under her vanity table. Her movements were so swift that it seemed like she was handling something hot.

    Su Shen rose alongside her. Before she could even turn around, his tall figure appeared in the mirror, enveloping her from behind. He took one of her hands and placed it on the dressing table, leaning forward.

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    His handsome and mature face rested on her shoulder, and the mirror reflected his deep, entrancing gaze, his high nose bridge, and the burgeoning desire that flickered across his features.

    ¡°Gu Zi, does it still hurt there?¡± His inquiry was quite evident as he already had her earlobe trapped in his kiss, using his wet, warm tongue to tease and tantalize.

    Images of their wedding night flashed through Gu Zi¡¯s mind: the insatiable Su Shen pinning her down, and later, his restrained desire as he allowed her to rest.

    However, her legs were still weak, and she needed some more time. She said in a coquettish tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, but Su Shen, can we take our time before the second round?¡±

    Her sweet tone left the man unable to resist her request. He gradually ceased his kisses, allowing her to turn around. He held her close and said, ¡°Then let me hold you for a while..¡±

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Take It Slowly

    Chapter 247: Take It Slowly

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen sat on the bed, allowing Gu Zi to sit on his lap. His long, strong fingers held her left breast, using her fragrant softness to ease his own desires.

    She had just gotten out of bed, still wearing her nightgown. Her pair of fair, slender feet dangled beside his legs, leading up to her long, slender legs, her soft buttocks, her supple waist, and her full, pert breasts¡­

    ¡°Su Shen, didn¡¯t you say we shouldn¡¯t?¡± Gu Zi sounded somewhat fearful, while his eyes were filled with surging desire.

    Su Shen let her lean against him and gently reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t touch there. Just the breasts, alright?¡±

    This little temptress had teased him with her sensuality but was now showing signs of hesitation. He had assumed she was bolder.

    However, he realized it was partly his fault for being too impatient that night, barging into the bathroom like an inexperienced boy. He had hurt her, and now he needed a way to relieve his desires slowly.

    His candid words caused Gu Zits heart to flutter, but she could tell he was exercising restraint. He merely needed some relief after the effects of that spring pouch from earlier. Holding back too much wasn¡¯t good for a man.

    She bit her lip and whispered, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Afterward, she raised her chin and kissed his lips. As their lips met, they immediately ignited with passion. He continued to caress her for a while, and his semi-erect manhood eventually returned to normal.

    As they headed downstairs together, Su Le turned around to look. Her eyes widened as she confirmed that there were two people on the other side, and she was alone. Her expression became visibly distressed.

    When Gu Zi walked up to her, her mouth stretched wide on both sides, and tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over.

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart melted, and she quickly knelt down to embrace her daughter, comforting her gently, ¡°Oh, what happened to our Lele? Come to Mommy for a hug.¡±

    These past few days, with the wedding preparations and her fatigue, she hadn¡¯t been able to care for her daughter properly, and she felt quite guilty.

    When Su Le was embraced, she raised the corners of her mouth slightly. When Gu Zi could see her expression, she reverted to looking pitiful.

    Su Shen believed that their child was probably crying from hunger. Without saying a word, he went to prepare a bottle of formula.

    Gu Zi sat on the sofa, cradling Su Le in her arms. She checked the time and reminded him, ¡°Honey, make two more cups. Su Bing and Su Li need to drink more dairy products for their growth.¡±

    Although she usually prepared formula for their two sons herself, Gu Zi felt that having their father do it occasionally would create a different bond between them.

    Upon hearing the word ¡°honey,¡± Su Shen¡¯s lips involuntarily curled up, and he replied with a warm ¡°alright¡± before quickly preparing the formula.

    When he brought the bottle to Su Le, Su Bing and Su Li had just returned. Gu Zi informed them, ¡°Daddy has prepared your milk. Go ahead and get it yourselves.¡±

    Both boys¡¯ eyes lit up upon hearing this. They hurriedly walked over to the table where the formula was prepared, with Su Li bouncing excitedly and Su Bing moving with unusually light steps.

    Su Shen, observing his two sons¡¯ reactions, instantly understood Gu Zi¡¯s intentions. He sat down beside her, kissed her forehead, and didn¡¯t say anything, but Gu Zi already understood his gratitude for her earlier reminder. It was a way of thanking her, not out of formality but an expression of love.

    ¡°Daddy, Daddy, this isn¡¯t right,¡± Su Le, who had just regained her composure, suddenly looked aggrieved again. She attempted to push the man seated next to Gu Zi but couldn¡¯t budge him, her face turning bright red in her efforts.

    Seeing her reaction, Gu Zi immediately realized that their little girl was actually feeling jealous. She also understood why the tears had flowed earlier.

    She hugged her daughter and kissed her gently, saying, ¡°Alright, Mommy will sit a bit farther away, okay?¡±

    With that, she moved away from her daughter, giving Su Shen some space.

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    Su Shen¡¯s face darkened as he comprehended his daughter¡¯s intentions. She was already starting to vie for attention; would she compete for her mother¡¯s affections in the future? It was a genuine concern.

    Gu Zi felt delighted as she teased Su Le, completely unaware of the man¡¯s subtle mood. She thought about the exercise program and asked Su Shen, ¡°What do you think Su Bing and Su Li should start training in first?¡±

    She had already planned for long-distance running and table tennis as their training content. If Su Shen didn¡¯t have time, she could teach Su Bing and Su Li herself. However, she wanted to hear Su Shen¡¯s opinion and see what he had prepared.

    Su Shen replied, ¡°They should start with basic martial arts training.¡±

    Since Su Bing and Su Li had no prior martial arts experience, starting with basic martial arts could greatly enhance their physical fitness..

 Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Staying At Home

    Chapter 248: Staying At Home

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing and Su Li listened to their parents¡¯ conversation with eager hearts. They naturally wanted to become stronger. This way, not only would they be less likely to be bullied, but they could also protect the people they cared about.

    They understood even more clearly than most children that physical strength was crucial for an individual. In the past, they hadn¡¯t had this opportunity, but now they did, and they would cherish it.

    Seeing the enthusiasm of the two boys, Gu Zi immediately grabbed some paper and a pen and made a rough draft of their training plan. Once they discussed and finalized it, Gu Zi would turn it into an electronic spreadsheet stored on the computer. Then, she would ensure that the boys followed the plan diligently.

    Su Li gazed at Gu Zi with admiration, as if she were a genius. ¡°Mom, your mind is so clear!¡±

    Su Bing sighed and corrected her, ¡°It¡¯s clear thinking and logic, not just the mind.¡±

    Su Shen felt proud of his wife¡¯s display of high intellectual qualities. He stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go cook. You can confirm the plan, and once it¡¯s ready, I¡¯ll strictly follow it.¡±

    With the plan settled, Gu Zi went upstairs to work on creating the spreadsheet. Dealing with an old-style computer wasn¡¯t a problem for her.

    When she came back downstairs, Jin Long had arrived. He had brought some firewood for the Su family. In rural areas, firewood was commonly used for cooking, and there was a dedicated space behind the large kitchen range at the Su household where they stored it.

    Jin Long and his team had brought enough firewood to last through the winter. He mentioned that he had to return to the animal farm because it was getting busy. Gu Zi didn¡¯t keep him for dinner but gave him a box of homemade pastries as a late-night snack.

    While having dinner, Su Shen felt that Gu Zi was looking at him strangely. She didn¡¯t ask, and he didn¡¯t say anything.

    It wasn¡¯t until Su Shen had finished showering, climbed into bed, and cuddled with Gu Zi that she spoke in a gentle tone. ¡°If you¡¯re busy with work, maybe you shouldn¡¯t come back to compete with me for house chores.¡±

    These past few days after the wedding, he had been returning home quite early. When he said the pig farm wasn¡¯t busy, she genuinely believed it, but after seeing Jin Long¡¯s appearance today, she realized it was much busier than she thought.

    Initially, she was responsible for cooking and taking care of her husband and children at home. How did it become him doing the housework while she took care of him and the children?

    It wasn¡¯t that this situation was bad, but Gu Zi felt that something was off. Su Shen was definitely not the type of person who couldn¡¯t distinguish priorities. Why had he been staying home so much these days?

    Gu Zi had a strange feeling that Su Shen was afraid she might suddenly run away. Hadn¡¯t she already explained this matter to him?

    Su Shen had a reasonable response. ¡°I just thought you looked very tired these days, so I wanted you to rest more. As for the pig farm, don¡¯t worry. I know my limits, and I won¡¯t let things go haywire just because I¡¯m not around.¡±

    Of course, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t worried about the pig farm going awry. It was a large-scale operation with a relatively well-established management system. Even if Su Shen wasn¡¯t there for ten days or half a month, major issues wouldn¡¯t arise.

    Her confusion lay elsewhere, but she also sensed that Su Shen wasn¡¯t ready to discuss it with her, so she didn¡¯t press further. She changed the topic and told him she planned to set up a stall at the market tomorrow.

    Su Shen always believed that Gu Zi was a person with many ideas, so hearing about her plans didn¡¯t surprise him. Besides, she had set up a stall once before, and it seemed to have worked out quite well.

    He supported her idea and told her, ¡°If you want to go, go ahead. Just make sure not to overexert yourself, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± Gu Zi said as she tucked Su Le under the blanket and snuggled into her husband¡¯s arms, falling asleep sweetly.

    The next morning, before dawn, Gu Zi got up. She had a habit of sleeping in, but when she had planned tasks to accomplish, she could get up on time.

    Today, she planned to make red sugar fermented cakes and white sugar fermented cakes to take to the market to test their popularity.

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    Previously, she had been successful selling these cakes at a school event, but that day was a special occasion, and the location was in the city, so it couldn¡¯t be considered a representative success.

    Upstairs, Su Li was changing shoes, while Su Bing had already dressed neatly and knocked on his brother¡¯s door, waiting for him to come downstairs.

    Su Li opened the door, and a faint sweet scent of rice wafted into his nostrils. It made him feel refreshed. He said to his brother, ¡°Mom must have made something delicious again. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    Without noticing, he ran downstairs, not realizing that one of his feet was still in a slipper.

    Su Bing bent down calmly, picked up another sneaker and a slipper, and followed his younger brother upstairs. Clearly, he was used to such behavior from his brother..

 Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Not an Ordinary Mother

    Chapter 249: Not an Ordinary Mother

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Mom, Mom, what¡¯s for breakfast today? Wow, so many pastries!¡± Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up as he looked at the table full of pastries, neatly packed in banana leaves. He looked at his mom with curiosity.

    There were only two types of pastries, one with a caramel color and the other pure white, resembling fermented cakes, each cut into thick triangular pieces. On top of them were golden osmanthus flowers, making them look both tempting in appearance and aroma.

    Gu Zi tore a piece of banana leaf and turned it into a small box, placing the fermented cakes one by one inside. Two pieces of fermented cakes went into each box, and the boxes were placed in a steamer.

    Gu Zi worked swiftly, and she could see that one big steamer was about to be filled up.

    She explained, ¡°Today, Lele and I are going to the market to set up a stall.

    These are for the stall. Your breakfast and lunch boxes are in the kitchen.¡¯

    Gu Zi was about to ask him how he ended up downstairs with one sneaker and one basketball shoe, but she immediately saw Su Bing coming in, holding his shoes.

    She smiled and continued packing.

    Su Bing caught his brother and asked him to change his shoes properly before having breakfast. Then he greeted his mother and went into the kitchen.

    Su Li pouted but didn¡¯t resist. He quickly changed his shoes and neatly placed the slippers before rushing into the kitchen.

    He looked at the plate of plump white fermented cakes and pinched a large piece to put in his mouth. The sweet and soft fermented cake, combined with osmanthus honey and osmanthus flowers on top, gave him a sense of happiness that penetrated deep into his heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s so satisfying and delicious!¡±

    Su Li showed an expression of enjoyment, looking like a gourmet critic. Su Bing¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but he ate a piece of white sugar fermented cake and then reached for the red sugar fermented cake. He also found it delicious.

    For Su Bing, who didn¡¯t have a sweet tooth, the fermented cakes made by his mother had just the right amount of sweetness. The simple fragrance of rice completely won over his taste buds.

    When Gu Zi came in to put away the kitchenware, she heard Su Li¡¯s praise and said, ¡°I was worried about the sales, but seeing how much you both love them, I suddenly feel relieved.¡±

    Although most villagers in these villages weren¡¯t considered wealthy, they were no longer in a state of struggling for basic meals as before.

    Gu Zi had visited the supply and marketing cooperative several times and not only purchased items but also inquired about the situation.

    Nowadays, the small snacks sold by the cooperative had become an extra source of snacks for more and more children in the village. This indicated that adults were willing to spend money on their children for such treats.

    The fermented cakes she made were not something that every household could replicate in terms of taste. As long as people were willing to try them once, they would be amazed by the flavor, and she could establish a stable customer base.

    Su Bing gave a positive evaluation and encouraged, ¡°It¡¯s delicious. With this skill, you¡¯ll definitely sell well.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart warmed slightly; this was the first time she received verbal approval from this future big shot.

    Su Li had his own thoughts. He was wondering if, in the future, with more customers buying from outside, his mom would have less time to cook for them. She would be taking care of them and setting up the stall; wouldn¡¯t that make her very tired?

    After leaving the house, Su Li asked his older brother, ¡°Dad clearly said he made a lot of money, so why does Mom still have to sell pastries?¡±

    Su Bing explained, ¡°Because our mom is not just an ordinary mom. She¡¯s not selling pastries solely for money.¡±

    Su Li sat on the back of the bicycle, listening without fully understanding. When he looked back at their home, he saw his mom had already wheeled the cart into the yard.

    She was dressed in a white short-sleeved denim shirt, and the morning breeze ruffled her long hair, making her look like a scene from a movie.

    At 8 0¡¯clock in the morning, Gu Zi set up her small stall at the entrance of the market. Li Zhu¡¯s mother and Zhang Cuihua were once again the first two customers, and they praised her enthusiastically.

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother said, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve had such delicious fermented cakes. They taste completely different from the ones I make at home.¡±

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    Zhang Cuihua added, ¡°No wonder everyone envies Gu Zi¡¯s skillful hands. These are so soft and not sticky at all.¡±

    They helped Gu Zi call out to attract customers, and their momentum drew attention to the new stall.

    ¡°White sugar fermented cakes, red sugar fermented cakes, two mao per jin (unit of weight), taste the flavor of happiness!¡±

    The three of them called out like this, and people passing by couldn¡¯t help but look over with curiosity when they heard the commotion.

    Gu Zi took advantage of the opportunity to open the large steamer. The fragrances of rice, sweetness, and osmanthus flowers blended into the air, creating an irresistible temptation for the customers. Some who were about to leave turned back upon catching a whiff of that delightful aroma..

 Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Be More Generous

    Chapter 250: Be More Generous

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    People started asking about the price, and Gu Zi replied, ¡°20 cents per catty. You can have it for breakfast, eat it while working in the fields when you¡¯re hungry, especially the kids love it. It¡¯s a healthier and more economical snack for children compared to spicy snacks like la tiao.¡±

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother and Zhang Cuihua secretly admired Gu Zits articulate way of speaking. After she mentioned this, they both wanted to buy another catty (half a kilogram).

    However, other villagers, not knowing the specific taste, were still hesitant to buy. They thought, ¡°Fermented cakes, why so expensive? We can make them at home ourselves. With this price, we could buy a catty of rice; it doesn¡¯t seem cost-effective.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯d be nice if it were cheaper.¡± The people around also started chiming in. If it were cheaper, they would buy some just to show respect to Su Shen.

    Gu Zi smiled and said, ¡°Sure, everyone can make fermented cakes, but not every child necessarily likes them. I¡¯ve developed this recipe myself, and the taste is unique. You won¡¯t be able to replicate it at home. I guarantee that both adults and children will love it.¡±

    She noticed some villagers had skeptical expressions, but she didn¡¯t mind.

    Instead, she used a small knife to cut the fermented cakes into small pieces.

    Gu Zi handed out small pieces of the cakes, both red and white sugar ones, saying, ¡°Everyone can taste it. Come on, everyone can try it for free. If you think the taste is worth it, you can buy it. If you don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth it, you can save your money to buy rice. It¡¯s no problem at all.¡±

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother followed Gu Zits lead and cut small pieces for the villagers to taste.

    Zhang Cuihua heard that Lele had woken up in the cart and immediately went to tend to the child.

    Seeing that they could try it for free, the villagers naturally wanted to taste it. They came over to try and expressed their satisfaction. ¡°The taste is quite unique. Give me half a catty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy some too, half a catty, please.¡±

    ¡°This taste is amazing, how did you make it? I want a catty!¡±

    After trying the cakes, the villagers spontaneously began buying. The taste of these fermented cakes was no worse than what the town¡¯s dessert shops offered. Every time they went to the town, they had to line up specifically to buy snacks for their children, and those cost 25 cents per catty. Now, Gu Zi¡¯s cakes were only 20 cents per catty, and the taste was just as good ¨C they felt like they had struck gold!

    Not long after, the two large steamers of fermented cakes brought by Gu Zi had almost sold out one steamer.

    Just as she was about to open the second steamer, a well-behaved looking young boy approached the stall, his eyes fixed on a piece of red sugar fermented cake.

    Gu Zi handed a small piece of the red sugar fermented cake to him and said, ¡°Here, little one, this is for you.¡±

    As the young boy received the cake, a short-haired woman walked up assertively. She said, ¡°Your family is so wealthy, and now you¡¯re doing business here. Be generous and give a bigger piece. This small piece won¡¯t be enough for my son. Give me a full piece to try; if it¡¯s good, I¡¯ll buy some.¡±

    Gu Zi, looking at the woman approaching, believed that being polite could lead to a profitable business. Therefore, she chose to only listen to the last sentence, hoping that the short-haired woman would refrain from making shameless demands.

    She placed the cut piece of fermented cake for tasting outside the stall and said, ¡°Sure, see if you like the taste.¡±

    The short-haired woman assumed that her directness would get her a large, full piece of cake for free.

    This way, she could fill her stomach without spending money.

    Even though she was straightforward, the villagers were usually reluctant to refuse her requests. Since most of them were polite and gave in to her demands, she felt confident she would get her way again.

    However, this time, she was rejected by this woman who had married into the village. Her face changed as she said, ¡°At the very least, you had a wedding a few days ago, and my old lady even served as a witness. Giving us a catty of fermented cakes to eat is only fair, why are you so stingy, just giving a small piece.¡±

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    Gu Zi looked at her. She was not tall, quite thin, and although her face was not bad-looking, her eyes had a bit of a sinister glint, giving off the impression that she was always looking for some kind of advantage. This slightly diminished her overall attractiveness.

    She clung to her son, a well-behaved child with big eyes and large ears, very pretty. Gu Zi had never seen such a handsome boy in the village before.

    It was a pity that the child had a mother like her.

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°I¡¯m here for business, not to distribute disaster relief food. The samples for tasting are all small pieces, which is fair to everyone.¡±

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother whispered to Gu Zi from behind, ¡°You might not know her, but she¡¯s Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter-in-law, and she¡¯s always trying to take advantage of others..¡±

 Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Always Looking for a Bargain

    Chapter 251: Always Looking for a Bargain

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mrs. Wang didn¡¯t quite catch what Li Zhu¡¯s mother was saying, but she could tell that she was being introduced to Gu Zi.

    She responded more casually, saying, ¡°Exactly! Without my old lady¡¯s help, would your wedding ceremony have gone so smoothly? It¡¯s just a piece of fermented cake, what¡¯s the harm in giving me a full piece? Really.¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. This woman didn¡¯t seem like she belonged to the same family as Aunt Yang at all.

    However, Gu Zi was someone who could distinguish very clearly when it came to these matters.

    Aunt Yang was Aunt Yang, and Mrs. Wang was Mrs. Wang. Yang Shenszi was the one who helped, and the Lin family had even given her a red envelope as a token of appreciation. They didn¡¯t invite her to be the witness for free.

    Gu Zi initially thought of giving some fermented cakes to the well-behaved child and out of respect for Aunt Yang. However, Mrs. Wang¡¯s entitled attitude made Gu Zi uncomfortable.

    If she gave in today, she was afraid that this woman would keep finding opportunities to take advantage in the future.

    Gu Zi said to Mrs. Wang, ¡°When you mention the ¡®old lady,¡¯ you mean your mother-in-law, Aunt Yang, right? She didn¡¯t even ask for anything extra after receiving a red envelope from our family. So, why do you feel entitled?

    Everyone is trying a small piece for tasting; why should you be an exception?¡± Gu Zi¡¯s blunt words caused Mrs. Wang¡¯s face to change. The people around remained silent, thinking that Gu Zi was making a reasonable argument. They all tasted a small piece before buying, and Mrs. Wang shouldn¡¯t be an exception.

    Gu Zi was running a business, not providing relief aid.

    Moreover, they had never seen anyone so directly reject Mrs. Wang before. They all felt a sense of relief.

    This Mrs. Wang had a history of asking her fellow villagers for vegetables, fruits, and even sausages and cured meat.

    She would directly ask for things, and when she first asked, she seemed polite and even gave the impression of being a good person. But if others showed reluctance, she would verbally attack them, making them feel embarrassed not to comply.

    The villagers usually gave in to her because she was Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter-in-law and had come from afar. They didn¡¯t want others to think that their village people were stingy, so they would give her something.

    For the sake of harmony, whenever she asked for something, everyone would try to share a bit with her. This made Mrs. Wang feel even more entitled, and she had developed a habit of it over the years.

    Each household couldn¡¯t give much individually, but by asking multiple households for the same item, Mrs. Wang didn¡¯t have to spend her own money to buy it.

    She was quite cunning in her calculations, and the villagers had realized this over the years but were helpless.

    Now, it seemed like Gu Zi¡¯s personality was not easy to manipulate, which was perfect for teaching Mrs. Wang a lesson.

    Mrs. Wang started using her usual tactic of verbal attacks against Gu Zi.

    ¡°You¡¯re from the city, but your direct way of speaking makes you seem difficult to get along with.¡±

    Listening to her, Gu Zi calmly weighed half a pound of pastries for a customer and said, ¡°I adjust my way of speaking based on the person. You came straight up to me and asked for something, and you won¡¯t even allow me to refuse? Does that mean, Mrs. Wang, that you only accept straightforward talk?¡±

    Mrs. Wang was taken aback. This was the first time someone in the village had

    spoken to her like this, and she didn¡¯t know how to respond. Furthermore, in a showdown of words, Gu Zi had the upper hand.

    Moreover, when it came down to it, Gu Zi was also someone who had come from outside the village and had arrived later than her. If Gu Zi wanted to argue with her, besides using the fact that Gu Zi was from the city, she didn¡¯t really know what else to say.

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    She hesitated for a while before retorting in a cold tone, ¡°Fine, no need to say more. If you don¡¯t want to give, then don¡¯t give. Do you think I can¡¯t afford it? I¡¯ll take my son Yuan Yuan to the town to buy pastries; they taste much better than yours. It might be a bit more expensive, but I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s always looking for a bargain¡­¡±

    Mrs. Wang finished her sentence, picked up her son Yuan Yuan, and turned to leave.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t even look in her direction. She just carried on with her work, knowing what she had to do. Gu Zi had lived for two lifetimes, and such a minor incident was not enough to affect her mood.

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother and Zhang Cuihua, seeing that Gu Zi remained unfazed, were relieved.

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother commented, ¡°You really handled her well. She¡¯s skilled at using language to attack people. Since you didn¡¯t let it bother you, I feel much more at ease..¡±

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: The Story of Aunt Yangâ€™s Family

    Chapter 252: The Story of Aunt Yang¡¯s Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi smiled and replied, ¡°She¡¯s just a potential customer for the pastries. If she wants to buy pastries from me, I¡¯ll provide her with excellent service. If she chooses to go to the town to buy them, that¡¯s her personal freedom, and there¡¯s nothing to be concerned about.¡±

    An elderly woman who had been watching from the side came over and added, ¡°You can rest assured, Mrs. Wang is not the type to spend money on pastries in town. The things she said earlier were just to upset you because she couldn¡¯t get any advantage.¡±

    In the past, there were others in the village who had refused Mrs. Wang, and she had used this trick to make people uncomfortable.

    Zhang Cuihua, who was playing with Lele nearby, chimed in, ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t go elsewhere to buy cakes.¡±

    Li Zhu¡¯s mother also agreed, saying that Mrs. Wang wouldn¡¯t go to town to buy pastries and might even go back to make trouble for Aunt Yang.

    Gu Zi also learned some things from their conversation. In summary, Mrs. Wang was not a docile or well-behaved person. Gu Zi now understood why her mother and sister had strongly recommended Aunt Yang.

    On one hand, Aunt Yang came from a respectable background, and her early life had been relatively smooth, making her a fortunate person in many aspects.

    On the other hand, her mother and sister wanted to assist Aunt Yang by helping her become a wedding ceremony guide and earn the red envelope money.

    Gu Zi continued to listen to their conversation and began to piece together the story of Aunt Yang¡¯s family.

    When Mrs. Wang had first married Aunt Yang¡¯s son, Yang Tao, everyone thought she looked decent, but she had a somewhat fierce appearance that gave off a tough impression. However, nobody paid much attention to it at the time.

    Over time, Mrs. Wang had started to sow discord between her husband, Yang Tao, and his mother, Aunt Yang. She claimed that Aunt Yang was a woman who had married into a second family and hadn¡¯t saved any money during all these years in her second husband¡¯s household. According to her, Aunt Yang was not a good mother and didn¡¯t deserve respect.

    At that time, Aunt Yang¡¯s second husband had passed away due to illness, and Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter from that marriage was still in high school.

    Mrs. Wang began to manipulate Yang Tao secretly, encouraging him to plan for the future of this young girl. She discreetly searched for potential in-laws for her, intending to marry her off as soon as she finished high school.

    Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter, who resembled a young Aunt Yang, was beautiful and academically inclined. Finding her a suitable match was not difficult, and once she was married, they would receive a generous dowry as her in-laws.

    However, Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter was clever and learned about these plans discreetly. Without revealing her knowledge, she confided in her most trusted mother and expressed her desire to go live with her cousin, who was involved in business in another town. She wanted to continue her education and asked Aunt Yang to accompany her.

    Aware of her son Yang Tao¡¯s resentment towards her for not saving any money, Aunt Yang also recognized that her daughter-in-law had taken control of the household. Her son now followed her daughter-in-law¡¯s lead in everything.

    Aunt Yang was deeply concerned for her daughter¡¯s future. She decided that leaving was the right choice.

    She saw that her son and daughter-in-law were not reliable people. Aunt Yang was deeply concerned about her grandson, Yuan Yuan, and didn¡¯t want him to suffer. Despite her advanced age, she was willing to endure hardships and fatigue, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see her grandchild in misery.

    Aunt Yang secretly saved up some travel money for her daughter, who would leave after graduating from high school. Aunt Yang stayed behind to take care of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, working tirelessly as a servant in her own home.

    The scheming plan of Yang Tao and Mrs. Wang to profit from marrying off

    Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter fell apart, leading them to treat Aunt Yang even worse.

    Every meal and household chore was assigned to Aunt Yang, and whenever Mrs. Wang and Yang Tao argued, Aunt Yang became the target of their frustration.

    Mrs. Wang frequently lost her temper and hurled insults, often using malicious and repulsive language against Aunt Yang. Outsiders shook their heads in disapproval.

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    At first, Aunt Yang resisted her son and daughter-in-law¡¯s excessive demands, but over the years, her temperament was worn down by their constant pressure.

    Even more shocking was that every time Yang Tao went out to work, Mrs.

    Wang would openly bring her former lovers and acquaintances from outside the village into their home to sleep together. She also had intimate relations with men from the village and the town.

    Most of the men Mrs. Wang brought home were her former lovers, and she felt that the money Yang Tao provided was insufficient. She claimed that she wanted to earn her own money and used her looks, makeup skills, and some tricks to win money by mingling with other men in card games and other activities.

    As a result, many men supported her, and the other villagers dared not speak out against her. Aunt Yang, on the other hand, was subjected to frequent verbal abuse from the wild men Mrs. Wang brought home..

 Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Outsiders Canâ€™t Understand

    Chapter 253: Outsiders Can¡¯t Understand

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    However, Aunt Yang had no one to rely on, only enduring the bullying in silence.

    Aunt Yang¡¯s only hope now was for her daughter, who had moved away, to come back and visit. But as the years passed, she had lost most of that hope. If her daughter chose not to return, so be it.

    The story had a profound impact on Gu Zi. Despite living two lifetimes, she was still amazed.

    Yet, Gu Zi believed that Aunt Yang¡¯s suffering didn¡¯t solely come from her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang, but from her useless son, Yang Tao, who liked to shirk responsibility.

    Gu Zi empathized with Aunt Yang but understood that everyone had their fate, and she could only sympathize. She couldn¡¯t rescue Aunt Yang from her misery because she was helpless in that regard.

    After all, Aunt Yang had raised her son, Yang Tao, and had willingly entered this difficult situation herself. She still held hope for her son¡¯s change, and if she didn¡¯t help herself, no one else could.

    But, in all honesty, how many mothers in the world could truly hold a grudge against their own sons? Especially someone like Aunt Yang, who was giving and eager to please, it was even more unlikely.

    In Aunt Yang¡¯s house, Mrs. Wang stormed in and left her son aside, overturning several bamboo baskets in the room in a fit of anger.

    She pointed at Aunt Yang, who had just finished washing clothes, and scolded, ¡°You walk around all day, and these things aren¡¯t even aired out yet? You¡¯re such an old nuisance! Can¡¯t go a day without annoying people!¡±

    Aunt Yang was always reserved at home and didn¡¯t say anything. She bent down to pick up the overturned baskets and the scattered dried radishes.

    Her grandson, Yuan Yuan, also went to help Aunt Yang pick up, but because he was young, he liked talking to adults. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Grandma. Yuan Yuan will help you pick them up.¡±

    Aunt Yang had shed all her tears over the past few years due to being bullied, so there were none left to cry. She took the dried radishes outside to dry in the sun and returned to speak to Mrs. Wang, saying, ¡°Just say what¡¯s on your mind, don¡¯t always be like this.¡±

    Mrs. Wang¡¯s anger had subsided somewhat, and she recounted what had happened at the market earlier. She softened her tone a bit and asked Aunt Yang to request some pastries from Gu Zi.

    She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to take my anger out on you. I¡¯ve been telling you to give me the red envelope you got from Gu Zi, but you keep it hidden away. Look at you, you don¡¯t even know when you might develop dementia. If you had given it to me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have been scolded today. That Gu Zi is also infuriating. Go and ask her for some pastries, it would be enough for Yuan

    Yuan.¡±

    Aunt Yang stood still and said, ¡°I can¡¯t give you the red envelope. I don¡¯t have much money myself. And as for the pastries, Gu Zi has no reason to give them to you for free, nor should she give them to me.¡±

    Mrs. Wang¡¯s expression changed again. Her eyes turned sinister, and she said, ¡°You eat and drink at home, constantly falling sick and needing medication, all on my money. You can¡¯t afford to say much. If you don¡¯t bring back the pastries today, don¡¯t bother coming back for lunch!¡±

    Aunt Yang didn¡¯t really have dementia. Mrs. Wang never used the money she earned herself. She only used the money that Yang Tao gave her before she left.

    But Aunt Yang didn¡¯t say more. She did have some money on her now, which she could use to buy some pastries from Gu Zi and settle the matter.

    Aunt Yang understood her daughter-in-law¡¯s intentions. Since she refused to give her the red envelope, she would have to find a way to spend the money herself. She pretended to be willing to ask Gu Zi for the pastries, but in reality, she knew she would buy them directly.

    At the market, Gu Zi had already sold out of her two large steamers of pastries. She was pushing her cart back home when she spotted Aunt Yang waiting at the Su family¡¯s doorstep.

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    Aunt Yang saw Gu Zi and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, I just wanted to ask if you have a pound of pastries left, do you?¡±

    Aunt Yang looked visibly nervous as she observed Gu Zi¡¯s small cart.

    Originally, she had intended to go to the market herself but had run into Mrs. Li, who had informed her that Gu Zi was already closing up her stall.

    Knowing that she wouldn¡¯t make it to the market in time, Aunt Yang had decided to wait near the Su family¡¯s home, hoping to buy any leftover pastries from Gu Zi.

    However, when she saw that both of Gu Zi¡¯s large steamers were empty, she guessed that they had already been sold out..

 Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Missing Her Daughter

    Chapter 254: Missing Her Daughter

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Without waiting for Gu Zits response, Aunt Yang looked at the empty steamers and felt a sense of despair creeping into her heart. Her gaze couldn¡¯t hide the dimness that overcame her.

    She consoled herself internally, thinking, ¡°So what if I miss a meal? I¡¯ve endured worse treatment before, and one missed meal won¡¯t starve me.¡±

    Aunt Yang gulped and said to Gu Zi, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have any. I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± With that, Aunt Yang turned to leave.

    Gu Zi was a keen observer and could see that Aunt Yang¡¯s despair was due to seeing the empty steamers in her small cart. It was as if not being able to buy pastries would cause trouble for her, likely related to her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang.

    However, Gu Zi had not brought all the pastries she made for the day to sell; she had left some for her three children at home.

    Although Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t interfere in Aunt Yang¡¯s family affairs, she did pity her situation. Giving Aunt Yang the pastries she had left at home wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    While opening the courtyard gate, Gu Zi stopped Aunt Yang and said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get some for you.¡±

    Aunt Yang quickly expressed her gratitude, saying, ¡°Great, please give me a pound. Thank you, Gu Zi.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled and said, ¡°No problem at all.¡±

    Lele was asleep in the small cart, and Gu Zi was afraid to wake her, so she carefully wheeled the cart inside.

    She glanced back and noticed that Aunt Yang hadn¡¯t followed her but was waiting outside the courtyard.

    Gu Zi nodded and went into the kitchen to pack five white sugar cakes and five brown sugar cakes. She brought them out and handed them to Aunt Yang.

    ¡°You can take these. Once you steam them, they¡¯ll be ready to eat. I won¡¯t accept any money. You¡¯ve been a responsible host, so consider it a token of appreciation.¡±

    Upon receiving the cakes, Aunt Yang realized it was more than a pound. She insisted on paying and said, ¡°But I was compensated for being a host. There¡¯s no need for thanks. If anyone should be thanked, it¡¯s me for you reaching out to me. Please take this money.¡±

    Living in the village and growing older, Aunt Yang didn¡¯t have many ways to earn a living apart from farming, raising livestock, and doing household chores. Fortunately, she had experience as a wedding leader and knew the wedding customs, which allowed her to earn some money through red envelopes.

    However. due to her recent hardshiDs, she hadn¡¯t been hired as a wedding leader much, and her source of income had dwindled. She also sold vegetables and poultry at the market, but the money from those sales had to be handed over to her daughter-in-law; she couldn¡¯t keep any for herself.

    Gu Zi had sought her out and given her a 20-yuan red envelope, which Aunt Yang could use to offset a medical bill at the clinic. So, she had more reason to be thankful, and she had no justification for taking these cakes for free.

    Still, Gu Zi refused to accept her money and said, ¡°Aunt Yang, consider these cakes a gift from me. Don¡¯t worry about the money. You probably have other expenses. Think of it as a gift from my mother.¡±

    Aunt Yang looked at Gu Zi with gratitude. She had a relatively high level of education and could understand the implied meaning behind Gu Zits words.

    In her eyes, there was also a hint of nostalgia. Her daughter was only a little older than Gu Zi and was soon graduating from college. She must have married into a good family by now.

    Thinking about her daughter, tears welled up in Aunt Yang¡¯s eyes, but there were no tears left to shed.

    Gu Zi had moved out of her mother¡¯s house, and it wouldn¡¯t be right for her to insist on taking money. She simply said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some wild chives another day. They¡¯re tender this season.¡±

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    Gu Zi didn¡¯t accept Aunt Yang¡¯s money, and Aunt Yang didn¡¯t push any further. She just said, ¡°Thank you, Gu Zi,¡± and left.

    Back at home, Mrs. Wang grabbed the cakes from Aunt Yang¡¯s hands and issued orders as usual. ¡°Go stir-fry some cabbage and saut¨¦ garlic shoots with meat. Don¡¯t sneak a bite! And don¡¯t eat those cakes either; they¡¯re sweet and could cause blood vessel issues. I won¡¯t eat them either; they¡¯re all for Yuan Yuan. I¡¯m fair like that, so don¡¯t go talking nonsense outside about me mistreating you.¡±

    Aunt Yang paid no attention to her bitter words and had no illusions about eating the cakes herself. She had seen through this trick a long time ago; whenever Mrs. Wang wanted to keep something for herself, she would declare that it was all for Yuan Yuan. In reality, Mrs. Wang would end up eating most of it, and even her son wouldn¡¯t get much.

    Aunt Yang simply acknowledged Mrs. Wang and then went into the kitchen to start cooking.

    Mrs. Wang, satisfied with Aunt Yang¡¯s obedient response, began to plan in her mind.. She needed to come up with a reason to make the old lady hand over the remaining money!

 Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Meticulous

    Chapter 255: Meticulous

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the Su family¡¯s household.

    Gu Zi gently placed Su Le on the sofa and covered her with a small blanket, allowing her to continue her peaceful slumber. Su Le had accompanied her to the market early that morning, but the early hours had taken their toll. Now was the perfect time for her to catch up on her rest.

    Next, Gu Zi went about her tasks, starting by cleaning the steamer and other market tools, which she then set out in the yard to dry. She also began heating up the stove to steam a fresh batch of rice.

    Stepping out of the kitchen, Gu Zi bent down by the spot where she kept a bunch of vibrant, green vegetables in a small cart. These vegetables, known as ¡°Dragon Kui Cai,¡± were plucked from a neighbor¡¯s field on her way back. They were prized for their ability to cleanse the liver, improve eyesight, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They were perfect for making Dragon Kui Cai and egg soup.

    Gu Zi then opened the refrigerator and retrieved a well-roasted piece of pork belly. Her lunch plans consisted of Dragon Kui Cai and egg soup along with braised pork.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi skillfully managed three stovetops simultaneously¡ªone for steaming rice, one for cooking the pork, and another for preparing the soup.

    As the aroma of the delectably braised pork filled the kitchen and the rice and soup neared completion, Su Le woke up from her nap. Gu Zi lovingly washed her daughter¡¯s face, and the two of them shared a cozy lunch together.

    During their meal, Gu Zi not only nourished her daughter¡¯s body but also her mind, teaching Su Le how to eat independently. Su Le was overjoyed to learn and couldn¡¯t stop talking about her newfound skill after finishing her meal.

    Today, Gu Zi had plans to deliver lunch to Su Shen. As she finished packing in the kitchen, Su Le ventured to the yard to play with their loyal companion, Big Yellow.

    Big Yellow had just enjoyed his own lunch and was now engrossed in gnawing on a big bone.

    Upon seeing her approach, Big Yellow promptly pressed one front paw onto the chew toy and watched Su Le attentively, with a hint of vulnerability in his gaze. It was as if he feared she might try to take away his cherished chew toy, a reward for his vigilant guard duty around the house.

    Su Le crouched down before him, placing her small hands on her knees as she gazed at Big Yellow with wide-eyed wonder. Then, with slow, deliberate movements, she extended her hand and addressed him using a new word she had learned that day, ¡°Friend, Lele is a friend, and Big Yellow is a friend!¡±

    Big Yellow appeared slightly perplexed, but at the same time, he relaxed, understanding that his young mistress had no intentions of claiming his cherished chew toy.

    He gently nuzzled Su Le¡¯s forehead with his nose, exerting just enough pressure to create a comforting sensation for her.

    Witnessing this heartwarming interaction, Gu Zi emerged from the house, picked up Su Le, and gave Big Yellow a pat. She remarked, ¡°Lele, do you consider Big Yellow a good friend now? Big Yellow, you¡¯re Lele¡¯s dear friend!¡±

    Big Yellow seemed to comprehend and responded with two enthusiastic barks. However, in the next moment, Gu Zi carried Su Le away from the yard.

    Big Yellow¡¯s eyes dimmed as he clutched his cherished chew toy, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on the closed door.

    Gu Zi soon arrived at the pig farm, where she immediately delivered the braised pork and Dragon Kui Cai soup to Su Shen¡¯s office.

    Su Shen had just finished his tasks and returned. Spotting Gu Zi with the meal, he instinctively lit a couple of mosquito coils to ward off flies and mosquitoes.

    Despite the presence of dedicated mosquito control personnel at the pig farm, it was still the countryside, and the occasional mosquito or fly managed to slip through.

    Gu Zi had delicate skin, and even a single mosquito bite resulted in a conspicuous red welt. Since the first time she had been bitten while delivering him food, he had made it a habit¡ªwhenever she visited, he would light mosquito coils to provide extra protection.

    After completing this thoughtful gesture, Su Shen washed his hands and returned to join Gu Zi for lunch. He couldn¡¯t help but admire her attention to detail, which warmed his heart.

    Sitting beside him, Gu Zi watched him eat, offering a reminder, ¡°Start with some braised pork and rice; you can enjoy the egg and Dragon Kui Cai soup later.¡¯

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    Dragon Kui Cai was a highly nutritious vegetable known for enhancing overall health. However, it had some toxicity, particularly causing strong irritation to the gastrointestinal mucosa, so it was best not consumed on an empty stomach.

    Su Shen, appreciating his wife¡¯s meticulous nature, hadn¡¯t anticipated she would be so particular about when to consume the soup. He smiled and praised her, ¡°If dining were an art, you could be an expert.¡±

    With her chin resting on her hand, Gu Zi responded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be the nutrition expert at home. I¡¯ll make sure you all eat well and have no worries.¡±

    Su Shen found her reply amusing and, without realizing it, raised his gaze to meet hers. Their eyes locked, creating a warm and intimate connection

    between them..

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Kissing Is Addictive

    Chapter 256: Kissing Is Addictive

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The two of them locked eyes for a moment, but their moment was abruptly interrupted by Jin Long¡¯s untimely entrance. They had no choice but to break their gaze.

    Jin Long scratched his head, seemingly aware that he had disrupted his boss¡¯s romantic moment. He apologized, saying, ¡°Um, I just came to see what delicious food you have here, like this braised pork, hehe.¡±

    Su Shen glanced at him with icy eyes, replying coldly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s none of your business. ¡±

    Jin Long rolled his eyes inwardly, realizing that he wouldn¡¯t get to enjoy the braised pork. He sighed and said, ¡°I never said I wanted to eat it. Well, I¡¯m just a good-for-nothing friend who doesn¡¯t have a wife. Su Le, come with Uncle to see the piglets and help Uncle make amends.¡±

    As he spoke, Golden Dragon picked up Su Le, who was on the sofa. Before he left, he even gave Su Shen a look.¡±Sorry to disturb you two. I¡¯ll take care of your children for you. Look at how stingy you are!¡±

    Both Su Shen and Gu Zi understood the meaning behind that look.

    After the office door closed, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She said gently, ¡°You know, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let Jin Long taste some of it. I actually put extra pork on your plate.¡±

    Su Shen took another piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth, protectively saying, ¡°I¡¯m just right for this amount.¡±

    Implicitly, he hadn¡¯t even eaten enough to have more than one piece of pork.

    This thirty-year-old man, mature and handsome in appearance, was behaving like a half-grown child at the moment. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t do anything about it and ended up feeding him meat and soup.

    ¡°Have another piece of meat,¡± Su Shen said as he picked up another piece of braised pork and held it to Gu Zi¡¯s mouth. She didn¡¯t refuse and opened her mouth to eat it.

    This piece of meat seemed even more delicious than what she usually ate at home. Gu Zi was starting to suspect that she was falling head over heels in love with Su Shen.

    She noticed a bit of oil on her lips and was about to use a tissue to wipe it off, but Su Shen had already taken a tissue and gently wiped her mouth, saving her the trouble.

    Suddenly, she felt that it was entirely reasonable for her to be falling in love with Su Shen.

    After finishing their meal, Gu Zi packed up the lunchbox as usual and went hack tn wash it

    Su Shen had a habit of rinsing his mouth after eating, and Gu Zi did too. Although she had only taken a bite of the braised pork, she followed Su Shen to the sink area and quickly rinsed her mouth before returning to the office.

    While Gu Zi was rinsing her mouth, she noticed that everyone else was taking their afternoon nap in the common area. She thought it would be a good opportunity for Su Shen to rest as well, so she asked, ¡°Are you going to take a nap on the sofa? Why not rest for a while? I can lend you my legs as a pillow.¡±

    The sofa in the office was long, but it wasn¡¯t long enough for Su Shen to stretch out comfortably. Gu Zi thought that letting him rest with her legs as a pillow would be more comfortable than him dozing off at his desk.

    Su Shen seemed to accept her suggestion. He went to pull the curtains, then sat down on the sofa with Gu Zi. However, he didn¡¯t close his eyes for a nap. Instead, he placed her on his lap and began to kiss her gently.

    It wasn¡¯t until his large hands covered her chest that Gu Zi realized that Su Shen had pulled the curtains not to block the light but to provide them with some privacy.

    Gu Zi was starting to question her life choices and wondered if she should ask the original author of the book why Su Shen, originally portrayed as a reserved and stoic character, had suddenly become so passionate.

    ¡°What are you thinking about? You seem distracted,¡± Su Shen said, biting her shoulder gently.

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    Gu Zi winced slightly and then patted his chest lightly. She said slyly, ¡°I can¡¯t concentrate because you just caught me off guard. You¡¯re too sudden¡­¡±

    After a playful complaint, Su Shen, holding her waist, explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t use to be like this. I don¡¯t know why, but ever since I met you, I¡¯ve been wanting to kiss you.¡±

    Hearing the word ¡°kiss,¡± Gu Zi¡¯s heart raced uncontrollably.

    Why did those ordinary words sound different when he said them? Gu Zi was in trouble. She realized that she had truly fallen for Su Shen.

    She didn¡¯t have time to dwell on this issue because the next moment, Su Shen once again captured her lips in a passionate French kiss. Their tongues intertwined fervently, and they became lost in each other, their thoughts all but forgotten..

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: After the Passionate Kiss

    Chapter 257: After the Passionate Kiss

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After the passionate kiss, the man¡¯s intense arousal pressed against her buttocks, making her feel like she had sat on a freshly grilled jumbo hotdog, and she could clearly sense it becoming even harder.

    His eyes were deep and scorching, just staring at her in that way made her feel like he had already undressed her with his gaze, fixated on her naked body.

    Indeed, the images playing in Su Shen¡¯s mind at this moment were exactly as Gu Zi had suspected. They were a replay of that night when he took her virginity in the bathroom.

    He had pressed her against the wall and taken her from behind, her plump, milky breasts had been squished and deformed, her slender waist had twisted uncontrollably, causing her round and perky buttocks to fit even more tightly against him.

    He had thrust into her from behind, watching as her juices flowed down her smooth, snowy back and buttocks, turning her tiny opening a deep shade of red, glistening wet¡­

    Gu Zi felt overwhelmed by Su Shen¡¯s intense gaze and couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet his eyes again. She turned her head to lean against his chest, gripping the sides of his shirt tightly, wrinkling it as her heart seemed to be on the verge of bursting out of her chest.

    Su Shen¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and he soothingly whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I won¡¯t take you. Can you touch me instead?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡± Gu Zi didn¡¯t look up, but she reached out to undo his belt and began to caress his substantial member.

    Gu Zi had seen some adult films in her past life, and she could confidently say that none of the male actors¡¯ members were as attractive as Su Shen¡¯s.

    After more than ten minutes of effort from Gu Zi¡¯s skilled fingers, Su Shen let out a long, satisfied sigh.

    Gu Zi handed him a tissue to clean up, and they both reclined on the sofa for a midday rest.

    Gu Zi rested her head on his strong chest and closed her eyes, inhaling his scent. She felt incredibly safe, and a faint smile lingered on her lips.

    Su Shen also didn¡¯t fall asleep, he just wanted to rest his eyes for a bit during the lunch break.

    He said, ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go to the city to prepare the things you need to return home.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand. What was there to prepare for returning home?

    She said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal. Every time we go to my parents¡¯ house, we buy so many things that my parents feel embarrassed.¡±

    These were not Gu Zit s words; they were the original Lin family¡¯s words. Gu Zi also felt that it was unnecessary to make everything so grand.

    But Su Shen didn¡¯t seem to want to keep things simple. He said, ¡°You only get married once in your lifetime and return to your family¡¯s house once. We should prepare properly. Since you say there¡¯s no need to be polite, then I am the Lin family¡¯s son-in-law. Shouldn¡¯t I bring some gifts when I go back?¡±

    Gu Zi found his emphasis on ¡°only once in your lifetime¡± a bit strange. She didn¡¯t argue with him and said, ¡°Okay, whatever you say. You¡¯re the head of the family. So, what do we need to buy?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need new clothes , so we¡¯ll buy those. We¡¯ll also get gifts and some supplements for you.¡±

    Su Shen had noticed that Gu Zi had been drinking the snow lotus stewed milk she made for the children these days, and he thought she could use some supplements. The snow lotus was almost gone, so he planned to buy more, along with some bird¡¯s nest and gelatin, which he had heard were good for a woman¡¯s health.

    Gu Zi pursed her lips. Did he want to keep her in peak physical condition for their future activities in bed?

    But considering their long-term married life, Gu Zi agreed to take better care of her health.

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    This time, Jin Long had sharp eyes. After taking Su Le for a walk, he waited until the office door was open before returning.

    As soon as Su Le entered, she headed straight for Gu Zi. Su Shen called Jin Long aside to talk to him and asked him to buy some things in the next couple of days.

    After hearing Su Shen¡¯s request, Jin Long raised his eyebrows and asked,

    ¡°About a dozen pigeons and a sheep, are you sure?¡±

    Su Shen confirmed, and Jin Long couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Pigeons and sheep? These were all high-nutrition foods.. Was their boss really that weak? Did he need to start replenishing his body right after their honeymoon?

 Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Deeply Concerned

    Chapter 258: Deeply Concerned

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Was it Gu Zit s insatiable desires, or was it that Boss Su simply wasn¡¯t up to the task?

    Upon observing Gu Zi, she didn¡¯t seem like a woman consumed by lustful abandon. Therefore, the conclusion was evident ¨C Boss Su was falling short.

    Jin Long had never anticipated that Su Shen, who appeared to be an epitome of masculine endurance in that particular department, would be inadequate!

    During his encounters with Su Shen in the bathhouse, Jin Long had envied the imposing, charismatic physique of the man, not to mention the astonishingly formidable presence beneath his waist. It was hard to believe that such a man could be lacking in performance!

    It was probably the result of years of abstinence. No matter the size of the equipment, three decades of disuse would require some time for adjustment.

    Jin Long even began to worry about his own prolonged singlehood, pondering if men truly couldn¡¯t suppress their needs for too long.

    He found Boss Su¡¯s tactics cunningly amusing. Despite needing to go to town the next day, Su Shen had asked others to make purchases, likely to hide his inability to satisfy his wife.

    But Jin Long understood ¨C no man wants to appear deflated in front of his woman.

    He decided to visit the old village doctor to procure some tiger bone wine. After all, he considered Boss Su a brother and didn¡¯t want his friend¡¯s sexual wellbeing to be compromised. Jin Long wanted Su Shen to regain his virility.

    With a plan in mind, Jin Long prepared to deliver pork to the town¡¯s butcher shop. The doctor¡¯s place wasn¡¯t far from there, and the trip wouldn¡¯t interfere with his work at the pig farm. It was an ideal arrangement.

    Unbeknownst to Su Shen and Gu Zi, Jin Long was deeply concerned about their marital happiness. After bidding Gu Zi farewell, Su Shen returned to his office and then went to inspect the temperature control in the pigpens.

    Later, when they were short-handed during a pig slaughter, Su Shen took the initiative, skillfully and professionally butchering the animal. His technique and poise were so adept that it almost seemed as if a biology professor or a surgeon was at work. His charisma even made the grisly task of slaughtering a pig seem stylish.

    After the task, Su Shen showered and returned to his office in fresh clothes.

    Jin Long, having completed his meat delivery by mid-afternoon, returned boasting of a fine bottle of liquor he had acquired, attracting the attention of the resting men.

    Upon inquiry about the drink, Jin Long revealed it was medicinal wine from the village doctor, inviting everyone, including Su Shen, to partake. He discreetly asked Lin Cheng to invite Su Shen, knowing well his brother-in-law wouldn¡¯t refuse.

    Jin Long felt his efforts were considerate and subtle. He wouldn¡¯t directly tell Su Shen that the wine was meant to bolster his ¡®little brother¡¯; he would realize it himself.

    Men¡¯s pride in such matters was delicate, and as a brother, Jin Long intended to protect Su Shen¡¯s dignity. There was no need for explicit explanations.

    After all, tiger bone wine was harmless to men, and sharing it with everyone ensured that Su Shen wouldn¡¯t feel embarrassed.

    Drinking after a day¡¯s hard work at the pig farm was normal.

    Jin Long prided himself on his thoughtfulness and meticulous care.

    Sure enough, Su Shen accepted Lin Cheng¡¯s invitation and joined the men for a drink. Jin Long further contributed peanuts and sliced pig ears as snacks, encouraging Su Shen to drink more for a potentially different experience that night. ¡°My Brother Shen, drink more. Tonight will definitely be different!¡±

    Unaware of the true nature of the wine, Su Shen initially joined in the drinking without suspicion. However, Jin Long¡¯s insinuations made him cautious, fearing the wine might contain something more.

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    Some of the men, sensing the distinctive taste, anticipated a passionate evening with their wives.

    The brief respite lasted only five minutes before everyone returned to their respective tasks-

    Jin Long followed Su Shen into his office, leaving another bottle of the special wine on his desk.

    ¡°I¡¯ve saved this one especially for you, take it home and enjoy it slowly.¡±

    Busy with calculations, Su Shen found Jin Long¡¯s persistent chatter distracting, merely asking him to leave the wine on the table..

 Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: She Was Very Lucky

    Chapter 259: She Was Very Lucky

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long, having placed the wine, left without saying much more. In his heart, he calculated that once Su Shen understood the purpose of the wine, he would surely be grateful.

    He didn¡¯t need any thanks. As long as Su Shen remembered that he was a good brother, it would be fine.

    Meanwhile, at the Su residence.

    Gu Zi, after returning home, didn¡¯t idle away her time. Though she aspired for a leisurely life, she understood that quality living didn¡¯t equate to a life of languor. Gu Zi believed that total idleness could lead to one¡¯s downfall, a fate she intended to avoid.

    She and her daughter, Su Le, played games in the yard, letting their dog, Big Yellow, roam freely, reveling in the family¡¯s company.

    Afterward, Gu Zi let Su Le watch TV while she went upstairs to change the bed sheets, soaking the used ones in preparation for washing later that evening.

    Suddenly craving something sweet, Gu Zi stepped out to buy some traditional sour yogurt. She then made a fruit salad using the yogurt, various fruits from home, crushed peanuts, raisins, goji berries, and crumbled soda biscuits.

    Enjoying the fruit salad while watching TV and occasionally playing with Su Le, Gu Zi relished the comfort and simplicity of her life. Her plans were straightforward: care for her children while preparing for university exams.

    Once enrolled, she would balance motherhood with her studies, and when Lele was old enough for kindergarten, she could focus more on herself.

    By then, she would have a family and a degree. It would be a good choice for her to go abroad for further studies or to do something that she was interested in.

    Unlike her previous life, where she toiled endlessly for money without a sense of poetry or purpose, Gu Zi no longer aimed just to survive but to live with quality.

    Her previous experiences in the workforce, where initial aspirations were overshadowed by the complexities of office politics, had taught her harsh lessons. The glorified strength and independence she was supposed to feel as a woman persisting through sickness and relentless work felt more like brainwashing.

    In that life, men and women alike became mere cogs in a machine, often with disproportionate effort and reward. Companies claimed to want wolves, not sheep, but paid just enough for a grass diet. How could a wolf thrive on grass? Or a grass-fed wolf have the strength to hunt?

    The truth was that most companies didn¡¯t want wolves; they wanted sheep in wolves¡¯ clothing. Even in their grass diets, there was disparity: some ate basic grass for lack of choice, while others, through relentless effort, afforded branded grass, maintaining a facade of prestige.

    Even when she realized that she might have been brainwashed by some upper-class societal mechanism, it was too late. Like most, she was already trapped in that pattern, unable to break free ¡ª and that was the most terrifying part.

    Fortunate to have been given a new lease on life. Gil Zi was determined to

    cherish and enjoy this second chance fully.

    Thus, she had no plans for more children. Gu Zi felt that while it was acceptable not to have contraceptives on her first night, moving forward, she needed to be vigilant.

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    Condoms were becoming widely available in this era, as she discovered through an online search. Almost every city had latex factories producing them for department stores, and some towns even installed condom vending machines for easy access. What surprised her the most was the environmental consciousness of the era ¨C the condoms were reusable!

    Since they were going to the city tomorrow, Gu Zi planned to take the opportunity to buy some condoms. This way, they would not have to worry too much about getting pregnant.

    When Su Bing and Su Li returned from school, they were greeted by the rich aroma of milk. Gu Zi, having just prepared two bowls of fruit salad, told them, ¡°Eat this first to tide you over before your homework. I¡¯ll start cooking dinner soon. ¡±

    Su Li, eyeing a bowl of fruit salad, quickly grabbed it, saying, ¡°Thanks, Mom! I passed my math test ¨C got sixty-five!¡±

    Su Bing, more reserved, picked up the other bowl and thanked Gu Zi. His math test score was a perfect hundred, leaving no room for improvement..

 Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Proud of Her Children

    Chapter 260: Proud of Her Children

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing, reflecting on his consistent full marks in the past, suddenly felt a tinge of regret. He wished he hadn¡¯t always scored perfectly, so he could share the excitement of achieving full marks for the first time with his mother now.

    The idea of sharing this joy seemed more fulfilling to him than the actual achievement of full marks.

    He even considered intentionally answering a question or two incorrectly in the future. Such a strategy, he thought, might draw his mother¡¯s attention and recognition. Secretly, Su Bing had resolved to do just that.

    He didn¡¯t intend to divert his mother¡¯s attention from his younger brother, yet he longed for her praise and affection too.

    When Gu Zi learned of Su Li¡¯s success in the math exam, her face lit up with a delighted smile. She affectionately patted her son¡¯s head, saying, ¡°I always knew our second son was capable. With hard work, he can always improve!¡±

    Su Li basked in the warmth of his mother¡¯s love, his smile radiant. Yogurt still clung to his mouth, resembling Santa Claus¡¯s white beard.

    He proudly pointed at Su Bing, exclaiming, ¡°Mom, brother got 100 points again! He¡¯s even more amazing, getting full marks every time!¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze, filled with surprise, turned to Su Bing. Su Bing, feeling somewhat shy, averted her eyes from her mother.

    Each time Su Bing scored 100, there was no room for improvement. Would his mother still praise him? He waited in anticipation.

    Gu Zi warmly said, ¡°Su Bing, just as I thought, you¡¯re a brilliant child. Both of you are wonderful. I¡¯m so proud of you!¡±

    Su Bing slowly looked up, her cheeks tinged with a blush, and vowed, ¡°I will continue to work hard.¡±

    It dawned on him that he didn¡¯t need to make mistakes intentionally. His mother¡¯s praise was generous and heartfelt, even when she knew his scores.

    He no longer wished to deliberately lower his scores. In the future, he wanted to maintain his perfect scores, making his mother proud every time.

    Gu Zi declared, ¡°You both are so amazing. Today, we must celebrate with something special as a reward!¡±

    She also planned to buy small gifts for them the next day as a tangible reward, but she kept it a secret to maintain the surprise.

    After settling Su Le, Su Bing and Su Li went off to do their homework, while Gu Zi headed to the kitchen.

    Su Bing quickly finished his homework and went to the kitchen to help his mother cook.

    Gu Zi had prepared lean pork hind legs, removing the fascia and cutting them into large pieces. She was pounding the meat with a mallet. When Su Bing came to assist, Gu Zi handed him another mallet.

    ¡°Beat this into a paste,¡± Gu Zi instructed. ¡°Add water and ginger while pounding. The more you work it, the smoother the paste will become.¡±

    Su Bing took up the task adeptly. Together, they prepared a large bowl of smooth meat paste.

    Gu Zi then added an egg, salt, gourmet powder, and other seasonings to the paste, followed by sweet potato powder, kneading it thoroughly. The effort made her forehead sweat, a testament to the task¡¯s physical demands.

    Gu Zi readied the meat paste and instructed Su Bing, ¡°The water¡¯s boiling. Use a knife to scrape the paste into pieces for cooking. I¡¯ll season it.¡±

    ¡°What are we making?¡± Su Bing asked, curious.

    ¡°Fuding meat slices.¡±

    Gu Zi crushed seaweed into the soup bowl, adding another layer of flavor.

    When Su Shen returned, he was greeted by the sight of Gu Zi with a large bowl of soup garnished with seaweed, chopped green onions, and coriander. The soup, filled with bright pink meat slices, was tantalizing.

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    The fragrance of meat mingled with the aromatic condiments, whetting Su Shen¡¯s appetite.

    Gu Zi embraced him, saying, ¡°Go wash your hands. Dinner¡¯s ready. Tonight, it¡¯s dumplings and Fuding meat slices.¡±

    The dinner was simple yet satisfying. Dumplings steamed in a bamboo steamer, served alongside the meat slices and soup, offered a fresh and invigorating meal.

    Su Shen kissed Gu Zits forehead and washed his hands, cherishing the simplicity and joy of his current life. He hoped for it to always remain undisturbed.

    During dinner, the deliciousness of the meat slices conquered Su Shen, his sons, and little Lele. Tender, smooth, and chewy, the meat¡¯s natural flavor was enhanced by a subtle hint of seaweed, making it irresistible. After such a satisfying meal, what worries could possibly linger?

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Showering Together

    Chapter 261: Showering Together

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi had not indulged in Fuding sliced meat for a long time, dinner that night was particularly satisfying. After tidying up the kitchen and dining area, she felt the need for a stroll to aid digestion.

    With Su Shen busy training their sons in the horse stance in the yard, Gu Zi decided to take Su Le out in a small cart.

    The village, devoid of street lamps, was enveloped in darkness at night. Gu Zi stepped out with a flashlight, not intending to wander far from the Su family¡¯s residence. She circled the house twice before Su Shen, having finished his training, joined her for a walk.

    ¡°Finished training already?¡± Gu Zi asked, though his presence provided her with a sense of comfort. The night¡¯s darkness, even close to home, had felt intimidating alone. Now, accompanied by Su Shen¡¯s tall and formidable figure, her fears dissipated.

    As they walked side by side, Su Shen took the stroller from her, pushing it ahead. ¡°They just need to grasp the basics of the horse stance. The rest comes with practice. Their form is already quite good,¡± he assured her.

    In the army, Su Shen had been efficient in training recruits, focusing on teaching the methods and allowing soldiers to practice and discover finer points independently. He preferred soldiers who could train autonomously, applying the same expectation to his sons.

    When their walk concluded, Su Bing and Su Li were still practicing the stance. They practiced in ten -minute intervals, followed by short breaks. Half an hour had passed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it,¡± Su Shen advised them. ¡°Long sessions might harm your knees. Finish this set, then shower and sleep.¡± The boys responded in unison,

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Gu Zi marveled at how much they resembled soldiers.

    She carried the sleeping Su Le upstairs, changed her into pajamas, and put her to bed.

    In the bathroom, as Gu Zi was about to apply shower gel, Su Shen entered. Shirtless, with a cold expression and deep gaze, his tense, handsome features and sharp jawline exuded strength.

    He took off his pants only after closing the door, but even fully undressed, the sight was pleasing. Su Shen¡¯s physique was impressive: wide shoulders, narrow waist, and well-defined muscles that were strong but not overdone. His bronzed skin bore scars that added to his masculine aura.

    His well-defined abs led down to a prominent mermaid line, and from his underwear emerged a significant presence. Gu Zi, already wet from the shower, felt a dryness in her mouth and throat, swallowing hard.

    The thought of rejecting such a man seemed impossible. She almost instinctively wanted to welcome him.

    Su Shen, driven by instinct, embraced her. He kissed her lips and neck, caressed her breasts, leaving fiery marks. His rough fingers worked the shower gel into her skin, creating a sensual and aphrodisiac effect.

    Gu Zi, still apprehensive about intimacy, felt her body responding with heat and yearning. His fingers deftly explored her, timing their entry perfectly, as the warm water added to the stimulation.

    His words, explicit in nature, heightened the sensation as he began to move his fingers. Gu Zi gasped softly, waves of pleasure overwhelming her.

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    She tilted her head back, her long black hair cascading down. Strands clung to her neck and back, creating a tantalizing image.

    Su Shen, guiding her to turn around, admired her curvaceous figure. His hand on her buttocks emphasized their softness and firmness, offering a tactile and visual delight.

    His arousal was evident, pressing against her. Wanting to reassure her, he explained, ¡°I won¡¯t penetrate. Just press your legs together; I¡¯ll take care of the rest. We¡¯ll buy condoms in the city tomorrow.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised to find their thoughts aligned.

    Following his direction, she braced against the wall, arching her back and closing her legs in anticipation..

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Someone Else In Her Heart

    Chapter 262: Someone Else In Her Heart

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen, embracing Gu Zi¡¯s slender waist, leaned in close, positioning himself between her legs. His movements seemed intentional, his manhood placed precisely against her thigh, tantalizingly close to her most sensitive spot.

    Despite not penetrating, the stimulation was intense, eliciting waves of pleasure. Su Shen¡¯s motions intensified, his manhood brushing against her, both adding to her arousal. Overwhelmed, Gu Zi moaned, feeling an unfamiliar boldness take over her.

    In the midst of their heated moment, Su Shen¡¯s actions grew more fervent. At the climax, he lavished attention on her breasts, and the culmination of his desire was evident in the heat between her legs.

    Gu Zi, spent and trembling from the intensity, felt an involuntary response in her body, almost mirroring his climax.

    Afterward, she was left feeling delicate and cherished. Su Shen tenderly bathed her, dressed her in pajamas, and carried her to bed, holding her close in his arms.

    Lying there, Su Shen¡¯s thoughts wandered to the wine bottles and unfamiliar car Golden Dragon had mentioned the day after their wedding. He wasn¡¯t troubled by Gu Zit s past, but he feared losing her to someone else. Her allure was undeniable, and he knew any man would be drawn to her.

    His concern wasn¡¯t about his ability to compete; it was the fear that someone else might still hold a place in her heart.

    Under the covers, Su Shen sought intimacy, asking, ¡°Gu Zi, let me be close for a while? Just a minute.¡± His hand slid under her pajamas, gently caressing her.

    Gu Zi, understanding men¡¯s fascination with the female form, agreed softly, mindful of the sleeping Su Le beside them.

    Under the blanket, Su Shen¡¯s actions were bold, almost devouring in their intensity. Gu Zi struggled to contain her reactions, her body responding despite her attempts to stay quiet.

    After what felt like an eternity to her, she sensed a deep possessiveness in his actions, almost intimidating in its intensity.

    She pondered over Su Shen¡¯s recent behavior, putting aside work to be with her, and realized that sometimes men could be more sensitive and vulnerable

    than women.

    It seemed she couldn¡¯t wait for him to bring up whatever was on his mind. She needed to initiate the conversation.

    ¡°Su Shen, we¡­¡± she began, but looking up, she realized he had already fallen asleep, still holding her. With no response to her gentle nudges, she decided to find another time for their talk.

    The next morning, Gu Zi woke up late. The children had already left for school, and Su Shen had prepared breakfast while caring for Lele.

    Su Shen had improved significantly in his parenting skills, now able to engage Little Lele rather than being ignored.

    ¡°Eat your porridge quickly, then we¡¯ll head to the city,¡± Su Shen urged, embracing her and guiding her and their daughter to the dining room.

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    Breakfast was a cozy affair with Su Shen attentively accompanying her and caring for their daughter.

    For the city trip, they took a small car instead of a motorcycle. Gu Zi dressed elegantly in a floral white dress and high heels, complemented by Su Shen¡¯s height, which allowed her to wear them comfortably.

    Their daughter was dressed in a pink princess dress with red leather shoes, and the family of three set off happily.

    In the city, their first stop was a tailor shop. Custom-made clothing was highly valued in this era, a mark of status and individual style. The tailor shop¡¯s garments were known for their quality and durability, standing apart from the later brands that focused more on name than substance.

    Gu Zi, however, chose ready-made items from the tailor shop¡¯s display, finding the available styles already to her liking..

 Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Gu Zi Is Really Lucky

    Chapter 263: Gu Zi Is Really Lucky

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi chose a sleeveless blue and white porcelain cheongsam to try on. Su Shen, without even seeing her in it, knew that her elegant figure would make the cheongsam look stunning.

    As she emerged from the fitting room, she instantly became the center of attention in the store. Passersby couldn¡¯t help but comment.

    ¡°This girl is so beautiful. It¡¯s a pity she¡¯s married. She could have been a big star,¡± one remarked.

    ¡°Look at her husband. He¡¯s quite handsome, and their children are so well-behaved. This family is truly blessed,¡± another added.

    ¡°Her husband seems so stern. How did such a cold man end up with such a beautiful woman?¡± a third pondered.

    Gu Zi, turning to Su Shen, asked, ¡°How about this?¡±

    Su Shen, after a careful look, picked a white beaded shawl from a nearby display and draped it over her shoulders.

    Gu Zi playfully glared at him. ¡°Why are you covering my arms?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost autumn, isn¡¯t a shawl just right for the season?¡± Su Shen replied firmly. ¡°Let¡¯s buy it together.¡±

    Convinced by his reasoning, Gu Zi agreed to purchase both the cheongsam and the shawl.

    After choosing outfits for herself and a small qipao for Su Le, who looked adorable in it, they left the tailor shop for a dry goods store. There, they bought an assortment of traditional health products, planning to keep half for themselves and gift the other half to the Lin family.

    Next, Gu Zi led Su Shen to an antique shop in the west of the city. The shop was filled with a mix of genuinely old and artificially aged items.

    She selected a pair of 14K gold pocket watches from the Republic of China era as gifts for her two boys. These watches were not only exquisite but also functional, a rarity that made their ticking sound particularly delightful.

    She remembered that this kind of pocket watch would have a lot of room for appreciation in the future. It would be her first small investment as a mother to the brothers.

    Gu Zi did not ask Su Shen to pay this time. She insisted on paying a huge sum of 500 yuan.

    After the two of them came out of the antique shop, they saw a condom vending machine at the corner of an intersection. Su Shen stepped out to make the purchase, returning with two boxes of large condoms.

    Gu Zi, slightly blushing, discreetly tucked them away under other items.

    Su Shen, noticing her shy behavior, found it endearing but chose not to tease her, understanding her modest nature.

    The convenience of driving allowed them to make various stops, including the department store for essentials and fresh produce, before heading back to the village.

    Arriving home around eleven, villagers noticed their car, sparking comments about Su Shen¡¯s wealth and Gu Zi¡¯s fortune.

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    As they moved their purchases inside, Aunt Yang approached Gu Zi with a bundle of freshly picked wild onions, a kind gesture from the hillside. Gu Zi gratefully accepted them, not wanting to make Aunt Yang feel awkward with formalities.

    ¡°Aunt Yang, wait here, I¡¯ll get something for you,¡± Gu Zi said, quickly fetching two fresh snow pears for her, insisting she take them before closing the courtyard door.

    Gu Zi appreciated these small opportunities to offer kindness in return, like getting something for Aunt Yang, even if it was just a small gesture.

    Outside, Aunt Yang gazed at the pears, feeling a twinge of sorrow. She often wondered why her own children couldn¡¯t be as kind to her as Gu Zi, an

    outsider, was..

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Itâ€™s Also A Skill

    Chapter 264: It¡¯s Also A Skill

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Aunt Yang, going back already?¡± Someone saw Aunt Yang and greeted her familiarly.

    Aunt Yang used to live in Little Lin Village and only moved to Daqing Village with her son later.

    However, in these villages, almost all the people over thirty knew Aunt Yang.

    In her younger years, Aunt Yang was a respected figure, the head of the women¡¯s department overseeing three villages, and the daughter of a respected village secretary. She was a celebrated and ambitious young woman, admired wherever she went. Now, time had transformed her into a white-haired elder who had endured many life challenges.

    The villagers recalled how Aunt Yang, despite her affluent family background, had a life that took a turn for the worse after her marriage. Unlike Gu Zi, who had found happiness with Su Shen, Aunt Yang¡¯s choice of husband had led her down a path of hardship.

    Therefore, choosing a husband was also a skill!

    If you choose the right one, you will be happy from now on. If you choose the wrong one, he will push you into the abyss.

    Aunt Yang saw that they were all familiar faces. She turned around and

    squeezed out a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going back now.¡±

    After Aunt Yang had finished speaking and walked away with the snow pears, a group of women near the Su family¡¯s house began to discuss recent events. ¡°Did you hear what happened this morning? My house is just across a small path from Aunt Yang¡¯s. I could hear everything clearly,¡± one woman said. ¡°Mrs. Wang was scolding her again. Poor Yuan Yuan, crying and begging, ¡®Old thing, don¡¯t go. Old thing, come back.¡¯ It was heart-wrenching to hear.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Wang really doesn¡¯t have any right to chase her away like that!¡± another woman added indignantly. ¡°If she didn¡¯t call her those names so often, Yuan Yuan wouldn¡¯t be repeating them. Children think it¡¯s normal to call his grandma ¡®old thing.¡±¡®

    ¡°It all boils down to the son¡¯s behavior. If Aunt Yang had followed her family¡¯s advice and left Yang Tao with his father¡¯s family, she wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. But ultimately, it was her husband who brought all this misfortune upon her.¡±

    The conversation shifted to Aunt Yang¡¯s past. ¡°Aunt Yang came from such a good family, yet she fell for the accountant in the rice shop,¡± a woman recalled. ¡°She even had her father arrange the marriage proposal.¡±

    ¡°The accountant agreed immediately when he learned he was being matched with the daughter of the Yang family,¡± another chimed in. ¡°They married quickly, and soon after, Aunt Yang was expecting Yang Tao. Life seemed peaceful at first.¡±

    ¡°But then,¡± another woman continued, ¡°the accountant realized that the Yang family, despite their reputation, weren¡¯t wealthy. Aunt Yang¡¯s father, despite being a high-ranking official, was honest and didn¡¯t exploit his position for personal gain. This was different from what the accountant had expected.¡±

    ¡°Not long after Yang Tao was born, the accountant claimed he wanted to seek a

    better life for his family and left to make his fortune,¡± said another. ¡°Aunt Yang, believing in his intentions, gave him all her savings to support his endeavor.¡±

    ¡°But the man didn¡¯t return for seven years,¡± another woman added sadly. ¡°He even had the audacity to ask Aunt Yang for more money, claiming he¡¯d been cheated. And when Yang Tao turned seven, he sent word asking for a divorce.¡±

    ¡°He handled the divorce through a proxy and never returned,¡± someone else interjected. ¡°Later, Aunt Yang discovered he¡¯d remarried and had a new family.

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    Worse still, he¡¯d left her with debts he¡¯d incurred.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Yang¡¯s family urged her to leave her son with the accountant¡¯s relatives and remarry, given her good looks and family background,¡± another woman said. ¡°But Aunt Yang refused to abandon her son. She chose to live in her marital home, enduring the mistreatment of her ex-husband¡¯s family, raising her son alone, and even paying off his debts.¡±

    ¡°But look how it turned out, ¡± a voice said with a tinge of bitterness. ¡°Despite all her sacrifices, her son turned out so ungrateful. It¡¯s unbearable to see.¡±

    ¡°Like father, like son,¡± another woman remarked cynically. ¡°With genes from a man like that, how could Yang Tao turn out any different? He¡¯s just like his father.¡±

    Gu Zi, overhearing the conversation while cleaning the wild onions, couldn¡¯t help but frown at the sad tale of Aunt Yang¡¯s life, a story marked by resilience in the face of unrelenting hardship and ingratitude..

 Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Having Children

    Chapter 265: Having Children

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    She was completely in the dark about the morning¡¯s events and the reasons behind Mrs. Wang¡¯s decision to send Aunt Yang away. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but sense a connection to the red packet money Aunt Yang had received. As she continued to clean the wild onions, her ears strained to catch the conversation outside.

    Someone asked, ¡°Do you think Yang Tao would have treated Aunt Yang better if she hadn¡¯t remarried?¡± After all, Yang Tao must have faced hardships when Aunt Yang entered her second marriage.

    After her divorce, Aunt Yang had lived alone with Yang Tao for seven years before marrying her second husband and having a daughter. The second husband was an honest man, but his extended family had a penchant for gossip, often spreading rumors about Aunt Yang behind her back. Even her second husband¡¯s sisters-in-law delighted in sowing discord, gradually causing friction between Aunt Yang and her husband. It was clear that Yang Tao had suffered greatly from this turmoil.

    Later, Aunt Yang¡¯s second husband fell ill, and she dutifully cared for him until his passing. It was a string of unfortunate events, one leading to another. All the hardships in life seemed to fall upon Aunt Yang.

    Someone chimed in, ¡°Actually, Yang Tao¡¯s attitude doesn¡¯t stem from Aunt Yang¡¯s remarriage. It¡¯s because he truly doesn¡¯t want her to remarry. Imagine, a mother being treated this way by her son and daughter-in-law just because she couldn¡¯t establish a family business for her son when she was young ¡ª what¡¯s the point of having children?¡±

    People often said that having children ensured you wouldn¡¯t grow old alone, but if all children were like Yang Tao, what was the point? If everyone shared his mentality, how many elderly villagers would be driven out of their homes?

    Yang Tao¡¯s father had been irresponsible, and it was inevitable that Aunt Yang suffered as a result. Aunt Yang had the ability to build a family business, but Yang Tao¡¯s father had been a burden. Even after their divorce, she had to help him pay off his debts. She had to work tirelessly to provide for herself and her son. How could she accumulate wealth and establish a thriving family business under such circumstances?

    Aunt Yang¡¯s father, Old Secretary Yang, was a good official. He did things honestly and never used his power.

    Aunt Yang¡¯s father, Old Secretary Yang, had been an upright official who never abused his power. However, after his departure, the Yang family lost their status in the village¡¯s official circles. Their once-glittering reputation had faded, and someone else had taken Aunt Yang¡¯s position as the head of the women¡¯s department.

    Earning money as a woman in the countryside was no easy feat.

    ¡°Then why did Mrs. Wang send Aunt Yang away today?¡± someone finally broached the question that Gu Zi was eager to know the answer to. She listened intently from the courtyard.

    The informant replied, ¡°It¡¯s even more absurd. Didn¡¯t the Lin family invite Aunt Yang to lead the wedding just a few days ago? Gu Zi was kind enough to persuade her mother to give Aunt Yang a generous 20 -yuan red packet. That¡¯s not a small amount. Mrs. Wang had initially demanded that Aunt Yang hand over the money.¡±

    ¡°Did Aunt Yang refuse to give it to her?¡± someone asked, sympathy in their tone. ¡°But honestly, if I were her, I wouldn¡¯t have given it up either. Usually, my wife takes every cent I earn. It¡¯s hard enough to come by some extra money, and she still wants a share. Isn¡¯t that too much? Look at how thin Aunt Yang has become!¡±

    Aunt Yang had once been plump and healthy, but her health deteriorated after

    Mrs. Wang¡¯s marriage to Yang Tao. It was evident why she had become so thin. It was no surprise that she lost weight while enduring mistreatment and insufficient food at home.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t give it to her. Besides, Mrs. Wang had asked Aunt Yang to buy fish this morning. Mrs. Wang only found out that Aunt Yang had already spent the 20 yuan at the hospital yesterday. Mrs. Wang¡¯s demeanor changed immediately, and she scolded Aunt Yang severely, throwing her belongings out. It¡¯s just a tough situation all around.¡±

    Tears welled up in everyone¡¯s eyes as they heard the insider¡¯s account. They sighed in unison, ¡°Mrs. Wang is really pushing it. Where else can an elderly woman like Aunt Yang go?¡±

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    The informant continued, ¡°Aunt Yang is actually quite resilient. After collecting her belongings, she went back to Little Lin Village. I suppose she returned to her old, run-down house.¡±

    Gu Zi sat on a small wooden bench, lost in her thoughts. No one knew what was going through her mind, but she seemed distant.

    Su Shen walked over and gently patted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t seem too happy,¡± he remarked.

    Gu Zi snapped back to reality and looked at Su Shen. ¡°Su Shen, your family was also quite poor back then. Did you ever resent your parents for their struggles?¡±

    Su Shen shook his head. Although he had faced hardships in his youth, he never held any grudges against his parents. Nevertheless, it was true that he had a reserved demeanor, and he couldn¡¯t quite understand why some people chose to complain about their circumstances..

 Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Iâ€™m Very Lucky

    Chapter 266: I¡¯m Very Lucky

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Why?¡± Gu Zi hugged his leg, her voice soft and curious.

    Su Shen straightened up, his tall frame casting a shadow over her as he blocked the sunlight. ¡°Whether our parents¡¯ generation was rich or poor wasn¡¯t a choice they had. Not every era had the opportunity for reform and openness, and we didn¡¯t always live in peaceful and stable times,¡± he explained.

    Su Shen understood the value of peace better than most. He knew that it was a rare and precious commodity. For a country to prosper and its people to be happy, a peaceful environment was a necessity.

    Unfortunately, since the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the fate of the country had been tumultuous. Now, it seemed like things were finally settling down. In their parents¡¯ time, given the national circumstances, most people lived in poverty, and they had little chance of escaping it. It wasn¡¯t due to a lack of effort, but rather the country¡¯s need for development.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So, do you believe our country will prosper in the future?¡±

    Su Shen replied confidently, ¡°Why not? Most of our parents were ordinary people, and we don¡¯t expect them to provide us with much. They couldn¡¯t even if they wanted to. But our generation lives in a time filled with opportunities. We can work hard and create better lives for ourselves. There¡¯s no reason to doubt our country¡¯s potential for prosperity.¡±

    A smile spread across Gu Zi¡¯s face as the worries that had clouded her mind since Aunt Yang¡¯s ordeal began to dissipate. ¡°You have such wisdom, Su Shen. It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve risen above adversity. I¡¯m truly grateful that I had the chance to meet you,¡± she said.

    Gu Zi resonated with Su Shen¡¯s perspective. The fate of a nation had a profound impact on the destinies of families and every citizen. Family and country were intricately connected, and their fortunes were often intertwined. When the country thrived, so did its people. Sometimes, personal abilities couldn¡¯t overcome the constraints of poverty.

    Gu Zi recognized that this was why Su Shen, as a soldier, always prioritized his military duties above all else. He understood that as long as the country was strong and stable, its citizens wouldn¡¯t suffer unduly. It was his way of protecting those he cared about.

    Su Shen couldn¡¯t fathom why Gu Zi suddenly broached this topic, but her words put him at ease. He realized that, in her heart, his position as her husband now held more significance than her past love. The tension he had been carrying over the past few days gradually dissipated, replaced by a deep sense of honor in being Gu Zi¡¯s husband.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the pig farm. I¡¯ll be back for lunch,¡± Su Shen announced before leaning down to kiss Gu Zi. She, in turn, continued her task of cleaning wild onions and headed to the kitchen to wash them.

    Just as she had begun cooking rice, a commotion erupted outside. Curious, she went to investigate and found a woman in her fifties kneeling at the doorstep, with Su Jing and a few villagers as witnesses.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, the woman burst into tears and even kowtowed before her, pleading, ¡°You¡¯re Gu Zi, aren¡¯t you? I beg you, please have mercy and let our Tian Hai and the old man go! Show us a way out!¡±

    Gu Zi exchanged a look with Su Jing, whose demeanor remained composed, not indicating any involvement in this situation. It didn¡¯t seem like she had incited Tian Hail s mother to cause a scene, especially after their previous reconciliation.

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    There was only one plausible explanation ¨C Tian Hails mother had insisted on coming, and Su Jing had merely followed along as she was still a part of the Tian family. But Gu Zi couldn¡¯t comprehend why Su Jing hadn¡¯t severed ties with Tian Hai. Was her attachment to him so deep that she couldn¡¯t let go?

    Nonetheless, Gu Zi had no intention of prying further. Su Jing was an adult, and she had the autonomy to make her own choices.

    Facing the woman kneeling before her, Gu Zi replied coolly, ¡°You make it sound as if I¡¯ve harmed your son. If you¡¯re here to beg for leniency, you¡¯ve come to the wrong place. You should go to the police station. And if you¡¯ve come to apologize, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s any need for that.¡±

    She then turned her attention to Su Jing, who calmly stated, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I just came back to take a look.¡±

    Gu Zi, being straightforward, didn¡¯t beat around the bush. She said plainly, ¡°I wanted to invite you inside. You¡¯re Su Shen¡¯s sister, after all. How could you not come home? But if you¡¯re here to echo Tian Hai¡¯s mother, then I don¡¯t welcome you here..¡±

 Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Iâ€™ll End It Right Here

    Chapter 267: I¡¯ll End It Right Here

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing Su Jing¡¯s words, the middle-aged woman who had been kneeling on the ground suddenly realized that Su Jing and Gu Zi were in cahoots. It explained why Su Jing had been so calm and composed in the Tian family lately; she was clearly aligning herself with her own family.

    Mother Tian abruptly stood up from her kneeling position and pointed an accusing finger at Su Jing, venting her anger, ¡°You wretched woman! My son¡¯s misfortune is all because of you! Why didn¡¯t you intercede for him? Why did you come back here? Well, you¡¯re no longer welcome in my house!¡±

    Mother Tian was a team leader at the city¡¯s cotton textile factory and had always harbored disdain for Su Jing, a rural woman. However, her son, Tian Hai, had insisted on being with Su Jing. Eventually, she learned that Su Jing¡¯s brother owned the pig farm, which put her mind at ease about letting Su Jing reside with the Tian family.

    Over the years, Su Jing had sided with the Tian family, and in return, the Tian family had enjoyed a peaceful life and various benefits. She never expected Su Jing to change sides now. If she wished to remain in the Tian family, she needed to plead for Tian Hai and work towards his release from the Public Security Bureau as soon as possible.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you kneeling just now?¡± Su Jing smiled, her tone sly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you Imeeling now? Your apology seems rather insincere. I¡¯m your son¡¯s girlfriend, and unless he says otherwise, you have no right to chase me away.¡±

    She had not left the Tian family yet, but that did not mean that she still had any hope for her future with Tian Hai.

    She just needed to figure out some things on her own. She needed time to digest these changes.

    Furthermore, Su Jing was no longer as submissive as she used to be when it came to Mother tian.

    Seeing Su Jing speak up, Gu Zi ignored Mother Tian, who, seeing her softer approach had failed, decided to resort to force. She had come here to cause trouble because due to Su Jing¡¯s sister-in-law, her husband and son had been arrested, causing her immense embarrassment ¨C something she had never experienced before.

    In the cotton textile factory, she was used to receiving fawning respect from the workers she managed. She couldn¡¯t bear to leave empty-handed after putting aside her pride to beg for forgiveness. Mother Tian¡¯s true nature began to emerge as she accused Gu Zi, ¡°You want to report my son for something as trivial as a few glances? You want him to go to jail? It¡¯s just a few lingering looks; do you have to ruin a person¡¯s life?¡±

    Mother Tian didn¡¯t believe her son was at fault in the slightest. She subscribed to the notion that men were inherently lustful, and what was wrong with them appreciating a few glances? Gu Zi, in her eyes, seemed like a seductress. Was Tian Hai not allowed to look at her? This woman had led her son to his current predicament, and she wasn¡¯t about to let her off easily.

    Mother Tian had been using her connections to secure the release of her husband and son, but her efforts had been in vain so far. She felt that she had no choice but to hold on to the woman who had supposedly caused her son¡¯s downfall. It was clear she intended to make things difficult for everyone involved.

    Gu Zi, upon hearing this, finally understood why someone like Tian Hai existed; it was all because of his mother. She sneered and didn¡¯t respond, simply turning to look at Big Yellow.

    Addressing Mother Tian, she quipped, ¡°You speak like a wild dog barking. I don¡¯t understand a word. Why you don¡¯t convey your thoughts to Big Yellow?¡±

    Big Yellow, too, chimed in, responding to Gu Zits words. After hearing Gu Zi¡¯s command, it barked at Mother Tian a few times.

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    Bystanders couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant on Gu Zits behalf. One of them remarked, ¡°Exactly, a domestic dog is still better than some wild dogs that bite people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s a woman herself. According to her, if a man wants to look at her, she¡¯ll take off her clothes and let him look. I didn¡¯t expect someone of her age to be so open-minded.¡±

    Mother Tian felt as if these women were ganging up against her, likely because the Su family was affluent and Gu Zi was now Su Shen¡¯s woman. Dismissing their comments, she threatened Gu Zi, ¡°You people are truly ruthless! Do you want to see my son and husband suffer just to satisfy yourselves? Fine, fine, fine. I¡¯ll take my own life right here for you to witness. I¡¯ll end it right in front of your house.¡±

    Following her declaration, Mother Tian pretended to lunge into the wall. Observing her unreasonable and reckless behavior, the women who had previously spoken up for Gu Zi grew apprehensive. Fearing trouble, they began to walk away one by one.

    However, Gu Zi remained unfazed. The more Mother Tian insisted on ending her life, the less inclined Gu Zi was to intervene. Gu Zi responded, ¡°You can end it, but do it in front of my house. But I must warn you, no one will come to collect your body from such a remote location. I might just toss it a bit further away.. By the way, Su Jing, are you willing to handle her body?¡±

 Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Iâ€™m Afraid Iâ€™ll Be Jealous Of You

    Chapter 268: I¡¯m Afraid I¡¯ll Be Jealous Of You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi pretended to be enthusiastic as he asked Su Jing and looked at her.

    Su Jing waved her hand and cooperated.¡± Obviously not. But if you really die, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you sell your job in the textile factory. It¡¯s enough for me to play mahjong a few times.¡±

    When Mother Tian heard this, she thought, This is bad. Su Jing, this bad woman, is already planning to get her family¡¯s money, right?

    She did not dare to say that she was going to die. She immediately stopped banging her head against the wall. Her eyes were filled with a strong murderous intent as she warned Su Jing,¡± Don¡¯t you dare!¡± You guys actually dare to conspire against my family. Just you wait!¡±

    Mother Tian had no other choice. She left after saying those harsh words. This Gu Zi was not easy to deal with. She had to go back and think of a way to come back.

    She would not really chase Su Jing away now, because once Su Jing really left, Tian Hai would have no hope of coming out.

    She only had this one son. She would definitely get him out of prison!

    Although Su Jing was now leaning towards her maternal family, she knew how unwilling Su Jing was to leave her son.

    As long as Tian Hai could come out and coax Su Jing, there was no doubt that she would once again lean towards the Tian family¡¯s side.

    In that scenario, they would collaborate to marginalize Gu Zi, with the Su family¡¯s wealth becoming half of Su Jing¡¯s. The Tian family, in turn, would flourish.

    After Mother Tian¡¯s departure, tranquility finally returned. Gu Zi was left with a throbbing headache from the chaos earlier.

    She led Big Yellow into the house and turned to Su Jing, asking, ¡°Will you be staying for lunch? Your brother will return shortly.¡±

    Su Jing followed her inside. In the past, whenever Big Yellow saw Su Jing, it would treat her as a stranger and bark. However, the improved relationship between Su Jing and Gu Zi had transformed Big Yellow¡¯s attitude. Now, when Su Jing entered, Big Yellow even turned to look at her. It was believed that dogs possessed an understanding of human nature, and Su Jing had grasped a profound revelation today.

    Su Jing explained, ¡°I had actually planned to return today, but I didn¡¯t anticipate Tian Hails mother insisting on coming. I know she¡¯s here to stir up trouble, but I believe you can handle it.¡±

    Gu Zi rolled her eyes and retorted, ¡°I still think it¡¯s better if you hadn¡¯t brought her here.¡±

    Su Jing replied, ¡°I¡¯ll exercise more caution next time. I truly appreciate your acceptance. Moreover, I¡¯ve sensed a significant change and a different atmosphere since your arrival.¡±

    During her time in the Su family, Su Jing had never formed strong emotional connections because her parents had passed away early on. Her elder brother, Su Shen, possessed a distant and cold demeanor. Consequently, their home had never felt like a true home nor exuded warmth.

    Over the years, Su Jing had sought alternative sources of emotional fulfillment to fill the void in her family¡¯s emotional needs.

    After experiencing so many things, Su Jing slowly realized that she seemed to have lost herself along the way.

    However, there was no point in saying all this now.

    She followed Gu Zi to sit on the sofa and retrieved a bracelet from her handbag. Reflecting on it, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve actually brought something for you. It¡¯s a jade bracelet, and it comes as a pair. My mother gave it to me back then, instructing me to keep one for myself and the other for my brother¡¯s future wife.¡±

    This bracelet could be regarded as a family heirloom, and it was crafted from precious Hetian jade. Although it held substantial value, it carried an even deeper significance, which was why her family had been unwilling to part with it despite their financial struggles.

    Initially, Su Jing hadn¡¯t planned to reveal it, so no one else was aware of its existence.

    Gu Zi examined the bracelet and inquired, ¡°Why not keep it for yourself? You don¡¯t seem like someone who readily complies with instructions.¡±

    Su Jing placed the bracelet and its box on the low table and confessed, ¡°I did intend to keep it for myself,¡± she admitted candidly, ¡°but it rightfully belongs

    to you. Think of it as my way of trying to earn your favor. Additionally, I skipped your wedding because I was afraid I¡¯d become envious.¡±

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    Su Jing understood her brother well. If Gu Zi had married her brother, the wedding would have been a splendid affair. Su Jing, on the other hand, had chosen the wrong person and could only bide her time. Given such a stark contrast, it was hard for her not to feel a pang of jealousy when witnessing such a spectacle. Thus, despite her brother¡¯s invitation, she had opted not to attend.

    At that moment, Su Shen returned home. Upon seeing Su Jing, he approached and took a seat beside Gu Zi. He questioned Su Jing with a serious expression, inquiring about her reason for being there.

    Su Jing pursed her lips and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t bully your wife. I¡¯m quite nice, actually. I¡¯ve brought her a bracelet that Mom gave me. You can ask her yourself.¡±

    Su Shen turned to Gu Zi for confirmation, and she gazed at the bracelet on the table before responding, ¡°Yes, and I also invited my sister to stay for dinner, but I haven¡¯t started cooking yet, and I¡¯m not entirely sure if I should accept

    this bracelet..¡±

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Leleâ€™s Mom

    Chapter 269: Lele¡¯s Mom

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Now that Su Shen had returned, Gu Zi thought it best to let him make the decision regarding the bracelet.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze rested on the bracelet before him. A rare smile graced his lips, and he remarked to Su Jing, ¡°Thank goodness you still have it. You didn¡¯t sell it for gambling.

    Indeed, Su Shen immediately recognized the bracelet¡ªit was a pair, once part of his mother¡¯s dowry.

    Before she departed, she had secretly entrusted it to his unreliable little sister, Su Jing. In a private moment, their mother had confided in him that the bracelet was a test meant to temper Su Jing¡¯s character.

    He knew that his mother was biased towards his little sister and would always spend a lot of effort on her. Even on her deathbed, Su Jing was the one she missed the most.

    However, he felt that there was nothing to be jealous of. He did not even think that there was anything abnormal about it.

    Su Jing looked at him in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you knew I had this bracelet all along?¡± she asked.

    Because she could see that Su Shen was not surprised at all why the bracelet was in her hand. It was obvious that he had known about it long ago.

    With a sharp gleam in his eyes, Su Shen replied, ¡°Of course, I knew, but I was waiting for you to take it out yourself. Gu Zi, this belongs to you now.¡±

    Su Shen carefully picked up the bracelet and placed it onto Gu Zi¡¯s wrist. As their eyes met, they both blushed, and Gu Zi uttered her gratitude, saying to Su Jing, ¡°Thank you for safeguarding it all these years.¡±

    Su Jing was still processing the shock; she had always believed that her mother had entrusted the bracelet to her secretly, without anyone else¡¯s knowledge. It was a revelation that Su Shen had known all along, yet he had never asked her to reveal it.

    A warm surge of emotion welled up within Su Jing, eventually manifesting as tears that welled up in her eyes. She threw herself into Gu Zits embrace, crying, and lamented to Su Shen, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have made such grievous mistakes!¡±

    She regretted her choices, particularly her involvement with someone as terrible as Tian Hai. Su Jing couldn¡¯t help but berate herself for it.

    Seeing her in such disarray, her face flushed with tears and snot, Su Shen couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of disgust. She had soiled his wife.

    Su Le couldn¡¯t sit still when she saw Su Jing crying while hugging her mother.

    She crawled over from the other side of the sofa and pulled Su Jing away.

    Asserting her dominance, she declared, ¡°Mom! Lele¡¯s mom!¡±

    Su Jing had no choice but to stand up. She playfully pinched Su Lets cheeks. ¡°You little thing, I¡¯m your aunt!¡±

    Undeterred, Su Le crawled into Gu Zi¡¯s embrace, hugging her tightly while ignoring Su Jing. ¡°Mommy, mommy. Lele¡¯s mommy.¡±

    Su Jing, with a mixture of amusement and frustration, smiled through her tears. Gu Zi encouraged Su Jing to spend time with Su Le to strengthen their bond.

    Su Shen and Gu Zi headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch. They made five dishes and a soup for Su Jing to enjoy.

    Gu Zi could sense that Su Shen was delighted by Su Jing¡¯s current state. Nonetheless, Su Shen¡¯s demeanor remained composed and enigmatic, making it challenging to discern his emotions. It was no wonder that Su Jing sought affection elsewhere.

    Human beings were creatures that yearned for emotional warmth. Unfortunately, if a person was not wealthy enough, seeking a relationship solely for material gain might lead to unfavorable consequences. Regrettably, many failed to grasp this principle.

    Initially, Gu Zi had also been ignorant of this fact. Lacking the life experience of her previous incarnation, she might have fallen into the same misunderstanding as the original owner and Su Jing.

    After lunch, Su Shen returned to the pig farm, and Su Jing departed for the city.

    Gu Zi took a nap with Su Le.

    In her free time that afternoon, she crafted two beautiful gift boxes from colorful cardboard and folded numerous paper stars to adorn them. Gu Zi displayed remarkable dexterity, swiftly producing two beautifully adorned starry gift boxes that sat neatly on the table.

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    After school, Su Bing and Su Li walked much faster than usual.

    Upon reaching the bicycle shed, the siblings swiftly located their bikes and rode away.

    Su Li was eager to catch up with his brother, but in his haste, he fell just outside the school gate, scraping his knee.

    Despite the minor injury, he was excited about the gifts their mother would give them.

    Su Li dusted himself off, picked up his bicycle, and continued his journey..

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: I Am Very Honest Too

    Chapter 270: I Am Very Honest Too

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li quickly got back on his feet and resumed riding, taking only a moment to recover. He was so fast that Su Bing, who was leading the way, didn¡¯t notice what had happened when he glanced back.

    A strange sound reached Su Bing¡¯s ears, causing him to instinctively look behind. What he saw was nothing more than a blur left in the wake of his brother, Su Li.

    ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll make sure to beat you home this time!¡± Su Li¡¯s voice faded away with the wind as he pulled ahead.

    Su Bing remained silent, pedaling his bicycle at a leisurely pace behind Su Li. He knew his brother¡¯s temperament well, understanding that competing with him for the lead would only make the journey riskier.

    At the Su family¡¯s residence, Su Shen¡¯s car came to a stop in front of the house. The tall figure of a 1.9 -meter man emerged from the vehicle, his long legs drawing attention. He pressed his thin lips tightly, his healthy bronze complexion accentuated by a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes. Dressed in a white shirt buttoned up to the top, he exuded an air of cold and ascetic detachment. His commanding presence discouraged anyone from approaching him.

    Gu Zi heard the car¡¯s arrival and stepped outside to see Su Shen¡¯s return. She recalled his earlier words when he left for the pig farm, stating that he would return after a brief visit in the afternoon and a meeting in town. Consequently, she had been keeping an eye on the afternoon¡¯s activities.

    She carried Lele and walked toward him, her gaze filled with infatuation. She found him exceptionally striking, as if any garment he wore would instantly become fashionable.

    Normally, he was the rugged, powerful man in an army green vest, but now, he exuded an air of calm nobility in his white shirt.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but praise her good judgment. Men ought to be good-looking, irrespective of their status. Being easy on the eyes was always a plus, and she took delight in seeing a handsome man like Su Shen every day.

    Furthermore, he was incredibly considerate. As he approached, he naturally took Su Le from Gu Zi¡¯s arms, effortlessly carrying her while supporting Gu Zi with his other arm.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you park your car in town?¡± Gu Zi inquired, leaning on his shoulder.

    Su Shen shielded her as they entered the house. ¡°The day after tomorrow is the day you return home. Let¡¯s drive back.¡±

    They had brought along numerous gifts upon their return home, including the tonics and fruits they purchased in the morning. Additionally, Su Shen planned to present 50 catties of pork, two pigeons, and a sheep to the Lin family. Transporting them would be challenging without a vehicle.

    ¡°How much pork do you intend to deliver this time?¡± Gu Zi asked as she sat on the sofa. She was unaware of the pigeons and sheep; she only considered the quantity of pork the large pig farmer might take to her father¡¯s house.

    Seated beside her, Su Shen replied candidly, ¡°It¡¯s not much, just 50 catties. I¡¯ll have Brother Lin bring it over after I finish eating.¡±

    Although Lin Cheng was younger than Su Shen, it was customary for him to address Gu Zi as ¡®brother.¡¯ Su Shen found this arrangement quite pleasing.

    Upon hearing Su Shen address Lin Cheng as ¡®brother,¡¯ Gu Zi smiled and quipped, ¡°If you call him ¡®brother¡¯ on the pig farm, you might intimidate him.¡±

    Su Shen briefly contemplated and teasingly responded, ¡°I might give it a try next time.¡±

    Gu Zi believed her husband to be an honest man. Teasing him felt like bullying him, inducing a sense of guilt. She chuckled and remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t tease him. You know my brother is a straightforward guy.¡±

    Lin Cheng and Su Shen had one thing in common, and that was that they rarely spoke in front of people other than their wives.

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    However, Lin Cheng¡¯s communication style made him appear forthright and dutiful, whereas Su Shen did not project an image of honesty. As he stared at Gu Zi, his gaze became somewhat inscrutable. Gu Zi had been about to rise from the sofa for something, which also served to evade his strange stare. However, in the next moment, he grasped her, initiating a kiss.

    Simultaneously, Su Shen shielded Su Le¡¯s eyes with his other hand. His tongue gently parted Gu Zi¡¯s lips, engaging in a few enticing maneuvers. His kissing prowess had evidently improved rapidly, nearly causing Gu Zi to moan.

    ¡°Honey, I¡¯m honest and straightforward too,¡± he asserted, his expression remaining unchanged after breaking the kiss.

    With her heartbeat returning to its normal rhythm, Gu Zi observed Su Shen covering their daughter¡¯s eyes. She clenched her fist and playfully punched his chest. ¡°In the future, don¡¯t do that in front of our child.¡±

    Honest? After all, Su Shen didn¡¯t consider himself honest. There were times when he felt unscrupulous, such as during their recent kiss, or when they had played in the reeds. Such moments were undeniably thrilling..

 Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Motherâ€™s Gift

    Chapter 271: Mother¡¯s Gift

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had initially thought that she wouldn¡¯t feel so bashful after having sex a few times. However, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Su Shen would consistently possess the ability to tease her until her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She found herself wondering whether she should attribute it to his exuberance or her own vulnerability.

    Su Le was a little confused, reaching out to push away the large hand blocking her vision. She gazed at her father in puzzlement, then shifted her gaze to her mother. ¡®Eh, what happened just now?¡¯

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. She got up, went to drink a big glass of water, and returned to hug Su Le before playfully attacking Su Shen. She said, ¡°Daddy bullied Mommy. Lele has to protect Mommy. Do you understand?¡±

    Su Shen observed the mother and daughter and finally focused his gaze on the woman who was trying to sow discord before him. She was wearing a small dress that day, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, and she had chosen not to wear makeup. She looked exceptionally beautiful and endearing, especially after the kiss they had just shared. Su Shen felt an insatiable craving for this woman; she was utterly delectable, and he couldn¡¯t get enough.

    If this was considered bullying, he wished to continue indulging in it until she couldn¡¯t leave the bed.

    Gu Zi was frightened by his gaze and glared at him. Lele also learned Su Shen¡¯s trick and threw herself into Su Shen¡¯s arms. She covered his eyes with her small hand.

    Hmph, if he didn¡¯t let her see her mother, she wouldn¡¯t let him see her either!

    Outside the courtyard, Su Bing and Su Li arrived home. They were standing beside the car with gleaming eyes.

    It was a black car with a sleek and stylish design. It looked incredibly cool!

    From a distance, they recognized it as Dad¡¯s car because he had used it to pick up Mom on their wedding day.

    ¡°Brother, when I grow up, I want to buy a car to pick up my future wife!¡± Su Li exclaimed excitedly.

    Su Bing seemed lost in thought. After listening to his brother¡¯s words, he examined Su Li for a while before responding, ¡°How old are you? Why are already thinking of marrying a future wife? Can you handle women?¡±

    Su Li scratched his head. ¡°I can¡¯t right now, but I will be able to in the future. Brother, don¡¯t you want to get married?¡±

    Su Bing shook his head. ¡°No.¡±

    Although Su Bing was no longer afraid of Gu Zi and even felt a sense of fondness and a desire to protect her, it didn¡¯t mean his fear of women had entirely dissipated. He couldn¡¯t forget those terrifying women and their petrifying appearances, which had left a lasting impression.

    Gu Zi overheard their conversation, particularly the end of it. She was momentarily taken aback before refraining from saying anything and instead invited the brothers inside to see their gifts.

    Indeed, childhood traumas couldn¡¯t be healed so easily. Nonetheless, Gu Zi remained confident, knowing that there was ample time to help Su Bing overcome his fear of women.

    Each of the two brothers received an exquisite star-shaped gift box. Upon opening them, they discovered a golden object with an age-old charm inside.

    Was this their mother¡¯s gift? It looked so beautiful and valuable!

    Despite boys their age typically favoring cool items, shiny gold objects held an inexplicable allure for them.

    The two brothers were thoroughly pleased with their gifts and expressed their gratitude to their mother.

    Gu Zi patted their heads affectionately and gently reminded them, ¡°I¡¯m glad you like them. Just remember to take good care of your watches, okay? They¡¯re your personal possessions, so you need to look after them.¡±

    Initially, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t planned to inform them about the gifts she intended to purchase the following day. She wanted to surprise them instead. However, she later realized that the most important aspect of a gift was that the recipient liked it and found it meaningful. Consequently, she sought their input and learned that both brothers aspired to have watches similar to their parents¡¯ , capable of telling the time.

    After careful consideration, Gu Zi decided to buy two pocket watches with added value.

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    The brothers nodded enthusiastically. Su Li handed over his pocket watch and asked, ¡°Mom, can you help me put it on?¡±

    Gu Zi took the pocket watch and secured it on him, complimenting, ¡°You look so handsome and stylish with it.¡± She then turned to Su Bing and encouraged him to try one on as well. ¡°I¡¯ll write down instructions and maintenance tips for both of your pocket watches later.¡±

    As she spoke, she also helped Su Bing in putting on his pocket watch. With these pocket watches adorning their attire, the brothers couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit more animated.

    Observing this, Su Shen couldn¡¯t help but think that Gu Zi had an exceptional knack for selecting items. With her around, their taste in clothing and decoration, whether for him or the children, would undoubtedly reach new heights.

    Although he wasn¡¯t entirely certain about the pocket watches¡¯ true value, he couldn¡¯t deny that the ones Gu Zi had chosen were remarkably fitting for the brothers¡¯ personalities..

 Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Fighting for Favor

    Chapter 272: Fighting for Favor

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°You¡¯re the best at raising children.¡± Su Shen could not help but praise Gu Zi.

    He now appreciated the effort it took to raise the three children, realizing it wasn¡¯t an easy task.

    Gu Zi smiled, acknowledging the compliment. While her initial motive might have been the value of the gift, her primary concern was whether it suited the brothers¡¯ tastes. Only then would the gift hold sentimental value and endure over time.

    Items from the Republic of China era might not be as ancient as those from earlier dynasties, but they were known for their fashionable designs. With proper care, these two pocket watches could become valuable assets for the two boys in the future.

    ¡°Mommy is the best. Mommy, help me take it off. I want to put it away. I will protect it well,¡± Su Li chimed in eagerly.

    Su Li wore the pocket watch around his neck, inspecting it with fascination. Afterwards, he rushed over to Gu Zi and asked her to help him remove it.

    Gu Zi agreed and noticed that Su Li had an odd posture as he approached her. She took off the pocket watch and handed it to him before inquiring, ¡°What happened to your leg?¡±

    Su Li didn¡¯t evade the question. Instead, he rolled up his pants to reveal his scraped knees. He confessed, ¡°I fell off my bike just now, but Dad taught us how to reduce the impact. I applied it when I fell, so it didn¡¯t hurt too much. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Gu Zi rolled up his other pant leg and found bruises on both knees. Although there was no bleeding, it was evident that he had taken quite a fall from his bicycle.

    Fortunately, Su Shen had previously taught them how to minimize injury during an accident, and Su Li had managed to apply what he had learned. Gu Zi requested Su Shen to fetch the first aid kit, and once he handed it over, he retreated to the kitchen.

    Gu Zi helped Su Li sit down and disinfected his injuries with some medicine.

    Su Bing was somewhat oblivious. He had been looking forward to his mother¡¯s gift today and hadn¡¯t paid much attention to his younger brother behind him.

    Now, in retrospect, he recalled hearing an unusual noise behind him after leaving the school gate.

    ¡°Mom,

    ¡°Su Bing, there¡¯s no need to blame yourself. This was your brother¡¯s fault. It¡¯s not your responsibility.¡±

    Before Su Bing could even voice his thoughts, Gu Zi already knew what he wanted to say.

    After hearing Gu Zi¡¯s comforting words, Su Bing felt somewhat reassured. At least, his mother didn¡¯t hold him responsible for failing to look after his younger brother. Nonetheless, he secretly resolved to be more attentive to his younger sibling in the future.

    Gu Zi addressed Su Li, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t fall on purpose, but I still have to scold you because you didn¡¯t ensure your own safety. Su Li, remember, safety always comes first, understand?¡±

    Su Li nodded earnestly. In front of Su Le, the favor-seeking expert, he seized the opportunity to extend his arms and exclaimed, ¡®Mommy, hug me!¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t resist his sincerity and affection, and her stern expression quickly softened as she hugged him.

    ¡°Go do your homework,¡± she reminded. ¡°Remember the lesson from today!¡±

    Su Li nodded vigorously. Mommy smelled wonderful! After releasing his mother¡¯s embrace, he proudly glanced at Little Lele and then scurried away, his face flushed.

    Su Bing, the eldest, was playing with Su Le at the side. She felt that her second brother was a master at seeking affection.

    Su Le saw that her beloved mother had been snatched away. She frowned slightly and pouted angrily. She didn¡¯t want her mother to carry her now.

    Gu Zi pretended to be nonchalant and teased, ¡°Oh, Lele doesn¡¯t want Mommy anymore. Alright, I¡¯ll only carry your big brother and second brother from now on. Mommy doesn¡¯t want Lele anymore.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the little girl swiftly pushed away her big brother, Su Bing, who was sitting beside her and playing. She turned around and threw herself into her mother¡¯s arms, calling out affectionately, ¡°Mom! Lele¡¯s mom! ¡±

    Su Bing shook his head. It seemed that the second and third children were both vying for their mom¡¯s favor. He was still the best. He was mature and would not make things difficult for his mother.

    Su Bing brought a glass of water for Gu Zi and asked eagerly, ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve worked hard. Would you like some water?¡±

    Gu Zi smiled and accepted the cup. ¡°I was just feeling thirsty.¡±

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    After finishing her drink, Su Bing returned to take the cup and then fetched a broom to sweep the floor.

    Gu Zi noticed her eldest son¡¯s eagerness to help and realized he was trying to gain her attention.

    She pulled Little Lele closer and said with a helpless smile, ¡°The three of you are experts at seeking affection, but you each have your own unique style.¡± During dinner, Gu Zi discussed something with Su Shen.

    When the two boys heard the proposal, they found it quite appealing. It would be extremely cool for their father to drive them!

    Moreover, they weren¡¯t worried about their father refusing. Ever since their mother arrived, they had never seen their father decline her requests..

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Banquet for the Gu Family

    Chapter 273: Banquet for the Gu Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sure enough, Su Shen agreed very quickly. He even said that he would drive his two sons to school when he had time in the future.

    In the private room of the Golden Sun Hotel in the city, the Gong Family specially hosted a banquet for the Gu Family.

    On the surface, it was a simple gathering, but in fact, everyone knew that the Gong Family had apologized to the Gu Family and planned to give them an explanation today.

    On the surface, the Gu couple looked serious and acted as if they were going to cancel the engagement if the Gong family did not give them a good explanation. However, they were actually very happy inside. They had never thought of canceling the engagement.

    They didn¡¯t care what happened between Gong Zhan and other women because in the end, the Gong Family chose the Gu Family.

    Their adopted daughter, Gu Zi, had married the owner of the pig farm and had become the wife of the owner. Their biological daughter, Lin Miao, was also going to marry into the Gong family. She would become an official¡¯s wife in the future. In this quad, everyone would have to respect the Gu family.

    The best course of action now was to have Gong Zhan and Lin Miao register their marriage and become husband and wife.

    Firstly, it would prevent rumors from spreading. Even if they did spread, Gong Zhan¡¯s marriage was already set, so there was no need to worry about any trouble.

    Secondly, MO Li was ambitious and unscrupulous. In comparison, Lin Miao was indeed more suitable to be the daughter-in-law of the Gong Family and easier to control.

    Mrs. Chen looked at Lin Miao, who had been silent all this while. ¡°Miaomiao is lovely. I¡¯ve liked her since the first time I saw her. It¡¯s only natural that I like the daughter of the Gu family. This matter should have been settled a long time ago.¡±

    As she spoke, she nudged her husband under the table. Chief Gong coughed and said, ¡°Yes, I think we should do this. Let¡¯s choose a good day for our two children to get their marriage certificate.¡±

    When the Gu couple heard this, they knew that this matter was indeed settled! Gong Zhan¡¯s father didn¡¯t care about putting on airs.

    ¡°I think this is for the best,¡± Gu Shan said. ¡°Our Miaomiao has long been ready to be the daughter-in-law of the Gong Family.¡±

    Zhang Mei also said, ¡°That¡¯s right. We won¡¯t listen to the gossip outside. Gong Zhan is a promising young man. How can a young man not make mistakes? It¡¯s best if he knows his mistakes and can correct them. Moreover, this matter must be a misunderstanding in the end.¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s face darkened, and Zhang Mei quickly changed the subject.

    However, Zhang Mei had deliberately brought it up to let the Gong Family Imow that this was a misunderstanding, but there would be no next time. The Gu Family had their principles.

    If the Gong Family didn¡¯t want to hear such unpleasant words in the future, they had to regulate their son¡¯s behavior.

    Mrs. Chen was a decent person. She patted her son and smiled. ¡®Your mother-in-law is right. There are no outsiders here. We are family. Miaomiao is a good girl. You have to treat Miaomiao well in the future. Don¡¯t act recklessly again.¡±

    Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t say anything when his own mother said so. He could only nod and agree.

    The Gong Family was much more prestigious than the Gu Family. Seeing Gong Zhan¡¯s attitude, the Gu couple didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. They immediately discussed the date of the marriage with Ms. Chen.

    However, compared to the Gu couple, Lin Miao seemed very unhappy and did not say a word from beginning to end.

    The Gong Family had proposed to register their marriage, but they hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the wedding. Gong Zhan was clearly at fault in this matter. Was the Gong Family not even willing to give her a wedding?

    Even under such circumstances, her parents were in a hurry to marry her off, as if they were afraid that the Gong Family would change their mind. The more Lin Miao thought about it, the more suffocated she felt.

    She excused herself from the private room to go to the restroom. Gong Xin also felt that the room was boring, so she simply followed her out.

    After leaving the room, Lin Miao turned around and saw Gong Xin. She took a step back and said, ¡°Gong Xin, why are you following me?¡±

    Gong Xin had a good relationship with Gu Zi now, so she might help Gu Zi harm her.

    Gong Xin rolled his eyes. ¡°I just came out to get some fresh air. I don¡¯t have any intentions of harming you.¡±

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    Gong Xin really couldn¡¯t figure it out. With Lin Miao¡¯s IQ, her parents insisted on marrying her off. Weren¡¯t they afraid that their descendants would be brainless?

    She always felt that Gu Zi harbored ill intentions towards her, but in reality, Gu

    Zi lived in a big house in the village. Her husband and children were happy,

    and she had no time to pay attention to her at all, okay?

    On the other hand, why didn¡¯t she guard against MO Li, the female classmate she had introduced to Gong Zhan as his secretary?

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Can I t Be Compared to Gu Zi

    Chapter 274: Can I t Be Compared to Gu Zi

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Lin Miao heard Gong Xin say this, she let down her guard. She fawned over Gong Xin and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Do you need to go to the toilet? Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Actually, in the end, Lin Miao still wanted to build a good relationship with Gong Xin. Unfortunately, Gu Zi beat her to it. Gu Zi used her job as a broadcaster to completely win Gong Xin¡¯s heart.

    It was all Gu Zi¡¯s fault. She and Gu Zi couldn¡¯t coexist in the same world!

    However, Gong Xin didn¡¯t think their relationship had progressed to the point of going to the bathroom together. She took a step back and avoided Lin Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me give you some advice. It¡¯s best not to compare yourself to Gu Zi. Just focus on getting your marriage certificate.¡±

    Lin Miao couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Gong Xin understood her true intentions. She had been wearing a sour expression ever since they entered the private room, not because she didn¡¯t want to marry her brother Gong Zhan, but because she wanted a grander wedding than Gu Zits. However, since the Gong Family hadn¡¯t mentioned the wedding, Lin Miao chose to stay silent.

    Upon hearing Gong Xin¡¯s words, Lin Miao¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°Gong Xin, I¡¯ll become your sister-in-law soon. Are you sure you want to side with an outsider? You have no right to speak that way!¡±

    Gong Xin had always been the favored child in the family, and she wasn¡¯t afraid of Lin Miao¡¯s threats. She calmly replied, ¡°I base my judgments on reason, not familial ties. I don¡¯t know if your family plans to hold a wedding, but I¡¯m certain it won¡¯t compare to Gu Zi¡¯s. Su Shen gave her a betrothal gift worth more than 8,000 yuan.¡±

    This revelation shocked Lin Miao, who grabbed Gong Xin¡¯s hand in disbelief. Her face twisted with anger. ¡°What? How could Su Shen have given Gu Zi such a lavish betrothal gift?¡±

    Feeling deeply insulted, Lin Miao couldn¡¯t comprehend why she had been treated so differently from Gu Zi. She was only given 3,000 yuan, her wedding was far less elaborate, and there were no prominent figures in attendance. Lin Miao couldn¡¯t fathom why she wasn¡¯t treated as well as Gu Zi.

    She began to suspect that Su Shen held a grudge against her for not marrying him in the countryside, allowing Gu Zi to take advantage of her.

    Gong Xin found herself dealing with an irate Lin Miao and pushed her hand away before returning to the private room.

    Despite the fact that Lin Miao was soon to become Mrs. Gong, she couldn¡¯t find peace at night. She paced back and forth in her house, ultimately calling MO Li¡¯s home. She couldn¡¯t bear to be alone.

    ¡°Gong Zhan and I are getting married. MO Li, I really don¡¯t know how to thank you,¡± Lin Miao boasted to MO Li over the phone.

    ¡°Congratulations, but I¡¯m still Mr. Gong¡¯s secretary, right?¡± MO Li inquired.

    Lin Miao was in a cheerful mood. ¡°Of course, you still have something over me. What can I do for you?¡±

    MO Li wore a knowing smile. ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re aware of that. I won¡¯t have any designs on Gong Zhan in the future, but you have to help me keep my job as a secretary. I need this position so that I can meet other high -quality men. ¡±

    Lin Miao was skeptical of MO Li¡¯s intentions. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡±

    MO Li realized that Lin Miao was onto her plans. However, for the time being, she only wanted to remain close to Gong Zhan. Once a romantic relationship began, it would be challenging to break away.

    Of course, she was only telling Lin Miao that she didn¡¯t have any designs on Gong Zhan. She wasn¡¯t someone who would give up easily.

    ¡°What can I do if you don¡¯t believe me?¡± she tried to speak in a calm tone. ¡°Mrs. Gong, have a good night¡¯s rest.¡±

    MO Li hung up the phone first. She then pushed all the items on the table onto the floor and let out a hysterical howl.

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    This time, MO Li had acted too hastily and made a mistake. Instead of helping herself, she had inadvertently given Lin Miao a wedding dress. However, this didn¡¯t mean she had lost the battle.

    MO Li had acquired knowledge about Gu Zi and Gong Zhan¡¯s previous relationship and understood Gong Zhan¡¯s schedule. She had astutely realized that mimicking Gu Zits appearance and dressing would help lower Gong Zhan¡¯s guard and facilitate her approach to him.

    During that day at the office, MO Li had almost succeeded. From the very beginning, Gong Zhan had mistaken her for Gu Zi.

    He had pressed her down, kissed her, touched her, and even referred to her as Gu Zi, asking if she wanted to give herself to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you as long as you want it.¡± Though her tone might not have been a perfect match, this sentence had triggered a realization in Gong Zhan¡¯s mind that he didn¡¯t desire her..

 Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: You Are Provoking Me Again

    Chapter 275: You Are Provoking Me Again

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    MO Li could vividly recall the range of emotions that flitted across Gong Zhan¡¯s eyes as he gazed at her. His expression transitioned from fervor to frigidity, from contentment to disappointment.

    Nonetheless, Gong Zhan swiftly discerned that the person cradled in his arms wasn¡¯t the woman he had been yearning for¡ªGu Zi. It was his secretary, MO Li. He gently released his grip on her waist and roused himself from his daze. Gu Zi was now a married woman, no longer a part of his life.

    Yet, Gong Zhan¡¯s upbringing and composure forbade him from losing his temper or succumbing to rage. He offered a courteous apology to MO Li and chose to carry on as though nothing untoward had occurred.

    MO Li, too, reacted promptly. She feigned conviction in Gong Zhan¡¯s unparalleled charm and was willing to endure the humiliation in the name of love. She tendered her apologies and promptly exited the scene.

    MO Li¡¯s motives were plain: she wished to avoid incurring Gong Zhan¡¯s disdain and didn¡¯t want him to perceive her as a woman of ill repute.

    Her act was a resounding success. Gong Zhan harbored no intentions of dismissing her from her post, believing that she was pure-hearted and virtuous. He chalked up her behavior that morning to the depths of her unrequited love. Gong Zhan remained oblivious to the carefully orchestrated nature of her actions.

    Although MO Li¡¯s scheme hadn¡¯t yielded the desired results, it had led her to a crucial realization¡ªGong Zhan¡¯s heart still belonged to his former fianc¨¦e, Gu

    This discovery simplified matters considerably. Even though Lin Miao now possessed the status of Gong Zhan¡¯s wife and had secured herself a wedding dress, MO Li remained undeterred. She resolved to impersonate Gu Zi to the best of her abilities, mirroring her words and deeds, until she occupied a permanent place within Gong Zhan¡¯s heart.

    After all, what significance did Lin Miao¡¯s marriage hold? In MO Li¡¯s eyes, matrimony marked merely another stage of the game.

    Meanwhile, in Daqing Village, Gu Zi remained blissfully ignorant of the intriguing developments unfolding within the city¡¯s courtyard. She lay sprawled across her bed, her vision hazy, her body enveloped in an unbearable heat that caused her to toss and turn.

    In her discomfort, she tugged at the neckline of her nightgown, inadvertently exposing her smooth, round shoulders. Her skin radiated a rosy hue, every inch tantalizingly alluring.

    When Su Shen came in, the woman on the bed was calling his name in a muffled voice.¡±Su Shen, it¡¯s so hot and uncomfortable¡­

    Bending down, he gently brushed aside the stray strands of hair that clung to her face. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her gaze unfocused, and her flushed cheeks betrayed the extent of her distress. Beneath her slender, swan-like neck, most of her alabaster breasts were unveiled, pressed against her arm in a tantalizing display of sensuality.

    Su Shen saw that she was really not suitable to be taking care of the children tonight. It seemed that Su Le would have to sleep with her brother tonight.

    He walked to the other side of the bed and carried his daughter out of the room. When he entered the room again, he locked the door.

    He sat by the bed and pinched the woman¡¯s cheek. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for me to not think about this today,¡± he said coldly.¡± You¡¯re here to provoke me again?

    Su Shen felt that this little vixen was deliberately torturing him. She said that she was afraid but teased him at the same time.

    Gu Zi heard the man¡¯s voice and opened her eyes.

    She knew that the man had carried her daughter out, but she did not hide her desire. For some reason, she suddenly felt hot and wanted him so much.

    Su Shen reached out and covered her exposed breast, playfully pressing the tip.

    ¡°Mmph.¡± She could not help but let out a moan. She could feel the man¡¯s large palm on her breasts.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, feigning confusion. As he spoke, he leaned over and kissed her, sucking the woman¡¯s delicate earlobe and licking it.

    Gu Zi was not stupid. How could he not know what she wanted? He was really bad. He deliberately wanted her to say it.

    However, it was not the time for her to confront him head-on because her body was already extremely sensitive. A desire sprouted in her lower abdomen, making her instinctively start to clamp her legs.

    If the man still refused to give it to her, she would have to do it herself.

    But it would be even more embarrassing if she were to jerk off in front of him.

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    Hence, she could only respond to him softly, ¡°I want you inside.¡±

    Observing her suggestive demeanor, Su Shen felt overwhelmed by her surrender to his advances. His arousal was evident as well.

    Nevertheless, he took his time, sensually caressing her earlobe with his tongue and whispered seductively, ¡°Who am I to you? Tell me¡±

    The corners of his lips curled into a devilish smile. He was like a demon that had crawled out of hell, seducing his little woman. He wanted to stimulate the deeper desires in her body. He did not want the woman to push him away in fear when he was halfway through.

    He didn¡¯t want the woman to be unable to tell who was the one doing it with her..

 Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Her Revenge

    Chapter 276: Her Revenge

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re Su Shen, my husband!¡± Gu Zi answered him obediently. She only hoped that he would act quickly. She was getting anxious and couldn¡¯t wait for him to finally do it.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Su Shen responded to her with satisfaction. He went to bed and took off the woman¡¯s nightgown. He admired her body and took off his clothes.

    When his body pressed against hers, Gu Zi felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and moaned comfortably.

    Su Shen kissed the woman¡¯s lips deeply. His lowered voice sounded sexy. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m coming in.¡±

    Gu Zi experienced the feeling of being stabbed again, but fortunately, it was not as painful this time.

    A powerful surge of pleasure rapidly coursed through her body. She writhed to meet his movements, and her previously constricted sensations were now filled with desire, creating a tantalizing sound. It was intensely erotic.

    Gu Zi quickly reached her climax. After a series of satisfying spasms, waves of tingling sensations pulsed through her body. She nestled in the man¡¯s arms, her eyes half-closed in contentment, resembling a satisfied cat.

    However, the man remained aroused and showed no intention of withdrawing from her. He held her tightly and continued to thrust.

    ¡°Honey, you¡¯re incredibly tight. Can you handle more?¡± He panted as his engorged member was enveloped in her warmth, feeling like it was being lovingly caressed.

    The sensation overwhelmed him, and his head spun with pleasure. He took a deep breath and leaned in to kiss her lips, but Gu Zi was clearly drained and drowsy. She longed for sleep.

    Furthermore, she felt a simmering anger. While her inexplicable arousal was one thing, this man had taken advantage of it to make her plead with him. It was humiliating.

    This kindled her desire for revenge. She extended her hand downward to the man¡¯s chest. ¡°But I¡¯m so exhausted. Darling, do you love me?¡±

    Su Shen prodded her private area a few more times, then looked up and replied, ¡°1 adore you to death.¡±

    Bastard, Gu Zi cursed inwardly. His arousal was still inside her.

    Men were indeed driven by their desires, and Su Shen was no exception.

    Mischievously, she arched her back and pressed her hand against his abdomen, causing his member to slip out.

    ¡°If you love me, let me get some sleep, alright?¡± she cooed. ¡°Darling, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Su Shen used his firm member to tease her and kissed her breasts, attempting to reignite her desire.

    Little did he know that once a woman¡¯s competitive spirit was provoked, she could match a man¡¯s determination.

    He had made Gu Zi beg him to enter just moments ago. Gu Zi had no intention of satisfying him now.

    ¡°Darling, take care of it yourself,¡± Gu Zi retorted. She had just experienced gratifying intimacy, and her entire being felt as delicate and nourished as a blooming flower. With a sly smile on her face, she appeared like a living seductress.

    As much as Su Shen longed to continue, he couldn¡¯t force her. He recognized the difference between a one-time indulgence and the prospect of many more

    to come.

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    Reluctantly, he pushed her down, kissed her a little longer, then withdrew himself. Afterward, he helped her clean up before they embraced and drifted off to sleep.

    The next morning, Jin Long used the pig farm¡¯s truck to deliver a sheep and fifteen pigeons to the Su family¡¯s residence.

    After leading the sheep into the courtyard, he assisted Su Shen in moving the pigeon cage. Jin Long asked curiously, ¡°Brother Shen, did you enjoy the wine you brought back? Did you share it with Sister-in-law?¡±

    Su Shen kicked him lightly and replied in a serious tone, ¡°Don¡¯t engage in such nonsense in the future. I don¡¯t want any more of your wine.¡±

    ¡°I was just worried that you might not be able to satisfy Sister-in-law,¡± Jin Long complained with a hint of hurt.. ¡°It¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯t find out now, but if she does, where will your dignity as a man go?¡±

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Su Shen Can I t Perform

    Chapter 277: Su Shen Can I t Perform

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The two of them carried the pigeon cages into the courtyard, and Su Shen cast a cold glance at Jin Long. ¡°Who told you I couldn¡¯t perform?¡±

    If he couldn¡¯t perform, then how did that woman climax last night? And if it wasn¡¯t for her mischief, he could have gone for another round.

    Thinking that Gu Zi should be awake by now but probably pretending to stay in bed for a while longer, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at the second-floor window, where the curtains were tightly drawn.

    Jin Long pointed to the cage of pigeons and a sheep. ¡°There¡¯s no need to keep secrets between us, my brother. You asked me to buy pigeons and a sheep; it¡¯s clear you want to boost your health. I understand; newlyweds are like dry firewood, and getting physically drained is quite normal.¡±

    Since he couldn¡¯t possibly tell anyone that Mr. Su¡¯s health was deteriorating, and it didn¡¯t benefit him in any way, Su Shen didn¡¯t mind. Besides, given his relationship with Su Shen, even if it did benefit him, such confidential matters were not to be revealed.

    Su Shen found Jin Long¡¯s comments exasperating, but he didn¡¯t bother to explain. He had no intention of letting others know that he bought the pigeons and sheep to help Gu Zi¡¯s health. He wanted to keep such intimate matters about his woman private.

    However, Su Shen did inquire about the source of the wine. When he heard the words ¡°Tiger Whip Wine¡± from Jin Long, his face turned dark.

    Su Shen tossed the car keys to Jin Long and told him to hurry back to the pig farm. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge to give him a beating.

    Jin Long caught the car keys and muttered to himself as he quickly left the courtyard, ¡°Always so proud¡­¡¯

    Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Cuihua, who happened to pass by the corner of the courtyard, had heard everything she shouldn¡¯t have. She shook her head, finding it hard to believe what she had just heard. Su Shen, unable to perform?

    ¡°Little Su, that robust body of his needs medication to function? No wonder they don¡¯t want children,¡± Zhang Cuihua mumbled to herself as she walked back to her own house, wearing a look of knowing it all.

    Zhang Cuihua felt that she should talk to Gu Zi about this opportunity. It was not a trivial matter, and she needed Gu Zi to persuade Su Shen to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.

    When Su Shen entered the house, he inexplicably sneezed three times in a row. He then ascended the stairs and pushed open the door to the master bedroom. Inside the room, Gu Zi had just finished her shower and was coming out of the bathroom. She was wearing the same nightgown from last night, with the hem of the dress slightly wet, and her glistening legs, still damp, left a faint aroma of lotion in her wake, making her exceptionally charming.

    Su Shen approached her and hugged her waist, pressing her against the outer wall of the bathroom. His firm chest flattened her ample bosom, and he kissed her petite lips, causing her to become dazed, like a cat in heat early in the morning.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but recall last night, the way she had reluctantly given in to him when he deliberately teased her. She felt a surge of irritation.

    She began to resist, not wanting his kisses, and the man realized that she was in a fighting mood. He obediently released her, allowing her small fists to pound against his chest, as if she were playfully scratching an itch.

    He watched her with a calm expression, and she scolded him, ¡°Jerk, you like it when you make me beg, don¡¯t you? Well, if you have the guts, next time, I won¡¯t let you touch me until you beg.¡±

    If she had known this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with all those precautionsO last night. Those precautions were unnecessary. Gu Zi walked over to the wardrobe to change her clothes, ignoring the man.

    Su Shen stood still for a moment, then understood what was going on. It seemed that this little woman was upset about him teasing her last night.

    This was probably the first time she had scolded him like this since they had been together. ¡°Jerk¡± actually sounded quite nice,

    Moreover, the way she looked when she was angry, pouting and all, was really cute! He felt that their relationship had become closer, which was a good thing.

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    Su Shen didn¡¯t mind at all. On the contrary, he felt in a very good mood. He turned around, walked to the window, and opened the curtains, letting the morning sunlight stream into the room, warming it up, just like the warmth he felt in his heart at the moment.

    Gu Zi had changed into her clothes in the bathroom. When she came out, Su Shen was still waiting for her. She didn¡¯t pay him any attention, opened the door, and went out. Su Shen¡¯s indulgent gaze followed her, and he followed her downstairs.

    In the dining room, Su Shen had prepared breakfast for her, a plate of oversized steamed dumplings. Just from the size of the dumplings, it was evident that a man with large hands had made them.

    She sat down without hesitation, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat. The dumplings were filled with pork and chives, with more meat than chives, and they tasted quite good.

    She noticed Su Shen sitting down next to her and asked, ¡°Did someone come earlier?¡±

 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Alcohol, Temptation and Consequences

    Chapter 278: Alcohol, Temptation and Consequences

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen replied truthfully that it was Jin Long who had come to deliver something. Seeing that Gu Zi was willing to talk to him, Su Shen estimated that the situation might not be too bad. The usually cold and distant man was now attentively handing a bottle of vinegar to his little woman.

    ¡°Do you like vinegar?¡± he asked.

    Gu Zi took the vinegar bottle from him, being extra careful not to touch his fingers, and replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright. But if you dangle it in front of me and don¡¯t give it to me, I can do without it.¡± She then extended the vinegar back towards Su Shen.

    His wife, having been a broadcaster, certainly had a way with words.

    Su Shen had no particular issues with this woman, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel that her temper was getting worse.

    He took the vinegar back and said in a low voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t give it to you; everything is yours.¡±

    The phrase ¡°everything is yours¡± could be interpreted in multiple ways. Was he saying that the vinegar belonged to her, or was he implying something more?

    Gu Zi picked up a dumpling, dipped it in vinegar, and remembered the strange occurrence from last night. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened last night.

    After I took a shower, I started feeling feverish.¡±

    She was blushing with anger, which made her look adorable. Su Shen couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to ruffle her hair and gave her a peck on the cheek, admitting his fault, ¡°Alright, I understand now. I won¡¯t tease you like that in the future. ¡±

    Seeing his sincere attitude, Gu Zi¡¯s anger subsided a bit. She also recalled something and asked, ¡°Where did the bottle of medicinal wine come from that was in the room where you slept earlier?¡±

    After dinner last night, Su Shen and his eldest son had cleaned the kitchen. Gu Zi had noticed that her daughter and youngest son were playing happily in the living room, so she decided to take advantage of the free time to tidy up the room where Su Shen had previously stayed.

    After tidying up, she noticed a glass bottle next to the table, containing a light yellow liquid and various Chinese herbs. When opened, it emitted a mixture of alcohol and medicinal scents.

    Gu Zi recognized it as medicinal wine. In her understanding, medicinal wine was a good thing. Drinking a small amount could relieve fatigue, promote blood circulation, and benefit the skin. She had been feeling some back pain and fatigue lately, so she thought it would be nice to have some. Therefore, she decided to drink a small capful of the medicinal wine.

    She had felt quite magical afterward. After drinking two caps of the medicinal wine, she had felt warm inside, and her whole body had relaxed. Unexpectedly, not long after taking a shower and going to bed, her body had started to react strangely. She had tossed and turned on the bed, subconsciously pulling down her collar to try and cool down. That¡¯s when everything else happened.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was due to the wine, but she had a vague feeling that it might be related.

    She looked at Su Shen, waiting for his response. Su Shen coughed lightly, considering the possibilities, and then said, ¡°That¡¯s Tiger Whip Wine. Jin Long gave it to me. I brought it back, not thinking much of it. You drank it?¡±

    He had only learned about the wine¡¯s properties when he asked Jin Long. It was a medicinal wine with a warming effect on the kidneys. Men who drank it would have increased yang energy, which could lead to heightened libido. Women who consumed it might also experience an increase in sexual desire. Su Shen had a hunch that Gu Zi might have had a bit too much of it.

    Gu Zi¡¯s face turned even redder as she muttered, ¡°I drank it. But I won¡¯t drink it recklessly again in the future.¡±

    Although she was angry with Su Shen for teasing her last night, she had to admit that she hadn¡¯t clarified what the wine was, and she had drunk it voluntarily.

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    Gu Zi fell silent, focusing on her breakfast. She couldn¡¯t finish the three large dumplings left, so she offered them to Su Shen.

    She then went upstairs to check on Su Le, who was still sound asleep. After that, she headed to the balcony to hang up some laundry. It was only then that she noticed something new in the yard ¨C a large pigeon coop and a goat.

    Gu Zi frowned, wondering why Jin Long had brought these things. She decided to investigate.

    After she descended the stairs, Gu Zi made her way directly to the courtyard. The goat was tethered in one corner, emitting a few more bleats and contentedly grazing on the grass.

    Gu Zi then returned to inspect the pigeon coop, counting the pigeons within. There were precisely 15 of them, all sporting gray feathers and bright, lively eyes. These birds exhibited remarkable vitality, fearlessly hopping about within the coop despite their unfamiliar surroundings..

 Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: The Most Important Person

    Chapter 279: The Most Important Person

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the day began, Su Shen prepared to head out. He had already driven his sons to school before dawn, all so that he could return and prepare a hearty breakfast for Gu Zi. Now that he had satisfied the woman¡¯s appetite, it was time for him to go to work.

    As he stepped out of the house, Su Shen noticed Gu Zi by the pigeon cage, observing the pigeons. He approached her from behind and said, ¡°Tomorrow, when we return to your family, we should capture two more pigeons and bring this sheep back with us. What do you think?¡±

    Gu Zi was slightly surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected that on the day of their return to her family, Su Shen would still be planning to bring pigeons and a sheep to the Lin family. This was really going to make others die of envy.

    She knew that no matter how angry she got with this man, it wouldn¡¯t last long because he always cared so much about her and her maternal family. He was more than willing to spend money on them.

    He was so considerate in everything he did. How could she stay angry for long? It would make her appear petty.

    Turning around, she embraced the man¡¯s waist and leaned into his arms. ¡°I think others might envy us. Su Shen, you¡¯re too good to me and my family. I forgive your behavior from last night. But remember, it shouldn¡¯t happen again!¡±

    Listening to the gentle tone of the woman, Su Shen felt content with a wife like her and desired nothing more.

    He replied, ¡°Because you are the most important person to me, and your family is my family. I won¡¯t be stingy with anything I should do. Giving gifts when we return to your family is a tradition that has been followed from ancient times to the present day. You shouldn¡¯t worry about others being envious.¡±

    One person¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t influence others. Su Shen only wanted to live a good life with Gu Zi and didn¡¯t care about what others thought.

    Gu Zi nodded and asked, ¡°What about the remaining pigeons? Should we keep them here?¡±

    Su Shen said, ¡°The remaining pigeons are for your nourishment. If you want to raise them yourself, I can get more for you.¡±

    Gu Zi liked the idea and, standing on her tiptoes, gave Su Shen a kiss. His seemingly cold lips were actually warm and affectionate.

    A smile played at the corner of Su Shen¡¯s mouth, and he held her by the waist, pressing her against the pigeon cage. He leaned down and kissed her, using his fingers to part her lips, gently urging her to open her mouth. He deeply and passionately tasted her sweetness.

    Gu Zi was aroused by the kiss and gasped for breath, breathing heavily. Even after he had left for quite some time, her lips were still crimson, exuding an ambiguous allure.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t plan to go out today. They were returning to her family tomorrow, so she intended to tidy up the gifts and perhaps decorate the sheep and pigeons with some big red flowers to make them look presentable when they brought them back.

    The day they returned to her family was a Saturday. Su Bing and Su Li didn¡¯t have to go to school, so the three siblings would also accompany them to the Lin family.

    Although Su Shen¡¯s car was quite large, there weren¡¯t too much space to store things in the cars in this era. Therefore, Su Shen called two men from the Dig farm to help transport the two sheep and two pigeons to the Lin family.

    Gu Zi just found out that Su Shen had purchased two sheep, one of which was bought from a villager, so they only needed to bring it back on the same day.

    After placing the supplements, pork, fruits, and other items in the car, the remaining space in the back was just enough for Su Bing and Su Li to sit.

    Su Shen drove, and Gu Zi sat in the front passenger seat, holding Lele in her arms. The family set off in a tight formation.

    The Lin family was also quite busy that day. After all, it was a custom that when a daughter married, she would return to her parents¡¯ home three or six days after the wedding. On that day, the maternal family would host a return feast to entertain the groom¡¯s family and close friends.

    The Lin family, having formed a connection with the Su family, had become well-known in Little Lin Village. Many people came to help with the preparations, and the atmosphere was lively.

    Other guests who had arrived early were seated and chatting, looking forward to the gifts that Su Shen would bring this time. After all, they couldn¡¯t help but anticipate Su Shen¡¯s generosity, given his history of extravagant gifts.

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    Someone remarked, ¡®We can¡¯t always rely on Su Shen¡¯s gifts. It makes us seem too materialistic. As long as the couple is happy, that¡¯s the most important thing. ¡±

    But others had a different perspective, saying, ¡°In our villages, the Lin family¡¯s daughters have had such splendid marriages all these years thanks to Su Shen¡¯s abilities. It¡¯s natural for people to look forward to his gifts. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±

    Just as everyone was discussing, two tall men holding two sheep and two pigeons appeared in everyone¡¯s sight.

    As the discussions continued, two tall men appeared, each leading a sheep with two pigeons tied to their backs. Some people marveled at Su Shen¡¯s generosity, while others thought that it wasn¡¯t as extravagant as previous gifts.

    Indeed, it seemed that once a woman was married, she was no longer valuable..

 Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Unity Above All Else

    Chapter 280: Unity Above All Else

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s parents presided over the banquet with grace, though they couldn¡¯t help but brush off the whispered remarks circulating among their guests. Yet, as they exchanged glances, they silently agreed not to let it affect them.

    It was inevitable that envy would stir among those around them, seeing their family prosper with a commendable son-in-law. The seemingly innocuous words carried an undertone of provocation, perhaps unnoticed by their speakers.

    Nonetheless, the Lins were not naive. While they couldn¡¯t control others¡¯ words, they could certainly choose not to lend them their ears.

    Meanwhile, Su Shen, even while occupied with his expansive pig farm, had maintained a keen interest in the Lin family¡¯s affairs.

    They, as the parties involved, observed everything unfolding before them with a discerning eye, naturally impervious to the attempts of others to sow discord. In the life of a family, unity mattered above all else.

    The Lin family harbored no greed, never bothering to compare who gave more or less. As long as Gu Zi thrived in the Su household, that held greater importance than anything else.

    At that moment, someone approached Mother Lin for idle gossip. She excused herself, saying, ¡°They¡¯ve come to return the gifts; I must go and welcome them.

    Pardon me.¡±

    And off she went, pulling Papa Lin along. Those eager to speak found their words swallowed back, their expressions contorted as if they¡¯d swallowed a fly.

    Observing the absence of Su Shen and Gu Zi, whispers about Su Shen¡¯s true intentions surfaced. It made sense; the Lin family couldn¡¯t offer much assistance in Su Shen¡¯s career, so why bother marrying Gu Zi and spending so much time pleasing the Lin family?

    The absence of the bride and groom on their return day was deemed disgraceful. Though no one openly voiced their thoughts, secretly, they relished the idea of seeing the Lin family embarrassed.

    However, their satisfaction was short-lived. As Mr. and Mrs. Lin welcomed two burly men carrying gifts into the house, Su Shen and Gu Zi emerged from behind, followed by a black car parked in front of the Lin family¡¯s banquet.

    The car was the wedding car Su Shen had used on the day of his marriage proposal, a memory still fresh in everyone¡¯s minds. With the couple and their children alighting from the car, envy rippled through the villagers.

    Gu Zi, carrying Su Le, walked at the forefront, paying no heed to the father and sons behind her. Her attire exuded elegance; she wore a finely crafted blue and white porcelain cheongsam with a white beaded shawl draped over it. Her hair

    was stynea Inco a classic Dun, exuamg grace ana nomncy.

    The father and sons behind her were tasked with carrying gifts. Su Shen, tall and handsome in a shirt and trousers, carried two large bags of pork, two baskets of fruit, and two boxes of exquisite gift boxes, following his wife proudly.

    The two sons, equally handsome in their wedding attire, each carried two gift boxes behind their father. Their demeanor alone was enough to evoke envy.

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua received the gifts from their brother-in-law and quickly ushered them to the main table. The homecoming banquet would soon commence.

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    Su Shen and Gu Zi greeted each table¡¯s guests before taking their seats at the main table, not only to observe proper etiquette but also to uphold the honor of the Lin family.

    Papa Lin and Mother Lin were very pleased to see that their daughter and son-in-law were all well-rounded people.

    Papa Lin said to Su Shen, ¡°I¡¯ll leave Gu Zi to you in the future. I hope you can always treat her well. You¡¯re half our son now.¡±

    Su Shen assured, ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± He wasn¡¯t one to make promises lightly, but when it came to Gu Zi, he was confident in his commitment to her well-being.

    With that, he handed a large red envelope to Papa Lin, who declined, insisting it be given to Gu Zi, ¡°Just give the money to Gu Zi. You don¡¯t have to give it to us..¡±

 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: The Luckiest Children

    Chapter 281: The Luckiest Children

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen held Gu Zi¡¯s hand firmly as he insisted on handing the red envelope to Father Lin. ¡°This is the thousand yuan return gift, it should be given. Gu Zi can¡¯t accept this money.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement and said to her parents, ¡°You two should accept it.¡±

    Seeing their daughter and son-in-law¡¯s insistence, Mr. and Mrs. Lin accepted the money.

    The surrounding guests were astounded; not only did they return a substantial gift, but they also returned a thousand yuan!

    Goodness, what good deeds had the Lin family done in their past lives to deserve such a wonderful daughter and son-in-law like Gu Zi and Su Shen?

    Amidst the envy, the guests enjoyed the homecoming banquet, and after the feast, they dispersed, leaving the Lin family¡¯s surroundings gradually quiet.

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua handed out three red envelopes to Su Bing, Su Li, and Su Le, saying, ¡°These are from your uncle and aunt. We won¡¯t say anything flowery; from now on, we¡¯re family, and we¡¯re happy about that. We hope you all stay healthy and happy!¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li looked pleasantly surprised at the red envelopes. Upon opening them, they found ten yuan inside, filling them with joy.

    To receive such red envelopes was rare for them. With a good mother, they now also had good uncle and aunt.

    Su Li felt they were the luckiest children in the world!

    ¡°Thank you, Uncle, Aunt!¡± Su Bing and Su Li happily expressed their gratitude to their uncle and aunt.

    Su Li then went to grab Su Le, saying, ¡°Little sister, you should thank Uncle and Aunt too! Oh, and let Big Brother hold onto your money for you.¡± With that, he put Su Le¡¯s red envelope into his own pocket.

    Su Le looked at him, then at everyone else, her expression bewildered: How did the red envelope end in Second Brother¡¯s pocket?

    The others had seen through Su Li¡¯s little scheme. They just smiled, but did not expose him.

    After playing for a while, Su Le felt a little sleepy. Gu Zi knew that she was going to sleep, so she asked Su Bing and Su Li to bring her into the house to rest and take an afternoon nap.

    Gu Zi then stayed behind with her mother and sister-in-law to tidy up the remnants of the feast. Though they had hired help, Gu Zi still pitched in, ensuring everything was cleaned thoroughly.

    Seeing Lin Cheng and Papa Lin preparing to go out with farm tools, Su Shen volunteered to help, changing into Lin Cheng¡¯s clothes and joining them to help harvest rice in the fields.

    They were harvesting the second season of rice, also known as late rice, which was timely after the Double Ninth Festival.

    In fact, the Lin family¡¯s rice paddies were only about an acre in size, equivalent to the size of three standard basketball courts. With three strong men working, they estimated they could finish a large portion today.

    After collecting the bowls and chopsticks, Gu Zi told Li Hua, ¡°After we finish cleaning the house, let¡¯s make some food to take to them.¡±

    Li Hua agreed, saying, ¡°Sure, but sister, you¡¯re dressed so nicely; don¡¯t get dirty. Leave the dishes to me; I¡¯ll wash them with the helpers. I¡¯m fast.¡±

    Gu Zi agreed. She wouldn¡¯t be much help washing dishes, but she could sweep the floor. So she took the broom from behind the door and went outside to sweep. The broom in the countryside was made of sorghum, dense and efficient to use.

    Although Gu Zi was dressed elegantly today, she was accustomed to doing housework. Looking nice didn¡¯t hinder her ability to do chores. With nimble hands and feet, she quickly cleaned the outside of the house.

    Gu Zi opened the refrigerator to see the ingredients inside. Upon seeing the leftover broth and minced meat from the feast, she decided to make some scallion pork patties and a pot of spicy soup as a snack for the men later.

    She tied on an apron, washed a small piece of lean meat, put it in a pot with broth, green onions, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, and started cooking.

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    Gu Zi knew the meat would take a while, so during this time, she took out some flour and water and kneaded the dough. Then she took out the ready-made minced meat, added cooking wine, chopped green onions, and ginger, and mixed them evenly, preparing to fry the scallion pork patties.

    Once fried, the pork patties were plump and golden, neatly arranged on the chopping board, looking especially enticing.

    After frying the patties, the meat in the broth was also cooked. She took the meat out and let it cool for a while. When it was no longer hot, she cut the meat into small pieces. Then she heated oil in a wok, stir-fried dried chilies and scallions, then added the diced meat to stir-fry.

    Then she poured in the pork broth, brought it to a boil over high heat, added peanuts, and continued to cook over low heat.

    Li Hua entered the kitchen and was immediately intoxicated by the aroma. The spicy fragrance cleared her airways, and she asked, ¡°Sister, what are you making? It smells very unique..¡±

 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Planning a Small Business

    Chapter 282: Planning a Small Business

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had just finished perfecting the broth for the soup, delicately integrating small pieces of flour, shredded seaweed, tofu skin, and wood ear mushrooms into the simmering pot. Covering it, she announced, ¡°Spicy soup. It¡¯s seasoned with salt and has a distinctive taste. It¡¯s particularly rejuvenating for men after a day¡¯s work.¡±

    Li Hua, curious, sampled the concoction with a small spoon. The freshness of the stock was unmistakable, yet it diverged from the light soups she was accustomed to. The soup was a symphony of spicy and sour notes, enriched with fragrance, and its texture was both sticky and smooth on her palate. With just a sip, she felt a burst of revitalization.

    ¡°Where does this delicacy originate from?¡± Li Hua inquired, her curiosity piqued. ¡°I¡¯ve never eaten anything like this before.¡±

    Gu Zi said, ¡°I believe it¡¯s from the northern region. It¡¯s a breakfast favorite there. I picked up the recipe from others.¡±

    As the soup neared completion, Gu Zi began to add sesame oil and vinegar for the final seasoning touch, then bent down to remove the firewood. The spicy soup was ready to be served.

    Meanwhile, Li Hua busied herself by artfully slicing the chopped green onion meat pie into a fan shape, as Gu Zi packed both the spicy soup and meat pie into boxes.

    Contemplating her earlier thoughts, Li Hua ventured, ¡°Sister, could you teach me how to make this? I¡¯m eager to learn.¡±

    Gu Zi, without pausing her activities, looked up at Li Hua and reassured, ¡°Of course, as long as you¡¯re willing to learn. Sister-in-law, what are you planning?

    Li Hua nodded slowly, sharing her vision, ¡°With your and your brother-in-law¡¯s help, our family could start a small business. I¡¯ve discussed it with your brother. He works at a pig farm, and I don¡¯t want to sit idle. I¡¯m thinking of getting my parents to help sell some items.¡±

    Although Su Shen was a big boss, the Lin family was determined not to rely solely on their affluent son-in-law. They aspired to use their own skills to earn a living and lead a fulfilling life.

    Li Hua was aware that her sister-in-law was skilled in preparing many local specialties. Even if she learned just a fraction from her, she believed she could manage a food stall.

    After tasting her sister¡¯s spicy soup today, she felt that there was nothing more suitable than this. She wanted to try selling this in town.

    After sampling her sister¡¯s spicy soup that day, Li Hua was convinced it was the perfect product to sell in town. Firstly, the cooling weather made the warm, spicy soup an ideal remedy against the chill. Moreover, the soup, filled with meat and vegetables, could serve as a hearty breakfast, offering simplicity and convenience likely to appeal to many.

    Yet, understanding her plans were still in their infancy, Li Hua was keen to share them with Gu Zi, seeking her opinion and insight.

    To Gu Zi¡¯s surprise, Li Hua¡¯s ideas mirrored her own. She had long harbored a desire to pass on her culinary knowledge to Li Hua, encouraging her to embark on a small business venture. Gu Zi believed that seizing the entrepreneurial spirit of the age was essential to avoid future regrets.

    However, Gu Zi had hesitated to offer unsolicited advice, aware that genuine eagerness to learn is not always guaranteed. She had been waiting for the right moment, which unexpectedly came when Li Hua approached her first. Naturally, Gu Zi was more than willing to teach.

    ¡°You¡¯re interested in selling spicy soup? That¡¯s a brilliant idea!¡± she exclaimed, encouragingly. ¡°When do you wish to start learning? I¡¯m available in the afternoons and have all the ingredients. Feel free to come over.¡±

    Before setting off with Li Hua, Gu Zi arranged for Mother Lin to look after the children.

    She mentioned to Li Hua, ¡°Certainly, but if we¡¯re serious about this business, we might need to refine the recipe. If I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll inform Su Shen in advance. I¡¯ll keep you updated when you deliver the food.¡±

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    The sisters-in-law shared a sense of excitement as they walked, discussing their plans and feeling elated all the way to the Lin family¡¯s paddy field, where the sun was beginning to set.

    Pointing at the plot of land before them, Li Hua explained, ¡°This is the land we rented. You might not know, but the land our grandmother gave to our parents is barren for rice cultivation. We can only grow some resilient vegetables. It¡¯s particularly challenging to manage.¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Zi felt a pang of sadness. She knew the Lin family had been given the short end of the stick during the division of family assets, concluding that such relatives were better off avoided.

    Gu Zi had no desire to interact with that so-called grandmother, including the uncle and aunt. Yet, she realized avoiding them might not be feasible.

    She cautioned Li Hua, ¡°Your uncle and aunt have previously taken advantage of our family. They¡¯re probably still resentful. You must beware of them..¡±

 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Her Pride and Joy

    Chapter 283: Her Pride and Joy

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua agreed. She also felt that Gu Zits reminder made sense. She made a mental note to tell her parents later.

    After descending from the fields, she remarked, ¡°With this pace, we¡¯ll finish harvesting today, thanks to my brother-in-law¡¯s help.¡±

    Just then, a breeze swept through, causing the unharvested ears of grain to sway gently.

    The golden ears, resembling flames, collided with each other, producing a crisp and soft sound reminiscent of a symphony orchestra, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance that beckoned one to forget all trivialities and complexities, returning to one¡¯s true self.

    This naturally diverted Gu Zits thoughts away from any mood-dampening people and events, bringing her a moment of tranquility.

    She told Li Hua, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to call Su Shen for farm work in the future. He¡¯s more than willing to help out.¡¯

    Since the paddy was dry during harvest, Gu Zi could walk in the fields without worrying about muddying her shoes.

    Following Li Hua into the fields, she admired the neatly arranged bundles of rice, which resembled golden, three-dimensional clouds, creating a stunning visual.

    Near these golden clouds, three men stood in a row, swiftly harvesting the remaining rice with their sickles, their actions producing a rhythmic sound.

    Su Shen, tall and handsome, stood out even as he bent over, performing the same task as the others. Gu Zi approached him with some food.

    Under the setting sun, beads of sweat glistened on the determined profile of his face.

    He was dressed in a vest and wide-leg shorts suitable for labor, his muscular deltoids, biceps, and triceps exposed to the sunlight, radiating a strong masculine aura.

    Gu Zi was all too aware of the appeal of a man¡¯s sturdy legs to a woman.

    The sexy muscle lines and the formidable strength stored within were the ultimate aids in making her feel ecstatic in bed.

    Gu Zi saw him holding a handful of rice in his left hand and a sickle in his right. His movements were clean and neat. Soon, another pile of gold was piled up beside him.

    Aware of Gu Zi¡¯s arrival, he looked up at her and said, ¡°Bring that basket over here.¡±

    Gu Zi placed the lunch box on the ridge and turned to fetch the item.

    Her man was not only an officer and a businessman but also skilled at harvesting rice, a true farmer at heart.

    She dutifully brought the basket over, intending to assist in gathering the grain. However, in an unexpected move, the man seized her wrist, drawing her close into his embrace. With agility, his tongue traced her lips, parted her teeth, and ventured inside her mouth, engaging in an intimate dance with her tongue and lips.

    Caught off guard by the sudden kiss, Gu Zi¡¯s heart raced, sending tingles through her scalp. Overwhelmed, she found herself unable to resist, yielding to his fervent bites and caresses. Her breath grew light as she was playfully tormented amidst the paddies.

    After ten seconds, Gu Zi managed to push the man away, delivering a light punch to his chest as she cast him a warning glare.

    Turning to see if they had been noticed, she saw Li Hua attending to Lin Cheng and the others, their focus on their meal and conversation, oblivious to the exchange. This realization soothed Gu Zits fluttering heart.

    With a stern tone, she thrust the lunch boxes into his arms, threatening, ¡°If you dare to fool around again, you¡¯re going without a meal.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I won¡¯t tease you anymore,¡± Su Shen responded with a cheerful tone, not hiding his amusement.

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    He made his way to the ridge, opening the lunch box to savor a bite of the green onion meat pie, followed by a sip of the spicy soup, feeling instantly rejuvenated.

    ¡°This spicy soup you¡¯ve made is truly delicious and authentic,¡± he complimented Gu Zi.

    As Gu Zi continued to fill the basket with grain, her actions efficient and skilled, she replied, ¡°Do you like it? Then I¡¯ll make it more often in the future.¡± Given her sister-in-law¡¯s interest in learning how to prepare the spicy soup, it seemed the family would be enjoying it for some time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy anything you prepare, ¡± Su Shen declared. ¡°But don¡¯t stain your cheongsam. Let me handle this. I can finish up today.¡±

    He gently took the grain from her grasp and escorted her to the ridge¡¯s side, insisting she rest there while he resumed the work..

 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Can We Kiss?

    Chapter 284: Can We Kiss?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Brother Cheng, could you give me a hug too?¡± Li Hua asked, her eyes filled with envy as she watched her sister.

    Lin Cheng understood precisely what Li Hua was yearning for. He had witnessed the tender scene of his brother-in-law lifting his sister with ease up the ridge, a moment so picturesque it could have been lifted straight from a film.

    It wasn¡¯t that he was incapable of such a gesture; rather, he was just a bit reserved.

    Yet, given that his wife seldom made such requests, Lin Cheng found no wish of hers he couldn¡¯t fulfill.

    With a blush coloring his cheeks, Lin Cheng nodded, lifting his wife in his arms and carrying her up the ridge before promptly returning to his tasks.

    Li Hua¡¯s smile blossomed, her heart racing with joy. Turning to Gu Zi, she declared, ¡°I¡¯ll take a leaf out of your book. We¡¯ll add a touch of romance too.¡±

    Gu Zi, with a knowing smile, responded, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re still young. Don¡¯t hesitate to ask Brother to embrace you. You¡¯re husband and wife, after all. If you don¡¯t share these romantic moments, he might share them with someone else.¡±

    From the sidelines, Father Lin observed his family with a deep sense of satisfaction. He cherished the happiness of his children and their spouses, hoping such joy would be a constant in their lives, making all the hardships he and his wife had endured worthwhile.

    Having faced numerous challenges throughout his life, Father Lin harbored a wish for his descendants to lead a life less burdened than his own. Witnessing their current happiness brought him a profound sense of relief.

    Gu Zi and Li Hua, seizing the moment, gathered wild vegetables along the ridge. After collecting two baskets full of lush, verdant greens, they noticed the men had completed the rice harvest on their plot of land.

    Together, they loaded the rice into baskets, transporting it home using carrying poles, accomplishing the task in just two trips.

    Upon returning home, Father Lin couldn¡¯t help but praise Mother Lin, ¡°Our daughter has chosen well. Su Shen is not only a hard worker and a good earner but, most importantly, he adores our daughter. There¡¯s a bright future ahead!¡±

    Mother Lin nodded in agreement, urging Gu Zi to take Su Shen for a shower to clean off the day¡¯s grime. Meanwhile, she and Li Hua busied themselves with cooking.

    Aware of the tradition that newlyweds shouldn¡¯t spend the night at their in-laws¡¯ house on the day of their return, the Lin family planned an early dinner to ensure Gu Zi and the others could head home sooner.

    Su Bing and Su Li were playing outside with Su Le. Seeing that their parents were back, they brought their sister into the house.

    The first thing Su Li did when he returned to the house was to look for his mother. He had spent the day assisting his grandmother with the vegetable picking, earning her praise for his helpfulness and even receiving a handmade grass cage toy from foxtail grass. Eagerly, he wanted to share this token of his day¡¯s adventure with his mother.

    In the midst of organizing her belongings in the room, Gu Zi was interrupted by a knock at the door.

    ¡°Come in, baby,¡± Gu Zi called out, recognizing the distinctive sound. She had an inkling it was Su Li coming to see her.

    Su Li entered the room, his steps light and eager, cradling a grass cage no larger than his palm. With a twinkle of mystery in his eyes, he posed a question to Gu Zi, ¡®Mom, can you guess who gave this to me?¡±

    Gu Zi, her hands busy sorting through the garments Su Shen had shed earlier, placing them into a bamboo basket, responded with patient curiosity. ¡°Considering Grandma was the only one at home with you, it must have been her, correct?¡±

    A nod came from Su Li, his face lighting up with pride. ¡°Exactly, Mom, you¡¯re so clever. Grandma gave this to me as a reward. I was helping her pick vegetables earlier. My brother and sister each received one too. Grandma is truly wonderful! ¡±

    ¡°You all are the wonderful ones,¡± Gu Zi affirmed, her hand gently patting his head in a gesture of approval.

    Basking in the warmth of his mother¡¯s praise, Su Li departed, a content smile gracing his features.

    After a while, Su Bing came over. He extended his grass cage towards Gu Zi, resting it in the palm of her hand. ¡°Mom, this is for you,¡± he announced with a sense of offering.

    After his declaration, a flush of embarrassment painted his little cheeks crimson, and he turned on his heel, dashing away.

    The moment Su Shen emerged from his shower and stepped back into the house, he was greeted by the sight of his eldest son in a swift retreat. Venturing further inside, he discovered Gu Zi seated by the bed, her attention tenderly fixed on the grass cage. Curiosity laced his voice as he inquired, ¡°Do you fancy these little trinkets?¡±

    Gu Zi, with a gentle motion, secured the grass cage before responding, ¡°It¡¯s quite charming, really.¡± She glanced up, a subtle shift in her demeanor. ¡°Have you finished?¡±

    Su Shen, closing the distance to the bed, affectionately ruffled her hair. ¡°Yes, Mom has asked us to come for dinner.¡±

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    His words spoke of dinner, yet his actions lingered, his gaze anchored on the woman before him with an intensity as if he sought to etch her image forever in his memory.

    Overwhelmed by his intense gaze, Gu Zi made a move to leave, but in a swift

    motion, he cornered her against the door, his upper body bare and gleaming from the shower he¡¯d just taken. His rough fingers gently lifted her chin, his voice low and husky with the question, ¡°Can we kiss?¡±

    Locked under his penetrating stare, Gu Zi found herself enveloped by the warmth radiating from his still-damp skin, his features ruggedly handsome in the soft light. She harbored no objections, her heart racing with the anticipation of his touch; after all, she too craved the affectionate seal of his lips against hers.

    Reading the silent consent in her eyes, Su Shen wasted no time. He closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with his own in a gentle yet insistent manner. His body pressed firmly against hers, each contour melding perfectly as he sought to delve deeper into the kiss, to taste the sweetness that he knew belonged to him alone..

 Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Finding the Old Lady

    Chapter 285: Finding the Old Lady

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After dinner, the Gu Zi family departed by car. The village roads were narrow, causing them to drive slowly. The villagers they encountered along the way often greeted them. Despite the encroaching darkness, the journey was lively.

    The inhabitants of Little Lin village were now envious of the Lin family¡¯s fortune. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was stopped on her way home by the villagers, who praised Gu Zi and the Lin family¡¯s good fortune.

    A seed of jealousy had long since taken root in her heart, and now it was like a sharp sword, causing her great pain.

    There were those with malicious intent who pointedly asked, ¡°They didn¡¯t invite you to the wedding or the reception; have your families really cut ties?¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife let out an unpleasant laugh, hands on her hips, she retorted,

    ¡°Even if brothers fight and break bones, they¡¯re still connected by tendons.

    How could we possibly cut ties? That¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡±

    They¡¯ve become wealthy and no longer want to acknowledge their relatives, aiming to stand alone at the top!

    She would not allow the Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family to cast them aside so easily.

    She needed to devise a plan to make Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family show some respect to the old grandmother. The grandmother loved her youngest son the most, so wouldn¡¯t her family benefit in the end? She would let the grandmother take the lead, and Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family would have no choice but to comply!

    With these thoughts in mind, she turned on her heels and headed home, abandoning her original plan to buy salt at the supply and marketing cooperative. She would take her husband, Lin Laoyao, to see the old lady that very night and incite her to make a fuss¡­

    Upon returning home, Gu Zi first went to the kitchen to prepare some food for Big Yellow. As she poured the food, Big Yellow wagged its tail and rubbed against her, its dark eyes brimming with affection as if to say, ¡°My mother, you truly are my mother!¡±

    Gu Zi squatted down to pet it, saying, ¡°Good Big Yellow, eat quickly while it¡¯s hot!¡±

    When Gu Zi entered the house and saw Le Le playing happily with her father and brothers, she left them be and went upstairs to take a bath.

    After her bath, she didn¡¯t rush downstairs. Su Le was often taken care of by Su Shen and his family, so taking care of Su Le was relatively easy for Gu Zi.

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    She went to the room where Su Shen used to live and took out the suitcase she had brought from the Gu family¡¯s home to organize it. Since half of it was filled with autumn and winter clothes, she took this opportunity to sort them out and put them in the cupboard.

    After emptying the suitcase, she felt something unusual in the cotton cloth layer.

    Gu Zi found it strange. In the original owner¡¯s memory, she couldn¡¯t recall placing anything in the layer.

    However, Gu Zi remembered that this suitcase was specifically bought by the original owner for college. But when she decided to prepare for her marriage to Gong Zhan, she gave up on her studies and the suitcase was left unused.

    When Gu Zi took over, she had decided to bring this suitcase to the countryside because she felt that it was bought with the money the original owner earned as a broadcaster, so it was only right to take it..

 Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Paper Stars

    Chapter 286: Paper Stars

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi assumed the box was something the previous owner had bought and barely touched, so she naturally assumed it was empty. Without a thorough inspection, she used it to store her clothes.

    ¡°What could possibly be in here? What is it?¡± She muttered to herself as she opened the compartment. Inside, she found five paper stars, each colored differently with colored pens.

    Gu Zi recalled that many girls had a habit of writing on paper stars, a habit she herself had during junior high school.

    So, out of habit, she unfolded the paper stars. As expected, each star contained a few sentences, akin to a wish journal. The handwriting was neat and elegant, clearly the previous owner¡¯s.

    Gu Zi began to read the words:

    ¡°Today my teacher told me that I qualify for study abroad. I am thrilled because this is the result of my hard work and selection.¡±

    ¡°Today, Gong Zhan¡¯s parents came to our house to discuss our engagement. I was excited, but after they left, my parents asked me to drop out of school to prepare for the wedding. I¡¯m torn.¡±

    ¡°I would love to see if the moon is rounder overseas, but I can¡¯t bear to leave Gong Zhan behind. I like Gong Zhan so much that I¡¯ve fantasized countless times about becoming his wife, having children with him, and living a simple life.¡±

    ¡°Today, I suddenly realized that I might have another chance to study abroad in the future, but if I miss out on the chance to marry the person I love, I can never go back. I told my teacher not to submit my application materials. I choose Gong Zhan. I want to marry him!¡±

    The handwriting on these four pieces was strong and clear. Gu Zi could even see endless hope in the strokes.

    The handwriting on the last piece was noticeably different from the previous four. It was written in red, and the strokes were somewhat messy. Just from the handwriting, one could tell how much pain the original owner had been in.

    Before opening it, Gu Zi could only see the star¡¯s pure black exterior, so she subconsciously left it to open last.

    ¡°A single sentence that I¡¯m not my parents¡¯ biological child negates all my efforts? Now Gong Zhan is no longer my fianc¨¦, and my chance to study abroad is gone. Where should I go from here?¡±

    After reading these words, Gu Zi was momentarily dazed. She suddenly realized how deep the original owner¡¯s love for Gong Zhan was, to the point where she could choose death without him!

    No wonder Gong Zhan always had an inexplicable confidence, always feeling as if she still had feelings for him, fearing that she would pester him.

    Now Gu Zi finally understood what it meant to be fearless when favored. Gong Zhan had always been deeply loved by the original owner, probably spoiled by her love.

    The original owner¡¯s kindness to him was never because of Gong¡¯s family status and position, but simply because he was Gong Zhan, and she loved him.

    But to outsiders, the original owner was no different from Gu Shan and Zhang

    Mei. They thought she had given up her seemingly lofty status to please Gong Zhan and his family, even willing to give up her chance to study to comply with Gong Zhan¡¯s marriage.

    But they never considered that such a lofty and excellent person like the original owner would compromise for these worldly things. Only her own love could trap her.

    Everyone misunderstood the original owner, thinking she was afraid to give up her comfortable city life, accustomed to a pampered lifestyle, and thus unwilling to suffer in the poor countryside, so she wanted to die.

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    Gu Zi only now understood that the original owner¡¯s threat of suicide was not a bluff. She truly wanted to die, not for anything else, but to bury her love.

    Of course, if there had been a chance to study abroad again, the original owner probably wouldn¡¯t have chosen death. Unfortunately, that chance was gone. Lin Miao successfully manipulated Gu Shan and Zhang Mei to change their hearts, intending to let the original owner marry a pig farm owner from the countryside, whom the original owner thought was a twice-married, thirty-year-old man with three children. For someone as lofty as the original owner, such a substitution was a great insult.

    The original owner was just an eighteen-year-old girl, whose mind was not fully mature. Faced with such a cruel blow, she chose suicide without thinking it through. Gu Zi suddenly seemed to understand and empathize with the original owner.

    Because Gu Zi understood the despair of seeing one¡¯s wishes shattered one by one, of not seeing a future. In her previous life, Gu Zi had been part of the working class all her life, and towards the end, she had also considered ending it all.

    It was not that there was any great sorrow that made her despair, but the mere repetition of a lifeless, mechanical life every day was enough to make many people want to die..

 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: A Little Silly

    Chapter 287: A Little Silly

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi admired the bravery of her predecessor now. The woman had loved Gong Zhan so much that she had not left herself any room for retreat. Such courage was not something everyone possessed, and Gu Zi admitted she lacked it too.

    Gu Zi had married Su Shen. Over the days they spent together, she saw his kindness towards her. She liked Su Shen, his appearance, his personality, and even more so, the euphoria he brought her. She enjoyed their intimate moments.

    However, if she were asked to sacrifice her life for Su Shen, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t do it, at least not at the moment.

    Gu Zi restored the paper notes to their original form, placing the five paper stars back into the compartment.

    If her predecessor believed that this place should hold memories that belonged solely to her, then Gu Zi chose to respect it absolutely.

    Yet, Gu Zi found it strange. Why couldn¡¯t she find any memories of the predecessor placing the stars there?

    Gu Zi treated the stars as her predecessor, saying to them, ¡°Perhaps you committed suicide because you were somewhat unwilling to let go, hence my transmigration into this book, right? Your heart died, wanting someone to continue living for you, so I came.¡±

    Gu Zi, in the real world, was a worker without any goals, a woman in her thirties without love or a successful career. Without transmigration, she would probably have led a muddled life.

    At this point, Gu Zi was more convinced that her transmigration into the predecessor¡¯s body had been arranged by fate.

    She zipped up the compartment and took out a book from the box titled ¡°Foreign Travel Diary¡±.

    This book was what Gu Zi had taken from the predecessor¡¯s bedside. It was a bilingual book in Chinese and English. Opening it revealed densely packed reading notes. It was the tool book the predecessor had used when she first started learning English.

    On the first page of the book was a sentence written by the predecessor: I will definitely go!

    Gu Zi looked at the notes, flipping through the pages, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Even though they lived in different eras, her and the predecessor¡¯s dreams were surprisingly similar.

    Gu Zi¡¯s dream in her previous life was also to study or travel abroad. She felt that foreign lands held the poetry and distance she desired.

    She said, ¡°I promise you, when I go abroad, I will take you with me.¡±

    The predecessor was no longer here, but Gu Zits body, these five stars, this book, they could all represent the predecessor.

    The rejection rate for going abroad in this era was very high. It wasn¡¯t guaranteed that you could go abroad just because you had money or good grades. But Gu Zi wasn¡¯t afraid, because her vitality had returned. As long as it was something she wanted to do, she would definitely do it. What she needed to do now was to prepare for the exam.

    Su Shen had been searching for a while before he found Gu Zi in the room he used to live in.

    She was sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book. Having taken a bath, her hair was casually spread out behind her. A lock of hair by her ear was held in place by a large hairpin. This casual appearance exuded a natural and artistic beauty.

    She was indeed beautiful this way, her nude-colored nightgown revealing large hints of fair skin.

    The bulging chest area filled the top of the dress, revealing an impressive cleavage. The thin waist contrasted sharply with it, especially loose and wide. Her slender yet plump legs hung over the edge of the bed, very attractive.

    He glanced at the book she was reading and asked, ¡®Why are you suddenly studying English?¡±

    Gu Zi looked up at him, then naturally leaned on his shoulder, saying, ¡°I¡¯m looking at the notes I made when I was learning English. I think I was a bit silly back then. ¡±

    What Gu Zi referred to was the predecessor. She was brave, but also foolish.

    Gong Zhan was excellent, but he wasn¡¯t worth her deep love.

    She loved Gong Zhan so much, but after the incident, Gong Zhan never spoke a word for her. This kind of one-sided love, Gu Zi felt, only a fool could persist.

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    Su Shen looked at her for a while and asked, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    From Su Shen¡¯s perspective, he only knew that Gu Zi was talking about herself. Perhaps this book was about someone¡¯s memories. She and Gong Zhan had known each other since childhood and had been engaged early. Such a person in her heart might be hard to erase, and it was inevitable to occasionally think of him.

    Su Shen told himself that as long as Gu Zi was his wife now, that was enough. One day, Gu Zits heart would only have him.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°Probably because the input and output were not proportional, so I think I was quite silly before. I won¡¯t be like that now.¡±

    Since it was the predecessor¡¯s experience, Gu Zi felt that if she couldn¡¯t erase it, she might as well admit it openly..

 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: A Hint of Jealousy

    Chapter 288: A Hint of Jealousy

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A flicker of concern flashed in Su Shen¡¯s sharp black eyes. He wrapped his arms around his wife, telling her, ¡°You¡¯re not foolish. Your innocence and kindness are what makes you capable of love.¡±

    Gong Zhan was her first love. A girl¡¯s love at her most innocent age must be genuine. Those who lack kindness can¡¯t experience true love. Even though Su Shen was somewhat jealous of Gong Zhan¡¯s place in his wife¡¯s heart, he didn¡¯t blame her. On the contrary, it made him cherish and love her more.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine the pain and despair this girl must have felt when she had to leave the one she loved to marry him. Moreover, he was sure that Gu Zi was not the kind of woman who would linger over an ex-lover. At least, once she had decided to marry him, Gu Zi had stopped entangling herself with Gong Zhan. She had cleanly cut off all ties. Knowing she could do this, Su Shen deeply appreciated this girl¡¯s worth.

    Gu Zi was worth his lifelong devotion, worth his efforts to become the only one in her heart. He believed that day would come.

    When Gu Zi heard him say this, she felt warmed, but also a twinge of guilt. She was innocent and kind, but she wouldn¡¯t love others as recklessly as the original owner of her body. Her love was based on living well for herself.

    At night, as they lay in bed, Su Shen kissed her for a long time. His lips enveloped hers, his tongue probing and teasing, but he made no other moves. He just held her down and kissed her wildly, as if he wanted to devour her. His final kiss was a gentle one, landing lightly on her eyelashes, a stark contrast to the passionate ones before.

    Then he rolled over to lie beside her. Moonlight seeped through the heavy curtains, casting a thin shadow over the room. When Gu Zi looked over, the man¡¯s distinct features were slightly blurred in the shadow, but his thin lips were tightly pressed together, making his masculine aura even more intense. For some reason, Gu Zi detected a faint hint of jealousy¡­

    The next day, Gu Zi woke up naturally. It was almost seven o¡¯clock, and both Su Shen and Su Le were still asleep. She got up, covered her husband and daughter with blankets, then went downstairs to prepare breakfast.

    For breakfast, she planned to make hand-grabbed pancakes with milk. She had prepared the dough for the pancakes the night before, so she just needed to take it out of the refrigerator and fry it in a pan with a little oil.

    After frying for a while, she cracked an egg into the pan, spreading the egg evenly over the pancake. Then she flipped it over and placed a homemade sausage on the side to fry for a while.

    Gu Zi remembered that the commercial sausages in supermarkets back home were imported from abroad. The first domestic sausage wouldn¡¯t be born for a few more years, and mass production and sales wouldn¡¯t start until the late 1980s. So there should be no sausages like that available now.

    She thought that after teaching her sister-in-law how to make spicy soup, she could also teach her how to make these sausages. If she set up a sausage stand next to her soup stall, business would surely boom!

    As she was thinking this, the hand-grabbed pancake had already been fried to a golden brown on both sides. She placed a sausage in the center of the pancake, then laid a lettuce leaf on top of the sausage.

    She then squeezed homemade ketchup and sweet chili sauce on top of the sausage and lettuce in a ¡°Z¡± pattern. With practiced skill, she wrapped up the pancake and placed it on a plate. One hand-grabbed pancake was ready.

    During breakfast, each family member had a hand-grabbed pancake and a cup of milk, eating with great satisfaction. Of course, Su Shen, being a grown man, had a larger appetite. Gu Zi made him two and a half pancakes, with the half one cut into small pieces for Lele.

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    When Su Shen left for work, Gu Zi handed him two lunch boxes, ¡°There are two pancakes in each box. Please give them to my brother and Jin Long.¡±

    Su Shen wasnt planning on going to the pig farm today. He was going to drive straight to the city for work. However, he didn¡¯t want to waste Gu Zi¡¯s efforts, so he accepted the lunch boxes without a word, kissed her forehead, and left.

    When Su Shen arrived at the pig farm, he saw Jin Long and Lin Cheng just finishing washing the truck. Washing the truck wasn¡¯t really Lin Cheng¡¯s job. As Gu Zi¡¯s brother, the farm workers knew to give him lighter tasks.

    But Lin Cheng was diligent and didn¡¯t like to use his privileges. Since he started working here, he had been eager to do all the dirty and tiring tasks. He also did his job at banquets diligently.

    Su Shen thought that having a brother like Lin Cheng was a blessing for Gu Zi. He would guide Lin Cheng well and help him become stronger, because Lin Cheng was Gu Zit s biggest support in her maternal family..

 Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Lin Cheng Is Easy to Deal With

    Chapter 289: Lin Cheng Is Easy to Deal With

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the event that he was unable to protect Gu Zi in a timely manner due to unforeseen circumstances, Lin Cheng and the Lin family would be there to support her. This reassurance eased his worries, knowing that she would not be left to struggle alone.

    Saying this, Su Shen handed over the lunch boxes to Jin Long and Lin Cheng,

    ¡°This is the breakfast Gu Zi asked me to bring for you.¡±

    With that, he strode out of the pig farm and drove away. The entire process took no more than thirty seconds, executed with remarkable efficiency.

    Lin Cheng was momentarily stunned, clutching the lunch box as he asked Jin Long, ¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to go directly to the city today?¡±

    Jin Long¡¯s eyes sparkled as he stared at the lunch box, unable to wait another second. He opened the box to reveal a golden, fragrant hand-held pancake, which he bit into with a satisfied sigh.

    ¡°Ah, Gu Zi is the best,¡± he said contentedly. ¡°She sends us food and even gets the boss to deliver it!¡±

    A nearby man, noticing the pancake in Jin Long¡¯s hand, licked his lips and approached, ¡°What are you eating, Brother Jin Long? Can I have a bite? I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet.¡±

    However, Jin Long was too engrossed in his food to pay attention to anyone else.

    He took another large bite of the pancake while backing away from the man trying to snatch his food. The bright red tomato sauce smeared on the corner of his mouth was especially tempting, making his refusal seem particularly cruel.

    ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet? What¡¯s your wife doing? I don¡¯t even have a wife, and you¡¯re trying to steal my breakfast. No, no.¡±

    With that, Jin Long walked away quickly with his lunch box, leaving the man to turn his attention to Lin Cheng.

    Lin Cheng was easygoing, and the man was sure he could persuade him to share his food.

    ¡°Brother Lin, can I have a bite of your pancake? I¡¯m so hungry, my stomach is touching my back.¡±

    Lin Cheng didn¡¯t run away. He glanced at the lunch box and then at the man, who quickly smiled ingratiatingly, thinking he was about to taste something delicious. However, Lin Cheng carefully hugged the lunch box to his chest, leaving the man feeling empty.

    With a blush on his face, Lin Cheng said, ¡°This pancake is specially made by my sister for me. If you¡¯re hungry, you can ask the gatekeeper for a pancake. He just offered me one, but I turned it down. You can have it.¡±

    After saying this, Lin Cheng even took the man to ask for a pancake. He was so sincere that the man couldn¡¯t refuse.

    When the man received a large pancake from the gatekeeper, his mouth twitched slightly. Where was the easygoing Lin Cheng he knew? This tactic didn¡¯t work at all!

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi had dressed the three children neatly and they had boarded a bus to the city.

    Gu Zi planned to visit Xinghua Department Store to buy a belt for Su Shen and a few basic foreign language books. She wanted to explore the children¡¯s language abilities when she had time.

    On the bus, she asked her two sons, ¡°Is there anything you want to buy?¡±

    Su Bing shook his head. Their mother had prepared everything they needed to eat, drink, and use. He didn¡¯t think there was anything else they needed to buy.

    Gu Zi then turned to Su Li, who thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Mom, can we buy a piggy bank? Last night, I wanted to save the red envelope money that Uncle gave me and Lele, but I couldn¡¯t find a place to put it.¡±

    If they had a piggy bank, he could start saving his pocket money. Of course, he would keep his and Lele¡¯s money separate to avoid confusion.

    Gu Zi finally understood. Su Li genuinely wanted to help Lele save money, not embezzle it.

    She agreed, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go to Xinghua later and buy a piggy bank for each of you!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li was excited, ¡°Is it the biggest department store in the city? Great!¡±

    Many of Su Li¡¯s classmates had been to Xinghua for shopping. Regardless of how much they bought, it was always impressive to mention it. Now he could also have his moment of glory!

    The mother and her three children walked briskly into Xinghua Department Store. They first visited a leather goods store and selected two elegant and stylish men¡¯s belts. Then they moved on to the bookstore and bought a few basic foreign language books.

    Su Li curiously asked, ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t this what we¡¯re supposed to learn in junior high?¡±

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    Su Bing, who was holding Su Le at the moment, also looked over. He knew it was a foreign language book, but he hadn¡¯t learned any foreign languages yet and didn¡¯t recognize the words.

    Instead of answering, Gu Zi asked, ¡°Do you want to learn what the junior high students are learning?¡±

    Su Li nodded vigorously, ¡°Of course!¡±

    Su Bing also asked expectantly, ¡°Can we learn it?¡±

    Seeing the intense desire for knowledge in their eyes, Gu Zi agreed, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll teach you foreign languages in the future..¡±

 Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Saving the Day

    Chapter 290: Saving the Day

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After settling the bill, Gu Zi continued her stroll with the three children. The booksellers watched her with admiration in their eyes. One of them commented, ¡°This mother is impressive, she can teach her children a foreign language all by herself!¡±

    Another joined in, ¡°Indeed, just now, Boss Huo was sweating bullets. The translators at the radio station we¡¯re collaborating with are not up to par. We don¡¯t even know how to start the event at the rooftop later!¡±

    Upon hearing their conversation, their supervisor hurried over and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try to retain such a talent to help out? Quickly, you go find Boss Huo, and you go find the lady with the children!¡±

    The supervisor in charge of book sales was efficient. He quickly located Boss

    Huo.

    He informed Boss Huo about the customer who could speak a foreign language. Although Boss Huo didn¡¯t hold much hope that this person could handle the fast and fluent translation needed, he was willing to give it a shot. Any hope was better than the current despair.

    Xinghua Department Store had the most advanced broadcasting system. As long as Boss Huo agreed, finding someone in the mall was not a problem.

    So, the staff immediately made an announcement over the broadcast system, and Boss Huo quickly found the language expert in the boutique shop.

    Seeing the lady and her children, he was taken aback at first, then greeted her warmly, ¡°Gu Zi! So you¡¯re the one who might save the day with your language skills! ¡±

    Gu Zi had been located by the staff earlier and had understood the situation from their explanation.

    Today, an important music tea party was to be held on the top floor of Xinghua Department Store. A music tea party is a cultural entertainment venue set up by the people, with tea tasting as the main attraction.

    This form of cultural entertainment, which combines tea tasting and music appreciation, began during the Tang Dynasty.

    However, in the late 1950s, due to the arrival of a new era, music tea parties were criticized as a ¡°lifestyle of the petty bourgeoisie¡± and a ¡°place for the idle class¡±. It was considered shameful, leading to the decline of music tea parties.

    But with the advent of reform and opening up, music tea parties began to revive, even leading a wave of cultural entertainment across the country.

    Boss Huo had set up a special venue on the top floor of Xinghua Department Store for music tea parties. He regularly invited famous opera singers, singers, and performers for performances. People could enjoy the show by buying tickets.

    Today¡¯s tea party was not open to the public. It was specially held to entertain important guests from abroad for business cooperation. Boss Huo had also invited some urban business and political celebrities.

    Therefore, Boss Huo attached great importance to it. He had even specially invited a bilingual host from the radio station to handle the translation work, to showcase the charisma of Chinese hosts to the foreign guests and celebrities, showing them the changes under the reform.

    However, the hired bilingual host suddenly developed an allergic reaction, with red rashes all over her face and a swollen mouth. It would be too disgraceful for her to go on stage in this condition.

    Then, Lin Miao from the radio station, who claimed to be fluent in a foreign language, volunteered to take over.

    Boss Huo recognized her. Wasn¡¯t she the biological daughter of the Gu family he had met at the Su Shen wedding?

    He hadn¡¯t expected her to be fluent in a foreign language. His impression of her improved slightly.

    To test her proficiency, Boss Huo immediately asked her to converse with the foreign guests.

    However, she stumbled after only a few sentences. She was not up to the task of instant translation, and she was probably overwhelmed by the grandeur of the occasion, which left her unable to react.

    Boss Huo was utterly embarrassed. His impression of Lin Miao worsened.

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    He didn¡¯t dare let her go on stage anymore, to continue being a laughing stock for the foreigners. He questioned Chen Jie, the person in charge at the radio station. Couldn¡¯t they find a few more language talents in such a big radio station?

    Chen Jie was also very apologetic. In this era, language talents were scarce. She herself only knew a little, not even enough for fluent conversation.

    She thought that although Lin Miao¡¯s pronunciation wasn¡¯t very standard, she should be able to handle the translation. Who knew that Lin Miao would fail due to stage fright!

    Chen Jie¡¯s solution was, if they really couldn¡¯t find anyone to host in both languages, they would have to let Gong Xin go on stage wearing a mask.

    Just as Boss Huo finished his greeting and before Gu Zi could respond, Chen Jie walked up to Gu Zi, her face full of surprise, ¡°What a coincidence, Gu Zi, you¡¯re the savior we¡¯ve been waiting for! Boss Huo, she used to be our radio station¡¯s best foreign language broadcaster!¡±

 Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Su Shen Is Also Here

    Chapter 291: Su Shen Is Also Here

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sister Chen was talking to Boss Huo about how wonderful Gu Zi was. She felt it was a pity that Gu Zi had married at such a young age, and to a man from the countryside no less, and now she was the mother of three children.

    However, Sister Chen was relieved to see that Gu Zi looked well, dressed more elegantly than before. She must be living a comfortable life.

    And her stepchildren seemed sensible. The eldest one even helped look after the younger ones. But there was something about the eldest child¡¯s cold gaze that was a little frightening.

    Upon hearing Sister Chen¡¯s words, Boss Huo felt reassured. So, Gu Zi used to be a broadcaster!

    His impression of her improved even more.

    Su Shen did well. His wife was young, beautiful, and talented.

    What a wonderful girl. It only his son could meet someone like her!

    His son was under Su Shen¡¯s command in the military. It was a pity that Su Shen had plucked this flower first.

    Boss Huo said, ¡°Sister, for the sake of Su Shen, help me out, will you? You must know what¡¯s going on, right?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Yes, I understand. But will it take a long time? I have things to do at home this afternoon. If it¡¯s going to take a long time, I can¡¯t do it.¡± She had promised her sister-in-law that she would be home on the first day.

    Boss Huo said, ¡°It won¡¯t take long. I¡¯ve already arranged for a foreign language host to come from elsewhere. You just need to help me hold on until the opening ceremony is over, then you can leave. By the way, Su Shen is here too.

    I¡¯ll take you up now.¡±

    Originally, because Sister Chen was Gu Zirs former boss, and Boss Huo was Su Shen¡¯s friend and partner, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t refuse this small request. Now that she heard Su Shen was there, she had no reason to refuse.

    She nodded in agreement, took her children, and followed Boss Huo and Sister Chen to the top floor.

    Due to the time constraint, Boss Huo asked Sister Chen to take her backstage to prepare, while he took the children to the VIP section to find Su Shen.

    The children were excited to see their mother¡¯s hosting style soon and followed Boss Huo enthusiastically. Su Li kept looking back, making a fist and giving his mother a thumbs-up as a gesture of encouragement. Gu Zi responded with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Gu Zi, how did you get here?¡± Gu Zi was stopped as soon as she entered the backstage. She turned her head and saw no one, but when she looked down, she saw Gong Xin lying on a sofa by the wall, her face swollen from an allergic reaction.

    Next to her were several radio station employees who had been scolded by another male leader and were feeling wronged.

    Someone muttered, ¡°You¡¯re looking for a foreign language talent now. Where did we have the chance to learn a foreign language when we were young?

    ¡°Exactly, you blame us, why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡±

    Gu Zi walked over to Gong Xin and asked, ¡°What happened to you? I was just shopping, and now I¡¯ve been dragged here to be your substitute.¡±

    Gong Xin rolled her eyes in annoyance and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think I started itching after I drank sweet potato sugar water this morning. But I drink it every day.¡±

    The radio station provided sweet potato sugar water to the broadcasters every morning and afternoon to protect their voices.

    Gong Xin drank it almost every day and had never had a problem. Who knew something would go wrong at such a crucial moment?

    And it probably wasn¡¯t the sugar water¡¯s fault. There were other broadcasters who drank it today and were fine.

    Gu Zi was suspicious, not of the sugar water itself, but of someone tampering with it.

    But there was no time to discuss this now. Sister Chen handed her a copy of the opening script for her to skim through.

    Another male leader from a different department, who had just transferred from another radio station and was not familiar with Gu Zits abilities, doubted, ¡°What¡¯s the use of looking at it now? We have to go on stage in five minutes.

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    Let Gong Xin go on stage with a mask!¡±

    With Gu Zi there, Gong Xin didn¡¯t want to go on stage looking like a ghost. With so many foreigners in the audience, wouldn¡¯t that be like losing face in front of the whole world?

    She waved her hands repeatedly, saying, ¡°No, no, no, Gu Zi can do it. She has a photographic memory! ¡±

    Sister Chen also assured, ¡°Yes, Gu Zi can even do it without a script. You can rest assured.¡±

    The male leader saw that Gu Zi was beautiful and thought she was just a pretty face. But he also knew Gong Xin¡¯s status and didn¡¯t dare to directly contradict Misq Gong

 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: A Beautiful Vase

    Chapter 292: A Beautiful Vase

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The male leader, feeling insecure in his position, had given his colleague, Sister Chen, full reigns. He was confident that should any issues arise, they would not fall on his shoulders. Thus, he did not voice any objections.

    Gu Zi began to review the manuscript. At this moment, a scene from the original book surfaced in her mind, strikingly similar to the events unfolding before her.

    In the original book, there was a scene where a musical tea party was hosted. However, the host was not the original protagonist but the female lead, Lin Miao.

    When Lin Miao took the stage, the original protagonist, upon hearing the news, rushed from the countryside. Seeing the woman on the stage not only taking her job but also flaunting her rustic foreign language skills, the original protagonist was infuriated and sought to confront Lin Miao.

    The Gu family wanted their biological daughter, not her. She had no desire to return to the Gu family, but she was determined to reclaim her job.

    However, during her backstage dispute with Lin Miao, Gong Zhan appeared, staunchly defending Lin Miao. This shattered the original protagonist¡¯s heart into glass shards, further twisting her cold and arrogant spirit.

    Gu Zi came to a realization. By buying a belt for Su Shen, she had inadvertently followed the original plot of the book.

    Gu Zi remembered that if Lin Miao successfully hosted the event as in the book, Gong Zhan would start to see her differently, and their romantic relationship would begin to develop.

    Perhaps due to Gu Zi¡¯s intervention in the book¡¯s plot, minor adjustments had occurred.

    The original book¡¯s foreign language script reading had transformed into on-the-spot foreign language translation. The original protagonist, Lin Miao, clearly lacked the language proficiency for this task, so now it had become the domain of Gu Zi, the one who had intervened in the book¡¯s plot.

    Gu Zi believed this to be the case. Therefore, she decided not to worry about the original plot, as she had not actively destroyed it but had merely been a passive substitute.

    Additionally, she suspected that Gong Xin¡¯s allergic reaction might have been

    Lin Miao¡¯s doing. She would never willingly help Lin Miao follow the main plot. She was determined to do a good job hosting this time!

    Sister Chen asked him if she was ready. She put down the manuscript and confidently replied, ¡°No problem.¡±

    Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and the musical tea party was about to begin. Gu Zi was dressed in a white dress, her hair styled in a beautiful princess braid. Her outfit was suitable for going directly on stage.

    However, Sister Chen thought her flat shoes were inappropriate and replaced them with eight-centimeter high heels. Gu Zi took her place as the host just as the spotlight hit the stage.

    As the spotlight brightened, the audience fell silent, their attention naturally drawn to the stage.

    At this moment, a beautiful young girl with a graceful figure, dignified demeanor, and appropriate attire stood on the stage as the host. Her lips curled into a standard smile, her skin was fair, and the light shining on her made her glow even more.

    A foreigner sitting in the front row, looking at the beautiful hostess on the stage with an impeccable appearance, figure, and temperament, took a sip of tea. He thought of Lin Miao¡¯s poor translation skills earlier and joked to Boss Huo in broken Mandarin, ¡°Does Boss Huo think that a beautiful vase can cover up the fact that your hostess can¡¯t speak a foreign language?¡±

    They had brought their own translator. After hearing their boss¡¯s words translated, several people around him sneered.

    The foreigner who spoke Mandarin added casually, ¡°Boss Huo, don¡¯t worry too much. We have our own translator. Even if your hostess can¡¯t speak a foreign language well, we can still understand the opening remarks.¡±

    Boss Huo didn¡¯t understand, but from their expressions and the words of the foreigner who spoke Mandarin, he knew that these foreign guests were waiting to see a joke.

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    He was so angry that he had nothing to say and could only take another sip of tea, hoping that Gu Zi could perform well and restore the reputation that Lin Miao had lost earlier.

    Su Shen, sitting in the back row with a few children, had requested this seating arrangement himself. His attendance was already a favor to Boss Huo, and he didn¡¯t want to socialize.

    Moreover, it was Gu Zi¡¯s turn to host the stage, and he was looking forward to his wife¡¯s performance.

    Su Bing and Su Li also stretched their necks like giraffes, eagerly anticipating their mother¡¯s brilliant performance.

    In another seating area, Gong Zhan, who had been appointed by his parents to sit in, was staring intently at Gu Zi on the stage. His heart was filled with waves, and his eyes revealed complex thoughts that others couldn¡¯t understand..

 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Stunning

    Chapter 293: Stunning

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin had suddenly encountered a mishap, and Lin Miao¡¯s abilities were insufficient to take the stage. At this juncture, Gu Zi appeared, her timing uncannily perfect, swooping in to save the day.

    She was already married to Su Shen, so what was she doing here?

    Gong Zhan thought Gu Zi was truly incorrigible, unwilling to let go of either side. She had just gotten married and was already back, hovering around him.

    Beside Gong Zhan, Lin Miao was nearly livid when she saw Gu Zi appearing on stage just like in her past life. Gu Zi had already married into the countryside, so how could she still appear at this tea gathering?

    Moreover, what Lin Miao hadn¡¯t anticipated was that due to her rebirth, the circumstances of this tea gathering were somewhat different from her past life.

    For instance, in her past life, Gu Shan, Zhang Mei, Gong Zhan¡¯s father, and Mrs. Chen were all present, but this time they were absent. In her past life, Boss Huo hadn¡¯t appeared, but this time he was the host.

    Lin Miao remembered that in her past life, Gu Zi had hosted this music tea gathering. It was during this event that Gong Zhan had first truly appreciated Gu Zi¡¯s excellence and began to accept her as his wife.

    At the same time, it was also the first time Lin Miao had appeared before her biological parents in her past life, attracting their attention.

    Knowing all this, Lin Miao had carefully planned today¡¯s event, replacing Gong Xin as the host, hoping to gain Gong Zhan¡¯s approval.

    However, what she hadn¡¯t expected was that the relatively simple foreign language script hosting from her past life had turned into simultaneous translation hosting, and she was also responsible for interacting with foreign guests. It had caught her completely off guard.

    On stage, Gu Zi had already begun hosting.

    Her voice was professional and pleasant, with authentic pronunciation, giving off a naturally refined feel.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, greetings! Welcome to today¡¯s music tea gathering. I am Gu Zi, your host for the first half. I see several blond-haired, blue-eyed gentlemen seated in our first row¡­¡±

    The moment Gu Zi opened her mouth, the foreign guests from earlier were already astounded.

    What made them somewhat embarrassed was that they had just jokingly called the host a mere beautiful vase, but now the host was referring to them as ¡°blond-haired, blue-eyed gentlemen.¡±

    They immediately apologized to Boss Huo, ¡°We were presumptuous. This hostess shows us the most brilliant exotic beauty!¡±

    Boss Huo finally straightened his back, generously not taking offense, ¡°This Miss Gu Zi is the wife of Mr. Su Shen, the business partner I introduced to you earlier. She is a very capable woman.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s Mr. Su Shen¡¯s wife. It¡¯s a real-life prince and princess story!¡± These foreigners were not collaborating with Boss Huo for the first time and were familiar with Su Shen. Hearing that Gu Zi was Su Shen¡¯s wife, they looked at Gu Zi with even more respect.

    The other audience members were also amazed by Gu Zit s opening remarks. Although they didn¡¯t understand the foreign language, the confidence and charm emanating from Gu Zi told them that she was a formidable foreign language host.

    Gong Zhan was also somewhat taken aback. When did Gu Zi learn a foreign language? And how could she be so good?

    He had always thought of Gu Zi as a hanger-on, a beautiful but empty-headed woman who only knew how to follow him around. He had never directly witnessed her capabilities.

    He hadn¡¯t expected that when she shone, she was so enchanting that no one could compare¡­

    Not only were the audience members amazed, but even the backstage staff were listening attentively to Gu Zi¡¯s hosting. The male leader who had doubted Gu Zi earlier was now silent, saying to Sister Chen, ¡°I was blind not to recognize a gem!¡±

    This was not a vase, but a top-notch contestant with both beauty and intelligence!

    How could Sister Chen, who valued talent so much, let such a promising seedling slip away?

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    Sister Chen saw his confusion and helplessly waved her hand against the wall.

    She looked at Gu Zi for a long time, her eyes filled with appreciation for talent.

    Lin Miao¡¯s hand couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Why was it still Gu Zi who stole the show?

    What frightened Lin Miao the most was that she realized the high level of Gu Zi¡¯s foreign language hosting skills was likely something she couldn¡¯t achieve even with ten more years of practice.

    Even if she had been reborn, when it came to the crunch, as long as she encountered Gu Zi, she would lose completely!

 Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Suffocating

    Chapter 294: Suffocating

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It was Gu Zi who had stolen Lin Miao¡¯s life!

    If Gu Zi hadn¡¯t been born into the privileged life that should have been hers, growing up in the military compound, receiving a good education, she wouldn¡¯t have been as outstanding as she was now!

    Gu Zi might have inherited the Lin family¡¯s beauty, but she would have been nothing more than a pretty face, not the capable and attractive person she was now.

    And Lin Miao, because of the family swap with Gu Zi, was always on the losing end.

    Was it possible that even if she could do it all over again, with the script of life in her hands, she still couldn¡¯t surpass Gu Zi who had won at the starting line?

    What Lin Miao couldn¡¯t understand was that when she was reborn, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t outsmart her. After all, she was the one who was reborn, the prophet who held the script of life. She could use the information she knew to twist the truth and alienate Gu Zi from the Gu family.

    She could even exploit Gu Zits prideful nature of not wanting to explain herself, causing the Gu family, the Gong family, and even the Lin family to completely abandon her.

    But why? Gu Zi¡¯s character and handling of affairs were completely different from a month ago!

    No matter how she tried to scheme against Gu Zi now, she was always easily thwarted. This Gu Zi was no longer like the Gu Zi of the previous life, who was proud and arrogant due to her exceptional abilities from a young age.

    The current Gu Zi didn¡¯t even have the aloof and antisocial traits anymore.

    Compared to the Gu Zi of the previous life, she seemed even more invincible.

    She was filled with hatred. She hated the unfairness of the heavens, she hated Gu Zi for stealing the brilliant life that should have belonged to her, Lin Miao. More than anything, she hated the feeling of being crushed and powerless, which made her feel suffocated.

    Why did her life have to be so entangled with Gu Zi¡¯s?

    At this moment, she felt more strongly than ever that she, Lin Miao, and Gu Zi could never coexist in the same world!

    They were born to be mortal enemies, fighting to the death.

    In her previous life, Lin Miao had lost, and lost thoroughly. But this time, Lin Miao really didn¡¯t want to lose.

    At this moment, the man who was about to become her husband was focused on Gu Zits hosting. Only after Gu Zi stepped down did he turn his gaze to her, his eyes filled with coldness and disappointment.

    After a long while, Gong Zhan leaned in close to her ear. She heard him say, ¡°If you¡¯re here to embarrass the Gu family and our Gong family, don¡¯t come out with me in the future.¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s voice was low, only the two of them could hear his words.

    But to others, it looked as if Gong Zhan was comforting her. Lin Miao felt extremely aggrieved.

    But she couldn¡¯t really lose face in front of everyone. She still had to be Mrs.

    Gong.

    With things as they were, she could only muster a pleasing smile and say to

    Gong Zhan, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be careful next time. But Gong Zhan, don¡¯t you think Gu Zit s appearance is strange?¡±

    As soon as Lin Miao¡¯s words were out, Gong Zhan¡¯s eyebrows twitched, apparently thinking the same as her.

    He didn¡¯t respond to her, but stood up and left. Lin Miao followed him. He was heading towards the backstage, and a smile finally appeared at the corner of her mouth.

    At least there was one thing she hadn¡¯t bet wrong on, and that was Gong Zhan¡¯s lack of basic trust in Gu Zi.

    Gong Zhan, just like in the previous life, didn¡¯t love Gu Zi, and certainly didn¡¯t trust her!

    When Gu Zi returned backstage, Gong Xin, with a towel over his face, came up and gave Gu Zi a big hug.

    Gong Xin said to Gu Zi with great admiration, ¡°You¡¯re as amazing as ever! Even though I always lose to you, this time I really admire you!¡±

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    They say that outsiders watch the fun, while insiders watch the doorway. Although Gong Xin didn¡¯t have the experience of Sister Chen, nor the broadcasting level of Gu Zi, she was still a professional. After listening to Gu Zi¡¯s entire hosting, she thought it was perfect.

    Even if she hadn¡¯t seen the scene, just listening to the voice had attracted her to Gu Zi!

    Gu Zi teased her, ¡°I also admire your courage to keep fighting. You¡¯re always welcome to compete with me. But in your condition, are you sure you don¡¯t want to go to the hospital first?¡±

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t care, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s just an allergic reaction. You know I¡¯m allergic to papaya, but I didn¡¯t eat any today. I don¡¯t know why I had an allergic reaction. Maybe I accidentally encountered a new allergen.¡±

    Despite loving to eat papaya since she was a child, after eating it, her face would break out in a rash and her mouth would swell up. Once, she secretly ate a papaya by herself, vomited and almost went into shock..

 Chapter 295 - 295 Scheming

    295 Scheming

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin felt that her symptoms today were incomparable to any she had experienced before. They were merely a nuisance, tarnishing her stage presence but posing no real threat to her life.

    Gu Zi, however, remained silent. Indeed, Gong Xin had been allergic to papaya since childhood, and Gu Zi had seen her allergic reactions before ¨C they were identical to h er condition today.

    But how could Gong Xin exhibit the same symptoms as a papaya allergy when she had only consumed sweet potato sugar water and not a shred of papaya?

    ¡°Gu Zi, I really can¡¯t thank you enough for today! You¡¯re absolutely stunning, a true goddess!¡±

    At this point, the radio station staff all came over to express their gratitude to Gu Zi. If it weren¡¯t for her stepping in to save the day, they would have had to endure a torrent of criticism, and their monthly bonuses would have been in jeopardy.

    Sister Chen stood to the side, her eyes filled with admiration as she watched Gu Zi, a proud smile playing on her lips.

    She said to the male leader, ¡°This is my trump card. In terms of broadcasting and hosting skills, she¡¯s clearly surpassed even me, a veteran in the radio industry. In the future, you need to be more discerning.¡±

    The male leader didn¡¯t dare to utter a word of rebuttal. Gu Zi¡¯s performance had left him astounded, and his perception of Sister Chen, the eccentric, single, older woman, had significantly improved.

    He thought to himself that he might not encounter another broadcaster as outstanding as Gu Zi for at least the next ten years. He felt both relieved and regretful.

    He said, ¡°I truly admit defeat this time, and I admire you. I¡¯ve only just realized that you¡¯re a leader who can accommodate others.¡±

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    A leader who cannot accommodate others will not have truly capable subordinates.

    Sister Chen adjusted her glasses and said to the male leader, ¡°You don¡¯t need to admire me. Just stop causing trouble for our department behind our backs, thank you.¡±

    The male leader, recalling his previous actions, scratched his head awkwardly, ¡°No problem.¡±

    With that, the male leader, who had been at odds with Sister Chen since his transfer, shook hands with her in reconciliation.

 Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Tempered

    Chapter 296: Tempered

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation      Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    How ridiculous! Gong Zhan had seen all kinds of women¡¯s tricks since he was a child. He would not fall for hers.

    Upon hearing Gu Zit s sarcastic words, Lin Miao was about to play the victim, but Gong Zhan stepped in, shielding her behind him.

    With an icy tone, he addressed Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re quite the disappointment, always engaging in underhanded deeds behind the scenes. And now, here you are, playing the innocent and changing the subject.¡±

    Gu Zi exchanged a glance with Gong Xin, who felt both helpless and a headache coming on. She didn¡¯t know what had gotten into her brother this time. What did this have to do with him?

    Moreover, what had Gu Zi done? Wasn¡¯t it Lin Miao who started the trouble?

    Gong Xin felt that now that Gu Zi wasn¡¯t bothering him anymore, he was becoming increasingly unreasonable, eagerly meddling in Gu Zi¡¯s affairs.

    Gu Zi, however, looked at Gong Zhan with a puzzled expression. ¡°Are you talking about me?¡±

    Gong Zhan snorted coldly, turning his handsome profile towards her as if to say he was done looking at her. He thought she was too good at playing the victim.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother with him. After all, to her, Gong Zhan was an insignificant person.

    Seeing this, Lin Miao quickly tried to mediate, ¡°Brother Gong Zhan, Sister Gu Zi, please stop arguing. It¡¯s my fault for not speaking well. Gong Xin¡¯s allergic reaction was clearly an accident, and Gu Zi¡¯s appearance here must be a coincidence.¡±

    Gu Zi replied to Lin Miao, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so roundabout. You just want everyone to think that Gong Xin¡¯s allergic reaction has something to do with me, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Gu Zi voiced all her suspicions. She found Gong Xin¡¯s allergic reaction today very strange.

    She wondered if someone with ill intentions had sneaked into the radio station¡¯s cafeteria when the staff was making the sweet soup, and secretly added papaya to the sweet potato soup that the announcer was drinking.

    Gong Xin was allergic to papaya, a fact known by many people in the compound, including her.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if Lin Miao knew, but if one were to talk about motives, Lin Miao was the more likely culprit.

    After all, Lin Miao still worked at the radio station and would have had an easier time tampering with the soup. She didn¡¯t arrive in the city until nine o¡¯clock that day. By then, the soup was already ready. How could she have tampered with it at the radio station and then come here to save the day?

    When Lin Miao heard Gu Zi mention the possibility of someone secretly adding papaya to the soup, her eyes flickered involuntarily.

    Although she quickly covered it up, Gu Zi keenly caught the change in her expression. That was the result Gu Zi wanted to see. Lin Miao was showing signs of guilt.

    With tears in her eyes, Lin Miao stood beside Gong Zhan and said in a wronged tone, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t slander me. If we go by your logic, wouldn¡¯t it be simple for someone to bribe a person in the radio station¡¯s cafeteria to do this?¡±

    Gu Zi laughed lightly and asked in a relaxed tone, ¡°Oh, so Lin Miao, you also think that Gong Xin¡¯s allergy wasn¡¯t a coincidence, but that someone deliberately tampered with the soup, right? So, I think instead of saying that I tampered with it, you actually have more motive and opportunity to do so.¡±

    Lin Miao denied it, ¡°Sister, stop slandering me every time. You have no evidence, so why do you say that?¡±

    Gu Zi retorted with her own words, ¡°So why do you imply that I¡¯m the one who tampered with it? I¡¯m just saying the same thing as you, but now you¡¯re accusing me. ¡±

    Listening to the conversation between Gu Zi and Lin Miao, Gong Xin suddenly realized. Yes, her symptoms today were exactly the same as when she had an allergic reaction to papaya before. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a new allergen at all. What if someone had tampered with her soup?

    After all, the radio station always placed great importance on the cooperation with Boss Huo of Xinghua. If she could shine or be praised in the cooperation with Boss Huo, it would be an opportunity for Lin Miao to be promoted directly from a clerk to an announcer.

    So, Gong Xin being the bilingual host of this music tea party would naturally make someone want to cause trouble and replace her as the host.

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    However, many people in the station were wary of the power of the Gong family. They wouldn¡¯t dare, and they didn¡¯t have the motive since they didn¡¯t know foreign languages.

    But on second thought, it might not be the case for Lin Miao. Ever since Gu Zi sold her job to herself, Lin Miao could only work as a clerk at the radio station. A clerk was always lower than an announcer, and someone as vain as Lin Miao might covet this opportunity.

    Moreover, Lin Miao clearly wanted to pin this on Gu Zi just now. Judging by Gong Zhan¡¯s reaction, Lin Miao¡¯s slander seemed to have worked. It was just a pity that she had seen through Lin Miao¡¯s character and wouldn¡¯t be as naive as her brother Gong Zhan, believing Lin Miao over Gu Zi.

    Gong Xin felt that she needed to investigate this matter thoroughly.. She warned Lin Miao, ¡°If I find out you¡¯re scheming against me, I¡¯ll definitely give

    you trouble!¡±

 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Letâ€™s Go Home

    Chapter 297: Let¡¯s Go Home

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin was no fool. After hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, she too realized that Lin Miao was the most likely person to cause trouble.

    The event had initially started with a scripted host. Although Lin Miao¡¯s foreign language skills were not entirely up to par, she could certainly memorize a script and deliver it. After all, she was a clerk at the radio station and had access to the final drafts.

    However, due to certain circumstances, the event required an impromptu bilingual host. Not only did the host need to be bilingual, but they also had to think on their feet and interact with foreign guests.

    This sudden change caught Lin Miao off guard. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she have been the biggest beneficiary of today¡¯s mishap? But for now, all these were just speculations. Gong Xin quietly resolved to get to the bottom of this matter before making any accusations.

    When Gong Xin directly warned Lin Miao, she acted so wronged that she burst into tears. ¡°Just because you and Gu Zi are good friends now, doesn¡¯t mean you can be so biased and help her slander me. I only came here today because Gong Zhan asked me to¡­¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s icy gaze fell on Lin Miao¡¯s pitiful face. Her makeup was exceptionally light today, and her style of dress was no longer a soulless imitation of Gu Zi.

    She seemed to have found a style of dress that suited her, looking like a delicate jade today. Her crying was indeed quite distressing.

    Seeing Lin Miao cry, he felt even more that Gu Zi was the bad influence, thinking that his sister had been bewitched by Gu Zi and was causing trouble.

    He coldly said to Gu Zi, ¡°Stop playing your little games. Greedy people are the most annoying.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to retort, a man¡¯s voice, even sharper than Gong

    Zhan¡¯s, rang out, ¡°Use your brain. Who are you calling greedy?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s ears pricked up at the sound of this deep, magnetic voice, as rich and mellow as a cello, with an indescribable charm that resonated in their hearts.

    Apart from these feelings, Gu Zi also felt a strong sense of affection. Wasn¡¯t this the voice of her man? So domineering, so manly!

    She looked up and, as she had expected, her heart raced. The others also followed Gu Zi¡¯s gaze and were taken aback.

    The man was extremely handsome and resolute, dressed simply in a shirt and trousers, but he wore them with an air of elegance.

    His brows were bright, his thin lips tightly pressed, his gaze deep and sharp. His long legs took confident strides, like a king who held supreme power in this world.

    He walked up to Gu Zi in a few steps, protectively wrapped his beautiful wife in his arms in front of everyone, and gently kissed her forehead. The man said tenderly, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s time to go home.¡±

    His wife, along with their children, had been pulled in to serve as a bilingual host in the middle of their stroll.

    Such an excellent and beautiful woman, he really couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down for a moment.

    He was even thankful now that he had agreed to attend today¡¯s tea party with Old Huo.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, and she smelled the unique cool fragrance of the man. Her lips curved up slightly, ¡°Mm, where are the children?¡±

    Su Shen said, ¡°With Old Huo. We¡¯ll go get them when we leave. But I don¡¯t understand, why would a wife need to scheme when attending a tea party with her husband?¡±

    When Su Shen had entered, he had heard the radio station staff discussing the emotional entanglements between Gu Zi, Lin Miao, and Gong Zhan. They said that with such an excellent ex, Gu Zi must have some regrets.

    When Su Shen reached the door of the lounge, he heard Lin Miao¡¯s slander against Gu Zi and Gong Zhan¡¯s words. Su Shen thought that Gong Zhan was really a bit blinded by Gu Zi¡¯s past love.

    Not knowing how to cherish such a good woman as Gu Zi, what right did he have to doubt Gu Zi and throw dirt on her?

    At Su Shen¡¯s words, Gong Zhan was at a loss for words. Su Shen was a VIP at the tea party, how could this be possible?

    And today, this rural man, once dressed up, stood in front of him with an aura even stronger than his own.

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    Gong Zhan¡¯s face was very ugly, the veins on his forehead were bulging.

    Gong Xin really didn¡¯t want to continue losing face with her brother. She pulled Gong Zhan and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything else, hurry up and take me to the hospital for a check-up. I don¡¯t want to look like this all the time, let¡¯s go, quickly!¡±

    With that, Gong Xin pulled her brother out of the lounge.

    Lin Miao¡¯s face was pale, and seeing Su Shen defend Gu Zi was like a knife to her heart. In her past life, she and Su Shen were a married couple, but he had never treated her like this!

    She glanced at the two of them, then followed Gong Xin and her brother out..

 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: He Took After Their Father

    Chapter 298: He Took After Their Father

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi turned to Su Shen and asked, ¡°Did you notice anything strange about Lin

    Miao¡¯s gaze just now?¡±

    Su Shen responded, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He hadn¡¯t paid any attention to Lin Miao, nor did he have any interest in her. His focus was solely on Gu Zi. Had he not heard Gong Zhan slandering Gu Zi, he wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to interact with them.

    Gu Zi pondered for a moment, indeed finding Lin Miao¡¯s gaze peculiar, as if she was trying to capture Su Shen¡¯s attention.

    As the female lead in the original story, shouldn¡¯t Lin Miao¡¯s attention be focused on the male lead, Gong Zhan? Gu Zi decided to set this question aside for the moment.

    She wrapped her arm around Su Shen¡¯s and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go pick up Lele and the others. I promised to buy them piggy banks earlier, but I was caught up with this. Now that you¡¯re here, you can pay for them.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother to ask Su Shen why he hadn¡¯t informed her about his plans to attend the town¡¯s event. As a businessman, he was always busy. As his wife, she understood that she didn¡¯t need to question every little detail.

    However, Su Shen took the initiative to explain, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go buy them. I didn¡¯t plan on attending the tea party today, but I thought if I did, I could come home early for lunch.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow and teased, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I never suspected that you came to watch the beautiful women sing.¡±

    Su Shen stopped in his tracks, pulled Gu Zi close, and pressed her against the corridor wall. He kissed her lips and, with his finger under her chin, said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the most beautiful woman right here in my arms?¡±

    Flustered by his flirtation, Gu Zi pushed him away and quickly walked ahead.

    Su Shen leaned against the wall, watching her briskly walk away. Her skirt swayed, revealing a glimpse of her beautiful legs. Her skin was so white it seemed to glow. Her round buttocks were hidden beneath her skirt, swaying rhythmically with each step. Her slender waist looked as if it could be snapped with just one hand.

    His eyes darkened as he imagined himself holding her slender waist and making her arch her back¡­

    After taking a few steps, Gu Zi felt a burning gaze on her back. She didn¡¯t turn around, waiting for Su Shen to catch up.

    Being taller, Su Shen had a longer stride and quickly caught up with her. They picked up the children and selected three piggy banks before heading home.

    In the car, Su Bing and Su Li each held their piggy banks, examining them with interest. Su Le was asleep, so her piggy bank was in Su Li¡¯s hands.

    Holding two piggy banks, Su Li suddenly felt a great sense of responsibility. He was not only managing his own finances but also helping little Lele!

    Su Shen noticed a patch of foxtail grass by the roadside. He stopped the car and told Gu Zi, ¡°Wait for me.¡± He returned ten minutes later with five little foxes woven from the foxtail grass. Gu Zi found the green foxes adorable.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Su, I love them!¡± Gu Zi was both delighted and surprised. She remembered that when Su Bing had given her a cage woven from foxtail grass, Su Shen had specifically asked if she liked such trinkets.

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    Now she understood why he had asked if she liked them. If she did, he would make them for her.

    Su Bing, sitting in the back seat, observed all this and suddenly felt that his father was quite cunning. Was he also competing for her affection?

    He wondered whom Su Li had inherited his competitive nature from. It turned out to be their father!

    At this moment, Su Li was also staring at his father, secretly deciding to learn handicrafts so he could make beautiful trinkets for his mother. If his father gave her five little foxes, he would give her ten!

    He knew he couldn¡¯t compete with his father financially, but he was determined not to lose when it came to handicrafts..

 Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Aunt, Please Have Some Tea

    Chapter 299: Aunt, Please Have Some Tea

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li, harboring his own little thoughts, had been unusually quiet throughout the journey. By the time they arrived home, he had fallen asleep, and it was Su Shen who had to carry him from the car.

    While busying herself with various tasks, Gu Zi said, ¡°He must be tired. Let him sleep on the sofa for a while, and we¡¯ll wake him up for dinner. I¡¯ll prepare lunch. Will you have enough time to eat before going to the pig farm?¡±

    Su Shen gently placed their son on the couch, covering him with a blanket, and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll have enough time. Let me help you.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± The couple then proceeded to the kitchen together.

    Su Bing, holding Lele, glanced at his father¡¯s retreating figure, then at his younger brother, sound asleep. Compared to these two, he seemed to lack any advantage that would win him favor¡­

    Half an hour later, a table full of delicious food was ready. After Su Shen and his wife and child finished their lunch, they left the house.

    After tidying up the kitchen, Gu Zi began to prepare the ingredients for the hot and spicy soup. Once everything was ready, she took Lele upstairs for a nap.

    Neither Su Bing nor Su Li felt sleepy. Su Bing took out a book to read, while Su Li busied himself with his homework. Su Li had become more self-disciplined, hardly needing Su Bing to supervise him.

    The most cunning thing about Su Li was that he would save any questions he had about his homework to ask his mother unless he needed the answer urgently. This was his way of showing his eagerness to learn.

    Su Bing saw through his brother¡¯s little scheme, but he understood and sympathized with him. Neither he nor Su Li had experienced a mother¡¯s warmth in their early years. Now that they finally had a loving mother, it was no wonder that Su Li would behave this way.

    Su Bing also yearned to talk more with his mother, but he felt that it would seem too deliberate and childish.

    He had forgotten that he was still just a primary school student, a child who needed to be spoiled and pampered by his mother.

    In the early afternoon, there was a knock at the door. Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up at the sound, and he was the first to run out and open the door.

    Su Bing also put away his book and followed. He saw Su Li leading their aunt, Li Hua, who was carrying a basket of eggs, into the house. Li Hua looked at the pigeon cage in the yard with surprise. ¡°These are all pigeons, aren¡¯t they? They haven¡¯t been tamed yet, have they?¡±

    Su Bing replied, ¡°No, not yet. My mother said she would do it when she has time. Auntie, please come in and sit down. My mother is still taking a nap.¡±

    The brothers led Li Hua into the house. Big Yellow, the dog tied up in the yard, recognized people well. Seeing Li Hua, he didn¡¯t bark, knowing that she was a member of Gu Zi¡¯s family.

    After entering the house, Li Hua placed the eggs beside the table. Just as Su Bing was inviting her to sit on the sofa, Su Li came over with a cup of hot water. ¡°Auntie, please have some tea!¡±

    Li Hua had become quite familiar with the children of the Su family through her frequent visits.

    She cared about them and, fearing that the hot water might scald Su Li, quickly took it and took a sip.

    Su Li cut straight to the chase, eagerly asking, ¡°Auntie, do you know how to weave a fox out of foxtail grass?

    Su Bing watched and instantly understood why Su Li had been so eager to open the door. It turned out that he had a plan in mind. They all knew that their aunt was coming that afternoon, and Su Li wanted her to teach him how to weave a fox.

    Su Li must have thought that since their grandmother knew how to do it, their aunt would too.

    Sure enough, Li Hua said, ¡°Yes, I do. When we were children, we didn¡¯t have many toys. We made our own toys out of grass and leaves. Weaving a fox out of foxtail grass is no problem.¡±

    Su Li took Li Hua¡¯s hand and pleaded, ¡°Then Auntie, can you teach me how to do it?¡±

    Li Hua saw his eagerness to learn and didn¡¯t know why, but of course, she was willing to teach him.

    ¡°Sure, it will give your mother some more time to sleep. Let¡¯s go pick some foxtail grass, and I¡¯ll teach you!¡±

    With that, the two of them went out again. A few minutes later, they returned to the living room, each holding a handful of foxtail grass.

    Gu Zi woke up at two o¡¯clock, while Lele was still sleeping. She heard the noise downstairs and guessed that her sister-in-law must have arrived. She quickly tidied herself up and went downstairs.

    She was halfway down the stairs when she saw Su Li in the living room, hurriedly collecting something. By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, Su Li was hiding something in his arms. He called out ¡°Mom¡± and quickly went upstairs.

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    Gu Zi caught a glimpse of what seemed to be foxtail grass. What was there to hide about that?

    Su Bing didn¡¯t say anything. He knew what Su Li was thinking. Su Li felt that his weaving was not good enough yet. He wanted to perfect it before giving it to his mother as a surprise.

    Su Bing stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Su Li.¡± Then he went upstairs too.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand, but she greeted her sister-in-law first and led her to the kitchen. ¡°Today, you can watch me do it once. I¡¯ll tell you some key points..

    Did you bring a pen and paper?¡±

 Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Kowtow and Serve Her Tea

    Chapter 300: Kowtow and Serve Her Tea

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Holding the hem of her pants, Li Hua shook her head and said, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t think that learning to cook would require note-taking.¡±

    They were accustomed to household chores, learning to cook various dishes from others. After two or three attempts, they usually mastered it.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°Since we¡¯re going into business, we need to get used to taking notes, especially when learning the process of making this spicy soup. We need to record some key points, as you¡¯ll be required to suggest improvements later on.¡±

    Gu Zi fetched a pen and paper to demonstrate, speaking about key points while preparing the spicy soup.

    ¡°The ingredients we¡¯re using today include beef, kelp, wood ear mushrooms, daylily, dried tofu skin, and peanuts. However, there¡¯s no fixed recipe for the spicy soup, we need to create our own unique version through learning.¡±

    ¡°The technique of washing gluten is very important, and it requires a lot of practice.¡±

    ¡°This spicy soup is nutritious and delicious, but the most important aspect is the broth. If you want a good soup, you must use genuine ingredients to make the broth.¡±

    Soon, a pot of steaming spicy soup was ready. Gu Zi scooped a spoonful into a bowl for Li Hua, ¡°Try it.¡±

    Li Hua blew on it a few times before taking a sip. The spicy and fragrant taste filled her mouth, the warmth spreading throughout her body.

    If she could have a bowl of this every winter morning, it would be wonderful!

    Gu Zi said, ¡°Now, follow the steps I just showed you to make a pot. If you don¡¯t understand anything, feel free to ask.¡±

    Gu Zi had decided that tonight¡¯s dinner for the Su family would be spicy soup with large meat buns. Li Hua could practice by making another pot and take it home.

    At the Lin family¡¯s house, Lin Cheng was working at the pig farm, Father Lin was threshing grain at the dam, and only Mother Lin was at home.

    Mother Lin had just finished washing her clothes from yesterday and was planning to check if there were any clothes to be washed in Lin Cheng¡¯s room.

    Li Hua always insisted that Mother Lin didn¡¯t need to help with the laundry, saying that they could wash their own clothes and that Mother Lin should rest more.

    If there were any dirty clothes that Li Hua didn¡¯t have time to wash, she hid them, fearing that Mother Lin would find them.

    Just as Mother Lin was about to open the door, a familiar yet stern voice of an elderly woman echoed from outside.

    ¡°Lin Lao¡¯er, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family, get out here for your mother! Now that you¡¯re rich, you don¡¯t want to acknowledge me as your mother?¡±

    Mother Lin quickly closed all the room doors before hurriedly stepping out, only to be met with an old and fierce face, causing her body to tremble involuntarily.

    The visitor was none other than her mother-in-law, Gu Zi¡¯s biological grandmother, Old Lady Lin.

    The people supporting Old Lady Lin on both sides were the youngest daughter-in-law and her only son, Lin Jie.

    Although the mother and son were smiling, their smiles didn¡¯t reach their eyes.

    Mother Lin had a rough idea of what was going on.

    She braced herself and greeted, ¡°Mother, why are you here today?¡±

    Old Lady Lin glared at Mother Lin as usual and began to scold her second daughter-in-law.

    ¡°You moved without telling me, you married off your daughter without inviting me. If I didn¡¯t come, you would be the queen of this house! You¡¯re quite something now, aren¡¯t you? Did you persuade my Lin Lao¡¯er to cut ties with me? You took the betrothal gifts, the return gifts, but didn¡¯t think to honor me. And now you¡¯re asking why I¡¯m here!¡±

    Old Lady Lin was used to bullying Mother Lin. Even now that Mother Lin had a daughter like Gu Zi and a son-in-law like Su Shen, she still didn¡¯t take Mother Lin seriously. She even believed that Gu Zi and Su Shen should bow and serve tea to her.

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    Her husband was already dead, and she was the head of the household. If they wanted to be part of the Lin family, they had to show their respect.

    The youngest daughter-in-law saw Old Lady Lin¡¯s grim expression and added fuel to the fire, ¡°Now that the second sister-in-law has such a successful son-in-law, she wouldn¡¯t care about us poor relatives. Especially Gu Zi, mother, you haven¡¯t seen how arrogant that girl is.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Old Lady Lin became even angrier, and said to Mother Lin, ¡°Immediately inform your unfilial daughter to come back, serve me tea, and kowtow. Otherwise, our Lin family will not acknowledge this child!¡±

    In Old Lady Lin¡¯s view, daughters were a loss. They were supposed to be married off to save money for their sons¡¯ weddings.

    Now that Gu Zi had married and received so many betrothal gifts, of course, they should be used for Lin Jie¡¯s wedding..

 Chapter 301 - 301 Retirement Money

    Chapter 301: Retirement Money

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had warned them against Lin Laoyao¡¯s family. It wasn¡¯t long after she had voiced her concerns that they indeed showed up at the door, bringing along their mother.

    Mother Lin had been married into the Lin family for decades. How could she not understand the intentions of this mother-in-law? She knew that the mother-in-law saw that Gu Zi had found a capable man like Su Shen, and wanted to make a fortune from it to provide for her favorite grandson, Lin Jie¡¯s wedding.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was cunning and had her ways. Whenever they couldn¡¯t gain an advantage, they would have the mother-in-law exert pressure. It had always been like this.

    The Lin family had always favored Lin Laoyao¡¯s household. Whatever the elderly wanted, it was always given to Lin Laoyao¡¯s family.

    Mother Lin had her reasons for tolerating and yielding to this biased mother-in-law all these years. Firstly, she had never experienced motherly love, and secondly, she valued filial piety.

    Most importantly, Father Lin had always treated her well and never looked down on her for not having her own family.

    However, over the years, Mother Lin had seen through this biased mother-in-law and was disappointed in her. No matter how well Mother Lin and her husband treated her, she never appreciated it, taking it for granted and always favoring Lin Laoyao¡¯s family.

    If it was only favoritism, they would not have minded. After all, it was impossible to be completely fair, especially when it came to matters of the heart.

    The mother-in-law was not only biased, but she also often did some heartless things to their household, such as always helping Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife to occupy their things. She always made Mother Lin yield to Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife.

    Now that Gu Zi was back, they couldn¡¯t continue like this, because it would only cause their daughter to suffer.

    Mother Lin swallowed hard, gathered her courage, and said, ¡°It¡¯s late in the afternoon now, and she¡¯s at Su family¡¯s house. It would be too sudden to call her back. And it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want her to come and see you, it¡¯s that you said before that we should not associate with you.¡±

    This was the first time Mother Lin had used the mother-in-law¡¯s own words against her, refusing her unreasonable demands.

    After saying these words with a nervous heart, Mother Lin suddenly felt a great relief, as if a long-standing blockage in her chest had been cleared.

    She was even more determined not to call Gu Zi back. She would not make her daughter uncomfortable, and there was no reason for her daughter to face such a troublesome elder.

    The mother-in-law looked at the brand new, beautiful red brick house. She was already envious, jealous, and resentful. How could her Lin Lao¡¯er and daughter-in-law live in such a nice house without telling her?

    When she heard Mother Lin dare to refuse her, her face turned black as coal, like the prelude to a thunderstorm.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become audacious, daring to talk back? It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t call your daughter. Let me be more direct. I came here to get my retirement money. You should give it to me, and next time, have Gu Zi and Su Shen come back to serve me tea.¡±

    As the mother-in-law loudly stated her demands and intentions, she walked into the house with Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife and grandson Lin Jie, as if she was returning to her own home.

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t dare to hesitate and quickly followed them in, knowing clearly that they were here for the thousand yuan dowry.

    But now she was alone at home, so to buy some time, she pretended not to understand and asked, ¡°Mother, what retirement money are you talking about?¡±

    At this point, Lin Jie, who was acting the part of a good grandson and supporting the mother-in-law, spoke up. The thought of getting another windfall made him so excited he could hardly contain himself.

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    He said enthusiastically, ¡°Auntie, you received a thousand yuan dowry from the Su family. The whole village knows about it. Shouldn¡¯t you give eight hundred yuan to grandma as retirement money? We¡¯ve been taking care of grandma all these years.¡±

    When Mother Lin heard this, she was taken aback. They were as greedy as ever, asking for eight hundred right off the bat.

    If it weren¡¯t for Su Shen and Gu Zit s generosity, they wouldn¡¯t have accepted the thousand yuan. How could these people have the nerve to ask for so much?

    Before Mother Lin could respond, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife said, ¡°Sister-in-law, everyone knows that your family has had it tough over the years. That¡¯s why Mother deliberately said she didn¡¯t want to associate with you, so you wouldn¡¯t have to worry. We¡¯ve been taking care of Mother all these years. Now that Gu Zi has married into a good family, you have the means, so you should show some

    filial piety..¡±

 Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Too High Class

    Chapter 302: Too High Class

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The words of Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife were pleasing to the ear, but in reality, they were devoid of truth.

    Previously, it was she who had urged Old Lady Lin to cut ties with their second household, to avoid bringing misfortune upon everyone. Old Lady Lin had indeed followed through, disregarding the difficulties faced by the second household. In truth, they had never lent a hand to the second household, who also never asked for any assistance.

    The idea that Old Lady Lin relied on their youngest household for care was an absolute impossibility.

    Old Lady Lin had a house and some wealth left by her late husband. She had more than enough to live comfortably without farming, leading a normal life in the village. She had no need for her sons¡¯ support, and aside from her eldest and second sons, the youngest son¡¯s family would never give her any money.

    Yet, Old Lady Lin loved her youngest son the most. From a young age, everything of the best was reserved for him. After her sons had established their own families, the youngest son received the most from her. When her daughters-in-law had children, she loved Lin Jie, from the youngest son¡¯s family, the most.

    Old Lady Lin had always had the closest relationship with Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, saving all the best for her beloved grandson, Lin Jie.

    However, the youngest daughter-in-law never took care of Old Lady Lin. In fact, she even demanded Old Lady Lin to serve her, bringing her tea, fetching her water, and washing her clothes. Old Lady Lin was exceedingly kind to her.

    When Mother Lin found out about this, she was deeply chilled. She realized that dealing with some elders was not about respect; such people were better off being ruthlessly suppressed.

    Upon entering the room, Old Lady Lin¡¯s wrinkled eyelids lifted, revealing a pair of cloudy eyes that darted around the room.

    The red-brick house was spacious and well laid out. The location and Feng Shui were excellent; it was one of the best houses in the village.

    As she looked around, she commented sarcastically, ¡°You all live in such a luxurious house, no wonder you¡¯ve been hiding it from us. As for the youngest family, don¡¯t say too much. Today, you must have over my retirement money!¡±

    Of course, Mother Lin would not give any money. They had never neglected their duties to respect and care for their mother-in-law. Even during difficult times, they never skimped on their filial duties. It was just that their family did not like to show off, and the mother-in-law was unwilling to remember the good deeds of the second family.

    Now they wanted to use Gu Zi¡¯s dowry to marry Lin Jie, this was absolutely impossible!

    Mother Lin firmly stated, ¡°This house belongs to Su Shen. We are only temporary residents. As for the retirement money, we can give it based on our own capabilities. But it¡¯s not right to use Gu Zi¡¯s dowry as retirement money. I don¡¯t agree, and even if our second son comes back, he won¡¯t agree either.¡±

    She initially wanted to keep them calm, but if she didn¡¯t assert herself now, they might start searching the house for money. It was better to make her stance clear.

    While Mother Lin was not paying attention, Lin Jie went to check the doors of three rooms.

    They were all locked!

    Moreover, he noticed that they were all fitted with the latest anti-theft doors. The kind that automatically locked when closed, it was very high-end!

    If he could get this house as his new home, wouldn¡¯t his future father-in-law in town look at him with even more respect?

    He made up his mina that when ne returned, ne would tell the old lady to demand the red-brick house for him.

    Thinking about this, Lin Jie returned to Mother Lin and complained, ¡°Grandma, Auntie is guarding against us. She knew we were coming, so she deliberately locked all the rooms. We are all family, I didn¡¯t expect that we wouldn¡¯t be allowed to enter the rooms in Auntie¡¯s house.¡±

    Seeing that all the doors were locked and the second daughter-in-law¡¯s attitude was unprecedentedly firm, Mother Lin said irritably, ¡°Open the door. Let me in to sit down first, I¡¯m tired from standing. Go and make a pot of tea, we¡¯ll talk when the second son comes back. I¡¯m still here, you aren¡¯t the master of the Lin family household.¡±

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    Old Lady Lin no longer just wanted to take the money and leave, she had other plans for this house.

    When the Lin family divided their property, the house she lived in was the best, and the one given to the youngest family was a bit inferior.

    But even her own house couldn¡¯t compare to this one. Today, she not only wanted to get the money, but also to talk to her second son. She wanted them to move to her place, and give up this house for her to live in.

    Mother Lin stood still, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have the keys, I can¡¯t open the door. The keys are with Li Hua.¡±

    There were only two sets of keys in the house, one with Li Hua and the other with Lin Lao¡¯er. Mother Lin really didn¡¯t have any keys..

 Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Intimidation

    Chapter 303: Intimidation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t really about the key. Even if she had it, Mother Lin wouldn¡¯t open the door.

    Upon hearing this, Old Lady Lin stomped her foot in frustration, her hands on her hips as she scolded Mother Lin. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtless! How could you let an outsider get a hold of the key?¡±

    The ¡®outsider¡¯ Old Lady Lin referred to was, of course, Li Hua.

    In her eyes, any woman who married into the family was an outsider, someone to be wary of. However, Mother Lin had a different view, refusing to fight with her daughter-in-law, Li Hua, over the key.

    Mother Lin saw through this, yet she firmly expressed her thoughts. ¡°Li Hua is not an outsider. She is my son¡¯s wife, my daughter-in-law.¡±

    Mother Lin had been treated as an outsider in the Lin family for decades, and she didn¡¯t want her daughter-in-law to go through the same dreadful experience.

    Mother Lin was grateful for Gu Zi¡¯s return. She was like a lucky star, illuminating their lives.

    Finally, the family could stand tall, say what they wanted to say and protect those who needed protection. She couldn¡¯t continue to be weak.

    Old Lady Lin¡¯s forehead creased in irritation, her already harsh face looking even more displeased.

    She disagreed with Mother Lin¡¯s words, saying, ¡°Your words are ridiculous! Ah

    Jie, go get an axe and break the door open.¡±

    Lin Jie had already fetched an axe from the kitchen. As he prepared to break down the door, Mother Lin rushed over to stand in front of it. ¡°How could you do this? Lin Jie, put down the axe, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡±

    Lin Jie, spoiled by his family and knowing that his uncle and aunt were easy to bully, wasn¡¯t afraid of Mother Lin. He grinned and said, ¡°This is what grandma asked me to do. Isn¡¯t Uncle¡¯s house also Grandma¡¯s house? Aunt, are you going to let Grandma go to jail?¡±

    With that, Lin Jie made a move as if to break down the door of another room.

    Mother Lin was so anxious that she started to cry. She thought to herself, how could she still be so useless? She couldn¡¯t even protect the house her daughter and son-in-law had given her. She was filled with regret.

    ¡°Lin Jie, put the axe down. You¡¯re too much. Your grandma was joking, and you really took it seriously. Look how scared your aunt is!¡± Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife stepped forward, taking the axe from her son¡¯s hand and setting it aside.

    Lin Jie understood his mother¡¯s intentions. It was fine to scare them a little, but actually breaking down the door would lead to a difficult situation. Besides, he didn¡¯t want to ruin the door.

    It was such a nice wooden door; it would be a shame to break it.

    He quickly put on a more agreeable expression and said, ¡°I was just teasing Aunt. Aunt, you won¡¯t be angry, right? I¡¯m the younger generation, please be understanding!¡±

    As he spoke, Lin Jie cupped his hands in apology, his tone casual and nonchalant.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife also hurried to pull Mother Lin aside, apologizing for her son¡¯s inappropriate behavior.

    Mother Lin could see through their act. They were trying to intimidate her, to give her a slap and then a sweet date. But at least they were willing to back off a little; they probably wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything rash.

    As Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife exchanged pleasantries with Mother Lin, she ran her hand over the door of the room, greed flashing in her eyes.

    These were all solid wood lacquer doors, very valuable. Su Shen was truly wealthy. If she had a daughter, there was no way Gu Zi would have had the chance to marry him.

    What did it matter if Gu Zi was from the city? If she was truly successful and capable in the city, why would she willingly return to the Lin family, marrying into the countryside?

    Now, she had just married a good man and gained some power. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was waiting for a chance to use the old lady to suppress Gu Zi¡¯s arrogance, to see how the girl would continue to be arrogant.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife often passed by this house when she went in and out of the village, but she had never been inside. She had thought it was nice just by looking at it from the outside.

    Now that she was inside, it was indeed nice. The more she looked, the more she wanted to move in tomorrow.

    But she hadn¡¯t expected that the house was now occupied by the least successful second family.

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    However, she wasn¡¯t worried. Anything the second family had that she wanted, she had always been able to get. It was just a matter of time.

    Right now, the most important thing was to get Lln Lao¡¯er¡¯s family to give her money. Besides, her son Lin Jie could drive. She was thinking of asking Gu Zi to talk to Su Shen, to arrange a delivery job for Lin Jie at the pig farm.

    She had heard that the job was easy, just driving deliveries to the city every day. The key point was that Su Shen was generous with his employees and paid a good salary.

    So, although she had to get her hands on the retirement money, for now, she couldn¡¯t completely offend Mother Lin.

    With these thoughts in mind, she said to Old Lady Lin, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re too much. You¡¯re already old and still love to joke around. She will definitely give you the retirement money, don¡¯t worry.. Let¡¯s talk about Lin Jie¡¯s job, okay?¡±

 Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: The Air of a Matriarch

    Chapter 304: The Air of a Matriarch

    Translator: EndlessFantasv Translation Editor: EndlessFantasv Translation

    After being reminded by Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, Old Lady Lin¡¯s face finally lost its gloom.

    She no longer insisted on entering the house, but instead, headed straight to the living room and sat down, commanding Mother Lin with the air of a matriarch.

    ¡°Lin Jie has not yet found a formal job. You should speak to Gu Zi and ask Su

    Shen to arrange a truck driving job for Lin Jie. The salary should be high, as Lin Jie plans to start working after his wedding.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mother Lin was at a loss for words.

    She found it utterly absurd. Not only did they demand a job, but they also had many requirements, specifying the job position and working hours.

    Just as Mother Lin was unsure of how to refuse this request, there was a commotion in the courtyard outside. Before long, Father Lin entered the house.

    Upon seeing his mother, whom he had not seen for a long time, sitting in the living room, he was taken aback for a moment before calling out to her.

    Mother Lin walked over to him and whispered something in his ear. Father Lin seemed to understand what had just transpired and, after glancing at his wife, managed to keep his composure.

    He addressed his mother and siblings, ¡°We have been providing for your retirement every year, there¡¯s no rush. As for Lin Jie¡¯s job, we can mention it to Gu Zi and her family.¡±

    Seeing her husband handling the situation, Mother Lin finally relaxed and went to the kitchen to make tea.

    Father Lin had merely mentioned the job issue, without making any promises. Lin Jie¡¯s forced smile froze on his face, unable to laugh.

    Old Lady Lin, noticing her son¡¯s return and considering his current status as the father-in-law of the village¡¯s big boss, quickly changed her unreasonable demeanor. She swallowed her complaints about her daughter-in-law¡¯s tardiness in serving them hot tea.

    Mother Lin and Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife changed their tune, ¡°There¡¯s no rush for these matters. We came today to invite you to Lin Jie¡¯s wedding next week.¡±

    Lin Jie wanted to say something, but a glare from his mother silenced him. His expression turned cold.

    Had they come today for nothing? He had rented a wedding car, how was he to pay for it without money? He couldn¡¯t rely on women to get things done!

    Father and Mother Lin did not expose the truth, but went along with Mother Lin¡¯s words.

    It was only after they had sent off the three uninvited so-called relatives in the evening that Father Lin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

    He apologized to his wife, ¡°Since you married me, I have not been able to provide you with a good life. I am not very capable and have made you suffer for so many years. I will not let our daughter be used by them anymore.¡±

    He had only temporarily dealt with them. First thing in the morning, he would go to Gu Zi and ask her to take the thousand yuan at home and save it. It was not safe to keep money at home, as there were always people coveting it.

    Mother Lin poured him a cup of hot tea and said, ¡°We¡¯re an old couple, there¡¯s no need to say such things. But you¡¯re right, Old Lin, our daughter should not suffer because of them. We need to talk to Gu Zi about this, so she can be prepared.¡±

    Mother Lin knew well that her husband was a man who valued family ties. He had always been understanding of his parents¡¯ hardships since he was a child, always doing the most work and eating the least, never complaining about anything.

    But if he couldn¡¯t see his position in the hearts of the people in the Lin family after all these years, it would be too unjust.

    Fortunately, judging from his words, he would not be as blindly loyal and filial as before. Mother Lin felt this was a good thing.

    When Li Hua returned with the thermos, she saw Mother Lin, her aunt, and Lin

    Jie leaving their house from a distance. She instinctively hid, waiting for them to leave before she approached the house with a nervous heart.

    Although the Lin family had separated many years before she married Lin Cheng, and Old Lady Lin did not live with them, Li Hua had to accompany Lin Cheng to visit Old Lady Lin during festivals.

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    Li Hua was particularly afraid of Lin Cheng¡¯s grandmother. The first time she met her, she realized that Old Lady Lin, like many older women in the village, not only favored boys over girls but also hated girls.

    Li Hua didn¡¯t understand why she, being a woman herself, hated girls so much. Therefore, Li Hua always kept her distance from her.

    On the Su family¡¯s side.

    After Li Hua left, Gu Zi and the three children made seven vibrant rainbow flowers with rope and unused cloth strips. One was the largest, and the other six were half its size.

    Su Li picked up the largest flower and placed it on his sister Su Let s head.. He examined it carefully for a while before curiously asking Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, what are these rainbow flowers we made for?¡±

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: You Should Make Use of Your Husband

    Chapter 305: You Should Make Use of Your Husband

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi set Su Le aside to play on her own, picked up a few small cloth flowers and a few ropes, and stood up to walk outside. She told Su Li and Su Bing, ¡°Follow me, and you¡¯ll see what I¡¯m up to.¡±

    Su Bing rose to his feet and followed her, and Su Li quickly jumped off the sofa, hurriedly slipping on his slippers to chase after them.

    They watched as their mother walked over to the pigeon cage and tied the colorful flowers she held onto the surrounding cage.

    After securing a flower, she turned to them and said, ¡°Could you help me move the ladder over here? I need it.¡¯

    Without waiting for their response, she continued to tie the other flowers. By the time the two brothers had carried the ladder over, she had already adorned the entire pigeon cage with flowers.

    The vibrant flowers encircling the pigeon cage were strikingly bright and eye-catching, creating a unique scenery.

    The brothers were in awe of their mother¡¯s creativity, marveling at how she could make even a pigeon cage look so beautiful.

    Su Bing asked, ¡°Mother, are you planning to put the largest flower on top of the pigeon cage?¡±

    Gu Zi took the large flower from Su Li and set the ladder against the pigeon cage. Hearing Su Bing¡¯s question, she replied, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re very smart!¡±

    Su Li cast a jealous glance at his brother, struggling to suppress a smile. Why was his brother always smarter than him?

    Gu Zi climbed up the ladder with the large flower, Su Bing took the initiative to steady the ladder, and Su Li quickly followed suit, holding the other side.

    When Su Shen returned, he saw his petite wife gracefully perched on top of the pigeon cage, busily doing something.

    He strode over, signaling to the brothers with his eyes to let them go inside he would take over.

    The brothers understood but were reluctant to give up their places. However, Su Bing, being more sensible, eventually pulled Su Li inside the house.

    With one hand, Su Shen steadied the ladder. He leisurely admired the bright flowers surrounding the pigeon cage, finding everything within his sight beautiful. Finally, his gaze settled on her, and he asked, ¡°Are you planning to raise pigeons?¡±

    Upically, decorating a pigeon cage was done to make the pigeons feel at home, encouraging them to recognize the place as their own.

    Upon hearing his voice, Gu Zits heartbeat quickened, and she responded in a softer tone, ¡°Yes, we only need to eat one or two for health benefits. I want to keep the rest to lay pigeon eggs and slowly tame them.¡±

    Pigeon eggs were nutritious and suitable for everyone, which gave Gu Zi the idea of raising pigeons.

    Once she finished tying the flowers, she descended the ladder with large strides. She realized that whenever Su Shen was by her side, she felt especially bold. Like now, descending the ladder was even more exhilarating than climbing it.

    When she stepped off the ladder, his hand reached out to steady her. He looked at her slightly reddened hands and told her, ¡°In the future, leave the tasks that involve climbing or heavy lifting to me. You should make use of your husband, understand?¡±

    Gu Zi bit her lip and obediently nodded. Her gaze lingered on his stern face for a few seconds before she said, ¡°I also plan to clean the pigeon cage. That¡¯s not considered heavy work, right?¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t answer her question but instead said, ¡°Go get a new mop and cloth. Pigeons like cleanliness, so we¡¯ll use these tools exclusively for cleaning the cage.¡±

    Gu Zi obediently followed his instructions, surprised that he knew so much about raising pigeons. When she returned, she saw that he had already rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing the attractive veins on his forearms, ready to get to work.

    Gu Zi wet the cloth and handed it to him. He took it from her and turned to clean the pigeon cage. With a single reach, he easily touched the top of the cage, making Gu Zi feel somewhat dwarfed.

    Gu Zi stood behind him, admiring his broad back and the healthy, sexy bronze skin of his exposed arms.

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    She took a step forward to view his neck from the side. The Adam¡¯s apple on his neck, a central protrusion of cartilage, was very prominent. It seemed to be breaking through the bronze skin, like a roaring beast, rugged and masculine.

    After watching for a while, Gu Zi turned and went inside to cook. As a wife, she should provide this warm-hearted and handsome man with a hot dinner.

    Su Shen quickly finished cleaning the pigeon cage. As Gu Zi was simmering some food in a pot, she saw him come in. She came out of the kitchen and handed him a bowl of warm water.

    She felt that nothing was more thirst-quenching after work than a bowl of warm water. He took the bowl and drank in large gulps, while Gu Zi watched the movement of his firm jaw and the sexy bobbing of his Adam¡¯s apple.

    When Su Shen finished drinking, he looked up to meet her gaze.. In a gentle voice, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡±

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Using Hands

    Chapter 306: Using Hands

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi calmly withdrew her gaze, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a big stew, made with the cured ribs that Li Zhu¡¯s mother gave us a few days ago, along with our home¡¯s pork belly, green beans, and potatoes. It¡¯s incredibly fragrant!¡±

    Satisfied, Su Shen reached out to gently tousle her hair, his voice laced with affection, ¡°Do you always find new ways to cook every day? Isn¡¯t it tiring?¡±

    He reflected on the dishes she had made, each one unique and rarely repeated. He wondered what other novel and delicious recipes were hidden in her clever mind.

    Gu Zi shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not tiring. Su Bing always helps me. Besides, when he¡¯s at home, he always looks after Lele. Su Li too, often plays with Lele, and you¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with Lele too, haven¡¯t you? If I were to say that I¡¯m tired from cooking under these circumstances, that would be unjustified.¡±

    When Su Bing heard himself being praised, he felt a small thrill of excitement. Su Li was just about to ask for more compliments when he heard his mother also praising him. His furrowed brows immediately relaxed.

    Su Shen looked at her satisfied and happy expression, the corners of his lips curling up unconsciously, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a shower and change my clothes.¡±

    Having said that, Su Shen went upstairs. Gu Zi played with Su Le for a while before returning to the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t long before the stew was ready. She also made a cold mixed three-shred dish and a cucumber salad. Seeing that Su Shen hadn¡¯t come down yet, she went upstairs to call him.

    Gu Zi knocked on the door a few times before pushing it open. Su Shen had already come out of the bathroom and was changing his clothes.

    He had just put on his trousers, but hadn¡¯t put on his shirt yet, or even found one. He pulled her close, ¡°Help me choose a shirt?¡±

    Today, she was wearing a sleeveless V-neck vest. He held her close, his height advantage allowing him a clear view of the beautiful and full curve beneath her V-neck.

    Because she had been working, her long hair was combed back and tied into a neat bun, revealing her elegant and radiant face in its entirety. Without any adornment, she was stunningly beautiful. The slight curve of her lips only added to her gentle charm.

    Su Shen was so taken aback by her appearance that he forgot about choosing clothes or eating. He pulled her back a few steps, pushing her down onto the bed. She gasped slightly, calling out, ¡°Su Shen!¡±

    The man¡¯s hands supported his weight as he leaned lightly on her, his thin lips covering her fragrant ones, ¡°May I kiss you?¡±

    After saying this, the light kiss turned into a deep one. His hand reached up to her shoulder, pulling down her vest to reveal her white, round breasts. He then used his fingers to tease her nipples while his lips and tongue invaded her mouth.

    Gu Zi was moved by his kiss, and the tingling sensation from her breasts spread throughout her body.

    Her slender arms hooked around his neck, unable to resist touching his Adam¡¯s apple, which was particularly sexy and provocative at this moment.

    The man felt her heated gaze, his large hand slipping into her waistband, quickly reaching the edge of her intimate area.

    His palm was warm and slightly rough, rubbing against her, causing her to slowly secrete a sweet liquid. He even deliberately whispered in her ear, ¡°You¡¯re wet. ¡±

    When Gu Zi heard his words, she felt a hollow, ticklish sensation deep inside her, yearning for the man to fill her.

    Su Shen seemed to understand her needs from her gaze. He inserted a finger into her, his breath hitching slightly in her ear as he began to move his finger in and out, making her moan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you climax with my fingers. It¡¯ll be quick.¡± The man¡¯s confident words annoyed Gu Zi. How could he be so sure that he could make her climax so quickly with his fingers?

    She wanted to hold back her moans, feeling that this man¡¯s confidence was too strong and sometimes needed to be deliberately undermined.

    But before she could hold back, Su Shen again captured her lips, swallowing her moans.

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    She enjoyed it while secretly resisting.

    But such things were beyond her control. When the man added a third finger, she became even wetter. In the end, she was penetrated deeply by the three fingers, and she shuddered with pleasure, unable to hold back a spray. When Su Bing and Su Li saw their parents come downstairs together, their motner 100Kea strange.

    During their meal, she ate the food that their father served her last, preferring to eat the dishes that her sons served her first.

    Su Li ate with particular enthusiasm during this meal, constantly serving food to their mother, which she ate first.

    Su Li felt that their parents seemed to have quarreled, but why did he feel a little happy about it? He even felt that this was his chance to shine!

 Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Smart Move

    Chapter 307: Smart Move

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Becoming aware of this, Su Li felt as if every cell in his body had awakened. He didn¡¯t care whether his next actions were moral or not, he just had to act.

    After dinner, he eagerly helped his mother clear the table. He even followed her into the kitchen, insisting on washing the dishes for her.

    Once the dishes were done, he took the broom from Su Bing¡¯s hands and offered earnestly, ¡°Brother, take a break. Let me do this!¡±

    When Su Bing and their mother wanted to take out the garbage, Su Li stepped in, taking the trash and telling his brother, ¡°You rest, I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    When Gu Zi was about to take a bath and had just handed Su Le over to Su Bing, Su Li appeared again. He took Su Le into his arms and said, ¡°Mother, Brother has an exam tomorrow and needs to sleep early. I¡¯ll take care of my sister!¡±

    Su Bing, having been usurped thrice, couldn¡¯t help but smirk. This second child was indeed a master at vying for attention!

    Moreover, Su Li seemed to have become smart under their mother¡¯s influence. He noticed that their mother was deliberately ignoring their father, so he took the opportunity to show off in front of her, using his father as a foil to highlight his own understanding. This was indeed a clever move, something the old Su Li would never have thought of.

    Su Bing cast a casual glance at the man sitting across the couch. His gaze was still cold, watching Su Li, but it was hard to discern any emotions.

    He felt a strange pity for his father, but considering that their mother was not an unreasonable woman, he was sure that their father must have done something wrong. With this thought, his father didn¡¯t seem so pitiable anymore.

    Su Le, who was inexplicably popular, blinked her eyes a few times, staring at her second brother in confusion.

    She had only seen her second brother snatch snacks before, but this was the first time she saw him eagerly taking care of her. It was very strange.

    Gu Zi also didn¡¯t understand why Su Li was so active today, even volunteering to do chores that Su Bing usually did.

    Besides helping her with chores, Su Bing also washed their clothes and shoes most of the time.

    Although the second child was sensible, he was still spoiled by his elder brother and usually preferred to play. His behavior today was indeed unusual.

    However, Gu Zi still found Su Li adorable. After all, he was the child she raised, and she loved him no matter what.

    She reached out and pinched his cheek, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Su Li!¡± before turning to go upstairs.

    Her gentle voice left Su Li standing there holding Lele, savoring the moment for a long time.

    When Gu Zi came down after her bath to take Su Le, Su Li quickly ran upstairs.

    After Gu Zi had taken Su Le upstairs, Su Li came to the master bedroom door holding ten foxes woven from foxtail grass.

    Gu Zi beckoned him in.

    Su Li ran to Gu Zi and placed all the little foxes on the desk in front of her, saying, ¡°Mother, these are the foxes I¡¯ve made for you. There are more than what father gave you, and I won¡¯t make you angry like he does. I¡¯m very good, right?¡±

    While saying this, Su Li deliberately glanced at the door. His father was still training Big Yellow in the yard, and he couldn¡¯t let him hear his secret conversation with his mother.

    Gu Zi noticed his little action and laughed, ¡°Yes, Su Li is the best. I like it very much, thank you.¡±

    Su Li grinned, his teeth shining. After a moment of calm, he asked Gu Zi,

    ¡°Mother, are you reading a foreign language book? Can I learn it?¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t the time for their mother to teach them according to her schedule, Su Li was curious, so he asked.

    Gu Zi thought it was good for children to love learning. She had just been reading, so she said, ¡°Yes, I can teach you the letters ABC.¡±

    Su Li eagerly brought a stool and sat down to start learning. Su Le, in his arms, watched them in confusion and also began to say, ¡°Eh, eh, eh!¡±

    When Su Shen came upstairs and entered the room, Su Li had just finished humming the ABC song and was leaving. He called out to his father and then hopped away.

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    Su Shen was slightly taken aback. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the corners of Su Li¡¯s mouth were turned up in a triumphant smile.

    When Su Shen walked to the desk, he saw Gu Zi looking at the fifteen little foxes on the table and laughing. She was a radiant beauty, and her laughter was enchanting.

    She heard his movements and turned her head to look at him. When she was sitting and he was standing, his figure seemed even more imposing, giving her a sense of security.

    Gu Zi had been deliberately ignoring Su Shen just now, just to act a little spoiled.

    It was cute for a woman to act spoiled occasionally, but it was important to Imow when to stop. Gu Zi felt it was time to stop now..

 Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Delicate and Endearing

    Chapter 308: Delicate and Endearing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a sweet voice, Gu Zi called out, ¡°Husband, could you hold our precious

    Lele for a while? I¡¯m a bit tired.¡¯

    Her voice was so sweet it could melt hearts.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t care whether she was intentionally acting coy or not, he quickly took Su Le from her, allowing her to rest on the bed.

    Su Shen thought to himself, this woman can be quite delicate at times, but it was endearing, and he didn¡¯t mind if she acted a bit more so.

    ¡°Daddy, Daddy, no!¡± Su Le protested, not yet sleepy. When Su Shen laid her down on the bed, she showed some resistance.

    She wanted her mother¡¯s embrace, so she reached out her tiny hands to grab her mother¡¯s collar.

    Gu Zi, having just taken a bath, was wearing a loose-necked nightgown. With a tug from the little hand, her bare breast, which was not covered by a bra, was exposed. Su Shen clearly saw the red mark he had just left, it was quite beautiful.

    He couldn¡¯t help but gulp, and Gu Zi quickly adjusted the collar of her nightgown that was being held by the small hand, barely covering her chest.

    She held Su Le, trying to soothe her to sleep, saying, ¡°It seems that you, as a father, need to spend more time with Lele, otherwise she won¡¯t want you.¡±

    Su Shen covered the mother and daughter with a blanket, speaking softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you want me.¡±

    His voice was usually steady and cold, but when he spoke such words of affection, it was particularly charming.

    Gu Zi felt her cheeks heat up, her heartbeat uncontrollably quickening, a wave of sweetness washing over her heart.

    After Gu Zi had soothed Su Le to sleep, she still wasn¡¯t sleepy. She got out of bed, picked up a book, and sat by the bed to read. Su Shen, at some point, moved Lele to his side of the bed and squeezed next to Gu Zi, wrapping his arm around her as they read together.

    Su Shen hadn¡¯t quietly read a book like this in a long time. He used to study all night when he was in the military.

    Although he was reading at night now, having his beautiful wife in his arms made it feel even more special.

    Gu Zi had noticed the man¡¯s small movements, but she didn¡¯t like to talk while reading. So, she waited until she finished the chapter she was reading before she looked at the man beside her and asked with some surprise, ¡°How much can you understand? Do you know foreign languages?¡±

    This was one of the most difficult foreign classics to understand. Many college graduates couldn¡¯t understand this book without the help of a translator.

    But looking at his expression, Gu Zi didn¡¯t think he was having trouble understanding, let alone not recognizing a single word.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know how educated Su Shen was, but from what she could tell, he must know some foreign languages. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been reading with her for so long. From what she knew about Su Shen, he wasn¡¯t the type to pretend to understand something he didn¡¯t.

    Su Shen calmly touched her cheek and said, ¡°I have a basic understanding of foreign languages. I can understand some of it.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t say anything, her pupils dilating. He was being modest. If he could understand this book, he must be more than just a little familiar with foreign languages.

    Gu Zi felt that the man beside her was very cunning. It seemed like he had told her everything about himself, but in reality, there were still many secrets waiting for her to discover.

    But Gu Zi understood, it was normal for a man like him, who had experienced the battlefield, to be cunning.

    Even though he might not have completely opened up to her yet, it was okay, they had plenty of time.

    If it were any other man, she might not want to spend time exploring him, it would be better to spend that time making money.

    But with Su Shen, she was interested in slowly understanding him. She really wanted to see what the picture in the depths of this man¡¯s heart looked like.

    Gu Zi was lost in thought for a moment, then she snapped back to reality and said she was done reading.

    She got out of bed, put the book back in its place, and stood by the window, stretching her neck, waist, and legs. As she glanced at the pigeon cage in the yard, a light bulb went off in her head.

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    After getting back in bed, she told Su Shen, ¡°I figured out how to eat the pigeon! Roast it! Although it¡¯s not as nourishing as soup, it¡¯s really delicious! I want the first one roasted, is that okay?¡±

    Su Shen thought she was contemplating some big life decision, but it turned out she was thinking about how to eat the pigeon.

    He teased her pretty nose, indulging her, ¡°Little glutton, of course, what do you need me to do?¡±

    Su Shen felt that he was now able to understand her character. She was very decisive when it came to doing things, especially small things. She generally didn¡¯t need to discuss them with him. If she mentioned something to him, it was likely she needed some help.

    Gu Zi felt a ticklish sensation where the man had teased her nose. She touched it, then wrapped her arm around Su Shen¡¯s neck, leaning her soft body into his embrace..

 Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: There Must Be Some Regret, Right?

    Chapter 309: There Must Be Some Regret, Right?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Remember the two patches of ground in the yard that we didn¡¯t cement over?¡± Gu Zi proposed, her eyes alight with an idea. ¡°I was thinking of using one of them to build a clay oven. We could use it for roasting meat and even baking bread. ¡±

    Listening to Gu Zits words, Su Shen understood what she meant by a clay oven. He marveled at her ingenuity and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you sure you grew up in the city?¡±

    Gu Zi, undeterred by his skepticism, replied, ¡°Of course. But I love reading, and learning from instructional books isn¡¯t that hard. Besides, I attended the best bilingual schools in the city. Their educational approach was very advanced, teaching not only textbook knowledge but also practical life skills.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t lying. The schools she attended indeed offered many practical courses outside of the regular curriculum.

    Gu Zi, with her stunning beauty and natural talent, was always the center of attention wherever she went.

    Her adoptive parents, the Gu couple, reveled in the extra attention they received whenever they took her out, basking in the reflected glory.

    As they became more and more convinced of the honor Gu Zi could bring to their family, they spared no expense to get her into the best primary school, using all their connections and resources.

    Later, in middle and high school, Gu Zi lived up to their expectations, gaining admission to the best schools on her own merit.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lin Miao¡¯s meddling. causing a rift between the Gil couple

    and Gu Zi, they would never have let their adopted daughter leave. After all, a girl as exceptional as Gu Zi was a rare find.

    Su Shen knew that Gu Zits upbringing and educational environment were extremely privileged. Hearing her explanation, he found it reasonable. No wonder Gu Zi was capable of doing so many things.

    However, based on his impression of the Gu couple, he believed that they invested so much in Gu Zi¡¯s upbringing more for their own prestige and to use her to gain benefits, rather than considering her personal development.

    If the Gu couple truly loved Gu Zi, they would never have forced her to drop out of school and get married.

    Regardless, the Gu couple did spend money on Gu Zi¡¯s upbringing, providing her with a relatively good standard of living. As long as they didn¡¯t do anything too outrageous, he wouldn¡¯t hold it against them.

    Su Shen said, ¡°Alright, my wife is truly amazing. What do you need me to do?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Just help me buy some materials and tools and bring them back. We need red bricks, cement, river sand, pebbles¡­ Oh, and some empty beer bottles.¡±

    At the mention of empty beer bottles, Su Shen was reminded of the morning after their wedding night.

    Backstage at the tea ceremony, he had overheard someone on the radio saying that Gu Zi would regret missing out on a man like Gong Zhan.

    Although Gu Zi had stopped pursuing him, there must be some regret, right?

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes suddenly grew cold. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember. Let¡¯s go to sleep now.¡± He pushed Gu Zi¡¯s hand away and tucked her into bed.

    His actions were still considerate, but Gu Zi, with her keen perception, sensed something was off. Looking into his eyes, she asked, ¡°Did I say something wrong? If I did, you can tell me.¡±

    She thought back, but all she had mentioned were the materials and tools she needed. She hadn¡¯t said anything else.

    After tucking her in and making sure she was comfortable, Su Shen leaned down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m just a bit tired. Let¡¯s get some sleep.¡±

    Even though Gu Zi still felt something was amiss, his reassurance made her drop the subject.

    She turned away from him, pulling herself out of his embrace. The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

    Su Shen watched her back for a long time before reaching out to pull her back into his arms. Even with her back to him, he felt content just holding her as they drifted off to sleep.

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    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet. Being held by him like this, her earlier displeasure had already dissipated.

    After all, in a relationship, it¡¯s impossible to clarify everything. Sometimes, a little confusion isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.

    With this realization, Gu Zi gradually fell asleep. The next morning, she was awakened by Su Shen¡¯s kiss. Opening her eyes, she was met with his handsome face and enticing physique.

    He was shirtless, his body still damp, and the sunlight streaming in highlighted his perfect abs, an image so sexy it could make anyone swoon.

    Gu Zi squinted at him for a while, only realizing how dangerous her gaze was when he leaned in to kiss her again..

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: She Must Be Mad at Him Again

    Chapter 310: She Must Be Mad at Him Again

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen released her once again, explaining, ¡°I just took a bath and haven¡¯t had a chance to get dressed yet.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly, her mind wandering to the thought of him not needing any clothing at all, as he looked best without it.

    However, she dared not voice out her thoughts. It was early in the morning, and she didn¡¯t want to be left weak in the knees from his reprimand.

    Seeing her silent, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, Su Shen felt his own lips dry. The kiss they had shared earlier had done nothing to quench his thirst. He lifted the blanket and slid under it.

    Gu Zi was suddenly pinned beneath him without any resistance. Instinctively, she tried to push him away, but unexpectedly, her breasts were pressed together in the process, making the scene even more enticing.

    ¡°Su Shen, Lele is right next to us, be mindful of your actions!¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, she glanced towards Lele¡¯s sleeping spot, only to realize that the man had already moved the little one.

    Had he handed her over to Su Bing again?

    Su Shen propped himself up on his forearms above her, his gaze meaningfully sweeping over her chest as he said, ¡°Lele is with Su Li. He¡¯s more than happy to look after his sister.¡±

    With that, the man captured her chin and kissed her deeply, only releasing her when she began to pant lightly.

    Gu Zi remembered how enthusiastic Su Li had been about doing chores yesterday. It seemed his energy hadn¡¯t waned yet.

    Was Su Li aware that his father was using him? Gu Zi figured he probably didn¡¯t Imow.

    ¡°Enough with the kisses, get off. I need to make breakfast for them,¡± Gu Zi said.

    Su Shen was in no hurry. He pulled her skirt down and began to knead her round breasts, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no rush today. I¡¯ll drive them to school and I¡¯ve already made breakfast.¡±

    The man was already aroused, his member nudging her a few times. Gu Zi Imew from the force of it that she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape his punishment this morning¡­

    Half an hour later, Su Shen descended the stairs alone. Su Bing and Su Li had already finished their breakfast and, seeing their father, they grabbed their backpacks and followed him out.

    Su Li asked with feigned concern, ¡°Dad, is Mom mad at you again?¡±

    Earlier, before he had even woken up, his father had brought his sister to his room, claiming that their mother had asked him to look after her for a while.

    If their mother didn¡¯t even let their father sleep with their sister, she must be mad at him again.

    Su Shen¡¯s expression was usually cold, but now he looked somewhat pitiful. He responded to his son, ¡°Yes, she won¡¯t let me be with Lele.¡±

    Hearing this, Su Li was overjoyed. He saw another opportunity to show off. After getting into the car, he immediately promised, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll take care of Lele¡¯s sleeping arrangements. I¡¯ll talk to Mom about it when I get home from school!¡±

    Su Bing watched from the side without saying a word. He had felt sorry for his father yesterday, but now he thought that Su Li was the naive one.

    Before Su Shen left, he had brought Su Le back to the master bedroom. After he had left to drop off the kids, Gu Zi held Lele and dozed off for a while. She vaguely heard someone knocking at the door downstairs. It sounded like her mother.

    Despite her discomfort, Gu Zi got up and went to the window. She called out to the people below, ¡°Mom, Sister-in-law, wait for me a moment.¡±

    After saying this, Gu Zi turned around to freshen up and change her clothes. Then she went downstairs to open the door and welcomed her mother and sister-in-law inside.

    Seeing her daughter looking as if she had just woken up, Mother Lin felt a bit guilty. She said, ¡°We might have come a bit early. Have you had breakfast yet?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°I was just about to heat up some food. Mom, Sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you join me? We can talk while we eat.¡±

    Seeing their expressions, Gu Zi guessed that something must have happened.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua didn¡¯t refuse. They had left in a hurry and hadn¡¯t had time for breakfast.

    While they were eating, Mother Lin and Li Hua told Gu Zi about what had happened yesterday afternoon. Li Hua said, ¡°The money isn¡¯t safe at home, so you should keep it. The Su family wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with it.¡±

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    Gu Zi replied, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for the money to be under my name. I think it should be under my brother¡¯s name. I¡¯ll keep the passbook for you for now.

    After breakfast, we can go to the city.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that since the money was a gift from Su Shen to the Lin family, it should be managed by her side of the family. When it came to money, it was better to be clear, no matter who was involved.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua had no objections to Gu Zi¡¯s suggestion. They weren¡¯t greedy for the money.

    They probably understood Gu Zits character by now. If she thought it was the right thing to do, then there must be a reason for it. They were willing to cooperate with Gu Zi..

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Getting Anxious

    Chapter 311: Getting Anxious

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After breakfast, Gu Zi scooped up Su Le, setting off for the city with her mother and sister-in-law.

    Su Shen, having dropped the boys off at school, returned to the pig farm. By this time, everyone had loaded the day¡¯s pork shipment onto the truck and sent it off to the city.

    This was a time of leisure for everyone. They liked to gather in the hall, some indulging in a smoke, others enjoying a second breakfast or sipping on a little wine.

    Today was a bit different, however. Everyone was gathered around a particular spot, creating a ruckus. As Su Shen approached, he heard them teasing Jin Long.

    ¡°Jin Long, you¡¯re eating enough for the whole family. Why are you hoarding so many pigeons?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a big, tall guy. Why do you need to supplement your diet? You¡¯re not secretly in love, are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, watch out! You¡¯re going to burn yourself out! Wait, have you already done so and are now trying to recover? Impressive!¡±

    Amidst the laughter and banter, someone spotted Su Shen and greeted him,

    ¡°Brother Shen is here.¡±

    Su Shen nodded in acknowledgment and made his way to a disgruntled-looking Jin Long.

    Seeing Su Shen, Jin Long felt a sense of relief wash over him. The pigeons weren¡¯t his idea, after all; Su Shen had asked him to buy them.

    He planned to finish his work at the pig farm before delivering the pigeons to Gu Zi. So, he had temporarily housed them in the pig farm¡¯s hall. Now, everyone was accusing him of secret love affairs and overexerting himself.

    What nonsense! Did he need to supplement his diet?

    He wasn¡¯t Su Shen, who, despite being newly married, had to rely on pigeons for nourishment. What a waste of his good physique! Jin Long had once admired Su Shen¡¯s sculpted abs, but now they seemed to be of no use.

    Of course, Su Shen didn¡¯t hear Jin Long¡¯s inner monologue.

    Without another word, Su Shen turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Jin Long behind.

    Jin Long was flabbergasted. Couldn¡¯t Su Shen explain that he had asked him to buy the pigeons? Was he supposed to take the blame for Su Shen¡¯s shortcomings?

    Damn it! He had never realized Su Shen could be so devious. With Su Shen proving unreliable, Jin Long knew he had to defend himself.

    Angrily, he addressed the crowd, ¡®Watch your damn mouths. I¡¯m not in love, and I certainly haven¡¯t overdone anything. What¡¯s wrong with raising pigeons?

    I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    Watching Jin Long storm off, the crowd chuckled knowingly. He was getting riled up.

    Someone muttered under their breath, ¡°He¡¯s supplementing his diet even though he¡¯s not overdoing anything. No wonder Jin Long, at his age, still doesn¡¯t have a woman. He must be¡­¡±

    Hearing the words ¡°not right,¡± Jin Long was fuming. These people were truly infuriating!

    Could it be possible that he hadn¡¯t found a woman because he hadn¡¯t met the right one? Frustrated, he quickened his pace to the office, pushing the door open with a bang.

    ¡°Brother Su Shen! Maybe you should go to the hospital? All these pigeons can¡¯t seem to help your condition, and you¡¯re still asking me to buy more.¡±

    Su Shen looked up at him coldly, not angry, and explained, ¡°The pigeons aren¡¯t for me. The last time I asked you to buy pigeons, it was for a gift. The leftovers were for Gu Zi to raise. I thought I¡¯d buy some more for her. When will you deliver them?¡±

    Jin Long watched as Su Shen calmly explained, thinking he was making excuses. His previously shattered morale was suddenly restored.

    Well, Su Shen wasn¡¯t having it easy either. He had grown up in a poor family, lacking proper nutrition. It was understandable if his ¡°tool¡± wasn¡¯t very strong or enduring. Now he was even making excuses to cover it up. He had a strong sense of pride. As a brother, what was wrong with taking the blame for him?

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    Upon further thought, Jin Long felt a sense of broad-mindedness. He stepped forward, patting Su Shen¡¯s shoulder comfortingly, ¡°I understand, I get it all. I¡¯ll deliver them to your house later. You need to take good care of yourself, or my taking the blame for you would be in vain.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t perform and was blaming it on Gu Zi wanting to raise pigeons. Gu Zi was an intellectual; why would she want to raise pigeons? Jin Long found his boss, Su Shen, to be quite amusing.

    Su Shen silently removed Jin Long¡¯s hand. Since Jin Long didn¡¯t believe him, Su Shen didn¡¯t bother to explain further.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t want to tell others that the pigeons were for Gu Zi to eat, that Gu Zi needed nourishment. This was his wife¡¯s privacy, and others had no right to know.

    Just as Jin Long was about to say something, Su Shen spoke first in a stern voice, ¡°How about we discuss you taking over the truck deliveries?¡±

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Cutting In Line

    Chapter 312: Cutting In Line

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing these words, a chill ran down Jin Long¡¯s spine. Although he could take motion sickness medicine and drive, he could only do so occasionally.

    Driving after frequent consumption of motion sickness medicine, although it wouldn¡¯t cause him to vomit, would make his chest feel as if it was being pressed down by a huge stone, making it difficult for him to breathe.

    For others, driving a truck might be a good job, but for Jin Long, it was nothing short of torture.

    Jin Long quickly waved his hand and said with a beaming smile, ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss? I haven¡¯t washed the pigsty yet. Boss Su, you rest first, I¡¯ll go wash the pigsty!¡±

    With a ¡°bang,¡± the door was closed. Su Shen shook his head in amusement, his gaze returning to the documents on the table, but his thoughts drifted back to the morning.

    Her fair, round breasts, reddened like two ripe peaches under his hands.

    She had gasped violently, touching his wrist to remind him, ¡°Su Shen, don¡¯t shoot inside¡­¡±

    He wanted to tell her he was wearing a condom, but a wicked thought suddenly sprang to his mind. He wanted to see what she looked like when his semen dirtied her.

    He thrust with all his might, pumping in and out of her dozens of times. Finally, he pulled out quickly after one deep thrust, his milky white semen splattering on her breasts and lower abdomen.

    All he could see was a thick layer of filth, the faint stench of sex permeating her body scent. She was still panting softly, her allure bone-melting. At that moment, he felt as if he had conquered the world¡­

    As soon as Gu Zi entered the city, the first thing she did was go to the bank. As she walked into the bank, she felt a ticklish sensation in her ears. She couldn¡¯t help but touch them, then looked around.

    The banks of this era were not as spacious and bright as those of the future, with a sense of technology.

    It looked very primitive, with a small space and simple interior decoration. There was no privacy to speak of, everyone was waiting in line in one room to handle business, which seemed a bit chaotic.

    The number of people waiting to do business was not high. In this era, people¡¯s trust in banks was not high. They all felt that money was safest when kept close to them, so ordinary people generally would not come here.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua were also here for the first time, and their movements and expressions were somewhat constrained.

    They were originally at the front of the line, but when someone saw the two of them being cautious as if they had never seen the world before, he forcefully cut in front of them.

    Although there were not many people who came to deposit money, due to the few banks, there were still a considerable number of people who handled business every day.

    There were only two rows of wooden chairs in the room, enough for ten people to sit. Most people were standing. Plus, the wait time for handling business was long, so there were always people trying to cut in line when they got the chance.

    Gu Zi saw this and stepped forward to argue, ¡°Excuse me, you cut in line. They were in front of you, please go to the back.¡±

    The man who cut in line looked up and saw that Gu Zi was a woman. Her temperament was very different from the other two women. He thought she was meddling in other people¡¯s business and had no intention of giving up his spot.

    This city woman seemed not easy to bully, but as long as he showed a tough attitude, she wouldn¡¯t make a scene in public for two country bumpkins, would She?

    He stood still and lied blatantly, ¡°I¡¯ve been standing here all along, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    Li Hua saw her sister standing up for them, and despite being scared, she mustered the courage to argue, ¡°You¡¯re the one talking nonsense. It was clearly my mother and I who were in front first. You¡¯re a bully!¡±

    The man shrugged his shoulders and said disdainfully, ¡°You¡¯re obviously a country bumpkin. You think you can raise your voice just because someone is speaking up for you? If you have the guts, call the police!¡±

    Gu Zi looked at him, feeling an urge to transform into a superwoman and kick him away.

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    However, she could only think about it. The man was quite robust, and if they physically confronted him, they would definitely be at a disadvantage. He probably relied on his size to bully people. She had to find another way to deal with him.

    Just then, a few aunties in front turned around and said to Gu Zi, ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re too nosy. They just have to wait a little longer if they¡¯re at the back, what¡¯s the big deal? Why make a fuss?¡±

    Sure enough, when faced with a conflict, the seemingly weaker party was always asked to be more tolerant and step back.

    But Gu Zi never believed that stepping back would lead to a broader world. She believed that stepping back would lead to breast hyperplasia, and enduring would lead to ovarian cysts.

    After stepping back once, one often has to step back many more times.. She would not step back, not even one step!

 Chapter 313 - 313 Im Uncivilized

    Chapter 313: I¡¯m Uncivilized

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi fell silent for a few seconds, a spark of an idea flashing through her mind. With a decisive turn, she abandoned the front line of the battlefield.

    She shot a glance at Li Hua, instructing her to stay put. Mother Lin, holding Su Le, was worried and wanted to follow, but Li Hua held her back. Understanding dawned on Mother Lin; Gu Zi, her daughter, had a plan.

    The man, seeing Gu Zi no longer arguing, revealed a smug expression. He shook his leg in a manner reminiscent of a street thug, thinking himself quite handsome.

    However, in the next moment, Gu Zi walked straight to the front of the line, inserting herself ahead of the woman who had just advised her to step back.

    People who conscientiously queue often feel both angry and helpless when someone cuts in line. Few would step forward to stop the line-cutter, which was understandable ¨C no one wanted to stir up trouble.

    But it was the first time Gu Zi had seen someone advise the person being cut in line to step back. She had no choice but to drag the woman who had advised her into the mess.

    After all, whether it was her sister-in-law or herself in line, as long as the woman could step back, she could ignore the man cutting in line.

    However, reality proved that once the situation fell on them, some people¡¯s tolerance was not as great as she had said.

    The woman, seeing Gu Zi cut in line, became immediately flustered. Her face reddened as she pointed at Gu Zi and said, ¡°How can you be like this? Looking at you, a young lady dressed so nicely, I thought you had manners. How can you cut in line?¡±

    Gu Zi retorted in her heart, was it because she looked well-educated that the woman had advised her not to fight for her rights?

    Mimicking the woman¡¯s earlier words, Gu Zi retorted, ¡°Why not? I¡¯m just uncivilized. Besides, from what you said earlier, you seemed quite magnanimous. So, if you queue behind me, you¡¯ll just have to wait a little longer. It¡¯s better to avoid trouble. You should bear with it. It¡¯s not good to make a fuss. The time you spend arguing could be used to queue a little longer.¡±

    The woman was left speechless. She looked at the people behind her, trying to stir them up.

    Those behind Gu Zi, who had also been cut in line, were quite dissatisfied.

    A man in black glasses and a Zhongshan suit stepped forward, followed by a muscular security guard.

    He said to Gu Zi, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s a new era. We should be civilized and not cut in line.¡±

    Gu Zi saw his stance was quite firm, with a sense of courtesy before force. However, Gu Zi was not flustered. She used her age advantage to act innocent, speaking in a particularly childish tone.

    ¡°Our teacher told me that once we enter society, we should learn the ways of the world. Just now, that mister cut in line. I argued with him that it was wrong, but this lady advised me to let it go. I thought the lady was a good person, so I queued in front of her. Is that wrong?¡±

    The man in glasses fell silent for a while, then said to Gu Zi, ¡°Please go back and queue again. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    After saying this, he led the security guard towards the man who had cut in line earlier. Whatever he said made the man obediently go to the back of the line without uttering a word.

    Later, when Mother Lin and the others had finished their banking business and left the bank with Gu Zi, the man who had cut in line was still queuing, his face flushed when he saw Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi ignored him, guessing that he would think twice before cutting in line again.

    ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t feel quite reassured about putting money in the bank. It won¡¯t get lost, will it?¡± Li Hua was still not quite at ease.

    Gu Zi patted her handbag and said, ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep the passbook safe. As long as the passbook is in hand, we don¡¯t have to worry about losing money.

    Everything goes from imperfect to gradually perfect, right? The bank is backed by the state, we have to trust the state! Mom, Sister-in-law, let¡¯s go shopping.¡±

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    Gu Zi took them to Xinghua Department Store. Li Hua and Mother Lin looked at the shelves full of goods and the people chatting happily around them, their movements becoming increasingly hesitant, as if they didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t say much. After all, they would gradually adapt after coming a few more times. Saying it out loud now would only make them feel more awkward.

    ¡°Mom, Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve wanted to buy you new clothes for a long time.

    Today is the perfect opportunity. Let¡¯s go to the clothing store.¡± Gu Zi, holding Su Le, headed towards a women¡¯s clothing store.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua timidly followed behind her..

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: A Familiar Figure

    Chapter 314: A Familiar Figure

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At first glance, the sales clerk could not discern that the trio was a family, their demeanors were too disparate. Observing the older woman and the one with the striking aura, he noticed their similar countenances. Seeing them constantly together, he concluded they were indeed related and approached to offer his enthusiastic assistance.

    Gu Zi selected several outfits for both Mother Lin and Li Hua to try on, eventually letting them choose a piece they liked to purchase. In the end, both women opted for the least expensive item they had tried on. Mother Lin whispered in Gu Zi¡¯s ear, ¡°Let¡¯s go with this one. The clothes in the city are too expensive, we can¡¯t afford to wear such costly items.¡±

    In their village, they would buy fabric and make several garments from a single piece. Gu Zi merely chuckled at this, not saying much, and instructed the sales clerk to wrap up the two pieces of clothing for her to pay for.

    Gu Zi then led Mother Lin and Li Hua to buy shower gel and skincare sets.

    Women naturally love beauty, and after Gu Zi explained the purpose of these items, they did not refuse to buy them. Moreover, Gu Zi, being clever and persuasive, even managed to haggle down the prices in the department store. When it came time to pay, she had secured a discounted price.

    If it came to being frugal, most women who are accustomed to a life without money would be good at saving. But when it came to spending money wisely, Mother Lin and Li Hua both felt that Gu Zi was the expert in their family.

    After leaving Xinghua Department Store, Gu Zi had Su Le take a rickshaw ride while the adults bought some snacks to enjoy at a nearby table. Li Hua and Mother Lin¡¯s faces broke into adorable smiles, the sunlight casting a soft, rustic glow on their faces.

    Gu Zi was very fond of them and treated them as her real family, hence her willingness to pamper them. She believed that a kind and pure heart never goes out of style. The family of her biological parents was such a warm and loving family.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°When we pass by the fruit stand later, let¡¯s buy some fruits. You both should eat more fruits, okay? Women should take good care of themselves. I believe that¡¯s what Dad and Brother would want too.¡±

    Now that Lin Cheng had a stable job, their household would only get better.

    They should start improving their lifestyle. Li Hua was a bit worried and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already bought so many things and spent quite a bit of money. You still have your husband¡¯s family to consider, so this might not be a good idea.¡±

    Mother Lin also nodded in agreement. Although Su Shen loved Gu Zi dearly, spoiled her, and loved to spend money on her, it was his own money he was spending. Gu Zits position was different. She was already married and spending so much on her maternal family might invite gossip. ¡°Gu Zi, let¡¯s not buy the fruits. We have so many orange trees in our village. Oranges are also fruits, we can just eat those.¡±

    Gu Zi disagreed, ¡°We can¡¯t just eat oranges. Eating too many oranges isn¡¯t good either. We should eat a variety of fruits. As for the gossip, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. Su Shen is a reasonable person. Rest assured, he also believes that money is meant to be spent.¡±

    When one aims high, gossip is inevitable. This was a good time to train oneself not to be affected by others¡¯ words. Gu Zi felt that the Lin family needed to progress and develop together. This was a mental barrier they had to overcome.

    Hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Mother Lin felt they made sense. Money is something you can¡¯t take with you when you die, so it should be spent when you have it. Su Shen was capable of earning money, and Gu Zi, being his wife, spending his money wasn¡¯t wrong. Why should they care about what others say?

    Mother Lin suddenly felt relieved. She couldn¡¯t always stick to her old mindset. She needed to progress with her daughter. Only then would they truly feel like a family. Li Hua¡¯s face also regained its initial relaxed smile. After taking a bite of her snack, she looked up and saw a familiar figure.

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    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lin Miao¡¯s classmate¡­ MO Li, isn¡¯t it? Do you see her too?¡±

    Gu Zi and Mother Lin followed her gaze and indeed saw MO Li. She looked a bit pale, but her attire was peculiar, the more they looked, the more it resembled Gu Zi¡¯s style.

    MO Li also spotted them, looked surprised, then quickly turned and briskly walked away, disappearing around the corner. Mother Lin was puzzled, ¡°Why is she running away?¡±

    Gu Zi, however, understood clearly, ¡°She¡¯s deliberately avoiding us.¡±

    This MO Li, true to her character in the book, was capable of deceiving the male protagonist, Gong Zhan. Her cunning and scheming were not to be underestimated..

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Marriage News

    Chapter 315: Marriage News

    Gu Zi was rather indifferent to MO Li¡¯s betrayal. MO Li was the kind of person who would only succumb to her own interests. Lin Miao was unable to control her. According to the original novel, Lin Miao would eventually fall into her own trap.

    Moreover, Lin Miao¡¯s theft of the three thousand yuan betrothal money was not only witnessed by MO Li. There was more than one line of evidence, so Gu Zi was not worried that the truth would be concealed for too long.

    When Mother Lin and Li Hua remembered that MO Li had already reneged on her promise to testify for them, they realized they had to hide.

    Mother Lin expressed her concern, ¡°I wonder how long this investigation will

    take. ¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the truth will come out.¡±

    Suddenly, a familiar and cheerful female voice came, ¡°Ah, Gu Zi, what are you doing here? And this must be Aunt Lin? Hello, Aunt Lin.¡±

    Gu Zi looked up and saw the woman who had greeted her and sat down next to her, putting down her bags. It was Gong Xin.

    ¡°I came to the city with my mother to shop. You¡¯re feeling better from your allergy, right? You¡¯re lively again.¡± Gu Zi looked at her and said lazily.

    Gong Xin bought a bottle of drink and took a big gulp, ¡°Don¡¯t tease me, I¡¯m not having a good time. Lin Miao hurt me last time, and I haven¡¯t found any evidence yet. Now she¡¯s about to marry into my family, and I¡¯ve been sent out to buy things to entertain her.¡±

    After a hasty farewell at the tea party last time, Gong Xin didn¡¯t have a chance to vent about her brother¡¯s foolish actions. Now that she had run into Gu Zi, she had to have a good chat.

    Under Gong Xin¡¯s vivid complaints, Gu Zi learned about the exciting events that had happened in the city these days.

    A scandal had occurred between Gong Zhan and MO Li. Mrs. Chen, in order to cut off MO Li¡¯s schemes, decisively pushed forward the marriage between the Gong and Gu families. Now Lin Miao and Gong Zhan were about to get their marriage certificate.

    Gu Zi felt that as a reader of the original novel, she should congratulate the male and female leads!

    However, after Gu Zi entered the book, she had a deeper understanding of the male and female leads, and now she could only say that as long as the male and female leads were happy, it was good!

    Gong Xin thought that Gu Zi, who had loved Gong Zhan for so long, would feel some regret when she heard about Gong Zhan and Lin Miao¡¯s marriage. But to her surprise, Gu Zit s expression didn¡¯t change at all, and she was still feeding Lele nonchalantly.

    She couldn¡¯t believe it and stared at Gu Zi for a long time after her complaints, but she still couldn¡¯t see any changes. It seemed that her stupid brother had really hurt Gu Zi deeply.

    When Mother Lin and Li Hua heard that Lin Miao was getting married, their expressions showed some strangeness. Mother Lin said, ¡°This is the result Lin

    Miao wanted, but why did she do that in the first place?¡±

    As for Lin Miao, Mother Lin was disappointed, but still hoped for her good. However, what she had done would not have a good outcome.

    Li Hua said, ¡°She has ill intentions and is not worth your continued concern, Mom. Don¡¯t think about her anymore.¡± Mother Lin nodded.

    After Gong Xin finished speaking, she quickly picked up her things and left. Mother Lin asked Gu Zi with concern, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Mother Lin knew that Gong Xin¡¯s brother, Gong Zhan, was Gu Zit s former fianc¨¦. If it weren¡¯t for the change in identity, Gu Zi would probably be Gong Zhan¡¯s wife now. It was really fate¡¯s play!

    Gu Zi held Lele and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom. I¡¯m now Su Shen¡¯s wife, and he¡¯s the only man in my heart.¡±

    As for Lin Miao, Gu Zi would still bring her to justice. She had stolen three thousand yuan of betrothal money and had tried to alienate Gu Zi¡¯s parents from her, ruining her reputation in the military compound. No matter what, Lin Miao had to take responsibility for what she had done.

    After Gong Xin left, she took a taxi home. The family was busy with Gong Zhan¡¯s wedding these days, and everyone was in a state of constant busyness.

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    As a member of the Gong family, although she didn¡¯t bless this marriage, she couldn¡¯t refuse to run errands.

    As soon as Gong Xin put down her things, the phone at home rang. She hadn¡¯t caught her breath yet, and when she answered the call, she didn¡¯t say anything. A woman¡¯s voice came from the other end, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Mr. Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary, can I speak to him?¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°He¡¯s gone to the Guts house. You can call him directly there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, then never mind.¡±

    The other end quickly hung up the phone, leaving Gong Xin feeling bewildered..

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: It Was Not Gu Zi

    Chapter 316: It Was Not Gu Zi

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Xinxin, what are you doing standing there? Hurry up and go upstairs to hang the wedding decorations. After all, it¡¯s your brother who¡¯s getting married, show some enthusiasm,¡± Mrs. Chen said as she arrived home to find her daughter standing idly by the phone. She couldn¡¯t help but tap her daughter¡¯s forehead lightly to snap her out of her daze.

    Gong Xin shook her head in response, ¡°I¡¯ve been running errands for you all, isn¡¯t that enthusiastic enough? I understand, I understand!¡±

    With that, Gong Xin ascended the stairs. For some reason, she had been feeling uneasy since she hung up the phone. She had a nagging feeling that with the addition of Lin Miao and MO Li to Gong Zhan¡¯s life, their home would never be peaceful again. It was such a headache!

    Meanwhile, the Gu family was even busier these days. They were busy spreading the news of their alliance with the Gong family, busy inviting leaders to come for meals, and busy preparing their home to receive visitors. In short, the family had not had a moment¡¯s rest.

    People were constantly coming and going at the Guts residence, making it livelier than ever. Gong Zhan had come over to pay his respects that day, following the usual customs of ordinary families, nothing special.

    However, the Gu family was all smiles. Uncle Yang, who was standing beside

    Gong Zhan, couldn¡¯t quite understand what the family was so busy flaunting.

    But Uncle Yang thought that marriage was a matter of mutual consent. If the Gu family didn¡¯t mind the hurried and simple ceremony, then there was nothing to criticize.

    After Gong Zhan finished paying his respects, he left the Gu¡¯s residence with Uncle Yang. The Gu couple, along with Lin Miao, saw them off.

    Once they were a distance away, Uncle Yang said, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for being nosy, but this is a significant event in your life. Are you really not planning to have a wedding ceremony?¡±

    Gong Zhan raised an eyebrow, replying indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll be joining the army soon. Why should I have a wedding ceremony? So others can accuse my father of being extravagant and wasteful?¡±

    Although Uncle Yang knew Gong Zhan to be a proud individual, he was still taken aback by his words. As the son of a high-ranking official, there was nothing wrong with having a wedding ceremony. But Gong Zhan was using this as an excuse.

    It was clear that he had no intention of giving Lin Miao a wedding ceremony. This marriage was purely utilitarian. Uncle Yang sighed inwardly, thinking that such a master would not find happiness this way.

    As they were about to get into the car, a familiar figure approached, attracting their attention.

    A young lady with a princess hairstyle, wearing a round-necked long dress and high heels, was walking towards them carrying a gift box. Uncle Yang almost called her Miss Gu, but as she came closer, he realized that she was not Gu Zi, but Mo Li.

    Their hairstyles, accessories, and clothing styles were similar, but their appearances and temperaments were vastly different.

    How did MO Li get in? Uncle Yang had his suspicions, but he still nodded in greeting and got into the car first, leaving Gong Zhan and MO Li some space to talk.

    Gong Zhan looked at MO Li, his brows slightly relaxed, and his posture eased. For a moment, he felt as if Gu Zi had really returned, and his heart raced.

    But upon closer inspection, Gong Zhan¡¯s brow furrowed slightly.

    MO Li knew that he was disappointed because she was not Gu Zi, and she did not look like Gu Zi.

    MO Li was very good at finding her direction. She wanted to imitate Gu Zi, so she realized that her height was similar to Gu Zi¡¯s, just a little shorter, and her figure was not as good. These problems could be solved by wearing high heels and padding her chest.

    Moreover, MO Li was a city girl, and her sense of aesthetics and fashion from a young age were quite good. She wanted to imitate Gu Zi, knowing that she couldn¡¯t compete with her in terms of facial features, so she started with the atmosphere and feeling. As long as people felt a hint of Gu Zi when they looked at her, that was enough.

    When you looked at her closely, she still had her own style and characteristics, which was invisibly attractive to those who were infatuated with Gu Zi¡¯s beauty and wanted a substitute.

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    Gong Zhan could be disappointed once, twice, but as long as MO Li made sure that he was a little moved before each disappointment, that was enough.

    MO Li was like a frog being boiled in warm water. Eventually, Gong Zhan would get used to MO Li¡¯s presence.

    He was a smart man who would learn to replace disappointment with satisfaction to make himself less uncomfortable.

    With a feigned look of struggle, MO Li mustered the courage to walk up to Gong Zhan. She held out the gift box in her hand and said, ¡°I called and they said you were here, so I brought this over. Congratulations on your marriage! This is for you.¡±

    She had come specifically today, having made a trip to Xinghua Department Store to buy an expensive gift, to express her feelings to Gong Zhan..

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Just Lucky

    Chapter 317: Just Lucky

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan blinked, as if he were reminded again of the times when Gu Zi had given him gifts in the past.

    Back then, Gu Zi had been just like that ¨C conflicted, yet bravely approaching him, offering him the best of what she had.

    Gong Zhan knew that he was about to be married, and accepting a gift from MO Li, was somewhat inappropriate.

    But when he thought of Gu Zi from the past, he felt that he had no reason to refuse.

    This MO Li didn¡¯t resemble Gu Zi, but like Gu Zi, she had a bit of cleverness about her, which he didn¡¯t mind now.

    Because at least MO Li, like Gu Zi back then, truly admired him and loved him. What man would refuse a love offered so readily? That would be foolish.

    His gaze fell on MO Li once more, searching for similarities with Gu Zi. He pretended to be puzzled and slowly asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t been under my command for long, and you¡¯re already thinking about promotion and a raise?¡±

    MO Li shook her head in a fluster, her face reddening as she explained, ¡°No, Mr. Gong, I came to give you a wedding gift, to apologize for the damaging rumors about you. If you don¡¯t accept it, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to face my colleagues¡­ I¡­¡±

    As she spoke, she turned to leave, but Gong Zhan coldly called her back, ¡°You¡¯re quite thoughtful, what¡¯s the gift?¡±

    MO Li¡¯s heart leaped with joy, but she maintained her earlier demeanor, turned back, and handed him the box, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a tie, I hope you won¡¯t find it distasteful.¡±

    Upon hearing the word ¡®tie¡¯, Gong Zhan felt a slight tickle in his heart. It was such a personal item.

    He took the box from her, and MO Li knew her plan had worked once again. She feigned surprise, turned, and quickly left, nearly twisting her ankle in the process.

    Gong Zhan watched her retreating figure for a long time before finally getting into his car with the gift box.

    Uncle Yang wanted to say something, but remembering that he was ultimately just a subordinate, serving the Gong family, he held his tongue and drove away.

    MO Li didn¡¯t regain her normal expression until she reached the main gate of the compound, revealing a triumphant smile and greeting the security guards as she left.

    Because MO Li was Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary and had a close relationship with Lin

    Miao, she had mentioned Lin Miao a few times when delivering documents to Gong Zhan, so the security guards recognized her. She now had unrestricted access to the military compound.

    MO Li believed that as long as she stayed close to Gong Zhan, she would one day have unrestricted access to the Gong family as well.

    This unexpected event had benefited that fool Lin Miao, but it was just her good luck. She couldn¡¯t always be this lucky!

    But no matter how clever MO Li was, she wouldn¡¯t know that due to Lin Miao¡¯s protagonist halo, Lin Miao might indeed always be this lucky.

    In life, although ability is important, to put it in a mystical way, luck is also needed.

    She didn¡¯t understand that some people just didn¡¯t have that kind of fate. She might not have the same luck as Lin Miao.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi and the others had already boarded the bus back to the village. Su Le was sleeping in Gu Zi¡¯s arms. Gu Zi looked at her sleeping face, finding her more and more adorable, and kissed her forehead.

    Seeing her daughter treating Su Shen¡¯s child with such sincerity, Mother Lin didn¡¯t think her foolish, but rather felt reassured.

    Li Hua sat next to Gu Zi, staring at her for a long time, certain that MO Li¡¯s dressing style was very similar to Gu Zi¡¯s.

    She remembered that when she had glanced over at the shop entrance earlier, she really thought she had seen Gu Zi.

    She said to Gu Zi, ¡°I think MO Li¡¯s dressing is strange. It¡¯s as if she¡¯s deliberately imitating you.¡±

    Gu Zi thought for a moment and came up with a possibility. Could MO Li have gotten close to Gong Zhan by doing this?

    Gu Zi was almost certain now why MO Li had suddenly switched sides. Even if Lin Miao was foolish, she wouldn¡¯t be blind to MO Li¡¯s intentions after the office scandal. It¡¯s just that Lin Miao had no other choice now.

    Thinking about this, Gu Zi felt quite happy.

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    After all, Lin Miao had taken that betrothal money and put her in a difficult position. Now seeing Lin Miao upset, Gu Zi had no reason not to be happy.

    What Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand was, did the original author only consider giving the female lead a halo and not a brain when creating the characters?

    Given the difference in intelligence between MO Li and Lin Miao, if the protagonist¡¯s halo were removed, MO Li should be able to defeat Lin Miao easily, right?

    The bus stopped at the village station. Gu Zi, holding the child, got off the bus.

    When she reached the door of the Su family, she parted ways with Mother Lin..

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: What a Good Woman

    Chapter 318: What a Good Woman

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    This afternoon, Li Hua had to stay at home to help with the farming, so she had to put her research on the spicy soup recipe on hold for the day. She informed Gu Zi that she wouldn¡¯t be coming over in the afternoon.

    Gu Zi thought this was just as well, as it would give her the opportunity to clean the house in the afternoon.

    Just as she opened the main gate of her courtyard, Shi Tou, the boy next door, suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He jumped in front of Gu Zi, pinching his chubby cheeks and making a scary face, exclaiming, ¡°Ah, a ghost is here!¡±

    Gu Zi looked at his plump face, suppressing the urge to pinch it. Pretending to be scared, she patted her chest and said, ¡°Oh my, how terrifying! Is that you, Little Shi Tou? You¡¯ve nearly scared me to death!¡±

    Shi Tou quickly hugged Gu Zit s thigh and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Fairy Sister.

    Shi Tou will protect you.¡±

    Amused by his antics, Gu Zi invited him in for some candy.

    Shi Tou was delighted and said mysteriously, ¡°Fairy Sister, Shi Tou has a secret to tell you.¡±

    As she tucked Su Le in on the couch and returned to peel a White Rabbit candy for Shi Tou, Gu Zi said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m quite curious. Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°My grandma has been very busy these days, looking for doctors everywhere. She said she wants to be good to Fairy Sister and find a way to help Uncle last longer in bed¡­ to help Fairy Sister get pregnant and have a baby!¡±

    Shi Tou¡¯s words sent a shiver down Gu Zi¡¯s spine. She thought, ¡®Help, who wants to have a baby?!¡¯

    The ¡®uncle¡¯ Shi Tou was referring to must be Su Shen. It must have been something Aunt Zhang said that Shi Tou overheard.

    Adults often think that children don¡¯t understand anything and tend to speak freely in front of them.

    But in reality, children are very smart and have good memories. They often remember more accurately what they hear. In this respect, Gu Zi did not doubt Shi Tou¡¯s words.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to ask Shi Tou why he said that, she heard hurried, heavy footsteps. Looking up, she saw Aunt Zhang, her face full of apologies.

    Aunt Zhang came in, pulled Shi Tou away, and spanked him a few times. ¡°You little rascal, always coming over here to freeload. You deserve a spanking! Gu Zi, don¡¯t listen to Shi Touts nonsense. I¡¯m just a little worried about you.¡±

    Aunt Zhang looked troubled as she spoke. Gu Zi smiled and reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I invited Shi Tou over. Aunt Zhang, why don¡¯t you sit down and tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Gu Zi washed two pears for Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou. After thanking her, Shi Tou picked up the green-yellow pear and took a big bite. The fruit was crisp, sweet, and juicy. It was the tastiest pear he had ever eaten.

    Aunt Zhang initially declined but eventually picked up a pear and took a bite. Without asking, she knew that this was not a pear grown in their village.

    She said, ¡°It¡¯s so sweet! I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation. I just happened to pass by and heard that Little Su isn¡¯t very capable in certain aspects. I have something on my mind that I don¡¯t know whether to say or not, but I really want to talk to you about it.¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but cough lightly. It turned out that Aunt Zhang, like herself at first, had misunderstood Su Shen.

    But whether Su Shen was capable or not, Gu Zi now had a say in the matter. However, she didn¡¯t say anything about it, only telling Aunt Zhang to speak freely.

    Aunt Zhang was always straightforward. Seeing that Gu Zi was willing to listen, she said, ¡°I found a folk remedy these past few days. You could try giving it to Su Shen. It¡¯s harmless to the body, but if it works, you¡¯ll be in for a treat.¡±

    As she spoke, Aunt Zhang took out a yellowed piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Gu Zi. Gu Zi unfolded the large piece of paper. It not only had writing on it but also two drawings of exercises for men to enhance their sexual function.

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    Because the drawings were too explicit, Gu Zi quickly folded the paper and put it away, saying, ¡°I actually think he¡¯s quite good. It¡¯s not that serious, right?¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Aunt Zhang smiled, thinking that Gu Zi was indeed a good woman, even knowing to protect a man¡¯s dignity.

    ¡°You can decide what to do. What happens behind closed doors is ultimately up to you, right? But listen to me, if there¡¯s really something wrong with Su Shen, don¡¯t be afraid to hurt his pride. If the folk remedy doesn¡¯t work, take him to the hospital right away. You mustn¡¯t delay, understand?¡±

    Gu Zi bit her lower lip and stuffed the folk remedy under the sofa cushion. She wanted to say that there was nothing wrong with Su Shen, but this was a private matter. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to discuss it with outsiders, so she just nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Gu Zi felt uneasy in her heart, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Su Shen. But this shouldn¡¯t be a big deal, right?¡¯ Because in reality, she knew that Su Shen was more than capable.. That was all that mattered!

 Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Nosebleeds

    Chapter 319: Nosebleeds

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Having just seen off Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou, Jin Long arrived at the Su family¡¯s doorstep with a truck carrying the ten pigeons he had just purchased.

    Su Shen had told Gu Zi that he would buy some pigeons for her to raise, so she was aware that Jin Long would be delivering pigeons in the next few days. Gu Zi didn¡¯t go in, but waited for Jin Long to unload the birds.

    Aunt Zhang hadn¡¯t gone far when she turned back to cast a meaningful glance at the cage of pigeons that Jin Long had just unloaded from the truck.

    Gu Zi felt a headache coming on. This would likely confirm Aunt Zhang¡¯s suspicions that Su Shen was incapable!

    Because Gu Zi understood that rural men often used pigeons to boost their vitality. Well, let her think what she wants.

    Gu Zi opened the other side of the gate, allowing Jin Long to carry the small pigeon cage inside.

    The cage for the pigeons was half the size of the larger one, but it was still spacious enough for ten pigeons.

    Gu Zi instructed Jin Long to place the smaller pigeon cage next to the larger one. She then went to pour Jin Long a cup of warm water.

    Jin Long took the water and gulped it down in one go. Gu Zi handed him a fragrant pear, which he accepted without hesitation, biting off half in one bite.

    He said, ¡°Gu Zi, these pigeons are a great tonic. Although it¡¯s important for Brother Shen to regain his strength, don¡¯t feed him too often. It can cause nosebleeds. I have to go back and handle some things, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    With that, Jin Long quickly ran out of the yard, leaving Gu Zi alone and confused.

    Gu Zi was stunned for a few seconds, then roughly understood that Jin Long probably also thought Su Shen was incapable.

    Although Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand why Jin Long and Aunt Zhang would have such thoughts, it left her at a loss for words.

    To explain would seem too defensive, but not explaining would be unfair to Su Shen¡­

    Oh well, Su Shen is a man, let him bear a bit more of the gossip. He will become stronger!

    Just as Aunt Zhang and Afu returned home and were about to enter the house, they heard a few women gossiping.

    ¡°No wonder they say Su Shen is so rich, and yet Gu Zi still has to set up a stall from time to time. This woman really knows how to support her family. Her family has finally made it. They were so poor before, but marrying off a daughter has turned their fortunes around.¡±

    ¡°I just saw it at the station. Gu Zi was with her mother and sister-in-law, carrying big and small bags. The money they probably spent on a trip to the city could cover our grain harvest for a year. She really dares to spend! She¡¯s probably going to drain the Su family¡¯s wealth to support her own family, isn¡¯t ¡°Their luck is good, Su Shen is willing to give her the capital, and their wedding was so grand. It¡¯s also because Su Shen doesn¡¯t have a mother, and Su Jing has gone to the city, so Gu Zi can do whatever she wants.¡±

    Listening to these words, the sourness of these sour cucumbers almost made Aunt Zhang¡¯s teeth ache. What business is it of theirs how Gu Zi spent her husband¡¯s money? They were just jealous!

    Aunt Zhang immediately picked up a broom and began to sweep, deliberately raising clouds of dust, forcing the gossiping women sitting on the stone stools to stand up.

    Aunt Zhang, hands on her hips, said, ¡°Oh, I was wondering what all the buzzing was about. I thought it was flies, but it turns out you¡¯re all here fermenting sour cucumbers. This sourness, it¡¯s killing me!¡±

    The Su family¡¯s wealth wasn¡¯t a recent development. Before Gu Zi married Su Shen, everyone could only look on with envy, as there was no target to attack or gossip about.

    Now it was different. Gu Zi was a woman who had married Su Shen and was living a good life. The target for attack had appeared.

    Now these women couldn¡¯t stand to see Gu Zi buying things, and they couldn¡¯t help but gossip at the sight.

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    One woman, patting the dust off her clothes, shouted, ¡°Aunt Zhang, why are you like this? Did any of us provoke you?¡±

    Aunt Zhang dropped the broom and snorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t say you provoked me. What are you so anxious about? Weren¡¯t you just gossiping about the Su family? What, does Gu Zi have to report to you gossipy women every time she uses Su Shen¡¯s money? Instead of living your own lives, you¡¯re always spreading rumors behind people¡¯s backs. If you¡¯re so brave, go say it to Su

    Shen¡¯s face.¡±

    If Su Shen himself really minded his wife spending money, wouldn¡¯t he handle it himself?

    These people only dared to defame behind their backs, but didn¡¯t dare to instigate in front of Su Shen.. Weren¡¯t they clear that Su Shen was willing to spoil his wife? Weren¡¯t these gossipy women just afraid of offending Su Shen?

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Father Lin Was Injured

    Chapter 320: Father Lin Was Injured

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After all, Su Shen¡¯s pig farm was renowned in this region, bringing prosperity to the villagers as well. Coupled with the presence of influential figures at the wedding, who would dare to offend the Su family now?

    Upon hearing Aunt Zhang¡¯s words, the women¡¯s scowls vanished instantly, replaced by ingratiating smiles. ¡°We women do love to gossip, but we never mean any harm, Aunt Zhang. Please don¡¯t mention this to Su Shen.¡±

    Aunt Zhang chuckled, showing no mercy. ¡°Since you claim it¡¯s all in good fun, why not let Su Shen in on the joke? He might not even know how popular his wife is, being the subject of your amusement.¡±

    The women blushed, their expressions turning frantic as they rushed to rectify the situation.

    ¡°Aunt Zhang, you misunderstood us. We didn¡¯t mean any harm. From now on, I¡¯ll keep quiet. It was them who led me on.¡±

    ¡°How could you say that? You were the one who started it. Aunt Zhang, I was just following their lead.¡±

    ¡°You all change your tune so quickly. You all get along well with Mrs. Wang normally. Now that Mrs. Wang claims that Gu Zi has ruined her relationship with her mother-in-law, Aunt Yang, you all start badmouthing Gu Zi. I¡¯m the Innocent one nere.¡±

    Aunt Zhang watched as the women started bickering amongst themselves. A satisfied smile spread across her face. She turned around, leading her grandson Shi Tou into the house, leaving the women to their accusations.

    When Mother Lin and Li Hua returned to Little Lin Village, they felt a sense of unease as soon as they saw their house. The mother and daughter-in-law quickened their pace.

    A crowd had gathered in front of the Lin¡¯s house. Seeing the two women return, a villager hurriedly approached Mother Lin. ¡°Oh, thank heavens you¡¯re back. Your husband was injured by Lin Jie from Lin Laoyao¡¯s family. His leg might be crippled. My husband has taken him to the city hospital. They should be there soon. ¡±

    Upon hearing that her husband was injured, Mother Lin nearly collapsed, but was steadied by Li Hua and the woman who fed them the information.

    Mother Lin felt that this incident was definitely related to the last time Lin Jie came and didn¡¯t get the retirement money. Lin Jie was a petty man who often loitered around the town. It wasn¡¯t hard for him to stir up trouble.

    Li Hua angrily said, ¡°Lin Jie is such a scoundrel! How could he do such a thing!¡±

    Someone added, ¡°We don¡¯t know the specifics, but it all happened in front of your house. Lin Jie brought a few young men over, seemingly intending to force his way in. When your husband refused, they started arguing and then fighting.¡±

    Another villager recalled, ¡°I was working in the fields when I saw Lin Jie and his men go to your field, the sandy one. They trampled all over the vegetables you had painstakingly grown, as if they had a deep grudge against you. Probably unsatisfied, they came directly to your house, and your husband got injured while trying to defend it.¡±

    Someone else chimed in, ¡°I heard Lin Jie demanding the retirement money from your husband. That¡¯s just unacceptable. The retirement money isn¡¯t his to claim.¡±

    Tears streamed down Mother Lin¡¯s face as she listened. The Lin family was ruthless, like blood-sucking vampires. If they couldn¡¯t get what they wanted, they were capable of killing.

    Li Hua asked for help, ¡°Could you please go to the pig farm and tell Lin Cheng to go directly to the train station? Mother, let¡¯s put our things away and head to the station as well.¡±

    Mother Lin nodded repeatedly. After putting away their things, the two women headed straight for the train station.

    At the pig farm, Lin Cheng was informed that his father had been hospitalized and he became frantic.

    Upon learning of the situation, Su Shen immediately drove him back to the Su family home. He then took Gu Zi and Su Le to the train station to meet Mother Lin and the others. The whole family then rushed to the hospital together.

    Meanwhile, after injuring Father Lin, Lin Jie returned home. Upon hearing the news, Lin Laoyao slapped his son. ¡°That¡¯s your uncle!¡±

    Only after hitting him did Lin Laoyao realize what he had done. This was the first time he had ever hit Lin Jie, his only son. How could he bear to do so?

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    His wife rushed over, distressed, and immediately checked their son for injuries. She defended him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with what Lin Jie did? Lin Lao¡¯er knew Lin Jie was getting married and didn¡¯t even give a gift. We don¡¯t need such a family member.¡±

    Lin Laoyao was furious, ¡°Just because he didn¡¯t give you money, you went to beat him? Are you a bandit?¡±

    But Lin Jie showed no fear and yelled back at Lin Laoyao, ¡°So what if I beat him? What can he do, put me in jail?¡±

    The more Lin Jie thought about it, the angrier he got. His grandmother and mother were too soft-hearted. They hadn¡¯t gotten anything the last time they went, and listening to them would never lead to anything good.

    His uncle deserved a lesson. After being taught one, he would surely behave in the future..

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Trembling With Anger

    Chapter 321: Trembling With Anger

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Enough of this talk for now. Hurry and come with me to the city,¡± Lin Laoyao urged, ¡°We need to buy a box of fruit as a gift for your uncle and apologize. You know that if you hit someone, you could end up in jail, right? You¡¯re about to get married, you need to think about your future. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    At this moment, Lin Laoyao was filled with fear. His son was only eighteen, in the prime of his youth, he couldn¡¯t afford to be imprisoned.

    He was about to take his son and leave the house, feeling a pang of regret for having allowed his wife to spoil their son so much in the past. It had led to Lin Jie becoming lawless. If only Lin Jie had a bit more fear, he wouldn¡¯t be talking nonsense now.

    Lin Laoyao wasn¡¯t afraid of his own brother. His brother was a man of honor who valued family ties. As long as they apologized, his brother wouldn¡¯t do anything drastic.

    But he was afraid of the Su family, and of Gu Zi.

    He felt that Gu Zi was not easy to deal with. If Gu Zi knew about this incident, she certainly wouldn¡¯t let it go.

    With Su Shen backing her, they would be at a disadvantage. He had already seen this the last time.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife and Lin Jie, however, were not at all flustered. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was used to being domineering. She put her hands on her hips and said, ¡°What are we buying? Do you think we have too much money at home? Don¡¯t you know to go to the old lady? I don¡¯t believe it. Let the old lady cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang herself. I don¡¯t believe that Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family can ignore the old lady¡¯s threats and send Lin Jie to jail!¡±

    Lin Jie was holding the door, unwilling to go with Lin Laoyao.

    Lin Laoyao said, ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I will go directly to the police station and have you arrested.¡±

    Lin Jie rarely saw his father get angry, but when he did, his eyes were more terrifying than his mother¡¯s when she was furious. He immediately let go of the door and followed Lin Laoyao. Lin Laoyao took his son and the money and left the house.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife chased after them and blocked the father and son, ¡°If you dare to go, don¡¯t come back. I will divorce you!¡±

    Lin Laoyao didn¡¯t stop for a moment. Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife realized that her husband was determined this time. She knew in her heart that once this man made up his mind, her tantrums would be useless.

    She didn¡¯t chase after them anymore. She turned around, locked the door, and quickly walked towards the direction of Lin Laoyao¡¯s mother¡¯s house.

    She didn¡¯t believe it. They were all brothers of the same mother. Even if the bones were broken, the tendons were still connected. Could the police really interfere with a family¡¯s minor disputes?

    When she got the old lady to back her up, she wanted to see who dared to discipline her son.

    When Su Shen and Gu Zi arrived at the hospital, Father Lin had already been taken out of the emergency room and arranged to rest in the ward. Su Shen gave a thank you fee to the father and son who had brought Father Lin to the hospital. They were very responsible, explaining some of the doctor¡¯s words before leaving.

    Not only was Father Lin¡¯s face injured, but one of his arms had also been treated and wrapped in gauze.

    The most severe injury was on his right leg. His lower leg was fractured and had been put in a cast. His lower leg was wrapped in bandages, and there were blood stains on the edge of the bed, which made people feel uneasy.

    Father Lin¡¯s eyes were red and watery. It was obvious that he had been crying.

    But seeing that his family had come to the hospital because of him, he pretended to be strong and smiled, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.

    I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Mother Lin secretly wiped away a tear, walked up to him, and covered him with a blanket. Li Hua picked up the lunch box on the bed and deliberately laughed, saying, ¡°Dad, you haven¡¯t had lunch yet, have you? I¡¯ll go get some food.¡±

    Lin Cheng stood in place, trembling with anger. He wished he could drag Lin Jie out right now and beat him up, only killing him would relieve his anger!

    Li Hua was worried that he would do something rash if she didn¡¯t keep an eye on him, so she took him with her when she went to get food.

    Gu Zi walked up to Father Lin without saying a word, picked up the fruit next to her, and began to peel it. She needed to find something to do, otherwise she was afraid she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back her tears.

    Su Shen saw through her thoughts, walked over, patted her on the back, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in. It¡¯s okay to cry. No one will laugh at you. Stay with mom and dad for now. I have to go out for a bit.¡±

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    After saying this, the man turned around and walked out of the ward with long strides.

    Gu Zi looked up and watched his broad back disappear outside the door. She thought about his words and felt unusually at ease, even though he was gone because she knew very well that Su Shen was a very responsible and capable man. As long as he was there, she didn¡¯t have to be afraid of anything.

    Gu Zi was also filled with the same anger as Lin Cheng. She wished she could kill Lin Jie. What was the difference between him and a bandit? If he didn¡¯t get the money, he would beat people up.

    At least bandits recognized blood relatives, but Lin Jie was even worse than a bandit!

    Seeing the redness in his daughter¡¯s eyes, Father Lin felt uncomfortable. The man, who was not very good at expressing himself, racked his brains to come up with comforting words. He said to her, ¡°Dad is fine, Little Zi. Don¡¯t be sad..¡±

 Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: You Decide

    Chapter 322: You Decide

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Dad, the cast is on now, and for the next month or so, you won¡¯t be able to walk properly. It¡¯s uncertain if you can fully recover afterward, how can it be okay? Don¡¯t try to comfort me!¡± Gu Zi was at a loss for words. The person who had brought him here had said the doctor mentioned his father might end up with a limp. How could things possibly be okay?

    With that, Gu Zits tears, which she had been holding back, finally broke free and she wept uncontrollably.

    Seeing Gu Zits tears, Su Le, who had been playing on her own, hurried over to her. She stretched out her little hands to touch Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks and said in her baby voice, ¡°Mama, no no!¡± Gu Zi knew she meant ¡®Mama, don¡¯t cry,¡¯ and felt a warmth in her heart.

    She picked up her daughter and quickly wiped away her tears, hiding her face behind her small body. She had been unable to hold back her tears earlier.

    Seeing this, Mother Lin couldn¡¯t help but shed tears as well. After a moment of consideration, she said, ¡°Gu Zi, I beg you and Su Shen to do something for me. This time, we mustn¡¯t let Lin Jie off the hook!¡±

    Gu Zi finally lifted his head. ¡°Mom, even without you telling me, I was going to report this to the police.¡±

    If something happens once, it can happen again. The Lin family¡¯s bullying wasn¡¯t a one-time thing. If they continued to tolerate it, such incidents would only keep happening.

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s intention to report the incident, Father Lin shook his head, saying, ¡°Let it go. If this gets to the police, Lin Jie might end up in jail. That would be too harsh, wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m worried¡­

    He was worried that if Lin Jie ended up in jail, his younger brother would lose all hope. Their mother would certainly not forgive him.

    Although Father Lin knew that his parents and siblings didn¡¯t truly love him, the things they had done to him were heartbreaking. But when it came down to it, blood was thicker than water, and he couldn¡¯t bear to see them suffer.

    Upon hearing Father Lin¡¯s words, Gu Zi felt a surge of frustration. She held Su Le and stopped speaking.

    Mother Lin coldly said, ¡°Old Lin, let¡¯s be honest here. Has your younger brother¡¯s family ever shown you any respect? You promised me that you wouldn¡¯t let them bully us anymore. You¡¯re worried about Lin Jie, but does Lin Jie see you as his uncle?¡±

    Gu Zi knew that her father was too kind-hearted and valued brotherhood too much, which was why he was acting this way. She was angry, but hearing Mother Lin¡¯s words, she realized her father wasn¡¯t beyond hope. She could give him another chance.

    If he insisted on upholding his so-called family and brotherly bonds, she would let Lin Jie go. If it came to it, she would simply distance herself from such a father.

    She choked back her tears and asked formally, ¡°Dad, I respect your opinion. In this matter, do we let it go, or do we follow the legal procedure as we discussed? You decide.¡¯

    Father Lin looked at his daughter¡¯s determined eyes, then at his wife. He seemed to understand that if he chose to forgive Lin Jie, he would disappoint his wife once again and risk losing his long-lost daughter.

    Eventually, Father Lin gave in to his wife and daughter. He sighed and said, ¡°I agree. We¡¯ll do as you say. Lin Jie needs to learn his lesson.¡±

    After Li Hua brought back lunch, the family accompanied Father Lin for a meal. After lunch, Su Shen returned. Gu Zi told him about reporting the incident to the police, and he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already taken care of it.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised, but considering Su Shen¡¯s reliability, she didn¡¯t find it strange. She said, ¡°You rest a bit, I¡¯ll go to the hospital cafeteria to get some food for you.¡±

    Su Shen held his wife¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s late now, there won¡¯t be any food left. Come with me to eat outside. There¡¯s a state-owned restaurant nearby.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, and together with Su Le and Su Shen, they went out for a meal. After eating, they returned and went to the payment counter to pay for Father Lin¡¯s medical fees.

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    Su Shen also arranged for a rehabilitation nurse to take care of Father Lin¡¯s leg recovery.

    At the police station, because Su Shen personally reported the case, they acted quickly. As soon as Lin Jie and Lin Laoyao arrived at the city station, Lin Jie was arrested in public.

    Lin Jie was arrogant when he was arrested, loudly proclaiming his innocence and questioning why he was being arrested.

    Lin Laoyao, on the other hand, was scared witless. He had anticipated that Gu Zi and the others might report him to the police, but he didn¡¯t expect them to act so quickly!

    As Lin Laoyao watched Lin Jie being taken away, his face aged rapidly with worry. After asking the police about Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s hospital, he hurriedly bought some fruit and went to the hospital..

 Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Teach Gu Zi A Lesson

    Chapter 323: Teach Gu Zi A Lesson

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Lin Laoyao arrived at the hospital room, only his elder brother and sister-in-law, along with their children Lin Cheng and Li Hua, were present. Without uttering a word, he placed a basket of fruits on the floor and knelt down. His dramatic entrance drew the attention of other patients and their families in the nearby beds.

    ¡°Brother,¡± he began, his voice choked with emotion, ¡°my son, that rascal, has hurt you. I¡¯ve failed in raising him properly. Please, don¡¯t hold his actions against him. He¡¯s still young. If he goes to prison, his life will be ruined!¡±

    The four occupants of the room exchanged bewildered looks. They hadn¡¯t even reported the incident to the police yet, was Lin Jie already arrested?

    Father Lin looked at his younger brother kneeling before him, a man of his age, crying and begging. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. But he had promised his wife and daughter that he wouldn¡¯t be lenient this time. So, he remained silent, turning his gaze to his wife.

    Mother Lin knew her husband was softening, but she had made up her mind. She wouldn¡¯t let this go easily, so she too remained silent.

    Li Hua got up to refill the teapot with hot water, while Lin Cheng stepped forward, his voice filled with anger. ¡°Uncle, can you dare to lift your head and look at the injuries on my father¡¯s body? After seeing them, can you still beg us to forgive Lin Jie? We all have hearts, and you share the same blood with my father. How could Lin Jie have the heart to beat him like this?¡±

    Lin Laoyao didn¡¯t dare to look at his elder brother¡¯s injuries. He had come to plead for his son, knowing his brother wouldn¡¯t be so cruel as to send Lin Jie to prison. He believed that if he begged hard enough, his brother would relent.

    ¡°Lin Cheng,¡± he said, ¡°I apologize on behalf of Lin Jie. If you have any resentment or anger, direct it at me. Hit me, scold me, as long as it makes you feel better. But please, brother, sister-in-law, spare Lin Jie. He can¡¯t go to prison. I beg you. If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll kneel here forever!¡±

    ¡°You can kneel as long as you want,¡± came a clear, crisp female voice from the entrance of the room. ¡°But if it¡¯s for repentance, please do it somewhere else. Your kneeling here is nothing more than an attempt to make us drop charges against Lin Jie. And let me tell you, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    As the voice faded, a handsome young man and woman appeared in the room. It was Su Shen and Gu Zi.

    Lin Laoyao fell silent for a moment, then turned to Gu Zi and Su Shen. ¡°My dear niece, please forgive your cousin. He¡¯s young and foolish. We¡¯ve all had our reckless moments. Son-in-law, please persuade my niece. We¡¯re all family, why must we resort to this?¡±

    The family in the adjacent bed was lost in confusion, unsure of what exactly had transpired. But seeing the sincerity in the kneeling man¡¯s apology, and hearing that they were brothers, they felt that the situation was indeed regrettable.

    However, their sympathy was short-lived when they heard Gu Zi¡¯s next words. ¡°So, being young and reckless gives someone the right to break another person¡¯s leg? If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think there was a deep-seated grudge between them. But the truth is, all this happened because you didn¡¯t get the money you wanted¡­¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. The family in the next bed finally understood that this was a dispute over money. They immediately sided with Gu Zi, thinking that Lin Laoyao deserved what he got. After all, it was his failure to discipline his son that had led to this situation.

    The family began pointing and whispering about Lin Laoyao, causing him to blush with embarrassment. Su Shen called for the hospital staff, who escorted Lin Laoyao out, asking him not to disturb the patients.

    But Lin Laoyao was stubborn. He continued to kneel outside the room.

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    After Lin Jie was arrested, the village committee received a call from the police station. They went to Lin Jie¡¯s house to inform his family of his arrest.

    Before they could reach Lin Jie¡¯s house, they ran into Lin Jie¡¯s mother and grandmother, who were rushing somewhere. The committee members told them about Lin Jie¡¯s arrest.

    The mother and grandmother were shocked to hear the news. They couldn¡¯t believe that Lin Lao¡¯er would be so ruthless. They immediately blamed Gu Zi, the newly found daughter of the family, for instigating this. They believed she was the one who lacked compassion.

    Old Lady Lin decided to go to the hospital to confront Lin Lao¡¯er and give Gu Zi a piece of her mind. She wanted to remind her who really called the shots in the Lin family.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife and Old Lady Lin hurried to the city. When they arrived at the hospital and saw their beloved Lin Laoyao kneeling outside the room, their anger flared up. They wished they could strangle Gu Zi, the unfilial brat, on the spot..

 Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Wretch

    Chapter 324: Wretch

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation     Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Stand up, stand up!¡± Old Lady Lin and Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife forcefully pulled Lin Laoyao to his feet, storming into the ward with an intimidating presence.

    Upon seeing the face of Mother Lin, Old Lady Lin¡¯s teeth gritted in anger. Her eyes then fell upon a young, beautiful woman cradling a child, a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Mother Lin in her youth, another seductive vixen! Even without asking, she knew this must be Gu Zi.

    Old Lady Lin pointed accusingly at the mother-daughter pair, spewing venomous words. How dare they lay a hand on her grandson, it was as if they were courting death.

    ¡®You useless old hag, you think you¡¯re something special now, don¡¯t you?¡± she spat. ¡°Bringing back this little wretch, what good can come of it? She¡¯s not even worth a fraction of Lin Miao. Useless, only causing trouble, even daring to accuse my precious grandson, Lin Jie. If anything happens to him, I swear you two will pay dearly¡­¡±

    The family in the neighboring bed shook their heads in disbelief. Who was this old woman, they wondered, how could she spew such vile words, especially being a woman herself?

    Mother Lin was familiar with Old Lady Lin¡¯s consistent behavior. She herself had often been the target of the elder¡¯s verbal abuse in her younger years.

    Because her husband had always treated her well, Mother Lin had always tolerated her mother-in-law¡¯s behavior. Even when the elder woman went around calling her a seductive vixen who had ensnared her son, Mother Lin had never lost her temper.

    But now, after finally finding Gu Zi, to hear the elder woman hurling the same insults at her, Mother Lin could no longer hold her peace. After all, this mother-in-law had never treated her as a daughter-in-law.

    Stepping in front of Gu Zi, Mother Lin retorted, ¡°I am not useless, and neither is my daughter. Mother, you are of an advanced age, it would be best if you were kinder and refrained from speaking ill of others.¡±

    Old Lady Lin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in anger, she felt as if Mother Lin was rebelling against her, daring to contradict her. She lunged forward, intending to strike Mother Lin, but Su Shen swiftly stepped in front of her, his cold eyes fixed on the elder woman.

    Old Lady Lin was taken aback by Su Shen¡¯s icy gaze. Despite his handsome features, his stare was as intimidating as the King of Hell himself.

    At her age, Old Lady Lin harbored a certain fear of death. She involuntarily took a step back.

    In a deep voice, Su Shen warned, ¡°Apologize to my mother and my wife, or I assure you, Lin Jie will rot in jail.¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife felt a chill run down her spine at Su Shen¡¯s words. This was Su Shen, the only wealthy man in their circle. If he intended to target Lin Jie, then Lin Jie was done for.

    Gu Zi, the cunning little vixen, had ensnared Su Shen¡¯s soul, it seemed, for he was fiercely protective of her.

    Finally, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife swallowed her pride and pleaded with Su Shen, ¡°Little Su, we are all family, aren¡¯t we? It¡¯s not uncommon for families to have small disputes and disagreements. It¡¯s not serious enough to send Lin Jie to jail. He¡¯s about to get married, please, show mercy.¡±

    Old Lady Lin chimed in, ¡°Exactly, we are all family. Su Shen, you should be calling me grandma. Listen to your grandma, let¡¯s put this matter to rest. I was just upset earlier, but what these two have done¡­¡±

    Old Lady Lin was a typical old -fashioned woman who despised other women. She rarely had anything good to say about them, but her attitude towards men was entirely different. Gu Zi found this old woman utterly disgusting.

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    With a cold snort, Gu Zi retorted, ¡°Now you want to claim family ties? It¡¯s too late. Instead of wasting time here, why don¡¯t you go prepare for your precious Lin Jie¡¯s prison stay, make sure he¡¯s comfortable.¡±

    Su Shen patted Gu Zi¡¯s back, his protective stance evident. He addressed Old Lady Lin and her family, ¡°As I said, apologize. And let me clarify, I was the one who reported the incident to the police, not Gu Zi or my mother. As Gu Zits husband, I would be ashamed if I couldn¡¯t even do this much for her.¡± Old Lady Lin, Lin Laoyao and his wife were at a loss. They hadn¡¯t expected Su Shen to be the one who reported the incident.

    Gu Zi, that cunning little vixen, had truly bewitched Su Shen.

    No wonder the police had acted so swiftly. Rumors had circulated that many influential figures had attended Su Shen¡¯s wedding, and it seemed they were true.

    After a moment of silence, Old Lady Lin shot a glare at her second son lying on the hospital bed. She wailed, ¡°Oh, my life is so hard! At my age, I have to watch my beloved grandson be sent to jail. I can¡¯t bear to live anymore¡­.¡±

 Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: This Is My Family Matter

    Chapter 325: This Is My Family Matter

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Old Lady Lin cried out, she shot a threatening gaze at Lin Lao¡¯er, the second of her three sons. She knew his heart was the softest among them. If she wept and expressed her despair, Lin Lao¡¯er would surely give in.

    Upon witnessing this, Lin Laoyao and his wife also pleaded with Lin Lao¡¯er through their tears. ¡°Brother, we were wrong, our son Lin Jie was even more wrong. Please tell us how we can earn your forgiveness. As long as Lin Jie doesn¡¯t have to go to jail, we will do anything¡­¡±

    Initially, Father Lin had been worried for Lin Jie, for Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, and for his own mother¡¯s distress. But now, confronted with his mother and brothers¡¯ pleas, he felt no stirrings of sympathy.

    He finally understood. To his so-called family, he was not a relative, but merely a tool¡ªa tool to be used when needed and discarded when not. It had always been this way.

    Since his mother had entered the hospital room, she hadn¡¯t even glanced at him, let alone shown any concern for his injuries.

    She was only interested in defending Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, berating his wife and daughter. Only now, realizing the severity of the situation, did she remember her second son, pleading with him, hoping to exploit his soft heart to save Lin Jie.

    Father Lin saw through it all now. His heart hardened, and he agreed with his wife and daughter¡¯s decision.

    His gaze swept over Old Lady Lin and the others, finally landing on Su Shen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said to his son-in-law. ¡°You handle it. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡±

    Old Lady Lin was stunned. She never expected her second son to say such things. Was he really going to abandon her?

    Enraged, Old Lady Lin charged at her second son, berating him. ¡®You heartless thing! If I¡¯d known you¡¯d turn out this way, I would¡¯ve strangled you at birth! You¡¯ve been bewitched by these two good-for-nothings, even forsaking your own mother. Shame on you! I wish Lin Jie had killed you! ¡±

    Father Lin felt as if he¡¯d been stabbed in the heart. The pain was so intense he could hardly breathe. But he was a man, and he held back his tears in front of everyone.

    Mother Lin watched, heartbroken.

    Upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, Lin Laoyao was also taken aback. He had always known he was the most favored son, and he¡¯d always had the best of everything without having to fight for it.

    But he had never realized how little his mother cared for his second brother.

    Just when things were getting out of hand, a doctor arrived with hospital security to escort Old Lady Lin and the others out. Old Lady Lin had never been so humiliated by her second son before. She continued to curse and rant even as she was being led away.

    Finally, the hospital room was quiet.

    The other patient in the next bed comforted Father Lin. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart, bro. We can¡¯t choose our parents, but we can choose to live our lives well. You have a good daughter and son-in-law, and many blessings to enjoy!¡±

    Seeing this, Lin Cheng also comforted his father. ¡°Yes, and you have us, too. You have me, your daughter, Li Hua, and Su Shen. We will all take good care of you.¡±

    Father Lin smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your kind words, bro. I feel much better now. Lin Cheng, Gu Zi, you should go about your business. Don¡¯t just stay here in the hospital. It¡¯s too much.¡±

    Mother Lin also urged them to go home, promising to stay and take care of Father Lin. Lin Cheng was worried that someone might come to cause trouble and didn¡¯t want to leave, but Su Shen sensed that Mother Lin and Father Lin had something to discuss. He reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the hospital will take special care of him. There won¡¯t be any problems. Let¡¯s all go home and let Mom stay with Dad.¡±

    Father Lin and Mother Lin thanked Su Shen profusely. Lin Cheng also expressed his gratitude, to which Su Shen replied, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. This is my family matter.¡±

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    As Su Shen spoke, he glanced at the woman beside him and took the sleeping Lele from her arms.

    Seeing how Su Shen treated Gu Zi, Father Lin and Mother Lin felt a little happier. They believed that things would get better.

    After they got in the car, Su Shen drove them to the school to pick up Su Bing and Su Li.

    As Su Shen¡¯s car pulled up outside the school gate, Su Bing and Su Li were just coming out. Seeing their uncle and aunt in the car, they were excited. ¡°Uncle, Aunt, are you coming over for dinner tonight? What about Grandpa and Grandma, are they coming too?¡±

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua didn¡¯t know how to respond to the children. Their grandfather had been bullied, bullied by his so-called relatives..

 Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Useless Efforts

    Chapter 326: Useless Efforts

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi found herself at a loss for words as she watched her brother and sister-in-law. She believed that children had a right to know about these matters, and she didn¡¯t think such issues would cause any distress to their young minds.

    Instead, she saw it as a good teaching story. Thus, she took the initiative to tell the children about their grandfather¡¯s ordeal that afternoon. Su Bing and Su Li both furrowed their brows, expressing their anger about the incident.

    Su Bing¡¯s gaze was particularly cold. He stared straight ahead, his face devoid of any expression as he said, ¡°Mom, Uncle, Aunt, from now on, Lin Jie is my enemy.¡±

    His words not only startled Lin Cheng and Li Hua but also made Gu Zi feel uneasy.

    Gu Zi remembered the plot from the book. As Su Bing grew up, he became a cold and ruthless man, always seizing the opportunity to retaliate against those who had wronged them. Those people never ended well.

    In the book, Su Bing would declare who his enemies were, like the woman from the town who had previously married Su Shen.

    Because she had poisoned the two brothers, nearly killing Su Li, she was secretly added to Su Bing¡¯s revenge plan. The outcome was her death under Su Bing¡¯s retaliation.

    With Su Bing¡¯s high intelligence, the woman mysteriously died on the street shortly after being released from prison. Her death was a gruesome one.

    Although Su Bing did not directly kill her, he was indirectly responsible for her death. Gu Zi clearly remembered the chilling feeling she had when she read this part of the story. It was terrifying.

    Suddenly, Gu Zi felt a bit scared. She wondered if Su Bing still harbored such a vengeful heart.

    It wasn¡¯t that Gu Zi felt the woman didn¡¯t deserve punishment, but she didn¡¯t want Su Bing to live for hatred. She didn¡¯t want him to become a cold-blooded machine with high intelligence.

    Moreover, Gu Zi was somewhat afraid. She feared that despite her efforts to provide warmth to the children and change their worldview for a better ending, the original character setting in the book might be unchangeable, and the final outcome might still be inevitable.

    Gu Zi¡¯s mood suddenly became heavy. She absolutely didn¡¯t want to see such an outcome, but what could she do?

    However, upon hearing the second child¡¯s words, Gu Zi¡¯s mood quickly changed. Su Li was comforting them, saying that he had realized a truth.

    ¡°Uncle, Aunt, not all relatives are family. Just like us three siblings, our biological mother never treated us well, but we were pampered by Mom Gu Zi. Now I think, blood relations are just a basic definition, but those who treat you well do not necessarily have to be related by blood. Just like us with Grandma Lin, Grandpa Lin and Dad¡­¡±

    When Su Li said this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but glance at Su Shen.

    He was focused on driving, but he also tacitly turned his head to give her a reassuring smile, which was quite bright.

    In an instant, Gu Zi understood and felt a wave of shame for the fleeting thought she had just had. She had been contemplating whether or not to continue nurturing these children to alter their destinies, wondering if her efforts would be in vain.

    Her judgment had been clouded by the anger she felt about her father¡¯s assault. Why should she worry about events that had not yet occurred?

    At least for now, her kindness towards the children was gradually effecting change. Su Li¡¯s newfound awareness was proof that their personalities were not immutable.

    As for Su Bing, he was a particularly sensitive child, far more so than Su Li. He simply needed more time to adjust his mindset. Regardless of what the future held, Gu Zi felt at peace with the current state of affairs. Wasn¡¯t that all that mattered?

    She pulled out two pieces of peanut milk candy from her pocket and handed them to Su Bing and Su Li. Her voice was unusually gentle as she said, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve comforted us with your care.¡±

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    Upon seeing this, Lin Cheng and Li Hua also spoke up, ¡°What¡¯s done is done. It¡¯s enough that you know. Leave the rest to us adults to handle.¡± Su Bing and Su Li accepted the candy and nodded in agreement.

    When the car arrived at the Su residence, Gu Zi invited her brother and sister-in-law to have dinner there. After the meal, Su Shen would drive them home.

    News of Lin Jie¡¯s arrest quickly reached his future father-in-law¡¯s house in town. Lin Jie¡¯s fianc¨¦e was in a state of panic.

    However, her father was in a completely different state of mind. Upon hearing that Lin Jie had been taken into custody, he breathed a sigh of relief, believing that his daughter would finally see that Lin Jie was not a man worthy of her trust.

    But he hadn¡¯t anticipated the depth of his daughter¡¯s infatuation. She had no sense of right or wrong and even persuaded him to swallow his pride and ask for favors to get Lin Jie out, so as not to delay their wedding..

 Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Thereâ€™s Still Lin Miao

    Chapter 327: There¡¯s Still Lin Miao

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Jie¡¯s future father-in-law was clueless as to what his daughter saw in Lin Jie. She was determined to marry him, despite the fact that neither he nor his wife found Lin Jie, a notorious troublemaker, appealing.

    Their daughter was so adamant about marrying Lin Jie that they reluctantly agreed to the union. However, now that the wedding was postponed, the father felt a sense of relief. He certainly had no intention of using his connections to help Lin Jie.

    ¡°Dad, do you really not care about my life and death? I can¡¯t live without Lin Jie!¡± his daughter pleaded.

    ¡°Sweetheart, Lin Jie has assaulted someone. Can¡¯t you see reason? And do you even know who he assaulted? It was Su Shen¡¯s father-in-law,¡± he retorted.

    Lin Jie was audacious enough to cause such a ruckus and remain arrogant after the incident, probably because he had his fianc¨¦e, their daughter, as his trump card.

    Their family did have connections in the police department, and those connections held high positions. However, precisely because of this, Lin Jie¡¯s future father-in-law knew that Su Shen was not someone they could afford to offend.

    Lin Jie was now taking advantage of his daughter, assuming that her family would eventually protect him for her sake.

    But they had no desire to protect Lin Jie, even if they could afford to offend Su Shen.

    They didn¡¯t want their daughter to marry a ticking time bomb like Lin Jie, nor did they want to clean up his mess for the rest of their lives.

    Although Lin Jie was aware of this, his lack of proper education was a disadvantage. Having connections in his fianc¨¦e¡¯s family was one thing, but it mattered who those connections were.

    Their connections would be fine for an ordinary person, but if the other party was Su Shen, Lin Jie would undoubtedly have to pay for his mistakes.

    Outside the house, Lin Laoyao, accompanied by his mother and wife, had come to plead with Lin Jie¡¯s future father-in-law.

    However, Lin Jie¡¯s fianc¨¦e was inside the house, locked in a standoff with her father, oblivious to what was happening outside.

    The family took the opportunity to dismiss Lin Laoyao, telling him, ¡°Our master and young lady are not at home. You should go back and deal with Lin Jie¡¯s matter first. The wedding can be postponed.¡±

    After delivering the message, they promptly closed the door.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was so furious that she almost fainted. ¡°You old hag, don¡¯t cause trouble at this critical moment. I won¡¯t take care of you,¡± she scolded.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s mother, who usually didn¡¯t dare to confront her daughter-in-law, could only sit aside and catch her breath.

    As for Lin Laoyao, he didn¡¯t react to his wife¡¯s scolding of his mother. He seemed to think it was justified and continued to worry about his son¡¯s situation.

    After the commotion at the hospital, Lin Laoyao had a clear understanding of his elder brother¡¯s attitude.

    His wife and mother also realized the seriousness of the situation. It was not a trivial matter.

    Lin Lao¡¯er, influenced by his mother and daughter, was determined to sue Lin Jie. What could they do?

    His wife, frantic and angry, yelled at Lin Laoyao, ¡°Lin Laoyao, I only have one son. He can¡¯t go to jail. You have to find a way to get him out, or I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Lin Laoyao was also anxious. He pushed his wife away and said, ¡°Stop yelling. I¡¯m trying to figure out a solution. It¡¯s late at night. Even if I have a solution, I can¡¯t use it now! I plan to go to the city early tomorrow morning to find Lin

    Miao.¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s mother quickly agreed, ¡°Yes, we still have Lin Miao. After all, she grew up eating our Lin family¡¯s food. Now her biological parents are in the big courtyard, and they are said to be officials, they should help us a little, right?¡±

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    Seeing her daughter-in-law being pushed away by Lin Laoyao, Lin Laoyao¡¯s mother felt a sense of satisfaction. She thought, ¡®This shrew, isn¡¯t she still controlled by my youngest son? So much for her arrogance!¡¯

    When it came to the relationship with Lin Miao, Lin Laoyao¡¯s mother held her chin high, looking rather smug.

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s thoughts were not as simple as his mother¡¯s. He didn¡¯t think Lin Miao¡¯s biological parents would be of much help.

    But he didn¡¯t need them to do much. Lin Laoyao just thought that since Gu Zi came from the big courtyard in the city, and Lin Miao¡¯s biological parents were Gu Zits adoptive parents, they could go to the big courtyard and ask Gu Zits adoptive parents to intervene.

    Being respectable people, the adoptive parents would certainly care about their reputation. They would undoubtedly join Lin Miao in persuading Gu Zi and his elder brother and sister-in-law to settle the matter privately, so as not to bring it to court and cause embarrassment for everyone..

 Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Lin Miao Was Way More Tolerant

    Chapter 328: Lin Miao Was Way More Tolerant

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As night fell, Lin Laoyao decided to find a guesthouse in town to spend the night. His plan was to head directly to the city¡¯s grand courtyard the next day to find Lin Miao.

    His son was at the police station, and Lin Laoyao knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep well even if he returned home. So, he decided not to go back.

    Over at the Su family residence, Su Shen had just returned from dropping off Lin Cheng and the others back at Little Lin Village. Gu Zi was waiting for him at the entrance, ready to accompany him upstairs.

    ¡°Why are you standing out here in the cold wind?¡± Su Shen asked, removing his coat and draping it over Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi took his wrist and leaned her face slightly into his chest, saying, ¡°Lele is asleep. I was waiting for you, so I came down to see if you¡¯d come home.¡±

    After they went upstairs, Gu Zi waited for him in bed. After he had taken a shower, they shared a long kiss before falling asleep in each other¡¯s arms.

    The next morning, Gu Zi woke up early. She prepared breakfast for the two brothers and packed their lunch boxes. Then, she started making crucian carp soup.

    She cleaned two crucian carps and heated some oil in a pan. She then fried the fish until both sides were golden brown.

    After the fish was fried, she quickly crushed the fish meat with a spatula, added diced tomatoes, and stir-fried them until they were sandy. Finally, she added water, pure milk, ginger slices, and some simple seasonings, and continued to simmer over low heat.

    By the time Su Bing and the others had finished their breakfast and brought their bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen, a pot of rich and fragrant fish soup was ready.

    Su Li looked at it with envy, but he knew that the soup was made by his mother for his grandfather to supplement his nutrition. He had to resist the temptation to eat it.

    Seeing his little envious eyes, Gu Zi understood and served two bowls for Su Bing and Su Li, saying, ¡°You can each have a bowl. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s enough soup.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li accepted the bowls and enjoyed the hot fish soup. After washing their bowls, they rode their bikes to school. They had agreed with their mother to visit their grandfather after school.

    Gu Zi filled a thermos with half a pot of crucian carp soup and added two small dishes. After everything was prepared, she set off for the city hospital.

    Su Shen had to return to the pig farm to work after breakfast, so Gu Zi had to take the bus.

    Along the way, Gu Zi encountered many people and heard a lot of discussions. She knew that the events of the previous day must have spread throughout the town.

    Most people were just interested in the drama. They gossiped behind Gu Zi¡¯s back, saying that Lin Laoyao¡¯s family was too dominant, and now they had met their match in Gu Zi. Was it any wonder that trouble had arisen?

    If either party had compromised a little, things wouldn¡¯t have escalated to this point.

    When Lin Miao was in the Lin family, hadn¡¯t she also endured a lot? Why couldn¡¯t Gu Zi bear it? In this respect, Lin Miao was more tolerant than Gu Zi.

    Some people thought that Gu Zi was right. What did it matter if they were relatives? Laoyao¡¯s family had never treated Gu Zi¡¯s parents as relatives. Gu Zi¡¯s refusal to acknowledge them and her insistence on handling matters officially was the right thing to do.

    Regardless of the kind of comments she heard, Gu Zi ignored them all. She went her own way, took her own bus, and was not affected in the slightest.

    In the city, Lin Laoyao, his wife, and Lin¡¯s mother-in-law took the earliest bus from the town to the city and headed straight for the grand courtyard.

    The courtyard was inhabited by military families and had a strict access control system. Outsiders were not allowed to enter at will, so Lin Laoyao had to wait at the entrance. He heard from the guard that the Gu family was preparing for a celebration in the next few days, so there would be a lot of coming and going, making it easy to run into someone from the Gu family.

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long before they saw Lin Miao, who looked much more beautiful than before, walking out with a well-dressed middle-aged couple.

    Lin Miao¡¯s height was similar to that of the lady beside her, neither of them very tall. Her facial features also resembled the couple¡¯s. Without asking, Lin Laoyao knew that they must be Lin Miao¡¯s biological parents, Gu Zi¡¯s adoptive parents.

    Old Lady Lin also saw the current Lin Miao and felt a surge of confidence. Lin Miao was now part of the city¡¯s grand courtyard. Wasn¡¯t she more successful than Gu Zi?

    She walked up to Lin Miao and waved to greet her, so Lin Miao couldn¡¯t pretend not to see them.

    When Lin Miao was in the Lin family, she was treated well by her adoptive

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    parents, ana ner Drotner Lin cneng was also very gooa to ner. However, ner uncle and aunt were not kind to her.

    Back then, her uncle and aunt loved to take advantage of her adoptive parents¡¯ kindness. Her aunt often falsely accused her of stealing Lin Jie¡¯s toys, which resulted in her being scolded by the old lady.

    In reality, Lin Jie wanted to play a game of husband and wife with her and even wanted to kiss her. She didn¡¯t want to, so Lin Jie went to tattle and made up stories. Her aunt, unable to distinguish right from wrong, ended up punishing Lin Miao.

    As for Old Lady Lin, she was even more biased. She had always favored Lin Jie and didn¡¯t just stop at that. Every time they visited her during the holidays, she would secretly give Lin Jie meat and candy.

    Several times, Lin Miao caught her in the act, but she lied to Lin Miao, saying that it was medicine and that she only gave it to Lin Jie because he was disobedient..

 Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: She Couldn â€˜t Be Wrong

    Chapter 329: She Couldn ¡®t Be Wrong

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao could clearly smell the tantalizing aroma of meat, her mouth watering in anticipation.

    There was once she was so desperate to taste it, only to be accused of stealing by the old woman, who had beaten her for her supposed transgression. Lin Miao had never held a good impression of this old woman.

    As for Lin Laoyao, he was slightly better. He hadn¡¯t bullied her, but he was a henpecked husband who never stood up for Lin Miao.

    Lin Miao couldn¡¯t understand why these three people had come.

    Lin Miao, Gu Shan, and Zhang Mei stepped out of the main gate, and Old Lady Lin hurriedly approached, cooing, ¡°Oh, my dear granddaughter, you¡¯re growing more beautiful by the day, truly stunning.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were somewhat confused, not knowing who this old woman was. Lin Miao, however, didn¡¯t push the old woman away as she would have liked, due to the presence of her biological parents.

    Lin Miao even took the initiative to introduce the people, her voice somewhat distant as she asked, ¡°Grandmother, uncle, aunt, why are you here?¡±

    Lin Laoyao pulled the old woman aside and said, ¡°Mother, stop saying useless things. Let me explain to our niece Miao.¡±

    Lin Laoyao explained the situation to Lin Miao and the couple, Gu Shan. He was the most educated among the three brothers, even more so than his wife. He spoke with a certain gravity and was good at choosing his words.

    He emphasized that his son was young and ignorant, and had gotten into a verbal dispute with the second brother, which had escalated into a physical fight.

    Now, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was letting Gu Zi make the decisions, refusing to settle the matter privately and insisting on sending Lin Jie to jail.

    Gu Zi was, after all, a young woman. How could she handle these matters well? Young people make mistakes, but if he really went to jail, his life would be over.

    Lin Miao was also about to get married. It wouldn¡¯t be good for people to say that she had a cousin in jail.

    Gu Shan frowned upon hearing this, hailed a taxi on the roadside, and quickly urged Lin Miao to get the three people into the car. He was afraid that familiar passersby would overhear their conversation, even though the Gu family didn¡¯t have many acquaintances in the compound.

    Seeing Gu Shan¡¯s reaction, Lin Laoyao knew he had made the right choice in seeK1ng out Miao. -rne oU Idli111Y, ror cne saKe 01 narmony anu reputation, would certainly pressure Gu Zi. After all, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t disregard her adoptive parents¡¯ wishes.

    What Lin Laoyao didn¡¯t know was that the Gu family was just an ordinary family in the compound and couldn¡¯t afford to buy a car.

    Every time they went to the village, they rented a car. They could only pressure Gu Zi, but couldn¡¯t offer any practical help.

    It was only after Lin Miao returned to the Gu family that she realized they weren¡¯t as well-off as she had initially thought. But it was still better than living in the countryside.

    Lin Miao firmly believed that in her rebirth, not choosing to marry Su Shen and marrying Gong Zhan instead was the best choice. She couldn¡¯t be wrong!

    After hearing Lin Laoyao¡¯s words, Lin Miao understood that they were planning to deal with Gu Zi.

    Although Lin Miao really found Lin Laoyao, his wife, and the old woman annoying, the idea of dealing with Gu Zi excited her.

    The enemy of an enemy is a friend, after all. Those were all things of the past, and it was better to take advantage of the current opportunity to deal with Gu Zi.

    Lin Miao told Lin Laoyao and the others, ¡°My parents are reasonable people and would never allow my sister to act recklessly. She is the younger generation and shouldn¡¯t be making such decisions. I guess my adoptive parents are listening to her because they feel that they owe her much. My adoptive parents are kind and wouldn¡¯t want to disrupt the harmony of the family. It would be embarrassing if word got out¡­¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife felt hopeful after hearing these words and quickly praised, ¡°Lin Miao, you¡¯re the best. I wish I could set up a shrine for you and pray for your safety every day!¡±

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    Old Lady Lin and Lin Laoyao also praised Lin Miao for being understanding and kind. Hearing them say she was much better than Gu Zi, Lin Miao¡¯s face broke into a wide smile.

    She thought to herself, so what if Gu Zi grew up in the city? She still couldn¡¯t win people¡¯s hearts, could she?

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were also pleased with Lin Miao¡¯s performance. They promised the old woman, ¡°We¡¯re aware of the situation now and won¡¯t let Gu Zi act recklessly. We were originally planning to take Lin Miao shopping for clothes today, but we¡¯ll go straight to the hospital to find Gu Zi instead.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt that ever since Gu Zi had returned to the village, she had become increasingly lawless, probably influenced by the villagers¡¯ bad habits.

    This made Lin Miao¡¯s kindness even more apparent. Lin Miao had grown up in the village and, although she wasn¡¯t as outstanding as Gu Zi, she remained uncorrupted, which was commendable. She was truly a person with the blood of the Gu family running through her veins..

 Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Be Kind

    Chapter 330: Be Kind

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation     Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At the hospital, Gu Zi arrived carrying a thermos. She opened it to reveal a homemade crucian carp soup and some side dishes she had prepared for her parents to enjoy.

    Mr. Lin expressed his desire to Gu Zi that he wanted to return home. He was not accustomed to the hospital environment and felt uneasy staying there. The fact that he was not earning money but instead spending a significant amount on hospital bills was unsettling for him.

    He had spent his entire life laboring, providing for his family through the work of his own hands. Now, the inability to work and be active was terrifying to him. He believed that the sooner he was discharged, the sooner he would recover and be able to return to his normal routine.

    Gu Zi comforted him, saying, ¡°Stay a few more days. We need to ensure there are no other issues before you leave. Don¡¯t worry about the money. Lin Cheng is working, and Su Shen and I are here too. Even if you don¡¯t work in the future, it¡¯s okay. Besides, if you leave the hospital before you¡¯re fully recovered, it will cost even more. Mom, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Mrs. Lin, catching her daughter¡¯s gaze, quickly agreed.

    Just as they were enjoying their conversation, a commotion could be heard outside the ward.

    Soon, the ward door was pushed open and a group of people walked in. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were at the front, acting as if they were the righteous heads of the family. Lin Miao followed closely behind, a smirk playing on her lips as if she was enjoying a good show. Lin Laoyao, his wife, and Old Lady Lin trailed behind.

    ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯re really here. Let¡¯s talk outside,¡± Gu Shan said as he approached Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi looked at him with a slight frown, his self-righteous demeanor irking her. She calmly placed the freshly served soup in front of Mr. Lin before responding, ¡°Uncle Gu, what do you want to discuss? Just say it.¡±

    Su Le was startled by the sudden influx of people and rushed into Gu Zits arms. Gu Zi picked her up and patted her back to soothe her.

    Gu Shan stared at Gu Zi for a moment before bluntly stating, ¡°I intended to save you some face, but since you don¡¯t seem to mind, I¡¯ll just say it. Since ancient times, there has been no rule that a newlywed woman should be the head of the household. It¡¯s a sign of lack of upbringing. Which woman doesn¡¯t become the head of the household after enduring years as a daughter-in-law? You should let Su Shen call the police and settle this matter privately.¡±

    Gu Shan believed that such family disputes should be resolved privately, so as to save face for everyone involved.

    There are always some conflicts in a family, especially in large ones. Even if there are contradictions beneath the surface, everyone can tolerate them, right?

    They should not tear each other apart publicly. Gu Zits actions were simply too disgraceful.

    Especially considering that Gu Zi was raised in the city by the Gu family, wasn¡¯t she bringing shame to the Gu family as well? They couldn¡¯t allow her to continue this way.

    For a moment, Gu Zi thought she had misheard. Was he trying to make decisions for her?

    Gu Zi glanced at Lin Laoyao, who seemed to be playing the role of an innocent bystander.

    She thought, her little uncle was indeed a good puppet master. He even thought of bringing the Gu family members to talk to her. This confirmed Gu Zi¡¯s previous judgment of him.

    Seeing Gu Zi being lectured, Lin Miao couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased. She said to Gu Zi with a heartfelt tone, ¡°Sister, Lin Jie may have been a bit stubborn and always bullied me when we were young, but he¡¯s not a bad person. I¡¯ve forgiven him. People can change. You should give Lin Jie a chance. Look at our little uncle and aunt, and our grandmother. How can you bear to let Lin Jie go to jail?¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s words, filled with tears, seemed like the epitome of kindness in the eyes of Gu Shan, his wife, and the uninformed outsiders.

    Even the nurse passing by after checking on the patient in the next bed couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. She looked at Gu Zi with cold eyes, thinking how could such a beautiful woman be so cruel? Why was she so insistent on sending her cousin to jail? People really shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.

    Zhang Mei handed Lin Miao a tissue to wipe her tears and also tried to persuade Gu Zi, ¡°Little Zi, if you can spare someone, you should. Your cousin is the same age as you and is about to get married. If you send him to jail, you¡¯ll ruin several families. What will your little uncle and aunt do? What about the

    girl who¡¯s about to get married to mmc Be Kina, child.¡±

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    Gu Zi looked at the Gu family couple, who were morally blackmailing her without distinguishing right from wrong. Her gaze gradually turned icy.

    She really didn¡¯t understand. They had raised the original owner, but did they even know what kind of person she was?

    If they had even the slightest trust in the original owner, they wouldn¡¯t have started accusing her.

    At first, Gu Zi thought it was Lin Miao¡¯s instigation that had estranged the Gu family couple from the original owner. But today, she seemed to understand

    that it wasn¡¯t the case..

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: How Could You Bear to?

    Chapter 331: How Could You Bear to?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Perhaps the Gu couple never had a profound understanding of the original owner. To them, she was merely a tool for gaining praise and benefits. People wouldn¡¯t delve deep into a tool whose purpose was already clear.

    As for Lin Miao, Gu Zi was even more confused. How could she defend her uncle¡¯s family?

    In the original book, Lin Miao had been bullied by her uncle¡¯s family since she was a child, and was often taken advantage of by Lin Jie in private. Yet, she was willing to put aside past grievances to defend them?

    Gu Zi felt that Lin Miao was indeed as patient as the villagers said.

    At this point, Gu Zi found the situation amusing and didn¡¯t bother to refute anything. If she was not kind, then so be it.

    She coldly said to Gu Shan, ¡°The police have already intervened in this matter. We have to wait for their investigation and interrogation before deciding how to deal with Lin Jie. Whether he will have to pay compensation, go to jail, or both, is uncertain. Su Shen doesn¡¯t have the power to interfere with official business with a simple phone call.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Old Lady Lin realized that this cunning vixen was determined to send her precious grandson to jail and even demanded compensation!

    With all the money Su Shen had, how much more did she want?

    Ignoring everything else, Old Lady Lin immediately started making a scene. However, instead of hurling insults as before, she resorted to begging. She wanted to see if this cunning vixen still had any shame left!

    She walked forward, bowing and prostrating herself, crying out, ¡°Gu Zi, my good granddaughter, please have mercy and spare our Little Jie. Your grandmother is kneeling before you!¡±

    As Old Lady Lin attempted to kneel, Zhang Mei and Lin Miao quickly helped her up.

    In reality, Old Lady Lin had no intention of kneeling. She was doing this deliberately, hoping to cause a bigger scene with the Gu family present.

    Lin Laoyao and his wife understood Old Lady Lin¡¯s intentions. The wife pulled her husband down to their knees, kowtowing toward Gu Zi and Lin¡¯s father.

    They didn¡¯t want to pay compensation, nor did they want their son to go to jail. They were willing to kowtow if it meant making Gu Zi compromise. Once this matter was over, they could seek revenge later.

    For a while, the hospital room was filled with pleas and crying. Lin Laoyao¡¯s family looked miserable. Who would have thought that their son was the one who started the fight?

    Zhang Mei, holding the old woman, frowned deeply. She glared at Gu Zi and reprimanded, ¡°Gu Zi, when did you become so cruel? Elder, please don¡¯t kneel.

    Let¡¯s talk this out.¡±

    Lin Miao also put on a filial piety act and said to Gu Zi, ¡°Sister, you see, grandmother is so old. How can you bear to see her kneel before you? Sister, stop being stubborn. Look, grandmother and the others are truly repentant.¡±

    Gu Zi stared at Lin Miao and laughed, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, can I slap you now and then cryingly apologize to you, saying that I¡¯m sincere? If you can accept this, then this matter is simple. As long as you prove to me that what you said is true, we can discuss settling this privately. So, Lin Miao, can I slap you now?¡±

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    After saying this, Gu Zi flexed her wrist, ready to strike. Her eyes were filled with a murderous intent, as if she was about to slap Lin Miao¡¯s face crooked with one slap.

    Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s posture, Lin Miao trembled slightly. She was unwilling to go to such lengths for Lin Jie¡¯s sake.

    So, without hesitation, Lin Miao said, ¡°Sister, that¡¯s not right. You¡¯re doing this on purpose. How can you generalize? It¡¯s just about Lin Jie¡¯s matter. It¡¯s already happened. We¡¯re just asking you to forgive and forget. Why are you dragging me into this?¡±

    Gu Shan sternly said, ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯re getting more and more reckless. As a sister, how can you say you want to hit your sister in public? Besides, Miao Miao is just trying to advise you out of goodwill, afraid that people will say you¡¯re heartless.¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, raised her hand in a stop gesture, and said lazily, ¡°Enough, stop it. If you continue like this, I promise, I¡¯ll ring the bell and have you thrown out.. Besides, Lin Miao, you¡¯re not willing to take a slap yourself, but what about dad? Since you came in, have you ever cared about the health of the father who raised you?¡±

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Unable to Distinguish Right from Wrong

    Chapter 332: Unable to Distinguish Right from Wrong

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing that Gu Zi was about to call someone to kick them out, and recalling how they had been unceremoniously driven out last time, the three people who had been causing a commotion suddenly understood. They realized that it would only take a word from Gu Zi to have them expelled. They promptly closed their mouths, and the hospital room finally regained some semblance of peace.

    The man at the center of the overlooked matter, Papa Lin, only then received everyone¡¯s attention.

    Lin Miao lifted her gaze, meeting the disappointed and distant eyes of her adoptive parents. A sense of unease stirred within her, but she reasoned that the injuries couldn¡¯t be that severe. After all, she had only seen scabs on her father¡¯s face and bandages on his hand.

    However, she quickly found an excuse, saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you, sister, are too stubborn? I was so focused on persuading you that I neglected to care about father¡¯s injuries. Mom, dad, it wasn¡¯t intentional. I was just too worried about my sister. She grew up in the city and doesn¡¯t understand the ways of the countryside. I can understand that, but I really want to teach her.¡±

    Upon hearing their daughter¡¯s considerate words, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt a surge of pride. They chimed in, ¡°Yes, Gu Zi, you should learn from your sister to avoid future losses. Let¡¯s let this matter rest for now. We should quickly get Su Shen to go to the police station and have your uncle follow him to release the person.¡±

    At first, Gu Zi was somewhat angry. After all, Lin Miao, who was raised by her parents, was now taking Lin Jie¡¯s side. But now she had come to terms with it and saw no reason to be upset. Her tone became increasingly calm as she repeated her previous words.

    ¡°The police have already intervened. I trust their investigation and judgment more than so-called worldly wisdom because their records can ensure that my father¡¯s injuries were not in vain. My father won¡¯t have to bear any unspeakable grievances.¡±

    The people in the next bed, who had come to know some of the truth, were moved by Gu Zi¡¯s words.

    Not only was this girl beautiful, but she also had a good heart. The injured man was also a good person. They would surely be blessed in the future, as long as they could keep away from such despicable relatives.

    Gu Zi walked over to the bedside, whispered something to Papa Lin, and then, together with Mother Lin, publicly lifted the bedsheet. Only then did everyone see the full extent of Papa Lin¡¯s injuries.

    Not only were there scabs on his face and bandages on his hands, but one of his legs was also severely injured. His lower leg was in a cast, wrapped in bandages, and he seemed to have trouble moving. Seeing this, Papa Lin looked even older.

    Gu Shan, Zhang Mei, and Lin Miao were taken aback, but their eyes still held some suspicion.

    Hadn¡¯t Lin Laoyao said that Lin Jie had only pushed Papa Lin in a panic, causing him to fall? Could a fall break a leg? What was going on?

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s emotions became complicated. Objectively speaking, if Papa Lin was injured to this extent, it was indeed serious. Gu Zi hadn¡¯t made a big fuss, she only wanted Lin Jie to follow the legal process. Paying compensation was the least of it.

    But the problem was, they had come here to speak for Lin Laoyao. If they changed their stance now, wouldn¡¯t that be admitting that their family had made a mistake in judgement and couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong?

    That wouldn¡¯t do, it would be too humiliating.

    Lin Miao felt even worse. Her feelings were not only complicated but also chaotic.

    Looking at Papa Lin¡¯s aged face, his disappointed eyes, and his injured leg, she felt a guilt she had never experienced before.

    Because she clearly remembered that this was not the first time that leg had been injured.

    One winter, she had heard from the old village doctor about a local plant called Winter Cold Flower. It bloomed in the harsh winter, growing on inaccessible cliffs. The entire plant could be crushed and applied to the face for skincare.

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    At that time, Lin Miao was a teenager with a face full of acne. After learning about this magical plant, she wanted the Winter Cold Flower. On her fourteenth birthday, when Papa Lin asked her what she wanted.

    Lin Miao said she wanted a lot of Winter Cold Flowers. In order to pick them for her, Papa Lin accidentally fell from the cliff. His leg was cut by the hard rock, the same leg that was now in a cast.

    Lin Miao remembered that when Papa Lin was carried back to the village by the villagers, the blood had dyed the white cloth of the stretcher red.

    As Lin Miao looked at Papa Lin, it felt as if that scene had happened just yesterday.

    But now, everything was completely different. The father who had loved her so much was now injured like this, and she was still speaking for the people who had hurt him¡­.

 Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: How Embarrassing

    Chapter 333: How Embarrassing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Suddenly, Lin Miao found herself at a loss for words. From the very beginning, she had never intended to completely abandon her adoptive parents. However, she was so preoccupied with securing her biological parents¡¯ affection that she often neglected her adoptive family.

    Moreover, the root cause of the situation was not entirely her fault. She and her biological parents had been misled by the nonsense spouted by her uncle¡¯s family, leading them to believe that her father¡¯s injury was not severe.

    Lin Miao shot a glare at her closest aunt, whispering in disbelief, ¡°How did my father get so badly injured?¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife lowered her eyes guiltily, responding in a soft voice, ¡°Yes, the injury is more severe than we thought, but what¡¯s done is done¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lin Miao and the Gu Shan couple felt a headache brewing. However, they had to admit that it was true ¨C what had happened, had happened. It would be best to downplay the situation. The three of them used this rationale to absolve themselves of their failure to discern right from wrong.

    A long silence fell upon the hospital room before Gu Zi finally spoke up, ¡°Uncle

    Gu, Aunt Zhang, Lin Miao, is there anything else you would like to say?¡±

    Caught off guard, Gu Shan didn¡¯t know what to say to cover up his inner embarrassment, so he chose to remain silent.

    Due to her inner turmoil, Lin Miao couldn¡¯t think of anything to say either. Her primary concern at the moment was whether her adoptive parents would view her differently because of this incident.

    After some thought, Zhang Mei stubbornly stuck to her point of view, ¡°It takes two to tango. The situation escalated because neither party was willing to back down. Lin Jie is young, and you, Brother Lin, are much older. Why stoop to his level? If you had just endured a bit, it wouldn¡¯t have come to blows.¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Zi was both amused and exasperated. ¡°Yes, if my father had just endured, he wouldn¡¯t have been beaten. He would have just let Lin Jie waltz into our home and rob us. According to you, Aunt Zhang, when Lin Jie first asked my parents for money, they should have handed it over willingly to avoid being beaten. What kind of robber¡¯s logic is that?¡±

    Unable to bear it any longer, Mother Lin stepped forward. She couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her daughter face these baseless accusations. She revealed the incident when Old Lady Lin and Lin Jie, accompanied by Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife, came to their house demanding money for their retirement.

    She also mentioned how Lin Jie had brought a few thugs to destroy the vegetables in their field, threatening to beat Papa Lin into submission.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s faces darkened. This was not a request for retirement money; it was outright robbery. People like this should be in jail, not running amok in society.

    They regretted getting involved in this mess. It was utterly humiliating that they had spoken up for such people.

    Lin Miao was speechless. She knew that the incidents her mother described were indeed something Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife and Lin Jie were capable of.

    In her eagerness to deal with Gu Zi, she had not thought things through when she saw Lin Laoyao¡¯s family members approaching her for help. She had been manipulated by them, and now, her adoptive parents were disappointed in her.

    Lin Miao looked at her adoptive mother for a long time, but Mother Lin did not meet her gaze. In her panic, Lin Miao called out, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry. I was so worried about my sister that I didn¡¯t notice how severe Dad¡¯s injuries were. I didn¡¯t know that my uncle and aunt would lie like this! Mom, Dad, you¡¯re not angry with me, are you?¡±

    As she spoke, she turned to look at her father lying on the hospital bed, hoping they would forgive her.

    What she didn¡¯t realize was that her actions had deeply disappointed her parents.

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    Finally, Mother Lin briefly met Lin Miao¡¯s gaze, her tone distant as she said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve returned to your biological parents, it would be less confusing to call us uncle and aunt. Don¡¯t say anything more, Lin Miao. Live your life well and correct your mistakes.¡±

    After saying this, she no longer looked at Lin Miao, hoping that Lin Miao would come to her senses sooner rather than later.

    Papa Lin, a man of few words, agreed with his wife¡¯s sentiments. He had nothing to say to Lin Miao.

    Seeing her parents¡¯ reactions, Lin Miao¡¯s resentment towards Gu Zi deepened.

    In her previous life, no matter how she had changed, she always had the support and love of her adoptive family. Lin Miao was not willing to give up this love from her adoptive parents..

 Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: She Was Looking Forward to It

    Chapter 334: She Was Looking Forward to It

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao had never imagined that her adoptive parents would abandon her in this lifetime, and it was all because of Gu Zi!

    Once she had secured her position as Mrs. Gong, she would trample Gu Zi underfoot. By then, Gu Zi would never be able to turn things around, and her adoptive parents would surely recognize her again.

    Lin Miao could never truly sever ties with her adoptive parents¡¯ family. She knew that her brother, Lin Cheng, would be noticed by the big boss in the future and would help him with his work. The Lin family would become wealthy, and she would never let go of such readily available resources.

    Lin Miao found a way to save face and glared at Lin Laoyao and his family, complaining, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for making me misunderstand my sister. I¡¯m sorry, sister. My parents and I didn¡¯t know about it. I didn¡¯t mean what I said earlier. Mom, dad, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t we still need to go shopping for clothes?¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei immediately cooperated. They were at fault first, and the people on the nearby beds were casting strange glances at them. They were embarrassed to stay and wished they could find a crack to crawl into.

    Gu Shan and his wife no longer paid attention to Lin Laoyao and his family, and left the ward with Lin Miao.

    Only when Lin Laoyao saw that the Gu family was no longer useful did he quickly step forward to apologize to Papa Lin, saying, ¡°Second brother, I only have this one son. He can¡¯t go to jail. Let¡¯s think of another way to solve this problem, I beg you!¡±

    Old Lady Lin also shed tears, but in Gu Zits view, it seemed more like the false tears of an old crocodile when it couldn¡¯t catch its prey, deceiving the prey into taking the bait.

    She said to Papa Lin, ¡°Son, I¡¯m sorry. I will definitely correct my ways in the future. Please help us and let Little Jie out quickly.¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife also cried and said to Mother Lin, ¡°Second sister-in-law, I know you¡¯ve held a grudge against me all these years. I was wrong, but Little Jie also grew up under your watch. You can¡¯t really bear to see him go to jail, can you?

    Gu Zi laughed at the side and said, ¡°Instead of wasting time saying these things, I might as well tell you something serious. The total compensation for my dad¡¯s emergency hospitalization and subsequent related expenses is eight hundred yuan. Remember to bring the money. By the way, I¡¯ve also coordinated with the police station. They will notify you once.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the three of them changed their expressions.

    Although Old Lady Lin didn¡¯t dare to scold Gu Zi anymore, her eyes were fierce, as if she wanted to devour Gu Zi.

    Lin Laoyao and his wife were also heartbroken. Although their family¡¯s conditions had always been much better than Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family, they didn¡¯t save much money throughout the year.

    Gu Zi¡¯s demand of eight hundred yuan was like asking for their lives.

    But now their son was being held at the police station. If they didn¡¯t pay, their son would definitely go to jail. They were in a real dilemma. In the end, Lin Laoyao¡¯s family left the ward in disgrace.

    Mother Lin looked at her daughter with guilt in her eyes, ¡°Little Zi, I¡¯m really sorry for putting you in this position.¡±

    Gu Zi took Su Le from Mother Lin¡¯s arms and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let the nurse take care of dad for a while. We¡¯ll go out and buy some necessities. I asked the doctor earlier, and dad still needs to be hospitalized for observation.¡±

    Mother Lin had to take care of Papa Lin in the hospital for a long time. The things they brought from home were not enough. They needed to buy some daily necessities, as well as some fruits and snacks.

    At the department store, Mother Lin said, ¡°Take me to buy some yarn. When

    I¡¯m bored in the hospital, I can make a pair of tiger-head shoes for Lele.¡±

    Gu Zi took Mother Lin to buy yarn. As soon as they finished buying the yarn, they ran into some familiar faces. It was the Gu family who had just visited the hospital.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were a bit embarrassed to see Gu Zi because of what had happened earlier, but it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate not to greet her since they had run into each other.

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    They stepped forward and said, ¡°Little Zi, we misunderstood earlier. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Lin Miao, take out the invitation and give one to your sister.¡±

    Lin Miao knew that her parents wanted to invite Gu Zi to her wedding banquet.

    If Gu Zi came, Su Shen would also come, and her parents would not give up on such a wealthy son-in-law.

    Of course, Lin Miao also hoped that Gu Zi could come because she was looking forward to the scene of Gu Zi witnessing her becoming Gong Zhan¡¯s wife.

    Lin Miao took out a red invitation from her bag and handed it to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ll come to my wedding banquet with Gong Zhan, right? Gong Zhan told me he hopes you can come too..¡±

 Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Her Nemesis

    Chapter 335: Her Nemesis

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao purposely mentioned Gong Zhan, intending to make Gu Zi feel uncomfortable.

    Gu Zi, however, looked at the red invitation card with a serene smile in her eyes, feeling no sadness at all. She didn¡¯t immediately reach out to take the invitation either.

    ¡°I¡¯m already married, ¡± she said calmly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s you or Gong Zhan, it makes no difference to me if either of you wants me to attend. It would be better if you refrained from making such unnecessary remarks in the future.¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s face turned red from the rebuke, and she awkwardly took back the invitation, handing it to Zhang Mei who was standing next to her.

    ¡°Mother, you should give it to my sister. No matter what I say, it seems to be wrong,¡± she said, her voice tinged with a sense of grievance. Zhang Mei felt a pang of sympathy for her, but considering the necessity of inviting Su Shen and his family for dinner, she suppressed the urge to scold Gu Zi. She took the invitation and said to Gu Zi, ¡°Miao Miao sincerely invites you to the wedding banquet. Please accept the invitation first.¡±

    Gu Zi took the invitation, saying, ¡°Your words make more sense now. If there¡¯s nothing else, my mother and I will continue shopping.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to leave with her mother, she was stopped by Zhang Mei.

    Zhang Mei, who had raised Gu Zi, felt it was her duty to advise her. Regarding the matter of Lin Jie¡¯s imprisonment, she felt it necessary to persuade Gu Zi once more.

    ¡°Little Zi, we misunderstood you about Lin Jie¡¯s matter. But after all, that is your uncle¡¯s family. You shouldn¡¯t be so impulsive. Letting Lin Jie go to jail and breaking ties with your uncle¡¯s family isn¡¯t good for anyone,¡± she said.

    Lin Miao hadn¡¯t expected Zhang Mei to bring up this topic again. Seeing Gu Zits expression change, she sensed that this could annoy Gu Zi and chimed in, ¡°Yes, sister. My mother is actually doing this for your own good. You might not understand Lin Jie. He¡¯s very vengeful. Offending him isn¡¯t a sensible move. It will cause trouble in the future. Mother, you should know this, right?¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s last ¡°Mother¡± was directed at Mother Lin. Mother Lin didn¡¯t want to engage in further conversation with Lin Miao, but she also didn¡¯t want to leave Gu Zi alone to face them. So, she spoke up coldly, ¡°I believe my husband shouldn¡¯t have suffered a fracture in vain. Little Zits approach makes our family feel less aggrieved.¡±

    Mother Lin was well aware of Lin Jie¡¯s character. But Gu Zi was right. Such a person should not be tolerated. Tolerance would only embolden him to harm others, causing even greater damage.

    Furthermore, Mother Lin had felt aggrieved all her life. Now, Gu Zi had helped her to stand tall.

    When one stands tall, their breathing becomes smoother, better than any tonic. She didn¡¯t want to experience the suffocating feeling she had in the past.

    Hearing Mother Lin support Gu Zi so strongly, Lin Miao gritted her teeth in anger. Mother Lin used to dote on her so much, but now she was giving her the

    cold shoulder because of Gu Zi. Gu Zi was her nemesis. She had to get rid of her. Gu Zi was here to steal her luck!

    Gu Zi felt reassured after hearing Mother Lin¡¯s words. Her mother¡¯s understanding made her feel that her insistence on holding Lin Jie accountable was not in vain.

    Events had already transpired, and it was important to make them meaningful.

    Even if the event was not a good one, a positive meaning could still be found.

    Gu Zi felt that through this incident, the Lin family should grow emotionally, understanding that constant concession would only make others think they are easy to bully. They should stand tall and take the initiative when conditions are right.

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    Gu Zi agreed with Lin Miao, ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why I¡¯m even more determined to pursue this to the end. I can¡¯t let Lin Jie off easily. If he wants to retaliate, he¡¯ll have to do it from the police station as he waits for the police to decide his punishment. If I deal with him now, I won¡¯t feel aggrieved when he retaliates later. Why should I worry about that?¡±

    Zhang Mei wanted to scold Gu Zi again, but her husband pulled her back, so she remained silent.

    Gu Shan also thought Gu Zi was incredibly stubborn. But that wasn¡¯t the most important thing. Right now, the most important thing was that he wanted to get to know the important figures who appeared at Gu Zi¡¯s wedding.

    He had investigated Su Shen¡¯s background. He was a former soldier who had already retired. There was nothing special about him. He had just made a fortune from running a pig farm in the village. He couldn¡¯t help much in Gu Shan¡¯s work.

    But the likes of Deputy Chief He were different. If he could establish connections with them, his future career prospects would definitely be bright..

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Feeling Depressed

    Chapter 336: Feeling Depressed

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan desired to make connections with Deputy Chief He and his associates through Su Shen. Therefore, despite the anger boiling within him, he swallowed his pride and refrained from causing a scene.

    He could tell that Su Shen had taken a liking to Gu Zi. If he could get Gu Zi to attend the wedding banquet, Su Shen would surely come as well, providing him with a reason to invite Deputy Chief He and his associates.

    Gu Shan had initially planned to go to the village to personally invite Gu Zi and Su Shen. However, an unexpected encounter with Gu Zi made him decide to hand her the invitation on the spot, saving him the trouble of a separate trip.

    He said to Gu Zi, ¡°Your mother and sister are constantly worrying about you. Let¡¯s not dwell on that. Just come to the wedding banquet. But I must warn you, Su Shen already has children. He is currently spoiling you because of the novelty of your marriage. You can be willful now, but once the novelty wears off, things will change. You need to learn to grow up.¡±

    At first glance, his words seemed considerate, as if he genuinely cared for Gu Zi. But upon further thought, they left a bitter taste in her mouth.

    Gu Zi realized that Gu Shan was implying she was ungrateful. However, she did not refute him. Instead, she took his words in stride and responded with a tone of complaint.

    ¡°Uncle Gu, you make a good point. I¡¯ve noticed that Su Shen has indeed changed. He is no longer willing to give me money to spend. Look, I just paid my father¡¯s hospital bills and bought so many things. I don¡¯t have much money left. I think I will skip the banquet. If I buy new clothes and can¡¯t even afford a gift, wouldn¡¯t that be embarrassing for you?¡±

    Mother Lin, who was listening from the side, blinked in surprise. Su S wasn¡¯t giving her money to spend because all the household money was in Gu  Zi¡¯ s hands.

    Mother Lin was a bit confused as to why Gu Zi would say such a thing, but she didn¡¯t say anything and went back to looking for her knitting supplies, not wanting to get involved in the conversation.

    Gu Shan, hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, felt vindicated in his belief that a man with money is prone to change his ways, and that Su Shen would eventually do the same.

    While Su Shen was still doting on Gu Zi, he had to quickly leverage Su Shen¡¯s connections to meet useful contacts. In the future, he would primarily rely on Lin Miao and Gong Zhan.

    Gu Shan was surprisingly generous this time. Without much consideration, he took out two hundred yuan from his bag and handed it to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°The gift money is a trivial matter. Here are two hundred yuan. You can use it as a gift at the banquet. It¡¯s decent.¡±

    Seeing Gu Shan give Gu Zi two hundred yuan, Lin Miao felt a pang of distress.

    They had spent quite a bit of money recently preparing for the banquet, even dipping into Lin Miao¡¯s private stash. She had been hoping to recoup some of the expenses with the gift money, but now they were giving it away?

    Lin Miao felt suffocated, and Zhang Mei also felt a pang of pain, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn¡¯t catch a wolf without spending some money on bait. The gift money was fine, as they could recoup it later.

    However, after accepting the two hundred yuan, Gu Zi hesitated, saying, ¡°Oh, it seems I still can¡¯t come. The day of your banquet is a Saturday. My eldest and second child don¡¯t have school that day. If we go out, who will cook for the children? My mother needs to take care of my father, and Lin Cheng and the others have to work. If we hire someone to look after them for the day, we¡¯ll have to pay, right?¡±

    Gu Shan found it hard to smile, saying, ¡°In the countryside, neighbors help each other out. It doesn¡¯t require money, does it?¡±

    Gu Zi replied with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m not as good as Lin Miao at managing relationships in the village. I can¡¯t get along with the neighbors, so I have to use money to get things done. Never mind, I won¡¯t come.¡±

    As she spoke, she tried to return the money to Gu Shan. Gu Shan quickly took out another ten yuan from his bag and handed it to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°This should be enough, right?¡±

    Gu Zits eyes flickered, but she didn¡¯t take it. ¡°It¡¯s not good to always ask for favors without giving anything in return. I can¡¯t even buy some snacks for their children. And to think that Su Shen is a factory owner, yet so stingy in showing gratitude. Let¡¯s not trouble others this time.¡±

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    Gu Shan was so frustrated that he wanted to kowtow to this young woman. He quickly took out another ten yuan and gave it to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°Twenty yuan, enough to take care of them for a day. It¡¯s decent enough.¡±

    Seeing this, Zhang Mei quickly said, ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, ask Su Shen for more. He¡¯s not broke. You have to ask him for money. If you don¡¯t use his money, he¡¯ll give it to other women.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t give any more; she would die of heartache.

    Hearing Zhang Mei¡¯s words, Gu Shan glanced at her. He remembered how she used to always find excuses to ask him for money when they were young. So this was her strategy!

    After living together for so many years, this was the first time he realized how cunning Zhang Mei could be. It left him feeling uneasy, and he involuntarily tensed his jaw..

 Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: It Wasnâ€™t About The Money

    Chapter 337: It Wasn¡¯t About The Money

    Gu Zi lowered her gaze slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Twenty yuan to buy her favor? That was hardly enough. She spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve nearly spent all the money Su Shen gave me this month. If I ask him for more, he might think my adoptive parents didn¡¯t teach me well, considering how I spend money. Besides, I¡¯ve only just gotten married. It wouldn¡¯t be right to start asking for more money now.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to decline the offer, she saw Gu Shan pull out three more ten-yuan notes, making a total of fifty yuan. He handed it over to her, saying, ¡°This is all the money I have on me. Please, take them.¡±

    Only then did Gu Zi reluctantly accept the fifty yuan, considering it a suitable amount to buy some nutritional supplements for her father.

    Gu Zi knew that Gu Shan must have had more than two hundred yuan on him, but she didn¡¯t want him to bleed dry. A little bit at a time was enough. It wasn¡¯t about the money for her, but more about teaching Gu Shan and his family a lesson, to discern right from wrong in the future.

    Seeing that Gu Zi had accepted the money, Gu Shan repeatedly urged her and Su Shen to attend the event. He then quickly left with Zhang Mei and Lin Miao, fearing that if he lingered, Gu Zi might find another excuse to ask for more money.

    Mother Lin knew that Gu Zi was not a greedy person. Her actions were merely a

    reaction to the day¡¯s events, an attempt to teach the Gu family a lesson.

    She didn¡¯t think Gu Zit s actions were inappropriate, but when it came to the invitation to attend Lin Miao¡¯s wedding banquet, Mother Lin didn¡¯t really want Gu Zi to attend. After all, if she did, she would inevitably run into people from her past, which would likely upset her.

    As the three of them walked away, Mother Lin spoke up, ¡°Little Zi, if you don¡¯t want to go, you really don¡¯t have to.¡±

    She remembered that one of the main reasons Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to leave the Gu family initially was because she didn¡¯t want to leave her fianc¨¦.

    Gu Zi and Gong Zhan had grown up together, and their relationship was undoubtedly deep. Mother Lin had met Gong Zhan before and thought that he was a good match for Gu Zi.

    Now that Gu Zi was married to someone else and Gong Zhan was about to get married as well, it would probably be best for both of them if they didn¡¯t see each other.

    Carrying Su Le, Gu Zi led Mother Lin towards the nutritional supplements section. There was no trace of the sorrow on her face that Mother Lin was worried about. She smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind going. After all, we¡¯ve already accepted the invitation. It¡¯s only right that we attend.¡±

    Mother Lin wasn¡¯t sure what her daughter was thinking, but since Gu Zi had decided to go, she didn¡¯t say anything more.

    After they finished shopping and left the supermarket, they had lunch at a state-owned restaurant. Mother Lin felt it was quite extravagant, but also deeply happy.

    When they returned to the hospital, the nursing staff was clearing away Papa Lin¡¯s dishes. Gu Zi told them they didn¡¯t need to come in the afternoon.

    The hospital¡¯s nursing staff was paid by the hour, so it was more cost-effective to have them not come when someone else was available to care for the patient.

    Seeing the bags of items that the mother and daughter had brought back, Papa Lin quickly said, ¡°We don¡¯t need all these. They must have been expensive, right?¡±

    Setting Su Le down to play on her own, Gu Zi picked up a box of milk and said, ¡°Of course we need them. You¡¯ve fractured your bone, and the doctor said you need to eat foods that promote bone healing, like milk and fruit. You need to eat them every day to recover quickly!¡±

    Upon hearing that eating these foods could speed up his recovery, Papa Lin¡¯s spirits lifted. He was eager to recover as quickly as possible, as being unable to do anything made him feel anxious. He said, ¡°Thank you, daughter. You¡¯re very thoughtful.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°We¡¯re all family. Spending a bit of money is no big deal, as long as everyone is healthy. Don¡¯t worry about the money, Dad.¡±

    Papa Lin nodded, his mood significantly brightened. Mother Lin peeled an apple for him, her eyes full of love as she glanced at Gu Zi. Her daughter had managed to cheer her father up with just a few words, and he had stopped talking about wanting to leave the hospital.

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    Gu Zi spent the afternoon at the hospital, keeping her parents company. Su Le was very well-behaved, either playing by herself or with the people in the next bed. The family in the next bed adored Su Le and gave her lots of snacks.

    In return, Gu Zi gave them three boxes of the high-calcium milk she had just bought. The milk was quite expensive, so the other family didn¡¯t want to refuse her generosity. They accepted the milk, filling the entire ward with a warm, cheerful atmosphere.

    The nurse who had previously misunderstood Gu Zi learned the truth from the family in the next bed. When she came to do her rounds that day, her face was flushed, and she felt a bit embarrassed when she saw Gu Zi.

    Unaware of the nurse¡¯s previous opinion of her, Gu Zi greeted her warmly and asked about Papa Lin¡¯s condition. Her gentle and polite demeanor made the nurse feel a strange affection for her.

    After school, Su Bing and Su Li rode their bikes straight to the hospital. They had asked for their grandfather¡¯s room number the day before, so they quickly found his ward..

 Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Full of Sweetness

    Chapter 338: Full of Sweetness

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    They were on their way to visit their grandfather, and along the way, they used their spare change to buy candy figurines for him.

    Papa and Mother Lin gazed at the beautiful little candy figures, and even though they hadn¡¯t tasted them yet, the sweetness had already reached the depths of their hearts.

    Mother Lin quickly fetched two boxes of milk for the children to drink. Gu Zi didn¡¯t stop her, after all, the milk was bought to be consumed; once it was finished, they could just buy more.

    When Gu Zi and the children were about to leave, Mother Lin told Gu Zi, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your father, I¡¯ll be here. You should go about your business, don¡¯t always come to the hospital. You are Su Shen¡¯s wife, you should help him take care of the home, understand?¡±

    Gu Zi could tell that her mother was genuinely considering her well-being, so she happily accepted her advice.

    Gu Zi, Su Bing and the others arrived at the bottom of the hospital building, and faced a dilemma with the two bicycles in front of them. The best solution was for Gu Zi to ride one bicycle with one of the older children, who would hold the younger sister, while the other child would ride the other bicycle.

    Gu Zi wanted to give Su Bing a ride because he was more calm and older than Su Li, making it safer for him to hold Su Le on the back seat.

    However, before Gu Zi could voice her decision, Su Li cunningly claimed that his foot was suddenly in severe pain and he couldn¡¯t ride the bicycle.

    He pleaded, ¡°Mom, mom, you ride my bike, take me with you. I can hold my sister well too!¡±

    Su Bing, seeing his younger brother¡¯s feigned performance, chose not to expose him. He would not compete with his little brother.

    His younger brother was not one to seize opportunities. Su Bing knew that Su Li was just yearning for their mother¡¯s love.

    Gu Zi saw through Su Li¡¯s little scheme, but she played along, exclaiming sympathetically, ¡°Poor Su Li, then you¡¯ll have to hold your sister.¡±

    Su Li, as if entrusted with a significant mission, solemnly took his sister from Gu Zi. Gu Zi used a sling to secure Su Le to him, and after Gu Zi had settled herself on the front seat of the bicycle, Su Li, holding Su Le, climbed onto the back seat.

    Throughout the journey, Su Li held his sister tightly, clutching his mother¡¯s skirt, and occasionally peeking at his mother from behind.

    Even though his mother¡¯s figure seemed so frail, and she appeared so petite next to his father, he felt that his mother was incredibly strong and towering.

    The wind blew past, carrying with it a faint fragrance from his mother¡¯s clothes¡­

    When Gu Zi and the others arrived home, they found the front door open, a truck parked outside, and people moving construction materials such as sand and stone into the house.

    At a glance, Gu Zi knew that these were ordered by Su Shen. She had asked him to buy materials for a clay oven she wanted to build, and she hadn¡¯t expected him to remember.

    She guessed that Su Shen must have returned by now, so she pushed the bicycle into the yard.

    Before she had taken a few steps, Su Shen came out from inside the house and took the bicycle from her to park it.

    The man seemed to have just finished moving the materials, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He was dressed in a dark vest for easy movement, his muscular physique on full display. Gu Zi found it hard to take her eyes off him.

    When Su Shen turned around after parking the bicycle, he met Gu Zit s gaze and his heart skipped a beat.

    She held out a tissue to wipe his sweat. The afternoon sun shone obliquely on her beautiful face, making her look especially gentle and pure, making him reluctant to taint her.

    Su Shen took her small hand, pulling the tissue away, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself. I just finished moving two bags of cement, I¡¯m covered in dust. I don¡¯t want to get you dirty.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at him, words caught in her throat.

    When they were in bed and he was smearing his seed all over her, why wasn¡¯t he so chivalrous, not worrying about getting her dirty?

    Ignoring him, Gu Zi went to feed the pigeons and clean their cage. Pigeons loved cleanliness, and they would only feel at home in a clean and tidy place. To keep and tame pigeons, cleaning their cage every day was essential.

    Su Shen¡¯s refusal to let Gu Zi wipe his sweat was a typical male mindset. He simply didn¡¯t want his sweet little wife to get dirty. How could he have known that his actions would lead to misunderstandings?

    After he and the workers had finished moving the materials, he went upstairs to shower and change. Only when he was sure he was clean and fresh did he go to find his wife.

    At that moment, Gu Zi was in the kitchen washing vegetables. The tall man approached her from behind and held her in his arms, his long arms enveloping her as they washed the vegetables together.

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    However, Gu Zi seemed somewhat uncooperative. When Su Shen asked her what was wrong, Gu Zi retorted, ¡®Weren¡¯t you afraid of getting me dirty earlier?

    Now you¡¯re not?¡±

    Su Shen was confused. ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Gu Zi slipped out of his arms and moved to the stove.

    If he wanted to wash the vegetables, she would let him..

 Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Bright Red Lips

    Chapter 339: Bright Red Lips

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It was not that Gu Zi wanted to make a fuss, but she always felt that something stood in between them, making it difficult for them to truly become intimate.

    Perhaps it had something to do with the way they got acquainted and married. After all, Gu Zi was a substitute bride for Su Shen. It seemed like they were married, but in reality, they were not that familiar with each other. Much of the process was blank.

    Suddenly, Su Shen realized something. He pulled her into his arms and gently said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have refused your help to wipe my sweat. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s original intention was not to get her dirty, but since it had upset Gu Zi, he admitted his mistake and promised to correct it.

    Seeing that he had realized the problem, Gu Zi looked up at him and said, ¡°I am your wife, don¡¯t be afraid to get me dirty. If I despised you, why would I marry you? Marrying you means accepting everything about you.¡±

    Su Shen thought that Gu Zi was angry because he had done something wrong, but now he understood. This woman was upset because she cared for him and wouldn¡¯t allow him to belittle her.

    The kitchen was hot, and Gu Zi¡¯s forehead was covered with fine sweat. She was wearing a white shirt and had unbuttoned one button due to the heat, revealing her impressive cleavage. It was a sight that could make anyone¡¯s head spin.

    Gu Zi wanted to say something, but she was pinned against the stove by the man and kissed.

    Her lips were soft and sweet, like an addiction he could never quit.

    ¡°I remember what you said,¡± Su Shen released her mouth, responding to her previous words. Her lips were slightly parted, revealing her white teeth, which were very attractive.

    Gu Zi pushed the man away. If he remembered, then he remembered. Why was he acting like a rogue in the kitchen? Gu Zi could feel his arousal.

    Seeing her troubled expression, Su Shen leaned down and kissed her, whispering in her ear, ¡°Shall we go upstairs for a while?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, but in reality, she also wanted Su Shen. However, they needed to cook, and if they went upstairs, who would wash the vegetables?

    Su Shen understood her dilemma. He immediately called Su Bing to wash the vegetables and left Su Le with Su Li, claiming it was an opportunity for them to show their abilities. Then he took his petite wife upstairs.

    Su Li, holding Su Le, asked Su Bing, ¡°Brother, what is dad up to?¡±

    Su Bing didn¡¯t know what was going on either. He found it strange, but he didn¡¯t have Su Li¡¯s curiosity. He just wanted to get the job done.

    In the master bedroom upstairs, Su Shen locked the door as soon as he and Gu Zi entered. He pressed Gu Zi against the door and kissed her.

    His hands were not idle either. He unbuttoned two more buttons, pulling down her shirt and revealing her full breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth, his tongue quickly teasing around her areola.

    Su Shen¡¯s hand moved to her waist, slipping into her pants and under her underwear.

    He planned to make it quick, but he also wanted to ensure that she enjoyed the experience. Thinking of this, he withdrew his hand, roughly turned her around to face the door, and slapped her buttocks.

    Gu Zi was confused by the sudden slap, but the stimulating pleasure spread to every nerve in her body. She instantly understood his intention. He was flirting.

    Gu Zi was very cooperative. In terms of intimacy, they were truly in sync.

    This time, it didn¡¯t last long, but Gu Zi experienced a whole new level of pleasure. She was extremely satisfied.

    She was so weak that Su Shen had to carry her to the bathroom afterward.

    In a soft voice, Gu Zi said, ¡°Su Shen, I want a bathtub to soak in.¡±

    Not only would it be comfortable to lie in after being tired, but regular baths were also good for the body.

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    Seeing her delicate appearance, Su Shen felt a pang of affection. He replied, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll have someone install it tomorrow. Take your time bathing, I¡¯ll go downstairs and cook.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t let his little woman go hungry.

    The man quickly cleaned himself and dressed before heading downstairs. By the time he got there, the two brothers had almost finished everything that needed to be done.

    When Su Li saw his father come down without his mother, he was not happy.

    ¡°Hmph! Dad always steals mom away..¡±

 Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Following Them

    Chapter 340: Following Them

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Tonight, he was determined to put on a good show. He would take good care of his little sister. However, Su Li was unaware that his behavior was exactly what his father had in mind.

    After the family finished dinner, Su Li eagerly volunteered to do the chores. Gu Zi thought that Su Li must have been inspired by his brother, Su Bing, to actively participate in household chores. She patted Su Li on the head in praise, and Su Li beamed with joy.

    Once the kitchen and dining room were tidied up, Gu Zi called Su Bing out to the yard. She brought out a bicycle and invited him to join her for a ride. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a few laps to help digest our dinner. I¡¯ll take you with me!¡±

    Su Bing was surprised, but he instinctively nodded in agreement. He had been envious of his younger brother, who got to sit on the back seat of their mother¡¯s bike when they returned home in the afternoon.

    Su Li and Su Le were playing with their dog, Big Yellow. Su Li wanted to join his mother and brother on their ride, but he remembered that his mother had already taken him earlier in the day. He decided that this opportunity should be his brother¡¯s.

    Su Li watched his mother and brother leave, willingly staying behind to take care of Su Le.

    Gu Zi noticed Su Li¡¯s behavior and was pleased.

    As for Su Bing, he was more introverted and not good at expressing his needs. However, Gu Zi did not want to ignore him.

    Even if she couldn¡¯t equally distribute her attention, she wanted to do her best to consider Su Bing¡¯s feelings.

    Gu Zi rode with Su Bing towards the entrance of the village. There was a moon tonight, as white as a jade plate hanging in the sky, seeming to follow them wherever they went.

    In this era, the night was bright as long as there was a moon. They could see clearly as they rode their bike.

    A gentle night breeze blew, cooling the tear that hung in the corner of Su Bing¡¯s eye.

    But Su Bing felt an unprecedented warmth in his heart. He understood his mother¡¯s intentions. She didn¡¯t want him to feel that she loved his brother more. His mother was trying to love each of them equally. The love she gave was always more than he had expected.

    Just like the moon following them, he wanted to follow his mother for the rest of his life, protecting her. He needed to become even better.

    After a long time, Su Bing finally gathered the courage to tell his mother about his progress in school, just like his younger brother did.

    When Gu Zi heard that Su Bing had memorized the alphabet song she had taught them, she was very pleased. ¡°Su Bing, can you sing it for me?¡±

    Gu Zi rode to the village entrance and back. Su Bing¡¯s song echoed, accompanied by the natural chorus of frogs in the fields. Su Bing looked at the scenery he had seen countless times before, but tonight¡¯s view was something he would never forget.

    Before going to bed, Su Li knocked on his parents¡¯ bedroom door, asking his mother if he could be responsible for putting his sister to sleep.

    Gu Zi looked at Su Shen with a doubtful gaze. Was this his idea?

    Su Shen waved his hand, his handsome, resolute face looking somewhat innocent. It probably wasn¡¯t his idea.

    Gu Zi, holding Su Le, told Su Li, ¡°You go to sleep first. I¡¯ll bring your sister to your room after she falls asleep.¡±

    Gu Zi trusted that Su Li could handle putting his sister to sleep. Both Su Bing and Su Li had taken care of Su Le before. If Su Li wanted to do it, she wouldn¡¯t stand in his way.

    Children change quickly. One day, he might find a new interest and stop insisting on taking care of his sister.

    Su Li agreed and said goodnight to his parents before leaving the room. Gu Zi kept her promise and brought Su Le to Su Li¡¯s room after she fell asleep.

    Gu Zi woke up several times during the night to check on Su Li and Su Le. Both children were covered with a small blanket, sleeping soundly.

    Gu Zi was relieved and returned to her bed to continue sleeping. Su Shen, half-asleep, pulled her close, his large hand resting on her lower back, holding her tightly in his arms.

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    The next day, Gu Zi woke up a bit late. Her husband and children had already left.

    After breakfast, Gu Zi began cleaning the pigeon cage. When she finished, she caught a pigeon, planning to make a nourishing pigeon soup for lunch. She would roast the pigeon once the clay oven was ready.

    She quickly prepared the pigeon, blanching it after cutting it into pieces. The pigeon needed to simmer for over two hours, so she started preparing early to ensure a nutritious and delicious pigeon soup for lunch.

    At noon, Su Shen returned home for lunch. Gu Zi was working on her clay oven in the yard. Seeing Su Shen return, she put down her work and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

    Su Le was playing on the sofa, her little hands reaching everywhere. Suddenly, she pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from under the sofa cushion. Su Shen saw it and bent down to pick it up¡­.

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: I Will Practice More

    Chapter 341: I Will Practice More

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon reading the text, Su Shen¡¯s face subtly changed. Was this a folk remedy to enhance sexual performance? Where did it come from?

    Beside the text, there was even an illustration. It was quite vivid, suggesting that by practicing the actions depicted, one could enhance the hardness and endurance of their manhood.

    Subconsciously, Su Shen glanced down at his own body, reflecting on his performance with Gu Zi.

    Was she implying that he wasn¡¯t hard enough, or that he didn¡¯t last long enough?

    His thin lips pressed into a line, and despite himself, the corners of his mouth lifted in amusement. His ears heated, flushing a bright red.

    Su Shen couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and sigh. Why hadn¡¯t she voiced her dissatisfaction? Was she afraid of embarrassing him?

    He had read in books that women often feigned satisfaction. He hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to be so convincing. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t satisfied enough.

    Su Shen decided that this was his problem. He had only just realized it. After studying the text and illustration for a while, he committed the actions to memory¡­

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi was in the kitchen, checking on the soup. Suddenly, a strong arm encircled her waist. Her feet left the ground as she was lifted and seated on the stove, which was still warm from the fire.

    ¡°Stop fooling around, it¡¯s time to eat,¡± Gu Zi protested, held tightly by the man and unable to move.

    Su Shen kissed her beautiful neck and whispered, ¡°Just a moment.¡±

    As he said this, he kissed her lips, his large hand already slipping under her shirt. She was wearing a round-necked short-sleeved top with a thin underlay, but he easily grasped her softness.

    With one hand, he steadied her on the edge of the stove, while the other lifted her underlay and short sleeve, continuing to knead and stroke with his calloused fingers. He then lowered his head to bury it between her breasts, gently kissing her nipple.

    His throat went dry as he lightly touched her areola, his voice slightly hoarse as he asked, ¡°Baby, is there anything I¡¯m not doing well?¡±

    Gu Zi was wet again. She genuinely didn¡¯t know what he could be doing wrong; she thought he was doing quite well.

    Gu Zi was no longer as easily embarrassed. She felt that not long after their marriage, this man was turning her into a mature woman.

    She couldn¡¯t help but press herself against him, reaching to undo his belt, and responded, ¡°No, where¡¯s Lele?¡±

    Su Shen kissed her again and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s watching cartoons, she won¡¯t come over. Shall we try it here?¡±

    Although they had just made love the previous day, Su Shen was already craving her again. He could only say that the exercise he had practiced was quite effective, and he could sense her desire as well.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t respond verbally, but her actions spoke volumes.

    She took his manhood in her hand and guided it to her entrance. Su Shen closed his eyes, savoring her warmth and wetness. After grinding against her entrance a dozen times, he thrust in, eliciting a soft moan from her.

    The new environment and the unusual timing added an extra layer of excitement to their lovemaking. In just over ten minutes, he climaxed twice, and she reached her peak three times.

    Afterward, Gu Zi looked at the two used condoms in deep thought. The amount of semen in each condom was probably about five milliliters.

    He had ejaculated so much twice, she really needed to be careful about contraception. His sperm must be of high quality and very active, she was at high risk of getting pregnant!

    Wait, why did he carry condoms with him? Gu Zi looked at Su Shen with a puzzled expression.

    Su Shen carried her upstairs to clean her up. Seeing her confused look, he quietly explained, ¡°I keep a small box on me, just in case. I¡¯ll practice more in the future. ¡±

    As the man carried her out of the bathroom, Gu Zi wrapped her arms around his neck, not quite understanding the meaning of his last sentence.

    Gu Zi was a bit tired and didn¡¯t ask, assuming he meant practicing carrying her. After resting for a while, she went downstairs. Su Shen had cooked two dishes and was just lifting Lele into her high chair.

    Seeing this, Gu Zi served three bowls of rice. Lele was already able to eat by herself and did so quite well.

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    Su Shen served Gu Zi a bowl of steaming pigeon soup. There were pigeon legs in the soup, along with a few bright goji berries and orange peels floating on top, making it very appetizing.

    After taking a sip, Gu Zi found it very fragrant and warm. The gamey taste was well masked, just the way she wanted. She took another bite of the meat, tasting a faint milky flavor.

    Su Shen said, ¡°Eat more meat, and drink more soup. This afternoon, I¡¯ve arranged for someone to come and install the bathtub. Once they¡¯re done, I¡¯ll go to work.¡±

    In rural areas, people often gossiped. Su Shen hadn¡¯t considered this before, but now he was very careful.

    The people installing the bathtub were all men. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for her to be home alone with them, so he¡¯d rather leave for work later..

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: So Wonderful

    Chapter 342: So Wonderful

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse, even though she was not afraid of idle chatter from others, she didn¡¯t want to stir up unnecessary gossip.

    At home, Su Shen was a comforting presence. After lunch, she could take Lele for a nap. The passion from earlier had left her in need of a good sleep.

    Today, Gu Zi had eaten half a bowl more rice than usual for lunch. Su Shen knew that their intimate encounters had been frequent. They had been intimate yesterday and again today, which had exhausted her. Yet, if he didn¡¯t make an effort, he was afraid that she might think him inadequate.

    After all, she was still so young. It was already a compromise for her to be with him. He couldn¡¯t fail to satisfy her in this regard. Besides, he also enjoyed the intimate contact with her. Before meeting Gu Zi, he had never thought that the intimacy between a man and a woman could be so wonderful.

    After lunch, Gu Zi took Lele for a nap. As the master bedroom was being fitted with a bathtub today, Gu Zi and Lele slept in the room Su Shen used to occupy.

    When she woke up, it was already two in the afternoon. The man was sitting by the bed, keeping her company, and hadn¡¯t left yet.

    Seeing her awake, Su Shen embraced her and kissed her for a while, seemingly tireless.

    Gu Zi was a little confused. What was going on with him today? He seemed even less able to control his desires than before. Was he laying his cards on the table?

    Gu Zi got up with his help, straightened her sleepwear, and he said, ¡°The bathtub is installed, would you like to take a look?¡±

    Gu Zi was a bit dazed, ¡°So soon?¡± She followed Su Shen back to the master bedroom. The master bathroom was neat and clean, and on the side facing the window, there was a new traditional freestanding bathtub.

    Gu Zi was delighted. Su Shen led her barefoot into the bathroom to try it out. She could completely lie flat in it.

    She looked up at Su Shen. He was too big, but sitting in it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Her gaze swept around the room. The master bathroom was large and used to seem empty, but with the bathtub installed, it looked just right. It seemed as if it was tailor-made for a bathtub.

    Seeing her satisfied smile, Su Shen felt a sense of relief. He kissed Gu Zi and left the room.

    After waking up, Gu Zi felt much refreshed. Seeing that Lele was still asleep, she went to the yard to continue working on her kiln.

    In the morning, she had already built the base of the kiln with bricks and cement. She estimated that the materials delivered were more than enough, and there was still space available, so she decided to build two kilns side by side.

    She mixed an appropriate amount of cement and continued to build the edges of the base with bricks, stacking three layers of bricks to form two square chambers.

    During the process, she went upstairs to check on Su Le. The little girl was awake, sitting on the bed without moving much. With a tuft of hair standing upright on her head, she looked like a little dazed cutie, soft and adorable.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t resist, she went up to hug and kiss her a few times, combed her hair, and changed her clothes.

    She took Su Le downstairs to make her some formula milk, then continued her small project. Su Le was very well-behaved, talking to Big Yellow and having a great time.

    After playing by herself for a while, Shi Tou came over. Gu Zi opened the yard gate to let him in, gave him a biscuit, and asked him to play with Su Le.

    Su Le was still talking to Big Yellow, ¡°Big Yolk! Big Yolk! Play with Big Yolk! ¡±

    Shi Tou corrected her, pulling his sister along, ¡°It¡¯s Big Yellow, not Big Yolk! Su

    Le, we¡¯re playing with Big Yellow, not Big Yolk.¡±

    Shi Tou often came to play, and Big Yellow had gotten used to him. Seeing him, Big Yellow didn¡¯t bark but allowed him to pet his head in a friendly manner.

    Seeing them playing happily, Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother the two children. After finishing the chambers, she carefully shoveled pebbles onto the bottom of the chambers. She was very careful as the cement that glued the bricks was just applied and hadn¡¯t dried yet. A forceful touch could easily dislodge it.

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    Just as she finished laying the stones, Shi Tou came over with Su Le. Shi Tou excitedly said, ¡°Fairy Sister, Shi Tou wants to help you. You¡¯re working too hard by yourself! ¡±

    Gu Zi herself enjoyed the process of working leisurely. After all, there was a world of difference between having to do something and wanting to do it. But the child didn¡¯t understand. He just didn¡¯t want the person he liked to be so tired, and he was curious and wanted to participate.

    After Shi Tou spoke, it seemed as if Lele understood, and she also waved her little hand wanting to help.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse their good intentions. She gave each of them a beer bottle, then took a beer bottle herself and placed it on the layer of pebbles to demonstrate.

    This step was simple. Shi Tou, being a big child, could follow along after watching. As for Lele, she wasn¡¯t tall enough, so Gu Zi lifted her up to let her place the bottle. When she put the beer bottle on the stones, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile, as if she had accomplished something extraordinary..

 Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Is It Working?

    Chapter 343: Is It Working?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the eyes of an adult, the simplest of things might seem insignificant. However, for a child, it could signify a whole new world of exploration. Gu Zi took this to heart, and was always eager to guide Lele as they discovered the world together.

    Upon seeing Lele successfully place the bottle, Shi Tou clapped his hands in praise, ¡°Lele, you¡¯re amazing!¡±

    Su Le, flattered by the compliment, beamed with joy as Shi Tou continued to help with the beer bottles.

    ¡®You little rascal, always sneaking off to Gu Zits place. I knew I¡¯d find you here,¡± a voice chided. ¡°Aunt Gu Zi is busy building a stove, and you¡¯re making a mess. Put those beer bottles down. And what¡¯s with this strange stove? How will the fire burn without a hole on top? Where does the pot go?¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to set Lele down, she saw Aunt Zhang approaching with a basket of fresh corn, the faint scent of which wafted through the air. Aunt Zhang cast a puzzled glance at Gu Zi¡¯s stove, wondering if this city girl knew how to build a proper one.

    Gu Zi explained, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a pot. I¡¯m building a clay oven for roasting food using radiant heat, not direct flame. It¡¯s perfect for roasting chicken and such. Shi Tou is helping me.¡±

    The beer bottles placed inside the oven served as insulation, preventing the heat from escaping downwards and affecting the roasting process.

    Aunt Zhang, amused, remarked, ¡°My, you city girls sure have a lot of tricks up your sleeves. Even a country bumpkin like me wouldn¡¯t know how to build a clay oven. Here, try some of our freshly harvested corn.¡±

    Everyone lived in a society bound by relationships and Gu Zi was no exception. She understood the importance of maintaining these social ties.

    Gu Zi and Aunt Zhang were neighbors and friends. Gu Zi knew what kind of person Aunt Zhang was and was more than willing to maintain a good relationship with her.

    Accepting the corn, Gu Zi watched as Aunt Zhang busied herself with her chores, reminding Shi Tou and Lele to play nicely and not to bully the little girl.

    However, as Aunt Zhang was leaving, she seemed to remember something. Turning back, she asked Gu Zi in a low voice, ¡°Did you use that folk remedy I gave you last time? Did it work?¡±

    Gu Zi had a hunch that Aunt Zhang would ask about this. She wanted to say that she had misplaced the piece of paper with the remedy.

    Of course, she could never have guessed that Su Shen had read and memorized it.

    But Aunt Zhang meant well. There were many who gossiped about others¡¯ affairs, but few who took the effort to find solutions. Gu Zi didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that the remedy was useless.

    She didn¡¯t want to blame Su Shen again, making her feel guilty. She explained, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Su Shen. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s a bit weak and needs to recuperate. The pigeon was actually bought by Su Shen for me to eat.¡±

    Aunt Zhang studied Gu Zi in silence for a moment before speaking. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± she said, her voice carrying a note of resignation. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t say much more. Just as I told you before, use it if you can. This remedy isn¡¯t easy to come by, you know. If it doesn¡¯t work, hurry to the hospital. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    She paused, allowing the silence to hang in the air for a moment before she turned to leave.

    In this day and age, a wife as young, beautiful, educated, and capable as Gu Zi was a rare find. Not only was she exceptional in her own right, but she also loved her husband deeply, preserving his dignity at all costs. She refused to admit that Su Shen was at fault, insisting instead that the problem was her own.

    As Aunt Zhang walked away, she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Su Shen¡¯s good fortune. He had found himself such a wonderful wife!

    However, she was certain that Su Shen must treat his wife exceptionally well for her to defend him so staunchly.

    Gu Zi returned to her work, her mind turning over Aunt Zhang¡¯s words.

    Something about them didn¡¯t sit right with her. It seemed as though Aunt Zhang had accepted her explanation on the surface, but Gu Zi couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it, but she decided to let it go for now.

    After filling two square cavities with beer bottles, Gu Zi sent Shi Tou and Su Le off to play.

    She then covered the bottles with river sand, filling the gaps left by the bottles. On top of the sand, she laid red bricks, making sure they were level with the edges of the cavity.

    Stretching out in a satisfying yawn, Gu Zi announced, ¡°The base is finally done. Time for a break before we continue!¡±

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    She carried the corn into the kitchen, then walked over to where Su Le was playing. Picking up Su Le, she led Shi Tou into the house. ¡°Shi Tou, what would you like to eat? Yogurt fruit salad or milk fruit salad?¡±

    ¡°I want the yogurt one,¡± Shi Tou replied. ¡°It¡¯s sweet and sour, very tasty!¡±

    Shi Tou was a frequent visitor to the Su household and had developed quite a taste for their meals.

    Gu Zi asked him to take care of Lele while she prepared three servings of yogurt fruit salad. Settling onto the sofa, she turned on the radio and tuned it to the station where she used to work.

    Coincidentally, the bilingual learning program hosted by Gong Xin was on. Gu Zi decided not to change the channel..

 Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Muddy Children

    Chapter 344: Muddy Children

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin, regardless ot whether she was speaking her native language or a foreign one, always pronounced her words with remarkable precision.

    To Gu Zi¡¯s ears, there were certain details that could still be improved upon. However, because she found Gong Xin to be quite endearing at the moment, she naturally found listening to the radio program to be a pleasant experience.

    Gu Zi believed that humans were creatures of emotion, and that a person¡¯s fondness for another could also be seen as a form of ability.

    Moreover, Gong Xin had initially just barely missed being eliminated, but her professional skills were commendable.

    Now, after a period of learning and improvement, she had naturally progressed. Her current level had already reached the average standard of the station.

    What Gu Zi didn¡¯t know was how the investigation into Gong Xin¡¯s sugar water allergy was progressing. She assumed there probably weren¡¯t any significant results.

    Lin Miao wasn¡¯t entirely without schemes. It would be difficult for Gong Xin to find any faults with her.

    Gu Zi was unclear about the specifics and didn¡¯t have any particular thoughts about the sugar water allergy incident.

    However, she didn¡¯t spend too much time thinking about it, because a good show was about to start, and she was looking forward to the opening scene.

    After listening to the program for about ten minutes, Gu Zi took a break, put on her sun hat, and continued her small project. She began working on the kiln body, intending to shape it like a bear¡¯s head for both aesthetic and amusement purposes.

    After her break, she worked with renewed vigor. She quickly mixed cement and river sand, then used red bricks to build two circular arches on two bases. She then used yellow sand as the mold for the kiln body¡¯s inner cavity.

    She had somewhat forgotten the size proportions and had to go inside to check the design drawings before coming out to pile up the sand mold. She was very meticulous.

    After the sand mold was set up, Gu Zi covered the outer surface with wet paper and then began to build the kiln body.

    The kiln body required yellow mud, which was abundant in the countryside. Gu Zi could easily shovel some up not far from her front door. However, she needed quite a bit of it and estimated she would have to make two trips.

    Coincidentally, just as Gu Zi was getting the yellow mud, she ran into Su Bing and Su Li, who were returning from school. Seeing their mother moving mud, they offered to help, and in one trip, they gathered enough yellow mud.

    Upon learning what their mother was using the yellow mud for, Su Bing and Su Li rolled up their sleeves to help.

    Su Bing had already finished his homework and was free to help, but Su Li hadn¡¯t completed his yet.

    Gu Zi thought for a moment and decided that hands-on skills were something children should develop. If Su Li wanted to help first and do his homework later, that was fine, as long as he concentrated when doing his homework.

    Gu Zi nodded, and Su Li happily joined the construction team.

    Gu Zi guided the two boys to mix the yellow mud, river sand, and rice straw in a certain ratio, finally adding a bit of table salt. Then, she told them to change into their rain boots.

    Su Bing and Su Li were somewhat puzzled, but obediently went to change their shoes. When they came out, they saw their mother had also put on rain boots.

    Then, the mother and sons began the joyous task of stomping the mud. During this time, Shi Tou and Su Le couldn¡¯t resist joining in. The two unequipped young ones quickly turned into muddy children.

    Gu Zi watched the two of them for a moment, a chuckle escaping her before she could stop it. She didn¡¯t rush to clean them up, though. After all, what child hasn¡¯t had a moment covered in mud? It was a perfect scene in its own way.

    Siblings Su Bing and Su Li found the situation amusing as well, but they heeded their mother¡¯s advice, carefully guarding the two younger ones to prevent the mud from getting into their eyes.

    The group, two adults and three children, stomped around in the mud, their joy so palpable that it made Big Yellow, the family dog, envious. His glossy black eyes followed their movements, a silent plea for inclusion. All the happiness seemed to belong to them, while he was left out, feeling rather pitiful.

    After a while, their steps became heavier, weighed down by the clinging mud, and beads of sweat began to form on their foreheads. Gu Zi decided it was time for a break. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± she said. ¡°Su Bing, Su Li, each of you take one of the little ones and go play somewhere else.¡±

    Su Li took Shi Tou by the hand and walked away, while Su Bing was left with Lele. The little girl, however, seemed far from done. Her mud-covered hands patted her brother, resisting his attempts to lead her away.

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    Su Bing, ever the efficient one, simply picked up the muddy child and carried her away. The action left the little girl puffing her cheeks out in indignation, looking like a puffed-up pufferfish, much to the amusement of everyone else.

    Before Su Shen entered the courtyard, he heard the laughter in the courtyard and couldn¡¯t help but quicken his pace.

    His wife, Gu Zi, always had a knack for bringing life and energy into their home.

    Upon entering, Su Shen noticed the thick layer of yellow mud covering the ground. Realizing that Gu Zi and the children were making a mud oven, he looked at the completed base and model, impressed by how professional it looked.

    Seeing him, Gu Zi seized the opportunity. ¡°Perfect timing, darling,¡± she said, ¡°Come and help me. Roll the mud into strips like this, making sure they¡¯re evenly thick. I¡¯ll take these two muddy children and get them cleaned up..¡±

 Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Sheâ€™s Quite Knowledgeable

    Chapter 345: She¡¯s Quite Knowledgeable

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was preparing to bathe Lele and decided to do the same for Shi Tou as well. She considered it a convenient task.

    Observing the copious amount of yellow mud spread across the ground, Su Shen realized it was a massive undertaking. Without delay, he called upon his two sons to continue the work.

    Boys, by nature, are fond of playing with mud, and they didn¡¯t find the task of kneading the mud into strips tiring.

    After Gu Zi had bathed the two children and dressed them in clean clothes ¨C Shi Tou¡¯s clothes had been fetched from his home by Su Li at Gu Zi¡¯s request ¨C she led them downstairs. Aunt Zhang was waiting there to take Shi Tou home and expressed her apologies for the inconvenience.

    Gu Zi assured her it was no trouble, and after seeing off Aunt Zhang, she turned to find that Su Shen and the boys had finished kneading the mud into strips. Indeed, many hands made work easier.

    The advantage of having many men in the house was evident.

    Gu Zi instructed Su Shen and their sons to move the mud strips next to the model. She then used the strips to build the kiln body, stacking them like bricks from the bottom up around the base of the model.

    Observing Gu Zi¡¯s method, Su Shen followed suit, constructing the kiln body next to the model. Once the model was covered in mud strips, the couple, along with their children, shaped the surface into a honeycomb pattern. They then covered the entire kiln body with a layer of beer bottles, revealing to Su Shen the purpose of the bottles.

    Another layer of mud strips was applied over the beer bottle layer, and the surface was smoothed out.

    Finally, Gu Zi taught Su Bing and Su Li to use the remaining mud to shape four bear ears and attach them to the kiln body. They also created bear eyes, a bear nose, and a bear mouth, adding some finishing touches. Two chubby bear heads appeared before everyone, looking incredibly cute and endearing.

    Gu Zi explained, ¡°Once they dry slowly in the shade and the sand inside is removed, we can use this to cook delicious food for you all! ¡±

    Su Bing stared at the clay kiln, pondering for a long time, but couldn¡¯t figure out how it could cook food. He was completely engrossed in his thoughts.

    Su Li was also contemplating the same question, but upon hearing his mother mention cooking delicious food, his thoughts were immediately occupied by what they would eat. ¡°Mom, can we bake bread? The bakery in the city smells so good every time I pass by!¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, ¡°We can also roast chicken, suckling pig, pigeon, and so much more.¡±

    Su Li was salivating at the thought.

    Seeing their excitement and anticipation, Su Shen planned, ¡°I¡¯ll find time to build a roof over it, so we won¡¯t have to worry about rain.¡± Gu Zi and Su Li both agreed.

    Su Bing finally snapped out of his thoughts and asked seriously, ¡°Mom, can you explain the principle behind this to me?¡±

    Gu Zi was a bit taken aback. So, he had been silent because he was contemplating the principle behind it? Truly a future leader!

    Of course, Gu Zi was willing to explain. She took Su Bing to the living room, where it would be easier for him to understand with the design diagram in front of him.

    Watching his mother and brother discuss the matter, Su Li felt a bit left out. He still had homework to do!

    From then on, he decided not to indulge in play and strive to complete his homework after class like his brother. That way, he would have more time to ask his mother questions!

    In the living room, Gu Zi calmly and clearly explained the process of making and baking a clay oven. Su Bing listened attentively, his eyes fixed on the design diagram in her hands.

    Sitting to one side, Su Shen was also engrossed in the explanation. His gaze fell on the blueprint in Su Bing¡¯s hands, where a line marked in red read: ¡°When the arch height is 63% of the sand mold height, the heat utilization and circulation are optimal.¡±

    This woman¡¯s knowledge was impressive, far surpassing that of a high school student, and more akin to a university student.

    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, had he married a master of all trades? And he couldn¡¯t help but question, with Gu Zi¡¯s capabilities, why had she felt compelled to marry him?

    Before going to sleep that night, Su Shen looked at Gu Zi for a long time before asking, ¡°Are we really going to that banquet?¡±

    In truth, Su Shen didn¡¯t want to go, nor did he want her to go, but he couldn¡¯t infringe on her freedom.

    Gu Zi, her arm wrapped around his, nodded. ¡°Of course we¡¯re going. How else will we see the spectacle?¡±

    Su Shen agreed to go.

    Although he didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to meet Gong Zhan, if she was willing to go, he would accompany her.

    Regardless of whether she was going for the spectacle or to see someone.

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    After a while, Su Shen said, ¡°Tomorrow morning we¡¯ll go to the hospital, pick up mom, and head to the police station. They¡¯ve made a decision about Dad¡¯s assault.¡±

    The next day, Su Shen and Gu Zi woke up early. Su Le was still asleep. Gu Zi thought it best not to bring Lele to the police station, so she dropped her off at Aunt Zhang¡¯s house for her to watch over Lele.

    Su Shen drove to the hospital to pick up Mother Lin and then headed to the police station. As soon as they got out of the car, before they even entered the building, they ran into Old Lady Lin.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi and Mother Lin, Old Lady Lin charged forward like a madwoman, causing a ruckus. Pleas were useless, so she let her true colors show.

    ¡°I see clearly now,¡± she raged. ¡°You mother and daughter are hell-bent on taking revenge on us! You¡¯ve blown a small family matter out of proportion.. Are you happy now? Are you satisfied?¡±

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: For Lin Jieâ€™s Sake

    Chapter 346: For Lin Jie¡¯s Sake

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was startled by the ferocious gaze of the old woman. How could such a kind-hearted man like Papa Lin be born to such a terrifying old hag?

    No wonder Papa Lin was never favored by the old woman. Like attracts like, and Papa Lin was the odd one out in their family, so it was inevitable that he would be ostracized.

    Mother Lin shielded Gu Zi behind her, fearing that the old woman would harm Gu Zi. ¡°Please be reasonable,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Your second son¡¯s leg has been broken by your grandson, and you still say it¡¯s a trivial matter! Even if you don¡¯t care about your second son, he is still your own flesh and blood. You are too biased.¡±

    The old woman was not willing to listen to these words. She raised her hand to slap Mother Lin, but her wrist was caught in time by Su Shen.

    Someone from the police station came out and warned, ¡°Even at the entrance of the police station, you dare to cause trouble. Everyone is equal before the law, and if you go too far, we will punish you according to the law.¡±

    Su Shen released his grip and escorted Gu Zi and her mother inside.

    Seeing the police arrive, the old woman dared not make a scene anymore, but she was still defiant, cursing, ¡°Hmph, arrest me? Let¡¯s see which of you bastards dares to arrest me!¡±

    The security guards shook their heads at her words, but they wouldn¡¯t interfere with such an unreasonable old woman. It would only cause trouble.

    After the criminals were arrested, those who were not immediately sentenced were taken to the detention center at the police station.

    Today, the verdict for Lin Jie and the other four was to be announced in the main hall of the detention center. Su Shen led Gu Zi and the others directly there.

    Lin Laoyao and his wife were also present. Seeing Su Shen and the others arrive, Lin Laoyao said nothing, his eyes empty as he stared at the ground. His wife glared at Mother Lin and Gu Zi, but she didn¡¯t dare to look at Su Shen.

    Soon after, the old woman also entered, cursing and swearing.

    Before long, a police officer came out and announced that Lin Jie and the other four were guilty of joint intentional crime.

    Lin Jie was the ringleader, leading others to cause serious injury to others, disregarding the personal rights of others, and was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of 800 yuan.

    The other four accomplices were sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 200 yuan, to be borne collectively by the accomplices.

    The police officer said to Lin Laoyao, ¡°They have been sent to prison. You can visit them later. As for the fine, if you can¡¯t pay it all at once, you can pay it in installments. Be responsible and hand over the 200 yuan fine you prepared earlier to the victim¡¯s family under our witness.¡±

    After speaking, the police officer walked up to Su Shen, nodded slightly in greeting. Su Shen returned the greeting in kind, but said nothing. Others couldn¡¯t even tell they were exchanging pleasantries.

    Upon hearing that her son not only had to serve three years in prison but also had to pay a fine, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. She held the money in her hand, but she had no intention of handing it over immediately.

    Her son had been arrested and sent to prison, and they still wanted her to pay? Ridiculous!

    Pointing an accusatory finger at Gu Zi, Old Lady Lin scolded, ¡°Your husband is so wealthy, yet you still want our money? How can you be so greedy?¡±

    The public security personnel couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and interjected, ¡°Madam, this is a matter of due compensation, not them asking for your money.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the unreasonable old woman and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She said, ¡°Whether my husband has money or not has nothing to do with whether you should pay compensation. The person was not beaten by my husband. We are at the police station now, your unreasonable arguments won¡¯t work here.

    Save your saliva for thirst.¡±

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    Old Lady Lin was so rebuked that she stomped her foot. Seeing this, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife cried out, ¡°Gu Zi, you just don¡¯t want our family to live well, I understand. I shouldn¡¯t have offended your mother in the past, so you¡¯re taking revenge on me like this¡­¡±

    Regardless, she was not going to give up the money easily. Let them make a fuss, the police couldn¡¯t possibly arrest her too.

    Gu Zi shook her head and said, ¡°No, you¡¯re being too extreme. I have no reason to take revenge on you. Your son is going to jail simply because he committed a crime he shouldn¡¯t have and must pay the price for his actions. At most, I am being a bit more serious, but looking at the results, it is indeed for Lin Jie¡¯s own good.¡±

    Lin Laoyao, who had been silent all along, found Gu Zi¡¯s words laughable and could no longer maintain his silence.

    ¡°You insist on sending my son to jail, demanded compensation, and refuse to settle privately. How is any of this for Lin Jie¡¯s good? Gu Zi, we are your relatives after all, and I am your father¡¯s brother.. I know it¡¯s a bit late to say this, but can¡¯t you be a bit more forgiving?¡±

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Not Very Responsible

    Chapter 347: Not Very Responsible

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a display of sheer irresponsibility, Lin Laoyao had the audacity to suggest that the victim¡¯s daughter show leniency after his own son had assaulted someone, a matter that was now to be dealt with by the law.

    This statement by Lin Laoyao was met with stunned silence and shaking heads, leaving even the police officers handling the case dumbfounded.

    The officers who were familiar with the case had initially believed that the father of the assailant was a reasonable man, as he had previously remained relatively quiet.

    To the bystanders, he seemed to be the only person in the assailant¡¯s family who had a clear understanding of right and wrong.

    They, being men themselves, had initially sympathized with Lin Laoyao¡¯s predicament. His wife and mother were both domineering and unreasonable, and his son, spoiled by such women, had turned into a hooligan. It was bad enough that the boy was not particularly talented, but now he was also in jail.

    However, upon hearing Lin Laoyao¡¯s words, they realized that he was not much better.

    Upon reflection, they realized that as men, they would never allow their mothers and wives to dictate their actions as Lin Laoyao did.

    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t respect women, but many matters required a

    decision-maker, a head of the household. This person could be a man or a

    woman, but they had to be discerning and capable.

    In most families, the man was the head of the household, but in their family, it was the women, and two unreasonable ones at that. In this light, Lin Laoyao was indeed lacking in responsibility.

    Gu Zi was also speechless at Lin Laoyao¡¯s words, but she would not play into his narrative and prove herself to be lenient. She retorted coldly, ¡°Are you really Lin Jie¡¯s father, mother, and grandmother?¡±

    Lin Laoyao, his wife, and his mother were all taken aback, wondering what this young woman was trying to say.

    Lin Laoyao responded grumpily, ¡°Of course we are!¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. As a man, you never take action and hide behind two women, enjoying your leisure. As for you, aunt and grandmother, you¡¯ve been domineering and overbearing for most of your lives, but in the end, you¡¯ve spoiled your precious son and grandson into a scoundrel. Now that Lin Jie has broken my father¡¯s bones, you want to shift the blame for Lin Jie¡¯s imprisonment onto me¡­¡±

    ¡°Gu Zi, every one of us you¡¯re talking to is your elder. What gives you the right to judge us like this?¡±

    Old Lady Lin was so infuriated by Gu Zi that she was left speechless, her finger pointed accusingly at her, but no words came out.

    It was Lin Laoyao who retorted before Gu Zi could finish speaking. His combativeness was evidently much stronger than his wife and mother¡¯s. In a simple yet powerful sentence, he pointed out that Gu Zi had shown no respect for their elders.

    He had always been one to criticize others, and his words were far more articulate than those of the two women in his family. He had simply chosen not to show it until now.

    Now that Gu Zi had seen through him and publicly exposed him, he had no choice but to respond.

    Gu Zi was not disturbed by Lin Laoyao¡¯s words. Her tone remained steady and clear as she continued to speak.

    ¡°What right do I have? What right does my father possess to become the turning point for him to start over, to have his leg broken by Lin Jie? And you still demand a private settlement! Moreover, it¡¯s not even certain that your son, Lin Jie, can turn over a new leaf. Your son is a menace to society, it would be better for him to go to prison early for some discipline. Perhaps then he might find a way to turn back. Otherwise, he will only continue to step deeper into the abyss.¡±

    Lin Laoyao was stung by her words, and his wife was left speechless by Gu Zi¡¯s barrage.

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    Old Lady Lin was so frustrated by her inability to retort that she nearly fainted.

    To their surprise, they found themselves somewhat agreeing with Gu Zits words!

    But even if they agreed, they couldn¡¯t admit it! Lin Laoyao was still making excuses, his only desire was for his son to avoid prison.

    ¡°My son is young and doesn¡¯t understand things yet, he will grow up. But if you don¡¯t give him a chance and let him go to jail, you¡¯re leading him down a path of no return. You¡¯re an educated person, we can¡¯t argue with you. I beg you, please show mercy!¡±

    Gu Zits expression remained calm as she spoke softly, ¡°Justice lies in the hearts of the people, not in words. Instead of arguing like this, you should reflect on who led Lin Jie down this path. I¡¯ll give you time. We can wait here until you¡¯ve thought it through, then you can pay the fine..¡±

 Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Very Good Choice of A Wife

    Chapter 348: Very Good Choice of A Wife

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The room fell into a hush as the officers turned their gaze to Gu Zi, their eyes lighting up at the sight of her. It wasn¡¯t just her beauty that captivated them, but also her eloquence and intelligence. She had a way of dealing with even the most difficult of families. Su Shen¡¯s choice of a wife was incredible.

    Su Shen pulled Gu Zi into his embrace, a gesture that sent an unexpected jolt through her heart despite the tense atmosphere. He leaned in, his voice low as he spoke to her. ¡°Let¡¯s hold out together against them. Until this matter is resolved, no one is leaving.¡±

    With that, Su Shen cast a glance at the others in the room, prompting the officers to tactfully shift their gaze elsewhere. Gu Zi was left puzzled. Had Su Shen just glared at the law enforcement officer? His expression was fierce, yet somehow, incredibly attractive.

    Meanwhile, Old Lady Lin was nursing a throbbing headache. A female officer, taking pity on her due to her advanced age, guided her to a seat where she could rest.

    Lin Laoyao and his wife, feeling rightfully chastised, seemed to realize their mistake. However, they didn¡¯t care much about right or wrong. They hadn¡¯t come here to argue, but to play the family card and privately settle the matter with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. But they were no match for Gu Zi¡¯s cunning.

    Gu Zi was too crafty for her own good. She was nothing like an eighteen-year-old girl; she was more like a savvy woman in her thirties. She claimed to be willing to wait it out with them, but in reality, she was keeping them all here, not allowing them to do anything.

    Time was something they couldn¡¯t afford to waste. They still had to find connections to appease Lin Jie and seek help from Lin Jie¡¯s fianc¨¦e. They couldn¡¯t afford to be held here indefinitely.

    Lin Laoyao thought to himself that they had made an enemy today. Once he had paid the money, he would make sure to get back tenfold for the humiliation he and his son had suffered. He didn¡¯t believe that Gu Zi, with her high-profile and uncompromising approach, could continue to have it her way.

    One day, he would teach this insolent niece of his a lesson.

    No more than two minutes had passed after Gu Zi finished speaking when Lin Laoyao, with an air of urgency, compelled his wife to hand over the money. Then, with his wife in tow, Lin Laoyao made his exit.

    Off to the side, Old Lady Lin finally caught her breath and hurriedly followed them. To an outsider, it would seem as if she had only one son to worry about.

    Mother Lin, looking at the two hundred yuan that Gu Zi had placed in her hand, let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°This matter should finally be coming to a close,¡± she said.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen escorted Mother Lin back to the hospital.

    On the drive back to the village, Gu Zi asked Su Shen, ¡°Did my assertive demeanor earlier frighten you?¡±

    Sitting upright and gazing straight ahead, Su Shen pondered for a moment before responding, ¡°On the contrary, I think it was quite effective. Maintain that attitude, it will prevent you from being taken advantage of.¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t find his wife¡¯s assertiveness intimidating. After all, the fault lay with Lin Laoyao and Lin Jie. Gu Zi was merely seeking justice for her biological father.

    Moreover, Gu Zi was right. If a person like Lin Jie wasn¡¯t disciplined, who knew what harm he could cause in the future?

    If his parents couldn¡¯t discipline him, then it was perfectly acceptable for the state to do so.

    A faint smile played at the corners of Gu Zits mouth. Su Shen didn¡¯t find her strong-willed demeanor off-putting, but rather admirable.

    Regardless of how others perceived her, Gu Zi didn¡¯t care. However, Su Shen was her confidant. She didn¡¯t expect them to agree on everything, but at the very least, their values should align.

    Gu Zi¡¯s trust in Su Shen deepened, and she found herself opening up more, sharing her innermost thoughts.

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    ¡°I know that settling this matter privately would be the most socially acceptable course of action,¡± she began, ¡°but I don¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t want to maintain any semblance of a relationship with Lin Laoyao¡¯s family. That would be an ongoing emotional drain, like a slow-acting poison. It may not be lethal at first, but it slowly eats away at you, which is far more terrifying than a poison that kills instantly.¡±

    In this era, people¡¯s awareness of the law was rather thin, especially in the village. When incidents of fighting or brawling occurred, resulting in minor or severe injuries, even disability or death, people often chose to settle the matter privately, or simply let it go.

    Few people would actively seek help from law enforcement, all because of the word ¡°relationships.¡±

    If the bully and the victim were related, the two families would try to downplay the situation. This was a society built on relationships, where causing a scene was frowned upon and could easily lead to criticism.

    Furthermore, everyone knew each other and lived close by. If a dispute were pursued to the end and relationships were ruined, retaliation was inevitable. Therefore, everyone chose to compromise, as long as it didn¡¯t involve losing face..

 Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: A Faithful Husband

    Chapter 349: A Faithful Husband

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had studied micro-expression psychology. Recalling the fleeting malice in Lin Laoyao¡¯s eyes, she knew that he had harbored thoughts of revenge. At this moment, she shared her thoughts with Su Shen.

    ¡°Actually, if we don¡¯t pursue Lin Jie, they won¡¯t seek revenge for this. But the result would be Lin Laoyao¡¯s family continuing to leech off us sporadically. If they can¡¯t suck blood or take advantage, they¡¯ll stir up trouble. Even if he wants to retaliate later, that¡¯s a matter for the future. For now, we can enjoy some peace, without the constant nausea. I don¡¯t want to live like that.¡±

    Su Shen parked the car and gently rubbed her hair, comforting her in a low voice, ¡°Then don¡¯t think too much about it. Do things the way you like. If anything happens, I¡¯ll take the hit. If he really wants to retaliate, let him come. We¡¯ll rely on our own abilities. If he succeeds, it just means we weren¡¯t capable enough.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s previous intention for marrying a woman was simple ¨C to have a wife who could manage the household and take care of the children, while he ensured their material needs were met.

    But now, what he wanted to give Gu Zi was far more than that. Besides money and a better life, he also wanted to be her support, her safety net.

    Gu Zi¡¯s long eyelashes fluttered, a hint of surprise appearing in her eyes as she looked at him.

    She hadn¡¯t expected this man to say such childish words. She knew he was trying to reassure her, and asked with mixed feelings, ¡°Su Shen, why are you so good to me?¡±

    Every time there was an issue with the Lin family, he treated it as his own, always helping to resolve it. He gave her money, strength, heart, and emotional value.

    Gu Zi had once read a theory: a man cannot possibly possess the three traits of being handsome, wealthy, and emotionally faithful at the same time. If such a man exists and he also happens to like you, beware ¨C this is not a fairy tale of love, but a love scam!

    Gu Zi stared straight at Su Shen. He was handsome and definitely rich. So far, she hadn¡¯t noticed any different feelings he had for other women.

    There weren¡¯t even any other women around him, which could be considered faithful.

    Gu Zi thought, perhaps it was because in the book, the original author¡¯s character setting was more idealized. It must be so. In that case, she was quite lucky!

    Su Shen looked at her cute face, her big eyes rolling around a few times, wondering what this little woman was thinking about.

    He slightly hooked the corner of his lips, giving her the answer, ¡°Because you are my wife.¡±

    Gu Zi softly responded with an ¡°Oh¡±, so that was all. So, he would treat any wife this way?

    Did he treat his previous one the same way? Was she overthinking it!

    The atmosphere within the car had taken an odd turn, but Gu Zi was quick to shrug it off. She reminded herself not to be too greedy. Su Shen was already a wonderful man, and after all, who else should a man be good to if not his wife?

    Their journey back to the village required passing through the town, and it was a perfect opportunity for Gu Zi. She had discussed with her sister-in-law about setting up a bigger business venture. She wanted to find a shop in town to sell spicy soup. Since they had time, she decided to scout for potential locations in town.

    She shared her plans with Su Shen, who wholeheartedly agreed. He parked the car and offered to help her scout for the perfect location.

    The couple strolled down the main road of the town, observing the bustling scene. The town was far more prosperous than the village, with a steady stream of people even on non-market days. Shops lined both sides of the street, selling vegetables, pork, pastries, and even a few pharmacies and other daily necessities.

    Gu Zi considered the shops on both sides of the street as potential locations.

    The buildings on either side formed a cohesive group, but she noticed that none of the shops had a particularly spacious storefront. The only one that did was obstructed by a large banyan tree at the entrance.

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    Su Shen encouraged her not to be disheartened and suggested they explore the area near the town¡¯s primary school. Gu Zi agreed.

    The couple walked in silence, and whenever Gu Zi spotted something tasty or fun, she would buy it to try. Su Shen would dutifully pull out his wallet to pay each time.

    By chance, Gu Zi spotted a small stall selling handmade cotton shoes. The designs were adorable, but there were hardly any customers stopping to browse.

    Gu Zi could guess why. The town was close to rural areas where most women knew how to make their own shoes and didn¡¯t need to buy them. Moreover, it was nearing noon, a time when few people would specifically go out to buy shoes, making the stall seem deserted.

    However, the stall owner was in luck today. He had encountered Gu Zi, who didn¡¯t know how to sew and was just wandering around..

 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Is This Your Sister?

    Chapter 350: Is This Your Sister?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The weather was turning cold, and Gu Zi felt it was time to prepare for the winter necessities at home. She walked over and squatted down to make her selection.

    The stall owner, who had been waiting for a customer, spoke enthusiastically to Gu Zi. She said that all the items were hand-made by her and her mother, comfortable and durable, and could be tried on the spot.

    Gu Zi declined the offer to try them on, expressing her faith in the stall owner¡¯s craftsmanship.

    The stall owner was delighted by her words and immediately offered a discount, ¡°Young lady, I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful and kind-hearted person like you. Since you¡¯re trusting me like this, I¡¯ll give you a discount. The pair that costs four will be sold to you for three and eight.¡±

    Gu Zi agreed, stating her shoe size and the sizes for the children. She ended up buying a pair of bear-headed cotton shoes for herself, dog-headed ones for the two boys, and rabbit-headed ones for little Lele.

    Since they didn¡¯t have Su Shen¡¯s size, he didn¡¯t get a pair.

    Gu Zi reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, I¡¯ll make it up to you next time.¡±

    She planned to go to the city to buy them, confident that she would find his size there.

    Su Shen paid for the shoes, his movements swift and efficient. He responded with a low ¡°Hmm.¡±

    He thought it was no wonder the three children were so attached to Gu Zi. She took such good care of them that even he couldn¡¯t remember the children¡¯s shoe sizes, yet this young woman did.

    The stall owner watched the harmonious pair walk away, feeling particularly content. Just then, someone stood in front of her, blocking her view.

    She was about to complain when she recognized the person and smiled, ¡°Mrs. Zhou, why are you out and about today?¡±

    Mrs. Zhou smiled and asked what she had been looking at so intently. The stall owner pointed to the departing pair and said, ¡°Over there.¡±

    Following the stall owner¡¯s gaze, Mrs. Zhou saw a familiar figure. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, that was Little Su, wasn¡¯t it?

    After exchanging a few pleasantries with the stall owner, Mrs. Zhou quickly walked in the direction Su Shen and Gu Zi had gone. She wasn¡¯t entirely sure it was Little Su, but the figure looked very similar.

    ¡°Are you Little Su?¡± Su Shen and Gu Zi turned around at the sound of the inquiry, seeing a well-preserved middle-aged woman.

    Gu Zi estimated that the woman wasn¡¯t very old, probably in her early forties.

    Upon seeing them turn around, Mrs. Zhou confirmed that it was indeed Little Su, Su Shen!

    She quickly said, ¡°Little Su, I¡¯m your Sister Zhou, don¡¯t you remember? I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here!¡±

    Su Shen was silent for a moment before he remembered. This was the wife of a comrade from his time in the army. He said, ¡°Sister Zhou, I remember.¡±

    Mrs. Zhou watched him, her gaze shifting to his side. She was uncertain about the relationship between him and the woman beside him. However, she remembered that Su Shen was not one to be interested in women. Hence, seeing a woman by his side had made her unsure if it was indeed Su Shen.

    The young girl beside him was strikingly youthful, leading Mrs. Zhou to boldly guess, ¡°Is this your sister? Your family has excellent genes. The men are handsome, and the women are beautiful. Has she been promised to anyone yet? Little Su, you should get married too. I must tell you, Hu Jie is still unmarried. Why don¡¯t you two give it another try?¡±

    Gu Zi was slightly put off by Mrs. Zhou. Who asks such questions upon first meeting? She felt that this woman lacked a sense of personal boundaries.

    However, who was this Hu Jie? From Mrs. Zhou¡¯s words, could Hu Jie be a woman from Su Shen¡¯s past? Surely not his first love!

    Gu Zi shot a sharp glance at Su Shen, but he seemed oblivious to her gaze, which only deepened her suspicions.

    She had just been considering herself lucky to have met an ideal man in a book. But it seemed she didn¡¯t know enough about older men. He had another woman named Hu Jie, huh!

    After a moment of silence, Su Shen said, ¡°I am already married. This is¡­¡±

    Before Su Shen could finish his sentence, Gu Zi leaned affectionately into his arms, her voice sultry as she interjected, ¡°Yes, my brother-in-law has already married my sister. Mrs. Zhou, the woman you mentioned is no longer an option. He belongs to my sister and me now.¡±

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    Su Shen felt dizzy. What was this young woman babbling about?

    Mrs. Zhou looked surprised. Su Shen was married? And this girl was not his sister but his sister-in-law?

    Oh dear, this was highly improper. How could a brother-in-law and sister-in-law be so touchy-feely in public!

    Mrs. Zhou closed her eyes and shook her head, addressing Su Shen, ¡°Su Shen, you are married, and that¡¯s fine. But you should be mindful of your actions. Where is your wife? It¡¯s not appropriate for you to be alone with your sister-in-law on the streets.¡±

    Mrs. Zhou felt it was extremely rude. She could hardly bring herself to utter the words ¡®hugging and holding..¡¯ She had never imagined Su Shen to be this kind of man, being involved with his sister-in-law even after marriage!

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Satisfy You

    Chapter 351: Satisfy You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen rested his forehead in his hand, a gesture of resignation. His gaze fell upon his young wife, Gu Zi, who just happened to look up at him with a coquettish inquiry.

    ¡°Brother-in-law,¡± she asked sweetly, ¡°what should we be mindful of with this lady? When we were in the car earlier, didn¡¯t you promise to take good care of me on behalf of my sister? Or were you just tricking me into kissing you?¡±

    Mrs. Zhou looked on at the pair before her, a couple she deemed scandalous. Her lips curled in distaste, her white teeth gleaming in silent judgment.

    So, it was Su Shen who had deceived this naive young girl. Good heavens! It was a complete overturn of the impression Su Shen had previously given her. How could he have changed so drastically?

    Mrs. Zhou¡¯s face was a mask of displeasure. She hastily made an excuse to leave, not wanting to play a part in their game.

    ¡°Forget it,¡± she muttered, ¡°I know nothing of today¡¯s events. I¡¯ve never met either of you. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s face bore an expression of disbelief. He had sensed something amiss in the car earlier, but everything seemed to have returned to normal afterwards.

    He had thought his intuition was wrong, but now he was certain he had once again offended his wife.

    Watching Mrs. Zhou leave, Su Shen didn¡¯t bother to follow and explain. Instead, he pulled the young woman into his arms and asked with a hint of resignation, ¡°Are you enjoying this?¡±

    His tone was surprisingly indulgent.

    Gu Zi met his gaze, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes were misty, making her appear innocent and endearing, even temptingly so.

    ¡°Brother-in-law, I¡¯m happiest when I¡¯m kissing you. Of course, it¡¯s fun!¡±

    As she spoke, her soft tongue occasionally peeked out from between her lips, a flash of red that caught his eye and made his breath hitch.

    He leaned down and captured her lips with his own, his tongue assertively prying open her teeth to find her soft tongue.

    They were in a secluded corner, away from the crowd. He pressed her against the wall, lost in a passionate kiss, only releasing her after a long while.

    Gu Zi glared at him, accusing him of being inconsiderate.

    He stroked her hair, his voice slightly hoarse as he said, ¡°Little girl, what¡¯s wrong with satisfying you?¡±

    Gu Zi admonished herself inwardly, determined not to be swayed by him. After all, she still hadn¡¯t figured out who Hu Jie was.

    Was this man not planning to explain anything to her?

    With a cold huff, she retraced her steps, her mind too preoccupied to care about inspecting the shopfront. She had no intention of looking any further!

    Su Shen followed her with long strides. When they got into the car, Gu Zi purposefully chose to sit in the back seat.

    Driving, Su Shen reflected on their earlier conversation. After a moment, he explained, ¡°Mrs. Zhou is the wife of a comrade of mine. He was discharged before me and we haven¡¯t been in contact for a long time. I don¡¯t know Mrs. Zhou well, she just seems to enjoy matchmaking, it wasn¡¯t my idea.¡±

    He remembered that Mrs. Zhou loved introducing him to girls back then, but he had no interest in women at the time and always rejected her outright. Gu Zi responded, ¡°Hmm, it wasn¡¯t your idea, it was someone else¡¯s.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that he was skirting around important information. If it wasn¡¯t his idea, why would Mrs. Zhou suggest giving it another try?

    It must be that in Mrs. Zhou¡¯s eyes, he had some interest in Hu Jie. Hu Jie was likely his secret crush!

    It was clear to Su Shen that she was still upset, but he truly didn¡¯t know what to say.

    No wonder the old Deputy Chief He often said that for a man, even breathing was a mistake in front of his wife. Su Shen was beginning to understand that sentiment.

    With no other option, Su Shen decided to change the subject. He asked, ¡°The day after tomorrow is the wedding banquet at the Gu family¡¯s place, do we need to bring a gold gift? Does your adoptive father have any requirements?¡± Although Gu Zi was ancrv with him. thev still needed to discuss the matters at hand as a married couple.

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    ¡°They¡¯re not having a wedding, so there¡¯s no need for a gold gift. A cash gift is enough, just to go through the motions. As for my adoptive parents, there¡¯s no need to consider them. They abandoned me long ago. Now, I only recognize the Lin family as my parents.¡±

    The fact that the Gu family had allowed her to be a sacrificial lamb in a proxy marriage, and later repeatedly believed Lin Miao¡¯s words against her, had already made their stance clear.

    Gu Zi respected this, so from now on, she only had her biological parents.

    Seeing her attitude, Su Shen felt a sense of relief. He had originally thought that Gu Zi would show some consideration for her adoptive parents.

    And even if she didn¡¯t consider her adoptive parents, she should have given some additional gifts out of respect for Gong Zhan. But her words left him quite satisfied..

 Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Not That Kind of Person

    Chapter 352: Not That Kind of Person

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Very well, your advice is sound,¡± he conceded. ¡°Keeping a distance from those who are overly status-conscious and prideful is indeed a wise choice.¡±

    Su Shen was acutely aware of the changes in the Gu family¡¯s attitude towards him.

    However, he held no resentment towards this shift. He saw no need for it. Indeed, he did not wish to be overly entangled with the Gu family.

    Still, Su Shen found himself puzzled. Given that Gu Zi was well aware of the character of her foster parents, why had she chosen to marry him instead of seeking a way out?

    Could it have been because she was in a feud with Gong Zhan?

    It was hard to believe that someone as intelligent as Gu Zi would back herself into a corner with no other options.

    Now, Su Shen was even more convinced that Gong Zhan was likely the reason.

    He could have accepted any other reason, but this one alone made him inexplicably uncomfortable.

    By the time the couple returned home, it was already past noon. Gu Zi asked Su Shen to bring their daughter, Lele, home. She planned to cook a simple meal using the leftover rice from the previous night, stir-frying it with eggs and ham slices. She would also prepare a tomato and pork soup, using the remaining pigeon soup as a base.

    Next door, Aunt Zhang¡¯s grandson, Shi Tou, had been waiting eagerly behind the door. By this time, his fairy auntie would usually come to pick up his sister, and he would get to see her and enjoy some delicious food.

    Of course, even if there was no food, he wouldn¡¯t mind. He had already eaten so much of Gu Zit s food, he wouldn¡¯t be upset if she didn¡¯t give him any more. He was just looking forward to seeing her.

    He waited behind the door for a while, then sat on the doorstep for a while, until he finally heard some movement.

    He quickly scrambled up from the doorstep and ran outside, but his steps gradually slowed when he looked up and saw not his auntie, but a handsome uncle whom he had to crane his neck to see.

    Darn! He was waiting for his fairy auntie, not the handsome uncle.

    But his auntie had told him to be polite, so he spoke up with a hint of disappointment, ¡°Uncle, are you here to pick up Lele?¡±

    After saying this, he went to call his grandmother. Su Shen didn¡¯t notice the obvious disappointment on the child¡¯s face and slowed his pace to follow.

    Upon hearing her grandson¡¯s call, Zhang Cuihua hurried out of the kitchen.

    By the time Su Shen entered, she was already holding the sleeping little girl. She handed the child to Su Shen, saying, ¡°Little Lele has been very good. She played with Shi Tou for a while, then fell asleep after drinking her milk. She hasn¡¯t woken up yet. You should wake her up when you get home.¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t have much to say in response. He simply nodded and thanked her before preparing to leave with the child. However, he noticed Aunt Zhang seemed to have something more to say, so he slowed his steps.

    Gu Zi had told him that Aunt Zhang was not the type to gossip without reason. If she wanted to speak, it must be something important.

    As expected, Aunt Zhang finally broke the silence, addressing Su Shen. ¡°Su Shen, there are some things I¡¯d like to say to you. Just listen, don¡¯t take it to heart. I think Gu Zi is a good-hearted child. She takes care of the children with all her heart, even towards my Shi Tou, she has nothing but kindness. I can see that she truly loves children.¡±

    Su Shen, seeing Aunt Zhang beat around the bush without getting to the point, understood that she had some reservations.

    Su Shen was not one to pay much attention to others or their affairs, thus he often overlooked certain things. However, once he paid attention and had similar experiences, he was able to see through them.

    He spoke to alleviate her concerns, ¡°You can speak freely, I won¡¯t overthink it, and I certainly won¡¯t think that Gu Zi is trying to influence me through you. She¡¯s not that kind of person, I Imow.¡±

    Aunt Zhang nodded repeatedly, ¡°1 think Gu Zi is different from the women before. She has a strong personality but is kind-hearted and reasonable. She¡¯s so young, and you¡¯re in your prime, why not have a child of your own?¡±

    Aunt Zhang felt that it would be a real pity if two people with such good genes didn¡¯t have a child.

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    She was not one to mince words. If she had something to say, she would say it. Of course, it was not her place to directly tell Su Shen this, he had to see it for himself.

    After hearing these words, Su Shen fell silent for a moment, then said to Aunt Zhang, ¡°You¡¯re right, but Lele has already delayed her enough. Let¡¯s talk about having children later. Aunt Zhang, I should go now.¡±

    Aunt Zhang was a bit taken aback.

    She didn¡¯t understand, could it be that Gu Zi was reluctant to have a child?

    When Su Shen returned home, Gu Zi was cooking rice, and a pot of tomato soup was simmering on the other side of the stove. Su Shen looked at the little girl in his arms, unsure of how to wake her up. In the end, he turned to Gu Zi for help..

 Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: She Was Willing

    Chapter 353: She Was Willing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi found it endearing to see him, his hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air, his mouth agape, unsure of what to say or do.

    He claimed to have been reading parenting books, but it was clear to her that theory and practice needed to be combined to gain real experience.

    However, she was still upset, and so her face remained expressionless.

    After drying her hands with a dishcloth, Gu Zi picked up their daughter and left the kitchen, leaving the rest to Su Shen.

    Lunch was a quiet affair, each of them eating their own meals in silence.

    Their little daughter, Lele, was the only one who seemed to be enjoying her fried rice, occasionally uttering strange combinations of words and sentences.

    Gu Zi would respond to her briefly before returning to her meal, not initiating any conversation with Su Shen.

    Su Shen, too, seemed preoccupied with something. He ate his meal without speaking to Gu Zi, lost in his own thoughts.

    Gu Zi decided that as long as she didn¡¯t know what he was thinking about, she would assume he was thinking about that woman named Hu Jie.

    Hmph, until she understood what was going on, she would continue to be difficult!

    Lunch was late that day. After they finished eating, Gu Zi was still cleaning up the kitchen when Li Hua came over to learn some cooking skills. Su Shen didn¡¯t rush to leave, instead, he picked up the tools he had prepared and went to the yard to build a canopy.

    Although Gu Zi was in the kitchen, she noticed that Su Shen was keeping his promise to her and was currently fulfilling it.

    But then Gu Zi quickly remembered that this was a promise he had made to his son. Gu Zi, don¡¯t let yourself be moved by this!

    Li Hua found it strange to see Gu Zi occasionally pinching her own face and then staring blankly out of the kitchen. Trusting her woman¡¯s intuition, she asked, ¡°Are you upset?¡±

    While guiding her sister-in-law on how to knead the dough, Gu Zi replied coldly, ¡°Not yet, but if the charges are proven, I can officially start a fight.¡±

    She said this, but in truth, Gu Zi didn¡¯t know if she would make a fuss if Hu Jie really was the woman Su Shen loved but couldn¡¯t have.

    After all, she hadn¡¯t opened her heart to love Su Shen. But now, she felt uncomfortable, as if a stone was lodged in her chest, unable to move up or down.

    Li Hua was at a loss as to how to console her sister-in -law. She and Lin Cheng had known each other since childhood, and they understood each other deeply. They had committed to each other early on, so she never had such worries, and she didn¡¯t know what to say at this moment.

    Seeing her sister-in-law¡¯s dilemma, Gu Zi said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. Let¡¯s focus on what we have at hand. Life has to go on.¡± Li Hua nodded, thinking that her sister was truly intelligent and thoughtful.

    In fact, if she hadn¡¯t married and moved to the countryside, she would probably be shining brightly on a campus. However, it was fortunate that she had met Su Shen, her brother-in-law, who was quite good.

    After a busy time in the kitchen, Gu Zi and Li Hua came out to sit in the living room, watch some television, and enjoy some fruit.

    Li Hua looked at a fruit platter shaped like a swan, expressing her surprise and praising, ¡°You¡¯re so skilled, sister. I almost don¡¯t want to eat it.¡±

    She only found out when she came in that her sister had built two clay ovens yesterday, claiming that they could bake bread without a stove, which she found quite amazing.

    Now, looking at this fruit platter, she felt as if she was living in a television drama.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°The purpose of making it is to increase our appetite. Let¡¯s eat this swan and continue working! We aim to make our hot and spicy soup bigger and stronger, and create glory!¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s make it bigger and stronger!¡± Li Hua picked up a piece of apple to eat.

    The apple was bought by Gu Zi from a large supermarket. Thanks to Gu Zi, their family could now enjoy such high-quality fruit. Li Hua¡¯s mother-in-law even told her to go to the city to buy fruit once a week, so that Gu Zi could eat them when she returned home.

    After finishing the fruit, the two sisters-in-law prepared to get back to work.

    Li Hua noticed that Su Shen had finished the canopy outside and said to Gu Zi, ¡°You should bring some fruit to Brother-in-law. He must be thirsty. I¡¯ll go in and start cooking.¡±

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    Gu Zi had also noticed the situation outside. She cut an apple and a pear into bite-sized pieces and brought them out to him.

    Under such circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t make a heart-shaped fruit platter!

    ¡°Is your work done, husband? Have some fruit.¡± Gu Zi was upset inside, but she didn¡¯t show it in her voice, which seemed as usual.

    Su Shen wasn¡¯t an experienced lover, so he definitely couldn¡¯t tell the difference.

    But what did it matter whether he could tell or not? After putting down the fruit, she went back inside. When people are angry, they can¡¯t be reasoned with, and she was being unreasonable now..

 Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: You â€˜re The Dog!

    Chapter 354: You ¡®re The Dog!

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen gazed at the neatly sliced fruit, assuming that Gu Zi had gotten over the day¡¯s events back in the town and had put the incident behind her. As he savored the fruit, it tasted exceptionally sweet.

    However, it was only after Li Hua left in the afternoon that Su Shen gradually realized that the matter was far from over.

    While Gu Zi was taking care of Lele, Su Shen, as usual, sat down next to her. She naturally placed their daughter between them, even making an excuse to move a bit further away from him.

    When Su Shen mentioned that he would be spending the day at home with them, she merely responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and told their daughter, ¡°Lele, you¡¯re so lucky. Daddy is home to play with you again.¡±

    Her words seemed cheerful, but something was amiss.

    He had clearly said he would be spending time with both of them, yet she insisted on saying he was there for their daughter. Su Shen felt as if he was being singled out.

    He wanted to have a serious talk with this young woman, but she began to avoid him.

    One moment she said she needed to take a bath, the next she claimed she had to wait for the children at the village entrance. When Su Shen offered to accompany her, she declined, asking why a grown man would always follow a woman around.

    Feeling helpless, Su Shen decided to go upstairs and wash the clothes she had changed out of.

    As he washed the clothes, his mind wandered, and he couldn¡¯t help but recall Aunt Zhang¡¯s words. He knew very well that he had never considered having his own child. He had always thought that raising Su Bing and the others well would be an accomplishment in itself.

    But now, he didn¡¯t seem so sure.

    ¡°Rip!¡± The sound of fabric tearing brought Su Shen back to reality. He looked at the silk underwear in his hand, now with a large hole, and felt a sense of panic.

    He knew her habits well. She liked to wash her underwear separately first, then hang them to dry before washing the rest of her clothes. So, he had also started by washing her underwear separately.

    The underwear she had taken off was made of black silk, small and delicate in his hand, with a faint scent of fermented yogurt. It smelled good.

    Despite his careful handling, he had still managed to tear it.

    For a moment, Su Shen felt terrible. Not only did he always upset her, but he had also torn her underwear. He sank into deep self-blame, a sense of failure he had never experienced before¡­

    After finishing the laundry, Su Shen came downstairs to the sound of commotion in the living room, all caused by his second child.

    ¡°Brother, I think I look better in the dog-head cotton shoes than you do. Why did mom buy us the same ones? Lele¡¯s ones are different. But Lele¡¯s rabbit ones aren¡¯t as nice as our dog-head ones, right?¡±

    Su Bing glanced at his younger brother, indicating his disinterest in the topic.

    Gu Zi intervened, ¡°They all look good. Our second child is the cutest, the eldest is the coolest, and our little girl is the most charming!¡±

    Hearing his mother¡¯s praise, Su Bing felt a warm glow in his heart. His mother thought he was cool!

    So, being cool could also be likable.

    Upon hearing her mother speak of her, Su Le shifted his little feet, seemingly eager to showcase her rabbit shoes.

    Her older siblings, the eldest and the second child, paraded around the living room in their dog-head cotton shoes, occasionally interacting with Big Yellow, the family dog.

    The second child, in particular, teased the dog by saying, ¡°Big Yellow, look! I¡¯ve put your head on my shoes. Do they look good?¡±

    Big Yellow stared back at the second child with an expression of utter disbelief. If the dog could talk, he would surely retort, ¡°You¡¯re the dog! You¡¯re more of a dog than I am.¡±

    Unfazed by the dog¡¯s silent judgment, the second child continued to strut around the living room like a model, refusing to take off his shoes even as his feet began to sweat.

    Su Shen asked, ¡°How do you remember their shoe sizes?¡±

    Gu Zi had just removed Lele¡¯s shoes and replaced them with sandals. She approached the second child, intending to remove his shoes so she could wash them. Once they were clean and dry, she would put them away for a month or so until they were needed again.

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    Upon hearing Su Shen¡¯s question, she replied, ¡°Of course I remember. I created a growth chart for each of them on my computer. I regularly measure their height, weight, and other metrics, and record the data. After all, I believe in scientifically raising children. ¡±

    Su Shen fell silent. He felt inadequate as a father and, it seemed, as a husband as well.

    He knew that this woman was exceptionally meticulous. Every new piece of clothing or pair of shoes had to be washed before being worn. Since her arrival, the entire family had adopted her meticulous habits.

    Su Shen truly felt that life had improved thanks to this little woman.

    Of course, Su Shen was not discouraged. He simply recognized that he needed to do better, and he was determined to make changes..

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Torn

    Chapter 355: Torn

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Before ascending the stairs for the night, Gu Zi informed her second son that his little sister, Lele, would be sleeping with her tonight, and he needn¡¯t bring her over.

    The boy seemed a bit disheartened, ¡°Mom, is it because I didn¡¯t take good care of Lele?¡±

    In truth, he knew he wasn¡¯t as adept at caring for his sister as his older brother was, but he yearned to assist his mother and gain her approval.

    Gu Zi gently patted the top of her second son¡¯s head, explaining softly, ¡°Of course not, don¡¯t think like that. If I thought you couldn¡¯t take care of Lele, I wouldn¡¯t have entrusted her to you in the first place. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t held Lele to sleep in a long time. Can I have her tonight?¡±

    ¡°Sure, Mom. I¡¯ll go brush my teeth now,¡± the boy¡¯s face brightened, and he headed towards the bathroom downstairs.

    Onlv the master bedroom upstairs had an en-suite bathroom, so the two older boys usually performed their nightly ablu tions downstairs.

    Initially, the boys¡¯ teeth brushing technique was far from perfect. Gu Zi had spent two evenings instructing them, emphasizing the importance of proper dental hygiene lest their teeth be devoured by cavities.

    Now, the boys couldn¡¯t sleep without thoroughly brushing their teeth.

    Feeling a bit tired herself, Gu Zi turned off the television, cradled Lele in her arms, and headed upstairs.

    Upon opening the bedroom door, she found her husband just emerging from the bathroom, a warm mist trailing behind him. He was clad in a tank top, seemingly eager to flait his well-toned physique. Gu Zi scoffed internally.

    She walked straight in, placing Lele on the bed to play for a while. She intended to wash the day¡¯s clothes, but the next moment, her husband had wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against the wardrobe to kiss her, his hand boldly venturing under her clothes.

    Their position was out of Lele¡¯s line of sight, so there was no need to worry about the child seeing. But what was he thinking, starting off so passionately? She wasn¡¯t having it.

    Gu Zi bit him, a bead of blood appearing on his lip as he released hers.

    He clicked his tongue, amused by her feisty response. While Su Shen didn¡¯t mind the pain, he knew he couldn¡¯t continue kissing her. He needed to appease his fiery wife.

    ¡°Take your hand away,¡± she commanded, her voice feigning indifference, but her suppressed panting was evident.

    Su Shen picked up on this, deliberately grazing her sensitive spot as he withdrew his hand. Unable to hold back, she let out a soft moan.

    Suppressing a smirk, he asked nonchalantly, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Ignoring him, Gu Zi cast him a defiant look before pushing past him towards the bed.

    Su Shen watched her proud silhouette, savoring the soft moan she had just let out. His breathing grew heavy, but he managed to control himself, following her to the bed where he held her once again. Of course, there were no further actions.

    Gu Zi paid him no mind, sitting on the edge of the bed, amusing herself with Lele. After a while, she finally spoke, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wash my clothes for me?

    We can talk afterwards.¡±

    She felt a bit tired and suddenly didn¡¯t want to move.

    Su Shen replied, ¡°I¡¯ve washed them. I washed them for you earlier, but I might have been a bit too rough. I tore your silk underwear. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gu Zi turned to look at him, his strength was truly beastly!

    However, the fact that he had taken the initiative to wash her clothes made Gu Zi feel a bit petty.

    Everyone had a past, especially a man in his thirties.

    With a huff, Gu Zi feigned concern and asked, ¡°What are we going to do about this? Are you going to compensate me?¡±

    The man nodded, ¡°I will compensate you. From now on, I¡¯ll take care of all your underwear.¡±

    What kind of statement was that? How was she supposed to respond? Gu Zi pursed her lips, but still agreed, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    ¡°Are you not angry anymore?¡± Su Shen detected a change in her tone, the strange awkwardness from before was gone.

    This woman was truly something, her temper was as quick to leave as it was to arrive, and he hadn¡¯t even started to coax her yet.

    His lips were near her ear, with a slight dip of his head, he could kiss her beautiful earlobe. Her earlobe was the most beautiful he had ever seen, glossy like a droplet of water, flushed with a hint of red.

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    Upon hearing his question, she finally turned to look at him, her clear eyes reflecting his face.

    The young woman¡¯s nose twitched slightly, her tone somewhat aggrieved, ¡°Being angry isn¡¯t good, but Su Shen, we need to clear things up. I want to know, who is Hu Jie?¡±

    Although it was the first time she had heard this name, Gu Zi felt a certain dislike for it. A woman¡¯s intuition was usually accurate, so it was better to clarify this matter to avoid trouble in the future.

    Su Shen¡¯s tense jaw relaxed, he leaned down to kiss her earlobe, savoring it before letting go.

    He said, ¡°So that¡¯s why you were angry, you silly woman..¡±

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: The Daughter of My Mentor

    Chapter 356: The Daughter of My Mentor

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi shifted in her seat, eager to hear the full story. Her face was serious as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. Speak clearly and don¡¯t try to hide anything from me.¡±

    Despite her stern demeanor, a blush crept onto her cheeks, lending her an adorable look.

    Su Shen nodded, slowly beginning his tale. ¡°Hu Jie is the daughter of a mentor I had during my time in the military. Several of my superiors, including Mrs.

    Zhou, attempted to match us together. Hu Jie¡¯s father was a benefactor to me. Unfortunately, he sacrificed himself during a mission to buy time for the rest of the troops. His dying wish was for me to marry Hu Jie.¡±

    Hu Jie was the only child in her family and had grown up pampered in a military compound.

    She and her mother followed her father¡¯s military life, and thus, Su Shen came to know her.

    Once, Hu Jie nearly drowned in the wilderness, and it was Su Shen who happened to rescue her. After that incident, Hu Jie often brought Su Shen treats and even made him new shoes. It was then that his mentor and Mrs. Zhou began to play matchmaker for them.

    At that time, Su Shen had never considered marriage, nor was he like other soldiers who were constantly preoccupied with women.

    However, when his mentor proposed the idea, he began to entertain the thought. After all, it was natural for men and women to marry. He saw no harm in it and, after much consideration, agreed to give it a try.

    But not long after, his mentor met with an accident. His only concern as he lay dying was his daughter, and he left this wish with his comrades. After his death, Hu Jie¡¯s mother remarried, taking Hu Jie with her.

    Hu Jie¡¯s mother was a strong-willed woman. Her marriage to Su Shen¡¯s mentor had been fraught with disagreements. As his wife, she wished for him to retire from the front lines and take a less demanding position.

    Despite having the qualifications to retire and enjoy a peaceful life, he insisted he could never leave the front lines.

    She didn¡¯t want her daughter to experience the same lonely and boring life of a military wife. She thought Su Shen, although excellent, was trained by her husband and would likely have a similar temperament. Therefore, she told Su Shen not to take the dying wish seriously, as she had already arranged another marriage for Hu Jie.

    Hu Jie didn¡¯t resist her mother¡¯s arrangements. Her mother came from a good family, and if Hu Jie directly opposed her, she would be giving up everything she had.

    Not long after, Su Shen received a secret mission. Coupled with some family issues, his sister¡¯s three children were left without a caretaker. He officially retired from the military and returned to Daqing Village.

    For some unknown reason, Hu Jie did not go through with the marriage her

    mother had arranged- Instead. she had sought Oilt Sli Shen several times-

    Su Shen did not meet with her. His initial agreement to date was out of respect for his mentor. Since it had ended, he wouldn¡¯t give her a second chance.

    Now, Hu Jie occasionally called the pig farm office to speak with him. Sometimes, he humored her with a few words, but more often than not, he had someone else deal with her. He¡¯d made it clear to her that there was no chance for them.

    Hu Jie hadn¡¯t called in a long time, and Su Shen thought he had completely moved on from her. However, he didn¡¯t expect to run into Mrs. Zhou today, who brought up the past and caused Gu Zi to overthink.

    As these thoughts crossed Su Shen¡¯s mind, a few strands of chilliness emerged in his gaze. The truth was, he had never harbored any romantic feelings for Hu Jie. Even if there had been a shred of affection, he would never have stood by and watched as Hu Jie returned with her mother to marry another man. Nor would he have remained indifferent upon learning that Hu Jie had not married.

    Gu Zi, being an intelligent woman, was not deaf to the implications of his words. This man always wore a cold expression, rarely showing any other emotion except when he was with her.

    Of course, Gu Zi was well aware of this.

    Hearing him say it out loud, Gu Zi felt a sense of relief. She decided not to pursue the matter any further. After all, who didn¡¯t have a past?

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    Hadn¡¯t the original host and Gong Zhan also grown up together from a young age? Hadn¡¯t they been betrothed for a long time?

    Gu Zi took the initiative to wrap her arms around the man¡¯s waist, nestling into his embrace. ¡°I understand now, I¡¯m not angry anymore. But Su Shen, when you were with her, did you ever think about sleeping with her?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, his rough fingertips gently kneading the soft flesh of her waist. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I didn¡¯t pay attention to such matters in the past?¡±

    This woman, who appeared to be so refined, could be quite wild when provoked.

    But then again, he had noticed it when they were in bed together. This little woman could be quite wild at times. When the mood struck her, she would even climb on top of him and take control..

 Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: I Only Want To Be With You

    Chapter 357: I Only Want To Be With You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen gazed at her, his eyes brimming with indulgence. He found her petulance today rather amusing, for it suggested that she wasn¡¯t entirely indifferent to him.

    Gu Zi bit her lip, lazily retorting, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll believe whatever you say. But what if she comes to you using her father¡¯s last wish as an excuse? What will you do then?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°I¡¯ve given her a chance. We¡¯re in the past now. You¡¯re my wife, and I¡¯ll introduce you to her.¡±

    Gu Zi scoffed, ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve actually considered the possibility of her coming back to pester you. Mr. Su, you¡¯re quite the romantic, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Su Shen was helpless. This woman, it seemed, had been waiting for him to say this.

    She was rather unreasonable, but why did he find that so endearing?

    In truth, he wanted to tell her that Hu Jie did seem to have intentions of coming back to pester him, but he decided against it. This woman¡¯s jealousy would drown him.

    He simply kissed her forehead and said with firm conviction, ¡°In any case, I

    only want to be with you. Truly.¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected him to say this. Her heart fluttered, but she didn¡¯t let it show.

    She asked, curiosity piqued, ¡®When did you start thinking this way?

    So, it wasn¡¯t just her who had been lusting after the older man. The older man had wanted to bed her for a while now, hadn¡¯t he?

    He was quite the actor. She hadn¡¯t seen it coming at all, which had led her to mistakenly believe that the older man was impotent. She had almost dragged him to a urologist.

    Listening to her soft voice, Su Shen¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed involuntarily. He leaned in, his hand on her lower back, and whispered in her ear, ¡°I think it was after our first kiss.¡±

    His voice was low and deep, like the rich notes of a cello. The tenderness and indulgence in his tone were uniquely his, enough to make anyone weak in the Imees.

    Gu Zi pushed him away, ¡°Enough of this. Go put Lele to sleep. Saying such cheesy things in front of the child, don¡¯t you feel embarrassed?¡±

    But the man held her even tighter, unwilling to let go just yet. He looked at their daughter gnawing on a pillow and said, ¡°Let¡¯s be fair here. Who started this, hmm?¡±

    Feeling the warmth from the man¡¯s body, Gu Zi shivered slightly, ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s your turn to put Lele to sleep tonight.¡±

    With that, Gu Zi freed herself from his grasp and sat down at the vanity, taking care of her skin.

    Su Shen watched her. Her silhouette was beautiful. Her hair was swept to one side, revealing her fair, swan-like neck. She applied a white cream to it.

    Her round fingertips rolled over her skin, gently spreading and massaging the cream. She was meticulous and feminine. Every movement held a fatal attraction for him.

    After a while of observing, Su Shen finally picked up Su Le, cradling her in his arms and pacing back and forth in an attempt to soothe her. However, no matter how much he cooed and cajoled, the little one¡¯s eyes remained wide open, occasionally reaching out to touch his stubbly chin, followed by a delighted giggle.

    This situation was enough to worry Su Shen, the doting father. Suddenly, an idea struck him and he headed for the door.

    By the time he returned, his arms were noticeably lighter, free of the child¡¯s weight.

    Gu Zi had just finished her skincare routine when she turned around to see the man entering the room empty-handed. He walked straight towards her, lifting her from the vanity table and carrying her to the bed, where he began to shower her with kisses.

    Finding a moment to speak, she asked, ¡°Did you leave Lele with the eldest or the second one?¡±

    Without pausing his actions, the man replied, ¡°The second one, he enjoys looking after the child, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Zits underwear was removed, her legs positioned into an ¡®M¡¯ shape under his weight. The man gazed at the sight before him, his breath heavy.

    From that point on, Gu Zi had no chance to say anything else. Her head felt fuzzy, the only sound she could hear was the man¡¯s soft lapping. Her body was left in a wet mess under the man¡¯s tongue.

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    Gu Zi was left blushing and flustered, her lower body completely under his control. She was so weak she couldn¡¯t even sit up.

    Under his teasing tongue, her waist tightened again and again, her mouth letting out soft moans. Her body was spread open by his wet, hot tongue, sucking hard and fast. She felt a rush of wetness below, her breathing becoming faster, her nipples hardening. She felt like she was being driven to her limit.

    At the height of her embarrassment, he deliberately voiced out, ¡°Baby, you¡¯re squirting. Let it flow more, hmm? All of your honey is mine.¡±

    Gu Zi was embarrassed and shyly turned her head away.

    Under the lamplight, the tiles by the window reflected their figures. She was revealing a large expanse of skin, her nightgown bunched around her waist, one strap slipped off her shoulder. Her full breast was swollen, trembling with her movements..

 Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Dad Is Quite Scheming

    Chapter 358: Dad Is Quite Scheming

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    No one knew how long he had been with her, but the reflection in the ceramic tiles painted a picture of their escalating passion.

    Gu Zi was completely bare, her legs spread wide apart. The man¡¯s powerful hips thrust back and forth, causing her to sway with each movement.

    Her long hair cascaded down her back like soft, black silk, accentuating her voluptuous body, which was as fair and pure as jade.

    Afterward, the man carefully cleaned her up and held her as they slept. Her body was flushed a light pink, making him afraid to hold her too tightly for fear of breaking her.

    But if he didn¡¯t hold her tight, he couldn¡¯t satisfy his possessive desire. He was genuinely afraid that if he didn¡¯t hold her close, he might lose her.

    The next morning, the second son knocked on the door. Su Shen was awake and was just about to kiss the woman in his arms.

    Upon hearing the knock, he covered the woman with a blanket before saying, ¡°Come in.¡±

    The second son brought in Lele, and Su Shen took the child and placed him on the side of the bed where he slept.

    Su Li wanted to call out to his mother when he saw that she was still asleep, but his father stopped him, and his tone was somewhat harsh.

    Feeling wronged, Su Li left the room.

    The two brothers made themselves some food and prepared simple lunch boxes for school.

    Su Li couldn¡¯t help but complain to his older brother, ¡°Our father is such a scheming man. He was afraid I would curry favor with mom, so he didn¡¯t even let me talk to her.¡±

    Su Bing was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°He was afraid you would wake his wife. Mom has been running around a lot lately and needs more rest. It¡¯s not that dad is scheming.¡±

    Although Su Bing admitted that their father was indeed cunning, he also thought that Su Li wasn¡¯t too bad himself in that aspect.

    Su Li blinked and said, ¡°Is that so? Alright then, I¡¯ll talk to mom tonight. I took good care of Lele yesterday. Dad couldn¡¯t soothe Lele, but I managed to do it quickly.¡±

    Su Bing shook his head. This competition for favor was hopeless!

    In the city, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei went to the police station early in the morning with a fruit basket and an invitation, intending to invite Deputy Chief He to their daughter Lin Miao¡¯s wedding banquet.

    However, it was a coincidence that Deputy Chief He was not there that day. Just as Gu Shan was thinking of another way to contact him, he ran into Captain He, who was returning from work, at the entrance of the police station.

    Captain He was Deputy Chief He¡¯s son, so it was perfect to have him deliver the message¡­.

    Immediately, Gu Shan implored Captain He to accept the invitation and fruit basket on behalf of his father. He also extended an invitation to Captain He himself.

    Zhang Mei also exchanged a fair amount of pleasantries. Seeing Captain He¡¯s satisfaction, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She had heard rumors about the Deputy Bureau Chief He¡¯s son being a rising star in the military, a rare talent indeed. Today, upon meeting him, she found him to be extraordinary, no less impressive than Gong Zhan.

    Zhang Mei quietly hatched a plan. Once she established a relationship with Deputy Bureau Chief He¡¯s family, she intended to introduce her own relative¡¯s children to Captain He.

    With family ties strengthened, who in the military compound would dare not give them some respect?

    Captain He, unaware of their ulterior motives, saw this as a good opportunity to advance his case. He laughed gracefully, saying, ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t invited me, I would have come on my own.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt that the young man was indeed eloquent, truly worthy of being Deputy Bureau Chief He¡¯s son. They left quite satisfied.

    After they left, one of Captain He¡¯s subordinates, a public security officer, came over, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s the Gu family again. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Recently, that old man Gu Shan has been frequently visiting the police station to see your father, and your father has had to find excuses to avoid coming in.¡±

    Deputy Bureau Chief He didn¡¯t want outsiders to think he was too familiar with the Gu family, hence his evasiveness. Little did he know, the Gu family had completely missed his intentions. Despite the fact that their daughter was marrying into the Gong family, the sworn enemy of Deputy Bureau Chief He, he still received an invitation from the Gu family. It was truly baffling.

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    Captain He raised his eyebrows, correcting him, ¡°What do you mean ¡®my father¡¯? In the bureau, there is only Deputy Bureau Chief He, not ¡®my father¡¯. Call my father and tell him his son says he should stop hiding. He can¡¯t avoid it, tell him to come and accept the fruit basket and invitation.¡±

    His subordinate gave a thumbs up, ¡°Captain He, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Upon returning to his office and seeing the invitation and fruit basket, Deputy Bureau Chief He couldn¡¯t help but smirk, complaining, ¡°The Gu family is like a persistent adhesive plaster, impossible to shake off. We only met once at Su Shen¡¯s wedding, and they just won¡¯t let it go! Look at their greed, not only do they want me to attend, but they also want me to bring the other two old fellows to boost their event¡¯s prestige!¡±

    The content of the invitation was essentially a sincere request for someone to attend a banquet at the Golden Sun Hotel, and to help invite Boss Huo and the old leader.

    Deputy Bureau Chief He took a drag from his cigarette, shook his head, and laughed wordlessly..

 Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Truly Unkind

    Chapter 359: Truly Unkind

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It was one thing to ask him for help in inviting Boss Huo, the old man would probably be willing to come even from the South Pole if he knew that Su Shen was attending. However, he doubted the need to inform the old commander.

    Lately, the Central South Military Region had been bustling with activity, and he would not bother the old commander with such trivial matters.

    Moreover, what was his obligation to the Gu family? If it weren¡¯t for his connection with Su Shen, even if the old man from the Gong family were to invite him, the three of them might not necessarily attend.

    ¡°Deputy Director, Captain He means that at least you should go,¡± one of Captain He¡¯s subordinates whispered into the Deputy Director¡¯s ear.

    Deputy Chief He instantly understood, laughing as he replied, ¡°Tell your Captain that his father said he should invite Uncle Huo himself, and mention that Su Shen will be there.¡±

    The subordinate immediately understood and left to find Captain He.

    Exiting the Deputy Director¡¯s office, he headed straight for Captain He¡¯s desk. The surrounding people, sharp-eyed as they were, couldn¡¯t help but wonder when the Gu family had become so close with Deputy Chief He. They were even inviting him to a banquet, and he didn¡¯t seem to have refused.

    Whispers and speculations spread amongst the crowd, quickly reaching the ears of Aunt Wang, who had been transferred to the cleaning department.

    Just having finished cleaning the bathrooms, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, despising the cleaning uniform she was wearing. A strong sense of hatred and jealousy flashed in her eyes.

    Her current predicament was all thanks to the Gu family. They were getting along well, but they didn¡¯t help her speak to Deputy Chief He Ming to get her position back. The Gu family was truly unkind!

    It seemed she would have to rely on herself. On the day of the wedding banquet, she would have to butter up Deputy Chief He Ming with her husband, offering him a few drinks. There might still be hope to get her old job back.

    Gu Shan, having managed to invite Deputy Chief He and his group, felt refreshed and cheerful all the way home. He even hummed a little tune. Zhang Mei was also happy, following behind Gu Shan with a straighter back than before.

    Although the Gu family lived in the military compound, there was a difference between those who lived in apartment buildings and those who lived in detached houses.

    The Gu family lived in the most common type of apartment building, while the Gong family lived in a high-end detached house. It was clear to everyone which family was of higher status in this marriage alliance.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for Mrs. Chen¡¯s appreciation of Gu Zi¡¯s beauty and excellence, and her initiative to propose Gu Zi as a daughter-in-law for the Gong family, this marriage would not have happened. But it was precisely because of this marriage that the Gu family began to make a name for themselves in the compound.

    To outsiders, although the Gu family was not on par with the Gong family, at least the Gu family¡¯s daughter was presentable, leaving no room for gossip.

    However, it was later discovered that Gu Zi was not their biological daughter. Their real daughter, Lin Miao, had been raised in the countryside for over a decade and couldn¡¯t compare to Gu Zi in any way.

    Now that the bride was Lin Miao, the gossip behind their backs increased, with many feeling that the marriage was unequal and inappropriate.

    In the grand courtyard, there were more eligible girls than just those from the Gu family. They all paled in comparison to Gu Zi, but not one of them would admit to being inferior to Lin Miao. Why should it be Lin Miao who marries Gong Zhan? It was simply an insult to Young Master Gong.

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    As Zhang Mei pondered this, she exhaled a sigh of relief, ¡°At the wedding banquet tomorrow, when Deputy Chief He and his group make their appearance, I¡¯d like to see who dares to say that our Lin Miao is not worthy of the title of Mrs. Gong. Who dares to belittle our Gu family.¡±

    Gu Shan lounged comfortably on the sofa, taking a sip of water before speaking, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as soon as He Ming and his group arrive, no one will think that our Gu family lacks connections or support. Even those relatives of the Gong family who look down on people will have to come and curry favor with you. Just wait and see how they try to please our family, hahaha¡­¡±

    Speaking of the weight of the old leaders, one of them was even more influential than Gong. Even if Deputy Chief He and Boss Huo, these two big figures, were present, they wouldn¡¯t be inferior to the Gong family.

    After the wedding banquet, even the Gong family would have to give the Gu family some respect.

    Listening to her parents¡¯ conversation, Lin Miao was secretly delighted. She hadn¡¯t expected that they could really invite those big shots to the event. Humph, she was looking forward to seeing how those high-ranking children who grew up in the courtyard would grovel before her, Lin Miao!

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Very Fruitful

    Chapter 360: Very Fruitful

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the quaint village of Daqing, within the Su household, Gu Zi awoke near noon.

    Her daughter, Su Le, had risen earlier and was entertaining herself in bed. Upon seeing her mother awake, the little girl clapped her hands in delight, encouraging her mother to rise and start the day.

    After dressing, Gu Zi picked up her daughter, pinching her chubby cheeks affectionately before heading downstairs.

    In the kitchen, she found breakfast left for her by her husband.

    She picked up a large dumpling to eat. The dumplings, as always, were generously sized.

    However, they had cooled, so after eating one, she took the plate of dumplings into the kitchen and fried them into potstickers. She and Su Le enjoyed a small feast.

    She then steamed some rice and prepared a few simple dishes before heading upstairs to read.

    Gu Zi calculated that she had more than half a year before her advancement exams. This was ample time for her, but she didn¡¯t want to slack off. Whenever she had spare time, she would flip through her books.

    Seeing her mother reading, Su Le imitated her, picking up a dictionary to flip through. The little girl looked as if she could truly understand the words, and Gu Zi found her heart filled with joy whenever she saw this.

    Her little Lele was simply too adorable!

    When it was nearly time, Gu Zi put down her book, tidied up her desk, and lifted Su Le onto her lap, straining slightly with the effort.

    She suddenly realized that her little girl had gained quite a bit of weight, her face now plump with baby fat. This was proof that her efforts in raising her child were fruitful.

    She decided to take Lele to the hospital for a comprehensive check-up when she had the time, just to be completely at ease.

    For lunch, Gu Zi prepared pickled cabbage fish slices, a cold mixed three-shred dish, and a fresh vegetable soup. She wasn¡¯t particularly hungry, so she packed everything up, planning to take it to the pig farm to share lunch with Su Shen.

    Before leaving the house, Gu Zi prepared a bottle of milk for Lele to drink. The little girl accepted the bottle and began to drink eagerly.

    On their way, they ran into Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou. Little Lele waved her milk bottle in greeting, amusing Aunt Zhang to no end.

    Upon arriving at the pig farm, Gu Zi was greeted with warm welcomes, with people affectionately calling her ¡°sister-in-law.¡±

    As they observed the plump and joyful Lele, their admiration for Gu Zi¡¯s beauty and kindness only grew.

    Jin Long hurried over, eager to know what delicious treats Gu Zi had brought that day. However, before he could finish his sentence, Su Shen appeared and led his wife and daughter away to his office.

    Jin Long tried to follow, but found the office door locked against him. He could only sigh at his brother¡¯s protective nature.

    Gu Zi watched Jin Long¡¯s retreating figure with a sympathetic smile, remarking, ¡°Jin Long just wanted to share in the food. I made plenty, it¡¯s no trouble.¡±

    She then served him a piece of fish and a large, round fried egg. The egg, having been deep-fried and then soaked in vegetable soup, was filled with a fragrant broth.

    One bite released a burst of crisp, savory flavor that was utterly satisfying.

    The man, while eating, casually remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, he won¡¯t starve. You should eat too.¡±

    He was a man of few words, but his love was evident in his actions. He served her food, handed her napkins, fed their daughter, and even draped his coat over her when he felt a chill in the air, always fearing she might catch a cold.

    Knowing how busy he was with work, Gu Zi didn¡¯t plan to stay long. After sharing lunch with him, she left with their daughter, inviting her sister-in-law who was delivering food to Lin Cheng to continue learning how to make spicy soup at her place.

    Li Hua was a quick learner. The spicy soup she made this time showed significant improvement, and Gu Zi estimated that she would soon master the dish. However, Gu Zi reminded her that she still needed to practice the technique of washing the gluten.

    After finishing the spicy soup for the day, the two sisters-in-law chatted for a while. Li Hua had visited her father in the city the day before and assured Gu Zi that he was recovering well.

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    As for Lin Miao¡¯s wedding banquet, their parents had decided not to attend, deeming it unnecessary.

    Lin Miao¡¯s parents, who had raised her for over a decade, couldn¡¯t bear to see her taken away by the police for investigation on her happiest day. They thought it best not to attend.

    On the day of Lin Miao¡¯s wedding banquet, a light rain began to fall. Lin Miao¡¯s parents rose early, watching the rain outside the window and reminiscing about their memories with their daughter. Despite their efforts, tears inevitably welled up in their eyes.

    But this would be the last time. They were determined to sever ties with the daughter who was no longer theirs, hoping that she would mend her ways and live a good life with Gong Zhan.

    In Daqing Village, Su Shen and Gu Zi prepared to leave after breakfast. Gu Zi reminded the boys to take good care of their sister, assuring them that Aunt Zhang would come to help look after her once she finished her farm work..

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Not a Good Person

    Chapter 361: Not a Good Person

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As they stepped out, Su Shen held the umbrella, carefully shielding Gu Zi under its protective cover until she was comfortably seated in the passenger seat.

    Gu Zi was not heavily made up that day. Her face and hands were lightly dabbed with a radiation protection cream. She was dressed simply, a tank top paired with a knitted cardigan, casual pants, and flat shoes. She wore no jewelry, her appearance was understated yet elegant.

    Even so, her beauty was undeniable. Her radiant features made her as eye-catching as a rose in full bloom.

    Just then, Mrs. Wang was passing by Su¡¯s house with her son Yuan Yuan and a few other women. Through the car window, they caught a glimpse of Gu Zi¡¯s profile, a sight that stirred feelings of both envy and jealousy.

    Mrs. Wang, in particular, felt a strong pang of jealousy. She wondered why such a beautiful woman would choose to live in the countryside. Was she trying to be a phoenix in a chicken coop?

    Su Shen was wealthy, yet Gu Zi had the audacity to set up a stall at the market, earning money from the poor villagers. It was outrageous!

    Furthermore, her own mother-in-law, Aunt Yang, had been driven out by her and hadn¡¯t yet conceded. Mrs. Wang was certain that Gu Zi and her mother were behind this.

    Everyone knew about the close relationship between Gu Zi¡¯s mother and Aunt Yang. Who could say they weren¡¯t plotting against her behind her back?

    With Aunt Yang gone, Mrs. Wang had to do everything herself, including taking care of her child. She was at her wit¡¯s end and was trying to figure out a way to bring the old woman back from Little Lin Village.

    The more Mrs. Wang thought about it, the angrier she became. She couldn¡¯t help but gossip with the women around her.

    ¡°Look at Gu Zi, she married a rural man just like us, but the difference between her life and ours is like heaven and earth. Look at her, she has a car to travel in, she¡¯s beautiful and fair-skinned. She doesn¡¯t look like a rural wife at all, more like a young lady. She goes to the city every other day, buying things in large and small bags, spending money as if she picked it up off the ground.¡±

    The other women in the village had their own thoughts. Su Shen had always been the golden bachelor of their village. It was only because his marriage conditions were too stringent that he had dissuaded the women.

    If it weren¡¯t for those stringent conditions, how could it have been Gu Zi¡¯s turn to marry him? They were now filled with regret.

    One of them spoke up, ¡°You may not know this, but her father was beaten by his own nephew, Lin Jie, and had his leg broken. That¡¯s why she often goes to the city, probably to the hospital. Ultimately, it¡¯s because Gu Zi is too heartless. She married Su Shen and brought prosperity to her family, but she didn¡¯t give any benefits to her father¡¯s brothers. That¡¯s why her father was beaten, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Another woman agreed, ¡°You think she¡¯s ruthless too, don¡¯t you? I also don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good person. I don¡¯t understand why some people say she¡¯s good. I heard that Lin Jie was sentenced because Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to settle the matter privately. Look how malicious she is. Lin Jie is her cousin after all, and she wants to ruin his life just because the two families had a fight. She¡¯s caused the brothers to have a complete fallout!¡±

    Mrs. Wang spoke of Gu Zi¡¯s character and brought up the incident where Aunt Yang had taken the red envelope money for Gu Zi¡¯s wedding and spent it all. She began to weave a tale.

    ¡°My mother-in-law didn¡¯t know where the money went. I only found out later that Gu Zi must have encouraged her to spend it. As a daughter-in-law, how could I keep an eye on my mother-in-law¡¯s money? I got angry and said a few words to my mother-in-law. Now, with Gu Zi backing her, she doesn¡¯t even come back. I¡¯m left alone to take care of the child.¡±

    The women sympathized with Mrs. Wang, ¡°You¡¯ve really had it tough. Aunt Yang really doesn¡¯t understand. She¡¯s a woman too, doesn¡¯t she know how tiring it is to raise a child alone?¡±

    Someone said, ¡°But in the end, it¡¯s Gu Zi who¡¯s stirring things up behind the scenes. I think we should avoid Gu Zi in the future, or else we might end up with a disrupted family, which would be troublesome.¡±

    On the way to the city, Gu Zi was unaware that she had only shown her face and already stirred up the women¡¯s jealousy.

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    At that moment, she was observing the man driving next to her.

    He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, wearing a valuable wristwatch. He looked very formal, calm, and handsome, exuding a sense of quality.

    Gu Zi looked at herself. Fortunately, she was naturally beautiful. Although she wasn¡¯t dressed extravagantly, her bright and beautiful face was enough to match the man beside her.

    However, Gu Zi was still puzzled and asked, ¡°Why are you taking this so seriously today?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just don¡¯t want others to think that you¡¯ve married someone lesser compared to Lin Miao..¡±

 Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Picking Up Gu Zi â€˜s Leftovers

    Chapter 362: Picking Up Gu Zi ¡®s Leftovers

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi nodded solemnly, praising, ¡°Impressive. It seems that

    Mr. Su, you¡¯re not attending weddings to show off your wealth.¡±

    Leaning back in the car seat, Gu Zi closed her eyes for a moment of rest. Su Shen¡¯s deep-set eyes were shadowed, his hands slightly tense on the steering wheel.

    Today, he didn¡¯t care if he would steal the groom¡¯s thunder. If Gong Zhan dared to squat outside their bridal chamber all night, drinking in a show of defiance, what was there that he wouldn¡¯t dare to do at Gong Zhan¡¯s wedding banquet? Especially when he had nothing to lose.

    The grand courtyard in the city.

    The Gu and Gong families were to be united in marriage. Although they had agreed not to hold a wedding ceremony, they still wanted to host a lavish banquet, thus deciding to hold it at the Golden Sun Hotel for both lunch and dinner.

    The Gu and Gong families agreed to split the cost of the banquet equally. The Gu family didn¡¯t want to lose face and allow others to think that they were merely clinging to the Gong family.

    However, in reality, the cost of the banquet, along with other expenses for cigarettes and alcohol, and preparation fees, were insignificant to the Gong family, but for the Gu family, it nearly drained their resources.

    Not only did they use Lin Miao¡¯s private money, but Gu Shan also borrowed a considerable amount from his friends.

    But to host a grand wedding banquet, Gu Shan felt that owing some money was not a big deal.

    In the future, he, Gu Shan, would be a prominent figure in the courtyard. Moreover, he was about to be promoted. The days of glory were long, and he could slowly repay the debt.

    Members of both the Gu and Gong families arrived early at the hotel¡¯s reception hall. Mrs. Chen and the Gu couple greeted the guests with beaming smiles at the entrance.

    The Gu family had fewer attendees than the Gong family, revealing that the Gu family indeed lacked influential relatives.

    Most of the Gong family¡¯s relatives lived in the military compound and were well-known figures. Upon entering, they began to critically assess Lin Miao, reeling tnat sne was not a sultaD1e matcn ror Gong znan.

    Some even said that Lin Miao was merely picking up Gu Zits leftovers. Without Gu Zi¡¯s existence, someone of Lin Miao¡¯s caliber would never have the chance to become the Gong family¡¯s daughter-in-law. They wondered what Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen were thinking, insisting on Gong Zhan marrying Lin Miao, and even rushing the proceedings.

    To be honest, in their eyes, even MO Li seemed a better fit than Lin Miao.

    Lin Miao had gotten up early to dress up that day. She sat in the reception hall in her beautiful and eye-catching new clothes, but she was left alone, with no one willing to strike up a conversation with her.

    Frustrated, Lin Miao¡¯s face turned red, but she could only sit in place, maintaining a composed demeanor.

    She was not in a hurry. Her father had told her that Deputy Chief He Ming and the others would come. Once they arrived, the Gu family¡¯s reputation would be upheld.

    At that time, these people would have to come and curry favor with her. These snobbish individuals would see clearly that she was the precious daughter of the Gu family, the one who was worthy of Gong Zhan.

    The couple of the Gu family, standing outside, didn¡¯t feel much better than Lin Miao. Although they were welcoming guests at the door with Mrs. Chen, the guests were arrogantly dismissive, engaging only with Mrs. Chen and leaving the Gu couple unable to get a word in.

    Even when Mrs. Chen tried to steer the conversation toward the Gu family, the guests showed no interest. Gu Shan¡¯s face, left out in the cold, was a picture of discomfort. His smile was as strained as a grimace.

    Gu Shan was eagerly anticipating the arrival of Deputy Chief He and his party, unsure of when they would arrive.

    Mrs. Chen, not wanting to embarrass her in-laws, suggested that she could handle the guests alone and that the Gu couple should go inside and rest.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, tired of their futile attempts to engage, turned and went inside.

    Upon seeing Lin Miao isolated, an idea struck Gu Shan. He loudly asked, ¡°Miao Miao, isn¡¯t Captain He coming to attend your wedding? Hasn¡¯t he arrived yet? Did you not give him the correct address?¡±

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    Lin Miao was momentarily stunned, but quickly caught on and replied with feigned nonchalance, ¡°Dad, why are you making such a fuss? Captain He is probably waiting for his father to come with him. They should be here soon. Why aren¡¯t you waiting for them outside?¡±

    The attention of the crowd was instantly drawn. Captain He? The only son of He Ming from the Public Security Bureau? The renowned young talent was really coming?

    A middle-aged woman turned to Gu Shan in surprise, ¡°The Captain He that you¡¯re talking about, is he from the He family? They¡¯re coming?¡±

    It was strange. They hadn¡¯t heard of any connection between the Gu and He families. Why would He Ming and his son attend the Gu family¡¯s banquet?

    And how could Lin Miao possibly know Captain He?

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: A Rather Beautiful Sight

    Chapter 363: A Rather Beautiful Sight

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan chuckled, feigning modesty as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve already informed

    Brother He Ming. He might be late due to his busy schedule at the Public Security Bureau. But he will definitely come. He also attended the wedding of my daughter, Gu Zi, not long ago. Who else was there that day?¡±

    Gu Shan seemed to struggle to recall, and Lin Miao smoothly took over the conversation. ¡°Dad, your memory isn¡¯t so good. Commander Kong from the South China region and the owner of Xinghua Department Store, Boss Huo, were there too! Although you didn¡¯t directly invite them this time, they should come if they know about it.¡±

    Lin Miao didn¡¯t feel like she was lying. He Ming, Commander Kong, and Boss Huo had indeed attended Gu Zi¡¯s wedding. Gu Zi was the adopted daughter of the Gu family, so naturally, they could claim acquaintance with these individuals. They couldn¡¯t have raised Gu Zi for nothing.

    The seemingly casual exchange between the father and daughter of the Gu family concealed a wealth of information.

    Gu Shan actually referred to He Ming as ¡®brother¡¯, implying a close relationship. Moreover, He Ming had attended Gu Zi¡¯s wedding, and on that day, Commander Kong and Boss Huo were also present!

    It seemed that it wasn¡¯t as simple as Lin Miao knowing Captain He. The relationship between the Gu and He families was profound. The seemingly ordinary Gu family was actually quite extraordinary!

    Even more incredible was Lin Miao¡¯s claim that Commander Kong and Boss Huo would attend even without an invitation. It was hard to imagine just how good the Gu family¡¯s relationship with these big shots was behind the scenes.

    No wonder Mrs. Chen and Leader Gong insisted on maintaining ties with the Gu family. For a moment, all eyes in the living room were focused on the father and daughter of the Gu family. The disdainful and contemptuous looks previously cast at the Gu family gradually transformed into goodwill and flattery.

    The middle-aged woman who had spoken earlier acted swiftly, removing a gold bracelet from her wrist and placing it on Lin Miao¡¯s.

    She laughed, ¡°So Miao Miao¡¯s family is so close to the He family. I heard that Captain He doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend yet. Miao Miao, why don¡¯t you introduce my daughter to Captain He one day? Do you like this bracelet? It¡¯s a special gift for you, Miao Miao .¡±

    Lin Miao looked at the gleaming bracelet now adorning her wrist, suddenly feeling a surge of confidence. So this was what it felt like to be fawned over? It felt great!

    Although Lin Miao was overjoyed, she politely declined, ¡°This is too valuable.

    It¡¯s just a matter of a few words, there¡¯s no need to go to such expense!¡±

    The middle-aged woman, hearing Lin Miao¡¯s words, was even more convinced of her close relationship with Captain He. Seeing Lin Miao about to remove the bracelet to return it, she quickly grabbed Lin Miao¡¯s hand to stop her. ¡°It¡¯ s customary to give gold at weddings. Wear it quickly, don¡¯t let others laugh at you

    At that moment, a figure forcefully pushed the middle-aged woman aside. ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t monopolize Lin Miao¡¯s attention all to yourself. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only one here for dinner! Miao Miao, this is the gold ring I¡¯ve chosen for you. Don¡¯t underestimate this ring; it¡¯s no less valuable than her bracelet.¡±

    With a resolute heart, another individual unclasped the gold necklace from around their neck and stepped forward to curry favor with Lin Miao. If they could establish a connection with the Gu family through Lin Miao and thus gain the favor of Captain He, what did a gold bracelet or necklace matter? They were willing to give it all away!

    Soon, Lin Miao was adorned with various gold ornaments, their lustrous shine casting a rosy glow on her face. She finally looked like a newlywed bride, a sight that seemed rather beautiful.

    Meanwhile, the Gu couple was also surrounded by a crowd of people singing praises. ¡°1 took a liking to Miao Miao the moment I saw her. She¡¯s beautiful and outstanding, a perfect match for our Gong Zhan. Brother Gu, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Allow me to punish myself with three cups of white wine!¡±

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    Gu Shan waved his hands dismissively, his tone modest. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve never been one for formalities. I¡¯m already grateful that all of you could make it. Whether it¡¯s the senior leaders, Deputy Director He, or anyone else, all are guests. As hosts, we will make sure everyone is well taken care of!¡±

    Despite his words of indifference, Gu Shan couldn¡¯t help but bring up the fact that He Ming and his party were coming. He reveled in the compliments and flattery from those around him, his face beaming with joy. It was as if his soul was being lifted.

    Zhang Mei felt a sense of satisfaction she had never experienced before. So this was the privilege that power and connections brought. Inviting He Ming and his party was indeed a wise move.

    She hoped that Mrs. He would also arrive soon. She would definitely invite Mrs.

    He to sit beside her, as Mrs. He¡¯s aura was no less powerful than that of Mrs.. Chen! From then on, Zhang Mei could also step into the ranks of the high society ladies!

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Basic Understanding

    Chapter 364: Basic Understanding

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei concluded that the rural man Gu Zi had married seemed to be of some assistance to the Gu family. When they arrived later, she couldn¡¯t afford to neglect them. Reluctantly, she decided to let them sit at the main table.

    As Zhang Mei pondered this, she continued to entertain the Gong family¡¯s relatives and friends, her chin unconsciously lifting in a display of pride.

    Gong Zhan, the prospective groom, arrived rather late. As he stepped into the reception room, he was greeted by an astonishing sight, causing his brow to furrow in confusion.

    His family¡¯s usually haughty relatives were either engaged in conversation with Lin Miao or accompanying the Gu couple in their drinking. There was no trace of the disdainful attitude they had previously shown towards the Gu family.

    Most of the people who arrived with Gong Zhan were children of officials, both male and female, all young. Like most people, they had looked down on Lin Miao since they learned of her return.

    Although some of them, like Gong Xin, had been jealous of Gu Zi¡¯s excellence, they were also equally captivated by it. Because when Gu Zi stood with Gong Zhan, they made an undeniable match.

    Lin Miao, who came from the countryside, of course, couldn¡¯t compare to Gu Zi. Gu Zi was both beautiful and talented, once the most outstanding child in the entire compound. Every family hoped for a daughter like Gu Zi, and if they had a daughter like her, they wouldn¡¯t even want to exchange her for a son.

    Therefore, although they were both daughters of the Gu family, without any significant achievements, Gu Zi made people feel that the marriage between the Gu and Gong families was more respectable, giving the impression that the Gu family was not merely clinging to the Gong family.

    However, if Lin Miao were the one to marry, the peers in the compound would feel sorry for Gong Zhan, the outstanding one. They would sigh that Lin Miao was not a match for him, and inevitably look down on him.

    The young masters and ladies also gradually received some important information after they arrived, their expressions changing from disdain to surprise.

    Someone said to Gong Zhan, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your future father-in-law to be so impressive. He actually knows He Ming, and Lin Miao is good friends with He Ming¡¯s son.¡±

    ¡°Gong Zhan, you¡¯re really not a good friend. You didn¡¯t tell us such important information. I heard that your Gong family and the He family have reconciled behind the scenes, right? He Ming is coming to eat here later, right? Now that¡¯s great, my brother¡¯s case in the Public Security Bureau has hope. You must help me say a few good words later!¡±

    ¡®My mom just told me that Lin Miao agreed to introduce me to He Ming¡¯s son, Captain He! Gong Zhan, you¡¯re really capable. Gu Zi was so excellent before, and now Lin Miao is also so capable. You guys just wait to drink at my wedding with Captain He.¡±

    The public opinion about Lin Miao had suddenly shifted. As Lin Miao¡¯s spouse, Gong Zhan¡¯s face was radiant, and his brows were noticeably more relaxed. However, he couldn¡¯t understand. He had known the Gu family for more than a day or two, yet he had never seen any interaction between the Gu and He families. What was going on?

    They said that Lin Miao and He Ming¡¯s son were good friends. Could it be that Lin Miao had some connection with the He family beforehand? If that were the case, Lin Miao could indeed provide some assistance in his work¡­

    Later, when most of the important guests had been greeted, Mrs. Chen also entered the reception room, hand in hand with Gong Zhan.

    They happened to overhear someone mentioning how good the relationship between He Ming and Gu Shan was, and that He Ming was also coming for dinner, only because of Gu Shan¡¯s face.

    Mrs. Chen looked at her husband in confusion. Mr. Gong slightly furrowed his brows, As He Ming¡¯s longtime rival, he believed he had a basic understanding of his opponent. He Ming didn¡¯t seem like someone Gu Shan could invite.

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    Mr. Gong whispered to his wife, ¡°The Gu family has always been beneath us. It¡¯s inevitable that they would feel inferior at times. Let them boast, let them

    ¡°

    Mrs. Chen nodded in agreement. Just then, a familiar voice rang out, causing the usually unflappable Mr. Gong to slightly change his expression. ¡°Old Gong, long time no see. I¡¯m here today specifically for your celebration!¡±

    Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen looked up, and sure enough, it was He Ming. Beside him was the big boss of Xinghua Department Store, Boss Huo. Were these two really invited by Gu Shan? Mr. Gong couldn¡¯t shake off a surreal feeling.

    The eyes of the others also turned towards the entrance of the reception room.. The middle-aged women sitting next to Lin Miao gripped her hand even tighter, excitedly saying, ¡°Deputy Chief He really came! He really came! Our Miao Miao has such a wide network!¡±

 Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Pretty Good at Currying Favor

    Chapter 365: Pretty Good at Currying Favor

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°That¡¯s the big boss of Xinghua Department Store, Boss Huo! My goodness, even Boss Huo is here!¡± The relatives of the Gong family were nearly blinded by the radiance of these two prominent figures.

    Their eyes held genuine surprise. They had been somewhat skeptical of the Gu family¡¯s boasting, but now the reality was undeniable. The notoriously hard-to-invite Deputy Chief He and Boss Huo were standing right before them. There could be no doubt.

    The gazes directed at the three members of the Gu family were even more intense. The Gu family had garnered such prestige! Both Deputy Chief He and Boss Huo had attended the Gu family¡¯s two wedding banquets. Such treatment was hard to find even in the entire military compound!

    Many people wanted to step forward and speak, but Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were not willing to relinquish their home turf. They had never experienced such glory in their lives. This was all brought about by He Ming and his associates, and it was something the Gu family had fought for. They could not let others reap the benefits.

    Gu Shan, pulling Zhang Mei along, quickly moved to block Deputy Chief He from the others. He greeted them warmly, ¡°Brother He, Boss Huo, you¡¯ve finally arrived. Please, come in, we¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡±

    He Ming, hearing himself addressed as ¡®Brother¡¯, a flicker of speechlessness crossed his eyes. This old man was quite good at currying favor, even calling him ¡®brother¡¯.

    Boss Huo followed He Ming inside, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He looked somewhat adorable as he quietly asked He Ming, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Su Shen was also coming? I haven¡¯t seen him. You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡±

    He Ming turned around and smiled, ¡°Why would I lie to you? Su Shen and Gu Zi will definitely come to give their blessings. Right, Captain Gu, Mrs. Gu?¡±

    When He Ming and his associates suddenly mentioned Su Shen and Gu Zi, a hint of displeasure flashed in the eyes of Gu Shan and his wife. However, it was not obvious. They just smiled and said, ¡°Little Su and Little Zi said they would be here later.¡±

    At this moment, Lin Miao squeezed through the crowd and said to He Ming and his associates, ¡°Uncle He, Uncle Huo, please bear with us. My sister married into the countryside, the road is long and difficult, so she might be late. Let¡¯s go inside and wait. Don¡¯t worry about my sister not coming. I think she is still more accustomed to the people and things in the city. She misses it and will often come back.¡±

    This statement, while ostensibly directed at He Ming and his associates, was actually a reminder to everyone present. Gu Zi had married into the countryside, but she still harbored a desire to return to the city. She often ran out to entangle with Gong Zhan, clearly still wanting to be the Gu family¡¯s darling daughter.

    He Ming and Boss Huo silently cursed in their hearts, but on the surface, they continued to smile cheerfully as they were ushered inside.

    In an effort to curry favor with Lin Miao, the crowd began to discuss Gu Zi¡¯s shortcomings. ¡°I used to think it was a pity that she married into the countryside,¡± one said, ¡°but now that I think about it, she was originally from the countryside. Our Miao Miao is the real lady of the house. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±

    The conversation continued, ¡°Exactly, Miao Miao, you must be careful of Gu Zi. She has many tricks up her sleeve. She¡¯s so talented¡­ no, not talented, I mean she¡¯s very cunning. She will definitely come looking for Gong Zhan again, after all, she was the one who pursued him in the first place!¡±

    ¡°Have any of you seen Gu Zi¡¯s husband? I heard he¡¯s a pig butcher from the countryside. My goodness, I can¡¯t imagine having to share a meal with a butcher¡­¡±

    Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen exchanged glances at the scene before them, their expressions a mix of amusement and discomfort.

    Although Mr. Gong had long been at odds with He Ming, he knew that on this joyous day, all guests should be treated with courtesy. Naturally, he and Mrs. Chen stepped forward to greet their guests.

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    However, seeing He Ming¡¯s wide, toothy grin, Mr. Gong couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. When had He Ming ever greeted him with such a smile? He couldn¡¯t recall such an instance. Was today some sort of anomaly?

    Gong Xin, who had been reluctantly socializing with a group of officials¡¯ children, now stood to the side, feeling rather bored.

    The Gu family members really had no shame, acting as if Deputy Chief He and Boss Huo were here because of them. The others might not know, but she knew better. They must have come because of Su Shen.

    These snobbish people made Gong Xin feel more and more that standing with them would lower her own standards. She decided to go out for some fresh air and see when Gu Zi would arrive.

    Outside the Golden Sun Hotel, Gu Zi and Su Shen had just parked their car. They had actually arrived in town early in the morning, but didn¡¯t want to come too early. So, they had taken a detour to the local market, buying some daily necessities to put in the car, making the trip worthwhile..

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Isnâ€™t This Gu Zi?

    Chapter 366: Isn¡¯t This Gu Zi?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi stepped out of the car, bag in hand, with no other belongings or superfluous gifts. She walked towards the main entrance, arm in arm with Su Shen. Their striking appearances and superior looks drew many admiring glances as they strolled down the street.

    They had only taken a few steps when they heard a haughty voice coming from behind them. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Gu Zi? Oh, you¡¯ve dressed up in your best clothes today, haven¡¯t you? What¡¯s the point? Trying to put on airs, but everyone knows you¡¯re just villagers.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t turn around but slightly lifted her gaze. A short, thin middle-aged woman, arm in arm with a tall, thin man wearing glasses, appeared before her. She instantly recognized them; wasn¡¯t this Aunt Wang who had given them such a hard time when they were transferring their household registration at the police station?

    Gu Zi was familiar with this Aunt Wang. She was always sour-tongued, driven by jealousy because her own children could never match up to Gu Zi. On the surface, she got along well with Zhang Mei, but behind their backs, she would often spread malicious gossip about the Gu family and Zhang Mei.

    For instance, she would say that Zhang Mei didn¡¯t hold a high position in her maternal family, and that the Gu family had to rely on their talented daughter as a social bargaining chip. That was why they had gritted their teeth and invested heavily in sending Gu Zi to a bilingual school, to add value to their daughter and bring honor to the Gu family.

    The Gu family, according to Aunt Wang, had no real skills or connections, and no powerful background. Instead, they had a bunch of poor relatives whom they avoided and dared not associate with.

    All these rumors were spread by Aunt Wang. Zhang Mei, to this day, didn¡¯t understand why people looked down on her. The reason was the so-called friend, Aunt Wang, who was always by her side.

    Gu Zi had never liked Aunt Wang, but seeing that her foster mother enjoyed her company, she had given up trying to dissuade her after a few attempts. It was only now that Gu Zi realized that Zhang Mei and Aunt Wang were birds of a feather, and it was futile to try to separate them.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t lose her temper. Instead, she smiled lightly and said, ¡°Indeed,

    these are our best clothes. Didn¡¯t you notice, Aunt Wang? My husband even wore his best watch. People need to save face, right? I heard you¡¯ve been transferred to clean toilets. Are you getting used to it?¡±

    Her words were spoken lightly, so much so that anyone unaware of the context might think it was a younger person showing concern for an elder. Only Aunt Wang knew the sting of the barb, and how much it hurt. Her face turned a shade uglier than if she had eaten something distasteful.

    Gu Zi dared to bring up that incident. If it hadn¡¯t been for their household registration transfer, she wouldn¡¯t have been questioned about her work capabilities by her superiors and transferred to clean toilets. She hadn¡¯t been reassigned back to her original position yet, and this grudge was hard for her to swallow.

    Now, she was even more furious. If she didn¡¯t mock Gu Zi a few times, she felt she would choke on her own resentment.

    She noticed the man¡¯s wrist, adorned with a watch that glittered under the light. It looked genuine enough, possibly worth tens of thousands. He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes today, the material and texture of which seemed to be of high quality. Coupled with his captivating appearance, anyone who didn¡¯t know better might mistake him for a person of high standing.

    However, she had heard from Zhang Mei that this butcher loved to put on airs.

    The watch was likely a counterfeit, flaunted to impress others. The clothes and shoes were probably cheap street market finds. It was just that he was good-looking enough to make even cheap clothes seem expensive.

    She feigned calmness and said, ¡°That¡¯s nice. After all, cleaning the toilets at the police station is better than marrying young and ending up sweeping pigsties in the countryside. Don¡¯t take it the wrong way, but why did you and your husband bother coming here? The guests at Miao Miao and Gong Zhan¡¯s banquet are all important people. If you¡¯re looking to cause trouble at this time, I think you¡¯ve miscalculated.¡±

    After Aunt Wang finished speaking, the man beside her disdainfully glanced at

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    Su Shen. He deliberately straightened the collar of his expensive suit and said, ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t blame me for speaking out of turn. The matter is already settled. You should just live your life peacefully in the countryside. Why are you meddling in things that don¡¯t concern you?¡±

    Upon seeing their snobbish attitudes, Gu Zi decided not to hold back her words and responded with a laugh.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here of my own accord today. My foster parents and Lin Miao invited me. They even specifically asked me to bring my husband, Su Shen. Uncle, your suit looks quite expensive, but it lacks a certain quality. Su Shen, why don¡¯t you give Uncle the address of your tailor? That way, he won¡¯t have to feel embarrassed next time. Even the suits people keep at the bottom of their wardrobes are more expensive than his.¡±

    Upon hearing that Su Shen¡¯s suit was custom-made, Aunt Wang¡¯s husband¡¯s face changed.

    However, she quickly regained his composure. How could a butcher possibly afford a custom-made suit? Gu Zi was quite the storyteller, she thought, amused..

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Coming Uninvited

    Chapter 367: Coming Uninvited

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Wang spoke with a tone of disdain, ¡°Stop pretending to be wealthy. No matter how genuine your knock-offs may appear, you¡¯re still country bumpkins. You have no sense of propriety, coming to a wedding feast empty-handed. How can you have the nerve?¡±

    Aunt Wang and her husband exchanged a knowing glance, their faces adorned with a contemptuous smile that suggested they saw through everything. They suspected that the couple, Gu Zi, had spent all their money on their outfits to save face, leaving them with nothing to buy a gift. The thought amused them greatly.

    They couldn¡¯t fathom why Gu Shan and Zhang Mei would invite such people to the banquet. These country bumpkins were simply not fit for such an occasion. Aunt Wang was about to voice her thoughts when her husband stopped her.

    Her husband was well aware that their own gift was not of any significant value. It was merely everyday items like cigarettes, alcohol, and biscuits that others had given them and they hadn¡¯t finished. This made them seem more considerate than the empty-handed Gu Zi couple, but there was no need to voice this so loudly. He was not willing to lose face alongside his wife.

    He was also in a hurry to meet Deputy Chief He. He had brought a bottle of fine wine that he had been saving, intending to present it to the Deputy Chief. He had heard that the Deputy Chief had already arrived and he did not want to be delayed by this couple any longer.

    He chastised his wife, saying generously, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore, yet you talk so much. Gu Zi is the adopted daughter of the Gu family, it¡¯s only right that she¡¯s here. Let¡¯s stop talking about this and go in. Gu Zi, you go in first.¡±

    The tall, thin man appeared polite and humble at this moment, but in reality, he was afraid that entering with Gu Zi would damage his reputation. That¡¯s why he urged them to go in first, a move that was hypocritical and pretentious.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen saw through his act but didn¡¯t mind. They didn¡¯t want to have much to do with these people. Gu Zi declined his offer, saying, ¡°Uncle, why don¡¯t you take Aunt Wang in first? You seem to be in a hurry. My husband and I are not.¡±

    Aunt Wang snorted coldly and said to her husband, ¡°See? She doesn¡¯t appreciate it. Let¡¯s not bother with her. Whether she can get in or not is still a question. She might just be here to cause trouble. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Aunt Wang¡¯s husband, seeing Gu Zits indifferent expression, was taken aback. He thought to himself that Gu Zi, who was no longer the Gu family¡¯s darling, was ungrateful. He had spoken earlier to save her face, but she didn¡¯t appreciate it. Well, then he wouldn¡¯t bother with her anymore.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in then. Gu Zi, you and your husband take your time,¡± they said, turning to walk towards the entrance. Aunt Wang¡¯s mocking voice floated back, ¡°Let¡¯s see if Zhang Mei invited them or if they came uninvited. There will be a good show to watch soon, haha¡­¡±

    Aunt Wang and her husband entered first, followed by Gu Zi and Su Shen, who were at the entrance giving their wedding gift. Gong Xin had just returned and spotted her darling Gu Zi. She rushed over, took her hand, and exclaimed dramatically, ¡°You¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve missed you so much! Come on, I¡¯ll take you upstairs.¡±

    Gong Xin, in the company of Gu Zi and Su Shen, bypassed Aunt Wang and her husband, heading straight for the elevator. Upon recognizing Su Shen and Gu Zi, Aunt Wang was about to express her displeasure, but her eyes fell on the young mistress of the Gong family. Aunt Wang and her husband couldn¡¯t help but wonder, how did Gong Xin end up so close to Gu Zi, and by such a

    coincidence?

    Before they could ponder further, they hurriedly approached to greet her. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Miss Gong Xin? What a coincidence to see you here. How come you¡¯re here?¡±

    Everyone in the compound knew the young mistress of the Gong family. She was known for her free-spirited nature and distaste for social obligations. It was rare for them to even catch a glimpse of her, so running into her now was an opportunity they couldn¡¯t pass up.

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    However, Aunt Wang found it strange. Weren¡¯t Gong Xin and Gu Zi always at odds? Yet, today they stood together without any sign of disagreement, even standing quite close. It was odd.

    The sight of the two standing harmoniously together made Aunt Wang somewhat uncomfortable. She preferred seeing them at odds; it was more familiar and reassuring.

    Gong Xin cast a cold glance at Aunt Wang and her husband. She had no idea who these people were, but she detested dealing with those who tried to curry favor with her.

    She moved closer to Gu Zi and said irritably, ¡°What¡¯s so coincidental? Shouldn¡¯t I be here for my brother¡¯s wedding today?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course. My dear, this is Gong Xin, the daughter of Mr. Gong. Isn¡¯t she beautiful? She¡¯s as stunning as a movie star!¡± Aunt Wang introduced Gong Xin to her husband with a wide grin, acting as if she was well-acquainted with her. However, to Gong Xin, this felt invasive and highly annoying..

 Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: My Darling Gu Zi

    Chapter 368: My Darling Gu Zi

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Wang¡¯s husband hastily chimed in, ¡°Indeed, indeed. She is like a flower in our courtyard. I wonder who will be fortunate enough to bring this flower home. They would be truly blessed.¡±

    He thought to himself how well she matched his son in age. If Gong Xin could become his daughter-in-law, the mere thought made him ecstatic.

    However, Gu Zi found Wang and his wife¡¯s flattery amusing. She glanced at her friend Gong Xin, whose face was particularly unpleasant at the moment, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Unbeknownst to Wang and his wife, they were stepping on Gong Xin¡¯s toes with their flattery. Gong Xin despised being referred to as a flower, a pretty but useless thing.

    Miss Gong had always strived to prove her independence. She would never willingly be a mere flower. Their dreams of plucking this flower were utterly absurd.

    Aunt Wang noticed Gu Zit s mocking smile and frowned, ¡°Gu Zi, why are you still here? What are you laughing at? Don¡¯t you know that Xin Xin doesn¡¯t like seeing you? You should leave.¡±

    Ignoring her, Gu Zi looked at Gong Xin. Her pitiful eyes melted Gong Xin¡¯s heart. Who said she didn¡¯t like seeing Gu Zi?

    Annoyed, Gong Xin retorted, ¡°If my Gu Zi wants to laugh, she¡¯ll laugh. What¡¯s it to you? What are you doing here? How dare you speak of my Gu Zi like that?

    Who do you think you are? Who are you calling a flower? Dare to say it again?¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, her tone clearly impatient. Wang and his wife blanched at her words, especially when she referred to Gu Zi as ¡°my Gu Zi.¡± Wang¡¯s wife was particularly upset. When had Gu Zi become Gong Xin¡¯s darling?

    Just as she was about to retort, the elevator doors opened. Gong Xin led Gu Zi inside, pressing the close door button, ¡°I don¡¯t want to share a ride with you. You can wait for the next one.¡± Wang and his wife were left standing outside the elevator, their faces blank with surprise.

    Inside the elevator, Gong Xin caressed Gu Zi¡¯s hand, holding it tightly. Despite her tough exterior, she confessed, ¡°I called you ¡®my Gu Zi¡¯ on purpose to spite them. I don¡¯t really think of you that way.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at her, her lips curling into a smirk. She replied, ¡°Sure, sure. Our

    Miss Gong Xin, Gu Zits biggest enemy, would never consider Gu Zi as her darling! ¡±

    The elevator halted on the upper floor, and the trio emerged, making a beeline for the banquet hall on the third floor. It was nearing noon, the time for the banquet to commence, and the guests had already taken their seats. Consequently, those who arrived at this hour inevitably became the center of attention, observed by all as they made their entrance.

    Moreover, the sight of Su Shen and Gu Zi together was striking, their handsome and beautiful figures impossible to ignore. The number of eyes drawn to them increased steadily.

    Gong Xin and Gu Zi were familiar faces to everyone, but their joint appearance today was unexpected. It seemed as if Gong Xin had come to escort Gu Zi in.

    Had the two adversaries reconciled?

    There were rumors that Gu Zi had married and moved to the countryside, wedded to an older man. Where was this older man? When some guests spotted the tall, imposing man standing over six feet tall beside Gu Zi, they felt a sense of foreboding. Could the older man be the handsome, well-dressed gentleman beside her?

    He hardly resembled a country bumpkin. If someone claimed he was a nobleman, they would believe it. They were certain he couldn¡¯t be Gu Zi¡¯s husband. Perhaps her husband was too unsophisticated to be seen in public, so Gu Zi had come alone. Could this be the infamous Captain He, rumored to be on par with Gong Zhan?

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    Good heavens, if this was indeed Captain He, he was not just on par with Gong Zhan, he was even more masculine! But something didn¡¯t add up. Captain He was supposed to be around the same age as Gong Zhan, yet this man appeared quite mature.

    Many eyes were drawn to Su Shen, sparking a flurry of whispers. The commotion caught the attention of those at the head table. Upon hearing that Captain He had arrived, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were eager to rise and greet him. Gu Shan had just been wondering why Mrs. He and Captain He hadn¡¯t shown up yet, and here they were!

    Lin Miao also excitedly followed, only to find that the arrivals were not Captain He, but Gu Zi and Su Shen.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, Gu Shan asked, ¡°Where is Captain He? Please invite him over. There¡¯s no more room at the head table, so you and Su Shen will have to sit at the next table. Mom and Dad have saved seats for you.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t particularly care whether she could sit at the head table. Upon hearing Gu Shan¡¯s words, she raised her voice a few notches to clarify, ¡°Captain He didn¡¯t come with us. Please don¡¯t be mistaken, everyone. This is my husband, Su Shen, not Captain He..¡±

 Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: The Real He Ming

    Chapter 369: The Real He Ming

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s voice had risen, but as a former broadcaster, her voice quality was excellent. Even when she raised her voice, she exuded a unique charm.

    She introduced her husband with a balanced pride and humility. The two of them standing together now seemed even more compatible than when she had stood beside Gong Zhan.

    The crowd was stunned. Wasn¡¯t it said that she had married a butcher from the countryside? Which butcher looked like this?

    Looking at his suit and leather shoes, his high-end wristwatch, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that these were all genuine. They were not like Aunt Wang and her husband, who were naive enough to think they were fake and meant to deceive people.

    Those who had been waiting to see Gu Zi make a fool of herself suddenly fell silent. The fact proved that Gu Zi, after leaving Gong Zhan, seemed to be able to find someone even better.

    Aunt Wang and her husband walked in just in time to witness this scene. They were a bit confused. Why were Gu Zi and her husband the center of attention?

    Seeing Aunt Wang in a daze, her husband nudged her, ¡°Go find Deputy Chief He, what are you standing there for? Do you want to clean toilets for the rest of your life?¡±

    The man didn¡¯t really care if she would be cleaning toilets for the rest of her life. The key point was that the salary for cleaning toilets was not as high as her previous position. Aunt Wang came back to her senses and hurriedly went to find Deputy Chief He with her husband.

    Su Shen watched as Gu Zi confidently introduced herself. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, standing straight with his arm around Gu Zi. The aura he exuded made everyone around him feel insignificant.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were overjoyed. They returned to the main table and sat down. Gu Zi and Su Shen took their seats at a table next to the main one. As soon as they sat down, Boss Huo squeezed over, wanting to switch seats with the person next to Su Shen.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want to give face to Boss Huo? The person immediately switched seats with him. Boss Huo sat next to Su Shen, feeling much more comfortable. The previously silent Boss Huo was now laughing like a Laughing Buddha, even urging Su Shen to drink with him.

    The people nearby were a bit puzzled. Why did Boss Huo seem to particularly like this country man? Looking at them, they seemed quite familiar with each other.

    The people sharing the table, who had initially held themselves in high regard and unwilling to converse with a countryman like Su Shen, now began to strike up conversations with him, all for the sake of pleasing Boss Huo. Even their glances towards Gu Zi carried a hint of flattery.

    Su Shen, however, responded simply, his attention wholly focused on caring for Gu Zi. The pair seemed extraordinarily affectionate.

    Gong Zhan, seated at the head table, watched all of this with a displeased expression. Particularly irksome was the sight of Gu Zi and Su Shen, so perfectly matched, which stung his eyes and left them dry. What was so special about this man that he deserved such attention? How was this country bumpkin better than him?

    For the first time, Gong Zhan felt that his relatives were embarrassingly inferior. He was irritated, and even Lin Miao, seated next to him, received his cold shoulder. Lin Miao felt wronged, and her pride had been inflated by the attention she had received earlier. She didn¡¯t indulge Gong Zhan¡¯s petulant attitude and responded with a cold expression.

    But Gong Zhan had no regard for her at the moment. His mind was filled with thoughts of Gu Zi, a woman full of cunning tricks. He was certain she was still not over him, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come from so far away to attend the wedding banquet. She even brought along her man and deliberately flaunted their affection for him to see.

    Gong Zhan stared at Gu Zi, his gaze fixed on her slender waist. He even believed that she was intentionally showing it off to him, refusing to accept their separation.

    At that moment, Su Shen cast a cold glance in his direction, draping his suit jacket over Gu Zi. He raised his voice slightly, telling Gu Zi, ¡°Put this on, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    Gu Zi obediently nodded, saying she understood. She instinctively leaned into

    Su Shen, their closeness evident even while eating. It was clear to anyone that Gu Zi was quite happy in her marriage. Only Gong Zhan thought they were putting on a show.

    Mr. Gong felt extremely awkward. He had never imagined that he would be seated at the same table as He Ming. What¡¯s more, He Ming didn¡¯t seem to be here just for the wedding banquet. From the moment he saw He Ming, Mr. Gong¡¯s heart had been in his throat.

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    At that moment, Aunt Wang and her husband were trying to speak with He Ming. He Ming, however, looked impatient and dismissed them with a few words. Aunt Wang and her husband left with green faces.

    Mr. Gong, watching this, whispered to his wife, ¡°I told you, this is the real He

    Ming. What on earth is he here for?¡±

    Mrs. Chen glanced at him and reassured her husband, ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t mean any harm. Didn¡¯t they say he was invited by the Gu family?¡±

    No sooner had Mrs. Chen¡¯s words fallen than a commotion arose at the entrance of the banquet hall, drawing everyone¡¯s attention..

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Sheâ€™s Up To Something

    Chapter 370: She¡¯s Up To Something

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The guests at the main table turned their gazes towards the entrance. At a table adjacent to the main one, Gu Zi calmly peeled an orange for Su Shen, offering it to him with the words, ¡°To quench your thirst.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that they had traveled a long way to attend this event, and it would be a shame to let hunger spoil the show. Su Shen accepted the orange with a word of thanks, his gaze never leaving Gu Zi. Every now and then, he would reach out to gently brush a stray hair from her forehead. His tender attentiveness made Boss Huo shudder. It was terrifying, too terrifying. When had Su Shen ever acted this way before?

    At the entrance of the banquet hall, several individuals dressed in police uniforms appeared. The one leading the group was particularly tall and robust, his energetic demeanor and striking features drawing more than a few lingering glances.

    Before anyone could speculate about his identity, he produced his badge and announced to the crowd, ¡°Police business. The host of the banquet, please step forward!¡±

    The room fell silent. Police business? What was going on? The guests exchanged puzzled glances, completely at a loss.

    Gu Shan and the others at the main table also looked questioningly at He Ming.

    They had invited Captain He to the banquet, but they certainly hadn¡¯t asked him to conduct an investigation. Gu Shan, feeling inexplicably nervous, asked, ¡°Deputy Chief He, what does your son mean by this?¡±

    Among the guests, some recognized the leading officer as He Ming¡¯s son, Captain He. This only added to their confusion. Wasn¡¯t Captain He here to attend Lin Miao¡¯s banquet?

    Why was he in uniform, announcing that he was here on official business? And judging by his demeanor, he certainly didn¡¯t seem to be joking.

    He Ming, however, appeared perfectly composed. It was clear that he knew exactly why his son was here. He didn¡¯t even bother to feign ignorance, stating flatly, ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask your daughter about that.¡±

    Gu Shan turned to Lin Miao, but she could only shake her head in bewilderment. She had no idea what was going on.

    Upon hearing He Ming¡¯s words, Mr. Gong¡¯s expression immediately turned serious. Although he didn¡¯t know what had happened, he knew He Ming well enough to be certain that he was here to watch the show. It seemed that today¡¯s event was likely to be disrupted.

    He rose to his feet and said to Gu Shan, ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions. Go deal with the official business first and figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± With that, the Gong and Gu families left their seats and approached Captain He and his team. The other guests also crowded forward, eager to understand the situation.

    Seeing them approach, Captain He walked straight towards Lin Miao in their midst. Without any pleasantries, he began to question her, ¡°Miss Lin, did the Gu family contribute to the cost of today¡¯s banquet?¡±

    His manner was far from that of a friend greeting a friend. This left the surrounding guests puzzled. Weren¡¯t Lin Miao and Captain He supposed to be close? He addressed her as Miss Lin with such unfamiliarity, it didn¡¯t seem like an act.

    Under the suspicious gazes of those around her, Lin Miao feigned calmness and replied, ¡°Yes, the Gu and Gong families jointly funded today¡¯s banquet. Captain He, is there a problem?¡±

    Captain He shook his head, signaling a man dressed in a tailcoat to step forward. The man presented a stack of banknotes to the crowd. ¡°There should be no issues,¡± Captain He announced, ¡°Could you all please confirm whether the money that the hotel manager has just presented is the same amount you handed over to the Golden Sun Hotel for today¡¯s banquet?¡±

    Mr. Gong and Gu Shan, among others, stepped forward one by one to verify the money, each nodding in affirmation.

    Captain He¡¯s subordinates then called Gu Shan and Zhang Mei aside for questioning. In a formal tone, Captain He addressed Lin Miao, ¡°Miss Lin Miao, we would like your cooperation in investigating the theft of the Lin family¡¯s three thousand yuan gift money. We need you to accompany us to the police station¡­¡±

    At these words, Lin Miao¡¯s face drained of color. Her lips trembled involuntarily, and her fingertips quivered.

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    How could it be because of this? Hadn¡¯t this matter been settled? Wasn¡¯t MO Li already on her side?

    Lin Miao was utterly baffled. She had thought that by bribing MO Li and quickly spending the gift money, the matter would be impossible to trace.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The others were also taken aback, their eyes darting between the Gong family and Lin Miao, as if demanding an explanation.

    Mr. Gong¡¯s face darkened. Mrs. Chen¡¯s usually composed smile froze on her face. Gong Zhan¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared coldly at Lin Miao. His gaze then shifted to Gu Zi, who hadn¡¯t followed them. A thought forcefully emerged in his mind: She¡¯s the one causing trouble!

    Gong Zhan was convinced it must be Gu Zi. She couldn¡¯t bear to see Lin Miao marrying him, so she must have orchestrated today¡¯s events..

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Can I t Bear to See Her Doing Well

    Chapter 371: Can I t Bear to See Her Doing Well

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan was certain that Gu Zi had come for him. For reasons unknown, this realization quickened his heartbeat. He seemed to be eagerly anticipating the manifestation of this thought.

    In the heat of the moment, he paid little mind to the fact that this incident could potentially tarnish the reputation of his family, the Gong. There were many guests at the scene, all awaiting an explanation from both the Gong and Gu families.

    Lin Miao, observing the men in police uniforms before her, felt a sense of impending doom. What was she to do? How was she to handle this situation?

    She noticed Gong Zhan¡¯s gaze drifting towards the main table, where Gu Zi was also looking in their direction. Meeting Gu Zi¡¯s large, bright eyes, Lin Miao shuddered involuntarily. Her gaze remained fixed in that direction as she rushed towards Gu Zi.

    With a pale face, she grabbed Gu Zi¡¯s hand and pulled her up, angrily saying, ¡°Sister, you must be here to take revenge on me, aren¡¯t you? Gu Zi, I know you can¡¯t stand the thought of me marrying Gong Zhan, but you shouldn¡¯t have chosen such an important occasion to cause a scene!¡±

    Lin Miao couldn¡¯t believe it. How could it be on such an occasion? The Gu and Gong families, the people of the courtyard, Gong¡¯s relatives ¨C they were all present. If she were to be taken away by the police under such circumstances, wouldn¡¯t it be akin to a death sentence?

    She couldn¡¯t be taken away at this time, absolutely not! She had to hold onto Gu Zi. As long as she held onto Gu Zi, she would be fine. It was this Gu Zi who had stolen her luck!

    With Lin Miao¡¯s outburst, all eyes turned to Gu Zi. Indeed, it would have been acceptable if Gu Zi, who had married so far away, hadn¡¯t returned today. But she had come, dressed in her finest with her husband, clearly expecting something to happen.

    Everyone had witnessed how infatuated Gu Zi had been with Gong Zhan. The Gu and Gong families should have anticipated that Gu Zi would cause a scene today. However, they had taken no precautions, and the Gu family had even reserved seats for Gu Zi and her husband.

    Fear was evident in everyone¡¯s eyes. They felt that Gu Zi was a woman of deep schemes and a ruthless heart.

    Regardless, the Gu family had raised Gu Zi. Even if she was unwilling to see Lin Miao marry Gong Zhan, she shouldn¡¯t have used the Gu family¡¯s reputation as a joke.

    Seeing everyone accusing Gu Zi, Gong Zhan felt that their thoughts were not far from his own. He said to Gu Zi, somewhat annoyed, ¡°Stop these games. Today is an important day. You need to clear things up with Captain He.¡±

    At this moment, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei entered. They looked at Gu Zi as if she were an enemy. Gu Shan was observing Gu Zi with a new, distant gaze, as if the woman before him was a stranger, akin to an ungrateful wolf.

    They should have seen it coming when Lin Cheng had previously slandered Lin Miao, claiming that she had taken the money from their house. He had even confronted Lin Miao at the entrance of the courtyard. It was clear that Gu Zi had been deliberately manipulating things from behind the scenes.

    It was strange that they hadn¡¯t given it much thought, nor had they pursued it further. Gu Zi had repeatedly used this matter to slander Lin Miao, attempting to tarnish the reputation of both Lin Miao and the Gu family. Today, she had even brought the police to the banquet on such a joyous occasion. This behavior was simply despicable!

    After being taken out for questioning, Gu Shan and his wife returned to the banquet hall, irritated by the incessant and irrelevant questions. As he had suspected, Gu Zi was now targeting Lin Miao.

    Gu Shan felt that he had fallen into a trap. He was certain that Gu Zi, Su Shen, and He Ming had conspired together, intending to embarrass both the Gu and Gong families.

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    He was momentarily confused. Not to mention that Gu Zi, due to her marriage to a rural man, surely harbored resentment towards the Gu family. Su Shen, too, probably held a grudge because the Gu family had once looked down upon him.

    Moreover, He Ming was a sworn enemy of Gong¡¯s leader. The three of them conspiring together could only mean trouble.

    Gu Shan now regretted inviting He Ming and the others to boost his own reputation. But it seemed too late for regrets.

    Zhang Mei tearfully pleaded, ¡°Gu Zi, if there are any mistakes, they are ours. If you have any grievances or hatred, direct them at us. Please don¡¯t harm Miao Miao. Our Gu family has owed her for over a decade. We only want to make amends now. Why can¡¯t you bear to see her doing well?¡±

    Suddenly, Gu Zi became the target of everyone¡¯s attacks. Even Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen looked at her with incomprehension. In their eyes, Gu Zi had always been a good child..

 Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Irrefutable Evidence

    Chapter 372: Irrefutable Evidence

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Even after Lin Miao returned to the Gu family, Gu Zit s reluctance to abandon the comforts of the Gu household for a rural life had been a disappointment.

    However, both Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen had always genuinely believed that Gu

    Zi was superior to Lin Miao,

    After careful consideration, they concluded that Lin Miao was the Gu family¡¯s biological daughter. Moreover, Lin Miao¡¯s simplicity and her easier- to-manage nature led them to accept her marriage into the Gong family.

    However, they were increasingly unable to understand Gu Zi. Could the events of today truly be Gu Zi¡¯s revenge on them?

    Faced with this situation, Gu Zi did not back down. She shook off Lin Miao¡¯s hand and retorted with a faint smile, ¡°Uncle Gu, Auntie Zhang, Miss Lin, it was your family who invited me to this wedding banquet. Why is it that when something goes wrong, you want to pin the blame on me?¡±

    Lin Miao, whose hand had been shaken off, tried to approach Gu Zi again. However, Su Shen stepped in front of Gu Zi, ruthlessly pushing Lin Miao away and shielding Gu Zi in his arms.

    Witnessing this scene, Lin Miao felt a chill in her heart. This man was her husband in her previous life. She had thought that he harbored some unique feelings for her.

    But the cold gaze he had just given her made her realize that Su Shen held no special feelings for her. How could this be? They were husband and wife in their previous life!

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei supported their staggering daughter, accusing Gu Zi, ¡°How could you push Miao Miao! Are you saying that the investigation today wasn¡¯t orchestrated by you? Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that the investigation happened during Miao Miao¡¯s banquet?¡±

    Gu Zi found this accusation laughable. She replied, ¡°Regarding the matter of the three thousand yuan gift money, I indeed hope that the truth can be revealed. But how could I have the power to arrange today¡¯s events?¡±

    ¡°If we must discuss this, Lin Miao¡¯s connection to the missing three thousand yuan is indeed significant. I suggest that you, Uncle Gu, stop struggling and cooperate with the investigation to save Captain He and his team a wasted trip.¡±

    Gu Zi had agreed to attend the banquet hosted by Gu Shan, hoping to witness some drama. Ideally, Captain He and his team would find evidence in time, leading to Lin Miao being taken away during her own wedding banquet. This would alleviate the resentment she harbored for Lin Miao, who had stolen the money and forced her to marry into a rural family.

    However, she couldn¡¯t possibly arrange for the police to act and arrest someone. If anyone was to blame, it was Gu Shan and his family¡¯s excessive vanity. They had invited the He family, leading to this coincidence.

    All she had done was remind Su Shen to inform Captain He to investigate the direction of the money and pay close attention to Lin Miao¡¯s spending habits.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s brows furrowed in frustration, ¡°You insolent girl, what nonsense are you spouting? How could our Miao Miao possibly be involved in the theft of three thousand yuan? It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re the one causing trouble! Captain He, there must be a misunderstanding. Our Miao Miao hasn¡¯t been at the Lin¡¯s for a long time, let alone taking their money.¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei hurriedly tried to explain to Captain He who had followed them, but his attitude was even more rigid than before. He ordered his two subordinates to take control of Lin Miao directly.

    Captain He was utterly disgusted by Lin Miao¡¯s shamelessness. Did she think the police were here for a free meal? Without sufficient evidence, how could he possibly act at this time? The Gu family¡¯s excuses were nothing more than an insult to their investigative abilities.

    Captain He declared coldly, ¡°Today, Lin Miao must come with us. Please trust in the police¡¯s ability to handle this matter. Without concrete evidence pointing to Lin Miao, we would not rashly arrest anyone¡­¡±

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    Captain He truly didn¡¯t understand why the Gu couple stubbornly believed that Gu Zi was trying to harm Lin Miao. Others might not know, but ever since Su Shen personally reported the case, he had been fully responsible for it.

    He loved to follow clues and gather evidence in his investigations. He believed that an arrest should only be made when it was convincing to everyone. He would never arrest someone without reason, let alone at someone else¡¯s behest.

    He explained, ¡°A few days ago, I sent someone to investigate and found that Lin Miao had recently withdrawn money from a bank in town. We followed up and found out that Lin Miao has an account at the town bank and has been withdrawing money from it. This is a significant discovery.

    ¡°After further investigation, this account is under Lin Miao¡¯s name. The time it was opened corresponds exactly with the time the gift money went missing, and a total of two thousand five hundred yuan was deposited at the time of opening.¡±

    Lin Miao was a poor student from the countryside, how could she possibly have over two thousand yuan in savings before returning home? There was certainly more to this than met the eye..

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: The Crucial Clue to Cracking the Case

    Chapter 373: The Crucial Clue to Cracking the Case

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The information provided by MO Li earlier indicated that during the same period, Lin Miao had treated her high school classmates to a lavish meal. They all assumed that Lin¡¯s family had struck it rich in the countryside, but in reality, they were extremely poor.

    Captain He speculated that the extravagant meal was likely paid for with a portion of the three thousand yuan gift money, leaving only two thousand five hundred yuan to be deposited into the bank.

    However, MO Li was now unwilling to testify, rendering her statement unusable. Despite this, Captain He was well aware that Lin Miao¡¯s bank account in the town was the crucial clue to cracking the case.

    After sorting out these details, Captain He formally applied for an investigation order to scrutinize this deposit. With the assistance of bank personnel, he obtained a list of the account¡¯s transactions.

    The list revealed that Lin Miao had made multiple withdrawals from this account, purchasing items beyond her means, such as watches and complete sets of gold jewelry. After buying these luxury items, Lin Miao simply stored them away without using them.

    It was clear that Lin Miao was trying to quickly spend all the money. To put it bluntly, she was laundering it.

    Recently, the Gu family was planning a banquet and had borrowed a considerable amount of money. Unable to resist, Lin Miao withdrew the last thousand yuan from the account to cover the banquet costs. In her mind, this completely eliminated the worry associated with the three thousand yuan.

    Upon arriving at the hotel today, Captain He immediately had the manager present the banquet money from the Gu and Gong families. Upon inspection, it was indeed as suspected. Only one thousand yuan came from the town bank, with the rest originating from the city bank.

    The serial numbers of the money from the town bank perfectly matched the withdrawals from Lin Miao¡¯s account, indicating that this thousand yuan was indeed from her account. The question then arose: where did Lin Miao get this money?

    Listening to Captain He, Lin Miao felt her vision darken and her legs weaken. How could this be? She thought that in this era, once money was spent, it was untraceable. How could Captain He investigate so thoroughly?

    Gu Shan, recalling something, spoke up in Lin Miao¡¯s defense, ¡°Of course the money is earned by our Lin Miao. Our Miao grew up in the countryside, often going hungry and enduring hardships. She has always balanced school with work, and she¡¯s very diligent. Is it so strange that she has some savings to live a better life?¡±

    Hearing Gu Shan say this, Lin Miao¡¯s heart raced and she was too flustered to speak. These were all lies she had told to show off her capabilities to Gu Shan and the others. Where had she ever worked?

    At the Lin household, she didn¡¯t have to do anything. The stories of going hungry were fabrications she had made up to gain sympathy from Gu Shan and the others.

    Gu Zi stared at Lin Miao, her gaze icy cold. So, it was on such baseless tales that Lin Miao had been playing the victim to the Gu family? How shameless! She couldn¡¯t help but speak up for Lin¡¯s family, ¡°Lin Miao, is this how you repay the family that raised you?¡±

    Lin Miao was desperately trying to break free from the grip of the police officers. Zhang Mei also rushed over, clinging to her and refusing to let go. At this point, Lin Miao had no time to respond to Gu Zi¡¯s accusations, her mouth was busy denying everything.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t take the money, I didn¡¯t take any money from the Lin family, I really didn¡¯t. Sister, if you still can¡¯t let go of Gong Zhan, you can just say it. I can step back, there¡¯s no need to make it so that everyone gets embarrassed. What good does this do you?¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s face was pale, her eyes swollen from crying. Zhang Mei watched, her heart aching as if a knife was slicing through her flesh. Yes, Gu Zi was intentionally trying to make Lin Miao, the Gu family, and the Gong family embarrassed!

    Pointing at Gu Zi, Zhang Mei rebuked angrily, ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯re really here to harm us. Our Gu family has raised you, yet you repeatedly hurt our biological daughter. You¡¯re truly heartless!¡±

    Everyone watched as Zhang Mei spoke so angrily, and as Lin Miao cried so pitifully. They didn¡¯t care about the truth, they just felt that Gu Zi was indeed ruthless.

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    She must have known in advance that Captain He was going to investigate and arrest people today, yet she didn¡¯t warn her foster parents. She just watched as they were humiliated. How dark her heart must be.

    Regardless of the truth, today should not have been the day for it to be revealed. It made it difficult for everyone to save face. The crowd murmured amongst themselves, their resentful gazes turning towards Gu Zi.

    But before they could voice their condemnation, a tall figure stepped in front of

    Gu Zi, shielding her from their reproachful glances. That man was Gu Zit s

    husband, Su Shen..

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Gu Zi Didnâ€™t Accuse Her

    Chapter 374: Gu Zi Didn¡¯t Accuse Her

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The majority of people in the banquet hall were seeing this man for the first time, yet his presence was so commanding that they would not easily forget him. There was something about him that demanded attention. When their gazes met his cool, aloof eyes, any hint of aggression they might have harbored was instantly quelled, replaced by a profound sense of intimidation.

    Who among them would dare to raise their voices against him? All they could do was listen quietly as his deep, cold voice echoed through the room. His tone was low and aristocratic, leaving no room for anyone to question him.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Gu,¡± he began, ¡°the formal accusation regarding the theft of the three thousand gift money was made by me, Su Shen, and the Lin family, not Gu Zi. So, if you have any other doubts, you can direct them at me.

    ¡°You two have no right to accuse my wife, Gu Zi. When you forced her to fulfill Lin Miao¡¯s marriage contract with me, her marriage was already a repayment for your kindness in raising her.¡±

    Su Shen revealed the truth about Lin Miao accepting his gift money and then reneging on their marriage. He publicly thanked Gu Zi for marrying him. After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Captain He on the opposite side.

    Captain He nodded in confirmation, ¡°Yes, it was not Gu Zi who accused Lin Miao. Lin Miao is already a confirmed suspect. Her motive was likely to take the money, causing the Lin family to be unable to repay the gift money, forcing Gu Zi to marry into the Su family in her place.

    ¡°We have been investigating secretly for a long time. There is no lack of evidence, and there is no defamation or framing involved.¡±

    The crowd was stunned by Su Shen and Captain He¡¯s revelations. The information was overwhelming. They knew that Gu Zi had suddenly married and moved to the countryside, but they didn¡¯t know that she had done so in place of Lin Miao. They were shocked to learn that Lin Miao had a marriage contract in the countryside!

    Moreover, Lin Miao had accepted the gift money, reneged on the marriage, and possibly stolen the money from her foster parents. She didn¡¯t want to marry, but she took the money and left Gu Zi to clean up her mess. Her intentions were truly malicious!

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the biological daughter of Captain Gu is such a person. Not only is she not as beautiful as Gu Zi, but her heart is also so vicious. There¡¯s no saving her, take her away quickly!¡±

    They lamented how Gu Zi, a well-rounded and talented woman, would make such a decision to marry into the countryside. At first, they thought it was due to the shock of an identity swap that drove Gu Zi to such lengths.

    After learning about Gu Zit s marriage, many young men in the compound expressed their regret. Although Gu Zi was a bit difficult to handle, her beauty and abilities were more than enough to match most of the young talents.

    However, the reality was as it was. After their lamentations, life went on as usual. Little did they know that all of this was orchestrated by the Gu family themselves. It was outrageous and cold-hearted.

    Although Gu Zi was an adopted daughter, she had been raised for over a decade. Did the Gu couple not have any affection for her?

    ¡°The actions of Captain Gu and his wife are truly astonishing. They actually forced their adopted daughter to clean up their biological daughter¡¯s mess, and even let their biological daughter take over Gu Zi¡¯s original fianc¨¦. How shameless! How could our Gong family become in-laws with such people!¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei found themselves publicly exposed, their faces paling in sheer panic.

    They were left with no choice but to admit, ¡°Yes, we were wrong to force Gu Zi to marry. But isn¡¯t Gu Zi doing well now? Haven¡¯t we done a good deed with ill intentions? However, Captain He, we assure you that the dowry wasn¡¯t taken by our daughter¡­¡±

    Captain He retorted coldly, ¡°According to our investigation in Little Lin Village, Lin Miao has never cooked a meal for herself since childhood. The Lin family may be poor, but they never let their child go hungry.

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    ¡°Lin Miao¡¯s pocket money for school was earned by her brother Lin Cheng through his part-time jobs. Lin Miao has never worked to earn money, and we found no evidence of her having any job experience prior to her work at the radio station.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the crowd shook their heads in disbelief. They had initially thought Gu Zi to be ungrateful, but it seemed that Lin Miao was the real culprit!

    To think that Lin Miao¡¯s foster parents and family had treated her so well, how could she slander them with such a clear conscience? Her heart must be as black as coal.

    The middle-aged woman who had led the gifting of gold bracelets to Lin Miao earlier, now blushed with embarrassment. She stormed up to Lin Miao, wordlessly removed her bracelet from Lin Miao¡¯s wrist, and declared loudly, ¡°Officer, I¡¯m merely taking back what¡¯s mine. This woman doesn¡¯t deserve such a high-end gift.¡±

    The police did not intervene. Seeing this, others mustered the courage to approach Lin Miao and retrieve their own gifted gold jewelry from her neck or wrist. They were no longer afraid of getting embarrassed.. After all, could they be more embarrassed than the Gu family?

 Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: On-Site Evidence Collection

    Chapter 375: On-Site Evidence Collection

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao was suspected of stealing a hefty sum of three thousand, a sum that was by no means small even to them. How audacious of her!

    Moreover, the money was a betrothal gift from someone else. She had taken the money, refusing to marry, and left her adoptive family to bear the blame. She then ran off to the city and stole Gu Zit s fianc¨¦, and now they were married.

    Although the wedding banquet couldn¡¯t proceed as planned, it was a fact that Lin Miao and Gong Zhan had already obtained their marriage certificate. A person like Lin Miao was not fit to be Mrs. Gong. Some things couldn¡¯t be changed now, but she should never be allowed to keep the gold jewelry.

    Thanks to the police maintaining basic order, everyone¡¯s actions in retrieving the gold jewelry were somewhat restrained. However, due to the large number of people taking the gold, Lin Miao¡¯s neck and wrists were left with several red marks, and her hair was a mess, making her look particularly disheveled.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei stood there, their faces alternating between shades of gray and white, clearly still in shock from certain truths.

    They remembered that Lin Miao had never spoken well of her adoptive family, so they naturally assumed that their daughter had been living a life of unimaginable hardship these years.

    They had also visited the previous Lin family home, located in a mountainous area, which was so poor it was hard to look at. Therefore, they were even more convinced that Lin Miao had not had an easy life these years and wanted to make it up to her.

    When the two families had mistakenly taken the wrong child, it was the adults¡¯ negligence that had caused Lin Miao to bear the hardship alone. They felt guilty and wanted to make amends. What was wrong with that? Why had things turned out this way!

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t help but look at Lin Miao. She was now being controlled by others, her expression panicked and helpless, crying pitifully. She couldn¡¯t even lift her head to answer Gu Zi¡¯s questions.

    The couple now had no choice but to understand that Lin Miao had not been telling the truth about the Lin family after returning to the Gu family. But perhaps she did it to gain more of their care and affection. It was a pity she had used the wrong method.

    Looking back, when Lin Miao had said she could use her own private money to cover the cost of the banquet, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei had been very proud of their daughter. Now they knew that the money was such a thorny issue. The Gu couple was confused.

    While Lin Miao was indeed at fault, Gu Zi shouldn¡¯t have been so cold-hearted and relentless in revealing the truth. At least for the sake of them raising her for so many years, she should have let Lin Miao off the hook and resolved the issue privately, shouldn¡¯t she?

    Although they had lived each other¡¯s lives for many years due to the identity swap, the mistake was not caused by Gu Zi. But Gu Zi had indeed enjoyed the good days that originally belonged to Lin Miao.

    After all, Lin Miao had lived in the countryside for her. No matter how much the Lin family loved her and didn¡¯t make her work, it was still the countryside. How could it compare to life in the city?

    As Lin Miao was on the verge of being taken away for questioning by the police,

    Zhang Mei hurriedly caught up, pleading, ¡°You can¡¯t arrest my daughter, Captain He, can¡¯t we settle this matter privately? Gu Zi, I¡¯m telling you, I demand that this matter be handled privately!¡±

    Gu Zi stood to the side, unable to muster a smile. At this point, they still believed this matter could be resolved privately? Lin Miao was intentionally stealing! She calmly spoke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt Zhang, I¡¯m not the plaintiff.¡±

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    Upon seeing this, Captain He also shook his head with a cold expression, ¡°This case is very serious, it was intentional. Even if the plaintiff requests to settle privately, it¡¯s unlikely that the suspect will walk away unscathed. Mrs. Gu, you are also a member of the compound, you should not need me to explain these things. Also, please take us to your home, we need to do some on-site evidence collection.¡±

    Due to Captain He¡¯s investigation order, the Gu family had no reason not to comply. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei ultimately had no choice but to accompany the police, along with Lin Miao, to the Gu residence to collect evidence. The Gong family, He Ming, and Boss Huo were also called in as witnesses.

    In the end, the police found all the luxury items Lin Miao had purchased with the gift money in her room. With the person and the stolen goods apprehended, there was no room for denial. The stolen goods and the suspect, Lin Miao, were immediately taken back to the police station for further investigation.

    Upon hearing that the bride had been arrested at the Gong and Gu family¡¯s banquet, the compound was abuzz with people coming to watch the spectacle. They watched as Lin Miao, the biological daughter of the Gu family who had only recently been found, was taken away in a police car.

    This scene not only served as a harsh slap in the face for the Gu family, but also inexplicably slapped the reputable Gong family. Their reputation was tarnished, and He Ming left with Boss Huo, both looking quite satisfied with the outcome..

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: She Didn â€˜t Do It Intentionally

    Chapter 376: She Didn ¡®t Do It Intentionally

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen¡¯s faces were ashen, a testament to their disbelief at their unprecedented miscalculation. They had always thought of Lin Miao as untalented but easily controllable, yet she had managed to cause such a disaster before even stepping foot into their home!

    In retrospect, their decision to allow the Gu family to abandon Gu Zi and marry Lin Miao into the Gong family seemed like a colossal mistake. Unfortunately, regret was futile now, as the situation had already been set in stone.

    ¡°Mr. Gong, Mrs. Chen, you can¡¯t leave, you must help Miao Miao,¡± Zhang Mei

    pleaded, clutching onto Mrs. Chen¡¯s hand. She watched helplessly as her daughter was taken away in a police car, her heart shattering into pieces.

    At this point, the Gong family was Lin Miao¡¯s last hope. Surely, they wouldn¡¯t stand by and let their daughter-in-law go to jail. After all, the Gu and Gong families were now in the same boat.

    Mrs. Chen, who was usually kind and amiable, was now flushed with anger for the first time in public. She shook off Zhang Mei¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Your Gu family has really screwed us over this time. Lin Miao brought this upon herself, what can we do?¡±

    Mr. Gong remained silent, his brow furrowed as he quickly led his wife away. Gong Zhan was also pulled away by Gong Xin.

    Zhang Mei felt a wave of darkness wash over her, nearly fainting. Luckily, Gu Shan was there to steady her.

    Gu Shan whispered in her ear, ¡°Stop making a scene, haven¡¯t we been humiliated enough? Let¡¯s go to the police station and find Gu Zi. Maybe she can persuade Su Shen to drop the charges.¡±

    With the situation as it was, Gu Shan had no choice but to force himself to remain calm. However, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Lin Miao go to jail. They had to salvage the situation. As long as Lin Miao didn¡¯t end up in jail, there was still room to negotiate. Otherwise, the Gu family would never be able to lift their heads again.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei took a taxi to the police station. As they approached the entrance, they ran into Su Shen and Gu Zi, who were about to leave. Su Shen, as the plaintiff in this case, had just arrived at the police station with Captain He. Now that he was leaving, it seemed that a verdict had already been reached in Lin Miao¡¯s case.

    Gu Shan quickly stepped forward to stop Su Shen and Gu Zi. Zhang Mei grabbed Gu Zi¡¯s hand, her tears and snot flowing freely.

    ¡°Little Zi, you can¡¯t leave. What will happen to Miao Miao if you go? She¡¯s your sister, you can¡¯t really let her go to jail, can you? I know your father and I have wronged you. Miao Miao has done many things wrong and she didn¡¯t tell us the truth about many things. But you have to forgive her. She¡¯s young, she didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡±

    Even though Zhang Mei was still upset with Gu Zi, she knew that now was not the time to vent her anger. Her only goal at the moment was to persuade Gu Zi to spare Lin Miao. She was willing to do anything, even if it meant begging or Imeeling in public.

    Lin Miao had been caught stealing money, and if convicted, she would inevitably go to jail. The Gu family could not bear the shame of having a daughter in prison, and the Gong family could not tolerate a daughter-in-law behind bars. It was utterly disgraceful!

    Zhang Mei was aware that Lin Miao had made a grave mistake. However, she believed that Lin Miao¡¯s actions were probably due to the imbalance she felt after discovering her true origins, having lived in the countryside for over a decade.

    As Lin Miao¡¯s mother, Zhang Mei understood her daughter¡¯s resentment. How could she bear to place all the blame on Lin Miao?

    Gu Zi had enjoyed the benefits of the Gu family for over a decade. Surely, the conditions provided by the Gu family over the years were worth more than the three thousand yuan in dowry money?

    Although the Gu family had forced Gu Zi to marry in place of Lin Miao, which was admittedly extreme, it hadn¡¯t harmed her. After all, her current comfortable life was a result of marrying Su Shen in place of Lin Miao. It was unjust to let Lin Miao go to jail.

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    Gu Zi watched as Zhang Mei cried pitifully. To an outsider, it would seem as if Zhang Mei had suffered a great injustice.

    However, Gu Zi knew that Zhang Mei was simply heartbroken for her biological daughter. She didn¡¯t want the Gu family to lose face because of Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment. Therefore, she was trying to play the emotional card with Gu Zi, her adopted daughter, in hopes that Su Shen would drop the charges.

    Gu Zi dared not show them any sympathy or leniency.

    Having decided to find and legally deal with the thief who stole the three thousand yuan, she would not interfere with the outcome. Especially considering that Lin Miao had stolen the money with the intention of making the original owner suffer, and the consequences had fallen on her, the one who had transmigrated into this story.

    Although she didn¡¯t understand why Lin Miao hated the original owner so much that she constantly plotted against her, Gu Zi, as the victim of this theft, was determined that Lin Miao, the mastermind, must pay the price!

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Returning the Stolen Goods Doesnâ€™t Absolve the Crime

    Chapter 377: Returning the Stolen Goods Doesn¡¯t Absolve the Crime

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At present, Zhang Mei had already lowered her stance, pleading with her. If Gu Zi continued to adopt a hardline attitude, it would make her seem too unfeeling. After all, the people before her were her foster parents.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye, her gaze filled with sorrow as she looked at Zhang Mei.

    ¡°Auntie, ¡± she began, her voice trembling, ¡°Sometimes I really wonder, have you truly treated me as your daughter these past eighteen years? If so, why could you so easily sever your affection for me?

    ¡°From the moment you had me marry in Lin Miao¡¯s stead, to when you wanted me to give up my job at the radio station for her, you¡¯ve only ever seen Lin Miao. You¡¯ve never truly seen me¡­¡±

    As Gu Zi wept, Zhang Mei¡¯s own tears seemed to falter, her eyes filled with confusion. Why was Gu Zi crying? Had they really treated her so unfairly?

    Zhang Mei was taken aback, her only option was to respond along the lines of the conversation, ¡°Xiao Zi, you¡¯ve misunderstood. We¡¯ve always considered you our daughter!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Zi retorted, ¡°If you truly considered me your daughter, you wouldn¡¯t keep asking me to let Lin Miao off. Don¡¯t you understand? This isn¡¯t about whether I can forgive her or not. She took the money herself, I didn¡¯t steal it and frame her. On the contrary, she wanted to steal the money, forcing me to marry in her place.

    ¡°Looking at it now, it seems pitiful that Lin Miao was caught on the day of the banquet. The Gu and Gong families were humiliated, and everyone lost face. But if she hadn¡¯t taken the money, none of this would have happened. I didn¡¯t cause this. When I was forced to marry in the countryside, wasn¡¯t I deserving of pity?

    ¡°I gave up everything to marry in her place. Did you ever consider me then? Did you ever think about what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t met Su Shen? Have you ever considered what my situation would be like now?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s situation at the time, if she hadn¡¯t been a transmigrator, would have been akin to a blind and mute marriage. She would have had to follow the lifestyle of her husband, whether he was a chicken or a dog. If she had married a violent and cruel butcher, her life would have been a living hell.

    But did the Gu family ever care about this? All they wanted at the time was to sever ties with Gu Zi, to have their own biological daughter marry into the Gong family. They treated Gu Zi like a plague, wanting to send her far away, hoping to never have contact with her again.

    Zhang Mei was not unaware of these things, but she had indeed never considered them from Gu Zit s perspective. Now that Lin Miao had stolen the money, causing harm to Gu Zi and the Lin family, she had no reason to ask Gu Zi not to pursue the matter. Especially since Gu Zi was not the real plaintiff in this case.

    As Gu Zi spoke, Zhang Mei¡¯s face turned beet red. The guilt she felt towards Gu Zi began to awaken and spread from her heart. In the end, it was their Gu family who had wronged Gu Zi!

    Soothingly, Su Shen drew the weeping Gu Zi into his arms. At that moment, Gu Zi¡¯s heart pounded with a warmth that was both startling and comforting. Even though the words she had just used to silence Zhang Mei were harsh, they were the truth, a truth both she and the original owner of her body had painfully faced. If the original owner were still here, she would undoubtedly be as heartbroken as Gu Zi was now.

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    Zhang Mei was at a loss for words, casting a pleading look at her husband, Gu Shan. His face was flushed, and he let out a low sigh. Eventually, Gu Shan found his voice, but it was directed at Su Shen. Seeing Gu Zi in such a state, if he continued to argue with her, it would only make him seem in the wrong.

    ¡°Su Shen, ¡± he began, ¡°we admit that it was our Lin Miao who was wrong. But the dowry you willingly gave her back then¡­ How about this? We¡¯ll find a way to make up the three thousand yuan, and you drop the charges. There¡¯s no need for Lin Miao to go to jail, right?¡±

    After comforting Gu Zi, Su Shen turned his cold gaze towards Gu Shan. His voice was particularly distant and frosty, making it clear he wanted nothing to do with the man before him.

    ¡°Captain Gu, you should be careful with your words,¡± he warned. ¡°Since ancient times, theft has been a crime that cannot be absolved simply by returning the stolen goods. Although returning the stolen goods may lighten the punishment, it does not absolve the crime. If you insist on handling things according to your own principles, you might as well contact the police directly. ¡±

    With that, Su Shen guided Gu Zi towards the exit of the police station, ignoring the couple. Zhang Mei tried to follow, but Gu Shan stopped her. Shaking his head, he spoke in a grave voice, ¡°He¡¯s right. This is a theft crime. Returning the stolen goods doesn¡¯t absolve the crime.. We¡¯re done for, completely done for!¡±

 Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Request

    Chapter 378: Request

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The incident involving Lin Miao was far from a simple matter of disgracing the Gu and Gong families. Gu Shan was on the verge of a promotion, a time when any mishap could jeopardize his chances. Yet, here they were, embroiled in this scandalous affair. It was a disaster.

    ¡°Will this affect your promotion?¡± Zhang Mei asked her husband, the gravity of the situation only just dawning on her. The sky seemed to be falling. Gu Shan had been waiting for a promotion for years, and this golden opportunity could not be lost.

    Gu Shan waved his hand, his face etched with distress. ¡°Enough,¡± he said, ¡°Let¡¯s first understand the situation, then we¡¯ll figure out a solution. We cannot let this incident affect my promotion.¡±

    After leaving the police station, Su Shen and Gu Zi went to have lunch and then visited Papa Lin in the hospital. They also informed him and his wife about the events that had transpired at the banquet.

    Gu Zi found it difficult to continue when she began to recount the hardships

    Lin Miao had endured in the Lin family for over a decade. Seeing her struggle, Su Shen took over, relaying the painful details. Gu Zi didn¡¯t stop him. As heart-wrenching as the story was, Gu Zit s parents needed to hear it.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s important for you to understand what kind of person Lin Miao is,¡± Su Shen told his in-laws.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zits parents merely smiled and shook their heads. They understood Su Shen¡¯s intentions. ¡°We have long since disowned Lin Miao,¡± they said.

    Su Shen continued, ¡°The police will likely come to take statements tomorrow. Think about what you want to say. It¡¯s best to lay everything out so this matter can be settled.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s parents exchanged a glance. Mother Lin spoke, ¡°That¡¯s fine. Once this is over, we should sever all ties with them. There¡¯s no need for any further contact.¡± This applied to both the Gu family and Lin Miao.

    Fearing that Gu Zi¡¯s parents might not be able to handle any unexpected situations the next day, Su Shen and Gu Zi decided to stay the night in the hospital¡¯s family room.

    Gu Zi, worried about their children, borrowed a phone from the front desk and called the office at the pig farm, asking Jin Long to request Aunt Zhang¡¯s help to look after the kids for the night. Su Shen watched his wife, his heart aching for her.

    The next morning, Su Shen returned early with breakfast. The steaming soy milk and crispy fried dough sticks awakened Gu Zi¡¯s taste buds. After breakfast, she felt rejuvenated, her fatigue vanishing.

    The morning sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating her delicate and beautiful face. It made her skin appear exceptionally fair, almost translucent, like a finely carved piece of jade.

    Sitting beside her, Su Shen watched her eat breakfast, finding the sight pleasing to his eyes. His actions were not limited to just observing, however. Occasionally, he would reach out to tuck away a loose strand of hair that threatened to fall into her face, or he would scrape up the last bits of food at the bottom of her bowl, or he would use a napkin to gently wipe away crumbs from the corners of her mouth¡­

    In the morning, the police arrived. Captain He brought along a subordinate to take statements from Gu Zit s parents and Gu Zi, and to understand their demands.

    Gu Zits parents and Gu Zi all spoke truthfully, not one of them felt pity for Lin Miao. She was merely reaping what she had sown. Moreover, the Lin family had already shouldered the blame for her actions for a long time, they had been more than fair.

    Papa Lin said, ¡°We don¡¯t have any other demands, we just hope that the stolen money can be returned to its rightful owner. As for how the thief should be punished, we leave that to the law, we trust in the justice system.¡±

    In addition to Papa Lin¡¯s request, Gu Zi added, ¡°Lin Miao was fully aware of the consequences her actions would bring before she committed the theft. She knew it would cause her adoptive parents to be wrongfully accused, yet she still stole the money. I believe Lin Miao¡¯s actions are unforgivable. Moreover, her actions have caused my parents to suffer greatly, she needs to compensate them for the damage to their reputation.¡±

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    Gu Zi believed that the stolen money must be returned, but the compensation could not be overlooked. The Lin family should not have to bear the burden of her actions without recompense.

    Gu Zi could not forget the first time she saw the Lin couple, the image of the dilapidated house in the mountain valley.

    If Lin Miao had not acted as she did, the Lin family, despite their poverty, would not have had to live in such a drafty, broken-down house. Therefore, Lin Miao must pay compensation.

    After hearing Gu Zi¡¯s demands, Captain He nodded, instructing his subordinate to record them. He said, ¡°Your demands are reasonable, we will pursue them as such.¡±

    Although Captain He was young, his years of service in the police force had exposed him to all sorts of people and situations, granting him a basic ability to judge different characters..

 Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Too Cold-blooded

    Chapter 379: Too Cold-blooded

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A chilling realization dawned upon Captain He as he observed the parents of Lin Miao. They were the epitome of kindness and integrity. If not for Gu Zi¡¯s demand for compensation, they would not have even mentioned any additional recompense. It was hard to fathom how such a couple could have raised a child as ungrateful as Lin Miao.

    After they had escorted Lin Miao back to the police station the previous day, they had conducted a thorough interrogation. It was now clear that Lin Miao¡¯s motive for stealing the three thousand yuan gift money was to seek revenge on Gu Zi. She believed that Gu Zi had stolen her life, forcing her to grow up in the countryside and depriving her of a better living environment.

    In Lin Miao¡¯s eyes, everything that belonged to the Gu family should have been hers. Gu Zi had no right to it, and Gong Zhan should have been her betrothed, never Gu Zi¡¯s. She didn¡¯t believe she had taken anything from Gu Zi because she saw herself as the rightful heiress of the Gu family. She believed that if Gu Zi hadn¡¯t usurped her life, she wouldn¡¯t be as successful and dazzling as she was now.

    However, she had never considered that the mistake of the two families swapping their children was not Gu Zi¡¯s fault.

    When she discovered her true identity and returned to the Gu family, her heart was filled more with jealousy and a desire for revenge than with joy.

    Lin Miao claimed that she now realized her mistake and would return the stolen money, hoping for Gu Zi¡¯s forgiveness. She promised to treat her as a sister.

    But in the eyes of Captain He, Lin Miao had not truly recognized her error. Her apologies and remorse were merely attempts to evade legal responsibility. She underestimated the law; a few insincere words of repentance would not earn her leniency.

    Throughout the previous day, Lin Miao had not once mentioned the kindness of her adoptive parents, the Lin couple. She only pleaded for Gu Zits forgiveness because she knew that, even if they were disappointed in her, the Lin couple would not bear to hold her accountable for too much. They would not have many demands.

    But Gu Zi would hold her accountable, so she only remembered to apologize to Gu Zi. Initially, some of the police officers felt sympathy for Lin Miao. After all, it was true that the Gu family was better off. If Lin Miao had grown up in the Gu family, she would have had more advantages.

    However, after the interrogation, those officers who had sympathized with Lin Miao sighed in disappointment. They believed Lin Miao to be a thorough ingrate.

    In her heart, there was only profit and loss. The kindness of the Lin family was dismissed as non-existent simply because their rural living conditions were not good enough. She even lied to her biological parents, claiming she had a hard life to gain their sympathy.

    People often say that even the longest acquaintance with a dog can breed affection. Yet, after eighteen years of living with her foster parents, Lin Miao could turn her back on them without a second thought. She had left them to bear the brunt of the villagers¡¯ scorn and suffer hardships. Such a person was simply undeserving of sympathy.

    Moreover, it seemed that Lin Miao was inherently less fortunate than Gu Zi. Gu Zi¡¯s superiority was not limited to her family background.

    Like Lin Miao, Gu Zi had also been switched at birth. However, shortly after returning to her biological parents, she had already begun to consider their needs. In contrast, Lin Miao was only concerned with herself. She was truly cold-blooded!

    Captain He believed that some people were shaped by their environment, but there were others who were inherently heartless, like Lin Miao.

    Furthermore, Lin Miao was still young. Despite her youth and lack of significant hardships, she harbored such dark thoughts. It was truly terrifying. Such a person was indeed suitable for a stint in prison, to undergo the state¡¯s reformation.

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    After confirming the record and statement, Captain He left with his team. He went to the military compound to inform the Gu family that Lin Miao would be temporarily detained. Once the trial results were out, Lin Miao would be sent directly to prison.

    Captain He said to Gu Shan, ¡°You should prepare yourselves. Also, try to make up for the three thousand stolen as soon as possible. This will affect Lin Miao¡¯s sentencing. Once the amount for the compensation for reputation damage is determined, you will also need to pay it promptly.¡±

    Lin Miao had spent the three thousand on numerous luxury items. Now, the police department could recover some of the money through their investigation, but the Gu family would have to make up for the remaining deficit. It was not a small sum.

    The Gu family had already spent a lot of money on this banquet and previous receptions. They had also borrowed money. In addition, Gu Shan was up for a promotion, which had also been a significant expense. They were already living beyond their means.

    Upon hearing Captain He¡¯s words, Gu Shan felt like closing his eyes and letting everything pass.. Life had become unbearable!

 Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Seeking the Gong Familyâ€™s Help

    Chapter 380: Seeking the Gong Family¡¯s Help

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After Captain He and his team left, the Gu family¡¯s phone continued to ring incessantly. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt overwhelmed, yet they dared not hang up nor answer the calls.

    Without even answering, they knew these calls were from debt collectors. After the incident at yesterday¡¯s banquet, it was likely that all their friends and relatives were aware of their predicament.

    However, with the difficulty they were facing in repaying Lin Miao¡¯s embezzled funds, how could they possibly repay these debts? For now, their only option was to avoid answering the phone and take things one step at a time.

    Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t help but shed tears at the thought of Lin Miao spending her days in prison. ¡°Should we go and beg Gu Zi again? I really can¡¯t bear to see Miao Miao go to jail. She hasn¡¯t even enjoyed any good days since she returned. ¡±

    Gu Shan closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, standing up to say, ¡°Your pity won¡¯t change anything. Don¡¯t worry too much. Don¡¯t forget, Lin Miao is now the Gong family¡¯s daughter-in-law. She and Gong Zhan are legally married.

    The Gong family can¡¯t possibly ignore this.¡±

    Even if the Gong family was furious, they couldn¡¯t possibly ignore this matter. Gu Shan felt that instead of seeking Gu Zi, who they had deeply hurt, it would be more likely to change the situation by seeking the Gong family.

    Upon hearing her husband¡¯s analysis, Zhang Mei felt it made sense. She immediately prepared herself to go to the Gong family and plead for mercy, thick-skinned as it may be.

    The head of the Gong family was not at home, and Mrs. Chen was in charge. Mrs. Chen deliberately made Zhang Mei wait a long time before coming out, but as Gu Shan had said, the Gong family, no matter how reluctant, had to face this matter.

    Mrs. Chen said, ¡°In the end, you were too unkind. I never thought you would treat Gu Zi like that. After all, she is a child you raised for over ten years.

    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with the head of the family, and there¡¯s no better way to handle this than to ask for Gu Zits forgiveness. Only then can Lin Miao possibly avoid going to jail.¡±

    Mrs. Chen and Mr. Gong were not fools. Given the current situation, even if their family¡¯s reputation was paramount, they would not resort to illegal means to get Lin Miao out. They had to take the legal route, which was to seek Gu Zi¡¯s forgiveness.

    With a remorseful expression, Zhang Mei said, ¡°We were foolish. We know we were wrong. We have also sought out Gu Zi, but she seems unwilling to forgive. We really don¡¯t know what to do. Please, we ask for your help!¡±

    Mrs. Chen shook her head in dismay. The actions of the Gu family were indeed difficult to forgive. Yet, she found herself in a position where she had no choice but to seek Gu Zits forgiveness.

    Having done her research, Mrs. Chen knew that Gu Zi and Su Shen had not returned to the village the previous day. Instead, they had gone to visit Mr. Lin in the hospital, where they remained. She decided to make the trip to the hospital herself.

    She asked Zhang Mei to return home first, then set off for the hospital with her daughter, Gong Xin. The purpose of bringing Gong Xin was clear; she hoped that her daughter could help smooth things over. As far as she knew, Gong Xin and Gu Zi were on good terms.

    Gong Xin did not refuse her mother¡¯s request. Although she believed that Lin Miao deserved her prison sentence, she was a member of the Gong family. She had enjoyed all the benefits the family had provided since she was a child. In such a situation, she had no reason to be indifferent.

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    She despised Lin Miao, but she loved her family and her relatives. Gong Xin only planned to accompany her mother, Mrs. Chen, to make an appearance. She had no intention of actually persuading Gu Zi to forgive Lin Miao.

    Lin Miao¡¯s actions were such that she deserved to be in prison and reform herself. If it hadn¡¯t been for Captain He¡¯s investigation, Gong Xin would never have known how much Gu Zi had suffered. Lin Miao deserved to be punished!

    The incident with Lin Miao was indeed a disgrace to the Gong family and would make her brother Gong Zhan lose face. However, Gong Xin believed that they had made their own choices and should bear the consequences. She was willing to accompany her mother to see Gu Zi, but she wholeheartedly agreed that Lin Miao should be imprisoned according to the law!

    Upon their arrival at the hospital, Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin met with Gu Zi¡¯s parents. They informed them that Gu Zi and Su Shen had gone out to buy something for them. They were aware of Mrs. Chen¡¯s purpose and pleaded with her not to trouble their daughter.

    Mrs. Chen was always a gentle and polite woman. Seeing this simple and honest rural couple, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Gu Zi was indeed a good child. It was their Gong family¡¯s misfortune to lose her. However, she still had to ask for Gu Zi¡¯s forgiveness..

 Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Mom, Youâ€™re Wise

    Chapter 381: Mom, You¡¯re Wise

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a gentle voice, Mrs. Chen addressed Mr. and Mrs. Lin, ¡°Please rest assured, we are not here to cause trouble for Gu Zi. We are merely seeking the best possible solution.¡±

    Mrs. Lin shook her head, speaking forthrightly, ¡°Your so-called ¡®best solution¡¯, isn¡¯t it just asking Gu Zi to step back? You, like the Gu family, have abandoned Gu Zi, yet you always come to her for your needs. If this isn¡¯t causing trouble, then what is?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was taken aback by the blunt accuracy of the words from such a seemingly simple woman. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.

    Upon reflection, however, she understood that their actions had indeed been excessive. After all, it was their Gong family and the Gu family who had jointly abandoned Gu Zi. The fact that this mother was defending Gu Zi so fervently today showed that she truly loved Gu Zi.

    Interestingly, the mother¡¯s features bore a slight resemblance to Gu Zi. Furthermore, this rural couple was not as coarse as Mrs. Chen had initially imagined. They were kind, well-mannered, and gentle.

    In that instant, Mrs. Chen¡¯s face flushed slightly. Perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have made this visit, as it had made her realize that she might have made a grave mistake.

    Upon learning of Gu Zit s background, Mrs. Chen had indeed looked down on her. The thought of Gu Zi returning to her original rural family, with a pair of rural parents, made Mrs. Chen believe that Gu Zi¡¯s value had significantly decreased.

    Perhaps it was because she had been away from the countryside for too long, but she had developed a sense of disdain for rural people. She even thought that rural people were incapable of forming a good relationship with their Gong family, due to the difference in social status.

    So, no matter how excellent Gu Zi was, Mrs. Chen still allowed the Gu family to replace Gu Zi with Lin Miao, fulfilling the marriage agreement with Gong Zhan.

    Even though Lin Miao was far less outstanding than Gu Zi, Mrs. Chen felt that Lin Miao might be more suitable simply because she was the Gu family¡¯s biological daughter.

    In the end, they had brought this trouble upon themselves by accepting Lin Miao. Now that trouble had arisen, both the Gong and Gu families were reaping what they had sown, and they had no one else to blame. She had no right to seek Gu Zi¡¯s help!

    Outside the door, Gu Zi heard the words of Mrs. Lin to Mrs. Chen, feeling a warm surprise in her heart. She hadn¡¯t expected that Mrs. Lin could see the situation so clearly and speak up for her when Mrs. Chen came knocking.

    Gu Zi felt truly fortunate. The mother of the original host was such a wonderful woman! Initially, she was somewhat displeased knowing that Mrs. Chen was coming, but now, the gloom in her heart was completely dispelled. She walked into the ward, politely greeting Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin.

    Without waiting for Mrs. Chen to speak first, Gu Zi took the initiative to discuss the matter of Lin Miao with her. Gong Xin looked at Gu Zi with confusion, wondering what game she was playing.

    Gu Zi paid no mind to Gong Xin, instead, she spoke truthfully to Mrs. Chen about her feelings towards Lin Miao and the Gu family.

    When Gu Zi mentioned her arrival in the countryside, and the very unfriendly Aunt Chu she encountered who nearly had her chased away by dogs, she choked up.

    When she spoke of the locals¡¯ negative views of her due to Lin Miao¡¯s broken engagement, Gu Zi held back her tears.

    When she talked about the hardships the Lin family had to endure because Lin Miao took the money, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but cry, her eyes turning red. In such a situation, even the best-prepared words could not be spoken.

    Mrs. Chen, being a person of deep feelings, couldn¡¯t help but shed tears as well. If one were to put themselves in her shoes, anyone with a shred of conscience would find it hard to ask Gu Zi to forgive Lin Miao.

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    Gu Zi knew that Mrs. Chen was actually a very kind and gentle woman, so she used this to her advantage to block her words. She would not forgive Lin Miao, nor did she have any reason to do so.

    Mrs. Chen understood and said weakly, ¡°Gu Zi, your uncle and I didn¡¯t consider your feelings, leading to today¡¯s outcome. Let¡¯s pretend I never came today.¡± Regardless, Mrs. Chen decided not to interfere in this matter anymore.

    Gong Xin, who had accompanied Mrs. Chen, left with her, feeling a bit dazed and not quite understanding what had happened.

    It wasn¡¯t until they left the hospital that she understood Mrs. Chen¡¯s inner thoughts. Gong Xin immediately gave her mother a thumbs-up, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re wise!¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much to say about Lin Miao¡¯s matter. If the Gong family chose the wrong daughter-in-law, then it was their loss. The important thing was to recognize and correct the mistake! Gong Xin¡¯s mood greatly improved because of her mother¡¯s attitude..

 Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: A Ray of Hope for Miao Miao

    Chapter 382: A Ray of Hope for Miao Miao

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon returning home, Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin were greeted by the presence of their son, Gong Zhan. Mrs. Chen knew, without a doubt, that her son had been anxiously awaiting her news. Although he had said nothing, she understood that the matter at hand was a matter of the Gong family¡¯s reputation, and he was deeply concerned about the outcome.

    For the many years she had been married into the Gong family, had she not always prioritized the family¡¯s honor over her own? If she could salvage the family¡¯s reputation, she was willing to swallow her pride and humble herself, which was why she had sought out Gu Zi.

    However, after meeting with Gu Zi, Mrs. Chen had come to a new understanding. She had no intention of intervening any further, nor did she see any reason to plead with anyone. She made her stance clear to her son, stating that she would not consider bailing Lin Miao out. It was time for Lin Miao to take responsibility for her actions.

    ¡°The situation with Lin Miao is a result of our family¡¯s poor judgment, and we must bear the consequences,¡± she told him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let this matter trouble you any longer. Focus on your work, do what needs to be done. Especially now, it¡¯s important not to give others any more reasons to criticize you.¡±

    Gong Zhan nodded, his gaze filled with confusion as he looked at his mother. She was not one to easily compromise. Had Gong Xin said something to her? Or had Gu Zi used some trick to change her mind?

    Gong Xin noticed the stubble on her brother¡¯s chin that he hadn¡¯t bothered to shave, adding a touch of ruggedness to his handsome face.

    Seeing her brother¡¯s somewhat disheveled appearance, Gong Xin felt a pang of sympathy. She didn¡¯t react angrily to his suspicious gaze, but instead asked him softly, ¡°Brother, would you like some water?¡±

    She picked up the teapot, ready to pour him a drink, a peace offering of sorts. She didn¡¯t want to add to Gong Zhan¡¯s worries. She wouldn¡¯t pity Lin Miao enough to help her escape blame, but she also didn¡¯t want to upset Gong Zhan at this time.

    Gong Zhan, understanding his sister¡¯s intentions, accepted the cup of water she offered and took a sip without saying a word. Sometimes he found his sister annoying, so much so that he wanted to strangle her, but in crucial moments, she never added to his troubles. Instead, she often made warm gestures that made him feel grateful for her.

    However, Gong Zhan still felt frustrated. He had always been a model figure in the family, excellent and untarnished. How could he have a wife in prison? It was unacceptable.

    Over the past few days, he had given it a lot of thought. He had considered filing for divorce from Lin Miao, who had tarnished their military marriage. He had the right to apply for a divorce, and he was certain that if he did, it would be granted.

    But they had only just gotten married. To divorce at the first sign of trouble was not something a respectable family would do, and it was certainly not something he, Gong Zhan, could do.

    For the sake of his own reputation and that of the Gong family, Gong Zhan could not consider divorce at this time. Divorcing would only tarnish his reputation further, branding him as heartless and unfaithful.

    Gong Zhan believed that the best course of action at the moment was to do everything within his power to prevent Lin Miao from being imprisoned. The crux of the matter, he surmised, lay in Gu Zi¡¯s attitude. Perhaps, he thought, it was time for him to step in and have a conversation with her.

    Gong Zhan was confident that if he were to intervene, Gu Zi would surely relent, and Lin Miao¡¯s predicament could still be salvaged. However, he could not bring himself to approach Gu Zi directly, as he felt it would be beneath his dignity. Consequently, Gong Zhan did not take immediate action.

    The Gu family, on the other hand, was desperate to keep Lin Miao out of jail. Upon hearing that even Mrs. Chen had failed to persuade Gu Zi, they were as frantic as ants on a hot pan, running hither and thither, but to no avail.

    In the end, the Gu couple had no choice but to approach the Gong family.

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    Swallowing their pride, they implored Gong Zhan to intervene personally. ¡°Miao Miao may have made countless mistakes, but she is your wife now. If you don¡¯t help her, she will truly be left to her own devices. We visited her yesterday, and she said she misses you and worries about your well-being¡­¡±

    As Zhang Mei spoke, she broke down in tears, painting a pitiful picture. She portrayed Gong Zhan as Lin Miao¡¯s savior, and how could Gong Zhan remain unmoved? Especially since he had been waiting for them to seek his help, this gave him a valid reason to visit Gu Zi in the countryside.

    Without further delay, Gong Zhan set off for Daqing Village after lunch, driven by Uncle Yang. This brought some relief to Gu Shan and Zhang Mei.

    Zhang Mei felt that while others might fail to persuade Gu Zi, Gong Zhan would surely succeed. In everyone¡¯s memory, Gu Zi had always been obliging towards Gong Zhan. This was good news; it meant that their Miao Miao had a chance!

    On the way, Gong Zhan instructed Uncle Yang to drive slowly. He exuded an air of confidence and calmness, as if he were not panicking about the situation at all..

 Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Couldn I t Muster Enthusiasm

    Chapter 383: Couldn I t Muster Enthusiasm

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Uncle Yang had words on the tip of his tongue, aching to be spoken. However, as he observed the young master¡¯s arrogant demeanor, he ultimately chose to remain silent. His words would fall on deaf ears. It would be best to let the young master experience failure on his own.

    In Daqing Village, at the Su residence, Gu Zi had been bustling about since returning from the city. She spent her days teaching Li Hua how to make spicy soup and an assortment of accompanying snacks, while also researching recipes for marinated meat.

    Gu Zi had noticed that the pig farm produced a significant amount of waste daily. Pig innards, trotters, and head meat were often left over, unwanted and unsellable. More often than not, these leftovers were discarded, leading to a great deal of waste.

    Gu Zi contemplated utilizing these leftovers to create marinated meat dishes for sale. This would not only reduce waste but also, if successful, bring a considerable income to the household. It was a win-win situation.

    Gu Zi had also discussed with her sister-in-law, Li Hua, the possibility of selling spicy soup as the main breakfast item at their town shop. The shop wouldn¡¯t need to close during the rest of the day; they could sell their homemade marinated meat, thus generating additional income.

    Li Hua and Mother Lin could achieve financial independence by managing the shop, ultimately leading the Lin family on the path to prosperity. The mere thought of this made Gu Zi¡¯s blood boil with excitement.

    Just yesterday, Gu Zi had taken Li Hua to the town to scout for a suitable shop location. Her sister-in-law had even asked her to help think of a name for the shop.

    As for the matter of securing the shop location, Gu Zi had mentioned it to Su Shen upon her return. The man had assured her that he would take care of it, to which Gu Zi responded with unreserved delight.

    Today, like any other day, Gu Zi was busy as ever. However, it was Saturday, and Su Bing and Su Li were home. They had finished their homework on Friday and were now helping their mother look after their younger sister.

    With someone else to look after little Lele, Gu Zi could focus more on her work, thoroughly enjoying the process.

    After blanching the pigs trotters, Gu Zi set them aside. She crushed a large piece of old ginger and tossed it into the hot oil, followed by a handful of Sichuan peppercorns. As she added the pig¡¯s trotters and began to stir-fry them, the sizzling sound of the oil was oddly pleasing to her ears. Gu Zi found herself inexplicably delighted by the noise.

    The large pig¡¯s trotters, each split into two, filled more than half the pot. They quickly turned a light golden brown under her deft stir-frying. Gu Zi scooped them out, filling two large bowls to the brim.

    Just as she was about to fill another pot with water, she heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. Glancing at her watch, she noted it was only two in the afternoon. Could it be that Su Shen had returned early?

    Dropping what she was doing, she hurried to open the door. To her surprise, it wasn¡¯t her husband Su Shen who had arrived, but Gong Zhan.

    Disappointment washed over Gu Zi. She had been all ready to greet her man with a hug and a kiss. Why was it him? She sighed, unable to muster any enthusiasm.

    Gong Zhan noticed the change in Gu Zi¡¯s eyes, from hopeful to dull. A corner of his mouth tightened, and a wave of displeasure washed over him.

    However, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the woman before him. She seemed even more radiant and attractive than before, her figure seemingly fuller.

    Although she was wearing an apron that concealed part of her outfit, Gong Zhan could easily imagine what she looked like beneath it. A vivid image of her without the apron appeared in his mind, a sight too striking to ignore.

    She wore a long-sleeved shirt with a white base and orange flowers, the V-neck revealing a small patch of her fair skin. Her figure was voluptuous yet slender at the waist.

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    Her lower half was clad in a skin-colored skirt that accentuated her waist. The hem of her shirt was tucked into the waistband of her skirt, making her look tall and elegant, her figure graceful.

    Her long hair was tied back behind her ears. With just a touch of makeup, her large eyes and petal-like lips were enough to make her stand out. She looked radiant and poised, seductive and passionate, with an inherent air of nobility in her gaze.

    Gong Zhan remembered that she used to dress like this for him, hoping to catch his attention. But back then, he had thought her attire too mature, too calculating, not realizing that it was simply the natural allure of a woman.

    Even now, as she stood there in her apron, looking as if she had just finished some household chores and run out of the kitchen, beads of sweat on her fair forehead, she still exuded a strong feminine charm. It was the kind of charm that softened a man¡¯s heart upon sight.

    Only now did Gong Zhan realize that this woman, who had once constantly sought his approval, was so captivating. His heart fluttered inexplicably, and a tingling sensation spread within him..

 Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: No Such Plans

    Chapter 384: No Such Plans

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi, upon realizing that the man before her was not Su Shen, chose to remain silent. She had no interest in why Gong Zhan was there.

    He was the male protagonist of the original novel, and he possessed an undeniably handsome face. However, with the presence of the dashing Su Shen, Gong Zhan¡¯s attractiveness held no sway over her.

    Gu Zi stood silently in place, even taking a large step back to create distance between them.

    Unable to bear the awkward silence any longer, Gong Zhan took the initiative to speak. ¡°Gu Zi, aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow at his suggestive tone. She looked at him quizzically and replied honestly, ¡°I have no such plans. Are you here to see me? What do you want? Speak plainly.¡±

    As a married woman, Gu Zi was very conscious of maintaining a certain distance, Her tone was decidedly aloof.

    She remembered that in the original novel, the male protagonist had a knack for creating ambiguous relationships with the women around him. Now, Gu Zi understood that this man was intentionally creating such ambiguity.

    He had no boundaries, unlike her husband Su Shen. She suddenly missed him and yearned for his kisses. Gu Zi made no effort to hide her disdain for Gong Zhan. She looked at him indifferently.

    Gong Zhan felt a sense of unease. Gu Zi¡¯s attitude towards him should not have been this way. She used to always pamper him and give him everything good.

    Perhaps it was because he had married Lin Miao, and Gu Zi was still holding a grudge, intentionally acting cold towards him. It must be so.

    He had come today because of Lin Miao. Gu Zi must have guessed it. Her indifference was understandable. Gong Zhan decided not to hold it against her. He said, assuming a magnanimous tone, ¡°Gu Zi, stop fooling around. Let¡¯s talk seriously.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but twitch her mouth in disbelief. What nonsense was he spouting? She hadn¡¯t caused any trouble. She certainly wouldn¡¯t start now!

    Gu Zi had also guessed why he was here. He was now Lin Miao¡¯s legal husband, and their interests were intertwined. Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment not only embarrassed him but also had many implications. He certainly couldn¡¯t stand by and watch Lin Miao go to jail, so he must have come to plead for mercy.

    But was his self-perception too good? This was his attitude when asking for a favor! Gu Zi was speechless. He didn¡¯t even have the demeanor of someone asking for help. Was he here to ask for a favor or to annoy her?

    Gu Zi responded coldly, ¡°Mr. Gong, we¡¯re not that close, are we? It would be better if you didn¡¯t speak so ambiguously. Also, whatever you have to say, say it here and quickly. I have a lot of things to do in my room.¡±

    Gong Zhan watched her, her tone cold and impatient, and his face involuntarily darkened.

    He admitted that their plea for leniency on Lin Miao¡¯s behalf was inherently unfair to Gu Zi. After all, if it weren¡¯t for Lin Miao taking that money, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t have had to marry into this godforsaken place and become a wife to a rural man.

    But the deed was done. He had personally come to ask for her forgiveness. What more did she want? Was she determined to create a scene that couldn¡¯t be resolved?

    In a cold voice, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I have ulterior motives. I just want to discuss Lin Miao¡¯s situation. After all, you and Lin Miao are sisters. She is also the biological daughter of your foster parents. Can you bear to see her go to jail and bring shame to your foster parents and me?¡±

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    Uncle Yang, watching from the car, felt the atmosphere growing increasingly strange. What a mess! The way the young master looked at Miss Gu was unmistakably the way a man looks at a woman. He had previously insisted that he didn¡¯t love her, that he felt nothing for her. Now that they were married to different people, he was clearly playing with fire!

    After much thought, Uncle Yang decided to get out of the car. He couldn¡¯t let them continue their conversation alone. It wouldn¡¯t look good if someone saw them and misunderstood.

    What Uncle Yang didn¡¯t know was that before he got out of the car, Mrs. Wang had already seen Gong Zhan talking to Gu Zi. Seeing them alone, Mrs. Wang immediately had an idea. She ran off to gossip with the village women, making sure that everyone knew that Su Shen¡¯s wife was having an affair right at her doorstep.

    Upon hearing Gong Zhan¡¯s words, Gu Zi felt even worse. She didn¡¯t bother to respond to him, instead retorting, ¡°I can bear it. What can¡¯t I bear? You¡¯re really funny.¡±

    Gong Zhan was taken aback. If he had previously thought that Gu Zi¡¯s coldness towards him was due to jealousy and temper, he now truly felt the chill of her indifference..

 Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Quite Tragic

    Chapter 385: Quite Tragic

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Her eyes were beautiful, clear and moist, yet they held an unmistakable hint of sarcasm. There was no joy, no excitement, not even a hint of thrill. It was as if she genuinely didn¡¯t want to interact with him. Why was that?

    He had noticed that Gu Zi was different from the Gu Zi he used to know. Gong Zhan found it hard to accept. She was not like before. She no longer prioritized him in everything. In her heart now, Gong Zhan was merely a stranger.

    The Gu Zi who used to laugh for him, feel sad for him, lose herself for him, and even make a scene for him, seemed to be gone forever. In that moment, Gong Zhan felt as if he had lost something very important, leaving a gaping hole in his heart.

    But it was just a fleeting moment. Gong Zhan quickly recovered, telling himself that it was nothing, that he had never really liked Gu Zi.

    He steered the conversation back to Lin Miao¡¯s matter, calmly asking, ¡°What conditions do you need to forgive Lin Miao, to keep her out of jail?¡±

    Uncle Yang came over and greeted Gu Zi. Seeing Uncle Yang there, Gu Zits expression softened a bit. She had a good impression of Uncle Yang and wouldn¡¯t ignore him just because she was indifferent to Gong Zhan.

    However, she was truly speechless with Gong Zhan, so even with Uncle Yang present, her attitude towards Gong Zhan didn¡¯t improve.

    Without any hesitation, Gu Zi said, ¡°I will not forgive Lin Miao, nor do I want to get involved in any of her affairs. As far as I¡¯m concerned, the theft case has been closed. So, you should leave.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that the original host¡¯s love was unworthy. Seeing Gong Zhan¡¯s attitude, she knew that this man was actually quite cold-blooded.

    The woman he liked was always a set of characteristics and persona, not a specific person. Once the woman lost the traits he liked, he would immediately look for those traits in other women, falling for someone else. He could never like just one person.

    In other words, if a woman met his preferred traits, he would accept her.

    For instance, the original host always made delicious food for him and cared for him without asking for anything in return. He actually liked the original host for these reasons.

    MO Li knew how to handle such men. Her only mistake was not thinking thoroughly. She only thought about handling the man, forgetting that his family could not be manipulated in the same way.

    So, Gu Zi believed that manipulating Gong Zhan was the most boring and least challenging act. It was utterly dull. Yet, the original host had not seen through this throughout her life. She deeply loved Gong Zhan, even choosing to give up everything for him, choosing death. It was quite tragic.

    Gong Zhan was infuriated by Gu Zits lack of consideration. His handsome face turned dark with anger. He had traveled all the way from the city to this godforsaken place to plead with her, which was already a great concession on his part. Yet, she was so ungrateful, it was infuriating!

    ¡°I will certainly return, but not because you are driving me away, Gu Zi. Don¡¯t be so ruthless in your actions; you will regret it!¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t take his words seriously. She leisurely retorted, ¡°Whether I will regret it or not is my business. I¡¯m doing quite well now, so why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±

    For a moment, Gong Zhan was at a loss for words. He was stunned, and after a long pause, he said with furrowed brows, ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t push your luck! Do you think it¡¯s meaningful to cling to this matter? It only makes you more annoying.

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    Haven¡¯t the Gu family and Lin Miao agreed to repay the three thousand yuan? What else are you dissatisfied with?¡±

    Uncle Yang was quite surprised to see the two of them arguing. He had previously noticed that Miss Gu didn¡¯t seem to have any special feelings for the young master, but he had no idea that she was now bold enough to argue with him. What was he to do?

    The young master, usually so good at maintaining his aloof demeanor, was now arguing without regard for his dignity¡­

    Gu Zi was not to be outdone. She retorted, ¡°1 find it very meaningful. Making criminals serve their sentences according to the law is a great service to the country and the people. I¡¯m accumulating merit. I advise you not to meddle.

    ¡°Furthermore, I don¡¯t care if you like me or not. I am who I am. I won¡¯t change for you. That would make me seem low-class. I don¡¯t want that..¡±

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: He Was Admitted To Hospital

    Chapter 386: He Was Admitted To Hospital

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Uncle Yang found himself at a loss, his mind spinning in confusion. He had been about to persuade Gong Zhan, but Gu Zi¡¯s relentless words had thrown him off balance. Now, he wanted to counsel Gu Zi, but he had no idea where to start. After all, he thought Gu Zi had made some valid points, and he even found her rather endearing.

    Gong Zhan, on the other hand, was taken aback by the harsh words. A twitch tugged at the corner of his mouth. Both the Gong and Gu families were far from ordinary, with the Gong family even being exceptionally distinguished. Yet, Gu Zi had belittled them as if they were worthless, an affront he found utterly outrageous!

    When had Gu Zi¡¯s tongue become so venomous? He began to think that the countryside was indeed not a good place, as it seemed to turn everyone into shrewish women.

    Gong Zhan deeply regretted his decision to come here. It was truly a misfortune. From the start, he shouldn¡¯t have meddled in women¡¯s affairs. The issues were trivial, but dealing with them was a massive headache! These women were too petty!

    Seeing Gong Zhan fall silent, Gu Zi lost her patience to continue the confrontation. She bid Uncle Yang goodbye and turned to enter the house. However, Gong Zhan¡¯s anger only grew. He had never been so harshly berated by a woman before, and he thought Gu Zi was utterly ungrateful!

    Gong Zhan reached out and grabbed Gu Zits wrist, his voice cold as he warned, ¡°The Gu family has already decided to repay the money. There¡¯s no need to make such a fuss! Gu Zi, I think we should talk this over. I don¡¯t want my visit to be pointless!¡±

    Uncle Yang, seeing this, was about to dissuade Gong Zhan from resorting to physical force when a boy with a dark gaze rushed out.

    Behind him followed a slightly shorter boy, who was carrying a little girl. The girl was holding some wild berries, her mouth stained purple from eating them. Purple juice dripped from the corner of her mouth, making her look as if she had been poisoned, which startled Uncle Yang.

    ¡°You can¡¯t bully my mom! Let her go!¡± Su Bing stepped forward, trying to push away the man who was holding his mother. How dare he take advantage of his mother¡¯s solitude to bully her! It was despicable! They should never have gone to pick wild berries, which had given this villain an opportunity.

    Su Li put his sister down next to a large yellow dog and also rushed forward, grabbing the man¡¯s leg and trying to pull him away. ¡°Let go of my mom, or when my dad comes back, he¡¯ll beat you into a pulp!¡±

    Su Le was not to be outdone. Seeing her mother being bullied, she followed her brother as soon as he put her down. She brandished the branch with the purple berries as a weapon, ready to take on the bad man.

    Uncle Yang was on the verge of a breakdown, torn between who to intervene with first ¨C the young master or the children? In the ensuing chaos, no one noticed the emergence of another towering figure, only a chilling sensation creeping up their spines.

    Following a loud cry from the little girl, Su Le, everyone turned to see Gong Zhan, who had been sternly pulling Gu Zi aside to clarify matters, now hurtling out of the Su family¡¯s courtyard. He tumbled several times in the muddy ground ahead.

    Then, another figure blurred into motion, lunging at him. The two men grappled in the mud, both towering and powerful, their movements professional and forceful. The scene was nothing short of heart-stopping.

    Back in town, the Gu couple, who had been waiting for good news from Gong Zhan, instead received word that he had been admitted to the hospital. They hurried to the city hospital with bewildered expressions, accompanied by the Gong family.

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    By the time they arrived at the hospital, Captain He and his team were already handling the situation. It was then that the Gu and Gong families learned that Gong Zhan had been bullying Gu Zi and his children at the entrance of the Su family¡¯s residence. Su Shen, who had been returning home with meat, had witnessed the scene, leading to the fight between the two men that ended up in the hospital, even alerting the police station.

    Captain He was also troubled. To be honest, both men were not ordinary. One was the son of Chief Gong, a major in the military, and a bona fide member of the elite.

    The other was the darling of the military region, the apple of many military bigwigs¡¯ eyes. Although he had retired, his status was not to be underestimated. The police station dared not rashly take them in for questioning, and could only call their parents, asking them to handle the matter themselves.

    However, in Captain He¡¯s view, Gong Zhan was undoubtedly at fault. What was he thinking, going to someone else¡¯s doorstep to bully their wife and children, pulling and tugging at them? It was utterly disgraceful.

    Not to mention Su Shen, even he, if faced with such a situation, would have given Gong Zhan a beating.. It was completely unacceptable and could potentially leave a psychological scar on the woman!

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Bullying Gu Zi

    Chapter 387: Bullying Gu Zi

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Captain He instructed his subordinates to explain the issue with Gong Zhan to the Gong family elders. The news left Gong Zhan¡¯s parents, Chief Gong and Mrs. Chen, utterly dumbfounded.

    The faces of the Gu family couple were equally stunned. They had hoped that Gong Zhan would have a productive conversation with Gu Zi. But now, they were shocked to find out that Gong Zhan had chosen to bully Gu Zi instead. They had never expected Gong Zhan to be such a person.

    Gong Zhan, noticing everyone¡¯s horrified expressions, felt his face sour. He shot a cold glance at Uncle Yang, ¡°Uncle Yang, aren¡¯t you going to defend me? You saw everything, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Uncle Yang responded with a gentle smile, adjusting the bandage on Gong Zhan¡¯s hand, and said impartially, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have grabbed her. To outsiders, it looks like you were bullying her.¡±

    Gong Zhan pulled his hand away, his face souring further as he distanced himself from Uncle Yang. Uncle Yang didn¡¯t say anything more. In his view, their young master was simply lacking in maturity, and today¡¯s incident might not necessarily be a bad thing.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi was still in the counseling room, feeling dazed even after the entire psychological counseling session. She couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened.

    She didn¡¯t know why Su Shen had suddenly returned, thrown away the pork belly in his hand and kicked Gong Zhan. Then, Gong Zhan, a big man himself, was sent flying through the air like a fairy from the sky. If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, Gu Zi would never have believed it.

    After all, Gong Zhan was a tall man, over 1.85 meters, who had grown up practicing martial arts. His strength was not to be underestimated. But he had been sent flying by Su Shen, and was even trampled and beaten in the mud. Su Shen had hit him ten times before he could even land a punch. It was a pitiful sight. Su Shen was indeed formidable!

    This was probably a setup where ten male leads couldn¡¯t beat one villainous father. Her man was so handsome! He scored major points for protecting his wife and children! But what Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand was why the police had immediately arranged for a psychologist to counsel her?

    Before Gu Zi could figure out the answer to this question, there was a commotion outside the counseling room. The door was then opened, and Chief Gong, Mrs. Chen, and Gong Xin walked in.

    As soon as Gong Xin entered, she rushed towards Gu Zi, holding Gu Zi¡¯s face in her hands and examining her closely. She then checked the rest of Gu Zits body, finally noticing a red mark on her wrist.

    Gong Xin said angrily, ¡°My brother is such an idiot. How could he do such a thing? He bullied a woman for that wicked woman Lin Miao. Mom and Dad, you must teach your son a lesson.¡±

    Mr. Gong and Mrs. Chen arrived with an air of embarrassment, their faces flushed with regret. Being a man of few words, Mr. Gong offered a brief apology before making a swift exit.

    Mrs. Chen approached Gu Zi, taking her hand and saying, ¡°We never imagined Gong Zhan would behave so foolishly, nor did we expect him to seek you out. Your Uncle Gong will take him to the military for proper discipline, and we will ensure he mends his ways. I¡¯m at a loss for how to express my guilt. Please, accept this as a token of our regret.¡±

    As she spoke, Mrs. Chen pulled a gold bracelet from her bag. The bracelet had originally been intended as a wedding gift for Gu Zi upon her marriage into the family. When the marriage didn¡¯t happen, Mrs. Chen had planned to keep it as a keepsake. Now, she found herself giving it to Gu Zi for an entirely different reason, though it served its purpose nonetheless.

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    Gu Zi weighed the bracelet in her hand, surprised by its heft. She had no desire to accept anything from the Gong family, but the weight of the bracelet suggested its considerable value.

    Gong Zhan¡¯s actions that day were indeed baffling, but considering that Su Shen had already given him a beating and his mother¡¯s apology was sincere, Gu Zi decided not to press the matter further.

    Moreover, the Gong family was not just any family. Even if she didn¡¯t want much contact with them, it was best not to offend them.

    Gu Zi nodded and accepted the gold bracelet. A smile finally appeared on Mrs. Chen¡¯s face. ¡®Gu Zi, you¡¯ve always been a sensible and outstanding child,¡± she sighed. ¡°I was very fond of you from the beginning¡­¡± It was a pity, she thought, that they were not destined to be mother and daughter-in-law.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re okay now, that¡¯s great!¡± Just as Mrs. Chen and Gu Zi finished speaking, several children entered the room. Two boys and a little girl, chubby and adorable.. Upon hearing her brothers call out to their mother, she toddled towards Gu Zi, calling out, ¡°Mom, mom, hug!¡±

 Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: How Old-fashioned!

    Chapter 388: How Old-fashioned!

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Ah, little Lele, what¡¯s that on the corner of your mouth? It looks like you¡¯ve been poisoned,¡± Gong Xin intercepted little Su Le midway, cradling the little child in her arms and wiping away the purple stain on her lips.

    Gong Xin had always felt a special bond with Su Le. Whenever she saw her, she wanted to hold her close. Of course, the main reason was that Gu Zi had made her so adorable. Who could resist a sweet, soft little bundle of joy?

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Mrs. Chen¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at the little girl in her daughter¡¯s arms. She seemed familiar. She had seen Gu Zi carrying her before. After some time apart, the child seemed to have become fairer, plumper, and more lively. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to be so good at raising children.

    It was strange, she remembered that Gu Zi didn¡¯t like children before. It seemed that people do change and grow!

    ¡°Mother, isn¡¯t she adorable? This is Lele, Gu Zi¡¯s daughter,¡± Gong Xin handed Su Le to Mrs. Chen, whose face broke into a doting smile. At her age, she had long wanted to hold her grandchildren.

    However, Gong Zhan¡¯s tumultuous marriage had left her waiting. Even after he finally got married, there were complications. She didn¡¯t know when she would be able to hold her grandchild.

    As for Gong Xin, she had little hope. Gong Xin had always been a tomboy, carefree and casual. When asked to go on arranged dates, she reacted as if it were a matter of life and death. There were no signs of any ambiguous male companions around her. It was tough!

    ¡°Let me hold you, little Lele. Here¡¯s some red envelope money from grandma,¡± Mrs. Chen said, pulling out five hundred yuan from her purse and stuffing it into Su Let s little hand.

    Su Le was a little money-lover. She clutched the money tightly and refused to let go. Then she turned and ran towards Gu Zi, as if she were absconding with the loot, amusing both Gong Xin and Mrs. Chen.

    For a moment, Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin seemed a little dazed. What were they doing at the hospital again? Ah, never mind, the child was too adorable. They wanted to take her home!

    Mrs. Chen felt a mix of emotions. These three children, none of whom were Gu Zi¡¯s biological offspring, were all raised so well by her. Besides Su Le, the two older boys had also changed a lot. They looked energetic and their faces were rosy.

    Although they were still thin, it was clear that they were starting to gain weight. This was the look of happiness.

    Especially the older boy, Mrs. Chen could tell. His gaze was distant and cold, but it was different when he looked at Gu Zi, his stepmother.

    If she could treat other people¡¯s children as her own, how bad could Gu Zi be?

    She shouldn¡¯t have believed those rumors back then. But it was too late for regrets now. She could only watch as a good woman became someone else¡¯s daughter-in-law. The concept of social status had truly ruined things. How old-fashioned!

    Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin played with Lele for a while before returning the child to Gu Zi. They exchanged a few words, advising her to rest well and to forgive Gong Zhan for his foolish actions this time.

    Afterward, Su Shen entered, intending to take his wife and child away. Mrs. Chen spoke with him briefly, expressing her apologies once again.

    Previously, Mrs. Chen hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Gu Zits rural husband. It was only now that she took a good look at him. Judging by his appearance and demeanor, it was hard to believe that he was merely a pig farm owner.

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    Mrs. Chen had heard that he had also served as a soldier. Indeed, there was a unique masculinity and toughness about him that was characteristic of successful men, a quality that could only be honed on the battlefield. Even the best upbringing couldn¡¯t instill this, and it was a quality that even her own son lacked.

    Yet, Mrs. Chen saw it in him. Moreover, he was not inferior to any of the decorated veterans she had met. This man was not as simple as he appeared. Mrs. Chen then gave each of the two boys a red envelope containing five hundred yuan, insisting that Su Shen and Gu Zi accept it.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t care about the money. He just didn¡¯t want his wife to have too many ties with the Gong family, so he left the decision to Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t one to refuse money. Moreover, she understood Mrs. Chen¡¯s character. She just wanted to resolve the issue at hand, unlike the Gu family who gave money in exchange for greater benefits. If she refused, it would seem as if Gu Zi lacked vision. Without any hesitation, she let the children accept the money and left the hospital with Su Shen and the children.

    After they left, Gong Xin laughed and said, ¡°What do you think, mom? Isn¡¯t Gu Zi naturally born with a wealthy fate? Even if she didn¡¯t marry into our Gong family, she could still strike gold in the village..¡±

 Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: He Was Done!

    Chapter 389: He Was Done!

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Though Su Shen was considerably older than Gu Zi, he was only thirty and in the prime of his life. He was also a successful businessman, his future bright and promising.

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t believe that only those in the military compound had a promising future. In an era where everyone was venturing into business, those who could carve out their own path also had a promising future. Why should a man confine himself to a single corner?

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s face softened, the smile she had for strangers disappearing to reveal her true expression. Her lips pressed together slightly as she said, ¡°Indeed, when you compare him to your brother, he may not necessarily be worse off¡­¡±

    Because they had only heard one side of the story from Lin Miao and the Gu family, everyone had assumed that Gu Zi had married poorly, that a beautiful flower had been wasted.

    But now, looking at Su Shen, tall and handsome, full of masculine charm, mature, stable, and successful, Mrs. Chen could see that he was also very cunning, not just ordinarily so. If he were in the military, her own son might not even be able to compete.

    Gu Zi had married such a man, and this man had genuinely fallen for her.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? He might have a good background, but he¡¯s always been crushed in fights. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen my brother beaten so badly. We should go check on him.¡±

    Gong Xin led Mrs. Chen away to find her brother, all the while continuing to criticize him. It seemed as though the mother and daughter both believed that if they finished their criticism now, they wouldn¡¯t have to do it to his face later and hurt his pride.

    Mrs. Chen couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. This Gong Xin was fine until she brought it up, but once she did, Mrs. Chen felt ashamed for her son.

    He had been trained from a young age by his military father, and had become the undefeated champion of the new generation in the military compound. How could he be pinned to the ground by Su Shen, and find himself unable to fight back? It was embarrassing, incredibly so. The embarrassment had even reached the countryside!

    When Mrs. Chen saw her son, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She scolded her son, ¡°Gu Zi used to like you so much, and this is how you repay her affection? Taking advantage of her when she¡¯s vulnerable, without a shred of gentlemanly conduct. Don¡¯t you understand the concept of parting on good terms? Everyone thought you were going to make peace, to ask for forgiveness. But you, you¡¯ve only made things worse.¡±

    The Gu couple standing nearby were also speechless, quietly agreeing, ¡°Yes, son-in-law, we¡¯re not trying to criticize you, but how could you do such a thing? You¡¯re bringing shame to the younger generation of the compound.

    You¡¯re also letting Miao Miao down¡­¡±

    Gong Zhan sat on the bench, his blue complexion unattractive. Yet, his pride prevented him from offering any explanation. Uncle Yang, seated beside him, seemed equally unperturbed, showing no inclination to provide any elucidation. Gong Zhan decided to let it be, let them think what they wanted!

    He was done meddling in Lin Miao¡¯s affairs. He couldn¡¯t solve them, and they only brought him trouble. What a nuisance!

    After leaving the hospital with their children, Gu Zi and Su Shen headed to the jewelry store. Su Shen instructed Gu Zi to cash in the gold bracelet. Gu Zi was somewhat perplexed; the bracelet actually suited her style quite well.

    Seeing her hesitation, Su Shen¡¯s face darkened, his voice carrying a hint of frostiness, ¡°Can¡¯t bear to part with it?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, ¡°A bit, mainly because I think it¡¯s quite beautiful.¡± From the backseat, their son Su Li agreed with his mother¡¯s sentiment, ¡°Dad, mom looks really good wearing it. It was a compensation from Grandma Chen, we shouldn¡¯t sell it.¡±

    Su Shen glanced back at him, ¡°Don¡¯t speak. This is none of your business.¡±

    His voice was stern, and Su Li dared not utter another word. Gu Zi understood then, Su Shen was deeply concerned about this matter. She began to comprehend what was bothering him; it was probably because the bracelet was a gift from Gong Zhan¡¯s mother. She had overlooked this fact.

    For some reason, upon realizing this, Gu Zi felt a sense of secret delight. She took Su Shen¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Su Shen, let¡¯s go cash it in. Su Bing, Su Li, take care of your sister and wait for us in the car.¡±

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    Gu Zi had Su Shen roll down a window, so the children wouldn¡¯t have to worry while waiting in the car. They wouldn¡¯t be gone long, they would return once they had cashed in the bracelet.

    After their parents left, Su Li took out his five hundred yuan and admired it, ¡°Brother, our piggy bank is going to have a feast!¡±

    He planned to put all the money into the piggy bank, hoping to fill it up one day. His mother had told him that when that day came, he would become a man. He wanted to be a man, so he was determined to save money!

    Su Bing looked at him wisely, not sharing his brother¡¯s excitement. Su Bing knew that growing up was inevitable, not a result of a full piggy bank.

    However, he also planned to save this money, to use it where it was needed..

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Committed to Taking Responsibility

    Chapter 390: Committed to Taking Responsibility

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In no time at all, Gu Zi and Su Shen returned. Su Li looked at Gu Zi¡¯s wrist in confusion, ¡°Mom, why did you bring the bracelet back? Aren¡¯t you going to cash it in?¡±

    Su Bing, feeling that his younger brother lacked insight, chimed in, ¡°The pattern is different. This one is a dragon and phoenix, the previous one was mandarin ducks playing in the water.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t understand the significance, Su Bing was accustomed to adults doing seemingly illogical things and didn¡¯t react with the same shock as his younger brother. Su Li scratched his head, indicating that he really didn¡¯t understand this maneuver.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up to her eldest son¡¯s observational skills. Su Shen, this mature man, was quite thoughtful. He had asked her to cash in the bracelet given by Mrs. Chen and then chose a different style to give her. In this way, the bracelet became his gift. His little scheme was rather endearing!

    She hadn¡¯t expected this man to have such a petty side. Strangely, she found herself somewhat fond of it.

    The family arrived home before dusk. Gu Zi looked at Su Shen, covered in yellow mud, and found him surprisingly rugged and appealing. She didn¡¯t find his dirty appearance off-putting at all. It seemed she was truly falling in love.

    Nevertheless, she urged him to go take a bath. Regardless of anything else, the confusion, ¡°Mom, why did you bring the bracelet back? Aren¡¯t you going to cash it in?¡±

    Su Bing, feeling that his younger brother lacked insight, chimed in, ¡°The pattern is different. This one is a dragon and phoenix, the previous one was mandarin ducks playing in the water.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t understand the significance, Su Bing was accustomed to adults doing seemingly illogical things and didn¡¯t react with the same shock as his younger brother. Su Li scratched his head, indicating that he really didn¡¯t understand this maneuver.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up to her eldest son¡¯s observational skills. Su Shen, this mature man, was quite thoughtful. He had asked her to cash in the bracelet given by Mrs. Chen and then chose a different style to give her. In this way, the bracelet became his gift. His little scheme was rather endearing!

    She hadn¡¯t expected this man to have such a petty side. Strangely, she found herself somewhat fond of it.

    The family arrived home before dusk. Gu Zi looked at Su Shen, covered in yellow mud, and found him surprisingly rugged and appealing. She didn¡¯t find his dirty appearance off-putting at all. It seemed she was truly falling in love.

    Nevertheless, she urged him to go take a bath. Regardless of anything else, the day¡¯s events had been rather unfortunate, and a good wash was in order.

    Su Shen, however, was in no rush. He took their son, Su Le, from Gu Zit s arms and handed him to their eldest son, then asked Gu Zi to go upstairs and prepare his bath.

    As Gu Zi followed him upstairs, she noticed the bruises on his face and hands from his fight with Gong Zhan.

    She couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene of him fighting in the mud earlier. It was both amusing and a little heartbreaking. She gently teased him, ¡°You¡¯re not as young as you used to be. Don¡¯t be so impulsive in the future. It¡¯s a shame about that prime piece of pork belly.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi closed the bedroom door, Su Shen pulled her into his arms. Pinching her soft waist, he pushed her against the door. The mud on his face was intentionally rubbed onto her fair neck. They were husband and wife, and he wanted to dirty her too, so they could wash together.

    ¡°Do you pity that piece of meat? Are you heartbroken?¡± Su Shen was quite relieved. At least from the time of the incident until now, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t been angry with him for beating up Gong Zhan. For him, this attitude was quite good. He didn¡¯t dare to hope for more.

    ¡°Ouch, don¡¯t bite me, be gentle. This fabric is expensive,¡± Gu Zi pleaded in a soft voice as he bit her nipple through her clothes, almost making her knees buckle.

    The man continued his rough actions, his mouth on her breast, the fabric there wet with his saliva. It looked particularly decadent. His face, slightly scraped, looked especially wild and defiant, enough to make anyone weak at the knees.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t bear to reject him. In fact, she had wanted to kiss him just moments ago, but the presence of the children had held her back. Now, as he brazenly made his move, it was in perfect alignment with Gu Zi¡¯s desires.

    He was well aware of her longing for him. He traced her large eyes and upturned nose with his rough fingertips, then moved to her delicate, rosy lips, and her exquisite, captivating collarbone. Had Gong Zhan ever kissed her lips? He didn¡¯t know.

    But what he was certain of was that he was the only one who had tasted her, made love to her, heard her soft moans, and taken her in various positions. He had marked her as his own, and as her husband, he was committed to taking responsibility for her.

    The man gradually straightened up, holding her in his arms, and let out a satisfied sigh. ¡°Your breasts are so soft, so fragrant. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve tasted them.¡±

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    He was tall and handsome, his towering figure like a sturdy mountain peak, protecting her within. Desire burned in his eyes, ready to burst forth at any moment.

    Gu Zi was surrounded by his strong masculine scent, finding it hard to catch her breath as she melted into his arms. They had been busy with their own affairs these past few days, and it had indeed been a while since they had been this intimate.

    No wonder she had mistaken the sound of a car for Su Shen¡¯s return earlier that day. The moment she had rushed out, her skin had inexplicably tingled with anticipation, yearning for his kisses, his touch, the entanglement of their bodies¡­

    The desire between the man and woman was like dry wood meeting a raging fire, ready to ignite at any moment. Su Shen pulled Gu Zi into the bath, but they didn¡¯t even have time for a tender moment in the tub before his passionate kiss came crashing down on her. Gu Zi found herself pinned to the bed, her scalp tingling, her lips trembling uncontrollably, her tongue hooked by his, the sensation overwhelmingly pleasurable.

    The man¡¯s large hand covered her smooth thigh, caressing upward along the inside of her leg. He parted her evenly proportioned, beautiful legs, his knee pressing against the soft spot behind hers. He buried his head in the crook of her collarbone, nuzzling and nibbling..

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: A Lot of Love

    Chapter 391: A Lot of Love

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen was in no rush to penetrate, his manhood persistently grinding at her entrance. Their bodies were pressed together so closely that not even a breath of air could pass between them, an intimacy that was even more provocative than the act of lovemaking itself.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but squirm, her slender waist and perky buttocks writhing in anticipation. Her thighs were slick with desire, her breath coming in soft, panting gasps. She yearned for him to enter her, whispering, ¡°Su Shen, give it to me¡­¡±

    Su Shen lifted her slightly, taking a moment to appreciate the sight of her yearning for him. A sense of satisfaction welled up within him, a feeling he found difficult to put into words.

    Their lovemaking took them from the bed to the floor and back again, going through three condoms in the process. By the time they were finished, night had fallen completely.

    Afterwards, Gu Zi was left utterly spent, her slender arms clutching a soft pillow as she lay sprawled on the bed.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze lingered on the sensual curve of the woman¡¯s waist, nearly unable to restrain himself. Yet, even at his most beastly, he couldn¡¯t bear to touch her, afraid he might break her delicate form.

    Having composed himself, Su Shen descended the stairs, dressed in a neat and proper manner. Gu Zi watched his retreating figure, finally understanding the phrase, ¡®a beast when undressed, a gentleman when clothed.¡¯ His transformation was clear and undeniable.

    As Su Shen descended, Su Bing and Su Li were engrossed in an animated film, their younger sister, Su Le, in tow. Su Li held a baby bottle in his hand, sipping from it. Su Shen spared them a glance before heading straight to the kitchen to prepare the pig¡¯s trotters as Gu Zi had instructed.

    Su Li noticed that only their father had come down, suspecting that he must have been teasing their mother again.

    However, such teasing seemed to be a legitimate part of their parents¡¯ relationship. If their mother had no objections, he naturally wouldn¡¯t either. He and his brother were content to look after their sister, as their brother had advised, it was best not to meddle in adult affairs.

    Dinner at the Su residence was exceptionally late that night, nearly nine o¡¯clock. However, the three children were far from hungry. The house was filled with more food than they could possibly eat, and they hadn¡¯t felt hunger in a long time.

    As for Gu Zi, there was no chance of her going hungry. After Su Shen had started cooking the pig¡¯s trotters, he began preparing food for Gu Zi. He even brought her a bowl of shrimp meatball soup. Su Bing and Su Li watched, making a mental note to become men like their father, who would never let their women go hungry.

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    It wasn¡¯t surprising for Su Li to have such thoughts, but Su Bing was puzzled as to why he would suddenly harbor such sentiments. It was unsettling.

    Gu Zi looked at Su Bing curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, big brother? Why is your face turning pale and then green?¡±

    Su Bing, of course, couldn¡¯t reveal the strange thoughts that had popped into his head. He quickly replied, ¡°I might have caught a cold. I¡¯ll take some medicine later.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Zi turned to Su Shen for confirmation.

    Su Shen glanced at his eldest son, not noticing anything unusual. His voice was low and steady as he reassured, ¡°That should be it. He¡¯ll be fine after taking some cold medicine. Don¡¯t worry..¡±

 Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Burning With Embarrassment

    Chapter 392: Burning With Embarrassment

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi, observing the father and son¡¯s conversation, decided not to probe further. She quietly ate her meal, occasionally interacting with Lele.

    After the meal, the man and the two boys tidied up the house while Gu Zi took Lele outside to digest their food. She felt a slight discomfort in her waist.

    The size of Su Shen¡¯s manhood was astonishing. Despite their numerous intimate encounters, she still felt a tightness each time he entered her. The pleasure was undeniable, but there was always a lingering discomfort afterward. Perhaps she could try more oral activities in the future.

    Due to the vigorous activity in the evening, Gu Zi went to bed early. Lele was not her concern as she was taken care of by her brother.

    Gu Zi woke up late the next day, exhausted from the previous night¡¯s activities. Su Shen didn¡¯t disturb her when he woke up. After kissing her lips, he went downstairs, prepared breakfast, and left for the pig farm.

    These days, Su Shen¡¯s work was quite busy. He had to travel to the city for work every other day. Under such circumstances, Su Shen would usually choose to stay in a hotel in the city for convenience.

    However, things were different now. He had a wife and a home. Despite his busy schedule, he made sure to return home every day to see her. Thus, he and Jin Long commuted between the city and the countryside.

    Jin Long, who was prone to motion sickness, found the situation unbearable. He strongly suggested staying in the city, complaining, ¡°Brother Shen, if you continue to disregard me like this, you¡¯ll lose me!¡±

    Su Shen merely glanced at him, his eyes devoid of warmth. ¡°You¡¯re a grown man and you can¡¯t overcome motion sickness? Get yourself together, take some motion sickness medicine. We¡¯re heading to the city later for a meeting at Xinghua Department Store.¡±

    Resigned, Jin Long took the medicine and drove with Su Shen to the city. After lunch, they visited the pork shop at Xinghua Department Store for research. A large group of people wandered around the floors of Xinghua Department Store, later moving on to other floors.

    Su Shen, striding ahead, suddenly split from the group. Jin Long, curious, muttered, ¡°What¡¯s the boss up to, going off on his own without me?¡± He quickly followed, eager to see what Su Shen was up to.

    Su Shen turned his head and stepped into a small shop, bathed in a soft pink glow. His towering figure made the modest storefront seem even more cramped. Jin Long, driven by curiosity, followed him in quick strides, catching up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Boss Su, why didn¡¯t you call me?

    We could have come in together!¡±

    As soon as the words fell, the young ladies nearby began to size up the two handsome men with curious eyes. They were both so attractive, each one more so than the other. It was a pity, though, that such good looks were wasted on each other. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder who was the dominant one and who was the submissive one.

    The saleswoman inside the shop looked over with a mysterious smile, greeting the two handsome men and asking if they needed any assistance.

    In all the time they had been in business, they had seen women come to buy, men come to buy, and even men bringing women to buy. But they had never seen two men come in together.

    However, influenced by the changing societal norms, they had become more open-minded about same-sex relationships. After all, there had been instances of such relationships since ancient times. It was not surprising, not surprising at all!

    Su Shen brushed off Jin Long¡¯s hand and walked further into the shop, ignoring the stares of others. He was looking for a particular style of underwear that Gu Zi liked. He had previously ruined a pair of her panties while washing them and had been meaning to replace them. Today was a perfect opportunity to see if they had the style he was looking for.

    It was only then that Jin Long realized that the shop was filled with women¡¯s intimate wear. Pink bras, leopard print panties, thongs, and all sorts of exotic underwear.

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    Jin Long¡¯s handsome face turned beet red, even his dark skin couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment.

    This was absolutely outrageous! Who could tell him what was going on? Why would Boss Su, a grown man, casually stroll into a lingerie shop? Jin Long felt as if the floor beneath him was burning hot, his legs went weak. He didn¡¯t know whether to follow Su Shen or to retreat.

    Looking up, he saw a middle-aged woman staring at him and Su Shen, then letting out a strange laugh and whispering to the woman next to her. Jin Long felt like he was about to die of embarrassment. They were not a couple, for goodness¡¯ sake!

    At that moment, Su Shen walked over to a lingerie mannequin and said in a deep voice to a saleswoman, ¡°Wrap this set up for me. Jin Long, pay for it.¡±

    Su Shen usually left Jin Long in charge of the money when they went out, so it was only natural for him to ask him to pay. He didn¡¯t care if others would misunderstand..

 Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: What a Coincidence

    Chapter 393: What a Coincidence

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Under normal circumstances, Jin Long would have casually pulled out his wallet to pay for Su Shen, knowing well that the wealthy Su Shen wouldn¡¯t not pay him back.

    However, the current situation was anything but normal. Two grown men shopping in a lingerie store was already pushing the boundaries of convention, but to have Su Shen ask him to pay was downright scandalous!

    Feeling the judgmental and curious gazes of the surrounding shoppers, Jin Long decided to abandon any pretense of dignity. He quickly pulled out his wallet and tossed it to Su Shen, standing at a distance as if they were strangers.

    Yet, the onlookers had already made their own assumptions. They were shocked to find that the more masculine and imposing of the two men was the submissive one. The revelation was nothing short of thrilling!

    Some of the women couldn¡¯t help but let their eyes wander to Su Shen¡¯s firm buttocks and slender waist. Even if she were a man, she would have been attracted to him! Others looked at Su Shen¡¯s handsome profile with a sense of regret.

    Throughout all this, Su Shen remained unfazed by the attention. He walked with long strides, paid the bill, and left the store with a calm and composed demeanor. His actions were so natural, so masculine, that it was as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary.

    But what a waste! Such a tall and handsome man, carrying a pink bag from a women¡¯s lingerie store, walking towards his ¡°boyfriend¡± Jin Long. Jin Long felt a chill run down his spine at the thought of being mistaken for a homosexual. His hand trembled as he took back his wallet from Su Shen.

    Jin Long quickened his pace, leaving the lingerie store behind Su Shen. As they exited, a familiar figure was about to enter the store. Not wanting to miss the chance to run into Gong Xin, Jin Long hastily greeted her, ¡°What a coincidence, Gong Xin!¡±

    Gong Xin stopped in her tracks, momentarily taken aback. Why were Su Shen and Jin Long coming out of a lingerie store? For a moment, she thought that Gu Zi might follow them out, but she confirmed that Gu Zi wasn¡¯t there.

    Looking at the surrounding people¡¯s gazes, Gong Xin instantly understood the awkwardness of the situation. What were Su Shen and Jin Long thinking? Didn¡¯t two grown men in a lingerie store find it embarrassing?

    Gong Xin¡¯s gaze turned distant as she laughed and said, ¡°I think you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. I¡¯m not Gong Xin, haha.¡±

    With that, Gong Xin hurriedly entered the lingerie store, silently apologizing in her heart: Sorry, Brother Jin Long, your ideas are too progressive. Let¡¯s pretend we don¡¯t know each other today!

    Jin Long watched as the silhouette vanished in a mere second, his heart nearly shattering. He no longer cared about the gazes around him, catching up to Su Shen to voice his protest, ¡°Damn it, Su Shen, you owe me for emotional distress!¡±

    Su Shen, holding a small pink bag, glanced back at him. Finally, he responded, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Lin Cheng take over your social obligations for the next few days?¡±

    Jin Long was speechless. He now understood what it meant to have a brother in adversity. He, Jin Long, was indeed Su Shen¡¯s steadfast comrade in hardship.

    In the Su family¡¯s home in Daqing Village, Gu Zi didn¡¯t rise until late in the morning. However, a good sleep had revitalized her. After breakfast, she began to clean the house, then the pigeon coop, where she could also collect some pigeon eggs.

    The pigeons Su Shen had bought were laying eggs, so almost every day, she could collect three or four pigeon eggs. Gu Zi stored them away, not yet starting to eat them.

    After watching their mother finish cleaning the pigeon coop, Su Bing and Su Li decided to head out. Su Li handed their little sister, Su Le, to their mother, saying, ¡°Mom, my brother and I are going fishing.¡±

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    Gu Zi took Su Le, feeling that her sons had helped look after their sister all morning. It was time for them to have some fun. She reminded Su Li and Su Bing to be careful. The brothers, confident and prepared, grabbed their homemade fishing gear and headed out with high spirits.

    Gu Zi made some yam and taro mash cakes for Su Le. While resting in the courtyard, her gaze fell on a patch of unused land next to the clay oven. Gu Zi thought it could be put to good use by planting some herbs like mint, fennel, and cilantro.

    She remembered that these plants were available in the neighboring Aunt Zhang¡¯s garden, and she could buy the seedlings from her.

    Seeing that it was still early, Gu Zi decided to visit Aunt Zhang¡¯s house right away to discuss this matter. It would also be a good opportunity to take Su Le

    out for a visit..

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Cherished

    Chapter 394: Cherished

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation      Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon finalizing her thoughts, Gu Zi immediately sprang into action. She grabbed a few snacks, took Lele with her, and headed out to visit their next-door neighbor.

    When she left, she merely latched the gate of the courtyard without locking it, as she intended to return shortly. She also unleashed Da Huang, their dog, allowing it to roam freely within the yard. This, she believed, would deter any thieves from targeting the Su household.

    Just as Gu Zi stepped out, Su Shen¡¯s car pulled up at the entrance. Upon returning home and finding both Gu Zi and the child absent, he assumed they had gone out for a walk. Carrying a bag, Su Shen ascended the stairs and began washing the newly purchased underwear.

    This time, Su Shen washed with exceptional care, fearing that his strength might tear the delicate fabric. By the time he finished the final rinse, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

    Such meticulous tasks were indeed more exhausting than slaughtering a pig.

    Finally, Su Shen stretched the small underwear on a hanger and took it to the balcony to dry before descending the stairs.

    When Gu Zi returned from Aunt Zhang¡¯s house, Su Shen was already bustling about in the kitchen preparing lunch. For a moment, she was lost in admiration of the tall figure. What kind of celestial man had she found? He was never idle, working outside and still helping her with household chores upon returning home!

    ¡°Let me do it. You should rest a bit,¡± Gu Zi said, her voice filled with concern. She knew that Su Shen had to entertain guests in the city that morning and hadn¡¯t expected him to return for lunch. Yet, not only had he returned early, but he was also doing housework.

    Su Shen, still holding the spatula, didn¡¯t let go. He simply turned to look at Gu Zi and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I haven¡¯t done much today. There¡¯s no need for rest.¡± For Su Shen, doing housework was restful, hardly a strenuous task.

    Unable to persuade him otherwise, Gu Zi, seeing his high spirits, wasn¡¯t as worried about him being tired. She took Lele out of the kitchen.

    At that moment, a sound came from outside the courtyard. Su Li¡¯s joyful voice clearly rang out, ¡°Mom, Lele, come and see! Brother and I caught some fish today, and two crabs too!¡±

    Gu Zi took Su Le outside. Su Bing and Su Li, their trouser legs rolled up, were approaching, one after the other. Su Li proudly displayed their catch in a small bucket in front of his mother and sister. Inside were two medium-sized carp, a dozen loaches, and two plump river crabs.

    Gu Zi immediately praised the two little fishing experts. Both Su Bing and Su Li¡¯s faces lit up with satisfied smiles. Gu Zi said, ¡°We have our dinner ingredients for tonight. I¡¯ll cook these into something delicious for you!¡± The two brothers nodded in agreement.

    Little Lele was utterly fascinated by the two river crabs, her hand instinctively reaching out to grab one from the bucket. Luckily, Gu Zits quick reflexes intercepted the small hand. ¡°Little miss,¡± she warned, ¡°crabs can pinch, you can¡¯t grab them.¡±

    Upon being thwarted by her mother, the little girl¡¯s face fell into a pout of disappointment. Clinging to her mother¡¯s arm, she sniffled, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, I want!¡±

    How could Gu Zi resist such a plea? Eventually, she securely bound the crab and handed it to the little girl, only removing it once she had her fill of touching it.

    The sight of the mother¡¯s tender care for her little sister made Su Li¡¯s heart flutter. His mother was so gentle, he yearned for the same affection.

    ¡®Mom, can you hold the crab so I can touch it too?¡± Su Li asked his mother, his eyes filled with anticipation.

    Without questioning him, Gu Zi picked up the tightly bound crab and placed it in front of her son. In a soft voice, she said, ¡°Little one, touch the crab.¡±

    Just like his sister, Su Li carefully touched the crab in his mother¡¯s hand. A sense of satisfaction washed over him, making him feel incredibly happy.

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    During lunch, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but ask Gu Zi, ¡®Mom, why didn¡¯t you ask me why I wanted to touch the crab too?¡±

    Gu Zi served him a piece of meat, responding gently, ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult task. Mom doesn¡¯t need to know the reason. If you need it and Mom can do it, Mom will do it. Why would there need to be a reason?¡±

    After saying this, Gu Zi continued eating. Yet, in Su Li¡¯s eyes, she was glowing. It was at this moment that Su Li truly understood why the old saying goes, ¡°A child without a mother is like wild grass, while a child with a mother is a treasure.¡±

    Su Li felt that he was now also a cherished treasure, loved and cared for. Overwhelmed, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but shed tears while eating. When Gu Zi asked him what was wrong, he quickly replied, ¡°Dad¡¯s cooking is so delicious,

    I¡­ I¡¯m moved¡­.

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: A Pleasant Surprise

    Chapter 395: A Pleasant Surprise

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Su Shen exchanged glances, a chuckle escaping from Gu Zi¡¯s lips. Su Shen, in a gesture of masculine consolation, ruffled the hair of their younger son without uttering a word.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t neglect their older son either. She served Su Bing a piece of meat, saying, ¡°Try this, my dear. See if your father¡¯s culinary skills are as impressive as they seem. It¡¯s so delicious it could bring tears to your eyes.¡±

    Upon tasting the meat, Su Bing played along with Gu Zits jest, ¡°Indeed, it tastes like a wave of emotion.¡±

    At Su Bing¡¯s words, both Gu Zi and Su Shen broke into laughter. Even Su Li, who had been wiping away tears, joined in the mirth. Their lunch was filled with warmth and amusement, a stark contrast to the previously somber atmosphere in the Su household.

    After lunch, Su Shen left for the pig farm. His kitchen remained spotless even after his cooking, requiring little to no cleaning. Gu Zi, after tidying up the dining room, took their daughter, Lele, upstairs for a nap.

    Naptime was a sacred ritual for the mother-daughter duo. It was a time for Gu Zi to rejuvenate and for Lele to replenish her sleep. It was a good habit they had cultivated since Lele was a baby.

    Gu Zi¡¯s naptime usually didn¡¯t last long, half an hour was sufficient under normal circumstances. Today was no different. After a half-hour nap, she woke up naturally, drew back the curtains, and let the sunlight flood in.

    The weather had been clear these past few days, with the sun shining brightly. The clothes Gu Zi washed in the morning were usually dry by the time she woke up from her nap. As she went to the balcony to collect the laundry, she noticed a pair of black silk underwear, identical to the pair that Su Shen had previously ruined.

    Confused, Gu Zi wondered, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it ruined? How is it here in perfect condition?¡±

    Using a laundry pole, she took down the underwear, which was already dry and carried a faint scent of detergent.

    Gu Zi preferred using fragrant laundry liquid over detergent, especially for underwear, which she would wash with special care products. This pair, however, was clearly washed by Su Shen. The man had washed her underwear again¡­

    A realization dawned on Gu Zi. The underwear must have been bought by Su Shen that morning and he had even washed it for her.

    She had jokingly asked him to compensate for the ruined pair last time, not expecting him to take it to heart. Who knew that he was such a meticulous man?

    Despite his busy schedule, he took care of everything at home and even paid attention to such minor details. He even took time out of his official engagements to buy her underwear. Gu Zi found herself deeply moved by his actions.

    However, Gu Zi was not one to enjoy the fruits of someone else¡¯s labor without reciprocating. Seeing Su Shen¡¯s dedication, she felt the need to express her gratitude. But how should she do it? Cooking delicious meals for him was a regular affair and didn¡¯t seem special enough.

    Gu Zi methodically folded the clothes, placing them in the wardrobes of each room. Upon returning to the master bedroom, she passed by her vanity mirror. A glance caught her own graceful figure reflected in the glass. A playful smile tugged at the corners of her lips as an idea suddenly sparked in her mind.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t come home for dinner that night. He sent a message through Li Zhu, saying he wouldn¡¯t be back until the early hours of the morning and told Gu Zi to rest first.

    That evening, as promised, Gu Zi prepared a delicious meal for the children. Braised grass carp, fried loach, salt and pepper loach, and spicy crab. She, along with Su Bing and Su Li, indulged in the feast, their satisfaction evident.

    Of course, due to Su Let s young age, she could only taste a bit of the stronger-flavored dishes. Gu Zi had specially prepared a small bowl of stewed loach with fish mint for her, which was her main course.

    Although it wasn¡¯t healthy to indulge in such rich food often, Gu Zi allowed herself and her two eldest children a little indulgence that day. She also prepared some cooling desserts to balance out the heaty dishes, leaving them feeling utterly content after the meal.

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    That night, after soaking in the bath, Gu Zi went to bed. But at midnight, she climbed out of bed, ready to prepare a surprise for her husband.

    The surprise Gu Zi had in mind was none other than herself. She thought that adding a little spice to their marital life would be a pleasant surprise for her husband.

    He had gone to great lengths to buy her underwear as an apology, so she decided to personally pair it with an outfit and show him. Gu Zi had full confidence in her own charm.

    She dug out a light blue sailor suit from the bottom of her wardrobe. The pleated mini skirt swayed enticingly, perfect for displaying temptation¡­

    In the early hours of the morning, the sound of a car echoed from downstairs. Gu Zi put on a coat and went down to greet him. As Su Shen got out of the car, he saw his wife, wrapped in a coat in the middle of the night, waiting for him. His brows furrowed slightly, his tone tinged with concern, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to wait up for me? Let¡¯s go inside..¡±

 Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Iâ€™m Very Honored

    Chapter 396: I¡¯m Very Honored

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi took small steps towards the man, her fair hands raised in front of him, willingly resting on his shoulders. She tiptoed, planting a kiss on his lips, and playfully whispered, ¡°Husband, I¡¯ve been waiting for you tonight. Don¡¯t rush in so quickly.¡±

    Her voice, warm and sweet, was a stark contrast to the chilly night wind. It was enticing, just like her captivating eyes, luring him in.

    The phrase ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you tonight¡± sent a wave of heat coursing through Su Shen¡¯s lower abdomen. His heart began to race inexplicably, realizing that his petite wife was engaging him in a playful game of seduction. It was indeed intriguing.

    His heartache was momentarily replaced by a surge of desire. A devilish smirk played on his lips as his hand, almost involuntarily, reached for her soft waist through her coat, pulling her closer. His gaze fell on her, appreciating her beauty.

    Gu Zi was a delicate beauty, fair-skinned and attractive. Her coat did not hide her radiant beauty; instead, it added a layer of mystery that intrigued Su Shen. For a fleeting moment, he anticipated a surprise beneath the coat.

    As if validating his thoughts, Gu Zi pushed him away slightly. The moment she removed her coat, it was as if a beautifully wrapped gift box had been opened. Su Shen¡¯s breath hitched, his gaze growing increasingly fervent, a hidden undercurrent stirring within him.

    Beneath the coat was a whole different charm. She was wearing a sailor suit with high heels, but it wasn¡¯t a conventional design. It was a modified version, a playful style that could be called a sailor dress. The pleated skirt was short, revealing the length of her thighs with a slight bend.

    The shortness of the skirt was accentuated by her perky buttocks, lifting the hem of the dress.

    Her waist was so slender that there was a gap when she wore the small sailor suit. She flashed him a seductive smile, her allure was undeniable. Su Shen felt a dryness in his throat.

    The next second, his long, well-defined fingers gripped her neck, pulling her closer. Years of military training had roughened his fingertips, creating a stark contrast with her delicate skin. ¡°Gu Zi, you look beautiful tonight. I¡¯m honored to see you like this,¡± he said.

    Gu Zi bit her lip as the man¡¯s touch sent a current through her body, leaving her tingling and slightly wet. Her voice was soft and seductive as she coaxed, ¡°Husband, you¡¯ve been so good to me. I think it¡¯s worth dressing up for you.

    Would you like to make love like this tonight?¡±

    Her small hand reached for the man¡¯s already hard member.

    Su Shen stared at her seductive face, his tongue sweeping over his back teeth before biting down. ¡°I¡¯d love to, my beautiful wife,¡± he said.

    Gu Zi was filled with anticipation for what was to come. She reached out to unbuckle the man¡¯s belt, her fingers exploring and teasing, feeling the rapid hardening and swelling of his arousal. ¡°Mmm,¡± she murmured, ¡°I want my husband to love me properly¡­¡±

    Gu Zi was swept off her feet and carried into the house. Her body was quickly pressed against the back of the dining room door. As she tilted her head back to receive the man¡¯s domineering kiss, her sailor uniform was pushed up. Her full, fair breasts sprang free, their pink nipples slowly hardening, drawing the man¡¯s attention.

    Su Shen bent his head to take one nipple into his mouth, his hand cupping and kneading the other breast. He used his knee to part her legs, his voice husky, ¡°Tonight, I want to take you deeper, is that okay?¡±

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    He wanted to experience something different with her, but only with her consent. He didn¡¯t want his woman to have a bad experience with him, he couldn¡¯t bear it.

    Gu Zi tilted her head back, her breath coming in short gasps. She understood his meaning and gave him her full trust. Su Shen would not hurt her.

    Su Shen¡¯s lips once again captured hers. His fingers swept across her waist, slipping under her skirt, his voice teasing, ¡°My wife is so full of charm. I will perform well, I will take you well.¡±

    Soon, a large wet spot on her panties was removed by the man and held in his hand. She parted her own lips, teasing herself, biting her lip in pleasure. This man always took such good care of her. ¡°Did you notice, husband? The new panties you bought me today are being ruined by you.¡±

    Su Shen noticed, realizing this little woman¡¯s thoughts were hidden here. His heart stirred, his gaze on her deepening with affection..

 Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: A Little Insomniac

    Chapter 397: A Little Insomniac

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the midst of the night, he carefully tucked her panties into his pocket. His head buried in the nape of her neck, he nibbled and sucked gently. ¡°Mmm, darling, you look so good in these. I love it,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°Really? Should I put them on then?¡± Gu Zi tightened her grip on his shoulders, playfully attempting to close her legs.

    Su Shen would not give her the chance.

    The enchantress! Su Shen panted heavily, his dark eyes filled with intense desire. He lifted her buttocks, thrusting into her with a force that left him unable to slow his pace. He reveled in her tightness.

    Gu Zi, wrapped her arms around Su Shen¡¯s neck, lost in the pleasure. She sought his lips, their tongues intertwining once more. Their bodies were pressed together. The quiet kitchen was filled with an escalating, sensual heat.

    The woman cried out as she reached her climax.

    Yet Su Shen deliberately held back, not allowing himself to climax. He was adept at self-control, even during lovemaking.

    ¡°My darling, you¡¯re so beautiful. I want to love you like this forever¡­¡± Su Shen turned her around to face him, admiring the satisfaction on her face. He whispered sweet nothings, stirring her emotions further.

    This woman was incredibly beautiful! She was radiant and elegant in her daily life, yet wild and primal in bed. The stark contrast fascinated Su Shen.

    Su Shen caressed her face, then lifted her onto the dining table. He held her slender waist, thrusting once more into her.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Gu Zi moaned as she was filled again. She arched her back in pleasure, moving in rhythm with him¡­

    As dawn approached, Su Shen carried Gu Zi from the bathroom, gently laying her on the bed. His face was calm again, the lust faded. He looked at the bruises on her knees with guilt. Even though they were accidental, he blamed himself for not being careful.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the ointment,¡± he said, covering her with a blanket before rising to fetch the medicine. Gu Zi watched his retreating figure, a content smile on her face. She didn¡¯t blame Su Shen at all. It was her own insistence that had led to the bruises. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, just a little bruised, and it didn¡¯t hurt anymore.

    But the man was incredibly attentive. After bathing her and cleaning up, he still took care of her, applying the ointment. He was always so meticulous with her. How could she not be moved?

    When Su Shen came over with the medicine, Gu Zi spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°My love, thank you. Tonight was a wonderful experience, I really enjoyed it.¡±

    Su Shen applied the medicine for her, gently lifting her chin to examine her closely. He stared at her for a long time, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he remained silent. In the end, he wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I know, I enjoyed it too. It¡¯s late, you should rest.¡±

    Indeed, Gu Zi was exhausted. After hearing his words, she closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly after. However, Su Shen found himself suffering from insomnia. In order not to disturb her sleep, he got out of bed and went outside to smoke. He always felt that he was not doing enough when it came to Gu Zi. This woman, Su Shen believed, was worth loving with everything he had¡­

    The next day, Su Shen postponed his work, leaving Jin Long in charge of the pig farm. No one knew what he was up to, but he was definitely not at the pig farm.

    The men at the pig farm couldn¡¯t help but gossip, ¡°Brother Shen is skipping work more and more often for personal reasons. He hasn¡¯t been at work for long, and he¡¯s already missing his wife.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see what a beauty our sister-in-law is? Which man with such a beautiful wife would still have the mood to work? Our Brother Shen has already shown great restraint, and he is in the prime of his life.¡±

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    ¡°But with Brother Shen so devoted to his wife, can he handle it? Even the strongest body can¡¯t withstand such torment.¡±

    When Jin Long heard people discussing this, he walked over and unusually, with a cold face, dispersed everyone. The things that Su Shen couldn¡¯t handle shouldn¡¯t be spread around. Jin Long was afraid that these people would accidentally reveal this secret while discussing it.

    At the Su residence, after Gu Zi got up, she went to the second brother¡¯s room to check on Little Lele. As she opened the door, she saw the little girl sitting on the bed, playing with a pillow. Judging by her lively appearance, she must have been awake for a while.

    Gu Zi walked over and carried her out of the room, showering her with kisses as they walked.

    The little girl was simply adorable. She didn¡¯t cry or fuss when she woke up, nor did she crawl around aimlessly. She would either lie quietly on the bed or sit up and play with whatever was within her reach..

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Plum Blossom Footprints

    Chapter 398: Plum Blossom Footprints

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Lele, drink your milk first. Mommy will prepare something delicious for you,¡± Gu Zi offered the milk bottle to her. Lele sat on the sofa, accepting the bottle and sipping from it, nodding her head at her mother in agreement.

    With that, Gu Zi retreated to the kitchen. She had planned a simple breakfast, steaming a portion of bird¡¯s nest soup that her little girl could also partake in, and boiling four pigeon eggs, two for each of them, which would be sufficient.

    As she prepared breakfast, Gu Zi¡¯s mind wandered to the tasks she had planned for the day. She intended to dig up a plot of land that morning, to plant mint and other herbs. Her gaze drifted towards the door, and flashes of the passionate love-making from the previous night filled her mind. The thought of Su Shen brought an uncontrollable smile to her lips.

    People often say that sudden tears are less frightening than sudden laughter. Tears suggest a return to clarity, while laughter implies a fascination with someone or something. For a man and a woman, this could signal the beginning of love.

    Gu Zi had always been resistant to the idea of falling head over heels in love. She believed that the union of a man and a woman was essentially an exchange of values. Therefore, it was crucial to remain clear-headed in a relationship. Conversely, she was afraid of being love-struck.

    However, now that she found herself smiling foolishly at the thought of Su Shen, Gu Zi felt no sense of crisis. Perhaps it was because he had truly been wonderful. Gu Zi was not one to be easily swayed. If it were not for his sincere and heartfelt efforts, he would not have been able to awaken her love-struck heart.

    Gu Zi felt that starting to love him was a good choice. Energized by these thoughts, she found herself humming a tune as she dug up the soil in the yard.

    That day, she did not tether Big Yellow, the dog. Big Yellow was free to roam around the yard and the house. However, Big Yellow seemed particularly attached to Gu Zi, following her wherever she went. When Gu Zi was digging, Big Yellow would circle around the plot of soil, occasionally running into it and rubbing against Gu Zi¡¯s pant leg. Only when Gu Zi crouched down to pat its head would it willingly leave.

    As it moved away, it left behind a trail of distinct plum blossom footprints. These caught the attention of little Lele, who observed them for a long time, her eyes filled with curiosity.

    Following Big Yellow¡¯s example, Lele too ran to Gu Zi¡¯s side and then moved away, looking back at the path she had taken. However, she found no plum blossom footprints. How could this be?

    Lele looked at the plum blossom footprints and then at her own, momentarily stunned and questioning her existence. Then, with a pout, she ran to find her mother, calling out, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, Big Yellow, Big Yellow!¡±

    Although Gu Zi was busy working, she had been keeping an eye on Lele. She had seen all of Lele¡¯s actions and knew that Lele was upset because she could not make footprints like Big Yellow¡¯s. This was the adorable aspect of human children.

    Gu Zi set down the hoe in her hand and cradled the little girl, soothing her as she explained, ¡°Big Yellow¡¯s paws are different from our feet, so his paw prints look like this. Big Yellow, come here and show Lele.¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s call, Big Yellow immediately turned and ran over. He lay down on the ground, extending his paw as per Gu Zi¡¯s request, allowing Gu Zi to hold it up for the little girl to see.

    The little girl glanced at her own foot, then at Big Yellow¡¯s paw. It seemed as though she understood something in that moment. Her eyes, still brimming with unshed tears, suddenly sparkled with laughter. The little girl then resumed her joyful play with Big Yellow, while Gu Zi returned to her work.

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    ¡°Gu Zi, open the door. I¡¯ve brought over the seedlings you wanted,¡± Aunt Zhang¡¯s voice, filled with her usual cheerfulness, echoed from outside the courtyard. Gu Zi set down his tools and went to open the door. Outside, Aunt Zhang held a small basket, filled with a few seedlings that Gu Zi had purchased from her. They looked freshly dug from the earth, their vibrant green color radiating freshness.

    When Gu Zi had told her she wanted to buy her seedlings, Aunt Zhang had immediately responded, ¡°You can just take them, no need to be so formal about buying.¡±

    As the old saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. Aunt Zhang was genuinely willing to give them away for free. The snacks that Gu Zi casually gave to her grandson, Shi Tou, were more than enough to cover the cost of these seedlings. These seedlings were plentiful in the fields and not worth much.

    Gu Zi took the basket and invited her in, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Zhang. Would you like to come in and sit for a while?¡± She had already given her the money, originally planning to dig up the soil and fetch the seedlings from Aunt Zhang¡¯s house herself. She hadn¡¯t expected Aunt Zhang to deliver them.

    Her thoughts were different. Even though Aunt Zhang didn¡¯t want the money, she insisted on buying them. These seedlings were nurtured with someone else¡¯s sweat and effort, and she believed they were worth paying for..

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Aunt Zhangâ€™s Help

    Chapter 399: Aunt Zhang¡¯s Help

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Under the assistance of Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi, with a basket in hand, proceeded inward. Aunt Zhang followed closely behind, looking for ways she could lend a hand to Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi gestured for Aunt Zhang to take a seat. There were small stools scattered around the courtyard. Setting her basket down, she picked up a hoe and continued to dig trenches in the soil. She planned to use these trenches to plant the seedlings. Three trenches were dug in a small patch of earth, each perfectly sized for the fennel, mint, and coriander she intended to plant.

    Aunt Zhang watched her. Gu Zi was clad in a white shirt and blue casual pants. Her beautiful, seaweed-like hair was tied back with a band, and she wore a wide-brimmed straw hat. Underneath the hat was a stunning face that drew the gaze of those around her. Sweat from her digging had dampened her collar, adding a certain charm to her appearance.

    She worked with a serious dedication. Despite her delicate appearance, her digging was surprisingly efficient. Aunt Zhang, a countrywoman, had seen many city girls in her time, most of them pampered and delicate, but none were as hardworking as Gu Zi.

    A woman like Gu Zi was a rare find. The more Aunt Zhang watched her, the

    more she liked her. She approached Gu Zi and said, ¡°You¡¯ve dug these trenches well, but if you want to grow mint properly, this soil won¡¯t do. It needs to be mixed.¡±

    Gu Zi paused her work, wiping the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief. She laughed and said, ¡°Ah, could you help me mix the soil then? I thought as long as there was soil, the plants would grow. It seems I still have a lot to learn about farming from you.¡±

    Aunt Zhang laughed heartily, more than willing to assist. She glanced around the courtyard, spotting a pile of river sand that Gu Zi had previously used for a clay oven. Aunt Zhang fetched some of it, then went with Gu Zi to gather some decomposed leaves. She also brought some organic fertilizer from her home.

    ¡°Having soil is enough for plants to survive, but to thrive, they need the right kind of soil. For mint, you need a base of leaves, river sand, and organic fertilizer. I¡¯ve already prepared the mint seedlings at home, so you can plant them directly.¡±

    As Aunt Zhang spoke, she began to mix the soil. Gu Zi was not one to stand by idly. She pitched in, working alongside Aunt Zhang.

    She also listened attentively to Aunt Zhang¡¯s advice, taking note of the key points like a diligent student listening to her teacher.

    In that moment, Aunt Zhang felt an immense sense of pride. She realized that she wasn¡¯t entirely useless in front of Gu Zi.

    This was the comfort of being with Gu Zi. Even though she was knowledgeable, she was not arrogant. She would listen attentively to Aunt Zhang¡¯s advice on things she didn¡¯t understand. Who wouldn¡¯t like a person like that?

    Aunt Zhang assisted Gu Zi in planting the mint, then proceeded to help her sow fennel seeds. ¡°Fennel is a delicate plant,¡± she explained, ¡°We usually grow it from seeds. When transplanting seedlings, it¡¯s crucial to move them with the soil attached, like this. This plant thrives in loose, fertile, sandy soil, so we¡¯ll need to prepare the ground accordingly¡­¡±

    Aunt Zhang was a seasoned farmer, her movements deft and efficient, outpacing Gu Zi significantly. Yet, Gu Zi was no slouch. Her quick learning ability enabled her to keep up with Aunt Zhang¡¯s rhythm. The two of them worked together harmoniously, their collaboration seamless.

    ¡°Weeding and watering are inevitable later stages,¡± Aunt Zhang continued, ¡°You must avoid using pesticides. Fennel requires manual weeding, but your plot should be manageable. As for coriander, pay attention to watering. In spring and autumn, it needs watering twice a day, while in winter, once every three to four days should suffice.¡±

    With Aunt Zhang¡¯s assistance, Gu Zi¡¯s small plot was soon fully planted. ¡°Aunt

    Zhang, you¡¯re truly skilled,¡± Gu Zi praised, then asked, ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Shi Tou today?¡±

    She remembered the little boy who usually ran ahead of them whenever they came here. His absence today was unusual, and she found herself missing him. Aunt Zhang, preparing to leave with her basket, replied, ¡°He¡¯s been feeling a bit under the weather these past few days, not quite himself. He was asleep when I left home, I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s awake yet.¡±

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    As Gu Zi walked out with Aunt Zhang, she suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring him over? I can make him something delicious, it might help with his cold.¡±

    Knowing her grandson also enjoyed visiting Gu Zi, Aunt Zhang didn¡¯t refuse her kind offer. If it could make her grandson feel better, she was more than happy to oblige.

    Before long, Shi Tou came running over on his own, presumably just out of bed. His hair was a mess, and he clutched a packet of opened spicy strips, which he handed over to Su Le like a treasured gift.

    Seeing this, Aunt Zhang looked a bit uneasy. She was worried that Gu Zi might find it unhygienic, considering Shi Tou had opened the packet two days ago. He had planned to save it for Lele once his cold was better, hence he hadn¡¯t

    finished it..

 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: He Listens to You

    Chapter 400: He Listens to You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the end, Aunt Zhang had to say, ¡°Shi Tou, this snack of yours has been open for a few days now. Don¡¯t let it spoil Lele¡¯s stomach.¡±

    Gu Zi, noticing Aunt Zhang¡¯s unease, reached out and took a piece of the spicy snack, reassuring her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, these snacks can be eaten even after a few days.¡± She then passed the snack to Lele, and only then did Aunt Zhang¡¯s face relax. Shi Tou, who had been unsure of what to do, also broke into a smile.

    Aunt Zhang felt she might have been overthinking. Gu Zi was meticulous in her daily life, but not overly delicate. In reality, the snack could indeed be eaten even after a few days.

    Seeing Shi Tou gulp, Gu Zi realized that this snack was something Shi Tou cherished. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh and said to Shi Tou, ¡°Shi Tou, you can share this with your sister. It¡¯s even more delicious when everyone eats together. But first, could you go wash your hands?¡±

    Shi Touts hands were a bit dirty, likely from before he went to sleep, and he hadn¡¯t washed them. Hearing Gu Zi, whom he thought of as a fairy aunt, tell him to wash his hands, he nodded and headed towards the faucet in the yard.

    Gu Zi told him that not only should he wash his hands before eating snacks, but he should remember to wash his hands before eating anything. If his hands got dirty, he should wash them promptly, otherwise little bugs might grow on his hands and eat them. Shi Tou was scared by this and said, ¡°I will definitely wash my hands properly from now on.¡±

    And it wasn¡¯t just talk. In front of the faucet, Shi Tou washed his hands over and over again. He certainly didn¡¯t want his hands to be eaten by bugs. From now on, he would definitely wash his hands properly!

    Watching her grandson¡¯s obedient behavior, Aunt Zhang felt relieved and gratefully said, ¡°You really know how to handle him. He listens to you. When I tell him to wash his hands at home, he absolutely refuses. He can¡¯t form the habit. We¡¯re usually busy with farm work and don¡¯t have time to teach him, and so he¡¯s become like this.¡±

    Aunt Zhang felt that Gu Zi had a kind of magic. Not only did she live her life meticulously, but she could also influence those around her, making them as clean and refreshing as she was.

    Shi Tou was right to call her a fairy. Wasn¡¯t she just like a fairy descended from heaven?

    In fact, Gu Zi felt that this was nothing special. Communication was crucial. Children often rebelled, and the more you emphasized what they should do, the less likely they were to do it properly. However, if you changed your approach and communicated with them in a different way, the result would be different.

    Aunt Zhang watched Shi Tou and Lele in the yard, while Gu Zi went into the kitchen to prepare some delicious food. She planned to make ginger milk, which was good for dispelling colds. She could also give some to Lele, to prevent her from catching a cold.

    Gu Zi carefully chopped a small piece of yellow ginger into tiny granules and placed them into a piece of gauze. She then rubbed and squeezed the gauze to extract the juice from the ginger. Soon, she had a small bowl of ginger juice. Into this, she dissolved two spoonfuls of white sugar, setting it aside for later use.

    She then proceeded to heat a pot of milk. It didn¡¯t take long for the milk to begin to bubble. Gu Zi poured the ginger juice she had prepared earlier into the pot, stirring it in. After simmering for another thirty seconds, the ginger milk was ready. Gu Zi slowly savored a small bowl of it while it was still hot. After finishing, she felt a warm comfort spread throughout her body.

    She waited for a while, allowing the ginger milk to reach a warm temperature before serving it. There were three bowls in total, one each for Shi Tou, Lele, and Aunt Zhang.

    The milk was sweet and fragrant, its richness enhanced by the heat. It balanced the spiciness of the ginger juice perfectly. Shi Tou and Lele didn¡¯t reject the taste, and they gulped down a bowl each, accompanied by some biscuits.

    Seeing them enjoy the drink, Gu Zi felt a sense of accomplishment. She then went to the yard to check on the two clay ovens she had built earlier. The weather had been sunny recently, and she estimated that the ovens were ready for use.

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    Aunt Zhang, preparing to take Shi Tou home for lunch, looked at the adorable clay ovens and asked, ¡°Can these really produce delicious food?¡±

    Gu Zi scooped out the sand used for molding from the inside of the ovens. She felt the inner walls of the ovens, planning to bake some bread as a test run at noon. If it turned out well, she would take the bread to the pig farm for Su Shen.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be baking bread in a bit!¡± Gu Zi declared, heading into the kitchen to prepare the dough.

    She took out the high-gluten flour, light cream, cheese, and milk powder she had previously bought from Xinghua Department Store from a high cabinet. She then measured out the appropriate amount of high-gluten flour to make the dough.

    When making bread, Gu Zi didn¡¯t use water to mix the dough. Instead, she used milk, adding a small amount of light cream and cheese during the process. This ensured that the baked bread had a rich milky aroma, guaranteed to taste better than any bread from the city bakeries..

 Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Language Barrier

    Chapter 401: Language Barrier

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The most crucial step in baking bread was kneading the dough, a task that required about thirty minutes of handwork. Gu Zi gathered the ingredients, washed and dried her hands before starting. Before she began, she decided to check on her little girl. As she approached the doorway, she spotted her playing by the pile of river sand.

    The little girl was playing with an unusual sophistication, squatting there, not directly grabbing the sand with her hands, but instead using a stick to poke at it. It was evident that even at her age, she was a little princess who loved cleanliness!

    Upon seeing her mother approach, the little girl stood up, offering the stick to her mother as an invitation to join in her play. Gu Zi, unruffled, accepted the stick and squatted beside her, playing for a few minutes. The little girl was tickled pink.

    After ensuring her daughter was thoroughly entertained, Gu Zi set down the stick and lifted her up. They headed towards the faucet to wash her little hands. ¡°Lele, let¡¯s wash our hands until they¡¯re nice and clean. Then you can watch some TV while mommy prepares something delicious for you and daddy to eat! ¡±

    Lele listened to her mother¡¯s words, attempting to mimic them, but she could only manage two or three words at a time. Longer sentences were still a challenge for her, and Gu Zi had to guide her word by word.

    Gu Zi harbored a vague suspicion that her child might have a language barrier. She resolved to find time to take her to the hospital for a check-up.

    After all, the experiences of the Su family¡¯s children hadn¡¯t been easy. Lele was still very young, barely of speaking age, and the impact on her was significant.

    Lele¡¯s prolonged inability to speak was undoubtedly influenced by environmental factors. Gu Zi knew she couldn¡¯t solely rely on her own efforts to teach her to speak. A medical examination would help identify the specific cause and provide a targeted solution.

    Moreover, when the time came for the check-up, Gu Zi planned to bring the eldest and second child along for a comprehensive physical examination. This would allow her to better understand their health status and how to take care of them more effectively.

    Gu Zi jotted down these thoughts on paper, then went upstairs to input these plans into a computer document to prevent herself from forgetting.

    She then went downstairs, turned on the television, and adjusted the channel. She had Lele sit on the sofa with a small biscuit, allowing her to eat while watching. Once Lele was settled, Gu Zi returned to the kitchen to start Imeading the dough.

    To make a bread that¡¯s soft and elastic, another important step is to prepare the ¡°Tangzhong¡± or water roux in advance. This is one of the secrets to baking good bread.

    Gu Zi had prepared the Tangzhong the night before as she had planned to test her homemade oven today.

    She retrieved the Tangzhong from the refrigerator, pouring it into the large bowl designated for kneading dough. Following this, she added milk, sugar, salt, milk powder, and eggs. Lastly, she incorporated high-gluten flour and yeast powder, commencing the process of kneading the dough.

    This was a task requiring both skill and physical strength. By the time Gu Zi had finished kneading the dough, her hands were so sore she felt as if they didn¡¯t belong to her.

    Of course, lunch couldn¡¯t consist of bread alone. Even if Gu Zi and Lele could fill their stomachs with it, there was no way Su Shen, a grown man, could be satiated with just that.

    So, after Gu Zi finished kneading the dough and lit the fire in the earthen oven, she took out the prepared pork belly from the refrigerator, intending to roast it in the earthen oven to create crispy pork belly.

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    In addition, she washed some tomatoes and corn. The tomatoes were small, farm-grown ones she had bought at the market earlier. They were a mix of red and yellow, their colors mingling together beautifully. Gu Zi could already imagine how tempting they would look once roasted. The corn was from Aunt Zhang¡¯s house, and since there was still some left, it would be perfect for roasting.

    Gu Zi pondered the cooking method for a moment, then suddenly thought how wonderful it would be if she had some rosemary. This herb, known for its calming, digestive, and heart-protective properties, was one of the staple seasonings in any household.

    Gu Zi remembered rosemary having a scent similar to pine. Not only was it often used in Western desserts, but it could also be added to meat dishes and soups to enhance the flavor and remove any gamey taste. It could even be used in grilling meats. Fresh rosemary could be used to make tea, paired with steak to cut through the richness. Its uses were simply too numerous, and Gu Zi found herself in dire need of it.

    Gu Zi had previously looked around the local area and market but hadn¡¯t found any rosemary seedlings or seeds for sale. She planned to take the opportunity to visit the city and buy some to plant in small pots at home, which would be both aesthetically pleasing and practical.

    Half an hour quickly passed, and Gu Zi added peanuts, walnuts, raisins, red dates, and dried flower petals to the well-risen dough. She kneaded and shaped the dough, finally placing four football-shaped dough pieces onto the iron plate. She made a cut on each piece with a small knife, then carried them out, ready to be baked..

 Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: A Woman Who Flies Kites

    Chapter 402: A Woman Who Flies Kites

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The door of the earthen kiln oven was fashioned from a slab of wood. Upon opening this makeshift door, one would brush a layer of oil at the base of the oven before placing the bread dough directly into the belly of the beast. The wooden door would then be shut, leaving the dough to bake into a delightful treat.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi kept the other oven busy, using it to roast pork belly, corn, and tomatoes. The resulting oven-baked bread was a resounding success. Gu Zi quickly packed a box of the delicious bread, intending to share it with Su Shen at the pig farm.

    In addition to the bread and roasted meat and vegetables, Gu Zi also prepared a thermos of ginger-infused milk for Su Shen.

    However, she encountered Su Shen, who was driving back from the city to the pig farm, halfway through her journey. Gu Zi didn¡¯t pry into his business in the city, assuming it must be work-related or perhaps a secret mission of sorts.

    She wasn¡¯t the type to scrutinize a man¡¯s every move, preferring to be a woman who flies kites rather than one who probes into others¡¯ affairs.

    With a light heart and a smile on her face, Gu Zi got into Su Shen¡¯s car with Lele, and they headed to the pig farm together for a meal.

    Su Shen had initially planned to return to the pig farm to handle some matters before heading home for lunch. But seeing the effort Gu Zi had put into preparing the meal, he couldn¡¯t let it go to waste. Without further ado, he drove back to the pig farm.

    As the couple passed through the main hall, other women were also arriving to bring meals to their men. The hall was bustling with activity, and upon seeing Gu Zi and Su Shen, many greeted them with a smile and a twinkle of gossip in their eyes.

    The men who had seen Su Shen leave that morning were particularly amused. They noticed Su Shen carrying a separate thermos and couldn¡¯t resist sharing the juicy tidbit with their wives.

    ¡°I told you Su Shen must have gone to see his wife this morning,¡± one man shared, ¡°Jin Long didn¡¯t believe me and told us to keep quiet. Did you hear that? I just heard his wife say that she specially prepared what¡¯s in that thermos for him.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that it¡¯s a tonic soup his wife made for him,¡± another chimed in, ¡°But who would have thought that our strong leader would need such nourishment? It seems Su Shen does have a soft spot after all. He must really cherish his wife! But our sister-in-law is indeed virtuous, taking such good care of him.¡±

    ¡°I heard that Su Shen had asked Jin Long to buy a lot of pigeons before. So, he¡¯s been replenishing his health for a while now. He must not have had a proper rest and is probably overworked. Even such a robust man needs to recuperate in such a short time. It seems men really shouldn¡¯t overindulge!¡±

    The murmuring among the crowd gradually softened, yet even the faintest whispers could spread like wildfire. Soon, the men and women in the hall were shaking their heads and sighing.

    The women were more curious than anything else. Su Shen always appeared so restrained. Despite his handsome features, he always maintained a cold, aloof demeanor. They had even speculated privately that Su Shen might not be interested in women.

    Yet, to their surprise, it appeared he was not only capable of passion but was also quite intense. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy for Gu Zi, the woman who had managed to thaw Shen¡¯s icy exterior.

    The men, on the other hand, felt a sense of camaraderie. It turned out that Su Shen, who always seemed so unattainable, was just like them after all.

    No man could resist a beautiful woman, and it seemed Su Shen was no exception. They even joked that Su Shen might have a stronger desire than them. After all, he had only been married for a short while and was already taking measures to improve his health. They speculated that he must have tried every position with his wife!

    Jin Long, oblivious to the situation, wondered why everyone was suddenly discussing Su Shen¡¯s personal matters.

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    He strolled into the center of the gossip storm, hands clasped behind his back, looking every bit the elder statesman, albeit with a touch of amusement. ¡°Eat vour meals,¡± he admonished the crowd, ¡°Whv so much chatter? Can¡¯t vour

    wives¡¯ cooking keep your mouths busy?¡±

    Chastised by Jin Long¡¯s words, the crowd feigned interest in other topics. Some even began to flirt with their wives, much to Jin Long¡¯s chagrin. He grumbled and walked away, feeling like the odd one out.

    Damn it! Everyone else was paired up, flaunting their love right in front of him. Jin Long had never been bothered by his single status before, but seeing everyone else so blissfully in love made him feel a bit lonely.

    To make matters worse, he was also burdened with Su Shen¡¯s affairs. Where was Su Shen anyway? Couldn¡¯t he have just gone home to have lunch with his wife? Instead, he brought his wife and child to the office for lunch.. What nerve!

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: You â€˜ve Changed

    Chapter 403: You ¡®ve Changed

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long found himself irresistibly drawn to the office door by a tantalizing aroma. A rich, sweet scent of wheat mingled with the creamy smell of milk hit him as he approached, instantly ensnaring his senses.

    Jin Long realized that this was the same scent he had once encountered while passing by a bakery in the city. He was surprised to learn that his sister-in-law could bake bread.

    Jin Long was tempted to step inside and partake in the feast, but he hesitated, not wanting to intrude on the couple¡¯s private space.

    However, he found himself unable to walk away. After all, Su Shen never considered his feelings as a lonely bachelor. Moreover, his previous attempts to join them for meals had never been successful.

    Inside the office, today¡¯s lunch had already been laid out on the guest tea table by Guzi. Two golden, enticing loaves of bread, a bowl brimming with crispy pork belly, a bowl of roasted cherry tomatoes and corn, brightly colored, two servings of millet porridge, and a portion of ginger milk exclusively for Su Shen.

    The lunch combination looked refreshingly new. Guzi placed a loaf of bread and a bowl of millet porridge in front of Su Shen, ¡°I tried the two earthen ovens I built. Taste it and let me know what you think.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze, which had been on Guzi, shifted to the bread upon hearing her words. The golden color and the wafting aroma confirmed that this was indeed bread baked in the earthen oven. He wondered if there was anything this woman couldn¡¯t do.

    Su Shen said, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. You should eat first.¡± He broke off a small piece from his loaf and fed it to Guzi.

    Guzi accepted it naturally. The bread was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. A few chews released the unique sweetness of wheat on her tongue. It was delicious!

    Su Shen also took a bite. He rarely indulged in such western delicacies, considering them too refined for his taste. He had never really learned to appreciate them.

    However, eating the bread prepared by his woman evoked a different feeling. It was not just enjoyment, but also a sense of anticipation for life, a newfound flavor that made life interesting.

    Sitting in Su Shen¡¯s arms, Su Lets large eyes darted between her mother and father. She was completely flabbergasted. Had they not considered that their daughter might also want a taste? Was she no longer their precious little one?

    Before Su Le could voice her protest, a figure appeared at the door. It was Jin Long, who had come to mooch off their meal.

    At the same time, Gu Zi¡¯s beautiful fingers pinched a small piece of bread and fed it into Su Le¡¯s mouth. Su Le was conquered by the new taste, her little mouth moving as she chewed. The experience of being ignored by her parents was quickly forgotten.

    Jin Long, learning from past experiences, bypassed Su Shen and asked Gu Zi for food. ¡°Hello sister-in-law, what delicious food are you having? Can I have some too?¡±

    Gu Zi straightened her posture and distanced herself slightly from Su Shen. It was better to maintain decorum in front of outsiders. She divided Su Shen¡¯s bread in half and offered it to Jin Long. ¡°Here, have this. Try the pork belly too.¡±

    Jin Long accepted the half loaf of bread and took a big bite, immediately giving a thumbs up. ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re amazing. You can even make bread. That¡¯s incredible!¡±

    Su Shen stood up with a cold expression and walked towards Jin Long, his voice as low as ever. ¡°Come here, I need to talk to you.¡±

    After saying this, he led Jin Long out of the office. Jin Long finished the bread in a few bites, his mouth watering at the sight of the clearly visible grilled pork belly. ¡®What¡¯s the rush? At least let me have a piece first. You¡¯re being stingy¡­¡±

    Jin Long was forcibly led out, a chill settling in his heart as he looked at Su Shen. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be bros. Am I not worth a few pieces of pork belly to you? Su Shen, you¡¯ve changed!¡±

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    Su Shen had no intention of responding to his unreasonable complaints. He calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you eat your fill later. You have to help me with something this afternoon.¡±

    Sure enough, after their conversation, Jin Long was granted his wish of pork belly, marking his first successful mooching attempt.

    Gu Zi was unaware of their agreement. Watching her man, she found him quite adorable. Despite his size, he was still like a young boy, arguing and using food to barter for favors.

    After finishing their meal, Gu Zi began to clean up the lunch boxes to leave, but Su Shen stopped her. His deep eyes gazed at her beautiful face as he slowly spoke, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a while now, and I¡¯ve never taken you to a movie. I bought two tickets this morning. Let¡¯s go see a film.¡±

    ¡°A movie?¡± Gu Zi¡¯s tone was somewhat surprised. She wasn¡¯t aware that in this era, going to the movies was quite common for some people..

 Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: She Would Stand No Chance

    Chapter 404: She Would Stand No Chance

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In her previous life, Gu Zi had spent all her time studying and earning money, leading a life devoid of warmth and human connection. Whenever she had free time, she would simply rest at home, never even considering going to the cinema.

    One day, she had the sudden urge to watch a movie, only to realize that her friends had all moved on with their lives. Some were married, others had children. They had all grown up and no one was available to accompany her to the cinema anymore.

    This realization deflated Gu Zit s spirits. She thought about going alone but the idea of being surrounded by young couples, becoming an unwanted third wheel, was unappealing. Thus, she dismissed the idea entirely.

    Now, Su Shen had invited her to watch a movie. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t hide her joy and agreed with a bright smile, ¡°Shall we head to the city right away?¡± Her voice held a touch of girlish innocence and anticipation, instantly stirring Su Shen¡¯s usually somber heart.

    Su Shen was delighted. Seeing her so eager to go to the movies with him, he picked up their daughter and replied, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll go straight there.¡±

    After instructing some key workers at the pig farm, Su Shen got into the car with his wife and daughter and drove towards the city.

    As they neared the city¡¯s cinema, Gu Zi woke up. Su Shen went to collect the tickets while Gu Zi sat on a nearby stone bench, cradling their daughter as she waited for him.

    In the queue, Su Shen¡¯s tall and outstanding figure stood out among the crowd. His suit trousers paired with a white shirt, the shirt hinting at the masculine muscles beneath, were a sight that was hard to look away from.

    Among those waiting in line for tickets was another striking figure. He had already collected his tickets and was about to enter the cinema with his colleagues when he spotted a beautiful figure on the stone bench. He recognized her instantly. Wasn¡¯t that Gu Zi?

    MO Li was about to call out to Gong Zhan but followed his gaze to the stone bench where Gu Zi sat holding a child. Wearing a similar style shirt, Gu Zi looked even more dazzling and charming than herself. Gu Zi¡¯s radiant face could be described as stunningly beautiful. At that moment, MO Li felt a surge of uncontrollable jealousy.

    Thankfully, Lin Miao, the fool, had interfered first, giving her an opportunity.

    Pretending not to have noticed Gu Zi, MO Li asked Gong Zhan, ¡°Mr. Gong, we¡¯re about to go in. Did you forget to bring something?¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s gaze withdrew from Gu Zi, his heart reminding him once again. Gu Zi, carrying another man¡¯s child, was already another man¡¯s wife. He should not pay her too much attention. Moreover, if it weren¡¯t for her, he would not have become the laughingstock of the courtyard. The matter with Lin Miao still held no hope of redemption.

    He said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go in.¡± With that, he cast a cold glance at Gu Zi and MO Li before entering.

    As his cold gaze swept over them, Gu Zi happened to look up at them. It was a bit ominous, but fortunately, there was no need for interaction. She did not want to expend the energy. Today was her first time going to the movies with Su Shen, a day worth thoroughly enjoying.

    After watching them enter for a while, Su Shen also came over with the tickets, which immediately put her at ease.

    Su Shen held Gu Zi close to him, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t know she was his wife. He entered the cinema as if declaring his sovereignty. Fortunately, they did not encounter Gong Zhan again.

    Gu Zi did not want to make a fuss. Su Shen chose a movie with an old-time setting. He whispered halfway through, ¡°I heard people your age like this kind of movie, so I chose this one.¡±

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    Gu Zi nodded, ¡°It¡¯s indeed good, I like it.¡± The two did not say anything else during the movie.

    Su Shen was actually just focusing on the movie, but most of the time, his gaze was on Gu Zi. Seeing her so engrossed, Su Shen felt that his decision was a good one, making her happy.

    The little girl sitting on Su Shen¡¯s lap was also very well-behaved, quiet, not crying or making a fuss. She was completely captivated by the images on the screen, sometimes even giggling. When Gu Zi came out of the cinema and took the little girl from Su Shen¡¯s arms, she felt even more love for her.

    People with compatible magnetic fields do not tire of each other¡¯s company. Instead, they grow more in sync. This was the case with Gu Zi and Su Shen, and with Su Le as well.

    ¡°Do you have any place in mind you¡¯d like to visit?¡± Su Shen saw that it was still early and wanted to accompany his wife for a stroll. He knew she loved shopping, and he particularly enjoyed the feeling of paying for her..

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: A Ladiesâ€™ Man

    Chapter 405: A Ladies¡¯ Man

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen felt that he was, after all, inexperienced when it came to interactions

    between men and women. At times, he feared that he might not be doing enough. He was worried Gu Zi would find life with him dull and uninteresting.

    However, one thing he was certain of was that spending money could make Gu Zi happy. For Su Shen, this was not a difficult task, and he was more than willing to do it.

    He was genuinely grateful for Gu Zi¡¯s contributions to their home. She managed both the children and the household exceptionally well, making their home warm and blissful.

    But most importantly, he wanted to love her properly, to cherish her as the most important person in his heart. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Gu Zi spending his money. In fact, he was now more afraid of her not spending it.

    Upon hearing his words, Gu Zi looked up. The man beside her had already

    taken their little girl into his arms, seemingly afraid that she might tire herself out.

    His towering height of over one meter ninety made him appear exceptionally tall and imposing, like a mountain standing by her side, exuding a strong sense of security. His physique was also impressive, and he carried himself with an elegant and noble air, dressed in a shirt and trousers.

    Despite his usually cold face, he was now holding their child in one arm and his wife in the other. It was hard not to think that the reason for his cold demeanor was that he had given all his warmth to his wife beside him. How wonderful!

    Gu Zi had initially wanted to say that she could carry their daughter, and even had plans to take her shopping. However, she didn¡¯t want to disappoint her husband¡¯s kind intentions.

    She responded gently, ¡°Alright, there are a few things I¡¯ve been planning to buy. Let¡¯s go to the farmer¡¯s market. I remember it¡¯s quite close to the school. We can shop and stroll around, and then pick up our eldest and second child from school.¡±

    As far as she could recall, she and Su Shen had never picked up their children from school together. Today was the perfect opportunity to do so and return home amidst laughter and chatter.

    Su Shen responded with a nonchalant ¡°Hmm¡±, focusing his attention on the bustling street. He used his towering figure to protect his wife, fearing that passersby might bump into her. His intimidating aura naturally kept people at a distance.

    To those unfamiliar with him, he might appear cold. But Gu Zi knew that he was just habitually focused.

    He had to hold their child and be aware of their surroundings. Gu Zi knew that crowded places like these were often hotspots for pickpockets. Having fun was important, but they also needed to stay vigilant.

    Su Shen led his wife and daughter through the crowd, returning to their car and driving towards the farmer¡¯s market, which was just a short ten-minute drive away.

    Upon exiting the car, Gu Zi looked towards the entrance of the farmer¡¯s market. The number of people coming and going seemed to be even greater than before. Most of those entering were empty-handed or carrying baskets, while many of those leaving were laden with bags of goods. The prices at the farmer¡¯s market were much cheaper than at department stores, making it a popular choice for everyday groceries and household items. It was indeed a lively place!

    Gu Zi discovered that there were many small stalls on either side of the main entrance to the market, seemingly for shoe polishing. This was not surprising, as shoe polishing was a profitable and necessary industry in this era, with so much traffic at the entrance of almost every market.

    This was Gu Zi¡¯s first visit to this farmers¡¯ market. The original host had been here before, and in Gu Zit s memory, the original host had often asked her foster parents to bring her here. However, the visits were always rushed, and they never took the time to browse. It seemed that the original host had come in search of fresh medicinal herbs to make a nourishing soup for Gong Zhan.

    Gu Zi pursed her lips, feeling somewhat mentally exhausted. The original host¡¯s memories seemed to be filled with Gong Zhan everywhere, a testament to her deep love. It was a pity that Gong Zhan was not the one worth loving with all her life. How long had it been since he married Lin Miao?

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    While Lin Miao was waiting for his sentence in prison, Gong Zhan was out watching a movie with MO Li. It was quite a spectacle¡­

    Thinking about these things made Gu Zi inexplicably annoyed. However, she didn¡¯t show it too obviously on her face, as she was still considering Su Shen. The original host¡¯s past troubles should not interfere with him.

    But what Gu Zi didn¡¯t know was that Su Shen had noticed her unease. Perhaps even Gu Zi herself hadn¡¯t realized that when she was troubled, she would unconsciously force a smile, a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze was as cold as usual. Thinking of the person they had encountered at the entrance of the cinema, his gaze became even colder. He had also seen Gong Zhan, and there was a woman beside Gong Zhan, whose gaze on him was quite ambiguous.

    Seeing Gong Zhan with another woman should have been hard for Gu Zi. Considering how she had confronted Gong Zhan before, Su Shen thought she might have started to let go, but he didn¡¯t expect that man could still easily stir up waves in her heart..

 Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Preserving Memories

    Chapter 406: Preserving Memories

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen wasn¡¯t angry. Gong Zhan and Gu Zi were childhood friends, having grown up together in the same courtyard. Gong Zhan was Gu Zits first love, and she found it hard to forget him. Su Shen could understand this, so he didn¡¯t pry. But he was jealous, for he had met her too late.

    ¡°Su Shen, ¡± Gu Zi began, ¡°I want to find seeds of a certain plant. I remember there¡¯s a street that sells seeds around here. Let¡¯s head that way.¡± Guided by her memory, she pointed out a direction, and Su Shen, holding Su Le, followed closely by her side.

    Gu Zi¡¯s memory served her well, and they found several seed shops lined up along the street. However, after asking in three different shops, they found that none of them had rosemary seeds. Some shopkeepers hadn¡¯t even heard of the name.

    Feeling it was pointless to continue asking, Su Shen led Gu Zi away from the seed street. ¡°The rosemary you¡¯re looking for is called thyme here,¡± he explained. ¡°Many people don¡¯t know the name ¡®rosemary¡¯. We can try the flower market. They should have rosemary plants for ornamental purposes.¡±

    Su Shen wasn¡¯t sure why Gu Zi wanted to buy rosemary, but he had heard from a comrade about this plant. It grew along the Mediterranean coast and was known as the ¡®beacon of the sea¡¯ by foreign sailors. When ships lost their way, the sailors could rely on the strong scent of rosemary to find their way back to land.

    Su Shen also knew that the flower language of this plant was ¡®preserving memories¡¯. The thought made his heart clench, but seeing the sincere smile on the woman beside him, he felt it didn¡¯t matter.

    He didn¡¯t want to speculate on Gu Zits purpose for buying rosemary, but having just seen Gong Zhan, it was hard for him not to think that Gu Zi wanted to preserve their shared memories. After all, Gu Zi had her past, and Gong Zhan hadn¡¯t cherished her properly.

    When Su Shen saw Gong Zhan, he also noticed the woman by his side. She was dressed in a shirt and jeans, almost identical to Gu Zi¡¯s attire, except her jeans were more figure-hugging than Gu Zi¡¯s casual pants.

    Her style was very similar to Gu Zi¡¯s, even her smile seemed to be imitating Gu Zi. With such a woman by Gong Zhan¡¯s side, his intentions weren¡¯t hard to guess.

    But was it really interesting for Gong Zhan to find a woman to replace Gu Zi now, after not cherishing her when he had her? Gong Zhan was already married, yet he was still longing for Gu Zi¡­

    Though a twinge of discomfort lingered in Su Shen¡¯s heart, he was more than willing to let Gu Zi purchase whatever she desired. After all, she had done nothing wrong. Gu Zi was his wife, and regardless of the implications of her actions, he was prepared to stand by her side.

    They arrived at the flower market and, after visiting only a couple of shops, they found the fragrant rosemary she was looking for. It was a potted plant, complete with a flower pot, and quite expensive. However, Gu Zi was simply unable to resist the scent. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if her husband couldn¡¯t afford it.

    Without hesitation, Gu Zi ordered three pots. She asked the shopkeeper to package them up for easy transport, while Su Shen expressionlessly pulled out his wallet.

    As the shopkeeper busied himself with the packaging, he candidly remarked, ¡°I¡¯ve landed a big customer today. You have a good eye, miss. I don¡¯t dare to stock too many of these, fearing that the high price and lack of popularity might deter sales. But you¡¯ve cleared out three pots for me today.

    ¡°This is a good product, you know. It¡¯s imported from abroad, and the flowers are beautiful. These pots will bloom soon.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to pack them carefully for me then. I¡¯ve seen rosemary flowers a few times. They¡¯re blue and bloom densely. If you see a field of blooming rosemary from a distance, it looks like a sea of blue. It¡¯s quite beautiful.¡±

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    ¡°Ah, you must have been abroad, haven¡¯t you? You have such an air about you, like a lady who¡¯s studied overseas. It¡¯s good to get an education and see the world, but it doesn¡¯t hinder marriage and having children. Your husband is quite handsome, and your baby is well-behaved, just like you!¡±

    The shopkeeper could tell that this customer¡¯s husband was older than her, but he was no ordinary man. A woman with talent and a man with wealth ¨C they were indeed a perfect match.

    Gu Zi exchanged a few pleasantries with the enthusiastic shopkeeper. Of course, she knew the value of rosemary, which was why she had been searching for it. What she hadn¡¯t expected, however, was that it would be Su Shen who would ultimately find it for her.

    Gu Zi had to admit that the older man was indeed worldly and knowledgeable, even knowing about rosemary. She glanced up at Su Shen, who was also looking at her. Their eyes met, and the intensity of their gaze was somewhat scorching.

    The shopkeeper handed the packaged pots to Gu Zi. They weren¡¯t too heavy, so Gu Zi insisted on carrying them herself. After all, Su Shen was holding their child, which made handling other things a bit cumbersome..

 Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Rich Young Master

    Chapter 407: Rich Young Master

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After successfully purchasing the rosemary, Gu Zi decided not to linger. She glanced at the time and realized it was time for her eldest and second child to finish school. Given that she was carrying a potted plant, it wasn¡¯t convenient to continue shopping. They promptly left the farmers¡¯ market and got in the car to head to the school.

    Upon reaching the school gate, they noticed a considerable number of parents waiting for their children.

    At first glance, it was evident that only the children living in the city had parents picking them up. Children from the villages walked home by themselves. Their parents were too busy with household chores to spare the time to walk and fetch their children. The so-called warm-hearted education often paled in comparison to the harsh realities of life.

    In this era, those who could afford a car were far from ordinary. Many wondered which young master¡¯s parents had arrived.

    When school was over, Su Bing and Su Li walked out of the school gate, each pushing a bicycle. Su Li was chatting with his older brother, oblivious to the fact that their parents were waiting for them at the school gate.

    ¡°Brother, look, I got a big red flower today. Isn¡¯t it beautiful? You¡¯ll never guess which teacher rewarded me!¡± Su Li said mysteriously, quickening his pace to show Su Bing the red flower sticker on his forehead.

    The red flower sticker, a reward from the teacher, was more than just a sticker to the children. It was a symbol of recognition and honor.

    Su Bing often received red flowers, but he understood the symbolic significance of the red flower sticker and did not dismiss it as trivial.

    Imitating his mother¡¯s words, Su Bing encouraged his younger brother, ¡°You must have been performing exceptionally well recently. I bet it was the math teacher who gave you this.¡±

    In truth, Su Bing didn¡¯t need to think hard to know it was the math teacher. Recently, Su Li had been receiving more and more red flowers. The fact that he kept bringing it up indicated that it was indeed the math teacher, especially since Su Li had always struggled with math but had shown significant improvement recently.

    Su Li clapped his hands, nearly knocking over his bicycle. His hair was a mess from napping on the desk at noon, which had lasted the entire afternoon, making him look rather amusing. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re amazing! It was indeed our math teacher who rewarded me. He said if I keep improving, he¡¯ll let me be the math class representative!¡±

    Su Bing nodded in response, watching as his classmates walked past them. There were many parents outside, but his younger brother seemed oblivious to their gazes. Wasn¡¯t he going to tidy up his hair?

    This boy only cared about his appearance in front of their mother. Su Bing didn¡¯t need to remind him; once they reached home and Su Li saw their mother, he would naturally tidy himself up.

    However, what Su Bing didn¡¯t expect was that they wouldn¡¯t have to wait until they got home to see their mother. She was standing at the school gate holding their younger sister, waiting for them. Their tall and handsome father was also there. They had all come to pick them up.

    Su Bing caught sight of them, his steps quickening involuntarily. At the same time, his younger brother, who had also noticed their parents, swiftly hid behind him. Only after a few seconds did he emerge, pushing his bicycle and following his older brother out of the school gate.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, what brings you here?¡± Su Li, taking a large stride, intercepted their mother before Su Bing could reach her. His hair, usually unkempt, was now neatly combed, giving him a lively appearance.

    Su Bing felt a wave of annoyance at his brother¡¯s cunning, but he couldn¡¯t suppress his joy as he asked, ¡®Mom, Dad, have you come to pick us up?

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    Gu Zi smiled gently at them, ¡°Yes, we came into town to buy a few things and thought we¡¯d pick you up on the way. Come on, get in the car.¡±

    Both Su Bing and Su Li were delighted, but they looked at their bicycles, unsure of what to do with them. ¡°What about these?¡±

    Gu Zi slapped her forehead, realizing her oversight. ¡°Oh, I completely forgot about your bikes. Just take them to the bike shop over there and leave them for the night. You can ride them back home after school tomorrow. Your dad can drop you off in the morning so you won¡¯t have to walk. Isn¡¯t there a bike storage place nearby? Do you have any money on you? Your dad can give you some.¡±

    Gu Zi mentioned ¡®dad¡¯ twice in her instructions, which made Su Shen, who was standing to the side, chuckle. He enjoyed hearing her talk to their children in this way. Before the children could ask, Su Shen took out ten yuan from his wallet and handed it to his eldest.

    The eldest child looked a bit bewildered. ¡°Dad, it only costs ten cents to store a bike. My brother and I only need twenty cents in total. This is too much. I have my own pocket money, so we don¡¯t need it..¡±

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Low-profile Rich Young Masters

    Chapter 408: Low-profile Rich Young Masters

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing politely declined the large sum of money offered by his father. He was aware that the denominations in his father¡¯s wallet were far from small, and he decided to use his own pocket money, which he had not yet exhausted.

    Not to be outdone, Su Li glanced at his mother and confidently declared, ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t need your help. I have my own pocket money.¡± His tone was filled with an air of ¡°I¡¯m not short of money,¡± which instantly made him appear more affluent.

    Watching her two sons turn and walk away, Gu Zi chuckled. She reached out and took the ten yuan note from Su Shen¡¯s hand, playfully suggesting, ¡°Mr. Su, if they don¡¯t want it, why don¡¯t you give it to me?¡±

    Su Shen, amused by her teasing, cooperatively replied, ¡°For you, it¡¯s all yours.¡± He then handed the ten yuan note to Gu Zi. Even the usually stern man couldn¡¯t suppress a smile at her antics.

    Gu Zi thought, his smile was quite charming.

    Su Bing and Su Li quickly returned from the car dealership, each holding a ticket ¨C proof of their vehicle¡¯s storage. They climbed into their father¡¯s car, settled into the back seat, and drove away from the school gates.

    At the school entrance, classmates of Su Bing and Su Li watched as the brothers climbed into the car. The sight instantly elevated their status in the eyes of their peers.

    Previously, the brothers often went hungry, subsisting on undercooked sweet potatoes. Now, not only were they enjoying exquisite lunch boxes, but rumors were also circulating among their classmates that their father was a partner of Xinghua Department Store, suggesting their family was quite wealthy.

    Initially, their classmates were skeptical. After all, Su Bing and Su Li had always appeared to be children from impoverished families, lacking even decent clothes and shoes. They were so thin it seemed as if they hadn¡¯t had a proper meal in centuries. The younger brother, Su Li, was often seen picking up discarded snacks. It was hard to believe they were children of a wealthy family.

    However, the sight of their car made the classmates believe that the brothers were indeed low-key from a rich family. Thinking about their previous appearances, they were indeed very low-key!

    ¡°Is the man who was holding the child their father? He looks so cool. Are Su Bing and Su Li¡¯s father really that cool? He looks like a military officer from a movie. He should be wearing a uniform!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s their father. It¡¯s not my first time seeing him. I saw him driving them to school in the morning before. I thought he was their uncle, but I heard Su Li call him ¡®Dad¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember that woman? She came to the school¡¯s reading day event last time. She¡¯s the most beautiful mother in the students¡¯ hearts. I¡¯m so envious of Su Bing and Su Li. Can we acknowledge them as our leaders?¡±

    Unbeknownst to the two brothers in the car, their classmates had already recognized them as the leaders. Su Bing sat calmly in the back seat, engrossed in solving problems from his workbook. Meanwhile, Su Li did not hesitate to open the candied haws their mother had bought for them, savoring each bite with relish.

    After a short while, Su Li had devoured all but one of the bright red candied haws. He glanced at the two untouched skewers beside him but chose not to continue eating. Instead, he carefully wrapped the remaining piece in its packaging, planning to save it for after dinner.

    Otherwise, he would only be able to watch as his brother and sister ate later. A true gourmet, he knew, must understand the importance of rationing!

    Gu Zi was already feeling somewhat tired. She held Su Le and leaned against the car window, her eyes heavy with sleep. Midway, Su Shen draped his coat over her, expressing his concern, ¡®We¡¯re almost home. You can take a nap on the bed once we get there. I¡¯ll prepare dinner.¡±

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    Gu Zi responded groggily, her desire for sleep growing. However, she was unaware of the surprise waiting for her at home.

    At the Su family residence, Jin Long and two others who had helped refurbish a room were preparing to leave. The room they had just exited had undergone a complete transformation, from a simple guest room to a neat, cozy display room.

    Most of the items in the room were from Gu Zi¡¯s wedding day, such as her wedding dress, headpiece, and joyous shoes. It resembled a commemorative room for the wedding, and it was quite romantic indeed.

    Jin Long could hardly believe that the usually cold Su Shen could be so romantic. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Marriage is indeed a wonderful thing, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The people around him exchanged knowing smiles, their tone laden with hidden meaning. ¡°Oh, Brother Jin Long, are you eager to get married?¡± They had previously heard rumors of Jin Long smiling foolishly to himself, which they had dismissed as a joke. But now, they wondered if Jin Long had truly set his sights on a certain young lady..

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: I Saw Them

    Chapter 409: I Saw Them

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    However, apart from working at the pig farm, Jin Long was often away in the city on business. They couldn¡¯t fathom how he could meet the girl of his dreams. Judging by Jin Long¡¯s demeanor, they assumed that he was still in the unrequited love phase.

    Jin Long, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, hopped onto the truck. His profile had a hint of roguish charm. To the two men laughing at him, he said, ¡°Are you coming or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Before his words had fully settled, he started the vehicle.

    The two men, who had been nonchalant moments ago, immediately became serious. They swiftly climbed onto the truck, saying, ¡°We were just joking. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. You promised that Su Shen would pay for our drinks. You can¡¯t go back on your word. Let¡¯s go to the town for a meal¡­¡±

    As soon as the truck left, Su Shen and his family arrived at their home. After getting out of the vehicle, Su Shen found the keys that Jin Long had left on the wall, opened the courtyard gate, and placed the potted plants they had bought inside the yard.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother with anything else. There was no need for her to worry. She carried Lele upstairs to sleep. Su Le was also feeling sleepy. The mother and daughter had synchronized sleep schedules.

    Later, Gu Zi was half-awake in bed, feeling a bit lazy and not wanting to get up. She turned over, intending to continue sleeping, but found herself facing the thighs of a man who had just entered the room. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed intently on the woman in the bed.

    Unable to resist, he leaned over, tracing her sleeping face with his long fingers. Her long hair was a bit messy, but it only made her face look more radiant and beautiful. Even in sleep, she was incredibly beautiful.

    ¡°Su Shen, have you been smoking?¡± Gu Zit s hand grabbed the man¡¯s hand. Her eyes were still closed, but she knew he was there.

    The scent of tobacco mixed with his strong masculine pheromones filled her nostrils, making her heart flutter. She felt inexplicably thirsty, which disrupted her sleep.

    ¡°Mm,¡± he responded briefly, his voice low and pleasant.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but open her eyes, just in time to see his Adam¡¯s apple bob.

    It was incredibly sexy. As her gaze moved up, she met Su Shen¡¯s eyes. It felt like an electric shock, a current rising from her heart, spreading to her lower abdomen, causing a tingling sensation.

    Gu Zi was no longer an innocent woman. She knew this was her natural physiological response to Su Shen. Su Shen was her husband, and they had made love many times. There was nothing wrong with it.

    Gu Zi feigned calm, not avoiding the man¡¯s gaze. However, as he moved closer to her, the warmth of his breath brushed against her lips, causing her heart to flutter. She found herself leaning into his arms, her hand resting on his arm for support. Despite her disarray, she managed to ask, ¡°Did you also see Gong Zhan and the others?¡±

    Su Shen hadn¡¯t expected the woman to discern his thoughts, but he didn¡¯t panic. He replied honestly, ¡°Yes, I saw them. I don¡¯t like him having you in his thoughts. I couldn¡¯t stand it, so I smoked a few cigarettes. I apologize.¡±

    He was indeed consumed by an ungentlemanly jealousy, a bitter envy. Seeing the woman who deliberately imitated Gu Zi, he understood that Gong Zhan¡¯s heart was not as pure as his words suggested. He was secretly coveting Gu Zi.

    He didn¡¯t blame Gu Zi, but he needed to find a way to vent his feelings. Apart from smoking, he couldn¡¯t think of anything better.

    Gu Zi felt the heat of the man¡¯s gaze on her, a strong desire to possess her. She couldn¡¯t bear to blame her man for an insignificant man.

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    She found Gong Zhan¡¯s persistence annoying. Was it because he was the protagonist of the original book that she kept running into him everywhere? It was too bothersome. She spoke softly to Su Shen, ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Close your eyes first.¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Shen complied. But just as he was about to ask her something, a faint sweet scent filled his nostrils, and a soft tongue was licking his lips. For a moment, his mind went blank. She was kissing him, kissing him despite the taste of smoke on his lips.

    At first, it was Gu Zi who took the initiative, but within a minute, Su Shen took control, leaving Gu Zi breathless and weak. Her tongue was numb, her legs were weak, and her arms were draped over him without strength. She felt as soft as a water snake, her mind somewhat oxygen-deprived.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to run into them either. But I wanted to buy rosemary for cooking, nothing more. You didn¡¯t misunderstand, did you?¡±

    Gu Zi felt she should clarify things a bit. She didn¡¯t want her man to misunderstand her, but the relationship between the original host and Gong Zhan was indeed hard not to misunderstand. However, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t say that she wasn¡¯t the original host..

 Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Sheâ€™s Lost So Much Weight

    Chapter 410: She¡¯s Lost So Much Weight

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°I understand now. Gu Zi. Let me hold you for a while,¡± Su Shen murmured, his forehead resting against hers as his palm gently caressed the small of her back.

    Feeling her body tense in response, he abruptly pulled her hips towards his, pressing his hardness against her lower abdomen, teasing her with shallow and deep thrusts.

    At this moment, the man¡¯s heart was filled with an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Gu Zi had bought rosemary for cooking, not for commemorating some damn past. How wonderful!

    He kissed her again, this time with a more intense desire. After more than ten minutes, they finally composed themselves and left the room.

    Instead of going downstairs, Su Shen held her and headed toward the guest room. Gu Zi was a bit puzzled. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to eat? Why are we here?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s hand gently pushed open the door, his voice low and husky, ¡°1 had Jin Long arrange this at home this afternoon. From now on, it will stay like this.

    Do you like it? I think it¡¯s worth commemorating.¡±

    As the door opened, the room¡¯s interior was revealed to Gu Zi. It was filled with items from her wedding, her wedding dress, and the dowry from the Lin family. All were displayed in this room. Gu Zi looked around and smiled sweetly.

    She had not expected that besides taking her to the movies, the man had also prepared such a surprise for her. Moreover, it perfectly fulfilled a dream she had in her previous life.

    In her past life, Gu Zi was very busy, so busy that she was like a machine, even losing interest in love towards the end.

    However, she had many fantasies about dating and marriage. For example, she wanted to have a special display room after marriage to showcase her wedding dress. She wanted to keep her wedding dress, and now that Su Shen had made it a reality, how could she not be moved?

    She stood on her tiptoes and gave Su Shen a kiss, sincerely saying, ¡°Thank you,

    I really like it.¡±

    Su Shen lowered his head and kissed her forehead, ¡°As long as you like it.¡±

    When they went downstairs, Su Bing was helping Su Le eat candied hawthorns. Su Le had woken up earlier than Gu Zi, and Su Shen had already carried her downstairs to avoid waking his wife.

    Su Bing held his own skewer of candied hawthorns in one hand and Su Le¡¯s in the other, feeding his little sister without delay. He didn¡¯t like such sweet stuff, but since his mother had bought it, he had to eat it.

    Su Li sat across from his brother and sister, holding the last piece of his candied hawthorn that he couldn¡¯t bear to eat. He decided to wait until his siblings were also down to their last piece before he would take a bite.

    However, their parents came down and announced it was time for dinner. Su Bing, carefully set aside their skewers of candied hawthorn, planning to enjoy them after the meal.

    Su Li looked at the candied hawthorn in his hand, finally feeling a sense of relief. He too, set down his treat and slowly made his way to the dining room.

    Meanwhile, in the city, the Gu family home was shrouded in a cloud of gloom. During dinner, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei could barely eat, their brows furrowed so tightly they could have caught flies with them.

    Zhang Mei recalled the sight of her daughter, Lin Miao, at the police station earlier that day and couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. She put down her bowl and said, ¡°She¡¯s lost so much weight. Husband, how can we save her? Should we really go? Will it be of any use?¡±

    Their daughter, Lin Miao, stubbornly refused to confess, and the evidence against her was irrefutable. She could not escape her guilt.

    The Gong family, on the other hand, was unreliable. Gu Shan had made another trip to their home, but they were unwilling to use their connections to help Lin Miao, seemingly indifferent to her fate.

    They were at a loss. They had visited Lin Miao today, and she had suggested they seek help from her adoptive parents.

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    Gu Shan sighed, put down his chopsticks and said, ¡°We can only try again. The Lin family seems reasonable. They raised Miao, they must have some affection for her. We¡¯ll go tomorrow, I heard they¡¯re still in the hospital.¡±

    If Lin Miao could avoid prison, he would do whatever it took. Her imprisonment would have a significant impact, not only on their reputation but also on Gu Shan¡¯s chance at a promotion.

    Lately, Gu Shan had been so worried that his hair was turning white. He had been on the verge of a promotion, and the government had planned to provide him with a car. But due to this incident, he could forget about the car, and even his promotion was in jeopardy.

    Zhang Mei nodded after hearing this, got up, and went to the room to gather a few gifts. She planned to present them to Lin Miao¡¯s parents the next day.

    The Gu family was now in dire straits, with no money and a pile of debts. They couldn¡¯t afford to buy gifts for the hospital visit, but the gifts they had were not bad. They were presents given by others in an attempt to curry favor when Lin Miao was about to marry Gong Zhan..

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Applying for Leave

    Chapter 411: Applying for Leave

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The thought alone brought a sour sting to Zhang Mei¡¯s nose. Not too long ago, the Gu family was prosperous and envied by many, including the Gong family, their in-laws. Many sought to ingratiate themselves with them, but now, their circumstances were pitifully desolate.

    Zhang Mei was still unwilling to accept this reality. At times, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if things would have been better if Gu Zi and Lin Miao hadn¡¯t been switched back.

    After all, she had heard that Lin Miao had been living quite well these past years. Gu Zi, on the other hand, was indeed more capable, able to bring honor and glory to the Gu family. It seemed that Gu Zi was more suited to stay with the Gu family.

    However, the sight of Lin Miao¡¯s inconsolable state that day made Zhang Mei feel guilty for harboring such thoughts. Even if the Lin family had treated her well, it was nowhere near the conditions the Gu family could offer Gu Zi. What good would it do?

    In the end, it was their families¡¯ mistake of swapping the children that led to this disaster, causing Lin Miao to suffer. They owed Lin Miao an apology.

    Zhang Mei felt her husband was right. They should seek out the Lin family, and ask Lin Miao¡¯s foster parents to speak on Lin Miao¡¯s behalf. Whether it was to make up for their debt to Lin Miao or to salvage the Gu family¡¯s reputation, they should go¡­

    Meanwhile, at the Su family home in Daqing Village, the family had just finished dinner and tidied up. They were each engaged in their post-dinner activities. Gu Zi was nestled on the living room sofa with Lele, telling her a fairy tale.

    Initially, Su Bing and Su Li were also listening in, but when their training time arrived, they were called out by their dedicated instructor, Su Shen. They were now in the yard practicing horse stance while listening to Su Shen explain new training techniques.

    ¡°The set I just demonstrated is the basic moves of Sanshou boxing, which you must master¡­¡±

    Su Shen, dressed in an army green vest, stood tall and imposing, his face stern. He was the embodiment of military discipline. Su Bing and Su Li looked up at their towering father, their hearts filled with admiration, but also guilt.

    Their father was an excellent soldier and should have remained one. Yet, he had chosen to retire and return to Daqing Village to take care of them.

    Neither their father nor their mother was their biological parent, but they treated them better than any biological parents could. What more could they ask for?

    With this in mind, the brothers took their training seriously. Even the playful younger brother would devote himself to these e ndurance-demanding exercises, gritting his teeth and persevering when he felt like giving up. Now, they could maintain the horse stance for half an hour without faltering.

    Su Shen instructed the two brothers to practice in the yard, preparing to go in and check on his wife and daughter. However, before he could turn around, there were visitors at the courtyard gate. It was Gu Zi¡¯s elder brother and sister-in-law.

    Su Shen strode over to open the door, welcoming the visitors inside. Su Bing and Su Li saluted their uncle and aunt in military fashion, then continued their training. Lin Cheng and Li Hua were somewhat taken aback by the sight. It seemed that their brother-in-law and sister were not an ordinary couple, training their children as if they were in the military. They found it admirable.

    Gu Zi had also heard the commotion. By the time Su Shen brought her brother and sister-in-law inside, she had already prepared some warm water.

    ¡°Brother, sister-in-law, have some water. I¡¯ll go wash some fruit,¡± she offered.

    Li Hua stopped her, saying, ¡°Just the water is fine, don¡¯t go to any trouble. Sit down. We¡¯re sorry for disturbing you so late, but we had to come. My husband wants to ask Su Shen for a leave.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Lin Cheng addressed Su Shen, ¡°Yes, tomorrow Li Hua and I need to go to the city to pick up our father from the hospital. We need to take half a day off. I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask you this afternoon, so we had to come over after dinner. Is that okay?¡±

    Although their parents had told Lin Cheng not to go, insisting they could manage on their own, Lin Cheng was still worried and wanted to be there.

    However, the pig farm had been very busy lately, and he didn¡¯t want to be accused of seeking special treatment or being casual about his work. So, after dinner, he brought his wife to ask for leave.

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    Su Shen sat next to Gu Zi, took the cup of warm water she handed him, and asked, ¡°Of course, but doesn¡¯t Father need to stay in the hospital for a while longer?¡±

    Gu Zi listened from the side. She also remembered that he was supposed to stay in the hospital for a while longer. However, she guessed why he was being discharged early. It was probably because Papa Lin felt uneasy staying in the hospital.

    Papa Lin embodied the most genuine mentality of the working class. He was honest, loyal, and generous throughout his life. He was not the type of person who would immediately embrace hedonism just because his daughter had married a wealthy man.

    One could say that even if Papa Lin became a wealthy man in the future, he would not indulge in any extravagant waste. He would live his life frugally.

    In fact, Gu Zi admired such people, which was why she was willing to fulfill her filial duties to him on behalf of the original owner..

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Fried Dough Sticks

    Chapter 412: Fried Dough Sticks

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Cheng chuckled, his eyes revealing a simple and honest gaze that made him appear somewhat endearing. ¡°Dad says he¡¯s a hedonist. He feels uncomfortable staying in the hospital. Let¡¯s let him come home and recuperate. He¡¯ll be more at ease here,¡± he suggested.

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement. Turning to Su Shen, she proposed, ¡°Shall we all go together tomorrow?¡± Gu Zi was seeking his consent, not out of fear of his disagreement, but out of respect for him as her husband.

    Su Shen glanced at Gu Zi, his gaze unusually warm. ¡°Let¡¯s go early tomorrow. I¡¯ll drop off our boys at school and then take you all to the hospital,¡± he suggested.

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua exchanged glances, wondering if this might be too much trouble for Su Shen. After all, they had only come to ask for leave, but it had turned into a trip to the hospital to pick up their father. It seemed a bit much to ask the young couple to make the journey.

    However, since Gu Zi and Su Shen had both suggested it, they didn¡¯t feel it was their place to object. Besides, the whole family going together to bring their father home from the hospital would undoubtedly make their parents very happy.

    Given that it would take some time for Lin Cheng and Li Hua to return to Daqing Village, Su Shen offered to let them stay the night. It would be more convenient for their trip to the city the next day. At first, Lin Cheng was hesitant, not wanting to impose on his sister and brother-in-law. But Gu Zi persuaded them to stay, and they graciously accepted the offer.

    When it was time for bed, Gu Zi brought them fresh sheets. Li Hua said, ¡°Give them to me, I can change them myself.¡±

    Gu Zi handed over the bedding to Li Hua, ¡°Sister-in-law, make yourselves comfortable and get some rest. Goodnight!¡±

    The next morning, Gu Zi woke up early. Having guests in the house naturally meant an early start for her, as if her biological clock was set that way.

    She made a pot of century egg and lean meat porridge in the kitchen. Li Hua came in to help. After surveying the ingredients in the house, Gu Zi decided to let her sister-in-law fry some dough sticks, a delicacy almost every household knew how to make and was also sold in the local snack shops.

    If anyone craved dough sticks, they would usually buy some from the town or bring some back from the city if they happened to be there. Generally, they wouldn¡¯t make them at home as it was too oil-consuming.

    However, the Su family was different. They owned a pig farm and were never short of oil. If they wanted to eat fried dough sticks, they could easily make them at home without any issues.

    Li Hua, too, found herself craving the delicacy. It was oily and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and incredibly aromatic when eaten. It even had the unique aftertaste of flour-based foods. Without hesitation, she agreed to knead the dough and start making the deep-fried dough sticks. The two sisters-in-law, laughing and chatting in the kitchen, soon filled the room with an enticing aroma of frying oil.

    The tantalizing scent quickly wafted upstairs. Su Li, still drowsy in bed, was greeted by a smell that filled him with a sense of happiness. His mother must be cooking something delicious again! He no longer wanted to linger in bed. He got up, put on his shoes, and hurriedly rushed downstairs.

    A minute later, Su Li stood at the kitchen door, toothbrush in hand, his eyes gleaming. He asked, his words muffled by the toothbrush, ¡°Mom, Aunt, are we having fried dough sticks for breakfast today?¡±

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°Yes, we are. Hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your face. Breakfast will be ready soon!¡±

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    Su Li nodded but was reluctant to leave. He watched as his mother and aunt each held a plump piece of dough, stretching it into a long strip, then shaping it into a rectangle. They then made a vertical cut in the dough with a kitchen knife and overlapped the two pieces before placing them in the pot.

    The dough sizzled as it met the hot oil, a sound that was music to the ears of any food lover. The dough sticks, huddled in pairs, visibly turned from light yellow to deep yellow, and finally to a golden color. Once they were shiny with oil, they could be removed and drained. Their shape was somewhat reminiscent of a DNA strand.

    The fried dough sticks were quite ordinary in appearance, but Su Li knew that they were the epitome of simple deliciousness. Of course, for the Su Li of the past, this ordinary delicacy was a rare treat that he and his brother seldom enjoyed. They would usually see it at food stalls and silently salivate.

    Chen Fu, a classmate from the city, often brought fried dough sticks to school and shared them with the classmates who acknowledged him as their leader. The others could only watch. Once, Su Li saw Chen Fu casually discard a half-eaten dough stick. Unable to resist, Su Li picked it up and secretly ate it. That was the first time he had tasted a fried dough stick¡­

    After a quick trip to the bathroom, Su Li returned to the kitchen, having finished washing up. He asked, ¡°Mom, Aunt, could you make some extra fried dough sticks? I¡¯d like to take some to school for lunch..¡±

 Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: She Knows She Was Wrong

    Chapter 413: She Knows She Was Wrong

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi turned her head to glance at her second child, noticing the toothpaste stain still lingering around his mouth. She gently wiped it off with a tissue, remarking, ¡°You really love these fried dough sticks, don¡¯t you? Alright, I¡¯ll pack some for you.¡±

    With that, Gu Zi fetched two lunch boxes and filled them with the fried dough sticks, intending for her eldest and second child to take them for lunch. Anticipating that her second child might want to share some with his classmates, she purposefully packed an extra two for him.

    Her second child, treated with such tender care by his mother, was grinning from ear to ear. After his mother handed him the lunch boxes, he took them, expressing his gratitude with a cheerful ¡°Thanks, Mom!¡± before scampering off to the living room. His bashful demeanor brought laughter to both Gu Zi and Li

    Hua.

    The Su family¡¯s breakfast that day was lively. Lin Cheng and Li Hua deeply felt that their sister and brother-in-law treated them as their own family. It really warmed their hearts. Lin Cheng, not one for sweet talk, silently vowed to work hard for his brother-in-law, determined not to let his sister and brother-in-law¡¯s kindness go in vain.

    Su Shen drove the whole family into the city, first dropping off the eldest and second child at school before heading to the hospital.

    Su Shen sought out Papa Lin¡¯s primary physician for a discussion. The doctor gave many points to note for the journey home, ¡°Essentially, these are the main points. You can come back for a check-up two weeks after discharge. If there are no issues, the cast can be removed then.¡±

    Su Shen nodded in understanding, standing up to express his gratitude with a simple, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±

    Gu Zi, who had come to find him, witnessed this and couldn¡¯t help but admire the man¡¯s decorum. He was a gentleman who never disappointed when it mattered, a man of refinement and courtesy. Su Shen was indeed such a man.

    Back in the hospital ward, Mother Lin and Li Hua were packing up, preparing for discharge. Papa Lin sat at the edge of the bed, attempting to put some weight on his foot. Thanks to the excellent treatment at the hospital, he felt confident that his foot was saved and he wouldn¡¯t be left with a limp.

    Upon seeing this, Li Hua rushed over to assist him, advising, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t try to stand yet. The doctor said you should wait a bit longer before putting weight on it. When Lin Cheng comes back with the medicine, let him carry you down¡­¡±

    As Li Hua was speaking, someone arrived at the door. Given that the hospital room door was ajar, the two newcomers let themselves in. Li Hua was taken aback upon seeing them. Why had they come?

    They were no longer the picture of vitality they once were. Both had lost considerable weight, and their attire lacked the meticulousness it once held. Now, they would likely go unnoticed in a crowd.

    Upon hearing the commotion, Mother Lin and father lifted their heads to see Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, a flicker of surprise crossing their eyes.

    Upon noticing the items in their hands, Mother Lin quickly understood their intentions. However, she didn¡¯t voice her thoughts, instead asking in a casual tone, ¡°What brings you two here?¡±

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt a flush of embarrassment at the surprised glances and the radiant faces of the family. How unpredictable life was. They had once looked down on the Lin family for their poverty, avoiding contact as much as possible. They had only visited the Lin¡¯s because of Lin Miao¡¯s household registration.

    Yet now, they were the ones down on their luck, while the Lin family seemed to be enjoying a turn of good fortune. This stark contrast between their past and present circumstances was a bitter pill to swallow for Gu Shan and Zhang Mei.

    However, there was no use dwelling on this now. For Lin Miao¡¯s sake, they had to swallow their pride and speak kindly to the Lin family. This was the most difficult part.

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    Finally, Gu Shan mustered the courage to speak first, pleading, ¡°Please, Lin Miao¡¯s adoptive parents, help her. She¡¯s been having a hard time in the detention center, unable to eat, filled with remorse. She keeps saying she¡¯s let you down, that she knows she was wrong¡­¡±

    As Gu Shan began, Zhang Mei placed the gifts in front of the Lin family, chiming in, ¡°Yes, please help her. She¡¯s still a good child who can learn from her mistakes, right? She¡¯s still so young. If she ends up in prison, her future will be ruined, won¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Please, speak to Gu Zi on her behalf. If Gu Zi agrees to help, Lin Miao will be saved. After all, the incident from years ago was a mistake made by both our families¡­¡±

    The couple¡¯s pleas were filled with tears and desperation, like a rehearsed duet. However, Mother Lin wondered if they were being naive. The mix-up with the children years ago was indeed a mistake caused by both families¡¯ negligence, but was it directly related to Lin Miao¡¯s theft?

    In the end, Lin Miao had fallen victim to her own greed and vanity. It seemed not all city dwellers had a clear sense of right and wrong..

 Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Lin Miao Is Not Innocent

    Chapter 414: Lin Miao Is Not Innocent

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Gu couple continued to share the grievances of Lin Miao, implying that if Lin Miao had not been mistakenly taken, she would not have become what she was today. They believed that it was the Lin family¡¯s failure to educate her properly, and the backward education and harsh living conditions of the rural area that led to Lin Miao¡¯s somewhat twisted mentality.

    Mother Lin¡¯s face involuntarily turned cold. Only after they finished speaking did she respond, her tone icy. ¡°Didn¡¯t the police say that this matter would be handled according to the law? The crux of the problem shouldn¡¯t lie with Gu Zi, should it?

    ¡°Moreover,¡± she continued, ¡°we raised Lin Miao, but no one in our family, not me, my husband, my son, or my daughter-in-law, has ever had a criminal record for theft.¡±

    Mother Lin knew well that rural people simply lacked the opportunity to read many books, but that didn¡¯t mean they were born thieves, or that they would steal like thieves. At least in the Lin family, she couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would have influenced Lin Miao to become a thief.

    Lin Miao was the child she had raised, how could she not have feelings for her? But Lin Miao¡¯s actions had utterlv chilled her heart.

    Not to mention that previously, in order to please her biological parents, Lin Miao had deliberately distanced herself from the Lin family, as if she was afraid that they, as her poor foster family, would block her path to wealth. She was well aware of Lin Miao¡¯s vanity, but she never thought she would be so heartless.

    Now that she was facing prison, she turned to the Lins, who were known to be easy-going, and asked her biological parents to plead for her. It was a perfect example of recognizing people only when they were needed, which was even more chilling.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were taken aback, and upon reevaluating Mother Lin, they realized that this rural woman possessed an inherent good upbringing, gentle and courteous, polite and considerate in all matters, and quite unlike other rural women.

    Upon closer inspection, they noticed that her aged face was extremely noble. This nobility seemed unrelated to her status or wealth, but rather a quality that money could not necessarily cultivate.

    Zhang Mei looked on with a hint of envy, realizing that Lin Miao¡¯s foster mother had such a delicate face, so refined that even age could not conceal it. Moreover, her nose was very straight, a feature rarely seen in city women, let alone a rural woman.

    No wonder Gu Zi was so beautiful. Zhang Mei had watched Gu Zi grow up day by day, becoming more and more beautiful, but she had never understood why Gu Zi was so beautiful. Neither the Gu family nor the Zhang family had ever produced such a beautiful child. It turned out that everything had been traceable all along, Gu Zi was not their biological child.

    Mrs. Lin appeared remarkably well, even more attractive than Zhang Mei, someone from the city. She carried an air of elegance that made Zhang Mei¡¯s heart sink further, her voice unconsciously taking on a tone of grievance and sharpness.

    ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, are you planning to abandon Lin Miao?¡± she asked, her voice strained. ¡°Are you also holding a grudge against us like Gu Zi, for sending her back to the countryside? Do you all wish to see Lin Miao imprisoned?

    ¡°We have already promised to repay the money for Lin Miao. Why can¡¯t you let her off this time? Is it Gu Zi? Is she the one who told you to abandon Lin Miao?¡±

    Mr. Lin, seeing his wife and daughter being the target of Zhang Mei¡¯s vented anger, felt compelled to intervene. ¡°Mrs. Gu, we must be reasonable. The money was stolen by Lin Miao. Shouldn¡¯t she be held accountable for her actions?

    ¡°Do you realize the amount of suffering and criticism our family has endured because of Lin Miao¡¯s actions? Lin Miao is not innocent.¡±

    Li Hua, knowing that her father-in-law was usually a man of few words, felt the situation had become too outrageous, forcing him to voice his grievances.

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    Li Hua defended her in-laws to the Gu couple, ¡°Please stop, and stop seeking my parents. We can¡¯t help in any way.

    ¡°Also, the damp, deserted, dilapidated house you first saw was where we moved after selling our home to repay the debt incurred when Lin Miao took the money. Perhaps you thought Lin Miao had always lived there?¡±

    In reality, Lin Miao had not faced any of the consequences of her actions. She had never spent a single day in that broken-down house. Even when the Lin family was at its poorest, they still had a place to shield them from the wind and rain, it was not as destitute as it seemed.

    Zhang Mei was momentarily speechless, unable to find her words. Initially, they had assumed that Lin Miao had grown up in that broken house. When they had mentioned it, Lin Miao hadn¡¯t corrected them, so they had taken it as the

    truth..

 Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Gu Zi l s Grievances

    Chapter 415: Gu Zi l s Grievances

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Reflecting on the past, Zhang Mei now realized that Lin Miao had indeed told many lies. How could she have been so naive? But what was she to do now? It wasn¡¯t possible to completely abandon Lin Miao, was it?

    With no other options, Zhang Mei turned to her husband, Gu Shan, who heaved a deep sigh. He defended Lin Miao, saying, ¡°Yes, Miao Miao has made many mistakes, but it¡¯s because Gu Zi has been living her life. Miao Miao feels it¡¯s unfair, which is why she developed a vengeful mindset. As long as Miao Miao doesn¡¯t end up in prison, she will be grateful to you, grateful to Gu Zi. She won¡¯t make any more mistakes.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Hua couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She picked up the items the Gu family had brought and placed them in front of Gu Shan and his wife. Mother Lin said, ¡°Take your things and leave. We¡¯ve made our stance clear today. Because of Lin Miao¡¯s theft, Zi Zi has had to bear responsibilities she shouldn¡¯t have had to, and has ended up marrying into the countryside. Now that Lin Miao might end up in prison, Zi Zi has no obligation to forgive her.

    ¡°Furthermore, Zi Zi hasn¡¯t stolen anyone¡¯s life. Both our families are well aware of the fact that it was our negligence that led to the children¡¯s lives being switched. Why must we insist that Zi Zi stole Lin Miao¡¯s life just because our Lin family is poorer than the Gu family?

    ¡°But if the two girls hadn¡¯t been switched at birth, our Lin family, due to lack of money, would have let Gu Zi, the younger sister, have the opportunity to go to school instead of Lin Cheng. But we wouldn¡¯t say that Gu Zi or Lin Miao stole Lin Cheng¡¯s life. We didn¡¯t have the ability to foresee the future, so why blame

    Gu Zi, who had no choice in the matter at the time?¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as Mother Lin interrogated her. She struggled to keep her emotions in check and was about to retort when her husband, Gu Shan, stopped her. He said to Mother Lin, ¡°You¡¯re right, we shouldn¡¯t blame Gu Zi. That¡¯s not what we meant. We came here today with a simple goal ¨C to save Lin Miao. She¡¯s made mistakes, but she doesn¡¯t deserve to go to prison. ¡±

    Mother Lin scoffed, ¡°If you think Lin Miao¡¯s mistakes aren¡¯t serious enough to warrant prison, then go talk to the police directly. They won¡¯t reject a legitimate request.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t help, and I can¡¯t just stand by and watch Gu Zi swallow this injustice. Gu Zi may be living a good life now, but that doesn¡¯t mean Lin Miao hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±

    Mother Lin wasn¡¯t dissatisfied with Su Shen; she was grateful that Gu Zi had met him.

    But no mother would willingly let her daughter marry a twice-divorced man with three children, especially under the harsh condition that she not bear her own children. Gu Zi had married in Lin Miao¡¯s place, all because of that three thousand yuan. Had the Gu family ever considered Gu Zi¡¯s feelings?

    Whether the Gu family thought about these things now was no longer important. If they wouldn¡¯t consider Gu Zi¡¯s feelings, she could do it herself. Now that everyone had returned to their own families, she had no lingering attachment to Lin Miao.

    Gushan and Zhang Mei¡¯s faces turned pale, a stark contrast to their previous expectations. They had never imagined that this gentle rural woman would speak with such firm resolve.

    Before they could muster a response, they noticed Su Shen and Gu Zi entering the room. Having just spoken ill of Gu Zi, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei felt a pang of guilt. They hoped that Gu Zi and Su Shen had not overheard their conversation.

    Upon seeing them, Su Shen remained silent while Gu Zi calmly approached and said, ¡°Uncle Gu, Aunt Zhang Mei, have you come to plead for Lin Miao again? You should be speaking directly to me about this matter, not my parents. And I won¡¯t be swayed. Lin Miao must take responsibility for her actions. It¡¯s for the best.¡±

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    Zhang Mei felt a bitter irony.

    Zhang Mei questioned. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this before. Why are you so insistent on sending your sister to jail?¡±

    Gu Shan shook his head, pleading earnestly, ¡°Gu Zi, there¡¯s a saying, ¡®Where you can spare, you should spare.¡¯ Can¡¯t you let Lin Miao off just this once?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered as she retorted, ¡°Uncle Gu, Aunt Zhang, you both helped raise me. Don¡¯t you think that if this matter wasn¡¯t serious, I would let Lin Miao off for your sake?

    ¡°You only blame me for being heartless, for wanting her to go to jail.. But have you ever considered that if she hadn¡¯t done this, even if I truly wanted to take revenge on her, I wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity?¡±

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: The Clever Approach

    Chapter 416: The Clever Approach

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Moreover, you only consider that Lin Miao should not be imprisoned, that incarceration would leave a negative impression, providing others with a handle to manipulate,¡± Gu Zi continued.

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t considered that if Lin Miao doesn¡¯t go to jail, you would be the ones truly handing over the handle of power to others. Compared to this, wouldn¡¯t it be better if the Gu family, in the name of justice, urged their daughter to bravely correct her mistakes and sincerely repent? Wouldn¡¯t that image be better?¡±

    The idea that Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment could somehow be beneficial left Gu Shan and Zhang Mei momentarily stunned. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± they asked.

    Gu Zi¡¯s expression was serious as she delved deeper into her analysis. ¡°Have you considered that Lin Miao¡¯s identity is not only as the daughter of the Gu family but also as the daughter-in-law of the Gong family?¡±

    So what? Wouldn¡¯t the Gong family be equally embarrassed? Gu Shan and

    Zhang Mei looked at Gu Zi, saying, ¡®What exactly are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Gu Zi continued, ¡°Compared to you, the Gong family is very stable right now. If you follow their approach, you won¡¯t go wrong.¡±

    ¡°Lin Miao going to jail is not a mistake, but as long as you don¡¯t get caught in any other wrongdoing and keep a close eye on Lin Miao¡¯s reform, the impact of this incident will not expand.

    ¡°Moreover, out of respect for the Gong family, people won¡¯t spread this matter too far, and your workplace won¡¯t make things too difficult for you. After all, if they make things difficult for you because of Lin Miao, where would that leave the Gong family? So, isn¡¯t it smarter to follow the Gong family¡¯s steadiness?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s straightforward words made Gu Shan and Zhang Mei suddenly realize the truth. Indeed, no wonder the Gong family had been quiet during this period. Gu Zi¡¯s words made perfect sense.

    Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment would affect the reputation of both families, but if Lin Miao didn¡¯t go to jail, or if they managed to get her out, the outside world would speculate deeper issues. Those with ulterior motives would seize the substantial handle of the Gu and Gong families. Sitting in these positions, no one could withstand scrutiny, and the loss would outweigh the gain.

    At this moment, Gu Shan suddenly remembered his previous visit to Deputy Chief He. The Deputy Chief¡¯s willingness to come might have had ulterior motives; after all, he and Chief Gong were arch-enemies! Now, thinking back, Gu Shan felt a chill, his face turning pale.

    He had been blinded by vanity, and coupled with his recent running around worrying about Lin Miao¡¯s situation, he had become confused, failing to distinguish between what was important and what was not. Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment might only last a few years, but if the Gong family were investigated, his promotion would definitely be affected, and that was not something a few years could fix.

    In the end, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei fell silent. They took their belongings and left. At this point, they had made up their minds; they could only wrong Lin Miao for now¡­

    Gu Zi understood Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s characters well. Watching their dejected figures turn away, she knew they had made up their minds to abandon Lin Miao.

    In their hearts, their own flesh and blood couldn¡¯t compare to power and interests. Gu Zi didn¡¯t hold any grudges about being abandoned by them in the past, and being sent to the countryside to marry in place of Lin Miao.

    Gu Zi turned to Su Shen and smiled with relief. She didn¡¯t feel sorry for Lin

    Miao because Lin Miao was merely experiencing what Gu Zi had felt before.

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    Moreover, Gu Zi was discarded by the Gu family without any hesitation. She was innocent in the matter of marriage. At least they had tried for Lin Miao, who had indeed made mistakes.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, are you ready? Let¡¯s leave the hospital,¡± Gu Zi said, holding Su Le in her arms after resting in Su Shen¡¯s embrace. When she stood up, she had regained her usual demeanor. Looking at the smile on the little girl¡¯s face, she felt happy. The matter with Lin Miao was finally settled.

    Mother Lin nodded, ¡°We¡¯re ready. Lin Cheng, carry your father.¡± Lin Cheng squatted by the bed while Mother Lin and Su Shen helped Papa Lin onto Lin Cheng¡¯s back. The family left the hospital amidst laughter and chatter.

    When Gu Shan and Zhang Mei returned home, they still felt a tightness in their chests, troubled. They didn¡¯t know how to face Lin Miao, how to tell her they were giving up on her.

    After much thought, Gu Shan decided not to visit Lin Miao for now. He picked up the landline and dialed the police station. He spoke some seemingly sensible words, instructing, ¡°Officer, please inform Lin Miao for us. Tell her to cooperate with the trial inside. We¡¯ll wait for her to come out..¡±

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Abandoning Her

    Chapter 417: Abandoning Her

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing Gu Shan¡¯s words, the police officer on the other end of the line fell silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°Understood, Captain Gu. Your understanding and cooperation are a blessing to the people and will not hinder our work. We will relay your message as it is.¡±

    The case of Lin Miao had remained untried for a reason. After all, the Gong family¡¯s reputation was at stake. They had to maintain their dignity while handling the case. Moreover, the Gu family was also a prominent household. If the Gong and Gu families did not explicitly abandon Lin Miao, it would be an obstacle, even though she would eventually be convicted, but it would take longer. However, now it was much easier.

    Having been around for many years, Gu Shan could discern the underlying implications of the conversation. As Gu Zi had suggested, this approach would shield him from the repercussions and earn him a good reputation, distinguishing him from Lin Miao, his biological daughter.

    At the detention center, the police officer who had taken the call quickly relayed the message. Upon hearing it, Lin Miao was stunned, her eyes fixated on the iron bars in front of her. She sat there, motionless, for half an hour.

    She needed time to comprehend the implications of the message delivered by the police on behalf of her biological parents. Firstly, it was clear that her adoptive parents were unwilling to plead on her behalf. Had the Lin family completely given up on her?

    fell silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°Understood, Captain Gu. Your understanding and cooperation are a blessing to the people and will not hinder our work. We will relay your message as it is.¡±

    The case of Lin Miao had remained untried for a reason. After all, the Gong family¡¯s reputation was at stake. They had to maintain their dignity while handling the case. Moreover, the Gu family was also a prominent household. If the Gong and Gu families did not explicitly abandon Lin Miao, it would be an obstacle, even though she would eventually be convicted, but it would take longer. However, now it was much easier.

    Having been around for many years, Gu Shan could discern the underlying implications of the conversation. As Gu Zi had suggested, this approach would shield him from the repercussions and earn him a good reputation, distinguishing him from Lin Miao, his biological daughter.

    At the detention center, the police officer who had taken the call quickly relayed the message. Upon hearing it, Lin Miao was stunned, her eyes fixated on the iron bars in front of her. She sat there, motionless, for half an hour.

    She needed time to comprehend the implications of the message delivered by the police on behalf of her biological parents. Firstly, it was clear that her adoptive parents were unwilling to plead on her behalf. Had the Lin family completely given up on her?

    As Lin Miao reflected on her interactions with the Lin family, she realized that her days with them had been her most relaxed. Her return to the Gu family had not been as pleasant as she had imagined, and was far from her initial expectations.

    The Gu family was indeed well-respected in the city, and her biological parents, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, were of high status, more dignified than her adoptive parents. However, Lin Miao could never find the warmth that the Lin family had given her in her biological parents.

    The Gu family did protect her, but Lin Miao knew it was because her lies had deceived them, and their guilt had driven them to do so. It was not the genuine affection that her adoptive parents had shown her.

    She regretted it so much. From the beginning, she should have balanced her relationships with both families. She should not have neglected her adoptive parents in order to please her biological ones.

    She had thought that her adoptive parents, who had always doted on her, would not mind this. However, she had not anticipated that Gu Zi would return to the Lin family and acknowledge them as family, and that their relationship

    would become so good.

    If Gu Zi had not returned and established a relationship with the Lin family, they would not have been so ruthless towards her. The problem still lay with Gu Zi.

    At this thought, Lin Miao¡¯s gaze turned cold and resentful, as if her nemesis, Gu Zi, was standing outside the iron bars, taunting her with a provocative smile.

    Gu Zi always seemed to be an unpredictable variable in Lin Miao¡¯s life. Whenever she encountered Gu Zi, unexpected changes would occur, steering the course of events in unforeseen directions. The outcome was always the same: Lin Miao was always just a hair¡¯s breadth away from achieving what she desired, only to end up falling hard in the end.

    The second, and more brutal reality, was that after weighing the pros and cons, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei also chose to abandon her in order to protect themselves.

    ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you say you felt guilty? Didn¡¯t you promise to do everything in your power to save me, even if it meant losing your positions? I want to see my parents, I want to see my parents¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Lin Miao rose to her feet, rushing to the iron bars and pounding against them while shouting. She seemed to have been triggered by something, completely disregarding her image.

    ¡°You are truly heartless, you¡¯ve abandoned Gu Zi, and now me! All you care about are your own gains and losses, you are not fit to be parents. The Gu family is a joke, and so is the Gong family, you¡¯re all laughable! Ha ha ha¡­¡±

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    How ridiculous it all was! She had thought that becoming Gong Zhan¡¯s wife would ensure her safety. Even if it was discovered that she had taken the money, she wouldn¡¯t end up in jail. After all, she was the daughter-in-law of the Gong family¡¯s leader, who would dare to imprison her?

    But what about now? The Gong family was ignoring the matter, and even the Gu family was following suit, focusing only on self-preservation. Was she really trapped? ¡°No, no, no, I don¡¯t want to go to jail, I¡¯m innocent, let me out!¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s commotion quickly attracted attention. Believing that her outburst would be effective, she disregarded her image even more and continued her uproar. ¡°I want to see my parents, let me out, I want to see my parents!¡±

    However, the police outside merely exchanged glances before one of them swiftly turned and left to fetch a psychologist.

    Whether in a detention center or a prison, there were many individuals who developed psychological issues after being apprehended. Therefore, professional psychologists and emergency doctors were always on standby, ready for any unforeseen circumstances..

 Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: The Verdict

    Chapter 418: The Verdict

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The cell was in chaos, with Lin Miao¡¯s hysterical outbursts echoing off the walls. Despite her dramatic display, the only response she received was a visit from a psychiatrist, who attempted to provide professional mental counseling. The police, in an effort to pacify her, agreed to contact her biological parents, allowing them a visit before the formal sentencing.

    In the aftermath, Lin Miao found herself alone, staring through the iron bars of her cell. Her expression gradually grew vacant. Why had she been abandoned? She couldn¡¯t understand. She had prepared her defense, planned her excuses for her theft, all in anticipation of her release.

    She had expected forgiveness from the Gu family, driven by guilt, and from the Gong family, who would surely wish to save face. But why had things not gone as she had envisioned? After all, she was the one who had been reborn!

    It was all because of Gu Zi. Her arrival had stolen everything that was rightfully Lin Miao¡¯s. She despised Gu Zi, for without her, she would not be imprisoned.

    Perhaps Lin Miao would never understand a simple truth: one¡¯s abilities cannot control people and circumstances. Even if she had obtained some unknown luck or golden opportunities, it didn¡¯t mean stability was guaranteed. When one¡¯s abilities do not match what they possess, obstacles are inevitable¡­

    News of Lin Miao¡¯s breakdown reached Gu Shan and Zhang Mei a day later. Learning that Lin Miao had caused a ruckus in the detention center, cursing both the Gong and Gu families, Gu Shan felt a deep sense of shame. How could Lin Miao have become like this?

    For a moment, Gu Shan felt a profound discomfort. He vented to Zhang Mei, ¡°Not only has she lied, but it seems even her obedient and sensible demeanor was all an act. It¡¯s disgraceful. Our old faces aren¡¯t enough for her to lose!¡±

    At this point, Zhang Mei also felt disheartened. They had only temporarily neglected Lin Miao, not abandoned her. How could she be so unreasonable, going mad in the detention center, cursing her parents and in-laws? It was outrageous. If word got out, they would surely be the subject of much ridicule.

    It was only then that Zhang Mei realized, ever since Lin Miao had returned to the Gu family, people had been saying that Lin Miao¡¯s appearance and abilities were far inferior to Gu Zi¡¯s. She deeply regretted letting Gu Zi leave to marry in the countryside.

    Wouldn¡¯t it have been a better choice to have Gu Zi stay at home? Unfortunately, it was too late for such thoughts now.

    Zhang Mei shook her head, ¡°Let it be. Let her curse. We¡¯ve done more than enough. If she still thinks we¡¯re heartless, I have nothing more to say.¡±

    Lin Miao sat in the detention center, awaiting the arrival of her biological parents. She was determined to confront them face-to-face, to question whether something Gu Zi had said had led them to abandon her.

    Yet, as she waited, there was no sign of Gu Shan and Zhang Mei. All they did was send a message through the police, urging her to mend her ways and take care of herself.

    Then came the verdict of her case. Lin Miao was ordered to repay three thousand yuan for the theft and an additional thousand for emotional damages, along with a year¡¯s sentence in prison.

    Furthermore, having served time in jail, Lin Miao would be unable to attend a regular university as per the norms of the era. The repercussions of her actions were indeed severe.

    Not to mention, upon her release, she might have to face the issue of Gong Zhan divorcing her¡­

    On a bright sunny day, a police car pulled up at the Su family¡¯s doorstep. The tall and handsome Captain He stepped out, handing over the repayment and compensation that the Gu and Gong families had paid on Lin Miao¡¯s behalf to Gu Zi. He said to Gu Zi, ¡°The total is four thousand yuan, please confirm!¡±

    Gu Zi accepted the money, signed the confirmation, and expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you for making the trip, Captain He. Would you like to come in for some tea?¡±

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    Captain He shook his head, smiling, ¡°No, thank you. I still have duties to attend to. I¡¯ll visit another time.¡± With that, he turned and got back into his car, driving away.

    Gu Zi saw the information about Lin Miao¡¯s sentence on the receipt, but felt no emotional upheaval. It was, after all, the expected outcome. A year was, in fact, a lenient sentence.

    The Gong family was not to be underestimated. Some of their power plays were not openly discussed, but those in the know understood the situation.

    Regardless, the money had been recovered. Gu Zi planned to have Su Shen take the thousand yuan compensation to the Lin family. It was, after all, a debt owed by Lin Miao.

    Gu Zi was in high spirits. She picked some rosemary from the garden and brought it into the house. She planned to invite her parents over for lunch and have Su Shen prepare a mutton soup. Today was shaping up to be a good day..

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Family Lunch

    Chapter 419: Family Lunch

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The mutton that Su Shen had purchased from the city¡¯s farmer¡¯s market that morning was rumored to be freshly butchered from a lamb in the wee hours of the morning. The freshness was undeniable.

    Gu Zi soaked the mutton in cold water, rinsing the rosemary clean before placing it on a paper towel to dry. She also prepared a bowl with a mix of scallions, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and hawthorn.

    Next, she cleaned the sugarcane, peeled it, and cut it into strips for later use. Water chestnuts were peeled, carrots were chopped, and then she ventured into the yard to retrieve a piece of dried orange peel, which would be used in the mutton stew.

    Su Li had just finished his martial arts training when he saw his mother in the yard fetching the orange peel. He followed her into the kitchen, eager to lend a hand. ¡°Mom, we¡¯re finally using the orange peel. Let me help you wash it.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse his offer, making room for him to wash the orange peel. She was pleased to see her child willing to help. ¡°Good, rinse it with water and then soak it,¡± she instructed.

    Su Li nodded, performing the task diligently.

    He knew that the dried orange peels in the yard were sun-dried by his mother. The process was simple: they were left in a winnowing basket to dry, and when the sun was out, they were placed under its rays. The only rule was to keep them away from water. Su Li often helped his mother by taking the orange peels to the wall to air-dry.

    He had been curious for a long time about the use of dried orange peels. Today, his mother was finally using them, prompting him to ask, ¡°Mom, are we using the dried orange peel for the mutton stew? Why do we only need such a small piece?¡±

    Su Li soaked the orange peel in a small bowl. Comparing it with his hand, it was not even as long as his thumb. How could such a small piece be enough?

    Gu Zi, tending to the fire in front of the stove, explained, ¡°Dried orange peel, after being exposed to wind and sun, is an excellent ingredient for soup. It can be used in pork rib soup, mutton soup, and others. The main purpose is to extract the flavor of the orange peel, not to eat the peel itself.¡±

    Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up as he understood. He cheekily asked, ¡°Is it the same principle as adding Sichuan peppercorns to the soup?¡±

    Knowing that her second son was seeking praise for his quick understanding, Gu Zi smiled and indulged him, ¡°Our second son is indeed smart. That¡¯s exactly the idea. Can you help me tidy up the dining room while your brother is playing with your sister? Your father has gone to pick up your grandparents. We¡¯ll all have mutton soup for lunch.¡±

    Su Li was basking in the praise he received, his mother always knew exactly what he wanted to hear. With a swift turn, he darted off to the dining room, his enthusiasm evident as he polished the table until it gleamed. He arranged the chairs neatly, then headed to the kitchen to fetch bowls and chopsticks. After washing and drying them, he set them on the table, his work thorough and meticulous.

    Upon completing these tasks, Su Li felt a sense of pride straightening his spine. He realized that even though he was still young, he could help his mother with many chores.

    Feeling proud of himself, Su Li promptly asked his mother for permission to clean the pigeon cage. Once he received her approval, he hoisted the specialized broom over his shoulder and marched towards the pigeon house with a heroic air.

    Meanwhile, in the Lin family¡¯s house in Little Lin Village, Su Shen had arrived. He handed over the thousand-yuan compensation to Mrs. Lin as Gu Zi had instructed. Mrs. Lin accepted the money without much enthusiasm, but when she heard that her daughter was cooking mutton soup at home and had sent her son-in-law to invite them for lunch, her face lit up with a brilliant smile. She and Li Hua retreated to their respective rooms to freshen up.

    The price of beef and mutton had always been twice that of pork, a luxury that most families could not afford more than once a year. Even if someone in the village raised cattle or sheep, they would sell them for a living, never indulging in the meat themselves.

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    Mrs. Lin thought to herself that if she was going to enjoy mutton soup, she should dress in her best clothes. It was only fitting to have a sense of ceremony for such an expensive meal.

    Li Hua and Mrs. Lin shared the same thought. Not only did Li Hua change into a beautiful floral shirt, but she also applied a light makeup using the cosmetics Gu Zi had gifted her.

    So, when Su Shen took the family to the pig farm to pick up Lin Cheng, Lin Cheng was utterly smitten at the sight of Li Hua. His face flushed, he looked like a bashful young boy.

    Mrs. Lin teased him, saying, ¡°Look at you, blushing at the sight of your beautiful wife. What else can you do? Don¡¯t you have a tongue to compliment her? All you do is blush.¡±

    Feeling the intensity of Lin Cheng¡¯s gaze, Li Hua also blushed. Mrs. Lin¡¯s teasing only added to her embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh, hiding behind Mrs. Lin, not daring to look at Lin Cheng. It brought back memories of when they had first started dating..

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Mutton Soup

    Chapter 420: Mutton Soup

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua turned her head, catching her reflection in the car window. Her sister-in-law was right, she thought, a woman should always present herself beautifully. It was not just about captivating men, but also about delighting in her own appearance.

    She resolved to work hard, to earn well, to strive for progress, and to maintain her beauty, all the while learning from her sister-in-law.

    At the Su family¡¯s lunchtime, their dining table was filled to the brim for the first time. It was a heartwarming sight, the entire family gathered together, creating a sense of warmth and liveliness.

    Su Bing and Su Li sat next to their uncle and aunt. While Su Bing was content with just serving the dishes, Su Li was more enthusiastic. He kept piling food onto their plates, generously praising his mother¡¯s culinary skills, and never missing an opportunity to flatter and tease.

    ¡°The braised pork is Mom¡¯s specialty. Uncle, you should eat more, it will give you energy for the afternoon. Squirrel Mandarin Fish, this is one of my favorite dishes. Aunt, you should eat more, Mom always says that eating fish is good for a woman¡¯s skin.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve tasted Mom¡¯s cooking, you¡¯ll always crave it. Just like when Mom is away for a day, and then comes back to cook for me, I can eat several bowls of rice.¡±

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua, overwhelmed by the heartfelt hospitality, accepted the dishes served by Su Li. Everyone was cheerful and merry, except for Su Bing, who was left puzzled by his brother¡¯s excessive enthusiasm.

    Although their mother¡¯s cooking was indeed delicious, Su Bing had been learning to cook from her recently. His own cooking wasn¡¯t that bad, he thought. Su Li certainly didn¡¯t complain when he ate the meals Su Bing prepared.

    After Su Li finished serving the dishes and sat down, he felt a chill from his elder brother sitting next to him. Trying to cover up, he explained, ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t mean to imply that your cooking is bad. I just miss Mom¡¯s cooking so much that every time she comes back after a day or two, I eat a lot of her food. You¡¯re her apprentice, so your cooking can¡¯t be that bad.¡±

    Su Bing gave him a cold glance and continued eating, ignoring his annoying little brother.

    Seeing his brother¡¯s cold face, Su Li felt that his explanation had only made things worse. Nevermind, he thought, having served everyone, it was time to taste his mother¡¯s mutton soup.

    Just then, his mother handed him a bowl of the well-prepared mutton soup. Su Li took a small sip. It was fragrant and rich, with a hint of sweetness. What was even more amazing was that his mother¡¯s mutton soup had no gamey taste. It was absolutely delicious!

    Su Li took another sip, feeling warmth spread through his body.

    Mr. and Mrs. Lin took a sip of the soup and found it exceptionally delicious. The mutton soup their daughter had prepared was so good that Mrs. Lin couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How did you make this soup? There¡¯s not a hint of gamey taste. This is the best mutton soup I¡¯ve ever had.¡±

    Su Shen observed as Gu Zi busied herself serving soup to her family, not even sparing a moment to take a sip for herself. His heart ached at the sight, and he promptly ladled a bowl for her to enjoy.

    Only after Gu Zi had taken her first sip did Su Shen begin to drink. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. This woman always managed to surprise him with her culinary skills. Even the mutton soup was free of any gamey taste. What kind of magical treasure had he stumbled upon?

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    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite simple to remove the gamey taste from mutton,¡± Gu Zi explained. ¡°You just need to add carrots, water chestnuts, and sugarcane while cooking. This gives the mutton soup a rich and aromatic flavor, and removes any unpleasant taste, and it also enhances the layers of the mutton¡¯s aroma.¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, in Su Bing¡¯s eyes, she seemed like a culinary goddess, a food expert imparting her wisdom. Their mother was glowing, radiant in her brilliance. She was truly amazing!

    Gu Zi also fed some of the mutton soup to little Lele. It was the child¡¯s first time tasting such a soup, and her eyes sparkled with delight. Gu Zi repeated the words ¡°mutton soup¡± five times before Lele finally echoed them, ¡°Mutton soup, Lele eat!¡± This brought laughter to the entire family.

    Everyone noticed that although Gu Zi was often quite assertive, she was genuinely gentle, especially with children. She was incredibly patient, willing to repeat instructions two, three times, or as many as needed until the child understood. In these moments, she exuded a delicate and gentle feminine beauty, a beauty that was highly tolerant, resilient, and kind, utterly captivating.

    Su Shen found himself reflecting. He had never thought of guiding a child in this way. Even if he had, his busy work schedule would have made it difficult for him to be as patient with a child. But Gu Zi could do it. Compared to her, he, as a father, still had much to learn..

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Sister Huaâ€™s Gourmet Shop

    Chapter 421: Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    During their meal, Li Hua turned to Gu Zi with a question about the name of their shop in town. Gu Zi had already given it some thought. ¡°Let¡¯s call it ¡®Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯ she suggested. ¡°It¡¯s simple and straightforward. It¡¯s

    Sister Hua¡¯s gourmet food. What do you think?¡±

    Li Hua repeated the name to herself, ¡°Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, Sister Hua¡¯s gourmet food. Yes, it sounds quite good. I think it¡¯s acceptable.¡±

    After all, Gu Zi was an intellectual and a gourmet connoisseur. Li Hua believed that any name Gu Zi came up with would be superior to their random musings. She approved of it.

    Gu Zi laughed, ¡°If the main proprietor agrees, then there¡¯s no problem. Let¡¯s call it Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop!¡±

    Once Gu Zi finished speaking, Su Li stood up and applauded in support. Under his leadership, everyone clapped for Gu Zi and Li Hua. While Li Hua was indeed the main proprietor, the shop wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to establish without the help of Gu Zi and Su Shen.

    The Lin family was not the type to forget a good deed. Even if it was their own daughter or son-in-law, they remembered their kindness. They didn¡¯t take such goodness for granted and believed they should reciprocate with more positive feedback to honor the help they received from their children.

    After the meal, Su Shen and Lin Cheng returned to the pig farm. Su Bing and Su Li, carrying baskets on their backs, left the house intending to gather some firewood for home. Although they had enough firewood to last the winter, this season was abundant with dry branches and quality firewood. The rural children couldn¡¯t resist the joy of collecting firewood, which was also a great recreational activity. Along the way, they could even pick some wild fruits to eat.

    Left at home were Gu Zi and Lele, along with Mother Lin and Li Hua. At that moment, Li Hua was playing with Lele in the living room. Li Hua did not have a child of her own yet, but she desired one. Therefore, she was particularly interested in children of Lele¡¯s age and always enjoyed playing with Lele whenever she visited.

    Mother Lin was in the kitchen helping Gu Zi clean up. While Gu Zi swept the floor, Mother Lin washed the dishes, occasionally turning around to look at Gu Zi as if she had something to say. Gu Zi noticed this but decided to wait for her to speak up. After they finished their chores in the kitchen, Mother Lin finally broke the silence. ¡°Little Zi, do you remember Aunt Yang?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded. After Aunt Yang was driven out by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang, she returned to her old house in Little Lin Village. Gu Zi had heard some stories, but she wasn¡¯t entirely clear about the details. ¡°I remember,¡± she replied. ¡°Why are you suddenly mentioning Aunt Yang, Mom?¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s question, Mother Lin shook her head and sighed. She gently guided her daughter to sit down on the chair in the dining room. ¡°Aunt Yang and I have been old friends for many years,¡± she began. ¡°She has helped me a lot in the past when I was in difficult times. Now that she is going through these things, it pains me to see her suffer. Gu Zi, I want to invite Aunt Yang to help us. We need more hands to run the restaurant, and Aunt Yang also needs a job.¡±

    Gu Zi pondered for a moment before responding. ¡°We need to serve breakfast and stewed meat in the restaurant, so we indeed need more hands. Aunt Yang is a good person, but I worry that if we invite her to work, her daughter-in-law might cause trouble.¡±

    Gu Zi had not had much interaction with Mrs. Wang, but she could tell what kind of person she was at first glance. She was the typical type who couldn¡¯t stand to see others doing well, and she lacked a proper moral compass. She was a particularly ungrateful woman.

    Gu Zi did not want to have too much to do with such a person. It would only invite trouble and disturb her peace.

    Moreover, the fact that Aunt Yang¡¯s son could marry such a woman indicated that he was probably not a good person himself.

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    Except for Aunt Yang and her daughter who was forced to leave, the rest of the family should be kept at a distance. However, it was clear that if Aunt Yang was employed in the restaurant, Mrs. Wang would undoubtedly cause trouble.

    Mother Lin understood her daughter¡¯s concerns. Mrs. Wang was not a good person, just like the rest of Aunt Yang¡¯s family. Getting involved with them would bring nothing good. She had bullied Aunt Yang and her daughter mercilessly. In reality, it was Aunt Yang¡¯s spineless son who was to blame.

    Even if Mrs. Wang was a terrible person, she wouldn¡¯t dare to bully her mother-in-law and sister-in-law without her husband¡¯s consent.

    Mother Lin said, ¡°What you said is true, but I have an unreasonable request, daughter. Can you help Aunt Yang? I know you have a way.¡±

    Gu Zi remembered that she had heard from her sister-in-law before that Aunt Yang had indeed helped her mother a lot. From her mother¡¯s perspective, she should indeed help Aunt Yang in her current situation..

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Warmth

    Chapter 422: Warmth

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After much contemplation, Gu Zi came to a conclusion. If fate had destined her to become a daughter to Mother Lin, then repaying her kindness was not something she could refuse.

    Moreover, Gu Zi was well aware that Mother Lin was not trying to make things difficult for her. The reality was that Aunt Yang was a very important friend to Mother Lin. At Mother Lin¡¯s age, having such a close friend was not an easy feat.

    Finally, Gu Zi nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°Tell Aunt Yang that our shop will open on New Year¡¯s Day. In the meantime, she can learn some service etiquette from my sister-in-law. If she urgently needs money, she can work as a cleaner at the pig farm. They are currently looking for temporary cleaners.¡±

    As winter was approaching, the workload at the pig farm would increase. Su Shen had mentioned to Gu Zi that they could hire some temporary cleaners and pay them daily. Their neighbor, Aunt Zhang, had already agreed to start work the next day.

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Mother Lin was on the verge of tears. She didn¡¯t want to burden her daughter, but she couldn¡¯t bear to see Aunt Yang suffering from hunger and cold in the old house.

    Aunt Yang was a proud woman. When Mother Lin tried to give her some quilts, clothes, and pork, she refused. After much thought, Mother Lin decided that finding her a job was the best solution.

    In the past, Mother Lin wouldn¡¯t have been able to help, but now that Gu Zi was back and Su Shen was their son-in-law, it was as simple as asking for a favor. The fact that she could help her old friend brought her great comfort.

    Mother Lin, with tears turning into laughter, held her daughter¡¯s hand and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll tell Aunt Yang when I get back. Thank you, my daughter.¡±

    Gu Zi, patting Mother Lin¡¯s back to comfort her, laughed and said, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re being too formal with me.¡±

    Mother Lin and Li Hua stayed at the Su¡¯s until three in the afternoon before leaving. Not long after they left, Su Bing and Su Li returned, each carrying a full basket of dry branches, the kind that burned particularly well. Gu Zi helped them unload their baskets, placing the firewood in the kitchen.

    The brothers had also brought back a variety of wild fruits, red, purple, and yellow, their colors enticingly vibrant. Gu Zi tasted a few of the purple fruits; they had a faint, refreshing fragrance and were sweet and delicious. After finishing a few, she picked up a few more to eat.

    Seeing that his mother enjoyed the fruit, Su Bing picked out all the purple ones and placed them in front of her, saying, ¡°These are mountain berries. You can eat them directly or use them to make wine. Today, we saw several other grandmothers picking these berries to make wine when we get back.¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback, but at the same time, she felt the warmth of Su Bing¡¯s care. His style was more akin to Su Shen, expressing love through actions. He might seem cold on the outside, but in reality, he was quite warm.

    Gu Zi mused, ¡°So this is what Shan Nian Zi fruit tastes like. You should pick more of these in the future, and I can use them to make wine.¡±

    In her previous life, Gu Zi had heard of this wild fruit but had never tasted it. Now, she finally had the chance. Keeping some wild fruit wine at home was a good idea. When winter came, the wine could serve as a source of warmth.

    While Gu Zi was conversing with Su Bing, Lele somehow managed to turn out her bunny cotton shoes. She put the shoes on her hands, pressed the soles against her small face, and opened her eyes wide. The sight was simply too adorable!

    Gu Zi picked her up from the ground, not taking away her bunny cotton shoes, and let her play.

    Seeing his sister with the cotton shoes, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but fetch his own dog-head cotton shoes. However, he wasn¡¯t as silly as his sister to wear them on his hands. Of course, cotton shoes were meant to be worn on the feet.

    He put them on and walked around the living room. To the expressionless Su Bing across him, he asked, ¡°Brother, when can we start wearing cotton shoes? I can¡¯t wait anymore!¡±

    Su Bing replied coldly, ¡°You can wear them whenever you want.¡±

    On the first day of winter, Su Li returned home from school and finally got to wear the long-awaited dog-head cotton shoes. Gu Zi, leaning against the door and watching the drizzling winter rain outside, said, ¡°It seems this winter will be very cold.¡±

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    Su Li, wearing his dog-head cotton shoes, hopped back and asked curiously,

    ¡°Mom, how do you know?¡±

    Gu Zi, looking outside, said, ¡°We have a saying, ¡®If there is no rain on the first day of winter, the winter will be warm. If there is rain on the first day of winter, the winter will be cold.¡¯

    ¡°In other words, if it¡¯s a sunny day on the first day of winter, the entire winter will have less rain and the weather will be dry. This winter will be relatively warm. If it rains, the winter will be particularly cold. And it¡¯s been raining all

    day today..¡±

 Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Anticipation for Snow

    Chapter 423: Anticipation for Snow

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Wow, so this winter is going to be particularly cold, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s fantastic!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li followed his mother¡¯s gaze out the door, his voice tinged with a touch of excitement. It seemed as though he was eagerly anticipating the arrival of a very cold winter.

    Gu Zi found his reaction intriguing. She turned to Su Li, curiosity etched on her face, and asked, ¡°You seem quite pleased. Why do you like cold weather?¡±

    Su Li turned to his mother, his eyes sparkling, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He replied earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I like the cold weather. I¡¯ve heard that it only snows when it¡¯s very, very cold. I really want to see snow. I¡¯ve never seen it before. Mom, have you ever seen snow?¡±

    Lele, noticing that her mother and brother were both at the door, joined them. She positioned herself between them, facing Gu Zi. Gu Zi knew that the little girl had come to be coddled. Having spent a lot of time together, Gu Zi often understood Lele¡¯s intentions without her having to say a word.

    Gu Zi fondly caressed Lele¡¯s face, bent down to pick her up, and said to Su Li,

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it more than once.¡±

    Upon hearing that his mother had seen snow, Su Li became even more excited and began to chatter away.

    ¡°Mm-hmm, some of my classmates have seen it too. One of them moved here from the north with his parents. He said that it snows heavily there in the winter, and after the snowfall, everything is blanketed in white. It¡¯s incredibly beautiful!

    ¡°After the snow stops, the adults take the children out to build snowmen, have snowball fights, go sledding, and even make a natural refrigerator in the snow to store food.

    ¡°The most amazing thing is that they bury fresh pears in the snow and then eat them. They taste incredibly sweet, and juice bursts out with every bite!¡±

    Su Li and his classmates were extremely envious. Even now, as he spoke, his mouth was watering at the thought of tasting a pear frozen in the snow. It must be a marvelous experience.

    However, thinking about this made Su Li¡¯s eyebrows furrow slightly. He had grown up in Daqing Village, where the winters were not very cold, and it had never snowed. He really hoped it would snow this year.

    Gu Zi understood his wish after hearing his story. ¡°So, you want to see snow! I¡¯ve seen it, but where we live now is a warm region. It usually doesn¡¯t snow in the winter.¡±

    Su Li¡¯s cheeks puffed out slightly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°Mom, does that mean I won¡¯t be able to see snow this year?¡± He had initially planned to wait at the door for his father to return, but now he didn¡¯t want to wait anymore.

    Su Li turned and walked towards the sofa. Gu Zi, holding Lele, followed him. She didn¡¯t want to lie to him, but she also didn¡¯t want him to be upset.

    She comforted him in a soft voice, ¡°We definitely won¡¯t be able to see snow, but I know that people in the north love to eat dumplings when it snows. We can also eat dumplings and experience that atmosphere, right? I promise you, when we get the chance, our family will go see the snow together!¡±

    Gu Zi could truly empathize with Su Li¡¯s anticipation for snow. In her past life, it was only when she went to college in the north that she saw snow for the first time.

    As she reached out to catch a few snowflakes, the cool sensation was indescribably wonderful. It was then that she realized that the snowflakes depicted in textbooks were not fictional but realistic, and that snowflakes were indeed dreamy hexagons!

    Upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up even more. ¡°Can we really go see the snow as a family?¡± he asked.

    Gu Zi nodded and extended her pinky finger. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s make a pinky promise.¡±

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    Where his gaze fell, his mother was holding his little sister, sitting on the couch at an angle from him. His mother¡¯s long dress today made her look even more gentle and soft, which eased Su Li¡¯s sense of loss. He knew that if his mother said she would take them, she definitely would. So far, his mother had never lied to him.

    Su Li smiled, rushed to his mother¡¯s side, and hooked his finger around his mother¡¯s pinky. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have dumplings today!¡±

    Gu Zi patted the boy¡¯s head with a warm smile. At the same time, steady footsteps sounded from the doorway. She turned her head to see Su Shen just entering from outside, bringing in a gust of damp, cold air.

    His attire today was slightly different from usual. He wore a moon-white round -necked long-sleeved shirt that revealed part of his firm and strong collarbone beneath the protruding Adam¡¯s apple. His messy hair was scattered on his forehead, giving him a stylish look. His black trousers were clean and straight, and his overall demeanor was extraordinarily noble.

    Gu Zi was very satisfied with the outfit she had chosen for him today. Her lips curled up even more. Indeed, she found it more pleasing to the eye to dress her man herself..

 Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Making Dumplings

    Chapter 424: Making Dumplings

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Under the watchful gaze of Gu Zi, Su Shen walked over to her, his face cold as he moved the young boy who had been clinging to her aside. He took a seat next to Gu Zi, handing her a small box. ¡°I bought this for you, take a look,¡± he said.

    Gu Zi looked at the delicate box in surprise. With the arrival of winter, the pig farm had become busier, and Su Shen¡¯s return home was often delayed. But today, not only had he returned early, he had also brought a gift, a rarity indeed.

    She opened the box to find a gleaming gold bracelet. Looking up at Su Shen, she was struck by the simplicity of his expression of love ¨C another gold bracelet!

    Gu Zi was reminded of the first gift she had received from him, also a gold bracelet, given after she had helped him deal with a swine fever outbreak. It felt as though it had happened just yesterday, but they were already married now.

    Time had passed quickly. Just as she was about to say something, the boy who had been moved aside earlier clung to Su Shen¡¯s leg and said, ¡°Dad, we¡¯re having dumplings tonight. Mom said that Northerners love to eat dumplings when it snows!¡±

    Seeing this, Gu Zi put away the gold bracelet and said to Su Shen, ¡°Today is the start of winter, and I¡¯ve prepared several types of dumpling fillings. How about we have dumplings tonight? It¡¯ll be a change of taste and a nod to tradition.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s face was as expressionless as ever, but his eyes, as they looked at his wife, were like the rain outside the door, cold yet filled with an unexpressed warmth. This softened his sharp features considerably. ¡°As you wish,¡± he replied, ¡°we¡¯ll make them together.¡±

    Su Shen always felt that he owed Gu Zi something. Whether it was a small matter like what to eat or bigger decisions, Gu Zi was fully capable of making them for the family.

    He had been absent recently due to the busyness of the farm, leaving little time for them to spend together. Today, he had gone into town for some work and had some time upon his return, so he had hurried home. After changing his clothes, which he didn¡¯t want to dirty, he gave her the gift he had just bought.

    Gu Zi had thought he had come home for dinner and had suggested dumplings. Su Shen couldn¡¯t refuse, deciding that he could return to the farm after dinner if necessary.

    The eldest son, who had just finished washing his shoes in the bathroom, washed his hands and joined them in the dining room. The family began making dumplings.

    Gu Zi was in charge of rolling out the dough. Her movements were swift, and soon a small mountain of round dumpling wrappers had formed. The father and sons were in charge of filling the dumplings, while the little girl played with a small piece of dough on the side, listening to her brothers¡¯ conversation and occasionally chiming in with a word or two.

    Gu Zi watched as Su Shen skillfully wrapped the dumplings, their siblings following suit. It seemed she didn¡¯t need to teach them how to do it after all.

    She remembered her plan to take Lele for a medical check-up and mentioned it to Su Shen, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of finding some time to take Lele and the boys to the hospital for a health check.¡±

    Su Shen, his hands deftly folding the dumpling skin, had a plump dumpling ready in no time. Setting it down, he responded, ¡°Whenever you want, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°This Saturday then. If you¡¯re busy, I can go by myself.¡± She felt it was necessary to inform him, not necessarily asking for his accompaniment. He was always so busy with work, and with his secret identity, she couldn¡¯t possibly burden him with every little thing.

    However, Su Shen looked at her and firmly said, ¡°I may be busy, but I can make time. It¡¯s too much trouble to take the bus, wait for me on Saturday morning.¡±

    Seeing his determination, Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse. She felt a warm feeling in her heart and smiled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together.¡±

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    Gu Zi quickly finished rolling out the dumpling skins and began wrapping them as well. She had prepared three different fillings for the day: a low-fat version with cucumber, black fungus, egg, and shrimp; a classic corn and pork filling; and a child-favorite taro and pork filling. She had prepared plenty of dumpling skins so they could all wrap together. Some would be eaten that night, and the rest would be refrigerated for breakfast the next morning.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so fast, you really have skillful hands, it¡¯s amazing!¡± The second child watched as the last dumpling skin was wrapped by his mother and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. With their mother joining the dumpling-making team, what was originally estimated to take another ten minutes was now complete!

    Their father was also quick, but his hands were too big and ultimately not as nimble as their mother¡¯s.

    Gu Zi placed several plates of dumplings in the refrigerator and took one into the kitchen. Before she went in, she told the second child, ¡°You guys did great too. As a bonus, each of you gets a heart-shaped fried egg. Of course, I get one too!¡±

    The charming expression on her face as she spoke caused Su Shen¡¯s breath to hitch. He stood up and followed her into the kitchen..

 Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Teach Me More

    Chapter 425: Teach Me More

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi lifted the lid of the pot, revealing the water that had been boiling in preparation. She was about to add the dumplings when she became aware of the man¡¯s presence behind her. Perhaps it was due to his towering height, but his presence in the same space was undeniably strong, impossible to ignore.

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart quickened for a moment. Before she could utter a word, his hand naturally found its way to her waist, guiding her gently to stand beside him. As Gu Zi glanced sideways at him, he took the plate from her hands and began to add the dumplings to the boiling water.

    Even though he didn¡¯t utter words like ¡°With me here, there¡¯s no need for you

    to lift a finger,¡± Gu Zi instantly understood his affection for her. She watched his handsome, impeccable profile, her heart filled with warmth and trembling. The atmosphere between them was decidedly intimate, enough to make any onlooker blush and their heart race.

    Su Shen added the dumplings to the pot. In the interval when Gu Zi was tidying up the table with a cloth, he took another pan, heated some oil, and started frying eggs. Soon, five exquisite heart-shaped fried eggs were served in five bowls, each egg accompanied by a ham sausage fixed into a heart shape with a toothpick. It was a sight to behold.

    When Gu Zi returned and saw the eggs, she was somewhat surprised. ¡°How did you know how to make heart-shaped fried eggs?¡±

    In the absence of a heart-shaped mold at home, Gu Zi would use the ham sausage as a makeshift mold to fry the eggs into a heart shape. However, she didn¡¯t expect Su Shen to know this method, especially since she didn¡¯t recall teaching him.

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes were dark as he looked at her, as if he could draw her in with his gaze. ¡°I saw you do it once and remembered. This is my first attempt, was it successful?¡± His usually deep voice held a hint of pride, causing Gu Zi¡¯s heart to flutter.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, and she readily praised him as he wished, ¡°You did great, it¡¯s a success!¡±

    Su Shen, wrapping his arm around her waist, bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead, responding sweetly, ¡°That¡¯s because you taught me well, my wife. Will you continue to teach me in the future?¡±

    Despite usually being a cold and aloof man, his flirting was undeniably irresistible. Gu Zi lowered her gaze, too shy to look at him, and responded softly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to learn.¡±

    With that, she carried a bowl of dumplings out of the room, quickly escaping the intimate scene¡­

    During dinner, the eldest and second eldest found the meal particularly interesting. The three different flavors of dumplings mixed together, each bite offering a different taste from the last, making every bite a surprise. It was so enjoyable that they couldn¡¯t stop eating.

    The eldest child had a particular fondness for the flavor of cucumber, wood ear mushroom, egg, and shrimp dumplings. He turned to his mother and asked, ¡°Mother, could you teach me how to prepare the egg and shrimp filling when you have time? I want to learn.¡±

    After a brief pause, the second child, not wanting to be outdone by his elder brother¡¯s eagerness to learn, mumbled through a mouthful of dumpling, ¡°Mother, I love the taste of taro and pork dumplings the most. Could you teach me how to prepare that as well?¡±

    Seeing their enthusiasm, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but laugh, especially at the second child¡¯s muffled request. She agreed with a smile, ¡°No problem, next time we will make the dumplings with the fillings you both want to learn. Now, eat up before it gets cold.¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi picked up another dumpling from the large plate and added it to the plates of the eldest and second child. At this point, the youngest child in Su Shen¡¯s arms began to show signs of discontent, reaching out towards Gu Zi. The father quickly scooped her back with one hand.

    Su Shen said to Gu Zi, ¡°I have to return to the pig farm after dinner. You should rest early today, I¡¯ll be back late.¡± As he finished speaking, he noticed the little girl in his arms trying to climb out again. He pulled her little hand back without expression, a sight that amused Gu Zi and the two brothers.

    Gu Zi responded to Su Shen with a smile, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±

    She also understood the little girl¡¯s intentions. She had served dumplings to the two older brothers but had not served one specifically for the little girl, who was now unhappy.

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    Quickly, Gu Zi picked up a dumpling and placed it in Su Shen¡¯s bowl, saying to the little girl, ¡°This is for our darling. How could Mommy forget about you?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, Mommy!¡± The little girl, looking at the dumpling in the bowl, broke into a smile. She finally stopped trying to climb out and obediently ate the dumpling fed to her by her father.

    The eldest child seemed to understand and said to the second child, ¡°It seems that if our sister were older, she would be even more competitive for attention than you.¡±

    Su Li blinked, not looking at his elder brother, and muttered, ¡°I haven¡¯t been competing for attention¡­¡±

    After dinner, Su Shen went upstairs to change his clothes. By the time he left the house, it was already dark outside, and a chilly wind had begun to blow..

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Care

    Chapter 426: Care

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The chill of the night was prone to seep into one¡¯s bones, so Su Shen advised Gu Zi not to accompany him outside. Gu Zi, however, remained silent, yet still followed him out the door, her actions speaking louder than any words could.

    Gu Zi¡¯s hand lightly clutched the corner of the man¡¯s coat, matching his pace step for step as she trailed behind him, escorting him out the door.

    His towering figure shielded her from the brunt of the cold wind. As they neared the main gate, her voice, filled with concern, echoed from behind him, ¡°Be sure to keep warm tonight, don¡¯t catch a cold. I¡¯ve placed a warming tonic in your coat pocket. Remember to mix it with water and drink it before you get busy.¡±

    The sincerity in the woman¡¯s meticulous tone caused the man to halt and turn around. He knew she wasn¡¯t the type to flatter or ingratiate herself to others. Her current attentiveness towards him was genuine, wrapping his heart in a warmth that he found especially comforting.

    He gazed at her intently. A stray lock of hair on her forehead fluttered in the wind, brushing against her beautiful face. He lifted his hand, his slender fingers carefully tucking the errant strand behind her ear. His eyes held an unmistakable fondness.

    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± he reassured her. ¡°I might come back late tonight, or perhaps not until tomorrow. You should rest well.¡±

    Gu Zi looked up at him, her hand resting on his waist as she nodded in understanding. ¡°I sleep well enough. If you¡¯re going to the town to deliver goods tomorrow, remember to check if they have apple pears. Buy some more and bring them back. I¡¯ll make frozen pears for everyone in our family to taste.¡±

    She remembered a shop in town that sold exotic fruits, including apple pears. These pears were large, juicy, and had small cores. Their flesh was milky white and incredibly succulent, making them the perfect choice for making frozen pears.

    Although she couldn¡¯t fulfill Su Li¡¯s wish to see snow, she could still let him taste the frozen pears typical of snowy days. As long as the method was right, frozen pears could be made even with an electric refrigerator.

    She had thought of this plan when Su Li mentioned frozen pears earlier in the day but had kept it a secret to surprise him. She also knew that the pig farm had been busy these days and there weren¡¯t enough people to deliver goods. Su Shen often had to help with deliveries, and he usually went to the town, so it was convenient for him to buy the pears.

    A hint of amusement flickered in Su Shen¡¯s eyes as he looked at her. This woman always managed to create a variety of novel and interesting dishes. He hadn¡¯t expected that she could even make frozen pears, a delicacy he had only heard about from his comrades in the northeast. His voice was low and husky as he said, ¡°Alright, you should go back now. Goodnight.¡±

    Gu Zi echoed his sentiment, ¡°Goodnight!¡± After speaking, she was the first to step inside, knowing that he would find it hard to leave unless she did.

    Perhaps this was what they called an unspoken understanding, where many things didn¡¯t need to be explicitly stated.

    In the pig farm, everyone had just finished their evening meal and were now hastily beginning the task of cleaning the pigsty, moving the pigs, and slaughtering.

    Aunt Yang had been working as a cleaner at the pig farm for several days now, and she was well acquainted with her duties. Although her movements were somewhat slow, she made up for it with her diligence. Her work was well done, at least to the extent that even the most discerning eye could not find fault with it.

    At that moment, she was in the boiler room, heating water. Soon, it would be mixed with cooler water to feed the pigs. The weather was getting colder, and providing the pigs with slightly warm water would help boost their resistance and prevent them from catching a cold.

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    Su Shen, accompanied by his subordinate Ah Zhuang, was conducting a routine inspection to eliminate any safety hazards in the pig farm. As they happened to pass by the boiler room, he noticed Aunt Yang¡¯s thin clothing. He immediately instructed someone to fetch her a coat. The person behind him didn¡¯t hesitate and promptly went to find a coat.

    As Ah Zhuang was getting the coat, he started a casual conversation with a person nearby. ¡°The treatment for Aunt Yang is different. This position was originally intended for my mother. My mother is faster than Aunt Yang and would definitely do a better job. I don¡¯t understand why Sister-in-law Gu Zi is so considerate of her. Is it just because she led the wedding ceremony?¡±

    The person nearby laughed, ¡°You don¡¯t know? Aunt Yang and the sister-in-law¡¯s mother are very close. Otherwise, why do you think Aunt Yang was able to lead the wedding ceremony for Brother Shen and the sister-in-law? Stop complaining, or Brother Shen might hear you. Besides, Aunt Yang is a pitiful person, let her do this job.¡±

    Ah Zhuang pursed his lips, still feeling dissatisfied. The New Year was approaching, and every family wanted to earn a little more money to celebrate.

    However, he didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. After all, he owed his job to Brother Shen. He couldn¡¯t blame the sister-in-law and her mother for using their connections. If there was anyone to blame, it was himself for not having strong enough connections..

 Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Cold Treatment

    Chapter 427: Cold Treatment

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Ah Zhuang returned to the boiler room, Su Shen had already left. He dutifully handed over the clothes he had been instructed to find to Aunt Yang. However, due to his irritation, he didn¡¯t offer her a friendly face. Tossing the clothes aside, he grumbled impatiently, ¡°Next time, dress warmer. Don¡¯t catch a cold and cause us trouble, understand?¡±

    Aunt Yang was startled by his loud voice. Looking up, she met his cold gaze, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. She murmured apologetically,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. I¡¯ll be more careful. I won¡¯t cause any more problems for you. Thank you.¡±

    Ah Zhuang, his face still cold, didn¡¯t respond. He turned on his heel and left. Aunt Yang stood awkwardly in place for a while before finally picking up the clothes and putting them on. The garment was thick and provided much-needed warmth.

    Aunt Yang knew that the clothes were probably provided at the boss¡¯s instruction. Even though her job was part-time, it was highly sought after. Many people wanted the position but hadn¡¯t been successful in securing it. She was aware that many at the pig farm were unhappy with her presence. They didn¡¯t make things difficult for her, but they certainly didn¡¯t go out of their way to be kind.

    However, due to her connection with Mother Lin, the boss, Su Shen, showed her some consideration. He had glanced her way a few times during his recent inspection. Ah Zhuang might have been rude, but she couldn¡¯t reject the boss¡¯s goodwill.

    She didn¡¯t mind the cold treatment. It was nothing compared to what she had endured before. After being driven out of her home by her daughter-in-law, she had resolved to survive on her own, even if it meant starving on the streets.

    She had been living a stifled life for years! In her former home, even eating a bit more than usual would earn her the label of a glutton from her daughter-in-law, who accused her of eating the family into poverty. But how could anyone survive without a full stomach?

    Moreover, she did all the work at home, which naturally led to a larger appetite. It was an unavoidable fact of life. She ate no more than any other working woman, yet even this was ridiculed.

    Those days were unbearable to recall. Now, she had a job and an income. What did it matter if others treated her coldly? She was content.

    Once she had saved up some money, she planned to find someone to inquire about her daughter¡¯s whereabouts. Regardless of the circumstances, she needed to know her daughter was safe.

    ¡°Aunt Yang, what¡¯s the matter? Hurry up and fetch a few buckets of hot water for the pigsty. We¡¯re going to start slaughtering soon. We¡¯ll probably be working until dawn again. Hurry up, or it¡¯ll be morning before you know it.¡±

    A man approached Aunt Yang, ordering her to fetch hot water with a gruff tone. Aunt Yang quickly turned away to wipe her tears, responding with a forced laugh, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m coming right away.¡± She then quickened her pace, fetching water for the pigs.

    During periods of high demand for pork, pig farms typically slaughtered their livestock at night. This nocturnal practice ensured that the next day¡¯s supply of pork could be delivered promptly and in sufficient quantities to their various business partners.

    The pig farms were usually located in remote areas, so there was no need to worry about the noise of the slaughter disturbing anyone. This made the process of slaughtering pigs rather convenient.

    Aunt Yang poured warm water into the sink before returning to the boiler room. She still had to haul water to the slaughter area, which would soon be in use.

    At one in the morning, the cries of the pigs echoed throughout the entire farm. The slaughter had begun. Once the pigs were killed, they had to be packaged and loaded onto trucks. By four or five in the morning, the delivery process would commence. There was perhaps an hour of rest in between, but the prospect of returning home for sleep was slim. However, the promise of earnings kept everyone from complaining. They all worked enthusiastically.

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    At five in the morning, Su Shen rose punctually from the sofa in his office. After freshening up, he prepared to deliver goods to the town. Before leaving, he made a special trip to find Jin Long, instructing him, ¡°Later, call Lin Cheng and take the pig offal and trotters that were packaged last night to the Lin family. Remember to clean them before delivery, and deliver them early.¡±

    Having said his piece, Su Shen turned to leave. Jin Long, still groggy from sleep, instinctively blocked Su Shen¡¯s path. His voice was incredulous as he mumbled, ¡°Brother, when did you become so stingy, only sending these to your in-laws?¡±

    Su Shen looked at Jin Long¡¯s sleepy face with some disdain. Casually brushing him aside, he climbed into the delivery truck with ease, leaving behind a single sentence, ¡®You don¡¯t need to worry about that, just deliver them.¡±

    Jin Long rubbed his forehead, watching as Su Shen closed the truck door and drove away. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk, ¡°Tsk, tsk, the true colors of a scoundrel who¡¯s won over a girl finally show! Is this the kind of person you really are?¡±

    Feeling indignant on behalf of his sister-in-law, Gu Zi, Jin Long lost all desire to sleep. It wasn¡¯t until he went to find Lin Cheng that he learned the items Su Shen had asked him to deliver were for the Lin family¡¯s braised food business, not for their personal consumption..

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Simple Things in Life

    Chapter 428: Simple Things in Life

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a sudden moment of clarity, Jin Long realized something. Of course, Su Shen would never treat his sister-in-law in such a manner. Even if he behaved this way with his own brother, he would never extend the same treatment to his sister-in-law. Yes, he had to trust in his brother¡¯s character. Su Shen, after all, was now nothing more than a devoted husband.

    As Jin Long contemplated this, his gaze fell upon a pile of difficult-to-handle pig¡¯s feet and innards. He looked at Lin Cheng with a hint of confusion, ¡°Can we really sell this stuff? Our sister-in-law can cook so many delicious dishes, why not let her teach us a few that we can sell for breakfast?¡±

    He was skeptical about the business prospects of selling stewed pig innards and feet. Who would spend money on such things? He wouldn¡¯t even accept them if they were given to him for free.

    Upon hearing this, Lin Cheng didn¡¯t quite know how to respond. He scratched the back of his head and gave a good-natured smile, his face still handsome. ¡°We¡¯ll have to give it a try,¡± he said. ¡°My sister also suggested that we start with a stall and see how it goes while we prepare for the shop in town, Once the shop is open, we won¡¯t have to run around so much. Then we can decide whether to sell only breakfast or to include stewed dishes as well.¡±

    Rolling up his sleeves and bending down to work, Jin Long said, ¡°That sounds like a plan. I hope you guys succeed! Let¡¯s get to work, brother.¡±

    Jin Long moved the stove over and picked up a pig¡¯s foot from the ground, beginning to singe the hair off it. Lin Cheng was equally industrious, washing the pig¡¯s feet after Jin Long had singed them. The two men worked well together, and by six in the morning, they had packed up everything to be delivered to the Lin family. They loaded it onto the pig farm¡¯s tricycle and set off together for Little Lin Village.

    Meanwhile, Su Shen had already delivered his goods to the individual contractors in town and bought two large bags of apple pears from the fruit shop. He was now driving the truck back home.

    By the time Su Shen returned home, the two boys had already left for school. Gu Zi was leisurely having breakfast in the dining room with Su Le. Without a doubt, the breakfast was the dumplings they had made the night before.

    Upon seeing Su Shen place the two large bags of apples and pears in the corner, Gu Zi walked over to the dining table. She ruffled Su Lets hair, causing the child to look up in confusion. When she recognized Su Shen, she broke into a smile.

    Su Shen was still wearing the same clothes he had changed into the night before ¨C a military green vest with a grey jacket and slightly worn black pants. There were some blood stains on his jacket, giving the impression that he had been busy and hadn¡¯t had a chance to rest. Although his handsome face didn¡¯t show signs of fatigue, she guessed that he had been busy from last night until this morning and probably hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet.

    She tilted her chin up at him, her eyebrows raised in a playful invitation. ¡°Ah, it seems we¡¯re in sync,¡± she said coyly. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be coming back, so I made an extra plate of dumplings. Go wash your hands and come eat!¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Su Shen realized that he was indeed a bit hungry. He washed his hands and returned to sit down. When Gu Zi saw him, she placed a plate of untouched dumplings in front of him. The portion was neither too much nor too little; it was precisely the amount he usually ate. How could this not be considered a silent understanding between them?

    Su Shen didn¡¯t realize that when he ate the first dumpling, thinking about this unspoken agreement, the curve of his smile was already very noticeable. So noticeable that Gu Zi, who was sitting next to him, could see it clearly. At this moment, he was in a very good mood.

    Gu Zi was somewhat surprised. This man, who usually didn¡¯t show his emotions, was actually smiling so obviously. Gu Zi was secretly pleased, thinking that this meant she was doing a good job as a wife, right?

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t sav anything. she just continued to eat her breakfast slowly. savoring each bite. Occasionally, she would glance at his elegant way of eating, her smile never fading. It turned out that being with the person you like, even something as simple as having breakfast together, could be so beautiful.

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    Gu Zi ate less and had started eating earlier than Su Shen, so she finished before him. After handing their child, Su Le, to Su Shen, she picked up two large bags of apple pears and went into the kitchen to start making frozen pears.

    Gu Zi washed all the apple pears, dried them with a paper towel, and then put them all in the refrigerator to freeze. Su Shen, who had finished cleaning up the dishes, came over to watch. He asked her, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Gu Zi closed the refrigerator door and looked at Su Shen, replying, ¡°Yes, making frozen pears is actually very simple. It mainly requires time to wait. This way, they will probably freeze for about a week. When the time comes, take them all out and let them thaw overnight in the room. The next day, put them all back in the refrigerator to freeze for another week, and then they can be eaten.¡¯

    Su Shen looked at his petite wife with admiration in his eyes and said with a smile, ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything you can¡¯t do, wife. You¡¯re amazing! What are you planning to do today?¡±

    Gu Zi picked up their little girl who was following behind Su Shen, kissed her indulgently, and after thinking for a moment, said, ¡°I¡¯m going to help my mother and sister-in-law make braised pork. It¡¯s their first time making it in large quantities, so I need to supervise. I¡¯m going to get ready to leave now.. Do I look neat and pretty?¡±

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: A Stunning Beauty

    Chapter 429: A Stunning Beauty

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had planned her day meticulously, intending to be productive. As such, she had dressed in a simple yet efficient manner. She placed great importance on her appearance, believing that one¡¯s attire could greatly influence people¡¯s perception. After all, if one wished to accomplish great things and gain the trust of those around them, it was essential to present oneself well.

    The most direct way to earn trust, she believed, was to take care of one¡¯s appearance. A good appearance was akin to a good business card. If one couldn¡¯t even manage their own appearance, how could they expect others to believe in their abilities?

    With these thoughts in mind, she held her child and did a full turn in front of Su Shen, indicating that she wanted him to check her appearance. After all, why would she need a mirror when she had her husband? She could just ask him to look, and in the process, gauge his aesthetic sense.

    Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, secured with a black hair tie. Her hair was thick, shiny, and soft. As she turned, her ponytail swayed, the ends curling together, giving it a sense of weight. It was beautiful!

    Once she had completed her turn and stood still, she looked at him expectantly. He paused for a moment, then a smile spread across his face, his gaze lingering on her with a gentle warmth.

    She had pulled all her hair back from her forehead, revealing a fair and radiant face. Her makeup was light, requiring no additional embellishment. Her face alone was enough to captivate, truly a stunning beauty.

    Her outfit for the day was as simple as her hairstyle and makeup. She wore a white collared knit sweater paired with light blue jeans, giving her a fresh and clean look. With her high ponytail, she looked as vibrant as a youthful model featured in newspapers.

    Su Shen approached her, his voice slightly hoarse but enticing, complimenting, ¡°Very clean, very beautiful, very good.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been holding their child, he would have kissed her without hesitation.

    Perhaps Gu Zi sensed his restrained actions, her heart beating a few beats faster. But to avoid any awkwardness, she feigned calmness on her face, holding her breath as she said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Are you going back to the factory?¡±

    Su Shen took her hand, their fingers interlacing. He picked up the car keys from the dining table and led her out, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to the factory. I¡¯ll drop you off at Little Lin Village first.¡±

    Feeling his large palm enveloping her hand, she found it warm. So warm that it made her heart flutter. She would never refuse his offer to drive her.

    The car pulled up outside the red brick house, and Gu Zi stepped out, cradling Lele in her arms. Su Shen told her, ¡°I¡¯ll come pick you up later,¡± before driving off.

    It was evident that he was pressed for time due to dropping her off, and Gu Zi found his gesture heartwarming. She stood there, holding Lele, watching until the car¡¯s shadow disappeared before turning to walk towards her mother¡¯s house.

    Upon entering the house, Gu Zi found her mother, Mother Lin, and her sister-in-law, Li Hua, bustling about in the kitchen. The faint aroma of fresh pork wafted through the air, leading her to guess that Su Shen must have had the necessary items delivered to the Lin household quite early.

    As she stepped into the kitchen, she saw her mother preparing the marinade according to the recipe she had provided, while her sister-in-law was taking out the pig¡¯s trotters from the bag, intending to wash them again with water.

    Given that they were preparing food, hygiene was of utmost importance. It was clear that both her mother and sister-in-law were following her instructions to the letter, which made Gu Zi feel quite pleased. There was a saying that good family members always bring joy to your heart, and perhaps that was exactly what she was feeling right now.

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    Upon seeing Gu Zi, Li Hua quickly set aside her work and brought over a low stool for her. ¡°Sister, once we finish making these today, can we start selling them tomorrow? Should we go directly to the town for our first sale?¡± Li Hua asked, before fetching a bowl of warm tea for Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi set Lele down to play on her own, and after finishing her tea, she also began to help with the work. After some thought, she said, ¡°Originally, we planned to set up a stall in town, but I¡¯ve reconsidered. For our first trial sale, let¡¯s go to the entrance of the pig farm. We should aim to move everything over there early tomorrow morning and set up the stall.¡±

    Gu Zi had researched the operating hours of the pig farm and realized that the workers there could potentially be customers for their marinated pork. These workers, who primarily performed physical labor and thus had high energy consumption, had stronger purchasing power than the average villagers.

    Setting up a stall at the entrance of the pig farm would not only help spread the word about their marinated pork but also allow them to secure a group of loyal customers.

    Li Hua, carrying a large basin of washed pig¡¯s trotters to the stove, panted and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll follow your plan. Gu Zi always excels at everything she does¡­.¡±

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Not a Good Thing

    Chapter 430: Not a Good Thing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The three women worked with swift hands, and in no time, two large pots of braised pig¡¯s feet and a large pot of pig¡¯s innards were cleaned and ready. Gu Zi, however, noticed something amiss. ¡°Didn¡¯t they deliver the pig¡¯s head?¡± she asked. ¡°The pig¡¯s head is the most important part of making braised meat.¡±

    The town¡¯s shop was set to open on New Year¡¯s Day. In the meantime, Mother

    Lin and Li Hua planned to sell braised meat at a street stall to test the market and spread the word. They would also sell breakfast during the village market days, at the very spot where Gu Zi used to set up her stall.

    As for Gu Zi herself, she intended to spend this time helping her sister-in-law settle some matters, ensuring the smooth operation of the shop once it opened in town.

    Once the New Year festivities were over and school started, she would have to put business matters aside. She would be busy taking care of her child and preparing for her exams. Therefore, she was determined to address any issues as they arose, leaving no room for lingering problems.

    Li Hua and Mother Lin put the pig¡¯s feet into the pot of braising spices. Li Hua looked troubled as she said, ¡°Your brother came back earlier and said that pig¡¯s heads don¡¯t fetch much money. So, the workers usually cook them for themselves as a side dish with drinks. It¡¯s not very tasty, but it¡¯s better than pig¡¯s innards, and it¡¯s filling without costing anything. Some workers even take the pig¡¯s heads home. Today, there were no pig¡¯s heads left, and your brother didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in understanding. ¡°I see. Knowing the problem makes it easier to address. Let¡¯s sell these for now, but I¡¯ll discuss with Su Shen and ask him to keep the pig¡¯s heads in the future.¡±

    The workers had taken them in the past, but now that the Lin family was starting a business, the pig¡¯s heads, feet, and innards were all essential ingredients. They were part of the pig farm¡¯s supplies, and there was no reason to let the farm workers take the pig¡¯s heads for free, especially when Su Shen was paying them wages. She decided to discuss this matter with Su Shen that night.

    Li Hua, worried that this might strain relations and affect the pig farm¡¯s operations, tried to dissuade Gu Zi. ¡°We don¡¯t need to keep all the pig¡¯s heads, and we might not even be able to use that many. We shouldn¡¯t offend the workers over this. ¡±

    Mother Lin, concerned about the potential impact on her son-in-law¡¯s pig farm, also chimed in. ¡°Yes, we could just keep a few each day. That should be enough for selling.¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, considering her words before she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s not entirely about whether we have enough to sell or not. It¡¯s too early to tell if we have enough now, but what if we don¡¯t have enough when the shop opens? Do we deal with this issue then?¡±

    She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. ¡°Moreover, everyone knows that Su Shen is generous with his employees. If we allow them to take things that could be sold from the pig farm for free, we¡¯re spoiling them. That¡¯s not a good thing.¡±

    She paused again, her gaze steady and serious.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t need these hard-to-sell parts before, but now that we¡¯re using them for business, we can¡¯t let the employees take them for free. There must be rules.¡±

    She took a deep breath before delivering her next point.

    ¡°If not allowing the employees to take pig heads will offend some of them, then there¡¯s no need to keep these employees. Don¡¯t worry, Mother, Sister-in-law, losing a few people won¡¯t affect the normal operation of the pig farm.¡± She paused, her tone firm and resolute.

    ¡°Besides, you both know that when you ask Su Shen for goods, you insist on paying him for the materials. I know about this. You¡¯re not taking them for free, so it¡¯s only right that Su Shen settles accounts with his employees.¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, she felt more certain that this issue needed to be addressed. It was also a good opportunity to weed out any troublemakers in the pig farm.

    Of course, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t interfere forcefully. She would only suggest to Su Shen. Perhaps he had not been petty before, but once he calculated, he should realize that this was not a good situation.

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    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Li Hua and Mother Lin agreed with her reasoning.

    They had been advising Gu Zi mainly out of concern for Su Shen¡¯s pig farm. Now that Gu Zi had explained her stance, they had no more worries.

    As they spoke, all the ingredients were added to the stew pot. Two large pots were simmering together, filling the room with the delicious aroma of spices and meat. Gu Zi found herself salivating at the smell. She felt that her first year in this world would definitely be a prosperous one!

    Gu Zi then remembered the oddity she had noticed when she first arrived. She asked Mother Lin, ¡®Mother, besides the issue with Lin Jie, have you been hearing a lot of gossip lately?¡±

    Gu Zi recalled that during her previous visits, there were always a few villagers chatting with her mother or sister-in-law outside the red-brick house. Today, however, the area outside the house was eerily quiet. There wasn¡¯t even a passerby on the road. It was as if everyone was deliberately avoiding the house, which was very strange..

 Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Estrangement

    Chapter 431: Estrangement

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Lin and Li Hua exchanged a glance, their faces reflecting a shared reluctance to keep Gu Zi in the dark. Turning to face Gu Zi, Mother Lin began to explain the situation.

    ¡°There are all sorts of rumors,¡± she began, ¡°But that¡¯s just how it is in places like this. Lin Laoyao and his wife have been spreading word that we¡¯ve shown them no mercy, claiming that we¡¯ve deliberately set their son, Lin Jie, up for prison. They say we want to ruin their family. Not everyone believes it needs to go this far, so many have begun to distance themselves from us.¡±

    Mother Lin had indeed heard many idle comments, some of them spoken directly to their faces. Their sarcastic undertones were clear to anyone who listened.

    Most of the villagers couldn¡¯t understand why Lin Jie had to be sent to prison.

    After all, the saying goes, ¡®one man¡¯s imprisonment ruins three generations.¡¯ They claimed that the Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was too harsh, showing no mercy even to their own kin. They concluded that it was safer to keep their distance from such a ruthless family, lest they too end up in Lin Jie¡¯s predicament.

    Some even suggested that Lin Lao¡¯er had changed. Now that he had a wealthy son-in-law, he had become prosperous himself. His attitude, they said, was naturally different. He now looked down on his poorer relatives and was unwilling to help them. Instead, he took the opportunity to ruin them, thus eliminating any potential threats.

    The villagers found this horrifying. No wonder they say that money corrupts.

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. What do you think, mother, sister-in-law?¡± Gu Zi had always been open-minded. She believed that if Lin Jie wasn¡¯t properly punished this time, he would only become more demanding. Lin Laoyao¡¯s family would never be willing to settle down, and instead, they would stir up more trouble, making things even more complicated.

    She didn¡¯t care what others thought of her, but since she had chosen to acknowledge her biological parents and family, their opinions mattered to her. Therefore, she needed to know how they viewed the consequences of this matter.

    Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s face gradually harden, Mother Lin and Li Hua fell silent for a moment. Setting aside their work, they finally spoke, ¡°We really don¡¯t know how to deal with this situation, but Gu Zi, none of us, including your brother and your father, believe that sending Lin Jie to prison was a mistake. We are a family, and we can bear any consequences together.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sister,¡± Li Hua added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the gossip behind our backs. It¡¯s only temporary. Once this blows over, those who want to associate with us will still do so. Most people are like grass on a fence, swaying from side to side. After going through so much, we¡¯ve come to understand that forgiveness and leniency are useless to some people.¡±

    Hearing their words, Gu Zi finally felt her heart settle. In truth, she should have foreseen that not forgiving Lin Jie¡¯s actions like a saint would lead to such consequences. Many people were like this, adept at using familial or friendly bonds to manipulate others, never considering the harm their actions might inflict.

    In their eyes, even if relatives and acquaintances were at odds behind closed doors or found each other disagreeable, they must never openly break ties. This was the so-called social etiquette they firmly adhered to. They had their beliefs, and Gu Zi had her principles. After all, one doesn¡¯t feel the pain until the needle pierces their own flesh.

    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just the conservative mindset of people in this era that led to such phenomena. Gu Zi was well aware that even decades into the future, there would still be plenty of gossip when relatives, especially blood relatives, quarreled like this. If they didn¡¯t gossip, it would be rather contrary to societal norms.

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    However, amidst such a vast environment, Gu Zi was still afraid that Mother Lin and the others might waver in their hearts. Conducting business required a strong mentality, one that could withstand isolation from those around them. Therefore, Gu Zi took the opportunity to instill some business acumen into the two. She said, ¡°With every gain, there is a loss. We are here to do business, and the most important thing is to manage well, sell good products, and make money.

    ¡°We may lose some things, such as the alienation of our neighbors and fellow villagers. In fact, those who alienate us now, even if not because of Lin Jie¡¯s affairs, will likely feel the same way when they see our business thriving in the future. I won¡¯t overthink it, and I hope you can also strengthen your mentality.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mother Lin and Li Hua suddenly understood. Although they had sincerely expressed their attitudes to Gu Zi just now, they indeed harbored an inexplicable sense of guilt deep within their hearts.

    But Gu Zits words eased their minds considerably. Indeed, in life, one cannot have everything and please everyone. It¡¯s enough to do what needs to be done

    well..

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Complete Acceptance

    Chapter 432: Complete Acceptance

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°It¡¯s true, Gu Zi,¡± the mother confessed, her voice heavy with the wisdom of a lifetime. ¡°I¡¯ve lived for so long, yet I find myself less enlightened than you.

    Now, we know what we must do.¡±

    The words of her mother had initially left her in a state of gloom. But hearing her family¡¯s reassuring words, she found himself at ease. ¡°Nothing matters more than the peace and harmony of our family!¡± Gu Zi declared.

    Upon hearing these words, the faces of Mother Lin and Li Hua visibly relaxed. They had spoken their minds, and with that, they exhaled a long-held breath. It was a sigh of relief, a release of tension that had been building up within them. Their nerves, once taut with stress, now relaxed. They would no longer waste energy on trivial matters. It was a novel experience, almost as if they had undergone a metamorphosis.

    Gu Zi watched this transformation with a sense of satisfaction. His mother and sister-in-law were women of great understanding, their potential only hindered by the constraints of their time and environment. As long as they were willing to embrace progressive thoughts, they could shine in their respective fields and live their lives to the fullest.

    The three women spent the morning engaged in their tasks, their conversations filled with laughter and joy.

    Little Su Le was also very cooperative. Seeing the adults busy at work, she sat quietly on a small stool as her mother had instructed, amusing herself. Every now and then, she would approach them for a snack or a drink.

    The aroma of braised pork liver and intestines filled the air as they were taken off the stove one after the other. Su Le sampled each dish throughout the morning. Although Gu Zi only gave her small portions, she seemed content. Her cheerful laughter filled the room, and her clapping hands brought smiles to everyone¡¯s faces.

    Gu Zi spent the entire morning at the Lin¡¯s house, feeling completely at ease. Although helping with the braising was physically tiring, her spirit was relaxed. She knew that she had fully accepted the family of the original host.

    The adoptive parents of the original host were not the best of people, but the biological parents and their family were wonderful. It was as if the original host had unintentionally gifted her, the transmigrator, with a precious present. She was truly grateful for having such wonderful biological parents.

    After having lunch at the Lin family¡¯s home, Gu Zi noticed how everyone doted on little Su Le. Her mother fed her, her grandparents coaxed her into conversation, and her aunt served her food and water. They treated her like a little princess.

    Perhaps Su Le understood this, as she could feel the love that enveloped her. Even though she initially found the taste of her grandmother¡¯s cooking a bit off, she later obediently opened her mouth to eat. Her furrowed brows relaxed, and she ended up eating half a bowl of corn rice with the dish.

    ¡°An Yun, An Yun, why didn¡¯t you wait for me? We agreed to go together, wait for me!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been going out with me for several days now. Aren¡¯t you hot with that cast and crutch? Rest at home today.¡±

    After lunch, Gu Zi was helping Li Hua clean up in the kitchen when he heard a noise from outside. It sounded like Mrs. Lin was preparing to go work in the fields and was looking for her tools. Then he heard Mr. Lin calling for his wife and their ensuing conversation.

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    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, quickly dried the washed dishes, and turned to Li Hua with a puzzled look. ¡°After Dad got injured, wasn¡¯t it always Mom and you who went to work in the fields? Why does Dad want to go too?¡±

    Li Hua was washing dishes in a large basin, her hands moving efficiently. She thought for a moment before replying with a smile, ¡°Dad is still recuperating, but he can walk in the fields with a crutch. You saw him earlier, he was walking briskly with his crutch. He doesn¡¯t want to be completely idle.

    ¡°Whenever he has time, Dad pesters Mom to take him with her when she goes out. He can help weed the fields.¡±

    Li Hua and Lin Cheng had tried to persuade him, as had Mrs. Lin. They told him to rest properly and do whatever he wanted once his foot healed. But it was no use. Mr. Lin simply didn¡¯t want to rest completely. Seeing him go out and do some light work made everyone feel more at ease, so they stopped trying to persuade him.

    Imagining her parents supporting each other and weeding the fields together, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her face lit up with a radiant glow. ¡°Dad is really adorable! But remember to tell Mom to bring an umbrella next time. It¡¯s better not to expose the injured leg to the sun. Your new headband looks nice, it must have cost some money..¡±

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Focus on Kissing

    Chapter 433: Focus on Kissing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had long noticed the colorful headband adorning her sister-in-law¡¯s hair. It was something she had never seen her wear before, and it looked brand new. This piqued Gu Zits curiosity.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi¡¯s interest in her new accessory, Li Hua felt a surge of secret delight. A blush spread across her cheeks as she softly confessed, ¡°Your brother gave it to me. He¡¯s becoming more and more considerate, even indulging in these little romantic gestures.¡± It was clear that her affection for her husband, Ah Cheng, had deepened.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but smile sweetly at this, feeling as though she was witnessing a tender moment between the couple. The sweetness between the two was palpable.

    Li Hua continued, ¡°Thanks to your makeup lessons, the first thing I do every morning is apply a light makeup. I¡¯ve been using the skincare products you recommended, and my skin has become much smoother. Your brother even said I¡¯ve become prettier. But you mentioned earlier that this might be expensive?¡±

    While Li Hua was certainly delighted to receive gifts from Lin Cheng, they were just beginning to live comfortably. Even though they were now earning money, they couldn¡¯t afford to be extravagant. A single headband was sufficient, and they usually made their own, rather than spending money on store-bought ones. If a headband was indeed expensive, she didn¡¯t see the necessity.

    Gu Zi nodded, understanding her sister-in-law¡¯s concern about overspending. She reassured her, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s clearly a trendy piece from a department store. Your husband has put a lot of thought into it. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a little more expensive, not exorbitant.¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s reassurances, Li Hua felt relieved. She decided not to bring up the matter with Lin Cheng. After all, he had bought the gift out of love for her, and discussing money would only dampen the mood.

    Seeing that there wasn¡¯t much work left, Li Hua suggested to Gu Zi, ¡°You should take Lele and rest. I can finish the rest quickly.¡± Gu Zi, indeed feeling a bit tired, took Su Le back to their room for a nap. Fortunately, they had their own room here, which made things convenient.

    Gu Zi had assumed that Su Shen would come to pick them up in the evening.

    However, during her nap, she caught a whitt ot the distinct cedar scent that clung to his body. She was still drowsy and didn¡¯t open her eyes, but she knew that he had come to get her. She just hadn¡¯t expected him to arrive so early.

    But since he didn¡¯t wake her, she continued to sleep, vaguely aware of her body being gently moved. When she finally woke up, she found herself resting on his leg. Propping herself up, she met his gaze and asked, ¡°Why are you here so early?¡±

    She was unaware that her languid beauty upon waking, coupled with her soft, coquettish voice, was enough to stir anyone¡¯s heart. Su Shen pressed his tongue against his upper teeth, reached out to cradle her neck, and captured her lips in a kiss.

    Gu Zi was no longer the naive young girl she once was. She had a premonition that Su Shen would kiss her, but she had no idea that the kiss would come so suddenly. When she realized she was being kissed, she was taken aback for a moment, then responded to him actively. Their kiss was passionate, and she welcomed the man¡¯s invading tongue.

    The man¡¯s heavy breathing echoed in her ears. When she realized that her upper body was completely bare, Gu Zits toes curled in embarrassment. This man¡¯s lovemaking skills had improved too quickly. Had he become so adept at undressing her without her even noticing?

    Su Shen realized that she was somewhat distracted. He assertively grasped her waist and rubbed her side, his lips pressed against her flushed ear, reminding her, ¡°Baby, focus on the kiss.¡±

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    After he spoke, he didn¡¯t give her a chance to catch her breath. He kissed her earlobe and then captured her lips again, greedily sucking and their tongues entwining.

    His slightly rough fingertips moved up along her clearly defined waistline, then rested on her full, round breasts. He rhythmically kneaded them, and within a few moments, she completely melted into him, her body sensitive and already wet beneath him.

    After kneading her, he took her nipple into his mouth and sucked, but he didn¡¯t make any further moves.

    When Gu Zi realized that the man had no intention of going all the way, that he had only removed her top to more conveniently suck and fondle her breasts, she was somewhat annoyed. True to his character, Su Shen, the boss, was indeed very restrained!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Zits hand suddenly pressed against his chest in resistance. Su Shen looked at her, his voice low as he asked the question. His large hand still covered her breast, his long fingers deliberately or unintentionally rubbing her erect nipple, making Gu Zi want to gasp for breath..

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: The Perfect Couple

    Chapter 434: The Perfect Couple

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    However, the more Gu Zi thought about it, the angrier she became. Why would he undress her without following through?

    He had stripped her, yet he remained fully clothed. It was outrageous! In a moment of frustration, Gu Zit s irritation morphed into a bout of petulance. She snapped, ¡°Stop it, take your hands off me!¡±

    Su Shen, seeing his petite wife genuinely upset, was not afraid. Rather, he found her adorable and couldn¡¯t bear to upset her further. Thus, he obediently removed his hands from her chest and helped her put on her knit sweater.

    After dressing, Gu Zi glanced at the spot where their child usually slept. It was empty. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lele?¡±

    Su Shen rose to tidy up the bed, responding, ¡°She woke up, so I took her out to be looked after by your sister-in-law.¡±

    His expression remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips. He thought that his little woman was more shy than angry, which was truly endearing!

    Gu Zi chatted with Li Hua for a while. When Su Shen emerged, she left the Lin family¡¯s house with him, cradling Lele in her arms.

    Once they were in the car, Gu Zit s mood had improved significantly. Seeing this, Su Shen took the initiative to explain, ¡°This afternoon, Jin Long and I switched shifts. He has something to do tomorrow and needs to take the day off, so I¡¯m resting this afternoon.¡±

    Although he was the boss, he couldn¡¯t always be at the pig farm. When he wasn¡¯t there, Jin Long was in charge. They had a division of labor, and if one of them needed to take time off, they could negotiate a shift change, with the other person taking over.

    Seeing his proactive attitude, Gu Zi decided not to dwell on their earlier disagreement. She took the opportunity to bring up the issue of employees taking pig heads from the factory for free. She said, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. I was wondering why you were home so early. Since we¡¯re planning to open a braised meat shop, we can sell the pig heads and offal and make a decent profit.¡±

    ¡°So, I suggest that in the future, we shouldn¡¯t allow employees to take pig heads and offal from the pig farm for free. We should cut, process, package, and record data as required. Since it¡¯s a factory, there should be rules and regulations. Employees can¡¯t take things for free, but as an employee benefit, we can set an internal purchase price for them. What do you think?¡±

    Su Shen was driving, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. He wished he could free his hands to embrace her, to affirm her, because he thought her suggestion was excellent. She had a managerial mind, which was commendable.

    He had long intended to emphasize the rules and regulations in the factory, but he had not found the right opportunity to do so. Opening a shop was indeed a good opportunity.

    What surprised him was that Gu Zi had thought of it too, and even proposed the idea of internal employee pricing as a way to alleviate the workers¡¯ dissatisfaction with the strengthening of the system. Indeed, to do something well, it required a harmonious husband and wife team.

    Before he met Gu Zi, he never believed this to be true. But now, he was willing to accept it as a truth.

    Gu Zi noticed that the man had been silent for a long time. She glanced elsewhere and said, ¡°1 don¡¯t mean to interfere with your work. It¡¯s just a

    suggestion. If you think it¡¯s not appropriate¡­¡±

    Su Shen responded in a low voice, ¡°No, I think your suggestion is very good. Tomorrow morning, you will go with me to the pig farm. Aren¡¯t you also going to help your mother sell braised pork?¡±

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    Gu Zi didn¡¯t expect him to agree so readily, as if the proposal was exactly what he wanted. She looked at the handsome side profile of the man and sincerely asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that my outsider¡¯s ideas will offend your workers?¡±

    Su Shen looked straight ahead, skillfully navigating the turn, a smile in his voice as he said, ¡°Gu Zi, they¡¯re not my workers, they¡¯re our workers. You¡¯re my wife, you¡¯re the boss¡¯s wife. I¡¯m a professional pig farmer, and so are you.¡±

    Such a pleasant male voice, such a serious tone, and such a handsome side profile, who was this man trying to enchant? Her heart was wildly moved. She hadn¡¯t married the wrong man, she really hadn¡¯t!

    The next day, Gu Zi and Su Shen got up together. When she followed Su Shen to the pig farm, her mother and sister-in-law were already at the door, but the stall hadn¡¯t been set up yet. Gu Zi got out of the car to help.

    Seeing her go to help, Su Shen greeted his mother-in-law and the others before heading in. He still had work to do in his office..

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Harboring Ill Intentions

    Chapter 435: Harboring Ill Intentions

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, Mother Lin¡¯s face lit up with a particularly radiant smile.

    She brought out a portion of braised meat she had prepared earlier, presenting it to Gu Zi. ¡°Your sister-in-law and I managed to set up the stall,¡± she began, ¡°I prepared some meat for Aunt Yang at home. Tell her it¡¯s for breakfast, a taste test of sorts. If she likes it, she could help look after the business. Once the shop opens, it would be great if she could help out, especially since she knows the taste and can introduce it well.¡±

    Gu Zi accepted the small portion of meat, subconsciously weighing it in her palm. It was not heavy, probably about an ounce or so. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough for a meal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom,¡± she reassured, ¡°I know how to convince Aunt Yang to accept it.¡± She understood that her mother¡¯s lengthy explanation was merely a reflection of her concern that her good friend might refuse out of pride.

    As Gu Zi turned to leave, a smile involuntarily tugged at the corners of her mouth. In that moment, she realized that her decision to help Aunt Yang was the right one. Aunt Yang was a genuinely good person, kind-hearted and respectful. Her current situation was beyond her control.

    More importantly, it was heartening to see her mother have a close friend to worry about at her age, someone who was part of her social circle. It was indeed a good thing.

    Gu Zi, holding the meat, headed towards the boiler room. She passed through the main hall, took a couple of turns, and arrived. However, as soon as she entered the boiler room, she noticed a burly man standing in front of the hot water barrel, peering inside. Even from behind, he seemed suspicious. Gu Zi instinctively took a step back, hiding behind a pile of goods to see what he was up to.

    The man looked around to ensure no one was watching, then pulled out a paper package from his pocket. He opened it and poured its contents into the hot water barrel. A gust of wind blew some of the white powder out.

    A sudden chill ran down Gu Zi¡¯s spine, her expression turning serious, her complexion paling.

    She could only conclude one thing: this man was up to no good. As for who he was trying to harm, it was quite obvious. After all, Aunt Yang was currently in charge of heating and transporting the water in the boiler room. He was probably trying to sabotage her work and get her fired.

    It wasn¡¯t that Gu Zi was overly suspicious, but having lived here for a while, she had a basic understanding of the people. She could make reasonable guesses based on what she knew. Moreover, she had some recollection of this man, who seemed to be called Ah Zhuang.

    She had heard from Su Shen before that at this time of the year, they would hire extra help. This job was usually done by Ah Zhuang¡¯s family. This year, however, Aunt Yang was doing it. While nothing was said openly, it was possible that Ah Zhuang was harboring ill intentions behind the scenes.

    At that moment, Aunt Yang emerged from the boiler room. Ah Zhuang had already moved a considerable distance away from the hot water bucket, a flicker of guilt flashing across his eyes. However, he quickly composed himself, raising his voice at Aunt Yang as if to mask his unease.

    ¡°Aunt Yang, can¡¯t you move any faster?¡± he bellowed. ¡°Everyone¡¯s just finished their work and is waiting for a hot drink. By the time you dawdle your way over, half of us will have died of thirst. Can¡¯t you do your job?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it over right away,¡± Aunt Yang responded apologetically. ¡°I had to move some things in the boiler room, sorry, so sorry¡­¡±

    As she spoke, she bent over to pull the cart, preparing to deliver the bucket of hot water to the workers in the hall. Ah Zhuang, standing to the side, made no move to help.

    Was it because he was resentful that his family hadn¡¯t managed to accomplish this task, so he didn¡¯t even want to pretend to help?

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    A chill ran through Gu Zi¡¯s heart. If she hadn¡¯t come today and witnessed this scene, Ah Zhuang¡¯s plan might have actually succeeded. No wonder he seemed so fearless.

    Gu Zi took a moment to collect herself and adjust her emotions. She had seen everything, and naturally, she couldn¡¯t let the workers drink the tainted hot water. It was probably laced with laxatives or something similar. Ah Zhuang, with his ill intentions, should experience the consequences of his actions.

    She walked in naturally from outside, carrying some items. ¡°Good morning, Aunt Yang,¡± she greeted. ¡°I brought you something. Ah Zhuang, you¡¯re here

    Ah Zhuang clearly hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to show up. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, but he didn¡¯t seem to realize that Gu Zi had seen him tampering with the water earlier. He forced a casual response, ¡°Yes, yes, I came to help Aunt Yang with the cart, right, Aunt Yang?¡± As he spoke, he stepped forward to assist Aunt Yang.

    Aunt Yang, however, took a step back in surprise. After all, Ah Zhuang had been nothing but rude to her these past few days. She was genuinely afraid of this young man. His sudden offer to help was clearly just a show for the boss¡¯s wife, and she understood that..

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Consequences

    Chapter 436: Consequences

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unbeknownst to Aunt Yang, his intentions had grown so malicious that he was now plotting against her. Subconsciously, she felt averse to getting close to this young man.

    However, with Gu Zi present, she felt obligated to save face for Ah Zhuang.

    After all, she still had to work here for a while. Suppressing the discomfort in her heart, she said to Ah Zhuang, ¡°Thank you! Please express my gratitude to your mother on my behalf. I must get back to work now.¡±

    Gu Zi stuffed the braised meat into Aunt Yang¡¯s pocket and blocked her attempts to take it out. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks,¡± she said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to work in our shop in the future, you should Imow the taste of our food. How else will you promote it to the customers? The work in the hall can wait. Ah Zhuang, could you move those boxes of coal from the entrance?¡±

    ¡°Ah, this¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± Ah Zhuang was taken aback by the sudden order, but he had no choice but to obey Gu Zi. After all, she was the boss¡¯s wife and had every right to command him.

    He immediately abandoned his cart to move the boxes. As he turned to leave, he glanced at the bucket of water. It didn¡¯t matter; he could deliver it later.

    Aunt Yang, having heard Gu Zi¡¯s words, had no choice but to accept the meat. She took it out to eat, her hunger gnawing at her since she had only had a bowl of porridge before leaving the house that morning.

    Gu Zi waited for Aunt Yang to finish eating. When she was about to deliver the water, Gu Zi stopped her, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t deliver this water. Fill a new bucket instead. Don¡¯t ask why, just go and do it.¡±

    As Aunt Yang went to refill the water, Ah Zhuang emerged from the inside, having finished moving the goods. He was drenched in sweat. Seeing this, Gu Zi immediately took a ladle from the cart, scooped up some warm water from the wooden bucket, and handed it to Ah Zhuang. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± she said. ¡°I feel guilty for making you work as soon as I arrived. Have some water.¡±

    Ah Zhuang looked at the ladle of water the woman was offering him and was about to refuse. He knew there was something added to it. Drinking this water would inevitably lead to stomachaches and diarrhea. Without the antidote, it would take an hour or two to recover. He absolutely could not drink this water!

    Why hadn¡¯t that old woman, Aunt Yang, delivered the water yet?

    ¡°I¡¯ve just finished working, so it¡¯s not good to drink water immediately,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine for you to ask me to work. There¡¯s no need to feel guilty.

    It¡¯s all right.¡±

    Seeing his refusal, Gu Zi remained calm. She smiled and said, ¡°Then sit down and rest for a while before drinking. I can only ask you to help with some work after you¡¯ve had a drink. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t feel right about it. You¡¯re not rejecting my good intentions, are you? Or is it that the water isn¡¯t clean? I¡¯ll go ask Aunt Yang. ¡±

    Gu Zi knew, of course, that he would be reluctant to drink, but today he had dared to drug the water. He would have to face the consequences of his actions himself.

    Ah Zhuang stared at the ladle of water, his lips tightly closed and his face somewhat pale. He felt unlucky, wondering why he had to encounter the boss lady on this particular day.

    If he didn¡¯t drink the water now, everyone would be in trouble later. His persistent refusal might raise suspicions, and that would be troublesome.

    The drug in the water wasn¡¯t lethal, at most it would cause him to make a few extra trips to the outhouse. In fact, this could work in his favor. When everyone else was suffering from diarrhea, they wouldn¡¯t suspect him. As long as he could get rid of Aunt Yang, the job would still be his, and the extra income would make the discomfort worthwhile!

    Ah Zhuang quickly took the ladle of water and forced himself to drink, ¡°I am indeed very thirsty, thank you, sister-in-law!¡±

    As he drank, he caught a glimpse of Gu Zi watching him intently. A thought suddenly sprang up in his mind. The sister-in-law was always asking him to work and thanking him, as if she was trying to get close to him. Could it be that she was interested in him?

    This wouldn¡¯t be strange in the countryside. Women, after all, found it hard to bear when their needs were not met. They needed the comfort of other men, and he had encountered such situations before. He knew very well that many women in the village coveted him for his robust physique, and some even had relationships with him that couldn¡¯t be made public.

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    However, he hadn¡¯t expected that his sister-in-law would be no exception.

    Could it be that her husband, despite his tall stature, was not up to the task?

    His sister-in-law must have been unsatisfied for a long time! If this was true, her waist, her buttocks were simply top-notch. If he could get involved with her, it would be a beautiful thing indeed!

    Gu Zi found the man¡¯s gaze increasingly greasy and averted her eyes. She hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now that she was alone with him, she realized that Ah Zhuang was quite lewd, not the honest man he appeared to be.

    Ah Zhuang put down the ladle, his stomach already beginning to react. If he continued to work here, he would likely soil his pants. Just as he was wondering what to say, he heard Gu Zi say, ¡°You can go on with your work..¡±

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Nervous

    Chapter 437: Nervous

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a twist of events, the woman who had earlier insisted that he finish his water and continue with his work was now asking him to leave. The inconsistency was puzzling.

    Ah Zhuang was in the midst of his confusion when a sudden wave of pain surged from his lower abdomen. He immediately clenched his buttocks, his face turning deathly pale. Without a second thought, he spun around and started to run.

    Initially, he headed towards the main hall, but quickly realized his mistake and rerouted towards the outhouse. He had to hurry, or he would soil his pants.

    Once he had disappeared from sight, Gu Zi finally allowed the cold smirk that had been playing at the corners of her mouth to fade. This was the kind of treatment such a man deserved. She was now fairly certain that the substance he had ingested was a laxative.

    Aunt Yang, noticing Gu Zits smile, was somewhat perplexed but chose not to question it. ¡°I¡¯ve replaced the water,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it now. We can use this bucket of water for the pigs.¡± She didn¡¯t understand why the water needed to be discarded, but as an employee, she knew better than to question orders.

    Gu Zi shook her head and gently explained the situation. ¡°Ah Zhuang drugged this water. It¡¯s not safe for anyone to drink, not even the pigs. We need to dispose of it. You go ahead and deliver the fresh water. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    Upon hearing the words ¡°drugged the water,¡± Aunt Yang¡¯s pupils dilated in shock. ¡°What?¡± she exclaimed, frozen in place. She knew Ah Zhuang had always disliked her, mainly because she had secured this job while his family had not. But she had never imagined he would stoop so low.

    Understanding her shock, Gu Zi tried to reassure her. ¡°For now, pretend you know nothing about this. Just be wary of him in the future. Go on, deliver the water. Thank you for your hard work.¡± With that, Gu Zi picked up the bucket of hot water and headed to the boiler room to dispose of it.

    She had considered confronting Ah Zhuang directly, but she was the only one who had witnessed him tampering with the water, and it had happened in a matter of seconds. In an era without smartphones to capture evidence, she had nothing to prove her claims.

    If she accused him outright and he denied it, there would be no immediate resolution. Her solitary witness account would hold little weight. Even if they were to discover something wrong with the water, both Aunt Yang and Ah Zhuang could be suspects. If they failed to find any traces of the drug, people might assume that Aunt Yang had been negligent in boiling the water, which would play right into the wrongdoer¡¯s hands.

    She needed to inform Su Shen about this, gather evidence, and then deal with the matter officially. Only then could she rightfully dismiss Ah Zhuang.

    Keeping a man like Ah Zhuang in the farm was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

    Aunt Yang lingered by the cart for a considerable time before finally dispensing the water. By the time she had made her way to the main hall, there were already disgruntled voices rising in complaint. ¡°Aunt Yang, you really need to be quicker next time. We¡¯re dying of thirst here. If it weren¡¯t for the memory of someone in the village suffering from severe diarrhea after drinking unboiled water years ago, we would have drunk the raw water by now.¡±

    In rural areas, it was common to drink raw water for convenience. There was less fuss about it. However, after the incident that year, the villagers of Daqing never dared to casually drink raw water again. Even if they did, they would only drink from their own wells, never daring to consume water from elsewhere.

    When the weather turned cold, it was even more crucial to drink warm water.

    Upon hearing this, Aunt Yang couldn¡¯t help but recall what Gu Zi had said. Could it be that Ah Zhuang had drugged the water to give everyone diarrhea, and then blame her for not boiling the water? The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

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    She clumsily and nervously set down the water bucket, continuously apologizing, ¡°I was delayed by something earlier, I¡¯m sorry. This won¡¯t happen again. Please, drink while it¡¯s still hot.¡±

    Someone, aware of Aunt Yang¡¯s relationship with the boss lady, decided to play peacemaker and chided the complainer, ¡°Just drink it, why complain so much? Aunt Yang is not getting any younger.¡±

    Only then did the complainer, like everyone else, scoop up a bowl of hot water to drink. The chatter resumed among the villagers, with someone asking, ¡°Where did Ah Zhuang go so early in the morning?

    A voice from the crowd responded, ¡°I saw him in the restroom when I went earlier. I don¡¯t know what happened, but he was suffering from severe diarrhea. He could barely stand straight. He asked Shen Ge for a leave and is resting in the break room now.¡±

    The break room was located behind the boss¡¯s office. It was small, just two small rooms side by side, furnished with a few beds, benches, and some common medicines for the workers to use during their breaks. If they couldn¡¯t go home to sleep after working overtime, they could rest there. It was a very humane arrangement..

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Braised Pork Stall

    Chapter 438: Braised Pork Stall

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Yang hadn¡¯t gone far with her cart when a puzzling thought struck her. Wasn¡¯t Ah Zhuang the one who had drugged the water? How had he ended up with an upset stomach?

    She deserved it, she concluded. This was likely the handiwork of Gu Zi, her best friend¡¯s clever daughter. She was thankful for Gu Zi¡¯s presence that day; without her, she might have been wrongfully accused and punished.

    In the main hall, everyone was discussing Ah Zhuang¡¯s sudden bout of diarrhea. The conversation was diverse, and after a while, someone who had just finished their drink exclaimed, ¡°I heard there¡¯s a braised meat stall at the entrance. The aroma wafted in as I walked in. Shall we go check it out?¡±

    Another person immediately agreed, ¡°We must go! You guys probably don¡¯t know, but the woman selling the braised meat outside is Brother Shen¡¯s mother-in-law. She just finished her morning chores and is taking a break. We should definitely go and show our support!¡±

    Even though Su Shen never demanded such displays of loyalty, everyone felt indebted to him. Especially the employees of the pig farm, whose lives had improved day by day. They felt obliged to patronize the braised meat stall run by Su Shen¡¯s in-laws.

    As they discussed in small groups, everyone began to make their way outside.

    The braised meat stall outside was already set up. The men hadn¡¯t even approached the stall when they were hit by the rich aroma of the meat. Their mouths watered, and they could hardly wait to reach the stall. On display were plates of beautifully sliced braised meat, golden and glossy. Just looking at it, they could imagine how delicious it would taste.

    ¡°Li Hua, what part of the pig is this braised meat from? It¡¯s hard to tell, but it smells wonderful. How much is it? We¡¯d like to buy some to go with our drinks,¡± one of them asked.

    Seeing a large group of customers, Li Hua quickly came over to greet them. She recalled the selling points Gu Zi had taught her and replied, ¡°I was in a hurry yesterday and only managed to braise these. I didn¡¯t have time to braise pork meat. This plate is braised pig heart, this one is braised pig lung, and this one is braised pig liver¡­ I also have braised pig¡¯s feet. The offal is priced at 0.85 yuan per jin, and you can buy them separately or mixed.

    ¡°The braised pig¡¯s feet are 1.25 yuan per jin. You can buy just the pig¡¯s feet, or you can buy a bowl of pig¡¯s feet rice for 0.9 yuan. It comes with vegetables, rice, pig¡¯s feet, and a savory braising sauce. It¡¯s very delicious.¡±

    As Li Hua spoke, Mrs. Lin prepared a bowl of pig¡¯s feet rice on the spot. Half of the bowl was filled with sliced pig¡¯s feet, a fried egg in the middle, and a few stalks of green vegetables on the side. The rice, half-soaked in the braising sauce, was plump and glossy. The aroma was incredibly enticing.

    With a sigh of relief, Li Hua finished speaking, grateful that she had managed to recite her speech without missing a word. It was evident that her preparation had paid off.

    The crowd listened and watched, their mouths watering in anticipation. However, as tantalizing as the aroma was, they couldn¡¯t help but question the value of the product. Pig offal and trotters, which were usually sold cheaply, were now being sold at almost the same price as pork after some processing. It didn¡¯t seem like a good deal to them.

    The men in the crowd were too embarrassed to voice their thoughts, but one man¡¯s wife, who had just arrived to deliver some food, spoke up. ¡°Isn¡¯t this price a bit steep, Sister Li Hua?¡± she asked. ¡°Even in the city, pork only sells for 1.5 yuan per pound. These pig offal and trotters are usually unwanted. You¡¯re charging so much just because you¡¯ve processed them a bit? Lower the price a

    bit!¡±

    Li Hua, seeing someone haggling, felt a surge of joy. Gu Zi had told her that those who haggled were likely to be the ones who would buy. This was a good sign, and there was no need to panic.

    Wiping her hands, Li Hua responded with a smile, ¡°The process of making braised meat is long and labor-intensive, so we have to charge for the labor. The cost is not just the meat, but also the spices and oils we use, which are of the highest quality. Naturally, it will be a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for.¡±

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    Mother Lin chimed in, supporting her daughter-in-law¡¯s argument, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re not forcing anyone to buy. If you¡¯re interested, you can try it first. If you think it¡¯s worth the price, then you can buy it. If you want to buy, come and try it. If you don¡¯t want to buy, you can still come and taste something new. I guarantee our braised meat tastes better than anything you¡¯ll find in the city.¡±

    ¡°In that case, give me two ounces to start with. I¡¯ll buy some to try!¡± one man called out.

    The men, being practical, decided to give it a try. Seeing that Mother Lin and Li Hua had made their case, some men had already taken out their money to buy. After all, they could just buy a little to taste. If it wasn¡¯t good, they wouldn¡¯t buy it again. They felt grateful to Shen Ge. Without him, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to make so much money.

    Besides, they were genuinely hungry. It would be a shame not to eat something when it smelled so good.

    Some men brought their wives over to try the food. Mother Lin handed each of them a piece of braised pig offal. The woman who had haggled earlier was given a piece of braised pig liver. She looked at it before putting it in her mouth. It smelled wonderful, but she didn¡¯t like pig liver to begin with, so she didn¡¯t have high expectations..

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: He Fell for His Own Trap

    Chapter 439: He Fell for His Own Trap

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    She began to chew, her eyes widening in surprise. The slice of pork liver she was eating didn¡¯t have any unpleasant taste, instead, it was dry and fragrant, an alluring flavor that seemed to intensify with each bite. It was, without a doubt, the best pork liver she had ever tasted in her life!

    The woman, almost subconsciously, uttered a sentence, ¡°This is so delicious, give me half a kilo of pork liver, and another half kilo of pork feet!¡± Her husband had been sampling the pork feet and seemed quite satisfied, so she called out for more.

    Indeed, it was only natural. The village¡¯s economy had been stimulated by Su Shen, and when his mother-in-law set up a stall, how could the fellow villagers not support her business?

    Another man chimed in, ¡°Wow, this pork heart is so chevvy and fragrant, it¡¯s like eating dragon meat. Give me a kilo of pork heart, we¡¯ll have it with our drinks!¡± He had never tasted dragon meat, but at that moment, he was convinced that it must taste just like this.

    Everyone had a taste and was won over by the delicious flavors. Some bought a few ounces, others a kilo, and the stall¡¯s business suddenly took off. It was just as Gu Zi had said, as long as their products were tasty and of good quality, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about not being able to sell them.

    As for the economic aspect, it went without saying. With Su Shen running a pig farm here, it had spurred development. The people of Daqing Village were far more affluent than those in the surrounding villages. Most of them had the means to become customers of the braised meat, and although they were usually frugal, they were willing to splurge a little to treat themselves and their families to something good and different.

    When Gu Zi came out, she saw that both Mother Lin and Li Hua were swamped, so she hurried over to help.

    The workers from the pig farm had just dispersed when the aroma of the braised meat attracted a few village women. They had originally come to buy meat from the pig farm, as it was cheaper than the market price by a few cents. The villagers would usually come here directly in the morning to buy their meat.

    One of the women asked Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, is this braised meat from your family? How much is it per kilo?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Pork offal is 0.85 yuan per kilo, and braised pork feet are 1.25 yuan per kilo. You can try before you buy.¡± After saying this, Gu Zi handed them the samples. The woman who had asked the question took them hesitantly, her expression somewhat troubled.

    After a moment of hesitation, she finally said, ¡°This¡­ I really can¡¯t eat this. I originally wanted to support your business, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled lightly, saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright. If you can¡¯t eat it, give it to another sister-in-law. Moreover, the taste test is for those who want to buy after trying, not for those who feel obligated to buy after tasting.¡± She wasn¡¯t angry; her face was calm and serene, a picture of timeless beauty.

    The woman who claimed she couldn¡¯t eat the innards watched as others around her did, their expressions revealing a sense of awe. She immediately asked Gu Zi what she had bought. Seeing her companions buying, she wondered, could it really be that delicious?

    However, she had already stated she couldn¡¯t eat innards. Wouldn¡¯t buying now be like slapping her own face? With a determined heart, she turned around and went into the factory to buy meat¡­

    Inside the pig farm¡¯s break room, a man entered, his left hand holding a bottle of beer and his right hand carrying a pound of braised pig heart. ¡°Brother Ah Zhuang, ¡± he said, ¡°I bought some braised meat. You can¡¯t deny this braised pig heart, it¡¯s even tastier than dragon meat. How¡¯s your stomach? Let¡¯s have a few drinks together! I came specifically to find you, that¡¯s brotherhood, right?¡±

    Ah Zhuang, pale-faced, sat up from his bed upon hearing someone enter.

    Seeing his colleague so lively and cheerful, he felt a pang of disappointment.

    He asked, ¡°Has Aunt Yang not brought you water to drink yet?¡±

    The man who bought the braised pig heart didn¡¯t pay much attention to Ah Zhuang, nor did he understand why Ah Zhuang asked such a question. He replied casually, ¡°Of course she has, but she was too late. She¡¯s slow, not as efficient as your mother. Come, let¡¯s drink!¡±

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    Ah Zhuang took the cup of beer and set it aside. He had no strength to drink now. He pressed on, ¡°Has nothing happened outside?¡±

    The man looked at Ah Zhuang with confusion, shaking his head, ¡°Everything¡¯s as usual. What could possibly happen? Stop talking about this, let¡¯s eat quickly. We¡¯ll have to get back to work after we finish eating and drinking.¡±

    Ah Zhuang looked incredulous. How could it be? Everyone had drunk the water, why was he the only one affected?

    Just then, another person came to the door. He said to Ah Zhuang and the others, ¡°Hey, what are you two still doing? Hurry up and go. Gather in the hall, Brother Shen has something to announce. I¡¯ll go ahead.¡±

    The man who had come to share the meat with Ah Zhuang deflated upon hearing this, setting down his cup of wine. He said to Ah Zhuang, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll help you. There must be something important. Brother Shen doesn¡¯t usually call for a gathering..¡±

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Staff Benefits

    Chapter 440: Staff Benefits

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the late morning, employees began to converge from all directions towards the grand hall. It didn¡¯t take long for them to gather into a sizable group within the hall. They stood on their tiptoes, craning their necks, glancing in the direction of Su Shen and Gu Zi while murmuring amongst themselves. Their faces were filled with eager anticipation, as typically when Su Shen called for a meeting, it was to deliver good news.

    A few distinct voices could be heard amidst the hum of the crowd, ¡°Brother Shen increased our pay last month, could it be another raise?¡±

    In the midst of the lively atmosphere, Su Shen stood next to Gu Zi, his gaze lingering on her for a while before he asked in a low voice, ¡®You look a bit pale, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He had been busy in his office until it was time to announce the news. When he went to fetch Gu Zi, she was already in this state. If he hadn¡¯t seen that the meat at the stall was almost sold out, he would have thought it was due to some issue with the stall.

    Gu Zi¡¯s lips were taut. She looked up to meet the man¡¯s gaze. His eyes were deeper than most, his nose prominent, giving his eye sockets a profound depth. His eyelashes were somewhat long. While others might find his gaze cold and distant, Gu Zi found his eyes comforting and soothing.

    Her mood shifted as she looked into his eyes, and a radiant smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the matter at hand first, I¡¯ll talk to you about the rest later.¡±

    After saying this, she took his hand and together they faced the dozens of employees. Seeing this, the employees stopped their chatter and turned their attention to their boss and his wife.

    Su Shen responded with a simple ¡°okay¡± to Gu Zi. As he looked at his employees, his handsome face regained its usual cool composure. His lips pressed into a thin line, and the aura of a leader, both gentle and powerful, instantly enveloped him. It was a commanding presence that demanded respect, causing everyone to hold their breath in submission.

    When the hall had quieted down to the point where only the squeals of pigs from the pen could be heard, Su Shen began to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered everyone here today to discuss two matters. First, Gu Zi is my wife. I am officially announcing that she now has managerial rights over the pig farm.

    ¡°Secondly, I am announcing a new employee pricing benefit system. From now on, when employees purchase pork, pig heads, pig offal, or pig feet from the farm, the price will be 0.2 yuan lower than the lowest price offered to the public on that day. After an employee makes a purchase, the person in charge of sales must make a corresponding written record. If the quantity is large, a receipt must be issued¡­¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s voice was deep and rich, resonating throughout the hall. Even after traveling through the air, his words remained clear and distinct. Even the person standing at the very back could understand every single word. Gradually, the expressions on the faces of the crowd began to look a bit stunned, and then somewhat grim.

    After Su Shen finished his announcement, he told Gu Zi that he was going to check the equipment and gave her a look that said, ¡®the rest is up to you.¡¯

    The announcement by Su Shen to reinforce the company¡¯s policies came rather unexpectedly. Although they were not afraid of employees leaving due to dissatisfaction, it was crucial at this moment to have someone who could pacify the staff. The most suitable candidate for this role was Su Shen¡¯s wife.

    In response to this, Gu Zi gave him a reassuring look, indicating that she was capable of handling the situation.

    After Su Shen left with the two employees on duty for inspection that day, the buzzing chatter in the hall resumed. They had processed the situation; the first matter was not of much concern, as it was expected and not their place as employees to comment.

    However, the second matter was of great significance. It implied that they could no longer casually take the unsold parts for their consumption!

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    On the surface, it was presented as an employee welfare policy, with considerable discounts on prices. However, it directly prohibited a long-standing, unspoken special privilege¡ªtaking the cheaper parts for free. Why the sudden change?

    ¡°I¡¯m not bothered, I generally don¡¯t take anything home anyway. I only took two pig heads last year during the New Year for offerings. They weren¡¯t particularly tasty, so it¡¯s no big deal if I can¡¯t take them anymore.¡±

    ¡°So, we can¡¯t cook pig heads to accompany our drinks anymore? We have to buy them ourselves! I think it does matter.¡±

    ¡°Ah Zhuang, I remember your family used to make cured pig heads with the ones you got for free, right? That means your family will have a reduced income this year.¡±

    Ah Zhuang, who was among the crowd, was inevitably pointed out. While others only took a little of the pig heads and feet when needed, Ah Zhuang frequently took them home. His mother would turn them into cured pig heads and feet. By the end of the year, when every household was preparing for the New Year, they would set up a stall in town to sell them for a lot of money..

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Explanation

    Chapter 441: Explanation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother was an outsider, a keeper of the secret recipe for making cured pig¡¯s head. The product of her craft was a golden, glossy delight, each piece of meat exuding an irresistible aroma. Unlike the village folks whose cured meats often ended up spoiled or infested with maggots, her creation was flawless.

    However, the villagers, skilled in the art of curing meats themselves, saw no reason to purchase hers. Attempts to sell the product in town or the city were futile due to its unappealing appearance. In the end, they could only watch as Ah Zhuang¡¯s family reaped the extra income.

    The new rule in the factory, which seemed to rob Ah Zhuang¡¯s family of a substantial income, brought a sense of satisfaction to many.

    However, Ah Zhuang, the one directly affected, was far from amused. He managed to keep his discontent hidden, not wanting to give others the satisfaction of seeing his discomfort. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re losing out,¡± he admitted, ¡°but the Lin family is Brother Shen¡¯s in-laws. Naturally, they should be prioritized.¡±

    With that statement, Ah Zhuang successfully shifted the focus of the conflict. The Lin family was planning to start a braised meat business, and Su Shen had announced this policy. Wasn¡¯t it clear that he was favorinq his wife¡¯s family?

    Everyone present understood the situation, but only Ah Zhuang dared to voice it out. After all, he was a veteran here, having followed Brother Shen since the inception of the pig farm.

    Upon hearing Ah Zhuang¡¯s words, the crowd exchanged puzzled glances, looking from Ah Zhuang to Gu Zi, who had yet to leave. Most of them remained silent.

    One of them addressed Gu Zi, suggesting, ¡°Sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you go rest in the office? It¡¯s awkward for us to speak freely with you here.¡± His tone was slightly mocking.

    Gu Zi merely smiled, unperturbed. She looked at them and said, ¡°Speak your minds, there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. I won¡¯t get angry. I have to help with the braised meat business, but I have something to say to you all.¡±

    When the boss¡¯s wife had something to say, naturally, everyone would listen. Besides, disregarding the new welfare issue, everyone had a good impression of Gu Zi. She was beautiful, generous, and educated. For these rough men to have a conversation with a woman like her was a privilege.

    ¡°The reality is somewhat different from what you all imagine,¡± she began. ¡°Today, I want to clarify everything once and for all. No matter how you view this matter in the future, I won¡¯t explain it again. Those who understand will understand this time.¡± In other words, there was no point in explaining further to those who didn¡¯t understand, as one can never wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.

    ¡°The Lin family¡¯s braised meat business gets its raw materials from the pig farm ¨C pig innards, pig heads, pig feet, and so on. We pay for all of it. It¡¯s not as you all think, that because of my relationship, we get things for free to do business.

    ¡°You can check the invoices with my brother. You¡¯ll see that the price the Lin family pays for the goods is 0.02 yuan higher than the employee price set by Su Shen.

    ¡°I¡¯m explaining this not for any other reason, but to make it clear that the better the factory does, the better off everyone will be. This requires the factory to maximize its profits and prioritize earnings. Only then can the factory develop steadily. For the factory to improve, strict rules and regulations are fundamental. Where strictness is needed, we will be strict. Where human touch is needed, we will show human touch¡­¡±

    As Gu Zi finished speaking, sporadic applause began to echo around him. Gradually, the clapping grew louder, more fervent.

    Many faces in the crowd began to relax into smiles. ¡°So, the Lin family is paying for their goods after all,¡± one person mused aloud. ¡°Of course, the factory needs to make a profit. If it doesn¡¯t, it doesn¡¯t benefit any of us!¡±

    Another chimed in, ¡°We were the ones being narrow-minded. We shouldn¡¯t have taken things from the factory without permission. Brother Shen never held it against us, he¡¯s been more than fair.¡±

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    With Gu Zits words laid out so plainly, what more could anyone say? Upon reflection, they realized she was right. If even the sister-in-law¡¯s family had to abide by the rules when taking goods, then they should too. Moreover, this system emphasized discipline without depriving the employees of their benefits.

    On the contrary, it established a special employee discount. From now on, buying meat would be cheaper for them than before. This system not only saved face for the employees but also saved them money. If there were still complaints, it would be a clear sign of ingratitude.

    The faces of the crowd brightened as they listened to the ringing of the bell. One by one, they greeted Gu Zi before heading off to work.

    Only Ah Zhuang¡¯s face remained dark. He had already lost his part-time position to the old woman surnamed Yang, and now he was also losing his year-end bonus.. How was he supposed to cope with this? After all, it was all

    about the money!

 Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Deliberately

    Chapter 442: Deliberately

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ah Zhuang watched as Gu Zi hurriedly walked away, his face growing even more sullen. He recalled the strange incident that had happened earlier in the boiler room. Why was it that everyone had drunk the water, yet he was the only one who had suffered from severe diarrhea?

    Why had Gu Zi insisted on thanking him with a drink of water? Could it be that it was done intentionally, and the water everyone else drank wasn¡¯t the one he had tampered with?

    But that seemed impossible. If Gu Zi had seen him tampering with the water, wouldn¡¯t there have been some reaction? Ah Zhuang decided it was best not to scare himself with his own thoughts. He turned and headed towards the boiler room, hoping to get some answers from Aunt Yang, but she was nowhere to be found.

    The man who had taken over Aunt Yang¡¯s duties said, ¡°Aunt Yang wasn¡¯t feeling well. Her friend came to fetch her earlier, told her to rest, and asked me to help with the afternoon chores.¡±

    Ah Zhuang felt a sense of foreboding. He knocked over an empty bucket beside him and gave it a kick in frustration. ¡°Damn it! What on earth is going on?¡± He had been smitten by Gu Zits beauty earlier that morning, but could she possibly reciprocate his feelings?

    As noon approached, the braised pork was sold out. Aunt Yang helped Mother Lin and daughter-in-law pack up their stall. The three women pushed their cart toward Little Lin Village. Along the way, they encountered several women from the village, both young and old, from Little Lin Village and Daqing Village.

    They noticed Aunt Yang, who had previously been in a state of despair, now looking radiant and carrying a bag full of meat and rice. Their faces revealed expressions of curiosity.

    After exchanging greetings, the women went their separate ways. Only when Aunt Yang and the others were out of sight did they start to gossip. ¡°Aunt Yang is really clever. On the surface, she was driven out by her daughter-in-law, but in reality, she¡¯s enjoying her leisure time. She¡¯s even managed to tarnish her daughter-in-law¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s not easy for a woman to raise a child. Aunt Yang has been there herself, yet she shows no empathy for her daughter-in-law. Just for her own comfort, she moved back to her old house, leaving her grandson for her daughter-in-law to raise alone. She¡¯s such a stingy and wicked mother-in-law.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, she was scolded a few times by her daughter-in-law and she decided not to return. I don¡¯t believe that at her age, she can always rely on outsiders. When she can¡¯t move anymore, won¡¯t she still need her son and daughter-in-law to take care of her?¡±

    The women continued their chatter on the road, and even made a special trip to Mrs. Wang¡¯s house to gossip. Aunt Yang had been living a miserable life, and although everyone pitied and sympathized with her, they were not pleased to see her showing signs of turning her life around.

    Certainly, there were those who harbored ulterior motives, secretly urging Mrs. Wang to stir up trouble with Aunt Yang. Their hope was for a scandal to break out, forcing Aunt Yang to quit her job at the pig farm. Wouldn¡¯t that leave a vacancy? It was a golden opportunity to increase their income.

    ¡°Your mother-in-law is living the high life now, working at the pig farm,¡± they would say. ¡°An Yun, Gu Zi¡¯s mother, is taking care of her. I bet she¡¯s been given plenty of meat to eat. Just now, we saw her carrying a bag full of braised pork and white rice. It smelled delicious! ¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± another would chime in. ¡°She¡¯s comfortable on her own, but let¡¯s be real, what kind of mother-in-law doesn¡¯t help her daughter-in-law with her grandchild, but instead runs off to help others? She¡¯s enriching others while impoverishing herself. It¡¯s not worth it! ¡±

    It¡¯s such a shame,¡± they would lament. ¡°Well, if you ever need help with the child, just bring him to our house. We¡¯ll help you watch him.¡±

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    The women took turns painting Aunt Yang, a kind and honest woman, as a villain. At the same time, they made empty promises. A moment¡¯s thought would reveal that they would never help Mrs. Wang with her child. Everyone knew Mrs. Wang¡¯s reputation; she was hardly one to handle serious matters, often running off to meet with her illicit lovers.

    But their words were enough to unsettle Mrs. Wang. She didn¡¯t care whether their words were true or false. She was the one who had been working hard at home, taking care of the child, while that old hag was out there living it up! She had truly miscalculated this time.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time Mrs. Wang had driven Aunt Yang out. She had been waiting for Aunt Yang to return, hungry and begging for their help, just like before. Then she could order her to work even harder at home.

    No matter how stubborn Aunt Yang was, it was the end of the year. When her son returned and coaxed her, and her grandson cried in her arms, she would surely come back.

    But who could have predicted that Aunt Yang would find a job, and even get close to a wealthy family? She had meat to eat at every meal, and was living a better life than Mrs. Wang.. It was clear to her that Gu Zi and the Lin family were deliberately making her life difficult!

 Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Lovers

    Chapter 443: Lovers

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After the women had left, Mrs. Wang found no humor in anything. Everything seemed to irritate her. When her son came asking for food, she tossed him a cold meat bun with a scowl. ¡°Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you know. Your dead grandmother doesn¡¯t care for you anymore, and now you¡¯re stuck with me. I must be cursed to have to look after you! ¡±

    She was at a loss as to how to deal with Gu Zi and the Lin family, especially considering the formidable Su Shen backing them.

    Mrs. Wang was livid. Had she known the true nature of this place, she would never have married Yang Tao. If she had known about the existence of a character like Su Shen, she wouldn¡¯t have wasted her efforts on Yang Tao.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. It wasn¡¯t until her old lover came to visit her late at night that she found some amusement in her otherwise dull and tedious day.

    The man, seeking excitement, scaled the wall and entered the house. He flung open the door and threw himself onto the bed, pulling Mrs. Wang into a passionate kiss. They hadn¡¯t seen each other in a while, and their reunion was intense, disregarding the sleeping child on the bed.

    Seeing the man starting to undress her, Mrs. Wang playfully squirmed and whispered, ¡°Brother Ah Zhuang, let¡¯s do it outside.¡±

    Ah Zhuang didn¡¯t waste words. He carried her outside, quickly undressed, and began to grind against her with his yet-to-be-aroused member. Once he was hard, he penetrated her. After finishing, he sat on the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette with a furrowed brow.

    Mrs. Wang also lit a cigarette, watching the man. ¡°You haven¡¯t visited me in a while. I missed you. But seeing how troubled you look, I guess you came because you¡¯re worried about something.¡±

    Despite having more than one lover, Mrs. Wang had a way of making each man feel like he was the one she was most looking forward to seeing. It was all thanks to her sweet words. She firmly believed that as long as she was sweet enough, she could manipulate any man.

    Ah Zhuang extinguished his cigarette, rising to his feet and pulling on his trousers. ¡°Today has been nothing but trouble,¡± he grumbled, his brow furrowed in irritation. ¡°I wonder what bad luck has befallen me. Are you not planning to bring your mother-in-law back? As far as I know, the Lin family is opening a shop and they¡¯re planning to have your mother-in-law help out.¡±

    Mrs. Wang exhaled a cloud of smoke, her lips curling into a nonchalant smile. ¡°Let her do as she pleases. She eats plenty but does little work. Only the Lin family would be willing to hire such a useless old woman. But from the sound of it, you seem quite dissatisfied with the Lin family as well.¡±

    As it happened, she had been worrying about how to teach her mother-in-law a lesson. Now, it seemed, a useful ally had presented himself.

    With a calculating glint in her eye, Mrs. Wang rose to her feet and fetched a jar of wine. A thoughtful smile played at the corners of her mouth, but it vanished as she turned back to face Ah Zhuang, replaced by a coquettish demeanor aimed at the man.

    Ah Zhuang accepted the jar of wine and began to drink, appreciating that this woman understood him. He was feeling stifled due to the day¡¯s events, and she knew to offer him wine, a gesture far more thoughtful than anything his dull wife would do.

    He beckoned her over with a lordly air, completely oblivious to the sweet-talking woman¡¯s underlying schemes.

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    ¡°Come sit with me and have a drink,¡± he commanded. ¡°After we finish, we¡¯ll have to finish this jar of wine too! I¡¯m so frustrated. Gu Zi is the boss¡¯s woman and Lin family¡¯s biological daughter. The Lin family¡¯s money comes from Su Shen. Does it make a difference whether the Lin family pays for the goods or not? The cowards at the factory, they just follow wherever that woman leads.

    ¡°Your mother-in-law is also to blame. She¡¯s born to be a servant, yet she refuses to accept her fate. She ran away after you scolded her a few times, and now she¡¯s trying to steal my mother¡¯s work. Who does she think I am? Damn it! I was one of the first people to agree to work with Su Shen. I¡¯m a veteran at the factory!¡±

    As Ah Zhuang spoke, he drank more and more wine. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He had worked at the factory for so long, yet he hadn¡¯t received any special benefits. He often tried to impress Su Shen, but Su Shen seemed to ignore him, not even considering promoting him. Instead, he favored Gu Zi and that fool Lin Cheng!

    The more Ah Zhuang thought about it, the angrier he became, and the more he drank. Mrs. Wang claimed to be drinking with him, but in reality, she was getting him drunk. A man half-drunk and half-sober was the most useful. At this point, as long as she coaxed him properly, he would dare to do anything, even commit murder or arson. This was exactly the effect Mrs. Wang was aiming for¡­

    Late into the night, the light in the master bedroom of the Su family¡¯s house was still on. Shadows moved by the window, and the heavy atmosphere of desire was so thick it seemed it wouldn¡¯t dissipate..

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Clever

    Chapter 444: Clever

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation       Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was truly exhausted. Tonight, they had made love three times already, each time more intense than the last. It had left her aching slightly. She reached behind her, pressing against the man¡¯s slowly moving leg. His thick arousal paused for a moment before reluctantly withdrawing from her.

    His large hand still held her slender waist, his burning gaze falling on her rounded buttocks. Even without eyes on her back, she could feel his stare. Recalling his earlier caresses, she knew her rear must be enticingly flushed and tender.

    Gu Zi knew he probably wanted to continue, but he didn¡¯t. In their lovemaking, he always considered her teelings.

    Su Shen had once said that in the throes of passion, it wasn¡¯t enough for him to be the only one satisfied. He preferred to guide her to climax, to share the wonderful experience of lovemaking. Of course, sometimes he would lose control, becoming a bit rough, like tonight. It was truly thrilling.

    Gu Zi, leaning on his hand, turned to face him. Despite her fatigue, she managed to punch him in the chest. This husband of hers was up to no good, she had told him to discuss matters with her, yet he had tricked her into bed, only informing her, ¡°We¡¯ll talk after,¡± just before he entered her.

    He didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak, instead, he had her again and again. Although she quite enjoyed it, she still wanted to tease him.

    Lately, their factory had been busy, and they hadn¡¯t made love properly in a while. But did he really have to abandon all shame? Honestly.

    Su Shen¡¯s chest took a few hits, but he didn¡¯t attempt to block her small fists. Given her strength, it felt more like a tickle to him. Instead, he gently and affectionately lifted her, carrying her into the bathroom in a few strides. He placed her in the bathtub, turned on the water heater, and started filling the tub. Then he joined her, holding her as he bathed her and cleaned her up.

    Gu Zi thought he had quite a thick skin, but he was indeed patient. Each time he bathed her, he would give her a massage. She was cared for so comfortably that she could fall asleep in the tub. It wasn¡¯t until he carried her back to bed that she woke up in a daze, her anger at him gone.

    She snuggled into Su Shen¡¯s arms and said, ¡°I have to tell you about what happened in the boiler room today. I saw Ah Zhuang, one of the pig farm workers, putting something in the hot water that Aunt Yang was going to serve everyone. I wasn¡¯t sure, so I didn¡¯t expose him. Instead, I tricked Ah Zhuang into drinking a ladle of the water he had tampered with. I haven¡¯t found any evidence yet¡­¡±

    Gu Zi recounted the day¡¯s events in great detail, a flicker of surprise flashing in Su Shen¡¯s eyes as he listened. It wasn¡¯t that he doubted Gu Zi¡¯s words, but rather, he hadn¡¯t expected the revelation. No wonder Ah Zhuang had suddenly claimed to have a stomachache today; he had brought it upon himself.

    Su Shen said to Gu Zi, ¡°As clever as you are, your subtle handling of the situation was correct. I believe we should be able to find evidence in the town.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement, replying, ¡°I think so too. Isn¡¯t tomorrow Saturday? We need to take the children for a check-up in the city. While I¡¯m at the hospital, you can take the water sample I gave you to the city¡¯s chemistry institute. Find someone to help test the substance in the water to see if we can identify the type of drug.¡±

    When Gu Zi had dealt with the problematic water, she hadn¡¯t poured it all away. Instead, she had filled a glass bottle with it. If they could analyze its contents, it would save them a lot of trouble.

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen laughed, ¡°Are you so sure I have connections in the chemistry institute?¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, ¡°I remember Gu Shan mentioning that Deputy Chief

    He¡¯s wife is from the chemistry institute. You¡¯re quite close with Uncle He and Aunt He. Even if you don¡¯t have direct connections at the institute, you could ask Aunt He for help, right?¡±

    Su Shen ruffled her hair, his laughter filled with affection, ¡°My wife is indeed very clever! Alright, let¡¯s get some sleep.¡±

    Indeed, they would need Aunt He¡¯s help with this matter. Once they identified the drug, they could pass through the town on their way back and possibly pinpoint the store where Ah Zhuang had bought the drug. Ah Zhuang, thinking no one knew of his plan, wouldn¡¯t have gone far to buy the drug. It was likely he had purchased it in the town itself.

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    Gu Zi nodded, curling up in his arms and closing her eyes. Soon, her breathing became soft and steady, her sleeping face serene and adorable.

    Once Su Shen was sure she was asleep, he got up to change his clothes. He tucked her in before heading back to the pig farm overnight, ensuring he would have time to accompany them to the city the next morning.

    Early the next day, before Gu Zi had even woken up, the voice of their second child drifted in from outside the door, ¡°Mom, breakfast is ready! Take your time getting ready, we¡¯ll eat together. The steamed dumplings are really

    delicious!¡±

    Outside the door, their eldest child stood holding their little sister, watching their second child with a cold gaze. This kid had some nerve; if they didn¡¯t know better, they would think he had made breakfast himself..

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: As You Command, Our Queen

    Chapter 445: As You Command, Our Queen

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing was not one to hold grudges, particularly against his younger brother. He found his brother¡¯s antics amusing, often musing that nephews tend to take after their uncles. Their father, in essence, was their uncle, so wouldn¡¯t it be natural for him to exhibit similar traits?

    Inside the house, Gu Zi stirred at the sound of voices. Although still drowsy, the thought of the day¡¯s important tasks spurred her into action. She slapped her cheeks lightly to shake off the sleepiness, then called out, ¡°You two go ahead, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    She neatly folded her blanket, got out of bed, and after freshening up and changing her clothes, she descended the stairs. She hadn¡¯t bothered with makeup, just applied some moisturizing cream to hydrate her skin.

    Breakfast was prepared by Su Bing. He had steamed two plates of dumplings and fried four eggs. Despite the slightly burnt edges, his effort was evident. Gu Zi found it endearing, after all, it was not normal for a child to do everything perfectly.

    She ruffled Su Bing¡¯s hair, praising, ¡°Our eldest¡¯s culinary skills have improved again, well done!¡±

    Su Bing blushed at the compliment, his head almost dipping into the bowl in front of him. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt undeserving of such praise from his mother, especially since he had burnt the eggs.

    Gu Zi, aware of his shyness, picked up a dumpling for him, and another for the eagerly waiting Su Li. She always strived for fairness, ensuring that what one child received, the other did too.

    Then, holding Lele, Gu Zi began her breakfast. Midway, she warmed up a few bottles of milk ¨C one for herself, and one each for the brothers. Lele didn¡¯t need milk, Gu Zi prepared formula for her, the nutrients in it were more beneficial for a baby of her age.

    After breakfast, Gu Zi placed Su Le on the couch to play by herself. She was about to clean up the kitchen when she was pulled back to the couch by her younger son. Both her sons stood before her, bowing in unison.

    The sight of her eldest son seriously following his younger brother¡¯s lead in bowing made Gu Zi want to laugh. Then, her younger son spoke on behalf of both, ¡°Dear mother, please let us know what chores need to be done. While waiting for Father to return, you can choose to play with Lele, or dress up, but you cannot work. We will take care of the chores!¡±

    After saying this, he stepped back, pulling his older brother with him. The older one added, ¡°Yes, when we are not at home, you take care of the house. When we are home, we should help with the housework and let you rest.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled at them, touched by their thoughtfulness. She said, ¡°Thank you for helping me, but I don¡¯t feel tired. We can work together. The eldest can clean up the dining table and wash the dishes as usual, and the younger one can water the plants and then help me clean the pigeon cage, how about that?¡± She was comfortable in her natural state, and had planned to take it easy and not wear makeup that day.

    Her younger son exchanged a glance with his older brother, then turned to his mother and shook his head firmly.

    Gu Zi felt helpless against their stubbornness. After all, they were only trying to help out of concern for her. Gu Zi said, ¡°Then you two decide. You do the cnores, ana I¡¯ll Play witn l.,ele.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, the two boys chimed in unison, ¡°As you command, our queen!¡±

    Their faces flushed, they scampered off, leaving Gu Zi to address her daughter, Lele. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve become the queen of this household, our Lele must be the little princess. How does that sound, Princess Lele?¡±

    The little girl, perhaps not fully comprehending her mother¡¯s words, responded with a delighted laugh and enthusiastic clapping. It was clear she enjoyed the new title.

    As Gu Zi played with Lele, she occasionally glanced at her sons. They had already tidied up the kitchen and dining room. The eldest was cleaning the pigeon cage, while the second was watering the herbs in the garden. There was no need for her to worry.

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    Deep down, Gu Zi was somewhat surprised. It was expected of her second son, but why was her eldest son so cooperative today?

    Nevertheless, it was a pleasant surprise. It suggested that her eldest son¡¯s character was not unchangeable. If this continued, his mindset would also change significantly. Seeing her eldest son today, she had particular confidence in this.

    Of course, Gu Zi was unaware that Su Bing, in his heart, had already considered her as important a family member as Su Shen. Su Bing wanted to get closer to her, feeling that being like his younger brother would make it easier.

    That¡¯s why he was willing to follow his younger brother¡¯s lead earlier, to see how it felt. So far, it seemed quite nice. Seeing his mother¡¯s puzzled yet happy expression, Su Bing felt it was worth occasionally tarnishing his image.

    Around eight o¡¯clock, Su Shen returned. He changed his clothes and took his wife and children into town. After dropping Gu Zi and the children off at the hospital, Su Shen drove away.. Su Bing asked, ¡°Mom, why isn¡¯t Dad coming with us?¡±

 Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Medical Check-up

    Chapter 446: Medical Check-up

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Your father has other matters to attend to. He will join us later. Let¡¯s go in,¡± Gu Zi said, leading the way into the hospital. Su Bing and Su Li followed closely, their steps quickening in anticipation. Their mother had brought the three siblings for a medical check-up, and for Su Li, this was his first time. He found the whole experience rather intriguing.

    Before long, a sleek black sedan smoothly made its way into the city¡¯s chemical institute. It came to a halt in front of a five-story building near the institute¡¯s entrance, where a security guard promptly approached the vehicle.

    Two passersby outside the institute cast envious glances at the car. They were not envious of the car itself, but rather the fact that it could enter the institute¡¯s gates without any hindrance. After all, it was common practice for any vehicle or person to register before entering such a place, waiting for approval at the entrance. The fact that this car could enter directly sparked curiosity about the identity of the person inside.

    The person in the car did not disembark. Instead, a hand reached out from the vehicle, passing a bottle of liquid to the security guard. The guard accepted it with a salute and promptly took the bottle into the building. It seemed that the person in the car had no intention of revealing themselves, leaving the onlookers to walk away in disappointment.

    A little over two hours later, a woman dressed in a lab coat emerged from the building. She approached the black sedan and handed over a piece of paper with the test results. Su Shen accepted the paper, expressing his gratitude,

    ¡°Thank you, Aunt He. I know many people here, so I¡¯d rather stay in the car.

    Please don¡¯t mention my visit.¡±

    He Ting, hands in her pockets, laughed, ¡°What are you thanking me for? I¡¯m more than happy to help. I know you don¡¯t like dealing with these social interactions, so I haven¡¯t told anyone. You can go now, and please send my regards to Gu Zi and the children.¡±

    Su Shen acknowledged her words. With the tests completed, he started the engine and drove out of the institute. As he arrived at the hospital, he saw Gu Zi leading the three children out. He stopped the car and got out, taking the things from Gu Zits hands and placing them in the trunk. Gu Zi asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Su Shen helped her and the children into the car before returning to the driver¡¯s seat. Sitting upright with a straight back, his handsome face exuded a masculine charm. He replied, ¡°Everything is settled. We¡¯ll head directly to the town.¡±

    Gu Zi knew she could rely on this man. She began to discuss the children¡¯s medical examination results, ¡°The main issue with Lele is her delayed speech. The doctor has checked her and found that her brain development and hearing system are normal. The diagnosis is that early environmental factors have caused a delay in her sensory integration. She needs systematic language rehabilitation training, and we need to hire a speech therapist.¡±

    A speech therapist is a professional who specializes in language rehabilitation training for young children. Gu Zi understood what the doctor meant professional matters should be left to professionals. Even a child-rearing expert familiar with children¡¯s psychology could not carry out professional language rehabilitation training.

    So, she paid the fees and hired a speech therapist, leaving her home address for the therapist to make regular visits to train Lele.

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes darkened, aware of his failure as a father. There were too many things he hadn¡¯t considered. The truth was, money alone couldn¡¯t provide proper care for a child. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi¡¯s intervention, he might never have realized Su Le¡¯s predicament.

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    He said to Gu Zi, ¡°If you need it, hire it. You make the decision. What about the eldest and the second child?¡± He could see through the rearview mirror that the two boys had fallen asleep in their seats after getting in the car.

    Gu Zi glanced back and laughed, ¡°The second one was energetic at first, especially cooperative during the doctor¡¯s examination. But as it went on, he became more and more tired. I guess he won¡¯t be so enthusiastic about medical check-ups in the future.

    ¡°The main issue with the two of them is malnutrition, and both their height and weight are below the normal range for their age. The doctor said they need to continue to be nourished, put more effort into diet and exercise, and prescribed them nutritional supplements. If taken regularly, they should be able to catch up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll also adjust our daily meal plan when I get back. Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day, and we¡¯ll gradually help the children regain their health.¡±

    Listening to her, Su Shen realized that medical examinations were indeed not fun, and the process was quite tedious. But even so, she would still bring the children for check-ups, spend money on them, and take care of them with all her heart. He felt truly blessed by the heavens to have met a woman like Gu Zi..

 Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Veterinary Pharmacy

    Chapter 447: Veterinary Pharmacy

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    By the time the car arrived in town, it was already past noon. Gu Zi had sent Su Shen to a pastry shop to grab some food to stave off their hunger. When Su

    Shen returned, he had not only bought pastries but also a few bottles of soda. Gu Zi thought his consideration was quite thorough; eating only pastries would indeed be too dry.

    Gu Zi turned her head and called out to the two boys, handing over the pastries and drinks, ¡°Eldest, second, get up and eat something before you sleep again. Be good, get up quickly.¡±

    Her voice was gentle but carried a penetrating quality. Even without raising her voice, Su Bing and Su Li were quickly roused from their slumber. They accepted the food from her hands and began to eat, their eyes still heavy with sleep.

    Gu Zi settled back into her seat, and a piece of old-fashioned cake was handed to her. A man¡¯s deep, gentle voice said, ¡°For you.¡±

    Gu Zi accepted the cake, took a bite, and then Su Shen picked up another piece to give to the little girl before starting to eat himself. Gu Zi thought that the feeling of a family eating together in a car was quite nice.

    After the family had finished eating and exited the car, Su Shen handed a lab report to Gu Zi. ¡°The results show that the powder in the water is a potent medicine used to treat livestock constipation. It can also be used for humans, but if the digestive system is not problematic, consuming this medicine will cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. There¡¯s only one veterinary pharmacy in town.¡±

    Listening to this, Gu Zi felt that Ah Zhuang was indeed malicious. He must have planned this in advance, even the symptoms caused by the veterinary medicine were similar to those of drinking unboiled water. He was determined to drive away Aunt Yang. Such a person was truly terrifying.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°Then we should go to the veterinary pharmacy now.¡±

    Su Shen stopped Gu Zi, saying, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. The vet at the pharmacy is Ah Zhuang¡¯s uncle. We¡¯re not sure if they¡¯ve been tipped off, so we can¡¯t ask directly. I also can¡¯t appear with you.¡±

    Perhaps it was due to his military background, Su Shen was accustomed to knowing his subordinates thoroughly. Therefore, when the staff at the pig farm were hired, they had to register their detailed identity information. It wasn¡¯t difficult for Su Shen to know these familial relationships.

    After hearing everything, Gu Zi fell into deep contemplation. She understood Su Shen¡¯s intentions; it was a task that she had to undertake herself. ¡°Alright, I know what to do,¡± she said. Together, Gu Zi and Su Shen headed to the animal pharmacy. Su Shen waited outside with the children while Gu Zi entered the shop alone.

    The shop was small, with one wall dominated by a large wooden cabinet. It had no doors and was filled with various large bags of animal medicine. In front of it was a floor-to-ceiling glass cabinet, housing an array of boxed and bottled medicines.

    At that moment, the shop was eerily quiet. Behind the glass cabinet, an old man with half-white hair was dozing off.

    Gu Zi approached and rapped on the counter, deliberately raising her voice,

    ¡°You must be Ah Zhuang¡¯s uncle, right?¡±

    The old man was startled awake, looking at her in surprise. In his many years of life, he had never seen such a beautiful woman. She seemed to be from the city. How could she know Ah Zhuang, the rascal?

    Although the old man thought this, he still wore a familiar smile on his face and asked, ¡°Are you a friend of Ah Zhuang s?

    Gu Zi casually surveyed the medicine cabinet behind the old man. She tilted her chin up and said with a showy air, ¡°You could say that. I¡¯m the secretary of Mr.

    Huo, the owner of Xinghua Department Store in the city. You know Xinghua Department Store, right? I met Ah Zhuang a few times when I accompanied Mr.

    Huo to the pig farm for business. We got to know each other and I think Ah

    Zhuang is quite a good person. By the way, I¡¯m here to buy medicine.¡±

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    The old man listened to her words and unconsciously curled his lips, his expression a bit strange. Young women these days really don¡¯t know how to judge people.

    However, Ah Zhuang, the rascal, did have some skills. He even managed to befriend a woman from the city, and such a beautiful one at that. He asked, ¡°Of course I know Xinghua Department Store. I didn¡¯t realize you¡¯re so influential. What medicine do you need? Is it for a sick pet at home?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head and sneered, ¡°No, since you are Ah Zhuang¡¯s uncle and not an outsider, I¡¯ll just tell you straight. There¡¯s a woman at my workplace who¡¯s alwavs causing trouble for me. I want to teach her a lesson. Ah Zhuang said you have a kind of medicine here that can cause diarrhea. He bought some a few days ago. Give me more of that medicine.¡±

    The old man didn¡¯t expect this beautiful woman to be so malicious, but he had no reason to refuse a business opportunity, no matter what she intended to use the medicine for.

    After all, this kind of medicine wouldn¡¯t kill anyone, and since Ah Zhuang had even told her about buying the medicine, their relationship must be quite deep. He wasn¡¯t worried about any trouble..

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Trouble Arises

    Chapter 448: Trouble Arises

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The old man¡¯s face still held a jovial smile, but upon seeing Gu Zi¡¯s agitation, he sought to calm her. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is,¡± he said soothingly. ¡°The medicine you¡¯re talking about is a laxative powder. I can certainly prepare some for you, but what you do with it is none of my business.¡±

    Gu Zi, seeing that the old man harbored no suspicions, felt a sense of relief. Her guess had been correct: Ah Zhuang had indeed purchased the medicine a few days ago.

    Moreover, she could tell that as she recounted her acquaintance with Ah Zhuang, the old man¡¯s gaze had taken on a certain suggestive quality. He likely thought she was a woman with a questionable relationship with Ah Zhuang. This was indicative of Ah Zhuang¡¯s reputation for being entangled in numerous romantic affairs.

    As the old man began to prepare the medicine, Gu Zi casually struck up a

    conversation. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s none of your concern,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Ah Zhuang himself that your medicine is particularly effective. I heard that someone at his factory had offended him, and this is how he dealt with them. Just thinking about those people running to the toilet in distress makes me want to laugh.¡±

    The old man, hearing Gu Zi¡¯s bold words, quickly raised his hand in caution. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t talk like that here,¡± he warned. ¡°Especially about Ah Zhuang¡¯s situation. You must keep it a secret. If the people at the pig farm find out, it could cause a lot of trouble. Let¡¯s not talk about this.¡±

    Feigning ignorance, Gu Zi asked loudly, ¡°Are you referring to Ah Zhuang buying laxative powder from you? What¡¯s there to be afraid of? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s killing anyone. He¡¯s just causing a bit of diarrhea by adding it to the hot water used in the pig farm¡¯s boiler room.¡±

    The old man¡¯s face turned anxious. Why was she saying more when he had asked her to say less? He placed the packaged medicine on the counter, saying, ¡°The medicine is ready. Pay and leave quickly.¡± He hoped to prevent her from speaking so recklessly.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t respond or take the medicine. Instead, she stepped back a few paces and called out to someone outside the door. ¡°Come in, Su Shen. It¡¯s your turn to talk to the owner of the veterinary medicine shop.¡±

    At her words, a tall man with long legs stepped in. His handsome face bore a cold expression.

    The old man recognized Su Shen. He knew that Su Shen was Ah Zhuang¡¯s boss, but he didn¡¯t understand why this woman was with him. Who was she?

    Realizing he might have been tricked, the old man stood frozen in place.

    Su Shen addressed the old man. ¡°This is my wife, Gu Zi. I heard your conversation just now. Ah Zhuang bought laxative powder from you, is that correct?

    ¡°You can deny it, but I must clarify that I¡¯m already investigating Ah Zhuang¡¯s case. Although we discovered it in time and his actions didn¡¯t lead to severe consequences, if you don¡¯t tell the truth, I will deal with your shop in the same way as him.¡±

    Gu Zi chimed in, ¡°What my husband means is simple. If you cooperate and tell the truth, we won¡¯t pursue the matter of you selling the medicine. But if you cover for Ah Zhuang, you¡¯re the one who will be in big trouble.¡±

    After all, Ah Zhuang was only his nephew. The old man had a family of his own, children of his own. He would know how to make the right choice.

    The old man was subdued by Su Shen¡¯s commanding presence, recognizing that he was not someone he could afford to offend. Although Su Shen was not one to exploit his power, the old man knew that he and his nephew were in the wrong. If Su Shen decided to pursue the matter, the business he had been running for most of his life would likely be ruined.

    The old man pleaded with Su Shen, ¡°I¡¯ve said it all. As long as you don¡¯t hold me accountable for selling medicine to Ah Zhuang¡­¡±

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    When Su Shen and Gu Zi were leaving, Gu Zi addressed the old man, ¡°We won¡¯t hold you accountable this time. We mean what we say. If you want to continue your business peacefully, you need to uphold medical ethics. Even if you¡¯re just selling animal medicine, you should have medical ethics. Not only will this prevent harm to others, but it will also bring peace to you and your family. You¡¯re already of age, take some time to reflect on this.¡±

    If it were someone else in a different profession, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t have bothered to say all this. But the old man¡¯s job was selling medicine, so regardless of whether he would take her words to heart, she felt compelled to say them. She didn¡¯t expect to awaken his conscience, but hoped that he would reflect on his original intentions when he was alone.

    After Gu Zi and Su Shen left, they returned to Daqing Village, planning to find Ah Zhuang the next day to resolve the matter.

    However, as soon as their car pulled up to the house, Gu Zi saw the figures of her mother and Aunt Yang. Her mother¡¯s face was filled with worry, and Aunt Yang looked haggard. Something had definitely happened.

    After Su Shen parked the car, Gu Zi immediately got out, handing the child in her arms to Su Shen. She approached her mother and Aunt Yang, ¡°Mom, what happened to Aunt Yang? Tell me..¡±

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: One Thing at a Time

    Chapter 449: One Thing at a Time

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Lin cast a glance at Aunt Yang before addressing Gu Zi and Su Shen, ¡°This matter truly needs your intervention. It¡¯s about Ah Zhuang. He had a drunken fit last night and ran amok at Aunt Yang¡¯s place, smashing everything in her old house.¡±

    They had sought mediation from the village office that day, demanding that he pay for the damages. However, he shamelessly denied any involvement and even accused them of slander.

    The argument had dragged on all morning without resolution. Since the incident had occurred late at night, there were no witnesses. Regardless of Aunt Yang¡¯s accusations, Ah Zhuang persistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had gone straight to bed after drinking. His mother and wife, unwilling to pay for the damages, naturally sided with him.

    Out of desperation, Aunt Yang had agreed to seek help from Mother Lin and the couple, Gu Zi and Su Shen. After all, Ah Zhuang was an employee at their pig farm, and he wouldn¡¯t dare to act so recklessly in front of Su Shen.

    ¡°I¡¯m relying on that old house as a shelter from the wind and rain,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve furnished it with basic necessities. I don¡¯t want to make a big fuss, I just want him to compensate for those items. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have a hard time getting by.¡±

    Although Aunt Yang had a good friend in Mother Lin, she didn¡¯t want to burden her with every problem. She couldn¡¯t accept Mother Lin buying her necessities either. If this matter couldn¡¯t be resolved, she had made up her mind to stay at the relief center for the poor in town.

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected Ah Zhuang to cause trouble again. She told Aunt Yang, ¡°You know about that issue. We were going to deal with him sooner or later. But now that this has happened, we¡¯ll handle one thing at a time. I have a way to make him pay.¡±

    Su Shen added, ¡°You¡¯re currently a part-time employee at our pig farm. Given the circumstances, we have a humanitarian obligation to help you settle down first. Aunt Yang, you should go back with my mother-in-law and stay at her place for now. Mom, I¡¯ll need your help to settle our employee.¡±

    Su Shen had heard Gu Zi mention some things about Aunt Yang. Coupled with Mother Lin¡¯s special concern for Aunt Yang, Su Shen naturally took the matter to heart. Moreover, this issue involved an employee of their pig farm, giving him every reason to intervene.

    However, Aunt Yang was somewhat hesitant and still reluctant to go. She said,

    ¡°I understand and appreciate your kindness, but it¡¯s still early. I can go to the reliet center in town tirst, taking the walk as exercise. Alternatively, I could stay in the rest area at the factory for a few nights. But I can¡¯t stay at An Yun¡¯s house. You¡¯ve already helped me enough.¡±

    Aunt Yang felt indebted to An Yun¡¯s family for their abundant help, yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to impose on them by staying at their home. She knew her daughter-in-law all too well; the woman would not tolerate her mother-in-law¡¯s smooth sailing. She would create a ruckus sooner or later, and Aunt Yang was prepared to bear the brunt of it.

    However, if she were to move into the Lin family¡¯s residence, her daughter-in-law would likely stir up trouble, possibly even dragging her grandson into the mess. Yang Tao, her son, was expected to return soon, and his arrival would undoubtedly escalate the situation. This would inevitably burden the Lin family, and Aunt Yang couldn¡¯t bear to be so selfish.

    Gu Zi noticed Aunt Yang¡¯s firm resolve to decline their assistance. She suggested, ¡°Why not stay at the pig farm¡¯s rest area for a night or two? Even if Ah Zhuang compensates you immediately, you¡¯ll still need time to purchase daily necessities. Su Shen, what should we do now?¡±

    Su Shen instructed Su Bing and Su Li to take their sister inside the house. Then, in a deep voice, he said, ¡°We should go to the village office now and confront Ah Zhuang. He needs to admit his guilt and compensate Aunt Yang. Do you need my help with your plan?¡± Su Shen looked at Gu Zi, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, looking rather handsome.

    Gu Zi felt the intensity of his gaze. She mysteriously replied, ¡°You¡¯ll understand when the time comes.¡± After saying this, she excused herself to the neighboring house, asking Aunt Zhang to keep an eye on Lele. She then joined Su Shen, following Aunt Yang and Mother Lin to the village office.

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    The village head, Su Ming, was a man in his forties, of average height and slightly overweight. His face was kind and approachable. Seeing Aunt Yang and her group return, he immediately understood the reason for their visit.

    He greeted Su Shen and Gu Zi, then promptly broadcasted a call for Ah Zhuang to come to the village office.

    In truth, anyone with discerning eyes could judge the situation. Aunt Yang was not one to fabricate stories. If nothing had happened, she would never make such claims.

    However, without any witnesses and Ah Zhuang¡¯s staunch denial, Su Ming, as the village head, was helpless. Thus, he had no choice but to dismiss them earlier.

    Ah Zhuang, unaware that Su Shen was also at the village office, dawdled at the pig farm until late afternoon. Only then did he leisurely make his way there..

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Clear My Name

    Chapter 450: Clear My Name

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    He was acutely aware that despite having consumed alcohol the previous night, his consciousness was crystal clear. His discontent had driven him to intentionally seek trouble with Aunt Yang in the small village of Little Lin.

    As Wang Mei had pointed out, it was late at night and there was hardly a soul in sight. No one had witnessed his actions. Even if Aunt Yang knew it was him, what could she do without evidence or witnesses?

    Now, the village office was seeking to mediate the situation. Let Su Ming, the old man, handle it. As long as he denied any involvement, he would be in the right. He could easily brush off this incident.

    His only concern was that Aunt Yang might seek help from Gu Zi. If Su Shen were to get involved, things could get complicated. Su Shen might even form an unfavorable opinion of him due to this incident.

    Reflecting on his actions, Ah Zhuang now realized that he had acted somewhat rashly the previous night. He shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble for Aunt Yang.

    After all, even if he hadn¡¯t, Wang Mei would have stirred up trouble with Yang Tao, Aunt Yang¡¯s son, once he returned. Aunt Yang would inevitably face unrest.

    However, what¡¯s done was done. There was no point in regretting it now. Aunt Yang had taken his mother¡¯s job; she deserved to suffer a bit!

    Ah Zhuang ambled along the road, occasionally greeting fellow villagers with a cheerful grin. He was blissfully unaware that his mother and wife had already arrived at the village office. They watched as Su Shen paced anxiously, like an ant on a hot pan. They prayed for Ah Zhuang to arrive soon and at least maintain a decent appearance.

    Everyone expected Ah Zhuang to be late, but no one anticipated he would be this late. Su Shen refused to let Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife go anywhere else, but eventually, Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. She seized an opportunity when Su Shen wasn¡¯t paying attention and secretly sent her daughter-in-law to fetch him.

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife ran all the way to the pig farm, only to spot Ah Zhuang halfway there. She sprinted towards him, taking three steps at a time.

    ¡°Why are you only coming now? Everyone¡¯s been waiting for you, including Boss Su and his wife. They¡¯re all waiting for you to explain yourself,¡± she said.

    ¡°Why did you have to go drinking with your friends? You just happened to be there when something happened to Aunt Yang¡¯s old house. How are you going to explain this? Boss Su might even fire you. We¡¯re doomed!¡±

    Seeing his wife in such a state of panic, Ah Zhuang¡¯s face darkened. Despite both being women, his wife was nowhere near as understanding as his fling, Mrs. Wang.

    Just as he was about to berate his wife, he heard her mention Su Shen. His face shifted subtly, and the words that had been on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, as he listened to her finish speaking.

    Ah Zhuang felt a throbbing headache at her words. He was somewhat regretful about drinking so much the previous night. How did he end up drinking so much, and in his confusion, why did he go to Little Lin Village to cause trouble?

    However, he was not worried. He suppressed his urge to yell at his wife and instead tried to soothe her. If she continued to rant, he would be annoyed before he even reached the village office.

    ¡°Don¡¯t keep going on about it. Boss Su isn¡¯t like that. As long as I don¡¯t admit to anything, he can¡¯t fire me without reason,¡± Ah Zhuang said. His wife was taken aback by his words. She stared at him, her eyes wide, and Ah Zhuang helplessly rubbed his forehead. Damn it, he had let something slip in his haste!

    His wife finally caught on. ¡°Ah Zhuang, did you really do it? Didn¡¯t you say you went drinking with some friends in town last night? Did you really smash Aunt Yang¡¯s house?¡±

    Her barrage of questions only made Ah Zhuang more irate. He had no patience left to placate her. Looking around and seeing no one, he retorted, ¡°So what if I did smash it? I¡¯m telling you, you better keep your mouth shut. It¡¯s not a big deal. And don¡¯t you dare tell my mother behind my back, or you¡¯ll have me to deal with!¡±

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    His wife had always been afraid of him when he was angry. Seeing his demeanor, she naturally didn¡¯t say anything more. All her worries were bottled up inside her. Her face flushed, she followed behind Ah Zhuang on the path they had come from¡­

    At the village office, Gu Zi was sipping tea when the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the village chief¡¯s office. Soon after, Ah Zhuang and his wife pushed the door open and entered.

    Upon entering, Ah Zhuang walked straight up to Aunt Yang. His face bore a smile, but there was a hint of threat in his eyes. ¡°Aunt Yang, you must be fair. After I finished drinking last night, I was lying comfortably in my own home.

    How could I have gone to Little Lin Village and smashed your house?¡±

    Then, pretending to just notice Su Shen and Gu Zi, he said to them, ¡°Brother Shen, Sister-in-law, you¡¯re here too. That¡¯s good. I feel wronged. Why would I go and smash Aunt Yang¡¯s things? It must have been too dark, and Aunt Yang mistook the culprit for me. You must stand up for me and clear my name..¡±

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Calling Big Yellow

    Chapter 451: Calling Big Yellow

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother, upon hearing her son¡¯s words, quickly pulled her daughter-in-law forward to help plead their case. ¡°Mr. Su,¡± she began, ¡°Our Ah Zhuang is not a fool. Aunt Yang is getting on in years, and for people our age, failing eyesight is inevitable. She must have mistaken someone else for him. My son came home late last night, but once he returned, he didn¡¯t go out again.¡±

    As Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother spoke her final words, a blush crept up her ears, her gaze darting upward as if struggling to recall something, her tone wavering slightly.

    Perhaps sensing her argument lacked conviction, she quickly nudged her daughter-in-law, signaling for her to speak. The young woman¡¯s behavior was even more peculiar.

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife glanced at her husband, her face flushing a deep red. As her gaze shifted away from him and met Gu Zi¡¯s eyes, she quickly averted her gaze, turning to the village chief. Her voice shook slightly as she began, ¡°My mother and I can vouch for him.¡±

    Village Chief Su Ming, perhaps sensing something amiss, quickly pressed her for more information. ¡°Be clear,¡± he demanded, ¡°What exactly can you vouch for?¡±

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife¡¯s lips trembled, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°We can confirm that Ah Zhuang was at home¡­ no, that he was at home after he came back from drinking.¡± With that, she retreated, hiding behind Ah Zhuang and his mother.

    Su Ming turned to Su Shen, their eyes meeting for a few seconds before he addressed Aunt Yang. ¡°Aunt Yang,¡± he began, ¡°Please try to recall the details of last night. Can you be certain that it was Ah Zhuang?¡±

    Throughout this, Aunt Yang had been standing with Mother Lin, their hands clasped together in a silent show of support.

    Aunt Yang didn¡¯t dare to look at Ah Zhuang, but she could feel the support of her good friend, which gave her courage. ¡°Brother Su,¡± she said, ¡°When I was the women¡¯s director, I went from house to house to check on people, even in the darkest of nights, I dared to traverse the mountains and forests, all because I had good eyesight. You all used to praise my sharp eyes.

    ¡°So, I am certain that I did not mistake him. It was Ah Zhuang. You can trust my eyes.¡±

    Su Ming nodded, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. Things change, people change. The once vibrant and capable Sister Yang was now in such a state, being stepped on and bullied.

    Su Ming said, ¡°I understand that, but now you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t mistake him, and Ah Zhuang has an alibi. This is a difficult situation to resolve.¡±

    Ah Zhuang was still feeling uneasy due to the hesitation he had noticed in his mother and wife earlier. However, he reassured himself that although his wife was now aware of his deeds, she would not dare to speak out without his command.

    As for his mother, her willingness to provide him with a false alibi was born out of fear of him getting into unrelated trouble. She was still oblivious to the truth, so he wasn¡¯t worried about her saying anything either.

    Ah Zhuang was now fairly certain that these people had no evidence to prove his guilt. He felt a sense of relief and turned to Su Ming and Su Shen, pleading loudly, ¡°I am truly innocent. I haven¡¯t done anything. Please, clear my name.¡±

    He was unaware of how evident the cunning glint in his eyes was.

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes were icy cold, revealing no hint of his thoughts. He withdrew his gaze and turned to his wife beside him, speaking slowly, ¡°Gu Zi, didn¡¯t you say you had a good plan?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, a smile playing on her lips as she approached Aunt Yang. ¡°I do have quite a few ideas,¡± she said. ¡°Aunt Yang, can you recall if the culprit left anything behind last night? It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be an object. Any detail you can remember about the culprit would be helpful.¡±

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    Aunt Yang looked puzzled. Hadn¡¯t she already been asked this question on the way to the village office?

    Nevertheless, she answered truthfully, ¡°When the man left last night, I heard him vomiting. When I went out, I saw him leaning against the tree stump at my front door, retching. Does vomit count? I didn¡¯t clean it up.¡±

    Ah Zhuang felt a sense of foreboding at her words, his lips drooping slightly. But what could a pool of vomit prove? It was ridiculous!

    Then he heard Gu Zi say, ¡°That makes things easier. Even if you had cleaned it up, the smell wouldn¡¯t have dissipated so quickly. Village Chief, could you please broadcast a call for Big Yellow? There¡¯s no need for further debate on this matter.¡±

    Su Ming was puzzled. He knew that Su Shen¡¯s family had a Tibetan Mastiff, Big Yellow, who was particularly fierce. He was somewhat afraid of it, so he naturally asked, ¡°What can bringing the Tibetan Mastiff do? Could you please explain, Mrs. Su?¡± He was too embarrassed to admit that Big Yellow¡¯s strange barking frightened him.

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Iâ€™ll Pay The Compensation

    Chapter 452: I¡¯ll Pay The Compensation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi chuckled, revealing a secret unknown to the others. ¡°You see, Big Yellow is a military dog that Su Shen raised during his time in the army. He¡¯s received professional training and his search and detection skills are quite formidable.

    ¡°Therefore, if we bring Big Yellow over to sniff the vomit and then give him the command to search, he should be able to track down the culprit. And there¡¯s no need to worry about him biting the culprit. He¡¯s a well-trained military dog.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Ming thought it was indeed a good idea, and the others agreed. Only Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife seemed uneasy.

    Ah Zhuang himself, however, was far from comfortable. His face turned pale as he listened. He was aware of the capabilities of military dogs. They could track by scent, just as Gu Zi had said. The precision was uncanny, and he knew he couldn¡¯t let them use this method.

    Stepping forward, Ah Zhuang intercepted Su Ming, instinctively lowering his gaze to hide his own eyes. He felt like throwing in the towel, but he knew he couldn¡¯t. He had already denied any involvement, and unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not admit to anything.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± he protested. ¡°Animals are animals, no matter how well trained. What if it bites someone? I can¡¯t accept this method.¡±

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother, feeling for her son, pleaded with Su Shen, ¡°I don¡¯t agree either. What if it turns out not to be my son, and he gets bitten? Wouldn¡¯t that be a miscarriage of justice?¡±

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife merely nodded in agreement, unable to articulate her thoughts. Ah Zhuang frowned, finding her lack of words infuriating.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t know what Gu Zi planned to do next, but if she said she had a method, then there must be more than one. To alleviate Ah Zhuang¡¯s defensiveness, he reassured, ¡°Big Yellow won¡¯t bite anyone. But it¡¯s understandable that Ah Zhuang and his family are scared. Do we have any other methods?¡±

    Gu Zi rubbed her forehead, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Su Shen was quite the actor.

    After a moment, she propped up her head and suggested, ¡°There¡¯s a simpler method. Let¡¯s call the police now and let them decide. I heard from Captain He that they¡¯ve introduced a new detection technology from abroad this year. It can detect fingerprints left by the culprit, which could help us find them. I¡¯m quite curious about it.

    ¡°Moreover, I have a way to immediately clear Ah Zhuang of suspicion. Could the village head please call the police? Everyone else, come with me to Aunt Yang¡¯s front door to collect samples of the vomit. We¡¯ll take them to the city for testing, and also collect some of Ah Zhuang¡¯s saliva for testing. We might not find the culprit, but we can certainly clear Ah Zhuang¡¯s name.¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, Su Shen could discern her strategy clearly. She intended to corner Ah Zhuang into admitting his wrongdoings, hoping to frighten him into confession.

    Even if Ah Zhuang adamantly denied his guilt, the truth would be revealed once the samples were tested. Ah Zhuang, despite his minor cunning, was likely unwilling to escalate the situation to the point of involving the police.

    Su Shen¡¯s handsome brow furrowed, a plan forming in his mind. He responded in a calm and steady voice, ¡°Your method is excellent, but if the police get involved, a few months in jail may be unavoidable. Ah Zhuang, if you¡¯re innocent, you have nothing to fear. However, if you¡¯ve made a mistake in a moment of weakness, it¡¯s not too late to admit it. At most, you¡¯ll have to pay some compensation and apologize. The police station is not a place for games.¡±

    Su Shen fixed his gaze on Ah Zhuang, who was visibly shaken. He hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to be so decisive. What was he to do now? Surely, he couldn¡¯t wait for them to call the police?

    At that moment, the village chief picked up the phone on the table, ready to dial. Ah Zhuang, in a sudden burst of panic, stepped forward to stop the call. ¡°Don¡¯t call the police,¡± he admitted, ¡°I¡¯ll pay the compensation.¡±

    Upon hearing his confession, both Gu Zi and Su Shen¡¯s expressions cooled. As expected, he couldn¡¯t handle the pressure.

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    Su Ming also put down the phone, his brow furrowed as he looked at Ah Zhuang. Mother Lin and Aunt Yang finally exhaled in relief; he had finally admitted his guilt!

    As for Ah Zhuang¡¯s wife, she seemed to quietly breathe a sigh of relief. Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother, however, was completely taken aback. What was happening?

    As Ah Zhuang¡¯s mother gradually comprehended the situation, her face fell into disappointment. She called out to her son by his childhood name, ¡°Zhuang Zhuang, what are you saying? Did you really do this? Why would you do such a thing? How could you bully people like this?¡±

    Ah Zhuang felt a burning sensation on his face. He turned to his wife and said, ¡°Take Mother home first. Why is she causing a scene here? Mother, you go home first. I¡¯ll explain everything to you when I get back.¡±

    With that, Ah Zhuang asked his wife to take his mother away, his face wearing an expression of guilt.

 Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: The Matter Isnâ€™t Over Yet

    Chapter 453: The Matter Isn¡¯t Over Yet

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ah Zhuang was at a loss for what to do. He figured that paying a fine would be better than ending up at the police station.

    He turned to Aunt Yang and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt Yang. I was young and impulsive, and I had a bit too much to drink. I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. Please tell me how much your belongings cost, and I¡¯ll reimburse you.¡± He didn¡¯t think her possessions were worth much anyway, considering they were all old and worn out.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. She pulled out a list and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Aunt Yang to list the items that need to be compensated. A wooden door, a cotton quilt, a table, a bowl of peanuts, a bowl of rice porridge¡­ all these, plus the emotional distress caused by the late-night fright, will cost you 30 yuan. Pay this to Aunt Yang, and we can consider the matter settled.¡±

    Ah Zhuang¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief when he heard the amount he had to pay. ¡°What? All those worthless things cost 30 yuan?¡± He stared at Gu Zi¡¯s list, belatedly realizing that he might have been tricked. The amount was almost equivalent to his monthly salary.

    Su Shen, noticing Ah Zhuang¡¯s hostile gaze, stepped in between him and Gu Zi, protecting the latter. He said in a stern voice, ¡°Either we settle it this way, or we report it to the police. It¡¯s your choice. If you can¡¯t afford to pay now, we can deduct 30 yuan from your salary this month. Just sign here and let the village chief witness it.¡±

    He then produced a document that Gu Zi had prepared, a declaration of Ah Zhuang¡¯s voluntary apology and compensation to Aunt Yang. Gu Zi was right; Ah Zhuang was full of tricks. Having him sign a written apology and posting it on the village office¡¯s notice board would prevent him from causing trouble or spreading rumors about this incident in the future.

    Ah Zhuang looked at the declaration in front of him, feeling both angry and resentful. However, he had no reason or courage to refuse to sign it. He didn¡¯t dare to act recklessly in front of Su Shen.

    After signing, he stood up, dragging his wooden stool across the floor, creating a loud, grating noise that echoed his frustration. He asked, ¡°Brother Shen, did you and your wife intentionally scare me? I¡¯m also an employee at the factory. Aren¡¯t you being biased?

    ¡°I only did what I did because I felt things were unfair. I don¡¯t understand why this year, the part-time job of tending the furnace, which my mother used to do, was given to Aunt Yang just because she¡¯s closer to your wife¡¯s mother.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze fell upon him, scrutinizing and cold. ¡°You think we chose Aunt Yang because she¡¯s closer to my mother-in-law? You¡¯re mistaken,¡± he said icily. ¡°I chose Aunt Yang for another reason. She needs this job more than your mother does. Without it, she would go hungry.¡±

    He had no obligation to explain his decisions. Who he appointed to what job was a matter for the factory, not for Ah Zhuang, a mere employee, to decide. Ah Zhuang had overstepped his position, and keeping such a person in the factory was not beneficial.

    Even without the incident of drugging, Su Shen had made up his mind not to retain him in his position.

    There was no need for further explanation. Anyone with clear sight would understand. The fact that the pig farm had not turned Ah Zhuang over to the police for his actions was already a great act of tolerance, a favor to an old employee.

    Ah Zhuang was intimidated by Su Shen¡¯s aura. Moreover, he knew he was in the wrong. He was confused. Why was he saying all this? His priority should be to keep his job.

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    Immediately, he changed his tune. ¡°I understand now. I was too selfish before,¡± he said. ¡°Just as you said, Brother Shen, deduct my salary and give it to Aunt Yang. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave now. My mother still needs an explanation from me.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s jawline tightened, his lips pressed into a straight line. His tone left no room for further pleasantries. ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave. The matter isn¡¯t over yet.¡±

    As he spoke, he pulled out another piece of paper. It was covered in several paragraphs of text and a signature. Ah Zhuang squinted at it, confused. The handwriting looked like his uncle¡¯s. But he must be mistaken.

    Ah Zhuang understood Su Shen¡¯s intention. He was supposed to read the contents of the paper. He took it and began to read, as Gu Zi said, ¡°Today, Su Shen and I went to the city. We brought a bottle of something to be tested, and we got the results. On our way back, we stopped by the veterinary pharmacy in town. Your uncle confessed everything. Let¡¯s deal with this matter as well.¡±

    Su Ming and Mother Lin were unaware of this matter. They listened, somewhat perplexed, but they were not the type to lose their cool. They remained silent observers, not interfering. After all, they would understand what was happening soon enough.

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Dismissal

    Chapter 454: Dismissal

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ah Zhuang stared at the paper in his hands, his eyes lingering on the signature at the bottom. It was unmistakably his uncle¡¯s name. His mind buzzed, and he slumped onto a wooden stool, his body trembling slightly as the paper slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor.

    He couldn¡¯t believe it. His secret had been exposed.

    Gu Zi spoke up, intending to recount the entire incident in front of the village chief. ¡°My mother asked me to deliver some meat to Aunt Yang at the boiler room that morning. When I arrived, I saw Ah Zhuang adding something to the water. I was afraid that my word alone wouldn¡¯t be enough evidence, so I didn¡¯t confront him immediately.

    ¡°Instead, I tricked Ah Zhuang into drinking a ladle of it himself, which is why he had a stomach upset that day¡­ I dumped the rest of the tainted water, but not before filling a bottle for testing.

    ¡°We found Ah Zhuang¡¯s uncle in town, and he confirmed that Ah Zhuang had bought laxative powder from his pharmacy. The test results matched the ingredients of the powder.

    ¡°Ah Zhuang, your uncle clearly explained what you did after buying the powder. We¡¯re running a pig farm here, not a place for those with ill intentions. Keeping you here is not a wise decision, for us or for you.¡±

    Ah Zhuang listened to the detailed account, barely having time to recover from the shock. He stood up from the stool, his lips trembling as he apologized to Su Shen and Gu Zi. ¡°Brother Shen, Sister-in-law, I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again. Please don¡¯t fire me. I have a family to support. I really need this job!¡±

    Su Ming finally understood what had happened. He was appalled by Ah Zhuang¡¯s malicious intent. ¡°Ah Zhuang, you¡¯re foolish and reckless. You held a grudge against Aunt Yang for taking a part-time job and tried to drive her away by jeopardizing the health of your colleagues at the pig farm. No one can feel safe with someone like you around.

    ¡°Have you ever thought about how good a job at the pig farm is? Many people from several villages, even from the town, would love to work at Su Shen¡¯s pig farm, but they don¡¯t have the opportunity. You, on the other hand, don¡¯t appreciate what you have. You¡¯re always thinking about trivial things and consider yourself a senior employee, yet you don¡¯t know your place.

    ¡°Remember how poor your family was? Since you started working at the pig farm, your family has been able to upgrade from a small, shabby house to a three-room flat. If you had more land, you could have built five or six flats by now.

    ¡°You seem to have forgotten all about the kindness the Su family has shown you. All you think about is how to take advantage of the farm¡­ ¡± Su Ming was deeply disappointed with such ungrateful people.

    It was unclear whether it was due to shame or resentment, or simply the result of his naturally pale complexion, but at this moment, Ah Zhuang¡¯s face was flushed a deep red, a hue so intense it bordered on chilling. He did not directly respond to Su Ming¡¯s words, but instead pleaded relentlessly with Su Shen, ¡°Brother Shen, I truly realize my mistake. Please, for the sake of all the time I¡¯ve spent working in the factory, don¡¯t fire me¡­¡±

    For a long time, Su Shen maintained his silence, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. Only when Ah Zhuang had exhausted his pleas did he finally speak, ¡°I regret to inform you, you¡¯re fired. There¡¯s not much else to say. Take care of yourself. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Su Shen bid farewell to the village chief and, with Gu Zi and the others, left the village office. Seeing that there was no hope left, Ah Zhuang finally lifted his heavy feet and began the walk home.

    Ah Zhuang was consumed by many thoughts, particularly wondering, why had things turned out this way?

    Halfway home, Mrs. Wang came out to inquire about the news. From a distance, she saw him, looking lost and desolate, like a wandering spirit. After some thought, she decided not to approach him.

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    Seeing his unfortunate state, she didn¡¯t want to risk bad luck. As long as he didn¡¯t plan to cause her trouble, that was enough.

    Mrs. Wang, with her son Yuan Yuan, turned to go back home. On the way, they saw a black sedan heading in the direction of the Su family¡¯s house. The woman in the passenger seat had a radiant smile, which stirred a pang of jealousy in Mrs. Wang.

    She felt that in her youth, her looks were no less than Gu Zi¡¯s, yet she had not been fortunate enough to meet a good man like Su Shen. It felt incredibly unfair.

    She couldn¡¯t help but recall her days with her ex-husband. The man had fallen into drug addiction, was lazy and had an unstable temper. Although he had never physically abused her, she knew that was only because she knew how to appease him.

    She couldn¡¯t stand those days and wanted a divorce, but the man threatened her, saying if she dared to divorce him, he would kill her entire family¡­

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Drawing the Short Straw

    Chapter 455: Drawing the Short Straw

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Her husband was a drug addict, a lunatic when high. His words were enough to send shivers down anyone¡¯s spine. But Mrs. Wang was no simpleton either. She yearned for an escape, always on the lookout for an opportunity, until she met Yang Tao.

    In no time, they began a romantic relationship, and soon found the perfect chance. Mrs. Wang left her former husband and fled with Yang Tao to Daqing Village.

    At first, Mrs. Wang thought she had struck gold. Daqing Village was more prosperous and flat than her hometown, and it was much closer to the city. Moreover, she was three years older than Yang Tao, who was obedient to her. Yang Tao worked outside, earning money, and she didn¡¯t have to lift a finger.

    However, not long after the birth of their son, she began to feel that she had drawn the short straw. She slowly realized that Yang Tao was not as wealthy as he claimed. He was just an ordinary farmer, a slacker during his school days who had learned nothing of value. Now, he worked outside, primarily on construction sites.

    What bothered her most was that the money Yang Tao earned was not entirely spent on her. He had a mother and a younger sister still in school. Half of the sister¡¯s tuition was paid by Yang Tao, and the other half came from the money left after their stepfather¡¯s death. Moreover, this sister was kind-hearted and good-natured.

    But she was jealous of this sister. She began to whisper in Yang Tao¡¯s ear, ¡°She¡¯s not your real sister. Why should you support someone else¡¯s daughter? Your mother is just using you, making you work for your sister.

    ¡°Look at how biased your mother is, how much she dotes on your sister. Isn¡¯t it just menstrual pain? She massages her stomach, boils brown sugar water and cooks eggs for her. Anyone would think your family is rich!

    ¡°You work so hard outside every day, but your mother never shows you this much concern. Your sister is of age now, she should be getting married after graduating from high school. You should ask for a higher bride price¡­¡±

    Mrs. Wang was skilled at manipulating men, and Yang Tao believed her words. Gradually, he began to distance himself from his mother and sister, and eventually, he even refused to pay for his sister¡¯s education.

    They planned to marry off the sister, but she secretly ran away and has not been heard from since.

    With the younger one gone and the older one refusing to return, Mrs. Wang found life increasingly meaningless.

    She would have been better off staying with her ex-husband. At least his family had bought a house in their city. She had sisters there with whom she could play cards and earn some easy money. She wouldn¡¯t have to put up with this kind of treatment!

    Yuan Yuan watched his mother in silence throughout their journey, taking the initiative to tug at her trousers to gain her attention. ¡°Mama, mama, Yuan Yuan is hungry,¡± he said.

    Mrs. Wang halted her steps, lifting him into her arms. With a forced smile, she addressed her son, ¡°Good boy, we¡¯ll get you something to eat when we get home. Starting tomorrow, Mama will take you to Grandma¡¯s. You just tell her you missed her and wanted her to look after you, okay? Mama will go to town to play cards. If I win, I¡¯ll buy you milk to drink¡­¡±

    As long as she was around, that old woman wouldn¡¯t get a moment¡¯s peace. How could she expect to avoid taking care of her grandson?

    At the Su residence, after dinner, Gu Zi entertained Lele in the courtyard, playing with Big Yellow. She squatted down, stroking Big Yellow¡¯s head, ¡°Our Big Yellow is really famous, Big Yellow, Big Yellow, so handsome!¡±

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    Su Shen provided training guidance for his sons. Once they had all assumed the horse stance, he shifted his gaze, searching until it landed on a figure in the corner. The corners of his lips curled up slightly.

    Approaching her, he extended a hand to help her up as she was about to rise. Ensuring she stood steadily, he voiced his curiosity, ¡°How do you know about fingerprint detection technology? Did your school teach you criminal investigation?¡±

    Gu Zi handed her daughter to him, her lively, beautiful eyes fixed on him as she candidly replied, ¡°Of course not, most schools don¡¯t teach that. But is it strange to know about it?

    ¡°From what I understand, didn¡¯t our country already emphasize evidence and science in court cases hundreds of years ago? Fingerprints could be used as official evidence then.

    ¡°As for that foreign technology I mentioned, I actually made it up. It sounds impressive and intimidating, which is our goal, isn¡¯t it? To make him pay? If we can scare him, that¡¯s enough.¡±

 Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Pleasuring Her

    Chapter 456: Pleasuring Her

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen held the child in one arm, standing close to Gu Zi. Every frown, every smile she made was etched into his mind, vivid and lifelike. Each frame of her expression tugged at his heartstrings. As the night wind swept past, he could even catch her scent. Even without an embrace, even while he held the child, he felt deeply that they were the only two people in the world.

    Su Shen laughed after she finished speaking, reaching out to gently stroke her nose. His fingertips felt warm, and he spoke with a doting tone, ¡°It¡¯s just like you to make sense even when you¡¯re talking nonsense. You¡¯re good at everything you do. So, I was serious when I mentioned the pig farm. Would you like to manage it with me?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze was fixed, meeting his passionate eyes and admiring his handsome face. She replied, ¡°You should handle that. I can provide suggestions when I notice something, but I trust your judgment in work matters completely. If we both manage the work, who will take care of the house? I still have exams to prepare for.¡±

    Gu Zi would not actually become the manager of the pig farm. She was content with just the title.

    Firstly, she wasn¡¯t particularly interested. Secondly, she always understood one principle: a man could willingly let you into his domain, but you should never overstep. Maintaining a sense of boundaries between husband and wife was necessary¡­

    At night, after Gu Zi had put the child to sleep, Su Shen emerged from the bathroom after a shower, his body still damp. He told Gu Zi, ¡°You should go to sleep first. I have to return to the pig farm. I might not be home for a few nights. Make sure to cover yourself well, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    Gu Zi fetched a towel and walked over to him, wiping the water droplets off his body. She knew the city was demanding a large supply recently, and the factory was very busy. It was hard on him to still come home for dinner before leaving.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t speak. After drying him off, she wrapped her arms around his waist, one hand still clutching the damp towel. She looked up at him, ¡°Su Shen, have you forgotten something?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze fell on her full, red lips. Under the light, her lips had a matte texture, like a blooming red rose in an oil painting. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, but he restrained himself, wondering what she was talking about. What had he forgotten?

    The next moment, her fair hands hooked around his neck. She looked at him, her eyes seductive, ¡°Bend down, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±

    Her voice was soft and enticing, revealing a hint of desire in the man¡¯s eyes. Fortunately, Su Shen had strong self-control. If it were any other man, he might have already succumbed to her charm.

    Su Shen managed to maintain his basic rationality. He leaned down slightly, and the distance between their lips suddenly closed. She said, ¡°Before you leave at night, remember to give me some comfort.¡±

    As her words fell, her lips met his, her tongue exploring. Their lips and teeth naturally intertwined, their hot breath filling the space between them. Gu Zi thought a brief, dragonfly-touch kiss would suffice.

    The corner of Su Shen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, realizing that it was a kiss. But how could such a brief taste be enough?

    As she attempted to pull away, he entwined himself around her, refusing to let go. He kissed her passionately, his hunger evident as he sucked on her tongue. When Gu Zi¡¯s lips turned a flushed red from his kisses, he shifted his attention, burying his head in the nape of her neck, nibbling and sucking. He moved upwards to her sensitive earlobe, his voice noticeably hoarse, ¡°Were you thinking that?¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected him to ask such a question. She was clearly saying goodbye to him, why was he being so mischievous?

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    Seeing her speechless, Su Shen was very satisfied. He gently kissed her forehead, his hand slipping under her nightgown, his fingertips teasing her tender nipples, causing shivers to run down her abdomen.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Su Shen!¡± Gu Zi gasped out a warning, but the man simply kissed her lips again, his hands fondling her breasts. Gu Zi was starting to regret provoking him.

    Her husband was indeed quite wicked when he wanted to be. Now, he had cast aside all his noble elegance and cool sophistication, focusing solely on pleasuring her.

    Because Lele was on the bed, when it came time for him to enter her, Su Shen carried the woman into the bathroom. In the bathroom mirror, the man¡¯s shirt was open, his well-defined abs brimming with strength. He had only removed his pants, one hand gripping her waist, the other holding his large, erect member, thrusting it into her moist folds, rhythmically driving into her¡­

    By the time Su Shen left, it was deep into the night. However, upon arriving at the pig farm, the work there was just beginning.

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Conquered by Pig Innards

    Chapter 457: Conquered by Pig Innards

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen strode purposefully into his office, the people he passed along the way greeting him respectfully with a chorus of ¡°Good day, Brother Shen!¡± Their eyes were filled with gratitude.

    Word had spread throughout the factory about Ah Zhuang¡¯s dismissal. Everyone knew why he had been let go, and the incident served as a wake-up call for many, especially those working in the pig farm. They had learned a valuable lesson from the sidelines, and it was seen as a good thing.

    In the pigsty, a few workers chatted idly as they cleaned. One of them remarked, ¡°Ah Zhuang really didn¡¯t know how to be grateful. The villagers are also baffling. Do you know what some of them are saying?

    ¡°They¡¯re saying that the Su family doesn¡¯t care about relationships. It¡¯s laughable. They¡¯ve provided livelihoods for so many people in this area. An employee makes a mistake and gets fired, and somehow it¡¯s Brother Shen¡¯s fault?¡±

    Another worker chimed in, ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t exactly blame Brother Shen. They¡¯re saying that Ah Zhuang has been working here for so long, and his dismissal was too ruthless. They¡¯re pointing fingers at our sister-in-law, saying that Brother Shen doesn¡¯t make decisions alone now that he¡¯s married. Ignore them, they¡¯re just sour.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. When Brother Shen was looking for a wife, they were against it. Now that our sister-in-law is here and things are going well, they¡¯re green with envy. It¡¯s all the idle chatter of those women.¡±

    Most of the factory workers didn¡¯t pay attention to such talk. Everyone knew that those who spread such rumors were the ones who wanted to work at the pig farm but couldn¡¯t. They were content with their jobs at the factory and didn¡¯t want to end up like Ah Zhuang, jobless. Only a fool would take such words to heart!

    Just as the conversation was winding down, a booming male voice echoed, ¡°As long as you know, just work hard and honestly in the factory. Don¡¯t harbor any ill intentions, and everyone will benefit. That¡¯s what smart people do. Don¡¯t follow Ah Zhuang¡¯s example. He was led astray.¡±

    Upon seeing that it was Jin Long, the workers greeted him with laughter, ¡°Jin Long is back! We know, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Jin Long was quite the gossip. Even when he wasn¡¯t at the factory, he always managed to quickly catch up on what had happened during his absence.

    Jin Long responded with a thumbs-up, rolled up his sleeves, and joined them in their work. By the time they finished, Jin Long¡¯s stomach was growling with hunger. As he entered the dining hall, he saw everyone gathered around, eating and drinking. He immediately joined them, asking, ¡°What are you all eating? Can I have some?¡±

    Though Jin Long held a managerial position, he was known for his affability and knack for getting along well with everyone.

    Everyone was aware that he was single, living alone without anyone to care for him. Therefore, they were always more than happy to share their food and drinks with him, knowing he would never take advantage of their generosity.

    A man accompanying Jin Long to the hall said, ¡°You¡¯ve missed out on the first taste of this delicious dish while you were away. This is braised pork, made by the Lin family. They say it¡¯s Gu Zi¡¯s secret recipe. It¡¯s so fragrant and tasty, it¡¯s divine when paired with a drink!¡±

    After speaking, the man retrieved his lunch box, which still contained some braised pig heart.

    He handed the lunch box over, saying, ¡°Try a piece. I guarantee you¡¯ve never tasted braised pork this good in your life.¡±

    Without any hesitation, Jin Long took a piece and began to chew. A few bites in, he straightened his back, a smile creeping up at the corners of his mouth. He felt as though his soul had been shaken by the taste.

    He took another piece from someone else¡¯s box and asked, ¡°What part of the pig is this? It¡¯s so delicious when braised. The texture is simply amazing!¡±

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    Someone answered him, ¡°Brother Jin Long, you¡¯re not going to believe it, but these are all braised pig offal. This bowl contains pig heart and liver, this one pig lungs, and this one pig intestines. Speaking of which, would you like to try the pig intestines? They¡¯re the best, they even burst with juice, and the soup is incredibly rich.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Jin Long felt a buzz in his head. Of course, his sister-in-law was planning to sell pig offal. So, this was the taste she was going for?

    Holding his chopsticks, his hand trembled slightly as he inexplicably picked up a piece of pig intestine and placed it in his mouth.

    He slowly released his breath, a rich aroma invading his senses. After a few chews, he detected no strange taste. The processed pig intestines were left with only the meaty aroma, which was even more enticing than that of pork. He felt as though his soul had been elevated.

    He was astounded. Pig offal could be this delicious? His sister-in-law must be a fairy! He never imagined there would come a day when he would be conquered by pig offal.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: The Sister-in-law Returns Home

    Chapter 458: The Sister-in-law Returns Home

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Initially, he had thought that this commodity had no market value, to the point that he would have refused it even if it were given to him. Now, he was truly grateful that he hadn¡¯t voiced his earlier thoughts, or else he would have been embarrassingly proven wrong.

    Everyone watched as Jin Long savored his meal, their hearts finally at ease. ¡°Just as I told you, no one can resist this flavor. I¡¯ve never seen Brother Jin Long eat pig offal before, but he made an exception today!¡± They all chatted and laughed, the atmosphere was exceptionally good. Once they had eaten their fill, they resumed their work. After the first pig was slaughtered, Su Shen took it upon himself to separate the best piece of pork belly.

    By the time he and Lin Cheng returned from their delivery, it was already morning. As they passed by his house, he asked Lin Cheng to stop the car, and he got out with the pork belly.

    Just as he reached the entrance, Gu Zi emerged from the house, her eyes filled with surprise. ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re back. Did you come to deliver the meat?¡± She had heard the sound of the car and figured it could only be Su Shen. Her surprise was due to the joy she felt whenever she saw him.

    Su Shen opened the door and handed her the meat. ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to eat crispy roasted pork? This piece is good, so I brought it for you.¡± He was about to leave when Gu Zi stopped him.

    ¡°Hold on, I made the leftover dumplings into pan-fried dumplings this morning. Take some back with you, and also give some to my brother and Jin Long. The factory has been busy lately, so whenever I have time, I¡¯ll make some delicious food. You can either deliver it for me, or I can bring it when I deliver your meals.¡±

    Gu Zi went back into the house to put away the meat and brought out the dumplings. The dumplings filled five lunch boxes, and she struggled a bit to carry them all. Before she could reach the door, the man strode forward and took the lunch boxes from her. Gu Zi looked up at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re so kind, I¡¯m almost embarrassed.¡±

    Su Shen looked at her, his handsome eyebrows slightly raised, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Why are you being polite with me?¡± He turned around with the lunch boxes in his hands and left. Gu Zi watched his retreating figure, her cheeks flushed, her beautiful eyes sparkling with tiny flecks of light. She was truly a sight to behold.

    At that moment, Lele, wearing her little bunny cotton shoes, scampered out with a rhythmic ¡°da da da¡±. In her hand, she held a biscuit, which she lifted as if to feed her mother. Her voice was sweet and childish as she called out, ¡°Mommy, eat, Mommy, eat!¡±

    Upon seeing this, Gu Zi was filled with joy. She picked up Lele, took the biscuit from her hand, and pretended to take a bite. Then she brought it to Lele¡¯s mouth, saying, ¡°Mommy has eaten, now it¡¯s Lele¡¯s turn. Look, even Big Yellow is drooling.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at Big Yellow, who was tied up nearby, watching them with longing eyes.

    Just then, footsteps echoed from outside the courtyard, followed by a knock on the door. A familiar voice called out, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m back. Could you open the door for me?¡±

    No sooner had the words fallen than Big Yellow stood up, barking towards the door. Gu Zi turned to see who it was. It was none other than Su Jing, Su Shen¡¯s younger sister.

    However, unlike her previous empty-handed returns, Su Jing¡¯s hands were now filled with gift boxes. Her face seemed much calmer than before, suggesting she wasn¡¯t here to cause trouble this time.

    Given that Su Jing seemed to have changed, Gu Zi rose to open the door, saying, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Su Jing followed Gu Zi inside. Although her face was calm, there was a hint of lingering sadness in her eyes.

    She had been the one to abandon this home first, blindly following Tian Hai. Now that she had seen Tian Hai¡¯s true colors, she knew she no longer had the right to come and go freely in this home. She knew she had brought this situation upon herself.

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    Once they were both seated, Su Jing took the initiative to speak. ¡°The Festival of Yuan is approaching. This year, I would like to join you in paying respects at the Su family ancestral temple. Could I stay here for a few days? I have no other intentions for coming back, other than to do this.¡±

    Perhaps fearing that Gu Zi would refuse, Su Jing added another sentence.

    Gu Zi looked at her for a while before saying, ¡°Your brother never said you weren¡¯t part of this family. This is your home, of course you can stay. Since I¡¯ve opened the door for you, I¡¯m not afraid of any ulterior motives you might have. Rest for a bit, then go tidy up a room for yourself.¡±

    Gu Zi was still unsure of Su Jing¡¯s current stance, especially since she hadn¡¯t left Tian Hai yet. But Gu Zi was the kind of person who always did what she believed was right.

    At least when it came to her sister-in-law returning home, Gu Zi had no objections. They were all women, who could say which woman no longer had a place in her natal home after getting married? Especially since Su Jing wasn¡¯t even married yet.

 Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Itâ€™s Not Too Late

    Chapter 459: It¡¯s Not Too Late

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A bitter smile graced Su Jing¡¯s lips as she absorbed the words spoken to her. She had been so wrong before, she realized. ¡°No wonder my brother treats you so well,¡± she said. ¡°I finally understand today.¡±

    Initially, Su Jing had thought that Gu Zi had seduced Su Shen with her radiant beauty. She was convinced that Gu Zi had married Su Shen with ulterior motives, agreeing to care for his three children as a means to gain his trust and prepare for whatever she had planned next.

    But these were all assumptions Su Jing had made. Only now did she understand that her brother¡¯s acceptance of Gu Zi was not because of her beauty, but because of who Gu Zi was as a person. Even if Gu Zi wasn¡¯t extraordinarily beautiful, she had a certain allure that could captivate any man.

    There was a unique power within Gu Zi, a power that allowed her to accept things others couldn¡¯t and see advantages others missed.

    That was why she had come to Su Shen¡¯s side ¨C not because she had to, but because she wanted to. She had sincerely accepted his three children, who had no blood relation to her, as if they were her own.

    She would never create imaginary enemies for herself like many women did, especially viewing other women or the vulnerable as adversaries.

    It was only now that Su Jing understood that Gu Zi¡¯s attitude towards her had always been about the situation, not the person. Gu Zi had never considered her an enemy.

    Gu Zi had her own principles and boundaries, a strong sense of self. She could provide her man with a kind of spiritual support. Who wouldn¡¯t be moved by such a woman?

    Even Su Jing, a woman herself, was beginning to be moved. ¡®Thank you, sister-in-law, for your forgiveness,¡¯ she thought, keeping the words to herself.

    Gu Zi shrugged. ¡°Your brother is indeed better at judging people than you are,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. I¡¯m going to bring him lunch later. Would you like to cook a few dishes and come with me? It¡¯s not too late to start treating your brother better.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t make a conscious effort to mend her relationship with Su Jing, her once estranged sister-in-law. She spoke nothing but the truth. The things Su Jing had done before had been truly hurtful, so it was necessary for her to make amends now by doing more for her brother. After all, actions spoke louder than words, didn¡¯t they?

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t insist that Su Jing accompany her, nor was she worried about leaving Su Jing alone at home. She wasn¡¯t concerned about any potential mischief, as the master bedroom she shared with Su Shen was secured with a burglar-proof lock, and all their valuables were stored there.

    A faint smile graced Su Jing¡¯s lips as she listened, suddenly finding her interactions with her sister-in-law, Gu Zi, rather enjoyable. Gu Zi was genuine, and although her words sometimes felt like salt on Su Jing¡¯s wounds, she appreciated the honesty. It was a price she was willing to pay for her past actions.

    Su Jing had a premonition that the words her sister-in-law would speak to her in the coming days would not be pleasant.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Su Jing asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, do we have glutinous rice at home? I could make some fried glutinous rice. My brother used to love it when our mother made it. We were poor back then, and whenever our mother made fried glutinous rice, my brother would ensure that my sister and I ate first. Whatever was left, he would give the larger portion to our mother, only eating a little himself.¡±

    Gu Zi was deeply moved by this. She knew that Su Shen¡¯s actions were born out of a man¡¯s responsibility, and she didn¡¯t need to ask to know that. It was just the kind of thing Su Shen would do.

    She remembered that they did have those ingredients at home. Rising to retrieve the glutinous rice, she took a deep breath. Su Jing followed her, and after Gu Zi brought out the rice, Su Jing scooped some into a ladle to wash it.

    Gu Zi suggested, ¡°Make a large pot of it. We can share it with the workers. They¡¯ve been busy at the factory recently, and there¡¯s a lot of work.¡±

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    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Su Jing scooped a few more cups of glutinous rice and took it to wash and steam in the iron pot.

    Gu Zi busied herself with other dishes, occasionally glancing at Su Jing. She noticed that Su Jing¡¯s housework movements were quite skilled. She must have done a fair amount of cooking in the Tian family.

    However, Gu Zi remembered Su Shen mentioning that Su Jing never had to do any chores at home. She was surprised to see her willingly take on the role of a cook in someone else¡¯s home.

    Perhaps meeting Tian Hai was a part of Su Jing¡¯s growth. Tian Hai was not a good person, but because of him, Su Jing was able to see the truth, rekindle her sibling relationship with Su Shen, and seize the opportunity given by fate.

    Not long ago, she had made fried glutinous rice for Su Shen. It was a common dish, especially among the people in the southeast, nothing extraordinary. But that day, Su Shen had been unusually silent as he ate.

 Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: How Harmonious

    Chapter 460: How Harmonious

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In his outward demeanor, Su Shen always seemed cold and indifferent. Yet, perhaps his inner emotions were more genuine than anyone else¡¯s. How could he not deserve a bowl of glutinous rice from his own younger sister?

    Gu Zi could only hope that this time, Su Jing truly understood, truly held her brother, a man not adept at expressing his feelings, close to her heart.

    Once the glutinous rice was steamed, Su Jing lifted the pot lid, and a fresh aroma of rice filled the entire kitchen.

    She poured the stir-fried diced mushrooms, corn kernels, squid pieces, bamboo shoots, fish cake bits, and fried peanuts into the iron pot, stirring until all the ingredients were evenly mixed with the distinct grains of glutinous rice. She added the seasoning sauce and stirred some more. As a final touch before taking the pot off the stove, she sprinkled a handful of chopped green onions, fully releasing the fragrance at that moment.

    She carefully scooped the glutinous rice into a lunch box, a self-mocking smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. ¡°My brother loves this dish, but I didn¡¯t know how to cook back then. I never made it for him. It wasn¡¯t until I met Tian Hai, who also loved his mother¡¯s fried glutinous rice, that I started learning to cook¡­ for his sake.¡±

    As Su Jing spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. Gu Zi silently handed her a tissue and placed a large aluminum basin next to the iron pot, saying, ¡°Just put the rest of the glutinous rice in here.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know what to say. After all, her relationship with Su Jing had only just started to improve; they were not yet close enough for her to offer heartfelt comfort.

    Gu Zi and Su Jing loaded all the food onto a small cart, not planning to eat at home first. They weren¡¯t very hungry yet, so they decided to eat together at the factory.

    As for the little girl, Gu Zi was still worried about her getting hungry. So, before they left, she made her some formula, handing her the bottle to drink as they walked. By noon, they had just arrived at the pig farm, where everyone was having lunch in the main hall.

    Someone with sharp eyes spotted Gu Zi and her companions from a distance and called out loudly, ¡°Sister-in-law has come to bring food for Brother Shen, hello, sister-in-law¡­ Is this Miss Su Jing? Did you come together?¡±

    This voice attracted everyone¡¯s attention, and they all turned to look in that direction. Indeed, Gu Zi had come with Su Jing. The crowd looked puzzled, and someone quietly asked his wife, ¡°Where did you hear the unreliable news that the Su family¡¯s sisters-in-law are not getting along? Look at them, the sister-in-law is holding the child, and the younger sister is pushing the cart. How harmonious!¡±

    The woman who was asked was also confused, thinking, wasn¡¯t it said not long ago that Su Jing¡¯s man was injured by Su Shen?

    Wasn¡¯t it all because of Gu Zi? When did they become so close? It must be just a superficial phenomenon.

    Before she could figure it out, people around her had already started to praise, ¡°Brother Shen¡¯s family is so harmonious, it¡¯s hard for our factory not to make money. People always say that self-cultivation, family governance, and world peace, Brother Shen is not lacking in any aspect!¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be Brother Shen¡¯s credit alone, our sister-in-law is also very virtuous, right? Only when she manages the house in an orderly manner and stabilizes the rear can our Brother Shen lead us without worries.¡±

    ¡°I think everyone in the Su family is the best, not only Brother Shen is good, sister-in-law is good, our Miss Su Jing is also sensible, she didn¡¯t because of that Tian¡­ Ah, look at me, I really can¡¯t speak, anyway, Miss Su is also good!¡±

    Gu Zi stopped outside the hall and laughed, ¡°You are indeed people who¡¯ve hung around Jin Long a lot, you all know how to speak. Seeing that you are so eloquent, we can¡¯t be without a response. Su Jing made a big pot of fried glutinous rice today, you take it and share it. Consider it an extra dish!¡±

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    The workers and their wives thanked them when they heard this, and a big man carried the pot of glutinous rice out.

    Su Jing watched this scene and felt relieved. She didn¡¯t expect to be praised like this. This was the first time she felt the advantage of family unity.

    At the same time, she also realized how foolish she had been in the past. She is a member of the Su family, she used to be biased towards outsiders, but she couldn¡¯t do that anymore. Not only would she not benefit from it, but she would also become a laughingstock behind her back, which was not worth the loss.

    When Gu Zi and Su Jing arrived at the office, Su Shen was buried in a pile of documents. Gu Zi called him, ¡°Su Shen, your sister and I brought you food. You continue with your work, I will go and deliver food to my brother and Jin Long.¡±

    Gu Zi remembered that Su Shen had said that recently Lin Cheng was learning something with Jin Long, so she could just deliver it to Jin Long¡¯s office, which was located in the staff lounge.

 Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Looks Good

    Chapter 461: Looks Good

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After saying that, Gu Zi gathered her belongings and left, entrusting Lele to Su Jing¡¯s care.

    Su Shen glanced up, watching as Gu Zi¡¯s figure disappeared from sight. His gaze then shifted to Su Jing, his expression calm. ¡°You stay with Lele for a while. Wait for your sister-in-law to return, and then you can all have dinner together.¡±

    Su Jing nodded, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She noticed that Lele was no longer afraid of her as she had been earlier.

    Upon arriving at Jin Long¡¯s office, Gu Zi found Jin Long and Lin Cheng engrossed in a book about animal breeding. Jin Long was explaining something to Lin Cheng with an air of authority, demonstrating a deep understanding of the subject. The rough and tumble man of the past now exuded an unexpected scholarly aura.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t find this particularly strange; after all, Su Shen¡¯s circle was full of hidden talents.

    ¡°Jin Long, Brother, I¡¯ve brought you some food,¡± Gu Zi announced. ¡°This is sticky rice made by Su Jing, and I¡¯ve made sour cabbage stir-fried with pork and tomato scrambled eggs. Make sure you both eat plenty!¡±

    Jin Long accepted the lunch box and placed it on the table, his face breaking into a broad smile. ¡°We¡¯re in for a treat today. Is Su Jing back? I hope nothing untoward happened.¡±

    Lin Cheng also rose to his feet, speaking slowly, ¡°Thank you, Sister. Have you eaten yet?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head. ¡°Of course, nothing happened. I haven¡¯t eaten yet. I¡¯ll go back to eat after delivering this to you. You should start eating while it¡¯s still hot.¡±

    With that, she turned and left. Jin Long couldn¡¯t wait to open the lunch box. He squinted his eyes and shook his head, looking thoroughly pleased, which made Lin Cheng chuckle.

    Gu Zi exited and headed in a different direction, passing by the boiler room. She decided to drop by and check on Aunt Yang, who she found eating outside the boiler room.

    However, Aunt Yang wasn¡¯t alone today. A young boy was sitting next to her, and she was feeding him sticky rice.

    They hadn¡¯t gone to the main hall to eat, presumably because someone had brought food to them. After the incident with Ah Zhuang, everyone had learned their lesson. No one held any resentment towards Aunt Yang anymore, and they even appeared to take care of her to some extent.

    Gu Zi watched as the young boy prepared to leave, but then he suddenly turned his head and saw her.

    He shook his grandmother gently, exclaiming, ¡°Look, Old Thing! It¡¯s the pretty lady who sells pastries!¡±

    Upon hearing the boy¡¯s disrespectful address to his grandmother, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but frown. She understood it was due to his mother¡¯s influence that he addressed his grandmother in such a manner, but it was still unpleasant to hear.

    When Aunt Yang saw G u Zi approaching, she quickly stood up to greet her. Despite Gu Zi¡¯s kindness towards her, she was reluctant to impose on her.

    ¡°Gu Zi, what brings you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Yuan Yuan¡¯s mother had some business to attend to, so she asked me to look after him for a few days. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let it interfere with my work. I¡¯ve already discussed it with Jin Long.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°You should feed the child first. You still need to eat too. I just happened to see you here. I¡¯m not suggesting you shouldn¡¯t be looking after him. Just be careful not to scald him in the boiler room. What happened to his mother that she asked you to look after him for a few days?¡± Gu Zi had a feeling there was more to the story.

    Aunt Yang sat down to feed Yuan Yuan, explaining, ¡°His mother dropped him off early this morning, saying she wasn¡¯t feeling well and needed to see a doctor. She asked me to look after him for a while. I suspect it might be for more than just a few days.¡±

    Aunt Yang knew that when her daughter-in-law left the child with her, it was usually for more than a day or two. Still, she cared deeply for her grandson and kept him close, regardless of whether her daughter-in-law was genuinely ill or not.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t press the issue further. Before leaving, she squatted down to Yuan Yuan¡¯s level and said, ¡°You can¡¯t call your grandmother ¡®old thing¡¯, okay? That¡¯s not right.

    ¡°If you promise not to call her that, come find me after you finish eating. I¡¯ll let my Lele play with you and give you something tasty to eat. How does that sound?¡±

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    At the mention of play and food, Yuan Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up. He nodded vigorously at Gu Zi, then turned to his grandmother, calling out to her excitedly.

    Aunt Yang was delighted by this and thanked Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re so kind. Thank you, Gu Zi!¡±

    Gu Zi patted Yuan Yuan¡¯s head, smiling, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. This child is clever and likable. With the right guidance, he¡¯ll surely grow up to be a good boy. Now, you two enjoy your meal. I should go eat as well.¡±

    When Gu Zi returned to her office, Su Jing had already laid out the food. Each dish was covered to retain its warmth, so when she lifted the lids, steam billowed out.

    Su Shen served Gu Zi a piece of pickled cabbage and pork before starting his own meal. Upon tasting the first bite, he paused. This wasn¡¯t Gu Zi¡¯s cooking. Could it be Su Jing¡¯s?

 Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Contribution to the Family

    Chapter 462: Contribution to the Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing said, ¡°Brother, this is the stir-fried glutinous rice I made. It might not be as tasty as the one your wife makes, but I plan to stay at home for a few days until the Festival of Xia Yuan. I intend to take over the kitchen. I promise not to freeload. I will contribute to the household and help your wife so she won¡¯t be so tired.¡±

    Su Shen observed his sister¡¯s transformation. His face didn¡¯t show any obvious delight, but he said in a deep voice, ¡°Your current mindset is commendable. You¡¯re beginning to act like a member of the Su family.¡±

    Gu Zi wanted to laugh at his old cadre-like statement, but she gave her husband face and held it in.

    After dinner, Yuan Yuan ran to Su Shen¡¯s office to find Gu Zi.

    At that moment, Su Shen had stepped out for some business, leaving only Gu Zi, Su Jing, and Lele in the office. Gu Zi waved to Yuan Yuan, ¡°Come here, Yuan Yuan. This is Lele. I told you about her just now.¡±

    Yuan Yuan entered from the door and looked at Lele, ¡°Little Sister Lele, I¡¯m Yuan Yuan, your new friend! How old are you?¡± It was evident that Yuan Yuan was a sociable little fellow, not flustered at all even when facing Gu Zi alone.

    Gu Zi answered for Lele, ¡°Lele is just over two years old. She¡¯s not very good at talking yet. You¡¯re the big brother, so if you talk to her more, she¡¯ll start talking to you!¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi put Lele down on the floor. Lele didn¡¯t say anything, but her eyes were fixed on the little brother, her chubby little hand reaching up to touch his face.

    Seeing her like this, Yuan Yuan laughed heartily and said to Gu Zi, ¡°Pretty auntie, little sister is so silly!¡±

    Gu Zi pulled out two White Rabbit candies from her pocket, handed one to Yuan Yuan, and corrected him, ¡°Little sister is not silly, she¡¯s just young. Here, have this candy, and let¡¯s not call little sister silly anymore, okay?¡±

    Yuan Yuan happily accepted it, nodding vigorously. He unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth, savoring the sweetness. It was wonderful.

    Gu Zi spent the afternoon playing with Lele and Yuan Yuan. At first, Su Jing was not used to taking care of children, as she had never done it before.

    But as the atmosphere grew more lively, she joined in, playing in the sand with the children in front of the office. By the end, both Su Jing and Gu Zi had sand in their hair.

    Su Jing was speechless, ¡°Sister-in-law, you seem quite smart, but why do you act so wild when playing with children? I almost forgot that you¡¯re only eighteen, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re much younger than me, so it¡¯s normal for you to be playful.¡±

    Gu Zi, holding Yuan Yuan with one hand and Lele with the other, smiled brightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to contribute to the household? You weren¡¯t just saying that to impress your brother, were you?¡±

    Su Jing retied her sandy hair and frowned slightly, ¡°Playing in the sand with these two little ones, does that count as contributing?¡±

    She was past the age of playing, wasn¡¯t she? Although, she had to admit, she felt quite happy. It had been many years since she had felt as joyful as she did that afternoon.

    With a shrug of her shoulders, Gu Zi handed Su Le over to Su Jing, taking Yuan Yuan by the hand and leading him towards the boiler room. She had to return home, and her first task was to deliver the young boy back to Aunt Yang.

    Upon seeing her mother and older brother depart, leaving her behind, Su Le turned her gaze to Su Jing, who was holding her. Her lips puckered and she let out a wail, tears streaming down her face.

    Su Jing, left to console the little one, felt a sense of helplessness. ¡°Am I really that bothersome to you?¡± she asked, her voice filled with a mix of exasperation and affection.

    Meanwhile, Su Bing and Su Li had returned home from school. Ever since they had gotten their bicycles, their journey home had become significantly quicker.

    Upon entering the house, the brothers noticed several gift boxes arranged on the sofa. Su Li, driven by curiosity, asked, ¡°Brother, did we have visitors?¡±

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    Su Bing merely glanced at the boxes, showing no particular interest, nor did he share Su Li¡¯s curiosity to rummage through them. He took Su Li¡¯s school bag, searching for his homework book. ¡°I just got home too, I don¡¯t know. Stop looking and start on your homework,¡± he instructed.

    Su Li lifted his head from the pile of gift boxes, a smug look on his face. He raised an eyebrow at his older brother, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re underestimating me. I¡¯ve already finished today¡¯s homework at school. I don¡¯t have any left. Wow, brother, this looks like a golden retriever plush toy, I¡¯ve wanted one for so long!¡±

    As he spoke the last sentence, the volume of Su Li¡¯s voice noticeably increased.

    Finding his brother a bit noisy, Su Bing symbolically plugged his ears with his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s good, keep it up and finish your homework at school,¡± he said.

    As for the golden retriever toy, Su Bing was speechless. He had no idea where his younger brother had heard of such a thing, as he had never heard of it himself.

 Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: The Tyrant Pigeon

    Chapter 463: The Tyrant Pigeon

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li continued on the topic of the toy, pleading, ¡°Brother, I really want to see if it¡¯s a golden retriever toy. Can I take it out and look? I won¡¯t break it.¡± His words were accompanied by a gaze that was fixed intently on the gift box, as if he intended to see through it.

    Su Bing¡¯s face was stern as he rejected his brother¡¯s inappropriate request. ¡°We don¡¯t know who it belongs to, and we have no right to touch it. You always talk about mom, but you seem to forget the rules she taught us so quickly.¡±

    Su Li pouted, disgruntled. If he couldn¡¯t look, then so be it. What was the big deal? He left the living room and headed into the yard, grabbing a handful of dried corn kernels as he made his way to the pigeon cage.

    As soon as he entered the pigeon cage, the pigeons seemed to know that food was coming. They all flew down, and he placed the dried corn kernels into the feeder. The pigeons all flocked to eat.

    Having fed the pigeons in one cage, Su Li grabbed another handful of dried corn kernels and entered a second pigeon cage. He also put the corn kernels into the feeder, and the pigeons all gathered around.

    However, the atmosphere here was not as harmonious as in the first cage. Here, a robust pigeon reigned supreme. It didn¡¯t eat peacefully but pecked at the other pigeons, causing them to scatter around the feeder. It chased them relentlessly until they were too afraid to approach the feeder. Only then did it stop its bullying behavior and began to eat alone.

    Su Li was displeased by this sight. He pointed at the tyrant pigeon and scolded, ¡°How can you be so unsociable and unkind, eating alone like this? It¡¯s too much! Next time we have roast pigeon, we¡¯ll eat you!¡±

    The tyrant pigeon seemed to understand Su Li¡¯s words. It suddenly stopped eating, raised its head to look at Su Li, and then nodded, making a pitiful ¡°coo¡± sound.

    The other pigeons then resumed eating, and the tyrant pigeon nodded at Su Li again before joining them in eating.

    Su Li left the pigeon cage satisfied. He believed that the tyrant pigeon had just apologized to its companions and even bowed to him. Yes, from now on, it would no longer be the tyrant pigeon, but a gentleman pigeon that knew how to correct its mistakes!

    When Su Li returned, his older brother Su Bing was in the bathroom washing their clothes. Su Li squatted in front of him and began to recount the story of the tyrant pigeon¡¯s transformation into a gentleman pigeon.

    ¡°Brother, the tyrant pigeon must have realized its mistake, so it corrected its behavior in time. I was also wrong earlier when I wanted to look at someone else¡¯s things without their permission. Brother, I know I was wrong!¡±

    Su Li rolled up his sleeves, ready to help his brother with the chores. Su Bing wrung out the washed clothes and put them into a small basin next to him. He looked up at Su Li and said, ¡°As long as you understand, that¡¯s enough. Let me handle this. If you really want to help, go clean up the yard.¡±

    Immediately, Su Li rose from his seat and stepped outside to sweep the yard. No sooner had he stepped out than he saw his parents returning home. He ran towards them, throwing his arms around his mother. ¡°Mom, I just fed the pigeons. Do you know what happened? There was a king pigeon¡­¡± He began to recount the story of the king pigeon once again.

    Suddenly, Su Shen, his father, reached out with an unyielding hand, gripping his son¡¯s clothing and pulling him away. Just as Su Li was about to protest, his gaze fell upon his aunt, Su Jing. He rubbed his eyes, confirming her presence once more, before darting forward to snatch his little sister from his aunt¡¯s arms. His mouth hung open in fear, worried that his aunt might do something harmful to his sister.

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    Although their aunt was not particularly kind and had no desire to take care of them, she had never inflicted any substantial harm on the siblings. However, her lack of interest in their well-being was well-known. Now, seeing her holding his sister and appearing to be quite content, he was certain something was amiss.

    Su Jing noticed her nephew¡¯s guarded demeanor and a flicker of embarrassment crossed her face. Who was to blame for this? It was her own past misdeeds. She knew she had to take things slowly. As long as she started treating her nephews well from now on, they would surely change their opinion of her.

    Once the family had entered the house, Su Jing began to unwrap a gift box that had been placed on the sofa. She pulled out a golden retriever plush toy and handed it to Su Li. ¡°This is a gift your aunt bought for you,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here until after the Yuan Festival. I hope I won¡¯t be too much of a bother.¡±

    Su Li stared at Su Jing as if she were a strange creature, hesitating to reach out and accept the gift. It was only then that he realized his aunt was capable of speaking kindly.

    Could it be that she had actually bought these gifts, including the golden retriever toy? How did she know he liked that particular toy?

 Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Washing Hair

    Chapter 464: Washing Hair

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing Su Li in a daze, Su Jing smiled and placed the toy next to him. She shook her head, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su Li. I¡¯ve always known what you all like, but I never really paid attention to it before. I hope it¡¯s not too late for me to make it up to you now.¡±

    She knew that Su Shen loved fried glutinous rice, and she knew that Su Li wanted a toy. However, she had never acted on this knowledge before.

    When Su Bing emerged, Su Jing handed him his gift. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you like, Su Bing, so I got you a toy as well. It¡¯s also a plush toy of a golden retriever.¡±

    Su Bing glanced at Gu Zi, then accepted the toy, politely saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    His tone was formal and distant, but at least he accepted the gift. Su Jing thought that was good enough. She could see that since Gu Zi¡¯s arrival, not only had her icy brother Su Shen changed, but even this gloomy Su Bing seemed to have warmed up a bit.

    Su Jing then distributed the rest of the gifts she had brought. For Su Shen and Gu Zi, she had chosen thin woolen scarves. The patterns suggested they were a couple¡¯s set, with Su Shen¡¯s being blue-striped and Gu Zi¡¯s being red-striped.

    Gu Zi tried hers on, the bright red color making her face as radiant as a blooming flower. It was clear that Su Jing had put thought into choosing the gifts.

    For Lele, she had chosen a doll. The doll had golden curls, wore a floral beret, and a small floral dress. Its eyes were big, its eyelashes long and curled. If you moved it, it would blink, and if you patted its belly, it would call out for its mom and dad and giggle. Lele was smitten with the doll.

    In the evening, Gu Zi planned to roast crispy pork belly. She set up the clay oven, stoked a large fire, and placed the marinated pork belly inside to roast. The other dishes were taken care of by Su Jing, which allowed Gu Zi to relax a bit.

    With the two brothers looking after Lele, she planned to go upstairs to wash her hair. Her hair was full of sand from playing, which was fun at the time but was now rather uncomfortable.

    As she opened the door to enter, she bumped into Su Shen. ¡°Su Shen,¡± she said, ¡°I need to wash my hair. It¡¯s full of sand.¡±

    Gu Zi knew that Su Shen was tall, but for some reason, each time she found herself close to him, he seemed to tower over her even more. His handsome facial features exuded a strong masculine aura that left her mouth dry and her tongue parched, instinctively prompting her to moisten her own lips.

    At this moment, she did just that, her tongue lightly grazing her upper lip, which surprisingly tasted a hint of sweetness.

    Su Shen looked down at her, his arm wrapped around her waist. Her bright eyes and pearly white teeth, the fragrant scent emanating from her neck, and the unconscious act of her licking her lips made her appear as enticing as a playful fox. Her petal-like red lips were irresistible, making him yearn to lean in, to taste, to bite, to suck. He felt this urge, and in the next moment, he did just that.

    The man closed his eyes, his hand holding the back of her neck, his nose rubbing against hers. Their breaths mingled lightly, and then he opened his mouth to kiss her lips, lingering on the spot where her tongue had just grazed, causing her to moan softly. After the kiss, Gu Zi felt as if all her energy had been drained, her legs weak.

    Su Shen, still holding her waist, spoke in a doting tone, ¡°I¡¯ll wash your hair for you. You just tell me how to do it, and I¡¯ll follow your instructions. I won¡¯t let you exert yourself.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded. It was he who had left her so drained, so it was only right that he should wash her hair. She would not refuse his offer.

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    During the hair wash, Gu Zi found herself extremely comfortable. She had just learned that the bathtub Su Shen had bought came with a lifting platform. All she had to do was raise the platform, lie on it, and enjoy someone else washing her hair.

    When Su Shen applied the shampoo to her hair, Gu Zi began to instruct him verbally, ¡°Curve your fingers slightly, use the tips of all ten fingers to start from the front hairline, moving over the top of the head towards the back hairline. Repeat this process thirty times, then use your fingers to press and relax the scalp starting from the forehead¡­¡±

    Su Shen knew that this woman was meticulous. He followed her instructions, adjusting his strength attentively until her hair was thoroughly cleaned. Su Shen then said, ¡°Can I wash your hair from now on?¡±

    Washing her hair seemed to be a form of enjoyment for Su Shen. He didn¡¯t mind doing it for her in the future.

    Gu Zi felt his large hand drying her hair, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, just right. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it comfortably, ¡°If you have time, sure. After all, you are my husband. Is this the first time you¡¯re washing a woman¡¯s hair?¡±

 Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Eating Frozen Pears

    Chapter 465: Eating Frozen Pears

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen responded briefly, ¡°Yes.¡± Not only was this his first time washing a woman¡¯s hair, but it was also his first time serving a woman with such meticulous care.

    Gu Zi, with her arms wrapped affectionately around his neck, cooed, ¡°My husband is indeed amazing. To do so well on your first try, it¡¯s fantastic!¡± Su Shen felt a sweet warmth spread through his heart at her praise, his mood delightfully uplifted.

    That evening, the crispy roast meat was highly praised at dinner. However, because it was night, Gu Zi strictly controlled the amount of meat each family member consumed. Each adult was allowed eight pieces of crispy roast meat, the two boys were given five pieces each, and little Lele was given just two pieces, not a piece more.

    This resulted in Su Bing and Su Li eating half a bowl less of rice that night. The dinner table wasn¡¯t only adorned with crispy roast meat; Su Jing had also prepared three other dishes. However, the taste was mediocre.

    Su Bing and the others had their palates spoiled by their mother¡¯s excellent cooking skills. Naturally, they found their aunt¡¯s dishes less appetizing, leading to them eating less.

    However, Su Bing was happy to have his aunt cook for a few days. This way, his mother could have more time to rest, which was also quite nice. So, when Su Li wanted to express his dissatisfaction with the taste of the dishes, Su Bing silenced him with a single glance.

    In the following days, Gu Zi was completely at leisure. Su Jing took over the kitchen for all three meals, morning, noon, and night. Su Jing was happy to cook, and Gu Zi was happy to rest.

    However, Su Li found these days particularly hard to bear. On his way home from school, he counted the days and suddenly raised an eyebrow in surprise, exclaiming, ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t tomorrow the Festival of Xia Yuan?¡±

    Su Bing, eyes on the road ahead as he rode his bike, replied, ¡°The village has been preparing for the festival these past few days, so it should be tomorrow. Focus on your cycling and watch the road.¡±

    At the Su residence, Gu Zi prepared a delightful mixture of yogurt and fruit, intending it to serve as a sweet appetizer before dinner. Once she had finished preparing the dish, she placed it in the refrigerator. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with joy as she remembered the frozen pears she had placed in the refrigerator the previous night to thaw.

    The frozen pears, which she had taken out to thaw the previous night, would be perfect for Su Li to eat once he returned from school. She almost forgot about this!

    Su Jing had just finished cleaning the yard and was about to rest before preparing dinner. As she entered the living room, she noticed several dark, soft fruits on the coffee table. She couldn¡¯t identify the fruit, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Sister-in-law, what is this?¡± she asked.

    Gu Zi was busy preparing milk powder for Su Le and didn¡¯t turn around. She knew that those unfamiliar with frozen pears would find their appearance unappealing. ¡°These are frozen pears, and they¡¯re delicious. I made them especially for Su Li. Once they¡¯re back, you can try one. But remember, there¡¯s a limit of one per person.¡±

    Sitting on the sofa and munching on a biscuit, Su Jing¡¯s gaze fell back on the frozen pears. She couldn¡¯t help but grimace. How could this fruit, which looked like a spoiled pear, be delicious? And why was there a limit?

    Su Jing internally scoffed at the idea of trying such an unattractive food item, which looked as if it had gone bad. However, her disdain was quickly silenced after she tasted the juice of the frozen pear.

    Not long after, Su Bing and Su Li arrived home and, like Su Jing, fell into contemplation at the sight of the dark objects on the table.

    When Gu Zi told Su Li that these were the frozen pears he had been wanting to try, Su Li suddenly remembered, ¡°Oh yes, my classmate also said that it doesn¡¯t look appetizing, but once you try it, you¡¯ll be hooked!¡±

    With his appetite restored, Su Li began to jog in place, visibly excited. Gu Zi handed him a frozen pear, and everyone else took one for themselves. Holding up her pear as an example, Gu Zi instructed, ¡°Bite a small hole here, drink the juice inside, then peel off the skin and eat the flesh. That¡¯s how you eat it.¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi took the lead and began to eat. The sweet, cool pear juice flowed down her throat, leaving a lingering, refreshing sensation.

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    It had been a long time since Gu Zi had tasted this flavor. If it weren¡¯t for Su Li¡¯s suggestion, she wouldn¡¯t have thought to prepare frozen pears. Having a son with good taste wasn¡¯t so bad after all!

    The others were also won over by the refreshing pear juice. It seemed to be a completely new culinary experience. After drinking the juice, the fruit flesh beneath the brown skin was soft, sweet, and sour ¨C absolutely delicious.

    Most importantly, after eating, they felt as if their lungs had been thoroughly cleansed, and they felt refreshed. Eating pears in autumn and winter was customary, but this way of eating pears was a first.

    Su Li was delighted, ¡°Although I¡¯ve never seen snow, I¡¯ve tasted frozen pears! Thank you, mom!¡±

    Su Jing was also very happy. She felt that Gu Zi had a kind of magic, able to bring joy and pleasure to those around her through food. It turned out that food really could bring people joy!

 Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Call Su Jing Out

    Chapter 466: Call Su Jing Out

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a radiant smile, Gu Zi said, ¡°Save this for your father to enjoy. I¡¯ll fetch a couple of partially thawed frozen pears from the fridge and prepare them in a different way for you.¡±

    Gu Zi moved towards the refrigerator and retrieved two frozen pears. She then proceeded to the kitchen, peeled the fruits, sliced them into thin pieces, and chopped them finely. She added a handful of raisins for garnish, and just like that, a plate of frozen pear granita was ready.

    Gu Zi divided the pear granita into several small portions and served them to the eager tasters. Each one savored the dish with evident delight. Su Bing commented, ¡°This preparation tastes even better.¡± He relished the icy texture and the lingering sweetness.

    However, little Lele was rather pitiful. Gu Zi had only allowed her to taste a bit of the pear juice earlier, and now, due to the granita¡¯s icy nature, Gu Zi was hesitant to let her have any, fearing it might upset her stomach.

    Lele alternated between glancing at Gu Zi, Su Jing, and her two brothers. Her emotions finally reached a breaking point, and tears of disappointment welled up in her eyes.

    Everyone had initially found the situation somewhat amusing, but seeing the little girl¡¯s flushed face and her pitiful expression, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

    Gu Zi set down the granita and scooped up the little girl, feigning annoyance as she declared, ¡°If they won¡¯t let Lele eat, then Mommy won¡¯t eat either. Let¡¯s go play with Big Yellow instead!¡±

    With that, Gu Zi carried the little girl outside, where Big Yellow managed to cheer her up after a while. Only then did Lele¡¯s smile return.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to re-enter the house, a commotion arose from outside. Upon seeing the source, Gu Zi confirmed her earlier suspicions.

    Su Jing had returned, likely from the Tian family¡¯s place. Given the current tensions between the two families, Su Jing¡¯s relationship with the Tians was hardly any better. And sure enough, the Tians had followed her home, causing a ruckish scene much sooner than Gu Zi had anticipated.

    Gu Zi confronted Mother Tian, asking, ¡°What are you here for?¡±

    Having interacted with Gu Zi before, Mother Tian had a basic understanding of her. She knew Gu Zi was not someone to be trifled with, but she had come with a purpose today ¨C to take Su Jing back with her. After all, Su Jing had been living off the Tian family, and she couldn¡¯t just freeload forever.

    Mother Tian believed that on such an important day as the Festival of Xia Yuan, Su Jing should be at the Tian¡¯s, serving her son, Tian Hai. She said to Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re Su Jing¡¯s sister-in-law, right? I won¡¯t bother you. Just call Su Jing out. I need to speak with her.¡±

    Without further ado, Gu Zi called for Su Jing. After all, this was an issue between Su Jing and the Tian family, and it was only right that they should be the ones to resolve it.

    Su Jing emerged, her voice laced with cold sarcasm. ¡°Aunt Tian, save your breath. I won¡¯t be joining you in paying respects to your ancestors. I haven¡¯t even married into your family yet, it¡¯s not my place to do so.¡±

    In truth, Su Jing¡¯s decision to return home for the ancestral rites was influenced by the Tian family. Mother Tian had insisted she participate in their family¡¯s ancestral rites, a request she was naturally disinclined to fulfill. She had no intention of marrying Tian Hai at this point. The only reason she hadn¡¯t left yet was that she had unfinished business.

    This issue had caused a significant rift between her and Mother Tian, prompting her to return to the Su family home ahead of schedule. What she hadn¡¯t anticipated was Mother Tian following her.

    Mother Tian, however, was not one to back down easily. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it your place? You¡¯re going to marry my son, so this year you must fulfill this duty. Come out and return with me, we¡¯ll discuss this back home!¡±

    Mother Tian believed that Su Jing still intended to marry her son. Otherwise, why would she stubbornly remain in the Tian household? If she still wished to become a daughter-in-law of the Tian family, she would have to listen to her future mother-in-law!

    Su Jing stepped outside, a smile playing on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to come out. But I don¡¯t think the Tian family has the guts to step foot in Su territory. I won¡¯t be returning with you today. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be attending the Su family ancestral rites. Once the ceremony is over, I¡¯ll naturally return. After all, the Tian family has spent so much money on me, would it be right for me not to return?¡±

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    Mother Tian was taken aback by Su Jing¡¯s blatant disrespect in front of others. She had come all this way to bring Su Jing back, and this was the attitude she received in return?

    Fine, once this woman stepped into her house, she would assume the role of a mother-in-law and teach her a lesson, making it clear who truly held power in the Tian family!

    Mother Tian, having made up her mind, decided not to say more. She turned to Su Jing and said, ¡°Su Jing, I¡¯ll ask you one more time, and this is also a question from Tian Hai, will you come back with me now?¡±

    Su Jing tilted her chin up, her hand idly playing with her ear, exuding an air of calm. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, I¡¯m not going back today. Aunt Tian, you might want to get your hearing checked.¡±

    Mother Tian¡¯s face turned beet red with anger. She wanted to curse, but held back due to Gu Zi¡¯s presence. Finally, she spat out one last sentence, ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t come with me today, then don¡¯t bother coming back to my house. Stay in your Su family home, continue being an old maid who can¡¯t get married¡­¡±

 Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: For Revenge

    Chapter 467: For Revenge

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing paid her no mind. Upon entering, she shut the door behind her and walked further in, turning to Gu Zi and said, ¡°Come inside, sister-in-law. Everything that needed to be said has been clarified.¡±

    Gu Zi, of course, didn¡¯t utter another word and followed suit, stepping inside. Seeing the two women, one after the other, enter the house, with Su Jing showing no signs of intimidation from her threats, Mrs. Tian was left trembling with rage. She cursed under her breath and stormed off.

    Inside the house, Gu Zi glanced outside before turning to Su Jing with a curious expression. ¡°Are you really not planning on returning to the Tian family?¡± she asked.

    Gu Zi was perplexed by the situation. Su Jing¡¯s current demeanor clearly indicated a bias towards her maternal family, yet she hadn¡¯t left the Tian family. Even the release of Tian Hai and Mr. Tian from prison was due to Su Jing¡¯s plea to Su Shen.

    Su Jing, her face devoid of any expression, murmured, ¡°Return? Of course, I will return. Her words mean nothing. Now, the Tian family is under my control. I have people there to serve me, and even if they are reluctant, they have no choice but to do so.

    ¡°The day they refuse to cook, I¡¯ll simply go to a restaurant, spend money, and shop. It¡¯s wonderful! Seeing me spend money will hurt them, and naturally, they will start cooking properly.¡±

    It was only now that Su Jing realized the money Su Shen spent on her wasn¡¯t meant to subsidize the Tian family¡¯s household expenses. She shouldn¡¯t have used it that way. That money was her backbone, given to her by her maternal family, to allow her to stand tall and live her life.

    Tian Hai had dragged her along for so long, wasting her prime years and causing physical harm. Even if she couldn¡¯t recover everything with interest now, she wouldn¡¯t let the Tian family have it easy.

    Now that Tian Hai was in a hurry to get married, it was her turn to drag him along. The Su family¡¯s money couldn¡¯t have been spent in vain supporting the Tian family for all these years. Moreover, the fact that Tian Hai and his father were released from prison was entirely due to her efforts.

    Su Jing had thought about it. What was the point of letting them rot in prison? That wasn¡¯t the most interesting form of revenge. It would only add a massive burden to Mrs. Tian, a foolish woman. Mrs. Tian was not innocent, but this burden shouldn¡¯t be borne by her alone. None of the Tian family members, father, son, or mother, should be allowed to escape.

    Gu Zi watched as Su Jing¡¯s gaze gradually turned icy, sending a chill down her spine. She stared at Su Jing for a while before shifting her gaze to the eldest son.

    She remembered the first time she met the eldest son, his eyes were just like Su Jing¡¯s now, dark and chilling, instilling fear deep within her. They truly were a family!

    Gu Zi now understood. Su Jing¡¯s decision to stay with the Tian family was likely driven by a desire for revenge, not because she still had feelings for Tian Hai, the scoundrel.

    Taking a deep breath, Gu Zi spoke softly, ¡°If you believe this will bring you satisfaction, I won¡¯t discourage you. However, I do think it¡¯s a waste of time to engage with such a lowlife. Think it over carefully. By the way, let¡¯s have Four Joy Meatballs for dinner tonight. I¡¯ll be counting on you, sister-in-law!¡±

    Su Jing smirked, ¡°You really know how to play the innocent. No wonder you have my brother wrapped around your finger.¡± With that, she rose and headed to the kitchen. Despite her words, she followed Gu Zi¡¯s suggestion and began preparing the Four Joy Meatballs, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

    The following day, while it was still dark outside, Gu Zi was already up and about. After freshening up, she went to wake Su Jing, only to find activity downstairs. Descending the stairs, she discovered that Su Jing was also awake, and had risen even earlier than her.

    ¡°I may not have overseen a memorial ceremony before,¡± Su Jing admitted, ¡°but I¡¯ve seen the villagers do it. I know the customs.¡±

    Su Shen was still busy at the factory and hadn¡¯t returned yet. The time for the formal memorial ceremony was approaching, so the responsibility naturally fell on the two sisters-in-law. They had a busy day ahead.

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    First, they had to make over two hundred hollow fried sesame balls. Then, they had to package a large quantity of prepared cookies, candies, and fruits. Finally, they had to prepare six main dishes for the memorial ceremony, three meat and three vegetable dishes.

    When Gu Zi came downstairs, she found Su Jing had already moved a large bag of glutinous rice flour to the kitchen and was about to dissolve some sugar in water. Seeing her method, Gu Zi quickly stopped her from pouring cold water into the sugar. ¡°Is this your first time making sesame balls? You don¡¯t use cold water to dissolve sugar. You should use hot water. Sesame balls made with sugar dissolved in cold water tend to burst open.¡±

    Su Jing put down the water ladle, looking surprised. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve always used cold water. Should I be using hot water?¡±

    Touching the back of her head, Su Jing looked a bit sheepish. She remembered that many of the sesame balls she had made at the Tian family¡¯s house had indeed burst open. The first time she made them, the sesame balls had exploded as soon as they hit the hot oil.

    Su Jing could still vividly recall the scene. The sesame balls in the pot had shot out like bullets, spraying the ceiling and walls and creating chaos in the kitchen. She had received a harsh scolding from Tian Hai¡¯s mother.

 Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: Fried Sesame Balls

    Chapter 468: Fried Sesame Balls

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ever since Su Jing made sesame balls for the first time, she had avoided making deep-fried food for quite a while. She valued her health more than anything and, being well-off, she preferred buying ready-made food. Now, she found herself wishing she had a sister-in-law earlier!

    Gu Zi brought over the household¡¯s kettles. Handing them to Su Jing, she began to pour hot water into the sugar. The quantity they were making today was large, so the need for hot water was substantial. Soon, both kettles were emptied.

    Gu Zi quickly lit another stove to heat more water. Simultaneously, she shared with Su Jing the art of making sesame balls. This was a dish every household could make; the key was not the recipe but the technique.

    ¡°The first point I¡¯ve already mentioned,¡± she said. ¡°The second thing to remember is to press the sesame seeds onto the balls after they are coated. This ensures the seeds adhere firmly to the dough, preventing them from falling off during frying. The finished product, covered entirely in white sesame seeds, is more appealing this way.

    ¡°The third point is to drop the dough into the oil at a low temperature. This prevents the balls from bursting suddenly. Also, remember to shape the dough again before frying. If it¡¯s dropped directly into the pot, the part touching the bottom will burn, resulting in uneven coloration and affecting the aesthetic appeal.

    ¡°Lastly, don¡¯t rush after the dough is in the pot. Maintain a low flame and wait for the dough to slowly rise. Gently stir it with a spoon to ensure even heat distribution. This process takes about ten minutes. When the dough has expanded to twice its original size, you can increase the heat to set its shape. Keep these points in mind; you¡¯ll try the first batch.¡±

    Today¡¯s task of frying sesame balls was a big one, promising a busy morning. With two of them, they could alternate shifts, making the work easier. Gu Zi would fry one batch, and Su Jing the next. This way, they wouldn¡¯t have to work continuously, which could be quite exhausting.

    Su Jing nodded, following Gu Zi¡¯s guidance, she mixed baking powder into the glutinous rice flour in equal proportions. Together, they stirred the flour into a smooth mixture using hot sugar water, finally kneading it into two large balls of glutinous rice dough.

    Gu Zi brought two bowls, one filled halfway with water, the other with white sesame seeds.

    Su Jing began to portion out the dough, and once she had made twenty sesame balls, she started to dip each one into the water, then rolled them in the sesame seeds. After all twenty balls were coated in sesame and left to dry for a while, they were ready to be fried.

    Following Gu Zi¡¯s instructions, Su Jing¡¯s first batch of sesame balls turned out perfectly round and plump, golden and crispy. Su Jing felt a great sense of accomplishment.

    Gu Zi picked up one, pressed it down and tore it open. The outer skin was crispy, the inner layer soft and chewy, and the center was perfectly hollow. She put a piece in her mouth, the aroma of sesame and oil instantly spread in her mouth, satisfying her with just one bite. ¡°If these were made bigger, they could be used as play balls.¡±

    After Gu Zi finished eating, she allowed Su Jing to eat some to fill her stomach, then Gu Zi took over the frying of the sesame balls.

    The sesame balls she fried were even more beautiful than the ones Su Jing made. Su Jing found it amazing, ¡°Sister-in-law, even though we followed the same steps, why are yours more beautiful?¡±

    Gu Zi smiled brightly, the fatigue from the early morning already gone, ¡°It¡¯s probably because practice makes perfect. Since I¡¯ve done it more, it¡¯s naturally smoother.¡± The two women worked together, and by four o¡¯clock, more than two hundred sesame balls were ready.

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    Gu Zi took three sesame balls to the front door and placed them there, then lit three sticks of incense to honor the gods, a ritual known as ¡°fasting the heavens.¡±

    As for the remaining sesame balls, they were all packed up to be taken to the ancestral hall along with cookies and candies. A small portion was used to worship the ancestors along with three types of meat and three types of vegetables.

    The rest of the food was placed on the table in the ancestral hall for blessings. During the worship, those who came to worship could take and eat it, known as ¡°surplus blessings.¡± It was said that eating it could bring good luck, but in reality, it was to attract more villagers to worship, ensuring the prosperity of the ancestral hall. With more people, the place would naturally thrive.

    Although there were three villages, they all shared the same customs. Even though many of them were immigrants and did not have the surname Su, the ancestral hall was always presided over by the most influential family in the village, which was now the Su family. In order to befriend this influential family, people would actively come to worship.

    By five o¡¯clock, Gu Zi and Su Jing had almost finished packing everything. At this time, Su Bing and Su Li also got up, washed up and came downstairs. They took over the final packing work, freeing up the two adults to go to the kitchen to prepare the three meats and three vegetables.

 Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Worship

    Chapter 469: Worship

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Su family¡¯s preparations for this year¡¯s festival included three meat dishes: braised pig¡¯s head, white-cut whole chicken, and steamed whole fish. The three vegetarian dishes were scallion tofu, leek sprouts, and boiled seasonal vegetables.

    With just two people in the kitchen, the six dishes were prepared efficiently. As soon as the cooking was completed, a commotion arose outside. Su Bing went to answer the door, welcoming Aunt Zhang and her family who had come to help carry items.

    By this time, daylight had broken. It was a special day, and the entire village had already awakened. From inside the house, the intermittent sound of firecrackers could be heard.

    Su Bing and Su Li had taken leave from school to help at home that day. They had a formal task: to hang and set off firecrackers.

    After the helpers had carried away all the items needed at the ancestral hall, Gu Zi went upstairs to check on Lele. She instructed Su Jing to go ahead to the ancestral hall.

    Seeing that most of the people had left, Su Bing and Su Li carried a cluster of firecrackers outside. Su Bing skillfully tore open the packaging.

    The brothers unrolled a long string of firecrackers, stretching from the right side of the main gate to a far point on the left. Once spread out, the firecrackers could almost encircle the front door and the wall of the Su family¡¯s courtyard.

    Su Li, holding a box of matches, ran out from the courtyard, excitedly saying, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve never lit firecrackers before. Let me do it!¡±

    Su Bing had no intention of arguing with his younger brother over this. He ran a safe distance away. Su Li crouched next to the firecrackers, mimicking the actions he had seen others do. Half-squatting, with his bottom slightly raised, he struck a match and lit the fuse. He then covered his ears and ran towards Su Bing. Halfway there, the firecrackers began to explode. The crisp sound was a direct assault on the senses.

    For those who feared the sound of firecrackers, it would likely cause a sense of disorientation and trembling, an uncomfortable feeling.

    However, Su Li was not one of those people. He found the sound interesting and joyful. He instinctively stopped and turned back to watch. Golden sparks flickered along the fuse.

    The red firecracker wrappers burst in all directions, falling like petals scattered by a fairy. At the same time, smoke swirled, and the distinctive pungent smell of firecrackers filled the air. It should have been an unpleasant smell, but at that moment, it was strangely appealing.

    It was only then that Su Li remembered that in his nervousness, he had forgotten to take the matchbox when he ran.

    Su Li prepared to retrieve the firecrackers, but Su Bing held him back. ¡°Wait until the firecrackers have finished before you get them. If you¡¯re going to light them, you need to be safe,¡± he cautioned.

    Su Li found his elder brother¡¯s caution somewhat of a dampener, but he refrained from reaching for the matchbox. Instead, he watched the firecrackers explode in a trail from right to left, disappearing behind the corner of the wall. His enthusiasm quickly reignited.

    The sound of the firecrackers attracted many of the village children. Today was a day of worship in the village, and the children had eagerly run out to join the festivities. Knowing that the Su family was hosting the event, a group of children had gathered in front of their house, hoping to scrounge some food.

    When Gu Zi descended the stairs, she saw many children playing with firecracker wrappers at the front door. One of the children spotted her and immediately stood up to greet her. ¡°Beautiful auntie, can we have some candy?¡± he asked.

    Standing outside the house, Gu Zi watched the children at the gate with a smile. She was well aware of their intentions.

    ¡°Why not? Wait here for me. Su Bing, come hold your sister,¡± she instructed, handing Su Le to her eldest son before turning to go inside the house.

    When she emerged again, she held a variety of treats in her hands: White Rabbit Creamy Candies, peanut nougat candies, and more.

    She distributed the candies among the children, who were delighted with their sweet rewards. Some thanked her and left, while others departed without a word, undoubtedly heading to the ancestral hall to seek more treats.

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    The ancestral hall was even livelier. Offerings had been laid out, and many people had come to pay their respects, each showing off their skills.

    Some played the erhu for the Su family¡¯s ancestors, others performed traditional operas for them to watch, and the old man who guarded the hall, once a storyteller, was now regaling the ancestors with tales.

    These performances were ostensibly for the entertainment of the ancestral spirits, but the villagers also took this rare opportunity to enjoy themselves. Gu Zi, who had always been interested in traditional culture, was naturally eager to immerse herself in the experience.

    When the time came for the formal incense offering, Su Shen and the men from the pig farm arrived. They were clean and neatly dressed, having made a special effort to groom themselves. They bore no traces of blood or the smell of slaughter, showing the utmost respect for their ancestors.

    As Su Shen led Gu Zi and their two boys to offer incense, murmurs spread through the crowd. ¡°Since when do women serve as the main officiants at worship ceremonies? Su Shen is spoiling his wife too much¡­¡±

 Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Resentment

    Chapter 470: Resentment

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi heard everything clearly, but those around her didn¡¯t dare to confront her directly. She had no desire to engage with them, nor did she feel the need to lose her composure over a few muttered words and disrupt the ongoing ritual. Thus, her demeanor remained calm and collected, her face adorned with a gentle smile. Her hair was neatly styled, and she was dressed in a traditional qipao, her entire appearance and aura radiating an enviable perfection.

    However, Gu Zi¡¯s silence did not mean she would let the murmurs go unchallenged. Aunt Zhang, who was assisting with the preparations at the ancestral hall, was in the process of distributing the ¡°blessing surplus¡± food to each table. She happened to be near the woman who had spoken, and she caught sight of her.

    Immediately, Aunt Zhang set down the large bamboo basket she was carrying. She addressed the gossipy woman, ¡°Can¡¯t all this food keep your mouth shut? What¡¯s wrong with being a woman? If women can¡¯t preside, then isn¡¯t all this food prepared by women? If you think women can¡¯t be in charge, then you shouldn¡¯t eat the food they prepare. Is this your child? Put down that sesame ball right now!¡±

    As Aunt Zhang uttered the last sentence, her voice was not loud, but her expression was fierce enough to frighten the child standing next to the gossipy woman. The child, taken aback by her words, immediately dropped the sesame ball. Tears welled up in his eyes as he timidly looked at the gossipy woman.

    The gossipy woman immediately scowled, picked up the sesame ball, and handed it to her child. She rolled her eyes at Aunt Zhang, ¡°Who do you think you are? Are you a member of the Su family? Do you think speaking up for them will earn you any benefits? Ridiculous!¡±

    Aunt Zhang was left speechless by the gossipy woman¡¯s retort. However, all the food and the expenses for the ritual were covered by the Su family. Wasn¡¯t this woman just like someone who enjoys a meal and then smashes the bowl? It was infuriating!

    Just as Aunt Zhang was contemplating a comeback, she felt a hand on her back. She turned around to find Su Jing standing behind her.

    Su Jing stared at the gossipy woman, then suddenly slammed her hand on the table. The sudden noise startled everyone at the table, and they all turned to look at Su Jing, their faces filled with guilt. They had thought they could make these comments without the Su family noticing amidst the busy ritual.

    They were slightly annoyed, but they certainly didn¡¯t have the courage to confront the Su family directly. But why was Su Jing here? Wasn¡¯t she living in the city?

    Ever since Su Jing moved to the city, she hadn¡¯t attended the village rituals. Why had she suddenly appeared this year? Could it be that Su Jing had returned to compete with Gu Zi for the family property? That would certainly make for an interesting spectacle.

    ¡°I am a member of the Su family,¡± Su Jing declared. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my brother letting me and my sister-in-law preside? What era are we living in that you still think women can¡¯t take charge? I¡¯ve seen women with bound feet, but I¡¯ve never seen people like you with bound minds! This is a new era, and we women can hold up half the sky!¡± Su Jing¡¯s proud posture exuded an irresistible pressure.

    The gossipy woman naturally didn¡¯t dare to retort. ¡°Sorry, Sister Su Jing, we didn¡¯t mean it that way. We won¡¯t say such things again.¡±

    Although the gossipy woman apologized on the surface, she thought to herself that Su Jing was quite clever. She knew to defend Gu Zi in public. Once she got home, she could discuss with her husband about using Su Jing to negotiate a collaboration with Su Shen. That would surely work out.

    Su Jing paid no further attention to the woman, turning on her heel and walking away. The people around her began to praise the women of the Su family for their competence and progressive thinking. First, there was Gu Zi, the sister-in-law, and now Su Jing. Not one of them shied away from responsibility.

    One of them said, ¡°Gu Zi, as a woman, presiding over the sacrificial rites, has brought honor to the women of our village. We can now go home and speak to our men with our backs straight. We women can also hold up half the sky. This is a new era!¡±

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    With that, the atmosphere in the ancestral hall became harmonious once again.

    Later, Aunt Zhang sought out Gu Zi and said, ¡°I¡¯ve remembered who that loud-mouthed woman is. She, along with the entire table, are all from the neighboring Chen Village. The ones who started the conversation were the women from Chen Village. This all goes back to an old story. After Daqing Village started making money from their pig farm, the people of Chen Village set their sights on Su Shen.

    ¡°They wanted to discuss a partnership with Su Shen, hoping he would help them make money. But the negotiations fell through, the specifics of which I¡¯m not sure. In any case, those people have held a grudge against Su Shen for not wanting to cooperate with them in setting up a joint pig farm. They¡¯ve been spreading rumors that Su Shen¡¯s wealth is nothing more than the result of speculation.¡±

    Gu Zi had initially thought it was just some women gossiping. No matter what you do, whether it¡¯s good or bad, they always have a few unpleasant words to say that can upset you.

    Gu Zi considered herself immune to such irrelevant chatter, so she hadn¡¯t planned to delve too deeply into it. But now, it seemed that this matter really needed to be investigated further.

 Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: An Outsider Woman

    Chapter 471: An Outsider Woman

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi expressed her gratitude to Aunt Zhang, ¡°Thank you for sharing all this with me, and for your hard work today. Aunt Zhang, you¡¯re well-acquainted with the people of Chen Village. After today, please keep an eye on their activities and let me know if anything unusual happens. Also, please accept this token of my appreciation for your help today. Everyone who helped out will receive one.¡±

    From a small bag she carried with her, Gu Zi pulled out a red envelope and handed it to Aunt Zhang. Aunt Zhang initially wanted to refuse. She hadn¡¯t offered her assistance to Gu Zi for the sake of money, but simply because she enjoyed Gu Zi¡¯s company. It was rare to find someone like Gu Zi in the village.

    However, after hearing Gu Zi¡¯s subsequent words, Aunt Zhang found it difficult to refuse and accepted the envelope gracefully.

    The sacrificial ceremony was a lively affair, lasting until well past three in the afternoon. Exhausted, Gu Zi returned home, took a bath, and went straight to bed for a nap. She was at ease knowing that her daughter, Su Le, was in the care of the two older brothers.

    Meanwhile, at the ancestral hall, Su Jing and Aunt Zhang were still busy with the cleanup. Su Jing was tidying up the tables in the courtyard, alone. Seizing the opportunity, a few women from Chen Village approached her for a chat.

    The gossipy woman started, ¡°Su Jing, when did you come back? We didn¡¯t expect you to still have a place in the Su family. We apologize for what happened today. We don¡¯t really have any issues with the Su family. We just can¡¯t stand that city woman¡¯s attitude. Besides, she¡¯s not even a real heiress, just a mistaken one!¡±

    Su Jing continued her work, not saying anything or interrupting. The other women chimed in, echoing the gossipy woman, ¡°Exactly, you¡¯re a member of the Su family. It¡¯s only right that you should be in charge. But Gu Zi isn¡¯t. The one leading the incense offering should have been you, an unmarried sister of the family, not her. We feel indignant on your behalf!

    ¡°Right, and we heard that Gu Zi doesn¡¯t do anything at home except cook. She even makes your brother do a lot of the chores, including laundry! Your brother is a man who earns a good living. Since when do men do women¡¯s laundry?

    ¡°Doing chores like cooking and laundry will bring bad luck to a man if he does them too often. You¡¯ve lived in the city too, have you ever seen a man doing laundry for a woman? What¡¯s the point of marrying her?¡±

    Finally, after listening to their endless chatter, Su Jing straightened up and looked at the gossipy woman, asking, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what you¡¯re getting at. What exactly are you trying to say?¡±

    Seeing an opportunity for drama, the gossipy woman continued to stir the pot, ¡°Oh, Su Jing, can¡¯t you see it? Your sister-in-law is deliberately suppressing you. We¡¯ve all noticed it. She left early, leaving you to finish the cleanup. Isn¡¯t that her deliberately making things difficult for you, suppressing you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the young lady of the Su family. You should be enjoying your visit home, being served by her, your sister-in-law, not the other way around. If it continues like this, you¡¯ll always be under her thumb. We¡¯re all experienced in these matters, and we¡¯re saying this for your own good. We don¡¯t want to see the Su family being lorded over by an outsider woman.¡±

    The icy veneer on Su Jing¡¯s face deepened as she curled her lips in disdain. ¡°So, you¡¯ve come to sow discord between my sister-in-law and me? I think you¡¯re mistaken. I chose to stay and work here of my own accord. If you have nothing else to do, you may leave. Or, you could lend a hand. Here, help me wipe the table.¡±

    As she spoke, Su Jing thrust the tablecloth she held into the hands of the wide-mouthed woman, who stood there dumbfounded. This was not going as she had envisioned.

    Su Jing then turned her gaze to the other women, saying, ¡°Since you¡¯re so concerned about me, I presume you¡¯d be willing to help me with some chores? You can sweep the floor. Oh, and you, take out the trash. There are several bins out back that need emptying.¡±

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    These tasks were usually handled by the men from the pig farm, but with these willing helpers at her disposal, why not take advantage?

    During her previous disagreements with her sister-in-law, Su Jing had learned a thing or two. If someone loved to gossip, she would drag these gossipmongers down with her. It was a tactic she had picked up from her sister-in-law, and these women were the perfect practice targets.

    Seeing the women¡¯s stunned expressions, Su Jing remained silent, her face revealing a hint of regret. ¡°So, you¡¯re all talk, huh? You won¡¯t even help me with these minor tasks. Fine, I¡¯ll tell my brother. We won¡¯t allow anyone from Chen Village to buy pork from our pig farm anymore. You¡¯re not good neighbors after all.¡±

    The wide-mouthed woman shot a glance at the other women, hurriedly saying to Su Jing, ¡°We came here to help you work. What are you talking about? Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

    Despite everything, the wide-mouthed woman still clung to her own judgment. Perhaps Su Jing was merely testing them. There was no way Su Jing would truly submit to Gu Zi.

 Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Work Hard

    Chapter 472: Work Hard

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The outspoken woman was of the belief that anyone with discernment could see that the Su family was now under the control of Gu Zi. If Su Jing didn¡¯t outwardly support Gu Zi, she might be driven out of the Su family, and then all of Su Shen¡¯s property would fall into Gu Zi¡¯s hands.

    She was certain that Su Jing must have other plans and decided to probe her further later. Today, she blamed herself for speaking too plainly.

    The outspoken woman, along with a few others, busied themselves wiping tables, sweeping floors, and hauling out the trash. After they finished these tasks, Su Jing found new chores for them. By the time the ancestral hall closed, the women were so tired they could barely stand straight, let alone speak.

    After they left, Su Jing and Aunt Zhang laughed heartily.

    Aunt Zhang said, ¡°These people deserve such treatment, and it¡¯s fitting that you, as the younger sister-in-law, are the one to do it. If your sister-in-law did this, she would be gossiped about. But you doing this to protect her leaves them without any recourse¡­¡±

    Outside, Su Bing, who had come to help carry things, watched everything with his usual expressionless face. Only he knew that he was happy; his aunt was truly changing!

    When Su Bing and Su Jing arrived home, Su Li was playing with Su Le in the yard. Seeing Su Bing and Su Jing enter the gate one after the other, Su Li¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He followed Su Bing and asked softly, ¡°Brother, why have you betrayed us?¡±

    Hadn¡¯t they agreed that they would never show their aunt a friendly face? What if she was only pretending to be nice!

    Su Bing picked up his sister and said to Su Li, ¡°Earlier at the ancestral hall, some women were badmouthing our mother, but our aunt scolded them. I think her behavior since she returned isn¡¯t an act. I plan to treat her normally now, even though she didn¡¯t choose to take care of us when we needed someone the most.¡±

    Their mother often taught them that forgiving others reasonably was also a form of self-forgiveness.

    Su Bing felt that if he were to try to forgive someone, starting with his aunt Su Jing seemed like the best choice. Because fundamentally, Su Jing hadn¡¯t inflicted any unforgivable harm on them.

    Their aunt, in the past, was mostly seen as negative because she was too selfish. But who isn¡¯t selfish?

    Now that their aunt was no longer so selfish and seemed to have become smarter, treating them as family, he was willing to try treating her as a relative.

    Su Li found it hard to believe that their aunt would actually stand up for their mother. What was even more surprising was that she could be so clever?

    Had she really been blinded by love before? Love certainly wasn¡¯t a good thing. However, Su Li felt that their aunt still needed to be observed further.

    At this moment, Su Jing had already made her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner. She was tired, indeed, but she was now acutely aware of her role as a guest. Regardless, she had made many mistakes in the past.

    She took a pause, reflecting on her actions.

    Now, being accepted once again by her maternal family, she felt she should be grateful and strive to show her best side. She didn¡¯t want to leave this family, this place that gave her a sense of security and confidence. Since it was inevitable that she was here for her own benefits, she should contribute even more.

    Her relationship with Tian Hai had made Su Jing realize that nothing in life came free of cost. The most expensive things were those that were given freely. To obtain something, one should put in the corresponding effort, and earn it in a fair and reasonable manner.

    She took a deep breath, ready to face the tasks ahead.

    Su Jing began by washing the vegetables, then moved on to cutting the meat and chopping the chicken. The kitchen was filled with the sounds of her cooking. When Gu Zi entered the kitchen, she saw her working diligently. She chuckled, ¡°Looks like my little sister-in-law can handle dinner all by herself?¡±

    Without turning around, Su Jing continued her work, ¡°No problem.¡±

    Once Gu Zi confirmed she could handle it, she truly exited the kitchen. Gu Zi was not a sly person, but she needed to make sure that Su Jing was truly willing to do these tasks. After all, if Su Jing did well and won over her maternal family, it would be greatly beneficial for her¡­

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    Before dinner, Su Shen rushed back. He had to eat quickly and rush off to work the night shift at the pig farm.

    Gu Zi knew he had been busy these days, so she brought up any issues during dinner. She mentioned the matter about Chen Village, ¡°I think we need to be cautious about today¡¯s events. The people from Chen Village might make a move.¡±

    Su Shen responded, ¡°Indeed, the people from Chen Village have not given up. They have been causing trouble for the pig farm in secret, trying to force me into a partnership with them. But these people are not suitable for cooperation. They only want to take money, but they are unwilling to bear any risks.¡±

    He sighed, his brow furrowed in concern.

    ¡°But doing business inherently involves both profit and risk. You don¡¯t need to pay attention to them. If anyone causes trouble, notify me immediately.¡±

 Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Leaving the Su Residence

    Chapter 473: Leaving the Su Residence

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi served Su Shen a piece of stewed chicken, and said, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about them causing trouble for me. What I¡¯m afraid of is that they might continue to target the pig farm. You should be extra vigilant, and I will also keep an eye out. If anything happens, I will have someone inform you.¡±

    After dinner, Su Shen left the house. The two boys had books to read and skills to practice. Gu Zi and Su Jing were left to clean up the kitchen. Su Jing recalled the incident that afternoon when a few women had tried to provoke her. ¡°I just remembered something after hearing what you discussed with my brother. This afternoon, some people from Chen Village came to provoke me, but I dealt with them.¡±

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°I just heard from Su Bing. You did well. They might have been trying to use you against the Su family. Since Su Shen refused to cooperate with them, they won¡¯t easily give up.¡±

    Su Jing nodded. She thought Gu Zi was really smart, able to easily guess others¡¯ hidden motives. Having such a knowledgeable, smart, and capable daughter-in-law in the Su family made it difficult for anyone who wanted to mess with them. She regretted treating her as an enemy in the past. How foolish she had been.

    If Gu Zi really left the family, it would be like the Su family cutting off its own arms.

    She asked Gu Zi, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you, how can you be so magnanimous? Can you really accept me and return to this family?¡±

    Gu Zi wiped the washed dishes dry with a cloth and put them away. ¡°You think my attitude towards you has changed, but it hasn¡¯t. From the first time I met you until now, it hasn¡¯t changed. I never intended to treat you as an opponent. It¡¯s your choice what kind of person you want to be, and that determines how I interact with you.

    ¡°In a family, whether it¡¯s a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, or a sister-in-law and younger sister-in-law, we¡¯re all women. There¡¯s no need for one to suppress the other. The sister-in-law and your brother are the ones who are married and depend on each other. Sometimes your brother might side with his wife because he doesn¡¯t want to hurt her feelings.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that the sister is not important to him. Because you are his forever family, sharing the same blood. Helping each other is what makes a family prosperous. In your brother¡¯s heart, there¡¯s always a place for you. If you think about what he¡¯s done, you should understand.¡±

    Tears welled up in Su Jing¡¯s eyes as she listened. In her memory, her elder brother had always been cold, never showing a smile to anyone, devoid of warmth.

    Even before her sister-in-law had spoken these words, Su Jing had held this perception. In fact, she had always felt a lack of closeness towards her elder brother, even fearing to approach him.

    But now, it seemed she understood. Her elder brother was simply a person who was a little different from others, not truly cold and heartless. It was her who had not tried to understand him, yet she blamed him for his aloofness. When her elder brother had disagreed with her relationship with Tian Hai, it was because he didn¡¯t want to see her jump into a pit of fire. Yet, she had held a grudge against him for a long time¡­

    The next day, Su Jing left the Su family and returned to the Tian family. Outsiders watched as Su Jing went to the station alone to catch a train, spreading idle gossip. They said that Gu Zi was too domineering, that the poor sister-in-law had no home to return to and had no choice but to go back to the Tian family.

    But Gu Zi didn¡¯t care. There had already been plenty of gossip due to Aunt Chu and the Lin family¡¯s affairs. A little more wouldn¡¯t make a difference. After all, people¡¯s mouths were their own, and Gu Zi felt he couldn¡¯t control what others said or did.

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    If they found joy in spreading such idle chatter behind his back, then let them. It wouldn¡¯t affect the Su family¡¯s earnings, nor would it affect her own peaceful life.

    Gu Zi¡¯s days continued as usual, leisurely and content, yet full of interest.

    On the day of the winter solstice, Su Li was clamoring for dumplings filled with taro and meat from early morning. And since it was Saturday, he didn¡¯t have to go to school. He could make the dumplings himself, a thought that excited him greatly!

    Gu Zi sat in front of her computer early in the morning, creating new promotional posters for her shop. With New Year¡¯s Day just over a week away, and the grand opening approaching, things would become busier. While Mother Lin and the others were busy preparing, Gu Zi took care of the promotion. So, during this time, Gu Zi was running around promoting the shop.

    Gu Zi would even take his own braised food to the city for people to taste as part of the promotion. The results were very good each time, with many customers wanting to buy after tasting. But Gu Zi insisted on only offering samples, not selling, thus whetting their appetites.

 Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Promotion

    Chapter 474: Promotion

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had always held firm to the belief that every era was abundant with wealthy individuals, and that everyone, without exception, was fond of good food. She was convinced that the affluent would go to great lengths, even if it meant traveling far and wide, to savor delectable cuisine. As long as she could effectively promote it, she was certain that Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop would be teeming with customers and overflowing with profits. She was confident that the Lin family would undoubtedly celebrate a prosperous year.

    Upon seeing Su Li enter, Gu Zi lifted her gaze and spoke, ¡°I will prepare the filling for you shortly. You and your brother can make dumplings at home, following the method I¡¯ve taught you. Later, ask Aunt Zhang from next door to watch Lele for a while. I need to go into town to print the posters and do some promotion. Will that be alright?¡±

    Su Li had been eager to try his hand at making dumplings. His mother¡¯s plan was perfectly in line with his intentions. He responded earnestly, like a little man, ¡°Sure, mom. Make sure to prepare a lot of fillings. We are going to make lots and lots of dumplings!¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. After all, your father prepared the meat filling last night.¡±

    After wrapping up her work, Gu Zi headed to the kitchen to prepare the meat filling. Once done, she gave Su Bing a few instructions before leaving the house with her poster drafts and a large box of braised meat samples.

    Upon reaching the station, Gu Zi encountered many villagers. They greeted her warmly, offering her gifts such as farm-fresh eggs, which they insisted on placing in her small cart.

    ¡°You must accept these,¡± they urged. ¡°The pig farm has announced that as the New Year approaches, villagers who buy meat in large quantities will receive wholesale prices. It¡¯s an incredible deal.¡±

    It was common for villagers to buy meat in bulk towards the end of the year, especially with the New Year celebrations and banquets in mind.

    Even if a single family didn¡¯t buy enough to qualify for the wholesale price, two or three families could pool their purchases to avail of the discount. This arrangement allowed the villagers to save a significant amount of money. They couldn¡¯t help but express their gratitude to Gu Zi. After all, she was the wife of Boss Su.

    The individuals who gossiped about Gu Zi and the Su family were an enigma, seemingly begrudging others¡¯ success. They were clearly beneficiaries of the Su family¡¯s kindness, yet they repaid this benevolence with ingratitude. It was utterly despicable!

    One of them asked, ¡°Gu Zi, I heard your sister-in-law¡¯s shop is opening soon. Where is it located in the town? We would love to show our support. The braised pork is truly delicious; my child has been clamoring for it since tasting it once.¡±

    Gu Zi presented a poster to them, explaining, ¡°It¡¯s right here, easy to find. You can visit when you have time. For the first three days of opening, there will be discounts for both breakfast and the braised pork. It¡¯s a great deal. However, the braised pork will only be available in the afternoon, so plan your visit accordingly.¡±

    Someone expressed surprise, ¡°Wow, they¡¯re serving breakfast too? Will they still set up a stall for the braised pork?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, replying, ¡°Once the shop is open, we probably won¡¯t set up a stall anymore. If you want to eat, you can go to Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. Your support is much appreciated.¡±

    The villagers felt that without the stall, the business might not be as thriving. After all, the town had a limited population, and it was unlikely that people would make a special trip just for the braised pork. It simply wasn¡¯t necessary.

    However, they didn¡¯t want to dampen Gu Zi¡¯s enthusiasm and outwardly expressed their support with cheerful smiles.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t blind to their thoughts, but she didn¡¯t care. As long as she was clear in her own mind, that was enough. Soon, a vehicle arrived, and a middle-aged woman helped Gu Zi load her cart onto it. The vehicle then headed towards the city.

    Upon arriving in the city, Gu Zi first took out the poster. She then found a spot outside the Golden Sun Restaurant to set up a tasting booth, hanging the poster in a conspicuous spot on her cart. She laid out samples of the braised pork, occasionally calling out, ¡°Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s Braised Pork, a brand new flavor, delicious and affordable, come and try!¡±

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    In no time, several groups of customers came to taste the pork. When asked about the price, Gu Zi pointed to the poster and promoted, ¡°Our shop will open on New Year¡¯s Day. If you want to buy, you¡¯re welcome to support us then! You can keep it in the refrigerator at home and eat it worry-free for a week.¡±

    One woman found it inconvenient, ¡°Your shop is so far away, can¡¯t you open one in the city? It¡¯s really inconvenient for us. But the taste is indeed delicious, I can¡¯t forget it. I¡¯ll be upset if I can¡¯t eat it in the future.¡±

    Gu Zi patiently replied, ¡°We would love to open a shop in the city, but as a small business, the rent in the city is too expensive. If you really like the taste, why not make a trip when you have time? Our town has picturesque scenery. You can bring your family and children, consider it a day trip¡­¡±

    A smile gradually appeared on the woman¡¯s face, clearly persuaded. She took out a pen and paper from her black purse, saying, ¡°Let me write down the address then!¡±

    As she said this, the others who had tasted the pork were also moved, and they took out their pens and papers to note down the address.

 Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Dignity

    Chapter 475: Dignity

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    There was a reason why Gu Zi dared to advertise her braised pork so boldly. She had sampled the offerings from many braised pork shops in the city, and none of them could compare to the flavor of the dish she made using her own recipe.

    If her braised pork was only slightly better than the city¡¯s offerings, the city dwellers would not bother to travel all the way to her shop. However, given that her dish was significantly superior, she was confident they would come for the taste.

    Gu Zi¡¯s tasting promotion ended quickly. The delicious braised pork was so popular that anyone who tried it would bring others to taste it. Within half an hour, a large box of braised pork was completely devoured. She began to pack up, preparing to head home.

    Just as she turned around, she saw two middle-aged people approaching her. The man was in front, followed by the woman ¨C Gu Shan and Zhang Mei.

    Whenever she went out for promotion, Gu Zi would deliberately dress simply, even wearing a hat to shield herself from the sun and wind. She did this to conceal her beauty, lest it distract people from the delicious food she was promoting.

    This was not Gu Zi being arrogant or boastful. If she didn¡¯t hide her appearance, it would be difficult to achieve the promotional effect she desired. It might even be counterproductive.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect that despite her low-key attire, she would still run into acquaintances and be recognized.

    Gu Shan stopped in front of her cart, and Zhang Mei stepped forward. After a few glances, she confirmed, ¡°Gu Zi, it really is you. Why are you setting up a stall and becoming a self-employed worker?¡±

    Gu Zi responded calmly, ¡°Uncle Gu, Aunt Zhang, hello. Yes, I¡¯m out here promoting braised pork. Unfortunately, the tasting is over. Otherwise, you could have tried it. Please come to the town and support our business.¡±

    Zhang Mei scoffed, ¡°We didn¡¯t come to support your business, nor to taste your food. We just wanted to remind you that you¡¯re now Su Shen¡¯s wife. How can you expose yourself like this? People will say we, the Gu family, didn¡¯t educate you well. Lin Miao is still in jail, what kind of karma is this?¡±

    Gu Zi found this amusing. What did Lin Miao¡¯s disgrace in jail have to do with her running a business? Such feudal thinking was unacceptable.

    Then Gu Shan also spoke, ¡°Exactly, go home immediately. Don¡¯t come here to promote your business anymore. The people who come and go here are all colleagues from our unit. If you don¡¯t care about saving face, I do.¡±

    Upon hearing their words, Gu Zi was not one to hold back. With a cold, mocking laugh, she retorted, ¡°Does the Gu family still have any dignity left? I thought after Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment, the Gu family lost all its face in the courtyard.¡±

    She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, ¡°Besides, we have all returned to our respective families. Have you forgotten? It was you who sent me to Daqing Village. Even if I lose face now, it¡¯s not the Gu family¡¯s face that I¡¯m losing, is it?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words left the couple, Gu Shan, speechless. After all, they were the ones who had wronged Gu Zi first. They were the ones who had abandoned her. What right did they have to judge her actions now?

    Seeing them silenced, Gu Zi packed her things and prepared to leave. Before she left, she said, ¡°If you think being a self-employed person is disgraceful, then you two better stop talking to me.¡± With that, she pushed her cart and left without looking back.

    Upon reaching the station, Gu Zi bought a ticket and boarded the bus. She arrived home before twelve o¡¯clock.

    As soon as she entered the house, she saw Su Li sprawled lazily on the sofa, not moving an inch. Looking further in, she saw Su Bing rolling out dumpling wrappers while making dumplings.

    The dumpling wrappers that Su Bing rolled out were not perfectly round, but as long as they could be wrapped, it was fine.

    As for Su Li, Gu Zi laughed when she looked at him again. She walked over and asked, ¡°What happened? You haven¡¯t even finished half of the filling, and your ambition is already worn out?¡±

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    Hearing his mother¡¯s voice, Su Li sat up abruptly, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re back. You should make the dumplings. I¡¯ve already told my brother that I¡¯ll wash the dishes later. Making dumplings is too much work!¡±

    Gu Zi ruffled his hair, finding his laziness rather endearing, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t force you.¡±

    Gu Zi washed her hands and joined Su Bing in making dumplings. Gu Zi was quick, she could make two dumplings in the time it took Su Bing to make one, including rolling out her own wrappers.

    Before long, the sound of Shi Tou¡¯s voice echoed from the doorway. It must have been Su Li who opened the door for him, ¡°Fairy Auntie, Fairy Auntie, we¡¯re having dumplings at our house today. They¡¯re filled with pork. My grandma asked me to bring some for you to taste¡­¡±

    He walked over to Gu Zi and handed her a bowl containing eight large dumplings. Gu Zi took one and tasted it, then said to Shi Tou, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, Shi Tou. Wait a moment, we¡¯re also having dumplings at our house today. They¡¯re filled with taro and pork. You should try them too.¡±

 Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: Touched

    Chapter 476: Touched

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With anticipation gleaming in his eyes, Shi Tou wore a sweet smile on his face. ¡°Okay, Shi Tou will wait patiently,¡± he said. Gu Zi gently patted his head and handed over the dumplings Shi Tou had brought, which were specially delivered by someone else. Sharing the food in front of the whole family was a form of courtesy.

    She then moved to the kitchen, igniting the fire and pouring water into the iron pot. Once the lid was secured, the fire blazed, and in no time, the water inside the pot began to boil.

    Gu Zi dropped more than twenty dumplings into the pot. As soon as they floated to the surface, she scooped them out. At this point, the filling was cooked, and the dumpling skin was chewy, making them exceptionally delicious.

    She ladled four dumplings into an iron bowl for Shi Tou and carried it out of the kitchen. Holding a dumpling with chopsticks, she brought it to Shi Tou¡¯s mouth, ¡°Shi Tou, here come the dumplings. Blow on them before eating. Su Bing, Su Li, help yourselves to the dumplings. Let¡¯s finish this meal before continuing to wrap more. Once you¡¯re done, you can cook them yourselves.¡±

    Su Bing rose and headed to the kitchen, followed by Su Li, who whispered to his brother, ¡°Shi Tou always gets fed by mom, and I¡¯m not much older than him!¡±

    Su Bing glanced back at his younger brother coldly, ¡°You¡¯re not much older than him, but you¡¯re old enough to feed yourself.¡±

    With that, he handed a bowl of dumplings to Su Li, who took it, still trying to figure out whether his brother was agreeing with him or not.

    In the dining room, Shi Tou was tasting taro-filled dumplings for the first time and couldn¡¯t stop eating. When Aunt Zhang, who had been waiting at home for her grandson to return, came over with Lele, Shi Tou was stuffing dumplings into his mouth. Noticing the shape of the dumplings, she realized they weren¡¯t from her home. At least he hadn¡¯t stolen the food that had been delivered.

    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help but scold him, ¡°You gluttonous child, you were supposed to bring dumplings for your aunt Gu Zi to taste. How did you end up eating at her house? You¡¯re so hopeless! Gu Zi, why do you keep spoiling him? He¡¯s always causing trouble for you.¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head and went over to take Lele, giving her a kiss. Lele, who hadn¡¯t seen her mother all morning, was missing her terribly. Clinging to her mother¡¯s neck, she mimicked her mother¡¯s action and kissed her on the cheek.

    ¡°Aunt Zhang, it¡¯s me who¡¯s troubling you,¡± Gu Zi said. ¡°If you keep talking about Shi Tou like this, I might not dare to ask you to look after Lele in the future. Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you try the dumplings I made?¡±

    The dumplings from Aunt Zhang¡¯s house were stuffed with cabbage and pork, a few of them generously filled. They seemed to have been specially made and delivered.

    The reason Gu Zi could tell was because she had seen Shi Tou eat dumplings on several occasions, and they rarely contained much meat.

    The dumplings were usually filled with shredded cabbage and a bit of minced meat, just enough to give it a hint of meat flavor. For Aunt Zhang and many other villagers, this was the standard dumpling filling.

    However, the eight large dumplings delivered today were filled to the brim with pork, with very little cabbage. It was a testament to Aunt Zhang¡¯s sincere regard for her neighbor.

    Aunt Zhang¡¯s family was not wealthy, but she used what she considered the best to maintain her friendship with Gu Zi. This simple and kind-hearted mentality of the working class should shine like a gem, but it often seemed so ordinary that it was overlooked. Gu Zi was deeply moved.

    Shi Tou, undeterred by his grandmother¡¯s scolding, looked up while chewing and said to his grandmother, ¡°Grandma, Auntie and the two elder brothers ate all the dumplings we sent them. Auntie told me to eat here, so I did. I even washed my hands, look.¡±

    He extended his chubby little hand towards his grandmother. Indeed, Aunt Zhang felt a bit guilty. She shouldn¡¯t have scolded him. Over the past few days, her Shi Tou had changed a lot.

    Gu Zi knew how to educate children. A few simple words had brought about so many changes in Shi Tou. Shi Tou no longer wished to be as dirty as the other children, which was truly remarkable!

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    Aunt Zhang also ate a few large dumplings at Gu Zi¡¯s place. When she left with her grandson, Gu Zi packed more than a dozen dumplings for them to take home and cook.

    Although Aunt Zhang felt a bit guilty, she couldn¡¯t argue with Gu Zi¡¯s persuasive words and had to accept them. In her heart, she thought that she would help Gu Zi more if he ever needed it.

    After the family had eaten the dumplings, lunch for the day was considered over. Gu Zi went into the kitchen and steamed thirty dumplings to put in a lunch box for Su Li to take to his father.

    Because there was some distance to travel, unlike at home where they could eat immediately, the steamed dumplings wouldn¡¯t stick together as quickly, so steaming them was better.

    When Su Li delivered the dumplings, he chattered non-stop to his father, ¡°Mom is so thoughtful. To ensure you get fresh and hot dumplings, we all had boiled dumplings, but yours were steamed¡­ I also want to try and see what the difference is.¡±

 Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Rain Is Coming

    Chapter 477: Rain Is Coming

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It dawned on Su Shen that his previous lengthy discourse was not the main point; it was the final sentence that truly mattered.

    He served two dumplings to the ever-hungry Su Li, instructing, ¡°Remember to tell your mother that I¡¯ll be home early this evening.¡± The winter solstice was as significant as the New Year to him, and he had no intention of working late. He wanted to spend the day with her.

    Su Li, engrossed in his delicious meal, nodded without giving it much thought. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be busy? Especially on the day of the winter solstice, shouldn¡¯t he be even busier? It wasn¡¯t until Su Li was on his way home that he overheard a conversation in the hall.

    ¡°Do you know, our boss Su announced early this morning that we¡¯re off at four this evening. He wants us to spend time with our wives and children. And it¡¯s paid time off! Long live Brother Shen! Long live our sister-in-law! Long live the winter solstice!¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s why! That¡¯s wonderful! But why are you thanking our sister-in-law?¡±

    ¡°Are you dense? It¡¯s clear that our Brother Shen wants to spend time with his wife. We¡¯re just benefiting from her good fortune. How could we not thank her?¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. Long live our sister-in-law!¡±

    Su Li relayed the conversation to his mother once he arrived home, mimicking the expressions and gestures of the men, much to the amusement of Gu Zi.

    However, after the laughter subsided, Gu Zi began to feel drowsy. Perhaps it was due to her missing her usual nap. She couldn¡¯t shake off the sleepiness.

    With most of her tasks completed, Gu Zi handed over the care of Lele to Su Bing and went upstairs for a nap. Lele had already woken up and wouldn¡¯t be sleeping again for a while.

    When Gu Zi woke up, she glanced at her watch. It was almost four o¡¯clock. Su Shen should be returning soon, right?

    She climbed out of bed, shivering slightly in the cold. Pulling back the curtains, she was met with a gloomy sky, giving off an ominous sense of an impending storm.

    Gu Zi collected the clothes from the balcony, her thoughts drifting to Su Shen. He had been riding his motorcycle these past few days. If it started raining on his way home, he would get soaked.

    She decided to check on him. She tossed the clothes onto the foot of the bed and left the bedroom.

    No sooner had she reached the ground floor than the sound of pouring rain filled the air. She rushed outside with an umbrella, but the rain was heavy and the wind was strong, causing her umbrella to sway. Despite her efforts, she was still splashed with the icy rain. She couldn¡¯t help but wrap her arms around herself as she peered out into the storm.

    In the midst of the rain, a dim yellow light grew from a speck to a beacon, quickly revealing itself as a motorcycle pulling up in front of the Su residence. Su Shen saw Gu Zi waiting for him, and swiftly dismounted, taking her hand and leading her towards the house. ¡°Why are you out here?¡± he asked, concern lacing his voice. ¡°The rain is heavy today, it¡¯s cold. Let¡¯s get inside.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at him, drenched from head to toe, and her heart ached. She didn¡¯t consider herself a hopeless romantic, but rather, she was simply moved by human compassion, feeling both pity and gratitude for this man.

    She led Su Shen upstairs, quickly finding him a change of clothes and presenting them to him. ¡°You should take a hot shower,¡± she suggested, ¡°so you don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±

    Su Shen looked at her, wanting to reassure her that he wasn¡¯t so easily susceptible to the cold. But his gaze lingered on her bare face, the curves of her body accentuated by her dark sleepwear, and he found himself suddenly parched and feverish.

    He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her waist, taking the clothes from her hands and setting them at the foot of the bed. He bent down to kiss her, their lips and tongues intertwining in a dance that quickly spiraled out of control.

    Each thrust of his tongue carried an insatiable desire, sweeping through her mouth, deeply savoring her breath. Gu Zi responded with equal fervor, her mind filled with the image of his muscular torso outlined by his soaked shirt.

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    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She moaned as his warm hand cupped her breast, his tongue plunging deeper into her throat. A wave of desire washed over her, making it almost impossible to breathe, her heart pounding in response.

    After a while, the man released her, his voice husky as he chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll go take that shower now.¡± He picked up the clothes at the foot of the bed and turned towards the bathroom.

    Gu Zi sat on the edge of the bed, watching his retreating figure. His soaked clothes clung to his body, revealing his muscular waist. She gulped.

    He was just too attractive. This man, who was already a walking hormone on a normal day, was now drenched and had just kissed her with such dominance. His hot, wet tongue was like a blazing flame, igniting a fire within her. She could still feel the wetness between her legs, and her cheeks flushed at the thought of him.

    Su Shen quickly emerged from the shower, wearing only his shirt. Gu Zi looked up just in time to see him striding out, completely bare from the waist down. She thought to herself, ¡®How could this man be so shameless?¡¯

 Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: How Am I Supposed to Wear It?

    Chapter 478: How Am I Supposed to Wear It?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Although Gu Zi thought as such, her lascivious instincts prevented her from averting her gaze. Her eyes were glued to the man, taking in his physique. His body was the epitome of perfection, with broad, sturdy shoulders, a muscular waist, a firm buttock, and long legs. His sexy mermaid line was also exposed¡­

    ¡°Goodness,¡± she thought, ¡°this man sure knows how to entice. Was his innocence before marriage all just an act?¡±

    Since he seemed unashamed, she saw no reason to shy away from looking. After all, they had been intimate countless times.

    She tried her best to appear nonchalant, refusing to let herself blush.

    Gu Zi looked at the man with an air of casualness, her tone carrying a hint of teasing, ¡°Su Shen, it¡¯s broad daylight. Why are you out here without your pants on? Just because you have a good body doesn¡¯t mean you should flaunt it like this¡­¡± She was merely trying to tease him.

    Su Shen strode to the edge of the bed, his large hand opening to reveal a pair of black cotton underwear. Gu Zi¡¯s mind was a whirl as she heard his deep voice ask, ¡°Gu Zi, how should I wear this, hmm?¡±

    Gu Zi stared at the underwear, then grabbed it and stuffed it under the blanket. If there was a crack in the ground, she would have dived into it without hesitation!

    How embarrassing! She had mistakenly given him her underwear, which was why he had been forced to walk around half-naked. And she had thought he was trying to seduce her. Oh, Gu Zi, how could you embarrass yourself like this!

    Unbeknownst to her, her face was flushed with embarrassment, making her fair skin even more attractive. She looked like a fresh flower that had just been watered, delicate and charming. Her eyes were filled with allure, and her body radiated a soft charm.

    Su Shen found himself aroused. He lifted her chin, ¡°It¡¯s okay, no one will laugh at you.¡±

    After saying this, he leaned in for a kiss, which quickly turned passionate. Overcome with embarrassment and desire, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but wrap her legs around his waist, pressing her body against his, yearning for more comfort. Soon, her pants were off, and her underwear was around her ankles.

    Su Shen rubbed his hardness against her wet folds, watching her intimate area open and close, his eyes darkening.

    Gu Zi was already eager, but he had yet to enter her. She could only lift her buttocks, hoping to guide him inside.

    Seeing that she was ready, Su Shen smirked, ¡°I can tell that you want it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he slowly pushed into her.

    His initial thrusts were slow and deep, but as he went on, his movements became faster. His hardness moved rapidly inside her, creating a frothy mess. The room was filled with their carnal desires.

    At this point, Gu Zi was afraid of making too much noise, so she bit into the pillow, trying to suppress her moans.

    However, when she reached her climax, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She bit into Su Shen¡¯s shoulder, and at the moment he winced in pain, a wave of pleasure washed over her, causing her to squirt.

    Su Shen also experienced a mix of pain and pleasure. The pleasure he felt when she climaxed far outweighed the pain from her bite. He didn¡¯t pull out immediately, instead, he continued to thrust slowly, taking his time to fondle her breasts, patiently comforting her.

    It was only after the lingering thrill of pleasure had receded that he pulled away. Discarding the used condom, he quickly cleaned himself up.

    He fetched warm water from the bathroom, positioning the woman¡¯s legs in an ¡®M¡¯ shape. With a hot towel, he meticulously cleaned her intimate area.

    His understanding of sexual health was comprehensive. He knew that a woman¡¯s body was delicate, requiring immediate cleaning after lovemaking. It was also necessary for her to urinate afterward, as this was the best way to protect her.

    Gu Zi was exhausted and wanted to sleep, but Su Shen insisted on helping her up to use the bathroom.

    Looking at his methodical and rigorous approach, Gu Zi found it somewhat surreal. Was this the same man who had been filled with desire for her just moments ago?

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    Gu Zi remained still, her beautiful eyes studying the man. Seeing this, Su Shen said nothing more. In the next moment, he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom.

    Outside, the rain had started to lessen. Su Bing and Su Li were playing under the eaves with their younger sister, Su Le. From time to time, Su Li would reach out to catch the rainwater trickling down from the roof, finding it amusing.

    Su Le tried to imitate him, but her hand was raised higher than her shoulder, causing the rainwater to run down her arm and wet the area under her armpit.

    Worried that Lele might catch a cold, Su Bing quickly took her upstairs to their mother to change her clothes. When they knocked on the door, it was their father who answered.

    Su Shen took his daughter and was about to close the door. ¡°Leave her with me,¡± he said, ¡°You can go back downstairs.¡±

 Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Admiration

    Chapter 479: Admiration

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen entered the room cradling his daughter in his arms. The noise stirred Gu Zi from her slumber. Sitting up in bed, she extended her arms towards her daughter, ¡°Little Lele, have you been playing with water? Come here, let your father fetch your clothes.¡±

    Lele, too, spread her tiny arms wide, her legs kicking joyfully as she nestled into her mother¡¯s embrace. Su Shen watched the exchange, understanding why his daughter preferred her mother¡¯s hold. The woman was soft and fragrant, her voice soothing. Of course, Lele would favor her.

    He turned to fetch Lele¡¯s clothes, ¡°Rest here for a while. I¡¯ll call you when dinner is ready.¡±

    Gu Zi had already changed out of her nightgown, now wearing a white round-necked long-sleeved shirt adorned with simple line patterns.

    Below her full chest was a slender waist, a waist so delicate he could encircle it with just one hand. And he had done just that, holding her by the waist as he took her.

    Su Shen¡¯s tongue grazed his upper palate, a strong desire suppressed in his gaze. But it was invisible to others, even Gu Zi couldn¡¯t discern it.

    Hearing his voice, Gu Zi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Their previous intimacy had brought them so close that even now, separated, they seemed to be tightly bound together.

    Just like before, his voice seemed lower than usual, a raspy sound that seemed to traverse the air, grazing her skin and causing goosebumps to rise on her arms.

    She feigned calmness, ¡°You go ahead, I can take care of Lele alone, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t expose her nervousness. Seeing her babble illogically in her anxiety, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fond exasperation. How could he not trust her with Lele? This silly girl, she left him with no choice but to adore her.

    At dinner time, the table was laden with an abundance of food, albeit fewer varieties than usual. Two plates of dumplings, one boiled and one fried, two large bowls of scrambled eggs with carrots, and a large pot of stewed mutton were served. The brothers recognized that Su Shen¡¯s culinary philosophy was simple but filling.

    Su Shen ladled a bowl of steaming mutton soup for Gu Zi. The soup was a milky white, containing two large pieces of mutton leg. A few sprigs of coriander floated on the surface, their aroma intensified by the fact that they were homegrown.

    Gu Zi took her first sip of the soup. The distinctive flavor of mutton, accompanied by a faint hint of gaminess, was soft and smooth on her palate. The taste was excellent, albeit a bit more robust than the mutton soup she made herself.

    She set down her bowl and picked up a piece of mutton with her chopsticks. The meat was cooked to perfection; with a gentle tug, it separated from the bone. She placed a piece of pure leg meat into her mouth. The taste was fresh, tender, and rich, yet not greasy. It was the ultimate indulgence on a winter solstice night.

    Su Shen also had some mutton soup and then served her a fried dumpling. ¡°Try soaking the fried dumpling in the mutton soup for a while. It¡¯s delicious, want to try?¡±

    While asking her to try, he had already soaked his fried dumpling in his own mutton soup. If he had to wait for his wife¡¯s approval for everything, what was the point of him being a husband?

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t find this behavior offensive. She didn¡¯t want her man to be someone who always waited for her approval before taking the next step. Occasional dominance was a reflection of one¡¯s personality charm, a privilege that both men and women could possess. As his wife, she was willing to accept his occasional dominance.

    Gu Zi picked up the soup-soaked fried dumpling and took a bite. Fortunately, her eating manners were gentle enough to prevent the soup from splattering. Only a drop of soup trickled down the corner of her mouth, creating a particularly adorable aesthetic.

    Su Shen picked up a napkin and gently wiped it away, a tender gesture.

    Gu Zi asked, ¡°Did you discover this way of eating when you were in the army? It¡¯s really good!¡±

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    Gu Zi had always thought that fried food should not be put into soup. The mixing of flavors was somewhat hard for her to accept, and she didn¡¯t think it would taste good. But Su Shen¡¯s suggestion made her try a flavor she had previously been unwilling to try, and it was not bad.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t expect her to associate his past military life with a way of eating. After some thought, he said, ¡°That¡¯s right, we ate like this in the army. Especially during a mission when we were short of food, this way of eating gave me and my men a greater sense of fullness. But we were also short of oil, so we toasted the dumplings over a fire and soaked them in wild vegetable soup to eat¡­¡±

    The military life might seem simple to some, perhaps even imbued with an indescribable sense of freedom and excitement. But the reality was rather dull and brutal. Soldiers¡¯ lives were never as simple as people imagined, especially on the battlefield, where they put aside their personal lives and shouldered the responsibility of their families and country.

    From the bottom of her heart, Gu Zi admired soldiers, and she admired her man. Meeting him was indeed a stroke of luck for her.

    Gu Zi was well aware of Su Shen¡¯s strengths. For instance, he possessed a self-confidence that many men lacked. Most men were arrogant, not confident.

 Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: The Grand Opening

    Chapter 480: The Grand Opening

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen was undeniably a man of confidence. Even if he were to abandon his soldier¡¯s uniform, return to the countryside, and start from scratch, he would undoubtedly seize the opportunities that the era presented, or even create his own.

    Take the current Su Shen, for instance. He had seized the winds of reform and opening up, becoming the owner of a pig farm, the only ten-thousand-yuan household in the area.

    He possessed a fundamental strength inherent in males: confidence. Gu Zi now believed that this strength was probably formed from his real-life battles on the front lines.

    He had won battles, like a lion dominating the plains. He had fought with leopards, tigers, and even his own kind, and he had always emerged victorious. This process had instilled in him a primal masculine confidence.

    In Gu Zi¡¯s eyes, a life with a man like Su Shen was full of promise and hope.

    Of course, he was not only confident but also broad-minded and visionary. He never minded if his sisters only thought of him when they needed something. He never held a grudge against Su Jing for leaving him with Tian Hai when he needed his family¡¯s trust the most.

    His magnanimity was honed on the battlefield, and these trivial matters were insignificant to him.

    Gu Zi watched him, her admiration eventually transforming into a simple sentence and action. She added several fried dumplings to her mutton soup, ¡°I¡¯ll soak a few more for you. You can eat them all. We¡¯ll make up for all the oil we didn¡¯t eat before tonight!¡±

    How could Su Shen not know that this kind woman was sympathizing with his past hardships of eating and sleeping in the open air, on the battlefield?

    However, as a man, he naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal too much about this. In his view, his days in the barracks were not bitter but filled with a sense of melancholy born from facing life and death.

    He watched as the woman soaked the dumplings and added them to his bowl one by one. He ate them all as she had hoped. Seeing her radiant smile, he felt a warmth in his heart, as if a ray of sunshine had penetrated his soul, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Su Bing and Su Li, watching their parents eat this way, imitated them and found it quite enjoyable.

    Thus, that night, the fried dumplings were the first dish to be completely finished.

    Over the next few days, Su Shen was kept busy with the affairs of the pig farm, only returning home every two or three days. Gu Zi was not idle either. With the imminent opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, she was busy with promotions and had also invited Mother Lin, Li Hua, and Aunt Yang to her home for professional service training.

    Aunt Yang, due to her stable job at Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, had resigned from the pig farm two days prior. There was no shortage of people to work there, and someone had immediately filled her position.

    News of the opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop had spread throughout the villages, causing a lively discussion. Some people thought that the Lin family was about to make a fortune, while others were skeptical, arguing that there wouldn¡¯t be much business in the town, which wasn¡¯t very large.

    They speculated that it was just a show of wealth using the son-in-law¡¯s money, providing a justification for flaunting the Su family¡¯s wealth in the future, claiming it to be the shop¡¯s revenue.

    Thus, sour comments began to circulate in the villages, saying that Gu Zi had married well and her whole family was enjoying the benefits. Su Shen was pitied for his hard work, with no parents or sister to share his earnings, all the benefits were reaped by the Lin family.

    Gu Zi had heard these comments, but she didn¡¯t take them to heart. Human nature was such that people could accept others being as poor and desolate as them, but they were unlikely to accept others rapidly rising and prospering. They would attack with rumors, and if you listened, you would lose.

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    Mother Lin initially tried to explain, but after hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, she decided not to bother with these people. After all, she was too busy with the shop¡¯s opening to care about what they said. Let them talk.

    On New Year¡¯s Day, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop officially opened in the town. Early in the morning, firecrackers were set off continuously, echoing from one end of the street to the other.

    The red carpet laid at the entrance of the shop was the same one used at Gu Zi¡¯s wedding. It had been cleaned and looked as good as new.

    People from Daqing Village and the two neighboring villages, who had no other plans for the day, almost all came. However, it was unknown how many came to show their support.

    Many came with the intention of seeing a spectacle. The grand opening, if not accompanied by a good turnout, would surely be a laughing stock!

 Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Desolate

    Chapter 481: Desolate

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Following a simple ribbon-cutting ceremony, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop officially opened for business. On such a grand occasion, Gu Zi naturally made her presence known.

    Unlike her usual low-key appearances during promotional events, Gu Zi chose to make a bold statement that day. She was dressed in a striking red suit, her hair neatly tied up, her lips painted a vibrant red, and her smile radiant. Her demeanor was confident and composed.

    Her stunning features, meticulous attire, graceful figure, and exceptional aura were all individually enough to make her stand out in the crowd. Yet, she possessed all these attributes in abundance.

    The shop was surrounded by a throng of people, drawn not only by the enticing aroma of the food but also by the allure of Gu Zi herself. Her image was akin to that of a movie star, a sight to behold. It was a testament to the fact that such striking individuals truly existed in the world.

    Gu Zi¡¯s beauty not only captivated those who were unfamiliar with her but also left the villagers of Daqing, who had seen her many times before, in awe.

    This was perhaps the unique charm of a great beauty. No matter how long one looked at her, they would never tire. Every encounter with her would stir feelings of admiration for her beauty.

    Aunt Zhang, accompanied by her grandson Shi Tou, arrived just in time to see Gu Zi. ¡°I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t arrive late. Gu Zi, you look exceptionally beautiful today. I rushed here after finishing my work in the fields. Can I have a bowl of pepper soup, please?¡±

    She had planned to visit Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop to contribute to the crowd. Although it wasn¡¯t a significant expense, it was her way of showing support.

    Seeing Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi was delighted and promptly invited her inside. ¡°You can place your order at the counter inside. My sister-in-law and the others are there.¡±

    The shop was of moderate size, with a quick glance revealing its layout. Half of the ground floor was partitioned off as a kitchen, leaving enough space for six tables seating four each. The upper floor had room for four more tables and two small private rooms.

    The decor was simple, emphasizing minimalism. The texture of the walls was left rough and unpolished, creating a sense of raw authenticity. The tables and chairs were custom-made from raw wood by a furniture factory, lacking in design but practical.

    In essence, the shop only contained the essentials, devoid of excessive decorations.

    Upon entering, Aunt Zhang noticed that there were already two tables occupied in the restaurant, though neither was full. At one table, a man was dining with his two children. The trio had ordered a bowl of Hu spicy soup and three scallion pancakes, a sight that wasn¡¯t particularly unusual.

    The other table was occupied by a young man and woman, with two bowls of spicy soup and a serving of braised meat laid out before them. The remaining tables were vacant, an atmosphere that was somewhat desolate for a new establishment.

    No sooner had she taken her seat than Li Hua brought over the shop¡¯s signature spicy soup she had ordered. Aunt Zhang was a bit apprehensive. After all, she had overheard some chatter outside; there were many people waiting to see the restaurant fail.

    She asked Li Hua, ¡°You¡¯ve prepared so much meat, and all these breakfast items, are they all for sale this morning?¡±

    There was a large glass panel in the center of the wall separating the kitchen from the dining area. Through it, customers could see the goings-on in the kitchen. Three large plates of braised meat, along with some other food items, seemed a bit too optimistic for a breakfast crowd, didn¡¯t it?

    Li Hua, radiant and cheerful on this auspicious day, smiled at Aunt Zhang and said, ¡°Auntie, one of our restaurant¡¯s service principles is to ensure the freshness and hygiene of our ingredients. The food prepared for the day is sold on the same day. This is, of course, today¡¯s quantity. Gu Zi said that we would definitely sell out today.¡±

    Li Hua was well aware of the situation outside. Most of the crowd had come to spectate rather than patronize the business.

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    As for the townsfolk, according to Gu Zi¡¯s analysis, they would likely observe the shop for a few days. Many of them were not keen on seeing outsiders do business and make money in their town, and had conspired to deliberately avoid dining at the restaurant, even if they needed to.

    Earlier, when firecrackers were being set off outside, a child had passed by, drawn by the enticing aroma of the food. The child¡¯s parent had scolded and dragged the child away. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t afford a meal, but they were simply unwilling to patronize the restaurant.

    In the past, such circumstances would have thrown Li Hua into a panic, making her feel that all their efforts had been in vain, leading to a sense of despair.

    But having learned from Gu Zi for so long, she now felt full of confidence, believing that as long as the last hour of the day hadn¡¯t arrived, anything was possible.

    Just as Aunt Zhang was about to say something, two more customers entered the restaurant. Recognizing them, she immediately waved them over, ¡°Li Zhu, Li Zhu¡¯s mother, you¡¯re here too. There are two seats here, come join us.¡±

 Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: This Shop Wonâ€™t Last

    Chapter 482: This Shop Won¡¯t Last

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Zhu and his mother approached Aunt Zhang¡¯s table and took their seats. Turning to Li Hua, Li Zhu ordered, ¡°Sister Hua, could we have a bowl of the shop¡¯s signature spicy soup each, along with two fried dough sticks and two portions of braised meat?¡±

    Li Zhu had been engrossed in his studies recently, spending little time in the village. Upon learning of the Lin family¡¯s new shop during his New Year¡¯s visit, he had made a special trip with his mother.

    Li Hua brought them a pot of tea, instructing, ¡°There are cups here. Help yourselves to the tea.¡± She then retreated to the kitchen, returning shortly with the items they had ordered. As most of the food was ready-made, their meal was served swiftly.

    Noticing the shop wasn¡¯t particularly busy, Li Hua decided to bring a cup of hot tea outside. Gu Zi had been tirelessly welcoming and bidding farewell to customers on her own, and Li Hua thought she could use a drink.

    Outside the shop, the scene was bustling. Every now and then, someone would approach Gu Zi to inquire about the prices. However, after getting their answers, most would leave without further ado, some even complaining about the prices being too steep.

    A middle-aged woman had just asked about the prices and immediately began to grumble, ¡°Even after the discount, it¡¯s still so expensive. How can ordinary folks like us afford it? This is a town, not a city. Your prices are comparable to those in the city! Selling at such high prices in this location, tsk tsk¡­¡±

    Gu Zi accepted the cup of tea from her sister-in-law, took a small sip to moisten her throat, and then calmly responded to the woman, ¡°Our prices are set scientifically, referencing market standards. We have not overcharged our customers by a single penny, and we can say that with a clear conscience.¡±

    ¡°As for whether this is a town or a city,¡± she continued, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask, how many breakfast shops in the city have you eaten at? Have you tried our breakfast here?¡±

    The middle-aged woman stood with her arms crossed, an air of arrogance about her. ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t eaten at your place,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°Who knows if it¡¯s worth it. I¡¯ve eaten plenty in the city, though. My husband takes me there every week. Don¡¯t think that just because we¡¯re from a small town, we haven¡¯t seen the world.¡±

    Gu Zi, maintaining her calm demeanor, responded, ¡°You haven¡¯t tried our breakfast, so how can you say that our prices can¡¯t be the same as those in the city? Moreover, we¡¯ve taken geographical factors into account. Our prices are actually lower than those in the city. The price we¡¯re offering is indeed fair to our customers.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Before opening this shop, I made a point of trying many breakfast and braised meat shops in the city. I believe our unique flavor is worth the price. Of course, we¡¯re not forcing anyone to buy. If you think the price is high, you¡¯re free not to patronize us.¡±

    As Gu Zi conversed with the middle-aged woman, murmurs spread through the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s already past seven,¡± one villager commented. ¡°Breakfast time is almost over, and only a few customers have come in. I bet this shop won¡¯t last. Pretty women are only good for looking at, not for running businesses.¡±

    Another villager chimed in, ¡°Your laughter is a bit too much. The owner¡¯s husband is Su Shen, after all. Even if you don¡¯t respect her or the Lin family, you should respect him. But it¡¯s true, all this fanfare for just a few customers is laughable.¡±

    ¡°Did you see the kitchen?¡± another villager interjected. ¡°There were several large plates of braised meat. They were piled up like a small hill. They won¡¯t be able to sell all that.¡±

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    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go in and ask Li Hua for some?¡± another suggested. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to sell it all anyway. They might as well give it to us. They can¡¯t expect to sell it tomorrow, can they?¡±

    Seeing the lack of business in the shop, some villagers were already considering taking the braised meat for themselves. The Su family was wealthy, after all. If they gave away the meat, it wouldn¡¯t hurt them.

    Those who thought this way saw nothing wrong with their intentions. However, some townsfolk felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this. They didn¡¯t want to see the shop succeed, but they wouldn¡¯t stoop so low!

    A few townsfolk, unable to bear the conversation, moved away, leaving a path for newcomers. A group of refined-looking individuals approached, led by a woman wearing glasses. She exuded an air of intelligence. She asked a passerby, ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am, is this Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop?¡±

    The woman addressed straightened up at the sight of the cultured group. She brushed the dust off her clothes and suppressed a laugh at being referred to as ¡®ma¡¯am.¡¯ She never thought she would be addressed so elegantly. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± she replied, holding back her laughter. ¡°What brings you here?¡±

 Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Abundance of Customers

    Chapter 483: Abundance of Customers

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At this moment, among the throng of people, some had already spotted the signboard. It read, ¡°Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Food Shop¡±. The crowd was so dense that it obstructed the view, and the signboard was rather inconspicuous, barely visible unless one got closer.

    The man who spotted the signboard turned to his companions and said, ¡°This is the place, hurry up, my stomach is growling with hunger.¡±

    The woman with glasses adjusted her frames, showing no signs of impatience. ¡°We¡¯re here now, there¡¯s no need to rush. Patience is a virtue, after all. We¡¯ve come here specifically because we¡¯ve heard about this newly opened breakfast and braised meat shop. They say the taste is top-notch. They even had a tasting event in the city before, and we were there. We¡¯ve been looking forward to this day,¡± she said, her companions behind her sharing her excitement.

    After finishing her speech, the woman led her group inside. The locals, who had been asked for directions, were left dumbfounded. Were these guests from the city? Would city dwellers travel all this way just to eat here? Could it be that Gu Zi had paid them to put on a show?

    As the bespectacled woman entered the shop, she immediately recognized Gu Zi. ¡°So, it¡¯s a beauty running the shop. I was wondering why you didn¡¯t advertise more. Now I see that the shop¡¯s promotion is lacking. If it were called ¡®The Beauty¡¯s Gourmet Food Shop¡¯, wouldn¡¯t that be more fitting?¡±

    Gu Zi recognized these refined-looking individuals. She had an impression of them from a promotional event she had held outside the youth palace. They were likely staff members from there. Gu Zi responded, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with my sister-in-law and see if we should change the name. Please, come in, everyone!¡±

    Gu Zi handled the situation with ease, welcoming the first wave of customers into the shop. Glancing at her watch, she felt a surge of joy. As she had planned, the city dwellers began to arrive at half-past seven.

    She had anticipated that the initial reception would be lukewarm. She could gauge the attitudes of the villagers and townsfolk with just a glance, so she hadn¡¯t planned on attracting local customers at the opening.

    Instead, Gu Zi chose a different approach. She targeted the city dwellers, who had come from afar, for her grand opening. Her strategy was to use the arrival of these city folks to attract the surrounding clientele. This way, she could convince the envious and unsatisfied locals to willingly patronize her shop.

    The initial stages of this plan were somewhat troublesome, requiring her to travel to the city for promotion and devise ways to capture the attention of the city dwellers. She had to ensure that their curiosity was piqued enough to support their decision to travel all this way to patronize her shop on New Year¡¯s Day.

    However, in the long run, this was actually the most convenient method. Once successful, it would allow her to quickly convert the surrounding population into a steady customer base for her shop.

    Gu Zi observed that city dwellers generally rose later than their rural counterparts. Therefore, at this moment, when the majority of the guests were from the city, the influx of people was just beginning.

    Sure enough, not long after, a group of eight people, young and old, male and female, all dressed in fine clothes, arrived. They looked like a large family. Gu Zi welcomed them in and poured them tea.

    The matriarch of the family engaged Gu Zi in conversation. Gu Zi, unhurried, exchanged pleasantries with her, finding the conversation quite enjoyable.

    It was then that Gu Zi realized that this woman was the same lady who had encouraged her to open a shop in the city during her last promotional event. She had even mentioned how sad she would be if she couldn¡¯t eat the braised pork from here.

    After these two encounters, Gu Zi felt that this matriarch was indeed a person who knew how to enjoy life, had a sense of humor, and was quite charming.

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    The matriarch said, ¡°We originally planned to come in the afternoon to buy braised pork, but then I remembered your poster mentioning a breakfast special of hot and spicy soup. I thought it was interesting, so I convinced my husband and family to drive over.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, the scenery along the way is indeed beautiful. We¡¯ve planned to stroll around the town after breakfast, and come back in the afternoon to buy the braised pork.¡±

    Having seen the promotional poster, the matriarch knew that although braised pork was available in the morning, it was only served in the shop in limited quantities. Larger purchases could only be made in the afternoon. She found this rule quite unique and far from off-putting; in fact, she found it rather interesting.

    Perhaps this was the true essence of the saying, ¡°People regard food as their prime want.¡±

    Gu Zi stayed inside for quite a while. The villagers who had been waiting outside the shop craned their necks to peek inside. After a few glances, they started chatting among themselves, ¡°It really is a city family, and they even drove a car. They must be quite wealthy! Those who can afford a car in the city must be richer than Su Shen, right?¡±

 Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Gu Ziâ€™s Capability

    Chapter 484: Gu Zi¡¯s Capability

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The townsfolk, both consciously and unconsciously, kept their eyes on the shop, whispering amongst themselves with a hint of sourness, ¡°It must be a gimmick. We can¡¯t fall for it. How could it be possible? People coming from far away to eat here, they must be hired actors.¡±

    One of them chimed in, ¡°Exactly, I heard that the shop is opened by the wife of the wealthiest man in our area. They don¡¯t lack money, so they must have created this illusion by spending their own. They just want to earn money from us ordinary folks. That¡¯s how the rich are, they can never have enough money. They wish all the money would go into their pockets.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it feels that way. I used to have a good impression of the boss, Su. I heard he even gives discounts to the locals who sell pork at his pig farm. But his wife, why is she like this? Instead of sharing her good recipes to help the locals out of poverty, she chooses to open a shop to make money for herself. She¡¯s so selfish, a despicable opportunist.¡±

    Regardless of what these people said, the number of city folks coming to the shop was increasing. Although they would quickly vacate their seats after eating, the shop was still packed to the brim. Seeing this, Mother Lin and Aunt Yang brought out spare tables and chairs to set up outside the shop, adding eight more tables, which barely met the demand.

    Mother Lin and the others were sweating from the hard work, but it was a joyful kind of exhaustion. Mother Lin had always believed in her daughter Gu Zi¡¯s capabilities. She had said that the opening would be a success, but she never imagined it would be this successful.

    Mother Lin whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the town this lively, even during the big market days. And now, it¡¯s happening right in our shop. It¡¯s truly amazing.¡±

    Aunt Yang nodded, her hands busy cracking eggs into the hot and spicy soup. She suddenly felt a wave of emotion, ¡°Indeed, your daughter is really capable. As for my daughter Zhen Zhen, I don¡¯t wish for her to be particularly talented. I just hope to see her return home safe and sound one day.¡±

    However, she had no idea where her daughter Zhen Zhen was or what she was doing.

    Mother Lin knew Aunt Yang was worried. She patted Aunt Yang¡¯s shoulder, comforting her, ¡°Zhen Zhen is a good girl, and a smart one at that. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Then they both plunged back into their busy work, not having time to think about anything else.

    Soon, only half a plate of the three plates of braised pork was left, and the fried dough sticks and pancakes were also running low. Only then did the crowd in the shop start to thin out.

    As Gu Zi was sweeping the area in front of the shop, a woman approached her and said sarcastically, ¡°You must have spent quite a bit of money hiring all these people to create a buzz, right?¡±

    This woman, Gui Hua, owned a convenience store across the street. Gu Zi had noticed her on her previous visits.

    Without stopping her work, Gu Zi calmly replied, ¡°Do you know that convenience stores and restaurants can coexist and benefit each other? If I were you, I would be very happy to see the breakfast shop across the street making money.¡±

    For a moment, Gui Hua was at a loss for words. Did this woman even listen to her? The woman hadn¡¯t answered any of her questions, instead, she had rambled on in a way that was hard to comprehend.

    How could she possibly be happy watching them make money? She had been running her own shop for over half a year now, and business had always been lukewarm. Why should she applaud them?

    Just as Gui Hua was about to say something, a group of outsiders appeared on the street. They looked like they were from the city, especially the man leading them. Despite his age, he didn¡¯t look old and carried an air of authority. His mere presence felt like that of a superior leader.

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    Before Gui Hua could react, she heard a customer who had just left her shop exclaim, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Boss Huo? Are you here for breakfast too?¡±

    The presence of Boss Huo was indeed overwhelming. Even seeing him walking towards the shop, it was hard to imagine that he would come here for breakfast.

    Boss Huo had initially planned to greet Gu Zi. He had brought his management team from his department store to show support. He was a generous man, even planning to pass a message to Gu Zi for Su Shen.

    However, his plans were interrupted. He wasn¡¯t angry, instead, he said warmly, ¡°Yes, I have some free time today, so I came to support my younger sister.¡±

    At these words, everyone inside and outside the shop was taken aback. They hadn¡¯t expected the shopkeeper to be acquainted with Boss Huo, the owner of Xinghua Department Store. Many of the city¡¯s customers knew Boss Huo and thought they should patronize the shop more in the future. Of course, the main reason was that the food tasted really good.

 Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: A Long Kiss

    Chapter 485: A Long Kiss

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi set aside her cleaning tools and walked over to welcome the line of esteemed guests. She was somewhat taken aback. Su Shen hadn¡¯t mentioned that his old friend was coming to grace the shop with his presence.

    Gui Hua watched as Gu Zi ushered the guests inside, and suddenly Gu Zi¡¯s words made sense to her. Of course, having breakfast might make one thirsty, and they might want a drink!

    She turned to the people who had earlier persuaded her to take the lead and accused, ¡°Tell me, how much would it take to hire this Boss Huo?¡±

    Those who had previously spoken ill of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop behind her back fell silent. Even though they hadn¡¯t been physically struck, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a sting of embarrassment. Indeed, how much would it take to hire Boss Huo? Perhaps no amount of money would be enough.

    The spectators gradually dispersed.

    Boss Huo and his entourage cleared out the last of the breakfast ingredients in the shop. When Boss Huo claimed he was still hungry, Gu Zi personally cooked him a bowl of braised egg noodles. After finishing his meal and leaving satisfied, Boss Huo even left Gu Zi a ten-yuan tip, which Gu Zi added to the cash register.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua looked at the cash register filled with coins, their hearts silently throbbing with excitement. They hadn¡¯t expected that they, as women, could earn so much money in just one morning with their own hands. The thought of such a morning filled with busyness and excitement was something they had never dared to imagine before.

    By the afternoon, the booming business continued. Customers lined up from inside the shop to the outside, many of whom were city dwellers. They would buy one to two kilos at a time, planning to take it home and eat it for a week, and some even planned to buy it as a gift.

    They planned to bring their friends to taste this secret recipe braised meat and the unheard-of spicy soup next time. It would definitely be a surprise.

    As the sun was about to set, Gu Zi left first. Mother Lin and the other two women were not in a hurry. In order to do business well in the town, the Lin family had even rented a small house next to the shop. They would live there during business hours, which was convenient for their early mornings and late nights.

    In the quiet of the night, Gu Zi had lulled Su Le to sleep. Yet, she found herself unable to follow suit, perhaps due to the excessive tea she had consumed at the shop earlier in the day.

    She spent some time reading, intending to attempt sleep once more. However, she was drawn from her plans by the sound of movement downstairs. Rising from her bed, she opened the door and descended the staircase. At the foot of the stairs, she was met with a towering figure, bathed in the soft glow of the lamp. His eyes, especially deep under the light, had already found her.

    Gu Zi hurried towards him, but as she neared, she noticed something amiss. A strong scent of alcohol clung to him, and a stubble had begun to sprout on his chin. He had been absent from home for two days, spending his time at the pig farm, likely too preoccupied to groom himself. Today, he had returned reeking of liquor, presenting an image reminiscent of a rugged countryman.

    Her hand reached up to touch his face, the prickly stubble causing a slight sting against her palm. She spoke, her tone involuntarily chiding, ¡°Have you been out socializing?¡±

    Before her words had fully left her lips, he seized her arm, pressing her against the wall without a word.

    Gu Zi looked at him, surprised. He responded, ¡°No, just had a few drinks with the factory workers. I¡¯m not drunk.¡±

    His warm breath, laced with a faint hint of alcohol, hit her face. Coupled with his ruggedly handsome face and prominent Adam¡¯s apple, he was the epitome of raw masculinity. This man, he was incredibly attractive¡­

    However, Gu Zi quickly regained her rationality. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to be so easily swayed by him!

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    She averted her gaze, letting it fall on his clothes. ¡°That¡¯s good then. Why don¡¯t you go take a bath and get some sleep?¡± Her words were a subtle hint for him to release her. If he continued to hold her in this position, she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist him.

    She had to wake up early the next day. If she gave in to the temptation now, she knew she would regret it in the morning. After all, once this man got started, he was rather¡­ enduring. Gu Zi was not one to indulge in self-torture.

    Su Shen studied her for a moment, understanding her intentions. He didn¡¯t press her further. Instead, he leaned down to plant a lingering kiss on her lips before leading her upstairs.

    As he bathed, Gu Zi lay in bed, the recent scene replaying in her mind.

    Gu Zi liked his domineering side, but she was even more fond of his gentle demeanor. His lips had gently grazed hers, his tongue slowly prying open her teeth to explore every inch of her mouth, savoring her taste. His actions were tender, yet filled with a sense of longing.

 Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Sit Properly

    Chapter 486: Sit Properly

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon Su Shen¡¯s return, Gu Zi spoke to him, ¡°The food store opened today, and Boss Huo came. Did you know?¡±

    Gu Zi observed Boss Huo¡¯s self-congratulatory demeanor and deduced that Su Shen was likely unaware. However, since Boss Huo was eager to make an impression, she felt obliged to relay the information accurately. After all, her husband¡¯s reputation was substantial, and people were not merely showing up without reason.

    Su Shen gently moved Lele to the side, settling down next to Gu Zi. His actions were so natural, it seemed as if it was meant to be that way, without any hesitation. He responded, ¡°He is a wealthy idler, it¡¯s not surprising that he would come. Did anything untoward happen today?¡±

    Gu Zi leaned against his arm, feeling a warmth and solidity that seemed even more comforting than usual after two days of sleeping apart. ¡°Nothing much,¡± she reassured him, ¡°Just some villagers and townsfolk watching. The store just opened, and some people can¡¯t stand to see others doing well. But they wouldn¡¯t dare cause any trouble openly. Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it. Besides, we have Sister-in-law and the others.¡±

    Once Su Shen was assured that nothing had gone awry, his expression relaxed. However, he still felt the need to caution her, ¡°It¡¯s always wise to be cautious in business. But you are a meticulous person, I trust you can handle it. Just remember, try not to get into conflicts with others. If anything happens, don¡¯t try to handle it alone. Call for me immediately. There are phones in town you can use, understand?¡±

    His tone turned serious, even stern, but Gu Zi felt a warmth spreading in her heart. Her husband was truly perfect!

    She responded, ¡°Mm, I understand. You¡¯re my husband, if anything happens, I¡¯ll definitely find you first.¡± As Gu Zi spoke, a wave of emotion welled up within her. She spent the night in his arms.

    In the morning, when Gu Zi awoke, it seemed Su Shen had already left. After freshening up, she noticed her usual hairpin was missing. After a moment of thought, she realized it must have fallen onto the bed while she was putting Lele to sleep the night before.

    Downstairs, Su Shen had not yet left the house. He had prepared breakfast and was now ascending the stairs to wake Gu Zi.

    Upon opening the door, he was greeted by an intoxicating sight. Gu Zi was sprawled across the bed, her rounded bottom raised in the air. The hem of her nightgown had ridden up, revealing the fair skin of her thighs. The morning sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating her white nightgown, and casting a hazy glow over her intimate area. The sight completely captured his attention.

    Perhaps Gu Zi had heard the noise, for she turned her head and spoke in a soft, coquettish voice, ¡°You haven¡¯t left yet? My hairpin fell into the gap between the bed. Can you fetch a long bamboo stick so I can retrieve it?¡±

    Su Shen felt a shiver run down his spine at the sound of her voice. As she turned to look at him, her face was flushed. He knew it was probably due to exhaustion, but the sight was utterly bewitching.

    His gaze lingered on her pert backside, and he felt a heat rising within him. His voice dropped to a low murmur as he responded, ¡°Gu Zi, sit properly, don¡¯t test my patience this early in the morning.¡±

    He was not a man devoid of desires, especially when he was with this woman. He found it all too easy to be entranced by her, as he was now, his body responding honestly to his arousal.

    ¡°What?¡± Gu Zi had been maintaining the same position for too long and was feeling slightly dizzy. Her mind hadn¡¯t quite caught up yet, but she obediently sat up on the bed. When she turned her gaze to him, she noticed the bulge in his trousers. Realization dawned on her and she instinctively pulled the blanket over herself, her breath coming in short gasps.

    Su Shen moved towards her, swallowing hard. He cradled the back of her head in his hand, his eyes focused on her flushed lips, and leaned in for a kiss.

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    This little temptress, only now did she think to cover herself. Did she not realize it was already too late? Next time, he would take her thoroughly, in that very position, with that very posture, he would possess her completely.

    After the kiss, Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks felt as if they had been scalded with hot water. When he had kissed her, she had stolen a glance at him, his eyes were filled with desire.

    He was surely thinking about their intimate moments. This wicked man, who everyone thought was cold and indifferent, was a different person in bed. He was truly a master of disguise¡­

    Today, Gu Zi did not leave Lele at Aunt Zhang¡¯s house, but took her to the town instead. By the time they arrived, it was already past eight, and there were still many people eating in the shop.

    Li Hua, having a moment of leisure, whispered in her ear, ¡°Sister, you were right. Even before dawn, several people from the town came to our restaurant to eat. Those from the city can¡¯t come every day, so we must rely on the locals for our customer base.¡±

 Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Cherish

    Chapter 487: Cherish

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi gently set Lele down, allowing her to amuse herself within the shop. As Mother Lin passed by, she addressed the little girl, ¡°Lele, play for a while. Grandma will make you a custard egg.¡± Lele obediently nodded at her grandmother.

    After withdrawing his gaze from Su Le, Gu Zi turned to Li Hua, ¡°The tasting sessions in the city must continue, especially during the first month of our opening. Remember to dedicate one day each week for these sessions. Also, always keep samples of the food we serve. Don¡¯t neglect this just to save time. Make sure to label the samples and keep a record.¡±

    In this era, the concept and practice of keeping food samples were virtually non-existent in the catering industry. However, it was indeed crucial for small eateries to do so.

    From a long-term business perspective, food samples could provide traceable evidence in case of food safety incidents, serving as a preventive measure.

    When customers complained of discomfort or food poisoning after consuming food from the shop, these samples could be used to verify the authenticity of their claims based on their symptoms and medical test results.

    On the other hand, keeping samples also allowed the shop owners to observe changes in food quality, accurately determine the shelf life of food, and contribute to the shop¡¯s long-term development.

    Li Hua nodded, ¡°I will do as you say. We aim to make money, but not at the expense of our conscience.¡±

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one more thing,¡± she added. ¡°A few city folks came in today and said our shop¡¯s sign is too inconspicuous. They almost missed our shop and only noticed it because of the aroma of our braised meat. Should we make our sign more obvious?¡±

    Gu Zi pointed inside, signaling Li Hua to continue the conversation there. The constant stream of people passing by occasionally required them to make way.

    After they moved to a quieter spot, Gu Zi addressed Li Hua¡¯s concern, ¡°Actually, I intentionally had the sign made this way. The aim is to make those who come seeking our shop search a bit. This way, they will have a deeper impression of our shop.¡±

    Li Hua listened, finding it all quite incredulous. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Isn¡¯t it troublesome if the place is hard to find? What if they can¡¯t find it and decide to eat somewhere else instead? Someone just mentioned that.¡±

    She felt that without her sister-in-law to guide them, she would never understand the intricacies of running a business.

    Gu Zi explained gently, ¡°Think about it. The shops and state-owned restaurants in the city, they all have large, eye-catching signs. But do you see all of them doing well? Not necessarily. A large sign might attract random customers, but it doesn¡¯t guarantee retaining long-term ones. What we want is to maintain a good relationship with our long-term customers.

    ¡°We might find it troublesome if the place is hard to find, but the city folks might not think the same. Besides, they¡¯ve already traveled all the way from the city to here. They wouldn¡¯t be satisfied if they couldn¡¯t find a place to eat, so they wouldn¡¯t mind spending a bit more time looking for the shop.

    ¡°Everyone knows that as long as you¡¯re willing to ask, you¡¯ll find your way. As for the locals, our shop is here, and with the grand opening, most of them know where we are. Even if they just pass by, they¡¯ll see it. Whether the sign is conspicuous or not doesn¡¯t matter to them. As long as our food can attract them, we don¡¯t have to worry about the size of the sign.¡±

    Gu Zi would never underestimate the allure of good food, but she also believed that things too easily obtained wouldn¡¯t be cherished for long. Therefore, when designing the shop¡¯s name, she chose to keep it low-key and inconspicuous. It seemed to be working well so far.

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    Li Hua gave Gu Zi a thumbs-up. She felt that she had learned so much from spending time with her sister-in-law. She had learned something new today! This wasn¡¯t just any sister-in-law; she was a true treasure. Not just Su Shen, anyone would cherish her!

    ¡°Get me a serving of braised pig¡¯s trotters, I heard they¡¯re the best here, right? Also, two bowls of hot and spicy soup, a serving of fried sesame balls, and a serving of fried dough sticks¡­¡±

    This voice came from outside, making its way into the room. Gu Zi listened and found it familiar. Looking outside, sure enough, it was someone she knew ¨C Mrs. Wang, the wife of Aunt Yang, who had brought her son Yuan Yuan along.

    Li Hua also saw her and said to Gu Zi, ¡°It¡¯s her. I¡¯ll go greet her to save Aunt Yang the trouble. I¡¯m afraid she might stir up trouble.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, watching as Li Hua carried out the food that Mrs. Wang had ordered. However, she had a premonition that even if Aunt Yang didn¡¯t show up, Mrs. Wang wouldn¡¯t be here just for a simple breakfast.

 Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Dine and Dash

    Chapter 488: Dine and Dash

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was not worried about Mrs. Wang causing trouble. She had anticipated this from the start. It was impossible for Aunt Yang to be left in peace, so she decided to see how much of a storm the woman could stir up.

    Instead of focusing her attention on Mrs. Wang, Gu Zi turned her attention to helping out with the work.

    About ten minutes later, Mrs. Wang finished her breakfast. She and her son had ordered far more than they could consume. However, as the customer demanded, Li Hua had no reason not to serve so much.

    When it was time for Li Hua to settle the bill, she looked at the leftover food on the table, picked over and uneaten, and felt a pang of regret. What a waste! Why order so much if you can¡¯t finish it all?

    Forcing a smile onto her face, Li Hua remembered Gu Zi¡¯s advice: ¡°A smile can take years off your face. When doing business, it¡¯s even more important to keep a smile on your face. It makes you seem friendly and brings good fortune.¡± She said to Mrs. Wang, ¡°Let¡¯s settle the bill then. It¡¯s five yuan and eighty-one cents in total. I¡¯ll round it down for you, so it¡¯s just five yuan and eighty cents.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang revealed a calculating smile. It was a smile, yes, but it was one that made people uncomfortable. She scoffed dismissively, ¡°I heard at the mahjong parlor today that your shop has good food. I also heard that my mother-in-law is a partner here, right? I thought I¡¯d come and try it out, support the elderly. But the taste isn¡¯t that great.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Look at all this. I don¡¯t like any of it. I only ate a little, and yet the price is so high. You¡¯re charging me over five yuan for this little bit of food! It¡¯s expensive and not tasty. Call my mother-in-law out. I want to ask her if this is how she does business.¡±

    Mrs. Wang complained endlessly, all the while picking up her chopsticks and rudely turning over the leftover food on the table, acting as if she were some wealthy, high-ranking person.

    Unfortunately, such behavior only served to embarrass ordinary people. If she were a high-ranking person, she would only be seen as a nouveau riche, unfit for the public eye.

    Li Hua was taken aback by her barrage of complaints, unsure of what to say. When Mrs. Wang finally finished speaking, Li Hua slowly found her voice, though her tone was somewhat uncertain. ¡°Mrs. Wang, what you¡¯re saying is unreasonable. When you ordered, I told you the price of each item. You didn¡¯t say anything then, and you ordered so much.¡±

    This woman was simply too despicable. Now that she had finished eating, she was picking faults and devaluing their food. Was she looking for trouble, trying to dine and dash?

    Seeing Li Hua¡¯s slow reaction, Mrs. Wang sneered inwardly. She thought, ¡®And she wants to do business and make money? She¡¯s lucky to have a brother-in-law like Su Shen.¡¯

    She had no intention of paying for her breakfast. Instead, she took out a cigarette from her pocket, lit it, and started smoking, causing Li Hua to sneeze.

    Helplessly, Li Hua reminded her, ¡°Mrs. Wang, you can¡¯t smoke in here. It will affect the other customers.¡± They had even posted a notice on the wall. The words were large and clear, but Mrs. Wang seemed to ignore them completely.

    Mrs. Wang paid no heed, flicking her cigarette, the ash falling to the ground. She spat on it, saying, ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t see it. Besides, who else is here?¡± Li Hua looked around, indeed finding no one else present, leaving her somewhat at a loss.

    Just then, the voice of Aunt Yang rang out, ¡°Even if there¡¯s no one else, you shouldn¡¯t smoke here. Smoking is not allowed.¡±

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    She knew that as long as she was here, Mrs. Wang would cause trouble. Li Hua and the others had helped her so much, she couldn¡¯t just shrink back now and let Li Hua deal with this troublesome woman alone.

    Seeing that the old woman had been forced to come out, a satisfied smirk spread across Mrs. Wang¡¯s face, her expression full of hypocrisy. ¡°Oh, so you really are the boss here. Yuan Yuan, look, this is your grandma¡¯s shop. We¡¯ll have a place to eat breakfast from now on. Li Hua, grandma, look, we¡¯re all familiar faces. We don¡¯t need to pay for today¡¯s meal, right?¡±

    Aunt Yang, her face cold, didn¡¯t look at her. ¡°I¡¯m not a boss, I just work here, helping out. It¡¯s rare to hear you call me ¡®grandma¡¯ instead of ¡®old thing¡¯ since you¡¯ve driven me out. I don¡¯t eat or drink your stuff anymore, so don¡¯t cause trouble for no reason. You should pay what you owe, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch.¡±

    Gu Zi advised Mother Lin not to go out, then came out of the kitchen himself, walking over to Li Hua. After Aunt Yang finished speaking, a flash of hatred quickly passed through Mrs. Wang¡¯s eyes. This damned old woman, she really had some nerve talking to her like that!

    However, she had come today specifically to provoke this old woman. She was determined to get this free meal.

 Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: I Canâ€™t Indulge You

    Chapter 489: I Can¡¯t Indulge You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mrs. Wang spoke with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes, ¡°Ah, dear mother-in-law, we are all family here. Since you¡¯re working now, let¡¯s just say this money is on your tab. It can be deducted from your salary. Consider it as you treating me and Yuan Yuan to breakfast.¡±

    The next paragraph began with a playful tone, ¡°Son, from now on, we¡¯ll be dining at grandma¡¯s. She has money now and can afford to treat us. Finally, she¡¯s not just a parasite who can¡¯t earn a thing. Mother, I¡¯m just joking with the child. Look, I¡¯ve given this family a son, and now that you¡¯re capable of earning money, you wouldn¡¯t refuse to pay for this little breakfast, would you?¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi watched her with a cold, piercing gaze, like a knife steeped in poison, which made Mrs. Wang somewhat wary.

    Mrs. Wang had heard of Gu Zi¡¯s victories. During Gu Zi¡¯s time in the village, she had been undefeated in all disputes, even sending someone to jail.

    However, Mrs. Wang was accustomed to taking advantage of others in the village and the town. She had never encountered anyone more wicked than herself, and she wouldn¡¯t lose face to Gu Zi. So, she said what she wanted to say, she wasn¡¯t freeloading, and having the mother-in-law pay had nothing to do with Gu Zi.

    Moreover, Mrs. Wang thought that in the past, the mother-in-law relied on Yang Tao¡¯s earnings for meals. She had to work, do housework, and serve herself. Now that she had a job, if she could hand over her salary, Mrs. Wang wouldn¡¯t say anything or bother her. But it seemed that the old woman wasn¡¯t going to give up her salary easily, so she couldn¡¯t blame Mrs. Wang for scheming.

    Anyway, she would continue this way for now, coming to town every day to eat, saving a lot of money, and it was convenient for her to play mahjong. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea to put it on the old woman¡¯s tab. When Yang Tao returned, he could directly ask Aunt Yang for the salary, which was only reasonable.

    She didn¡¯t believe that Yang Tao wouldn¡¯t be able to pay this salary.

    As soon as Mrs. Wang spoke these words, the others understood her intentions, their tongues clicking in disapproval. Aunt Yang was the first to respond, ¡°You may have this meal today, and I will pay for it, but I won¡¯t pay for you in the future. Let me make it clear, you and Yang Tao are now family. You should live well together. I won¡¯t need you to take care of me in my old age.¡±

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°From now on, we go our separate ways. You don¡¯t need to call me mother-in-law anymore, and Yang Tao should stop calling me mother. After all, in your heart, you¡¯ve never considered me as your mother-in-law. As for Yang Tao, since you entered our lives, I consider my son as good as dead.¡±

    Aunt Yang didn¡¯t just refuse their heartless offer of care in her old age, she also felt she couldn¡¯t rely on them. With that realization, she no longer feared anything. She decided to live her life as if she had never given birth to a son like Yang Tao.

    Mrs. Wang was momentarily speechless. She hadn¡¯t expected this stubborn old woman to be thinking of going it alone. She spoke sweetly now, saying she didn¡¯t want their support in her old age, but Mrs. Wang suspected that might change when she got older. She didn¡¯t believe such words for a second.

    ¡°Hehehe, mother-in-law, you¡¯re really funny, so humorous. I won¡¯t keep you any longer, I have things to do. Yuan Yuan, you stay with grandma, didn¡¯t you say you missed her? Stay here with her, Mommy will come to pick you up later.¡±

    Mrs. Wang didn¡¯t listen to Aunt Yang¡¯s words at all. She wanted to leave Yuan Yuan with Aunt Yang, just like last time when she claimed to be unwell. Aunt Yang had taken care of the child for five days, even borrowing bedding from Mother Lin out of concern for the child¡¯s warmth.

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    This time, Mrs. Wang was even more audacious, not bothering to find an excuse. She simply wanted to leave the child here while she went off to play mahjong.

    Gu Zi, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up to stop her, his cold voice slowly saying, ¡°I don¡¯t care who invites whom among you mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. I have no interest in such matters. However, I am indeed a partner in this restaurant. Seeing your attitude today, first criticizing our food, then refusing to pay, and finally wanting to charge it to one of my employees by deducting it from her salary.

    ¡°Your actions not only cause trouble for our accounting, but it¡¯s clear you¡¯re trying to dine and dash. I can¡¯t indulge you in this. If I do, it¡¯s like giving permission for other hooligans in town to cause trouble, criticizing the food and then refusing to pay. That would create chaos. So, please pay for this meal before you leave.¡±

    Her tone wasn¡¯t particularly loud, and it didn¡¯t even sound threatening, but it carried an undeniable authority that demanded attention and defied rebuttal. Anyone who witnessed such a stance couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of submission.

    Mrs. Wang felt exactly that at this moment. She could have simply turned and left, but now she hesitated, remaining rooted to the spot.

 Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: Not a Cent Less

    Chapter 490: Not a Cent Less

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Li Hua found her resolve. She quickly regained her composure and, in agreement with Gu Zi, declared, ¡°Indeed, Gu Zi and I are the owners here. Aunt Yang is merely an employee. Whatever private matters you have should be settled privately. For now, please pay for the food you¡¯ve consumed.¡±

    Seeing their firm stance, a dangerous glint appeared in Mrs. Wang¡¯s eyes. However, she maintained her composure, biting back with, ¡°You¡¯re taking advantage of us. This place must be a scam. My mother-in-law only confronted me because you instigated her. You¡¯re truly malicious.¡±

    Li Hua had never encountered someone who could twist the truth so skillfully. She was infuriated, but found herself at a loss for words. The confidence she had moments ago had vanished.

    Gu Zi, of course, didn¡¯t expect Li Hua to handle the situation single-handedly just yet. She needed time to hone her skills, which was why Gu Zi was investing her time in guiding her. With patience and perseverance, Li Hua would eventually improve in the business world.

    Gu Zi maintained her stern expression. In her experience, showing even a hint of a smile to people like Mrs. Wang was enough for them to act recklessly.

    ¡°If you wish to argue, you¡¯re welcome to do so with someone else. Right now, we¡¯re discussing the matter of you paying for your meal. Let me be clear, if you don¡¯t pay today, don¡¯t expect to leave this shop,¡± Gu Zi stated firmly.

    ¡°Furthermore, if you¡¯re thinking of calling someone to negotiate with me, I welcome it. As long as it¡¯s about paying for your meal, feel free to tell me who you need, man or woman. I¡¯ll have them brought here to bolster your confidence. But remember, you must pay for your meal.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s stance was clear. Mrs. Wang¡¯s eyes turned red with rage, but she dared not leave just yet.

    She glared at Aunt Yang, her hatred deepening. It was all because of this old woman¡¯s unilateral decision. No wonder she had the audacity to talk about severing ties. She must have known that Mrs. Wang wouldn¡¯t dare confront Gu Zi. Once Yang Tao returned, she would make sure this old woman paid up for this.

    In the end, Mrs. Wang had no choice but to take out her wallet and pay the due amount. Gu Zi didn¡¯t spare her a cent, reminding her coldly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the total is five dollars and eighty-one cents. Not a cent less. You still owe me one cent.¡±

    Having already paid the majority, Mrs. Wang saw no point in arguing over a single cent. She placed a one-cent coin on the table.

    Extinguishing her cigarette, Mrs. Wang retorted, ¡°There, are you satisfied now? You¡¯re making it seem like I can¡¯t afford to pay for a meal. It¡¯s just over five dollars, after all.¡±

    Gu Zi pocketed the money handed to her by Li Hua, and surprisingly, a smile graced her face. ¡°Indeed, we welcome your return next time. However, please refrain from smoking next time,¡± she said. Without any intention of further engaging with this woman named Mrs. Wang, she turned and disappeared into the kitchen.

    Mrs. Wang¡¯s face alternated between shades of green and white in her fury. She was in no mood to maintain her composure, snapping at Aunt Yang in a huff, ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re really flexing your wings now, aren¡¯t you? Fine, you don¡¯t care about anything, but this grandson is still yours, right? I have things to do, so he¡¯ll be with you for a while!¡±

    She needed to spend a few days playing mahjong to vent the frustration she had accumulated today. With that, she left, leaving Yuan Yuan behind. Yuan Yuan, crying, chased after her, not wanting to be abandoned. What child doesn¡¯t yearn for their mother¡¯s affection? The last time his mother had left him with his grandmother, she had neglected him for many days.

    As Yuan Yuan cried and called out, wiping away his tears with his small hands, he pleaded, ¡°Mommy, I want to be with you. Mommy, wait for me, Mommy, wait¡­¡± Li Hua watched this scene, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. This woman truly had a heart of stone.

    Aunt Yang watched, her heart aching. If it weren¡¯t for her daughter-in-law constantly treating her like a slave at home, using her as a servant and hurling insults at her, she wouldn¡¯t want her grandson to be neglected and abandoned by his own mother.

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    If she were asked to do normal household chores, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But her daughter-in-law was always finding ways to make things difficult for her. She had no choice; she simply couldn¡¯t bear her daughter-in-law¡¯s bad temper anymore.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just her daughter-in-law. Her son¡¯s actions were even more heartbreaking. People always say that an unfilial daughter-in-law is actually a reflection of an unfilial son. She had truly come to understand this over the years.

    Now that she had been driven out by her daughter-in-law again, this time, she really didn¡¯t want to go back. Aunt Yang caught up and carried Yuan Yuan back. The woman who had walked away didn¡¯t even look back once.

    Both Mother Lin and Gu Zi came out when they heard the commotion, just in time to see Aunt Yang carrying Yuan Yuan into the shop. Yuan Yuan¡¯s face was flushed from crying, and he was still sobbing, resting his head on Aunt Yang¡¯s shoulder and staring at the road outside.

    Tears welled up in Aunt Yang¡¯s eyes as she said to Gu Zi and the others, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble. I might have to bring Yuan Yuan to work with me. If that¡¯s the case, you can cut my wages in half for the next few days.¡±

 Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: Trauma

    Chapter 491: Trauma

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Yang was a woman of soft heart, unable to turn a blind eye even to the plight of a stranger¡¯s child, let alone her own grandson, Yuan Yuan. Regardless of the disputes among adults, children were always innocent. She could never ignore Yuan Yuan.

    However, this was her burden to bear. Although it was possible to work while caring for a child, it was undoubtedly more troublesome. Her efficiency would be compromised, and she deemed it reasonable to accept half the usual wage.

    Aunt Yang was not the type to take advantage of others¡¯ kindness. She had no desire to inconvenience anyone without reason. Her current predicament had left her with no other choice.

    Mother Lin wanted to say something, but hesitated. She felt it was best to let Gu Zi make the decision. She couldn¡¯t always put her daughter in a difficult position. Thus, she merely patted Aunt Yang¡¯s back, offering silent comfort.

    Gu Zi understood her mother¡¯s intention. She addressed Aunt Yang, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve been here these past few days, taking care of Lele. I can look after Yuan Yuan as well.

    ¡°As for the future, it¡¯s fine if you work while caring for him. Just be careful not to hurt him. The shop is always bustling with people. Your wage will remain the same. As long as you help out, there¡¯s no reason to deduct anything.¡±

    When Gu Zi had agreed to let Aunt Yang work here, she had already anticipated the potential difficulties. She had thought it through, so there was no need for further deliberation.

    Having chosen to fulfill her mother¡¯s wish by helping Aunt Yang, she was committed to seeing it through. There was no need to discuss halving the wage. In fact, as long as Aunt Yang could effectively assist in the shop, there would be no loss in terms of labor cost.

    It could even be considered a good thing. Judging the character of a new helper in a short time was not easy. Even if they found someone, they might not be as meticulous as Aunt Yang. Worse still, they might try to steal the shop¡¯s secret recipes, which would only lead to more trouble.

    In the following days, Gu Zi took on the responsibility of looking after Yuan Yuan. Lele, who was originally only able to play with her mother, now had a new playmate. This made her extremely happy.

    Yuan Yuan also loved playing with Lele. He was particularly caring towards his younger sister. Whenever he had something tasty, he would eat one and then immediately give one to Lele. If there was only one, he would willingly break the food in half and hand one piece to Lele.

    After observing for a while, Gu Zi found Yuan Yuan to be a rather clever child. He was generally good, except for one thing ¨C he was prone to losing his temper easily. Any slight deviation from his expectations would result in a major tantrum, with his emotions fluctuating wildly.

    Moreover, it seemed as though he had some sort of trauma. He couldn¡¯t stay alone in a small, confined room. For instance, when Gu Zi played hide-and-seek with him and Lele, she asked Yuan Yuan to hide in the storage room at the back and come out to find Lele later. Everything was fine at first, but as soon as Gu Zi stepped out, Yuan Yuan followed, his eyes wide with terror and tears streaming down his face.

    With one small hand clutching Gu Zi¡¯s, he sobbed, ¡°I want my mom. Mom, don¡¯t leave me. Yuan Yuan will be good, will listen¡­¡±

    No matter how Gu Zi tried to comfort him, he wouldn¡¯t stop crying. It was only when Aunt Yang arrived that he threw himself into her arms, pleading with her to take him to his mother.

    Children are perhaps the most innocent, and their innocence is not stupidity. They can identify blood relations through their feelings.

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    Even though Yuan Yuan enjoyed playing with Gu Zi, when it came to crucial moments, he would still seek out his grandmother, asking her to take him to his mother.

    Clearly, in every child¡¯s heart, the position of their mother is unshakeable. Aunt Yang looked at her grandson, feeling helpless.

    She asked Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re an intellectual. Do you have any way to help Yuan Yuan become more normal? He wasn¡¯t like this before. It started when he was four years old, when his mother took him and his father to rent a house in town for a while.

    ¡°I went to visit them and found Yuan Yuan locked in a room by himself. Through the crack in the door, I saw a bowl of cold noodles on the table that hadn¡¯t been finished. Since then, he¡¯s had this problem, unable to stay alone in small, dark places.¡±

    As Aunt Yang spoke, memories surfaced in her mind. That day, she didn¡¯t have a key to enter, so she went to find her daughter-in-law. She only found out from the neighbors that when Yuan Tao went to the city for work, Yuan Yuan¡¯s mother would go to the mahjong parlor, often mingling with some people in town. Everyone felt sorry for the child, but they didn¡¯t know what to say, after all, he was someone else¡¯s child.

 Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Foreseeing A Prosperous Future

    Chapter 492: Foreseeing A Prosperous Future

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Over time, a peculiar tradition developed in the town. Whenever a child misbehaved, people would point towards the home of Yuan Yuan and frighten the child with a cautionary tale. ¡°See there? Do you hear the crying? That little one was locked up by his mother for being naughty. If you continue to misbehave, I¡¯ll do the same to you.¡± This threat was usually enough to keep the children in line for a while.

    Mrs. Wang, Yuan Yuan¡¯s mother, typically returned home late at night. Before leaving, she would prepare a large bowl of noodles or a few buns for her son, leaving them on the table for him to eat when he was hungry. Thus, the child spent his days locked inside the house.

    Aunt Yang, the boy¡¯s grandmother, was heartbroken. She recalled how she had once praised her grandson for being so independent, able to clean himself and wash his face. She now realized that these skills were born out of necessity, a result of his harsh living conditions.

    Aunt Yang confronted Mrs. Wang about her treatment of the child, only to be met with a sharp retort. Mrs. Wang quickly turned the tables, telling Aunt Yang¡¯s son, Yang Tao, that she had asked his mother to help care for the child, but she had refused, leaving Mrs. Wang with no choice but to lock the boy in the house.

    Without discerning the truth, Yang Tao berated his mother the following day. Aunt Yang was left speechless, unsure of how to defend herself against such blatant false accusations.

    Unable to bear the sight of her grandson¡¯s suffering, Aunt Yang took it upon herself to care for the boy. To prevent him from being locked in the house, she walked from the village to the town every morning and back again each evening.

    Initially, her role was to look after the child, but it soon evolved into serving the couple. From laundry and cooking to running errands and childcare, Aunt Yang took on all the household chores.

    This routine continued for half a year until Yang Tao had to leave for work in a distant place, and the family moved back to the village.

    However, the shadow of Yuan Yuan¡¯s past could not be erased. He remained sensitive and irritable in confined spaces, often breaking down into tears when left alone.

    Aunt Yang longed to help her grandson overcome his trauma but was at a loss for how to do so.

    Gu Zi felt the matter at hand was of utmost importance. If not addressed promptly, it could potentially impact a child¡¯s entire life. Wasn¡¯t that akin to adding another tragic tale to the book, much like the unfortunate endings of children like Su Bing? She couldn¡¯t allow that. At the very least, she could do something.

    She might not be able to offer much assistance, but she could try to guide Aunt Yang on how to properly steer the child¡¯s mental state. The situation with Yuan Yuan wasn¡¯t entirely beyond salvation.

    She said to Aunt Yang, ¡°This Saturday, Lele¡¯s speech therapist will come for a language training session. I will consult them about this issue then.¡±

    Aunt Yang was extremely grateful upon hearing this. After soothing her grandson, she returned to her chores. Gu Zi didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. Life was unpredictable, and every family had its own set of difficulties. There was no point in overthinking or discussing it further.

    She then turned to Li Hua to discuss the adjustments to their shop, ¡°Sister-in-law, our opening promotion period is almost over. Once it ends, we need to reduce the quantity of food we prepare for sale each day by twenty percent, maybe even more. If we sell less, we can close the shop earlier and rest.¡±

    Li Hua was puzzled as to why they needed to reduce the food quantity suddenly. The shop had been thriving these days, and the breakfast and braised meat they prepared for sale each day were barely enough. She said, ¡°Ah, just yesterday, Mother and I were discussing increasing the quantity of food we sell each day. Won¡¯t reducing it make it even less sufficient?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head and simply said, ¡°There¡¯s no family in the world that can earn all the money. Don¡¯t worry about whether reducing the quantity will be enough for now. Just reduce it first, and you¡¯ll understand later.¡±

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    Li Hua agreed, thinking that her sister didn¡¯t want the shop to attract too much attention. Closing the shop earlier would also give other shops some room to grow.

    She didn¡¯t grasp the reason behind Gu Zi¡¯s instruction until a few days later, during which she had reduced the quantity of food as Gu Zi had advised.

    To her surprise, Gu Zi¡¯s prediction was spot on. After the promotion period ended, business wasn¡¯t as booming as before. However, because they had appropriately reduced the quantity, there was no leftover food in the shop at the end of the day, thus avoiding any loss.

    Li Hua was extremely curious, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s the principle behind this? Can you really predict the future? Did you foresee that our business would decline these few days?¡± At that moment, Li Hua resembled a curious seven or eight-year-old child, her eyes fixed on Gu Zi, seeking answers.

    Playing along, Gu Zi lifted her hand to her chin, pretending to stroke a long beard, and said in a theatrical tone, ¡°Hmm, with a simple calculation, I figured it out. I see that you, young lady, have a full forehead, indicating a prosperous future with your husband. Your future is boundless, beyond words!¡±

 Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: A Good Life

    Chapter 493: A Good Life

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Facing the sudden playful demeanor of Gu Zi, Li Hua couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. The two women, related by marriage, found themselves in fits of giggles, taking a while to regain their composure. Li Hua, holding Gu Zi¡¯s hand, asked, ¡°Dear sister, please tell me, how did you figure out that we would have fewer customers later?¡±

    Gu Zi wiped the corners of her eyes with a tissue, having laughed until she cried. She explained softly, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just a common pattern. If we do a good job promoting our business before opening, we will be very busy at first, and this will last for a while.

    ¡°However, once the initial buzz from the promotion dies down, the shop will enter a relatively quiet, even slow, period. Like these past few days, our business has reached a stable level. We won¡¯t see a significant increase or decrease in customers. At this time, it¡¯s appropriate to reduce our supply to avoid waste.¡±

    Li Hua listened to Gu Zi¡¯s explanation, her eyes wide with admiration. In her view, this must be the magical power of the educated. ¡°So there¡¯s such a strategy involved. How did you learn all this? Do they teach you how to run a business in school in the city?¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment and just chuckled. She then thought of an explanation, ¡°Schools don¡¯t usually teach this, but we can learn it ourselves. I learned it from books, which can teach us a lot!¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to lie, but she couldn¡¯t exactly say that she was from the future.

    Moreover, her explanation wasn¡¯t entirely untrue. Some economic books, combined with a bit of intelligence and luck, could indeed lead to making a fortune. Yes, that¡¯s it. Gu Zi convinced herself.

    Li Hua was amazed, covering her mouth with her hand, ¡°So reading books can be so powerful? Books really are a good thing. Look at us, we don¡¯t read, we lack knowledge. We only know a few characters and can¡¯t do anything else. Can I read books?¡±

    Gu Zi smiled at Li Hua, giving her approval, ¡°Of course you can. Not just you, even our mother can learn and improve herself by reading books if she wants to. Do you want to read? We can buy a history book for you to read. Just pick one that¡¯s easy to understand, as long as you can comprehend it.¡±

    Li Hua made up her mind on the spot, slapping her thigh, ¡°Alright, isn¡¯t the shop closed tomorrow afternoon? I was planning to go to the city with Mom for a tasting session, I¡¯ll buy a book then!¡± Li Hua got up, full of energy, and went to clean up.

    Gu Zi had not expected that Li Hua would develop an interest in reading. She saw it as a positive development, for indeed, reading could lead to personal growth. In this era, the country had already conducted several literacy campaigns, leading to a significant improvement in the people¡¯s educational level.

    However, in remote areas and rural regions, the spread of education was still far from sufficient. It was even more necessary for the people in these places to have the ability to learn and read on their own.

    Now that Li Hua had this ability, Gu Zi was happy for her. She had always believed that everyone should read, especially women.

    At this moment, Su Le ran towards her. She picked up the little girl and said to her, ¡°Our Lele must also read a lot in the future. Not only should she read, but she should also travel, to see the beautiful rivers and mountains of this world. Isn¡¯t that right, little Lele?¡±

    Since they were destined to be mother and daughter, as long as she was in the Su family, she would do everything in her power to ensure that Su Le led a good life.

    Su Le seemed to understand her mother¡¯s words. She hugged her mother¡¯s face and kissed it, responding, ¡°Okay, Lele will read and walk.¡±

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    Seeing her daughter respond so quickly, Gu Zi was somewhat surprised and extremely pleased. She sat with her daughter on the second floor of the shop, telling her stories. During this time, Yuan Yuan also came to play with them. Gu Zi let him and Lele listen to her stories together. That afternoon, the two children, including Gu Zi, were very happy.

    The shop closed early that day. When Gu Zi took Lele home, the sun was still hanging low in the western sky, casting a warm glow.

    Today, Lele and Yuan Yuan had played until they were sweaty. When Gu Zi got home, she first carried Lele upstairs, turned on the shower, filled the bathtub with a small amount of warm water, and let little Lele happily take a bath.

    At first, Su Le was afraid to sit in the bathtub. As soon as she was put down, she would cry. However, she adapted later and particularly enjoyed bathing in it.

    Now, as soon as she was put in the bathtub, she would happily splash around, drenching Gu Zi. Just like now, Gu Zi¡¯s chest was soaked by the water splashed by the little girl.

 Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: She Thought

    Chapter 494: She Thought

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had mentally prepared herself for the eventuality of getting wet. After all, she had already planned to give herself a thorough wash after bathing her daughter, so she wasn¡¯t concerned about getting wet.

    After bathing the little girl, she lifted her out of the tub, changed her clothes, and placed her on the bed. Handing her a small toy, she gently stroked her head and said, ¡°Mommy is going to take a bath now, you play here by yourself, be good!¡±

    Gu Zi gathered her change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. Just as her hand touched the doorknob, she heard the sound of the bedroom door unlatching. She took a step back as the bedroom door swung open, revealing a tall, slender figure standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a military green short-sleeved shirt and the camouflage pants he often wore.

    The man¡¯s well-defined hand hung by his side, a knife wound on the back of his hand still seeping blood.

    Gu Zi opened the bathroom door, quickly placed her clothes inside, then came out and pulled the man into the bathroom. She rinsed his wound with warm water, asking, ¡°How did this happen? You haven¡¯t disinfected it yet, have you?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes were deep and dark, his gaze drawn to the wet patch on her clothes. He could clearly see the roundness of her breasts, encased in a white bra beneath her outer clothing, and further down, her soft, enchanting waist¡­

    He swallowed hard, restraining himself, and said in a low voice, ¡°An old acquaintance came to the pig farm today. We had a little spar, and I got cut by his knife. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    Men¡¯s contests often involved real weapons. This was nothing new to him. But seeing the concern in her eyes, he decided not to tell her about his opponent¡¯s humiliating defeat, begging for mercy on the ground.

    Moreover, this wound wasn¡¯t a result of a formal fight. His opponent was too eager to compete with him, but he didn¡¯t want to waste time. So, his opponent resorted to a dirty trick, deliberately provoking him to retaliate. He took advantage of his unpreparedness and cut him with a knife. In the end, the man was defeated in front of the pig farm workers and had to be carried away.

    However, Gu Zi didn¡¯t know any of this. She indignantly said, ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not a big deal? An old acquaintance, really? Did you need to use real knives for a spar?¡± Her face was flushed with anger, her petal-like lips opening and closing, incredibly enticing.

    Gu Zi intended to take him for disinfection and medication. She pulled him out of the bathroom, saying, ¡°If it hurts later, don¡¯t scream. Who told you to be so reckless? You¡¯re a grown man and still¡­ huh?¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, the man pulled her back into his arms. He lifted her chin and kissed her lips. It started as a gentle kiss but gradually took on a more adult flavor.

    Su Shen used his tongue to pry open her teeth, his wet tongue invading her mouth. His hand gripped her waist, the warmth of his palm rubbing against her skin, causing her waist to itch and her body to involuntarily twist.

    Su Shen¡¯s tongue entwined with hers, sucking deeply, nibbling, kissing until Gu Zi was pressed against the washbasin, his large hand exploring her waist.

    However, his hand merely lingered on her thigh, seemingly seeking her consent before venturing into the enticing triangle. Gu Zi resisted him, her voice muffled, ¡°Su Shen, don¡¯t¡­ um, apply the medicine first.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s hand paused. To alleviate the growing restlessness, he withdrew his hand, moving it upwards, gripping one of her breasts through the damp clothing, kissing her neck. His warm breath sprayed on the thin layer of skin on her neck, tickling and uncomfortable. Her cotton underwear was already damp.

    Suddenly, he lifted his head, his voice hoarse, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to apply the medicine, Gu Zi, are you preparing to take a bath?¡±

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    Their eyes met, his gaze tender yet dangerous. Before she could respond, he lifted Gu Zi into the bathtub. He turned on the shower, then approached her, slowly bending down, pressing her against one end of the bathtub, undressing her, kissing her.

    It wasn¡¯t until she was almost out of breath that he finally let go. How could he let her feel so uneasy during lovemaking?

    Moreover, he didn¡¯t have a condom. He told Gu Zi, ¡°You bathe, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯ll change my clothes and apply the medicine myself.¡± With that, Su Shen¡¯s gaze moved away from her naked body, and he turned and left the bathroom.

    Gu Zi gasped for breath, a wetness flowing from her body, merging with the water in the bathtub. She didn¡¯t dare to look at the mirror in front of her, only knowing that her cheeks were burning and she felt incredibly guilty.

    Because just now, she thought they were going to make love in the bathtub. But now it seemed that she was the one who was too beastly. What time was it now, and all she could think about was this. How embarrassing¡­

 Chapter 495 - Chapter 495: Father, Please Take a Look

    Chapter 495: Father, Please Take a Look

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen¡¯s movements as he bandaged the wound were both rough and efficient. He then carried his daughter, Su Le, downstairs. His deep-set eyes and prominent nose always gave off a cold and distant impression. Little Su Le observed her father, feeling somewhat estranged. She lay still in his arms, not speaking, only watching him, appearing incredibly well-behaved.

    Su Shen felt a twinge of embarrassment. He had been so busy lately that his own daughter had become unfamiliar with him.

    He decided to carry her away, thinking that Gu Zi would need time to care for her skin after her bath. Gu Zi had this habit of skin care after bathing. With him taking care of their daughter, she could focus on her own tasks without any hassle.

    He had spent little time at home recently, so on this rare day when he had some time, he naturally wanted to help out as much as possible.

    Additionally, he could spend some time with his child. Seeing Su Le¡¯s unfamiliar gaze, Su Shen felt even more strongly that his decision was correct. If he didn¡¯t spend more time with her, Su Le might forget that she even had a father.

    This home was never just the home of one person. Just because he was the man of the house, it didn¡¯t mean he could completely neglect his responsibilities towards his family. Being a male head of the household wasn¡¯t just about providing financially. If there was no care or companionship, no amount of money could make up for it.

    Before he met Gu Zi, he had never thought about this. Now, he deeply recognized his previous shortcomings. Even if he held a public office, even if he was busy at the factory, these were not excuses for him to only bring money home and not himself.

    His contribution to the family should not only be financial, but also include companionship and care. These elements should be integrated into every day spent with his family, making every ordinary day filled with love. Perhaps only then would Su Shen feel that he had not let down Gu Zi, a woman who was both talented and beautiful, kind and principled.

    When Su Shen arrived home, he found that his sons, Su Li and his older brother, had already returned from school. They were in the courtyard, where Su Li was chattering away, ¡°Brother, just give me a little to eat, it smells so good. I¡¯ll only have a small piece, please!¡±

    Su Bing was the first to enter the house, with Su Li following closely behind. His eyes were fixated on the yellow paper bag in Su Bing¡¯s hand. He was about to open his mouth to plead for a share, but upon noticing Su Shen sitting on the sofa, he restrained himself and greeted him respectfully, ¡°Hello, Father! I, I¡¯ve already finished my homework at school.¡± He then took a seat next to Lele.

    After a brief visit to the kitchen, Su Bing reappeared without the yellow paper bag. Su Li glanced at his brother, his lips curling into a pout. His brother always claimed that he was the one who sought attention, but he was no different. He always insisted on giving their mother the first taste of any delicacy. Was he not his younger brother?

    However, Su Li wasn¡¯t jealous of their mother. He agreed that his brother was right; any delicious food should be offered to their mother first. His displeasure stemmed solely from his intense desire to eat.

    Su Bing, having removed his backpack, approached Su Shen and presented two test papers. On top of them was a small note, ¡°Father, these are my end-of-term test papers, along with evaluations for other subjects. They were handed out today. Would you like to take a look?¡±

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    Upon hearing this, Su Li quickly stood up, rummaged through his backpack, and retrieved his own test papers. He followed his brother and handed his papers to their father, saying in a formal tone, ¡°Mother said that not only should we share our grades with her, but we should also proactively share them with our busy father. I¡¯m sorry, Father, I had forgotten. Please take a look!¡±

    Listening to Su Li¡¯s explanation, Su Shen realized that this was all due to Gu Zi¡¯s teachings. A wave of strange emotions welled up within him ¨C gratitude towards her, and an unspeakable sense of excitement.

    Gu Zi was a woman of her word. She had promised to take good care of the children, and she did so admirably. Not only did she guide their character development, but she also nurtured their father-son bond.

    Su Shen accepted the test papers from Su Bing and Su Li. Following the principle of respecting the elder and cherishing the younger, he first looked at Su Bing¡¯s. The small note on top was actually a simple grading sheet for various subjects. These subjects were not graded based on written exams, so the scores for each were written on this note.

    The note contained grades for eight subjects: physical education, drawing, music, moral education, speaking, health education, history, and nature. Su Bing¡¯s grades for physical education, drawing, music, moral education, history, and nature were all above 95, which was exceptionally outstanding.

 Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: A Good Mother

    Chapter 496: A Good Mother

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    However, in the subject of communication, Su Bing was awarded 65 points. The teacher¡¯s comments that followed suggested that Su Bing should interact more with his peers and educators. As for health education, Su Bing scored 78 points.

    This subject was largely graded based on the child¡¯s physical fitness. The teacher¡¯s remarks noted that Su Bing had made significant progress in this area. Previously, he had failed, but the hope was that he would take better care of his health and soon reach the standard height and weight for his age. The teacher also urged the parents to pay more attention to their child¡¯s physical development.

    Su Shen then reviewed two exam papers. Su Bing scored 99 in Chinese, with the one point deduction being from the essay section. In mathematics, he scored a perfect 100.

    Su Shen placed the papers on the low table, his tone becoming more amicable as he said, ¡°Very good. I¡¯ll show these to your mother later, she¡¯ll be pleased. Now let¡¯s take a look at your younger brother¡¯s results.¡±

    Su Li¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation. His progress this term had been swift! He scored 89 in Chinese, which was considered good. Although he was far from reaching his brother¡¯s level, he was younger and still had time to catch up.

    As for mathematics, which used to be his most troublesome subject, he scored 80 this time, also a good grade. His math teacher even rewarded him with two pieces of White Rabbit candy!

    He ate one piece himself and planned to give the other to his mother later. His noticeable improvement in grades was all thanks to his mother¡¯s extra tutoring. How fortunate he was to have such a wonderful mother!

    When his math teacher asked about the reason for his improvement today, Su Li proudly boasted in front of the entire class, ¡°Because I have a beautiful and intelligent mother. My wonderful mother cooks delicious food for me, encourages me to improve, and helps me with my homework¡­¡±

    He couldn¡¯t quite remember what he said after that, but he was sure he had spoken at length. It was almost enough to write an essay.

    Upon finishing his review, Su Shen affirmed his approval. Su Li¡¯s strengths were evident in sports, art, music, moral character, speech, and nature, all of which received high scores. As for health education, his evaluation was similar to that of Su Bing. History was Su Li¡¯s weak point. ¡°Very good,¡± Su Shen commented, ¡°just remember to focus more on history in the future.¡±

    No sooner had Su Shen¡¯s words fallen, than a pleasant female voice echoed from afar, growing closer. Everyone turned to see Gu Zi descending the stairs. She was clad in a floral A-line dress, its long sleeves and flowing skirt exuding an air of elegance and a touch of literary charm.

    ¡°Your grades are out, how did it go?¡± she asked, directing the latter part of her question to Su Shen.

    Su Shen, his eyes deep and voice firm, responded, ¡°Very good, take a look.¡±

    He made room for her as he spoke, and Gu Zi gracefully took a seat next to him. She picked up the test paper and began to read, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. Turning to the children, she asked, ¡°What would you two like to eat today? Mommy will make it for you!¡±

    At that moment, Su Bing emerged from the kitchen carrying a plate of food, the aroma of meat wafting through the air. He placed the plate in front of Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, this is from my classmate Jiang Nuan. Her mom made it. I think it¡¯s called pan-fried western steak. I wanted to bring some for you to try. It¡¯s been reheated.¡±

    He didn¡¯t have any particular cravings. Ever since his mother arrived, he had no complaints about the food.

    Gu Zi was taken aback. She had intended to reward them with a delicious meal, yet Su Bing had already prepared something. She sampled the dish, pleasantly surprised by the taste.

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    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s delicious. Jiang Nuan is the girl who came to be a flower girl last time, right?¡± Su Bing¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly at her words. He nodded, then quickly retreated, fearing further questions.

    Gu Zi watched him go, a smile in her heart, though she didn¡¯t let it show. She felt that this girl, Jiang Nuan, held a different place in Su Bing¡¯s heart compared to other girls. This was beneficial for Su Bing¡¯s character development, an absolute blessing!

    Seeing his mother so happy, Su Li no longer cared whether he would get to taste his brother¡¯s steak. He quickly presented her with a White Rabbit Creamy Candy, a reward from his math teacher, hoping to catch her attention. ¡°Mom, I also have something for you. This was a reward from my math teacher. You can have it!¡±

    Gu Zi divided the steak among everyone, encouraging them to taste it. She patted Su Li¡¯s head, accepted the candy, and said, ¡°Thank you, Su Li, for buying candy for Mom!¡±

    Su Li was both delighted and confused. He hadn¡¯t bought it. But then he heard his mother¡¯s explanation: ¡°You are a student now. When you do well, your teacher rewards you with candy. It¡¯s like adults getting a bonus for good performance at work. The candy is your bonus. So, why wouldn¡¯t it count as you buying candy for me? So, thank you!¡±

 Chapter 497 - Chapter 497: A Stir in the Tian Family

    Chapter 497: A Stir in the Tian Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the news, Su Li¡¯s face lit up with understanding, his smile broadening. A resolution formed in his heart. He decided to study even harder in the future, to earn more rewards, all of which he would give to his mother.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze, however, remained fixated on Gu Zi. In his eyes, this woman was not only beautiful, but her soul shone brightly as well. Her presence in their home was an irreplaceable source of inspiration for every member of the family.

    Gu Zi watched as Su Li devoured his beef with relish. She suggested, ¡°There¡¯s still a large chunk of beef in the fridge. We just finished our steak, so why don¡¯t we have beef rice for dinner? It¡¯s even tastier than the pork rice I¡¯ve made before. What do you think?¡±

    Su Shen nodded in agreement, ¡°You decide.¡±

    Gu Zi then turned to the two boys. Su Bing also nodded, his serious demeanor mirroring Su Shen¡¯s. Su Li, on the other hand, clapped his hands enthusiastically in support.

    He exclaimed, ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I love beef the most. I hereby declare that my favorite food is beef!¡± Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but smile at his excitement. He was such a little foodie, always getting excited at the mention of delicious food.

    Gu Zi stood up, and before leaving the room, she bent down to give a kiss to Lele. Only then did she walk towards the kitchen with a relieved expression.

    Seeing that his two sons were present, Su Shen felt that his daughter didn¡¯t need his supervision. He rose from his seat and followed Gu Zi into the kitchen. As Gu Zi finished washing her hands, she felt a tall figure looming behind her.

    Turning around, she found Su Shen, the handsome man, standing there. Her heart skipped a beat. However, she knew that he was probably there to take over the cooking. Gu Zi wasn¡¯t the type to refuse help, but she genuinely wanted him to take a break. ¡°You rarely get a day off. Let me handle the kitchen. Even robots can¡¯t work twenty-four hours straight.¡±

    Gu Zi thought Su Shen was far superior to any robot. He didn¡¯t need to recharge, and he was always busy with work at the factory and social engagements. As the end of the year approached, the pig farm became busier, and there were more social events with business partners, some of which he couldn¡¯t decline. At the same time, he had to manage and execute various tasks, and still find time to come home.

    Despite all this, he always found the opportunity to steal a kiss from her, and their lovemaking was as passionate as ever. She wondered where he got all this energy from.

    What was she thinking? She chastised herself. Sometimes, Gu Zi wished she could cleanse her mind with a stain remover¡­

    Su Shen poured a cup of water from the teapot and handed it to Gu Zi, ¡°I came here to learn your craft. I want to learn how to make beef steak rice. I¡¯ll make it for you when I have the time.¡±

    He had noticed that Gu Zi was quite fond of beef and enjoyed preparing meat dishes using similar techniques, such as pork chop rice and beef steak rice. Hence, he wanted to learn.

    Gu Zi wanted to say that she could make it herself, but seeing his earnest gaze, it was hard to refuse him. She said, ¡°In that case, please go to the yard first and pick some rosemary.¡± As soon as Gu Zi finished speaking, the man nodded and went out. He returned quickly with the rosemary, which he had washed thoroughly.

    Gu Zi sliced the beef tenderloin into large pieces, neither too thick nor too thin, and ended up with six large slices of beef. She said, ¡°Actually, the methods of making beef steak and beef steak rice are quite similar. The key to a delicious dish is a good marinade recipe. Once the beef is well-marinated, the beef steak rice can¡¯t taste bad. Look, we use these ingredients, and the marinating time should be a bit longer. During this time, we can prepare the other ingredients.¡±

    Under Gu Zi¡¯s guidance, Su Shen fried the eggs and cherry tomatoes. The kitchen was soon filled with a delicious aroma.

    Su Shen brought up the matter of Su Jing, ¡°Su Jing will be back in a few days to stay for a while. It seems that something has happened to the Tian family, and she is somewhat involved. If she stays with the Tian family, she won¡¯t have a good time.¡±

    This was something he had learned today when Su Jing called the pig farm, and he wanted to discuss it with Gu Zi.

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    However, Gu Zi didn¡¯t seem surprised at all, as if she had known all along that Su Jing would be back soon. ¡°The room she stayed in is untouched. She can just come back. This time she¡¯s back, she won¡¯t leave again, right?¡±

    If that was the case, she would have to congratulate Su Jing on finally getting rid of that man.

    Su Shen nodded slightly, looking at her, ¡°Who knows?¡±

    In fact, when Su Jing went back this time, Su Shen had asked someone to keep an eye on the Tian family¡¯s movements. He now knew a bit about the situation there. After all, Su Jing was his sister. He hadn¡¯t forgotten his mother¡¯s words before she passed away. As long as Su Jing chose the right path, he wouldn¡¯t mind treating her as his sister again.

    Of course, this was on the premise that Gu Zi did not reject her.

 Chapter 498 - Chapter 498: Buying Coal

    Chapter 498: Buying Coal

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zu ceded her position as head chef to Su Shen, who took over the helm. She brought over the marinated beef, picking up a piece and placing it on a clean sheet of paper. ¡°This is done to absorb the moisture on the surface of the beef, making it easier to pan-fry later. Once the moisture is absorbed, it can go into the pan. There¡¯s no need for oil, just dry fry,¡± she explained.

    Su Shen followed Gu Zu¡¯s instructions to the letter, executing the task with an air of professionalism. Soon, the pan-fried steak began to exude a tantalizing aroma. Gu Zu then spoke again, ¡°As for Su Jing, you can make the decision. I¡¯m not opposed to her now.¡±

    At the end of her statement, Su Shen let out a soft chuckle. The sound was brief, but deep and pleasant. Just as Gu Zu was savoring the moment, she felt a ticklish sensation on her nose. Su Shen spoke, ¡°Alright, I promise. As long as she shows any signs of reverting to her old self, I¡¯ll have nothing to do with her.¡±

    Gu Zu touched her nose, which had been lightly grazed by his finger. Her eyes were downcast, half-covered, creating an indescribable sense of beauty. He turned his head to look at her, letting his gaze linger. The atmosphere between them grew increasingly ambiguous.

    During the meal that followed, Gu Zu felt uncomfortable making eye contact with the man, her skin prickling with goosebumps.

    Su Bing and Su Li sensed something strange in the atmosphere between their parents. It was as if they were both close and distant at the same time. However, they didn¡¯t understand much and ultimately decided to focus on their meal, not bothering to think too deeply about it.

    After dinner, Gu Zu called Su Bing over to the refrigerator. Pointing at a thermal box, she told him, ¡°I specifically set this pan-fried steak aside. You should bring some for Jiang Nuan to taste.¡±

    Su Bing felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Mom, Jiang Nuan only gave me her leftovers because she couldn¡¯t finish them. Is this really necessary?¡±

    Despite Su Bing¡¯s intelligence, he could tell that Jiang Nuan¡¯s claim of not being able to finish her food was an excuse. She simply wanted to befriend him. However, he didn¡¯t want to admit this because he wasn¡¯t sure if he could always be her friend. What if she found new friends she wanted to hang out with?

    Gu Zi knew that Su Bing still harbored some unresolved shadows towards women. He was perhaps afraid that Jiang Nuan only wanted to be his friend temporarily, and that one day, she would become better friends with someone else, leaving him in the cold.

    This child was heavy-hearted, a situation that couldn¡¯t be helped, but she also stood firm in her demands.

    ¡°It¡¯s necessary,¡± she insisted. ¡°We should reciprocate, regardless of whether you¡¯ve considered becoming good friends with her.¡±

    ¡°Please, Su Bing,¡± she implored, ¡°Let Jiang Nuan taste this. She can take it home and have her mother heat it up for her. There¡¯s even some beef steak sauce I made inside.¡± Gu Zi didn¡¯t give him a chance to refuse, turning on her heel and leaving the restaurant to head upstairs.

    The next morning, after Su Bing and the others had left for school, Gu Zi hurried to check the refrigerator. Seeing that the lunch box had been taken, she broke into a satisfied smile.

    Gu Zi returned upstairs to organize the wardrobe. She had already sorted out most of the clothes, and now only hers and Su Shen¡¯s remained. However, she was quick and soon had everything in order. It was then that she realized a problem: although it was supposed to be clothing for two, four-fifths of it was hers. The small remainder belonged to Su Shen.

    She suddenly realized that her husband, despite being the manager of a pig farm, indeed had very few clothes!

    It seemed she would have to find time to buy him a few more items. Moreover, it was getting colder. Although it rarely snowed here in winter, the damp cold was bone-chilling. She needed to prepare some heating for the house, or else it would be difficult to get through the winter.

    After some thought, Gu Zi decided that a fireplace would be the most suitable for the interior. With a fireplace, she could open all the windows without fear of carbon monoxide poisoning.

    However, this meant she would need to buy some coal for backup. Where could she buy coal here?

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    Just as Gu Zi was pondering this, Aunt Zhang¡¯s voice came from the courtyard below. ¡°Gu Zi, do you need to buy coal? There¡¯s a coal seller at the village entrance. He brought a large truck and is about to leave for other places!¡±

    Gu Zi was delighted. This was like being offered a pillow when she was about to fall asleep. She quickly responded, ¡°Yes, I need some! Aunt Zhang, please stop the driver for me. Don¡¯t let him leave, I need to buy coal!¡±

    After receiving Aunt Zhang¡¯s reply, Gu Zi quickly changed her clothes, picked up her child, and rushed out the door with the stroller.

    When Gu Zi arrived at the village entrance, a crowd was haggling over the price of coal around the large truck.

    In the past, this place was so poor that everyone burned firewood and didn¡¯t buy coal. Therefore, coal trucks usually just honked twice and drove away when passing by, never attracting the kind of scene that was unfolding now.

 Chapter 499 - Chapter 499: Bargaining

    Chapter 499: Bargaining

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Things had changed now. Ever since Su Shen¡¯s pig farm had been established, the lives of the villagers had improved significantly. This was especially true for the people of Daqing Village. With more money in their pockets, no one was willing to let themselves or their families endure the cold.

    As a result, everyone would buy some coal according to their financial capabilities to prepare for the winter. Although the amount purchased was not substantial, it still marked the beginning of this new kind of expenditure.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi¡¯s arrival, Aunt Zhang hurriedly made her way towards her, guiding Gu Zi through the crowd. In no time, they reached the coal seller. Gu Zi noticed that the cart was not entirely filled with coal. There were also processed coal balls, which were more convenient to use.

    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Gu Zi decided to buy the coal balls. The price was clearly marked on the cart. The coal balls were slightly more expensive than the raw coal, sold at 0.13 yuan each.

    Gu Zi observed that most people were buying raw coal because it was cheaper and they didn¡¯t need much. Only a few villagers bought the coal balls, with the most anyone bought being twenty. Gu Zi had an idea and began to inquire about the price from the coal seller, ¡°Boss, how much are the coal balls?¡±

    The coal seller rolled his eyes and replied gruffly, ¡°0.13 yuan each, can¡¯t you read?¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t offended by his tone. She understood that some people naturally had loud voices and spoke harshly without any facial expressions. These people were too busy with their lives to bother with courtesy.

    Gu Zi was not a sensitive person. She didn¡¯t mind his attitude and continued to negotiate calmly, ¡°We need a lot at my house. Can you give a discount? If you can, I¡¯ll buy them right away.¡± As she spoke, she placed Su Le in the small cart to let her play for a while.

    The coal seller sneered at her request and asked directly, ¡°How many can you buy? Can you buy a hundred? If you can, I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she asked, ¡°Do you only sell coal once a year? Oh dear, why is this little girl touching the coal? You shouldn¡¯t smear it on your face.¡±

    Gu Zi saw Su Le standing in a small cart, her tiny hand clutching a piece of coal, ready to stash it in her pocket. Gu Zi quickly snatched the coal away and put it back. Su Le¡¯s small hand then touched her face, instantly transforming her into a little coal-dusted kitten.

    Gu Zi touched her forehead, feeling helpless. The adults around them were amused by Su Le¡¯s antics. Su Le then touched her nose, adding another black spot to her face, making her look even more adorable.

    The coal seller, watching this scene, seemed to find some amusement in it too. His tone softened, ¡°How much are you planning to buy if you¡¯re only making one trip?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°I¡¯ll take five hundred, priced at 0.08 yuan each, is that okay?¡±

    Not only could the stove use coal balls, but also the large stove at home and the outdoor kiln. It was always convenient to have them during the cold weather. The household could certainly afford coal balls, so Gu Zi planned to buy more.

    As soon as she spoke, numerous envious and jealous eyes were cast her way. True to the Su family¡¯s reputation, they bought coal balls as if money was no object. Buying hundreds at a time was something many city dwellers wouldn¡¯t dare to do!

    At this moment, the younger women in the crowd were filled with regret. If only they had married Su Shen, they could have been the envied woman standing there!

    A glint of surprise flashed in the coal seller¡¯s eyes. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a big customer in this village.

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    However, they were seasoned business people who had been travelling south and north for many years. They were naturally very shrewd. At 0.08 yuan each, there was no profit for them, even if she bought a lot. This woman was not only beautiful but also very clever. Her bargaining was ruthless.

    After discussing with his wife, the coal seller responded, ¡°If you came to my house to buy coal, I could give it to you for 0.08 yuan each without a loss. But we¡¯ve traveled over mountains and rivers to sell coal. At this price, even if you bought eight hundred coal balls, we wouldn¡¯t make a profit. It¡¯s not possible.¡±

    He could sell eight hundred coal balls for 0.07 yuan each, but he intentionally exaggerated to make it harder for her to bargain.

    Gu Zi, of course, understood his meaning. However, whether his words were true or not was not the point. The key was to get the price she wanted.

    After pondering for a moment, Gu Zi let the others buy first. After a while, she approached the coal seller and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush. Let¡¯s meet halfway. You help me deliver the coal balls to my house. I can¡¯t carry them with the child, and it¡¯s too much trouble to call my husband. Let¡¯s settle at 0.09 yuan each, shall we?¡±

 Chapter 500 - Chapter 500: One And The Same Family

    Chapter 500: One And The Same Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhang couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Zi didn¡¯t push harder. She could have easily negotiated a better price. After all, she was buying five hundred coal balls. Why couldn¡¯t she get them for 0.08 yuan each?

    If Aunt Zhang herself were buying in such bulk, she would have insisted on a price of 0.07 yuan per piece. It seemed that even Gu Zi had her moments of confusion.

    The coal seller found this woman to be quite straightforward. Although the price was a bit low, the quantity was substantial, which was a good thing. So, after discussing with his wife, he immediately accepted Gu Zi¡¯s money and began counting the coal balls.

    Next, the coal seller unloaded a small iron cart from his truck, filled it with coal, and followed Gu Zi towards the Su family home. Gu Zi¡¯s pushcart was filled with the remaining coal balls and the coal that Aunt Zhang had bought. Since Gu Zi was holding her child, Aunt Zhang was the one pushing the cart.

    On the way, the coal seller belatedly said to his wife, ¡°I originally wanted to sell them for 0.1 yuan each. I was surprised when she managed to negotiate the price down to 0.09 yuan. Now I understand. She deliberately started with a low offer, making me think that 0.08 yuan was her bottom line, and then she increased it by 0.01 yuan.¡±

    This woman was truly clever. It was as if she had first slapped him, then offered a sweetener. The deal was naturally easily concluded. He hadn¡¯t expected that, after many years of selling coal, he would be outsmarted by a young woman with a child!

    The man slapped his thigh, feeling a sense of defeat for the first time in this regard.

    His wife said, ¡°I always tell you not to underestimate women. Now you know, not all women are idle and useless. We women are quite formidable. I¡¯ve also heard that there¡¯s a young and successful ten-thousand-yuan household in this area. This place really is a land of outstanding people.¡±

    Little did the couple know, the young woman and the ten-thousand-yuan household they were talking about were one and the same family¡­

    In the Su family kitchen, Gu Zi had cleared a special space for coal balls where the firewood was usually kept. Five hundred coal balls were neatly arranged, instantly filling the space and creating an atmosphere of abundance and prosperity.

    Aunt Zhang watched with envy. She asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you insist on a lower price earlier? I think they could have sold it for 0.08 yuan each.¡±

    Gu Zi washed her hands and cleaned the coal marks off the face of the little tabby cat, Su Le. ¡°They could sell it for that price, even 0.07 yuan each wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But they are in business to make money. While I consider my own interests, I can¡¯t squeeze their profit margin too much. Besides, 0.09 yuan is already a good deal for me. There¡¯s no need to demand a lower price.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang finally understood Gu Zi¡¯s intention. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°We don¡¯t have your kind of vision. Those women are regretting not marrying Su Shen. But even if they had married him, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle such good fortune.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t respond, but poured a cup of warm water for Aunt Zhang. However, she agreed with one point: the same situation can lead to different outcomes depending on who is involved.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think of Aunt Yang¡¯s situation. She felt that if Aunt Yang wasn¡¯t such a weak and kind person, her circumstances would be much better¡­

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    On Saturday afternoon, the therapist who was conducting language rehabilitation training for Lele came for the second time. Gu Zi let them interact alone. She was quite satisfied with the progress from the last session, as Lele was now occasionally uttering longer sentences.

    After the training was completed, Gu Zi had a chat with the therapist. The therapist said, ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job with Lele. You must have been talking to her non-stop. Her progress is quite fast. At this rate, in less than six months, she will be able to recover to the language learning and usage ability of a normal child.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been following your instructions. Thank you for your hard work. By the way, I have another question to consult. I can pay an additional consultation fee. There¡¯s a child who was locked in a room alone by his mother for a period of time. We¡¯ve found that he has bipolar issues. He¡¯s terrified of any small, dark spaces¡­¡±

    The therapist, a kind-faced professional who had studied abroad, said honestly, ¡°I can answer your question without a consultation fee. Such children often lack love deep down, even if you say his grandmother and aunt love him very much. The absence of maternal love is very hard to compensate for.

    ¡°His current symptoms are early signs of bipolar disorder and claustrophobia. However, there¡¯s still a chance to turn things around.¡±

 Chapter 501 - Chapter 501: Homecoming

    Chapter 501: Homecoming

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°So, this is why we doctors advocate for planned breeding,¡± the therapist said, her tone serious. ¡°A woman without love is not fit to bear children, yet it¡¯s an inevitability that can¡¯t be avoided. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ll do¡ªI¡¯ll write down some suggestions for you. If you follow these steps, there should be some improvement.¡±

    Gu Zi was deeply grateful to the therapist. She escorted her to the village entrance to catch her ride home.

    After bidding the therapist farewell, Gu Zi held Su Le in her arms, preparing to head back. As she turned, she noticed a figure struggling with a suitcase and a handful of bags. The person appeared disheveled, causing Gu Zi to squint for a moment before recognizing her as Su Jing.

    Su Shen had mentioned that Su Jing would be returning in a few days. She had indeed returned, but she looked worn and travel-weary, a stark contrast to her usual city-dweller sophistication. Gu Zi furrowed her brows, approaching Su Jing. ¡°Did you run away from something?¡±

    Su Le stared at Su Jing for a while before opening her small mouth to call out, ¡°Auntie.¡±

    The word ¡°Auntie¡± seemed to alleviate Su Jing¡¯s fatigue and frustration from her journey. She patted the little girl¡¯s head, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Auntie. It¡¯s good that you recognize me. Sister-in-law, why are you out here? But it¡¯s perfect timing, could you help me with my suitcase? I¡¯m exhausted.¡±

    As she spoke, she removed the hair tie from her disheveled hair, combing it with her fingers before tying it back up neatly. She looked more refreshed, but a red mark on her forehead, like a bruise, was now visible.

    Gu Zi noticed the mark and pulled the suitcase over, ¡°Alright, you poor thing. What happened to your head?¡± She began to walk towards home, pulling the suitcase along. Su Jing picked up her other bags and followed.

    Su Jing explained, ¡°I bumped into something during a scuffle with the Tian family. But compared to the problems they¡¯re facing, this is nothing.

    ¡°Today, they all went out to handle some matters, so I took the opportunity to pack up and leave. Look at all this¡ªthese are all the valuable things I bought. I didn¡¯t leave them a single thing. Did they really think I would stay and marry into their family? Ridiculous.¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected Su Jing to be so ruthless, not leaving a single penny for the Tian family. Wouldn¡¯t this infuriate them?

    But it was a good thing. The Tian family were not good people, especially Tian Hai. Just thinking about him made Gu Zi feel sick. Su Jing¡¯s actions were indirectly avenging her.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°If my hands weren¡¯t full, I would give you a thumbs up. That was really satisfying.¡± The two women laughed and chatted as they made their way home.

    Along the way, many people saw and the rumors of discord between the women of the Su family were thoroughly dispelled. Those who had previously gossiped now held their tongues, feeling as if they had been slapped in the face.

    A woman, privy to the inside story, spoke up confidently, ¡°I told you their relationship has improved, but you didn¡¯t believe me. The last time I went to the pig farm to deliver food to my husband, I saw Su Jing and Gu Zi together, delivering food to Su Shen. Su Jing even made fried glutinous rice for everyone. Her attitude has improved, and everyone was surprised.

    ¡°The whole thing was Tian Hai¡¯s fault. He¡¯s not a good person. Even with Su Jing by his side, he was never content. He was always messing around with other women. Many women in our village were his mistresses. Why would Su Jing trade her good family for such a man? Su Jing, after all, is Su Shen¡¯s sister. She¡¯s not that foolish.¡±

    Upon hearing this, many people agreed. The truth was now in front of them, and it was always right to follow the general trend.

    However, a woman in the crowd had a twisted expression on her face, muttering under her breath, ¡°How could this be¡­¡±

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    She had thought she could enjoy the spectacle of her former lover¡¯s embarrassment, but now everyone was praising Su Jing. Su Jing was just a woman who had been slept with by Tian Hai. , However, Su Jing was lucky to be Su Shen¡¯s sister and had a strong family to rely on, so she could still live so brilliantly. This was truly unbearable!

    When Su Jing and Gu Zi returned home and went upstairs to put away their things, they heard someone shouting outside. Recognizing the familiar voice, Su Jing ran out to see, a hint of joy in her eyes.

    Indeed, without a man, she could still have so much more, like her family, and this former primary school classmate. Su Jing remembered that they had always been good playmates, good friends. After she moved to the city, they lost contact for a long time. She never expected Li Li would come to find her. Perhaps this friendship could be rekindled.

    Su Jing opened the door and welcomed Li Li in. Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother with them and went upstairs to read. Li Li looked around at the furnishings in the Su family¡¯s home, the television, the sofa, the floor tiles, and various snacks¡­

    Each item showcased their affluent conditions. Her heart felt as if it had been soaked in a jar of vinegar, burning with intense jealousy.

 Chapter 502 - Chapter 502: Let Her Steal the Recipe

    Chapter 502: Let Her Steal the Recipe

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unbeknownst to Su Jing, Li Li had been secretly comparing herself to Su Jing since their childhood. Their families were of similar status, both quite poor. On the surface, Li Li and Su Jing were good friends, but behind closed doors, Li Li harbored a desire to surpass Su Jing.

    However, every time, Li Li always fell short of Su Jing. Even in academic performance, Su Jing was not a top student, but Li Li¡¯s scores were always slightly lower.

    The same was true for their appearances. Su Jing was not extraordinarily beautiful, but she was prettier and taller than Li Li.

    As they grew older and began to date, Su Jing found a boyfriend from the city. Consequently, Li Li¡¯s goal for a long time was to find a city man as her boyfriend, intending to marry into the city.

    Finally, she managed to find one, while Su Jing broke up with Tian Hai and returned to the village in a rather pitiful state. Li Li had initially planned to revel in Su Jing¡¯s misfortune.

    However, Su Jing had the powerful backing of her maternal family, making Li Jing feel inferior once again.

    Li Li glanced cautiously at the staircase to check that that Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t come down. Lowering her voice, she feigned concern for Su Jing, ¡°I heard you broke up with Tian Hai. What are you planning to do now? You¡¯re not thinking of relying on your sister-in-law, are you?¡±

    Su Jing, unsuspecting of any malice, handed a washed apple to Li Li, replying, ¡°Why not? My brother and sister-in-law have accepted me. I will get along well with them.¡±

    Li Li, having no appetite for the apple, set it aside and began to sow discord, ¡°You¡¯re really naive, Su Jing. Now that you¡¯re back, you should reclaim what¡¯s yours. You should compete with her, otherwise, your brother will always favor his wife.

    ¡°Then you, as his sister, will gain nothing. I¡¯m genuinely worried about your future.¡±

    Listening to these words, Su Jing felt a slight twitch in her eyelid. If it were before, she would have taken these words to heart, but now, she scoffed internally.

    A chill ran through Su Jing¡¯s heart, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes. The friendship she once shared with Li Li might have been genuine, but it was also true that Li Li couldn¡¯t stand to see her doing well.

    However, Su Jing feigned ignorance on the surface, probing, ¡°So, what do you think I should do?¡±

    Li Li watched as Su Jing seemed to absorb her words, a secret thrill of victory fluttering in her chest. Su Jing was as gullible as ever, so easily manipulated. Lowering her voice, Li Li suggested, ¡°The best thing to do is to keep the money in your own hands. Your sister-in-law has a braised meat shop in town, right? You could help out there, learn the recipe, and then we could start selling braised meat too.¡±

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Once you have money, dealing with her will be much easier. Trust me, as long as she¡¯s around, you¡¯ll never have any status in the Su family. Only when she¡¯s gone or you¡¯ve managed to suppress her, will you become the head of the household. Your brother¡¯s wealth shouldn¡¯t be squandered on outsiders.¡±

    Li Li was envious of the thriving business at Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. The success of the shop was well-known throughout the area. She was convinced that if she could get her hands on the recipe and replicate it, she could become wealthy. Even if she hadn¡¯t run into Su Jing today, she would have sought her out with the sole intention of persuading her to steal the recipe.

    Su Jing listened, her eyes growing colder. She asked, ¡°Li Li, you¡¯re my best friend. You¡¯re doing this for my sake, right?¡±

    Su Jing didn¡¯t consider herself a saint, but after everything she¡¯d been through, she had no intention of harming others. If her friend showed even a hint of conscience, she wouldn¡¯t be able to harm her. So now, it all depended on whether Li Li had a conscience.

    Li Li, consumed by her scheming, failed to notice the unusual tone and expression on Su Jing¡¯s face. She took Su Jing¡¯s hand affectionately and said, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ve known each other since we were children. I always have your best interests at heart.¡±

    Su Jing smiled, but her eyes didn¡¯t reflect the same warmth. ¡°Great, I can get the recipe by tomorrow. My sister-in-law trusts me completely. Come over early tomorrow, and I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±

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    Without changing her expression, Su Jing withdrew her hand, maintaining an air of feigned trust toward Li Li. After chatting for a while, she bid Li Li goodbye.

    When Gu Zi saw Su Jing¡¯s expression as she re-entered the room, it was cold and detached, reminiscent of Su Bing¡¯s initial demeanor. Startled, Gu Zi asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Su Jing smiled wryly, ¡°Li Li wants me to steal the braised meat recipe. I agreed and promised to give it to her tomorrow. So, I¡¯ll need your help, Sister-in-law.¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected the seemingly upright Li Li to be so devious. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    Su Jing fetched a pen and paper, her voice icy, ¡°You¡¯re the expert in this field. Just give me a recipe that looks like a braised meat recipe. The key is that it should taste as awful as possible when prepared.¡±

 Chapter 503 - Chapter 503: Why Did You Come Back Again?

    Chapter 503: Why Did You Come Back Again?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi gazed at Su Jing, only now truly grasping the reality that Su Jing and Su Shen were siblings.

    Perhaps it was due to Su Shen¡¯s personality, but often, he and Su Jing didn¡¯t seem like siblings at all, even lacking the closeness one would expect from kin. However, at this moment, Gu Zi noticed their similarities, a certain wickedness inherent in their nature. The difference was that Su Shen hid it well.

    No one is perfect, not even the best of people. It¡¯s impossible to always be upright and positive. Take Su Shen, for example. Initially, Gu Zi thought he was a good man, a very good man indeed.

    But as she got to know him better, she gradually understood that he had merely chosen righteousness, rather than being innately righteous. The wickedness within him was the essence of his personal charm, the key to his business success.

    Of course, wickedness did not equate to evil.

    Gu Zi pondered for a moment, picked up a pen, and wrote down a recipe for a marinade. After reading it over, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. It was bound to taste terrible. She put the pen down, looked at Su Jing, and warned, ¡°Here you go. I guarantee it will taste awful. But if you add anything to it on your own and something goes wrong, don¡¯t say it was my recipe. You¡¯ll have to take responsibility.¡±

    Su Jing quickly folded the paper and tucked it into her pocket. Her lips quivered slightly, caught off guard by Gu Zi¡¯s insight. She retorted, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re a bit sly. I hadn¡¯t thought of that, but now that you mention it, it seems like a good idea.¡±

    In fact, she had already planned to add a laxative to the recipe to cure Li Li¡¯s greed. It wouldn¡¯t cause any serious problems, and if they were to sell the marinated meat, they would certainly taste it first. The thought of the entire family rushing to the bathroom was a rather amusing image.

    Ignoring her, Gu Zi turned to her tasks, and Su Jing followed. Seeing the pile of coal in the kitchen and the coal burning in the stove, she exclaimed, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re so wasteful!¡±

    Gu Zi placed the milk and bird¡¯s nest in the steamer, replying, ¡°I may be wasteful, but you¡¯re not. I¡¯ll remove the coal, and you can burn firewood. Just remember, you can stay as long as you like, but you have to help with the chores.¡±

    Su Jing¡¯s lips curled into a smile, trying to appease Gu Zi. ¡°Whatever you say, sister-in-law. Everyone knows you¡¯re the queen of the Su family. But let¡¯s not remove the coal, shall we?¡±

    On the surface, the younger sister-in-law seemed to be in a lower position, but in reality, both women were comfortable within their hearts. They had found an appropriate way to coexist.

    When the two brothers returned from school, they saw Su Jing cleaning the pigeon cage in the yard. Su Li opened his mouth, almost blurting out, ¡°Why are you back again?¡± But he held his tongue, realizing it would be impolite.

    However, he found the situation annoying. Why did she have to clean the pigeon cage? If she did it, then what was he supposed to do? That was his job!

    Humph, he didn¡¯t even have the chance to show off to his mother anymore.

    His gaze swept over the yard, everything was neat and tidy. But it seemed like the herbs in the ground needed watering. Su Li, devoid of any enthusiasm, called out, ¡°Auntie,¡± before running off to the faucet to fetch water, then went to water the plants.

    Su Jing watched him, puzzled, but she didn¡¯t have time to question him. She continued cleaning the pigeon cage, threatening the birds, ¡°You lot are always pooping everywhere, especially you, even on my hand. Next time, I¡¯ll stew you¡­¡±

    Su Bing watched the two of them as if they were oddities. He lifted his eyelids, as if words couldn¡¯t describe his feelings at the moment. He chose to hold his tongue, greeting his aunt with a simple, ¡°Hello, Auntie,¡± before entering the house.

    As soon as Su Bing entered the house, he saw his mother carrying several bowls of steaming food from the kitchen. She saw Su Bing too, ¡°Come and eat the bird¡¯s nest with milk, call them in as well.¡±

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    Su Bing and the others still needed to recuperate. Gu Zi had specially asked Su Shen to bring back several boxes of bird¡¯s nest, which they would cook and eat periodically.

    Bird¡¯s nest was a good thing, beneficial for men, women, old, and young. On one hand, it could supplement collagen, and on the other hand, it could enhance the body¡¯s immunity. It was an excellent nourishing food.

    Although it was expensive, the Su family was wealthy.

    Gu Zi believed that with money, life was not difficult. No matter how hard it was, money could solve ninety percent of the problems. The remaining ten percent required even more money.

    Su Bing went out to call the others, and they all came in together. Each took a bowl to eat, with Su Bing being the last to eat. He felt something was off and finally voiced it to Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, the advertisements in the newspaper say that this is something women eat¡­¡±

 Chapter 504 - Chapter 504: Heâ€™s Changing

    Chapter 504: He¡¯s Changing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had noticed he was acting awkwardly, and now she understood why. She said, ¡°Just eat it. Since when does eating have anything to do with gender? Are you suggesting that boys can¡¯t consume health supplements? As long as it¡¯s good for our health, anything goes.¡±

    Su Bing nodded, continuing to eat the bird¡¯s nest. Could this really nourish his body? He wasn¡¯t sure, but if his mother said it was good, then it must be.

    Out of the corner of his eye, Su Bing noticed Su Li, who was sitting nearby, delicately savoring his own bowl of bird¡¯s nest. Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t wolfing it down. This rascal was putting on airs in front of their mother.

    After Gu Zi finished speaking, she glanced at Su Jing sitting across from her. The girl¡¯s eyes were shimmering, but Gu Zi didn¡¯t ask any further questions. She continued to eat her bird¡¯s nest, occasionally spooning some to Su Le.

    Su Le was younger, and consuming too many health supplements wasn¡¯t beneficial, so Gu Zi only gave her a little, just enough so the young girl didn¡¯t feel left out.

    Su Jing sipped her bird¡¯s nest slowly, savoring its milky flavor. She had eaten this before, only buying it to keep up with the trend, and she hadn¡¯t found it particularly tasty. However, she never thought of steaming it with milk. Prepared this way by Gu Zi, it was quite delicious.

    The more she ate, the warmer she felt inside. This expensive delicacy had been prepared for her without a word.

    After they finished eating, Su Jing and Su Li both vied to wash the dishes. Su Jing refused to let Su Li do it, and he finally voiced his frustration, ¡°Why are you like this, taking my chores? Why don¡¯t you take my brother¡¯s chores?¡±

    Su Jing was taken aback for a moment. When had this boy become so diligent?

    Regardless, she was not willing to give up. She grabbed a stack of dishes and headed for the kitchen, leaving behind the words, ¡°The bird¡¯s nest was made by my sister-in-law, so it¡¯s my job to wash the dishes!¡±

    Su Li gritted his teeth in annoyance and chased after her, ¡°That bird¡¯s nest was made by my mother, so I should be the one to wash the dishes! How about we each wash half? Give me two dishes¡­¡±

    Gu Zi watched them until they disappeared into the kitchen, then turned to Su Bing and shook her head, ¡°Do their combined IQs even add up to that of a three-year-old?¡± It was truly absurd!

    Su Bing shook his head decisively, calmly saying, ¡°No. But Mom, you don¡¯t need to worry about them. They won¡¯t come to blows.¡± After saying this, Su Bing leisurely took a hair tie out of his bag and placed it in front of Gu Zi, his cheeks flushed red.

    Gu Zi looked at him, knowing he had something to say. Her gaze fell upon the hair tie on the table. It was quite pretty, pink with a small strawberry adorning it. Then she heard him say, ¡°This is for you. Our teacher gave it as a reward. I have no use for it.¡±

    What he really wanted to say was that he, too, would strive to win prizes for his mother.

    Originally, his end-of-term reward was a set of exquisite stationery, a prize given by the school.

    But recalling how his younger brother had given their mother a White Rabbit candy as a token of gratitude, he wanted to express his feelings too. Since his mother was teaching him foreign languages, he promptly exchanged his stationery with the hair tie Jiang Nuan had won as a prize. He thought the hair tie would be more useful to his mother.

    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll accept it then,¡± Gu Zi said, deeply moved. Not because the hair tie was a valuable item, but because she saw the changes in him. The efforts he was making quietly were bearing fruit, and there was feedback.

    How could she not see that this must be a prize he had exchanged for his own? No teacher would be so confused as to give a boy a hair tie as a reward.

    Su Bing took out a book. It was an extracurricular book he kept in his school bag. He responded to Gu Zi somewhat awkwardly, then lowered his head and began to flip through the book quickly.

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    Gu Zi watched him, not exposing the boy¡¯s sense of shame. He was probably not yet accustomed to being such a child. He needed some time to calmly face his current self.

    Su Jing came out of the kitchen and asked Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, what are we having for dinner tonight? I need to start preparing.¡± Su Jing now called her sister-in-law at every opportunity, never missing a beat.

    Gu Zi was preparing milk powder for Su Le and replied, ¡°We still haven¡¯t eaten most of the shrimp that Li Zhu sent over yesterday. Let¡¯s have shrimp. You can cook it however you like. Just stir-fry a couple of side dishes, and cook enough rice for four people. Your brother won¡¯t be home for dinner tonight.¡±

    With Su Shen not around, and her own appetite for main dishes being small, she and Le Le could share a single serving.

    Upon hearing that Su Shen wouldn¡¯t be coming home, Su Jing knew it must be because of work. Her brother must be so tired every day. She had never understood this before, nor could she empathize. She had even used the money her brother had worked so hard to earn to support someone else¡¯s family. She had been incredibly foolish!

 Chapter 505 - Chapter 505: This Is Status

    Chapter 505: This Is Status

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sorrow transformed into strength for Su Jing, making her work with a renewed vigor. As a result, the Su family had their dinner early that day. During the meal, Gu Zi brought out the braised meat from the shop. Su Li ate with great satisfaction, exclaiming, ¡°Mom, when I¡¯m on holiday, I want to help Grandma sell braised meat too. I want to learn business and make big money!¡±

    Gu Zi smiled indulgently, serving him a large piece of braised pork intestine. ¡°Good, learn business, make big money. Mom is looking forward to it!¡± For Gu Zi, as long as the outcome was different from the original, she would be happy even if Su Li became an ordinary person.

    Passersby, returning from their farming work, caught the scent of the braised meat and looked on enviously. The Su family was already enjoying a hearty meal while they had just finished their day¡¯s labor.

    Someone sourly remarked, ¡°Have you heard? The Lin family¡¯s business has been declining. There aren¡¯t as many customers as when they first opened.¡±

    ¡°Many people in town haven¡¯t been able to establish their businesses. How could the Lin family possibly sustain theirs? I think it¡¯s only because of Su Shen¡¯s money that they¡¯re still afloat. Otherwise, they would have gone bankrupt.¡±

    Although everyone knew these words were exaggerated, they continued in the same vein.

    Another person added, ¡°I think those city folks were just Gu Zi¡¯s hired stooges, putting on a show for us. Do you see anyone coming now?¡±

    A woman who had visited the town just yesterday and had tried the braised pig¡¯s head meat couldn¡¯t forget its taste. The aroma wafting from the Su¡¯s house was making her mouth water.

    However, she couldn¡¯t stand the false words being spoken by the people around her.

    She stepped forward and said, ¡°What bankruptcy? It¡¯s just not as bustling as the first few days of opening. Their business is far from dismal. You should go to town one day and see for yourself how well they¡¯re doing.

    ¡°They¡¯re living well because they have money. Su Shen earns his money honestly. What¡¯s wrong with his family living well? Many people in our village have benefited from Su Shen¡¯s success¡­¡±

    As the woman was reprimanding the group, they happened to pass by Aunt Zhang¡¯s house. Aunt Zhang heard everything clearly. After finishing her meal, she visited the Su family and relayed what she had heard. ¡°You don¡¯t know, those people were silenced by her words. I was standing behind the door, listening with such satisfaction. I always say, there are still many righteous people in our village.¡±

    Upon hearing the news, Su Jing immediately thought of Li Li, who had come to see her earlier that day. She was seething with anger at these despicable individuals who could not bear to see others doing well. With a swift smack on the table, Su Jing rose to her feet, declaring, ¡°Aunt Zhang, take me to them. I¡¯ll tear their mouths apart!¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Su Li stood up in agreement. Finally, he felt a sense of approval for his aunt, at least she wasn¡¯t a coward. ¡°I¡¯ll go too. I¡¯ll knock their teeth out!¡± he exclaimed. Even the usually composed Su Bing stood up, unable to tolerate anyone speaking ill of his mother.

    Gu Zi, however, was slightly irritated, especially by Su Li¡¯s words. She was deeply concerned. With a stern slap on the table, she scolded, ¡°All of you, sit down! Are you all full and ready to join the underworld gangs or what?¡±

    The woman¡¯s beautiful face took on an authoritative expression. The three who had been so bold just moments ago instantly lost their momentum and sat back down. There was no choice, this was a matter of hierarchy, and Gu Zi was the leader.

    Aunt Zhang found the whole scene amusing and laughed, ¡°Oh, they were just joking. They wouldn¡¯t really tear anyone¡¯s mouth apart. I¡¯ve shared my gossip and eaten your food, I should get going. I still have dishes to wash at home.¡±

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    As Aunt Zhang rose to leave, Su Li hurriedly followed to open and close the door for her. He seemed to have upset his mother earlier and thought it best not to linger.

    Su Jing immediately stood up to head to the kitchen, ¡°Haha, I think I haven¡¯t washed the dishes yet. I¡¯ll go do that now. Su Bing, do you want to help?¡± Without hesitation, Su Bing nodded in agreement, and the two also made their escape.

    Gu Zi paid them no mind, continuing to watch television while holding Su Le. She gently told the little girl in her arms, ¡°Le Le, you mustn¡¯t learn from them. They¡¯re all brutes.¡±

    The next morning, Li Li was already waiting outside the Su family¡¯s door. Afraid of attracting Gu Zi¡¯s attention, she didn¡¯t knock, but waited as agreed with Su Jing.

    Inside the house, Su Jing sat, fully aware that Li Li had arrived. She deliberately didn¡¯t go out, letting her wait a while longer. After all, there should be a price to pay for wanting to harm others.

 Chapter 506 - Chapter 506: Preemptive Strike

    Chapter 506: Preemptive Strike

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gradually, the sun began to scorch, and only then did Su Jing let her hair down, making herself appear as if she had just woken up, before opening the door.

    Upon seeing Li Li, who was drenched in sweat and wearing a pitiful expression, Su Jing feigned annoyance. In reality, she was taking the initiative to prevent any complaints about her tardiness. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m such a fool,¡± she lamented, ¡°I worked late into the night again. I¡¯m so exhausted. I just woke up, you won¡¯t mind, will you?¡±

    Li Li tried hard to suppress her emotions, her eyes fixated on the piece of paper Su Jing was clutching. It must be the formula.

    All she wanted was to grab that paper and make a fortune. What did it matter if she had to endure the heat? She laughed, addressing Su Jing, ¡°Of course I don¡¯t mind. If I can¡¯t understand you, can I still call myself your good friend? So, did you get it?¡±

    Su Jing noticed that Li Li¡¯s gaze never left the paper in her hand. She forced a smile and lifted her hand, ¡°Of course I got it. I went through a lot of trouble for this, Li Li. You won¡¯t let my efforts go to waste, will you?¡±

    Li Li nodded repeatedly, promising fervently, ¡°Of course not. Give me the formula first. It¡¯s not convenient for you to conduct research at the Su residence. I¡¯ll go and test it first. Once we have enough funds, we can set up a stall together, and eventually open a shop.¡±

    Su Jing nodded, just about to hand it over. But as Li Li reached out, Su Jing pulled her hand back, ¡°I had a hard time getting this formula. It doesn¡¯t feel right to just hand it over. I feel like I¡¯m at a loss.

    ¡°You know me, I don¡¯t like to be at a disadvantage. Since you¡¯re my friend, give me five dollars. I¡¯ll give you the formula and trust you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Li felt deflated. How could she forget? Su Jing was indeed not one to be taken advantage of. Damn it, she was asking for five dollars!

    She pulled out the money from her pocket and reluctantly handed it over. Su Jing snatched it up, handed over the paper, and said, ¡°Deal. Now you should go. Gu Zi is about to come out. It won¡¯t be easy to explain if she sees you.¡±

    Watching Su Jing go back inside, Li Li turned and left, clutching her pocket. She felt a pang of regret. That ten dollars was a gift from her future in-laws during her last visit to the city. Now, half of it was gone, taken by Su Jing. It was infuriating.

    But this formula could make her a lot of money. She needed to go to the city immediately and give it to her fianc¨¦. They would be rich. Li Li quickened her pace.

    In order to accommodate Su Jing, Gu Zi left home late. By the time she reached the town, it was almost noon.

    Gu Zi handed over the rehabilitation methods written by the therapist to Aunt Yang, instructing her to gradually help Yuan Yuan overcome his trauma according to the procedures outlined. Aunt Yang was deeply grateful, remarking how An Yun had truly raised a wonderful daughter.

    Aunt Yang held the piece of paper in her hand, her mind involuntarily drifting back. In her capable years, she had used her strength to assist many people in the first half of her life. Even when she knew she was being deceived, she would still help them out of kindness.

    She had never received any gratitude or reciprocation for her efforts, but she had never expected any either. What she had not anticipated was that An Yun, who had initially struggled so much, would now become her savior.

    Of course, An Yun was an exception. Most of those who had benefited from her kindness chose to avoid her when she fell on hard times.

    What saddened Aunt Yang was that they even spread rumors and slandered her, claiming she was incompetent, mistreated her daughter-in-law, was inadequate as a mother, favored her daughter, hoarded her husband¡¯s wealth, and was selfish. In short, all her troubles were of her own making, and she deserved her current suffering.

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    She had always been puzzled by this, but gradually, she began to understand. Perhaps, only by portraying her as such a terrible person could those who had once benefited from her kindness conveniently ignore her suffering. After all, if they did not acknowledge the favor, then there was no favor.

    Moreover, most of the time, it was her who willingly helped others, even when they did not ask for her help. Her kindness knew no bounds.

    If she had been like Gu Zi from the beginning, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up where she was today. To say she had no regrets would be a lie, but as An Yun had said, living well in the present was what truly mattered.

    She was uncertain how long Yuan Yuan would stay with her, but as long as the child was by her side, she would strive to help him overcome his trauma.

    Gu Zi watched from the side as Aunt Yang carefully put away the piece of paper, feeling somewhat moved. Perhaps Aunt Yang did not realize whether this piece of paper would serve its purpose.

 Chapter 507 - Chapter 507: Gourmet Interview Exclusive

    Chapter 507: Gourmet Interview Exclusive

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had heard the news. The men who had been working away from their village for the whole year were finally returning home. No matter how hard life was outside, they would always return home for the New Year. Aunt Yang¡¯s son should be arriving home soon, but from the tone of Aunt Yang¡¯s voice, Gu Zi could not detect any joy. It seemed that the son¡¯s return was the prelude to another drama.

    After settling the accounts in the shop, Li Hua walked over to Gu Zi from the counter. ¡°Sister, have you explained everything to Aunt Yang? I have something to tell you. Last Saturday, during our tasting event in the city, we met a local newspaper reporter. He said he wanted to interview us for a culinary feature. He even left us the newspaper¡¯s phone number. Should we accept?¡±

    As she spoke, she handed Gu Zi a piece of paper with the number written on it. Gu Zi took it and looked at it, a slight smile playing on her lips. She hadn¡¯t expected the publicity to be more effective than she had anticipated, even attracting the attention of the newspaper. ¡°Of course we should accept! This is a shortcut to making our name known!¡±

    Li Hua¡¯s face also lit up with happiness. She held a raw peanut in her hand, peeling it to make peanut curd for breakfast. But she was somewhat puzzled about the newspaper interview. ¡°We¡¯re just selling food. What do we need fame for? Even if we become famous, it¡¯s not like the whole country will come to eat our food, right?¡±

    She thought that even if they really attracted people from all over the country to eat here, their small shop wouldn¡¯t be able to accommodate them all. Her sister always said that one family couldn¡¯t earn all the money in the world. Why was she saying something different now?

    Gu Zi helped her peel the peanuts and said, ¡°Are you really satisfied with just running a shop like this? Sister-in-law, haven¡¯t you ever thought that one day you could be the owner of a national chain of gourmet restaurants? I mean, haven¡¯t you ever thought about expanding Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop all over the country? Of course, our single shop can¡¯t accommodate that many customers, but what if we had branches all over the country?¡±

    ¡°Of course, this can¡¯t be rushed. We need to build our business steadily. Look, our reputation has already attracted the attention of the newspaper. After the newspaper interviews us and our fame expands, we can strike while the iron is hot and open a branch in the city. Then we can expand to other cities around us, spreading from a single point to cover the whole country¡­¡±

    The words of Gu Zi left Li Hua, who had been content with the status quo, somewhat dazed. She was stunned for a good while before she stuttered a response. ¡°Sister, it¡¯s easier said than done. Opening so many stores with just us few, can we manage? I think the money earned from this one store is enough for us, why bother with the extra effort?¡±

    Gu Zi looked at her somewhat retreating figure, not in a hurry, but patiently said, ¡°How can we not manage? By then, we will not only be operators, but also managers. We can develop and train our own forces to manage others. You, Aunt Yang, Mom, and I, we can all become independent, commanding generals of thousands of troops!

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    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, sister-in-law. It sounds like a big deal, but it¡¯s actually not that difficult. Once you really do it, you won¡¯t feel overwhelmed. Besides, we haven¡¯t done anything yet, have we? But we still need to look at the problem with a developmental perspective. The opportunity for development is already in front of us. We have to do this interview. You should respond to them.¡±

    Li Hua looked at Gu Zi, thinking about her own business, which she thought she had almost mastered. It wasn¡¯t as difficult as she thought, but now it seemed that her learning journey was still long. She slowly responded, ¡°How should I reply, and when should the interview be?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s thinking was very clear, and she replied quickly, ¡°Just say we accept the interview, ask when it is convenient for them. If there¡¯s no problem, next Saturday would be a good time. Then ask what food they are most interested in, and if we need to prepare anything. That should be enough.¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, Li Hua hurriedly took out a pen and paper to take notes. Li Hua didn¡¯t have this habit before, but now she felt that indeed, the faintest ink was better than the best memory, it was more reliable to write it down.

    The main reason was that everything she was dealing with now was too new. Everyone else thought that Li Hua was just opening a store, but only she could feel that this was more like a rebirth with the help of her sister-in-law.

 Chapter 508 - Chapter 508: Li Huaâ€™s Attempt

    Chapter 508: Li Hua¡¯s Attempt

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua herself was not resistant to this kind of rebirth. Her current life filled her heart with anticipation and strength. She did not know where the path her sister had pointed out to her would lead, but she was certain that it was better than her previous life. This certainty was enough for her; she trusted Gu Zi.

    After memorizing the directions, she went to the small shop across the street, run by a woman named Gui Hua. Gui Hua was around the same age as Li Hua, but she looked older and was not as attractive.

    When Gui Hua saw Li Hua coming to use the phone, she stood at the door, cracking sunflower seeds in her hand. Her eyes occasionally darted towards Li Hua, comparing their appearances. She was neither thinner nor taller than Gui Hua, so why was she more attractive?

    It must be because of the light makeup, Gui Hua thought with a huff. A country woman wearing makeup, she wondered who Li Hua was trying to seduce. She didn¡¯t want to let her use the phone, but business was business.

    ¡°Yes, next Saturday then. Thank you very much for the invitation. We will cooperate well. See you on Saturday!¡±

    Phone calls were expensive these days, so Li Hua always kept her conversations brief. She quickly confirmed the details and hung up, noticing the unfriendly look in Gui Hua¡¯s eyes.

    After the call, she went to pay for the phone usage and took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Gui Hua. ¡°How much for a minute?¡±

    She remembered her sister Gu Zi¡¯s advice: there were no permanent enemies, only potential friends. If someone couldn¡¯t be persuaded, then a more forceful approach could be used.

    She felt that Gui Hua was someone she could try to win over. After all, her shop was right across from the food store. It was better to be friends than enemies.

    ¡°0.9 yuan.¡± Gui Hua replied without looking at her. She had heard that Li Hua was married, and her husband worked at a pig farm in Daqing Village. It was a good job, yet Li Hua chose to run a business in town, dressing up like a seductress every day. Who was she trying to attract? It was so improper.

    Li Hua handed over the nine cents and didn¡¯t leave immediately. She looked at Gui Hua and said, ¡°Gui Hua, I just realized that your facial features are quite striking. If you wore a little makeup, you would definitely look good.¡±

    In truth, Li Hua was nervous saying this. After all, she was pointing out someone else¡¯s shortcomings, and it could easily upset Gui Hua. But in human interactions, conflicts were inevitable. She couldn¡¯t avoid speaking her mind for fear of conflict.

    Indeed, upon hearing these words, Gui Hua tossed the sunflower seed shells in her hand onto the ground. Her eyes were wide as she glared at Li Hua, ¡°Just because you¡¯re pretty, you think you¡¯re something special? What does it matter to you if I don¡¯t wear makeup? A woman who can work and bear children is stronger than anything else. What¡¯s the point of makeup? To become a prostitute? I won¡¯t stoop to pleasing men.¡±

    Gui Hua¡¯s words were harsher with each sentence, causing Li Hua¡¯s cheeks to flush. However, she had no intention of backing down. Having learned from Gu Zi for so long, she had picked up some of his techniques. Gu Zi had also told her that doing business meant dealing with many different people. It was just Gui Hua now, nothing to be afraid of.

    Taking a quiet breath, Li Hua, though feeling uncomfortable, continued to respond to Gui Hua with a smile, ¡°You misunderstood me, Gui Hua. Why do you think that if you look good, it¡¯s just to please men? Aren¡¯t you happy with yourself? If we become more beautiful, we can still bear children.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything bad. I wanted to tell you that I used to have insufficient vitality, and I looked listless. My sister taught me some methods to nourish my vitality and take care of my skin. My skin has been getting better and better. If you want, you can also take care of your skin, wear makeup, and become better, more beautiful than now. Don¡¯t you want that?¡±

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    As Li Hua spoke, she was somewhat at a loss for words. She wasn¡¯t as eloquent as Gu Zi. These were all things she had heard from Gu Zi, and she couldn¡¯t remember exactly how he had said them. But the gist was there, and she didn¡¯t know if Gui Hua would take it in.

    If Gui Hua didn¡¯t listen and scolded her again, then she would really lose face today.

    Gui Hua looked at the woman patiently explaining to her and began to realize something. It seemed that she really wanted to tell her something. Could she really become more beautiful?

    This was worth a try. After all, she had nothing to lose. But her tone was still fierce, ¡°Can you really tell me how to take care of myself? I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not easily fooled.¡±

    Seeing Gui Hua¡¯s attitude, Li Hua finally breathed a sigh of relief. Gui Hua seemed fierce, but thankfully, she had persevered, ¡°Of course, do you have a pen and paper? I¡¯ll write down the method for you. As long as you follow my method, I guarantee you¡¯ll have a surprise in a month.¡±

 Chapter 509 - Chapter 509 An Attempt at Sales

    Chapter 509 An Attempt at Sales

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a state of half-belief, Gui Hua fetched a pen and paper, her gaze fixed on Li Hua as she wrote. ¡°Why are you trying so hard to please me?¡± she asked, suspicion lacing her words. ¡°Do you have some ulterior motive?¡±

    Li Hua, her hand busily moving across the paper, was too preoccupied to respond. She continued writing, paying no mind to Gui Hua¡¯s questioning. Gui Hua, receiving no response, shrugged and resumed her task of cracking sunflower seeds.

    After a few minutes, Li Hua finished writing. A sense of relief washed over her as she put down her pen and handed the paper to Gui Hua. ¡°Here,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to please you. I just appreciate your straightforwardness. You don¡¯t hide your feelings or play games. I want to be friends with you. I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand.¡±

    A secret thrill ran through Li Hua as she spoke. She hadn¡¯t realized she could mimic Gu Zi¡¯s manner of speaking so well. She was rather pleased with herself.

    Upon hearing Li Hua¡¯s words, Gui Hua¡¯s casual attitude shifted. She studied the method written on the paper, assessing its authenticity. It didn¡¯t seem like something hastily written to appease someone. Perhaps it was worth a try. After all, she had nothing to lose.

    Gui Hua cleared her throat, her tone becoming friendlier. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not trying to please me, that¡¯s good. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t dare use your method. I¡¯m not opposed to being friends. Let me try your method and see if it works. Here, I¡¯m not one to take without giving in return.¡± She pocketed the paper and casually handed Li Hua a handful of sunflower seeds.

    Li Hua accepted the seeds without hesitation and began cracking them open. In a casual, conversational tone, she began promoting her own product. ¡°My family is launching a new dessert tomorrow, peanut curd. It¡¯s smooth, sweet, and warm. Would you like to try it?¡±

    ¡°And let me tell you,¡± she continued, ¡°not only is it delicious, but it also has excellent beauty benefits. It¡¯s especially suitable for women¡¯s winter health regimen. Eat it two or three times a week, and your skin will be as soft as egg whites. It can even make you look younger. Regular consumption guarantees overall wellness.¡±

    Gu Zi had described the dessert in the same way when she taught her how to make it. Li Hua had been so captivated by the description that she had consumed a large bowl of peanut curd as soon as Gu Zi had finished making it. She had felt as though she would instantly transform into a beauty like Gu Zi after drinking it.

    Although the final result wasn¡¯t as pronounced as she had hoped, Li Hua was filled with anticipation for the peanut curd. She constantly thought about its potential to enhance beauty, a prospect that brought her immense joy.

    Li Hua was convinced that if this product could captivate her, it would undoubtedly enchant other women as well. She began contemplating ways to promote it to the female customers in her shop. Surprisingly, the first person she considered pitching it to was Gui Hua, a decision that seemed like a promising experiment.

    Upon hearing about the magical properties of the peanut curd, especially its ability to enhance beauty, Gui Hua was instantly intrigued.

    ¡°Will it be on sale tomorrow?¡± she asked. ¡°How much does a bowl of this wonderful product cost in your shop?¡±

    Li Hua held up five fingers. ¡°0.1 yuan per bowl. It¡¯s definitely worth the price.¡± The peanut curd was primarily sold as a complement to other snacks, so the pricing was not high. It was a cost most people who came for breakfast could afford.

    Moreover, Li Hua had become adept at running her business. Unlike her initial days of setting up a stall, she was no longer insecure about quoting prices. She could confidently declare her rates.

    Gui Hua, however, was suspicious. She wondered if Li Hua was deliberately trying to promote her product, intending to convert the small shop owner into a regular customer. Gui Hua chuckled at the thought, finding Li Hua¡¯s strategy rather clever.

    With a twinkle in her eye, Gui Hua retorted, ¡°Since you¡¯re here to share beauty tips, and you genuinely want to befriend me, why didn¡¯t you write down the recipe for the peanut curd? I could make it myself and enhance my beauty without spending a dime. You wouldn¡¯t be trying to get me to support your business, would you? Are you afraid that if you share the recipe, you¡¯ll lose out on profits?¡±

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    Li Hua had anticipated this response and had already prepared her rebuttal. Hearing Gui Hua¡¯s question brought her immense satisfaction. It was just as Gu Zi had said: predicting others¡¯ predictions made interactions effortless.

    ¡°Gui Hua, you underestimate me,¡± Li Hua responded. ¡°It¡¯s just a recipe for peanut curd. I don¡¯t mind sharing it.

    ¡°But making it is time-consuming and requires a lot of effort. It¡¯s quite a hassle. Just grinding the peanuts takes several rounds. If you want to eat it, making it yourself would be quite laborious. It¡¯s easier to buy it ready-made. But if you have the patience, you can make it yourself. At least then, our Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop won¡¯t be profiting off you.¡±

    With an air of generosity, Li Hua quickly wrote down the recipe for the peanut curd. She knew in her heart that unless one was in the business, no one would tolerate making it daily. Eventually, if Gui Hua wanted to eat peanut curd, she would have to buy it from the shop.

    What harm could there be in letting her try and fail?

 Chapter 510 - Chapter 510 Dreams of Getting Rich

    Chapter 510 Dreams of Getting Rich

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gui Hua, brimming with joy, had just received another beauty recipe. She watched Li Hua leave her shop and return to the one across the street, before breaking into a delighted giggle. She felt as if she had struck gold. Once she had thoroughly studied this peanut curd recipe, she planned to sell it in her own shop, confident that it would bring in a fortune.

    Meanwhile, in the city, Li Li had taken the recipe to her fianc¨¦¡¯s house on the same day. She was brimming with excitement, impatient to become the great contributor to her future in-laws¡¯ family.

    In the past, whenever she visited this house, she always felt inferior due to her rural background. She was always cautious with her words. But this time was different. Holding the key to their dreams of wealth, she felt her spine straighten with newfound confidence.

    Li Li¡¯s fianc¨¦ came from a typical intellectual family. Both his parents were teachers. Although they were retired, they lived comfortably on their government pensions. They were respected figures in the city.

    Li Li¡¯s fianc¨¦ was a primary school teacher. He wore glasses and was quite scholarly. Although he was older, Li Li considered him a good catch. She and her family were very satisfied with him, unconcerned about the fact that he was nearly forty and had been divorced twice.

    The fianc¨¦¡¯s family was also well aware of their advantages. As Li Li¡¯s future mother-in-law often said, if her son hadn¡¯t been nearing forty and divorced twice, he would never have considered marrying a rural woman with little education like Li Li. She urged Li Li to appreciate her son.

    Because of this self-awareness, the future mother-in-law had never shown much kindness to Li Li or her family.

    Even at a dinner where both families were present, the future mother-in-law had given Li Li a red envelope containing only ten yuan. This was after Li Li had knelt and kowtowed three times. The mother-in-law had given the money grudgingly, merely to demonstrate their urban superiority.

    However, this ten-yuan red envelope had caused quite a stir in Li Li¡¯s village. Li Li had boasted to everyone she knew about the dinner with her city-dwelling future in-laws and the ten-yuan red envelope.

    What Li Li hadn¡¯t expected was that most of her red envelope would end up in Su Jing¡¯s hands. The loss was painful. She cursed Su Jing under her breath.

    But now, she had the recipe. She was on the verge of making a fortune, of becoming a wealthy woman. She was going to be a rich lady!

    Li Li clutched the recipe tightly in her hand, her thoughts racing. This piece of paper held more than just a means to make money; it was her ticket to becoming the linchpin of her family. It would earn her the respect she craved from her future in-laws. From this day forward, Li Li was finally standing tall.

    Her fianc¨¦, Chang Sheng, was at home with no classes to attend. He was not particularly pleased to see Li Li at his doorstep. After all, she was yet to become his wife and was already making a habit of eating at his home. He couldn¡¯t help but feel short-changed; he was already accommodating an extra pair of chopsticks at his table before she was officially part of the family.

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    Living in the city was expensive, with every meal and every drop of water costing money. Li Li had just walked in and helped herself to an apple without so much as a by-your-leave. It was terribly ill-mannered, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to voice his displeasure, lest he appeared ungentlemanly.

    But now, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. After catching a meaningful glance from his mother, who had just emerged from the kitchen, he prepared to send Li Li away. They couldn¡¯t possibly keep her for lunch. ¡°Li Li,¡± he began, ¡°you¡¯ve been here for quite a while without stating your purpose. I have classes this afternoon, and my parents have errands to run. We won¡¯t be able to entertain you. Perhaps I should take you to the bus station.¡±

    Li Li had been playing coy on purpose, but she hadn¡¯t expected Chang Sheng to ask her to leave so soon. She knew she had to reveal her hand now. She pulled out the recipe from her pocket and said, ¡°Brother Chang Sheng, I remember you telling me that your parents were interested in joining the current business trend. They wanted to invest their savings in a business. If I leave now, you might regret it.¡±

    Chang Sheng, sharp-eyed as he was, noticed the piece of paper in Li Li¡¯s hand. He remembered her mentioning that someone in their village had a thriving business selling marinated meat. His tone became excited. ¡°Li Li, did you manage to get the recipe from them?¡±

    Upon hearing this, his mother hurried over. After exchanging a glance with her son, her eyes softened. Her face, usually stern from years of teaching, now bore a calculating look. Even her attempt at a kind tone couldn¡¯t mask the hint of harshness in her voice. ¡°Good daughter-in-law, did you get the braised meat recipe? Quick, let me see if it¡¯s real!¡±

 Chapter 511 - Chapter 511 Investing in Dreams

    Chapter 511 Investing in Dreams

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Li stood tall, her face glowing with pride. She held up a recipe in her hand, speaking slowly and deliberately, ¡°Yes, this is the recipe I¡¯ve worked so hard to get. I¡¯ve given my all for this family. Brother Chang Sheng, Auntie, you must treat me well from now on¡­¡±

    Her words hung in the air as the mother and son duo greedily followed the recipe in her hand with their eyes. Before she could even wave it a few times, the future mother-in-law snatched the recipe away. As she read the list of spices written on it, her heart pounded with excitement, ¡°This is the lucrative spice recipe! Son, where is our nearest spice shop? We must hurry and buy the spices.¡±

    She didn¡¯t fully understand the recipe, only recognizing each character. She couldn¡¯t discern much from it, but it didn¡¯t matter. If the meat stewed with this recipe tasted good and could make money, that was all that mattered.

    Once they started making big money, she could flaunt her success at the gatherings of retired teachers. She would show those who dared to mock her, those who thought her achievements as a teacher were mediocre at best, and who believed she hadn¡¯t even managed to teach a single decent student.

    If she had had such a money-making opportunity earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with teaching!

    Upon hearing this, Chang Sheng felt a surge of energy. His life was filled with anticipation, and he hardly paid attention to what Li Li was saying.

    Although Li Li felt slighted, she reasoned that their excitement was to blame. Once they started making money, they would surely appreciate her. She decided to be magnanimous.

    That very afternoon, the Chang family took out their life savings to invest in their dream. They bought all the spices listed in the recipe, along with several pounds of quality pork. They didn¡¯t bother with pig heads, hearts, or lungs ¨C who in the city would buy those? Selling stewed pork was a much more attractive proposition, and it could fetch a good price.

    The family got to work immediately after making their purchases. Li Li was in charge of washing the meat, the future mother-in-law took care of stewing the spices, while Chang Sheng and his father celebrated outside with drinks, ¡°Dad, our good days are finally coming!¡± They were men, after all, and the kitchen was no place for them.

    After several cups of liquor, Chang Sheng felt a pleasant warmth spread through him. He reveled in the thought that he would no longer have to rely on teaching for a living. As a grown man, he had always found it somewhat demeaning to stand in a small classroom, much like the female teachers, lecturing a group of clueless children. He had always felt that he was capable of so much more. Now, he was on the brink of a new chapter in his life, ready to become a successful businessman.

    Once he had amassed enough wealth, he planned to marry an intellectual woman, someone he could proudly introduce to his social circle.

    However, he knew he had to keep these plans to himself for now. His upcoming venture into selling braised pork would require extra hands, and Li Li, being a free labor source, was too good to pass up. Even if he ended up marrying her, it wouldn¡¯t cost him much.

    As the two men in the house dreamt of a prosperous future, the aroma of the braising spices wafted out, attracting the attention of their neighbors. Upon inquiry, several of them found their way to Chang Sheng¡¯s house, asking, ¡°Mrs. Chang, has your family struck it rich? We heard you bought a lot of pork. Are you planning to eat it all?¡±

    Li Li, busy in the kitchen and unable to lift her head, heard her future mother-in-law respond with an air of importance, ¡°Oh, I bought this for business, not for our consumption. How much can we possibly eat?

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    ¡°I retired this year, and I can¡¯t just sit idle. So, I spent some money to learn the art of braising pork. I plan to follow the business trend and start a small venture.

    ¡°Today, I bought some pork to braise. Once it¡¯s ready, I plan to invite all our neighbors to taste it. If you like it, I hope you¡¯ll support my business once it¡¯s up and running. I¡¯ll offer you a special discount!¡±

    Mrs. Chang thought to herself, she would start by selling regular braised pork. Once she had established a customer base, she could cut costs by using cheaper cuts of pork, thereby increasing her profits. Eventually, she planned to hire someone to help, allowing her to comfortably oversee Li Li and the other employees. The thought of being a boss lady brought her immense joy.

    Upon hearing Mrs. Chang¡¯s plans, the neighbors couldn¡¯t help but express their admiration. Indeed, the life of a teacher was different. Even in retirement, they could easily find other ways to make money. This was the importance of knowledge.

    Some couldn¡¯t help but flatter her, ¡°That¡¯s great! If you really start a braised pork business, it will be very convenient for us neighbors!¡±

 Chapter 512 - Chapter 512 Even A Boiled Shoe Would Taste Good In It

    Chapter 512 Even A Boiled Shoe Would Taste Good In It

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Others chimed in, ¡°Indeed, we¡¯ll certainly support your business. However, remember to give us a discount. The braised pork from the braised meat shop is too expensive. We only indulge in it when we really crave it.¡±

    Some even proposed the idea of learning the craft for free. ¡°By the way, Mrs. Chang, can you teach your skills? I can help you without asking for any payment. All I want is to learn some skills. What do you think?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Chang raised an eyebrow. A smile hung on her face, but she was on guard internally.

    This recipe could make a fortune, and she couldn¡¯t let others learn it. If they started competing with her business, wouldn¡¯t she be teaching her apprentice only to starve herself? She was no fool to let others learn her craft.

    However, she couldn¡¯t outright refuse at the moment. So, she tactfully replied with a smile, ¡°Sure, but I paid a hefty price to learn this skill. If you want to learn, just helping out won¡¯t suffice. You¡¯ll have to pay a tuition fee. If I ever take on apprentices, I¡¯ll notify you first.¡±

    The person who wanted to learn the craft was immediately discouraged upon hearing about the payment. He laughed it off, saying, ¡°I was just joking. Your craft isn¡¯t something I can learn. My son would scold me for not focusing on my work¡­¡±

    Mrs. Chang sneered inwardly. These people, unwilling to pay, yet wanting to learn her braised meat technique to make a fortune. She dismissed them, thinking, ¡°Stay poor for the rest of your lives!¡±

    She had no interest in dealing with these irrelevant people. Her heart was set on the braised meat. Although most of the work was done by Li Li, she felt at ease only when she was in the kitchen, watching over her precious pot of meat.

    Li Li was busy adding firewood and stoking the fire. She also had to serve drinks to the two men outside from time to time or bring them a plate of peanuts to accompany their drinks. Sweating profusely, she felt somewhat aggrieved. After all, she was the one doing all the work!

    However, upon reflection, she was just a woman from the countryside. It was a woman¡¯s duty to serve men. Once they started making money, her family would treat her well.

    The thought of making money from the braised meat made her even happier. Once she started earning, she would be the boss. She could hire someone to do the work, and she could finally enjoy life!

    She was determined to live a more glamorous life than Su Jing. With this thought, Li Li no longer felt tired and continued to work with renewed vigor.

    As evening fell, the hearth of the Chang household finally ceased to be fed with firewood. The lid of a large pot was lifted, revealing a pot brimming with meat, steam rising in thick plumes. The meat had been stewed to perfection¡­

    In Daqing Village, the sky was a dull gray, and a hint of chill permeated the air.

    Within the pig farm¡¯s main hall, several stoves had been brought in, their bellies filled with burning coal. Each stove bore a cast-iron pot, simmering with a vibrant, steaming, spicy broth of beef tallow.

    The soup was brewed with pork bones, chicken, and duck, among other ingredients. A small table nearby was laden with various slices of fish and vegetables for dipping and boiling. The aroma was intoxicating. A dozen people gathered around each stove, each holding a bowl, some sitting, some standing, all engaged in lively conversation.

    Jin Long had been enjoying several slices of boiled fish and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°This soup base was made by our sister-in-law. It¡¯s truly unique. I bet even a boiled shoe would taste good in it!¡±

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    The weather was perfect for hotpot, especially one as delicious as this. It was proof that marrying a good woman could make life incredibly beautiful. Everyone in their vicinity was fortunate to bask in the glow of Su Shen¡¯s good fortune.

    Su Bing and Su Li were also seated at Jin Long¡¯s table, beads of sweat dotting their foreheads, but this did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm for the meal. Upon hearing the praises for their mother, they finally looked up to join the conversation. Su Li said, ¡°My mother¡¯s hotpot soup base is unrivaled in the world. Of course, it¡¯s delicious!¡±

    Su Bing added, ¡°Our mother is the most amazing person in the world!¡± The crowd unanimously agreed, each expressing their admiration. They were singing Gu Zi¡¯s praises so much that it was almost as if they were composing a ballad in her honor. However, Gu Zi and Su Shen were nowhere to be seen around the stoves.

    Someone finally asked, after looking around and not finding them, ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone invite Brother Shen and Sister-in-law to the hotpot? Where are they?¡± As he spoke, he put down his chopsticks, intending to go find them. But Su Bing and Su Li quickly stood up, blocking his way.

    Jin Long teased, ¡°What were you thinking? Today¡¯s hotpot is a benefit from the pig farm. How could they be left out? I advise you not to disturb their private time. While we¡¯re enjoying a lively hotpot, the young couple is probably having a sweet, intimate meal¡­¡±

 Chapter 513 - Chapter 513 Relieving the Spicy Taste

    Chapter 513 Relieving the Spicy Taste

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The man finally seemed to regain his senses, sitting down and picking up his bowl again. He spoke with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°Ah, why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that Brother Shen and his wife were enjoying some alone time? You¡¯ve set me up!¡±

    Sitting by the stove, enjoying her hot pot, Su Jing overheard and casually replied, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. If those two really wanted to enjoy some alone time, would they be eating here? My brother can¡¯t handle spicy food, so my sister-in-law is accompanying him in the office, eating a clear soup hot pot.¡±

    Jin Long took a sip of his drink and chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s also called alone time. But your brother is a bit unfair. A grown man, always preferring bland food, just like his personality ¨C cold and unapproachable. Every time I travel with him, my soul undergoes a baptism.¡±

    Before Su Jing could retort, Su Bing stood up, speaking earnestly, ¡°My mother once said, my father¡¯s preference for light food is a sign of high taste. Such people often possess a serene and strong heart, which is why they love the original taste of food. Uncle Jin Long, you wouldn¡¯t understand this kind of state.¡±

    Su Li also agreed with his elder brother¡¯s words. They would never allow anyone to belittle their father. Their father was the best father. ¡°That¡¯s right, Uncle Jin Long, you should cherish the days you work with my father, because it indeed purifies your mediocre soul.¡±

    The words of the second brother were even more straightforward, like a knife piercing directly into the heart, bloody and raw.

    Jin Long was left speechless by the brothers¡¯ retort, clutching his chest in apparent discomfort, ¡°You¡¯re bullying a lone man like me, isn¡¯t that too much?¡±

    The crowd gave face to the two young masters, bursting into laughter. Someone handed Jin Long a few large pieces of meat, implying that he should stop talking and start eating. After all, a full mouth can¡¯t speak¡­

    The bustling hall outside was a stark contrast to the intimate atmosphere within the office. The married couple sat side by side, huddled around a small stove. Steam rose from the pot, filling the room with a tantalizing aroma.

    Scooping up a pile of freshly cooked meat slices, Su Shen placed them into a bowl of chili oil dip. His gaze fell upon the woman beside him. The dim light cast a soft glow on her face, as if a matte filter had been applied to her skin. Her beauty took on the quality of an oil painting, vibrant yet mysterious.

    She picked up a slice of meat with her chopsticks. The meat was coated in chili oil and sprinkled with scallions, coriander, sesame, and bright red chili rings. She popped it into her mouth, chewing with satisfaction. Her full, petal-like lips glistened with oil. As she chewed, her lips moved in a way that left him feeling parched. He picked up his water glass and took a sip.

    Suddenly, Gu Zi picked up another slice of meat from her bowl and looked at the man. ¡°Would you like to try the spicy dip? It¡¯s very fragrant and delicious. Would you like to try it?¡±

    In Su Shen¡¯s arms, little Su Le was fast asleep. Seeing that she was sound asleep, he gently placed her on the sofa. Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s question, he nodded. ¡°If you can accompany me to eat clear soup, why should I be afraid of eating something spicy? Give it to me.¡± He held out his bowl to receive the meat.

    Gu Zi smiled and did not place the meat in his bowl. Instead, she held out her own bowl and stretched out her hand to feed him. He simply put down his bowl and opened his mouth to eat the meat she was feeding him. The spicy meat entered his mouth, and he ate it slowly. His tongue gradually felt a burning sensation. The spiciness was clearly beyond his tolerance.

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    He reached for his water glass, only to find his hand held back by the woman beside him. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered, ¡°Mr. Su, I have a way to alleviate the spiciness without drinking water. Would you like to try?¡±

    He already knew what this woman was up to, but it stirred something within him, making him feel hot and bothered. His gaze was locked on her lips as he replied in a deep voice, ¡°yes.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled seductively, wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s waist, and leaned in to kiss his lips. The moment her lips touched his, he closed his eyes.

    The corners of Gu Zi¡¯s mouth turned up as she continued to take the initiative. She gently sucked on his lips and then his tongue. The spicy taste was still lingering on his tongue, a sensation she was more than willing to share.

    She became increasingly lost in the kiss, her hands wandering over his waist. Su Shen¡¯s physique was truly admirable, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, with a muscular chest and well-defined abs. His black trousers concealed the area below, where a noticeable bulge was evident.

 Chapter 514 - Chapter 514 Does Love Fade Away?

    Chapter 514 Does Love Fade Away?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    She had only intended to taste the spice on his tongue, not to pause her hot pot meal for an intimate moment. Thus, when she sensed that the man was becoming too passionate, she resolutely distanced herself from his handsome face. With a calm demeanor, she pulled away, sitting upright next to him. ¡°There, it¡¯s not spicy anymore,¡± she said.

    In her eyes, the man¡¯s gaze remained dark and mysterious. His hand had just reached out to touch her left breast, but found nothing but air. The tall man seemed somewhat disappointed, but he recovered within seconds, not forcing her to continue the kiss.

    He sat upright, picking up his bowl to continue eating.

    Gu Zi felt a bit guilty. She decided to stop teasing her husband in the future. Remembering her previous plans, she said, ¡°We still need a heater at home. When you have time, let¡¯s go buy one. I¡¯ll also get you a few more winter clothes. Although the winters here are not as cold as in the north, we still need to be careful about the damp chill, okay?¡±

    Su Shen felt that everyone needed a heater at home, so buying one was a natural course of action. As for his winter clothes, he thought one or two pieces were enough and there was no need to buy more. However, he couldn¡¯t bear to refuse her good intentions, as she was considering his needs. So, he responded quietly, ¡°Alright, we can do it tomorrow.¡±

    The factory had been busy for a while, and the hustle and bustle hadn¡¯t ended even today. But Su Shen¡¯s thoughts had changed from before. Previously, his world revolved around work. Now, he believed that considering his wife¡¯s feelings was more important. That¡¯s why he had chosen to have a gathering at the factory today, a hot pot meal where everyone could bring their families.

    Not only could he take a break from his busy schedule, but he could also spend quality time with Gu Zi and their children over dinner. His factory workers could also balance work and family life.

    If he took on more worries, Gu Zi could worry less. This way, his guilt for not spending enough time with Gu Zi could be alleviated.

    Gu Zi cooked a few pieces of green vegetables, keeping one for herself and putting the rest in Su Shen¡¯s bowl. She then said, ¡°Oh, and Su Bing and the others will be on vacation soon. Let¡¯s buy their winter holiday homework this time. I can help them with it at home. Let¡¯s also buy a couple of extracurricular books for each of them. I¡¯ll supervise their reading.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li had specifically cooked half a bowl of beef in a buttery hot pot broth for Gu Zi. They had just reached the office door when they heard Gu Zi¡¯s words. The two of them froze at the entrance, their faces expressing a myriad of emotions. They seemed to want to ask, ¡°Dear mother, does love fade away?¡±

    After finishing the meal lovingly prepared by her sons, Gu Zi felt pleasantly satiated, almost to the point of being nine-tenths full. This was unusual, as she typically only ate until she was seven-tenths full in the evenings. She gracefully lifted a cup of boiled water to her lips, taking a sip. Once Su Shen had finished eating, they both began to clean up with their sons.

    Su Shen was preparing to patrol the area around the water source for the night. Before leaving, he wrapped his arms around Gu Zi, planting a kiss on her forehead. Su Bing and Su Li pretended not to notice, but their faces were flushed with embarrassment. They thought their parents were being overly affectionate, completely ignoring their presence.

    After tidying up the office, Su Le woke up. Gu Zi carried the little girl around the hall for a bit. The men in the hall had all gone back to work, leaving behind their families to help clean up. They also divided the leftover beef tallow and uneaten meat and vegetables, planning to take their shares home later. What was left could be enjoyed for several meals.

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    They were all very grateful, so whenever they saw Gu Zi, they greeted her with warm, beaming smiles.

    If it weren¡¯t for the feast at the pig farm and their men working here, where else could they enjoy such delicious meat and vegetables? Not only did they eat their fill this time, but they could also take leftovers home. The remaining beef tallow could be used for cooking, saving them a few days¡¯ worth of oil expenses.

    Feeling that she had digested her meal, Gu Zi called Su Jing and Su Bing to head home. After they arrived home, Su Jing went out again. When she returned, her face was glowing with joy, as if she had encountered some great fortune.

    Gu Zi was engrossed in watching television and didn¡¯t feel particularly curious. She didn¡¯t plan to ask, figuring that if Su Jing wanted to share, she would naturally speak up.

    Just as Gu Zi was thinking this, not even a minute had passed when Su Jing eagerly approached her. She crossed her legs and sat on the couch, leaning her head towards Gu Zi. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she said, ¡°Sister-in-law, guess where I just went?¡±

 Chapter 515 - Chapter 515 You Owe Me A Kiss

    Chapter 515 You Owe Me A Kiss

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi glanced at her, her gaze lingering on the images flickering on the television screen. She could guess a little of what had happened, but she didn¡¯t enjoy always playing the role of the prophet. It could be quite disheartening. So, she feigned ignorance and countered, ¡°Oh, where have you been? I couldn¡¯t possibly guess.¡±

    Su Jing¡¯s face lit up with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. ¡°I went near Li Li¡¯s house. Did you know? I found out that Li Li¡¯s mother received a call from the hospital this afternoon and rushed into the city. It must be that braised pork recipe that¡¯s given her instant karma, haha¡­¡±

    Gu Zi opened her mouth slightly, expressing surprise. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s possible that they¡¯ve already tried it out, discovered that the braised meat is not only tough and stinky, but also causes diarrhea, right?¡±

    This Su Jing, she thought, she doesn¡¯t hold back. Gu Zi had suspected that Su Jing might have tampered with the recipe, and it turned out she really had. However, Li Li was indeed a cunning person. One could only say that she brought this on herself due to her own greed, and ended up hurting herself.

    A trace of guilt flashed across Su Jing¡¯s face, but she knew she couldn¡¯t hide it from Gu Zi. She confessed, ¡°I did tamper with the recipe a little, making it so that the combination of ingredients would cause vomiting and diarrhea. It¡¯s a small punishment for a big lesson. She was the one who started with ill intentions. I¡¯ll take responsibility for my actions. If she comes looking for trouble, I¡¯ll handle it myself. I won¡¯t bother you, Sister-in-law.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s face regained its calm, and she smiled, ¡°I naturally won¡¯t actively help you clean up this mess. But after all, you are a member of the Su family, and it¡¯s inevitable that this will affect us. We¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes. But you¡¯ve also punished Li Li, so don¡¯t take the initiative to interact with her in the future. We¡¯re going into the city to buy things tomorrow, do you want to come along?¡±

    Gu Zi thought it would be good to invite Su Jing along. Anything she needed to buy could be purchased at the same time. Besides, she couldn¡¯t always let her idle at home. Too much idleness could lead to trouble. Going out for a stroll could be considered a distraction for her.

    Su Jing indeed had things she wanted to buy, so she accepted Gu Zi¡¯s invitation.

    Su Shen returned home in the dead of night. Upon his arrival, he headed straight to the bathroom for a shower. He knew Gu Zi cherished cleanliness above all else. If he were to embrace and kiss her, reeking of sweat, it would undoubtedly make her uncomfortable.

    After his bath, Su Shen donned fresh clothes and lay on the bed. Propping his chin on his hand, his eyes slightly squinted, he watched the sleeping woman under the moonlight streaming in from the window.

    She still had a habit of kicking off her blanket. Even though it was only midnight, she had already kicked her blanket to the foot of the bed. Lying there in her thin nightgown, she appeared even more alluring in the hazy moonlight. Her skin was as smooth as cream, her waist as slender as a willow, and her breasts formed two enticing mounds, tempting him to explore.

    Suppressing his voice, he called out to her, ¡°Gu Zi, you still owe me a kiss¡­¡±

    He leaned over to nuzzle her earlobe, then kissed her lips, lingering there. He pried open her rosy lips, pushed past her teeth, and teased her soft tongue. His kiss was fierce, as if he wanted to devour her.

    Gu Zi, who had not been sleeping deeply, initially thought she was dreaming. It wasn¡¯t until she found it increasingly difficult to breathe that she realized it was indeed Su Shen pressing kisses onto her.

    At that moment, his wandering hand on her waist was indeed caressing her. His hand had slipped into her waistband, his slender fingers covering her intimate area, pinching and pressing.

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    Her legs involuntarily weakened. Her eyelashes fluttered open, revealing a pair of bright eyes. Unable to hold back, she let out a soft moan. This delicate sound made the man¡¯s breath hitch, his eyes darkening even more. He continued to kiss her as he stripped off her sleep pants and underwear.

    Gu Zi remembered how she had intentionally teased him earlier that day. She realized that she had brought this upon herself. The man had been left unsatisfied earlier, and now that he was back, he naturally sought her to settle the score. She tightened her face and scolded him, ¡°Su Shen, you mustn¡¯t!¡±

    However, the man only deepened his kiss, swallowing her words before she could utter them. He chuckled, his voice husky and enticing, ¡°Gu Zi, just once tonight, then we¡¯ll sleep.¡±

    As he spoke, Su Shen guided his erect member to her entrance, rubbing it a few times before he put on a condom and pushed in.

    At this point, Gu Zi was in no position to resist. After accepting most of his length, she couldn¡¯t help but whimper. It had been a while since Su Shen had been inside her, and she had tightened considerably. Fearing he might hurt her, Su Shen deliberately slowed down, waiting until their bodies were fully connected and more fluid had been released. Only when Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but squirm did he start to thrust.

 Chapter 516 - Chapter 516 A Little Gossip

    Chapter 516 A Little Gossip

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As he first penetrated, his movements were slow, but soon the pace quickened. His thrusts were powerful and domineering, the kind of fervor that Gu Zi cherished the most. The sensation of his rapid thrusts made her feel incredibly comfortable, eliciting satisfied moans from her.

    The soft, delicate sounds from her encouraged him further. He became more vigorous in his efforts to soothe her body, his hands and tongue working in tandem to stimulate her. His skills seemed to have improved, and with his deliberate teasing, he had complete control over her body. The intimate space between her legs was opening up more for him.

    A sticky, smooth fluid flowed out from her, her body tightly gripping onto him. After a while, he lifted her legs, penetrating deeply. It was as if the semen, which was usually blocked by a condom, was now freely spraying into her body without any obstruction.

    He let out a deep moan, raising his hand to caress her body. He then got up, spread her legs, and took a moment to admire her before fetching a warm towel to clean her up. Su Shen¡¯s eyes squinted slightly as he looked at her face, a smile spreading across his features. He laid down next to her, allowing her to rest her head on his arm. ¡°Have a good sleep, Gu Zi.¡±

    Exhausted, Gu Zi quickly fell asleep on his arm. A small smile graced her lips as she slept. She loved the way Su Shen cared for her, the way he caressed her. Because of this, her dreams that night were sweet.

    The next day, Gu Zi woke up a bit late. Su Jing had woken up early and seeing her brother¡¯s car parked outside, she knew he had returned home the previous night. They were all adults, so she naturally didn¡¯t wake Gu Zi. Even when Su Li was about to knock on the door, she stopped him, pulling him downstairs to make noodles for him and Su Bing, before sending them off to school.

    It was past eight when Gu Zi finally stirred. She noticed that Su Shen was still lying next to her, his gaze intently fixed on her face. She quickly sat up, avoiding his heated gaze, and said as she got out of bed, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to go to the city today? We should get up.¡±

    Su Shen found her hurried demeanor adorable. He watched as she quickly got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom, clearly trying to avoid him. Su Shen got out of bed and changed his clothes, planning to go downstairs to freshen up. This would also give Gu Zi some quiet space to recover.

    As Su Shen was having his breakfast, Gu Zi also finished dressing up and descended the stairs. She was clad in a floral sundress, a small white shawl draped over her shoulders, and a pair of ankle boots on her feet. Her makeup was light, and her overall appearance was bright and gentle. A faint smile graced her lips, reminiscent of the warmth of the early winter sun, a sight that could warm anyone¡¯s heart.

    She took a seat next to Su Shen. Su Jing had just brought out a bowl of egg noodles from the kitchen. She had initially wanted to make a witty remark, but upon seeing her brother¡¯s stern face, she decided to tone it down. Turning to Gu Zi, she said, ¡°Your Highness, my elegant queen, please enjoy your breakfast.¡±

    If Su Shen was the king, then Gu Zi was undoubtedly the queen. There was nothing wrong with that.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel guilty about waking up late. After all, it was Su Jing¡¯s brother who had caused her to rise late.

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    She took a bite of her noodles and asked Su Jing, ¡°I saw a crowd gathering outside when I was upstairs. They seemed to be having an animated conversation. Is there some new gossip?¡±

    Living in the village, everyone knew each other¡¯s business. Any piece of news or gossip could hardly be kept secret. The villagers often gossiped about the Su family and Gu Zi, or the Lin family. Gu Zi was no exception, she also enjoyed a bit of gossip about others. It was a give and take, and she never felt wronged or stifled.

    Su Jing raised an eyebrow and pulled up a stool to sit next to Gu Zi. Clearly, she was prepared to engage in some gossip with her sister-in-law. Even with Su Shen present, she wasn¡¯t afraid to start the conversation. She teased, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re a city girl, but you seem to adapt well to our rural life. You¡¯re right to ask me, I¡¯ve already got the scoop on the latest gossip.¡±

    The two women moved closer together as they spoke, seemingly oblivious to the others around them. Su Shen felt a bit helpless but didn¡¯t want to interrupt his wife¡¯s enjoyment of the gossip. He had taken time out of his busy schedule to spend with his wife and didn¡¯t want to be a killjoy. Therefore, Su Shen held back and didn¡¯t interrupt their conversation.

    Su Jing¡¯s attitude was gleeful, ¡°Li Li¡¯s engagement has been called off. Someone saw her mother return from the city this morning, her eyes swollen from crying. The city boy she fancied is gone. Moreover, I heard that Li Li was scolded harshly by the other family yesterday, and her mother-in-law-to-be even slapped her twice. Just thinking about it makes me cringe.¡±

 Chapter 517 - Chapter 517 Shopping

    Chapter 517 Shopping

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi could almost picture the spectacle that Li Li¡¯s fiance¡¯s family had made the previous afternoon. As Su Shen went to wash the dishes, she couldn¡¯t help but give Su Jing a thumbs up. ¡°That was quite a move,¡± she said, ¡°Li Li is clearly no match for you.¡±

    Li Li was the type who wasn¡¯t particularly bright, yet harbored ill intentions. She had intended to outsmart Su Jing, but instead found herself outmaneuvered. She probably hadn¡¯t expected that, and Gu Zi wondered if she had come to terms with it yet. She suspected Li Li would soon be seeking retribution from Su Jing.

    Worried that Su Shen might overhear, Su Jing quickly covered Gu Zi¡¯s mouth. ¡°Please, Sister-in-law, don¡¯t let my brother hear about this.¡±

    They had spoken freely earlier, but had not mentioned that Su Jing was involved in the incident. If Su Shen found out, he might blame her for causing trouble for Gu Zi. She didn¡¯t want to be scolded, and was prepared to face the consequences of her actions herself.

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow and made a zipping motion over her lips. She then went upstairs to fetch Su Le, who was still sleeping, along with the baby¡¯s formula and diapers. These were all things Su Le would need while they were out.

    After washing the dishes, Su Shen grabbed his car keys and loaded everything they needed into the car. He then drove his wife and sister-in-law into town to do some shopping.

    Originally, Su Shen had planned to accompany Gu Zi around the mall, but now that Su Jing was with them, she could keep Gu Zi company. He decided to use this time to meet with Boss Huo for a discussion. He would pick them up later and drive them back to the village.

    So, when they arrived at Xinghua Department Store in town, Gu Zi and Su Jing split from Su Shen.

    On the second floor of the department store, Gu Zi pushed a small cart with Su Le sitting in it. The little girl had just woken up, her eyes barely open under her neat bangs. Her rosy cheeks made her look adorable, and Su Jing couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to touch her. As they walked, she bent down to play with the little one, asking Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, where did you get Lele¡¯s hair cut? It¡¯s so cute.¡±

    A proud smile spread across Gu Zi¡¯s face. ¡°Of course, I cut it myself. No hair salon in town could do such a good job. And as for Lele¡¯s hair, I always wash it with a special baby shampoo. It¡¯s soft, shiny, and absolutely adorable!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Jing nodded in agreement, a hint of sentimentality in her voice. ¡°I must admit, you truly put your heart into it. Looking at Lele now, she¡¯s as delicate and beautiful as a child actress on TV. Even my late sister, her own mother, might not have taken care of her as well as you have¡­¡±

    Gu Zi spotted a shop selling heaters and paused, stepping inside to examine the few models on display. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I think is right,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so sentimental. If you truly believe that I¡¯m doing what¡¯s best for Su Lele, then all you need to do is put a little more heart into looking after her in the future.¡±

    If Su Jing¡¯s praise was merely lip service, Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel any loss in not receiving it. Of course, she was unaware of the thoughts currently running through Su Jing¡¯s mind and didn¡¯t sense any change in her mood, given that they weren¡¯t particularly close.

    After purchasing a heater, Gu Zi left it at the shop for delivery. Someone would soon transport it to Su Shen¡¯s car, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about it. Gu Zi¡¯s shopping trips were always about buying, buying, and more buying.

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    They then visited a clothing store, where Gu Zi selected three sets of winter clothes for Su Shen. After paying, they moved on. Passing a women¡¯s clothing store, Gu Zi went in and picked out a white trench coat, holding it up against Su Jing. ¡°Try this on. If it fits, I¡¯ll buy it for you as a New Year¡¯s gift.¡±

    Gu Zi was always like this, treating her family members well. Having accepted this younger sister-in-law, she wouldn¡¯t treat her differently and would shower her with affection.

    These days, Su Jing had taken on almost all the household chores at the Su residence. It was only right for Gu Zi, as her sister-in-law, to show some appreciation.

    Su Jing hadn¡¯t expected to be included in the clothes shopping. She was, of course, delighted with the new clothes. More impressively, Gu Zi had an excellent eye for fashion. The trench coat she casually picked out was trendy and well-cut.

    Obediently, Su Jing took the coat to try on. Looking at herself in the mirror, she found that it was more flattering and fit better than any clothes she had bought herself. Fearing that Gu Zi might change her mind, Su Jing asked for confirmation. ¡°Sister-in-law, are you really buying this for me?¡±

 Chapter 518 - Chapter 518 Li Li Is Here

    Chapter 518 Li Li Is Here

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a nod, Gu Zi paid for the coat without a second word, instructing the shop assistant to wrap it up. Su Jing watched her with admiring eyes, as if she were looking at a goddess.

    In that moment, Gu Zi felt a surge of power within herself. Indeed, having money at hand made her feel invincible.

    Leaving the clothing section, they passed by the luggage area where Su Jing paused. She had spotted a pink suitcase with wheels. ¡°Sister-in-law, I want to buy a new suitcase. What do you think of this one?¡±

    Gu Zi examined it. The design was trendy, likely the latest model of the year. However, she was puzzled. ¡°I remember the suitcase you brought back this time is still pretty new. Do you need to replace it so soon?¡±

    Su Jing¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the new suitcase, her tone becoming somewhat hesitant. ¡°I don¡¯t want that suitcase anymore. I have some money left, so I want to get a new one.¡±

    Gu Zi noticed her unusual demeanor. She recalled that the suitcase Su Jing had brought back was from the Tian family. Perhaps she didn¡¯t want to see it anymore, not wanting to face her past relationship with Tian Hai.

    Without objection, Gu Zi said, ¡°Then get a new one. Throw away all those dirty things and let¡¯s look forward.¡±

    Su Jing nodded, happily purchasing the new suitcase. She carried it herself, even loading it into the trunk of Su Shen¡¯s car when they left in the afternoon.

    Upon returning to the village, Gu Zi chatted with Su Shen at the entrance. He had to rush back to the pig farm, so Su Jing took the suitcase upstairs to her room.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t find this strange, but her intuition told her that Su Jing seemed to be planning something. Gu Zi decided to ask her about it when she came down, curious about her future plans. After all, life had to go on even without Tian Hai.

    However, before Su Jing could come downstairs, trouble arrived at the Su family¡¯s doorstep. Loud knocking echoed through the house, causing quite a commotion.

    Gu Zi went out to see, and as she had suspected, it was Li Li who had come. Just as she was about to call Su Jing, she saw Su Jing calmly walking out, heading straight for the front door.

    Li Li, who had been cursing and was now catching her breath outside the Su family¡¯s front door, started cursing again as soon as she saw Su Jing. ¡°Su Jing, you bitch, why did you lie to me? It¡¯s all because of your damn recipe. I¡¯ve lost everything, Chang Sheng doesn¡¯t want me anymore, are you happy now?¡±

    Li Li was furious. Su Jing had ruined her life. The meat marinated with that damn recipe was not only stinky and tough, but also caused diarrhea. After vomiting and diarrhea, she, her fianc¨¦¡¯s family, and a few neighbors who had tasted it were all hospitalized.

    Now, not only did her fianc¨¦ want to call off the wedding, but he also demanded compensation for the loss. The neighbors who had tasted the food even threatened to call the police.

    Li Li was almost driven mad by these events. It was only today that she realized she should have come to Su Jing for a solution. It must have been Su Jing who had tampered with the recipe, causing the current situation.

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    Su Jing opened the front door and slapped Li Li across the face, leaving five bright red finger marks. She retorted, ¡°Am I happy? Li Li, I gave you a chance. I gave you the recipe for you to study, not to please your future in-laws. You were the one who rushed to present it as a treasure, causing the current mess. How can you blame me?¡±

    Su Jing had never been a saint. When Li Li tried to sow discord between her and Gu Zi, Su Jing had secretly planned to make her pay for her ill intentions. How could Li Li blame her now?

    ¡°Su Jing, you dare to hit me? I¡¯ll fight you!¡± Li Li, her eyes red with rage, reached out to grab Su Jing¡¯s hair and pull it. The two women immediately began to fight, falling to the ground, each clutching the other¡¯s hair and wrapping their legs around the other¡¯s neck, neither giving an inch.

    Gu Zi watched from the side, clearly understanding that intervening would only hurt herself. She wouldn¡¯t rashly step in to break up the fight.

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze swept around, finally landing on Big Yellow, the dog in the corner of the yard. An idea flashed in her mind. She shouted at the two women who were fighting fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll let Big Yellow loose. Let me make it clear, Big Yellow hasn¡¯t eaten yet today!¡±

 Chapter 519 - Chapter 519 This Wonâ€™t End Up at the Police Station

    Chapter 519 This Won¡¯t End Up at the Police Station

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At this moment, Li Li was pinned down by Su Jing. Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s threat to let loose the Tibetan Mastiff, Li Li immediately bit Su Jing¡¯s shoulder, forcing her to release her grip. Su Jing, not wishing to continue the scuffle on the ground, loosened her hold. The two women then disengaged, cautiously standing up and eyeing each other warily.

    The commotion had attracted a crowd of onlookers. Aunt Zhang, who was about to head to the fields with her hoe, had barely taken two steps when she noticed the crowd gathered outside Su Jing¡¯s house. Worried, she dropped her hoe and hurried over, muttering to herself, ¡°What on earth is happening now?¡±

    As Aunt Zhang approached the Su residence, a thin, stern woman brandishing a broomstick arrived. She pushed past Aunt Zhang and the crowd, planting herself firmly with her hands on her hips, her accusing gaze directed at Su Jing and Gu Zi inside the courtyard.

    At this point, Gu Zi was helping Su Jing stand. Su Jing¡¯s face was scratched and bruised from the struggle, her hair disheveled, and her clothes barely in order, presenting a rather disheveled appearance.

    On the other side was Li Li, who looked even more disheveled. Her face bore more scratches than Su Jing¡¯s, her hair was a tangled mess, and she had lost a shoe. One glance at the two women was enough for anyone to deduce the recent combatants.

    The thin woman pointed at Su Jing and Gu Zi, berating them, ¡°There¡¯s no justice in this world! You two, bullying my daughter, ruining her good marriage prospects, and now ganging up on her. If there¡¯s no explanation today, my daughter and I will just live in your house. Li Li¡¯s father died early, if she doesn¡¯t marry, she doesn¡¯t marry. We¡¯ll just live with you, the Su family!¡±

    After her harsh words, the woman hurried over to Li Li, inspecting her up and down while muttering, ¡°I told you not to come, but you didn¡¯t listen. Now, not only did you not get justice, but you also got beaten up. There¡¯s no justice in this world. The Su family is really bullying people!¡±

    Upon seeing this, the crowd realized that this was Li Li¡¯s mother. They had heard that Li Li¡¯s engagement to a man from the city had been broken off that morning, and they were curious about what had happened. Could it have something to do with these two women from the Su family? More specifically, with Su Jing?

    However, someone voiced their confusion, ¡°Li Li¡¯s mother, you must be mistaken. I remember Li Li and Su Jing were classmates and had a good relationship. How could Su Jing possibly ruin Li Li¡¯s marriage? She should be wishing her well.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. Although Li Li¡¯s fianc¨¦ from the city is indeed a good catch, Su Jing wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to steal him from Li Li. Li Li, you must have misunderstood Su Jing. Don¡¯t resort to violence, just explain the situation clearly.¡±

    These two seemed to be mediating, but in reality, they were fanning the flames. They had already secretly concluded that Su Jing was the one who had ruined Li Li¡¯s marriage.

    Aunt Zhang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and stepped forward to speak up, ¡°What nonsense are you all talking about? Even if Su Jing broke up with Tian Hai, she wouldn¡¯t set her sights on Li Li¡¯s man. You all should stop arguing and let them explain the situation themselves!¡±

    Aunt Zhang felt that everyone knew that Su Jing preferred young and handsome men. Even if she wanted to break up with Tian Hai, she wouldn¡¯t drastically change her taste to someone like Li Li¡¯s fianc¨¦, an older man who had been divorced twice.

    Moreover, many people in their village had seen Li Li¡¯s fianc¨¦. He wasn¡¯t particularly attractive. If he weren¡¯t a city teacher, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to find a wife in the village with his looks.

    How could Su Jing ruin Li Li¡¯s life over a man? These people were just eager for a spectacle, disregarding the facts. This was something Aunt Zhang had always disliked about the villagers.

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    Aunt Zhang¡¯s outburst quieted the crowd considerably. They stopped interrupting, and the surroundings became somewhat peaceful. Su Jing tugged at the hem of Gu Zi¡¯s clothes and whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law, can I tell the truth? I don¡¯t plan on hiding anything from this woman.¡±

    She had acted out of anger, infuriated by Li Li¡¯s hypocrisy.

    Su Jing had initially thought that Li Li had come to visit her, but later realized that Li Li was envious of her good fortune and had come to provoke her to use her. If she didn¡¯t teach Li Li a lesson, Su Jing would feel unsatisfied.

    She had never intended to hide anything, but she hadn¡¯t expected such a large commotion. Now, with so many people watching, Su Jing felt uncertain.

    Gu Zi, realizing that Su Jing was losing confidence, whispered back, ¡°It¡¯s too late to back down now. They¡¯ve come to our doorstep, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Say what you have to say. Don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t end up at the police station.¡±

 Chapter 520 - Chapter 520 A Real Family

    Chapter 520 A Real Family

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In Gu Zi¡¯s view, the current uproar caused by Li Li and her mother was nothing more than a desperate attempt to vent their frustrations. Moreover, they sought compensation, hoping to extract a hefty sum from the Su family. However, causing a scene at the police station would be futile.

    The recipe had indeed been sold to Li Li by Su Jing, but Su Jing had only asked Li Li to research it, not to use it for commercial purposes. In the end, it was Li Li¡¯s own greed that had led her to betray Su Jing¡¯s trust, hoping to make a fortune for herself, which had resulted in the current predicament.

    When all was said and done, if anyone was to be held accountable, it would be both Li Li and Su Jing. However, the bulk of the responsibility lay with Li Li.

    Gu Zi¡¯s words gave Su Jing a sense of reassurance. As long as the matter didn¡¯t escalate to the police station, everything would be fine.

    Su Jing wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. However, if the matter were to be taken to the police station, it would undoubtedly consume a significant amount of time, which she didn¡¯t want to waste on such trivial matters.

    Su Jing stepped forward and said, ¡°Mrs. Li, you must take responsibility for your words. This matter is between Li Li and me. What does it have to do with the Su family? Do you still want to involve the Su family? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s impossible!

    ¡°Furthermore, let me make it clear. I did sell a marinade recipe to Li Li, which I made up on the spot. But it was Li Li who sought me out to buy it, with the intention of driving a wedge between my sister-in-law and me.

    ¡°Li Li, you claim that I caused your engagement to be called off. But think carefully, was it my doing, or was it your own greed that led to this? That day, when you taught me to steal the marinade recipe from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, why don¡¯t you mention that now? I told you that you could get the recipe, but it was actually a test to see if you had a conscience.

    ¡°If you had a conscience, you would have researched it yourself, rather than using the recipe to please your fianc¨¦¡¯s family, and then starting a business with the marinade and meat they bought.

    ¡°Li Li, didn¡¯t you tell me that you wanted to research first, and then do business with me, and make money together? If you had come to me to taste the food made with the marinade, how could you have ended up in your current situation?¡±

    With a mocking smile at the corner of her mouth, Su Jing revealed the events of the day when Li Li had sought her out. The crowd finally understood. It turned out that Li Li was the one who had harbored ulterior motives, envying others¡¯ success, trying to pit Su Jing against Gu Zi, and even attempting to use Su Jing to get Gu Zi¡¯s marinade recipe to make a fortune. She had been tricked by Su Jing¡¯s fake recipe!

    Upon hearing this, it was clear that Su Jing was not entirely innocent, but Li Li was even less so. The sister-in-law duo had been living harmoniously at home, but Li Li couldn¡¯t stand to see others doing well. She had gone to their house to give bad advice, even encouraging the younger sister-in-law to steal the older sister-in-law¡¯s recipe. If Su Jing had listened to her, she would have been utterly ruined!

    While the crowd was filled with astonishment, they were also secretly surprised. Su Jing¡¯s transformation was indeed significant. She was now wholeheartedly siding with her sister-in-law, Gu Zi. No one from the outside could instigate any discord. It seemed that they would have to be careful when speaking about the Su family¡¯s sister-in-law duo in the future. They were indeed a true family.

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    As for these two women of the Li family, it was better to tread lightly. Otherwise, if their instigation failed, they might end up being ganged up on by the sister-in-law duo, ending up like Li Li, with a broken engagement and a mess to clean up. They simply couldn¡¯t afford to provoke them.

    After Su Jing had spoken, Gu Zi also addressed Li Li and her mother, ¡°You claim that my sister-in-law and I have bullied you. That¡¯s a grave injustice. From beginning to end, I was unaware of this matter. Su Jing didn¡¯t inform me either. It was only when she revealed the truth to everyone just now that I came to know. Li Li, I didn¡¯t expect you, who appears so honest, to be so cunning.

    ¡°You keep saying that I¡¯m helping my sister-in-law bully you. But let me ask you, when you were fighting with my sister-in-law just now, did I lift a finger to help her hit you?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words left Li Li speechless. She tried to form a rebuttal, but the words got stuck in her throat. Her eyes rolled in frustration as the scrutinizing gazes from the crowd further infuriated her. Why were they all staring at her? Su Jing was clearly not innocent, and she had even admitted that she had given the recipe. It was obviously Su Jing¡¯s fault!

    Seeing her daughter at a loss for words, Li Li¡¯s mother shifted the blame, saying, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t help Su Jing fight my daughter, it¡¯s a fact that Su Jing¡¯s recipe led to my daughter¡¯s engagement being called off. We are now facing the issue of compensating for the loss. You can¡¯t just stand by and watch. After all, your family is wealthy. Just use money to solve the problem.¡±

 Chapter 521 - Chapter 521 I Truly Envy You

    Chapter 521 I Truly Envy You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing these words, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She retorted without hesitation, ¡°Just because our family has money, it doesn¡¯t mean we should solve your problems with it. What kind of logic is that? If Su Jing had asked Li Li to bring the braised pork for her fianc¨¦¡¯s family and neighbors to taste, leading to the current situation, the Su family would have taken responsibility without your prompting.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m sorry,¡± she continued, ¡°Your daughter Li Li had a standoff with Su Jing, and everyone heard it. Su Jing told her to take the recipe and study it herself. It was Li Li who took the initiative to take the recipe to her fianc¨¦¡¯s house in the city. The consequences of her actions are her own, and our Su family has no reason to foot the bill.

    ¡°As for the fight just now, everyone saw it. Su Jing hit Li Li, and Li Li hit Su Jing back. If they were to discuss compensation, it would be a never-ending argument. I suggest they both step back, keep it simple, and take care of their own injuries.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words made the situation seem as if it had never happened. The crowd was not surprised; this was typical of Gu Zi.

    Li Li¡¯s mother¡¯s plan to have Gu Zi solve the problem with money fell through. Faced with the eloquent Gu Zi, she couldn¡¯t think of any counterarguments.

    Then, the onlookers, eager to please the Su family, began to persuade the mother and daughter to let the matter rest, as it was Li Li who had provoked Su Jing in the first place.

    After all, Li Li¡¯s broken engagement was indeed a result of her own actions.

    And the demands for compensation from her fianc¨¦¡¯s family and neighbors were something Li Li had to face and resolve herself. The Su family did not accept shared responsibility.

    Unable to argue, the mother and daughter had no choice but to let the matter drop. After the crowd dispersed, Gu Zi went in to check on Su Le.

    Li Li hadn¡¯t left yet, and her mother, too upset to deal with her, stormed off with a broom in hand.

    Li Li looked at Su Jing, feeling that she had to speak her mind. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always been secretly competing with you, Su Jing. Did you know that? I truly envy you.¡±

    Su Jing, who had just washed her face and was about to drive this annoying woman away, looked at Li Li as she spoke. Su Jing didn¡¯t understand. She thought that Li Li had only begun to envy her after Su Shen¡¯s pig farm made a fortune. She asked, ¡°Always? Why?¡±

    Li Li let out a sarcastic laugh. ¡°You think our families are on the same level? You think what I have is the same as what you have? No, Su Jing, you¡¯re much luckier than me. When we were kids, I was extremely envious of you whenever I saw you being taken care of by your siblings, able to eat your fill.

    ¡°What I hate most is that you always complain about your brother being cold and indifferent, not caring about you. But what I see is not like that at all. Every time you complain about your brother and your family¡¯s poverty in front of me, do you know? To me, it¡¯s all a form of showing off¡­¡±

    As Su Jing listened to these words, her mind buzzed as if something had exploded, leaving her slightly dizzy. It wasn¡¯t until she saw Li Li turn and leave that she finally came back to her senses. Had she always been the object of someone¡¯s envy?

    Gu Zi, sitting on the living room sofa with Lele, had heard most of the conversation and felt a pang in her heart.

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    She felt sorry for Su Shen. He could finally be understood by his sister, right? Although he might not need this understanding now, Gu Zi felt relieved. Because Gu Zi was not the kind of person who advocated doing good deeds without leaving a name, Su Jing should appreciate the kindness her brother had shown her.

    That night, Su Jing couldn¡¯t sleep for a long time. She seemed to realize that her family was not as bad as she had imagined. Her seemingly cold and indifferent brother was, in the eyes of others, someone to be envied.

    Unable to hold back her tears, Su Jing sobbed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother, I¡¯ve misunderstood you all along.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say these words to Su Shen, but she had to voice them. If she didn¡¯t, she would feel uncomfortable. Su Jing suddenly felt that Li Li¡¯s nature was not entirely bad. At least now, she had a deeper understanding of her past misconceptions.

    Su Jing felt that perhaps she should really think about it. In the future, she should have her own path to follow, rather than staying here, relying on her brother¡¯s life, and causing trouble for her brother and sister-in-law.

 Chapter 522 - Chapter 522 No Longer Connected

    Chapter 522 No Longer Connected

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The following day, Su Jing woke up early, intending to prepare a hearty breakfast for her family.

    Su Shen had not returned home the previous night, and when he did arrive in the morning, he found Su Jing busily working in the kitchen. He had no intention of disturbing her, instead planning to go upstairs to check on Gu Zi.

    Upon turning around, Su Jing caught sight of Su Shen¡¯s figure. Gathering her courage, she called out to him, ¡°Brother, sit down and have something to eat. I have something to discuss with you.¡± She served a plate of breakfast onto the dining table, her gaze following Su Shen.

    On the rare occasions that Su Shen and Su Jing conversed, it was the first time she had asked him to sit down for a chat. He complied, peeling a boiled egg as he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Su Jing took a seat opposite him and began, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve thought it through these past few days. I want to break up with Tian Hai. I left a breakup letter when I left the Tian family, and I won¡¯t be with him anymore. I plan to leave for a while, I want to travel, to see the world. Sister-in-law said that the beauty of our homeland is the best way to heal, and I want to try it.

    ¡°So, I also want to ask for your help. I don¡¯t have a formal job right now, could you let me leave as a pig farm employee and write me a letter of introduction, is that possible?¡±

    The current policy required a letter of introduction for travel. With such a letter, it would be easier to find accommodations at tourist spots and purchase group train or bus tickets.

    As long as the letter bore the red stamp of an organization, it held absolute authority.

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen fell silent for a while. He wondered if things would have turned out differently had he tried to prevent Su Jing and Tian Hai¡¯s relationship in a different way.

    However, as Gu Zi had said, Su Jing should have her own life and be responsible for it.

    His eyes were dark as he forced a hint of concern into his voice, telling Su Jing, ¡°I can write you the letter of introduction, Su Jing. I hope you can start a new life. If you ever get tired, you can always come back. This home will always be here for you.¡±

    Listening to her brother¡¯s somewhat stiff and strange tone, Su Jing felt a mix of amusement and a warmth she had never felt before from her brother. She nodded, ¡°Brother, thank you. I will take good care of myself.¡±

    Su Shen nodded in response, saying lightly, ¡°We¡¯re family, there¡¯s no need for such words.¡± After finishing his egg, he washed his hands and went upstairs. By the time he reached his room, Gu Zi was already up and applying makeup in front of the vanity mirror.

    Upon hearing from Su Shen about Su Jing¡¯s travel plans, Gu Zi recalled Su Jing buying a suitcase the day before. She remarked, ¡°I thought she was acting strange yesterday. It turns out she already had plans. Regardless, it¡¯s better than her staying in the same place.¡±

    However, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but worry. Would the Tian family let Su Jing leave so easily?

    As Gu Zi pondered this, the Tian family indeed showed up that morning. Mother Tian arrived with two men, claiming that Su Jing was Tian Hai¡¯s fianc¨¦e and insisting on taking her back to the Tian family.

    Fortunately, Su Shen was still at home when the Tian family arrived. With him handling the situation, Gu Zi didn¡¯t need to worry too much.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t indulge the family. He had them sit in the yard, intending to sever Su Jing and Tian Hai¡¯s relationship once and for all.

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    He told Su Jing, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already left a breakup letter for Tian Hai, it means there¡¯s no relationship between you two anymore. Now that Tian Hai¡¯s mother has come looking for you, you should make it clear once again that you and Tian Hai are no longer connected.¡±

    Su Jing nodded, her tone quick and firm as she said, ¡°Auntie, I made it very clear in the letter to Tian Hai. We¡¯ve broken up, we¡¯ll each go our own way, and we won¡¯t have anything to do with each other. I won¡¯t go back with you, and there¡¯s no need to go to your house.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mother Tian¡¯s chest heaved with anger. She retorted, ¡°My son hasn¡¯t admitted to breaking up with you, so you¡¯re still boyfriend and girlfriend. Su Jing, stop making a fuss. Tian Hai was wrong before, but I promise you that he will be devoted to you from now on. Come back with me, and I¡¯ll prepare your wedding.¡±

    Mother Tian was out of options. She could only speak softly, at least to coax Su Jing back to the Tian family. Her son, Tian Hai, still hadn¡¯t recovered from his leg injury.

    Her husband had been led astray by Su Jing¡¯s instigation and had beaten up the nephew who had insulted him in Daqing Village. The nephew had gone to the police station as soon as he returned home, and her husband had been taken away by the police.

 Chapter 523 - Chapter 523 Have You Made Your Decision?

    Chapter 523 Have You Made Your Decision?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Tian, due to the circumstances, had been running around, seeking favors. She pleaded with her eldest nephew¡¯s family to show mercy and not press charges against Tian Hai¡¯s father. Tian Hai, limping on one leg, was also knocking on doors daily, hoping to rescue his father from detention.

    Meanwhile, Su Jing, the audacious girl, had taken advantage of the chaos in the Tian family and returned to Daqing Village. She thought she could wash her hands of the whole affair, but Mother Tian would not let her off so easily.

    Having finally found some free time today, Mother Tian had brought people specifically to take Su Jing back. Once Su Jing was back, wouldn¡¯t the Tian family be able to use the Su family¡¯s money to solve their problems?

    Mother Tian continued, ¡°Su Shen, you may be a big boss, but you should also be reasonable. Su Jing leaving Tian Hai at this time is really unscrupulous.

    ¡°You may not know this, but Su Jing seems to have intentionally stayed with us to seek revenge. She has caused quite a stir at home, even encouraging my husband to retaliate against his nephew, which has landed him back in the police station.

    ¡°Originally, his nephew had only insulted him a few times, and he didn¡¯t mind at all. But your sister incited him, leading to a fight and trouble.

    ¡°No matter what, my son and I cannot let Su Jing return to the Su family now. If you want Su Jing to break up with my son Tian Hai, then you should clean up the mess your sister has made. We will stop bothering Su Jing if you do so.¡±

    Listening to Mother Tian¡¯s words, Su Shen began to understand. No wonder Su Jing hadn¡¯t immediately left Tian Hai. She had stayed with the Tian family, causing a great deal of unrest. This was consistent with Su Jing¡¯s unwillingness to be taken advantage of.

    Moreover, the Tian family had indeed relied on Su Jing for many years. Now that Su Jing had come to her senses and wanted to reclaim some things, it was only fair.

    He looked at Su Jing seriously. Su Jing avoided his gaze, not daring to meet Su Shen¡¯s eyes, and hid behind Gu Zi.

    Su Shen¡¯s lips were tightly pressed, his jaw tense, but he had already chosen to protect his own family. He emotionlessly said to Mother Tian, ¡°You say Su Jing incited your husband to retaliate against his nephew. That¡¯s a personal grudge between your husband and his nephew. She may have said a few words, but she didn¡¯t directly participate in the retaliation. How can you blame her for this?

    ¡°Also, as I¡¯ve said, Su Jing has broken up with your son. This is her own wish. You and your son disagree, but this relationship is over. I hope I don¡¯t have to emphasize this again. Su Jing will not return to the Tian family with you. If you have nothing else to say, please leave and don¡¯t come back!¡±

    Su Shen made it clear that he wanted them to leave. His stance was very strong. Mother Tian was wary of Su Shen and naturally didn¡¯t dare to confront him directly. For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    The two men behind her didn¡¯t dare to say much either. They couldn¡¯t possibly forcibly take Su Jing away in front of Su Shen. Su Jing¡¯s family background was too strong.

    They whispered to Mother Tian, ¡°I think you¡¯ll just have to accept this. Let¡¯s go back and think about how to reconcile with Uncle Tian¡¯s family. Maybe Uncle Tian still has a chance to get out. Staying here is a waste of time and won¡¯t do any good.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Auntie, let¡¯s go back. They¡¯ve said they have nothing to do with Tian Hai. That means they really want to break up with Brother Tian Hai. Brother Tian Hai is really something. If he knew this would happen, why did he mess around outside and hurt her so much?¡±

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    Mother Tian couldn¡¯t accept this for a moment and couldn¡¯t hear what the younger generation was saying. Su Jing was really going to leave her son, but how could Su Jing possibly want to leave Tian Hai?

    She couldn¡¯t give up and asked Su Jing, ¡°Have you thought it through? If you come back to find Tian Hai in the future, we won¡¯t let you into the Tian family. Moreover, you and Tian Hai have been husband and wife in all but name. If you don¡¯t want my son, who else would want you? Think it over.¡±

    Mother Tian¡¯s words were uncomfortable to hear. She was clearly reminding Su Jing that she was nothing more than a discarded shoe played with by Tian Hai. She was no longer pure, and even if she was with another man, she would always be haunted by her past with Tian Hai. It would be better to settle for a life with Tian Hai.

    Su Jing was very clear about the shamelessness of Tian Hai¡¯s family. It was no surprise to her that Mother Tian would use a woman¡¯s purity as a threat. She didn¡¯t care. She had given her body to Tian Hai, but so what? She didn¡¯t want this man now, and nothing could bind her!

    She coldly responded to Mother Tian, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through very clearly. It¡¯s better to cut losses in time when you realize that Tian Hai is such a rotten person, rather than investing the rest of your life in him. Even if no man marries me in the future, I don¡¯t want a piece of trash like Tian Hai. Do you understand?¡±

 Chapter 524 - Chapter 524 Su Jingâ€™s Departure

    Chapter 524 Su Jing¡¯s Departure

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Tian was taken aback by Su Jing¡¯s harsh words, retreating in shock. She had never expected Su Jing to berate her son so brutally. In a fit of rage and humiliation, she lashed out at Su Jing, ¡°If my son is such a disgrace, why were you so desperate to marry into our family? I think you¡¯re the real curse, Su Jing. Ever since my son got involved with you, his luck has only worsened!¡±

    Mother Tian continued her tirade, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve ruined my son, you want to leave him? You¡¯re heartless, a venomous b*tch. Any man who gets involved with you will be cursed! I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s a man in this village who would dare to have you. You¡¯re nothing but a worn-out shoe, and I can¡¯t imagine any man wanting you, not unless they¡¯re blind to your filth¡­¡±

    Two young men standing behind Mother Tian, fearing the situation might escalate, dragged the cursing woman out of the Su family¡¯s front gate. Yet, Mother Tian seemed addicted to her tirade, continuing to hurl insults at Su Jing even as she was being led away. Her vicious curses drew the attention of passersby, who turned their heads to watch the spectacle.

    Su Jing stood at the doorway, not shedding a single tear. She listened to Mother Tian¡¯s foul language until the woman¡¯s figure disappeared from sight and her voice faded away. Su Jing didn¡¯t move an inch.

    This was her choice, after all. She had chosen to be with Tian Hai, a worthless man, and she deserved the scorn. She vowed to remember the lesson of this day forever.

    Su Shen, being a man, left the house after the Tian family departed. On one hand, he had work to attend to at the pig farm. On the other, he wanted to give Su Jing some space to recover and to talk with Gu Zi. They were both women, and their communication would naturally be more comfortable and less awkward.

    Gu Zi understood Su Shen¡¯s intentions. After waiting for a while, she approached Su Jing and led her inside, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t stand here anymore. After today, you and Tian Hai will have nothing to do with each other. We¡¯ve made everything clear, and your brother will stand by your side. Don¡¯t dwell on the unhappy things.¡±

    Su Jing allowed Gu Zi to lead her inside. Gu Zi gently wiped her face and hands with a warm towel. Su Jing was deeply moved. She thought that Gu Zi was the epitome of true gentleness, a strength in itself.

    After sitting on the sofa and collecting herself, Su Jing remembered her travel plans. Perhaps, it was time to set off.

    She turned to Gu Zi and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, thank you. May I borrow five hundred yuan from you? I¡¯m a bit short on cash, but I need to travel. Could you lend it to me?¡±

    In truth, Su Jing could have asked Su Shen for the money. He would have agreed, hoping it would help her escape the shadow of the Tian family.

    But out of respect for Gu Zi, the true mistress of the house, Su Jing chose to borrow the money from her instead of bypassing Gu Zi and asking Su Shen.

    Upon hearing Su Jing¡¯s request, Gu Zi didn¡¯t hesitate, saying, ¡°Of course.¡±

    Gu Zi quickly fetched the money and handed it to Su Jing. Su Jing accepted the money and hugged Gu Zi, crying. Her gratitude was evident, even though she didn¡¯t say a word.

    In the following days, Su Shen wrote a letter of introduction for Su Jing, and Gu Zi helped her pack her luggage. They went to the city to exchange the necessary food coupons for her journey. Although the use of food coupons was already low in their area, they were still required in many other places to purchase goods. Therefore, it was necessary to exchange them before setting off.

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    On a bright sunny morning, Gu Zi, holding Su Le, and accompanied by Su Bing and Su Li, bid farewell to Su Jing at the city¡¯s train station. They each hugged Su Jing, watching as she boarded the train alone with her pink suitcase. Su Jing was leaving, leaving them to seek her own life. Gu Zi sent her off with blessings.

    After leaving the train station with the children, Gu Zi heard the mechanical ¡°whoo-whoo¡± sound of the train in the distance. She turned back and could vaguely see a train car moving, its chimney puffing out thick black smoke, signifying the train¡¯s departure.

    Su Bing and Su Li followed their mother¡¯s gaze. Su Bing remained silent, while Su Li asked curiously and excitedly, ¡°Mom, is Aunt going to the north? Will she see snow?¡±

    Gu Zi retracted her gaze, holding Su Le and walking forward, saying, ¡°She should be heading north, and she will see snow. When your aunt comes back, you¡¯ll know.¡±

    After all, Su Jing now had a direction in life. Gu Zi looked forward to seeing what Su Jing would become when they met again. She was sure it would be something better¡­

 Chapter 525 - Chapter 525 Troublesome

    Chapter 525 Troublesome

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi did not linger in the city. After returning to the main city from the train station, she took her children to the station, bought tickets, and took a bus to the town. Her plan was to have lunch at the shop, as there was an interview with a newspaper reporter scheduled for the afternoon. Gu Zi was to be interviewed, so she decided to head to the shop early.

    Her children, Su Bing and Su Li, were excited about their mother¡¯s interview. After bidding farewell to their aunt, they were eager to watch their mother¡¯s interaction with the newspaper reporter. They could also help out at the shop, greeting customers, which was far more interesting than staying at home.

    The bus made several stops along the way, finally halting at a small station in the town. Gu Zi, carrying Su Le, disembarked and confidently headed towards Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. Along the way, several familiar faces greeted Gu Zi. These were townsfolk, and Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop had become quite famous in the town. It was impossible for them not to recognize Gu Zi, the person in charge of the shop.

    When Gu Zi arrived at the shop, the breakfast crowd had mostly dispersed. Li Hua had just finished cleaning a table when she saw Gu Zi and her children. She said to Gu Zi, ¡°Aunt Yang and mom are already preparing our lunch. You guys sit down and rest for a bit. Has Su Jing boarded the train yet?¡±

    Su Bing took his sister Su Le from Gu Zi¡¯s arms, allowing Gu Zi to rest. Gu Zi sat down at the table furthest inside, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured water for the two children and herself. ¡°She¡¯s on the train. I gave her enough money, so there¡¯s no need to worry. With Su Jing¡¯s personality, she won¡¯t be taken advantage of anywhere.¡±

    Li Hua nodded with a smile, ¡°Now that we¡¯re in business, I¡¯ve really come to realize that it¡¯s hard for honest people to do anything. We need someone with Su Jing¡¯s character, who isn¡¯t afraid of any challenges.¡±

    Li Hua was slowly changing. She was now in business, and the old Li Hua would have struggled to cope.

    Su Li, seeing his elder brother Su Bing taking care of their sister, didn¡¯t want to be idle. He helped his aunt Li Hua with the chores, collecting bowls, sweeping the floor, wiping tables, and running around energetically.

    Li Hua praised him, ¡°Su Li, you¡¯re really capable. You came here today specifically to help your aunt, didn¡¯t you? Here, eat this to fill your stomach.¡±

    She handed Su Li a pancake from the kitchen, her tone full of affection.

    Su Li accepted the pancake and ate it heartily, continuing to work while eating. After cleaning the last dirty table, he was about to sit down and rest when he saw a woman approaching the shop entrance, seemingly intending to make a purchase.

    Imitating the tone of a shop assistant he had seen on TV, Su Li stepped forward and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, would you like to have breakfast? You can place your order with me!¡±

    As soon as Su Li finished speaking, Li Hua came out from inside. She recognized the woman as Gui Hua, who ran a small shop across the street.

    Seeing Gui Hua¡¯s puzzled expression, Li Hua explained with a smile, ¡°This is my sister¡¯s second son, Su Li. He¡¯s the younger brother of little Su Le, whom you usually see. The other one is Su Bing, the eldest brother. They¡¯re all siblings. By the way, what brings you here? Have you tried making the peanut curd we talked about? How did it turn out?¡±

    Seeing his aunt taking over, Su Li sat down to rest.

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    Gui Hua seemed surprised that such a young woman as Gu Zi had two grown sons. Her gaze towards Su Li was a bit strange. She quickly averted her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°I see. Well, Li Hua, I actually came to buy a bowl of peanut curd. Do you still have any for sale?¡±

    After saying this, Gui Hua looked somewhat embarrassed and didn¡¯t know where to look. She lowered her head and stared at the ground in front of her. She had seen many people coming to eat this peanut curd over the past few days. Some women in the town had told her that it tasted great, smooth and glutinous. They had been eating it for several days and felt their skin had become smoother. Gui Hua was intrigued.

    However, since Gui Hua had said she would make it herself, she had resisted the urge to buy it. She bought the ingredients needed to make peanut curd according to Li Hua¡¯s recipe, cleaned up the stone mill that had been unused at home for a long time, and prepared to try making it herself, not wanting to give Li Hua her money.

    But when she was finally ready to make it, she found the steps in the recipe very confusing.

    She gritted her teeth and soaked the peanuts and glutinous rice in water, ready to grind them. But after grinding them once, Gui Hua didn¡¯t want to continue. Looking at the remaining steps, she found them too troublesome. If she had known earlier, she would have simply bought a bowl from across the street instead of going through all this trouble.

 Chapter 526 - Chapter 526 Another Bowl, Please

    Chapter 526 Another Bowl, Please

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Initially, she had thought she could make a profit from this peanut curd. However, after purchasing the raw materials and doing the math, she realized that if she sold the peanut curd at the same price as the shop across the street, she wouldn¡¯t attract any customers. If she sold it for less, she wouldn¡¯t make any money.

    In the end, she gave up. Money wasn¡¯t as easy to earn as she had thought. Today, she swallowed her pride and decided to buy a bowl to satisfy her craving.

    Upon hearing this, Li Hua¡¯s heart leapt with joy. As she had guessed, Gui Hua didn¡¯t have the patience to make her own peanut curd. In the end, to satisfy her cravings, she had no choice but to buy it.

    Seeing Gui Hua¡¯s embarrassed expression, Li Hua didn¡¯t tease her. Instead, she kindly invited her to sit down, saying, ¡°You¡¯re in luck. I made an extra portion of peanut curd today. Let me get it for you.¡±

    Li Hua guided Gui Hua to a seat near the door, then quickly went into the kitchen to fetch the peanut curd. She soon returned, placing a bowl of peanut curd in front of Gui Hua and generously said, ¡°Here, try it. If it¡¯s not good, you don¡¯t have to pay. Consider it my treat.¡±

    The bowl was a common grey ceramic one, filled to the brim with a creamy white, thick liquid. Floating on top was a piece of golden-dried osmanthus, making it visually appealing and somewhat poetic.

    Gui Hua¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. She sniffed, detecting a faint, rich aroma. Excited, she asked, ¡°Is this the peanut curd you were talking about? It looks delicious.¡±

    Su Li, upon seeing the delicious food, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it. From a distance, he quietly asked Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, is the shop selling the peanut curd you make for us? I want to eat it too. I¡¯ve only had it once.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled, pouring Su Li a cup of tea. ¡°You little glutton, you¡¯re hopeless. If you come to the shop early tomorrow to help out, you might get to eat some. It¡¯s too much trouble to make it at home. From now on, if you want to eat it, come help out at the shop.¡±

    Su Li was more than willing, nodding enthusiastically. He even held his mother¡¯s hand to make a pinky promise, saying, ¡°Then, Mom, you promise me. When I¡¯m on vacation, let me help out at the shop! I want to eat peanut curd every day!¡±

    Gui Hua could hear the mother and son¡¯s conversation, which made her even more eager to try the dish in front of her. She scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth, closing her eyes to savor the rich taste of the peanut curd. It was warm, sweet, and fragrant, but not greasy. The moment it slid down her throat, it brought her a feeling of happiness and sweetness. Everything was just right, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

    Gui Hua didn¡¯t say much. With a few spoonfuls, she finished the bowl of peanut curd. After licking her lips, she looked at Li Hua and said, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious. I want another bowl.¡± As she spoke, she took out two coins and handed them to Li Hua.

    Li Hua immediately returned one coin to Gui Hua, saying, ¡°As long as you think it¡¯s delicious, that¡¯s enough. If you want more, come back tomorrow. I¡¯m out for today. But I do have some hot and spicy soup left, and a few small meat buns. Would you like some?¡±

    In truth, Li Hua wasn¡¯t being entirely honest. She had three bowls of peanut curd left in her kitchen, but those were reserved for Gu Zi and her family. She couldn¡¯t sell those.

    Gui Hua felt disappointed. She hadn¡¯t had her fill yet. So, she decided on the spot to have her lunch here. If the peanut curd was this delicious, the other dishes must be great too. She couldn¡¯t wait to try them and had completely forgotten her initial intention of not letting Li Hua earn her money.

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    Gui Hua said, ¡°Then give me a bowl of hot and spicy soup, as well as two meat buns. Do you also have fried cakes? I want two fried cakes!¡±

    Li Hua laughed and agreed, ¡°Of course, I do. Wait for me to get them.¡± Although it was past breakfast time, there was no reason to turn down business.

    Li Hua went to fetch the food Gui Hua had ordered. After serving her, she went back to the kitchen to work. Gu Zi, having rested, also went into the kitchen to help. She thought Li Hua, the shop owner, was adapting well and asked about Gui Hua.

    While working, Li Hua told Gu Zi about her visit to Gui Hua¡¯s shop and their conversation. Gu Zi found it amusing and said softly, ¡°Gui Hua is quite interesting. You really have a way with people, sister-in-law. I think Gui Hua and you could become good friends.¡±

    At the same time, Gu Zi was pleased to see Li Hua¡¯s progress. Her sister-in-law was indeed smart. She hadn¡¯t had to put in much effort to teach her, and Li Hua was already pushing herself to improve. It seemed that her brother, Lin Cheng, had good taste in choosing Li Hua, a smart and kind woman, as his wife.

 Chapter 527 - Chapter 527 Spring Has Arrived

    Chapter 527 Spring Has Arrived

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua shook her head, saying, ¡°Gui Hua is a bit hot-tempered, but she¡¯s not cunning. That¡¯s a good thing, but whether we can be friends is uncertain. Anyway, I just wanted to try and get to know her better, like you suggested. Surprisingly, it worked quite well.¡±

    Gu Zi had finished drying the dishes and neatly arranged them in the cupboard. As she listened to Li Hua, she noticed some commotion outside and heard the sound of a truck stopping. She asked Li Hua, ¡°Sister-in-law, is it my brother and the others delivering goods? Have they changed their delivery time?¡±

    Li Hua craned her neck to look outside, spotting Lin Hun jumping down from the truck. Recently, Lin Cheng and Lin Hun had been delivering meat to their side of town. Seeing Lin Hun meant that Lin Cheng was also there. She nodded. ¡°Yes, Lin Cheng said the pig farm has been busy these days. Our goods are delivered in the afternoon and stored in the freezer to avoid any delay in delivery the next day.¡±

    Outside, Lin Cheng also got out of the driver¡¯s seat. He had learned to drive when he was working outside and had even taken a few road tests through his workplace, but he had never managed to get his driver¡¯s license, which was a pity.

    Fortunately, after he started working at Su Shen¡¯s pig farm, Su Shen asked Jin Long to guide him. Jin Long not only taught him various skills but also helped him practice driving.

    Last month, Jin Long had helped him register for a road test through his connections. He passed the test and finally got his driver¡¯s license. Now, he was a skilled worker who could drive a truck. So, Jin Long started letting him deliver goods independently with Lin Hun, giving them a chance to improve and grow. Su Shen even gave him a raise.

    Lin Cheng walked to the back of the truck, where Lin Hun was unloading a box of goods. Lin Cheng took over and carried it into the shop. When he entered, he noticed that there were still customers eating. He was careful not to disturb them, fearing it might upset them. As he passed by, he warned, ¡°I¡¯m bringing in some goods. Please don¡¯t get up right now, thank you.¡±

    Gui Hua heard the young man¡¯s voice and looked up in the direction it came from. She saw a handsome man in shorts and a t-shirt carrying goods into the shop. Her heart skipped a beat, and she blushed, lowering her head. Her voice was softer than ever as she replied, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t get up. Be careful.¡±

    After she spoke, her eyes sparkled with an unusual light. She smiled and let her gaze linger on the man¡¯s broad back until he disappeared into the kitchen. Biting her lip, she felt as if her spring had arrived. ¡°This man is so handsome. I want to date him.¡±

    Just as Gui Hua was lost in her thoughts, Lin Hun came in carrying another box of goods. He noticed the woman at the door twisting her waist and looking love-struck. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk, ¡°Ma¡¯am, be careful when we¡¯re bringing in the goods. Don¡¯t twist and turn like that, it wouldn¡¯t be good if you get hit.¡±

    Gui Hua was not pleased when she heard him call her ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯. She stood up abruptly, grabbed Lin Hun¡¯s sleeve, and refused to let go. ¡°You little brat, who are you calling ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯? Don¡¯t you recognize me, Gui Hua? I¡¯m the famous unmarried woman in this town. How dare you call me ¡®ma¡¯am¡¯!¡±

    Lin Hun was carrying a heavy box, and her sudden pull almost made him drop it. He was a bit annoyed.

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    But considering this was Li Hua¡¯s shop, he decided it was better not to argue with this woman. He softened his voice and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t see clearly. Beautiful lady, could you please let go of me? This box is quite heavy.¡±

    Gui Hua huffed and let go of him, returning to her seat to continue eating. She was still thinking about the man who had entered earlier. How could two men be so different? The latter was not as handsome as the former, and he was also less polite!

    When Li Hua came out, she would ask about the first man. She wanted to get to know him, and if possible, she wanted to date him.

    As Gui Hua thought about this, her angry expression was replaced by a lovesick one. She felt dizzy, her face was hot, and her body felt weak. Perhaps this was what being in love felt like!

    From behind the glass in the kitchen, Gu Zi watched everything that happened outside. Having experienced love herself, she could easily recognize Gui Hua¡¯s lovesick expression. It was clear that Gui Hua had fallen for Lin Cheng, and this was something Gu Zi could not overlook.

 Chapter 528 - Chapter 528 The Spring Dream Was Shattered

    Chapter 528 The Spring Dream Was Shattered

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi shook her head with a cold hiss. Now, she wasn¡¯t sure if her sister-in-law and Gui Hua could become friends, but it seemed they were on the verge of becoming rivals in love.

    Gu Zi had never expected that her brother¡¯s charm was so potent. In the time it took to deliver a package, he had already stirred the emotions of a young maiden. Perhaps this was the trouble of being attractive.

    However, this situation was certainly not good news for her sister-in-law, Li Hua.

    Before Gu Zi could warn Li Hua, Li Hua and Lin Cheng emerged together. Seeing Gui Hua¡¯s starry-eyed gaze at her husband, Li Hua became alert. She handed Lin Cheng a coat, expressing her concern, ¡°Brother Cheng, you¡¯re not dressed warmly enough. You might catch a cold. Take this coat with you.¡±

    Lin Cheng, who was now working at a pig farm, was busy all day. He and Li Hua only saw each other late in the evening. He missed her greatly, so he had eyes for no one else. Holding Li Hua¡¯s hand, he said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put it on. Thank you, Little Hua. You should eat more too. Don¡¯t follow your sister¡¯s example and eat less. Don¡¯t starve yourself.¡±

    Gu Zi emerged from the kitchen and sat down, pursing her lips. She hadn¡¯t expected to witness her brother and sister-in-law¡¯s public display of affection, making her feel like a third wheel.

    However, she wasn¡¯t too bothered. Compared to Gui Hua, whose romantic dreams had just been shattered, she was doing quite well.

    Gui Hua, having finished her meal, had planned to pay Li Hua and casually inquire about the handsome man. But now, Li Hua was holding hands with her handsome man, exchanging sweet nothings. What was going on?

    Wasn¡¯t Li Hua already married? Why was she still holding hands with another man? It was outrageous!

    Gui Hua stepped forward to give Li Hua the money. She glanced at Li Hua, then at the hand Li Hua was holding with Lin Cheng. Finally, she plucked up the courage to ask Li Hua, ¡°Aren¡¯t you married? Why are you openly holding hands with another man? What kind of person are you?¡±

    Gui Hua looked at the couple in front of her with the eyes of someone witnessing an adulterous affair. She had considered all possibilities, but one she hadn¡¯t thought of was that the man in front of her was Li Hua¡¯s husband.

    Women are extremely sensitive when faced with such situations, and Li Hua was no exception. She was annoyed by Gui Hua¡¯s gaze at her and her husband¡¯s hand-holding. Li Hua gripped her husband¡¯s hand tighter, a smile of happiness tugging at her lips. She introduced Lin Cheng to Gui Hua in a very domineering tone.

    ¡°Gui Hua, I haven¡¯t introduced you yet. This is my husband, Lin Cheng. He¡¯s currently working at a pig farm. He came today specifically to deliver goods and to see me. I¡¯ll take your money, but I won¡¯t be able to entertain you any longer. I need to see my husband off and have a private chat with him. Please excuse us.¡±

    After saying this, Li Hua led Lin Cheng outside. Lin Cheng was momentarily stunned, allowing himself to be led away. His eyes were fixed on his wife. If it weren¡¯t for the many onlookers, he would have asked Li Hua what was going on.

    They had been together for many years, and he had never seen Li Hua behave like this. It was quite novel!

    ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. So you¡¯re a married couple! You go ahead and chat. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll be leaving too.¡± Gui Hua responded to Li Hua, forcing a smile onto her face.

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    She didn¡¯t realize that Gu Zi, the two boys, and Lin Hun were watching her. Her expression was worse than if she had been crying. She was still struggling to digest the fact that this man was Li Hua¡¯s husband.

    Gui Hua quickly left Li Hua¡¯s restaurant and returned to her own shop. As soon as she turned her back, she retreated behind a stack of cardboard boxes. The shop echoed with the sound of her heartbroken sobs, which didn¡¯t fade for a long time. She hadn¡¯t expected heartbreak to come so quickly. It was so embarrassing¡­

    Back in Li Hua¡¯s restaurant, Su Li watched as Li Hua and Lin Cheng returned after Gui Hua¡¯s departure. He didn¡¯t understand. Weren¡¯t they supposed to be having a private conversation? Had they run out of things to say? He quietly asked Su Bing, ¡°Brother, what just happened? Did Uncle and Aunt finish their private conversation so quickly?¡±

    Before Su Bing could answer, Lin Hun, who had overheard Su Li¡¯s question, teased, ¡°What do you know, kid? Your uncle is over the moon today. Your aunt was just defending her husband! She was playing a ¡®Husband Defense War¡¯ game!

    ¡°But judging by your uncle¡¯s reaction, I guess he hasn¡¯t figured it out yet. He just made that woman fall in love with him. Hahaha, it¡¯s really funny. I didn¡¯t expect to see this today. This will keep me laughing for a year. Hahaha.¡±

 Chapter 529 - Chapter 529 Troubled By A Childâ€™s Questions

    Chapter 529 Troubled By A Child¡¯s Questions

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Hun was laughing so hard that he was nearly rolling on the floor. His jesting, however, only piqued Su Li¡¯s interest. Su Li turned to Lin Hun, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, and asked, ¡°Uncle, what is this ¡®Husband Defense War¡¯ game you¡¯re talking about? Is it fun? Can I play it?¡±

    Su Bing¡¯s gaze fell lightly on his younger brother, his face a mask of resignation. He had thought that Su Li had matured, given that he was now able to complete his schoolwork every day and even study and read books on his own. But it seemed his childish and gossipy nature hadn¡¯t changed. Su Bing sighed inwardly, but he didn¡¯t expect much maturity from Su Li anyway. Su Li¡¯s antics were amusing, at least.

    Lin Hun, however, was taken aback by Su Li¡¯s question. His laughter gradually subsided, and he hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He glanced at Gu Zi, then mumbled a vague response to Su Li, ¡°Ah, you¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re older. Why do you need to know so much now? You¡¯re not even married yet.¡±

    But Su Li¡¯s train of thought was remarkably clear. He immediately retorted, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re not married either, right? Auntie, I remember you saying that Uncle Lin Hun isn¡¯t married yet, right? So why can you know about it, but I can¡¯t?¡±

    Upon hearing Su Li¡¯s question, Li Hua found it amusing and didn¡¯t know how to respond. She simply laughed and nodded at Su Li, thinking it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let Su Li poke fun at Lin Hun. After all, he was a grown man who still acted like a child, teasing the little ones.

    Li Hua then returned to making pancakes for Lin Cheng, not paying attention to their conversation. Time was of the essence, and Lin Cheng had to rush back to register. It wasn¡¯t possible to keep them for lunch, so she decided to make something quick and easy. She also boiled a couple of eggs for them to eat on the road.

    Outside, Gu Zi was holding Su Le, giving her water. She found the day¡¯s events amusing, especially after Lin Hun¡¯s comment. She had initially wanted to maintain a serious demeanor in front of the children, but that plan had quickly fallen apart. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. She had to admit, her sister-in-law¡¯s behavior did resemble a ¡®Husband Defense War¡¯.

    If it were possible, developing a game based on this concept would be quite interesting. It would certainly be more appealing than a ¡®Carrot Defense War¡¯.

    Lin Hun, however, was overwhelmed by Su Li¡¯s barrage of questions. Seeing Gu Zi cheerfully feeding Su Le water, he pleaded, ¡°Gu Zi, can you please take your son away? I can¡¯t answer all these ¡®why¡¯ questions. I¡¯m not an encyclopedia. I don¡¯t know why! This is too hard for me¡­¡±

    Lin Hun was inwardly distressed. Were children nowadays always this persistent? They even asked him why he wasn¡¯t married. It was all because Lin Cheng had married his beloved Li Hua!

    He had no choice. Li Hua had chosen to be with Lin Cheng, even when the Lin family was poor. One of the main reasons Lin Hun had always been at odds with Lin Cheng was his unrequited love for Li Hua.

    After Li Hua got married, he still held onto hope because Li Hua¡¯s father had always approved of him as a son-in-law. He was waiting for the day when Li Hua would see the reality and leave Lin Cheng. He was willing to be with Li Hua, even if she had been married before. He truly loved Li Hua and couldn¡¯t care for any other woman.

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    But he never expected that Lin Cheng would suddenly have a sister, and this sister would marry such an impressive man, his idol. Lin Cheng was no longer the Lin Cheng of the past. Li Hua¡¯s father, being the opportunist that he was, immediately changed sides and favored Lin Cheng. Lin Hun¡¯s last hope was extinguished, and he had no choice but to give up on Li Hua.

    However, since Lin Cheng¡¯s family had improved, and Lin Cheng had started working at the pig farm, Lin Hun felt that Li Hua¡¯s future was secure. Lin Cheng was capable of providing Li Hua with a good life, so what was there for him to worry about?

    He and Lin Cheng slowly became good friends, working together. It wasn¡¯t right to keep thinking about someone else¡¯s wife, so he finally let go of his feelings for Li Hua.

    Now that he had finally let go of Li Hua, he was being teased by a child for not having a wife. It was too much! Gu Zi didn¡¯t plan to intervene. She thought it was good for Su Li to ask questions.

    Moreover, Gu Zi didn¡¯t think it was bad for children to learn about adult matters. She believed there was no need to completely shield children from the adult world. After all, children would eventually become adults. Rather than letting them be overwhelmed when they grow up, she preferred that they be prepared to enter the adult world.

 Chapter 530 - Chapter 530 A Comforting Sight

    Chapter 530 A Comforting Sight

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Despite not shedding a tear, Lin Hun looked as though he was on the verge of crying due to the relentless questioning. He knew he had to call for Gu Zi¡¯s help; otherwise, things would take a turn for the worse.

    ¡°Ahem, Su Li,¡± Gu Zi, getting the cue, said, ¡°Stop pestering your uncle. Go wash your hands in the kitchen and help your grandmother serve the dishes. We¡¯re about to have lunch. Su Bing, you go too.¡±

    Upon hearing their mother¡¯s command, the eldest child, who was known for his intelligence, immediately stood up. He took Su Li by the hand, who was eager to say something more, and led him towards the kitchen. Su Li was given no chance to utter another word. He felt a discomfort akin to the sensation of needing to defecate but being unable to do so.

    Standing there, Lin Hun took a sip of water, hands on his hips, and let out a deep sigh of relief. His world had finally regained its tranquility. At that moment, Lin Cheng emerged with a lunch box in hand, beckoning Lin Hun to join him. They climbed onto the truck, which started up and gradually moved away from the shop.

    Mother Lin and Aunt Yang unfolded a round table that had been stored against the wall. With the help of Su Bing and Su Li, the lunch dishes were served in an instant. Gu Zi, cradling Su Le, moved to join them. Everyone else followed suit, serving themselves and settling down to eat lunch.

    Su Li¡¯s eyes roamed over the delicious spread before him, finally settling on a plate of stir-fried garlic sprouts with cured meat. He picked up a piece of the meat, half fat and half lean, wrapped in wilted garlic sprouts. He took a bite, followed by a mouthful of rice. The aroma of the cured meat mingled with the garlic sprouts, blending perfectly with the taste of the rice. It was pure satisfaction.

    He reached for a second helping of the stir-fried dish. Today¡¯s meal was prepared by his grandmother, whose culinary skills had improved significantly. However, it still fell short when compared to his mother¡¯s cooking.

    Despite his preference for his mother¡¯s dishes, he didn¡¯t want to burden her. He was happier seeing her enjoy ready-made meals. Even if the food wasn¡¯t as tasty, he was content.

    He took a third serving of the stir-fried dish, but this time, he didn¡¯t put it in his mouth. Instead, he placed it in his mother¡¯s bowl. ¡°Mom, have some cured meat. It¡¯s really delicious. You should eat more.¡±

    To Gu Zi, a modern woman, cured meat might not be as nutritious as fresh meat. However, for Su Li and many others of his time, cured meat was considered a delicacy. The Su family, being pork sellers and well-off, had no shortage of fresh pork, especially after Gu Zi¡¯s arrival. Hence, cured meat was not a necessity in their household.

    However, in many rural households, refrigerators were a luxury they couldn¡¯t afford. Fresh meat was a rare treat, and most of the time, they had to make do with aged cured meat to satisfy their cravings and supplement their nutrition.

    Gu Zi was well aware of this. Su Li always gave the best to his mother. He was a good child, always caring for and cherishing those who treated him well. Gu Zi believed that raising a child who showed gratitude for the little things in life was a comforting achievement.

    She felt happy, taking a bite of the cured meat in her bowl. She thanked Su Li, saying, ¡°This piece of meat must be the tastiest in the dish. I love it.¡± Su Li¡¯s cheeks flushed as he continued to eat his meal.

    As the eldest brother, Su Bing naturally didn¡¯t want to fall behind in showing his affection for their mother. However, his actions were often more mature.

    After eating to his fill, he asked his mother if he could feed his little sister. ¡°Mom, let me feed Lele. You should eat.¡±

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    Had Su Bing asked to feed his sister from the start, Gu Zi would have refused. Firstly, she enjoyed feeding the little girl herself, and secondly, she believed that Su Bing, still a child, should be allowed to enjoy his childhood without worrying about sharing her burdens.

    However, when Su Bing offered to take over after eating his fill, Gu Zi had no reason to refuse. Having someone else hold the baby certainly made things easier for her.

    Gu Zi handed Su Le over to Su Bing. At that moment, Li Hua stood up and said, ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. I saved something special for you. I¡¯ll go get it. Otherwise, you might be too full to enjoy it after the meal.¡±

    Li Hua left the table for the kitchen. Gu Zi looked up, her gaze following Li Hua. ¡°What¡¯s the special treat? I¡¯m quite thirsty. Thank you, sister-in-law!¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li, hearing that there was something saved for them, had their attention drawn away from their meals.

 Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: A Typical Brat

    Chapter 531: A Typical Brat

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With swift and practiced movements, Li Hua served three bowls of room-temperature peanut curd. Gu Zi took her bowl and immediately took a sip. The taste was rich and delicious, a treat she had grown to love despite having it frequently at the shop. ¡°Sister-in-law, I thought there was none left. How did you know I wanted some?¡± she asked.

    Li Hua handed the remaining two bowls to the Su brothers and set the tray aside, picking up her own bowl to eat. ¡°I knew you were coming today, so I saved some for you. I could tell you loved it the day you taught me how to make it,¡± she replied.

    She didn¡¯t need her sister-in-law to spell out everything for her. Having received so much kindness from her sister-in-law¡¯s family and having started a business under her sister-in-law¡¯s guidance, she was grateful. She would never have dared to dream of such things in the past.

    She would naturally take care of her sister-in-law where she could, to repay her and Su Shen for their financial and emotional investment in the family.

    Gu Zi¡¯s smile was radiant, her mood buoyant. She hadn¡¯t seen Yuan Yuan yet that day, so she asked, ¡°Is Yuan Yuan not here today? Did his mother finally decide to pick him up?¡±

    Mrs. Wang, Yuan Yuan¡¯s mother, liked to play cards in town and sometimes went to the city or even further with a group of men and women who lived a carefree life. She would leave Yuan Yuan with Aunt Yang for several days before coming to pick him up.

    After being disciplined by Gu Zi once, she stopped coming to eat for free, but she still deliberately left Yuan Yuan with Aunt Yang.

    She would secretly teach Yuan Yuan to cry and make a fuss. Yuan Yuan was a smart child but he could be easily manipulated.

    If Yuan Yuan hadn¡¯t confessed that day, no one would have known that Mrs. Wang was deliberately teaching him to cry and make a fuss as soon as he arrived. They would have simply thought he was being a typical brat.

    Yuan Yuan was indeed adorable. One day, following his mother¡¯s instructions, he suddenly started crying and making a fuss in the shop, even throwing bowls and chopsticks around. It was during the busy period when people were queuing to buy braised meat. Aunt Yang and the others were very busy. Aunt Yang tried to soothe him a few times but failed, and she became angry. She was being paid to look after someone else¡¯s child, and yet the child was so unruly.

    In her anger, she picked up Yuan Yuan and put him aside, letting him cry it out while she went about her business.

    On one hand, Aunt Yang was genuinely angry. On the other hand, she wanted to test the method Gu Zi had written down for her, to see if it could help improve Yuan Yuan¡¯s behavior.

    The method proved effective. She let him cry, then after a while, she would show him some care, wiping his tears and washing his face. She didn¡¯t scold him, but simply told him, ¡°If you haven¡¯t cried enough, continue crying. Grandma will get you some water to drink later.¡± Then she would leave him to cry.

    As soon as Aunt Yang walked away with the washbasin, Yuan Yuan stopped crying and followed her, revealing the truth in his childish voice. ¡°Grandma, I won¡¯t cry anymore. I¡¯m tired. This game that Mom taught me is not fun at all. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    After questioning him, Aunt Yang learned that it was Mrs. Wang who had taught him to cry and make a fuss, intending to disturb Aunt Yang¡¯s peace.

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    Gu Zi was taken aback. Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter-in-law was a real troublemaker. With her in the family, it was no wonder Aunt Yang had fallen on hard times.

    Everyone wants a good mother-in-law and a good daughter-in-law, but it¡¯s hard to be either when faced with someone like Mrs. Wang. Being kind only gives her more reason to oppress you, and you should never expect her to stop bullying you just because you¡¯re nice to her. Some people are just inherently bad.

    Whenever Mrs Wang was mentioned, Aunt Yang would frown slightly. After a moment¡¯s thought, she said to Gu Zi, ¡°My son Yang Tao came back yesterday. As soon as he returned, he and that woman came to pick up Yuan Yuan. It seems she said something to him. Yang Tao thought I was causing trouble and didn¡¯t want to live with that woman. He scolded me all day, thinking I had moved out on my own.

    ¡°He even called me an old fool who doesn¡¯t know how to get along with that woman, a wicked mother-in-law. He said I insisted on taking care of Yuan Yuan and wouldn¡¯t let that woman do it. He doesn¡¯t think at all. If I could be so domineering, would I be oppressed to this extent? It¡¯s a sin. Actually, I can¡¯t blame that woman. It¡¯s my own son who wasn¡¯t raised right.¡±

    Aunt Yang still remembered how ugly her son¡¯s face had been the day before. If there hadn¡¯t been so many people in the shop, he might have even hit her. He told Aunt Yang that if she wanted to live on her own, she shouldn¡¯t expect him to take care of her when she got old. She could die wherever she wanted. She remembered his words clearly, but she didn¡¯t want to bring it up with Gu Zi and risk crying, so she didn¡¯t mention it.

 Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: A Really Cold-Blooded Person

    Chapter 532: A Really Cold-Blooded Person

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi listened with a grimace, but after all, it was someone else¡¯s family matter. She didn¡¯t feel it was her place to comment, so she simply listened to Aunt Yang¡¯s words while eating her meal, her mind filled with thoughts.

    She had always believed that a man who was overly afraid of his wife was not necessarily a good thing, and reality had proven her right.

    Take Yang Tao, for example. He only ever listened to one side of the story, that of his wife, Mrs. Wang. He never trusted his own mother. He had no idea what kind of life his elderly mother and young child were leading at home.

    But rather than saying he didn¡¯t know, it was more likely that he didn¡¯t care. For Yang Tao, as long as Mrs. Wang was at home, he considered himself a married man, not a bachelor. Having his mother, Aunt Yang, help raise his son was enough for him.

    As for the rest, he thought it best to let Aunt Yang bear the injustices and unfairness alone. This way, apart from Aunt Yang being unhappy, he and Mrs. Wang would be content. He worked outside, earning money, and when he came home for the New Year, he was greeted by a warm wife and child. Mrs. Wang stayed at home with the child, usually leaving the child with Aunt Yang while she went out to play cards and have fun.

    In retrospect, Yang Tao was a manifestation of a selfish personality. Su Shen only appeared cold-hearted, but people like Yang Tao were truly cold-blooded. To him, his mother was nothing more than an aging woman with little value left to exploit. The only value she had was to squeeze out the last bit of her labor value, because Aunt Yang was still capable of working.

    They had Aunt Yang do all the housework, farm work, and take care of the livestock, as well as serve their family. They didn¡¯t give her the respect she deserved as an elder, and she was much cheaper than hiring a maid.

    If they were unhappy, they could order Aunt Yang around and scold her. After all, Aunt Yang didn¡¯t have any money, so even if they scolded her, they weren¡¯t afraid of her getting angry. She still had to come back to work for them and serve them in order to survive, so scolding her cost them nothing.

    What was chilling was that if every child was like Yang Tao, the meaning of childbirth would be greatly diminished.

    People would no longer take pride in becoming mothers. Instead, they would shrink back in fear, terrified of becoming a mother.

    Because for people like Yang Tao, the greatness of a mother was her bottomless dedication, allowing them to drain the last drop of her blood, and then they would give her a handful of yellow earth, put on a show of mourning, say a few words of grief, and then the person they had exploited would be gone.

    Gu Zi could imagine that if Aunt Yang continued to let them bully her without finding something to do to support herself, she would end up like the elderly women in the stories that circulated in the village, with a desolate and lonely ending.

    Indeed, in rural areas, regardless of the era, the story that happened to Aunt Yang also happened to many elderly women without financial means. Aunt Yang was not an exception, it was just that she happened to be acquainted with Mother Lin, so Gu Zi and the others were able to learn about these infuriating experiences.

    There were others who were worse off than Aunt Yang, but their stories were unknown.

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    In short, if Aunt Yang, the exploited, were to withdraw from the lives of the exploiters for a long time, the inevitable result would be that Yang Tao and Mrs. Wang, the two pleasure-seeking exploiters, would start fighting amongst themselves until they found another person like Aunt Yang to exploit. Their happy days would continue. If they couldn¡¯t find one, Yang Tao and Mrs. Wang, the mediocre couple, would break up.

    Of course, there was no need to worry that Mrs. Wang would follow in Aunt Yang¡¯s footsteps. Because women like Mrs. Wang, while you could say she was bad, she was also the one who understood human nature the best. She knew how to get along with men, how to use men¡¯s nature, and how to make men work for her. So she would never become the next Aunt Yang. She would only join men in exploiting kind and honest women like Aunt Yang.

    Thinking about all this, Gu Zi felt a chill down her spine. People often said that ghosts were scary, but she felt that the human heart was even scarier.

    Gu Zi was a very pragmatic person. Even if she was moved by Su Shen, without a material foundation, if she couldn¡¯t hold the economic power of the Su family, or if she didn¡¯t have enough confidence, she would never let her guard down and live with Su Shen without reservation.

    When Aunt Yang had finished speaking, Gu Zi comforted her, saying, ¡°Aunt Yang, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to say for a long time. Now that you¡¯ve left that home, don¡¯t look back. If they give you the child to raise, then raise him. If they don¡¯t, it¡¯s not a big deal. You¡¯re getting on in years, and you can¡¯t take care of the future of young people. It¡¯s better to take care of yourself first and handle your own affairs.¡±

 Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: The News Agency Interviews

    Chapter 533: The News Agency Interviews

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Yang¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as she laughed and said, ¡°Indeed, had I thought this way earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have spent countless nights crying in bed, heartbroken and distraught over an ungrateful son and a woman who had no obligation to treat me well. Why should I cry for them? Now, I¡¯ve come to terms with it. Whatever Yang Tao says or does, it¡¯s all up to his conscience.¡±

    She was still alive and well, capable of eating and working, yet she received no respect or filial piety from Yang Tao and his wife. Was she really expected to hope for their care when she could no longer work for herself?

    She realized how ridiculous such a thought was, let alone wondering whether Yang Tao would bury her after her death. She was no longer afraid, leaving everything to Yang Tao¡¯s conscience.

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t want Aunt Yang to continue discussing this matter, fearing it would only upset her further. She changed the subject, saying, ¡°Gu Zi, when the newspaper reporters arrive, you and Li Hua should handle the interview. Aunt Yang and I won¡¯t participate. We¡¯re too old for such things, it¡¯s rather embarrassing.¡±

    She was a simple woman, without any makeup or fancy clothes, not fit for a newspaper feature.

    Upon hearing this, Aunt Yang laughed and agreed, ¡°Indeed, we two old ladies should stay in the kitchen, preparing tea for you. After lunch, An Yun and I will prepare the braised meat for sale. You two should go upstairs, freshen up, put on some makeup. Even though you¡¯ve already applied light makeup today, I think you should touch it up a bit to look more formal.¡±

    The prospect of a newspaper interview was exciting for everyone, even though Aunt Yang and the others claimed they wouldn¡¯t participate, the anticipation was palpable.

    Even she, a modern woman, was looking forward to it. For Gu Zi, who was from a previous generation, newspapers were a thing of the past.

    Having finished her meal, Gu Zi wiped her mouth with a napkin and calmly corrected Mother Lin and Aunt Yang¡¯s mindset. ¡°Mom, Aunt Yang, such thinking is not conducive to progress and needs to be updated. Who built this shop? If I¡¯m the strategist, then Sister-in-law is a general, and you and Aunt Yang are the most important soldiers.

    ¡°This shop wouldn¡¯t be as successful without any of us. So, since the newspaper wants to interview Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, everyone in the shop should be prepared to participate in the interview. We shouldn¡¯t think that only one person represents the image of the shop. We should think that each of us represents the image of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words stirred everyone¡¯s spirits. Su Bing and Su Li clapped in support, and Li Hua suggested, ¡°In my opinion, we should clean up after eating, then get ready together. I¡¯ve brought all the makeup upstairs, enough for all of us.¡±

    Mother Lin and Aunt Yang blushed at the thought, both excited and embarrassed. They couldn¡¯t stop smiling at the idea of being featured in a newspaper at their age.

    Gu Zi, Su Li, and Li Hua began to clean up the dining table and tidy up the shop. Su Bing took care of Lele, while Mother Lin and Aunt Yang went to the kitchen to prepare the braised meat for sale in the afternoon. They cut and arranged the meat, then prepared some dishes for the newspaper to photograph, plating them in advance if necessary.

    The interview couldn¡¯t interfere with business.

    After more than an hour of preparation, at half-past two in the afternoon, Su Bing and Su Le stayed downstairs to watch the shop in case customers came to buy braised meat.

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    The others went upstairs to groom and apply makeup. Gu Zi, being an expert in this area, quickly finished her own makeup and grooming, then helped Su Li with his hair. ¡°For a boy, you just need to look clean and fresh. Let¡¯s go with a side part.¡±

    Su Li was excited, feeling the gentle strokes of the wooden comb through his hair. In less than a minute, he was done.

    Looking at himself in the mirror, Su Li saw a clean, handsome, and neat reflection. His shirt buttons were perfectly aligned, making him look incredibly dashing.

    Gu Zi patted his shoulder and told him, ¡°Go and send your brother up to have his hair done. You can look after your sister downstairs.¡±

    Su Li saluted like a knight receiving orders and dashed downstairs. Soon after, Su Bing came up. The contrast between the lively Su Li and the steady Su Bing was stark.

 Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: The People From The News Agency Are Here

    Chapter 534: The People From The News Agency Are Here

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi guided Su Bing to sit down, styling his hair in the same fashion as Su Li¡¯s, a neat side parting. The brothers were both dressed formally for their visit to their aunt, donning crisp shirts. With the buttons fastened and the hems straightened, they looked quite handsome and dignified.

    However, there was a distinct difference between them. Su Li appeared more lively, while Su Bing maintained his usual composure, which seemed to surpass that of his peers.

    After Gu Zi finished grooming Su Bing, she called her mother over. She first applied a subtle, elegant makeup on Mother Lin, then styled her hair into a simple updo. With a red ribbon, she crafted a large red flower and tied it to the updo. Her nimble hands left Li Hua, who was watching from the side, filled with envy. Her sister-in-law seemed to be a fairy, capable of doing anything.

    Li Hua was also eager to see how her mother-in-law would look after the makeover. She remembered how stunning she looked the last time Gu Zi did her makeup for her wedding. She had merely drawn her eyebrows, and it had left Li Hua in awe.

    Ignoring her unfinished makeup, Li Hua rushed over to see the transformation. She placed her hands on Mother Lin¡¯s shoulders, expressing her surprise, ¡°Mother, you look so beautiful, just like a noblewoman from a TV show!¡±

    ¡°Sister-in-law, before I married Lin Cheng, my mother always told me that Lin Cheng¡¯s mother was a great beauty in her youth. I see now that my mother¡¯s words were not entirely accurate. Lin Cheng¡¯s mother is still a great beauty! Just a little bit of dressing up, and she¡¯s absolutely stunning.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement, bending down to take a closer look at Mother Lin. She had to admit, it was no wonder the original owner of her body was so beautiful; it was all inherited.

    Mother Lin, however, felt a bit embarrassed by their praises. She softly scolded the two sisters-in-law, ¡°You two, stop teasing me. It¡¯s your skillful hands that can make anyone look good, don¡¯t give me all the credit.¡±

    Gu Zi then invited Aunt Yang to sit down for her makeover, laughing, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be shy. You are indeed very beautiful. I believe Aunt Yang is also a beauty. Wait until I finish her makeover, then you¡¯ll see I¡¯m right.¡±

    Aunt Yang, realizing she was the next target for their teasing, quickly declined, ¡°Oh my, you two, stop talking about us old folks like that. We¡¯re not young anymore, and your words are making us blush.¡±

    Gu Zi, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower, replied, ¡°Alright, alright, enough talking. Just watch my skills. Sister-in-law, you should also finish your makeup. I¡¯ve already done several people¡¯s.¡±

    Li Hua nodded repeatedly, returning to her makeup table. Mother Lin, seeing that there was nothing else for her to do upstairs, decided to go downstairs to avoid further teasing.

    While they were busy with their makeovers upstairs, customers had already started to arrive downstairs to buy braised meat. Mother Lin was familiar with these customers and could even call them by their names, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Sister Liu. You¡¯re here quite early today. What would you like? Today we have a special offer on pork heart. Would you like to try some?¡±

    Sister Liu, looking at the woman she saw every day, had a glint of envy in her eyes. She sweetly replied, ¡°Is this Li Hua¡¯s mother-in-law? If I didn¡¯t know, I would have thought that the boss lady, Li Hua, had a sister. You look really beautiful today. Coincidentally, I came to buy pork heart today. Please weigh a pound for me.¡±

    Mother Lin blushed, quickly weighing the meat for Sister Liu, laughing, ¡°Stop teasing me. We¡¯ll still see each other in the future. Besides, if I get too embarrassed to sell meat, you won¡¯t have anything to eat.¡±

    While weighing the meat, Mother Lin chatted with the customers who came to buy braised meat. Su Li, who was helping, was very curious. After a few customers left, he asked Mother Lin, ¡°Grandma, how do you know their names? And how do they know that Aunt Li is your daughter-in-law?¡±

    Mother Lin, cleaning the table where the braised meat was placed, replied, ¡°We¡¯re going to be selling braised meat and breakfast here from now on. How could we not know these things? Like just now, we always have to chat a bit. Over time, we get to know a lot of people.¡±

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    Su Li seemed to understand. Doing business not only made money but also allowed them to meet so many people. That was great! He ran to tell Su Bing, ¡°Brother, I think I know what I want to do when I grow up. I want to do business!¡±

    Su Bing wasn¡¯t particularly interested in his brother¡¯s ever-changing future plans. At that moment, a large black car stopped outside their shop. It was bigger than the usual cars they saw. Su Bing didn¡¯t know what kind of car it was, but he guessed that it must be the car from the newspaper. The people from the newspaper had arrived!

    Following Su Bing¡¯s gaze, Su Li also saw the car. His heart skipped a beat, and he opened his mouth wide in awe, ¡°Wow! This car is so cool!¡±

    He felt it was even cooler than their father¡¯s sedan because it was bigger and seemed more powerful.

    He turned and ran inside, shouting like a human megaphone, ¡°Mom, Aunt, the people from the newspaper are here!¡±

 Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: To Her Tastes

    Chapter 535: To Her Tastes

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Su Li dashed inside, Su Bing watched as a woman descended from the driver¡¯s seat of the car. She sported a neat, short haircut, army green cargo pants, and a grey shirt tucked into her waistband. A pair of black Doc Martens adorned her feet, and a camera hung around her neck. She was in the midst of a conversation with a man who had also exited the vehicle, her gaze as sharp and unwavering as a hawk¡¯s.

    Su Bing felt a sudden jolt in his heart. Despite his urban schooling, he had never encountered a woman dressed in such a manner. Was this what a journalist looked like?

    In Su Bing¡¯s eyes, this woman exuded a unique, cool aura. She seemed to be a pioneer of modern trends, redefining what it meant to be a woman.

    She bore a slight resemblance to Gu Zi¡¯s mother in that when you looked at her, your first thought wasn¡¯t about her being someone¡¯s wife or mother. Instead, you thought about her as an individual.

    For instance, you might think about her name and her profession as a female journalist. She was a striking, trend-setting woman, different from the norm. This didn¡¯t mean that traditional, typical women weren¡¯t worthy of recognition. Women were a diverse group, and they should be allowed to express themselves in myriad ways.

    In the moment Su Bing was lost in thought, the short-haired woman had already approached him. After giving him a once-over, she turned her gaze to the unassuming signboard of a shop nearby. It bore five characters of varying sizes that read ¡°Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡±. From her angle, the last character was partially obscured by a wooden board leaning against the wall.

    A thrill of delight surged within her. This shop was indeed to her taste, casual and wonderful.

    She took the initiative to greet the boy, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Guan Xin, a reporter from Guangcheng Daily Life. Nice to meet you!¡±

    Su Bing, encountering such a person for the first time, was somewhat at a loss. However, he quickly extended his hand in response to her handshake, aware that it was a customary greeting. He replied with apparent nonchalance, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Su Bing, the eldest son of Gu Zi, a partner of this shop. The shop owner is my aunt.¡±

    Guan Xin¡¯s pupils dilated slightly, and a friendly yet intrigued smile played on her lips. ¡°How old are you? You¡¯re so composed, such a formal response. But that¡¯s good, I think you¡¯ll grow up to be a very charming man! This is my assistant, Xiao Luo.¡±

    Guan Xin stepped aside, allowing a tall, handsome young man who was a head taller than her to step forward. He greeted Su Bing in a typical male fashion, bumping fists, then smiled appreciatively. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a country boy at all, so calm and composed. Oh, is that your sister? She¡¯s beautiful!¡±

    Xiao Luo had spotted Gu Zi, who was emerging from the shop. She was stunningly beautiful, her beauty soothing and comfortable. Su Li followed behind her, trailed by Li Hua and others. Gu Zi also greeted them with a smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gu Zi, a partner of the shop. Nice to meet you. Please come in! You must be reporter Guan Xin?¡±

    Gu Zi recalled what she knew about this woman. Guan Xin, a renowned reporter from Guangcheng Daily Life, came from a high-ranking family but was not your typical privileged child. She was very close to the people, and her interviews often revolved around the common folk. She was dedicated to focusing the public¡¯s attention on ordinary people.

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    So the original owner of her body greatly admired her, often buying Guangcheng Daily Life to read her articles. Gu Zi was a bit confused. If the original owner admired such independent women, why did she later abandon her studies to marry Gong Zhan? Love truly blinds people.

    Gu Zi led Guan Xin and Xiao Luo into the shop. They didn¡¯t plan to sit down but headed straight for the kitchen. Guan Xin asked, ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be more interested in seeing your dishes first?¡±

    Li Hua had already gone to the kitchen to prepare. She felt that Gu Zi was better suited to handle the socializing and chatting, and she could learn by watching.

    Gu Zi made a welcoming gesture and said, ¡°You may not know this, but I¡¯m a big fan of yours. I¡¯ve been reading your reports since high school, so I know you like to get straight to the point.¡±

    ¡°Take a look, these are our signature breakfast dishes, spicy soup and snacks, usually only served during breakfast hours. This is our seasonal dessert for the recent period, peanut curd. We¡¯ve prepared some samples for you to try.¡±

 Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: A Very Good Husband

    Chapter 536: A Very Good Husband

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi spoke, Li Hua brought up the samples for tasting. They were served on a tray, arranged casually yet not chaotically, and quite pleasing to the eye. Gu Zi cast an approving glance at Li Hua, appreciating her aesthetic sense. Li Hua felt a surge of happiness, her voice naturally rising a few notches in excitement.

    She took over from Gu Zi, introducing the dishes, ¡°Start with the peanut curd, then move on to the stronger flavors. This way, you can appreciate the layers of taste. These dishes here are our signature dishes during our afternoon braised food sales. This is braised pig¡¯s trotter, this is braised pork head meat, braised pig¡¯s heart, braised pig¡¯s liver¡­¡±

    Guan Xin¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the dishes. She picked up her camera, adjusted the focus, and clicked the shutter. Like film was of no cost, she took five consecutive shots of the delicious food. Then she turned around, ran her hand over the countertop, finding it spotless and hygienic. She took a few more shots of the environment.

    While she was busy photographing, her mind was not idle. She listened to Gu Zi and Li Hua¡¯s introduction, then turned her attention to the two middle-aged women in the kitchen. Unlike Gu Zi and the others, these two were not as composed. It was clear they were not used to such attention, their hands nervously clutching the hem of their clothes.

    Gu Zi introduced them, ¡°This is my mother, and this is her good friend. They are both part of the shop now. You can interview them too. As for these three, they are my children.¡± Gu Zi took Su Le from Su Li¡¯s arms and introduced them to the reporter.

    Upon hearing this, Guan Xin snapped out of her photography trance, looking surprised, ¡°You don¡¯t look old at all, you must be younger than me.¡±

    Guan Xin had been a reporter for two years and had interviewed all sorts of people. Estimating someone¡¯s age was a simple task for her, so she spoke with confidence.

    Xiao Luo, who had been taking notes, presumably for the interview, also looked surprised. He paused, reflecting on the fact that such a beautiful woman would choose to marry into the countryside. Her husband must be an exceptional man.

    He said to Su Bing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought Miss Gu Zi was your sister.¡±

    Before Su Bing could respond, Su Li interjected, ¡°No, she¡¯s our mother. Even though my siblings and I are not her biological children, she is still our mother, and nothing can change that!¡± There was a sense of pride in Su Li¡¯s voice.

    Upon hearing this, Guan Xin and Xiao Luo seemed even more surprised. The beautiful woman in front of them couldn¡¯t be more than eighteen years old. This meant she had married a divorced man with children, making her a stepmother! How could such an outstanding woman willingly become a stepmother? This was beyond Guan Xin¡¯s expectations.

    Su Bing shot Su Li a cold glance, and he closed his mouth, realizing he might have said too much.

    His older brother had once said that their mother was still very young and didn¡¯t look like she could be their mother. Introducing her as such to strangers might make her feel uncomfortable. Su Li suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

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    Gu Zi, noticing this, smiled at the two boys. Then, facing Guan Xin and Xiao Luo, she spoke confidently, ¡°I think it¡¯s not off-topic to share this. Miss Guan, you¡¯re here to interview our shop¡¯s food, but perhaps you¡¯d also like to know our story. My marriage to my husband was unexpected, but I don¡¯t regret meeting him or marrying him.

    ¡°My husband was previously married, but the divorce was not his fault. At least, I believe he is a wonderful husband. He is tall, handsome, charming, considerate, and gentle. In short, I want to describe him with all the best adjectives.

    ¡°As for our children, they are actually the children of my husband¡¯s late sister. But he adopted them under his own name because he wanted to take better care of them. I think that¡¯s wonderful¡­¡±

    It took Guan Xin a while to process all this. Then, she asked sharply, ¡°You¡¯re still so young, haven¡¯t you considered having your own children? Can you really treat them as your own?¡± This story could indeed make the shop more interesting, so she was quite intrigued.

    Upon hearing this question, Gu Zi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but Su Bing and Su Li simultaneously turned their gaze to her. Their mother was still so young, she would eventually have her own children. Would she still love them as much then?

 Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: Jubilation

    Chapter 537: Jubilation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    To say that Su Bing and Su Li were not afraid of this situation would be a lie. They were terrified, fearful of being neglected once again. Thus, they were anxious, wondering how their mother would respond.

    However, no matter how their mother responded, they would not blame her. After all, she had already done so much for them. Their fear was rooted in the possibility of their mother¡¯s love diminishing.

    Li Hua and Mother Lin were somewhat confused. How did the conversation shift to personal matters? Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a food interview? They had assumed that an interview would strictly stick to the topic at hand. They hadn¡¯t realized that it could also involve personal stories.

    Nevertheless, they were eager to hear Gu Zi¡¯s thoughts. After all, she was still young, and Su Shen was in his prime. It would indeed be a pity if they chose not to have children.

    However, Su Shen had made it clear before their marriage that he did not want children. Gu Zi had willingly agreed to this, stating that she too did not want children. Even if Mother Lin and the others wanted to voice their opinions, they refrained from doing so, fearing that it might hurt the feelings of the two older children. Now that the reporter had brought up the topic, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

    Gu Zi did not hesitate in her response. She stuck to her previous answer, stating firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t need to give birth to my own children. They are my children. I have never considered having children.¡± Her gaze was resolute, and her tone left no room for doubt.

    Guan Xin believed her and found her even more intriguing. She was indeed a unique woman.

    However, she didn¡¯t stray too far from the main topic. She steered the conversation back to food, saying, ¡°I think adding your stories will make my report more colorful. Let¡¯s start the tasting.¡±

    Xiao Luo quickly put down the miscellaneous items in his hands and followed her. He had been eager to taste the food since he had arrived, and now he finally had the chance.

    While the adults continued with the interview, Su Bing and Su Li were filled with guilt. After hearing their mother¡¯s response, they felt they had been selfish.

    They should have been looking forward to the birth of a younger sibling. Their parents should have a child of their own. How could they fear and resist the arrival of a younger brother or sister?

    Guan Xin and Xiao Luo had already tasted three dishes. Guan Xin shared her thoughts on the taste and texture, quickly grabbing the notebook that Xiao Luo had been holding to jot down her thoughts. A satisfied expression spread across her face. ¡°You truly live up to your reputation. The fact that you¡¯ve become popular in such a short time shows your strength!¡±

    By this time, customers had started to come in to buy braised meat. Aunt Yang and Mother Lin were busy serving the customers. Guan Xin took a photo of them chatting and laughing, which caught the attention of the customers. They curiously looked at the two unfamiliar faces in the shop and noticed that everyone in the shop seemed to have made an extra effort to look presentable that day. Suddenly, they realized what was happening.

    ¡°Ah, you must be reporters! Wow, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop is being interviewed by reporters! You¡¯re famous now. Will our town also be featured in the newspaper?¡±

    ¡°I just noticed how beautiful everyone looks today. Sister Hua, you should have told us about the interview. This is a good thing. Why keep it so low-key?¡±

    ¡°Congratulations! But didn¡¯t someone say before that the customers from the city were all hired? That¡¯s nonsense. I waited almost a week to come and buy braised meat. I almost missed out on the delicious food. Sister Hua, please give me a pound of braised pig heart!¡±

    The shop was suddenly filled with the sounds of congratulations. The atmosphere was even more festive than on the opening day.

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    After all, on the opening day, there were very few people who genuinely wanted to eat. A large portion of them were there to watch the spectacle and take advantage of the situation. Some were just observing, unsure if the food in the shop was worth their money.

    But today, all the customers who entered the shop were there to buy food. They came with an appreciation for the taste of the shop¡¯s food and genuinely congratulated Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop on the newspaper feature. Naturally, the atmosphere was even more jubilant than on the opening day.

    As the interview progressed, more and more people in the town learned that Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop was going to be featured in the newspaper. They flocked to the shop, making it even more crowded.

    As a result, those who had initially been jealous of the country folks opening a shop in town began to let go of their envy. After all, it was clear that the shop was thriving due to its own merit. Not everyone could run a successful business. This family was indeed cut out for business.

    Among the crowd, a female customer who had never bought meat from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop stepped forward. She shyly said to Li Hua, ¡°Sister Hua, could I have two pounds of braised pig¡¯s head meat? I¡¯d like to try it too.¡±

 Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: Group Photograph

    Chapter 538: Group Photograph

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon recognizing the woman, Li Hua paused momentarily. Wasn¡¯t this the mother who, on the opening day, had refused to let her child enter the shop to make a purchase? Nevertheless, Li Hua quickly regained her composure and skillfully weighed out two pounds of pork head meat for the woman, thanking her for her patronage.

    The woman¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep red as she spoke, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll bring my child for breakfast tomorrow. You¡¯ll be open, right?¡± Li Hua responded with a warm smile and a nod.

    Just then, a male customer behind the woman grew impatient. He urged the woman who had just purchased the pork head meat to move along, ¡°Don¡¯t stand here chatting, we¡¯re waiting to buy meat too. I need three pounds of braised pork trotters, and make sure they¡¯re fatty ones!¡±

    At that moment, Guan Xin had taken Xiao Luo to interview customers at the entrance. Seeing Li Hua struggling to keep up with the demand, Gu Zi stepped in to help. She picked up a large pork trotter with a pair of iron tongs and offered it to the customer, ¡°How about this one? It¡¯s very fatty!¡±

    Gu Zi understood that in this era, fatty meat was considered more desirable than lean meat. She would, of course, respect the customer¡¯s preference.

    The male customer hesitated, stuttering, ¡°This looks like it¡¯s more than three pounds¡­ I can¡¯t take that much¡­¡±

    Gu Zi was quick to reassure him, ¡°We can cut off the excess for you. We won¡¯t force you to buy more than you need. We¡¯ll cut exactly how much you want, it won¡¯t affect our sales. Is that acceptable?¡±

    The man was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected such flexibility when buying meat. He could choose exactly where and how much to cut. He nodded in agreement, his earlier discomfort dissipating.

    And so, the shop bustled with customers for about an hour. Guan Xin and her team had almost finished their interviews and were preparing to leave when Guan Xin asked, ¡°May we take a group photo with the shop owner and her partner?¡±

    Xiao Luo was surprised by the request and said to Guan Xin, ¡°It seems you really like this shop. You¡¯ve taken many photos during your previous interviews, but never as many as today. And you¡¯ve interviewed so many customers.¡±

    Guan Xin was adjusting her camera as she casually replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice? Their service towards customers is excellent, something I¡¯ve never seen in the city.¡±

    Guan Xin was genuinely impressed. She had found a sense of service consciousness in a small town shop, a rare sight indeed.

    She could also tell that the person who held the core cohesion of the shop was the partner, Gu Zi. This was no ordinary individual, so when she spoke, she usually addressed Gu Zi directly.

    At this point, Gu Zi had a moment of respite. She responded to Guan Xin, ¡°How about this, let¡¯s not just take a photo of the two of us. Let¡¯s take a big group photo.¡± As she said this, excitement flashed in Su Li¡¯s eyes. He was going to be in the newspaper!

    Su Bing, holding his little sister Su Le, also looked forward with anticipation. Not because he was particularly eager to be in the newspaper, but because he thought it would be nice to have a group photo with his brother, mother, and sister. It was a good thing, and they should take a family photo together when they had the chance.

    Guan Xin agreed, ¡°Let¡¯s all take a photo together then. You two stand in the middle, and everyone else can stand on either side. Let¡¯s take it in front of the shop. We can use this photo as the main theme.¡±

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    As Guan Xin spoke, Xiao Luo began arranging everyone outside. Gu Zi could tell that they made a good team. From her observations, Guan Xin was in charge of interviewing, photographing, and recording, while Xiao Luo handled all the miscellaneous tasks.

    Their small team worked seamlessly together. Soon, everyone was lined up. Gu Zi and Li Hua stood in the middle, with Mother Lin and Aunt Yang on either side, followed by Su Bing and Su Li. Little Su Le was held by Su Bing.

    The curious onlookers were intrigued. They had seen newspapers before, but this was their first time witnessing a newspaper interview and photo session.

    Gu Zi noticed that many of them wanted to join in the photo. She announced, ¡°If anyone else wants to be in the picture, feel free to join us. A big group photo would be nice!¡±

    Her invitation was met with enthusiastic responses. Many joined in for the photo, and Guan Xin thought that the final photo would look better with the customers included. She asked Xiao Luo to arrange for willing customers to join the photo, and the front of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop was bustling with excitement.

 Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Catching the Bus

    Chapter 539: Catching the Bus

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Finally, Guan Xin picked up her camera, gesturing to the crowd before her. ¡°Listen,¡± she instructed, ¡°I¡¯m going to count to three, and then I want you all to join me. Smile, then hold for three seconds, okay? Ready, one, two, three. Perfect!¡±

    With the click of the shutter, a photograph was captured, everyone¡¯s wide smiles frozen in time. At the very center of the frame, Gu Zi, dressed impeccably, held Li Hua¡¯s hand, her radiant, warm smile the focal point of the image.

    Before leaving, Guan Xin pulled Gu Zi aside for a private conversation. ¡°You know,¡± she said, ¡°some of the things you¡¯ve said have really broadened my thinking. If fate allows, I hope we meet again.¡±

    Guan Xin had always considered herself open-minded and progressive, but after meeting Gu Zi, she realized she still had a long way to go. She eagerly anticipated their next encounter.

    Gu Zi was equally pleased. She hadn¡¯t expected to be interviewed by the journalist she admired most. Since they had met, she believed it was fate. She extended her hand to Guan Xin, bidding her farewell. ¡°Of course, I hope we can meet again too. After all, I¡¯m a big fan of yours.¡±

    Although the current Gu Zi was not the original, she felt that she and the original shared similar thoughts in some aspects, such as their views on Guan Xin. Reflecting on the original¡¯s reading memories, Gu Zi also greatly admired Guan Xin.

    However, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t understand why the original loved Gong Zhan so deeply.

    After the interview and seeing off Guan Xin, Gu Zi helped clean up the shop. While sweeping, she noticed Gui Hua, the owner of the small shop across the street, lingering in front of her store. Gu Zi paid closer attention and noticed Gui Hua occasionally glancing over, seemingly wanting to come over but too shy to do so.

    Gu Zi put down her broom and walked in, tapping Li Hua and gesturing towards Gui Hua. Li Hua looked over and immediately understood, laughing. ¡°Ever since Lin Cheng and Lin Hun came by, Gui Hua has been like this. She said she wanted to come over for some peanut curd, but she never did. Give her some time.

    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t worry about us. Weren¡¯t you going to take the kids to catch the bus? You should get going. We can handle things here.¡±

    As Li Hua spoke, she wiped the sweat from Gu Zi¡¯s brow. Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse, knowing this was her sister-in-law¡¯s unique way of showing affection. She didn¡¯t want to reject it.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll get ready to catch the bus then. But sister-in-law, I must remind you, you may be able to handle things now, but once the interview is published, you¡¯ll be swamped.

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, remember to limit sales each day. We¡¯re after fame and popularity, not serving a large influx of customers. Once we have fame and popularity, we won¡¯t have to worry about customers, and our national chain plan will have taken a big step forward!¡±

    Li Hua looked at Gu Zi as she mentioned the national chain plan again, speaking seriously. ¡°I never thought about these things before. Sister-in-law, when you first came back, everyone said you were our family¡¯s lucky star. Even though there¡¯s a lot of gossip outside, I still firmly believe that you are our lucky star.¡±

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    Upon hearing this, Su Li quickly joined in, shouting, ¡°Auntie, mom is our family¡¯s lucky star, and she¡¯s our big lucky star! She¡¯s just your little lucky star, but she¡¯s our big lucky star!¡±

    Su Bing looked helplessly at his silly little brother. Even if his grades improved, Su Li was still Su Li, always silly. What could he do? Su Li was his little brother, and he had to spoil him.

    Around four in the afternoon, Gu Zi took the two brothers and Lele to catch the bus. The bus they needed to catch was the one from the town to the village. These buses usually made a brief stop in the town at specific times. If they wanted to catch the bus, they had to be at the bus stop at the right time.

    They arrived at the bus stop just in time. They had barely sat down when the bus arrived. Gu Zi led Su Bing and the others onto the bus, bought tickets, and then waited for the bus to head to the village. By the time they arrived home, the sun was just about to set.

    From a distance, Gu Zi saw a car parked in front of their house. At the same time, Su Li excitedly shouted, ¡°Dad, Dad, we¡¯re back! You and Mom should hurry up and give us a little brother or sister!¡±

 Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Their Own Child

    Chapter 540: Their Own Child

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was evidently taken aback. She had barely reached the door when she heard Su Li¡¯s shout. Her face instantly flushed, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

    Although she and Su Shen had been married for some time, she had never considered the prospect of having children.

    Su Bing, carrying Su Le, followed behind Gu Zi. He was concerned that his mother might find Su Li¡¯s words too abrupt, so he thoughtfully explained, ¡°Mom, Su Li and I have thought it through. You and Dad should have your own child. When the time comes, Su Li and I will take good care of our little brother or sister. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Gu Zi felt a lump in her throat. Who said anything about having her own child? But she couldn¡¯t voice her thoughts to Su Bing, so she laughed it off, saying, ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about this?¡±

    Aunt Zhang from next door happened to pass by and overheard Su Li¡¯s words. Seeing Gu Zi and the others, she enthusiastically joined the conversation, jokingly saying, ¡°Look, you really should have one. Such good genes, it would be a waste not to pass them on. Even your second child knows to urge you to have another. You should start preparing to have one soon.¡±

    Gu Zi was about to go inside, but seeing Aunt Zhang approaching, she had to respond, ¡°Aunt Zhang, the kids are just being impulsive. Don¡¯t add to the chaos. I think our life is pretty good as it is.¡±

    Not to mention that the Su family already had three children, even if they didn¡¯t, Gu Zi had no plans to have children. Why would she want to give birth?

    One of the main reasons Gu Zi had agreed to marry Su Shen so readily was that she wouldn¡¯t have to bear children.

    She considered herself a modern woman of the future century. Although she had never given birth, she was well aware of the cost of childbirth due to the widespread knowledge of the future. This was why she could accept Su Shen¡¯s condition of not having children.

    Moreover, Su Shen also wanted to take good care of the three children and had long decided not to have any more. On this point, she and Su Shen were in agreement. She hadn¡¯t changed her mind, and she believed that Su Shen hadn¡¯t either.

    Aunt Zhang sighed helplessly, saying, ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. Well, you know best how to live your own life. I guess I¡¯m just being nosy. I have to get back to work. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± With that, Aunt Zhang hurriedly left.

    It was only then that Su Bing realized that his mother had never considered having her own child. She was always different from others. Other women wanted to have their own children, but she, who was so good to them even though they were not her own, had never thought about giving birth¡­

    Inside the house, Su Shen had returned home early that day. He had brought back over ten pounds of fresh pork, which he had cut and packaged for Gu Zi to use whenever she needed. This way, she would only need to wash and cut it, saving her a lot of time.

    He could have brought back a lot of pork at once, but Gu Zi believed that fresh meat was the most nutritious, so he would only bring back about ten pounds at a time.

    Just as he had finished storing the meat, he heard the commotion outside. Su Li¡¯s voice came through clearly, ¡°You and Mom should hurry up and give us a little brother or sister!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen¡¯s expression went through several changes before finally settling into a deep frown of worry.

    He had never thought about having children before. He felt that as long as he could earn enough money to raise the three children well, that would be enough.

    But was that still the case? He wasn¡¯t sure.

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    Sometimes he thought that if the person was Gu Zi, he would really like to have a child with her.

    However, childbirth was not a simple matter. Whenever he thought about how his own mother had almost died in childbirth, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask Gu Zi to bear a child. He wanted her to be safe and sound with him more than he wanted a child.

    He also didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to feel burdened, so when he saw Su Li running in, he spoke sternly, ¡°Stop this nonsense. Don¡¯t bring this up again.¡± After saying this, he walked outside to meet Gu Zi.

    Su Li was taken aback by his father¡¯s harsh words. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, his eyes welling up with tears. He wanted to cry, but he held back. Even though he didn¡¯t understand why he couldn¡¯t talk about this, he was willing to listen to his father.

    Outside, Gu Zi had just entered the yard when she saw the tall man stepping out of the house. He was so tall, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and the army green pants he often wore at the pig farm. Even though it was already winter and he was still wearing summer clothes, he didn¡¯t look thin at all. This was undoubtedly due to his good physique.

 Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Iâ€™m Not Going Out Tonight

    Chapter 541: I¡¯m Not Going Out Tonight

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Tonight, Su Shen was not going out. After all, with his robust physique, even if he were to stand naked in the snow, one would still believe he could withstand the harsh cold.

    However, Gu Zi, his wife, would naturally show appropriate concern. She took Su Shen¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Why did you come home so early today? If you¡¯re going out later, you should put on an extra coat. It¡¯s quite chilly at night.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know if Su Shen had heard the words that Su Li had shouted earlier, but she didn¡¯t plan to bring it up herself. Instead, she changed the subject, as she didn¡¯t particularly want to discuss the issue of having children unless Su Shen brought it up himself.

    Seeing that Gu Zi didn¡¯t mention the earlier conversation, Su Shen didn¡¯t bring it up either. He replied, ¡°Yesterday when you brought me food, didn¡¯t you say we were running out of meat at home? So, I brought some meat back. Gu Zi, I¡¯m not going out tonight.¡±

    Upon hearing Su Shen¡¯s last sentence, Gu Zi felt a hint of ambiguity, as if he was implying something. However, she was also looking forward to it. After all, he had been busy, and they hadn¡¯t been intimate for several days. Gu Zi moved to the sofa to rest her feet, her eyes slightly widened, and she responded with a sweet smile, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have hot pot tonight as a family. We¡¯ll make it to your taste, a clear soup hot pot!¡±

    Seeing her smile, Su Shen felt a wave of sweetness surge from the bottom of his heart, making his deep voice infinitely tender, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare the ingredients. You rest.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t say much more and went into the kitchen. After Gu Zi had rested for a while, she also went into the kitchen. She needed to prepare the clear soup base for the hot pot.

    Su Shen prepared the ingredients and placed all the vegetables for the hot pot on the dining table. He then returned to the kitchen, humbly asking for advice, ¡°Do you have any secrets for making clear soup hot pot? I want to learn so I can prepare the soup base in the future.¡±

    He just wanted to do more for her. The more he did, the more secure he felt in possessing her.

    Gu Zi was used to this man¡¯s eagerness to learn and didn¡¯t bother to say anything. If he wanted to learn, she would show him.

    Gu Zi calmly chopped the green onions and ginger, washed three large red dates and placed them with the onions and ginger. She then took out an old hen from the refrigerator and told Su Shen, ¡°I bought this chicken at the village market. It¡¯s best to stew it with pork bones for the soup base.¡±

    As she spoke, she took out the pork bones and was about to wash them when she suddenly felt a lightness in her hand. She looked up in confusion, meeting the man¡¯s dark, shining eyes. Those eyes were deep, soft, and devoid of the usual aloofness, staring straight at her.

    Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her cheeks flushed a little. The man¡¯s eyes were filled with unspoken affection, which she understood perfectly.

    Seeing her blush, Su Shen¡¯s lips curled into a gentle smile. He then turned around to work, telling her, ¡°I¡¯ll wash. You just give the instructions.¡±

    On the surface, he seemed calm, but in his mind, he was replaying the scene where she had curled her fingers slightly under his gaze. He didn¡¯t show it, but his heart had quickened at that moment. He always loved watching her in various states.

    The ambiguous atmosphere seemed to breed and ferment in a delicate and intricate manner, spreading rapidly.

    She stood beside him, her eyes downcast, her dense eyelashes casting a shadow over them, making her look gentle and attractive.

    Gu Zi felt that when a man was responsible enough and cared enough for his wife, the wife would unconsciously become gentle and submissive. That was exactly how she felt at that moment.

    Since he wanted to learn, she naturally had to teach him carefully. She told him in a sweet voice, ¡°Actually, making a clear soup hot pot base is very simple. You just need to pay attention to a few things.

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    ¡°First, all the ingredients should be soaked in cold water for an hour. This allows the nutrients inside the ingredients to solidify, making the soup flavorful and delicious.

    ¡°Second, when making the soup, we need to add ginger, green onions, cooking wine, and peppercorns to enhance the flavor and remove any unpleasant smells. This is the key to ensuring the unique taste of the clear soup hot pot base!

    ¡°Third, we need to add enough water at once. When the water is boiled dry, we need to add boiling water to the soup pot, not cold water. Basically, these are the three points. Su Shen, have you remembered them?¡±

    As Gu Zi spoke, she was drawn in by the man¡¯s gaze. After he finished washing the pork bones, he had been staring at her. His gaze was like a gentle ray of sunshine, warm and deep, piercing her heart, making her involuntarily immerse herself in his gaze, and unconsciously meet his eyes.

    Su Shen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his faint smile was very attractive. He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll remember.¡± After saying this, he finally took his attention away from her and went to make the soup.

 Chapter 542 - Chapter 542: A Call From The Military

    Chapter 542: A Call From The Military

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the evening, the family gathered around a lively hot pot dinner. Su Shen¡¯s gaze often lingered on Gu Zi, as if he feared losing sight of her even for a moment.

    Gu Zi pondered to herself, was this the feeling of newlyweds, where absence makes the heart grow fonder, and love was sweet as honey?

    In the past, she found such sentimentality rather nauseating. However, now she felt incredibly fortunate, knowing that the man she was living with only had eyes for her.

    Yet, for some reason, she felt that Su Shen was acting peculiar that day, as if he had something important to say.

    Gu Zi decided to wait for him to speak up. However, when night fell and she had finished bathing and was preparing for bed, he remained silent. Instead, he silently lifted her up in a princess carry, placed her on the bed, and began to kiss her lips, her chest, her intimate area¡­ His tongue teased her, delving into her, his increasingly mature lovemaking skills leaving her wanting more.

    The two of them intimately merged, caught between life and death. During this process, she experienced an unprecedented sense of his intense possessiveness. It seemed as if he had made a significant decision, releasing a primal desire. He entered her, allowing her to truly feel his presence.

    Listening to her soft moans, he felt an immense satisfaction. As the night deepened, a sudden winter rain began to fall, growing heavier and gradually drowning out the sounds of their lovemaking within the room.

    At this point, his movements slowed, and she gradually regained her senses. Seeing that the place where their daughter, Su Le, usually slept was empty, she felt a surge of anger. ¡°You¡¯ve secretly moved Su Le again.¡±

    Were all fathers in the world the same, carelessly leaving their children aside when lust took over?

    She was very satisfied with his vigorous performance just now, but it couldn¡¯t compensate for his neglect of their daughter. Therefore, Gu Zi was determined to show him her anger.

    Su Shen was drenched in sweat, yet he felt incredibly satisfied. He was not a man given to indulgence, but he desired Gu Zi so much.

    He slowly withdrew from her, the milky white fluid within the condom at the tip a testament to his passion and desire for her. Beyond this, he wanted to love her, protect her, for a lifetime.

    He gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, meeting her angry gaze. He couldn¡¯t muster any anger in return. A man of nearly two meters, he was incredibly gentle at this moment, his voice coaxing as he responded to her, ¡°Gu Zi, I want you. What else can I do?¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t even realize that her anger dissipated at his words. Her heart softened, and for a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Indeed, what else could he do but move Su Le to her brothers¡¯ room?

    She couldn¡¯t always make things difficult for her husband. He had it tough too.

    Gu Zi let him clean her up, put on her pajamas, and tuck her into bed. She didn¡¯t initiate any conversation with him.

    After a while, he broke the silence, saying, ¡°I received a call from the military today. My secret mission is nearing its end, and the military needs me to return to train new recruits. This is not good news for me.¡±

    If it were just the three children, he could respond to the call, request the military district to send someone to take care of the children, and not worry about the kids encountering someone like Chu Xi again.

    But now he had Gu Zi. How could he leave her here and return to the military?

    Although with his status in the military, his wife could accompany him, and they would be assigned a good military family house, with a dedicated nanny to take care of her life. But he didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to accommodate him and follow him to the military.

    Gu Zi was not an ordinary woman. She had her own dreams and pace. He respected her and would not ask her to accommodate him.

    Upon hearing this news, Gu Zi hesitated for only a second before calmly asking, ¡°When do you plan to leave?¡±

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    Gu Zi felt that with the current financial strength of the Su family, even if Su Shen returned to the military, she could easily take care of the family. The only regret was that she would have to part with Su Shen. She had actually become accustomed to having this man by her side.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want Su Shen to return to the military, but a man¡¯s ambition was boundless, and she wouldn¡¯t voice her thoughts to keep him.

    The money Su Shen left was enough. If Su Shen left, she could take good care of the three children. That was also acceptable.

    Su Shen, however, was not as calm. He was a bit upset when he heard her words. She didn¡¯t try to keep him. But on second thought, if she had tried to keep him, she wouldn¡¯t be Gu Zi.

    Su Shen directly told her his thoughts, ¡°No, Gu Zi, I want you to make this decision with me.¡±

 Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: Stay With Us

    Chapter 543: Stay With Us

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The man¡¯s tone was resolute, filled with trust and longing for her. At this moment, he was no longer just a stalwart defender of his homeland. His eyes were no longer solely focused on the affairs of his nation and its people. He had his own matters to attend to, his own family to protect.

    The world was at peace, the nation stable, and the economy was on the path to prosperity. If he was merely asked to return to his military unit to receive medals of honor and higher ranks, to lead new talents, he didn¡¯t necessarily have to go. These tasks were not exclusive to him, Su Shen. He was willing to give others the opportunity.

    Perhaps it was the tacit understanding developed from their long-term companionship, but Gu Zi seemed to comprehend his decision from his gaze and tone. If the nation was in turmoil, invaded by foreign powers, then Su Shen would undoubtedly abandon his small family, forsake his love, and part ways with her.

    He would unhesitatingly rush to the battlefield, fighting and killing the enemy.

    But if the situation remained as stable as it was today, he would rather stay and protect his own small family, forsaking the glory and military rank that others coveted. He would live a simple life in his hometown, hand in hand with her, conducting business, living life, providing a better life for his wife and children.

    At this moment, Gu Zi was moved. She felt that if she were a man, she would not be able to do what Su Shen did, to give up a better future and higher achievements for the sake of his family.

    Gu Zi raised her hand to caress his face. Under the indoor light, his facial features appeared even more profound and three-dimensional. She decided to retract her previous words, gently saying, ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t bear to return such a handsome husband to the nation. Su Shen, will you stay with us?¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Shen nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t go to the pig farm tomorrow either. Jin Long will watch over it. I¡¯ll accompany you. Dress up nicely. Someone will come to visit, claiming to reminisce about the past, but in reality, they are here to mediate. I think my wife should reject them in person.¡±

    He had already made up his mind not to return. Seeing Gu Zi understand him now, he felt his decision to stay held even more significance.

    Because if it were any other woman, she would undoubtedly urge him to return to the military. That would mean he would gain a higher status, greater power, and that would be an incomparable glory for his wife.

    But Gu Zi was indeed different. She didn¡¯t care about those things. She respected his wishes. When she knew he didn¡¯t plan to return, she sincerely asked him to stay. How could this not move and fascinate him?

    Gu Zi sat up from the bed, looking at him for a while. She seemed to understand that he had made his decision long ago. He hadn¡¯t stated his decision earlier because he wanted to see her choice.

    This husband of hers was indeed cunning. But would the military send someone tomorrow? She suddenly remembered something and asked warily, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the person coming is the one who injured you before?¡±

    Su Shen sat beside her, draping a coat over her. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a glass of water.¡±

    After saying this, he got off the bed, went out to pour a glass of water, and brought it back to her. Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse, she was indeed a bit thirsty, and took a sip.

    As she handed the glass back to him, she met his eyes and heard him say calmly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly an injury, just a bit of sparring. He didn¡¯t fare well.¡± He had to recuperate for a while before coming back to mediate.

    Gu Zi looked at him, her tone serious, asking, ¡°So that¡¯s it, then? Do you often spar like this?¡±

    She didn¡¯t care whether the other party fared well or not. Bullying her man was unacceptable. Even in martial sparring, there should be a limit. Last time, Su Shen was injured!

    Su Shen replied, ¡°Yes, if we don¡¯t spar seriously, there¡¯s no real feeling.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be interesting otherwise.

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    But seeing her increasingly serious expression, he didn¡¯t say the rest.

    Obviously, if he didn¡¯t say it, he would be considered bullied. If he did say it, with Gu Zi¡¯s intelligence, she would immediately understand that the one who was actually bullied was the person who sparred with him.

    To avoid Gu Zi getting angry at him, let someone else carry this burden for now! Su Shen didn¡¯t say anything more. Gu Zi settled down to sleep, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s sleep then, we¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow when we see them.¡±

    Su Shen also lay down, and after a while, he silently turned and embraced her, then fell asleep. They had a good night¡¯s sleep. The next day, Gu Zi got up as usual around seven, washed up, and put on light makeup.

    The weather was gradually getting colder, especially in the mornings. The damp cold was bone-chilling. She hadn¡¯t had time to change her clothes, and while putting on makeup, she sneezed several times. If this continued, she would catch a cold.

 Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Delivering a Letter

    Chapter 544: Delivering a Letter

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In haste, Gu Zi fetched a fresh set of clothes to change into: a white base shirt and black casual pants, topped with a light green knitted coat. She then styled her hair into a side parting, donned a thick beret, and admired her radiant and dignified reflection in the mirror. Satisfied, she turned and exited her room, descending the stairs.

    As she approached the staircase, the tantalizing aroma of breakfast wafted towards her, quickening her pace involuntarily.

    Upon reaching the dining room, she found the table laden with steaming buns and a bowl of vegetable and lean meat porridge. Two large cups filled with washed fruits sat next to a plate of peanuts, cashews, and other nuts. Another plate held a heart-shaped fried egg.

    Su Shen was indeed clever. Having once mentioned the principles of nutritional food pairing to him, he had since then always prepared breakfast with a perfect balance of various foods. Each meal was a comforting sight, complete with proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and quality fats. She took a seat and joined him for the meal.

    Su Shen, an early riser, had prepared breakfast but had not eaten with the children. He was waiting for Gu Zi.

    After they finished their meal, Su Shen cleared the dishes and said, ¡°You can go about your business. I¡¯ll call you when he arrives. I¡¯ll watch over Su Le.¡±

    In essence, as long as he was home, Gu Zi was free to do as she pleased.

    As the New Year approached, the demand for pork in the market surged. The pig farm staff were busier than ever, and Su Shen had to hire additional temporary workers. Despite this, the supply of pork still fell short of demand.

    Su Shen often rested in his office, and Gu Zi no longer needed to bring him meals. The pig farm had opened a canteen where meals were prepared daily. However, when Gu Zi cooked something delicious, she still liked to deliver it to him. Of course, if Su Li was home, he would usually do the delivery.

    Gu Zi had always admired Su Shen¡¯s boundless energy. No matter how busy he was, he always found time to take care of her. She never hesitated to accept his help.

    She knew that he was adept at managing his workload and was not overworking himself. Therefore, she saw no reason to refuse his help, especially during her menstrual period when he did more, which was just right.

    Gu Zi walked over and gave him a hug, her tone unconsciously soft and her voice pleasant. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Remember to prepare Su Le¡¯s milk powder later. I¡¯m going to read for a while.¡±

    As Su Shen washed the dishes, a pair of soft hands suddenly encircled his waist. His heart fluttered, and he nodded, ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡±

    If she didn¡¯t leave now, he would want to hold her and share a long, deep kiss. Fortunately, she obeyed, released him, and left the kitchen to go upstairs.

    Around nine in the morning, the sound of a car horn echoed from outside. Gu Zi closed her book, placed it neatly on the table, and walked over to the window to take a look.

    A jeep had parked right in front of their house. A tall man in military uniform stepped out. He was about the same height as Su Shen and quite handsome, though not as attractive as Su Shen.

    She noticed the medals and rank on his uniform. Impressive, he was a major, just like Gong Zhan, but his rank was not as high as her man, Su Shen. She also noticed that the man was holding a letter in his right hand.

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow. The man was here, so why was he still holding a letter? Clearly, someone must have asked him to deliver it. But who could it be?

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    With this question in mind, she descended the stairs. Su Shen had already ushered the man into the living room. The man sat across from Su Shen, placing the letter on the table. His gaze swept over Gu Zi as she descended the stairs, a flash of surprise in his eyes, clearly taken aback by her beauty. However, he quickly masked it and adopted a cold expression.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t offer a polite smile. After all, due to his sparring with Su Shen, Su Shen had been injured. Yet, he had the audacity to visit.

    She walked over and sat next to Su Shen. Her gaze naturally fell on the letter. She could clearly see the name ¡°Hu Jie¡± written on the envelope. So, it was her!

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel like talking. Why was it this name again?

    Although Su Shen had explained his relationship with Hu Jie, and she hadn¡¯t made a big deal out of it, she felt there was nothing to fuss about. After all, Su Shen was with her now, had no plans to return to the military, and his relationship with Hu Jie was a thing of the past.

 Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: A Call for Magnanimity

    Chapter 545: A Call for Magnanimity

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    It was a thing of the past, yet Hu Jie still had the audacity to send letters to Su Shen, delivered by none other than a member of the military. The audacity was indeed boundless!

    Before Su Shen could introduce the man, Gu Zi¡¯s mind was already racing, trying to piece together information about Su Shen and Hu Jie.

    However, she soon realized that even though she had read the novel, she could not find any more information about the relationship between these two. Su Shen was merely a supporting character in the book, with little description about him, let alone his network of relationships. Therefore, she could not find any information about this woman named Hu Jie.

    As a result, Gu Zi was unsure whether Su Shen would end up with this woman named Hu Jie in the future.

    She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn¡¯t respond immediately when Su Shen introduced the man to her. But she wasn¡¯t worried about embarrassing the man who had brought the letter. After all, he knew that Su Shen was married and yet he had brought Hu Jie¡¯s letter. It seemed he had no intention of respecting her as Su Shen¡¯s wife.

    Su Shen, however, remained calm. When Gu Zi finally snapped out of her thoughts, he patiently reintroduced the man, ¡°This is my comrade, Hu Bing. This is my wife, Gu Zi. You can call her Mrs. Su.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s words carried a deeper meaning. Clearly, he had noticed his comrade¡¯s unfriendly attitude towards his wife and was reminding him to respect Mrs. Su in a subtle yet unmistakable way.

    Hu Bing was somewhat surprised and puzzled, and began to scrutinize Gu Zi. After all, he had never seen Su Shen defend someone so fiercely before. It seemed his cousin was truly going to have to forget about Su Shen.

    He responded calmly, ¡°No need for formalities. Mrs. Su, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Hu Bing.

    ¡°But Su Shen, we need to discuss something serious. If your wife is here, wouldn¡¯t it be inconvenient?¡± Hu Bing clearly didn¡¯t want to discuss the upcoming matter in front of Gu Zi.

    However, Su Shen¡¯s stance was unwavering. He said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. From the day she married me, I¡¯ve been completely honest with her. She knows everything about me. Speak your mind.¡± As he spoke, he held her hand firmly, making his stance clear.

    Hu Bing was still reluctant to give up. He shifted his gaze to the table, removed his black military gloves, and pushed the letter towards Su Shen, saying, ¡°This is from Hu Jie. I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Su. Hu Jie is my cousin. Don¡¯t blame her. I didn¡¯t know Su Shen had remarried before I came.

    ¡°But my cousin and Su Shen are old acquaintances. They had contact when they were in the army. It¡¯s not a big deal to have correspondence now, right? I think a wife should be magnanimous. A man as outstanding as Su Shen is bound to have other women around him, right?¡±

    Listening to his words, Gu Zi felt uncomfortable. She knew that Su Shen had informed him of their marriage the last time they met.

    Even if Su Shen hadn¡¯t told him, how could he not know that Su Shen was married after spending some time here?

    Clearly, he was still holding onto hope. If Su Shen returned to the army, he would be separated from his wife, and if Hu Jie was nearby, it was inevitable that old feelings would resurface.

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    However, she didn¡¯t want to express her opinion on this matter. It would depend on what Su Shen could do. After all, this woman named Hu Jie was attracted by Su Shen. He should solve this problem himself.

    Her expression didn¡¯t change. She responded indifferently, ¡°Whether you knew or not doesn¡¯t matter. The letter is here. Why are you saying all this, Major Hu? I, a woman, am more straightforward.

    ¡°As for Su Shen returning to the army, we discussed it last night. Su Shen doesn¡¯t want to be recalled. I respect my husband¡¯s choice. As for the rest, you two can discuss it. I¡¯ll go make some tea. Major Hu, what kind of tea do you usually drink?¡±

    Hu Bing was stunned. Su Shen hadn¡¯t introduced his military rank as Major, had he? How did she know? Did she figure it out from his uniform? And her attitude towards his provocation was too indifferent. This woman was not simple.

    His real feelings at this moment were that this woman, whether in terms of appearance, figure, reaction to people, or knowledge, was slightly better than his cousin. Although he was reluctant to admit it, it seemed that this was the truth.

 Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Hug Her

    Chapter 546: Hug Her

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The evidence of Su Shen¡¯s affection was clear from the moment he entered the room. His attention was primarily focused on the woman beside him. Hu Bing, a fellow soldier, had no difficulty in recognizing this. Su Shen had never looked at Hu Jie with such an intensity, nor had he ever defended her in such a manner.

    Upon hearing the harsh words directed at her, Su Shen would immediately come to her defense. Gu Zi quickly rose from her seat, noticing Hu Bing¡¯s lack of response. She turned to Su Shen and said, ¡°Since Major Hu doesn¡¯t have a preference for tea, I¡¯ll prepare it. You two can continue your conversation.¡±

    She turned to walk towards the kitchen, but after only a few steps, her hand was grabbed. The person who held her pulled her close, embracing her. The man behind her could only be Su Shen. Gu Zi was somewhat surprised, not quite understanding what was happening. She turned around, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked at him.

    Although Su Shen had held her like this before, it was always in private. Today, there were others present, and yet he was so bold, seemingly unconcerned about the gazes of their guest.

    Gu Zi noticed Hu Bing¡¯s gaze and her face flushed. She pushed Su Shen away, trying to get him to let go. ¡°What are you doing? Weren¡¯t you supposed to continue your conversation with him?¡±

    Su Shen held her tighter, not willing to let go. He wasn¡¯t holding her too tightly, probably out of fear of hurting her. ¡°You don¡¯t need to serve tea. If we¡¯re going to make tea, we¡¯ll do it together. He¡¯s not a special guest. Also, Gu Zi, about that letter, I didn¡¯t know about it before he came.¡±

    If he had known that Hu Bing would bring that letter, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet him. He was afraid that Gu Zi would misunderstand, that she would get angry. So, he had to explain it to her clearly. He had never intended to contact Hu Jie.

    Gu Zi looked at the man earnestly explaining himself and felt somewhat helpless. She tugged at his arm that was wrapped around her waist and reminded him, ¡°Su Shen, I understand. You should attend to your guest first. We can talk about other things later, okay?¡±

    Only then did Su Shen let go of her, but he grabbed her hand again and walked in front of her. After observing her, his anxious heart relaxed a bit. At least Gu Zi didn¡¯t seem to be angry.

    However, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. He hadn¡¯t handled this situation well, which was truly regrettable. He led Gu Zi towards the kitchen, casting a cold glance outside, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s make the tea together. We don¡¯t need to worry about him.¡±

    Seeing him like this, the discomfort that Hu Bing had caused Gu Zi earlier had completely faded. She smiled and went to fetch the tea leaves, saying, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave him alone for a while.¡±

    In the kitchen, one person was preparing the tea leaves while the other was pouring the water. The couple worked together seamlessly, and soon, laughter could be heard.

    Hu Bing, who was sitting in the living room, was undoubtedly left out in the cold. However, this didn¡¯t anger him. After all, he was technically Su Shen¡¯s subordinate. He had no reason to be upset about being neglected.

    However, Hu Bing had never imagined that he would witness such a display of affection on his first visit. It was surprising that it was Su Shen, who usually didn¡¯t attract much attention, who was showing such affection.

    After Su Shen and Gu Zi finished making the tea, they came out together. They sat down across from Hu Bing, and Su Shen placed a cup of tea in front of him. He got straight to the point, saying, ¡°Take the letter back. I don¡¯t need to read it. If there¡¯s anything you need to ask, you can ask me on behalf of Hu Jie, in front of my wife.¡±

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    Hu Bing hadn¡¯t expected that the letter would be outright rejected. How was he supposed to explain this to his cousin? He was somewhat troubled, but this wasn¡¯t the most important issue. The most important thing was that he was here to persuade Su Shen to return to the army.

    He took a sip of tea, paused for a moment, and then said, ¡°Su Shen, let¡¯s not talk about the letter for now. Hu Jie doesn¡¯t have anything particularly important to say, she probably just wanted to send her regards. I didn¡¯t consider this properly. But I remember that you¡¯ve always prioritized military matters. You¡¯ll return on time, right?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen didn¡¯t respond directly. Instead, he asked, ¡°So, is your visit this time to urge me to return?¡±

    Back when Su Shen was in the army, the situation wasn¡¯t as peaceful as it is now. He often led soldiers on life-threatening missions. As the situation gradually became more peaceful, he began to undertake secret missions. On one hand, it was a necessity from above. On the other hand, it coincided with the time when three children were left without care. He chose the secret mission, which allowed him to take care of the three children, so his choice was without a doubt.

    Su Shen had never thought about leaving the army before, but now his thoughts had changed. Given the current situation, it seemed that there wouldn¡¯t be any domestic conflicts for a long time. He should determine his future direction in a timely manner.

 Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: Iâ€™m Very Sorry

    Chapter 547: I¡¯m Very Sorry

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Now, at the age of thirty, Su Shen had a child and a wife. The rest of his life was his to decide, and he chose to spend it with his family.

    Not long after his marriage, he had communicated his intentions to his superiors. He sought an appropriate time to retire, willing to undertake covert operations within his capabilities, but he would not return to the military unless there was a war.

    Perhaps it was because of this request that Hu Bing had appeared. However, Su Shen was certain of his choice. It didn¡¯t matter who showed up now, even if it was a high-ranking officer, he would not succumb to the pressure and respond.

    Gu Zi sat beside him, observing Su Shen¡¯s expression. She could tell that Su Shen truly had no intention of returning to the military.

    At this moment, Gu Zi felt a sense of relief. After all, if Su Shen had responded to the call, it would mean that she would have to live alone in the future.

    Previously, she thought she wouldn¡¯t be afraid of Su Shen leaving, but now faced with this choice, she realized she wasn¡¯t as indifferent as she had imagined.

    Hu Bing found it hard to decipher Su Shen¡¯s intentions, so he responded, ¡°Su Shen, rather than urging you, I am here on the commander¡¯s orders to ask you to come out of retirement.¡±

    Hu Bing knew his place. Su Shen considered him a good friend, but he had no right to pressure Su Shen into anything. Aside from the matter with Hu Jie, he sincerely hoped that Su Shen would respond and return.

    After all, this would mean that Su Shen would gain greater authority and status. His future position would be one that many could only dream of. As a brother-in-arms, he didn¡¯t want Su Shen to give up this opportunity. If Su Shen rose in rank, they could all benefit.

    Su Shen nodded, replying, ¡°Since you¡¯re here to ask me, I can refuse. You don¡¯t need to say more. I¡¯ll state it again, my choice won¡¯t change. I want to stay here.

    ¡°Also, I welcome you as a guest, but I hope you understand what you should and shouldn¡¯t do.

    ¡°I am a married man now. You¡¯re helping Hu Jie by bringing her personal letters to me. Are you trying to make me unfaithful? Take the letter with you. I won¡¯t read it, and there shouldn¡¯t be a next time!¡± As he said these words to Hu Bing, his gaze fell on Gu Zi.

    If he was only explaining to Hu Bing, he wouldn¡¯t have said so much. But clearly, he needed to explain more to his wife.

    Upon hearing Su Shen¡¯s words, Hu Bing¡¯s mood fluctuated, and his face changed slightly. He stood up, his tone respectful, ¡°I apologize, Su Shen. There won¡¯t be a next time. I¡¯m sorry about Hu Jie¡¯s matter, to both you and your wife. Mrs. Su, please forgive me!

    ¡°I will report truthfully to the commander. The military will respect your wishes. I¡¯m very sorry!¡±

    Seeing Su Shen¡¯s serious attitude, Hu Bing apologized three times in a row, which surprised Gu Zi. A man who dared to injure Su Shen in a sparring match was now apologizing to her, a civilian, without any regard for his pride. It seemed that Su Shen¡¯s position in the military was indeed extraordinary!

    Gu Zi looked into Su Shen¡¯s eyes, her admiration and love for him deepening. The matter with Hu Jie¡¯s letter wasn¡¯t Su Shen¡¯s fault, and she had no reason to be angry with him.

    So, Gu Zi smiled brightly and said to Hu Bing, ¡°Apologies don¡¯t solve anything, but I believe Major Hu won¡¯t make the same mistake again. Please sit down and have some tea!¡±

    Hu Bing, who came from the military district, brought a letter from someone outside the district. It was clear that he intended to match his cousin with Su Shen, which was why he had informed his cousin Hu Jie. Knowing that he was going to see Su Shen, she had written the letter for him to deliver.

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    Moreover, Su Shen had said that his marriage had been reported, so people of a certain rank in the military district should know that Su Shen was married again.

    If Hu Bing knew, then Hu Jie must have known as well. Yet, despite this, she had asked her cousin to deliver the letter. It was clear that neither of them had a sense of boundaries.

    Fortunately, Su Shen was smart and explained in time. Otherwise, this letter could have become the start of a rift between them.

    Therefore, Gu Zi didn¡¯t intend to show any kindness to Hu Bing. However, she wouldn¡¯t neglect basic courtesy. As Su Shen¡¯s wife, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass him.

    At this point, Hu Bing¡¯s attitude towards Gu Zi softened considerably. He didn¡¯t dare to be confrontational anymore. He wisely picked up his teacup and drank his tea, not saying anything else, for fear of upsetting Su Shen and Mrs. Su.

 Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Should She Be Angry?

    Chapter 548: Should She Be Angry?

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hu Bing found himself intrigued by the woman before him. She was no ordinary woman, that much was clear. Not only did she handle situations with an impressive calm, but her respect for Su Shen¡¯s wishes was evident. She had agreed to Su Shen¡¯s request not to return to the military, a testament to her uniqueness.

    Moreover, he had heard whispers around town about her. Gu Zi and her sister-in-law had opened a successful restaurant, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, which had even attracted the attention of the local newspaper.

    Hu Bing had done some research. Gu Zi had grown up in a military compound in the city, where she had always excelled. She had even been engaged to the son of a high-ranking official, Gong. However, due to a mix-up at birth, she had ended up in Daqing Village, married to Su Shen.

    Gu Zi was still young, and her marriage to Su Shen was relatively recent. Despite her extraordinary beauty and intellect, could she have truly won Su Shen¡¯s heart in such a short time?

    Hu Bing was curious about the methods she might have used. Regardless, it seemed she had captured Su Shen¡¯s heart, and it was clear that his cousin¡¯s hopes of marrying Su Shen were now dashed.

    Perhaps it was for the best. It was better for him to face this disappointment than his cousin. He would have to discuss this with her and make new plans.

    However, he couldn¡¯t help but lament. Where could they find another man as exceptional as Su Shen?

    After drinking three cups of tea, Hu Bing asked, ¡°Su Shen, may I visit your pig farm again when I have time? I¡¯m not leaving until this afternoon. I¡¯ve seen Su Le, but I need to check on the other two children.¡±

    Given the circumstances, he didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate for Gu Zi to play hostess. He assumed Su Shen wouldn¡¯t want his beautiful wife to exert herself. A visit to the farm and then to see the children seemed like the best plan.

    However, Su Shen had no intention of leaving the house. He had business to attend to, and he wanted to spend some time with Gu Zi.

    So, he told Hu Bing directly, ¡°That sounds good. You can drive to the pig farm. Jin Long will receive you. I don¡¯t plan to go out today.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Hu Bing understood. Su Shen wanted to spend the day with his wife and had only agreed to meet him out of courtesy. ¡°That works for me. I¡¯ll head over now and return this afternoon. Mrs. Su, sorry for the intrusion!¡±

    Gu Zi responded with a gracious smile, ¡°No trouble at all. Your visit has shown me Su Shen¡¯s resolve. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have known your true intentions.¡±

    Her last words were directed at Su Shen, her eyes filled with affection. She didn¡¯t seem to care that there was a third party present.

    However, when Hu Bing left, Gu Zi insisted that Su Shen see him out. Upon his return, Su Shen wrapped his arms around her waist, much to the displeasure of Lele, who was playing on the sofa. But she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. She didn¡¯t dare to climb down from the sofa, having fallen the last time she tried. All she could do was glare at Su Shen.

    But Su Shen was too preoccupied with expressing his loyalty to Gu Zi to notice Lele¡¯s protest. ¡°Gu Zi, if you¡¯re angry, hit me. I can take it.¡±

    Gu Zi held his hand on her waist and asked gently, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already make your position clear? You told Hu Bing as well. Should I still be angry?¡± It would seem a bit petty.

    Su Shen rested his chin on her shoulder and said in a low voice, ¡°Why not? Hu Jie sent me a message because I never explicitly rejected her. That¡¯s why we¡¯re in this situation. Hu Bing was hostile towards you. As your husband, I should have done better. But Gu Zi, I will do better.¡±

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    He had thought it through. He wanted to live a good life with Gu Zi, without leaving her. He wanted to earn money and make her happy.

    As for the military, he planned to leave it behind. The country was stable, and there was no war. He didn¡¯t have to return. Another reason he didn¡¯t mention was that his return would likely upset certain power groups.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t dislike military life, but he was tired of the power struggles within the army. He didn¡¯t want to become a pawn in someone else¡¯s game. He had never feared real battles, but he didn¡¯t want to be part of a fight where people smiled at him while stabbing him in the back.

    Since he wasn¡¯t returning to the army, he should be a better husband to Gu Zi.

    Listening to his words, Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel like holding a grudge. She even felt like teasing him. ¡°So, how should I be angry with you? Let me think¡­ How about¡­ I punish you by making you sleep in the guest room for a week!¡±

 Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: I Canâ€™t Agree To This One

    Chapter 549: I Can¡¯t Agree To This One

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A rare urgency flickered across Su Shen¡¯s usually stoic face. He didn¡¯t want her to be upset, but he also knew that there were no lasting grudges between husband and wife. If he were to accept this punishment, would it mean he was being cast aside?

    This was clearly unacceptable. His jaw tightened as he said, ¡°Gu Zi, I can accept any other punishment, but I cannot agree to this one.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s heart fluttered with sweetness, but she maintained a calm exterior. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, ¡°Why not? I¡¯m already being generous by not making you sleep in the living room. Of course, I¡¯m mainly worried about you losing face in front of the children.¡±

    In truth, Gu Zi¡¯s tone was playful, indicating that she was merely teasing him. However, Su Shen took her words to heart and became visibly anxious. Clearly, he couldn¡¯t bear the slightest risk of losing her.

    He emphasized, ¡°Gu Zi, I can¡¯t sleep in the guest room, let alone the living room. We are husband and wife; we can¡¯t sleep in separate rooms. Can we choose another punishment, please?¡±

    Gu Zi laughed upon hearing this. Was he really taking her seriously? She gently pulled on Su Shen¡¯s hand, urging him to relax. Turning to face him, she reached up to touch his tense jaw, a warm feeling spreading in her heart.

    How could she put it? This man was in his thirties, seemingly mature and composed, yet he was so easily teased by her.

    She understood that the only explanation was that her place in his heart was significant enough to make him lose his composure and become irrational. This meant that she was incredibly important to him!

    With this realization, a warm current surged in Gu Zi¡¯s heart, slowly spreading across her soul, making her feel at peace and loved by the world.

    Initially, her feelings for Su Shen were probably because of his handsome looks and charming physique. Living under the same roof with him was comfortable, and his childfree lifestyle, financial stability, and generosity were appealing to her, who didn¡¯t want children and needed a temporary place to stay. Su Shen¡¯s side was undoubtedly a good temporary refuge.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of Su Shen changing after marriage; she was afraid of not being able to control herself. At first, she hadn¡¯t planned on spending her life with Su Shen.

    But now, her heart had softened a bit. She didn¡¯t want to leave this man; she wanted to spend her life with him.

    Su Shen was a good man. He was tall, handsome, successful, and more than generous to her¡ªhe was genuinely kind.

    In an era where many people struggled to make ends meet, he provided her with financial freedom. She didn¡¯t need to work hard to enjoy life.

    He respected her choices. He wouldn¡¯t demand anything from her based on his needs. Fundamentally, he respected her as a person.

    What did it matter if he was older? Younger men didn¡¯t have his wealth or his attentiveness. He cared for her dignity and valued her. For instance, today, he was eager to explain things to her, which was genuinely touching.

    Gu Zi admitted that Su Shen¡¯s place in her heart had changed. However, she remained clear-headed because she would never allow herself to be completely lost in love. No matter what, she would always retain a shred of rationality.

    She wanted to kiss him at that moment, so she did. Standing on her tiptoes, she lightly kissed his lips. The warm touch made her cheeks flush as she said to him, ¡°Then your punishment is to abstain for a week. No more bargaining.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that this punishment was for Su Shen¡¯s own good. After all, he had been very busy lately and barely had time to come home. Every time he did manage to come home, he would insist on making love to her, which was quite exhausting. It was about time he took a break.

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    She turned and walked towards Su Le, picking up the girl to play with her. Su Shen was somewhat helpless, his outstretched hand hanging in mid-air before he pulled it back. A bitter smile played on his lips.

    Well, a week it was then. As long as she wasn¡¯t angry, he could endure it. He found it strange that he was now worried about her not being angry, and he didn¡¯t want her to be angry either. Was this what it felt like to be in love?

    He walked over and, for the first time, conceded, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s my fault. One week it is.¡±

    But after saying this, he wrapped his arms around her, shielding Su Le¡¯s eyes with his hand, and kissed her deeply. Gu Zi was caught off guard and glared at him.

    However, he looked wronged and asked Gu Zi, ¡°It¡¯s just a week without sex, right? Kissing is still allowed, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gu Zi looked at him, unable to stay angry. This man, she had forgotten that he had this cheeky side to him!

 Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: The Warmth of Flames

    Chapter 550: The Warmth of Flames

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Despite the situation, Gu Zi remained remarkably composed. She instructed Su Shen, ¡°That¡¯s fine, but there¡¯s interest involved. You kissed me earlier, so you¡¯re in charge of today¡¯s housework. The stove we bought last time hasn¡¯t been used yet. You should handle it.¡±

    The newly purchased stove required special attention for its first use, a process known as ¡®ignition.¡¯ This was a common practice among rural folks.

    Su Shen thought that doing a day¡¯s housework in exchange for a kiss was a fair deal. As for the stove, he had planned to ignite it that day anyway. He nodded in agreement, turned, and entered the kitchen. He fetched the stove that Gu Zi had bought last time and placed it in the yard for ignition.

    The stove was cylindrical, with a ventilation hole at the bottom. When a large fire wasn¡¯t needed, an iron lid would cover the hole, maintaining a small flame inside the stove. During winter, this setup would keep the room exceptionally warm.

    The first use primarily involved burning off the residual moisture inside the stove.

    Su Shen kindled the fire with dry firewood. The bright flames reflected on his face, drawing the attention of Gu Zi and Su Le. Gu Zi thought that if she had a camera, she could capture a highly artistic portrait at that moment.

    Su Le, on the other hand, was captivated by the bright flames. She reached out to touch them, only to realize she was being held by her mother and couldn¡¯t reach.

    Su Shen fetched a piece of honeycomb coal and placed it on the burning firewood. Gu Zi, holding Su Le, moved closer. Su Shen took Su Le from her, freeing Gu Zi¡¯s hands.

    She placed her hands slightly above the honeycomb coal, feeling the warmth of the flames. She imagined how cozy it would be in the colder days ahead, with the family huddled around the stove, warming themselves.

    They could even place a pot on the stove and enjoy a hot pot meal together. The mere thought filled Gu Zi with a sense of bliss.

    As the fire burned, the bottom of the honeycomb coal began to glow red, indicating that the coal had ignited. The cement part of the stove¡¯s edge darkened a bit, a sign that the moisture was being baked out. In a while, the color should lighten as the moisture inside would have dried up.

    ¡°Fairy Sister, are you making a fire? We have lots of sweet potatoes at home. Can we roast some?¡± Aunt Zhang¡¯s grandson, Shi Tou, had come to the entrance of Su¡¯s courtyard and greeted Gu Zi with his usual enthusiasm.

    Gu Zi peeked outside the gate and waved at Shi Tou, ¡°Of course, but you have to ask your grandma first if you can bring them to roast. You can¡¯t just take them without permission!¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Gu Zi. He felt a pang of jealousy. Gu Zi¡¯s voice seemed even softer when she spoke to children.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Shi Tou¡¯s voice echoed as he disappeared from sight. In no time, Aunt Zhang, leading Shi Tou by the hand, arrived. Aunt Zhang was carrying a basket filled with clean, beautiful sweet potatoes. Su Shen, holding Su Le, went to open the gate and invited them in.

    Seeing Shi Tou, Su Le no longer wanted her father¡¯s embrace. Su Shen put her down, allowing her to play with Shi Tou.

    Aunt Zhang placed the basket on the ground and accepted the stool Gu Zi offered. She sat around the stove and chuckled, ¡°You two are quite sweet. Despite being busy, Su Shen still finds time to stay home with you. I¡¯m envious!

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    ¡°By the way, your restaurant, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, is really popular now, isn¡¯t it? I heard that even newspapers have come to interview you. I heard people talking about it early this morning. Those who said you wouldn¡¯t last long must be eating their words now! These are homegrown and very sweet. They¡¯ll taste even better roasted!¡±

    As Aunt Zhang spoke, she took out the sweet potatoes. Gu Zi took them and asked Su Shen, ¡°Could you get me some tin foil? It¡¯ll taste better roasted that way. Also, get some honey.¡±

    Su Shen had wanted to ask about the interview. If Aunt Zhang hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he wouldn¡¯t have known about it. Gu Zi was truly capable. However, since Gu Zi had asked him to do something, he decided to ask later.

    Seeing Su Shen silently go inside, Zhang gave Gu Zi a thumbs-up, ¡°Su Shen is so capable, yet he¡¯s willing to listen to you. Gu Zi, you¡¯re the truly capable one!¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t think much of it and replied, ¡°No matter how capable Su Shen is outside, he¡¯s still my husband at home. He cherishes me, so naturally, he¡¯ll do more at home. Aunt Zhang, you need to change your mindset. Housework isn¡¯t just for women. Men can do it too.¡±

 Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Roasted Sweet Potato

    Chapter 551: Roasted Sweet Potato

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhang chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re an educated person, I can¡¯t argue with you. But I believe it all depends on the man¡¯s attitude. My husband never had such an attitude. When I was young, no tricks worked on him. If things got too heated, we would just have to part ways. You understand what I mean, right?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, accepting the tin foil from Su Shen to place the sweet potato on. She let Su Shen drizzle honey over it before wrapping it up in the foil. She glanced at him and agreed with Aunt Zhang, ¡°It seems like you¡¯re making a lot of sense this time, Aunt Zhang.¡±

    Indeed, no matter how much she tried to maintain her rationality, if the man didn¡¯t cooperate, it was impossible to achieve harmony. Ultimately, it depended on who the other person was, and whether they were willing to be fully tolerant.

    Aunt Zhang¡¯s words served as a reminder to her. She shouldn¡¯t take Su Shen¡¯s kindness for granted, but should actively reciprocate. A plan formed in her mind.

    Su Shen was also watching her, his dark eyes seemingly trying to see through her. ¡°What are you two talking about? What¡¯s this about an interview? Tell me about it.¡±

    He took out the honeycomb briquettes, placed the sweet potato wrapped by Gu Zi into the stove, and buried it under the charcoal. Now all it needed was time to cook to perfection. Soon, Gu Zi would be able to enjoy a delicious roasted sweet potato.

    Gu Zi explained, ¡°It happened yesterday. A reporter from Guangcheng Daily Life came to interview our shop. They work very efficiently. I guess we¡¯ll be in the newspaper in a day or two. I haven¡¯t had a chance to share this with you yet.¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°That¡¯s okay, you can tell me now.¡± He had been very busy lately, barely having time to come home. He wouldn¡¯t blame Gu Zi for not sharing the news with him immediately.

    Aunt Zhang watched the young couple, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, they were indeed a perfect match. If it weren¡¯t for her grandson insisting on roasting sweet potatoes, she wouldn¡¯t have the heart to be a third wheel, interrupting the couple¡¯s private time.

    However, once the sweet potatoes were done, she would take Shi Tou home. This way, they wouldn¡¯t be disturbed for too long. That was Aunt Zhang¡¯s plan.

    An hour later, the sweet aroma of the sweet potatoes filled the air. Su Shen had gone upstairs to put the sleeping Su Le to bed, leaving Gu Zi, Aunt Zhang, and Shi Tou chatting idly around the stove.

    Gu Zi took out some bok choy to prepare for lunch. Aunt Zhang helped pick the vegetables, and they quickly finished a whole basin. Gu Zi took the prepared bok choy to the kitchen, soaked it in a basin of water, and then took a pair of tongs to the stove to retrieve the foil-wrapped sweet potato.

    As soon as the foil was opened, the sweet aroma of the sweet potato filled the air. Shi Tou¡¯s chubby little hand reached out instantly, but the heat made him shake his hand. ¡°I want to eat roasted sweet potato, it¡¯s so hot, wuwuwu¡­¡±

    Aunt Zhang quickly patted his hand, looking at her grandson¡¯s pitiful state, she couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Look at you, so weak-hearted for the sake of your mouth. Is this all the ambition you have in life? Gu Zi, can you get some salt? I¡¯ll treat his burn, it¡¯s all red, this little glutton!¡± Aunt Zhang¡¯s words were teasing, but she was also worried about her grandson.

    According to their life experience, salt could replace burn ointment. If applied immediately after a burn, it could prevent blisters from forming. That was why Aunt Zhang asked Gu Zi for salt.

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    Gu Zi quickly took Shi Tou to the faucet to rinse his hand with cold water. Shi Tou was pulled away, but his heart and eyes were still on the sweet potato. As he cried from the pain, he asked, ¡°Fairy Sister, can we still eat the roasted sweet potato? Shi Tou wants to eat roasted sweet potato!¡±

    Gu Zi was helpless, patiently explaining, ¡°Of course we can eat it. But first, we need to treat your burned hand. Aunt Zhang, there¡¯s no need to go through all that trouble. I have burn ointment here. Su Shen bought it from a pharmacy in the city last time. He said it works very well.¡±

    Su Shen was worried about her getting burned while cooking, so he had bought a tube of burn ointment from a city pharmacy. She hadn¡¯t used it yet, but now it came in handy. It was always good to be prepared.

    Su Shen came down at this moment, and Gu Z izi asked him to get the ointment. He went back inside.

    Aunt Zhang looked relieved and apologetic. She was relieved that Gu Zi had medicine, and she was sure it was good, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about Shi Tou¡¯s burn. She felt apologetic because Shi Tou had burned himself out of greed, and now they had to trouble others. The ointment brought back from the city must have been expensive.

 Chapter 552 - Chapter 552: Love Needs to be Expressed Positively

    Chapter 552: Love Needs to be Expressed Positively

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhang asked hesitantly, ¡°Gu Zi, isn¡¯t it too extravagant to use this for Shi Tou? Shouldn¡¯t we just use some saltwater instead? ¡± As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at Shi Tou, blaming him for his gluttony and causing trouble.

    Su Shen brought over the burn ointment. It was a small tube, just long enough to match an adult¡¯s index finger and as thick as a thumb. It was clearly a precious item. Aunt Zhang felt even more embarrassed, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse it for her grandson. Deep down, she wanted him to benefit from this excellent medicine.

    Gu Zi pulled Shi Tou over, took the ointment from Su Shen, opened it, and punctured the seal with the cap. She squeezed out the bright yellow ointment, carefully applying it to Shi Tou¡¯s wound while speaking to Aunt Zhang, ¡°Is any medicine too expensive when it comes to someone¡¯s well-being? I have it here specifically for Shi Tou. If I didn¡¯t, then we would indeed have to resort to saltwater.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Zhang, you¡¯re not being fair. You clearly care about him so much, but you speak as if he¡¯s not important. Love needs to be expressed positively. Do you want Shi Tou to show his care for you in such a negative way?¡±

    Gu Zi said this, but she understood Aunt Zhang¡¯s mentality. Many women living in this era share similar sentiments. They might sound harsh to their loved ones, but they genuinely care about them.

    People like them often find themselves in a state of irritation, perhaps due to the overwhelming household chores and lack of help. When constantly busy, their words often don¡¯t match their hearts.

    Furthermore, Aunt Zhang was a straightforward person. She didn¡¯t beat around the bush and often spoke bluntly, sometimes to the point of discomfort. But her intentions were not so. She cared for her grandson but also feared causing trouble for others, hence her behavior.

    As the ointment was applied to Shi Tou¡¯s little hand, he finally stopped whimpering. He looked at Gu Zi in surprise and said, ¡°Fairy Sister, it¡¯s cold and doesn¡¯t hurt anymore! Grandma, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t treat you like this. Let¡¯s eat roasted sweet potatoes together. I¡¯m so hungry!¡±

    Gu Zi laughed and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat roasted sweet potatoes together. Remember, Shi Tou, come to my house for the next few days. Come in the morning, and I¡¯ll apply the medicine for you.¡±

    If it were any other medicine, she would have divided some for Aunt Zhang to take home. But this ointment was clearly not easy to divide. However, Shi Tou¡¯s house was nearby, so it was not a problem for him to come over daily for treatment.

    Seeing her grandson becoming more sensible, Aunt Zhang felt comforted. Coupled with Gu Zi¡¯s words, she realized her mistake. She felt a bit embarrassed towards her grandson, but given her habits, it was unlikely she would apologize to Shi Tou.

    She simply said to Gu Zi, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been like this all my life. I¡¯ll change, I¡¯ll definitely change.¡± If Shi Tou, being so young, could improve, then what couldn¡¯t she change?

    Su Shen took back the ointment. Seeing Gu Zi busy comforting Shi Tou, he took the initiative to divide the roasted sweet potatoes among everyone. Gu Zi got half, Aunt Zhang got one, Shi Tou got one, and Su Shen kept the remaining half for himself. It was his first time experiencing eating roasted sweet potatoes with neighbors, but with Gu Zi there, even the ordinary experience became enjoyable.

    After everyone finished eating the sweet potatoes, Aunt Zhang took Shi Tou home. Su Shen and Gu Zi went inside, and Su Shen asked Gu Zi, ¡°Does the interview at the store mean we can expand?¡±

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    Initially, when Gu Zi said she wanted to help her family open a store, Su Shen suggested opening it directly in the city, with him handling the financial aspect.

    Although he had never run a store, he believed the principles of doing business were the same.

    Pig farms and other supply businesses were best located in rural areas, but businesses that dealt directly with end customers, like grocery stores and restaurants, needed to be in economically prosperous areas with high foot traffic, and the city was the best place for that.

    However, Gu Zi rejected his suggestion and his additional financial help. He didn¡¯t want to make her uncomfortable by interfering too much, so he didn¡¯t bring it up again. He let Gu Zi open the store, thinking he would step in if she encountered difficulties.

    But to his surprise, she didn¡¯t give him a chance to step in. The store was already featured in the newspaper. Considering the number of stores in the city, not every one of them could make it to the newspaper. This showed how outstanding his wife was, and he felt proud of her.

 Chapter 553 - Chapter 553: Listening to Gu Ziâ€™s Plan

    Chapter 553: Listening to Gu Zi¡¯s Plan

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi nodded, not commenting on the shared vision between her and her husband. Instead, she shared her thoughts directly, saying, ¡°Of course we should, but the timing isn¡¯t quite right yet. I¡¯ve discussed it with my sister-in-law, and if we¡¯re to open a new store, we¡¯ll have to wait until next year to see how things pan out. As for our goal, let¡¯s tentatively set it as a nationwide chain¡­¡±

    Su Shen found her endless chatter on the subject endearing. It was as if she was radiating a vibrant life force from within, and he found it wonderful.

    He poured a cup of warm water for Gu Zi, continuing to listen to her. When she finished, he nodded indulgently, affirming, ¡°Our nationwide chain plan will definitely be realized step by step, I believe in you. What would you like for lunch?¡±

    Gu Zi turned on the television and sat on the sofa, planning to watch a program. She responded, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve prepared some choy sum. You can stir-fry it, and make a couple of other dishes. That should be enough for the two of us.¡±

    Su Shen entered the kitchen, the stove burning brightly. When Gu Zi went upstairs to check on their child, she could see the bright flames from her bent position. There was something different about a man at work, a certain ruggedness that could be intimidating at times.

    She ascended the stairs and opened the door to find their little girl sleeping peacefully, showing no signs of waking up.

    She sat by the bed, bending down to plant a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room and heading downstairs. In the dining room, Su Shen was carrying a bowl of steaming tomato and pork slice soup, a dish she had taught him to make.

    She also went to the kitchen to help carry dishes. On the stove were a plate of cucumber and wood ear stir-fried with eggs and garlic choy sum, dishes she had made before.

    He had not only remembered her words but also her actions. Gu Zi felt a warm feeling in her heart. During lunch, she served him some food, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll cook dinner tonight. After all, Hu Bing is coming from afar. As the lady of the house, it¡¯s my duty to entertain him.¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°He¡¯ll probably leave in the afternoon after seeing the child. There¡¯s no need to keep him for dinner. You don¡¯t need to worry about these things.¡±

    Seeing Su Shen¡¯s response, Gu Zi said, ¡°Well, in that case, you should still invite him to stay for dinner. Whether he stays or not, I¡¯ll be cooking dinner tonight, so don¡¯t argue with me about it.¡±

    Su Shen always listened to Gu Zi. Seeing her insistence, he could only agree.

    He stayed home with Gu Zi until around five in the afternoon before driving to the pig farm to fetch Hu Bing. He also planned to bring back some premium pork ribs, which Gu Zi said were the main ingredients for dinner. He was quite curious about what new dish she was planning to make.

    After Su Shen left, Su Bing and Su Li arrived home. Gu Zi had just brought Su Le down to play. She told Su Bing, ¡°Su Bing, you and your younger brother take care of your sister. I¡¯m going to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Dad will bring a guest home later, so you¡¯ll need to help entertain.¡±

    Upon hearing that a guest was coming, Su Bing and Su Li became somewhat reserved. Who could it be? A friend of their father¡¯s? Regardless, they were excited as they hadn¡¯t had dinner with their father in several days.

    As the brothers eagerly awaited, night gradually fell, and the sound of a car could be heard outside.

    Su Li remembered what his mother had told him and hurriedly ran out to open the door. He saw two cars stop one after the other. His father got out of the first car, and a man about his father¡¯s height got out of the second. He walked over, feeling a bit shy, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Dad, who is this?¡±

    Su Shen patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder and led him inside, introducing, ¡°This is Uncle Hu, he¡¯s from the army. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

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    The three of them quickly entered the house. After sitting down, Su Li brought over some tea. Facing a stranger for the first time, he felt a bit awkward, but he remembered his mother¡¯s words about being polite and gracious. He couldn¡¯t embarrass his parents.

    So, he mustered up the courage and said, ¡°Uncle Hu, please have some tea!¡±

    Hu Bing¡¯s gaze had been on Su Li for a while. He could tell that the child was a bit shy, yet he was still able to politely offer tea. He was impressed, thinking that this was indeed a child raised by Su Shen.

    He accepted the tea cup, praising, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re quite the little gentleman. Despite your shyness, you haven¡¯t forgotten your manners. Well done!¡±

    Hu Bing thought about how he had upset Su Shen earlier because of Gu Zi. Now, by praising the child, he hoped to make amends. However, he didn¡¯t expect the child to say, ¡°This is all thanks to my mom. She told me to be considerate and polite, and to carry myself with grace.¡±

 Chapter 554 - Chapter 554: Understanding

    Chapter 554: Understanding

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Su Li spoke, he did so with a sense of immense pride. He was proud of his wonderful mother, and he voiced this pride loudly, a hint of boastfulness in his tone.

    However, his words inadvertently slapped Hu Bing in the face. Hu Bing had come with a purpose ¨C to play matchmaker for his cousin. His cousin had no intention of giving up on Su Shen, a good man.

    This meant that Hu Bing intended to disrupt the relationship between Su Shen and a woman named Gu Zi. After all, Hu Jie was his cousin, and he naturally sided with her. He didn¡¯t mind disrupting someone else¡¯s marriage for her sake.

    Before this visit, Hu Bing knew that Su Shen had been married twice, both times arranged, with no emotional foundation. He assumed that Su Shen¡¯s wives were simple country girls, unfit for the stage, and unworthy of Su Shen. Compared to Hu Jie, a descendant of a soldier, they had no chance of winning. So, he didn¡¯t take them seriously.

    However, when he saw Gu Zi, he was genuinely surprised. She was incredibly beautiful, a rare beauty, and she exuded a faint scholarly aura that gave her an air of elegance. Moreover, she was still very young, having just graduated from high school.

    In terms of age, appearance, and temperament, she completely outshone Hu Jie.

    Furthermore, her composed demeanor during their morning meeting indicated that she was dignified and respectable. Hu Bing thought about it. If Hu Jie had been in the same situation that morning, she might have caused a scene.

    Su Shen¡¯s attitude towards her was one of deep respect and protection. In Hu Bing¡¯s impression, Su Shen was not one to use his official power to oppress others, but today, he had shown no consideration for Hu Bing in order to support Gu Zi.

    Hu Bing didn¡¯t want to admit that Hu Jie was inferior to Gu Zi, but the reality was right in front of him, forcing him to face the truth. He had no idea how to disrupt their relationship.

    Could this woman really educate a child? How was that possible? She had married Su Shen right after graduating from high school. She looked like she was not even twenty, yet she had managed to educate the child so well! He found it hard to believe, but these were the words of the child himself.

    Su Shen saw Hu Bing¡¯s surprised expression but ignored him. Let him be surprised. After all, his wife was too outstanding. This was a small matter. He went out to bring in the pork ribs and went into the kitchen to help.

    Gu Zi prepared various spices and said to Su Shen, ¡°You can put it down. Wash your hands and go out to accompany the guest. Leave this to me. After all, he is from the army. We can¡¯t let him go back and spread the word that Su Shen is afraid of his wife, can we?¡±

    Su Shen, with his arm around her slender waist, wanted to help her. Hu Bing had shown no respect for Gu Zi during this visit, and Su Shen had no intention of showing any respect for Hu Bing. He had asked Su Li to entertain him, which was already quite generous.

    He had to maintain his wife¡¯s dignity. He said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being afraid of one¡¯s wife.¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head and firmly pulled his hand away. Although she knew that Su Shen¡¯s fear of his wife was actually a form of respect and not real fear, she teased him, ¡°Then look at Aunt Yang¡¯s son. Is that good?¡±

    Su Shen felt that she was changing the subject, but he didn¡¯t argue with her and simply obeyed.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go out. But tell me, what are you going to do with the ribs?¡± Su Shen looked at the spices, which were quite rare. It seemed like she had bought them specially from the city last time. He was curious about what dish she was going to make.

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    Gu Zi didn¡¯t keep him in suspense. She said, ¡°I¡¯m going to make Volcano Ribs. It¡¯s a beautiful and delicious dish, a specialty from Southeast Asia. I promise, Su Li will eat three bowls of rice!¡±

    Su Shen looked at her and nodded indulgently, ¡°Hmm, he loves your cooking the most.¡± Su Shen wanted to ask how she learned to cook Southeast Asian dishes, but seeing Gu Zi¡¯s serious expression, he reluctantly left.

    He sat back down on the sofa and chatted with Hu Bing. Hu Bing didn¡¯t show any emotion on the surface, but he was shocked inside.

    Just because he had come and treated Gu Zi poorly, Su Shen had become so nervous that he even wanted to accompany her while cooking. But he was driven out by that woman. In front of this woman, Su Shen¡¯s status was surprisingly low!

    Hu Bing remembered that when they were in the army, everyone wanted to match Su Shen with Hu Jie. But Su Shen¡¯s attitude was always cold, making it difficult for people to approach him. Hu Jie was also proud and had her own ideas. She was unwilling to take the initiative to please him, so the two of them didn¡¯t have much real interaction.

 Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Not A Nanny

    Chapter 555: Not A Nanny

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    An unexpected incident had once occurred, serving as the catalyst for the initiation of their relationship. Hu Jie had accidentally fallen into the water, and it was Su Shen who had come to her rescue. During this incident, she had developed a profound fondness for him.

    Upon learning from her father that Su Shen¡¯s aloofness was his inherent nature, that he treated everyone with the same indifference, she began to lower her guard. She started to approach Su Shen proactively, often doing special things for him, such as making soup or gifting him new shoes.

    Everyone around them seemed to approve of their relationship, yet Su Shen remained distant. His constant response was, ¡°There¡¯s no need for all this. It¡¯s better for men and women to maintain some distance.¡±

    This caused Hu Jie to limit her interactions with Su Shen. It wasn¡¯t until her father sacrificed himself for a mission, leaving behind a dying wish, that Su Shen, out of respect for Hu Jie¡¯s father, agreed to marry her, albeit with conditions.

    At that time, many people speculated behind their backs, suggesting that Su Shen was perhaps too proud, believing that Hu Jie was not worthy of him, hence his cold and passive attitude. They accused him of being ungrateful.

    Hu Jie¡¯s father held a high rank, and her mother¡¯s family was influential. Being the only daughter in the family, she lived with her parents in the military camp.

    In the camp, she was treated like a princess, pampered and indulged by everyone. There were many young and talented men who wished to marry her. However, Su Shen treated her with an almost indifferent attitude, which was seen as ungrateful.

    Hu Bing did not comment on these speculations. However, the fact remained that if Su Shen and Hu Jie had indeed married, his status would have been elevated significantly.

    Regrettably, they did not marry. He accepted an ungrateful secret mission and left the military area. Now, he wanted to retire and stay at home, taking care of a woman. It was indeed a pitiful situation.

    There were plenty of women around, and although this woman was extraordinarily beautiful, it seemed that they had not known each other for long. How could Su Shen be so devoted? It appeared that this young woman was indeed very manipulative.

    As Hu Bing was pondering this, his attention was drawn to a rich and unique aroma. He sniffed, realizing that he was indeed hungry, and his mouth began to water. The smell was delightful.

    He looked towards the kitchen with a puzzled expression, excitedly asking Su Shen, ¡°Does the nanny in this rural area cook so well?¡± He knew that Su Shen could cook, but he was here now, so it couldn¡¯t be him. Besides, his cooking skills weren¡¯t that good.

    The children were also in the living room. As for the woman, she looked and behaved like a lady of a noble family, with delicate fingers. She was obviously pampered and must have a high self-esteem. How could she possibly do kitchen work? The only possible explanation was that the cook was the nanny, and the woman was probably instructing her.

    Before Su Shen could respond to Hu Bing¡¯s comment, the two brothers defended in unison, ¡°Uncle, our mother is not a nanny. She is the mistress of this house. It¡¯s our mother who is cooking.¡±

    Su Shen stared at Hu Bing, his tone serious and stern, as if discussing a grave matter, ¡°We don¡¯t have a nanny in our house. Most of the time, it¡¯s Gu Zi who cooks. She¡¯s already working hard to entertain you. Show some respect.¡±

    Hu Bing was taken aback. Could that woman actually cook?

    At that moment, Gu Zi emerged from the kitchen, placing two cups of dessert on the table. Since she had decided to entertain, she wouldn¡¯t be petty, ¡°You arrived suddenly this morning, and I didn¡¯t have time to prepare. Please forgive me!¡±

    The woman had her long hair tied up with a headscarf and was wearing an apron. She looked virtuous and beautiful beyond words.

    Su Shen looked at her, knowing that she was insisting on hosting to save his face. He felt a pang of affection for her and said, ¡°Thanks for the hard work.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded and returned to the kitchen to continue cooking. Su Bing and Su Li followed her to help.

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    Su Shen reminded Hu Bing in a cold tone, ¡°How long do you plan to keep staring at my wife?¡±

    Su Shen felt that he had never found Hu Bing so annoying. He had said what he needed to say, and the children had seen him. After dinner, it would be time to send him away. It would be best if he didn¡¯t visit again unless necessary.

    Hu Bing snapped back to reality, feeling very apologetic, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be rude to your wife. I¡¯m sorry. I just didn¡¯t expect that a beautiful woman could also cook.¡± He decided to keep quiet, feeling that he hadn¡¯t been able to say anything right that day.

    Su Shen stood up, feeling that the children couldn¡¯t help much, ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll go help her. She¡¯s too tired on her own.¡±

    After saying this, he went into the kitchen. Soon, Su Bing and Su Li were chased out, with little Su Le in Su Li¡¯s arms. They sat across from Hu Bing, staring at each other in an awkward silence.

 Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: She Needed Him

    Chapter 556: She Needed Him

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hu Bing was a bachelor, spending most of his time in the military district, dealing with a bunch of men every day. How could he possibly know how to interact with children?

    Hu Bing pursed his lips, attempting to break the awkward silence, but he was at a loss for words. The situation only grew more uncomfortable, causing the grown man¡¯s face to flush with embarrassment. This visit to see the child was proving to be more than he had bargained for.

    In the kitchen, Gu Zi had prepared a few small dishes from the same region as the Volcano Ribs, setting them aside for the moment. They would be served to the guest later, as a single dish of Volcano Ribs would not suffice.

    She was now officially starting on the main dish, the Volcano Ribs. Having processed the southern ginger, lemongrass, and lemon leaves, she set them aside for later use. As she prepared to cut the whole rack of pork ribs she had just brought back, she was worried about how to cut them. Just then, Su Shen entered the kitchen. Gu Zi¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, and she naturally reached out to hold his arm, ¡°Can you help me?¡±

    The man¡¯s arm was muscular and gave her a sense of security. She didn¡¯t let go after speaking. After all, he was her husband, and there was no problem with her holding onto him. His tall stature made Gu Zi look petite in comparison. The two of them standing together gave off an inexplicable sense of compatibility.

    Su Shen, taking in the fragrance emanating from her, felt an indescribable pleasure. He naturally responded, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. What do you need me to do?¡±

    Gu Zi, still holding onto him, looked at the pork bone on the countertop and softly said, ¡°The pork spine in the fridge isn¡¯t suitable for this dish. That¡¯s why I asked you to bring back the ribs. We need to cut them differently.¡±

    On ordinary days, Su Shen would cut the pork bones and store them in the fridge for Gu Zi to use. However, the Volcano Ribs required a different length, longer than usual, to create the volcano shape. Therefore, the pre-cut ribs in the fridge wouldn¡¯t work. They needed to be cut fresh. Just as she was worrying about this, her husband walked in. Perfect timing!

    Seeing her like this, Su Shen felt a wave of satisfaction that he couldn¡¯t put into words. He loved the feeling of being needed by her.

    He stood straight beside Gu Zi, allowing her to lean on him. He felt like a warrior, capable of protecting Gu Zi during peaceful times. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it. Just tell me how to cut it.¡±

    Gu Zi let go of his hand and gestured, ¡°Cut it like this, one by one. The length should be about the same as my palm.¡±

    As she spoke, Su Shen¡¯s gaze swept over the kitchen countertop. Everything was neatly arranged, not only orderly but also aesthetically pleasing.

    To his left were several washed and cut spices, green and white, neatly placed in a white porcelain dish. It was also quite pleasing to the eye. His gaze finally returned to her. This was Gu Zi. Not only was she beautiful, but she also liked to do things beautifully.

    Su Shen felt fortunate to have married such a woman and to live with her. Even if their days were ordinary, even the mundane could rival any magnificent poetry. What did it matter if he didn¡¯t strive for high-ranking positions or supreme power?

    His desire to retire became even more firm at this moment.

    Gu Zi touched her face, asking in confusion, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± The man had been staring at her. Hadn¡¯t he noticed her blushing?

    Even though she was now a married woman, she still couldn¡¯t withstand his intense gaze!

    Su Shen smiled lightly, his handsome features taking on a different kind of charm. This feeling wasn¡¯t as cold as before, but rather warm and sunny. ¡°Yes, beauty.¡±

    Gu Zi was his little sun. Now, he would naturally want to smile at her.

    Gu Zi looked at the man who was smiling warmly and elegantly. Her heart was pounding wildly. She was a bit taken aback, ¡°What is it?¡±

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    Su Shen brushed a stray hair from her forehead, emphasizing, ¡°Beauty. This is the most beautiful face in the world.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s face turned even redder. She found her husband¡¯s sweet words increasingly charming. And hearing him say such things, she didn¡¯t find it cheesy at all. After all, he was so handsome. With his face, saying such things felt like a scene straight out of a movie, making her heart flutter uncontrollably.

    However, she couldn¡¯t show that she was too affected.

    Gu Zi playfully raised an eyebrow, her tone haughty. Her gaze fell on his hand holding the cleaver. His fingers were well-defined and attractive. ¡°You¡¯re speaking the truth. But Su Shen, where did you learn these sweet words? Have you been practicing on some other girl?¡±

    His gaze was affectionate, staring straight at Gu Zi. The tall man even looked a bit wronged. ¡°Gu Zi, who else could I have practiced on? In this life, I can¡¯t see any other woman. I only have you.¡±

 Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Wanting to Be a Third Party

    Chapter 557: Wanting to Be a Third Party

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi felt a pang of guilt under the intense scrutiny, her eyes dropping to shield the proud glint within them. She was on the verge of revealing her true feelings, cursing herself for the unexpected pang of sympathy she felt for the older man.

    Gu Zi urged him, ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. Go ahead and chop the bones. I¡¯ll go prepare some milk powder for Lele.¡± She felt a heat spreading throughout her body, a desperate need to escape her husband¡¯s gaze and catch her breath.

    Su Shen began to chop the bones, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her hurried retreat. His little girl was blushing again.

    Once Gu Zi reached the dining room, her heart rate finally returned to normal. She suddenly remembered a phrase she had read before being transported into this novel, ¡°The person who has made your heart flutter, living with them, in the future, they will make your heart flutter even more.¡±

    She had scoffed at the sentiment then, but now she was experiencing it firsthand. The phrase was true.

    As she moved towards the exit, she heard the sound of an argument from the living room. It seemed to be the eldest child¡¯s voice, his tone cold as he questioned, ¡°How could you bring a letter from another woman to my father? Didn¡¯t you tell her that my father is already married? Does the woman who wrote the letter want to be a homewrecker?¡±

    Gu Zi had already stepped outside when the eldest finished speaking. The second child seemed to finally register what was happening, puffing out his cheeks in anger as he glared at Hu Bing.

    ¡°I heard from the aunties in the village that a homewrecker is a woman who purposely destroys other people¡¯s marriages. They¡¯re bad people. Uncle, why are you helping a bad woman? I don¡¯t want you to visit our house anymore!¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Gu Zi had a rough idea of why the two older boys were so upset. Spotting the letter on the table, the one from Hu Jie, she was even more certain of what had transpired.

    She approached the two boys, soothing them, ¡°This incident is in the past. When this auntie wrote the letter, she probably didn¡¯t know that your father was already married. We shouldn¡¯t speak to our guests like that.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t blame them. After all, Hu Bing was the one who had overstepped his boundaries first. It was only natural for the boys to be angry. However, their words were enough to make Hu Bing blush from embarrassment. Her words were merely a formality, meant to teach the children manners.

    Su Bing¡¯s lips were still pursed as he said to Gu Zi, ¡°I found this letter earlier. I didn¡¯t know there was another woman bothering Dad. But Mom, Dad definitely doesn¡¯t like her. You have to trust Dad.¡±

    Su Bing was very sensible. Seeing Hu Jie¡¯s name on the envelope, he had questioned Hu Bing and quickly understood the situation. He wouldn¡¯t show any kindness to Hu Bing. No one was going to ruin his parents¡¯ relationship.

    Su Li also nodded firmly, grabbing Gu Zi¡¯s hand and saying earnestly, ¡°We won¡¯t let Dad find another woman either. Dad can only be with Mom, and have babies with mom. If Dad pays attention to that woman, we won¡¯t recognize him as our dad anymore. My brother and I will earn money to support you and our sister.¡±

    After saying this, Su Li let go of Gu Zi¡¯s hand and ran towards the kitchen. He needed to emphasize this point to his father.

    Upon hearing Su Li¡¯s words, Gu Zi didn¡¯t even have time to blush. Who was talking about having babies?!

    She rubbed her forehead, changing her mood, and said to Hu Bing, ¡°My children are usually very polite. However, regarding the incident just now, I hope you can understand.¡±

    Hu Bing quickly gathered the letters on the table, looking extremely embarrassed, ¡°Sister-in-law, I was the one who overstepped today! I didn¡¯t keep the letter properly, and Su Bing found it. He asked me about it, and I said a few words. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    He felt that he had lost face and didn¡¯t have the nerve to stay for dinner. But since he had already agreed to, it would be awkward to leave now.

    Seeing the children¡¯s reactions, he began to wonder. If Gu Zi had used some trick to temporarily bewitch Su Shen, what about these two children?

    Seeing how they defended this woman, it was clear that she treated the three children well.

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    If his cousin had married Su Shen, with her arrogant nature, she probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to accept the existence of these three children, let alone treat them well. Perhaps, he shouldn¡¯t have brought the letter, or even taken it out.

    In essence, he should have respected Su Shen¡¯s wife from the beginning. Unbeknownst to him, his opinion of Gu Zi had already changed.

    Gu Zi picked up Su Le, speaking in a calm voice, ¡°You can have some tea. Dinner will be ready soon. Regardless of what happened, we still need to eat.¡±

    After saying this, she went to prepare the milk powder. Su Bing followed her to help, no longer staying in the living room. She felt that under the current circumstances, it was best to leave Hu Bing alone. There was tea and snacks on the table, and the television was on. It wasn¡¯t as if they were neglecting him.

    After all, who would appreciate someone trying to help their cousin steal someone else¡¯s husband? It was simply outrageous!

 Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Meticulous

    Chapter 558: Meticulous

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After meticulously preparing the ribs, Gu Zi proceeded to the kitchen to continue with the main dish. She placed the deboned dragon ribs into a large pot, adding the spices she had prepared earlier. As the pot filled with water and was set to boil over high heat, Gu Zi busied herself with concocting the sauce to be drizzled over the ribs.

    Gu Zi had planned to prepare this dish for some time, having made a special trip to the city to purchase the necessary ingredients. She felt that today, as she was hosting Hu Bing, was the perfect opportunity to do so.

    On one hand, she could share this dish with her family. On the other, she could show Hu Bing the caliber of dishes she was capable of creating. Even the most privileged young ladies might not be familiar with such a dish, she thought, let him be surprised.

    She intended to show off her culinary skills to him, so he could spread the word about her unparalleled talent. She had Su Shen¡¯s taste buds firmly in her grasp, and she would not let anyone else attempt to win him over.

    However, the sauce for this dish required lovage, which was not available locally. Gu Zi decided to substitute it with coriander from her own garden. She asked Su Bing to bring her some, and being meticulous as always, he brought her perfectly cleaned coriander.

    Gu Zi chopped the coriander and placed it in the sauce bowl, adding freshly chopped chili and garlic. She then sliced two limes, squeezing the juice into the bowl, and finally added a generous pour of fish sauce and other seasonings. After a few stirs with a wooden spoon, a tangy, spicy, and savory aroma wafted up, intoxicating Gu Zi.

    Su Bing, standing nearby, was also affected by the strong aroma. He pinched his nose, not doubting his mother¡¯s culinary skills, but wondering if the dish was really edible. It seemed to have a strong flavor.

    Seeing Su Bing¡¯s speechless expression, Gu Zi put down the sauce bowl and explained, ¡°The flavor is a bit strong now, but once we add the soup, it will become milder and taste just right.¡±

    Su Bing looked at the bowl of green sauce, finding it quite appetizing despite its strong flavor. He had never seen his mother fail in the kitchen, so he trusted her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really looking forward to this flavor. Let me help you.¡±

    At this moment, Su Li entered the kitchen. Hearing that he could help, he eagerly approached Gu Zi and offered, ¡°Mom, what can I help with? I can help too!¡±

    Gu Zi ruffled Su Li¡¯s hair, finding him quite clever. ¡°The ribs will be ready soon. Let¡¯s build the volcano together!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li became even more excited. ¡°Ah, can we build a volcano with ribs?¡± Su Bing remained silent, always the more composed of the two, but his eyes sparkled with interest.

    Gu Zi laughed, mimicking Su Li¡¯s excited tone. ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll arrange the ribs in the shape of a volcano, drizzle the sauce over them, and then pour the hot soup from the ribs on top. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll complete our volcano ribs!¡±

    Once the ribs were cooked, Gu Zi removed the lid from the pot and took out the ribs. She arranged them on a plate with Su Bing and Su Li, and the final presentation was quite impressive.

    As the sky outside gradually darkened, Su Bing carried the main dish out, while Gu Zi and Su Li were responsible for the other five dishes.

    Soon, all the dishes were served. The volcano ribs were placed in the center, with the other five dishes arranged around it. It was quite a sight. Su Shen led Hu Bing in, and everyone sat down for dinner. Hu Bing was somewhat taken aback. It seemed Gu Zi was indeed meticulous.

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    During dinner, Hu Bing learned his lesson and no longer thought about playing matchmaker for Hu Jie. Instead, he began to flatter Gu Zi. After tasting each dish, he commented, ¡°Sister-in-law, your cooking skills are amazing. I¡¯ve never tasted these dishes before. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to find them in the future.¡±

    Gu Zi replied gently, ¡°These are just everyday dishes. I learned them from a book. The main dish is volcano ribs, and I¡¯ve paired it with a few side dishes: lemongrass and lime chicken, sweet pineapple rice, mixed curry, tomato salad, and sweet and sour cucumber. Remember the names, it will be easier for you to find them in the future.¡±

    Su Li was eating heartily. He had no intention of interacting with this uncle, but he couldn¡¯t resist showing off. He said, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to taste such delicious dishes in the future. Even if you know the names, the ones made by others won¡¯t be as delicious as my mom¡¯s.¡±

    Hu Bing could only listen. Many people had never even heard of these dishes, let alone make them deliciously. The child was telling the truth.

    Anyway, Hu Bing now felt that Gu Zi was indeed capable. He decided that he must persuade Hu Jie when he returned, to reconsider her choice of a marriage partner.

 Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Setting Aside Prejudice

    Chapter 559: Setting Aside Prejudice

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing the uncle¡¯s expression, Su Li was extremely satisfied. He lowered his head to eat his meal, then picked up a piece of volcanic ribs and began to gnaw on it with great relish. The sour and spicy taste was incredibly delicious! He had never known that ribs could be eaten in such a way.

    Everyone else also fell silent, turning their attention to the main course. At this point, Gu Zi rose from her seat and headed to the kitchen. When she returned, she was carrying another plate of ribs, arranged to resemble a small volcano. Su Shen had just finished a drink with Hu Bing, and as he set down his glass, he reached out to take the plate from Gu Zi, intending to place it in the center of the table.

    Gu Zi sat down and stopped him with a gesture, whispering, ¡°This is for you. I made it with a non-spicy sauce. Try it quickly and eat more.¡±

    Without hesitation, Su Shen kept the plate of ribs in front of him. He held his breath, his heart pounding. She knew he couldn¡¯t handle spicy food, so she had specifically prepared it to suit his taste.

    It was then that Su Shen realized that the few dishes he had eaten earlier all had a slight spicy taste, which he could handle. She had prepared them according to his taste.

    As Su Shen ate the ribs, his throat became dry, and he momentarily forgot how to breathe.

    Su Li stared intently at the small portion of ribs, suddenly feeling that the ribs in his own hands were not as fragrant. He envied his father and wished he could try the non-spicy volcanic ribs.

    At the same time, Su Bing also glanced at the small portion of ribs, feeling even more supportive of his mother. His mother loved his father so much, and this was a good thing.

    That evening, Hu Bing found the dinner both novel and awkward. The novelty lay in the unique and delicious dishes on the table. Despite having traveled to many places, he had never encountered such delicacies before. Today, he felt as though his horizons had been broadened.

    His awkwardness stemmed from his foolish actions. Despite his rudeness, he was treated with good food and wine by the woman he had disrespected. The contrast made him feel ashamed, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

    Moreover, he had initially only noticed Su Shen¡¯s approval and protection of this woman, but he had failed to see the woman¡¯s meticulous care for Su Shen. She knew he didn¡¯t eat spicy food and had specifically prepared his favorite dishes. Who wouldn¡¯t protect such a person?

    Perhaps he had been too narrow-minded. Su Shen was no fool. If Gu Zi had been using any tricks, she might have been able to deceive him for a while, but not for long. Setting aside his prejudice, it seemed more like they were treating each other with genuine affection.

    The affectionate display between Su Shen and his wife made it clear to him that he should not stay for long.

    After eating some food and having his third drink with Su Shen, Hu Bing excused himself. Su Shen did not try to keep him, but accompanied him out, got into his car, and, fulfilling his duties as a host, drove him to the village entrance, chatting with him along the way.

    When Su Shen returned, Gu Zi and Su Li were talking in the courtyard. As soon as he entered, they stopped talking, as if they were discussing something secretive. Gu Zi went to him, ¡°Eat some more. You¡¯ve been drinking, and you still have to work the night shift later.¡±

    Su Shen went in with her and ate some more. Seeing his father eating, Su Li continued to eat as well, gnawing on a long rib that his father had given him. It was the non-spicy kind, with a sour and fragrant taste, and it was also very delicious.

    Gu Zi and Su Bing didn¡¯t eat anymore. They cleaned up the dishes and dealt with the aftermath.

    At night, after Su Shen had taken a bath, he came out and didn¡¯t see Gu Zi. Only Su Le, who had been coaxed to sleep, was lying quietly on the bed, already fast asleep. After changing his clothes, he still didn¡¯t see her return to the room, so he went out to look for her and finally found her in the small courtyard.

    She was wearing a loose long-sleeved nightgown, her hair casually draped over her back, the ends falling just where her pert buttocks began to curve.

    She was standing in front of the clay oven, fiddling with something. The air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat, assaulting his senses. Visually, her movements caused her hair to sway slightly, highlighting the gracefulness of her waist.

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    Even in her loose clothing, Gu Zi¡¯s figure exuded a sense of elegance and charm. Watching her, Su Shen¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly.

    He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. His voice was low and slightly hoarse, ¡°Making a late-night snack?¡±

    Gu Zi looked down and saw Su Shen¡¯s protruding wrist bone and his slender, well-proportioned fingers. Her breath hitched. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m making a late-night snack for you to take to the pig farm tonight. Look, it¡¯s a fragrant roast pigeon.¡±

    It was Aunt Zhang¡¯s words earlier that day that had reminded her. She couldn¡¯t take Su Shen¡¯s kindness for granted. She had decided then to make him a better late-night snack to show her gratitude.

    So when Su Shen went out to get the pork ribs, she had started roasting the pigeon. The slow-roasted pigeon, cooked with residual heat, had an extraordinary aroma. It was just right to eat now.

 Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Lust

    Chapter 560: Lust

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi spoke, she gently pulled away from his grasp, freeing one hand to retrieve the roast pigeon. Its golden-brown, glistening skin was tantalizingly appealing.

    Satisfied, Su Shen kissed her earlobe in gratitude. ¡°With you around, how could I ever go hungry? The volcano ribs you made today were incredibly delicious, not to mention the roast pigeon. You¡¯ve outdone yourself,¡± he praised.

    Gu Zi turned to look at him, ¡°Is that so? But why are you talking like our second child?¡± She teased, then turned away to hide her giggles. She found his imitation of their child endearing. She had always thought that he was only handsome when he was aloof, but now she realized that his occasional warmth was equally charming.

    She heard Su Shen ask, ¡°So, what were you and Su Li talking about when I came back?¡± He remembered returning home to find her and Su Li whispering conspiratorially. He had a hunch about what they were discussing ¨C their little glutton, Su Li, must have discovered the roast pigeon.

    Gu Zi gently tugged at his hand, signaling him to loosen his grip. He understood and relaxed his hold, still embracing her but not as tightly, allowing her to move more freely.

    She rewrapped the roast pigeon in foil and placed it in a paper bag. Her voice wavered slightly as she explained, ¡°Our little glutton smelled the aroma and wanted to eat it. I made up an excuse, saying it was specially made to replenish your energy because you¡¯ve been so tired.

    ¡°I told him that, and he didn¡¯t insist on eating it anymore. Our son is very sensible, isn¡¯t he?¡± Gu Zi¡¯s voice grew softer towards the end, betraying her guilt.

    Su Shen held Gu Zi close, her faint fragrance lingering in his nostrils. His deep-set eyes revealed a hint of helplessness. She had used such an excuse, and he was tempted to carry her upstairs to prove her wrong. Where did he need replenishing?

    Regrettably, he remembered that he was still in his punishment period and could only hold her without further action. When she finished speaking, he reassured her in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you know I don¡¯t need replenishing.¡±

    Gu Zi giggled, her face flushed with guilt. She had indeed lied. He was vigorous and robust; he didn¡¯t need any replenishing.

    Knowing she was in the wrong, she turned around, wrapped her arms around his waist, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him. ¡°If it bothers you, I won¡¯t say it again in the future.¡±

    Su Shen shook his head, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her slightly. Their lips drew closer again, their breaths mingling. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but the kiss was too light. I want more.¡± As his words fell, their lips met in an intimate kiss, their tongues entwining.

    He had always thought that she was more delicious than any roast pigeon. Now that he had the opportunity, he was not willing to let it end so easily.

    He playfully entwined her tongue, engaging her in a long, deep kiss. His breath and movements were aggressive, and she instinctively wanted to escape, but his fingers were tightly wrapped around her waist, preventing her from running away.

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    Under the moonlight, his handsome face was cast in a darker shadow. He kissed her passionately, his eyes filled with desire. He remembered their agreement about the punishment and refrained from going any further. He just held her and kissed her, seated her on his lap, leaned against the clay oven, and savored her mouth with his, his tongue teasing hers.

    As the kiss deepened, Gu Zi became increasingly flustered. His rough tongue invaded every corner of her mouth, sending tingles down her spine. The pleasure gradually spread to her lower body. She was wet and couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft moan. The sound was provocative and pleasing, encouraging him, and he was already aroused.

    But he continued to kiss her, suppressing his deeper desires. He had agreed to her punishment and would not break his promise. So he pressed his hardness against her, lifted her chin to let her catch her breath, and then initiated another round of kissing.

    Su Shen returned to reality, ended the kiss, and held her for a long while to recover.

    In matters between men and women, sometimes things are understood without words. Gu Zi knew he needed time to recover and allowed him to hold her. In fact, she also needed time to recover.

 Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Power Outage

    Chapter 561: Power Outage

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Moments before, Su Shen had released her from his embrace, leaving her in a state of euphoria that she had never anticipated. His kiss had been so passionate, so intense, that she found herself questioning if this was the same reserved, aloof man she had known.

    Had she not witnessed his transformation from an inexperienced kisser to a mature lover, she would have found it hard to believe that this man had not been sexually active before. His progress was astonishingly rapid.

    A gust of night wind swept through, dispersing the last remnants of their romantic encounter. Gu Zi handed him a paper bag and saw him out. By the time Su Shen arrived at the pig farm, two pigs had already been slaughtered.

    The boss had arrived late that night, a fact that did not go unnoticed. After exchanging greetings with Su Shen, one of the workers whispered something into Jin Long¡¯s ear. A knowing smile spread across their faces. They all understood why the boss had been late ¨C his wife had been taking good care of him, and it seemed to be working wonders.

    As Su Shen strode through the hall and pushed open the office door, Jin Long followed him in, grinning and gossiping, ¡°You¡¯ve been less enthusiastic about work lately, Brother Shen.¡±

    Su Shen ignored him, sitting down at his desk and reaching for his tools, ready to go out and conduct some tests. However, as he opened the drawer, the room plunged into darkness. Jin Long¡¯s voice echoed through the room, ¡°Who turned off the power? We¡¯re working here. If you¡¯re still sleepy, go home and sleep!¡±

    From outside, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, followed by a shout, ¡°Jin Long, the power didn¡¯t go out, it¡¯s a blackout!¡±

    The pig slaughter area was filled with a cacophony of noises ¨C the workers¡¯ discussions, the squeals of the pigs about to be slaughtered. But these pigs were lucky. With the power out, they wouldn¡¯t be killed tonight.

    However, this was a crisis for the pig farm. If they couldn¡¯t slaughter the pigs tonight, they wouldn¡¯t be able to supply the market the next day, which would result in significant losses. It was a case of one man¡¯s joy being another man¡¯s sorrow.

    Su Shen and Jin Long quickly went outside, where the workers informed them, ¡°We just checked outside. The whole village is without power. Our circuit breaker is fine, it¡¯s just a blackout.¡±

    This area, like other villages, had always had an unstable power supply. But ever since Su Shen had set up the pig farm in Daqing Village, the power supply in the area had become more stable. They hadn¡¯t had to worry about power outages for a long time. But why had there been a sudden blackout tonight?

    Jin Long was puzzled and slightly irritated. Su Shen, however, remained calm. He returned to his office, picked up his car keys, and walked out, carrying a paper bag in his left hand. He told Jin Long, ¡°Come with me to the city now. We¡¯ll go to the power supply bureau first thing in the morning. Everyone else can go home and sleep.¡±

    Jin Long slapped his forehead, ¡°Right, the most important thing now is to get the power back on!¡±

    The damage for tomorrow was inevitable, but as long as the power was restored, they could avoid further losses. Then they could slowly figure out the cause of the blackout. Su Shen was indeed a capable boss.

    As Su Shen walked out, Jin Long followed, pulling out his motion sickness pills from his pocket and popping one into his mouth like a candy. He muttered, ¡°Good thing I brought these. But compared to the losses caused by the blackout, throwing up is nothing. It¡¯s less painful.¡±

    Although he wasn¡¯t stingy, he was still saving up to get married. The losses were all hard-earned money. Even though he wasn¡¯t the boss of the pig farm, he still had a stake in it, and he was feeling the pinch.

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    Su Shen started the engine, and the car moved through the endless darkness, becoming the only source of light apart from the moon. The dazzling light stopped outside the Su family¡¯s house, where people were gathered, discussing the blackout.

    Aunt Zhang called out, ¡°Gu Zi is probably asleep. I¡¯ve been calling for a while, but there¡¯s no answer. You came back to check on her, Su Shen. You¡¯re so considerate. But that¡¯s how it should be. Gu Zi grew up in the city, she¡¯s probably never experienced a blackout before!¡±

    She had noticed the blackout and had immediately lit a kerosene lamp to find Gu Zi, fearing that she might be scared.

    Su Shen stood by the car, holding a flashlight, and said, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Zhang, for thinking of her. I¡¯ll go up and check on her, just to be sure.¡±

    Aunt Zhang held the kerosene lamp, its dim yellow light illuminating her face. Her simple smile was filled with the joy of seeing others happy. She said to Jin Long, who had gotten out of the car for some fresh air, ¡°No wonder Su Shen was able to find a good girl like Gu Zi. He¡¯s such a good man!¡±

 Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Protecting His Wife

    Chapter 562: Protecting His Wife

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long nodded, not denying the fact that Su Shen had indeed become an exemplary husband. He had never imagined that Su Shen could be so caring. Was it not just a power outage? Yet, Su Shen felt the need to rush home to check on his wife.

    Jin Long, a bachelor himself, couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy. However, he quickly turned the conversation around, boasting, ¡°Aunt Zhang, I must say, if I had a wife, I would be even more considerate than him!¡±

    Aunt Zhang lifted her kerosene lamp, craning her neck to get a better look at him. ¡°Well, I never really noticed before, but you¡¯re quite handsome, young man. I must say, that young lady who came from the city for Gu Zi¡¯s wedding was quite charming. But I heard from Gu Zi that she¡¯s from a high-ranking official¡¯s family. If you were to have a chance with her, you¡¯d be quite fortunate.¡±

    Upon hearing Aunt Zhang mention that girl, Jin Long¡¯s ears turned red. He rubbed his ears, trying to hide his embarrassment. ¡°Aunt Zhang, are you talking about Gong Xin, the daughter of Commander Gong from the city? She and I are good friends. What kind of person do you take me for, to have designs on a friend?¡±

    Jin Long¡¯s ears reddened again, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. When he mentioned the young lady, he even casually mentioned her family background. Aunt Zhang, being an old hand at reading people, could easily see Jin Long¡¯s shyness and care for Gong Xin. She didn¡¯t want to burst his bubble.

    Aunt Zhang shook her head, muttering to herself as she walked towards her home, ¡°Look at him, his ears are as red as a cooked shrimp. He thinks he¡¯s hiding it well, how amusing¡­¡±

    Jin Long watched Aunt Zhang¡¯s retreating figure, scratching his head in confusion. He thought he had concealed his feelings well, hadn¡¯t he?

    Inside the house, it was pitch black. Su Shen used a flashlight to navigate upstairs. He gently pushed open the master bedroom door. The room was quiet. On the bed, Gu Zi was sleeping soundly, her long hair spread out on the pillow. Her sleeping face was peaceful. Beside her was little Su Le, sleeping on his side facing his mother, his small hand clutching a lock of her hair. He seemed to be sleeping very peacefully.

    Only then did Su Shen feel relieved. It seemed they had fallen asleep before the power outage. He was glad she hadn¡¯t been frightened.

    Not wanting to wake her, Su Shen restrained himself from kissing her. Before leaving the room, he left the flashlight by Gu Zi¡¯s pillow.

    He thought, if she were to wake up and find the power out, at least she would have a source of light and wouldn¡¯t be left in the dark.

    Su Shen exited the room, moving steadily in the darkness. After closing the master bedroom door, he confidently descended the stairs, moving as if he could see clearly.

    For him, this was a piece of cake. He had been on missions in the past where the conditions were far worse, and not only had he managed, but he had also led his troops to safety. His superiors had often praised him as a wolf in the military.

    In the past, he would occasionally reminisce about those times, dangerous and thrilling, full of challenges. Each time, he faced a test of life and death, but he was never afraid. He felt alive during those times.

    Now, he no longer dwelled on those memories. He hoped for peaceful days ahead, content to live his life protecting his wife.

    Su Shen knew that the cause of the power outage was not as simple as it seemed.

    After getting into his car, he immediately set off for the city, instructing Jin Long, who was in the passenger seat, ¡°Tomorrow morning, you should call your family. Use the name of your family¡¯s restaurant to place an order with our competitor, the Rich Pig Farm. I will deal with the power supply bureau, and you handle the order.¡±

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    Jin Long was somewhat reluctant to agree. He hadn¡¯t been in contact with his family for a long time. He didn¡¯t quite understand Su Shen¡¯s plan. ¡°Su Shen, are you sure about this? The owner of the Rich Pig Farm wants to ruin us, and you want me to buy from them?¡±

    For a moment, he wondered if Su Shen had been softened by love and had become a saint. Su Shen gripped the steering wheel, his gaze intense. ¡°How can we catch a big fish without bait?¡±

    Jin Long was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood. ¡°You think the power outage tonight has something to do with the people from the Rich Pig Farm? But I feel like it¡¯s the people from Chen Village who are causing trouble.¡±

    He remembered that a few days ago, Su Shen had discussed with him that the people from Chen Village had been acting suspiciously, often causing trouble in an attempt to create problems for the pig farm. However, since Su Shen was well aware of their actions and had taken precautions, their attempts had all failed.

    Jin Long felt that if the power outage was due to human factors, it was very likely related to Chen Village.

 Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Despicable and Vile

    Chapter 563: Despicable and Vile

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen was driving, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk¡¯s, instantly dismissing Jin Long¡¯s speculation. ¡°We¡¯re not dealing with Chen Village this time,¡± he declared. ¡°Indeed, they¡¯ve been causing minor disturbances since our negotiations for cooperation fell through, hoping to pressure us into considering opening a branch factory there. But this incident, I assure you, is not their doing.¡±

    Jin Long knew that Su Shen was not one to make rash judgments. If he made a decision, it was always backed by solid reasoning.

    Curiosity piqued, Jin Long wondered why Su Shen was so certain that the old foxes of Chen Village were not behind this. ¡°Explain your reasoning to me,¡± he requested. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll find it hard to convince myself to reach out to them.¡± By ¡®them¡¯, he was referring to his family.

    Su Shen was aware of Jin Long¡¯s family situation. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn¡¯t ask Jin Long to leverage his family¡¯s resources.

    Su Shen had other resources at his disposal, but he felt that, after all, it was Jin Long¡¯s family. This incident could serve as an opportunity for Jin Long to establish some connections there.

    With a solemn expression, Su Shen explained, ¡°It¡¯s simple. First, they don¡¯t have the audacity. What they¡¯re doing is illegal and severe. Second, they¡¯re not that foolish. They wouldn¡¯t sabotage us and cut off their own village¡¯s power supply. This isn¡¯t a minor prank; it would infuriate us. They wouldn¡¯t overlook this.¡±

    Jin Long voiced his doubts, ¡°Could it be possible that they¡¯re desperate enough to implicate themselves, hoping we wouldn¡¯t suspect them? A cornered dog will jump over a wall, right?¡±

    Su Shen continued, ¡°They might be cornered, but not to this extent. Don¡¯t forget, the three villages were initially one entity. Many resources have always been shared, with a single village head managing all three. In this sense, Chen Village and us are part of the same community.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s explanation was so clear that Jin Long finally understood. Indeed, they wouldn¡¯t dare to cause such extensive damage, the consequences of which they couldn¡¯t bear. Moreover, their sabotage was always aimed at pressuring Su Shen into cooperation.

    Therefore, Chen Village¡¯s ultimate goal was to profit from the pig farm. They might cause minor disturbances to annoy the pig farm, but they wouldn¡¯t do anything that could cause significant damage. It wouldn¡¯t benefit them, and a power outage affecting all three villages would disrupt their lives too. The folks of Chen Village weren¡¯t that stupid.

    Having understood this, Jin Long knew what he had to do.

    The Rich Pig Farm and the Daqing Pig Farm were established around the same time. Both farms had similar geographical locations and development models. However, the Rich Pig Farm was in a different county, and its primary target market was the city of Guangcheng.

    Now, Su Shen¡¯s Daqing Pig Farm had become the leading pork supplier in Guangcheng, while the Rich Pig Farm was facing a significant crisis. Compared to the people of Chen Village, it was more reasonable to say that they were the cornered dogs. Moreover, they, as fellow pig farmers, would understand the impact of a power outage better. This move was indeed despicable, vile, and sinister.

    Given the urgency of the situation, Jin Long decided to return home and use his family¡¯s resources to handle this matter. It was the most efficient way. He rested his arm behind his head, leaning lazily against the car seat, and said to Su Shen, ¡°Leave this matter to me.¡±

    The next morning, Gu Zi woke up and stretched lazily before getting out of bed. She had slept well that night, especially after having a dream in which Su Shen had returned, slipped under the covers next to her, and held her in his arms as they fell asleep together.

    After that dream, her sleep was even more peaceful, and she slept soundly through the night.

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    She got ready to go downstairs, feeling a bit cold. She grabbed a leather jacket from the coat rack, which warmed her up considerably. The jacket was large, covering her thighs when she wore it. It had a faint, cool scent that was quite pleasant. It was Su Shen¡¯s jacket, and it fit her quite well. Now her legs weren¡¯t cold anymore.

    Just as she was about to leave her room, she remembered that she had left her watch on the bedside table. She wanted to wear it that day, so she went back to get it.

    She found a flashlight next to her pillow. It was Su Shen¡¯s; she recognized it. He had come back last night. ¡°But why did he leave the flashlight here? Did he forget to take it?¡±

    Gu Zi dismissed this guess in her mind. Su Shen was not a forgetful person; he wouldn¡¯t have forgotten to take it. The way it was left seemed more like he had intentionally left it for her to use. But why?

    As she was pondering this, she heard a commotion outside her window. She ran to the window and saw a group of people making a racket outside their house. She had no idea what was going on.

 Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Seeking Justice

    Chapter 564: Seeking Justice

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi observed the crowd, recognizing many faces from Chen Village. Their expressions were cold and sour, giving her an instinctive feeling that their presence spelled trouble. She quickly descended the stairs, the dawn barely breaking, the chill of the early morning not yet dissipated. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she sought to ward off the cold.

    Just as Gu Zi stepped into the courtyard, she hadn¡¯t even opened the gate when she was spotted by the crowd outside. Among them was the gossipy woman from Chen Village, a character Gu Zi had become acquainted with during a previous temple ceremony. The woman¡¯s reputation for stirring up trouble and her knack for manipulation had left a deep impression on Gu Zi.

    Previously, Gu Zi had asked Aunt Zhang to keep an eye on this woman. Aunt Zhang discovered that the gossipy woman was attempting to manipulate Su Jing in order to secure a partnership with Su Shen. The woman was relentless in her pursuit, but to her dismay, Su Jing had left Daqing Village before they could exploit her, leaving them frustrated.

    From Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi had also learned crucial information. The gossipy woman¡¯s husband was one of the key members of the cunning group from Chen Village. They were eager to strike a deal and skim off some profits from the pig farm. The gossipy woman, eager to earn merit with her husband, was left bitterly scolded when Su Jing left, causing her status at home to plummet.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, the woman shouted loudly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to her. It seemed as if she believed this confrontation could help her regain some ground. ¡°The Su family can¡¯t hide forever. Someone has finally come out. We must demand an explanation from her. Don¡¯t you all agree?¡±

    Several villagers from Chen Village echoed the woman¡¯s sentiment, their gazes fixed on Gu Zi with ill intent. Others simply watched, waiting to see what would unfold. Gu Zi, unsure of what explanation the woman sought, approached the gate to better understand the situation. At that moment, Aunt Zhang burst from the crowd, pointing accusingly at the gossipy woman and defending Gu Zi.

    ¡°You troublesome hag, always picking on others! What does the village¡¯s power outage have to do with the Su family? You¡¯re like a wild dog, always barking nonsense. You tried to sow discord between Su Jing and Gu Zi at the temple, and now you¡¯re blaming the power outage on the Su family. What other lies do you have up your sleeve? Now that everyone¡¯s here, why don¡¯t you spill them all at once? Let¡¯s see what kind of wild dog you really are!¡±

    Aunt Zhang¡¯s fierce defense seemed to deflate the gossipy woman¡¯s momentum, but she was merely feigning defeat. She turned to her fellow villagers and said, ¡°Look, they¡¯re even biting back. It¡¯s clear that the Su family is using their power to bully others. Their pig farm consumes so much electricity, and now our three villages are without power. We don¡¯t even know when we¡¯ll have electricity again.

    ¡°All we want is justice, and yet we¡¯re being scolded so harshly. Aunt Zhang, we¡¯ve heard from your fellow villagers that you often receive benefits from the Su family, so naturally, you¡¯d defend them. But we three villages are like brothers. How could you insult us like this?¡±

    Many nodded in agreement, feeling that Aunt Zhang was in the wrong. Even some from Daqing Village felt that Aunt Zhang¡¯s scolding was excessive.

    However, Gu Zi understood the situation clearly. Aunt Zhang was simply suffering for her straightforwardness. Such people often appeared unlikable, just like now. Aunt Zhang was so angry because she had been closely watching the gossipy woman and her group, aware of their true colors.

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    But the power outage in the village was news to Gu Zi. She stepped forward, standing beside Aunt Zhang, and asked in a calm voice, ¡°Aunt Zhang, what happened with the power?¡±

    Those outside the gate noticed the large yellow dog tied in the courtyard, pacing back and forth within its reach like a guard dog, as if warning them to behave or risk being bitten.

    Aunt Zhang, seeing Gu Zi had come out, finally lowered her hands from her hips and pulled Gu Zi aside. ¡°You just woke up, didn¡¯t you? Let me tell you, for some unknown reason, our three villages lost power last night. I came to find you but couldn¡¯t wake you. I even ran into Su Shen, who was worried about you. He came to check on you and even went inside your house. He left for the city afterward.¡±

    Listening to Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi finally understood the magnitude of the events that had transpired the previous night. She had rushed out earlier, still clutching the flashlight Su Shen had left for her. The warmth from the flashlight made her realize that he had indeed made a special trip back to leave it for her, probably fearing she would be scared if she woke up in the middle of the night.

    A warm feeling spread through Gu Zi¡¯s heart, causing a slight flutter. But on the surface, she maintained her calm demeanor and asked Aunt Zhang, ¡°Did he go to the city to deal with this issue?¡±

 Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Itâ€™s Obvious

    Chapter 565: It¡¯s Obvious

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhang nodded, responding loudly and without hesitation to Gu Zi. Her words were meant not only for Gu Zi but also for the bystanders. ¡°Yes, Jin Long has also gone to the city for the same reason, to ensure that everyone gets electricity as soon as possible. They rushed to the city overnight, intending to visit the power supply bureau. Unfortunately, the people from Chen Village started causing trouble this morning. They first went to the pig farm and now they have brought the commotion right to our doorstep.¡±

    Aunt Zhang¡¯s words were met with a disgruntled response from a loud-mouthed woman. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Think about it, among all the villages, whose electricity consumption could possibly be higher than that of the pig farm? It must be because the pig farm¡¯s consumption is too high, causing the transformer to fail and resulting in a power outage.

    ¡°We have never denied that Su Shen has made significant contributions to the development of this area. However, we must separate the issues. The pig farm is profitable, and the Su family, who benefits the most, uses the village¡¯s land, resources, and labor. Shouldn¡¯t they give back to the community? The Su family is now wealthy, so what¡¯s the harm in bearing this loss?¡±

    Aunt Zhang was so infuriated that she wanted to curse at the loud-mouthed woman, but Gu Zi stopped her. These people were deliberately trying to provoke Aunt Zhang and herself. Arguing with them was not the solution. Now that these people had brought the commotion to their doorstep, there was no need for her to hide and remain silent. The assumption that the power outage was caused by the highest electricity consumer was illogical and unreasonable, and she had to speak up.

    Her tone was neither light nor heavy, but it carried an inexplicable sense of authority. Perhaps it was due to her calm demeanor towards the situation, or perhaps it was because of her status as Mrs. Su. Either way, it compelled people to quiet down and listen to her. ¡°If you want to make things clear, then let me speak. I ask you all, did the pig farm just start operating this year? If so, I have nothing to say.

    ¡°But the pig farm has been operating for several years. How come it was fine before, but now suddenly, due to high electricity consumption, the village has lost power? Before the cause is determined, it¡¯s best not to jump to conclusions. I¡¯ll make it clear here. If it turns out that our pig farm is the cause, our Su family will take full responsibility for the loss.

    ¡°But if it¡¯s not, then the cost of repairs should be borne as it should be. The Su family is wealthy, but we, as a couple, like to keep things fair. We will contribute to the village when it¡¯s appropriate, but we are not willing to take on responsibilities that are not ours.¡±

    Aunt Zhang applauded and echoed, ¡°Exactly, this is emotional blackmail! You say that the pig farm has used the village¡¯s resources and labor, but why don¡¯t you also mention how much employment the pig farm has provided for our village, and how much development and opportunity it has brought to this area?

    ¡°We understand that the power outage has disrupted your lives and caused you trouble. You want someone to blame and pay for the repairs. But do you remember the frequent power outages in the village before Su Shen started the pig farm?¡±

    The loud-mouthed woman from Chen Village and others felt somewhat guilty. Some things were clear even if left unsaid, but they still found excuses to argue, determined to pin the blame on the Su family.

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    A man stepped forward and said, ¡°Mrs. Su, you are educated, insightful, and eloquent. You speak well and know how to win people over. We can¡¯t argue with you. You also have many people to speak for you. However, in our view, there¡¯s no way to determine the cause.

    ¡°We are all honest people who have been farming for generations. Even if you openly say that you want to shirk responsibility, we have no way to counter it.

    ¡°The principle is correct. Su Shen has indeed made great contributions, but with great power comes great responsibility. The Su family has made a lot of money, largely thanks to this land. When something happens, they want to shirk responsibility and step back. This is not what the strong do.¡±

    As soon as the man started speaking, the loud-mouthed woman chimed in again, and the others from Chen Village also joined in. Aunt Zhang did not back down, and the people from Daqing Village and Chen Village also expressed their views. The scene was chaotic, like a group quarrel, leaving Big Yellow, the dog in the yard, completely bewildered. His eyes were dazed, and he began to bark.

    At this point, Village Chief Su Ming hurried over. The commotion caused by these people was too great. Even though he was busy discussing the power outage with the village secretary, he had to put that aside and come over to maintain order.

 Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: How Despicable

    Chapter 566: How Despicable

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Ming watched the crowd with a growing sense of irritation. Standing at the back of the crowd, he bellowed, ¡°Have you all eaten so much that you have nothing better to do? What are you arguing about? What are you causing a ruckus for? Why have you come to the Su family¡¯s doorstep? What are you planning to do? Have you no shame?¡±

    His words had an immediate effect. The clamoring villagers gradually fell silent, their gazes turning towards Su Ming. As he walked to the center of the discussion, where Gu Zi was standing, the crowd watched him intently.

    In the midst of the earlier chaos, Gu Zi had remained remarkably calm. She watched the argument unfold, seemingly unaffected, as if she was waiting for the dispute to end before she would speak.

    Su Ming¡¯s words were clear to everyone present. In the past, the three villages had been filled with people who were hungry and cold, with not enough food or warm clothing at home. Out of pride, and to lessen the burden of feeding another mouth, some had watched their elderly family members starve or freeze to death. The memory of such poverty was a bitter one.

    Su Shen was the one who had led everyone to change this situation. After he established the pig farm, the villagers¡¯ lives improved, and they became more affluent. Although the greatest benefits were reaped by Daqing Village, where Su Shen lived, the conditions in Chen Village and Little Lin Village also improved significantly. These changes were something that other villages of the same level could not achieve, no matter how hard they tried.

    The older generation always said, ¡°When drinking water, remember the one who dug the well.¡± But the people of Chen Village were different. They saw Su Shen dig a well of prosperity, but instead of being grateful, they wanted to gain more benefits. They even repaid kindness with ingratitude, slandering the pig farm and the Su family at every opportunity. Su Shen was busy dealing with the village¡¯s power outage, and they took advantage of his absence to bully his wife at home. It was despicable!

    As the shared village chief of the three villages, Su Ming had to stand up and uphold justice. This was also the intention of the village secretary, who had asked him to come. He could not let the troublemakers from Chen Village bully Su Shen¡¯s wife, nor could he let Su Shen, who had contributed so much, become disheartened.

    ¡°The power outage is clearly caused by the high power consumption of the pig farm. Do you really think we villagers are easy to fool? We may not be well-educated, but we are not stupid. The village chief shares the same surname with Su Shen. We were one family five hundred years ago, so of course we will speak for the Su family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think Da Zui is right. Whoever caused the damage should pay for the repairs. The cost of restoring power should be borne by Su Shen. We can¡¯t possibly expect every household in our three villages to contribute. The Su family alone can afford it. This amount of money is just a drop in the bucket for them.¡±

    Su Ming heard the people of Chen Village whispering among themselves. A surge of anger rose in his heart, but as the village head, he had to maintain his composure. So, he spoke with a stern face, ¡°We must speak based on facts. Before the cause of the power outage is determined, whoever pushes the responsibility onto others will bear a significant part of the repair costs.

    ¡°Furthermore, I must tell you that the power supply bureau¡¯s people came early this morning. I believe the power will be restored in five or six days. Light up the kerosene lamps, burn the firewood, and it will pass quickly. If it weren¡¯t for Su Shen¡¯s timely action, we, being in such a remote place, would have to wait at least ten days to half a month for the power supply bureau to send someone.¡±

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    Su Ming¡¯s words finally quieted the people of Chen Village. As the situation gradually stabilized, Gu Zi wanted to say something. Su Ming noticed this and asked her, ¡°Gu Zi, do you have anything to say to everyone? Feel free to speak. I am here too, and I can bear witness today.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded with a dignified smile, ¡°Thank you, village head. I do have something to say. Just now, a fellow villager from Chen Village said that the cause of the power outage cannot be found. In response to this, I want to say that of course it can be found. Su Shen went into the city overnight and will surely bring back a clear and reliable answer.¡±

    Gu Zi believed that Su Shen¡¯s rush to the city was not only to restore power as soon as possible, reducing the losses of the pig farm and facilitating the villagers¡¯ lives, but also because he had a plan in mind.

    She would wait for his return. However, before that, if these people wanted to slander the pig farm and make the Su family take the blame for no reason, morally kidnapping her husband, she would not allow it.

    She continued, ¡°Also, if you insist that the Su family should take responsibility, that¡¯s not impossible. When he returns, if it turns out that the power outage in the village was indeed caused by the high power consumption of the pig farm, then I will apologize to the people of the three villages. As Su Shen¡¯s wife, I will go door to door to apologize.¡±

 Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: The Human Heart

    Chapter 567: The Human Heart

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°And we might consider relocating the pig farm to another village,¡± Gu Zi said, her voice carrying a weight of seriousness. ¡°It¡¯s not out of the question. After all, if the pig farm has indeed caused so much trouble for our fellow villagers, we would feel remorseful.

    ¡°I also believe that for Su Shen, this wouldn¡¯t pose much of a challenge. The reason he hasn¡¯t acted yet is because he believes the villages still need him. However, it seems some of you have already decided to burn bridges, blaming the entire issue on our Su family. When Su Shen finds out, he won¡¯t be able to stomach this.¡±

    Upon hearing the possibility of Su Shen considering moving the pig farm elsewhere, the villagers were taken aback. Some of them, in their urgency, didn¡¯t hesitate to step forward, quickly explaining to the speaker, ¡°Little Su¡¯s wife, you¡¯re taking this too seriously. We came here today, not to side with the ungrateful folks from Chen Village.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± another villager chimed in. ¡°The pig farm is doing well here. It would be a shame to suddenly move it elsewhere. The piglets would have a hard time adjusting. Don¡¯t listen to the nonsense from those scoundrels in Chen Village. They¡¯re full of bad ideas, especially that big-mouthed couple, always causing trouble and being greedy. We still don¡¯t know the real reason for the power outage, and we certainly don¡¯t believe their words.¡±

    Aunt Zhang, observing the reticent villagers finally speaking up, bluntly commented, ¡°Where were you earlier? If you had spoken up like this before, would the village chief have needed to make this trip?¡±

    These villagers had their own calculations. After all, the cost of repairing the power outage was not small. If the cost was shared among all households, each would have to contribute a significant amount.

    Regardless of which village they were from, their first reaction was undoubtedly reluctance to part with their money. If the people of Chen Village could shift the blame onto the Su family, making them bear the cost, their own pockets would be spared. They probably thought that since the Su family was wealthy, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for them to spend a little money.

    Aunt Zhang felt a surge of disgust at the fickleness of human nature.

    The villagers who had spoken earlier blushed, embarrassed, and lowered their heads. Village Chief Su Ming was visibly angry, glaring at the people from Chen Village.

    If Su Shen were to move the pig farm elsewhere, wouldn¡¯t all the ongoing development here come to a halt? ¡°You must immediately apologize to Su Shen¡¯s wife for your foolish remarks!¡± he demanded.

    The people of Chen Village dared not confront Gu Zi any longer, their faces showing their discomfort. They were caught between a rock and a hard place.

    They all knew very well what the three villages were like before Su Shen started the pig farm. The farm had brought rapid development and increasingly better days for the villagers. Everything was looking up.

    If the Daqing Pig Farm were to move, Su Shen certainly had the capability to do so, and it would likely be easy for him. However, the consequences of such a move would be unbearable for the village officials and villagers of the three villages.

    Even the most selfish people in Chen Village understood this. Some of them stepped forward to mediate, ¡°Village Chief, Little Su¡¯s wife, we were just speaking out of desperation. We jumped to conclusions. The real reason should indeed be determined after a thorough investigation.¡±

    The big-mouthed woman from Chen Village was pushed forward to apologize. It was clear she was reluctant, but she dared not refuse. After all, this woman was Su Shen¡¯s wife, and her husband was a capable man. She deserved to be respected.

    ¡°Su Shen¡¯s wife, I¡¯m sorry if today¡¯s events upset you,¡± she said, her words dripping with sarcasm. Anyone with half a brain could tell she wasn¡¯t sincere. But the speaker, Gu Zi, didn¡¯t care for her apology. Whether it was sincere or not, she didn¡¯t give a damn.

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    She revealed a gentle smile and calmly said, ¡°Village Chief, I don¡¯t think an apology is necessary. What use is it? I have a request, or rather, a proposal.

    ¡°If it¡¯s proven that the power outage wasn¡¯t caused by the pig farm, then these troublemakers from Chen Village should pay per capita during the fundraising. If others pay five yuan per household, they should pay five yuan per person.

    ¡°On the contrary, if it indeed turns out to be a problem with the pig farm, our Su family will not only cover all the repair costs but also gift each household in the village twenty jin of pork for the New Year. Moreover, from then on, the villagers¡¯ electricity bills will be borne by our Su family.¡±

    As soon as Gu Zi finished speaking, the people of Chen Village became unsettled. ¡°This isn¡¯t a proposal, it¡¯s a bet! How can this be allowed? Village Chief, you¡¯re the most impartial one here. You can¡¯t let this woman have her way, can you?¡±

    The villagers turned their eyes to Su Ming. Su Ming¡¯s expression was serious, and he didn¡¯t make a statement prematurely, but he had already made up his mind.

 Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Criticism

    Chapter 568: Criticism

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Once the voices opposing Gu Zi¡¯s proposal had subsided, Su Ming stood up. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, hands on his hips, he spoke without hesitation, ¡°Enough! Where has anyone acted recklessly? I find this proposal fair. After all, when you were slinging mud at the pig farm, weren¡¯t you also acting recklessly? Otherwise, why would you be here?¡±

    Su Ming¡¯s stern expression silenced the crowd for a moment. He then turned to Gu Zi and said, ¡°Little Su¡¯s wife, I think your proposal is reasonable. When the investigation results come out, we will proceed as you suggested. I¡¯m not afraid to speak plainly today; this matter must be settled.

    ¡°You all should have a clear understanding of how much electricity each household pays annually, and how much the Su family pays. You know very well that you¡¯ve been taking advantage of the pig farm, letting Su Shen bear the brunt of the costs.

    ¡°In the three villages, each household pays much less for electricity than they actually use. Yet, you still come here to make a fuss. Have you lost all your conscience, behaving so inhumanely?¡±

    Su Ming¡¯s words were clear and sharp. Although he didn¡¯t directly accuse anyone of lacking conscience, everyone understood his implication. The last few sentences were directed at the people from Chen Village. Seeing the village head defending the Su family, and fearing Gu Zi¡¯s suggestion of relocating the factory, they all stood up, accusing the people from Chen Village without mincing words.

    Some hot-blooded young men even clenched their fists, wishing they could punch those few people away.

    The people from Chen Village were indeed despicable. Not to mention the electricity bills, even the discounts Su Shen had given to the villagers over the years were enough to earn the gratitude of the three villages.

    If Su Shen really became disheartened this time and chose to move the factory, wouldn¡¯t the three villages revert to their original state?

    In this day and age, relying solely on farming for a living would lead to starvation. The people from Chen Village were truly heartless, trying to bring everyone down with them!

    The crowd¡¯s emotions escalated, and they surrounded the few people from Chen Village, led by Da Zui, shouting and cursing at them. The insults were so harsh that even Big Yellow, the dog, shook its head, drooping its ears in an attempt to block out the noise.

    The few people from Chen Village were outnumbered. Their faces turned red, and they hung their heads, feeling as if they were at a public criticism meeting. The feeling was unbearable, and they were terrified, fearing that the crowd might resort to violence.

    Especially Da Zui, who was so frightened that tears streamed down her face. Her large face was a mess of snot and tears, a pitiful sight.

    She was genuinely scared now, having incurred the wrath of the crowd. She hurriedly bowed to the angry crowd and apologized to Gu Zi, ¡°Please let me see Gu Zi again. I know I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have spoken nonsense. I will apologize to her in person.¡±

    ¡°Phooey! What¡¯s the use of seeing her and apologizing? I think Gu Zi is right. You should pay more. Only then will you learn your lesson. You love being ungrateful, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I think we should discuss this with the elders of Chen Village and drive these inhuman people out of the village. They are tarnishing our reputation. Get out of Chen Village!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, especially the Da Zui couple, with their malicious hearts and rotten guts. I haven¡¯t seen Da Zui¡¯s husband today, but if I did, I would give him a piece of my mind. In terms of seniority, I am his second uncle. I should really teach this nephew a lesson¡­¡±

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    Everyone had something to say, and if each person spat once, they could drown the few people in the middle. Their faces turned pale, and their mouths were full of apologies. They were on the verge of kneeling down.

    Gu Zi ignored the criticism on the side. She wouldn¡¯t repay evil with kindness. The people from Chen Village needed a lesson. They wanted the Su family to take the blame for the power outage, but in the end, they became the despised ones. They deserved it.

    Su Ming said to Gu Zi, ¡°Su Shen called. He will be back in the village tonight. We need to hold a village meeting. I told Li Zhu to come and pick you up with the ox cart in the evening.¡±

    Upon hearing the news about Su Shen, a smile finally appeared on Gu Zi¡¯s face. ¡°Alright, I will be there on time. Thank you, village head, for today. I will tell Su Shen everything.¡±

    Hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Su Ming showed a kind and joyful smile. ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? Didn¡¯t you hear what they said just now? Su Shen and I share the same surname, Su. Five hundred years ago, we were from the same family! Alright, alright, stop cursing at these people. At six o¡¯clock this afternoon, each family should send a representative to the village office. We are going to have a meeting.¡±

 Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Retort Loudly

    Chapter 569: Retort Loudly

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°We live in a civilized society,¡± he declared, his voice echoing through the crowd. ¡°Disperse, everyone. It¡¯s not good to stand around as if you¡¯re about to start a brawl. The village will handle this matter according to everyone¡¯s suggestions, and the few from Chen Village will pay per head.¡±

    ¡°However, let me make this clear once again,¡± he continued, his tone stern. ¡°If anyone dares to slander the Su family again, trying to drive away our great benefactor, the consequences will not be as lenient as they are now.¡±

    Under Su Ming¡¯s orders, the crowd slowly began to disperse, no longer pursuing the few individuals. After the crowd had dispersed, Gu Zi and the others had a brief chat with Aunt Zhang before entering the house. As soon as they stepped inside, they bumped into the two brothers who had just come down from upstairs.

    Su Bing ran down the stairs and looked at his mother, asking, ¡°Mom, what just happened? Why were those people here?¡±

    He had been feeling unwell the night before, and after taking the medicine his mother gave him, he had slept soundly through the night. He had woken up late this morning and saw a crowd of people at the door from his window. They were dispersing noisily, as if something significant had happened, and it was undoubtedly related to their family, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have gathered at the Su family¡¯s doorstep.

    Su Li, still half-asleep, followed behind. He had been shaken awake and dragged out of bed by his brother. He complained to his mother, ¡°Mom, my brother is becoming more and more brutal. He just shook me so hard that I thought my brain was going to fall out. Uh, what just happened?¡± Only then did he realize that he had heard some noise outside while he was half-asleep.

    Gu Zi led them to the dining room, ¡°You guys go ahead and drink some milk powder first. I¡¯ll prepare breakfast for you. We¡¯ll have steamed dumplings, it¡¯s more convenient. The village had a power outage last night, and your father and Uncle Jin Long have already gone to the city. The power company¡¯s people are coming to repair it, and it will be fixed soon. We¡¯ll have to use candles for lighting these few days.

    ¡°Remember to extinguish the candles before you go to bed at night. After school today, each of you should buy a flashlight from the supermarket near the school. I¡¯ll give you the money later.

    ¡°The people who came just now were looking for trouble. They wanted the Su family to bear the cost of repairing the electrical circuit. There might be some gossip at school, but you don¡¯t need to pay attention to it.

    ¡°However, if anyone continues to slander the Su family and spread rumors outside, you don¡¯t need to be afraid. Walk with your back straight, retort loudly, and show the spirit of the Su family, understand?¡±

    News in the village spread quickly. There were quite a few children from several villages who went to the same school as Su Bing, some of whom were even classmates. After hearing about these events from their families, they would inevitably continue the discussion at school. Gu Zi¡¯s request to the two brothers was to bravely face this situation.

    If Su Shen did not plan to retire, the Su family would be considered a military family and should have its own dignity. But even if Su Shen decided to retire and not use his military status, he was still a person who had made outstanding contributions to the region. How could his family not stand tall and have their own spirit? This matter must be handled carefully.

    Su Bing listened carefully and took everything to heart. After drinking his milk in a few gulps, he went to the kitchen to help.

    Su Li, usually a simple and honest boy, also became serious when discussing such matters. He patted his chest and said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not afraid at all. If I hear anyone continue to slander our family, I will stand at the highest place and loudly retort!¡±

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    Gu Zi put the dumplings in the steamer, her mood improving significantly. ¡°That¡¯s right, stand at the highest place and tell them that we, the Su family, are not to be bullied. Your father is a man of few words, so as his family, we must speak for him. He has prospered and never forgotten to give back to his hometown. His influence in this area is clear, and we should all be proud of him.¡±

    Thinking back to the incident earlier, Gu Zi felt angry, but she also saw it as a good thing. Su Shen was a cold person who didn¡¯t care about such things. He didn¡¯t care whether people spoke well or ill of him.

    In the past, no one in the family had spoken up for Su Shen, but today, she had said everything that needed to be said. In the future, if anyone wanted to slander the Su family and take advantage, they would have to think twice.

    After breakfast, Su Bing and Su Li rode their bikes to school. Along the way, some villagers greeted them, but unlike before, the brothers did not respond politely. They chatted with each other as if they hadn¡¯t seen the villagers, and rode away side by side.

    After hearing their mother talk about the morning¡¯s events, they realized that not a single villager had spoken up for their mother. They decided then and there that they needed to show some attitude.

 Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: The Transformer Is Missing

    Chapter 570: The Transformer Is Missing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The villagers of Chen Village had been taking advantage of the situation, showing no support or standing up for justice when it mattered most. Only when their interests were at stake did they jump into action. Their warm greetings on ordinary days seemed meaningless now, making the protagonist question the value of their relationships.

    After their departure, the villagers who had previously greeted them began to discuss the matter.

    ¡°The two children must have seen it all,¡± one of them started. ¡°Several people from Chen village were causing trouble. The man of the Su family was absent, leaving only Gu Zi, a woman, to deal with them. Despite the presence of many villagers, only Aunt Zhang spoke up in defense. We were wrong in this situation. I guess the Su family must be truly disheartened now!¡±

    ¡°You guys are really heartless,¡± another villager retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t include me in your statements. I wasn¡¯t there. If I had been, I would have dealt with those ruffians from Chen Village. How can they bully people like this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just talking big,¡± a third villager chimed in. ¡°When you found out that Su Shen¡¯s wife¡¯s family had opened a shop in town, your wife was the most envious. She went around accusing the Su family of being habitual speculators. It hasn¡¯t been that long, have you forgotten already?¡± The group dispersed after their heated discussion, each heading back to their own fields with their hoes in hand.

    In Guangcheng, the transition between the four seasons was not very noticeable. Even in the depths of winter, the farmers¡¯ fields were filled with various vegetables, presenting a lush green landscape.

    After sending her two sons off to school, Gu Zi went upstairs to read. After about half an hour, she stood up to stretch and looked out the window. The countryside scenery was beautiful, with many people working in the vegetable fields, wielding their hoes to uproot the weeds.

    Suddenly, Gu Zi remembered that many purslanes were growing in the vegetable fields. Purslane was a type of herb and could also be considered a wild vegetable. It could be used in cold dishes, stir-fries, or porridge. It had a sour and slippery taste, which Gu Zi found quite appealing. Moreover, her little daughter, Su Le, had been suffering from constipation recently. Eating some purslane might help alleviate her condition.

    Gu Zi was a woman of action. She put the unpleasant events of the morning behind her. After Su Le woke up, she changed into casual clothes, grabbed a small basket, and took Su Le to Aunt Zhang¡¯s vegetable field.

    When they arrived, Aunt Zhang was weeding her field. A pile of purslane that had been cleared as weeds was stacked by the field.

    Gu Zi asked Aunt Zhang directly, ¡°Aunt Zhang, can I pick some purslane from your field? I want to take it home and stir-fry it.¡±

    Aunt Zhang replied, ¡°Go ahead. This stuff grows abundantly in the field every year. My Shi Tou also likes to eat it, but eating too much isn¡¯t good either. Most of the time, we just pull it out and throw it away as weeds. Gu Zi, I heard some updates about the power outage in the village. They¡¯ve found out the reason.¡±

    Gu Zi put Su Le down, and Su Le was immediately attracted by a butterfly. She followed the butterfly around the field, while Gu Zi kept an eye on her and bent down to pick the purslane. She didn¡¯t need much, half a basket would be enough.

    Upon hearing that the cause of the power outage had been found, Gu Zi focused her attention on Aunt Zhang¡¯s words. Aunt Zhang continued, ¡°The people from the city power supply bureau came and found the problem right away. It turns out that the transformer for our three villages is missing. It must have been stolen. They said the method was quite professional. I find it strange, what use could they have for a stolen transformer?¡±

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    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know much about electrical work, but she knew that transformers were quite valuable. Before she transmigrated, she had lived in a village where the transformer had been stolen twice. It was said that it could be sold for tens of thousands of yuan, with the valuable part being the copper wire inside the transformer.

    After picking enough purslane, Gu Zi stood up and said to Aunt Zhang, ¡°They probably stole it to sell for money. Aunt Zhang, I¡¯ll go home first. There¡¯s a meeting at the village office tonight. You¡¯re going, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. You go ahead. But I never thought that a transformer could be sold for money¡­¡± Gu Zi carried Su Le and took her basket of vegetables home, while Aunt Zhang¡¯s voice gradually faded away.

    When Gu Zi got home, she divided the purslane into two parts. She used a small portion for a cold dish at lunch, which she and Su Le enjoyed. She saved the rest for dinner so that the whole family could have some.

    Purslane was quite effective in treating constipation. Before they set off for the village office in the ox cart in the evening, the little girl had a satisfying bowel movement. Gu Zi was relieved, and the little girl was all smiles, proving that having a good bowel movement was indeed very important.

 Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Villagersâ€™ Meeting

    Chapter 571: Villagers¡¯ Meeting

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the twilight hours, the time for the village meeting had arrived. Representatives from each household were dispatched, including Gu Zi, who arrived in Li Zhu¡¯s ox cart. As she alighted from the cart, a throng of villagers swarmed around her. There were people from all three villages, but the majority hailed from Daqing Village. Some offered her eggs, others gifted her fresh vegetables, and a few even offered to hold her child, all while engaging her in conversation.

    The events of the morning had left the villagers feeling guilty and, of course, fearful that Su Shen might actually move his factory. Thus, many rushed to make amends.

    Gu Zi, no longer maintaining a stern facade, greeted them with a smile. She had made her stance clear, showing them that the Su family was not to be taken advantage of. There was no need to continually present a cold face to the villagers.

    Her tone was gentle, her words soothing. ¡°Lele is a bit shy, I¡¯ll hold her. And we have plenty at home, so please keep these gifts for yourselves. Let¡¯s forget any unpleasantness. Even siblings quarrel at times. In the end, you all gave justice to the Su family. Let¡¯s turn the page on this matter.¡±

    As Gu Zi¡¯s words fell, a chorus of praise echoed across the village square. ¡°Little Su¡¯s wife is as beautiful as she is kind-hearted, just like Little Su. They are both wonderful people. Those guys from Chen Village are simply despicable! But the village head arranged additional punishment for them, making them clean the pigsty in Chen Village¡¯s commune for a month. That¡¯s satisfying!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what they deserve! Our Little Su¡¯s wife is so magnanimous, she didn¡¯t hold any grudges against us. But let me make this clear today, anyone who dares to speak ill of the Su family or bully them, will be against our entire Daqing Village. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely! We¡¯ve already wronged them. If we do it again, we¡¯ll truly break the Su family¡¯s heart. Wouldn¡¯t that be like signing our own death warrant? We can¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    Upon hearing about the pigsty punishment, Gu Zi felt as if a beam of light had pierced her heart, lifting her spirits. She was quite satisfied with this punishment.

    As the village head emerged from his office, the clamor on the square gradually subsided. He nodded at Gu Zi as he passed by, then ascended the podium and cleared his throat to begin his speech.

    ¡°As you all know, our village lost power due to the theft of the transformer. Because of some people¡¯s ulterior motives, a significant misunderstanding occurred, causing inconvenience to the Su family. On behalf of the village committee, I apologize to Miss Gu Zi. I hope that all the villagers present here today will adopt a positive attitude and treat the Su family with gratitude.

    ¡°When I received a call from Su Shen, I informed him of the reason for the power outage. He told me that he had other matters to attend to and couldn¡¯t return to the village as planned. However, this does not hinder our village meeting.

    ¡°We now know that the power outage was caused by the theft of the transformer. Su Shen has arranged for someone to repair it. Out of respect for Su Shen, the repairman is temporarily staying at a hotel in town, waiting to fix our power lines.

    ¡°So, we need to raise money quickly to buy a new transformer and pay for the repair costs. This is a significant expense. The main purpose of today¡¯s meeting is to raise funds¡­¡±

    As Su Ming spoke, murmurs began to rise from the crowd. Generally, there were voices resistant to contributing money, but no one was blaming Su Shen anymore, nor suggesting that the wealthy Su family should foot the bill.

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    The village meeting lasted nearly an hour. Most of the audible voices on the square were those unwilling to contribute money, pleading poverty to the village head. Gu Zi watched without commenting. The negotiation of funds was the responsibility of the village committee members, and she didn¡¯t feel the need to interject.

    She was waiting, planning to contribute her share before heading home to avoid making another trip.

    She wasn¡¯t worried about returning home late. The two boys had keys and were old enough to ask passersby about her whereabouts.

    Moreover, Gu Zi found Su Ming¡¯s handling of the situation quite satisfactory. The village head was a man of firm resolve, adept at dealing with those who made excuses to avoid paying.

    In the end, he told everyone, ¡°To restore power as soon as possible, we need to collect the money quickly. Those who have enough money on them should pay today, and the rest should pay by tomorrow noon at the latest. Each household needs to contribute six yuan. Those from Chen Village who were fined per person have already paid up. Are you saying you can¡¯t even match them?¡±

 Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: A Business War

    Chapter 572: A Business War

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°As for those who make excuses when asked to contribute, do as you please,¡± the village chief declared sternly. ¡°But let me make this clear: anyone who fails to pay this time will have their electricity cut off by the electrician. If you can¡¯t afford to pay, you don¡¯t use electricity. We will abide by this rule without exception.¡±

    Faced with the chief¡¯s uncompromising stance, the villagers eventually acquiesced. Those who were supposed to pay did so, and everyone returned to their homes. Remarkably, even those who initially claimed they couldn¡¯t afford to pay managed to do so by the end of the day.

    Those who genuinely couldn¡¯t afford to pay quietly borrowed from their more affluent relatives and friends, ensuring their dues were paid on time. After paying on behalf of the Su family, Gu Zi climbed back onto the ox cart and returned home with Li Zhu.

    Meanwhile, at the city police station, Captain He¡¯s handsome face was marred by dark circles under his eyes, his normally vigorous demeanor tinged with an unmistakable weariness.

    It was the end of the year, and he had just led his team in a surge of productivity, solving a major case. After three days and nights of intense work and receiving commendations, he was once again roped in by Su Shen to work overtime on a case involving the theft of a transformer in the village.

    However, this case didn¡¯t require any investigation, as the complainant, Su Shen, had already gathered crucial evidence. All Captain He needed to do was to arrest the suspect.

    Before setting off, he approached Su Shen¡¯s car, massaging his temples and frowning. ¡°Brother Shen, why does this case have to be handled by me? It feels like all my work this year has been monopolized by your family.¡±

    There were other officers at the city police station capable of handling cases, and typically, whoever received the case would handle it. Only in particularly significant cases would the station assign specific personnel. The theft of the transformer was not a minor case, but it wasn¡¯t major either. It didn¡¯t warrant the assignment of a specific officer, but Su Shen¡¯s involvement granted him the privilege of choosing the officer.

    Captain He was aware that his father was keen to curry favor with Su Shen. Because of his father¡¯s connection, he had no choice but to accept the case. His current complaints were merely venting, and he would still carry out his duty, aiming to do so impeccably.

    Sometimes, he genuinely felt that his father would prefer a son like Su Shen.

    Su Shen, who was usually stern, unconsciously tightened his lips and said, ¡°It has to be you. Among all the officers at the station, you¡¯re the only one who dares to take action. The suspect is an employee of the Rich Pig Farm, and it¡¯s likely that the farm¡¯s owner, Zhang Ke, will be implicated.¡±

    Upon hearing this name, Captain He understood why he was the only one capable of handling the case. Zhang Ke was known for his ability to forge relationships and connections.

    He had private dealings with many city leaders and was closely connected to them. This was why, despite the Rich Pig Farm¡¯s inferior management and revenue compared to the Daqing Pig Farm, it remained standing.

    Captain He took a deep breath. ¡°So, the essence of this case is a commercial battle! It indeed requires my involvement. I¡¯ll be on my way, wait for my good news.¡±

    As a member of the He family, Captain He firmly believed in his father¡¯s principle of being an honest and upright official who did not seek personal gain. The He family despised collusion between officials and businessmen and was not afraid to offend these interest groups.

    If initially, Captain He had to take on this case due to his connection with Su Shen, now he willingly accepted it. Su Shen told Captain He, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m not making things difficult for you.¡±

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    If Captain He had refused to take on this hot potato case after understanding the situation, Su Shen wouldn¡¯t have forced him. After all, he had more than one way to solve a problem.

    Su Shen left the police station first, heading straight home. By the time he arrived, it was already nine in the evening. Gu Zi was waiting for him in the courtyard. She said, ¡°The children and I have been waiting for you to have dinner together. I knew you would come back. Today, I got some purslane. We had it cold at lunch, and for dinner, it¡¯s stir-fried¡­¡±

    Her voice was gentle, like a breeze brushing past his ear, coaxing a faint smile onto the stern man¡¯s face.

    At that moment, he forgot about the recent troubles at work and the ongoing battle he was fighting. He was no longer preoccupied with the ruthless struggles of the business world. All he remembered was that he was the husband of the woman before him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait again,¡± he apologized.

    Gu Zi took Su Shen¡¯s hand and they walked into the house together. She glanced at Su Shen, her sweet smile appearing as she teased, ¡°What are you apologizing for? I just made some toast for the children. We¡¯re all full, we weren¡¯t starving waiting for you!¡±

 Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Know Yourself, Know Your Opponent

    Chapter 573: Know Yourself, Know Your Opponent

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze remained fixed on her face, his fingers gently caressing her cheek with an air of complete surrender. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, his voice soft, ¡°no apologies necessary. Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡±

    As they entered the dining room, Su Bing and Su Li had already removed the mosquito nets from the dining table. Gu Zi had prepared the meal, timing it perfectly to coincide with his expected return. The food was still warm, ready to be served.

    Su Shen guided Gu Zi to her seat, serving her a portion of rice before serving himself. The two brothers watched in silence, the scene etching itself into their hearts. They found it profoundly beautiful.

    Once seated, Su Shen began to serve Gu Zi some dishes, initiating a conversation. ¡°We¡¯ll catch the thief tonight. Do you believe me?¡±

    Gu Zi took a bite of the food he had served her, her manners elegant and pleasing. She wasn¡¯t surprised by Su Shen¡¯s words. ¡°I believe you,¡± she said, ¡°You¡¯re always reliable. I¡¯m not worried at all.¡±

    She knew that his rush to the city the previous night was to solve a problem. She had complete faith in his words.

    Su Shen nodded. He knew that his Gu Zi was intelligent. He wasn¡¯t worried that his change of plans would affect her. She wasn¡¯t easily influenced.

    Before they retired for the night, Su Shen discussed the day¡¯s events with Gu Zi. ¡°The theft of the transformer was premeditated, but it wasn¡¯t the people from Chen Village. It was done by our pig farm¡¯s rivals.¡±

    Gu Zi had already guessed as much. The people from Chen Village had no reason to steal the transformer and cut off the electricity to three villages, including their own. They were merely seizing the opportunity to frame the pig farm, forcing the Su family to bear all the costs.

    Sitting in front of her vanity mirror, combing her long, seaweed-like hair, she asked curiously, ¡°How did you find out so quickly?¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t curious about why the rivals chose to cut off the electricity to target Su Shen. As the wife of Su Shen, the owner of Daqing Pig Farm, she had been learning about the pig farm¡¯s operations. She knew that Daqing Pig Farm¡¯s biggest rival was Rich Pig Farm.

    Based on the information she had, she could deduce that with the approaching New Year, the demand for pork was high. The power outage at Daqing Pig Farm would greatly reduce their efficiency, resulting in a significant decrease in the amount of Daqing pork reaching the market. The lesser-known Rich Pig Farm could then take advantage of the situation and make a fortune.

    If the first step was successful, Rich Pig Farm would undoubtedly have further plans. They were always at a disadvantage in the normal competition. If they had already started using underhanded methods against Daqing, their goal was likely to bring down Daqing Pig Farm.

    Thinking about this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue. Indeed, business wars were just as ruthless and shameless in the past as they are now.

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    Su Shen watched her reflection in the mirror, her eyes bright and lively. He walked over to the vanity, took the wooden comb from her hand, and began to comb her hair. His movements were practiced, his gaze deep and confident. ¡°To know your enemy, know yourself,¡± he said, ¡°and you will be victorious in a hundred battles.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t told you this before, but I not only familiarize myself with the personal information of my own employees, but I also habitually understand and grasp the information of my competitors¡¯ employees. Rich Pig Farm has an employee named Zhou Sheng, who is a distant cousin of the owner, Zhang Ke. He used to be an electrician in his hometown and was very skilled. However, due to financial difficulties, he came to Zhang Ke and has been working for him ever since.

    ¡°Recently, Rich Pig Farm has been quiet, and I have been on guard. I had noticed Zhou Sheng. When I was at war, I learned that a quiet environment doesn¡¯t mean the enemy has given up. It means they¡¯re gathering strength, preparing to strike a fatal blow.

    ¡°After the power outage, I rushed to the city overnight. On one hand, it was more convenient to go directly to the power supply bureau the next day. On the other hand, I wanted to track Zhou Sheng¡¯s whereabouts. That night, Jin Long and I learned from Zhou Sheng¡¯s wife that Zhou Sheng was in Guangcheng City, and he had just come from Rich Pig Farm to see her.¡±

    Listening intently, Gu Zi began to analyze naturally, ¡°So you think Zhou Sheng lied to his wife as well. He didn¡¯t go to see her from Rich Pig Farm, but rather, after stealing the transformer, he took refuge at his wife¡¯s place?¡±

 Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: His Father Isnâ€™t as Rich as Me

    Chapter 574: His Father Isn¡¯t as Rich as Me

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen remained silent, a clear indication to Gu Zi that she had hit the nail on the head. However, she was puzzled. ¡°How did you come to know Zhou Sheng¡¯s wife?¡± she asked.

    Su Shen had anticipated this question. The circumstances were indeed a bit too coincidental. His response came naturally, ¡°Because his wife works as a waitress at the Golden Sun Hotel. Also, something I haven¡¯t mentioned before, Jin Long is the young master of the Golden Sun Hotel. With Jin Long¡¯s connections, finding out such information isn¡¯t difficult.

    ¡°And Zhang Ke would never have guessed that Jin Long, from the Daqing Pig Farm, is the son of the owner of the Golden Sun. Captain He has already gone to arrest Zhou Sheng. Once the fingerprint matches, the truth of this case will be revealed. It won¡¯t take much time.¡± When the truth of this case was revealed, it would mark the beginning of the downfall of Rich Pig Farm.

    As he spoke, a surge of fervor welled up in his heart, akin to the thrill a hunter feels upon spotting his prey. This time, he would show no mercy to Rich Pig Farm. After all, Zhang Ke¡¯s methods were too despicable, so despicable that he deserved to be nothing more than a hunted animal, not a competitor.

    The beast within him awoke, hungry for a feast. He yearned to tear his prey apart and drink its blood.

    A desire for battle flickered in his eyes, making him appear like a ruthless predator. However, this desire was fleeting, and Gu Zi didn¡¯t notice. She was too taken aback by Jin Long¡¯s identity. Su Shen¡¯s circle was indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers!

    The young master of the Golden Sun, according to the original owner¡¯s memory, was the most upscale hotel in Guangcheng. That must mean he was incredibly wealthy!

    Gu Zi thought, not only would Zhang Ke have never guessed, but she also hadn¡¯t expected it. ¡°Is Jin Long¡¯s family really that rich? But wait, I heard from the villagers that Jin Long was raised by his grandparents, and his parents are no longer around. His father is actually the owner of the Golden Sun? That¡¯s impressive!¡±

    Su Shen watched as her eyes sparkled with greed. He knew she loved money, but he only wanted her to love his money.

    He stopped combing her hair, his voice deep and clear, with an emphasis on his words, ¡°Yes, he is rich, but not all of it is his. And, Gu Zi, his father isn¡¯t as rich as I am.¡±

    Gu Zi thought Su Shen was being quite boastful at that moment, completely abandoning his usual low-key demeanor. However, his showy attitude was also quite attractive. She had just found out that her husband was even wealthier than the owner of the Golden Sun. He was truly capable!

    Seeing the older man anxiously flaunting his wealth, like a peacock spreading its tail, she decided to tease him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if the owner of the Golden Sun is richer than you, I would still choose you. You¡¯re younger and more handsome, and I would be proud to be seen with you.¡±

    Su Shen was quite satisfied with her response. It was the first time she had complimented him on his youth. He bent down to lift her onto the dressing table, his well-defined fingers resting on her waist. He leaned in to kiss her, ¡°So you like rich, good-looking, young men. Anything else?¡±

    Without hesitation, an answer surfaced in Gu Zi¡¯s mind: Of course, capable ones too.

    However, this answer had a double meaning. Su Shen, being the smart man he was, would surely understand it right away. What if it stimulated the older man¡¯s desire? She would be the one with weak legs the next day, which wouldn¡¯t be worth it. She still had to go to town tomorrow.

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t respond, Su Shen slipped his tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply. A strange sensation quickly formed in her lower abdomen, moving around inside her. She could hear him swallowing, which was quite sexy. Then he asked, ¡°Do you also like men who are good in bed?¡±

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    Gu Zi should have nodded. What woman wouldn¡¯t like a man who was good in bed? But her husband was too direct, and she felt a bit awkward at the moment and didn¡¯t want to admit it.

    She chuckled to herself, deciding to let him figure it out on his own. So, she feigned modesty and pushed him away, warning, ¡°No dirty talk. Let¡¯s discuss serious matters. What key evidence do you have?¡±

    Su Shen wanted to continue kissing her, but seeing her become serious, he respected her wishes and reluctantly let her go. ¡°After Zhou Sheng stole the transformer, he didn¡¯t discard it. He probably wanted to sell it, so he brought it with him to his hideout, which is the staff dormitory of the Golden Sun where his wife lives.

    ¡°He never expected that Jin Long would have connections with the Golden Sun. Once he arrived at his wife¡¯s dormitory, he naturally let his guard down. Jin Long asked many employees, and Zhou Sheng walked in openly with a large box, claiming it was a special product for his wife.

    ¡°Jin Long investigated all of this without alerting Zhou Sheng. He probably wouldn¡¯t know how he was caught until the handcuffs are on his wrists.¡±

 Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: An Excuse

    Chapter 575: An Excuse

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    He stood before her, speaking in a manner that was naturally neat and handsome, causing Gu Zi to feel a sense of illusion. Was that slightly erotic kiss just a dream she had? Regardless, it was time to discuss serious matters.

    ¡°So, once he¡¯s arrested, everything will be resolved?¡± she asked. ¡°Remember to demand compensation for the economic losses of our pig farm, as well as the costs of repairing the village¡¯s electrical circuit and other related expenses. You must remember all of this.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s principle when it came to money was simple: she would not take a penny that was not rightfully hers, nor would she let go of a single cent that was due to her. The village had pooled funds to pay for the repairs, hoping to restore electricity as soon as possible. However, this did not mean that the person responsible for the damage should not compensate them.

    Su Shen nodded. ¡°Yes, compensation is necessary. Are you tired? Should we go to bed early?¡± He naturally wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting on her shoulder, intoxicated by the scent of her hair.

    Gu Zi¡¯s neck tickled under his touch, causing her to involuntarily shrink back. He lifted her up and placed her on the bed. He then climbed into bed, lying next to her and closing his eyes. With her by his side, he always fell asleep exceptionally quickly.

    The next day, Su Shen drove Gu Zi to the shop in town. After breakfast, they headed to the city.

    As soon as Su Shen¡¯s car left, Gui Hua ran in and started chatting with Gu Zi. ¡°So, that¡¯s your man, huh? The richest man around here. But he looks a bit fierce. Aren¡¯t you afraid of him?¡±

    Gui Hua had just finished cleaning the shop and was planning to come over for a bowl of hot and spicy soup to warm up. She had noticed a handsome and slender figure, who seemed even more attractive than Lin Cheng, her previous crush. She almost thought she was falling in love again, but when she saw Su Shen¡¯s tightly pursed lips and serious expression, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe.

    Gui Hua realized that no matter how handsome a man was, if he had such a cold face, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fall for him. Her infatuation faded as quickly as it had come.

    She then noticed Gu Zi across from the man and realized that the man was holding a little girl, Su Le. Suddenly, it dawned on her that this must be Gu Zi¡¯s man. Gui Hua was stunned.

    Feeling embarrassed, she decided to wait until Su Shen had left before approaching Gu Zi. She placed her order with Li Hua, who was busy in the shop. ¡°A bowl of hot and spicy soup, a mixed meat stew, a fried dough stick, and an egg!¡±

    Li Hua responded from a distance. Gu Zi stood up to clear the dishes she and Su Shen had used, and said to Gui Hua, ¡°He¡¯s not fierce to me. I can¡¯t love him enough. Can you watch Lele for a bit? I¡¯m going to help my sister-in-law.¡±

    Gui Hua pouted, resigned to her single status. However, she was quickly distracted by the adorable little Su Le and settled down to look after the child.

    Li Hua quickly brought Gui Hua¡¯s order and was about to get back to work when Gui Hua stopped her. ¡°Your business has been booming since you advertised in the newspaper. When will you tell me the love story between you and Lin Cheng? I¡¯ve been waiting so long, I¡¯m wilting!¡±

    Li Hua, while attending to other customers, replied, ¡°Maybe this afternoon, if I have time. But your business is doing well too. Do you really have time to listen to our love story?¡±

    Li Hua had agreed to tell the story on a whim, not expecting Gui Hua to be so persistent. She planned to find time in the afternoon to share their story, looking forward to it herself.

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    Gui Hua was no longer interested in Lin Cheng. She wanted to hear their love story mainly because women enjoyed sharing stories with each other, not because she wanted to know about someone else¡¯s husband.

    The relationship between Li Hua and Gui Hua had evolved just as Gu Zi had predicted, gradually becoming good friends.

    Sometimes, when someone bought a drink from Gui Hua¡¯s shop, she would recommend them to visit Li Hua¡¯s food shop across the street for breakfast or to buy stewed meat. She would even show them the newspaper advertisement for Li Hua¡¯s shop. The customers would often return to Gui Hua¡¯s shop after eating, thanking her for the recommendation.

    Gui Hua had come to understand that being successful in business did not mean begrudging others their success. On the contrary, if they helped each other and the businesses in the area thrived, it would only benefit her shop. Realizing this, Gui Hua was even more eager to interact with Li Hua.

    On the surface, she wanted to hear the story, but in reality, she was looking for an excuse to spend more time with Li Hua.

 Chapter 576 - Chapter 576: Two Unwelcomed Customers

    Chapter 576: Two Unwelcomed Customers

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gui Hua was enjoying her hot and spicy soup, remarking, ¡°I have plenty of free time these days. My brother and sister-in-law returned from the city last night. They¡¯ll manage the shop while I¡¯m away. I won¡¯t be the third wheel. I¡¯ll even pack some soup for them later.¡±

    As Li Hua passed by Gui Hua¡¯s seat, she responded, ¡°Alright, come by in the afternoon. I¡¯ll tell you the story then, but don¡¯t complain if it¡¯s boring.¡±

    Gui Hua gave a thumbs-up, continuing to dip her fried dough sticks into the soup. The crispy dough, coated in the rich, spicy soup, was irresistible. Each bite was a burst of flavor, making her forget any sorrow. She couldn¡¯t help but continue eating, unable to stop herself.

    By three in the afternoon, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop was less busy. Gui Hua grabbed a few bottles of drinks and some snacks from her shop and went to find Li Hua. She distributed the drinks among the adults in the shop, keeping one for herself.

    As for the little girl, Gui Hua gave her a few bottles of the shop¡¯s sweet syrup drinks. These drinks were packaged in plastic containers shaped like gourds, bananas, peaches, and other fruits, each filled with syrup that matched the color of the fruit.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes were fixed on the banana-shaped syrup drink in her daughter¡¯s hand, which undeniably stirred up her childhood memories. She remembered having these drinks before she started school. Her favorite flavor was banana, mainly because she found the shape appealing.

    She remembered that all these syrup drinks tasted the same, sweet, a very straightforward kind of sweet.

    However, as she grew older and the variety of snacks increased, she stopped having these syrup drinks. They were deemed unhealthy by modern health experts and phased out.

    The simple joy these syrup drinks brought her now only existed in her memories. Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected that these drinks were already available in the 1980s.

    She looked at Gui Hua, gulping, ¡°Can I have one of these?¡±

    Gui Hua was surprised that this beautiful woman was eyeing the children¡¯s syrup drinks with such longing. She found it endearing and quickly handed her a drink, ¡°Here, enjoy!¡±

    Gu Zi accepted it, her joy evident. It was her favorite banana shape.

    She bit into the top, and the sweet syrup instantly filled her mouth. Satisfied, she turned to Li Hua, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you ready? Let¡¯s start!¡±

    As she sipped her syrup drink, she urged a blushing Li Hua to start the love story of her brother and sister-in-law. How could she miss out on such a story?

    Li Hua, who had finally mustered up the courage, seemed to shrink back a little. She lowered her gaze, her face flushed, and began her story in a soft voice, ¡°Let¡¯s start from when we first met. We met while foraging for wild vegetables on a hill. I was seven, and he was eight. We both wanted the same plant. I held onto a few leaves, and so did he.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been shy, but he didn¡¯t seem too bold either. We stood there in silence, neither willing to let go of the plant. In the end, I started crying out of frustration, and Lin Cheng let go. I got the plant.

    ¡°I remember that even before my tears dried, I was already smiling. I was thrilled. Lin Cheng was the first boy I had defeated. I decided then that I would marry him because I thought he was easier to bully than me. I could control him. If I married someone else, I would be the one being controlled¡­¡±

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    Li Hua¡¯s story was quite lengthy but interesting and sweet. Gu Zi listened with a hint of envy.

    After all, it was a love story of childhood sweethearts, a lifelong commitment. No one could resist such a story. The three young women sat together, chatting and laughing, with a little girl playing nearby. It was a picture of contentment.

    However, this tranquility was soon disrupted by two unexpected guests. Their car pulled up in front of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, seemingly city dwellers drawn by the shop¡¯s reputation.

    But when Gu Zi saw who stepped out of the car, Gong Zhan and Mo Li, her smile froze. It wasn¡¯t out of concern, but rather a growing realization of how unworthy Gong Zhan was of the original host¡¯s deep love for him.

    This man didn¡¯t love anyone but himself. When the original host was at her most miserable, he accepted the real heiress, Lin Miao. Now that Lin Miao was in jail, he was free to be with Mo Li, their relationship as complicated as ever.

 Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: We Donâ€™t Need Their Business

    Chapter 577: We Don¡¯t Need Their Business

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi felt a growing distaste for Gong Zhan. Initially, she had been indifferent towards him, but now, she found herself disliking him more and more.

    She had come to understand Gong Zhan more deeply. In his eyes, it seemed any woman could be discarded and replaced, including Mo Li, who was currently standing by his side as his secretary.

    A cold laugh echoed in Gu Zi¡¯s heart, manifesting on her face as a clear sign of unhappiness.

    This, however, secretly delighted Gong Zhan. Unaware of his own joy, he dismissed it, thinking that she still cared about him. Women, he thought, were always so insincere. Gong Zhan lifted his chin high, a deliberate sense of aloofness etched on his handsome face.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said, his voice cold and measured. ¡°I came here only because your shop¡¯s braised pork is famous. I wanted to buy a gift box of it for the New Year. I didn¡¯t come here with any other intentions, and I certainly didn¡¯t mean to show up. Please don¡¯t misunderstand. To maintain distance, it would be better if someone else served us.¡±

    Gu Zi smirked, casting him a casual glance. ¡°Why should we maintain any distance?¡± she asked calmly. ¡°What do I have to do with you?¡±

    Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s growing anger, Mo Li quickly stepped in to mediate. ¡°Miss Gu Zi, we¡¯re just here to buy braised pork. Mr. Gong didn¡¯t mean anything else. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Mo Li didn¡¯t want to appear in front of Gu Zi, as she was currently trying to imitate her.

    However, no matter how hard she tried, due to their inherent differences, Mo Li could only be considered a low-grade version of Gu Zi. She was passable on her own, but standing next to Gu Zi, the comparison was stark. It was a self-inflicted humiliation that made Mo Li uncomfortable.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes flickered as she studied Mo Li. The woman didn¡¯t seem to harbor any ill will towards her. Mo Li was undoubtedly smart, certainly smarter than Lin Miao.

    ¡°You can buy the pork,¡± Gu Zi said. ¡°As customers, we will naturally respect and serve you well. But if you continue to speak irrelevantly, don¡¯t blame me for asking you to leave.¡±

    Li Hua, who had been standing nearby, approached them, her face grim. She had only just realized that the man was Gong Zhan, Gu Zi¡¯s former fianc¨¦. What was he doing here? Hadn¡¯t he married Lin Miao?

    Worried about Gu Zi, she said, ¡°Sister, we¡¯re in business to welcome customers from all directions. But there are some people we don¡¯t need to serve.¡±

    Mother Lin also stepped forward, adding, ¡°Yes, daughter, let them go. We don¡¯t need this business.¡±

    An Yun didn¡¯t know if her daughter still cared about this man, but she could see that her daughter didn¡¯t want to see him. Her daughter¡¯s feelings were more important to her than business.

    Gong Zhan had never experienced such a cold reception before. In the city, everyone knew he was the son of a high-ranking official. He was always treated with respect, no matter where he went. Now, he had deigned to come to this remote small town to shop, only to be driven out of the store. It was an outrageous affront!

    If it had been any other time, Gong Zhan would have left without a second thought. But this time, he couldn¡¯t afford to do so.

    He had married Lin Miao, who was now in prison, and he was under close scrutiny from his superiors.

    There were many leaders he needed to visit for the New Year, and many of them had expressed a desire to try the famous braised pork from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet shop, which had been featured in the newspaper. That was the only reason he had taken the time to come here. He didn¡¯t believe the pork could be as delicious as the newspaper claimed. It was all just marketing hype.

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    Gu Zi had married a butcher who sold pork, and her personality had completely changed. The old Gu Zi would never have stooped so low as to expose herself in this way.

    But it didn¡¯t matter. Gu Zi was now someone else¡¯s wife, and he, Gong Zhan, couldn¡¯t possibly pine for a married woman.

    Mo Li was good at reading people¡¯s moods. Seeing Gong Zhan¡¯s displeasure, she quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. ¡°We sincerely came here to buy braised pork,¡± she said. ¡°We want it in a gift box. Miss Gu, we¡¯re buying a lot. Are you sure you don¡¯t want this business?¡±

    Her behavior was more like a wife¡¯s than a secretary¡¯s.

    With Lin Miao in prison, Mo Li had a legitimate reason to stay by Gong Zhan¡¯s side. She was in a favorable position, and she was smarter and more capable than Lin Miao. Gu Zi could almost foresee that once Lin Miao was released, Mo Li alone would be enough to cause her trouble.

 Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Big Business

    Chapter 578: Big Business

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi found herself rather pleased with the unfolding situation. Since Mo Li had no intention of becoming her enemy, there was no need for Gu Zi to raise her defenses against her.

    However, Gu Zi was well aware that Mo Li was not someone she could trust. But doing business with her, selling her goods, was not out of the question.

    Moreover, with the arrival of the flirtatious Gong Zhan, Gu Zi felt it would be a disservice to her predecessor not to make him pay a hefty price.

    She raised her hand to silence her mother and sister-in-law, presenting Mo Li and Gong Zhan with a standard business smile. ¡°As I said earlier, as long as you¡¯re here to buy, and not to cause trouble, our Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop welcomes you. We offer gift boxes in three tiers: budget, mid-range, and high-end.¡±

    ¡°The budget gift box has a packaging fee of two yuan and a service fee of three yuan; the mid-range gift box has a packaging fee of three yuan and a service fee of five yuan; the high-end gift box has a packaging fee of five yuan and a service fee of five yuan. It¡¯s our top-tier product. Which tier would you like?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Mo Li couldn¡¯t help but frown. Had she heard wrong? There was a service fee for the gift boxes here? And it was quite expensive!

    However, being with a man like Gong Zhan, it was important to maintain his dignity. She couldn¡¯t show that she was inexperienced and thought the gift boxes were expensive, otherwise, she would embarrass him.

    But Mo Li was unsure which tier of gift box to choose. After all, they were all gift boxes, so choosing the mid-range one should be fine, right?

    The high-end gift box, with packaging and service fees, cost a total of ten yuan. As Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary, her monthly salary was only thirty-eight yuan. This was indeed quite expensive!

    Furthermore, Gong Zhan had many people to visit. If they chose the high-end gift box, the cost of a single box would be nearly a hundred yuan, which was too extravagant. Mo Li thought it would be better to choose the mid-range one, which would not embarrass Gong Zhan and would not cost as much.

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s sales pitch, An Yun and Li Hua were somewhat stunned. When did their shop start offering three tiers of packaging boxes, and why were they charging for packaging and service?

    The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law exchanged glances, then understood. This was probably a special package for these unexpected guests. The two felt relieved, realizing that Gu Zi didn¡¯t care much about this man.

    Their expressions improved, and they moved behind Gu Zi, ready to make this big deal.

    Seeing that Mo Li was about to speak, Gu Zi seized the opportunity to speak first. ¡°If you¡¯re only gifting to one or two very important people, I recommend the high-end gift box. High-end items make a good impression and represent the giver¡¯s status. However, if you¡¯re gifting to many people, I suggest you choose the budget one. It¡¯s affordable and our budget gift boxes are also very attractive.¡±

    Just as Mo Li was about to agree, the man beside her spoke up unhappily. ¡°What do you mean we can only afford the budget one? We want the high-end gift box. Mo Li, what are you waiting for? Go buy the braised meat.¡±

    Clearly, Gong Zhan was going to wait here while Mo Li went to buy the braised meat and watch it being packed. He wouldn¡¯t demean himself by going over there.

    From her predecessor¡¯s memories, Gu Zi knew that Gong Zhan was quite vain. In this respect, Gong Zhan and Lin Miao were indeed a perfect match. That¡¯s why Gu Zi had deliberately suggested they choose the budget gift box, knowing that Gong Zhan would choose the high-end one for the sake of his image. And now, things were going exactly as she had predicted.

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    Gu Zi smirked, giving her mother and sister-in-law a playful and cunning smile. She then turned and walked inside. ¡°Alright, the high-end gift box it is. Miss Mo Li, please follow me to choose the braised meat.¡±

    ¡°We have two prices for our braised meat. The pre-cut meat on display is cheaper, while the meat still in the pot that hasn¡¯t been cut is more expensive. Which one would you like?¡±

    Mo Li followed Gu Zi, her anxious heart finally settling down. She was relieved that she hadn¡¯t directly said she wanted the mid-range packaging, otherwise, her choice would have differed from Gong Zhan¡¯s.

    Having learned from her previous experience, even though she could now see that Gu Zi was intentionally trying to fleece Gong Zhan, she didn¡¯t say anything. She simply followed Gong Zhan¡¯s wishes. ¡°Of course we want the expensive one. Miss Gu, don¡¯t worry about the money. Just give us the high-end one.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s smile brightened, and she gave a knowing look to Li Hua, who understood and went to fetch the freshly cooked braised meat.

 Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: How Ruthless

    Chapter 579: How Ruthless

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi said to Mo Li, ¡°Miss Mo, you¡¯re doing a great job as a secretary. Also, the dipping sauce that comes with our braised pork is graded. Do you want the highest grade as well?¡±

    Mo Li forced a smile, responding, ¡°Yes, the best of everything. Miss Gu, you don¡¯t need to ask for each item, just use the best. The cost doesn¡¯t matter, as long as the gifts are good.¡±

    Although Mo Li was frugal, she understood that the money being spent wasn¡¯t hers. If Gong Zhan was willing to spend, why should she object?

    Moreover, Mo Li saw this as a good thing. If Gu Zi could scheme to make Gong Zhan spend a large sum on braised pork, then she must not care much for him.

    This meant that if she wanted to become Gong Zhan¡¯s legitimate woman, she only needed to push Lin Miao aside.

    This would save her a lot of trouble. As long as Gu Zi didn¡¯t interfere, even if Lin Miao was released from prison, she would find a way to remove her from Gong Zhan¡¯s side.

    Letting Gu Zi take more of Gong Zhan¡¯s money was also a good thing. Mo Li had already planned that after buying the braised pork, she would whisper a few words in Gong Zhan¡¯s ear. He would surely find Gu Zi greedy and unscrupulous, willing to do anything for money.

    In this case, even if Gong Zhan still had feelings for Gu Zi, he would never lower himself to pursue her. That would be enough.

    Mo Li didn¡¯t need this man to have her in his heart. As long as he had feelings for Gu Zi but wouldn¡¯t pursue her, and she could imitate Gu Zi to some extent, staying by this man¡¯s side would be enough.

    Gu Zi weighed the braised pork for Mo Li, had Li Hua bring the packaging materials, and began to pack. She personally packed all nine gift boxes in less than ten minutes. Each gift box was exquisitely beautiful, and each had a congratulatory card.

    Finally, Gu Zi handed the bill to Mo Li with a smile, ¡°Today¡¯s total consumption is 499.8 yuan. Let¡¯s round it down to 499! A friendly reminder, the braised pork can be kept at room temperature for two days, and in the refrigerator for a week.¡±

    Although Mo Li was prepared, her heart still clenched when she received the bill. 499! With this kind of pricing, Gu Zi would be a rich woman by next year without needing to keep the shop open. This woman was truly ruthless!

    However, she remained calm on the surface, took the bill, and went to report to Gong Zhan and get the money. Meanwhile, Li Hua and An Yun provided excellent service, carrying the gift boxes one by one to Gong Zhan¡¯s car, and even gave a small bag of braised pork for tasting.

    When Gong Zhan saw the number on the bill Mo Li brought, he secretly gasped. He had not expected to spend such a large sum in a small-town shop. Was Gu Zi running a braised pork shop or a robbery? It was outrageous!

    However, he would never show this. He arrogantly pulled out five hundred yuan from his wallet and gave it to Mo Li to pay. Then he left the shop without looking back, got into his car, and waited for Mo Li.

    No one knew that when Gong Zhan returned, the only thing left in his high-end leather wallet was the one yuan change from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡­

    Inside Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, Gu Zi counted the money she had just earned and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°What high-ranking official¡¯s son? He¡¯s just a vain fool. Apart from being good-looking and having a good family background, what else does he have? Gu Zi, how could you have fallen for him?¡±

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    She was not referring to herself, but the original owner of her body, but the others didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind her words.

    An Yun and Li Hua were still worried that Gu Zi might feel wronged, so they came over to comfort her. An Yun said to her daughter, ¡°You were young then, and didn¡¯t understand what a good man was. Women, we all have times when we love the wrong person. But luckily, you¡¯ve met Su Shen now. Let¡¯s not think too much about the past, okay?¡±

    Li Hua nodded, agreeing, ¡°Yes, yes, sister-in-law, you are a blessed person. Gong Zhan doesn¡¯t have this fortune. He was destined to miss you.¡±

    Gui Hua came back, curious, ¡°This man is handsome and young, and the car he drives is not ordinary. From what you¡¯re saying, he¡¯s Gu Zi¡¯s ex-boyfriend, right? You don¡¯t want him? How about introducing him to me?¡±

    Li Hua and Gui Hua were the closest, and Gui Hua sometimes liked to say things without thinking. Li Hua couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°You can¡¯t reach him. If you¡¯re so eager to find a boyfriend, I¡¯ll introduce you to one. You know him too. What do you think of Lin Hun?¡±

 Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Tasting

    Chapter 580: Tasting

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    For the first time, Gu Zi heard her sister-in-law rebuke someone, striking right at the heart of the matter. Lin Hun and Gui Hua, weren¡¯t they sworn enemies?

    She was truly daring to matchmake them! ¡°The past is the past, I don¡¯t dwell on it. Mother, sister-in-law, there¡¯s no need to worry. However, it¡¯s natural for men to marry and women to wed. Gui Hua, isn¡¯t it time you found a man? Lin Hun is indeed single.¡±

    Upon hearing Lin Hun¡¯s name, Gui Hua rolled her eyes. ¡°Nonsense! Your family really knows how to bully people. If you don¡¯t want to introduce us, then don¡¯t. Why would you try to pair me with Lin Hun? Let me tell you, even if all the men in the world were gone, I, Gui Hua, would not settle for him!¡±

    Seeing that her daughter was truly unharmed, An Yun felt relieved. She turned and entered the kitchen, planning to wash dishes with Aunt Yang, not participating in the young people¡¯s conversation.

    Hearing Gui Hua¡¯s oath, Gu Zi and Li Hua didn¡¯t dare to tease her further. The three quickly changed the topic.

    In the city, Gong Zhan returned home with gift boxes, planning to visit friends the next day.

    However, recalling the cold reception he received in the small town earlier that day, Gong Zhan was still quite angry. He hastily put down the gift boxes and went upstairs to take a bath, hoping to wash away the bad luck.

    After he left, Gong Xin returned home with Mrs. Chen after a shopping trip. With the New Year approaching, they had been busy buying supplies and were exhausted. As soon as they arrived home, they both collapsed onto the sofa, not wanting to move.

    After sitting for a while, Gong Xin¡¯s fatigue began to fade. She faintly smelled the aroma of braised meat and quickly locked her gaze on the pile of gift boxes on the table.

    Gong Xin noticed a transparent bag filled with braised meat among the boxes. It seemed to be a sample box, and the meat inside looked tantalizing. It seemed to be beckoning her, inviting her to taste it.

    Without any hesitation, she took the bag, opened it, and the aroma of the braised meat hit her. She swallowed, picked up a piece of meat with a toothpick, and began to eat. One bite after another, she couldn¡¯t stop. After eating six or seven pieces, she exclaimed, ¡°Mom, this braised meat is delicious! Where did you buy it? Did you buy all of it to give as gifts? Aren¡¯t we keeping any for ourselves?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was puzzled, but she had seen her son¡¯s shoes when she entered the house. She said, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy this. It must be your brother¡¯s gift. Is it really that good?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was also a bit hungry, so she leaned over and took a bite. She immediately stopped talking and started to eat more.

    Seeing her mother conquered by the taste of the braised meat, Gong Xin teased, ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t it amazing? This braised meat is incredible. I could eat two pounds by myself!¡±

    ¡°I read in the newspaper a while ago that Gu Zi also opened a braised meat shop in town. I bet her shop¡¯s braised meat isn¡¯t as good as this. I need to ask my brother. Maybe we can give Gu Zi a message to improve her recipe.¡±

    Gong Zhan came downstairs after his bath, just in time to hear his mother and sister¡¯s conversation. His handsome face was full of disdain. The two women in his family, one a commander¡¯s wife and the other a young lady, had seen so little of the world. It gave him a headache.

    He spoke coldly, ¡°This is from Gu Zi¡¯s shop. A young lady from a prestigious family, now showing her face in public. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking.

    ¡°Anyway, if it weren¡¯t for the leaders wanting to eat it, I wouldn¡¯t have gone out of my way to buy it from such a place. You two are overreacting. Haven¡¯t you ever eaten braised meat before?¡±

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    Gong Zhan mercilessly teased his mother and sister, then sat down on the single sofa opposite them, casually picking up a newspaper to read.

    Gong Xin quickly moved closer, and before Gong Zhan could react, she stuffed a piece of braised meat into his mouth. Her eyes were fixed on him. ¡°Brother, chew it a few times. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll still be so stubborn.¡±

    Mrs. Chen wanted to stop her but it was too late. Seeing her son with meat in his mouth, she almost laughed.

    At that moment, Gong Zhan wanted to throw his sister out, but the rich flavor of the braised meat in his mouth made him unconsciously follow his sister¡¯s instructions. He began to chew, the aroma filling his mouth. The tender meat rubbed against his teeth, saliva constantly secreting from his mouth. The meat was fatty but not greasy, perfectly salty and fragrant. He quickly swallowed the small piece of meat and wanted a second bite.

    He found it unbelievable. Gu Zi¡¯s cooking had always been delicious, and she could make braised meat, but she could never make braised meat with this kind of flavor. Why did he always feel that his understanding of Gu Zi was far from enough?

 Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Envy Strikes

    Chapter 581: Envy Strikes

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin observed her brother¡¯s demeanor and turned to their mother, Mrs. Chen, ¡°Mother, my brother¡¯s pride is all he has left. It¡¯s pitiful, really. His once-fianc¨¦e is now another man¡¯s wife. He¡¯s still holding onto the braised pork she used to sell, unable to express his true feelings. I wonder who he gets his stubbornness from.¡±

    Mrs. Chen shot her daughter a warning glance, signaling her to stop using this matter to torment her brother. This wasn¡¯t just about hurting one person. Mrs. Chen herself was filled with regret, a feeling that resurfaced every time she thought about it. But what¡¯s done is done, and regret was futile. It was best to leave the matter untouched.

    Turning to her son, Mrs. Chen advised, ¡°Your relationship with Gu Zi is in the past. It¡¯s not a big deal. But I must caution you, don¡¯t always view people through a colored lens. It will prevent you from seeing their true colors, and in the end, you¡¯ll be the one at a loss.¡±

    Gong Xin, chastised, pouted unhappily but heeded her mother¡¯s words. She continued to eat her braised pork in silence. Unfortunately, the tasting portion didn¡¯t contain much pork, and after a few bites, it was gone. She picked up the bag and checked again, confirming it was indeed empty.

    A plan formed in Gong Xin¡¯s mind. Once the radio station went on break, she would go find Gu Zi. After all, they were good friends. Surely, there would be plenty of braised pork then.

    As evening fell, the town¡¯s foot traffic gradually increased. Many passersby couldn¡¯t resist stopping by Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop to inquire, ¡°Do you still have braised pork? If so, I¡¯ll take two liang to go with my wine.¡±

    The reason they asked was that ever since the shop was featured in the newspaper, people from different places came daily to buy braised pork. The town¡¯s regular customers would arrive early to purchase, often resulting in the pork selling out early. Those who passed by the shop later often missed out.

    Although the shop remained open, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean there was still pork for sale, hence the habitual inquiry.

    At this moment, Gu Zi had just finished her work and was sitting at the shop¡¯s entrance with Lele, responding to the inquiries, ¡°We¡¯re out for today. If you want braised pork, you¡¯ll have to come early tomorrow!¡±

    The customers swallowed their saliva, their faces filled with disappointment, ¡°I haven¡¯t had your braised pork for three days. I¡¯ve been craving it. I really have to come early tomorrow. I¡¯ll even take a detour in the morning to buy some. Can you make me some braised noodle soup for now?¡±

    Unable to get the braised pork, they settled for the soup, hoping it would stave off their cravings.

    Gu Zi laughed, ¡°Of course, please come in! Sister-in-law, one bowl of braised noodle soup for this gentleman!¡± Gu Zi¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was clear. Sitting at the shop¡¯s entrance, she could easily call out to Li Hua inside.

    Li Hua immediately started boiling the noodles. The braised noodle soup was simple, just boiled noodles with braised soup and vegetables, hence its affordable price of three cents a bowl.

    Meanwhile, Aunt Yang brought out some tea, warmly inviting the customers to sit. Their excellent service was a crucial factor in the shop¡¯s success and couldn¡¯t be overlooked.

    One customer ordered the braised noodle soup, and several others followed suit. Although the profit wasn¡¯t substantial, the shop¡¯s service was impeccable, prompting the customers to murmur in admiration, ¡°No wonder their shop is so popular. The owner is genuinely kind-hearted. Seeing that we do manual labor and have big appetites, she even offers a free refill of noodles.¡±

    ¡°Such a kind person couldn¡¯t possibly do anything wrong. It must be someone envious spreading rumors, trying to affect the shop¡¯s business. I, for one, don¡¯t believe it.¡±

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    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it either. I used to help out at a braised pork shop in the city. One taste of their braised sauce, and you can tell it¡¯s authentic, not some secret recipe.¡±

    Gu Zi was initially going to inquire about the pig farm¡¯s delivery truck parked on the main road, but the customers¡¯ discussion caught her attention.

    She walked over to one of the customers eating noodles and asked, ¡°Excuse me, sir, could you tell me more about these rumors you mentioned?¡±

    The customer didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of hiding it from the shop¡¯s staff and replied to Gu Zi, ¡°You might not know this, but recently, there have been rumors saying that your braised pork tastes good because you add a certain flower to it. This flower is supposedly a raw material for drugs, and eating it can cause addiction. That¡¯s why everyone thinks your braised pork is delicious. Of course, I don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s too absurd!¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected such outrageous rumors to circulate. Indeed, success often breeds envy. She asked, ¡°Are they referring to the poppy flower?¡±

 Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: A Little Kindness

    Chapter 582: A Little Kindness

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The customer nodded in agreement as Gu Zi¡¯s tone took on a serious note. She stated solemnly, ¡°I am deeply grateful for your informing me of this matter. As a partner in this shop, I assure you all that we only use legitimate ingredients for our braised meat. We absolutely do not add any substances like poppy flowers to deceive our customers¡¯ taste buds.¡±

    Lin Cheng and Lin Hun entered, carrying a box of meat. Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, they set the box down. Lin Cheng¡¯s expression turned somber as he began, ¡°Actually, we came here to discuss this very matter. Lin Hun, you tell her.¡±

    Lin Hun wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, his voice filled with indignation. ¡°Sister-in-law, I ran into one of my old followers today when I left Little Lin Village. The guy was spouting nonsense, claiming that our braised meat shop uses poppy flowers to enhance the flavor of our meat. I punched him right then and there, nearly flattening him.¡±

    After hearing this, Gu Zi understood. It seemed that the rumor had been circulating for a while now. Most likely, the entire town and village had heard it. However, it appeared that no one knew the source of the rumor. For now, they could only discuss with his sister-in-law and take precautions.

    Gu Zi made up his mind, maintaining a calm demeanor. ¡°Alright, I understand. By the way, why are you delivering meat now?¡±

    As Gu Zi made way for them, Lin Cheng and Lin Hun carried the meat inside. Upon their return, Lin Cheng began to explain while deep in thought, ¡°Su Shen specifically asked us to deliver it. This batch won¡¯t be charged. He said it¡¯s a token of his appreciation as your husband and a partner in the shop.¡±

    Lin Cheng spoke slowly, recalling the conversation he had with Su Shen, who had just finished dealing with some documents at the time. Su Shen¡¯s habitual stern expression made Lin Cheng somewhat nervous, causing his memory of the conversation to be a bit shaky.

    He didn¡¯t understand why, despite knowing that Su Shen took special care of him because of Gu Zi, Lin Cheng always felt a cold aloofness and domineering aura from his brother-in-law. This made him slightly nervous every time he saw him.

    Deep down, he couldn¡¯t simply regard him as his brother-in-law. He was constantly reminded that his brother-in-law was also his boss. This made him extremely nervous around Su Shen. At first, he couldn¡¯t understand how his sister managed to get along with her husband. Wasn¡¯t she afraid of Su Shen?

    However, Lin Cheng¡¯s impression of Su Shen had changed over time. Su Shen was not a cold-hearted person; he was just not accustomed to showing his emotions.

    On the contrary, he was more considerate than most people and genuinely cared for his sister. Apart from being older than his wife, he was practically flawless as a husband.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi felt a ripple in her heart. She knew that her husband was deliberately trying to make her feel cherished. This feeling was very important to a woman. Once she felt it, it was enough to make her happy for the entire day.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to suggest they all return to the village in the delivery truck, a series of loud shouts came from outside, sounding like a pig being slaughtered, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.

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    Li Hua looked outside and hurriedly said, ¡°That sounds like Gui Hua. She¡¯s shouting so loudly, something must have happened. I¡¯ll go check it out.¡±

    As soon as Li Hua left, Lin Cheng followed. Gu Zi, holding Su Le, also went out, calling Lin Hun to join them. Since there were still people watching the shop, they all decided to see what had happened. If nothing was wrong, that would be best. If something had happened, they wouldn¡¯t need to go back and find more help.

    As they reached the shop entrance, they could clearly hear Gui Hua¡¯s cries, which were both pitiful and somewhat amusing. ¡°Help! Is there anyone who can save me? I fell from upstairs. Oh, my leg hurts so much. Please save me. There¡¯s a reward for the one who helps me!¡±

    They quickened their pace and arrived under the loft inside Gui Hua¡¯s shop. There, they found Gui Hua lying on the ground, wailing. Her clothes were wet near her shoulder, and several broken soda bottles were scattered nearby. It seemed she had slipped and fallen from the loft stairs while carrying the soda. Her condition looked quite serious, as if she had broken a bone.

    Li Hua was about to help her up when Gu Zi quickly stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t move her yet. We don¡¯t know her condition. Gui Hua, are you feeling dizzy? Can you move the leg you fell on? Try to move it yourself.¡±

 Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: A New Interest in Lin Hun

    Chapter 583: A New Interest in Lin Hun

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the advice, Gui Hua attempted to move. The next moment, a piercing scream, loud enough to shatter the heavens, erupted from Gui Hua¡¯s small shop. She dared not move again, muttering incessantly, ¡°It hurts, it hurts so much. I can¡¯t move, not even a bit. I¡¯m in so much pain!¡±

    Gu Zi handed her child, Su Le, to her sister-in-law, mindful of the glass shards scattered on the ground. It was too dangerous for a child. She carefully approached Gui Hua, crouched down, and gently touched her thigh. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, ¡°It seems like a fracture. We need to find someone to set the bone. You all should clean up the glass first. Gui Hua, is there a bone-setting doctor in town?¡±

    Gu Zi, with her basic knowledge, knew that in such a situation, it was best for Gui Hua not to move too much. They should wait for the bone-setting doctor to avoid exacerbating the injury.

    Upon hearing that she had fractured her bone, Gui Hua turned pale with fear, convinced that she was doomed. ¡°Am I going to die? Why am I so unlucky? My siblings just left to visit relatives, and I fell¡­¡±

    Seeing Gui Hua in this state, Gu Zi realized that she was too panicked to think clearly. Just as she was about to send someone to find help, Lin Hun stepped forward, ¡°I know a bone-setting doctor in town. He¡¯s very skilled. Should we take her there?¡±

    Gu Zi asked, ¡°Do you know where the doctor lives? We shouldn¡¯t take her there. It would be best if the doctor could come here. Could you go fetch him?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gui Hua, who was lying down, realized that she had no choice but to rely on the man she despised the most. This realization made her cry even louder.

    Lin Hun found her crying annoying and covered his ears. He agreed to Gu Zi¡¯s request and ran off without looking back. Although he didn¡¯t like Gui Hua, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her suffer. He decided to put their differences aside for the time being.

    Lin Hun was quick on his feet and soon returned with the bone-setting doctor. More accurately, he carried the doctor back, as the doctor appeared to be blind.

    Regardless, the moment Lin Hun returned, Gui Hua¡¯s heart pounded with relief. Her leg could be saved!

    Despite being blind, the bone-setting doctor was highly skilled. With a few simple manipulations of Gui Hua¡¯s leg, the pain significantly lessened.

    He wrapped Gui Hua¡¯s leg in white cloth. Gu Zi knew that the cloth served to stabilize the leg. With some bed rest, Gui Hua¡¯s bone would heal. Gu Zi found the whole process quite miraculous.

    Lin Hun carried the doctor back home. By the time he left Gui Hua¡¯s house, it was already dark. Gui Hua thanked him in a whisper.

    Li Hua teased her, ¡°Your ¡®thank you¡¯ was quieter than a mosquito¡¯s buzz. Could he even hear it? If you really want to thank him, why not find a proper opportunity to do so? I¡¯ve just realized that Lin Hun is quite generous.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement. At first, she thought her sister-in-law was joking about pairing Gui Hua and Lin Hun. But now, it seemed like there might be something there. Who could predict the course of fate?

    In the following days, Gui Hua rested and healed. She often asked her brother to carry her to Li Hua¡¯s shop, claiming that staying at home all day was driving her crazy. She needed some fresh air and a chat with Li Hua.

    However, Li Hua saw through her. Gui Hua had an ulterior motive. After all, Lin Hun often visited the shop with Lin Cheng to deliver goods. If Gui Hua spent more time at the shop, she would naturally run into Lin Hun more often.

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    Eventually, Gui Hua stopped hiding her feelings from her good friend Li Hua. Her attitude towards Lin Hun had changed drastically. ¡°At first, I really couldn¡¯t stand him. He seemed like a second-rate guy, and he¡¯s not as handsome as your Lin Cheng. But now, I¡¯ve grown to like him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. When he helped me by carrying the doctor here, I was moved. Li Hua, you said that Lin Hun has never had a serious girlfriend. What do you think of me?¡±

    Gui Hua now felt that she was attracted to Lin Hun. He was strong and worked at a pig farm, which was considered a good job in their village. Moreover, his family¡¯s conditions were average for their village.

    All things considered, she thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to date him. If things went well, they could get married and have children. Gui Hua felt like she couldn¡¯t wait!

    Li Hua was taken aback by Gui Hua¡¯s straightforward confession. She hadn¡¯t expected that her casual joke could potentially bring the two together. She had never played matchmaker before. ¡°So, you want me to play cupid for you two?¡±

 Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Another Joyous Occasion

    Chapter 584: Another Joyous Occasion

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Despite being a married woman, Li Hua had never played matchmaker before. She was unsure whether to agree to the request when Gu Zi, who had been resting upstairs, descended with Su Le in her arms. She joined them, sitting next to her sister-in-law Li Hua, ready to join in the casual conversation.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t shy away from the topic at hand. Gui Hua shook her head at Li Hua and whispered, ¡°Of course not. I want you to ask Lin Hun directly if he would be willing to be with me.¡±

    ¡°I should mention,¡± she continued, ¡°my parents are retired teachers, my younger brother runs a small business in the city, and my sister-in-law works in a textile factory. I myself run a small store in town. Our family is quite well-off. I am more than a suitable match for him. If he agrees, just let me know. We can get to know each other better, and I won¡¯t forget your matchmaking fee!¡±

    Li Hua was taken aback, unsure of what to say. She was slightly startled by Gui Hua¡¯s directness when it came to matters of the heart.

    Gu Zi, however, remained calm. Seeing her sister-in-law¡¯s surprise, she poured a cup of tea for her and turned to Gui Hua, ¡°Gui Hua, you¡¯re quite something. You¡¯re not handing over the reins of your marriage to someone else, but firmly taking control and pursuing your own happiness. I admire that! But, should the matchmaking fee be shared among all present, so we can all share in the joy?¡±

    Gui Hua was generous at this moment, she slapped the table in agreement with Gu Zi, ¡°Sure, why not? You two can help me ask him. If it works out, I¡¯ll prepare red envelopes for your children as well. After all, we¡¯ll be like family.¡±

    Gu Zi found this idea appealing. More importantly, she thought Gui Hua and Lin Hun could indeed give it a try. Seeing her sister-in-law recovering from the initial shock, she supported Gui Hua, ¡°Sister-in-law, why not help her out? If it works out, won¡¯t we have another joyous occasion to celebrate this New Year?¡±

    Gui Hua was now eagerly awaiting Li Hua¡¯s response. After a moment of thought, Li Hua nodded slowly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to bring it up with Lin Hun. After all, it is a good thing. However, I do have a suggestion¡­¡±

    Both Gu Zi and Gui Hua were focused on Li Hua. They initially thought of her as a simple and straightforward person, but they soon realized that Li Hua was quite clever in certain aspects. Her proactive suggestion was likely to be a surefire plan, especially considering her familiarity with Lin Hun¡¯s situation.

    Li Hua felt as if she was betraying Lin Hun, which gave her a sense of guilt. However, she quickly rationalized that she was merely providing Gui Hua with a chance to try. Whether it would work out or not depended on their fate. If it did work out, it would indeed be a good thing. Soon, Li Hua convinced herself, and her guilt subsided.

    She quickly shared her suggestion, ¡°Lin Hun was raised by his grandmother, whom he respects the most. If you¡¯re serious about being with Lin Hun, you might want to get close to his grandmother while I¡¯m asking him. If you can win her over, things might be easier.¡±

    Gui Hua raised an eyebrow at this, fully agreeing, ¡°That¡¯s a good plan. My leg is actually much better now. I can walk. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll find time to visit the village with you and pay a visit to Lin Hun¡¯s grandmother. I¡¯ll thank her for her grandson¡¯s help. Let¡¯s do it this way!¡±

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    Gui Hua used the table for support as she stood up to leave. Even though she was still walking slowly, Gu Zi could see the joy in her steps.

    At the same time, Gui Hua¡¯s younger brother was coming out of the store. He had been running errands for his sister since she injured her leg. Seeing his sister¡¯s joyful steps, he was taken aback. He didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. As Gui Hua approached, he complained, ¡°What kind of sister are you!¡±

    Gu Zi and Li Hua watched the scene, laughing until their stomachs hurt. Gui Hua was indeed not only a playful character, but also an interesting person.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t forget to praise her sister-in-law, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re really something. You even know how to teach others to win over your former suitor. You¡¯re amazing! I think they really have a chance. Su Le, you¡¯ll have one more person giving you New Year¡¯s money this year.¡±

    Li Hua was quite embarrassed and quickly changed the subject, ¡°Su Bing and Su Li are officially on winter break today, right? They must be coming home early. You should take Su Le home first.¡±

 Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: An Improper Woman

    Chapter 585: An Improper Woman

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi glanced at the watch on her wrist, noting that it was indeed about time. Her two sons were unaware of her plans to be in town today. If she had gone straight home, she would have been nearly there by now. She had promised them a delicious meal tonight to celebrate the upcoming winter vacation.

    Returning to the village from town, Gu Zi was met with a frantic villager as soon as she reached the outskirts. ¡°Sister Su, your two boys are about to get into a fight with some other kids. You better hurry over, or there¡¯ll be trouble. It¡¯s happening right at your doorstep.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi tightened her hold on her younger daughter, Su Le, and quickened her pace towards home. She was certain that something must have happened for Su Bing and Su Li to be in conflict with other children. Her sons were not the type to bully others just because they had learned martial arts and boxing.

    By the time she arrived at her front door, she noticed that some adults had already turned their attention to the scene. Some cast glances over their shoulders as they passed by, others stood by and watched, and a few seemed to be trying to persuade Su Bing and Su Li. They probably thought her sons were in the wrong, as they were older than the other four children. In this place, the prevailing belief was that the older ones should yield to the younger ones.

    Gu Zi stepped forward to see Su Bing and Su Li easily pinning the four children to the ground. Su Bing¡¯s face was grim, and he repeated the same words in a cold tone, ¡°Apologize. Apologize now. Apologize to my mother!¡±

    His eyes were filled with anger, and his body was trembling slightly, clearly a sign of extreme fury. The surrounding adults continued to admonish, ¡°Su Bing, you and your brother can¡¯t bully the weak. Just because you¡¯re older and stronger doesn¡¯t mean you can bully the village children. That¡¯s not right!¡±

    ¡°Let them go. Your mother is here now, and these kids haven¡¯t said anything. They¡¯re just children, they don¡¯t know any better. Let it go, there¡¯s no need for violence.¡±

    Su Bing ignored their words, keeping a firm grip on the two children¡¯s shoulders. Seeing his older brother¡¯s determination, Su Li also refused to let go.

    Upon seeing their mother, Su Bing explained, ¡°Mom, we didn¡¯t start this. These kids were badmouthing you, calling you an improper woman, and even singing about it. We have to make them apologize, or we won¡¯t let go!¡±

    With this, Gu Zi understood. As she had suspected, Su Bing and Su Li were not the instigators. She approached them and said to Su Bing, ¡°Pull them up, don¡¯t keep them on the ground. But don¡¯t let go yet. I want to ask them why they think I¡¯m an improper woman.¡±

    The adults around her thought Gu Zi was being ridiculous. They believed that children didn¡¯t know any better, and were surprised that she seemed to be acting the same way.

    However, out of respect for Su Shen, they refrained from voicing their harsh thoughts. Instead, they exchanged glances and expressed their dissatisfaction through their facial expressions. Even though they didn¡¯t say anything, their feelings were clear to anyone who looked.

    Gu Zi paid no mind to the surrounding voices, nor did she care about their expressions. She looked at the four children, the oldest of whom was probably no more than seven. The fact that such young children were spreading these rumors indicated that the gossip had spread quite thoroughly.

    She asked the oldest-looking child, ¡°Who told you that I¡¯m an improper woman? Speak up.¡±

    Her tone was not harsh, nor did she try to intimidate the child. However, the authority she exuded made the oldest child lower his head and become more submissive.

    Soon, he confessed honestly, ¡°My mom said it, not me. I¡¯m sorry, Auntie, I won¡¯t say it again.¡±

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    As he apologized, the other children followed suit. Su Bing and Su Li were amazed. The adults who had been defending the children earlier had failed to get them to apologize, but their mother¡¯s authority had worked wonders. They thought their mother was truly impressive!

    With that, Su Bing and Su Li finally let go, and the four children scattered like frightened mice.

    Although the children had run off, the adults around them were still buzzing with discussion, their voices growing louder. They disagreed with many of Gu Zi¡¯s actions.

    Gu Zi ignored them. Unless they directly addressed her, she had no intention of engaging with them.

    Recently, there had been many rumors circulating in the town and village. Although she didn¡¯t know who was spreading them, the situation was clear when she considered the content of the rumors. It was simply a case of envy, of people resenting others for doing well.

 Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: The Richest in the Village

    Chapter 586: The Richest in the Village

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the small village, the richest family was undoubtedly the Su family. Ever since Gu Zi married Su Shen, the family¡¯s fortunes had improved dramatically. Their faces were flushed with happiness, a testament to their newfound prosperity.

    Gu Zi¡¯s life was not only better, but her family, the Lin family, also reaped the benefits of her marriage. They moved into a brick house, a luxury in their village, and Gu Zi helped them establish a successful meat shop. This sudden rise in fortune was enough to make many villagers envious.

    The Lin family¡¯s shop even made it to the newspapers. The business was booming, causing a stir among the villagers. Previously, the Lin family was barely able to meet the average economic level of the village. Now, they were undeniably the wealthiest.

    The villagers watched as those who were once less fortunate than them were now thriving while they remained stagnant. This was a bitter pill to swallow. Furthermore, the success of the shop was a slap in the face to many villagers. Not only was the shop successful, but it quickly became the most famous shop in town. Many city dwellers would travel on different days just to visit, seemingly contributing to the development of the village.

    Previously, city journalists had been dispatched to report on the shop. Once the story hit the newspapers, the shop¡¯s popularity soared even more. Initially, the villagers thought that without a stall in the city, the shop wouldn¡¯t be as successful. After all, the town¡¯s population was limited. Would people really make a special trip just to buy meat? It seemed unnecessary.

    However, everyone pretended to support Gu Zi¡¯s venture, despite their doubts. They secretly waited for her to fail, believing that the only advantage of selling meat in a shop was that it was less tiring than running a stall. But if the shop didn¡¯t make money, Su Shen would have to support the entire family.

    Now, it was clear that the shop was making money. Some villagers said that those who thought the shop wouldn¡¯t make money lacked vision. The shop was opened under the guidance of Gu Zi, a woman who always had a way of seeing opportunities that others couldn¡¯t. She was a formidable woman, well-matched with Su Shen.

    However, as the gossip spread, the tone changed. The villagers began to sour, claiming that Gu Zi was a scheming woman who wouldn¡¯t be a good wife and mother to Su Shen and his children. They predicted that there would be drama in the Su family soon, with Gu Zi as the main character.

    Gu Zi returned home with her three children. She greeted those who greeted her, and ignored the whispers about her shop adding poppy flowers to their meat. She found it amusing but paid no mind to the gossip.

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    Su Bing had taken Su Le away, leaving Gu Zi with her second son. She asked him, ¡°How about we have pizza for dinner tonight?¡± Su Li, remembering the delicious pizza they had not long ago, immediately agreed, ¡°Mom, your pizza is the best!¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s smile widened as she remembered something her sister-in-law, Li Hua, had told her. She said to her sons, ¡°Your aunt invited us to celebrate the New Year at her house. Of course, your grandparents also extended the invitation. I want to know what you think.¡±

    She planned to ask Su Shen as well, considering his busy work schedule. But she wanted to hear her sons¡¯ opinions first. Su Bing, holding Su Le, agreed warmly, ¡°Of course, but it depends on your and dad¡¯s schedule.¡±

    Su Li was more excited, his eyes shining, ¡°Mom, I want to go to aunt¡¯s house for the New Year. It will be lively with many people, and we can get more New Year¡¯s money! Should we buy some delicious food and fun things to bring over?¡±

    Su Li began to imagine how they would celebrate the New Year at his aunt¡¯s house. He wanted to buy firecrackers, New Year¡¯s paintings, candy, cookies, and many other things. Celebrating the New Year with his aunt, uncle, and grandparents would be fun and festive.

 Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Have a Good New Year

    Chapter 587: Have a Good New Year

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As soon as Su Li finished speaking, there was a stir outside the door. A steady set of footsteps followed, and a tall man entered the room, bringing with him a chill that seemed to permeate the air. His face was stern, but softened slightly as his gaze met Gu Zi¡¯s. He spoke in a reproving tone, ¡°Why are you always thinking about New Year¡¯s money? When you go to your uncle and aunt¡¯s for the New Year, you should be thinking about how to help them, not just about what you can get. Understand?¡±

    Su Li bit his lower lip and nodded obediently, ¡°Of course, my brother and I will not only help our uncle and aunt, but we will also spend time with our grandparents. Don¡¯t worry, mom and dad, we will behave ourselves!¡±

    As he spoke, he gave his older brother, Su Bing, a wink, as if to take credit for his good behavior. ¡°See, brother, I said we would behave, and I included you too!¡± Su Bing was taken aback by his wink, feeling a bit awkward, but he still cooperated with his younger brother¡¯s antics, responding, ¡°Yes, dad, we know what to do.¡±

    Gu Zi watched her sensible sons with a sense of relief. She approached Su Shen, naturally taking his hand. ¡°My sister-in-law told me that they invited us to spend the New Year with them because they want to spend more time with me since I just returned this year. They think it would be lively for us all to have New Year¡¯s Eve dinner together. What do you think?¡±

    She knew that her husband was busy with work, but after all, he was the boss. The word ¡®boss¡¯ implied that he didn¡¯t have to do everything himself. Otherwise, what was the point of having employees?

    The main role of a boss was to manage well, lead the team effectively, and learn to delegate. That way, he wouldn¡¯t be tied down, working himself to death like a beast of burden.

    Su Shen looked into her beautiful eyes, understanding her meaning. She probably wanted to spend the New Year with the Lin family.

    He understood completely. This was Gu Zi¡¯s first New Year since returning to the Lin family. Because she had married him as soon as she returned, she hadn¡¯t spent much time with her family. Her desire to spend the New Year with her family was perfectly normal, and he had no reason to refuse.

    But Su Shen wouldn¡¯t have refused anyway. For him, it didn¡¯t matter where they spent the New Year. In previous years, he had always spent it at home with the children. His business was just starting, and he was very busy. He also had to handle secret tasks, sometimes even having to make do with a rushed New Year¡¯s Eve dinner. So, the Su family didn¡¯t have much of a festive atmosphere.

    Going back a few more years, he felt even less of the New Year spirit. At that time, he was still in the army. During the New Year, he would either participate in the army¡¯s gala, watching performances with a bunch of men, or he would receive sudden orders for military drills.

    The people in the army could be brothers, comrades, but they were not family. No matter how many people were together for the New Year, they couldn¡¯t create much of a festive atmosphere. But he didn¡¯t care much about whether there was a festive atmosphere or not.

    Now that he had Gu Zi by his side, his mindset had changed somewhat. He felt that as long as Gu Zi was with him, it was the best New Year, it was festive. So, it didn¡¯t matter where they were.

    He cradled the back of her head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and responded without hesitation, ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea. I will arrange everything at the factory in advance, and this year, I will spend the New Year with you.¡±

    Gu Zi was very satisfied with his answer and began to plan, ¡°Then let¡¯s go there a day or two in advance. Before we go, we can go shopping in the city, buy some gifts, and bring some New Year¡¯s goods. We will be staying for a few days, so we should each bring a couple of changes of clothes¡­¡±

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    Su Shen listened to Gu Zi¡¯s words in silence. Although he didn¡¯t show any emotion, Gu Zi could still see the unhappiness in his eyes. Gu Zi didn¡¯t say anything more. When they went upstairs to their room later that night, she jokingly brought it up, ¡°You don¡¯t seem very happy. Is it because my pizza-making skills have regressed?¡±

    Su Shen followed her into the room. Today, their eldest and second child had volunteered to take care of their sister, so Su Le was not there. It was just the two of them, and the man¡¯s hormones were more freely released.

    He looked at her slender waist, reached out to hook it, and pulled her back. As the door closed, he pinned the woman who had just been in front of him against the door.

    He leaned in, his lips almost touching hers. At this moment, their breaths were intertwined, and the air between them quickly heated up. ¡°This afternoon, I went to the neighboring county. Rich Pig Farm has gone bankrupt.¡±

    As for why the Rich Pig Farm had gone bankrupt, Su Shen didn¡¯t say. But Gu Zi, combining her previous understanding, could guess that the fuse for Rich¡¯s bankruptcy was definitely the power outage in the three villages last time.

 Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Finding Some Consolation

    Chapter 588: Finding Some Consolation

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had heard from Su Shen that the internal workings of the wealthy company were a tangled mess. The boss, Zhang Ke, was backed into a corner and resorted to the illegal and underhanded tactic of cutting off the power supply.

    Previously, Su Shen had reported the incident, and Captain He had swiftly arrested Zhou Sheng, the thief who had stolen the transformer. Zhou Sheng, a man who would do anything for money, was unwilling to admit that he had stolen the transformer under the orders of boss Zhang Ke.

    However, Captain He and Su Shen were not in a hurry. Jin Long had successfully infiltrated the enemy¡¯s ranks through a collaboration between the Golden Sun Hotel and Rich Pig Farm.

    Jin Long quickly obtained compelling evidence. Only when Captain He laid out all the evidence did Zhou Sheng have no choice but to confess. Rich Pig Farm¡¯s boss, Zhang Ke, had given him a large sum of money to steal the transformer in an attempt to ruin Daqing Pig Farm.

    Zhang Ke¡¯s subsequent plans included hiring people to poison the river water in the village, creating the illusion of a swine fever outbreak, causing further losses to the Daqing Pig Farm.

    With Zhou Sheng¡¯s confession and the evidence collected by Jin Long, there was ample reason to arrest Zhang Ke.

    However, this was a case that could not be handled without taking every step carefully. After all, if a regular police officer were to handle the case, they might hesitate to take action against Zhang Ke due to his extensive network of connections.

    But the officer in charge was Captain He. When his father, Deputy Director He, learned of the situation, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the fall if anything goes wrong. You just do your job. Anyone who dares to mess with Su Shen is courting death.¡±

    Captain He, who shared the same temperament as his father, did not hesitate. He ignored the people behind Zhang Ke and, under pressure, swiftly took action to arrest him.

    Now that the boss of the Rich Pig Farm was in custody, the company¡¯s downfall was inevitable. It was surprising that a company that had risen to prominence at the same time as the Daqing Pig Farm couldn¡¯t even make it through the year.

    Gu Zi listened to the story, her arms wrapped around his waist. Her eyes traced his features. He had recently gotten a haircut, a buzz cut, and his beard was neatly trimmed. His eyes were bright, his lips rosy.

    The hand on her waist was strong and sensual. She loved it when he did this and looked forward to his kiss. She imagined it would be powerful and deep.

    He didn¡¯t look like someone who was constantly busy with no time to rest. Gu Zi admired him. Was this man never tired? His energy seemed boundless. She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you upset about this?¡±

    Su Shen met her gaze, silent for a moment, then leaned in to kiss her without a word. His kiss was passionate and delicate. His tongue gently parted her lips, entwining with hers, as if seeking some comfort. ¡°The village where Rich Pig Farm is located is also a notoriously poor village. The economy only improved after the pig farm was established¡­¡±

    Gu Zi interrupted him with a deep kiss, not needing him to say more. She understood why he was upset.

    Zhang Ke¡¯s foolish business tactics not only ruined his own future but also crushed the hopes of a village¡¯s development.

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    Su Shen was a man with a broad perspective. If it were just a matter of personal gain or loss, he might not take it to heart. But collective failures often upset him. No matter how capable he was, his time and energy were limited.

    He had managed to establish the Daqing Pig Farm and uplift the village and surrounding towns. But there were still many poor villages that he could only sigh at, powerless to help. Gu Zi understood his unhappiness and wanted to offer him some comfort to ease his mood.

    Her kiss became more assertive, pressing him back. Su Shen retreated until he had no choice but to sit on the bed. She continued to kiss him, sitting on his lap. His body tensed in response, and he made no attempt to hide his arousal, enjoying her initiative and anticipation.

    The next moment, she guided his hand to her chest. He lost his composure, panting heavily, his tongue twining with hers in a fervent response to her kiss.

    For a while, the only sounds were their intertwined breaths and the soft, sticky noises of their lips meeting. He squeezed her breast and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± He subconsciously squeezed a few more times.

 Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Like a Peacock Spreading Its Tail

    Chapter 589: Like a Peacock Spreading Its Tail

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had already been stirred, her cheeks flushed with a layer of crimson. She responded to his teasing without any restraint, pressing her entire palm against his groin, provocatively saying, ¡°You¡¯re quite well-endowed here, I¡¯m very satisfied.¡±

    Her voice was soft, yet filled with seduction. The older man¡¯s self-control was, of course, limited. In such a situation, he had no resistance, especially as the woman continued her actions, unbuckling his belt, pulling down his zipper. He tilted his head back, his throat convulsing intensely.

    Gu Zi, like a bewitching fox, had him completely entranced, waves of tingling pleasure radiating from his waist, the excitement shooting straight to his head.

    Su Shen couldn¡¯t take it anymore, he flipped her over, pressing her beneath him. ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯ve become naughty.¡±

    Su Shen knew she was teasing him, but he didn¡¯t have any words to respond, only planning to prove himself through actions. He fiercely captured her lips, prying open her teeth, his tongue sweeping through her mouth, causing her body to itch all over, eliciting a soft moan from her.

    She held onto his sturdy body. This night belonged to the two of them, their bodies intertwining passionately¡­

    On the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, it was the day Gu Zi took her family to her mother¡¯s house to celebrate the New Year. The family got up early, and after taking care of other matters, they packed the car full before setting off.

    Before leaving, Su Shen went upstairs to change into formal attire. A few days ago, he had accompanied Gu Zi to the city to buy New Year¡¯s goods. At Gu Zi¡¯s suggestion, he had changed his hairstyle to a buzz cut, which, coupled with his rugged facial features, made him look even more masculine. Gu Zi had also chosen a suit for him that day, which he wore now.

    After changing, he descended the stairs, dressed in a dark green suit paired with a black shirt. His image was noble and handsome, exuding a strong masculine charm. His eyes were deep, looking normal when he looked at others, but whenever he looked at Gu Zi, there was a seductive quality to his gaze, like a peacock spreading its tail. He called out to Gu Zi, ¡°Gu Zi, I¡¯m wearing the clothes you bought.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, hearing the lingering affection in his voice. A smile tugged at her lips as she praised, ¡°My husband is so handsome. Wearing the clothes I bought, he looks even more dashing.¡±

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    Su Shen seemed satisfied after hearing her words. He turned his gaze away, walking over to open the car door. His movements were a bit sluggish, which Gu Zi noticed, finding amusement in the older man¡¯s shyness.

    Seeing his father being praised, Su Li also ran over, seeking his mother¡¯s praise. ¡°Mom, look, I also have a buzz cut like dad, and I¡¯m wearing a little suit. Don¡¯t I look handsome too?¡± He stared at his mother as he spoke, almost directly asking her to praise his looks.

    Gu Zi stroked his little buzz cut, her smile indulgent. Her gaze shifted to Su Bing, who was helping his sister into the car while also paying attention to their conversation. She called out loudly, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re very handsome. Su Li is handsome, Su Bing is handsome too. We have three handsome men in our family.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Su Li¡¯s face broke into a wide grin, Su Bing was secretly pleased, but Su Shen was a bit disgruntled. His wife was praising him, why were these two kids butting in?

    In the morning, the car stopped in front of the red brick house. The family members got out one after another, attracting the attention of many villagers. The emotions in their eyes varied ¨C some were friendly, some envious, some jealous, and some, for reasons unknown, held a hint of resentment.

 Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: A Detestable Evil

    Chapter 590: A Detestable Evil

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Certainly, at this moment, the vicinity of the red-brick house was not only populated by the villagers of Little Lin Village. There were also people from Daqing Village and Chen Village. Like Gu Zi and her group, they had come to visit relatives.

    The three villages were primarily made up of the Su family in Daqing Village, the Lin family in Little Lin Village, and the Chen family in Chen Village. The villages were close and had deep roots, with intermarriage and migration being common occurrences. Within these three villages, any three or four households could trace some familial or historical connection. It was perfectly normal for everyone to visit relatives during the New Year.

    However, a portion of these people, upon seeing the Su family, especially when they saw Gu Zi, couldn¡¯t help but whisper amongst themselves. They looked at Gu Zi as if she were some detestable villain, their eyes filled with hostility, as if they wished they could tear her apart.

    ¡°This is the ungrateful biological daughter of the Lin family. She¡¯s indeed beautiful, even more so than her mother was in her youth. But in my opinion, a woman¡¯s beauty is useless if she lacks kindness and consideration. She¡¯s incapable of such qualities. It¡¯s a pity for the Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, they only had one son, and she sent him to jail. It¡¯s outrageous!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Technically, Lin Laoyao is her uncle, and Lin Jie is her cousin. What benefit does she gain from Lin Jie being in jail? Why did she have to send him there? Now, our Little Lin Village hasn¡¯t produced a single college student, but we have one more criminal. This is a disgrace to our village.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I heard that Lin Laoyao and his wife are so worried that their hair has turned white. They can¡¯t eat or sleep well. Their once peaceful home has been destroyed. And she has the audacity to show up here, acting as if she owns the place. She¡¯s heartless! I¡¯m not like those who fawn over her just because she married a rich man. I wouldn¡¯t associate with such a person, no matter how wealthy.¡±

    In rural areas, relationships are highly valued. After Gu Zi sent Lin Jie to jail, many people in the village gossiped about her, thinking she was too cold and heartless. Now, seeing her return in her husband¡¯s car, looking so prosperous, it only further irritated those people. They couldn¡¯t help but belittle Gu Zi.

    As the conversation heated up, others who knew about another incident also began to speak up. They weren¡¯t afraid of her rich husband. No matter how wealthy or capable Su Shen was, they wouldn¡¯t need a penny from him. Why should they flatter him?

    With this mindset, their voices grew louder, as if they were afraid others wouldn¡¯t hear them.

    ¡°Do you know what happened recently? Lin Miao was arrested at her own wedding. It seems that she was involved in a theft of gift money. I heard that she was deliberately framed by her sister. Who else could her sister be but Gu Zi?¡±

    Upon hearing this, many who were previously unaware were shocked. Lin Miao was in jail, and it was Gu Zi¡¯s doing!

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    No one cared about why Lin Miao was in jail. Their focus was on the fact that Gu Zi had put her there. They ignored the words ¡°it seems¡± from the original statement and immediately assumed that Gu Zi had harmed Lin Miao and sent her to jail. The gossip grew louder.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a thing called human decency? She¡¯s too cruel. Even if she doesn¡¯t care about Lin Miao, shouldn¡¯t she consider her foster parents? They raised her for eighteen years. They finally found their biological daughter, only to have her sent to jail. Regardless of the reason, is this how she repays kindness with enmity? It¡¯s terrifying!¡±

    ¡°I think the Lin family is quite scary too. They watched their daughter make so many mistakes and did nothing. An Yun and her husband lived with Lin Miao for many years. Don¡¯t they have any affection for her? Can¡¯t An Yun plead for her foster daughter?¡±

    ¡°Gu Zi is terrifying in many ways. Remember when her sister-in-law, Su Jing, returned to the village? She left soon after, seemingly driven away. I suspect that Su Jing had no place in the Su family and had no choice but to leave. Su Jing is not one to compromise easily. If she was driven out of her own home, it shows how ruthless Gu Zi is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too much! Su Jing is an unmarried woman. She broke up with her boyfriend and returned to her parents¡¯ home. Isn¡¯t that normal? Gu Zi couldn¡¯t even tolerate that and drove her away. Who does that?¡±

 Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Unrecognized Kindness

    Chapter 591: Unrecognized Kindness

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The villagers were engaged in a heated discussion, their words painting Gu Zi in an increasingly negative light. Some, who had initially held a favorable opinion of her, found themselves wavering. Doubt crept into their voices as they questioned, ¡°But she¡¯s always gotten along well with Aunt Zhang in our village. Aunt Zhang is a straightforward person. If Gu Zi were as malicious as you say, how could Aunt Zhang possibly approve of her?¡±

    The conversation continued, with one villager chiming in, ¡°She¡¯s just good at pretending. Aunt Zhang may be straightforward, but that makes her easy to manipulate, don¡¯t you know? I¡¯ve also heard that she¡¯s planning to hold training classes in three villages, teaching everyone how to do business. She¡¯s even decided to start in Little Lin Village.¡±

    Another villager expressed his knowledge of the matter, ¡°You¡¯ve heard about this too? I heard it from the village head. He¡¯s currently discussing with the village secretary about the location for the training classes. They¡¯re even considering building a house on someone¡¯s land specifically for the classes.¡±

    The villagers¡¯ discontent grew, ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! They¡¯re even considering our land. I won¡¯t allow it. The village head should have called a village meeting to discuss such a significant matter, not make decisions behind our backs. I used to respect the village head, but it seems he¡¯s just as opportunistic. Regardless, it¡¯s my land, and I have the final say. No one can use it for their training classes.¡±

    The skepticism deepened, ¡°What¡¯s this about teaching us to do business? It sounds nice, but they¡¯re just trying to exploit us. It¡¯s just Gu Zi¡¯s money-making scheme. If money were that easy to make, would there be so many poor people? They must think we rural folks are fools. I won¡¯t be attending any training classes!¡±

    Gu Zi had been aware of the villagers¡¯ unrest. She had heard some of their comments about the training classes and couldn¡¯t help but feel displeased. Indeed, there was such a plan.

    However, the training classes were something the village head had asked her to organize. She hadn¡¯t decided whether to proceed with it yet. But given the villagers¡¯ lack of appreciation, she found herself reconsidering the matter.

    She was about to leave with her dog, Big Yellow, when a woman stopped her. The hostility in her voice was palpable, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas. We won¡¯t be fooled by your training classes. You won¡¯t be using us as your money-making tools.¡±

    Although the others remained silent, many gave the woman a supportive look. Their gaze towards Gu Zi was wary, as if they were looking at a cunning and ruthless opportunist, afraid that they might be sold out by her at any moment.

    Just as the two children entered the house, Su Shen returned to find Gu Zi. Seeing his beloved wife being targeted, his expression turned cold, like the ominous sky before a heavy downpour. He shielded Gu Zi and addressed the woman and the villagers, ¡°Rest assured, my wife won¡¯t be organizing any training classes, nor will she require your land for it.¡±

    Su Shen was aware of the matter. The village head had mentioned it to him, seeing that Gu Zi had a knack for business and hoping she could help organize the training classes to help everyone prosper. However, he had disagreed from the start. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to have her own pursuits, but because he knew it would be a thankless task.

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    It would be difficult to do well, and even if it were successful, no one would be grateful. He didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to exhaust herself over it. But the village head had approached Gu Zi separately, and she had agreed to consider it. Now, with the villagers causing a fuss, it seemed like a good time to put an end to the idea.

    The woman was somewhat intimidated by Su Shen. Seeing him step forward to speak, she didn¡¯t know what to say. However, the other villagers responded to Su Shen, their tone relatively polite, ¡°Since Boss Su has spoken, we naturally believe him. If there¡¯s no such thing, that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s all disperse.¡±

    As Gu Zi watched the villagers, just as Su Shen was about to lead her into the house, she pressed his palm, signaling him to wait. She decided to be upfront with the villagers, ¡°There¡¯s no need to disperse so quickly. Since everyone is here today, I might as well clarify things. Indeed, there is a plan to hold training classes, and a specific venue is needed.¡±

    The woman who had been silenced by Su Shen earlier immediately retorted, ¡°See, she admitted it herself. She really is planning to hold training classes. And who knows what sweet words she used to convince the village head and the village secretary. I think we¡¯re definitely being taken advantage of!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Su Shen say there was no such thing? Why is Gu Zi saying there is? What¡¯s really going on?¡±

 Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Looking For The Village Chief

    Chapter 592: Looking For The Village Chief

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it?¡± a voice echoed through the crowd. ¡°They¡¯re a married couple playing both sides. One wants to cover it up, to avoid us making a fuss, while the other blatantly disregards us. They¡¯re not afraid of our resistance. It¡¯s as if money gives them the right to do so!¡±

    The commotion was loud and disruptive. Gu Zi and Su Shen had been absent for quite some time, which prompted An Yun and Li Hua to come out and investigate. They didn¡¯t know what had transpired, but they sensed trouble. They hurriedly approached Gu Zi, with Li Hua asking, ¡°What happened, sister? Are you alright?¡±

    Gu Zi, however, remained calm. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said. ¡°I just needed to clarify some things. The village chief did approach me about running a training class, but I haven¡¯t given him an answer yet. Now, I don¡¯t need to consider it. I won¡¯t be running the class. You can rest assured.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the woman who had spoken earlier stood up again. ¡°We won¡¯t believe your words,¡± she declared. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re saying one thing and doing another? You¡¯re telling us now that you won¡¯t agree to the village chief¡¯s proposal, but what if you agree behind our backs? We¡¯d be helpless then!¡±

    The crowd murmured in agreement. Seeing An Yun present, they disregarded Gu Zi¡¯s words and called out to An Yun, ¡°Let your husband, Lin Lao¡¯er, come out and speak. He should stand up for his fellow villagers and give us a way out. We just want to farm in peace.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sister Lin,¡± another villager chimed in. ¡°We all know why your shop is so popular. It¡¯s because you¡¯ve added something secret to your braised meat, making it especially delicious. If this is discovered, it¡¯s a crime. You¡¯ll be jailed. If you run this training class and teach us to use that secret ingredient, wouldn¡¯t that be harming us?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another villager agreed. ¡°Your family can¡¯t break the rules and harm the people of our three villages. We won¡¯t sign up for your class. So, you¡¯d better drop this idea. Let your husband come out and speak. Where¡¯s Lin Lao¡¯er? Ask him to come out.¡±

    The crowd surged towards the red brick house, clamoring for An Yun¡¯s husband to come out and take charge. The noise and chaos greatly displeased Su Shen. With a furrowed brow, he shielded Gu Zi from the crowd, preventing them from bumping into her. He then walked over and closed the door of the red brick house, refusing to let these people disturb his father-in-law¡¯s peace, especially since his leg injury had not yet fully healed.

    Su Shen¡¯s voice was deep and angry. ¡°Gu Zi and I have already said that we won¡¯t run this training class, and we won¡¯t take your land. No one is stopping you from farming. What are you still fussing about?¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s not certain,¡± a villager retorted. ¡°Who knows if you¡¯re telling the truth or lying? Su Shen, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t respect you, but this matter concerns our future. We can¡¯t let your wife do as she pleases.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s voice was icy as he explained, ¡°Whether you believe it or not, the village chief asked my wife to do this. If you¡¯re not happy, I¡¯m not willing to let her work too hard to lead others. After all, those she would be leading can¡¯t bring her any benefits. So, you don¡¯t need to worry too much, and don¡¯t overestimate yourselves.¡±

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    Su Shen¡¯s words were harsh, implying that these people thought Gu Zi wanted to exploit them, but in reality, they were worthless, not even worth the effort for Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi stood by his side, feeling the cold aura he exuded, but it gave her a sense of security. No matter what these people said, it wouldn¡¯t affect her at all. But the protection of this man could make her happy for a long time.

    The villagers were angered by Su Shen¡¯s words. ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re going too far. Do you really think we, the people of Lin Village, are afraid of you? You¡¯re too arrogant. Your pig farm has brought many benefits to the surrounding area, but we also provided land, resources, and labor for your pig farm. Where else would you find workers?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another villager agreed. ¡°You¡¯re pushing all the responsibility onto the village chief. I don¡¯t believe the village chief would be so foolish. It¡¯s clear that you want to make money and have deceived the village chief with some conditions. We need to find the village chief right away and make him realize this.¡±

    As soon as these words fell, someone ran over from a distance, shouting as they ran, ¡°The village chief is coming, everyone stop making a fuss!¡± The crowd then saw Su Ming, panting heavily. His face was not looking good, as if he was angry about something.

 Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: A Bunch of Fools

    Chapter 593: A Bunch of Fools

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Although Su Ming was not yet an old man, he was certainly no spring chicken. As one reaches middle age, there are certain battles one must concede, and Su Ming was no exception. His physique leaned towards the plump side, causing him to pant heavily even from brisk walking, let alone the distance he had just run.

    A deeper fury ignited in Su Ming¡¯s eyes as he thought about this. He had rushed all the way from the village office upon receiving the news, only to have his beloved bicycle suffer a punctured tire midway. He wanted to cry, but there was no time for tears.

    With no other choice, Su Ming abandoned his bicycle and began to run, cursing as he went, ¡°Damn it, you bunch of imbeciles! You¡¯ve ruined my beloved bike. Wait till I deal with you all, then I¡¯ll come back for you.¡±

    Everyone in the village recognized his bicycle, and even if someone found it, they would dutifully return it to the village office. He wasn¡¯t worried about it being stolen. But for now, he needed to run.

    Su Ming quickened his pace, feeling as if his chubby cheeks were being flung back by his speed. His face was burning hot, his throat felt like it was on fire, and his belly jiggled with each step, giving him a sinking feeling. He had never felt this exhausted in his life.

    There were a few times when he nearly ran out of breath, but he couldn¡¯t afford to rest. After taking a few deep breaths, he continued running, fearing that if he slowed down, the fools of Little Lin Village would mess things up.

    Finally, he arrived. However, judging by the situation and the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces, Su Ming realized he was probably too late. He was furious and wanted to stew their brains for soup!

    However, not everyone was adept at reading others. The few who had been speaking enthusiastically clearly hadn¡¯t noticed the village chief¡¯s anger. They had no idea that he wanted to bash their heads in and continued to block his path.

    The man leading the group cheerfully said, ¡°Chief, if you¡¯re here about the training class, don¡¯t worry. Thanks to Sister Zhu Ling¡¯s reminder, we villagers have unanimously decided not to participate in the training class. So, you don¡¯t need to trouble yourself!¡±

    ¡°Right, Chief, we know there are things you can¡¯t say, so we¡¯ve made it clear to Su Shen and his wife that we don¡¯t need any training class. We don¡¯t want to learn business. We¡¯re farmers and we¡¯re proud. We don¡¯t need any capitalists to save us!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, we decide our own lives. Chief, rest assured, we won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡±

    Su Ming took a few seconds to catch his breath. Hearing their words, he was so angry that he couldn¡¯t maintain his composure. He grabbed the collar of the man who had spoken first and roared, ¡°What the hell did you decide, you bunch of fools!¡±

    After releasing the man¡¯s collar, he couldn¡¯t help but give him a shove due to his anger. The man stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling over. Everyone was stunned. They had never seen the village chief this angry in all his years in office. What could have caused this?

    The smiles on everyone¡¯s faces gradually faded as they began to speculate. Surely, the village chief was just putting on a show.

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    Su Shen was a prominent figure in the village, bringing many benefits to the three villages. As the chief of the three villages, Su Ming couldn¡¯t possibly disrespect him. Of course, there was also the possibility that Su Ming was under some kind of pressure, perhaps being threatened by Su Shen and his cohorts. Being the village chief was no easy task!

    However, as the village chief, Su Ming had years of experience in managing his emotions. He quickly regained his composure. Arguing with these fools was a waste of time. Given the situation and the strong personality of Su Shen¡¯s wife, she probably wouldn¡¯t agree to conduct the training class.

    It would be better for him to take advantage of the crowd and clarify the situation, urging them to apologize to Su Shen and Gu Zi. Perhaps there was still a chance to salvage the situation.

    With his chest heaving, Su Ming addressed the crowd loudly, ¡°The idea of the training class was discussed and proposed by the village secretary and the higher-ups as a way to promote the development of the village. I saw potential in Gu Zi¡¯s business acumen and thought it would be beneficial for you all. That¡¯s why I personally visited Gu Zi and asked her to take time out of her schedule to conduct this training class, to help everyone escape poverty and become wealthy.

    ¡°I recognized her insight and ability. If she can lead a successful business like Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, she can lead countless others. If this training class is conducted, everyone¡¯s lives will improve. To put it bluntly, I was the one who approached Su Shen and Gu Zi and asked Gu Zi to help you all, to teach you. You don¡¯t know anything, so why don¡¯t you apologize to Gu Zi right away?¡±

 Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Used

    Chapter 594: Used

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Specially infuriated by the inhabitants of Little Lin Village, Su Ming couldn¡¯t help but berate them, ¡°Your economy is in shambles, yet you show no ambition to improve. You take pride in farming, but what¡¯s there to be proud of? You¡¯re all fools, absolute fools! I manage you all, don¡¯t I know your situation? You¡¯re too stupid!¡± Unable to contain his anger, he continued to insult them, his rage reaching its peak.

    In truth, many things were clear. The people of Chen Village, despite their numerous ill-conceived ideas, had more intelligent individuals. They didn¡¯t need the village head to devise plans for them. They had managed to reap considerable benefits from the pig farm, albeit covertly. Although their development couldn¡¯t compare to Daqing Village, it wasn¡¯t too shabby either, far surpassing Little Lin Village.

    The village committee had decided to start the training program in Little Lin Village simply because it was the most economically backward among the three villages. Little Lin Village was in dire need of guidance and development.

    Upon hearing the village head¡¯s words, many people began to panic. Had they misunderstood Gu Zi? Was Gu Zi genuinely trying to help them? If so, their actions had only made matters worse. It seemed as if they had suddenly come to a realization.

    At this moment, a man stepped out from the crowd, guilt evident in his voice, ¡°We might have made a mistake. I remember now, Zhu Ling is the cousin of Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife. When Lin Jie hit Lin Lao¡¯er, Gu Zi insisted on not reconciling and sent Lin Jie to jail. Zhu Ling must have been seeking revenge when she incited us against Gu Zi. We¡¯ve been used.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I remember now. Zhu Ling was lying all along. She claimed that Gu Zi was scheming to profit off us, but in reality, the training program is beneficial for us¡­¡± More and more people began to realize that they had been manipulated by Zhu Ling.

    Everyone in Little Lin Village knew that Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife¡¯s family, although not numerous in the village, was famously united. Their interests were tightly intertwined. The other siblings, though not as malicious as Laoyao¡¯s wife, were extremely supportive of their own.

    They never criticized Laoyao¡¯s wife¡¯s wrongdoings, always presenting a united front. Over time, the villagers had subconsciously learned to tolerate this family. Now that they had been awakened, they understood the situation. However, when they looked around for Zhu Ling, she was nowhere to be found. Clearly, she had slipped away when she sensed the tide turning against her.

    Su Ming roared in anger, ¡°What are you looking for? You should be apologizing to Su Shen¡¯s wife! You¡¯re all as dumb as pigs, it¡¯s unbelievable! Enough with the nonsense, go apologize now!¡±

    As soon as the village head finished speaking, the crowd rushed forward to apologize. However, a few still refused to admit their mistakes, making excuses that they might have misunderstood Gu Zi.

    This matter wasn¡¯t proposed by Gu Zi, but she wasn¡¯t teaching at the training program for free, was she? They were all fellow villagers, there was no need to be so calculative. There was no need for apologies.

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    ¡°Village head, even if the training program is beneficial for us, Gu Zi, as the teacher, must be getting paid by the village, right? The village is spending money to hire her as a teacher, it¡¯s only natural for her to guide us. There¡¯s no need to make it seem like she¡¯s making a huge sacrifice. We just misunderstood.¡±

    ¡°We just misunderstood!¡± Upon hearing this, Su Ming was so angry he could only laugh. Just as he was about to scold the man, Gu Zi¡¯s mother, An Yun, suddenly stood up and said to the man, ¡°You were the one who said our shop¡¯s braised meat was selling well because we added something unspeakable, weren¡¯t you? I remember correctly, it was you. Don¡¯t panic, I just want to respond to you publicly.

    ¡°You need to be responsible for your words. The recipe for our shop¡¯s braising sauce was painstakingly researched by my daughter Gu Zi and my daughter-in-law Li Hua. I can assure you, our braised meat tastes good not because we added any poppy flowers. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for the recent rumors, I wouldn¡¯t even know such a thing existed.¡±

    An Yun¡¯s sudden interjection surprised everyone. Many people in Little Lin Village were even more taken aback. Ever since Gu Zi, her biological daughter, returned, Lao¡¯er¡¯s wife seemed to have changed a lot. She used to be the most agreeable person, but she lacked assertiveness. Now, she was different. Although she still spoke gently, she exuded a strong sense of confidence that made people want to believe her.

    Gu Zi was also deeply moved. Since her arrival in this world, her biological mother had given her many surprises. She walked over to her mother, took her hand, and leaned into her.

 Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Really Regretful

    Chapter 595: Really Regretful

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi addressed the crowd, ¡°What my mother said is exactly what I wanted to express. Whether you believe it or not is not important to me. I don¡¯t need your apologies. Now, disperse.¡±

    She had been puzzled earlier by the woman who had been opposing her. The woman seemed vaguely familiar, but Gu Zi couldn¡¯t recall where she had seen her before. Now that she knew the woman was Zhu Ling, her aunt¡¯s cousin, it all made sense. No wonder she looked familiar.

    However, who instigated the crowd was irrelevant. The mob had been unruly, even blocking her from her own home. She saw clearly that these people were not worth her time.

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Su Ming¡¯s heart sank, his face turning pale. Although he knew there was no hope, he couldn¡¯t help but try to salvage the situation. He said to Gu Zi, ¡°Mrs. Su, I mishandled this situation. I should have made a public statement earlier. Please, consider¡­¡±

    Gu Zi looked at him, her gaze deep and respectful. She could see that Su Ming was a good village chief who genuinely wanted to improve the villagers¡¯ lives. Unfortunately, she, Gu Zi, would never help a group of unworthy people for the sake of one deserving individual.

    She was not a saint. She couldn¡¯t burn herself to light up others¡¯ lives without expecting anything in return. She had thought about it from the beginning. Teaching people to do business often resulted in the teacher starving while the students thrived. Especially when dealing with people of low cognition, like these villagers. Expecting gratitude from them was futile. Instead, she might inexplicably gain many enemies.

    Now, she was even more determined. She would not take on this task. She told the village chief, ¡°Actually, I plan to continue my studies. I¡¯m sorry, but I simply don¡¯t have the time to run a training class. Mr. Village Chief, you¡¯ll have to find someone else. There¡¯s no need for further discussion.¡±

    Su Ming looked at Gu Zi, wanting to say something but ultimately shaking his head. He said apologetically, ¡°Mrs. Su, I understand. Although you don¡¯t need an apology, as the village chief, I must apologize on behalf of the villagers. I¡¯m truly sorry. Moreover, you declined the town¡¯s invitation because of my request. I don¡¯t know how to make it up to you.¡±

    Gu Zi gave a polite smile and nodded. ¡°Mr. Village Chief, I accept your apology. I wish you a happy new year! Also, I must thank you for giving me a reason to decline the town¡¯s invitation. I never intended to help them get rich. I believe that by opening our restaurant in the town, I¡¯m already doing enough for them. As for the village, I¡¯ve made up my mind. There¡¯s no need for apologies.¡±

    Su Ming nodded, turned around, and left, ignoring the villagers calling out to him. Seeing them now made him dizzy. The villagers had finally realized their mistake. They regretted their actions and wished they could turn back time.

    From the conversation between the village chief and Gu Zi, they understood that the town had invited Gu Zi to run a training class. The town leaders were not people who could be easily appeased. They recognized true talent. This meant that Gu Zi was indeed very capable and could genuinely help them prosper. Oh, what a foolish mistake they had made!

    ¡°Gu Zi, this was all a misunderstanding. Why are you taking it so seriously? We were wrong. We¡¯re truly sorry. Please, help us. Don¡¯t reject the village chief¡¯s invitation.¡±

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    ¡°Mrs. An Yun, you¡¯ve been married to Lin Lao¡¯er for so many years. You¡¯re one of us now. Don¡¯t you want our village to prosper? Please, persuade Gu Zi. Will you?¡±

    Unable to stop the village chief, they could only plead with Gu Zi and the Lin family. Their attitudes had completely changed, and they were saying all the right things. They were just short of kneeling down and begging for forgiveness.

    An Yun, holding her daughter¡¯s hand, intended to go inside. She said to the crowd, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been married here for many years. Yet, none of you ever trusted me. You doubted my daughter, and now you¡¯re begging her for help. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed? Stop talking. Let¡¯s go. We just want to have a peaceful new year and spend time together.¡±

    An Yun and Gu Zi entered the house. Su Shen, with a cold expression, said, ¡°I¡¯ve been very polite to all of you. Don¡¯t disturb my family¡¯s life anymore. Otherwise, I believe, a single decision from me could make your lives very uncomfortable.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s words were harsh, silencing the crowd. They had always said that Su Shen¡¯s wealth didn¡¯t benefit them, but in reality, they were enjoying the benefits brought by the pig farm. They took it for granted. If Su Shen decided to be less considerate, they would indeed have sleepless nights.

 Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Festivities

    Chapter 596: Festivities

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Even though the villagers were filled with regret, desiring to plead with Gu Zi to change her mind and help them, they dared not cause any more commotion. After all, who could they blame now?

    The village chief had practically delivered the means to make money to their doorsteps, yet they insisted on blocking their own path with their shovels. The village chief was right, they were indeed a bunch of fools, deserving of their endless poverty!

    The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving the front of the Lin family¡¯s house quiet once more. Su Shen¡¯s mood was not greatly affected. After all, this was nothing compared to the time when he wanted to start a pig farm, and almost everyone from three villages came out, fearing being implicated and wanting to drive him out of the village. He was not affected at all back then, let alone now.

    To some extent, Su Shen was relieved that Gu Zi would not take over the village¡¯s training class. He had always supported Gu Zi in doing her own thing. If she was too busy with her own affairs, she could ask someone to help look after the children. However, he didn¡¯t want Gu Zi to be like him, working hard without any reward. Of course, he didn¡¯t regret what he had done. Running a pig farm was his own business, and he was willing to bear all the consequences.

    But now that his business was thriving, Gu Zi, as his wife, should have some choice. Since she could choose, he hoped that she would do what was most beneficial to her, whether it was studying or working. He wished her happiness and satisfaction, which might also be one of the main reasons why he worked hard to earn money.

    Su Shen opened the door of the brick house, strode towards the sedan, opened the trunk with one hand, and took out the gift boxes that he hadn¡¯t finished carrying earlier. Lin Cheng quickly followed to help, and the two men carried the boxes into the house.

    Su Bing and Su Li had also heard the villagers¡¯ words in the house. They felt both angry and relieved. It was a close call. Their mother almost agreed to lead the villagers. Wouldn¡¯t that mean less time spent with them?

    Fortunately, those people didn¡¯t know what was good for them. Their mother would definitely not take over the training class now!

    In the end, smiles appeared on the faces of the two brothers. They ran to Su Shen and Lin Cheng, eager to show off, because their mother was nearby and could see their performance. Su Li loudly volunteered, ¡°Dad, Uncle, my brother and I are also men of the house. We want to help carry things too. Give us some.¡±

    As Su Li spoke, he glanced at his mother¡¯s reaction out of the corner of his eye. Seeing her smiling brightly, unaffected by the earlier commotion, he felt relieved. His uncle handed him two lighter gift boxes, and he happily carried them into the house.

    Su Bing also received two gift boxes from his father. He was also very happy to be able to show off in front of his mother. He carried the gift boxes with his back straight and entered the house with a sense of pride. When he came out, his cheeks were red and adorable.

    Before Gu Zi had a chance to speak with her sons, she turned and entered the kitchen. Her mother and sister-in-law, seeing her enter, quickly pushed her out. Li Hua said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that the kitchen is my domain? You should rest. Dealing with those people earlier must have been tiring.¡±

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    An Yun also said, ¡°Yes, go and eat something. Your sister-in-law and I are in the kitchen. Our cooking skills are improving. You should try our cooking today. Also, we support your decision not to take over the village¡¯s training class. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    With no other choice, Gu Zi was quickly pushed out of the kitchen. At that moment, Su Li came running out of the house with two large red couplets, saying to Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s paste the couplets together. Brother has gone to help Grandpa. Let¡¯s show Grandpa our handwriting.¡±

    The couplets were written by Gu Zi and her sons the night before as a New Year¡¯s gift for their relatives. Handwritten couplets not only showed special intentions but also added to the festive atmosphere at home. Gu Zi felt that she had nothing to do at the moment, so pasting couplets with Su Li was just right. She followed him out.

    After the mother and son pasted the couplets, the festive atmosphere was immediately enhanced. Su Bing carefully pushed Grandpa out. Grandpa¡¯s leg had been taken out of the cast, but he was still recuperating. He couldn¡¯t walk too far and it was best if someone supported him, so he didn¡¯t have to put too much pressure on his leg and risk damaging the healing bone.

    When Lin Lao¡¯er saw his daughter, he hadn¡¯t yet shifted his mood. The guilt on his face hadn¡¯t completely disappeared. Clearly, he had heard the commotion outside earlier. He couldn¡¯t help but say to his daughter, ¡°Xiao Zi, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble!¡±

 Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Calligraphy

    Chapter 597: Calligraphy

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi shook her head with a smile, reassuring her father, ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t need to say such things. The villagers caused the commotion, not you. Besides, it¡¯s all in the past. Let¡¯s not bring it up again. Look, this is the couplet that Su Bing, Su Li, and I wrote. The first line reads ¡®Birdsong and fragrant flowers fill the spring hall,¡¯ and the second line is ¡®Happiness and good health bring fortune to the home.¡¯ The horizontal scroll reads ¡®Great luck in the New Year.¡¯ What do you think?¡±

    She stepped forward, pointing out the characters as she read them aloud, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at her father. It was clear she was seeking his praise. Lin Lao¡¯er, seeing his outstanding and adorable daughter, felt a sense of comfort. He momentarily forgot about the unpleasant matters and decided to enjoy the moment. ¡°Good, very good. Su Bing must have written the horizontal scroll, right? It¡¯s well written. All of it is well written.¡±

    Su Li was surprised. He glanced at his brother. Indeed, the four characters were written by him and his brother under their mother¡¯s guidance. He had written ¡®New Year,¡¯ and his brother had written ¡®Great Luck.¡¯ He ran up and asked, ¡°Grandpa, how did you know we wrote these four characters? Our names aren¡¯t written on it.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er held Su Li back, smiling kindly at him. ¡°Your handwriting is lively and spirited. The characters you write are slightly rounded, and the brush strokes are somewhat blunt. It¡¯s clear that they were written by children. But you both did very well. Of course, your mother¡¯s writing is even better. Her strokes are a perfect balance of firm and gentle, her characters are graceful and elongated, and her brush strokes are warm and lively. You both still have a lot to learn.¡±

    At this, both Su Bing and Gu Zi looked surprised. Along with the already surprised Su Li, three faces turned to Lin Lao¡¯er in astonishment. Gu Zi voiced the question in her heart, ¡°Dad, you understand calligraphy? When did you learn?¡±

    For the first time, Lin Lao¡¯er found himself the center of attention and was unsure how to respond. He rubbed the back of his neck modestly, ¡°I can probably understand it, but I wouldn¡¯t say I know calligraphy. Actually, I learned to write with a brush after I met your mother. She taught me. By the way, you probably don¡¯t know this, but your mother¡¯s calligraphy is very beautiful.

    ¡°Before your brother was born, she wrote quite a few character practice books. I¡¯ve kept them all, and they¡¯re still in good condition. Would you like to see them?¡±

    As Lin Lao¡¯er spoke, a hint of guilt flashed in his eyes. Before their marriage, An Yun could afford to write character practice books. But after their marriage, he gradually couldn¡¯t even afford to buy the paper for her. Especially after An Yun gave birth to Lin Cheng, she never wrote with a brush again. She said she didn¡¯t like it anymore, but he knew the truth. She didn¡¯t want to see him struggling to save money for the paper.

    Gu Zi noticed the complex emotions in her father¡¯s eyes. There was guilt, but also anticipation for a response. He seemed very eager to show off her mother¡¯s calligraphy. Gu Zi was also curious. She had no idea her mother could write with a brush, let alone that she was good at it. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look. We would like to appreciate Mrs. An Yun¡¯s masterpiece. Dad, where is it? Su Bing, go get it.¡±

    At that moment, An Yun brought out some fruit for them. Hearing them discussing her calligraphy, her face turned slightly red, and a hint of regret flashed in her eyes, but she quickly hid it. She laughed shyly, ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t listen to your father¡¯s nonsense. I was just scribbling.¡±

    Su Bing already knew where the character practice books were kept. He ran into the house, and on his way, he asked his grandmother for permission, ¡°Grandma, brother, mother, and I all want to see it. Can I get it?¡±

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    An Yun handed Su Bing an orange she was holding. She couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him. Su Bing quickly brought out an old wooden box. The paint on the box was severely chipped, but it was still sturdy and usable.

    Seeing the wooden box, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s eyes flashed with worry. He reminded Su Bing, ¡°Be careful with it. Give it to me, and I¡¯ll take out the books for you to see.¡±

    Su Bing obediently handed the box to his grandfather. Lin Cheng and Li Hua also came out at this time. Hearing Su Li say that they were going to appreciate Mrs. An Yun¡¯s calligraphy, they didn¡¯t want to miss out, so they came out first.

    Lin Lao¡¯er looked at the box on his lap, then looked again. He said to his wife, ¡°An Yun, come and take a look. It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve seen these characters. Don¡¯t be shy. You really write very well.¡±

    An Yun walked over to Lin Lao¡¯er. Her shy demeanor was gone, replaced by a calm and composed expression. She saw Su Le and Su Shen come out. She walked over, picked up the little girl, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s take a look. You¡¯re free all day. Le Le, come here. Let grandma hold you. Let¡¯s look at grandma¡¯s writing together. Grandma is really going to embarrass herself.¡±

 Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: They Are All My Little Brothers

    Chapter 598: They Are All My Little Brothers

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen approached Gu Zi, his arm naturally wrapping around his wife. He addressed his mother-in-law, ¡°How could it be embarrassing? Seeing how much father cherishes it, it must be well-written.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er retrieved the calligraphy from the box. The paper had yellowed with age, but the ink was still clear and vivid.

    The calligraphy sheets were spread out in the box, without a single crease or tear, preserved perfectly. Lin Lao¡¯er said, ¡°It¡¯s not just because the writing is good, but also because this was your mother¡¯s most cherished hobby. I wanted to preserve it well.¡±

    The impact of Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s words was no less than a young man¡¯s passionate confession. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel envious.

    Lin Cheng and Li Hua couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Everyone¡¯s attention naturally focused on Mother Lin, the recipient of the confession. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Wow, mom, I didn¡¯t know dad could be so romantic. You two really know how to keep secrets¡­¡±

    Everyone had undoubtedly been dazzled by their parents¡¯ display of affection. As the youngest daughter in the family, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but tease. Mother Lin blushed, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to scold her daughter. Holding Su Le, she freed one hand to lightly slap her husband, warning, ¡°You talk too much. If you want to look at the calligraphy, then look. We still have to prepare for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er was scolded, but he was happy. He took out the calligraphy to show everyone. Everyone suppressed their laughter and began to appreciate the calligraphy. Upon seeing it, they were taken aback. Su Li and Li Hua exclaimed almost simultaneously, ¡°This is too beautiful!¡±

    Su Li picked it up to examine it closely. Li Hua, pulling her husband Lin Cheng, excitedly asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me your mother had this talent? It¡¯s amazing. No wonder I always thought your handwriting was beautiful. It must be hereditary.¡±

    Lin Cheng scratched his head awkwardly and said, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t want me to talk about it before. I gradually forgot that she could write calligraphy, so I never mentioned it.¡±

    Gu Zi picked up a sheet of calligraphy, and Su Shen helped her hold the other side. The couple looked at the same sheet for a long time. Gu Zi said, ¡°I think it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say a professional calligrapher wrote this. It¡¯s really amazing, Su Shen, do you know calligraphy?¡±

    When she asked this, she already had a rough idea of the answer. She had seen Su Shen¡¯s handwriting. It was beautiful, strong, and powerful. It seemed that he had also studied calligraphy. Su Shen nodded and replied, ¡°I know a little.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at him, raising her eyebrows slightly. ¡°A little,¡± he said again. This husband of hers really knew how to keep secrets!

    During the process of everyone appreciating the calligraphy, Lin Lao¡¯er didn¡¯t stop talking. His tone was full of pride, constantly praising his wife¡¯s writing. Although his words of praise were repetitive, he insisted on praising her many times. By the time everyone finished appreciating the calligraphy, they had had their fill of sweetness.

    The Lin family hadn¡¯t bought a television yet. After lunch, everyone cleaned up together, then chatted and rested. They then began preparing the evening¡¯s lavish dishes. Everyone gathered together happily, not bored at all.

    Moreover, it was New Year¡¯s Eve. The adults had to prepare to worship their ancestors, prepare the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, and prepare the things needed for staying up all night. They also had to prepare red envelopes in advance¡­

    Although these were small tasks, they added up to quite a lot. Everyone was very busy and didn¡¯t have time to sit down and watch TV.

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    The three children didn¡¯t need to worry at all. Su Bing and Su Li took their little sister out to play. They caught bugs in the fields and picked fruit from the trees. Not long after they left, when they returned to the brick house, they were followed by a line of more than a dozen little followers. The procession behind them was impressive. The children who had received Su Li¡¯s origami all recognized Su Li as their big brother.

    Seeing this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but shiver. No wonder in the original book, the second child could become a gang leader when he grew up. Wasn¡¯t this charisma already taking shape?

    However, she believed that the second child would not follow the old path. His charisma was just part of his personality. She didn¡¯t need to be constantly on edge, overly worried that the two children would follow the old path.

    Gu Zi was still relaxed. She waved and greeted the large group, teasing, ¡°Su Li, I heard your generation is a bit off. Your brother is the eldest, so how did you become the big brother?¡±

    Hearing his mother¡¯s question, Su Li raised his arm with a leader¡¯s demeanor, and the children behind him obediently stopped. Su Li ran over to Gu Zi and explained seriously, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? They are my little brothers. My big brother is still my big brother. As long as they respect my big brother with me, it¡¯s fine. Mom, they will also respect you because they are all my little brothers!¡±

 Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Peace and Joy

    Chapter 599: Peace and Joy

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi watched Su Li with interest, her gaze shifting between him and the group of children nearby. A hint of skepticism lingered in her eyes. Seeing his mother¡¯s doubtful expression, Su Li promptly issued a command to his young followers. ¡°This is my mother,¡± he said. ¡°When you see her, you must greet her. Quickly, call her ¡®auntie¡¯ and wish her a happy new year.¡±

    No sooner had Su Li¡¯s words fallen than the group of children chorused in unison, ¡°Hello, Auntie! Happy New Year, Auntie!¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected such a grand display. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh, reaching into her bag to pull out a stack of red envelopes. How could this not be considered a New Year¡¯s greeting? The small red envelopes she had prepared in advance could finally be put to use.

    Gu Zi walked over and distributed the red envelopes among the children. ¡°Come, come, one for each of you,¡± she said. ¡°Since you¡¯ve all wished me a happy new year, I can¡¯t be stingy. Here¡¯s a small red envelope for each of you. I hope you all grow up healthy and happy in the new year!¡±

    The children accepted the red envelopes, their eyes still somewhat dazed. It was clear they hadn¡¯t quite processed what was happening. After all, this was the first time many of them had received a red envelope from someone other than a family member. Some had never received a red envelope at all. The sudden happiness was almost overwhelming, enough to bring tears to their eyes!

    Su Li was also taken aback. His mother was handing out red envelopes, and he hadn¡¯t even received one from her yet. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, but the next second, his mother returned to his side and pressed two small red envelopes into his hand. He felt a gentle pressure on his head, as if a warm breeze had brushed past him. ¡°How could we forget about our second child?¡± she said. ¡°Take these for now. I have a bigger red envelope for you tonight.¡±

    He looked up at his mother, a hint of bitterness in his eyes. Yes, when had his mother ever forgotten to take care of him? He was just being too petty.

    He then noticed his older brother approaching, also holding two small red envelopes. His brother¡¯s hand was clasped around Little Lele¡¯s, who was also holding two small red envelopes. A surge of emotions welled up in his chest, finally manifesting as a tearful smile.

    He rushed over to hug his mother, then, blushing, ran off to return to his post as the eldest brother. The children had received red envelopes from their leader¡¯s mother, and their respect for him increased. They even consulted Su Li on how to spend their red envelope money.

    ¡°Boss, let¡¯s go on an adventure to the supply and marketing cooperative now. We all have money. Let¡¯s buy snacks together!¡±

    ¡°Boss, this is the first time I¡¯ve received a red envelope. It¡¯s actually fifty cents. That¡¯s too much. I don¡¯t want to spend it all at once. Can I take it home to my mother? It¡¯s enough to buy a good meal.¡±

    ¡°Boss, I want to buy a comic book. Can I get one for fifty cents?¡±

    Su Li cleared his throat and straightened his back. ¡°My mother once said that every child should establish their own view of money from a young age. That is to say, we should have our own opinions about money, understand? So how you want to use your money is up to you. For now, let¡¯s all go home. I need to stay and help my mother with some work.¡±

    The children hadn¡¯t expected to part ways with their leader so soon. They watched Su Li with reluctant eyes, but he kept waving them off, telling them to go home. Only then did they leave, some even taking Su Li as an example, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to go home and help my mother too. I want to learn from the boss!¡±

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    Because many children had received red envelopes, many more came to play at the red brick house after dinner. Of course, these were not the same children who had received red envelopes. It seemed that word had spread among the children. Knowing that there was a ¡®boss¡¯s¡¯ mother here who would give out red envelopes, they came to try their luck. In any case, the area around the red brick house was quickly becoming a children¡¯s kingdom.

    During the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, Gu Zi gave her three children, Su Bing and his siblings, large red envelopes. Their father, grandfather, and uncle also gave the siblings large red envelopes. The siblings could say that they had received so many red envelopes that their hands were sore. The children were happy, and Gu Zi, as a mother, naturally beamed with joy.

    She saw that she still had many prepared red envelopes, so she deliberately went out for a walk. Whenever a child greeted her with a lucky phrase, she would give them a red envelope. This made her happy, and the children were also able to receive small red envelopes. It was lively and festive, a wonderful New Year¡¯s Eve. Gu Zi felt as if she had returned to her childhood.

    Before she had transmigrated into this book, her hometown had a tradition of children greeting adults with lucky phrases during the New Year, and the adults would give red envelopes in return.

    Back then, from New Year¡¯s Eve to the seventh day of the New Year, Gu Zi loved to play in the neighborhood with her friends. Whenever they encountered familiar uncles, aunts, grandpas, and grandmas, they would greet them and say lucky phrases. Almost all of them would give red envelopes.

 Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: Gui Hua Is Really Capable

    Chapter 600: Gui Hua Is Really Capable

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The red envelopes were never too large, often given with the sole intention of spreading joy and happiness, rather than for show. Children had money to buy snacks, adults heard auspicious words, and received positive psychological suggestions. It was a win-win situation, and such a New Year never lacked flavor.

    As time passed, Gu Zi grew up and left her hometown. Other places did not have such customs, and with the passage of time, the flavor of the New Year became increasingly diluted. Like many of her peers, Gu Zi gradually stopped paying much attention to the New Year. If it weren¡¯t for the book that brought her here, she felt that she would have almost forgotten the feeling of the New Year. This year was truly wonderful.

    The next day was the first day of the New Year, a good day to visit friends and relatives. Gu Zi, having stayed up until midnight with everyone to celebrate the New Year, and only going to bed after setting off the door-opening firecrackers, found it somewhat difficult to get up in the morning. When Li Hua came to find her, she was still in a daze, as if dreaming. She dreamt of the scene where she was telling stories to Su Bing and his brothers the night before.

    ¡°Opening the door and setting off firecrackers at midnight on the first day of the New Year is a tradition,¡± she explained, ¡°because it is said that the ferocious Nian beast would come out to cause trouble on the first day of the New Year. People were very troubled by this. Gradually, they discovered that it was afraid of the color red and the sound of explosions. So, at midnight on the first day of the New Year, people would set off firecrackers in front of their own doors in order to drive away the Nian beast and ensure peace for the coming year¡­¡±

    She had fallen asleep on Su Shen¡¯s shoulder last night, sleeping soundly, though not for long. The temperature was low, and it was very cold. She didn¡¯t want to get up now, but when her sister-in-law arrived, she realized this and forced her eyes open, sitting up. ¡°Sister-in-law, what time is it now?¡±

    Li Hua sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her sister-in-law who she had woken up. She felt a little guilty, but she had no choice. She really needed to talk to her. ¡°It¡¯s almost six o¡¯clock. I¡¯m sorry for disturbing your sleep. I need to go back to my mother¡¯s house with Lin Cheng to pay a New Year visit. We need to leave early, so I had to wake you up.¡±

    Gu Zi finally forced herself to wake up. She pulled the blanket over Su Le, who was still sound asleep next to her, and looked at Li Hua. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I know you¡¯re not in a hurry, and you wouldn¡¯t call me if you were.¡±

    Li Hua nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t Gui Hua ask me to help her ask Lin Hun¡¯s intentions before? Now that they have confirmed their relationship, I¡¯m going back today, and Gui Hua is also going to Lin Hun¡¯s house to pay a New Year visit. Gui Hua asked me to help her bring up the matter of marriage. What do you think? Should I help?¡±

    Gu Zi joked, ¡°Gui Hua is really capable. She has already won over Lin Hun. But isn¡¯t she a bit too eager? Is she really planning to marry Lin Hun during the New Year?¡±

    Li Hua laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? I never saw Gui Hua so eager to get married before. But at the moment, Lin Hun¡¯s intentions are not very clear, and that¡¯s where my dilemma lies.¡±

    Gu Zi understood. If Lin Hun didn¡¯t plan to discuss marriage so soon, it would be quite awkward for Li Hua to bring it up. She gave her sister-in-law some advice, saying, ¡°Then don¡¯t ask Lin Hun. Didn¡¯t you say that Lin Hun¡¯s grandmother really likes Gui Hua? Then just ask Lin Hun¡¯s grandmother directly. Gui Hua is such a good catch, if Lin Hun doesn¡¯t marry her soon, someone else will, and he will be at a loss.¡±

    Li Hua was surprised. ¡°So you mean, don¡¯t care about Lin Hun¡¯s intentions and let his grandmother decide? That doesn¡¯t seem quite right. Even if the two of them end up together, I feel there will be a barrier.¡±

    Gu Zi shook his head and explained, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. Actually, I was just advising you to go and casually mention it to his grandmother. Old people always hope that their children will settle down as soon as possible.

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    ¡°Since his grandmother likes Gui Hua, if you mention it, she will naturally urge Lin Hun to consider marriage. If Lin Hun is willing, he will propose to Gui Hua himself. If he is not willing, then it is his own wish, and it won¡¯t be considered forced.¡±

    Li Hua slapped her thigh, suddenly understanding how to proceed. She bid farewell to Gu Zi and left with Lin Cheng.

    Gu Zi no longer felt sleepy. She got up and washed, and just as she had changed her clothes, she saw Su Shen carrying a bowl of steamed dumplings in. She heard him say, ¡°Your breakfast, do you want to eat it now?¡±

    The voice came from above her head. At this moment, she was standing next to him, his presence was very strong. Gu Zi felt that it must be because her husband was so tall that his oppressive presence was so strong. It was hard not to notice him.

    Today, he was wearing a gray shirt, the hem of which was neatly tucked into his suit trousers. His waistline was clear, and his figure appeared even more tall and straight. His temperament was restrained and steady. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°What a feast for the eyes!¡±

 Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Eager to Please

    Chapter 601: Eager to Please

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen regarded her with a puzzled gaze. What nonsense was this petite woman spouting now? Yet, in the next moment, she stood up, wrapped her arms around his waist, and tiptoed to kiss him. He didn¡¯t dodge, instead, a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he cooperatively engaged in an intimate exchange of tongues with her.

    Gu Zi felt the man¡¯s hand on her waist tighten, his grip growing stronger, causing her breath to hitch. A tingling sensation spread from her waist, coursing through her entire body, causing her to tremble involuntarily.

    Su Shen was pleased with her reaction. His tongue continued its assertive invasion of her mouth, one hand cupping her breast. To him, she was like a ripe peach, full and round. He always wanted to undress her, to lower his head and suckle there, convinced he could draw out the sweet nectar of a peach.

    Just as their intimate moment was about to escalate, a commotion erupted outside. Gu Zi clutched her collar, blocking the man¡¯s wandering hand. ¡°Stop, we can continue later. Let¡¯s go see what¡¯s happening outside.¡±

    Su Shen held her waist, steadying her. Once she had adjusted her clothes, they exited the room together. Outside, they found a crowd of people, some of whom had caused trouble the day before. Today, they carried eggs and cured meat, some even held sugar and biscuits. It was as if they were visiting relatives, their faces tinged with a hint of apology.

    Su Shen instinctively shielded Gu Zi, his voice deep as he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we clear things up? It¡¯s the New Year, let¡¯s not cause trouble. Otherwise, I won¡¯t be so polite.¡±

    Seeing that Su Shen seemed to have misunderstood, someone quickly explained, ¡°Mr. Su, we¡¯re not here to cause trouble. We¡¯re sorry about yesterday. My child came home last night and said he received a fifty-cent red envelope here. I think it was from your wife. I felt guilty, so I brought a pound of sugar today as an apology and a return gift. Please forgive us.¡±

    After one person spoke, others chimed in, addressing Gu Zi, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here to apologize and return the favor. We were foolish and misunderstood you yesterday. Despite that, you were generous and gave our children red envelopes. We¡¯re truly sorry. Please accept our gifts!¡±

    Hearing that they weren¡¯t there to cause trouble, Su Shen was willing to let Gu Zi face them. Gu Zi said, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. It¡¯s the New Year, and it¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re willing to visit. As for the red envelopes, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. Adults are adults, children are children. I was happy yesterday and gave the children red envelopes according to tradition, just for the joy of it. There¡¯s no need for return gifts.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words were met with praise. The villagers didn¡¯t dare to mock her anymore. They were eager to please her, fearing that if she was unhappy, Su Shen might move his pig farm away. They had heard about a nearby county where a prosperous pig farm had collapsed, causing many people to lose their jobs. Some even committed suicide. It was a terrible situation.

    ¡°No, no, please accept our gifts. They might not be worth much to you, but they represent our sincerity. Please accept them!¡±

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    Although Gu Zi said she wouldn¡¯t accept the gifts, the villagers still insisted on giving them to her. Those who couldn¡¯t reach her gave their gifts to Mother Lin, who had come out from behind. Mother Lin had no choice but to accept them, but she was happy. Her daughter had found a good man. With Su Shen supporting her, Gu Zi would never be wronged. That was a good thing!

    Following the events of the first day of the New Year, for several days afterward, people continued to visit the Lin family, bringing gifts. The house was bustling, filled with a festive atmosphere. Gu Zi didn¡¯t mind the commotion. After all, a busy house was a prosperous one, and prosperity was always a good thing.

    On the fifth day of the New Year, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s brothers from his hometown visited. They lived in the town and didn¡¯t have much contact with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family.

    Lin Laoda had distanced himself from Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family because they were poor. He and his wife feared that their impoverished relatives would drag them down. They thought it was better to have no contact at all.

    But things were different now. Lin Lao¡¯er was now the father-in-law of the wealthy Su Shen. His sister-in-law, Mother Lin, had even opened a meat shop in town. He needed to reconnect with them. After all, he and Lin Lao¡¯er were brothers. They couldn¡¯t possibly avoid each other forever.

 Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: A Huge Gap

    Chapter 602: A Huge Gap

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the early morning, Lin Laoda, accompanied by his wife and two grandchildren, arrived at Little Lin Village. They had been directed to a red-brick house, but upon arrival, they found the area in front of the house teeming with people. A few tables of mahjong were set up by the door, and the crowd was engrossed in their games. The sounds of chatter and laughter mingled with the clatter of mahjong tiles, creating a lively atmosphere. Looking down, they saw the ground covered in firecracker remnants, reminiscent of a red carpet. It was a display of prosperity.

    Inside the house, Lin Cheng and his wife, Li Hua, were tidying up the kitchen after preparing breakfast. They were also preparing tea and snacks to serve to the guests outside.

    Lin Lao¡¯er had been ushered out by Mother Lin to bask in the warm sun early in the morning. He was now entertaining the guests with a game of mahjong. As for Su Shen, he had taken the children to the ancestral hall early in the morning to visit the elderly caretaker, and was not at home.

    At this time, only Gu Zi and Mother Lin were attending to the guests outside. However, these guests hardly needed any attention. Both women were surrounded by people, each forming a center of conversation, leaving them no time to attend to the newly arrived visitors.

    Lin Laoda and his wife stood outside the door for a while, watching the lively scene but feeling the chill of the wind. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit stifled. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife snorted coldly and turned to leave, but was stopped by Lin Laoda. ¡°We haven¡¯t been in contact for so long, and they didn¡¯t know we were coming today. Let¡¯s not be so formal. Let¡¯s go and greet them. They can¡¯t ignore us. Now is not the time to be angry.¡±

    Lin Laoda¡¯s wife pouted, showing her impatience. Originally, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was the poorest. Now that they had risen in status, she was not pleased. Today, they had taken the initiative to visit, but no one had come to greet them. Not even a glance was cast their way. What did this mean?

    Their daughter had married a rich man, so what?

    ¡°Look at us, has anyone even noticed us? What does this mean?¡± Lin Laoda¡¯s wife lamented.

    Lin Laoda hadn¡¯t expected that so many people would now be rushing to curry favor with his younger brother¡¯s family. Although he had moved his family to the town and settled there, his visits to the village had become less frequent. Last year, he hadn¡¯t returned to the village at all.

    However, as one of the three brothers who had done well for themselves, every time he returned to the village, he would receive a lot of attention.

    But this time, the difference was stark. Not just his wife, even Lin Laoda himself was finding it hard to adjust. He felt a sense of suffocation in his heart, but he didn¡¯t want to show it. He didn¡¯t respond to his wife¡¯s questioning, but instead picked up the box of cookies he had brought as a gift and walked up to his brother, Lin Lao¡¯er. ¡°Second brother, are you busy?¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er had just won a round of mahjong. He looked up to see his long-lost elder brother and felt a bit dazed. ¡°Elder brother, why are you here? And sister-in-law too. Please, have a seat. You can take my place, I was just about to take a break.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er called someone to take his place at the mahjong table. He got up, leaning on his crutch, his face calm. There was no hint of surprise. Seeing his reaction, Lin Laoda¡¯s wife became even more displeased. She immediately complained to her husband, mocking, ¡°See, I told you today was not a good day to go out, but you didn¡¯t believe me. Look at your brother, he doesn¡¯t even recognize you. Yet, you insisted on coming out in this cold.¡±

    Lin Laoda felt that his wife¡¯s words were damaging his dignity. He scolded her in a low voice, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about on New Year¡¯s Day? Isn¡¯t everyone gathered outside? Are you the only one who can¡¯t stand the cold?¡±

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    By this time, many people had noticed the presence of Lin Laoda and his wife. Gu Zi and Mother Lin also looked over. After exchanging greetings with the couple, the others showed surprised expressions. Why had Lin Laoda and his wife come? Hadn¡¯t they stopped associating with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family a long time ago?

    Lin Lao¡¯er knew that his sister-in-law had always looked down on them. Now that she saw the prosperity of their family, she must be feeling uncomfortable. If she wanted to mock, let her. He didn¡¯t feel anything. After all, they were the ones who had said they wouldn¡¯t associate with them. Now they had come of their own accord, and if they felt the cold, who could they blame? Lin Lao¡¯er remained silent, watching Lin Laoda and his wife argue.

    Mother Lin pulled Gu Zi over and exchanged a glance with her husband. She introduced them politely, ¡°This is your uncle and aunt. These two children are their grandchildren. They live in the town and don¡¯t visit often, so this is your first time meeting them.¡±

    Gu Zi inwardly praised her mother¡¯s tact. She had directly stated that they didn¡¯t visit often, not giving them any face. She put on a polite smile and greeted them, ¡°Hello, uncle and aunt. Happy New Year!¡±

    Lin Laoda and his wife stopped arguing and turned to look at Gu Zi. Seeing her well-dressed appearance, they immediately felt a pang of envy.

 Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Blood Is Thicker Than Water

    Chapter 603: Blood Is Thicker Than Water

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    They gazed at Gu Zi, certain that she was the biological daughter their second brother had mistakenly lost. Even if she wasn¡¯t standing next to Mother Lin at this moment, Lin Laoda couple would still recognize her, for she bore a striking resemblance to Mother Lin in her youth.

    Both mother and daughter possessed a rare beauty. However, the mother had married an ordinary farmer. Despite Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s affection for her, her life was destined to be simple and laborious. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife had once been envious of Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s wife¡¯s beauty, but the thought of her own wealth always eased her jealousy.

    But what about the daughter? She had married the only wealthy man in the area. Today, she was dressed in a cheongsam coat, adorned with pearls and jade, her complexion rosy, her demeanor dignified. Gu Zi¡¯s aura was comparable to that of a high-born lady, which made Lin Laoda¡¯s wife feel uncomfortable.

    She wondered, how could Mother Lin, who had led an ordinary life, give birth to such a daughter who possessed both wealth and beauty?

    Moreover, this daughter had married a wealthy son-in-law, who was said to be very considerate of Gu Zi and Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. This had allowed Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family to rise from poverty and become wealthy in Little Lin Village.

    The more Lin Laoda¡¯s wife thought about it, the more jealous she became. Her tone of speech inevitably carried a sour note, losing the magnanimity that an elder should have, revealing a petty nature. ¡°I¡¯m not very happy today. You¡¯re Gu Zi, right? You¡¯ve been back for a while now, but you haven¡¯t visited me and your uncle. Oh, I see, perhaps your parents have become so wealthy that they¡¯ve forgotten about us.¡±

    Lin Laoda¡¯s wife believed that whenever she returned in the past and had a dispute with someone, the people around her would always side with her, blaming the other party. So, she deliberately spoke in this manner now, presuming that the people around her would still help her criticize Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family¡¯s inconsideration. She didn¡¯t realize that the wind had already changed direction.

    As soon as she spoke, many people around her changed their expressions. Immediately, someone stood up to defend Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. ¡°I¡¯m not happy to hear what you¡¯re saying. Haven¡¯t you ever thought about visiting Gu Zi?¡±

    ¡°Your second brother¡¯s daughter has been returned, and you haven¡¯t even visited. Yet, you¡¯re waiting for the younger generation to visit you. As elders, you¡¯re so inconsiderate, yet you expect the younger generation to be considerate of you. Ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, the pot calling the kettle black. I remember you said a long time ago that you wouldn¡¯t associate with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. Now you¡¯re turning around and blaming An Yun and her husband. Disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Look at their high and mighty attitude. I¡¯ve been fed up with it for a long time. Instead of staying in town during the New Year, they¡¯ve come here to put on a show.¡±

    The voices around her surged over, almost startling Lin Laoda¡¯s wife. What was going on? Why was everyone siding with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family?

    It was Lin Laoda who reacted quickly. Seeing the unfavorable situation, he glared at his wife and scolded, ¡°Look at you, we came to pay a New Year¡¯s visit, and you had to make it unpleasant. Shut up, no one here thinks you¡¯re mute.

    ¡°Gu Zi, your aunt doesn¡¯t know how to speak properly, don¡¯t take it to heart. We came today specifically to see you. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. Your father and I are still brothers, born of the same mother. Blood is thicker than water, it can¡¯t be severed just like that. This is a red envelope I prepared for you, please don¡¯t think it¡¯s too small.¡±

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    Lin Laoda handed the gift box to Lin Lao¡¯er, then apologized to Gu Zi. He took out a large red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Gu Zi.

    Lin Laoda¡¯s wife wanted to stop him. But under the watchful eyes of everyone, she feared that if she tried to stop him again, the saliva spat out by the people around her could drown her. Subconsciously, she was a bit scared and didn¡¯t stop him, but her heart ached. This red envelope was worth a hundred and one.

    This was specially prepared for their son¡¯s leader¡¯s child. Lin Laoda was really something, giving a fifty-one envelope would have been enough. Why give such a large red envelope? Money, it was her money!

    Gu Zi reached out to take it, but then withdrew her hand. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife was delighted, hoping that Gu Zi would decline. Gu Zi¡¯s words were exactly what Lin Laoda¡¯s wife wanted to hear, ¡°Uncle, you may not know my situation. I¡¯m already married and have three children. If the mother has a red envelope and the children don¡¯t, they will be upset. I¡¯d better not take it. It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±

    With Gu Zi¡¯s refusal, the stone in Lin Laoda¡¯s wife¡¯s heart finally fell to the ground. Just as Lin Laoda was about to take back the red envelope, the people around them began to mock, ¡°Just give one red envelope? Why not give four and solve the problem? Lin Laoda can¡¯t be that stingy, right? As an uncle, he¡¯s not even willing to give a red envelope, so much for blood being thicker than water.¡±

 Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Job Opportunity

    Chapter 604: Job Opportunity

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it yet?¡± The whispers echoed around the room. ¡°Lin Laoda is only reaching out because Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family is thriving now. He¡¯s stingy, hoping to achieve great things with little money. He talks about blood being thicker than water, but in reality, he¡¯s just after the benefits.¡±

    Upon hearing these murmurs, Lin Laoda hardened his heart. He pulled out three more red envelopes from his pocket and handed them to Gu Zi, along with the initial one. Four envelopes, four hundred yuan. It pained him to part with the money, but he was more interested in winning over Gu Zi¡¯s husband. ¡°I apologize for my lack of consideration,¡± he said, ¡°Please accept these on behalf of the children.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t hesitate this time. She reached out and took the envelopes. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife felt a pang of pain in her heart. Her four hundred yuan was gone!

    Gu Zi chuckled and thanked the elder couple. ¡°The children and Su Shen have gone to pay their New Year¡¯s respects. I¡¯ll accept these on their behalf. When they return, they¡¯ll pay their respects to you.¡±

    Gu Zi was not blind to the fact that Lin Laoda¡¯s wife had turned pale, most likely from the pain of parting with the money. But that was precisely the effect she wanted.

    If the elder couple wanted to reestablish their relationship with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family, they had to show enough sincerity, regardless of their true intentions. If they felt the sincerity was too costly, they would naturally not come again.

    Mother Lin also understood Gu Zi¡¯s intentions. However, their family didn¡¯t believe in only taking and not giving. She believed Gu Zi would approve of her actions. After Gu Zi accepted the red envelopes, Mother Lin took out two from her bag, each containing a hundred yuan, and gave them to Lin Laoda¡¯s two grandsons. The boys¡¯ faces lit up with joy.

    However, the expression on the face of Lin Laoda¡¯s wife didn¡¯t improve. They had given out four envelopes and only received two in return. They were still two hundred yuan short! She regretted not having more grandchildren. It was such a loss!

    Lin Laoda¡¯s wife was so upset she didn¡¯t want to speak. The people around her didn¡¯t care, they continued to chat and laugh with Gu Zi and her daughter. At lunchtime, ten tables of guests sat in front of Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s house. Due to the cold weather, they had prepared a lamb hot pot. Everyone ate happily and contentedly.

    Especially after Mother Lin announced that Gu Zi had prepared the hot pot ingredients, everyone started to praise her extravagantly. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife sneered secretly. No matter how capable Gu Zi was, she was still just a woman, wasn¡¯t she?

    She could only stay at home, do housework, and raise children. In terms of capability, her son was superior. He was a supervisor in a textile factory in the city, a respectable job that not everyone could have.

    Just then, the sound of a car horn echoed down the road. A jeep pulled up, and a short-haired woman stepped out. She was dressed in a very neutral but stylish manner. Her outfit was obviously not cheap, and she was carrying two exquisite gift boxes that looked quite expensive.

    Her appearance attracted many people¡¯s attention. Many were surprised. Did the Lin family have such a stylish relative?

    Gu Zi also noticed her and immediately recognized her. This was the female reporter who had interviewed them last time. Gu Zi approached her, ¡°Miss Guan Xin, what brings you here?¡±

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    Guan Xin shook hands with Gu Zi and handed her the gift boxes. She got straight to the point, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you during the New Year. I¡¯ve come to wish you a happy new year. These are small tokens of my appreciation. Also, I have a job opportunity that I think would suit you. I would like to invite you to join our Guangcheng Newspaper as a foreign language editor.¡±

    Gu Zi was somewhat surprised, not because of Guan Xin¡¯s appearance or the job opportunity she brought, but because of the position of a foreign language editor. In the original book, this opportunity should have been given to Lin Miao because of her outstanding performance in foreign language hosting. She was introduced to the newspaper by Boss Huo, which led to this job opportunity.

    It seemed that her arrival in this book had disrupted the plot¡¯s trajectory, causing some minor changes. This job opportunity had not only become hers, but it was also brought by the reporter who had interviewed her. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How did you know I speak English?¡±

    Guan Xin laughed, ¡°You know Uncle Huo, right? Coincidentally, he and my father are good friends. Yesterday, when I visited him for the New Year, we talked about work. He mentioned you, and when I heard your name, I realized that we have a mutual acquaintance.¡±

    ¡°Back to the point, the position requires a high level of English proficiency. Uncle Huo vouches for you, and I believe you can do it.¡±

 Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: School Admission Slots

    Chapter 605: School Admission Slots

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Moreover,¡± Guan Xin continued, ¡°the timing and location of this job are extremely flexible. You are only required to visit the newspaper office three days a week to submit your work, collaborate with colleagues, and engage in professional discussions. The rest of the time, you are free to work from wherever you wish. The most crucial aspect is to meet your deadlines. Our newspaper has limited space for foreign language content, so the number of articles requiring translation and editing is quite minimal.¡±

    The workload was light, she assured, making it feasible even for those juggling childcare, household responsibilities, or other commitments. ¡°As for the salary, we¡¯re currently offering eighty a month, plus bonuses. If you find this unsatisfactory, we can negotiate further. We¡¯re not afraid to pay well for talent at our newspaper.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi understood. It was Boss Huo who had recommended her to a friend¡¯s daughter, who happened to be Guan Xin, the woman who had interviewed her. It was indeed a small world.

    The job opportunity was indeed appealing. The flexible working hours would not interfere with her preparations for her exams. She could simultaneously manage her studies, family, and work. It seemed perfect.

    However, Gu Zi hesitated. If she accepted the job, she would have less time to care for her three children and her time and energy might be spread thin. Moreover, working at the city newspaper would likely necessitate living in the city, but her home was currently in Daqing Village.

    She decided to consult with Su Shen and her three children. If they agreed, they could consider moving to the city. She was unsure, however, whether this would be convenient for Su Shen¡¯s work.

    She didn¡¯t view seeking her family¡¯s opinion as a constraint. Although the job opportunity was excellent, her husband and children were equally important. They deserved to be consulted and considered.

    Gu Zi responded to Guan Xin, ¡°I¡¯m familiar with Guangcheng Newspaper. It¡¯s the oldest and most subscribed newspaper in Guangcheng City. The staff is highly educated, many of whom are talents returned from abroad. I¡¯m quite surprised and pleased that you¡¯ve invited me to work there. However, I need some time to consider.¡±

    Upon hearing about the job¡¯s salary, everyone was astounded. A monthly salary of eighty, plus bonuses! And if Gu Zi agreed, there was room for further negotiation. My goodness, was the salary for a newspaper job really this high? What kind of dream job was this?

    Everyone was green with envy. They struggled to save two hundred a year, yet this job seemed to offer that amount in just two and a half months. It was infuriating. Why couldn¡¯t they speak a foreign language? How was it that Gu Zi seemed to know everything?

    When they heard that Gu Zi needed time to consider, they panicked. ¡°Gu Zi, with such a high salary, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up and accept!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, such a good job, even if you don¡¯t take it, you could recommend someone else. My daughter-in-law¡¯s cousin is a university graduate and speaks a foreign language. How about letting him try for the job?¡±

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    Upon hearing the villagers¡¯ comments, Guan Xin, seeing their eagerness, promptly responded, ¡°Our newspaper doesn¡¯t just accept any university graduate. Our standards are strict. I came here after thoroughly understanding Gu Zi¡¯s capabilities. If it weren¡¯t for her, we wouldn¡¯t be offering a monthly salary of eighty.¡±

    ¡°Gu Zi,¡± she continued, ¡°in order to persuade you to join our newspaper, I¡¯ve prepared an enticing additional condition. If you work for our newspaper, I can offer your children two admissions to Guangcheng City¡¯s top bilingual primary school. As long as you join us, your children can become students of this prestigious school.¡±

    The two children were currently studying at Chenglong Primary School. Although both were city schools, the difference was stark. Chenglong Primary School was an average public school, adhering to national standards. It was neither outstanding nor poor.

    However, the top bilingual primary school was different. It was the number one bilingual primary school in Guangcheng City, boasting cutting-edge teaching standards and abundant resources. The children studying there were exceptional. It could be said that a child¡¯s admission to this school would elevate the status of their entire family.

    Gu Zi had attended this school as a child, so she was well aware of its allure. This was why the Gu couple had gone to great lengths to secure their child¡¯s admission to this school.

 Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: The Childrenâ€™s Future

    Chapter 606: The Children¡¯s Future

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The renowned primary school was notoriously difficult to gain admission to. Not only did the school assess the personal qualities and academic performance of the students, but it also scrutinized their family circumstances. Even the slightest shortfall in the final evaluation could prevent a child from successfully enrolling.

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze shifted as she asked Guan Xin, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to clarify, is this spot guaranteed?¡±

    She was no fool. Promises like these were not always fulfilled, especially when it came to admission slots in this school. The competition was fierce, and there were many variables. It was better to ask and be sure.

    Guan Xin, however, was very confident. She said, ¡°You can rest assured. Let me introduce myself again. My name is Guan Xin, and my father is Guan Xue, the current principal of the First Bilingual Primary School. He wants to give away two admission slots, and he has the privilege to do so. And the fact that I can mention it means the process is transparent and legal.

    ¡°I won¡¯t elaborate on the value of this admission slot. You were once a student of this school, so you understand. You must seize this opportunity for your children.

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no rush. You can give me your answer within a month. Here¡¯s our newspaper¡¯s contact number. When you¡¯ve made up your mind, call and ask for Guan Xin.¡±

    Gu Zi accepted the business card and invited, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why not stay for dinner before you leave?¡±

    Guan Xin straightened her collar, her posture confident, and responded clearly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for dinner. I have a train to catch. I¡¯m going on a business trip. Once you¡¯ve made your decision and come to the city, I¡¯ll invite you to dinner as a colleague. I¡¯ve said all I need to say, so I¡¯ll take my leave now!¡±

    Although Gu Zi hadn¡¯t had much interaction with Guan Xin, she could tell that Guan Xin loved her job. It was no wonder she didn¡¯t take a break even during the New Year.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t insist and went to see Guan Xin off. As Guan Xin opened the car door, Gu Zi bid her farewell, ¡°See you next time then, Happy New Year!¡±

    Guan Xin climbed into the car with a cool stride, closed the door, and leaned out to say to Gu Zi, ¡°Happy New Year, Miss Gu Zi. Please consider my job offer carefully, or rather, consider your children¡¯s future.¡±

    Guan Xin gripped the steering wheel and drove off, a smile playing on her lips. She could tell that Gu Zi cared deeply about her children. That was why, after deciding to invite her to work at the newspaper, she had immediately asked her father for these two precious admission slots the night before.

    Gu Zi¡¯s husband was wealthy, so a salary offer wouldn¡¯t be much of a temptation for her. But this admission slot was different. It was a significant indicator of a child¡¯s future, and no parent, regardless of their social status, would disregard it.

    Outside the red-brick house, as the car disappeared from sight, everyone was still in shock and envy. My goodness, this was the daughter of the principal of the most prestigious primary school in the city. The principal¡¯s daughter had personally come to offer Gu Zi a job and to give the Su family¡¯s children admission slots. This was too good to be true!

    Many children in the village and town wanted to go to school in the city, but due to insufficient conditions, they could only stay in the local Hope Primary School or the private primary school in the town.

    The Su brothers, since being adopted by Su Shen, had been attending Chenglong Primary School in the city, which was already quite enviable. Now, they had received admission slots to the best primary school in the city.

    Almost everyone could foresee a bright future for the two brothers. It seemed that among the Lin family¡¯s children, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s descendants were the most successful. It was truly enviable!

    Lin Laoda¡¯s family lived in the town, and his son and daughter-in-law worked in the city. They naturally understood the value of that school more than the villagers.

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    The couple immediately had an idea. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife shot her husband a look, and he walked towards Lin Lao¡¯er, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time. We brothers should catch up. Let¡¯s go inside. I have something to tell you.¡±

    If one didn¡¯t know better, they might think this was Lin Laoda¡¯s house. However, Lin Lao¡¯er didn¡¯t care about such things. He just keenly sensed that his elder brother was acting unusually and wondered what he was up to.

    As Lin Laoda called Lin Lao¡¯er away, his wife didn¡¯t idle either. She put on a pleasing face to entertain the guests and sent her two grandsons to greet Mother Lin and Gu Zi.

    Compared to earlier, she seemed like a completely different person.

    Gu Zi and Mother Lin were puzzled when they heard a commotion from inside the house. It was the usually good-tempered Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s angry voice and the sound of a table being slapped.

 Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: An Unreasonable Request

    Chapter 607: An Unreasonable Request

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Enough, brother,¡± Lin Lao¡¯er implored, ¡°Although Su Bing and Su Li are not related to us by blood, they are bound to us by fate. They call Gu Zi ¡®mother¡¯, and that makes me their grandfather. You cannot possibly expect to take these two school admission slots from them.¡±

    Gu Zi and Mother Lin entered the room, followed closely by Lin Laoda¡¯s wife. They found Lin Lao¡¯er standing by the table, trembling with rage. Mother Lin rushed to support her husband, her voice laced with irritation, ¡°What did you say to him, brother? He¡¯s so upset. His leg hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. If anything happens to him, our family will never forgive you.¡±

    Mother Lin knew her husband well. In all their years together, she had never seen him lose his temper. This outburst could only mean that Lin Laoda had made an unreasonable demand. It was clear that Lin Laoda had singled out her husband, taking advantage of his good nature and easygoing demeanor.

    First, it was Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, and now it was Lin Laoda¡¯s. They were all too much. They claimed to be brothers, but they never treated Lin Lao¡¯er as one. They always took advantage of his kindness, making unreasonable demands. Mother Lin was furious, her eyes reddening. Seeing her parents so wronged, Gu Zi¡¯s expression darkened. From her father¡¯s words, she could guess what Lin Laoda had said. He must have been trying to claim the two school admission slots. Not only would her father disagree, but she would not allow it either.

    Before she could speak, her aunt spoke up, addressing Gu Zi¡¯s parents, ¡°Lin Lao¡¯er, An Yun, aren¡¯t you being a bit too dramatic? You¡¯re giving such a great opportunity to two people who have no blood relation to you. Isn¡¯t that a waste? Do you really think those three children will recognize Gu Zi in the future? Don¡¯t be naive.

    ¡°Give the slots to my two grandsons. At least they are related by blood. If they succeed in the future, it will bring honor to the Lin family. You will also benefit from their success. You can¡¯t be as foolish as your husband.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s face darkened further. She said, ¡°Aunt, since I married Su Shen, and the three children call him ¡®father¡¯ and me ¡®mother¡¯, I am their mother. Blood relations are not always reliable. Just look at my father¡¯s leg. I thought you and my uncle would be different, but it seems I was wrong.¡±

    Mother Lin echoed her daughter¡¯s words, scolding, ¡°Sister-in-law, please refrain from making such comments in the future. If we didn¡¯t know better, we might think you¡¯re trying to sow discord among us. Considering you¡¯ve already stated that you have no relation to our family, there¡¯s no need for us to entertain you. You don¡¯t need to remember that you have a brother.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er patted his wife¡¯s shoulder, his gaze cold as he looked at his elder brother and his wife. His silence was the best response. He was, of course, siding with his wife and daughter.

    Lin Laoda and his wife were taken aback. They hadn¡¯t expected Lin Lao¡¯er and his wife to be so direct. It seemed that wealth had given them a backbone.

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    Lin Laoda tried to lighten the mood, but just then, a tall, handsome man entered, carrying a little girl. Two boys followed him. The taller boy glared at them, his gaze chilling.

    Without a doubt, these were Gu Zi¡¯s three stepchildren, and the man carrying the girl was her husband.

    Lin Laoda put on a pleasing smile and extended his hand, ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve heard so much about you. I¡¯m Gu Zi¡¯s uncle, which makes me your elder.¡±

    He was relieved that Su Shen hadn¡¯t heard their earlier conversation. However, he didn¡¯t know that Su Shen and the children had returned just as he and Lin Lao¡¯er had started arguing. There were too many people, so Su Shen had stayed back, quietly observing. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

    Gu Zi took Su Le from Su Shen. Su Shen looked at Lin Laoda, his expression cold. He said, ¡°Your behavior is not befitting of an elder. I¡¯m sorry, but I find it hard to respect you as one. Given what just happened, I believe it would be uncomfortable for you to stay. There¡¯s no need to put yourselves through that.¡±

 Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: We Will Support You

    Chapter 608: We Will Support You

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lin Laoda was directly dismissed by Su Shen, his smile frozen on his face. He felt utterly embarrassed, but the man before him was Su Shen, a renowned pig farmer whose wrath he could not afford to incur. He certainly wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to challenge him head-on, like Lin Laoyao¡¯s family had done with the current Lin Lao¡¯er.

    So, he had no choice but to bear the humiliation. He held back his irate wife, bid his farewell, and left. Lin Laoda¡¯s wife was puzzled by her husband¡¯s sudden submission, but after receiving multiple warnings from him, she dared not act out. She left with their two grandsons, her eyes filled with resentment.

    As soon as Lin Laoda¡¯s family left, the atmosphere around them returned to its previous jovial state. Some people were envious, but what could they do? They certainly didn¡¯t dare to offend Gu Zi and Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family again.

    Observing how Su Shen had just protected Gu Zi, it was clear that the rumors of Su Shen¡¯s fondness for Gu Zi were not unfounded. Su Shen usually appeared to be a particularly cold person, not one for many words, but it was rare for him to be so blunt.

    It was the first time the villagers of Little Lin Village had seen Su Shen dismiss someone so rudely. If he wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about Gu Zi, why would he reveal this side of himself?

    Some people wanted to talk to Gu Zi about the good job opportunity, but Su Shen found an excuse to take Gu Zi into the house.

    Seeing their parents go in, the two brothers followed. As they passed Lin Lao¡¯er, they hugged him. Su Bing said, ¡°Grandpa, we heard what you said earlier. Thank you. You will always be our dear grandfather.¡±

    Su Li also nodded, his eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Yes, besides you, we don¡¯t recognize anyone else as our grandfather. Thank you for not despising us!¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er looked at the two brothers, his heart aching. He had heard about the hardships these two children had faced in the past, and it pained him. Now that he had the chance to be their grandfather, how could he despise them?

    He told the brothers, ¡°I love you both too much to ever despise you. Go inside now. It¡¯s windy out here. We¡¯ll take care of things here.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li wiped their tears and went inside. As soon as they entered, they heard their father speaking, ¡°Gu Zi, this is a great job opportunity. I hope you can make a decision based on your own wishes. The children and I will support you to the fullest. Also, there¡¯s something I should have told you a long time ago.¡±

    Gu Zi was holding Su Le, and Su Le was hugging Gu Zi. It felt like they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Su Le hugged her mother¡¯s neck tightly, giving her kisses while calling her ¡°mommy¡± and giggling. Gu Zi also laughed, stroking her daughter¡¯s head. The mother and daughter were very affectionate.

    Busy taking care of her daughter, Gu Zi responded to Su Shen without lifting her head, ¡°Then say it now.¡±

    At that moment, Su Shen felt a pang of envy, as did the two boys who had just entered. Three men, three faces of envy.

    For a second or two, they stared at the mother and daughter, completely captivated. The idea of like repelling like did not exist in their family. They could almost foresee that once the little girl grew up a bit more, she would undoubtedly become the strongest competitor for affection.

    Su Shen quickly averted his gaze and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been very busy lately. Not with the pig farm, but with my plan to open a slaughterhouse in the city. I¡¯m preparing for it, and it should be ready after the New Year. Then we can move to the city. It will be convenient for you to go to work, and for Su Bing and the others to go to school.

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    ¡°I wanted to surprise you, but since it¡¯s not ready yet, I didn¡¯t tell you. Now that you have this job opportunity, I believe it¡¯s time to tell you that I¡¯ve been planning to take you all to live in the city for a while. So, Gu Zi, if you want to take the job, just take it.¡±

    After Gu Zi married him, Su Shen had thought a lot about it. He felt that it was unfair for Gu Zi to live in the countryside with him, so he had the idea of moving to the city.

    But moving the pig farm to the city was unrealistic. Although he could do it, it wasn¡¯t necessary. Pig farming was noisy, and it would be too disruptive in a city where residents congregated. So, he thought of opening a slaughterhouse in the city.

    The pig farm would still be in Daqing Village, and a specialized slaughterhouse would be opened in the city. This way, the pig farm would only be responsible for raising pigs, breeding, reproduction, and marketing, making it more specialized.

    The pigs ready for slaughter would be directly transported to the city¡¯s slaughterhouse for slaughtering, cleaning, and packaging, and then distributed throughout the city. This would effectively improve the efficiency of slaughtering, and the quality and safety of the pork would be more controllable, which would be beneficial for sustainable development. The benefits were numerous.

 Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Coincidence

    Chapter 609: Coincidence

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi looked at the man before her with a hint of surprise. It wasn¡¯t because he encouraged her to work. If he didn¡¯t have that particular trait, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to pique her interest.

    What surprised Gu Zi was the man¡¯s foresight. He was able to think of setting up a specialized pig slaughterhouse in the city in this era. No wonder he was able to become a wealthy man!

    Before Gu Zi could say anything, Su Bing and Su Li rushed over. Su Li excitedly said, ¡°Does that mean we can live in the city? Can my brother and I go to the primary school that mom attended? That¡¯s great!¡±

    ¡°The First Bilingual Primary School is very famous. I remember once when their students came to our school for an exchange activity, they were all so impressive. I also heard that the campus is very large.¡±

    Gu Zi went through some of the original host¡¯s memories of this school in her mind, slightly frowning. She said to the two brothers, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to dampen your spirits, but honestly, this opportunity to attend this school might not be entirely good for you. It depends on whether you can adapt to the environment there. It¡¯s a serious challenge.¡±

    The school was top-tier in the city, there was no doubt about that. But with every good thing, there was always a downside.

    The teaching environment of the school was just like that. When the original host first entered the school, she suffered a lot because she couldn¡¯t adapt to the environment in time. Those days were very tough.

    Her foster parents had sent her to this school for the sake of face. But the students there were all from well-off families, not only wealthy but also powerful.

    Children raised in such families, regardless of their personalities, had a high sense of pride. They rarely respected people from more modest backgrounds.

    The original host was initially looked down upon and suffered a lot. She even thought about dropping out several times. But every time she wanted to bring it up with her foster parents, she thought of their high hopes for her. She couldn¡¯t bear to let them down, so she endured it all alone.

    It was only later that she slowly learned to get along with those students and gradually made a few good friends.

    Only then did she realize that the environment of the school wasn¡¯t as suffocating as she thought. That was because she had overcome it. But what about the two boys? Would they be able to overcome it?

    Gu Zi felt that she didn¡¯t need to worry about Su Bing. Although his personality was somewhat gloomy, he was very good at strategizing. He might not be able to deal with the parents of the students at the school yet, but he was definitely capable of dealing with the children.

    What Gu Zi was more worried about was Su Li. His personality was optimistic, but sometimes being too optimistic wasn¡¯t a good thing. Gu Zi was afraid that he would be crushed by the environment there, so she had to tell him to prepare him.

    The school had its pros and cons, but they couldn¡¯t give up this good opportunity just because she was worried they wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt. So what Gu Zi needed to do was to find a way to help them adapt better.

    Sure enough, after Gu Zi finished speaking, Su Bing was deep in thought, while Su Li didn¡¯t seem to care. He patted his chest and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s nothing. I promise to fit in as quickly as possible and become their leader!¡±

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    Gu Zi smiled and shook her head, patting Su Li¡¯s head. She said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look forward to your performance. Don¡¯t let me down. With that said, I feel relieved. I will take this job.

    ¡°Su Shen, we should also tell our parents and sister-in-law. I have an idea. Let¡¯s have them move to the town as well. This way, they can live in both the village and the town, making their business more convenient.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s last sentence was naturally directed at Su Shen. Su Shen nodded in agreement. Just then, Mother Lin came in. She had heard what Gu Zi had just said and told her, ¡°This is a coincidence. Your sister-in-law and I were just discussing whether we should set up a home in the town as well. This is definitely doable!¡±

    Living in both the town and the village, the Lin family didn¡¯t lack the money for that. This way, they could run their shop well, and Lin Cheng could work at the pig farm during his spare time and still be able to farm the land.

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t mind farming, but Lin Lao¡¯er, who was particularly fond of the land, did. He was born into a farming family and had been a farmer all his life. He never thought there was anything wrong with being a farmer. Asking him to completely give up the land and farming would be very hard for him. Mother Lin cared about him and would respect the lifestyle he loved.

 Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: The Rumors

    Chapter 610: The Rumors

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Mother Lin spoke, Lin Cheng and Li Hua entered the room. The family promptly convened and devised a plan to leave the village after the New Year.

    Due to this impending change, Gu Zi and Su Shen had to return to Daqing Village earlier than planned with their children. After breakfast on the sixth day of the New Year, Gu Zi¡¯s family left the red brick house.

    After tidying up the kitchen, Mother Lin and her daughter-in-law, Li Hua, discussed the upcoming plans. Mother Lin then changed into clean clothes, picked up the New Year¡¯s gifts, and headed out alone. She walked a considerable distance before arriving at a dilapidated old house that barely provided shelter from the elements. Just as she was about to knock on the door, it swung open, and a familiar face stormed out.

    Mother Lin was taken aback for a moment before recognizing the man. Wasn¡¯t this Yang Tao, Aunt Yang¡¯s son? He had grown a beard and put on a considerable amount of weight, complete with a beer belly. His aura was far from the purity it once held, which was why Mother Lin almost didn¡¯t recognize him at first glance.

    Yang Tao also recognized Mother Lin. He quickly masked his anger and greeted her casually, ¡°Happy New Year, Auntie. Are you here to see my mother?¡±

    Mother Lin nodded, unsure of what to say. She simply replied, ¡°Happy New Year!¡± and watched as he walked away. His appearance had changed, and he was no longer the handsome boy she had watched grow up. He had changed, and not for the better.

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t dwell on this for long. She entered the house and saw Aunt Yang wiping away tears. It was clear that Yang Tao had caused a scene.

    Upon seeing Mother Lin, Aunt Yang didn¡¯t hide her sorrow. She let out a bitter laugh and said, ¡°I never thought my son would listen to that woman and abandon me in my old age. I understand he has his own life and pressures. I¡¯m not a wealthy woman, and I didn¡¯t leave him much money. But now, I don¡¯t need him to support me. I can earn my own living. Why does he still belittle me?¡±

    Yang Tao¡¯s earlier comment, ¡°You¡¯re getting too big for your boots, ever since you made the papers!¡± had chilled her to the bone. But she had no one to blame but herself. She had chosen this path, and he was her son. All she could do was confide in her good friend, An Yun.

    As a mother herself, Mother Lin understood Aunt Yang¡¯s pain. She set down the New Year¡¯s gifts and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it. It¡¯s the New Year. That woman is just trying to upset you and make you submit. Why should you let her have her way? I brought you these gifts. Instead of dwelling on this, why not cook something delicious to cheer yourself up?¡±

    With red-rimmed eyes but no more tears, Aunt Yang led Mother Lin to the cooking area. The kitchen in the old house had long since collapsed and was unusable. Aunt Yang had sectioned off a part of the outer room to serve as a makeshift kitchen. Despite its simplicity, she was content with her living conditions.

    She said to Mother Lin, ¡°You¡¯re right. Why should I worry so much? But An Yun, I¡¯m grateful for your guidance. Without you, I might have lost hope. Let¡¯s not talk about them anymore. The shop is opening in a few days, right? What preparations are needed?¡±

    Mother Lin replied, ¡°You need to move. We¡¯ve decided to settle in town and need a larger house. You can live in the house we rented before. Consider it a staff benefit. Would you like to settle down in town?¡±

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    Aunt Yang knew that Mother Lin had paid two years¡¯ rent for the house in town. By offering her to continue living there, Mother Lin was trying to help her improve her situation. This time, Aunt Yang didn¡¯t refuse the help. Settling in town would indeed make it more convenient for her to work in the shop.

    The best way she could think of to repay Mother Lin¡¯s kindness was to work hard in the shop. She didn¡¯t refuse the offer, saying, ¡°I¡¯m willing. I work for you, so I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±

    Aunt Yang didn¡¯t have many belongings, so she was the first to move. She settled in town before the shop¡¯s grand opening for the New Year. On the eighth day, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop officially opened its doors to customers. Firecrackers were set off for a full half hour, creating a festive atmosphere.

    However, it was strange that not many people came to support the shop during the New Year. The customer flow in the morning was even less than on their worst days.

    Aunt Yang frowned, saying, ¡°It must be because of the rumors. I heard from my neighbor that the rumors in town are getting worse. They¡¯re saying we put inappropriate ingredients in our food.¡±

 Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Waiting for One Thing

    Chapter 611: Waiting for One Thing

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the news, Mother Lin was visibly upset. She let out a sigh, slapping her thigh in frustration. ¡°Haven¡¯t we explained time and time again that we haven¡¯t done anything wrong? How can people still believe these rumors?¡± she lamented, her voice laced with helplessness.

    Li Hua¡¯s spirits were also dampened. ¡°Mother, I now understand why rumors are so terrifying. It¡¯s because they continue to spread unless you completely eradicate them,¡± she said, her voice heavy with realization.

    ¡°And they only get more exaggerated as they spread. But how can we possibly stop them when there are so many people in the town, all spreading these lies?¡± she continued, her voice trailing off in despair.

    If the current situation persisted, their beloved restaurant, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, would soon have to close its doors. The thought of such a dire consequence sent their spirits plummeting. They were at a loss, their eyes instinctively turning to Gu Zi, who had just emerged from the back room. She must have heard their conversation, given the close proximity. Yet, her expression remained calm and unperturbed.

    Gu Zi joined them at the table, her voice steady as she spoke. ¡°What¡¯s meant to come will come. The problem has surfaced on the first day of business, which is a good thing.¡±

    The popularity of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop had grown, attracting more envious eyes. The rumors had been circulating since before the New Year, and there had been no shortage of customers looking for faults, fueled by these rumors. Although no major issues had arisen, Gu Zi had anticipated that a major incident was inevitable. Judging by the day¡¯s customer flow, it seemed the time had come.

    The other three looked at Gu Zi in confusion. Li Hua asked, ¡°How can this be a good thing? We had no customers on our opening day. Do you have a solution?¡±

    Li Hua did have a solution in mind ¨C inviting everyone to tour the kitchen and observe the preparation process of their breakfast and braised meat dishes. This would allow them to witness the entire process firsthand, effectively debunking the rumors.

    However, she quickly dismissed her own idea. With so many people in the town, and so many who had heard the rumors, it would be impossible to invite each one to observe the process. Besides, not everyone would be willing to come. It was best to see if Gu Zi had a better plan.

    Gu Zi shook her head, a look of profound wisdom crossing her beautiful, youthful face. The others listened attentively as she spoke. ¡°No, we must wait for something to happen. I believe it will happen soon. After all, these rumors have been circulating for too long. I don¡¯t believe there isn¡¯t someone deliberately fueling them. We just have to wait for their next move.¡±

    If this were the age of the internet, Gu Zi would have a simple solution ¨C live streaming the preparation process of their breakfast and braised meat dishes. Not only would this dispel the rumors about adding poppy flowers to their food, but it might also attract a large number of customers from outside the town, further boosting the reputation of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop.

    Moreover, daily live streams could generate a considerable income for the shop. Once they had accumulated a large fan base, they could even earn money from advertising. It was a tantalizing prospect, a potential windfall.

    However, this was only wishful thinking. They were living in the 1980s, a time when even televisions and telephones were not yet widespread, let alone the internet. This solution was simply not feasible. All they could do was fantasize about it.

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    Gu Zi¡¯s only option now was to wait for the person behind the rumors to reveal themselves. Whoever was spreading these rumors must have a motive, and they would inevitably make a move.

    Upon hearing this, Li Hua felt the gravity of the situation for the first time. If even Gu Zi, her younger sister-in-law, couldn¡¯t immediately solve the problem, it must be quite troublesome. Li Hua felt an unprecedented pressure, spending the entire morning in a daze, unable to focus on her work. Mother Lin and Aunt Yang were in a similar state.

    In the afternoon, the braised meat was ready on schedule. It was displayed on the counter, its glossy color and enticing aroma failing to attract more than a handful of customers. Those who did buy it repeatedly confirmed with Li Hua that no poppy flowers had been added, making the atmosphere in the shop even more awkward and tense.

    Gu Zi was relieved that she had left her daughter, Su Le, at home with her two brothers on this first day of business. Given the day¡¯s events, no one would have been in the mood to entertain the little girl.

    Just then, another customer walked in. The sound of her voice was familiar to Gu Zi. ¡°Boss, happy new year! Your business doesn¡¯t seem to match the rumors. But I won¡¯t be influenced by them. Please serve me your braised meat. I¡¯ve been craving it!¡± she said, her voice ringing out in the quiet shop.

 Chapter 612 - Chapter 612: Finally Here

    Chapter 612: Finally Here

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi looked up to see a familiar, playful face appearing in her line of sight. She was taken aback for a moment before rising to greet the newcomer. ¡°Gong Xin, happy new year. Are you here for the braised pork?¡±

    They settled at a table, and Gong Xin, without any hesitation, poured herself a cup of tea. The tea was surprisingly sweet, just as the newspaper had claimed. This shop¡¯s tea had a unique flavor that couldn¡¯t be found elsewhere. Now, she was even more eager to taste the braised pork.

    She responded to Gu Zi, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for the braised pork and to wish you a happy new year. You have no idea how much I¡¯ve been craving this since I tasted the one my brother brought home from your place. Can you cut me a piece? I haven¡¯t had lunch yet. I have a few days off and I¡¯ve already told my mom that I¡¯m coming to see you today. I¡¯ll be heading back in a couple of days. Can I stay at your place?¡±

    Gu Zi feigned annoyance, ¡°You¡¯ve already asked your mom for permission, it wouldn¡¯t be right if I didn¡¯t let you stay.¡±

    Gong Xin was not one to ask for favors, but for the sake of satisfying her craving for braised pork, she was willing to make an exception. Besides, she was asking Gu Zi, there was no shame in that. She grabbed Gu Zi¡¯s hand, her tone pleading, ¡°Please, Gu Zi, you¡¯re the best. Let me stay!¡±

    Gu Zi looked at her with a hint of disdain but gently removed her hand. She stood up and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go cut you a plate of assorted braised pork. I¡¯ll serve it with a bowl of rice and drizzle some sauce over it. It¡¯s delicious when mixed with the rice.¡±

    Gong Xin couldn¡¯t help but gulp at the thought. How delicious it must be! She was about to taste the delectable braised pork and rice.

    However, the unexpected happened. As they were talking, a police car pulled up outside the shop. Two officers got out and headed towards the shop. Gu Zi looked up just in time to see this.

    She stopped in her tracks, a sense of foreboding washing over her. Yet, there was also a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. It had finally happened. She said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to have the braised pork today.¡±

    Gong Xin stood up, about to ask why, when the police entered the shop. The leading officer even greeted Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, happy new year. I¡¯m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances.¡±

    Gu Zi recognized him as Captain He. Given the timing of his visit and his position, he seemed somewhat apologetic. ¡°Just tell me what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m prepared.¡±

    By now, Li Hua and the others had come out. Passersby were gathering to watch the commotion. Gong Xin realized she had come at a bad time. But what exactly had happened?

    She was also somewhat nervous. After all, Gu Zi was her good friend, and she didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to her.

    Captain He spoke in a grave tone, ¡°We received a report that someone had breakfast at your shop this morning and was hospitalized for food poisoning. The victim¡¯s family is causing a commotion at the police station. We need someone from your shop to come with us for questioning.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Hua¡¯s heart sank. She hurriedly explained, ¡°Officer, all the food at our shop meets health standards. How could it possibly cause food poisoning? There must be some misunderstanding. You can¡¯t just arrest people without proof.¡±

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    Mother Lin and Aunt Yang also chimed in, ¡°Yes, someone must be trying to frame us. We¡¯re in business to make money, not to harm our customers!¡±

    Seeing their agitation, Captain He quickly raised his hand to calm them, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯re not here to arrest anyone. We received a report and it¡¯s our duty to investigate. If there¡¯s another reason, we¡¯ll find out and clear your name. But right now, the victim¡¯s family is very upset and we need someone from your shop to come with us.¡±

    Gu Zi pulled Li Hua and the others aside, then stepped forward, ¡°I¡¯ll go. If there¡¯s been an incident and our shop is under suspicion, we should clear our name. I¡¯m willing to cooperate with the investigation. But Captain He, can I ask what the customer ate at our shop?¡±

    Captain He thought for a moment before answering succinctly, ¡°A bowl of hot and spicy soup, two fried dough sticks, a boiled egg, and a serving of assorted braised pork.¡±

    Understanding dawned on Gu Zi. She turned and whispered to Li Hua, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry or think about anything else. Fear won¡¯t help. Take samples of the food from this morning and find Su Shen. Have him take you to the Chemistry Institute in the city. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡±

 Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Requesting a Refund

    Chapter 613: Requesting a Refund

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua felt a sense of unease in her heart, but she had no choice but to comply. After instructing Li Hua, Gu Zi prepared to leave with Captain He. Gong Xin stepped forward, concern etched on her face, and said, ¡°If the family members become emotional, it could be dangerous. I¡¯ll accompany you. The more people we have, the more imposing we¡¯ll be. Captain He, let me go with you.¡±

    This case had not yet begun its investigation, so Captain He had no reason to refuse. ¡°We¡¯re only asking the person in charge to come with us, we¡¯re not arresting anyone. If you want to come along, you can,¡± he said.

    Gu Zi was surprised by Gong Xin¡¯s loyalty. Instead of hiding, she chose to stand by her side and face the emotional family members. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she and Gong Zhan were really siblings; they were so different!

    However, she was relieved that Gong Xin was not like Gong Zhan. She didn¡¯t refuse her offer. Going alone would have been fine, but having someone else with her did make Gu Zi feel more secure.

    After Gu Zi and the others left, Li Hua took the samples and left as well, leaving only Mother Lin and Aunt Yang to watch the shop. Word quickly spread through the town that the police had arrived, and many people came to inquire about the situation, eager to see the drama unfold.

    After all, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop had grown rapidly and was doing very well. It had even been featured in the newspaper. Who wouldn¡¯t be envious? Now, at the start of the new year, the police had come knocking. This was a spectacle many were waiting to see.

    A while later, some customers who had bought braised meat earlier returned to the shop, handing the meat back to Mother Lin and demanding a refund.

    ¡°Enough talk, just give us our money back,¡± one said. ¡°Honestly, we chose to trust you despite the rumors, to support your business. But you¡¯ve truly disappointed us. You¡¯ve sent people to the hospital just to make money. Have you no conscience?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another chimed in. ¡°Who would have thought that eating breakfast could land you in the hospital? It¡¯s terrifying. Give us our money back. We don¡¯t want this meat anymore. We won¡¯t dare to buy anything from your shop in the future.¡±

    ¡°I knew there was something off about this meat,¡± a third customer said. ¡°It tasted too good to be true. My nephew works at a braised meat shop in the city. If he hadn¡¯t said he wanted to try this famous braised meat that was featured in the newspaper, I wouldn¡¯t have come to buy it. Give me my money back!¡±

    The shop was filled with noise and complaints. Some were demanding refunds, while others were discussing the situation. Mother Lin and Aunt Yang were overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t explain themselves. Faced with this situation, they felt helpless and frustrated. They had no choice but to refund the customers as requested.

    Just as they finished giving the refunds, Yang Tao and his wife arrived, carrying their son Yuan Yuan. They urged Aunt Yang to come home with them. ¡°Mom, why are you still here? Do you really want to go to jail? Come home with us. No matter what, I¡¯m your son. I won¡¯t abandon you. Come home with me.¡±

    His wife also softened her usual demeanor, gently persuading, ¡°Mom, I was wrong before. I know I have a bad temper. But don¡¯t hold a grudge against us. Young people are bound to have tempers. If not for our sake, then for your grandson¡¯s. If you go to jail, you won¡¯t be able to see him anymore.¡±

    Yuan Yuan walked over to Aunt Yang and took her hand. In his heart, he believed his parents genuinely wanted to take his grandmother home. He sweetly said, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go home, okay? I really miss your cooking.¡±

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    Why had they come? The truth was, when they heard the news, the couple was playing mahjong in town. They had been there for a day and had no plans to return to their messy, dirty home in the village. Neither of them wanted to do housework, and they had argued about it many times.

    Now, they were happy to hear about the trouble at Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. They had tried to get Aunt Yang¡¯s wages from her before, but even when Yang Tao asked, they couldn¡¯t get them.

    So, Aunt Yang having a job was meaningless to them. It only made her more independent and less likely to return home to work for them.

    The couple had realized this long ago, but they hadn¡¯t had a chance to bring Aunt Yang home. Now, with this incident, they had the perfect opportunity. They could even earn a good reputation in the process. It was a win-win situation.

    Upon hearing her son and daughter-in-law¡¯s words, Aunt Yang could only laugh. Aside from feeling sorry for her little grandson, she had no other lingering feelings. She turned her head away, refusing to look at her grandson.

 Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: Unfilial and Unreasonable

    Chapter 614: Unfilial and Unreasonable

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Yang¡¯s voice was cold as she refused, ¡°I won¡¯t go back. I was driven out once, and I don¡¯t blame anyone for that. I made it clear that I wouldn¡¯t return to your home, and I intend to keep my word. Don¡¯t waste your efforts.

    ¡°Moreover, all you talk about is prison. To an outsider, it would seem as if you¡¯re hoping I end up there!

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? The police just said that the matter is still under investigation. Are you so eager to see me behind bars? If there¡¯s nothing else, please leave. Even if something happens to me, I don¡¯t expect you to intervene.¡±

    Yang Tao felt a surge of anger. He had made an effort to persuade her to return home, yet Aunt Yang remained stubbornly unyielding. He snapped, ¡°Mother, can¡¯t you give me a break? You¡¯ve never saved anything for me. I¡¯ve been working hard, and now that you¡¯re old, you¡¯re still causing me trouble. Am I really your son?

    ¡°Heh, if my sister were here, would you listen to her instead? We¡¯re both your children, yet you¡¯re so biased. I¡¯ll ask you one more time, will you come home with me? If not, you¡¯re never to set foot in my house again!¡±

    Because Yang Tao and his wife often played mahjong in town, and his wife was frequently seen around town, many people knew of them. However, they were unaware of the family¡¯s internal affairs. After all, what elderly person wouldn¡¯t want to live with their son?

    They all believed that Aunt Yang should return home with Yang Tao and his wife, and so they came forward to persuade her.

    ¡°Aunt Yang, it¡¯s said that raising a son is for old age. Your son is so filial, worrying about you, and even brought his wife and son to take you home. You should go back. You¡¯re just working for this shop, there¡¯s no need to go to jail with the shop owner. If you really end up in jail, wouldn¡¯t that just add to your son and daughter-in-law¡¯s burdens?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, young people can be temperamental. Maybe your daughter-in-law has been harsh at times, but isn¡¯t she here now, asking you to come home?¡±

    ¡°Aunt An, you should be kind and let Aunt Yang go home with her son and daughter-in-law. If something happens at the shop, it¡¯s not fair for an employee to bear the responsibility. Aunt Yang is getting on in years, it¡¯s pitiful to see.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re old now, yet you¡¯re still causing your children so much worry. It¡¯s so thoughtless. My wife never causes me or my son any trouble. She always helps around the house and would never take advantage of us.¡±

    ¡°Yang Tao¡¯s wife is so patient. She married into such a poor family, had a child, and still has to put up with an unreasonable and incapable old woman. It¡¯s not easy! My mother-in-law even has a monthly retirement allowance of ten yuan, and she gives it all to me¡­¡±

    Everyone had something to say, but Aunt Yang didn¡¯t care about their harsh words.

    However, when her son mentioned her daughter, a pang of regret shot through her heart. She regretted not leaving with her daughter when she had the chance, all because she couldn¡¯t bear to leave her grandson. Now, she was left with nowhere to go and no news of her daughter.

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    She deserved this fate! And thinking back, she realized how foolish she had been to try and explain herself to these people.

    She slowly realized that these people didn¡¯t care about the truth. They only wanted to say things that benefited their own perspectives, all while enjoying the spectacle for their own amusement.

    Aunt Yang ignored their comments and didn¡¯t bother to explain herself. She looked at her son, Yang Tao, and once again firmly refused, ¡°When I was living in the old house, starving and freezing, it was Aunt An who helped me. She gave me a job so I could support myself. If I were to run away now just because the shop is in trouble, how would I be any different from those without a conscience? Go home, I don¡¯t need your help!¡±

    Mother Lin had initially refrained from intervening. After all, this was Aunt Yang¡¯s family matter. Even though she and Aunt Yang were close friends, it wasn¡¯t her place to interfere. But now, Mother Lin couldn¡¯t stand by any longer. These people were being unreasonable, and Aunt Yang was being painted as a burden and a troublemaker. It was infuriating.

    Mother Lin sided with Aunt Yang and said to Yang Tao, ¡°Yang Tao, you¡¯ve known me since you were a child, and I¡¯ve watched you grow up. Trust me this once and live your own life. As long as your mother is willing to stay with me, I¡¯ll take care of her as if she were my own sister. I won¡¯t let her be left alone in her old age. I¡¯ll take responsibility for her care and won¡¯t bother you. Is that acceptable?¡±

 Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Unscrupulous Business

    Chapter 615: Unscrupulous Business

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Yang Tao watched as Mother Lin spoke, making a promise that she was now fully capable of fulfilling. He found himself unable to argue further.

    He signaled to the woman beside him, and his wife stepped forward, addressing Mother Lin with a distinct lack of courtesy. ¡°Aunt An,¡± she began, ¡°I remember Yang Tao mentioning how poor your family used to be. You were an outsider, constantly oppressed. My mother-in-law helped you quite a bit, didn¡¯t she?

    ¡°Now that she¡¯s fallen on hard times and you¡¯ve come into money, shouldn¡¯t you help her? But my mother-in-law is old and frail. What help could she possibly be to you? Are you just trying to take advantage of her? You¡¯re well-off now, but if your shop fails, my mother will be the one to suffer.

    ¡°You say you¡¯ll provide for her in her old age, but words are cheap. I fear you¡¯ll promise more than you can deliver. And it makes Yang Tao and me look like we¡¯re neglecting our own mother, leaving her care to a stranger.

    ¡°Your words are causing discord in our family. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re repaying kindness with ingratitude. Just because your daughter is wealthy now, does that make her superior?¡±

    Mother Lin¡¯s eyes reddened at the accusations, and she was momentarily at a loss for words. How could she be accused of taking advantage of Aunt Yang?

    The salary she paid Aunt Yang was likely higher than what most restaurant workers in the city earned. Yang Tao¡¯s wife was grossly misrepresenting the situation.

    Unfortunately, Gu Zi was not present to defend her. Mother Lin was at a loss for words against this woman.

    Seeing her close friend nearly in tears, Aunt Yang became genuinely angry. She knew how unjustly Mother Lin was being treated.

    ¡°Enough!¡± she shouted. ¡°Stop this nonsense. My decision to stay is my own. Mother Lin is simply asking you to respect my wishes. Why can¡¯t you let it go? If you want me to return, go find the village committee to mediate!¡±

    As she spoke, Aunt Yang picked up a broom to shoo them away. Yang Tao, feeling humiliated, wore a grim expression. But there was nothing he could do. He left Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop with his wife and child, and the others dispersed. Mother Lin, realizing she wouldn¡¯t be able to continue business for the day, reluctantly closed the shop.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi, accompanied by Gong Xin and Captain He, arrived at the police station to meet with the family members. As soon as they got out of the car, they saw a large crowd gathered at the entrance of the station, their attention focused on the eye-catching banners across the street.

    There were about a dozen agitated family members at the entrance, ranging from young children to elderly individuals in their seventies or eighties. It seemed like a full family mobilization. Their faces were marked with anger as they held up banners, as if they had a grave injustice to publicize.

    Upon closer inspection, the banners bore bold letters: ¡± Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, Unscrupulous Individual Business, Causing Great Harm, Demand Justice!¡±

    ¡°Poppy-Infused Braised Meat, Unscrupulous Business Practices Killing People, Down with the Black-Hearted Individual Business!¡±

    Gong Xin was taken aback. She tugged at Gu Zi¡¯s sleeve, exclaiming, ¡°Wow, they¡¯ve already laid all the charges against you. It¡¯s quite a spectacle.¡±

    Gu Zi also realized that this was a concerted effort to bring down Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop.

    Before she could say anything, several people rushed over from the crowd, both men and women, shouting at Gu Zi, ¡°Are you the person in charge of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop? It¡¯s about time you showed up. You better give us an explanation, or this matter won¡¯t be over!¡±

    ¡°Everyone, come and see! This is the person in charge of the shop that was featured in the newspaper. Don¡¯t eat or buy anything from this shop. They add toxic substances to their food.¡±

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    ¡°My son also went to their shop for breakfast this morning after seeing their advertisement. He started vomiting and having diarrhea as soon as he got home. The hospital said it was food poisoning, and he had to be rushed to the emergency room!¡±

    ¡°My poor son has both elderly parents and young children to care for. Now he can only lie in a hospital bed, unable to do anything. You people are too heartless. How many innocent families do you plan to destroy just to make money?¡±

    The family members took turns speaking, with a group of them holding up banners and protesting loudly in the background. They seemed determined to spread the news of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s poisonous food to the entire world.

    The police were understaffed. The officers inside had their own matters to attend to, so Captain He and his subordinates could only protect Gu Zi, fearing that the agitated crowd might harm her.

    Watching the scene unfold, Gong Xin felt uncertain. She pulled Gu Zi aside and whispered, ¡°Gu Zi, what¡¯s going on? It seems like they¡¯re telling the truth. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to doubt you, but I¡¯m a little scared.¡±

 Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: A Question

    Chapter 616: A Question

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zhi knew that Gong Xin didn¡¯t mean to accuse her. She turned to reassure her, ¡°The products in our store are absolutely safe. I can guarantee that. If you¡¯re afraid to be involved, you should leave. This matter doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zhi¡¯s assurance, Gong Xin felt a sense of relief. She shook her head, ¡°I won¡¯t leave. I promised to stand by you. If you say there¡¯s no problem, I believe you. Don¡¯t try to send me away. If I didn¡¯t trust you, I wouldn¡¯t be your friend. What kind of person do you think I am, making friends with just anyone?¡±

    Gu Zhi laughed, ¡°Alright, if you insist on staying, then don¡¯t be afraid. After all, you¡¯re standing with me. Don¡¯t let your fear undermine my confidence.¡±

    Gong Xin playfully pushed Gu Zhi, this infuriating woman, who could still manage to laugh at a time like this.

    ¡°What do you mean by laughing? Officer, this woman is heartless. Her store¡¯s food almost took a life, and she can still laugh. She doesn¡¯t value human life at all. She¡¯s a despicable capitalist!¡±

    The crowd tried to surge forward, but they were held back by the police captain¡¯s subordinates. The police officer¡¯s authority was unquestionable, and he shouted, ¡°Everyone, stop! This is a public place. No disturbances are allowed. We, the police, are here and will ensure justice is served!¡±

    The crowd, naturally, didn¡¯t dare to cause a scene at the police station¡¯s entrance. They halted their actions, their eyes filled with anger as they glared at Gu Zhi and Gong Xin, who stood behind her. They didn¡¯t know who Gong Xin was, but since she arrived with the store manager, they assumed she was part of the store¡¯s staff, and they wouldn¡¯t show her any kindness.

    Among them, aside from the parents of the victim, the rest were relatives. They had come to cause a scene, hoping to rally support for the victim and secure more compensation.

    Originally, they had been causing a commotion at the hospital, but somehow the police were alerted. With no other choice, they called the police. When the police captain arrived at the hospital, he insisted they couldn¡¯t disrupt the hospital¡¯s operations. After all, the hospital was a place for saving lives, and any delay could have serious consequences.

    So, they decided to take their protest to the police station. Since they had already involved the police, they figured they might as well make a bigger scene. Once the store manager arrived and saw the commotion, they assumed she would be scared and offer to settle the matter with money. That was their goal.

    Gu Zhi wasn¡¯t afraid of their stares. She knew she was innocent. Gong Xin, standing behind her, was internally panicking, but she put on a brave face, lifting her chin defiantly, unafraid of the situation.

    Gu Zhi signaled the police captain to step aside. She stepped forward, facing the crowd with a sense of responsibility, ¡°I am indeed the manager of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. I¡¯m here to resolve this issue. I promise, if it¡¯s proven that the food poisoning was caused by our store, I won¡¯t evade any responsibility.

    ¡°But before the investigation begins, I have a question. You said earlier that your son came to our store for breakfast after seeing our advertisement, is that correct?¡±

    Gu Zhi¡¯s last question was directed at the woman who had made the statement, a middle-aged woman who was the mother of the victim.

    The woman, clearly not expecting Gu Zhi to ask such a question, felt there was no harm in answering. She stood up and responded confidently, ¡°Of course!¡±

    Gu Zhi nodded, turning to the police captain, ¡°That¡¯s good. With that confirmed, I know what to say.

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    ¡°Captain He, since our store opened, we¡¯ve only advertised one dish in the city, braised pork. As for breakfast, we didn¡¯t specifically advertise it in the city. Even when we were featured in the newspaper, the main focus was on the braised pork.

    ¡°Customers from the city or other places come to our store specifically for the braised pork. This is the first time someone has claimed to come specifically for breakfast.

    ¡°Moreover, there were other customers who had breakfast at our store this morning, but only this victim had a problem. I think there¡¯s more to this incident than meets the eye.

    ¡°I hope you can thoroughly investigate this matter. I can provide any information you need and cooperate with your investigation. But to have our store take the blame for this incident without reason, that¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡±

    Captain He was no fool. On the contrary, he was a very capable man. He could see that there was something suspicious about this incident. He had no reason to refuse Gu Zhi¡¯s request. He nodded, ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s all go inside and make a record of this.¡±

 Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: The Motive Was Money

    Chapter 617: The Motive Was Money

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The parents of the victim, standing at the forefront of the aggrieved family members, visibly paled upon hearing Captain He¡¯s words, their expressions shifting as they struggled to find words.

    They showed no intention of willingly entering the police station, and the faces of the other relatives also bore expressions of defeat. The request for a written statement implied further investigation was to be conducted, a fact that was not lost on them.

    Among the relatives, whispers of discontent began to circulate. One voiced their impatience, ¡°I told you, involving the police only complicates matters. It will lead to a long, drawn-out process with no end in sight. I don¡¯t understand why you decided to report this. It was a foolish move!¡±

    Another chimed in, ¡°Exactly, and look at the person in charge. She doesn¡¯t seem fazed by our protest at all. She doesn¡¯t want to compensate us directly. Do you think this situation might change?¡±

    ¡°Given the long history of collusion between officials and businessmen, it¡¯s hard to say. I heard that the person in charge is married to a wealthy man. The parents of Li Da promised us benefits once the matter was resolved. I hope we won¡¯t end up working for nothing.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Reporting to the police was a last resort. When Li Er took Li Da to the hospital, the doctor asked for details about his condition. Li Er slipped up, and the doctor suggested reporting it to the police.¡±

    ¡°Coincidentally, Captain He was at the hospital taking statements. The doctor, being helpful, called Captain He over to Li Er. We had no choice but to report it. We initially thought we could just go through the motions, but Captain He turned out to be meticulous and serious, leading to the current situation.¡±

    These voices were numerous and chaotic, but Gu Zi, with her keen hearing, was able to discern quite a bit of the conversation, picking up on some key information.

    From the relatives¡¯ words, Gu Zi could infer that the victim, Li Da, his relative Li Er, and the protesting family members, none of them wanted to involve the police. They had only reported the incident because they had run into Captain He and had no other choice.

    Under normal circumstances, if someone suffered food poisoning after eating at a restaurant, they would report it to the police to protect their rights, allowing the police to investigate the matter before seeking compensation.

    However, it was clear that Li Da had initially wanted to settle the matter privately with the restaurant, avoiding any complications and directly obtaining compensation.

    Their protest outside the police station was likely an attempt to escalate the situation, to appear intimidating, hoping to frighten the person in charge into offering direct compensation, thereby resolving the case.

    They would then achieve their goal of direct compensation. Regardless of the circumstances, it was clear that Li Da was very eager for this compensation. His motive was money.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to share her findings with Captain He, the family members started to cause a commotion, waving banners and expressing their unwillingness to go in and give statements. The scene was quite chaotic.

    Gu Zi decided to keep her thoughts to herself for the moment. She wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Captain He was in charge of the case, and his hearing was likely as good as hers.

    He had probably heard most of the conversation and had a good grasp of the situation. She decided to wait and see what kind of drama these people were going to stage. She stood next to Gong Xin, watching the crowd with a calm gaze, as if observing a troupe of clowns.

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    ¡°Captain He,¡± one of the relatives began, ¡°Li Da fell ill after eating breakfast at their restaurant. It¡¯s clear that there¡¯s something wrong with their food. Why do we need to give a statement? It¡¯s a waste of time! As for the details of the case, you can conduct your investigation. I think we can start discussing compensation with the person in charge.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another added, ¡°My eldest son is still in the hospital. Regardless of what anyone says, he fell ill after eating at Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. You say we have to wait for the investigation to conclude. We have our daily lives to maintain. Who doesn¡¯t need to work?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re being asked to give statements, which feels like a delay tactic. Who knows what problems might arise in the process?¡±

    ¡°Right, we have demands too. If you insist on us cooperating with the investigation and giving statements, we can do so. But we need someone of status to step forward and guarantee that the person in charge of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop will compensate us. Only then will we believe you and give our statements.¡±

    Captain He¡¯s subordinates watched the unruly crowd, their patience wearing thin. However, as police officers, they couldn¡¯t lose their temper or resort to physical force. Despite the lack of cooperation, the crowd¡¯s behavior hadn¡¯t escalated to a point where police intervention was necessary.

 Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Choosing to Spend Money to Avoid Disaster

    Chapter 618: Choosing to Spend Money to Avoid Disaster

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The most effective strategy, he concluded, was to meet their demands by presenting a guarantor of high status. This would satisfy their immediate needs and leave them with no choice but to cooperate with the investigation.

    However, the challenge lay in finding such a person on such short notice. He looked helplessly at his captain. Perhaps Deputy Director He could step in? After all, the shopkeeper was Gu Zi, who was the wife of Su Shen. Wasn¡¯t Deputy Director He always trying to curry favor with Su Shen? This would be a huge favor.

    But Captain He shook his head in silence. It was unheard of for a deputy director of a police station to act as a guarantor. That would be a breach of protocol.

    Finally, the two officers turned to Gu Zi. Unfazed, she smiled and brought forward her close friend, Gong Xin.

    To their surprise, Gong Xin¡¯s presence proved useful. As the daughter of the esteemed Chief Gong, wasn¡¯t she the perfect high-status guarantor? ¡°Let her do it, Gong Xin, okay?¡± Gu Zi asked.

    Gu Zi looked back at Gong Xin. She hadn¡¯t intended to drag her friend into this, but given the circumstances, she had no choice but to ask for her help. Of course, it would depend on Gong Xin¡¯s willingness. If she refused, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t force her.

    Although Gong Xin was somewhat afraid of the emotionally charged relatives, she wouldn¡¯t refuse to help a friend in need. What kind of friend would she be if she didn¡¯t show loyalty?

    Gong Xin stepped forward, gathered her courage, and announced loudly to the crowd, ¡°I am Gong Xin, the daughter of Chief Gong from the city. I will be the guarantor. Is that satisfactory?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the crowd was stunned. Everyone in the city knew Chief Gong. The person standing with the shopkeeper was none other than Chief Gong¡¯s daughter¡­

    The relatives gradually fell silent. Seeing this, Captain He stepped forward and said, ¡°Since there are no objections, let¡¯s all go in for the record. No one is to be left out. If you continue to resist, I won¡¯t hesitate to enforce the law.¡±

    The relatives dared not say anything more. After all, if they continued to resist, they could be accused of obstructing justice and could be forcibly taken away. Who would dare to gamble on that? So, the parents of Li Da, the relatives causing the commotion, Gu Zi, and Gong Xin were all led into the police station.

    Meanwhile, at the city hospital, Li Da, who had been poisoned, had just had his stomach pumped and was resting in bed.

    His younger brother, Li Er, who had brought him to the hospital, was taking care of him. As soon as the nurse left the room after changing his medication, Li Da sat up and asked anxiously, ¡°Have our parents already started causing a scene?¡±

    Li Er nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re the eldest in our family. When they heard you had food poisoning, they immediately gathered all our relatives to seek justice. They said they were going to skin the shopkeeper alive.¡±

    ¡°You can rest assured. Our parents have rallied many relatives to help you. Within an hour, the shop will definitely hand over the compensation.¡±

    Upon hearing the word ¡®compensation¡¯, Li Da¡¯s eyes lit up. He grabbed his brother¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°That¡¯s great. How much compensation should we ask for? Eight hundred? Can the shopkeeper afford to pay that much?¡±

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    Li Er laughed. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not being greedy enough. Why only eight hundred? We should ask for at least two thousand eight hundred. Plus, they should pay for your nutritional supplements, which should be another three to five hundred. We¡¯re going to be rich, brother! Don¡¯t worry about them not being able to afford it. The shopkeeper¡¯s husband is very wealthy!¡±

    Li Da was pleased to hear this, but he was still a little nervous. ¡°They may be rich, but what if they refuse to pay?¡±

    Li Er laughed heartily, stood up, and confidently said, ¡°As long as we make a big enough fuss, they won¡¯t dare not to pay. These small business owners are all about making money. If we cause a big scene, their hard-earned reputation will be ruined, and they won¡¯t be able to make money.

    ¡°They¡¯re shrewd. They know when to hold ¡¯em and when to fold ¡¯em. The compensation they give us is nothing compared to the profits they can continue to make. They¡¯ll choose to spend money to avoid disaster. But whether they can avoid disaster after giving us the money is another matter. After all, the person who hired me wants to put them out of business¡­¡±

    Li Da, who was always simpler than Li Er, felt reassured hearing his clever brother¡¯s words. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s ask for a few thousand then. We¡¯re going to be rich, brother. But remember, when we divide the money, I get seventy percent and you get thirty. I¡¯m the elder brother, and I¡¯m the one who suffered. If we don¡¯t divide it this way, I might just turn you in¡­¡±

 Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Yoga Before Bed

    Chapter 619: Yoga Before Bed

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Er found himself threatened by his oafish elder brother, a fact that irked him. However, he maintained a facade of respect, grinning as he said, ¡°Brother, why do you look at me like that? Do you think I would forsake family ties for money? Of course not. If I didn¡¯t want you to profit, would I have shared this lucrative opportunity with you? I could have done it myself.¡±

    Li Er patted his elder brother, Li Da, on the shoulder, a picture of fraternal affection. Yet, his heart was filled with disdain. For now, he needed to use Li Da, so he wouldn¡¯t cross him. He would agree with everything Li Da said until he got his hands on the money. Then, he would be free and happy, no longer needing to deal with the foolish Li Da.

    In the late afternoon, Gu Zi left the police station after completing her statement. Given the circumstances, she couldn¡¯t entertain Gong Xin. Gong Xin understood and took a taxi back to the compound.

    Just as Gong Xin¡¯s taxi pulled away, a small car pulled up beside Gu Zi. She relaxed when she saw it was Su Shen¡¯s car.

    Su Shen got out of the car, opened the door for Gu Zi, and started the engine. Before she could ask, he began to explain the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent all the samples to the chemistry institute. We should have the results by tomorrow. To make things easier, we¡¯ll stay in a city hotel tonight. Don¡¯t worry about the children; I¡¯ve arranged for Lin Cheng to take them to the Lin family home.¡±

    Gu Zi leaned her head against his shoulder, expressing her trust in him. ¡°I have no reason to doubt you, Su Shen. I¡¯m a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll take a nap.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°Since you trust me, let me be with you tomorrow when we face this. I¡¯ve told you before, never face difficulties alone. It makes my existence meaningless.¡±

    His words were harsh, but Gu Zi knew him well by now. He was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, especially towards her. He had a passionate, childlike heart. She knew he didn¡¯t mean to be harsh, so she felt warm and touched.

    Naturally, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t reject him. She closed her eyes in peace, whispering, ¡°I understand.¡±

    Her voice was soft, and Su Shen¡¯s tense heart gradually relaxed. He drove the car while she leaned against his shoulder, sleeping all the way.

    In the evening, after Gu Zi had freshened up, she decided to do some bedtime yoga to relax her body and mind. The bed was spacious and not too soft, so she began her routine there.

    She followed the poses from her memory, lying on the bed, raising her buttocks, stretching her arms, breathing lightly, her chest rising and falling. She felt a unique relaxation and gradually immersed herself in it.

    When Su Shen came out of the shower, he saw Gu Zi in a very enticing pose. She was kneeling on the bed, her face and chest pressed against the mattress, her knees bent, forming a ninety-degree angle with the bed. Perhaps she had been holding this pose for a while, her face was flushed, and her eyes were somewhat dazed. To Su Shen, she looked incredibly seductive.

    Su Shen was inevitably attracted to her. His gaze traveled from her full chest to her raised buttocks, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing involuntarily. His heart began to race, and he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, asking seriously, ¡°Gu Zi, are you testing my self-control?¡±

    Su Shen hadn¡¯t expected that due to an accident, he would have this intimate time with Gu Zi tonight. She was beautiful, both her face and body were fatally attractive to him.

    Especially now, with her in such a suggestive pose, he wanted to enter her from behind, to collide with her body, to give her sweet pleasure.

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    His mind was already out of control, his self-control was almost non-existent around Gu Zi, and his lower body was honestly half-hard. He only needed a kiss to be fully erect.

    The woman before him was someone he cherished deeply. How could he not react? He felt as if a cat was scratching his heart, it was so itchy.

    Gu Zi realized that her movements might have been too provocative. She hadn¡¯t meant to be, she quickly sat up, shaking her head, ¡°No, no, I was just exercising. This kind of exercise helps maintain a good figure and pleases the body and mind. It¡¯s the perfect exercise to do before going to sleep.¡±

    The exercise was obviously tiring, and she might not have realized that her voice was accompanied by a soft panting, which had a different kind of allure.

    Su Shen¡¯s tongue involuntarily pressed against his upper teeth, and he loosened his collar a bit. Gu Zi saw this and knew he wasn¡¯t hot, but rather, he was aroused by her. For a moment, an ambiguous atmosphere grew, filling the entire space.

 Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Weâ€™ve Nothing To Fear Since Weâ€™re In The Right

    Chapter 620: We¡¯ve Nothing To Fear Since We¡¯re In The Right

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen yearned to pull her into his arms, to kiss her deeply. He knew, however, that once they started, their intimacy would spiral out of control.

    She had had a tiring day and had more to face tomorrow. He couldn¡¯t let her exhaust herself further. Thus, he restrained himself and asked in a tone laced with affection, ¡°Why do you tempt me then?¡±

    Gu Zi was scorched by his gaze. She turned away, pulling at the blanket and pretending to tidy it up. She was flustered, but her tone was firm, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s your lack of self-control, not my fault.¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t respond. He climbed into bed, pulling her into his arms, blanket and all. As she tried to turn away, his arm tightened slightly. One hand rested on her waist as he whispered into her ear, ¡°I would never blame you. Sleep well, goodnight, my darling Gu Zi.¡±

    Gu Zi, held in his arms, was a little dazed. Given the intensity of their previous interaction, they should be kissing, entwined in each other¡¯s arms. Wasn¡¯t his gaze just now filled with desire?

    Had she misunderstood? Could she admit that she had been mentally preparing herself? He had fallen asleep already!

    But perhaps it was for the best. She was indeed tired. She needed to rest well for the tough battle tomorrow. ¡®Gu Zi, Gu Zi,¡¯ she scolded herself, ¡®stop having such thoughts!¡¯

    Gu Zi fell asleep with a hint of regret. But because she was in the arms of the man she cared for, inhaling his unique scent, she didn¡¯t have trouble falling asleep despite the day¡¯s events. Instead, she quickly drifted off into a sweet dream.

    On the other side, after leaving the police station, Li Da¡¯s parents took their relatives to settle down. Only after they had taken care of everyone did the couple rush to the hospital to see their eldest son, who had been poisoned.

    After expressing their heartache for their eldest son, they began to discuss the day¡¯s events. Li Er perked up at this, his eyes wide. Finally, the old couple was getting to the point!

    Li Da¡¯s mother said, ¡°The person in charge of the shop came today. It¡¯s not as easy to get compensation as you said. From their attitude, it seems they want the police to investigate. Are you sure you got sick from eating their food? This matter has involved the police now. If it turns out to be a misunderstanding, it will be a big deal.¡±

    Li Da¡¯s father also nodded, speaking timidly, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve seen it clearly today. The person in charge of that shop has a complicated background.

    ¡°She can even get the daughter of Chief Gong to vouch for her. She¡¯s also familiar with Captain He who¡¯s handling the case. All the leaders in the police station greeted her. We, the common people, can¡¯t afford to offend such a person. Think it over.¡±

    Hearing this, Li Da also became anxious. He didn¡¯t know that the person in charge of the shop in their town had such a high status. Could they still get their money?

    He wouldn¡¯t be found out, would he? He looked nervously at his younger brother, Li Er, seeking his opinion. Li Er, fearing that these three would ruin his plan, quickly reassured Li Da with a glance and then began to soothe the two elders.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, no matter how powerful her background, she has to act according to morality. Their shop¡¯s food was unclean, causing big brother to be hospitalized for food poisoning. We¡¯re asking for compensation, which is only fair. We¡¯re in the right, so we have nothing to fear! And you don¡¯t trust big brother enough. How could he not know why he was the one hospitalized?

    ¡°Even if big brother can be confused sometimes, I was the one who took big brother to the hospital, so I know. He fell sick not long after returning from the town and didn¡¯t eat anything else on the way. The hospital diagnosed food poisoning. If it¡¯s not their shop¡¯s problem, whose problem is it?

    ¡°You should stop worrying here. It¡¯s better to think about how to make the matter bigger and get the person in charge to compensate sooner.¡±

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    Hearing their second son¡¯s words, the couple exchanged glances. It seemed that their second son had a point. They should indeed make the shop owner pay.

    Their faces lightened a bit, and Li Da¡¯s father said, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. Now that the police are involved, we can¡¯t make too much of a fuss. And the police will come to investigate and question us tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Right, the person in charge of the shop will also come. She said she had some questions to ask in person. I¡¯m still worried. I feel uneasy. What if the shop owner refuses to admit it?¡±

    As soon as Li Da¡¯s father finished speaking, Li Da¡¯s mother chimed in, ¡°You, why did you think of going so far to have breakfast? Now that this has happened, things have turned so chaotic. You don¡¯t know this, but I spent a lot of money to invite your aunts and uncles to make a scene.

    ¡°I spent a lot of money to settle them tonight. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t get the compensation in the end. We¡¯ll be at a big loss then.¡±

 Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: A Good Opportunity to Make a Fortune

    Chapter 621: A Good Opportunity to Make a Fortune

    Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the news, Li Er felt a pang of unease in his heart, but given the circumstances, he had no choice but to give it a shot.

    Li Er was a city dweller, but his family was as ordinary as they came. He didn¡¯t have a stable job and often found himself working odd jobs at various construction sites, earning a daily wage. His income was anything but consistent.

    Ironically, his greatest pleasure in life was gambling. If he went three days without gambling, he would feel uneasy. Recently, he had been strapped for cash. When this golden opportunity to make quick money presented itself, he couldn¡¯t afford to be timid. This was a chance to strike it rich!

    Without hesitation, Li Er made his decision. He was determined to get his hands on the money.

    He once again tried to convince the other three, ¡°Mom, Dad, big brother, stop overthinking. We¡¯ve come this far, we must demand compensation. Otherwise, how are we going to fulfill the promises we made to our relatives? We must stick to our story and demand compensation, understand?¡±

    The other three thought it over. They didn¡¯t have any other options at this point, and they too wanted the money. They could receive a hefty compensation. After all, Li Da had indeed been poisoned by the food from the restaurant. They were in the right, so what was there to fear? They had to get their hands on the money!

    The next morning, Su Shen took Gu Zi to the police station before driving off to the chemistry institute to collect the lab report. This was the most compelling piece of evidence. After Gu Zi arrived at the police station, she and Captain He took a police car to the hospital.

    When they arrived at Li Da¡¯s hospital room, it was bustling with activity. The room was filled with people, sobbing and wailing. The source of the noise was Li Da¡¯s mother and their relatives, who seemed to be putting on quite a show. The intended audience was clearly the two police officers and Gu Zi, the restaurant manager who had just arrived.

    Upon seeing the police, their crying intensified. Some were even clutching Li Da¡¯s hand as they voiced their grievances, ¡°Poor Li Da, you¡¯ve had such a hard life. You had a high fever when you were young that damaged your brain, and now you¡¯ve been harmed by an unscrupulous business owner. You were a healthy man, but now you¡¯re in the hospital getting your stomach pumped. It¡¯s so unfair!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just trying to shirk their responsibility. It¡¯s clear as day what happened, but they insist on an investigation. I bet the manager is just using her connections to delay the process and avoid paying compensation.¡±

    Captain He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and stepped forward, raising his voice, ¡°This case is full of uncertainties. Since you¡¯ve chosen to report it to the police, please trust us. We will conduct a thorough investigation. If Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop is liable, you will receive every penny of the compensation. Not only can Chief Gong¡¯s daughter guarantee this, but I, He Yan, can also assure you.

    ¡°Now, please quiet down. I recognize all of you as Li Da¡¯s relatives who gave statements at the police station yesterday. Since you¡¯ve already stated what you know, there¡¯s no need to say more. Please step outside and don¡¯t interfere with our investigation. Only Li Da, his brother, and his parents should remain in the room.¡±

    Captain He had an authoritative presence. Despite his good looks, he exuded an air of sternness. With just a slight change in his tone, he could instill fear in others. The room finally quieted down. The Li family had no choice but to comply with his instructions. Those who were asked to leave did so, while the rest stayed behind.

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    With the room now spacious and quiet, Captain He¡¯s voice became even clearer. He looked at the man on the bed and said to Gu Zi, ¡°This is Li Da, the victim of the food poisoning. If you have any questions that need to be asked face-to-face, you can ask him now. Li Da, ensure that your conversation with Miss Gu Zi, the restaurant manager, is truthful and accurate, understand?¡±

    Li Da, propped up by Li Er, sat up. His eyes were somewhat vacant and fearful, but the firm pat on his back from Li Er signaled him to stick to the plan. Li Da had always listened to his younger brother, believing that he would never lead him astray.

    After a moment of hesitation, Li Da nodded at Captain He and listened as the beautiful restaurant manager began to speak, ¡°Mr. Li Da, I¡¯ll ask you again, did you come to our restaurant specifically for breakfast?¡±

    A sense of triumph filled Li Da¡¯s heart. His brother had prepared him for this question the night before. His brother was truly remarkable, knowing exactly what this woman would ask.

    Without hesitation, he nodded, ¡°Yes, I came specifically for your hot and spicy soup. A friend from my factory told me that he had tried your braised pork and heard that your breakfast was also quite special. I was intrigued and wanted to try it.¡±

 Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: The Truth Begins to Unravel

    Chapter 622: The Truth Begins to Unravel

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Da spoke with such conviction that his brother, Li Er, found himself quite satisfied with his performance. Standing off to the side, Li Er observed the scene in silence, curious to see what this woman would ask next.

    He harbored a certain jealousy towards Gu Zi, a woman who seemed to have it all. Was it not simply because she was blessed with a beautiful face? She had managed to marry a wealthy man, thus crossing the class divide. She used her husband¡¯s money to open a shop, make headlines, and become famous. She appeared so powerful, yet in reality, she was still reliant on a man. What real talent did she possess?

    Others, like him, had to struggle and fight for every step in life. It was truly unfair. So what if they had orchestrated this scheme to make this woman pay? She was so ostentatious and wealthy, it was only right that she should part with some of her money to ward off misfortune. Li Er saw no fault in his actions.

    Gu Zi, while listening to Li Da¡¯s words, had noticed Li Er out of the corner of her eye. Through her acquaintance, He Yan, she had learned that it was Li Er who had brought Li Da to the hospital. When they had first entered, He Yan had quietly informed her that the man standing by Li Da¡¯s bedside was Li Er. She could sense a strange hostility emanating from him.

    The relatives had caused quite a commotion earlier, their chatter filling the room. However, amidst the noise, they had revealed a crucial piece of information: Li Da had once suffered a fever that had damaged his brain. This explained his apparent lack of intelligence.

    If one were to assume that Li Da was lying about being poisoned by the food from Gu Zi¡¯s restaurant in order to extort money, it would be difficult to believe that someone of his intellectual capacity could devise such a comprehensive plan. The hospital had confirmed that he was indeed suffering from food poisoning, which complicated matters.

    If one were to assume that the actual victim of the poisoning was not the mastermind behind this scheme, but rather a pawn being manipulated, then it became plausible. The question then was, who could manipulate the victim?

    It would have to be someone who knew the victim well and was trusted by him. Li Er, being Li Da¡¯s brother, fit the bill. Gu Zi had also noticed that Li Da would glance at his brother while answering her questions, as if seeking guidance. This suggested that Li Da was heavily reliant on Li Er and often followed his advice.

    With this understanding, Gu Zi continued her questioning. ¡°Can you recall if you ate anything else after your meal?¡± she asked Li Da.

    Li Da immediately responded with certainty, ¡°Absolutely not. I only ate food from your restaurant. It¡¯s your food that¡¯s the problem!¡±

    Seeing his brother¡¯s response, Li Er stepped forward to echo his words. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush with pointless questions. Are you sure you¡¯re investigating this case? It feels more like you¡¯re wasting time. Don¡¯t take advantage of my brother¡¯s honesty.¡±

    Li Er¡¯s words carried a clear warning. Gu Zi responded with a cold laugh, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished asking my questions. How do you know they¡¯re pointless? Or are you saying that no matter what I ask, you¡¯ll insist that the food poisoning was caused by my restaurant¡¯s food?

    ¡°Did you rehearse your answers beforehand? If not, then please be patient and wait until I¡¯ve finished asking my questions.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words caused a flicker of unease in Li Er¡¯s heart. He began to wonder if she knew something. He was momentarily at a loss for words, but Gu Zi didn¡¯t pay him any mind. She continued her questioning, ¡°After eating our breakfast, you didn¡¯t eat anything else. But what about before our breakfast? Did you eat anything you shouldn¡¯t have?¡±

    A look of panic crossed Li Da¡¯s face. He instinctively turned to look at Li Er, his eyes filled with confusion. How did this woman know that he had eaten something he shouldn¡¯t have before breakfast?

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    Was he about to be exposed? Li Er had promised him the lion¡¯s share of the compensation, which he had planned to use to get married. Was it all about to fall apart?

    Li Er was equally panicked. He was frustrated with his foolish older brother. Why was he looking to him for help at such a crucial moment?

    But he couldn¡¯t rely on his brother to smooth things over. He had to step in. He grabbed Li Da¡¯s hand and shouted at Gu Zi, ¡°What are you asking about? My brother has already told you he went to your shop to have breakfast. How could he have eaten anything else?¡±

    Gu Zi, however, was unfazed. She replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you. I asked your brother. Can you answer for him? Or should we let Mr. Li Da answer the question himself?¡±

    He Yan had been observing the entire exchange. When Gu Zi asked about what they had eaten before breakfast, he noticed a clear change in Li Da and Li Er¡¯s expressions. It seemed there was indeed something amiss. He also sternly said, ¡°Li Da, please answer the question directly!¡±

 Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Extremely Smart

    Chapter 623: Extremely Smart

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After He Yan finished speaking, one of his subordinates moved to stand in front of Li Er, effectively blocking the brothers¡¯ line of sight.

    Without the familiar emotional support, Li Da¡¯s speech immediately became stuttered, and his eyes seemed somewhat helpless. ¡°I, I said it already. I didn¡¯t eat breakfast before going to the shop, nor did I eat anything else I shouldn¡¯t have. Yes, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Li Er¡¯s heart was also hanging in suspense, but fortunately, as Li Da spoke, his tone became more certain, suggesting there were no loopholes in his story.

    However, unbeknownst to Li Er, Gu Zi had already detected a flaw. She quickly pressed Li Da again, ¡°You¡¯re talking too much, which is strange. Actually, you just need to tell me whether you ate anything else before going to our shop. Yes or no?¡±

    Her rapid speech left the others present barely time to react, let alone Li Da. After a moment of stunned silence, he blurted out, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t eat anything else. Don¡¯t ask me again, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    At this point, Li Er¡¯s heart sank. He thought to himself, ¡®Li Da, you fool, why did you say so much!¡¯

    Yet, Gu Zi revealed a satisfied smile, turning to He Yan, ¡°Captain He, the victim¡¯s behavior is quite strange, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    He Yan, still slightly taken aback, found himself admiring the woman before him. The newspapers had said she was a promising businesswoman, but now it seemed she was much more than that.

    She would make an excellent detective if she chose to pursue a career in law enforcement. Su Shen had truly struck gold in finding such a beautiful and intelligent woman, making He Yan a bit envious.

    Li Da¡¯s behavior had indeed been suspicious. His eyes were evasive, his right hand clenched into a fist and rubbing against his thigh, and his words lacked conviction. These subtle gestures and movements were noticed by He Yan due to his professional acuity.

    Gu Zi had also noticed these signs, and she had deliberately tricked Li Da, causing him to inadvertently reveal his secret. This case was not as simple as it seemed.

    He Yan looked at Gu Zi with admiration, responding seriously, ¡°Psychologically speaking, when people tell the truth, they don¡¯t repeatedly emphasize it. On the contrary, when they lie, they tend to stress it over and over.

    ¡°You asked twice, and Li Da¡¯s answers were both very certain, and the second answer was very similar to the first. However, this only increases the suspicion that he is lying.

    ¡°Of course, we can¡¯t conclude that Li Da is lying based on this alone. I¡¯m just analyzing. So everyone in the room, don¡¯t panic. The case is still under investigation. Miss Gu, do you have any other questions?¡±

    Captain He¡¯s tone was neutral, not favoring anyone. Although the Li family was anxious, they couldn¡¯t find any faults and didn¡¯t dare to interrupt the police investigation.

    Gu Zi glanced at Li Er, then turned her attention back to Li Da, ¡°Actually, when Captain He and I came here, we first went to the doctor¡¯s office to understand your poisoning situation.

    ¡°Your attending physician said your poisoning symptoms were quite severe, more like the result of ingesting a certain chemical substance. If we must attribute it to food, it could only be severely moldy and spoiled food that could cause such consequences. But a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to eat such spoiled food.

    ¡°Moreover, Mr. Li Da, you saw with your own eyes that the food in our shop was very fresh and hygienic. If it wasn¡¯t, you and the many other customers wouldn¡¯t have eaten it in silence, right?¡±

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    ¡°There were more than just you who ate breakfast at our shop yesterday morning. The breakfast that our staff, including myself, ate was also cooked in the same pot¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Da lowered his head unnaturally, as if trying to hide some emotion.

    Li Er couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. He burst out emotionally, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what game you¡¯re playing. What do you mean, taking advantage of my brother¡¯s honesty?

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯re city folks who haven¡¯t heard about the dirty things in your shop. Almost everyone knows that you add things to the food to keep the business good and retain customers. Who knows what you added that made people sick? Now my brother is the one who suffered, and you want to shift the blame?¡±

    He Yan stopped him, warning, ¡°Family of Li Da, please mind your behavior. We are still here! If you don¡¯t want to go to jail for provoking trouble and disturbing public order, stop making a scene!¡±

 Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Laboratory Report

    Chapter 624: Laboratory Report

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the midst of the commotion, He Yan stood firm, serving as a barrier that Li Er dared not cross. With the presence of two police officers, Gu Zi knew she was safe.

    She responded to Li Er¡¯s accusations with a calm demeanor, ¡°Rumors are stopped by the wise, but if you insist on exploiting them, I may find it hard to defend myself. I can only reiterate that our food contains no illicit additives. As for evidence, it will soon be presented before you.¡±

    No sooner had Gu Zi finished speaking than there came a knock at the door of the ward. A tall, handsome man strode in, coming to stand beside Gu Zi. After exchanging a glance with He Yan, he handed a brown paper bag to Gu Zi. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she turned to Li Er, ¡°The evidence has arrived. I can now provide you with an explanation to silence your baseless accusations.¡±

    As she spoke, she pulled a document from the bag and handed it to He Yan, ¡°Captain He, you are a respected police officer. Please review this lab report first. Once you¡¯ve read it, you¡¯ll understand.¡±

    He Yan accepted the lab report and began to read. Li Da, clearly panicked, shrank back into his mother¡¯s arms, not daring to utter another word.

    Li Da¡¯s father also looked anxious. Seeing the confident demeanor of the person in charge, he began to worry that his eldest son, who was not the sharpest tool in the shed, might have made a grave mistake. He wondered, with a sinking heart, how they could possibly rectify this situation.

    Li Er was also in a state of panic, sensing that things were not going in his favor. He hadn¡¯t expected this woman to be so composed and clear-headed. The more she remained calm, the more he felt his chances of winning dwindling.

    Cursing under his breath, he decided to make a quick exit. He needed to settle accounts with Lin Laoyao.

    Damn that Lin Laoyao, he thought bitterly. If he couldn¡¯t get money here, he would get it from Lin Laoyao. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Li Er tried to slip away, but was stopped by another police officer at the door, ¡°This is a crucial moment. No one is to leave.¡±

    Li Er, not ready to give up, clutched his stomach and pleaded, ¡°Officer, I have a stomachache. It¡¯s really painful!¡± The officer, however, shook his head firmly, not allowing him to leave. Li Er didn¡¯t dare to run outright, as that would be an admission of guilt. He had no choice but to stay.

    During this time, He Yan, while reviewing the report, had been keeping an eye on the situation. He was satisfied with how his subordinates were handling things. After all, it would be a joke if someone managed to slip away right under their noses.

    He Yan put away the report and said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve read the report from the Chemistry Institute. I have no reason not to trust it.¡±

    He didn¡¯t mention that the person who had issued the report was his own mother. He could tell from the signature that it was her handwriting.

    It was then that Su Shen spoke up, ¡°As my wife suggested, I sent samples of the food consumed by the alleged victims to the Chemistry Institute yesterday. The report indeed came from there.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right. Since the opening of our restaurant, we have made it a rule to keep samples of every dish we serve. This is to ensure food hygiene and to continuously improve our services. Little did we know that this practice would come in handy today. Captain He, please make the announcement.¡±

    The Li family members listened in confusion, not fully understanding the concept of food sampling or the significance of the report.

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    He Yan explained to them, ¡°You can understand it this way: the data in this report matches the data from the food that Li Da consumed.

    ¡°The report shows that all the food samples are perfectly safe and contain no harmful additives. The rumor that poppy flowers were added to enhance the flavor is baseless. Now that Miss Gu has produced this report, it is reasonable to suspect that Li Da was poisoned by something else.

    ¡°As for the police, we can confirm that the food from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop did not cause your food poisoning. You have no right to demand compensation from them. Instead, you need to issue a public apology in the newspaper. On the other hand, the restaurant owner can sue you for defamation. You will have to bear legal responsibility for this and may even face imprisonment.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Da started to tremble with fear. He might not be the brightest, but he understood the implications. If the restaurant owner decided to press charges, he could end up in jail. How could this be happening?

    In a panic, he yanked the IV needle from his hand and ran over to Li Er, grabbing his collar, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯ve ruined me! I don¡¯t want to go to jail. It was you who taught me to frame them!¡±

 Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Canâ€™t Escape Prison

    Chapter 625: Can¡¯t Escape Prison

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Er had never imagined that Li Da, the fool, would betray him at such a crucial moment. He was not that naive!

    Instinctively, Li Er tried to escape, forcefully pushing Li Da away. Li Da fell to the ground. Although their parents were stunned, they rushed to help their eldest son. As Li Er turned to flee, he was swiftly apprehended by one of He Yan¡¯s subordinates.

    Su Shen instinctively protected Gu Zi, who leaned on Su Shen¡¯s arm and took the opportunity to coax the truth out of Li Da. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying your younger brother taught you to do this? What did you eat that caused the poisoning?¡±

    Li Da, steadied by his parents, abandoned any pretense of a plan. He had no desire to go to jail, which would mean being locked away from his parents. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that!¡± he exclaimed.

    ¡°He taught me. He even added a bit of pesticide to the water and made me drink it. Then I felt so sick. My younger brother took me to the hospital, and I was diagnosed with food poisoning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t arrest me, I don¡¯t want to go to jail. It was all my younger brother¡¯s doing, I beg you! Dad, Mom, you have to protect me. You promised to always protect me!¡±

    He Yan approached Li Er and sternly asked, ¡°It would be better for you to confess now. You have no grudge against the people of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. Why did you frame them? Was it just for money?¡±

    Li Er, who had been standing, suddenly felt weak and sat down on the ground.

    He burst into maniacal laughter, which lasted for a while before he calmed down. He glared hatefully at Gu Zi and the others. ¡°If you must know, it¡¯s because I despise the rich. But it¡¯s not my fault. If anyone¡¯s to blame, it¡¯s you for being unkind to your own relatives.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you? It was Lin Laoyao from Little Lin Village who showed me the way. Who can I blame but you? And you two old fools, you¡¯ve always favored this big fool over me. Have you ever treated me like your son? I despise you all¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi finally understood. The rumor about the poppy seeds in the food had spread so widely, not only because of some envious people but also largely due to her uncle. He was seeking revenge for his son, Lin Jie, whom she had sent to jail.

    Gu Zi was not one to repay evil with kindness. Since he wanted revenge, she wouldn¡¯t hide. But she was determined to hold him accountable for this incident.

    She would soon ask the police to investigate this matter seriously. However, Li Er was truly stubborn. He had made a mistake, yet he blamed his parents?

    Parents with more than one child could hardly treat them all equally.

    Even if he had been neglected by his parents since childhood, it didn¡¯t justify such revenge on society. His parents might have failed him, but others hadn¡¯t. Li Er, an extremist, was not deserving of pity.

    The Li family parents were clearly stunned for a while, not expecting Li Er to harbor such thoughts. Finally, the mother sobbed, ¡°Li Er, you¡¯re confused. You¡¯re a part of me. How could I not care about you?

    ¡°How could you incite your brother to commit such a crime? You¡¯ve gone too far. You¡¯re pushing both your brother and yourself into the fire¡­¡±

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    She cried so hard she couldn¡¯t stand straight. Father Li shook his head and sighed, speaking to Li Er, ¡°When your brother had a high fever as a child, we didn¡¯t have money to send him to the hospital. It delayed his treatment and damaged his brain. We¡¯ve always felt guilty, so we paid more attention to him. We know we¡¯ve wronged you, but we had no other choice.¡±

    Li Er was indifferent to his parents¡¯ pleas. He Yan prepared to take him back for questioning, but unexpectedly noticed an irregular black mole on the back of his hand.

    He Yan recalled several previous masked robbery cases. According to the victims¡¯ descriptions, one of the members had an irregular black mole on the back of his hand. It seemed that Li Er would not be able to escape jail this time.

    In the end, He Yan arrested the Li brothers. Although Li Da was instigated, he had indeed participated. Even if he was not very smart, he could not completely evade responsibility. Their parents cried so hard they almost fainted, but luckily they had relatives to look after them. As for the responsibility of those relatives, Gu Zi did not pursue it.

    On the drive back to the police station, He Yan appeared calm, but his heart was racing with excitement. This trip had not been in vain. Not only was this case close to being solved, but there was also progress in the long-standing masked robbery case. His joy at that moment was something only a workaholic could understand!

 Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: New Home in the City

    Chapter 626: New Home in the City

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the heart of the bustling city, Su Shen held Gu Zi by the waist. They stood at the entrance of the hospital, silently watching the police car depart. The sight of Li Da¡¯s parents weeping earlier lingered in their minds, stirring a sense of melancholy.

    However, this did not mean they would not seek justice. The law of cause and effect was a universal principle. Everyone had their own battles to fight, and it was already challenging enough without meddling in others¡¯ affairs.

    Suddenly, they were approached by a group of people. ¡°Miss Manager, we finally caught up with you,¡± they apologized, ¡°We¡¯re sorry for what we said earlier. We were uninformed and only came here to support our family. We didn¡¯t realize that the Li brothers had lied to us. We apologize for our foolishness.¡±

    They continued, ¡°We¡¯ve heard of your restaurant¡¯s reputation and have long wanted to try your braised pork. I promise to spread the word about how delicious your food is. We¡¯re truly sorry for today¡¯s incident, and we¡¯re grateful that you¡¯re forgiving enough not to hold our mistakes against us.¡±

    These relatives of Li Da, who had previously been confrontational, were now filled with remorse and gratitude. They didn¡¯t dare to ask Gu Zi to absolve the Li brothers of their responsibilities.

    The brothers had brought this trouble upon themselves, especially Li Er, who had persuaded his elder brother to cause such a scandal. They had nearly ruined their entire family. It was a close call.

    Fortunately, Gu Zi was a reasonable person. She didn¡¯t hold the troublemakers accountable for their actions. Otherwise, based on their previous statements, none of them would have been able to escape the consequences.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to pursue the matter further. As long as the main culprits were punished by law, that was enough for her.

    She addressed the group, ¡°As long as you come to our restaurant as customers, you will always be welcome. My husband and I need to return to our village, so we won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±

    With that, she got into the car under Su Shen¡¯s escort. As Su Shen drove away from the hospital, Gu Zi looked back at the group, who were still waving goodbye. She had won this battle, and the rumors could finally be put to rest.

    She turned her gaze back to the road. They had traveled some distance, and the man beside her began to speak. His deep, magnetic voice had a soothing effect, dispelling the last traces of her fatigue. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on these unhappy events. Cheer up.¡±

    ¡°I have such a handsome and successful husband. My life is full of joy. I don¡¯t have time to dwell on unhappy thoughts. But, my dear, this isn¡¯t the way back to the village. What are you planning?¡±

    Su Shen gripped the steering wheel, guiding the car smoothly around a bend. He was momentarily stunned by the sweet sound of her voice calling him ¡®dear¡¯. His heart pounded in his chest.

    He had to admit, this woman knew how to flirt. He was moved by her genuine happiness. ¡°We¡¯re not going back to the village just yet. It¡¯s still early. Let¡¯s have lunch, and then I¡¯ll show you our new home in the city.¡±

    He wanted to tell her that he had prepared everything and was waiting for her approval.

    Gu Zi was surprised. Her husband had acted quickly, already renting a house. She had no objections. After all, he had been very considerate. So, they set off to see their new living environment.

    After having lunch at the Golden Sun Hotel, Su Shen drove Gu Zi to their new home in the city. Gu Zi, feeling tired, fell asleep shortly after getting into the car.

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    Su Shen drove in silence. Even though he had more to say, he didn¡¯t want to wake her. There was no rush. He could wait until she saw the house and then give her the keys.

    When Gu Zi woke up, the car had already stopped. Realizing they had arrived at their destination, she looked out the car window and was taken aback. She quickly sat up straight and turned to Su Shen with a look of astonishment. ¡°You rented such a big house in the city?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. The house was enormous. When Su Shen had mentioned going to see the house, he had only spoken a few words about it.

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t given it much thought, assuming it was just an apartment with a few rooms. She hadn¡¯t expected it to be a large villa, even bigger than the two-story house in the village. It even had its own front and back yards, both of which were quite spacious!

    She could hardly imagine how happy she would be living in such a house. After all, in her previous life, despite her hard work, she could hardly afford such a grand house.

 Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: You Are the Owner

    Chapter 627: You Are the Owner

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen gazed at the woman, her expression vacant and adorable. He wondered if his image in her eyes had grown even more impressive, and his heart swelled with anticipation.

    He retrieved a leather bag from the car, pulling out a stack of documents to hand to Gu Zi. ¡°These are the house documents,¡± he said, ¡°Everything is in order. Keep them.¡±

    Gu Zi slowly reached out to take them, her eyes scanning the golden characters spelling out ¡°Property Deed¡±. Her fingers trembled and her gaze became vacant once more as she looked at Su Shen. ¡°Is this¡­?¡±

    Su Shen cleared his throat lightly, a small smile playing on his lips as he explained, ¡°It¡¯s not rented, it¡¯s bought. These are the property deed and related documents for this house. You¡¯re the owner, so of course, they should be in your possession.¡±

    Listening to him, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel like a country bumpkin. She swallowed hard. This grand house was bought by Su Shen, and she was the owner?

    My God, just how much money did this man have? She began to doubt whether the wealth he had previously given her was even half of his total assets.

    Moreover, in this era, unless one had the right connections, even money couldn¡¯t buy such a grand house. At least, not unless one was a high-ranking official. His connections were truly formidable. At that moment, Gu Zi felt a sense of pride swelling within her. Honestly, having such a husband, how could she not feel proud?

    Su Shen watched her standing there, still in shock, and took the initiative to explain further. ¡°The house was found with the help of Deputy Director He. It¡¯s not particularly valuable, but acquiring the purchasing rights took some effort. We were a bit short on funds for the house initially, but after the payment for last year¡¯s collaboration with Old Huo¡¯s shop was settled, we managed to cover the shortfall. Anyway, Gu Zi, I¡¯m not the type to hide money.¡±

    His final statement made Gu Zi¡¯s heart skip a beat. At this point, would she really be the type to fuss over hidden money?

    Gu Zi opened her mouth, finally voicing her question. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention the shortfall before? I have savings too, I could have helped.¡±

    Su Shen helped Gu Zi put away the property deed and other documents, returning them to the car. He took her hand and pushed open the ornate iron gate of the front yard, leading her inside as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the military for over a decade, I know a lot of people. It¡¯s a complex network, and some people are difficult to explain.¡±

    ¡°But Gu Zi,¡± he continued, ¡°I won¡¯t hide anything from you that I shouldn¡¯t. As for not mentioning it, I simply didn¡¯t want to touch your savings. I wanted you to keep them for your own use, to feel secure. Any funds I can¡¯t manage, I¡¯ll give back to you. You keep them, and I¡¯ll feel at ease.¡±

    Gu Zi could hear her own heartbeat, thumping loudly. This man had connections, intelligence, business acumen, and loved his wife. He was the epitome of a domineering CEO, a natural leader. How could such a perfect man have been so overlooked in the original book, even to the point of being somewhat annoying as a remarried older man? It was baffling.

    But regardless of her confusion, she decided not to dwell on it. After all, this perfect man was now her husband. Why bother thinking about anything else?

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    Gu Zi relaxed and followed Su Shen into the slightly chilly front yard. She looked up at the three-story building, its architecture simple and elegant. The front yard boasted a fountain and a flower bed, though they were currently empty, waiting for her, the homeowner, to fill them in.

    The yard was surrounded by a ring of slender bamboo, lush and green. Gu Zi could hardly imagine how beautiful the yard would look once the grass and flower bed were taken care of. Lying here in the sun with their little girl would be so pleasant¡­

    Meanwhile, the two policemen sent by He Yan to arrest Lin Laoyao had arrived at the entrance of Little Lin Village, where they could no longer drive further.

    The two policemen got out of the car and began asking for Lin Laoyao¡¯s residence. This attracted the attention of a few older women chatting in front of a red brick house. One of them tugged at Mother Lin, who was picking vegetables. ¡°The police are here.¡±

    Mother Lin understood the woman¡¯s meaning. She was being invited to join them in watching the excitement. However, Mother Lin was worried about her shop and declined. ¡°You go ahead. I need to finish picking these vegetables. I want to cook something for my second child.¡±

 Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: The Investigation

    Chapter 628: The Investigation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The elderly woman, known as Da Ma, didn¡¯t bother to persuade Mother Lin. She didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to get the latest gossip firsthand. Hastily, she put down what she was holding and followed the footsteps of her companions. Her plump body jiggled as she hurried along. As she approached, she heard the police asking, ¡°Does anyone know where Lin Laoyao lives? Could you please show me the way?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the crowd was puzzled. Why were the police looking for Lin Laoyao? Could it be that something had happened to Lin Jie in jail? Or had Lin Laoyao done something wrong? It seemed impossible! The crowd pricked up their ears, hoping to catch more information from the police.

    However, after getting the address, the police turned and headed towards Lin Laoyao¡¯s house without uttering another word, except for a brief thank you.

    The crowd, not satisfied with the lack of information, began to speculate and followed the police. Da Ma went back to Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop get her things, planning to catch up. As she left, she hurriedly mentioned to Mother Lin, ¡°An Yun, it seems like something has happened at Lin Laoyao¡¯s house!¡±

    Mother Lin watched the departing crowd, her face filled with worry. Li Hua, who was at the door, had witnessed everything. She approached her mother-in-law and asked, ¡°Mom, should we tell Dad about this? After all, that¡¯s his younger brother. He has a right to know.¡±

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t respond. She put down her basket and walked into the house. She spoke to her husband, who was doing rehabilitation exercises by the bed, ¡°I just saw the police looking for Lin Laoyao. I don¡¯t know what happened. Do you want to go and see?¡±

    In the past, Lin Lao¡¯er had been deeply hurt by an incident, but Mother Lin, as his wife, understood her husband¡¯s thoughts well. He was a naturally kind person. Even though he had been treated poorly by Lin Laoyao¡¯s family, it would be hard for him to ignore their troubles.

    If something had happened to Lin Laoyao and he found out much later, it would probably upset him for a long time. Mother Lin didn¡¯t want her husband to feel bad.

    After hearing Li Hua¡¯s suggestion, she thought that no matter what her husband chose to do, she should at least inform him. Whatever he decided, she would try to understand and support him, because that¡¯s how he had always treated her.

    Upon hearing this, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s eyes flashed with complex emotions. After a long while, he said, ¡°An Yun, take me there. Let¡¯s show him some concern one last time.¡± Whether for better or worse, this would be the last time.

    At this moment, the police had arrived at Lin Laoyao¡¯s house. It didn¡¯t take long for a crowd to gather, whispering and watching the commotion. Lin Laoyao and his wife heard the noise and quickly came out of the house.

    They had aged significantly over this period. Beneath their prominent forehead wrinkles, their four eyes were filled with confusion, clearly unaware of what was happening. A police officer stepped forward, ¡°Are you Lin Yun?¡±

    Lin Laoyao, whose real name was Lin Yun, was more accustomed to being called Lin Laoyao in the village. Hearing his real name was somewhat unfamiliar and made him feel inexplicably nervous. He hesitated before nodding, ¡°I am Lin Yun. Officer, why are you here?¡±

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    Before Lin Laoyao could finish speaking, his wife interjected, ¡°You¡¯re so stupid. The officer must be here because of our son, Lin Jie. Officer, has our son behaved well in jail? Are you going to release him early?¡±

    The police officer shook his head, ¡°We have not heard any news about Lin Jie being released early. We are here specifically for you, Lin Yun. You are suspected of inciting others to spread rumors, damaging the reputation of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, and conspiring with the Li brothers to frame Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. Please come with us for an investigation.¡±

    As one officer spoke, another prepared to handcuff Lin Laoyao. The villagers exploded into chatter upon hearing this, but no one noticed the panic and anger flashing in Lin Laoyao¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Gu Zi is too ruthless. She got her cousin Lin Jie into the police station, and now she wants to get Lin Laoyao in there too? God, her desire for revenge is too strong, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be related to the previous rumors about Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. But that¡¯s not right. I¡¯ve never heard Lin Laoyao spreading rumors about the restaurant adding poppy flowers to their braised pork. Could it really be like you said, that Gu Zi is just seeking revenge on Lin Laoyao¡¯s family? With her connections to Su Shen, it seems like she can do whatever she wants.¡±

 Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: The Unjust Accusation

    Chapter 629: The Unjust Accusation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Gu Zi is certainly a woman of means,¡± the villagers murmured among themselves. ¡°Without her cunning, would Su Shen be so utterly bewitched? I¡¯ve heard that Su Shen even does her laundry and cooks for her after work. He even lets her manage the pig farm. I fear the Lin family has incurred her wrath, and they won¡¯t see a day of peace from now on¡­¡±

    The villagers, gathered around the spectacle, cast sympathetic glances towards the Lin family. Their expressions were filled with pity, as if they had forgotten that Lin Jie was imprisoned for assaulting Gu Zi¡¯s father, Lin Lao¡¯er. If Lin Jie had any respect for family ties, why would he lay a hand on his own uncle, Lin Lao¡¯er? Yet, now they were blaming Gu Zi for being heartless.

    The two police officers present wore grim expressions. The villagers¡¯ words seemed outrageous to them. After all, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s leg had been broken in the assault and he was still recuperating. It was as if the villagers were blind to this fact. However, as public servants, they could only silently observe, not daring to say much. Their only wish was to take Lin Yun away as quickly as possible and complete their task.

    However, Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was unaware of some of the things her husband had done. She had been scared earlier, and only now was she beginning to understand. She thought it was Gu Zi who was trying to ruin their family, which infuriated her.

    She had been running around aimlessly these past few days, but finally, she had come to terms with their situation. As long as her son was alive, everything was fine. So what if he was in prison? So what if his marriage had fallen through?

    What was there to fear? She and Lin Laoyao could live a good life outside, save money, and when their son was released, they could still find him a wife and give him a good life.

    However, she hadn¡¯t expected that even after she had admitted defeat, Gu Zi would still not let go. It was too much! After all, they were her uncle and aunt!

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch her husband be taken away. She ran forward to block the police officers¡¯ path and fell to her knees.

    She cried out loudly, ¡°Everyone, please judge for us! Gu Zi, that ungrateful wretch, wants to ruin our family! Isn¡¯t this a blatant frame-up against my husband?

    ¡°Officers, you can¡¯t arrest my husband. If you say he has broken the law, you must present evidence. You can¡¯t just favor whoever has more influence. I won¡¯t accept this!¡±

    With Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife causing such a scene, the villagers who sympathized with the Lin family¡¯s plight became even more indignant. Their discussions grew louder, expressing their support for Lin Laoyao with righteous indignation. ¡°We have indeed misunderstood Gu Zi in the past, and we admit our mistake. But who doesn¡¯t make mistakes? Even wise and enlightened kings in ancient times had their moments of confusion. But it can¡¯t always be our fault, can it?¡±

    ¡°I simply can¡¯t believe it this time. For so many years, who in our village doesn¡¯t know that Lin Laoyao is good-natured and kind-hearted? I¡¯ve lived most of my life, and I¡¯ve never met a better person than Lin Laoyao.¡±

    ¡°He would never do such a thing. Gu Zi¡¯s family runs a shop in town, and Lin Laoyao is just an ordinary farmer. How could he possibly influence public opinion in town?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the Lin family is really unlucky. It¡¯s so sad to watch. Officers, you must have evidence when you arrest someone!¡±

    The two police officers, listening to the surrounding discussions, were almost amused by the absurdity of it all. Indeed, in a world of the weak, showing weakness was the best way to win sympathy and protection. They had been handling cases for many years and knew this truth, but they couldn¡¯t stand to listen any longer.

    One of the officers stepped forward and shouted, ¡°Silence! What¡¯s all this noise? Do you think we, the police, are just here for show? That we would arrest someone just because Gu Zi said so?¡±

    ¡°If we dare to arrest someone, it means we have evidence. If you continue to talk nonsense, we won¡¯t hesitate to take you all back with us. Then you can see for yourselves whether Lin Laoyao is being wronged.¡±

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    The crowd fell silent. After all, no one wanted to be taken to the police station. Once inside, it would be troublesome to get out. However, once the crowd quieted down, even the softest whispers became clear. Someone murmured, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lin Lao¡¯er and his wife? They¡¯re here!¡±

    Everyone turned to look. Mother Lin was supporting Lin Lao¡¯er, who was leaning on a crutch. They were walking straight towards the police officers and Lin Laoyao.

    Lin Lao¡¯er looked at the handcuffs on Lin Laoyao¡¯s hands and fell silent. Lin Laoyao¡¯s eyes were filled with resentment, no longer hidden. He sneered, ¡°So, brother, you¡¯ve come to gloat?¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er let go of Mother Lin¡¯s supporting hand and walked a few steps closer. He didn¡¯t answer, but instead said to Lin Laoyao, ¡°When we were kids, the sugar at home would mysteriously disappear. Mom thought I was the one stealing it and would beat me. I never said a word.

    ¡°You would beg Mom not to hit me, but the next time, the sugar would still disappear, Mom would still suspect me, and I would still get beaten. It was always like this.¡±

 Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Protective Love

    Chapter 630: Protective Love

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The two brothers stood close to each other, their voices barely above a whisper. Apart from the two police officers standing next to Lin Laoyao, no one else could clearly hear their conversation. However, upon hearing his brother¡¯s words, Lin Laoyao¡¯s face involuntarily changed. ¡°What do you mean by saying all this now?¡± he asked.

    Lin Lao¡¯er replied, ¡°Laoyao, I never expected that after all these years, you haven¡¯t changed. I regret that in my desire to protect you, I deprived you of the chance to be educated. I¡¯m here to apologize to the boy you once were.

    ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t know that you were the one who stole the sugar? I saw it with my own eyes. You knew I was more lenient than our eldest brother, and you made me take the blame for you countless times. The sugar incident was just one of many.¡±

    In their childhood, Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family was large and times were tough. Sugar was a luxury, something their parents would only bring out on special occasions. Lin Lao¡¯er, always mindful of his parents¡¯ struggles, would often willingly give up his share of sugar for his family. How could he possibly have stolen it?

    In truth, if he had been willing to explain himself like their eldest brother, their parents would not have believed he was the one who stole the sugar.

    But back then, he was always thinking of protecting his younger brother. He thought that Lin Yun, being young, was bound to be a bit mischievous and naive. As the older brother, he felt he could shoulder a bit more.

    Looking back now, Lin Lao¡¯er realized his own naivety. He had always known his brother¡¯s true nature, yet he never held it against him. This kind of protective love might not have been beneficial. His approach was indeed wrong.

    If he had confronted Lin Yun the first time he noticed his behavior, like their eldest brother would have, perhaps Lin Yun wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way.

    But it was too late for regrets now. No one could predict the future. He was here today to say goodbye.

    When the police announced the arrest warrant earlier, they were standing not far away. He and his wife, Mother Lin, heard everything clearly. They knew why the police were here today. His last shred of protective love for Lin Yun died in that moment. He decided to act as if he never had this younger brother.

    Lin Laoyao chuckled coldly, looking at his second brother and recalling past events. He felt a sense of surrealism, but what could he do?

    He asked Lin Lao¡¯er, ¡°Should I be grateful to you? If I show gratitude, will your daughter spare my son, spare me? My dear second brother, ha ha ha¡­¡±

    The villagers didn¡¯t understand why Lin Laoyao was acting so hysterically. They instinctively felt that Lin Lao¡¯er had changed. After all, his daughter was now in a powerful position, having married a good man. Their family¡¯s circumstances had greatly improved. They believed that Lin Lao¡¯er must have humiliated Lin Laoyao, which was too much!

    Lin Lao¡¯er ignored the misunderstanding voices around him. He responded to Lin Laoyao in the same tone, ¡°No, your son¡¯s arrest is not unjust. You know it well. Your arrest is also not unjust. You bullied me in the past, and I could let it go. But I will never allow you to bully my daughter, Gu Zi. Lin Laoyao, you should reflect on your actions in jail.¡±

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    After saying this, Lin Lao¡¯er returned to his wife¡¯s side. Mother Lin supported him as they turned to leave. However, before they could get far, two unfamiliar faces rushed past them, their faces full of sorrow and resentment. They hurried towards Lin Laoyao¡¯s house, and soon, the sound of commotion could be heard again.

    ¡°You damned Lin Laoyao, your rotten idea made my two sons ruin someone¡¯s shop reputation. You even made my second son instigate my eldest son to frame someone, pretending to be poisoned by their shop¡¯s food. Now you¡¯ve ruined our family. Both my sons have been arrested by the police. You owe me two sons!

    ¡°You were unfamiliar with the city when you came looking for temporary work. My husband and I kindly helped you, and this is how you repay us? You¡¯re heartless. You won¡¯t die a good death. If the police don¡¯t arrest you, heaven will punish you! I regret ever helping you.

    ¡°My poor sons, what am I to do as a mother? Especially my second son, Li Er. He¡¯s been charged with multiple crimes, his life is probably ruined¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the commotion was about the shop, Mother Lin and her husband paused their departure to listen. They heard the couple¡¯s accusations and cries of grief and quickly understood the situation. These two were likely the parents of the poisoned Li Da. It seemed they no longer needed to worry about the shop.

 Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Able to Withstand Inspection

    Chapter 631: Able to Withstand Inspection

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Lin harbored some doubts in her heart. If it was merely a matter of rumors and extortion, a few years in prison should have sufficed. How could it be said that his entire life was ruined by multiple punishments?

    It seemed that this case was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. Once Gu Zi and the others returned, she would have to ask Gu Zi about the details and discuss with her what they had seen and heard.

    Mother Lin, supporting her husband, walked away, completely ignoring the commotion at the entrance of Lin Laoyao¡¯s house. The villagers who had just confidently claimed that they had not misjudged Lin Laoyao and that he would never do such a thing were now dumbfounded. Was Lin Laoyao really the mastermind behind the rumors and the poisoning? It was too unbelievable!

    Some villagers blushed and lowered their heads, some quietly walked away, while others immediately changed their stance, criticizing Lin Laoyao: ¡°Laoyao, what are you doing? Are you looking for trouble? It¡¯s foolish. Your son made a mistake first, and yet you seek revenge?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve made us all lose face. What sin did our Little Lin Village commit to have fellow villagers like you? It¡¯s so shameful to even mention it. You and your wife are playing the victim, how shameless! You should be arrested and kicked out of Little Lin Village!¡±

    Lin Laoyao¡¯s wife was still trying to understand what was happening, but it seemed clear that Lin Laoyao was indeed responsible. Her vision blurred, and she almost fainted. Her son was in jail, and now her husband was about to be arrested. How was she supposed to live?

    But no one cared about her well-being now. The villagers who had originally sided with them were now cursing her and her husband along with the Li couple. Lin Laoyao, seeing that he could no longer hide, simply stopped pretending. Even though he was spat on, he kept smirking, and was taken away by two policemen amidst the chaos.

    After Lin Laoyao was put in the car, he thought about the words of the city couple and was worried about Lin Jie. He spoke again: ¡°I admit to all these charges. Can you tell me what happened to my son, Lin Jie?¡±

    The two policemen in front exchanged glances. This case was also linked to several robbery cases, and it was of great importance. It was not appropriate to publicize it now, so the policeman who was not driving replied, ¡°Sorry, we cannot disclose any information.¡±

    After Lin Laoyao and the police left, the Li couple loudly told all the villagers, ¡°It was my son who was foolish. He listened to Lin Yun¡¯s instigation and slandered Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. We came here today not only to curse that damned Lin Yun, but also to clarify the rumors. We have seen the chemical report with our own eyes. Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s food has no problems. You can eat it with confidence!

    ¡°We are explaining all this to you because we want to seek leniency for our son. Please stop spreading rumors. The food in their restaurant can withstand scrutiny. Don¡¯t harm yourselves by spreading rumors. Ah, we¡¯ve said all we need to say. Wife, let¡¯s go.¡±

    After the Li couple left, the villagers looked at each other, thinking about the similar rumors they had once spread. They were very scared. They wouldn¡¯t be in trouble, would they? They dared not spread such rumors again in the future!

    Meanwhile, Mother Lin had just helped her husband home when she saw her son-in-law¡¯s car parked by the roadside. She didn¡¯t rush to enter the house, but went to meet her daughter and son-in-law who had returned from the city. The four of them entered the house together.

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    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t seen her three children for a day and a night, so she walked a bit faster and was the first to enter. As soon as she came in, she saw her second child playing with a small ball in the living room with little Su Le. The siblings were both dressed in thick warm clothes and wore warm fur hats on their heads. They looked chubby and cute.

    Gu Zi walked over, patted her second child¡¯s head, and picked up little Su Le, kissing her rosy cheek, ¡°Little girl, did you miss Mommy?¡±

    The little girl could now say quite a few words. She nodded repeatedly and kissed her mother back, ¡°Miss Mommy, Mommy kiss!¡±

    The second child, not to be outdone, circled around his mother and sister, saying, ¡°Mommy, Su Li missed you too. I¡¯ve finished all my winter vacation homework, so I¡¯ll have more time to help you take care of my sister and help you with chores. You can ask me to do anything!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s face broke into a smile. She praised, ¡°Su Li, you¡¯re great. Our Lele should learn from her brother. By the way, where¡¯s your elder brother?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen Su Bing since she came in and wondered where he had gone.

 Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: A Man Who Cooks

    Chapter 632: A Man Who Cooks

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the direction of the kitchen, Su Li pointed and said, ¡°Big brother mentioned that you and father should be returning today. However, the adults are all busy, and Auntie has accompanied Uncle to deliver goods to the pig farm. He is taking care of us and preparing for your arrival. He is currently in the kitchen.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s gaze instinctively shifted towards the kitchen. There, she saw Su Bing emerging with a tray in his hands. The tray was laden with food he had prepared, and he was clad in his aunt¡¯s floral apron. It was clear that he had spent a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, embodying the image of a domesticated man.

    He placed the tray on the table, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His eyes sparkled as they met Gu Zi¡¯s. ¡°Mother, I have prepared afternoon tea. Mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, you¡¯ve returned just in time. Please sit and have some. I¡¯ve set aside some for Uncle and Auntie.¡±

    During his winter break, he had learned a plethora of recipes from his mother. From cooking porridge and making desserts to brewing sweet soups, nothing was too challenging for him anymore.

    Preparing a suitable afternoon tea for his family was a minor task. Since the adults were all busy, he could help share some of the burden, making things easier for his mother.

    He had no intention of currying favor. He simply wanted to express his gratitude to his mother by doing more.

    After his mother had secured a job at the newspaper, he had overheard his grandparents discussing her plans. He learned that his mother had intended to continue her studies but had decided to take a break after getting into university to take care of him and his siblings. She planned to return to university when his younger sister was older.

    Although Su Bing had not yet attended high school, let alone university, he understood the value of a university education. Attending university meant having a higher starting point than many others.

    Yet, his mother was willing to delay her university education for them. He knew this was a significant sacrifice. He wanted to do better to repay his wonderful mother.

    A sense of gratification welled up in Gu Zi¡¯s eyes. Su Bing had been learning culinary skills from her during this period and was now capable of preparing some relatively intricate and complex dishes. She examined the food on the tray carefully, recognizing the mixed grain cakes and almond soup.

    The cake was translucent, with each grain clearly visible. The almond soup was milky white and thick, tempting one to take a sip at first glance. The food was aesthetically pleasing.

    This reminded Gu Zi of when they first arrived at Daqing Village. Back then, Su Bing could only steam and boil simple dishes. The brothers¡¯ meals were very basic, and even having a properly cooked sweet potato was a matter of luck. Looking at it now, the eldest brother¡¯s culinary skills had improved significantly. He was indeed a good boy.

    If Su Bing could gradually overcome his fear of women and be more accepting of them, she could foresee that he would be a considerate husband and father in the future. The girl who married him would be very fortunate!

    However, seeing him handle everything so meticulously, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

    Gu Zi immediately handed Su Le to Su Shen, took a tissue, and walked over to Su Bing. She wiped the sweat from his temples that he had missed and gently ruffled his hair, praising softly, ¡°Our eldest is the best and most attentive. Where can we find such a good boy?¡±

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    Mother Lin and her husband had already started their afternoon tea. They first tasted the mixed grain cakes, which had a chewy texture and the original flavor of the grains filled their mouths. They then took a sip of the almond soup, which was fragrant, smooth, and creamy, bringing them a sense of happiness. They put their worries behind them, truly impressed by the young apprentice their daughter had brought up.

    Mother Lin echoed Gu Zi¡¯s words, ¡°Of course, it would be hard to find even with a lantern. Not to mention anything else, just based on our eldest grandson¡¯s excellent cooking skills, he won¡¯t have any trouble finding a wife in the future.¡±

    Su Bing was serving almond soup to his parents when he heard these words. His cheeks flushed, his eyes lowered, and his movements became somewhat stiff. A wife?

    For some reason, the first person he thought of was his classmate Jiang Nuan, a girl as radiant as the sun. But he was about to transfer schools, and he wouldn¡¯t see Jiang Nuan anymore. He felt a sense of loss.

    Gu Zi also had a taste of the almond soup. However, she was unaware that the change she had once hoped for was quietly taking place. Su Bing was no longer as resistant to women as before. In fact, the first girl who had stirred his heart was Jiang Nuan.

 Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: As Though He Was Buying Vegetables

    Chapter 633: As Though He Was Buying Vegetables

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The family was enjoying their afternoon tea, their faces filled with joy. However, Su Li seemed a bit downcast. It wasn¡¯t that he was envious of his older brother, but he too craved praise. He too wanted to be free of worries about finding a wife in the future. He wanted to marry a good woman, to love her as his father loved his mother. Together with his wife, he would take care of his parents, ensuring the family¡¯s continued happiness.

    Su Li made a silent resolution. He too would learn culinary skills from his mother. Although he didn¡¯t fully understand the concept of marriage, it didn¡¯t stop him from wanting a wife.

    After everyone finished their afternoon tea and Gu Zi was resting alone in the room, Su Li approached her. He said, ¡°Mother, I want to learn cooking from you in the future, is that okay?¡±

    Gu Zi looked at his earnest face and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She replied, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a necessary life skill. I¡¯d be happy to teach you. But may I ask why you want to learn to cook?¡±

    In Gu Zi¡¯s impression, her second son, although well-behaved, was much more playful than the eldest. His sudden interest in cooking was somewhat unexpected.

    Seeing his mother¡¯s approval, Su Li was overjoyed. Without beating around the bush, he said directly, ¡°Mother, I want to be like my brother, not worrying about finding a wife in the future. Mother, I¡¯m going to help my brother now!¡±

    Gu Zi waved him off, watching as Su Li bounced out of the room. By dinner time, Lin Cheng and Li Hua had also returned home. The family gathered together, creating a lively atmosphere. Li Hua thanked Su Bing, ¡°Thank you for saving some for your aunt. The almond soup was delicious. Next time you come to the shop, your aunt will make something delicious for you.¡±

    Su Bing nodded, continuing to eat. His cheeks were rosy, and he looked more radiant than before, even a bit chubby. He looked surprisingly well-behaved. Mother Lin looked at her grandchildren, all of whom were becoming more and more lovable under her daughter¡¯s care. She couldn¡¯t bear to part with them.

    She then turned to her son-in-law and daughter, trying to persuade them to stay, ¡°Su Shen, Gu Zi, do you really have to rush back tonight? Why not stay here for a few more days?¡±

    Su Shen replied, ¡°Gu Zi and I have already discussed it. We plan to move the day after tomorrow, so we need to go back early to pack. Otherwise, we won¡¯t have enough time.¡±

    Gu Zi also nodded, adding, ¡°Yes, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t rush back tonight. But since we¡¯re on the subject, we might as well tell you. Su Shen has prepared a gift for you, or to be precise, for mother. I¡¯ll go get it.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to get up, Su Shen, who was sitting next to her, gently pressed her shoulder and stood up to fetch the gift himself.

    With his long strides, he quickly returned with a package wrapped in red cloth. He handed it to Gu Zi, who placed it in front of her mother, Mother Lin, saying, ¡°Mother, open it and see.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the package, eagerly watching as Mother Lin unwrapped a red booklet from the cloth. Upon seeing what it was, Mother Lin¡¯s lips parted in surprise. Li Hua and Lin Cheng were also taken aback, and even the brothers and little Su Le were focused on the booklet. What could it be?

    Gu Zi explained, ¡°This is a house in town. Su Shen bought it as a base for our family in town. The deed is in mother¡¯s name, so we don¡¯t need to rent a house in town anymore. We have our own now.¡±

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    As Gu Zi spoke, she was filled with excitement. After all, her husband¡¯s surprises came one after another, and she was somewhat overwhelmed.

    She only found out on the way back that Su Shen had not only bought a villa in the city but also a house in town. It was a five-bedroom house, spacious enough for any family.

    On the car ride back, when Su Shen casually said, ¡°We needed a place to stay, so I bought it,¡± Gu Zi almost thought he was talking about buying groceries at the market. He bought houses as if they were nothing, displaying a casual display of wealth. Looking at his handsome face, Gu Zi felt his charm had greatly increased.

    Seeing the astonished expressions of her parents and brother and sister-in-law, Gu Zi could fully understand their feelings. Who wouldn¡¯t be surprised when their son-in-law not only gave a generous dowry, held a grand wedding, bought a house in the countryside, and now another one in town?

    Mother Lin snapped out of her surprise and pushed the red booklet back, her tone firm, ¡°Su Shen, why are you spending so much money again? Renting a house is also a way of living. When the shop makes more money in the future, we can buy our own house. And you two are moving to the city, you should sell this and buy a house in the city first. How could you buy us a house in town first? I can¡¯t accept this!¡±

 Chapter 634 - Chapter 634: Making Enemies Everywhere

    Chapter 634: Making Enemies Everywhere

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi listened to her mother¡¯s refusal, swallowing hard as she turned to look at Su Shen. The man calmly picked up the red booklet and placed it back in front of his mother-in-law. Without a hint of ostentation, he spoke in a simple and sincere manner, ¡°Mother, you should accept this. There¡¯s no need for formalities between us. Besides, renting a house in the city is indeed troublesome. For convenience, I¡¯ve already bought a house in the city. There¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    The moment these words were spoken, a prolonged silence fell over the dinner table. Mother Lin, Lin Lao¡¯er, Lin Cheng, and Li Hua all wore expressions of shock, their mouths agape as if their jaws were about to drop. My God, how much money does he have?

    He had given thousands in betrothal gifts, not once but twice, and had held such a grand wedding. He had even bought a car, a brick house in the village, and now two more houses in the town and the city¡­

    Gu Zi, feeling helpless, spoke up again to ease the atmosphere, which had become somewhat stiff due to the older man¡¯s display of wealth. She said to her family, ¡°Mother, you can accept it with peace of mind. Su Shen doesn¡¯t want me to worry about you, so he took care of everything. But we¡¯re all family, there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t accept. If you don¡¯t accept this time, it won¡¯t be easy for me to come back in the future.¡±

    Su Shen nodded, indicating that Gu Zi had expressed exactly what he wanted to say. Indeed, it would be more dignified to accept. After all, hadn¡¯t Su Shen given the Lin family plenty because of his love for Gu Zi?

    They had accepted all the benefits before, so there was no need to refuse now.

    In the end, Mother Lin accepted the house deed, saying, ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t have much to give in return. In the future, your sister-in-law and I will manage the shop well and make it bigger and stronger. Gu Zi, you focus on your work. We will work hard to realize your plans.¡±

    On the way back to Daqing Village, Su Li eagerly asked about the new house in the city, ¡°Mother, did you and father go to see the house today? Is our new home beautiful?¡±

    Recalling what she had seen that day, Gu Zi responded without hesitation, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s absolutely beautiful, and it¡¯s even bigger than the house we¡¯re living in now. You¡¯ll see it soon, and it will definitely meet your expectations!¡±

    Su Li¡¯s eyes widened in excitement, his voice unconsciously louder, ¡°That¡¯s great, brother, we also have a big house in the city, did you hear that? I¡¯m so happy. Now we won¡¯t have to worry about finding a place for Big Yellow to sleep. We¡¯ll take Big Yellow with us, right?¡±

    Su Bing looked at Su Li with an expression that suggested he was dealing with a simpleton. It was clear that Su Bing had already learned from their father. He spoke in a calm voice, ¡°Father bought a villa with a yard. There¡¯s enough room for not just one Big Yellow, but two more. Of course, we¡¯ll bring him. But you should lower your voice, don¡¯t wake up your little sister.¡±

    If their little sister woke up, she might start crying and they would have to trouble their mother. Su Bing didn¡¯t want their mother to be too tired. Clearly, Su Li also realized this and immediately covered his mouth with his small hand, no longer speaking.

    He just stared out the car window at the retreating scenery, dreaming of their future life in the city. With his father, mother, brother, and Lele, it was sure to be even better than now!

    In the city, Gu Shan went to the police station to submit an application to visit Lin Miao, and unexpectedly heard the news that Gu Zi¡¯s younger uncle, Lin Yun, had been detained.

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    His face immediately changed, and he returned home in a rage, telling his wife Zhang Mei about it, ¡°This Gu Zi is really outrageous. I knew there would be trouble when she opened that shop. I didn¡¯t expect it to really happen, and it¡¯s her own uncle who¡¯s in trouble.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Gu Zi? She was fine when she was with us. Everyone liked her except for Gong Zhan, who was indifferent to her. But once she went to the countryside, she started making enemies everywhere and became such an ungrateful person. What are we going to do?¡±

    Zhang Mei was also greatly shocked when she heard this. She stood up in anger and paced back and forth, ¡°What, she¡¯s not satisfied with sending her cousin Lin Jie to jail, and now she¡¯s sent her own uncle there too?

    ¡°Ah, what is she doing? If this gets out, people might say how bad our Gu family¡¯s upbringing is. Our own daughter is in jail, and our adopted daughter is ungrateful and making enemies everywhere.

    ¡°Husband, we can¡¯t let her continue like this. When you have time, let¡¯s go to the village to find her and talk to her. Why does she have to make things so irreparable? She¡¯s becoming more and more unreasonable.¡±

 Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: He Yan Pays a Visit

    Chapter 635: He Yan Pays a Visit

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan remained silent, evidently agreeing with his wife¡¯s words. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll see. It seems I indeed need to make a trip to Daqing Village.¡±

    In Daqing Village, Gu Zi and the others began to tidy up the house and pack their belongings after returning from the red brick house.

    Gu Zi looked at the cozy little home she had arranged, which was now gradually emptying. She felt a stir in her heart, ¡°I originally thought I would stay here for a long time. I didn¡¯t expect to leave so soon.¡±

    Hearing her sentimental words, Su Shen also put down his work, swept his gaze over the furnishings of the house, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°I once thought I would stay here for a lifetime.¡±

    Su Shen disliked the deceitful officialdom and never wanted to participate in factional struggles. However, over the years in the army, as his military rank kept rising, he was inevitably drawn into the struggles.

    Whether to participate in these matters was not up to him. After understanding this, Su Shen wanted to leave the army. Later, he got the opportunity to return to the peaceful countryside.

    He remembered his thoughts at that time: to carry out his secret mission well, stay away from the turmoil, and after taking over his sister¡¯s children, he had more goals ¨C to earn money, raise the three children, find an opportunity to retire, and live an ordinary life¡­

    But among these goals, none of them involved living in the city. It was not until he married Gu Zi that he had the idea of moving to the city.

    In his daze, a pleasant floral scent brought him back to reality. He saw Gu Zi walk up to him and look up at him, ¡°If you want to come back, we can find time to do so. Let¡¯s not dwell on the past!¡±

    Su Shen nodded, bent down to look at her charming face, and couldn¡¯t help but kiss her on the forehead. Just then, the roar of a car came from outside. Su Shen and Gu Zi followed the sound out and saw He Yan getting out of a white sedan.

    He was wearing a white shirt with a blue vest sweater on top, casual pants and white sneakers on the bottom. The contrast with his usual police uniform was quite significant. Gu Zi took a moment to recognize him, then saw the fruit basket and flower basket in his hand. Clearly, he was here for a visit. She said to Su Shen, ¡°Captain He is here.¡±

    Su Shen went to open the gate, invited He Yan in, and took him to the living room. After entering the living room, Su Shen took the flower and fruit baskets from him and said in a deep voice, ¡°We¡¯ve been preparing to move these past few days, so the living room is a bit messy. I apologize.¡±

    Just as He Yan sat down and was about to drink the tea Gu Zi had poured for him, he heard Su Shen¡¯s apology and quickly put down his teacup, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just came at an inconvenient time. My main purpose today is to visit you and to thank Sister Gu Zi. Because of taking over her shop¡¯s false accusation case, we also incidentally solved several previous masked robbery cases.

    ¡°Up until this morning, all the suspects involved in the masked robbery cases, including Li Er and Lin Jie, have been caught by us. I didn¡¯t expect that the case that had puzzled us for over a year would be solved so coincidentally. I won¡¯t say much more, but Lin Jie and Li Er are definitely in for a heavier sentence.¡±

    Gu Zi sat down next to Su Shen, poured herself a cup of tea, and drank it. Hearing He Yan¡¯s words, she also felt it was quite a coincidence.

    No wonder her mother said that Li Er¡¯s parents came to find Lin Laoyao, claiming that he had tricked them to death. This was more than just a trick. Gu Zi felt that these two families were simply incompatible. They had originally planned to do bad things together, but ended up trapping themselves.

    Gu Zi felt a bit sentimental, but not much. After all, people like Lin Jie and Li Er deserved to be in jail.

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    However, since He Yan came to thank her, she accepted it graciously. She smiled and said, ¡°This is indeed an unexpected gain. Su Shen, you chat with Captain He. I¡¯ll go prepare some snacks.¡±

    After she finished speaking, she nodded at He Yan, indicating that she would leave for a while. After she left, He Yan went over to Su Shen, patted his shoulder, and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brother Shen, how did you meet a woman like Sister-in-law? She¡¯s too perfect, so perfect that she doesn¡¯t seem to belong to this world.¡±

    Su Shen looked in the direction of the kitchen, then turned back to pick up the tea she had brewed. He answered with a hint of pride, ¡°Indeed, a woman like my wife is a rare find. Don¡¯t ask anymore. When you go back, say hello to your parents for me.¡±

    He Yan felt Su Shen¡¯s alertness and became a bit restrained. He respectfully said, ¡°Of course, I will. Please have some tea.¡±

    Su Shen was a good friend of his father¡¯s, and in terms of seniority, Su Shen was his elder. His respectful tone was not unreasonable.

 Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Ready to Go

    Chapter 636: Ready to Go

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After Gu Zi served some refreshments, He Yan was invited to partake. Once he had eaten his fill, he took his leave, saying, ¡°Brother Shen, Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll leave you to your preparations. I¡¯ll be sure to visit again for your housewarming party.¡±

    Once He Yan had departed, Su Shen resumed packing. He turned to Gu Zi and said, ¡°Once you¡¯re done with that suitcase, you should head upstairs and rest. I can handle the rest of the packing. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±

    Gu Zi set the suitcase upright and looked around. Indeed, it was a task that Su Shen could handle on his own. It was more fitting for a man to do such heavy lifting. So, she left the suitcase and headed upstairs. However, she didn¡¯t immediately rest. She needed to check on her sleeping daughter, Su Le, and her two sons who were busy packing their belongings.

    She first went to the master bedroom where she found her little girl sound asleep. After giving her a gentle kiss, she left the room. As soon as she opened the door, Su Li ran over, his face flushed as if he was in a hurry. ¡°Mom, I was just looking for you and dad. We¡¯re all moving to the city tomorrow, what about our dog, Big Yellow, and our pigeons?¡±

    Gu Zi had thought it was something serious, but it turned out he was worried about their pets being left behind. She would never do such a heartless thing.

    She bent down, one hand on her knee, the other gently patting Su Li¡¯s head. She spoke in a soft voice, ¡°Of course we¡¯ll take them with us. Your father has already arranged everything. Uncle Jin Long and his team will come with a truck tomorrow to help us move. We won¡¯t leave a single pet behind.¡±

    Su Li was immediately relieved, but then asked, ¡°Mom, the houses in the city are all small, right? Will Big Yellow and the pigeons have to stay in our room?¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, ¡°There are big houses in the city too, we just haven¡¯t seen them. Our new home is quite spacious, with two courtyards, front and back. There¡¯s plenty of room for Big Yellow¡¯s new kennel and a couple of pigeon cages. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li jumped with joy, ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m going to tell Big Yellow that he can come with us to our new home!¡±

    Gu Zi watched as Su Li ran downstairs, disappearing from sight. At that moment, her eldest son, Su Bing, emerged from his room. He said, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t need to worry about us. Su Li and I have packed all our things. I¡¯m going to help dad now.¡±

    Gu Zi watched them, each one of them making her feel at ease. She really could take a break now.

    She quietly reentered the bedroom, slipped under the covers, and lay down next to her sleeping daughter. She slept until nightfall, and when she woke up, her little girl was no longer in her original position.

    At that moment, the bedroom door opened and Su Shen walked in. ¡°Su Le is with her brothers. She¡¯s sleeping with them tonight. You were sleeping so soundly earlier, I didn¡¯t want to wake you for dinner. I¡¯m here to wake you now.¡±

    Gu Zi got up and followed him downstairs. On the dining table in the dining room was a freshly cooked bowl of shrimp and egg noodles, and a cup of hot almond tea. She heard Su Shen say, ¡°I cooked the noodles, and Su Bing made the almond tea for you. I just reheated it.¡±

    Gu Zi sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and said to Su Shen, ¡°Thank you, dear. I¡¯m going to start eating now.¡±

    Having slept for so long, Gu Zi was famished. She needed to replenish her energy. She took three bites of the noodles and a sip of the almond tea, feeling a sense of contentment.

    What she didn¡¯t notice was the man sitting across from her, watching her eat dinner. When he saw that the first thing she ate was the noodles he had made, he couldn¡¯t help but feel elated. His lips curled into a smile, a feeling of triumph that was hard to suppress. He didn¡¯t understand himself sometimes. Perhaps it was just the competitive nature of men.

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    After finishing her meal, Gu Zi sat in the living room for a while, her gaze falling on a small black suitcase by the sofa.

    She stared at it for a long time, unable to remember what was inside. Su Shen followed her gaze to his suitcase and explained, ¡°Those are my clothes. Yours are in the other suitcases. Everything¡¯s packed. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Gu Zi averted her gaze, feeling a bit guilty. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust him, she was reflecting on herself. She knew that her husband didn¡¯t have many clothes, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be so few that they could all fit into a suitcase less than twenty inches long.

    This was even after she had bought him several new outfits. Before that, he had even fewer clothes. And her¡­ her gaze involuntarily drifted to the larger suitcases, and she fell into deep thought.

    The next morning, the family was all packed and ready to go. Aunt Zhang brought her grandson, Shi Tou, to see them off. Shi Tou¡¯s eyes were red, clearly he had been crying. He walked straight up to Gu Zi, tugging at the hem of her clothes, ¡°Fairy Sister, are you going back to where the fairies live? Will you come to see Shi Tou again?¡±

 Chapter 637 - Chapter 637: Opening a New Chapter

    Chapter 637: Opening a New Chapter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi bent down, pinching the chubby cheeks of little Shi Tou, and replied, ¡°Auntie is moving back to the city. It¡¯s not too far away. When I have time, I¡¯ll bring you some treats. I won¡¯t forget about you, my adorable Shi Tou.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Shi Tou¡¯s eyes widened, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small smile. He extended his plump little finger, ¡°Auntie, pinky promise.¡±

    Gu Zi complied, extending her pinky to make the child¡¯s pact. Aunt Zhang, watching from the side, couldn¡¯t help but feel her eyes well up with tears. ¡°Gu Zi,¡± she said, ¡°Can¡¯t you stay a few more days? You¡¯re moving so suddenly, I wasn¡¯t prepared.¡±

    Aunt Zhang had grown fond of her neighbor, Gu Zi. She had anticipated that a woman like Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t stay in the village forever. It would be a waste of a gem. However, she hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi¡¯s departure to come so soon. She wouldn¡¯t be able to visit Gu Zi anymore.

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°We¡¯ve already arranged for our new house. The weather has been good these past few days, and it¡¯s a good time to move. We also need to arrange for the boys¡¯ school transfer. It¡¯s better to move sooner rather than later.¡±

    Despite Aunt Zhang¡¯s reluctance, she had no reason to keep them. She had brought Shi Tou over to say a proper goodbye. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s better to get used to the new environment sooner. I won¡¯t hold you up any longer. I wish you a smooth journey. Oh, and don¡¯t mind my meddling, but I have something to tell you.¡±

    Aunt Zhang¡¯s voice grew softer, her words becoming a whisper meant only for the two of them. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that men have a certain age where their fertility decreases. Su Shen is quite a bit older than you. As he ages, the quality of his sperm will decline, and the baby might not be as intelligent.

    ¡°I advise you to consider this carefully. If you want a child, it¡¯s better to do it sooner rather than later. Don¡¯t wait until Su Shen is unable to keep up, understand?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi nearly burst into laughter. After getting into the car, she glanced at Su Shen, who was focused on driving. He was so handsome. But remembering Aunt Zhang¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She was curious, would there come a day when he would be unable to keep up?

    Unbeknownst to Gu Zi, the man in the driver¡¯s seat was fully focused on driving, but he didn¡¯t miss any of her expressions. However, it wasn¡¯t the right time for him to say anything. He decided to settle the matter with her later that night.

    After nearly two hours of driving, they finally stopped. Su Shen got out of the car, carrying Su Le in his arms to open the gate. Gu Zi opened the back door, waking up the two brothers who had fallen asleep during the journey. As they stepped out of the car and took in the scene before them, they were completely stunned. Had they stepped into a movie?

    It was Su Bing, the older brother, who recovered first. Swallowing hard, he asked, ¡°Mom, Dad, is this our home?¡±

    The beautiful house, complete with a front and back yard and surrounded by greenery, was something he had only seen on TV. Now, it was their home!

    Su Li also snapped out of his daze, following his father through the gate with a gasp of awe. ¡°Wow, such a big house, so beautiful! One, two, three, it¡¯s three stories! That¡¯s one more than our house in Daqing Village. Mom, can we invite Shi Tou over?¡±

    To be honest, he was going to miss Shi Tou. Although he sometimes felt annoyed when Shi Tou acted cute around his mom, it was only because he cared too much about his mother¡¯s love. He was afraid that his mother would give too much attention to Shi Tou. But he was grateful to Shi Tou, who never called him a child without parents.

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    Gu Zi nodded, smiling, ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll be hosting a housewarming party soon, and we¡¯ll invite Shi Tou. As long as his grandmother has time to bring him over, it¡¯s fine. Now, let¡¯s go to the third floor and check out your rooms.¡±

    Su Li, as happy as a little bird, fluttered around Gu Zi as they walked. ¡°Our rooms are on the third floor? That¡¯s great, I love the third floor.¡±

    The house, which had seemed cold and empty, suddenly came alive with the arrival of its owners and Su Li¡¯s cheerful chatter.

    Gu Zi thought, here, they would start a new chapter. She didn¡¯t know what the journey would be like, but she hoped the ending would be a happy one. For Su Shen, for their three children, everything had to be good. She believed it would be.

    While Gu Zi was showing the boys their rooms, Su Shen went downstairs. Outside the villa¡¯s gate, two trucks had pulled up. Jin Long jumped down from the front truck and walked through the gate. ¡°Brother Shen,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the truck in the back unload first. It¡¯s carrying the new furniture.¡±

 Chapter 638 - Chapter 638: Just Like Your Master

    Chapter 638: Just Like Your Master

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen nodded his head in acknowledgment, then exited the grand doors, heading towards the first truck.

    Simultaneously, several men entered from outside. After exchanging glances with Su Shen, they approached Jin Long. Jin Long instructed them, ¡°First, unload the custom-made furniture. Just arrange it according to the blueprint I gave you. Hurry up, brothers. Once you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll unload the luggage.¡±

    As soon as Jin Long finished speaking, the men went out to unload the goods. They moved the furniture piece by piece into the house, quickly and orderly. Jin Long, hands on his hips, watched with a satisfied smile.

    Moving was part of Su Shen¡¯s plan. Now that it was being executed so smoothly, it was very much in line with Su Shen¡¯s style of doing things. Jin Long was more than willing to follow such a boss.

    Su Shen walked in, leading a large yellow dog. As soon as the dog entered, it ran around Jin Long a few times. Jin Long petted it, jokingly saying, ¡°Well, our Big Yellow has finally made it to the city. It¡¯s a new step in a dog¡¯s life. But you¡¯re not new to riding in a car, so why were you making such a racket in the back? Just like your master, getting old and scared, huh?¡±

    Su Shen immediately shot him a sharp look, startling Jin Long. Damn it, he thought, he was just joking. Was it really necessary to react like that?

    Su Shen said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t mention my age again, especially not in front of your sister-in-law.¡±

    Jin Long was taken aback. Did Su Shen think his wife didn¡¯t know how old he was? Of course, he wouldn¡¯t say it out loud. He felt a pang of jealousy.

    Gu Zi took the two children upstairs to see the rooms. When she came down, she found the two men acting strangely.

    At the same time, the big yellow dog decisively left Jin Long¡¯s side and ran to Gu Zi¡¯s feet. It rubbed its head against her pants and looked up at its mistress with deep eyes, as if it had been traumatized. It probably thought its owners had abandoned it.

    Her heart clenched. She squatted down and stroked the dog¡¯s head, looking at it with soft eyes. ¡°Good boy,¡± she said, ¡°you¡¯re part of our family, an indispensable part. We would never leave you behind. Look, this is our new home. You¡¯ll have to make do in the living room tonight, but tomorrow I¡¯ll make you a warm little nest in the front yard, okay?¡±

    The dog¡¯s eyes visibly softened. It looked at its mistress and made a ¡°woof woof¡± sound, as if responding.

    Gu Zi patted its back and nudged it into the house, letting it explore on its own. As the dog walked in, Su Shen understood Gu Zi¡¯s intentions and followed.

    Gu Zi stood up, smiling at Su Shen¡¯s accommodating behavior towards the dog. She thought he was really reliable. There was no man more reliable than Su Shen.

    She invited Jin Long with a smile, ¡°Come in and sit for a while. We¡¯ve all had a long drive and we¡¯re tired. I¡¯ve prepared some food and drinks in advance. Su Shen just took them into the living room. You go and call everyone over. Have something to eat and drink before we get back to work.¡±

    Jin Long nodded. They had all been on the road for a while and were indeed hungry. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful, sister-in-law. I¡¯ll go call them.¡±

    In no time, Jin Long had gathered the other eight movers in the living room. Gu Zi was distributing food. When they entered, she had already placed the food she had prepared on the table. Each person received a bowl of braised pork over rice and a bottle of glucose sweet water that Gu Zi had prepared herself.

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    The rice bowl was filled with meat, eggs, vegetables, and even three shrimp for decoration. It looked very appetizing. The sweet water was white and looked refreshing. A few bites of rice followed by a sip of water was a satisfying combination.

    Everyone was so attracted by the food in their hands that they forgot to be polite. They had heard about Mrs. Su¡¯s excellent cooking skills and were thrilled to finally taste it. They ate heartily, thinking that the faster they finished eating, the faster they could get back to work.

    Jin Long also took a portion, his cheeks bulging as he ate. He didn¡¯t forget to talk to Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, do you know how much Brother Shen cares about you? He specifically looked for a large villa so that you could live comfortably and continue to do what you love, like gardening. He went to great lengths to buy it. I never thought I¡¯d see the day when my brother became so devoted to his wife.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s smile faltered for a second. Didn¡¯t everyone like large villas with front and back yards?

    She had thought that Su Shen, being an older man, was used to living in large houses in Daqing Village, so he bought a large house in the city. She hadn¡¯t expected it to be because of her. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go call them down for dinner. You guys eat first.¡±

 Chapter 639 - Chapter 639: Captivated

    Chapter 639: Captivated

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi moved at a brisk pace. As she rounded the corner to the second floor, she heard the subdued laughter echoing from below. ¡°Brother Jin Long, you¡¯re so blunt. Sister-in-law must be feeling shy. But her cooking is truly amazing. I¡¯ve never tasted such delicious rice in my life. If only we could help them move house every day¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi was taken aback. Who in their right mind would want to move house every day? The man¡¯s fervent wish for a taste of the rice was quite surprising to her.

    Fortunately, Jin Long didn¡¯t entertain the thought. He retorted, ¡°Shut up and eat. What nonsense are you spouting? Who would want to move every day? Sister-in-law is just being considerate. She left early so that Brother Shen and the children could eat while the food is still hot. Hurry up and eat.¡±

    Relieved, Gu Zi ascended the stairs. She noticed Su Shen pacing back and forth in the common area of the second floor, cradling something in his arms. The man¡¯s long legs took wide strides, and his broad shoulders obscured most of her view.

    Upon hearing the noise, the man turned around. Only then did Gu Zi realize that the man was holding a just-awakened little Su Le. Without a closer look, she wouldn¡¯t have known that the man was trying to soothe the child.

    Approaching the man, Gu Zi took Su Le into her own arms. Looking into the man¡¯s stern eyes, her voice softened involuntarily. ¡°Go downstairs and eat something. I¡¯ll take care of the child.¡±

    Listening to his wife¡¯s command, Su Shen obediently complied. He took her hand and they left the common area of the second floor. Descending the stairs, the couple was closely followed by their two sons who had rushed down from the third floor upon hearing the commotion. Their mother had prepared food, and they were eager to partake.

    Upon their return to the living room, they found that the others had finished eating and were off to work. Jin Long was standing at the door, directing the operations.

    Gu Zi distributed the food to her husband and children. With that, all the food they had brought was divided. She suggested to Su Shen, ¡°I¡¯m not used to eating right after a car ride, so I didn¡¯t prepare a portion for myself. You guys eat. I¡¯ll go out and take a look.¡±

    Gu Zi headed straight for Jin Long. She remembered how the older man always wore the same few old clothes, rarely donning the new ones she had bought for him.

    She surmised that perhaps he found the clothes she bought unsuitable. After all, everyone¡¯s aesthetic sense differed, and considering the significant age gap between them, he might not feel comfortable in the clothes she chose. Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, she had let it be.

    Approaching Jin Long, she pulled out three hundred yuan from her pocket and handed it to him. ¡°This is for you. Find some time to take Su Shen shopping and pick out some nice clothes for him. You¡¯ve known him for a long time and understand his style better. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    Jin Long accepted the money, unsure of how to respond. He didn¡¯t want to bring up the past, but the present situation stirred up a flood of memories.

    He and Su Shen had once been mistaken for a couple in a lingerie shop, when in reality, Su Shen was shopping for his wife. Not only did Jin Long have to endure the sight of their affection, but he was also mistaken for being gay. Was he an integral part of their marital life?

    Seeing his complex expression, Gu Zi was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is this request too much?¡±

    Jin Long quickly shook his head and pocketed the money. He couldn¡¯t possibly admit that he was afraid of being mistaken for Su Shen¡¯s partner again¡­

    In the living room, Su Li noticed his mother giving money to Jin Long and was confused. He asked Su Shen, ¡°Dad, is mom giving Uncle Jin Long New Year¡¯s money?¡±

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    Su Shen shifted his gaze back to his meal and casually replied, ¡°Your mom is thanking Uncle Jin Long for helping us move and running errands for us.¡± He couldn¡¯t think of any other reason.

    Thanks to the ample manpower and the furniture being arranged according to the design blueprint, the move was completed quickly. The furniture was arranged aesthetically, making the villa appear even more spacious and refined.

    Seeing that all their luggage had been moved in, Gu Zi began to tidy up the master bedroom. After a while, she stretched lazily by the window and instinctively looked downstairs.

    Su Shen stood in the front yard, tall and imposing, his features stern. His slender fingers unzipped his leather wallet and pulled out several large bills, handing them to the leader of the moving crew. His mature and composed demeanor was captivating. Gu Zi thought, who would prefer a greenhorn when they could have such a handsome and wealthy older man?

    Gu Zi watched him for a long time, only snapping out of her reverie when Su Bing and the others came to find her. Hearing Su Bing say, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve tidied up my and my brother¡¯s rooms. He¡¯s in the north room on the second floor, and I¡¯m in the south room. But the third floor is still empty. Are we going to leave it like that?¡±

 Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Brushing Past

    Chapter 640: Brushing Past

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Before Su Bing could finish his sentence, Su Li discovered a new wonder in the master bedroom, excitedly asking, ¡°Mom, why is there a small room in your bedroom apart from the en-suite bathroom?¡±

    Su Le ran to Gu Zi, who picked her up and walked towards the small room, answering her sons¡¯ question as she moved.

    ¡°I plan to design a fitness and entertainment room on the third floor, along with a study that our family can use whenever needed. The rooftop can be designed as a sunroom, and the attic can be used for storage. As for this room, it¡¯s Su Le¡¯s room, specially prepared by your father for our little girl, Lele. Lele, this will be your room from now on.¡±

    When Gu Zi first saw the children¡¯s room in the master bedroom, she was quite surprised. The design was so humanized for its time. It seemed that no matter the era, the wealthy always lived well!

    However, she felt it was indeed useful. This way, Lele could have her own space from a young age, yet still be within the master bedroom, making it convenient for her to keep an eye on her.

    Upon hearing their mother¡¯s explanation, the two brothers looked at Lele¡¯s room with even more fondness. They were secretly relieved that their little sister was receiving the treatment they never had. They were grateful for their mother, knowing that without her, the three siblings wouldn¡¯t have the good life they now enjoyed.

    Su Bing knew that he had to do a lot to soothe the emotions welling up in his heart. He silently left the room.

    Su Li also felt the need to do something to repay their mother. He followed his brother out of the room. Having just moved in, there was a lot of movement and the cleanliness of the common areas was a major concern. The two brothers immediately began a thorough cleaning.

    When Gu Zi came down with Su Le, the living room floor, which had been covered in footprints just a moment ago, was now as clean as a mirror.

    Su Shen and Jin Long were tending to the lawn in the yard, clearly the brothers¡¯ handiwork. Gu Zi walked into the kitchen for a look around. Su Shen had prepared well, having bought enough groceries to cook a meal. She decided to go out and buy some more food for dinner.

    She had a basic understanding of the neighborhood from the journey there and from what Su Shen had told her. The neighborhood was old, but some houses had been demolished and rebuilt, like the one they had just bought, which had been rebuilt a few years ago.

    Moreover, the location of the neighborhood was excellent. It was close to the city center and the schools the brothers would be attending. The transportation was convenient, and there were dedicated shopping stores, farmer¡¯s markets, libraries, parent-child activity centers, and community parks within the neighborhood. Living here would be very convenient.

    Gu Zi told Su Shen her plans, found her small cart, and pushed Su Le out the door. It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the farmer¡¯s market. A wide variety of seasonal vegetables, fresh seafood, fresh pork, and various dry goods were available.

    After browsing for a while, Gu Zi was overwhelmed by the variety. She could only say that the services in this villa area were top-notch!

    Gu Zi quickly bought the ingredients needed for dinner and tomorrow¡¯s breakfast, as well as some fresh fruits. These occupied about a third of the space in her small cart.

    She then headed to the stall selling spices. Although Su Shen had made preparations, he was a man after all, and some things were not fully prepared. It was up to her to buy them.

    As Gu Zi was looking at the spices and trying to remember what she needed to buy, she didn¡¯t notice a woman passing by her, staring at her in astonishment. They brushed past each other, and the woman nearly dropped the gift box in her hand.

    The woman walked a few steps forward and hid behind a stall, peeking out to confirm that it was indeed Gu Zi.

    Indeed, such a beautiful and dazzling person could only be Gu Zi. Even the woman she was visiting today didn¡¯t have Gu Zi¡¯s appearance and temperament.

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    But why was Gu Zi here?

    A sense of foreboding sprouted in Mo Li¡¯s heart. Gu Zi lived in the village, and Gong Zhan lived in the city. Weren¡¯t they living their separate lives just fine?

    Why did Gu Zi keep appearing in the city, even making the newspapers and attracting Gong Zhan¡¯s attention?

    Mo Li knew that Gu Zi wasn¡¯t particularly interested in Gong Zhan, but she had been imitating Gu Zi and staying by Gong Zhan¡¯s side, hoping to one day become Mrs. Gong in name.

    Finally, Lin Miao was in jail, and it was her golden opportunity. But the more Gu Zi appeared in front of Gong Zhan during this period, the more disadvantageous it was for her, the imitation. What should she do?

 Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Use Someone Elseâ€™s Strength

    Chapter 641: Use Someone Else¡¯s Strength

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mo Li clenched the gift box in her hands, her gaze fixed on Gu Zi who was settling the bill. The shopkeeper, a plump middle-aged woman with trendy curls, looked at Gu Zi with sparkling eyes, as if she had never seen such a beautiful woman before.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re the new house owner,¡± she said warmly. ¡°I thought I hadn¡¯t seen you before. Congratulations on your move, miss. Do remember to visit us often!¡±

    Perhaps it was the sight of such a beauty that made the shopkeeper raise her voice in excitement. Mo Li, overhearing the conversation, felt a sudden panic. Gu Zi was now a resident of this neighborhood? How did that happen?

    Even if Gu Zi¡¯s man was wealthy, money alone couldn¡¯t buy a house in this neighborhood. Could it be that they had rented a place because Gu Zi was so eager to return to the city?

    This was a possibility, and not a good one for Mo Li. She looked again in Gu Zi¡¯s direction. Gu Zi was already leaving, pushing her cart away, leaving Mo Li with the sight of her beautiful, captivating figure. Mo Li¡¯s gaze involuntarily turned hostile and malicious.

    Even though she kept reminding herself that seeing Gu Zi as an enemy would make her own path to success more difficult, the flames of jealousy were uncontrollable, burning in her heart. This was Gu Zi¡¯s fault. Why did she have to return after marrying into the countryside?

    Mo Li had hoped to keep her distance from Gu Zi, but now it seemed she had no choice but to confront this formidable enemy. But how could she, with her own talents, looks, culinary skills, and education, possibly compete with Gu Zi?

    Her gaze fell subconsciously on the gift box in her hand, and a cold smile played on her lips. ¡°If I can¡¯t defeat her with my own strength, why not try to use someone else¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Mo Li, Mo Li, I¡¯m over here,¡± a saccharine voice called out. ¡°Why are you just coming out now? Hurry up and come over, get in the car. You promised to update me on Gong Zhan today!¡± Mo Li had just left the agricultural trade center when she heard this voice.

    Brushing off the gloom in her eyes, she lifted her head and put on a sincere, harmless smile, walking towards the young girl standing by the car across the road.

    The girl was not tall, barely reaching 1.6 meters. She wore her hair in a princess style, stood on thick-soled leather shoes, and dressed in soft, pastel colors. Everything she wore was branded, as if she was afraid others wouldn¡¯t know she was only eighteen and far from ordinary.

    Mo Li handed the gifts she had bought to the driver, feeling a pang of regret knowing they would end up discarded in the attic as junk. These gifts, which had cost her three months¡¯ salary, were mere trinkets to these rich girls, but she had to buy them.

    Mo Li didn¡¯t want to remain ordinary all her life. She had to strive to climb up, to become Mrs. Gong. For this, she could humble herself, imitate others, and even spend a fortune to mingle with these wealthy people without regret. The gifts might not be valued by Sun Qi, but they helped her maintain this crucial relationship. It was worth it.

    Once she got into the back seat of the car with her best friend Sun Qi, she deliberately put on a disinterested face. ¡°Sun Qi, I¡¯m sorry, but maybe we should stop the car. I¡¯ll get out and leave. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll want to hear today¡¯s news. I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you.¡±

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    Sun Qi immediately pouted, looking somewhat displeased. ¡°Mo Li, we had an agreement. You would regularly update me on Gong Zhan¡¯s whereabouts. How could you not tell me? Have you¡­ have you fallen for him too? Are you trying to steal him from me?¡±

    The warning in the young girl¡¯s tone was clear. In her eyes, Mo Li was a sister to be played with and used, but she could never be a romantic rival. What could Mo Li possibly compare to her with? They were not on the same level.

    Sun Qi didn¡¯t directly express her disdain for Mo Li¡¯s commoner status, but it was all in her eyes. Mo Li saw it clearly, and it stung.

    Mo Li had once harbored a small fantasy that Sun Qi might consider her a true friend. But in that moment, she understood that Sun Qi only saw her as a servant, a lapdog¡­

    In a few seconds, Mo Li¡¯s heart grew colder and more determined. But on the surface, she quickly put on a good-natured smile, grabbing Sun Qi¡¯s hand and explaining urgently, ¡°Of course not, Sun Qi. I would never betray you. In my eyes, you¡¯re the most noble princess. Alright, your words reminded me that I shouldn¡¯t hide anything from you.¡±

 Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Gu Zi!!!

    Chapter 642: Gu Zi!!!

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Did you know that Mr. Gong had a fianc¨¦e before? She had broken off their engagement for some reasons and left to marry someone else. But recently, she has returned to the city,¡± Mo Li¡¯s voice echoed in the room.

    Sun Qi fell silent for a moment, her tone laced with mockery as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re not talking about Gu Zi, are you? I know her. We were classmates in elementary school. But honestly, it¡¯s not worth mentioning. She¡¯s like a bad penny, always turning up. She married a pig butcher from the countryside, a fake rich girl paired with a country bumpkin. What a perfect match! Why couldn¡¯t she just stay in the countryside? Why did she come back?¡±

    Mo Li was somewhat surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Sun Qi and Gu Zi to have been classmates in elementary school. Judging by Sun Qi¡¯s tone, it seemed like there was some bad blood between them.

    But then again, it made sense. Gu Zi and Gong Zhan had been engaged since they were young, and Sun Qi had been in love with Gong Zhan since she was a child. The news about the Gu family¡¯s mistaken daughter had spread, and they all moved in the same circles. It wasn¡¯t surprising that they knew each other.

    Mo Li found this quite amusing. It seemed that she wouldn¡¯t have to exert much effort; Sun Qi would take care of Gu Zi herself.

    Mo Li¡¯s eyes sparkled as she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me for saying this, but from what I¡¯ve heard, Gu Zi isn¡¯t content with her life with that country bumpkin of a husband.

    ¡°She¡¯s always looking for opportunities to come back to the city. When Lin Miao was around, she kept a close eye on Gu Zi. But now that Lin Miao can¡¯t keep watch anymore, Gu Zi has returned to the city. If she seeks out Mr. Gong, he won¡¯t be able to refuse her. You need to prepare yourself, my little princess.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sun Qi¡¯s face darkened. Indeed, just like her, Gu Zi had loved Gong Zhan since they were children. How could she easily give up this competition?

    Now that Lin Miao was in jail and Gong Zhan was alone, Gu Zi had chosen the perfect time to return. It was infuriating!

    Sun Qi thought to herself, both Lin Miao and Gu Zi, one a real rich girl who grew up in the countryside with no worldly experience, and the other a fake rich girl who had taken someone else¡¯s place for over a decade, were both unworthy. Neither of them deserved to be Mrs. Gong. That position was meant for her and her alone.

    That¡¯s why, after Gong Zhan changed his secretary, she started to interact with the new secretary, Mo Li, regardless of her status. She wanted to get closer to Gong Zhan. Whether Gong Zhan¡¯s wife was Lin Miao or Gu Zi, she, Sun Qi, would take him back.

    She used to be somewhat wary of Gu Zi. Ever since Gu Zi transferred to their elementary school, Sun Qi always seemed to lose to her, whether it was in looks, grades, or anything else.

    Every time she visited Gong Zhan at the military compound, she would hear people say that Gu Zi was the most outstanding one, a perfect match for Gong Zhan. This made Sun Qi feel very upset.

    Her family background was obviously superior to Gu Zi¡¯s. Her father was a high-ranking official, her uncle was in the military, and her mother¡¯s family was wealthy. She was the pampered young lady of her family. In terms of status, she was far more noble than Gu Zi. How could she be inferior to Gu Zi?

    But back then, despite her dissatisfaction, she had to admit that she couldn¡¯t beat Gu Zi in any aspect. But now, things were different.

    Now, Gu Zi¡¯s status had fallen to the dust. She was nothing more than the wife of a country man. No matter how beautiful, talented, or likable she was, Sun Qi was superior to her in terms of family background alone!

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    Sun Qi had thought that she could use this time to win over Gong Zhan. Once Lin Miao was released from prison, Gong Zhan would divorce her and marry Sun Qi. She believed that her love journey would finally come to a successful end!

    But she never expected that before she could even start her plan, Gu Zi had reappeared. Gu Zi was already a married woman. How could she still be pining for Gong Zhan? It was shameless.

    Sun Qi immediately gave Mo Li an order, ¡°Go back and investigate where Gu Zi is living now. Report back to me. That¡¯s all for today. You can get off at the next stop. I¡¯m going to see Gong Zhan. It¡¯s not on your way.¡±

    Without saying another word, Mo Li obediently got out of the car, watching as it mercilessly drove away.

    Her eyes were cold as ice. The reason she hadn¡¯t directly mentioned running into Gu Zi at the trade center in the residential area was that she didn¡¯t want to seem too deliberate. She was walking a dangerous path by using Sun Qi, and she had to tread carefully every step of the way.

 Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Using That Old Man

    Chapter 643: Using That Old Man

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After leaving the residential area, Mo Li didn¡¯t head straight home. Instead, she made her way to Guangcheng¡¯s First Prison, where Lin Miao was incarcerated.

    Taking advantage of her position, she quickly secured a visitation with Lin Miao. As she stepped into the visitation room, she was taken aback, despite her mental preparation. The Lin Miao before her eyes was emaciated, a mere skeleton wrapped in skin.

    Lin Miao hadn¡¯t expected that the first person to visit her after the New Year would be Mo Li, the woman who had been lurking around her husband, aiming to replace her as Mrs. Gong. What good could come from this woman¡¯s visit?

    Lin Miao spoke first, her words laced with a subconscious provocation. ¡°The New Year has passed, and I haven¡¯t heard any news of Gong Zhan seeking a divorce. It seems you¡¯re moving rather slowly.¡±

    Mo Li responded with a cold laugh, her tone surprisingly calm. ¡°You¡¯ve changed quite a bit. I mean, if your biological mother saw you like this, she would be heartbroken. If I were you, I would request a visit from my parents.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t come here today to gloat or to oppose you. I just brought some news. It might be hard to hear, but I think you need to know. You probably can¡¯t imagine that Gu Zi is now considered a god by the Lin family. She¡¯s opened a shop with your foster mother and sister-in-law, and business is booming. They even made the newspapers.

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s bigger news. Gu Zi has returned to the city. That old man from the countryside has some resources. He rented a house in the villa district. But no matter how rich the old man is, he won¡¯t want children. A woman without her own children has no status when she gets old. Gu Zi might be using the old man to return to the city, and then find a way to get back together with Gong Zhan¡­¡±

    As Lin Miao listened to everything about Gu Zi, jealousy raged within her. But the trials of recent days and her wariness of the woman before her made her appear indifferent. ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling me all this? I can¡¯t get out.¡±

    Mo Li laughed, her tone confident. ¡°I know it¡¯s useful, Lin Miao. You have your ways, don¡¯t you?¡±

    She had to admit, Lin Miao, despite being a foolish woman, had a knack for stirring up trouble. Otherwise, how could the Gu couple have been so foolish as to discard the pearl that was Gu Zi for a grain of sand like Lin Miao?

    After Mo Li left, Lin Miao was taken back to her cell. She stared at the moldy walls, her eyes filled with hatred. The images of Gu Zi, Gu Shan, Zhang Mei, Su Shen, and others seemed to be etched into the walls. She wished she could crush them all to death!

    But in the end, she turned and pressed the call button by the door. The prison guard approached menacingly, and she pleaded humbly, ¡°Please pass on a message. I miss my parents very much. I promise to express my gratitude when they come.¡±

    Mo Li¡¯s words had reminded her that she should see Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, those two old fools. Even though she harbored deep hatred for the couple who had made her live an ordinary life for eighteen years and now abandoned her in prison, she had to suppress this hatred. They were of use to her.

    In her current state, neither human nor ghost, she could play the victim when she saw Gu Shan and Zhang Mei. She could pretend to be remorseful, claiming that she had repeatedly refused visitation because she didn¡¯t want them to worry or see her in this state. Zhang Mei would soften, she was sure of it. Only by gaining forgiveness could she make them obey and help her keep an eye on Gu Zi.

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    Lin Miao wasn¡¯t sure about Gu Shan¡¯s mindset, but she was more certain about Zhang Mei¡¯s. Now that Gu Zi had won over the hearts of the Lin family, she couldn¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. Otherwise, even her biological mother, Zhang Mei, might be drawn into Gu Zi¡¯s camp, and she would be completely defeated.

    Lin Miao knew that Mo Li wasn¡¯t telling her all this out of kindness. But compared to Mo Li, she wanted to beat Gu Zi even more. Gu Zi was the root cause of her miserable life in both her past and present lives.

    ¡®Gu Zi, just you wait. The suffering you¡¯ve given me, I¡¯ll return it to you tenfold, a hundredfold!¡¯

    That night, Mo Li stayed in her room, lying on the edge of her bed. She quietly lit a cigarette. Despite having successfully borrowed two knives today, she was still having trouble sleeping, especially with some matters hanging in the balance. The more she thought about it, the more sleep eluded her. She needed to get this done quickly.

    Mo Li got up and extinguished her cigarette. She left her bedroom and picked up the phone in the living room. Her fingers moved deftly over the dial, dialing a number.

 Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: The Little Boy Outside the Door

    Chapter 644: The Little Boy Outside the Door

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The phone on the other side was answered swiftly, an obvious sign that the young lady of the house had ordered someone to be on standby, ready to answer calls twenty-four hours a day. The disparity between people was indeed vast, she mused.

    At that moment, Mo Li¡¯s sense of injustice reached a peak. However, the more she felt wronged, the more respectful her tone became.

    ¡°Princess Sun Qi,¡± she began, ¡°I have found out where Gu Zi lives. Strangely enough, she resides in the same neighborhood as you. However, due to the urgency of the situation, I am not entirely sure of her exact location.¡±

    Sun Qi remained silent for a while on the other end, evidently surprised as Mo Li had expected. After a long pause, she finally responded, ¡°You¡¯ve done well, and quickly too. I¡¯m growing more and more fond of you. Now that we know she¡¯s in this neighborhood, I can find her myself.¡±

    The call ended abruptly, leaving Mo Li with the echo of Sun Qi¡¯s words. They sounded like a master rewarding her pet dog, causing Mo Li great discomfort. She put down the phone, gazing into the boundless night, and laughed coldly. ¡°Sun Qi, what does it matter if you are high above? You can use me, but I can use you too¡­¡±

    Under the same sky, the night on Mo Li¡¯s side seemed silent and desolate, evoking an inexplicable sense of dread. On the other side, however, the previously empty mansion had come alive with the arrival of its owner.

    Even though dinner time had long passed, the chimney was still billowing with smoke, adding a touch of life to the night. The warm, lively atmosphere made even a lone passerby feel at ease, sparking curiosity about the family living within.

    At that moment, a young boy from the neighboring house was drawn to the scene. He stood outside the large iron gate, his eyes filled with curiosity as he peered inside. His gaze landed on a little girl playing alone on the lawn. Excitedly, he called out to her, ¡°Hello there, are you the new residents? I¡¯m talking to you, look at me, look at me!¡±

    Su Le had been playing with the grass on the lawn, fascinated by its soft yet prickly texture. When she heard someone calling her, she instinctively thought it was her brother coming to take her inside. She turned slowly, pouting unhappily at the source of the voice.

    The boy outside the gate was taken aback but remained patient. ¡°You¡¯re quite fierce, little girl, but you¡¯re very cute. I¡¯m sorry if I disturbed you. I just wanted to say hello because I live next door. You and your family are welcome to visit us anytime.¡±

    Although Su Le could speak a few words, she was still young. She stared at the boy for a long time, unsure of what to say. At that moment, her older brother Su Li came to get her. As he was about to lift his little sister from the ground, he noticed the boy outside the gate.

    The boy was dressed in a stylish blue long-sleeved shirt and straight-cut trousers tucked into cool Martin boots. Despite his cool attire, he had a warm smile on his face. Like Su Li, he wore a winter hat, and his bright eyes were quite charming.

    Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up, but he hesitated to greet the boy. After all, his parents had told him that the residents here were all quite extraordinary. Wealthy people were often proud, and it would be terribly awkward if he greeted the boy and received no response.

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    However, while he was still hesitating, an elderly woman¡¯s voice came from outside the gate. ¡°What are you looking at? The adults of the new neighbors aren¡¯t home, and you¡¯re scaring their child. Come back quickly. There will be other opportunities to get acquainted.¡±

    With that, the boy outside the gate reluctantly turned and left with the woman. A hint of disappointment flashed in Su Li¡¯s eyes as he momentarily forgot that he had come out to bring Su Le inside.

    As Su Le watched the strange boy leave, she turned her gaze to her older brother. After observing him for a while, she mimicked his actions, standing on the lawn and looking outside.

    When Su Bing came out, he saw his younger siblings standing foolishly on the lawn. Not understanding why, he approached to find out what was going on and to call them inside to watch TV. However, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his younger brother¡¯s words.

    He tapped Su Li on the forehead, ¡°Everyone living here is wealthy, and since we live here too, we¡¯re also wealthy. Doesn¡¯t our father have money? Who says all wealthy people are arrogant? We¡¯re the wealthy people who aren¡¯t arrogant.¡±

 Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: A Matter of Great Prestige

    Chapter 645: A Matter of Great Prestige

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a sudden moment of realization, Su Li slapped his thigh, filled with regret. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I greet him? I could have made a new friend today!¡± he lamented.

    However, regret was of no use now. Su Li picked up Su Le and followed his elder brother into the house.

    This incident served as a lesson for Su Li. He made a silent promise to himself to be more proactive in the future, so as not to miss out on meeting new people. Even if he were to be rejected, it wouldn¡¯t matter. He was a young man, and he should be brave enough to face such situations. The next time he saw the young boy, he would be the first to greet him.

    After their first dinner in the new house, their mother issued a strict order for them to either watch television in the living room or play on their own. They could even read, but they were not to disturb her. She wanted to enjoy her time alone in the small kitchen. Thus, after the brothers brought Su Le in, they obediently watched television in the living room.

    In the kitchen, Gu Zi leisurely washed the dishes before starting to prepare the evening¡¯s dessert. The weather had been quite cold recently, and it was common for people to catch a cold or cough. Therefore, she planned to make a pot of longan and brown sugar mixed dessert soup. After the family had finished drinking it, they would brush their teeth and go to bed.

    She cleaned the dried longan, cashew nuts, red beans, and red dates she had bought that day and put them into the inner pot of the rice cooker. She added five small bowls of water and an appropriate amount of brown sugar, then turned on the rice cooker. It was very convenient; all she had to do was wait for the warming dessert to be ready.

    Why did their house have a rice cooker? When Gu Zi first discovered this appliance, she was quite surprised. She also felt a sense of nostalgia. She had seen this type of old-fashioned rice cooker when she was a child. At that time, rice cookers had already been widely used for a long time and were not exclusive to wealthy families.

    She learned from Su Shen that he had ordered people to purchase all the available appliances on the market to make her housework easier. In addition to the old-fashioned rice cooker, there was also an old-fashioned electric stove that she could see out of the corner of her eye. The main body of the electric stove was a large round plate, with some spring-like heating wires in the middle. Once electrified, they would turn red and could be used for cooking and heating.

    However, Gu Zi knew that this appliance had a significant drawback: its power consumption was very high. If she used it for cooking every time, the monthly electricity bill would be terrifying. Although the Su family was not short of money and Gu Zi herself had a lot of money, she believed that money should not be wasted and should only be spent where necessary.

    Therefore, she had already decided on the use of this electric stove. She would use it when she was in a hurry, but at other times, she would use the traditional wood-burning stove. The kitchen was indeed equipped with an old-fashioned wood-burning stove, which could also use coal. Currently, both wood-burning stoves had a large iron pot on them.

    Su Shen must have prepared in advance. The first time she entered the kitchen, she found a lot of good dry firewood and ten boxes of coal behind the wood-burning stove. With many things that could be powered by electricity in the future, this firewood and coal would last for a long time.

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    Of course, in addition to these, the new house also had two air conditioners and a washing machine. The air conditioners were mainly placed in the living room. However, when the summer heat became unbearable, they could be moved to the kitchen or upstairs to the bedrooms. She and Su Shen would use one, and the two brothers would use the other. When it was too hot, the brothers could share a room.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but think of the appearance of the two air conditioners. The design of air conditioners in this era was quite different from those in the future. The air conditioners of this era were not large, and at first glance, they didn¡¯t look like air conditioners at all. They looked like a machine with several rows of air outlets, and there was even a handle on top, which made them quite user-friendly.

    As for the washing machine, it was now placed in the attic on the third floor. Since the third floor was close to the top floor, a laundry area could be set up on the top floor, where the sunlight and wind were the best. It would be more convenient to take the clothes from the attic to dry.

    However, the fact that Su Shen had bought a washing machine for the house was something Gu Zi had never expected. After all, material goods were still scarce in this era. Even though the country had opened up, washing machines were still in short supply. Not only were they expensive, but they were also very hard to get.

    At this time, if a family had a washing machine, even if the washing machine was very simple and was a single-cylinder pulsator washing machine that required manual water change, it was still a matter of great prestige. It was something to boast about for a long time.

 Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Prove Something

    Chapter 646: Prove Something

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi felt that she should reward the hardworking and considerate older man in her life. Although she had prepared a grand meal for him in the evening, it still didn¡¯t seem enough. She decided to serve him a bowl of warm, sweet soup, a gesture that would surely warm his heart.

    A gentle smile played at the corners of Gu Zi¡¯s mouth as the sweet soup was ready. She ladled out five bowls, just enough to empty the pot. The sweet aroma of the soup wafted through the air, catching the attention of her three siblings who were engrossed in watching television. The food-loving second child was the first to abandon the TV program and rush to the kitchen.

    His eyes sparkled as he looked at the freshly made bowls of sweet soup. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s hard to describe the aroma today, but it smells so good!¡± he exclaimed.

    Gu Zi, who had been enjoying some perfect alone time, looked at her second child with an even softer smile. ¡°You must be referring to the scent of dried longan that has been boiled, along with the mixed aroma of various nuts. We have a bowl for each of us. Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you serve yourself?¡±

    The second child nodded and seeing his elder brother entering the kitchen, he only took his own portion. It wasn¡¯t that he was trying to be clever, but he was more stable carrying just one bowl. The eldest didn¡¯t say much and carefully carried his and his younger sister¡¯s bowls of sweet soup out of the kitchen. Gu Zi planned to carry two bowls at once, but Su Shen walked in and took the last two bowls.

    Gu Zi followed him out of the kitchen, her heart fluttering. The family gathered in the living room, sipping the warm sweet soup. The second child was so engrossed in his drink that he sat directly on the carpet. Su Shen was the first to finish, which was expected as he was a grown man. Even with his elegant eating manners, his speed and appetite were unmatched.

    He put down his bowl, his gaze fixed intently on the woman beside him. She was sipping her soup delicately, her beautiful petal-like lips slightly wet, making her even more attractive. Gu Zi noticed his gaze and felt her cheeks heat up. She put down her bowl and softly reminded him, ¡°There are children present, behave yourself.¡±

    Su Shen knew she was shy. To make her more comfortable, he got up and picked up Su Le. The little girl had the least amount of soup, and everyone had been feeding her throughout the meal. So, by the time Su Shen finished, she was almost done too. ¡°I¡¯ll take Su Le upstairs,¡± he said.

    Gu Zi nodded. Su Shen had become quite adept at putting their daughter to sleep. She had been so excited about making dessert that she hadn¡¯t noticed how tired she was. She decided to let him put their daughter to bed first. After she finished her own cleaning up, she could go straight to bed. In the coming days, she would be busy decorating the rooms in their house. She couldn¡¯t afford to not rest well.

    However, Gu Zi overlooked one thing. Judging by the way Su Shen had been looking at her, he certainly had more than just sleeping in mind.

    When she had finished her cleaning up and lay in bed, a tingling sensation spread across her chest. She immediately realized what was happening. As their breaths intertwined and they shared a kiss, she slowly opened her eyes to meet his, filled with desire.

    At this moment, he had her pinned beneath him, his growing desire rubbing against her body. ¡°What were you thinking about in the car that made you so happy? Can you tell me now?¡± he asked, his voice husky.

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected him to have noticed her giggling in the car. But now that he was asking her about it, she realized that he was indeed capable of keeping secrets.

    However, she remembered something Aunt Zhang had said and felt she should ask Su Shen about it. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want children?

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    ¡°I mean, we won¡¯t be young forever, especially since you¡¯re much older than me. What if one day, you want to have a child¡­¡±

    At this moment, her face turned beet red. Even the thought of them making love didn¡¯t make her this shy. ¡®Gu Zi, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you acting so foolish? There¡¯s nothing wrong with asking this!¡¯

    Su Shen watched her, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. In a low, sexy voice, he asked, ¡°Hmm, so you¡¯re worried that I¡­ might not be up to it?¡±

    In such an atmosphere, Gu Zi didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth. She instinctively bit her lip and shook her head, like a bobblehead. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I just think¡­¡±

    Gu Zi tried to make an excuse, but was suddenly silenced by Su Shen¡¯s hand on her chin. He leaned in and kissed her lips, then whispered in her ear, ¡°Gu Zi, I forgot to tell you, I¡¯ve soundproofed the room. With your permission, maybe I can prove something to you.¡±

 Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: More and More Unseemly

    Chapter 647: More and More Unseemly

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The deep timbre of Su Shen¡¯s voice was inherently seductive, and when he whispered sweet nothings, the allure was amplified. Gu Zi felt a tingling sensation originating from her ear, spreading throughout her body. Her eyes involuntarily held a hint of resentment. The older man¡¯s flirtations were becoming increasingly skilled, and at this moment, she was moved, not wanting to reject his advances.

    Su Shen was in no rush. He watched her, his eyes deep and waiting for her response. In the meantime, he continuously used his lower body¡¯s reaction to show her how much he desired her. He wanted her to know how much he wanted to serve her tonight, to share a moment of bliss with her. His passionate kisses trailed down her neck, his fingers caressing her perky buttocks, eliciting a moan from her.

    Su Shen knew he had pleased her. He immediately lifted her, his watery eyes moving in a way that tugged at his heartstrings. Holding her, he whispered in her ear again, ¡°I want to come in, and I promise, I won¡¯t tire you out.¡±

    At this point, Gu Zi¡¯s rationality had dissipated. She felt a bone-deep tingling sensation throughout her body, an overwhelming emptiness. She uncontrollably wanted to hold the man tighter, instinctively wanting to consume his strong masculine scent. She wrapped her arms around his waist and coyly responded, ¡°Okay, I want you too.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s formidable restraint crumbled at that moment. He pushed her down again, his deep, narrow eyes filled with desire. His calloused fingers lifted her nightgown, his hot palm instantly enveloping her lower body. The bedroom light was warm and yellow, casting a shadow on his handsome face, making him irresistible. She wanted nothing more than to be with him until death.

    Her hands were not idle either. Their previous lovemaking had gradually made her more skilled. She reached for his manhood, so hard, so hot. The moment she touched it, she almost recoiled from the electric sensation.

    But she was no longer an innocent girl. She was a sensual and beautiful woman in bed. Because of this, she could better enjoy the process of lovemaking, pleasing herself. She moaned sensually, took out his manhood, and gently yet eagerly caressed it. His abdominal muscles contracted violently, and before long, he couldn¡¯t help but thrust his hard shaft into her moist opening.

    Then, his large manhood filled her, entangling with her in every way, making her climax like a raging flood. Gu Zi unconsciously parted her lips, her hair around her temples already damp with sweat, her face flushed. She was deeply immersed in the pit of lovemaking, until the climax¡­

    As the sun rose high, the people of Daqing Village were still as usual, busy and simple, living their day-to-day lives.

    Gu Shan and his wife were not visiting for the first time. They drove a rented car from the city and parked directly outside the Su family¡¯s gate. However, after knocking several times, there was no response. Zhang Mei was getting angry.

    ¡°The sun is already high in the sky. Gu Zi can¡¯t still be sleeping, can she? This is unacceptable. Even if the Su family doesn¡¯t have in-laws, she can¡¯t be this careless. Isn¡¯t she afraid of what the neighbors will say about her lack of manners? We sent her to such a good school, and it seems like it was all for nothing. What a waste of tuition.¡±

    Gu Shan, standing under the sun, being blown by the cold wind, and listening to Zhang Mei¡¯s complaints, was also in a bad mood.

    Moreover, the reason they came today was because they felt that Gu Zi was doing many things improperly. They wanted to advise her to correct her behavior. But who would have thought that she was becoming more and more unseemly, still sleeping in. Gu Shan was also very frustrated. Neither his biological daughter nor his adopted daughter gave him peace of mind!

    Seeing a village woman passing by, Gu Shan stepped forward and asked, ¡°Excuse me, you know this family, right? Can you help us call someone?¡±

    Gu Shan felt that he and his wife, after all, were people of status. It was not dignified to shout and yell here. It was just right to ask this village woman for help.

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    However, coincidentally, the village woman he asked was Aunt Zhang, who was previously very close to Gu Zi. Gu Shan and his wife didn¡¯t remember Aunt Zhang.

    But Aunt Zhang remembered them. On the day of Gu Zi¡¯s wedding, these two people had come, claiming to be Gu Zi¡¯s adoptive parents. They were not very nice people. Looking at their eyes, they looked down on rural people, yet they were asking her, a rural person, for help.

    And looking at them, they probably didn¡¯t know that Gu Zi and her family had already moved to the city. Aunt Zhang felt that it was a good thing they didn¡¯t know. She certainly didn¡¯t want to tell these two people about Gu Zi¡¯s whereabouts.

    Aunt Zhang didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said coldly, ¡°I do know them, but I¡¯m not a warm or hospitable person. Why should I help you call them?¡±

    Gu Shan didn¡¯t expect that an ordinary village woman could rebuke him like this. He was so angry that his face changed. He pointed at her, wanting to say something but stopped. Indeed, she was a village woman, with no manners at all!

 Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Returning to the City Privately

    Chapter 648: Returning to the City Privately

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei was visibly displeased, her hand resting on her husband¡¯s arm, her demeanor that of a city dweller forced to deal with a rural woman. ¡°How can you be so rude?¡± she complained. ¡°We asked for your help because we respect you. You could at least show some manners.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She had seen shameless people before, but this was a new level. She had long noticed their ill-treatment of Gu Zi.

    Even though they were Gu Zi¡¯s foster parents, she wouldn¡¯t indulge them. She retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re dressed nicely, everything you say is polite. I don¡¯t owe you anything. Why should I help you just because you ask?

    ¡°And you call yourself city people, from the military district no less. I see your true colors now. Every place has its good and bad, even the city and the military district aren¡¯t necessarily filled with reasonable people.¡±

    Zhang Mei felt a pang in her chest, her dislike for the countryside growing. Gu Shan¡¯s face turned red with anger, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. After all, he was arguing with an ignorant village woman. What would that make him?

    However, he redirected his anger towards Gu Zi. The next time he saw her, he would give her a piece of his mind. How dare she associate with such a woman!

    Just then, another villager passed by the Su family¡¯s gate. They had attended Su Shen¡¯s wedding banquet and had met Gu Zi¡¯s foster parents. One of them approached and asked, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here to see Gu Zi, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ignoring Aunt Zhang, Gu Shan turned to the villager to inquire about Gu Zi. To his surprise, he learned that Gu Zi wasn¡¯t just lazing around at home. In fact, the house was completely empty. Everyone had moved out.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were shocked. Gu Shan asked, ¡°When did they move? Where did they go?¡±

    The villager replied, ¡°Just yesterday. The whole family moved to the city. But we don¡¯t know the exact address. Didn¡¯t Gu Zi come to visit you with her husband and children?

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re still busy. Aunt Zhang, why didn¡¯t you tell them? You¡¯re close with Gu Zi, you should know the address, right?¡±

    Aunt Zhang was livid. Ignoring the villager¡¯s question, she turned on her heel and stormed off.

    After further inquiries with the nosy villager, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei received even more shocking news. They returned to their car and drove back to the city, feeling blindsided by Gu Zi¡¯s actions. The car was silent for a long time.

    Zhang Mei finally broke the silence, ¡°What is she trying to do? She hasn¡¯t even been married to Su Shen for half a year, and she¡¯s already persuaded him to move the whole family back to the city. We made this trip for nothing.

    ¡°We arranged her marriage here, and she just up and moved back to the city. Does she even consider our feelings?¡±

    After all, when they arranged for Gu Zi to marry Lin Miao as a substitute, they were prepared to sacrifice her. They hoped that once she moved to the countryside, she would accept her fate and live there for the rest of her life. After all, a city girl marrying into a village wasn¡¯t exactly a good look.

    While Gu Zi was in the village, it was manageable. But once she moved to the city, where they frequently ran into acquaintances, it was a different story.

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    Even if Su Shen was wealthy, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that he was a divorced older man with three children. If their acquaintances saw that the Gu family had married their foster daughter to such a man, wouldn¡¯t they criticize the Gu family behind their backs? They would say that the Gu family was biased and heartless towards Gu Zi.

    Moreover, the people in the military district already blamed the Gu family for Gu Zi¡¯s situation. The things they said behind their backs were harsh enough. But they wouldn¡¯t talk forever. Given enough time, people would eventually stop talking.

    But if Gu Zi moved back to the city, that would be a different story!

    Gu Shan was also feeling heavy-hearted. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to his wife¡¯s words. After a long silence, he finally said, ¡°If she just moved back to the city, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. After all, she can¡¯t live in the military district, right? The things you¡¯re worried about might not happen. But the worst part is, she managed to get a job in the city.

    ¡°If it was just any job, it would be fine. But it¡¯s a job at the Guangcheng Newspaper. If this news gets out, our family will be criticized even more. People will say we sacrificed our foster daughter for our biological daughter. They¡¯ll call us foolish, you know?¡±

 Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Letâ€™s Visit Miao Miao

    Chapter 649: Let¡¯s Visit Miao Miao

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing her husband liken their own daughter, Lin Miao, to sand and stone, Zhang Mei felt a pang of discomfort. Her tone softened, favoring her child, ¡°My dear, perhaps Miao Miao is just momentarily confused. She can¡¯t be that much worse than Gu Zi, can she? Besides, I believe that blood is thicker than water. Look at Gu Zi, does she even consider us her parents anymore?

    ¡°She wants to return to the city to work, such a significant change, yet she doesn¡¯t even bother to inform us. As for Miao Miao, we abandoned her, yet didn¡¯t she still choose us?

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who said this morning that we received a message from the prison, stating that Miao Miao is willing to see us? I think we should put Gu Zi¡¯s matters aside for now. Let¡¯s go back and visit Miao Miao directly. I miss her.¡±

    Gu Shan pondered for a moment, finding his wife¡¯s words reasonable. No matter how foolish Lin Miao might be, she still held them in her heart. Moreover, the blood flowing in Lin Miao¡¯s veins was their own, making her naturally closer to them.

    Now that Lin Miao was in prison, having gone through such torment, her character should have matured. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drive directly to the First Prison.¡±

    Meanwhile, in the city, Gu Zi had been busy all morning in the front yard, constructing a cozy doghouse for Big Yellow.

    Seeing that the time to meet with the school principal to handle the transfer procedures was approaching, she quickly tidied herself up, urging her two eldest children to leave with her. As for little Su Le, Gu Zi didn¡¯t need to worry about her today, as she had been taken out by her father and Uncle Jin Long.

    Gu Zi took a taxi with Su Bing and Su Li, first heading to Chenglong Primary School, where the two brothers had previously attended, to handle the transfer procedures in advance. Then, they took another taxi to the new school the brothers would be attending, Guangcheng¡¯s First Bilingual Primary School.

    Upon reaching the school gate, Gu Zi realized how close this elementary school was to their current villa district. After finishing the procedures, they could probably walk home directly. However, the two brothers hadn¡¯t noticed this yet. They were awestruck by the magnificent campus buildings in front of them.

    Nevertheless, Su Bing was the first to snap back to reality, asking Gu Zi somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Mom, will we¡­ will we be studying here from now on?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, ¡°Of course. But today, we¡¯re here to handle the admission procedures, so we can only go to the front administrative building. Once school starts, you¡¯ll be able to see the whole campus.¡±

    Su Bing nodded, his expectations for the school growing. Su Li was even more excited. He followed Gu Zi in, his mouth never ceasing to smile. However, he wasn¡¯t as lively as usual. Walking in the exquisite campus, he was very restrained, afraid that his usual exuberance wouldn¡¯t fit the temperament of the new school.

    Not long after the mother and sons trio started walking, someone from the administrative building came out to greet them. Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected this. She thought it would take some effort, especially since her two children had secured spots in this school due to her connections. They were like two parachutists without any background, and she thought the admission process would be somewhat troublesome. But to her surprise, they were welcomed warmly.

    After exchanging greetings, Gu Zi learned that the person who came to receive them was the school¡¯s teaching director, a friendly and lovely old lady.

    She didn¡¯t make Gu Zi go through any procedures or explain the children¡¯s situation, nor did she give the children any test questions. She simply told Gu Zi, ¡°We¡¯ve already registered them here, so rest assured. As for the academic assessment, they can take it with their classmates once school starts.

    ¡°If you¡¯re worried they won¡¯t pass, you can help them catch up during this period. But even if they don¡¯t do well, it¡¯s okay. Rest assured and let them study at our school. Our teachers are confident they can keep up with the pace. Here are the admission guidelines. Two children, two copies, one for each, to avoid any fights.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li were dumbfounded on the side. So, the teachers at prestigious schools were this confident?

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    When leaving, Gu Zi gratefully shook hands with the old lady, ¡°I will also tutor them, I¡¯ll help them catch up as soon as possible¡­¡±

    As Gu Zi led the two brothers back to the villa district, she was unaware that they had been targeted by someone with ulterior motives as soon as they entered the gate.

    Sun Qi had called the villa¡¯s property management center in the morning, intending to investigate the tenant situation in the villa area, but was directly rejected by the property management center.

    The reason given was that whether they were homeowners or tenants, they all enjoyed absolute information confidentiality rights. The property management would not disclose information to others at will, even between homeowners. They asked her to understand.

    Sun Qi was so angry that she wanted to complain about the property management, but she received an invitation call from Gong Zhan. She took the nourishing soup made by her own nanny and rushed out. Just as her car was about to reach the gate, she saw Gu Zi and instructed her driver to follow.

 Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: She Is Renting It

    Chapter 650: She Is Renting It

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sun Qi said to the driver, ¡°What a coincidence. Keep a close eye on her for me. I¡¯m curious to see what kind of house her stinking pig-slaughtering country bumpkin of a husband could possibly rent for her.¡±

    The Sun family¡¯s driver, a seasoned professional, skillfully and inconspicuously followed the woman and her two children in the car.

    In the villa district, cars came and went. For the safety of all residents, the district required slow driving within its confines. Therefore, even if a car was slowly trailing behind Gu Zi and her children, it wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicions.

    The Sun family¡¯s car followed Gu Zi and her children down a long road, then turned into a street. Sun Qi watched as Gu Zi and her two children stopped in front of a house.

    This house was the first on the street and appeared to be the largest. The Sun family¡¯s car stopped not far away. By this time, Gu Zi had already opened the door and led the two children inside.

    Sun Qi¡¯s gaze fell on the house number, which read ¡°1 Fulin Road, C District, Jifu New Village¡± in fancy script. She couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s actually in C District!¡±

    C District was an old villa area, but it was also a well-known area for influential figures. The owners were all prominent figures in Guangcheng, spanning politics, business, education, and medicine.

    In this villa district, although the houses in C District were old, they were the most expensive and hardest to buy. When the Sun family wanted to buy here, they had to rely on luck and a draw against another family, who ended up winning the house.

    The driver was also puzzled. He had heard from his young mistress that the person they were following was a tenant. However, to his knowledge, the villas in this district were only for sale, not for rent. Especially a house like this one, the first on the street. He suggested, ¡°Miss, could there be some misunderstanding? Give me some time, and I¡¯ll investigate further.¡±

    But Sun Qi was adamant that Gu Zi was renting the house. She said arrogantly, ¡°If it¡¯s not rented, could it be bought? By a pig-slaughtering country bumpkin? A little money would be enough for them to show off for a lifetime. There have been precedents of villas in this area being rented out. Wasn¡¯t there one that was rented out before?¡±

    The driver, a long-time servant of the Sun family and someone who had watched the young mistress grow up, didn¡¯t want her to make a mistake and be ridiculed. He analyzed, ¡°The owner of that house rented it out because of certain circumstances and needed the money. The tenant was not an ordinary person. This is why it was successfully rented. Moreover, Miss, this house is a newly built one. Generally speaking, it is unlikely to be rented out.¡±

    At this point, Sun Qi found the old driver to be quite annoying. Her parents had shown him respect because he had been driving for the Sun family for many years, and now he was acting superior and lecturing her.

    Sun Qi¡¯s face showed her displeasure as she huffed, ¡°I said she¡¯s renting, and I enjoy seeing her not doing well. Stop talking and drive. I¡¯m in a hurry to deliver soup to Brother Gong Zhan.¡±

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    She was in a hurry today. Knowing where Gu Zi lived was enough. Gu Zi was now married to an old man and had two big children. It was embarrassing. She had plenty of time to deal with and humiliate Gu Zi later. It was more important to deliver soup to her Brother Gong Zhan. The driver, who had been scolded, wanted to say something but eventually remained silent and quietly drove the car.

    Back in the villa, Gu Zi started cooking as soon as she got home, seeing that Su Shen and her daughter hadn¡¯t returned yet. She knew Jin Long had come early today and had somehow managed to take Su Shen out, probably to buy clothes. Jin Long was reliable in this regard.

    Earlier, Su Le had woken up and was playing with Big Yellow in the front yard after having her milk. Since Gu Zi had to take her two brothers to report to school later, Su Shen, not wanting Gu Zi to tire herself out, had taken Su Le with him when he left. Two grown men with a little girl might seem worrisome, but Gu Zi felt it was necessary to let Su Shen take care of Su Le to strengthen their father-daughter bond.

    The father and daughter had left early and hadn¡¯t returned yet. They would definitely be starving when they got back. She decided to prepare lunch early so they could enjoy a hot, nutritious meal as soon as they got home.

    Su Bing wanted to help, but Gu Zi refused and sent him out of the kitchen. Seeing Su Li watching TV in the living room, she went over, turned off the TV, and said in a rare serious tone, ¡°The winter vacation isn¡¯t long. The school will conduct a level test for all students when school starts. I don¡¯t want you to fall behind your classmates. Understand?¡±

 Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Curious Glances

    Chapter 651: Curious Glances

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Gu Zi spoke these words, she was acutely aware that given the normal academic standards of the elementary school, no matter how much the two brothers studied now, they would not be able to match the level of their peers who had been attending the school from the start.

    However, Gu Zi still felt compelled to say this. She believed that by setting high expectations, the boys would strive to meet them. Sometimes, the drive that came from ignorance could be a powerful motivator. For now, all they needed to do was focus on their studies.

    Even if they failed to meet these expectations, it wouldn¡¯t matter. It would serve as a valuable lesson in failure and help them understand the gap between them and their peers. Then, she could encourage them to slowly catch up.

    However, the brothers could not possibly know Gu Zi¡¯s true intentions. After hearing their mother¡¯s words, Su Bing felt that she was absolutely right. The new school was bound to be challenging, and he would have to become stronger to keep up. He resolved to follow his study plan diligently during the upcoming vacation, doing everything he could to prepare for the school¡¯s level exam.

    Su Li, on the other hand, was filled with a passionate resolve. After hearing his mother¡¯s words, he felt a surge of energy and determination. He thumped his chest and declared, ¡°Mother, I will definitely pass the school¡¯s level exam. I¡¯m going to start studying right now!¡±

    With that, he dashed upstairs, leaving Gu Zi watching him with a sense of urgency reminiscent of the days leading up to a major exam. Su Bing, more composed, slowly followed his brother upstairs. His pace was faster than usual, reflecting his newfound determination.

    Gu Zi watched them go with a sense of satisfaction. She called after them, ¡°No matter what, I wish you the best in catching up with your new classmates!¡±

    Meanwhile, in another part of town, two men and a little girl were leaving the clothing section of Xinghua Department Store. The man in front was cold and aloof, paying no heed to the man behind him who was carrying the girl and shouting after him. He walked with a straight back, carrying several paper bags emblazoned with the words ¡°Xinghua Women¡¯s Clothing,¡± drawing curious glances from passersby.

    A young woman couldn¡¯t help but gossip, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about men dating men in our country, and even adopting children from relatives. I never thought I¡¯d actually see it. Who do you think the clothes are for?¡±

    The man beside her chuckled knowingly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? They¡¯re for the man carrying the child. The one in front is too masculine and cold to be wearing women¡¯s clothing.¡±

    Jin Long, carrying the little girl, heard their conversation clearly. He was annoyed but held his tongue for fear of scaring the child. He had endured many such comments throughout the day, but this one was particularly irksome. He wondered why he had agreed to accompany Su Shen on this shopping trip.

    They had spent the entire day shopping for women¡¯s clothing, without a single glance at the men¡¯s section. Jin Long was baffled. Didn¡¯t Su Shen understand that they were supposed to be shopping for him?

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    After leaving the clothing section, Su Shen headed towards a pet shop selling goldfish. Jin Long followed him into the shop, finally catching up with Su Shen. He panted, ¡°You ignored me, fine. But you left your daughter behind too. We¡¯ve spent all 300 yuan, and you¡¯re still looking at fish. You¡¯re not thinking of buying a goldfish, are you?¡±

    Su Shen looked at the goldfish swimming in the beautiful aquarium, his expression serious and his tone cold. ¡°Can¡¯t I buy a goldfish? Gu Zi said we could keep fish in the pond at the front of the house. I think she would be happy if I brought some goldfish home.¡±

    Jin Long looked at Su Shen, his face a picture of bewilderment. He reminded him, ¡°Boss Su, this money was given to me by your wife to buy clothes for you. You haven¡¯t bought a single piece of clothing. How am I supposed to explain this to her?¡±

    Su Shen ignored him and turned to ask the shopkeeper about the price of the goldfish. Soon, he was holding two bags filled with colorful, lively goldfish.

    The sight of the goldfish quickly caught the attention of Su Le. She patted Jin Long¡¯s shoulder and watched the fish with delight, babbling incoherently as if greeting the fish. Her cheerful demeanor contrasted sharply with Jin Long¡¯s worried expression.

 Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Actually, She Is Not To Be Blame

    Chapter 652: Actually, She Is Not To Be Blame

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As noon approached, the couple, Gu Shan and his wife, arrived at the entrance of the First Prison. They had come straight from Daqing Village, and Gu Shan, glancing at the time, led his wife inside. ¡°Thank goodness, we almost missed the morning visiting hours. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±

    Zhang Mei followed her husband, quickening her pace. It had been a long time since she had seen her daughter, and her heart was filled with trepidation. After all, they were the ones who had lost their daughter for over a decade and had prioritized their interests over her. They owed Lin Miao an apology. Although Lin Miao had agreed to meet them, Zhang Mei was uncertain if their daughter would truly forgive them for their failings as parents.

    Throughout this period, Zhang Mei had been contemplating. Lin Miao¡¯s mistakes were not entirely her fault. Lin Miao had grown up in a rural area without a conducive environment or a proper education. Now that she was back with them, her actions naturally couldn¡¯t compare to Gu Zi¡¯s thoughtfulness, and her understanding was incomplete. In a situation where there was an imbalance in their mental states, it was understandable that she made some mistakes.

    Zhang Mei had not enjoyed the New Year at all. She had gone to great lengths to provide benefits to the prison in hopes of making amends to Lin Miao. She hoped that her daughter could have a better life in prison. However, it was still a prison, and despite the benefits, suffering was inevitable. Zhang Mei was anxious to see her daughter, yet she was also terrified.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei had been married for decades. Seeing his wife¡¯s guilt-ridden expression, he knew how remorseful she was. He halted and said with conviction, ¡°What are you afraid of? Ultimately, she made the mistakes herself. Even if she is in prison, it¡¯s her own doing. Have you ever thought about whether we could have saved her from the things she did?

    ¡°At first, when we neglected her, she was young and couldn¡¯t understand. It was normal for her to blame us and not want to see us. But it¡¯s been a long time now. She should have grown up and understood right from wrong. If she still blames us, I, Gu Shan, don¡¯t need such a daughter.¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Shan¡¯s words, Zhang Mei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. In her haste, she disregarded her image and grabbed her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Where am I showing fear? Do you have so little faith in our Miao Miao?

    ¡°She made mistakes, but they¡¯re not unforgivable. If she changes, it¡¯s all good. Why say such harsh words? If you don¡¯t want Miao Miao, our Gu family will have no successors.

    ¡°Look at Gu Zi now, no matter how good she is, wasn¡¯t she also raised by our Gu family? Without us, could she be so outstanding? When Miao Miao gets out, we¡¯ll re-educate her. Husband, you can¡¯t favor Gu Zi.¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s face was stern, his gaze warning her. ¡°Look at yourself, going around in circles. Did I say I wouldn¡¯t care about Lin Miao? If I didn¡¯t care, why would I come to see her?¡±

    After Gu Shan finished speaking, Zhang Mei let go of his arm, a weight lifting from her heart. It was a relief. Her Miao Miao was already in prison. If her father also abandoned her, it would be too pitiful.

    The couple glanced around cautiously. Fortunately, everyone was busy with their own affairs and hadn¡¯t noticed them. They quickened their pace and soon arrived at the designated visiting room. The couple sat side by side on the high wooden bench, waiting for Lin Miao to appear behind the glass.

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    The next moment, Lin Miao, dressed in a prison uniform, appeared in the visiting room. The prison guard instructed her to sit down and handcuffed her to the iron railing before standing straight at the back, like a pine tree. However, Gu Shan and his wife had no mind to notice anything else. Their eyes were fixed on Lin Miao, and they were stunned for a long time.

    The person in front of them was thin, the prison uniform hanging loosely on her body, making her look like a wooden puppet. She was bald, her face pale, her lips cracked, and her eyes dull.

    The couple could hardly believe that this was their daughter, Lin Miao. How had she become like this?

    Hadn¡¯t they provided benefits to the prison? Oh God, Zhang Mei was the first to choke up, crying out, ¡°Miao Miao, you¡¯ve suffered. It¡¯s all my fault, I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Gu Shan had initially wanted to be stern and lecture Lin Miao, but seeing her in this state, he was also shocked. His daughter had been tormented to such an extent, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel heartbroken. After all, she was his flesh and blood. His eyes reddened, ¡°Our poor daughter, we¡¯ve come to see you.¡±

 Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Curse Them Dead

    Chapter 653: Curse Them Dead

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A bitter pang of sorrow welled up in the hearts of the couple, a sensation they found hard to bear. Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t help but think that despite pulling strings and offering bribes, Lin Miao had still been subjected to such torment. It seemed that Gu Zi had taken her revenge, exploiting her good relationship with Su Shen and Deputy Director He to orchestrate Lin Miao¡¯s suffering behind the scenes.

    In what felt like no time at all, Lin Miao had been reduced to this state. If things continued this way, Zhang Mei feared her beloved Miao Miao would die at the hands of Gu Zi. The woman¡¯s cruelty was staggering.

    Zhang Mei was torn between heartache for Lin Miao and hatred for Gu Zi. Unable to control her tears, she wept openly, her sorrow flowing freely.

    Upon seeing this, Lin Miao seemed unable to hold back any longer. Her tears burst forth like a breached dam, her only free hand reaching out to touch the glass. She stared intently at the couple on the other side, her eyes filled with the hardships and injustices she had endured. She wanted to speak, but her distress left her speechless. All she could do was cry.

    The sight of Lin Miao¡¯s suffering broke the hearts of the couple. They realized that the situation wasn¡¯t as simple as they had thought. If only Lin Miao had returned the dowry money, none of this would have happened. They blamed Gu Zi for her relentless pursuit, unwilling to settle the matter privately. Not only had she tarnished the family¡¯s reputation, but she had also subjected Lin Miao to such suffering, leaving her in this pitiful state.

    What they failed to notice was the deep-seated hatred lurking in the depths of Lin Miao¡¯s eyes. This hatred was not directed at anyone else, but at them, the couple.

    Gu Zi deserved to die, Lin Miao thought. She hated Gu Zi, but she also harbored a deep resentment for the couple. They had lost her shortly after her birth and now, they had abandoned her in prison once again.

    When Lin Miao learned that the couple had given up on trying to get her out, her hatred was so intense that she dug her fingernails into the ground until they bled. She never wanted to see them again. She cursed them, wishing them dead.

    Fortunately, Mo Li¡¯s words had reminded her that hatred didn¡¯t mean she had to sever all ties. That would be pointless. She needed to make use of the couple to deal with Gu Zi. Now that Gu Zi had returned to the city and the Lin family was siding with her, Lin Miao couldn¡¯t afford to ignore her biological parents and push them towards Gu Zi. That would be foolish.

    For some reason, everything in this life was completely different from her previous one. Even though she had been reborn, she couldn¡¯t control the direction events were taking. She needed a lot of help. She needed to swallow her pride and once again try to win over her biological parents.

    She had deliberately cried until she was unable to speak. Only by appearing more pitiful would Gu Shan and Zhang Mei soften towards her and turn their blame towards Gu Zi.

    But she couldn¡¯t keep crying forever. She put on a brave face, wiped away her tears, and spoke with difficulty. ¡°Dad, Mom, how are you? I¡¯m sorry for rejecting you so many times. I really had no choice.¡±

    As Lin Miao spoke, she paused for a moment. Zhang Mei, her eyes filled with tears, looked at her with understanding. ¡°I understand now, my dear Miao Miao. You were afraid we would worry. Seeing you in this state¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. I was angry with you, thinking you were being unreasonable. But you were just thinking of us, that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t want to see us¡­¡±

    Zhang Mei looked at her sensible daughter, her heart breaking. She felt she had let Lin Miao down. Gu Shan, watching the touching scene between mother and daughter, felt a pang of guilt. So, Lin Miao had been avoiding them because she didn¡¯t want them to worry. What a good, mature child she had become!

    After an emotional reunion filled with tears, Lin Miao took the initiative to ask, ¡°Mom, Dad, I heard that my sister has returned to the city. Have she and her husband come to see you?¡±

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    Zhang Mei looked puzzled. How did Lin Miao, locked up in prison, know that Gu Zi had returned to the city?

    She hadn¡¯t wanted to tell Lin Miao, fearing it would upset her. But since her daughter already knew, she decided to tell her the truth. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s back. But she hasn¡¯t come to see us. We don¡¯t exist in her world anymore.

    ¡°She¡¯s doing business with her biological parents and fitting in well. This time she came back to the city, she even got a job. She¡¯s going to work at the Guangcheng Newspaper. She doesn¡¯t have time for us¡­¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s words were filled with complaints about Gu Zi. Lin Miao was initially pleased to hear this, but when she learned that Gu Zi had landed a job at the newspaper, she was taken aback. How had Gu Zi managed to get that job?

    At the same time, a flood of memories from her previous life surfaced in her mind.

 Chapter 654 - Chapter 654: Donâ€™t Blame Sister

    Chapter 654: Don¡¯t Blame Sister

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In her previous life, Lin Miao had saved the day at a music tea party on the top floor of Xinghua Department Store, where she served as a foreign language host. Her performance was met with universal praise, and the department store¡¯s manager was so impressed that he recommended her for a position at the Guangcheng Newspaper as a foreign language editor.

    This job was not only high-paying and prestigious, but it also brought her a great deal of respect in her community. Many people sought to curry favor with her family because of it. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei began to value her more, and for the first time, Gong Zhan acknowledged her in public. After she started working, she unexpectedly received two school admission quotas from one of the top foreign language primary schools in Guangcheng.

    She gave these quotas to the two grandsons of Lin Laoda, the town¡¯s most influential figure. By doing this, she managed to win over Lin Laoda¡¯s family. This act also led to Lin Laoda¡¯s family reestablishing ties with Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family, and before long, they began to appreciate her and resumed their relationship with her, their adopted daughter.

    However, everything had changed now. Ever since the last music tea party, things had been spiraling out of her control. There were times when she would sit quietly, trying to sort out her memories, and she would feel as if her memories were in disarray.

    The job that was once hers had been stolen by Gu Zi. She realized that all the changes and differences in this life stemmed from Gu Zi. It was Gu Zi who was deliberately taking everything that belonged to her.

    Lin Miao¡¯s face turned pale, and she lamented with regret, ¡°Father, Mother, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve let you down.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so unfilial, causing you to worry and run around for me. I¡¯ve learned my lesson now. When I get out, I won¡¯t go anywhere else. I won¡¯t go to the Gong family. I will stay by your side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame my sister. She must have been too busy to come and see you. Do you know how I found out she had returned to the city?

    ¡°Haha, it turns out she does care about me. I overheard some of the prison guards talking about it. It¡¯s good this way. I don¡¯t owe her anything anymore¡­¡±

    She was a pitiful sight, alternating between crying and laughing. It was a disturbing sight that startled her parents, but they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to blame her. Their biological daughter must have suffered a lot these days.

    Lin Miao¡¯s words were vague, which led Zhang Mei to believe that her earlier guess was correct. Gu Zi must have bribed the prison guards to torment Lin Miao. Gu Zi, the ungrateful wretch, had been raised by their family for over a decade for nothing!

    Zhang Mei was annoyed when she remembered how she had felt sorry for Gu Zi. It was Lin Miao who was truly wronged. She comforted her, ¡°Miao Miao, Mom has already forgiven you. Don¡¯t blame yourself. Don¡¯t scare Mom, okay?

    ¡°Your father and I have discussed it. When you get out, we will help you start over. As long as you can endure these days, there will be a bright future ahead.¡±

    Lin Miao didn¡¯t argue. She nodded repeatedly, ¡°Mom, Dad, I deserve this. I will reform myself. When I get out, I will work hard to make you proud.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I need to say. It might affect your relationship with my sister, but I have to say it because I feel wronged. Mom, is that okay?¡±

    Zhang Mei didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Of course you can say it. Even though we¡¯ve raised her for over a decade and treated her like our own daughter, you are our flesh and blood. No one can replace you.¡±

    A hint of irony flashed in Lin Miao¡¯s eyes. As she had suspected, her parents were planning to seek out Gu Zi.

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    However, Lin Miao maintained her composure, ¡°Then I¡¯ll say it. Actually, the hosting gig at the tea party was the opportunity that led to my sister getting a good job.

    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t insisted on replacing Gong Xin on stage that day, I would have been the one to gain attention. That job would have been mine.

    ¡°If I had gotten that opportunity, maybe I would have returned the dowry and wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Of course, I mainly blame myself. I grew up in the countryside, and my foreign language skills are far inferior to my sister¡¯s¡­¡±

    Bang!

    Gu Shan and his wife stood up simultaneously, slapping the table in shock. They hadn¡¯t expected there to be such a backstory.

 Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: The Fragrance of Food

    Chapter 655: The Fragrance of Food

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had been a prodigy in foreign languages since her primary school days, a fact that made her stand out amongst her peers. She was always eager to take the stage, leaving little room for others to shine.

    However, as an elder sister, had Gu Zi ever considered stepping aside for Lin Miao? The thought seemed to have never crossed her mind, which was quite unfair.

    The Gu couple sat down, their faces turning grim. Gu Shan asked, puzzled, ¡°I thought she had married and moved to the countryside. How could she possibly work at a newspaper? Now it makes sense. Gu Zi must have secured this job, which gave her the opportunity to return to the city. It¡¯s not easy for a rural person to settle in the city.¡±

    Zhang Mei, upon hearing her husband¡¯s criticism of Gu Zi, agreed wholeheartedly. She believed that only if Gu Zi¡¯s image was tarnished, could Lin Miao shine brighter, and her husband would not easily give up on Lin Miao.

    She vented, ¡°I think she agreed to move to the countryside as a delaying tactic. She never intended to stay there. We need to have a serious talk with Gu Zi. How could she behave like this?¡±

    Lin Miao shook her head, saying, ¡°It¡¯s too late to salvage the situation. Let¡¯s not bring it up again. I just feel it¡¯s a pity. If I had gotten this job, I would have received the corresponding benefits, including two admission quotas to the top foreign language primary school. I would have used these quotas wisely to build good relationships for our family. My uncle¡¯s two grandsons need them, don¡¯t they?

    ¡°Unfortunately, my sister got the job. She¡¯s no longer part of the Gu family and probably hasn¡¯t thought about this. Given her relationship with the Su family, she will surely give the quotas to her two stepsons who have no blood relation to her. What a waste¡­¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s words reminded the couple of the additional benefits that came with the job.

    The quotas for the top foreign language primary school were highly coveted. Unless a child met all the school¡¯s admission requirements, it was challenging to secure a place.

    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother, Lin Miao¡¯s uncle, had two grandsons who desperately wanted these quotas. His son worked at a city bank and could potentially be of help in the future. If they could secure these quotas to please Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother¡¯s family, it would be perfect.

    Despite being in prison, Lin Miao was still concerned about the Gu family¡¯s affairs. Gu Zi, on the other hand, seemed addicted to playing stepmother, wasting such a golden opportunity on her useless stepsons. How foolish!

    There was no genuine affection between a stepmother and her stepsons. Once the stepsons grew up, they would be the first to kick Gu Zi out. It would be interesting to see what she would do then!

    Gu Shan said to Lin Miao, ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel sorry. Your mother and I need to meet Gu Zi. We can¡¯t let her waste these quotas¡­¡±

    Lin Miao lowered her eyes, nodding in agreement, a triumphant smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

    At the Su family¡¯s villa, smoke was rising from the chimney at the back. The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen, filling the entire space before spilling out.

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    A little boy playing on the balcony of the neighboring house suddenly caught a whiff of the delicious seafood aroma. He leaned over the balcony, trying to get a better look at the source of the smell.

    After a while, not satisfied, he ran down from the balcony to find his grandmother, calling out, ¡°Grandma, the food from next door smells so good. Can we go visit them? Grandma, where are you?¡±

    In the garden on the first floor, an elegantly dressed old lady was watering the flowers. Hearing her grandson¡¯s calls, she turned around gracefully, ¡°I¡¯m watering the flowers. The cook said lunch will be ready soon. We can have the cook prepare afternoon tea and visit them later. It would be impolite to go unannounced.¡±

    Before she could finish, the little boy had already run up to her, taken the watering can from her hand, and placed it on the shelf. He tugged at her, pleading, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go now. We have the finest Spring Rain tea at home, right? Let¡¯s take that as a gift. Afternoon tea is too common.¡±

    Although the Spring Rain tea the boy mentioned cost over two hundred for a single cake, and a gift box was nearly a thousand, the old lady remained calm and composed. She slowly followed her grandson into the house, saying nonchalantly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go get the tea.¡±

 Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Neighbors

    Chapter 656: Neighbors

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had prepared the meal and tidied up the kitchen once more. Looking at the spacious and clean space, she felt a sense of satisfaction. Leaving the kitchen, she planned to check if the father and daughter had returned.

    Just as she stepped out of the house, she saw people approaching from outside. An elderly woman and a young boy, carrying a box of tea leaves, stood outside the beautiful wrought-iron gate, peering inside.

    Gu Zi paused, reminded of her good neighbors from Daqing Village, Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou. Whenever they visited, they would wait outside the gate, peering in. They never came empty-handed, and the little one would always be salivating, seemingly drawn by the aroma of Gu Zi¡¯s cooking. A sense of joy filled Gu Zi¡¯s heart. Another little foodie had arrived.

    However, there was a difference. Shi Tou was younger, his gaze innocent.

    The boy in front of her, on the other hand, was dressed differently and had a sharp look in his eyes. He was clearly a child who had seen the world. His grandmother had a good temperament, the kind that could only be refined from years of living in a comfortable environment.

    The grandmother was also dressed meticulously. She wore a traditional cheongsam, paired with low-heeled leather shoes. Her hair was neatly combed, and the jade pendant on her chest shone translucent under the sunlight. It was clearly a high-quality jade, accentuating her already fair complexion. Although she was not fat, there was an aura of wealth about her.

    Gu Zi could tell that the old lady must have been a renowned beauty in her youth. Now, she was undoubtedly a wealthy matron.

    The boy had features similar to the old lady, handsome and good-looking. His looks could compete with Su Bing, but his demeanor seemed warmer than Su Bing¡¯s, and his personality seemed more compatible with Su Li.

    Gu Zi opened the gate, intending to greet them warmly. But before she could speak, the boy took the initiative to explain their visit, waving at Gu Zi and saying, ¡°Hello, Auntie. My grandmother and I came to visit you. We live next door.¡±

    Seeing her grandson speak, the old lady also introduced herself, after all, she couldn¡¯t leave them in confusion. Her tone was gentle and elegant, ¡°Yes, we live in the house next door. I brought my grandson to visit you today. Our surname is Gao, everyone calls me Aunt Gao, and my grandson is Gao Ming. You can also call him Xiao Ming.¡±

    Gu Zi opened the gate wider, inviting them in, ¡°So you¡¯re our neighbors. I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t had the chance to greet you yet. My name is Gu Zi, my husband¡¯s surname is Su. Please come in and have a seat.¡±

    Gu Zi led the elderly woman and the boy into the house. As they passed the doghouse, Big Yellow looked at them with bright eyes. He seemed to sense the goodwill of the visitors, and because Gu Zi was leading the way, Big Yellow didn¡¯t bark. Instead, he wagged his tail, welcoming the guests like a gentlemanly dog.

    The old lady noticed Big Yellow and praised, ¡°Your Tibetan Mastiff is beautiful and seems to understand human nature. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a well-behaved Tibetan Mastiff.¡±

    The boy, Gao Ming, also peeked out to look at Big Yellow, curiously asking, ¡°Auntie, does your big dog have a name? Can I come and play with it in the future?¡±

    As Gao Ming spoke, he eagerly looked at Big Yellow, wanting to touch it. Gu Zi saw this and laughed, ¡°His name is Big Yellow. You can come and see him whenever you¡¯re free. Let¡¯s go inside and sit down. You and Big Yellow are not familiar yet, so it¡¯s better not to get too close to him for now.¡±

    Animals are usually wary and sensitive to unfamiliar smells. One moment they might be wagging their tails in welcome, the next they could be agitated by an unfamiliar scent. It would be better to wait until Big Yellow and Xiao Ming were more familiar with each other before letting Xiao Ming get close. Hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, the old lady¡¯s eyes showed appreciation. She took her grandson¡¯s hand and followed Gu Zi into the house.

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    Su Li had just finished his homework when he heard voices and came out to see that they had guests. He immediately ran over to greet them, but found himself locking eyes with the boy sitting across from him on the sofa.

    Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s you! Hello, I¡¯m the second child of this family, my name is Su Li. And you?¡±

    Compared to his previous panic, Su Li was much calmer this time. He had said he would greet them the next time they met, and he did! It wasn¡¯t that hard after all.

    Gao Ming responded quickly, introducing himself, ¡°My name is Gao Ming, ¡®Gao¡¯ as in ¡®expert¡¯, ¡®Ming¡¯ as in ¡®understand¡¯. You can call me Xiao Ming. Can I be your friend?¡±

    Gu Zi was a bit confused. Had her second child already made friends with the neighbors when she wasn¡¯t paying attention? She looked at the two children, then turned to Aunt Gao, ¡°Do they know each other?¡±

 Chapter 657 - Chapter 657: You Are So Cool

    Chapter 657: You Are So Cool

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Gao gracefully accepted the tea offered by Gu Zi, her eyes revealing satisfaction as she observed the clear broth within the cup. She took a delicate sip before speaking, ¡°My grandson, Xiao Ming, had wanted to play with your child earlier. I was afraid he might disturb you, so I called him away.¡±

    Su Li nodded in agreement, excitement bubbling in his voice as he added, ¡°Yes, that day when I came to get my sister, I saw Xiao Ming outside the door. My sister saw him too. I wanted to greet Xiao Ming, but I didn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gao Ming curiously scanned his surroundings before asking, ¡°Auntie, where is your fierce little sister?¡±

    Gu Zi was slightly taken aback. Fierce little sister? How was her little Lele fierce?

    However, she chose not to dwell on the child¡¯s words. ¡°My husband took our daughter out to play. I¡¯ll introduce you next time,¡± she replied.

    The elderly woman, realizing her grandson¡¯s rudeness, reprimanded Gao Ming, ¡°How can you speak about a little girl like that? If you continue this way, you won¡¯t be able to find a wife. Gu Zi, please don¡¯t take my grandson¡¯s words to heart.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled, her gaze landing on Su Bing as he emerged. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Speaking of which, I have an eldest son. Look, he¡¯s just come out. Su Bing, come meet our new neighbors, Grandma Gao and little brother Gao Ming.¡±

    Seeing his elder brother emerge, Su Li eagerly ran over to him. Although Su Bing found his brother¡¯s enthusiasm slightly foolish, he didn¡¯t refuse to be led to the sofa. He recognized the grandmother-grandson duo instantly; they were the ones he had seen outside their door the previous night. He hadn¡¯t expected them to visit so soon.

    Gu Zi watched as Su Bing approached, patting his shoulder gently. ¡°This is my eldest son, Su Bing.¡±

    As Gu Zi¡¯s words fell, Su Bing, not wanting to embarrass his mother, greeted the guests politely, ¡°Hello Grandma Gao, hello little brother Xiao Ming, I¡¯m Su Bing.¡±

    The elderly woman smiled at Su Bing, her gaze shifting between him and the chatty Su Li. She was slightly taken aback. Were these two really brothers?

    The younger one was lively and talkative, while the elder was silent and steady. Their personalities were completely different.

    She could tell that Su Li genuinely wanted to befriend her grandson, while Su Bing was merely following his mother¡¯s instructions. He didn¡¯t seem to have any desire to make friends, which was rather intriguing.

    However, she didn¡¯t mind. After all, everyone was different. She couldn¡¯t expect them to be alike just because they were brothers. Turning to Gu Zi, she commented, ¡°Your two children have quite different personalities. But that¡¯s good. With such differences, they¡¯re less likely to have conflicts.¡±

    Su Bing, listening to their conversation, didn¡¯t say anything more. He planned to go to the kitchen to help his mother fetch some snacks, completely oblivious to Gao Ming¡¯s admiring gaze.

    As he turned to leave, Gao Ming darted in front of him, blocking his path. ¡°Can I call you big brother too? I think you¡¯re really cool! My grandma says that people who speak less are usually very powerful.¡±

    Su Bing rubbed his forehead, slightly exasperated. No wonder he and Su Li got along so well; they both seemed equally naive. ¡°You can call me whatever you like. I need to fetch something. You should go back and play.¡±

    After Su Bing left for the kitchen, Gao Ming, captivated by his aloof demeanor, eagerly followed, launching into chatterbox mode.

    ¡°I want to follow you, big brother. So, I¡¯m your third brother now, right? I¡¯ll help you. Second brother, are you coming too?¡±

    Upon hearing his new friend call him, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Pointing at himself, he replied, ¡°Are you calling me second brother? Alright, second brother is coming. I¡¯ve been promoted!¡±

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    Gu Zi watched the scene unfold with a hint of embarrassment. Her second son was truly adept at creating awkward situations. She poured another cup of tea for the elderly woman, attempting to change the subject. ¡°Auntie Gao, I noticed that Xiao Ming and our second son are about the same age. They¡¯re both in the first grade, right?¡±

    The elderly woman, brought back from the children¡¯s antics, responded, ¡°Yes, Xiao Ming goes to school nearby. You¡¯ve just moved here, have you found a school for your children yet? If you need, I can help you with some recommendations.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, replying, ¡°Thank you, Auntie Gao. But we¡¯ve already found a school. We completed the transfer this morning. It¡¯s also nearby.¡±

    The elderly woman¡¯s eyes lit up. Nearby? Besides the First Bilingual Primary School, were there any other schools in the vicinity?

    She turned to Gu Zi, ¡°Are you saying that our kids might be attending the same school?¡±

 Chapter 658 - Chapter 658: An Extraordinary Person

    Chapter 658: An Extraordinary Person

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing these words, Gu Zi reflected for a moment. Besides the First Bilingual Primary School, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other schools nearby. She said, ¡°They just transferred to the First Bilingual Primary School.¡±

    The old lady¡¯s face lit up with joy upon hearing this. It was indeed the same school, what a coincidence, what fate. Her gaze at Gu Zi was filled with even more admiration.

    She was amazed that this young girl, not only could afford to live here, but also managed to send her two children to the First Bilingual Language School. She was indeed an extraordinary individual. Her tone became much friendlier.

    ¡°What a coincidence indeed. Now the three children are not only neighbors but also schoolmates. Imagine how wonderful it would be if Su Li and my grandson Gao Ming were in the same class? We could have the family driver take them to and from school together. That¡¯s the advantage of being neighbors.

    ¡°I think this is what we should do. Once school starts, I¡¯ll inquire with the school leaders about which class your Su Li is in. I¡¯ll make sure my Gao Ming is in the same class. That will settle everything!¡±

    The more the old lady spoke, the happier she became. By the end, she was all smiles, exuding an aura of nobility. Gu Zi refilled her tea, raising an eyebrow at the old lady¡¯s casual suggestion.

    This was the First Bilingual Primary School, renowned for its long history and high tuition fees. Even those with money and power might not be able to secure a place. Yet this old lady spoke of arranging a class transfer as if it were a simple matter. This family was indeed extraordinary.

    Gu Zi and the old lady had a pleasant conversation. The old lady had initially planned to make a brief visit, but ended up chatting for nearly ten minutes. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of interrupting her new neighbors¡¯ mealtime, she would have had much more to say to this young and beautiful new neighbor. Just as she called for her grandson Gao Ming to leave, the young boy was taken aback.

    His eyes widened in disbelief at his grandmother. He wanted to ask, ¡°Grandma, have you forgotten our original purpose? I asked you to bring me here for a meal, and now we¡¯re just leaving?¡±

    But Gao Ming held his tongue. After all, he understood basic manners. It was indeed inappropriate to expect a meal on their first visit. He would have to make an effort to get to know his two new ¡°older brothers¡±. At that moment, Gao Ming felt a pang of regret as he followed his grandmother home.

    Before leaving, the old lady gave Gu Zi the box of tea leaves she had brought as a gift. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t refuse and accepted the gift, of course, she was already thinking of a suitable return gift. After all, they were neighbors, and she would have plenty of opportunities to reciprocate.

    After seeing off her new neighbors, Gu Zi returned to her house. Seeing that her husband and daughter hadn¡¯t returned yet, she wasn¡¯t in a hurry. She went back to the kitchen to prepare a dish of breaded fried shrimp. Soon, a seafood feast was laid out on the table, with the help of her two sons. Su Li stared at the food, his mouth watering, then suddenly ran excitedly towards the door.

    As he ran, he called out, ¡°Dad, sister, you¡¯re finally back! Mom made a seafood feast today. Wow, Dad, you bought so many things, even goldfish¡­¡±

    Su Li was in full chatterbox mode. Su Bing, having set the table, calmly walked out. He planned to let his father settle in before eating, while he would take care of his little sister.

    When Gu Zi came out upon hearing the commotion, she saw a heartwarming scene of fatherly love and filial piety. Su Bing handed Su Le over to their tall and handsome father, who gave Su Bing a manly pat on the shoulder. Su Bing shuddered slightly, looking a bit embarrassed, but Su Shen seemed oblivious to the fact that he had almost knocked his son over with his pat.

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    He was about to take the bags in his hand upstairs, completely unaware that Gu Zi¡¯s heart had also fluttered at his straightforward behavior.

    She felt a sudden sense of relief. Thankfully, Su Bing and the others had been working out for a while, and with her nutritious meals, they had become much stronger. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t imagine what would have happened. What she was even more grateful for was that he had never used that kind of force on her. Otherwise, she would have been crushed.

    Of course, Su Li was also part of this lively scene. He was excitedly looking at the two goldfish that Su Shen had bought. Seeing the goldfish, Gu Zi was also delighted, thinking about putting them in the pond in the front yard.

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze shifted, sweeping over the bags in the man¡¯s hand. Although she didn¡¯t look closely, she still wore a satisfied smile. It seemed that she had made the right choice in asking Jin Long to handle this matter. She would find an opportunity to reward Jin Long with a chicken leg next time. ¡°Su Shen, put your clothes away first, wash your hands, and come down for dinner. After we eat, we can all enjoy your personal fashion show.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s eyes crinkled with amusement, but he didn¡¯t make a fuss. Gu Zi¡¯s wardrobe was about to welcome a few new additions. He responded in a deep voice, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡±

 Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: After the Storm

    Chapter 659: After the Storm

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the Su household, a sumptuous seafood feast was quickly underway. The tantalizing aroma of various seafood dishes was enough to make their neighbor, Xiao Ming, weep with envy. Unfortunately, Xiao Ming was unable to partake in this meal¡­

    In the town, after the rumor storm surrounding Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop had passed, the shop reopened. From the early morning market, customers flowed in like a mountain spring, creating a sense of joy akin to seeing a rainbow after a storm.

    By noon, the shop had quieted down a bit, and Li Hua took the opportunity to check the counter.

    Her accounting skills had improved rapidly. After quickly finishing her calculations, she was somewhat surprised. After double-checking several times, she whispered, ¡°Mom, as of now, today¡¯s income has already made up for the losses from the days we closed for adjustments. Gu Zi was right, we shouldn¡¯t be afraid of trouble.¡±

    Mother Lin put down her cloth and glanced at the accounts. She had some basic knowledge and, after days of training, she could now read the accounts quickly.

    She quickly realized that what Li Hua said was true. Gu Zi was truly a godsend. It would have been a waste to keep her in the village, but thankfully, the family had moved to the city.

    She said to her daughter-in-law, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s back in the city now, which puts my mind at ease. Otherwise, I would still feel guilty.¡±

    ¡°But Xiao Hua, you¡¯ve worked hard these days. When you¡¯re tired, take a good rest for a few days. The shop can survive with your Aunt Yang and me. We can¡¯t exhaust you. If necessary, we can hire someone else. Aren¡¯t you planning to have a baby? I fully support you.¡±

    As life improved, Mother Lin¡¯s long-suppressed sense of elegance gradually emerged, and her tone became gentle yet firm. Li Hua was momentarily stunned before realizing that the woman speaking was not some noble lady, but her mother-in-law.

    She indeed wanted a child, and rest was necessary, but not now. She put the accounts back in the drawer, closed it, and walked over to hold her mother-in-law¡¯s arm, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, Mom. After the busy period at the beginning of the year, I¡¯ll go home and rest. We can hire someone else to help.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that they were now making money and wanted to enjoy life, hence considering hiring people. Rather, their food shop was now more popular than many city shops and needed an additional permanent helper to maintain service standards.

    Li Hua had considered hiring temporary workers, as they were more cost-effective than permanent ones. However, Gu Zi had raised some concerns. Permanent workers could be carefully selected for long-term use, while temporary workers could not be screened each time.

    They were in the catering business and needed to maintain hygiene and service standards. If the quality of temporary workers was inconsistent, or if they had other motives, it would cause trouble for their shop. Li Hua thought about it and agreed that hiring permanent workers was better. They needed a good reputation to grow and strengthen their business.

    As the mother and daughter-in-law were chatting happily, someone came in and sat in the spot closest to them. ¡°Congratulations, Aunt An Yun, Boss Li, you¡¯re finally open again. I¡¯ve missed your food so much!¡±

    Mother Lin and Li Hua were about to respond when they looked up and their smiles froze, then disappeared. The synchronicity of their disappearing smiles was quite a sight.

    Li Hua stepped forward and said, ¡°I remember you, Aunt Zhou. My mother told me later that on the day of the incident, you said our shop had lost its conscience and you would never eat our food again. Was that you?¡±

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    Li Hua didn¡¯t hold a grudge, but she didn¡¯t want this incident to be easily forgotten by these people after a few casual chats.

    As Gu Zi said, good service was necessary, but when the opportunity arose, they also needed to show their authority. Otherwise, they would appear too easy to bully, and rumors would not only occur once but repeatedly.

    She had already suffered once from such rumors. Although they were successfully handled in the end, thanks to Gu Zi¡¯s clever timing, the rumors had still spread wildly in the town during the days they closed for adjustments.

    The impact was quite negative. Even though the guilty party had apologized publicly, it would still take some time to clear the effects.

    Not to mention, because of this incident, some people had brought up other issues specifically targeting Gu Zi. The rumors had spread from the village to the town, severely damaging Gu Zi¡¯s reputation.

 Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: The Town Mayorâ€™s Relative

    Chapter 660: The Town Mayor¡¯s Relative

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhou had initially thought that she could feign ignorance and the matter would be forgotten. She had never expected Li Hua, who was usually so easygoing, to bring up the issue again. Hadn¡¯t it all passed?

    She was taken aback, her face flushed with embarrassment. She slammed her hand on the table, her voice filled with indignation. ¡°Li Hua, what are you implying? Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person? I¡¯m a guest here. Is this how you treat your guests?

    ¡°Even if I did say something at the time, it was surely due to the circumstances. I didn¡¯t know any better. It¡¯s all in the past now. Do you really have to be so unforgiving? Everyone has their moments of confusion¡­¡±

    Aunt Zhou chastised Li Hua, her words sharp and biting. The two women who had accompanied Aunt Zhou shifted uncomfortably, their expressions changing slightly.

    Before they knew the truth, they had also gossiped. Now, naturally, they sided with Aunt Zhou, hoping to avoid bringing up the matter again. After all, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, just a few words. Was it really necessary to make such a fuss? So, they turned their attention to Mother Lin, launching their offensive.

    ¡°Aunt An, what¡¯s gotten into your daughter-in-law? She seems like a different person. Has your family¡¯s business been doing so well that you¡¯ve become arrogant? That¡¯s not how you run a business. I heard from my child that in big cities, private restaurants have excellent customer service. We, the customers, are gods!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Aunt An, you need to educate your daughter-in-law. This can¡¯t go on. No matter how delicious the food in your restaurant is, with this kind of attitude, you won¡¯t be able to keep the business going. Look, we¡¯ve been here for so long and you haven¡¯t even served us tea. What kind of service is this?¡±

    The three women finished speaking and sat down in unison, their chins lifted arrogantly, waiting for Aunt An to scold her daughter-in-law.

    They never tired of this drama. Although such scenes were common in movies, watching them in person was a rare treat. Being present at the scene made the experience all the more enjoyable.

    However, their plans were thwarted. They had spread negative rumors about others during their gossip sessions, not realizing that Mother Lin and Li Hua, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo, were well-known in Little Lin Village for their excellent relationship. They had never argued. How could Mother Lin possibly scold Li Hua just because they said so?

    Mother Lin didn¡¯t blame Li Hua. Instead, she looked at them solemnly, remaining silent for a while before speaking in a low voice. ¡°My daughter-in-law only asked a question. You three are ganging up on her. What else do you want me to say? I don¡¯t think Li Hua did anything wrong. Aunt Zhou, I heard what you said that day with my own ears.

    ¡°You said you would never come to our restaurant again and demanded a refund, which I gave. Now that we¡¯re open again and you¡¯ve returned, it¡¯s only reasonable for Li Hua to ask, isn¡¯t it? To avoid unnecessary trouble?

    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t asked, I would have. You should be sure that you dare to eat our food before coming. We welcome you.¡±

    The three women¡¯s faces darkened. Why hadn¡¯t the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law started arguing? Why were they presenting a united front? This was not the outcome they had hoped for.

    Aunt Zhou was determined to make a scene. She wanted to see if this restaurant still wanted to do business in this town. Didn¡¯t the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo know that everyone in town respected her because she was related to the town mayor?

    What angered her even more was that she saw how well the restaurant was doing and wanted to take over Aunt Yang¡¯s job. She had heard that Aunt Yang¡¯s salary was not low and she even had free accommodation. It was hard to find such a good job, even in the city.

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    With the business doing well, wouldn¡¯t they have to raise the salary? The job was easy, the salary was high, and it was close to her home. This job seemed tailor-made for her. She didn¡¯t need the free accommodation, but she could ask for a housing allowance. People in the city were already doing this.

    Aunt Zhou had made her calculations on the way here. She hadn¡¯t expected the situation to turn out like this before she even said anything. She couldn¡¯t swallow this insult. There was nothing in this town that she couldn¡¯t accomplish when she put her mind to it.

    However, before she could make a scene, two workers eating at a nearby table couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. They spoke up loudly, ¡°Who knows who it was, spreading rumors and now refusing to admit it.¡±

    ¡°I heard that she even went to Daqing Village to gather gossip, then spread it around town. Saying that Boss Li has been married for many years but hasn¡¯t had a child.

    ¡°And that Miss Gu Zi couldn¡¯t tolerate her husband¡¯s sister, drove her away, and made her go far away to a foreign land. She also said that Miss Gu Zi is very scheming¡­ Oh, I simply can¡¯t remember all the gossip.¡±

 Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: The Arrival of the Town Mayor

    Chapter 661: The Arrival of the Town Mayor

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Really? How does she have the audacity to come here and chatter away? She has no shame, spreading idle gossip and always poking her nose into other people¡¯s business. These days, all sorts of people exist. If it were me, once I said I wouldn¡¯t come back, I would definitely keep my word.¡±

    These words were not directed at Aunt Zhou, but she knew they were about her. The two women who had accompanied her also understood, their faces flushing slightly, their previous confidence diminished.

    Mother Lin and Li Hua were not fools. From the conversation, they deduced that many of the rumors that had spread from the village to the town were propagated by this Aunt Zhou and her minions.

    The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law lost any remaining shred of goodwill they had for Aunt Zhou. They had not interacted much before and had thought her to be quite friendly. Now, they realized her friendliness was a facade, and she was a petty person. They were disgusted.

    As for Aunt Zhou, she dropped her pretense. She had lived in this town for most of her life and had never been humiliated like this. When was it not her who decided what was right?

    However, she recognized the two workers from previous fights at the construction site. She dared not confront them directly, knowing she would be at a disadvantage if it came to blows.

    So, Aunt Zhou targeted Li Hua and her mother-in-law, hands on her hips, eyes fierce, pointing at them and shouting, ¡°You two, you don¡¯t appreciate kindness, do you? You¡¯ll regret crossing me. If I bring my cousin-in-law, the town mayor, he¡¯ll drive you out of this town. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll make money then!¡±

    The commotion drew Aunt Yang out of her shop, still holding a spatula. Seeing that the troublemaker was Aunt Zhou again, she didn¡¯t look pleased.

    She had heard plenty about Aunt Zhou from the townsfolk during her time in the shop. Aunt Zhou had bought braised meat from her shop once or twice, but Aunt Yang had no particular memory of it.

    The reason Aunt Yang remembered her was due to the numerous complaints she had heard about Aunt Zhou from her customers. They said she acted like a bully in the town because her cousin-in-law was the mayor.

    Aunt Zhou seemed like a decent person on the surface, but that was just a facade. Everyone in the vicinity knew what she was like when she acted shamelessly. They were afraid of her and usually didn¡¯t dare to offend her. Some even sided with her, thinking it was prestigious.

    Aunt Yang defended Li Hua and her mother-in-law, saying, ¡°Aunt Zhou, don¡¯t always threaten to bring your cousin-in-law, the town mayor, over such trivial matters. If you want to win so badly, I¡¯ll apologize to you¡­¡±

    Seeing Aunt Yang back down, Aunt Zhou became even more arrogant. She sat down, her voice louder, ¡°You¡¯re just a poor old country woman who works for a living. What right do you have to apologize to me? You all wait. When my cousin-in-law arrives, you¡¯ll all line up to apologize to me!¡±

    It was then that Li Hua and the others noticed that the two lackeys who had been with Aunt Zhou were gone. They instantly understood that the two had gone to fetch the town mayor. Well, let them fetch him. What else could they say?

    Li Hua didn¡¯t bother with Aunt Zhou. Seeing more customers coming in, she went to greet them. Mother Lin and Aunt Yang went back to their work. Mother Lin reassured Aunt Yang, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re running a legitimate business. Even if the town mayor comes, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

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    Aunt Yang smiled and said, ¡°You think I was a women¡¯s director for nothing? I¡¯m not worried about the town mayor. I just wanted to avoid trouble. It¡¯s my old weakness of being soft-hearted. But as soon as I offered to apologize to her, I regretted it. People like her shouldn¡¯t be indulged. In your daughter Gu Zi¡¯s words, my thinking still needs to improve.¡±

    Aunt Zhou sat with a stern face, glaring at them. Seeing that they were ignoring her, she felt her authority was being seriously challenged. She wouldn¡¯t sit quietly. Whenever a customer came in, she would say, ¡°Go ahead, eat. This might be your last meal here. Once my cousin-in-law, the town mayor, arrives, this shop will be closed. If you eat here, you¡¯re against me. I¡¯ll remember all of you!¡±

    She kept causing a ruckus, disturbing everyone who was eating or buying braised meat. Some people, fearing her, didn¡¯t dare to come in. Those who did come in ignored her and went about their business.

    After a while, the town mayor arrived. He entered Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop with a serious expression and hurried steps, followed by Aunt Zhou¡¯s two lackeys.

    Seeing her backer had arrived, Aunt Zhou immediately put on a victimized expression. She stood up and rushed over to the town mayor, ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re finally here. You must stand up for me today!¡±

 Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Quickly Apologize

    Chapter 662: Quickly Apologize

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhou¡¯s eyes drooped, shimmering with unshed tears, as if she had been wronged to the core. She moved towards her cousin¡¯s husband, the town mayor, her chin defiantly raised, accentuating her obstinate and unreasonable demeanor.

    However, just as she was about to reach the mayor, he coldly sidestepped her, avoiding her approach. He continued towards the interior of the room, heading towards the spot where Li Hua and her companions were seated.

    Aunt Zhou was taken aback, her eyes narrowing in anger as she turned to her two lackeys. She pulled one aside and whispered, ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t you do as I instructed and complain to him?¡±

    The lackey, a woman, was equally bewildered. She replied helplessly, ¡°Aunt Zhou, it¡¯s not our fault. We had barely reached his office when we ran into the mayor. We didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak before we saw him hurrying ahead. We followed him here and realized he was also coming to this shop. I thought, since we¡¯re all here, it would be convenient¡­¡±

    Aunt Zhou shot the woman a disdainful glance, pushing her aside and striding forward. ¡°You¡¯re useless,¡± she declared haughtily. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this myself.¡±

    What she didn¡¯t know was that the first thing the mayor had done upon seeing Li Hua was to apologize. His tone was serious as he said, ¡°Miss Li, I heard that some ruffians in town have been causing trouble for your family. I rushed over as soon as I could. Just tell me who¡¯s responsible, and I¡¯ll handle it. I won¡¯t tolerate such behavior!¡±

    Li Hua was somewhat taken aback by the mayor¡¯s courtesy, but she maintained her composure. After all, she was a business owner and needed to maintain a professional demeanor.

    She responded evenly, ¡°Mayor, your visit alone shows your sincerity. As long as you don¡¯t drive us away or force us to close our shop, that would be a great help.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the mayor¡¯s eyebrows shot up. He scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on Aunt Zhou, who was approaching him, seemingly with something to say.

    However, the mayor beat her to it, his voice stern, ¡°Who dares to force our town¡¯s beloved Li Hua Gourmet Shop to close? Aunt Zhou, it must be you again!¡±

    Aunt Zhou was caught off guard and stood frozen in place, unable to comprehend what was happening.

    But it was not surprising that she was confused. She was used to throwing her weight around in town, bullying both men and women. However, due to her lack of education, she struggled with anything that required a modicum of cultural knowledge.

    Li Hua¡¯s restaurant had become a driving force for the town¡¯s development. It was no longer a matter of the restaurant seeking a place in town, but rather the townsfolk and officials doing everything they could to keep the restaurant in town.

    Given Aunt Zhou¡¯s limited understanding, it was normal for her to need time to comprehend and digest these facts. However, what the mayor hadn¡¯t expected was that this woman would be foolish enough to cause a scene in the restaurant. The mayor felt as if his head was about to explode from frustration.

    He couldn¡¯t help but recall a previous town meeting where they had decided to invite the restaurant¡¯s co-owner, Gu Zi, to serve in the town government to further stimulate the town¡¯s development. However, Gu Zi had politely declined. Now, it seemed clear why Gu Zi had refused. Allowing someone like Aunt Zhou to run rampant was simply unacceptable.

    Aunt Zhou stuttered, trying to defend herself, but the mayor clearly wasn¡¯t going to give her the opportunity or time. He issued a stern command to Aunt Zhou, ¡°Aunt Zhou, apologize to Miss Li and her family immediately. Otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for not considering familial ties and driving you out of our town.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the house you¡¯re living in is under my wife¡¯s name. I can take it back at any time. Apologize now!¡±

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    Aunt Zhou was incredulous. She hadn¡¯t even said anything yet, and her cousin¡¯s husband, the mayor, was already demanding an apology. What was going on?

    He used to consider familial ties! Aunt Zhou was utterly confused. Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd was buzzing with whispers, casting disdainful glances at Aunt Zhou. Even her two lackeys had distanced themselves from her.

    ¡°So, Aunt Zhou is living in her cousin¡¯s old house. She¡¯s just borrowing it. I remember Aunt Zhou bragging about buying that house from the mayor at a low price. She really knows how to spin a tale!¡±

    ¡°We all knew about this, but it¡¯s not just her tall tales that are outrageous. Everything she does is more outrageous than her lies. Take the braised meat shop incident, for example. She not only refused to buy from Li Hua¡¯s shop herself but also tried to persuade us not to buy from there. Thankfully, we didn¡¯t listen to her.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak so loudly. Aunt Zhou is a pitiful person. Her husband died when she was in her forties, and less than a year later, her daughter, a teacher at the local school, committed suicide due to certain reasons. She couldn¡¯t bear the psychological burden and jumped into the river¡­¡±

 Chapter 663 - Chapter 663: Personal Fashion Show

    Chapter 663: Personal Fashion Show

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The townsfolk conversed in hushed whispers, piecing together the past of Aunt Zhou, their words tinged with a hint of vindictive satisfaction. After all, it was the town mayor who had taken pity on her when she was alone and destitute, allowing her to stay in the town for convenience and support.

    Yet, she had taken advantage of her relation to the mayor, bullying the townsfolk without restraint. Those who spoke now were all victims of her tyranny.

    Some argued that Aunt Zhou was a pitiful figure, but they were quickly rebutted. ¡°Pitiful?¡± someone scoffed. ¡°Do you know how her husband and daughter died? They were driven to their deaths by her.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a saying that good people die young while the wicked live on? That¡¯s exactly what Aunt Zhou is. What about her deserves pity?¡±

    These words sparked a heated debate among the crowd. Amidst the clamor, Aunt Zhou was shoved around, falling to the ground multiple times.

    It wasn¡¯t until the mayor raised his voice that the crowd ceased their actions and closed their mouths. Aunt Zhou, disheveled and humiliated, finally understood that she could no longer antagonize the townsfolk, lest she be driven out of town.

    Aunt Zhou decided to stop pondering over things she couldn¡¯t understand. She hurriedly approached the townsfolk, apologizing to each one of them. ¡°Boss Li, Aunt An, Aunt Yang, I was wrong. I deserve to die. I apologize for my actions. I promise to buy braised pork from you in the future. Please don¡¯t ban me. I will reflect deeply on my actions. Please forgive me!¡±

    Li Hua, the shop owner, exchanged glances with Aunt An and Aunt Yang. Clearly, they didn¡¯t want to cause a scene in the shop.

    Now that Aunt Zhou had caused such a commotion, attracting the mayor¡¯s attention to Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, anyone who wished to cause trouble in the future would have to think twice.

    As the shop owner, Li Hua responded to Aunt Zhou, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. We¡¯ve always said that we will serve anyone who genuinely supports our business with utmost dedication. There¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t get past as long as we live in harmony.¡±

    Even though Li Hua¡¯s speech wasn¡¯t particularly eloquent, the crowd cheered in agreement. Seeing this, Li Hua was outwardly calm but inwardly surprised. She had never imagined that she could become such an influential figure.

    Li Hua would never forget that all of this was due to Gu Zi¡¯s arrival. Gu Zi had helped her discover a different side of herself. Li Hua¡¯s emotions shifted from surprise to joy, and then to longing. She missed Gu Zi, who was surely leading a better life in the city. She sincerely hoped so.

    With the issue resolved, the shop returned to its normal buying order. Those who were previously afraid to queue for meat were now happily lining up. Everything seemed lively and joyful.

    Li Hua felt that the recent events had been a blessing in disguise. Even though the shop was doing well before the incident, it was never as successful as it was now.

    As for the mayor, he didn¡¯t linger in the shop. He would have to come another day to support the business.

    He was not like Aunt Zhou, who had the audacity to argue one moment and apologize humbly the next. He couldn¡¯t pretend as if nothing had happened and continue to stay.

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    However, when he left, he took Aunt Zhou with him. Once they were outside, he sternly warned her, ¡°You need to behave yourself from now on. After this incident, I won¡¯t show you any favoritism. Understand?¡±

    Aunt Zhou nodded repeatedly, not daring to say anything more. She feared that if she said another word, the mayor might take back her house, and she would have to return to the countryside to live in a thatched hut. That was something she couldn¡¯t afford.

    After the mayor left, Aunt Zhou didn¡¯t return to the shop to buy braised pork. Instead, she decided to buy some eggs and fruits and visit the Lin family in Little Lin Village later to formally apologize for today¡¯s incident. She knew she had to win their favor in the future, as it would surely bring her benefits.

    Meanwhile, in the city, Gu Zi¡¯s family had just finished lunch. Su Shen sat on the sofa with his three children, attentively admiring the personal fashion show presented by his wife, Gu Zi. The new clothes and dresses she wore, regardless of color or style, were perfectly showcased by her. Su Shen thought she was an excellent model!

    Compared to Su Shen¡¯s focus, Su Li¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion as the show progressed. Of course, his mother was beautiful, and he loved seeing her in beautiful clothes. But could someone tell him how his mother¡¯s personal fashion show had started?

 Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: I Didnâ€™t Spend Extra

    Chapter 664: I Didn¡¯t Spend Extra

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi made her final appearance in a dress of vibrant red, the color of a blooming peony. The vivid red complemented her striking features, creating a breathtaking vision that left the onlookers holding their breath.

    Su Li, unable to contain his astonishment, rose from the sofa, lavishing praise upon her. ¡°Mother, you look stunning, like a fairy descended from the heavens. Even a mediocre dress becomes model-worthy when you wear it. It¡¯s truly remarkable¡­¡±

    In his enthusiasm, Su Li failed to notice that while he complimented his mother, he inadvertently insulted his father¡¯s taste. However, he shrugged it off, relieved that his father¡¯s attention was solely on his mother and had likely missed his comment.

    Su Le, too, was excited by the sight of her beautiful mother. She slid off the sofa and bounded towards Gu Zi.

    Su Bing, fearing that the floor might be too slippery and that Su Le might fall, followed closely behind. His usually cool and composed demeanor was tinged with anxiety. Just as Su Le¡¯s chubby little hand was about to reach for her mother¡¯s new dress, Su Bing swiftly scooped her up, saving the dress from potential disaster. Su Bing¡¯s brow relaxed, pleased that he had saved his mother¡¯s new dress.

    Seeing that her daughter was well taken care of by her brother, Gu Zi didn¡¯t rush to hold her. Instead, she turned her attention to Su Shen, ¡°I¡¯ve tried on the clothes and I like them. But weren¡¯t you supposed to buy clothes for yourself? Why did you only buy for me?¡±

    She had been busy in the kitchen and hadn¡¯t seen clearly. After dinner, she had planned to have Su Shen model his new clothes for her. That way, she could take note of his style preferences for future reference. But to her surprise, all the new clothes Su Shen had brought home were women¡¯s clothing. Gu Zi was taken aback and immediately dismissed the idea of giving Jin Long an extra chicken leg. She blinked in confusion, wondering if her instructions had been misunderstood.

    Su Shen reached out to stop Gu Zi as she approached him. His gaze never left her. After pouring her a glass of water, he responded in a deep voice, ¡°I have enough clothes. I saw many new women¡¯s styles in the store and wasn¡¯t sure which you¡¯d like, so I bought a few. It came to exactly three hundred, I didn¡¯t spend extra.¡±

    His deep, dark eyes held Gu Zi¡¯s gaze, filled with a soft affection that drew her in. Was he waiting for her to praise him?

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart skipped a beat before returning to its normal rhythm. She rubbed her temples in exasperation.

    She said to Su Shen, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t spend extra. When I asked Jin Long to go with you today, I actually¡­ never mind, it¡¯s not a big deal. When I see something suitable, I¡¯ll buy it for you. Even if you¡¯re busy at work and tend to get your clothes dirty, you shouldn¡¯t always wear the same one or two outfits. It¡¯s better to have a few more for daily wear. But it¡¯s okay, we can go shopping again later.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go change now. Oh, didn¡¯t you buy some goldfish? Let¡¯s clean the front yard pond this afternoon and fill it with water. We can put the goldfish in there.¡±

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    Su Shen nodded. After Gu Zi left, he took out the necessary tools and began cleaning the unused pond in the yard.

    He knew that there was a lot of work to be done since they had just moved in. So, he planned to stay home and help out more, spending more time with Gu Zi. After buying the clothes in the morning, he had sent Jin Long back to work¡­

    As evening fell, the sun set behind the hills of Little Lin Village, painting the sky with hues of red. The villagers, done with their day¡¯s work, picked up their hoes and headed home.

    Aunt Zhou from the town arrived at Little Lin Village, joining the stream of people. After asking for directions, she found her way to the Lin family¡¯s red brick house.

    Looking at the well-structured house, Aunt Zhou couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. They had a shop and rented a house in town, but they also had such a nice place to stay in the village. She slapped herself on the cheek, muttering, ¡°What a fool I¡¯ve been. How could I offend such a family?¡±

 Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Gifts for the Lin Family

    Chapter 665: Gifts for the Lin Family

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhou strode forward, the lively sounds emanating from the red-brick house quickening her heartbeat and her pace.

    Upon reaching the entrance, she saw the Lin family¡¯s main hall filled with villagers. To be more precise, they were all like her, bearing gifts in their hands, all here to present offerings to the Lin family.

    Aunt Zhou was taken aback. She had thought she was the only one clever enough to think of currying favor with the Lin family by bringing gifts. She hadn¡¯t expected so many others to have the same idea. The crowd was so large that she could barely squeeze through the door.

    Aunt Zhou, her eyes wide with urgency, spotted Mother Lin inside, who had just returned from town and was politely declining the villagers¡¯ gifts. She waved and called out, ¡°Aunt An, it¡¯s Aunt Zhou from town!¡±

    Upon hearing her voice, Mother Lin looked over and saw Aunt Zhou standing outside. Although she didn¡¯t know why Aunt Zhou had come, Mother Lin believed in treating all guests with courtesy.

    She asked the villagers to make some room, creating a small gap for Aunt Zhou to squeeze through. Aunt Zhou handed over a basket of eggs and a basket of apples to Mother Lin, saying, ¡°Aunt An, I came specifically to apologize for today¡¯s incident. You must accept these gifts, please don¡¯t be polite with me.¡±

    Mother Lin was somewhat perplexed as she was handed another gift. She felt helpless. Today, everyone seemed to be bringing gifts. She could refuse one or two, but how could she possibly turn away a dozen or more?

    However, after some thought, she decided to accept Aunt Zhou¡¯s gift. After all, Aunt Zhou was a businesswoman in town. After today¡¯s incident, she would surely not cause trouble in the store again. Wouldn¡¯t that make her a good customer?

    Mother Lin set aside the fruits and eggs, and handed a return gift to Aunt Zhou, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve accepted your gift, so don¡¯t refuse mine. You¡¯ve come a long way, sit down and have a cup of tea.¡±

    Aunt Zhou was now very respectful towards Mother Lin, her tone ingratiating. ¡°I¡¯ll accept it then. You¡¯re even offering me tea, but with so many guests in your house today, what¡¯s the occasion? If you need help, I can stay and lend a hand. Don¡¯t mind if I¡¯m a bit slow!¡±

    Aunt Zhou¡¯s friendly attitude was approved by the other villagers. They started chatting with her, saying, ¡°We¡¯re just like you, here to bring gifts to Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family. We¡¯re grateful to them. You¡¯re from town, you must have heard about it.

    ¡°There¡¯s a wealthy pig farm in the neighboring county that recently went bankrupt. This has caused many people in the villages there to lose their jobs.

    ¡°Those people, having no other choice, are now planning to go back to their old ways and work outside. Many families have only the elderly and children left at home. It¡¯s a pitiful sight.

    ¡°My son was lucky to work at Boss Su¡¯s pig farm. That¡¯s why our family is living comfortably. But since Boss Su and his family have moved away, we can only express our gratitude to his wife¡¯s family.¡±

    ¡°Why pity them? Do you know? If the wealthy pig farm hadn¡¯t gone bankrupt, we would have been the unlucky ones. I heard that the Rich Pig Farm and our Daqing pig farm were competitors. In the end, only one could survive. The boss of the Rich Pig Farm is not as strong as our Daqing¡¯s boss!¡±

    As the villagers chatted, Aunt Zhou finally understood why so many people were bringing gifts to the Lin family.

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    She was now thoroughly impressed by this family. She realized that she needed to work harder to foster this relationship. In the future, in addition to frequenting Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, she needed to think of other ways to maintain this connection.

    Aunt Zhou also asked Mother Lin about Gu Zi¡¯s situation. ¡°Aunt An, did your daughter really move to the city? I heard that the cost of living in the city is high. Their family must be spending a lot.¡±

    Upon hearing Aunt Zhou¡¯s words, Mother Lin, who was missing her daughter, was about to say something when she heard a car honking outside. Then she heard someone say, ¡°Aren¡¯t those Lin Miao¡¯s biological parents? Why are they here again? They better not cause trouble for Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s family!¡±

    Hearing that those two had arrived, the smile on Mother Lin¡¯s face faded. She stepped outside, where Gu Shan and his wife, Zhang Mei, were approaching.

    Mother Lin felt there was no need for any unnecessary pleasantries with them. After all, there was no need to pretend that the relationship between the two families was good. ¡°Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu, what brings you here?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 666 - Chapter 666: Wanting to Know the Location

    Chapter 666: Wanting to Know the Location

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    An icy demeanor radiated from Mother Lin, her greeting cold and formal, a mere courtesy to avoid any awkwardness.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, both well into their middle age, were not oblivious to this. A shared glance between them conveyed their mutual understanding that this was not the time for petty squabbles. They swallowed their discomfort, choosing to remain silent.

    Gu Shan stepped aside, allowing Zhang Mei to step forward. She forced a smile onto her face as she addressed Mother Lin, ¡°After all, we are Gu Zi¡¯s adoptive parents. She has moved and we can¡¯t find her. We have no place to go if we want to see her.

    ¡°We just wanted to say that since she and Su Shen have moved back to the city, they are closer to us now. We can take care of them. We came here to know their address.¡±

    Mother Lin had a hunch about the couple¡¯s intentions, but she genuinely didn¡¯t know where Gu Zi had moved to in the city.

    Before Gu Zi left, she had left an address, but only Lin Cheng knew it. Mother Lin had planned to ask her son about it that night and then find time to visit her daughter. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi¡¯s adoptive parents to come asking for it.

    She felt a bit relieved that she didn¡¯t know the address, as she didn¡¯t really want to tell these two. Gu Zi was never too happy to see them. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know the address either. Our family hasn¡¯t been there yet.¡±

    Mother Lin¡¯s words were truthful, but upon hearing them, Gu Shan and his wife could no longer suppress their frustration.

    They regretted not having fostered a better relationship with Gu Zi. They had raised their daughter for over a decade, only for her to be taken away by the Lin family. Now, they couldn¡¯t even get her address. Who wouldn¡¯t be angry in their shoes?

    Zhang Mei¡¯s face instantly clouded over with displeasure. She angrily said, ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why Gu Zi has been distancing herself from us. Now I see, it¡¯s because you¡¯ve been whispering in her ear, telling her not to associate with us, right?

    ¡°We raised Gu Zi for over a decade. Just because of some minor issues, she plans to cut ties with us? That¡¯s unreasonable.¡±

    Gu Shan was also furious, and even more so, jealous. He saw how Mother Lin and Lin Cheng were surrounded by villagers, a stark contrast to their first encounter with the Lin family.

    The Lin family, once poor, had now risen, with the support of many villagers. In contrast, the Gu family had become the laughingstock of the city.

    Gu Shan felt as if his heart was being stabbed and twisted. He echoed his wife¡¯s sentiments, ¡°I never thought that the daughter we, the Gu family, carefully raised would treat us this way. Even if we are not her biological parents, we raised her for eighteen years, providing her with the best living and educational environment. Without us, there would be no her today!

    ¡°Even if she married Su Shen, without us arranging for her to marry Su Shen as Lin Miao¡¯s substitute, how could this good marriage have happened? You, the Lin family, wouldn¡¯t be enjoying this fortune now. People should have a conscience, Mrs. Lin. I think you should give us the address so that we can prevent from seeing each other in the future.¡±

    The couple was self-righteous, conveniently forgetting how they had treated Gu Zi unfairly to favor their own daughter, Lin Miao. Gu Zi, who had a bright future ahead of her, was forced to marry Lin Miao as a substitute because of their selfishness and favoritism. Now, they were twisting the narrative to make it seem like they had done her a favor.

    Mother Lin found their words laughable. But before she could respond, Aunt Zhou from the town stood up. She glared at the two city dwellers, her heart filled with complex emotions.

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    Firstly, during Mother Lin¡¯s conversation with her, Aunt Zhou had learned from the villagers about the couple¡¯s identity and their relationship with Gu Zi and the Lin family. She had also heard about the inhumane things these two city dwellers had done.

    Gu Zi was their daughter, whom they had raised for eighteen years. They disowned her on a whim, forcing a high school student from the city to marry a divorced man with three children in the countryside. Was this something a human would do?

    Aunt Zhou felt that even she couldn¡¯t be so heartless. For a moment, she was reminded of her own daughter, whom she had driven to death, and her heart ached as if it was being cut by a knife.

    Secondly, Aunt Zhou was a snobbish and showy person. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke city dwellers.

    Especially this couple, who were from the city¡¯s elite circle. But now, things were different. With the Su and Lin families backing her, she could afford to look down on the city dwellers. At the same time, she could please Mother Lin¡¯s family. Why wouldn¡¯t she seize this opportunity?

 Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Avoiding Us on Purpose

    Chapter 667: Avoiding Us on Purpose

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Aunt Zhou cast a disdainful glance at the couple, coming to Mother Lin¡¯s defense. ¡°Are you deaf or blind?¡± she retorted. ¡°Our dear Mrs. Lin has already said she doesn¡¯t know the address. Didn¡¯t you hear her?¡±

    She continued to berate them, her voice filled with contempt. ¡°You stand here, bullying and intimidating. It¡¯s disgraceful. In all my years, I¡¯ve never met people like you.¡±

    Her eyes narrowed, her finger jabbing in their direction. ¡°You, who refused to acknowledge Gu Zi, are now desperately seeking her. You lack integrity in your actions.¡±

    She scoffed, her voice rising in volume. ¡°Open your eyes and see. Who comes to someone¡¯s house empty-handed, yet still asks for the address of the girl they used to adopt? Mrs. Lin, even if you knew, you shouldn¡¯t tell them. I spit on such behavior!¡±

    Aunt Zhou¡¯s words came out in a rapid-fire tirade, leaving the couple¡¯s faces alternating between shades of red and white. Gu Shan was so angry he could barely speak, his finger shaking as he pointed at her. He was so infuriated he nearly fainted on the spot.

    Zhang Mei, supporting her husband, knew she couldn¡¯t outtalk the old woman. She was so angry smoke could have been coming out of her head. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far,¡± she protested. ¡°Don¡¯t think we won¡¯t find Gu Zi just because you won¡¯t tell us. When I see her, I¡¯ll have a word or two to say.¡±

    Having said her piece, Zhang Mei feared another verbal onslaught from Aunt Zhou. She quickly turned to leave with Gu Shan. Seeing them depart, Aunt Zhou burst into laughter, the others joining in. ¡°Good riddance,¡± they chorused. ¡°We don¡¯t welcome city folk like them in our small Lin Village. They should just stay away!¡±

    After a long drive, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s faces finally returned to their normal color. Zhang Mei voiced her concern. ¡°I think Gu Zi is deliberately avoiding us. We still want those two primary school slots from her for my brother¡¯s grandsons. This won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    Gu Shan lifted his chin slightly, his voice grave. ¡°What should we do? If we had known, we wouldn¡¯t have told my brother so soon. We¡¯ve already made our intentions known. My brother even gave me a valuable jade pendant, which I have no intention of returning. His grandsons are already preparing to drop out of school, waiting for those two slots. What if we can¡¯t get them?¡±

    He paused, then added, ¡°We raised her. Her proficiency in foreign languages, which led to her current job, is thanks to our tireless efforts to get her into that school.¡±

    ¡°No matter what,¡± he concluded, ¡°it¡¯s not unreasonable for her to give us a slot. Let¡¯s find her address first. I¡¯ll ask around when I get back.¡±

    Zhang Mei nodded, then suddenly remembered something. ¡°Have you been in contact with Gong Zhan recently? Gu Zi might still have feelings for him. When she returns to the city, she¡¯ll definitely look for him. Maybe Gong Zhan knows where she lives.¡±

    Gu Shan agreed, deciding to visit the Gong residence once they reached the city.

    Meanwhile, in the city, the streetlights in the Jifu New Village villa area had just turned on. A foreign car entered the area, heading straight for the C District on Fulun Road, and parked in front of the second villa.

    The driver was Uncle Yang, the Gong family¡¯s chauffeur. He turned to the back seat and said, ¡°Young Master, we¡¯ve arrived at Teacher Gao¡¯s house. Do you need help with the gifts?¡±

    Gong Zhan straightened up and rubbed his temples. His usually arrogant demeanor deepened. He had recently been promoted to deputy regimental commander in the army and was visiting his former superior at his father¡¯s behest.

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    Although Teacher Gao was now retired, his prestige in the military remained undiminished, and his influence in official circles was still significant. Gong Zhan felt it necessary to pay him a visit after his promotion. ¡°No need,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take them in myself. You wait in the car.¡±

    With that, he took the gifts and got out of the car. At the Gao residence, young Gao Ming was having dinner.

    He listlessly picked at his food, his mind filled with the delicious aroma of the food he had smelled at his neighbor¡¯s house at noon. Aunt Gu Zi¡¯s cooking must be really delicious!

    It was clear that Gao Ming was the only one still eating. The others had finished their dinner, and Grandma Gao was in the living room, eating dessert and watching TV.

    Seeing her grandson still hadn¡¯t finished his meal, she urged him on. ¡°How much longer are you going to dawdle? Hurry up and eat so you can wash up and go to bed. You have to get up early tomorrow. Don¡¯t think you can stop studying just because your parents aren¡¯t home.¡±

 Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Deputy Commander Gong

    Chapter 668: Deputy Commander Gong

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Young Gao Ming pouted, reluctantly taking a bite of his meal. ¡°It¡¯s all because the food is so tasteless,¡± he complained. ¡°I eat the same thing over and over again. Grandma, I want to go eat at Aunt Gu Zi¡¯s house. Her food smells so good, it must be delicious.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandma Gao realized that her grandson was still thinking about the food at Aunt Gu Zi¡¯s house. To be honest, she had also found the aroma of the food enticing at lunch, and she still remembered the delicious smell.

    However, she didn¡¯t want her grandson to see through her own thoughts. She stood up and sternly said, ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯re becoming more and more unruly. The cook works hard to prepare the food, and you¡¯re still picky. You deserve a spanking!¡±

    Seeing Grandma Gao¡¯s firm stance, Grandpa Gao, who had been quietly reading his newspaper in his armchair, decided to play the peacemaker. He casually chimed in, ¡°The food at our new neighbor¡¯s house is so tempting. That¡¯s a good thing. You should get along well with them. In the future, we can go over there for a meal. It¡¯s time for a change of taste. We can bring some gifts when we go¡­¡±

    Gao Ming looked triumphantly at his grandmother, hands on his hips. ¡°See, Grandma? Grandpa and I both need a change in our diet. Oh, and Grandpa, I made two new friends today. After I finish eating, I¡¯ll tell you about my big brother and second brother!¡±

    Grandpa Gao put down his newspaper, a curious look in his eyes. ¡°You just met them today, and they¡¯re already your big brother and second brother?¡±

    Grandma Gao saw that her husband and grandson were now chatting away. She thought her husband was being ridiculous and gave him a disapproving look. ¡°You old fool, I¡¯m trying to discipline our grandson. Are you trying to undermine me?¡±

    ¡°My dear, we agreed that in front of our grandson, you should¡­¡± Grandpa Gao was about to have a serious talk with his wife when the doorbell rang.

    Grandma Gao went to answer the door, leaving Grandpa Gao¡¯s words stuck in his throat. He frowned in annoyance.

    Soon, Grandma Gao¡¯s voice came from the door, filled with a deliberate and elegant politeness. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Xiao Gong. It¡¯s been a while. You look even more handsome. Come in!¡±

    Gong Zhan also greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Aunt Gao. I came to visit you and Uncle Gao today. I brought a small gift, just as a token of my respect.¡±

    Grandma Gao came in with the gift, followed by the tall and sturdy Gong Zhan. She went to put away the gift.

    Gong Zhan walked straight to Grandpa Gao and greeted him, ¡°Uncle Gao, I came to visit you today. I heard you¡¯ve been retired for a while. How have you been?¡±

    A smile appeared on Grandpa Gao¡¯s face. He invited Gong Zhan to sit on the sofa to his left. ¡°My old bones won¡¯t give out just yet. You can rest assured. But you, you look like you¡¯re in high spirits. Congratulations, Deputy Commander Gong. You¡¯re really promising for someone so young.¡±

    Gong Zhan was a bit surprised, but he quickly understood. Although Uncle Gao had retired, he still had disciples everywhere in the army. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he knew about his promotion.

    He adopted a calm and humble demeanor. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the guidance of my elders!¡±

    Grandpa Gao was delighted and laughed heartily. He was about to respond with some polite words when his grandson, who had run over to hug his leg, interrupted him.

    Gao Ming was pouting, clearly upset. He hadn¡¯t even started sharing his story when he was interrupted. ¡°Grandpa, you have to listen to me. My big brother and second brother from next door, their mom, Aunt Gu Zi, she¡¯s so beautiful.

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    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, and she cooks delicious food. She¡¯s also very talented. Today when I went to their house, I saw their living room. It was so cozy. My second brother told me that it was all decorated by his mom, my Aunt Gu Zi¡­¡±

    Grandpa Gao looked at his little grandson with loving eyes. He cooed, ¡°Is that so? It seems our little Ming likes our new neighbors a lot. Alright, alright, Grandpa will listen to you. It¡¯s good that your Uncle Gong is here too. We can all listen to your story.¡±

    Gao Ming was happy now. He began to vividly recount his visit to the neighbors¡¯ house. ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t our first meeting. But when I first met my second brother Su Li, we both wanted to become friends¡­¡±

    Grandma Gao brought out some fruit. Hearing her grandson chattering non-stop about the new neighbors, she felt helpless. She said to Gong Zhan, ¡°I¡¯m sorry you have to put up with this. You came to visit and now you have to entertain a child. Here, have some fruit.¡±

    Gong Zhan nodded his thanks. However, his mind was already in turmoil when he heard that name. His heart felt like a bottle of mixed flavors had been overturned. Gu Zi, the same name and surname. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence, could it?

 Chapter 669 - Chapter 669: She Never Gave Up

    Chapter 669: She Never Gave Up

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan pondered for a moment, finding it hard to believe that Gu Zi could possibly be a neighbor of the esteemed Gao family. He chalked it up to a mere coincidence of shared names.

    After a while, he heard Gao Ming speak. For the sake of convenience, the elder Gao led Gong Zhan to his study, where they had a lengthy discussion. After their conversation, Gong Zhan excused himself and left the Gao residence.

    As he approached his car, he was about to get in when he heard a familiar voice from behind him. ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re amazing. I love this goldfish pond¡­¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s hand froze in mid-air as he turned to look at the house next to the Gao¡¯s. A small road separated the two houses, with green plants lining both sides. Despite the distance, it wasn¡¯t far.

    Through the intricately carved iron gate, he could see the courtyard of the neighboring house, illuminated by colorful lights as bright as day.

    Being a military officer, Gong Zhan had excellent eyesight. He could easily make out a man and a woman leaning against each other. Without a doubt, it was Su Shen and Gu Zi, accompanied by three children. It was a heartwarming scene, yet it stung his eyes, making it hard to believe.

    Since Elder Gao lived here, it wasn¡¯t Gong Zhan¡¯s first visit. When he first came, the neighboring house was still under construction. Later, when the construction was completed, the house remained vacant for a long time, its interior empty.

    But now, Gu Zi and her husband had moved in. How did they manage to do that?

    Even the Gu family didn¡¯t have the qualifications to buy a house in this villa district. How did Gu Zi¡¯s husband, a butcher by trade, acquire the qualifications to buy a house here?

    Moreover, they didn¡¯t just move into any part of the district, but the old area where all the influential figures lived, right next to the Gao family.

    Thinking about this, Gong Zhan felt a surge of jealousy, but he quickly suppressed it. He, with his status, had no need to compare himself with a butcher. As for Gu Zi, Gong Zhan thought of a possibility, his heart stirred.

    Soon after, he frowned, finding it hard to understand Gu Zi. She had married Su Shen and acted as if she no longer cared about him. He had thought that Gu Zi had truly moved on.

    But now, it seemed that Gu Zi was using a strategy of retreat to advance. She had never given up on returning to his side, had she?

    Gu Zi had been infatuated with him since they were young, just like other women. He used to work under Elder Gao, and was considered his disciple.

    Gu Zi must have known about this relationship. So, after Lin Miao was imprisoned, Gu Zi found an opportunity to return to the city. She even managed to become neighbors with the Gao family, in an attempt to indirectly return to his side.

    This made sense. After all, how could Gu Zi, a proud and arrogant woman, be content with spending her life with an ordinary middle-aged man?

    It seemed that Gu Zi had put a lot of thought into returning to the city, and to his side.

    Gong Zhan watched from a distance as Gu Zi leaned against Su Shen. A mocking smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had overestimated Gu Zi. He had thought she had given up on him, but in the end, she was as cheap as ever. He, Gong Zhan, would never be interested in a woman with such a scheming mind.

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    The night was cold. Uncle Yang wanted to call Gong Zhan into the car, but when he saw the young master¡¯s cold demeanor and occasional mocking smile, he wisely kept his mouth shut. He retreated back into the car, shaking his head regretfully. Ever since Miss Gu got married, their young master had been like this, lost in thought and acting like a fool. How silly!

    If he had cared about Miss Gu earlier and married her without hesitation, would she have needed to marry into the countryside?

    The Gong family wouldn¡¯t have lost face, and Miss Gu wouldn¡¯t have ended up with someone else. Lin Miao, who was arrested on his wedding day, hadn¡¯t even officially entered the family yet.

    Lin Miao¡¯s scandal was a thorn in the Gong family¡¯s side, causing them great discomfort.

    Uncle Yang, being an old servant of the Gong family and having watched Gong Zhan and Gong Xin grow up, couldn¡¯t help but feel regret. If only Gu Zi had married Gong Zhan, how wonderful that would have been!

 Chapter 670 - Chapter 670: For My Gu Zi

    Chapter 670: For My Gu Zi

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Under the cloak of night, a man and woman hand in hand entered the house within the courtyard. It was only then that Gong Zhan came back to his senses. A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes as he turned and climbed into his car.

    Uncle Yang had no idea what kind of scenery had captivated the young master of his household for so long, but he didn¡¯t plan to inquire further. He started the car and drove away.

    Halfway through their journey, Uncle Yang abruptly halted the car. He called out to the figure outside, ¡°Miss, what are you doing out here? Hurry up and get in the car. Let¡¯s go home together.¡±

    Late into the night, Uncle Yang was surprised to see Miss Gong Xin still outside. Gong Xin, although grown up, was still the young lady of the Gong family. She had always adhered to a strict curfew since childhood, and it was rare to see her out so late.

    Without asking the young master in the back seat, Uncle Yang stopped the car and beckoned Gong Xin to get in. Upon hearing that it was his sister, Gong Zhan didn¡¯t say anything. He silently shifted inside the car, making room for her.

    The next moment, the car door swung open. Before Gong Xin could climb in, several large gift boxes were tossed into the car. Gong Zhan turned to her with a displeased expression, ¡°Not only are you wandering around late at night, but you¡¯re also spending money recklessly. When did you come into wealth?¡±

    Gong Xin climbed into the car, and Uncle Yang resumed driving. She looked at her elder brother, who was always lecturing her, and felt tired. She retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t spend the family¡¯s money. These are housewarming gifts for Gu Zi, bought with my own two months¡¯ salary. It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    Gong Xin had run into Jin Long today. From him, she learned about Gu Zi¡¯s recent activities, which surprised her at first, but then seemed reasonable.

    As Gu Zi¡¯s close friend, she didn¡¯t care how Gu Zi had managed to move into that neighborhood, nor did she care that Jin Long had run back and forth between the village and the city twice today. She immediately dragged Jin Long to the mall to pick out housewarming gifts for Gu Zi. Since they had entered the mall in the evening, she had returned late.

    What was even more unfortunate was that she had run into her brother, Gong Zhan, and was scolded by him. She was not pleased and naturally didn¡¯t want Gong Zhan to be happy either. She quickly changed the subject and continued smugly, ¡°By the way, Gu Zi has moved back to the city. Her man is quite capable, you know. He got her a place in Jifu New Village!¡±

    Gong Zhan snorted coldly, ¡°Who knows what kind of underhanded methods she used to move in there. You should think about it. Can a butcher afford a house in the old district of Jifu New Village?

    ¡°And even if she has moved, why are you telling me? I have no interest in knowing about her. Her self-degradation and roundabout retention have nothing to do with me.¡±

    Gong Xin was somewhat surprised, ¡°How do you know Gu Zi is in the old district? Brother, you wouldn¡¯t still be secretly paying attention to my good friend Gu Zi, would you? And I didn¡¯t say she had anything to do with you. You seem quite agitated every time she¡¯s mentioned, and you talk so much more.¡±

    Gong Zhan¡¯s face grew colder. He thought his foolish sister was truly unreasonable. Did he need to secretly pay attention to that woman, Gu Zi?

    It was clear that she still had designs on him! ¡°How could I possibly be secretly paying attention to her? Why don¡¯t you say that she¡¯s deliberately getting close to me? She¡¯s now living next to Teacher Gao¡¯s house. Why do you think that is?¡±

    Upon hearing Gong Zhan¡¯s words, not only was Gong Xin speechless, but so was Uncle Yang, who was driving the car. Uncle Yang finally understood.

    The young master Gong Zhan had stood there for so long, not to admire the scenery, but probably because he had seen Miss Gu Zi. Was it a coincidence that Miss Gu Zi¡¯s new home was next to the former leader¡¯s house? What a coincidence indeed.

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    However, Uncle Yang believed this was purely coincidental. Gu Zi was a child of good character and was not a fickle person.

    Now that she was someone else¡¯s wife, she couldn¡¯t possibly still be longing for her former lover, Gong Zhan. Uncle Yang believed she was a child who could let go.

    What made Uncle Yang frown, however, was that young master Gong Zhan clearly didn¡¯t think so. He was still stubbornly arguing with Miss Gong Xin. Uncle Yang felt helpless, but he knew that Miss Gong Xin was not a person to back down. Letting Miss Gong Xin argue with young master Gong Zhan was a way to treat the young master¡¯s narcissism. He certainly wouldn¡¯t interfere.

    Gong Xin thought her brother¡¯s thinking was outrageous. She retorted, ¡°You can¡¯t possibly think that Gu Zi hasn¡¯t let go of you, so she deliberately moved next to your former leader and mentor, Teacher Gao, can you?

    ¡°Brother, how can you convince yourself of such an outrageous idea and even express it?¡±

 Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: She Really Doesnâ€™t Love You

    Chapter 671: She Really Doesn¡¯t Love You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin looked at Gong Zhan with an expression that likened him to a fool, which infuriated him.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand Gu Zi,¡± he said, his voice filled with frustration. ¡°She¡¯s a cunning woman.¡±

    ¡°You may not have thought of it, but she certainly has. By getting close to my mentor, Master Gao, she¡¯s trying to worm her way back into my life. Do you really think a proud woman like Gu Zi would be content to spend her life with a pig butcher?¡±

    Gong Xin was taken aback, her mouth agape. She wanted to retort immediately, but felt powerless. Her brother¡¯s narcissism had clearly reached its peak. She spoke again, her tone somewhat pale, ¡°Brother, you might be underestimating Gu Zi¡¯s husband. I heard from Jin Long that he, like you, was a soldier. If he hadn¡¯t retired, his achievements in the army would probably not be inferior to yours.

    ¡°I think Gu Zi quite likes Su Shen. She doesn¡¯t look down on him as much as you think. Perhaps, this is just your own perception.

    ¡°As for Gu Zi, it¡¯s true that she used to be infatuated with you. But now, anyone with clear eyes can see that it¡¯s not the case anymore. Speaking of Master Gao, Gu Zi probably doesn¡¯t even know who your mentor is. Uncle Yang, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Uncle Yang had long agreed with Gong Xin¡¯s words. He applauded her in his heart. When Gong Xin asked him, he didn¡¯t hesitate to respond, ¡°Miss is right. Young Master, there¡¯s no need to think so ill of Miss Gu Zi. She¡¯s a good person.¡±

    Gong Zhan saw that both of them were defending Gu Zi, his gaze suddenly turned cold. ¡°Do you both think I¡¯m deluding myself?¡±

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t indulge her elder brother. ¡°You are deluding yourself. You¡¯re imagining that Gu Zi still has feelings for you. But brother, let me tell you the truth. Gu Zi returned to the city for work.

    ¡°She got a position at the Guangcheng Newspaper. It¡¯s very convenient for her to go from Jifu New Village to the Guangcheng Newspaper office. Maybe she lives there just for the convenience of work.

    ¡°Anyway, you should stop deceiving yourself and stop wronging Gu Zi. Your words are damaging to her reputation. If you want to divorce Lin Miao, I won¡¯t object.

    ¡°Lin Miao is indeed not worthy of being our Gong family¡¯s daughter-in-law. But you should forget about Gu Zi. She really doesn¡¯t love you anymore. Find someone else and forget her. Be obedient.¡±

    As Gong Xin spoke, she observed her brother¡¯s changing expressions. He looked puzzled, and Gong Xin understood. Gong Zhan really didn¡¯t know about Gu Zi¡¯s new job.

    He only knew that Gu Zi had returned to the city and started to assume that she still loved him. His heart began to stir again.

    As she continued speaking, Gong Xin felt a bit of pity. The man in front of her was, after all, her brother. His face turned noticeably ugly upon hearing the truth, unable to hide his feelings. Gong Xin thought that her brother probably regretted not holding onto Gu Zi, but his pride prevented him from admitting his regret.

    But whether he admitted it or not didn¡¯t matter. He and Gu Zi were destined to miss each other. He was destined to lose Gu Zi. Thinking about this, Gong Xin couldn¡¯t help but sigh, patting her elder brother¡¯s shoulder in a comforting manner.

    When the car arrived at the Gong family¡¯s gate, Gong Xin, carrying a few gift boxes, got out first. Gong Zhan, who had just learned the truth about Gu Zi¡¯s return to the city, seemed to be still in shock. He sat in the back seat of the car, not getting out for a long time. Uncle Yang, seeing his daze, didn¡¯t have the heart to rush him, silently keeping him company¡­

    As the night deepened, the moon hung high in the sky over Little Lin Village, its light illuminating the country roads.

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    Lin Cheng and his wife, Li Hua, got off the truck. After Lin Cheng locked the truck, they walked side by side into the red brick house. Nowadays, the pig farm¡¯s truck was driven by Lin Cheng. Naturally, when the truck wasn¡¯t needed for public use, it became the Lin family¡¯s vehicle.

    Now, whether Lin Cheng was picking up Li Hua from town or traveling around the village, having this truck made everything much more convenient. Sometimes, when the pig farm¡¯s employees needed to transport some personal goods, they would ask Lin Cheng for help. He was always willing to assist without putting on any airs.

    Therefore, no one at the pig farm objected to Lin Cheng driving the truck or having the right to use it.

    Even if Lin Cheng didn¡¯t work at the pig farm, considering that he was Gu Zi¡¯s brother, it would be reasonable for Su Shen to let him drive the truck. It wasn¡¯t up to outsiders to say anything.

    Mother Lin and her husband hadn¡¯t gone to bed yet. Seeing their son and daughter-in-law return, Mother Lin hurried to heat up the evening¡¯s meal. Lin Lao¡¯er, leaning against the wall, greeted them in the main room.

 Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: We Are Family

    Chapter 672: We Are Family

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Lin served the meal, intending to call her son and daughter-in-law to eat. However, Li Hua came over to help, only to be stopped by Mother Lin¡¯s stern voice. ¡°Go sit down, you¡¯ve been working all day. Go eat with Lin Cheng and rest early after.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er took a seat, looking at his son, Lin Cheng, and asked, ¡°Your mother told me you weren¡¯t planning to come back to the village today. It¡¯s late, and you¡¯ve been running around. You have to work at the pig farm tomorrow, and Li Hua has to open the shop. It¡¯s exhausting. Don¡¯t you know how to take care of yourself, let alone your wife?¡±

    The Lin family¡¯s father and son were known for spoiling their wives. How could Lin Cheng bear to trouble Li Hua? Moreover, they had been busy moving to the town recently. Their new house in town was being cleaned and decorated. Whenever Lin Cheng and Li Hua had free time, they would work on their new home.

    They had been resting in town for a while and rarely returned to the village. However, they came back tonight because Li Hua wanted to.

    After taking a big bite of his meal, Lin Cheng explained, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re blaming me unfairly. Li Hua said we had something to discuss, so we came back to sleep tonight and brought some things for you.¡±

    With his fair skin, Lin Cheng¡¯s explanation made him look somewhat wronged, which was quite charming. Li Hua watched him, her heart filled with joy, and prepared to take over the conversation to explain the situation to the family.

    Li Hua carefully took her handbag from behind her and opened it in her lap. She cherished this bag because it was the first expensive gift Lin Cheng had bought for her after he started working at the pig farm. It was even a branded item.

    She took out a red envelope from the bag, which turned out to be an invitation. She handed it to her mother-in-law and said, ¡°It¡¯s Gui Hua. She insisted that I bring the invitation back today to inform you that she and Lin Hun have set their wedding date. They will hold the wedding banquet in town.

    ¡°I have another one here for Gu Zi. Lin Cheng will have to make a trip to the city tomorrow.¡±

    Mother Lin took the invitation and put it away. Hearing that Lin Cheng was going to Gu Zi¡¯s place, she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re going to your sister¡¯s place tomorrow. I¡¯ll pack a couple of bottles of eggs from our hens tonight. You can take them with you tomorrow. Although the city has plenty of food, nothing beats the eggs from our free-range chickens.

    ¡°Ah Cheng, Xiao Hua, to be honest, I¡¯ve always been worried about your little sister. After all, we were the ones who lost her. I¡¯ve always wanted to make it up to her. Maternal love can sometimes be selfish. I don¡¯t care whether your little sister needs it or not, but I want to give. I hope you won¡¯t think I¡¯m playing favorites¡­¡±

    Mother Lin hadn¡¯t planned to say the last part, but she was afraid that her constant thoughts and concerns for Gu Zi would give her son and daughter-in-law the wrong idea, so she decided to speak her mind.

    She didn¡¯t neglect her son and daughter-in-law. It was just that she really wanted to keep Gu Zi in her thoughts. She and Gu Zi had been separated for over a decade. She really wanted to make up for it. Her daily care might not seem like much, but she had to do it.

    Upon hearing their mother¡¯s words, Lin Cheng and Li Hua felt uneasy. Lin Cheng, a bit tongue-tied, didn¡¯t know what to say and started to sweat.

    Li Hua was the one who responded, ¡°Mom, you love your daughter, and we love our little sister too. Of course, we won¡¯t think about unnecessary things. Besides, your care for me and Ah Cheng is evident in our daily lives. We can feel it.¡±

    Hearing Li Hua¡¯s words, Lin Cheng felt that she had expressed exactly what he wanted to say. He looked at her with admiration, thinking that she had become more eloquent since she started her business.

    He then wiped the sweat from his forehead and echoed Li Hua¡¯s words, ¡°Yes, Mom, you don¡¯t need to explain. We are a family. Even if our little sister gets married, she will always be part of our family.¡±

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    Mother Lin was pleased with her son and daughter-in-law¡¯s response. Indeed, blood ties couldn¡¯t be changed by anything. Gu Zi was their daughter. Even if Gu Zi got married, the Lin family would always be her home, and they would always be her family.

    Mother Lin continued to feel good. After Lin Cheng and the others had finished eating, she cleaned up the dining table and the kitchen, still feeling energetic.

    After returning to their room with Lin Lao¡¯er, she wanted to massage his legs. Lin Lao¡¯er found it absurd and firmly refused, ¡°I don¡¯t need a leg massage. You¡¯ve been working all day too. Rest early.¡±

    Mother Lin was quite domineering. She pulled his hand away, grabbed his leg with one hand, and started massaging with the other. ¡°What? You¡¯re allowed to massage my legs, but I can¡¯t massage yours?

    ¡°Do you remember? When we first got married, it was a village custom for the bride to wash the groom¡¯s feet on their wedding night. But you, you closed the door and washed my feet every night¡­¡±

 Chapter 673 - Chapter 673: A Matter of Honor

    Chapter 673: A Matter of Honor

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mother Lin spoke, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, as if she had been transported back to the time when she had just married Lin Lao¡¯er.

    Lin Lao¡¯er watched his wife, his own eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Yes, Yun,¡± he said, his voice choked with emotion. ¡°In the blink of an eye, I¡¯ve been washing your feet for decades. But I feel like I haven¡¯t done it enough.¡±

    As he spoke, Lin Lao¡¯er felt a pang of nostalgia mixed with unease. Ever since he had been injured, he hadn¡¯t been able to wash his wife¡¯s feet for several months. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t, but Mother Lin had insisted that he rest and recover, forbidding him from doing so.

    To him, this was not a cause for celebration. Having done this for decades, the sudden cessation left him feeling anxious and restless. He longed for a swift recovery so he could resume washing his wife¡¯s feet.

    Mother Lin rolled her eyes at him, her tone seemingly reproachful but laced with profound happiness. ¡°You¡¯re a grown man, and you think washing my feet is something to be proud of?¡±

    Without hesitation, Lin Lao¡¯er nodded. ¡°Yes, it is an honor. Being able to take care of my wife is something I find deeply honorable.¡±

    He never considered washing his wife¡¯s feet as something shameful. The reason he used to close the door when washing Mother Lin¡¯s feet was to protect her from the gossip and criticism of the villagers.

    They would say she was spoiled, that she was a bad influence. If it weren¡¯t for their narrow-mindedness, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to proudly declare his love for washing his wife¡¯s feet.

    A man is born of a woman, and a man washing a woman¡¯s feet is not a disgrace.

    This was a belief that set Lin Lao¡¯er apart from the other boys in the village since he was young. He knew his views differed from theirs, so he never voiced his true thoughts. But actions, he believed, were more important than words.

    Mother Lin, unable to argue with him, massaged his leg before pulling the blanket over him and climbing into bed, taking her usual spot on the outer side.

    She often got up during the night, so she always claimed the outer spot. Lin Lao¡¯er, of course, never contested this. She instructed him, ¡°We can talk about this in our room, but don¡¯t let the younger generation hear about it. It would be embarrassing.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er, his hand cushioning his head, coughed lightly and mumbled in response, ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? But fine, I won¡¯t mention it anymore¡­¡±

    Mother Lin found his response odd, but she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint why.

    Meanwhile, in the city, the master bedroom of the villa at No. 1 Fulin Road was still lit. Through the silhouette cast by the curtains, one could see a woman sitting rigidly in a chair, and a man kneeling before her, his posture as straight as a pine tree. To the uninformed, it might look like a marriage proposal, but in reality, the man was washing the woman¡¯s feet.

    Inside the room, Gu Zi sat in her classic pajamas, her long hair cascading down her back. She sat on a wooden chair, her eyes slightly downcast, her hands resting awkwardly on her thighs, her gaze filled with confusion and discomfort.

    She couldn¡¯t understand what had gotten into Su Shen tonight. He had suddenly insisted on washing her feet. Despite her protests, she had inexplicably allowed him to do so.

    The older man¡¯s hands were thick and large, cradling one of her feet. He scooped up water, letting it flow over her foot. The warm, wet sensation made her heart flutter, causing her voice to soften when she spoke. ¡°Su Shen, is today a special day?¡±

    Su Shen looked up at her, his eyes filled with deep affection, but his hands never stopped their task. ¡°No, washing your feet is a promise I made to your father.

    ¡°Do you remember the first time we went to see your parents? During my private conversation with your father, he made a special request. He hoped that after our marriage, I could wash your feet, just like he has been doing for your mother.

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    ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it at the time because I didn¡¯t want to startle you. But now, I think it¡¯s time. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t wash your feet that night. It probably would have scared you.¡±

    After all, it seemed that the young woman was quite frightened now. Su Shen continued to speak, all the while observing her adorable reactions with interest.

    Her cheeks flushed, her eyelashes fluttered, and she seemed incredulous. ¡°Are you saying that my father has been washing my mother¡¯s feet? I never would have guessed. My father is quite the romantic.¡±

    Su Shen carefully dried her foot with a towel before picking up her other foot. ¡°So, I want to learn from your father. Washing your feet is a small matter. You don¡¯t need to overthink it. Just enjoy it.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s feet rested on her slippers, but her gaze never left the older man. Unbeknownst to her, the corners of her mouth had been curved in a smile for quite some time.

 Chapter 674 - Chapter 674: I Want to Kiss You

    Chapter 674: I Want to Kiss You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In her eyes, all she could see was this man, and the same was true in her mind. He had knelt on one knee to wash her feet, saying it was a small matter. Yet, he had no idea of the ripples it stirred within her¡­

    Suddenly, two loud bangs echoed from outside, pulling Gu Zi back to reality. She was so startled that she nearly fell back into her chair after standing up.

    Fortunately, the man was quick to react, catching her and leading her towards the balcony of the bedroom. The noise from outside continued as they stepped onto the balcony, looking up at the shimmering sky above.

    Two or three massive fireworks exploded in the sky, predominantly red, supplemented with gold and other colors. The red was clear and bright, radiating joy and warmth. The gold was dazzling, like a bounty of harvested grain tossed into the sky, a tribute to nature¡¯s nurturing and gifts. The light from the fireworks spread out, illuminating the night sky and their smiling faces.

    Gu Zi instinctively reached out, wanting to catch the dazzling display, even though she knew that after the brilliance, all colors would eventually fade into the night sky. She was somewhat dazed, reaching out towards the fireworks.

    ¡°The fireworks of this era are so colorful, so beautiful,¡± she mused. ¡°Year after year, what we perceive as a long time may just be a very short period, as fleeting as the appearance of fireworks. Compared to many years later, there¡¯s not much difference.¡±

    Su Shen had been captivated by the light reflecting on her beautiful face. Her words, however, left him puzzled. ¡°Many years later? How do you know the fireworks will still be the same?¡± he asked.

    Gu Zi snapped back to reality, realizing she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have. She quickly explained, ¡°I read in a book that fireworks have been around for many years. According to the descriptions in the book, the fireworks from back then are quite similar to what we see now. Perhaps from our time onwards, for many years to come, the fireworks will remain as dazzling and beautiful.¡±

    As she spoke, she observed the man, relieved to see the confusion in his eyes dissipate. She had been too emotional earlier, almost letting slip her thoughts about the fleeting nature of time. Thankfully, it seemed Su Shen wouldn¡¯t dwell on it.

    ¡°Do you like watching fireworks?¡± Su Shen asked with interest.

    The New Year had already passed, and he hadn¡¯t expected people in the city to still be setting off fireworks. It seemed the city was livelier. Seeing that Gu Zi also enjoyed fireworks and the convenience of city life, he felt moving to the city had been the right decision.

    Gu Zi glanced at the night sky, just as two more fireworks burst, almost filling the sky in front of her. She withdrew her gaze and said with a knowing tone, ¡°I enjoy watching them, but I don¡¯t need to set them off myself. They¡¯re too loud and startling. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡±

    Su Shen found her hurried explanation endearing. Suddenly, in a deep voice, he said, ¡°Ah Zi, I¡¯m not thinking about anything else right now. I just think that the light from the fireworks, reflecting on your face, makes you look exceptionally beautiful. I want to kiss you.¡±

    His voice was filled with a unique tenderness and a fervent desire for her. The warmth struck her heart, and she wanted to throw herself into his arms. There was no need for verbal responses; she wanted to show him through her actions that she wanted to kiss him too.

    And so she did, throwing herself into his arms, pulling at his collar, inviting him to lean in and kiss her. Gu Zi quickly found herself melting under his kiss, her trust in the man before her deepening. She wholeheartedly accepted his kiss and embrace, her eyes half-closed in the illuminating light, looking alluring.

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    Su Shen felt her lips were like flowers soaked in nectar, full and inviting. The air was filled with her sweet scent. An adult¡¯s kiss was a deep entanglement after a mutual understanding of hearts, and he wanted to delve deeper with her.

    The night grew darker, and the fireworks outside had ended. Gu Zi didn¡¯t know when she had been carried back inside.

    Su Shen had kindly left her in a thin undergarment that barely covered her breasts and underwear. She liked wearing thin clothes, but the downside was that once the outer clothes were removed, her breasts were quite prominent, and even the shape of her lower body was quite apparent.

    This meant that her body was now fully exposed to the man¡¯s gaze. Thinking about this, she subconsciously tightened her thighs, her face flushing with embarrassment. Her beautiful face showed a hint of shyness, making her look like an innocent girl.

    Looking at her, Su Shen felt a warm current flowing in his heart. He couldn¡¯t help but comfort her, ¡°Good girl, I¡¯ve seen it all. Relax.¡±

 Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Stay and Play

    Chapter 675: Stay and Play

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Tonight was special. It was their first intimate session since moving into their new home. Su Shen, filled with a beautiful anticipation, reached towards her legs, easily parting the thin fabric. He skillfully found her center, starting to tease her there. Her body began to breathe, his fingers quickly coated in a sticky layer.

    Gu Zi quickly gave up resistance, her legs spread wide. The entrance between her legs was like the entrance to a bottomless pit, opening and closing without restraint, seemingly beckoning to the man. She needed him to fill this void.

    Su Shen passionately kissed her, as if wanting to lick away all the juices from her mouth. She was hot and thirsty, needing his comfort from top to bottom. She moaned softly, but it was unclear what she was saying.

    But Su Shen didn¡¯t need to hear clearly. He was on the edge of her extreme need, and from behind her, he inserted his hardness. Gu Zi was stimulated into a shudder, her back involuntarily arching, feeling as if she was floating in the clouds.

    He kissed her forehead in satisfaction, feeling her slight weakness, her barely holding on. He reached out and guided her, his manhood standing tall beneath him, striking inside her with careful strength. His sensual voice echoed in her ear, ¡°Ah Zi, the night is still long¡­¡±

    The next morning, Gu Zi was awakened by a knock on the door. It was Su Li¡¯s voice, ¡°Mom, our new friend is here. He brought us vegetable dumplings made by his grandma. We should eat them while they¡¯re hot.¡±

    Gu Zi was dazed, then reacted. She got up, quickly washed up, and went downstairs. After hugging the little girl, she stood up and saw the little neighbor who had visited with his grandmother yesterday. Gao Ming was a small child, his face fair, dressed neatly and warmly, his clothing style even more fashionable than her own children.

    Seeing Gu Zi come down, he took the initiative to greet her, ¡°Good morning, Aunt Gu Zi! My grandmother asked me to bring some dumplings for you to try. Please taste them and see if you like them.¡±

    Su Li also came to greet Gu Zi. Gu Zi followed the two children into the dining room. Su Bing had just finished dividing the vegetable dumplings. Gu Zi saw that the dumplings on the plate were green, purple, and blue, very colorful.

    As a seasoned foodie, Gu Zi quickly realized that the so-called vegetable dumplings were made by coloring the dough with different vegetable juices, then using it to make dumpling wrappers. This way, you could get beautifully colored dumplings.

    For Gu Zi, who was a great cook, this was nothing new. But waking up early in the morning to see hot, colorful dumplings brought by a neighbor made her feel a wave of happiness. She sat down and took a bite. It was a chive and meat filling. Because of this friendship, the dumplings tasted quite fragrant.

    She took another bite of the fried rice next to her, guessing it was probably made by Su Shen before he left. Su Bing had obviously reheated it. The texture wasn¡¯t as delicate as it could be, but it was very fragrant, with less oil and the right amount of salt. It seemed he remembered that she liked her fried rice with less oil and light salt.

    Gu Zi felt even more pleased. She said to Gao Ming, ¡°Thank you for bringing the dumplings for us to eat. They¡¯re delicious. Do you have anything to do? Stay and play at my house for a while. Later, I¡¯ll pack some snacks so you can take them home with you. How does that sound?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gao Ming was thrilled. Wasn¡¯t this an excuse for him to stay and play? Fantastic!

    However, he maintained a calm exterior, responding enthusiastically, ¡°Sure, sure. You guys have breakfast. I¡¯ll play with my new sister first. What brand of milk powder does your sister drink? I¡¯ll help her make it!¡±

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    Gao Ming then walked towards little Su Le, who was playing by herself. Su Bing noticed and, not trusting a child to take care of a child, quickly ate two dumplings and followed, ¡°Do you know where our milk powder is? Can you make it?¡±

    Kneeling in front of Su Le and playing with her, Gao Ming turned around, his face innocently responding, ¡°I don¡¯t know how. Sister, this doll isn¡¯t played with like this. You can¡¯t pull its hair.¡±

    Su Bing picked up the milk bottle and began to clean and mix the milk powder, sounding rather helpless, ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to make it, why did you say you would?¡±

    Gao Ming was seriously teaching Su Le how to play with the toy, not turning around, his tone still light, ¡°I thought I would. I should be able to learn.¡±

    Su Bing poured the hot water, mixed the milk powder, and didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. He was as speechless as Su Li. But just as he put the lid on the bottle, he heard Gao Ming¡¯s enthusiastic affirmation, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re so good. You even know how to make milk powder, and you¡¯re so skilled. Big brother, you¡¯re definitely going to be a super dad in the future!¡±

 Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Unfortunately, Youâ€™re Married

    Chapter 676: Unfortunately, You¡¯re Married

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing walked over, handing the milk bottle to Su Le. Su Le, with a cheerful tilt of her head, began to drink, paying no mind to the people around her. She was oblivious to the cold glance hrt brother, Su Bing, shot at Gao Ming. This coldness, however, was less of cruelty and more of helplessness. ¡°Watch my sister for a moment,¡± he instructed, ¡°I¡¯ll be back once I finish these dumplings.¡±

    Su Bing moved to Gu Zi¡¯s side, devouring the dumplings with gusto. He was eager to finish eating so he could get back to his duties, a display of his sense of responsibility.

    Gu Zi had found the earlier interaction between Gao Ming and the child amusing, but now she felt a pang of sympathy for Su Bing. He was eating so quickly, not for his own enjoyment, but to help her watch over Su Le.

    Gu Zi took two dumplings from her own bowl and offered them to Su Bing. Meeting his puzzled gaze, she said, ¡°Have a couple more.¡±

    Although Su Bing had already had breakfast with his father, he didn¡¯t refuse his mother¡¯s offer. He obediently ate the dumplings.

    After breakfast, Gu Zi took out some pastries she had prepared earlier from the refrigerator. She assembled them into a mixed pastry box and, calling Gao Ming over, they went together to deliver the pastries to the Gao family.

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, a genuine joy spread across the face of Old Lady Gao. She welcomed Gu Zi into her home, insisting that she stay for a while, and quickly instructed the housemaid to prepare tea.

    Gu Zi had initially intended to decline the invitation. She had only planned to drop off the pastries and hadn¡¯t expected to be invited in. Besides, she had left her children at home. However, she couldn¡¯t refuse Old Lady Gao¡¯s overwhelming hospitality and reluctantly agreed to stay for a while.

    She accepted the cup of clear tea that Old Lady Gao handed her, took a sip, and then handed over the box of pastries. ¡°Grandma Gao,¡± she said, ¡°the dumplings were delicious. We finished them all. I thought I¡¯d bring over some of our spare pastries. We usually have them in the afternoon with some black tea. The children at home love them, and I thought Gao Ming might enjoy them too.

    ¡°The bottom layer needs to be steamed or fried before eating, but the top layer can be eaten as is. You can try them later.¡±

    Old Lady Gao accepted the box and handed it to the housemaid. Through the transparent lid, she could see the variety of delicate pastries inside. Her grandson, Gao Ming, a notorious foodie, had already been enticed by the sight of the pastries and couldn¡¯t wait to follow the box.

    She turned her gaze back to Gu Zi, admiring her beautiful and elegant face. Her high, arched eyebrows made her look even more amiable. ¡°You¡¯re truly beautiful,¡± she said, ¡°Your eyes are lively, and you have an air of sophistication about you. Gu Zi, you¡¯re a rare beauty. Not only are you stunning, but your culinary skills are also impressive. You can make so many different kinds of pastries. It¡¯s such a pity.¡±

    Gu Zi was aware of her own beauty, but it was rare for someone to compliment her so directly. Old Lady Gao reminded her of Aunt Zhang, both of them straightforward in their manner. However, she found the latter part of Old Lady Gao¡¯s comment puzzling. She asked with a smile, ¡°What do you find regrettable?¡±

    Old Lady Gao didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re married,¡± she said. ¡°Otherwise, I would have introduced you to a promising young man. But then again, a girl like you would undoubtedly be in high demand. There¡¯s no way you would have waited for me to introduce you to someone.¡±

    As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Gong Zhan, who had visited her home the day before. Gong Zhan came from a good family, had a successful career, and was handsome. If he and Gu Zi were to become a couple, they would be a perfect match. Alas, Gu Zi was already married.

    Speaking of Gong Zhan, Old Lady Gao felt a sense of regret.

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    She had heard from her husband that Gong Zhan¡¯s love life had been rather unfortunate. He had once been engaged to a very accomplished woman who was well-suited to him. However, for some reason, his fianc¨¦e had left him. Then, on his wedding day, his bride was arrested, causing quite a scandal.

    Her husband believed that Gong Zhan and the arrested woman had only held a wedding ceremony and hadn¡¯t officially registered their marriage. Therefore, he had suggested that she keep an eye out for suitable girls to introduce to Gong Zhan.

    So, she had kept this in mind. Of all the girls she had met, she had taken a liking to their young new neighbor. However, the girl was already married, which was indeed regrettable.

    Upon hearing Old Lady Gao¡¯s explanation, Gu Zi realized that she had intended to introduce her to a potential boyfriend. She couldn¡¯t help but think of her own husband and said, ¡°Old Lady Gao, these things really do depend on fate. My fate is already by my side. You haven¡¯t met my husband yet. He¡¯s a wonderful man, and I¡¯m very satisfied with him.¡±

    Old Lady Gao laughed and said, ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re very happy. Girl, happiness can¡¯t be faked. As long as you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters. Don¡¯t take what I said to heart. I was just expressing my feelings.¡±

 Chapter 677 - Chapter 677: Very Shocked

    Chapter 677: Very Shocked

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the midst of a lively conversation, Gu Zi and Aunt Gao were interrupted by the bustling arrival of the young Gao Ming. He dashed towards them, nearly colliding with the corner of the table, but fearlessly continued on his mission. With an excited tone, he thrust something into his grandmother¡¯s hands, ¡°Grandma, grandma, you must try this cold dessert, it¡¯s absolutely delicious!¡±

    Aunt Gao was about to reprimand her grandson for his lack of decorum, but the sight of the chilled treat held at her lips gave her pause. A faint aroma of coconut and milk wafted from it, and she found herself unable to resist taking a bite, momentarily forgetting her intention to scold the boy.

    The dessert was round and glutinous, coated in white coconut shavings. She had expected it to be overly sweet, and had already prepared a cup of tea to balance the sweetness. After all, a dessert¡¯s flavor could be greatly diminished without a proper counterbalance.

    To her surprise, the dessert was soft and chewy, with a refreshing taste. The filling was made of purple yam, and after a few chews, the rich sweetness of the yam filled her mouth, bringing a burst of pleasure to her taste buds. She swallowed, and the lingering fragrance made her put down her tea cup. This dessert didn¡¯t need any tea to balance its flavor at all.

    Young Gao Ming watched his grandmother¡¯s enraptured expression with satisfaction. ¡°Grandma, I told you, Aunt Gu Zi¡¯s desserts are incredibly delicious!¡±

    Aunt Gao nodded in agreement, unable to stop praising the dessert. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled north and south with your grandfather, and I thought I had tasted everything. But today, your little dessert has amazed my taste buds. What do you call this? You¡¯re such a talented child.¡±

    Gu Zi, accustomed to being praised for her culinary skills, smiled and replied, ¡°This is a purple yam glutinous rice dumpling. I¡¯ve made several fillings, including pumpkin, black sesame, and peanut. They¡¯re all in the dessert box. If you like them, I can make more and bring them over next time.¡±

    Aunt Gao, of course, did not refuse. The matter was happily settled, and Gu Zi was pulled into another conversation by Aunt Gao. They talked about the three children at home, and only then was Gu Zi able to leave the Gao residence. As she was about to enter the main gate, she saw Su Shen returning, followed by Lin Cheng.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen brought Lin Cheng inside, and only then did Gu Zi understand what was going on. It turned out that Su Shen had been busy with the slaughterhouse in the city for the past few days and hadn¡¯t been to the pig farm in the village. Lin Cheng had something to discuss, so he had taken leave from Jin Long and come over. The truck was needed at the pig farm, so he had taken the bus into the city.

    The residential area had a strict registration system for strangers, and Lin Cheng, unfamiliar and carrying several bags, was stopped by the security guard at the entrance and almost couldn¡¯t get in.

    Fortunately, Su Shen had finished his work and met Lin Cheng outside the residential area, bringing him in. Lin Cheng had brought two large bottles of eggs from his home, as well as some fresh vegetables.

    However, his main purpose for this trip was to deliver wedding invitations on behalf of Lin Hun. Lin Hun and Gui Hua were getting married!

    Gu Zi accepted the invitation and made a cup of tea for Lin Cheng. ¡°Brother, you can have lunch at our place today and then go back. Su Shen said he would take you.¡±

    Lin Cheng nodded woodenly. At this moment, he was still in shock.

    Could he not be shocked? Looking at the address, he didn¡¯t know that his sister and brother-in-law¡¯s new house in the city was a standalone villa with a front and back yard. And judging by the scale of the residential area, it was not ordinary; not just anyone could live there.

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    When he entered, he even encountered patrolling soldiers, not security guards, but a team of soldiers. He was almost scared out of his wits.

    Gu Zi knew what Lin Cheng was thinking. After all, even she was surprised when she first saw the house. She let Su Shen accompany Lin Cheng while she went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

    During lunch, Lin Cheng finally recovered and mentioned to Gu Zi, ¡°The Gu couple came to the village looking for you. They already know that you¡¯ve moved back to the city. They even came to our house asking for your address. But mom didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t plan to tell them. However, we think that if they want to know your address, it probably won¡¯t be difficult for them.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The Gu couple again, hadn¡¯t they had enough? But Lin Cheng was right. The Gu family was probably asking around for her address, and they might have already found it.

    She couldn¡¯t hide forever. She had to think of a way to deal with it. After all, who knew what kind of stunt the couple would pull when they arrived.

 Chapter 678 - Chapter 678: They Quarreled Again Today

    Chapter 678: They Quarreled Again Today

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Today, they had another argument. Gu Zi took this matter to heart. She served Lin Cheng, her brother from her maternal home, with great care, ensuring he enjoyed his first lunch in their new home. After lunch, Lin Cheng excused himself as he had to return to work at the pig farm in the afternoon.

    Su Shen offered to drive him, as he also needed to visit the village and check on the pig farm, extending his regards to the old employees.

    After Su Shen had left with Lin Cheng, Gu Zi began to tidy up the dining room and kitchen. Su Bing offered to help, but she refused him, reminding him, ¡°School is about to start, and you need to prepare for the entrance exam. Be a good boy, take your younger brother, and go upstairs to study in the study room.¡±

    Su Bing¡¯s confidence had grown considerably, and although he was not one to flaunt his abilities, he genuinely wanted to help his mother and couldn¡¯t bear to see her tired.

    He said to Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, the targeted training you¡¯ve given my brother and me these past few days has been very effective. Your lectures are excellent, and the questions you set are challenging. I¡¯m confident about the entrance exam now. Let me help you finish up here before I go back to revising.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li silently turned off the television that was playing cartoons, stood up, and prepared to join his brother upstairs to study.

    He dared not utter the words his brother had just spoken. The targeted training their mother had been giving them recently was too difficult. Many times, he was still confused after completing the exercises. How could he leisurely watch television under such circumstances?

    Gu Zi knew that Su Bing was concerned about her and wanted to help with the chores. However, priorities must be set. The most crucial thing at the moment was the upcoming entrance exam for the two brothers. Although Gu Zi was mentally prepared that they might not catch up with their peers in a short time, she still hoped they would prepare well and give it their all.

    Seeing Su Li¡¯s reaction, Gu Zi changed her approach and told Su Bing to go revise, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t need to study intensively, think about your younger brother. You could help him with his exercises. Don¡¯t just stand here, go upstairs.¡±

    In the end, Su Bing was sent away. When he was upstairs explaining the exercises to his younger brother, his attitude was rather cold and somewhat disdainful, at least that¡¯s how Su Li felt.

    This led to Su Li complaining and wanting to tattle. Su Bing stopped him, his tone leaving no room for argument, ¡°Even if studying doesn¡¯t make a big difference for you now, I won¡¯t allow you to bother mom. Sit.¡±

    Su Li pouted and reluctantly sat back down, secretly regretting his actions. He gritted his teeth and continued studying. Su Bing was not the same as before; he now prioritized their mother over his younger brother¡­

    As the start of the school year approached, the Gu family was in turmoil. The couple was constantly arguing, and the reason was simple. Due to Lin Miao¡¯s situation, the Gu family had spent all their savings and borrowed a lot of money, leaving their financial situation very grim.

    The Gu household was always filled with tension. The couple maintained a facade in front of others, never arguing, but as soon as they were alone, they would often start fighting over trivial matters, leaving them without peace for a long time.

    They had another argument today, mainly over the two school admission slots. Gu Zi had moved, and they wanted to ask her for the slots, but they didn¡¯t even know her address.

    That day, Gu Shan returned from Little Lin Village and went straight to Gong Zhan¡¯s house. Mrs. Chen was not in a good mood and only said that Gong Zhan was not at home, without mentioning where he had gone. Gu Shan also went to Gong Zhan¡¯s office, but was told that Gong Zhan was out on business.

    He thought that perhaps because of Lin Miao¡¯s situation, Gong Zhan was not very willing to see them, so he was avoiding them. Anyway, he couldn¡¯t wait to get the address from Gong Zhan, so he had no choice but to ask around for Gu Zi¡¯s address, but he couldn¡¯t find it.

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    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother¡¯s family was getting impatient. School was about to start, and his two grandsons had withdrawn from their original primary school, waiting to use the two slots at the foreign language primary school.

    But how could they know that the Gu family hadn¡¯t even found Gu Zi¡¯s new address yet, let alone ask her for the two slots? Their plan was likely to fall through.

    Zhang Mei looked at the jade piece in her hand, extremely anxious. She didn¡¯t want to return this valuable item to her brother at all; she had to get those slots.

    Every day, she urged Gu Shan to find Gu Zi¡¯s address. Gu Shan was initially proactive, but after failing to find the address and being constantly nagged, he grew resentful.

    Moreover, the slots were for Zhang Mei¡¯s relatives, and Gu Shan was not particularly willing to give them away. After all, if he could give these slots to the children of his superiors, his future would be truly limitless. This back and forth led to another argument today, with both parties refusing to back down.

 Chapter 679 - Chapter 679: Slamming the Door and Leaving

    Chapter 679: Slamming the Door and Leaving

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    On this day of rest, the married couple found themselves in a cycle of argument and respite. As soon as one bout of bickering ended, another would begin. At this moment, Zhang Mei started up again, her voice filled with bitter resentment. ¡°It¡¯s laughable, really. What can your leader offer you besides a promise of promotion? Is there any substance to his words?¡±

    She continued, her words laced with sarcasm. ¡°You¡¯re a public servant, a minor official, yet any rural businessman that Gu Zi marries would be more capable and wealthier than you. They live in villas in the village and now they¡¯ve even brought Gu Zi back to the city. Just wait and see, our family will become the laughingstock of the town.¡±

    Zhang Mei understood her husband¡¯s resentment. He was upset that the position had been given to her relatives, and it was eating him up inside.

    This realization only served to fuel Zhang Mei¡¯s frustration. She had been married to Gu Shan for many years and had even borne him a daughter. She had worked hard and suffered much, yet he still cared about whether their daughter carried his surname or hers. It was truly outrageous!

    Gu Shan¡¯s temper flared at her complaints. He retorted coldly, ¡°Your views are typical of a narrow-minded woman. The leader¡¯s promise is a glimpse of the future, a beacon of hope. What do you know?¡±

    He then turned his ire towards her relatives, especially her elder brother. ¡°What kind of man is he? I remember how eager he was to distance himself when Lin Miao got into trouble. It¡¯s been months, and he hasn¡¯t shown any concern for you. He avoided our house during the New Year¡¯s visit, but now that there¡¯s a benefit, he¡¯s eager to claim it. What kind of elder brother is that?¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s anger grew as he spoke. He had indeed admired the progress Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother had made and thought he could be of help.

    But on second thought, such opportunistic relatives would surely abandon him at the first sign of trouble. He couldn¡¯t rely on them. It would be better to use the two positions to curry favor with his leader.

    After the incident with Lin Miao, he had seen the true colors of Zhang Mei¡¯s family. They were fair-weather relatives, quick to abandon him in times of trouble. They would even kick him when he was down.

    He regretted ever agreeing to help Zhang Mei¡¯s family when they first got married. He had never refused them, and this was the result.

    Upon hearing Gu Shan criticize her family, Zhang Mei began to berate his relatives. ¡°At least my family has some hope. Unlike yours, your relatives are not only incompetent but also kick a man when he¡¯s down. Just go back to your village and listen to the gossip.

    ¡°Any relative of yours who could lend money only did so in hopes of gaining more in return. When Lin Miao¡¯s incident happened, they came to the courtyard demanding repayment. You lost face because of your poor relatives during the New Year. And you dare to criticize my family?

    ¡°My family may not have helped, but at least they didn¡¯t add to the chaos. That¡¯s enough. You really thought I wouldn¡¯t say anything, didn¡¯t you?¡±

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    Zhang Mei¡¯s words came out like rapid-fire, leaving Gu Shan no chance to retort. His face turned ashen with anger, and he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

    Gu Shan found a quiet spot to smoke for a while before renting a car and heading out of the city. Despite their argument, he still had to make a trip to Little Lin Village to find out Gu Zi¡¯s address.

    However, not far from the city, Gu Shan noticed a woman sitting by the roadside. She appeared to be in her late twenties, with a full figure and a lonely silhouette. She seemed to be resting after a long walk. He instinctively stopped the car. The woman heard the car and slowly stood up, casting a glance at the vehicle.

    Gu Shan approached the woman and took a moment to observe her. She was dressed modestly in a cotton jacket, black pants, and cotton shoes. Her long hair fell over one shoulder, cascading down her ample chest. He couldn¡¯t help but take a second look before asking, ¡°Miss, why are you alone here? Has something happened?¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes were red, as if she had been crying. Her longing gaze at the car quickly masked her sorrow. She replied, ¡°I¡¯m a pitiful woman. My fianc¨¦ has thrown me out. He doesn¡¯t want me anymore. I have no money and can only walk home. But my home is in Daqing Village, a long way from here. Sir, could you please give me a lift?¡±

 Chapter 680 - Chapter 680: Todayâ€™s Kindness

    Chapter 680: Today¡¯s Kindness

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing that the woman hailed from Daqing Village, Gu Shan was relieved. His destination, Little Lin Village, was just beyond Daqing. He found it hard to refuse the plea of such a young woman, especially given her pitiful state. She had just been cast out by her fianc¨¦, her eyes red from crying.

    Gu Shan looked at her, alone and helpless on the broken road outside the city. What if she encountered danger? If he didn¡¯t assist her, if he didn¡¯t offer her a ride home, could he still call himself a man?

    He couldn¡¯t help but feel fortunate that Zhang Mei, a woman who always seemed to be in the way, was not present. With a gentlemanly air, he invited the young woman into his car. As she expressed her gratitude, bowing and thanking him profusely, Gu Shan¡¯s vanity was greatly satisfied. He felt like a hero. If he hadn¡¯t appeared today, what would have become of this girl?

    What he didn¡¯t know was that while the woman appeared pitiful, her mind was far from it. The moment she saw his car earlier, she had begun to calculate.

    Although she had indeed been cast out by her fianc¨¦, Chang Sheng, and had truly cried, she knew she had to find a way out for herself. As she rested by the road, pondering her future, she hadn¡¯t expected a solution to present itself so readily.

    She observed that the man was well-dressed. His shoes were a bit worn, but they seemed to be a brand-name pair, something the villagers could hardly afford with a year¡¯s income. He had come from the city, driving a small car, clearly a man of status. He was older, perhaps even older than Chang Sheng, but that didn¡¯t matter.

    She was looking for a man who could provide her with a stable life. She believed this man was of higher status than Chang Sheng. Previously, because of a dispute over a braised pork recipe, she had been tricked by Su Jing, leading to a significant setback. Chang Sheng had called her a jinx, unfit to marry. Despite her pleas, Chang Sheng and his mother refused to let her back into their home.

    This time, she had come with hope, intending to plead with them one last time. If they still refused, she would find another way. However, the shameless mother and son not only drove her out but also demanded half of the red envelope money they had given her over the years. The ten yuan she had brought with her was gone in an instant. She was angry, resentful, and helpless. Without money for a ride, she had no choice but to walk back to the village.

    But now, an opportunity had presented itself. A high-quality man was right in front of her, and she knew she had to seize it. She noticed that the man seemed to have a soft spot for weak and pitiful women. So, not long after getting in the car, she seized the opportunity to introduce herself.

    In a soft and pitiful tone, she said, ¡°Sir, you are a good man. Judging by your attire, you must come from a wealthy family. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you today. In the future, if there¡¯s a need, I will definitely repay your kindness. My name is Li Li, from Daqing Village. May I ask your name?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Shan couldn¡¯t help but smile. This woman was not only young but also knew how to speak. She was much better than the nagging old woman at home. He cleared his throat and responded in a pretentious manner, ¡°Li Li, I¡¯m not from a wealthy family. I just live in the military compound and hold a minor position.

    ¡°My surname is Gu. You don¡¯t need to repay me. I¡¯m just passing by. Seeing a young girl stranded outside, I thought I¡¯d give you a lift. Today, I¡¯m mainly going to Little Lin Village, your neighboring village, to find someone. You know the Lin family in Little Lin Village, right?¡±

    Upon hearing that he lived in the military compound, Li Li¡¯s heart leapt with joy. When he mentioned the Lin family, she shyly glanced at the man beside her and suddenly remembered something.

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    She then said with a hint of surprise, ¡°You must be Mr. Gu, Lin Miao¡¯s biological father. I remember now. When you visited our village before, everyone saw you. I saw you too. You were so impressive, arriving in a white sedan with a driver. It was a scene straight out of a movie!¡±

    Gu Shan laughed even more heartily and immediately responded, ¡°That car you mentioned, I replaced it before the New Year. It was too old, and the performance wasn¡¯t good. As for the driver, I came alone today because I¡¯m handling personal matters.¡±

    Although the car was rented, he didn¡¯t mention it. As a man, he valued his face. A little white lie wouldn¡¯t hurt, and it was certainly better than being laughed at.

    Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the woman looked at him with even more admiration. Gu Shan felt incredibly pleased. This also prompted him to open up and show concern for the woman.

    ¡°You¡¯re such an understanding and gentle girl. How could your fianc¨¦ not want you? Young people these days are not like us in our time. They¡¯re so irresponsible.¡±

 Chapter 681 - Chapter 681: Leave a Contact Information

    Chapter 681: Leave a Contact Information

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a flicker in her eyes, Li Li found words that would serve her favor. She shook her head with a bitter smile and said, ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m not afraid of your ridicule. My current predicament is my own doing.¡±

    Li Li and Su Jing, the sister-in-law of Gu Zi, Mr. Gu¡¯s adopted daughter, were classmates and once close friends. Last year, seeing Gu Zi¡¯s thriving braised meat shop in town, Li Li had sought a way to make a living.

    She approached her dear friend Su Jing, hoping she could help her secure the recipe for the braised meat from Gu Zi. Li Li intended to use it as a means of livelihood after her marriage, to ease the burden on her future husband.

    However, things didn¡¯t go as planned. Su Jing did sell her the recipe, but it turned out to be a fake. The meat Li Li prepared using it was ruined. This incident brought shame upon her fianc¨¦, who then decided to leave her.

    Li Li¡¯s tear-filled eyes evoked sympathy. Gu Shan, a man who was easily moved by such vulnerability, felt a strong urge to comfort her. He admired her for her softness and consideration for her fianc¨¦. He thought to himself, how could such a good woman be so unfortunate? As for his own wife, he considered her marriage to him a blessing of eight lifetimes. What more could she possibly want?

    Before his marriage to Zhang Mei, Gu Shan had no feelings for her. They were brought together by matchmakers, a common practice in their era. Many couples would meet for the first time on their wedding day. How else could he have ended up with Zhang Mei, a woman lacking in both talent and figure?

    As Gu Shan pondered over his wife¡¯s shortcomings, he found himself enjoying the company of Li Li, the country woman, during their journey. When they reached Daqing Village and Li Li was about to get off, both of them seemed reluctant to part ways.

    Seizing the opportunity, Li Li mustered the courage to ask Gu Shan for his contact information. ¡°Mr. Gu, I owe you for today. Please leave me your contact information. If you ever need a housemaid or something, I can do it. I¡¯m hardworking, a good cook, and I don¡¯t demand much salary. Please consider it as a favor.¡±

    Under normal circumstances, Gu Shan¡¯s family couldn¡¯t afford a maid. But since Li Li had brought it up, he felt obligated to give her his contact information to save face. Besides, who knew what the future held? Zhang Mei had been complaining about her workload, juggling both her job and household chores. They might actually need a maid.

    Gu Shan gave Li Li his office phone number and prepared to drive off to continue his journey to Little Lin Village. Just as he was about to start the car, he overheard a conversation between some villagers passing by.

    ¡°Boss Su really bought a big villa in the city, didn¡¯t he? You¡¯re not just bragging, are you? A three-story villa with a yard, just like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not bragging. They asked me to help them move. I even had a meal at Boss Su¡¯s place. Mrs. Gu Zi¡¯s cooking is delicious. I also remember the name of the neighborhood, Jifu New Village. All the houses there are big villas, and every household has a car. I¡¯ve never seen so many cars in my life. We even encountered patrolling soldiers on our way back¡­¡±

    The villagers were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn¡¯t notice Gu Shan listening. After a moment of surprise, Gu Shan convinced himself that the house in Jifu New Village must be rented. After all, not everyone could afford a house there.

    This explanation made sense to Gu Shan, and he felt relieved. He regretted not asking around more when he had visited Lin¡¯s family. It would have saved him a lot of trouble and the high cost of renting a car.

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    Now that he knew they lived in Jifu New Village, things would be easier. Although the neighborhood was known for its strict privacy policies, his position would allow him to find Gu Zi¡¯s exact address quickly.

    In the meantime, Gu Zi had mostly settled into her new home. Her two children were making good progress in their pre-school tutoring.

    As for Su Le, her speech therapist was now able to visit more frequently since they had moved to the city. The therapist often spent the whole day with Su Le, whose speech was almost on par with children her age.

    Gu Zi had agreed with Guan Xin on a time to report to the newspaper office, precisely at three o¡¯clock that afternoon.

    The Guangcheng Newspaper office was not far from Gu Zi¡¯s current residence in Jifu New Village. After a nap, she got ready and set off on Su Bing¡¯s bicycle at half-past two. When she arrived, she checked her watch; it was ten to three. She could report on time, everything was perfect.

 Chapter 682 - Chapter 682: Iâ€™ll Take You On A Tour

    Chapter 682: I¡¯ll Take You On A Tour

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Guangcheng Newspaper Office was nestled in the old city district of Guangcheng, an area that was once the bustling economic heart of the city. Even though newer, larger districts have sprung up over the years, this area was far from desolate.

    On the contrary, due to its favorable ecological environment and proximity to renowned schools and the city¡¯s cultural bureau, it had become a hub for cultural institutions. Unlike many organizations that relocated here later, the Guangcheng Newspaper Office had been a resident of this area since its inception.

    The newspaper office¡¯s long history was evident in its distinctive two-story triangular building, painted in a classic black and white color scheme. Gu Zi found the place with ease, locked her bicycle, and presented her credentials at the entrance. The middle-aged lady at the gate barely glanced at her before nonchalantly tossing her letter aside and letting her in.

    Gu Zi felt a wave of relief. The people here seemed quite laid-back, making her feel that she had made the right choice in accepting this job. She ascended to the second floor, where Guan Xin was already waiting for her at the entrance. Dressed in her usual androgynous style and sporting a black felt hat, Guan Xin looked both playful and dashing.

    Guan Xin led Gu Zi inside, introducing her to the various areas. ¡°Over here are the offices of the editor-in-chief and deputy editor-in-chief. They¡¯re often not in the office, so you won¡¯t see them around now. When they do come in, I¡¯ll introduce you. This area is our general office space, and my desk is over there, separated by a partition wall next to the editor¡¯s office.

    ¡°But as a foreign language editor, your office is across from ours. Over there is your desk, and that small cubicle is the private office of your superior, Director Jiang. She¡¯s a good person, but she likes her peace and quiet. When you need to submit or collect articles, just leave them on the right side of your desk, and she¡¯ll pick them up herself.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and take a look at our archives and indoor photography studio. There¡¯s not much going on today, so consider this a tour. Don¡¯t be surprised if you don¡¯t see many people around the office today, as many haven¡¯t returned to work yet¡­¡±

    Gu Zi followed Guan Xin downstairs for a tour. It seemed there was nothing else to do today other than familiarize herself with the Guangcheng Newspaper Office.

    As they walked around, Gu Zi marveled at the newspaper office of this era. Although smaller than those of the future, it was fully equipped. This small building encompassed everything from article writing and editing to printing and distribution, which was quite impressive.

    After the tour, Guan Xin led Gu Zi back to the second-floor editorial office. She retrieved a work badge from a drawer, which read ¡°Foreign Language Editor Gu Zi.¡± Guan Xin casually and cheerfully said, ¡°With this, you¡¯re officially one of us!

    ¡°There¡¯s no ceremony, but this badge carries weight. Our newspaper office operates on the principle of getting the job done. We don¡¯t fuss over the rest.¡±

    Gu Zi was delighted. She admired her reflection in the mirror, pleased with her appearance, before carefully storing her work badge. ¡°What will I be doing today?¡±

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    She had already figured out that today was merely about reporting for duty and receiving her work badge. Guan Xin probably hadn¡¯t prepared any work for her, or perhaps there was no work to be assigned. Regardless, she felt it was important to show her eagerness.

    She found the job easy and stress-free, thanks to her proficiency in English and her strong professional skills. While the position was easy, it wasn¡¯t something just anyone could do.

    She knew she should cherish and value this job. She was also starting to enjoy the atmosphere. Compared to the inefficient and time-consuming jobs of the future, this job felt like a blessing.

    Guan Xin picked up her camera, ready to head out for some fieldwork. She told Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re done for today. You can go home and wait for further instructions. When there¡¯s work to be done, we¡¯ll let you know.

    ¡°Just remember to come back for meetings. I have to go out now, so let¡¯s go downstairs together. I was planning to treat you to a meal today, but let¡¯s do it another time.¡±

 Chapter 683 - Chapter 683: An Old Acquaintance

    Chapter 683: An Old Acquaintance

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After a whirlwind farewell with Guan Xin, Gu Zi sped off in her off-road vehicle. Gu Zi, having packed her things, was preparing to leave on her bicycle when a voice stopped her, ¡°Little Zi, is that really you?¡±

    Gu Zi looked up to find a young man she didn¡¯t recognize standing before her. His face was etched with surprise, as if he hadn¡¯t quite recovered from the shock of seeing her.

    He was handsome in a refined way, with a pair of thin black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. Dressed in a knitted sweater and suit pants, his hair was styled in a trendy side part. Yet, there was nothing greasy about him. Instead, his appearance accentuated his handsome features, giving him an air of cultured elegance.

    His expression became somewhat complex. Before Gu Zi could speak, he continued, ¡°I heard you had left the city. I was quite disappointed, but then I found out you were coming to work at our newspaper. I was thrilled. Are you here to report for work today? Do you need me to show you around? It can be hard to find people at the newspaper sometimes.¡±

    Gu Zi was a bit taken aback. Judging from his words, he seemed to be an old acquaintance of the original owner of her body. However, she couldn¡¯t quite recall who he was, suggesting he wasn¡¯t a particularly significant figure.

    But since he had called out to her and they were going to be colleagues, she felt obliged to respond, ¡°I¡¯ve moved back to the city. I¡¯m here to report for work, and I¡¯ve already completed the onboarding process. I¡¯m sorry, but who are you?¡±

    Gu Zi reasoned that it was normal not to remember someone she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. It would be unrealistic to pretend to recognize him, so she decided to ask directly.

    The man seemed relieved to hear that Gu Zi had already been onboarded. But when she asked who he was, a wave of disappointment washed over him. It seemed Gu Zi no longer recognized him.

    Despite growing taller over the years, his appearance hadn¡¯t changed much. But perhaps in Gu Zi¡¯s heart, he was an insignificant figure, not worth remembering.

    He said somewhat dejectedly, ¡°I¡¯ve been abroad for many years and just returned. We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time, so it¡¯s understandable that you don¡¯t recognize me. I¡¯m Wu Hao. We used to share a desk at school, and before I went abroad¡­¡±

    Upon hearing the name ¡°Wu Hao,¡± Gu Zi¡¯s memory began to stir. So this was Wu Hao, her primary school classmate.

    However, after finishing the first year of junior high, he had gone abroad to study. Now he was a returnee. More importantly, she remembered that before Wu Hao went abroad, he had visited her at her home.

    He had subtly expressed his feelings for her, but at the time, her heart was already filled with Gong Zhan. She had honestly told Wu Hao about her feelings.

    Wu Hao was heartbroken, but he made a promise to her. If he returned to China and she was still unmarried, he would pursue her. Before she could reject this promise, Wu Hao had turned and ran off.

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes flickered, overwhelmed by the information. It seemed the original owner had quite a few admirers. But now, this was causing her trouble. She realized she couldn¡¯t be too warm towards Wu Hao just because they were colleagues now.

    So when Gu Zi spoke again, her tone was colder, interrupting his reminiscing, ¡°Those are all things of the past. Let¡¯s not talk about them. My husband and I are very happy now. Maybe I can introduce you to him sometime?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Wu Hao¡¯s words got stuck in his throat. He felt a suffocating pressure in his chest, ¡°Right, it¡¯s all in the past. You¡¯re not with Gong Zhan, but you¡¯re married. That¡¯s good.¡±

    Wu Hao¡¯s tone became increasingly despondent, his expression one of deep hurt.

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    But Gu Zi didn¡¯t pay much attention to this. These were the emotional debts of the original owner, and she had no intention of filling in for her. Moreover, she had wasted enough time already. She didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation and excused herself, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I should get going. My children are waiting for me at home.¡±

    Wu Hao¡¯s heart felt as if it had been kicked hard. This was a thorough rejection!

    But seeing Gu Zi about to leave, he stepped forward, ¡°Alright, I just wanted to say, we¡¯re colleagues now. If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to ask me. I¡¯m willing to help.¡±

    Gu Zi, pushing her bicycle, responded indifferently, ¡°I believe we¡¯re not in the same department. If I need help, I¡¯ll ask someone.¡±

    At this point, Wu Hao had been repeatedly rejected. He was starting to sober up. This time, it seemed he was truly going to lose the woman he had held in his heart for so many years!

 Chapter 684 - Chapter 684: Gu Ziâ€™s Husband

    Chapter 684: Gu Zi¡¯s Husband

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi remained as beautiful as when he had last seen her, perhaps even more so. He couldn¡¯t help but recall his childhood, when like many other boys in his class, he had developed a secret crush on her the moment she transferred to their school. He had even dreamt of marrying her when they grew up.

    However, unlike the other boys who expressed their feelings inappropriately, Wu Hao couldn¡¯t bring himself to tease Gu Zi, even if it meant gaining her attention. He didn¡¯t act on his feelings, instead, he silently watched over her. It wasn¡¯t until they became desk mates that he found a natural way to strike up conversations with her through their studies.

    If Gu Zi had married Gong Zhan, he would have accepted it. But now, Gu Zi was married to another man, not Gong Zhan.

    Upon hearing this, Wu Hao¡¯s heart stirred back to life. Perhaps he still had a chance. But Gu Zi¡¯s repeated rejections made him face the harsh reality. He felt he couldn¡¯t compete with Gong Zhan, nor with Gu Zi¡¯s current husband.

    But why? He had heard that Gu Zi¡¯s current husband was a rural man, twice divorced, with three children, much older than Gu Zi, without status or position, and without a formal job.

    In Wu Hao¡¯s mind, the image of Gu Zi¡¯s husband was set. He was an old, ordinary man from the countryside, without a stable job.

    Countless times, in the middle of the night, he asked God how such a man could be worthy of the beautiful and outstanding Gu Zi.

    He hoped that Gu Zi was not living well now. He prayed for God to give him another chance to help her.

    Now the opportunity was right in front of him. And he hadn¡¯t seen Gu Zi for many years. He had so much to say to her.

    As he saw her about to leave, he instinctively blurted out, ¡°Little Zi, can I invite you for some afternoon tea? I want to know about your current situation. If there¡¯s anything you need, I can help.¡±

    Upon hearing this familiar address, Gu Zi frowned uncomfortably, about to refuse.

    Just then, a sharp voice came from behind her. The next second, a tall man walked up to her, took her bicycle, and Gu Zi turned to see a familiar face. His jawline was tight, and his dark eyes flashed with a sharp coldness.

    His tone was very low, his eyes slightly squinted, and his gaze fell on Wu Hao¡¯s hand that was reaching out to her. His pupils radiated disgust, ¡°Staring at another man¡¯s wife in public is not something to be encouraged!¡±

    Wu Hao was taken aback, watching the tall, cold man who suddenly walked over, parked the bicycle, and took Gu Zi¡¯s wrist, carefully shielding her as if he were some kind of rogue.

    He felt a chill run down his spine and couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at the man. Was this Gu Zi¡¯s husband?

    Tall, handsome, with an extraordinary temperament, and an authoritative presence, like the majestic colonel he had seen on the border!

    But how could that be? The rumors had it that Gu Zi¡¯s husband was just an old, twice-divorced country man. This image was completely inconsistent with the rumors!

    He didn¡¯t know whether to be happy for Gu Zi or to mourn for himself. This man seemed no less than Gong Zhan. But then again, it made sense for a woman as good as Gu Zi to meet a good man.

    He spoke stiffly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you misunderstood. I just haven¡¯t seen Little Zi for many years and wanted to catch up. I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡±

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    Upon hearing this explanation, Su Shen¡¯s expression calmed down. But beneath the calm, there was still a dangerous undercurrent. He squinted at Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi gave an awkward smile, showing no unusual feelings towards this man.

    Since he cared about Gu Zi, he wouldn¡¯t want to offend her connections. After issuing his warning, he put on a friendly mask and asked the man calmly, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Wu Hao¡¯s tense features finally relaxed into a smile as he hurriedly introduced himself, ¡°I¡¯m Gu Zi¡¯s elementary school classmate. I¡¯ve known her since we were kids. Now I¡¯m fortunate to work with her. I¡¯ll help her out at the newspaper¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen¡¯s face darkened again. Gu Zi awkwardly looked up. This Wu Hao really didn¡¯t know how to chat. Who would say in front of someone¡¯s husband that they would help his wife? And she didn¡¯t need his help!

 Chapter 685 - Chapter 685: She Didnâ€™t Need His Salvation

    Chapter 685: She Didn¡¯t Need His Salvation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The atmosphere was chilling, colder than the surrounding air. Wu Hao finally sensed something amiss, his voice dropping to a whisper as he hastily excused himself, ¡°I won¡¯t keep you from going home. I have work to attend to as well. Goodbye!¡±

    With that, he turned and briskly entered the newspaper office. He longed to steal another glance at Gu Zi, but he dared not turn his head. His face bore a bitter smile, his heart filled with a pool of bitterness.

    He had thought that God would grant him a chance to win Gu Zi¡¯s heart, to save her. But now, it seemed she didn¡¯t need his salvation at all¡­

    After Wu Hao left, Gu Zi and Su Shen faced each other. She tiptoed to cup his face. He was a handsome man, but his tightly pursed lips hadn¡¯t relaxed yet, making his face appear even more cold and ruthless.

    She softly explained, ¡°Su Shen, I don¡¯t even remember him. If he hadn¡¯t greeted me, I¡­¡±

    Suddenly, the man pulled her into his arms, interrupting her. His chin rubbed against her head as he opened his coat to wrap her in it. Her body was soft and warm, instantly dispelling most of his restlessness.

    Holding her, he explained, ¡°I trust you, Ah Zi. There¡¯s no need to explain. I¡¯m sorry, I just couldn¡¯t control myself. I was jealous. I didn¡¯t like the way he was looking at you, so intently, with a purpose.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks flushed as she hid in his embrace. Such an intimate hug in public would surely stir up gossip in this era, wouldn¡¯t it? This man was too bold!

    Yet, her heart fluttered inexplicably more because of his actions. She carefully wriggled out of his embrace, saying, ¡°I understand. I don¡¯t blame you. Didn¡¯t you say that the slaughterhouse just started operating and you might not be able to leave? How did you manage to come?¡±

    Su Shen pushed her bicycle towards his parked car, replying, ¡°It¡¯s your first day at work, I wanted to see your workplace. I arranged everything at the slaughterhouse before coming here, so I was a bit late. Did everything go smoothly?¡±

    He had already investigated Gu Zi¡¯s workplace, intending to accompany her. But he was held up by an unexpected matter today.

    Still, he quickly arranged everything and rushed over. Now, he was glad he made it in time to chase away the annoying fly for his wife. He felt more and more that opening a slaughterhouse in the city was the right choice, as it gave him a lot more flexibility with his time.

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Everything went smoothly. I just need to wait for my work assignments now. Tomorrow is the day the children are taking their entrance exams. Are you planning to go with them?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s car was parked not far away. It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach it. He tied the bicycle to the back of the car and asked Gu Zi to wait inside. After securing the bicycle, he got into the car and drove home, ¡°I really can¡¯t spare the time tomorrow. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Ah Zi.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled faintly, thinking that this man was quite hypocritical. He had squeezed out time to pick her up, an adult, but when it came to their sons¡¯ school admission, he claimed he couldn¡¯t spare the time. She really didn¡¯t know what to do with him.

    The atmosphere in Su Shen and Gu Zi¡¯s car was relaxed. However, they were unaware that a nondescript sedan was trailing them from a distance.

    The woman sitting in the backseat of the sedan was anything but ordinary. She clenched her fists tightly, the image of Su Shen embracing Gu Zi still fresh in her mind. ¡°Is that woman Su Shen¡¯s current wife?¡±

    The security officer driving the car immediately responded, ¡°She matches the photos we have. It¡¯s her. But Deputy Commander Hu, if Su Shen discovers that we¡¯re secretly investigating his family, it might not end well.¡±

    They had been following Gu Zi all the way, and as far as she could tell, there was nothing unusual about Gu Zi. She didn¡¯t understand why Deputy Commander Hu wanted to investigate Gu Zi.

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    If they were only following Gu Zi and secretly investigating her, it would be fine. But now, they were tailing Su Shen, a former military king.

    She had heard that Commander Su was particularly skilled in special reconnaissance. It would be easy for him to notice their tail, and it would be difficult to explain if he did. Moreover, they were from the cultural troupe. Even if there was something wrong with Commander Su¡¯s wife, it wasn¡¯t their place to investigate!

    But she didn¡¯t dare to voice her concerns, fearing that the deputy commander would get angry.

    She was afraid that a careless word might anger the deputy commander. The deputy commander hadn¡¯t been so emotional before. It was only after Major Hu went to see Commander Su that the deputy commander became emotional.

    At the end of last year, she had even applied for a transfer from the capital¡¯s cultural troupe to the Guangcheng cultural troupe to serve as the deputy commander.

 Chapter 686 - Chapter 686: What a Scourge

    Chapter 686: What a Scourge

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    No one could fathom why Hu Jie had chosen to abandon her position in the capital¡¯s cultural work group to take up a local post. Her move from the capital to the provinces had even earned her the special title of Deputy Commander of the Cultural Work Group. Yet, as soon as she arrived, she began investigating the wife of Commander Su. It was a puzzle that no one could solve.

    She had only become Hu Jie¡¯s bodyguard later on, and was not privy to the history between Hu Jie and the legendary Commander Su. She had heard rumors that the two had almost married once, but the deeper details remained a mystery to her.

    She couldn¡¯t understand Hu Jie¡¯s current actions either. All she knew was that she was following orders.

    The rearview mirror reflected the image of the woman in the back seat. Dressed in the high-ranking uniform of the cultural work group, she was tall and elegant. Underneath her military cap was a delicate face that revealed a clear displeasure at the bodyguard¡¯s words. ¡°Since when is it your place to tell me what to do? Do you want to be the deputy director?¡±

    The security officer panicked and quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Deputy Director Hu. I spoke out of turn.¡±

    The woman in the back seat remained silent after that, and the bodyguard didn¡¯t dare to say another word. She drove in silence, following the car in front until they reached the gates of Jifu New Village, where she pulled over.

    Jifu New Village was not an ordinary residential area. As outsiders, they had to register their entry and exit strictly. Hu Jie had no intention of revealing herself to Su Shen yet, so there was no need for unnecessary actions. The car in front entered the residential area and drove away.

    Sitting in the back seat, Hu Jie could vaguely see the broad, sturdy figure in the driver¡¯s seat of the car in front, even as it disappeared from view. She couldn¡¯t see clearly, but she knew instantly that it was him.

    His silhouette had appeared in her dreams over the years, often making her yearn for him. Seeing his figure always brought her a sense of peace.

    But now, another woman was sitting next to him. She was delicate and beautiful, like a bud in a flower room, appearing next to Su Shen¡¯s strong figure. Hu Jie found it very displeasing.

    The woman was undoubtedly beautiful, but she didn¡¯t match Su Shen. Hu Jie couldn¡¯t understand what this woman had that made Su Shen willing to give up his future to spend his life with her.

    Wasn¡¯t Su Shen the Wolf King of the military region? A man like a wolf king should be galloping across the vast grasslands. How could he be willing to be confined to a small family? The man who once devoted himself to the country was now willing to indulge in the gentle township because of this delicate woman, neglecting his ambitions and disregarding his future.

    In that case, this woman was indeed a disaster.

    Because of this woman, Su Shen treated her letters like trash, unwilling to even glance at them. Even her cousin, after seeing this woman, advised her to give up on Su Shen and choose another man.

    They all made it sound so simple, but the situation was absurd. She was unwilling to accept this reality. At least before she came here, she still had hope. She and Su Shen had a past, and as long as she came, there was still a chance for things to turn around. Su Shen would definitely return to the military region.

    But just now, that last glimmer of hope was shattered. The military region¡¯s battle wolf, who once led soldiers to charge and break through enemy lines, killing countless enemies, was now publicly embracing a woman on the street. He was so careful, as if protecting the world¡¯s most precious treasure. Hu Jie had never seen such a tender and meticulous Su Shen. Her heart was broken.

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    She thought of Gu Zi¡¯s resume. She had been outstanding since she was young, and her academic performance was excellent. But Su Shen had seen many women like her. He was a man who didn¡¯t love women. Why was he so infatuated with Gu Zi?

    Moreover, Gu Zi had a fianc¨¦ before marrying Su Shen, a man named Gong Zhan.

    She asked the bodyguard, ¡°What was the name of the young deputy commander who came to pick us up at the train station yesterday?¡±

    The bodyguard immediately replied, ¡°That was the newly appointed Deputy Commander Gong. He is the son of the military region¡¯s leader, Gong. His name is Gong Zhan.¡±

    Hu Jie narrowed her eyes slightly and said coldly, ¡°It seems I need to pay a visit to this Deputy Commander Gong. Make arrangements. Also, you¡¯ve checked, right? This Gu Zi doesn¡¯t meet the recruitment requirements of Guangcheng Daily at all. How can she work there? Didn¡¯t you say you have a distant relative who is the director of the printing department there?¡±

 Chapter 687 - Chapter 687: Entrance Examination

    Chapter 687: Entrance Examination

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The bodyguard was filled with regret. She wished she hadn¡¯t spoken out of turn about her distant relative¡¯s affairs.

    However, it was too late for regrets. Steeling herself, she said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my cousin. He¡¯s been working at the Guangcheng Daily for many years, slowly climbing the ranks. Technically, Gu Zi doesn¡¯t meet the hiring requirements for a full-time employee at the newspaper. She probably got in through connections.¡±

    Hu Jie withdrew her gaze, falling silent for a while before speaking again. ¡°If she got in through connections, then it should be thoroughly investigated. The Guangcheng Daily isn¡¯t just any local newspaper. They can¡¯t let just anyone in and risk damaging their reputation. When the time comes, arrange a meeting with your cousin for me¡­¡±

    The next day, Gu Zi woke up early. However, when she came downstairs, she saw that Su Bing and Su Li were already dressed and ready. She realized that the two boys were even more eager than she was. Their attitudes were commendable, but then again, the entrance examination was a significant event for them. They had to take their affairs seriously.

    Su Li got up from his chair and did a little twirl in front of Gu Zi, showing off his outfit for the day. He wore a neat little suit, paired with loose-fitting jeans that revealed a bit of his ankles. On his feet were a pair of white shoes. The mixed style surprisingly gave off a handsome vibe. Gu Zi praised him, ¡°You look great today, very handsome. But won¡¯t your ankles get cold like this?¡±

    Su Li beamed, replying, ¡°Of course not, Mom. I consulted with Gao Ming, our neighbor, about this outfit. He said that even though he can¡¯t take the exam with us today, he¡¯ll be cheering for us in his heart! I¡¯m not cold at all. I want to go to school looking cool.¡±

    Understanding his feelings, Gu Zi didn¡¯t insist on him wearing long socks. It was only for a short while, and if he felt cold later, he could change into long socks when he got home.

    Gao Ming had caught a severe cold just before the entrance exam and couldn¡¯t attend as planned. However, when Gu Zi ran into Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother the previous day, she mentioned that the school would send the exam papers to their home. Gu Zi was slightly surprised; the Gao family was indeed extraordinary.

    Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother even kindly offered to have the school send Su Bing and Su Li¡¯s exam papers to their home as well, so all three children could take the exam at home and save the trouble of going to school. Gu Zi, however, declined. She wanted her sons to experience the exam atmosphere.

    After breakfast, Gu Zi and the children set off for school. Little Su Le was still asleep, so Gu Zi carried her next door and asked Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother to look after her for the morning.

    Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother loved children, especially the well-behaved Su Le. She offered to help look after the little girl, suggesting that she should sleep a little longer.

    Inside the Gao family¡¯s living room, Su Le slept peacefully in the rocking crib that Gao Ming had used as a child. Her sleeping face was sweet.

    Gao Ming watched Su Le adoringly and said sincerely, ¡°Grandma, Su Le looks so pretty. Is it because Aunt Gu Zi is beautiful, so Su Le is beautiful too? Will Su Le grow up to be as pretty as Aunt Gu Zi?¡±

    Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother pulled her sick grandson away from Su Le and tucked her in, mulling over her words. She knew some things.

    Gu Zi¡¯s husband was a divorcee, and the three children were not Gu Zi¡¯s biological children. But wasn¡¯t it said that children would resemble the person who raised them?

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    Holding onto this belief, Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother confidently replied to her grandson, ¡°Of course she will. Now, stay away so you don¡¯t infect Su Le.¡±

    At the school, Su Bing and Su Li were a little apprehensive as they stepped into the campus for the first time. They looked at the towering buildings, each with four or five floors, and the numerous classrooms on each floor. The sight of so many students and teachers coming and going was overwhelming.

    Their mother had told them that the school practiced individualized teaching, with a maximum of twenty-five students per class. But with nearly a thousand students in the school, each grade level would have to be divided into many classes. No wonder there were so many classrooms; any fewer wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Su Bing and Su Li separated on the second floor, each needing to find their examination room according to the number they had received. Su Bing assured his mother that he could find his way, and indeed, not long after parting with his younger brother, he entered his examination room, his mindset stable.

    Gu Zi accompanied Su Li to find his examination room. With her help, Su Li quickly found his room. As he sat down at his desk, his shoulders trembled slightly. But when he looked up and saw his mother¡¯s encouraging smile, he remembered her words.

 Chapter 688 - Chapter 688: Wait for the Results

    Chapter 688: Wait for the Results

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The school¡¯s entrance examination was typically organized by grade level, with students from the same grade randomly assigned to various classrooms. This method ensured that the other students wouldn¡¯t easily notice the new ones.

    The two newcomers, Su Bing and Su Li, realized that as long as they didn¡¯t show their nervousness, they would blend in seamlessly. This thought relaxed Su Li considerably. Regardless of the circumstances, he knew he had to put on a convincing act.

    Imitating the demeanor of the other examinees, Su Li wore a confident smile, sat upright, and projected the image of a seasoned student. Seeing this, Gu Zi felt relieved and left the examination area.

    The examination lasted the entire morning and finally came to an end. The students emerged from the examination rooms, their faces serious and devoid of the confident smiles they had worn earlier. Gu Zi overheard some of their discussions.

    ¡°This year¡¯s entrance exam is hellishly difficult. I didn¡¯t even finish the last few questions. Is it just our grade that¡¯s this hard?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, previous years were tough, but never this difficult. It¡¯s insane. I asked my younger brother, who¡¯s in first grade, and he also said it was hard. Do you think a human could have set this paper? I feel like I¡¯m going to be placed in the regular class.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to the regular class, then we must be getting expelled. But no, everyone found it difficult, so the passing score will probably be lowered. Those meant for the regular class will still be in the regular class, and those meant for the advanced class will still be in the advanced class.¡±

    Gu Zi watched the disheartened students passing by. From their conversations, she could tell they were not merely discussing the exam but complaining about it.

    After waiting for a while and mentally preparing herself to console her two sons, Gu Zi was surprised when she finally met them.

    Su Bing, the elder brother, was as composed leaving the exam as he had been entering it. Su Li, on the other hand, had entered with a forced smile but emerged genuinely relaxed and cheerful.

    What was even more peculiar was that neither of the brothers complained. Gu Zi took them to a snack street outside the school to treat them. Throughout the journey, she didn¡¯t hear a single word from them about being stumped by the exam. She could understand Su Bing¡¯s reaction, but Su Li¡¯s behavior was unusually strange.

    After finishing the last snack, Gu Zi hailed a taxi with her sons. While waiting for the cab, she curiously asked, ¡°What do you think about today¡¯s exam?¡±

    Su Bing looked up at her and gave a small smile. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have any particular thoughts. I finished all the questions. Now we wait for the results.¡±

    Su Bing was always like this, rarely showing the same level of anxiety as others. Even if he was scared, he rarely showed it. The exam was unusual, but he didn¡¯t feel anything special about it. He had done his best, and that was enough.

    After hearing Su Bing¡¯s response, Gu Zi turned to Su Li. Su Li blinked rapidly, rubbed the back of his neck, and said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get mad at me for telling the truth. I didn¡¯t understand many of the questions. I¡¯m prepared to go to the regular class, but I believe I can work harder once I¡¯m there.

    ¡°Of course, I did try my best while answering the questions. But those words, when put together, I just couldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    After hearing this, Gu Zi gently patted his head and said softly, ¡°You can always work harder once you¡¯re in. That¡¯s a good attitude. I believe in you. You¡¯ll get better and better.¡±

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    Upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, Su Li felt completely relaxed. He patted his chest and promised, then revealed his true feelings. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll definitely work hard. I¡¯ll tell you, the moment I finished looking at the exam paper, I wasn¡¯t nervous at all. Because being nervous wouldn¡¯t help. The paper was too difficult. I just tried to write answers for all the questions and prepared myself to go to the regular class.¡±

    The trio got into the taxi. On the ride, Gu Zi reflected on her sons¡¯ responses, feeling pleased.

    Her children were even more outstanding than she had imagined. Su Bing was always steady, and Su Li¡¯s quick acceptance of reality was a form of steadiness in itself. In terms of mentality, they had already surpassed many of their peers.

    Upon returning home, Gu Zi immediately sent the brothers to their neighbor¡¯s house to pick up their younger sister, Su Le.

    Checking the time, she realized it was time to prepare lunch. She took a bag of cornmeal from a small clay pot, planning to make a simple cornmeal porridge for lunch. They had eaten too much on the snack street, with all the heavy oil and salt. A simple meal of cornmeal porridge and pickles would be perfect to balance it out.

 Chapter 689 - Chapter 689: An Unwelcomed Visitor

    Chapter 689: An Unwelcomed Visitor

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At this moment, within the residential complex, the car Gu Shan had rented had already driven in. Sitting in the passenger seat was Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother, his face etched with anxiety. He turned to Gu Shan and said, ¡°Today is the fourteenth of February. I heard that the city¡¯s First Bilingual Primary School has already begun its entrance examinations. Brother-in-law, can we still manage this?¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s face darkened further at his words. He regretted this situation, but it was Zhang Mei who had convinced him to let Gu Zi marry Su Shen in Lin Miao¡¯s place. Ultimately, it was the Zhang family¡¯s problem, and now her brother had the audacity to complain.

    Having finally managed to find Gu Zi¡¯s current address through his professional connections, Gu Shan was taken aback. Not only was she renting a place in Jifu New Village, but she was also residing in the most famous old district of the village.

    Anyone with a bit of knowledge about the city knew about the prestige of this area. It was a neighborhood where the powerful and famous gathered. He distinctly remembered that the houses in the old district were only for sale, not for rent. How had Gu Zi managed to rent one?

    If she had such connections, why hadn¡¯t she told him, her adoptive father? If the Gu family could rent a house here, they would also be residents of this prestigious area. That would certainly straighten their backs when they went out.

    Originally, Gu Shan had thought that Gu Zi was also renting a house in the city. Even if it was in such a good neighborhood, he didn¡¯t think much of it. But when he registered at the gate and mentioned that he was there to visit his daughter, the security guards immediately changed their demeanor. They respectfully let his car pass and even asked if he needed a driver from the residential complex to help him. At that moment, he felt a pang of jealousy.

    Once he drove into the complex and saw the superior environment, the patrolling guards, the magnificent villas, and the grand front and backyards, he felt even worse. As an adoptive father with financial difficulties, it was disheartening to see his adopted daughter living in such a luxurious villa.

    However, with Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother present, he couldn¡¯t express his feelings. He responded in a deep voice, ¡°After all, I am her adoptive father. The Gu family raised her for eighteen years. She won¡¯t refuse such a small request. What¡¯s there to fear about the entrance exam? The two spots she has are fixed. Even if they don¡¯t take the exam, they can make it up. School doesn¡¯t officially start for a few more days.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the other man seemed to remember that the school placements for his two grandsons were more important. His tone became more agreeable as he said, ¡°You¡¯re right, brother-in-law. We¡¯re relying on you for this.¡±

    At the Su residence, Gu Zi had just finished cooking cornmeal porridge and had served the pickles. She had just brought everything to the dining table when she heard the doorbell ring. She also seemed to hear Su Li¡¯s voice.

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    She went out to see Su Bing and Su Li leaning against the iron gate, seemingly blocking someone from entering. Even the little girl, Su Le, was standing with her brothers, arms spread out in a blocking gesture. Gu Zi knew that an unwelcome visitor had arrived.

    She quickened her pace to the gate, opened it, and stepped out. Only then did she clearly see the people being blocked by the three children. It was her adoptive father, Gu Shan, and another man. Her memory told her that this man was Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother. According to their previous relationship, the original host would have called this man ¡°Uncle.¡± Gu Zi¡¯s eyebrows twitched. What was he here for?

    When Gu Shan saw Gu Zi come out, he said discontentedly, ¡°Look at your three stepchildren. They¡¯re clearly from the countryside. They have no manners. They see their elders coming and don¡¯t greet them. Instead, they block the door and don¡¯t let them in. How do you discipline your children?¡±

    Gu Zi walked over, told the three children to go in first, and then defended them, ¡°Uncle Gu, my three children have always been praised for being sensible and polite. It¡¯s strange that they become so unruly every time they meet you. This probably isn¡¯t a problem with the children. You shouldn¡¯t keep saying that my children have no manners.¡±

    Su Bing, carrying Su Le, walked in front, and Su Li followed behind. Hearing their mother defend them, Su Li felt a warm feeling in his heart. He turned back and made a face at Gu Shan, ¡°The teacher said, not all elders deserve respect, hehe!¡±

 Chapter 690 - Chapter 690: Stab a Knife in the Wound

    Chapter 690: Stab a Knife in the Wound

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After finishing his words, Su Li turned and walked away. The little girl, whose chubby hands clung to her elder brother¡¯s shoulders, followed her second brother¡¯s example and stuck her tongue out at the two strangers outside.

    The action incensed Gu Shan, causing a painful swell in his chest. He glared and demanded, ¡°Gu Zi, what do you mean by that?¡±

    Gu Zi smirked, replying with a laugh, ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. They are my children, and I won¡¯t allow anyone to tarnish their reputation. They are all my good children.¡±

    ¡°But Uncle Gu,¡± she continued, ¡°did you come here today specifically to remind me to educate my children properly? Or are you suggesting that Lin Miao has been behaving well in prison and is due for early release?¡±

    The man standing next to Gu Shan revealed a hint of shock in his eyes. Gu Zi¡¯s words were like a poisoned dagger, bringing up Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment was akin to twisting a knife in Gu Shan¡¯s wound.

    He had seen Gu Zi many times before. She was a smart and beautiful girl, the pride of the Gu family. Her presence not only brought honor to the family but also numerous benefits.

    Gu Zi was highly valued, which was why they had been willing to spend a large sum of money to send her to a foreign language primary school.

    She was also very kind to people, so he had never expected her to be so adept and precise at belittling others. He didn¡¯t approve of his sister and brother-in-law¡¯s behavior, but he couldn¡¯t voice his disapproval, especially since he needed Gu Shan¡¯s help.

    At this point, Gu Shan¡¯s face had darkened even more. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi¡¯s insistence on pursuing the matter, Lin Miao wouldn¡¯t have had to go to prison, and the Gu and Gong families wouldn¡¯t have lost face. But the matter was settled, and further discussion was pointless.

    He changed the subject, reproaching her, ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up again. But when I come here, is it really such an incomprehensible act? After all, I raised you for over a decade. You moved without even notifying us, making it difficult for us to find you.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, as if remembering something. She slapped her forehead and said, ¡°Ah, I knew this wouldn¡¯t be easy. Actually, Uncle Gu, when we were planning to move, we did consider notifying you.

    ¡°But then I remembered that when I left the city, you explicitly told me that it would be best not to keep in touch unless necessary. So, I didn¡¯t feel it was right to inform you.¡±

    Gu Shan swallowed the words he had prepared to say, feeling somewhat humiliated. He quickly changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. Today, your Uncle and I came to discuss something with you. Please let us in to sit down.¡±

    Without hesitation, Gu Zi led the two men inside. As they entered the courtyard, Gu Shan began to look around. It was a large front yard, even the doghouse was spacious, and there was a small pond. What a comfortable life they must be leading.

    They entered the house and arrived at the living room. The modern and exquisite decoration, the presence of furniture and appliances, made Gu Shan envious. Even if it was rented, it was still impressive!

    Gu Shan sat down and took a sip of the boiled water that Gu Zi handed him. His face turned cold again as he thought of Su Shen, the man of the house. He asked displeasingly, ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Su at home? It¡¯s outrageous that he left you alone to take care of three children.¡±

    Gu Shan held a grudge against Su Shen. Su Shen had been a soldier and, although he had retired, he had started a pig farm and done business. He knew some influential people, such as Deputy Director He and Boss Huo.

    But what was the use? Su Shen had never thought of introducing his connections to the Gu family. So, Gu Shan deliberately said this to vent his resentment.

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    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi didn¡¯t hide her displeasure. She defended Su Shen, saying, ¡°Uncle Gu, his name is Su Shen, not ¡®Mr. Su.¡¯ He hasn¡¯t neglected his responsibilities.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother, fearing that the two would start arguing and delay his business, quickly put down his cup and changed the subject. ¡°Gu Zi, the furniture and everything here doesn¡¯t look cheap. Renting a house must cost a lot, right?¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow slightly, realizing that they thought the house was rented. She thought of the corn porridge and pickles that had just been served in the dining room and replied, ¡°Yes, it does. But we manage to get by. Su Shen needs to do business, and living in a better area gives him face and helps him in his business dealings. Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you join us for lunch?¡±

    Su Li, who had overheard the conversation and was about to rush over to retort that they had bought the house, was silenced by Su Bing.

    Su Bing understood her mother¡¯s intentions and played along to avoid revealing their wealth and attracting trouble. Su Li was too impulsive. ¡°Take Le Le to the dining room for lunch and keep your mouth shut,¡± he instructed.

 Chapter 691 - Chapter 691: Not Fortunate Enough to Share in Your Glory

    Chapter 691: Not Fortunate Enough to Share in Your Glory

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With wide eyes and a sense of profound injustice, Su Li wondered why he was being silenced. Yet, under the pressure of his brother¡¯s stern instructions, he closed his mouth and led Lele to the dining room.

    By the time Gu Zi led Gu Shan and the others into the dining area, the three siblings were already enjoying their cornmeal porridge and pickles. They seemed to relish the simple meal as if it were a feast.

    Even little Su Le, after taking a bite of the cornmeal porridge, clapped her hands and declared, ¡°This is the best cornmeal porridge ever!¡±

    Gu Shan and the others were taken aback. If the best meal they had was cornmeal porridge, what did they usually eat? No wonder they served plain water instead of tea to their guests in such a nice house. Could it be that they couldn¡¯t afford it?

    Gu Shan pointed at the pot of cornmeal porridge on the table and asked, ¡°Is this all you eat for lunch? Porridge and pickles? Don¡¯t you have any rice?¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother frowned slightly. Their living standards were not high. He had thought they were more formidable. It seemed that after getting the quota, he wouldn¡¯t need to interact with them much, or else he would be at a disadvantage.

    Gu Zi shook his head, furrowing his brows as he began to explain, ¡°We¡¯ve run out of rice. We have to use part of this month¡¯s living expenses to cover the rent, so we have to be frugal. For the next half month, we¡¯ll make do with the cornmeal porridge we brought from the countryside. But it¡¯s quite tasty, and I believe our days will get better.

    ¡°Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have said all this. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Please sit down. I¡¯ll get you some bowls and chopsticks. You can try the cornmeal porridge and pickles. It¡¯s enough for everyone.¡±

    The two men looked at the yellowish substance. It was not unfamiliar to them, but it made them feel nauseous. Even if they were starving, they would never eat it. That stuff was only fit for pigs!

    They hadn¡¯t always lived in comfort. They had experienced hardship in their younger days, having come from the countryside.

    Back then, everyone had little to eat. It was rare to have rice. Most of the time, they ate sweet potato leaves and cornmeal porridge. During the hardest times, they couldn¡¯t even afford these and had to eat wild vegetables. Now, the sight of these foods made them want to vomit. They couldn¡¯t possibly eat them.

    Gu Shan quickly declined, ¡°We won¡¯t eat. Let the children eat first. You come with me, and we¡¯ll talk.¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s tone softened, even carrying a hint of sympathy.

    He had initially thought that Gu Zi was living well in Jifu New Village. But it turned out she was renting a house here to save face for Su Shen. He felt a bit sorry for his adopted daughter.

    After all, she was raised by the Gu family and had attended the best schools. She was an excellent child. Gu Zi should have had a bright future.

    At the very least, she should have married into a respectable family, like the Gong family. She wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. But it was they who had arranged for Gu Zi to marry on someone else¡¯s behalf, and a sense of guilt welled up within them.

    Gu Zi followed Gu Shan, asking, ¡°Uncle Gu, why have you come? Just tell me directly. I have a lot of work to do after dinner.¡±

    Gu Shan looked serious and said straightforwardly, ¡°This is your eldest uncle. You remember him, right? You have two quotas for the First Bilingual Primary School, right?¡±

    ¡°Your eldest uncle¡¯s two grandsons need them. I think, since we¡¯re all family, you should give the two quotas to his grandsons. They¡¯ve been studying in the city since they were young, so they¡¯ll definitely be able to keep up. The quotas won¡¯t be wasted.¡±

    Listening to this shameless request, Gu Zi¡¯s eyes flickered. Did they mean that if the two quotas were used by the two children who grew up in the countryside, it would be a waste?

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    Gu Zi almost laughed in anger. So, the Gu family was eyeing these two quotas. No wonder they had gone all the way to Little Lin Village to ask for her new address.

    She heard the so-called eldest uncle say, ¡°Yes, Gu Zi, as the old saying goes, ¡®Mother¡¯s brother is greater than mother.¡¯ If you give the quotas to our family, when my two grandsons become successful in the future, you can also benefit. There are no outsiders here, so I¡¯ll just speak frankly.

    ¡°Look at your three children. They¡¯re not your biological children. Now they might need you to take care of them, so they call you ¡®mom.¡¯ But when they grow up and don¡¯t need you anymore, will they still recognize you?

    ¡°Of course not. How can you not plan for your own future? Your eldest uncle is thinking for your own good.¡±

    Gu Zi lowered her eyes, not wanting to listen to their nonsense. Her tone became much colder, ¡°But, dear uncle, when I left the Gu family, Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu made it very clear that we were no longer in a parent-child relationship. Apparently, I¡¯m not fortunate enough to share in your glory.¡±

 Chapter 692 - Chapter 692: A Little Kindness

    Chapter 692: A Little Kindness

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing these words, Zhang Mei¡¯s brother was at a loss for words, his gaze shifting towards Gu Shan.

    At that moment, Gu Shan¡¯s face was a mask of discomfort. The repeated instances of his own words coming back to haunt him were indeed hard to bear. For a moment, he felt as if his chest was blocked, his discomfort evident in his grim expression.

    However, seeing Zhang Mei¡¯s brother and considering the importance of the matter at hand, he suppressed his anger. ¡°Gu Zi, it seems you still hold a grudge against us,¡± he began. ¡°You must understand, we too were distressed at the time. We now realize that sending you off to the countryside alone was not the most appropriate decision. We will rectify our mistakes in the future.

    ¡°But the kindness we¡¯ve shown in raising you cannot be erased with a few words. Now that you¡¯re back in the city, you should make an effort to socialize more, to avoid becoming the subject of gossip.

    ¡°Moreover, if you think about it, your uncle¡¯s words are not without merit. If you help your uncle¡¯s family with these two spots, there will surely come a time when he can assist you in return.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother nodded in agreement, turning to Gu Zi with a placating look. ¡°Yes, Gu Zi, your two stepsons are from the countryside after all. There are other schools in the city they could attend. Can¡¯t you do your uncle this favor?¡±

    Gu Zi watched the two men, her eyes flickering with surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Shan to keep his temper in check this time.

    She decided to change her approach in declining their request. Turning to Zhang Mei¡¯s brother, she said with a smile, ¡°You make a valid point. However, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to help, but the two children have already taken the entrance exam. If we were to switch candidates, we would have to wait for the exam results.

    ¡°The results should be out by tomorrow afternoon. As you¡¯ve said, the two children will likely struggle to keep up.

    ¡°When that time comes, Uncle, you can bring your two grandsons over. They can take a test at the school. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll easily outperform my children. That way, this matter will be settled, and as their mother, I can give my sons a proper explanation.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother was overjoyed. Was this her way of agreeing? ¡°So, if they take the test at the school tomorrow afternoon, my two grandsons will be able to enroll in the First Bilingual Primary School?¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s face finally relaxed a bit, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. ¡°That¡¯s the right way to think about it. After all, we¡¯re still family!¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t foresee any major issues. The exam questions were manageable for my two children, and they were quite calm after finishing. The questions can¡¯t be that difficult. Are you worried your grandsons won¡¯t be able to solve them?

    ¡°As long as their final scores are higher than my children¡¯s, I believe the school would be more than willing to give the spots to your grandsons.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei¡¯s brother confidently replied, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll bring them to the school for the exam tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    He thought to himself how considerate Gu Zi was. This way, when his family received the two spots, they could claim that his grandsons had earned them through their own merit. What a boost to their reputation!

    As for the task of ensuring his grandsons scored higher than the two children, he didn¡¯t give it a second thought. After all, those two children were from the countryside. How high could their academic level be?

    Seeing that the matter was settled, Gu Shan finally relaxed, a smile gracing his face. He had no intention of staying for the modest lunch. Rising from his seat, he bid his farewell. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Now that we¡¯ve settled the matter, your uncle and I will take our leave.¡±

    Gu Zi tried to persuade them to stay. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for a meal before you go? It may not be a feast, but it¡¯s wholesome food. I¡¯m grateful for your visit, and I didn¡¯t have anything to offer you. I would feel bad inviting you to share a simple cornmeal with me. I¡¯m really happy that you came to see me today. Why don¡¯t you stay for a meal before you go?¡±

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    At Gu Zi¡¯s words, a flicker of embarrassment crossed the faces of the two men, each harboring their own thoughts.

    Gu Shan thought Gu Zi was too naive. His words about them being family were merely pleasantries, yet she had taken them to heart. She was even happy about it. They had come to ask for her help without bringing any gifts. Wouldn¡¯t she realize in the future that she didn¡¯t need to receive gifts in return for her help?

    The so-called uncle, on the other hand, was regretful. If he had known how easily Gu Zi could be persuaded, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered giving gifts to the Gu family. It would have been better to approach Gu Zi directly!

    Both men were cunning, and Gu Shan easily read Zhang Mei¡¯s brother¡¯s thoughts.

    Feeling guilty towards Gu Zi, he took out a red envelope that Zhang Mei¡¯s brother had given him as a bribe. Handing it to Gu Zi, he said, ¡°This is a small token of appreciation from your uncle and me. It contains two hundred yuan. Consider it a housewarming gift. Use it to improve your living conditions. Don¡¯t always be so hard on yourself.¡±

 Chapter 693 - Chapter 693: The Proud Miss

    Chapter 693: The Proud Miss

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother was not oblivious to the fact that Gu Shan, the old fox, was deliberately provoking him. The red envelope, which was supposedly a token of goodwill from two people, was clearly a bribe he had given to Gu Shan in exchange for his assistance.

    However, in the current situation, he had no choice but to respond with a forced smile, ¡°Indeed, how could we arrive empty-handed? I was in such a hurry that I simply filled a red envelope.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t hesitate to accept the envelope, saying, ¡°Uncle, you are too kind. Since this is a token of goodwill from my elders, I have no reason to refuse. If you are leaving, allow me to see you out.¡±

    After seeing the two men out, Su Li emerged from the dining area, asking his elder brother, ¡°Brother, I remember our results should be out tomorrow morning, and the class divisions announced. Why did mom say the results would be out in the afternoon?¡±

    He didn¡¯t believe that his mother would let others use these two spots, but he was genuinely confused by her actions. Why didn¡¯t she simply refuse?

    Su Bing returned to the dining table, picked a few strands of pickled vegetables for his younger sister, Su Le, and watched her eat with her spoon. He said, ¡°Mother is simply deceiving them, buying time until the class divisions are finalized tomorrow. Then, it won¡¯t be as simple as just switching spots. This way, mother doesn¡¯t have to have a falling out with them, and this matter will naturally pass.¡±

    Su Li suddenly understood and gave a thumbs up, ¡°Our mother is truly brilliant!¡±

    As Su Bing sat down to eat, he found his brother¡¯s chatter slightly annoying. However, as soon as his brother finished speaking, another loud voice entered Su Bing¡¯s ears as their mother returned from seeing off the guests.

    ¡°You must have known I was coming today and waited for me at the door, right? At least you have a conscience. I took time out of my day to visit you, after all, you are my good friend. Now that you¡¯ve moved to the city, I can¡¯t just ignore you¡­¡±

    Su Bing looked up to see his mother¡¯s good friend, Gong Xin, had arrived.

    She was talking non-stop while sitting down at the restaurant table, placing a rather worn-out large handbag on the table. She continued to talk as she took out the items from the bag one by one. Despite the bag¡¯s appearance, the items inside were quite exquisite, all in foreign packaging.

    He didn¡¯t quite understand her actions, but it didn¡¯t matter. After greeting her, he continued eating. Meanwhile, Gong Xin was still talking, ¡°Look, these are all housewarming gifts I brought for you. Although I didn¡¯t carefully select them, I know you¡¯re not the type to be picky. They¡¯re all for you. Are we having corn porridge today? I haven¡¯t had that in a while, quickly serve me a bowl!¡±

    Gong Xin had gotten the address from Jin Long. As soon as she had some free time today, she packed all the gifts she had carefully selected into this worn-out bag and took a taxi over.

    In her rush to find a worn-out handbag, she almost missed lunch at Gu Zi¡¯s house. Fortunately, she made it in time. She loved the food Gu Zi made, even if it was just corn porridge.

    Gu Zi packed the gifts into the old bag, seeing through Gong Xin¡¯s intentions. She was indeed quite proud, deliberately using such a worn-out bag for the gifts. Anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think she was giving away old items.

    In reality, the bag contained carefully selected high-end small gifts like lipstick and lotion, all in exquisite small packages.

    Gong Xin was a good woman in all respects, except for her stubbornness. These small items were all quite expensive, so they couldn¡¯t have been chosen carelessly. However, seeing the effort this woman put into her gifts, Gu Zi felt quite happy.

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    She put away the gifts and served Gong Xin a bowl of corn porridge, ¡°Here, my proud miss, you eat first. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen and get you some delicious food to take home. You can keep it in the fridge and eat it slowly.¡±

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, taking a big sip of the corn porridge. It was delicious, but she took issue with Gu Zi¡¯s recent nickname for her.

    After swallowing the corn porridge, she retorted, ¡°What are you talking about, Gu Zi? I¡¯m not a proud miss. I¡­ I just saw that you didn¡¯t have many friends in the city, so I came bearing gifts¡­¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li exchanged glances, puzzled. Women truly were a mysterious species, full of quirks. There were gentle and kind ones like their mother, and then there were those like Sister Gong Xin, who said one thing and meant another.

    They really wanted to tell Sister Gong Xin that they could see how much she cared about their mother, her good friend. Why did she have to pretend and act so proud?

 Chapter 694 - Chapter 694: Untouchable

    Chapter 694: Untouchable

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unbeknownst to them, it was evident that for Gong Xin, acting less haughty would be a failure, an impossibility. Gong Xin savored her corn porridge and pickled vegetables, cradling the assorted snack box that Gu Zi had given her on her lap. She examined it over and over, appreciating the woman¡¯s thoughtfulness. Gu Zi knew that Gong Xin disliked fuss, so she had prepared cold snacks for her convenience.

    It was indeed convenient. She could store them in the refrigerator and grab a piece whenever she felt like it. The thought brought a smile to Gong Xin¡¯s heart, but she maintained a serious expression on her face.

    ¡°I admit your snacks look very appealing,¡± she said, ¡°but I didn¡¯t come here just for this snack box. I came because I noticed you don¡¯t have many friends here, and I wanted to bring some moving-in atmosphere. But speaking of which, don¡¯t you have any braised meat here?¡±

    As she spoke, Gong Xin¡¯s gaze drifted towards the refrigerator in the distance. She wished she had x-ray vision to see what was inside!

    Gu Zi took a small sip of her corn porridge and nibbled on some pickled vegetables. She chewed slowly, creating a picturesque scene. She saw through Gong Xin¡¯s intentions but chose not to expose them. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these past few days and haven¡¯t made any. The ones I brought from home are all gone. If you want some, you¡¯ll have to go to town.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to time it right,¡± she added. ¡°Next Saturday, my sister-in-law and others are attending Lin Hun and Gui Hua¡¯s wedding. As Gui Hua¡¯s good friend, my sister-in-law will be in charge of the braised and cold dishes for the banquet. The shop will be closed that day, so don¡¯t make a wasted trip.¡±

    Gong Xin raised an eyebrow. She wouldn¡¯t have time until next Saturday, and she didn¡¯t want to wait another day for braised meat. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she turned to Gu Zi.

    ¡°If there¡¯s going to be braised meat at the wedding, why don¡¯t I just go to the wedding? I¡¯ve met Gui Hua before, so we¡¯re acquainted. Let¡¯s settle it then. I¡¯ll come find you early that day, and you can take me with you!¡±

    Gu Zi put down her spoon and looked at Gong Xin, thinking it would be fun to tease her. She pretended to refuse, ¡°Is it really necessary? Besides, it¡¯s not customary to bring extra people to a wedding. It¡¯s not appropriate. It doesn¡¯t match your status, Miss Gong.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gong Xin puffed up her cheeks in annoyance, clutching the snack box as she stood up. ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? Can¡¯t I bring a red envelope? The more, the merrier at a wedding banquet, right? I think it¡¯s fine. Enough said, you¡¯ll have to take me with you. I have to study this afternoon, so I¡¯ll be going. Bye!¡±

    Without giving Gu Zi a chance to respond, Gong Xin cheerfully made her exit, clutching the snack box. She was afraid that if she lingered, she might hear Gu Zi refuse to take her.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Gong Xin¡¯s naivety. She was like a foolish child from a wealthy family.

    Gu Zi also noticed how Gong Xin treasured the snack box. She remembered that Gong Xin had always enjoyed the food the original owner made. The food that the original owner made for her beloved Gong Zhan must have often ended up in Gong Xin¡¯s stomach.

    In fact, Gong Xin had recognized the original owner¡¯s culinary skills from the very beginning; she just didn¡¯t want to admit it. Gong Xin had spent a lot of money on these housewarming gifts. Since she loved Gu Zi¡¯s pastries so much, Gu Zi decided to make more when she had time.

    It just so happened that the Gao family next door, both adults and children, gave her pastries five-star reviews. She would have to make extra to give to the Gao family, especially since the tea gift box was quite valuable.

    She could also send some to the workers at the slaughterhouse. Speaking of the newly opened slaughterhouse, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t visited yet. The pastries could serve as a greeting gift from her, the boss¡¯s wife.

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    Gu Zi loved seeing the satisfied and happy expressions on people¡¯s faces when they ate her food. Making some when she had time was a good thing. With these thoughts in mind, Gu Zi checked the ingredients at home and found them insufficient. She told Su Bing and the others, ¡°Su Bing, Su Li, let¡¯s go to the farmers¡¯ market after we clean up. We¡¯re going shopping in the market!¡±

    Upon receiving the order, Su Bing and Su Li hastened their work and responded, ¡°We¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±

    In no time, the family of four, with little Su Le in the stroller, set off cheerfully.

    Back at the courtyard, Gong Xin returned home and carefully placed the pastry box she had received from Gu Zi in the refrigerator as if it were a treasure. She then turned to Mrs. Chen, who was watching TV in the living room.

    ¡°Mom, the snack box in the refrigerator was specially made for me by Gu Zi. I¡¯m saving it for myself. None of you can touch it, okay?¡±

 Chapter 695 - Chapter 695: Attending to Hu Jie

    Chapter 695: Attending to Hu Jie

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon her daughter, her hair still in disarray, her demeanor rushed and flustered. She sighed, recalling her previous suspicion that her daughter was secretly dating. Now, it seemed, her daughter was still quite wild.

    However, she found herself craving some pastries. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a large box you have there? Can¡¯t you spare some for your mother?¡±

    When it came to Gu Zi, Mrs. Chen knew that the child made delicious pastries. Gu Zi used to frequently bring over treats, and she and her husband would joke about enjoying the benefits of their son¡¯s friendship.

    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh heavily. If she had known it would come to this, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to the Gu family¡¯s proposal, allowing Lin Miao to fulfill this marriage contract.

    Now, rumors were circulating throughout the military compound, accusing her of failing to guard her son properly. After much deliberation, she had chosen a thief raised in the countryside for her son, tarnishing the family¡¯s reputation.

    As for Gu Zi, she was fortunate not to have married into their Gong family, and to have avoided dealing with a mother-in-law as blind as herself.

    Although she couldn¡¯t change the facts, hearing these words left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was indeed distressing.

    Gong Xin had already emerged from her room, slinging her bag over her shoulder in preparation to leave. She was heading to the radio station to learn new broadcasting techniques.

    Because she was running late for her meeting with Gu Zi, she responded while putting on her shoes, ¡°No, mother. If you want pastries, I¡¯ll bring you some from your favorite bakery.

    ¡°Just remember, don¡¯t touch my pastries. Especially keep an eye out for my brother, don¡¯t let him steal any. I love you, mom¡­¡±

    As her words trailed off, the sound of the door closing echoed through the house. Mrs. Chen swallowed her disappointment, grumbling to herself that in her daughter¡¯s eyes, Gu Zi¡¯s pastries were more important than her own mother. She turned her attention back to the television, trying not to think about the delicious, fragrant pastries.

    When her daughter had first brought them home, she had caught a glimpse of the tempting pastries.

    However, just as she settled down to watch television, the doorbell rang. Mrs. Chen rose to answer it. ¡°Hello, is this Vice Commander Gong¡¯s residence?¡±

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed at the sight of the visitor. The woman was dressed in a military uniform, tall and striking, with a cold, proud face. She was in her late twenties and quite attractive.

    Upon noticing the stripes on the woman¡¯s shoulder, Mrs. Chen was even more surprised. This woman held the same rank as her son, a vice commander, and even had a bodyguard accompanying her.

    Mrs. Chen hurriedly invited the woman in. Just then, Gong Zhan descended from upstairs. She told her son, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. This lady is looking for you.¡±

    Gong Zhan approached the visitor. ¡°Vice Commander Hu, what brings you here? Mom, could you make us some tea?¡±

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s smile bloomed like a flower. She was more than happy to play hostess and headed towards the kitchen. Soon, she returned with a pot of freshly brewed tea.

    Just then, the phone rang. After answering it, she turned to Gong Zhan. ¡°Son, I might have to step out for a bit. Please take good care of Vice Commander Hu.¡±

    Having given her instructions, Mrs. Chen picked up her purse and cheerfully left the house, humming a tune. Seeing Vice Commander Hu had lifted her spirits. Although her son and Lin Miao were legally married, they had yet to consummate their marriage.

    Moreover, due to Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment, Gong Zhan was certain to divorce her. Although the situation was currently difficult to handle, the appearance of such an outstanding woman by her son¡¯s side gave her hope. As a mother, she naturally hoped her son would seize this opportunity.

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    Inside the house, Gong Zhan and Hu Jie were conversing in the study. Gong Zhan felt that serving just a pot of plain tea was somewhat inadequate. He went to the kitchen and upon opening the refrigerator, discovered the box of pastries. Thinking they were presentable enough, he decided to serve them to Hu Jie.

    Hu Jie had initially planned to leave as soon as their discussion was over. However, upon seeing the exquisite pastries, she suddenly craved something sweet. She picked one up to taste and couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°These pastries are delicious. They¡¯re not overly sweet like others. Vice Commander Gong, where did you buy these? I¡¯ll have someone get some for me later.¡±

    Gong Zhan wasn¡¯t particularly fond of sweet things. Gu Zi used to send him these pastries, which he would give to Gong Xin.

    However, he now found himself wanting to taste them. He picked up a white cake, and a faint scent of coconut filled his nostrils as he took a bite.

    The flavor was similar to Gu Zi¡¯s pastries, but seemed even more delicious. He found himself wanting another piece, but due to the presence of a guest, Gong Zhan refrained from immediately reaching for a second one.

 Chapter 696 - Chapter 696: Guard It Against You

    Chapter 696: Guard It Against You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan curbed his appetite, responding, ¡°My mother bought it. She loves these things. If Deputy Commander Hu likes it, I¡¯ll have my mother tell me where the shop is later. I¡¯ll have her buy some more and have someone bring it to you.¡±

    Gong Zhan had previously received orders from above to take good care of the newly arrived Deputy Commander of the Cultural Work Troupe.

    Given the implications for his career, Gong Zhan had someone investigate Hu Jie¡¯s background. Her father, a former division commander, had died in battle, but he was a national hero. As the daughter of a hero, Hu Jie would undoubtedly receive special care from the national government.

    Furthermore, her family had many military officials, and her political background was extremely strong. Her mother¡¯s family was also not simple¡­

    After understanding this, Gong Zhan was very clear in his heart. Even at the same level, the Deputy Commander of the Cultural Work Troupe could not compare to his military position and power. But when receiving Hu Jie, he had to take it seriously.

    Therefore, on the day Hu Jie arrived, he had arranged a rather grand reception and even set up a welcome banquet at the Golden Sun Hotel.

    Today, he would say these superfluous words to Hu Jie. If it were any other official from the Cultural Work Troupe, even a commander, Gong Zhan would not pay much attention. This was all determined by a person¡¯s origin and background, and Gong Zhan felt that he couldn¡¯t be blamed for being realistic.

    Hu Jie was quite satisfied with Gong Zhan¡¯s hospitality. She remembered the purpose of her trip and said to Gong Zhan, ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll have the guard give you the money for the pastries later. Now let¡¯s get to the point. I came here because there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you, Mr. Gong¡­¡±

    As evening approached, Mrs. Chen and her friends finished their gathering. Mrs. Chen returned home, changed into her slippers, and went straight into the kitchen. She had to prepare dinner.

    The Gong family was not so poor that they couldn¡¯t afford a maid, but Mrs. Chen felt that it was more reassuring to cook the meals herself, and she was not used to having strangers in the house.

    So, for many years, the Gong family had never hired a maid to cook. Mrs. Chen would only hire a part-time worker to come to the house for a thorough cleaning every once in a while.

    This way, there were no strangers in the house, and Mrs. Chen, who managed the household, would not be too tired. Mrs. Chen felt that the existence of part-time workers was a blessing, so she treated every part-time worker who came to the door with gratitude.

    And the part-time workers who came to the door? Most of them were farmers who needed money. They were quite simple and would work hard. Mrs. Chen would give them extra money as a tip, and if they came again, they would bring homemade pickles, dried fish, etc., to repay Mrs. Chen¡¯s kindness. Mrs. Chen felt very satisfied with this.

    Mrs. Chen hummed a song as she thought about it, opened the refrigerator to get the ingredients. The ingredients were all there, but Mrs. Chen always felt that the second layer of the preservation room was too empty. Shouldn¡¯t there be something there?

    The next second, Mrs. Chen remembered, ¡°Oh! Where are the pastries in the refrigerator? Xin Xin, are you back? Gong Zhan, Gong Zhan, come down.¡±

    Mrs. Chen remembered that she had noticed earlier that Gong Xin¡¯s cotton slippers were still far away at the door. Her daughter should not have returned.

    Right, Gong Zhan¡¯s cotton slippers were not there, and a guest had come by earlier. Her heart suddenly hung in suspense, and she walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor, calling her son as she walked.

    Gong Zhan was also conveniently drinking water in the corridor on the second floor. Hearing the sound, he came down the stairs and asked in confusion, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Mrs. Chen was a little incoherent, asking, ¡°Did you use the box of pastries in the refrigerator to entertain Deputy Commander Hu?¡±

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    Gong Zhan heard this, his eyebrows furrowed, and he felt that his mother was being stingy, ¡°Yes, Mom, what are you nervous about? Can¡¯t I use the pastries at home to entertain guests?¡±

    When Mrs. Chen heard the answer, her suspended heart seemed to die completely. She walked to the sofa and sat down weakly, looking at her son, her tone serious, ¡°You¡¯re done for. Your sister just brought it back today. She said that Gu Zi made it especially for her, and no one is allowed to touch it.

    ¡°Especially me, I have to guard it against you. She didn¡¯t even bear to eat a piece when she brought it back today. It¡¯s also my fault. I left in a hurry and forgot to remind you. When you entertained the guests, you didn¡¯t use it all, did you?¡±

    Gong Zhan listened, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He could already picture Gong Xin punching and kicking him. That wild girl, when she got angry, she was very strong.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t possibly fight back against her. He stuttered, ¡°Then, then what should we do? Deputy Commander Hu said it was delicious and took it all away to eat.¡±

 Chapter 697 - Chapter 697: Do It Again

    Chapter 697: Do It Again

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon finishing his statement, Gong Zhan found himself nursing a grudge against Gu Zi, questioning her motives for giving Gong Xin a treat. He scrutinized the situation, realizing that the treat wasn¡¯t specifically for Gong Xin. Instead, it was a deliberate ploy by Gu Zi to catch his attention. He had long seen through Gu Zi¡¯s intentions, understanding that she would never give up on him.

    On the fifteenth of February, the day the brothers¡¯ school exam results were to be announced, Gu Zi entrusted Su Le to Grandma Gao¡¯s care. Before leaving, Grandma Gao specifically instructed Gu Zi to inform her about Su Li¡¯s class assignment, promising to enroll her own child, Gao Ming, in the same class.

    As for Gao Ming, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t seen him that day. She heard he was visiting his parents and would be brought back by a driver later. Gu Zi then set off with Su Bing and Su Li, arriving at the school early.

    Upon reaching the school building, Gu Zi spotted an elderly female teacher with white hair approaching them. Despite her age, the teacher was robust and quick on her feet. She reached them in no time, warmly shaking Gu Zi¡¯s hand, her clear eyes filled with a kind smile.

    ¡°You must be Su Bing¡¯s mother,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m the class teacher for Grade 4, Class A2. My name is Du. I¡¯m here to welcome you and Su Bing. Please, follow me to my office.¡±

    After shaking hands, Teacher Du led Gu Zi towards the teachers¡¯ building. Gu Zi, still somewhat confused, asked, ¡°Teacher Du, are you sure there hasn¡¯t been a mistake? Su Bing is a second-grade student. We¡¯re here to check his results and find out his class assignment.¡±

    Without breaking stride, Teacher Du replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go there. Just follow me. If all goes as expected, Su Bing will be my student. As for Su Li¡¯s results and class assignment, someone will bring that information over shortly. Please, follow me without worry.¡±

    Seeing the teacher¡¯s confidence, Gu Zi decided not to question further. Regardless of the situation, she would find out soon enough by following the teacher.

    Gu Zi, accompanied by her children, followed Teacher Du into a spacious, tidy office. Upon entering, Gu Zi noticed a sign on the door that read ¡®Director of Moral Education¡¯.

    Inside, there was a single workstation, complete with a desk, chair, computer, sofa, nap bed, and heater. Gu Zi realized that this teacher was not only a class teacher but also the school¡¯s Director of Moral Education. Her seniority in the school allowed her the privilege of a private office.

    ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Teacher Du said. ¡°Help yourself to water from the dispenser. As for Su Bing, come with me to this small room and redo this test paper. You have two and a half hours. Start now.¡±

    Su Bing was led into a small room and given a test paper to redo. He was a bit puzzled but quickly immersed himself in the task. After closing the door to the small room, Teacher Du turned to Gu Zi and said, ¡°The room is soundproof, so we can talk at a normal volume without disturbing him. Mrs. Su, I must say, I¡¯m quite excited.¡±

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    Gu Zi, with Su Li by her side, sat on the long sofa. She wasn¡¯t worried about Su Li causing a fuss, as he had become quite disciplined and sat still. Gu Zi asked, ¡°Teacher Du, Su Bing has already taken the exam. Why does he need to redo it?¡±

    Teacher Du retrieved a test paper from under her desk and handed it to Gu Zi. ¡°Mrs. Su, there¡¯s no need to worry,¡± she explained. ¡°Take a look at this test paper. Our school has always integrated the main subjects for the entrance exam and intentionally increased the difficulty. I oversaw this year¡¯s entrance exam.

    ¡°This year¡¯s entrance exam was the most difficult in recent years. The last two major questions were left blank or only contained the solution¡¯s thought process by many top students. However, this is Su Bing¡¯s test paper. He did exceptionally well. As a transfer student, his performance surprised me. I believe he is a rare talent!¡±

    Gu Zi looked at Su Bing¡¯s test paper, noticing the numerous red checkmarks. Her expression gradually relaxed. She hadn¡¯t expected Su Bing to score nearly full marks on the second-grade entrance exam. The only place he lost points was in the Chinese composition section.

    Teacher Du continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it an exhilarating answer sheet? I¡¯ve discussed it with several senior school leaders and reviewed Su Bing¡¯s admission materials. Considering his age, we¡¯ve made a decision.¡±

 Chapter 698 - Chapter 698: Becoming His Teacher

    Chapter 698: Becoming His Teacher

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The female teacher was in her twilight years, her hair a snowy white, yet her face was rosy and plump. Her entire being radiated an aura of elegance and simplicity, a quality that had been refined over many years.

    This quality was particularly evident as she spoke in a soft voice while preparing tea. It was an aura that commanded an inexplicable respect, causing Gu Zi to sit up straighter as she continued to listen to her.

    ¡°We would like Su Bing to take the entrance exam for the fourth grade,¡± she said. ¡°The exam is out of three hundred points, and we will grade it on the spot. If Su Bing can score above two hundred and fifty, we would like him to skip a grade and go directly to the fourth grade.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want such an outstanding child to waste precious learning time studying things he has already mastered. We all believe he can handle skipping a grade.¡±

    Gu Zi was surprised. Su Bing was indeed a genius, worthy of being the antagonist in a novel. His intelligence was extraordinary. Gu Zi had only given him some early tutoring, and the results were astonishing.

    Gu Zi had been worried before, thinking that Su Bing, being older than his classmates, might struggle to fit in. Su Bing¡¯s character was naturally reserved, and while this wasn¡¯t a problem in elementary school, it might become one in middle school.

    If that were the case, Su Bing might become even more introverted and potentially walk a darker path. But now, Su Bing was about to leap to a grade that matched his abilities. Gu Zi felt somewhat dreamy and asked for confirmation, ¡°So you mean that Su Bing is currently taking the fourth-grade exam?¡±

    The teacher handed a cup of clear tea to Gu Zi. After she took it, Teacher Du responded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit hard to believe, but it¡¯s true. Now, I think I can introduce myself so that you can feel at ease entrusting Su Bing to me.

    ¡°I used to be a professor at a prestigious school in the capital, where I worked for over a decade. However, I am dedicated to researching child development and education. One day, I realized that to truly understand children and nurture them into talents that the country needs, I should go to the grassroots level.

    ¡°So, I resigned and returned to my hometown, Guangcheng, to become an elementary school foreign language teacher. It¡¯s been six or seven years now, and I believe my decision was correct, especially after seeing Su Bing¡¯s exam. I am very much looking forward to becoming his teacher¡­¡±

    Gu Zi finally understood why she had no memory of this teacher. It turned out that she had arrived at the school after she had graduated. She hadn¡¯t realized that Teacher Du was a foreign language teacher who had given up the prestige, benefits, and interests of being a professor at a prestigious school in the capital to follow her heart. It was truly admirable.

    Gu Zi felt a genuine respect for the elderly woman in front of her. However, she had some questions about Teacher Du¡¯s words and asked, ¡°Since you wanted to go to the grassroots level, why did you choose the most prestigious foreign language school in Guangcheng?¡±

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    The elderly woman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as she calmly answered the daring parent, ¡°Firstly, I studied foreign languages myself. I can speak four foreign languages, and I enjoy teaching children to master the languages of other countries or ethnic groups. Language is a fascinating thing.

    ¡°The second reason, and the main one, might sound absurd. But I don¡¯t mind saying it. I believe in luck. If the children can come to this school, they will naturally meet me. If they can¡¯t, I can¡¯t give up the opportunity to cultivate more talents for society and insist on going to teach in impoverished rural areas.

    ¡°To put it bluntly, I don¡¯t think impoverished rural areas need teachers like me. Average teachers can complete the teaching tasks because what those children need to do first is to break out from their not-so-high positions, then become talents and serve society¡­¡±

    After listening, Gu Zi felt a dryness in her mouth. She took another sip of tea before she could recover from her shock. She was shocked because she hadn¡¯t expected the elderly woman¡¯s answer to be so realistic. But indeed, the old teacher¡¯s words were not without reason¡­

    Two hours and three minutes later, the door of the small room opened from the inside. The teacher approached immediately, ¡°Did you encounter any difficulties? If there are questions you can¡¯t answer, it¡¯s normal. The questions are supposed to be difficult. You can leave them blank, but you need to finish the exam first.¡±

 Chapter 699 - Chapter 699: Running Errands for Students

    Chapter 699: Running Errands for Students

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Su Bing was about to be ushered back into the small room by Teacher Du, he presented his test paper, stating calmly, ¡°No, teacher, I have finished writing. I came out once I was done. You can grade it now.¡±

    Teacher Du was both surprised and delighted. She took the test paper, exclaiming, ¡°You finished early? Good job, good child. I¡¯ll go in and grade it, please wait a moment.¡±

    About twenty minutes later, Teacher Du emerged with the graded test paper, her stern expression barely concealing the joy playing at the corners of her mouth.

    She looked at Su Bing, her admiration for the child growing. He was just a ten-year-old, yet his face had never shown a hint of panic from the beginning. His mental fortitude was not something ordinary students could match.

    Having met Su Bing in person today, she felt even more strongly that this child had the mental capacity and ability to skip directly to the fourth grade. She was more convinced than ever that Su Bing should be a fourth-grade student, her student.

    She handed the test paper back to Su Bing, hastily praising, ¡°Child, you did exceptionally well on this test, especially the language composition and foreign language composition. They were written very cleverly.

    ¡°Your previous second-grade test paper had points deducted for the composition. I saw it, it was due to the teacher¡¯s subjective reasons. If someone else had graded it, you might have gotten full marks. You¡¯re amazing, I¡¯ve never seen a child with such excellent composition skills.

    ¡°Also, your handwriting is very neat, with a hidden firmness and resilience in the strokes. It¡¯s very good. If I hadn¡¯t seen you write it, I would have thought that this was the handwriting of an adult. Do you practice calligraphy?¡±

    Su Bing, faced with such continuous praise, didn¡¯t show much change in his expression. After all, since he started school, he had been showered with teachers¡¯ praises. Even though he was now facing one of the most famous primary school teachers, he didn¡¯t feel any difference.

    He answered calmly as usual, ¡°My mother takes my brother and me to practice calligraphy, and she also tutors us in foreign languages and other subjects.¡±

    Gu Zi, hearing the teacher¡¯s praise, was not as calm as Su Bing. Her face lit up with joy, and she asked in surprise, ¡°Teacher Du, can Su Bing really skip directly to the fourth grade? Aren¡¯t you worried he won¡¯t be able to keep up?¡±

    Teacher Du¡¯s face grew even more flushed. She promptly pulled out the registration form for the fourth-grade A2 class students, handing it to Gu Zi, ¡°I¡¯m not worried at all. I will take full responsibility for his grade skipping. Please fill in the child¡¯s information.¡±

    Su Bing was such an outstanding child, of course, she wanted to keep him under her guidance. She would not let talent go to waste.

    Moreover, having seen the child¡¯s information and understanding his family situation, she knew that the beautiful young woman in front of her was Su Bing¡¯s stepmother. She was beautiful and kind, and her two stepsons had gained admission to the school because of her job.

    The stepmother had only recently married the children¡¯s father. The children used to attend a regular primary school in the suburbs, which did not offer foreign language classes.

    That being said, Su Bing¡¯s foreign language learning could only have been for a few months at most. Yet, his answers in the foreign language section did not reflect this at all. He was simply a genius, how could she not cherish him?

    Gu Zi began to fill out the form, feeling that her eldest son was simply extraordinary. She said to Teacher Du, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll have to trouble Teacher Du¡­¡±

    The atmosphere in the office was harmonious. Just then, the office door was knocked, and a middle-aged woman with a low ponytail walked in. She headed straight for Teacher Du, handing her a test paper.

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    ¡°Director Du, this is the student test paper and class information slip, student information registration form you asked for.¡±

    Upon receiving them, Director Du handed the papers to the well-behaved boy sitting on the sofa, introducing, ¡°Teacher Zhou, this is your new student Su Li. Su Li, this is your future homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhou, who is in charge of the first-grade B2 class¡­¡±

    Su Li, who had been quietly sitting for two hours, appeared very well-behaved. He walked over and bowed to Teacher Zhou, greeting, ¡°Hello, Teacher Zhou, I¡¯m Su Li.¡±

    As Su Li was greeting Teacher Zhou, Director Du had to step out for a moment. As soon as Director Du left, Teacher Zhou¡¯s face fell, like a June sky, sunny one moment and raining the next.

    She snorted coldly, saying, ¡°No need, I can¡¯t bear this ¡®Hello, Teacher Zhou.¡¯ I¡¯m just a paper delivery person, running errands for students. Oh, is that your mother? She¡¯s very young. But let me ask, are you really planning to study here?¡±

 Chapter 700 - Chapter 700: Teacher Zhou Apologizes

    Chapter 700: Teacher Zhou Apologizes

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Like many children, Su Li held a fundamental reverence for his teachers. Hence, he felt an innate sense of trepidation towards them.

    Now, his homeroom teacher was a woman named Zhou, who seemed to have a particular dislike for him. Her demeanor would shift abruptly, one moment calm, the next stormy, which frightened Su Li. He quickly lowered his head, apologizing, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gu Zi noticed her son¡¯s fear and felt a pang of concern. She couldn¡¯t understand why the teacher would behave in such a manner. She could ignore the teacher¡¯s nonsensical words, but she couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her son be wronged. She stepped forward to reason with Teacher Zhou.

    ¡°Teacher Zhou,¡± she began, ¡°handing out test papers is a task assigned to you by your superiors. If you don¡¯t want to do it, you can report it to them and refuse the task. You can¡¯t blame the child for this, especially when we were called here instead of picking up the papers ourselves.¡±

    Gu Zi shielded Su Li from Teacher Zhou, who, seeing that Director Du had not yet returned, became even more disdainful. She crossed her arms and looked Gu Zi up and down, sneering, ¡°Don¡¯t try to pin any blame on me. Just because you¡¯re articulate doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re right. In this society, status and position are what matter most, and you have neither. But some people do.

    ¡°Even if your two sons are admitted to this school, whether they can stay is another matter. I can see that you¡¯re the type of woman who likes to take what isn¡¯t yours and force your way into circles where you don¡¯t belong. I predict trouble for you in the future!¡±

    With that, Teacher Zhou turned to leave.

    Gu Zi found her attitude extremely problematic. She was certain she had never offended this woman, but it was clear that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes. As for who that might be, she had no clue.

    However, she was not about to let this go. She stepped forward to block Teacher Zhou¡¯s path, ¡°Teacher Zhou, you¡¯ve overstepped your bounds with your words. I ask that you apologize to me and my son.¡±

    Gu Zi had initially decided to let go of the teacher¡¯s previous remarks, fearing that she might make things difficult for Su Li in the future. But she hadn¡¯t expected the teacher to be so aggressive. It seemed that regardless of whether she let it go or not, the teacher would likely cause trouble for Su Li in the future. So, she decided to stand her ground.

    Teacher Zhou was dismissive and tried to walk away, but Gu Zi was quicker and blocked her path again, repeating, ¡°Please apologize, Teacher Zhou. Otherwise, we¡¯ll wait for Director Du to return and let her judge the situation.¡±

    Gu Zi stood her ground, causing the previously arrogant Teacher Zhou to feel a hint of fear.

    This woman was not easy to deal with. She had thought that her harsh words would intimidate Gu Zi into silence, but instead, Gu Zi was demanding an apology. Who did she think she was?

    But remembering the instructions from the person behind her, not to reveal her intentions too soon, and her fear of Director Du, she decided to apologize. After all, she had completed her task of showing her displeasure, and she could report back later. She could apologize now and find a way to deal with them later when Su Li was in her class.

    Teacher Zhou suddenly changed her demeanor and apologized directly, ¡°Su Li, and Su Li¡¯s mother, the school has been very busy today, and I¡¯ve been running around. I was irritable and spoke harshly. I¡¯m truly sorry. There¡¯s no need for a judgment. I apologize for losing my temper at you.¡±

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    Only then did Gu Zi let her leave. But as she watched Teacher Zhou¡¯s retreating figure, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about Su Li¡¯s future situation. She knew the school¡¯s rules; once classes were assigned, they wouldn¡¯t be changed easily. She had no reason to request a class change for Su Li upon arrival, which would break the school¡¯s rules.

    Gu Zi turned to Su Li, ¡°Su Li, you need to be careful with Teacher Zhou in the future. If you encounter any difficulties, you must tell your brother and me immediately, understand?¡±

    Although Su Li was still somewhat scared, knowing he would have to face such a homeroom teacher every day, a teacher who seemed to dislike him, he didn¡¯t want his mother to worry. So, without hesitation, he promised his mother, ¡°Mom, I will protect myself.¡±

    Su Bing also reassured their mother, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. I¡¯m at the school too. Even though we¡¯re not in the same grade, I¡¯ll look after my little brother. I have my ways.¡±

    After Teacher Zhou left, she went to the school¡¯s public phone booth and made a call. Her tone became extremely obsequious, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, it¡¯s me, Teacher Zhou. I¡¯m calling to report the situation. I¡¯ve met with that woman and her child.¡±

 Chapter 701 - Chapter 701: I Think You Look Familiar

    Chapter 701: I Think You Look Familiar

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Teacher Zhou said, ¡°I didn¡¯t show them any kindness, but that woman was a tough nut to crack. However, I am a woman of my word, no matter how difficult the task, I won¡¯t back down. I am more than willing to work for you, Deputy Commander Hu. Just tell me what you need.¡±

    The call was made to Hu Jie¡¯s office. After listening to a lengthy monologue, Hu Jie coldly instructed, ¡°Teacher Zhou, you are a smart person. If you handle this matter well, you will be handsomely rewarded.¡±

    Back at the Director of Moral Education¡¯s office, Director Du returned, arms laden with brand-new textbooks and stationery. Trailing behind her was a young woman, around twenty-five or twenty-six, also carrying new textbooks, stationery, and a few sets of school uniforms. She was likely a teacher who had been asked by Director Du to help carry the items.

    ¡°I had some matters to attend to, which took longer than expected. I apologize for the wait,¡± Teacher Du said. ¡°These are the textbooks, workbooks, stationery, and uniforms for the two children. I brought them here to save you a trip. I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the exam.¡±

    Gu Zi nudged the two children, Su Bing and Su Li, who promptly stepped forward to receive their items from the teacher. They were polite and well-mannered.

    Gu Zi then asked, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, teachers. May I know who this teacher is?¡±

    Teacher Du introduced, ¡°This is our school¡¯s new teacher, Teacher Yang, who has just transferred from another city. Despite her young age, she has abundant teaching experience. After all, it¡¯s rare for someone so young to teach at our school. Oh, and she is Su Li¡¯s Chinese teacher.¡±

    Upon hearing the introduction, Su Li politely greeted Teacher Yang and thanked her for helping to carry the items. Gu Zi also got acquainted with Teacher Yang.

    Afterward, Teacher Yang escorted Gu Zi and the children out of the administrative building. Once outside, Teacher Yang had other matters to attend to, but she couldn¡¯t help voicing her curiosity, ¡°Su Li¡¯s mom, it seems like you enjoy looking at me?¡±

    Gu Zi, upon being asked, didn¡¯t hide her feelings. From the moment she saw Teacher Yang, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen you before, but I can¡¯t quite remember where. Thank you for seeing us out, Teacher Yang. We¡¯ll be on our way now.¡±

    Watching Gu Zi and the children leave, Teacher Yang¡¯s expression turned melancholic. The parent had said she looked familiar. Could it be that she knew her mother? Everyone who knew them said she resembled her mother.

    However, she hesitated to ask. After all, the families of the students at this school were all wealthy, without exception. Her mother lived in the countryside; how could she possibly know someone from the city¡¯s upper class?

    Upon returning home, Gu Zi packed some newly researched snacks and took her two sons to Grandma Gao¡¯s house to pick up Su Le. She also brought some delicious treats for Grandma Gao.

    As expected, Grandma Gao was overjoyed with the snacks Gu Zi brought. She handed the remaining snacks to the maid, instructing her to refrigerate them for Gao Ming to eat later.

    Upon learning that Gao Ming had just come back from visiting his parents, Gu Zi didn¡¯t say much, but she felt a pang of sympathy. She had frequent interactions with Grandma Gao¡¯s family and was aware of their circumstances. Gao Ming¡¯s parents were both high-ranking researchers, working on highly classified projects and living in state-assigned residences.

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    In theory, Gao Ming could have lived with his parents. However, Grandma Gao had mentioned that Gao Ming was quite pitiful. His mother had experienced severe psychological issues after giving birth to him, her first child. Although she eventually recovered through therapy, she never warmed up to Gao Ming.

    Gao Ming had never tasted his mother¡¯s milk and was raised on formula and rice porridge. When his mother had her second child, she devoted all her attention to Gao Ming¡¯s younger brother, neglecting Gao Ming even more. Gao Ming¡¯s father, a workaholic who doted on his wife, was a good man, but from Gao Ming¡¯s perspective, the situation was far from ideal.

    His mother didn¡¯t care for him and focused solely on his younger brother. This affected his father, who also spent less time with him and favored his younger brother more.

    Grandma Gao, feeling sorry for her grandson¡¯s plight, took him in. Gao Ming¡¯s mother didn¡¯t object, and since then, Gao Ming would visit his parents occasionally.

    Whenever Gao Ming went to visit, he was usually driven back by his parents¡¯ driver. His parents rarely brought him back themselves. As the days passed, Gao Ming gradually adapted to this lifestyle. However, deep down, he still felt lonely.

 Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: The Appearance of an Upper-Class Person

    Chapter 702: The Appearance of an Upper-Class Person

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Who wouldn¡¯t cherish the care of their own mother? Therefore, Gao Ming had developed a fondness for visiting Gu Zi¡¯s place, finding maternal comfort in her presence.

    Grandma Gao, observing her grandson¡¯s growing attachment, took the initiative to foster a good relationship with Gu Zi, hoping her grandson could experience a semblance of motherly love from another.

    After spending some time at Grandma Gao¡¯s house, Gu Zi decided to return home with Su Le. As they were leaving, the young Gao Ming came down to see them off. Su Le cheerfully waved goodbye to Gao Ming.

    Once they had turned to leave, a hint of confusion flickered in the little girl¡¯s eyes. Upon reaching home, she asked her mother, ¡°Mom, where is Brother Shi Tou?¡±

    Gu Zi, realizing the source of her daughter¡¯s confusion, understood that it had been many days since they had moved. Su Le hadn¡¯t seen their old neighbor, Brother Shi Tou, for quite some time. Although she was still young and struggled to express herself, she was undoubtedly curious as to why she was now seeing a boy named Gao Ming instead of the familiar Shi Tou.

    Gu Zi set down the spoon she was using to feed Su Le her rice porridge. Regardless of whether the little girl could understand, she patiently and gently explained, ¡°Lele, we have moved away from Daqing Village. Brother Shi Tou is still there, but when we have some free time, we will invite Brother Shi Tou to visit us, okay?¡±

    The little girl nodded her head in a somewhat understanding manner, her mouth still full of the soft rice porridge. Suddenly, she said, ¡°Brother Shi Tou, Brother Gao Ming, Lele, play together!¡±

    Su Le¡¯s ability to express herself was improving rapidly. Now, when she spoke, it was much easier to understand her. However, when Gu Zi heard Su Le say this, her thoughts began to wander.

    She suddenly realized that to little Lele, both Brother Shi Tou and Brother Gao Ming were her childhood playmates. She wondered, which one did the little girl prefer?

    Gu Zi laughed at the thought. Just then, Su Bing walked over and asked in confusion, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s so funny?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, ¡°Nothing much, just thought of something amusing. Su Bing, since you¡¯re here, watch your sister for me. I¡¯m going to start preparing lunch. After we eat, I¡¯ll need to start making pastries.¡±

    Su Bing stood still, ¡°Mom, are you planning to make all the pastries for delivery today? That¡¯s a lot of work. Why don¡¯t I make lunch today, and you can rest?¡±

    After saying this, Su Bing started to head towards the kitchen, but Gu Zi stopped him, ¡°I want to make something delicious as a reward for you all. It¡¯s not a bother. I should at least make one big dish. You go call Su Li down to watch your sister, and you can help me in the kitchen.¡±

    Hearing this, Su Bing agreed. He went upstairs to call Su Li, who was napping, and then joined his mother in the kitchen. Gu Zi was pleased to have this little helper. With his assistance, she was able to prepare lunch much faster, and soon, the meal was ready.

    As they sat down to eat, the two brothers worked in perfect harmony, first serving Gu Zi some dishes and saying in unison, ¡°Mom, thank you for your hard work!¡±

    Looking at her two sons, Gu Zi smiled, ¡°You two are quite formal today. Thank you, my children. I won¡¯t stand on ceremony then, let me taste the dishes you¡¯ve served me¡­¡±

    Gu Zi first tasted the crab from the dish that her eldest son had served her, followed by the beef from the dish her younger son had served. Both were exceptionally delicious. Although she was the one who had cooked them, the taste was somehow enhanced.

    Perhaps it was the affection and camaraderie from her children that added a flavor no culinary skill could replicate. Gu Zi felt truly blessed.

    In the afternoon, Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother and his family, along with their two grandsons, arrived at the entrance of the foreign language primary school. They stepped out of their car, dressed impeccably, resembling high society elites.

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    Their faces were lit up with uncontainable joy, their chins slightly raised. From this day forward, their children would be students of this prestigious school, a matter of great honor.

    They were now one step closer to being part of high society, and they needed to look the part.

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother¡¯s wife, unable to contain her excitement, urged her husband to park the car, ¡°You need to hurry up. We can¡¯t let our precious grandsons be late for their exams. And remember, don¡¯t just park in someone else¡¯s spot. That¡¯s not something people like us should do.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother quickly parked the car and they all headed towards the school¡¯s security booth. ¡°It seems we¡¯re the first ones here. The school hasn¡¯t even opened yet.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother¡¯s wife approached the security booth, knocked on the window, and said haughtily, ¡°Guard, can¡¯t you see that our children have come for their exams? Open the gate quickly. We can¡¯t afford any delays.¡±

 Chapter 703 - Chapter 703: The Jade Pendant Is Fake

    Chapter 703: The Jade Pendant Is Fake

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The security guard in the booth woke up groggily and pulled open the window, peering at the group as if they were fools.

    Despite his amusement, he maintained basic courtesy and refrained from mocking them. He informed them, ¡°Parents, our school notified students of their class assignments this morning. The process was completed earlier today. You¡¯re only now arriving for the examination. Was there some misunderstanding?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei¡¯s brother almost dropped his precious grandson in shock. ¡°How is that possible?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Gu Zi said¡­ Could she have made a mistake?¡±

    Panic set in among the family. They hurriedly got into their car, intending to seek out Gu Zi for clarification.

    However, once the car started, Zhang Mei¡¯s brother changed direction, heading towards the military compound. He remembered that Gu Zi¡¯s residence wasn¡¯t a place where one could easily cause a scene.

    If they stirred up too much trouble and disturbed the important people living there, they could easily be thrown out by the patrolling guards. That would be too humiliating. They decided to go to the Gu family home instead.

    ¡°The gift was for the Gu family,¡± he reasoned. ¡°If we want an explanation, we should go to them. The couple should give us an answer. They should take us to Gu Zi. That would make things easier. They can¡¯t just accept such a valuable jade pendant and do nothing¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Zhang Mei secretly took the jade pendant she had received from her brother to a jade shop. She didn¡¯t have a single piece of decent jewelry, which was unbecoming for a battalion commander¡¯s wife.

    Although she loved the jade pendant, it was the only one she had. She thought it would be better to exchange it for money and buy a few more pieces of jewellery she could wear out.

    Upon arriving at the jade shop, she asked the owner to appraise the pendant and give her a price. ¡°This is a family heirloom, an antique,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t part with it if I weren¡¯t in urgent need of money. Please take a good look and tell me how much it¡¯s worth.¡±

    The shop owner examined the pendant carefully, even using a magnifying glass. The more he looked, the harder it was for him to suppress his laughter. He teased, ¡°Madam, if this is your family heirloom, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s been switched. This item is a fake!¡±

    ¡°I come from a family of jade traders,¡± he continued. ¡°I can tell the authenticity of such items at a glance. I took a closer look because you seemed so sure of its value. But I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s definitely a fake. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can take it to a few other jade or antique shops.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s face turned beet red with embarrassment. She clumsily took back the pendant and hurriedly left the shop. As she left, she felt as if everyone around her was laughing at her for trying to pass off a fake jade pendant as a family heirloom.

    But how could the pendant have been switched? She had kept it with her all these days, and apart from her and her husband Gu Shan, there was no one else at home. The only possibility was that the pendant had been a fake from the start.

    Damn it, her brother had given her a fake jade pendant while asking her for a favor. That was too much!

    Holding the fake jade pendant, Zhang Mei hailed a taxi. Upon arrival, she stormed into the military compound. She couldn¡¯t let this matter rest. She had to involve Gu Shan and confront her family. She needed to know if they still recognized her as family!

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    But to her surprise, before she even reached her front door, she heard a commotion coming from her house. Among the voices, she recognized her brother¡¯s.

    ¡°Gu Shan, you have to give us an explanation,¡± he was saying. ¡°Your family has accepted so many gifts from us¡ªred envelopes, gift boxes¡ªbut the matter has been handled so poorly. My two grandsons have withdrawn from their original schools, but the places you promised are not available. Either return all the gifts we gave you so I can find new schools for my grandsons, or find your adopted daughter and sort out the school slots. You must give us an answer today, or my family and I will move into your house!¡±

    Hearing her brother¡¯s words, Zhang Mei, already furious, was now ready to explode. She stormed into her house and confronted her brother. ¡°Brother, what you¡¯re saying is completely unfair. My husband did promise to help, but when asking for favors, there¡¯s never a guarantee of success.

    ¡°As for your grandsons, you withdrew them from school so early without leaving any room for error. How can you blame us for that? I think it¡¯s a good thing that this didn¡¯t work out. Now, let¡¯s talk about this jade pendant. My dear brother, this was the most valuable gift you gave, right?¡±

    Zhang Mei, being a woman, had always been a quiet presence in the family. Today, however, she dared to confront her family. Both Zhang Mei¡¯s brother and Gu Shan were stunned, and the others stopped arguing, turning their attention to Zhang Mei.

 Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: Still Foolish

    Chapter 704: Still Foolish

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei¡¯s brother also turned his gaze towards her. Upon observing the jade pendant clutched in her hand, a flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes, but he feigned innocence, saying in a wronged tone, ¡°Sister, what do you mean by this? We came to you for help, and now you¡¯re saying our gift is not good enough?

    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who failed to handle the matter properly. Don¡¯t we deserve an explanation? After all, we are your family. You can¡¯t turn your back on us, can you?¡±

    Had this been any other time, Zhang Mei would have sided with her family upon hearing these words, even if it meant clashing with Gu Shan. But today, she was infuriated by the fake jade pendant. She never expected her family to give her counterfeit goods. It was as if they didn¡¯t consider her one of their own. She retorted sarcastically, ¡°Indeed, big brother, you¡¯ve given a wonderful gift. Even when giving a present to your own sister, you give a fake one.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been cautious and had the jade appraised at a shop, I wouldn¡¯t have known how thoughtful my big brother was toward me. How do you explain this, Zhang Da? Do you really consider me part of the family?¡±

    Zhang Mei was genuinely angry, openly addressing her brother by his full name in public. The Zhang family members all wore guilty expressions.

    Seeing the situation turn sour, Zhang Da¡¯s son and daughter-in-law quickly made their exit, taking their two children and leaving the Gu residence, leaving their parents to deal with the mess.

    Zhang Da¡¯s wife, seeing her son and daughter-in-law depart, also found an excuse to leave. After all, it was clear they wouldn¡¯t be getting the quota they had hoped for. It was a false hope, and she was still angry.

    Regrettably, Zhang Da¡¯s foolish sister had discovered the jade pendant was fake, and they were in the wrong. She didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. ¡°Husband, you talk to your sister and brother-in-law. I have the car keys, I¡¯ll go give them to our son.¡±

    At this point, Gu Shan realized he had the upper hand and angrily retorted, ¡°Oh, big brother, you have the audacity to come to us for an explanation? Although this matter wasn¡¯t handled properly, let me ask you, did I not try my best to help you? I even accompanied you to find my foster daughter. I did my best.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to give us an explanation. It¡¯s a good thing this matter didn¡¯t go through. If it had, this fake jade pendant would have caused a lot of arguments between our two families!

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now, those gift boxes and red envelopes you sent, I won¡¯t be returning them. I¡¯ll even have to check the money in the red envelopes at the bank. Who knows, it might be counterfeit money too. What do you have to say about that?¡±

    When Gu Shan found out that the matter hadn¡¯t been handled properly, he was particularly angry at Gu Zi, wanting to immediately take the Zhang family to confront her.

    But now, although he was still angry at Gu Zi for not obeying his wishes, he decided the next time he saw her, he would definitely scold her. But that was a matter for later. Right now, he just wanted to vent his anger about the fake jade pendant.

    Zhang Da¡¯s face turned beet red, and he looked extremely embarrassed. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he laughed awkwardly, ¡°Brother-in-law, sister, the money isn¡¯t fake, and we didn¡¯t ask you to return it. Once a gift is given, it¡¯s not taken back. Don¡¯t take it to heart.

    ¡°As for the jade pendant, it¡¯s just a decorative item. It looks very realistic and is worth about a hundred yuan. No one would know it¡¯s fake if you wore it out. And look, since our request didn¡¯t go through after all, how about we each take a step back and drop the topic?¡±

    Gu Shan sneered, ¡°Drop it? I have to ask, will our families still be close in the future, or will it be like during the New Year, when you come to the compound to pay a visit but avoid our house? Let¡¯s clear this up once and for all today!¡±

    Seeing his brother-in-law¡¯s attitude, Zhang Da felt a sense of foreboding. This Gu Shan, he still wanted to reap some benefits from him. The matter they had requested hadn¡¯t been handled, so why should he give in?

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    Although he was in the wrong at the moment, he was not going to give another penny. He also started to make a fuss, saying, ¡°Brother-in-law, enough is enough. Your family didn¡¯t handle this matter well either, why are you so relentless?¡±

    Seeing her brother¡¯s attitude, Zhang Mei was so angry she started to cry, accusing him, ¡°Big brother, you really don¡¯t consider me a part of the family, do you? When you gave the fake jade pendant, did you ever think that one day, it would make me lose face in front of my husband¡¯s family?¡±

    Zhang Da¡¯s patience was worn thin, and he also lost his temper, scolding, ¡°If you can¡¯t hold your head up here, isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re stupid? You don¡¯t know what to say and what not to say. Couldn¡¯t you have come to me privately about the fake jade pendant?

    ¡°You had to say it in front of your husband, who¡¯s to blame for that? You were foolish when you were young, and you¡¯re still foolish now. I don¡¯t want to argue with you anymore, it¡¯s a waste of time.¡±

    With that, Zhang Da stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Zhang Mei, unwilling to let it go, wanted to chase after him and scold him, but her husband Gu Shan held her back, ¡°Enough, Zhang Mei, haven¡¯t you embarrassed yourself enough? Calm down.¡±

 Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: Find A Nanny

    Chapter 705: Find A Nanny

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei felt a surge of injustice as her husband joined in the accusations against her. Tears started streaming down her face like a fountain.

    In her youth, Zhang Mei was of average appearance. Now, as she aged, her looks had faded even more. Her crying only served to irritate Gu Shan further. ¡°Enough with the tears,¡± he snapped, ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯m the one bullying you. It¡¯s your family who¡¯s behaving disgracefully. If you want to cry, go cry at your mother¡¯s house!¡±

    Seeing that her tears were ineffective, Zhang Mei decided to stop crying. It was clear to her that her husband no longer harbored any affection for her. At least when they were younger, he would pretend to care.

    Her heart grew cold. ¡°I am your wife, where else would I go to cry? And how is this my fault? How was I to know they would use a fake jade pendant to bribe people?

    ¡°And you were there when they gave the jade pendant. You didn¡¯t realize it was fake either. All you know is to blame me and criticize me. Do you even know how to be a husband?¡±

    As Zhang Mei spoke, she began to sob again. Gu Shan, for a moment, felt a pang of sympathy. He stepped forward to pat her back, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put this behind us. It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Zhang Mei, still angry, remained seated, ¡°All you care about is food. I just got home, I haven¡¯t cooked yet. You got home before me, why didn¡¯t you cook? Gu Shan, for so many years, I¡¯ve been working and cooking. All you do when you get home is eat. Do you know how tired I am?¡±

    Listening to her, Gu Shan felt contempt. How many years could it have been? When Gu Zi was living with them, she had been the one cooking since she was seven.

    But he didn¡¯t want to argue anymore. This woman was too noisy. Suddenly, he thought of the understanding woman from Daqing Village who had said she didn¡¯t need much pay to be a nanny.

    If he could get that woman to be their nanny, he wouldn¡¯t have to endure Zhang Mei¡¯s terrible cooking anymore. Gu Shan suggested, feigning concern, ¡°You have indeed been working hard, wife. How about this, I¡¯ll find a nanny as soon as possible. She can do the housework and cook the meals.¡±

    Zhang Mei, unaware of Gu Shan¡¯s ulterior motives, felt relieved at the prospect of having some help. She had no objections, ¡°Alright, at least you still care about me. I¡¯ll go cook.¡±

    In the afternoon, the bustling slaughterhouse on the outskirts of the city had just finished a busy day. The workers gathered in the cafeteria to rest, each enjoying a small smoke, eating some homemade snacks, and sipping on homemade wine while engaging in idle chatter.

    Sometimes, they would crack a dirty joke or discuss the pleasures of marital life, making the dining area lively.

    The new employees, who had been working there for half a month, had already adapted to the work environment. They had become familiar with each other, and Jin Long, who had been transferred here as a manager, was now well-acquainted with the new employees.

    ¡°I dare say, this slaughterhouse is the best I¡¯ve ever worked at in terms of benefits. Look, the salary is high, and there¡¯s a free cafeteria. I heard that when it gets hot, our boss will give us a heat allowance, and we might even get air conditioning!¡±

    ¡°Who told you that? Could it be that good? A heat allowance is one thing, but air conditioning? Do you think you¡¯re some white-collar worker? Haha, we¡¯re just a bunch of butchers.¡±

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    ¡°Laugh all you want, I heard it from our manager Jin Long. It¡¯s true. And I heard that these humane benefits were suggested by our boss¡¯s wife. Have you seen her? I heard she¡¯s educated and super beautiful. She has the aura of a lady who has studied abroad.¡±

    Jin Long quietly walked over from behind the crowd and loudly confirmed, ¡°I can vouch for that. It¡¯s all true, and I was the one who said it. Just work hard, and you¡¯ll reap the benefits with Daqing Slaughterhouse. And you¡¯ll also have the chance to see our boss¡¯s wife. She and our boss are very affectionate, like honey and oil¡­¡±

    Su Shen had just returned from outside and was passing by the cafeteria when he heard this. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint of tenderness.

    He nodded in response to those who greeted him, then strode towards his office. The others watched him, intrigued, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the boss show such an expression before. Is he missing his wife?¡±

    ¡°Brother Jin Long, we don¡¯t need to see the boss and his wife being sweet in person, we can imagine it. Who would have thought, our boss, who seems so stern, is actually a henpecked husband. Interesting¡­¡±

 Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: I Want to Reciprocate

    Chapter 706: I Want to Reciprocate

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the villa at Jifu New Village, Gu Zi was meticulously preparing an array of delectable pastries. The translucent shrimp dumplings, the soft and fragrant golden cakes, the steaming hot barbecued pork buns, and the richly flavored cold coconut dumplings were all being brought out of the oven one by one.

    The aroma of these delicacies, whether they were meant to be eaten cold, hot, or deep-fried, filled the entire Su household with a sweet and comforting scent. It seemed that the fragrance had lured Gao Ming, the young boy from the Gao family, to their doorstep.

    ¡°Su Li, my second brother, your mother has made pastries again, hasn¡¯t she? I could smell them from the door, they¡¯re so fragrant! Lele, my little sister, we meet again. I came especially to see you. This is the White Rabbit Creamy Candy that my father bought for me. I¡¯ll share it with you. This one is for my elder brother. Second Brother, you can give it to him later.¡±

    Gao Ming had initially planned to visit the Su family to play with the second brother and share his candies with his friends. However, the moment he reached the Su family¡¯s front door, the aroma of the food had overwhelmed him. Now that he was inside, the fragrances seemed to have invaded his mouth, making him swallow his saliva involuntarily.

    Su Li, along with Su Le and Gao Ming, enjoyed the White Rabbit Creamy Candy together. The sweet milky flavor filled their mouths, a taste that seemed to never grow tiresome.

    Su Li confidently stated, ¡°My mother made a lot of pastries today. We¡¯re going to send a portion to your house later. Don¡¯t worry, whenever our family makes something delicious, we never forget you. My brother is upstairs hanging clothes.¡±

    Gao Ming looked at the second brother, his mind devoid of any other thoughts. This second brother was reliable!

    He had just been lamenting that all the pastries Gu Zi had previously sent over were finished, and he was worried that it would be a few days before he could enjoy them again. But to his surprise, there were more so soon!

    After playing at the Su family¡¯s home for a while, Gao Ming mysteriously instructed Su Li, ¡°Second Brother, keep the door open for me. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    When Gao Ming returned, he was carrying a large gift box wrapped in red packaging. The words ¡°Premium Nourishing Bird¡¯s Nest¡± were written on it.

    Su Li, who had eaten bird¡¯s nest before and had heard from his mother that it was a valuable and expensive delicacy, asked, ¡°Gao Ming, why are you bringing your family¡¯s bird¡¯s nest to our house?¡±

    Mimicking the adults¡¯ gift-giving manner, Gao Ming placed the gift box on the table and said to Su Li, ¡°Second Brother, this is my way of reciprocating. I can¡¯t always take Auntie¡¯s pastries without giving something in return. This is my personal gift to Auntie in return for her pastries. Don¡¯t worry, my grandmother agreed before I brought it here.¡±

    Just then, Gu Zi emerged from the kitchen, carrying a delicate box of pastries. She was about to deliver them to the Gao family when she saw Gao Ming and Su Li politely exchanging gifts. She was amused by the two little fellows, who were acting so mature.

    Gu Zi approached Gao Ming and said, ¡°Auntie gives you pastries because I enjoy doing so. You don¡¯t need to return the favor, especially since your family has already sent a box of tea leaves. You should take this back. I¡¯ll go with you to deliver the pastries to your house later.¡±

    Gao Ming looked at the pastries, swallowing his saliva. If he were in front of his grandmother, he would have opened the box and started eating the pastries right away.

    But he was at Auntie Gu Zi¡¯s house, and he had to maintain his image. He insisted, ¡°Auntie, my grandmother said that the box of tea leaves was a gift from the Gao family, but this bird¡¯s nest is a personal gift from me to you.

    ¡°Thank you for always making pastries for me. My grandmother said that your pastries have the taste of happiness, the taste of a mother¡¯s love. They are made with heart and cannot be bought with money.

    ¡°Although the bird¡¯s nest is expensive, it cannot compare to the preciousness of the pastries you make by hand. If you don¡¯t accept this gift, we will feel embarrassed to accept your pastries in the future.¡±

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    Gu Zi looked at Gao Ming in surprise. The young boy was quite eloquent. She finally accepted Gao Ming¡¯s gift, saying, ¡°Alright, since little Gao Ming has said so much, it would be inappropriate for Auntie not to accept.¡±

    After accepting Gao Ming¡¯s gift, Gu Zi accompanied him to deliver the pastries to the Gao family. By the time she returned, it was already evening. Seeing the empty parking space outside her house, she understood that her husband was probably busy at the slaughterhouse and wouldn¡¯t be coming home.

    She felt a slight longing for him in her heart, but it was nothing serious. She was willing to experience this little bit of longing.

    During dinner, perhaps because they hadn¡¯t seen their father for several days, little Su Le started asking about him. Her big eyes rolled around before turning back to look at her mother, who was holding her. ¡°Mommy is here, Lele is here, brother is here, but Daddy is not.¡±

    Gu Zi fed her a spoonful of white porridge, gently comforting her, ¡°Daddy is busy outside, working hard to earn money. He¡¯s doing it so he can buy lots of delicious food and fun toys for Lele and your brothers.¡±

 Chapter 707 - Chapter 707: The Best Way

    Chapter 707: The Best Way

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing the situation, Su Li began to join his mother in coaxing his little sister. His eyebrows twitched as he said, ¡°Yes, even though our father hasn¡¯t been home for several days, he loves us very much. He loves our mother and Lele even more!¡±

    At this, Su Le burst into laughter, her long eyelashes curling up. She began to eat more heartily. Su Bing, who was sitting next to her, chimed in, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re going to bring some snacks to father and his colleagues tomorrow, right? My brother and I would like to stay home and review our lessons. We¡¯ll take care of our little sister. You can go by yourself, we¡¯ll wait for you at home.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li felt a sense of unease. Who said anything about staying home to review lessons? He wanted to visit the slaughterhouse too!

    But before he could voice his objection, he received a stern look from his elder brother, silencing him. He lowered his head and continued eating, his mouth pouting even though he had nothing more to say. Just like that, the matter was settled.

    After dinner, when only the two brothers were left, Su Bing explained his actions. ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t feel wronged. Let me ask you, do you like our home as it is now?¡±

    Su Li didn¡¯t respond verbally, but his face showed his feelings of being wronged as he nodded. Was there even a need to ask?

    Of course, he loved their home as it was now. He hoped that it would be the forever home for him and his siblings. He couldn¡¯t bear to lose his mother, Gu Zi.

    Su Bing nodded and said, ¡°I feel the same way. I also love our home as it is now. That¡¯s why I suggested that our mother should go to the slaughterhouse alone tomorrow.

    ¡°Think about it, our father is often very busy with work, sometimes not seeing our mother for days. Our mother is so outstanding, what if she is taken away by another man? Men nowadays have many schemes, it¡¯s hard to guard against them.

    ¡°So, we need to create opportunities for our parents to be alone together. We can¡¯t let their marital affection fade. This is the best way to protect our home. We can visit the slaughterhouse any other weekend, but this time, we can¡¯t disturb our parents¡¯ alone time. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±

    As Su Li listened to his brother¡¯s explanation, his expression gradually brightened. Yes, why hadn¡¯t he thought of that? His brother, the old fox, was indeed clever!

    With the clouds on Su Li¡¯s face cleared, he woke up early the next day. After breakfast, he began to worry. ¡°Mother, today is your first time meeting the new employees. As the wife of the slaughterhouse owner, you should dress up a bit. Wear something beautiful and put on some makeup, okay?¡±

    Gu Zi tilted her head, looking at her second son with a puzzled expression. Suddenly, she feigned sadness. ¡°Su Li, are you saying that your mother is not beautiful without makeup?¡±

    Seeing that his mother had misunderstood his intentions, Su Li quickly waved his hands and apologized. ¡°Mother is the most beautiful woman in the world, but, but didn¡¯t you say that wearing makeup is a form of respect for others? I think, as the owner¡¯s wife visiting the slaughterhouse, it¡¯s a very serious matter¡­¡±

    Gu Zi, with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, calmly watched her second son stumble over his words. She was somewhat satisfied. She hadn¡¯t expected that in just a few short months, this boy¡¯s ability to express himself had improved so much. He could even come up with such an answer.

    As a mother, she was quite pleased. Seeing that her second son was struggling to continue, she interjected, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. I¡¯ll go put on some makeup and dress up nicely to bring snacks to your father. You boys behave yourselves at home.¡±

    The Daqing Slaughterhouse was located on the outskirts of the eastern city. The vast stretches of land here had long been abandoned, with only a few areas still being cultivated.

    Following the address left by Su Shen, Gu Zi took a half-hour bus ride to get there. As she stepped off the bus, her first impression of the place was its desolation, with hardly any signs of human activity.

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    She walked towards the buildings from the bus stop. A gust of cold spring wind blew past, causing her to shiver involuntarily. It reminded her of descriptions she had read in books.

    This area on the outskirts of the eastern city would be expropriated and planned by the government in a few years. It would become the new city center, and the residents here would become wealthy overnight, becoming the envy of many as they profited from the land reclamation.

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask whether Su Shen had bought or rented the land here. If possible, it would be best to buy it.

    In the future, this piece of land would bring immense wealth. Knowing that there was money to be made, of course, she wanted to earn it. With these thoughts in mind, Gu Zi quickened her pace and soon saw the sign for the ¡°Daqing Slaughterhouse.¡±

    At that moment, inside the slaughterhouse, Su Shen had stayed up all night with his staff. After having breakfast and taking a bath, he was preparing to catch up on some sleep. But before he could lie down, there was a knock on his office door. It was Jin Long¡¯s voice, ¡°Brother Shen, quickly open the door. Your wife is here to see you!¡±

 Chapter 708 - Chapter 708: So Beautiful That She Glows

    Chapter 708: So Beautiful That She Glows

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen rose hastily, straightening his collar that he hadn¡¯t had time to fix. With long strides, he crossed the room to open the door. As it swung open, he was greeted by the sight of Jin Long, grinning broadly at the entrance. Shifting his gaze, Su Shen¡¯s eyes fell upon his wife, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in days. His eyes lit up at the sight of her.

    Gu Zi was dressed fashionably that day. Her hair was styled in large curls piled high on her head, adorned with pearl earrings. She wore a pure, moon-yellow long dress, layered with a coat, and paired with small leather boots. Her makeup was meticulously applied. His wife had grown even more beautiful in the few days they had been apart, and from that moment, he couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from her.

    Su Shen took the bamboo box from Jin Long¡¯s hands. He recognized it; Gu Zi often used it to carry pastries. Since it belonged to his wife, it was only right that he should be the one to take it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± he asked Jin Long.

    Su Shen ushered his wife into his office, leaving Jin Long feeling like a third wheel. It was time for him to dismiss the unwanted guest.

    Jin Long, sensing his dismissal, put on a pitiful, abandoned expression. As the office door closed behind him, he knew that the others, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, wouldn¡¯t get a chance to admire the boss¡¯s beautiful wife.

    ¡°Brother Jin Long, we heard the boss¡¯s wife is here and she brought us pastries. Where is she?¡± one of them asked.

    Jin Long waved his hand dismissively and headed in the opposite direction of the office. The others followed, their eyes filled with curiosity.

    ¡°All of you, disperse,¡± Jin Long instructed. ¡°If you interrupt the boss and his wife¡¯s sweet moment, you might lose your jobs. The pastries the boss¡¯s wife brought are outside. Follow me.¡±

    As they walked, one of them remarked, ¡°Boss Su always seems so cold and ruthless. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to be sweet with his wife.¡±

    In their minds, Boss Su was a towering, steady figure, like a mountain. His visits were always quiet, but his presence alone instilled a sense of trust and stability. They believed that following such a leader promised a bright future, and it motivated them to work harder.

    Especially during busy times, Boss Su would roll up his sleeves and join them. Dressed in a dark vest, shorts, and slippers, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, he would butcher pigs and carve meat.

    But even such simple, ordinary actions seemed different when Boss Su did them. The sight of his butcher knife, gleaming coldly, sent chills down their spines.

    How could such a man, with such a powerful aura, be so tender with his wife? They couldn¡¯t quite picture it.

    ¡°I caught a glimpse of her just now. She¡¯s so beautiful, and young. The sunlight was shining on her hair, making her glow¡­¡±

    Inside the office, the temperature was rapidly rising. Su Shen¡¯s eyes darkened as he reached around Gu Zi, tracing the full curve of her chest, his hand slipping between her white skin and the narrow confines of her bra to cup her large, white breast.

    At the crucial moment, he lifted Gu Zi and shouldered open the door to the resting room. He strode in, carefully laying Gu Zi on the bed, then leaned down to kiss her, continuing what they had started.

    Su Shen¡¯s office was much larger than his previous one, and it included a small resting room with a single bed.

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    If Su Shen had to stay overnight at the slaughterhouse, he would sleep here. The room was filled with a strong masculine scent. At that moment, Su Shen was on top of her, making love to his wife.

    For a woman, sex was based on love. Without love, it was merely intercourse. With love, it was making love. Gu Zi didn¡¯t know how a simple kiss had turned into such a passionate embrace, but she found it incredibly beautiful. Being intimate with him, in his arms, was not only satisfying but also gave her an irreplaceable sense of warmth.

    Gu Zi noticed that Su Shen was already fully aroused, like a bow drawn taut, ready to release. But she felt playful, like a child, and pushed against his chest, putting a stop to their activities. ¡°If you¡¯re busy now, let¡¯s stop here.¡±

    Su Shen was frustrated but didn¡¯t want to go against his wife¡¯s wishes. He could only coax her patiently. ¡°Gu Zi, I worked all night yesterday. Now is my rest time, and no one will disturb us. I¡¯ll be gentle, okay? I¡¯m feeling really uncomfortable, Gu Zi. Can I go in?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart softened. At a time like this, he hadn¡¯t forced her, showing that he prioritized her feelings. She had been testing him at such a crucial moment, which was a bit naughty of her.

 Chapter 709 - Chapter 709: Extraordinary Meaning

    Chapter 709: Extraordinary Meaning

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was planning to make amends. She leaned in, whispering softly into his ear, ¡°Alright, but we need to change positions to make me more comfortable.¡±

    Su Shen yielded to her, allowing her to manipulate their bodies. After a while, Gu Zi took the initiative to straddle him. She took hold of his impressive manhood, aligning herself with him. After a careful adjustment, she gently lowered herself onto him.

    Looking at him with dewy eyes, she said, ¡°Let me take the lead today, my love. I¡¯ve missed you these past few days.¡±

    Su Shen gripped her waist. Her confession of longing for him made him feel as if his heart and soul were being drawn towards her.

    Once she had fully enveloped him, a low, restrained moan escaped from Su Shen¡¯s throat. Unable to control himself, he let out a sound that made Gu Zi¡¯s heart flutter. Su Shen became even more uninhibited, and together, they experienced an unprecedented climax¡­

    Afterwards, Gu Zi stayed with Su Shen as he slept. It was strange; she had slept well the night before, but there was something particularly sweet about sleeping in a man¡¯s arms.

    She woke up after more than an hour and took a shower in the private bathroom of the rest area. The bathroom was small but clean. In the laundry basket, she found some of Su Shen¡¯s dirty clothes.

    She picked up a grey vest and noticed a dark stain at the hem. She sniffed it and recognized the smell of pig¡¯s blood. The realization that Su Shen had spent the previous night slaughtering pigs, yet still had such energy, left her stunned and her heart racing.

    When Gu Zi emerged, Su Shen was already dressed in a black shirt and trousers, his hair neatly combed. He looked every bit the respectable gentleman.

    Seeing Gu Zi come out of the rest area, he unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sight. The older man¡¯s vanity was as conspicuous as a peacock¡¯s display.

    Gu Zi walked over, her gaze falling on a document on the table. ¡°I was planning to make you some snacks to fill your stomach, but it seems you¡¯re already getting back to work?¡±

    Su Shen pulled her onto his lap, patiently explaining, ¡°I¡¯ll eat the snacks. There¡¯s something I wanted to discuss with you, and your timing is perfect.

    ¡°You¡¯re well-read, so I need your advice. Initially, I just wanted to buy the land where the slaughterhouse is located. But recently, the landowners nearby have been causing trouble.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the text on the document and asked, ¡°They want you to buy the surrounding land as well, right?¡±

    Su Shen nodded. ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve spoken with them, and that¡¯s what they want. I don¡¯t mind buying it; the land here is cheap, and buying it all at once would save a lot of trouble later.

    ¡°But unexpectedly, after the contract for the unified purchase of the land was drafted, they raised the price. They claim that our slaughterhouse has a significant impact on the environment, making it difficult to sell the surrounding land in the future. They insist that we not only buy the land but also pay three times the original price to compensate for their losses.¡±

    Before Su Shen could finish, Gu Zi had already guessed the situation. It was human nature to take advantage of a situation when possible.

    Gu Zi knew the future value of this land. In the later stages of the book, the land prices in this area on the edge of the city would skyrocket. Even if Su Shen bought the land at ten times the current price, he wouldn¡¯t lose out.

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    But the future was the future. At present, the area was barren, and apart from the land for the pig farm, the surrounding land had no value. Buying it at three times the original price was unacceptable. She wouldn¡¯t let Su Shen be the one to bear this burden.

    ¡°Purchasing this large plot of land is a good idea, and the contract should be signed. However, I think we can negotiate the price down by ten percent before finalizing the deal. What do you think?¡±

    A smile tugged at the corners of Su Shen¡¯s mouth as he listened. He felt a pang of guilt. ¡°Keeping you at home to cook and take care of the children is a waste of your talents. With your insight, you should be shining in a broad professional field.¡±

    Gu Zi cupped his handsome face, studying it. ¡°Whether I choose to explore the vast world or to maintain the warmth of a home, it¡¯s my decision.

    ¡°Su Shen, so far, I have no regrets about my choices. And how do you know that cooking and taking care of children at home doesn¡¯t hold extraordinary significance for me?¡±

 Chapter 710 - Chapter 710: Not Enough

    Chapter 710: Not Enough

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen cradled her face, studying her features with a gaze filled with gratitude and profound love for his wife. He was at a loss for words, unable to express the depth of his affection and respect for her. He felt an urge to buy her more jewelry, believing she didn¡¯t have enough. He suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s visit the jewelry store later and pick out a piece of gold jewelry for Lin Hun¡¯s wife.¡±

    Indeed, Lin Hun¡¯s wedding was fast approaching. Gu Zi had planned to select a piece of gold jewelry in the next few days, so Su Shen¡¯s suggestion was timely. However, she was somewhat surprised. When had Su Shen started showing interest in such matters? ¡°Won¡¯t it interfere with your work?¡± she asked.

    Su Shen replied, ¡°I¡¯ve almost finished dealing with the documents. Even if we have to slaughter pigs, that won¡¯t start until the evening. I should have time to accompany you on a shopping trip.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, rose from his lap, and stood up straight. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a good shopping spree. This is a good excuse to indulge myself while picking out a wedding gift.¡±

    In the dining hall, everyone had gathered together. Jin Long had distributed the snacks brought by the boss¡¯s wife.

    Although they were all men and not particularly interested in snacks, they all enthusiastically partook, not wanting to offend the boss¡¯s wife. Besides, they had heard that despite her beauty, the boss¡¯s wife was also an excellent cook.

    While they didn¡¯t dare to hope that the boss would allow his wife to cook a meal for everyone, having the chance to taste her homemade snacks was a blessing. Even if they didn¡¯t usually enjoy snacks, they had to try them.

    ¡°Look at this, the boss¡¯s wife indeed has a pair of skillful hands. Look at these snacks, they¡¯re so beautifully shaped. My wife can¡¯t make such delicate things. But I still love my rough wife. There¡¯s something good about rough women.¡±

    ¡°Li Da, you¡¯re really funny. You¡¯re bragging about your wife while we¡¯re talking about snacks. Do you think we singles haven¡¯t suffered enough today? Just shut up and eat.¡±

    ¡°Wow! This is simply too delicious. This is the first time I¡¯ve tasted such delicious buns. Stop talking and eat quickly. These char siu bao are amazing!¡±

    The pig-slaughtering man was simple and crude. He didn¡¯t know any extra adjectives, just kept saying how delicious it was. He quickly stuffed the two char siu bao and two sweet white dumplings he had received into his mouth, eating as fast as a hungry wolf devouring meat.

    Someone looked at his slightly comical appearance and teased him without any malice, ¡°I say, you¡¯re eating so fast. Have you not eaten for several days? This is not how you flatter someone! I know you. You don¡¯t like these kinds of snacks and buns. It would be strange if you found them delicious.¡±

    As he spoke, he casually tore the plump char siu bao in his hand in half and stuffed one half into his mouth. The bun was soft and delicious, as if he had stuffed a cloud into his mouth. The sweet taste of the dough filled his entire mouth. After a few chews, the salty and slightly sweet char siu meat melted in his mouth, stimulating his taste buds. He wanted to immediately stuff the other half of the bun into his mouth.

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    And that¡¯s exactly what he did, exclaiming sincerely, ¡°My God, if I didn¡¯t know this was brought by the boss¡¯s wife, I would have thought someone bought it from a big restaurant. This taste, it must be made by a master chef.¡±

    More and more praises echoed in the crowd. Suddenly, a voice rose above all the compliments, clearly echoing in the dining hall, ¡°I see the boss¡¯s wife! The boss and his wife are coming out. Our boss¡¯s wife is as beautiful as a fairy. I¡¯ve never seen such a beautiful person in my life!¡±

    Upon hearing this news, everyone immediately rushed towards the office. The man who had just claimed to see the boss¡¯s wife also hurriedly followed, his face anxious. When they arrived at the office, it was already empty. Everyone turned back to look at the man who had claimed to see the boss¡¯s wife, ¡°Did you give us false information?¡±

    The man was very aggrieved, ¡°Who gave false information? I really saw the boss and his wife come out just now. You all ran too fast and didn¡¯t let me finish. The boss just took his wife out in a small car. They probably went to the city¡­¡±

    They were at the edge of Dongcheng City, it was quite far to the city. It would take more than forty minutes by car. Gu Zi fell asleep for a while on the way. When she woke up again, the car had already stopped under the department store building. She noticed that Su Shen¡¯s face looked a bit tired, ¡°Are you feeling a bit exhausted?¡±

 Chapter 711 - Chapter 711: Commander Su, Please Instruct Me

    Chapter 711: Commander Su, Please Instruct Me

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unbeknownst to Su Shen, Gu Zi had awakened. When he had arrived earlier, he noticed that Gu Zi was still asleep. Instead of waking her, he decided to let her sleep, planning to let her get off the car whenever she woke up.

    Unexpectedly, while he was lost in thought, Gu Zi woke up. Her beautiful, large eyes were staring straight at him. He responded warmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no big issue.¡±

    Only then did Gu Zi feel relieved. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get off the car then.¡±

    Gu Zi unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. However, she failed to notice that despite his reassuring words, the wariness in his eyes hadn¡¯t diminished, and his displeasure hadn¡¯t lessened in the slightest.

    Of course, this discomfort wasn¡¯t because of Gu Zi. It was due to the increasingly reckless behavior of the people in the military. They even dared to tail his car, and it wasn¡¯t just once or twice.

    Perhaps he should have a talk with the person behind all this. Otherwise, it would eventually disrupt his life. Most importantly, he couldn¡¯t let it affect Gu Zi.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t get out of the car. Instead, he told Gu Zi, ¡°You go ahead. Wait for me in the dessert shop downstairs. Order something to eat. I might need to move the car.¡±

    Seeing the man speak in such a manner, Gu Zi did as he said and went ahead. Although she had noticed that her husband¡¯s behavior was somewhat strange, since he hadn¡¯t planned to explain, she didn¡¯t ask further. For now, she trusted Su Shen. If there was something to be said, he would say it.

    After Gu Zi left, Su Shen symbolically moved the car a bit, then parked it. However, he didn¡¯t head towards the department store. Instead, he walked straight towards an ordinary Santana sedan parked not far away.

    He leaned his long arm against the car door and knocked on the window three times, two slow and one fast. The sound of the knocking seemed to carry a dangerous warning.

    The person inside the car seemed to react after a few seconds, reluctantly opening the car door. As the door opened, Su Shen stepped back, watching the person get out of the car.

    It was a young female soldier. Although she wasn¡¯t in uniform, her salute to Su Shen was so standard that it was clear she was from the military.

    The female soldier knew that tailing Commander Su would eventually be discovered, but she hadn¡¯t expected that day to come so soon. She thought she had been doing a good job, impossible to be detected, but the reality was that she had been found out.

    She racked her brains for a response. ¡°Reporting to Commander Su, I am here on a military order. Please instruct me, Commander Su!¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t particularly like being addressed as Commander Su. He said solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t care whose military order you¡¯re following or what task you¡¯re performing. If your superior ordered you to tail me, please convey my message to stop such absurd behavior immediately. It¡¯s an insult to the image of a soldier.

    ¡°Also, ask your superior to give me an explanation and ensure that my family¡¯s normal life won¡¯t be disturbed. Understand?¡±

    The female soldier¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly. After a deep bow, she got back into the car, started the engine, and fled. Su Shen didn¡¯t linger. He turned around and went to find his wife.

    Su Shen accompanied Gu Zi to two jewelry stores, but in the end, they decided to buy gold jewelry from the first store.

    Su Shen let Gu Zi make the decision, and Gu Zi was attracted by the brand of the store. In the later stages of the book, ¡°Jin Da Fu¡± would become a very authoritative leader in the gold industry. Buying some Jin Da Fu gold jewelry now would make it more valuable in the future.

    Gu Zi considered this a form of investment. So, she tried on a few pieces. After finalizing the wedding gift for Gui Hua, she continued to look at the new gold jewelry designs of the year. It felt like she was choosing jewelry for herself. Su Shen didn¡¯t mind. He was just carefully observing which design she liked the most¡­

    The day of Lin Hun and Gui Hua¡¯s wedding was a Saturday. Gu Zi got up early, planning to prepare breakfast after washing up. The family would have breakfast and then head to the wedding venue in town.

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    However, when she got up, Su Shen was no longer in bed. She reached out to touch the spot next to her. Instead of feeling a person, she touched something cold.

    She picked it up and saw that it was a golden bracelet with a carved peach pattern. Her sleepy eyes instantly brightened. Wasn¡¯t this the new bracelet design she had admired at the jewelry store?

    She had planned to buy it once she received her first month¡¯s salary. But now, it had come directly to her?

    Being as clever as Gu Zi, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that it was a gift from her husband. So, that day, he had quietly observed and secretly bought the bracelet she liked, just to surprise her today.

    No wonder he had suddenly wanted to go pick out gold bracelets with her that day! Gu Zi put on the gold bracelet, her heart sweet with joy.

 Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: A Male Bird in Mating Season

    Chapter 712: A Male Bird in Mating Season

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After the family had breakfast and checked their appearances, they gathered their belongings and waited in the car for Gong Xin to arrive. Once she arrived, they would be ready to set off.

    Gu Zi paid particular attention to Su Shen¡¯s attire that day. He was dressed quite handsomely, and it seemed he was paying more attention to his appearance. Gu Zi gave him a hug and showed him the bracelet on her wrist, saying, ¡°Husband, I really like this bracelet.¡±

    Su Shen nodded, his grip on the steering wheel tightening slightly. For some reason, the longer he spent with Gu Zi, the more solemn he felt. He was afraid that his flaws would be exposed to her, and sometimes this fear made him appear shy.

    Of course, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed this. The two brothers did as well.

    Su Bing thought that their father always paid special attention to his appearance and behavior in front of their mother. He seemed like a male bird in mating season, eager to display his most beautiful feathers to the female bird.

    This feeling was so strange that sometimes he felt embarrassed to look at his father.

    Su Li, holding his little sister, watched his parents with a mischievous smile. He too had noticed the ambiguous atmosphere.

    Before long, Gong Xin arrived. She got out of the taxi and headed straight for the car parked in front of the Su family¡¯s house. She opened the car door and climbed into the back seat, saying, ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m here. Su Li, move your sister over a bit, I barely have any room.¡±

    Su Li looked at Gong Xin, who was carrying a large number of gifts, and felt that Gong Xin had really gone all out just to get a taste of the braised meat.

    Although these gifts weren¡¯t as expensive as the ones given to his mother, they were all high-quality items. He moved his sister over to make room.

    With everyone now present, Su Shen started the car and they set off. After leaving the residential area, they sped towards the outskirts of the city. By late morning, they had arrived in the town, where the bride and groom were greeting guests at the entrance to the wedding banquet.

    The groom, Lin Hun, was dressed in a typical suit of the era. His usual ruffian aura was completely concealed, replaced by a simple and handsome demeanor.

    The bride, Gui Hua, wore a bright red wide-shouldered dress with a matching red bell skirt. A large red flower adorned her head, and her makeup was bright and dignified.

    Lin Hun and Gui Hua had chosen the town square garden as their wedding venue. Although it was called a garden, it was essentially a large open space surrounded by a few large trees.

    Although calling this place a garden might not be entirely accurate, it was often chosen as a venue for banquets and events due to its spaciousness. On regular days, people would sunbathe and relax there.

    As for the wedding banquet, it was catered by a one-stop service team. These culinary experts from the rural areas were the first choice for hosting various banquets. They provided professional chefs, complete banquet supplies, and some service personnel.

    The one-stop service would select various dishes and wines based on the host¡¯s order information. On the day of the banquet, they would distribute the banquet on time, relieving the host of many complicated tasks. All the host had to do was conduct the ceremony and receive the guests.

    When Gu Zi and the others arrived, they first gave their gift money. Then Gu Zi went over and put the gold bracelet she had brought on Gui Hua.

    Gui Hua¡¯s wrists were already adorned with seven or eight gold bracelets, which was quite impressive.

    As for Gong Xin, she wasn¡¯t a close friend or relative, so she had no reason to give gold jewelry. However, the tonics she gave were quite impressive.

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    When Lin Hun and Gui Hua greeted Gu Zi and her group, their faces lit up with joy. After all, among the group were Lin Hun¡¯s boss and idol, Su Shen, Gui Hua¡¯s good friend Gu Zi, and the city girl Gong Xin. Their presence added a lot of prestige to the wedding.

    As for Su Shen, as soon as he entered, he was invited to a table by the workers from the pig farm. One of them said to Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, we want to have a good drink with Brother Shen today. You have to let him sit with us!¡±

    Gu Zi, who was preparing to choose another table with her three children, turned around and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so much, how can I not let Su Shen go? But you have to be careful, don¡¯t let my husband drink you under the table. He¡¯s quite formidable.¡±

    As she spoke, she locked eyes with Su Shen. Her heart seemed to leap into her throat, and she felt a ticklish sensation. She quickly looked away.

    Another man at Su Shen¡¯s table chimed in, his words a bit cruder, ¡°Sister-in-law, you speak so elegantly. In our village, women call their husbands by their names. It¡¯s rare to hear them called ¡®husband¡¯. Anyway, you just enjoy your meal and drink. Your husband is our boss, we¡¯ll take good care of him!¡±

 Chapter 713 - Chapter 713: Aunt Yangâ€™s Daughter

    Chapter 713: Aunt Yang¡¯s Daughter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s face flushed at the remark, deciding to ignore the table chatter. She took her children and went to join her maternal family. Gong Xin followed closely, her gaze darting left and right, but she couldn¡¯t spot the person she was hoping to see.

    Gu Zi noticed her seemingly searching for someone. She chose not to comment on it, instead turning to Su Bing and saying, ¡°Your Uncle Jin Long is the best man today. He must look very handsome. He¡¯s probably on the other side, helping to welcome the guests, right?¡±

    Su Bing, unaware of the underlying intention behind her mother¡¯s words, simply answered truthfully, pointing in a distant direction. ¡°Uncle Jin Long is over there, helping Uncle Lin Hun entertain the bride¡¯s guests. Should we tell him that Dad is here?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head, about to say it wasn¡¯t necessary. However, Gong Xin, with her sharp ears, caught the conversation and grabbed Gu Zi¡¯s hand. ¡°Gu Zi, you go sit down first. I need to find Jin Long. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t even know your address. I need to thank him.¡±

    With that, Gong Xin disappeared as if she was afraid Gu Zi would bring the children along with her.

    However, Gu Zi didn¡¯t have time to chastise Gong Xin for her fickleness. She spotted her mother waving at her from across the room, calling them over to sit. ¡°Gu Zi, Su Bing, Su Li, Lele, come over here quickly. We¡¯ve saved seats for you.¡±

    As Gu Zi approached, she noticed that only her parents were present. She didn¡¯t recognize the others at the table. As she sat down, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Where are my sister-in-law and brother? Are they helping in the kitchen?¡±

    Upon hearing her daughter¡¯s immediate concern for her son and daughter-in-law, An Yun smiled with relief. ¡°Your brother, sister-in-law, and Aunt Yang are still busy preparing the braised meat. But they¡¯ll be done soon. Once the meat is ready, they¡¯ll hand it over to someone else to cut and serve. As for seating, they¡¯ll find their own places.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, taking Su Le from Su Li. She felt more comfortable feeding the child herself. After all, the little girl was growing bigger every day, speaking more fluently, and becoming more lively. Sometimes, she would suddenly wave her little hand while eating, which could easily create a mess if not careful.

    If Su Le were to accidentally spill oil on Su Li, it would be a problem.

    As Gu Zi was taking care of Su Le, an auntie sitting across the table turned her attention to Gu Zi. ¡°Aunt An, Gu Zi takes such good care of the Su children. She should have one of her own, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi confirmed that this auntie must be from Little Lin Village. After all, the wedding was held in the town, and the relatives and friends from Little Lin Village would naturally attend.

    However, this auntie¡¯s words clearly had no good intentions.

    Almost everyone in the village knew that Su Shen¡¯s only condition for marriage was not to have children after marriage.

    Yet this auntie insisted on bringing up this matter at such an occasion. Even if it wasn¡¯t intentional, Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to give her a pleasant look. She pretended not to hear and started peeling peanuts to eat.

    An Yun was also displeased by the comment. She responded sternly, ¡°Whether they have children or not is their business. We, as elders, should just wish them well.¡±

    The auntie could tell that An Yun was upset. She felt embarrassed and her face changed slightly, but she didn¡¯t dare to say anything else.

    After all, everyone knew that the Su family was the most influential in the villages. If they offended the Su family and the family decided to move their pig farm, the person who offended them would be the sinner of the three villages. It was a mistake they couldn¡¯t afford to make.

    The atmosphere became a bit awkward, but luckily, the wedding ceremony started at that moment. Gu Zi turned her head to look at the small open-air stage set up in front. Lin Hun, hand in hand with Gui Hua, walked onto the stage.

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    At the entrance of the wedding, a young woman carrying a handbag hurriedly arrived. She asked the person collecting gift money at the entrance, ¡°Excuse me, is Aunt Yang helping out at this banquet? Her name is Yang Huan, is she here?¡±

    The person collecting the gift money naturally knew Aunt Yang, but he was puzzled by the city-dressed woman in front of him looking for Aunt Yang. He asked, ¡°Aunt Yang is here, she¡¯s over there preparing the braised meat. What do you need her for?¡±

    The young woman¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened. ¡°I¡¯m her daughter. I¡¯m here to find her. Can you take me to her?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the man collecting the gift money immediately believed her. He realized that this woman¡¯s features were very similar to Aunt Yang¡¯s. Could this really be Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter who had left many years ago?

    He quickly led the way. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll take you to Aunt Yang.¡±

 Chapter 714 - Chapter 714: Mother and Daughter Reunited

    Chapter 714: Mother and Daughter Reunited

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The man collecting the gift money led Yang Zhen, the daughter of Aunt Yang, through the bustling banquet tables. They stopped at the corner of the venue, in the food preparation area, and pointed towards a large pot. Beside the pot stood a woman, busily working. ¡°Aunt Yang is over there,¡± he said, ¡°Go find her quickly. She will be so happy to see you!¡±

    Yang Zhen¡¯s gaze fell upon the busy figure. She quickened her pace towards her, her lips trembling as she approached. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m back,¡± she called out, ¡°Mom!¡±

    In the last few steps, Yang Zhen broke into a run. Aunt Yang, hearing the familiar voice she had longed for day and night, thought she was hallucinating. Still, she instinctively turned around.

    In the next moment, Yang Zhen threw herself into her mother¡¯s arms. As Aunt Yang recognized her daughter¡¯s face, her eyes blurred with tears and her shoulders shook uncontrollably. She reached out to touch her daughter¡¯s cheek, finding it hard to believe. ¡°Zhen, is that really you? You¡¯re back.¡±

    Overwhelmed with emotion, Yang Zhen couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. After their embrace, she knelt before Aunt Yang. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to return to you. I¡¯ve caused you so much suffering. I¡¯m sorry, Mom¡­¡±

    Yang Zhen was educated and knew the importance of filial piety. She was not without basic moral principles, but she had been forced to leave due to her brother and sister-in-law¡¯s schemes.

    She later attended university, but because she was financially supported by others, she had signed a three-year work contract. After graduation, she stayed to teach at the primary school run by her benefactor.

    At the end of last year, her contract finally ended. Now, she had finally returned to Guangcheng. Thinking of the seven years she had been separated from her mother, she felt deeply unfilial and sorry for the kindness her mother had shown her in raising her.

    Now that she had seen her mother, her guilt had lessened somewhat. From now on, she didn¡¯t want to leave her mother again. She had some ability now, no longer needing to worry about being manipulated by others. She could ensure her mother¡¯s later years were worry-free.

    Aunt Yang felt uncomfortable seeing her daughter blame herself. These years had not been easy for her, but it was her choice. She had never blamed her daughter for leaving, for not facing the hardships with her.

    She quickly helped her daughter up and wiped away her tears. ¡°You silly girl, I havev never blamed you. I still believe what I believed back then. You should live for yourself first, find your own footing, and not be tied down because of me.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, that¡¯s all that matters. We¡¯re reunited, and that¡¯s enough. Looking at you now, you must be doing well, right? Have you found work? I have a stable job now and can support myself. I don¡¯t have to rely on others. Today, I came to help out. The meat is ready, let¡¯s go and join the banquet. Today is indeed a good day!¡±

    Yang Zhen wiped her own tears, holding onto her mother¡¯s hand tightly. She couldn¡¯t cry anymore, afraid it would upset her mother. ¡°I won¡¯t cry anymore. I forgot, this is a celebration. We shouldn¡¯t be crying here.¡±

    Aunt Yang nodded repeatedly, leading her daughter away. As they passed by people, she introduced them to her daughter, Yang Zhen. The pride and joy on her face moved Yang Zhen even more. Her mother didn¡¯t even ask what she was doing now. Just because she had returned, her mother was happy and eager to announce it to the world. Yang Zhen was choked up again.

    Aunt Yang led her daughter around, saying, ¡°Let me introduce you to some people. I owe my independence to these kind-hearted people.¡±

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    Aunt Yang and her daughter first found Li Hua and Lin Cheng. They had just heard that Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter had arrived and were happy for her. Now, seeing Aunt Yang introducing her daughter, they were even more delighted. Li Hua said, ¡°Aunt Yang, you¡¯ve finally got what you¡¯ve been waiting for. Your good fortune is still to come!¡±

    Yang Zhen approached them, sincerely thanking Li Hua. She bowed to her, saying, ¡°Sister Hua, thank you for taking care of my mother. I came in a hurry this time, but I will definitely visit you to express my gratitude next time.¡±

    After chatting with Li Hua for a while, Aunt Yang and her daughter moved on to the table where Gu Zi and the others were sitting. Su Li, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized the young woman beside Aunt Yang. Wasn¡¯t she his new Chinese teacher?

    Surprised, Su Li stood up and greeted her, ¡°Hello, Teacher Yang. What brings you here?¡±

    Of course, Su Bing also noticed, but his reaction was not as big. He was just waiting, curious to see what was going on.

 Chapter 715 - Chapter 715: Take Care of Su Li

    Chapter 715: Take Care of Su Li

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Yang Zhen locked eyes, recognizing each other instantly. Gu Zi studied the face before her that looked so similar to Aunt Yang¡¯s but much younger, and said, ¡°Miss Yang, so you are Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter. No wonder I found you familiar when I first saw you. It¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡±

    Those around them, including Aunt Yang, were taken aback. Aunt Yang¡¯s voice trembled with excitement as she asked, ¡°Miss Yang? Zhen, are you teaching now?¡±

    Yang Zhen nodded, smiling as she replied, ¡°Yes, mother. I¡¯ve been transferred to the same school where Su Bing and Su Li are studying, the First Bilingual Primary School. I¡¯m a second-grade language teacher there, teaching Su Li¡¯s class. As Gu Zi said, it¡¯s quite a coincidence. I didn¡¯t expect it either¡­¡±

    As Yang Zhen spoke, the expressions of those around them changed. There was envy, disbelief, and even a hint of jealousy.

    Yang Zhen, they thought, had made something of herself. Not only was she a teacher now, but she was also teaching at the best foreign language primary school in the city. It was a prestigious job. Could Aunt Yang really be so fortunate?

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Yang Zhen was indeed Su Li¡¯s language teacher, with Gu Zi and others as witnesses, some would have accused Yang Zhen of bragging. After all, the First Bilingual Primary School was not an ordinary school. How could someone as young as Yang Zhen, with no significant background, secure a teaching position there?

    Everyone knew Aunt Yang¡¯s family was impoverished. After the death of her second husband, who was also Yang Zhen¡¯s father, their circumstances had worsened.

    Yang Zhen had almost been forced to drop out of school and marry. Many had eagerly awaited the spectacle. But somehow, Yang Zhen didn¡¯t marry and left the village, denying the spectators their entertainment.

    Now, six or seven years later, Yang Zhen had returned. She was a respected teacher, a symbol of resilience and success. Of course, there was jealousy.

    But no one dared to voice their resentment. Everyone knew that Aunt Yang and Gu Zi¡¯s mother, An Yun, were close friends. Offending Aunt Yang would mean offending An Yun, and by extension, Gu Zi and the Su family. Even if they wanted to gossip, they wouldn¡¯t dare do it openly.

    Gu Zi paid no mind to the reactions of the irrelevant people. She was genuinely happy for Aunt Yang.

    Now that Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter had returned, Aunt Yang had a true relative who cared for her by her side. She wouldn¡¯t feel so alone and helpless. What was even more surprising was that Aunt Yang¡¯s daughter was Su Shen¡¯s new Mandarin language teacher.

    Gu Zi remembered the day they received the exam results. The homeroom teacher, Miss Zhou, had been particularly biased against them. Gu Zi worried that Su Li would be targeted in the future. So, taking advantage of Yang Zhen¡¯s gratitude toward her and her mother, An Yun, Gu Zi pulled Yang Zhen aside and said, ¡°Sister Yang Zhen, I have a favor to ask. If you truly wish to thank us, I would like you to help me.¡±

    Yang Zhen replied, ¡°Gu Zi, now that we have this relationship, feel free to ask for any help. I¡¯ll do my best to assist you. I¡¯m truly grateful for how you¡¯ve taken care of my mother.¡±

    Gu Zi said, ¡°The day we went to collect the results, I noticed that Su Li¡¯s homeroom teacher, Miss Zhou, had a particular grudge against me and my children. I couldn¡¯t hold back my anger that day and probably offended Miss Zhou. But considering she¡¯s Su Li¡¯s homeroom teacher, I¡¯m worried. I hope you can keep an eye on Su Li at school.¡±

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    Upon hearing this, Yang Zhen knew exactly which Miss Zhou Gu Zi was referring to. In fact, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of this colleague either. On her first day at school, Miss Zhou had tried to intimidate her.

    What was worse, Miss Zhou had been spreading rumors that Yang Zhen had secured her teaching position through unscrupulous means.

    Yang Zhen agreed, ¡°Gu Zi, I would never refuse a request from you. Besides, Miss Zhou has been spreading rumors about me. I promise you, once the school starts, I¡¯ll keep an eye on her and pay more attention to Su Li¡¯s situation.¡±

    Gu Zi and Yang Zhen had a smooth conversation. When they returned to the banquet, it was just about to start. Gu Zi had two seats rearranged so that Yang Zhen and Aunt Yang could sit at her table, allowing them to celebrate their reunion together.

    During the banquet, Aunt Yang and An Yun raised their glasses. An Yun said, ¡°No matter what, I must drink a toast with you, Aunt Yang. Yang Zhen, you too. Let¡¯s celebrate your reunion. Of course, let¡¯s also congratulate the newlyweds, wishing them a lifetime of love and companionship. May we all be safe, healthy, and happy!¡±

 Chapter 716 - Chapter 716: Pursuing Before Confessing

    Chapter 716: Pursuing Before Confessing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After three rounds of toasts, the wedding banquet was in full swing. The newlyweds on stage had completed their ceremony and began toasting at each table. It was now the turn of the table where Gu Zi and her friends were seated. Jin Long, as the best man, was naturally part of the toasting team, with the lively Gong Xin trailing behind him.

    Lin Hun raised his glass, downing it in one go as a sign of respect. ¡°Thank you all for attending Gui Hua and my wedding banquet,¡± he began, ¡°especially Gu Zi and Brother Shen. From now on, I too will be a family man. I will work even harder to provide Gui Hua with a happy home, and always learn from Brother Shen!¡±

    Gui Hua¡¯s cheeks flushed a rosy hue. Whether it was from the numerous toasts she had already partaken in or from Lin Hun¡¯s words, she appeared somewhat shy. She too raised her glass and drank, her modest demeanor attracting more than a few glances.

    ¡°I toast to all of you, and to my joyous wedding,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t say much more. I will be a good wife to Lin Hun and live a good life with him. I am overjoyed today because it is a day of triple happiness. After this toast, I must drink another with Aunt Yang, to celebrate her reunion with her daughter and to congratulate Yang Zhen on becoming a teacher. It truly brings honor to Aunt Yang!¡±

    After finishing her toast, Gui Hua took the glass offered by Jin Long, the best man, and immediately drank another with Aunt Yang. Jin Long, taking his role as best man seriously, was all smiles. The crowd couldn¡¯t help but notice him and the petite woman behind him.

    Gu Zi, observing all this, couldn¡¯t resist teasing, ¡°I heard from Su Shen that this is Brother Jin Long¡¯s first time as a best man. Is it customary for the best man to bring a family member?¡±

    Jin Long was taken aback by this comment, but the woman behind him stepped forward, addressing Gu Zi, ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯ve really changed. You¡¯re even making jokes now. I get along well with Brother Jin Long and came to help him. What do you mean by ¡®bringing a family member¡¯? I clearly came with you.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, looking at her good friend Gong Xin. She decided to keep the truth to herself. After all, Gong Xin was a single woman, and her teasing could make Gong Xin uncomfortable. Gu Zi stood up and pulled Gong Xin aside, changing the subject.

    ¡°Let me finish,¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t you be considered my family? Come, sit with me here. Take Su Li¡¯s place and have something to eat. Weren¡¯t you craving braised pork? I saved several large pieces for you at our table. It¡¯s perfect timing, Su Li left to play with Su Le after eating. I¡¯d be happy to have you keep me company.¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi placed the bowl of braised pork she had saved in front of Gong Xin. She asked the serving lady for a new set of chopsticks and bowl, ensuring Gong Xin stayed to eat.

    Gong Xin could only obediently eat the pork. Comforted by the braised pork, she didn¡¯t feel upset. She was once again able to enjoy the braised pork from Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, which she had been longing for. She felt truly blessed.

    Meanwhile, Jin Long continued to accompany the bride and groom to toast at other tables. Without Gong Xin by his side, his smile faded significantly. He occasionally glanced towards where Gong Xin was seated, and as the toasting continued, he became increasingly disoriented.

    Even Lin Hun noticed something was off. ¡°Brother Jin Long,¡± he said, ¡°if you¡¯re drunk, you should rest. You almost spilled wine on my uncle¡¯s head.¡±

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    Gui Hua had been watching the whole time and understood the situation clearly. She thought that if she could facilitate a match at her own wedding, it would be a wonderful thing. She pulled Jin Long aside and asked in a low voice, ¡°What did that city girl say to you? You¡¯ve been smiling the whole time. It¡¯s too obvious. Share it with me, will you?¡±

    Gui Hua remembered that ever since Gong Xin had come to thank Jin Long, he had been grinning like a fool. She feared his face might freeze in that expression.

    Jin Long, a tall man, rarely showed such shyness. But despite his embarrassment, he didn¡¯t hide anything. Like a young boy experiencing his first love, he bashfully said, ¡°Gui Hua, Gong Xin just told me that I look handsome and elegant in my best man¡¯s attire. Do you think she would accept me if I confessed my feelings to her?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gui Hua burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re so clueless,¡± she said. ¡°Who confesses their feelings right away? You might scare the girl. You need to pursue her first. Confess your feelings when the time is right. That way, you won¡¯t wrong her. In any case, you need to let her get to know you first¡­¡±

    Jin Long listened attentively, finding her advice very reasonable. Just as he was about to ask how to proceed next, Lin Hun interrupted their whispering. With a sour expression, Lin Hun pulled his bride back to his side. ¡°What are you two up to? Are we still toasting?¡±

 Chapter 717 - Chapter 717: A Perfect Match

    Chapter 717: A Perfect Match

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gui Hua found herself fond of Lin Hun¡¯s anxious demeanor. She quickly nodded, gently pulling him back with her. Her voice was filled with the tenderness that was so often present in their daily interactions. ¡°Of course, I should be the one you toast with. I am your wife, after all. Who else would you toast with? I was merely trying to give Jin Long a hint. There¡¯s no need for you to worry¡­¡±

    Jin Long stood still, mulling over Gui Hua¡¯s words. To familiarize himself with Gong Xin, he would need to engage in more conversations with her, wouldn¡¯t he?

    Once he understood this, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He promptly returned to Gu Zi¡¯s table. By this time, everyone at Gu Zi¡¯s table had nearly finished their meal. Jin Long shamelessly took the seat that Su Bing had just vacated, as it was right next to Gong Xin.

    Upon seeing him return, Gong Xin couldn¡¯t hide the joy in her eyes. However, fearing that her feelings would be noticed, she kept her head down, pretending not to see him. She continued to eat her braised meat, a fresh serving that Gu Zi had just fetched for her.

    As she ate, she heard Jin Long awkwardly explaining to Gu Zi, ¡°I¡¯ve had too much to drink and I¡¯m feeling a bit tipsy. I thought I¡¯d eat something to sober up. Sister-in-law, would it be alright if I sit here?¡±

    Gu Zi elegantly swallowed her last bite of food. She saw through his intentions but chose not to expose him. She nodded and replied, ¡°Of course, you¡¯re welcome to sit here. If you don¡¯t mind that we¡¯ve already eaten from these dishes, then I certainly don¡¯t mind. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve finished eating and can¡¯t accompany you. But luckily, Gong Xin is still eating. You two take your time. I¡¯ll go and order some fresh dishes for you.¡±

    Gu Zi had no intention of playing the third wheel and obstructing the two. In her eyes, Jin Long was indeed a good man. He came from a good background and was hardworking and resilient. She believed that Gong Xin also had feelings for him. Encouraging them to spend more time together was a good thing. As for whether they would end up together, that was up to them.

    On the other side, Aunt Yang and Yang Zhen had finished their meal and were sitting under a large tree, having a heart-to-heart conversation. The mother and daughter, who hadn¡¯t seen each other in years, had a lot to talk about. Not knowing where to start, Yang Zhen began to share her experiences from the past few years with her mother, only mentioning the good parts.

    After listening to her daughter¡¯s stories, Aunt Yang clasped her hands together, thanking the heavens. ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯ve met so many kind people along the way. It¡¯s truly a blessing. I feel so guilty for not being able to help you or even give you a penny all these years.¡±

    Aunt Yang lovingly pulled her daughter into her arms. Even though her daughter hadn¡¯t mentioned any hardships, she could imagine how difficult it must have been for her to survive on her own all these years. But now that her daughter was back, everything was in the past. Things would surely get better!

    Yang Zhen sat up straight, shaking her head, not wanting her mother to blame herself. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really okay. Even though I was living under someone else¡¯s roof, my cousin and his family treated me well. Plus, I¡¯m about to get married. Once my fianc¨¦ is transferred to Guangcheng, I¡¯ll be getting married. He¡¯s a soldier and treats me very well.¡±

    Upon hearing that her daughter had found her own place in the world, Aunt Yang¡¯s spirits lifted. Just as she was about to ask more questions, two women from the village interrupted their conversation. Aunt Yang couldn¡¯t immediately recall who these women were, but judging by their expressions, they were likely about to say something unpleasant.

    Aunt Yang instinctively shielded Yang Zhen behind her. One of the women spoke in a sarcastic tone, ¡°So, Yang Zhen has returned. That¡¯s wonderful. Aunt Yang, your hard times are over. Yang Zhen is now a teacher in the city. She¡¯ll surely take you to the city to enjoy a comfortable life. You¡¯ll be a city lady, how enviable.¡±

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    The other woman chimed in, ¡°Yes, your son Yang Tao is such a disappointment. But luckily, you have a successful daughter. However, it¡¯s a pity that your grandson is left in the countryside with no one to care for him. It¡¯s heartbreaking. Can a grown man like Yang Tao really take care of a child? It¡¯s simply unbearable to think about.¡±

    Yang Zhen found these two women utterly baffling. But seeing her mother protecting her, she didn¡¯t step forward to say anything.

    She understood her mother. In her mother¡¯s eyes, she was still a child who needed protection. Seeing her mother protect her like this, she didn¡¯t have the heart to assert herself. It would be like telling her mother that she no longer needed her protection, which seemed somewhat cruel.

    When Aunt Yang saw the second woman speaking, the black mole at the corner of her mouth twitching, she suddenly remembered who these two women were.

    They were from Chen Village and were close friends with her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wang. They often went to town together to play cards all night. Aunt Yang¡¯s face fell as she understood the implications of their words.

 Chapter 718 - Chapter 718: Staying In Town

    Chapter 718: Staying In Town

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    These two individuals were likely insinuating that Aunt Yang, now that her daughter had returned and become a teacher, had the means to support her in her old age. They suggested that Aunt Yang, now able to enjoy a comfortable life, no longer cared about the fate of her son¡¯s family.

    Their insinuations stemmed from the recent happenings in Yang Tao¡¯s household. Ever since Aunt Yang was driven out by Mrs. Wang, the latter had no one to boss around. Regardless of whether she wanted to do the housework or not, Mrs. Wang had to shoulder the burden alone. For a day or two, she managed to keep up appearances, but it was a facade that couldn¡¯t last.

    Mrs. Wang had assumed that Aunt Yang, without a source of income and nowhere else to go, would return after her anger subsided. However, contrary to her expectations, Aunt Yang did not return as she had in the past. Instead, she found a job and a stable source of income.

    Aunt Yang¡¯s newfound independence left Mrs. Wang¡¯s plans in ruins, infuriating her. Adding to her frustration was the return of Yang Tao, who had been working away from home. With only the two of them at home, tensions rose. Yang Tao was not a man who enjoyed housework. He believed that after working hard to earn money, he should be able to relax at home, expecting others to cater to his needs.

    However, with Aunt Yang refusing to return home and Mrs. Wang not being the type to serve others, the conflict between Mrs. Wang and Yang Tao escalated. Their frequent arguments were heard by the neighbors, and their quarrels often resulted in their child crying, even on New Year¡¯s Eve.

    Mrs. Wang threatened to return to her hometown, refusing to live with Yang Tao any longer. In his anger, Yang Tao told her to leave, resulting in a tumultuous household.

    On the morning of the New Year, someone saw Mrs. Wang, her bags packed and ready to leave. She got into a car and drove away, leaving their son, Yuan Yuan, with Yang Tao. The news of their separation spread throughout the village.

    Yang Tao was a man, and in the eyes of the villagers, a man was the pillar of a family. He had to work and couldn¡¯t possibly have the time or energy to take care of a child. Now that Mrs. Wang had left, they believed that Aunt Yang, as Yuan Yuan¡¯s grandmother, should put aside past grievances and help take care of her grandson.

    Aunt Yang was aware of the situation between Yang Tao and Mrs. Wang. She never said she wouldn¡¯t care for her grandson. However, the villagers had started to gossip. She had tolerated it before, but she wouldn¡¯t stand for it now, especially not in front of her daughter.

    Aunt Yang defended her daughter, immediately retorting, ¡°Whether my children succeed or fail is their own destiny. I accept them as they are. But I won¡¯t tolerate your idle gossip. You¡¯re all grown up, yet you spend your days spreading rumors. Aren¡¯t you afraid of slipping and hurting your backs in the rain? It¡¯s too much!

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    ¡°And don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you. You used to encourage my daughter-in-law to go to town to play cards, disturbing the peace in my home. Now that my daughter is back, don¡¯t think you can stir up trouble again¡­¡±

    The two women were taken aback. They had always thought of Aunt Yang as a pushover, but now she was openly criticizing them for their gossip. They were at a loss for words.

    Ignoring them, Aunt Yang took her daughter¡¯s hand and walked away. Yang Zhen followed her mother, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked at her mother¡¯s graying hair. She held back her tears and stopped, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you move to the city with me? I have a two-bedroom apartment provided by the school. It¡¯s enough for us. I don¡¯t want you to suffer anymore.¡±

    Aunt Yang paused at her daughter¡¯s words, her heart heavy. However, after some thought, she shook her head. She took her daughter¡¯s hand and said earnestly, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I have my own plans now. I want to stay in town and help Li Hua. It¡¯s not a hardship, it¡¯s something I want to do.

    ¡°Also, I won¡¯t hide it from you. Staying in town makes it easier for me to look after Yuan Yuan. He¡¯s your nephew. As long as your brother is willing to bring him here, I¡¯m willing to take care of him. Your brother has done many wrong things over the years, and it¡¯s hurt me, but I can¡¯t stand by and watch Yuan Yuan be neglected¡­¡±

 Chapter 719 - Chapter 719: Raising the Stakes

    Chapter 719: Raising the Stakes

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Aunt Yang spoke, her voice began to waver with emotion. Yang Zhen watched her in silence, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She smiled and said, ¡°I understand you, and it¡¯s all in the past now. Mother, I promise you, if my brother can come to his senses and treat you better, I will help him find a stable job. I don¡¯t object to you taking care of Yuan Yuan. This way, I can come to town more often to see you.¡±

    Aunt Yang looked at her daughter with immense satisfaction. Indeed, no one understood a mother better than her own daughter. She was content, knowing she had such a wonderful daughter.

    After the formal wedding banquet at noon, there was another meal in the evening. To keep the guests entertained during the gap between the two meals, Lin Hun and Gui Hua had rented two mahjong parlors next to the garden.

    The mahjong parlors in town offered not only mahjong but also card games and tea. They even had dedicated rest areas, making them the perfect place to pass the time. Su Shen, a prominent figure in the area, was immediately invited to play mahjong by the pig farm workers as soon as he stepped down from the banquet.

    In the past, the workers would never dare to challenge the cold and aloof boss, Su Shen. But ever since he married Gu Zi, he had become more approachable, and the workers could feel this change. Today was a day of celebration, and with Jin Long egging them on, the workers grew bolder and dared to invite Boss Su to play mahjong.

    However, Su Shen sat at the mahjong table with a furrowed brow, clearly out of his element. He was adept at fighting and slaughtering pigs, but mahjong was foreign to him.

    Just as Su Shen was about to excuse himself from the table, his wife, Gu Zi, stepped forward. She addressed the crowd, ¡°You can ask my husband to play mahjong, but you can¡¯t bully him like this. He doesn¡¯t know how to play. If you want him to play, I¡¯ll have to teach him first. Is that okay?¡±

    The sight of the couple working together was so sweet that it made the onlookers¡¯ hearts flutter. They couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. They heard Gu Zi whisper in Su Shen¡¯s ear, ¡°Husband, I¡¯ll teach you three rounds. Do you think you can learn?¡±

    Su Shen looked at her, his eyes filled with deep affection, as if they were the only two people in the world. ¡°If you teach me, I can learn. Let¡¯s play.¡±

    The crowd shook their heads in disbelief. Was this the same Boss Su they knew, the one who was usually cold, ruthless, and sparing with words?

    Now, the way Boss Su looked at his wife was almost adoring. They were openly displaying their affection, which was simply outrageous. They just wanted to win a little money from Boss Su. Was it really going to be this difficult?

    Jin Long and Gong Xin exchanged glances, also finding the scene unbearable. Jin Long asked a worker to give up his seat, and he sat down opposite Su Shen. As he stacked the mahjong tiles, he complained, ¡°You two are too much, flirting in public like this. What has the world come to? I promise you, I¡¯ll play three rounds with you to let Boss Su learn. Let¡¯s get started.¡±

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    Gu Zi averted her gaze, accepted a stool from someone, and sat down next to Su Shen. She began to teach him how to play mahjong. She was a good teacher, and Su Shen was a quick learner. By the second round, he had already grasped the basics. However, he didn¡¯t say anything and started the third round. But his attention was not on the game; it was on Gu Zi.

    As Gu Zi taught him, her soft voice was like a gentle spring breeze, very pleasant to the ear. Her faint apricot blossom scent wafted into his nostrils from time to time, making his ears turn red and his heart race. Jin Long noticed this and slammed his unwanted tile onto the table, making a loud ¡°thud.¡±

    Finally, the third practice round was over, and the real game began. Jin Long rubbed his hands together, eager to make Su Shen empty his pockets. It was too much, flaunting their love so openly. During the practice rounds, Su Shen hadn¡¯t been focused at all. His mind was entirely on his wife. Jin Long didn¡¯t believe he had really learned how to play.

    Jin Long said, ¡°Playing for pennies is no fun. We¡¯re playing with Boss Su, after all. Now that the real game is starting, we need to raise the stakes. Ten for a self-drawn win, five for a discard win, five for an exposed kong, and ten for a concealed kong. How about it?¡±

    As soon as Jin Long said this, the other two players at the table were taken aback. One of them said, ¡°Brother Jin Long, what¡¯s the difference between this and gambling? Do you want us to go bankrupt? Can I withdraw? If I play for such high stakes, my mother and wife will kill me when I get home!¡± The other quickly agreed, expressing his willingness to withdraw immediately if possible.

 Chapter 720 - Chapter 720: Hidden Rich Heir

    Chapter 720: Hidden Rich Heir

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long sat calmly, his gaze fixed on the two men before him. With an air of nonchalance, he spoke, ¡°Look at you two, lacking in spirit. Sit up straight. I¡¯m here to play a big game with Boss Su today. You¡¯re with me, so you¡¯ll play with him too. Here¡¯s the deal, I¡¯ll cover your losses. Whatever you win is yours, but any money you lose, I¡¯ll pay. So, play without worry!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the two men¡¯s faces lit up with joy, and they settled comfortably into their seats. ¡°Brother Jin Long, we¡¯ll take your word for it. Let¡¯s have some fun then!¡±

    Jin Long nodded, his face relaxed. Gong Xin, who was sitting next to Jin Long as a spectator, couldn¡¯t help but whisper a reminder, ¡°This is a game with stakes of five or ten, not a small amount. You can afford to play, but where will you get the money to cover their losses?¡±

    Playing mahjong was a popular pastime among the people, whether in the city or in rural areas. It didn¡¯t matter if the players were rural women or wealthy ladies; if they were citizens, they were likely to play mahjong. Gong Xin, being the daughter of a military district leader, had been exposed to this game from a young age due to her mother¡¯s social obligations.

    Gong Xin did a quick calculation. Given the current stakes of five or ten, if Jin Long and the other two were unlucky, each person could lose at least five or six hundred. The three of them together could lose over a thousand in an afternoon. That was a significant amount of money. What would happen if Jin Long couldn¡¯t come up with it? Even if she lent him all the money she had on her, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    Why was Jin Long acting like a spoiled rich kid today? He even referred to himself as a young master.

    Gong Xin was worried. She thought Jin Long had drunk too much and wasn¡¯t thinking clearly. She assumed he was just joking around. But if he didn¡¯t have the money later, it would be quite embarrassing.

    However, Jin Long began to stack the mahjong tiles, his movements smooth and practiced. It was clear that he had put in a lot of effort when he was in charge of public relations at the pig farm. He reassured Gong Xin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Su Shen is a complete novice at mahjong. When we go out for social events, I¡¯m always the one playing mahjong. Today, I¡¯m sure I can turn the tables with mahjong and thoroughly defeat Su Shen. Just thinking about it feels great.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gong Xin looked at Jin Long with a complex expression, then at Su Shen across from them, and finally at Gu Zi next to Su Shen. Clearly, she and Gu Zi both found it hard to understand the strange competitive spirit between men. Was it really that satisfying to defeat Su Shen? Why did it sound so ambiguous?

    Gu Zi also found it strange. If she didn¡¯t know better, she might think that Jin Long and Su Shen were a couple. Seeing Gong Xin¡¯s glance, she couldn¡¯t help but reveal Jin Long¡¯s secret. With a teasing tone, she said to Gong Xin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. He won¡¯t run out of money. I can tell you now, this guy is the young master of the Golden Sun Hotel. He¡¯s not short of money.¡±

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    Gu Zi had heard from Su Shen that Jin Long had always had a strained relationship with his family. Moreover, Jin Long wanted to make a name for himself and prove his abilities. His initial goal in joining Su Shen¡¯s pig farm was just that. Now, the Daqing pig farm was undoubtedly successful, and Jin Long, as Su Shen¡¯s partner, had naturally achieved his due results.

    During the New Year, Jin Long had gone home, and his relationship with his family had somewhat improved. Now, Jin Long no longer avoided people saying that he was the young master of the Golden Sun Hotel. Therefore, Gu Zi took this opportunity to tease him in public. In doing so, she also informed Gong Xin about Jin Long¡¯s family background, helping her understand Jin Long¡¯s situation better and make an appropriate choice.

    Upon hearing this, Gong Xin sat still, her face showing a blank expression. Gu Zi had just said that Jin Long, the rural man sitting next to her, was the young master of the city¡¯s largest private hotel, the Golden Sun Hotel?

    This was the first time Gong Xin had learned about Jin Long¡¯s family background. It was a complete reversal of her previous understanding. She had always thought that he was just an ordinary rural man who had a job because he helped Su Shen with his pig farm. His only advantage was that he was more handsome than the average rural man. But now, it turned out that Jin Long was a hidden rich heir?

    Gong Xin¡¯s gaze fell on the man¡¯s profile next to her. Apart from the surprise, a sense of satisfaction arose in her heart. It wasn¡¯t that she, Gong Xin, was a gold digger. She didn¡¯t really care about whether her partner was rich or not. It wasn¡¯t that she was attracted to Jin Long because he was a rich heir. In fact, Gong Xin knew that she had special feelings for Jin Long for a long time.

 Chapter 721 - Chapter 721: I Love You, Darling

    Chapter 721: I Love You, Darling

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long was an exceptional man, but Gong Xin found herself troubled. Jin Long was a simple countryman, with no notable family background. If they were to rashly come together, her family would inevitably find out.

    Gong Xin had always been the darling of her family, cherished by her parents, protected by her brother, and adored by her relatives. The idea of her being with someone like Jin Long, who was not of equal social standing, would be hard for them to accept.

    However, things had changed. It turned out that Jin Long¡¯s family was not ordinary; they owned the Golden Sun Hotel. Such a family was a suitable match for her, the daughter of a high-ranking official. From now on, she could approach Jin Long without any reservations.

    If possible, she wanted to be with Jin Long. The thought made her cheeks flush with warmth. To avoid attracting attention, Gong Xin lowered her proud head, turned her face to the side, and propped her chin on her hand. She sat quietly next to Jin Long, watching him play mahjong.

    Su Shen had known Jin Long for more than a year or two and naturally knew what kind of game the young man was playing. He was envious of Su Shen¡¯s married status and wanted to make him lose money during the mahjong game. Su Shen, however, made no comment on Jin Long¡¯s prodigal behavior. He simply began to silently stack the mahjong tiles in front of him.

    Gu Zi and Su Shen had an understanding. Seeing that Su Shen remained silent, Gu Zi also refrained from saying more. After all, more words would be of no benefit. The truth would be revealed on the mahjong table.

    Because Su Shen¡¯s table had the highest stakes, more and more spectators came to watch their game. At first, the wins and losses were fairly even. Sometimes Su Shen lost money, and sometimes Jin Long did. But after a dozen or so rounds, the balance began to shift. Jin Long was consistently losing, and Su Shen was consistently winning.

    What was even more unexpected was that this situation continued until the end of the game. Su Shen won almost every round. By the end of the afternoon, Gu Zi, who was sitting next to Su Shen, had collected so much money that her hands were sore.

    But Gu Zi was a money-lover. No matter how sore her hands were, she was still very serious about collecting the money. She kept track of the money while collecting it. By the end of the game, Gu Zi calculated that Su Shen had won a total of 1,300 from Jin Long that afternoon. After putting the money into her own purse, which was now bulging, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but grin from ear to ear.

    Su Shen watched with satisfaction. His wife was indeed a money-lover. He looked at Gu Zi and said, ¡°Gu Zi, you are my lucky star. Because of you, I won so much.¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased. With all the money she had collected, she felt she had to give her husband full credit.

    So, when she noticed that no one was paying attention to them, she took small steps towards her husband, wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, and said, ¡°Although that¡¯s what you say, it¡¯s also true that my man is good at making money. I love you, darling.¡±

    Hearing her last words, Su Shen felt not only physically and mentally pleased, but even the air around him seemed to taste sweet. He didn¡¯t know when he had started to crave this sweet and ambiguous atmosphere. He wrapped his arms around Gu Zi¡¯s waist, and after she finished speaking, he bent down to return her kiss with a long, deep one¡­

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    After the banquet, the wedding of Lin Hun and Gui Hua came to an end. The guests naturally dispersed, each returning to their own homes. Gu Zi and the others had no plans to rush back to the city. They had brought Gong Xin with them, and there was no room for them in the town. So they decided to drive back to Daqing Village and stay in their old house for the night before returning to the city the next day.

    Since the town was not far from Daqing Village, Gu Zi and the others arrived at the Su family¡¯s house in Daqing Village while it was still early. Their old neighbor, Aunt Zhang, had just finished dinner and was taking a walk outside with her grandson, Shi Tou.

    From a distance, the grandma-grandson duo saw the lights of a car flickering in the field. Aunt Zhang was excited. She knew that Gu Zi and the others were attending a wedding banquet in the town that day. ¡°Gu Zi, is that you guys coming back?¡±

    Hearing the name of his fairy aunt, Shi Tou also perked up. He immediately thought of his long-lost neighbor, Su Le. He ran to his grandmother, imitated her waving gesture, and shouted towards the approaching light source, ¡°Lele, Shi Tou is waiting for you here!¡±

    As soon as Shi Tou¡¯s words fell, the car drove up to the grandmother and grandson. The car stopped, the door opened, and Gu Zi was the first to get out. She walked towards Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou.

 Chapter 722 - Chapter 722: Neighborhood Bonds

    Chapter 722: Neighborhood Bonds

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi reached out to embrace Aunt Zhang, who responded with a look of surprise and gratification. It was clear that she hadn¡¯t expected such an intimate gesture from Gu Zi. Aunt Zhang was thrilled by the embrace, her voice trembling with excitement. ¡°Gu Zi, it¡¯s been so long,¡± she said. ¡°If I had known you were coming, I would have dressed up a bit.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as she laughed. She had come to visit after a lifetime of laborious work that had left her physically and emotionally drained. In this life, she yearned for a peaceful and comfortable existence, filled with family meals, seasonal greetings, and occasional travels.

    In terms of her career, she had no grand ambitions. She didn¡¯t desire a tumultuous career or vast wealth. To her, having enough was sufficient. She had no interest in the so-called high society or social networking. Instead, she cherished the everyday bonds with her neighbors, believing that the most ordinary things were the most precious.

    Gu Zi, leading Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou, walked towards her house. As they approached the front door, she noticed that the entrance and the ground outside were spotlessly clean. The ivy she had planted on the outer wall was thriving, covering the entire wall in a neat pattern. Clearly, someone had been taking care of it.

    Looking at the well-maintained house, Gu Zi was reminded of her request to Aunt Zhang before she moved. She had casually asked her to look after the house, not expecting Aunt Zhang to take it to heart. Gratefully, she said, ¡°Aunt Zhang, you¡¯ve been such a great help in looking after my house.¡±

    Aunt Zhang, surprised that Gu Zi had noticed her efforts, smiled modestly. As she helped Gu Zi open the door, she said, ¡°It was nothing, really. Sometimes the children play here and make a mess, so I clean up. And I trim the plants and water them when I pass by¡­¡±

    Gu Zi invited Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou inside. Soon, the rest of the family joined them.

    Su Bing, carrying the sleeping Su Le, went straight upstairs. Su Li greeted Shi Tou and handed him some candy from his pocket. Gong Xin, clearly exhausted, collapsed onto the sofa after greeting everyone good night. Su Shen was the last to enter, carrying two large paper bags filled with gifts that Gu Zi had prepared for Aunt Zhang and Shi Tou.

    Gu Zi took the bags from Su Shen and handed them to Aunt Zhang. ¡°Aunt Zhang, I bought you a set of clothes that I thought would suit you,¡± she said. ¡°And for Shi Tou, I got a baseball cap. It¡¯s quite popular among the city kids. Please, don¡¯t refuse. I¡¯ll need your help in the future to look after the house.¡±

    Aunt Zhang was about to decline, not because she expected a gift in return for her help, but because she genuinely enjoyed looking after the house. However, Gu Zi¡¯s words stopped her. Seeing the blue baseball cap, she thought it would be a nice gift for her grandson.

    Shi Tou was about to start school in town, and wearing the cap would certainly make him look stylish. Shi Tou himself was drawn to the attractive cap. ¡°It¡¯s so nice, Grandma! Can I have it, Auntie?¡± he asked.

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    Gu Zi immediately placed the cap on Shi Tou¡¯s head. ¡°Shi Tou, you look so cute and lively with it on. Don¡¯t you think so, Aunt Zhang?¡±

    Aunt Zhang, seeing her grandson looking much more fashionable with the cap, couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse. As she prepared to leave, she said to Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re leaving for the city tomorrow, aren¡¯t you? Why not stay a few more days?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head. ¡°We came for the wedding. Su Shen and I have work, and the kids need to prepare for school. It¡¯s better to return to the city sooner.¡±

    Aunt Zhang paused for a moment before saying, ¡°I see. I¡¯ll go to the field early tomorrow and pick some fresh vegetables for you to take back to the city. They¡¯re homegrown, so they¡¯re safer to eat.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t refuse. She knew Aunt Zhang wasn¡¯t the type to take advantage of others. Having accepted Gu Zi¡¯s gift, Aunt Zhang naturally wanted to reciprocate. If Gu Zi refused, it would seem inappropriate.

 Chapter 723 - Chapter 723: Momentarily Confused

    Chapter 723: Momentarily Confused

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon entering, Gu Zi roused Gong Xin, who was sound asleep on the sofa, and led her to the guest room to rest. They had traveled from the city to attend a wedding banquet and had returned to the village to rest their weary feet.

    It had been a tiring day for everyone. Their two sons had already retired to their rooms, and seeing nothing else that needed her attention, Gu Zi decided to return to her room and take a bath before going to sleep.

    Just as she pushed open the door, she was abruptly pulled inside. In the next moment, she found herself falling into the arms of her husband. As his lips met hers, she realized that Su Shen had been waiting for her in the room. Their kiss was sweet and lingering, and they moved from the doorway to the bathroom, making love under the showerhead and washing away the day¡¯s fatigue.

    Exhausted, Gu Zi fell into a deep sleep as soon as her body hit the bed. Yet, the wildness of their lovemaking continued in her dreams. She dreamt of the man¡¯s face close to hers, his warm breath fanning her face. His hand was on her breast, kneading it, changing the path of the water flowing over her body. She watched as her breast was molded into different shapes under his touch.

    Gu Zi looked at him, her hand reaching out to caress his face. His eyebrows were sharp, his eyes resembled those of a phoenix, and his nose was straight. The man remained still, allowing her hand to roam over his face. When her fingers brushed over his lips, he gently opened his mouth, biting her fingertip. His tongue lightly licked her finger pad, his sexual allure was irresistible, and her moans became more uncontrollable.

    Encouraged by her moans, Su Shen held his manhood, slowly pushing the head into her. With a forceful thrust of his hips, he entered her completely. The sensation of being enveloped by her sent a satisfied moan from his lips.

    Later, he buried himself deep within her, thrusting and surging. Their bodies slick with desire, he held her lovingly in his arms, his head lowered to capture her lips, sucking and licking them with careful attention.

    The next morning, as the day was just breaking, Gu Zi woke up feeling embarrassed. She hurried to the bathroom, changing her underwear. To avoid facing Su Shen for the moment, she chose to fight off her sleepiness and went downstairs to prepare for their return to the city.

    As she descended the stairs, she heard noises from outside. Gu Zi ran out to open the courtyard door, only to find a large pile of farm produce and Aunt Zhang, who had risen early to work, standing outside.

    Aunt Zhang said, ¡°Is Su Shen up yet? I¡¯ll help you load these things onto the car. You take them back. Remember to put the perishables in the refrigerator. Also, this basket contains sweet potato porridge and vegetable pancakes I made. Have some before you leave, so you won¡¯t be hungry on the road. You can keep the basket. I have to go to the fields now, and there won¡¯t be anyone at home later.¡±

    Gu Zi took the basket, thanking Aunt Zhang profusely. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful, Aunt Zhang. You¡¯ve even prepared breakfast for us. Just leave the things here. You go ahead with your work. Su Shen will be down soon, and we¡¯ll load them onto the car ourselves.¡±

    After Aunt Zhang left, Gu Zi examined the items. There were two large baskets of vegetables, a large jar of free-range chicken eggs, a large jar of duck eggs, and a small bag of home-smoked bacon. For an ordinary farming family, Aunt Zhang¡¯s return gifts were indeed generous, and Gu Zi was deeply moved.

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    With breakfast taken care of, everyone enjoyed the sweet potato porridge and vegetable pancakes. Their bellies full, they set off on their journey. They had all slept well the previous night, and the car was filled with lively chatter and laughter. Despite the long journey, it seemed to pass much quicker than usual.

    Upon reaching the city, following Gu Zi¡¯s instructions, Su Shen drove to the military compound first to drop Gong Xin home. Gong Xin, carrying a large bag of braised meat, got out of the car. She had packed the meat from the banquet to take home. Stored in the refrigerator, it would last at least a week. Gu Zi watched as Gong Xin hopped and skipped her way into the compound.

    Meanwhile, outside the Su residence in Jifu New Village, a military-green off-road vehicle was parked. Beside the vehicle stood a tall woman.

    Dressed in a military uniform, she exuded an air of nobility and pride. Her gaze swept over the villa neighborhood. Suddenly, she spoke, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that woman holding him back, Su Shen¡¯s achievements would be far greater. I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    The subordinate behind her, having learned from previous experiences, cautiously replied, ¡°Commander Su is a smart man. He may be confused for a while, but he will eventually figure things out. A man with ambitions should not be hindered by a woman, especially when you are painstakingly planning for him, Deputy Commander Hu. Perhaps Commander Su just needs some time.¡±

 Chapter 724 - Chapter 724: Didnâ€™t Recognize Her

    Chapter 724: Didn¡¯t Recognize Her

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing these words, Hu Jie felt a sense of relief wash over her. Yes, Su Shen must have been momentarily confused to act so thoughtlessly.

    She then took a moment to properly examine her subordinate, her gaze cold and aloof. She spoke again, her tone laced with her usual condescension, ¡°Officer Zhao, how long have you been with me?¡±

    The young female soldier saluted respectfully, ¡°Reporting to Deputy Commander Hu, I have been with you for over three months since you decided to transfer to Guangcheng. I am aware that I still have much to learn and improve. I will strive to do better in every task in the future.¡±

    Hu Jie felt a hint of satisfaction towards this new security officer. Her voice was cool and soothing as she said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too nervous. You¡¯re still young and have plenty of opportunities. As long as you remember one thing while following me ¨C that everything is done according to my will ¨C you won¡¯t make any major mistakes.¡±

    With that, Hu Jie shifted her gaze towards the road ahead. She happened to see a familiar small sedan slowly approaching from a distance. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized that she was finally going to meet Su Shen.

    She hadn¡¯t planned on appearing before Su Shen so soon. She felt that she should at least wait until she found a way to make the woman surnamed Gu leave Su Shen¡¯s side. Only then would she meet Su Shen and go directly to the capital with him. She could ensure a smooth and successful career for Su Shen, which was better than doing business, wasn¡¯t it?

    All she asked for was Su Shen¡¯s lifelong commitment to her. Her demands were not high.

    Unfortunately, Su Shen was still as formidable as ever. He had already discovered that she had sent someone to follow him and demanded an explanation from her. Since he wanted an explanation, she decided to personally visit him and give him one. She was still looking forward to seeing Su Shen.

    Hu Jie believed that she was, after all, the first woman who had caught Su Shen¡¯s eye. They had a past together, and they had even discussed marriage. Su Shen would definitely react to her appearance. Perhaps he had pretended to be angry and demanded an explanation just to see her.

    Under her military cap, her usually cold and aloof eyes radiated anticipation.

    Su Shen¡¯s sedan had already stopped, and his tall figure got out of the car and walked towards the passenger side door. He opened the door, and the woman in the passenger seat got out.

    Su Shen looked at the woman, his stern eyebrows softened in a way that was indescribable. He walked side by side with her towards the entrance, seemingly oblivious to the people and things around him.

    Hu Jie¡¯s heart sank. She had dressed up in her formal military uniform, which she only wore on special occasions. Despite her status as a highly regarded figure in the military, her grand entrance did not earn her a single glance from him.

    Hu Jie thought that perhaps it was because she had not followed her father¡¯s last wish to marry him and had willingly allowed her mother to choose someone else for her. This might have hurt Su Shen deeply.

    She had abandoned him once, so it was understandable that he was unwilling to face her. She should take the initiative to walk up to him this time.

    Hu Jie took a few steps forward and called out to Su Shen just as Su Shen and the woman were about to enter, ¡°Su Shen, I¡¯m here. It¡¯s me.¡±

    Upon hearing her voice, Su Shen turned around. After exchanging a glance with Gu Zi, he furrowed his brows and examined the woman in the military uniform.

    For a moment, he couldn¡¯t recall having a familiar female colleague who was also a deputy commander. He asked awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, may I ask which military region you¡¯re from and what brings you here?¡±

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    Hearing his words, Hu Jie felt a sense of suffocation. She was at a loss for words. She had imagined many scenarios for their reunion, but she had never expected such a cold start.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze was so cold and unfamiliar, as if all his tenderness was reserved for the woman by his side.

    He didn¡¯t even recognize her. She was Hu Jie. She couldn¡¯t believe that Su Shen couldn¡¯t recognize her. After all, they had almost gotten married¡­

    After a while, Hu Jie came up with an excuse to justify Su Shen¡¯s unfamiliarity. It had been a long time since they last saw each other, and back then, she was just an ordinary female soldier in the cultural work group, without this imposing demeanor. So, it was understandable that he didn¡¯t recognize her at first.

    The security officer by her side, fearing that her superior would be embarrassed, quickly spoke up, ¡°Commander Su, this is Deputy Commander Hu Jie from our Guangcheng Cultural Work Group. She used to be in the same unit as you. How could you not recognize her? Perhaps you didn¡¯t look carefully. We are here today because you asked for an explanation. Deputy Commander Hu made a special trip here.¡±

 Chapter 725 - Chapter 725: Donâ€™t Do Anything Unnecessary

    Chapter 725: Don¡¯t Do Anything Unnecessary

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing the approaching security officer, Su Shen was suddenly reminded of a recent incident. He had noticed his car being followed and had managed to divert Gu Zi¡¯s attention to discover that the trackers were military personnel. The female soldier standing before him now was the very same security officer from that day.

    As for the name Hu Jie, it was not particularly unique, but it was one he was familiar with.

    Hu Jie was the daughter of his mentor, and they had interacted a few times during his time in the military. Even though they were not close, he had never quite remembered what Hu Jie looked like. To him, there were many performers in the cultural work group at the time, and he did not bother distinguishing one from another.

    However, now that her name had been mentioned, he could not fail to recall Hu Jie. It dawned on him that she was the one behind the tracking incident, causing his brows to furrow even deeper.

    Why had Hu Jie suddenly appeared in Guangcheng? What was her purpose?

    Protectively standing in front of his wife, Su Shen cast a wary glance at the woman in uniform and sternly said, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu¡¯s actions are inappropriate. I indeed need an explanation, but not here in my home.¡±

    Hu Jie had just reassured herself, thinking that Su Shen¡¯s attitude would change once her subordinate had announced her name. However, to her surprise, he became even colder. Was he not at all surprised by her appearance? Did he despise her that much?

    Taking a deep breath, Hu Jie lifted her delicate nose slightly. ¡°Commander Su, there¡¯s no need to hold a grudge over past matters. You know I had no control over that incident. But I didn¡¯t marry anyone else, that¡¯s the effort I¡¯ve made.¡±

    Su Shen was utterly baffled. He was indifferent to her, what grudge was she talking about? It was merely because she had sent someone to track him that he demanded an explanation. He had never considered that Hu Jie was the mastermind behind it all.

    Was she trying to explain her previous disregard for his will? How unnecessary.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze swept over her coldly. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you¡¯ve disrupted my normal life by coming here to explain. You can leave now. And let me give you a piece of advice as a fellow soldier, never do anything unnecessary.¡±

    Hu Jie¡¯s face turned pale, then flushed. ¡°Commander Su, is this how you treat your guests? How can you be so¡­¡±

    Su Shen had no patience to continue the conversation. His voice grew colder. ¡°Uninvited guests are not considered guests in my book. Please leave. As for the tracking incident, please submit a self-criticism report to your superiors. I will review it, and we can consider the matter closed.¡±

    Having said his piece, Su Shen took his wife and children inside, not giving her a chance to retort.

    He closed the gate behind him, leaving Hu Jie standing outside, her face flushed with anger. She got into her car with her guard, her fists clenched tightly.

    How could Su Shen treat her with such an attitude? Was it because of that woman¡¯s presence? Was that why he was acting so cold?

    She had seen it, the ambiguous marks barely visible on the neck of the woman surnamed Gu. It was disgraceful. The Su Shen she knew from the past would never engage in such frivolous affairs. That woman was truly cunning, even though she had remained silent throughout, she had deliberately exposed those marks for her to see. It must have been intentional.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t want her to track him, and it seemed he didn¡¯t want her to investigate Gu Zi either. But Hu Jie was not one to back down. Since childhood, she had always achieved what she set out to do. She was determined to make Su Shen see that Gu Zi was not worth giving up his future career for. She was determined to bring Su Shen back¡­

    Inside the house, Su Bing and Su Li noticed their father¡¯s unusual mood and took their younger sibling, Su Le, out to play with Big Yellow in the courtyard.

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    They knew a bit about the woman named Hu Jie. She had given up on their father and now wanted to ruin their parents¡¯ relationship. She was a bad woman.

    They needed to give their parents some space. They hoped their father would explain everything to their mother properly. But judging by their mother¡¯s expression, she didn¡¯t seem too angry. But wasn¡¯t it strange for her not to be angry?

    After finishing her tea, Gu Zi looked at Su Shen with a smile, her tone devoid of anger but filled with curiosity. ¡°So that was your mentor¡¯s daughter, Hu Jie. She¡¯s quite a beauty with a big personality. With such great qualities, you really weren¡¯t tempted?¡± Gu Zi felt that even as a woman, she was captivated by Hu Jie¡¯s beauty.

    Su Shen looked at Gu Zi, his furrowed brows finally relaxing a bit. He said earnestly, ¡°Gu Zi, I promise I was never tempted. As for her showing up here, I can explain¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi waved her hand dismissively. She had seen how cold and distant Su Shen had been towards Hu Jie. She was not an unreasonable person. Seeing was believing, and there was no need for him to explain. ¡°Su Shen, I trust you. You don¡¯t need to explain.¡±

 Chapter 726 - Chapter 726: Her Attitude

    Chapter 726: Her Attitude

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen¡¯s jaw was set tight, his eyes dull. She said there was no need for explanations, but did she truly not mind at all? She knew about his previous engagement to Hu Jie. If it hadn¡¯t been for Hu Jie¡¯s mother whisking her away, they might have already been married according to his mentor¡¯s will.

    But perhaps she was right. They had spoken of Hu Jie a few times before.

    At first, Gu Zi had cared, but after his explanations, she had come to accept the name without issue. Even when she had initially cared, her reaction had been calm, not at all like other women who would have caused a fuss. Her attitude was elegant and dignified, fitting her personality.

    Su Shen was well aware that there was no past romance between him and Hu Jie. Their engagement had only come about due to his mentor¡¯s will. Logically, Gu Zi¡¯s reaction was reasonable. Yet, Su Shen felt that Gu Zi didn¡¯t seem to care much about the matter, which made him somewhat concerned. Did he not hold much weight in her heart?

    At least to Gu Zi, he was not indispensable. This realization left him feeling incredibly disheartened and powerless.

    However, he quickly came to his senses. He couldn¡¯t blame Gu Zi. After all, he was a man of a certain age, had been engaged before, and had a reputation for being cold and aloof. Perhaps he was too intimidating. According to Jin Long¡¯s previous words, he was not the type women liked. Many women would feel a sense of fear towards him.

    If there was anyone to blame, it was himself. He simply wasn¡¯t good enough for Gu Zi. Indeed, as a man, he rarely doubted himself. Even when he lacked confidence, he could find a way to not care and remain steadfast. For a lion on the plains, any lack of courage could lead to the loss of life and property¡­

    But when it came to Gu Zi¡¯s heart, he found it hard not to care. He had heard about Gu Zi¡¯s past pursuit of Gong Zhan. Her determined choice, proactive and brave, fearless. He found himself somewhat jealous of Gong Zhan at that time. He began to grow greedy, wanting his place in Gu Zi¡¯s heart to be as significant as Gong Zhan¡¯s had been.

    But he didn¡¯t know how to express this. If he were to tell Gu Zi directly, it would seem like a demand. He felt uncomfortable.

    Watching Gu Zi stand up, he also rose and followed her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and hugging her tightly. This close physical contact could soothe his unbalanced emotions. He wanted to hold her like this often.

    Gu Zi had intended to put away the fresh vegetables and other farm produce she had brought back. She planned to take some out and deliver them to the Gao family next door while they were still fresh. But she hadn¡¯t expected Su Shen to follow her and suddenly embrace her.

    Her face flushed slightly. ¡°Su Shen, the children are still outside.¡±

    Su Shen responded in a low voice, but did not let go. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s okay. They won¡¯t come in now. And they¡¯re not young anymore. They should understand that a hug between parents is a normal thing. As long as it¡¯s handled correctly, it won¡¯t have a negative impact on them.¡±

    Gu Zi was secretly surprised. This man of this era was more open-minded than she was. She couldn¡¯t fall behind. The vegetables could wait. At this moment, comforting her husband was more important.

    Gu Zi turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her grip was strong and enticing. ¡°We can¡¯t go too far, though. But husband, come with me.¡±

    Su Shen obediently let Gu Zi lead him upstairs. Gu Zi pushed open the door to the master bedroom, pulled him inside, and closed the door. She pushed him against the door, hooked her fingers into his waistband, and pressed her soft, enticing body against his.

    This stirred a heat in Su Shen¡¯s heart. Then, her hot lips pressed against his. He closed his eyes in pleasure, savoring her rare initiative.

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    Her lips traced a path down his body, as they moved from the door to the bed. Slowly, his buttons were undone, his clothes removed. Then, Gu Zi¡¯s smooth, voluptuous body pressed against his bare upper body, their warm, passionate bodies entwining.

    Not long after, the sound of a zipper being undone echoed in the room.

    He couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes, just in time to see Gu Zi¡¯s lust-filled gaze. Her beautiful body straddled him, her warm core enveloping his arousal.

    At that moment, Su Shen felt as hard as iron, in dire need of Gu Zi¡¯s warmth to soften him, lest he break from being too rigid.

    In that moment, the man¡¯s hardness and the woman¡¯s softness collided, creating a wonderful chemical reaction. Each collision brought Su Shen a different sensation, making every cell in his body dance and roar.

 Chapter 727 - Chapter 727: Not One for Fancy Words

    Chapter 727: Not One for Fancy Words

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the throes of passion, he matched her fervor, his efforts eliciting satisfied moans from her. This brought him a sense of equilibrium. Even though Gu Zi had once ardently pursued Gong Zhan, it was he, Su Shen, who had the privilege of possessing her. By this measure, Gong Zhan was the loser. And how could Gu Zi¡¯s current initiative be any less than her past pursuit of Gong Zhan?

    With a sudden shudder, Su Shen rolled over, pulling Gu Zi into his arms and pressing her beneath him. He strove to please her, whispering in her ear, ¡°Gu Zi, let me take care of you now¡­¡±

    As noon approached, Gu Zi was too exhausted to rise from bed.

    Su Shen, fully dressed, planted a kiss on her forehead before heading off to prepare their meal.

    Gu Zi watched him leave, her eyes lingering on his retreating figure for a while before she closed them again. A contented smile played on her lips. They had made love last night in their old house, and again this morning. Was this frequent lovemaking a sign of love?

    Gu Zi thought it might be. The older man was not one for fancy words. Even though he had learned about romantic psychology and techniques to pursue her, his preferred method of expressing love was through action. He was not a man of excess, but his inability to resist her, wasn¡¯t that a sign of love?

    Although they had met for other reasons, they seemed to be the right people for each other. Gu Zi had certainly felt the older man¡¯s love. And she had to admit, she was beginning to feel love for him too. It was more than acceptance and liking; it was a hint of love!

    With these thoughts, Gu Zi drifted off into a peaceful sleep. She didn¡¯t rise until Su Shen had finished preparing their meal.

    After the family had eaten lunch, Su Shen left for the slaughterhouse. Gu Zi went upstairs to change her clothes, applied a light makeup, tidied up the kitchen, and then left the house with fresh vegetables and a small basket of chicken and duck eggs.

    As she passed through the living room, she kissed Su Le and instructed the two brothers, ¡°You two will have to take care of the living room. I¡¯m going to deliver some vegetables to Gao Ming¡¯s house. Take care of Lele.¡±

    Su Li had already planned to show his mother his mature side. So when Gu Zi approached, he was already hard at work, squatting on the floor and vigorously scrubbing it. He didn¡¯t say a word, but he felt triumphant, believing that his image in his mother¡¯s eyes had greatly improved. She must be very pleased.

    Su Bing was sweeping the floor and responded solemnly, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll clean it up. It¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    Once Gu Zi¡¯s footsteps had faded, Su Li immediately looked up and asked his older brother Su Bing, who was still working diligently, ¡°Brother, was I cool just now, working in silence? Did mom pay special attention to me?¡±

    Su Bing glanced at his brother and said, ¡°Yes, she paid special attention because when you were scrubbing the floor, your butt was sticking up high. It looked a bit ugly. Right, Lele?¡±

    Su Le, who was sitting on the sofa watching TV, obediently nodded when she heard her older brother call her. She looked at her second brother and echoed in a childish voice, ¡°Second brother¡¯s butt was high and ugly.¡±

    ¡°Really? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Su Li was questioning his life choices. He had been so focused on showing his mature side to his mother that he had forgotten about image management.

    He had made a mistake, next time he should plan some good-looking cleaning movements in advance!

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    Su Bing watched his brother¡¯s frustrated expression and felt a secret satisfaction. Heh! Who asked him to always be so scheming, always trying to show off in front of their mother¡­

    When Gu Zi delivered the goods to the Gao family residence, Grandma Gao was very pleased. She wanted to invite Gu Zi to have tea and snacks in the courtyard.

    Since Gu Zi had nothing else to do, she didn¡¯t refuse. She stayed to accompany Grandma Gao. Besides, she also had something to discuss with Grandma Gao, and was just waiting for an opportunity to bring it up.

    As they chatted, Grandma Gao mentioned the children¡¯s school starting, ¡°I called yesterday and arranged for my Gao Ming to transfer to the first grade B2 class. School starts tomorrow. You said you¡¯re going to work tomorrow, right? I think Su Bing and Su Li should come to my house tomorrow, and they can go to school with Gao Ming.¡±

    Gu Zi knew that Grandma Gao¡¯s kindness was hard to refuse, and the children from both families got along well. This was not a big deal, so she naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°If you thinks this is convenient, of course it¡¯s okay. But Grandma Gao, aren¡¯t you afraid that Gao Ming¡¯s studies will be affected by the transfer? Wasn¡¯t Gao Ming originally in an A-class?¡±

 Chapter 728 - Chapter 728: Almost Laughing Out loud

    Chapter 728: Almost Laughing Out loud

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s class A or class B, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Grandma Gao said, her eyes reflecting her indifference. ¡°These are just societal classifications, not unbreakable barriers. I don¡¯t like this kind of distinction. What matters to me is that if my grandson Gao Ming wants to be friends with Su Li, then wherever Su Li is, Gao Ming should be there too. He seems quite happy with this arrangement.¡±

    She handed a piece of pastry to Gu Zi, who accepted it and seized the opportunity to voice her thoughts. ¡°I agree with you, Grandma Gao. Rather than constantly hoping for our children to excel, I would prefer them to be happier and value relationships more.¡±

    She paused, then continued, ¡°Grandma Gao, I actually have a favor to ask you. It¡¯s about Su Li. On the day we went to collect his grades, I noticed that his homeroom teacher seemed to have a bone to pick with us. I later found out that her name is Zhou Hua, but I don¡¯t recall ever having any issues with her.

    ¡°Before Grandpa Gao retired, he was quite familiar with the higher-ups in the Guangcheng Education Department, wasn¡¯t he? I would like to know more about this Zhou Hua, especially any information related to her network of relationships. This would help me plan ahead and resolve any conflicts, ensuring that Su Li can attend school peacefully.¡±

    Grandma Gao listened, her gaze deepening. ¡°That¡¯s not a difficult task. I can have someone look into it. However, if a teacher is so biased against a student, she is not fit to be a teacher. If you need help, let me know. I can write a letter of complaint and ensure she is removed from her teaching position. There are plenty of people waiting to take her place.¡±

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°That¡¯s quite excessive, considering we¡¯ve only met her once. However, I can tell she¡¯s clearly biased against us, and I¡¯m worried she might target Su Li in class. I¡¯m quite concerned. After hearing about Grandpa Gao¡¯s connections, I thought I¡¯d ask you for help. For now, just help me find out more about her please.¡±

    Grandma Gao agreed, and after a few more words, Gu Zi excused herself.

    As she was passing the pigeon cage on her way home, she saw Su Li feeding the pigeons. She was about to call him inside when she noticed his peculiar posture and nearly burst out laughing.

    Su Li was half-squatting on the ground, one hand holding the feed bowl, the other delicately picking up feed and offering it to the pigeons. His pose was reminiscent of a graceful lady from a classical painting, which was quite amusing considering he was just a boy feeding pigeons. It was a sight that stirred concern.

    However, Gu Zi was a quick-thinking and understanding mother. If this was a posture that made her child comfortable, she couldn¡¯t laugh and hurt his self-esteem. Perhaps she should try to understand.

    Gu Zi composed herself, pursed her lips, and tried to maintain a normal expression. ¡°Su Li, do you need Mom¡¯s help?¡±

    Su Li, unaware of how his carefully crafted pose appeared to others, thought he had successfully caught his mother¡¯s attention. He slowly stood up and turned slightly towards her. ¡°Mom, I can handle it. You can go inside and rest.¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. When had her second child developed such a peculiar hobby as mimicking the manners of ancient ladies? She couldn¡¯t leave without addressing this.

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    ¡°Su Li, should we talk?¡± she suggested. ¡°You seem a bit strange today, but don¡¯t worry, Mom will face it with you¡­¡±

    After a heart-to-heart talk with Gu Zi, she understood what had happened. It was typical of the cunning Su Bing, even pranking his younger brother. Once Gu Zi explained the situation to Su Li, he stormed off to confront his older brother, Su Bing.

    What followed was a comical scene of the younger brother chasing the older one, demanding an explanation, with a little girl trailing behind them.

    Gu Zi sat on the sofa, book in hand, her gaze following the playful chase between her children. It was not unusual to see Su Li in such high spirits, but seeing Su Bing like this was rare. Therefore, her eyes were filled with hope and joy¡­

    On the first day of school, both Su Bing and Su Li woke up earlier than usual. Their disagreement had been resolved the previous day, and they were once again the loving Su brothers.

 Chapter 729 - Chapter 729: So Artsy

    Chapter 729: So Artsy

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The First Bilingual Primary School was indeed a prestigious institution in the city, demanding more from its students in every aspect.

    The Su brothers, Su Bing and Su Li, were to attend this school, and the most novel change they faced was the requirement to wear a school uniform every day.

    The night before, they had placed their freshly washed and dried uniforms by their pillows, ready to be worn the next day.

    After finishing their morning routines, the brothers met on the first floor, taking a moment to appraise each other.

    Su Li, from the bottom of his heart, complimented his brother, ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve always had a cool vibe, but now with this uniform, you look even cooler. Beyond cool, there¡¯s a chilly, trendy feel to you. You look great!¡±

    On any other day, Su Bing would have paid little attention to such comments. However, considering the events of the previous day, he returned the compliment after looking at Su Li, ¡°You look good too, with a scholarly air about you. A kind of reserved handsomeness, even better than before.¡±

    Caught off guard by the compliment, Su Li¡¯s cheeks reddened visibly. Just then, their mother descended from the upper floor. Both Su Bing and Su Li saw her and exclaimed in unison, ¡°Mom, you look so stylish today!¡±

    Their mother, Gu Zi, was also heading to work at the newspaper office that day. Wanting to make a good impression on her first day, she had taken extra care with her appearance to match the image of the newspaper office. She had tied up her usually loose hair with a small checkered scarf and wore a simple silver necklace around her neck.

    She was dressed in a white shirt paired with a vest sweater, light blue jeans, and white shoes. With a crossbody bag slung over her shoulder, she exuded the aura of a literary young woman, just as her sons had described ¨C stylish!

    Gu Zi looked at her sons, already dressed and with their school bags on their backs. The school uniforms were indeed quite attractive. The uniforms were primarily white and sky blue, with a white short-sleeved shirt adorned with a small patch of sky blue at the collar. The trousers were entirely sky blue, paired with white sneakers, giving off a youthful vibe.

    As it was still early spring and the temperature was relatively low, the brothers had also brought their school uniform jackets. These were not worn at the moment but were placed on the back of the sofa. The jackets were also primarily sky blue, with small patches of white as decoration. They were quite eye-catching, and Gu Zi noticed them at a glance.

    Looking at them, Gu Zi could imagine how good they would look when worn. She didn¡¯t hesitate to compliment, ¡°Su Bing looks handsome and dashing, while Su Li looks lively and spirited. Both of you are our family¡¯s handsome boys. Come on, let¡¯s have breakfast. After eating, I¡¯ll drop you off at Grandma Gao¡¯s place!¡±

    Gu Zi went to the kitchen to heat up some pastries, pairing each with a bottle of milk, a boiled egg, and a small apple. The breakfast was nutritionally balanced.

    After breakfast, Gu Zi went upstairs to carry the still-sleeping Su Le, and they all headed to Grandma Gao¡¯s house.

    At Grandma Gao¡¯s doorstep, the driver and car were already prepared to take the children to school.

    Seeing Gu Zi arrive with the children, Grandma Gao warmly waved them over, ¡°Gu Zi, leave the children with us and go to work with peace of mind. I¡¯ll take care of Lele. Is the little girl still sleeping? Gao Ming, watch where you¡¯re going, you might bump into Auntie!¡±

    While Grandma Gao was still greeting them, Gao Ming ran over to Gu Zi, pushing past Su Bing and Su Li. His eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Wow, Aunt Gu Zi, you look so artistic today, just like someone on TV!¡±

    Su Li proudly told Gao Ming, ¡°My mom always looks like someone on TV. My mom is the prettiest because she¡¯s my mom¡­¡±

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    Su Bing silently smirked, thinking his brother sure knew how to flatter himself. Gao Ming also wanted to roll his eyes, but he held back as Su Li was, after all, his sworn brother.

    Gu Zi handed the sleeping Lele to Grandma Gao, thanked her, and then rode off on her bicycle.

    The newspaper office was not far from there, and cycling was a suitable mode of transportation. Since there were two bicycles at home and the children didn¡¯t use them often for school, Gu Zi decided to use one regularly.

    Su Bing, Su Li, and Gao Ming waved at Gu Zi for a long time before getting into the car one by one.

    By this time, Grandma Gao¡¯s eyes were filled with the little girl in her arms. She casually instructed the driver, ¡°Take them to school and drop them off at their classes. I won¡¯t be going. If I ride in the car, my little Lele won¡¯t be able to sleep well.¡±

 Chapter 730 - Chapter 730: First Day at Work

    Chapter 730: First Day at Work

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the car prepared to depart, Gao Ming poked his head out of the window, intending to bid his grandmother farewell. However, he found that she had already walked away, cradling Su Le in her arms, leaving him with nothing but her retreating figure.

    He awkwardly retreated back into the car, not daring to strike up a casual conversation with Su Bing. Instead, he turned to Su Li and said with a hint of frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t tell anymore, brother, whether she¡¯s my grandmother or Lele¡¯s¡­¡±

    On the other side of town, Gu Zi leisurely pedaled her bicycle towards the newspaper office. She had left home with plenty of time to spare, so she wasn¡¯t worried about being late.

    When she arrived near the office, she felt a bit thirsty. After parking her bicycle, she bought a bottle of sweet water to quench her thirst. The sweet water of this era had no distinct flavor, it was simply sweet, a pure sweetness, enhanced with food coloring, which made it look vibrant.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t concern herself with the potential health risks of the added coloring. She only drank it occasionally, and it seemed to her that the added coloring was a minor issue compared to the various additives found in future beverages. Perhaps this sweet water was even healthier!

    She took another sip, rummaged through her cross-body bag, and put on her employee badge.

    As she walked through the newspaper office¡¯s main entrance and was about to ascend the stairs, she saw Wu Hao descending.

    She initially wanted to avoid him, but Wu Hao¡¯s sharp eyes spotted her immediately. He quickened his pace, calling out, ¡°Gu Zi, hello! You¡¯re here for work!¡±

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, Wu Hao was like a moth drawn to a flame. Fortunately, as he approached her, he realized his over-enthusiasm and slowed his pace, stopping at a respectful distance. Although he had come back late and missed his chance to pursue Gu Zi, he was still thrilled to be her colleague.

    Gu Zi felt a bit uncomfortable and took a step back, forcing a smile as she responded, ¡°Hello, Reporter Wu. Are you heading out for work? I need to hurry upstairs to report in.¡±

    Wu Hao looked at Gu Zi, his enthusiasm undiminished. ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush to leave. Gu Zi, if you¡¯re nervous, I can accompany you upstairs. I can help you.¡±

    Gu Zi could only respond with a forced laugh, declining his offer as she ascended the stairs. ¡°No need, no need. There won¡¯t be anything too difficult on my first day. Reporter Wu, you should go about your business. I¡¯ll head upstairs first.¡±

    After saying this, Gu Zi hurriedly ascended the stairs, thinking to herself that even if she needed help, she wouldn¡¯t seek it from Wu Hao. She intended to maintain a distance from him and avoid unnecessary interactions. Fortunately, Wu Hao didn¡¯t insist and didn¡¯t follow her upstairs.

    Upon reaching the office area, Gu Zi went straight to her workstation. As it was her first official day at work, she felt it necessary to greet her colleagues. However, as she approached the main office area, she noticed that everyone was engrossed in their work. She didn¡¯t want to disturb them, so she remained silent.

    However, some of her colleagues noticed her presence and quietly greeted her. Others were struck by Gu Zi¡¯s beauty and couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at her. Even those who initially didn¡¯t plan on wasting time greeting the newcomer made an effort to introduce themselves. ¡°You must be the new foreign language editor. You¡¯re even more beautiful than we expected!¡±

    ¡°Not just beautiful, but also very capable. After all, she was recommended by our Reporter Guan!¡± As these words spread, more and more people noticed Gu Zi. They all gathered around, engaging her in friendly conversation.

    Gu Zi responded patiently and attentively. After all, it was a professional setting, and some socializing was inevitable. Moreover, her colleagues seemed nice, and she wanted to leave a good impression on them.

    While chatting, Gu Zi scanned the room but didn¡¯t see Guan Xin. She must have been out on an assignment. But hadn¡¯t she called to arrange lunch together today?

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    Guan Xin must have been called away on urgent business. As for the editor-in-chief and deputy editor-in-chief, their seats were empty. Just as Guan Xin had said, it was rare to see these two leaders in the office.

    Feeling that she had socialized enough, Gu Zi excused herself, ¡°I need to go see Director Jiang now. After I receive my work assignment, we can all discuss it together.¡±

    Everyone understood. It was Gu Zi¡¯s first day at work, and they didn¡¯t know whether Director Jiang would be satisfied with her. They had a meeting later, and Gu Zi, as the newcomer, needed to participate. They let her go, fearing she might not make it in time.

    Once Gu Zi left, everyone dispersed and returned to their desks.

    Gu Zi crossed the hallway and entered the office area on the opposite side of the main office. Upon entering, she saw a woman in her fifties sitting in a small cubicle, engrossed in writing something. Her concentration was intense.

 Chapter 731 - Chapter 731: Not Easy to Get Along With

    Chapter 731: Not Easy to Get Along With

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon approaching, Gu Zi could fully observe her. She was adorned in a traditional hand-pressed wave hairstyle, dressed elegantly, and exuded a classical aura. With a fountain pen in hand, she gracefully swept across the paper, leaving behind rows of exquisite foreign characters. Gu Zi wondered if the lady had noticed her arrival, but she was reminded of Guan Xin¡¯s warning.

    Director Jiang was deeply engrossed in her work and had a peculiar quirk; she required absolute silence, especially when she was working. Any noise was deemed a disturbance.

    Therefore, Gu Zi knew she couldn¡¯t directly approach and greet her. However, it was her first day at work, and not greeting her immediate superior seemed inappropriate.

    She wasn¡¯t worried, though. She quietly took a seat at her desk and noticed the files Director Jiang had left on the table. Gu Zi opened them and immediately understood that these were the tasks she needed to translate and edit. As she looked at the tasks, she noticed a blank sheet of paper next to them. An idea struck her, and she began to write on the paper¡­

    After collecting her tasks, Gu Zi left the small office area of the foreign language department and joined the others for a meeting. Within half an hour, she had integrated well into the team. Everyone was pleased with their new colleague, Gu Zi. After all, she was not only beautiful but also competent and gracious, making her impossible not to like.

    After spending some time with them, Gu Zi felt that the people at the newspaper were quite nice. Although Director Jiang had some peculiar habits, she didn¡¯t seem like a troublemaker, which was a good thing. Perhaps her future work wouldn¡¯t be too challenging.

    Her mission for the day at the newspaper was now complete, and she could go home to translate the manuscripts. As Gu Zi was packing up, everyone seemed to have finished organizing their materials and started chatting. An older female colleague said, ¡°Reporter Wu just left. If he hadn¡¯t, I would have liked to introduce him to Gu Zi. They seem like a good match.¡±

    ¡°Reporter Wu is currently a journalist in our newspaper¡¯s editorial department. He studied abroad and won many awards during his studies. The newspaper has high hopes for him. Besides his outstanding personal abilities, he also comes from a good family background. Many young ladies in the newspaper want to partner with Reporter Wu. It¡¯s a pity, Gu Zi, that you came on an unfortunate day.¡±

    Gu Zi found herself cornered by the topic at hand. She decided to be forthright, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I forgot to mention earlier, I am already married and have three children. Perhaps, Reporter Wu would be better suited with an unmarried girl. Let¡¯s not joke about this anymore.¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, the person who suggested the idea felt somewhat embarrassed and closed their mouth. At the same time, they felt a pang of regret that such a wonderful girl was already married. However, the younger colleagues seemed to relax, and Gu Zi understood why. She guessed that among the unmarried girls in the newspaper office, there were quite a few who had a soft spot for Wu Hao.

    All in all, this Wu Hao was not a bad catch. However, to Gu Zi, he seemed rather foolish, and it was hard to put into words. It was better for her to clarify her marital status sooner rather than later, to avoid any further matchmaking attempts.

    As Gu Zi prepared to leave, a commotion came from outside. A bald man in his forties walked in, followed by two young people. The other colleagues greeted him in unison, ¡°Director Zhao, thank you for the hard work!¡±

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    The colleague standing next to Gu Zi also greeted him, then introduced him to her, ¡°Gu Zi, this is Director Zhao from our newspaper¡¯s printing department. You should greet him, it won¡¯t do you any harm.¡±

    Thinking that she should greet the leader of another department, Gu Zi stepped forward, ¡°Hello, Director Zhao. I¡¯m Gu Zi, the new foreign language editor.¡±

    Director Zhao didn¡¯t look at Gu Zi directly. He just glanced at the employee badge in front of her, responded indifferently, and then walked away. Gu Zi, with her keen senses, felt that Director Zhao had sharp eyes and didn¡¯t seem easy to get along with. The way everyone else treated him confirmed her suspicions.

    Moreover, when she greeted him just now, Gu Zi felt that his expression was strange, as if he was suppressing some dissatisfaction. But since he didn¡¯t make it clear, Gu Zi had no choice but to pretend she didn¡¯t notice and remained silent. Otherwise, it would seem like she was looking for trouble.

    However, Gu Zi still felt a vague unease in her heart, as if something was about to happen. And sure enough, her premonition came true. Just a few steps after he walked out, Director Zhao suddenly stopped, turned around, and stared directly at Gu Zi.

 Chapter 732 - Chapter 732: Wonâ€™t Do It

    Chapter 732: Won¡¯t Do It

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Gu Zi, isn¡¯t it?¡± The words hung in the air, a statement rather than a question. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already greeted us, you¡¯re now part of the Guangcheng Daily. As a newcomer, you should be eager to learn and contribute. Conveniently, our printing department is swamped today. Don¡¯t just stand there, hurry down to the first floor and help out. Clear out the accumulated waste paper from the printing department and the archives. I¡¯ll come to inspect later.¡±

    At Director Zhao¡¯s words, the room fell into an immediate silence. Everyone lowered their heads, not wanting to draw attention. They all knew Director Zhao too well ¨C his penchant for grandstanding, his love for making things difficult for his subordinates. Working under him was a terrifying ordeal. At the Guangcheng Daily Newspaper, everyone expressed their dissatisfaction in secret, dubbing him ¡®Zhao the Monster¡¯.

    However, what puzzled everyone was Director Zhao¡¯s unusual behavior that day. While it was true that he loved to nitpick his subordinates, he usually targeted those in the printing department, rarely those from other departments.

    Why was he so blatantly targeting Gu Zi today? Gu Zi wasn¡¯t part of the printing department, was she?

    Despite their sense of injustice and sympathy for Gu Zi, they could only keep their thoughts to themselves, not daring to voice them out loud.

    Director Zhao had been working at the Guangcheng Daily for many years. Even without merits, he had put in the hard work. The higher-ups didn¡¯t deal with him, and no one dared to risk impeaching him. Let alone for a newcomer, no one would dare to openly contradict him.

    Besides, apart from the unpleasant factor that was Director Zhao, the Guangcheng Newspaper was otherwise a great place to work. Everyone felt they could tolerate him.

    While others could remain silent, Gu Zi, as the person involved, naturally couldn¡¯t. But Gu Zi could go home now, should she follow Director Zhao¡¯s orders? That certainly wasn¡¯t her style. She chose to refuse outright. ¡°Indeed, I am Gu Zi. However, I won¡¯t be clearing waste paper. I am a foreign language editor, not a laborer in the printing department.¡±

    Everyone looked at Gu Zi with admiration. This newcomer was bold, daring to refuse outright!

    Director Zhao had assumed that once he gave his orders, Gu Zi would comply. However, Gu Zi¡¯s reaction was not what he expected. His face immediately darkened, his feigned benevolence replaced by a gloomy expression. He stared at Gu Zi and sternly said, ¡°Is this the attitude of a newcomer? You¡¯re completely out of line. You must finish your work today before you leave.¡±

    Gu Zi had her cross-body bag neatly packed and ready to go. She responded with a tone of certainty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I definitely won¡¯t be doing it today. Not just today, but in the future, I won¡¯t be doing anything beyond my job responsibilities.¡±

    With that, Gu Zi turned and briskly walked away. Director Zhao chased after her, angrily saying, ¡°If you won¡¯t do it, then don¡¯t bother coming to work here!¡±

    Director Zhao thought this would intimidate Gu Zi, but to his surprise, she merely responded indifferently and left without looking back.

    Director Zhao stood there, momentarily at a loss for a response. He didn¡¯t have the authority he pretended to have; he was merely putting on airs to scare people. All he could do was storm out of the second-floor office area in a huff.

    Once Director Zhao had left, the others began to excitedly discuss the incident. One person mimicked Gu Zi¡¯s earlier assertiveness, casually repeating her final retort, ¡°I can quit working here. Just remember to fire me, Director Zhao. Once I receive the termination notice from the newspaper, I won¡¯t come back.¡±

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    ¡°My God, she¡¯s so cool and impressive. No wonder reporter Guan Xin took a liking to her. I¡¯ve decided, I want to befriend Gu Zi¡­¡±

    Outside the main office area, Director Jiang stood. She had just stepped out to make some tea because she was thirsty and had happened to witness Director Zhao giving Gu Zi a hard time. She couldn¡¯t help but recall that when Gu Zi had come to her for work assignments earlier, her first impression had been quite good because Gu Zi was very professional and thorough in her work.

    She thought that perhaps Guan Xin had told Gu Zi that she liked peace and quiet, especially when working, and didn¡¯t like to be disturbed. So when Gu Zi had come in, she hadn¡¯t greeted her directly, but had still been polite. She had written a small note to say hello and had only left after receiving her assignment.

    When she saw Gu Zi being harassed earlier, she had thought that Gu Zi would come up with a tactful way to handle it. But to her surprise, Gu Zi had flatly refused Director Zhao¡¯s unreasonable demand. Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s refusal to be bullied, she thought highly of her.

    Gu Zi was principled, which made Director Jiang respect her even more. Guan Xin really had a good eye for talent; she had recruited a great subordinate.

 Chapter 733 - Chapter 733: Injustice

    Chapter 733: Injustice

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zu walked out of the newspaper office, her complexion rosy and her body feeling invigorated. She was unaware of the background of Director Zhao from the printing department, which seemed to instill fear in the rest of the office staff. However, when it came to workplace exploitation, she refused to endure it silently.

    After all, in her previous life, she was one of the countless workers who had suffered the stifling oppression of senior company officials.

    Now, having transmigrated into a book, was she expected to swallow her pride as she had done in her past life, enduring servitude and exploitation? Absolutely not!

    Moreover, her outright refusal of Director Zhao¡¯s oppression was based on her past experiences. She was no longer the greenhorn she had been when she first entered the workforce. She knew all too well that such matters couldn¡¯t simply be endured and forgotten.

    The more you conceded, the more malicious the treatment you received.

    People like Director Zhao, who used their positions to bully others, would continue to squeeze you if they perceived you as a pushover. However, if you showed strength from the beginning, they would indeed be wary of you.

    The Guangcheng Daily Newspaper was a golden rice bowl, no doubt, but Gu Zu was indeed a woman of genuine talent and learning. She had been specially recruited by Guan Xin. If Director Zhao were to drive her away, the newspaper¡¯s foreign language writing work would fall into a state of semi-stagnation. Such a loss would not be tolerated by the newspaper, and Director Zhao knew he couldn¡¯t afford to do it. He was merely trying to intimidate Gu Zu.

    But Gu Zu wouldn¡¯t be cowed by his bluster. If Director Zhao was arrogant, she would be even more so. Even if she had to take a step back, this job wasn¡¯t a necessity for her. If the Guangcheng Daily Newspaper truly allowed Director Zhao to act recklessly, she saw no need to stay.

    As Gu Zu pondered these matters, she pushed her bicycle a few steps forward, preparing to mount it and ride home. Suddenly, she heard a shout from behind, ¡°Gu Zu, wait for me, it¡¯s Guan Xin!¡±

    Gu Zu halted, turning to see Guan Xin catching up, slightly out of breath. It seemed she had been calling out to her for a while. Gu Zu apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was lost in thought. I didn¡¯t see you today and thought you couldn¡¯t make it back, so I was about to head home.¡±

    Guan Xin caught up and walked alongside Gu Zu, explaining, ¡°There was a last-minute news story, so I rushed to cover it. But I promised to treat you to lunch today, so I made sure to come back. Let¡¯s go to that restaurant.¡±

    Guan Xin pointed to a privately-owned restaurant across the street. Gu Zu glanced at it, then followed Guan Xin¡¯s lead, shifting their direction towards the eatery. As they walked, Gu Zu brought up the matter of Director Zhao. ¡°I don¡¯t mind where we eat, but I had a bit of an issue on my first day at work. Director Zhao tried to get me to do some menial tasks, which I refused. He even threatened to fire me. Guan Xin, is this a big problem?¡±

    Guan Xin, upon hearing this, didn¡¯t seem overly concerned. ¡°You mean Director Zhao from the printing department? What¡¯s he up to now? Don¡¯t worry about him. You were brought in by me, he can¡¯t just fire you as he pleases. Let¡¯s go in and order some food, we can talk more while we eat¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, at the school, it was Su Bing and his brother¡¯s first day. Everything had gone smoothly, except for a small incident involving Su Li, which had left him feeling quite upset.

    When the bell rang for the last class of the day, Su Li sat in a corner, tears quietly streaming down his face. Not wanting his classmates to notice, he laid his head down on the desk, trying to hold back his tears.

    But perhaps the sense of injustice was too great. The more he tried to hold back his tears, the more they flowed. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t help but sob.

    He hadn¡¯t noticed that the last class was Chinese Literature, and when the teacher, Yang Zhen, began the lesson, she noticed Su Li in the corner, his shoulders shaking as he cried, and her brow furrowed.

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    In the classroom, Su Li was of average height, yet his seat was tucked away in a corner against the wall, not even in the last row. Moreover, there was an empty seat in that last row. Why wasn¡¯t Su Li allowed to sit there?

    Yang Zhen couldn¡¯t understand. She walked over to Su Li and asked, ¡°Su Li, it¡¯s Teacher Yang. Can you tell me what happened?¡±

    Upon hearing Teacher Yang¡¯s voice, Su Li felt a bit comforted. His mother had told him that if he ever faced difficulties with Teacher Zhou at school, he could seek help from Teacher Yang.

    In that moment, Su Li felt a sense of reassurance. He stopped crying, sat up straight, and looked at Teacher Yang with red-rimmed eyes.

    ¡°Teacher Yang,¡± he said, ¡°Teacher Zhou said my grades are poor and that I might affect the other students. She won¡¯t let me sit with them. Do I really have to sit here? I really don¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 734 - Chapter 734: Unfair Treatment

    Chapter 734: Unfair Treatment

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li spoke, his voice trembling on the verge of tears, but he held them back with a visible effort.

    As Yang Zhen watched him, a surge of anger welling up within her. She couldn¡¯t believe how cruel Teacher Zhou was being. Even if she had some issues with Su Li, there was no need to target a child so ruthlessly. It didn¡¯t matter that Gu Zit had asked her to look out for Su Li, even without that request, she couldn¡¯t stand by and watch such injustice.

    After Su Li finished speaking, he looked at Yang Zhen and noticed that her expression had grown increasingly stern. He became more timid, and asked in a small voice, ¡°Teacher Yang, did I make things difficult for you by telling you this?¡±

    Yang Zhen shook her head, feeling a sense of frustration. Look at what Teacher Zhou had done to Su Li. The poor boy was clearly the one being wronged, yet he was worried about causing her trouble.

    She quickly patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder, reassuring him, ¡°No, you did the right thing. If you¡¯re being treated unfairly, you should speak up.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s class time. Pack up your things and take a seat at the empty desk in the back row. We¡¯ll start the lesson, and after class, we¡¯ll go together to speak with Teacher Zhou.¡±

    Su Li nodded, quickly packing his bag and heading to the empty seat at the back of the room.

    Yang Zhen returned to the podium, preparing to start the lesson. But just as Su Li set his bag down at the empty desk, a boy sitting nearby stood up in protest. ¡°Teacher Yang,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sit with him. Teacher Zhou said he¡¯s from the countryside, I don¡¯t want to be influenced by him.¡±

    Hearing this, Su Li¡¯s heart sank. He picked up his bag again, his face showing his fear and unease. He was about to sit down, but now he didn¡¯t dare to. He could only stand there, frozen in place.

    Yang Zhen heard the boy¡¯s words and turned back to Su Li, patting him comfortingly. Then she turned to the protesting boy, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, sit down. Fan Da, what¡¯s wrong with being from the countryside? I¡¯m from the countryside too. I worked hard and got into university, and now I¡¯m here teaching you. Are you saying that a teacher from the countryside isn¡¯t fit to educate you?¡±

    Fan Da respected his teacher and seeing her genuinely angry made him back down. He could only blame Su Li in his heart, it was because of him that he had offended Teacher Yang. He quickly tried to explain, ¡°Teacher Yang, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m just worried that Su Li¡¯s poor grades might affect me¡­¡±

    Yang Zhen declared, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be apologizing to me, but to your parents and ancestors. Ask your parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, who among your forebears didn¡¯t come from a farming background? Without farmers tilling the land and growing crops, how would they have fed the countless masses?¡±

    His words left Fan Da deeply ashamed. Even the students who had been whispering amongst themselves fell silent. They understood the implications of Teacher Yang¡¯s words. Some of them also felt a twinge of shame.

    Indeed, just because Teacher Zhou said that Su Li was a child raised in the countryside, should Su Li be considered inferior to them? This was not what they were taught when they were being educated about civility.

    The children of this school, after all, had grown up in the city. Guangcheng was a highly developed city, and their families were not ordinary. Therefore, they had been exposed to the top-tier education of Guangcheng since childhood. Even though these children were still in the first grade, their comprehension and communication skills were not a cause for concern.

    After Yang Zhen finished speaking, Gao Ming stood up. He had already packed his bag and walked up to Yang Zhen, carrying his bag. ¡°Teacher,¡± he said, ¡°I am willing to sit with Su Li. He is my sworn elder brother. I request to switch seats with Fan Da.¡±

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    Seeing Gao Ming take the initiative, Yang Zhen naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. Su Li was in an awkward situation and needed someone to help him out of it. Gao Ming could be that person.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Yang Zhen agreed. ¡°Fan Da, you go sit in Gao Ming¡¯s place. Reflect on why I had to reprimand you today. Now, students, take out your textbooks and turn to page three. Let¡¯s begin our lesson¡­¡±

    Yang Zhen walked towards the podium to officially start the class.

    Gao Ming took his seat next to Su Li and, with a hint of apology in his voice, whispered comforting words to Su Li. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was slow earlier and didn¡¯t speak up for you. But I will tell my grandmother about what happened today. She definitely won¡¯t let Teacher Zhou off the hook.¡±

    At first, Su Li was timid and scared. But after both Teacher Yang and Gao Ming firmly stood up for him, he was no longer as anxious. Given the current situation, he realized that he was not the one at fault. He was merely being targeted.

 Chapter 735 - Chapter 735: No Room for Negotiation

    Chapter 735: No Room for Negotiation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li quickly came to a decision, turning to Gao Ming and saying, ¡°Thank you, Su Li. I will speak with Teacher Zhou later. I shouldn¡¯t have been isolated in that corner.¡±

    Su Li then pulled out his textbook, his attention focused on the lesson at hand. A silent resolve formed within him. He was determined to improve his performance in the next exam, to gradually move up the ranks. He would no longer allow his grades to be a source of ridicule. What did it matter if he was a child from the countryside? If his older brother could excel, so could he. He would strive to learn!

    Gao Ming, noticing the renewed vigor in Su Li, finally allowed a smile to grace his features. He opened his textbook, glanced at Su Li, and began to concentrate on the lesson.

    However, the other students in the class found it difficult to focus on their studies. Their minds were filled with questions about the relationship between Gao Ming and Su Li.

    It was surprising to see Gao Ming defending Su Li so fiercely. If Su Li was indeed from the countryside, he shouldn¡¯t have known Gao Ming. Yet, their closeness suggested otherwise. Could it be that Su Li was a distant, impoverished relative of Gao Ming?

    Upon further thought, it was also possible that Teacher Zhou was misleading them. Perhaps Su Li wasn¡¯t the bad student that Teacher Zhou had portrayed him to be. His familiarity with Gao Ming was proof enough that Su Li couldn¡¯t be all that bad.

    Even though Gao Ming wasn¡¯t originally from their class, they all knew of him. Their parents were familiar with Gao Ming¡¯s grandparents and parents. Gao Ming had been attending school for a term now, and he hadn¡¯t formed any close friendships in class, except with Su Li.

    Another point of intrigue was Gao Ming¡¯s recent transfer from a class starting with ¡®A¡¯ to one starting with ¡®B¡¯. With Gao Ming¡¯s excellent grades, why would he suddenly switch classes? Could it be because of Su Li?

    By the end of the lesson, the students¡¯ perception of Su Li had subtly shifted.

    After class, the other students headed to the cafeteria for lunch. Some made a beeline for the school gate, as their families had hired nutritionists who prepared their meals. These students had to collect their lunch boxes from the gate before heading to the cafeteria.

    Su Li, however, stayed behind.

    Yang Zhen, having packed up her teaching materials, led Su Li straight to the teachers¡¯ office building to seek out Teacher Zhou.

    Teachers generally had more time for lunch than students. Since Teacher Zhou didn¡¯t have a class during the previous period, she would have likely finished her meal and returned to her office to rest.

    Therefore, Yang Zhen and Su Li weren¡¯t in a rush. When they arrived at Teacher Zhou¡¯s office, she was indeed there.

    Yang Zhen led Su Li over, speaking in a tone of negotiation, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I have something to discuss with you. It¡¯s about this child. He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong and shouldn¡¯t be sitting in the corner¡¯s special seat. So, when I saw him during class, I let him sit in the last row¡¯s empty seat. I just brought him here to inform you, after all, you are the class teacher.¡±

    Teacher Zhou glanced at the two of them, her gaze cold. ¡°So you remember that I¡¯m the class teacher. Yet, Teacher Yang, you still make decisions on your own. Teacher Yang, I don¡¯t mean to criticize you, but you are too young and naive. I had Su Li sit in that spot for a reason.¡±

    Upon hearing Teacher Zhou¡¯s words, Yang Zhen realized that she was not open to negotiation. Her tone hardened as she questioned, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I wonder what kind of good intentions would require a child who has done nothing wrong to sit in a position reserved for students who have committed serious offenses? The child doesn¡¯t want to sit there because it¡¯s unjust.

    ¡°In order to avoid alarming the child¡¯s parents and school leaders, I hurriedly brought Su Li here to discuss this with you, Teacher Zhou. I believe that no matter what good intentions we teachers have, we should prioritize respecting the child¡¯s wishes. There¡¯s no need to put him back in the corner, right?¡±

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    Seeing Yang Zhen¡¯s reaction, Teacher Zhou was clearly angered. She slapped her hand on the desk and scolded, ¡°You¡¯re a newly transferred teacher. Instead of studying the curriculum and improving yourself, you¡¯re busy lecturing me, an experienced teacher? Where do you get the nerve? Su Li must sit back in the seat I assigned. There¡¯s no room for discussion.

    ¡°Su Li, you¡¯re young, but you¡¯re quite cunning. You even went to your teacher to complain. It¡¯s because you made a mistake that I made you sit in that seat, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    As Teacher Zhou spoke, she glared maliciously at Su Li, clearly intending to frame him.

    Su Li, intimidated by her gaze, involuntarily took a step back in fear.

    Just then, a voice came from the office door, forcefully refuting Teacher Zhou¡¯s false accusation, ¡°Of course not, Su Li, don¡¯t be afraid. Never admit to something you didn¡¯t do out of fear!¡±

 Chapter 736 - Chapter 736: I Didnâ€™t Make a Mistake

    Chapter 736: I Didn¡¯t Make a Mistake

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the class ended, Su Bing was ready to grab his lunch box and head to the cafeteria to meet his younger brother. However, before he could even step out of the classroom, he was stopped by the hurried arrival of Gao Ming.

    It was then that he learned of the unfair treatment his brother, Su Li, had been subjected to.

    Dropping his lunch box, he rushed over immediately. He knew that although Su Li appeared more lively and cheerful than himself on the surface, he was actually quite sensitive. At this moment, his brother would need him.

    Fortunately, Su Bing arrived just in time.

    Su Li was originally timid, but hearing his brother¡¯s words and seeing him walk to his side, he felt greatly encouraged. He looked up and firmly denied, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I did not make a mistake. According to what you said, it¡¯s because I come from the countryside, so you don¡¯t let me sit with other students, not because I made a mistake.¡±

    Teacher Zhou hadn¡¯t expected that Su Li, who seemed easy to manipulate, would be so resilient. She was fuming with anger. With the retirement of many old teachers in recent years, most of the current teaching staff were new teachers. Teacher Zhou, relying on her seniority, often threw her weight around among the other teachers, who had become accustomed to her arrogance.

    Seeing that she had no reason to frame Su Li for the time being, she directed her anger at Yang Zhen, who had stood up for Su Li. She had always been quite jealous of Yang Zhen. This woman, young and inexperienced, had managed to secure a teaching position at the school without any assessment, and had even signed a formal contract. She remembered how much effort and resources she had to put in to barely become a formal teacher.

    ¡°Teacher Yang, what do you mean by this? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me with these two new students? How did you become a teacher at this school? Don¡¯t you have any idea? You¡¯re so young, instead of learning to be steady and taking one step at a time, you¡¯re always up to some tricks. What right do you have to question me here?¡±

    Hearing these words, Yang Zhen sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Is it because when you first joined, you were just a temporary teacher, signing a temporary contract, so you think that everyone else is like you, only fit to be a substitute?

    ¡°I was officially admitted through examination, do you understand what a recommendation letter is? I¡¯m not afraid of your gossip behind my back. I didn¡¯t care before because youu didn¡¯t say it to my face. Now that you¡¯ve said it to my face, I have to make it clear to you. It¡¯s not your fault that you¡¯re incompetent, but if you think everyone else is as incompetent as you, then you¡¯re greatly mistaken!¡±

    Teacher Zhou¡¯s face alternated between shades of green and white, a result of Yang Zhen¡¯s scathing words. She was unable to retort, but her anger was palpable. She was not about to let Yang Zhen outdo her. This matter could not be left unresolved.

    With a flicker in her eyes, she hatched a cunning plan. Clutching her chest, she collapsed onto her office chair, feigning a look of agony. She cried out, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so upset! Teacher Yang is bullying me!¡±

    After finishing their meals, the other teachers began to return. The first few who returned found Teacher Zhou collapsed in her chair, her face twisted in pain. They rushed over to show their concern.

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    Although Teacher Zhou didn¡¯t have many close friends in the office, people generally could not stand to see the strong bully the weak. This was especially true for teachers, who often interacted with children and thus had a more compassionate heart than most.

    Seeing Teacher Zhou in such a state, their compassion was stirred. They saw Yang Zhen standing off to the side, showing no concern, and they became angry. One of them accused Yang Zhen, ¡°Teacher Yang, how could you upset Teacher Zhou like this? Don¡¯t you know she has a heart condition? It¡¯s not good if she gets too upset. What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help find her heart medication.¡±

    ¡°We found it, we found it. Teacher Zhou, quickly take this. Oh my, that was close. Really, can¡¯t we just talk things out nicely? Teacher Yang, after all, Teacher Zhou is our senior. How can you show no respect? You should apologize to Teacher Zhou.¡±

    As the teachers scrambled to find medication for Teacher Zhou, they continued to berate Yang Zhen. Teacher Zhou watched it all, a smug expression quietly appearing on her face. Hmph, her feigned illness trick always worked like a charm. How dare Yang Zhen challenge her? She was asking for trouble. Now, she finally had a chance to get rid of this woman.

    Just as Teacher Zhou seemed to recover slightly, she buried her face in her arms on the desk and began to sob. ¡°I¡¯m so ashamed, I can¡¯t face anyone. Tell me, how did I offend Yang Zhen? Why did she insult me like this? Wasn¡¯t it just a matter of the children¡¯s seating arrangement? I already said I would change it back, but she still wouldn¡¯t let me off. I¡¯m so embarrassed¡­¡±

 Chapter 737 - Chapter 737: Teacher Zhou Causes Trouble

    Chapter 737: Teacher Zhou Causes Trouble

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the commotion, the other teachers were taken aback. Was Yang Zhen really berating Teacher Zhou over such a trivial matter? They had never known Yang Zhen to be that kind of person.

    They all turned their attention to Yang Zhen, uncertain of how to react. Yang Zhen was at a loss for words, exclaiming, ¡°I didn¡¯t insult you. Stop your act. You¡¯re just pretending to gain sympathy. What¡¯s the point?¡±

    Su Li was dumbfounded by Teacher Zhou¡¯s antics and was too flustered to speak. Fortunately, Su Bing was there. He calmly explained, ¡°Teachers, it¡¯s not as you see. Teacher Zhou was the one who treated my brother, Su Li, differently. Yang Zhen was just standing up for us. When Teacher Zhou couldn¡¯t justify her actions, she started to play sick.¡±

    However, Teacher Zhou didn¡¯t even wait for Su Bing to finish before she started to wail again. She stood up and walked out, crying out, ¡°This is a grave injustice! Yang Zhen, I never thought you would stoop so low as to encourage children to lie. This matter cannot be left unresolved. I¡¯m going to report this to the school leaders. Either you leave, or I will!¡±

    Yang Zhen, having done nothing wrong, was not afraid to confront Teacher Zhou. With the situation escalating to this point, even if Teacher Zhou didn¡¯t insist on involving the school leaders, Yang Zhen felt she had to. As a teacher, Yang Zhen had always believed that no matter concerning a student was too small. Especially when Teacher Zhou was blatantly treating Su Li unfairly and slandering him, such behavior could not be tolerated.

    Unfazed, Yang Zhen followed after her, ¡°Go ahead. I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight if this matter isn¡¯t cleared up. Teacher Zhou, you seem to have recovered quite quickly. Just a moment ago, you were about to faint from anger, and now you¡¯re walking briskly.¡±

    Seeing this, the other teachers decided not to get involved any further. After all, they didn¡¯t know the full story and didn¡¯t want to jump to conclusions. However, one of them still tried to persuade Yang Zhen, ¡°Teacher Yang, perhaps it¡¯s best to let it go. Teacher Zhou is your senior. It¡¯s better to avoid conflict. If you bring this to the school leaders, how will you work together in the future?¡±

    Yang Zhen didn¡¯t stop, ¡°As a teacher, I believe the most important thing is that children should not be treated unfairly. There¡¯s no need to persuade me.¡±

    Su Li followed after her, ¡°Teacher Yang, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Seeing the three of them walk away, Su Bing quickly ran off towards the administration building. He found Teacher Du, who was busy grading papers in the office, and asked to make a phone call. Given that Su Bing was one of her best students, Teacher Du allowed Su Bing to use the office phone.

    Su Bing dialed the home phone number, calculating that his mother should have returned from the newspaper office by now. He prayed fervently that his mother would answer the call.

    As Su Bing was in the midst of his silent prayer, the call connected. The gentle and melodious voice of his mother echoed from the other end, ¡°Hello, this is the Su residence.¡±

    ¡°Mother,¡± Su Bing began, his voice trembling slightly, ¡°Su Li has been targeted by his homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhou, at school. Teacher Yang Zhen took Su Li to reason with her, but it ended up in a heated argument. Unable to out-argue Teacher Yang, Teacher Zhou feigned illness on the spot, even accusing Teacher Yang Zhen of causing her heart disease to flare up. Both teachers have gone to speak with the school leaders now¡­¡±

    Upon hearing Su Bing¡¯s voice, Gu Zi was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. She had been mentally prepared for Teacher Zhou¡¯s antics, but she hadn¡¯t expected things to escalate so quickly. After Su Bing finished speaking, she responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head to the school immediately. You go and stay with Su Li, make sure he doesn¡¯t get too scared.¡±

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    After hanging up the phone, Gu Zi immediately rose from her seat and began to gather her things, preparing to leave. Fortunately, she had just returned home and hadn¡¯t yet picked up Su Le from the neighbor¡¯s house.

    ¡°Guan Xin, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, ¡°I had just invited you over for tea after lunch, but it seems that won¡¯t be possible now. I need to make a trip to the school.¡±

    Guan Xin, who had been standing nearby and heard the conversation, also rose from her seat. ¡°We can have tea anytime,¡± she said, ¡°This matter is obviously more important. I¡¯ll go with you. It¡¯s quite a coincidence, the Yang Zhen you mentioned is my college classmate. We¡¯re good friends.

    ¡°When we graduated, I wanted to introduce her to Guangcheng First Bilingual Primary School. She¡¯s a very capable teacher, but due to some reasons, she had to teach at another school for a few years before she could transfer. So, she only joined the First Bilingual Primary School this year. I didn¡¯t expect Su Li to end up in her class.¡±

    Upon hearing this connection, Gu Zi was quite surprised. At the same time, she began to understand why Yang Zhen hadn¡¯t returned immediately after graduation to find Aunt Yang. It seemed she had been unable to do so due to circumstances beyond her control.

 Chapter 738 - Chapter 738: Director Zeng, Please Make a Stand

    Chapter 738: Director Zeng, Please Make a Stand

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Guan Xin hurried to the school together. Thanks to Guan Xin¡¯s car, they arrived at the school in no time, then headed straight for the administrative building. This was where most of the school leaders¡¯ offices were located, and it was the likely place for Teacher Zhou to cause a scene if she wanted to confront the school leaders.

    As expected, as soon as they entered the administrative building, they saw Su Bing, who had been waiting for Gu Zi¡¯s arrival. Su Bing spotted his mother immediately. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re here. Hello, Sister Guan Xin. Teacher Zhou is currently causing a scene in Director Zeng¡¯s office. Let¡¯s go up.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, and a memory surfaced. Director Zeng, the elderly woman who had warmly received her and her two children on their first day, was the same person, wasn¡¯t she?

    She remembered that the kind old lady¡¯s surname was Zeng, and out of respect, everyone affectionately referred to her as Director Zeng. She turned to Guan Xin, ¡°On the day of registration, Director Zeng specially received us. You had something to do with that, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    As Su Bing led the two of them towards the director¡¯s office, Guan Xin kept pace and responded to Gu Zi, ¡°You¡¯re sharp. Indeed, I did ask Director Zeng to take special care of you. No need to thank me too much.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled, ¡°My child was able to attend this school thanks to your generosity in giving us these two spots, in addition to recognizing my outstanding language skills. I will repay your kindness by doing my job at the newspaper well. However, I must say, since you¡¯re here, we might need to rely on your influence as the principal¡¯s daughter.¡±

    From what Su Bing had said on the phone, Gu Zi had a rough idea of the tactics Teacher Zhou was using. She was spouting nonsense and making up stories. Unfortunately, in this era without video recording and limited audio recording, it was sometimes hard to distinguish truth from lies.

    Gu Zi thought, rather than wasting time arguing with Teacher Zhou over her lies, it would be more effective to use her status to suppress her. Power should be used when necessary, and she believed Guan Xin was not so high-minded as to refuse. After all, it wasn¡¯t worth spending too much energy on such a person when she had articles to write.

    Coincidentally, Guan Xin was here today. Having Guan Xin confront Teacher Zhou was the quickest solution to this issue. It would also serve to intimidate Teacher Zhou. Regardless of who was pulling Teacher Zhou¡¯s strings from behind the scenes, they should be silenced for a while.

    Guan Xin chuckled, ¡°I understand your intentions. You wish to resolve this matter as swiftly as possible, correct? Rest assured, I share your sentiments. After all, I was the one who introduced your children to this school. It¡¯s clear that Teacher Zhou is trying to undermine us. Furthermore, Yang Zhen had previously mentioned to me that Teacher Zhou has been singling her out and causing her trouble at school. Today, we should settle all these issues.¡±

    Before the trio even reached the door, they could hear the lamentations of Teacher Zhou emanating from the office, ¡°Director Zeng, I am truly wronged. I have been teaching for so many years, how could I possibly single out a student? I won¡¯t mention the past, but today¡¯s incident, Teacher Yang¡¯s actions are truly inappropriate. Director Zeng, you must stand up for me!¡±

    Yang Zhen, standing disdainfully to one side with Su Li, waited for Teacher Zhou to finish her complaints. Then, without backing down, she retorted, ¡°Director Zeng, if you are to stand up for Teacher Zhou, you must also stand up for me and student Su Li. You are well aware of how I came to this school. Teacher Zhou has been spreading rumors that I entered the school through improper means. I have not made a fuss about it until now, but her actions are becoming increasingly outrageous.

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    ¡°Teacher Zhou has also been unfair to Su Li. She has unjustly assigned Su Li to a special seat at the corner and even told the class that Su Li is a child from the countryside and that sitting with him would have a negative influence. I ask you, is this the kind of perspective and rhetoric a teacher should have? I implore you, Director Zeng, to take a stand!¡±

    The usually spirited elderly lady, now seated at her desk, wore a troubled expression. Everyone was asking her to take a stand, but she was unclear about the specifics of the situation. How was she to make a decision?

    Teacher Zhou¡¯s words might not be trustworthy, but she had no evidence to prove that Teacher Zhou was causing trouble or that Teacher Yang was in the right. It was indeed a difficult situation.

    Just then, Su Bing knocked on the half-open office door and entered with Gu Zi and Guan Xin.

    Upon seeing the parents and Miss Guan Xin, Director Zeng stood up, feeling as if she could finally breathe, ¡°Su Li¡¯s mother, Xin Xin, your timing is perfect. I presume you are here because you¡¯ve heard about this incident?¡±

 Chapter 739 - Chapter 739: My Dad Is Guan Xue

    Chapter 739: My Dad Is Guan Xue

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Guan Xin stepped forward, assisting Director Zeng to sit down. Her gaze, sharp and piercing, turned towards Teacher Zhou. The woman was quite the actress, her eyes red as if she had suffered a great injustice.

    ¡®What a waste not to perform in a grand theater,¡¯ Guan Xin thought.

    ¡°Indeed, Director Zeng,¡± she said aloud, ¡°I came to see you and also to meet the infamous Teacher Zhou. Is this her?¡±

    She had heard that Teacher Zhou had referred to the student she introduced as a country bumpkin, and a bad influence on his classmates. She also heard that Teacher Zhou believed that Yang Zhen had secured her teaching position through underhanded means. Guan Xin felt it necessary to clarify these matters.

    Gu Zi moved to stand beside Su Li, patting his back in a comforting gesture. She then stood aside, falling silent. After exchanging glances with Yang Zhen, she understood Guan Xin¡¯s intentions. There was no need for further argument; Guan Xin would personally handle Teacher Zhou. Yang Zhen also fell silent, watching Teacher Zhou with cold eyes.

    Teacher Zhou, upon seeing Guan Xin, felt a sense of familiarity but couldn¡¯t place where she had seen her before. She was momentarily at a loss, resorting to a lofty principle. ¡°Madam,¡± she said, ¡°as the saying goes, ¡®one should mind their own business.¡¯ As far as I know, you are not a teacher at our school. What right do you have to explain anything? This is an internal matter of our school.

    ¡°Even if you have some connections and can introduce some students to our school, you should still follow the rules. I¡¯ve always been a person who only recognizes reason.¡±

    Guan Xin looked at Teacher Zhou¡¯s pretentious demeanor and let out a cold laugh as she approached her. ¡°Teacher Zhou, indeed, I am not a staff member of this school. However, I believe I have the right to explain. My name is Guan Xin, my father is Guan Xue. The rural child you mentioned, Su Li, was admitted here through a quota given by my father, along with his brother.

    ¡°Teacher Zhou, when you slander Su Li, have you ever thought that your accusations would indirectly splash onto the current principal? It seems that you have a lot of complaints about the principal! By the way, Yang Zhen, the teacher you mentioned, also came to teach at this school through me. Yang Zhen did pass the exam to get in, but she indeed has connections in the school.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to admit today that if there is someone backing Yang Zhen, it¡¯s me, the Guan family. After all, Yang Zhen and I got along well in college. I approve of her. Teacher Zhou, are you saying that I am Yang Zhen¡¯s benefactor? You also said that Yang Zhen angered you, causing your heart disease to flare up. I think, Teacher Zhou, it¡¯s not heart disease you¡¯re suffering from, but jealousy.¡±

    Guan Xin¡¯s words, spoken in one breath, left Teacher Zhou green-faced. Damn it, she hadn¡¯t expected this. This was the principal¡¯s daughter, no wonder she looked familiar. She resembled the principal!

    Despite all her calculations, she hadn¡¯t anticipated the sudden appearance of the principal¡¯s daughter halfway through. It turned out that the principal¡¯s daughter was old classmates with Yang Zhen and also acquainted with Gu Zi. She was destined to lose this round!

    Feeling a sense of crisis, Teacher Zhou realized that if things continued this way, it would bring her nothing but harm. She might even lose her job. She quickly changed her tone.

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    ¡°Miss Guan, I have indeed offended you today. Student Su Li, Teacher Yang, I was confused. Please don¡¯t hold it against me. Director Zeng, Miss Guan is right about today¡¯s incident. I am also at fault. How about this? I will voluntarily suspend myself for a few days to reflect on my actions. I will submit my suspension letter soon. I will take my leave now¡­¡±

    Fearing that someone might change their mind, Teacher Zhou fled the office. The remaining people looked at each other, all giving Guan Xin a thumbs up. Director Zeng said, ¡°This Teacher Zhou is becoming more and more unreasonable. I¡¯ve heard about her arrogance, but I turned a blind eye because she has been working at the school for many years. Now it seems that we can¡¯t indulge her anymore.¡±

    News of Teacher Zhou¡¯s voluntary suspension spread, causing a stir in the teachers¡¯ office. The new teachers who had been oppressed by Teacher Zhou felt a sense of relief and secretly rejoiced. They regarded Yang Zhen as a role model among the new teachers. Moreover, they heard that Yang Zhen and the principal¡¯s daughter were good friends. Everyone regretted not building a good relationship with Yang Zhen earlier.

    The teachers who taught the same class as Yang Zhen also realized their oversight. They began to ponder the identity of Su Li¡¯s parents. They heard that Su Li¡¯s mother and the principal¡¯s daughter came to the school together today. Did the Su family and the Guan family have a good relationship?

    No wonder Yang Zhen stood up for Su Li. It seemed that they needed to pay more attention to Su Li¡¯s studies in the future and put in more effort.

 Chapter 740 - Chapter 740: A Resolution

    Chapter 740: A Resolution

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With the matter settled, Gu Zi had a private conversation with Guan Xin and Yang Zhen before preparing to head home. She needed to pick up Lele from the Gao family residence and then start her writing work. Guan Xin, naturally, had to return to the newspaper office. She offered to Gu Zi, ¡°I can drop you off at home before I head to the office. It¡¯ll save you the trouble of hailing a cab.¡±

    Gu Zi had no objections. The two women left the school together. Su Li watched as his mother and Sister Guan Xin disappeared from view. Only then did he realize what had happened. He turned to his brother, Su Bing, ¡°Brother, why did Teacher Zhou suddenly admit her mistake? How did everything get resolved so quickly?¡± It had happened so fast that he hadn¡¯t had time to react.

    Su Bing understood the reasons behind it all, but seeing his younger brother¡¯s innocent gaze, he chose not to elaborate. He simply nodded and responded, ¡°It¡¯s resolved.¡±

    Yang Zhen noticed that the two brothers hadn¡¯t eaten yet. She suggested, ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on what just happened. At this hour, the student cafeteria is probably out of food. Let me take you to the teachers¡¯ cafeteria for a meal. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m hungry too!¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li nodded in gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Teacher Yang!¡± Yang Zhen led the way, with the two brothers following her towards the cafeteria.

    Upon returning home, Gu Zi put away her things and went to the Gao family residence to pick up Su Le. The Gao family¡¯s nanny brought out the sleepy little girl. Gu Zi thanked her, ¡°Thank you for taking care of her!¡±

    The nanny replied, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Lele is so cute and well-behaved. Both I and the old madam enjoy her company. We should be thanking you, Miss Gu Zi, for bringing this little girl into our lives. She¡¯s brought so much vitality.¡±

    After the nanny left to do her chores, Grandma Gao, wrapped in a scarf, stood at a distance from Gu Zi and Su Le. She said regretfully, ¡°I haven¡¯t had enough time with little Lele. I don¡¯t know why, but I woke up from my nap feeling feverish. I was afraid of infecting Lele, so I had to keep my distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. Please take our precious Lele home. I need to go to the hospital. It¡¯s really unbearable, I don¡¯t even want to go outside.¡± Grandma Gao said, her face flushed and her eyes teary. It was clear she was in great discomfort.

    After a moment of thought, Gu Zi proposed, ¡°Grandma Gao, I have a method to reduce fever that doesn¡¯t require a trip to the hospital. It¡¯s a recipe for a soup called ¡®Three Beans, Black Plum, and White Sugar¡¯. You only need a handful each of black beans, green beans, and yellow beans, five black plums, and two tablespoons of white sugar. Put all these ingredients directly into a pot with water and boil. After it comes to a boil on high heat, simmer it on low heat for two hours and it¡¯s ready to drink.¡±

    She added, ¡°This soup can reduce fever, and it¡¯s also good for when you¡¯re feeling irritable and hot, have a sore and swollen throat, dry and cracked lips, or sores at the corners of your mouth. Now that spring is approaching, a season when warm-heat pathogens are prevalent, you can brew this soup to drink every now and then. It¡¯s a great thing for nourishing the yin and replenishing the kidneys. However, remember to finish the soup on the day it¡¯s made.¡±

    Grandma Gao was surprised, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know all this. It¡¯s a blessing for our Gao family to have a neighbor like you. I¡¯ll have someone prepare this soup for me right away.¡±

    After exchanging a few pleasantries with Grandma Gao, Gu Zi took Lele home. She first lulled Lele to sleep, then went to check her work tasks and began translating and drafting.

    The work was not difficult for her, but just because it wasn¡¯t difficult didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t require effort and energy. Throughout the afternoon, Gu Zi, besides taking care of Lele, was drafting and writing. Every once in a while, she would go to the yard to relax, water the flowers, feed the goldfish and pigeons, and enjoy a pleasant combination of work and leisure.

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    On the other side, across from the entrance of the Daqing Slaughterhouse, a military-green off-road vehicle parked. A tall woman descended from the vehicle, dressed in a floral long dress, her attire exuding a gentle and mature charm, making her quite attractive.

    As she approached, she took in the desolate and bleak scenery, her eyebrows furrowing even more. Was this slaughterhouse the business venture that Su Shen had given up his promising official career for?

    She really couldn¡¯t see what was so appealing about this place. If it weren¡¯t for the need to find Su Shen, she wouldn¡¯t have set foot here.

    Officer Zhao, the security officer, went to negotiate with the security guard at the gate. She returned and reported, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, I¡¯ve confirmed that this is the slaughterhouse set up by Commander Su. I¡¯ve explained our purpose to the security guard, and we can go straight in.¡±

    Suppressing her pride and frustration, Hu Jie took a deep breath and walked towards the entrance of the slaughterhouse. Not long after entering, she saw a tall figure striding quickly. Had someone already informed him of her arrival? Was he hurrying to greet her?

 Chapter 741 - Chapter 741: Endless Pursuit

    Chapter 741: Endless Pursuit

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In an instant, all of Hu Jie¡¯s discomfort towards the slaughterhouse vanished, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. She was certain that she hadn¡¯t felt this elated in a long time.

    She had come to see Su Shen today, deliberately not wearing her military uniform. The last time she had worn her most formal and eye-catching uniform, it hadn¡¯t garnered his attention. She had wondered if the uniform had masked her feminine charm, rendering her unable to compete with the delicate Gu Zi. So today, she had chosen to wear a long dress instead. Officer Zhao had said it made her look very feminine and elegant.

    Her heart was pounding with excitement. Without waiting for Su Shen to approach, she took two steps forward and said, ¡°Su Shen, have you come to meet me? I knew it. Last time, it was only because that woman was there that you avoided me.¡±

    Su Shen looked up to see Hu Jie standing there, his brow furrowing. Was this never going to end? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know you were coming. I¡¯m here to check on the health of the pigs to be slaughtered today. The person in charge of this task is on leave. What brings you here?¡±

    Despite his cold and blunt explanation, Hu Jie chose to ignore it. ¡°Su Shen, you don¡¯t have to treat me this way just because of a woman. Do you think marrying that woman is like finding a treasure? Gu Zi is the kind of woman who is only suitable for being kept at home for her looks. She can¡¯t be a good wife or a good mother. You¡¯ll see¡­¡±

    Su Shen couldn¡¯t stand to hear someone badmouth Gu Zi to his face. His expression darkened. ¡°It seems I wasn¡¯t clear enough last time. Let me be clearer, Hu Jie. I don¡¯t know why you came to Guangcheng, but I am certain that there is no affection between us. Even the engagement we had was only agreed upon out of respect for my late mentor¡¯s wishes.

    ¡°But times have changed. I am not the same person I was before. I have someone I truly love and want to protect for the rest of my life. That person is my wife, Gu Zi. So, Deputy Commander Hu, I ask you to stop doing unnecessary things, especially targeting my wife.¡±

    Listening to his words, Hu Jie¡¯s heart involuntarily clenched. She believed Su Shen was deceiving himself. How could he have no feelings for her? He was merely bewitched by that woman, Gu Zi. She didn¡¯t want to argue about this anymore. She pulled out a letter from her bosom, handed it over, and said, ¡°Commander Su, don¡¯t misunderstand my intentions. I¡¯m here just to deliver a letter. It¡¯s from the commander.¡±

    Upon receiving the letter, Su Shen responded indifferently, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, in the future, please have someone else deliver the commander¡¯s letters. There¡¯s no need for you to trouble yourself.¡±

    A twitch tugged at the corner of Hu Jie¡¯s mouth, but in the end, she said nothing and turned to leave.

    ¡­

    After school in the afternoon, Su Bing and Su Li rode home in the Gao family¡¯s car, as arranged by Grandma Gao and Gu Zi. Upon alighting, the brothers headed straight home.

    Gu Zi had just finished her planned work for the day and was playing with Lele and Big Yellow in the yard. ¡°You¡¯re home from school,¡± she greeted them. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some snacks for you. Go have something to eat.¡±

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    The brothers entered the house to find freshly fried potato chips, popcorn chicken, and sweet soy milk still warm on the table. They wouldn¡¯t let their mother¡¯s kindness go to waste and began eating immediately. Their mother had taken time out of her work to prepare these snacks, and they intended to finish every last bite. Besides, they had physical education in the afternoon and needed to replenish their energy.

    After eating, Su Bing greeted Gu Zi and took his textbooks upstairs to the study. As for Su Li, he took out the homework he hadn¡¯t had time to finish and began writing in the living room. Once he was done, he took out the test paper with the mistakes he had copied and went to find his mother in the yard. ¡°Mom, can you help me with my homework? We can start with these mistakes.¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, took Su Li¡¯s notebook, and looked at the mistakes on it. ¡°Our Su Li is so serious now. Of course, I can tutor you. Let me explain it to you.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi was about to start, the doorbell rang. Su Li went to answer it and found Gao Ming at the door. ¡°Hello, Aunt Gu Zi. I came to play with Su Li. Su Li, shall we continue our adventure game today?¡±

    Gu Zi looked at Su Li, guessing that the playful Su Li would be tempted to ditch his homework. However, to her surprise, Su Li didn¡¯t hesitate at all this time. He directly declined Gao Ming¡¯s invitation to play, saying, ¡°You go ahead and play. I won¡¯t be joining. I need to study and read. I have too many things to do, all more important than playing.¡±

 Chapter 742 - Chapter 742: I Will Definitely Become Better

    Chapter 742: I Will Definitely Become Better

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the words fell from Su Li¡¯s lips, his gaze was focused on the incorrect problems before him.

    Gu Zi looked at him, her eyes revealing a surprised expression. In truth, compared to before, Su Li had already put much more effort into his studies. Although he still couldn¡¯t match the dedication of his older brother, Su Bing, Gu Zi had noticed his changes and felt quite gratified. However, she had never expected that his attitude towards studying would improve even further.

    Gu Zi reasoned that now that the two brothers had transferred schools, their new institution was a leading one in the city. Moreover, it had foreign language courses starting from the first grade. Su Li indeed needed to put in more effort. His improved attitude towards studying was a good thing.

    However, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. It was reasonable to say that Su Bing didn¡¯t like going out and didn¡¯t like spending time making friends. Just like earlier, after finishing his snack, he picked up his textbook and went to the study room to preview the lessons. Gu Zi knew that Su Bing had started previewing the chapters in the textbook from the day he got it. By now, he had probably previewed almost half of the course.

    But today was strange. Su Li didn¡¯t even think about playing. He picked up the incorrect problems from the entrance exam and came to her for tutoring. Not only was she a bit taken aback, but even Gao Ming, a classmate, was also rejected quite suddenly.

    Gao Ming looked at him for a while, not knowing if he understood what was going on with Su Li. He said to Su Li, ¡°Then I¡¯ll also study. Wait for me. I¡¯ll go get my textbook and study with you.¡±

    Gu Zi still wanted to understand her child¡¯s thoughts. While Gao Ming went to get his textbook, she asked Su Li, ¡°Is it because of what happened at school today that you want to study harder and move up in the class rankings?¡±

    While Su Li was recalculating the incorrect problems, he responded while writing, ¡°Mom, today, Teacher Zhou said that I¡¯m a rural child and that my grades are so far behind that I¡¯ll drag the class down. She also said that I would affect the other students in the class. I was very angry, but I felt that my anger couldn¡¯t be expressed. I should study hard and not give Teacher Zhou a chance to say such things again.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Gu Zi¡¯s face also darkened a bit. This Teacher Zhou was really too much. Who was she acting on behalf of? However, Gu Zi had asked Grandma Gao to help investigate Teacher Zhou, and she believed that there would be results soon. She didn¡¯t want to think about this matter for now because it made her feel uncomfortable.

    With a firm tone, Gu Zi told Su Li, ¡°You have the ability to turn negative situations into motivation for self-improvement. I am proud of you for that. And I must say, your entrance exam scores were excellent, not at all lacking. Consider this, you were placed in class B, which is only second to class A. You are already doing great, you just need to be even better.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Su Li paused his writing, and turned to look at his mother, his eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Mother, I will definitely become better!¡± he vowed.

    Gu Zi naturally believed in him and was delighted to see his confident demeanor.

    After tutoring Su Li, she went to prepare dinner. Su Shen had called home earlier, announcing his return for dinner. She cooked an extra half cup of rice.

    As she washed the rice, Gu Zi looked at the grains and a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Previously, if Su Shen decided to come home on a whim, she would have to cook an extra full cup of rice. Now, it was only half.

    This change was due to her balanced nutritional meal planning. Once people start paying attention to balanced nutrition, their food intake naturally decreases, which is healthier for the body.

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    In the past, Su Shen was not particular about his food. He would eat whatever others cooked. Even when he cooked for himself, he would opt for convenience, boiling noodles and some vegetables, or cooking a lot of rice to fill his stomach ¨C a typical rough-and-ready bachelor¡¯s lifestyle.

    However, now, Su Shen¡¯s skin had noticeably become more supple. Looking around her home, seeing the men and the child all well taken care of, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She was content. Who said a housewife doesn¡¯t contribute? Gu Zi felt that her contributions as a housewife in the countryside over the past few months were significant!

    After setting the rice to steam, Gu Zi began to prepare the meat and vegetables. Just as she finished, she heard Su Li and Gao Ming calling out. She left the kitchen to find that Grandma Gao had arrived.

    Grandma Gao thanked Gu Zi, ¡°Your recipe is truly miraculous. After drinking that soup, my fever subsided in no time. Now, I feel so much lighter! Oh, here, this is for you. It¡¯s the information you asked for.¡±

    Grandma Gao handed an envelope to Gu Zi. Gu Zi naturally knew it contained information about Teacher Zhou. She accepted it with a smile, understanding the unspoken gratitude. There was no better thank you gift than this.

 Chapter 743 - Chapter 743: Working for Hu Jie

    Chapter 743: Working for Hu Jie

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao realized Gu Zi was cooking and decided to take her grandson, Gao Ming, and leave. ¡°We¡¯ll head home first, you carry on with your work. Gao Ming, you¡¯re not allowed to linger around any longer. You can come back tomorrow to play with Su Li and the others.¡±

    Not long after Grandma Gao and her grandson left, Su Shen¡¯s car pulled up in front of the house. Su Bing and Su Li were playing in the yard with Lele. Upon hearing the car¡¯s horn, they ran towards it, calling out to Su Shen, ¡°Daddy, Daddy¡¯s home!¡±

    Su Shen got out of the car and acknowledged his children before heading straight into the kitchen. There, Gu Zi was arranging sweet and sour ribs on a plate, her apron tied around her waist. Her soft, feminine figure was still alluring, even hidden beneath the oversized apron. Su Shen walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She straightened up and leaned into his embrace.

    Su Shen held her close, planting a kiss on her cheek. Gu Zi thought that he would let go after this affectionate display, but to her surprise, he held her even tighter. ¡°I can¡¯t work like this,¡± she protested. ¡°You¡¯ve missed me that much after just one day?¡±

    Su Shen held her silently for a moment before finally speaking in a low voice, ¡°I miss you, so much. Let me hold you a little longer, Gu Zi. Only when I¡¯m this close to you, can I truly feel that you¡¯re my wife, that you¡¯re here with me.¡±

    Gu Zi could feel his heartbeat against her. She knew he meant every word he said. He was feeling insecure, but why?

    ¡°Did something happen? I wasn¡¯t planning on telling you, but something happened at school with Su Li today. His homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhou, was giving him a hard time. It¡¯s all sorted out now, but I found it strange. It seems like Teacher Zhou has a grudge against me and the kids.

    ¡°I asked Grandma Gao to gather some information. After reviewing it, I found out that Teacher Zhou comes from an ordinary family. She gains nothing from targeting us. This makes me more certain of my suspicion. Someone must be behind her actions. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t go to such lengths. The information shows that she visited the city¡¯s cultural office last week. I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s a connection¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen¡¯s heart ached even more for the woman in his arms. He recalled the words Hu Jie had spoken earlier that day, claiming that Gu Zi was unfit to be a mother.

    So, it was as he had suspected. Hu Jie had planned for her subordinates to embarrass Su Li at school, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated that her scheme would be thwarted.

    Su Shen felt a pang of guilt; he had inadvertently allowed Gu Zi and their child to become targets of Hu Jie¡¯s malice.

    Having pieced together the reason behind Hu Jie¡¯s actions, Su Shen explained to Gu Zi, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. The woman who visited our home last time, Hu Jie, is now the deputy head of the cultural work team. She came to the slaughterhouse to find me today, supposedly to deliver a letter from the leader. However, under the guise of delivering the letter, she stirred up trouble. Now it seems that the Teacher Zhou you mentioned is most likely one of Hu Jie¡¯s people.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s mouth fell open slightly, overwhelmed by the information. A sour feeling crept into her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but let it seep into her words, ¡°Well, it seems someone has their sights set on my husband. I¡¯d better be careful.¡±

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    Su Shen could tell that Gu Zi was feigning jealousy. She was not one to get jealous easily. He wished she were truly jealous, but he knew that this was not a good thing. If he could, he would prefer that Hu Jie not be a part of their lives at all. After all, from the beginning until now, he had never harbored any feelings for Hu Jie.

    Su Shen earnestly explained, ¡°I¡¯ve already told her that if there are any future letters, she can have someone else deliver them. Gu Zi, I¡¯m not close with her at all. Even the engagement was because at that time, I didn¡¯t have¡­¡±

    ¡°Because at that time, you didn¡¯t think much of it. You just thought that since you were going to get married anyway, and it was the dying wish of your respected mentor, you agreed to the engagement. Alright, don¡¯t worry, I understand,¡± Gu Zi interrupted his hurried explanation. There was no need for it; she knew that her husband wouldn¡¯t lie to her.

    However, since things were as they were, she made a mental note of the matter. She told Su Shen, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the school issue. Now that I know who¡¯s behind Teacher Zhou, I have a plan. If someone can¡¯t distinguish right from wrong and wants to start a war between women, I won¡¯t back down. After all, they¡¯re targeting you, and you¡¯re my husband.¡±

    A spark lit up in Su Shen¡¯s eyes. From her words, he could hear her concern for him. She wouldn¡¯t allow any other woman to target him. At that moment, Su Shen¡¯s previous jealousy towards Gong Zhan diminished, and he no longer envied the man who had once been loved by Gu Zi. Perhaps, in Gu Zi¡¯s heart, he still held some importance. This thought alone brought him immense satisfaction.

 Chapter 744 - Chapter 744: Su Liâ€™s Class Teacher

    Chapter 744: Su Li¡¯s Class Teacher

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen finally released his wife¡¯s hand, ready to get to work. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the plating and finishing touches. You can go and rest for a while,¡± he said.

    Without any hesitation, Gu Zi left the kitchen duties to her husband. She went to the refrigerator and took out a chilled portion of bird¡¯s nest with milk. She then settled herself in the dining room to enjoy her meal. These bird¡¯s nests were prepared in advance and could be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to seven days. It was convenient as she could prepare a batch and consume it over several days.

    Their three children, having a rough idea of the time, knew to head to the dining room. Seeing their father serving the dishes, the two brothers also pitched in to help. The three men quickly had all the dishes served. Su Shen, upon sitting down, immediately served Gu Zi a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs.

    Gu Zi looked at Su Shen with sparkling eyes and took a bite.

    Not wanting to be outdone, the eldest son placed a peeled boiled shrimp into Gu Zi¡¯s bowl. The younger one placed the only chicken leg on the table into Gu Zi¡¯s bowl, even thoughtfully removing the skin. Fearing that his mother might think him greedy, he quickly explained, ¡°Mom, you said that chicken skin is fatty and can make us gain weight. So, I¡¯ll eat the skin. I¡¯ll gain weight for you.¡±

    Gu Zi was even more delighted by her younger son¡¯s words. She ate her meal in small bites, occasionally feeding Su Le. The little girl was now also capable of saying sweet things. After each bite of the food that Gu Zi fed her, she would compliment, ¡°Mom¡¯s food is delicious!¡±

    Gu Zi felt that the emotional value was simply overflowing. She believed that if her little Lele continued to develop in this way, she would definitely not turn out like the character in the original book. Her little Lele would surely grow into a confident and beautiful woman, just like herself!

    Seeing that his mother¡¯s attention was all on the youngest, Su Li felt a sudden sense of crisis. He hurriedly tried to change the topic, ¡°Mom, today Teacher Yang took us to the teachers¡¯ cafeteria for lunch. It was so delicious, just like eating in a state-run restaurant. Teacher Yang also told me that she would support me, so I don¡¯t have to be afraid of Teacher Zhou giving me a hard time anymore.¡±

    As Gu Zi fed Su Le, she did not neglect to respond to Su Li in a timely manner. ¡°Teacher Yang is right,¡± she said, ¡°Teacher Zhou lacks the basic virtues of a teacher, which is why she often behaves in a biased manner. In such situations, you cannot remain silent. You must find anyone who can speak up for you.¡±

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°However, after today¡¯s incident, I fear Teacher Zhou might change her strategy. She might even try to appease you, but whether her intentions are genuine, we cannot be certain. Therefore, you must be on guard against any unexpected kindness from her.¡±

    Gu Zi spoke earnestly, while Su Li listened with a mixture of understanding and confusion.

    Just as Gu Zi was about to elaborate further, the doorbell rang from outside the courtyard. Su Shen went to answer it, finding a middle-aged woman in a padded shoulder suit standing outside the wrought-iron gate, peering into the courtyard.

    Without opening the gate, Su Shen asked coldly, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±

    Teacher Zhou was somewhat taken aback by the man¡¯s imposing aura. It took her a moment to react, but she recognized him as the former fianc¨¦ of Deputy Commander Hu. ¡®Such a handsome man,¡¯ she thought, ¡®No wonder Deputy Commander Hu wouldn¡¯t let him go easily. Gu Zi is indeed impressive to have won him over.¡¯

    As she looked at the large house, she felt a pang of envy and resentment. ¡°One must not be too honest in life,¡± she mused, ¡°or else they will only experience hardship. Gu Zi, on the other hand, has the means to steal the man of Deputy Commander Hu and live in such a grand house at such a young age. If only I had been as enlightened in my youth, perhaps I could have found a wealthy older man to provide for me.¡±

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    She felt a sense of injustice at having to feign an apology to Gu Zi. Nevertheless, she managed to respond respectfully, ¡°Sir, I am Su Li¡¯s homeroom teacher. There was an incident today for which I am at fault. I came specifically to apologize to Su Li and his mother.¡±

    Upon hearing that she was Teacher Zhou, Su Shen glanced back at the house before responding indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re out of luck. My wife and child just left. You¡¯ll have to come back another day.¡±

    Teacher Zhou frowned, disappointed by the unfortunate timing. She was about to ask if she could wait inside when Su Shen turned and walked back into the house without another word.

    The only response she received was the warning bark of a fierce-looking dog tied up in the yard. Startled, she took several steps back and decided against knocking again, choosing instead to leave.

    Upon returning, Su Shen said to Gu Zi, ¡°That Teacher Zhou claimed to be here to apologize, but I saw no sincerity in her. Judging by her demeanor, I suspect she will return. Don¡¯t let her apologize to you so easily.¡±

 Chapter 745 - Chapter 745: Teacher Zhou Is Here Again

    Chapter 745: Teacher Zhou Is Here Again

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi nodded, but it was the first time she had seen Su Shen behave so pettily. However, she was pleased, as his thoughts coincided with hers. If she had known that the person knocking at the door was Teacher Zhou, she would not have opened it. Teacher Zhou¡¯s actions towards Su Li had already angered her.

    Gu Zi felt that although Su Shen was not the type to hold grudges over trivial matters, he was very particular about her affairs. He would not ask her to step back or be magnanimous without reason. This had scored him significant points in Gu Zi¡¯s heart.

    The next day, as noon approached, the doorbell rang. Gu Zi knew that Teacher Zhou had come again. Coincidentally, Grandma Gao was there, having tea and chatting with her. Gu Zi explained the situation to Grandma Gao and asked her to help deal with it.

    Grandma Gao, aware of the circumstances, was not fond of Teacher Zhou. Her tone was impatient, but she maintained her composure, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Teacher Zhou¡¯s mouth twitched at the corners, but seeing a well-dressed elderly woman before her, she dared not vent her frustration. She could only bear it and say, ¡°Madam, I am here to see Gu Zi. Is she in?¡±

    Grandma Gao squinted her eyes, sizing her up for a moment. Her intense gaze made Teacher Zhou¡¯s scalp tingle before she finally spoke, ¡°Looking for Gu Zi? Unfortunately, she¡¯s out running errands. She asked me to help look after the child at home, so I came over. You should come another day.¡±

    With that, Grandma Gao turned and walked away. Teacher Zhou watched her elegant figure retreat, feeling no admiration, only frustration. How could Gu Zi not be home again? It must be intentional!

    Ever since she became a teacher at the First Bilingual Primary School, when had she ever been so humiliated? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she needed the child¡¯s parents¡¯ forgiveness to return to work, she wouldn¡¯t have come to endure this humiliation.

    Teacher Zhou gripped the iron gate, grinding her teeth in anger. She wished she could smash the door open to see if Gu Zi was really not home or just pretending. But in the end, she could only think about it. She dared not make a scene here. If things got out of hand, she would be the one to suffer. So, Teacher Zhou had no choice but to leave amidst the barking of the dog.

    The third time she came, Teacher Zhou had learned her lesson. She deliberately waited outside the villa during the time when Su Li and the others would return from school. As expected, she saw them. Su Li got out of the car and hadn¡¯t even reached the front door when he saw the ill-looking Teacher Zhou. He stopped in his tracks and tugged at Su Bing, ¡°Brother, that¡¯s Teacher Zhou. She¡¯s here again.¡±

    Su Li was afraid of her, but Su Bing was not. Su Bing, leading his younger brother, stepped forward and asked, ¡°Teacher Zhou, may I ask what you are doing at our doorstep?¡±

    ¡°Are you Su Li¡¯s elder brother?¡± Teacher Zhou responded immediately, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for your school to let out. I¡¯m here to see your mother. Could you let me in?¡±

    Su Li pondered for a moment before declining, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Teacher Zhou. My mother has told us not to let strangers into our home. Even though you¡¯re Su Li¡¯s teacher, you¡¯re currently on a teaching hiatus, which puts you in the category of a stranger.¡±

    Upon hearing this response, Teacher Zhou was so infuriated that she trembled. She had never encountered such a cheeky child before. It was outrageous!

    However, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose her temper now. She still needed to get Gu Zi¡¯s forgiveness to return to teaching. There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with these two brothers later. So, she forced a smile and said, ¡°Su Li¡¯s elder brother, you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m still Su Li¡¯s homeroom teacher.¡±

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    But Su Bing was not swayed by her words. He was firm in his decision, ¡°Teacher Zhou, you can wait here for my mother. I won¡¯t let you in. Su Li, let¡¯s go inside. Teacher Zhou, don¡¯t follow us in. That would be trespassing, and the security team here would definitely kick you out.¡±

    With that, Su Li casually opened the front door and led his younger brother inside. Teacher Zhou stood rooted to the spot, wanting to follow but not daring to. She could only watch helplessly as the door opened and closed again. She was so frustrated that she stomped her foot. She hadn¡¯t been able to see Gu Zi, let alone receive her forgiveness!

    Once the brothers were inside, they found Gu Zi already downstairs, holding Lele. Su Li relayed the earlier encounter to his mother, ¡°Mom, that Teacher Zhou came again. But my brother stopped her with just a few words. She didn¡¯t dare to follow us in. She¡¯s such a coward, haha. I¡¯m not scared of her at all now!¡±

    After listening, Gu Zi calmly placed Lele on the sofa to play and said, ¡°That Teacher Zhou is just a bully. Let her feed the mosquitoes outside for a while.¡±

    Su Li, finally catching on, asked his mother, ¡°Mom, between my brother and me, who¡¯s the soft one and who¡¯s the hard one?¡±

 Chapter 746 - Chapter 746: Iâ€™m Not A Thief

    Chapter 746: I¡¯m Not A Thief

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the question, Gu Zi and Su Bing shared a knowing glance, their faces struggling to suppress their laughter. Su Li was about to press further when Gu Zi deftly changed the subject. ¡°You two look after my sister. I¡¯ll go make a call to the security office.¡±

    With a single phone call, Gu Zi summoned the security team of the villa district. The team promptly dispatched two towering guards to address the issue at No. 1 Fulun Road. Upon arrival, they spotted a woman in her forties or fifties, peering nervously into the villa through the gate. The guards swiftly apprehended her.

    One of the guards, his voice brimming with authority, demanded, ¡°Where did you come from, thief? It¡¯s still early, and yet you dare to cause trouble here. Do you know where you are? Leave immediately!¡±

    Teacher Zhou¡¯s arm throbbed where the guard had grabbed her. She protested, ¡°I¡¯m not a thief! You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m here to see the owner of this house! Please, let me go. I came to apologize. If you don¡¯t believe me, call the owner out and ask her. I know the owner¡¯s name is Gu Zi!¡±

    The two guards exchanged puzzled glances. They had been dispatched because the owner had reported suspicious activity around her property. Could there have been a misunderstanding?

    Even if there was, they couldn¡¯t possibly admit that the owner had summoned them. And this woman claimed to be here to apologize, yet she had been refused entry and had arrived empty-handed¡­

    The older guard seemed to grasp the situation. He ordered his colleague to release the woman, saying, ¡°Stop your nonsense. I¡¯ve never seen anyone come to apologize empty-handed before. I suggest you leave immediately, or don¡¯t blame us for kicking you out.¡±

    Teacher Zhou¡¯s face darkened, but she had no choice but to leave. She knew that Gu Zi was doing this on purpose. Every time she came to apologize, she was rebuffed. But she couldn¡¯t retaliate because Gu Zi and Yang Zhen had powerful backers. These two women were skilled at currying favor, even winning over the principal¡¯s daughter. She had been careless, not realizing the connections these people had.

    Whatever she did in the future, she would have to be more discreet. Despite understanding this, she was still furious. As she walked away, she tried to calm herself down.

    Don¡¯t get angry, she told herself. Hold it in. Once the dust settles, she would have plenty of opportunities to vent her anger. After all, she had Deputy Commander Hu backing her. If it came to a fight, others might not be able to handle her.

    Teacher Zhou failed to secure Gu Zi¡¯s forgiveness and was left with no choice but to seek out Director Zeng at her old home. She carefully chose words that would favor her, but to her dismay, she was still reprimanded by Director Zeng.

    Director Zeng said, ¡°Teacher Zhou, you claim that Yang Zhen is a teacher, a new one at the school, and a junior to you. You chose not to apologize to her, which is one thing, but you were the one who offended the parents of the students first. You cannot avoid apologizing for that.

    ¡°Furthermore, you are a seasoned teacher. It¡¯s really unbecoming of you. Who goes to apologize empty-handed? It¡¯s no wonder the security guard turned you away. If you had shown up at the door with fruits and a gift box, would they have treated you like a thief and chased you away? I¡¯ll say it again, you must secure the forgiveness of the parents of Su Li, or else you should not return to work.¡±

    For the first time, Teacher Zhou saw Director Zeng show such a stern face, and she immediately backed down. She could not afford to lose this job.

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    So, swallowing her pride, she hurriedly pulled out money from her pocket and handed it to Director Zeng. Director Zeng looked at her seriously, ¡°Teacher Zhou, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to bribe me?¡±

    Sweating profusely, Teacher Zhou hurriedly explained, ¡°Director Zeng, I wouldn¡¯t dare! What I mean is, could you please do me a favor and apologize on my behalf? I¡¯ve tried three times already, and I couldn¡¯t even get through the door. It¡¯s just too difficult!¡±

    Upon hearing her explanation, Director Zeng considered that as a teacher at the school, Teacher Zhou¡¯s actions had indeed chilled the hearts of the parents. An apology was necessary, but she suspected that Su Li¡¯s parents would not want to see Teacher Zhou. Only then did she accept the money from Teacher Zhou, left to buy some fruits and biscuits, and rode her bicycle to Gu Zi¡¯s house.

    Director Zeng arrived at Gu Zi¡¯s house and was easily admitted. She handed the fruits and biscuits to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°Gu Zi, this incident was Teacher Zhou¡¯s fault. She bought these as an apology gift for Su Li. I have already severely criticized her several times for this incident. Moreover, after discussions with our leadership, we have decided to revoke her qualification for the Outstanding Teacher Award last year.¡±

    Gu Zi was well aware of the school¡¯s system. The school held an Outstanding Teacher selection event at the end of each year. Those who were selected received a substantial bonus. This selection process particularly favored veteran teachers, and those with five or six years of teaching experience could usually be selected without any surprises.

 Chapter 747 - Chapter 747: Going Away for a Few Days

    Chapter 747: Going Away for a Few Days

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon the arrival of the first month¡¯s salary in the new term, the bonus was to be distributed along with it. However, for Teacher Zhou, it was as if the duck that was already in her hand had flown away. She would not be receiving this bonus with her monthly salary.

    Gu Zi was quite satisfied with this punishment. She accepted the apology gift from Director Zeng, saying, ¡°Since Director Zeng has stepped in, we can consider this matter closed.¡±

    Director Zeng, with a warm smile, replied, ¡°Seeing you accept these, I can rest assured. I won¡¯t bother you any longer, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±

    After Director Zeng¡¯s departure, Su Shen emerged from the kitchen, taking little Su Le¡¯s hand and walking over to Gu Zi. ¡°The kitchen is all cleaned up,¡± he said. ¡°If you want to continue reading, go ahead. You have exams this year, so you should focus more on your studies. I¡¯ll take Lele upstairs to change her clothes; she¡¯s gotten wet.¡±

    Gu Zi picked up her book, intending to continue reading. She stood up, wrapped her arms around the older man, and planted a kiss on his chin. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Lele,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll come up once I finish this chapter.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, his heart sweet as honey. He picked up Su Le and headed upstairs.

    By the time Gu Zi finished her reading and went upstairs, Su Shen had already changed Su Le into her pajamas and was in the children¡¯s room, coaxing her to sleep.

    Since they moved here, they had been encouraging Su Le to sleep in her own bed in the children¡¯s room. The small bed was surrounded by railings, ensuring a safe sleep. Moreover, since the children¡¯s room was located within the master bedroom, it was very convenient to take care of her at night.

    The little girl was quite resilient. Apart from crying for the first couple of nights, she had adapted well to sleeping in her own bed. Occasionally, she would wet the bed, but Gu Zi had a solution for that. She placed a waterproof cloth under the bedsheet, so that when the bed was wet, only the top sheet needed to be washed.

    Gu Zi was the type of person who, once she decided to do something, would do it well. In her previous life, she had never taken care of a child, but now that she needed to, she was able to do it very well. She didn¡¯t let her lack of experience cause her to become flustered.

    After glancing at the father-daughter duo, Gu Zi went to gather the laundry and take a bath. After her bath, she sat in front of the vanity mirror, massaging her scalp with a wooden comb, taking care of her long, shiny black hair.

    Su Shen came over, took the comb from her hand, and began to comb her hair. Despite being a rough man, he was surprisingly gentle and meticulous when it came to combing her hair.

    In truth, Su Shen had undergone a transformation. Previously, his showers were brisk, never exceeding ten minutes. But now, he lavished more time and attention on the task. Just like the shower he had taken earlier, he had spent a full fifteen minutes.

    Despite his newfound meticulousness, he still felt coarse, especially when compared to Gu Zi. Her skin was delicate and smooth, just like tender tofu.

    After Su Shen finished combing her hair, he pulled her into his embrace. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed involuntarily, ¡°Gu Zi, may I kiss you now?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement. He leaned down, and their lips met in a passionate kiss. The temperature in the room seemed to rise rapidly. Overwhelmed by his feelings, Su Shen buried his face in the crook of her neck, his hands exploring her body. His voice was low and husky, ¡°Gu Zi, I might have to leave for a few days.¡±

    Gu Zi was on the brink of surrender, but she was still lucid enough to understand what Su Shen was implying. It must have something to do with the last time Hu Jie had delivered a letter from the commander to him.

    Her eyes, clouded with desire, turned to him, ¡°Will you come back?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s movements became more intense. He changed his position and answered in a hoarse voice, ¡°Of course I¡¯ll come back. Why, don¡¯t you want me to return?¡±

    Gu Zi arched her back, her body writhing in response to his touch. She teased him, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to return. I just think that if you don¡¯t come back, you should let me know. That way, I can legally start dating after our divorce¡­¡±

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    Su Shen¡¯s face darkened at her words. His eyes were filled with possessiveness, his tone authoritative, ¡°Don¡¯t think about such impossible things. I¡¯m only leaving for a few days, not forever.¡±

    He silenced her with a kiss, turning her lips a vivid red. In the midst of their passion, he withdrew his hand, suppressing his desire at the crucial moment. He held her as they lay down to sleep.

    Gu Zi knew he was upset by her words. She gave him a mischievous smile, planting a soft kiss on his lips, whispering, ¡°Goodnight, husband.¡±

    Su Shen closed his eyes, his eyelashes casting long shadows on his cheeks. He looked as if he was truly asleep.

    Gu Zi thought that, surprisingly, the rough man looked somewhat refined in his sleep. She wrapped her arms around his, slowly drifting off to sleep.

 Chapter 748 - Chapter 748: Canâ€™t Claim to be Wronged

    Chapter 748: Can¡¯t Claim to be Wronged

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi drifted into a deep slumber, Su Shen opened his eyes. He tenderly wrapped his arms around her, whispering a soft response into her ear, ¡°Goodnight, my darling.¡±

    While Gu Zi¡¯s world was filled with sweetness and joy, the atmosphere at the Gu family¡¯s grand courtyard was tense enough to suffocate.

    The task that Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother had requested of the Gu family had not been accomplished. Moreover, Zhang Mei discovered that her brother had given her a counterfeit jade pendant. The argument that ensued between the two families had led to a complete breakdown in their relationship. Behind each other¡¯s backs, they spared no effort in slandering one another, further tarnishing the Gu family¡¯s reputation in the grand courtyard.

    Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother and his family were spreading rumors that the Gu family only accepted gifts but never fulfilled their obligations. They pointed out that although Gu Zi had become successful, she had no regard for her adoptive parents. In their view, the Gu family had been too ruthless and biased in the past, favoring their biological daughter and neglecting their adopted one. As a result, their biological daughter had turned out to be as disappointing as they were.

    Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were infuriated and depressed. They retaliated by badmouthing Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother, accusing him of giving counterfeit goods while asking for favors. They claimed they would be better off without such relatives who spread defamatory rumors when things didn¡¯t go their way. However, in this mudslinging battle, Zhang Mei¡¯s elder brother¡¯s family seemed to have the upper hand, casting a dark cloud over the Gu family¡¯s daily life.

    Adding to this, there had always been numerous conflicts between Gu Shan and Zhang Mei. In the past, their intelligent daughter Gu Zi had played the peacemaker, making their life bearable. But ever since Gu Zi left, the couple¡¯s long-standing issues had escalated, reaching a point of no return. Zhang Mei¡¯s behavior had become more apparent, seizing every opportunity to berate her husband. It seemed that only by doing so could she find some relief.

    But Gu Shan was no longer willing to tolerate Zhang Mei¡¯s constant nagging. Now, provoked to anger by her words, he slammed his hand on the table and retorted, ¡°How dare you speak! Who do you think is responsible for the state we¡¯re in? Isn¡¯t it because of your favoritism, your insistence on sending Gu Zi to marry in the countryside, and nearly driving her to death? Even if she openly resents us now, we can¡¯t claim to be wronged!

    ¡°Moreover, Gu Zi, that child, still shows us respect on the surface. In the end, you are the one who has ruined this family. And the matter with Lin Miao is your fault too. If you hadn¡¯t indulged Lin Miao, would she have made so many mistakes without realizing her wrongs? You¡¯d better keep your mouth shut now¡­¡±

    Gu Shan paced back and forth, consumed by regret. He wished he had never listened to Zhang Mei¡¯s advice, focusing solely on compensating his biological daughter and neglecting his adopted one. Now, looking back, he realized their actions were indeed inappropriate. It was understandable that Gu Zi would feel disheartened.

    As Gu Shan spoke, his anger grew, and eventually, he stormed out of the house in the middle of the night.

    Zhang Mei was reduced to tears by the harsh words. She no longer cared about maintaining the dignity of a battalion captain¡¯s wife.

    As she wept and cursed, Li Li, who was standing nearby, rushed over in a panic, trying to console Zhang Mei. ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t cry. The master is just under a lot of stress. He still cares about you. Where could he possibly go in the middle of the night? I¡¯ve heard that the women in this city are quite alluring to men.¡±

    Li Li had been working as a maid in the Gu household. These days, she deliberately dressed herself in a simple, unambitious manner to deceive Zhang Mei and lower her guard. As she spoke soothing words, a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. The quarrel was beneficial to her; without their arguments, she would have no chance to rise in status.

    Sure enough, Zhang Mei began to ponder upon hearing Li Li¡¯s words. This was not the first time Gu Shan had stormed out. When he was not at home, could he be out seeking other women?

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    This was unacceptable! Zhang Mei wiped her tears and eyed Li Li warily. Li Li merely responded with a foolish grin, causing Zhang Mei to finally let her guard down.

    Initially, Zhang Mei had been cautious around Li Li. Although the woman dressed plainly and seemed to lack the ability to seduce men, she was still much younger than Zhang Mei.

    Having Li Li as a maid in the house had always made Zhang Mei uneasy. However, it seemed that Li Li was indeed a simple country girl. Instead of viewing Li Li as an adversary, Zhang Mei decided it would be better to utilize her services.

    Zhang Mei withdrew her gaze and pulled out five yuan from her pocket, handing it to Li Li. ¡°I was impulsive just now. Thank you for reminding me. Could you do me a favor and bring the master back? If he¡¯s too angry to return, make sure you stick with him and keep other women away from him. Can you handle that?¡±

    Li Li accepted the five yuan with a show of gratitude, but inwardly, she was disdainful. The wife of a battalion captain was trying to win her over with just five yuan, which was laughable. However, she immediately assured Zhang Mei, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, madam. I can handle it. From now on, I¡¯ll be your eyes and ears.¡±

 Chapter 749 - Chapter 749: True Freedom

    Chapter 749: True Freedom

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi knew that Su Shen was preparing for a long journey. Rising early the next day, she busied herself in the kitchen. She intended to prepare some food for the man to eat on the road, as well as some everyday snacks.

    Gu Zi had a premonition. This trip of his would likely take some time. By preparing extra food for him to take along, she hoped to provide some comfort for him when he missed home, giving him something tangible to hold onto.

    Su Bing woke up early in the morning to review his lessons. As he went downstairs to water the flowers, he heard noises coming from the kitchen. Glancing at the wall clock in the living room, he noted that it was only six o¡¯clock. Why was his mother preparing breakfast so early today?

    With curiosity piqued, Su Bing approached the kitchen. On the counter, he saw three lunch boxes. These boxes were specially designed by his mother to make it easier for them to carry meals to school. Each box was divided into several compartments for soup, rice, and dishes. Once the lid was secured, even if the box was tossed around, the food inside would not mix.

    The food would remain as it was packed, even after the box was opened. His mother had mentioned that these boxes were also ideal for long journeys, picnics, or trips, making them incredibly convenient. Su Bing had always admired his mother¡¯s ingenuity. However, now that their school had a cafeteria, there was no need for them to bring their own meals. Why was his mother using these lunch boxes? Was someone in the family going on a trip? Could it be his father?

    Su Bing also noticed dozens of dumplings shaped like gold ingots on the kitchen counter. His mother was preparing a steamer, likely to steam the dumplings. As he moved closer, he saw the food packed in the three lunch boxes. It was indeed a feast.

    The first lunch box, large and with many compartments, contained five golden meat patties, five shrimp dumplings, a serving of mixed grain rice, seafood mushroom soup, and a jar of mixed fruit preserves made by his mother.

    The second lunch box was filled with fried chicken legs, chips, and fries. Thoughtfully, she had squeezed ketchup and honey into the empty spaces. This box also included a jar of fruit preserves. The third lunch box was filled with popcorn. Beside it was a bag of stomach-soothing candies made by his mother, which could be eaten as is or dissolved in water¡­

    Su Bing couldn¡¯t help but gulp at the sight of the food. Just as he was about to ask about it, Su Li stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. Clearly, he had been lured in by the aroma of the food. Seeing the food in the lunch boxes, he immediately reached out to grab some. ¡°Mom, today¡¯s breakfast is so rich! The fried chicken legs look so delicious!¡± he exclaimed.

    As Su Li spoke, his small hand instinctively reached for the large chicken leg. But in the next second, he was taken aback. For the first time, his mother had ruthlessly slapped his hand away just before he could touch the chicken leg. Su Li sobered up instantly, feeling a bit heartbroken. Love could disappear, couldn¡¯t it?

    Gu Zi quickly covered the lunch box. She had been too busy earlier to cover it in time. She explained to the two brothers, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry. I have to take your father to the train station soon. I¡¯ve prepared enough food for him to eat on the road. You can eat when you come back tonight. I¡¯ll cook in a while, but for now, all this is for your father. Since you¡¯re up, get ready for breakfast. We¡¯re having dumplings today.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li realized that his father was going on a long journey and that his mother had prepared the food for him. So, his mother didn¡¯t really stop loving him. Yes, his mother was just worried that his father wouldn¡¯t have anything to eat on the road.

    After some self-reflection, Su Li quickly recovered from his sadness. He picked up a plate of steamed dumplings and ate them with relish. After breakfast, he and his brother went upstairs to change into their school uniforms. By the time they came downstairs, their parents were already preparing to leave.

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    Gu Zi looked at her two sons. Once they put on their school uniforms, their demeanors completely changed. They no longer looked malnourished and skinny like before. Gu Zi happily bid her sons goodbye, watched them get into the Gao family¡¯s car to go to school, and then took Su Li and Su Shen to the train station by taxi.

    Su Shen didn¡¯t need Gu Zi to accompany him, but she insisted on doing so. Su Shen didn¡¯t refuse. He had his own selfish reasons. He wanted to spend more time with Gu Zi, even if it was just for the short time it took to see him off.

    He had read the letter and understood Gu Zi¡¯s worries. This trip might not be easy to get away from. The higher-ups wouldn¡¯t let him go easily, but he couldn¡¯t not go.

    Because if he didn¡¯t go, he wouldn¡¯t gain true freedom. For Gu Zi and their home, he had to go, to meet with the leader and once again express his choice.

    At the train station, when it was time to part, the usually cheerful Su Li became gloomy. Seeing her father board the train and look out the window at them, her mother also looked at her father. Although her mother was smiling, the little girl suddenly burst into tears. It seemed she had sensed the unspoken reluctance between her parents¡­

 Chapter 750 - Chapter 750: A Relaxed Atmosphere

    Chapter 750: A Relaxed Atmosphere

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a relaxed atmosphere, the Gao family¡¯s car had already arrived at the school gate. Su Bing and his two companions disembarked, barely stepping foot into the school grounds when a classmate of Su Bing¡¯s approached them.

    Su Bing was not one for making friends. Initially, people were hesitant to approach him due to his unfamiliar face, and he was content with the peace and quiet. He would not initiate conversations, preferring to spend his time solving problems.

    However, today, a classmate took the initiative to strike up a conversation. Su Bing saw no reason not to respond. Ignoring them would not be aloof, it would be impolite.

    Su Bing was not one to ignore, but his response was cold. He simply said, ¡°Good morning,¡± without any further elaboration. His classmates were at a loss for words.

    Yet, as they stood there dumbfounded, a hint of admiration flashed in their eyes. Su Bing¡¯s cold demeanor and succinct speech were incredibly cool!

    One of the boys, usually cheerful and talkative, finally found his voice. He said to Su Bing, ¡°Su Bing, let¡¯s walk together. I heard you skipped a grade to fourth grade. At first, we thought you had connections.¡±

    Su Bing maintained his cool demeanor, parted ways with Su Li and Gao Ming, and walked with the two classmates who had greeted him. After all, without their conversation, it was time to part ways.

    After Su Bing left, a hint of disappointment crossed Su Li¡¯s face. Gao Ming, walking beside him, comforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Su Li. With me here, no one in the class will dare to say anything about you. Don¡¯t be afraid of them!¡±

    Su Li remembered that he and Gao Ming were in the same class. He was not alone!

    His mood improved significantly. Hand in hand with Gao Ming, they hopped and skipped to their class. However, upon reaching the classroom door, Su Li became reserved again. He was not yet comfortable being lively in front of his classmates, fearing their disdain.

    What Su Li didn¡¯t know was that ever since the news of Teacher Zhou¡¯s suspension broke out, the attitude of his classmates had undergone a significant change. As Su Li and Gao Ming entered, before they even reached their seats, a classmate greeted them, ¡°Good morning, Gao Ming, Su Li. I¡¯m Gu Jun, this is Liu Shi, and this is Zhang Liang.

    ¡°I think we should get to know each other. We¡¯re all in the same class. If there are group activities in the future, you can join our team. I¡¯m good at foreign languages, Liu Shi is good at math, and Zhang Liang is good at poetry. We¡¯re known as the Iron Triangle in class. With us on your team, we¡¯re sure to complete the course beautifully.¡±

    Gao Ming generously exchanged high-fives with three individuals, declaring, ¡°No problem at all. I have many talents, but the most impressive among us is surely Su Li. He and his brother are skilled in martial arts.¡±

    Upon learning this previously, Gao Ming¡¯s admiration for his ¡®big brother¡¯ Su Bing and ¡®second brother¡¯ Su Li had only increased. The crowd, upon hearing this, turned their gaze towards Su Li, their eyes sparkling with newfound interest.

    Su Li, initially taken aback by the sudden shift in his classmates¡¯ attitudes, quickly adjusted himself to the relaxed atmosphere. He followed Gao Ming¡¯s lead, exchanging high-fives with three of his classmates, his demeanor effortlessly gracious.

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    He wasn¡¯t merely following the trend. Since he had moved to the city, he knew he needed to adapt to his new surroundings. He addressed his classmates, ¡°I may need to work harder on my academics, but my martial arts skills are solid. If there are any activities related to this in the future, feel free to team up with me!¡±

    With that, more students came forward to get to know Su Li. They began to admire him, ¡°Su Li is so impressive, he knows martial arts. That¡¯s so cool! My dad is a military man, I¡¯ll ask him to teach me martial arts when I get home. Su Li, can I ask for your guidance then?¡±

    Returning to his seat, Su Li found himself under the gaze of many admiring eyes. His movements became more deliberate, unhurriedly placing his backpack into the desk drawer. He then took out the textbook for the first lesson from his bag, and responded to the earlier question, recalling his father¡¯s words, ¡°Of course, learning martial arts is for the purpose of strengthening the body. As long as it¡¯s not used to bully the weak, anyone can learn.¡±

    ¡°Wow, Su Li, your words are so profound. No wonder Gao Ming considers you his ¡®second brother¡¯. We were shallow before, thinking you were unsophisticated because you came from the countryside. We were wrong, we were the ones who lacked insight. Su Li, here, have some of this.

    ¡°Just take a few pieces though. I¡¯ve been saving these for a long time and couldn¡¯t bear to eat them. These are snacks my dad brought back from overseas, they¡¯re called potato chips. They¡¯re fragrant, crispy, and flavorful. They¡¯re really delicious.¡±

 Chapter 751 - Chapter 751: Wait for My Message

    Chapter 751: Wait for My Message

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The student who had brought snacks began to speak, mysteriously producing a packet of treats. Upon hearing that they were potato chips, Su Li¡¯s interest waned significantly. His mother had already made these for him at home, and he was surprised that she could even replicate a snack enjoyed by foreigners. His mother was truly remarkable!

    However, since the snacks were already offered, it would be rude for Su Li to outright refuse. Thus, he took a piece to taste.

    Upon tasting the chip, Su Li found no extraordinary flavor. It was far from the deliciousness of his mother¡¯s homemade chips. With an air of confidence, he declared, ¡°I¡¯ll just have one. But I must say, the taste is just so-so. The chips my mother makes are far better than this. If I get a chance, I¡¯ll bring some for you all to try. But we¡¯ll have to wait until my mother makes them!¡±

    No sooner had Su Li spoken than someone voiced their skepticism. ¡°These are snacks brought back from abroad. Can your mother make them?¡±

    Su Li, confident in his mother¡¯s culinary skills, responded without hesitation, ¡°Of course she can. My mother can make many delicious things that you can¡¯t buy. You¡¯re lucky to be my classmates. When my mother gives me snacks, I¡¯ll share some with you.¡±

    The classmates¡¯ curiosity about Su Li¡¯s mother was piqued. Gao Ming, a classmate, vouched for Su Li, saying, ¡°I know because I often go to Su Li¡¯s house for meals. And Mrs. Gu, Su Li¡¯s mother, also makes delicious food for my grandmother. You haven¡¯t seen her, but I have. Mrs. Gu is very beautiful, more so than your mothers. She looks like a movie star!¡±

    The classmates looked at Su Li with envy, more convinced than ever that Su Li came from an influential family. They were surprised to learn that Su Li lived near Gao Ming¡¯s house. They had heard from their parents that Gao Ming lived in the old district of Jifu New Village. This implied that Su Li¡¯s family also lived there, suggesting that Su Li¡¯s parents must be quite impressive.

    The excitement among the classmates grew as they became more interested in learning about Su Li. The classroom was buzzing with activity, the atmosphere lively.

    Another student who lived in Jifu New Village, eager to taste the delicious food and see Su Li¡¯s beautiful mother, asked Su Li, ¡°Can I visit your house after school today?¡±

    Once one student had asked, others eagerly followed suit, expressing their desire to visit Su Li¡¯s house. Su Li thought for a moment before responding, ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my mother. I don¡¯t want her to get too tired. Wait for my message tomorrow.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the students found it reasonable and began to look forward to it. As class was about to start, they gradually returned to their seats.

    Gao Ming spoke up, ¡°You all need to ask for my opinion too. After all, I¡¯ve already accepted Su Li as my second brother, making me the third child of the Su family. If you want to visit my other home, you¡¯ll have to wait for my invitation. Do you understand?¡±

    Some of the students nodded, while others responded with a smile, ¡°Then we can all consider Su Li as our second brother. By the way, when can we meet the eldest brother? Is he in the fourth grade?¡±

    Su Li was about to answer, but the bell signaling the start of class rang.

    The teacher for the first period arrived promptly, and Su Li quickly sat up straight. The other students also regained their serious expressions and began their lesson. However, many of them had planted a seed in their hearts ¨C to acknowledge Su Li as their second brother, to enjoy delicious food and spicy drinks, and to have a beautiful godmother¡­

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    After seeing off Su Shen, Gu Zi returned from the train station, unaware that she had become the collective godmother of the children in Su Li¡¯s class. As soon as she arrived home, the landline rang. She picked it up, and it was a call from the town.

    The voice of An Yun came through quickly, ¡°Little Zi, the business at home is getting better and better. Your brother has been promoted to a managerial position at Daqing Pig Farm. When we have some free time, we want to come to the city to visit you.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°If you want to come, just let me know in advance. Su Shen is away on a trip and we don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back. If you come, it will liven up the house. We talked about having a housewarming party before, but I guess we¡¯ll have to wait until Su Shen returns for that.¡±

    Gu Zi had originally planned not to mention Su Shen¡¯s trip, because if she did, her mother would definitely worry and ask many questions. But if the Lin family were to come, they would find out anyway, and they would still ask what they wanted to ask. She might as well tell them now over the phone.

    As Gu Zi had expected, An Yun became somewhat worried upon hearing that her son-in-law was away. While a man could earn money outside, it wasn¡¯t a good thing if his heart went astray. ¡°Did he say when he would be back? He can¡¯t be away for too long. After all, he has a family. He can¡¯t be gone for a long time, can he?¡±

 Chapter 752 - Chapter 752: Shared Weariness

    Chapter 752: Shared Weariness

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi explained, ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet, but it shouldn¡¯t be long. Mother, don¡¯t worry, Su Shen has everything under control.¡±

    An Yun felt relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s something else I didn¡¯t get a chance to tell you earlier. The Gu family came looking for us. They knew you had moved into the city and wanted your address. I told them I didn¡¯t know. After a bit of back-and-forth, they left in a huff. But I heard something disturbing.

    ¡°They claimed that Lin Miao said you stole her job. They said the writing job you have now should have been hers. It¡¯s utter nonsense. The Gu family hasn¡¯t bothered you about this, have they?¡±

    An Yun¡¯s tone became indignant. She knew that Gu Zi hadn¡¯t stolen anything from Lin Miao. Lin Miao was in jail, how could she possibly have had this job opportunity?

    Gu Zi listened, her eyes narrowing slightly as a thoughtful and puzzled look graced her face. ¡°Lin Miao said I stole her job? She¡¯s certain of this?¡±

    Logically speaking, she had earned her place on the stage at the tea ceremony through her own merit. From Lin Miao¡¯s perspective, at most, she would be angry that she had stolen her chance to shine, had caught the attention of Boss Huo, and then, through Guan Xin, had secured this job.

    But this job was something she had obtained later. It wasn¡¯t something she had immediately after the tea ceremony. Lin Miao, after the tea ceremony, shouldn¡¯t have known about this job. Yet, Lin Miao claimed that Gu Zi had stolen it from her, implying that the job should have been hers.

    In fact, if Gu Zi hadn¡¯t crossed over, according to the original plot of the book, the job would indeed have been Lin Miao¡¯s. But the reality was, she had crossed over. The story wasn¡¯t developing according to the original plot. But how could she know about the original plot of the book? It was strange. Gu Zi really hoped she was just being overly suspicious¡­

    At three in the afternoon, the train Su Shen was on had arrived at the transfer station. He needed to switch to another train to continue his journey to his destination. No sooner had he stepped onto the train, military luggage in hand, than Gong Zhan and Hu Jie, both dressed in military uniforms, approached him.

    They were both tall and handsome, their military attire making them stand out even more than Su Shen. Each was followed by a bodyguard, carrying their luggage, which drew the attention of passersby. Both were accustomed to admiration, and they treated the attention as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, continuing on their way nonchalantly.

    Although neither of them voiced it, they were both proud of the attention they were receiving. However, their mutual glances held a hint of shared weariness. Gong Zhan, shifting his gaze away, was the first to speak, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, unfortunately, we are not in the same carriage.¡±

    This time, he had been recommended by his superiors and specially invited by the Capital Military District to serve as the commander of a secret combat exercise. His father had repeatedly reminded him to be well-prepared and to perform well. If he could catch the eye of the capital¡¯s officials, his career could take off.

    His military district, his father, and his father¡¯s subordinates were all paying close attention to his trip to the capital. He had also told himself that he must make a name for himself in the capital and command a successful combat exercise. He was determined to completely overshadow Gu Zi¡¯s pig-killing husband. This time, nothing would distract him.

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    However, to his dismay, when his mother, Mrs. Chen, learned of this, she inquired about it. She found out that Deputy Commander Hu was also going, and even found out his departure date. Mrs. Chen had repeatedly urged him to leave on the same day and to buy a ticket for the same carriage as Hu Jie, the closer the seats, the better. He pretended to agree, buying a ticket for the same day, but deliberately not for the same carriage.

    Hu Jie, of course, didn¡¯t care whether she was in the same carriage as Gong Zhan. Hearing what Gong Zhan had said, she moved forward with her bodyguard, Xiao Zhao. Gong Zhan also lowered his hat brim and entered the carriage, followed by his bodyguard, carrying two bags of gifts.

    After they found their seats, the bodyguard quickly stowed the luggage and respectfully said to Gong Zhan, ¡°Deputy Commander, please have a seat.¡±

    Gong Zhan sat down silently, coughed once, and said to the bodyguard, ¡°We¡¯re away from home, there¡¯s no need to be so ostentatious.¡±

    Having said that, he looked up, intending to check the clock at the front of the carriage. However, his gaze froze as it moved. Gong Zhan¡¯s face darkened when he saw the man sitting directly opposite him. What was Su Shen doing here?!

 Chapter 753 - Chapter 753: Itâ€™s a Good Thing to Let Go

    Chapter 753: It¡¯s a Good Thing to Let Go

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen noticed Gong Zhan too, but only faintly lifted his eyelids, casting a cursory glance in his direction. He didn¡¯t seem surprised, nor did he care why Gong Zhan was present.

    In the next moment, Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t keep his composure. ¡°Are you heading to the capital?¡± he asked.

    Su Shen¡¯s expression was cold, as if he didn¡¯t even register the man standing before him. He ignored Gong Zhan¡¯s question, feeling no connection to the man. Not only were they not close, but Gong Zhan was also covertly coveting another man¡¯s wife. Su Shen didn¡¯t want to engage with him, so he lowered his gaze and closed his eyes to rest.

    Gong Zhan didn¡¯t say anything more, his face growing darker. The guards watched as their deputy commander was snubbed for the first time, wisely choosing to remain silent.

    The train soon started moving. As dusk approached, the aroma of food filled the carriage. Clearly, everyone was starting to eat their dinner. Due to the expensive and unappetizing boxed meals on the train, most experienced travelers chose to bring their own food.

    Even though the train attendant made several rounds with a cart full of boxed meals, only a few were sold. Among them, Gong Zhan and his guards were the only ones in their carriage who bought these meals.

    Su Shen glanced at the unappetizing food, expressionless. He pulled out a large lunch box from his bag. As he opened it, the golden, meaty aroma of a meat pie wafted out, along with the enticing shrimp dumplings, beautifully colored mixed grain rice, and a rich, creamy mushroom soup. There was also a can of fruit. The variety and quality of the food could easily rival a star-rated hotel meal.

    The surrounding passengers and the train attendant in the narrow aisle were all drawn in. Someone exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯ve never smelled such a rich aroma. Where is it coming from?¡±

    However, when they found the source of the delicious smell, they were startled by two tall men. One of them had a cold, handsome face that made people hesitate to approach. He was silently enjoying the exquisite food in front of him.

    The other man was staring intently at the man across from him, his face dark as he watched him eat the rich and delicate meal. The air around them felt suffocating, and the two men scared everyone into quickly turning their heads away, no longer curious.

    At this moment, the security guard felt like a shrimp on the verge of bursting, the atmosphere so oppressive he could hardly breathe. Eventually, he found the courage to speak, ¡°Deputy Commander, do you know this gentleman?¡±

    The security guard was naturally observant. From the start, he had noticed that the man opposite was carrying a military-grade luggage bag, indicating that he too was a soldier.

    However, due to the tension between the two men, the guard had not dared to ask earlier. Now, he felt compelled to break the stifling silence. After a moment of quiet, Gong Zhan finally responded, ¡°He¡¯s a pig farmer. How could I possibly know him?¡±

    The guard had not expected such a response. What could he say to that? Clearly, it was time for him to make his exit. With sweat already beading on his forehead, the guard stood up to excuse himself, ¡°It¡¯s too dry here, I¡¯m going to buy some water.¡±

    Su Shen had finished his meat pie and was about to start on his mushroom soup. But before he did, he cast a casual glance at the unhealed scratch marks on Gong Zhan¡¯s face, and retorted, ¡°You nearly ended up in the police station because you coveted my wife. Whose wife did you covet this time?¡±

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    Gong Zhan felt a pang of annoyance at the mention of the deliberately concealed marks on his face. Damn Gong Xin, was it really necessary to scratch his face over a box of pastries?

    Not only had his face been scratched, but now he was being mocked by a pig farmer. He wasn¡¯t going to lose this verbal battle. With a cold laugh, he retorted, ¡°Covet her? She chased after me for years, even gave me lots of food, which I shared with others.¡±

    Su Shen nodded, calmly picking up his spoon, and said, ¡°Indeed, she loves to cook. Unfortunately, she won¡¯t be cooking for you anymore. She might have chased you, but in the end, she married me. This proves that I am good enough for her, worthy of her attention. She didn¡¯t hesitate to leave you, a man who uses a young girl¡¯s admiration as a bragging right. It¡¯s a good thing she left.¡±

    Gong Zhan was left speechless, fuming with anger. At the same time, he noticed that the food Gu Zi prepared for Su Shen seemed more delicious and abundant than what she used to give him.

    But he refused to believe that Gu Zi loved Su Shen more. He convinced himself that her culinary skills had simply improved over time. Perhaps she had even made an effort to learn in order to win him back. He certainly wasn¡¯t envious¡­

 Chapter 754 - Chapter 754: Covet Her

    Chapter 754: Covet Her

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When the security guard returned, the atmosphere between the two men had grown even more oppressive. If they had been on a training field, they might have already started fighting in the manner of men.

    The guard¡¯s forehead, freshly wiped of cold sweat, was again beaded with perspiration. He couldn¡¯t use the same escape tactic twice, so he racked his brain for a solution. His gaze fell on the large lunch box on the small table, and he finally found a topic to break the ice.

    ¡°Ah, sir,¡± he began, ¡°where did you get this takeout? It looks absolutely delicious. Is it from the Golden Sun? Our deputy commander frequents there too. Business must be booming these days. The lunch box is also well made. It looks like it was custom designed.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze fell on the lunch box in front of him. The gloom in his eyes dissipated, replaced by warmth and pride. ¡°My wife prepared it for me,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s always worried I won¡¯t eat well. There are two more boxes in the bag. She designed the lunch box too. She¡¯s a wise woman, and I will always love her.¡±

    The security guard, seeing the stern man¡¯s face finally soften, turned to speak to his deputy commander. However, he noticed that the deputy commander¡¯s face had grown even more sullen. Deciding it was best to keep quiet, he held his tongue.

    Meanwhile, in Jifu New Village, Gu Zi had finished her work for the day. It was only three in the afternoon, too early to start preparing dinner. Her sons wouldn¡¯t be home from school until four ten. Feeling energetic, she decided to find something to do. She carried her daughter, Su Le, downstairs and sat on the doorstep leading to the backyard, putting on rain boots for both of them.

    ¡°We can cultivate this wasteland in the backyard,¡± she mused, ¡°plant some peppers and tomatoes, and some seasonal vegetables. It would be great to have our own little vegetable garden. Lele, let¡¯s get started. The first step is weeding!¡±

    Gu Zi felt a sense of satisfaction. She had transformed a small plot of land in front of her rural home into a beautiful vegetable garden. Now, with this larger plot, she could plan even more freely.

    Gu Zi handed a small hoe, specially made for her daughter, to Su Le. Holding her hand, they walked towards the wasteland. Su Le swung the little hoe in her hand, echoing her mother¡¯s words, ¡°Mommy and Lele, first step, weeding, charge!¡±

    Gu Zi was charmed by her daughter¡¯s cuteness. The little girl was now steady on her feet and had some strength. Gu Zi didn¡¯t have to worry about her being tripped by the weight of the hoe. Her speech had also improved dramatically.

    As they knelt down to weed, Gu Zi echoed her daughter¡¯s words, ¡°Charge, charge, charge!¡±

    Su Le, mimicking her mother¡¯s actions, squatted down and began to weed. She was earnest in her efforts, but her strength was far from matching that of an adult. A thumb-high weed took her several attempts with the small hoe before it finally gave way.

    By then, her mother had already cleared a pile of weeds taller than her. Undeterred, Su Le swung her hoe towards another weed, finding the whole process amusing. A toothy grin spread across her face as she laughed heartily.

    Watching her daughter¡¯s joy, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but smile. Indeed, companionship was a fundamental human need. Having this little one by her side made everything more enjoyable.

    After a while, Gu Zi had accumulated three large piles of weeds. The cleared land was now exposed, its dark red soil indicating its fertility. She had to admit, the villa was well-designed, catering to the inherent desire of the Chinese to cultivate their own vegetables by leaving a plot of land in the backyard.

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    Surveying the three large piles of weeds, Gu Zi decided to enlist the help of Big Yellow from the front yard. She had no intention of leaving the weeds there. After all, she had worked hard to clear the land and didn¡¯t want it to be overrun by weeds again. Besides, the weeds would hinder the tilling process. It was time for Big Yellow to earn his keep and haul the weeds away.

    Big Yellow seemed to understand Gu Zi¡¯s intentions. He wagged his tail obediently, allowing Gu Zi to load him up. She filled two large bags with weeds, tied them securely, and placed them on Big Yellow¡¯s back. In this way, Big Yellow could dispose of all the weeds in one trip, saving them the trouble of making multiple trips.

    Gu Zi changed her shoes, took Su Le by the hand, and led Big Yellow to a small wasteland near the villa to dump the weeds. Big Yellow, a fierce-looking dog, strutted ahead, seemingly paving the way for his masters. He looked quite proud of himself.

    The sight of Big Yellow initially frightened the passersby, who tried to keep their distance. But they soon found the dog¡¯s human-like behavior fascinating ¨C a dog that could help its owners carry loads. They couldn¡¯t help but watch a little longer.

    Under the watchful eyes of the public, Gu Zi and her crew returned home after disposing of the weeds. As they reached the front door, they found the two brothers had already arrived. Upon entering the house, Gu Zi noticed a hint of worry on Su Li¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Are your classmates still prejudiced against you?¡±

 Chapter 755 - Chapter 755: Elevating Learning

    Chapter 755: Elevating Learning

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li set down his backpack, shaking his head as he spoke, ¡°No, I have many friends now, but¡­ I feel like the teachers teach so fast. They¡¯re much more interesting than the teachers at my old school, and I don¡¯t feel sleepy in class anymore. But I feel like I can¡¯t keep up. Mom, am I¡­ am I not very smart?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi realized that the little one was troubled about his studies. Her face relaxed considerably as she gently replied, ¡°This school emphasizes engaging classrooms, so the teachers often use various methods to deliver a lesson. This requires students to constantly improve their adaptability. My second child is not unintelligent. Trust me, you¡¯re just not used to it yet.¡±

    After a brief pause, she continued, ¡°To help you adapt quickly, I have a suggestion. If you don¡¯t understand something in class, don¡¯t just discard it. Accumulated knowledge gaps can become quite frightening. Don¡¯t panic if you don¡¯t understand, you can discuss it with your classmates after class, or ask the teacher. Teachers won¡¯t refuse a diligent and inquisitive student. If you still can¡¯t understand, you can discuss it with me when you get home.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li¡¯s face brightened. Seeing his older brother already engrossed in a book, he didn¡¯t want to be left behind. He quickly pulled out his textbook and, tugging at his mother¡¯s sleeve, pleaded, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll ask the teacher and discuss with my classmates in the future. But for today, can you help me catch up?¡±

    The second child was already quite handsome, and Gu Zi¡¯s recent nurturing had improved his complexion and filled out his face, enhancing his attractiveness. How could Gu Zi resist such a charming plea from her second child?

    However, Su Le, who was sitting nearby, pouted when she saw her brother pulling at their mother. She pushed her brother¡¯s hand away and nestled herself into their mother¡¯s embrace.

    Su Li, eager to hear his mother¡¯s lesson, paid no mind to his little sister. The little girl, feeling victorious, was quite pleased. She listened to her mother¡¯s lesson as if it were a bedtime story. Halfway through Gu Zi¡¯s explanation, the little girl fell sound asleep in her arms, her round little head looking particularly adorable.

    Gu Zi affectionately touched the little girl¡¯s nose, then turned to Su Li, ¡°You start on the practice problems. I¡¯ll put your sister to sleep on the couch and fetch a blanket for her. We don¡¯t want her to catch a cold, my little darling.¡±

    Su Li hung his head, wanting to ask, ¡°Mom, am I not your little darling?¡± But then he thought about the problems he still had to solve. He decided to let his little sister have the upper hand today. Burying his head in his work, Su Li was determined to elevate his learning.

    Meanwhile, Su Bing swiftly reviewed the knowledge points he needed to study. With a swift efficiency, he packed his school bag and ascended the stairs, intending to wash the clothes he and his younger brother had changed out of the night before. He harbored a dislike for washing machines, preferring the hands-on approach of washing by hand. He had long ago made an agreement with his mother that he would take care of his and his brother¡¯s laundry. His aim was to help his mother as much as possible.

    In the kitchen, Gu Zi had already begun preparing dinner. Simultaneously, she made some small snacks, planning to let the two brothers take them to school the next day. They could eat them at lunch, ensuring a more balanced nutrition.

    Su Li, drawn by the aroma, entered the kitchen. His eyes sparkled as he watched the hot oil bubbling in the pot. Of course, his focus was on the chicken legs and chicken cutlets that were gradually turning golden and crispy in the hot oil.

    Gu Zi, aware of the salivating Su Li, didn¡¯t turn her head as she said, ¡°Eating greasy food at night isn¡¯t good, but I promised you guys, I¡¯d make you big chicken legs tonight. Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner.¡±

    Su Li obediently went to wash his hands. Su Bing, having just finished hanging the laundry, also washed his hands. The two brothers and Gu Zi, each carrying a few bowls and plates, served the meal in one go.

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    After Su Li sat down, he took a bite of his chicken leg, a large chunk of it. The heat made him open his mouth wide, huffing and puffing. But at the same time, the fragrant and crispy skin was broken by his teeth, revealing the tender meat inside. The delicious taste, coupled with the sweet juice that was released after chewing, was simply irresistible. Even though it was hot, Su Li didn¡¯t stop chewing. He was too satisfied!

    Gu Zi poured a cup of longan milk and handed it to Su Li, reminding him, ¡°Eat slowly. If you like it, I¡¯ll make it again next time. Just tell me what you want to eat, and I¡¯ll satisfy you when I have time.¡±

    Su Bing and Su Li nodded repeatedly. However, in reality, Su Bing would never specify any specific food because he loved whatever his mother cooked.

    Su Li regretted inviting his classmates to eat his mother¡¯s cooking. He had only thought about showing off at the moment, but wouldn¡¯t that make his mother tired¡­

    Gu Zi noticed that Su Li seemed troubled. After slowly swallowing the food in her mouth, she asked, ¡°Su Li, why aren¡¯t you eating anymore?¡±

 Chapter 756 - Chapter 756: The Thoughtfulness of an Older Man

    Chapter 756: The Thoughtfulness of an Older Man

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li stuttered, ¡°Mom, I¡­I just ate too fast, got a bit choked. I¡¯ll slow down.¡±

    Gu Zi watched him, her gaze turning stern. She knew her son well enough to see through his evasions. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s with the secrecy? Can¡¯t you even tell your own mother?¡±

    Su Li couldn¡¯t bear to hear her words. He spilled everything at once, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide anything from you, Mom. I regret agreeing to them. Today, I told my classmates that you cook delicious food. They all wanted to come over and taste your cooking. I said I¡¯d ask you first. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t think¡­I didn¡¯t think it would tire you out¡­¡±

    As the boy spoke, his tone became self-reproachful. Gu Zi¡¯s stern expression faded, replaced by a look of concern. She quickly patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°So that¡¯s all it is. You could have told me right away. How could it be tiring? Even if you didn¡¯t invite your classmates, wouldn¡¯t we still eat?

    ¡°However, the next couple of days might be a bit rushed. How about this? We¡¯ll host a food party at home on Saturday. You can invite your classmates over. It¡¯ll also help you bond with them. Su Li, if they want to come, let them. Su Bing, you should invite some classmates too.¡±

    Su Bing, suddenly called upon, obediently nodded. Although he didn¡¯t have many close friends in his class, if his mother wished for him to socialize more, he would invite some people. There were plenty in his class who wanted to befriend him. However, he knew hosting a party would tire his mother out. He said, ¡°Mom, Su Li and I will help you on Saturday.¡±

    Su Li, now cheerful, nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, Mom. Since it¡¯s our event, we should actively participate! Otherwise, when Dad comes home and sees you worn out, he¡¯ll surely be angry.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at her two sensible sons, feeling a sense of gratification.

    At that moment, the sound of their little sister waking up and crying came from the living room. Gu Zi stood up, smiling, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. Your sister is awake, I¡¯ll go get her.¡±

    When Gu Zi arrived in the living room, the little girl¡¯s face was already streaked with tears. Her small mouth was puckered up, and her pitiful appearance tugged at the heartstrings.

    Gu Zi quickly opened her arms to embrace Su Le, and the child immediately ceased her crying, clinging tightly to her mother.

    A warm feeling spread through Gu Zi¡¯s heart as she picked up the girl to prepare some milk powder. ¡°Oh, we need to buy more milk powder. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll go to the supermarket,¡± she said.

    The little girl accepted the bottle of milk, took a sip, and finally lost her listless expression. In her babyish voice, she responded, ¡°Mommy buys milk powder for Lele, Lele also wants to buy milk powder for Mommy.¡±

    Gu Zi was somewhat surprised. ¡°My little darling, can you already speak such complete sentences? Mommy is so happy. Are you happy?¡±

    Gu Zi noticed that ever since she hired a speech therapist for Su Le, the child¡¯s language skills had improved remarkably. Apart from the therapist¡¯s expertise, Su Le must have a natural talent for language. It was a pity that in her previous life, her potential was stifled by unfortunate circumstances, leading to a tragic end.

    Now that Su Le was her daughter, Gu Zi was determined to prevent history from repeating itself. She would raise Su Le well, educating her to become an outstanding young woman with self-confidence and self-respect, ensuring that Su Le would lead a happy life.

    The next morning, after finishing her breakfast, Gu Zi put in extra effort to weed the backyard. She had Big Yellow, their dog, haul away two loads of weeds.

    Big Yellow went alone for the last trip because when Gu Zi wanted to accompany him, he blocked her way. Gu Zi guessed that Big Yellow wanted to go alone, so she didn¡¯t insist on going with him.

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    Although Gu Zi was worried ¨C after all, Big Yellow looked fierce and could easily frighten people ¨C he needed to adapt to and be accepted in his new environment. This was a good opportunity for him. Before Big Yellow left, Gu Zi put a muzzle on him to prevent any accidents.

    During the time Big Yellow was away, Gu Zi was both expectant and anxious. Big Yellow was already a part of the Su family. Fortunately, Big Yellow was reliable and returned after a short while, his tail wagging as he circled around Gu Zi and Su Le.

    Relieved, Gu Zi closed the gate, removed Big Yellow¡¯s muzzle, and patted his head, praising, ¡°Our Big Yellow is really great. I¡¯ll give you an extra meal at noon!¡±

    Big Yellow wagged his tail even more excitedly. After petting him a bit more, Gu Zi got up to change her clothes and take her daughter to buy milk powder.

    Just then, a motorcycle pulled up at the gate.

 Chapter 757 - Chapter 757: Su Shenâ€™s Letter

    Chapter 757: Su Shen¡¯s Letter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi walked over and saw that it was Jin Long delivering something. She opened the door and, upon seeing the large cardboard box in the trunk of his car, she asked, ¡°Good morning, what are you delivering today?¡±

    Jin Long unloaded the box and pulled out a package of pork from one side, explaining, ¡°The box contains baby formula. Brother Su said that Lele¡¯s formula is running out, so he asked me to buy some. He specifically instructed that since Lele is growing, we need to buy more. That¡¯s why I bought a whole box. The pork is here, a full ten pounds of top-quality pork. Sister-in-law, didn¡¯t Brother Su tell you before he left that I would be delivering the formula?¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected the older man to be so thoughtful, even arranging for someone to buy formula in advance when it was running out. She had planned to buy it herself, but now it seemed she didn¡¯t need to make the trip. This was just as well, as it meant she could start reviewing her work earlier.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know. Thank you for bringing it in, and the pork as well. I hope it didn¡¯t inconvenience you?¡±

    Jin Long was a tall and strong man. He easily carried the whole box of formula and ten pounds of pork without even breaking a sweat. ¡°No inconvenience at all, sister-in-law. Why be so polite? These items are heavy. I will deliver the meat to you on time, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Brother Su was very concerned about you getting tired. Before he left, he had everything arranged at the pig farm and slaughterhouse, so you don¡¯t have to worry.

    ¡°By the way, I also have a letter here. Brother Su wrote it before he left and asked me to give it to you. I think it¡¯s a good time to give it to you now. Since there¡¯s nothing else to do, I¡¯ll leave first. Lele, Uncle is leaving. I¡¯ll bring you candy next time.¡±

    Jin Long moved the items into the house, handed the letter to Gu Zi, and quickly excused himself. After all, with Brother Su not at home, he had no reason to linger, nor was it necessary. A woman¡¯s reputation was paramount.

    After Jin Long left, Gu Zi opened the letter and began to read. As she reached the end, tears welled up in her eyes, but she also smiled. Writing a letter was indeed in line with the older man¡¯s style of doing things.

    In his letter, Su Shen conveyed with clarity his understanding that his journey to the capital military region would not be a swift one. He anticipated that it might necessitate some negotiation before he could return to their simple life. Despite this, he was confident. He assured that he would return home as soon as possible, for he believed that there was nothing he couldn¡¯t achieve once he set his mind to it. This was especially true when his demands were both reasonable and justifiable.

    He expressed regret for not being able to communicate these thoughts in person. He implored her to take good care of herself, not to overwork, and to relax when necessary.

    If she found herself too tired, he suggested she take their child to a restaurant or have food delivered, relieving her of the daily cooking duties. He encouraged her to study hard, not only for the upcoming exams but also for her own personal growth. He wished for her to soar in the vast sky of knowledge¡­

    Upon reading this, Gu Zi found her eyes welling up with tears. What a wonderful man he was. His love, though devoid of sweet nothings, filled her with warmth.

    Gu Zi thought that Su Shen¡¯s letter should be shared with their two sons. However, as she read from beginning to end, it was only in the last few lines that she found words meant for the children.

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    He wrote that Su Bing, as the elder brother, should look after his younger sibling and not cause trouble for their mother. Su Li, though still young, should start learning to help their mother and not be so demanding about food. Their mother had to work and prepare for exams, and didn¡¯t have much time. He reminded them that they were young men who should protect their mother and sister when he was not at home.

    That was all. Gu Zi blinked, thinking that the letter didn¡¯t necessarily need to be shared with the boys. She decided to mention it casually when they returned from school, perhaps altering the stern tone to make it more palatable for them.

    At that moment, school had just ended. Su Li, as before, was struggling to keep up with the pace of the lessons. However, heeding his mother¡¯s advice, he did as suggested. He grabbed Gao Ming, who was eager to play, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the problem we just learned, shall we?¡±

    Children of their age were naturally playful, and Gao Ming was no exception. Fresh out of class, he was not keen on continuing with schoolwork. But the one asking was his acknowledged second brother! Scratching the back of his head, Gao Ming, though not understanding what there was to discuss, sat back down.

    Seeing the two of them studying, other boys gathered around. Some joined the discussion, others were there just for the fun of it. Regardless, Su Li¡¯s spot became the center of attention among the boys. One even eyed the large lunchbox in Su Li¡¯s drawer and said excitedly, ¡°Wow, you brought your own food? I heard your mom¡¯s cooking is really good. Can we all go to the cafeteria together today?¡±

 Chapter 758 - Chapter 758: Teacher Zhouâ€™s Class

    Chapter 758: Teacher Zhou¡¯s Class

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li noticed someone eyeing his large lunchbox with a hungry gaze. He instinctively shielded it with his hand. It was ridiculous, he thought, he had tucked it away in his drawer, yet it was still spotted.

    Sharing was a virtue, he knew, but it had been days since he had savored his mother¡¯s homemade snacks. He had planned to take it to the cafeteria later, to enjoy it leisurely after getting his meal. But now, it seemed, his lunchbox had become a target.

    Observing Su Li¡¯s protective stance, his classmate softened his gaze and rephrased his intentions, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was suggesting we all eat together, make it a lively affair. Look at you, guarding your food like that. I¡¯ve been to Golden Sun with my parents, you know. Your mom¡¯s cooking is good, but can it really beat the chefs at Golden Sun? I find that hard to believe.¡±

    Su Li relaxed his grip on hearing this, but something didn¡¯t sit right with him. He retorted, ¡°What¡¯s so good about the food at Golden Sun? My mom¡¯s cooking is the best in the world, no chef can compare. Since we¡¯re on the topic, I might as well tell you. I asked my mom, and she said she¡¯s planning a food party at home this Saturday. If you want to come, go ask your parents.

    ¡°Anyone can come, as long as you have your parents¡¯ permission, okay? Alright, enough of this. We¡¯re supposed to be discussing our assignment. We can talk about the rest later, after class¡­¡±

    The news excited the class. The prospect of good food was always enticing.

    More importantly, they were curious about how beautiful Su Li¡¯s mother was. Among their classmates, it was common for parents to host parties at home for birthdays or holidays, inviting classmates and teachers to celebrate. It was a normal occurrence for them.

    Their parents would generally agree and would even drop their children off at the event. If they were busy, they would arrange for a driver. Many students, eager to express their intention to attend, approached Su Li. But he was already engrossed in his studies, and they hesitated to interrupt.

    As the class proceeded, the students found it hard to concentrate, all eagerly awaiting the end of the lesson.

    Coincidentally, this particular lesson was a mathematics class taught by Teacher Zhou, who had just returned to work.

    As soon as she entered the classroom, she felt the learning atmosphere was far from satisfactory. Coupled with her pent-up frustrations from the past few days, she was instantly infuriated. She slammed her teaching ruler three times on the lectern, venting her anger and drawing the students¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Quiet down, quiet down! Look at how unruly the class is!¡± she scolded. ¡°There are only twenty of you in this class, and I can tell at a glance who isn¡¯t paying attention. Fatty, stand up! What are you looking at over there? You¡¯re both fat and stupid, soooo annoying. Go stand at the back of the class. Gu Jun, Liu Shi, Zhang Liang, you three troublemakers, go stand at the back as well!¡±

    The students, each feeling as if they were facing a formidable enemy, straightened their backs and reluctantly turned their attention to Teacher Zhou. The fact that she had returned to work so quickly was not good news.

    Among all the mathematics teachers in the school, her teaching skills were mediocre at best, and she had a habit of berating students. Because Xiao Pang struggled with mathematics, she often insulted him, calling him a fat pig and an idiot, much to the disapproval of many classmates.

    Yet, before each lesson, she would deliver a sermon to intimidate and threaten the students, forcing them to at least pretend to pay attention. As a result, whenever middle-level leaders came to inspect the classes, her lessons always received an A rating. The inspection scores were an important standard for assessing teachers, so the school leaders believed that Teacher Zhou was good at teaching children.

    In such a prestigious school, there was indeed this hidden problem. The teachers who were able to teach here were generally elite, but if one or two less-than-elite teachers managed to slip in, as long as they put on a good show, it wasn¡¯t easy to tell whether they were truly good at teaching.

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    This was because even if the school wasn¡¯t performing well, the students¡¯ circumstances did not allow them to fall behind in their studies.

    Little did the leaders know that the mathematics class taught by Teacher Zhou was all about putting on a show. The students¡¯ understanding of mathematics was largely due to after-school tutoring, not because of her good teaching.

    Teacher Zhou had previously claimed that Su Li¡¯s presence would affect everyone¡¯s learning, but now it seemed that Su Li¡¯s arrival was the perfect opportunity to rectify her classroom.

    Everyone had previously respected her as a teacher and had not caused any trouble. However, her targeted attacks on Su Li and her treatment of Xiao Pang were devoid of any professional ethics. Therefore, it was no surprise that the students no longer respected her.

    The first to stand up in defiance was Gao Ming.

 Chapter 759 - Chapter 759: A Huge Failure

    Chapter 759: A Huge Failure

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Teacher Zhou,¡± Gao Ming said, his voice steady and resolute, ¡°it¡¯s true that Gu Jun and his friends were whispering and disrupting the class. It was fair for you to send them to the back to listen. However, Xiao Pang merely turned his head and glanced our way. You not only sent him to the back but also insulted him by calling him ¡®fatty¡¯. This is not only an excessive punishment but also verbal abuse. I demand an apology.¡±

    As the students watched Gao Ming rise to his feet, a sense of solidarity filled the room. The trio who had just been sent to the back joined in, ¡°Teacher Zhou, you can¡¯t bully Xiao Pang just because he¡¯s quiet and his family isn¡¯t influential. At most, you should have given him a warning. It¡¯s unfair to make him stand with us.¡±

    The other students looked from Teacher Zhou to the usually kind and quiet Xiao Pang, huddled in the corner, silent. Their indignation grew, and they began to protest, ¡°That¡¯s right, Teacher Zhou, your actions are unfair. You taught us in the first lesson of last term about fairness, justice, sincerity, and trust. Were those words only for the leaders who patrol the classes?¡±

    The classroom discipline quickly descended into chaos.

    No matter how much Teacher Zhou banged on the desk or threw chalk, it had no effect. Her gaze towards Gao Ming and Su Li was filled with resentment, wishing she could devour them. Especially Su Li, who was a troublemaker, leading Gao Ming to become the unappointed class leader.

    Before, the students would never dare to act out like this!

    The children chattered away, discussing Teacher Zhou¡¯s unfairness without fear. After all, their parents had told them that if the sky fell, there would be someone tall to hold it up. Gao Ming and Su Li were those tall figures.

    The commotion attracted the attention of the middle-level leaders patrolling the classes. They looked at the chaotic classroom discipline, their brows deeply furrowed. They took out a pen and wrote a large ¡°C¡± on their patrol record book. This meant that the class was graded as C-level, the worst level. For the formal teaching staff of this school, it was a significant failure.

    As everyone watched the middle-level leader survey the room with disappointment, Teacher Zhou finally compromised. She allowed Xiao Pang to return to his seat and began the lesson.

    After class, she returned to the office.

    On the public notice board at the back of the office, the latest patrol grades were posted. Seeing a large ¡°C¡± next to her name, Teacher Zhou was so angry she couldn¡¯t stop coughing.

    Now, not only was her excellent teacher bonus from last year gone, but she had also received a ¡°C¡± grade so early in the year. In future classes, the middle-level leaders patrolling the classes would undoubtedly be waiting to catch her second ¡°C¡±. Essentially, there was no hope for her in this year¡¯s excellent teacher selection.

    Damn it!

    A teacher, clutching a book, entered the room and was taken aback by the sight of Teacher Zhou, who appeared to be on the verge of fainting. She hurried over, yet hesitated, fearing that Teacher Zhou might be feigning illness. ¡°Ah, Teacher Zhou, what¡¯s wrong? Do you need help?¡± she asked, her voice laced with concern.

    Teacher Zhou was in such discomfort that she couldn¡¯t speak. The thought of needing the money to pay off her husband¡¯s debt, and the fact that she hadn¡¯t received her bonus for two consecutive years, overwhelmed her. In a fit of despair, she collapsed.

    The other female teacher, thrown into a state of panic, called for the school doctor and quickly arranged for her to be taken to the hospital.

    Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, the students were oblivious to the unfolding drama. Su Bing and Su Li had set aside their cafeteria food and placed a large lunchbox, filled with their mother¡¯s home-cooked meals, in front of them. They guarded it like a treasure, surrounded by a group of salivating classmates led by Gao Ming, all of whom were eyeing the aromatic and appetizing dishes in the lunchbox.

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    Of course, Gao Ming had no reason to worry about going hungry. Due to the fact that the brothers rode in the Gao family¡¯s car to and from school, Gu Zi, their mother, would always prepare an extra portion for Gao Ming whenever she cooked for her sons. At that moment, the brothers were reluctantly sharing a portion of their delicious lunch with Gao Ming, much to the envy of their classmates, both Su Li¡¯s and Su Bing¡¯s.

    The students in Su Bing¡¯s class, who were generally older, had been invited by Su Bing to a food party at his house. Although they were tempted by the food in front of them, they were willing to wait until Saturday to taste Su Bing¡¯s mother¡¯s cooking. It was just a matter of time.

    However, the students in Su Li¡¯s class were not as patient. Being younger, they sweetly called out to Su Li, ¡°Second Brother, Second Brother,¡± in hopes of getting a share.

    Su Li, unable to resist their pleas, shared his snacks with his ¡°little brothers,¡± assuring them, ¡°Here, there¡¯s enough for everyone. You¡¯re my little brothers. With me, you¡¯ll never go hungry!¡±

    Su Li distributed the food with joy, but as he continued to share, he realized that the large lunchbox was empty, save for a can of fruit. The sudden realization almost brought him to tears. Where had all the delicious food his mother had prepared for him gone?

 Chapter 760 - Chapter 760: Iâ€™m the Third Brother of the Su Family

    Chapter 760: I¡¯m the Third Brother of the Su Family

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li felt so uncomfortable that he couldn¡¯t speak. He twisted open the can, gulping down the sweet juice within. He took another bite of the crisp, fragrant peach, deciding that he wouldn¡¯t share this can with anyone. The children around him watched with envy, their mouths watering at the sight of the food prepared by Su Li¡¯s mother. It was simply too delicious!

    A classmate gulped hard, his eyes fixed on the fruit can. There were no labels on the can, indicating that it was homemade, which only increased their envy. ¡°Su Li, your mother can make canned fruit too? It smells so good,¡± one of them commented.

    Upon hearing this, Su Li quickened his chewing, taking several more bites of the peach. Within a few seconds, he had devoured half of it. ¡°Envious, aren¡¯t you? But I¡¯ve already shared so much with you. I can¡¯t share this can. You should eat your school meals quickly. When you come to my house, you can have some. Mmm, it¡¯s so delicious!¡±

    The fruit can was visibly emptying at a rapid pace. Gao Ming was also happily eating his share of the fruit can, asking, ¡°How is it? Is it better than what the Golden Sun¡¯s chef makes?¡±

    The boy who had previously claimed that Su Li¡¯s mother¡¯s food wasn¡¯t as good as the Golden Sun¡¯s was instantly embarrassed. He hid behind a classmate, peeking out to say, ¡°I was just ignorant. But now we all believe that the food made by Su Li¡¯s mother is the best in the world!¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another chimed in. ¡°We used to think that the school meals were great, better than the food at home. After all, we eat the same things at home every day and it gets boring. But now, we realize we haven¡¯t tasted many good things. Second Brother, from now on, we¡¯ll follow Gao Ming and call you Second Brother. We¡¯re all your little brothers. Don¡¯t forget about us when you have good food!¡±

    Gu Jun, representing the ¡®Iron Triangle¡¯ group in the class, directly acknowledged Su Li as the ¡®Second Brother¡¯.

    Upon hearing this, Gao Ming, imitating the way his grandfather spoke, cleared his throat solemnly and said, ¡°Gu Jun, then you have to call my big brother, Su Bing, ¡®Big Brother¡¯, and call me ¡®Third Brother¡¯. I am the third child of the Su family!¡±

    Upon hearing, Gu Jun reacted swiftly, exchanging a glance with Liu Shi and Zhang Liang. The trio then mimicked the gestures of martial arts heroes from the movies, clasping their hands together in a show of unity. ¡°Eldest brother, second brother, third brother,¡± they declared, ¡°from now on, we are your men, ready to follow you even if it means climbing a mountain of knives.¡±

    With the formation of this iron triangle, many in Su Li¡¯s class eagerly pledged their loyalty, becoming the younger brothers of the Su family. The students in Su Bing¡¯s class watched this unfold, their eyes meeting in silent communication. One of them turned to Su Bing, who had been maintaining a cold demeanor, and asked, ¡°Brother Bing, should we also acknowledge you as our elder brother?¡±

    Su Bing was leisurely enjoying his meal when he heard this. He slowly raised his head, looking at his classmates with an expression that suggested they were imbeciles. ¡°They¡¯re first graders, you¡¯re fourth graders. What are you trying to join in on?¡±

    The student who had spoken was taken aback by Su Bing¡¯s retort. He scratched his head sheepishly, laughing awkwardly. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. We¡¯re upperclassmen now. Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    The long rows of tables were almost entirely occupied by Su Bing and his group, their lively chatter drawing attention. It was inevitable that others would take notice.

    A skinny boy, leading a group much like the elder brother, approached Su Bing¡¯s table. He spoke with an air of arrogance, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re the new one in class A2, right? Do you know who I am?¡±

    Su Bing paid him no mind, continuing to eat. The skinny boy tapped Su Bing¡¯s shoulder, signaling him to move. Su Bing¡¯s classmate, seemingly intimidated by the group, moved aside with his lunchbox. The skinny boy took his seat, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. What are you eating?¡±

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    Protecting the large lunchbox his mother had given him, Su Bing looked up. His eyes were like those of a cheetah on the verge of attack, dark and fierce. ¡°Skinny Monkey, don¡¯t touch this lunchbox.¡±

    The boy, now referred to as Skinny Monkey, visibly changed color. He had always been small, and despite his parents¡¯ best efforts, he never grew taller. He hated when people made fun of his height.

    He reached out to grab Su Bing¡¯s lunchbox, but was met with an elbow strike that sent him sprawling on the ground. Skinny Monkey was stunned; he hadn¡¯t even seen Su Bing¡¯s move before he found himself on the floor.

    Skinny Monkey¡¯s followers, the students who had been trailing behind him, rushed forward to help their leader up. ¡°Big brother, are you okay? Come on, get up. We¡¯ll make him pay.¡±

    On the other side, the students in Su Li¡¯s class were terrified. They hurriedly turned to Su Li, ¡°Second brother, that¡¯s Jiang Ping, the big boss of class A3 in the fourth grade. Many of the younger students are afraid of him. If he¡¯s got his eye on us, we¡¯re done for.¡±

 Chapter 761 - Chapter 761: Smiling Angel

    Chapter 761: Smiling Angel

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°That¡¯s right! His family is really powerful,¡± a voice chimed in, ¡°Even if he were to commit a grave error at school, expulsion would be out of the question. At most, he would receive a mild punishment. He¡¯s a troublemaker, always seeking out fights. Last semester, he brawled with a sixth-grader and injured him severely. Ironically, it was the sixth-grader who ended up being expelled. You should quickly inform our elder brother, Su Bing, to apologize.¡±

    A break in the conversation allowed Su Li to respond, his demeanor unusually calm. ¡°In terms of fighting, he certainly can¡¯t beat my brother, and he might not even be able to beat me. Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve been trained in martial arts.¡±

    Gu Jun, a member of their tight-knit trio, expressed his curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite interested to see who is stronger, Jiang Ping, the old tyrant, or our new leader.¡±

    The students in Su Li¡¯s class found reassurance in his words, their attention shifting between Su Bing and Jiang Ping. At that moment, Jiang Ping was preparing to snatch a lunchbox again. He could tell that the owner cherished it, which made him want to seize it, throw it on the ground, and trample it underfoot.

    Jiang Ping launched another attack, but Su Bing deftly avoided it.

    Su Bing handed the lunchbox to Su Li, his gaze icy as he addressed the skinny troublemaker. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing to offend you. Let¡¯s end this here.¡±

    Jiang Ping, however, was not willing to let it go so easily. He retorted arrogantly, ¡°You think you can just call it quits? Wouldn¡¯t that make me lose face? You¡¯re new here, didn¡¯t anyone tell you that all fourth-graders have to acknowledge me as their leader? Not only did you not seek me out, but you also declared yourself king. You¡¯ve got quite the nerve.¡±

    Su Bing was taken aback that such a trivial matter had escalated to this point. He looked at Jiang Ping as if he were an imbecile, which infuriated Jiang Ping.

    Pointing at Su Bing, he prepared to charge, ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Who gave you permission to look at me like that?¡±

    Just as Jiang Ping was about to pounce, Su Bing braced himself for a fight. His mother had told him that in a new school, a new learning environment, he would have to adapt and define his own place. If a fight was inevitable, he would not back down, especially since he was not the one who had instigated the conflict.

    But in the next moment, a familiar figure stepped in front of Su Bing. It was a girl. Su Bing was momentarily stunned. What was she doing here?

    Yet, there she was, intervening directly, ¡°Jiang Ping, you¡¯re causing trouble again. Do you want me to report you to Grandma?¡±

    Upon her arrival, Jiang Nuan immediately found the Achilles heel of her cousin, Jiang Ping.

    Jiang Ping, a guy who feared no one at home, was terrified of his stern and impartial grandmother. The mere mention of his grandmother was enough to make him cower.

    As expected, Jiang Ping dared not to advance any further. He pounded the table in frustration, gathered his underlings, and left. However, before leaving, he shot a glance at Su Bing, implying that this matter was far from over and he would continue to trouble Su Bing.

    Su Bing, on the other hand, paid no mind to this. He turned to Jiang Nuan, finally coming to his senses, and expressed his gratitude, ¡°Jiang Nuan, thank you.¡±

    Jiang Nuan shook her head, her eyes curved in a smile, ¡°Su Bing, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. That guy is my cousin, Jiang Ping. He¡¯s used to causing a ruckus, just ignore him. I didn¡¯t expect that you and Su Li would transfer to this school. I¡¯m delighted. Can I join you for lunch?¡±

    Jiang Nuan was a bit upset about transferring schools this semester and leaving Chenglong Elementary School. However, she suddenly felt less sad and seemed to understand why she was reluctant to leave Chenglong Elementary School.

    Su Bing led Jiang Nuan to sit next to Su Li, who was still visibly surprised, ¡°Jiang Nuan, you transferred here too? Brother, you shouldn¡¯t have skipped a grade. Doesn¡¯t that mean Jiang Nuan can¡¯t be in the same class as you?¡±

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    Su Li didn¡¯t know why he said that, but the words just slipped out of his mouth.

    Jiang Nuan was surprised, ¡°Su Bing, so you¡¯re the genius freshman I heard about, who jumped straight from second grade to fourth grade. You¡¯re amazing. Now you¡¯re a big fourth grader.¡±

    Jiang Nuan¡¯s tone was filled with admiration, but there was also a hint of subtle loss. However, the boys, being less sensitive, naturally failed to notice the delicate emotions of the girl.

    Whether they were Su Bing¡¯s classmates or Su Li¡¯s, their attention was all on Jiang Nuan¡¯s smile. Someone recognized her, ¡°You¡¯re Jiang Nuan, the new smiling angel, right? You have a beautiful smile.¡±

    The atmosphere around Su Bing and his friends became relaxed and cheerful again. Everyone got to know each other, chatted, and laughed, enjoying a pleasant lunchtime in the cafeteria.

 Chapter 762 - Chapter 762: The Beautiful Jiang Nuan

    Chapter 762: The Beautiful Jiang Nuan

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When they left the cafeteria, the crowd dispersed in three waves. Su Li, the most ostentatious of them all, led a group of followers, with Gao Ming at the helm, towards the teaching building in a grand procession.

    Next were Su Bing and his classmates. After bidding farewell to Jiang Nuan, they too departed. Su Bing¡¯s classmates, being slightly older, glanced between the stoic Su Bing and the radiant Jiang Nuan, their faces breaking into smiles.

    They were unsure whether the old tyrant or the new leader was more formidable, but it was clear that the new leader¡¯s charisma and good looks were unmatched. It was evident that even the well-known sophomore, the smiling angel Jiang Nuan, was quite fond of him. They were confident in their choice of the new leader; they couldn¡¯t possibly be wrong!

    Earlier, Jiang Nuan had informed Su Bing that she lived in the new district of Jifu Village. Upon learning that their homes were not far apart, Su Bing invited Jiang Nuan to the food party they were hosting at his house on Saturday. Jiang Nuan agreed, much to everyone¡¯s delight.

    The last to leave was Jiang Nuan. She watched as Su Bing and the others departed, a warm smile playing on her lips. The scene of her recent encounter with Su Bing replayed in her mind.

    At that moment, she felt no resentment towards her father. Of course, she had never blamed him to begin with. Despite her young age, she understood that it wasn¡¯t her father¡¯s fault.

    Her father had nearly been ensnared in a small group¡¯s power struggle due to someone else¡¯s scheming. Although he hadn¡¯t been directly involved, he was still listed as a suspect, resulting in their family being under covert surveillance for over two years. His position remained the same, but his authority and influence had significantly diminished.

    Even as his daughter, her schooling had been subject to numerous restrictions. In the end, she could only enroll in the most ordinary school, Chenglong Elementary School. However, her mother had gone to great lengths to keep up with the elite education of their social class, hiring tutors and finding various ways to supplement her education.

    Now that her father¡¯s suspicion had been completely cleared, her schooling restrictions were lifted. Her mother immediately arranged for a transfer.

    Her family had always prioritized her education, naturally sending her to the best school at the earliest opportunity. She was willing to follow her family¡¯s arrangements, knowing that her parents would never harm her. Therefore, she was obedient.

    However, when she learned she was leaving Chenglong Elementary, there was a hint of reluctance in her heart. At the time, she didn¡¯t understand why she felt this way. But now, it seemed she understood. It was because of her classmate, Su Bing.

    ¡­

    Awakening from her afternoon nap, Gu Zi prepared the baby formula, setting up her little girl with her meal and toys before she retreated to her study to begin her day¡¯s work.

    The little girl had grown significantly, her personality blossoming into a lively one, yet she remained obedient. Whenever Gu Zi was working or engaged in any task, she would play on her own, following her instructions. She was incredibly easy to manage, never hindering Gu Zi¡¯s work.

    Gu Zi was in the midst of translating a text, her skills making the task feel effortless. Just as she was about to finish a small section, the sound of the doorbell echoed from the courtyard below.

    She furrowed her brows slightly, wondering who could be visiting at this hour.

    However, she disliked being interrupted while working, so she didn¡¯t cease his task. Instead, she continued translating. Only when she had finished did she shut down her computer, tidied up her documents, and picked up her little girl to head downstairs.

    The doorbell rang again, its persistent noise irking Gu Zi, prompting her to quicken her steps.

    As she stepped out of the house, she peered through the large gap in the ornate iron gate.

    She recognized the visitor as Zhang Mei, the foster mother of the original owner of her body. Gu Zi wondered why she had come again, and what the couple was up to.

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    Last time it was Gu Shan, and now it was Zhang Mei. They always used to act together, so why were they visiting separately now? It was strange.

    Zhang Mei had been standing outside the door for nearly half an hour, her face growing increasingly displeased. However, upon seeing the grand house before her and Gu Zi emerging from it, she managed to squeeze out a smile. In that moment, she understood why Gu Shan had been expressing regret about driving Gu Zi away.

    Now, whenever they argued, Gu Shan would blame her for pushing Gu Zi too far. Otherwise, their current situation wouldn¡¯t have arisen, with Gu Zi now only addressing them as uncle and aunt, no longer calling them mom and dad.

    However, Zhang Mei felt that she couldn¡¯t be blamed for this. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on Gu Zi marrying Su Shen in the first place, would Gu Zi be living such a prosperous life now?

    As Gu Zi opened the door, she noticed that Zhang Mei¡¯s hands were empty. She sneered inwardly, thinking that this was typical of the Gu family, always showing up empty-handed. She wondered what Zhang Mei wanted this time, but her intuition told her it was likely related to Gu Shan.

 Chapter 763 - Chapter 763: The Young Nanny

    Chapter 763: The Young Nanny

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei noticed Gu Zi¡¯s gaze on her empty hands. She let out a forced laugh, hoping to alleviate the awkwardness, and initiated a conversation. ¡°Little Zi, it¡¯s been a while. I had some free time today and decided to visit you. I left in such a hurry that I didn¡¯t bring any gifts. You won¡¯t hold it against me, will you?¡±

    Gu Zi, holding Su Le¡¯s hand, responded indifferently, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed that you came to see me. But it¡¯s okay if you didn¡¯t bring any gifts. I believe that next time you won¡¯t come empty-handed, especially since I have three children. Whenever an elder visits, they always hope for some interesting snacks.¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s expression shifted, a hint of embarrassment creeping in. If she came empty-handed next time, it would indeed be unreasonable. She had initially thought that seeing her foster daughter living in such a large, beautiful house, she could gain some benefits. But now, it seemed there were no benefits to reap. She decided to get straight to the point.

    ¡°I apologize for my oversight this time. Next time, I¡¯ll definitely bring some treats for the three children. Gu Zi, you don¡¯t know how hard I¡¯ve been working lately, both at work and at home. Thankfully, I found a nanny, which gave me some free time. Plus, with Miaomiao still in jail, my heart is heavy. You¡¯re doing well now, back in the city, living in such a large house. This house¡­¡±

    Zhang Mei wanted to ask whether the house was bought or rented. Although she had already assumed it was rented, she still wanted to ask Gu Zi. It seemed as if hearing the answer from Gu Zi herself would put her at ease.

    However, Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to hear any of this and interrupted her, ¡°Auntie, just tell me what you want.¡±

    Zhang Mei was taken aback, her words cut off mid-sentence, leaving her feeling uncomfortable. But Gu Zi was already impatient, so she had no choice but to get to the point. ¡°Actually, I came today because of your Uncle Gu. A lot has been happening at home recently. Your Uncle Gu and I have been arguing non-stop. I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on anymore. Now, even a single wrong word can spark a fight.¡±

    In the past, after their quarrels, Gu Shan would sometimes take the initiative to make amends. However, recently, this had changed. More than once, after a fight, he would leave and not return for the entire night.

    Zhang Mei felt helpless, resorting to sending the nanny to find him and follow him.

    Zhang Mei sighed as she spoke, particularly about the previous night when Gu Shan had mentioned that he would be staying at the military base for a while due to a large-scale drill in the capital.

    Zhang Mei was unsure whether this was true or not. There had been similar drills in the past, but Gu Shan had never mentioned needing to stay at the base before. Zhang Mei was genuinely worried about what Gu Shan might be doing behind her back.

    Despite her worries, Zhang Mei had no concrete evidence. Apart from instructing Li Li to deliver meals to Gu Shan three times a day and to keep an eye on him, she couldn¡¯t think of any better solutions.

    After much thought, Zhang Mei decided to seek help from Gu Zi. After all, Gu Zi had always been intelligent and resourceful. In the past, when she had conflicts with Gu Shan, it was Gu Zi who had helped resolve them.

    Thinking of this, Zhang Mei¡¯s gaze softened when she looked at Gu Zi, but Gu Zi¡¯s gaze towards her became somewhat strange.

    Gu Zi asked, ¡°You¡¯re worried that Uncle Gu is doing something behind your back, and you¡¯re having your nanny keep an eye on him. How old is your nanny?¡±

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    Zhang Mei nodded, replying, ¡°She should be around thirty. Uncle Gu found her in the countryside. She seems honest and hardworking. Do you see anything inappropriate about this?¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze shifting. She remembered that in the original book, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s marriage had faced a crisis due to the intervention of a third party.

    However, because Lin Miao was the female lead in the original book, she had not allowed such a disgraceful event to occur. Therefore, she had severed the relationship between Gu Shan and the third party. In the end, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei maintained a superficial marital relationship, tormenting each other daily.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t know whether to call Zhang Mei smart or foolish. She was foolish for always playing mind games, yet she was smart for not seeing such an obvious problem. Shouldn¡¯t she be most wary of the young nanny at home?

    Although one should not harbor ill intentions towards others, one should always be on guard. How could she still dare to let the nanny deliver meals daily to her husband, as if she wasn¡¯t afraid the nanny wouldn¡¯t end up doing something fishy with Gu Shan?

 Chapter 764 - Chapter 764: Just Pretend I Never Came

    Chapter 764: Just Pretend I Never Came

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In her heart, Gu Zi wanted to caution against the young nanny. Wasn¡¯t it strange to Zhang Mei? Gu Shan spent his days in the military, where would he meet a young woman from the countryside?

    However, Gu Zi held her tongue. Zhang Mei was a woman prone to suspicion. Even if Gu Zi told her the truth, she might not believe it, let alone appreciate it. Gu Zi decided not to meddle in this matter, it was best to keep her thoughts to herself.

    Zhang Mei, noticing Gu Zi¡¯s prolonged silence, grew anxious. ¡°Have you noticed something amiss?¡± she asked.

    Gu Zi, having decided not to involve herself in this matter, simply shook her head with a smile. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed anything wrong, Auntie, how could I? Perhaps you should find a time to talk to Gong Zhan. After all, he should call Gu Shan ¡®father-in-law¡¯. He could help keep an eye on things.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei¡¯s face fell. Gu Zi was still interested in Lin Miao¡¯s man. She berated herself for seeking Gu Zi¡¯s help. How could she expect Gu Zi to help her now, when she was no longer part of the Gu family?

    ¡°Oh, Gu Zi, what are you saying? You¡¯re a married woman, how could you go to Gong Zhan? But I¡¯m to blame for this, I was too anxious. I just wanted to talk to you, it¡¯s always better to talk things out. I feel much better now, Gu Zi, you don¡¯t need to worry about this. Let¡¯s just pretend I never came today.¡±

    Gu Zi tilted her head slightly, seeking confirmation. ¡°Auntie, you came to me about this, not to ask for my help? I almost misunderstood. Are you sure you don¡¯t need my help?¡±

    As Zhang Mei was saying her goodbyes, she waved her hand dismissively. ¡°No need, no need. Look at you, you have a child to take care of, you can¡¯t be bothered with all this. Your Uncle Gu and I have been married for many years, we have a basic level of trust. I¡¯ll be going now¡­¡±

    Gu Zi watched Zhang Mei¡¯s hurried departure, shrugging helplessly. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re the one who said you didn¡¯t need my help. Lele, let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    Gu Zi led Su Le into the courtyard.

    ¡­

    Meanwhile, after a three-day and three-night train journey, Su Shen finally arrived at the Imperial Capital Train Station, on the afternoon of the fourth day.

    Despite the long journey, Su Shen¡¯s posture remained upright and dignified, his complexion healthier than most. Gong Zhan had been competing with Su Shen all the way. If Su Shen maintained his posture, then he would do the same, even if his leg cramped and his face turned red, he never changed his position.

    Su Shen observed the situation with a disinterested gaze, not in the least inclined to engage with the other man. He found himself silently relieved on numerous occasions, grateful that Gu Zi had not married this man. If she had, how exhausting it would have been, dealing with such immaturity.

    When it was time for Su Shen to disembark from the train, he didn¡¯t spare Gong Zhan a second glance, simply picking up his luggage and stepping off the train.

    Gong Zhan let out a cold huff, rising to his feet and following suit. The guard trailing behind him, carrying his luggage, didn¡¯t dare to breathe too loudly.

    He couldn¡¯t understand it. Weren¡¯t they all soldiers, brothers within the four seas? Yet these two seemed to harbor some deep-seated grudge, as if they were rivals for a woman¡¯s affection, showing nothing but cold faces to each other.

    Moreover, he couldn¡¯t comprehend why Gong Zhan was squabbling with this ordinary soldier. Gong Zhan, the deputy regiment commander, came from a distinguished family and possessed exceptional personal abilities. In comparison, aside from being tall and handsome, the other man seemed to fall short in every other aspect. What was the deputy regiment commander fussing over? Could it be that he was envious of the other man¡¯s good wife?

    The guard considered this a possibility. After all, the wife of Deputy Regiment Commander Gong was, to put it mildly, a difficult woman. He had no idea what the Gong family saw in her¡­

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    Upon exiting the train station and standing by the roadside, the guard respectfully addressed Gong Zhan, ¡°Deputy Regiment Commander Gong, shall we wait here for Deputy Commander Hu and the others? Someone from the military district will come to pick us up soon, and we can leave together.¡±

    Gong Zhan seemed not to hear the guard¡¯s words, his gaze falling on Su Shen who was standing a little distance away. A mocking expression crossed his face as he prepared to call out to Su Shen.

    The next moment, a military vehicle approached from afar.

    Gong Zhan heard the guard¡¯s surprised voice, ¡°Deputy Regiment Commander, that¡¯s our ride. Look at the driver, doesn¡¯t he look like Brigade Commander Huo?

    ¡°Do you remember? Once, a delegation from the capital¡¯s military district came to inspect our district, and Brigade Commander Huo was leading them. I heard he¡¯s also from Guangcheng, and because of his numerous merits, he was specially transferred to serve in the capital¡¯s military district. He¡¯s quite a prominent figure. It seems the capital holds you in high regard, Deputy Regiment Commander.¡±

 Chapter 765 - Chapter 765: Iâ€™ve Never Heard Of Him

    Chapter 765: I¡¯ve Never Heard Of Him

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan¡¯s deeply furrowed brow finally relaxed. Given the high-level reception, he naturally couldn¡¯t afford to be impolite. He instantly dismissed his squabble with the pig farmer Su Shen and took a few steps towards the direction of the approaching military vehicle.

    The security guard also picked up his bag and followed with pride. However, when the military vehicle approached them, it didn¡¯t stop. Instead, it drove straight past them. Gong Zhan was nearly hit by the vehicle, his face showing signs of shock.

    The security guard behind Gong Zhan panicked and quickly ran up to check on his leader. ¡°Deputy Commander, are you alright? I saw clearly, it was indeed Commander Huo. He probably didn¡¯t see us and drove past. Let¡¯s go over there ourselves.¡±

    Gong Zhan followed the security guard¡¯s gaze. The military vehicle had already stopped, perfectly positioned in front of the pig farmer. What rotten luck!

    However, Gong Zhan knew well that this was the capital military district. A commander here was of a high rank. Even if the commander hadn¡¯t noticed him, he had no reason to be angry. He straightened his uniform and walked towards the military vehicle.

    The security guard quickly followed. To avoid the previous embarrassment, he wisely greeted the people in the vehicle. ¡°Reporting to the commander, I am a soldier from the Central South Military District. I came with Deputy Commander Gong.¡±

    The man inside the vehicle had messy hair like a bird¡¯s nest, his uniform was not properly worn, and his belt was loose. One hand lazily held the steering wheel, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and his face was covered with a thick beard. Upon hearing the voice, he lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at the security guard and Gong Zhan behind him. ¡°What Deputy Commander Gong? I¡¯ve never heard of him. Go play somewhere else.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice was low and rough, matching his rugged and wild appearance. He was a typical rough man, but he had an oppressive aura of a high-ranking official. His words made the security guard involuntarily shrink back, timidly voicing his doubts. ¡°But Commander, we were told that the military district would send someone to pick us up.¡±

    Commander Huo seemed a bit impatient. He took a puff of his cigarette, and a cloud of smoke obscured his features. The security guard next to him wisely responded for him. ¡°You must be the ones sent by the Central South Military District to participate in the joint drill, right? You misunderstood. The vehicle to pick you up should still be on the way. Please step aside.¡±

    After hearing his security guard¡¯s explanation, Commander Huo¡¯s gaze swept over the two men in front of him and landed on Su Shen. He shouted loudly, ¡°Su Shen, what are you dawdling for? Grab your things and get in the car quickly. You¡¯ve been away from the army for too long, and you¡¯ve become unfamiliar with me? It seems I need to give you a proper welcome today. Get in the car quickly!¡±

    Upon recognizing the face of his old comrade, Su Shen casually picked up his luggage and began to walk towards the military vehicle. Under the watchful eyes of Gong Zhan and his guards, he climbed into the vehicle.

    The guards remained bewildered even after the vehicle had departed. Wasn¡¯t this man supposed to be an ordinary soldier? Why did Commander Huo show him such respect, even going so far as to personally pick him up?

    The guards turned their gaze towards Gong Zhan, hoping to glean some understanding from their superior. However, Gong Zhan appeared as if he was standing under a dark cloud, his face ominously grim. Beneath his stern exterior, there was a hint of confusion. The guards immediately refrained from asking any further questions. It seemed that even their deputy commander was unaware of the man¡¯s background.

    Gong Zhan¡¯s mind was in turmoil. This Su Shen had previously been closely associated with Deputy Director He. Now, he had arrived in the capital carrying military luggage and was acquainted with the influential Commander Huo of the Imperial Military District. What was this man¡¯s true identity?

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    Inside the vehicle, a guard had taken over the driving. In the back seat, Su Shen pulled a can of fruit from his luggage. Before he could open it, it was snatched away by a burly man sitting next to him.

    Commander Huo held the small can, no larger than his palm, and examined it. ¡°When did you start liking these sweet, syrupy things? What use is this little trinket? One gulp and it¡¯s gone, not even enough to fill the gaps in your teeth.¡±

    Su Shen expressionlessly retrieved the can. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like this kind of thing, so I didn¡¯t bring any for you. This is something I couldn¡¯t bear to eat on the road.¡± With that, Su Shen opened the can and began to savor the sweet taste within.

    Commander Huo found it hard to reconcile this refined version of Su Shen. They had all been rough men in the past, so how had Su Shen become so sophisticated?

    Commander Huo blurted out in a casual tone, ¡°You must be joking. You couldn¡¯t bear to eat this? If someone gave me a box of these as a gift, I wouldn¡¯t even bother to eat them.¡±

 Chapter 766 - Chapter 766: They Are My Home

    Chapter 766: They Are My Home

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen swallowed his food, casting a somewhat pitiful glance at the rough man beside him. ¡°Your canned food can¡¯t compare to mine,¡± he said, ¡°but you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    Commander Huo flicked the ash off his cigarette, a look of disdain on his face. ¡°I asked you to stay with me in the capital, but you refused. You went back south alone, and you¡¯ve changed. I can¡¯t stand to see you like this. Are you wearing perfume?¡±

    Commander Huo¡¯s face was full of disgust, but Su Shen didn¡¯t mind. He continued to eat his canned fruit, his thoughts drifting to Gu Zi, who was waiting for him at home.

    Gu Zi was a delicate and gentle woman. Wherever she was, the place was clean and fragrant. Even her wardrobe, filled with her clothes, exuded a faint floral scent. Su Shen¡¯s clothes, stored in the same wardrobe, naturally absorbed this fragrance. The scent was refreshing and soothing.

    Seeing Su Shen¡¯s usual cold demeanor, Commander Huo decided not to argue with him. This was how Su Shen had always been.

    Remembering the important matter at hand, Commander Huo¡¯s tone became serious. ¡°You should have settled your sister¡¯s children by now. You should talk to the old man about it. With your military achievements, you should have been promoted at least two ranks. How can you still be a regiment commander?¡±

    Su Shen frowned slightly when he heard his old comrade mention this. He admitted, ¡°I came here this time, but I still have to go back. They are my home, and I can¡¯t lose it.¡±

    Su Shen couldn¡¯t imagine how heartbroken he would be without Gu Zi. Commander Huo was surprised to hear this. The old Su Shen used to say that home was wherever he was. Why had he changed so much? ¡°So, you¡¯re only back temporarily this time?¡±

    Su Shen sat upright, looking out at the desolate, rolling hills outside the window. His eyes were deep and thoughtful. After a long pause, he finally answered, ¡°I plan to seek freedom.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Commander Huo fell silent.

    ¡­

    On Saturday morning, Gu Zi was working in her study. By the time she finished, it was already half past ten. She went downstairs to prepare lunch. Because the party was to start in the afternoon, she had to prepare the food for the party while making lunch. To ensure the smooth progress of the party, Gu Zi had to enter the kitchen earlier than usual.

    Meanwhile, the Su brothers were not idle. After finishing their self-study in the morning, they cleaned the house together. The windows and floors of the living room were polished to a shine.

    Of course, the cleaning team was not just the two of them. Gao Ming, who had come to play at Su family¡¯s house early in the morning, also actively joined in.

    Little Lele, who always followed her brothers, did what she could, such as picking a handful of foxtail grass from the corner of the wall. When her eldest brother was arranging flowers like their mother, she eagerly handed them over.

    Su Bing cast a glance at the foxtail grass, then at the flowers in the vase. Taking the foxtail grass, he carefully arranged it beside the flowers. Instantly, the flowers in the vase seemed to come alive, their vibrancy enhanced.

    Gu Zi, emerging to fetch something, noticed and gave a nod of approval to the siblings, ¡°Your aesthetic sense is stronger than your father¡¯s.¡±

    On the surface, Su Bing showed no reaction. However, once Gu Zi turned to leave, the corners of his mouth lifted into a subtle smile. His heart swelled with satisfaction. His mother had complimented him, stating that his aesthetic sense was superior to his father¡¯s. That meant, in his mother¡¯s eyes, his taste was indeed better!

    Seeing his elder brother¡¯s rare smile, Su Le mimicked her brother¡¯s grin, showing her teeth in delight. Su Bing blinked, turned, and exited the living room, with Su Le cheerfully trailing behind him.

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    After lunch, Su Bing, along with Su Li and Gao Ming, began to prepare the venue for the food party. They moved a long table and some chairs from the storeroom, setting them up under the flower stand beside the small pond.

    The flower stand was already quite long, with lush vines and leaves twining around it. Between the leaves, two or three flowers bloomed. Even though the sun was out, the area under the flower stand was perfectly shaded. With the table and chairs in place, it was the ideal location for a spring party.

    At this moment, Gu Zi came out with a tray holding three cups of dessert ¨C a smooth and delicious double-layered milk custard, garnished with fresh four-leaf clovers. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Have some dessert before continuing. I expect the guests will start to arrive in a while. I¡¯ve already received a few calls from the parents of your classmates.¡±

    Each of the three Su brothers picked up a cup of the double-layered milk custard and began to eat.

    Gu Zi was about to take Su Le inside to feed her, but noticing someone approaching the front gate, she walked towards it. Opening the door, she found it was the housekeeper from Grandma Gao¡¯s house.

 Chapter 767 - Chapter 767: Pull Them Off Me

    Chapter 767: Pull Them Off Me

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The housekeeper handed a food box to Gu Zi, saying, ¡°This is something the lady of the house asked me to bring over for the children. It¡¯s all cut and arranged nicely on three plates. Don¡¯t think she¡¯s being petty, it¡¯s just that this braised meat is something she loves so much that she can hardly bear to eat it herself. It was brought by a student of my master who came to visit him a couple of days ago.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Speaking of which, I must tell you a bit more about this braised meat. It¡¯s said to be bought from a place called Pingshui Town. The shop has even been featured in the newspaper. Nowadays, many city folks go there to buy gift boxes of braised meat for their leaders and elders. Because of this, the shop has stimulated the development of the town.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi realized that the housekeeper was talking about her family¡¯s shop. It seemed that her sister-in-law and the others were running the shop very well, and the business was stable.

    She accepted the braised meat and thanked the housekeeper, saying, ¡°Please thank Grandma Gao for me. If the shop is doing so well, they might open a branch in the city in the future, which would make it more convenient to buy.¡±

    Gu Zi brought the braised meat inside and placed it on the long table under the flower shelf. She didn¡¯t cover it with a mosquito net because she wasn¡¯t worried about insects crawling on the meat. Ever since they moved here, Su Shen had purchased a regular pest control service from the property management center. It was rare to see a single fly or mosquito in their home now.

    At one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, parents had already started dropping off their children. The first to arrive were the three members of the ¡°Iron Triangle¡± group from Su Li¡¯s class. They were stunned by the stylish and large house in front of them. Gu Jun was so impressed that he immediately asked his mother if they could move.

    ¡°Mom, when can Dad let me live in a big house like this? Our house is too dirty, and so is the neighborhood. Look at this neighborhood, every villa is so grand and large.¡±

    A frown appeared on Gu Jun¡¯s mother¡¯s delicate face as she angrily grabbed her disobedient son¡¯s ear and scolded him, ¡°So you think our house is dirty because you¡¯ve seen a bigger villa? Fine, Gu Jun, if you dare, don¡¯t come home with me this afternoon. And when your father comes back from his official duties, I¡¯ll definitely tell him about this. Let¡¯s see if he beats you or not.¡±

    Gu Jun curled his lips, a bitter taste in his mouth. ¡°So, you two had a son just to have someone to beat up? It¡¯s been like this since I was a kid. You hit me, your husband hits me. I get in trouble, I get hit. You two have a fight, I get hit. I¡¯ve had enough. Just go. Seeing you makes me sick. I even doubt I¡¯m your real son.¡±

    With that, Gu Jun and his two friends dashed into the Su family house.

    Gu Jun¡¯s mother, unbothered by her son¡¯s harsh words, turned on her heel and climbed into her small sedan. To her driver, she said, ¡°Pick up this brat this afternoon. He¡¯s a disgrace, but make sure you come early. I won¡¯t need the car.¡±

    Because Gu Zi was busy in the kitchen, it was Su Li who greeted the guests. He had heard the entire exchange between Gu Jun and his mother. Looking at Gu Jun, his eyes softened with sympathy. ¡°Gu Jun, I never realized. You¡¯ve had it tough all these years.¡±

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    Gu Jun waved a dismissive hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re my parents after all. I know they love me. They just both have bad tempers. You wouldn¡¯t believe it, but once on my birthday, they got me a cake. I complained it was too small, and they both beat me up. My grandma had to pull them off me¡­¡±

    Liu Shi and Zhang Liang, hearing this story for the first time, clutched their stomachs in laughter. ¡°Gu Jun, you¡¯re hilarious! Celebrating your birthday and getting beaten up, hahaha¡­¡±

    But Su Li couldn¡¯t find the humor. He realized that even this was a form of love. He rushed to the kitchen to ask his mother, ¡°Mom, Gu Jun says his parents hit him a lot, but he knows they still love him. Why don¡¯t you and Dad ever hit me and my brother? Is it because we¡¯re not your real children?¡±

    Gu Zi was in the middle of cooking a steak. With twelve students confirmed to come, plus Su Bing and Su Li, she had to prepare at least fourteen servings. Even with her expertise in the kitchen, it was a daunting task. She didn¡¯t turn around when Su Li entered, continuing to cook.

    But when she heard Su Li¡¯s question, she paused, her hands stilling. She turned to look at Su Li, her eyes filled with a tender sadness. She knew Su Li didn¡¯t ask out of malice, but because he had rarely experienced parental care in his past.

 Chapter 768 - Chapter 768: His Face Changed

    Chapter 768: His Face Changed

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The color drained from Gu Zi¡¯s face. At this moment, her heart ached, a knot of discomfort twisting within her. The hardships endured by Su Li and his two siblings over the years were unimaginable, even for those with the strongest empathy. How wonderful it would be if every child could be treated with kindness.

    She paused for a moment, then gently explained to Su Li, ¡°People¡¯s attitudes and behaviors are shaped by their personalities. Every pair of parents is different, and so are their ways of expressing love for their children. Indeed, as you said, Gu Jun¡¯s mother loves him, but Gu Jun also mentioned that his mother has a temper. Su Li, we¡¯ve been together for quite some time now. What kind of person do you think I am?¡±

    Su Li looked at Gu Zi, his eyelashes fluttering a few times before he shook his head. ¡°Mom is not a person with a temper, but she has a strong personality, and she is gentle.¡±

    Gu Zi patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder, her smile broadening as she further explained, ¡°That¡¯s right. So, a person with my personality wouldn¡¯t express love by hitting you. Su Li, do you know? Parents¡¯ scolding and hitting can sometimes cause psychological harm to children, and these wounds are irreparable. Some parents, due to their personalities, find it hard to change their ways.

    ¡°I know because I was once a child too. I remember how sad I was every time my parents hit or scolded me. I don¡¯t want you to feel the same way I did. Do you understand? I don¡¯t want to treat you the way my parents hurt me.¡±

    Su Li, who had been pouting, shifted his focus when he heard his mother talk about her painful childhood. His heart ached for her. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so wonderful. Why would they hit you? It¡¯s wrong to hit people, even if they are your parents. It¡¯s not right for them to hit you!¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, tears welling up in her eyes. The parents she spoke of were from her past life. The pain she had hidden deep within her heart for years seemed to have been completely healed in this moment when she shared it with Su Li. She opened her arms, ready to embrace her son. ¡°So, Su Li, do you still think that I don¡¯t love you?¡±

    Su Li also opened his arms and threw himself into his mother¡¯s embrace. The worried look on his face vanished completely in that moment. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. I was too foolish.¡±

    Upon hearing the commotion outside, Gu Zi straightened up, her surroundings bustling with activity. She gently patted her second son¡¯s shoulder, her voice carrying a hint of concern. ¡°It seems more of your classmates have arrived. Why don¡¯t you go out and help me greet them? Your brother is alone out there and I¡¯m afraid he might be overwhelmed. Although Gao Ming is here to help, remember, he¡¯s a guest today too.¡±

    After hugging his mother, Su Li¡¯s face flushed a deep shade of red, a sudden wave of embarrassment washing over him. He nodded at his mother¡¯s words and dashed outside.

    As soon as he stepped out, he bumped into Su Bing, who was conversing with Jiang Nuan in the living room. He rushed over, positioning himself between the two. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not busy at all. You¡¯re just entertaining Jiang Nuan.¡±

    Jiang Nuan was taken aback, not expecting Su Li to suddenly appear in front of her. She was so startled that she nearly jumped.

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    Su Bing¡¯s expression shifted slightly, a hint of annoyance flashing across his face. He pulled his younger brother away, turning back to Jiang Nuan to say, ¡°I¡¯ll take my brother to greet the other classmates. You can sit here for a while. My mother is in the kitchen. She was excited to hear you were coming yesterday.¡±

    Su Bing hadn¡¯t intended to say these words, but when Jiang Nuan arrived, she mentioned she wasn¡¯t feeling well. Despite this, she didn¡¯t want to miss the gathering, so she had forced herself to come. Su Bing had immediately ushered her into the living room to rest. Now, he was taking his brother away, not wanting him to disturb her.

    Jiang Nuan¡¯s heart rate, which had spiked due to the surprise, finally began to slow. After the Su brothers left, she went to find Gu Zi in the kitchen. Gu Zi turned around and her face lit up with joy upon seeing her. ¡°Nuannuan, it really is you. It¡¯s been so long. How have you been?¡±

    Jiang Nuan was embraced by Gu Zi, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. She didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, she found herself missing the floral scent that Gu Zi always carried. ¡°Aunt Gu Zi, I¡¯m doing well. I¡¯m studying at the same school as Su Bing now.¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Su Bing told me yesterday. I¡¯m very happy, and even happier that you could come today. After all, you were the flower girl at your Uncle Su and my wedding. But you don¡¯t seem quite yourself today, and your voice sounds weak. What¡¯s wrong, dear? Tell me about it.¡±

 Chapter 769 - Chapter 769: The Experience of Raising a Daughter

    Chapter 769: The Experience of Raising a Daughter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The two of them exited the kitchen and sat down in the dining room. Jiang Nuan began, ¡°I consulted a doctor previously who told me that I was lacking vitality and needed to replenish it. Especially now, in the spring, I need to avoid the wind, otherwise, I could easily catch a cold. Certain floral scents can also trigger allergies. Auntie, I¡¯ve been drinking herbal soup every day, and it¡¯s quite unpleasant.¡±

    Gu Zi listened to the girl¡¯s words and pondered for a moment. ¡°Did the doctor only prescribe you herbal medicine? Did he give you any dietary therapy recipes?¡±

    The girl shook her head. ¡°He only mentioned following the herbal prescription. He said that once I complete this course of treatment, my body will start to recover.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow. ¡°This doctor must be young and inexperienced. How can one recover without combining herbal treatment with lifestyle adjustments and dietary therapy? You do seem to lack vitality and indeed need to replenish it. However, you should also incorporate some dietary supplements. Remember to eat less sour food and more naturally sweet ones, like pumpkin and sweet potato.¡±

    Jiang Nuan looked at Gu Zi with surprise and admiration. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re amazing. The doctor who treated me was a young man, and he also told me to eat less sour food. I usually like to eat pickled plums.¡±

    ¡°You should eat less of those. You really can¡¯t eat too much sour food in the spring. I do know some dietary therapy recipes that could help with your condition. If you trust me, I can write down the recipes for you when I have time. I¡¯ll have Su Bing bring them to you, and you can have your family prepare meals according to the recipes. For today, since you were our flower girl, I¡¯ll make a soup that¡¯s beneficial for your health. How does that sound?¡±

    After hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Jiang Nuan happily hugged her. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care today, Auntie. But Auntie, I want to help you in the kitchen.¡±

    Gu Zi naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse this eager little helper. She led Jiang Nuan into the kitchen. ¡°We¡¯ll make a pot of yam, coix seed, and lean meat soup. The meaty aroma is delightful, and it¡¯s beneficial for your health. Watch how I make it, so you can have your family prepare it for you at home. The ingredients for this soup are simple: lean pork, yam, coix seed, jujube, goji berries, ginger, and salt.¡±

    Jiang Nuan was a bit confused as she listened. She only recognized lean pork, ginger, and salt. The other ingredients were unfamiliar to her. However, she didn¡¯t leave the kitchen because of this. She stayed with Gu Zi throughout the entire soup-making process.

    Even though Gu Zi didn¡¯t really ask her to help with anything, she stayed by her side until a pot of clear, delicious soup was ready. Jiang Nuan was the first to taste it, enjoying a bowl of soup with meat.

    Throughout this process, Gu Zi had a brand-new experience of raising a daughter.

    Although she had a daughter of her own, Su Le, Su Le was still young. Jiang Nuan, on the other hand, was already in elementary school. Raising girls of different ages felt distinctly different.

    After Jiang Nuan finished eating, she began to cough. Gu Zi tended to her with great care, gently patting her back and handing her a tissue. She watched as the young girl coughed up several mouthfuls of phlegm.

    ¡°You still have a bit of phlegm,¡± she observed, ¡°It seems the young doctor¡¯s medicine is working. Otherwise, this therapeutic soup wouldn¡¯t have taken effect so quickly. How are you feeling?¡±

    Jiang Nuan¡¯s eyes brightened considerably. ¡°Auntie, after coughing up that phlegm, I suddenly feel much more relaxed. It¡¯s as if my body has become lighter. Auntie, you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    No sooner had Jiang Nuan¡¯s words fallen than a voice sounded from outside the kitchen. ¡°Wow, what a delicious smell of meat! Su Li, what is your mother cooking in the kitchen?¡±

    Su Li¡¯s voice rang out, filled with pride. ¡°Everything my mother makes is delicious. Didn¡¯t you just eat some snacks my mom prepared earlier? My mother must be preparing something tasty in the kitchen. But you guys need to help out. How can my mother manage everything by herself?¡±

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    As Su Li¡¯s words fell, a group of boys led by him surged into the kitchen. Fortunately, the Su family¡¯s kitchen was spacious enough to accommodate them all. Otherwise, it would have been overcrowded.

    The next moment, someone began to call out, ¡°Are you Su Li¡¯s sister? I¡¯m Su Li¡¯s classmate, Gu Jun. Nice to meet you, sister!¡±

    Liu Shi¡¯s eyes widened. He had never seen such a beautiful older sister before. ¡°Su Li, I now believe that your mother is very beautiful because your sister is extremely beautiful. Hello, sister, I¡¯m Liu Shi.¡±

    Seeing his two good friends calling out, Zhang Liang didn¡¯t want to be left behind. ¡°Hello, sister. You must be a college student, right?¡±

    The other classmates also began to call out their greetings. Seeing their reactions, Su Li was not angry. On the contrary, he was even more proud. He laughed heartily and said triumphantly, ¡°Who said this is my sister? Listen carefully, this is my mother!¡±

 Chapter 770 - Chapter 770: Relatives from the Village

    Chapter 770: Relatives from the Village

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The classmates followed into the room, their eyes landing on the young and beautiful woman standing next to Su Li. Upon hearing that this woman was not Su Li¡¯s sister but his mother, their faces revealed expressions of surprise. ¡°Su Li, isn¡¯t this a bit exaggerated? She doesn¡¯t look like a mother at all, she looks more like a college student!¡±

    Su Li¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, his tone light and casual. ¡°You guys really haven¡¯t seen much, have you? I thought students of this school wouldn¡¯t be so easily surprised. This is my mother. Although she didn¡¯t give birth to us, she is the mother of my brother, sister, and me. Mom, let me introduce you to my classmates. This is Gu Jun, Liu Shi, Zhang Liang¡­¡±

    Su Li introduced his classmates one by one. When he came across those from Su Bing¡¯s class, he let them introduce themselves.

    Gu Zi had an eidetic memory. She remembered everyone¡¯s names after just one round of introductions. With a calm and unhurried demeanor, she served the prepared food to the children.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you all could come over,¡± she said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s serve the food. Gu Jun, you and two other classmates can serve the pan-seared steak. Liu Shi, you and Su Li can handle the drinks. I¡¯ve prepared fruit milk and freshly squeezed fruit tea for you. Serve yourselves whatever you prefer, there¡¯s plenty for everyone. Zhang Liang, you and the girls can serve the desserts.¡±

    When Gu Zi asked everyone to help, her voice was melodious, her demeanor gentle and charming. The classmates couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy as they watched this beautiful mother, their eyes sparkling with admiration. ¡°Wow, did Su Li¡¯s mom make all of this by herself? She¡¯s amazing! This fruit tea is delicious. I¡¯ll ask my mom to make it for me when I get home. Su Li, you and your siblings are so lucky to have such a wonderful mother!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, this steak smells incredible,¡± another student chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s even better than the one I had at a fancy restaurant last time. Su Bing, Su Li, can we come over to your house more often? That way, we can have your mom cook for us.¡±

    Everyone was savoring the delicious food, their praises never ceasing. Su Bing and Su Li sat together with Lele, their joy palpable. Jiang Nuan sat beside the trio, taking care of little Lele. They were all very happy.

    However, upon hearing someone suggest they should visit often and have Gu Zi prepare delicious food, Su Bing furrowed his brows and spoke up, a rare occurrence. ¡°My mother can¡¯t do this every day. She has a job.¡±

    Although the financial conditions of their classmates¡¯ families were not much different, in families like these, the mothers often made sacrifices to support the career development of the men in the family. They usually quit their jobs to stay at home and take care of the family, so it was rare for a mother among their classmates to have her own job.

    Upon hearing Su Bing¡¯s words, everyone admired his mother even more and savored the delicious food with contentment.

    Once they had nearly finished eating, they began to play games in the yard.

    At first, Big Yellow was very alert, as the house had not been this lively in a long time. However, as the games progressed, Big Yellow seemed to blend in with the children, following his young master Su Le around.

    The classmates were also happy to play with Big Yellow, even though they were initially scared of such a large dog.

    After another round of the game ¡°Eagle Catches the Chick,¡± a shout came from the gate, ¡°Su Bing, Su Li, Lele, your grandmother is here. Come and open the door.¡±

    Upon hearing the shout, Su Bing and his classmates looked towards the gate. He suddenly remembered that his mother had mentioned that his grandmother would be visiting their home in the next few days.

    Su Bing went to open the door and welcomed the Lin family in. ¡°Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle, Auntie, why did you bring so much stuff? It must have been tiring. Uncle, let me help you.¡±

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    Lin Cheng wiped his sweat, preparing to continue moving things from the car. As it was their first time visiting their sister and brother-in-law¡¯s new home, their parents had brought almost everything from their house.

    Farm vegetables, wild honey from the mountains, free-range chicken eggs, duck eggs¡­ They had brought half a truckload of goods. It was fortunate that they had a truck from the pig farm, otherwise, bringing so much stuff into the city would have been a problem.

    Upon hearing the commotion, Gu Zi also came out to welcome her family. Seeing Lin Cheng moving things up and down, she said, ¡°Brother, sit down and have some tea before you continue. Mom, Dad, sister-in-law, come in and sit. The children are having a food party today. There¡¯s plenty to eat. You should also have some to fill your stomachs.¡±

    As the Lin family entered, the children in the yard watched them with curious eyes. Although the Lin family¡¯s attire was much more modern than before, to these children, raised in elite families, they looked like villagers at first glance.

    Someone asked, ¡°Su Li, are these your relatives from the countryside? Their clothes are so worn out.¡±

 Chapter 771 - Chapter 771: Introduce My Parents

    Chapter 771: Introduce My Parents

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The words spoken had clearly disrupted the pleasant atmosphere, causing a hint of embarrassment to creep onto the faces of the Lin family. They had initially planned to dress up for the occasion, but the thought of getting their good clothes dirty while helping Gu Zi move her belongings made them reconsider. So, they opted for their old clothes, intending to change after the task was done.

    They hadn¡¯t anticipated that their daughter¡¯s home would be filled with a group of young city guests that day.

    The thought of causing embarrassment to their daughter made Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s face alternate between shades of red and white. Clutching his cane, his discomfort was palpable, especially standing in front of such a luxurious villa, which made Lin Lao¡¯er appear particularly frail.

    An Yun noticed her husband¡¯s unease and felt a bit awkward herself. The gap between them and their daughter was significant. It hadn¡¯t been so noticeable when they all lived in the village, but now that their daughter had moved to the city with her husband and was living in such a luxurious villa, the disparity was glaringly obvious.

    An Yun wasn¡¯t jealous of her daughter. She was just worried about embarrassing her daughter after hearing the children¡¯s whispers. As a parent, she understood her husband¡¯s feelings and empathized with him. Supporting her husband, a hint of guilt was visible in her eyes as she looked at her daughter.

    In just a few seconds, their mood had shifted from happiness to a sense of loss due to the perceived gap. Even the best at hiding emotions would reveal a bit of it.

    Gu Zi noticed but didn¡¯t say anything, nor did she question who had made the comment.

    Once everyone had moved into the living room, she made a point to introduce her parents to the young guests. She didn¡¯t want to make empty promises; she wanted to show the Lin family through her actions that they were her family, bound by blood. There was no question of anyone embarrassing anyone else in a family.

    ¡°Su Li just introduced me, as his mother, to you all. Now, I would like to introduce my parents to you. This is my father, a diligent and honest farmer, and this is my mother, a kind woman who works in a braised meat shop. They are excellent parents¡­¡±

    Upon hearing these words, the students cast increasingly complex glances towards the elderly Lin couple. How could such an ordinary pair have given birth to a stunning beauty like Su Li¡¯s mother? This clearly contradicted the children¡¯s previous understanding. They didn¡¯t perceive the parents as particularly outstanding, and their gazes made the elderly couple feel even more uncomfortable.

    A child couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aunt Gu Zi, your parents are so ordinary. My mom says farmers are the most ordinary. If I don¡¯t study hard, I¡¯ll become a farmer. I don¡¯t want to be a farmer, so I study very hard.¡±

    As one child finished speaking, others echoed or agreed with this sentiment, causing Su Li¡¯s expression to darken. It seemed these classmates looked down on farmers.

    Su Bing¡¯s face also cooled a few degrees. In his view, whether it was the bureaucratic class, the elite class, or the farmer class, they were all people, all without any difference. He didn¡¯t like these people¡¯s statements.

    Jiang Nuan also disagreed with this sentiment, forcefully retorting, ¡°What kind of feudal thinking is this? It¡¯s unacceptable. Without farmers planting rice and vegetables, how can millions of people be fed? Teachers teach us the idea of equality. Where did you learn this from? Moreover, in my view, farmers should not only be treated equally, but we should also respect them.¡±

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    Gu Zi was very satisfied with Jiang Nuan¡¯s statement. She put her arms around her parents¡¯ shoulders and took over the conversation, ¡°Nuannuan is right. My parents are farmers, but they are very worthy of respect. This is not a contradiction. There are so many future professions, whether it¡¯s being an official, a teacher, a shop assistant, a librarian, a farmer, or a laborer, everyone should find their own place.

    ¡°Studying gives us a broader perspective, to let us understand the principles, to use what we have learned to better build society, not to give us the courage to look down on the grassroots of society. You can go back and ask your uncles, aunts, grandmothers, and mothers, what would society look like without farmers, and see how they would answer.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, some students lowered their heads in shame. They seemed to have habitually committed the error of looking down on others. Some students apologized, ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Su Li¡¯s Grandpa and Grandma. We shouldn¡¯t have said those words. Please forgive us.¡±

    Gu Zi also looked at the elderly Lin couple. They were her parents in this world, and she accepted them from the bottom of her heart.

    At this moment, her actions also required her parents to truly accept her, to make them realize that they were her family. They were worthy. ¡°Mom, Dad, are you satisfied with my introduction?¡±

 Chapter 772 - Chapter 772: From the Village

    Chapter 772: From the Village

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon witnessing Gu Zi¡¯s firm resolve, An Yun and her husband felt a wave of relief wash over them.

    An Yun took her daughter¡¯s hand, responding, ¡°We are content, Little Zi. With a wonderful daughter like you and your brother, your father and I couldn¡¯t ask for more. Now, children, there¡¯s no need to worry. Go and enjoy yourselves.¡±

    Su Li took his classmates out to the yard for some fun, while Su Bing went with his uncle and aunt to move some items.

    Gu Zi, observing the numerous baskets scattered around, poured her parents a cup of water. ¡°You¡¯ve brought so much with you. When did our family start producing such a variety of farm goods? And you even brought dried fish?¡±

    An Yun accepted the cup of water, ¡°These are all good things, all from the villagers themselves. We went around the village the day before to buy them, just so we could bring them to you all at once. Especially the wild honey, it¡¯s a real treat. Your brother got it for you, and we¡¯ve saved a jar for your sister-in-law. The rest is all for you.¡±

    Hearing that these items were painstakingly sourced by her family, Gu Zi was touched. Her family truly cared for her, their married daughter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure to enjoy these. You two should relax and watch some TV. You¡¯ve come a long way, so rest well today. What would you like for dinner?¡±

    As Gu Zi turned on the television, An Yun and her husband looked around. The lavish decor of the living room was, to them, comparable to a king¡¯s castle. Perhaps even a king¡¯s castle wouldn¡¯t be as grand. Su Shen was certainly generous with his money.

    Even though An Yun wanted her daughter to live well, she couldn¡¯t help but worry about such extravagance. It seemed impossible to live comfortably in such a large house.

    She said to her daughter, ¡°Business has been booming lately, and our shop has been incredibly busy. Your sister-in-law was worried about my health, so she decided to close the shop a few days ago. You probably don¡¯t know, but your Aunt Yang came to the city a few days ago. When Yang Zhen found out the shop was closed, she took your Aunt Yang to her place. Yuan Yuan is with your Aunt Yang. The child is close to Yang Zhen. In the end of the day, they¡¯re family.

    ¡°We arrived late today because we were waiting for your sister-in-law to return from her mother¡¯s house. There was a small issue at the Li family, but it should be resolved now. Anyway, don¡¯t worry. Your sister-in-law and I came to help you with some chores. You have to take care of the house and work, so for the next few days, you don¡¯t have to worry about any housework.¡±

    Listening to her mother¡¯s words, Gu Zi felt a warmth in her heart, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Understood, Mom. When we have time, let¡¯s invite Yang Zhen and Aunt Yang over. Our house is big enough, we won¡¯t have any trouble accommodating them.¡±

    An Yun replied, ¡°That sounds good, Gu Zi. Let your father watch the television alone. You can show me around the kitchen. Your sister-in-law and I will take care of dinner tonight. You should rest. Oh, and your brother will be returning to work at the pig farm later, so we won¡¯t need to prepare his meal.¡±

    Gu Zi led An Yun towards the kitchen, ¡°Brother has been quite busy at the pig farm recently, hasn¡¯t he? He¡¯s lost quite a bit of weight. I have some bird¡¯s nest soup in the fridge. After he finishes moving the stuff, let¡¯s have him drink a bottle to replenish his energy before he leaves. After all, he still has to drive.¡±

    An Yun was delighted, ¡°Little Zi, you¡¯re so thoughtful, always considering your brother. He¡¯s the type to neglect himself while taking care of others, just like your father. Before we came, your sister-in-law also advised him not to be so selfless. It¡¯s enough that he¡¯s tired from work, but he even uses his spare time to help his colleagues transport goods.¡±

    The mom and daughter spent some time in the kitchen before Gu Zi took her mother on a tour of the large house.

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    By the time they reached the front yard, most of the children had been picked up.

    At that moment, a stylishly dressed woman arrived to pick up her child. Seeing Gu Zi, she immediately approached with a displeased expression and questioned, ¡°Are you Su Li¡¯s mother? Are you the one teaching my child that farmers are equal to us?¡±

    Gu Zi glanced at the child trailing behind the woman, recognizing him as the one who had earlier scorned her family¡¯s humble attire. She instantly understood the situation. The child¡¯s attitude was a reflection of his mother¡¯s.

    Gu Zi¡¯s smile faded, ¡°Madam, do you disagree with what I said?¡±

    The fashionable woman huffed coldly, arrogantly stating, ¡°Of course I disagree. How could people of our class possibly be equal to farmers? Is this woman beside you your rural mother? Son, is your classmate¡¯s family from the countryside? If you had told me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have let you come today. It¡¯s laughable. Just because you rented a house here, you think you¡¯re no longer from the countryside?¡±

 Chapter 773 - Chapter 773: Its a Good Thing

    Chapter 773: It¡¯s a Good Thing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°No wonder Teacher Zhou said that nowadays, any riff-raff can get into your school,¡± a fashionable woman remarked with disdain. ¡°I understand now. Xiao Tian, you are not to associate with this family¡¯s child. In class, act as if you don¡¯t know him. You come from high society, and we can¡¯t let these people drag you down. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    As she spoke, she hurriedly pulled her son, Xiao Tian, away. Her hurried steps seemed as if she feared the very ground beneath her feet would lower her worth.

    Xiao Tian, however, looked back with a reluctant gaze, seemingly wanting to resist but not daring to speak up. He could only be led away.

    Gu Zi watched this unfold, noticing a hint of genuine envy in the boy¡¯s eyes. She shook her head, finding the woman¡¯s behavior unreasonable. Yet, she felt no need to retaliate. After all, with such a mother, the one who would be led astray in the future would be her child.

    Gu Zi was not one to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Moreover, if this woman could maintain such a good relationship with Teacher Zhou, she was not someone worth associating with. It was a good thing that her child would not be associating with Su Li.

    However, the woman¡¯s words were too classist, even the good-natured An Yun couldn¡¯t stand it. Unable to hold back, An Yun said to Gu Zi, ¡°Such a mother could corrupt her child. Look at the poor boy.¡±

    Just as the fashionable woman was about to step out of the door, she bumped into Gao Ming¡¯s grandmother, the elderly Mrs. Gao. The woman¡¯s eyes lit up. This was the wife of her husband¡¯s mentor, Elder Gao. Her husband owed much of his success to Elder Gao¡¯s guidance, so she naturally held the couple in high regard. ¡°Aunt Gao, what brings you here?¡± she asked.

    Mrs. Gao had arrived just in time to hear the woman¡¯s disparaging remarks. She was taken aback. The woman who had been so respectful and polite during their last encounter was now spouting such words to Gu Zi¡¯s mother.

    The elderly lady did not hide her displeasure. Her face darkened as she coldly replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else, madam. I¡¯m a neighbor of this rural family. How could I possibly know you?¡±

    Dressed in a cheongsam and stepping lightly in her lace-up shoes, the elderly Madam Gao was as elegant as ever. She briskly walked past a woman, heading towards Gu Zi and her mother.

    The fashionable woman stood frozen in place, wondering if the old lady had lost her mind. She was being so dismissive towards her, a lady of high standing, all for a family of country folk. It was outrageous!

    She climbed into her car with her son, still seething with anger. ¡°It must be because your father has been too busy these days to visit Madam Gao,¡± she muttered resentfully. ¡°She must think your father has been neglecting her, that¡¯s why she¡¯s so angry with me¡­¡±

    Inside the house, Gu Zi introduced her parents to Madam Gao. ¡°Grandma Gao, this is my mother and father. They just arrived from our hometown today and plan to stay here for a while. They brought a lot of good things from the village. When I have some free time tomorrow, I¡¯ll bring some over for you.¡±

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    Grandma Gao and Gu Zi had a comfortable relationship, always exchanging pleasantries and gifts. Gu Zi¡¯s gifts were always accepted with pleasure, no matter what they were. The Gao family believed in reciprocating kindness and would never let Gu Zi be at a disadvantage. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, and thank you both for bringing these wonderful things all the way from your village. I can tell that you are good people, especially since you have such a good daughter.¡±

    An Yun and her husband were somewhat embarrassed by the praise. Seeing that Grandma Gao had come over specifically, An Yun assumed she must have something to discuss with Gu Zi. She stood up with her husband, ¡°Madam Gao, you flatter us. You two have a chat, we¡¯ll go check on our grandson.¡±

    Grandma Gao watched An Yun and her husband leave with a smile, then turned to Gu Zi. ¡°Your mother is quite polite. I did come to ask you something, but it¡¯s not a secret. You mentioned that the braised meat shop might open a branch in the city. Where did you hear this news, and is it reliable?¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, surprised that Grandma Gao had come for this matter. The housekeeper at Aunt Gao¡¯s house certainly had a quick tongue. However, she didn¡¯t plan to reveal her relationship with the gourmet food shop to Grandma Gao just yet. She had plans this year to help her sister-in-law open a branch in the city, but she didn¡¯t want too many people to know about it too soon.

    She organized her thoughts and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any news. I just think that this shop, despite its remote location, is very popular. It was even featured in the newspaper. It must have potential for growth. Perhaps the owner will consider opening a branch in the city. After all, there are more people in the city, which means more business. Who doesn¡¯t want to make money, right, Grandma Gao?¡±

 Chapter 774 - Chapter 774: We Are So Lonely

    Chapter 774: We Are So Lonely

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao listened with a hint of disappointment in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course, but it¡¯s not certain that the shop will open in the city. I thought it was a sure thing. You don¡¯t understand, ever since I tasted the braised meat from this shop, I¡¯ve been hooked. I¡¯ve been craving it. I was hoping it would open in the city, making it more convenient for people to buy.¡±

    Gu Zi blinked her eyes and said, ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence. My mother happens to work in Pingshui Town. They brought quite a lot of braised meat from that shop this time, all freshly made. I¡¯ll pack it up with some other good stuff and bring it to you tomorrow.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Aunt Gao was overjoyed. She rushed home and returned with two cheongsams. ¡°I noticed that your mother and I have similar figures. Upon closer look, she¡¯s quite a beauty. Women should dress up when they can. These two cheongsams were custom-made for me last month. I¡¯d like to give them to your mother as a gift. Have her try them on. If they don¡¯t fit, she can have them altered.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the two cheongsams. The patterns on them were hand-embroidered, exquisitely done, and there were pearls adorning the collar. They must have cost a pretty penny.

    She politely declined, ¡°Grandma Gao, this is too much. My mother brings you braised meat, and you give her handmade cheongsams in return? No, they¡¯re too valuable. Just give me the address of the cheongsam shop, and I¡¯ll take my mother there to have a couple made.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandma Gao ignored Gu Zi¡¯s protests. She left the cheongsams and went out for a while. When she returned, she called An Yun in.

    Before An Yun could ask what was going on, she was already wearing a red cheongsam embroidered with large peonies under the old lady¡¯s urging.

    At that moment, even without makeup, An Yun¡¯s complexion was brightened. The cheongsam fit her perfectly, giving her an air of elegance and grace.

    Grandma Gao was very pleased with the effect. ¡°See, changing into a different outfit is like becoming a different person. Look how beautiful you are, Gu Zi¡¯s mother. From now on, I¡¯ll call you Little An. You must accept this gift from me.¡±

    An Yun was taken aback by the valuable gift. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t accept it, but the old lady didn¡¯t give her a chance to refuse. After saying her piece, she left with her grandson.

    An Yun wanted to follow, but her daughter Gu Zi held her back. ¡°Let it go, Mom. If the old lady wants to give it to you, just accept it. Since you¡¯ve already put on the cheongsam, let me do your makeup and hair.¡±

    Gu Zi thought to herself, since Grandma Gao insisted, it would be rude to refuse further. If she loved the braised meat so much, why not invite Grandma Gao to be the guest of honor at the shop¡¯s grand opening in the city? She would surely be delighted. It would be a pleasant surprise for Grandma Gao.

    An Yun could not resist Gu Zi¡¯s persuasion, so she followed her daughter upstairs. However, she was still not accustomed to wearing makeup. Therefore, the mother and daughter compromised, deciding to only style An Yun¡¯s hair instead of applying makeup.

    An Yun¡¯s features were, in fact, quite delicate, and she could carry off the cheongsam without any makeup. Gu Zi finally styled her hair into a contemporary high bun, the result of which was surprisingly stunning.

    When Li Hua arrived, she was taken aback by her mother-in-law¡¯s appearance. ¡°My goodness, you look like you¡¯ve lived this kind of life all along. You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± she exclaimed.

    Gu Zi also admired her mother for a while before suggesting, ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and show Dad.¡±

    Although An Yun was a bit shy, she was also eager for her husband to see her in such a refined state. Half-pushing and half-pulling, she followed her daughter and daughter-in-law downstairs.

    The moment Lin Lao¡¯er saw An Yun, his eyes were filled with nothing but her. He lavished praise on his wife, ¡°You look so beautiful, An Yun. You should dress like this more often.¡±

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    What Lin Lao¡¯er didn¡¯t say was that his leg was gradually getting better. Once it was fully healed, he was determined to take over his wife¡¯s duties and work at the braised meat shop. By then, his wife would be able to relax a lot more. He hoped that at that time, his wife could rest more, take care of herself, dress up, and shine brightly like their daughter.

    Lin Lao¡¯er¡¯s gaze at his wife made Gu Zi, who was standing by, feel a bit sour. ¡°Sister-in-law, Mom and Dad look like a couple in their honeymoon phase. Meanwhile, we¡¯re all alone. My brother just left, and my husband Su Shen is away on a trip. Sigh¡­¡±

    An Yun felt embarrassed and looked away. ¡°We¡¯re an old couple. What are you talking about? Gu Zi, you¡¯re really something, teasing your parents like this.¡±

    After saying this, An Yun ignored everyone else and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Li Hua and Gu Zi also went in to help. Gu Zi didn¡¯t need to worry about the yard because she knew that Su Bing and Su Li would clean it up.

    In the kitchen, the three of them had clear roles. Not long after it got dark, the Su family began their dinner.

 Chapter 775 - Chapter 775: Writing a Letter

    Chapter 775: Writing a Letter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    For this meal, An Yun and Li Hua took the helm in the kitchen, with Gu Zi as their assistant. The dishes they prepared were typical of everyday rural cuisine. However, unlike the usual fare, the table was laden with an abundance of meat and vegetables.

    Su Li, who used to salivate at the mere sight of meat, was no longer as voracious when it came to food. Ever since Gu Zi appeared in their lives, the siblings had never gone hungry. Instead, they were treated to a rich and balanced diet.

    An Yun watched her three grandchildren, each one appearing more adorable than the last. Her affection for them was palpable. She served the eldest two, who were unafraid of fish bones, some steamed dried fish. ¡°You¡¯re growing, so you need to eat more. Try it and see if it¡¯s good,¡± she encouraged.

    Su Li, upon seeing the dried fish, was intrigued. Despite having eaten little, he couldn¡¯t resist satisfying his curiosity while eating the fish. ¡°Grandma, why do we dry the fish before eating it?¡± he asked.

    An Yun replied with a loving smile, ¡°Sometimes we catch too many fish and can¡¯t finish them all at once. We can¡¯t let them go to waste, so we turn them into dried fish. This way, we can eat them whenever we want, turning a passive situation into an active one. The working people are truly wise.¡±

    Listening to this, Gu Zi¡¯s face broke into a faint smile, a hint of pride evident in her expression. This was her mother, after all. If it were someone else, they might have bluntly told the child that ordinary people didn¡¯t have that much food or money to buy meat, so they had to resort to drying the fish they caught to supplement their protein intake.

    While this explanation was undoubtedly true, it lacked a certain charm. Her mother¡¯s explanation, on the other hand, was more conducive to the children¡¯s growth. With this in mind, the meal was even more enjoyable.

    Lin Lao¡¯er was the first to finish. Due to his physical disability, the others didn¡¯t let him do much. As soon as he finished eating, he went to the living room to watch the opera program on television.

    Sitting on the sofa, humming a tune with his granddaughter in his arms, he was content. At that moment, he understood why people were increasingly reluctant to be farmers and instead sought to earn money or become officials. Everyone wanted to enjoy life to the fullest¡­

    In the quiet of the night, Gu Zi emerged from her bath, settling herself at the edge of her bed to pen a letter to her beloved husband, Su Shen.

    In her letter, she assured him that all was well at home, urging him not to worry and to devote himself fully to his tasks. Time and energy were precious commodities, she reminded him, and he should strive to excel, to be the best. She wanted to be able to boast about how wonderful her man was.

    She wrote of her own days, filled to the brim with work, tending to the yard, helping the children with their homework, and caring for little Lele. Her family had visited that day, she added, so he needn¡¯t worry about her having time for any other man. However, she did request that he bring back some local specialties from his travels, so she could taste the flavors of the capital.

    Gu Zi filled a page with her words, then tucked the letter into an envelope. There was much more she could have said, but she refused to write more than a page, not wanting to seem overly sentimental.

    The following morning, Gu Zi sent off her letter. The process was surprisingly convenient in their small community. All she had to do was affix a stamp to the envelope and drop it into the mailbox at the corner of Fulun Road. At a certain time, someone would come to collect the mail and send it off to its various destinations.

    Upon her return, she found that Li Hua had already prepared breakfast. Each person was served a bowl of tomato and egg noodles.

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    The two brothers were enjoying their meal, finding the hand-rolled noodles particularly satisfying. Gu Zi joined them, and as they ate, Li Hua mentioned that she had packed up the items for Grandma Gao. After breakfast, they would deliver them.

    Gu Zi nodded, swallowing a mouthful of noodles before speaking. ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± she said. ¡°And sister-in-law, don¡¯t tell Grandma Gao about our restaurant yet. I haven¡¯t had a chance to tell her myself. And remember our discussion last night about opening a branch in the city? Let¡¯s keep that to ourselves for now.¡±

    Li Hua had shared her thoughts with Gu Zi the previous night. The reason they had closed the restaurant for a few days was to give everyone a much-needed break. Money was important, but not at the expense of their health. Rest was essential.

    Gu Zi had also mentioned her plans to open a branch of the restaurant, so Li Hua understood her meaning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured her. ¡°I know what to say.¡±

    After breakfast, Gu Zi and Li Hua delivered the items to Grandma Gao¡¯s house. Grandma Gao was delighted and invited them to go shopping with her. ¡°I haven¡¯t been out in a while,¡± she said. ¡°The weather is perfect today for a stroll. Gu Zi, why don¡¯t you bring your parents and sister-in-law along? We can all enjoy the day together. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 776 - Chapter 776: Shopping Trip

    Chapter 776: Shopping Trip

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the past, Gu Zi might have agreed immediately. For her, money was no longer an issue. Shopping was not just about acquiring goods, but also an opportunity to interact with different people, to experience the customs and human sentiments of this era. She found it quite enchanting, and thus, she was more than willing to immerse herself in the crowd and enjoy the experience of shopping.

    Living in this era, she could distinctly feel the warmth of the people. Although there were unpleasant individuals everywhere, the majority were decent, and there was a sense of camaraderie among them. Sometimes, even a chance encounter with a stranger could bring her joy.

    This era was simpler, with more genuine emotions, unlike the future where everything was rushed and people were indifferent.

    However, today was different. Her family was at home, so Gu Zi needed to consult them. She turned to Li Hua, who had come with her, and asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ve been meaning to take you all out for a good time. Today, Grandma Gao has invited us to go out shopping. What do you think?¡±

    Li Hua smiled and replied, ¡°Gu Zi, you make the decision. As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with your work, I¡¯m sure Mom and Dad won¡¯t mind. Speaking of shopping, it¡¯s perfect timing. I want to buy a new set of clothes for your brother, so he has something to change into. I also want to buy a pair of sneakers. I heard they¡¯re more comfortable. Your brother is always hauling goods around, so he needs comfortable shoes.¡±

    Lately, Lin Cheng had been bringing her small gifts every now and then. It was time for her to return the favor. After all, she was now the owner of a shop, a woman capable of holding her own.

    She was more than happy to buy new clothes for Lin Cheng. She always remembered the days when they were poor, when her man couldn¡¯t afford to buy new clothes for himself all year round. Yet, he would save money to buy her a new outfit from head to toe for the New Year. She was touched back then, but due to the lack of income, she could only wash old clothes from home and make clothes for him by hand.

    Listening to this, Grandma Gao chuckled and teased, ¡°It seems that Li Hua and Lin Cheng have a good relationship. Young people are so sweet, thinking of each other even when shopping. Let¡¯s all go together then. But I need to change my clothes. Gu Zi, Li Hua, go call your parents. Wait for me at the intersection. I¡¯ll have my driver take us.¡±

    And so, the matter was happily settled. About fifteen minutes later, the Gao family¡¯s car was filled with people, setting off from Fulin Road towards the city.

    Although the car was crowded, it was lively. Even the Gao family¡¯s driver couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen Madam Gao smile so happily.¡±

    An Yun and Li Hua were visibly excited. It wasn¡¯t their first time shopping in the city, but it was their first time leaving a luxurious residential area in a private car. As they watched the various scenes flashing by outside the window, their faces were constantly lit up with smiles.

    In the car with them were four children. Su Bing and Su Le were relatively quiet, but Su Li and Gao Ming were incessantly chattering throughout the journey.

    Upon reaching the city, the car parked beneath the largest department store, Xinghua Department Store. Everyone, except the driver, disembarked. There were the old and the young, men and women, all dressed meticulously. They headed towards the entrance of Xinghua Department Store with an air of grandeur that made passersby turn their heads.

    After all, it was rare to see an entire family out shopping together, except during festivals or New Year celebrations.

    Madam Gao was familiar with the place. Remembering that Li Hua wanted to buy clothes and shoes for her husband, she headed straight for the high-end clothing section.

    Gu Zi watched but didn¡¯t remind her. Even though her sister-in-law intended to buy everyday clothes for her husband, she might have wanted to buy something nicer. Gu Zi decided not to interfere. If the clothes were unsuitable, her sister-in-law would naturally speak up.

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    As expected, upon reaching the high-end clothing section, Li Hua checked the prices. Although she found them exorbitantly high, she couldn¡¯t deny the superior quality of the fabric.

    After a moment of hesitation, she decided to splurge on her husband, Lin Cheng. After all, she could afford it now. ¡°Miss, could you give me a discount? This set costs three hundred and forty-five, which is really expensive. How about a flat rate of two hundred and eighty?¡±

    The salesgirl was taken aback and replied in a soft voice, ¡°Madam, in our high-end section, we¡¯ve never had customers haggle over prices, especially not to such an extent.¡±

    Madam Gao was also surprised by Li Hua¡¯s reaction and chuckled, ¡°Li Hua, you¡¯ve scared the salesgirl.¡±

    Li Hua felt a bit awkward. She had considered that haggling might be embarrassing, but the price was indeed steep. Even though she was not short of money now, she still wanted to try and save some. Her words slipped out before she could stop them. Fortunately, she was no longer the person she used to be, the one who would blush and feel too embarrassed to face others.

 Chapter 777 - Chapter 777: Earning More Money

    Chapter 777: Earning More Money

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua, though slightly embarrassed, spoke with calm resolve, ¡°Miss, I truly like this outfit.¡±

    The saleswoman seemed somewhat conflicted, yet she managed to keep any impatience from her demeanor. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m just an employee here, I don¡¯t have the authority to make such decisions. Perhaps you could consider that set over there? It¡¯s only two hundred and eighty.¡±

    Just as the situation seemed to be at a stalemate, Gu Zi, pulling Su Le along, stepped forward on behalf of her sister-in-law. ¡°Miss, we understand that it¡¯s not customary to haggle over high-end clothing. However, this is the first time my sister-in-law is purchasing something so expensive. She¡¯s not short of money, but she needs a transition to get used to buying high-end goods. If this goes well, she might become a regular customer of yours.¡±

    Li Hua felt that her sister-in-law, whether educated or simply eloquent, had a way with words that touched people¡¯s hearts.

    Sure enough, the saleswoman seemed moved by her argument. ¡°I see, but I really can¡¯t make that decision. How about you wait a moment while I consult with our manager to see if we can offer you this price?¡±

    With that, the young saleswoman, clutching the outfit, hurried off. She returned shortly, ¡°Deal. Our manager says consider it a gift to cultivate a loyal customer. Madam, I¡¯ll pack this up for you. Please come this way to make the payment.¡±

    Li Hua gave Gu Zi a thumbs-up in approval and followed her to pay. Even the elderly Grandma Gao was impressed by Gu Zi and teased An Yun, ¡°Ah Yun, why didn¡¯t I have another son? It would have been wonderful if your daughter could have been my daughter-in-law.¡±

    An Yun laughed proudly, ¡°Madam Gao, even if you had another son, my daughter is already married to my son-in-law.¡±

    After Li Hua paid, the group moved on to select shoes for Lin Cheng. They finally chose a pair of imported sports shoes.

    Li Hua spent a total of five hundred and eighty-eight yuan. In the past, she never imagined she could spend so much in a single day. It took her a while to recover from the shock.

    However, holding the clothes and shoes in her hands, thinking about how soon Lin Cheng would be wearing these high-end items, she didn¡¯t regret spending the money. Instead, she told Gu Zi, ¡°Sister, I used to think your plan to expand the store nationwide was too ambitious. But now, I believe we can achieve it one day. I will work hard for it.¡±

    Li Hua now understood. Earning more money wasn¡¯t necessarily about being wealthier than others, but it was definitely about providing a better material life for the ones she loved.

    When it was time to spend money on herself and her loved ones, she wanted to be able to do so without guilt. She was filled with a fighting spirit, wishing she could open up a branch in the city right away.

    At this moment, only Gu Zi and Li Hua were together. Grandma Gao had taken An Yun and Lin Lao¡¯er to tour the senior living area, along with the children. That¡¯s why Li Hua felt comfortable expressing these thoughts.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi responded with relief, ¡°Sister-in-law, it seems you¡¯ve grown a lot. Once I submit this manuscript to the newspaper, we can start looking for a location. Besides that, we also need to consider cash flow and hiring new staff. Sister-in-law, this is going to be a tough battle.¡±

    Li Hua replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s fight it. Gu Zi, you and your husband have helped our family so much, and you¡¯ve helped me find a way to make money. We¡¯ve already started down this path, there¡¯s no reason not to continue.¡±

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    After chatting for a while, they continued shopping. Eventually, they met up with Grandma. Gao and the others and left the department store.

    However, as soon as they stepped out of the store, two women who had been following them began to criticize the three children of the Su family, ¡°It¡¯s really pitiful. The adults don¡¯t lift a finger, leaving everything to the children. The two boys are still growing, yet they¡¯re carrying all these bags. Look at the little one, she¡¯s just learned to walk, and she¡¯s carrying three leeks taller than herself.¡±

    ¡°That woman, she looks young and beautiful. At her age and with her looks, she shouldn¡¯t be married with children. I heard one of the boys call her ¡®mom¡¯. She doesn¡¯t look like a mother to me, she must be their father¡¯s young stepmother.¡±

    ¡°That explains it. Young people these days are so quick to divorce. In the end, it¡¯s the children who suffer. Now they have a stepmother, and soon they¡¯ll have a stepfather. Poor kids.¡±

    Gu Zi, realizing they were talking about her, was speechless. No matter where she went, there were always people quick to judge others. Just as she was about to retort, she saw the usually quiet Su Bing step forward and confront the two women directly.

 Chapter 778 - Chapter 778: Mom Is Beautiful and Kind

    Chapter 778: Mom Is Beautiful and Kind

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°My mom is not as you describe,¡± Su Bing said, his voice laced with a defensive edge. ¡°She encourages us to read, to broaden our minds. She believes that knowledge cannot stunt a person¡¯s growth. Only a lack of proper nutrition can do that. If a child doesn¡¯t eat well, doesn¡¯t consume enough meat, they won¡¯t grow tall. Your child, for instance, seems rather short. He¡¯s thin, pale, and looks malnourished. Perhaps you¡¯ve been too busy gossiping to care for his dietary needs. You should focus on your own child first.¡±

    Two women stood nearby, a small boy in tow. The boy bore a striking resemblance to one of the women, making it clear that they were mother and son.

    As Su Bing finished his speech, the face of the boy¡¯s mother twisted in anger. ¡°How dare you say my son is malnourished? You ungrateful brat! I was trying to help you, to make your stepmother treat you better, and you don¡¯t even thank me!¡±

    Initially, the others were taken aback by Su Bing¡¯s retort. Su Bing, usually quiet and reserved, rarely spoke up about such trivial matters. However, the topic had touched on his mother, Gu Zi, and crossed a line. Not only did he confront the woman, but he also hit the nail on the head. Indeed, the woman¡¯s boy did look malnourished, just like Su Li used to.

    Su Bing stood her ground. ¡°My mother may be a stepmother, but she¡¯s a good one, even better than a biological mother. Your son¡¯s malnutrition is a fact. Do you know how I can tell? Because before my stepmother married my father, my siblings and I were indeed abused and malnourished. We looked just like your son.¡±

    Su Li, too, was angry. He chimed in, backing up his brother in defending their mother. ¡°That¡¯s right. Before our mother came to our home, our little sister couldn¡¯t even speak. But after our mother arrived, she spent every day teaching our sister to talk and even took her to see a doctor. Now, our sister can say many things. Our mother is wonderful, and we won¡¯t allow you to speak ill of her. It¡¯s us, her children, who insist on helping her with chores, not because she treats us poorly.¡±

    Seeing her two sons defending her so passionately, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased. She was also impressed by Su Bing¡¯s sharp tongue. The usually quiet boy proved to be reliable in crucial moments, much like a certain older man she knew.

    With that thought, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder when the letter she had sent out that morning would reach the older man¡¯s hands.

    Gu Zi addressed the two children, ¡°Su Bing, Su Li, pay no heed to this woman. She can¡¯t even take care of her own child, and only spews irrational gossip. Don¡¯t bother with her. Ma¡¯am, perhaps you should take your son to the hospital for a check-up when you have the time. I may be a stepmother, but it seems I¡¯m doing a better job than you, the biological mother of your son.¡±

    By this point, the bystanders had grasped the situation. It was clear to anyone with eyes that the two boys were fiercely protective of their young stepmother. This could only be the result of genuine affection from her, which had touched the hearts of these two half-grown children who had suffered so much.

    Consequently, the crowd began to point fingers at the two women who had been gossiping earlier, especially the one with the child, who became the subject of everyone¡¯s conversation.

    ¡°Actually, the older boy has a point,¡± one bystander commented. ¡°Her child does look thin and underfed. If she can afford to shop here, she must be able to feed her child properly. How can she have the audacity to criticize others when her own child is in such a state?¡±

    ¡°Can you believe there are people like this in the world?¡± another chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s clear that the stepmother treats the children well, and they are sensible enough to help her carry things. Yet, in their mouths, the children are pitiful, and the stepmother is accused of mistreating her stepchildren. It¡¯s ridiculous. It seems some people can¡¯t handle prosperity.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± another agreed. ¡°If this is how stepmothers are viewed, who among us women would dare to marry a divorced man with children? Such prejudice is unacceptable. Some people¡¯s thinking is still stuck in the past. It¡¯s frightening¡­¡±

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    Seeing the two women nearly drowned in criticism, Gu Zi felt they deserved it. She led her group toward the parking area.

    Once they were in the car, she noticed that Su Bing was still upset and tried to comfort him, ¡°Are you still angry? You must believe that people can see the truth. Didn¡¯t those uncles and aunties just praise me for my beauty and kindness?¡±

    As Grandma Gao watched the scene unfold, her heart ached for the three Su children. How difficult their lives must have been before Gu Zi joined their family!

    ¡°Su Bing,¡± she said, ¡°your mother is right. You must trust in the judgment of the masses. You¡¯ve already defended your mother¡¯s honor, and the public has given their verdict. Don¡¯t let this incident affect your mood.¡±

    In the past, Grandma Gao had noticed that the three children were exceptionally good to Gu Zi, their stepmother. They were extraordinarily dependent on her and obedient to her. She had thought it was because Gu Zi had a strong personal charm that won the love of everyone, young and old.

 Chapter 779 - Chapter 779: Su Shen Just Left

    Chapter 779: Su Shen Just Left

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao found herself reflecting. She had never imagined that the three children had such a pitiful past. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi¡¯s inherent kindness, what else could have warmed the hearts of these three children? It seemed that Gu Zi was far more worthy of interaction than she had initially thought.

    An Yun also spoke up, ¡°Su Bing, I heard what those two people said about my daughter earlier, and it upset me. However, your behavior was truly commendable. I am at ease, allowing my daughter to be your mother. I trust your father, and I trust you all to treat her well. The incident has passed, so ease your mind. You¡¯re still a child.¡±

    Upon hearing her grandmother refer to him as a child, Su Bing felt a warmth in his heart and finally managed a smile. However, he wasn¡¯t accustomed to his brother¡¯s exaggerated laughter. His smile was subtle, barely a lift at the corners of his mouth. He wasn¡¯t sure if anyone could tell he was smiling, so he made an effort to lift the corners of his mouth a bit more. ¡°Mom, Grandma, Grandma Gao, I¡¯m fine,¡± he assured them.

    Grandma Gao slapped her knee in relief and laughed, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Overall, our shopping trip today was enjoyable!¡±

    The young Gao Ming, who was sitting on Grandma Gao¡¯s knee, piped up, ¡°Grandma, you hit my leg. It hurts!¡±

    Only then did Grandma Gao realize that her beloved grandson was still sitting on her lap. She burst into laughter, and the others joined in, amused by Gao Ming¡¯s aggrieved expression and Grandma Gao¡¯s momentary confusion. The atmosphere in the car lightened, once again filled with warmth and laughter.

    At that moment, Gu Zi felt an unusual sense of peace. She looked at the faces around her, as if admiring a group portrait of this era. Before she had traveled through the book, Gu Zi had always loved looking at old photos from different eras, studying the faces and the lively smiles they wore.

    She had noticed that in those old albums, whether they were celebrities, great people, or ordinary folks, they all had a unique quality. It was an indescribable purity, persistence, and sincerity that only top-tier actors could portray.

    This quality was precious, a personality trait that future generations could only possess after sufficient cultivation. Gu Zi looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror and felt fortunate. On her face, she also possessed this quality. She no longer needed to flip through old albums, searching for those sincere faces, to feel the beauty of that quality.

    In the Imperial Military District, Su Shen had been inundated with team training tasks assigned by his superiors since the day of his welcome banquet. He was so busy that he barely had a moment to himself. He had just finished training a group of soldiers when another task was immediately handed down from above.

    He hurried off to another training base, leaving behind a hurried silhouette that sparked conversation among several high-ranking officers.

    ¡°Turns out when Commander Su retired, it was just a ruse. He was off on a secret mission. Now that he¡¯s back, he¡¯s likely to stay in the capital for good, right? A promotion must be in the cards.¡±

    ¡°Is Commander Su that impressive? More so than Commander Huo?¡±

    ¡°You must be new here, not knowing who Commander Su is. Although Commander Huo and Commander Su are good friends, back in the military district, Commander Su was known as the ¡®King of Soldiers¡¯, and Commander Huo was merely his subordinate. Moreover, do you know who Commander Su¡¯s mentor is? It¡¯s the meritorious General Hu¡­¡±

    Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a cold female voice. ¡°Instead of training your soldiers, you¡¯re here gossiping!¡± They turned around, startled.

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    The quickest to react greeted her, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, good to see you! We were just discussing the grand drill. What brings you here?¡±

    Hu Jie¡¯s gaze was icy as she glanced at them, ¡°Where is your Commander Su who¡¯s supposed to be training you? I¡¯m here on orders from the superior to find him.¡±

    The officer who had just greeted her quickly understood, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, you¡¯re out of luck. Commander Su just finished training here and has already left for the next base.¡± Upon hearing that Su Shen had just left, Hu Jie¡¯s expression darkened further, and she turned to leave.

    Once Hu Jie was gone, the group let out a sigh of relief. The officer from out of town asked in confusion, ¡°Strange, why are we, a group of military officers, afraid of someone from the cultural work team? And why did you call her Deputy Commander Hu?¡±

    The informed officer rolled his eyes, ¡°You heard me call her Deputy Commander Hu, and you still don¡¯t get it? The meritorious General Hu I mentioned earlier, who died in battle, is her father! Deputy Commander Hu has many connections. Even though she¡¯s from the cultural work team, we lower-ranking officers still have to show her some respect!¡±

 Chapter 780 - Chapter 780: Confronting the Old Leader

    Chapter 780: Confronting the Old Leader

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the news, the officer from out of town was taken aback, his hand instinctively covering his mouth in surprise. ¡°Deputy Commander Hu and Commander Su are¡­?¡± he asked, his voice trailing off.

    The officer in the know lowered his voice, ¡°It was the late Teacher Hu¡¯s dying wish for Commander Su to marry Miss Hu. However, some things happened afterward that are difficult to discuss¡­¡±

    In the vehicle, Commander Huo maintained his rough and tumble demeanor, his hair a disheveled mess. Even while driving, he didn¡¯t forget to keep a cigarette clamped between his lips. After finishing the day¡¯s training, he had planned to take Su Shen on a tour around the city. After all, the capital had undergone some changes since Su Shen¡¯s departure.

    However, to his surprise, as soon as the training ended, Su Shen had to immediately head to another training base. Not even a donkey would be worked this hard.

    ¡°I mean, is this old geezer¡¯s intention to not let you rest at all? And you just silently go along with it?¡± he asked, his tone incredulous.

    Su Shen, sitting in the passenger seat, paid no mind to the scenery outside the window. His thoughts were consumed by the people and events in Guangcheng. Hearing Huo Jing¡¯s words, he responded in a calm and unhurried manner, ¡°The old leader is trying to prevent me from seeing him, not giving me a chance to speak.¡±

    The leader was well aware that Su Shen¡¯s return this time was to ask for freedom from the higher-ups. However, they were not willing to let him go so easily, hence the numerous obstacles. Su Shen had anticipated this, and it was one of the reasons he felt guilty towards Gu Zi. Regardless, he had to gain his freedom. He could afford to wait, but once the time was used, he would demand results.

    Upon hearing this, Huo Jing felt increasingly annoyed at the old leader¡¯s actions. Although he didn¡¯t want Su Shen to give up his future and looked forward to fighting alongside Su Shen again, he respected Su Shen¡¯s wishes more. He took out his cigarette, casually threw it out of the window, and said with a smirk, ¡°You can endure it, but I can¡¯t. I must find that old man and have a talk with him.¡±

    In the afternoon, Huo Jing arrived at the Shen residence, claiming to be on a visit. However, the guards, as if they had received prior orders, did not usher him in as before but instead blocked his path. ¡°Commander Huo,¡± they said, ¡°the old leader has been feeling unwell lately and is not receiving guests. Please leave.¡±

    Huo Jing was not one to follow rules. He attempted to force his way forward. His face bore a scar that, when he was uncooperative, made him look fierce but not ugly. On the contrary, it added to his masculine charm. ¡°I¡¯m not a virus,¡± he retorted, ¡°If the old leader is unwell, can¡¯t I check on him? I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Huo Jing was a towering figure. His size wasn¡¯t as noticeable when he was with Su Shen, but when he stood with others, his robustness was striking, like a mountain. The guards were unable to stop him.

    Just as Huo Jing was about to barge in, a voice from behind coldly chided, ¡°We¡¯re all soldiers here. What¡¯s with all this pushing and shouting?¡±

    The guards quickly turned to the newcomer to complain, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, I¡¯m just following the old leader¡¯s orders. He¡¯s not receiving guests. But Commander Huo insists on going in. It¡¯s putting us in a difficult position¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Hu Jie shot a glare at Huo Jing, her eyes filled with a mix of annoyance and disdain. She had never liked this rough man, who was crude and reckless. What was even more infuriating was that her family was trying to match her with him, which she found utterly absurd.

    Despite Huo Jing being her equal in terms of social status, and his family being well-known and wealthy merchants, she simply did not like him. Huo Jing¡¯s brother had seized an opportunity and established the largest department store in Guang City. Everyone in the capital knew his name.

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    As for Huo Jing himself, he was known in the capital¡¯s imperial military district as a war king, comparable to Su Shen. His future was promising, with no lack of power or wealth. Yet, she found him distasteful. She deeply regretted listening to her mother and uncle, breaking off her engagement with Su Shen, and letting a woman from a small place take her place.

    Huo Jing, wondering who it was, turned to see Hu Jie. A teasing smile appeared on his face. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the old leader¡¯s niece? Are you here to see your uncle? What a coincidence, I¡¯m here to see him too. We must be fated. Let¡¯s go in together.¡±

    Seeing his behavior, Hu Jie became angry and took a few steps back. ¡°Who¡¯s fated with you, Commander Huo? You¡¯re always spouting nonsense. You look nothing like a military officer. You¡¯re a disgrace to the military district.¡±

    Huo Jing didn¡¯t care about her disdain. He didn¡¯t care what this woman thought of him. The more she disliked him, the better. He spoke again, his voice filled with amusement, ¡°Miss, you sure are nosy. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you were a woman trying to control her man. Alright, alright, let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Hu Jie gritted her teeth in anger, her delicate face trembling slightly. Every time she argued with this man, she could never win. She had come to accept it. After all, who could out-argue a man whose face was thicker than a city wall?

 Chapter 781 - Chapter 781: I Wont Indulge You

    Chapter 781: I Won¡¯t Indulge You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Ignoring Huo Jing, Hu Jie stormed into her uncle¡¯s house, her anger palpable. With her entrance, the security guard¡¯s attempts to stop her were rendered futile.

    Huo Jing, taking advantage of the situation, followed her in with an air of nonchalance. The guard, deflated, made no further attempts to intervene.

    The two of them entered, one after the other.

    In the grand hall, a middle-aged man in his fifties emerged. His hair was slightly grey, and he was dressed in a Zhongshan suit. In his hands, he held two polished walnuts, their sheen reflecting the room¡¯s light. He spoke with a strong, healthy voice, showing no signs of illness. ¡°Little Jie is here. Go to the back and have some pastries and tea, rest a bit.¡±

    Hu Jie nodded, and despite her resentment towards the old man, she respectfully called out, ¡°Uncle,¡± before heading to the back as instructed.

    Huo Jing stepped forward, offering a military salute before following the elder to a seating area. As soon as the elder sat down, he began to admonish Huo Jing as if he were his future son-in-law. ¡°Look at you, not even bothering to dress up. No wonder my niece Hu Jie doesn¡¯t want to see you.¡±

    Huo Jing, nonchalant as ever, took a deep breath before responding, ¡°This is how I am. If I were to dress up now and she found out later, she¡¯d accuse me of dishonesty. It¡¯s better for her to accept me as I am now. It¡¯s all about mutual consent.

    ¡°But, elder, I didn¡¯t come here today for this. I came for Su Shen. He wants to officially retire, and you owe him an explanation. How can you keep avoiding him? As far as I know, Su¡¯s family, his wife, and three children are waiting for him.¡±

    The elder, aware of Huo Jing¡¯s straightforwardness, had prepared a response. Casually twirling the walnuts in his hand, he replied, ¡°Su Shen is my best soldier. How could I possibly harm him?

    ¡°But he must complete his assigned tasks before we can discuss retirement. As for his wife and children, they should stay at home. If they run away, it only proves that the woman isn¡¯t worth Su Shen¡¯s sacrifice. Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Are you so eager for Su Shen to retire?¡±

    Huo Jing cursed inwardly at the elder¡¯s audacity. He chuckled and retorted, ¡°Elder, don¡¯t just say nice things. Besides, if you deliberately keep him here, be careful not to push Su Shen too far. It might not end well. Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s not just your soldier. He¡¯s also the former God of War, personally trained by General Hu.¡±

    Upon hearing the name of Teacher Hu, the old leader¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but quickly returned to its usual state. ¡°You young man,¡± he began, ¡°You know that I¡¯ve always been at odds with Hu Jie¡¯s damned father, and you¡¯re deliberately bringing him up to provoke me, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re still young and full of vigor, but that¡¯s good. Young people should be full of spirit.¡±

    He paused, then continued, ¡°But let¡¯s leave it at that. Since you¡¯re here and you¡¯ve run into my niece, you should at least offer her a ride home, shouldn¡¯t you? Someone, please bring the young lady out.¡±

    Hu Jie emerged from the back, her face pale. It was clear that her uncle was trying to arrange another marriage for her. She didn¡¯t dare to refuse directly. Without her father, her mother¡¯s family was her only support. She couldn¡¯t afford to offend her uncle. But the more she thought about it, the more upset she became.

    After she and Huo Jing left the house, she immediately put some distance between them. ¡°I have a car. I don¡¯t need you to drive me.¡±

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    Huo Jing was disdainful. ¡°You should have said you didn¡¯t want a ride earlier. You were like a quail in front of the old man, but now you¡¯re acting tough.¡± He lit a cigarette and deliberately blew out a puff of smoke. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to ride in my car, then don¡¯t. I¡¯m not going to accommodate you. But I¡¯ll have to call your uncle and explain that it¡¯s not my fault I¡¯m not driving you.¡±

    Hu Jie took a few steps away, but turned back when she heard his words. Her beautiful eyes stared at him. ¡°What call? You¡¯re not allowed to call.¡±

    Huo Jing leaned against the hood of the car, smirking. ¡°What I do is none of your business, Miss. You¡¯re the daughter of the Hu family, not the Huo family. I¡¯m not going to indulge you.¡±

    Hu Jie was furious. ¡°Huo Jing, can¡¯t you show a little gentlemanly demeanor? I don¡¯t know what my mother and the others were thinking when they chose you.¡±

    Huo Jing didn¡¯t back down. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so unlucky to have met someone like you. You¡¯re not happy, but you don¡¯t dare to rebel against your family. And you¡¯re still trying to boss me around. If I¡¯m not a gentleman, you should look for the reason in yourself. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

 Chapter 782 - Chapter 782: Peaceful and Fulfilling

    Chapter 782: Peaceful and Fulfilling

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hu Jing showed no regard for decorum, declaring his departure and driving off abruptly, leaving Hu Jie standing in his wake. The sudden departure left her fuming, her usual composure shattered as she stomped her foot in frustration.

    However, once her anger subsided, she found herself without any other recourse. For her, her maternal family was her greatest support, their commands unchallengeable. Having enjoyed their protection, she had to pay the corresponding price. This was a lesson she had learned deeply after her father¡¯s departure.

    No one knew how much pain she had endured over the years. On the surface, she was the belle of the military district, greeted with respect by everyone who met her. Yet within her family, she was nothing more than a puppet, always cautious and careful, fearing that one wrong move would cost her position to other girls in the family. It was a consequence she could not bear¡­

    Su Shen, stationed at the new base, found his daily training routine monotonous and tasteless. Five days passed in the blink of an eye. One day, a courier from the military district arrived at Su Shen¡¯s command post, delivering a letter from Guangcheng. ¡°Commander Su, your letter.¡±

    Upon seeing the sender¡¯s name on the envelope, Su Shen¡¯s eyes lit up. He took the letter to his office, closed the door, and began to read it carefully.

    After reading, he carefully stored the precious letter, planning to buy some local specialties to send back during his afternoon break. He would bring more when he returned. However, the phrase ¡°green hat¡± kept lingering in his mind, causing him some worry. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He decided he should make a phone call when he had the time.

    Meanwhile, in Guangcheng, Gu Zi¡¯s life remained peaceful and fulfilling. When Mr. and Mrs. Lin learned that she wanted to turn the backyard into a vegetable garden, they took on the task willingly. Over the next few days, they tidied up the backyard, sowing seeds, planting seedlings, setting up trellises where needed, and installing fences where necessary. The backyard was soon brimming with life.

    What¡¯s more, Mr. Lin, in his meticulousness, had considered Gu Zi¡¯s convenience when picking vegetables. To prevent her from dirtying her feet, he had Lin Cheng bring cement and stones to pave paths throughout the vegetable garden.

    Gu Zi began to understand why her mother could endure so much hardship with him without any complaints or regrets.

    Gu Zi was wholly engrossed in her translation work. The first draft she submitted was met with satisfaction, and she was handed a new manuscript to work on.

    Whenever she had spare time, she would accompany her sister-in-law to scout for shop locations. They had already shortlisted a few potential sites, and all that was left was to decide on the final choice. As for the other preparations for the new shop, Li Hua was handling them single-handedly.

    With her family around these days, Gu Zi didn¡¯t have to worry about meals, which left her with more time.

    Today was no different. She finished her work early, reviewed her tasks, and had a leisurely afternoon. She used this time to make a variety of small snacks. Some were for her family, and some were to be sent to the Gao family.

    At this moment, Gu Zi had just finished her afternoon tea and was in the kitchen packing the snacks. These were meant for her good friend, Gong Xin. As soon as she finished packing, Jin Long arrived. ¡°Sister-in-law, you wanted to see me?¡±

    Gu Zi came out with two boxes of snacks and handed them to Jin Long. ¡°Of course, I called you over for some delicious treats. One box is for you, and the other is for Gong Xin. Could you do me a favor and deliver it?¡±

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    Upon hearing that the snacks were for Gong Xin, Jin Long¡¯s voice rose a few notches. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take them right away. Thank you, sister-in-law!¡±

    With that, Jin Long left with the two boxes of snacks. His steps were so quick, it was as if he was flying. Anyone with discerning eyes could see the reason behind his haste. As Jin Long passed the front yard, An Yun, who was bathing Big Yellow, couldn¡¯t help but tease her husband, ¡°This young man¡¯s behavior is quite similar to yours back in the day.¡±

    Lin Lao¡¯er blushed slightly and replied, ¡°Well, all men are the same when they truly like someone. No one is superior to the other.¡±

    Outside the military compound, Gong Xin received the snacks made by Gu Zi. A radiant smile spread across her face, but she couldn¡¯t help but act a little haughty. ¡°This woman does have a conscience after all, remembering to send me food. But do I look like a glutton? She sent me two boxes at once, is she trying to fatten me up like a pig? But since she made them herself, I can¡¯t refuse. I¡¯ll accept them.¡±

    Hearing her words, Jin Long was momentarily unsure if he had done the right thing by claiming both boxes were for her. He clearly remembered his sister-in-law mentioning that Gong Xin loved these snacks, so he wanted to give her an extra box. He tentatively asked, ¡°Gong Xin, are you planning to go on a diet recently?¡±

 Chapter 783 - Chapter 783: Might Not Agree

    Chapter 783: Might Not Agree

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin, oblivious to Jin Long¡¯s straightforward thinking, misunderstood his words as a comment on her weight. She frowned slightly, ¡°Am I supposed to diet? Have I gained weight?¡±

    Jin Long quickly waved his hands, dismissing her concerns. Judging from her reaction, he deduced that she was just being a bit coy, which he found endearing. ¡°Of course not,¡± he reassured her, ¡°Your figure is perfect as it is. Don¡¯t be afraid to indulge in some sweets. If anything, I think you could stand to gain a bit more weight.¡±

    At this, Gong Xin¡¯s face brightened. ¡°By the way,¡± she asked, ¡°why did you bring the food that Gu Zi sent?¡±

    Jin Long explained, ¡°Su Shen took on a mission and had to return to the military area. His wife has a lot on her plate and couldn¡¯t leave, so they asked me to deliver it.¡±

    Gong Xin nodded, a hint of disappointment in her voice. ¡°I see. I thought you had volunteered.¡±

    Jin Long perked up at this, sensing an opportunity. He had bought two movie tickets and was wondering how to invite Gong Xin. ¡°Well, I did want to come,¡± he admitted, ¡°It just so happened that I had these two tickets for tonight¡¯s movie. I was hoping to invite you, but I was afraid you might be busy¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gong Xin laughed. ¡°I¡¯m off today, so I have time. But are you genuinely inviting me? If not, I won¡¯t go. And if I do go out tonight, I¡¯ll have to let my mother know. She might not agree.¡±

    Despite her teasing tone, Jin Long was delighted. ¡°Of course, I bought two tickets with the intention of inviting you. Go ask, I¡¯ll wait here for your answer.¡±

    Gong Xin seemed pleased with this arrangement. She cheerfully went inside with the two boxes of sweets. After a while, Uncle Yang, the Gong family¡¯s driver, came out. He saw a spirited young man and approached him. ¡°You must be Mr. Jin Long. Our young lady said she¡¯ll see you tonight. You can give me the other movie ticket.¡±

    Jin Long handed over the movie ticket to Uncle Yang and left contentedly. Gong Xin emerged from a corner, took the movie ticket from Uncle Yang, and instructed, ¡°Uncle Yang, you know what to tell my mother, right? Don¡¯t let the cat out of the bag.¡±

    Gong Xin had previously gauged Mrs. Chen¡¯s opinion. Mrs. Chen preferred her to date someone from a prestigious family, so she decided not to tell her about Jin Long for now. She didn¡¯t want to complicate things or have her mother set her up with someone else. She certainly didn¡¯t want to end up like her brother.

    Uncle Yang watched the young girl he had seen grow up, now blossoming into the first flush of love. He felt a sense of joy, especially after meeting the object of her affection, who seemed to be a decent young man.

    Uncle Yang was resolved to help Gong Xin with this matter. ¡°I know how to talk to your mother,¡± he assured her, ¡°Now go and get ready. Dress up beautifully for your date.¡±

    As school was nearing its end, Gu Zi received a call from the school. They informed her that Su Bing had bullied a classmate and injured him. Gu Zi was shocked and found it hard to believe. Su Bing wouldn¡¯t harm anyone without reason. But to understand the exact situation, she had to go to the school. So, she immediately hopped on her bicycle and rushed towards the school.

    On the school¡¯s playground, it was almost time for the final bell. Under normal circumstances, if the last period was a physical education class, the teacher would have already led the students back to their classrooms.

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    However, the students from both the fourth grade A2 and A3 classes were still on the playground, huddled together, watching as the physical education teacher reprimanded Su Bing. On the other side, the injured Jiang Ping had already been taken to the school¡¯s infirmary.

    No matter what the physical education teacher said, Su Bing remained silent, his head bowed. This left the teacher quite distressed. When he saw Gu Zi arrive, he was taken aback. Su Bing¡¯s mother was a young woman with an extraordinary aura. His initial complaints were momentarily forgotten.

    The physical education teacher spoke in a rare soft tone, ¡°You¡¯re Su Bing¡¯s mother, right? Please talk to your child. If he has done something wrong, he needs to admit it. Otherwise, when the other child¡¯s parents arrive and take this matter to the school authorities, Su Bing, being the one at fault, will face punishment.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the number of children on the playground. It was clear that they were from two different classes, but she didn¡¯t find it surprising. She knew the school¡¯s tradition of combining two classes of the same grade for physical education. This was done to encourage interaction between students of different classes and prevent them from being confined to their own class.

    She walked towards Su Bing. Su Bing, aware of Gu Zi¡¯s arrival, looked up at her. His eyes held a hint of guilt. He hadn¡¯t wanted to cause trouble so soon again, to cause his mother more worry.

 Chapter 784 - Chapter 784: A Little Heavy-Handed

    Chapter 784: A Little Heavy-Handed

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi watched Su Bing. She could see his eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her first instinct was not to blame, but to feel a pang of heartache. Su Bing was not a child who acted recklessly. He understood restraint and propriety, and would not instigate such an incident. Therefore, she needed to understand what had truly transpired.

    Su Bing, fearing his mother¡¯s reproach, spoke up before she could ask. His voice wavered with emotion, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t start the fight. Jiang Ping and his friends were bullying me. I was merely defending myself.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the physical education teacher¡¯s anger flared. He seemed only willing to believe what he had witnessed, and he barked at Su Bing, ¡°Su Bing, how dare you lie so blatantly? I clearly saw you pinning Jiang Ping down and hitting him. Your eyes were so cold, as if you wanted to beat him to death. Are you suggesting I saw wrong?¡±

    Gu Zi, already distressed by Su Bing¡¯s situation, shot the teacher a stern look. The male teacher shivered under her gaze and quieted down.

    Gu Zi addressed him, ¡°Physical Education teacher, since I am here at the school, I will naturally investigate the cause of this incident. Please do not interrupt my son while he is speaking. Maintain the decorum expected of a teacher.

    ¡°I will not blindly favor my son. If it is determined that he is at fault, I will punish him. However, I will not allow my son to be denied his right to express himself.¡±

    The physical education teacher fell silent. Su Bing continued his explanation, ¡°I was running on the playground, minding my own business, when Jiang Ping approached me. He started verbally provoking me, saying that even though I knew martial arts, I was a coward who wouldn¡¯t dare to fight in school. I ignored him and continued running.

    ¡°But he was relentless. He and his classmates continued to harass me, even resorting to physical aggression. Later, he insulted me, calling me an orphan. I didn¡¯t get angry because you¡¯ve always told me, Mom, not to care about what others say. But the calmer I remained, the more relentless Jiang Ping became. He pushed me, and in my anger, I retaliated.¡±

    What Su Bing didn¡¯t mention was that his mother had also told him that in a new school, he had to establish his own standing. If he constantly swallowed his pride, others would perceive him as weak and take advantage of him, leading to even more outrageous behavior.

    So, he didn¡¯t hold back. After getting up, he pinned Jiang Ping down and started hitting him. Naturally, Jiang Ping was no match for him. Many people tried to intervene, but by then, Su Bing was seeing red. He couldn¡¯t control his strength and ended up injuring Jiang Ping.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. She noticed that one of Su Bing¡¯s arms was covered in bruises, some of which had broken the skin. This was probably where Jiang Ping had pushed him. She turned to the physical education teacher, ¡°Where is the other student? I would like to hear his side of the story.¡±

    The physical education teacher, upon observing Gu Zi, deemed her to be fair and refrained from making further comments. He realized his own shortcomings, acknowledging that he should have first sought to understand the cause of the fight.

    Just as he was about to respond to Gu Zi, a woman¡¯s voice, laden with tears, echoed through the air. It was a mournful, plaintive sound. Simultaneously, the other children were dispersed by the homeroom teachers of the two classes.

    ¡°Where is that rascal named Su Bing?¡± the woman demanded, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°Hand him over to me. He dared to beat my son to such an extent that his hand is bandaged. This is not a mere child¡¯s fight; it¡¯s practically attempted murder!¡±

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    The woman, a lady of high society, clutched an imported designer handbag in one hand and her son in the other. Her gaze immediately fell upon Gu Zi. ¡°You must be the parent of that Su Bing,¡± she accused. ¡°How do you educate your child? Look at what he has done to my son! You must give an explanation for this incident, or it won¡¯t end here!¡±

    Seeing the woman¡¯s aggressive approach, Gu Zi instinctively shielded Su Bing behind her. Her gaze fell upon Jiang Ping, the child who had indeed suffered a great deal. His face was scraped, but the main injury was on his hand. Su Bing had indeed been heavy-handed.

    ¡°Jiang Ping¡¯s parent,¡± Gu Zi addressed the woman, ¡°I was looking for you. You are Jiang Ping, right? Su Bing said that you were the one who bullied him first and started the fight. Is that true?¡±

    Jiang Ping, having been severely beaten, was still in a state of shock. He knew the truth of the matter; he had indeed provoked Su Bing first, which led to the fight. Now, when questioned by Su Bing¡¯s mother, he was too scared to respond and hid behind his own mother.

    Seeing her son¡¯s state, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother¡¯s maternal instincts surged. Regardless of right or wrong, she was determined to defend her son. ¡°What do you mean my son bullied your son?¡± she retorted. ¡°It seems to me that you, as a parent, have failed to educate your child properly. He beats others and doesn¡¯t dare to admit it, instead making excuses to shirk responsibility. You, as a mother, need to reflect on this.¡±

 Chapter 785 - Chapter 785: Handsome Face

    Chapter 785: Handsome Face

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After ensuring the other children had left school, Teacher Du hurried back. She was never one to shy away from trouble. She spoke to Jiang Ping¡¯s mother with a stern tone, ¡°Jiang Ping¡¯s parent, please calm down. Let¡¯s first allow the two children to explain what happened. Su Bing is a student I brought in, and he has always been sensible. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to bully others.

    ¡°Jiang Ping¡¯s homeroom teacher was held up, but according to him, Jiang Ping is often the source of trouble in class. The younger students are afraid of him. If you were to ask the other children, you would understand.¡±

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother had no interest in the truth. All she saw was her son¡¯s severe injuries. Hearing the other class¡¯s homeroom teacher speak in such a manner only fueled her anger. ¡°You are Su Bing¡¯s homeroom teacher, naturally you would defend your own student. I don¡¯t care, whether you are the parent or the school, you all owe me an explanation.¡±

    Su Bing couldn¡¯t stand the other parent¡¯s constant accusations against Gu Zi. He stepped forward to retort, ¡°I¡¯m not making excuses to shirk responsibility. It was Jiang Ping who started the trouble. I admit I might have been heavy-handed in response, but I would never have retaliated if he hadn¡¯t attacked first. If there is to be an explanation, it should be mutual. I won¡¯t allow you to falsely accuse my mother.¡±

    Teacher Du also added, ¡°Yes, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother, this incident was initiated by your son. Even if Su Bing retaliated heavily later, it¡¯s not solely Su Bing¡¯s fault. Jiang Ping, you are a young man. Come out and speak for yourself. Don¡¯t hide behind your mother.¡±

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother didn¡¯t listen at all, defending her son, ¡°So if you say my son started it, he started it? I don¡¯t believe it. My son is well-educated, it¡¯s impossible¡­¡±

    The next second, when Jiang Ping¡¯s mother got a clear look at the handsome face of the boy named Su Bing, she was stunned. She had never seen such a good-looking child. Looking back at her own son, who was short and skinny like a monkey, she couldn¡¯t help but feel disdain. They were both children, yet why was the other child so much more attractive? Su Bing was clearly a little handsome boy!

    Her next words were swallowed before they could leave her mouth, her attitude taking a complete 180-degree turn, ¡°Indeed, it was my negligence. How could such a good-looking boy cause trouble? At first glance, I knew Su Bing must be a good child. Su Bing¡¯s mom, I apologize for my earlier behavior. I was too anxious.

    ¡°You little rabbit, why did you cause trouble and bully Su Bing? Did you see that he was new and decided to act up? Are you jealous because he¡¯s better looking than you? You don¡¯t study well and act like a king at school. How can you face me and the teachers who work hard to educate you? Tell me the truth!¡±

    The wealthy lady turned her head and scolded her own son, the sudden change leaving those around them somewhat unable to react.

    Gu Zi¡¯s mouth twitched.

    Wasn¡¯t she just adamantly denying it a minute ago? What was she playing at now?

    Everyone was taken aback as the wealthy lady, without hesitation, led her son Jiang Ping to apologize to Su Bing. ¡°Quickly, apologize to Su Bing,¡± she instructed, ¡°Say you¡¯re sorry and from now on, you two will be good friends. Su Bing, if this little rascal causes any more trouble, you can tell me directly. I¡¯ll give him a good beating. And you did very well today. This naughty boy really needs some discipline.¡±

    Su Bing was somewhat bewildered, finding Jiang Ping¡¯s mother¡¯s behavior quite abnormal. He instinctively took a step back, seeking refuge behind Gu Zi.

    Under his mother¡¯s stern gaze, Jiang Ping also stepped forward to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su Bing. I shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble.¡±

    Gu Zi, protective of Su Bing, noticed the change in Jiang Ping¡¯s mother¡¯s attitude. She coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Recognizing one¡¯s mistakes is a good thing. Jiang Ping, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother, actually, Su Bing did hit a bit too hard. Don¡¯t worry, we will cover the medical expenses.¡±

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    As Gu Zi reached for her wallet, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother quickly waved her hands in refusal. Her family was not short of money. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re just children. It¡¯s normal for them to fight and make a fuss. Su Bing¡¯s mother, don¡¯t worry about it too much. And not just Su Bing, but also Teacher Du, I apologize for my earlier behavior. I was unable to distinguish right from wrong. I¡¯ve wasted so much of your time, I¡¯m really sorry. We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡±

    The farce came and went quickly.

    Gu Zi rode her bicycle, taking Su Bing home.

    Throughout the journey, Su Bing remained silent. He felt a bit guilty and was afraid that his mother might not like him anymore. But he truly hadn¡¯t done it on purpose. At that moment, he didn¡¯t know why he couldn¡¯t control his strength. But he had really tried to restrain himself, otherwise, Jiang Ping¡¯s injuries would have been more than just his hand.

    Gu Zi was also feeling conflicted. She didn¡¯t know how to talk to Su Bing. In the original book, Su Bing was a dark and melancholic villain.

 Chapter 786 - Chapter 786: Dont Want to Be a Bad Person

    Chapter 786: Don¡¯t Want to Be a Bad Person

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Meanwhile, Su Li had already returned home with Gao Ming¡¯s car.

    When school was dismissed, his elder brother¡¯s teacher had approached him, instructing him to return home first. Su Li was hesitant to question the teacher about the matter, so he simply followed Gao Ming home.

    Upon arrival, he learned from his grandparents that his brother had been involved in a fight during physical education class. This news greatly distressed Su Li, for he couldn¡¯t fathom his brother, Su Bing, engaging in a fight.

    ¡°I am certain my brother would never do such a thing,¡± Su Li declared, ¡°Someone must have provoked him. Grandpa, Grandma, please take me back to school. I want to stand by my brother.¡±

    An Yun was also anxious. Gu Zi had gone to handle the situation, but there was still no news. She didn¡¯t know what was happening, but she couldn¡¯t let her worry show and make the child anxious as well. She calmly reassured Su Li, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your mother has already gone to the school to fetch your brother. Don¡¯t you trust that your mother will handle this matter well?¡±

    Su Li responded, ¡°Of course I trust Mom, but Grandma, every time I am bullied, my brother always stands in front of me, taking the brunt of it. Now that he¡¯s in trouble, I should show loyalty and help him bear it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, An Yun and her husband couldn¡¯t help but smile. Lin Lao¡¯er commented, ¡°Our Su Li is growing up to be a man. But you¡¯re still young. There will be plenty of time for you to stand by your brother in the future. Let¡¯s wait for them to come back together.¡±

    Outside the Su family¡¯s front door, Gu Zi and Su Bing had arrived home. Gu Zi didn¡¯t rush to enter, waiting for Su Bing to speak first. Su Bing stole a glance at her, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. Why hadn¡¯t he been able to control himself?

    He couldn¡¯t help but recall his past thoughts. He had wanted to retaliate fiercely against those who had hurt him and his siblings, especially their former stepmother. He had even considered making her life miserable after her release from prison, vowing not to let her off easily.

    At this thought, Su Bing¡¯s face turned pale. Earlier, when he had lashed out at Jiang Ping, he had been so blinded by rage that he had wanted to beat the other boy to death. Despite thinking of his mother several times and wanting to stop, he hadn¡¯t been able to control himself. It was only when the physical education teacher intervened that he was pulled away.

    Su Bing was terrified. Was he inherently a bad person? No, he couldn¡¯t be. He didn¡¯t want to be a bad person. His past desire to be bad was only because he wanted to retaliate against those who had hurt them and protect his siblings. But now he had a good mother, and he didn¡¯t need to be bad.

    He couldn¡¯t let his mother discover that he was a bad child. That would make her sad, and she might not like him anymore. Su Bing lowered his eyes, not wanting his mother to see his distress. He finally spoke, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. I will change.¡±

    Upon hearing his words, Gu Zi turned her head and voiced her well-organized thoughts, ¡°Su Bing, there¡¯s no need for apologies. I¡¯m not blaming you. I just want to tell you that even when retaliating, there should be a limit. It¡¯s good to have strength, but you must learn to control it, not be driven by it. Only then can your strength make you better.¡±

    She paused before continuing, ¡°I won¡¯t say much more. Don¡¯t feel guilty anymore. I believe in you, and I know you¡¯ll make the right changes.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Su Bing lifted his gaze, his eyes filled with determination. He felt his mother¡¯s unwavering support, her lack of disgust towards him. ¡°Mom, I will,¡± he affirmed, ¡°Let me push the bicycle inside.¡±

    Both mother and son entered the gate, walked through the front yard, and Gu Zi could already smell the aroma of meat and bones at the door. It was mixed with the sweet scent of red dates and goji berries. It must be her sister-in-law making soup.

    Today, Big Yellow, the dog, wasn¡¯t tied up. He was lying at the door, eagerly sniffing the meaty aroma. Seeing Gu Zi return, he immediately got up, wagged his tail, and watched them enter the house.

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    Su Li, seeing his mother and brother return, immediately ran over. ¡°Mom, brother, have you resolved everything? Brother, your hand is injured. Did they hit you? I want to avenge you!¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to discuss the matter further. She ruffled Su Li¡¯s hair and said, ¡°We¡¯ve handled everything, Su Li. Don¡¯t ask your brother anymore. It¡¯s all in the past. By the way, have you fed the fish today? If you don¡¯t feed the goldfish, they¡¯ll starve.¡±

    Su Li, who had been particularly worried about his brother, was easily distracted by his mother¡¯s words. ¡°Oh right, I haven¡¯t fed the fish yet. I¡¯ll go do that now.¡± With that, he grabbed the fish food and dashed out the door like a gust of wind.

    Su Bing picked up his school bag and said, ¡°Mom, Grandpa, Grandma, I¡¯m going upstairs to review my lessons.¡±

    The elderly Lin couple trusted their daughter¡¯s ability to handle things. If she said there was no need to ask, they naturally wouldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 787 - Chapter 787: Visiting the Su Family

    Chapter 787: Visiting the Su Family

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    An Yun simply added, ¡°Alright, your aunt has made a big bone soup in the kitchen. We¡¯ll have it for dinner.¡±

    Su Bing had already ascended a few steps of the staircase when he heard his grandmother¡¯s words. A warmth spread through his heart, and he turned around to acknowledge her with a nod. The gloom that had been accumulating in his heart completely dissipated.

    Upon seeing him ascend the stairs, Gu Zi turned and entered the kitchen. Her sister-in-law was chopping celery, and she asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, what are you planning to stir-fry with the celery? Let me do it once you¡¯re done chopping.¡±

    She needed to keep herself busy to digest the unspeakable worries in her heart. Today¡¯s incident had left her uncertain about whether she could truly guide Su Bing onto the right path. However, she didn¡¯t want to doubt the child excessively. She chose to trust him first, to unconditionally believe that he would make the right choices.

    Li Hua noticed her preoccupation, likely due to issues with the child. But she didn¡¯t say anything, and Li Hua didn¡¯t plan to ask. After all, asking might not necessarily help, and Gu Zi would speak when she was ready. Then they could see if there was anything they could do to help. ¡°I¡¯ve washed a piece of cured meat and chopped it up. We can stir-fry it with the celery.¡±

    Li Hua was quick with her hands. In the midst of their conversation, she had already finished chopping the last bunch of celery. She brought out the pot of big bone soup she had been simmering and placed it on the dining table¡¯s heat pad. After that, she didn¡¯t return to the kitchen, leaving Gu Zi alone to cook in peace.

    The Su family¡¯s dinner was particularly lavish that night. A pot of big bone soup, two stir-fried meat dishes, a stir-fried vegetable dish, and a cold dish. Once the food was served, Lin Cheng arrived. Whenever he had free time, Lin Cheng would come over to have dinner with everyone before heading off to his night shift at the pig farm.

    After dinner, the elderly Lin couple took care of cleaning the kitchen and dining area, while Li Hua went out to see Lin Cheng off. Just as Lin Cheng drove away and Li Hua was about to go back inside, a woman¡¯s voice called out to her, ¡°Oh, this is Gu Zi¡¯s house, right? Wait for us.¡±

    Li Hua turned to see a finely dressed lady alighting from a car, carrying bags of various sizes, and accompanied by two children. Hearing her call out Gu Zi¡¯s name, Li Hua deduced that she must be an acquaintance of Gu Zi¡¯s. As the woman approached, Li Hua asked, ¡°Yes, this is Gu Zi¡¯s house. But who might you be?¡±

    The lady of high standing ushered her son forward, speaking, ¡°My son attends the same school as your Su Bing. His name is Jiang Ping, and it¡¯s him who had an unfortunate incident with Su Bing today. I¡¯ve brought him here specifically to apologize. Is Gu Zi at home?¡±

    Previously, Su Bing had invited classmates over for a party. Jiang Nuan and Jiang Ping were cousins, and it wasn¡¯t difficult for Jiang Ping¡¯s mother to find out Su Bing¡¯s address. She had heard from Jiang Nuan that all the children in the Su family were quite attractive. So, without even finishing dinner, she had brought Jiang Ping and Jiang Nuan to visit the Su family.

    Li Hua was aware of the incident that had occurred at school with Su Bing that afternoon. It seemed it involved this child, who still had bandages on his hand. Had there really been a fight?

    She ushered the lady and the two children into the house. Gu Zi, upon seeing Jiang Ping¡¯s mother whom she had just met at school that afternoon, was somewhat surprised. ¡°Jiang Ping¡¯s mother, what brings you here? Jiang Nuan, you¡¯re here too. What¡¯s your relationship?¡±

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    Jiang Nuan was rather speechless about being dragged along to show the way, but she had also wanted to give something to Su Bing, so she had agreed to come along. ¡°Aunt Gu Zi, Jiang Ping is my cousin. I also know about what happened with Su Bing this afternoon. I¡¯m really sorry, so I brought my cousin here to apologize. Please forgive us.¡±

    Gu Zi was always a straightforward person. At school, both sets of parents had already discussed the matter, and the children had apologized to each other. In her mind, the matter was settled. She hadn¡¯t expected Jiang Ping¡¯s mother to be so polite as to come and apologize in person. She was a bit suspicious. Was this visit really just for an apology?

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother handed Gu Zi the items she was carrying, saying, ¡°Gu Zi, these are all for your children. Imported snacks and toys that you can¡¯t buy outside. So these are your other two children. They¡¯re so adorable, especially this little girl. Wow, may I hold her? Please accept these gifts, don¡¯t be polite with me.¡±

    Gu Zi wanted to refuse, but seeing her enthusiasm, she knew that a refusal would be pointless. She accepted the toys and handed them to Su Bing, saying, ¡°Su Bing, go make a pot of tea for our guests. My little girl is indeed well-behaved. If you want to hold her, it depends on whether she¡¯s willing.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother¡¯s face lit up with joy. She reached out to the adorable little girl Gu Zi was holding, saying, ¡°Come here, little beauty. Let auntie hold you. You¡¯re so beautiful.¡±

 Chapter 788 - Chapter 788: Seeking Parenting Advice

    Chapter 788: Seeking Parenting Advice

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jiang Ping watched his mother with a sense of unease. Her behavior reminded him of a strange aunt who seemed to have a penchant for stealing children. He couldn¡¯t help but caution her, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re scaring people with your behavior. No one would dare let you hold their child if you continue like this. Can¡¯t you act a bit more normal?¡±

    His mother turned to glare at him, silencing him with a single look. By the time she turned back, the little girl had already extended her arms towards her. With a delighted laugh, she scooped the child into her arms, unable to let go. ¡°Oh my, my heart is melting. How can there be such a well-behaved child? Tell Auntie, how old are you?¡±

    Upon seeing the other two children from the Su family, she was convinced of what Jiang Ping had told her. The children in this family were indeed exceptionally beautiful, especially this little girl. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy. Why couldn¡¯t she have been blessed with such a lovely daughter? Instead, she was stuck with a son who constantly gave her headaches.

    The love for children was something that couldn¡¯t be faked. Gu Zi, seeing the way Jiang Ping¡¯s mother was acting, was certain that she meant no harm. She went to the kitchen and prepared some snacks. She served one plate to her guests and packed another box for Jiang Ping¡¯s mother to take home as a token of appreciation.

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother accepted the gift happily, and they all sat in the living room, chatting and enjoying the snacks. Jiang Ping¡¯s mother was eager to learn from Gu Zi.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, your snacks are delicious. You¡¯re so talented. I must admit, I¡¯m quite envious of you for having these three beautiful children. How do you manage to raise them so well? Look at them, their faces are glowing with health, and they¡¯re all so good-looking. I¡¯m at a loss when it comes to my son. He doesn¡¯t like to eat, and look, his cousin Jiang Nuan is almost taller than him.

    ¡°I heard from Jiang Nuan that when she was sick and came to your house for a party, you gave her a medicinal recipe. She said it was very effective. You must be very knowledgeable. You look like a university student. Could you please help me? We¡¯ve tried everything for our skinny monkey, but he just won¡¯t grow. It¡¯s so frustrating.¡±

    Jiang Ping sat to one side, listening to his mother¡¯s disparaging tone. He seemed accustomed to it, showing no reaction. However, Jiang Nuan was worried that he might be upset, so she took him to play with the others.

    Gu Zi had figured it out. Jiang Ping¡¯s mother had come to seek parenting advice after seeing how well she raised her three children. Gu Zi was not a stingy person when it came to sharing her knowledge.

    After a moment of thought, she said, ¡°Not eating is definitely not okay. During a child¡¯s growth period, the most important thing is to eat well. As long as you can ensure that he eats on time and has a balanced diet, that¡¯s already the first step in scientifically raising a child.¡±

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother listened attentively, quickly asking, ¡°Su Bing¡¯s Mom, what do you suggest for my skinny monkey to develop normally?¡±

    Gu Zi responded, ¡°A balanced diet is key. In simpler terms, it means that each meal should have a balanced intake of various types of food, including meat, eggs, and vegetables. Limit the consumption of fatty meats, dairy products, fried foods, and sweets. Also, people who are particularly thin usually need to replenish their blood, so they should eat more blood-nourishing foods, such as red dates, pig liver, lotus root, carrots, black chicken, longan, and brown sugar.¡±

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Specifically, you should take your child to the hospital. The doctors there can provide more detailed advice. However, I do have a dietary therapy recipe here. It¡¯s a soup made from longan and walnuts. The method is not difficult. Just add longan and walnuts to cold water and boil for twenty minutes. After it¡¯s cooked, eat the longan and walnuts with the soup. You can make this for him to drink as tea every day.¡±

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    As she spoke, Gu Zi stood up and fetched a can of milk powder that she had prepared for her two sons. She handed it to Jiang Ping¡¯s mother, ¡°This is for Jiang Ping, consider it as compensation for Su Bing¡¯s heavy-handedness. You can also buy a couple of cans for Jiang Ping. It won¡¯t do any harm.¡±

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother took the milk powder and looked at it, somewhat puzzled, ¡°The recipe you just mentioned seems worth trying, I¡¯ve noted it down. But is the milk powder necessary? Isn¡¯t this for one or two-year-old children who don¡¯t have milk to drink? I¡¯ve heard that consuming too much milk powder can cause a child¡¯s head to enlarge. Whenever someone gifts us children¡¯s milk powder during festivals, I always give it away.¡±

    After hearing this, Gu Zi was at a loss for words. She hadn¡¯t expected that the rumor about milk powder causing an enlarged head had already existed in this era.

    She said, ¡°Jiang Ping¡¯s Mom, where did you hear these misconceptions? The main ingredient in milk powder is cow¡¯s milk. Unless your child is allergic to cow¡¯s milk, there¡¯s really no harm in consuming it. Especially for children with nutritional deficiencies, drinking some milk powder can be beneficial for their growth. But whether you want to try it or not, that¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother looked at the milk powder, then at the little girl in her arms, who was so well-nourished. With such a tangible example in front of her, she decided to trust Gu Zi.

 Chapter 789 - Chapter 789: I Deserved the Beating

    Chapter 789: I Deserved the Beating

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jiang Ping¡¯s mother said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try. Su Bing¡¯s mother, you¡¯re a good person. Let¡¯s have our families interact more often in the future. I¡¯d like to befriend you.¡±

    After hearing this, Gu Zi felt that Jiang Ping¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t a problematic person. Besides, their children attended the same school, and it would be beneficial to maintain a good relationship. She extended her hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s interact more often in the future!¡±

    While the adults were making acquaintances, Jiang Ping had also taken the initiative to approach Su Bing in the courtyard. He had overheard the conversation between their mothers, and he realized that with proper care, he could become as handsome as the Su brothers. At that moment, he no longer wanted to oppose Su Bing. After all, he had to admit that his resentment towards Su Bing was partly due to jealousy of his good looks.

    ¡°Su Bing, how about I become your follower and you become the leader of the fourth grade?¡± he proposed.

    Su Bing wasn¡¯t keen on being a leader, so he declined the offer. He glanced at Jiang Ping¡¯s bandaged hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested. But I am sorry about your hand.¡±

    Jiang Ping felt a bit disappointed, but upon hearing Su Bing¡¯s apology, he quickly waved his hand and said, ¡°I deserved the beating. You did nothing wrong, Su Bing. You looked really cool when you were hitting me!¡±

    Su Bing was speechless. Was this a compliment? He didn¡¯t want to engage in pointless chatter with Jiang Ping, so he sat down under a flower stand to read a book.

    At this point, Su Li patted Jiang Ping¡¯s arm and volunteered, ¡°Jiang Ping, I love being a leader. Why don¡¯t you become my follower? That would make me feel powerful.¡±

    Jiang Ping glanced at Su Li and rolled his eyes. This kid was dreaming. ¡°Su Li, I¡¯m talking to Brother Su Bing. Go play somewhere else.¡±

    Su Li was angry and put his hands on his hips, threatening, ¡°Humph, don¡¯t underestimate me. More than half of my class are my followers. Hey, Jiang Ping, I¡¯m talking to you. Don¡¯t walk away.¡±

    Jiang Ping didn¡¯t bother with the younger boy and planned to go find Su Bing again. But he was stopped by Jiang Nuan who had just come out. Jiang Nuan said to him, ¡°Jiang Ping, Su Bing likes to read books. Moreover, he skipped grades directly to the fourth grade when he entered school. If you want to acknowledge Su Bing as your leader, you need to improve your academic performance. So, do you know what you should do now?¡±

    Jiang Ping looked at the scene by the flower stand. The young boy was sitting straight with his back against the stand, his eyes slightly lowered, focusing on the book. He was indeed a cool and handsome guy.

    Jiang Ping understood her meaning and said, ¡°I get it. Starting from tomorrow, I will study hard and learn well!¡±

    Jiang Ping was very excited and wanted to share this decision with his beloved mother. So, he went inside first. Seeing this, Jiang Nuan couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She picked up the things in her hand and walked towards the flower stand. When she reached Su Bing, she said, ¡°Su Bing, we¡¯re leaving now. This is for you.¡±

    After Jiang Nuan handed over the items to Su Bing, she turned to leave. As she did, Jiang Ping¡¯s mother happened to be leading Jiang Ping out, bidding farewell to Gu Zi and the others. Jiang Nuan joined them, and the trio departed from the Su residence.

    Upon opening the package, Su Bing discovered a dartboard and several darts. Was this a gift from Jiang Nuan? But why would Jiang Nuan give him a gift? Should he reciprocate?

    Regardless, Su Bing was quite pleased with the toy set. He took it to his room, hung the dartboard on the back of his door, and began to play with a couple of darts. He had never played with dart toys before, but he used to whittle bamboo into arrows in the village, shooting them at distant flowers for fun.

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    Su Bing aimed at the bullseye, and one after another, the darts flew out, hitting the mark perfectly. However, Su Bing furrowed his brows, rubbed his eyes, and aimed at the bullseye again. He realized that he couldn¡¯t see the small numbers in the center clearly. This was unusual; he used to be able to see distant objects very clearly. Could there be something wrong with his eyes?

    Not daring to hide his concerns, Su Bing hurried downstairs to find his mother. He knew she was worldly and might be able to help him. Unbeknownst to him, he had already developed a sense of reliance on his stepmother.

    ¡°Mom,¡± he said, ¡°I can¡¯t see as clearly as before. Could there be something wrong with my eyes?¡±

    Gu Zi was quite pleased that Su Bing would come to her when he had a problem. She looked at Su Bing and figured out the issue. ¡°Have you noticed that you¡¯ve grown taller recently?¡± she asked. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve entered a rapid growth phase.¡±

    Su Bing was confused. ¡°Mom, I know I¡¯ve grown taller, but what does that have to do with my vision becoming less clear?¡±

 Chapter 790 - Chapter 790: Special Breakfast

    Chapter 790: Special Breakfast

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing Su Bing¡¯s question, Gu Zi set aside her work and began to explain. ¡°Let me share a little knowledge with you, my dear. We all grow from children into adults. The period from ten to twenty years old is known as adolescence. During this time, if you notice a significant decline in your vision, accompanied by some signs of puberty such as a deepening voice, noticeable growth in height, and an increased appetite, it¡¯s perfectly normal.

    ¡°The decline in vision during this period is a normal physiological manifestation of growth. There¡¯s no need to be afraid. In time, it will naturally recover. However, from now on, you should remember to sleep early and rise early, reduce your reading and study time. I will also prepare some nourishing food for you. You¡¯ll be fine soon.¡±

    Listening to his mother¡¯s words, Su Bing felt enlightened. He had never heard these theories before. Recently, he had indeed experienced the changes his mother described: rapid growth in height, a noticeable change in his voice, and even an enlarged Adam¡¯s apple. So, this was what growing up was like!

    Su Bing took his mother¡¯s advice to heart. After returning to his room to wash up, he went to bed early.

    The next morning, after reading only a page of his book, he went downstairs to the dining room. On the table, at his usual spot, were several conspicuous dishes. Before he could say anything, Su Li, who had just come down, exclaimed, ¡°Wow, such tasty-looking juice, such beautiful pancakes!¡±

    Gu Zi, carrying other dishes, came out and said to Su Li, ¡°That¡¯s juice made from carrots, apples, tomatoes, and goji berries. It¡¯s good for your liver and eyes. Su Bing, try it and see if it¡¯s sweet enough. If not, you can add some honey. The pancakes are also made from carrots.¡±

    As Gu Zi sat down for breakfast, Su Li, brimming with excitement, also took a seat. Watching his brother drink the orange-red juice, he asked eagerly, ¡°Mom, where¡¯s mine? Where¡¯s mine? I can definitely drink more than my brother!¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su Li. We only had enough carrots for one person¡¯s portion, so I only made it for your brother today. But this breakfast was specially made for him. He needs to replenish his nutrients now. We all care about your brother the most, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Afraid that Su Li might feel neglected, Li Hua and the others quickly chimed in, ¡°We didn¡¯t get any either. Mom and Dad, you¡¯re really favoring Su Bing. You only made it for him, not even for Su Li.¡±

    Initially, Su Li was quite disheartened. However, upon hearing his aunt¡¯s words, his disappointment was redirected. He was afraid that his aunt might misunderstand his mother, so he hurriedly explained, ¡°Auntie, my mother said that there weren¡¯t enough carrots, so she only made it for my brother. I am very generous and don¡¯t mind at all. Auntie, Grandpa, Grandma, you wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the elderly Lin couple quickly shook their heads to indicate they didn¡¯t mind. Li Hua even laughed, saying, ¡°Since none of you mind, then I have no reason to either. Su Li, you truly are a good child. Come, eat more. I¡¯ll give you my fried egg.¡±

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    Su Li accepted with a cheerful smile, telling himself that his mother didn¡¯t love his brother more. It was just that his brother needed more nutrition at the moment, so his mother only made special food for him. If one day he also needed extra nutrition, his mother would surely make special food for him too. With this thought, Su Li¡¯s inner world became cheerful again.

    As for the specially cherished Su Bing, he was quietly eating the special breakfast his mother made. Each bite brought him to the brink of tears. He had thought that he didn¡¯t care whether others valued him or not, but his mother¡¯s repeated actions told him that being valued felt really good. He realized that he too needed to be valued¡­

    Meanwhile, at the Capital¡¯s Imperial Military District, Su Shen had only been at the new training base for a few days when Gong Zhan was also transferred there. The higher-ups specifically ordered Gong Zhan and a few other officers to learn special operations with Su Shen. Today was Gong Zhan¡¯s first day of learning. The moment he saw Su Shen in his military uniform stepping onto the training platform, his face turned incredibly gloomy.

    For the military district where Gong Zhan was from, his participation in the Imperial Military District¡¯s grand exercise was highly anticipated. However, once he left his district and arrived at the Imperial Military District, Gong Zhan was no longer in the limelight. The officers who were able to stay and serve in the Imperial Military District were all real war heroes. Even those without any merits had at least been on a real battlefield.

    In front of these people, Gong Zhan was nothing more than a new recruit from a local area. Despite holding the title of regimental commander, he was far less impressive than those soldiers who had fought their way up with their own blood and sweat.

 Chapter 791 - Chapter 791: The Future Is In My Hands

    Chapter 791: The Future Is In My Hands

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan was a man of ambition. Having arrived, he was determined to capture the attention of those above him. Thus, he threw himself into training with all his might, striving to showcase his abilities.

    In less than a fortnight, his robust figure had slimmed considerably. The vibrant spirit he had exhibited at the start was replaced by a weary, yet charmingly rugged, demeanor, as if he had weathered countless hardships.

    However, he was not perturbed. As a representative of his military district, it was his duty to fully commit himself to the task at hand. The weight loss was inconsequential. He even demanded of himself to perform better.

    His disbelief was palpable when he discovered that Su Shen had not come to the capital as an ordinary veteran, but in the same capacity as himself ¨C a regiment commander. It took him several days to digest this fact before he was willing to accept it as truth.

    Then, the legends about Su Shen began to reach his ears. Su Shen had been hailed as a war god in his military district. Even Huo Jing, the renowned brigade commander in the capital¡¯s imperial military district, was considered a subordinate to Su Shen. For some unknown reason, the war god Su Shen had abruptly retreated back to his hometown. Everyone assumed he had genuinely retired, but in reality, he had not. Now, he had returned.

    Regarding this, the higher-ups seemed to be intentionally concealing something. The specifics were unknown, but everyone speculated that he must have been assigned a secret mission, which was why he had left. Now that he had completed his mission, it was only logical for him to return. His future seemed promising.

    Regardless, Gong Zhan found himself unable to tolerate Su Shen. Now that Su Shen had become his instructor, he found it even more absurd. Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t comprehend why he, a regiment commander himself, had to learn from Su Shen. Even if he hadn¡¯t experienced real combat, he had earned his position through his own abilities.

    Meanwhile, Su Shen stood on the elevated training platform, looking down at the sea of trainee soldiers. He emotionlessly issued military orders, commencing the training. He had no interest in who was who. His sole purpose for staying was to complete the training mission as quickly as possible, then find an opportunity to request his discharge so he could return to Guangcheng and resume his peaceful life with Gu Zi.

    Thus, until the morning training ended, Gong Zhan didn¡¯t receive a single glance from Su Shen. Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t help but seethe in silent fury. He thought Su Shen was deliberately ignoring him, not realizing that in Su Shen¡¯s eyes, his presence was truly insignificant.

    After concluding his training, Su Shen made his way to the cafeteria. As he was enjoying his meal, Gong Zhan, accompanied by his bodyguards, approached him. Gong Zhan spoke, ¡°You¡¯re planning to stay in the capital, aren¡¯t you? I wonder how heartbroken Gu Zi would be if she knew. But then again, anyone in their right mind would choose their career.¡±

    For Gong Zhan, if Su Shen truly decided to remain in the capital, it would inevitably lead to a divorce from Gu Zi. Although Gu Zi was reasonably attractive, she lacked any significant background to aid Su Shen. From this perspective, Gu Zi was indeed pitiable. She had been abandoned once before, and now she was on the verge of being discarded again by this man. How was she supposed to cope?

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    However, considering Gu Zi¡¯s sincere affection for him in the past, Gong Zhan was not entirely opposed to lending a helping hand. When the time came for him to divorce Lin Miao, he could consider accepting Gu Zi. After all, they were both divorcees, and he was not one to fuss over such matters.

    Moreover, after Gu Zi¡¯s departure, Gong Zhan had come to a profound realization. No matter which woman he interacted with, none could love him as Gu Zi once did, taking care of everything for him. Mo Li was a competent secretary, but not a suitable choice for a wife. If it hadn¡¯t been for the unexpected switch at birth between Gu Zi and Lin Miao, Gu Zi would have already been Gong Zhan¡¯s wife.

    Although Su Shen was oblivious to Gong Zhan¡¯s greasy fantasies, he was not so obtuse as to miss the covetous glances cast at his wife. He put down his chopsticks, his gaze sharp as a sword, piercing Gong Zhan. He retorted with a deep, powerful voice, ¡°I am not you. My future is in my hands, not dependent on my family or a woman. Don¡¯t even think about laying a finger on Gu Zi.¡±

    Gong Zhan was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected this man to see through his intentions and counterattack so directly. He wanted to retort, but Su Shen had already picked up his tray and stood up, turning to leave without giving him another glance. Gong Zhan stood rooted to the spot, his fists clenched so tightly that the chopsticks in his hand snapped.

    After taking a few steps, Su Shen ran into Huo Jing and Hu Bing. Hu Bing initiated the conversation, ¡°I heard from Brother Huo that you¡¯re planning to send some local specialties from the capital to your wife. You should give me this opportunity. I also want to buy some things to send over, as a way to make up for the incident when I had to deliver Hu Jie¡¯s letter to you last time.¡±

 Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: Too Good at Hiding

    Chapter 792: Too Good at Hiding

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen did not offer any opportunity for discussion. With a steady voice, he declared, ¡°I¡¯ve already purchased and sent out the items. There¡¯s no need for you to trouble yourself. What brings you here? Speak plainly.¡±

    Su Shen was well aware that neither Hu Bing nor Huo Jing were in charge of the training base here. There was no reason for them to appear unless they needed something from him.

    Accustomed to Su Shen¡¯s cold and aloof demeanor, Hu Bing was not embarrassed by the rejection. He stated frankly, ¡°It¡¯s all because of my cousin, Hu Jie. She¡¯s set her heart on renewing the marriage contract with you. The Hu family also believes they can support you, so they sent me as a mediator. I had no choice but to come and play the part. Su Shen, please don¡¯t take it personally.¡±

    Like the other members of the Hu family, Hu Bing had once hoped to salvage the marriage that had been ruined by Hu Jie¡¯s maternal family. He wanted to fulfill the late Master Hu¡¯s wish, to unite Hu Jie and Su Shen, and then the Hu family would fully support Su Shen.

    Su Shen was already quite capable, and with the support of the Hu family, it would undoubtedly create a win-win situation. Su Shen would be able to establish a firm foothold in the capital, with a promising future. The power of the Hu family would also rise to a higher level.

    However, ever since his last visit to Daqing Village, where he personally witnessed the demeanor and intelligence of Su Shen¡¯s wife, Hu Bing had abandoned this idea, even beginning to think his own family was naive.

    Regardless of whether Hu Bing was sincere or not, Su Shen turned his attention to the unusually silent Huo Jing. He knew that the quickest solution lay with Huo Jing. He said to Huo Jing, ¡°Isn¡¯t Hu Jie¡¯s maternal family most fond of you? In my opinion, a marriage alliance between the Huo and Hu families wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.¡±

    The people in Hu Jie¡¯s maternal family were all cunning old foxes. Their choices might not respect Hu Jie¡¯s wishes, but they would certainly be the most advantageous.

    The Huo family was wealthy and held significant power. If they could form a marriage alliance with the Hu family, the future of the Huo family would be prosperous. This would also provide the strongest support for Hu Jie¡¯s maternal family. Even if the family¡¯s power declined one day, they would not fall into a state of destitution and despair.

    Huo Jing leaned against the railing, taking a drag from his cigarette. The hazy smoke veiled the contemplative look in his eyes. ¡°Su Shen, you know me,¡± he began, ¡°I don¡¯t have any particular demands when it comes to love and marriage. I let nature take its course. After all, every man needs a woman. Hu Jie, apart from her unlikable personality, meets the standards in terms of looks and figure. But she¡¯s not someone I¡¯d go out of my way to pursue.¡±

    Su Shen, of course, understood his friend well. Was there a woman that Huo Jing desired but couldn¡¯t have?

    On the contrary, if Huo Jing had no interest in a woman, he wouldn¡¯t compromise himself to please her. Su Shen could see that Huo Jing had some interest in Hu Jie. The message he was conveying to Huo Jing was clear, and Huo Jing was not one to misunderstand.

    Upon hearing this, Hu Bing, who was standing nearby, was stunned. He looked at Su Shen, who could read people like an open book, then at Huo Jing, who was always out of tune. His mouth fell open in surprise. ¡°Brother Huo, you¡¯re really good at hiding your feelings. I thought you were forced into a relationship with my cousin. Turns out, you actually have some feelings for her? Why don¡¯t you make a move? That way, Su Shen and his wife can be free.

    ¡°To put it bluntly, my cousin has been pampered by those around her since she was a child. She¡¯s been put on such a high pedestal that she can¡¯t see herself clearly. You just go ahead, with your shameless character, are you afraid she¡¯ll hate you?¡±

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    Once Hu Bing understood this, he felt a sense of relief. He was Hu Jie¡¯s cousin, true, but his friendship with Su Shen was also genuine. As an observer, he could see things more clearly now. If Hu Jie couldn¡¯t find someone she was willing to be with, then someone who could tame her would do, and Huo Jing with his thick skin was just right.

    Huo Jing looked at his two good friends, both of whom were now targeting him, and couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. ¡°Hu Bing, is Su Shen¡¯s wife really that charming? You¡¯re even willing to switch sides and speak for her?¡±

    Hu Bing replied, ¡°She¡¯s indeed a rare beauty. Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also very intelligent and gets the big picture. To be honest, after meeting her, I can¡¯t even bring myself to help my cousin out of guilt. A woman like her should be happy and content with anyone she¡¯s with. You¡¯ll understand once you meet her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Huo Jing felt a sense of anticipation. ¡°Alright, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. I¡¯m not worried about not meeting her. But as for being a shield for your happy married life, I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡±

    It was a Saturday when Gu Zi received the items sent by Su Shen. Her family was planning to return to town that day, so early in the morning, Li Hua and the others began packing their things. Meanwhile, the elderly Lin couple was also busy.

 Chapter 793 - Chapter 793: The Beauty of Love

    Chapter 793: The Beauty of Love

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The elderly Lin couple had it in mind to help their daughter clean up the front and back yards before they left. The pigeon cage, in particular, needed a thorough cleaning. This way, their daughter wouldn¡¯t have to worry about yard maintenance for a while.

    Gu Zi was not idle either. She was weeding the yard while chatting with her family when the voice of the postman rang out, ¡°Miss Gu, there¡¯s a large parcel for you!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi and Li Hua went out to see the postman placing a large parcel from his bicycle. It was heavy, and it took both of them a considerable effort to bring it into the yard.

    Gu Zi opened the parcel right there in the yard. Inside were many small packages of capital specialties ¨C crispy candy, hawthorn cake, fresh chestnuts, fried hazelnuts, preserved fruit, air-dried donkey meat, air-dried beef, and top-grade ginseng. Though they were called small packages, each one was not small at all. The air-dried donkey and beef meats were particularly plentiful, as if they were free.

    Tucked at the bottom of the parcel was a handwritten letter from Su Shen. He informed her that he had personally purchased all these items during his spare time. They were all delicious snacks, and if she found any particularly tasty, she could call him, and he would send more. He included the phone number of his training base and advised her to call in the afternoon when he was more likely to answer.

    He also apologized to her, saying that his time away might be longer than expected. He thanked her for taking care of the house and the children and promised to return as soon as possible.

    Gu Zi felt reassured and wanted to tell him that since he was away to solve problems, it was natural that it would take time. There was no need to rush back.

    After all, he had arranged everything at the factory, there was enough money at home, and the children didn¡¯t need her to worry too much. She quite enjoyed the feeling of temporary separation. After all, people are independent, and always being together isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. Moreover, with her husband away, she found herself missing him, a feeling she quite enjoyed. It made her realize that she had feelings for him.

    Especially at this moment, receiving specialties he had sent from afar and reading his handwritten letter, she genuinely felt the beauty of love in this era. Time was slow, carriages were slow, a lifetime was shared by two people. Although it wasn¡¯t heated passion, it was plain and sincere, suitable for savoring, the more you tasted, the sweeter it became.

    Li Hua didn¡¯t deliberately read her letter, but seeing her sister staring at the letter with a sweet smile on her face, she knew that distance couldn¡¯t break the determination of two people to love and protect each other. Her sister-in-law¡¯s marriage was stable, and Li Hua was relieved. ¡°Sister, what did your husband say in the letter?¡± she asked.

    Gu Zi carefully put away the letter, taking out the small packages contained within. She prepared to divide the contents for easier storage, intending to share some with Li Hua and the others to taste the flavors of the capital.

    ¡°He just shared some of his recent thoughts,¡± Gu Zi said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you all should take some of these. We can¡¯t finish them all at once anyway.¡±

    After Gu Zi and Li Hua had divided the packages, Su Bing emerged from the house. Although he had reduced his reading time, he still enjoyed his books.

    Upon seeing the items his father had sent, his brow furrowed. ¡°Mom,¡± he asked, ¡°Father has sent so many things, shouldn¡¯t he be coming home soon?¡±

    Gu Zi knew that Su Bing was not like Su Li, who was oblivious to most things. Su Bing was a child with a delicate mind, so he probably had a rough idea of why Su Shen had to travel far this time.

    Hearing Su Bing¡¯s question, she quickly stood up to explain, ¡°Your father should indeed be coming home, but it will take some more time. Don¡¯t worry, your father knows what he needs to do.¡±

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    The original book provided little description of Su Shen¡¯s family life, only mentioning it briefly when necessary. Therefore, even though Gu Zi had read the entire book, she had no idea when Su Shen would return this time.

    However, Gu Zi had a premonition that Su Shen would indeed need some time before he could return. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t lie to the child and say that Su Shen would be back soon. All she could do was assure the child that his father would return.

    Upon hearing this, Su Bing didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He silently helped his mother move the items into the house. After everything was moved, he didn¡¯t return to his books but went to the backyard instead.

    Gu Zi checked on him several times, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what the child was thinking. When it was time to say goodbye to her family, Gu Zi asked Su Li to call Su Bing. ¡°Tell your brother that his aunt and the others are leaving. He should come quickly.¡±

    Soon, Su Bing came out with Su Li to see off their relatives. As they were leaving, Li Hua noticed that Su Bing still looked quite serious. She said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about your father. He¡¯s a responsible man. He will definitely come back.¡±

 Chapter 794 - Chapter 794: Anticipation

    Chapter 794: Anticipation

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing nodded, but didn¡¯t say much. Seeing this, Li Hua didn¡¯t press further. She was the last to board the car, sharing a brief embrace with Gu Zi before stepping in.

    As the car started, Li Hua and the others waved their hands, cheerfully bidding Gu Zi and the kids farewell. ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t just stand there. Your brother doesn¡¯t need you to see him off. Go inside quickly.¡±

    Gu Zi watched the car drive away with a smile, then led the children back into the house.

    Su Li, driven by curiosity, asked Su Bing, ¡°Brother, you were in the backyard for quite a while. What were you doing?¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the two brothers, also curious about the answer to this question. However, she wouldn¡¯t ask Su Bing. If he didn¡¯t intend to share, asking wouldn¡¯t help. The only response she would get would be one meant to placate her, not his true thoughts.

    As expected, Su Bing brushed off his brother¡¯s question with a vague answer. ¡°The school is preparing for various competitions. I was considering whether or not to sign up.¡±

    Su Li couldn¡¯t help but admire his brother¡¯s focus. His mind was always on serious matters, never on frivolous pursuits. Su Li hadn¡¯t considered that with his brother¡¯s intellect, the decision to participate in a competition wouldn¡¯t require much thought. It could be decided in the blink of an eye.

    But Su Li didn¡¯t realize this. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t be Su Li. He turned to Gu Zi and started a discussion. ¡°Mom, should I sign up for the competition? But I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t even pass the preliminary round. It¡¯s so frustrating.¡±

    Gu Zi knew she couldn¡¯t rely on Su Li to ask the right questions, so she didn¡¯t take it to heart. She casually responded to Su Li¡¯s concerns. ¡°That¡¯s easy. Just sign up for something you¡¯re good at. The important thing is to participate. Remember, the school¡¯s competitions aren¡¯t just about academics like math, foreign languages, and astronomy. There are also competitions for hobbies like chess, martial arts, and music.¡±

    Su Li, however, wasn¡¯t excited. He said, ¡°But in the eyes of parents, aren¡¯t academic competitions the most prestigious? Mom, I want to make you proud, just like my brother.¡±

    Gu Zi ruffled his hair, offering words of encouragement. ¡°When did I ever tell you that I only care about academics? Su Li, I sent you to this school to discover and explore all aspects of yourself. Just like your brother excels in academics, he can choose to participate in math or foreign language competitions, earning honor and applause with his knowledge.

    ¡°And you, you can choose something you¡¯re good at, like martial arts, music, or painting. If you participate in these competitions, I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. If you can earn your own honor in these competitions, I¡¯ll be proud. So, sign up for something you enjoy without any worries.¡±

    Upon hearing her words, Su Li felt as if he were basking in the sun, his face breaking into a joyous smile. Overwhelmed with excitement, he embraced his mother, exclaiming, ¡°Mom, I understand now!¡±

    After the weekend, the two brothers returned to school. Gu Zi had packed their school bags with small snacks and special treats sent by Su Shen. She intended for them to share these treats, to foster interaction with their classmates. However, she refrained from giving specific instructions, leaving the decision to the brothers.

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    Su Bing, who was not particularly fond of snacks and disliked eating them in the classroom, made a special trip to the second-grade classroom area in the morning. He sought out Jiang Nuan and handed her the bag of snacks, expressing his gratitude for the gift she had given him earlier.

    Jiang Nuan was delighted upon receiving the snacks, carefully tucking them away. ¡°Brother Su Bing, there¡¯s no need to thank me. Moreover, these snacks look delicious. Thank you for giving them to me. I¡¯ll keep them safe and eat them slowly.¡±

    Su Bing watched as Jiang Nuan carefully stored the snacks. He didn¡¯t understand why she was so careful, but he didn¡¯t want to say anything unnecessary. After patiently waiting for Jiang Nuan to finish speaking, he turned and left. He needed to return to his class to prepare for the morning reading session with his classmates, as he had been elected as the class representative for foreign language.

    As for Su Li, although he loved snacks, he was no longer the naive country boy who would drool at the sight of food. He would eat some himself, but he would also share with his classmates to solidify his status among his peers. As soon as the first class ended, Su Li pulled out some beef jerky and began to show it off.

    ¡°This was sent by my father from the capital. It¡¯s only available there, not here. It¡¯s delicious and fragrant, with a five-spice flavor and a spicy flavor. Try some and see if it¡¯s good. My favorite is the five-spice flavor.¡±

 Chapter 795 - Chapter 795: So Cool

    Chapter 795: So Cool

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The group of young boys each received a small piece of dried beef. After tasting it, they nodded in approval, their faces full of satisfaction. ¡°This is so delicious, it¡¯s even better than the dried beef we can buy here. Second Brother, has your father gone to the capital? What is he doing there? My father has never been to the capital.¡±

    The boys paused to look at Su Li, their curiosity piqued. ¡°Second Brother, what is this maroon-colored square wrapped in white paper? It looks delicious too, can we have some?¡±

    Su Li watched the boys, their faces filled with anticipation. It reminded him of his own childhood, and he found it impossible to deny their request. He placed the piece of hawthorn cake he had unwrapped on the table, then, using a classmate¡¯s ruler as a makeshift knife, he cut it into many tiny pieces.

    ¡°The hawthorn cake was also sent by my father. However, I only have two pieces today. I¡¯ll share this one with you. Each of you can have a small piece. My mother told me that my father is a soldier and he went to the capital on a business trip. I don¡¯t know anything else.¡±

    The boys gasped in awe. ¡°Wow, your father is a soldier? And he can even go to the capital on business trips. That sounds so cool, Second Brother! The hawthorn cake is delicious too.¡±

    ¡°Second Brother, since your father has gone to the capital on a business trip, does that mean he will work there? Are you also going to move to the capital? We will miss you, Second Brother!¡±

    Typically, children of their age wouldn¡¯t have a clear concept of what being a soldier meant. However, these students were different. Through the information Su Li shared, they could vaguely discern that Su Li¡¯s father was an important figure. After all, other students¡¯ parents who were soldiers also took pride in going to the capital.

    But Su Li didn¡¯t see it that way. He told his young friends, ¡°My father won¡¯t stay in the capital. My mother is here, and my siblings and I are here too. He won¡¯t stay there, my father will be back soon!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the boys were even more impressed with their Second Brother. After all, other people¡¯s fathers took pride in going to the capital, but Second Brother¡¯s father didn¡¯t care about that. Second Brother¡¯s father seemed so cool, even cooler than Second Brother¡¯s older brother. They were sure they had chosen the right person to follow!

    The atmosphere around Su Li was becoming increasingly lively, and he reveled in the sensation. However, the merriment was soon disrupted by a disdainful figure. He cast a dismissive glance at Su Li and his companions, sneering, ¡°A bunch of fools, listening to this country bumpkin. His father, a soldier? More like a pig farmer from the countryside.

    ¡°What makes him think he could ever stay in the capital? Does his father even have the qualifications to remain here? He parades around like a soldier¡¯s son, offering small snacks. And look at his shoes, typical rural cloth shoes, probably made from some rag he found. So rustic, it¡¯s laughable.¡±

    This individual was also a classmate of Su Li¡¯s, named Sun Wei. Currently, only a portion of the class had aligned themselves with Su Li, while the rest had fallen into Sun Wei¡¯s camp. Sun Wei, much like their homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhou, held a deep disdain for Su Li, who hailed from the countryside.

    Whatever Su Li did, Sun Wei was sure to oppose. As a result, Sun Wei had become the class representative for mathematics. The previous representative had been dismissed by Teacher Zhou, on the grounds of stagnant academic progress. This was a decision that baffled the students, as the former representative had consistently scored full marks on every test. How much more could one possibly improve?

    However, mathematics was Teacher Zhou¡¯s subject, and she held the authority to appoint and dismiss her class representatives. The former representative could only weep and yield his position to Sun Wei, whose mathematical abilities were mediocre at best.

    Sun Wei was well aware of why he had been appointed as the class representative. Therefore, after assuming the role, he redoubled his efforts to oppose Su Li.

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    After Sun Wei finished speaking, his followers began to mock Su Li as well. ¡°Only the poor would wear such shoes. They¡¯re so ugly. Not even a soldier¡¯s child would wear them, let alone any city dweller.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, only an unsophisticated bumpkin would follow a leader from the countryside. It¡¯s simply lowering our standards.¡±

    Su Li was infuriated by their words. The shoes they were mocking were ones he had put on that very morning, handmade by his grandmother. His brother and sister each had a pair as well. Yet these people dared to call them ugly.

    He immediately retorted, ¡°My shoes are not ugly, Sun Wei. You¡¯re just jealous because I have relatives who care for me and make shoes for me. All you can do is buy yours!¡±

    Gao Ming quickly chimed in, ¡°Sorry, Sun Wei. I must have been too loose-lipped. I accidentally let slip some information about your family to Su Li.¡±

 Chapter 796 - Chapter 796: Xiao Tians Choice

    Chapter 796: Xiao Tian¡¯s Choice

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sun Wei glanced at Gao Ming, his fists clenched tightly. Damn it, he had almost forgotten that Gao Ming was also on Su Li¡¯s side. Despite this, he managed to maintain a facade of calm, retorting, ¡°What do I have to fear? My family, the Suns, hold a prestigious position. We are nothing like those vile, scheming peasants.¡±

    Su Li, noting Sun Wei¡¯s discourteous tone and the signal from Gao Ming, responded in a nonchalant manner, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t say much. Just mentioned that your biological mother isn¡¯t the current Madam Sun, but rather a maid of the Sun family. It¡¯s only because you were born a son, and Madam Sun had no sons of her own, that you were recognized under her name.¡±

    ¡°But rest assured, Sun Wei,¡± he continued, ¡°due to our shared status as classmates, I won¡¯t call you an illegitimate child. Nor will I mock you as you did me, calling me a farmer¡¯s son. By the way, which village does your real mother come from? Is being a farmer something to be looked down upon?¡±

    Sun Wei¡¯s fists tightened, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. His origins were a topic he least wanted to discuss. Yet now, Su Li had brought it up in front of the entire class. He roared, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! My mother is Madam Sun, not some filthy maid! I despise villagers the most!¡±

    Seeing Sun Wei¡¯s reaction, his followers were somewhat taken aback, their previous bravado gone. Su Li watched this unfold, feeling a momentary pang of pity for Sun Wei.

    Denying his own biological mother was, in essence, a denial of himself. According to his mother¡¯s teachings, such people might appear strong on the surface, but were deeply insecure within. However, Su Li felt no guilt; it was always Sun Wei who instigated their confrontations.

    Still seething with anger, Sun Wei turned to his followers and ordered, ¡°Go, take off his ragged shoes and throw them in the trash. Such shabby footwear has no place in this school!¡±

    The two followers hesitated, ¡°But Sun Wei, Su Li knows martial arts. We might not even be able to get close to him.¡±

    Sun Wei glanced around, his gaze settling on one individual. A smirk played on his lips as he seemed to come up with a devious plan. ¡°Xiao Tian, step forward. You¡¯re new to my crew. I need to see if you¡¯re truly loyal.¡±

    Xiao Tian, whose name had been called out by Sun Wei, was initially terrified of drawing attention from both sides. However, his worst fears came to pass when Sun Wei noticed him. He deeply regretted heeding his mother¡¯s advice to join the faction opposing Su Li. In truth, he saw no harm in acknowledging the Su brothers as leaders.

    On the contrary, he found the leader of his current faction, Sun Wei, to be far from agreeable. Sun Wei would only command him to do tasks, showing no regard for him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t disregard his mother¡¯s words. If he disappointed her, she would surely have another son, and he would no longer receive her attention. He didn¡¯t want that.

    After a moment of hesitation, Xiao Tian, remembering his mother¡¯s words, stepped forward, positioning himself against Su Li.

    Upon seeing Xiao Tian, Su Li felt a pang of discomfort. However, he had come to terms with it. Just as his mother had said, Xiao Tian¡¯s mother forbade Xiao Tian from playing with him. If Xiao Tian himself couldn¡¯t resist, then Su Li¡¯s discomfort would serve no purpose. He could only respect Xiao Tian¡¯s choice.

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    ¡°Xiao Tian, if you intend to fight me, I won¡¯t let you. But I must warn you, you¡¯re no match for me.¡±

    Despite his discomfort, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but warn Xiao Tian. However, Xiao Tian seemed resolute, charging at Su Li with a furious cry.

    Su Li¡¯s followers couldn¡¯t bear to lay a hand on Xiao Tian either, stepping aside one after another. Everyone knew that Xiao Tian was a timid boy, shy and gentle-natured like a girl, yet he got along well with everyone. He was so kind-hearted that many couldn¡¯t bear to bully him. No one understood why he had suddenly joined Sun Wei¡¯s faction; Xiao Tian and Sun Wei were not cut from the same cloth.

    Nevertheless, Xiao Tian managed to reach Su Li. With a swift dodge, Su Li circled behind Xiao Tian. Just as everyone hoped they wouldn¡¯t come to blows, the bell rang for class. It couldn¡¯t have been more timely. Xiao Tian heaved a sigh of relief, watching Sun Wei reluctantly return to his seat before slowly making his way to his own.

    Su Li and the others also breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether it was Su Li or his followers, none of them truly wanted to fight Xiao Tian. Although Su Li had accepted, under his mother¡¯s guidance, that he could only respect Xiao Tian¡¯s choice, seeing Xiao Tian stand against him was still inevitably painful. Su Li¡¯s mood was somewhat downcast.

 Chapter 797 - Chapter 797: Checking Homework Submissions

    Chapter 797: Checking Homework Submissions

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gao Ming could tell that Su Li was not in the best of spirits. He had a fair idea of what was troubling his friend and tried to comfort him in a hushed voice, ¡°Su Li, don¡¯t overthink things. Grandmother always told me to believe that everything will turn out for the best. Faith can make everything beautiful.¡±

    Just as Su Li was about to respond, a harsh reprimand echoed from the lectern, ¡°Gao Ming, Su Li, who gave you permission to speak? It¡¯s always you two, isn¡¯t it? Fine, you want to challenge me? Let¡¯s skip the lesson then. Let¡¯s discuss the matter of homework submission over the weekend. The number of students not submitting their homework is increasing. Are you betting on me not checking the homework?¡±

    The teacher, who should not have been using class time for such matters, had no choice but to proceed, ¡°I will now call out names one by one. Those whose names are not called have not submitted their homework. Stand at the back of the class and listen to the lesson! Sun Wei, Fan Da, Gu Jun¡­¡±

    The teacher, Teacher Zhou, began to read out names from the homework book. Su Li and Gao Ming, having been scolded, suddenly remembered that this was a math class. Su Li had an ominous feeling that the homework check was targeted at him. After all, during every subject¡¯s homework submission, the class representative would count the number of students who had not submitted their work. Those who had not done so would be asked to submit it immediately.

    Normally, the issue of homework submission would not take up class time. However, today, after Sun Wei had collected the homework, he did not count the number of students nor did he ask anyone to submit their work. Now, with Teacher Zhou checking the number of students in class, it felt a bit strange. Yet, Su Li felt there was nothing to fear. He had submitted his homework. He must be overthinking it.

    What was strange, however, was that Teacher Zhou had read through all the homework books and had not called Su Li¡¯s name. Su Li did not move to the back of the class because he had submitted his homework. He raised his hand and said, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I submitted my homework. It was right next to Gao Ming¡¯s. There¡¯s no way my book could be missing.¡±

    Teacher Zhou responded with irritation, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you submitted your homework, but as soon as I start counting, your homework book disappears?¡±

    Scratching the back of his head, Su Li was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t want to stand at the back because he had indeed submitted his homework. Gao Ming also raised his hand and said, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I can vouch for Su Li. I submitted his book along with mine.¡±

    Teacher Zhou sneered, ¡°You, testify? The two of you are always up to no good together. Now, one of you doesn¡¯t turn in his homework, and the other¡¯s work is of poor quality. Gao Ming, on what grounds can you testify? Su Li, go stand at the back!¡±

    Su Li protested, ¡°I won¡¯t go, Teacher Zhou. I really did my homework. I don¡¯t know why my notebook is missing, but I won¡¯t stand at the back.¡±

    Seeing Su Li¡¯s refusal to move, Teacher Zhou¡¯s gaze turned icy. She turned to the class representative, Sun Wei, who stood up and said, ¡°Teacher Zhou, I didn¡¯t see Su Li¡¯s notebook when I collected the homework today. If Su Li doesn¡¯t believe me, you can let him come to the podium and look for his notebook himself.¡±

    Teacher Zhou nodded, ¡°Hmm, since the class representative said so, Su Li, don¡¯t blame me for not giving you a chance. Come up and find your notebook. If you find it, you won¡¯t have to stand at the back.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li hurried to the podium to look for his notebook. However, after flipping through each notebook twice, he couldn¡¯t find his name anywhere. Su Li¡¯s hands began to tremble with anxiety.

    Teacher Zhou urged, ¡°Can¡¯t find it, can you? Then go stand at the back. We need to start the class. How much more time do you want to waste?¡±

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    With no other choice, Su Li had to swallow his pride and walk to the back of the room with his textbook.

    As Teacher Zhou began her lecture, Su Li couldn¡¯t take in a single word. He couldn¡¯t understand where his homework had gone. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt, until tears began to stream down his face¡­

    At noon, Su Li learned that his older brother had entered a math competition. To make time for training, his brother would be eating earlier than the other students, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to have lunch with Su Li for a while. Coupled with the morning¡¯s incident, Su Li had no appetite. For the first time, he experienced the feeling of not being able to eat.

    Su Li had brought his own food, so he didn¡¯t go to the cafeteria. He took out a new notebook and started making up his homework in the classroom.

    Gao Ming sat with him, grumbling, ¡°Your notebook must have been taken by someone. When the homework was handed out just now, I took a look. I only got one question wrong, one that she hadn¡¯t taught in class. Teacher Zhou said my work was of poor quality. I think she¡¯s just looking for an excuse to scold us.¡±

 Chapter 798 - Chapter 798: The Woman Who Stirs Trouble

    Chapter 798: The Woman Who Stirs Trouble

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a hearty laugh, Sun Wei strode into the classroom, a smug look on his face. ¡°You should be grateful that I¡¯m even telling you this,¡± he began, his voice dripping with arrogance. ¡°I saw your notebook this morning, but I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of it. It reeked of the countryside. So, I threw it in the trash. What can you do about it, Su Li? As far as Teacher Zhou is concerned, you¡¯re just a naughty child who didn¡¯t do his homework.¡±

    Sun Wei¡¯s confession hung in the air, causing Su Li¡¯s fists to clench in anger. He was ready to pounce on Sun Wei and give him a good beating, but Gao Ming, who was standing next to him, held him back.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± Gao Ming whispered, ¡°He¡¯s trying to provoke you. Even if we know he¡¯s the one who threw away your notebook, without it, Teacher Zhou won¡¯t take your side. Don¡¯t act rashly.¡±

    Su Li gritted his teeth, swallowing his anger. He glared at the despicable Sun Wei. ¡°I now believe that your mother isn¡¯t a farmer,¡± he spat out, ¡°You¡¯re far worse than any child of a farmer. You¡¯re utterly vile, Sun Wei. You¡¯ll pay for this. You¡¯re going to hell!¡±

    Sun Wei, however, was unfazed by Su Li¡¯s words. Seeing Su Li¡¯s distress brought him immense satisfaction. He hummed a little tune as he sauntered out of the room, leaving Su Li to vent his frustration by punching and kicking at the air in Sun Wei¡¯s wake.

    The rest of the afternoon was a struggle for Su Li. He couldn¡¯t shake off his gloom, even though he knew that his misery would only fuel his adversary¡¯s triumph.

    After school, Su Li was still in low spirits. Seeing his friend¡¯s plight, Gao Ming reluctantly offered up his allowance for the week. He suggested they go to the food stalls outside the school to cheer up. The stalls, a popular hangout spot for the students, sold a variety of snacks that Su Li and Gao Ming loved.

    As they were leaving with their purchases of crispy potatoes, they noticed a commotion at one of the stalls. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the stall run by those older boys who dropped out of school?¡± Su Li asked, ¡°Their special pancakes are delicious. Why has it been vandalized? Come on, Gao Ming, let¡¯s go check it out.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Su Li pulled Gao Ming towards the scene. Su Bing, who had been trailing behind them, wanted to stop them but was too late. He had no choice but to follow.

    What they saw next left them stunned. The woman causing trouble and vandalizing the stall was none other than Su Li¡¯s homeroom teacher, Zhou Hua.

    Zhou Hua was currently confronting the ringleader of the group of young boys, her expression filled with disgust as she reprimanded, ¡°You little ruffians, instead of attending school as you should, you¡¯ve chosen to set up shop here.¡±

    She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing, ¡°I suspect your real intention is to corrupt the students of this school. As a teacher here, I will not tolerate such behavior. You are not allowed to set up shop here again. If you do, I will personally escort you to the police station.¡±

    The surrounding crowd, unaware of what had transpired, could only gather around to watch the spectacle unfold. Upon hearing that the woman was a teacher, many naturally assumed that the boys were at fault. A couple of parents even joined in the accusations.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why my son has been so insistent on buying your pastries,¡± one parent chimed in. ¡°I thought they must be delicious, but now I see that you¡¯ve been brainwashing him with your bad influence. Thanks to this teacher, we parents are no longer in the dark. She¡¯s right, we absolutely cannot allow these hooligans to ruin the school¡¯s atmosphere.¡±

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    ¡°Did you hear what the teacher said?¡± another parent added. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to set up shop here anymore. Leave now. You¡¯re lucky this kind-hearted teacher didn¡¯t take you straight to the police station.¡±

    Su Li and Gao Ming watched the scene with furrowed brows, and Su Li¡¯s face darkened. Recalling the morning¡¯s events, he said to his brother, ¡°Bro, this Teacher Zhou is too much. She doesn¡¯t dare to confront me directly, so she resorts to underhanded tactics. She had her class representative throw away my homework book and accused me of not handing in my homework. I had to stand for the entire math class today. I can¡¯t stand it!¡±

    Although Sun Wei didn¡¯t explicitly say that he was acting under Zhou Hua¡¯s instructions, his words implied as much. He wouldn¡¯t dare to be so arrogant without the certainty that Zhou Hua would back him up.

    Su Li continued to watch as Zhou Hua drove the boys away. Their food had been destroyed, and they weren¡¯t going to back down easily. However, perhaps due to their lack of education, they could only clench their fists and watch as Zhou Hua and some parents berated them, unable to articulate a single argument in their defense.

    Su Li¡¯s gaze darkened. If it weren¡¯t for their mother, the fate of those boys could very well be his and his brother¡¯s future. Although he didn¡¯t want to be a bad kid, he also didn¡¯t want to burden his mother with everything. Even with their mother around, he shouldn¡¯t give up on his own growth. That way, their mother wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard.

 Chapter 799 - Chapter 799: Learning From Zhou Hua

    Chapter 799: Learning From Zhou Hua

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing was well aware that even if he knew Zhou Hua was the one who made Sun Wei lose Su Li¡¯s homework on purpose, Zhou Hua could still argue her way out of it. Even if the situation escalated, the school wouldn¡¯t expel her over such a minor incident with unclear evidence. This time, he decided to handle it himself, to teach this Teacher Zhou a lesson and make her behave more modestly in the future.

    After a moment of silence, Su Bing turned to Su Li and said, ¡°I just remembered something. It¡¯s my turn to be on duty today. Su Li, you and Gao Ming should go home first. I¡¯ll come back later on my own. Please tell mom for me. Also, about the incident where Teacher Zhou falsely accused you of not handing in your homework, don¡¯t tell mom about it yet. She¡¯s been working hard lately, let¡¯s not worry her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li found it to be very reasonable. He realized he wasn¡¯t as thoughtful as his older brother, having not considered their mother¡¯s fatigue from work. He assured Su Bing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I won¡¯t tell mom about this.¡±

    Gao Ming looked at Su Bing with admiration in his eyes. He was truly responsible and cool!

    Su Bing naturally avoided Gao Ming¡¯s fervent gaze. As soon as the two of them left, he quickly headed to a nearby convenience store and dialed the police station. ¡°Hello, I want to report an incident. At the entrance of the First Bilingual Primary School, a teacher is bullying a young vendor, smashing his stall, and even claiming that the government¡¯s management of the civilian economy is nonsense.¡±

    The last sentence was, of course, added by Su Bing himself. However, he would make it seem as if Zhou Hua had said it. Wasn¡¯t this creating something out of nothing? He had learned this from Zhou Hua.

    Upon receiving the report, the police quickly arrived at the school gate. By this time, the crowd of students and parents who had been watching the scene had almost dispersed. The other vendors, although angry, were helpless and sighed in resignation, preparing to pack up their stalls.

    Zhou Hua, having smashed the young vendors¡¯ stalls and vented her anger, was about to leave when she was stopped by the young vendors. They didn¡¯t know how to refute the false accusations this woman had imposed on them, but with their stalls gone, their hard-earned livelihood had collapsed. They wouldn¡¯t let this woman leave easily.

    The police quickly identified the target and approached the woman and the young vendors. The leading officer asked the woman, ¡°Are you Teacher Zhou Hua?¡±

    Upon seeing the police, Zhou Hua froze. She had only intended to scare the young ruffians, never to involve the authorities. How had the police arrived? She had no choice but to respond, the guilty party often being the first to complain, ¡°I am Zhou Hua, officer. Your arrival is timely. I was just disciplining these young hooligans who are trying to corrupt our students.¡±

    The leading officer squinted at her, saying, ¡°Ms. Zhou, we received a report that tells a different story. It was reported that you were bullying these young vendors, even smashing their stalls. You were also accused of criticizing the government¡¯s handling of the civilian economy. Any of these allegations are serious. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to come with us.¡±

    The police weren¡¯t fools. The scene before them was chaotic, but it was unlikely that the boys had destroyed their own stalls.

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    Upon hearing this, the leader of the boys finally knew what to say. Although he didn¡¯t know who had reported the incident, he quickly echoed the accuser¡¯s words, ¡°Officer, it¡¯s true. We all heard this teacher. She¡¯s not a good teacher. You should arrest her.¡±

    Zhou Hua was taken aback. In her urgency, she revealed her irritable side, ¡°You little devils, you uncultured brats, what are you saying? Officer, you can¡¯t listen to their nonsense. I¡¯m a teacher. How could I possibly say such outrageous things? I¡¯ve always been supportive of the government¡¯s decisions.¡±

    The police were somewhat taken aback, even doubting whether they had come to the right place. Was this really the First Bilingual Primary School? How had such a teacher been selected to teach here? The leading officer reiterated, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Zhou, but you¡¯ll have to come with us.¡±

    At this point, some of the late-departing teachers were leaving the school, including some school leaders. Zhou Hua didn¡¯t want her colleagues and superiors to witness her being taken away by the police. It would ruin her reputation. If she had to go, she would go.

    So, Zhou Hua immediately gave up her resistance. Before the teachers and school leaders reached the school gate, she got into the police car. The boys naturally followed. However, just before the police car started, the leader of the boys noticed a male student standing under a large tree, his face cold. As their eyes met, the boy seemed to understand something.

 Chapter 800 - Chapter 800: Su Bing Recruits Three Followers

    Chapter 800: Su Bing Recruits Three Followers

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon arriving at the police station, the boys found themselves at a disadvantage during the interrogation. Their inability to articulate their thoughts clearly was no match for Zhou Hua¡¯s adeptness at spinning tales.

    However, the police officer was a fair man and favored the boys. They did not suffer any injustice, and the day¡¯s drama was resolved through negotiation. Zhou Hua compensated the boys for their losses with money.

    As Zhou Hua left the police station, she felt incredibly unlucky. She didn¡¯t know who had been so meddlesome as to call the police for the boys. Now, with no one to help them, she caught up with the boys and berated them, ¡°You motherless brats, ganging up to swindle me. Your shabby stall isn¡¯t worth ten yuan. Give me back the extra money!¡±

    The boys immediately became defensive. She had already disrupted their livelihood, and now if she wanted to take back the compensation, it would leave them with no means to survive.

    The boys took a few steps back, and the leader spoke up hesitantly, ¡°The police officer told you to give this to us. We¡­ we won¡¯t give it back!¡±

    Zhou Hua glared at them with hatred, her face twisted in a threatening manner, ¡°If you don¡¯t return it, be prepared to get beaten. Every time my man sees you, he¡¯ll beat you. Let¡¯s see how you continue to do business near the school!¡±

    However, just as she finished speaking, her vision suddenly went black, and she was dragged away. She remembered that there was a deserted alley ahead. She struggled desperately, but to no avail.

    The person who grabbed her was very strong, almost as strong as her man. Every time her man hit her, she was unable to move, so this must also be an adult man!

    Realizing this, Zhou Hua¡¯s struggle turned into fear, and she began to tremble. The next second, she heard a man¡¯s voice, ¡°This is the price your man pays for not returning our money!¡±

    Then, as expected, the punches and kicks came. She quickly let out a scream.

    Su Bing was very satisfied with this outcome. Clearing his throat, he left the scene first. Ten minutes later, the three boys met up with Su Bing in another deserted corner.

    Having knocked out the woman, the leader was somewhat scared, ¡°We didn¡¯t kill her, did we?¡±

    The other two boys were trembling, their bodies shaking with fear. They had just witnessed Su Bing helping them by dragging away the woman they had beaten and stuffed into a sack. They had followed their leader¡¯s lead, attacking the woman they despised. They hated her with a passion. All they wanted was to survive, yet she seemed determined to cut off their lifeline.

    They had beaten her mercilessly, almost losing their sanity in the process. Now, they were terrified. If she died, they would be executed. They didn¡¯t want to die.

    In stark contrast to the boys¡¯ panic, Su Bing appeared calm, as if nothing had happened. He had merely dragged the woman away without laying a hand on her.

    The three boys, malnourished for a long time, lacked strength. At most, they had only managed to beat the woman into a pulp.

    Su Bing spoke in a deep voice, ¡°She won¡¯t die. Don¡¯t worry about her going to the police. No one knows what happened. You didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    The leader, more perceptive than the others, noticed Su Bing was about to leave. He quickly stepped forward, ¡°Brother, no, Big Brother, we owe our lives to you today. We are willing to follow you and help you. We don¡¯t ask for much, just food. My name is Da Hu.¡±

    The other two boys quickly followed suit, ¡°Big Brother, from now on, you are our Big Brother. I am Er Hu, and he is Xiao Hu.

    ¡°Big Brother, Zhou Hua won¡¯t let us off. She¡¯s been causing trouble for our stall because her husband collects the stall fees near the school. We barely scraped together enough money to start our business, we can¡¯t afford the eight-dollar monthly stall fee.¡±

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    After listening to their story and combining it with the personal information about Zhou Hua given by Grandma Gao, Su Bing instantly understood. Zhou Hua¡¯s actions today were to help her husband collect stall fees. She used the excuse of protecting students and smashed the stalls that didn¡¯t pay the fees under the guise of a school teacher. This was a way to intimidate other stall owners into paying their fees.

    Su Bing frowned, such a person was not fit to educate!

    He looked at the three boys, older than him, and said, ¡°If you want to follow me, you need to be useful. You need to be educated. Illiterates can¡¯t help me.¡±

    The three boys hesitated for a moment, and finally, Da Hu voiced their hardship, ¡°We are all orphaned street children. We survive on government aid. We don¡¯t have the privilege to go to school. We only know a few simple characters, learned by sneaking into village classrooms.¡±

    Er Hu looked dejected, ¡°So, Big Brother Da Hu, Big Brother doesn¡¯t want to take us in. We definitely can¡¯t go back to the stall. Zhou Hua will definitely come to cause trouble again. What should we do?¡±

 Chapter 801 - Chapter 801: New Snack Venture

    Chapter 801: New Snack Venture

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After Er Hu finished speaking, Xiao Hu burst into tears.

    Su Bing was reminded of his own tearful younger brother. He cleared his throat lightly and said, ¡°Not having been to school is not a problem. If you want to learn, I can tutor you every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I will also provide you with some books to read on your own. If you don¡¯t understand something, just ask me.¡±

    He paused before continuing, ¡°You should continue your stall while studying. Selling only cakes won¡¯t work. You need to learn more, sell snacks and drinks together. I can teach you that too. This way, you can keep your stall outside the school stable, without having to change locations. If Zhou Hua causes trouble again, just call the police. My only condition is that I get seventy percent of the earnings from the stall.¡±

    The three boys seemed to have accepted Su Bing as their leader without hesitation. As Su Bing hurried home, the three cheerfully bid their leader goodbye. They were all impressed by his wisdom. With such a leader, they felt more confident about their future. They were sure things would only get better.

    At the Su residence, when Su Li entered the house, Gu Zi noticed that he was alone and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother come back with you?¡±

    Su Li, his mouth full of popcorn chicken made by his mother, chewed as he replied, ¡°Brother had duty today, so he let me and Gao Ming come back first.¡±

    Gu Zi remembered that the two brothers and Gao Ming would always wait for each other if one of them had duty. Why did Su Bing let the two younger ones leave first today?

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t worried about Su Bing getting into trouble. She had read the original novel and knew Su Bing¡¯s character well. He was highly intelligent and no one could harm him. Moreover, as the story progressed, his extraordinary intelligence would become more apparent.

    In the original novel, Su Li and Su Le didn¡¯t have good endings. They left Su Bing one after the other. Su Bing didn¡¯t let the people who harmed them go. With his exceptional criminal talent, he committed a series of perfect crimes, avenging his siblings. In the end, he even became a globally renowned scientific researcher.

    Every time Gu Zi recalled a part of the original story related to Su Bing, even though she knew it was just a novel, she couldn¡¯t help but feel tense, her back cold.

    Feeling a bit uneasy, Gu Zi took Su Le and left the house, instructing Su Li, ¡°I¡¯ll go pick up your brother. You stay home and watch the house.¡±

    As Gu Zi stepped out of the house and reached the street corner, she saw Su Bing returning with his backpack. Su Bing quickened his pace and greeted his mother casually, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back. Didn¡¯t I tell my brother to tell you that I had duty today?¡±

    With a sigh of relief, Gu Zi¡¯s heart finally settled. She had been worried needlessly. It was merely his turn for duty. Perhaps she had been overthinking things. Su Bing had been spending more and more time alone lately, which she attributed to his rapid growth. Children at this stage indeed needed more personal space.

    She quickly adjusted her mindset and said to Su Bing, ¡°I was worried about you, so I came to pick you up. Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ve made popcorn chicken and double-layered milk pudding for you today.¡±

    Su Bing obediently nodded, following behind his mother. ¡°Mom, can you teach me how to make double-layered milk pudding? It¡¯s been a while since I learned something new. I want to learn.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t find anything unusual about his request and agreed, ¡°We can start when we get home. I still have some ingredients left from making it earlier.¡±

    Su Bing was a quick learner. That very night, he managed to make a smooth and tempting double-layered milk pudding.

    The next morning, while waiting for the school gates to open, Su Bing managed to slip away from Su Li and Gao Ming. He then shared the recipe, ingredients, and utensils needed for the pudding with Da Hu. Da Hu, who also had a knack for cooking, added the new dessert to his small food stall outside the school that very afternoon.

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    However, they hadn¡¯t had time to set up a proper stall, so Da Hu and his friends were selling the pudding from a makeshift stand. Following Su Bing¡¯s advice, they offered samples for tasting. It wasn¡¯t long before their small stand was surrounded by students. Soon, only one bowl of double-layered milk pudding was left.

    At that moment, a chubby boy approached the stand. Er Hu recognized him as a regular customer. Despite the boy¡¯s mother siding with the malicious Zhou Hua and berating them the day before, Er Hu believed it was the adults who were in the wrong. So, he gave the last sample to the boy. The boy was delighted, but his joy was short-lived as his mother rushed over, accusing, ¡°You three troublemakers, how dare you show up here. Don¡¯t eat that!¡±

    The boy¡¯s mother tried to snatch the food from his hand, but he quickly swallowed it. He then squatted down, hugging his mother¡¯s leg and began to cry, ¡°Mom, I want to buy this! I want this, and if I can¡¯t have it, I won¡¯t go home!¡±

    The woman was at a loss. Her son was her only child, and the entire family doted on him. When he threw a tantrum, she was helpless.

    Seeing her hesitation, Da Hu quickly explained, ¡°Madam, the police officer came yesterday and made Teacher Zhou compensate us. So, who do you think is really at fault here?¡±

 Chapter 802 - Chapter 802: Divine Retribution

    Chapter 802: Divine Retribution

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Da Hu had tasted the bitterness of life far too many times. Now, as he continued to peddle his snacks at his stall, he was determined to retain every customer he could. Even if they held him in contempt, he didn¡¯t care. All that mattered was making money.

    After Da Hu¡¯s explanation, the woman found a way to save face. In the end, she bought the last bowl of pudding from the three young men.

    When Su Li, clutching his pocket money, approached, the boys were preparing to close up shop. Su Li waved at them, ¡°Big brothers, you¡¯re still here! What are you selling today? I want to treat my big brother and third brother to something delicious.¡±

    The first person Da Hu noticed wasn¡¯t Su Li, but Su Bing, who was standing behind Su Li and Gao Ming. Su Bing was their eldest brother.

    Da Hu was about to greet him when he remembered that Su Bing had asked him to pretend not to know him, to avoid worrying their family. So, Da Hu deliberately ignored Su Bing and waved at Su Li instead, ¡°We¡¯ve sold out for today. This portion was meant for Xiao Hu, but we can give it to you.¡±

    Xiao Hu didn¡¯t mind when he saw that the little boy was their big brother¡¯s younger brother. He even took the double-layered milk dessert from Da Hu¡¯s hand and handed it to the little boy, ¡°Little brother, this is for you.¡±

    Su Li felt a bit embarrassed. Had he become more adorable recently? He glanced back at Gao Ming and his brother, accepted the dessert, and was surprised to find that it was the same sweet treat his mother made.

    He immediately took a bite, ¡°I know this! Double-layered milk, brother, why does this taste so similar to what you made last night? It¡¯s just as well-formed, but not as delicious as mom¡¯s.¡±

    Su Bing, with one hand in his school uniform pocket, coughed lightly, ¡°What other taste could double-layered milk have? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    After Su Bing finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the Gao family¡¯s car. Su Li was easily persuaded and hurriedly pulled Gao Ming to catch up. Before leaving, Su Li stuffed his pocket money into Xiao Hu¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom says we should always pay for what we buy.¡±

    Xiao Hu¡¯s hand now held a crumpled five-cent note, still warm from Su Li¡¯s touch. He watched Su Li¡¯s retreating figure, his eyes filled with envy. He had never met his own mother, let alone received her teachings¡­

    Back at home, Gu Zi was picking vegetables while Su Le sat on the carpet, holding a very short pencil, doodling on a piece of paper. The pencil was one that Su Li had discarded, and Su Le had picked it up and treated it like a toy. She refused to part with it, so Gu Zi simply gave her some blank paper. Every day, she would draw lines on the paper with the pencil, sketching wherever and whenever she pleased, like a carefree little artist.

    Gu Zi felt that it might be worthwhile to nurture Su Le¡¯s talent for drawing. The prospect of having a budding artist in the family was rather appealing. As she watched Su Le, so obedient and focused, her affection for the child grew. Her mood lifted noticeably.

    The sound of footsteps echoed from outside, followed by Su Li¡¯s voice, ¡°Mom, sis, we¡¯re back!¡±

    Like a gust of wind, Su Li burst into the room, unwrapping a piece of flaky candy and popping it into Su Le¡¯s mouth. Su Le smacked her lips a few times before holding up her drawing for Su Li to see. ¡°Brother, Lele drew a picture.¡±

    Su Li bent down to take a closer look, surprise evident on his face. ¡°Mom, the thing sis drew, it looks like a person¡¯s face. Sis, who did you draw?¡±

    Gu Zi merely smiled, not saying a word. Su Bing set down his school bag and glanced at the drawing in Su Le¡¯s hand. With just three strokes, Su Le had vividly captured Su Li¡¯s usual tear-streaked expression. He understood then why their mother had only smiled. Su Li, the poor fellow, hadn¡¯t realized that Su Le had drawn him crying.

    Su Le pointed at Su Li, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking, ¡°Lele drew brother, when brother is crying.¡±

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    Su Li took another careful look at the drawing in her hand, his lips puckering in disbelief. How could that awkward expression possibly be him?

    What he didn¡¯t realize was that his current expression was strikingly similar to the one depicted in Su Le¡¯s drawing. If his lips puckered a bit more, they would be identical.

    Fearing that she might burst into laughter if this continued, Gu Zi decided to change the subject. ¡°Su Li, did anything interesting happen at school today? Would you like to share with mom?¡±

    Su Li, who was quick to take things to heart but also quick to forget, was reminded of a particularly amusing incident when his mother asked. He immediately rushed over to her, exclaiming, ¡°Mom, the annoying Teacher Zhou seemed to have met with divine retribution. I saw her in the office today, her face was swollen like a pig¡¯s head. I heard she took leave to recover.¡±

    Had Su Li not gone to submit his homework from the previous day, he would have missed this spectacle. As for Teacher Zhou, Su Li had not an ounce of sympathy left for her. In his opinion, anyone who wrongfully accused others deserved divine punishment.

 Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Got Her Sentence Reduced

    Chapter 803: Got Her Sentence Reduced

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Su Bing was helping his mother pick vegetables, he overheard Su Li discussing a certain matter. His eyelashes fluttered slightly, concealing the unusual glint in his eyes.

    Gu Zi, taken aback by the conversation, naturally didn¡¯t notice Su Bing¡¯s subtle expression. She turned to Su Li, asking, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Su Li responded, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. She seemed normal during class yesterday. However, after school, we saw her bullying three boys who were running a stall. Today, I saw her looking like she¡¯d been in a fight.¡±

    Su Li felt a sense of relief. He had almost revealed the incident where Teacher Zhou had wronged him during class. Fortunately, he reacted quickly. He now agreed with his brother¡¯s sentiment that there was no need to involve their mother. After all, with all the wrongs Teacher Zhou had committed, someone was bound to deal with her eventually. There was no need to worry their mother every time.

    Gu Zi found it strange. Why had Zhou Hua been beaten up for no apparent reason? She turned to Su Bing, her question laced with a hint of suspicion, ¡°You came home late last night. Do you know what happened?¡±

    Although it seemed unlikely that Su Bing had beaten Zhou Hua to a pulp and Zhou Hua had not sought revenge but instead quietly taken leave to recover, Gu Zi still harbored some doubts. After all, Su Bing was known for his cunning, and Zhou Hua had bullied Su Li before. If Su Bing wanted revenge, beating up Zhou Hua might not be a difficult task.

    Su Bing knew his mother was not easily fooled, but his face remained impassive. Even if his mother had suspicions, she wouldn¡¯t dare to confirm them. He calmly replied, ¡°Yesterday, after I finished my duties, I saw a man looking for Zhou Hua. He claimed that Zhou Hua¡¯s husband owed him money. I don¡¯t know anything beyond that.¡±

    Throughout their conversation, Gu Zi had been studying his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Moreover, his statement reminded Gu Zi of the information she had received from Grandma Gao. It mentioned that Zhou Hua¡¯s husband was a notorious gambler. It made sense that a creditor had come to collect a debt from Zhou Hua, hence the beating. Zhou Hua, not daring to call the police, had no choice but to suffer in silence.

    Gu Zi felt a pang of regret. How could she always suspect Su Bing? She shouldn¡¯t always assume the worst of him.

    At that moment, Su Bing stood up and, showing a sense of responsibility, took the picked vegetables to the kitchen to wash. Gu Zi watched him, her heart aching. She resolved not to doubt Su Bing so readily in the future.

    During dinner, Gu Zi was continuously serving Su Bing with food, a sight that sparked envy in Su Li. ¡°Mom, have you forgotten? I¡¯m the one who signed up for the martial arts competition. I have to train in the morning and afternoon at school. I need to eat more because of the high physical activity,¡± he protested.

    Gu Zi suddenly remembered that she had another son in the house. She served Su Li a piece of red-braised fish, saying, ¡°Both of you need nourishment. You need to replenish your energy for your training, and your brother needs to fuel his brain. It¡¯s perfect, you both can eat more fish.¡±

    Only then did Su Li break into a smile.

    Su Le sat on the side, a small bib around her neck, her tiny hand clutching a fork. Her eyes were blank, not understanding what was happening. But when she saw her mother serving her brothers and not her, her little mouth puckered up. It wasn¡¯t until her mother noticed her and served her a piece of stir-fried meat that she began to giggle.

    Gu Zi watched this, deeply realizing that being a mother was indeed a skillful job. Balancing the needs of her three children was a challenge. She suddenly missed her husband and decided that once the brothers went upstairs, she would try calling him to see if Su Shen could pick up.

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    Meanwhile, the Gong family was also having dinner. Although their son had gone to the capital¡¯s imperial military district, their daughter was still with them, which made the Gong couple quite happy. After all, their son¡¯s departure was for the honor of being a soldier, a good thing. They knew how to prioritize.

    However, halfway through the meal, the Gu couple arrived. The smiles on the faces of the Gong couple instantly faded.

    Gong Xin was particularly displeased. Ever since her brother had gone to the capital¡¯s imperial military district, the Gu family had visited several times. Each time, they would talk about her brother¡¯s marriage to Lin Miao and plead for the Gong family to give Lin Miao another chance to start over. Gong Xin¡¯s ears were tired of hearing this.

    Now, the Gu couple brought up the topic again. Gu Shan said, ¡°Dear relatives, our Lin Miao has truly repented. She is now in prison, working hard to reform herself. She has even managed to get her sentence reduced and will be released on the eve of the college entrance examination.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Commander Gong felt disdain. Although the Gu family couldn¡¯t directly get Lin Miao out of prison, they were capable of pulling strings to help her get her sentence reduced. He was aware of Gu Shan¡¯s behind-the-scenes maneuvers. However, he thought that if Lin Miao could get out earlier, they could discuss the divorce sooner. So, he pretended not to know. The Gong family would not accept a daughter-in-law with a stain on her reputation.

 Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Theres Still Hope for Her

    Chapter 804: There¡¯s Still Hope for Her

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The Gu family had come here multiple times, pleading for forgiveness for Lin Miao and hoping to preserve their marriage. This infuriated the Gong family. They couldn¡¯t fathom why Lin Miao, with her questionable character, should continue to occupy the position of the young mistress of the Gong family, making them the laughingstock of society.

    Gong Shouzhang was not one to mince words. ¡°It¡¯s commendable that she¡¯s trying to reform herself. Once she¡¯s out, she should strive to be a better person. However, this matter has little to do with our family anymore. The position of the young mistress of the Gong family was something Lin Miao lost herself. Once she¡¯s out, she and Gong Zhan can part ways amicably and end their marriage.¡±

    Mrs. Chen nodded in agreement, expressing her stance. ¡°We may seem heartless, but they must divorce. This is also Gong Zhan¡¯s wish. I regret impulsively choosing such an unsuitable match for my son. This time, we must respect my son¡¯s wishes, no matter what.¡±

    The faces of the Gu couple darkened. They hadn¡¯t expected the Gong family to be so uncompromising.

    The Gu couple had initially thought that if Lin Miao could be released from prison early and manage to pass the college entrance examination, she could redeem herself by getting into a good university. As time passed, people would forget about her theft and only remember her as a college student and Gong Zhan¡¯s wife. They believed there was still a good chance for Lin Miao and Gong Zhan to continue their marriage.

    All they needed to do was to keep an eye on Gong Zhan before Lin Miao¡¯s release, befriend his female secretary, Mo Li, and have her help ward off any women who tried to get close to Gong Zhan. Once Lin Miao was released, they could work on repairing the marriage.

    However, there was a major military exercise happening at the time. Gong Zhan, being an outstanding talent in the military region, naturally had to go to the capital to participate and bring honor to his region. This meant that Gong Zhan was no longer under the watchful eyes of the Gu family. Given Gong Zhan¡¯s good family background and handsome appearance, if he caught the eye of some noble in the capital, how could Lin Miao compete?

    If Lin Miao were to divorce Gong Zhan, the Gu family would lose their biggest support. They wouldn¡¯t be able to find another suitable match for Lin Miao in a short time. They wished they could, but Lin Miao had been in prison and would be a divorcee. Which respectable family would want her? Therefore, the Gu family had no choice but to cling to the Gong family.

    Even though they knew what the Gong family was thinking, they had to put on a brave face and visit every few days. Zhang Mei quickly hid her embarrassment and put on a smile. ¡°We know that Miaomiao was in the wrong and has caused everyone embarrassment. But she¡¯s young and can sometimes be impulsive. As long as she changes, it¡¯s all good.¡±

    ¡°Dear relatives, Miaomiao is currently in prison, serving her sentence diligently, actively admitting her mistakes, and even studying hard for her exams. She knows she was wrong. Marriage is a major life event, and it¡¯s always better to stick with the original partner. Divorce and remarriage¡­ it sounds so unpleasant when spoken out loud.¡±

    Mrs. Chen could no longer hold her tongue, voicing out, ¡°Divorce is an ugly word, but why did she steal money in the first place? Realizing her mistake now does not make her noble, nor does it qualify her to be our daughter-in-law. She has already deceived my son once, he cannot fall victim to her again.¡±

    Her words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the betrayal they had suffered.

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    Speaking of the original match, she continued, ¡°Our two families, the Gong and Gu clans, initially arranged the marriage between Gong Zhan and Gu Zi. You are well aware of this. If your daughter wasn¡¯t Gu Zi, and if the Gong family hadn¡¯t been so taken by her intelligence and charm, we would never have disregarded social status to arrange this marriage.¡±

    The reminder of their initial agreement was a bitter pill to swallow.

    ¡°Later, you wanted to switch the bride, claiming that Gu Zi was actually from a rural background, her parents illiterate farmers. You suggested she should return to the countryside, and instead, your biological daughter should marry into our family. This would not disgrace Gong Zhan. I was foolish to listen to you, and so we ended up with Lin Miao, which has resulted in this farce.¡±

    The words stung, causing the Gu couple to hang their heads in shame. However, Zhang Mei quickly found an excuse, attempting to absolve Lin Miao of her wrongdoings. ¡°These are facts, but we must also consider Miaomiao¡¯s living conditions. She grew up in the countryside, living a frugal life. When she returned to the city, she felt out of place. Her actions can be understood.¡±

    Gong Xin, who had been listening quietly, couldn¡¯t help but laugh at this. He retorted, ¡°So, by that logic, all farmers who have seen the prosperity of the city would feel out of place and resort to wrongdoing? Does being born and raised in the countryside make one untrustworthy? I¡¯ve met more than one person from the countryside, so why is it that only she has stolen?¡±

 Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Cant Let Her Take the College Entrance Examination

    Chapter 805: Can¡¯t Let Her Take the College Entrance Examination

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± Gong Xin continued. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be blind to the fact that the Lin family was indeed poor. Yet, Lin Miao managed to complete high school while living with them. The Lin family scrimped and saved to provide her with an education, but it seems they couldn¡¯t erase the rusticity ingrained in her. Is it her rural upbringing that¡¯s the problem, or is it a flaw in her character?¡±

    Upon hearing her daughter¡¯s words, Mrs. Chen¡¯s anger flared. The Gu family, after all, belonged to the military compound, and they had only managed to send Gu Zi to high school. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi¡¯s exceptional abilities, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to attend the city¡¯s top schools, given Gu Shan¡¯s military rank and position. Therefore, in terms of family support, the treatment Lin Miao and Gu Zi received in education was equivalent.

    This time, Mrs. Chen didn¡¯t stop her daughter from speaking. She agreed with her sentiments, believing that Lin Miao was indeed of poor character. She blamed herself for being blind in the past, failing to see through Lin Miao¡¯s pretense of innocence.

    However, when Gong Xin¡¯s words reached the ears of the Gu couple, they seemed particularly unreasonable. It was the Gong family who had been eager for their son to get married, which led them to persuade Gu Zi to forgo the college entrance exam and marry instead. They had to choose between Gu Zi¡¯s future and the Gu family¡¯s future, and anyone would choose the latter. Now that Gu Zi didn¡¯t take the college entrance exam, how did it become their fault?

    Zhang Mei was at a loss for words. She nudged Gu Shan from behind. Their relationship had been strained for a long time, and they hadn¡¯t cooperated on anything for a while. If it weren¡¯t for the need to maintain their marriage alliance with the Gong family and secure the Gu family¡¯s backing, they wouldn¡¯t have visited the Gong family together.

    Gu Shan was annoyed, but in the face of the Gong family, he had to suppress his anger. He put on a brave face and said, ¡°Commander Gong, regardless of everything, Lin Miao has changed now. Please give her a chance for the sake of my many years of service. She will fulfill her duties as a daughter-in-law and won¡¯t make the same mistakes again. I assure you.¡±

    Commander Gong remained silent, while Gong Xin scoffed and spoke for her father. ¡°If assurances were enough, there would be no need for the police. Everyone in our family is clear-headed. Even if my brother can¡¯t marry an outstanding woman like Gu Zi, we won¡¯t accept Lin Miao. Whatever you say to my father won¡¯t make a difference. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave now.¡±

    Upon hearing the name Gu Zi, a hint of regret flashed in Mrs. Chen¡¯s eyes. ¡°We were short-sighted back then,¡± she admitted. ¡°I heard that Gu Zi is now working in a newspaper agency. She¡¯s a good woman, anyone who is with her will be better off. Even when she went to the countryside, she didn¡¯t give up on herself. Instead, she became even more outstanding.¡±

    Mrs. Chen¡¯s words left Zhang Mei feeling stifled. It sounded as if Gu Zi was the one who had married Gong Zhan, and the Gong family was now favoring her. It seemed that whatever they couldn¡¯t have was always the best. She felt compelled to speak up for Lin Miao.

    ¡°Who knows what means she used to come back,¡± Zhang Mei retorted. ¡°And that job, it should have been Miaomiao¡¯s. It was stolen by her. I don¡¯t even know why she came back. If she hadn¡¯t been so persistent, Miaomiao wouldn¡¯t have ended up in jail.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Even if she returned to the city and got a job at the newspaper, what does it matter? Her husband is a man from the countryside, a twice-married man with three children. Even his military service doesn¡¯t amount to much. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to, returning to the city, getting a job. Not even her three adopted children can hold her back. She really has a lot of energy.¡±

    Zhang Mei remembered that Gu Zi was also planning to take the college entrance exam. She was a good student, and if she took the exam alongside Miaomiao, she would surely outperform her. The thought of Miaomiao being overshadowed by Gu Zi again annoyed Zhang Mei even more. If that happened, Gu Shan might completely favor Gu Zi, leaving no place for Miaomiao. She couldn¡¯t let that happen¡­

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    Mrs. Chen couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°What do you mean Gu Zi stole Miaomiao¡¯s job through underhanded means? The one who likes to play tricks is Lin Miao. If Gong Xin hadn¡¯t told me, I wouldn¡¯t have known that the incident involving Gong Xin was orchestrated by Lin Miao. She¡¯s too cunning. If Lin Miao hadn¡¯t ended up in jail, I would have settled this matter with her. She even dared to harm my precious daughter.¡±

    In the end, the two families couldn¡¯t reach an agreement. Gu Shan and his wife were practically driven out by the Gong family.

    Zhang Mei, however, didn¡¯t seem to mind. She was busy scheming and said to Gu Shan, ¡°We can¡¯t let Gu Zi take the college entrance exam. You must find a way to cancel her eligibility.¡±

    Gu Shan frowned deeply, annoyed. ¡°What kind of bad idea are you coming up with now? If Gu Zi does well in the college entrance exam, it might not be a bad thing.¡±

    Zhang Mei argued, ¡°If she scores higher than Lin Miao, our Gu family will be the laughingstock. People will say we¡¯ve thrown away a pearl and picked up a grain of sand. Of course, I¡¯m not saying my Miaomiao is a grain of sand. But you are Miaomiao¡¯s biological father, you must plan for her future. Don¡¯t forget, Gu Zi already has her own parents now. Does she still recognize you?¡±

 Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Looking for a School

    Chapter 806: Looking for a School

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the end, Gu Shan fell silent. Indeed, whenever Gu Zi met him now, she would only address him as Uncle Gu. Her achievements no longer bore any significant relation to him. Given this, he couldn¡¯t blame her.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi had already started a conversation with Su Shen. ¡°The two brothers have been busy preparing for the competition, full of fighting spirit,¡± she said. ¡°They said they would show you the trophy when you return. Lele has been very well-behaved, and everything at home is fine. I¡¯ve been busy with work and revision, so I¡¯ve very little free time. You can rest assured.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words started off normal, but towards the end, they took on a different tone. Su Shen wasn¡¯t sure if he was interpreting her correctly, but he didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He reported the latest developments, ¡°Gu Zi, the old leader has agreed to meet me. I will arrange to return as soon as possible. You should focus on your studies. By the way, have you completed the procedures for the exam?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already submitted an application to my former high school,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s a simple matter. I believe they will notify me soon to bring my documents for registration.¡±

    Gu Zi felt that the previous host¡¯s academic performance was excellent. The only reason she didn¡¯t take the college entrance examination was that she had given up a year in advance. She believed that her former school, knowing her situation, would definitely accept her. Applying to another high school would require a lot of additional documentation, which would be too troublesome. Therefore, she directly applied to her former high school.

    Speaking of which, Gu Zi felt that she needed to get some sleep early. The notification might arrive tomorrow, and she would have to go to school to register her documents. She wanted to go with a full spirit.

    She hurriedly hung up the phone and went upstairs to sleep.

    Little did she know, the older man on the other end of the line sat by the base¡¯s phone, smoking one cigarette after another, his mind filled with her clear and soft voice. He tossed and turned all night.

    The next morning, Gu Zi received a call from her former high school. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gu Zi, but because you refused to take the college entrance examination last year and didn¡¯t complete the leaving procedures, we can¡¯t accept your application,¡± they said.

    With that, they hastily hung up. Gu Zi put down the phone, her eyes filled with confusion. She couldn¡¯t understand why her former school would reject her. However, the school had its own considerations. If they didn¡¯t accept her, so be it.

    Although it was difficult to find a school for a retake these days, she still had a backup plan. Guan Xin had previously mentioned that she could help with finding a school.

    In the afternoon, Gu Zi went to the newspaper office to submit her work and participate in a meeting. Once it concluded, she sought out Guan Xin, who seemed relaxed upon hearing her news.

    ¡°Is it not just about finding a school? It¡¯s not a difficult task, especially for someone as exceptional as you,¡± Guan Xin said. ¡°Your previous school must have been out of their minds to let go of such a promising student. I don¡¯t even need to involve my father in this. I have my own connections. All you need to do is attend a qualification assessment, which I believe will be no challenge for you.¡±

    Guan Xin had never doubted Gu Zi¡¯s excellence. The articles Gu Zi translated and edited had never caused any trouble, unlike the previous foreign language editors whose poor translations had infuriated Director Jiang. On the contrary, Director Jiang, known for her strict scrutiny of articles, had praised Gu Zi on multiple occasions.

    There were several instances when Director Zhao from the printing department tried to stir up trouble, but Director Jiang always stepped in to resolve the issues. Guan Xin, who had known Director Jiang for a long time, had never seen her so invested in matters beyond the articles. Yet, she had helped Gu Zi, even without her knowledge, which was a testament to Gu Zi¡¯s exceptional abilities.

    For Guan Xin, Gu Zi seeking her help was not a burden but a golden opportunity to expand her network.

    Gu Zi was unsure why Guan Xin was so pleased, but she knew that as the daughter of a school principal and a reporter for a renowned newspaper, Guan Xin had a vast network.

    Gu Zi felt reassured and thanked her, saying, ¡°I appreciate your help with this matter. I should get going now.¡±

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    Guan Xin stopped her, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t rush off. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should ask you this, but I¡¯m going to anyway. I really want to cover this story. Is your sister-in-law planning to open a branch in the Guangcheng district?¡±

    The plan to open a branch in Guangcheng district was a secret known only to family members. However, now that Guan Xin had brought it up, it was clear that it was no longer a secret to her. Gu Zi asked, puzzled, ¡°How did you find out about this?¡±

    Guan Xin winked, picked up a beret from the table, and put it on, looking ready to leave. She grabbed Gu Zi¡¯s arm and led her out of the office.

    Once they were out of the office area, Guan Xin said, ¡°It seems I guessed right. I had a craving and went to Pingshui Town to buy braised meat. I noticed your sister-in-law wasn¡¯t in the shop, so I casually asked Aunt Yang about it. She didn¡¯t intend to tell me, but I managed to coax it out of her.¡±

    ¡°Gu Zi,¡± she continued, ¡°I think, as a staff member of our newspaper, you should let us cover the news of your sister-in-law¡¯s restaurant opening a branch. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

 Chapter 807 - Chapter 807: Tube Building

    Chapter 807: Tube Building

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was impressed. Guan Xin was indeed a journalist by profession, extremely dedicated, and would not let any potential hot topic slip by. ¡°You can do it for the newspaper, but you have to promise me that you won¡¯t publicize it before we open,¡± she said.

    Although Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop was currently thriving, it was located in a small town and was not yet significant enough to instill a sense of crisis in the city¡¯s merchants. However, if the newspaper were to heavily publicize that Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop was planning to open a branch in the city, wouldn¡¯t that be equivalent to notifying the city¡¯s merchants in advance, allowing them to prepare for battle? This was certainly not acceptable; that wouldn¡¯t do.

    Guan Xin pulled Gu Zi into her car and reassured her, ¡°No, no, I understand what you¡¯re saying. But you need to take me to see the store you¡¯ve chosen. I need to prepare, take a few photos, and think about the focus of the interview. If our competitors snatch the hot topic, I¡¯ll be devastated.¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected that Guan Xin, who dressed like a young man, could be so attractive when she showed her girlish charm. Indeed, the beauty of a girl was diverse. She looked at Guan Xin with appreciative eyes and said with a smile, ¡°For your charming appearance, I¡¯ll take you to see the place. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Guan Xin drove fast, and they soon arrived near the store. After taking photos, Guan Xin admired, ¡°Gu Zi, you should be a spy. You¡¯ve managed to keep the opening of a store a top secret. If you hadn¡¯t told me that the house was going to be a store, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡±

    Gu Zi got back into the car and said, ¡°Just drop me off outside the Jifu New Village. I have other things to do. Actually, the interior decoration of the house is all done, and all the furniture and equipment are in place. Only the exterior facade is not yet decorated, which I guess will be done a couple of days before the opening.¡±

    Guan Xin gave her a thumbs-up again. After arriving at Jifu New Village, Gu Zi got out of the car. Instead of heading directly into the residential area, she walked towards a few standalone buildings outside the Jifu New Village. Guan Xin¡¯s mention of opening a store reminded her of her sister-in-law¡¯s request to find employees.

    They were planning to open a branch in the city. At that time, Li Hua would move to the city to manage the branch, leaving the shop in the town to An Yun and Aunt Yang. The branch would need another employee to assist, and it would be best if the employee lived in the city for quicker adaptation.

    Li Hua was not familiar with the city, so she asked Gu Zi for help. Gu Zi thought it was not difficult and agreed, deciding to focus the employee recruitment on the standalone buildings.

    Ever since Gu Zi moved here, she had noticed this place. It was a cluster of residential buildings standing independently outside the Jifu New Village. They were quite old, and according to Grandma Gao, despite their proximity to Jifu New Village, the people living within were ordinary residents. The houses had been passed down through two generations, and those who still resided there were from impoverished families, with no better place to go, clinging to the homes of their forebears.

    Gu Zi walked in, the ground in front of the cylindrical building still muddy. A few children were chasing each other, their short-sleeved shirts ill-suited for the chilling weather. The scene was a stark contrast to the prosperous Jifu New Village. Although it wasn¡¯t Gu Zi¡¯s first visit, she couldn¡¯t help but feel moved.

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    A middle-aged woman noticed Gu Zi, her eyes lighting up as she took in her appearance. She approached enthusiastically, asking, ¡°Miss, who are you looking for? I know everyone here, I can certainly help.¡±

    Gu Zi glanced at the woman, confirming her as the target. Instead of hiding the gold bracelet on her wrist, she took it off, saying, ¡°My puppy was taken by someone from here. That puppy is very important to me. If you can help me find who took it, even if we don¡¯t find the puppy, this gold bracelet is yours.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes filled with greed. She reached out to grab the bracelet from Gu Zi¡¯s hand, but Gu Zi stepped back, warning sternly, ¡°The reward comes only after finding the person. If you try to snatch it, I¡¯m sorry, but we have a large Tibetan Mastiff at home, trained by my military officer husband, and it specializes in biting faces.¡±

    The middle-aged woman withdrew her hand, but her eyes remained shifty. After a moment¡¯s thought, she seemed to come up with an idea and quickly said, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s a coincidence. I heard a dog barking last night. It came from next door. Those people are destitute. They must have taken your poor puppy to eat.¡±

    As she spoke, the woman walked towards a house on the first floor, kicking at the door and spewing venomous words, ¡°Zhang Yao, you little whore, open the door for me. I was wondering why your door was closed all day. Turns out you stole someone¡¯s dog and are hiding at home eating it. Get out here now.¡±

 Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: The Weeping Girl

    Chapter 808: The Weeping Girl

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing the vulgar language, Gu Zi furrowed her brows deeply. However, considering her plan, she suppressed her disgust and stepped forward to ask, ¡°How can you be so sure it¡¯s this house, just because you heard a dog barking?¡±

    The middle-aged woman turned her head, revealing a flattering smile. Her large gold tooth next to her front teeth was exposed, a bit of green stuck to it, evoking a sense of revulsion.

    ¡°Madam, you may not know, but we are all honest and hardworking families here, except for this one. This family is poor and unwilling to live a modest life. They are always thinking of crooked ways to make money, naturally resorting to petty thefts. Especially their daughter, Zhang Yao, that little harlot, she thinks she¡¯s something special.¡±

    ¡°We felt sorry for her, a woman alone with an elderly mother to care for and not much education. We thought of letting my son marry her, to make her life a bit easier. But she looked down on our family. I loathe her! Does this little harlot think she¡¯s so beautiful that she can dream all day of climbing up the social ladder, of becoming someone¡¯s mistress?¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer and interrupted coldly, ¡°Your mouth really stinks. If you continue like this, I won¡¯t do business with you.¡±

    Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s anger, the middle-aged woman finally restrained herself. She thought about these ladies from official families, who were very particular and had too much free time. But she slapped herself, ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m such a coarse person, I¡¯ve offended the madam. It¡¯s just that woman who¡¯s made me angry. Zhang Yao, open the door, don¡¯t hide inside, I know you¡¯re home!¡±

    The door was kicked again, causing a loud ¡°bang¡± noise. A few seconds later, the door opened from the inside. A young girl with a beautiful face, petite but well-proportioned, lifted her head. Seeing the people in front of her, she forcibly hid the fear in her eyes and summoned up some courage to say to the middle-aged woman, ¡°Aunt Cui, don¡¯t bully me too much. I will never marry your son. I won¡¯t marry anyone!¡±

    Aunt Cui had always wanted to force Zhang Yao to submit, to make her obediently marry her thrice-divorced, middle-aged son. Like the other neighbors, she had repeatedly oppressed Zhang Yao. But to her surprise, Zhang Yao remained defiant.

    Now, Aunt Cui was even more determined. To get that gold bracelet, she had to frame Zhang Yao for stealing the dog. By doing this, she would gain two benefits. Only a fool wouldn¡¯t do it. Seeing how the officer¡¯s wife loved her dog, she knew Zhang Yao was in for a tough time. If her son couldn¡¯t have Zhang Yao, then no one else could. She would rather see Zhang Yao ruined.

    Aunt Cui was spinning tales again, ¡°You think my son is so smitten with you. The one who sought you out today is this lady of rank. You¡¯ve stolen her beloved dog, and we can¡¯t just let it slide. I must say, just because you¡¯re poor doesn¡¯t mean you should be short of ambition. To think you¡¯d stoop so low as to steal a dog from Jifu New Village, making these distinguished people look down on us, the residents of the Tube Building.¡±

    Zhang Yao was no stranger to these baseless accusations, but she still couldn¡¯t face them with a calm heart. She glanced at Aunt Cui, then at the elegant and noble lady of rank. She didn¡¯t have time to ponder why the lady seemed familiar. In an instant, a wave of grievances welled up in her heart, and she began to cry.

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    ¡°You¡¯re being too much, Aunt Cui. What dog? I¡¯ve never stolen a dog. How can you accuse me like this? Madam, I didn¡¯t steal your dog, I really didn¡¯t. Aunt Cui and the others see me as helpless, with my only mother always bedridden, they¡¯ve bullied me in every way possible. But today, I¡¯m truly exhausted. If it comes to it, I¡¯ll just drag my mother and die in front of you.¡±

    The young girl¡¯s cries were filled with sorrow and resentment, her long-held grievances hidden in her tears, which seemed to flow endlessly. Gu Zi felt a pang of sympathy. This wasn¡¯t her first encounter with this girl. She had seen Zhang Yao before when she was having tea at Grandma Gao¡¯s house. According to Grandma Gao, Zhang Yao was seventeen or eighteen, and after dropping out of high school, she single-handedly supported her entire family.

    She lived in the Tube Building, taking care of her ailing mother while earning money by doing odd jobs in people¡¯s homes. Seeing her and her mother without any support, the people around her often bullied her. Some even wanted Zhang Yao to become a cheap daughter-in-law for their families, harboring ill intentions.

    The first time Grandma Gao met Zhang Yao was at a wealthy household in Jifu New Village. Zhang Yao had secretly passed a plea for help to Grandma Gao. In the note, she wrote that she was doing odd jobs for this family, and the male head of the household had taken a liking to her, forcing her to become his mistress. She hadn¡¯t been home for two days, and she would rather die than become someone¡¯s mistress. She had no interest in the gold and silver jewelry the man offered her; she only wanted to earn money with her own hands.

    Grandma Gao pitied her but also admired her. Such a good girl should have a better fate. Grandma Gao mentioned that her own family was in need of such a diligent worker. She directly asked the female head of the household for Zhang Yao and, right under the man¡¯s nose, took Zhang Yao away.

 Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: An Opportunity

    Chapter 809: An Opportunity

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao was unable to keep the girl, Zhang Yao, as a full-time worker at her home. Instead, she allowed Zhang Yao to come over from time to time to do odd jobs. She even introduced her to a few reliable families.

    Zhang Yao was grateful to Grandma Gao. Every time she worked, she did the most and did the best. She was diligent and honest, never intending to take a shortcut because of her good looks. Grandma Gao couldn¡¯t help but want to assist such a child.

    One day, when Grandma Gao mentioned her, she suggested to Gu Zi that if there was a suitable, stable job, Zhang Yao could give it a try. It wasn¡¯t a solution for her to keep doing odd jobs in the long run. At that moment, Gu Zi had a plan in mind.

    If it was as Grandma Gao said, then the new employee at the branch could be Zhang Yao. No one was more suitable than her.

    Gu Zi had been here a few times and knew a bit about the place. The first time she came, she was leading Big Yellow, a Tibetan Mastiff. So when she told Aunt Cui that she had a Tibetan Mastiff at home, Aunt Cui believed her subconsciously. The place was small, and people had seen her leading Big Yellow here, so naturally, there was talk.

    Aunt Cui couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She reached out to Gu Zi again, ¡°Madam, look, I found the person who stole the dog for you. Now, about this gold bracelet¡­¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t pretend anymore. She ran over and stood next to Zhang Yao, feigning confusion, ¡°What are you talking about? I came to find Zhang Yao. I didn¡¯t know how to find her house, so when I ran into you, I had to ask you to lead the way. I didn¡¯t lose a dog, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t give you a gold bracelet. This was a gift from my husband. If you want a reward for leading the way, here you go.¡±

    She was merely using Aunt Cui¡¯s method against Zhang Yao to deal with Aunt Cui. Did this greedy and hateful Aunt Cui really think she would give her a gold bracelet?

    Gu Zi threw a coin on the ground, watching as Aunt Cui¡¯s face twisted in anger, ¡°You actually deceived me. Is your status as a madam also a lie? Are you in cahoots with Zhang Yao?¡±

    Zhang Yao was stunned, but subconsciously felt close to Gu Zi and didn¡¯t push her away. Gu Zi continued to play dumb, but the pressure in her eyes was real and intimidating, leaving no room for ambiguity.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t deceive you. My house is in Jifu New Village. Looking at you, do you want to make a move? I¡¯m not afraid. But if I lose a single hair, you and your family will never have peace.¡±

    Aunt Cui¡¯s teeth were almost crushed from gritting it, but she dared not do anything. She knew she had met her match and had no choice but to swallow her anger and turn away.

    Zhang Yao ceased her crying, finally coming to her senses. ¡°Madam, you are a good person, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked.

    Gu Zi looked at her, the terror still evident in her eyes. It seemed as if the fear had been etched into her soul. Gu Zi stated her intentions directly, ¡°Grandma Gao asked me to help you. Conveniently, there is a long-term, stable job available at the braised meat shop. I would like you to give it a try. What do you think?¡±

    Upon hearing the name ¡°Grandma Gao¡±, Zhang Yao looked at Gu Zi and remembered, ¡°You are the beautiful lady who was having tea at the Gao¡¯s house that day! Thank you, thank you! Of course, I am willing! But Madam, what about earlier?¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Earlier was just a lesson for those who are worse than rabid dogs, to teach them a lesson they won¡¯t forget. They don¡¯t have the guts to touch me. I understand your situation. If you are willing to help at the braised meat shop, you will have to quit all your other odd jobs. I can assure you, the compensation will be generous¡­¡±

    Throughout the conversation, Gu Zi only discussed the benefits. She didn¡¯t mention any employee requirements. She was doing this because she had promised Grandma Gao. She wanted to give Zhang Yao this opportunity, but whether Zhang Yao could keep this job and cherish this opportunity handed to her would depend on how earnest Zhang Yao was.

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    After listening, Zhang Yao, a straightforward person, expressed her surprise, ¡°A salary of 30 yuan a month, plus other benefits, isn¡¯t that too high? Does the braised meat shop offer such good compensation?¡±

    Zhang Yao found this somewhat beyond her comprehension. Even teachers only earned thirty yuan a month. She had never imagined that she could earn the same salary as a teacher.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t say much more, ¡°Just consider it as the braised meat shop offering good compensation. Let¡¯s not discuss more today. Wait for me at the entrance of Jifu New Village tomorrow. I will take you to see the shop and meet the boss.¡±

    Zhang Yao nodded and watched Gu Zi leave. She didn¡¯t have the courage to invite Gu Zi in for a sit-down. Her home was too humble, and her mother had been ill for a long time. It wouldn¡¯t be good to offend such an important person with the sickness in the house.

    However, after Gu Zi had left, the door to Zhang Yao¡¯s house was knocked again. Zhang Yao heard it clearly. This time, it wasn¡¯t a kick, but a knock.

 Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Not Just Feeling Guilty

    Chapter 810: Not Just Feeling Guilty

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    With a sense of caution, Zhang Yao opened the door, only to find Aunt Cui standing there once again. However, her demeanor had changed drastically from her previous domineering attitude. Now, she was all smiles, holding an apple in her hand. It was the first time Zhang Yao had seen her with such a friendly facade, which was quite a novelty. ¡°Aunt Cui, what brings you here again?¡± she asked.

    Aunt Cui polished the apple on her sleeve, carefully hiding the slightly rotten part in her palm. She extended the apple towards Zhang Yao, saying, ¡°Take this apple for your mother. Don¡¯t be shy with Aunt Cui. By the way, Zhang Yao, how did you come to know the influential person from earlier?¡±

    Zhang Yao did not accept the apple. She had already noticed that it was nearly spoiled. It was a sad truth that when people were poor and weak, they would seek help but could not afford to offer anything valuable in return. She had seen this scenario too many times. However, the main issue was not the spoiled apple, but the fact that Aunt Cui was a person of ill repute. Zhang Yao did not wish to associate with her more than necessary.

    She declined politely, ¡°No need, my mother can¡¯t eat cold food. You can take it back. As for the influential person from earlier, I met her while working part-time. She came to ask me about a local remedy.¡±

    Zhang Yao did not mention her job, nor was she worried about Aunt Cui overhearing anything from her earlier conversation. The apartment building was filled with people, and the noise was constant. From the chatter of children to the quarrels of adults, the scolding of an old woman nursing her sick husband, the boasting of men, the gossip of women, and the clatter of pots and pans, the cacophony was endless.

    Even if Aunt Cui lived next door, it would be difficult for her to hear the conversation clearly. Moreover, if she had heard everything, there would be no need for her to come and ask. Instead, she would have already started plotting to snatch the good job offered by the influential person.

    Aunt Cui, quick-witted as she was, took back the apple with a laugh and took a big bite. However, she did not leave. As she continued to eat, juice splattering from her mouth, she pressed on, ¡°Zhang Yao, you seem to be evasive. Many of us have worked part-time there, but we¡¯ve never seen any influential people coming to ask about local remedies. If you have some special connections, you should share them with your neighbors.¡±

    She was not a fool. The people living there were either rich or influential, and every household had several maids and workers. If it was just for a local remedy, would it be worth it for the master of the house to make a personal visit?

    Moreover, the influential lady¡¯s demeanor earlier clearly indicated that she was backing Zhang Yao. This cunning girl must have found some special connection and was still pretending. Aunt Cui was determined to find out.

    Zhang Yao was no fool. The sudden reappearance of Aunt Cui, coupled with her drastic change in attitude, made it clear that she was fishing for information.

    Zhang Yao knew that Aunt Cui wouldn¡¯t back down until she got what she wanted. A sudden idea sprang to her mind; if she played her cards right, perhaps she and her mother could have an easier life.

    Zhang Yao felt a pang of guilt, but as she glanced back at her mother lying sick on the bed, she decided to speak. ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell, really. The lady¡¯s husband has a younger brother, in his thirties, still unmarried. He¡¯s known for his temper, and he¡¯s quite crude. Even ladies of his own social standing refuse to marry him¡­¡±

    As Zhang Yao spoke, she found herself struggling to continue the fabrication. However, Aunt Cui¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly interjected, ¡°So, they want you to serve this brother of her husband, to bear his child perhaps? My goodness, Zhang Yao, you¡¯ve been quite sneaky, securing such a good future for yourself.

    ¡°My son doesn¡¯t deserve you. Being a concubine in a wealthy family is indeed better than being a wife in an ordinary one. I regret not using my youth and beauty to find a rich man to follow, even if it meant not marrying¡­¡±

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    Aunt Cui¡¯s words seemed endless, but Zhang Yao¡¯s thoughts were numb. So, was this the fate of the poor? She responded to Aunt Cui with a laugh, a laugh that was both a response and a mockery. It was a cruel joke that the poor were always the ones to make life difficult for the poor.

    ¡­

    The next day, as agreed, Zhang Yao arrived. Gu Zi spotted her as soon as she left the apartment complex. For some reason, she sensed a hint of guilt in Zhang Yao¡¯s eyes. However, she said nothing and hailed a taxi to take them to the shop.

    Gu Zi¡¯s main intention was to show Zhang Yao the place, the layout, and the space. As for what the employees needed to do, she waited for her to ask. ¡°This is where you¡¯ll be working. We¡¯re opening in a week, and it¡¯ll be busy on the opening day. Zhang Yao, are you listening to me?¡±

    Gu Zi was now more certain than ever. Zhang Yao was not just feeling guilty; her mind was clearly not on the shop. Her last question was asked with a hint of sternness.

 Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Waiting to Stumble

    Chapter 811: Waiting to Stumble

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Yao noticed Gu Zi was becoming increasingly irritated. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to come clean. ¡°Gu Zi, after you came to see me yesterday, Aunt Cui came by. She wanted to know how I knew you. I noticed her attitude had changed drastically, so I thought I could use your influence to my advantage. I lied to her¡­

    ¡°Gu Zi, I didn¡¯t mean to. I just couldn¡¯t think of a better solution. I only wanted to appease Aunt Cui. I didn¡¯t have any ulterior motives.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s anger subsided. It turned out that Zhang Yao¡¯s distraction wasn¡¯t due to a lack of interest in her job, but because she had lied about their relationship. ¡°So, for this, should I call you clever or foolish?¡±

    Zhang Yao was somewhat puzzled by Gu Zi¡¯s words, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked at Gu Zi. ¡°Gu Zi, aren¡¯t you angry?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°If your lies about our relationship don¡¯t harm me, why should I be angry? Just be sure to know your limits. Sometimes, extraordinary measures are necessary against despicable people. Yet, you lost your nerve because you resorted to such measures. You were worried and scared. Zhang Yao, I wish you could be more composed.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Zhang Yao understood. She nodded her head in gratitude and began to focus on her work. ¡°Gu Zi, thank you. I will work hard. Could you please tell me about my work tasks?¡±

    At that moment, Li Hua entered through the small back door that Gu Zi had just opened. Gu Zi introduced Li Hua, ¡°I am a major shareholder of the shop. This is the boss. Discuss your work tasks with her. Hurry up, I¡¯m going to buy some fruits and vegetables nearby. I¡¯ll be leaving when I return.¡±

    Since she had to bring Zhang Yao in the morning, Gu Zi had scheduled her work for the afternoon. As usual, she dropped Lele off at Grandma Gao¡¯s house. She had planned to buy all the fruits and vegetables for the week while she was out. The shop was located in a busy area, making it convenient for shopping.

    ¡­

    At the school, all the students participating in the math competition gathered. They were taken to the city¡¯s Children¡¯s Palace competition center by the school. That morning, they would take the preliminary round of the competition there.

    Upon arriving at the examination room, Su Bing found his seat and quietly waited for the teacher¡¯s arrival. Unlike the other students who were discussing with each other, he kept to himself. Unfortunately, Jiang Ping was in the same examination room and his seat was right in front of Su Bing. When he found his seat, he turned around to discuss with Su Bing, not caring about his cold expression.

    ¡°Su Bing, my mom said the preliminary questions this time are really difficult. She insisted I participate in math. I¡¯m doomed. This year¡¯s passing score is 88, even lower than last year. The lower the passing score, the higher the difficulty!¡±

    Although Su Bing was not inclined to speak, upon hearing Jiang Ping¡¯s words, his brows involuntarily furrowed. He had mentally prepared himself for the fact that his preliminary scores might not be outstanding. After all, he had grown up in a rural area, and as the books stated, children raised in the countryside, compared to those raised in the city, tended to have a more sluggish thought process.

    The main focus of the math competition was cognitive ability. Despite having transferred to a new school where he excelled in exams and even skipped grades, Su Bing always remembered the principle of not becoming too arrogant or complacent. However, he was confident about passing the first round and would not give up as Jiang Ping had.

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    The invigilating teacher walked in with the sealed test papers, and the room fell silent instantly.

    Su Bing glanced over and noticed that their class¡¯s supervising teacher, Teacher He, was the invigilator. Originally, it was supposed to be Teacher Du leading the team today, but due to an unexpected matter, another math teacher was entrusted with the task, given that it was only the preliminary round. Before leaving, however, Teacher Du had specifically sought out Su Bing, urging him to do well in the exam.

    Upon receiving the test paper, Su Bing immediately began to read the questions. His mother had taught him to quickly skim through the questions from start to finish upon receiving the paper, to get a sense of what lay ahead. Su Bing was accustomed to this and quickly finished reading the questions, his expression becoming somewhat complex.

    On the stage, Teacher He happened to be looking in Su Bing¡¯s direction. Her gaze was not one of cherishing talent like Teacher Du¡¯s, but rather, it was filled with intense hostility. She had heard from her close colleague, Teacher Zhou, that Su Bing was from the countryside. A child from the countryside who had skipped grades and dared to participate in a math competition, as if he was incredibly talented.

    But how could this rural child know that the questions in a math competition were not like regular math problems? They were designed to train top-level thinking. She didn¡¯t believe that Su Bing could handle it. As expected, Su Bing had yet to start writing his answers. This further solidified Teacher He¡¯s belief. This rural child was just waiting to stumble!

 Chapter 812 - Chapter 812: I Want to Hand In My Paper

    Chapter 812: I Want to Hand In My Paper

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    From the moment the test papers were distributed to the students until they officially began to answer, Teacher He was in high spirits. Watching Su Bing, his expression serious and his pen moving swiftly across the page, she felt a growing disdain. The child was clearly flustered, his composure shattered.

    It was to be expected, she thought. Those from the countryside often had a weaker ability to manage their emotions. Looking at the other students, although they initially struggled, they eventually settled down, focusing on the questions and thinking carefully. Unlike Su Bing, who had forgotten to even use his draft paper, scribbling hastily in a state of panic. Did he think that filling up the test paper would earn him some sympathy points? How foolish!

    Teacher He walked over, her expression growing more contemptuous as she looked at Su Bing¡¯s test paper. The other students were still reading their papers, gradually entering the answering phase. But Su Bing was haphazardly filling in answers, having completed all the multiple-choice questions. Her voice sharp, she warned, ¡°Su Bing, if you do not correct your attitude towards answering, in order to maintain the integrity of the competition, I have the right to ask you to withdraw from the preliminary round.¡±

    In the examination room, to avoid disturbing the students, invigilators rarely reprimanded students directly unless they discovered cheating. With Teacher He¡¯s outburst, most of the students in the room turned to look at Su Bing. However, out of respect for the teacher, their gazes quickly returned to their own papers.

    But there were those who were not afraid of the teacher, such as Jiang Ping, who sat in front of Su Bing. He was the former tyrant of the fourth grade, and apart from Su Bing, he had never submitted to anyone.

    When Teacher He publicly reprimanded the one person he looked up to, he naturally had to step in. He said to Teacher He, ¡°Teacher He, your voice is really unpleasant. If I don¡¯t pass this time, I¡¯ll tell my mom it¡¯s because you disturbed me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Teacher He was ready to drag this insolent student out of the examination room. She was the invigilator, and he dared to confront her. This student needed to be taught a lesson. But when she looked up and saw it was Jiang Ping, her anger instantly faded. The Jiang family was not an ordinary family. She said nothing more, tapped Su Bing¡¯s desk three times as a warning, and then moved on to patrol other areas.

    Su Bing was not affected in the slightest. Even when Teacher He had spoken to him earlier, he hadn¡¯t lifted his head once, maintaining his original answering speed. He had heard Teacher He¡¯s words, but what of it? If his quick answering was considered careless and grounds for disqualification from the competition, then he had nothing to say.

    It wasn¡¯t that Su Bing didn¡¯t want to slow down his writing pace, but the problems he was encountering were similar to the examples he had seen in the book ¡°Basic Mathematical Models¡± he had previously studied. Even if that book didn¡¯t contain them, he had seen them in other books he had read. Therefore, for him, these problems posed no difficulty. Even his current speed of answering was deliberately slowed down.

    Despite this, he found the problems tedious. Before long, he turned the page and began to tackle the larger problems. At the same time, he heard the strangely toned reminder from Teacher He, ¡°Students, the preliminary test time is ninety minutes. Although these problems are more difficult than usual, you are here to compete, so you must be well-prepared. Stay calm, answer the questions seriously, and don¡¯t learn from certain people.

    ¡°Also, strictly adhere to the examination rules. No one is allowed to go to the restroom during the test. If you insist on going, it will be considered as you handing in your paper early¡­¡±

    Su Bing hadn¡¯t paid much attention to this, but when he heard ¡°handing in your paper early,¡± he paused. So, he could hand in his paper early? That made things easier. He no longer slowed down his pace. He looked at a problem, solved it, and moved on to the next.

    Soon, his test paper was filled, but he hadn¡¯t even used his draft paper. He had finished the test.

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    Su Bing picked up his test paper, spent five minutes checking it, then raised his hand and stood up. When Teacher He saw it was him, her tone was incredibly sharp, ¡°Su Bing! What are you standing up for? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? You can¡¯t go to the restroom during the test. Why are you not following the rules?¡±

    Su Bing didn¡¯t know what he had done to upset Teacher He, nor did he care about her attitude. He calmly replied, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not going to the restroom. I¡¯m handing in my paper.¡±

    With that, Su Bing placed his test paper on the desk, picked up his already packed stationery, and walked out of the examination room under the surprised gazes of his classmates. It wasn¡¯t until Su Bing had left that Teacher He reacted.

    What? He had finished? That was impossible! She had heard that today¡¯s competition problems were the most difficult in years. How could Su Bing have finished so quickly?

    Teacher He¡¯s face turned green, and she chased after him, ¡°Su Bing, what do you mean by this? The test has only been going on for half an hour, and you¡¯re handing in your paper. Are you sure you can achieve the passing mark? Let me tell you, even the worst performer in our school¡¯s annual math competition can barely pass!¡±

 Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: An Almost Perfect Score

    Chapter 813: An Almost Perfect Score

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing turned around, his voice icy as he retorted, ¡°So, teacher, you¡¯re saying that if I can achieve this year¡¯s passing score, I can hand in my paper, correct?¡±

    Upon seeing Su Bing halt in his tracks, Teacher He scoffed, ¡°Of course. Surely you don¡¯t expect me to stand by and watch you disgrace our school during my tenure as team leader. Are you sure you can even reach the passing score? Don¡¯t blame me for not giving you a chance. Go back now and continue answering the questions, or I will definitely report to the school and revoke your competition eligibility.¡±

    Teacher He was so angry that her chest was trembling. According to her expectations, she didn¡¯t hope for this rural child to score too high. She was confident in her belief that rural children simply weren¡¯t as smart as city children. However, she didn¡¯t want him to score extremely low either. If he only scored a few points and dragged the entire school down, her bonus for leading the team would definitely be out of the question.

    Despite this, Su Bing remained calm, drawing his conclusion, ¡°While a perfect score may be out of reach, I¡¯m certain I can achieve the passing score. Therefore, I don¡¯t need to go back.¡±

    Teacher He stared, her mouth twisted in anger, ¡°You say you¡¯ve passed and that¡¯s it? You¡¯re quite bold! Su Bing, don¡¯t think that just because Teacher Du favors you, you can act recklessly. You can¡¯t disgrace the entire school. You must go back and continue answering the questions¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, the assistant invigilator from the examination room walked out, ¡°Teacher He, don¡¯t scold him for now. Come over here.¡±

    Each examination room was supervised by two teachers, a main and an assistant. The main invigilator was usually a teacher from the school, while the assistant was a top scholar selected from various government units. The main invigilator entered through the front door, responsible for distributing test papers and supervising the examination. The assistant invigilator entered through the back door, assisting the main invigilator in supervision.

    Generally, the assistant invigilator wouldn¡¯t interfere with the main invigilator¡¯s actions. In fact, many times, they wouldn¡¯t utter a single word throughout the entire examination. However, after seeing Teacher He chase after Su Bing, the assistant invigilator, out of curiosity, checked the student¡¯s test paper and followed them out.

    Naturally, Teacher He didn¡¯t want to lose face in front of a government official.

    Moreover, she was well aware that the assistant invigilator in this classroom was none other than Mi Le, the daughter of the Director of the Education Bureau. Although she had just graduated from university and was working as a regular public servant in the Education Bureau, everyone knew that with her influential father, her future was boundless.

    In an instant, Teacher He¡¯s expression transformed, her face lighting up with a warm smile as she approached. ¡°Miss Mi, I¡¯m truly sorry for the spectacle,¡± she apologized. ¡°This child has just moved from the countryside to the city. He¡¯s not used to such surroundings and was simply stage-frightened. I¡¯ve already reprimanded him, and I assure you he will be strictly punished when we return. I hope you won¡¯t judge our school based on his behavior. Our institution has always been a leading educational base in Guangcheng.¡±

    With that, she grabbed Su Bing and pulled him over, her voice cold as she scolded him, ¡°Stop standing there like a fool, hurry up and apologize to Miss Mi. Don¡¯t delay her work!¡±

    Miss Mi¡¯s face, which had been adorned with a gentle smile, shifted subtly as she watched Teacher He berate the child. Her smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary,¡± she interjected. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to apologize. I came over to ask why he deliberately answered one question incorrectly. Teacher He, please treat the child gently.¡±

    She had initially assumed, based on Teacher He¡¯s words, that the child who had handed in his paper had done so haphazardly. However, upon reviewing his work, she was astounded. His problem-solving logic was clear, his methods concise, and his answering process was appropriately detailed. There was nothing to criticize. Moreover, his draft paper was blank, indicating that he had been able to solve the problems at a glance. It was impressive.

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    However, he had written an incorrect answer for the first question of the last major problem, despite having done the rest perfectly. Miss Mi felt that this was clearly a deliberate mistake.

    Yet, Su Bing didn¡¯t let anything slip, responding sincerely, ¡°I just made a calculation error, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve already handed in my paper.¡±

    Miss Mi sighed softly, her voice gentle as she said, ¡°I know you¡¯ve handed in your paper, but it¡¯s such a pity. Do you realize that if you hadn¡¯t made that calculation error, you would have scored full marks? I couldn¡¯t help but come over to tell you. Teacher He, please go back and continue supervising the exam. I¡¯d like to get to know this little prodigy.¡±

    Only then did Teacher He snap back to reality. She looked at Su Bing, standing there as calm as ever, and was taken aback. It seemed impossible. How could he have finished so quickly? Could he have known the answers in advance? But with Miss Mi present, she couldn¡¯t voice her suspicions and, gritting her teeth, she returned to her supervisory duties.

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the examination room grew even tenser. They had all heard the deputy invigilator¡¯s words. The student who had handed in his paper earlier had almost scored full marks, and the mistake he made seemed to be intentional. They couldn¡¯t help but wish they had his brainpower for the ninety-minute duration of the exam!

 Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Think About It

    Chapter 814: Think About It

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Teacher He stood at the podium, her eyes catching the admiring glances cast towards the window. Her face flushed with anger, she lacked the composure expected of an educator. She used the guise of emphasizing exam discipline to chastise, ¡°What are you looking at? As students, you should heed your teacher¡¯s advice. Be humble and low-key, not ostentatious and showy, especially not in such important occasions, drawing unnecessary attention.¡±

    At first, the students didn¡¯t realize that all of Teacher He¡¯s actions were targeted at the young prodigy. But now, it was glaringly obvious. How could a teacher be so intolerant?

    Although the students remained silent, they all harbored resentment towards Teacher He.

    After the exam, someone would bring the proctor evaluation form for the students to rate the proctor. Generally, students wouldn¡¯t dare to offend the proctor and would give full marks. But for a teacher as blatantly unpleasant as Teacher He, the final score was uncertain¡­

    In order to have a serious conversation with Su Bing, Mi Le led him to the proctor¡¯s rest room. Once seated, she suppressed her excitement and straightforwardly extended an invitation, ¡°Su Bing, would you be interested in joining a national-level youth research class? I¡¯m willing to be your sponsor.

    ¡°It won¡¯t interfere with your schooling, but by joining this research class, once you reach the appropriate age, you can bypass the college entrance exam and directly enter the country¡¯s top institutions. I believe with your intelligence, you can understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    This era was brimming with vitality. After the economic liberalization, prosperity was more evident than ever. Every industry was burgeoning, and the demand for all kinds of talents was immense. This required educators to have a keen eye, actively discovering and nurturing talents.

    Mi Le was more than willing to do such work. This was why she chose to work in education, despite the rumors and gossip.

    She deeply disliked people like Teacher He. Teacher He¡¯s respect and flattery towards her were merely because she knew of Mi Le¡¯s status as the daughter of the director of the education bureau.

    Teacher He, like those who denied all her self-efforts just because she had a bureau director as a father, was shallow and ignorant. Mi Le felt unfortunate to have been paired with such a person.

    However, upon discovering a young genius like Su Bing, she felt that her previous misfortune was insignificant. If she hadn¡¯t been assigned to this examination room, how would she have discovered this young prodigy?

    She eagerly awaited his response. Of course, she believed that Su Bing, being so intelligent, would surely agree, as he must understand what this opportunity meant.

    Su Bing nodded, yet his tone remained nonchalant. ¡°I understand, but I need to think about it.¡±

    He had previously read about the research class in books. It was a special training class established by the country to cultivate top-notch scientific research talents. The students in it, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would all become key members of the country¡¯s high-level scientific research institutions in the future.

    Su Bing, of course, understood what joining this research class would mean.

    Su Bing had considered joining the research class, but he hadn¡¯t expected that by participating in the preliminary round of a competition, this opportunity would be presented to him.

    However, his greatest dream at the moment was to have a strong physique like his father, to become a soldier in the army, and to defend his country like a man. The two paths were mutually exclusive, and he needed time to ponder.

    Mi Le was surprised by his response, but upon reflection, she could understand. A genius boy should indeed have the right to make his own choices. She quickly wrote a string of numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to Su Bing. ¡°This is the number of my workplace. Contact me when you¡¯ve made your decision.¡±

    Outside the Children¡¯s Palace, numerous buses were parked, waiting to transport students.

    At the main gate, many adults were waiting, attracting the attention of Gu Zi.

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    She suddenly remembered that today was the time for Su Bing¡¯s preliminary round of the math competition. She also remembered that the competition venue was the Children¡¯s Palace Competition Center.

    Gu Zi pushed her cart filled with packages and walked over. The parents seemed to be discussing something, speaking animatedly.

    ¡°A genius boy emerged in this competition. He handed in his paper within half an hour of the start of the exam. The deputy invigilator looked at his paper, and my goodness, he almost scored full marks. Whose child is this? I really want to see what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°What could he look like? Either good-looking or not, right? But with such a high IQ, I guess he can¡¯t be that good-looking. After all, God is fair. But how did you guys hear about this? The preliminary round isn¡¯t even over yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, it depends on who¡¯s inside, doesn¡¯t it? My uncle is the invigilator for this round, and he can¡¯t be wrong. Moreover, the daughter of the director of the education bureau has even extended an invitation to the boy to study in the research class. Do you know what? The boy said he needed to think about it. No wonder he¡¯s called a genius. His thought process is just different from us ordinary people!¡±

 Chapter 815 - Chapter 815: The Prodigy

    Chapter 815: The Prodigy

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

    A prodigious youth, could it be true? Judging by the conviction in the voices around him, it seemed unlikely they were mistaken.

    A parent voiced a similar doubt, echoing Gu Zi¡¯s skepticism, ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ve heard that this year¡¯s math competition is of hellish difficulty. What kind of genius could possibly finish in half an hour?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! And isn¡¯t there always some rumor about a prodigious youth every year? It¡¯s probably just a hoax concocted by you gossipmongers, amounting to nothing in the end!¡±

    ¡°Believe it or not, you¡¯ll see when the results are out. This can¡¯t be a fabrication.¡±

    Just then, a sharp-eyed individual spotted a teacher leading a young boy out from the main gate, ¡°Look, could that boy be the prodigy they¡¯re talking about?¡±

    The crowd momentarily forgot their debate, their gazes collectively shifting towards the gate.

    Gu Zi¡¯s view was obstructed by the crowd, and she strained on her tiptoes to catch a glimpse, finding the boy vaguely familiar.

    Inside the gate, Mi Le escorted Su Bing out, saying, ¡°I have to go back to invigilate. I¡¯ll leave you here. Can you find your own car? Tell the driver to go ahead and wait. Rest a bit, there¡¯s still some time before it ends.¡±

    Su Bing expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you, I can find it.¡± With that, he walked out of the gate under the watchful eyes of the crowd. He was oblivious to the reason behind the strange stares, his mind preoccupied with the book waiting for him in the car. This was the reason he had finished his paper so quickly. On his way here, he had just reached a crucial part of the book when he arrived at his destination. Now, all he wanted was to continue reading.

    However, he had barely taken a few steps when a familiar, gentle voice tinged with surprise rang out in front of him, ¡°Su Bing, why are you out so early?¡±

    Su Bing looked up to find his mother. A hint of warmth crept onto his usually cold face as he explained, ¡°I finished my paper early.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi finally understood. But something still felt amiss. Finishing the paper within half an hour, the prodigious youth!

    ¡°Su Bing,¡± she asked, ¡°could you be the prodigy they¡¯re talking about?¡±

    As Gu Zi¡¯s words fell, the surrounding crowd had already set their sights on this mother-son duo of geniuses. Waves of admiration and envy surged towards them like a tide.

    ¡°Look at them, this is the prodigious youth of our time!¡± one exclaimed. ¡°Who was it that said he wasn¡¯t handsome? He¡¯s clearly a perfect blend of intelligence and looks. My goodness, if my daughter wasn¡¯t just a month old, I¡¯d be arranging a marriage for her right now!¡±

    ¡°So this is what a genius looks like,¡± another mused. ¡°Smart and good-looking. I always said the more attractive one is, the smarter they tend to be. It¡¯s not prejudice, it¡¯s the truth, my friends.¡±

    ¡°The genius¡¯s mother is a beauty,¡± a third voice chimed in. ¡°Look at her aura, even pushing a shopping cart can¡¯t hide her sophisticated demeanor. Genius¡¯s mother, do you have any secrets in raising such a child? Could you share with us?¡±

    Gu Zi, holding Su Bing¡¯s hand, was warmly surrounded by the crowd. A smile of happiness and burden graced her face as she said, ¡°My child loves to read and learn. It¡¯s really up to the child. We, as parents, only play a supporting role¡­¡±

    Su Bing looked up at his mother, understanding the mix of surprise, joy, and pride in her smile. His lips curved upwards slightly. ¡®So, this is what makes you proud, mom. I¡¯ll aim for a perfect score in the next competition,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    Gu Zi thought she could wrap things up with a few words, but a reporter suddenly appeared, claiming to be from the Education Headlines, wanting to interview them.

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    Gu Zi smiled gracefully on the surface, but felt a bit awkward inside. She signaled to Zhang Yao and the others to hurry up. It seemed she would be late going home. Being a genius¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t as easy as it seemed.

    And so, until the interview was over, Gu Zi still didn¡¯t understand how her son had become a genius. She finally managed to escape the enthusiastic parents, greeted the driver, and led her son away.

    Now that they finally had some quiet and peace, she asked, ¡°Su Bing, is it true what they said? You only got one major question wrong, and all the others were correct?¡±

    Although Gu Zi knew that in the original book, Su Bing was a super-intelligent villain, she had also heard from Grandma Gao that the competition questions were so difficult that even the math teacher took at least an hour to solve them satisfactorily. Su Bing had handed in his paper within half an hour. His intelligence was breathtaking!

    Previously, Su Bing had deliberately hidden his abilities in front of Gu Zi. Sometimes, when he wanted to spend more time with his mother, he would ask her questions that he could easily solve. No wonder his mother was so surprised now. But how should he explain himself now?

 Chapter 816 - Chapter 816: Dont Give Anything Away

    Chapter 816: Don¡¯t Give Anything Away

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi remained silent, indeed waiting for an explanation.

    After a moment, Su Bing spoke up, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve actually seen those problems before. They were in the books you bought for me, the ones you said I should read when I reach sixth grade. I finished them ahead of time, and I¡¯ve done all the exercises in them.¡±

    Having said this, Su Bing lowered his gaze, aware that he had been disobedient.

    His contrite demeanor was evident.

    How could Gu Zi possibly be angry with him? She shook her head and laughed, ¡°Never mind, I know you love reading. I can understand why you couldn¡¯t resist finishing all the books. But from now on, you really need to spend more time resting, okay?¡±

    Seeing that his mother wasn¡¯t angry, Su Bing quickly nodded obediently. He then brought up the matter that Mi Le had asked him to consider, ¡°Mom, what do you think? Should I be a soldier like Dad, protecting our country, or should I join the youth research team and contribute to the nation¡¯s scientific endeavors?¡±

    Gu Zi thought about the words she had just heard and gently ruffled his hair. The little boy had grown up quite a bit, no longer the awkward child she had first met. On the contrary, he had become neat, handsome, with a cold but noble demeanor that was endearing.

    She said, ¡°Su Bing, whether you become a soldier or a researcher, both are worthy choices. But do you believe me? In the future, our motherland will be very prosperous and powerful, and it will maintain a long period of peace. The contributions that a researcher can make to the motherland are no less than those of a soldier. As for how to choose, I hope you can decide for yourself.¡±

    Su Bing naturally believed his mother¡¯s words. His mother was so wise, if she said that the future of their motherland would be a certain way, then it certainly would be, ¡°Mom, I know what to say to Miss Mi now.¡±

    Gu Zi looked ahead and noticed a stall selling sweet melons. She said, ¡°Good, remember to contact her. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll buy you something delicious to celebrate. My son is just too wonderful!¡±

    Su Bing shyly took the small cart that Gu Zi pushed towards him and followed her. When he saw the three Hu brothers, he was stunned. They had set up their stall all the way over here, near the Children¡¯s Palace. He must be careful not to give anything away.

    Da Hu¡¯s eyes were sharp, catching sight of the boss and quickly receiving the gaze passed to him. In a low voice, he warned Er Hu and Xiao Hu, ¡°Keep your emotions in check, remember, we don¡¯t know the boss.¡±

    Er Hu and Xiao Hu silently accepted the command, but being younger, they felt their acting skills were not up to par. So, they decided to pretend to tidy up the goods at the back.

    At this moment, Gu Zi and Su Bing arrived at the stall. Gu Zi squatted down, picked a few melons to examine, and knocked on them. Satisfied, she asked, ¡°Child, how much for these melons?¡±

    Da Hu pulled his gaze away from Su Bing and respectfully replied, ¡°Miss, if you want them, they¡¯re a penny each. Feel free to choose, and you can even try them. Have a taste.¡±

    Da Hu picked the largest one, deftly slicing it with a small knife. Juice flowed out, and he handed a small slice to Gu Zi. Perhaps fearing she would find it distasteful, he wrapped it in a clean piece of paper pulled from his pocket.

    Gu Zi was touched, as if she saw the beginnings of Su Bing and Su Li.

    However, the rich aroma of the melon was pleasing, and Gu Zi¡¯s mood quickly shifted. She took a bite of the melon, finding it fragrant and sweet. It was indeed a top-quality melon.

    She hadn¡¯t expected such good melons from a small stall run by a few youngsters. The taste was familiar, and she casually asked, ¡°Child, pick five for me. Where did you get these melons?¡±

    She observed the three boys. Their skin was sunburnt, their hands rough, and their cheeks waxen yellow. They looked like they had endured hardships. The oldest one was probably only fourteen or fifteen, and the other two seemed no older than twelve. Their clothes were ragged and patched, likely city street children. How did they have access to such good produce?

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    Moreover, these melons were very similar to those from the slaughterhouse, exceptionally sweet. Some people from the farming households that grew melons near the slaughterhouse also worked there. Every once in a while, they would send some of their homegrown melons via Jin Long. Gu Zi was familiar with the taste, she couldn¡¯t be mistaken.

    At this point, Da Hu couldn¡¯t receive instructions from the boss. He couldn¡¯t tell the boss¡¯s mother that it was her son who had instructed them to buy the melons from the farmers to sell. He had provided the capital, and they had provided the labor.

    As he picked melons for Gu Zi, Da Hu said, ¡°We got them from the outskirts of the city, Miss. Here are your melons.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She paid and prepared to leave.

    Da Hu and his two brothers behind him breathed a sigh of relief, having successfully fooled her. However, the next second, their hearts leapt into their throats again.

 Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Waiting for Him to Confess

    Chapter 817: Waiting for Him to Confess

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing a group of about ten teenagers approaching with great vigor from around the street corner, Da Hu¡¯s heart pounded in his chest.

    Gu Zi, who had paused in her steps to curiously observe the scene, only served to heighten his anxiety.

    He noticed Su Bing, usually so composed, betray a hint of panic. This only served to heighten Da Hu¡¯s own nervousness. He cursed inwardly, berating himself for his well-intentioned actions that had seemingly led to this predicament.

    Su Bing was not immune to the panic either. His mother had a strong aversion to lies, and if she were to discover the truth about the situation, her anger would be inevitable. He attempted to mask his unease, suggesting, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, dismissing her initial intention to linger. She and Su Bing began to leave, but they had barely taken a few steps when the group of teenagers reached them.

    The leader of the group, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, stepped forward. He removed the cigarette and, in a manner reminiscent of a gangster, bowed respectfully to Su Bing.

    This unexpected display left Gu Zi dumbfounded, a thrilling melody of heroism involuntarily playing in her mind.

    The leader addressed Su Bing, ¡°Big Brother, we¡¯ve long admired your reputation. We wish to become your followers, just like Da Hu and the others. We too have been bullied by that detestable Teacher Zhou. You have the power to help the weak and uphold justice against such tyrants. We are willing to submit to you wholeheartedly. Please, accept us!¡±

    They had learned that the ¡®Big Brother¡¯ was to attend a competition today and had timed their arrival to meet him. Fortunately, they had not been late and had managed to catch him.

    However, they were oblivious to the fact that their actions had put Su Bing in a difficult position. Unable to hide his anxiety any longer, Su Bing turned to his mother and blurted out, ¡°Mom, I can explain everything.¡±

    Gu Zi glanced at the three teenagers selling fruits at the stall, then at the newly arrived group. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. Her son, the secretive leader, had started recruiting followers without her knowledge.

    She responded sternly, ¡°You handle this first. I¡¯ll wait for you up ahead. And I¡¯ll be waiting for your explanation.¡±

    Needing a moment to compose herself, Gu Zi pushed her shopping cart away.

    Su Bing watched her retreating figure with regret. Da Hu accused, ¡°Da Niu, you¡¯ve really messed things up for the boss today. His mother didn¡¯t know about any of this, and you¡¯ve let it all out. What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Da Niu apologized.

    Da Hu, realizing that the truth was out regardless, decided to say everything that needed to be said, ¡°They came to me. They saw how you dealt with Teacher Zhou that day and admired you. They wanted us to introduce them to you. Like us, they are homeless children from the city, orphaned and bullied. Big Brother, let them follow you. They are willing to work hard to escape from the darkness. They don¡¯t want to be hooligans.¡±

    However, Su Bing was in no mood to deal with the situation or listen to their apologies. He said curtly, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this later. I have to go now.¡±

    Su Bing hurried off in the direction his mother had gone. The teenagers, aware that they had made a mistake, did not dare to follow him. Their faces fell, their spirits dampened. Perhaps they were not as fortunate as the Hu brothers, unable to grasp this ray of hope, unable to escape from the darkness¡­

    When Su Bing caught up with his mother, he didn¡¯t dare to utter a word. Silently, he followed Gu Zi to the new store, then returned with Zhang Yao to the Jifu New Village.

    Throughout the journey, his mother didn¡¯t initiate a single conversation with him, nor did she offer him a friendly glance. Su Bing knew, this time, his mother was genuinely angry, more so than ever before.

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    He would rather his mother scold or hit him, questioning why he was so disobedient, than endure her silence. He waited for his mother to pick up his sister, carefully choosing his words before approaching her tentatively, ¡°Mom, will you stop being angry if I apologize like before?¡±

    Gu Zi was busy tidying Su Le¡¯s hair and polishing his shoes, deliberately ignoring him. Her voice was cold as she responded, ¡°You speak first. Only then will I know whether or not I should continue being angry.¡±

    Gu Zi understood Su Bing¡¯s character. In the original book, Su Bing was indeed such a cunning person. However, this didn¡¯t mean Gu Zi could tolerate his continuous concealment. Such behavior would cause her to lose faith in him and make her feel uneasy.

    She cared for all three children and treated them well, but this was based on the premise of her own peace of mind. If Su Bing became too unpredictable, she would retreat.

    Moreover, no matter how intelligent Su Bing was, he was only ten years old now. At this age, his cognition and values were not fully developed. Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t let him do whatever he wanted just because he was smart. There had to be a bottom line, a set of rules to follow.

 Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: A Promise

    Chapter 818: A Promise

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unable to hesitate any longer, Su Bing revealed the truth to Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, actually, when Su Li told you about Zhou Hua bullying the street vendor boy, something else happened that day. Su Li¡¯s homework book disappeared, and Teacher Zhou deliberately made things difficult for him in class, punishing him by making him stand for a whole period. I made the decision to keep it from you.¡±

    After a pause, he continued, ¡°That day, I lied to Su Li about going back to do the duty, using Zhou Hua¡¯s bullying of the street vendor boy as a cover. I called the police and had Zhou Hua taken away. After she was released, I put a sack over her head, and Da Hu and his two brothers beat her up. Mom, I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch Zhou Hua cause trouble over and over again, so I fought back. Mom, will you still love me?¡±

    As Su Bing asked this question, he already had an answer in his heart. He was certain his mother would think he was a bad person and wouldn¡¯t love him anymore.

    Finally, Gu Zi looked at him. At this point, his head was lowered, his lips were tightly drawn, and his mood was low. Gu Zi paused for a moment before asking, ¡°What about those boys?¡±

    Caught off guard, Su Bing was unsure of his mother¡¯s attitude. He nervously replied, ¡°After I helped them, Da Hu and his brothers wanted to follow me. I thought it would be a good idea to find people to do business and make money, just like you, Mom. I thought they were suitable, so I made a deal with them. I would teach them about culture and business, invest some capital, and they would implement it, sharing the profits.¡±

    As he spoke, Su Bing took out a roll of money from his pocket and placed it on the table. Gu Zi glanced at it, noting it was about twenty yuan. She continued to look at him sternly, ¡°What does this mean?¡±

    Su Bing dared not meet his mother¡¯s eyes, fearing he would see disgust in them. He lowered his head and quietly explained, ¡°This is the money I earned from selling snacks and milk pudding. This is my share, Mom. I¡¯ll give it all to you, and I¡¯ll give you everything I earn in the future.¡±

    Even if his mother didn¡¯t love him anymore, he was willing to give her the money. As long as his mother was still around, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad. He was prepared to avoid his mother in the future, so she wouldn¡¯t see his troubles.

    Gu Zi held Su Le, her face seemingly emotionless, but her mind was somewhat confused.

    Whether it was Su Bing¡¯s scheme against Zhou Hua or his business venture with the boys, it all left Gu Zi momentarily unable to react. It was only now that she understood why Su Bing had suddenly wanted to learn how to make milk pudding.

    She looked at the money, silent for a long time. He had taught people to do business, and in just a few days, he had made over twenty yuan in revenue. This was only a part of it, which was more than many people¡¯s monthly salary at that time. He was indeed smart and had a business mind.

    She wasn¡¯t surprised or angry. What upset her was that he had kept it from her.

    Gu Zi gathered her emotions, her voice softening when she spoke again. However, her words remained formal, carrying a stern undertone. ¡°Su Bing, I will accept the money. You should do as you say, giving me the money you earn in the future. Furthermore, I hope to make an agreement with you. Until you come of age, no matter what you do, do not hide it from those closest to you.¡±

    She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. ¡°Your father, your brother, your sister, and especially me. Your secrecy makes me feel as if you lack trust in me, and in turn, I will lose trust in you. As for those boys, you can associate with them, but you must ensure that you guide them on the right path. If any of them fail to do so, you must immediately cease contact.¡±

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    Gu Zi was no longer angry, but the stern expression on her face had not faded. She needed to make it clear to Su Bing that these were not mere words, but expectations he must meet.

    What she didn¡¯t mention was that the money he earned from his business dealings would be saved and managed by her until he came of age. She had no intention of pocketing the money, but she felt uneasy leaving it in the hands of a cunning young boy.

    Su Bing noticed the change in his mother¡¯s mood and finally dared to look at Gu Zi. He quickly realized that his mother was upset because he had kept secrets from her. As long as he didn¡¯t hide anything from her in the future, she would still love him. He hurriedly responded, ¡°Mom, I will do as you say! I won¡¯t do things like scheming against Zhou Hua anymore, I won¡¯t do bad things.¡±

    As his words fell, the tears that had been welling up in his eyes finally spilled over. He cried. At that moment, he was not a genius student or a cunning antagonist, but a normal child who didn¡¯t want to be abandoned by his mother.

    His birth mother didn¡¯t want him, his first stepmother despised him, and now that he had finally found such a good mother, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose her again.

 Chapter 819 - Chapter 819: Make It Discreet

    Chapter 819: Make It Discreet

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was taken aback. This was the first time she had seen Su Bing cry so hard.

    Instantly, she realized that her stern demeanor had frightened him. She softened her expression, reverting to the gentle motherly image she usually portrayed, and wiped away his tears.

    ¡°So, you understand that what you did was wrong,¡± she said. ¡°I know you were angry at Zhou Hua for targeting your younger brother and wanted to teach her a lesson. But your method was too extreme. You¡¯re only ten years old, and I don¡¯t want you taking such big risks. Whatever you do, your safety comes first.¡±

    Su Bing wiped his tears and nodded obediently, displaying a level of docility that would have shocked his young friends. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll change,¡± he promised. ¡°I won¡¯t be so extreme in the future.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded, patting his shoulder gently. Suddenly, she asked with concern, ¡°Son, apart from those young boys, does anyone else know about this?¡±

    Su Bing paused, then shook his head. Gu Zi let out a sigh of relief, her tone lightening. ¡°That¡¯s good. Actually, son, you handled this matter quite well. I¡¯ve been annoyed with that Teacher Zhou for a while now. You did something I didn¡¯t have the courage to do. But in the future, if you want to teach such villains a lesson, remember to tell me. We need to be more discreet. Look at you, all those boys saw what happened¡­

    ¡°The thing that upset me the most this time was your secrecy. It made me uneasy. You¡¯re not allowed to hide things from me in the future, understand? As for beating up Zhou Hua, you don¡¯t need to feel too guilty. She¡¯s a disgrace to her profession. Giving her a beating is like giving her a spiritual makeover. It¡¯s wrong to hit people, but in this case, I don¡¯t have any objections.¡±

    Gu Zi genuinely wanted to guide Su Bing to be a good person. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt that beating up someone like Zhou Hua didn¡¯t make him a bad person. If she had been there, she might have even joined in. Even though she wanted to teach Su Bing right from wrong, she couldn¡¯t be too hypocritical. Hypocritical education would only deceive the child.

    Su Bing digested his mother¡¯s words and said, ¡°I understand. Mom, you mean I can hit the bad guys, as long as I do it discreetly!¡±

    Gu Zi had been worried that she might have been too roundabout in her explanation, but it seemed the young boy had understood perfectly. She decided not to say more. She picked up the money on the table, counted it, and found it was exactly twenty-five and a half.

    She put the money away, planning to save it for her eldest son¡¯s future wedding.

    Gu Zi smiled sweetly. ¡°You go take care of your sister. I¡¯ll go make lunch for you two.¡±

    At lunchtime, in the school cafeteria, the seemingly forsaken second son of the Su family wore a despondent expression, unable to eat a bite.

    Gao Ming, in an attempt to console him, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Jiang Ping just tell you? After your elder brother finished his competition, he happened to run into Aunt Gu Zi, who took him away. He didn¡¯t intentionally leave you behind. Competitions are mentally exhausting; he surely needed to rest.¡±

    Gao Ming believed that the school had a rule allowing students who had participated in external competitions to voluntarily take half a day off in the afternoon. If one could rest, why would they choose to return to school?

    Su Li¡¯s face was flushed, his eyes moist, his nose hinting at recent tears. He was unreceptive to any explanation. ¡°He still broke his promise. He clearly said that after the preliminary round, he would return with the school bus to watch my competition in the afternoon.¡±

    Gao Ming, with patient reassurance, responded, ¡°I will cheer for you loudly this afternoon. My competition will end before yours, and I will rush to the martial arts hall!¡±

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    However, Su Li remained dispirited. ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t notice? Your competition ends only ten minutes before mine. Don¡¯t bother rushing over.¡±

    At this, Gao Ming was at a loss for words. Su Li was actually telling him not to come. His little heart was truly hurt. So, without Su Bing, Su Li¡¯s affection would disappear¡­

    Su Li was unhappy all afternoon. After his nap, he took his competition form and reported to the martial arts hall. He seemed to have lost his spirit, and even the lively atmosphere of the martial arts hall did nothing to lift his spirits.

    At this time, Sun Wei, accompanied by two followers, approached him. Seeing Su Li in this state, Sun Wei was secretly delighted and loudly taunted, ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you say your father trained you in martial arts at home? You¡¯ve boasted too much, and now you¡¯re going to be exposed. Look at how cowardly he is, scared before the competition even starts. He¡¯ll probably wet his pants later!¡±

    ¡°Ha ha ha¡­ Brother Sun, I think he¡¯s just a waste. Look at his skinny arms and legs, and yet he dares to sign up for a martial arts competition like you. Su Li, you better pray to God for protection. You wouldn¡¯t want to be drawn against our Brother Sun and end up begging for mercy on your knees. That would be too embarrassing.¡±

 Chapter 820 - Chapter 820: Forever Second Best

    Chapter 820: Forever Second Best

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sun Wei stood tall, his chest puffed out in a display of arrogance. His eyes gleamed with a triumphant glint as he addressed Su Li, ¡°Last year was my first time participating, and I managed to secure the third place in the junior group. This time, I¡¯m aiming for the championship. I don¡¯t have the time to deal with you. If you kneel and call me ¡®Brother Sun¡¯, I might consider letting you lose gracefully. How about it? Oh, wait, you probably won¡¯t even make it to the third round.¡±

    Sun Wei spoke as if it was a certainty that he would face Su Li. After finishing his taunt, he joined his two lackeys in a boisterous laugh, their behavior utterly detestable.

    Su Li glanced at the entrance of the venue, his older brother¡¯s figure was still nowhere to be seen. The ridicule and mockery from Sun Wei and his cronies stung, hardening his resolve. His gaze sharpened, becoming resolute as he retorted, ¡°Bring it on. If I do face you, I¡¯ll make sure you lose in a way that¡¯s pleasing to the eye, out of respect for our classmates.¡±

    With that, Su Li strode towards the preparation room, no longer paying any attention to the laughter behind him. His stubborn silhouette carried a hint of steady determination, a stark contrast to his usual jovial demeanor. Anyone familiar with him would find this change surprising.

    Soon, the first round of draws began, followed by the first round of matches. Su Li faced an opponent who was clearly out of his depth. The boy was so terrified that he wet his pants before the match even began, tearfully exiting the stage. His domineering mother berated him, expressing her disappointment in his lack of courage. It was clear that he had been forced into the competition by his family.

    At that moment, Su Li felt a warmth in his heart. He was grateful that his mother never forced him to do anything he didn¡¯t want to.

    After the first round, twelve participants from the junior group advanced to the second round. This round tested their endurance and balance by having them stand on one leg atop a wooden stake the size of a fist. These were two crucial skills for any martial artist.

    Within ten minutes, three participants had fallen from their stakes and were eliminated. By the fifteen-minute mark, a large number of participants couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. Only three remained on their stakes, causing a wave of tension to sweep across the venue.

    The next one to fall would secure the third place in the martial arts competition, while the remaining two would advance to the third round to compete for the championship.

    Perhaps it was a coincidence, but at the twenty-minute mark, a third-grade student fell from his stake, securing the third place. Su Li and Sun Wei were the last two standing, set to face each other in the final round.

    On the surface, Sun Wei appeared dismissive, but deep down, he had begun to acknowledge Su Li¡¯s strength. However, this only fueled his desire to defeat Su Li. He couldn¡¯t allow this country boy to shatter his preconceptions. In his mind, children raised in the countryside could never surpass those raised in the city.

    As for Su Li, he too was fully engrossed in the competition. Recalling the smug expressions on Sun Wei and his friends¡¯ faces, he constantly reminded himself that even if his brother hadn¡¯t come to cheer him on, he had to beat Sun Wei. He wanted to show them that they should never underestimate him.

    With the referee¡¯s command, Su Li and Sun Wei began their ascent on the climbing platform. This round was a test of speed and agility, with the first to reach the top and grab the large red flower declared the winner. The entire course was equipped with high-quality safety gear, ensuring no accidents would occur.

    At this moment, Gao Ming rushed over. Seeing Su Li lagging behind, he joined Gu Jun¡¯s group, cheering loudly, ¡°Go Su Li, surpass him! Sun Wei was only a runner-up last year, you must make him the runner-up again this year, forever second best!¡±

    Meanwhile, at the Su residence, Gu Zi had finished changing her clothes and was hurriedly putting on her shoes at the door. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? Can we still make it in time?¡±

    Su Bing, carrying Lele in a baby carrier, was heading out, reassuring her, ¡°We¡¯ll definitely make it. I¡¯ve already arranged for a taxi. It¡¯s waiting outside.¡±

    Gu Zi and Su Bing arrived at the school gate and ran directly towards the martial arts hall. Gu Zi hadn¡¯t exercised this intensely in a long time. By the time they reached the martial arts hall, she felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest. But thankfully, they had made it in time.

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    Relieved, Gu Zi and Su Bing took seats at the edge of the audience stand. Their attention was already on the stage where the competition had reached a fever pitch.

    Both students had reached the top and were engaged in a fierce struggle, one attacking, the other defending. Their movements were so fast they were leaving afterimages, making it hard to tell who would be the first to grab the large red flower.

    Inside the venue, everyone had risen to their feet, cheering non-stop. The volume of the cheers grew louder with each wave, with supporters for both Su Li and Sun Wei. The two male students who had earlier joined Sun Wei in mocking Su Li were now gaping in disbelief.

    ¡°How has that country boy managed to hold on for so long? He hasn¡¯t been eliminated yet, even if he doesn¡¯t win, he¡¯ll be the runner-up!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but it looks like Sun Wei is running out of steam. Surely, Su Li isn¡¯t going to beat him, is he?¡±

 Chapter 821 - Chapter 821: Letting Go of the Big Red Flower

    Chapter 821: Letting Go of the Big Red Flower

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing stood by, his gaze fixed on the two guys who looked down on others with disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t judge my brother with your foolish eyes,¡± he said.

    Though he and his brother had not been practicing martial arts for long, their father had always told them that growing up in the countryside, accustomed to running across fields and hills, had given them exceptional endurance. Coupled with their previous intense training, their stability and agility had greatly improved. Su Bing believed in his brother¡¯s ability to defeat Sun Wei.

    Indeed, at that moment, although Su Li was drenched in sweat, he felt he could continue the fight for a long time. Sun Wei¡¯s offensive, on the other hand, had noticeably weakened.

    In a brief half-second lull, Su Li seized the opportunity, reaching out to grab the big red flower. Simultaneously, Sun Wei¡¯s vision blurred, and he stumbled.

    Su Li¡¯s eyes widened. Without a moment to think, he let go of the big red flower he had just obtained and reached out to grab Sun Wei¡¯s hand. His lips tightened in a grimace of effort as he said, ¡°Hold on.¡±

    What should have been a moment of cheering turned into a moment of shock. The audience was in a state of panic.

    Gu Zi rushed to the front, her heart in her throat, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, even though she knew there wouldn¡¯t be any serious problems.

    The school¡¯s emergency personnel quickly sprang into action, rescuing the two boys from the high platform of the final match. Sun Wei had fainted from exhaustion and was taken to the school infirmary.

    Su Li stood below the platform, looking back at the big red flower he had let go of. It was only when Gu Zi ran over and hugged him that he came back to his senses, but he didn¡¯t take the opportunity to act spoiled and seek affection from his mother as he usually would.

    Gu Zi knew that although he had saved someone, he was genuinely frightened. She carefully examined his hand, while the medical staff nearby said, ¡°We¡¯ve checked him over. The boy is fine, he might have just strained a muscle. Take this muscle relaxant oil home and apply it, he¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s a good boy, take good care of him.¡±

    Gu Zi took the muscle relaxant oil and applied it to Su Li¡¯s entire arm. She listened as Su Li calmly said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just that I let go of the big red flower. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m still considered the champion.¡±

    At that moment, Su Li hadn¡¯t grown much, but to Gu Zi, he seemed reliable and reasSu Ling.

    A tear slid down her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m happy,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. The moment you chose to save someone over keeping your honor, you became the champion. You didn¡¯t just win the competition, you overcame human nature¡¯s worst instincts. You are my pride.¡±

    Gu Zi hugged him again. She was completely certain that Su Li had a sincere, brave, and upright heart. Such a child should not have met the fate described in the original book. Faced with this Su Li, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell him to prioritize his own safety. Those words could be said later, but not now.

    People from the surrounding crowd also gathered around, praising the young boy. ¡°My goodness, what a warm-hearted and brave little hero. The championship should be yours. Unfortunately, according to tradition, if an accident occurs during the competition, the ranking will be canceled.¡±

    The medical staff member, who had just picked up the large red flower, handed it to Su Li, tears already streaming down her face. She had never expected to witness such a moving scene while serving as a temporary medic for the school competition. It was an experience she found profoundly rewarding.

    Su Li remained silent all the way home, not uttering a single word. Upon arrival, he simply grabbed a cup of bird¡¯s nest milk and sat quietly by Big Yellow¡¯s doghouse, sipping it slowly.

    Gu Zi watched him, unsure of what to say. He cared deeply about the honor, but given the circumstances, the martial arts competition¡¯s lower-grade group championship could not be awarded as usual this year.

    Su Bing, understanding his brother¡¯s concerns, approached Gu Zi and said, ¡°Mom, Su Li told me last night that he wanted to win the championship certificate and give you the red silk as a gift, to make a beautiful dress. Now, he can¡¯t give you the red silk.¡±

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    The prize for this year¡¯s martial arts competition was a large piece of high-quality red silk. Upon learning this, Su Li had made up his mind. He believed that winning the prize and giving it to his mother would be far more meaningful than buying her a gift with his pocket money.

    Gu Zi understood. In her child¡¯s heart, she was more important than any honor. She walked over to Su Li, squatted down, and asked, ¡°Do you regret throwing away the big red flower?¡±

    Su Li shook his head. ¡°Even if I had another chance, I would still choose to throw away the big red flower. That was my first reaction. However, I was supposed to give you the red silk today.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled and ruffled his hair. ¡°Do you believe that there are exceptions to everything? You performed so well today. Perhaps when the principal finds out, he might make an exception and not cancel the ranking?¡±

    As a mother, how could she let her child down when he cared so much for her? Even if it meant pulling some strings, she would ensure her son had his award ceremony.

 Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Stepping Stone to Honor

    Chapter 822: Stepping Stone to Honor

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A flicker of light sparked in Su Li¡¯s eyes, only to dim once more. ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t need to console me,¡± he murmured.

    Gu Zi touched the tip of his nose with her finger, offering no further words of comfort. After entering the house, she dialed Guan Xin¡¯s number.

    Guan Xin had previously promised her one wish in exchange for an exclusive report on the opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s new branch. At the time, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t paid much attention, jokingly saying she would seek her help when she thought of something. Now, as the call connected, Gu Zi was straightforward and said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a request.¡±

    The following morning, during the morning exercises, Su Li stood in his place, performing the movements listlessly, like a puppet. Gao Ming, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t bear to watch, hoping that Su Li would cheer up soon.

    As the exercises concluded and the class formation tightened, Gao Ming patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder, striking up a conversation. ¡°The school-wide meeting is usually held on Monday mornings. Why do you think they suddenly announced over the broadcast for us to stay after the exercises for a meeting?¡±

    Su Li glanced at the stage where a senior student was holding a microphone, transitioning the event. ¡°Now, we invite the principal to the stage to address our school-wide meeting today!¡±

    He withdrew his gaze, his voice still somber. ¡°Perhaps the principal hasn¡¯t spoken in a while, so he¡¯s making an appearance.¡±

    Gao Ming speculated, ¡°I bet something has happened, and it must be good news. This morning when I woke up, my eyelid kept twitching. My grandmother says that¡¯s a sign of good luck. Hey, look, isn¡¯t the principal looking our way?¡±

    Principal Guan ascended the stage, his gaze sweeping over the sea of students below, his eyes filled with affection. He took the microphone and began to speak.

    ¡°Good morning, teachers and students! Today, I am presiding over the school-wide meeting and will be addressing you all. Of course, I don¡¯t have a prepared speech. Today¡¯s meeting is to honor one of our brave students, a decision made on the spur of the moment. You could consider this an individual commendation meeting, or perhaps an award ceremony for honor¡­¡±

    As Principal Guan spoke, his gaze was solemn, and he continued his address.

    Su Li averted his gaze, shaking his head. He didn¡¯t think the principal was looking at him, but Gao Ming was excited. ¡°But the principal mentioned yesterday¡¯s martial arts competition, Su Li. It must have something to do with you.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Su Li instinctively looked back towards the stage, meeting the gaze of the principal. Just as he began to doubt his perception, the principal¡¯s words reached his ears.

    ¡°Traditionally, in the event of an unforeseen circumstance during a competition, all rankings are nullified. However, regarding yesterday¡¯s incident, I view it as a dual victory in both martial arts and spirit. After careful consideration throughout the night, I have decided to give our young hero a complete award ceremony. Now, I invite Su Li from Class B2 of the second year to come on stage. The other two winners, please join him.¡±

    At this moment, Su Li was stunned. It was only after the urging of Gao Ming that he came back to his senses. Under the watchful eyes of his classmates, he walked towards the stage.

    Sun Wei, however, stepped out first, snorting coldly as he deliberately walked ahead of Su Li, reaching the stage before him.

    After being sent to the school infirmary yesterday, Sun Wei quickly regained consciousness and was picked up by his family¡¯s driver. Once home, his mother, disappointed that he had not secured the championship, gave him a stern look. She felt he had lost face and even made him practice standing for over an hour to reflect on his failure and how he had become a stepping stone for others¡¯ glory.

    Sun Wei could only come up with one answer: it was all because of Su Li. If it weren¡¯t for this troublemaker from the countryside, he would have been the champion, and his mother would not have been so disappointed.

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    Once on stage, Su Li had regained his composure. As he accepted the championship certificate and medal box from the principal, he remembered his mother¡¯s words from yesterday. It turned out that it wasn¡¯t just consolation; indeed, his mother never lied to him. He flashed a brilliant smile and said to the principal, ¡°Thank you, Principal!¡±

    Guan Xue looked at the boy with fondness. Not for any other reason, but because he had a heart that was upright and kind. As a martial artist, he had a warrior¡¯s spirit.

    When his daughter mentioned this incident last night, Guan Xue agreed without hesitation. His tone was now filled with concern, ¡°Child, the honor rightfully belongs to you. Keep it up!¡±

    After the award ceremony, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. Even Su Bing, who usually didn¡¯t pay much attention to such events, clapped vigorously from the fourth-grade team. A slight smile played on his lips. Now, this silly little brother was also his pride.

    However, where there is joy, there is also discontent. Zhou Hua, who had just recovered from her injuries and returned to school, saw Su Li, the rural child she looked down upon, being commended by the principal in front of the entire school. She was extremely displeased. Sun Wei had merely underperformed this time, allowing Su Li to take advantage. During this month¡¯s exam, she had to remind Sun Wei to crush Su Li.

 Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: You Are Definitely Losing

    Chapter 823: You Are Definitely Losing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Sun Wei¡¯s two lackeys were equally disgruntled. Their tone was sour as they spoke, ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s just a martial arts competition. Look at how smug he is. Our Sun Wei is a city dweller, delicate and refined. He can¡¯t be compared to this rough and tough country bumpkin. It¡¯s normal for Sun Wei to lose this time. Wait until the monthly exam, Sun Wei will crush this academic failure, Su Li.¡±

    They continued, ¡°Exactly, we are students after all. Martial arts is just a hobby, it¡¯s not as important as studying. Sun Wei, being the top student in our class, will crush Su Li in the monthly exam. And this competition, it can¡¯t be considered a loss for Sun Wei. If it weren¡¯t for his slip, the championship would definitely be ours!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gao Ming was far from convinced. Along with Gu Jun, they mocked the two lackeys, ¡°This competition, whether on the level of martial arts or the spirit of martial arts, my second brother Su Li won completely. You can¡¯t fool others, only yourselves. It¡¯s best if you stay in your little world forever, don¡¯t come out. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t handle reality.¡±

    As for the upcoming monthly exam, Gao Ming didn¡¯t even bother to respond. What¡¯s the use of Sun Wei being good at studying if his character is flawed? They only recognized Su Li as their leader!

    Sun Wei¡¯s two lackeys were furious, but Gao Ming didn¡¯t take their bait about the monthly exam. They could only keep repeating, ¡°Su Li is an academic failure, what¡¯s the use of being good at martial arts, academic failure, academic failure, academic failure.¡±

    The whole venue was cheering, discussing the heroic deeds of the young hero. The teachers didn¡¯t emphasize discipline too much.

    Gao Ming, hands on his hips, retorted without yielding, ¡°As long as my second brother is here, Sun Wei will always be second best, second best, second best, forever second best!¡±

    The crowd below was in an uproar. Sun Wei¡¯s camp didn¡¯t gain any advantage. On the stage, after the principal left, Sun Wei tore up his runner-up certificate. The atmosphere turned from harmonious to hostile. The third-place student wisely left this place of controversy, leaving only Sun Wei and Su Li.

    Sun Wei refused to acknowledge the favor from yesterday, ¡°You lost the big red flower yesterday, how can you be considered the champion? I had a safety rope to protect me, even if I fell, it wouldn¡¯t matter. I didn¡¯t need you to save me. I think you were just impatient and didn¡¯t hold onto the big red flower properly, so you pretended to be a hero.¡±

    Su Li didn¡¯t respond to these words, nor was he angry. Saving someone yesterday was just a subconscious action. He didn¡¯t expect Sun Wei to be grateful at all. Moreover, he got the red silk today. He wanted to give it to his mother to make clothes. He was really happy now!

    He had barely taken a few steps forward when Sun Wei caught up with him, blocking his path. Sun Wei issued a challenge, his voice laced with a cold determination, ¡°This competition doesn¡¯t count. You must compete with me again, in the monthly exam the day after tomorrow. If your score is not higher than mine, you will withdraw from school. If my score is not higher than yours, I will do the same. But that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    His mother had always told him that if he wanted to be superior, he must ruthlessly trample those beneath him. He was determined to win this monthly exam.

    Sun Wei was certain that Su Li, the academic underachiever, would never agree to compete with him academically. Su Li was destined to lose. But once he proposed the challenge, he was committed to it. This way, he could tell his mother that he had crushed that annoying country bumpkin in academics. His mother would surely be pleased.

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    What surprised Sun Wei, however, was that Su Li agreed without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll compete with you,¡± he said, ¡°but let¡¯s change the terms. If I lose, I¡¯ll withdraw from school. But if you lose, you have to call me ¡®big brother¡¯ in front of the whole class. From then on, you¡¯ll listen to me. Whatever I say, you do. Do you dare?¡±

    A stronger desire to win ignited in Sun Wei¡¯s heart. Without uttering another word, he glared at Su Li and said, ¡°You¡¯re bound to lose.¡±

    Meanwhile, in the capital¡¯s military district, Hu Jie received some disturbing news, or at least she saw it that way. She ordered the guards to stand watch and secretly dialed the number of the Guangcheng Daily. She instructed Director Zhao, ¡°She wants to keep it a secret, right? Then spread the news about the opening of her branch. Make it difficult for them to wrap things up. You know what to do.¡±

    Gu Zi wanted to keep it a secret? Hu Jie was determined to reveal it prematurely. She despised Gu Zi, a woman who acted delicate and fragile like a flower in a greenhouse, yet pretended to be competent. She juggled raising a child, studying, working, and running a business, seemingly without missing a beat. But in reality, she was only able to maintain such an image because of Su Shen¡¯s wealth. She might fool others, but she couldn¡¯t fool Hu Jie.

    Although her uncle disagreed with her relationship with Su Shen, he saw Su Shen as a formidable talent, a man worth a thousand soldiers. Her uncle wouldn¡¯t let him go easily. She was curious to see if Gu Zi could keep up her act if Su Shen couldn¡¯t return and her business ran into continuous trouble.

 Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Request for Rescue

    Chapter 824: Request for Rescue

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At this thought, a rare smile graced Hu Jie¡¯s face. However, her moment of tranquility was abruptly shattered by the blaring of the intercom. Zhao, the security officer¡¯s voice echoed through the room, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, there¡¯s a crisis in the military district. Orders from above demand that all officers of regimental level and above must assemble immediately.¡±

    On the other side, the senior officer finally summoned Su Shen. Despite the meeting, he was still unwilling to release him. He took a sip from his large bowl of tea and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been accustomed to this for many years, I love drinking tea from this large bowl. Su Shen, let¡¯s continue our discussion. In recent years, the power of drug traffickers seems to have weakened, but in reality, their methods have become more covert and diverse, making our investigations more challenging and discoveries harder to come by.

    ¡°You were personally trained by Hu Xiao. I don¡¯t approve of him, but I deeply acknowledge your abilities. You¡¯re not only a king on the battlefield, but your strategies are also top-notch, even surpassing him. The troops still need you. To let you go back to being a small individual would be a waste. Neither I nor any other senior officer could make such a foolish decision.¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s expression was solemn, and after a few seconds of silence, he was about to open his mouth to insist on leaving when a security officer rushed in from outside, ¡°Commander, Gong Zhan from the Southeast Military District led a small team to infiltrate the drug trafficker¡¯s camp. We¡¯ve lost contact with them and request immediate rescue. Orders from above demand that Gong Zhan must be kept safe!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I reject his application? How dare someone follow him? A deputy commander from the Southeast Military District acting on his own, this is outrageous!¡±

    The old commander sprang up from his seat, almost cursing in anger. If this wasn¡¯t reckless, what was?

    Any soldier would know that among the five military districts in the country, the other four mainly focus on actual combat training, bearing the role of main force output during wartime. Only the Southeast Military District primarily developed national defense technology, serving the role of upgrading and maintaining the combat power of the other districts.

    The soldiers of the Southeast Military District were not proficient in actual combat reconnaissance, yet Gong Zhan dared to act independently with a small team. The old commander was initially furious, but now he was so agitated that he could hardly breathe. He clutched his chest, almost fainting, and the security officer hurriedly stepped forward to administer medication.

    Hu Jing, who had been waiting outside, strode in with a gloomy expression. He said to Su Shen, ¡°Looking at this, you should know. That Gong Zhan, he went to the drug trafficker¡¯s camp. Should we say he¡¯s fearless because he¡¯s ignorant?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen also revealed a rare look of concern, as memories of the past flooded back.

    In the desolate northern outskirts of the capital military district, nestled a notorious drug trafficker¡¯s den. This den, one of the largest in the country, had been in operation for the longest time. When he and Huo Jing were first selected from the Southeast Military District to the Capital¡¯s Imperial Military District, the people of the district were already deeply resentful of this den, yet they felt helpless.

    The area was characterized by complex terrain, with vast stretches of untouched dense forest. Inside, the magnetic field was chaotic, rendering all equipment useless. Even the most modern military weapons were reduced to scrap metal once inside.

    The drug traffickers¡¯ army was defiant, vowing to turn the place into a graveyard for soldiers, piling the entrance of the forest with the bones of the fallen, using the skeletal remains of the righteous soldiers as a shield for their illicit operations.

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    Back then, the military district was thrown into disarray, which infuriated the senior officer, Hu Xiao. With a resolve bordering on suicidal, he led a squad of daredevils into the northern forest. Before he left, he addressed all the soldiers, ¡°Every soldier who dies in the fight against drugs, tortured and brutally killed by the drug traffickers, their severed limbs and broken bones returned to us, may seem terrifying. But this is a testament to the cowardice of the drug traffickers.

    ¡°These monsters, who cannot face the light of day, fear those who dare to stand against them. So, every time they capture a resistor, they raise their butcher¡¯s knife and cruelly mutilate the body of righteousness. Do they aim to destroy the physical body? No, they aim to break the will of the resistor. If they can instill fear in millions, then millions will cease to resist!¡±

    In his final battle, Hu Xiao could have escaped, but he chose to let two young soldiers go first. He stayed behind to buy time, but in the end, in that sunless forest, not a single member of his daredevil squad survived.

    Following that, Su Shen and Huo Jing led a rescue mission, but all the men they took with them fell in the forest. They only managed to retrieve Hu Xiao¡¯s severed head. That scene became a nightmare for many soldiers, but that unscathed head also became an undying source of strength in the hearts of many.

    Su Shen never forgot, but he knew well that some issues could not be resolved overnight, nor could they be changed by the power of one person alone. If the day came when the nation¡¯s survival was at stake, he would answer the call. But for now, he had to return to Gu Zi¡¯s side. The opportunity was right before his eyes.

 Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: The Old Commander Compromises

    Chapter 825: The Old Commander Compromises

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Indeed, the elderly commander regained his composure, his gaze falling upon Su Shen and Huo Jing. These two were the only survivors from the dense forest years ago. To rescue Gong Zhan, they were the most likely candidates to succeed.

    Huo Jing was the first to react, squinting his eyes, a hint of calculation in his gaze. He then lit a cigarette and joked, ¡°Commander, you¡¯re not seriously considering sending us, are you? Since when does one sign up for a suicide mission twice?¡±

    The elderly commander was apologetic, but he still spoke, ¡°Su Shen, Huo Jing, we have received orders from above. This man must be rescued. You two have the experience, and I believe you can complete this mission. In fact, you are the only ones who can.¡±

    As Su Shen watched the exchange, Huo Jie suddenly burst in from outside, her eyes red. She stood in front of Su Shen, pleading, ¡°Uncle, you can¡¯t let Su Shen go. My father¡¯s dying wish was for us to get engaged. You can¡¯t send Su Shen to his death!¡±

    Before Hu Xiao¡¯s departure years ago, he had left instructions. Besides arranging for Hu Jie to marry Su Shen, he had also requested that Su Shen never again participate in any drug-related operations. He had even submitted a formal request to the higher-ups, who were aware of this. Furthermore, Su Shen¡¯s previous rescue mission had been a near-death experience. The higher-ups had granted Hu Xiao¡¯s dying wish, exempting Su Shen from any further drug-related operations.

    Su Shen was Hu Xiao¡¯s most prized student, and the military did not want to lose him in the dense forest. It would not just be a loss, but a severing of Hu Xiao¡¯s legacy, which would dishearten the other soldiers.

    However, to the elderly commander, these were nothing more than outdated and conservative views. He urgently needed to solve the current problem. With a wave of his hand, two guards stepped forward and escorted Huo Jie away.

    Su Shen paid no attention to Huo Jie. He looked at the elderly commander and calmly said, ¡°If this is to be my final mission, I will go and ensure its completion. But if it¡¯s not, I have every reason to refuse.¡±

    The elderly commander was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Su Shen¡¯s determination to leave the military to be so strong. Su Shen would never ignore a life in danger, but his intelligence lay in using this opportunity to secure his freedom. Su Shen knew he had no other choice. If he failed to rescue Gong Zhan now, he feared he would be held accountable for a major error.

    The elderly commander nodded. Su Shen and Huo Jing exchanged a glance, then hurriedly left to prepare for their mission. The situation was extremely urgent, and there was no room for delay.

    In Guangcheng, Gu Zi had just finished her work when her eyelid twitched a few times. She tore a piece of red paper and stuck it on her eyelid, muttering to herself, ¡°A twitching eyelid signifies good fortune, nothing is difficult, all is well¡­¡±

    After tidying up, she descended the stairs and heard some commotion outside. Glancing at the time, she realized that the children had been out of school for a while. She had gone out in the morning and left her work for the afternoon. However, the workload was a bit heavy, and she had been busy until now when the children were already home from school.

    Su Le had been playing in the yard by herself. The yard gate was closed and Big Yellow was there too, so it was safe. Now that her two older brothers were home, she was carried inside by them. This was a common occurrence, but today she seemed a little unhappy. Held by her eldest brother, she pouted and glared at her second brother.

    Su Li didn¡¯t pay her any mind. The little girl had actually tried to snatch his prize earlier, a prize he intended to give to their mother. He walked straight towards his mother, ¡°Mom, I was commended today. I¡¯m giving you this red silk.¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t surprised, but seeing her second son¡¯s spirits lifted, she happily accepted the red silk.

    Sitting on the sofa, she examined the soft, high-quality fabric. It was indeed suitable for making clothes. She decided to send it to the tailor¡¯s shop the next day, so she could wear a new dress on the day of the new store¡¯s opening.

    Just as she was putting away the red silk, she heard a ¡°smack¡±. Her second son was covering half of his face, looking at the little girl with a wronged expression, ¡°Su Le, you¡¯re going too far. Mom, Su Le hit me!¡±

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    Su Le¡¯s slap had wiped the smug look off her second brother¡¯s face. She seemed to cheer up, giggling as she threw herself into her mother¡¯s arms, ¡°Mom, mom, second brother is so fierce. I don¡¯t want second brother.¡±

    Su Li¡¯s eyes widened, feeling that the little girl was becoming increasingly unreasonable. Su Bing, watching from the side, calmly pulled Su Li away, saying coldly, ¡°With her strength, you¡¯re just pretending to be hurt.¡±

    Gu Zi watched as her eldest son forcibly led the second one away, and she chuckled. But turning back to look at the little girl in her arms, she put on a stern face and admonished, ¡°Lele, how can you hit your second brother?¡±

    Su Le, knowing she was in the wrong, wiped the smile off her face. Seeing her mother angry, she explained obediently, ¡°Mom said, Lele can hit bad people. Second brother was acting like a bad person just now.¡±

    Gu Zi held back her laughter, holding the little girl in her arms, and said, ¡°Regardless, hitting people is wrong. Even if you really have to hit someone, you can¡¯t hit your own family. Besides, your second brother is not a bad person. You¡¯re not allowed to do this next time, okay?¡±

 Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Home Wreckers Never End Well

    Chapter 826: Home Wreckers Never End Well

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Le¡¯s understanding was a mix of clarity and confusion, but she chose not to dwell on it. She nodded vigorously, hoping this would prevent her mother from getting angry. However, she secretly vowed that if her second brother dared to upset their mother again, she would stealthily retaliate.

    Gu Zi watched her, her large eyes sparkling with an intelligent light. She wondered what little schemes were brewing in her daughter¡¯s mind. In truth, she could never bear to be angry with Su Le. Seeing her in this defiant state, Gu Zi was more amused than upset. She believed that with Su Le¡¯s fiery spirit, she would never be taken advantage of, especially not by unworthy men. The only downside was that her second child might bear the brunt of his sister¡¯s wrath.

    Gu Zi¡¯s gaze fell upon the table where her second child¡¯s award certificate lay. A red ribbon adorned the edge of the certificate. She picked it up and examined it, an idea forming in her mind. She called out, ¡°Su Li, can Mom have the red ribbon on your certificate?¡±

    Su Li and Su Bing were in the backyard, weeding and watering the vegetables. They worked in harmony, their spirits high. Upon hearing their mother¡¯s request, Su Li readily agreed, ¡°Mom, you can take it. It¡¯s just for decoration anyway.¡±

    Gu Zi took the red ribbon and fetched a picture frame from a nearby cabinet. She was contemplating how to embellish the frame when the ribbon caught her eye. It would be perfect.

    When Su Bing came in, he saw his mother holding a picture frame he didn¡¯t recognize. She was attaching his brother¡¯s red ribbon to the edge of the frame. Curious, he took a closer look and realized that the picture inside was of him and his mother. More specifically, it was a photo taken during their interview with a journalist, which had been published in the Education Daily the following day.

    He didn¡¯t know when his mother had bought the newspaper, let alone when she had thoughtfully cut out their photo to display in a frame. Su Bing was touched. This act must hold great significance for his mother.

    Gu Zi knew that Su Bing was watching her. She said, ¡°This year, I¡¯ve recorded all the honors you and your brother have received in this picture frame. When your father comes back, I¡¯ll show him, so he can feel proud too.¡±

    Upon hearing his father mentioned, something flickered in Su Bing¡¯s eyes. Finally, he asked, ¡°Mom, what will you do if dad doesn¡¯t come back? Will you go to the capital to find him?¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback, not expecting Su Bing to ask such a question. He was indeed the cunning little antagonist from the book, always thinking ahead. Gu Zi put away the picture frame and said, ¡°That depends on why he doesn¡¯t come back. But Su Bing, I trust your father.¡±

    In truth, Gu Zi hadn¡¯t thought it through in detail. She wasn¡¯t the type of person who needed to rely on someone else to live. Regardless of the outcome, she had her own way of living. But as long as Su Shen didn¡¯t abandon her or their home, she wouldn¡¯t abandon him. Such a man was hard to come by. If she let him go, it would be a loss.

    Later that evening, Gu Zi sat by the phone, dialing the training base¡¯s number. She wanted to tell Su Shen that Su Bing had made the newspapers, that Su Li had done something very brave, and that the shop she and her sister-in-law ran was about to open a new branch. However, the phone rang for a long time without being answered, causing Gu Zi to feel a strange sense of worry.

    Something big had happened in the capital¡¯s imperial military district that day, and even the usually idle switchboard operator was busy. When the phone rang for the second time, the operator hurried over and picked up the receiver, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the wife of Commander Su.¡±

    Before she could respond, the receiver was snatched away and hung up. The operator looked up to see Hu Jie and quickly greeted her, ¡°Deputy Commander Hu, what can I do for you?¡±

    Hu Jie glanced at the phone and asked, ¡°Which Commander Su?¡±

    The operator didn¡¯t dare to ask further and replied, ¡°It¡¯s Su Shen, the one who was sent on an emergency mission today.¡±

    Hu Jie¡¯s eyes darkened, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. She said, ¡°If they call again, tell them Su Shen is busy. Don¡¯t leave out a word.¡±

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    The operator found this absurd, knowing that Commander Su was indeed on an urgent mission. But as a mere soldier, she didn¡¯t dare to disobey Hu Jie and could only do as told.

    When the call was abruptly hung up, Gu Zi dialed again, only to be told that Su Shen was busy. Gu Zi didn¡¯t get angry, but she found it strange. Su Shen had never treated her this way before. Su Bing, who was by her side, also found it odd. He took the receiver from his mother and dialed the number again under her watchful gaze.

    ¡°Uncle, did someone tell you to say that? If it was a woman named Hu Jie, don¡¯t listen to her. She¡¯s been coveting my father for a long time. Tell her not to try to come between my parents. Home wreckers never end well.¡±

    The operator was stunned, but also deeply shocked. Commander Su was indeed a great soldier, and his son was just as smart. Hu Jie hadn¡¯t gone far and heard these words. Her face darkened, and she left without looking back.

    Only then did the operator dare to tell the truth, ¡°Actually, Commander Su is on an urgent mission. But it¡¯s classified, so I can¡¯t say more.¡±

 Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Su Li Definitely Lost

    Chapter 827: Su Li Definitely Lost

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Bing gently placed the phone back on its cradle, turning to look at his mother. Her brows were furrowed, a hint of worry evident in her eyes. He suddenly regretted making the call. ¡°Mom,¡± he reassured her, ¡°Dad is very capable. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    Gu Zi quickly masked her concern with a smile, responding, ¡°Silly boy, of course I believe that. I¡¯m going to feed the pigeons. You take care of your sister.¡±

    As she turned to leave, she picked up the pigeon feed. But the worry in her eyes was still apparent. Su Shen had returned home this time with a firm decision to leave the army. This was not going to be easy, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been gone for so long without any definite news. It was highly likely that he was being left hanging by his superiors.

    However, if his superiors were indeed leaving him hanging and not giving him a chance to resign, they wouldn¡¯t assign him any important tasks. Su Shen had mentioned in his letter that he was mainly training soldiers, assisting them in completing their drills. He wouldn¡¯t have any significant tasks. But now, an urgent task had suddenly cropped up, causing Su Shen to leave the base without even leaving a note. How could she not worry?

    From the attitude of Deputy Director He and others towards Su Shen, she had long realized that Su Shen was not just a regiment commander, but also a highly valued talent. If he stayed in the capital¡¯s imperial military region, he would undoubtedly become a prominent figure in the political arena. Otherwise, his superiors wouldn¡¯t be so reluctant to let him go. This time, it was likely a particularly dangerous mission, forcing Su Shen to join.

    That night, Gu Zi¡¯s most recurring thought was that Su Shen must return safely. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep until dawn¡­

    In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the monthly exam. All students of the same grade were randomly assigned to examination rooms. Su Li and his arch-rival, Sun Wei, ended up in the same exam room. It seemed like fate.

    Upon entering the examination room, Su Li found his seat and settled down.

    Seeing this, Sun Wei deliberately walked up to him and provoked, ¡°Su Li, you¡¯re sitting at the very back of my row. How can you possibly outscore me? Just wait and see, I want to watch you pack your bags and leave this school.¡±

    Whispers broke out among the nearby students, adding to the drama. One of them commented, ¡°Isn¡¯t Sun Wei the top student of Class B2? They¡¯re classmates, Su Li definitely can¡¯t compete with him.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know yet, this Su Li is a transfer student this term. He used to go to the Chenglong Elementary School on the outskirts of the city, and he lived in the village. Is there even a need for comparison? If there were a bet, Su Li is sure to lose. I wonder where he gets his confidence from.¡±

    Su Li paid no heed to the surrounding noise, lifting his gaze to meet Sun Wei¡¯s eyes without uttering a word. To Sun Wei, it seemed as though Su Li had already admitted defeat.

    As the examination commenced, Sun Wei, with a dismissive attitude, began to tackle the questions. Half an hour into the test, he stood up, confidently declaring, ¡°Teacher, I am ready to submit my paper.¡±

    The invigilating teacher approached, his expression stern as he glanced over Sun Wei¡¯s paper. He cautioned, ¡°Student, you have left two major questions unanswered. Are you sure you want to submit your paper now? Even if you find them difficult, you can write as much as you can.¡±

    Sun Wei, however, remained nonchalant, responding arrogantly, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve calculated. I only need a decent score to pass. I don¡¯t need to answer these two questions.¡±

    The invigilating teacher looked on, feeling a sense of regret. However, he refrained from saying more, fearing it might distract the other students. Besides, the school allowed early submission of papers, and he had no reason to stop Sun Wei.

    In the subsequent subjects, Sun Wei continued his show of confidence, submitting his papers early, while Su Li, in contrast, diligently answered every question, typically waiting until the end of the examination time to submit his papers. Everyone was convinced that Sun Wei was the sure winner.

    Sun Wei¡¯s two lackeys went around the class, declaring, ¡°This was a competition without suspense. The outcome was decided long ago.¡±

    Not stopping there, after the exams, Sun Wei¡¯s lackeys set up a betting pool within the grade, encouraging everyone to use their snacks as chips, betting on who would score higher between Sun Wei and Su Li.

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    The odds were ten to one, and upon hearing this, the students rushed over with their bags of snacks, chanting, ¡°Bet on Sun Wei, bet on Sun Wei. Great, my snacks for this month are secured!¡±

    The snacks bet on Sun Wei piled up into a mountain, while those bet on Su Li amounted to just one large bag of White Rabbit Creamy Candies, placed by his good friend Gao Ming.

    Seeing the stark contrast, Gao Ming patted Su Li¡¯s shoulder, comforting him, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll bring a bag of snacks tomorrow to bet on you.¡±

    Gu Jun and his two friends approached, carrying several bags of snacks. They said, ¡°The results will be out tomorrow. There¡¯s no point in betting now. Use ours, brother. We support you, even if it seems like a sure loss, we¡¯ll place our bets on you.¡±

    Jiang Ping and Jiang Nuan also arrived, each carrying a large bag of snacks. Jiang Nuan said, ¡°Su Li, we just bought these snacks. We¡¯re betting them all on you.¡±

 Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Asking Su Li to Quit School

    Chapter 828: Asking Su Li to Quit School

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing the support from his many friends, Su Li¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.

    Jiang Ping, being a senior in the fourth grade, found such public display of emotion rather embarrassing. He quickly tried to comfort Su Li, saying, ¡°I know what we¡¯ve put up is not even half of what they¡¯ve wagered. But can¡¯t I just buy more? Please, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Gao Ming, too, thought that Su Li was upset because their wager was too small. He assumed that Su Li was crying because he felt humiliated. He quickly pulled Su Li towards the snack shop, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve spent all my pocket money for this month. As your friend, I have to back you up. Come on, we¡¯ll be late for class.¡±

    Su Li, however, quickly waved his hands and said, ¡°What I mean is, you guys have moved me so much. I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    With that, Su Li turned around and walked away with an air of profound dignity.

    The three of them watched his retreating figure, momentarily stunned.

    Jiang Ping muttered, ¡°He really does look like Su Bing. Who knew little Su Li could also look so cool?¡±

    Gao Ming scratched the back of his head, ¡°Well, siblings do have similarities. But what does he mean by that? Wait for me, Su Li¡­¡±

    The next morning, the results of the monthly exam were posted next to the blackboard. The students rushed to check the total scores of Sun Wei and Su Li. They had made a significant bet, wagering their favorite snacks. At this point, knowing who won or lost was more important than their own scores.

    However, the crowd was too large. Everyone wanted to be the first to know the result. Amidst the pushing and shoving, no one could get a clear view. The printed scores were not very clear to begin with.

    A long time passed, and still, no one could tell who won or lost between Sun Wei and Su Li.

    The class monitor, unable to bear the chaos, stepped forward to maintain order. ¡°Stop pushing, everyone. If you trust me, let me check the scores and announce the winner.¡±

    The class monitor held authority in the class. So, when he spoke, everyone calmed down and stepped back. However, as they retreated, a few students at the front managed to get a good look at the score sheet. They were stunned by what they saw.

    ¡°Xiao Tian, weren¡¯t you just up front? You¡¯ve seen the scores, haven¡¯t you? How much higher is our Brother Sun than Su Li?¡±

    Xiao Tian remained silent, his expression so shocked that one could easily fit an egg in his mouth.

    Everyone assumed the difference was at least a hundred points. There was no way Brother Sun could be defeated in academics.

    The other students who had seen the results were also speechless.

    The rest all turned their attention to the class monitor, who was rapidly scanning the ranking list with his index finger. He quickly found Sun Wei¡¯s name in the fourth position. His hand then instinctively moved down the list, searching from the fourth place downwards.

    This brought a sense of triumph to Sun Wei and his followers. One of them commented, ¡°Brother Sun is indeed Brother Sun. This kid is no match for you. Look, we don¡¯t even know how far down he¡¯s ranked. He¡¯s so stupid.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± another chimed in. ¡°Comparing Brother Sun to him, even if Brother Sun wins, it¡¯s not something to be proud of. It¡¯s simply too easy. I¡¯m starting to doubt the legitimacy of his entrance exam scores.¡±

    ¡°Brother Sun even went easy on him during the exams,¡± a third follower added. ¡°He finished each test early. And yet, he still managed to beat Su Li. It¡¯s clear that a country boy is just a country boy.¡±

    After hearing the flattery from his followers, Sun Wei puffed out his chest and looked at Su Li with a smug expression. ¡°I suggest you start packing your bags. Don¡¯t think that just because this is a bet between classmates, it doesn¡¯t count. This is the city, and we city folks value our reputation. We do what we say.¡±

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    The hearts of Su Li¡¯s supporters sank, but they couldn¡¯t bear to see Su Li leave like this. Gao Ming, his face flushed, stepped forward and pleaded with Sun Wei for the first time. ¡°Sun Wei, whatever you want, just say it. As long as you don¡¯t make Su Li drop out.¡±

    Sun Wei looked at the once high and mighty Gao Ming now bowing his head, feeling a sense of satisfaction. He replied, ¡°Normally, Gao Ming, I would consider your request since it¡¯s rare for you to ask for a favor. But I¡¯m sorry, this time, I want Su Li to leave. No amount of pleading will change my mind.¡±

    After finishing his statement, Sun Wei turned to the class monitor and loudly asked, ¡°Class monitor, why have you been silent for so long? Could it be that Su Li¡¯s score is so poor that you don¡¯t even want to announce it?¡±

    With that, Sun Wei and his followers burst into laughter, their voices filled with mockery.

    Gao Ming clenched his fists, wanting to punch someone for the first time. But before he could take a step, Su Li stopped him. ¡°Are you going to bark back at a dog that¡¯s barking at you? Stay calm,¡± Su Li advised.

 Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Su Li Wins

    Chapter 829: Su Li Wins

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Jun was seething with frustration. ¡°Su Li,¡± he exclaimed, ¡°you¡¯re our leader. How can you be so mild-mannered? Sun Wei is practically trampling all over you!¡±

    Su Li remained silent, his gaze shifting to the class monitor. The monitor had already seen Su Li¡¯s ranking and total score, only second to the top student, Gao Ming. It took him a moment to recover from his surprise. Swallowing hard, he announced, ¡°In this competition, Sun Wei ranks fourth in total score, while Su Li ranks second. Su Li is the winner.¡±

    This revelation stunned everyone, both on Sun Wei¡¯s side and Su Li¡¯s. It took them a moment to process the information, and they rushed forward to confirm the results.

    Once they had, they fell silent. Su Li had indeed secured the second rank, his total score a full ten points higher than Sun Wei¡¯s. He placed within the top five of their class, this was a crushing victory.

    Gao Ming¡¯s spirits lifted entirely. ¡°My dear second brother, you¡¯re incredible,¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Sun Wei, hurry up and call him ¡®brother¡¯. My second brother is generous. All your past actions can be forgiven with a simple ¡®brother¡¯. From now on, we¡¯re all brothers.¡±

    Gu Jun no longer held any resentment towards Su Li. His face flushed with embarrassment, he apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su Li. I was too hasty earlier. You¡¯ll always be our respected leader. I, Gu Jun, am completely convinced and will follow you from now on!¡±

    Sun Wei was pale, unable to accept the reality before him. How could he have lost to Su Li academically as well? It was impossible. After a long silence, he turned to Su Li. ¡°Did you cheat?¡± he accused. ¡°You must have known the answers beforehand!¡±

    For the first time, Sun Wei¡¯s lackeys didn¡¯t immediately echo his words. They knew that the school¡¯s exams were highly confidential, and there had never been a case of leaked questions. The school would never allow such a thing to happen. Sun Wei¡¯s current behavior was clearly a result of his inability to accept the truth, hence his baseless accusation that Su Li had known the answers.

    In contrast, Su Li had initially been looked down upon because he was from a rural area. Yet, he never held a grudge against anyone. He was skilled in martial arts, kind, and upright. In times of crisis, he would discard the symbolic red flower of honor to save his rival, Sun Wei. Even when Sun Wei woke up, he didn¡¯t even thank Su Li. However, Su Li didn¡¯t seem to hold any grudges, he didn¡¯t even seem to care.

    The wager between the two, Sun Wei was determined to drive away Su Li, while Su Li merely wanted Sun Wei to be his subordinate. Particularly, even in academics, which Sun Wei excelled at, he could not outdo Su Li.

    At this moment, both of them, along with the other students who stood with Sun Wei, felt somewhat embarrassed to have Sun Wei as their leader. They began to shuffle their feet, creating distance between themselves and Sun Wei.

    Facing Sun Wei¡¯s skepticism, Su Li stepped forward and said, ¡°Sun Wei, you are indeed excellent. If I were at the level I was when I first entered school, I would indeed lose to you in academic performance. Although I come from a village, I also want to strive to fit in. So, I told myself that I must study hard, to be an outstanding student like my brother, like Gao Ming, like the class monitor, and like you.

    ¡°Whether you acknowledge me as the leader is not important. Because when I bet with you, I just wanted to tell you that we rural children can also be ambitious. Having good conditions from the start is an advantage for you children who grew up in the city, but it¡¯s not a reason for you to look down on rural children.¡±

    After these words, Su Li¡¯s image suddenly grew taller. The students felt that this child from the countryside was simply too cool. The people in Sun Wei¡¯s camp defected on the spot, ¡°Brother Su Li, we¡¯re really sorry for our past behavior. We didn¡¯t know how to judge people. You are our chosen leader!¡±

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    ¡°Brother Su Li, can I still play with you? My family owns a toy factory, and we have many, many fun toys. If I can play with you, I will give you many new toys. I heard you have a sister, my family has many dolls that she can play with.¡±

    Su Li was surrounded by students who originally belonged to Sun Wei¡¯s camp. Everyone on the spot recognized him as their leader. After a while, they heard Xiao Tian exclaim, ¡°Sun Wei, Sun Wei has fainted, quickly call the teacher!¡±

    After school in the afternoon, Su Li brought home two large bags of snacks. Gu Zi was stunned and joked, ¡°Little Boss Su, did you win the lottery today?¡±

    Su Li ran over, took out the largest bag of snacks from inside, and handed it to his mother, proudly saying, ¡°These are my spoils of war. There should have been as much as two truckloads, but I shared them with my classmates and only brought these back. Mom, I did the right thing, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    Gu Zi tore open the snack packaging, took a snack to eat. It was sour and sweet, a fruit preserve. She looked at her son curiously, ¡°Spoils of war? Please tell me your story.¡±

 Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Information Leaked

    Chapter 830: Information Leaked

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li pulled out his report card from his backpack and settled down next to his mother. He unfolded the paper, presenting it to her with a flourish. ¡°Remember the bet I told you about, the one I made with Sun Wei? The results are out today, Mom. I ranked second in the entire class, while Sun Wei came in fourth. I won the bet!¡±

    Su Li¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. Before the results were announced, he had been incredibly anxious about this high-stakes gamble. He had worked hard in secret, but Sun Wei was one of the top students in their class. Su Li had been genuinely afraid of what would happen if he lost. The thought of having to leave school as per their wager was unbearable. He loved his current school.

    Apart from a few unpleasant individuals, the educational philosophy of this school was far more advanced than his previous one. The curriculum was diverse, the classes more engaging, and his classmates were more knowledgeable. Su Li knew that if he had to leave this school, he wouldn¡¯t find a better one. More importantly, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go to school with his brother anymore.

    He wasn¡¯t like Sun Wei, who could go back on his word. Sun Wei had even faked fainting to avoid facing reality, all to avoid acknowledging Su Li as his elder brother.

    Su Li had once envied Sun Wei for his excellence, but not anymore. Just like his mother had said, fear that shackled one¡¯s hands and feet, preventing progress, avoiding challenges, and breaking promises, was a sign of cowardice. He wanted to be a man of courage and integrity, just like his mother had taught him.

    Gu Zi looked at Su Li¡¯s report card, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Oh my, my dear Su Li, you¡¯ve improved so much.¡± She had never expected Su Li to rank second in his class in this monthly exam, just behind Gao Ming. His class, starting with the letter B, wasn¡¯t the best in the grade, it was average. But Su Li¡¯s progress indicated his hard work during this period.

    Gu Zi was already planning what reward to buy for Su Li when Su Bing walked over, handing her his report card. As expected, Su Bing had achieved excellent results in his monthly exam, ranking fifth in the grade. It was truly amazing!

    At this moment, Gu Zi didn¡¯t know how to contain her excitement. Both her children were such a blessing. Her eldest had always been studious and intelligent, his grades never a cause for concern. And now her second son was showing less interest in play and more in secret study, his grades improving with each exam.

    At this rate, the Su family would certainly produce at least two college graduates. She didn¡¯t need to worry about her children¡¯s future. In this era, a college degree guaranteed a decent life. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how proud she, as a mother, would be in the future.

    What Gu Zi didn¡¯t know was that Su Bing had intentionally scored lower in this month¡¯s exam. Su Bing had already made a name for himself in the math competition and didn¡¯t want to draw more attention during the monthly exam. He had read enough books to understand that too much showiness would inevitably attract malice. Therefore, during this exam, he had calculated his answers to achieve a score that would place him within the top five in his grade.

    There was a slight miscalculation, however. Su Bing had initially aimed to rank eighth in his grade, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated the severe loss of points by the students ahead of him. This unexpected turn of events had landed him in the top five. But Su Bing felt that as long as he wasn¡¯t first in his grade, he wasn¡¯t drawing too much attention!

    As Gu Zi was contemplating what delicious meal to prepare as a reward for her two sons, the landline in the house rang.

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    Gu Zi picked up the phone, and Li Hua¡¯s voice came through, sounding busy and somewhat fatigued. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve already postponed the opening to the day after tomorrow. Can you tell me the reason now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s a problem with the newspaper. Guan Xin discovered that the news of our opening has been leaked. It was Director Zhao¡¯s doing. If we proceed with the opening tomorrow as planned, all the traps set against us will spring up at once. If it¡¯s one or two, we might be able to withstand and resolve them. But what if there are ten or eight all at once?¡±

    After Gu Zi finished speaking, Li Hua fell silent for a moment before expressing her concern. ¡°How could this happen? What if they cause trouble again when we open the day after tomorrow?¡±

    Li Hua felt that they had prepared for such a long time, and just when they were about to open, the news was leaked. All their previous efforts to keep it a secret were in vain. Luckily, her sister-in-law had noticed something was amiss and had timely asked her to change the opening date.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of a little trouble, but she feared that their branch would fall into someone else¡¯s trap before it even opened, dealing a heavy blow to their startup.

 Chapter 831 - Chapter 831: Rescheduling the Opening Date

    Chapter 831: Rescheduling the Opening Date

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After several months in business, Li Hua realized that running a business was not as easy as it seemed. The success of her previous store was largely due to its location in the town, where the locals initially underestimated it. This lack of scrutiny, coupled with the watchful eye of her younger sister-in-law, allowed the business to flourish. There was an element of luck involved.

    However, opening a branch in the city, where the business had gained some notoriety, made it an easy target, especially for competitors. In this cutthroat environment, every move could potentially draw blood.

    Gu Zi¡¯s response was firm, ¡°No, we will open as scheduled. Our branch will indeed face a significant storm, but if we reschedule at the last minute, our competitors will be caught off guard. This is why I want you to create the illusion that we will open as usual tomorrow. It will not give them enough time to react, and it will allow me to see what they are planning. Once I know their strategy, I can devise a countermeasure.

    ¡°In short, sister-in-law, as long as we change the opening time, their plans will be disrupted. Then, I can come up with a counter-strategy. On the contrary, I am quite interested in witnessing a farce tomorrow. Sister-in-law, please be on time.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Gu Zi was about to go find Grandma Gao when the elderly lady arrived in a flurry. ¡°Gu Zi, I heard from Zhang Yao that you are opening this store? My goodness, if Zhang Yao hadn¡¯t come to thank me today, saying you found her a good job, I wouldn¡¯t have known anything. You, you are not being fair.¡±

    The grand opening was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and Gu Zi had no intention of keeping Grandma Gao in the dark any longer. If it weren¡¯t for the hiccup, she would have already invited Grandma Gao to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

    Now, it was the perfect time to extend the invitation.

    Gu Zi stood up, guided Grandma Gao to sit down, and formally invited her, ¡°Grandma Gao, may I invite you to cut the ribbon at the opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop? You just said I wasn¡¯t being fair, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Grandma Gao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly responded, ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing! When did I say you weren¡¯t being fair? I meant you are being too fair! Being the ribbon cutter is great, it¡¯s wonderful, haha!¡±

    Grandma Gao was brimming with joy, clearly no longer holding a grudge against Gu Zi for keeping her in the dark. However, Gu Zi still felt the need to explain herself.

    ¡°I was afraid that if the news leaked, our competitors would target us and cause problems at the opening. So, I decided to keep it a secret. Unfortunately, we did encounter a hiccup, but luckily, we discovered it early and have rescheduled the opening from tomorrow to the day after. Now that we have invited you to cut the ribbon, I¡¯m confident our branch will open smoothly.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandma Gao naturally understood Gu Zi¡¯s actions. She knew this young woman wouldn¡¯t explain all this without reason, and she must be facing some difficulties.

    Knowing that Gu Zi had come to her for help, Grandma Gao was more than willing to lend a hand. After all, she genuinely wanted to maintain a good relationship with her, and she was certain that associating with someone like Gu Zi could never be a mistake.

    Grandma Gao responded, ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you. But you, young lady, are quite good at keeping secrets. You know, the director of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce was once your Uncle Gao¡¯s student. If you had told me earlier, wouldn¡¯t I have introduced you to him?¡±

    Gu Zi had been waiting for Grandma Gao to say this. She quickly poured a cup of fine tea for Grandma Gao and sweetly said, ¡°Grandma Gao, please have some tea. I know you¡¯re the best. Even now, you can still introduce me, right?¡±

    Grandma Gao accepted the tea cup with a doting smile and said to Gu Zi, ¡°Who else would I introduce if not you? Let me finish this tea and these pastries, and I¡¯ll make the call when I get home.¡±

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    Just as Grandma Gao finished speaking, Su Bing brought some pastries from the kitchen. He placed a plate and a box in front of Grandma Gao and said, ¡°Grandma Gao, these are the pastries my mother asked me to prepare for you. She originally wanted to send it to you in person. I¡¯ve warmed these up for you to eat now, and this box is for you to take home.¡±

    Grandma Gao¡¯s mood was even more cheerful at this point. She picked up Su Le and fed her a piece of her favorite pastry, ¡°Oh, my little darling, look at how adorable she is. She¡¯s melting my heart. Su Bing, you sit down and eat too. No wonder Gao Ming said he feels so warm at your house. Holding this soft little girl and having such a good child like Su Bing, how could it not be warm?¡±

    Gu Zi laughed and said, ¡°Grandma Gao, if you like it here, you¡¯re welcome to come often. Whether it¡¯s for tea, pastries, or a game of cards, I¡¯d be more than happy to keep you company whenever I¡¯m not working.¡±

    Gu Zi had been somewhat apprehensive, but with Grandma Gao¡¯s attitude now, she felt reassured about her backing. She finally relaxed and let out a relieved smile.

    The next morning, on a high-rise building opposite the new store, journalists had already set up their equipment, ready to scoop the news of the opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s branch for the Guangcheng Daily. The director of Guangcheng Daily, Zhao, who had sold them the news, was certainly reliable.

 Chapter 832 - Chapter 832: Trapped

    Chapter 832: Trapped

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A group of people had been waiting since morning, their eyes fixed on the front door of their target. The door remained closed, with no signs of activity. It didn¡¯t look like they were going to open for business at all. What was going on?

    Director Zhao, having received the news, rushed to the scene, only to be left dumbfounded.

    This shouldn¡¯t be happening. The information had come from Deputy Commander Hu, a woman with a strong official background. Her information couldn¡¯t be wrong. Moreover, based on his covert observations over the past few days, Guan Xin and her team were indeed secretly preparing for a report. Why was there no movement today?

    He realized with a sinking feeling that he had been tricked.

    Director Zhao donned his wide-brimmed hat, preparing to make a quick exit. Unfortunately, he was a second too late. Guan Xin¡¯s camera clicked a moment before he could move.

    Following the sound, Gu Zi and the others emerged from their hiding place. Gu Zi waved at him with a smile, ¡°Director Zhao, aren¡¯t you going to introduce us to your colleagues?¡±

    Guan Xin lowered her camera, her tone teasing as she chimed in, ¡°No need for introductions, Director Zhao. You seem to have quite the network, even knowing our rivals of the Guangcheng Daily so well. These are all key figures from the rival newspaper. But once these photos reach the editor-in-chief, I¡¯m afraid Director Zhao won¡¯t have time to network anymore. He¡¯ll be too busy counting the days until his dismissal letter arrives.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the members of the rival newspaper understood the situation. They knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to scoop the story. Grabbing their belongings, they made a hasty retreat.

    Director Zhao, caught red-handed, realized it was too late to escape. His face twisted in anger, he wanted to curse, but fear held him back. Damn it, he had been ruined by that woman, Hu Jie!

    His gaze shifted to Guan Xin. ¡°Guan Xin, don¡¯t forget, I had a hand in your recruitment to the newspaper. Delete these photos, and we can let bygones be bygones.¡±

    Guan Xin scoffed, ¡°Director Zhao, the deputy editor only asked you to pass a message to the editor-in-chief. You call that a recommendation? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m deleting these photos. You know as well as I do the unspeakable things you¡¯ve done over the years, hiding behind your title. I¡¯ve been considerate enough not to expose you.

    ¡°Gu Zi was my recruit. You¡¯ve caused enough trouble already, and now you¡¯ve sold our internal information to our rivals. You have no professional integrity. I will definitely submit evidence of your collusion with the rival newspaper. Let¡¯s go, Xiao Luo.¡±

    Guan Xin, accompanied by her assistant Xiao Luo, took her leave first.

    Gu Zi turned to Director Zhao and said, ¡°I know who¡¯s backing you. But I must say, risking your career to curry favor with a military superior is quite a gamble. Good luck, Mr. Zhao.¡±

    With that, Gu Zi, pulling along Li Hua who had been merely observing the drama, also departed.

    Gu Zi knew that the person behind Director Zhao was Hu Jie. It seemed she had underestimated the appeal of Su Shen. The school had Teacher Zhou, the newspaper had Director Zhao, and Hu Jie was determined to remove her from Su Shen¡¯s side. However, she would not comply with Hu Jie¡¯s wishes.

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    Li Hua glanced back at the scholarly middle-aged man with a sigh of regret. ¡°Such a cultured man, why not do something worthy of his education? Why get involved in such unnecessary matters? Education is a blessing. It¡¯s a pity that not all educated people cherish what they have.¡±

    Li Hua, now with some free time, also read books and gained much insight. She greatly admired those who had the opportunity to study from a young age. In her eyes, people like Director Zhao, with knowledge and culture, who had risen to the position of director in the newspaper, were truly successful. She couldn¡¯t understand why he would risk his future. What a waste.

    The drama upstairs was riveting, but the scene outside the shop downstairs was equally captivating. Director Zhao had not only sought coverage from the rival newspaper but had also leaked the news to the city¡¯s braised meat shop peers in advance. He had been promoting the successful opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop in the city, claiming that the business of other braised meat shops would be greatly disrupted. He even claimed that in the future, Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop would dominate, making survival difficult for other shops.

    The city¡¯s shop owners were outraged. Cutting off someone¡¯s livelihood was akin to murdering their parents ¨C a great enmity. A small shop that had started in the countryside, whose original shop had not been open for long, was planning to open a branch in the city and claim dominance. This was a blatant disregard for the old shops. They could not tolerate it. So, they all decided early on to unite and boycott the new shop on its opening day.

    Today, most of them had closed their businesses, or at least sent a few people to participate in the boycott. They marched to the front of the new shop with banners, ready to show the new shop owner a lesson. However, for some unknown reason, after causing a ruckus all morning, the so-called new shop had not even opened its doors.

 Chapter 833 - Chapter 833: Opening Day

    Chapter 833: Opening Day

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    When Gu Zi and her party arrived, the once fervent protest had dwindled.

    The protestors stood listlessly in front of the store, waiting for an explanation from the instigator of the event. Many passersby were drawn to the spectacle, their curiosity piqued by the unusual scene.

    A black Santana car pulled up at the corner, stopping in front of the new store. The dispersed crowd regrouped, their eyes fixated on the vehicle.

    A woman, poised and mature, stepped out of the car. She wore a professional smile, warm yet authoritative. ¡°I am the secretary of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce,¡± she announced, ¡°Here is my work badge.¡±

    As she spoke, she held up her badge, a testament to her authenticity.

    Once the crowd was convinced of her identity, she continued in an official tone, ¡°We received a report from the public about a disturbance caused by individual business owners in this area. We are here to investigate. However, from what we see, the situation seems to have been exaggerated. We understand your concerns and on behalf of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, I would like to assure you¡­¡±

    ¡°We will strictly crack down on any monopolistic behavior in various industries. You need not worry that Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop will monopolize the industry like some capitalists once it opens in the city. Miss Gu Zi, the major shareholder of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, is a kind and visionary woman. Her business philosophy is that no single store should dominate an industry¡­¡±

    Upon hearing these words, the shopkeepers made their judgments. The secretary¡¯s words, while seemingly meant to pacify the crowd, were in fact a show of support for Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop.

    The seasoned shopkeepers understood this and made their final decision ¨C they could not oppose this store. It was not to be trifled with. To do so would mean going against the authorities, a thought that sent a cold sweat down many a brow.

    Seizing the right moment, Gu Zi, accompanied by Li Hua, stepped into the spotlight. She announced loudly, ¡°Fellow business owners, my sister-in-law and I are the shareholders and owners of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop. We are new to the city and rely on your kindness. Of course, we also thank you for warming up our branch opening.

    ¡°I hereby announce that the grand opening of Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop will be tomorrow. We have prepared dragon and lion dance performances and welcome everyone to join us. In addition, we have invited reporters from Guangcheng Daily for an exclusive interview. Other media friends, please abide by industry rules and act professionally. Now, let our store owner announce the opening benefits for everyone.¡±

    The scene was bustling with activity as Gu Zi spoke, attracting a crowd of onlookers. The news that the renowned Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop, which had been featured in newspapers, was opening in their city brought joy to their faces.

    ¡°I made a special trip with my family to eat there once,¡± one person said. ¡°The taste was unforgettable. I just haven¡¯t had the time to go a second time. Now that they¡¯re opening a branch in our city, it¡¯ll be much easier to get their braised pork!¡±

    ¡°Is it really that good?¡± another asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried it. Tomorrow is Sunday, and my whole family is off. I¡¯ll bring everyone to try it out.¡±

    And so, the word spread among the pedestrians, providing the most timely publicity for Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop¡¯s grand opening.

    On the day of the opening, the sun was shining, the breeze was gentle, and the crowd had filled the entrance of the shop early. The street was packed with customers who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

    As the sound of firecrackers echoed, the dignified ribbon-cutting ceremony began. The crowd buzzed with excitement as they flooded into the shop, creating a lively scene.

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    Every customer in the shop wore a satisfied smile, except for one middle-aged woman. She had come with her colleagues, only to discover that the new shop they had mysteriously brought her to was owned by her adopted daughter.

    Seeing the bustling scene, Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t help but think of her own daughter, Miaomiao, who was suffering in prison. How lonely she must be every day.

    Gu Zi, on the other hand, seemed to be doing well. She had caused Miaomiao to end up in jail and her marriage to be unstable, yet she herself was managing both her career and family without a hitch. She had even opened a branch of the shop she had started in the town. Zhang Mei and Gu Shan had initially thought that the old pig farmer had some savings and that Gu Zi was just playing around by opening a shop in town. Now, it seemed that Gu Zi was serious about her business, even expanding it to the city.

    This adopted daughter resented them for forcing her to marry in the countryside, and for allowing Lin Miao to marry into the Gong family in her stead. Now, step by step, she seemed to be planning to return from the countryside and ruthlessly trample Lin Miao underfoot, proving that the Gu family¡¯s decision to abandon her and favor their biological daughter was a mistake.

    Zhang Mei wasn¡¯t worried about changing her own mind, but she was worried about Gu Shan, who cared about his reputation. Seeing Gu Zi doing better and better, he would surely despise Lin Miao more and more. This would make Lin Miao¡¯s life even harder¡­

 Chapter 834 - Chapter 834: No News

    Chapter 834: No News

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei quickly made up her mind. She needed to find an opportunity to undermine Gu Zi, lest Gu Zi completely overshadow her beloved daughter, Lin Miao.

    However, in the blink of an eye, she ran into an acquaintance. Mrs. Chen and her daughter, Gong Xin, were also dining in the restaurant, enjoying the braised meat.

    Could it be that Mrs. Chen was still considering Gu Zi as a potential daughter-in-law?

    Zhang Mei didn¡¯t have time to ponder. She excused herself from her colleagues and approached Mrs. Chen, ¡°What a coincidence, we meet again in Gu Zi¡¯s restaurant. I just arrived.¡±

    Mrs. Chen and her daughter were enjoying the restaurant¡¯s signature dish when they saw Zhang Mei approaching. Their smiles faded in unison. Mrs. Chen responded politely, ¡°It¡¯s a small town, we¡¯re bound to run into each other. Have you ordered yet?¡±

    Gong Xin pursed her lips, ¡°I don¡¯t think Aunt Zhang is here to eat. In her eyes, only her biological daughter, Lin Miao, matters. She doesn¡¯t care about her adopted daughter, Gu Zi. Poor Gu Zi, already struggling with three children, and now her husband is away. If she¡¯s bullied, she won¡¯t have anyone to stand up for her.¡±

    Mrs. Chen, seeing her daughter¡¯s straightforwardness, twitched her lips and gently reprimanded her, ¡°You¡¯re being disrespectful, child. Don¡¯t interrupt when adults are talking. Don¡¯t take it to heart, Zhang Mei. Gong Xin is just joking. Why don¡¯t you join us before you order?¡±

    Despite her words, Mrs. Chen agreed with her daughter¡¯s sentiments. She had long noticed Zhang Mei¡¯s opportunistic nature. However, Gu Zi¡¯s exceptional qualities had initially overshadowed these minor flaws. Now that Gu Zi was no longer a potential daughter-in-law, these flaws seemed magnified in Mrs. Chen¡¯s eyes, impossible to ignore.

    Mrs. Chen understood her daughter¡¯s words were a veiled warning to Zhang Mei, suspecting she was here to take advantage of Gu Zi¡¯s hospitality.

    Gu Zi indeed had a tough life, and now that she was back in town, Mrs. Chen was more than willing to help if needed. After all, it was the Gong and Gu families who had wronged Gu Zi regarding the marriage proposal. So, seeing her daughter stand up for Gu Zi, she wouldn¡¯t really blame her.

    Zhang Mei had initially intended to gauge Mrs. Chen¡¯s attitude. However, it seemed unnecessary now. Not just Gong Xin, but the entire Gong family seemed to be siding with Gu Zi. She regretted not having arranged for Gu Zi to marry Gong Zhan earlier. She was in no mood to eat; she needed to see Miaomiao immediately to devise a strategy.

    Zhang Mei declined politely, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t blame Xinxin. I didn¡¯t come here to eat today. I just wanted to say hello. I have other matters to attend to. Please, enjoy your meal.¡±

    Having said that, Zhang Mei squeezed her way out of the crowd and left the restaurant. Mrs. Chen withdrew her gaze, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°Seeing this so-called in-law reminds me of your brother. He¡¯s so far away, and we haven¡¯t heard from him recently. It¡¯s quite worrying.¡±

    Upon hearing her mother mention her brother, a hint of longing appeared in Gong Xin¡¯s eyes. Despite their squabbles, the sibling bond between Gong Xin and Gong Zhan was genuine. However, she wasn¡¯t accustomed to expressing her feelings openly.

    She reassured her mother nonchalantly, ¡°Oh, he¡¯s a grown man, and he¡¯s in the bustling capital. He¡¯s probably having so much fun that he forgot to write. We can write to him first. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    ¡°Write a letter? To whom?¡± Gu Zi, who had been busy, finally had some free time. She knew Gong Xin and Mrs. Chen had arrived and came over to greet them.

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    As she approached, she heard Gong Xin mention writing a letter. After asking, she remembered that according to the original plot, Gong Zhan, the male lead, should be participating in a major military exercise in the capital¡¯s military region and had gone missing due to acting on his own.

    Lin Miao, worried about Gong Zhan¡¯s safety, had announced loudly that she was going to the military region to find her husband. Of course, the final outcome was that Gong Zhan was severely injured and rescued, and Lin Miao arrived at the military region to take care of her husband. She received praise from everyone, made the news, and during this time, Lin Miao completely won over Gong Zhan, securing her position as Mrs. Gong in his heart.

    However, Lin Miao was currently in jail, so it was impossible for her to replicate the original plot and travel thousands of miles to the military region to take care of her husband. As for Gong Zhan, he was the main male character in the book, so it was unlikely that he would actually be in danger. If he were, the book would have ended by now. Gu Zi was actually more worried about her own husband.

    In the original book, her husband was basically a passerby, with very little description. At this stage, he had also gone to the capital¡¯s military region, where he would inevitably run into Gong Zhan.

    A few days ago, Gu Zi had called and was told that Su Shen had gone on an urgent mission. Gong Zhan was missing, and Su Shen was on an urgent mission. If the two were related, wouldn¡¯t Su Shen also be in danger?

 Chapter 835 - Chapter 835: Illogical

    Chapter 835: Illogical

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart pounded wildly for a few moments before she took a deep breath to steady herself. Despite the danger, she knew from the original story that Su Shen should be fine in the end. Thus, she didn¡¯t need to worry excessively.

    Once the grand opening was over, she planned to seek out Boss Huo. With his extensive connections and access to information, he would surely know something.

    Within a few seconds, Gu Zi had made up her mind. She listened as Gong Xin spoke of her brother, ¡°Of course it¡¯s my brother. He also went to participate in the grand drill. He used to write letters, but recently there¡¯s been no news. When he comes back, I¡¯ll have to give him a good beating.¡±

    Gu Zi laughed, reassuring her, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry too much. Today is the grand opening, and I¡¯m in a good mood. Everything you eat is on the house. Consider it my respect for Aunt Chen.¡±

    Upon seeing Gu Zi, Mrs. Chen initially felt a bit embarrassed. However, seeing that Gu Zi held no grudges about the past and was even generously offering a free meal, Mrs. Chen¡¯s expression relaxed. She pulled out a prepared gift from her handbag and handed it to Gu Zi, ¡°I accept your kindness. This is a small token of my appreciation. Don¡¯t refuse it. I wish you a prosperous business!¡±

    Gu Zi saw that it was a red envelope and accepted it with a smile. She then instructed Zhang Yao, ¡°Bring two more servings of sweet peanut curd to table eight. It¡¯s my treat for Aunt Chen. Also, prepare a pen and paper to write a notice. Announce that our shop will have a limited supply of braised pork every day. Those who wish to purchase our braised pork should come early rather than late.¡±

    Zhang Yao was quick and efficient, capable of doing the work of two people. She had just served the peanut curd when Gu Zi¡¯s notice was already posted at the most conspicuous spot outside the shop. The news that Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop would have a limited supply of braised pork each day spread quickly. Even their competitors heard about it and abandoned any hostility towards Sister Hua¡¯s Gourmet Shop.

    That afternoon, some competitors even brought flower baskets to congratulate them.

    Li Hua was not stingy either. As agreed with Gu Zi, she invited the competitors into the shop to taste the braised pork and share their culinary experiences. The group chatted happily, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.

    In truth, this was a strategy that Gu Zi and Li Hua had agreed upon long ago. The city branch of their business was primarily focused on a hunger marketing strategy, offering limited supplies.

    This approach not only maintained the customers¡¯ desire to purchase but also enhanced the brand value of Sister Hua¡¯s braised meat. Moreover, it left room for other businesses, ensuring they were not driven to a dead end. It was a belief of theirs that only by not pushing others to the brink could they themselves find a way to survive.

    Gu Zi, seeing that Li Hua could handle the situation, felt reassured. In the mid-afternoon, she returned home with her three siblings. She had work to complete and studies to pursue.

    As for Su Bing, he needed to prepare for the final round of the math competition on Monday.

    The task of looking after Lele was left to Su Li and Gao Ming.

    Su Li, cradling the little girl, patted his chest and assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom and brother, I will definitely take good care of Lele!¡±

    However, the little girl loved to tease her second brother. A minute later, her loud crying echoed throughout the entire villa. No matter how Su Li tried to soothe her, it was to no avail.

    As soon as Su Bing came over and picked her up, she quieted down after a few comforting words. Su Li, frustrated, said to Gao Ming, ¡°She¡¯s doing this on purpose, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    Gao Ming patted his brother¡¯s shoulder, not saying much. However, he couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at the sight of the lollipop in his brother¡¯s mouth. Who else would end up eating the candy meant to pacify a child?

    On Monday morning, the students participating in the math competition boarded the bus and arrived at the competition venue, the Children¡¯s Palace. The area outside the Children¡¯s Palace was already filled with parents and enthusiastic spectators.

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    The second round and the finals were both to be held that day, promising an exciting spectacle. More importantly, they were eager to see how the genius student who had been featured in the newspaper would perform.

    A group of people, holding the newspaper that reported Su Bing as a prodigy, were discussing as they read, ¡°Is he really that amazing? Do you think the exam questions were leaked that day? Could the kid have cheated? Honestly, only by cheating could he have finished so early and still ensured accuracy.¡±

    ¡°I also find it suspicious,¡± one person chimed in, ¡°I heard this kid transferred from Chenglong Elementary School. Think about it, what kind of school is that? Frankly, it¡¯s not even considered decent in the city. A student from there suddenly transfers to the best school in the city, even entering the top class. It¡¯s illogical. I bet his family struck it rich.¡±

    ¡°Going by what you¡¯re saying, isn¡¯t that unfair to the other competitors?¡± another person argued, ¡°I think we should report this to the chief examiner and have him verify the student¡¯s scores.¡±

    Everyone had their say, each feeling like a detective who had stumbled upon a significant clue. Even though they all knew very well that a competition of this level would not easily leak its questions.

 Chapter 836 - Chapter 836: Su Bings Strength

    Chapter 836: Su Bing¡¯s Strength

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    At present, the parents were more inclined to believe that exceptions always exist. Even if the examination questions were guarded with utmost security, there would inevitably be instances of leaks. Otherwise, it was hard to explain how Su Bing stood out so remarkably. They were merely seeking a reason to dethrone Su Bing, so their own children wouldn¡¯t seem so ordinary.

    If Su Bing had been a student at this school from the beginning, they might have been more accepting of the situation. However, the reality was that Su Bing was a child from the countryside who had just transferred to this school. He had immediately entered the top class and had shone brightly in the competition. This was something they found hard to accept.

    Soon, murmurs about leaked exam questions began to circulate more frequently, stirring up the parents.

    Teacher He had always been part of the parent group. Seeing everyone¡¯s dissatisfaction with Su Bing, she was overjoyed. The last time she was the main invigilator, she received negative reviews from the students, resulting in no bonus and even a deduction from her monthly reward. She was furious, and all of it was because of Su Bing.

    She had told the leaders that she would follow along today to make up for her mistakes, but in reality, she was just looking for an opportunity to undermine Su Bing.

    Now that the opportunity was right in front of her, she had to take action. Teacher He set the pace, telling a few parents, ¡°You may not know, but this student used to be a villager. I don¡¯t know how he managed to get into this school. I found it strange that day. How coincidental it was that he was interviewed by reporters as soon as he left the Children¡¯s Palace. I suspect the reporters were planted there ahead of time!

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this, but don¡¯t say it came from me. I was the invigilator at the time. He didn¡¯t even use a draft paper to complete the questions. How is that possible? Moreover, this student¡¯s stepmother works at a newspaper. She has connections. Inviting a few reporters to cover her genius son is as easy as pie.¡±

    Upon hearing Teacher He¡¯s words, the parents felt reassured. They were certain that Su Bing must have cheated. They couldn¡¯t let this slide, so a group of them, in a flurry of agitation, reported it to the chief examiner.

    The chief examiner¡¯s inspection was interrupted. Looking at the group of parents, he frowned and said, ¡°I understand your desire for fairness. However, the children have already started the second round of exams, which will be followed by the finals. We cannot interrupt them. If you have doubts, wait until the second round of exams is over. Then we will see how he performs, and the truth will be revealed. To ensure fairness, I will personally grade Su Bing¡¯s test paper.¡±

    The chief examiner had long since recognized the potential in Su Bing. Last time, that girl Mi Le had specifically shown him Su Bing¡¯s test paper. It was a rare talent indeed. The way the answers were written, it was clear that cheating was impossible. The approach to the major questions even incorporated knowledge from middle school. It was evident that the child was both intelligent and diligent, a truly rare find.

    However, with so many mouths to feed and everyone carrying their own prejudices, explaining the situation was a daunting task. If he tried too hard to defend Su Bing, these people might think that even he had been bought by the Su family.

    Given the way these people thought, there was nothing they wouldn¡¯t dare to imagine. He decided it was best to avoid suspicion for now. He also believed in Su Bing¡¯s abilities, confident that the facts would eventually silence these people.

    Upon hearing the chief examiner¡¯s words, the parents found some sense in them. If Su Bing could cheat once, could he cheat twice or thrice? Especially in the final round, where the examiners would improvise the questions on the spot. The students who made it to the finals would answer the questions in turn before entering the quick-fire round. The one with the highest score would be the champion of the competition. Even if someone managed to cheat in the first two rounds, they would be exposed in the third.

    Moreover, the parents were well aware that anyone who could serve as the chief examiner in such a competition was likely a high-ranking official in the education bureau. They couldn¡¯t afford to offend such a person. If they needed help with their children¡¯s affairs in the future, they would be in trouble.

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    So, they all agreed with the chief examiner¡¯s statement, ¡°The chief examiner makes a good point. Let¡¯s wait until the second round is over.¡±

    Fearing discovery, Teacher He slipped out first, angrily pounding the wall. Overwhelmed by her fury, she lost her senses and ended up hurting her hand, even shedding tears from the pain.

    The chief examiner said they would wait until the second round was over, but in reality, there was no need. Halfway through the second round, Su Bing¡¯s test paper, which he had handed in early to the invigilator, was brought to the chief examiner.

    The chief examiner broke into a satisfied smile and immediately took out a red pen. Under the watchful eyes of the parents, he began to mark the paper. The parents initially showed no reaction, but as he continued, they were left dumbfounded.

    Someone puzzled, ¡°I¡¯m not uneducated, but I can¡¯t understand this child¡¯s logic in answering the questions. It seems a bit convoluted. Why did the chief examiner give full marks for this question?¡±

 Chapter 837 - Chapter 837: Junior Su Bing Is Very Handsome

    Chapter 837: Junior Su Bing Is Very Handsome

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The first voice was a voice of disbelief, ¡°It¡¯s not that your cultural level isn¡¯t high enough. This child isn¡¯t using the logic of a primary school student to answer the questions. You wouldn¡¯t see it, of course. This child must have learned some junior and senior high school mathematics, or perhaps he has read some books on his own. It seems that this child didn¡¯t cheat after all. We were overthinking.¡±

    ¡°What? This child is only in the fourth grade. Reading junior high school books is barely understandable, but high school books too? And just by reading them, he understands? Does he even have a normal human brain?¡±

    The parents were all stunned. At the same time, the chief examiner picked up the test paper and laughed, ¡°He has a normal human brain, but his works several times faster than an average one. He¡¯s a genius. Do you know his total score?¡±

    The parents were all silent, too afraid to speak. After a while, a parent finally ventured a guess, ¡°It¡¯s not a perfect score, is it? That¡¯s just unbearable.¡±

    The chief examiner shook his head, but his smile deepened, ¡°Not a perfect score, but better than perfect. The passing score for the second round of the exam is ninety-eight. He made a mistake on the simplest major question, losing two points. He scored exactly ninety-eight. It¡¯s brilliant. I¡¯m really looking forward to his performance in the final.¡±

    The parents were all dumbfounded. They had seen top students score high marks, but they had never seen someone calculate their score to answer the questions. Was this the legendary score control? They had to admit defeat. No more parents accused Su Bing of cheating. They all left the chief examiner¡¯s office with red faces.

    The final round began quickly. There were ten students who advanced to the finals, four of whom were from the First Bilingual Primary School. Of course, Su Bing had the lowest score, just enough to pass.

    Before going on stage, a sixth-grade student who had scored full marks approached Su Bing and arrogantly said, ¡°During the quick answer session, you and the other two should follow my lead, especially you. Don¡¯t think that handing in your paper early and getting in the newspaper makes you something special. You¡¯re just a country bumpkin. If you mess me up and the school loses the championship, you¡¯ll be the one to blame.¡±

    Su Bing, hands in his pockets, looked up at the boy and said coldly, ¡°Why should we cooperate with you? I suggest you cooperate with me.¡±

    With that, Su Bing walked to his own answering seat, not giving the sixth-grader another glance.

    The sixth-grader clenched his fists. He had thought that this Su Bing was quite impressive, performing so well in his first competition. He had considered taking him under his wing. But now, he was being snubbed. He was determined to make Su Bing lose miserably in the competition.

    Two students from the same school looked at the menacing sixth-grade senior and couldn¡¯t help but worry for Su Bing. They discussed amongst themselves, ¡°The senior was the champion of the math competition in the previous two years. He¡¯s a formidable opponent. Su Bing has actually chosen to be his adversary. This could turn out badly.¡±

    The students paused for a moment, allowing the weight of their words to sink in.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think that Su Bing is quite handsome?¡± one of them mused. ¡°He¡¯s cool and good-looking. Isn¡¯t that more interesting than the senior?¡±

    The other student scoffed, ¡°You girls are so superficial, only caring about appearances. Su Bing needs to prove his worth through his abilities. That¡¯s what makes a man truly interesting, you know!¡±

    With that, the two students parted ways, each heading to their respective seats for the competition. The contest was about to begin. It was a rigorous test of the students¡¯ intellectual limits and psychological endurance.

    The teachers would pose the questions on the spot, and the students had to answer within a set time limit. Parents were also present as spectators, making the environment far from quiet.

    Despite the challenging conditions, all ten students were highly capable. During the initial round of answering questions, no one made a mistake. They all passed until the quick-response round.

    Some students, too nervous to answer correctly, either failed to answer or lost points due to calculation errors. After a series of mistakes, five students were eliminated within ten minutes, leaving the remaining five to continue the contest.

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    Teacher Du, who was leading the team from the audience, was quite pleased. All four students from their school were still in the game, especially Su Bing. She could tell that he hadn¡¯t even begun to show his true abilities. But now, with only five contestants left, it was time for him to step up.

    Sure enough, in the following quick-response round, Su Bing was always the first to raise his hand as soon as the question was displayed. Before others could even finish reading the question, he had already written his answer.

    Who could compete with that? In no time, Su Bing had gone from having the lowest score of ten points to having the highest score of eighty, causing the other four students to turn pale.

    One of the students, the girl who had earlier commented on Su Bing¡¯s coolness, even started crying on the spot.

    Su Bing looked at her, puzzled. She still had fifty points, didn¡¯t she? She hadn¡¯t been eliminated, so why was she crying? Deciding it had nothing to do with him, he turned his attention back to the competition, focusing all his energy on answering the questions.

 Chapter 838 - Chapter 838: Dominating the Competition

    Chapter 838: Dominating the Competition

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The young girl cried for a while, and after getting comforted by her teacher, she chose not to return to the answering stage. She would settle for fifth place. The underclassman was too terrifying. He wasn¡¯t just participating in the competition, he was the master of it. She was no longer worried about the situation of her junior, Su Bing, but rather, she was concerned about the proud sixth-grade senior who might not be able to step down from the stage gracefully.

    On the stage, Su Bing continued his relentless pursuit of points. With every question that was posed, he would answer, taking away the points. He had already accumulated a hundred points, while the other three students had sixty, fifty, and thirty points respectively. The student with thirty points was declared eliminated, leaving only three students on the stage.

    The questions that followed would only get harder. However, for the next few questions, Su Bing did not rush to answer. His classmate next to him seized the opportunity to score twenty points, changing his score from fifty to seventy, temporarily ranking second. His face finally regained some color. He had advanced to the second round of the competition with the highest total score. Finishing second was always better than third.

    Moreover, the student currently ranked third was last year¡¯s competition champion. If he could beat him, he would be able to report back to his school and parents with pride. This freshly minted elementary school prodigy was indeed a good person. On the day of the award ceremony, he would definitely give him a hug!

    The audience below the stage was in an uproar. Su Bing had surprisingly not answered several high-scoring questions. What was he thinking? It was impossible that he couldn¡¯t answer.

    There was only one possibility ¨C the elementary school prodigy was giving away points. True to his reputation, he deeply embodied the principle of ¡°friendship first, competition second¡±. How cool!

    The sixth-grade senior who had been observing others with his peripheral vision still had sixty points, temporarily ranking third. His face was trembling with anger. He suddenly realized that Su Bing was giving away points! This kid was truly audacious.

    There was a big question coming up, worth twenty points. He had to get this question. As long as he got it, he would still have a chance to surpass Su Bing.

    However, Su Bing would not let him have his way. Su Bing, who had not been rushing to answer questions, beat the other two by a second and snatched the question, scoring once again.

    The sixth-grade senior punched the answering board, his body trembling with anger. Su Bing was doing this on purpose. He regretted it now. He really shouldn¡¯t have listened to his aunt¡¯s advice to openly provoke Su Bing. How was he going to save face now?!

    Su Bing made no attempt to hide his strategy. For the last few questions, he remained still as long as his sixth-grade schoolmate did the same, allowing the student from another school to score.

    However, the moment his schoolmate showed any sign of answering, Su Bing would preemptively answer and score. This pattern was so obvious that even the audience could see it. It seemed that the elementary school prodigy was deliberately targeting his schoolmate.

    But why would he target his own schoolmate and help a student from another school score?

    Amidst the confusion of the crowd, the competition came to an end.

    Su Bing from First Bilingual Primary School scored one hundred and forty points, Fu Sheng from Guangcheng No.1 Middle School scored one hundred points, and He Jiang from the First Bilingual Primary School scored sixty points.

    He Jiang could not accept the reality. He, a former champion, had only managed to secure third place, with a final score of just sixty points. There was a forty-point gap between him and the second place, and the rural student had outscored him by a whopping eighty points. No, this couldn¡¯t be true!

    His face drained of color, and He Jiang fainted on stage.

    His aunt, Teacher He, who had been berating him for his lack of competitiveness, was shocked to see her nephew faint in front of everyone. She rushed to the stage in panic.

    How was she going to explain this to his parents? She was ruined by that woman, Zhou Hua. If only she hadn¡¯t listened to her!

    Soon, the other knowledge competitions also concluded.

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    During the award ceremony, when Gu Zi, Su Li, and Su Le arrived at the Children¡¯s Palace auditorium, Su Bing had just received the championship trophy. The second-place student went up to hug Su Bing, who wore a cold expression, as if he was being forcibly embraced. His reaction amused the audience.

    Finally, under the guidance of the school leaders, Su Bing accepted an interview from the reporters. However, Gu Zi noticed that the third-place winner did not attend the award ceremony, and his trophy and prizes were collected by a teacher on his behalf.

    The reporter handed over the microphone and asked, ¡°Su Bing, we are all very curious. On the day of the finals, why did you consistently help a student from another school score, while suppressing your own schoolmate, He Jiang?¡±

    What a provocative question! However, no one in the audience voiced any objections. Instead, they all turned their attention to Su Bing, as they too were curious. The elementary school prodigy had probably traumatized He Jiang to the point where he didn¡¯t even show up for the award ceremony.

    Standing on the stage, Su Bing looked at the dense crowd below, remaining calm. He turned to the school leaders and said, ¡°Teacher, the answer to this question may damage the image of the school¡¯s students. May I answer it?¡±

 Chapter 839 - Chapter 839: School Rectification Campaign

    Chapter 839: School Rectification Campaign

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The school leader¡¯s smile froze, then morphed into a forced grin. With so many eyes watching and ears listening, he couldn¡¯t simply ignore the question, nor could he admit that he was unable to answer.

    The audacity of the boy was astounding. He could have answered the question directly, but by asking it publicly, he was essentially seeking the school¡¯s approval. From then on, even if he said something he shouldn¡¯t, the school would have no grounds to reprimand him.

    However, the school leader was confident. In Guangcheng, students from the First Bilingual Primary School were always praised wherever they went. He was genuinely curious as to what could possibly tarnish their reputation.

    After some thought, he responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, speak freely. If there is indeed an issue, it will serve as a lesson for all of us, pushing us to guide our students in a more scientific direction.¡±

    Su Bing had been waiting for this official rhetoric. He picked up the microphone and addressed the reporter, ¡°It¡¯s actually a minor issue. Before the final match, Senior He Jiang told me that since I was from a rural area, I should follow his instructions and help him score to bring honor to the school. I felt this was unfair, so I told him that he could also assist me in scoring.

    ¡°My mother always told me to walk the talk. So, during the match, I showed Senior He and those who have prejudices against rural children that the school¡¯s teaching of equality is correct. Even a rural child like me, with Senior He¡¯s assistance, can bring honor to the school. The fact is, Senior He did cooperate very well, and I am very grateful to him!¡±

    The school leader was taken aback by this unexpected response. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. In fact, before encountering Su Bing, he subconsciously believed that city children were smarter than rural children and looked down on them. Similarly, many teachers and parents in the audience lowered their heads in shame.

    Su Bing¡¯s actions not only slapped He Jiang¡¯s face but also theirs. He showed them that anything was possible and they should never underestimate anyone.

    Moreover, Su Bing¡¯s words hinted at something more. It seemed that he had faced a fair amount of discrimination at school because he was a rural child. Now that he had openly voiced this to the reporter, the school would have to respond, or it would be hard to justify.

    As Gu Zi looked on, she understood why the second runner-up had failed to show up. It turned out that he had underestimated the boss, and had been put in his place by the boss¡¯s formidable strength. Truly, the boss was a super villain worthy of his reputation in the original book.

    Cool!

    At this point, the school leader finally reacted. He had to maintain the school¡¯s image, so he made a promise to Su Bing on the spot.

    ¡°Su Bing,¡± he said, ¡°I assure you here and now that the school will immediately initiate a rectification campaign. We will regulate and scrutinize the conduct of all teachers and students. If any serious violations are found, the school will directly expel the offenders to rectify the school¡¯s ethos.¡±

    A few days later, Su Bing once again made the front page of the Education Daily.

    The issue of urban teachers, students, and parents discriminating against rural children, as reported by Su Bing, had drawn the attention of the education department. The education bureau issued a document requiring all urban schools to strictly rectify their ethos, promote interaction between urban and rural schools, and help township schools experience advanced and open education models.

    Meanwhile, the rectification of the ethos at the First Bilingual Primary School had achieved preliminary results. Teachers like Zhou Hua and He Li, who had severely damaged the school¡¯s ethos, were suspended from teaching.

    After the rectification, the school would consider whether to dismiss them.

    Zhou Hua was so angry that she ended up in the hospital. She had just thought of a way to deal with Su Li and his group, but how had she been suspended so suddenly?

    It wasn¡¯t just her suspension. Even the management fee for the snack street outside the school, which she had obtained for her husband through connections, had been taken away. If her husband found out about this, wouldn¡¯t he kill her?

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    Before Zhou Hua could figure out a solution, He Li stormed in, cursing and swearing, ¡°Zhou Hua, I thought you were my friend, but you¡¯ve ruined me. If it weren¡¯t for you telling me to deal with Su Bing, how could I have ended up suspended? I¡¯m telling you, if I get expelled from the school, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Zhou Hua was also furious. Seeing He Li turn against her, she retorted, ¡°You have the nerve to blame me? You¡¯re the fool who lost the team bonus, and let Su Bing cause such a big fuss right under your nose. Can you blame me for your stupidity? I haven¡¯t even started on how you¡¯ve dragged me down, you idiot!¡±

    The two women argued back and forth, and after a few rounds of verbal sparring, they ended up in a physical fight. Hair littered the hospital room.

    When a reporter came for a follow-up report, he happened to witness this dramatic scene. He captured it with his camera and it was published in the next day¡¯s Education Newspaper.

    The school leaders were furious. They felt that the school¡¯s reputation had been completely tarnished. They immediately decided, ¡°Zhou Hua and He Li will be directly expelled!¡±

 Chapter 840 - Chapter 840: Grassland Picnic

    Chapter 840: Grassland Picnic

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhou Hua had been dismissed, and the position of the head teacher for Class B2 of the first grade could not remain vacant for too long.

    After deliberation, the school leaders decided to appoint Yang Zhen, the Chinese language teacher, as the acting head teacher.

    Upon hearing this news, Yang Zhen hesitated, ¡°Leaders, if it¡¯s about teaching, I certainly won¡¯t refuse. But I¡¯ve never been a head teacher before. Could you consider other teachers first?¡±

    The school leaders looked at Yang Zhen, persuading her, ¡°Teacher Yang, why don¡¯t you give it a try? At the moment, we can¡¯t find a better candidate. Please help the school out. The school will give you the allowance of a formal head teacher.¡±

    Seeing that the leaders had said so much, Yang Zhen realized that it would be impolite to refuse further. She decided to accept the role, thinking it would provide her with more professional experience, self-improvement, and an additional allowance. It seemed like a good deal.

    On Saturday, Yang Zhen visited Su Li and the others in Jifu New Village. She had promised to visit earlier, but other matters had delayed her. Now that she had some free time, she brought a fruit basket and came over.

    Coincidentally, Gu Zi was planning to take the kids out for a picnic, and Yang Zhen was invited to join. The group arrived at the picnic site, where the lush green grass and wildflowers by the roadside symbolized the arrival of a new spring.

    Gu Zi and Yang Zhen spread out the picnic blanket on the green grass and laid out the food.

    This place, located to the north of Jifu New Village, was a large green field designated for people¡¯s leisure and play. The residents of the community loved to come here for picnics and play. However, since it was a bit far from the Su family¡¯s house, Gu Zi usually didn¡¯t come, only occasionally bringing the children for picnics.

    The recent spring breeze and the excellent weather outside, coupled with Jiang Nuan¡¯s visit and Gao Ming¡¯s presence, and Gu Zi¡¯s light workload, had inspired the idea of taking the children out for a picnic and kite flying. It was also a good opportunity for her to relax.

    As noon approached, the warm sunlight shone down on the grassland. Adults and children were eating and laughing, creating a light-hearted atmosphere.

    Yang Zhen commented, ¡°Gao Ming is really attached to Su Li. Look at them, they do everything together. They even share the same dessert. It¡¯s just like in class, if Su Li raises his hand, Gao Ming will definitely raise his hand too.¡±

    Gu Zi, holding up a sun umbrella, laughed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? Who says that only girls can have sticky friendships? Boys can too. By the way, how has Aunt Yang been recently? I haven¡¯t seen her for a while.¡±

    Before Yang Zhen could respond, Gu Zi saw Su Li and Gao Ming, both full from their meal, grabbing their kites to go fly them. Gu Zi cautioned them, ¡°Be careful, you two. Check in every once in a while, alright?¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± The two boys ran off with their kites, quickly disappearing from sight. Gu Zi withdrew her gaze and turned to Yang Zhen.

    Yang Zhen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as she began, ¡°I went back home for a bit. She¡¯s doing well, but my brother, remember how he was having issues with that woman? Now that she¡¯s gone, he¡¯s struggling to take care of the child. He¡¯s using work as an excuse to dump Yuan Yuan on my mother. I just don¡¯t understand, why have a child if you¡¯re not going to raise them?

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    ¡°Gu Zi, I¡¯m not the type to take out my frustrations with adults on children. I don¡¯t want to bring up the past, and I¡¯m not interested in holding grudges. I¡¯m just worried about my mother. She¡¯s getting on in years, and I want her to have an easier life. But I can¡¯t tell her to just ignore Yuan Yuan. The child is still young. If his parents don¡¯t care for him, and his grandmother doesn¡¯t either, it¡¯s truly pitiful.¡±

    Yang Zhen, who had been in good spirits, seemed to deflate after her speech, her expression turning somber. Gu Zi noticed this and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I understand what you mean. You¡¯re already doing a great job, Yang Zhen. I have a rough idea of Aunt Yang¡¯s personality. She always hopes that you, your brother, and Yuan Yuan will have good lives. As for herself, she doesn¡¯t think about it much.

    ¡°She¡¯s the type who can¡¯t sit still. If she wants to do something, let her do it. You¡¯re capable now, and to put it bluntly, you can support her. And I heard from Aunt Yang that you¡¯re getting married, right?¡±

    Gu Zi tried to steer the conversation towards a happier topic, as they were out to have fun. She casually asked the question, not expecting to stumble upon a juicy piece of gossip. Guan Xin really knew how to keep a secret.

    Upon hearing Gu Zi mention marriage, Yang Zhen indeed smiled, her face radiating happiness as she said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a soldier, currently stationed in the North Central Military Region. But in a few months, he¡¯ll be transferred here, and we¡¯ll have our wedding. I haven¡¯t told you yet, his name is Guan Ling, Guan Xin¡¯s older brother.¡±

 Chapter 841 - Chapter 841: Feeling Frightened

    Chapter 841: Feeling Frightened

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was slightly taken aback, but soon found the situation to be reasonable. After all, Yang Zhen and Guan Xin shared a close bond, and the Guan family was indeed quite open-minded. Unlike other prestigious families, they did not look down upon women of ordinary backgrounds.

    She said to Yang Zhen, ¡°So, your relationship with Guan Xin is not as simple as being good classmates. Congratulations, I must celebrate with a toast at your wedding.¡±

    Yang Zhen was naturally delighted and replied, ¡°Your presence at the wedding banquet is a must. I hope you will honor us with your presence.¡±

    The two adults, too lazy to move, sat on the picnic blanket, nibbling on food from time to time and chatting leisurely. Gu Zi, having eaten her fill and basking in the warmth of the sun on her back, suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of drowsiness. She wanted to sleep and asked Su Le to play with Yang Zhen while she took a nap.

    Seeing Gu Zi in this state, Yang Zhen, holding Su Le, laughed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but your mother seems a bit sluggish today. Let her sleep for a while. Your father is not at home, and she has to take care of several children alone. It¡¯s quite tiring. But our Lele is so well-behaved, your mother must be tired but happy.¡±

    And so, Yang Zhen amused Su Le, and the two played for a while.

    Gu Zi woke up twenty minutes later. Sitting up, she seemed to notice something amiss and turned to Su Bing, asking, ¡°Su Bing, have your brothers returned? Why isn¡¯t Jiang Nuan here?¡±

    Su Bing had been engrossed in solving problems. Miss Mi had sent him a thick book of advanced mathematics, the problems in which were quite challenging.

    Although Su Bing remembered his mother¡¯s reminder to rest well, he would work on the problems whenever he had spare time, finding them increasingly addictive. Even during the picnic, he had brought the book along.

    At his mother¡¯s question, he finally looked up, gazing towards the small grove to the north, and said, ¡°Su Li and the others have been coming back intermittently. But just now, their kite fell into the grove, and Jiang Nuan said she would help them find it.¡±

    Gu Zi cast her gaze towards the small grove, a sudden sense of foreboding washing over her. Swiftly, she scooped up Su Le into her arms and rose to her feet, turning to Su Bing, ¡°Which direction did they enter the grove from? We need to find them quickly.¡±

    Yang Zhen, puzzled by Gu Zi¡¯s sudden urgency, stood up as well.

    Gu Zi had just woken up, her complexion unusually pale.

    Su Bing set down his book and led the two adults towards the grove. He had caught a glimpse of Jiang Nuan¡¯s departure direction out of the corner of his eye. He didn¡¯t understand why his mother was suddenly so anxious, trying to reassure her, ¡°Mom, my brother and Gao Ming often play here. They¡¯re familiar with the area and won¡¯t get lost.¡±

    Despite Su Bing¡¯s reassurances, Gu Zi, still holding Su Le, quickened her pace. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about them getting lost,¡± she explained, ¡°When we arrived, I noticed a van parked at the edge of the grove. It was strange, but I didn¡¯t think much of it. When I woke up, the van was gone, and so were they. I can¡¯t shake this uneasy feeling. I won¡¯t be at ease until I see them.¡±

    As Gu Zi moved towards the grove, she silently prayed that her bad premonition wouldn¡¯t come true. She didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen. She was truly panicked and scared.

    Soon, they reached the grove, but there was no sign of the three children. They immediately split up to search for the kids. Gu Zi took Su Le in one direction, while Yang Zhen led Su Bing in another.

    The grove wasn¡¯t large, and it would only take about ten minutes to circle it. However, the dense vegetation made it difficult to navigate. After a thorough search, they were all sweating profusely.

    Despite their efforts, they found no trace of the children. Gu Zi, both anxious and hot, used her hat to fan herself and Su Le, continuing to call out, ¡°Su Li, Gao Ming, Jiang Nuan, where are you? Respond if you hear us¡­¡±

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    Yang Zhen, also failing to spot the children, finally understood Gu Zi¡¯s urgency and joined in the calling.

    Su Bing, however, had a sudden idea. He ran to the grassland to ask the other people playing there, ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am, have you seen a girl in red overalls? She was with two little boys, did they come out of the grove?¡±

    Su Bing¡¯s description was accurate, and the person he asked immediately remembered, ¡°I do recall seeing them heading into the grove about ten minutes ago. I didn¡¯t see them come out, though. What¡¯s going on? You can¡¯t find them?¡±

    Seeing the group searching for the children, the passersby gathered around, eager to help. Many of them had seen the three children enter the grove. ¡°Yes, we saw them too, but we didn¡¯t see them come out. Have you searched the grove?¡±

    ¡°One of you should call the police if you can¡¯t find them,¡± one of the bystanders suggested, ¡°I remember reading in the newspaper recently about a lot of children going missing in the city. Those child traffickers, they¡¯re so desperate for money they¡¯d dare to come here and steal our children!¡±

 Chapter 842 - Chapter 842: Selling Children

    Chapter 842: Selling Children

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In a moment of panic, the words ¡®child traffickers¡¯ flashed through Su Bing¡¯s mind.

    His eyes darted around, searching for Gu Zi, only to find her already collapsed in Yang Zhen¡¯s arms, her face ashen. She had barely managed to keep herself from fainting.

    Su Bing rushed over to assist Yang Zhen in supporting her, pulling his sister close. The crowd around them, moved by the scene, began to gather.

    ¡°Stay strong, miss,¡± they urged, ¡°You should call the police immediately.¡±

    Supported by the two men, Gu Zi managed to steady herself, though her voice still trembled as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle this. We need to call the police. Is there a public phone nearby?¡±

    The disappearance of the child was not a plot point in the original book, but she knew that Su Li lived through the later parts of the story, so she knew that everything should be fine. However, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread.

    If the child had indeed been taken by traffickers, the outcome would undoubtedly be grim. How could she not worry?

    A man stepped forward to inform Gu Zi, ¡°There¡¯s a public phone not far from here, at the convenience store. You should hurry. We¡¯ll help look for the three children. Hopefully, it¡¯s just a false alarm.¡±

    With that, the crowd dispersed, many venturing into the nearby woods to aid in the search.

    Gu Zi and Yang Zhen headed towards the convenience store to call the police.

    Afterward, Gu Zi sent Su Bing and Su Le home, making a detour to inform the Gao family. Gao Ming was also missing, and they had to be notified.

    Grandma Gao nearly fainted upon hearing the news, but Grandpa Gao reacted quickly. ¡°Damn those traffickers! We must eradicate them completely this time!¡±

    Grandpa Gao immediately dialed a number.

    Gu Zi listened from the side, realizing he was calling the military. This was good news. With the military¡¯s help, their chances of finding the children greatly increased.

    ¡®Su Li, Su Li,¡¯ she thought, ¡®You must remember what your mother taught you. Use your wits¡­¡¯

    Meanwhile, an old van was bumpily making its way down the road. The two men and a woman in the front seat relaxed their previously tense expressions. The men even cracked open beers to celebrate.

    ¡°Xie Chang, you really came through this time,¡± one of them said, ¡°Thanks to your wife¡¯s inside information, we¡¯ve got some valuable goods. But that neighborhood isn¡¯t just any place, so we need to get far away. Once we¡¯re out of Guangcheng, we¡¯ll head north. I¡¯ll take you two to meet the boss. Stick with him, and you¡¯ll never have to worry about wealth or status again. It¡¯s much better than your wife being a lousy teacher!¡±

    ¡°Brother Gua,¡± the other man asked, ¡°How much can we get for these three kids? How much will my wife and I get? I trust you, so give me a hint, will you?¡±

    Driving his car, a man known as Brother Gua had loosened up after downing a bottle of beer. ¡°These children, just as you said, are all students from a top-tier primary school. Their families must be well-off, and good genes fetch a high price. Many families in the North desire boys but can¡¯t have them. These two boys could bring in a substantial sum. You two could at least get two thousand each.¡±

    He continued, ¡°As for the girl, she¡¯s quite a beauty and comes from a good background. If we sell her to the red-light district, you two could at least get eight hundred each. Let me tell you, after a few more deals like this, you could afford a big house and a car.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xie Chang¡¯s eyes reddened with excitement. He alternated between laughter and tears, hugging and kissing his wife, whom he usually berated and hit. ¡°Zhou Hua, did you hear that? I¡¯ve spent most of my life being honest, and I¡¯ve racked up a mountain of debt in Guangcheng. Now, if we do this one job with Brother Gua and run, not only can we forget about our old debts, but we¡¯ll also become rich. We¡¯re going to be rich!¡±

    Zhou Hua glanced outside; they had already left the city. She then looked at the three unconscious children in the back. She knew there was no turning back, but she didn¡¯t blame herself. It was Gu Zi and the others who had forced her into this corner. If anyone was to blame, it was them!

    However, Zhou Hua was still somewhat afraid. She urged Brother Gua, ¡°Can you drive faster, Brother Gua? If we get caught, it¡¯s all over.¡±

    Brother Gua tossed his beer bottle out the window and chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re clearly a newbie. After a few more jobs, you¡¯ll calm down. It¡¯s not that easy for them to catch us. Do you think I¡¯ve managed to sell children for so long because I¡¯m a pushover?¡±

    Xie Chang, afraid of angering Brother Gua, quickly reassured him, ¡°My wife is just being a worrywart, Brother Gua. You¡¯re not going to let them catch us, right?¡±

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    Xie Chang¡¯s flattery made Brother Gua beam with delight.

    Just then, a childish voice filled with confusion rang out, ¡°Teacher Zhou, why are we in your car?¡±

    Zhou Hua stiffened with fear, not daring to respond. Xie Chang also broke out in a cold sweat. Although they were not good people, this was their first time selling children, and their nervousness was inevitable.

    The man driving the car, however, was much more composed. He glanced back and growled menacingly, ¡°Shut up, or don¡¯t blame me for giving you a beating.¡±

    Su Li quickly covered his mouth, and Gao Ming, the boy next to him, also woke up. The two boys locked eyes, their expressions filled with fear and confusion.

 Chapter 843 - Chapter 843: Breakthrough

    Chapter 843: Breakthrough

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gao Ming reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Teacher Zhou is someone we know. She won¡¯t treat us too badly. Sir, you¡¯re quite handsome. Are you Teacher Zhou¡¯s husband?¡±

    His question was directed at the man driving the car.

    Brother Gua, the man in question, chuckled at the comment, while Xie Chang, sitting beside him, looked at Gao Ming in disbelief and annoyance. ¡°You little brat, can¡¯t you see? Zhou Hua is my woman!¡± he retorted.

    Brother Gua laughed heartily, ¡°Indeed, you are a child from the First Bilingual Primary School. Your perception is impressive. You can tell who¡¯s in charge just by looking!¡±

    Brother Gua¡¯s words couldn¡¯t have been clearer. He was the leader, and Xie Chang had no choice but to flatter him, ¡°Indeed, Brother Gua is wise and powerful. He is no ordinary man. But Brother Gua, these two little ones are awake now. What if they cause trouble later?¡±

    Brother Gua sneered, ¡°Then we¡¯ll cut off their little heads and bury them somewhere. We¡¯ll separate the heads from the bodies to make their deaths more gruesome. Even as ghosts, they¡¯ll be terrifying and despised. We¡¯re in the middle of nowhere, do you think I¡¯m afraid of these little things?¡±

    In the past, when he caught these little ones, a little scare was all it took to keep them in line. Brother Gua was experienced and not worried about these two boys playing any tricks. He had plenty of ways to deal with them.

    Sure enough, upon hearing these words, the two boys in the back of the car immediately quieted down. They remained silent for a good while. The girl, possibly due to the strong effects of the drug, was still unconscious.

    As the car passed through a town, Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Wasn¡¯t this Pingshui Town?

    He nudged Jiang Nuan, who was still in a daze.

    Jiang Nuan opened her eyes briefly before falling back into her stupor.

    Su Li, however, became restless again. He leaned against the trunk, his eyes fixed on the soda by the car window, ¡°Teacher Zhou, sirs, I¡¯m so thirsty!¡±

    Zhou Hua, both scared and annoyed, turned around and scolded, ¡°Thirsty? Stop playing tricks. Let me tell you, you won¡¯t see your mother again. It¡¯s better to behave and avoid getting beaten!¡±

    The man driving the car, however, glanced at Zhou Hua, grabbed a bottle, and threw it into the trunk.

    As long as the child didn¡¯t make a fuss, what was the harm in letting him drink some water? They were passing through a town, and if the two children started making a scene, that would be the real trouble.

    Seeing Brother Gua¡¯s displeasure, Xie Chang secretly twisted Zhou Hua¡¯s arm. Zhou Hua bit her lip in pain and finally kept quiet.

    Su Li picked up the sweet soda and guzzled it down with a ¡°glug-glug¡± sound. Seeing this, Gao Ming also made a fuss, ¡°I want sweet soda too, I want it too!¡±

    Brother Gua furrowed his brows, finding the little girl easier to handle. However, the higher price fetched by boys made him relent. He quickly tossed another bottle of soda to the back, finally restoring some peace. The vehicle smoothly drove through the rural town¡­

    In the city, the police had already initiated a carpet search. There had been several cases of missing children before, but usually, it was one at a time. This time, three children had disappeared all at once, and that too from the heavily guarded Jifu New Village.

    The missing children each had influential backgrounds, making the situation even more peculiar. The entire Guangcheng was in an uproar, with numerous reporters rushing to cover the story.

    At the police station, Captain He arranged for Gu Zi to wait for news. Before he left, he reassured Gu Zi, ¡°Before Su Shen left, he entrusted me to take care of you. Rest assured, I will investigate thoroughly and bring the three children back.¡±

    Despite this, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t sit still and wait. She paced back and forth in the hall, contemplating various possibilities. She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into someone, ¡°Miss, are you alright? Watch where you¡¯re going, I have an urgent matter to report to the police.¡±

    After steadying Gu Zi, the man hurried to the window and told the officer, ¡°Officer, my van has been stolen at¡­¡±

    Gu Zi overheard a familiar address and felt like she had found a breakthrough. She quickly approached and interrupted the man, ¡°Do you live on Huaiyang Road? Do you know Zhou Hua?¡±

    The man had just mentioned an address to the officer, and it was unmistakably Zhou Hua¡¯s address.

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    Gu Zi considered a possibility and rushed forward, causing the man to step back in surprise.

    The officer quickly explained, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t be afraid. This lady¡¯s child is missing and hasn¡¯t been found yet. We apologize for the disturbance. I have already recorded the information about your van. Please answer her question.¡±

    Upon hearing about the missing child, the man naturally understood and thought for a moment before replying, ¡°I know Zhou Hua, she lives across from me. However, I don¡¯t interact much with her. I have some dealings with her husband. She¡¯s a teacher, and I¡¯m just a laborer who transports sand.¡±

    The officer quickly checked his notes and asked, ¡°From what you just said, your van is your transport tool, and you frequently enter and exit Jifu New Village, helping residents transport sand and cement. Coincidentally, the children also disappeared from Jifu New Village.¡±

    The officer¡¯s words frightened the man, who quickly clarified, ¡°Officer, Miss, I¡¯m a good person, not a human trafficker!¡±

 Chapter 844 - Chapter 844: Insider Information

    Chapter 844: Insider Information

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon seeing the man break into a cold sweat, Gu Zi hurriedly clarified, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re not suspecting you. Your arrival is rather timely, providing us with a breakthrough in the case. We suspect that the child¡¯s disappearance and the theft of your car are related, both incidents possibly involving Zhou Hua and her husband.¡±

    Gu Zi had now fully regained her composure, her eyes sparkling with renewed vigor.

    Based on this new lead, she began to speculate. Zhou Hua had recently lost her job, and her husband was without a source of income. It was likely that they harbored resentment towards Su Bing, who indirectly caused Zhou Hua¡¯s job loss.

    They might have conspired to harm someone, and since Su Bing was older and not an easy target, Zhou Hua had set her sights on Su Bing¡¯s younger brother, Su Li.

    Gu Zi occasionally read the newspaper and had come across reports of child abduction cases. The kidnappers typically stole a car before abducting a child, using the stolen vehicle to transport the child far away before abandoning it in the wilderness, leaving the police with no leads.

    Information previously provided by Grandma Gao about Zhou Hua mentioned that Zhou Hua¡¯s husband, Xie Chang, was a lazy man who relied on Zhou Hua¡¯s professional convenience to gain control of a snack street outside the school.

    He often flaunted this, and his daily interactions were mostly with unsavory characters. Therefore, the possibility of Xie Chang knowing child traffickers was quite high.

    Assuming Zhou Hua simply wanted to take revenge on Su Bing, taking Su Li would have been enough. She wouldn¡¯t have needed to take other children. However, she chose to take Gao Ming and Jiang Nuan, who were with Su Li.

    This suggested that Zhou Hua and her husband were likely seeking both revenge and profit through the children, possibly in collaboration with a child trafficking gang.

    The man whose van was stolen lived across the street from Zhou Hua¡¯s house. He had bought a second-hand van for work, used for transporting sand and gravel. He mentioned that he had frequent interactions with Zhou Hua¡¯s husband, which meant that Xie Chang was aware of his van and knew where it was usually parked. When he needed a tool for his crime, he might have stolen the van to kidnap the children.

    There was a crucial reason for using this van. It was often seen entering and exiting Ji Fu Xin Village, so both the security guards at the gate and the patrol guards in the community were likely familiar with it. They wouldn¡¯t scrutinize it too much, making it easier to enter and exit the community and commit the crime.

    Clearly, the police officer had also sensed something was amiss. He quickly questioned the man who had lost his van, which was exactly what Gu Zi wanted to ask, ¡°Sir, when was the last time you saw the couple?¡±

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s explanation, the man who had lost his van finally felt at ease. At least he hadn¡¯t lost his van and gotten himself into trouble. He reflected for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m certain that the last time I saw them was three days ago. Their house was in an uproar that day, with Xie Chang beating Zhou Hua again. It wasn¡¯t anything new, probably because Zhou Hua had been fired by the school.¡±

    No sooner had the words left his mouth than a frail female voice echoed from the front, ¡°Gu Zi, I know some inside information about your child¡¯s disappearance. If you trust me, I¡¯ll tell you, but please don¡¯t hold me responsible. I just didn¡¯t react in time.¡±

    Gu Zi looked up to see He Li, the teacher who had been fired along with Zhou Hua during the recent school rectification campaign.

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    Gu Zi approached her and said, ¡°I will believe whatever you say. Please tell me everything you know. I will be eternally grateful.¡±

    Gu Zi choked up a bit. He Li looked at her and said, ¡°I was foolish before. After being fired and spending these days at home, I¡¯ve come to realize a few things. I deserved to be fired. I, who lack a sense of equality, am not fit to be a teacher. There¡¯s no need for gratitude. I¡¯m here to atone and I hope I can help you.¡±

    The police officer, growing impatient, interjected, ¡°Miss He, now is not the time for such talk. Please tell us what you know.¡±

    He Li said, ¡°The day before yesterday, Zhou Hua came to me, venting her grievances and wanting to drag me into taking revenge on you. She said that since we had lost our jobs, we still needed to live. She had a way to take the Su family¡¯s child out and sell him in another province. We could make a fortune. It was then that I realized what a dishonest person my colleague of many years was. All I felt at that moment was regret.

    ¡°I may have been misguided, but I have been an educator for several years. I thought Zhou Hua was just venting her frustrations. It wasn¡¯t until today, when I heard everyone talking about the missing children, that I realized Zhou Hua was serious. I came here to make amends. All I know is that Zhou Hua and her accomplices plan to take the children north to sell them¡­¡±

 Chapter 845 - Chapter 845: Three Idiots

    Chapter 845: Three Idiots

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    To the North! Gu Zi and the police officer¡¯s eyes lit up as they finally stumbled upon a crucial clue.

    The officer immediately relayed this information. Upon receiving it, Captain He led his team out of the city, heading north. The military also set up checkpoints in the north, thoroughly inspecting all passing vehicles. As long as the traffickers hadn¡¯t left the province, there was still hope.

    News soon arrived from Pingshui Town.

    Jin Long had discovered some peculiar traces of river sand along the route in Pingshui Town, as if someone had deliberately left them. Jin Long had already followed these traces and had notified the men at the local pig farm to cease their work for the day and arm themselves.

    Gu Zi and the parents of the other two children were overjoyed. They were certain these traces were left by their children. Now, there was hope!

    As darkness fell, Gu Zi, like Grandma Gao and the others, remained at the police station, unable to ease their minds enough to return home. She had to wait here.

    Yang Zhen, seeing her like this, couldn¡¯t bear to leave her alone and stayed with her at the station.

    Yang Zhen comforted Gu Zi, ¡°I¡¯ve already made a call. Guan Ling has agreed to help. He¡¯s the commander of the North Central Military Region. With his help, we can quickly set up checkpoints in several important cities in the north. Whether or not they¡¯ve left the province, the traffickers won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±

    Meanwhile, Zhou Hua and her group¡¯s van was stalled upon entering a village.

    A group of tall men armed with hoes and shovels approached, intending to surround the unfamiliar vehicle.

    Brother Gua was at his wit¡¯s end. Was this a village? If he didn¡¯t know any better, he¡¯d think it was a bandit¡¯s den. Since when did village security become so tight?

    He viciously threatened the three children in the back, ¡°If we really have to get out of the car, you¡¯ll say you¡¯re our children. You¡¯re traveling with your parents to study abroad. If you don¡¯t follow this story, we¡¯ll sell you three little things off in this broken village. The boys will serve a legless old man, and the girl will become a child bride for these poor people!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the three children huddled together in fear. Jiang Nuan had also woken up by now. In reality, she had run out of mud and sand. She couldn¡¯t maintain her previous position any longer and had to wake up. She could only hope that the traces she had left behind would be discovered. She had wanted to cry for a long time, but she couldn¡¯t yet.

    However, Gao Ming was genuinely scared, while Jiang Nuan saw a glimmer of hope. She looked at Su Li, ¡°Isn¡¯t this your hometown?¡±

    Su Li nodded in secret agreement, a sense of triumph swelling within him. Zhou Hua was such a fool, not realizing that this country boy was originally from Daqing Village. Now, they had unwittingly brought him back to his hometown. What a trio of buffoons!

    All he needed to do now was wait for them to open the car door. Then, he would call out to the uncles outside. However, he wondered why the uncles from the pig farm, who usually slaughtered pigs, were now armed and blocking the road.

    The pig farm in Daqing must be deserted now. In a while, he planned to take Gao Ming to see the piglets, and Jiang Nuan as well.

    In less than a minute, the men outside had surrounded the vehicle, demanding the occupants to step out for a routine check.

    Brother Gua, left with no choice, had to comply. After all, he had encountered such villages before. Even if the three children were exposed, he wasn¡¯t afraid. A few hundred yuan would be enough to dismiss these unsophisticated villagers.

    However, what he didn¡¯t expect was that as soon as he opened the car door and stepped out, the timid boy who had been cowering suddenly shouted, ¡°Uncle Liu, Uncle Li, I¡¯m Su Li! Catch them, they¡¯re human traffickers!¡±

    The faces of Zhou Hua and his wife turned pale. They hurriedly tried to silence Su Li, but before they could even leave their seats, they were grabbed by the collar.

    Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Brother Gua being subdued by two burly men. Immediately after, they were dragged out of the car, the furious shouts of the towering men ringing in their ears.

    ¡°Damn human traffickers, daring to kidnap the young master of our Daqing pig farm. You¡¯re really asking for trouble. Everyone, beat them up, just don¡¯t kill them!¡±

    Seven or eight men rushed forward, knocking the three to the ground. A flurry of punches and kicks later, the trio were wailing like slaughtered pigs, rolling on the ground as the beating continued.

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    Meanwhile, a few other men hurriedly opened the rear of the vehicle, rescuing Su Li and the others.

    Su Li was extremely pleased. He jumped out of the car, pulling Gao Ming and Jiang Nuan with him.

    Seeing the relaxed expressions on the other two, Gao Ming was confused. These men were terrifying. Had they just escaped from the tiger¡¯s den only to enter the wolf¡¯s lair? It was enough to send shivers down his spine!

    Seeing Gao Ming¡¯s fear, Su Li quickly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Gao Ming. This is my hometown. I used to live here. That¡¯s my father¡¯s pig farm up ahead. There are lots of cute little pigs inside.¡±

    Jiang Nuan patted Gao Ming¡¯s head, joining in the reassurance, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been here before. This is Su Li¡¯s hometown. We¡¯re safe now!¡±

 Chapter 846 - Chapter 846: Fools Have Their Own Luck

    Chapter 846: Fools Have Their Own Luck

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gao Ming surveyed his surroundings, his eyes landing on the locals punishing the human traffickers. A smile finally broke through his fear-stricken face. ¡°Thank goodness, we¡¯ve been saved. I thought I would never see my grandparents again,¡± he sobbed.

    His laughter soon turned into tears, the fear from their harrowing journey still fresh in his mind. His body trembled as tears streamed down his face.

    Jiang Nuan, seeing his state, wiped his tears away while Su Li comforted him. ¡°My mother always said to stay calm in the face of adversity. There¡¯s always a solution. We did well just now, and I will protect you. Have you forgotten? I know martial arts!¡±

    Gao Ming, still sobbing, slowly calmed down. ¡°Right, Su Li, you know martial arts. Even if no one came to save us, you could have protected us. You could have defeated the traffickers. Su Li, you are our little hero!¡±

    Su Li nodded, ¡°Of course, I would have thrown a left hook, a right kick, and in a few moves, the traffickers would have been down. I would have drawn a big turtle on their heads, tied them up, and taken them to the police station. Let Captain He arrest them and give them a taste of their own medicine!¡±

    Gao Ming finally stopped crying. The three children, hand in hand, danced in a circle, celebrating their rescue. They paid no mind to the miserable state of the traffickers.

    Soon, the entire village was alerted. The village head, along with others, rushed over.

    Seeing Su Li, he looked puzzled, ¡°Su Li, how did you come back alone?¡±

    Su Li, holding Gao Ming¡¯s hand, who in turn was holding Jiang Nuan¡¯s, led the trio towards the pig farm. As he responded to the village head, his voice echoed in the distance, ¡°Hello, village head. I came back to play. Now, I¡¯m taking my friends to see the piglets.¡±

    With that, they disappeared from sight. The village head and others learned from the pig farm workers that the children had narrowly escaped being trafficked. The traffickers¡¯ vehicle had passed through Daqing Village and was intercepted by the workers, saving the children.

    The village head broke out in a cold sweat, ¡°What a fortunate misfortune!¡±

    After the initial shock, the villagers couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°These children are indeed lucky, especially Su Li. I¡¯ve always said, ¡®Fools have their own luck.¡¯ This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of traffickers returning their victims home,¡± they chuckled.

    Aunt Zhang, with Shi Tou in tow, was also among the crowd.

    Upon hearing that Su Li was safe, her heart finally settled.

    She wanted to take Shi Tou home to sleep, but Shi Tou, seeing Su Li, refused to leave. He started to fuss, ¡°I want to go play with Brother Su Li. I haven¡¯t seen him in a long time. I don¡¯t want to go home!¡±

    Upon receiving the news, Jin Long too rushed to Daqing Village, accompanied by a group of bodyguards from the Golden Sun Hotel.

    Their presence was so commanding that it left the village chief dumbfounded. ¡°Jin Long,¡± he stammered, ¡°Su Shen isn¡¯t here. Have you gotten yourself mixed up with the underworld?¡±

    Jin Long cleared his throat lightly, ¡°Village Chief, don¡¯t tease me. These men are here to help me find the child. They may look fierce, but they¡¯re good people. Once we catch the human traffickers, we¡¯ll hand them over to the police. In fact, I¡¯ll personally escort them there.¡±

    Upon hearing their young master¡¯s orders, the bodyguards, expressionless, stepped forward. They hoisted up the three traffickers and tossed them into the cargo truck as if they were dead pigs.

    The crowd cheered, ¡°Excellent! These damned traffickers deserve to be taken to the police station!¡±

    Meanwhile, Su Li, oblivious to the adults¡¯ affairs, was busy feeding piglets in his family¡¯s pigsty with two of his friends. He was having a great time, especially when he saw his friend, Shi Tou, who had come alone.

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    Excited, Su Li quickly introduced him to Gao Ming, ¡°This is Shi Tou, my best friend in Daqing Village. From now on, you two will be good friends. Shi Tou, this is Gao Ming, my best friend from the city.¡±

    Shi Tou looked at Gao Ming, who was dressed in nice clothes and new leather shoes ¨C things he didn¡¯t have. Remembering his grandmother¡¯s words, he quietly asked Su Li, ¡°Grandma said that the kids you meet in the city are different. Su Li, can we still be friends?¡±

    Su Li nodded, ¡°Shi Tou, we will always be friends. Gao Ming won¡¯t look down on villagers because he doesn¡¯t look down on me.¡±

    Gao Ming seemed to sense Shi Tou¡¯s insecurity. Although he was initially shy, he stepped forward and took Shi Tou¡¯s hand, ¡°Little brother Shi Tou, you can come to play with us in the city anytime. A friend of Su Li¡¯s is a friend of mine!¡±

    Shi Tou finally cheered up and joined the piglet feeding squad. He listened as Su Li proudly declared, ¡°These piglets are all raised by my father. The whole village, the town, even the city, they all eat pork from my family¡¯s farm.¡±

 Chapter 847 - Chapter 847: If Hes Lost, Hes Lost

    Chapter 847: If He¡¯s Lost, He¡¯s Lost

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gao Ming cradled a piglet in his arms, finding the creature utterly amusing. His gaze swept over the seemingly endless pigsty, a sight that left him in awe. ¡°How many pigs must there be?¡± he wondered aloud, his eyes wide with fascination. ¡°Your father is truly remarkable. The next time I see my father, I¡¯ll urge him to start a pig farm, just like yours!¡±

    Su Li held his head high, a sense of pride washing over him. After feeding the piglets, he led his small group of friends to visit the larger pigs and experience the task of cutting pig feed. The children were so engrossed in their play that they stayed until late into the night, unwilling to leave.

    Aunt Zhang and the others had no choice but to accompany them, waiting until the children were tired before leading them back to the Su family¡¯s house for rest.

    Aunt Zhang had maintained the Su family¡¯s vacant house exceptionally well. The beds were neatly made, ready for occupants, and the house was spotlessly clean, showing no signs of disuse.

    Despite holding the keys to the Su family¡¯s house, Aunt Zhang was responsible and never misused the property. Even when relatives visited and her husband suggested they stay in the Su house to save money, she firmly refused.

    The following morning, Jin Long prepared to send the three children back to the city. However, before they could set off, both the police and military sent convoys to escort the children. The grandeur of the situation left the villagers stunned, and they gathered around to watch the spectacle.

    As the villagers watched the children being carefully escorted into the vehicles by the police and military, they were left in awe. They followed the convoy for a considerable distance, discussing amongst themselves. ¡°These children must come from influential backgrounds. Those kidnappers certainly bit off more than they could chew this time!¡±

    ¡°Perhaps the other two are from influential families, but isn¡¯t Su Shen a retired soldier? However, now that the Su family has moved to the city and their child attends the best school in Guangcheng, they must be mingling with high society. They are our only connection to the upper class. We shouldn¡¯t have listened to those rumors and opposed Su Shen¡¯s wife. Thankfully, they are generous people and didn¡¯t hold our mistakes against us.¡±

    ¡°They must have their own strengths. Look at Su Shen, his pig farm benefits our villagers. And Gu Zi is also impressive, leading her family in business and even opening a store in the city. I heard the city branch is even more popular than the one in town, with daily purchase limits. City dwellers have to line up early in the morning to get their hands on their products.¡±

    In the city, the news of three children being abducted had spread throughout the military compound. When it was heard that one of them was the stepson of Gu Zi, the attention towards this incident heightened.

    Zhang Mei had barely stepped out of the compound when she was questioned by five or six people about the matter. Zhang Mei responded with a cold laugh, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m heartless, but my adopted daughter no longer sees me as her mother. I have no control over this matter.¡±

    Aunt Wang, who worked at the police station, was also present. Upon hearing that Gu Zi¡¯s stepson had been kidnapped by human traffickers, she almost burst into laughter. She took the opportunity to badmouth Gu Zi, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between raising her and a thankless wolf? Not to mention us, even the people in the compound who watched her grow up from a young age, she now turns her back on us. She¡¯s made me clean toilets at the station, and I still haven¡¯t been reinstated.

    ¡°A while ago, when your Gu family asked her for help to secure two academic positions, she was unwilling. I think it¡¯s karma that she¡¯s been taught a lesson by the human traffickers. It¡¯s too lenient on her, just losing an adopted son. Perhaps the traffickers¡¯ actions are exactly what she wanted.

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    ¡°But she still has to keep up appearances. I heard her husband isn¡¯t home, she¡¯ll inevitably come to ask for help from your Gu family. After all, Gu Shan is a military man.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei scoffed, ¡°She wishes. We won¡¯t help her. Isn¡¯t she very good to her stepsons? She reserved such good academic positions for the two stepsons, but didn¡¯t offer a single one as a repayment for our nurturing. Not to mention the incident of my Miaomiao going to jail, she has no face to ask us for help. Even if she knocks her head open, we won¡¯t help.

    ¡°It¡¯s just an adopted son. If he¡¯s lost, he¡¯s lost. She¡¯s always busy with work and running her shop. Now that the child is lost, who can she blame? It¡¯s her irresponsibility, not taking care of the child. In this day and age, once a child is lost, there¡¯s no finding them.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of that man surnamed Su, he¡¯s been gone for about a month, right? With no news for so long, he might have found someone better and won¡¯t come back. It¡¯s not unheard of for a man to abandon his wife and child.¡±

    Aunt Wang became more delighted as she listened, and instigated further, ¡°Your Gu family needs to be even more careful. If her husband doesn¡¯t come home, she might set her sights on Gong Zhan. After all, she and Gong Zhan have had a bond since childhood. Plus, with your Lin Miao in jail¡­¡±

 Chapter 848 - Chapter 848: Family Reunion

    Chapter 848: Family Reunion

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei could not bear to hear such words. Originally, the Gong couple had been waiting for Lin Miao to be released from prison so they could divorce Gong Zhan and make other plans. Now, with the addition of Gu Zi, everything was in chaos!

    Her face darkened, her words harsh, ¡°My Miaomiao is in prison because of Gu Zi. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi deliberately escalating the situation, my Miaomiao wouldn¡¯t need to be in jail. It¡¯s all because of that despicable Gu Zi.¡±

    Seeing Zhang Mei curse her adopted daughter in such a way, the surrounding people raised their eyebrows in surprise. Aunt Wang was also taken aback. Was this the Zhang Mei she knew?

    Zhang Mei had always been foolish, prone to stirring up trouble and easily provoked. But on the surface, she had always maintained a decent demeanor, never resorting to foul language for the sake of face.

    What had happened today? In front of so many people, she had actually uttered such offensive words.

    Perhaps it was because she had been having a fierce quarrel with Gu Shan. She had heard that Gu Shan had been away from home for a long time under the pretext of participating in a major drill. Coupled with the Gong family¡¯s clear intention to divorce, Zhang Mei¡¯s resentment was probably heavier than a ghost¡¯s. No wonder she disregarded her own dignity. This family was truly interesting!

    Aunt Wang had been feeling wronged and was now cleaning toilets at the police station, unable to return to her previous position. Seeing the jokes of the Gu family and their adopted daughter had already brought her much joy. She was not doing well, but now the Gu family and their adopted daughter were doing even worse, which made her feel much better.

    However, Zhang Mei did not consider Aunt Wang¡¯s true intentions. She had been holding back for a long time, and now, taking the opportunity to mock her adopted daughter, she couldn¡¯t stop once she started. She didn¡¯t even notice that Mrs. Chen had just passed by with a group of soldiers.

    Aunt Wang reminded her, ¡°Zhang Mei, Mrs. Chen has gone out with some people. They said they were going to help Gu Zi find her child. Look.¡±

    Following the direction of Aunt Wang¡¯s finger, Zhang Mei indeed saw Mrs. Chen and her daughter, leading a group of soldiers out of the main gate. She didn¡¯t care about the people here and hurriedly chased after them, ¡°In-laws, what¡¯s going on? Where are you going?¡±

    Mrs. Chen turned around, saw Zhang Mei, and her expression was cold. She didn¡¯t want to say much to her and simply said, ¡°We¡¯re going to help Gu Zi find her child.¡±

    After saying this, Mrs. Chen turned to leave, but Zhang Mei shamelessly chased after her again, ¡°I heard that the police have already been notified. There¡¯s no need to trouble you, in-law. It¡¯s just a country child, there¡¯s no need to alarm you. It¡¯s all Gu Zi¡¯s fault for not watching her child properly.¡±

    Upon seeing her persistent obstruction and hearing her harsh words, even the most patient person would lose their temper. Mrs. Chen, unable to bear it any longer, shook off Zhang Mei¡¯s hand and retorted angrily, ¡°Please stop calling me your in-law. Allowing Lin Miao to marry Gong Zhan was the biggest mistake I¡¯ve ever made. I regret it every day. Don¡¯t try to stop me from helping Gu Zi. I was blind to have given up on Gu Zi, a true gem, and chosen Lin Miao instead.¡±

    After a pause, she continued, ¡°Today, in front of everyone in this courtyard, I reiterate that the marriage between Gong Zhan and Lin Miao is untenable. They must divorce, whether they want to or not. I heard some of the insults you hurled at Gu Zi. I have a word for you too. It seems that Lin Miao didn¡¯t become so bad because she grew up in the countryside, but rather because she takes after you. The root of the problem lies with you.¡±

    With that, Mrs. Chen, without looking back, pulled her daughter into the car and drove off, leaving Zhang Mei standing there, too stunned to pay attention to the mocking laughter of the surrounding people.

    She was frustrated and regretful. Damn it, she had blurted out her true feelings, and Mrs. Chen had heard everything. What was she to do now? Mrs. Chen had just said that Gong Zhan was definitely going to divorce Lin Miao. What would become of her dear Miaomiao?

    No, they couldn¡¯t divorce. She had to find the army, find Gu Shan, and ask him to find a solution. Lin Miao was his daughter; he had to save her and preserve this marriage¡­

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    On the other side, the children had been returned to Jifu New Village and reunited with their families. The moment Su Li ran up to her, Gu Zi¡¯s tears burst forth. She squatted down and hugged him tightly, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I should have taken better care of you. I shouldn¡¯t have dozed off.¡±

    Seeing his mother cry, Su Li felt a pang of heartache. He had initially been quite happy about returning to his old home, but now he realized how dangerous the situation had been. If the traffickers had really taken them away, he would never see his mother, brother, or sister again. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mom. You didn¡¯t let me down,¡± he sobbed.

    Su Bing also ran over, hugging his brother and mother, and apologized to his brother, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Su Li. It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have been so engrossed in my book that I let you and Gao Ming wander off to play alone. Jiang Nuan had the foresight to accompany you to pick up the kite, but I didn¡¯t think of it.¡±

    He felt utterly useless. How could his studies be more important than his brother? Su Bing made a silent vow. No matter where he went or what he did, he would stick to his brother like glue, always keeping part of his attention on him. He would never let his brother face danger alone again.

 Chapter 849 - Chapter 849: Simply Despicable

    Chapter 849: Simply Despicable

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the vicinity, the Jiang family had also arrived. After a bout of tears and lamentations, they took Jiang Nuan away.

    Grandma Gao and Grandpa Gao had also come. Upon seeing her grandson, Grandma Gao was overcome with emotion, laughing and crying simultaneously. ¡°Heaven be praised, my precious grandson has returned. You rascal, why haven¡¯t you taken your son home yet? I¡¯ve never seen such irresponsible parents!¡±

    Grandma Gao¡¯s tone was tinged with reproach. Her son, Gao Lang, had returned, but her daughter-in-law was nowhere to be seen. Didn¡¯t she hold even a sliver of affection for Gao Ming in her heart?

    The more Grandma Gao thought about it, the angrier she became. She gave her son a hard smack on the back. It was then that everyone noticed a slender, refined-looking man standing next to Grandma Gao and Grandpa Gao.

    This man bore a striking resemblance to Gao Ming. To be precise, Gao Ming looked like him, as if he were a smaller version of the man.

    Anyone with discerning eyes could guess that this was Gao Ming¡¯s father. However, when he approached Gao Ming, the boy avoided him with a look of unfamiliarity and ran to Grandma Gao, crying, ¡°Grandma, Grandpa, I thought I would never see you again¡­¡±

    Watching from the side, Gu Zi felt a pang of sorrow. Even under these circumstances, Gao Ming¡¯s mother hadn¡¯t come to see him, seemingly indifferent to her son.

    His father had returned, but he also seemed estranged from Gao Ming. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t see any joy on his face at having found his lost son. Gao Ming¡¯s parents were too cold-hearted. Poor Gao Ming.

    Unable to hold back her tears, Gu Zi began to cry again.

    At that moment, Gong Xin and the others arrived. Seeing that the children had been found, they breathed a sigh of relief. Gong Xin quickly handed Gu Zi a tissue to wipe her tears, ¡°Stop crying, you¡¯re breaking my heart!¡±

    It was all Zhang Mei¡¯s fault. If she hadn¡¯t been obstructing them, they could have arrived earlier to comfort Gu Zi.

    Gu Zi turned her head and met Gong Xin¡¯s worried gaze. She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just haven¡¯t had time to dry my tears.¡±

    Mrs. Chen also stepped forward, expressing her concern, ¡°Finding the children is the greatest fortune. We received the news too late and couldn¡¯t help much. But it¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t have to. The children are safe, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at the group of people Mrs. Chen and her daughter had brought and felt very grateful. She invited everyone to sit inside, ¡°Thank you all for your willingness to help. Don¡¯t stand outside, please come in and sit.¡±

    Everyone entered the Su residence and sat down in the living room. Gu Zi served tea to the guests.

    After taking a sip of tea, Gong Xin gritted her teeth and said to Gu Zi, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to upset you, so I wasn¡¯t going to mention this. But I can¡¯t hold it in. Today, my mother and I brought people to help you find your child. We heard Zhang Mei mocking you in the courtyard about your child being kidnapped. She even stopped us from helping.

    ¡°I originally thought she was just biased and couldn¡¯t distinguish right from wrong. I never imagined she could be so cruel. Gu Zi, never forgive your foster parents. They are simply unfit to be parents¡­¡±

    Upon hearing her daughter¡¯s words, Mrs. Chen didn¡¯t attempt to stop her. She had seen Zhang Mei¡¯s true colors, and that woman was simply despicable.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi felt not a ripple in her heart. She said, ¡°I won¡¯t grieve for them. From the moment Lin Miao returned, they ceased to regard me as their daughter. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that they still saw some use in me, they wouldn¡¯t have bothered with me at all. It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    At this moment, Gu Zi was in no mood to mourn for Zhang Mei. She had just experienced the loss of Su Li, which had greatly drained her spirit. However, Gong Xin was right; she would never forgive these foster parents of hers.

    Grandma Gao, standing nearby, was also filled with indignation. ¡°Such a serious matter has occurred, and even a stranger would have a word or two of sympathy. Yet, she, who is supposed to be the foster grandmother of the lost child, has the audacity to make sarcastic remarks and insult her foster daughter in public. Such behavior simply degrades the quality of a military family. It¡¯s utterly malicious.¡±

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    Grandpa Gao, recalling something, furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°The Zhang Mei you¡¯re talking about, she¡¯s Gu Shan¡¯s wife, right?¡±

    Although Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand why Grandpa Gao was asking this, she nodded in response, ¡°My foster mother is named Zhang Mei, and my foster father is Gu Shan. He¡¯s a battalion captain in the military district.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandpa Gao angrily retorted, ¡°To marry a woman of such poor character, Gu Shan, with such poor judgment, is unfit to be a battalion captain. Officer Zhou, return all the items Gu Shan sent here, and write a letter to the Military Commission!¡±

    Gu Shan had recently been trying to curry favor with him by sending gifts, using connections he didn¡¯t know where he had acquired.

    Knowing that Gu Shan was Gu Zi¡¯s foster father, he had initially planned to give Gu Zi some face and maintain a relationship with Gu Shan. However, upon learning of their treatment towards their foster daughter, he realized there was no need to associate with such people.

 Chapter 850 - Chapter 850: She Wants Him Dead

    Chapter 850: She Wants Him Dead

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Shan, busy making a show of himself in the military district, finally took a moment to rest. He squinted his eyes, but his eyelids suddenly twitched uncontrollably, causing a wave of unease to ripple through his heart.

    Meanwhile, the police had their hands full. Zhou Hua and two others were beaten to a bloody pulp, spending three days in the hospital before they could barely stand. They were then escorted back to the detention center by the police.

    It wasn¡¯t that the authorities lacked respect for the rights of the prisoners, but the gravity of the case left no room for delay. The criminals had to be returned to the detention center promptly, accompanied by two medical staff, to expedite the interrogation and sentencing process, and quell the public¡¯s anger.

    After the first round of interrogation, it was confirmed that Zhou Hua and her husband, Xie Chang, had colluded with a human trafficking gang.

    They had first stolen a second-hand van from their neighbor, then used a sedative to kidnap three children, Su Li, Gao Ming, and Jiang Nuan, with the intention of selling them in the northern territories.

    Their actions, a blatant disregard for the law, constituted a deliberate crime, and they were to bear the corresponding criminal responsibility. A prison sentence of eight to ten years was inevitable.

    During the interrogation, Zhou Hua cried until she nearly fainted, her face pale. The tears she shed, whether out of fear or regret, were left unanswered.

    After the interrogation, they were to be temporarily detained.

    As they were led out of the police station, Zhou Hua broke free from the police¡¯s grip and lunged at Xie Chang, screaming, ¡°You¡¯ve ruined my life, I want you dead!¡±

    In the next moment, she grabbed Xie Chang and bit down hard on his ear. Xie Chang had no time to react. His earlobe was torn, and he trembled in pain, blood flowing freely. But Zhou Hua¡¯s intense hatred had completely buried her rationality. She wanted him dead!

    It was all Xie Chang¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for his laziness, gambling addiction, and domestic violence, forcing her to do things she knew she shouldn¡¯t, and to associate with people she shouldn¡¯t, she, a respectable teacher, would never have made one mistake after another, ultimately being driven to a life of crime. She wanted him dead!

    Zhou Hua bit down on Xie Chang¡¯s ear, refusing to let go no matter how he hit or pushed her.

    It took two police officers to pull her away, but by then, Xie Chang¡¯s ear was mostly torn off. He collapsed in pain, his blood staining the ground.

    Zhou Hua, her mouth smeared with blood, laughed maniacally. In that moment, it seemed she had come to a realization.

    The one who had led her to this point was not Hu Jie, who had asked her to do the job, nor was it Gu Zi and her innocent family. It was the despicable Xie Chang. His selfishness, uselessness, brutality, and greed had sealed her tragic fate from the day she married him.

    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m not a teacher, I¡¯m just a woman who fought back in the wrong way. Hahaha, I¡¯m not guilty, I¡¯m not guilty¡­¡±

    The man who had just retrieved his stolen van was leaving the hall in high spirits when he stumbled upon the scene. Regardless of anything else, they had been neighbors for many years. Seeing the two of them in such a state, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of discomfort. He turned to the police officer standing nearby and began to speak.

    ¡°She¡¯s had a hard life these years,¡± he began. ¡°Many things she did were forced upon her by Xie Chang. She was often beaten, her cries of pain echoing through the entire building. But as it was a matter between husband and wife, we outsiders could only watch, unable to help. Looking at her now, she seems to have lost her mind. She needs medical attention. Officer, could she receive treatment before serving her sentence? Consider it doing a good deed.¡±

    Although Zhou Hua may not have been a good person, if she hadn¡¯t suffered such inhumane abuse from her husband, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Everyone has a heart, and the officer understood the man¡¯s intentions, slowly nodding in agreement.

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    Outside, parents who had been waiting for a long time to see the human traffickers punished were finally seeing the police escort Zhou Hua out. They were determined to teach these traffickers a lesson. However, the sight that met their eyes was one of pity, leaving them in a quandary. The rotten eggs and wilted vegetables they held in their hands seemed suddenly inappropriate to throw, yet they couldn¡¯t just put them down either.

    ¡°Even the most despicable people have their pitiful sides,¡± one of them said. ¡°But she shouldn¡¯t have destroyed other families to compensate for her own misery. Let it be. The law will punish this wicked couple. We shouldn¡¯t cause more trouble for the officers. Let¡¯s disperse.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a sad situation,¡± another added. ¡°But she¡¯s a disgrace to society. A former teacher, conspiring with human traffickers, harming innocent children, shattering countless families. If this becomes the norm, who would dare to trust schools and teachers? We can¡¯t overlook her crimes just because she¡¯s pitiful. But I don¡¯t want to dirty my hands by hitting her. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The parents began to disperse, some even running away, terrified by the bloody scene.

    At this moment, Guan Xin, accompanied by her assistant Xiao Luo carrying a camera, made a dazzling entrance.

 Chapter 851 - Chapter 851: Cracking Down on Human Traffickers

    Chapter 851: Cracking Down on Human Traffickers

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The sound of a camera shutter clicking repeatedly marked the recording of Zhou Hua and his wife¡¯s tragic situation, capturing every detail of their transportation to medical care.

    Guan Xin, looking at the footage, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She said to Xiao Luo, ¡°I admit, it¡¯s quite horrific, but this news will certainly make headlines. Just wait, I¡¯ll get you that promotion!¡±

    Xiao Luo followed behind Guan Xin, looking somewhat resigned. ¡°Miss Guan, your dedication to your career is truly something. Nothing seems to deter you from reporting. As for me, my ambitions aren¡¯t as high; a promotion doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±

    Guan Xin climbed into her off-road vehicle and placed her camera in the back.

    Turning to Xiao Luo with a look of exasperation, she said, ¡°You¡¯ll have to fend for yourself as a reporter eventually. Don¡¯t be so laid-back; If you continue with your laid-back attitude, don¡¯t let anyone else know you¡¯re someone I mentored.¡±

    The Guangcheng Daily quickly edited and published a report on the incident, focusing on the clever tactics of Su Li and his friends in outsmarting the traffickers and detailing the traffickers¡¯ operations.

    By the next day, the entire city was aware of the news.

    Due to its significant impact, the National Daily even called to offer their condolences and collaborated with Guangcheng Daily to distribute the report nationwide. Within a few days, the story spread to all areas with advanced communication networks across the country.

    At the police station, after dealing with Zhou Hua and her husband, the authorities subjected the trafficker known as Brother Guo to a more rigorous interrogation.

    Brother Guo was ultimately convicted and provided detailed information about the trafficking ring, including the members, their network, and the locations of their hideouts.

    Captain He and Captain Liu, who had previously rescued Su Li and his group, joined forces to organize a major operation to dismantle the trafficking teams inside and outside Guangcheng.

    The operation struck a severe blow to the trafficking networks. Those who tried to flee were pursued, while many were captured, resulting in the rescue of hundreds of abducted children.

    Additionally, the trafficking incident involving Su Li and others drew attention from both the Southeast and North Central Military Districts. Both major military regions conducted massive operations to clear out trafficking gangs within their territories, rescuing thousands of abducted children.

    Some of these children had been recently kidnapped, while others had been transported like goods, and a few had already reached their buyers. Fortunately, this batch of children was rescued!

    News reports poured in from all directions, and the public celebrated the joyous outcome. Su Li, Gao Ming, and Jiang Nuan, the three clever little heroes, became the beacon for the rescued children¡¯s return home. They were widely praised, and their school held a commendation ceremony in their honor, with reporters present to interview them.

    As a result, the Su brothers solidified their status at school.

    Younger students looked up to Su Li as their leader, while older students, more influential, dethroned other senior students, recognizing only Su Bing from the fourth grade as their leader. It seemed as if the First Bilingual Primary School was entirely under the Su brothers¡¯ domain.

    Whenever Su Li and Gao Ming found the chance, they would enthusiastically recount their story of outsmarting the traffickers. For instance, during a lunch break, they stood on a ping-pong table, energetically narrating their adventure.

    Su Li began, ¡°At that time, we were bound and thrown into a speeding vehicle. The traffickers had ugly faces and each held a large knife to our necks. We were terrified, but we knew that fear wouldn¡¯t help. We had to find a way to save ourselves and deal with these despicable criminals!

    ¡°We calmed down and quickly established our strategy through eye contact and gestures. I was the main attacker, armed with my martial arts skills. Seizing the opportunity, I launched a spinning kick, sending the driver trafficker flying out. Then, with a couple more kicks, I took down the other two traffickers.¡±

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    Gao Ming continued smoothly, ¡°While Su Li was dealing with the traffickers, I dashed to the driver¡¯s seat, grabbed the steering wheel, and stepped on the gas. We sped off, leaving the traffickers behind. They didn¡¯t even realize that our destination was Su Li¡¯s hometown, Daqing Village.

    ¡°Of course, the three traffickers chased us all the way. Just as they were about to catch up, they were knocked down by the local pig-breeding experts we had rallied. We packed them off to the police station, and seeing it was getting late, I decided to spend the night feeding piglets at my family¡¯s super big pig farm with Gao Ming and Jiang Nuan.¡±

    Hearing Su Li¡¯s story, Gu Jun from the Iron Triangle group seemed to have discovered something remarkable. He exclaimed, ¡°Wow, Su Li, your family has a pig farm? My grandfather told me piglets are quite valuable. How many pigs do you have?¡±

    Su Li, hands behind his back, tilted his chin up proudly.

    Gao Ming, stepping forward as the spokesperson, exaggerated, ¡°Oh, there are tons of them¡ªpigs as far as the eye can see. There must be at least a few hundred thousand, and Su Li¡¯s family even has a super large villa in their hometown!¡±

 Chapter 852 - Chapter 852: The Biscuit Becomes the Moon

    Chapter 852: The Biscuit Becomes the Moon

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The students were left in awe. ¡°Wow, doesn¡¯t that mean Su Li¡¯s family is wealthy? Su Li, can we help you feed the pigs in the future?¡± they asked.

    Su Li, hands on his hips, swept his gaze over the students in the front row, his tone filled with pride. ¡°Each one of you is unable to shoulder a load, you¡¯re all clearly lacking strength, how could you do manual work? No, no.¡±

    Gu Jun, quick-witted as he was, his eyes darting around, immediately took a stance. ¡°Su Li, I¡¯ll sign up for the martial arts club right away, to strengthen my body. I¡¯m determined to feed those pigs!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too, I¡¯ll go too, let¡¯s all sign up, let¡¯s strive to feed the pigs!¡±

    Jiang Nuan came over to join Su Li and the others.

    Hearing their exaggerated and far-fetched discussions, her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She thought they were being a bit over the top and felt embarrassed to join them. What if they asked her to say a few words? That would be disastrous. She didn¡¯t want to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits. However, she did know that Su Bing¡¯s family had a lot of piglets. She wasn¡¯t sure if they had hundreds of thousands, but they certainly had a lot!

    Over at the martial arts hall, thanks to Su Li and Gao Ming¡¯s grandiose tales of their experiences, the students were all envious of those who knew martial arts. They rushed over to ask the martial arts teacher for registration forms, eager to join the martial arts club, both boys and girls.

    The old martial arts teacher, stroking his long chin beard, looked at the bustling scene with great satisfaction. ¡± What a rising generation!¡±

    Little did he know, these students were all here because they had heard Su Li¡¯s stories, or more accurately, his tall tales. They had been lured here with the dream of learning martial arts and then going to Su Li¡¯s house to feed the pigs¡­

    Gu Zi had spent the day cleaning the house from top to bottom. By the time she was done, it was almost time for school to let out. She still had to sort through the mountain of gifts in the living room. She had to unpack them first, then organize and put them away. It gave her a sense of satisfaction, similar to the thrill of unboxing online shopping deliveries in her past life.

    She had been quite busy these past few days. Just receiving the guests who had traveled from afar had taken a lot of effort. The parents of the abducted children who had been rescued by this operation not only came in person but also brought large and small packages of local specialties from their hometowns. Since they had brought them all the way here, she couldn¡¯t possibly ask them to take them back, so she had no choice but to accept them.

    Those parents who couldn¡¯t come sent letters and local specialties as tokens of their gratitude. As a result, the house was piled high with gifts. Among the items she sorted out were ginseng from the Northeast, luohanguo from the South, embroidery from the Central South, and goji berries from the Northwest.

    Gu Zi thought this was a happy occasion. The children had returned home, and the families were complete again. They were grateful to Su Li and the other two children for sparking this operation, and they had brought their joy here, spreading happiness to everyone.

    Once she had sorted out these items, she planned to send some to the Gao and Jiang families, and let Lin Cheng take some back. Her mother and sister-in-law could use them, and it would be nice to send some to Aunt Zhang¡¯s family as well. After all, Aunt Zhang had been looking after the house in the village, and she deserved some appreciation.

    Gu Zi was both tired and joyful. No sooner had she tidied up than the little girl plunged into the pile of snacks. Sitting amidst the heap, she picked out a packet of fruit candies and handed it to Gu Zi. ¡°Mama, open it. Let¡¯s have some sweets,¡± she said.

    Gu Zi laughed, accepting the fruit candies and tearing the packet open. She handed one to the girl, and while she was engrossed in savoring the sweet, Gu Zi quickly hid the rest.

    Looking up, she saw her two sons returning from school. Su Bing dropped his school bag, fetched a bicycle from the yard, and reported to Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to join Da Hu and the others at the stall for a while. I¡¯ll be back before dark.¡±

    Su Bing would never dare to let his younger brother and Gao Ming act alone again. Even if Gao¡¯s family driver was there to pick them up, he had to watch his brother return home before he could feel at ease to do his own thing.

    Gu Zi rushed out, stuffing a large bag of snacks and a packet of new clothes into Su Bing¡¯s hands. ¡°Understood,¡± she said, ¡°give these to Da Hu and the others.¡±

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    When Gu Zi re-entered the house, Su Li had also rolled into the pile of snacks. He was coaxing Su Le, who was holding a biscuit in her hand. ¡°Little sister, do you want to see your brother turn a biscuit into a moon?¡± he asked.

    Su Le looked at Su Li curiously, handing over the biscuit with a mix of trust and doubt. Su Li¡¯s eyes sparkled with cunning, like a sly fox. He opened his mouth wide and took a big bite. The originally round biscuit now had a large crescent bitten out of it. Su Li pushed the biscuit back to her, looking particularly proud. ¡°Look, this is the moon your brother made for you!¡±

    Upon realizing that this was the so-called moon, Su Le frowned, her eyes unable to hide her disgust. Her plump, red lips pouted in dissatisfaction as she shoved the biscuit back into Su Li¡¯s mouth.

    Su Li, with a bewildered expression, ate the remaining part of the biscuit. Only then did he hear Gu Zi say, ¡°Your little sister doesn¡¯t like to eat food that others have bitten into. Don¡¯t make moons for her anymore, okay?¡±

    Su Li was upset. Was he being disliked? He, the heartthrob of the First Bilingual Primary School, was being rejected by his own little sister!

 Chapter 853 - Chapter 853: Something Very Important

    Chapter 853: Something Very Important

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Unfazed by her brother¡¯s disheartened expression, Su Le mimicked his actions. Each time Su Li picked up a biscuit, she would grab his hand, open her mouth to take a bite, and stuff the remaining crescent-shaped piece into Su Li¡¯s mouth. She laughed heartily, declaring, ¡°Lele can also turn into a moon!¡±

    Su Li was left speechless, much to the amusement of Gu Zi.

    Meanwhile, at the Gao residence, Gao Ming had just finished his homework and retreated to the study to read. He preferred to keep himself occupied, avoiding sharing a room with his father, as he was unsure of what to say.

    Gao Lang¡¯s attention was not entirely on his son. During this visit home, he had another task ¨C to invite a prodigious young boy to join their scientific research lab. He mentioned to his mother, ¡°The child also lives in this neighborhood. The director of the lab said I was close by, so he asked me to extend the invitation.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandma Gao wondered if he was referring to Su Bing. She asked her son, ¡°Is there any prodigy as gifted as that little fellow, Su Bing?¡±

    Gao Lang¡¯s cool gaze flickered with surprise at the mention of the name. ¡°Mother, you know Su Bing? The child I¡¯m looking for is named Su Bing! Where does he live? I¡¯ll go right now.¡±

    Grandma Gao looked at her son, feeling a surge of frustration. However, she couldn¡¯t fault him for his single-minded dedication to his research, even prioritizing a child with scientific potential over his own son. She resigned herself to the fact that Gao Ming had grown accustomed to his father¡¯s absence. Why should she make a fuss?

    However, she couldn¡¯t help but think her son was a bit clueless. Didn¡¯t Su Bing stand right next to him when the child was brought back home?

    Feeling overwhelmed, Grandma Gao didn¡¯t want to see her son at that moment. She handed him a gift box and pushed him out the door, ¡°Su Bing¡¯s house is right next to ours, in house number one. Go quickly.¡±

    Upon arriving at the Su family¡¯s doorstep, Gao Lang rang the doorbell.

    Soon, a child came to open the door. He suddenly remembered that this was the family of the child who had been kidnapped along with his son. He followed Su Li into the house and, upon seeing the child¡¯s mother, politely stated his purpose, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gao Lang, a researcher at the Guangcheng Research Institute. I¡¯m here to visit Su Bing. I apologize for the intrusion.¡±

    Gu Zi initially thought he had come regarding the matter of Gao Ming¡¯s return. However, she was surprised to learn he was looking for Su Bing. Glancing at the time, she estimated that Su Bing would be home soon. She invited him in, ¡°Please come in. Su Bing is out at the moment, you¡¯ll have to wait a while.¡±

    As Gao Lang entered, he handed the gift box to Gu Zi. He finally remembered to express his gratitude for his son¡¯s safe return, ¡°I must thank you for Gao Ming. If it weren¡¯t for your timely rescue, I can¡¯t imagine the consequences.¡±

    Gu Zi set the gift box aside and replied, ¡°I was careless that day. I dozed off and lost sight of the children. Mr. Gao, there¡¯s no need to feel guilty. Please have some tea and snacks while you wait. I need to prepare dinner. Su Bing should be home soon.¡±

    After preparing the tea and snacks, Gu Zi retreated to the kitchen.

    Just as she left, Jin Long arrived. He was taken aback to see a scholarly-looking man in the room. He remembered seeing this man the day the child was returned ¨C he was from the neighboring house.

    However, now that the child had been returned, why was this man sitting here alone? Was he here to have a heart-to-heart with his sister-in-law? That was absolutely unacceptable.

    Jin Long hadn¡¯t realized that this was Gao Ming¡¯s father. He simply saw a man with fair, clean skin and a clear, naive look in his eyes, like a sheltered student. Could there be a second son in the neighboring Gao family?

    A sense of urgency welled up within Jin Long. With Su Shen facing a crisis in the capital, he couldn¡¯t afford any further complications in the Su family household. Regardless of whether the person was the neighbor¡¯s son or grandson, he was determined to safeguard Su Shen¡¯s happiness!

    He rushed up to the man, his face a mask of caution. ¡°Who are you? Shouldn¡¯t you be at home taking care of the child you¡¯ve found? What are you doing here?¡±

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    Gao Lang was taken aback, his face flushing with embarrassment. He hurriedly explained, ¡°I am Gao Ming¡¯s father from next door. I came here looking for Su Bing. He¡¯s not here, so I¡¯m waiting for him.¡±

    Jin Long was the one to feel embarrassed now. His cheeks reddened, and he scratched the back of his head, his tone immediately softening. ¡°Ha ha ha, so you¡¯re Gao Ming¡¯s father. You¡¯re looking for Su Bing, huh?¡±

    Gao Lang could tell that there had been some misunderstanding, but now that he had clarified, he didn¡¯t dwell on the previous incident. He said, ¡°Yes, our research institute would like to invite Su Bing to join our preparatory team. He¡¯s a very smart child. If we could invite him to join us, it would be an honor for our institute.¡±

    When Su Bing returned home and saw Jin Long, he asked, ¡°Uncle Jin Long, what brings you here?¡±

    Jin Long jolted, remembering his original purpose. Right, he was here to find his sister-in-law and inform her about Su Shen¡¯s precarious situation. How did he get sidetracked? He needed to find Gu Zi immediately. ¡°Sister-in-law, I have something important to tell you!¡±

 Chapter 854 - Chapter 854: A Family Together

    Chapter 854: A Family Together

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    What had gotten into Uncle Jin Long? He seemed unusually tense. This was the first time Su Bing had seen him in such a state. However, his attention was quickly diverted to the guest seated on the sofa. He didn¡¯t approach, instead, his gaze fell upon the visitor. The face was familiar, but who was it?

    Gao Lang surmised that this must be the young prodigy, Su Bing. He promptly introduced himself, ¡°Hello, Su Bing. I am Gao Lang from the Guangcheng Research Institute. I would like to invite you to join our preparatory class. Of course, I am aware that you have already accepted an invitation from the Youth Research Class, but we would still like you to consider our offer after understanding more about us.¡±

    The Youth Research Class was an educational institution specially designed to scout advanced talents. Students who were admitted to the Youth Research Class were essentially guaranteed a spot in a top-tier school. Gao Lang knew this was an enticing offer, but their preparatory class was affiliated with the National Defense Science and Technology Department. All personnel were specially recruited and trained in a closed environment.

    ¡°You will have the option to further your studies in a prestigious school, or you can choose to stay and work at the research institute. You can also directly participate in the secret examinations organized by the Defense Department, serving the country directly. You will have the opportunity to focus purely on scientific research. Even those who graduate from the Youth Research Class may not necessarily be able to enter the National Defense Science and Technology Department. I believe you understand that we have certain advantages.¡±

    Su Bing looked at Gao Lang¡¯s stern demeanor and remembered. This man was Gao Ming¡¯s irresponsible father, wasn¡¯t he? According to Grandma Gao¡¯s description, he was a research fanatic, so engrossed in his scientific studies that he couldn¡¯t extricate himself. He had even neglected his own son. If it weren¡¯t for Gao Ming¡¯s recent incident, he probably wouldn¡¯t have returned.

    Looking at Uncle Gao¡¯s hopeful expression, he must have assumed that Su Bing would choose the preparatory class at the research institute. Indeed, the preparatory class was a good option, offering a wide range of choices, each with promising prospects. Su Bing admired researchers like Uncle Gao who sacrificed their personal lives for the sake of scientific research. Not many people could do that.

    However, Su Bing couldn¡¯t do it now. He couldn¡¯t accept the closed training. If this opportunity had presented itself before his mother¡¯s arrival, Su Bing would have chosen the preparatory class without hesitation. But now, he had a wonderful mother. He wanted to accompany her, to protect her, to be with his family. If he chose the preparatory class, it would mean that he would have very little time to spend with his mother and his family in the future.

    Gao Lang watched Su Bing in silence, his face lighting up with pleasure. He knew that making such a significant decision required deep thought. He could already envision the scene of bringing Su Bing into the research lab.

    However, Su Bing¡¯s next words left him momentarily stunned. ¡°Uncle Gao,¡± Su Bing said, ¡°Thank you for your invitation, but I don¡¯t want to give up the time I spend with my family. I choose the youth research class.¡±

    Gao Lang snapped back to reality, his eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Su Bing, did you not understand what I said? Is it my fault for being too vague? I can explain it in more detail!¡±

    Su Bing responded calmly, ¡°No, Uncle Gao, I understood everything you said. But I choose the youth research class. I don¡¯t want to be confined in a lab, unable to see my parents and siblings, for an entire year. I want to be with them, and do what I can.¡±

    As his words fell, the conversation between the two fell into a lull. Gao Lang seemed lost in thought. For the first time, he questioned whether he had neglected his family too much. He thought of his elder son, Gao Ming, who was raised by his parents and rarely experienced parental warmth. His younger son was raised by his wife, at least he had the company of a mother¡¯s love.

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    But both his sons rarely saw him. He, as a father, was failing at his role. After a long while, Gao Lang finally accepted the rejection. ¡°I originally thought that you and I were of the same kind. I apologize for the disturbance today, and please thank your mother for her hospitality on my behalf.¡±

    With that, Gao Lang left on his own. Su Bing watched his retreating figure, a look of respect on his face as he waved goodbye. What he didn¡¯t say was that he and Uncle Gao might indeed be of the same kind. But fortunately, he had not yet become Uncle Gao.

    On the other side, Gu Zi was startled by Jin Long¡¯s exaggerated words and quickly put down her knife. ¡°Well, spit it out! What happened to Su Shen?¡±

    Gu Zi was not surprised to see Jin Long. She had been worried about Su Shen, who had been gone for a month and hadn¡¯t returned. She had asked Jin Long to investigate the situation in the capital. It seemed he had found something crucial.

    Jin Long took a deep breath and said, ¡°Brother Shen went to the capital with the intention to resign, but it wasn¡¯t going smoothly. The old leader wouldn¡¯t let him go, which is why he¡¯s been delayed for so many days. Not long ago, Gong Zhan went alone to the drug dealer¡¯s camp and his fate is unknown. Brother Shen was given a secret mission. It seems that as long as he completes the mission, the old leader will have to let him go.¡±

 Chapter 855 - Chapter 855: Preparing to Search Thousands of Miles for Her Husband

    Chapter 855: Preparing to Search Thousands of Miles for Her Husband

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Although the specifics of this covert mission remain unknown, it¡¯s clear that it must be related to Gong Zhan¡¯s disappearance!¡± Jin Long exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice. ¡°What was Gong Zhan thinking? Even I, who have never served in the military, know that the drug trafficker¡¯s camp in the northern part of the capital, known as the soldier¡¯s tomb, is a one-way ticket. He¡¯s really causing trouble!¡±

    He had heard from Su Shen about the numerous scars that adorned his body, most of which were remnants from his anti-drug operations. If it weren¡¯t for Su Shen¡¯s tenacity, he might not have survived to this day.

    The drug traffickers in the north had their own influence within the capital¡¯s political sphere. They despised Su Shen¡¯s anti-drug campaign and, at his most vulnerable, hired assassins to eliminate him. If Su Shen hadn¡¯t foreseen the situation and accepted a mission outside the capital, he might have become a casualty of power struggles. However, these matters were too dark to share, especially with his sister-in-law, so he kept them to himself.

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi¡¯s expression became particularly complex. Although she had previously suspected that Su Shen¡¯s mission was related to Gong Zhan¡¯s reckless actions, she hadn¡¯t expected that Su Shen would accept such a dangerous task to save someone. He was essentially gambling with his life for freedom. It was madness!

    Gong Zhan, the male protagonist of the story, wouldn¡¯t die. There was no need for Su Shen, a mere supporting character, to risk his life. Gu Zi was so infuriated that she nearly fainted.

    Jin Long quickly steadied her, releasing his grip once she was stable. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry too much. We haven¡¯t received any bad news from Su Shen and his team. Plus, Su Shen isn¡¯t one to be trifled with. Don¡¯t stress yourself out!¡±

    Gu Zi steadied herself against the wall and took small steps outside. She was deeply concerned about Su Shen, but not to the point of fainting. Lately, she had been experiencing bouts of dizziness, the cause of which she couldn¡¯t pinpoint.

    After regaining her composure, she said, ¡°I understand Su Shen¡¯s situation. I¡¯m fine. You can go ahead. Please make preparations. If possible, I want to go to the capital.¡±

    Tears welled up in Jin Long¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sister-in-law, you care so much about Su Shen. You¡¯re even prepared to travel a thousand miles to find him!¡± He had initially thought that she didn¡¯t love Su Shen that much. After all, she was young, educated, business-savvy, and a wonderful mother. Any man would consider himself lucky to marry such an exceptional woman, let alone expect her love.

    However, adversity reveals true feelings. Her decision to go to the capital showed her love for Su Shen. It made sense, considering even he, as a close buddy, was worried about Su Shen. Not to mention, she was Su Shen¡¯s wife. It was only natural for her to be worried. ¡°Sister-in-law, leave it to me. I¡¯ll handle everything!¡±

    Jin Long hastily departed, and Gu Zi made her way to the living room, intending to take a moment to rest and recover.

    Su Bing had just seen off Gao Lang and then Jin Long. Upon his return, he noticed his mother¡¯s troubled expression and inquired, ¡°Mom, is it news about Dad?¡±

    Gu Zi, not quite ready to discuss the matter, saw that Gao Lang was no longer present and redirected the question to Su Bing, ¡°I¡¯ll talk about this with you later. Tell me, what did Uncle Gao say to you?¡±

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    Suddenly, Gu Zi remembered something. The name Gao Lang was familiar; she had come across it in a book. Gao Lang was the mentor who had guided Su Bing at the research institute. However, in the book, Su Bing hadn¡¯t met Gao Lang so early. It was only later, when Su Bing was nearly framed by Lin Miao and sent to prison, that Gao Lang, out of his respect for talent, used his privilege for the first time to save Su Bing and brought him back to the research institute.

    This was also the beginning of Su Bing¡¯s complete transformation into a darker character. With this realization, Gu Zi broke out in a cold sweat. According to the plot, Su Bing would definitely choose to join the research institute. If things continued this way, would Su Bing still be unable to avoid his original fate? Gu Zi felt a tightness in her chest.

    Seeing his mother in this state, Su Bing didn¡¯t press further. He said, ¡°Uncle Gao invited me to join their preparatory class, but I declined. Mother, I admire Uncle Gao greatly. He is a remarkable man, but I don¡¯t want to become a cold, emotionless machine like him. I can¡¯t bear the thought of not seeing you for a long time. I choose to join the youth research class instead.¡±

    Gu Zi was momentarily stunned. Su Bing had declined? He had made a choice that deviated from the original plot. Didn¡¯t this mean that Su Bing¡¯s trajectory was changing? So, a character¡¯s fate wasn¡¯t irreversible!

    Gu Zi felt a surge of happiness, though she couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile. If the ending could be changed, then she was even less certain about Su Shen¡¯s safety. The odds were not in his favor!

 Chapter 856 - Chapter 856: Mom Misses Him

    Chapter 856: Mom Misses Him

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    During the night, Gu Zi tossed and turned restlessly. Su Shen was, after all, her constant companion, treating her well and generously providing for her. It was only right, both emotionally and logically, that she should pay him a visit.

    This wasn¡¯t a romantic notion, but rather a testament to her understanding of gratitude and reciprocation.

    Yes, that was it. She resolved to journey to the capital to find the older man, determined to see him, alive or dead.

    The following day dawned with a gentle sunlight. Gao Ming arrived at the Su residence early in the morning. ¡°Aunt Gu Zi,¡± he said, ¡°I came because I smelled something delicious. My nose is quite sharp, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Gu Zi placed a steaming egg custard down and tenderly patted the young boy¡¯s head. Remembering his lack of parental care from a young age, she spoke to him with an especially gentle tone. ¡°Your nose is the sharpest. Go wash your hands quickly, and eat soon. We¡¯re a bit late today.¡±

    Gao Ming nodded, washed his hands, and picked up his bowl of porridge to take a sniff. It smelled wonderful. Aunt Gu Zi¡¯s porridge was always the best. The table was laden with a feast of delicious food: egg custard, soy beef slices, soy lettuce, and pickles. Each dish looked mouth-watering!

    Seeing his older brothers almost finished with their meals, he hurriedly began to eat. In his haste, he ended up with food smeared all over his face, rice clinging to his cheeks, and egg custard on his nose. But Gao Ming didn¡¯t waste a single morsel, scooping up everything with his hands and stuffing it into his mouth, even the fallen strands of pickles from the table.

    Suddenly, he remembered something. ¡°Oh no, I forgot to mention something. Big Brother, Second Brother, our driver called in sick today. We¡¯ll have to walk to school. Will we be late?¡±

    Su Bing glanced at his wristwatch. ¡°We are a bit late, but we have bicycles. I¡¯ll take you, and Su Li, you can ride on your own.¡±

    Gao Ming¡¯s eyes widened with envy at the sight of Su Bing¡¯s square metal wristwatch. ¡°Big Brother, you actually have a wristwatch. That¡¯s so cool!¡±

    Seeing this, Su Li quickly raised his hand to show off his own wristwatch, a broad smile spreading across his face. ¡°I have one too! This is a gift from our mother for winning a competition!¡±

    Gao Ming looked on wistfully, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go home and ask my grandmother to buy me a wristwatch. I don¡¯t want toys anymore!¡±

    Seeing another minute tick by, Su Bing grabbed Gao Ming, slung his school bag over one shoulder, and said coolly, ¡°Do you still want the perfect attendance award at the end of the term? We can talk about this after school. We need to hurry to school now.¡±

    Gao Ming nodded emphatically. Of course, he wanted the award. He had no desire to be labeled as a tardy slouch. With his backpack already in tow, he quickly followed Su Bing. Indeed, he was a clever little imp!

    Gu Zi watched the three of them in their haste, cradling Su Le in her arms. ¡°No need for bicycles today, I¡¯ll drive you to school,¡± she announced.

    She had planned to visit the school that day anyway, to excuse her two sons¡¯ absence. She had decided to go to the capital to find their father. She didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving the three children behind, so she decided to take them along to find their father.

    Once Su Bing and the others had climbed into their father¡¯s small sedan, Gu Zi, still holding Su Le, also got in. She handed Su Le to Su Bing to hold. Today, she was in the driver¡¯s seat and couldn¡¯t hold the child.

    The three children in the backseat were stunned, but soon realized that she was going to drive them to school.

    Su Li, leaning over the back of the driver¡¯s seat, exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Mom, when did you learn to drive?¡±

    Gu Zi fastened her seatbelt, started the engine, and the car began to move. She calmly spun a small lie, ¡°Of course, I learned during my free time. I thought that when your father isn¡¯t home, I could drive you.¡±

    She could only bluff about this matter. As a former professional career woman, driving was an essential skill. But she couldn¡¯t say that she learned in her previous life.

    She had recently asked Jin Long to help her buy a driver¡¯s license. In this era, driver¡¯s licenses weren¡¯t strictly checked. If you had money, you could buy one. For someone like her who didn¡¯t drive often, buying a license was much more time and energy-efficient than actually taking the test.

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    Now she was legally on the road. Of course, buying a license wasn¡¯t exactly ethical, so she decided not to tell the children, to avoid setting a bad example.

    After dropping the three children off at school, Gu Zi made a trip to the administrative office. She then went to the newspaper office to submit her finished article. She didn¡¯t take on any new assignments. She had already arranged for leave the previous night with Guan Xin.

    Now, all that was left was to inform Su Bing and Su Li that they were going to the capital to find Su Shen.

    After dinner that evening, the family was watching television in the living room. Gu Zi brought up the matter, but she omitted the part about Su Shen¡¯s accident. Even if she told the children, it wouldn¡¯t solve anything. She didn¡¯t want the children to worry unnecessarily.

    ¡°Su Bing, Su Li,¡± she began, ¡°your Uncle Jin Long came by yesterday. He said your father won¡¯t be back for a while. I miss him.¡±

 Chapter 857 - Chapter 857: To Meet Him

    Chapter 857: To Meet Him

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing this, Su Li suddenly remembered that his father had been away for quite some time. He immediately asked, ¡°Mother, I miss father too. Why has he been gone for so long?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°Perhaps he has some mission to attend to. After all, your father is very capable. I wanted to tell you that I plan to go to the capital to find him, but I¡¯m worried about leaving you here alone. I¡¯ve already arranged for your leave from school. Would you like to come with me?¡±

    Gu Zi had made up her mind. Even if it meant waiting aimlessly in the capital¡¯s military district, she was determined to find him and return to Guangcheng together. Su Shen had made so many efforts and accepted such dangerous tasks just to return home. All she had to do was make a trip to a distant place. There was no reason not to go.

    Upon hearing this, Su Li eagerly said, ¡°Yes, yes, mother, don¡¯t leave us behind. Take us with you!¡±

    Gu Zi felt reassured. She turned to Su Bing, who also nodded, ¡°Mother, we¡¯ll go. Don¡¯t worry about our studies falling behind. Su Li will bring all his textbooks, and I¡¯ll tutor him on the way.¡±

    Su Li, who had been fantasizing about the delicious food and fun activities in the capital, felt deflated at his stern older brother¡¯s words. ¡°Brother, I understand. I¡¯m lucky to have you!¡±

    Gu Zi looked at her two sons, then at the little girl in her arms. Her nervousness finally eased a bit. All this time, it had been Su Shen who had been tirelessly taking care of their home and her, running around both inside and outside. This time, she decided to make the journey for him, to cross thousands of miles to meet him.

    Gu Zi called Jin Long, asking him to help investigate Su Shen¡¯s latest situation. She told him, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to take the three children to find Su Shen. Jin Long, I¡¯ll leave the task of buying the tickets to you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Jin Long felt happy for Su Shen. He assured Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll handle the tickets. Also, the journey is long and the train is crowded and chaotic. I¡¯m really worried about you traveling alone with three children. I¡¯ll go with you. Together, we¡¯ll bring Brother Shen back from that inescapable place!¡±

    Gu Zi was very grateful. She had been so focused on finding Su Shen that she had somewhat overlooked the fact that traveling in this era was not an easy task, especially with three children. Without a man by her side, even their safety could be an issue. ¡°Su Shen is truly blessed to have a bro like you. I appreciate your help.¡±

    Upon learning that Gu Zi was heading to the capital, the Gao family dispatched two guards.

    Grandma Gao explained, ¡°Their duty is to escort you to the capital¡¯s military district. They won¡¯t accompany you indefinitely, but they will ensure your safety on the journey. Moreover, they are also tasked with checking on Gong Zhan. Should Gong Zhan be rescued, it would be beneficial to have someone there to care for him.¡±

    The Gong and Gao families had always been united politically, and there were frequent private exchanges between them. With Gong Zhan¡¯s fate currently unknown, the Gong family was likely still unaware of the situation and unable to send help in time.

    The Gao family, to avoid suspicion, could not directly disclose this information to the Gong family. However, they also couldn¡¯t remain completely unresponsive. Sending someone directly was the best choice. Gu Zi understood Grandma Gao¡¯s intentions and did not refuse.

    However, on the eve of their departure, Jin Long received some news that could be considered good. Gong Zhan had been rescued and was now being treated in the military hospital. There was no specific news about the person who had saved Gong Zhan, but Jin Long speculated, ¡°If Su Shen really did undertake the mission to save someone, and that person has been rescued, then Su Shen must also be safe. This is indeed a great relief!¡±

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    Gu Zi¡¯s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was finally able to relax a bit. It was Jin Long¡¯s reasoning that brought her comfort. Although there was still no news about Su Shen, he must be safe. This was good news indeed!

    The night before their departure, Gao Ming arrived at the Su residence carrying a child¡¯s suitcase and a backpack. He told Gu Zi and the others, ¡°Aunt Gu Zi, big brother, second brother, I want to go with you. Your father is also my father. I want to see him too!¡±

    This left Gu Zi at a loss. Was Gao Ming planning to take the Su surname? Would Su Shen not be overjoyed to have another son? She could only patiently comfort Gao Ming, ¡°Su Bing and Su Li will be back soon. If you come with us, what will your grandparents do when they miss you?¡±

    Gao Ming seemed to have thought everything through. He said, ¡°If my grandparents miss me, they can call me. In any case, I must go. I don¡¯t want to be separated from my second brother. Oh, my head, who hit me?¡±

    Turning his head, Gao Ming saw his grandmother. He immediately cowered, and before he could react, his grandmother had dragged him away. Gao Ming¡¯s plan to accompany them had thus failed.

 Chapter 858 - Chapter 858: Journeying Out

    Chapter 858: Journeying Out

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi prepared for the long journey ahead, she packed her belongings with a simple yet efficient approach.

    The majority of her luggage was neatly tucked into a twenty-inch imported roller suitcase, which she would pull along. Her primary concern was the temperature difference between the north and south, and the chill of the train at night. Therefore, she packed a selection of warm clothing to ward off the cold.

    The meals for the journey were stored in a cloth bag, carried by Su Bing, while Su Li carried a backpack containing his textbooks and his brother¡¯s exercise books.

    In addition to her luggage, Gu Zi also carried a substantial amount of money. To prevent theft on the train, she had taken the precaution of sewing the money into the lining of her clothing, keeping it close to her body. This way, if they needed anything else upon reaching their destination, they could simply purchase it. This was the advantage of having money at hand.

    Before leaving, Gu Zi also put away her wristwatch, tucking it into a compartment of the cloth bag. As for the boys¡¯ watches, she instructed them to leave them at home. When traveling, it was safer not to flaunt wealth.

    Jin Long admired his sister-in-law¡¯s thoroughness. He was surprised that someone who had never traveled far from home knew so much. Despite his frequent travels, he had never been as meticulous. On his most disastrous trip, he had been pickpocketed, nearly ending up arrested as a vagrant.

    Gu Zi said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about the chaos on trains. There are all sorts of people, so it¡¯s best to be cautious. Jin Long, I remember you get motion sickness. Will you be okay with motion sickness medicine for the journey?¡±

    In the eighties, Gu Zi had firsthand experience of the disorder on trains. When she was eight, she had traveled by train with her parents to their hometown. Even in the presence of soldiers maintaining order, people disregarded decorum during ticket checks, rushing forward in a frenzy, often causing stampedes. Boarding the train was no different, with everyone pushing and shoving to get through the carriage doors.

    Outside the train station, there were various unlicensed taxis and brokers for illegal shops, aggressively soliciting customers. If you refused their services, they would follow you menacingly. If things were this chaotic in the early 2000s, one could only imagine the state of affairs in the eighties.

    As a child, Gu Zi had heard her mother recount stories from the eighties. It was common for mothers and daughters to be separated by the crowd at train stations. Fights over seats on the train were frequent, sometimes even resulting in fatalities. It was a terrifying time. Now that Gu Zi found herself in that era, preparing for a long journey, she naturally took every precaution.

    Jin Long spoke, ¡°This is peculiar, I am one to get carsick and trainsick, but not seasick. Sister-in-law, there¡¯s no need to worry. I will ensure a smooth journey to the capital. Once we arrive, you need not fret about accommodations. You are a family member of Su Shen, and Su Shen is a battalion commander. There¡¯s a dedicated reception house there with a pleasant environment. I¡¯ve already made arrangements. As for me, I can make do with a hotel.¡±

    Upon reaching the train station, Jin Long cradled Su Le in his arms while Gu Zi pulled the luggage. Behind them, two guards each held onto a boy. With such a formidable group, no one dared to mess with them. Even the most suspicious-looking individuals gave them a wide berth.

    However, the crowd was still overwhelming. Gu Zi¡¯s heart was in her throat. One moment she was checking on Su Le in Jin Long¡¯s arms, the next she was looking back at her two sons.

    Seeing Su Li¡¯s excitement about his first long-distance trip, she sternly warned him after he had wriggled free from the guard¡¯s grasp a few times, ¡°You must not let go of the guard¡¯s hand again!¡±

    Rarely seeing his mother so stern, Su Li quickly grabbed the guard¡¯s hand, refraining from bouncing around. As they were about to board the train, they reached the platform. Su Li watched the crowd jostling to squeeze through the narrow train door, pushing and shoving. He finally became scared and clung tightly to the guard¡¯s hand.

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    Seeing that he had calmed down, Gu Zi felt somewhat relieved. Of course, she had no intention of scolding Su Li. After all, he was just a child, filled with enthusiasm for his first new experience. His desire to actively explore was not a mistake, and she had no reason to blame him for her own worries.

    Once they were inside the carriage and everyone had found their seats, Gu Zi finally let out a sigh of relief. Su Li, excited, climbed up and exclaimed, ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t know we can sleep on a train! If Gao Ming were here, I would share a small bed with him!¡±

    Jin Long had arranged everything thoughtfully, even utilizing his financial resources to purchase sleeper berths for everyone, all located close to each other.

    Gu Zi and Su Le were on the lower berth, Su Bing in the middle, and Su Li on the upper berth. Jin Long and the two guards were opposite them.

    Grateful for Jin Long¡¯s careful arrangements, Gu Zi took out the lunch boxes from her bag when it was mealtime, allowing everyone to enjoy a hearty meal on the train.

 Chapter 859 - Chapter 859: Notification of Demotion

    Chapter 859: Notification of Demotion

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The train was equipped with hot water facilities. Jin Long, aware of Su Le¡¯s need for milk, had brought along a thermos. He filled it with hot water, making it convenient for Gu Zi to prepare milk for Su Le.

    Whenever Gu Zi needed to use the restroom, or when the children needed to go, a guard would accompany them. The towering presence of the guards ensured that those who had purchased standing-room tickets and were sleeping in the aisle would promptly make way, preventing any unpleasant incidents.

    As the night fell, the train grew chilly. Gu Zi took out their warm clothes, dressing both herself and the children.

    Su Li, tireless in his explorations, had followed Jin Long to the connecting area between the carriages. Gu Zi was at ease, knowing Jin Long was watching over him. The most worry-free of them all was Su Bing, who was either engrossed in a book or busy solving problems, flashlight in hand.

    Gu Zi spent the afternoon gazing at the scenery outside the window. She found that without the distractions of a phone or internet, immersing herself in the beauty of nature was a pleasant pastime.

    As darkness enveloped the train, obscuring the view outside, Gu Zi decided to retire early with Su Le.

    When she awoke, it was already morning. Jin Long had purchased a chess set on the train and was engaged in a game with Su Bing. Gu Zi left them to their game, preparing milk for Su Le. By the time she was done, Jin Long was visibly stumped by the chess position Su Bing had set up, his brow furrowed in concentration, yet unwilling to concede defeat.

    After watching them for a while, Gu Zi turned her attention back to the scenery outside. Her mind occasionally drifted back to the older man who had taken her on bicycle rides, a smile unconsciously playing on her lips.

    Meanwhile, at the Guangcheng Hospital, Mrs. Chen had just regained consciousness. Clutching her husband¡¯s hand, she pleaded, ¡°You make the arrangements. I must go to the capital this time. I don¡¯t know how badly he¡¯s hurt. How could such a thing happen¡­¡±

    As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. That morning, she had heard the news of her son leading a team into a drug dealer¡¯s camp and had fainted. Her family had rushed her to the hospital, but the uncertainty of her son¡¯s fate made it impossible for her to sit still.

    Commander Gong was worried about his wife traveling alone, but he was unable to accompany her. He reassured her, ¡°As soon as Elder Gao heard about this, he sent people over to check on the situation. Besides, you¡¯ve never traveled this far before.¡±

    Gong Xin, who had also shed tears, albeit in private, was present. Her eyes were still red and swollen. Regardless of her differences with her brother, they were siblings. She was naturally worried about him. She said to Mrs. Chen, ¡°How can you go alone? I¡¯ll go with you. Dad, assign two guards to us. They can escort us there.¡±

    Upon reflection, Commander Gong realized that his daughter¡¯s suggestion was indeed a viable solution. He had been so frantic that he hadn¡¯t even considered it. However, as the head of the military region and the patriarch of the family, he couldn¡¯t afford to show his desperation. If he were to lose his composure, the stability of their household would crumble.

    Upon hearing of Gong Zhan¡¯s misfortune, the Gu family was thrown into chaos. Zhang Mei was inconsolable, her face washed with tears as she lamented, ¡°My poor Miaomiao, your life is so fraught with hardship. You¡¯re imprisoned, and now your husband has met with such a disaster. How will you survive the days to come¡­¡±

    Gu Shan¡¯s brow furrowed in frustration. He was already vexed, and her wailing only served to suffocate him further. He had no patience to deal with Gong Zhan¡¯s predicament. He couldn¡¯t fathom why Elder Gao, who had initially accepted his gifts, had suddenly changed his stance.

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    Gu Shan had thought his promotion was imminent. He had put in so much effort and expended so many resources for this promotion, and Elder Gao was the final hurdle.

    However, recently, Elder Gao¡¯s guards had returned all the gifts he had sent. They had even sent a letter to the Military Commission. Upon receiving the letter, the Commission had immediately contacted his superiors. Not only was he not promoted, but Gu Shan had also received a demotion notice that day. It stated that he had poor conduct and was unable to manage his family members properly. This meant that all his efforts for the promotion had been in vain. Gu Shan was on the verge of passing out from rage.

    Gu Shan had initially not wanted to discuss this with Zhang Mei, knowing that it would be futile. However, seeing her create a scene again, he snapped, ¡°Before you worry about how Lin Miao will survive in the future, you should think about whether you¡¯ve done something foolish behind my back again.¡±

    Upon hearing her husband¡¯s harsh words, Zhang Mei was furious. She retorted, ¡°I saved you from a major trouble, and you call it a foolish act? Gu Zi¡¯s adopted son went missing a while ago. If I hadn¡¯t made our stance clear early on, stating that we wouldn¡¯t help Gu Zi find the child, Gu Zi would have probably come knocking on our door, expecting you, her foster father, to help. You¡¯re not even aware that Mrs. Chen also took people to help find the child. I told you, the Gong family hasn¡¯t given up on Gu Zi yet!¡±

    Hearing this, Gu Shan sensed a glimmer of hope. He then remembered that when he had recently visited Commander Gong, he was directly turned away by the guards at the door.

 Chapter 860 - Chapter 860: Filled With Anger

    Chapter 860: Filled With Anger

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The guard had spoken, ¡°The leader said that the mess your wife has made, you¡¯ll have to bear it yourself. Those absurd words have reached the ears of Elder Gao, and the leader is truly helpless. Demoting you is the least of it.¡±

    Initially, Gu Shan couldn¡¯t understand what kind of trouble a woman like Zhang Mei could stir up. He thought it was just an excuse from the Gong family for not seeing him. But now, hearing Zhang Mei¡¯s words, he understood. This foolish woman, Zhang Mei, had ruined his plans. She must have said something inappropriate that reached Elder Gao¡¯s ears. Elder Gao was a man who valued virtue in his subordinates, no wonder he had returned everything. Damn it!

    He couldn¡¯t care less about the so-called marital affection. Now, all he felt towards Zhang Mei was a surge of anger and disgust.

    Gu Shan raised his hand and slapped her, knocking her to the ground. Zhang Mei¡¯s face stung with pain as she covered it and got up, pointing at Gu Shan and cursing, ¡°Gu Shan, you actually hit me, you actually raised your hand against me?¡±

    Gu Shan couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain, he just roared, ¡°I hit you, I even want to kill you, go away!¡± Following that, he stormed out, causing a bigger commotion than ever before.

    Zhang Mei was reduced to tears. Her husband had finally returned from the military region, and not only did he not show her a kind face, but he had also raised his hand against her after she had merely complained. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this anymore, I can¡¯t go on with this life!¡± she sobbed.

    Li Li was watching from the kitchen, a mocking smile curling up at the corners of her mouth. She then pretended to be flustered and ran out to help Zhang Mei, ¡°Madam, madam, are you alright? How could the master do this, it¡¯s too much!¡±

    Zhang Mei was completely disillusioned with Gu Shan. She had to think of a way to help her daughter, Miaomiao, who would be her only support in the future. ¡°Li Li, what should I do? How can I help my daughter?¡±

    Before complaining to Gu Shan, Zhang Mei had told Li Li about these matters. She trusted Li Li completely.

    Li Li thought for a moment and said, ¡°Madam, I think Miss Lin Miao is the daughter-in-law of the Gong family. If she wasn¡¯t imprisoned, she should be the one to go and take care of her husband in his time of need. This would also prevent others from taking advantage of the situation.¡±

    ¡°A man is most vulnerable when he¡¯s injured. Now that Miss Lin Miao can¡¯t go, you going in her place is the same. You are her mother-in-law, going to take care of your son-in-law for your daughter is very reasonable. But I heard that the journey is very long, you¡¯ll have to suffer if you go. Madam, I can¡¯t bear to see you suffer.¡±

    As Li Li spoke, tears fell from her eyes, making her seem sincere. Zhang Mei listened to her words and felt they made sense, ¡°Now is not the time to worry about suffering. This is a solution, I have to do it for Miao Miao. Li Li, you are a kind girl. When I come back this time, I will definitely find you a good family in the city to marry into!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Li Li was filled with gratitude, her emotions a whirlwind of laughter and tears. Yet, deep within, she harbored a sense of disdain. She didn¡¯t believe that Zhang Mei could find her a suitable match. If such a person existed, Zhang Mei wouldn¡¯t be so fixated on the Gong family tree. She would have already arranged a match for Lin Miao.

    Li Li decided not to trouble others, for she already had a target in mind ¨C Gu Shan. He was a military man, and even though he had been demoted, he was still a good man in her eyes.

    Li Li¡¯s suggestion for Zhang Mei to go to the capital was a strategic move on her part. This was the Gu family residence, and even if Gu Shan and Zhang Mei had a falling out, Gu Shan would have no choice but to return here. With Zhang Mei absent, Li Li¡¯s opportunity would present itself.

    After deciding to go to the capital, Zhang Mei visited Lin Miao in prison. Upon seeing her, she began to complain, ¡°Miaomiao, your father is so heartless. I never thought he would lay a hand on me. From now on, I can only rely on you. You must reform yourself and get out of here as soon as possible¡­¡±

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    Lin Miao listened with impatience, but she had no choice but to comfort her, ¡°Mother, I appreciate your efforts. Father is probably disappointed in me. He regrets giving up on Gu Zi. You shouldn¡¯t quarrel with him too much. After all, I need his connections to get out of here smoothly.¡±

    ¡°As for Gong Zhan¡¯s situation, your decision is right. You should go and take care of his daily life. Maybe you can salvage something. Mother, I¡¯m sorry. When I get out, I will go to university and when I graduate, I will take good care of you.¡±

    Recently, strange images had been flashing through her mind. There was Gu Zi being driven out of the Su family and meeting a tragic end, and there was her and Gong Zhan living a sweet and blissful life.

    She believed these images signified a turning point. Perhaps in this life, Gu Zi¡¯s ending would be unfavorable. As long as she could successfully get out of prison and take the college entrance examination, she believed she could turn the tables.

    After all, she was not ordinary. She was someone who could be reborn. She firmly believed that the images in her mind were a premonition of the outcome. In the end, she would definitely defeat Gu Zi. She had to pull herself together.

 Chapter 861 - Chapter 861: Arrival At Last

    Chapter 861: Arrival At Last

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After visiting Lin Miao at prison, Zhang Mei set her sights on the capital. However, the thought of the long journey ahead gave her pause. She was a lone woman and the road was fraught with danger. She had just had a heated argument with Gu Shan, and she knew better than to expect any help from him. Yet, she was not bothered by his indifference. She had her own ways of managing.

    Zhang Mei sought out Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary, Mo Li, and asked her to accompany her to the capital. ¡°Mo Li,¡± she said, ¡°you are my son-in-law¡¯s secretary. Given the trouble he¡¯s in, it¡¯s only right that you come with me. Perhaps you could also arrange for a couple of his guards to escort us.¡±

    Mo Li was surprised that Zhang Mei had approached her, but then she realized that Zhang Mei was counting on her ability to command the guards. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as Mo Li had her eyes on the status that came with being Zhang Mei¡¯s confidant.

    Upon hearing of Gong Zhan¡¯s predicament, Mo Li had been fretting over how to take leave and make her way to the capital. Now, with a valid reason handed to her on a silver platter, she had no reason to refuse. That very day, Zhang Mei and Mo Li, accompanied by two guards, set off for the capital.

    Meanwhile, at the capital¡¯s train station, Gu Zi and her party had endured several days of jostling on the train and had finally arrived.

    Su Li, looking at the train station that was even larger than the one in Guangcheng City, was filled with excitement. He wanted to run ahead, but remembering his mother¡¯s worry, he obediently held the hand of a guard as they exited the station.

    No sooner had they stepped out than two military vehicles pulled up in front of them. From each vehicle, a soldier clad in uniform disembarked, their imposing presence undeniable. However, as they approached Gu Zi, their demeanor softened into respect. ¡°Madam,¡± they greeted, ¡°we are Commander Su¡¯s security team, here to escort you to the guesthouse. Please, get in the car.¡±

    The two soldiers, though maintaining a professional exterior, were inwardly astounded. Their commander¡¯s wife was incredibly beautiful and exuded an air of elegance. They had never seen a woman so stunning, even more so than Miss Hu Jie. And she looked so young, surely much younger than Commander Su?

    Behind closed doors, they speculated about the kind of extraordinary woman who could effortlessly win over their military region¡¯s war wolf. A woman who had made the war wolf give up his power and risk his life just to return to her side. Now that they had seen her, they agreed: she was indeed worth it.

    Gu Zi had never experienced such treatment before, and for a moment, she was taken aback. She turned to Jin Long and asked, ¡°Does Su Shen have a security team here?¡±

    Jin Long laughed. He had been equally stunned the first time he came to the capital with Brother Shen, but having been through it before, he calmly replied, ¡°Indeed, even though Brother Shen is a regimental commander, he is a very important person here. Even the brigade commanders are his subordinates. It¡¯s no big deal for the higher-ups to arrange a security team for him.¡±

    Gu Zi quickly regained her composure, got into the car, and thought to herself that the older man was really something. Others had security guards, but he had a security team! His two sons were also surprised, thinking their father was so cool!

    The car started moving, and soon, the group arrived at the guesthouse. Gu Zi was arranged a two-bedroom suite, which had everything she could possibly need. She didn¡¯t have to worry about anything, and there was even food provided three times a day. The service was even better than that of the hotels outside.

    Jin Long looked on with envy, ¡°Ah, it would be nice if I were also a military family member. Sister-in-law, you take the children to rest first, and I¡¯ll go and find out about Brother Shen¡¯s situation.¡±

    Gu Zi had been on the train for several days, and even though she had a sleeper berth, she felt as if she had been tortured, with her body aching all over. She needed to rest first, so she let the two brothers go to the other room. After taking a bath, she went to sleep in the master bedroom with Lele. She slept until evening, and just as she was getting up and washing up, she heard a frantic knocking at the door.

    Gu Zi went to open the door, and the two brothers also came out of their room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Jin Long panting heavily, joyfully reporting the latest news, ¡°Sister-in-law, the main force has made contact with Brother Shen. He is now being treated for his wounds. Isn¡¯t it miraculous? The person who has been missing for so many days, as soon as you arrive, we make contact. You really are Brother Shen¡¯s lucky star!¡±

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    Gu Zi was also surprised and delighted. Finally, she could see the older man. She quickly asked, ¡°Where is he now? Take us to him quickly.¡±

    Jin Long said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got everything under control. He¡¯s in the military hospital. I¡¯ll take you there now.¡±

    Gu Zi quickly went in to pick up the sleeping Su Le, and with the two boys, followed Jin Long to the Capital Military Hospital. As soon as they entered the hospital, they smelled the strong scent of disinfectant mixed with the thick smell of blood.

    Looking around, they saw medical staff rushing a dozen or so wounded soldiers to the emergency room. Thinking that Su Shen might be one of these wounded soldiers, Gu Zi could only suppress her fear and try to make out the faces of each of the bloodied soldiers.

    However, after looking at all of them, she didn¡¯t find any wounded soldiers who looked like Su Shen. It wasn¡¯t until the next corner that she saw a familiar figure in the distance.

 Chapter 862 - Chapter 862: Meeting Again

    Chapter 862: Meeting Again

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Assisted by medical personnel, he stood tall, his body covered in dust and blood. One look was enough to confirm that he was her husband.

    She was about to rush over to him when another woman, seemingly having just received the news, hurriedly arrived. From another direction, she reached him before her, asking anxiously, ¡°How did you get so badly injured, Su Shen? Why? Why would you risk your life to return to her side? What does she have that¡¯s worth all this?¡±

    Hu Jie¡¯s words implied that Su Shen¡¯s injuries were all because of Gu Zi. Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel much upon seeing her, but her words were truly disgusting. However, she didn¡¯t rush over. Instead, she wanted to see what her husband would say.

    So, Gu Zi retreated to the corner, not allowing her two sons to approach. Naturally, the two boys obeyed.

    Su Bing¡¯s eyes were cold as he stared at Hu Jie. Gu Zi saw his cold gaze. It had been a long time since she had seen such a grim expression on her son. Gu Zi quietly comforted him, ¡°Let¡¯s stay calm and watch.¡±

    Realizing that his demeanor might have frightened his mother, Su Bing quickly put on a smile, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    However, what he didn¡¯t know was that the gloom in his eyes, coupled with his insincere smile, was even more terrifying. Indeed, he was the villain of the original story, probably already thinking of countless ways to kill Hu Jie.

    Gu Zi wanted to say, ¡°Son, this woman is just a bit annoying, there¡¯s no need to wish her dead!¡±

    However, at this moment, Su Shen responded. Gu Zi held her breath in anticipation, surprisingly looking forward to his answer. It was at this moment that she realized she cared more about her husband than she thought.

    Even in public, Su Shen noticeably stepped back, avoiding Hu Jie¡¯s hand that was reaching out to support him. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Because I love her. I love her so much that I can¡¯t bear to leave her with any other man. I may not be the best choice for her, but I am selfish when it comes to her. I can¡¯t bear to let her leave me.¡±

    His voice was strong and sincere, making Hu Jie¡¯s face turn pale. It also stunned the surrounding soldiers. Was this the same man they knew from their military district, the one who was indifferent to women and impartial? He could express love? There was a woman in this world who could move his heart? They were eager to see this woman¡¯s face, expecting nothing less than extraordinary beauty.

    The next second, the man¡¯s gaze turned to the corner. His eyes, once firm, were now filled with tenderness and guilt. He thought he had seen wrong in his panic, but the small head that had quickly withdrawn after meeting his gaze was unmistakably his beloved wife.

    Then, Su Shen¡¯s voice softened to an extreme gentleness that made everyone around him gasp in surprise. ¡°Ah Zi, why are you hiding when you¡¯ve arrived?¡± he asked.

    Suddenly, the corner where Gu Zi was standing became the focus of everyone¡¯s anticipation. The older man was truly cunning. Had he noticed her arrival long before? How did he discover her? She had hidden herself so well!

    However, since he had seen her, she had to come out now. Gu Zi, holding her daughter and leading her two sons, walked towards him. At the same time, he also moved in her direction. Finally, the two of them met face to face.

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    At that moment, Gu Zi¡¯s heart was in turmoil. She felt shy, worried, joyful, and resentful all at once. It was an indescribable emotion, especially when she clearly saw the scars and bloodstains on his body. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears, which uncontrollably rolled down her cheeks and fell onto the man¡¯s body.

    Su Shen was visibly flustered. He wanted to wipe away her tears, but he was worried that his blood-stained hands would dirty her small face. In the end, under the gaze of everyone, he carefully withdrew his hand and gently comforted her, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Gu Zi was very upset and angry with him, but that woman was still there. She sweetly said, ¡°If I don¡¯t worry about you, who will? I¡¯m worth you risking your life for. Miss Hu, I¡¯m very grateful to you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have known how important I am to my husband. Miss Hu, why don¡¯t you stay and have dinner with us?¡±

    Hu Jie coldly watched Gu Zi and snorted, ¡°A petty person taking advantage, using nothing but seductive tricks to bewitch a man¡¯s heart. You¡¯re not fit to be in the spotlight.¡±

    Seeing that Hu Jie was not willing to back down, Gu Zi also stopped being polite and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯m not like you, Miss Hu, who sees herself as a dish of high nobility, worrying about whether she can be presented on the stage. I come from an ordinary family and have only learned ordinary principles since childhood. I know that not taking what belongs to others is the way of a courteous person. Miss Hu, it seems you¡¯re telling me that a noble status and understanding courtesy are not the same thing.¡±

 Chapter 863 - Chapter 863: The Petite Wife

    Chapter 863: The Petite Wife

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hu Jie¡¯s face flushed with indignation. She couldn¡¯t believe that this woman had the audacity to publicly compare her to a mere dish, and even accuse her of acting beneath her status. No one had ever dared to treat her this way before. She was truly a cunning adversary. Remembering how her previous attempts to thwart this woman¡¯s plans had been foiled, Hu Jie¡¯s expression darkened further. She was determined not to let Su Shen leave the capital!

    With a cold huff, Hu Jie stormed off, leaving the surrounding crowd in stunned silence. It was the first time they had seen the wealthy young lady take such a blow without retaliating. Their leader¡¯s wife was indeed a formidable woman.

    The crowd had always been puzzled. How could a woman like Hu Jie, who came from a powerful family and was blessed with both beauty and intelligence, be so determined to marry their leader, Su Shen, and yet he remained unmoved? If any other man in the military district had been in his shoes, they would have considered it the luck of a lifetime.

    However, after seeing the leader¡¯s wife now, they seemed to understand. There truly were such beautiful and charming women in the world. Her aura was in no way inferior to Hu Jie¡¯s, and she was so young, so devoted to her husband. Who wouldn¡¯t be moved by such a woman? No wonder their leader was willing to risk everything to return to Guangcheng!

    Gu Zi helped Su Shen into the examination room. Once inside, she let go of his hand and didn¡¯t even spare the older man a glance. Su Shen hurriedly explained, ¡°Ah Zi, I didn¡¯t ask her to come. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Gu Zi no longer bothered to pretend. Even in the presence of the examining doctor and nurse, she didn¡¯t bother to hide her haughty demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± she declared. ¡°You still have a chance. If you decide to stay in the capital, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m still young. I can find someone else, someone more handsome and wealthier than you.¡±

    Su Shen choked at her words, coughing violently. His wound began to bleed more profusely. Su Shen realized that while his enemies might not be able to take his life, Gu Zi could. A single casual remark from her could infuriate him to death.

    Seeing this, the nurse began to clean his wound while teasing him, ¡°Leader Su, when you marry a petite wife, you have to pamper her. This is what people mean when they say ¡®pain and pleasure.¡¯ But don¡¯t let this young lady¡¯s tough exterior fool you. I¡¯ve been around long enough to know that she¡¯s worried about you. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have traveled such a long distance, dragging along the children, just to find you. You should treat her well.¡±

    The doctor, listening to this exchange, couldn¡¯t help but smile. He advised, ¡°The wound has been dressed. Although there are no life-threatening injuries, the external wounds are not light, and there¡¯s been a lot of blood loss. An ordinary person would have fainted from this amount of blood loss. But our Leader Su is no ordinary man. Now, it¡¯s time to rest in the ward.¡±

    The hospital had arranged a high-end ward for Su Shen, complete with an accompanying room. After taking his medication, Su Shen retired to bed. Gu Zi, who had not had enough rest herself, decided to join him. She took their three children into the accompanying room to rest. The room was furnished with a large bed and two foldable spare beds.

    Gu Zi shared the large bed with their youngest, Lele, while the two older brothers each claimed a spare bed. Perhaps due to exhaustion, the three children fell asleep quickly. Gu Zi, however, found herself unable to fully succumb to sleep. She lay awake, staring blankly at the ceiling for a while. Her moment of solitude was interrupted by the sudden sound of a cup falling outside. Startled, she quickly got up to investigate.

    As she approached the bedside, she saw Su Shen sitting upright. Before she could ask what had happened, she was pulled into his embrace. Su Shen held her tightly, as if afraid that she would disappear the moment he let go. He had just had a dream where she had left him. Thankfully, it was just a dream. He had her now, and he was not going to let go.

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    Su Shen was wrapped in bandages, some from blast injuries, others from knife wounds. He sat upright on the bed, his body faintly smelling of medicine. It was a pleasant scent. As he held her, a smile of happiness spread across Gu Zi¡¯s face. She whispered, ¡°What are you doing? The children just fell asleep. Do you want to wake them up?¡±

    Su Shen remained silent for a while, holding her tightly. Then, he pleaded, ¡°Ah Zi, don¡¯t leave me. Don¡¯t marry another man, okay?¡±

    This was the first time Gu Zi had seen Su Shen, a man as sturdy as a mountain, in such a vulnerable state. He looked so innocent and adorable that she felt an urge to tease him. ¡°Su Shen,¡± she asked, ¡°what would you do if I divorced you now and married someone else?¡±

    Without any hesitation, Su Shen replied, ¡°I would go mad. I would take you back, even if it meant going against your wishes. I can¡¯t lose you, Ah Zi. Please, stop joking. I had no idea that Hu Jie would come. I have no feelings for her.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled softly, ¡°I heard you. I know you have no feelings for her. But I want to know, how much do you feel for me, hmm?¡±

 Chapter 864 - Chapter 864: A Misunderstanding

    Chapter 864: A Misunderstanding

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Without the need for contemplation, Su Shen could answer her question. ¡°Everything, Ah Zi, my mind, my heart, it¡¯s all you. I want to hold you in the early morning, walk with you hand in hand after meals, and embrace you to sleep every night. I want to kiss you, make love to you.¡±

    His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he uttered the last four words, nearly making her lose her senses. By the time she regained her composure, his large hand was already wrapped around her waist. The medical tape on the back of his hand, pressed against her, had become crumpled. His lips captured hers, his mouth devouring hers in large bites, leaving her almost breathless.

    She pushed him away, accidentally pressing on his wound. The wound split open, and the blood seeping out stained the white bandage red. Regardless, he continued to kiss her, intoxicated. At that moment, her saliva was the best anesthetic. Gu Zi eventually felt sorry for him, let go of her hand, and immersed herself in his kiss. She closed her eyes, surrendering herself completely to him, willingly moved by his affection.

    After a long while, she opened her eyes. Her black pupils were filled with a hazy shimmer, her eyes reddened at the corners, her small mouth open, panting lightly. Su Shen cupped her face, kissing her slightly open mouth again before he was willing to stop. His throat involuntarily rolled, and seeing this, Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks reddened. She scolded, ¡°You¡¯re all bandaged up like a mummy, can¡¯t you behave?¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother with him, planning to call the doctor to re-dress his wound. However, as soon as she opened the door, she ran into a group of people. The leader was quite old, probably in his fifties, with stern features and a vibrant spirit. Behind him was Hu Jie. Gu Zi guessed who it was ¨C Hu Jie¡¯s uncle, Old Chief Shen, the one who had kept Su Shen from leaving.

    Old Chief Shen was not surprised to see Gu Zi. He smiled, but it was not warm. He praised, ¡°I wondered why Su Shen was so desperate to leave the military area and return to Guangcheng. It turns out he has such a beautiful and charming wife at home.¡±

    Gu Zi responded calmly. Wasn¡¯t he just flattering her? She could do that too. She smiled and said, ¡°You must be Old Chief Shen. I¡¯ve heard of your heroic deeds from the past. Seeing you today, you¡¯re indeed awe-inspiring. Please come in, Old Chief Shen!¡±

    Gu Zi led the group of people into the room, their purpose clear: to visit the hero of the hour, Su Shen.

    Su Shen, upon seeing the visitors, did not rise to greet them. He simply sat there, watching as they entered. The senior officer, however, did not take offense at this. He addressed Su Shen, ¡°Elder Gao has sent a letter scolding me thoroughly, both for his former subordinate Gong Zhan and for you.¡±

    He continued, ¡°He says that he and his wife consider your young, delicate wife as their own daughter. If anything were to happen to you, leaving their adopted daughter a widow, I would be in a world of trouble. Fortunately, I trust your abilities, and you have returned safely!¡±

    Su Shen, faced with the senior officer¡¯s usual superficiality, did not play along. He responded coldly, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Old Chief. I am indeed well. Ah Zi, this is our superior, Old Chief Shen. Old Chief, allow me to formally introduce my wife, Gu Zi.¡±

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    When Su Shen spoke to Gu Zi, his tone was noticeably softer. Gu Zi, wanting to save face for her husband, listened to his introduction and greeted the senior officer, ¡°Hello, Old Chief. Thank you for taking care of Su Shen during his time in the capital.¡±

    Old Chief Shen replied, ¡°Su Shen is a pillar of our unit, it¡¯s only right to do so. Haha. Oh, about Hu Jie¡¯s earlier outburst, I have already spoken to her. Hu Jie, come over here and explain the misunderstanding to Su Shen¡¯s wife.¡±

    Reluctantly, Hu Jie was brought forward. She could only follow her uncle¡¯s instructions and speak, ¡°Miss Gu, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Please do not take my words to heart. I am already engaged to the Huo family, and I would never interfere with your relationship with Su Shen. It¡¯s impossible between Su Shen and me. Please forgive my momentary lapse.¡±

    Earlier, before Hu Jie had left the hospital, she had run into her uncle and his group. She had been so infuriated by Gu Zi that she had rushed forward to beg her uncle not to let Su Shen leave the military district. Her uncle¡¯s face had immediately darkened, and he had pulled her aside to scold her harshly, ¡°Remember this, Su Shen¡¯s affairs have nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what foolish thing you did just now.

    ¡°Now, come with me and salvage your image as a lady. Our family cannot afford to have a daughter who tries to steal another woman¡¯s husband. Remember this, either I die, or you are no longer my niece. In any case, there can never be anything between you and Su Shen. I¡¯ll tell you again, your marriage to Huo Jing is inevitable!¡±

 Chapter 865 - Chapter 865: Some Alone Time

    Chapter 865: Some Alone Time

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Hu Jie yearned to question why, despite Su Shen¡¯s superior abilities, they insisted on adhering so strictly to the standards of their family¡¯s status. However, she dared not voice her thoughts, fearing the consequences of her uncle¡¯s utter disappointment in her. Thus, she found herself acting like a puppet, parroting her uncle¡¯s words verbatim, a performance for the benefit of those around them, aimed at salvaging the dignity of the Shen family.

    Gu Zi had discerned the Shen family¡¯s disapproval of Hu Jie¡¯s yearning for Su Shen. She noticed Hu Jie¡¯s forced apology, devoid of sincerity. However, sincerity was not the crux of the matter. The fact that Hu Jie had apologized allowed Gu Zi to magnanimously forgive her. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± she said, ¡°Congratulations, Miss Hu, on your fortunate match!¡±

    In that moment, the brilliance of Gu Zi¡¯s smile was inversely proportional to the stifling frustration in Hu Jie¡¯s heart. Her uncle was satisfied, everyone was satisfied, except for her. She felt as though she was betraying her own heart. However, she was not about to give up on Su Shen so easily. ¡®Just you wait, Gu Zi!¡¯ she thought.

    Seeing the matter resolved, Old Chief Shen instructed his men to set down the fruit gift box. ¡°We won¡¯t impose any longer,¡± he said, ¡°Su Shen, take good care of yourself. Hu Jie, let¡¯s go.¡±

    With downcast eyes, Hu Jie stole one last glance at Su Shen before leaving. Her expression was grim, for throughout the entire ordeal, Su Shen¡¯s gaze had remained fixed on Gu Zi. Did he truly love her that much? She refused to believe it. Su Shen was not a man to be shackled by love.

    Finally, the room fell silent. The doctor came in to change Su Shen¡¯s bandages, and his two sons woke up.

    Su Li ran to Su Shen¡¯s bedside, excitedly asking, ¡°Dad, dad, that auntie who¡¯s always thinking about you is getting married. Does that mean she won¡¯t come to ruin your relationship with mom anymore?¡±

    With the departure of the unwanted guests, the room was finally quiet. Su Shen had been relatively relaxed until his son¡¯s question made him feel guilty. His wife was still angry, and he sat up straight, coughing lightly. He was at a loss for words, fearing that a poor response might further upset his wife, which would be far from ideal.

    Gu Zi saw through the older man¡¯s embarrassment at a glance, feigning confusion as she turned to Su Li, ¡°Su Li, how did you know about your father attracting unwanted attention? Do tell.¡±

    Su Li, with an air of profundity, replied, ¡°Of course I know. Brother told me. That woman is not a good person. The last time you when called Dad, she even had the person answering the phone tell you that Dad wouldn¡¯t take your call. But in reality, Dad was just busy. She¡¯s too wicked. I don¡¯t like bad women, and I¡¯m sure Dad doesn¡¯t either. Dad, am I right?¡±

    Su Shen felt that his second son was truly his good child, and quickly nodded in agreement. He looked at Gu Zi, expressing his feelings, ¡°Of course I don¡¯t like her. I only like your mother.¡±

    However, Su Li did not let his father off the hook so easily. With his arms crossed, he continued to question, ¡°So why didn¡¯t you take precautions earlier, causing mother to almost misunderstand you?¡±

    Su Shen choked. He couldn¡¯t help but hold his head in misery.

    Gu Zi laughed, pulling Su Li to her side to help her husband out of the predicament, ¡°Your father has been hurt so much, he can¡¯t talk too much. You should go inside and watch over your sister.¡±

    Only then did Su Li obediently go into the ward.

    As night fell, Su Bing went to the cafeteria to get food for the family.

    Gu Zi, worried that Su Shen¡¯s wounds would reopen, didn¡¯t let him get out of bed. She placed the food on the small table attached to Su Shen¡¯s hospital bed. Su Shen sat on the bed, while the others sat at the edge. The family squeezed together to have dinner.

    Although the space was a bit cramped, it had been a long time since the family had eaten together. It was a warm and joyful occasion.

    As Gu Zi was cleaning up the trash, Jin Long arrived, bringing supplements and fruits. He also invited the two boys, ¡°How about staying with me at my hotel tonight? I¡¯ve booked a suite.¡±

    Jin Long¡¯s thoughtfulness was appreciated. Su Shen needed to rest, and the children, if they continued to make noise here, would not be conducive to Su Shen¡¯s recovery.

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    Furthermore, Su Shen and Gu Zi hadn¡¯t seen each other for nearly two months and definitely needed some alone time. He was more than willing to help create that space by taking the three children with him.

    Su Bing had no objections and immediately picked up Su Le, ready to disappear. Su Le thought she was being taken out to play and was very excited. She quickly waved goodbye to her parents. Only Su Li was reluctant. He didn¡¯t want to stay with Uncle Jin Long; he wanted to be with his parents.

    However, Su Bing didn¡¯t indulge him and coldly dragged him away. The weak Su Li didn¡¯t dare to protest.

    For a moment, the room was completely quiet, leaving only Gu Zi and Su Shen. Gu Zi gave Su Shen his post-meal anti-inflammatory medicine. As she put down the water cup and turned around, she realized that the older man¡¯s gaze had been on her the entire time.

    Biting her lip, she asked him in a soft voice, ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±

 Chapter 866 - Chapter 866: Had it Tough

    Chapter 866: Had it Tough

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After a long absence, he had a multitude of words he wished to share with her. However, he was not a man of many words. He yearned to speak, yet he was at a loss for where to begin.

    His thoughts drifted back to the recent incident involving Hu Jie, and he instinctively began to explain. He had no desire for Gu Zi to harbor any misunderstandings. ¡°I want to say, about Hu Jie, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gu Zi interrupted him, stating, ¡°Hu Jie has already apologized, let¡¯s consider the matter settled. I didn¡¯t take it to heart, but if you bring it up again, I might get upset!¡±

    Did she really appear so petty to him? He felt the need to explain himself repeatedly over this matter. And the way he looked, a grown man of thirty, appearing timid and pitiful in front of a young, beautiful girl like her. He was a man as sturdy as a mountain, so why was he putting on such a fragile, sentimental act?

    A fleeting sense of disappointment flashed in Su Shen¡¯s eyes. Did she not care at all? Perhaps he was the one with the problem. He actually wanted to see Gu Zi act jealous on his behalf. But perhaps the long, hard journey had worn her out, leaving her too exhausted to get angry over this matter. It certainly wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t hold a significant place in Gu Zi¡¯s heart!

    She knew he was in trouble and had rushed to see him immediately. Despite the long distance, she had come. In her heart, he must hold a place, and an important one at that! Su Shen comforted himself with these thoughts and quickly adjusted his mood.

    He heard Gu Zi say, ¡°That¡¯s right, you are the War Wolf of the Capital Military Region that the rumors speak of, a man of iron and steel. Why the fragile act? Don¡¯t worry about me getting upset. I¡¯m quite open-minded. When I saw you in the corridor, I thought, as long as you¡¯re alive, that¡¯s the best news. Who cares what Hu Jie or Wang Jie say.¡±

    At this, Su Shen¡¯s mood truly brightened. He had experienced what it felt like to love someone. Her light-hearted words could make him sentimental, make him laugh. His happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy were all tied to her. He didn¡¯t know why, but Su Shen, who didn¡¯t like being controlled, sincerely wished that his love for Gu Zi could control him for a lifetime.

    Gu Zi wanted to peel an apple for him. He reached out to take her hand, asking her to put down her task and sit on his lap. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard journey coming here,¡± he said. ¡°Rest well, don¡¯t always be busy taking care of me. For me, it¡¯s most important that you take care of yourself.¡±

    Su Shen was not the type of man who was smooth with his words, nor was he adept at expressing his affection verbally. Yet, when he did, it was as if he held her life in his hands. She didn¡¯t understand why, but whenever she was with him, held in his arms, she felt cherished, as if she was being cradled in the palm of his hand, her heart filled with sweetness.

    Jin Long had arranged everything well, and the Gao family¡¯s guards had played a significant role. Her main task on the train was to rest, and she seldom had to care for the children herself. However, after several days of jostling on the train, she felt tired. When she disembarked, she was sore and aching. Although she had rested, she hadn¡¯t fully recovered and still felt uncomfortable.

    Seizing the opportunity of Su Shen¡¯s words, she complained in a coquettish tone, ¡°It was tough, you have no idea. The train ride was so bumpy, I couldn¡¯t sleep well the whole way. I¡¯m still in pain now. I miss our big bed at home.

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    ¡°There were also many things that happened while you were away. Both our sons participated in competitions and achieved excellent results, just like you. Of course, there were also some bad things. I brought the newspapers with me. I can¡¯t hide these things from you. Don¡¯t worry after reading them, because Su Li is safe now, and the human traffickers have received their due punishment.¡±

    Su Shen looked at her, his eyes filled with guilt. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Ah Zi. I took on an urgent mission and didn¡¯t answer your call in time. I made you worry. You had to manage everything at home alone. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    As he spoke, Su Shen took the newspaper from Gu Zi and began to read. The article was about Su Li and Gao Ming being kidnapped, outsmarting the human traffickers, and rescuing thousands of children. After reading, Su Shen wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly. He knew this incident must have worried her sick. He didn¡¯t know how to express his gratitude, so he could only promise to treat her better in the future.

    Gu Zi felt his movements were too vigorous, fearing that the wound on his chest would reopen. She hurriedly pushed him away, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t hold me now. What if your wound worsens? Don¡¯t you want to leave the hospital sooner?¡±

    Gu Zi said this for two reasons. Firstly, she was afraid his wound would reopen. Secondly, she was afraid that if they continued to embrace like this, something might happen. She still remembered the passionate kiss they had shared earlier. If it weren¡¯t for his wound reopening, the situation might have become inappropriate. She didn¡¯t want to make love to a man covered in wounds.

 Chapter 867 - Chapter 867: Gong Zhan Woke Up

    Chapter 867: Gong Zhan Woke Up

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen seemed to have realized the issue at hand. He didn¡¯t mind going into battle with injuries, after all, even if he couldn¡¯t use his physical strength, his hands were enough to take care of her. But she was tired, and he couldn¡¯t bear to torment her further.

    After a swallow, Su Shen reluctantly let go of Gu Zi, but still supported her waist, allowing her to sit on his lap. He gently agreed, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t hold you so tightly. You¡¯re tired too, shall we rest for a while?¡±

    Only when Gu Zi was asked this did she notice that her eyelids were fighting to stay open. She was indeed a bit sleepy. She replied, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Su Shen planted a kiss on her forehead, pulling her into the crook of his strong arm. His chin rested on top of her head, allowing her to sleep nestled against him.

    Gu Zi closed her eyes and then opened them again, looking up at the older man. Seeing his worried expression, she felt as if she was being treated like a child. But Gu Zi enjoyed it, after all, who wouldn¡¯t want to be pampered? She said to Su Shen, ¡°I love you, husband. Once you¡¯re discharged, I¡¯ll put on the sexiest nightgown and reward you for the whole night.¡±

    Su Shen looked at her with a mix of indulgence and helplessness. He pinched her cheek and said in a low, husky voice, ¡°Ah Zi, you know I can¡¯t right now, yet you¡¯re still deliberately teasing me. You little troublemaker, go to sleep!¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s warm hand gently stroked up and down her back, as if coaxing her to sleep. Just as Gu Zi was about to be intoxicated by his tender affection, a woman¡¯s voice came from outside the door, clear and distinct, ¡°Deputy Commander Gong, you¡¯re awake. Are you here to thank our Commander Su? Let me knock on the door for you.¡±

    The female nurse was very enthusiastic and was about to knock on the door when she was stopped by a cold voice, ¡°No need, I¡­ I was just passing by!¡± After saying this, hurried footsteps could be heard, growing fainter and fainter until they disappeared.

    Gu Zi, nestled in Su Shen¡¯s arms, felt numb. She vaguely remembered that when Jin Long and the others had left, the door had been left ajar. Gong Zhan had woken up, but the real question was why he had been eavesdropping. When had he arrived, and had he heard her teasing Su Shen earlier? Oh God, she wished she could find a hole to crawl into!

    Su Shen heard the commotion outside but didn¡¯t pay it much mind. However, he found it amusing when he felt the small woman in his arms tugging at the corner of the blanket, restless and uneasy. She had been bold enough to tease him earlier, but now she was shy. How could she be so adorable?

    In the adjacent hospital room, Gong Zhan walked in and closed the door behind him, isolating the doctors and nurses who had followed him. His face was a mask of stoic sorrow. He slid down the door to squat behind it, his complexion pale, his body thin. He lacked his usual vitality, appearing desolate and defeated.

    From outside the door, the doctor¡¯s voice echoed, ¡°Deputy Commander Gong, you¡¯ve just woken up. You need to have regular physical examinations. If it¡¯s inconvenient for you now, I¡¯ll come back later.¡±

    With that, the doctor shook his head, leading the nursing staff away from the room. Once they were at a distance, he turned to ask the nurse behind him, ¡°He was fine during the check-up just now. Why did he lock himself in the room after stepping out?¡±

    The nurse recalled the earlier events, ¡°I found Deputy Commander Gong outside Commander Su¡¯s room. I was planning to go in to deliver Commander Su¡¯s medication, but I heard Commander Su and his wife reminiscing, so I didn¡¯t go in. I thought I¡¯d make a round and then deliver the medication. That¡¯s when I saw Deputy Commander Gong standing outside, looking quite pained.

    ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t think much of it. I thought he wanted to thank Commander Su for saving his life. After all, if it weren¡¯t for Commander Su and his team, Deputy Commander Gong might not have made it back. I was about to help him open the door when he said he was just passing by. Then he became like this. Maybe Deputy Commander Gong misses his family too?¡±

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    Another nurse chimed in, ¡°I don¡¯t think Deputy Commander Gong would go to thank Commander Su. I heard they don¡¯t get along¡­¡±

    The doctor, feeling more confused after hearing this, returned to Gong Zhan¡¯s room later. He opened the door to find Gong Zhan¡¯s untouched dinner on the table, causing him to worry. ¡°Deputy Commander Gong, the hospital food may not be as tasty as home, but porridge and light meals are the best for wound recovery. You should eat something.¡±

    Gong Zhan lay on the hospital bed, his gaze falling on the food on the table. His eyes grew colder. He couldn¡¯t help but remember that Gu Zi used to make him porridge and light meals too. They were delicious, even the picky Gong Xin could eat two big bowls.

    The hospital¡¯s porridge and light meals were far inferior to Gu Zi¡¯s, but what did it matter? He would never taste her cooking again. Thinking of this, Gong Zhan¡¯s face turned even paler, and he clutched his chest.

    Seeing this, the doctor hurried over to check on him, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯ve checked, there¡¯s no injury to your chest. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 868 - Chapter 868: Awakening From A Dream

    Chapter 868: Awakening From A Dream

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan remained silent as the doctor examined him, a hint of self-mockery playing at the corners of his mouth. He too was curious about his condition. There was no physical wound on his heart, so why had he felt such excruciating pain, as if his heart was being torn apart? Surely, it couldn¡¯t be because of Gu Zi.

    If it wasn¡¯t because of Gu Zi, then what was it? Upon learning that he had been saved by Su Shen, he felt a mix of embarrassment and relief, but no such pain. At this moment, Gong Zhan¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil. Scenes from the past played out in his mind like a movie, all of them moments he had deliberately ignored over the years.

    When he was ten, his family threw him a grand birthday party. Many people came bearing gifts, but the one that left the deepest impression on him was an oddly shaped Western cake made by the young Gu Zi. He had despised the cake for its appearance, and he had despised Gu Zi. He had even yelled at her, ¡°Take your ugly thing and leave! I don¡¯t want such an ugly cake!¡±

    Back then, Gu Zi was a lovable child. Both adults and children in the courtyard adored her, everyone except him. The more she followed him around, the more he disliked her. The nicer she was to him, the more he resented her. He always avoided her, but why did he hate Gu Zi so much? He didn¡¯t understand it himself. Looking back now, it all seemed absurd.

    Standing outside Su Shen¡¯s hospital room, he heard Gu Zi¡¯s voice. His first reaction was that she had come to see him, that she still hadn¡¯t let go of him. In that moment, a sense of joy he had never felt before welled up in his heart. That was until he heard what she was saying. Her voice was soft and sweet, as if soaked in honey, and her words were full of care and intimacy. She was speaking to another man, her current husband.

    His legs gave way, and he almost fell. In that moment, he felt as if he had awoken from a dream. She was still the same, treating the one she loved with great kindness. Only now, the one she loved was Su Shen, not him.

    His heart felt empty, and he was seized by panic. Something very important had vanished from his world. He could no longer deceive himself. He was truly suffering from the loss of Gu Zi. But the past was irretrievable. The Gu Zi who used to always follow him around, willingly playing the role of his little tail, had been left behind in the past.

    He and she would never meet again. The current Gu Zi was in love with Su Shen, a man who was indeed superior to him in both ability and strength. Perhaps this was a form of punishment for him. If that was the case, he should punish himself properly.

    For the next two days, Gong Zhan sequestered himself within his hospital room. He did not venture out, did not meet anyone, and did not consume any food. The toll of such self-imposed isolation was evident in his increasingly haggard appearance.

    When the doctor, accompanied by Mrs. Chen and Gong Xin who had just arrived from the capital, entered the room, they noticed a tuft of white hair had sprouted atop his head, a clear sign of his heavy worries.

    The doctor surmised that Gong Zhan¡¯s loneliness was exacerbated by the sounds of laughter and familial warmth emanating from the neighboring room, where the Su family resided. Overwhelmed with concern, the doctor addressed Gong Zhan, ¡°Deputy Commander Gong, your family has arrived. I¡¯ll leave you to converse with them and excuse myself.¡±

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    Upon seeing her son¡¯s vacant gaze and emaciated countenance, Mrs. Chen¡¯s heart nearly shattered. However, she knew she could not afford to add to her son¡¯s emotional burden with her tears. Swiftly, she composed herself, holding back her tears as she approached him with a smile, ¡°Ah Zhan, are you feeling better? I bet you didn¡¯t expect your mother and sister to come, did you?¡±

    As she spoke, Mrs. Chen sat by the bed, clutching her son¡¯s hand, her voice choked with emotion. Her son¡¯s once fair and slender hands were now covered in scabs, two of his fingernails were missing, and large swathes of bandages wrapped around his head and body. One hand was in a cast due to a fracture. It was clear that he had suffered greatly at the hands of the drug traffickers. She was grateful to those who had acted swiftly to rescue him, or else she might have lost her son.

    She hurriedly asked, ¡°Son, which officer from the capital rescued you? Tell me, so I can write to your father. We owe a great debt to this person, a life-saving favor that we must repay.¡±

    Upon hearing his mother¡¯s words, Gong Zhan was even less inclined to elaborate. He remembered his life-saving favor, of course, but he needed some time to recover. He responded calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this matter, Mom. I will write to father about it.¡±

    Gong Xin, who usually enjoyed teasing her brother, could not bring herself to do so upon seeing his condition. She spoke to him gently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then don¡¯t. I heard you haven¡¯t eaten for two days. It¡¯s almost lunchtime now. I¡¯ll go get some food for us. Brother, for the sake of Mom who has traveled so far to see you, you should at least eat something.¡±

 Chapter 869 - Chapter 869: A Scheming Older Man

    Chapter 869: A Scheming Older Man

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan felt a stirring in his heart, a touch of emotion that surprised him. Was this the same sister who was always causing a ruckus? He had never known her to have such tender moments. A hint of joy finally surfaced on Gong Zhan¡¯s face as he nodded, ¡°Go get the food, sis. Mom, you should rest.¡±

    Gong Xin left the room, and Mrs. Chen watched her son¡¯s transformation with a sense of relief. In the past, her son had always been annoyed by her nagging and rarely showed any affection towards his younger sister. But today, he seemed like a different person, reciprocating the care and love shown to him by his mother and sister. At this moment, Mrs. Chen felt a warmth in her heart, her son had finally grown up!

    In the neighboring hospital room, Gu Zi had just brought over a meal of rib soup and rice from the family guesthouse. The hospital food was mediocre, and Gu Zi refused to compromise on her meals. She also wanted to take better care of Su Shen and their children, so she had started cooking in the guesthouse from her second day there.

    She didn¡¯t even have to buy the meat and vegetables herself, she could just take them from the guesthouse kitchen. They were all provided for free. Gu Zi naturally enjoyed the special benefits of being a military spouse. These were benefits her husband had earned with his life, and it would be disrespectful not to use them.

    She brought in the insulated boxes, two in total. One contained the rib soup and rice, and the other held two stir-fried dishes. As she opened the boxes, the delicious aroma filled the room. Just then, a nurse came in for a routine check and couldn¡¯t help but express her envy, ¡°Commander Su is so lucky. His wife is not only young and beautiful, but she¡¯s also a great cook!¡±

    Su Shen was not one to engage in idle chatter. Even if it led to awkward silences, he rarely played along. But when it came to Gu Zi, his demeanor changed. His usually cold and handsome face softened considerably as he said, ¡°All the good fortune I¡¯ve accumulated in my life has been spent on marrying my wife.¡±

    Gu Zi thought he was exaggerating. She handed him his bowl of food and gave him a stern look, ¡°Eat your food, Commander Su. Can¡¯t even keep your mouth shut while eating?¡±

    Su Shen immediately complied, picking up his bowl and starting to eat. The nurse watched with a grin that reached her ears. After finishing her rounds, she left cheerfully to get her own meal, sharing this sweet story with anyone she met.

    ¡°It¡¯s so sweet. Commander Su and his young wife are just too adorable. I always feel so happy when I visit Commander Su¡¯s room. You have no idea. The way Commander Su looks at his wife is just so tender, it¡¯s heart-melting. And his wife is so caring, she even cooks specially for Commander Su!¡±

    Another nurse hastily chimed in, ¡°Last night, I went to change Commander Su¡¯s dressing. He asked me to hand him the medicine, and I thought he wanted to change it himself, so I gave it to him. But when I returned later, do you know what I saw? I saw Mrs. Su changing his dressing. Their eyes met, and there was such tenderness between them¡­¡±

    The story of Commander Su and his wife¡¯s sweet interactions, as told by the two nurses, brought great joy to the hospital cafeteria staff during their meal. There was hardly anyone who didn¡¯t know how deeply Su Shen loved his petite wife, and how considerate and caring she was towards him. Gu Zi probably never imagined that she would become famous in the hospital in such a way.

    After the family finished their meal, Gu Zi and Su Bing took their thermos to the sink to wash. As they stepped out, they ran into a doctor coming out of the neighboring ward. The doctor was instructing a nurse as he walked, ¡°Vice Commander Gong¡¯s family has arrived. His condition has improved significantly, and he¡¯s willing to eat and take his medicine on time. But you still need to check on him frequently. It will be easier for us to report to the higher-ups once he¡¯s discharged safely.¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback. The last time she and Su Shen had been affectionate, she had heard Gong Zhan outside the door. Gong Zhan had told the nurse he was just passing by, and aside from feeling embarrassed, she hadn¡¯t thought much of it. She hadn¡¯t expected that Gong Zhan was actually staying in the ward next to Su Shen¡¯s.

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    Gu Zi felt a throbbing in her forehead as she recalled the older man¡¯s unusual behavior over the past few days ¨C his constant sweet talk, seizing every opportunity to pin her against the wall for a kiss, and deliberately making her moan.

    Now she understood what was going on. Humph, such a scheming man, he really had no shame!

    Inside the ward, Su Shen was unaware that his little scheme had been seen through by his wife. He was calmly chatting with Jin Long. His injuries were healing well, and some of the less severe ones, like on his arm and leg, no longer needed bandages and gauze. However, the scars were quite frightening to look at.

    But with his doting wife by his side taking care of him these past few days, Jin Long felt that Su Shen¡¯s complexion was much better than his own, even though he was the one who hadn¡¯t been injured.

    Jin Long had had enough. Su Shen was the one who was injured, but he was the one who felt uncomfortable. He had already had his fill of watching Su Shen and his sister-in-law¡¯s lovey-dovey behavior in Guangcheng, and now in the capital, he was still relegated to the role of a third wheel. When would it be his turn to experience such sweet love!

 Chapter 870 - Chapter 870: Feeling Like a Fool

    Chapter 870: Feeling Like a Fool

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Jin Long was in a state of turmoil. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, primarily about Miss Gong Xin. He wondered what she was doing at that moment, and what would happen if she decided to look for him and couldn¡¯t find him. He cursed under his breath, realizing he had been so preoccupied that he hadn¡¯t even left a message for her.

    Jin Long was so engrossed in these thoughts that he failed to realize that his relationship with Gong Xin was still far from certain.

    Meanwhile, Su Li was busy with his homework, all of which were problems set by his brother. His head was spinning from the effort, and seeing Jin Long lost in his thoughts and chuckling to himself, Su Li found an opportunity to distract himself. ¡°Uncle Jin Long,¡± he asked, ¡°what unrealistic things are you thinking about?¡±

    Jin Long turned to Su Li, a look of surprise on his face. ¡°What do you mean unrealistic? How do you know what I¡¯m thinking about isn¡¯t practical?¡±

    He had been secretly planning to learn from Su Shen, to be sincere and wholehearted in his pursuit of Gong Xin. And yet, this child dared to call his thoughts unrealistic. It was outrageous!

    Su Li, unaware of Jin Long¡¯s thoughts, felt confident in his assumption. ¡°My mother said that when a person is constantly daydreaming and laughing to themselves, they are usually obsessed with something or someone. And usually, that person is someone they can¡¯t have. Dad, do you think mom is right?¡±

    Su Li wasn¡¯t content with just pricking Jin Long¡¯s heart; he even dragged his father into it. Could Su Shen deny his son and wife?

    So, Su Shen looked at Jin Long and naturally agreed, ¡°My wife is always right, Jin Long. Don¡¯t overthink things. Even a child can see things more clearly than you.¡±

    Jin Long was speechless. For the first time, he felt that Su Shen was being unreasonable. Just because he was happy, he didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ feelings and didn¡¯t even allow them to dream?

    At that moment, the door to the ward opened, and Gu Zi walked in, followed by Su Bing. Jin Long immediately complained, ¡°Sister-in-law, Su Shen is being too much. He¡¯s bullying me, a lonely man.¡±

    Gu Zi looked at Jin Long¡¯s pitiful expression. Initially confused, she understood once she heard he was complaining about her husband. Gu Zi immediately took sides, saying, ¡°He¡¯s a patient, you should be patient with him.¡±

    Su Shen shamelessly wrapped his arm around Gu Zi, playing the victim. ¡°Ah Zi, it¡¯s Jin Long who¡¯s bullying me. Don¡¯t let him come here anymore. Let him stay at the hotel. He only annoys me. It¡¯s better for him to stay at the hotel and take care of the children. It¡¯s a good learning environment for them.¡±

    Jin Long choked, his heart pounding. The relationship between the two had taken a sudden leap forward, and he felt like a fool, a part-time babysitter. But remembering Su Shen¡¯s words, he turned to Su Li and Su Bing, laughing, ¡°Your father not only wants to get rid of me, but also you two, hahaha¡­¡±

    Su Li snorted coldly, ignoring Jin Long, his anger palpable. Su Bing, however, spoke calmly, ¡°But he asked you not to come, so we could focus on our studies.¡±

    Su Bing¡¯s forceful retort emphasized their difference from Jin Long. Jin Long regretted meddling in Su Shen¡¯s family affairs. He was the only one who ended up hurt in the end.

    Gu Zi ignored Jin Long, turning to Su Shen with concern, ¡°I ran into the doctor outside. He said that although your injuries are superficial, there are too many and you¡¯ve lost a lot of blood. He suggested you stay in the hospital for a few more days. I think he¡¯s right, what do you think?¡±

    Su Shen had mentioned wanting to leave the hospital early. At the time, Gu Zi didn¡¯t object immediately, but deep down, she hoped he would stay until he was fully recovered. Now, using the doctor¡¯s words as a suggestion, she managed to save face for the older man.

    Su Shen understood her meaning. She wanted him to stay longer. He said, ¡°Then let¡¯s listen to him.¡±

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    With that matter settled, Gu Zi breathed a sigh of relief. She washed some fruit, peeled and cut it into pieces for everyone to enjoy after dinner. As they were eating happily, the door to the ward was pushed open. A tall, robust man squeezed in from outside, his head bandaged and one hand tightly wrapped.

    The man was about the same height and build as Su Shen, both of them imposing like mountains. But he looked rougher than Su Shen, with a beard that seemed to have been growing for weeks, hair like a bird¡¯s nest, and a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He only put it out when he saw there were women and children present.

    Gu Zi guessed that this was the man Su Shen had mentioned, his brother-in-arms who had been through life and death with him many times ¨C Huo Jing, the younger brother of the boss of Xinghua Department Store in Guangcheng.

    Su Bing glanced at him, as calm as ever. Su Li, on the other hand, widened his eyes in surprise, exclaiming, ¡°Uncle, you look so strong, like a big bear, so cool! I want to grow up to be as tall and mighty as you. What did you eat to grow so big? Tell me, so I can eat more of it in the future!¡±

    In Su Li¡¯s mind, tall and strong men were worthy of admiration. He had always wanted to grow up to be a muscular man.

 Chapter 871 - Chapter 871: Display of Affection

    Chapter 871: Display of Affection

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huo Jing stood still, patting Su Li¡¯s back with what he thought was a gentle force.

    Su Li coughed violently, hearing Huo Jing say, ¡°You¡¯re Su Shen¡¯s second son, right? Your taste is quite good. Strong, rough men have a certain charm. Eat more, work more, and you¡¯ll grow up to be strong and sturdy! Su Shen, your sister is here too? Where¡¯s your pretty wife?¡±

    Su Li choked a little, nodding in agreement. He wanted to be as robust and strong as this uncle, but not as naive. This uncle had mistaken his mother for his father¡¯s sister.

    Huo Jing searched the room, but found no woman who looked like Su Shen¡¯s wife.

    Jin Long, hearing this, patted his back and laughed heartily, ¡°Jing, Brother Shen¡¯s wife is right in front of you!¡±

    Jin Long had met Huo Jing several times because of Su Shen. The Huo and Jin families also had business dealings in Guangcheng, so even though they didn¡¯t meet often, they were familiar with each other.

    Su Shen ignored Huo Jing¡¯s poor observation skills and spoke directly to Gu Zi beside him, ¡°Ah Zi, this is the man I mentioned who is participating in the rescue mission with us. His eyesight isn¡¯t very good, don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    Huo Jing, who had initially felt apologetic for not recognizing Su Shen¡¯s wife, was a bit dissatisfied when Su Shen downplayed their relationship. He complained, ¡°Su Shen, you¡¯re really something. The girl is still so young, how could you? Can you blame me for getting it wrong? If you were a bit older, I¡¯d believe you if you said she was your daughter.

    ¡°Introducing me like this after being brothers in life and death for over a decade? Really, I don¡¯t even consider you a brother anymore, you heartless man.¡±

    Su Shen, of course, couldn¡¯t admit it and retorted, ¡°You did it on purpose, knowing full well that my wife and three children came to the capital, you insisted she was my sister. What were you thinking?¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t understand. How did these two start arguing out of nowhere? Their argument sounded like a squabble between primary school students, each one trying to outdo the other in pettiness. If it weren¡¯t for their injuries, they might have come to blows.

    These two grown men, each as sturdy as a mountain, acting so childishly when they were together, was that really okay?

    Not only was Gu Zi dumbfounded, but Su Li was also taken aback. He quietly asked Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, why are this uncle and dad arguing? Are they not on good terms?¡±

    Gu Zi, being an adult, naturally saw things more clearly. She chuckled softly, saying, ¡°They must have a good relationship to argue so passionately. Don¡¯t make assumptions. Go, fetch a chair. Let¡¯s invite Uncle Huo to sit down and watch them bicker. Let¡¯s see how long they can keep it up.¡±

    Su Li obediently fetched a chair and placed it at the foot of Su Shen¡¯s bed. From there, he could sit face-to-face with Su Shen. However, upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, Su Shen ignored Huo Jing, pulling Gu Zi to sit next to him on the bed.

    Huo Jing let out a surprised ¡°Eh¡± and was on the verge of cursing. He thought Su Shen was out of line. Just because he had a wife, he thought he could show off in front of everyone, pulling his wife to his side without any shame. He used to pretend to be indifferent to women!

    Jin Long watched Huo Jing¡¯s reaction to being force-fed this display of affection and couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. That¡¯s right, such a display was meant to be shared among many, making it all the more enjoyable!

    Seeing that the two had stopped arguing, Gu Zi finally took out the snacks she had prepared for her guests who had come to visit Su Shen. She said, ¡°Mr. Huo, these are some southern snacks I made. Please try them and see if they suit your taste.¡±

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    Su Bing helped serve the guests, bringing a cup of black tea to Huo Jing. ¡°Uncle Huo, these pastries go well with black tea. They¡¯re especially delicious.¡±

    Huo Jing broke into a smile, his beard moving along with his mouth as he spoke. He sat down and said grandly, ¡°Our team leader¡¯s wife and son are indeed generous. I don¡¯t usually enjoy sweet things, but for the sake of my sister-in-law, I¡¯ll try one.¡±

    Although Huo Jing was from the south, he was a typical northerner in his tastes, a rough man who didn¡¯t care for sweet, soft, or sticky foods. However, since the snacks were handmade by Su Shen¡¯s wife, he felt obliged to at least try one, out of respect for her.

    However, he was quickly proven wrong. He picked up a pastry and took a bite. The taste was fragrant and not at all sticky. He chewed slowly, his eyes widening in surprise. He took a big gulp of the black tea. The faint sweetness of the pastry mixed with the fruity aroma of the tea, bringing him a perfectly balanced sweetness. Without thinking, he reached for another pastry.

    Before he knew it, he had eaten four, then eight, then ten. In the end, Huo Jing had finished all the pastries in the box.

 Chapter 872 - Chapter 872: I Want You

    Chapter 872: I Want You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huo Jing took the last sip of his black tea, completely forgetting his earlier declaration of disliking sweets. His face remained impassive as he said, ¡°This is the most flavorful dessert I¡¯ve ever had in my life. It¡¯s sweet but not overly so, and it¡¯s not sticky. It¡¯s simply delicious. If only I had a wife who could cook like this!¡±

    However, no sooner had he finished speaking than he received a sharp look from Su Shen. Su Shen¡¯s voice was cool and detached as he said, ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t choke. Also, isn¡¯t your engagement already settled? Don¡¯t dream about things that are impossible.¡±

    Huo Jing stood up, pointing a finger at Su Shen, intending to give him a good scolding. But as he rose, he remembered that Su Shen¡¯s wife and child were present, and he sat back down, turning his head away, ignoring Su Shen.

    Su Shen was truly unbearable. He had married a young wife and was so smug about it. Huo Jing thought that Su Shen must have accumulated a lot of good karma in his life, having taken down so many drug dealers, to have such a wonderful woman as his wife. Although Huo Jing was annoyed, he had to admit that Su Shen deserved it.

    The next moment, Huo Jing felt a wave of frustration. He too had taken down a fair share of drug dealers and saved numerous hostages. Although he couldn¡¯t compare to Su Shen, he had also accumulated good karma. But his good karma had led him to be engaged to Hu Jie, a woman who looked down on him. She appeared superior on the outside, but was actually very weak inside. It was laughable, but Huo Jing didn¡¯t need her approval.

    Huo Jing was somewhat looking forward to the future. The marriage between the Huo and Shen families, his and Hu Jie¡¯s respective families, had already been arranged. Hu Jie looked down on him, and he was curious to see whether she would go through with the marriage. It was an interesting thought¡­

    Seeing Huo Jing stewing in his frustration after being rebuked by the older man, Gu Zi felt helpless. Trying to smooth things over, she said, ¡°You men, you don¡¯t know how to hold your tongues. It¡¯s better when you two don¡¯t talk. Brother Huo, if you like these desserts, I¡¯ll make some for you once Su Shen is discharged from the hospital. Consider it a token of my goodwill.¡±

    Upon hearing this, a smile returned to Huo Jing¡¯s face. He immediately stood up, standing tall and straight, and saluted Gu Zi. It was clear that he was being serious, but his movements were still casual, not overly formal. At the same time, he called out, ¡°Thank you, sister-in-law!¡± His voice was loud and full of vigor, truly embodying the spirit of a warrior.

    Gu Zi was slightly taken aback. Both Huo Jing and her husband Su Shen were tall and imposing, but their temperaments were vastly different. Huo Jing was a rough and tumble kind of man, while Su Shen, although rugged, had an innate elegance about him. After being with Gu Zi, he had become even more refined and gentle.

    Gu Zi had to admit, both men were the epitome of masculinity, embodying the vigor and determination that defined mature males. Their good looks, each with their unique charm, would undoubtedly outshine all male celebrities and models in the future entertainment industry.

    Su Shen, sharp-eyed as he was, noticed Gu Zi¡¯s distraction. His eyes flickered with a hidden intensity, a few sharp glimmers of cold light emerging. Only after the others had left did he take Gu Zi¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, just give him some easy-to-make snacks.¡±

    Gu Zi met his unusually sharp gaze, slightly puzzled. She soon realized that it was the older man¡¯s jealousy at play. She chuckled lightly, ¡°Are you really going to be this petty? I only gave it to him because he¡¯s your sworn brother, right? I did it because of you.¡±

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    At her words, the older man¡¯s gaze softened somewhat, but he remained silent. His grip on her hand did not loosen, pulling her closer, allowing her to straddle his thigh. Face to face, their eyes entwined, the atmosphere was ambiguous, and the surrounding air seemed to heat up.

    Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, sensing something amiss. During this time in the capital, why did she feel that the older man had become increasingly sensitive? This feeling was akin to a rough man transforming into a doting husband, showing jealousy and acting spoiled. He was still holding her so tightly, shamelessly. She immediately poked his chest with her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around, this is a hospital.¡±

    Su Shen, tickled by her gentle poke, couldn¡¯t help but let his hand wander up her leg. He squinted his eyes, a devilish smile on his face, ¡°I locked the door earlier, Ah Zi, I want you, is that okay?¡±

    As he spoke, he stared into her eyes, his voice slightly hoarse, bubbles of air escaping from his throat, making his voice exceptionally seductive.

    Gu Zi was enticed, unable to resist, she reached out to touch his cheek. There was a small scar there, already scabbed over and healing quickly. This was probably the lightest injury he had sustained on his recent mission.

 Chapter 873 - Chapter 873: Family Members of Soldiers

    Chapter 873: Family Members of Soldiers

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Suddenly, Gu Zi was reminded of the myriad of scars that marred his body. Old wounds overlapped with new ones, a testament to the years of hardship he had endured.

    A pang of sympathy surged within her, stirring a longing in her body. She desired him, craved the intimacy they shared, and always found herself incredibly satisfied.

    ¡°Ah, Su Shen!¡± she gasped, realizing that she was already tightly held in his embrace. He leaned in, kissing her lips with a mischievous glint in his eyes. His hands roamed her body, kissing her deeply with a skillful intensity that ignited a long-suppressed desire within her. His arousal was evident, pressing against Gu Zi, causing her to squirm involuntarily.

    Su Shen continued to deepen the kiss, striving to fill her mouth with his own. He was determined to satisfy her, to let her experience the beauty of their shared passion. His movements were fierce, yet never uncomfortable.

    From light pecks to passionate kisses, she found herself gradually succumbing to the pleasure, forgetting herself in the moment, oblivious to the possibility of a nurse checking in on them.

    She allowed the older man to lift her skirt, remove her underwear, and caress her most intimate area. Already wet with desire, she cooperated with him, allowing his arousal to penetrate her. It had been a while since they had made love, and her body responded with a tightness that made her cry out in pleasure. The ecstasy was overwhelming. What if someone heard them?

    Despite the thrill and anxiety, Gu Zi managed to suppress her moans.

    Su Shen, however, was entranced by her soft cries. He lifted Gu Zi in his arms, carrying her to the adjoining room and laying her on the large bed. He hovered over her, whispering seductively, ¡°The soundproofing is good in here. Enjoy yourself, my darling.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s hands were weak, unable to push him away. Not that she wanted to. She let him unclasp her bra, his mouth finding her full breasts through the thin fabric of her dress. He nipped and licked, eliciting uncontrollable gasps from her. She reveled in his touch, even parting her legs wider to allow him deeper access.

    This time, Su Shen only climaxed once, but he left Gu Zi thoroughly spent. She quickly fell asleep in his arms.

    Su Shen, holding Gu Zi, also drifted into a deep sleep. Since arriving in the capital, he hadn¡¯t slept as soundly as he did that night. When the nurse came to deliver medication, she saw the closed door and didn¡¯t dare to disturb them. However, the medication couldn¡¯t be delayed, so she went to fetch the doctor.

    The doctor, a man of experience, looked at the tightly closed door and smiled meaningfully. He said nothing more, only suggesting that the medicine could be taken the next day.

    On the second day, the doctor found Su Shen for a conversation. Seeing that Su Shen¡¯s spirit had improved significantly, he spoke gently, ¡°Commander Su, with your injured body, you must take it easy and take your medicine on time.¡±

    With that, the doctor handed over the medicine from the previous day to Su Shen.

    Gu Zi opened the bathroom door to leave, but upon hearing this, her face turned as red as a boiled lobster. It seemed like a simple reminder to take medicine, but the underlying message was clear to those who understood. Indeed, there were no secrets that could be kept forever, especially from those who had been through similar experiences. They could tell at a glance what the locked door the previous day had meant.

    She regretted it, how she had been bewitched by Su Shen, this sly fox, and done such absurd things. She gently closed the bathroom door, waiting until the doctor had finished his examination and left before she emerged.

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    Meanwhile, another train from the south had arrived at the capital¡¯s train station. Zhang Mei and Mo Li disembarked and walked off the platform. Seeing two soldiers in uniform waiting ahead, with a military vehicle parked nearby bearing a sign for military family reception, Zhang Mei¡¯s heart leapt with joy. She proudly led Mo Li towards them.

    ¡°See, with me, the wife of the battalion commander, and the family of the senior officer, you won¡¯t be at a disadvantage. Hurry up and get my luggage in the car, we¡¯re going to the military hospital, understand?¡± After showing off to Mo Li, Zhang Mei handed her luggage to one of the soldiers in front of her, preparing to board the nearby military vehicle.

    The soldier¡¯s first reaction was confusion. He didn¡¯t take her luggage, but instead informed her solemnly and politely, ¡°Madam, we are a ceremonial team specifically for receiving military families. Please do not hinder us from performing our duties and delay the reception of important guests. If you need a taxi, please go to the stand ahead.¡±

    Zhang Mei saw the words ¡°military family reception¡± on the sign and immediately assumed that these people were specifically sent to receive her. Her husband was a military officer, and she had lived in the military compound for many years. She naturally considered herself a military family member and walked over with great pride.

    However, she hadn¡¯t considered that this was the capital, not Guangcheng. As the wife of a battalion commander from the Southeast Military Region, if she came here without reporting, and no one could verify her status as a military family member, she naturally wouldn¡¯t be considered one.

 Chapter 874 - Chapter 874: Not Giving Him a Chance

    Chapter 874: Not Giving Him a Chance

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei was not one to be dismissed lightly. When the soldier refused to receive her, it was a direct affront to her dignity. She was indignant, her voice laced with an icy edge as she retorted, ¡°I am also a military family member. On what grounds do you refuse to receive me? Are you not afraid that I will report you?¡±

    The soldier gave Zhang Mei a once-over, finding her lacking the demeanor of a military family member. Upholding his military discipline, he patiently explained, ¡°Even if you are a military family member, we need to verify your identity. Furthermore, even if your identity is confirmed, we may not necessarily be able to receive you. Those who are welcomed by the Capital Military District¡¯s ceremonial team are at least the family members of regimental-level officers. Who is your husband?¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s face paled. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. Her husband was merely a battalion commander, a man who had failed to advance in rank over the years.

    This disappointment, this stagnation, made her view him as increasingly incompetent. If he weren¡¯t so incapable, would she have needed to ask Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary to accompany her?

    Even if Mo Li, the secretary, was willing to accompany her, the Southeast Military District was in the midst of a major exercise and troops were stretched thin. As Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary, Mo Li was unable to arrange for soldiers to accompany them. At most, she could escort them to the train station. Regardless, Zhang Mei felt that this was far better than coming alone.

    Before boarding the train, she had at least been able to put on a show of authority. The envious glances from the surrounding people as the soldiers escorted her had been gratifying. It bolstered Zhang Mei¡¯s confidence. After all, she was Gong Zhan¡¯s mother-in-law, and she was related by marriage to the leader of the Southeast Military District.

    At that moment, she realized more than ever that she absolutely could not allow Lin Miao and Gong Zhan to divorce. The power and prestige of an official position were too important.

    Just as she was about to flaunt this status, she overheard a few female soldiers nearby making sarcastic remarks. They were members of the art troupe that had accompanied the ceremonial team.

    ¡°With her little display, she dares to pretend to be an officer¡¯s wife. It¡¯s laughable. The ones who came from the south earlier, now they looked like officers¡¯ wives, officers¡¯ daughters. These two today, they don¡¯t resemble them at all. They¡¯re like a pair of jokes.¡±

    ¡°She might be a military family member, but her man¡¯s rank is definitely not high. If we¡¯re talking about prestige, Madam Gu Zi is the one who has it. She came with her children. When she got off the train, there were soldiers escorting her. As soon as she left the train station, there were two military vehicles to receive her, and a security team to escort her. That¡¯s the real display of an officer¡¯s wife. Who do they think they are?¡±

    When Zhang Mei heard them mention Madam Gu Zi, she thought she had misheard. She turned to Mo Li, ¡°Why is Gu Zi here? What is she doing here?¡±

    In her heart, Mo Li scorned Zhang Mei for her foolishness, truly a fitting mother for Lin Miao. She now understood where Lin Miao¡¯s stupidity stemmed from. However, on the surface, she treated Zhang Mei with respect. Pulling Zhang Mei aside, she deliberately stirred the pot, ¡°Auntie, isn¡¯t it obvious? With Mr. Gong¡¯s current predicament, and considering how much she used to like him¡­¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s heart was immediately enveloped by a sense of foreboding. Regardless of whether this premonition was accurate, she retorted, ¡°That Gu Zi, she¡¯s shameless! She¡¯s already married to Gong Zhan, they¡¯ve both settled down, yet she refuses to let go. She¡¯s clearly taking advantage of Gong Zhan¡¯s vulnerability to win him back. She even arrived before us. Let¡¯s hurry to the military hospital!¡±

    Zhang Mei could no longer care about saving face. She rushed to the bus stop, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the military hospital. She was determined to prevent Gu Zi from ruining her daughter Lin Miao¡¯s marriage. She wouldn¡¯t give Gu Zi this opportunity!

    Upon arriving at the military hospital, Zhang Mei, laden with bags, strode forward. She paid no mind to the aches and pains from days of train travel. All she wanted was to find Gu Zi, give her a piece of her mind, and remind her to respect the sanctity of marriage and not steal someone else¡¯s husband. Mo Li followed her calmly, anticipating the drama that was about to unfold.

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    Coincidentally, as soon as they entered the hospital, they ran into Gu Zi. She was about to leave with her two stepsons. Seeing Zhang Mei and Mo Li, she remained indifferent, not surprised.

    In the original story, it was Lin Miao who rushed to take care of Gong Zhan. But now, with Lin Miao in jail, the plot couldn¡¯t unfold as it had before. Zhang Mei was unwilling to let go of Gong Zhan, her golden son-in-law, and naturally had to step in to show her concern on behalf of Lin Miao.

    What did surprise her slightly was that Zhang Mei had brought Mo Li along. Could Zhang Mei not see that it was Mo Li who was truly after Gong Zhan?

    It seemed that Mo Li had already gained Zhang Mei¡¯s trust. Gu Zi and Mo Li exchanged glances, both slightly frowning. Mo Li¡¯s attire was very similar to her own. At a glance, she looked at least fifty percent like her.

    Gu Zi had a hunch about what Mo Li was up to. However, she didn¡¯t like Zhang Mei or Lin Miao, and she didn¡¯t have much affection for Mo Li either. She didn¡¯t want to get too involved with these people. She treated them as if they were strangers and continued on her way.

 Chapter 875 - Chapter 875: Really Annoying

    Chapter 875: Really Annoying

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The incident of Su Li¡¯s abduction had occurred, and Gu Zi had never considered seeking help from her foster father¡¯s family. However, Zhang Mei¡¯s callous remarks were unforgivable. Now, whenever Gu Zi encountered Zhang Mei, she couldn¡¯t even muster the pretense of civility.

    Zhang Mei, on the other hand, was much more agitated. She rushed forward, accusing Gu Zi loudly, ¡°Well, look at you! I heard you were at the military hospital, and I didn¡¯t believe it, but here you are! How shameless can you be? Gong Zhan is married now, yet you follow him everywhere. Stand still! I demand you leave the capital immediately, do you understand?¡±

    Zhang Mei was a woman of action, and if she perceived Gu Zi as a threat to her relationship with Gong Zhan, she would interpret any of Gu Zi¡¯s actions as attempts to win Gong Zhan back, regardless of the truth.

    Gu Zi was speechless in the face of Zhang Mei¡¯s accusations, but she had no energy to be angry with her. She stopped in her tracks and coldly retorted, ¡°Aunt Zhang, your habit of talking nonsense is getting worse. Which eye of yours saw me following Gong Zhan? Since we¡¯re at the hospital, why don¡¯t you get your brain checked? If you can¡¯t stand seeing me in the capital, why are you here? You should leave, I certainly can¡¯t.¡±

    Zhang Mei scoffed, ¡°You disrespectful brat, how dare you talk to me like this now? Who do you think you are? Why can¡¯t you leave? Gong Zhan is injured; Lin Miao can¡¯t come, but I, as his mother-in-law, can. You¡¯re not needed here!¡±

    Mo Li, who was watching the drama unfold from the sidelines, was quite relaxed. She wasn¡¯t worried about Gu Zi trying to win Gong Zhan back. Her only concern was that Gong Zhan might be moved by Gu Zi¡¯s presence. Therefore, she didn¡¯t object to Zhang Mei¡¯s attempts to drive Gu Zi away. If she couldn¡¯t drive her away, why not make her uncomfortable?

    She also took the opportunity to curry favor with Zhang Mei, chiming in, ¡°Miss Gu, it¡¯s indeed inappropriate for you to be here. Now that Deputy Commander Gong¡¯s mother-in-law is here, why are you still refusing to leave?¡± After Mo Li finished speaking, she deliberately glanced at the surrounding people. Seeing that everyone had come to watch the spectacle, a cold smile curled up at the corner of her mouth.

    However, Gu Zi was not one to be trifled with. She immediately retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not suitable to be in the military hospital, but you are? Those who know, know that you¡¯re Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary. Those who don¡¯t, might speculate something more embarrassing, thinking you two have an inappropriate relationship.¡±

    Mo Li was well aware of Gu Zi¡¯s sharp tongue, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated just how piercing it could be. Each word struck her heart, causing it to flutter in anxiety. It seemed Gu Zi had discerned her intentions towards Gong Zhan. This Gu Zi was no simple character.

    The surrounding crowd turned their gaze towards Mo Li, causing her to feel a heat surge through her body, akin to being roasted over a fire.

    After a moment, she managed to find her retort, her face flushed as she rebutted, ¡°Miss Gu, it was Aunt Zhang who suggested I accompany her due to the long journey. I was merely looking after her. As a secretary, I certainly don¡¯t have the right to care for Deputy Commander Gong. But Aunt Zhang is Deputy Commander Gong¡¯s mother-in-law. Surely she is more suitable to care for him than you?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei nodded vigorously, anger seeping into her voice, ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t go too far. Just because you want to steal someone else¡¯s husband, you think everyone else is as shameless as you? Despite being my adopted daughter and receiving the grace of my Gu family, you¡¯re not even as good as Mo Li. Mo Li kindly escorted me here, yet you¡¯ve made her out to be so despicable. You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±

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    Zhang Mei, with every utterance of ¡®shameless¡¯, was convinced that Gu Zi was here to steal Gong Zhan. Little did she know that the surrounding crowd shook their heads at her words. The guards nearby also wore grim expressions. Gu Zi was the wife of their Commander Su, and their affection for each other was well-known throughout the military district.

    Everyone admired Gu Zi, who had managed to win over the heroic Commander Su. Such a woman was undoubtedly extraordinary. They respectfully referred to her as Madam Gu Zi, yet these two women, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, were slandering her with such harsh words. It was infuriating!

    As far as they could tell, there was no evidence to suggest that Madam Gu Zi had any interest in Deputy Commander Gong. Up until now, Madam Gu Zi hadn¡¯t even glanced at Deputy Commander Gong. If it weren¡¯t for these two women¡¯s accusations, they wouldn¡¯t even believe that Madam Gu Zi knew Deputy Commander Gong.

    One of the guards couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°You two, you can¡¯t just slander Madam Gu Zi like this. Do you even know who she is? She is our Su¡­¡±

    Gu Zi interrupted the guard, saying to him, ¡°Who I am is not important, they don¡¯t need to know. However, I do recall hearing that Deputy Commander Gong has been planning to divorce for a while now. With the arrival of the woman¡¯s family, there¡¯s bound to be some commotion, disturbing the peace of the injured. I suggest we don¡¯t let them in.¡±

 Chapter 876 - Chapter 876: The Desire to Climb Higher

    Chapter 876: The Desire to Climb Higher

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Upon hearing Gu Zi¡¯s instructions, the guard saluted with the seriousness of a soldier receiving orders. ¡°Rest assured, Madam Gu Zi,¡± he said, ¡°We will not let them in.¡±

    Zhang Mei gritted her teeth in frustration, unable to comprehend why everyone seemed to favor Gu Zi. She was Gong Zhan¡¯s mother-in-law, after all. Shouldn¡¯t they be trying to curry favor with her instead? Why were they addressing Gu Zi as ¡®Madam¡¯? Was Gu Zi worthy of such a title? Cursing under her breath, she wondered if Gu Zi had been pretending to be Gong Zhan¡¯s wife all along.

    She couldn¡¯t let this misunderstanding continue. Raising her voice, she clarified, ¡°You all need to understand, I am Gong Zhan¡¯s mother-in-law. My daughter, Lin Miao, is Gong Zhan¡¯s wife, not Gu Zi. How can you listen to Gu Zi and neglect me?¡±

    The surrounding crowd looked at her with puzzled expressions, finding her outburst amusing. In the capital¡¯s military district, what was a deputy regiment commander like Gong Zhan? If it weren¡¯t for their regiment commander saving him, many wouldn¡¯t even know who he was.

    Someone spoke up, ¡°We all know that Madam Gu Zi is not the wife of the deputy regiment commander. Only you keep saying that. You should stop making a fuss. It¡¯s embarrassing at your age.¡±

    ¡°Madam Gu Zi really has it tough, having such a troublesome foster mother who spouts such nonsense. It¡¯s confusing. It¡¯s clear to anyone with eyes that Madam Gu Zi has no interest in the deputy regiment commander.¡±

    As the crowd dispersed, discussing amongst themselves, they all sided with Gu Zi. Zhang Mei was livid, nearly fainting from anger. Gu Zi had done this on purpose. She had been laying the groundwork here for a while now. Even the doctors and nurses were speaking up for her. She must have put a lot of effort into winning Gong Zhan over.

    Continuing to argue with Gu Zi would get her nowhere. She needed to find a way in. So, she signaled to Mo Li, who was standing next to her. Taking advantage of the guard¡¯s distraction, Mo Li slipped inside.

    Gu Zi noticed Mo Li¡¯s sneaky move but didn¡¯t care. After all, she had only spoken out against them in retaliation. Whether they got to see Gong Zhan or not had nothing to do with her. She had planned to go shopping for some meat and vegetables to cook something delicious. If it weren¡¯t for Zhang Mei¡¯s interruption, she would have been at the market by now.

    Meanwhile, Mo Li quickly found the ward where Gong Zhan was staying. He was alone. Tears streamed down Mo Li¡¯s face as she looked at Gong Zhan with apparent concern. ¡°Mr. Gong,¡± she said, ¡°how did you get so badly injured? Are you okay?¡±

    Gong Zhan gazed at Mo Li, who was becoming more and more similar to Gu Zi. For a moment, he was lost in a daze, almost believing that it was Gu Zi who had come to see him. However, he quickly snapped back to reality. Gu Zi would never come to see him. Her heart was with Su Shen. She cooked delicious meals for him, entertained guests, and was always by his side. He didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore.

    Gong Zhan composed himself and looked at Mo Li again, curiosity piquing. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ve recovered quite a bit. What brings you here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I heard about your accident in Guangcheng and was worried,¡± Mo Li replied. ¡°Later, Aunt Zhang came to find me and asked me to come and take care of you with her. Considering her age, I couldn¡¯t bear to let her travel alone, so I came with her. Mr. Gong, please forgive my uninvited presence.¡±

    Upon hearing that Zhang Mei had arrived, Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t help but frown. He had no desire to deal with anyone from the Gu family at the moment.

    Mo Li, sharp-eyed as she was, naturally understood Gong Zhan¡¯s reluctance to interact with Zhang Mei. However, if Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t stay, she had no reason to stay either. This wouldn¡¯t do. She had to seize this opportunity. She wanted to become Gong Zhan¡¯s true woman.

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    She wanted to be Gong Zhan¡¯s wife, to proudly attend these special, status-displaying occasions, to accept the respect of others. This trip had given her a taste of the capital¡¯s prosperity and the privileges of the elite. Now, her desire to climb higher was swelling uncontrollably, impossible to rein in.

    Feigning self-blame, tears welled up in her eyes as she choked out, ¡°You can blame me if you want. I¡­ I have ulterior motives too. I want to see you recover. I want you to be well, but that¡¯s all. I traveled a long way with Aunt Zhang, we didn¡¯t have enough money for tickets, we had to sit in hard seats, the journey was bumpy, and my feet were swollen when we got off the train. But we were willing to do it.¡±

    Seeing Mo Li cry like this, Gong Zhan figured she must have suffered quite a bit on the journey. It was hard on them, two women traveling such a long distance just to take care of him. How could he completely ignore that?

    Gong Zhan sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. Go and call her in too. Have my guards go with you, they won¡¯t dare to give you a hard time.¡±

    When Zhang Mei was brought in by Gong Zhan¡¯s guards, she held her chin high, casting a triumphant glance at the guard who had tried to stop her earlier, and walked in with an air of arrogance.

 Chapter 877 - Chapter 877: Our Commanders Wife

    Chapter 877: Our Commander¡¯s Wife

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The guard stood his ground, a sneer playing on his lips. The woman before him was supposedly the wife of a battalion commander, yet she lacked any semblance of grace or dignity. How did the commander end up marrying such a shortsighted woman? No wonder he remained a mere battalion commander at his age, clearly lacking discernment.

    Zhang Mei entered the ward, her eyes landing on Gong Zhan. She didn¡¯t even bother to check on her son-in-law¡¯s condition before launching into her complaints.

    ¡°Gong Zhan,¡± she began, ¡°I am, after all, Lin Miao¡¯s mother, your mother-in-law. I¡¯m nearly driven to death by that wretched girl, Gu Zi. How could she behave like this? Taking advantage of Lin Miao¡¯s imprisonment, she has the audacity to come here pretending to be your wife, blatantly trying to steal another woman¡¯s husband. You cannot let her continue this way!¡±

    Madam Chen had taken Gong Xin out to meet some guests, leaving Gong Zhan with a moment of peace. However, the moment Zhang Mei arrived, the chaos resumed, her incessant chatter giving him a headache. Moreover, she dared to bring up Gu Zi, spouting nonsense about Gu Zi pretending to be his wife. He had always thought that Gu Zi couldn¡¯t let go of him, that everything she did was to get closer to him. This was already embarrassing enough, and now Zhang Mei was bringing it up again.

    Gong Zhan¡¯s expression gradually darkened, his voice low as he admonished her, ¡°Enough! If you continue, we¡¯ll only end up disgracing ourselves. Gu Zi has never pretended to be my wife here. She came here for someone else. We haven¡¯t even met face to face. Watch your words in the future, or don¡¯t blame me for asking you to leave!¡±

    After Gong Zhan finished speaking, a pang of pain shot through his heart. By now, everyone in the capital¡¯s military district knew about the loving relationship between Gu Zi and Su Shen. Gu Zi¡¯s journey of a thousand miles to find her husband had become a popular tale. He wished that Gu Zi still had feelings for him, but it was too late. Gu Zi had no affection for him anymore; her heart was entirely with Su Shen.

    However, Zhang Mei interpreted his words differently. Her son-in-law had just scolded her for Gu Zi¡¯s sake. Was he protecting Gu Zi too much? Then what about her daughter?

    Lin Miao was his wife, yet he had never defended her like this. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

    Seeing Gong Zhan¡¯s reaction, Zhang Mei didn¡¯t dare to say more. She quickly backed down, saying, ¡°Son-in-law, I was just upset. I¡¯ll listen to you, I won¡¯t say anything more, and I won¡¯t bother that wretched girl. I won¡¯t hold a grudge against her.¡±

    Although Zhang Mei claimed she would stop talking, as soon as she stepped outside, she began pressuring a passing guard. ¡°There¡¯s a woman named Gu Zi who often comes here. I¡¯m telling you now, she¡¯s not allowed to enter the military hospital in the future. Understand?¡±

    The security guard paused for a moment, studying the middle-aged woman before him. ¡°What did you just say? Who are you not allowing in?¡± he asked, seeking confirmation.

    Zhang Mei assumed he hadn¡¯t heard her clearly. She scoffed, unimpressed by his listening skills. ¡°I said, don¡¯t let Gu Zi in. And her two sons are not allowed in either. If they come in, you should kick them out. Make sure you enforce this strictly!¡± she repeated, her tone laced with disdain.

    The security guard¡¯s face darkened as he realized he hadn¡¯t misheard. He wondered if this woman was out of her mind. She was actually telling him not to let their commander¡¯s wife in. He didn¡¯t mince his words as he asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

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    Upon hearing the question, Zhang Mei puffed up her chest, her face full of arrogance. ¡°Who am I? Listen carefully. I am the mother-in-law of Deputy Commander Gong, who lives in this room. You won¡¯t go wrong if you listen to me. If Gu Zi comes again, tell her to get lost.¡±

    With that, Zhang Mei lifted her chin high, expecting the security guard to flatter her. Instead, he coldly retorted, ¡°You¡¯re too arrogant. You dare to tell us to kick out the commander¡¯s wife. I don¡¯t care whose mother-in-law you are. All I know is that even the old commander had to give some face to the commander¡¯s wife. Who do you think you are, bossing us around?¡±

    Zhang Mei¡¯s legs wobbled in fear, and she almost fell. She was somewhat confused and asked, ¡°What did you say? Who is the commander¡¯s wife? Gu Zi? That¡¯s impossible. She¡¯s an imposter. My daughter is Gong Zhan¡¯s wife. As for Gu Zi, isn¡¯t her husband just a stinky butcher with three burdens? Don¡¯t let her deceive you.¡±

    Hearing the commotion outside, Gong Zhan frowned deeply. He felt that Zhang Mei was truly a disgrace. He was already regretting letting her in. He lay on his bed, closing his eyes, not intending to intervene.

    The security guard outside was thoroughly enraged. ¡°Who would believe that you, a crazy woman, are Deputy Commander Gong¡¯s mother-in-law? The Gong family is a prestigious household in the southeast region. How could they be related to someone like you? Are they blind? You better leave now. If you dare to speak ill of our commander¡¯s wife again, we¡¯ll arrest you and throw you in jail!¡± he barked angrily.

 Chapter 878 - Chapter 878: Crazy Woman

    Chapter 878: Crazy Woman

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The security guard, upon uttering his words, sprung into action, intent on driving Zhang Mei away.

    Zhang Mei, who had spent most of her life without acquiring any real skills, was adept at creating chaos. Seeing the guard¡¯s attempt to throw her out, she quickly darted into the house, all the while shouting, ¡°They¡¯re hitting me! These ruthless soldiers are hitting me! Son-in-law, save me!¡±

    Gong Zhan pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling incredibly irritated. He saw Zhang Mei as no different from the common market shrews, and couldn¡¯t fathom her stupidity. She had assumed that Gu Zi was respected by the capital¡¯s soldiers because she was pretending to be his wife. Ha, he now saw the truth clearly. He didn¡¯t have that ability. He had to admit, Su Shen was much stronger than him.

    However, Zhang Mei was still his mother-in-law in name. If she truly sought his help, he had no reason to let others throw her out in front of him.

    Just as he was about to speak, he heard a loud ¡°bang¡± from the door. The guard¡¯s voice echoed, ¡°Deputy Commander Gong, we won¡¯t let these idle people disturb your rest¡­¡±

    The voice faded away, and Gong Zhan, seeing that Zhang Mei couldn¡¯t reach him, breathed a sigh of relief. His eyes were cold and stern. Once he returned to Guangcheng, he had to divorce Lin Miao. He didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with this family anymore!

    Zhang Mei was caught by the security guard and pushed out of the hospital¡¯s main entrance. She let out a cry as she fell to the ground, wailing in pain. The commotion attracted many onlookers. A military wife visiting the hospital asked the guard with concern, ¡°Xiao Ye, why are you so violent? How could you treat this lady like this?¡±

    Xiao Ye, recognizing the woman, put his hands on his hips and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m violent. This woman is too arrogant. As soon as she arrived, she insulted our Commander Su¡¯s wife. She¡¯s relying on the fact that she¡¯s Deputy Commander Gong¡¯s mother-in-law, and even said she wanted to drive the commander¡¯s wife away. Does she think she can just drive the commander¡¯s wife away with her words? She¡¯s causing a ruckus in the military hospital. It would be too lenient to not throw her in jail for a few days!¡±

    Commander Su was a celebrated hero of the capital¡¯s military district. Madam Gu Zi, despite her tender age, had shown nothing but kindness and genuine affection towards Commander Su and his three stepsons. She had given Commander Su a blissful family life, a fact that everyone greatly appreciated. They admired her deeply. Yet, this middle-aged woman dared to slander Madam Gu Zi, an act that no one in the military district could tolerate.

    Upon hearing this, the military wives¡¯ expressions changed instantly. Their faces displayed disbelief, and some even showed signs of anger.

    ¡°How dare anyone defame the wife of Commander Su?¡± one exclaimed. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re audacious. You show no gratitude. You¡¯re here visiting your son-in-law, flaunting the prestige of being a military officer¡¯s relative, and it¡¯s all thanks to Commander Su. You should show more respect to Madam Gu Zi.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± another chimed in. ¡°This mission was fraught with danger. The soldiers who returned alive owe their lives to Commander Su¡¯s leadership. He guided them through the terrifying northern soldier¡¯s tomb. Commander Su is our benefactor, preserving countless military families. No one is allowed to bully his wife under our watch!¡±

    ¡°I bet she doesn¡¯t even know that her beloved son-in-law, Deputy Commander Gong of the Southeast Military District, is the one who put us all in this predicament,¡± a third woman added. ¡°Thanks to Commander Su, who took on the rescue mission, not only was her son-in-law saved, but so were our husbands. How dare you disrespect Commander Su¡¯s wife like this? Commander Su treasures his wife.¡±

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    The women continued to exchange words, leaving Zhang Mei flushed and flustered. Her eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. ¡°What? Who are you saying Commander Su is? How could he be Gu Zi¡¯s husband? Gu Zi¡¯s husband is a butcher!¡±

    The guard, Xiao Ye, looked at her as if she were a fool. ¡°You¡¯re hilarious. After all this, you still don¡¯t know who our Commander Su is? Where did you come from? Our Commander Su, Su Shen, also known as the Battle Wolf of the battlefield, is a prominent figure in the capital¡¯s military district. He was a student of the martyred Senior Commander Hu. If he hadn¡¯t gone south, he would be someone you could never reach.¡±

    The military wives began to recall some past events. ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± one said. ¡°Senior Commander Hu¡¯s dying wish was to marry his only beloved daughter to Commander Su. Their paths diverged due to lack of fate, but now that Commander Su has found his true love, there¡¯s no regret. We¡¯re all happy for him and won¡¯t allow anyone to bully his wife!¡±

    ¡°This woman is actually Deputy Commander Gong¡¯s mother-in-law,¡± another woman mused. ¡°Well, Deputy Commander Gong, aside from being a bit showy, doesn¡¯t have any major flaws. Madam Chen and Miss Gong Xin are reasonable and generous people. How could the Gong family have such a relative?¡±

    ¡°Regardless of how they became relatives,¡± a woman directed at Xiao Ye, ¡°you must keep a close eye on her. Don¡¯t let this madwoman in, even if Deputy Commander Gong orders it. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be siding with her against the entire military district¡¯s family courtyard.¡±

 Chapter 879 - Chapter 879: No Need to Pretend to Be Kind

    Chapter 879: No Need to Pretend to Be Kind

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The military wives¡¯ understanding of Gu Zi came largely from distant observations and some rumors. They were not very familiar with her personally, but they could clearly distinguish that she was one of their own. If anyone dared to bully her, they would certainly stand up for her and seek justice.

    Xiao Ye shared this sentiment. His hand rested on the pistol at his waist as he ominously declared, ¡°Rest assured, ladies, I will not let her in again. If she continues to make a fuss, I will not hesitate to let her taste a bullet, treating it as a crime of disrespecting military families. Perhaps, I might even receive a commendation from the higher-ups.¡±

    Zhang Mei was so frightened that her legs gave way. She had just managed to get up when she fell back to the ground, dumbfounded. Wasn¡¯t Su Shen a retired soldier? How could he still be a regimental commander, and so well-loved at that? Gu Zi was not respected simply because of Gong Zhan, Su Shen¡¯s status was so significant. What was she to do now?

    She cursed Gu Zi under her breath. It was all Gu Zi¡¯s fault for not explaining Su Shen¡¯s status in advance. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have made such a fool of herself. This ungrateful adopted daughter, she had wasted eighteen years raising her. When she saw Gu Zi, she would have to interrogate her thoroughly. For now, she needed to find a way to get in.

    Slowly, she got up, her face devoid of the arrogance it had held earlier. She pleaded with the guard, ¡°Please, let me in. I only said those unpleasant things earlier because of a misunderstanding. Actually, I am not only Gong Zhan¡¯s mother-in-law, but also your commander Su¡¯s mother-in-law. Gu Zi is my adopted daughter. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask her when she returns.¡±

    Xiao Ye pursed his lips, unable to believe what he had just heard. He scornfully retorted, ¡°After the disgraceful words you just uttered, even if you are Madam Gu Zi¡¯s adoptive mother, you must not treat Madam Gu Zi well. No wonder you don¡¯t even know the real identity of Commander Su. Go away; don¡¯t bother saying another word!¡±

    Zhang Mei was still denied entry, her face filled with disappointment. As she looked up, she recognized a familiar face and hurried over, greeting them ingratiatingly, ¡°Relatives, you¡¯re here! I came specifically to see Gong Zhan, and also to help take care of him with you.¡±

    Madam Chen and Gong Xin were surprised and slightly annoyed to see Zhang Mei suddenly appear. They couldn¡¯t understand why she had come. Madam Chen, remembering the cold words Zhang Mei had spoken before, gave her a cold look and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to pretend to be kind. My daughter and I can take care of Ah Zhan ourselves. You should go back to Guangcheng after your visit.¡±

    She was truly annoyed by Zhang Mei¡¯s persistence. She hadn¡¯t expected that Zhang Mei would be so determined to come all this way. It seemed that Zhang Mei and her daughter had no intention of giving up on this marriage with her son. They were still hoping to win back her Ah Zhan. Alas, she blamed herself for being blind in the past, for inviting such a family of leeches into their lives.

    Zhang Mei was far from ready to leave. Thinking of Mo Li, who had accompanied her, she hastily said, ¡°My dear, Gong Zhan is severely injured now and his body is weak. The food in the hospital surely can¡¯t compare to the home-cooked meals. That¡¯s why I brought Mo Li along this time. She¡¯s good at cooking and can help nourish Gong Zhan. This way, he can recover faster.¡±

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    Upon hearing this, Madam Chen felt a pang of agreement. The hospital¡¯s cafeteria food was indeed mediocre and didn¡¯t suit their tastes. Gong Zhan was already a picky eater and she suspected he hadn¡¯t enjoyed a good meal since his hospitalization. His complexion was poor and he had lost a lot of weight. She felt heartbroken but she couldn¡¯t cook, and as for Gong Xin, she had never set foot in a kitchen. If they could keep Mo Li, wouldn¡¯t Gong Zhan be in for a treat!

    Madam Chen made up her mind on the spot, saying, ¡°If Mo Li is cooking and not you, then let¡¯s have Mo Li stay. As for you, it¡¯s best if you leave. You have plenty of matters to attend to at home.¡±

    With a few words, Madam Chen dismissed Zhang Mei and quickly left with Gong Xin. As for Gong Xin, she didn¡¯t want to waste words on someone like Zhang Mei, so she remained silent throughout, eager to get inside. She found Zhang Mei irritating. Zhang Mei tried to follow them but was stopped by Xiao Ye.

    On the outskirts, Gu Zi and her two sons witnessed Madam Chen¡¯s rejection of Zhang Mei. After seeing Madam Chen and Gong Xin enter, Gu Zi quickly led her sons down a shortcut to the hospital¡¯s side entrance, narrowly avoiding Zhang Mei. Su Li didn¡¯t understand his mother¡¯s actions and asked, ¡°Mom, why are you afraid of her? Here, dad is very powerful. We don¡¯t need to be afraid of her.¡±

    The corridor ahead was somewhat narrow, making it difficult to walk hand in hand. Gu Zi let go of her sons¡¯ hands and walked ahead. Just as she was about to explain, she heard Su Bing tell Su Li, ¡°Mom isn¡¯t scared. This is the smart way to avoid unnecessary trouble.¡±

 Chapter 880 - Chapter 880: Deliberately Hiding

    Chapter 880: Deliberately Hiding

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi had not anticipated that Su Bing would understand her actions so well. Indeed, as he had said, Gu Zi preferred to deal with her enemies in a way that would not tarnish her reputation. When her enemies became as agitated as rabid dogs, she preferred to watch from the sidelines rather than confront them head-on, allowing the mad dogs to bark at her, causing her distress and damaging her reputation.

    Now that Zhang Mei was causing such a commotion, she likely knew of Su Shen¡¯s identity. Upon seeing him, she would undoubtedly approach with a face full of flattery, so fake that it was irritating. She would likely bring up the favor of raising her, and while it was true that the Gu family had raised the original host for eighteen years, even if they had behaved poorly afterwards, that favor could not be erased. Therefore, Gu Zi could not always argue with her directly.

    At this moment, avoiding her was the best option. However, Su Li, having heard what his brother said, still did not understand. As soon as he entered the sickroom, he ran to Su Shen in a huff to complain, ¡°Dad, the person who bullied mom is blocking the door, and mom doesn¡¯t dare to enter through the main entrance!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen knew who it was. He looked at Gu Zi with a pained expression and made a direct suggestion, ¡°If Zhang Mei continues to trouble you, I think it would be best to have someone from the army escort her away. If you agree, I can give the order.¡± Although he was preparing to resign and leave the army, it was still an easy task to send someone away before his resignation.

    However, upon hearing this, Gu Zi shook her head. She walked over and affectionately ruffled her younger son¡¯s hair, saying, ¡°Oh, you, you do have a knack for exaggerating things. Mom isn¡¯t scared, I just don¡¯t want to deal with her. Su Shen, you don¡¯t need to interfere in this matter either. My foster mother is just one person, she¡¯s not worth your command, let her be.¡±

    Su Shen frowned slightly, surprised at how troublesome Zhang Mei was proving to be. However, since Gu Zi had said not to bother with her, Su Shen, of course, listened to his wife. He pulled Gu Zi over and responded warmly, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t bother with her. After all, I¡¯ll be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days.¡±

    When Gu Zi had entered earlier, Mo Li had happened to step out and saw Gu Zi entering through a side door. She also saw Zhang Mei still being blocked outside. Mo Li instantly understood what was happening. A sinister smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she ran out in feigned panic, as if she was very worried about Zhang Mei. As soon as she got close, she grabbed Zhang Mei¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve just been saying so many good things about you to Mr. Gong and the others. They¡¯re starting to waver, but they¡¯re still angry. I can¡¯t bring you in right now. Why didn¡¯t you come in with Gu Zi earlier? If you can¡¯t come in, you¡¯ll have to go back to the hotel first. It¡¯s too cold outside.¡±

    At this point, a hint of jealousy flickered in Mo Li¡¯s eyes. Su Shen was not only a money-maker but also a team leader, a position even higher than that of Gong Zhan. Such a man, wealthy and powerful, cherished Gu Zi as if she were a precious gem.

    Mo Li couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of Gu Zi¡¯s good fortune. It was Mo Li who had deliberately informed Zhang Mei about Gu Zi¡¯s entrance, knowing that Zhang Mei, in her naivety, would be unaware that Gu Zi had already slipped in.

    Although spring had arrived, the north was still much colder than the south. Zhang Mei had been standing outside for so long that her hands were chilled by the wind, and her lips were chapped from the cold. Her thoughts seemed to slow down due to the freezing temperature. It wasn¡¯t until her hand was grasped that she came back to her senses, her face a bit pale. ¡°What did you say? Gu Zi is back?¡± she asked.

    She looked around, but there was no sign of Gu Zi. She had been waiting here for Gu Zi to return, hoping that Gu Zi would take her inside. After all, she was Gu Zi¡¯s foster mother, and she felt entitled to make such a request. But according to Mo Li, had Gu Zi already gone in?

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    Mo Li nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, I saw her enter through a side door just now. She probably didn¡¯t see you, so she didn¡¯t bring you in with her.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Zhang Mei¡¯s face darkened, her tone filled with anger. ¡°Gu Zi is so ungrateful! I¡¯ve wasted my time raising her. You¡¯re much more considerate than she is. She didn¡¯t see me? She deliberately avoided me! How can she treat her foster mother like this? She¡¯s not afraid of divine retribution. I¡¯m so angry!¡±

    Zhang Mei was both angry and scared. She cursed as she walked away, fearing that the guards at the gate would stop her. Once outside, she grabbed Mo Li¡¯s arm and instructed, ¡°Since Madam Chen and the others have asked you to stay and take care of Gong Zhan, you should stay here. Make sure to keep an eye on him and don¡¯t let those vixens get close to Gong Zhan. I¡¯m going back to the hotel.¡±

    After sending Zhang Mei away, Mo Li shrugged and turned to enter the hospital, completely unconcerned about Zhang Mei¡¯s wellbeing. However, she had only taken a few steps when she bumped into Gu Zi, who was coming out with her medicine.

    Gu Zi was in line at the pharmacy window. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mo Li and raised an eyebrow slightly. Zhang Mei really trusted Mo Li, leaving her alone in the hospital because she couldn¡¯t get in. Was she expecting Mo Li to take care of Gong Zhan for her?

 Chapter 881 - Chapter 881: Treat You to Pastries

    Chapter 881: Treat You to Pastries

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Zhang Mei had initially come as a substitute for Lin Miao, and now Mo Li had been found to replace her. It was indeed an interesting turn of events. However, Mo Li¡¯s intentions were deeply concealed and rather terrifying. It was best to keep a distance from such people. Gu Zi withdrew her gaze and looked elsewhere.

    Mo Li, under the scrutiny of Gu Zi¡¯s gaze, couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of panic. For some reason, she always felt that Gu Zi could see right through her. Fortunately, Gu Zi quickly shifted her gaze away, allowing Mo Li to breathe a sigh of relief. She lowered her head and quickly moved on.

    Inside Gong Zhan¡¯s hospital room, Gong Xin had been pacing like a headless fly, having made dozens of rounds. She was bored to the point of madness. When she had first arrived, she was genuinely worried about her brother. But after spending time with him, she found him to be incredibly dull. How could there be such a boring person in the world, and why did it have to be her brother? It was truly unfortunate!

    Gong Zhan was also irritated by Gong Xin¡¯s incessant pacing. He had been genuinely happy when he first saw her, but now he was genuinely annoyed. ¡°Can you stop pacing? If you¡¯re bored, go out and play.¡±

    Upon hearing Gong Zhan¡¯s words, Gong Xin became angry and huffed, ¡°Who wants to go out and play? It¡¯s not fun at all. Do you think I¡¯m a three-year-old child who can run around a stool for half a day? I¡¯m not that childish.¡±

    Gong Zhan couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her. Seeing the siblings bickering, Madam Chen wasn¡¯t worried. Instead, she found it amusing and unexpectedly revealed Gong Xin¡¯s little scheme. ¡°You¡¯re not childish? Isn¡¯t it just because Gu Zi didn¡¯t take the initiative to come to see you, and you can¡¯t swallow your pride to go see her, so you¡¯re sulking and taking it out on your brother?¡±

    They all knew that Gu Zi was also here, having arrived a few days earlier than them. She had come for her husband, Su Shen, and they had learned of Su Shen¡¯s true identity.

    Madam Chen wasn¡¯t overly shocked; she had always felt that Su Shen¡¯s demeanor was not ordinary. Moreover, Su Shen had saved Gong Zhan¡¯s life, making him their family¡¯s savior.

    If it weren¡¯t for the sake of her son¡¯s dignity, Madam Chen would have gone next door to express her gratitude. However, after some thought, she decided to wait until they returned to Guangcheng to formally express her thanks. There was no need to rush. She wanted to think carefully about how to repay this favor appropriately. She encouraged Gong Xin to seek out Gu Zi. Madam Chen was happy to see their relationship improve, but her daughter was stubbornly proud.

    When her mother bluntly pointed this out, Gong Xin reacted as if a cat had its tail stepped on. She let out a shriek and ran out of the room, exclaiming, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so annoying!¡±

    As it turned out, she ran straight into Gu Zi as soon as she left the room. Their eyes met, and Gong Xin took a deep breath. It was a chance encounter, so it wouldn¡¯t seem too deliberate, right?

    With a light cough, Gong Xin sauntered over, her greeting seemingly casual, ¡°Gu Zi, it¡¯s you. What brings you here?¡±

    Gu Zi, clutching a bottle of medicine, squinted her eyes and replied with an air of nonchalance, ¡°So, this is the first time you¡¯ve seen me here. I¡¯ve spotted you a few times since you arrived.¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s feigned composure vanished, replaced by a sudden flare of irritation. ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯ve been ignoring me. Why haven¡¯t you greeted me?¡± She felt slighted. She had assumed that her own unfortunate timing was the reason she hadn¡¯t run into Gu Zi.

    To think that this infuriating woman had seen her multiple times and not once had she taken the initiative to greet her. It was outrageous, a betrayal. She was determined to sever ties!

    Gu Zi, observing her tantrum, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°I was just teasing you. I knew you were here, taking care of someone next door, but we never crossed paths. Don¡¯t be angry. How about I treat you to some pastries? Would you like that?¡±

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    With that, Gu Zi opened the door to the sickroom and walked in, not caring whether the person behind her followed or not. Gong Xin huffed in annoyance, but eventually gritted her teeth and followed, her indignation seeming rather petty. As she entered the room, a new, tantalizing aroma filled her nostrils. Her eyes lit up. ¡°Gu Zi, what have you made? It smells divine!¡± How could she make food smell so enticing?

    Gu Zi opened a large food box on the bedside table and picked up a golden, round pastry with her chopsticks, offering it to Gong Xin.

    Gong Xin instinctively opened her mouth to accept the treat. Biting into it, she was surprised to find that it wasn¡¯t soft. The outside was flaky, and only when she bit into it did she experience the soft, glutinous texture inside. The taste was delightful, a subtle sweetness mingling with the scent of fresh grass.

    Seeing Gong Xin relishing the pastry, Gu Zi helped herself to one. The taste was indeed good. She then picked up a few more and placed them in a small bowl for Su Shen, handing it to him.

    Turning to Gong Xin, she said, ¡°This is a new pastry I¡¯ve been experimenting with. I was worried it might not taste good, so I hadn¡¯t tried it. My palate has been rather picky lately, and I can¡¯t stomach anything that doesn¡¯t suit my taste. Thank you for helping me taste test.¡±

 Chapter 882 - Chapter 882: Her Intentions Are Not Simple

    Chapter 882: Her Intentions Are Not Simple

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin was in high spirits as she savored the delicious pastry in front of her.

    But just as she was about to indulge in the next bite, she overheard Gu Zi, completely unfiltered, admit that she had used her as a guinea pig for her culinary experiment.

    Irritation flared up inside her. Still, before she could voice her frustration, she swallowed the pastry, unable to resist taking another bite.

    It was just too good. The annoyance melted away as quickly as it had come. Guinea pig? Fine, she thought. At least being a guinea pig came with the privilege of tasting the treats first.

    Gu Zi watched Gong Xin, amused by how easily she could be placated with a morsel of food. She was truly adorable, so simple in her pleasures.

    With a grin, Gu Zi shoved the entire box of pastries into her hands. ¡°Go on, eat. It¡¯s all yours. Take them back to your brother¡¯s room if you want. If you finish and need more, come back for another box. Consider it your guinea pig privilege.¡±

    Hugging the box close, Gong Xin shook her head, already munching on another treat. ¡°I¡¯m not going back now,¡± she said, her voice muffled by the pastry. ¡°Zhang Mei just arrived, and she brought along my brother¡¯s secretary¡ªMo Li, Lin Miao¡¯s old high school friend. Now Mo Li¡¯s saying she¡¯ll stay behind to take care of my brother. It¡¯s weird. I don¡¯t even know her that well, but I just don¡¯t like her¡­¡±

    Gong Xin couldn¡¯t explain it. There was something instinctive, a gut feeling that urged her to keep her distance from Mo Li. She hadn¡¯t thought much about Mo Li before, but the mere thought of Mo Li being in the same room with her brother¡ªespecially taking care of him¡ªmade her uneasy, even agitated.

    Her mother had suggested she step out for some air, and Gong Xin had gladly taken the opportunity to escape. If she hadn¡¯t bumped into Gu Zi, she wouldn¡¯t even know where to go to pass the time in this unfamiliar place. But going back? Absolutely not. She was not going to face Mo Li right now.

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow at the mention of Mo Li¡¯s name. ¡°Seems like my foster mother trusts Mo Li quite a bit,¡± she remarked. ¡°To leave her alone with your brother, of all people.¡±

    Mo Li¡¯s scheming, Gu Zi thought, was impressive. She had managed to win over someone as suspicious and controlling as Zhang Mei. It lined up perfectly with her character in the original novel.

    In the story, Lin Miao never ended up in jail. Instead, she married into the Gong family, her relationship with Gong Zhan growing stronger by the day¡ªso much so that Mo Li almost found her chance to exploit the situation. And now, with Gong Zhan injured and in the hospital, Mo Li was clearly trying to seize the opportunity to climb her way up.

    Gu Zi¡¯s expression shifted to one of concern, though not for Gong Zhan. He deserved it, after all¡ªthe man had trampled on the original heroine¡¯s sincere feelings. He could stand to suffer a bit.

    Gu Zi¡¯s worry was for Gong Xin. She was innocent in all of this, her sweet, oblivious friend.

    Lin Miao was no saint, but even if she married Gong Zhan and they lived together peacefully, she wouldn¡¯t cause any real harm to Gong Xin.

    In the original story, though Lin Miao was often consumed with jealousy, Gong Zhan always stood by his sister when it truly mattered. Lin Miao hated the bond between the siblings, but in order to maintain her own status, she had no choice but to endure it quietly.

    On the surface, Lin Miao even played the role of a good sister-in-law, offering gifts and gestures to win Gong Xin¡¯s favor. She never crossed a line that would cause actual damage.

    But now, with Lin Miao in prison and Zhang Mei proving herself utterly clueless in judging people, the stakes were different. If Mo Li managed to seize this opportunity and marry into the Gong family, Gong Xin¡¯s future would likely be much more troubled.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t worrying for no reason. In the original story, this was precisely the time when Lin Miao, by caring for Gong Zhan during his vulnerable moments, completely won his heart. And now, with Gong Zhan¡¯s defenses weakened, there was a very real possibility that Mo Li could do the same.

    Gong Xin, unaware of Gu Zi¡¯s concerns for her, scoffed at the mention of Zhang Mei. ¡°Your foster mother is truly something else. Even with Lin Miao out of the picture, she just has to drag someone else in to cause trouble. It¡¯s maddening. I don¡¯t care what she thinks anymore.¡±

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    Gu Zi glanced at her, realizing that Gong Xin was far too carefree to recognize Mo Li¡¯s ambitions on her own.

    She sank into thought. When she first arrived here, after being thrust into this world, everyone in the estate had looked at her through judgmental eyes. Everyone except Gong Xin. She was the only one who saw things clearly from the start and had stood by Gu Zi¡¯s side without hesitation. Out of loyalty, perhaps it was time to say something.

    Gu Zi¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°You can ignore Zhang Mei all you want, but you need to think about what Mo Li is planning. Her intentions might not be as simple as they seem. And just to be clear, I¡¯m not telling you this because of your brother¡ªI¡¯m saying this because I think you should be aware.¡±

    Gong Xin, mid-bite, paused and blinked, looking puzzled. ¡°Planning? What could she be planning?¡± She didn¡¯t like Mo Li, that much was obvious. But Mo Li was her brother¡¯s secretary, and this time she had been brought by Zhang Mei. Her mother had even entrusted Mo Li to handle Gong Zhan¡¯s meals. As much as Gong Xin disliked her, she hadn¡¯t considered what Mo Li might be plotting.

    Gu Zi handed a dose of medicine to Su Shen, who was nearby, before continuing. ¡°Tell me, what kind of woman travels all this way, to a different city, just to take care of a man? Do you think she¡¯s really here just because someone asked her to?¡±

 Chapter 883 - Chapter 883: Too Mind-blowing

    Chapter 883: Too Mind-blowing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen had been silently observing as Gu Zi shared food with her friend, clearly enjoying the moment. He remained quiet, content to let the two women talk, feeling no need to interrupt. He was happy just watching his delicate wife, never expecting her to direct a question his way.

    Startled, he wondered for a moment if she was teasing him. But when he met her gaze, her eyes were clear, like a still spring. No, it was simply a question, nothing more.

    Gong Xin, on the other hand, was baffled. Things had been going so well, so why was Gu Zi suddenly involving Su Shen? And in that soft, teasing tone? Was she trying to make fun of a single person like her? Hmph!

    Su Shen felt a bit disappointed. He realized now that his wife wasn¡¯t teasing him but giving someone else a subtle hint. He thought for a moment, and then, looking at Gu Zi, said, ¡°A woman who would travel all this way just to care for a man¡ªshe must want to stay by his side for the rest of her life.¡±

    Though he spoke the words aloud, his tone carried a hint of questioning, as if he was really asking her. Was his wife trying to tell him that by coming all this way to care for him, he had a special place in her heart, and that she wouldn¡¯t leave him?

    Gu Zi had to suppress a laugh. ¡°Are you really that unsure of yourself?¡± she teased. ¡°Alright, alright, let us girls handle our conversation. You can stay quiet. Now, Miss Gong, what do you think? Any thoughts?¡±

    Gu Zi had her pride. If Su Shen wanted to know just how important he was to her, she wasn¡¯t going to make it easy for him. Let him wonder. There were still decades ahead, and if everything was spelled out too soon, where would the fun be in that? She shifted her attention back to Gong Xin.

    Su Shen chuckled softly, helpless but still captivated. His gaze never left her; no matter how long he looked, it was never enough.

    Before Gong Xin could complain about the sudden sprinkling of romance that had just been swiftly withdrawn, a realization dawned on her. ¡°Wait a minute, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve always thought Mo Li looked at my brother in such a weird way. She likes him! But hold on, my brother¡¯s married. Mo Li is far too calculating to risk her reputation by pursuing a married man, right?

    ¡°That¡¯s just trying to steal someone else¡¯s husband! It¡¯s so immoral. But now that I think about it, Mo Li¡¯s been dressing like you lately. For a second, I even thought it was you earlier, just for a moment! And she¡¯s even acting like you did before, always chasing after my brother.¡±

    As soon as Gong Xin finished speaking, she realized her last comment shouldn¡¯t have been said aloud. Clapping her hand over her mouth, she glanced at Su Shen and then quickly at Gu Zi with an apologetic smile. She hadn¡¯t meant to blurt that out¡ªit had just slipped out in the moment.

    Gu Zi felt her own face flush with embarrassment. Of all the things to bring up in front of Su Shen, that had to be the worst. Some things were better left unsaid.

    Gong Xin, equally embarrassed, quickly grabbed the food box and pulled Gu Zi outside. She was visibly anxious, thinking about her brother. In her opinion, her brother¡¯s only real flaw was his inflated self-image. He hadn¡¯t done anything truly immoral, and now he was already dealing with a major setback in life. That should be enough.

    She couldn¡¯t let a woman like Mo Li trick him.

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    ¡°Gu Zi, I get what you¡¯re saying now. Mo Li likes my brother and is trying to win him over, even though he¡¯s still married. It¡¯s mind-blowing! God help us, just don¡¯t let that woman succeed. I¡¯d rather my brother stay single forever! What could Mo Li possibly see in him? Is it like how you used to only care about his looks? Should I have him disfigure his face?¡±

    Gu Zi could see that Gong Xin was truly panicking¡ªshe was half talking and half praying at this point. She shot her friend a sharp look. ¡°Can you not drag me into this? But I will say, besides the old Gu Zi, no one else would ever want to be with your brother just for his looks.¡±

    Her words were heartfelt. She could feel that the original Gu Zi had genuinely loved Gong Zhan, and she didn¡¯t want to see someone so deeply loved by the former owner of her body end up with someone as manipulative as Mo Li. In saying it aloud, it felt like she was also speaking on behalf of the original Gu Zi.

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t notice the emotional weight behind Gu Zi¡¯s words. Instead, she found herself agreeing. ¡°Exactly! My brother¡¯s not that impressive as a man. Honestly, I¡¯m more manly than he is. Mo Li must be after the same thing Lin Miao was¡ªhis family background and future prospects. Maybe I should just have my brother quit his job!¡±

    Gu Zi blinked in surprise, then said, ¡°Wow, you really are a great sister. First, you want him to ruin his face, now you want him to quit his job? Look, all I¡¯m doing is warning you about Mo Li. You don¡¯t have to act like the world is ending.¡±

 Chapter 884 - Chapter 884: Be on Guard Against Mo Li

    Chapter 884: Be on Guard Against Mo Li

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin couldn¡¯t agree with Gu Zi¡¯s calm demeanor. Gu Zi seemed far too nonchalant about everything, and after the whole Lin Miao incident, Gong Xin felt she had every right to be on edge. Now that she had seen through Mo Li¡¯s little schemes, there was no time to sit back and do nothing.

    ¡°This is a catastrophe!¡± Gong Xin declared dramatically, waving her hands in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t care what anyone says, I am not letting another bizarre woman into our family! I need to go back and keep an eye on Mo Li. I¡¯m leaving now!¡±

    With that, she grabbed the food box tighter and hurried off.

    It was a stroke of luck¡ªor perhaps fate¡ªthat she returned just in time. Mo Li had gone to the hospital cafeteria, borrowed their kitchen, and prepared a meal that she was just about to hand over to Gong Zhan when Gong Xin stormed in.

    Without missing a beat, Gong Xin intercepted the meal, took it from Mo Li, and began opening the containers as she said, ¡°Oh, Mo Li, you¡¯re too kind! The food looks delicious, and it¡¯s perfect because neither my brother nor I have eaten yet.¡±

    Mo Li hadn¡¯t expected Gong Xin to return so suddenly, much less take the meal from her hands. For a moment, she was caught off guard, her usual polished smile faltering. Recovering quickly, she forced a thin, artificial grin and replied, ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Gong¡¯s secretary, and I was asked to take care of him. It¡¯s only natural that I do my part.¡±

    Mo Li was still sharp, her mind working swiftly. Her words were laced with subtle meaning, implying that she had every right to be there, looking after Gong Zhan. If Gu Zi hadn¡¯t clued her in earlier, Gong Xin might have missed the subtext, but now she saw Mo Li¡¯s ambitions as clear as day.

    Gu Zi had been right. A woman traveling all this way just to care for a man always had more than meets the eye. Mo Li¡¯s excuse of being ¡°tasked by someone¡± was merely a front to make her actions seem justifiable. This woman¡¯s intentions were far more calculating than Lin Miao¡¯s ever had been.

    What scared Gong Xin even more was that her brother hadn¡¯t seen through Mo Li¡¯s ploy. Gong Zhan was a proud man who hated when women approached him with ulterior motives, yet he hadn¡¯t noticed a thing.

    This made it painfully obvious¡ªMo Li was no ordinary woman, and her cunning was cause for serious concern.

    Determined more than ever, Gong Xin resolved that she had to crush this potential threat before it grew any further.

    Gong Xin might have a carefree, boisterous personality, but she wasn¡¯t foolish. Once she made up her mind to do something, she put serious thought into it.

    As she laid out the dishes on the small table, she glanced at Mo Li and said, ¡°I know you have a good heart, Mo Li, and we appreciate that. But in our Gong family, we also understand propriety. You¡¯ve agreed to stay and help take care of my brother, and we are grateful for that.¡±

    She paused for a moment, then added with a more deliberate tone, ¡°However, considering you¡¯re still unmarried, and my brother is a married man, it might raise some eyebrows. So from now on, when you bring food, just hand it to me or my mom outside the room. Right, brother?¡±

    Mo Li¡¯s smile twitched hard at the corners.

    Was Gong Xin seriously treating her like a free servant now? Cooking meals and delivering them, but only up to the door? How was she supposed to get close to Gong Zhan like that?

    A flicker of panic surged through her. Could it be that Gong Xin had figured her out?

    No, that was impossible. She had hidden her true intentions so well¡ªeven Gong Zhan hadn¡¯t caught on. How could Gong Xin?

    Gong Zhan, watching his sister handle the situation with such focus, was a bit surprised. It wasn¡¯t often that she took matters so seriously. He¡¯d already sensed what was happening¡ªthat his sister was deliberately blocking Mo Li from getting any closer, trying to keep her at arm¡¯s length.

    What he didn¡¯t understand was why his sister was doing this, especially since he was fully aware that Mo Li liked him.

    To Gong Zhan, Mo Li had always seemed like a woman who knew her limits. She wasn¡¯t the type to throw herself at him recklessly or cause a scene.

    That¡¯s why, despite knowing her feelings, he had kept her around. He trusted that she wouldn¡¯t overstep.

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    Still, his instinct to protect his sister made him overlook the deeper reasons behind Gong Xin¡¯s actions. He glanced at Mo Li and said, ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to think things through so deeply. Mo Li, you should go for now.¡±

    Mo Li hesitated briefly, realizing that Gong Xin had indeed seen through her. And as for Gong Zhan, he would naturally side with his sister. It wouldn¡¯t do her any good to seem reluctant to leave.

    Adapting quickly, Mo Li put on a casual smile and said, ¡°Thank you for thinking of me. I¡¯ll come back later to collect the lunchbox. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    As Mo Li walked out the door, her smile vanished, replaced with a cold expression. There was still plenty of time ahead. As long as she remained Gong Zhan¡¯s secretary, there would always be more opportunities. And as for Lin Miao getting out of prison soon? That idiot wasn¡¯t even worth considering.

    Back in the hospital room, Gong Xin had a look of disgust on her face as she continued to fuss over her brother, occasionally pouring him water and handing him tissues. ¡°With your terrible taste in women, you¡¯re better off staying single for the rest of your life. Honestly, you might as well do the opposite¡ªjust marry the type of woman you don¡¯t like. Maybe you¡¯ll stumble upon a hidden gem that way, instead of attracting all these crazies like Lin Miao and Mo Li. They¡¯re driving us all insane!¡±

 Chapter 885 - Chapter 885: Never Have to Come Back

    Chapter 885: Never Have to Come Back

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Zhan¡¯s face darkened. That brat, Gong Xin, was getting more and more disrespectful by the day. He wanted to reprimand her, but the words caught in his throat.

    The truth was, he had no right to say anything¡ªespecially after losing Gu Zi because of his own arrogance. He¡¯d foolishly assumed she would never forget him, but now, that loss stung deeply. He wasn¡¯t in any position to criticize anyone else.

    So, he remained silent, quietly eating the meal Mo Li had prepared. It tasted decent enough, but the moment he compared it to Gu Zi¡¯s cooking, it felt bland, utterly tasteless.

    A sharp pang of regret hit him. He would never again have the privilege of eating the meals Gu Zi made.

    For the next few days, Gong Xin stayed glued to the hospital room, not allowing Mo Li any chance to get close to her brother.

    Surprisingly, Mo Li didn¡¯t seem angry at all. She kept up a breezy attitude, which left Gong Xin feeling slightly confused, wondering if she was just being overly cautious. But each time Gu Zi¡¯s words echoed in her mind, she refused to lower her guard.

    One afternoon, Gu Zi dropped by with a box of pastries. She was here to say goodbye. ¡°Su Shen¡¯s injuries have healed well,¡± she told Gong Xin. ¡°He¡¯s getting discharged, and we¡¯re heading back to Guangzhou. If you want more of my pastries, you¡¯ll have to wait until then. Make sure you cherish these ones.¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s eyes grew wistful as she glanced towards her brother¡¯s room. In a low voice, she murmured, ¡°My brother still has a long way to go. His physical recovery¡¯s fine, but this time, his unauthorized actions caused major losses for the military. Not only did it disrupt a crucial secret operation, but the fallout has been huge. If he wants any chance of leaving the capital¡¯s military district, we¡¯ll have to wait for my dad to pull some strings.¡±

    Gu Zi listened, understanding that there was likely a web of power struggles and negotiations behind the scenes. ¡°Your brother¡¯s really stirred up trouble this time,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°He even got my man caught up in it too. Hopefully, he¡¯ll learn something from all this. It wasn¡¯t easy for Su Shen to pull off that rescue. Well, see you in Guangzhou.¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t familiar with the area, and with her thoughts lingering on Big Yellow, she felt little need to stay after saying her farewells to Gong Xin. Her only focus now was returning to Guangzhou as quickly as possible.

    Before their departure, Su Shen¡¯s military discharge paperwork had finally been completed. He was officially out of the army now¡ªunless war broke out, he would never be called back. No more power struggles could reach him.

    News of Su Shen¡¯s departure spread swiftly through the military district. His former security detail and the soldiers he had once led came to bid him farewell, tears welling in their eyes.

    Gu Zi was deeply moved by the scene, her own eyes growing misty as she watched these hardened men say their goodbyes.

    Suddenly, a young soldier burst into the room, not much older than Gu Zi herself. He wore a combat uniform, still covered in dust and blood as though he had rushed straight from a mission.

    Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees in front of Su Shen.

    ¡°Commander Su,¡± he said, voice shaking with emotion, ¡°you¡¯ll always be my commander. Back when you rescued me from that drug cartel, I was just a kid. You gave me a second chance at life. In my heart, you¡¯ve always been like a father to me. You deserve to live a peaceful life now, but I¡¯ll stay on the frontlines fighting the drug war. That¡¯s the purpose of my life.¡±

    Everyone knew that some things were better left unsaid. For Su Shen, leaving the military at this stage of his career might be the best possible outcome.

    Staying would only drag him into the political infighting of the military district, a life he didn¡¯t want. Those who understood him would understand why he was leaving.

    The room fell silent but was brimming with passion. Whether it was Su Shen, who was leaving, or the soldiers who were staying behind to continue the fight, their blood burned with purpose.

    The young man who had once been rescued from the blood-soaked cartel now walked the same path as Su Shen had¡ªwhat better legacy could there be?

    Gu Zi stepped forward to help the young soldier stand. Su Shen patted the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I remember you,¡± he said with a small smile. ¡°Keep it up.¡± There was no need for more words; everything that needed to be said was already understood.

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    After being discharged, Su Shen moved into the military family guesthouse.

    When the families of other soldiers heard that Su Shen was leaving, they were both shocked and regretful. He had accomplished so much in his years of secret missions and had been instrumental in the recent northern rescue operation.

    His promotion to brigade commander was practically guaranteed. So why leave now?

    Though they lamented his decision, they knew it was his to make, and they had to accept it. They brought gifts and visited him at the guesthouse, grateful that Su Shen had led the operation that ensured their husbands and sons came home alive.

    Gu Zi hosted the visitors graciously, even inviting everyone out to dinner. Her kindness and poise left a lasting impression, and they all praised her for the way she handled everything.

 Chapter 886 - Chapter 886: Someone Was Watching

    Chapter 886: Someone Was Watching

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    One of the soldiers, speaking in a light-hearted tone, remarked, ¡°We¡¯re all pretty jealous of Commander Su. He¡¯s got a young, beautiful, and elegant wife. Just look at her¡ªshe¡¯s got the air of someone from a wealthy family. Our Commander Su¡¯s reached the peak of his life!¡±

    Though the comment was made as a joke, it carried a truth that everyone quietly acknowledged.

    Su Shen, coming from a humble rural background and raising three kids on his own, had indeed found an exceptional woman to be his wife. Whether he stayed in the military or left with her, it was clear that he had emerged a winner in life.

    Since Su Shen had already decided to leave, there was no point in lingering regrets. All they could do was wish him and his family a safe journey.

    The day before their departure, Huo Jing also showed up. He and Su Shen had been through life-and-death situations together, and even though Su Shen was leaving the military, their bond wouldn¡¯t fade.

    Huo Jing, as usual, was his rough, no-nonsense self, a cigarette dangling from his lips¡ªthough, out of respect for the women and children present, he didn¡¯t light it.

    Clapping Su Shen¡¯s shoulder with a firm hand, Huo Jing gruffly said, ¡°When I¡¯m back in Guangzhou on leave, I¡¯ll throw a feast to properly welcome your wife. You better not hide her away¡ªmake sure she¡¯s there! And tomorrow, I¡¯m sending my car to take you all to the station. You¡¯ve got to ride in my vehicle.¡±

    Huo Jing¡¯s generosity was impossible to refuse, and Su Shen didn¡¯t bother with formalities. There was an unspoken understanding between the two.

    The train tickets had already been bought by Jin Long, and on the day of their departure, they all piled into the military vehicle Huo Jing had arranged. The journey to the station was smooth, with no interruptions along the way.

    During the drive, Gu Zi overheard the security guard and Jin Long chatting casually and learned that today was Huo Jing and Hu Jie¡¯s engagement day. It dawned on her that Hu Jie hadn¡¯t shown up at the hospital since the day she and the kids first arrived.

    On the day everyone came to bid farewell to Su Shen, Gu Zi had thought Hu Jie might make an appearance for such an important occasion, but she never did. Now, it made sense¡ªHu Jie was preparing for her wedding with Huo Jing.

    Upon hearing the news, Gu Zi didn¡¯t feel particularly upset. She simply wished Hu Jie a peaceful and fulfilling life. After all, as the daughter of a martyr, Hu Jie had such a great family background. It was a pity she hadn¡¯t cherished it and had instead fixated on someone else¡¯s man for so long. That must have been exhausting.

    ¡®I hope she finds happiness,¡¯ Gu Zi thought to herself.

    The train moved steadily forward, showing no sign of turning back.

    Su Shen had left behind all the honors and power associated with his past, with no hint of attachment. Yet, once aboard, an occasional flicker of tension crossed his face, betraying a lingering worry.

    When Gu Zi took Su Le to the restroom, Su Shen finally dropped the pretense, his brows furrowed in thought.

    In a hushed voice, he said to Jin Long, ¡°The man at the connection between the train cars ahead, the one chatting idly behind us, and the guy fetching hot water multiple times in the aisle¡ªnone of them are just passing time. Their eyes keep drifting toward us. We¡¯re being watched.¡±

    With his sharp sense of awareness, Su Shen easily detected the unusual behavior. However, he couldn¡¯t recall any unresolved matters in the capital that would warrant such surveillance. Why would someone send people to tail him all the way to Guangzhou? It didn¡¯t add up.

    Jin Long, trusted by Su Shen to handle complex situations, wasn¡¯t surprised by this revelation. He had also noticed the oddities and understood that Su Shen had deliberately waited until Gu Zi was out of earshot to avoid worrying her.

    Jin Long, keeping his expression casual, shifted his gaze away from the front. ¡°No matter what¡¯s going on, they seem to be just tailing us for now. They won¡¯t make any moves on the train. I¡¯ll keep an eye on Gu Zi and the kids. We¡¯ll deal with this once we get off.¡±

    Su Shen nodded in agreement. This was the most sensible approach.

    For the remainder of the journey, neither Su Shen nor Jin Long slept much, staying alert for any potential threats. Fortunately, their suspicions were correct¡ªthe group¡¯s only intention was surveillance, and no further actions were taken. The family arrived safely in Guangzhou.

    As soon as they got home and put down their luggage, the conversation naturally turned to Big Yellow, their family dog. Before leaving, they had asked Aunt Gao next door to look after Big Yellow.

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    Gu Zi, visibly excited, said, ¡°I wonder how Big Yellow¡¯s doing. I¡¯ve missed him so much! We¡¯ll finally see him again!¡±

    Su Li, just as eager, darted outside, shouting, ¡°Big Yellow! Gao Ming! I¡¯m back!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t seen Big Yellow or Gao Ming for what felt like ages, and the sheer joy was overwhelming. He rushed forward, hardly considering the fact that Gao Ming would likely be at school at this time.

    Seeing Su Li¡¯s excitement, Gu Zi and Su Bing decided to follow him to the Gao family¡¯s house to bring Big Yellow home. But when they arrived, they were met with worrying news: Big Yellow had fallen ill and had been sent to the animal hospital.

    In an instant, the family¡¯s joy turned to concern. Without wasting any time, they hurried to the animal hospital, their minds now preoccupied with the well-being of their beloved dog.

 Chapter 887 - : Were Back

    Chapter 887: We¡¯re Back

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao accompanied them, her face marked by guilt. ¡°After you left, Big Yellow refused to eat from that day on. Later, he even started crying, lying there and frothing at the mouth. I quickly had someone take him to the animal hospital. But when we arrived, he became aggressive with the strangers, and no one dared to approach him. The doctors could only sedate him for the examination.¡±

    She continued, her voice trembling, ¡°The doctor said it seemed like he had given up on himself. It wasn¡¯t that he was sick and lost his appetite; he just didn¡¯t want to eat or drink. He¡¯s very sad, and there¡¯s a chance he might not pull through. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±

    Grandma Gao had also grown fond of Big Yellow and had hoped for his recovery. Ever since he was taken to the hospital, she had visited him daily, wishing and praying for him to get better.

    But with each passing day, Big Yellow¡¯s condition seemed to worsen. The doctors kept telling her there was little hope left.

    Su Li burst into tears at this news. ¡°Mom! I want Big Yellow! I don¡¯t want him to die! We can spend money to save him; I heard in the hospital that money can save lives! Boo hoo¡­¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s face paled.

    Big Yellow had always been healthy; it was hard to believe that he had become so despondent after they left. It was clear to her that Big Yellow felt abandoned, which was why he refused to eat or drink.

    Her heart raced with panic. She felt responsible for this turn of events. She thought as long as someone cared for Big Yellow¡¯s basic needs, he would be fine.

    But she had overlooked the fact that Tibetan Mastiffs are incredibly loyal and often only recognize one owner. She had seen reports before about Mastiffs refusing to eat after their owners passed away; she should have anticipated this!

    Su Shen¡¯s expression darkened as well.

    Big Yellow was not just a pet; he was a military dog he had raised and trained himself, boasting strong health and resilience. How could he have deteriorated so quickly? Driven by urgency, he quickened his pace, determined to see Big Yellow and assess the situation for himself.

    The group finally arrived at the animal hospital, and from a distance, they spotted Big Yellow confined in a corner of the waiting area, lying listlessly in a cage. His eyes were dull, and he seemed devoid of the natural alertness dogs typically exhibit. Instead, he lay quietly, awaiting death.

    Su Shen hurried over with his wife and children.

    Su Li pressed his face against the bars of the cage, tears brimming in his eyes as he waved at Big Yellow. ¡°Big Yellow, we¡¯re back! Please don¡¯t die!¡±

    Hearing the familiar voice, Big Yellow suddenly opened his eyes wide and struggled to stand, his body weak from days without food.

    Despite his fatigue, he managed to rise and turned his gaze toward his family, tilting his head back to emit an excited bark. He then bumped his head against the cage door, creating a clattering sound.

    Su Shen turned to a nearby staff member. ¡°Please, give me the key!¡± After receiving it, he unlocked the cage himself.

    Big Yellow burst out, circling Su Shen three times before wagging his tail and sprinting towards Gu Zi and the kids, visibly revitalized.

    Grandma Gao finally let out a breath of relief.

    Her face lit up with joy. ¡°It seems Big Yellow missed you all! The moment he saw you, he perked right up! This dog is incredibly intuitive!¡±

    The veterinarian and staff nearby were equally astonished. ¡°He¡¯s been with us for days, and we¡¯ve never seen him so gentle. It seems dogs truly recognize their owners!¡±

    Su Shen took Big Yellow home, and to comfort him after his ordeal, Gu Zi spent the afternoon in the front yard, playing with Big Yellow and the three kids. She even picked out a large pork rib from the meat delivered from the slaughterhouse and made a stew just for him.

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    Gently stroking Big Yellow¡¯s head, she said, ¡°Good boy, Big Yellow. We will never leave you at home again.¡±

    The world of dogs is simple; they just want to be with their owners. What¡¯s wrong with that?

    If they decided to raise a dog, they needed to ensure it was always by their side. Otherwise, there was no point in having a pet at all. Gu Zi vowed that such a thing would never happen again.

    Later that evening, Grandma Gao came over again, and Gao Ming bounced in excitedly behind her. Upon seeing Su Li, he broke into tears and then quickly ran off to play with him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about falling behind in your studies. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll help you catch up. But tonight, we should just have fun. Can I sleep over with you? I asked Grandma!¡±

    Wiping away Gao Ming¡¯s tears, Su Li nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Of course! I saw so many interesting things in the capital. I can¡¯t wait to share them with you!¡±

 Chapter 888 - Su Mos Past

    Chapter 888: Su Mo¡¯s Past

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Listening to the innocent conversation between the two children, Gu Zi felt her mood lighten. She shifted her gaze back to Grandma Gao and asked, ¡°Grandma Gao, you came over for a reason, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Grandma Gao nodded, her expression turning serious. ¡°I remembered something important to tell you. Just a couple of days after you left, some people came to the door. Their attitude was terrible, and they spoke rudely, claiming that their leader is the true blood relative of the three children. They said if you¡¯re smart, you should hand over their custody.¡±

    Gu Zi furrowed her brows at Grandma Gao¡¯s words. ¡°They didn¡¯t sound like locals; I think they must have come from the capital after the two children made the news recently. I had Grandpa Gao look into it, and it seems they¡¯re from there.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s frown deepened. The parents of the three children were deceased, so how could anyone claim to be their blood relatives? If they truly had a connection, why had they not come forward sooner?

    Now that Su Shen had taken in the three children and was raising them well, it was absurd for these people to show up now.

    Gu Zi had poured her heart into caring for the kids; their well-being mattered to her. Just because these people saw how well the children were being raised, they thought they could waltz in and take them away? She felt a surge of resentment towards this mysterious figure behind it all.

    ¡°I was careless before. The newspaper interviewed the children, and I didn¡¯t request that their information be kept confidential, which is how I attracted these people. Grandma Gao, please keep an eye on this. Even though they¡¯re not my biological children, I¡¯ve raised them as if they were my own. They¡¯ve been without parents for years, and now that these strange people want to take over, we absolutely won¡¯t agree to it.¡±

    Gu Zi realized she had underestimated the influence of print media in this age; the news had even reached the capital, far away. She shouldn¡¯t have allowed the children to appear so publicly in the newspaper.

    Grandma Gao shared her outrage. ¡°People like that are opportunists, only interested in what they can gain. They didn¡¯t recognize the children¡¯s potential before, so why would they help? I¡¯ll definitely keep an eye on things. I won¡¯t let them take the children away.¡±

    After Grandma Gao left, Gu Zi turned to Su Shen, who was walking toward her. ¡°Did you hear what Grandma Gao said? What do you think about this situation?¡±

    Su Shen maintained a calm demeanor as he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Gu Zi, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. ¡°Thank you. I heard everything. I had my suspicions earlier; someone was following us on the train. But I¡¯ve already asked Jin Long to handle it.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°On the train? How come I didn¡¯t know? What did you do?¡± The thought of being followed made her uneasy, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down her spine.

    Su Shen comforted her by lightly patting her back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just had Jin Long teach those people a lesson and gather some information. They were hired to follow us and had never met the mastermind. Those people Grandma Gao mentioned are likely the mastermind¡¯s confidants. The ones on the train were only temporarily hired, which shows how meticulous this mastermind is.¡±

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    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. ¡°Do you have any information about your sister¡¯s husband? Like, does he have any family or anything?¡±

    Su Shen lowered his gaze, pausing for a moment before replying. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him. All I know is that he was also in the military. When he and my sister were together, they only had a banquet and didn¡¯t actually get a marriage certificate. I was in the army at the time and didn¡¯t inquire too much.¡±

    Gu Zi realized that many people in rural areas considered a banquet sufficient for marriage, often overlooking the need for an official certificate. ¡°So, your sister and that man can only be considered in a de facto marriage, and she might not even know much about him?¡±

    Su Shen nodded, recalling the painful memories he preferred to forget. ¡°Yes, back then I was often away. Only my sister, Su Mo, and my younger sister, Su Jing, were at home. My sister worked in the town and fell for a young soldier stationed there named Xu Ye. She pursued him, and he didn¡¯t refuse. Before long, they were together, and she got pregnant with Su Bing, so they held a banquet.¡±

    He continued, ¡°That gave my sister a semblance of legitimacy. But after Su Bing was born, Xu Ye was transferred to another military post, and their interactions dwindled. Xu Ye was quite popular with women, and my sister caught him with other women a few times. Their arguments became more frequent, and they broke up and got back together several times during which she became pregnant with Su Li.¡±

 Chapter 889 - Chapter 889: New Neighbors

    Chapter 889: New Neighbors

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°After she became pregnant with Su Le, Xu Ye was recalled by the Central and Southern Military District, and my sister lost all contact with him. The next news we received was about Xu Ye¡¯s death. She couldn¡¯t accept it¡ªshe stopped eating and drinking, and even stopped scolding Su Bing and the others. Her health deteriorated until she passed away. I tried to investigate Xu Ye, but found nothing.¡±

    Gu Zi listened and started to piece together the story. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Xu Ye never intended to take responsibility for your sister or the children from the beginning. No wonder his family didn¡¯t come looking for Su Bing and the others after your sister passed. It seems they only surfaced now that Su Bing and the others are doing well.¡±

    Su Shen felt a wave of sadness for his sister, who had misplaced her trust and treated the three children poorly. ¡°After my investigation, I realized he had no intention of being responsible. I don¡¯t expect anything from him or his family either. I just took on the responsibility myself and cared for the three children. Those people wanting to take the kids away is out of the question.¡±

    Gu Zi looked worried. ¡°If they¡¯ve managed to conceal their identities so well, it shows they have some background. They must be very confident in their claims to want the children back. But Su Shen, I really don¡¯t want them to take the kids away. Xu Ye wasn¡¯t a man worth trusting, and neither are his family.¡±

    Seeing how sincerely she cared for the children, Su Shen gently reassured her, ¡°I¡¯ll stay at home for a while to recover. I¡¯ll keep an eye on this situation. You focus on your work without worrying too much. Regardless of who they are, I won¡¯t allow them to take the kids away. And let¡¯s keep this from the children for now.¡±

    Gu Zi could see that Su Shen was serious about his commitment. With his words, she felt a sense of relief.

    Tomorrow she had to go back to work at the newspaper; she had taken a long enough leave, and with the kids going back to school, everything felt manageable with Su Shen¡¯s support. This was the charm of having a man like him by her side¡ªhis presence was irreplaceable!

    Just as they finished their conversation in the front yard, a stylishly dressed mature woman approached, accompanied by a well-dressed boy who was walking toward the house diagonally across from them.

    Gu Zi recalled that the house had been vacant before. Could this be the new family Grandma Gao mentioned? Given their appearance, she guessed they might not be easy to deal with.

    Not wanting to engage, Gu Zi decided to ignore them.

    The next day, after school, she went to the neighboring house to pick up the two boys. From a distance, she spotted the new mother and son again, who lived directly across from the Su family and right in front of Grandma Gao¡¯s house. The boy was dressed in the same school uniform as Su Bing and the others.

    Su Bing noticed the look in Gu Zi¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Mom, that boy is a new classmate of ours. His name is Xu Sheng, and he transferred here from the capital. I didn¡¯t expect him to live here.¡±

    Gu Zi pulled her gaze away and replied, ¡°What a coincidence. Let¡¯s head back home now.¡± She led Su Bing and Su Li back to their house.

    At the entrance of the Xu family home, the stylish woman, Huang Fei, noticed that Gu Zi hadn¡¯t approached to greet her and snorted in discontent. ¡°We¡¯ve been living here for days, and that family only just shows their faces. And now that they¡¯re here, they don¡¯t even think to come over and say hello.

    ¡°I, Huang Fei, am used to people currying favor with me wherever I go. I was even considering giving her some of my unused nice things, but now I think it¡¯s a waste; she doesn¡¯t deserve such fortune,¡± she added disdainfully as she stepped into her yard, the boy following closely behind.

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    With an arrogant tone, he remarked, ¡°Mom, that older kid from their family is in the same class as me. I heard he won some kind of competition recently and has been bragging about it, even making it into the newspaper. They think they¡¯re famous at school, but I think he¡¯s just average.¡±

    Huang Fei scoffed at this and said with a sneer, ¡°In a small place like this, any kid who stands out a bit thinks they¡¯re a genius. They have no idea there are always people better than them. Son, make sure you study hard for the next monthly exam and show them who the real genius is.¡±

    Her son had always been exceptional, standing out even in the capital, a place filled with talent. Being featured in newspapers and on television was just part of their daily life, and Huang Fei couldn¡¯t help but feel proud.

    They moved to this small town only because of her husband¡¯s job; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have set foot in such a place. The locals were so narrow-minded that they believed anyone who shone a little was a genius. It was laughable.

    Still unsatisfied, she recalled how well the family across the street seemed to get along with the Gao family. She regarded the Gao family as worth knowing, so she instructed the housekeeper, ¡°Find out more about that family diagonally across from us. I want to see what kind of identity and background they have that makes them worthy of such admiration from others.¡±

 Chapter 890 - Chapter 890: Housewarming Banquet

    Chapter 890: Housewarming Banquet

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In the yard, Huang Fei was speaking with her housekeeper when suddenly a middle-aged woman emerged from the flower bushes, smiling ingratiatingly. The woman¡¯s eyes revealed a blend of greed and snobbery, accentuated by her large gold tooth, creating an altogether irritating appearance.

    Huang Fei cast a disdainful glance at her and said to the housekeeper, ¡°Where did you find this worker? She¡¯s a bit too old. Replace her.¡±

    Her need for extra help wasn¡¯t solely due to a lack of household staff; it was more about maintaining an impressive fa?ade. The woman before her was not only older but also unappealing. She had almost startled Huang Fei moments earlier.

    If guests came and saw such a worker in her home, where would her dignity be? After all, her family could afford better.

    As she spoke, the housekeeper prepared to dismiss the woman, who hurriedly explained, ¡°Madam, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I was just upset to hear you mention that family across the street. I don¡¯t understand why they act so superior; they¡¯re just from the countryside. The man of their house made a little money raising pigs, and suddenly they think they¡¯re something special.

    ¡°That woman, Gu Zi, doesn¡¯t even remember her own surname. She relies on her family¡¯s modest wealth to bully others. She even deceived my son¡¯s fianc¨¦e into leaving and made her work in her family¡¯s little shop for next to nothing. It¡¯s not easy for us poor folks to find a daughter-in-law; how can she do such a thing?

    ¡°They¡¯re not in the same league as you, Madam. They came from the capital as rich people and don¡¯t lack for workers. They don¡¯t care about helping us poor folks. They probably moved here just to raise their status; who knows if they¡¯re even living frugally themselves? They¡¯ve been here for a while and haven¡¯t hired a single worker!¡±

    Huang Fei listened to the woman¡¯s words, a smirk curling at the corners of her mouth. She had thought there was something impressive about their background, but it turned out to be just a pig-farming upstart. How ridiculous!

    Maintaining her high and mighty demeanor, she disdainfully threw a glance at the middle-aged woman, her voice dripping with arrogance, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Seeing that her employer had not ordered the woman to leave, the housekeeper discreetly stepped aside, and the middle-aged woman breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m called A Cui; everyone around here calls me Aunt Cui. But for you, Madam, just calling me A Cui would already be an honor!¡±

    Huang Fei scoffed, her expression filled with condescension. ¡°You have a bit of sense, don¡¯t you? Since you¡¯ve provided some information today, I¡¯ll let you stay. But you can only work in the kitchen. If I don¡¯t call for you, you don¡¯t need to come out front. Understood?¡±

    A Cui had worked hard to get a position in this household as a worker, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to lose this opportunity. She quickly nodded, ¡°Understood, understood. Thank you, Madam, for your kindness!¡±

    After resting at home for three days, Su Shen began planning the housewarming party. Following Gu Zi¡¯s suggestion, he thought that after such a serious injury, it would be good to have a joyful event to ward off bad luck. So, he decided to hold the celebration.

    On the day of the housewarming party, the Su family welcomed many guests, including representatives from the village and their good neighbors, the Zhang family.

    Important officials from nearby towns attended as well, and Deputy Director He sent his wife to represent him in congratulating the Su family on their new home.

    Naturally, Gu Zi¡¯s relatives came along to support the occasion, making it a lively affair.

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    It was Saturday, and Huang Fei took her son to attend an activity at the youth center. On their way back, she heard the ruckus coming from across the street and saw the ground littered with red firecracker paper.

    Those uncultured village kids were sprawled on the ground, picking up firecracker paper to play with, and Su Shen¡¯s younger son was among them, with dirty hands and a loud, boisterous demeanor. She frowned in disdain.

    Turning to her son, she said, ¡°This place is nothing like the capital. It¡¯s unavoidable that people who don¡¯t belong to our class mix in, but you must never associate with these uncivilized kids. You¡¯re not one of them, and you can¡¯t let them lower your status, understand?¡±

    Xu Sheng¡¯s gaze shifted from the running and rolling kids across the street back to his mother, mirroring her disdain. He replied haughtily, ¡°Mom, I wouldn¡¯t play with them. They¡¯re too stupid. But you told me to play with that Gao Ming from across the street, and I don¡¯t want to. Gao Ming is too close with the Su brothers and doesn¡¯t care about his future. I don¡¯t like him.¡±

    After hearing this, Huang Fei noticed Grandma Gao across the street carrying gifts and heading toward the Su household with Gao Ming. Feeling a bit disappointed, she said, ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want to play with Gao Ming, that¡¯s okay. You should go inside and do some exercises instead. This family outside is making a mess of everything¡ªso annoying!¡±

 Chapter 891 - Chapter 891: Proud Mother and Son

    Chapter 891: Proud Mother and Son

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei strode into her home, pulling her son along with her head held high, signaling the maid to close the door behind them. She carried herself as if she were a noble from another world.

    A Cui, watching this display, couldn¡¯t help but feel disdain for this outsider¡¯s self-important attitude, but she didn¡¯t dare show it. Instead, she thought of finding an opportunity to sneak away something valuable from the house to sell for some cash; at least it would make enduring this humiliation worthwhile.

    Meanwhile, at the Su family¡¯s residence, guests were already enjoying the feast in the courtyard. Laughter filled the air as everyone celebrated together.

    Each table was adorned with a platter of snacks personally prepared by Gu Zi, which received rave reviews. The marinated meat brought by her relatives was also a hit, with everyone saying that since Gu Zi had come into their lives, dining at the Su household felt like a treat.

    Shi Tou, experiencing such a beautiful house for the first time, was too excited to eat. Su Li kept piling his plate high with dishes, but Shi Tou just stared wide-eyed at everything he had never seen before.

    Clutching his grandmother¡¯s hand, Shi Tou whispered, ¡°Grandma, Su Li¡¯s new home is so big and so beautiful! No wonder they moved here!¡±

    Aunt Zhang looked at her grandson, who was so unworldly, with a mix of amusement and exasperation. After all, she had never seen a house like this either, so it was no surprise that Shi Tou was dumbfounded.

    Only after the feast did Shi Tou regain some energy, following Su Li and Gao Ming outside to play. But it wasn¡¯t long before he grew shy again.

    The change in Shi Tou¡¯s demeanor was triggered when Huang Fei and her son settled in the yard for afternoon tea. They were surrounded by the maids and workers, who were busy flattering Huang Fei¡¯s family while disparaging everyone else. They failed to notice that Gu Zi had just returned from the market with drinks, walking past Huang Fei¡¯s yard.

    A Cui raised her voice, saying, ¡°These kids can¡¯t even compare to Young Master Xu Sheng. I don¡¯t know how their parents are raising them¡ªsuch a lack of upbringing! Running around here when they don¡¯t even live here! It¡¯s so embarrassing. But I guess the Su family doesn¡¯t care who they associate with; they¡¯ve lowered the status of the whole neighborhood.¡±

    ¡°Why would they care? As you said, A Cui, the Su family comes from the countryside; they¡¯re just nouveau riche. It¡¯s not surprising they invite all sorts of country folk to their gatherings. You mentioned their kids were good students and even made it into the papers. I wonder if they bought those grades; I don¡¯t see anything special about them,¡± another woman chimed in.

    Hearing this, Gu Zi caught sight of Shi Tou timidly hiding behind Su Li, pulling him away in embarrassment.

    She recognized one of the women speaking as the same one who had bullied Zhang Yao before. Gu Zi had invited Zhang Yao to help at her shop, which had saved Zhang Yao¡¯s family from crisis and prevented her from being forced to marry A Cui¡¯s son.

    Realizing this, Gu Zi understood that A Cui had become offended. She recalled Grandma Gao mentioning that someone was spreading rumors about her family, and the woman¡¯s prominent gold tooth, which stood out poorly beside her other teeth, did little to help her cause.

    Gu Zi now felt certain that it was A Cui spreading gossip, and she had the audacity to do it in front of the newcomers. Ignoring those remarks was no longer an option.

    Turning to the two employees from the pig farm who were carrying in the drinks, Gu Zi said, ¡°You two can take the drinks back for now. I need to handle a small matter, and I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    Once the employees left, Gu Zi stepped forward a few paces, positioning herself directly in front of the group gathered in the yard. This was the first time she got a clear view of the new neighbors, the woman and her son.

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    The woman sat regally in a wicker rocking chair, fully made up even at home, dressed in an exquisite floral dress with a chic trench coat draped over her shoulders. Her hair was styled that day, with the ends curling upward, giving her an air of haughty confidence. On her feet were striking red high heels, bold and eye-catching.

    She appeared to be in her thirties, exuding a mature charm.

    Her son mirrored her demeanor, his face set in a proud expression that screamed nobility. He wore a finely tailored tailcoat suit, his little tie perfectly knotted. Yet, despite being no older than eight, he carried himself with an air of superiority that raised concerns.

    While Gu Zi could overlook the slanderous remarks from outsiders, the fact that it affected her invited guests¡ªand that her two sons were being belittled¡ªwas unacceptable. She had raised her children with care, and she would not tolerate anyone disparaging them.

    With a pointed look, she declared, ¡°Indeed, we may not have the best manners or the pickiest associations. But unlike some people who appear impossibly noble while allowing their workers to gossip right here, I can¡¯t help but wonder whether their behavior aligns with their lofty self-image. It makes one question who really is dragging down the status of this neighborhood.¡±

 Chapter 892 - Chapter 892: A Guest from the Gong Family

    Chapter 892: A Guest from the Gong Family

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°I have a son who excels in his studies and another who is skilled in martial arts. Every child has their strengths; it¡¯s just a normal occurrence. Yet, some people can¡¯t help but weave their own conspiracy theories, claiming my son¡¯s grades are bought. If you can, why not buy one for me to see?¡± Gu Zi shot back, her voice steady.

    ¡°A Cui, don¡¯t think everyone is as malicious as you are. To secure a wife for your son¡ªwho¡¯s been divorced three times¡ªyou¡¯ve resorted to all sorts of tactics, bullying Zhang Yao until she was nearly broken. And now you dare to go around saying I ruined your son¡¯s engagement? Was that even an engagement? It was a blatant attempt to snatch a girl away! You should be ashamed of yourself for spreading rumors about others.¡±

    Although Gu Zi usually kept her distance from these people, living in the area meant she had picked up on the dynamics around her. Her retorts flowed effortlessly, quick and sharp, leaving the onlookers struggling to keep up with her words.

    A Cui was taken aback. Though she despised Gu Zi for what had happened with Zhang Yao, she had only dared to gossip behind her back. Facing Gu Zi directly was another matter entirely. Speaking to Huang Fei was merely an attempt to curry favor and gain trust, so she never expected Gu Zi to overhear her remarks.

    As Gu Zi¡¯s gaze fell on her, A Cui felt her blood rush to her face, a wave of embarrassment flooding over her. She couldn¡¯t bear to meet Gu Zi¡¯s eyes and wished to escape the situation entirely.

    For Huang Fei, this was her first encounter with Gu Zi in person. The woman standing outside the yard was young and beautiful, with long brows and large, expressive eyes. Her figure was slender, and her demeanor exuded elegance.

    Gu Zi¡¯s attire was not overly flashy, yet she possessed a casual sophistication, as if the clothes merely accentuated her natural beauty. What a stunning woman!

    Huang Fei was momentarily stunned. In such a small place, it was surprising to find someone so extraordinary. She quickly forgot the earlier unpleasantness and felt a strong desire to befriend Gu Zi.

    Ignoring Gu Zi¡¯s pointed remarks, she stood up and stepped forward, extending her hand. ¡°You must be a resident here too. Hello, I¡¯m Huang Fei. My husband¡¯s surname is Xu, and we just moved in. From now on, we¡¯re neighbors, and we should get to know each other better!¡±

    Huang Fei believed that her status warranted a warm greeting, expecting Gu Zi to reciprocate her gesture of goodwill. She hadn¡¯t considered that Gu Zi might refuse her.

    Gu Zi had no intention of appeasing Huang Fei. She wasn¡¯t so magnanimous as to befriend someone who had disparaged her sons behind her back.

    Instead of extending her hand, she gave Huang Fei a cold, dismissive glance. ¡°There¡¯s no need for frequent interactions. I won¡¯t tolerate others speaking ill of my family, and if it happens again, I¡¯ll be sure to voice my thoughts. Well, I won¡¯t disturb your little tea time any longer.¡±

    After finishing her words, Gu Zi turned on her heel without waiting for a response and walked away toward her home.

    Outside the Xu residence, Huang Fei¡¯s lips twitched in embarrassment as she withdrew her outstretched hand. The flicker of anger in her eyes vanished almost instantly, replaced by a practiced mask of composure¡ªthis was no reason to lose her dignity.

    The housekeeper, quick to pick up on the tension, stepped forward to offer her support. ¡°Madam, that woman clearly doesn¡¯t know her place. You shouldn¡¯t take it to heart. It¡¯s all A Cui¡¯s fault for not being careful with her words; she¡¯s brought trouble upon us.¡±

    A Cui, feeling the heat of the blame, wanted to retort but dared not do so. Instead, she forced a conciliatory tone. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s all my fault for being blind. I apologize, Madam!¡±

    With the housekeeper setting the stage for her, Huang Fei seized the opportunity to appear magnanimous. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to befriend me, that¡¯s her choice. Perhaps our previous discussion upset her, but it¡¯s nothing serious. Everyone, don¡¯t feel guilty.¡±

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    Meanwhile, in the Su household, Gu Zi¡¯s brief absence had resulted in a new guest arriving¡ªChief Gong, the father of Gong Zhan. He had come to express his gratitude to Su Shen for saving his son, and now the two were deep in conversation in the study, discussing who knew what.

    Gu Zi prepared some tea and snacks to bring to the study. Not wanting to pry, she simply delivered the refreshments and made her way downstairs.

    Jin Long, having heard that there was a guest from the Gong family, stood at the bottom of the stairs, craning his neck to catch a glimpse of the happenings above. Upon seeing Gu Zi, he hurriedly asked, ¡°Gu Zi, has Gong Xin returned from the capital? How is she doing?¡±

    Having been busy with various matters in the capital, Jin Long had only crossed paths with Gong Xin a couple of times at the military hospital, each instance interrupted by her mother, Madam Chen.

    He had felt too intimidated to approach her, fearing that Madam Chen might look down on him.

 Chapter 893 - Chapter 893: Power Is Better Than Money

    Chapter 893: Power Is Better Than Money

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi shook her head, amused to see Jin Long looking so serious and anxious. ¡°Look at you, unable to hide your feelings at all. Where did you hear that Gong Xin is back? That¡¯s her father, Chief Gong of the Southeast Military Region. Perhaps he could be your future father-in-law. Why not go up and greet him?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Jin Long¡¯s spirits deflated immediately. ¡°Forget it; I can¡¯t even see Gong Xin. I¡¯m miles away from succeeding in our relationship. Gong Xin is the precious daughter of Chief Gong. I¡¯m just a nobody without achievements to my name. They probably wouldn¡¯t even consider someone like me as a son-in-law.¡±

    Noticing the sincerity in Jin Long¡¯s tone, Gu Zi sobered up and replied earnestly, ¡°Oh, are you feeling a bit self-deprecating? You¡¯re underestimating yourself. You¡¯re a wealthy heir with your own abilities, and you genuinely care for Gong Xin. Do you really want to watch her with another man? Have some confidence! If you want to make her happy, you have to go for it!¡±

    Jin Long felt a flicker of determination sparked by Gu Zi¡¯s words. ¡°Gu Zi, are you saying that if I pursue Gong Xin with all my might, I¡¯ll have a chance? With your encouragement, I¡¯m feeling more confident! When Gong Xin comes back this time, I¡¯ll go all out!¡±

    After boosting Jin Long¡¯s spirits, Gu Zi took a seat at the table and began to sample some dishes. They had hired a private catering team for the housewarming feast, ensuring the food quality was excellent.

    However, Gu Zi felt that even though the dishes were good, they couldn¡¯t quite compare to her own cooking.

    Still, there was no reason for her to manage the banquet alone. She loved cooking, not working herself to the bone, and it was better to leave professional tasks to the professionals.

    Before long, Chief Gong descended the stairs accompanied by two bodyguards, ready to bid farewell to everyone.

    Gu Zi understood that, given Chief Gong¡¯s status, even though he was here to express gratitude, it was not appropriate for him to linger for too long. She stood up to see him off.

    As he was leaving, Chief Gong said to Gu Zi, ¡°Gu Zi, my girl, you are truly a fortunate young lady. You¡¯re wonderful, and you¡¯ve found a good husband. I won¡¯t bring up the past anymore. We can¡¯t repay Su Shen for saving Gong Zhan¡¯s life, but if there¡¯s ever anything you need from the Gong family, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±

    This was the first time in many years that Chief Gong had referred to Gu Zi as ¡°my girl¡± in such a friendly manner. Unlike other elders who often expressed their concern in a formal or distant way, his affection was heartfelt and genuine.

    Gu Zi trusted Chief Gong¡¯s character and readily agreed to his offer.

    In the study upstairs, Su Shen stood by the window, his tall figure striking against the backdrop.

    When Jin Long entered, he walked straight over to him. ¡°Brother Shen, what did Chief Gong say?¡±

    Su Shen extinguished his cigarette and replied in a low voice, ¡°He came to deliver a generous gift, something we can definitely use. However, I didn¡¯t accept it for free; you¡¯ll need to handle the financial arrangements with the Gong family. We¡¯ve agreed to settle the payment in three installments.¡±

    While listening to Su Shen, Jin Long¡¯s gaze fell on the land transfer contract laid out on the table. His eyes widened in exaggerated surprise. ¡°The Gong family actually invested so heavily? These plots of land are exactly what we were planning for the pig farm expansion, but they¡¯re notoriously hard to acquire. What¡¯s going on with the Gong family?¡±

    Before Su Shen had gone to the capital, Jin Long had already heard about the plans to expand their business. While Su Shen was away, Jin Long had secretly begun working on this expansion project. He had racked his brains trying to secure those plots in the suburban area, only to find that the Gong family had effortlessly solved the issue.

    Tsk, it really seemed that power was more effective than money!

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    Su Shen replied, ¡°The Gong family is one that repays kindness, but I¡¯m not one to wield favors to demand repayment. While power is useful, it can also be harmful. Be cautious about how we expand our business from now on; keep a low profile.¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t say everything outright. He wanted to remind Jin Long that such sensitive information about expanding their business shouldn¡¯t leak easily.

    The only one who knew how it had slipped out was likely Jin Long himself. At this point, he had nothing else to say other than to caution Jin Long not to repeat the mistake.

    Jin Long chuckled awkwardly, realizing that despite his carefulness, Su Shen had seen through him.

    Rubbing the back of his neck, he mumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t take the initiative to share such things again. But Brother Shen, you did save Gong Zhan¡¯s life. It¡¯s only natural that the Gong family would help us out in return, right?¡±

 Chapter 894 - Chapter 894: Critiqued by Their Daughter

    Chapter 894: Critiqued by Their Daughter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°However, I still have one thing I don¡¯t quite understand. Our pig farm is already quite profitable. Expanding the business will increase our earnings, but it also comes with greater risks, especially since it¡¯s in another region. Are you really sure about continuing to expand at this time?¡±

    Su Shen turned his gaze to the window, where he spotted the graceful figure of Gu Zi bustling among the guests below, capturing his full attention. He found it hard to look away. ¡°Gu Zi said that this is the golden period for our business, and expansion is necessary. We should also focus on expanding inland. I trust her judgment; this business can indeed grow even more¡­¡±

    Having left the military and given up his past glory and power, Su Shen felt no regret. However, as a man, he couldn¡¯t shake off a sense of unease.

    He wouldn¡¯t delve into the murky waters of politics anymore, but in business, he wanted to excel. Only by standing at the top of his field could he protect the ones he loved effortlessly.

    The housewarming party was a resounding success. After the dinner, guests began to leave one after another.

    Gu Zi had braced herself for a long night of cleaning but was pleasantly surprised to find that the restaurant¡¯s team had called in their cleaning crew. In less than half an hour, they had tidied everything up beautifully. Their service was impeccable.

    Initially, when Gu Zi had contacted this team and discussed pricing, she had thought it a bit expensive. Now, though, she understood that there was value in what she was paying for.

    After all, money was not an issue for her. If she could resolve such matters with money, why should she exhaust herself? This way, she would have plenty of time to review her studies later that night.

    She had faced some hiccups with school arrangements earlier, but thanks to Guan Xin¡¯s help, everything had been resolved. She had been accepted into Guangcheng No. 3 Middle School.

    The most important thing now was to prepare thoroughly for the pre-exams. Only by passing the pre-exams could she qualify for the college entrance examinations.

    Time was tight, and yesterday she had purchased some review materials, which were just what she needed. After taking a shower, Gu Zi handed Su Le over to Su Shen and headed to the study.

    Su Shen knew that Gu Zi planned to study late into the night, so he willingly played the role of a supportive husband, helping Su Le with her wash-up, soothing her to sleep, and reading her foreign-language storybooks as Gu Zi suggested.

    Before long, Su Le had drifted off to sleep. Su Shen needed to head to the slaughterhouse that night, so after covering Su Le with a blanket, he left.

    However, when Gu Zi returned to their room after her review session, she found Su Le still awake in bed, playing with her fingers. She climbed into bed, gently pulled Su Le into her arms, and softly asked, ¡°Lele, why are you awake?¡±

    Su Le hugged Gu Zi¡¯s neck and planted a kiss on her cheek.

    With her big, honest eyes wide open, she replied, ¡°Mommy, Lele isn¡¯t asleep. Daddy¡¯s stories don¡¯t have any feeling, and I can¡¯t listen to them. But I didn¡¯t want to hurt Daddy, so I pretended to be asleep. Is that okay, Mommy?¡±

    Su Le¡¯s language skills had improved rapidly, a development Gu Zi had never anticipated. Now, Su Le no longer needed a speech therapist for special training; her verbal expression was clearer than that of many five- or six-year-olds.

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected such a response. Although Su Shen¡¯s storytelling had been critiqued by their daughter, Su Le¡¯s thoughtfulness shone through when she acknowledged that saying so would hurt her father.

    This little clever girl made Gu Zi chuckle helplessly. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Our Lele is very thoughtful. Now, let¡¯s have Mommy tell you a foreign-language story. Today, we¡¯ll read about the Three Little Pigs¡­¡±

    Gu Zi told the story with enthusiasm, using vivid expressions. Normally, Su Le would stay awake until the story was finished, but this time she fell asleep halfway through. She must have been very tired.

    Once Su Le was asleep, Gu Zi soon followed suit, enjoying a restful night.

    In the following days, Gu Zi maintained a busy routine of parenting, working, and preparing for exams, leading a fulfilling life.

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    As the weekend approached, she realized that having Su Le at home all day while she studied could be a bit dull for her daughter. So, she decided to let the two brothers take Su Le out to play.

    Since the incident where Su Li and her brothers were kidnapped, the community had heightened security measures. Any suspicious individuals found within fifty meters of the neighborhood would be questioned and removed, ensuring that such events would not recur.

    With Su Bing accompanying them, Gu Zi felt at ease studying at home.

    As soon as Su Li left the house, he called Gao Ming. Together, Su Li and Gao Ming held Su Le¡¯s hands, following their older brother Su Bing as they confidently strolled toward the green fields to the north.

    By the time they arrived, Da Hu, Er Hu, and Xiao Hu had already been waiting there for a while.

 Chapter 895 - Chapter 895: Whats So Impressive About Her

    Chapter 895: What¡¯s So Impressive About Her

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Today was the day Su Bing held his class, scheduled for the community center.

    He had previously notified the security guard, ensuring that the Hu brothers would be allowed in without being treated as suspicious individuals. Sometimes, they even picked up odd jobs around the neighborhood.

    With their business income improving significantly, the three Hu brothers had become much more grateful to Su Bing.

    Unlike other street kids who struggled to focus on their studies, the Hu brothers displayed an eager thirst for knowledge since they began learning with Su Bing. They were enthusiastic about the classes, and Su Bing¡¯s assigned homework was taken seriously, with the boys keeping each other accountable for completing it.

    Su Bing had previously tested their academic skills, discovering that the boys had reached a third-grade level of education and even knew some basic foreign language.

    Today¡¯s lesson was focused on spoken foreign language. Once they gathered, they quickly dove into the teaching, oblivious to the numerous people nearby enjoying picnics and playing.

    Meanwhile, Su Li and Gao Ming had learned from their previous lesson and no longer dared to venture into the small woods. Instead, they kept Su Le within Su Bing¡¯s line of sight while still having a great time.

    Su Li couldn¡¯t help but boast about his sister¡¯s beauty, enthusiastically declaring that she was the cutest, transforming him into a proud little brother.

    Su Le truly was delightful to look at; she had grown taller, walking steadily, her hair, nurtured by Gu Zi, shone with luster and was soft to the touch. Styled into a cute mushroom cut, she sported a pink bunny hairpin that complemented her oval face perfectly. Her large, bright eyes were framed by long, curled lashes.

    With her rosy cheeks and plump figure, she resembled a charming, well-fed doll, quickly becoming the center of attention on the lawn.

    Adults nearby, especially those planning to conceive, couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her, murmuring, ¡°Oh God, grant me a lovely child like that!¡±

    While Su Li¡¯s bragging about his sister drew admiration and envy, it also caught the attention of some children who were not fond of them.

    One such child was Wang Qiang, who lived nearby in one of the independent tube buildings. His grandmother worked in the community, and she often brought him along to play with the employer¡¯s son, allowing him to mingle with the wealthy kids in the area.

    Wang Qiang had done well for himself, becoming a familiar face among the neighborhood kids. He played with many of them, but he had no desire to befriend Su Li.

    Upon seeing Su Li and his group, his first reaction was disdain. For him, it was simple; his grandmother had always said the Su family was despicable, so he felt justified in his feelings.

    As the crowd around Su Le dispersed, Wang Qiang approached with a few kids, ready to mock Su Li. ¡°What¡¯s there to brag about? It¡¯s just your sister. Once my dad remarries, I¡¯ll have a sister too. Su Li, why don¡¯t you show off your own abilities? Look at Xu Sheng¡ªhe¡¯s only eight and already in the fourth grade, speaking foreign languages. Now that¡¯s something to be proud of!¡±

    Wang Qiang had heard from his grandmother that Xu Sheng was a distinguished boy from the capital, which made him quite impressive. His grandmother worked at Xu Sheng¡¯s home, and he was determined to become friends with Xu Sheng, thinking it would elevate his status.

    He had already experienced the benefits of this friendship; when he was with Xu Sheng, other kids no longer cared that he lived in a tube building. They played with him without hesitation, and he was eager to stick with Xu Sheng.

    Upon recognizing the burly boy in front of him, Su Li smiled and continued to boast. ¡°Oh, I thought it was someone important! It¡¯s just you, Wang Qiang. Your dad¡¯s been divorced three times, and your grandma still wants to force a girl to marry him. But guess what? No one wants to marry your dad. If you want to compete with me about sisters, you¡¯d better have one first. And even if you did, my sister is way better than yours!¡±

    Su Li remembered meeting Wang Qiang during one of his visits to the tube building. Like his grandmother, Wang Qiang enjoyed bullying others. Su Li had avoided playing with him.

    Later, Su Li overheard his mother and Grandma Gao discussing Zhang Yao, further fueling his dislike for Wang Qiang¡¯s family. He had long wanted to stand up for Zhang Yao and call out Wang Qiang¡¯s family for their behavior.

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    Wang Qiang felt a sharp jab at his pride, his fists clenching in frustration.

    Meanwhile, Xu Sheng, surrounded by a group of kids, noticed Su Li¡¯s audacity. How dare this ordinary boy be so arrogant, flaunting his little sister in front of him and bullying one of his followers?

    With a scornful expression, Xu Sheng stepped forward and sneered, ¡°Your sister is just a three-year-old toddler. What¡¯s so impressive about that? Does she have good grades or speak foreign languages?¡±

    To Xu Sheng, who excelled academically and was proficient in several languages, true talent was measured by grades and linguistic ability.

    In his eyes, the toddler in front of him was far from noteworthy. After all, she was barely old enough to even take tests or learn foreign languages. He had only begun to master his first language at four or five years old, making it absurd to compare her to him.

 Chapter 896 - Chapter 896: Whats So Impressive About Him?

    Chapter 896: What¡¯s So Impressive About Him?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As soon as the words left Xu Sheng¡¯s mouth, everyone was quick to react.

    Without waiting for Su Li to respond, Wang Qiang stepped in with his hands on his hips, mocking, ¡°Young master, don¡¯t just talk about that little toddler; even Su Li can¡¯t speak a foreign language! You¡¯re the real deal, coming from a legitimately wealthy family in the capital. Crushing the Su family is just a piece of cake for you!¡±

    Wang Qiang¡¯s laughter was infectious, and Xu Sheng¡¯s entourage joined in, their expressions full of scorn. They basked in the glory of being associated with someone like Xu Sheng, and they lifted their chins even higher in arrogance.

    Xu Sheng reveled in their admiration. He fully believed he was born to be the center of attention. Clearing his throat, he proclaimed loudly in fluent foreign language, ¡°Su Li, I won¡¯t even bother comparing myself to you or Su Bing because I will definitely win. I don¡¯t like to engage in things that are so predictable.¡±

    Su Bing had just finished explaining a key point in his teaching lesson when his gaze drifted toward Su Li and the others, landing finally on Xu Sheng.

    The new transfer student had created quite a stir upon arriving; at only eight years old, he had transferred from the capital after skipping two grades and was now in the same fourth grade as Su Bing.

    Rumors spread around the class that he was a genuine prodigy. Supposedly, he could speak a foreign language by age four and had begun participating in math competitions by five, gaining a reputation as a gifted child in the capital.

    The teachers held him in high regard, even replacing the original class representative in foreign language class with him.

    Su Bing hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Xu Sheng; he¡¯d only heard the chatter among classmates.

    To him, the labels of ¡°genius¡± or ¡°ordinary¡± were superficial judgments of people. He didn¡¯t look down on the ordinary, nor did he elevate the so-called geniuses; when others called Xu Sheng a prodigy, he felt indifferent. He was just simply happy to make his mother proud.

    Though Xu Sheng was indeed flashy, he had the talent to back it up. His pronunciation was impeccable, with a fluency that Su Bing had only heard from his mother.

    While Su Bing could understand Xu Sheng, he realized that there were many complex words in what he said¡ªwords that Su Li and Gao Ming likely wouldn¡¯t comprehend at all.

    Although Su Li and Gao Ming might find themselves at a disadvantage against Xu Sheng, Su Bing chose not to intervene in this rivalry. Perhaps it would motivate Su Li and Gao Ming to study harder.

    With that thought, he returned his focus to teaching.

    On the other side, Su Li and Gao Ming were utterly bewildered. What was Xu Sheng even saying? The vocabulary he used was far beyond what they had learned at their age; they couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning at all.

    They exchanged glances, both looking equally puzzled. What should they do? They felt utterly embarrassed!

    Xu Sheng, noticing their confusion, smirked even more, feigning surprise. ¡°You guys can¡¯t even understand what I¡¯m saying? Is foreign language really that hard to learn?¡±

    Wang Qiang burst into laughter, adding, ¡°Young master, how could they compare to you? You learned to speak foreign languages at four! Even though you all live in the same neighborhood, the gap between a real wealthy family and a suddenly rich one is just too obvious. Hahaha!¡±

    Su Li and Gao Ming felt their faces flush, their heads heavy and they struggled to look up.

    Su Le glanced from Su Li on her left to Gao Ming on her right, her big, dark eyes spinning with thought. Finally, she turned to Xu Sheng and declared in fluent foreign language, ¡°My second brother is a bit silly and can¡¯t compete with you, but my big brother is super awesome! You definitely can¡¯t beat my big brother, hmph!¡±

    As Su Le spoke, she felt her irritation rise. How dare he mock her brothers in front of her?

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    Puffing up, she placed her chubby hands on her hips, her round face and plump waist making it hard to see where her waist ended, yet it didn¡¯t diminish her fierce stance. What was so impressive about him? Just because he could speak a foreign language? She could do that too!

    At that moment, a circle of children, including Su Li, Gao Ming, and even Xu Sheng, was left in stunned silence, their expressions frozen in disbelief.

    All eyes snapped to the little girl; she had just spoken in a foreign language!

    Xu Sheng was particularly shaken. Throughout his life, everyone had called him a genius, and he had believed it himself, considering himself superior to the other kids. He had been speaking fluently in a foreign language since he was four, and he had never met anyone who learned a different language earlier than him.

    But now, he was face to face with a little girl who looked to be no more than three years old, effortlessly delivering a coherent sentence in a foreign language. Was he dreaming?

 Chapter 897 - Chapter 897: Upstaged

    chapter 897: upstaged

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    xu sheng pinched himself discreetly, feeling a sharp sting.

    this wasn¡¯t a dream.

    wang qiang and the others finally snapped out of their daze. they couldn¡¯t comprehend the foreign language, and they assumed the little girl was just mimicking xu sheng¡¯s accent. it sounded convincing enough.

    wang qiang¡¯s face regained some of its bravado as he smirked, ¡°anyone can babble nonsense, young master. just because i don¡¯t speak foreign languages doesn¡¯t mean i can¡¯t tell she¡¯s just messing around.¡±

    xu sheng ignored wang qiang, feeling embarrassed for him. the little girl was speaking genuine, fluent foreign language¡ªnot just making noise. he turned to su le and continued to question her in the same language, ¡°how do you know this language?¡±

    su le puffed out her cheeks, her smile radiant as she replied effortlessly, ¡°because i just can! it¡¯s so easy; it would be strange if i couldn¡¯t!¡±

    her mother spoke this language every day, often chatting with the wall or telling her bedtime stories in it. she had been listening so much that it was only natural she could say a few words herself, even if this was her first time speaking.

    xu sheng¡¯s confidence took a massive hit.

    in defiance, he decided to use even more complex vocabulary to challenge her. ¡°are you in school? who¡¯s your foreign language teacher? why is he teaching you?¡±

    su le tilted her head, blinking her big eyes a few times. ¡°i haven¡¯t started school yet, but i have an amazing mom! she knows everything. she didn¡¯t specifically teach me foreign language, but she speaks it so well that i learned just by listening to her every day!¡±

    xu sheng gulped hard, feeling further diminished. for a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.

    the others around him were equally dumbfounded, especially su li and gao ming, who were just beginning to process that little su le could understand and speak a foreign language fluently.

    oh my god, had su le received divine inspiration? su li remembered that just six months ago, su le could barely speak. just a few months back, she had only just caught up to normal speaking levels. how had she suddenly become so impressive?

    wang qiang¡¯s grin had faded completely. this three-year-old girl really could understand and speak a foreign language! judging by xu sheng¡¯s reaction, her skills were top-notch.

    wang qiang felt a wave of discouragement wash over him. at ten years old, he couldn¡¯t even pass his mandarin classes, while this three-year-old was already speaking fluently in a foreign tongue. it felt utterly unfair.

    the other children around xu sheng fell silent as well. they came from well-off families, with parents who had hired private language tutors, yet they struggled to grasp the language. meanwhile, this three-year-old girl¡¯s effortless fluency was like a direct slap to their faces!

    gao ming finally regained his voice, looking at su le with admiration. ¡°su le, you¡¯re absolutely amazing!¡±

    su le beamed at him and shook her head playfully. ¡°big brother is cooler! second brother, not so much¡ªyou¡¯re a bit embarrassing!¡±

    su li felt a swell of pride at his sister¡¯s accomplishment, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little annoyed by her playful jab. still, he was genuinely happy; thanks to su le¡¯s sudden outburst, xu sheng¡¯s attempt to show off had backfired spectacularly.

    he raised his chin defiantly at xu sheng, grinning as he said, ¡°my sister isn¡¯t even attending school yet! she¡¯s only three, and she can speak a foreign language. looks like it¡¯s not so rare after all!¡±

    xu sheng¡¯s face turned a shade darker. this was the first time he had ever been upstaged, and by a three-year-old at that. the feeling was suffocating, and he didn¡¯t want to stick around any longer. ignoring su le, he turned and walked away from the lawn, with wang qiang and the others following eagerly behind him.

    despite the playful teasing from his sister, su li didn¡¯t mind at all. when he got home, he happened to bump into su shen, who was just coming back from outside.

    excitedly, he shouted, ¡°dad, dad! lele is so awesome! she speaks foreign language really well!¡±

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    su shen locked the car door and strode over, scooping up su le with a gentle smile. ¡°really? my little lele is so talented! you can speak a foreign language now?¡±

    as su shen carried her inside, his two sons trailed closely behind.

    su le nodded enthusiastically and said, ¡°mommy teaches me! i can speak foreign language now! daddy, i want mommy to hug me!¡±

    su le spent most of her time with gu zi, but lately, gu zi had been busy studying for exams, leaving su shen to care for her more. naturally, su le was more attached to gu zi and often looked for her while being held by su shen.

    he placed her on the sofa and patted her head affectionately. ¡°you¡¯re so smart, lele! but let¡¯s wait a bit before we find mommy for a hug. we don¡¯t want to disturb her while she¡¯s studying.¡±

 Chapter 898 - Chapter 898: Daddy Is So Cunning

    chapter 898: daddy is so cunning

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    su shen knew just how much effort gu zi put into raising their three children. she had educated them to be exceptionally capable, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that lele could speak a foreign language at such a young age.

    however, he felt for gu zi¡ªjuggling work, studying, and taking care of the kids was exhausting.

    today, su shen had decided to delegate most of his work to others. he planned to spend more time at home, watching the kids and allowing gu zi to focus on her studies.

    as long as she wanted to soar, he was more than willing to protect her wings.

    after handing su le over to his two sons, su shen entered the kitchen to prepare lunch.

    gu zi was a meticulous and tidy woman, and under her care, the kitchen had an elegant charm. delicate lace curtains, floral aprons, and a carefully curated collection of tableware were all arranged with precision, creating a visually pleasing environment.

    su shen picked up a small floral apron and tied it around his waist, realizing it was a size too small but not minding it much. he got to work, chopping vegetables and cooking, and soon the kitchen was filled with the robust, rustic aroma of food.

    su li followed the delightful scent and found his dad preparing two dishes and a soup: a large bowl of stir-fried garlic shoots with pork, a bowl of dry-fried green beans, and a bowl of sour cabbage beef soup. compared to his mom¡¯s meticulous cooking, this seemed rather simple.

    having been spoiled by gu zi¡¯s cooking, su li silently grabbed a bowl and opened the corner kimchi jar, carefully extracting some of the homemade kimchi just as his mom had taught him. the tangy, spicy flavors were delicious, and he planned to mix it with his dad¡¯s dishes to recreate the taste of home.

    after placing the kimchi on the table, su li turned to dash upstairs, only to be caught by su shen, who grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. ¡°you take care of your sister while i go call your mom,¡± he said in a low voice.

    before su li could protest, su shen strode upstairs, leaving him with su le. su li felt that his dad was being a bit crafty, but there was nothing he could do about it.

    meanwhile, in the study, gu zi had just completed a set of exercises when she caught a whiff of something sour and fragrant. the scent made her swallow hard.

    what kind of sour soup was that? it smelled so delicious¡ªshe could almost taste it! the tanginess made her mouth water, and she longed to have a sip; it smelled so appetizing!

    just then, there was a knock on the door. su shen pushed it open, and gu zi felt a bit dazed as the tall, handsome man walked in. she closed her workbook and approached him, asking, ¡°why are you home so early today? didn¡¯t jin long say you¡¯re busy these few days?¡±

    as he drew closer, su shen wrapped his arms around gu zi and looked down at her. ¡°i¡¯m not that busy. i made lunch; shall we eat now?¡±

    gu zi looked up into his eyes and instantly understood his intentions. he had likely cleared some of his work to help her focus on her studies.

    a sweet smile spread across her face. ¡°let¡¯s eat then! did you make sour soup?¡±

    a cool breeze wafted in through the window, gently stirring her hair. su shen instinctively shut the study window and led her outside. ¡°yes, you mentioned in your sleep last night that you wanted something sour. the best thing i can make is sour beef soup; i used to make it often in the army, usually paired with flatbread.¡±

    gu zi looked up at him and teased, ¡°you¡¯re quite the man, eavesdropping on my dreams at night. is your sleep not so good now that you¡¯re getting older?¡±

    su shen understood gu zi¡¯s playful nature, but he didn¡¯t respond to her teasing; instead, he said earnestly, ¡°i just wanted to watch you a little longer at night.¡±

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    upon hearing his heartfelt words, gu zi felt her heart race, and the playful banter ceased.

    she followed him downstairs, and as they ate, she savored the two bowls of sour soup. as he had said, it was indeed delicious.

    seeing gu zi enjoy the meal brought a sense of accomplishment to su shen. he handed her a napkin, speaking gently, ¡°if you like it, i¡¯ll make it more often.¡±

    gu zi wasn¡¯t shy about expressing her enjoyment. with a playful smile, she replied, ¡°then i¡¯ll be having it often, mr. su. cheers to our partnership!¡±

    not fully understanding the exchange, su li watched his parents joke about ¡°partnership¡± over lunch. eagerly, he chimed in, ¡°mom, can you tell me bedtime stories in a foreign language too? look at how you tell them to my sister; she¡¯s already learned to speak it!¡±

 Chapter 899 - Chapter 899: The Dumbest One

    chapter 899: the dumbest one

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    when su li suddenly brought up the topic, gu zi was momentarily taken aback. after a second, she looked at su le in surprise. ¡°lele, you can speak a foreign language? when did this happen?¡±

    su le, with her chubby little hand clutching a soup spoon, replied in fluent foreign language, ¡°because i hear you talking, so i learned it, mommy! you taught me!¡±

    gu zi was shocked by su le¡¯s smooth foreign language skills. although she often studied with su le, she never deliberately taught her a foreign language.

    to think that su le had picked it up on her own was remarkable! truly, she was the younger sister of the formidable su bing, and her intelligence was astonishing.

    gu zi had seen three-year-olds speak foreign languages before, but most of them came from families that emphasized language education.

    just months ago, su le had struggled to speak clearly and had undergone training with a speech therapist. the progress she had made was impressive. no wonder the language specialist had mentioned her high aptitude for language. if su le hadn¡¯t faced those challenging experiences in the original story, she would undoubtedly shine and become a remarkable individual.

    seeing his mother¡¯s astonishment only deepened su li¡¯s sense of gloom. he realized that their mother hadn¡¯t intentionally taught su le; she had learned it all on her own.

    for some reason, this made him feel sad. it wasn¡¯t jealousy; it was a feeling of isolation. both his brother and sister were so talented, and he felt like the dumbest one. in that moment, he felt completely alone in the world.

    gu zi sensed something was off with su li, but since he didn¡¯t speak up, she chose not to press him in front of everyone. later, before bed, she checked on him. standing at the doorway, she saw him tossing and turning in his bed, unable to sleep. she walked over and asked directly, ¡°is our little su li not feeling happy?¡±

    seeing his mother approach, su li¡¯s little lips jutted out in a pout, even more pronounced than before. he looked at her and asked, ¡°mommy, am i really stupid? am i dumber than my brother and sister?¡±

    gu zi recognized that su li was genuinely upset. she sat on the edge of his bed, allowing him a moment to gather himself before speaking gently.

    ¡°who says you¡¯re stupid? i think your intelligence shines through in your physical abilities. being great at sports is admirable! some people struggle with physical activities and find them daunting, but you excel at it, don¡¯t you? you even know martial arts! you need to see your strengths, su li. i think you¡¯re amazing.¡±

    gu zi wasn¡¯t just trying to soothe him with empty words; she meant every word. her su li was a gifted athlete who could run five kilometers without stopping, which she was incredibly proud of. in her eyes, being smart wasn¡¯t just about academic achievements.

    gu zi¡¯s gentle and sincere words resonated deeply with su li. he realized that, in his mother¡¯s eyes, he had always been great. a wave of overwhelming emotion surged within him, and tears began to fall. ¡°mommy, i¡¯ll be even better! i¡¯ll put more effort into my studies from now on. i want to be both a scholar and a warrior!¡±

    gu zi stroked his head, offering encouragement. ¡°of course, mommy believes in you. you can do it! but you also have to promise me not to doubt yourself so easily, okay? mommy wants you to be a confident person!¡±

    after su li fell asleep, gu zi quietly left the room. she understood su li¡¯s feelings well; being surrounded by exceptionally talented children could indeed put pressure on others. in her past life, geniuses seemed like distant figures, nearly unattainable. now, with two such prodigies in her family, she felt a significant impact on her own self-esteem.

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    once she returned to her room, she found su shen watching her with concern. ¡°are you going to study late tonight?¡± he asked, sensing her heavy thoughts.

    gu zi shook her head. ¡°i was just thinking about lele¡¯s language skills. i can¡¯t help but feel that su le might be even smarter than su bing. who is their father? these genes are frightening!¡±

    su shen, however, remained calm. ¡°there¡¯s no need to worry. no one can take them away from us. i think it¡¯s great that lele is smart. it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s a girl; she doesn¡¯t have to settle down just because she grows up.¡±

    gu zi crossed her arms and sat at the edge of the bed. ¡°you¡¯re quite open-minded about it. well, you work hard and earn plenty of money so that our lele can be a carefree princess of the su family. hearing you say this makes me feel better. i suppose i¡¯ve been a bit too worried. time to sleep, old su!¡±

    as soon as she tucked herself under the covers, su shen leaned over her, his voice low and teasing in her ear. ¡°gu zi, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve been intimate. i want you.¡±

 Chapter 900 - Chapter 900: Protecting His Mom

    chapter 900: protecting his mom

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi felt a delightful tingling in her ears, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. she playfully pushed su shen away and coyly replied, ¡°that¡¯s not okay; your wounds haven¡¯t fully healed yet. if we don¡¯t do it right, it¡¯ll be no good.¡±

    immediately regretting her words, gu zi thought they sounded like a half-hearted refusal. why had she said that?

    but words once spoken couldn¡¯t be taken back. su shen had already caught on to her body language, leaning in closer and whispering seductively, ¡°don¡¯t worry; tonight i¡¯ll make sure my mrs. su is thoroughly satisfied.¡±

    his hands slid beneath her nightgown, skillfully caressing her soft breasts, which felt as fluffy as cotton. the sensation was intoxicating, and soon, her pink nipples stood erect under his touch.

    his other hand ventured lower, gently caressing her most intimate area, sending shivers through her body and eliciting soft moans from her lips. moments later, he pressed against her, causing her body to respond eagerly.

    as su shen kissed her luscious lips, his tongue danced with hers. he trailed down to her sensitive breasts, skillfully licking and teasing her nipples, driving her into a pleasurable haze.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but surrender to the sensations; su shen¡¯s lovemaking skills had become increasingly refined, and she found herself thoroughly enjoying their intimate moments, reveling in the blissful connection they shared.

    that night, gu zi experienced incredible pleasure, but by morning, she awoke feeling nauseous. she tried to vomit but couldn¡¯t bring anything up.

    panic set in as she recalled her recent cravings for sour foods and an overwhelming sense of fatigue. oh no, could she be pregnant?

    stunned, she thought, no, please! she hadn¡¯t planned on getting pregnant. she was content being a stepmother; she didn¡¯t want any complications!

    feeling drained, gu zi stumbled out of the bathroom.

    su shen rushed over, concern etched on his face. the usually calm and collected man was unusually anxious. ¡°what¡¯s wrong? did you throw up? we should go to the hospital.¡±

    gu zi shot him a glare, annoyed, but said nothing as she changed her clothes and stormed downstairs.

    su shen, still worried about her health, carried their sleepy daughter and followed closely behind. once downstairs, gu zi deliberately avoided sitting next to him.

    as they descended the stairs, their avoidance didn¡¯t go unnoticed by su li. seeing his mother¡¯s pale face and her silent treatment toward su shen, he instinctively assumed his father had bullied her. with narrowed eyes, he confronted su shen, ¡°dad, did you bully mom? tell me, and i¡¯ll protect her!¡±

    su li had heard whispers in the village about his father being cold and distant, a man who made a lot of money but might also harbor darker tendencies.

    although he had never witnessed su shen mistreat gu zi, the boy felt a strong urge to protect his mother and was determined not to allow anyone to hurt her.

    su shen found himself in a rather comical situation: early in the morning, his wife was ignoring him, and their son was questioning his actions. what kind of day was this? yet, his worries for gu zi¡¯s health overshadowed everything else.

    he explained to su li, ¡°your mom is feeling unwell, and i¡¯m taking her to the hospital. when have you ever seen me bully her?¡±

    su li turned to look at gu zi, his concern evident. ¡°mom, if you¡¯re not feeling well, you should definitely go to the hospital. but why are you sick? dad didn¡¯t really bully you, did he?¡±

    gu zi didn¡¯t want to engage with su shen; she was genuinely upset. the thought of possibly being pregnant filled her with dread. but she also didn¡¯t want their child to misunderstand the situation. she quickly reassured, ¡°no, it¡¯s nothing serious. i¡¯m just a bit under the weather. don¡¯t worry about me, sweetheart. you should get back to your studies.¡±

    su shen ruffled su li¡¯s hair affectionately and said, ¡°see? i didn¡¯t bully your mom. now go do your thing while i take her to the hospital.¡±

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    once su li was sent off to focus on his tasks, su shen gently coaxed gu zi to the hospital. when they arrived and it was time for the consultation, gu zi insisted that he wait outside.

    su shen didn¡¯t argue; as long as she was willing to see a doctor, he was fine with it. he obediently stepped out into the waiting area.

    watching him leave, gu zi felt her anger subside slightly. it was amusing how obedient this tall man could be when he wanted to be.

    but then her thoughts turned back to the source of her anger¡ªshe was pregnant because of him. a fresh wave of frustration washed over her. there was no way she could forgive him so easily for this, not now.

    and now she was faced with the daunting reality of what to do about this baby. the idea of being a mother again terrified her. but if she didn¡¯t go through with the pregnancy, wouldn¡¯t that be wasting a life? gu zi felt trapped in her swirling thoughts, torn between fear and obligation.

 Chapter 901 - Chapter 901: Your Husband Loves You Very Much

    chapter 901: your husband loves you very much

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    the middle-aged female doctor looked at gu zi, whose face was filled with worry, and calmly said, ¡°let¡¯s talk about your symptoms. don¡¯t frown, young lady; life will go on day by day. it¡¯s really not that big of a deal.¡±

    gu zi thought to herself that she often said similar things to others, but facing her own difficult situation felt entirely different. the thought of being pregnant was something she simply couldn¡¯t accept.

    taking a deep breath, she adjusted her demeanor and described her symptoms. ¡°lately, i¡¯ve been feeling excessively tired and sleepy, craving sour foods, and now my period hasn¡¯t arrived this month. this morning, i woke up feeling nauseous and dry heaving. doctor, i think i might be pregnant.¡±

    she hated to admit it, but the symptoms were hard to ignore. the doctor nodded, gently taking gu zi¡¯s wrist to check her pulse. ¡°well, this does seem a bit like pregnancy, but if i¡¯m being thorough, it could also mean you really desire to be pregnant or are deeply afraid of it.¡±

    gu zi answered honestly, ¡°i¡¯m really scared of having a baby. i don¡¯t want to, and i don¡¯t need to, because my husband already has three children, and i¡¯m perfectly content.¡±

    the doctor, seasoned and unruffled, smiled softly. ¡°i see. then i can make a diagnosis. you¡¯re experiencing a false pregnancy. this often happens to people who either desperately want a child or are particularly fearful of having one. you fit the latter category perfectly. i¡¯ll prescribe you some medication to help, and you should be back to normal in no time.¡±

    as the doctor spoke, she began writing a prescription. gu zi felt a mix of relief and disappointment at the diagnosis, and a touch of embarrassment washed over her.

    thank goodness the doctor didn¡¯t inquire about the reason for her distress; if she had to explain that she was upset with an older man, that would only add to her awkwardness.

    gu zi mumbled, ¡°doctor, could you please not tell my husband about my false pregnancy?¡±

    the doctor shot her a knowing glance and chuckled. ¡°i won¡¯t spill the beans; it¡¯s really not a big deal. but, dear, you¡¯re still young. always follow your heart. from what i can see, you don¡¯t entirely reject the idea of having a child; you¡¯re just scared. perhaps one day you¡¯ll change your mind¡ªthough you may not. i¡¯m just pointing out a possibility. it¡¯s clear to me that your husband loves you very much.¡±

    accepting the diagnosis and the prescription from the doctor, gu zi didn¡¯t argue against her words. she couldn¡¯t deny the truth in them. after living with su shen for so long, her feelings about having children had shifted, even if her fear remained.

    ¡°thank you, doctor!¡± she replied gratefully.

    before stepping outside, gu zi discreetly tucked the diagnosis away and held the prescription in her hand. with a bright smile, she waved at su shen, saying, ¡°i¡¯m out! it¡¯s nothing serious. let¡¯s go get the medication, do a bit of shopping, and then head home. what do you think, darling?¡±

    su shen let her lead the way to the pharmacy, feeling bewildered by the sudden change in her demeanor. just moments ago, she was ignoring him, and now she was sweetly calling him ¡°darling.¡± what was going on?

    but he couldn¡¯t deny that he liked the way ¡°darling¡± rolled off her tongue.

    he decided not to delve too deeply into the reasons behind gu zi¡¯s fluctuating moods. after all, he had heard the men at the pig farm say that women¡¯s hearts were unpredictable. they got angry for their own reasons, and they were happy for their own as well. as long as she wasn¡¯t directing her anger at him, he was fine with her letting off steam elsewhere.

    his wife¡¯s smile was a sight he cherished, her tears were something he was willing to wipe away, and he was ready to bear her anger. ultimately, he was determined to love her unconditionally.

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    once they left the hospital, they headed straight to a large store. gu zi suggested, ¡°we¡¯ve been away from home for so long, and i feel bad for big yellow. let¡¯s pick up some dog food to make it up to him. it¡¯ll be good for him to get some nutrition and try something different!¡±

    su shen happily agreed, guiding her to the pet section.

    gu zi pointed out the different types of dog food, while he took care of the payment. they also picked up some dental chews and toys for big yellow.

    as su shen emerged from the pet section, bags in hand, passersby couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°what a world we live in! it¡¯s like people are treating their dogs better than they treat each other. look at all that stuff for a pet!¡±

    ¡°right? i really don¡¯t understand these young people today. it¡¯s just a guard dog, yet they care for it like it¡¯s a person, buying all sorts of things. i doubt they¡¯d treat their own parents that well!¡±

 Chapter 902 - Chapter 902: The Daily Life of a Family

    chapter 902: the daily life of a family

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    gu zi heard the comments, but they didn¡¯t faze her; instead, her heart was filled with anticipation as she imagined big yellow¡¯s reaction to the new goodies. this thought made her smile, and she quickened her pace until they finally arrived home.

    as gu zi stepped into the yard, she noticed su bing cleaning up dust and fallen leaves, while su li crouched by the pond, feeding the goldfish. su le was focused on grooming big yellow, clearly enjoying the task.

    with everyone back home, big yellow was thriving¡ªeating well and sleeping soundly, his coat shining as it had in days gone by. su le loved to brush him and would even nap with her head resting on big yellow¡¯s belly when she got tired.

    recalling the treats she had bought for big yellow, gu zi grabbed a bag from su shen¡¯s hands and held it up. ¡°su bing, su li, lele, come and see what i bought!¡±

    the three children rushed over as soon as they saw their mother had returned, with big yellow happily trotting behind su le.

    su bing reached her first, his concern clearly written on his face. he had just heard from his younger brother that their father had taken their mother to the hospital and wanted to know how she was doing. ¡°mom, what¡¯s wrong with your health?¡±

    as he spoke, he took the bag from her, eager to relieve her of any burden.

    su li, initially curious about the contents of the bag, suddenly remembered their mother had been unwell and quickly joined in the concern. ¡°mom, if you¡¯re not feeling well, you should rest. today, i¡¯ll help with the chores. with the three of us big guys here, you can relax!¡±

    when su li said this, he felt a swell of pride. he was no longer the little boy who relied solely on his brother for support; he was now proactive. whenever he wasn¡¯t playing or studying, he eagerly volunteered to do housework¡ªsweeping, watering the plants, and taking out the trash. if there was something he didn¡¯t know how to do, he would simply ask his mom or brother for guidance.

    each time he received praise from gu zi, it brought him more joy than earning a red ribbon in class! as for whether his brother acknowledged his efforts, that didn¡¯t matter much to him.

    gu zi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at su li¡¯s declaration of being a ¡°big man.¡± he was still so young, yet so eager to take on that role¡ªwhat a clever little boy! ¡°i¡¯m fine. i just saw an incredibly skilled doctor, and i¡¯m already feeling much better!¡±

    her reassurances weren¡¯t solely for the kids¡¯ sake; that female doctor had truly been remarkable. even before prescribing any medication, she had addressed gu zi¡¯s concerns with her words.

    gu zi understood now that the so-called false pregnancy was largely influenced by her psychological state. while she was resistant to the idea of having a baby, her feelings for su shen had caused her to waver. yet, fear still loomed large in her mind.

    the psychological stress had triggered hormonal changes in her body, resulting in the symptoms she had experienced.

    as she left the hospital, she began contemplating the idea of having a child with su shen, and it didn¡¯t seem like such a terrible notion anymore. she had studied the biological aspects of childbirth and knew well how daunting it could be. despite her lingering fears and inner turmoil, she realized she had begun to accept things as they came. after all, if it was meant to be, it would happen.

    with this newfound clarity, gu zi felt a wave of relief wash over her. it was no surprise that her nausea had subsided after leaving the hospital.

    suddenly, su le pushed past her two older brothers and rushed over to gu zi, spreading her arms wide to hug her legs. after holding on for a moment, she looked up at gu zi with wide, innocent eyes and said, ¡°mom, you need to get better quickly. lele doesn¡¯t want you to be sick!¡±

    big yellow padded over and nuzzled against gu zi¡¯s pant leg.

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    gu zi squatted down, pulling su le with her, and affectionately stroked big yellow¡¯s fur. ¡°big yellow, we bought you so many delicious treats and fun toys today! we even got materials to spruce up your little nook. and i¡¯m sorry for leaving you before; it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    big yellow seemed to understand her words. he sprung up with excitement and wagged his tail vigorously. he dashed over to su shen and then back to gu zi, bumping against her leg.

    su bing and su li joined in the fun, eager to help set up big yellow¡¯s dog bed. the three worked together, and before long, they had arranged a cozy spot for big yellow. watching him lie comfortably in his new bed brought smiles to everyone¡¯s faces, and su li was so thrilled he began racing around the yard.

    meanwhile, huang fei was out for a stroll with her son xu sheng. as they passed by the su family¡¯s home, they noticed su li running around and making noise.

    huang fei couldn¡¯t help but scoff. no matter how beautiful gu zi looked, it seemed she couldn¡¯t manage to raise her children properly. ¡®look at that,¡¯ she thought, shaking her head. ¡®what a lack of discipline! maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re not her biological children that she¡¯s so lenient with them.¡¯

 Chapter 903 - Chapter 903: A Genius

    chapter 903: a genius

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    huang fei tugged at her son, ready to move on, when she noticed him staring intently at the su family¡¯s yard.

    ¡°we need to hurry to your tutoring class, or you¡¯ll be late. you can¡¯t be like that second boy from the su family, acting all unruly. it¡¯s nice to call it innocent and adorable, but let¡¯s be real¡ªit¡¯s just a lack of upbringing, like a primitive human. kids like that are the worst. did you hear me?¡±

    in huang fei¡¯s eyes, su li¡¯s carefree attitude was nothing short of a waste of time, utterly foolish. she was determined not to let her son fall into such a trap.

    even in this small place, she wouldn¡¯t allow her son¡¯s education to slip. after a long search in guangcheng, she had finally found a tutoring class that barely met her standards. today was the day she would drop her son off, ensuring he didn¡¯t slack off or lose his motivation.

    as they stepped out, she spotted the su family happily playing with their large dog. it struck her as utterly dull. ¡®these nouveau riche people just lack depth,¡¯ she thought, shaking her head.

    she had to remind her son not to envy such a carefree yet foolish lifestyle. knowing how easily children could be attracted to such brainless fun, she felt it necessary to keep xu sheng in check.

    xu sheng, however, wasn¡¯t thinking about slacking off; he was simply intrigued. he had never lived as leisurely as su li seemed to. he was curious about what that kind of life felt like. and after seeing how impressive su le was last time, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how a family with such a relaxed atmosphere could also raise a genius. but in the face of his mother¡¯s stern demeanor, he dared not pursue those thoughts any further.

    instead, a suffocating sense of pressure washed over him, leaving him feeling powerless. he understood that his mother¡¯s strictness came from a place of wanting the best for him, to mold him into a useful person. he had no reason to argue against her.

    with that in mind, he averted his gaze and replied, ¡°i heard you. i was just looking.¡±

    regaining his composure, xu sheng resumed his usual proud demeanor, lifting his chin as he climbed into their car.

    huang fei watched her meticulously raised genius son with a sense of pride and satisfaction. to her, a good genius should always heed the words of adults.

    she remained blissfully unaware that having a genius and being obedient at the same time was a contradiction. xu sheng was more of a carefully crafted product in her eyes rather than a living, breathing individual with his own thoughts and feelings.

    meanwhile, in the su family household, su shen had just finished building the dog house and was now taking his two sons to the backyard to tend to the vegetable garden.

    this garden was a special place for gu zi; whenever he had free time, he would come here to work, hoping to spare gu zi from the heavy labor, which he viewed as her burden to bear.

    after finishing her herbal medicine, gu zi took su le upstairs for a little rest. fortunately, su le didn¡¯t fuss and happily played quietly in the corner, allowing her to enjoy a refreshing nap.

    by the time she descended with su le, the enticing aroma of food wafted through the air, particularly the savory scent of beef sour soup, making her mouth water with anticipation.

    gu zi settled down for a hearty meal. afterward, she spent some time relaxing in the front yard, sipping on the fragrant red tea that grandma gao had sent over. the tea was rich and aromatic, slightly astringent at first but giving way to a sweet aftertaste, perfectly complemented by the sour plums she had on hand.

    once su shen finished cleaning the kitchen, he prepared to head out for work. with plans to expand the business, there were many matters that required his presence.

    gu zi walked him to the door and watched as he drove away, her mind drifting to enjoyable activities they could do together as a family. she called su bing and su li to bring out the two bicycles, suggesting they take a ride around the neighborhood to enjoy the fresh air.

    before heading out, gu zi made sure to put on a full face of makeup and changed into a stylish blue and white shirt with suspenders, completing her look with cute white sneakers and a baseball cap.

    as she descended the stairs, she caught the attention of su li and gao ming, who were sprawled on the living room floor playing with figurines. their eyes widened in surprise and admiration as they took in her appearance.

    ¡°mom, you look so beautiful! you¡¯re the prettiest person in the world!¡± su li exclaimed.

    gao ming added, ¡°auntie, did you descend from heaven? you look so stunning!¡±

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    gu zi felt a surge of happiness at their compliments and decided to invite gao ming, ¡°we¡¯re planning to go for a bike ride. would you like to join us, gao ming?¡±

    gao ming eagerly nodded and dashed toward the door, calling out, ¡°auntie, su li, wait for me! i¡¯m going to get my bike!¡±

    just as gao ming hurried out to fetch his bicycle, his father, gao lang, arrived home, carrying a bag full of new toys and snacks. this time, he had come back specifically to see his eldest son.

    after chatting with su bing last time, he felt a wave of emotion wash over him. realizing how much he had neglected gao ming in the past, he was determined to be a better father moving forward. he understood that while time lost could never be regained, he could still make the most of their future together.

 Chapter 904 - Chapter 904: You Have to Put in More Effort

    chapter 904: you have to put in more effort

    editor: endlessfantasy translation

    as gao lang stepped into the house, he noticed that gao ming was nowhere to be found. after inquiring with his mother, he learned that his son had just gone out to ride bikes with the children from the su family.

    a wave of disappointment washed over him as he set down the toys and snacks he had brought. ¡°then i¡¯ll wait for him to come back. it¡¯s been a while since i¡¯ve seen him,¡± he said.

    grandma gao, observing his son¡¯s attitude, felt a mix of confusion and joy. it was a relief to see him concerned about his child. ¡°look at you! you finally realized you¡¯re gao ming¡¯s father. it¡¯s not too late!¡± she exclaimed with a smile. ¡°you haven¡¯t had lunch, right? i¡¯ll make you a bowl of egg noodles.¡±

    ¡°hmm,¡± gao lang replied, and grandma gao, satisfied, headed to the kitchen. she decided to prepare the noodles herself, without calling for the housekeeper¡¯s help.

    when she brought the steaming bowl of egg noodles to the table, she watched him eat with a smile. ¡°i know you too well. you often forget to eat when you¡¯re buried in your research. i figured you hadn¡¯t had lunch again. how¡¯s the seasoning? it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve had this, right?¡±

    grandma gao remembered that her son had always loved her egg noodles, a dish he had enjoyed since childhood and never seemed to tire of. if there was one redeeming quality about her otherwise serious son, it was his easygoing nature when it came to food.

    he was diligent in his studies and rarely troubled her about meals, always accepting whatever she offered. grandma gao¡¯s cooking skills were modest, limited mainly to simple dishes like noodle soup, which meant she often prepared a bowl of egg noodles to satisfy him.

    for many years, gao lang had indulged in his mother¡¯s egg noodles. even after hiring a housekeeper, he still preferred the ones she made, never once complaining about their simplicity.

    after finishing his meal, gao lang settled in the living room to wait for gao ming. he remained there until two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, when he finally spotted his son returning home.

    gao ming parked his bicycle in the yard and skipped into the house, but as soon as he caught sight of gao lang, his smile faltered, and his earlier excitement faded. he turned to his grandmother, asking, ¡°why is he back?¡±

    gao ming harbored no fondness for his father. in the past, he had yearned for moments spent together with his parents and younger brother, but now, that desire had vanished. he found joy in the company of aunt gu zi, su li, and su le. he preferred su li¡¯s father and didn¡¯t care for his own dad, who, in gao ming¡¯s eyes, seemed indifferent to him. it was easier for them to just dislike each other.

    grandma gao sensed the tension between her grandson and son. she knew that gao ming had developed a deep resentment toward his father.

    she tried to bridge the gap, picking up the toys and snacks gao lang had brought. ¡°your dad came back today just to see you! look, he brought you some toys and treats,¡± she said cheerfully.

    however, gao ming simply accepted the offerings with indifference and returned them to their original spot, his expression sulky. ¡°thanks for coming back to see me, dad,¡± he said flatly before heading to his room.

    gao lang, acutely aware of his shortcomings as a father, hurried after gao ming. ¡°i¡¯m sorry. i¡¯ll come back more often from now on. if you need anything, just let me know, and i¡¯ll buy it for you,¡± he called out.

    without looking back, gao ming walked straight into his room and shut the door, leaving gao lang standing there, disheartened.

    grandma gao sighed and said, ¡°you really need to put in more effort. as a father, you¡¯re not showing as much care as the neighbors do. how can he not hold a grudge? you didn¡¯t even know your son bought a new bicycle, did you? it was a gift from gu zi.

    ¡°you also don¡¯t realize that his favorite food is no longer snacks. now, he loves the dishes and desserts made by gu zi. it¡¯s thoughtful of you to bring him toys and treats, but you need to understand what he really wants. give him some time, and give yourself some time, too.¡±

    gao lang nodded, then shared some news. ¡°mom, i¡¯ve applied for a transfer to a less demanding position. i¡¯ve also bought another house in this neighborhood, at the end of this row. i¡¯ll bring them back to live here with me.¡±

    grandma gao¡¯s eyes filled with tears of joy as she covered her mouth in disbelief. ¡°really? don¡¯t tease me like this! i can¡¯t take being disappointed again!¡±

    since gao lang had moved away for work, she had worried not just for gao ming but also for her daughter-in-law and the little grandson who had been born later. now, it seemed that the family would finally be reunited!

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    this was wonderful news. she felt that this change was all thanks to gu zi and her family moving to the neighborhood; they had truly become a blessing for her family.

    ¡°once you all move in, you have to host a special dinner for gu zi¡¯s family. gao ming has leaned on them quite a bit and has caused them no small amount of trouble,¡± grandma gao said, her heart swelling with gratitude.

    gao lang nodded in agreement. ¡°i understand. i¡¯ll take care of it. but for now, i have to go; there¡¯s a lot to coordinate in the next few days, and it¡¯s going to be busy.¡±

    grandma gao understood and, after seeing her son off, took a moment to collect herself before knocking on her grandson¡¯s door.

    when gao ming heard that his father was moving back, he looked at his grandmother in disbelief. ¡°grandma, are you joking? a workaholic like him wouldn¡¯t give up his job for his kids!¡±

 Chapter 905 - Chapter 905: His Mom Despises Him

    Chapter 905: His Mom Despises Him

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Grandma Gao couldn¡¯t bear to look at her grandson¡¯s incredulous expression. Turning away, she wiped the tears that had escaped and forced a calm tone. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll find out whether it¡¯s true or not in due time.¡±

    After saying this, Grandma Gao exited the room. She feared that her emotions would affect Gao Ming¡¯s mood. Over the years, Gao Ming had been alone without his parents, and deep down, he longed for their attention and the warmth of their gaze. Now, it seemed like that yearning might finally come to fruition.

    Once the door was closed, Gao Ming opened the toys his father had brought. The first item he pulled out was a toy machine gun.

    He crouched under his bed, immersing himself in a solo game of trench warfare, mimicking the soldiers he¡¯d seen in movies as he crawled along, gripping the toy gun with a serious yet triumphant expression. By the end of the game, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

    Next, he found a box of glass marbles for a jumping game designed for six players. He set out all six colors of marbles, pretending to be himself, his grandfather, grandmother, father, younger brother, and mother. ¡°Mommy, mommy, will you want me now?¡± he asked the wall, his voice tinged with a strange mix of hope and despair.

    Tears welled up in his eyes as he lay down on his bed, sobbing softly. He envied his younger brother for getting to grow up in their mother¡¯s embrace, yet he also felt a deep fear of her. Yes, he was more afraid of her than he was of his father. He understood that she despised him, having never wanted him by her side as a child.

    He didn¡¯t dare to dwell on the thought of his parents moving back in, as it likely meant they would take his brother to the new house while he remained with his grandparents.

    It was fine, he reassured himself. He had grown used to not being with his parents. But the more he tried to convince himself, the more the tears flowed, and his heart ached even more.

    Time flew by, and soon it was the week of Gu Zi¡¯s pre-exam for the college entrance test.

    She had submitted her drafts ahead of schedule and taken leave from the newspaper. For the next few days, she wouldn¡¯t be taking on any new assignments.

    On her way home, she decided to stop by a bookstore where she bought some books for herself and a few for the three children. Afterward, she headed to the school to pick up Su Bing and the others after their classes.

    Today, Gu Zi drove out in Su Shen¡¯s small car. Before leaving, she had calculated her time well to pick up the children from school, and she had already dropped off Lele at Grandma Gao¡¯s place, informing the Gao family¡¯s driver that there was no need for him to make the trip to school today.

    When she arrived at the school, the final bell rang, signaling the end of the last class.

    Students began to spill out of the building, and in Class B2 of the first grade, Su Li found himself in a standoff with Sun Wei, a classmate he often clashed with.

    Sun Wei sneered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it rumored that your family is super rich? Then why have I never seen you driving your own car? You and your brother always hitch rides with the Gao family!¡±

    Su Li retorted, ¡°Of course we have a car! My dad has a small car and a motorcycle, plus there are large, medium, and small trucks at our pig farm¡ªall of them belong to my dad! He¡¯s just busy with work and can¡¯t come to pick me up!¡±

    Sun Wei scoffed dismissively, ¡°Busy with work? Or is it that your car is so junky that he¡¯s embarrassed to drive it? Your logic doesn¡¯t add up. If your dad can¡¯t come, what about your mom? Oh, wait¡ªyour mom probably can¡¯t even drive, right? Hahaha!¡±

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    Fuming, Su Li snapped back, ¡°Our car isn¡¯t junk! My mom can drive! You just haven¡¯t seen her!¡± He tugged on Gao Ming, urging him to leave. His brother, Su Bing, was waiting for them outside.

    Su Li had more to say to Sun Wei, knowing he wasn¡¯t just a simple bully; he was actually the illegitimate child of the Sun family. But Su Li didn¡¯t want to stoop to Sun Wei¡¯s level by exploiting that weakness. He refused to become someone like Sun Wei.

    As the three of them descended the stairs and exited the classroom, they chose to ignore Sun Wei. However, Sun Wei interpreted their silence as defeat and quickly ran after them, his two lackeys trailing closely behind, continuing to mock Su Li.

    ¡°You really believe Su Li¡¯s mom can drive? Hahaha! I certainly don¡¯t! Why have we never seen her come to pick them up from school?¡± one of them jeered.

    ¡°Yeah! Sun Wei, you¡¯re right! They¡¯re just country folk who made a bit of money from pig farming! It¡¯s hilarious that he¡¯d brag about being rich when he¡¯s really just boasting! And just because he says his mom can drive, he thinks that makes her special? He doesn¡¯t know that female drivers are rare!¡± the other chimed in, laughing along with Sun Wei.

 Chapter 906 - Chapter 906: Poop Upside-Down

    Chapter 906: Poop Upside-Down

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°Yeah! Su Li is such a bragger. If his mom can drive, I¡¯ll eat poop! Hmph, I don¡¯t believe a word he says!¡±

    Gu Zi waited outside for a while. She noticed that the children were starting to stream out of the school, but she couldn¡¯t see her three kids among them.

    Growing a bit anxious, she was about to ask the security guard to let her in when she spotted Su Bing walking toward the gate with Su Li and Gao Ming. Behind them trailed three other kids, and Gu Zi¡¯s car had drawn a crowd of onlookers.

    ¡°Such a cool car! Why does this one look different from the usual Santana? I want those flashy wheels for my family¡¯s car!¡±

    ¡°My dad is a car enthusiast. I¡¯ll tell you, this isn¡¯t just any car you can buy; it¡¯s modified. I bet this parent must run an auto repair shop!¡±

    ¡°Everyone, make way! Can I take a picture with my camera? My mom brought one!¡± After someone took a picture, more kids gathered around the car, excitedly discussing it.

    When Su Bing and the others reached the car, Su Bing gave the crowd a quick glance and thought their reaction was a bit over the top. It was just his dad¡¯s car that Uncle Fatty had modified; did it warrant such a spectacle?

    Su Li spotted their family car and exclaimed joyfully, ¡°Brother, Dad is here to pick us up! This is our car; I recognize it!¡±

    Before the surrounding kids could express their envy, Sun Wei¡¯s mocking voice rang out. ¡°Su Li, you¡¯re so full of it! Your family¡¯s car? You could point at any unattended car and claim it¡¯s yours! Who are you trying to fool?¡±

    Frowning, Su Li found Sun Wei incredibly annoying. He had been relatively quiet for a while, but now he was back to his old self. ¡°Sun Wei, I¡¯m not lying! This is really our car! Just wait until my dad arrives, and you¡¯ll see!¡±

    Sun Wei tilted his head back in disbelief, boasting, ¡°If this car is really yours, I¡¯ll do a handstand and poop upside-down!¡±

    The surrounding classmates gasped at his outrageous claim, but it only made the car more intriguing. They all eagerly waited to see if Su Li¡¯s family car was indeed the one parked in front of them.

    Gu Zi stood off to the side, watching as Su Li continued to argue with Sun Wei. Now she understood the situation; it was quite a coincidence that she had driven to pick up Su Li, Su Bing and Gao Ming today.

    However, the thought of Sun Wei¡¯s outrageous promise made her hesitate¡ªshe really didn¡¯t want to imagine that scene! But seeing her son being bullied was unacceptable, even if it was just kids. With a resolute mind, Gu Zi made her way through the crowd forming outside the school gate.

    Holding her car keys, she pushed her way through the throng, saying, ¡°Excuse me, everyone, please make way. You¡¯re blocking my car.¡±

    As soon as the kids heard the car owner had arrived, they turned to look. They were surprised to see it was Su Li¡¯s mom.

    In the school, Su Li was somewhat of a celebrity, and many students recognized his beautiful mother from previous encounters. They hadn¡¯t known she could drive, which made her seem even cooler!

    When Su Li spotted Gu Zi, his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Mom! You came to pick us up today? Did you drive?¡± he asked eagerly, glancing around to confirm that Dad wasn¡¯t there.

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    Su Bing felt a rush of joy at this moment. Was there a special bond between Su Li and their mom? It was heartwarming that Su Li had been teased about not having a car, and now here was their mom, showing up in style. Perhaps this was what happiness felt like.

    Gu Zi raised her car keys, her voice ringing out above the chatter. ¡°I took the day off from the newspaper today and made time to pick you up, my dear children. Now, please get in the car! Everyone else, kindly step back to a safe distance.¡±

    She opened the back door, and Su Li and the others climbed in, basking in the envious glances of their classmates.

    Gao Ming, sitting by the door, couldn¡¯t resist teasing Sun Wei as he leaned out, adopting a mockingly arrogant tone. ¡°So, Sun Wei, when are you going to keep your promise and perform that handstand and poop upside-down?¡±

    Su Li quickly chimed in, mimicking Gao Ming¡¯s attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath on him! He won¡¯t dare do it anyway; he just talks big. But hey, Sun Wei, just watch¡ªmy mom is driving us home now. See you tomorrow! I hope to see your mom, Mrs. Sun, driving you to school, too!¡±

 Chapter 907 - Chapter 907: Lele is Full of Surprises

    Chapter 907: Lele is Full of Surprises

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li didn¡¯t intend to pick on Sun Wei, but it seemed like some people just wouldn¡¯t stop until they hit a sore spot, and he recognized Sun Wei as that type of person.

    From the chatter among his classmates, Su Li had concluded that Mrs. Sun probably wouldn¡¯t come to pick up Sun Wei herself. Even if she did, Su Li wouldn¡¯t hold it against him; in fact, he would congratulate Sun Wei for receiving his mother¡¯s acknowledgment. That was something to be happy about.

    Sun Wei had originally wanted to humiliate Su Li but ended up embarrassing himself instead. His bravado had vanished, and he left with a cold remark, ¡°Su Li, don¡¯t get too cocky!¡±

    Su Li shrugged, feeling somewhat helpless. He wasn¡¯t being cocky; he was just excited that his mom had come to pick him up. If it weren¡¯t for Sun Wei¡¯s relentless teasing, he wouldn¡¯t have felt the need to defend himself at all!

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi was skillfully steering the car, smoothly turning as they left the school. The Su family car glided away, and the other kids watched with envy as they were ushered into their own private vehicles, lingering in awe of the Su family¡¯s departure.

    They couldn¡¯t help but admire the Su brothers. Had they somehow saved the galaxy in a past life? With such an amazing mom, both beautiful and capable, it seemed like they were living a charmed life. Rumor had it that the dishes Su Li¡¯s mom prepared for gatherings were absolutely delicious. It made them salivate just at the thought.

    Upon arriving home, Gu Zi dropped Gao Ming off and went to pick up Lele. Just as she stepped into the living room, she heard the television playing. To her surprise, it was an animated show in a foreign language.

    Walking further in, she found Lele standing in front of the TV, her little face flushed with excitement as she intently watched the screen.

    When Grandma Gao saw Gu Zi, she smiled and said, ¡°Lele has been really good today. She¡¯s been quietly watching TV without making a fuss. I thought about changing the channel since it¡¯s in a foreign language, but she didn¡¯t want to. The little girl is so obedient! Even if she doesn¡¯t understand, she¡¯s been glued to the screen for so long. Look at her; it¡¯s almost as if she understands everything!¡±

    Gu Zi opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but decided against it. Maybe Lele really could understand some of it. That little girl was full of surprises! She chose not to tell Grandma Gao that Lele could comprehend foreign languages.

    Walking over to pull Lele into a hug, Lele beamed, wrapping her little arms around Gu Zi¡¯s neck. ¡°Mommy, you came to pick me up! We¡¯re going home now! Bye-bye, Grandma Gao! Lele will come back to play with you next time!¡±

    After saying her goodbyes, Gu Zi took Lele¡¯s hand as they headed home. Once outside, Gu Zi asked, ¡°Tell Mommy, what did you do today?¡±

    Lele shook her head and then began to sing in her sweet, enchanting voice. ¡°Mommy, do you know the Smurfs? Beyond the mountains and the sea, there¡¯s a Smurf. They are lively and clever¡­¡±

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and compared to her daughter¡¯s brilliance, she had long accepted her own status as an ordinary person. She didn¡¯t hold back her praise, exclaiming, ¡°Lele can sing now, and in a foreign language too! Amazing, simply amazing!¡±

    Lele proudly gave herself a thumbs-up and declared, ¡°Lele is amazing, and Mommy is amazing too! Mommy is Lele¡¯s mommy, so Mommy is even more amazing!¡±

    With that, she pointed her thumb at Gu Zi, filling the room with a wave of emotional warmth.

    Gu Zi scooped her up, and they played with toys on the sofa for a while before letting Lele join her brothers. Gu Zi then headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

    Today, Su Shen was incredibly busy, tied up with important matters that couldn¡¯t wait. He hadn¡¯t been home to play the role of a stay-at-home dad or to cook for their little girl.

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    Even if he wanted to help, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t let him. After all, if he didn¡¯t earn money to support the family, how could she maintain her beauty? She had told Su Shen, ¡°On the day of my exam, you take care of Lele and make dinner. Just focus on your work today; I¡¯ll handle everything at home!¡±

    With that, Su Shen had left the house reassured. Gu Zi needed to use the car, and he hadn¡¯t ridden his motorcycle in a while, so he put on his riding jacket. The sight of him in that jacket made Gu Zi feel a little dizzy with admiration. He looked so handsome¡ªtruly exceptional. That was her man.

    Fast forward to the exam day, and Su Shen woke up early to make breakfast, all so Gu Zi could eat well before her test and perform at her best. After they finished breakfast, Su Shen drove Gu Zi to the school.

    Upon arriving at the school gate, Gu Zi didn¡¯t let Su Shen get out of the car. She opened the door herself and headed inside, where the students gathered, waiting for the invigilating teacher to lead them to the exam room.

    The supervising teacher was the school¡¯s director of moral education. When she saw Gu Zi stepping out of the luxury car, a sneer crept onto her lips. ¡®These young girls nowadays have no shame,¡¯ she thought disdainfully.

 Chapter 908 - Chapter 908: Wealthy Benefactor

    Chapter 908: Wealthy Benefactor

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The director of moral education adjusted her age-old black-rimmed glasses and looked at Gu Zi as she stepped out of the luxury car and walked to the student assembly point at the school gate.

    After confirming that she was indeed there to take the exam, the director sneered and said coldly, ¡°I am the invigilating teacher and the director of moral education at this school. Name?¡±

    Gu Zi heard the disdain in the middle-aged teacher¡¯s voice but didn¡¯t rush to defend herself. She simply replied, ¡°Gu Zi.¡±

    The director glanced down at her roster, her finger tracing the names as she searched for Gu Zi¡¯s. Upon finding it, she read aloud, ¡°Gu Zi, a recent graduate from last year¡¯s college entrance examination, previously attended Guangcheng First Bilingual Middle School. You¡¯re a Guangwai student!¡±

    As she continued reading, her surprise became evident. Guangwai was the top-ranking school in the city, known for consistently placing in the top three at the provincial level as well. Despite Renhe Middle School being backed by the Central Education Bureau, it often found itself overshadowed by Guangwai¡¯s reputation.

    To get into Renhe, students had to excel academically or possess a special skill while maintaining decent grades. While these students were undoubtedly talented, the college entrance exam primarily relied on academic performance. In pure academic comparison, Renhe could not hold a candle to Guangwai.

    Although the director hoped Renhe would one day surpass Guangwai, she held a deep respect for its students, recognizing their rigorous academic discipline and overall quality. She had never heard of any female student from there engaging in relationships for financial gain, and as she thought this, her gaze intensified on Gu Zi, scrutinizing her with newfound curiosity.

    Gu Zi remained calm under the director¡¯s piercing stare, meeting her gaze confidently. ¡°Teacher, I am a Guangwai student, or rather, I was. Now that your school has accepted me, I am a Renhe student.¡±

    A hint of regret flickered in the director¡¯s eyes. Initially, she had looked down on Gu Zi, but her composed demeanor suggested that she was not the type to rely on wealthy benefactors. Perhaps there were family difficulties that left her with no choice, but it was inappropriate to ask directly.

    Instead, the director chose to express her thoughts more gently, ¡°While Renhe may not have a ranking as high as Guangwai, we do have our basic rules and principles. As a student, you should embody the spirit of a student. If you¡¯re facing difficulties, you should first seek help from the school or the government, rather than allowing things to come to this point where Guangwai would no longer accept you.¡±

    Gu Zi picked up on the director¡¯s assumptions and couldn¡¯t help but find them amusing. Did the moral education director really think that Su Shen was a wealthy benefactor she was leaning on? It seemed she had somehow concocted a dramatic tale of Gu Zi being a struggling student, forced into a life of servitude and humiliation, all for the sake of survival, and had even concluded that Gu Zi¡¯s situation was a result of her newfound negative fame at Guangwai. The thought made her chuckle.

    Despite the director¡¯s somewhat rigid demeanor, Gu Zi realized that she was a competent teacher, at least in the sense that she genuinely felt regret for a promising student. It was clear the director valued talent.

    Gu Zi decided to clarify her situation. ¡°Teacher, while I am married, there¡¯s no rule that states married individuals cannot take the college entrance examination, right? The person who dropped me off just now is my husband. I don¡¯t need to seek help from anyone. Thank you for your concern, but I would like to clarify that Guangwai didn¡¯t accept me for reasons I don¡¯t fully understand, but it¡¯s not my fault.¡±

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    Her words were clear and articulate, and the moral education director listened intently. Gradually, her gaze softened. ¡°So, that was your husband. I apologize for the misunderstanding and for the harsh words I spoke earlier. It¡¯s admirable that you are married yet still have the desire to pursue your studies. I wish you the best in obtaining your college entrance qualifications.¡±

    She continued, ¡°However, even if you don¡¯t perform well on the exam, that¡¯s okay. If you have a special skill, our school can still admit you for a year of retakes, allowing you to try again. With your eagerness to learn and passion, any challenge can be overcome.¡±

    The moral education director was strict with herself; she believed in admitting when she was wrong. By setting an example, she aimed to be a true role model for her students. Although she could be quite traditional and sometimes harsh in her words, very few of her students disliked her. In fact, some remained friends with her long after graduation.

    The director considered Gu Zi¡¯s explanation about being rejected by Guangwai. She suspected that it was likely due to Gu Zi¡¯s academic performance. Guangwai had the strictest standards, and if a student¡¯s grades did not meet their requirements, they might be encouraged to leave, fearing that such a student could negatively impact the school¡¯s overall admission rates.

 Chapter 909 - Chapter 909: Eager to Quickly Finish

    Chapter 909: Eager to Quickly Finish

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t quite agree with Guangwai¡¯s approach; she felt that deserving students should be given a chance. However, there was no arguing with the fact that Guangwai had maintained its top position for years and could afford to be selective.

    Eventually, she caught the director¡¯s encouraging gaze, but rather than say more, Gu Zi decided it was best to focus on the upcoming exam. Proving herself through her performance would speak louder than words.

    Before long, the moral education director gathered the dozen or so students she was supervising and escorted them to their assigned examination room. Each room was spacious, accommodating only a small number of students, which significantly reduced the opportunity for cheating.

    Gu Zi was seated second from the entrance. Feeling relaxed, she settled into her seat.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the exams began, and as the test papers were distributed, Gu Zi quickly skimmed through hers. As she reviewed the questions, her relaxed demeanor turned even more at ease. She had heard that the preliminary exam questions were tougher than the actual college entrance exam, yet here she was, finding the questions to be a breeze!

    With that, she began answering the questions, eager to finish quickly so she could return home to her precious daughter, Lele, who was waiting for her.

    Half an hour later, while the other candidates were still struggling with the questions, beads of sweat forming on their brows, Gu Zi calmly stood up and approached one of the supervising teachers. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m ready to submit my paper.¡±

    The examination format required two teachers to oversee the testing, and since this particular teacher was closer, Gu Zi addressed her instead of the moral education director.

    The supervising teacher was taken aback. ¡°Gu Zi, are you sure you want to turn in your paper so early? Don¡¯t you want to check for mistakes? This preliminary exam is quite challenging; don¡¯t take it lightly.¡±

    Gu Zi, however, didn¡¯t even glance back at her paper. ¡°I¡¯ve already checked it. Please go ahead and collect the paper; I need to get home.¡±

    With no further argument, the teacher complied, knowing that early submission was a candidate¡¯s right. She tried to caution Gu Zi one last time, shaking her head as she collected the exam, thinking it a pity.

    Surely, no one could adequately complete the paper in just half an hour. This student seemed to take the exam for granted, perhaps viewing it as merely a preliminary assessment.

    However, just as Gu Zi reached the corner of the hallway, the moral education director intercepted her. ¡°You came to take this exam, yet you seem to be ready to give up. What¡¯s the point of participating if that¡¯s the case?¡±

    Gu Zi turned to face the director, noting her serious expression. While she felt no particular concern, she understood the director¡¯s intentions were well-meaning. ¡°Teacher, I took the exam seriously. I need to leave early because I have a three-year-old at home who needs my care. I¡¯ll return for the next two subjects scheduled for this afternoon, as my home isn¡¯t far from here.¡±

    Gu Zi was primarily eager to return home. With Su Shen rarely able to push aside all his important work to be with them, she wanted to ensure they could share a family lunch together. It seemed far more worthwhile than spending extra time in the examination room. Plus, before leaving, she had teased Su Le, saying she would come back to surprise them for lunch.

    However, the moral education director, hearing Gu Zi¡¯s words, interpreted them differently. At her age, Gu Zi was not only married but also had a three-year-old child. The director was taken aback; this young woman was juggling so much, yet still managed to prioritize her studies and attend the preliminary exam. It was genuinely moving!

    Such a dedicated student should not have to face such difficulties in life. With a newfound understanding, the director decided not to stop Gu Zi any longer. ¡°You can go now,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s indeed not safe for a three-year-old to be home alone.¡±

    The director even accompanied Gu Zi to the stairwell.

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    Gu Zi, unaware of the director¡¯s thoughts, was simply delighted as she left the school. She took a taxi back home, and when she arrived, she found that Su Shen had just finished preparing lunch. He had even set out her bowl and chopsticks, seemingly anticipating her return.

    Wrapping her arms around his neck, Gu Zi feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°Su Shen, who are these bowls and chopsticks for? Spill the beans!¡±

    Su Shen tightened his embrace, leaning down to kiss her. Their lips met in a fervent kiss, full of longing, as he replied honestly, ¡°They¡¯re for you. I know you promised Lele you¡¯d come back, and I knew you wouldn¡¯t break your word.¡±

    Just then, little Lele scampered in from the yard, her face lighting up at the sight of Gu Zi. She rushed over, bombarding her with questions. ¡°Mommy, was the exam fun? Can I take the exam too? What was your test on? Will I be able to do it?¡±

    Gu Zi patiently answered each question. ¡°It was fun! When you¡¯re a bit older and in school, you¡¯ll get to take exams too. This morning, I had an English exam, and this afternoon, I¡¯ll be testing in Chinese and Physics. By the time you start learning, you¡¯ll know it all!¡±

 Chapter 910 - Chapter 910: Directing the Blame at Gu Zi

    Chapter 910: Directing the Blame at Gu Zi

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After lunch, Su Shen drove Gu Zi back to school for her afternoon exams.

    Once again, she finished her papers early.

    The moral education director attempted to persuade her to take more time, but upon reviewing Gu Zi¡¯s answers, she was astonished. Each response was exceptionally neat, without a single mistake.

    In particular, Gu Zi¡¯s performance in Chinese was so advanced that many teachers wouldn¡¯t have been able to match her level.

    This left the director even more perplexed. Why would a student of such caliber be rejected by Guangwai? Was it truly because she was married with children? If that were the case, then Guangwai was even more rigid than she had imagined¡ªholding on to outdated rules and overlooking talent.

    The other teachers who reviewed Gu Zi¡¯s exam papers praised her, exclaiming, ¡°No wonder she¡¯s from Guangwai!¡±

    Meanwhile, in the prison, Lin Miao had earned the opportunity to take the exam. Although her release time hadn¡¯t arrived yet, the prison had prepared a vacant room for her to complete the preliminary test, with papers sent over from Guangwai. The guards were puzzled; how could a school known for its rigorous standards accept a student who was incarcerated?

    The day after the exams, Lin Miao was released. She had hoped her parents would host a welcoming banquet to help her shake off the bad luck she had endured. But as she stepped out, she found no one waiting for her. Instead, it was the family maid, Li Li, who had come to pick her up.

    Lin Miao said nothing; the time spent in prison had brought her a sense of calm and maturity.

    Still, she held onto the hope that her parents were busy preparing a warm welcome at home. However, upon returning, she was met with a cold, empty house. Neither Gu Shan nor Zhang Mei was there.

    Li Li, noticing Lin Miao¡¯s disappointment, gently explained, ¡°Miss, while you were away, your mother worried about you and kept some things from you. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happened lately, but your parents¡¯ relationship has deteriorated sharply. They often argue. Your mother just returned from the capital, intending to care for Young Master Gong, expecting it to earn her some credit. But now, your father is talking about divorce.¡±

    Divorce! Lin Miao¡¯s bag slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground. Li Li hurried to pick it up, bowing respectfully.

    Lin Miao felt the situation was strange and pressed, ¡°What do you mean? Is there anything particularly unusual happening?¡±

    Li Li lowered her head, speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Miss, the master specifically instructed me not to tell you, but I feel it¡¯s important. Ever since you were incarcerated, Gu Zi has moved into the city. I don¡¯t know what she told your father, but he has been visiting her frequently and even giving her money. Your mother found out, and that¡¯s led to constant arguments between them.¡±

    She continued, ¡°The reason for this divorce is your father¡¯s decision. He claims your mother¡¯s actions regarding Gu Zi were too extreme and brought shame to him in the whole compound. It¡¯s not entirely your mother¡¯s fault; when Gu Zi¡¯s stepson went missing, she didn¡¯t learn of it right away. As a woman, even if she knew, there was little she could do. Yet your father is making such a big deal out of it¡­¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s expression darkened with each word. It was clear to her that Li Li was implying Gu Zi was deliberately undermining her parents¡¯ marriage, pushing them toward divorce.

    Lin Miao couldn¡¯t believe how opportunistic her father had become, so quickly siding with Gu Zi. He was her biological father, yet he wouldn¡¯t even give her a fair chance. How cruel! He was now considering divorce from her mother, without ever thinking about her feelings.

    During her time in prison, Lin Miao had learned to be smarter. She hadn¡¯t intended to stir up trouble with Gu Zi again; avoiding confrontation was her strategy. But Gu Zi was overstepping.

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    For now, Lin Miao resolved to endure, strengthen herself, and get into a good university. She believed that once she was out, she would surely succeed¡ªthere was no way she would end up worse than Gu Zi. Whatever grievances they had, they could settle later!

    Turning to Li Li, she said, ¡°Thank you, I understand now. Please help me get some hot water ready; I need to take a shower.¡±

    Li Li nodded eagerly, responding, ¡°Miss, the bathwater has been prepared for you already. I¡¯ll go pour it now.¡±

    With that, Li Li turned toward the kitchen, revealing a smirk that hinted at her disdain.

    This Lin Miao was as foolish as her mother. Li Li had figured out the complicated relationship between Lin Miao and Gu Zi and was deliberately redirecting Lin Miao¡¯s anger towards Gu Zi. This diversion gave her the opportunity to solidify her own position with Gu Shan. Once she succeeded, she would be the lady of the house!

 Chapter 911 - Chapter 911: Dont Act Recklessly

    Chapter 911: Don¡¯t Act Recklessly

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao noticed that the maid was quite sensible; she felt that the maid hadn¡¯t made a wrong choice in supporting her. By the time she finished her shower, Zhang Mei had hurried back from her family home.

    Ever since Gu Shan had proposed divorce, Zhang Mei had chosen not to stay in the compound. She wanted to show Gu Shan that she wasn¡¯t afraid of him. Since he was so eager to curry favor with Gu Zi, to the point of neglecting their marital bond, she had no reason to beg him to stay married.

    Moreover, they had a military marriage, which was legally protected. Even a soldier couldn¡¯t easily dissolve their marriage. Gu Shan was most concerned about his position; she truly believed he wouldn¡¯t risk demotion to file for divorce. Thus, she stood firm this time. Although her family had urged her to soften her stance, she refused to back down.

    Throughout her life, her family had never considered her feelings. They had always taught her to endure after marrying Gu Shan. But this time, she wouldn¡¯t tolerate it. She believed her daughter, Lin Miao, would be the only one to understand her. So, upon hearing that Lin Miao was released early and had returned to the compound, she rushed over.

    Sitting together on the sofa, Zhang Mei grasped Lin Miao¡¯s hand, her expression earnest as she shared her thoughts. ¡°Miao Miao, your father has completely been swayed by that ungrateful Gu Zi. He has abandoned us both. The truth is, when we visited you before, your father and I were already arguing every day. We didn¡¯t want to worry you, so we kept it to ourselves.

    ¡°But now that you¡¯re out, I must tell you that your father has changed his heart and wants a divorce. I¡¯m prepared to fight him to the end. But Miao Miao, if we do end up divorced, will you come live with me? Your father won¡¯t care for you anymore; when you were in prison, he only came to see you because I urged him to. Please come with me, no matter how difficult it gets, I¡¯ll be with you.¡±

    As she spoke, Zhang Mei was moved to tears, thinking Lin Miao would share her sentiments.

    However, upon hearing this, Lin Miao¡¯s expression soured instantly. She nearly jumped up to shout but restrained herself. Confusion etched on her face, she asked, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not seriously thinking of leaving Dad, are you? What are you doing?

    ¡°You can¡¯t just get divorced from him! That¡¯s not an option! Now that I¡¯m back and preparing to take college entrance exams, I promise I¡¯ll get into a good university for your sake. But you have to promise me, don¡¯t act recklessly. This isn¡¯t a big deal; just apologize to Dad like Uncle and the others suggested, and this situation won¡¯t escalate to divorce, right?

    ¡°Dad¡¯s a man and doesn¡¯t consider how his actions affect me as his daughter. You, as my mother, should think of me! If you two divorce, how am I supposed to hold my head high in the Gong family? Our circumstances are already inferior to theirs; they look down on me as it is. If you go through a midlife divorce, how will I face anyone?¡±

    Lin Miao had indeed grown more composed during her time in prison, but the stakes were high¡ªthis situation directly impacted her ability to reclaim her position as the young mistress of the Gong family.

    The more she spoke, the more anxious she became. She felt that Zhang Mei was utterly foolish. She had little affection for the couple but didn¡¯t want them to divorce.

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    Now Zhang Mei expected her to distance herself from Gu Shan if they divorced, which was out of the question.

    Gu Shan was a military officer; in the city, he held a respectable position. Having a father like him could still overshadow many others. But Zhang Mei was just an ordinary public servant; to put it bluntly, without the title of the camp captain¡¯s wife, she wouldn¡¯t even have her job. At best, she was a homemaker. How could she dare to divorce the camp captain? It was sheer madness!

    If Zhang Mei divorced Gu Shan, she would have to move out of the military housing. Without a solid standing at her family home, how could she expect to live? Would they end up scraping by together? Lin Miao vehemently opposed the idea of Zhang Mei getting a divorce.

    Zhang Mei was taken aback by Lin Miao¡¯s attitude. She stared blankly at her daughter. She hadn¡¯t expected that even her own child couldn¡¯t understand her pain. She thought Lin Miao would at least empathize with her situation and side with her in condemning Gu Shan. But instead, Lin Miao seemed to echo everyone else, urging her to apologize to Gu Shan.

    At that moment, memories flooded Zhang Mei¡¯s mind¡ªimages of a time when Gu Zi was still her daughter. Back then, her relationship with Gu Shan was relatively harmonious, with very few arguments. Whenever there was a disagreement, little Gu Zi would firmly stand by her side, using her childish voice to tell Gu Shan, ¡°Daddy, teachers say that husbands shouldn¡¯t bully their wives; that¡¯s not how you get rich! You have to love Mommy!¡±

 Chapter 912 - Chapter 912: Two Consecutive Nights

    Chapter 912: Two Consecutive Nights

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Every time Gu Shan heard such words from her, his anger would dissipate. He would pinch little Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks and secretly apologize, ¡°Wife, our daughter is on your side. It seems I¡¯ve truly been in the wrong. I¡¯ll make sure to yield to you more; you¡¯ve worked hard managing this family.¡±

    Those memories felt distant, so far back that Zhang Mei often refused to dwell on them. They were memories she could never return to, for her true daughter was Lin Miao. She felt a deep sense of guilt toward Lin Miao and yearned to give her complete maternal love. For Gu Zi, she could only choose to forget.

    What surprised her most was that the person who ultimately understood her the best was that former foster daughter. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her, and she felt a twinge of discomfort as she looked at Lin Miao, wondering if she had truly been wrong in her treatment of Gu Zi.

    Lin Miao noticed the change in Zhang Mei¡¯s gaze and felt a jolt of realization wash over her. She quickly recognized that she had reacted too strongly.

    Softening her tone, she said, ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to live with you; it¡¯s just that we were once a happy family. Why must we escalate things to divorce? Doesn¡¯t that play right into Gu Zi¡¯s hands?

    ¡°Mom, really think about it. Is divorce truly what you want? If you go through with it, my life in the Gong family will only become more difficult, and you probably won¡¯t fare much better either. Have you considered where you¡¯d go? Back to your family? Will they always be willing to take you back? If Dad turns against us and sides with Gu Zi, we won¡¯t have anyone to protect us anymore!

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve suffered for over ten years. Now that I¡¯m finally back with you, I¡¯m genuinely scared that this family will fall apart¡­¡±

    That last statement struck a nerve for Zhang Mei. She always felt she owed Lin Miao something, and she believed this appeal would resonate. Indeed, it pierced through Zhang Mei¡¯s heart, making her acknowledge Lin Miao¡¯s perspective.

    If their family fell apart, what would happen to Lin Miao? Even if Lin Miao chose to side with Gu Shan, if he remarried and had a stepmother, her daughter would undoubtedly suffer even more!

    Yet, Zhang Mei still felt a flicker of resentment toward Lin Miao for not supporting her more. Coldly, she replied, ¡°I really hope you¡¯re thinking about our family and not just your own interests. Fine, I¡¯ll consider what you said.¡±

    Zhang Mei stepped into her room and closed the door, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. This was the first time she had openly expressed dissatisfaction to her biological daughter, yet she couldn¡¯t deny that Lin Miao had a point. If a divorce truly occurred, how many people would mock her? Who would support her in the latter half of her life? Perhaps enduring a little now to maintain their family was the better choice.

    But deep down, she felt conflicted. She had sensed something was off; Gu Shan hadn¡¯t returned home in a long while, and even the residents of the compound had begun to speculate about whether he was keeping a mistress.

    After dedicating her life to this family, the thought of being betrayed left her feeling bitter. Yet, even Lin Miao wasn¡¯t on her side; what could she do?

    Moreover, she and Gu Shan had been together for decades. The initial thrill of their relationship had long faded. As the years passed, their intimacy had dwindled, and with so many temptations outside, it seemed almost inevitable that a man of his stature would stray. Zhang Mei knew all too well that many men in the compound maintained secret families outside.

    If those military wives could endure, why couldn¡¯t she?

    After much internal struggle, Zhang Mei made her decision. For the sake of her daughter, she couldn¡¯t divorce Gu Shan. Let him have his flings as long as he didn¡¯t bring them home. She needed to report to the higher-ups immediately; if Gu Shan made any moves, it would be too late. She was resolute: there would be no divorce!

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    Meanwhile, Gu Zi had finished her preliminary exams and decided to take a couple of days off. She planned to return to work at the newspaper next week.

    The days were leisurely, yet a small annoyance lingered. Su Shen had been around frequently, and when she inquired, he simply said he had nothing to keep him busy. But at night, he would pull her close, their intimacy intense, as if he had been waiting for this moment for ages.

    After two nights of this, Gu Zi began to worry about her health and insisted that Su Shen return to work the next day. She hoped he wouldn¡¯t come back for a few days to give her some respite.

    However, her attempts to send him away proved futile.

    Su Shen¡¯s hardness filled her completely, every thrust igniting wave after wave of pleasure. She found herself lost in the sensations, honeyed juices flowing between them, leaving her little room to think. In that moment, a blinding light filled her vision as an explosive ecstasy washed over her, leaving her gasping in bliss. It was as if she and the older man had reached a transcendental union of flesh and spirit.

 Chapter 913 - Chapter 913: No Wonder She Wasnt Accepted

    Chapter 913: No Wonder She Wasn¡¯t Accepted

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi felt a closeness with Su Shen that she had never experienced before. In this moment, she surrendered herself completely to him, and Su Shen reveled in the feeling. He loved making love to Gu Zi, this young, beautiful woman who possessed both grace and intellect.

    Deep down, he often felt unworthy of her, but at that instant, he sensed a profound connection between them, as if they were perfectly matched.

    Come Monday morning, Su Shen left for work early. On his way, he took Lele to Grandma Gao¡¯s for her care.

    Gu Zi, however, didn¡¯t get out of bed until noon. After a quick snack, she returned to her slumber¡ªnot out of laziness, but rather from exhaustion after the previous night¡¯s activities with Su Shen. As soon as her eyes closed, she drifted back into sleep, not waking until the afternoon, when she needed to head to the newspaper office.

    She changed into a long-sleeved top layered with a cardigan, letting her long hair fall freely while putting on a beret to conceal the telltale signs of their recent intimacy.

    After work, she hailed a taxi and returned home, where she found Su Bing and the others had already returned from school. Su Li and Gao Ming were playing marbles in the street between their houses. As soon as they spotted Gu Zi stepping out of the car, they called out to her excitedly.

    Gu Zi waved back, paid the driver, and walked toward the house, with Su Li and Gao Ming trailing behind her.

    Su Li, curious, asked, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say riding a bike to the newspaper office was a way to exercise? Why didn¡¯t you ride today? Don¡¯t you want to exercise?¡±

    Gu Zi was momentarily taken aback by the question. Did she not want to ride her bike? After last night¡¯s escapades, riding it would have been quite the challenge!

    Realizing that her annoyance was aimed at her husband and not her son, she concocted a light-hearted excuse. ¡°Well, you know, sometimes it¡¯s okay to let yourself be a little lazy!¡±

    Su Li nodded thoughtfully, accepting her reasoning.

    That evening, when Su Shen returned home and checked on Su Li¡¯s calligraphy practice, he felt the boy¡¯s work didn¡¯t meet his expectations. Believing that practicing calligraphy could cultivate discipline, he instructed Su Li to try again.

    With a burst of confidence, Su Li decided to cite his mother¡¯s words.

    Though typically intimidated by his father¡¯s authoritative demeanor, especially during lessons when Su Shen¡¯s stern gaze made him reluctant to object, Su Li felt emboldened by his mother¡¯s perspective. ¡°Dad, today I asked Mom why she didn¡¯t ride her bike to the newspaper office like before, and she said sometimes it¡¯s okay to let yourself be lazy! I¡¯ve already practiced three pieces today; I shouldn¡¯t have to do the same as before.¡±

    Just as Gu Zi emerged from the kitchen, she was taken aback by Su Li¡¯s remark. This little rascal was picking up phrases faster than she expected! When she caught Su Shen¡¯s apologetic gaze, her irritation flared, and she suddenly didn¡¯t want to acknowledge him anymore.

    Seeing Gu Zi upset, Su Shen couldn¡¯t focus on their son any longer. He turned to Su Bing and instructed, ¡°You help your brother with his calligraphy. Hold his hand and guide him, stroke by stroke.¡±

    After saying this, Su Shen hurried upstairs to find his fuming young wife. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling a pang of concern, and apologized softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my dear. I¡¯ll be more careful next time. We have some ointment at home; would you like me to apply it for you?¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s cheeks flushed instantly. How could this older man be getting bolder by the day! Apply what? Did she not have hands of her own? Burying her face in his chest, she playfully pounded on his chest, whispering, ¡°Who needs you to apply anything? Just go away!¡±

    Feeling a bit guilty as Gu Zi shoved him out, Su Shen relented, saying, ¡°Alright, you handle it first, then I¡¯ll go make dinner.¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t respond, but the idea of him cooking was somewhat comforting; she appreciated having ready-made meals.

    That evening, the family gathered for dinner. Su Shen, sensing the tension, took the initiative to leave for work. He realized he had pushed things too far in the past few nights and almost hurt her. Though he desperately wanted her, perhaps going to work was the best option; distance might ease the longing.

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    On Tuesday, the results of the preliminary exams were released. Gu Zi took Lele to Renhe Middle School in the morning.

    The curious glances from others made her acutely aware of how strange it looked to be bringing a child to check her scores. Although they knew she was married, having a child just after tying the knot raised eyebrows. It was no wonder that the strict Guangwai had not accepted her; it was obvious she had gotten pregnant before marriage, which wasn¡¯t exactly a source of pride.

    Whispers circulated among the crowd, with some expressing regret, saying, ¡°What a shame; she got married and had a baby so early. She¡¯s buried her youth!¡±

    Others looked down on her, muttering, ¡°What a self-deprecating girl. No matter how beautiful she is, she seems easy to trick. Any man can get her with just a little kindness.¡±

    A few voiced pity, saying, ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like the type to be reckless. She seems so unfortunate¡ªmaybe she was deceived by an experienced older man?¡±

 Chapter 914 - Chapter 914: Stop Fighting

    Chapter 914: Stop Fighting

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi¡¯s mouth opened and closed as she struggled to explain. Yes, she had married an older man, but it was her choice, and there was no scandal of being pregnant before marriage¡ªhe merely adopted his three nephews, leaving her as a stepmother.

    But trying to untangle that web of relationships was exhausting; she knew it could end up more complicated than it needed to be. It was better to let others think what they wanted.

    Finally, she heard her name called and, holding Su Le close, followed the teacher into the office. The results weren¡¯t being publicly announced; each student was called in individually to discuss their scores. It was a way to protect those who hadn¡¯t performed well.

    It was her first time witnessing a school in China that chose not to publish scores to spare students¡¯ feelings. However, based on the expressions of those who exited, it was easy to gauge how they had fared. Some emerged beaming, grinning widely, while others slumped out, deflated like punctured balls.

    As Gu Zi stepped into the office, she noticed several teachers clustered together. One teacher leaned in and asked, ¡°Have you called Gu Zi in yet? Hurry! I want to talk to her. I think her Chinese is excellent! I¡¯m a special-grade language teacher; she should come to my class¡ªit would be a waste of talent otherwise!¡±

    Another teacher chimed in, ¡°You¡¯re too funny! What do you mean by ¡®waste of talent¡¯? My class is better! I teach physics, and the best math teacher is also in my class. She should focus on the sciences and become a future researcher. Frankly, what¡¯s the use of studying Chinese? It¡¯s impractical!¡±

    ¡°I think you all should stop arguing. She excelled in foreign languages! Let her join my class; she can specialize in foreign languages, study abroad, or work in the diplomatic service. That¡¯s the best path!¡±

    Gu Zi hesitated at the scene before her. The moral education director noticed Gu Zi and her face brightened. ¡°Gu Zi, come over to get your report card. Stop arguing, everyone. You should act like teachers, not a bunch of rowdy children! Don¡¯t scare Gu Zi away!¡±

    With the director¡¯s reprimand, the teachers halted their competitive banter, their eager eyes turning toward Gu Zi, shining with enthusiasm.

    It was a humorous yet fitting metaphor¡ªlike wolves eyeing their prey, they seemed ready to pounce and claim Gu Zi for their classes. But who could blame them? Gu Zi had performed exceptionally well in her preliminary exams, with outstanding scores across the board, especially in foreign languages, where she had achieved a perfect score!

    With such talent, Gu Zi could choose whichever class she wanted; the decision was hers to make, and it was no wonder the teachers were vying for her attention.

    Gu Zi followed the director into the office and greeted the teachers inside. ¡°Hello, teachers! I¡¯m here to pick up my report card. Who should I talk to?¡±

    A tall male teacher quickly stepped forward, handing her the report card. ¡°We¡¯ve had your report card set aside for you, Gu Zi. You did exceptionally well across all subjects, especially in foreign languages. Although you can choose your class, please consider my Class 1! I¡¯m a special-grade English teacher, and I have connections if you want to work in the diplomatic service!¡±

    The other teachers shot him glares, clearly annoyed that he was openly promoting his class in such an inappropriate manner. They turned their eager eyes toward Gu Zi, silently pleading, Pick me! Pick me!

    Gu Zi smiled but chose to ignore the expectant looks of her subject teachers. Instead, she turned to the moral education director and said, ¡°I have some specific requests. Is it convenient to discuss them now?¡±

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    The director nodded and replied, ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s talk in the office next door.¡± After instructing the other teachers to continue distributing report cards, the director led Gu Zi into a quieter room.

    Without beating around the bush, Gu Zi stated, ¡°Director, as you can see, I have a child to care for, so I have a request: I won¡¯t be able to attend classes in person. I¡¯d like to self-study at home and then take the college entrance exam. As for which class I join, I¡¯ll leave that decision to the school.¡±

    The director glanced at the child in her arms, who was indeed quite young¡ªabout three years old.

    As a mother herself, the director understood Gu Zi¡¯s situation. ¡°I know you¡¯re a good student,¡± she replied thoughtfully. ¡°However, it would be better for you to attend school. How about this: you can bring your child to school with you. While you¡¯re in class, we can keep your child in the office. Don¡¯t worry; our teachers are very nurturing and will take good care of her.¡±

    The director understood that, given Gu Zi¡¯s capabilities, she could secure admission to a great university. Yet she hoped that Gu Zi would come to school, where her brilliant mind would thrive in a conducive learning environment.

 Chapter 915 - Chapter 915: Didnt Choose Anyone

    Chapter 915: Didn¡¯t Choose Anyone

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi shook her head again. ¡°It¡¯s not just about taking care of my child. I have a job that requires a fixed amount of time each day. It¡¯s manageable for me to balance both work and childcare, but adding school on top of that would make things quite inconvenient. So I kindly ask you to speak with the school about this and see if we can make some accommodations.¡±

    She continued, ¡°If the school is concerned about my academic performance slipping or holding others back, I¡¯m willing to come in for weekly assessments. If my grades drop, I¡¯ll return to classes, but as long as I maintain good results, I¡¯d appreciate the school allowing me to continue self-studying at home. Does that sound feasible, Director?¡±

    Initially, the director was hesitant about letting Gu Zi self-study at home, worried that it might hinder such a promising student. However, hearing Gu Zi propose a solution made her reconsider. Looking at the young child in Gu Zi¡¯s arms, the director thought about her own daughter, who was already seven or eight years old and still loved to cling to her for affection. She felt her resolve soften.

    Gu Zi¡¯s situation was undoubtedly challenging¡ªbalancing childcare, work, and her studies was no small feat.

    The director said with understanding, ¡°If you need it, our school has a support program for students facing difficulties. Given your excellent academic performance, you only need to submit an application to receive funding. It¡¯s quite a substantial amount. Why not consider resigning from your job?¡±

    The director was genuinely concerned. ¡°Taking on so much work can be exhausting, even for a machine. It would be a shame if such an exceptional student like you were to wear herself out before the college entrance exam. This isn¡¯t just a loss for you; it would also be a significant loss for the school. Your foreign language skills are outstanding.¡±

    The director knew that if Gu Zi could shine in this year¡¯s college entrance exam, she had a strong chance of becoming the top scorer in foreign languages for Guangcheng City. If that happened, their Renhe Middle School could finally break free from the pressure of Guangwai¡¯s dominance in various subjects. With this breakthrough, they could steadily rise and eventually surpass Guangwai, and that thought thrilled the director.

    Gu Zi could tell that the director genuinely wanted to help her, but she didn¡¯t need the financial assistance.

    She simply didn¡¯t want to attend classes, and directly stating that would come off as arrogant. So, she opted for a more diplomatic excuse, ¡°Director, I signed a contract for my job, and breaching it would incur penalties. Besides, I don¡¯t want to burden my classmates with my personal matters.¡±

    The director recalled the gossip she had overheard earlier. Indeed, bringing a child to class would inevitably attract unwanted attention. After a moment of contemplation, she finally nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll apply for your home study arrangement and also request some funding for your studies. Still, I think it would be best for you to resign from that job.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s really no need to worry about the penalties,¡± the director continued. ¡°Although our Renhe Middle School¡¯s students may not match Guangwai¡¯s results, our teachers are just as capable. We have the right expertise here; if you need connections, we can certainly provide them. Just tell me where you work, and I¡¯ll make a call. They won¡¯t give you any trouble.¡±

    It was rare for the director to showcase her authority, but for a talent like Gu Zi, it was worth it.

    Seeing the director¡¯s eagerness, Gu Zi felt it was inappropriate to decline further. ¡°I work at the Guangcheng Daily, but really, Director, there¡¯s no need to make a call. The work there isn¡¯t demanding.¡±

    The director thought Gu Zi was being too polite and decided not to pursue the issue further. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for now. I¡¯ll get your application processed and decide which class you¡¯ll be assigned to.¡±

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    Gu Zi had no objections and felt relieved that she could go home to self-study.

    As she left with Su Le, the other teachers quickly gathered around the director. The English teacher eagerly asked, ¡°Director, which class did Gu Zi choose? Is it mine? Hurry up and tell us so we can stop hoping!¡±

    The Chinese teacher, physics teacher, and math teacher shot disapproving looks at the English teacher. The math teacher chimed in, ¡°Don¡¯t be so confident. I bet Gu Zi will choose my class!¡±

    To prevent another argument from breaking out, the director preemptively silenced them. ¡°Everyone, calm down. Gu Zi hasn¡¯t chosen any class; she just told me she has a job and won¡¯t be attending classes. She¡¯ll be self-studying at home, and I¡¯ve agreed to it. I¡¯m going to discuss this with the principal now.¡±

    The teachers were taken aback by this revelation, their enthusiasm waning. They had a lot of questions for the director, but she quickly brushed past them, eager to get on with her plans.

 Chapter 916 - Chapter 916: Dinner

    Chapter 916: Dinner

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Before the director could reach the principal¡¯s office, she collided with Principal Zhang in the hallway. Steadying herself and adjusting her glasses, she said, ¡°Principal Zhang, watch where you¡¯re going! These glasses aren¡¯t something you can just replace!¡±

    Principal Zhang looked apologetic; he had indeed been walking a bit too briskly. He laughed and replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Director, but you¡¯ve been wearing those glasses for quite a while. If they broke, it might be a good excuse to upgrade to a new style. I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that these glasses saved your life or anything! By the way, what happened to that exceptional student from Guangwai? I need to meet her. I absolutely must!¡±

    Principal Zhang felt that such a talent deserved his attention. Missing out on meeting her would be a loss. Little did he know that Gu Zi had already left the school after collecting her results.

    The director explained, ¡°You won¡¯t get to meet her today; she¡¯s already picked up her scores and left. I came to discuss her special circumstances and to apply for her to study at home¡­¡±

    The director then detailed Gu Zi¡¯s situation to Principal Zhang, who listened with a look of sympathy. ¡°Poor girl! How can someone so gifted be facing such hardships? Having to take care of a child while working! Are you sure she¡¯s employed at Guangcheng Daily? What position does she hold there?¡±

    The director nodded, recalling how Gu Zi had hesitated to share her job details. ¡°Yes, she works at Guangcheng Daily, but it¡¯s probably a position like a cleaner. You know how it is; most positions there require at least a junior college degree and relevant experience. It¡¯s unlikely they would hire a high school student for anything substantial.¡±

    Principal Zhang understood this rationale but felt relieved nonetheless. ¡°As long as it¡¯s Guangcheng Daily, that makes things easier. Do you remember Principal Guan from First Bilingual Primary School? His daughter is a reporter there. I¡¯ll arrange to have lunch with him right away.¡±

    While he wasn¡¯t on good terms with the principal of Guangwai Middle School, he had a friendly relationship with the principal of First Bilingual Primary School. They often dined together and joked about the other principal.

    Now, he would take the initiative to help Gu Zi quit her job; it was a minor issue that he was more than willing to handle. After all, she was his student, and he wanted to support her.

    Principal Zhang returned to his office and quickly dialed Principal Guan¡¯s number. They arranged to meet for lunch.

    During the meal, Principal Zhang brought up Gu Zi¡¯s situation, saying, ¡°I need you to do me a small favor. Can you have Guan Xin talk to her? If she absolutely can¡¯t break her contract, could you arrange a more manageable job for my student? She¡¯s juggling a child and preparing for exams; it¡¯s too much for her!¡±

    Principal Guan considered this request and felt it wasn¡¯t too difficult to fulfill. However, recalling the past incidents involving Principal Zhang, he added with a hint of annoyance, ¡°You¡¯ve been a bit distant since those meals with Principal Li from Guangwai Middle School. I thought you had decided to cut me off entirely, but now you finally remember to ask for my help?¡±

    Principal Zhang chuckled, trying to brush off the accusation. ¡°Come on, Old Guan, that¡¯s not fair! I¡¯ve just been busy; it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve forgotten about you. Look, now that I have some free time, let¡¯s make this a weekly thing!¡±

    As he spoke, he poured some wine and handed a glass to Principal Guan.

    Seeing Principal Zhang¡¯s conciliatory attitude, Principal Guan decided to let it go. He raised his glass and took a sip, then asked, ¡°What¡¯s your student¡¯s name? I¡¯ll have a word with Guan Xin as soon as I get back.¡±

    ¡°Her name is Gu Zi. She¡¯s had a tough time¡ªso young and already a mother, balancing childcare, work, and her studies. What¡¯s remarkable is how dedicated she is to learning. You really need to help her out.¡±

    When Principal Guan heard the name, he momentarily thought he¡¯d misheard. ¡°Wait, Gu Zi is working as a foreign language copy editor at the newspaper, right? How could she be a cleaner? Come on, Old Zhang, have you been drinking too much of that fake wine? Besides, her husband is a local pig farmer and quite wealthy! You must be mixing things up!¡±

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    Principal Guan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all, while Principal Zhang sat there, stunned.

    A high school graduate working as a foreign language editor at a major newspaper? That was impressive!

    Embarrassed, Principal Zhang could only laugh along with Principal Guan.

    Meanwhile, Principal Li had caught wind of the long-lost friendship between Principal Guan and Principal Zhang, and he rushed to the state-owned restaurant where they were dining.

    As he walked in, he spotted the two of them sitting at a table, laughing and enjoying each other¡¯s company as if they were long-lost brothers. Seeing their camaraderie stirred up jealousy in Principal Li. He couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated that Principal Zhang was once again trying to steal his thunder!

 Chapter 917 - Chapter 917: Working Hard as a Principal

    Chapter 917: Working Hard as a Principal

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Principal Li, fuming with anger, decided to skip dinner that evening.

    Upon returning home, he called the head teacher of the senior year and laid out a crushing strategy for the upcoming college entrance exams. He made it clear that this time, Guangwai not only had to defeat Renhe but needed to do so in a humiliating manner. ¡°Let¡¯s see if that Zhang still dares to undermine me!¡± he scoffed.

    The next day, Guangwai¡¯s senior students plunged into an intense barrage of practice exams. Their brows furrowed in concentration as they committed themselves to Principal Li¡¯s aggressive plan. Even the first and second-year students felt the pressure to maintain a serious learning atmosphere, hesitant to move around during breaks.

    The entire school was engulfed in a tense, war-like preparation, even without a single shot fired.

    In contrast, Renhe Middle School maintained a calm and leisurely environment at all times. Principal Zhang never pressured his students to outdo anyone else; instead, he encouraged them to be themselves and to leverage their strengths. For particularly talented students, he expressed admiration and cared deeply for their development.

    Meanwhile, Principal Zhang was busy fostering relationships with influential figures and peers, including district education leaders and fellow principals. To put it plainly, he was everywhere, giving gifts and trying to build connections.

    He didn¡¯t do this for his own gain; the funds for these gifts came from his own pocket. As he would say, ¡°My students deserve the right to be themselves, so I need to network and upgrade my connections to help them navigate any challenges!¡±

    His motivation for meeting Principal Guan was initially to discuss Gu Zi¡¯s situation, but upon learning that she didn¡¯t actually need assistance, he was both surprised and delighted.

    As he arrived at school that morning, he hummed a tune from a traditional opera, his spirits lifted. Students greeted him as he made his way to his office, and he stopped to wave and respond to their cheerful hellos.

    He also took the opportunity to ask a few questions, ¡°Is the breakfast in the cafeteria enough? If not, let me know¡ªwe¡¯ll make improvements!¡±

    Principal Zhang¡¯s approachable demeanor earned him the affection of his students. He paused frequently along the way to chat with them, whether it was about their meals or their studies. His mind was filled with concern for their well-being, leaving little room for anything else to occupy his thoughts.

    Early the next morning, the moral education director waited anxiously in the principal¡¯s office to find out about Gu Zi¡¯s situation.

    After more than an hour, Principal Zhang strolled in, cheerfully humming to himself. The director quickly approached him, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Principal Zhang, you look happy! Does that mean Gu Zi¡¯s issue has been resolved?¡±

    Caring deeply about her students, the director had thought about Gu Zi well into the night. Upon hearing her question, Principal Zhang paused for a moment, then cleared his throat before speaking.

    ¡°Director, I looked into it. Gu Zi is not a cleaner at the Guangcheng Daily. She is actually a specially appointed foreign language editor there, a bona fide employee. Her husband is quite well-off; in fact, about eighty percent of the pork consumed here in Guangcheng comes from his pig farm. She doesn¡¯t need any financial assistance!¡±

    Exiting the principal¡¯s office, the director still felt dazed. She realized how badly she had misunderstood the situation¡ªGu Zi was not only exceptionally talented but also fortunate in her circumstances.

    When several teachers arrived, they noticed the director¡¯s surprised expression and instantly grew concerned. Could it be that even Principal Zhang couldn¡¯t help Gu Zi?

    The male foreign language teacher, who had already considered Gu Zi one of his own students, rushed to ask, ¡°Director, what¡¯s the situation? Can our principal help my student with her issue? If not, I¡¯m willing to step in!¡±

    The other teachers, too preoccupied with solving Gu Zi¡¯s problem to mind the male teacher¡¯s enthusiasm, turned their eager eyes toward the director, waiting for her response.

    With a complex expression, the director replied, ¡°She doesn¡¯t need our help. Gu Zi is a foreign language editor at the Guangcheng Daily, and she¡¯s a specially appointed one who doesn¡¯t need to sit in the office. Also, the principal has decided to let her join Class One.¡±

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    After sharing this news, the director left the room, leaving the teachers stunned in place.

    A specially appointed editor at the Guangcheng Daily? That was impressive! Even they, as teachers, might not be able to secure such a position.

    Gu Zi was indeed a rare talent, and it seemed Renhe Middle School had hit the jackpot by getting her!

    It took a while for the teachers to process the information.

    The male foreign language teacher, who also served as the head teacher of Class One, could hardly contain his excitement as he exclaimed, his thick eyebrows dancing with enthusiasm, ¡°Gu Zi is in my class! I knew it! It was meant to be; our principal is truly brilliant!¡±

 Chapter 918 - Chapter 918: A Bit Embarrassing

    Chapter 918: A Bit Embarrassing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In early May, the weather began to warm up, and everyone shed their long sleeves and pants for summer attire¡ªshort-sleeved shirts, shorts, and floral dresses that looked refreshingly cool.

    Gu Zi returned from shopping with Su Le and, as she opened the gate, she was greeted by Big Yellow, who was lazily basking in the sun. The dog wagged his tail in excitement, and Gu Zi bent down to pat his head, her smile radiant.

    Just as she was about to close the gate, she noticed Huang Fei approaching from across the road. Though they had never been particularly friendly, Gu Zi didn¡¯t think much of it and made to shut the door.

    However, Huang Fei hurried over, smiling as she called out, ¡°Gu Zi, don¡¯t close the door just yet! I brought you some fruits and snacks. We are neighbors, after all; it¡¯s always good to keep in touch!¡±

    Dressed in luxurious attire, Huang Fei looked polished with her meticulously applied makeup and trendy hairstyle, complete with a fashionable hairpin. She carried a basket filled with fruits and snacks that, at first glance, seemed like a sincere attempt to foster neighborly relations.

    However, Gu Zi¡¯s keen eye quickly spotted the subtle details others might overlook.

    The fruits in the basket lacked moisture, clearly having been around for a while¡ªthey were edible, but barely so. It was obvious they weren¡¯t freshly bought for gifting. The snacks also looked like leftovers, items Huang Fei had deemed unworthy of her own consumption and decided to pass off instead. Gu Zi recognized every single one from her own past shopping trips¡ªnone of them were particularly appetizing.

    With such a half-hearted gesture of goodwill and an unexpectedly sudden visit, Gu Zi¡¯s instincts tingled; she suspected Huang Fei was up to something.

    Sure enough, within moments, Huang Fei¡¯s intentions began to unfold. Casually, she remarked, ¡°I heard your eldest son is in the same class as mine. How did he do on this test? My son had a bit of a slip-up¡ªhe scored only ninety-nine in math. Oh, it¡¯s so embarrassing!¡±

    While she feigned humility with her words, her tone brimmed with pride, clearly relishing the opportunity to boast about her son¡¯s score. Gu Zi understood that it was normal for a mother to take pride in her child¡¯s achievements, but using her son¡¯s success to belittle others, especially in such a thinly veiled way, struck her as quite unfair.

    In light of this, Gu Zi felt no need to be courteous and replied, ¡°It is a bit embarrassing. With such simple questions, how could he lose a point? You should really give your son Xu Sheng some extra tutoring.¡±

    Huang Fei narrowed her eyes at her. What was Gu Zi even saying? Perhaps she hadn¡¯t expressed herself clearly enough, so she attempted to clarify, ¡°What I meant was, my son missed a perfect score by just one point. Do you understand what that means?¡±

    Gu Zi smiled, her gaze steady as she responded, ¡°It means he still has room for improvement. I looked over this math test, and it was quite simple. If he lost a point, shouldn¡¯t he try harder next time?¡±

    Huang Fei was momentarily at a loss for words. In the past, whenever she boasted about her son¡¯s grades, others would inevitably respond with admiration. Yet here was Gu Zi, utterly unfazed, even suggesting that someone who missed a perfect score still needed to work harder.

    It was infuriating! Huang Fei¡¯s expression darkened.

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    Unfazed by Huang Fei¡¯s reaction, Gu Zi refused to accept the fruit basket, stating, ¡°Since you¡¯ve moved in for a while now, I haven¡¯t given you anything as a neighbor. I¡¯ll accept this fruit basket, but I¡¯m returning it to you. This way, neither of us has to make an extra trip, and we can keep things simple!¡±

    Huang Fei hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to respond this way, and her expression fell completely. ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want it, then don¡¯t take it! But why do you have to undermine my son? Did your eldest do exceptionally well, maybe even score a perfect hundred?¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled, her smile bright and unapologetic. ¡°You guessed right! My eldest scored a perfect hundred, just as you mentioned. So yes, your son definitely has room to improve!¡±

    Huang Fei¡¯s meticulously made-up face twisted in frustration. She retorted, ¡°It¡¯s just one point! Children should develop holistically. What¡¯s the point of having a perfect score? My son Xu Sheng has been learning piano, violin, calligraphy, and painting since he was young. He doesn¡¯t need perfect scores to prove himself! Someone like you wouldn¡¯t understand. After all, your family made their fortune in pig farming. What¡¯s there to brag about?¡±

    Gu Zi was equally unyielding, her smile unwavering as she replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to brag about, but I don¡¯t appreciate people who turn their children into trophies to flaunt while trying to belittle others. You enroll your son in so many extracurriculars, yet you seem to have forgotten to sign yourself up for a class on personal development. Perhaps it¡¯s time to upgrade your thinking skills and stop behaving like a primitive person who is constantly comparing herself to others.¡±

 Chapter 919 - Chapter 919: Seeking Attention Again

    Chapter 919: Seeking Attention Again

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei was fuming! She realized that approaching Gu Zi to make small talk had been a monumental mistake.

    Her face flushed with anger as she marched home and ordered Xu Sheng to face the wall in reflection. ¡°You need to think carefully about why you lost a point on such a simple test and how you could possibly be outperformed by a country bumpkin! You¡¯re embarrassing me!¡±

    Xu Sheng had just returned from school. He was stunned by the sudden outburst.

    Hadn¡¯t his mother praised him that morning for doing so well, promising to take him out to eat? Her mood seemed to shift like the wind.

    Unsure of what to say, he dropped his backpack and stood facing the wall, contemplating the consequences of his supposed failure.

    Moments later, Huang Fei stormed in, brandishing a sprig of cypress. Her expression was icy as she yelled, ¡°You will complete two sets of math problems tonight! If you dare to get even one wrong, I won¡¯t hesitate to discipline you! You¡¯re not going to sleep tonight either! I¡¯ve invested so much in your education, and to think you¡¯re losing to some country kid¡ªthink about how you¡¯re going to fix this!¡±

    Xu Sheng¡¯s eyes turned red, tears pooling but refusing to fall. He understood that crying would only make his mother more furious¡­

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Su household was as relaxed as ever.

    Su Bing handed Gu Zi the certificate for the first-place award in his grade, which Gu Zi treasured and promptly affixed to the display wall behind the living room sofa.

    So far, Su Bing had proudly hung ten awards there. Glancing at his younger brother¡¯s meager collection of three awards, his spirits soared.

    Su Li, however, was throwing a fit. Feeling overshadowed by the relentless competition, he sought attention. ¡°Mom! It must be because my brother has taken up all the space for awards that I only have so few! I¡¯m not okay with this! This time doesn¡¯t count!¡±

    Su Li¡¯s complaint escalated into tears. Seeing this, Gu Zi quickly rushed over to comfort him. She retrieved a sheet of large red flower stickers from under the coffee table and peeled off three, placing them on Su Li¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Su Li! Your brother may have awards from school, but look at all these big red flowers I¡¯m giving you! Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±

    Su Li nodded, still sniffling. ¡°I¡¯m happy, but Mom, can I have twelve big red flowers instead?¡± Gu Zi chuckled and handed him the whole sheet, which contained exactly twelve red flowers.

    Su Li piped up with another request, ¡°Mom, can you stick one big red flower on my forehead every day?¡±

    Gu Zi thought this was a reasonable request and understood the underlying sentiment. Su Li was vying for attention, wanting to ensure she didn¡¯t focus solely on his older brother¡¯s awards. ¡°Sure, but sometimes I might forget, so you¡¯ll have to remind me,¡± she replied.

    Su Bing¡¯s expression soured at this. His annoying little brother wasn¡¯t genuinely after the red flowers; he just wanted to draw attention to himself.

    Su Bing wasn¡¯t so childish as to engage in this competition. He firmly believed that their mother was fair and would not favor one of them over the others. In truth, Gu Zi took excellent care of all three of them, both physically and emotionally!

    As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, Su Shen had to go on a business trip due to the pig farm needing to establish a factory out of town. However, he promised Gu Zi he would return before the festival to celebrate together and watch the dragon boat races by the river.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi was busy at home, juggling work, studies, and taking care of the children while also preparing for the festival.

    Making zongzi, also known as sticky rice dumplings, was an essential part of the celebration.

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    Today, after submitting her work, Gu Zi planned to visit the local market to buy fresh bamboo leaves for wrapping zongzi. She also needed pork, salted egg yolks, glutinous rice, mung beans, and peanuts, as she loved the savory, flavorful salted meat zongzi.

    Although her sister-in-law had mentioned earlier that she would make zongzi and bring some over, Gu Zi still wanted to prepare her own. Partly because she enjoyed the taste of her cooking, and partly because she wanted others to experience her zongzi-making skills¡ªafter all, they¡¯d be in for a treat!

    In the afternoon, Gu Zi went to the newspaper office. After handing in her manuscript, the staff gifted her two boxes of zongzi as a Dragon Boat Festival perk. Gu Zi felt she had no reason to decline and planned to take one box home for her sister-in-law.

    While wandering around the office to say hello to Guan Xin, she found her absence puzzling; it was as if Guan Xin had vanished from the face of the earth recently, with no news at all.

    A female colleague sitting next to Guan Xin noticed Gu Zi¡¯s search. ¡°You can stop looking; Guan Xin hasn¡¯t been around for a few days. She said something about going on some wilderness adventure. She¡¯s planning to create an adventure column, so I think we won¡¯t see her until after the Dragon Boat Festival.¡±

 Chapter 920 - Chapter 920: Guan Xins Bamboo Leaves

    Chapter 920: Guan Xin¡¯s Bamboo Leaves

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi thought this perfectly suited Guan Xin¡¯s character. She was someone born to be a journalist; anything she hadn¡¯t tried yet would soon find its way onto her agenda. Once prepared, she would boldly dive into her pursuits without hesitation.

    Gu Zi recalled Guan Xin mentioning her desire to emulate foreign adventurers, exploring the secrets hidden deep in nature, experiencing it firsthand, and sharing those stories through the media. She wanted to let more people understand the raw beauty of the natural world.

    So when Gu Zi heard that Guan Xin had initiated her wilderness adventure plan, Gu Zi was hardly surprised.

    After explaining Guan Xin¡¯s situation, her colleague pulled out a large bag from under the desk. Inside were wild bamboo leaves, preserved for freshness.

    ¡°These are the wild bamboo leaves Guan Xin picked from a cliff on a mountain. She heard from the locals that the leaves from that cliff have medicinal properties and are good for health when used to wrap zongzi. She took Xiao Luo along to gather a lot of them, preserved them, and divided them for her family and friends, including us colleagues. This bag is for you; it has the most leaves, and Guan Xin specifically instructed me to give it to you.¡±

    Gu Zi was pleasantly surprised to receive a Dragon Boat Festival gift handpicked by Guan Xin, even if she only got the gift and not the chance to see her. It aligned perfectly with her vibrant personality.

    Smiling, Gu Zi accepted the bag and said, ¡°Xiao Luo is indeed her loyal fan. Let¡¯s wish them both a smooth journey!¡±

    Her colleague chuckled. ¡°Absolutely! Among everyone in the office, Xiao Luo is her biggest supporter. Whatever she asks him to do, he never complains. He brought these back in his vehicle, but it seems they have plans for the Dragon Boat Festival, so Xiao Luo hurried back to their adventure spot right after delivering the zongzi leaves.¡±

    In these remarks, Gu Zi sensed something intriguing, causing her to wonder if Xiao Luo¡¯s admiration for Guan Xin was merely simple admiration after all.

    Hmm, there seemed to be more to their relationship; she felt a spark of excitement about what was unfolding between them.

    Before heading home, Gu Zi made a trip to the farmers¡¯ market. Although she didn¡¯t need to buy bamboo leaves anymore, the ingredients for making zongzi were still essential.

    With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, the market was bustling with people. Gu Zi navigated through the crowd with her small cart, inching along.

    By the time she returned home, Su Bing and the kids had already come back from school. Su Bing was busy cleaning, while Su Li played outside with Su Le and Big Yellow.

    Earlier, Gu Zi had dropped Su Le off at the Gao family¡¯s place, but now she was back at home, likely brought back by her brothers after school.

    As Gu Zi wheeled her cart into the yard, Su Bing came over to help.

    Su Li was curiously peering into the cart filled with bags and boxes. Gripping the side of the cart, he asked Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, Teacher Yang said that the day after tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival and school will be closed for the holiday! Are we going to make a big dinner spread tonight?¡±

    Gu Zi replied, ¡°These are all the ingredients for making zongzi. For the Dragon Boat Festival, we¡¯ll watch the dragon boat races and eat zongzi, so we need to prepare in advance. We¡¯ll make three kinds: green bean and salted egg yolk with lean pork, peanut and red bean with fatty pork, and sweet red bean paste zongzi.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Su Li instantly perked up, bouncing around as he walked.

    Su Le followed suit, trying to mimic her brother¡¯s hops but soon wrinkled her nose and wandered off to play with Big Yellow. Gu Zi could tell that Su Le probably thought her brother¡¯s antics were a bit silly, but Su Li remained blissfully unaware of his sister¡¯s judgment.

    Then, Su Li chimed in again, ¡°Oh, and Mom, I learned today that we have to eat zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival. At school, some of my classmates almost got into a fight over which kind of zongzi is better. Some say sweet ones are delicious, while others swear by the salty ones. They even tried to recruit me to their sides, but I didn¡¯t join either. Hmph! I¡¯ve never eaten a zongzi before!¡±

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    He crossed his arms, wearing a pitiful expression that made Gu Zi chuckle. But as she thought more about it, her heart ached; she hadn¡¯t realized that Su Li had never had zongzi before.

    In past years, during the Dragon Boat Festival, he must have missed out on the treat. Given his circumstances, even if the kind-hearted neighbors offered him zongzi, it would likely have been taken home by the greedy Chu Xi to feed her own family.

    Feeling a pang of empathy, Gu Zi assured Su Li, ¡°From now on, for the Dragon Boat Festival, we¡¯ll all make zongzi together. Tonight, we¡¯ll soak the glutinous rice, and tomorrow morning we¡¯ll start wrapping!¡±

    Su Li beamed with joy. Although he had seen others in the village making zongzi, the precious rice was never something he could touch.

    Even when they sometimes shared a few zongzi with him, they were usually just plain white rice zongzi meant to be dipped in sugar. He had heard tales of how delicious they could be, but by the time he took them home, they were often taken by the troublesome Chu Xi before he could even share with his siblings.

 Chapter 921 - Chapter 921: Generosity

    Chapter 921: Generosity

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    In that moment, Su Li remembered how pitiful he and his siblings had been before their mother arrived. He thought to himself that if Mom hadn¡¯t come, he and his brother and sister would still be in that same state of misery, or perhaps even worse.

    With this thought in mind, Su Li stepped forward and hugged Gu Zi tightly. He didn¡¯t say anything particularly profound, just, ¡°Mom, I want to learn how to make zongzi too.¡±

    Of course, Gu Zi agreed. The next morning, she woke up early to prepare the ingredients for making zongzi. By the time Su Bing and the others came downstairs, they were ready to start wrapping the zongzi.

    Gu Zi worked with practiced hands; she took the bamboo leaves, filled them with glutinous rice and fillings, folded the leaves over, and tied them securely with string. One by one, plump and fragrant zongzi took shape, filling the air with a delightful aroma.

    Su Bing picked up the technique quickly, and soon he was able to wrap up zongzi that looked quite presentable, though not as plump as Gu Zi¡¯s.

    Su Li managed to wrap a few, but he didn¡¯t quite get the hang of it. Instead, he clutched a large bamboo leaf tightly, bringing it to his nose to inhale the scent, and asked a whirlwind of questions. ¡°It smells so good! Why do these leaves smell so nice, Mom? How did people figure out that zongzi can be wrapped in these leaves?¡±

    Without pausing her work, Gu Zi replied gently, ¡°Well, that knowledge comes from years of practical experience. Long ago, people discovered that certain plant leaves could be used to wrap food. There are many kinds of leaves; all you have to do is pick them, and they help keep food fresh. So, to preserve their food, they naturally started wrapping it in leaves.¡±

    She continued, ¡°Over time, the tradition of eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival developed. Depending on the region, people used different leaves to wrap the glutinous rice. For instance, in the South, we often use bamboo leaves because they are large and flexible. The zongzi made with these leaves have a natural fragrance. Bamboo leaves contain chlorophyll and various amino acids, which are beneficial for our bodies.¡±

    Su Li nodded, still curious. ¡°But Mom, if bamboo leaves are so great, why don¡¯t we eat zongzi every day?¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled, ¡°Even the best things can become burdensome if we have them too often! Especially glutinous rice, which can be a bit sticky. Eating it in moderation can nourish our energy and blood, but too much can be hard for the body to digest. Our ancestors were wise to set the tradition of eating zongzi only during the Dragon Boat Festival. That way, we can avoid overeating!¡±

    Gu Zi was unsure about the answer to Su Li¡¯s question. She was simply sharing her understanding, knowing that it wasn¡¯t necessary to trace every question back to its origins. If the opportunity arose, Su Li would receive a more precise answer from someone else¡ªafter all, no one person is always right.

    They spent the entire morning wrapping zongzi. Despite Gu Zi¡¯s swift hands and the help of Su Bing, the number of zongzi they needed to make was overwhelming; they had to prepare over two hundred to satisfy everyone on their list.

    In addition to their immediate family, they had to send zongzi to Aunt Zhang, who was watching their house in the village. They also had to send some to Li Zhu¡¯s family, to their city neighbors, the Gao family, to old friends like Gong Xin, and even to the Guan family, despite Guan Xin being away. There was also Yang Zhen¡¯s family to consider.

    With the Dragon Boat Festival just around the corner, time was tight, but Gu Zi was determined to finish in time.

    She had already arranged for her brother to come over in the afternoon to help transport the zongzi back to the village, while Jin Long would handle deliveries to the farther city neighbors. Jin Long was eager to help, as it gave him another opportunity to visit Gong Xin.

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    When her brother arrived in the afternoon to pick up the zongzi, he brought with him a whole basket of zongzi made by Li Hua and the others at the store. Gu Zi was taken aback by the sheer quantity. ¡°Is Sister-in-law feeding pigs?¡± she joked.

    However, Gu Zi knew that her sister-in-law was just being thoughtful. Understanding that Gu Zi had many people to send zongzi to, she prepared an ample supply for her. The straightforward nature of rural folks meant that when they liked someone, they showed it by giving generously.

    Gu Zi had no reason to refuse, and she planned to share some of the zongzi her sister-in-law sent with their neighbors, the Gao family.

    After sending Lin Cheng off with the zongzi, Gu Zi returned to find Su Li leaning on the dining table, his eyes sparkling with desire as he stared at the zongzi.

    He had always loved sticky rice dishes; in his mind, glutinous rice was delicious and fragrant, especially with the rich fillings his mother had packed inside. He adored cooking with Gu Zi and relished the festive atmosphere¡ªit was one of his favorite times of the year!

 Chapter 922 - Chapter 922: Daily Life Before Dragon Boat Festival

    Chapter 922: Daily Life Before Dragon Boat Festival

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi walked over and sat down beside Su Li, ready to unwrap the zongzi in her bowl.

    She served herself and her two sons each a zongzi to taste, but as for Su Le, she decided to give her just a symbolic taste. Su Le was still too young, and Gu Zi believed that children under ten shouldn¡¯t eat overly sticky foods, as it wouldn¡¯t be good for their digestive health.

    She had thought that with Su Li¡¯s hearty appetite, he would have devoured a good portion by now, but to her surprise, he hadn¡¯t even started eating. Concerned, she asked, ¡°Do you need Mom to help you unwrap it?¡±

    Su Li shook his head and sat up straight, determinedly beginning to peel the zongzi himself. ¡°Mom, I can do it myself. You¡¯ve worked hard already. If you do everything, you¡¯ll wear yourself out. We were waiting for you to come so we could eat together as a family.¡± Then, with a curious tone, he added, ¡°By the way, when will Dad be back?¡±

    Gu Zi hadn¡¯t expected Su Li to mention Su Shen. In the past, Su Shen had a low presence in Su Li¡¯s mind; as long as he wasn¡¯t home, Su Li rarely brought him up. This time, however, it seemed that Su Shen had been making an effort, as Su Li¡¯s relationship with him had evidently improved.

    Gu Zi was pleased to see this development but didn¡¯t know when Su Shen would return. Still, she wasn¡¯t worried because he had promised to come back before the Dragon Boat Festival, and he had never gone back on his word. ¡°Dad might come back tonight. He¡¯ll definitely be here to celebrate the festival with us,¡± she reassured Su Li.

    Su Li nodded and took a small bite of the zongzi, mimicking how his mother had done it. The glutinous rice was chewy but not overly sticky; it was soft and fragrant, bursting with savory flavor and leaving a subtle sweetness behind.

    Su Li was immediately captivated by the taste and took a larger bite. ¡°This is delicious! It¡¯s the best food in the world, Mom!¡±

    Across from him, Su Bing ate gracefully, enjoying the zongzi too. While it was indeed tasty, their mother had made so many delicious dishes that he found it hard to understand why his brother was so easily impressed with zongzi after eating so many other tasty foods.

    Yet, he secretly adored seeing Su Li¡¯s unfiltered joy; it made him feel warm inside and made Su Li all the more endearing¡ªsomething he doubted he could ever replicate.

    Gu Zi, feeling indulgent, handed Su Bing half of the already unwrapped sweet red bean zongzi. ¡°Here, give this a try. Let¡¯s see which is better¡ªsavory or sweet!¡±

    Su Li didn¡¯t hold back; he picked up the juice nearby and took a sip before diving into the sweet red bean zongzi. The new flavor was a delight¡ªchewy and fragrant glutinous rice paired with the sweet, smooth red bean filling. For a dessert lover, it was a heavenly combination, absolutely delicious!

    However, Su Li was both a sweet and savory food enthusiast, and he found himself at a crossroads: which was better, sweet or savory zongzi? After pondering for a moment, the little foodie offered a balanced verdict. ¡°Mom, I think both are delicious! Let¡¯s make sweet and savory zongzi every Dragon Boat Festival!¡±

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    Meanwhile, Su Le sulked in the corner, as she was not allowed to eat any zongzi. Her little mouth was puffed up, resembling a goldfish, her brows furrowed in a way that made her look adorably disgruntled.

    Although she appeared quite cute, Gu Zi had to resist the urge to pinch her cheeks¡ªafter all, you couldn¡¯t just go around squeezing a child¡¯s face whenever you wanted. She knew her little tyrant was upset; when Su Le got mad, she wouldn¡¯t talk to anyone, puffing up her cheeks and specifically directing her ire at Su Li.

    But upon hearing Su Li¡¯s conclusion, Su Le marched over, hands planted firmly on her hips, and declared to her brother, ¡°You silly second brother! Zongzi can only be sweet or savory, or maybe plain rice zongzi! Saying what you did just makes you sound not so smart. When we go out, don¡¯t tell anyone I¡¯m your sister!¡±

    Su Le was furious. Unable to take her anger out on her mother, and too timid to confront her older brother, she chose to pick on her second brother instead. Although she felt a twinge of sympathy for him, their mother had once said that a pretty girl shouldn¡¯t sulk; otherwise, she would quickly become an old maid.

    That remark had been aimed at Gu Zi in a playful moment with Su Shen, but little Su Le had overheard it during her nap. As the family¡¯s little beauty, she was determined not to turn into an old maid. She had plans to grow up and become a flower alongside her mother!

 Chapter 923 - Chapter 923: Disappointed

    Chapter 923: Disappointed

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li was taken aback by how his once-timid little sister had transformed into a bossy little ruler, always picking on him. A flicker of annoyance crossed his mind; why did he seem so dull in comparison? But she was his sister, after all, and his irritation was fleeting. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything harsh to her.

    He merely lowered his head, munching on his zongzi while mumbling to himself, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t say anything. Everyone around knows you¡¯re my sister anyway. I¡¯ve boasted about having a three-year-old sister who speaks foreign languages¡­¡±

    Su Le, overhearing her brother¡¯s grumbling, huffed defiantly and walked away. A moment later, she returned, her little hand reaching for Su Li¡¯s, her voice sweet and innocent. ¡°Second brother, I was just upset because I didn¡¯t get any zongzi. I didn¡¯t mean it. Please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±

    Su Li, who had a naturally forgiving disposition, had already forgotten about their earlier spat. He had expected her to come running over for some other reason. ¡°Do you want to play with the little character cards? I can take you to find Gao Ming!¡±

    Nodding enthusiastically, Su Le followed Su Li to find Gao Ming. They played until dinner time, then returned home with seeds that Grandma Gao had given them.

    Su Li excitedly told Gu Zi, ¡°Mom, Gao Ming¡¯s dad really plans to move back! Gao Ming is so happy now, and I¡¯m happy for him too. You understand, right?¡±

    Though others might call him silly, and he himself felt less clever than his older brother and younger sister, Su Li believed he understood Gao Ming better than anyone. Gao Ming¡¯s current joy came from the heart, and that was what truly mattered!

    Gu Zi smiled and replied, ¡°I understand. Because you¡¯re good friends, seeing him happy makes you happy too. Su Li, your thinking is spot on. We can be strategic with others, but with friends we genuinely appreciate, we must treat them with sincerity. We should be wise, but also brave and sincere. Strategy works for those with ulterior motives, but we must reserve our honesty and courage for those who deserve it.¡±

    Gu Zi often spoke of the need for caution in her dealings with others, yet her approach to sincerity was not contradictory. She treated people based on how they treated her; for families like the Gao family, she was willing to be open and genuine, while she kept her distance from the Xu family across the street.

    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Xu household was still thick with tension.

    Xu Sheng had hoped that once his father returned for the Dragon Boat Festival, he would be free from the relentless, devilish training sessions his mother forced upon him. When his father was home, his mother always seemed so much gentler.

    But to his dismay, the latest news was that his father had more pressing work and wouldn¡¯t be back to celebrate the holiday with them. Xu Sheng felt a wave of disappointment wash over him.

    He envied the children outside who were free to play, especially the Su family kids. Occasionally, he would pass by their home and hear the laughter and joyful shouts echoing from within. Even from outside, he could feel the vibrant holiday spirit. But in his own home, aside from the sight of zongzi, there was barely any trace of festivity.

    His mother seemed preoccupied, often focusing on mingling with other women in the neighborhood. She claimed it was to build connections that would benefit them in the long run, but Xu Sheng couldn¡¯t understand why it mattered.

    That evening, another unfamiliar face appeared at the dinner table¡ªsomeone named Sun Qi, who seemed to have a substantial background and was exactly the type of person his mother wanted to befriend.

    Xu Sheng didn¡¯t take a liking to Sun Qi; he had no desire for his mother to associate with her. So, while he was supposed to be doing his homework, he found himself repeatedly interrupting their conversation.

    He overheard snippets of their gossip, and it seemed they both had a disdain for the lady of the Su family. Xu Sheng didn¡¯t want his mother to continue down that malicious path.

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    On his last attempt to interrupt, his mother, Huang Fei, lost her patience. She dragged him back to the study and quietly scolded him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you tonight? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy with something important? Do you even realize how crucial it is for us to make these connections? This may be a small place, but the people here hold power. This is something you need to learn.¡±

    Xu Sheng felt exhausted by her insistence. For the first time, he spoke back. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t understand why you think forming cliques and badmouthing others is important. That¡¯s not what real work looks like!¡±

    Smack!

    Huang Fei¡¯s hand struck his face, and he felt a sharp sting.

    Her anger boiled over as she shouted, ¡°You ungrateful kid! So now you¡¯re starting to argue with me? Remember this: I¡¯m your mother! You do as I say; that¡¯s the very least of what filial piety means. If you can¡¯t even manage that, I can always have another child. Do you think you¡¯re irreplaceable?¡±

 Chapter 924 - Chapter 924: Tantalized by Desire

    Chapter 924: Tantalized by Desire

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Yes, Huang Fei had said this more than once¡ªshe and Xu Sheng¡¯s father could have another child. That was why Xu Sheng had always followed her orders, striving to be the genius everyone expected him to be.

    He never dared to question his mother¡¯s actions until he saw how Su Li¡¯s mother treated her children. It became clear to him that his mother¡¯s behavior was not how things should be.

    He wanted to argue, to try and bring about a semblance of normalcy in their household, but every time he tentatively broached the subject, he was met with another slap and another warning about a potential sibling.

    With that, he realized he could no longer defy her; perhaps his only mission was to obey. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom,¡± he murmured.

    Huang Fei nodded curtly. ¡°Focus on your studies. And don¡¯t disturb us again. If you don¡¯t finish this set of problems tonight, you can forget about sleeping.¡±

    With that, she left the room without so much as a glance back at him. It wasn¡¯t until she was gone that Xu Sheng lowered his hand from his face, revealing the distinct marks of her fingers on his skin.

    In that moment, he bit his lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.

    As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, a suffocating tension filled the air. In the nights leading up to it, Gu Zi had been boiling herbal concoctions to mix into the family¡¯s bathwater, aiming to drive away any lingering toxins and keep the pests at bay.

    Usually, the two brothers would use a large wooden tub in the downstairs bathroom for their herbal baths. Gu Zi preferred to wait until they were done and had settled in for the night before she indulged in her own bath. After ensuring Lele was asleep, she would finally treat herself to a tranquil soak, relishing the calm before bedtime.

    She didn¡¯t linger in the tub for too long, about twenty minutes at most, before emerging. Once she dried her hair and climbed into bed, sleep came quickly and easily, enveloping her in its comforting embrace.

    She didn¡¯t dwell on why her husband hadn¡¯t returned yet; he had promised he would come back, and she believed in his word.

    As expected, around midnight, Su Shen drove back home, causing Gu Zi to stir from her slumber half an hour later.

    Su Shen was gentle this time, engaging in a passionate kiss that lasted nearly ten minutes, effectively rousing Gu Zi from her slumber.

    As her eyes fluttered open to the sight of the handsome man before her, her annoyance melted away, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, seeking out his lips for another kiss. Their bodies pressed closely together, their temperatures rising, yet they never crossed that final threshold.

    Gu Zi found herself surprisingly enamored with the sensation of being tantalized by desire. The sweet ache between her legs intensified as his warmth brushed against her, causing her to feel a delicious urgency.

    When their kisses grew more fervent, she struggled to catch her breath, prompting Su Shen to pull away momentarily. Playfully, she pushed him away and murmured, ¡°Go take a shower.¡±

    However, the man loomed over her like a mountain, and she could hardly budge him. He extended his hand toward her, letting her catch a whiff of his shower gel¡ªan unmistakable scent that lingered in their home. ¡°I showered downstairs before coming up,¡± he said softly.

    Just as Gu Zi opened her mouth to tease him, calling him an old lecher, he silenced her with another kiss. He pressed her back down and continued his exploration, planting kisses along her jaw, neck, and collarbone. His hands roamed over her ample breasts, teasing her hardened nipples until they glistened from his attention.

    A soft moan escaped Gu Zi¡¯s lips as her legs instinctively parted, and her hands traced along his back, feeling the muscles beneath. Unable to resist, her hips instinctively moved to align with his.

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    Su Shen sensed her silent plea, and with a gentle thrust, he sank into her warm depths. She was more than ready for him, and as he filled her completely, a satisfied sigh slipped from her mouth. The pent-up desire that had been building inside him over these past few days finally burst forth, bringing them into a realm of ecstasy.

    On the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, the family gathered for breakfast, featuring a spread focused on zongzi.

    They were enjoying a leisurely time in the yard, when suddenly, the delivery truck from the slaughterhouse pulled up. The smiling delivery person hopped out, bringing a bag filled with top-quality beef and brisket, freshly prepared and ready to go. He handed the goods to Su Shen before climbing back into the truck, still beaming.

    This wasn¡¯t just a coincidence; he felt fortunate to be working at the slaughterhouse. Su Shen¡¯s approach to employee benefits was straightforward and generous¡ªhe had purchased ten cows for the holiday, ensuring that every worker received an ample share. It was a far better treat than mere zongzi, leaving everyone in high spirits. Their perks rivaled those of many who were far better off!

    Su Shen simply reminded them to set aside some for his family, particularly because his wife adored beef brisket. And of course, they gladly remembered.

 Chapter 925 - Chapter 925: A Talented Chef Produces Talented Students

    Chapter 925: A Talented Chef Produces Talented Students

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After the slaughterhouse processed the cows that morning, they immediately set aside the finest cuts of beef for Gu Zi, along with a generous supply of brisket.

    The factory owner valued his employees, and they, in turn, were grateful. They knew he adored his wife, so they made sure to curry favor with the boss lady.

    When Gu Zi saw the brisket being delivered by Su Shen¡¯s worker, her face lit up with joy.

    As soon as she spotted the bag, she envisioned a delightful feast: braised brisket and curry beef for everyone to enjoy. Although she couldn¡¯t eat much herself, the sight of her family relishing the food she prepared filled her with happiness.

    She also planned to have Su Shen take some zongzi to share with the workers after the Dragon Boat Festival. As the boss¡¯s wife, she felt it was essential to make her presence felt during the festivities.

    Just as she was about to start cutting the brisket, Su Shen entered the kitchen, gently taking the knife from her hand. ¡°How do you want it cut? Let me handle it,¡± he offered with a warm smile.

    Relieved to be freed from the task, Gu Zi happily directed him, turning the cooking into a collaborative effort. Watching him follow her instructions to create the braised brisket and curry beef brought a smile to her face, especially when she tasted the final product¡ªit was surprisingly delicious!

    ¡°No modesty needed here! See? A talented chef produces talented students. Little Su, if you stick with your master, you¡¯re bound to strike it rich in the kitchen!¡± she teased.

    Su Shen played along, saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen to my master. Little Su is serving up the beef now. You take a break; you¡¯ve been standing long enough.¡± Although he wanted to express something deeper, he held back. Last night had been incredibly passionate, and he worried about overdoing it again, afraid of tiring her out or causing her discomfort.

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t oblivious; she could read between the lines. Remembering their steamy night, she felt a rush of warmth and quickly decided to distract herself. The allure of the older man was undeniable, and she knew that dwelling on those thoughts would only lead to more temptation.

    Meanwhile, over at the Gao family¡¯s home, Gao Lang returned with his wife and children. They gathered together to prepare their own zongzi, mirroring Gu Zi¡¯s family traditions. However, they waited until the day of the Dragon Boat Festival to make their rice dumplings.

    Gao Ming had grown closer to his father and took on the role of the little teacher, instructing Gao Lang on how to fold the zongzi, often expressing his honest exasperation. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re doing it all wrong! That¡¯s not how you fold it!¡±

    With a cheeky glint in his eyes, Gao Ming demonstrated the technique using the bamboo leaves, but his gaze kept darting toward the sofa where his mother and younger brother were watching TV. He hesitated to approach them, fearing that the warm atmosphere would shatter if he intruded.

    For now, he stuck to guiding his father in wrapping zongzi. Though he hadn¡¯t mastered the art himself during his time at Su¡¯s house, teaching a kitchen novice like Gao Lang was well within his abilities.

    Gao Lang¡¯s son¡¯s teasing didn¡¯t faze him; in fact, he occasionally broke into a smile during their playful banter.

    Grandma Gao watched the father-son interaction with delight, continuing her own task of wrapping zongzi. Making rice dumplings was her forte. She was quick and skillful, so she didn¡¯t need the maid¡¯s assistance. However, this was her first attempt at making meat-filled zongzi.

    Until she had tasted the ones made by Gu Zi, she had always considered meat zongzi the least appealing option.

    But after trying Gu Zi¡¯s meat dumplings yesterday, she found herself surprisingly enamored with the flavor. That very evening, she had sought out Gu Zi for the recipe, and now, with the festival approaching, she was determined to make a batch. She wanted to prepare enough to share with Gu Zi so she could get her feedback on the taste¡ªafter all, constructive criticism was essential for improvement!

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    This year, having the whole family together for the Dragon Boat Festival felt more significant than ever; it was almost a celebration in itself.

    However, the lingering tension between Gao Ming and his mother still weighed on her mind. With Gao Ming¡¯s wife willing to move back in, Grandma Gao hoped that time would mend their relationship. As a mother-in-law, she chose to focus on understanding her daughter-in-law, wishing for the day when she could fully embrace Gao Ming.

    After lunch, Su Shen planned to take the family out to enjoy the dragon boat races by the river. Gu Zi had expressed excitement about the event, prompting Su Shen to secure VIP seating, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t have to contend with crowds.

    Gao Ming had heard about the races from Su Li and was eager to go; he hadn¡¯t seen a dragon boat race yet.

    However, Grandma Gao expressed her concerns. ¡°We didn¡¯t buy VIP tickets in advance. Watching from the riverbanks might be dangerous; you¡¯re still just a kid and might get lost in the crowd. How about we save it for next year?¡±

 Chapter 926 - Chapter 926: Afraid of Embarrassing Her

    Chapter 926: Afraid of Embarrassing Her

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    From his own yard, Gao Ming could catch glimpses of Su Li¡¯s home, where the excited figure of Su Li darted back and forth, clearly preparing to head out for the dragon boat races.

    A pang of longing struck him; he desperately wanted to join them.

    Although he understood his grandmother¡¯s concerns about safety, the disappointment weighed heavily on him. He yearned to watch the races with Su Li and share in the excitement, to have a common topic to discuss.

    Tears brimmed in his eyes, and Grandma Gao felt a sharp pang of sympathy. Turning to her husband and son, she urged, ¡°Can¡¯t you two do something? At least talk about it! Gao Lang, why don¡¯t you try something? You¡¯re both well-respected in your fields; surely you can manage to get a couple of tickets!¡±

    Grandpa Gao hesitated, scratching his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s too difficult, but the timing is tight. Even if I ask for help, we need time. The dragon boat races have always been overseen by influential local families, and those with clout are not always in government. If we make a sudden request for VIP tickets, it could easily backfire.¡±

    Grandma Gao understood the complexities involved; it wasn¡¯t enough to wield authority, they also needed connections. She looked at her son, her expression serious. ¡°Think of someone you can reach out to. Is there anyone who could get you two into the VIP section?¡±

    In Guangcheng, dragon boat racing was a revered tradition, tightly controlled by prominent families in the community.

    Each VIP seat was allocated to one person; if they had purchased three tickets, they couldn¡¯t accommodate a fourth guest. Even wealth didn¡¯t guarantee access¡ªonly connections could help, and it seemed futile for the Su family to try to bring Gao Ming along without someone on the inside.

    Gao Lang felt the pressure mounting. Rubbing the back of his neck in frustration, he said, ¡°Mom, you know I excel at research, but this whole social networking thing? I¡¯m completely lost. My colleagues in the lab scoff at such dealings; they¡¯re not interested in playing those games. It¡¯s much harder than any research project.¡±

    Gao Ming, now fully crestfallen, stared blankly toward the Su household, his disappointment palpable.

    Gao Lang watched his son, his heart heavy. After years of hard work in his career, he felt utterly defeated; he couldn¡¯t even fulfill his son¡¯s simple wish to attend the dragon boat races.

    The atmosphere in the Gao family home hung heavy in silence, with no one daring to break the stillness. Finally, a cool, clear voice pierced the tension. ¡°One of the main sponsors for this dragon boat race is a college classmate of mine. Perhaps I could reach out to her. Should I give her a call?¡±

    The family turned their gazes toward the source of the voice, which belonged to Gao Ming¡¯s mother. Despite being a mother of two, she still dressed in a youthful, stylish manner¡ªwearing a fitted black short-sleeve top paired with army-green wide-legged cargo pants, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and black combat boots on her feet. Her striking features, combined with her voice, radiated an air of detachment from the mundane world.

    Gao Ming looked over, mirroring the others¡¯ reactions, but quickly averted his gaze. He was afraid to see the unfamiliarity in his mother¡¯s eyes. Yet, a small warmth blossomed in his heart at her words.

    Did that mean she wanted to help him watch the dragon boat race? Was she willing to assist him?

    He dared not ask.

    Grandma Gao gave her son a light nudge. ¡°Yan Yan is in research just like you. If she can build connections, maybe you should reflect on yourself a bit. Yan Yan, why don¡¯t you give your friend a call? Regardless of the outcome, it¡¯s worth a try.¡±

    Without hesitation, Grandma Gao led her daughter-in-law into another room to make the call. Eventually, they succeeded in securing two VIP seats, which Gao Lang would take Gao Ming to.

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    Overjoyed, Gao Ming wasted no time in informing Su Li, and they clasped hands as they climbed into the Su family car.

    Gao Lang watched the lively scene unfold in the car ahead, then followed suit in the Gao family vehicle, trailing behind the Su family¡¯s car.

    Inside the Su family car, Su Shen repeatedly checked his appearance, glancing at Gu Zi in the passenger seat. ¡°How do I look today, Gu Zi? Do I seem old? It¡¯s still early; should I go back and change into something else?¡±

    Su Shen felt that his sense of style was mediocre; he couldn¡¯t compete with some men¡¯s meticulous fashion choices.

    This was his first time attending the dragon boat race with Gu Zi, and he worried that if he looked unkempt or appeared older, it would reflect poorly on him, making him feel unworthy of his lovely young wife and embarrassing her in front of others.

 Chapter 927 - Chapter 927: Watching the Dragon Boat Race

    Chapter 927: Watching the Dragon Boat Race

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing that Su Shen, a man not typically concerned with his attire, was suddenly so preoccupied with how he looked.

    ¡®Is something going on today?¡¯ she wondered, noticing he had even shaved his stubble clean.

    With a playful smile, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve always dressed like this. What¡¯s the problem, Mr. Su? We¡¯re going to watch a dragon boat race, not a fashion show. Just wear what¡¯s comfortable!¡±

    It was charming to see such a handsome, wealthy man worry about looking old and unkempt. If it weren¡¯t for the kids in the car, she might have wanted to ruffle his hair and affectionately tell him, ¡°You just focus on being rich and healthy; I¡¯ll handle the fashion!¡±

    As those thoughts crossed her mind, several enticing images of him flashed through her mind. In truth, Su Shen¡¯s vitality was impeccable; he seemed insatiable during their intimate moments, always eager to explore every position, entwining their bodies endlessly. If anyone needed to worry, it was her back.

    Her gaze unintentionally drifted downwards, taking in Su Shen¡¯s perfect jawline and the pronounced Adam¡¯s apple that bobbed slightly as he spoke. The warmth of his bronze skin only heightened the magnetic aura he exuded, causing her to gulp hard.

    Seeing her entranced stare brought a satisfying smile to Su Shen¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m your husband; if you want to look, just look,¡± he teased softly.

    Caught in the act, Gu Zi felt a tinge of embarrassment and turned her head away and gazed out the window. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look! You focus on driving, and I¡¯m going to enjoy the scenery,¡± she retorted, though her voice lacked true conviction.

    Not wanting to tease her further, Su Shen responded gently, ¡°Alright.¡±

    The car ride continued with him mostly silent, while Su Li and Gao Ming filled the space with animated chatter. Su Li eagerly shared stories about the history of dragon boat racing, knowledge he had gleaned from Gu Zi the night before.

    Meanwhile, Gao Ming listened, feeling a pang of envy. He longed for a mother like Gu Zi, someone who would spend the night with him, telling stories. He envied the bond Su Li had with Gu Zi and the camaraderie he observed between Su Li and his older brother, Su Bing. These were relationships he wished he could have.

    Gao Ming didn¡¯t just feel distant from his mother; he also felt a rift between himself and his younger brother. He remembered how, during family visits, his little brother preferred the nanny over him, crying bitterly whenever Gao Ming attempted to hold him.

    Young Gao Ming couldn¡¯t comprehend that the baby, who was still so small, might just feel uncomfortable being held improperly and naturally favored the nanny¡¯s experienced hands.

    From Gao Ming¡¯s perspective, it felt like his brother instinctively disliked him, just as their mother seemed to keep her distance from him.

    To lift Gao Ming¡¯s spirits, Su Li suggested they sing together. Before long, cheerful voices filled the car, and they sang all the way to the VIP platform by the riverbank.

    As they arrived, the banks were packed with eager spectators waiting for the dragon boat race, and the beautifully crafted boats had already been launched into the water.

    These dragon boats were unlike any ordinary vessels¨Clong and narrow, adorned with intricately carved dragon heads at the prow and tails at the stern, they boasted splendid woodwork. Each boat was decorated with drums, flags, and painted designs, creating a stunning visual spectacle that was captivating even before the races began.

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    Both Su Li and Gao Ming were awestruck by the scene, their excitement visibly growing. Gu Zi shared in their amazement, her heart racing at the grandeur of it all. The intricate wood carvings held her gaze, making it hard to look away.

    As anticipation filled the air, the twelve participating teams gathered, prepared to race. The young rowers radiated energy and determination, their heads and waists wrapped in vibrant red cloth that glimmered under the sunlight.

    In an exhilarating moment, the beat of the drums filled the air, and the dragon boats surged forward like arrows released from a bow, skimming across the calm river at an astonishing speed, leaving spectators breathless as they raced side by side.

    The crowd erupted into cheers, and caught up in the excitement, Su Li shouted alongside them, ¡°Go, go, go! Gao Ming, let¡¯s cheer louder!¡±

    Nearby, others had brought drums from home and were striking them with vigor to support their chosen teams, while some restless young people hung firecrackers high up, lighting them at just the right moment to add to the festive atmosphere.

 Chapter 928 - Chapter 928: Conflict and Friendship

    Chapter 928: Conflict and Friendship

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Amidst the clamor of shouts, the rhythmic beating of drums, and the crackling of firecrackers, the air was thick with excitement.

    As the race approached the halfway point, two dragon boats surged ahead, clearly leading the pack and becoming the favored contenders for victory.

    However, amidst the fervent cheers, a disagreement erupted between the two boys, Su Li and Gao Ming, who had previously stood united in their support.

    Su Li¡¯s voice cut through the cacophony, his enthusiasm unbridled. ¡°It¡¯s obviously the No. 8 boat that has the best chance of winning! There¡¯s no way it can be No. 10!¡±

    Gao Ming, equally fervent and unyielding, shot back, ¡°No way! It¡¯s definitely No. 10 that¡¯s going to win. It¡¯s been the fastest since the start, and the crew¡¯s moves are way better than the others. No. 10 is the champion for sure!¡±

    Their friendly rivalry had escalated into a full-blown argument, leaving Gu Zi and the others to watch in amused exasperation.

    Rather than worrying about their friendship, the adults felt a sense of relief. After all, what were friends if they never quarreled? It was only natural for conflicts to arise.

    Su Bing, holding his sister Su Le, had distanced himself from the bickering duo, content to avoid the din of their squabble.

    As the dragon boats turned toward the starting point, it signaled that the end of the race was near and the moment of truth would soon arrive.

    Su Li and Gao Ming momentarily paused their shouting, their focus sharpening on the two front-running boats, No. 8 and No. 10, as the finish line loomed closer.

    With every ounce of strength, the competitors in each dragon boat pushed themselves to their limits, the strain evident on their faces. The atmosphere was electric as they held their breath, waiting for the climax of the race.

    Like streaks of light, the three leading dragon boats dashed towards the finish line.

    In a stunning twist, the inconspicuous No. 11 surged ahead in the final moments, crossing the finish line first and shocking everyone.

    The two frontrunners, No. 8 and No. 10, were tied for second place. The crowd was left in disbelief for a moment before erupting into cheers.

    But amidst the celebration, Su Li and Gao Ming remained sulky, each stewing in their disappointment. Neither had predicted the outcome, but what loomed larger was the lingering resentment from their earlier argument. They turned their backs to each other, ignoring the other¡¯s presence.

    As they walked away, Gao Lang led Gao Ming forward. ¡°Yan Yan¡¯s friend has arranged a place for us to eat lunch. Let¡¯s head there now.¡±

    Su Shen wrapped his arm around Gu Zi, following suit. ¡°Thank you for hosting us. Su Bing, keep an eye on your brother and sister. Let¡¯s move along.¡±

    With that, he and Gu Zi walked ahead, leaving the children behind.

    Su Bing, balancing his sister in one arm and guiding his younger brother with the other, wore an expression of icy indifference.

    To outsiders, it seemed like the weight of resentment bore heavily on him. After all, with their parents off in their own world of affection, he bore the burden of looking after his siblings alone¨Ca task that could sour anyone¡¯s mood.

    Meanwhile, Su Li tugged at his brother¡¯s shirt, glancing forward. He noticed Gao Ming sneaking glances back at him, and suddenly, the anger that had festered inside began to melt away.

    Memories of their friendship flooded back to him¨Chow Gao Ming had stood up for him when they first met at school. Gao Ming had been his first real friend in the city. Was it fair to throw away their bond over this trivial argument?

    Determined, Su Li thought, ¡®Maybe I should apologize to Gao Ming after all?¡¯

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    Ahead, Gao Ming quietly asked Gao Lang, ¡°Dad, was I too harsh on Su Li just now? Should I apologize?¡±

    Gao Lang hadn¡¯t expected such a question from his son. To him, both boys were strong-willed, and their argument was just a sign of their passionate personalities. ¡°You both have your own perspectives, which is good,¡± he replied. ¡°But as friends, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to apologize.¡±

    Hearing his father¡¯s words, Gao Ming¡¯s anger dissipated. After all, Su Li was his good friend, and friends didn¡¯t hold grudges.

    He certainly didn¡¯t want to miss out on enjoying Gu Zi¡¯s delicious cooking later!

    A smile crept across his face as he resolved to make amends. He would share the best morsels with Su Li and offer his apology over lunch.

 Chapter 929 - Chapter 929: Still Good Friends

    Chapter 929: Still Good Friends

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the lunch hour arrived, the air was thick with an awkward tension that hung over the table like a dense fog.

    Su Li and Gao Ming, both acutely aware of their unresolved argument, sat at opposite ends of the round table¨Cone at the east, the other at the west. It wasn¡¯t that they were unwilling to speak; rather, each was too prideful to take the first step toward reconciliation.

    Observing this subtle standoff, Gu Zi, ever the perceptive one, noted the way Su Li cast glances at Gao Ming only to have Gao Ming deliberately avert his eyes, pretending to be fascinated by something off in the distance. This game of avoidance continued until they both instinctively looked away, each stubbornly refusing to break the silence.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but wonder: Was pride truly so important, even among little boys? It seemed that even at their tender age, the weight of saving face loomed large.

    Recognizing the need for a gentle nudge towards amends, Gu Zi exchanged a knowing look with Su Bing. ¡°Su Bing,¡± she said, ¡°why don¡¯t you go and buy three bottles of drinks? Just three, remember.¡±

    Su Bing raised an eyebrow, puzzled. Why only three bottles when there were so many of them? Yet, he trusted Gu Zi implicitly and soon returned with three small, fizzy drinks in hand.

    ¡°You and the little ones can have one each,¡± she said nonchalantly, ¡°as for Gao Ming, let his dad buy his own. After all, it seems he and Su Li aren¡¯t friends anymore, are they?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Gao Ming¡¯s expression fell, his lips forming a tight line.

    Su Li¡¯s eyes widened in indignation. ¡°Mom, you said we should share everything! I can¡¯t let Su Le drink a whole bottle by herself. She¡¯s too young. She can share with me!¡±

    Su Bing saw that his mother¡¯s words were obviously not in line with her character. He also saw his brother¡¯s anxious and embarrassed look. He suddenly understood his mother¡¯s intention of only buying three bottles of drinks. This wasn¡¯t about the drinks; it was about giving the boys a chance to mend their rift. So he said coldly,¡± No, Su Le should have a bottle to herself.¡±

    At this, Su Le, who was already reluctant to share, clutched her fizzy drink closer, her small face scrunching up in protest. ¡°Yeah! I can share the drink with Mommy!¡± she added defiantly.

    Meanwhile, Su Shen, understanding his wife¡¯s clever scheme, silently admired her perceptiveness. She had a unique talent for sensing their children¡¯s emotions and guiding them. He felt a pang of gratitude as he slid a piece of braised pork toward Gu Zi, silently commending her for her ingenuity.

    Gao Lang, although he might have seemed bookish, had learned enough from raising Gao Ming to recognize Gu Zi¡¯s intentions. He was surprised to find that parents could indeed play a role in resolving childhood conflicts. He had always thought that little squabbles would eventually resolve themselves over time.

    ¡°Hey, if you want to drink something, how about I buy you some after lunch?¡± Gao Lang offered, trying to comfort his son.

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    Gao Ming simply shook his head, still looking a bit defeated.

    Seeing his friend¡¯s despondent state, Su Li¡¯s frustration boiled over, overpowering any lingering pride. He jumped off his chair and walked over to Gao Ming, placing his drink in front of him with an earnestness that surprised even himself. ¡°Gao Ming, you can have my drink. Can we talk now? I¡¯m sorry for ignoring you after our fight. Mom, you misunderstood. We¡¯re still good friends!¡±

    Gao Ming¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He hadn¡¯t expected Su Li to make the first move. The tension between them seemed to evaporate as he quickly slid off his chair, grasping the drink with gratitude. ¡°I should apologize too. It was my fault for arguing. Let¡¯s share the drink and sit together!¡±

    Without a second thought, he took Su Li¡¯s hand and the two boys settled down together, completely oblivious to the adults, including Gao Lang, who was left sitting alone, a smile creeping onto his face as he watched his son¡¯s spirit lift.

    Su Bing maintained his cool demeanor as he glanced at the boys, who were now chattering animatedly, hand in hand. ¡°Although you were both rooting for different teams,¡± he remarked playfully, ¡°both ended up as runner-ups. But I suppose that¡¯s a kind of synergy in itself.¡±

 Chapter 930 - Chapter 930: Give Love and Attention

    Chapter 930: Give Love and Attention

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Li and Gao Ming exchanged glances, both pondering whether Su Bing¡¯s comment was meant to tease them or simply state a fact. However, it didn¡¯t matter much; what was truly important was that they were friends again!

    Though the reconciliation process had been a bit awkward, it was worth it for the sake of their friendship. The atmosphere around the dinner table returned to its usual lively banter as they resumed chatting animatedly.

    Taking a sip of his tea, Gao Lang raised his cup to Gu Zi, expressing his gratitude. ¡°Mrs. Su, I¡¯ve long heard that you have a unique way of handling children. Today, I finally see it in action, and I must say, I¡¯m genuinely impressed. Also, my mother mentioned how well you¡¯ve taken care of Gao Ming. I¡¯m truly grateful for that. Next Saturday, my wife and I are moving back to Jifu New Village, and we¡¯d love for you to join us for our housewarming party.

    ¡°Also, let¡¯s set up another time for my wife and me to treat you both to a meal as a token of our appreciation. This is what my mother wishes, and it¡¯s also our heartfelt desire,¡± he added.

    While Su Shen was the primary breadwinner of the family, he didn¡¯t cling to rigid, outdated notions of masculinity that dictated he should always speak for the family. In fact, it was often Gu Zi who voiced their thoughts, as Su Shen preferred to follow her lead.

    Gu Zi had grown accustomed to this dynamic. She raised her glass alongside Su Shen, replying warmly, ¡°Mr. Gao, you¡¯re too polite. Gao Ming frequently visits our home, and in doing so, he has become a wonderful friend to Su Li. We also owe a debt of gratitude to Grandma Gao for all her help. We will definitely attend the housewarming party, and we look forward to the meal invitation as well.¡±

    ¡°Regarding the children, Mr. Gao, Gao Ming is quite a simple child, and he¡¯s pretty easy to understand. You and Gao Ming¡¯s mother are doing a great job caring for him; I believe you both can truly understand him,¡± she concluded.

    As she spoke, a flicker of guilt crossed Gao Lang¡¯s face. He realized that the rift between Gao Ming and him was largely due to his own shortcomings as a father.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, you¡¯ve helped us far more than we could ever repay. After my conversation with Su Bing, it struck me how I¡¯ve spent my life focused on research at the expense of my family. I hadn¡¯t realized until now that while my research is important, neglecting my family for it was irresponsible. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to change my position,¡± Gao Lang confessed.

    Both Su Shen and Gao Lang, sharing the perspective of fathers, found common ground in their understanding.

    Su Shen reflected on his past, admitting that he had once poured all his energy into earning money, believing it was enough to ensure his children¡¯s happiness. However, this mindset had indirectly caused them harm. If it hadn¡¯t been for Gu Zi¡¯s presence, he might still be oblivious to what true responsibility meant.

    He spoke up, ¡°Mr. Gao, providing for your family isn¡¯t just about financial support; it¡¯s about giving love and attention. Money is merely the foundation; it¡¯s the least we should offer.¡±

    After their heartfelt exchange, Gu Zi took the children to the park, a visit arranged through Gao Ming¡¯s mother. Meanwhile, the two fathers stayed behind at the teahouse, enjoying their conversation over tea.

    By the time the group returned home, it was past five in the afternoon.

    Gao Lang took Gao Ming back to their home, while Gu Zi and her children returned to the Su residence. Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Gu Zi felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. This outing had been as exhausting as doing housework.

    Noticing her weariness, Su Shen joined her on the couch and gently massaged her shoulders. His large frame loomed over her petite figure, and he was cautious not to apply too much pressure. His careful, yet firm touch soon alleviated her tension.

    Feeling much more relaxed, Gu Zi glanced at the clock and noted it was nearly six o¡¯clock.

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    ¡°My parents should be arriving soon,¡± she said, recalling their plans for a family reunion dinner that evening. Her family now lived in town, and her brother was driving the pig farm truck into the city, making the trip much easier.

    Su Shen was aware of the arrangements and looked forward to them. Having few close relatives of his own, he viewed Gu Zi¡¯s family as his own.

    He quickly got up to head toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll go open the main gate,¡± he said.

    Upon hearing that their grandparents were coming, Su Li and Su Le dashed after Su Shen, excitedly racing to greet them.

    Children have such simple hearts; those who treat them well easily occupy their thoughts. While Su Bing didn¡¯t join his siblings in the rush, he quietly prepared for their arrival.

 Chapter 931 - Chapter 931: A Fantastical Proposal

    Chapter 931: A Fantastical Proposal

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    After tidying up the house, Su Bing made sure everything was in order. He swept the floors, wiped down the furniture, and, following Gu Zi¡¯s usual preference, arranged wildflowers he had picked from the roadside in a vase. He even prepared a refreshing apple-tomato juice for his grandparents to enjoy.

    Before long, An Yun and her family arrived, greeted warmly by the excited shouts of Su Li and Su Le.

    Lin Cheng entered with gifts in hand, handing them over to Su Shen.

    As soon as Li Hua stepped through the door, she enveloped Gu Zi in a big hug. Unlike the typical tension seen between sisters-in-law, these two shared a bond filled with warmth and gratitude.

    Li Hua could hardly contain her admiration for Gu Zi, even considering her a little lucky star. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zi¡¯s support, their family wouldn¡¯t have risen to such prosperity in such a short time. Now, whenever she visited her parents, she stood tall and proud. She had become a focal point among relatives and friends, all thanks to her sister-in-law.

    Gu Zi felt equally at ease with Li Hua, who was straightforward and genuine. Though not lacking in intelligence, Li Hua¡¯s charm lay in her simplicity¨Cshe was quick to learn and didn¡¯t harbor ulterior motives.

    This camaraderie made their conversations enjoyable, and soon they found themselves in the kitchen, preparing dinner together.

    As they entered the kitchen, Su Shen and Lin Cheng followed, eager to lend a hand.

    Gu Zi, seizing the opportunity, directed Su Shen while encouraging Li Hua to let Lin Cheng assist. Despite his hard work at the pig farm, Lin Cheng was content to help, knowing how much it meant to Li Hua. In the end, the dinner preparations became a collaborative effort between Gu Zi, Su Shen, Lin Cheng, and Li Hua.

    Once the dining table was set up in the yard, where the evening air was cooler, the family gathered to enjoy their reunion dinner. Laughter and chatter filled the atmosphere as they savored the meal.

    An Yun announced, ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy today, but remember, tomorrow we¡¯re back to work. Our business has been thriving lately. The shop in town has done well, and our new store in the city is even better. Customers love our braised meats, and we can¡¯t afford to take too many breaks.¡±

    Initially hesitant about running a business, An Yun had grown comfortable in her role. The fear of failure had dissipated, and now she found herself eager to open the shop every day.

    Gu Zi chimed in, ¡°Mom, just follow your instincts. You and sister-in-law are in charge now, and you can make your own decisions. But have you thought about what to do with the profits?¡±

    Li Hua replied, ¡°Just yesterday, Mom and I discussed it. We plan to save the money in the bank and earn some interest. When the time comes to open a branch, we¡¯ll have the funds. Also, about the house Su Shen bought us in town, we want to repay him. Gu Zi, I know you mean well, but we can¡¯t let Su Shen bear all the expenses.¡±

    An Yun nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, Su Shen¡¯s money doesn¡¯t come from thin air. Although we are his in-laws, we shouldn¡¯t spend his money so freely. Let your brother and sister-in-law repay him and use it for your own family needs; we are doing fine now.¡±

    Su Shen interjected firmly, ¡°Mom, Dad, brother, sister, I won¡¯t accept that money. I¡¯ve said it before: you are Gu Zi¡¯s family, and that makes you mine too. If you insist on repaying me, it feels like you¡¯re rejecting me as part of this family.¡±

    This statement made An Yun and the others uneasy. They had no intention of distancing themselves from their daughter and son-in-law and scrambled to explain themselves.

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    Gu Zi stepped in, ¡°Mom and Dad, please don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t accept the money for the town house. If you really want to repay us, consider it as shares and keep it in my name.¡±

    ¡°Furthermore, I have a suggestion: saving all the earnings in the bank is a waste. Even if you want to open a branch later, you should invest that money instead. Consider buying a couple of houses in the city¨Cone in Dad and Mom¡¯s name and another in brother and sister-in-law¡¯s name. The prices are low now, but they will surely rise in the future.¡±

    She paused, letting her words sink in. ¡°If you choose the right location, in ten or twenty years, when redevelopment happens, you could find yourselves sitting on a goldmine.¡±

    Lin Cheng listened, perplexed. ¡°Sister, how do you know the property prices will soar? What do you mean by that?¡±

    Li Hua, equally confused, asked, ¡°Are you seriously suggesting we use our money to buy houses in the city?¡±

 Chapter 932 - Chapter 932: Buying a House as an Investment

    Chapter 932: Buying a House as an Investment

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As the discussion unfolded, Lin Cheng and Li Hua struggled to grasp Gu Zi¡¯s proposal. In their mindset, having a single home was sufficient¨Cwhy complicate matters by purchasing multiple properties?

    The concept of real estate as an investment seemed foreign to them, leaving them momentarily at a loss for words and they turned to An Yun for guidance.

    An Yun, equally perplexed, leaned in to consult her husband.

    ¡°Gu Zi,¡± she asked gently after awhile, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand. Why do you think house prices will soar in the future?¡±

    All eyes were on Gu Zi, a mix of curiosity and confusion swirling among them.

    Su Li, ever the enthusiastic supporter, chimed in, ¡°Grandma, Mom says house prices will definitely rise! Mom is amazing!¡±

    To Su Li, Gu Zi was a figure of reverence, her words carrying an almost prophetic weight.

    With a fond smile, Gu Zi affectionately ruffled Su Li¡¯s hair before replying, ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothesis based on urban development trends. I¡¯m not certain, but cities will continue to expand, and with that, there will be a need for more land. Eventually, the government will have to acquire land for public use, offering substantial compensation to those affected¡­¡±

    Her explanation was articulate, yet the rest of the family still appeared bewildered. It seemed they were unable to envision the magnitude of the potential price surge.

    After a moment of contemplation, An Yun addressed Li Hua and Lin Cheng, ¡°I might not fully grasp what your sister is saying, but it seems wise to trust her judgment. What do you think?¡±

    Lin Cheng felt no inclination to disagree; after all, Gu Zi had already done so much for their family. Thanks to her and Su Shen¡¯s support, the Lin family had transformed from struggling to thriving. He shrugged, leaving the decision to Li Hua.

    Li Hua chuckled lightly, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a bit confused too, but if Mom thinks it¡¯s worth considering, I¡¯m on board. We haven¡¯t missed an opportunity yet by listening to Gu Zi. So, shall we buy two properties? But where should we invest?¡±

    Seeing her family¡¯s faith in her, Gu Zi¡¯s heart swelled with happiness. She had witnessed the transformations brought about by Su Shen¡¯s initial investment in their business, and now, she yearned to help her family take another leap toward financial stability. Yet, she understood that not everyone shared her ambition.

    The Lin family had never been driven by a desire for wealth; they simply wanted a respectable livelihood and to avoid the stigma of relying on Su family¡¯s generosity.

    ¡°I just want to be clear,¡± she said, her voice gentle yet firm. ¡°If you genuinely believe in this idea and want to invest in properties, I¡¯m all for it. But you can use your money however feels right to you. I¡¯m just suggesting a path forward.¡±

    Her family understood her intentions, even if her brother and father didn¡¯t fully grasp the implications. Li Hua reassured her, ¡°We¡¯re here to listen, dear. Everyone has their moments of misjudgment. We trust your instincts. Just tell us where to invest.¡±

    With a sense of purpose, Gu Zi jotted down a few promising locations on a piece of paper, instructing her family to choose two spots from her recommendations. They agreed wholeheartedly, and the following day, Li Hua arranged to meet her close friend Gui Hua to look at potential properties together.

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    Gui Hua had saved up over the years and, combined with the money from her wedding, felt confident about purchasing a property in the city. Since marrying Lin Hun, he had matured significantly, focusing on work at the pig farm and ensuring a stable income for their family.

    Excited to align her plans with Li Hua¡¯s, Gui Hua was eager to buy in the same vicinity. In the end, they decided on neighboring units.

    After the Dragon Boat Festival, Gu Zi settled into a peaceful study routine as her exam preparations resumed. She enjoyed leisurely mornings, waking up when she pleased.

    On days she rose early, she made breakfast; on lazy mornings, Su Bing took over. Su Bing¡¯s culinary skills had blossomed, and he now mastered a variety of nutritious dishes. With that, Gu Zi could focus on her studies without worrying about the kids¡¯ breakfasts.

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 Chapter 933 - Chapter 933: Those Three Children

    Chapter 933: Those Three Children

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    For Gu Zi, mornings had a comforting routine. She would begin her day with a warm bowl of milk and bird¡¯s nest soup, a nourishing treat that brightened her complexion and revitalized her spirit.

    Afterward, she would throw together a light breakfast. With the Dragon Boat Festival just passed, the house was still stocked with leftover zongzi. That morning, after savoring her soup, she cut half a savory meat-filled zongzi and tossed together a light, low-calorie vegetable salad, pairing it with two slices of ham. It was a simple yet delightful meal that filled her up.

    After breakfast, as Lele and Big Yellow played nearby, Gu Zi settled into the yard with her study materials. The sun¡¯s warm rays spilled across the garden, casting a lazy glow that coaxed her into a moment of blissful rest. It was too comfortable to resist.

    In stark contrast to her past life, Gu Zi felt as if she were bubbling with happiness.

    Previously, she had graduated from a prestigious university and worked tirelessly, attending countless banquets and social gatherings. After all that effort, her salary barely netted her four thousand a month after rent and living expenses. It was a grim reality that made her wonder how she had persisted for so long¨Cher resolve had been unwavering back then.

    Yet, amidst her musings about determination and willpower, her thoughts drifted to Su Bing¡¯s rare friends: the three brothers, Da Hu, Er Hu, and Xiao Hu. Su Bing had mentioned how they had spent the Dragon Boat Festival hustling with their small business, earning a nice profit selling some small fireworks, which they split fairly. They kept their promise to share the profits with Su Bing, who had offered them sound advice along the way.

    Gu Zi knew the brothers¡¯ tragic background. They were unwanted children who had survived on the streets, banding together for warmth and companionship.

    Many others had strayed into bad company in search of quick money, but the three brothers had remained steadfast. They relied on begging and collecting scrap, receiving a small government subsidy each month just enough to stave off hunger.

    It was only because of Su Bing¡¯s encouragement that they had begun to establish their small business. With their hard work, they were no longer just struggling for survival; they were starting to thrive.

    Instead of squandering their earnings, they saved diligently, adhering to Su Bing¡¯s advice to set up their stall and maintain their weekly lessons with him. It was no small feat.

    As the afternoon sun dipped, Gu Zi kept the brothers in her thoughts. When Su Bing returned from school, she handed him a large bag. ¡°These are some fresh meat-filled zongzi and grilled steaks, along with some everyday candies and snacks. I¡¯ve packed it all for you to take to the three Hu brothers. Let them have a taste.¡±

    Surprised, Su Bing beamed at his mother. He had intended to bring some zongzi to the Hu brothers himself but was thrilled to see that she had already thought of it¨Cdown to the details he hadn¡¯t even considered.

    ¡°Thanks, Mom!¡± he exclaimed, grabbing the food and riding off on his bike.

    Upon arriving at the spot where the Hu brothers set up their stall, Su Bing noticed the bustling crowd. He patiently waited until the line for pancakes and double-skin milk thinned before approaching Da Hu.

    Startled by the sudden appearance, Da Hu said, ¡°Su Bing! You didn¡¯t tell me you were bringing ingredients today!¡±

    Taking the heavy bag from Su Bing¡¯s hands, Da Hu quickly noticed the lighter weight. Just as he was about to ask, Xiao Hu dashed over, excitement written across his face as he inhaled deeply. ¡°Su Bing, what smells so good? What¡¯s in the bag? I can smell the beef!¡±

    Clearing his throat, Su Bing replied, ¡°This isn¡¯t just food for cooking. My mom sent it for you guys¨Czongzi and steak. Heat it up and enjoy, and there are some other snacks for you to share.¡±

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    With that, Su Bing hopped back on his bike and sped away, leaving the brothers momentarily stunned.

    Da Hu broke the silence. ¡°Our boss Su Bing is really something. He may look cold, but he¡¯s got a warm heart. We¡¯ve chosen the right friends, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    Er Hu chimed in, ¡°And Aunt Gu Zi is amazing too. She¡¯s like a fairy!¡±

    Carefully, the three Hu brothers stashed the goodies away, waiting until they returned home to confirm the doors and windows were locked before bringing out the zongzi and steak.

    None of them had ever tasted a meat-filled zongzi before. As they took their first bites, the sweet aroma of the glutinous rice mingled with the savory meat, exploding in their mouths. The meat was rich yet not greasy, and they couldn¡¯t help but savor the delightful flavors.

 Chapter 934 - Chapter 934: Her Star Power Shines Through

    Chapter 934: Her Star Power Shines Through

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The three boys had never tasted steak before, and as the sizzling aroma filled the air, their mouths watered in anticipation. When the time finally came to eat, they devoured the meal with an unrestrained enthusiasm, their eyes wide with delight, each bite bursting with flavor. It was as if they had just been introduced to the divine pleasures of fine dining.

    As June rolled in, Gong Xin dropped by to visit Gu Zi, who was prepping for the exams, and of course, to snag some treats for herself.

    However, she came bearing news that felt anything but sweet: Lin Miao had been released from prison early and was now preparing for the college entrance exam.

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but scoff internally. ¡®She¡¯s the heroine of the story, all right,¡¯ she thought, irony dripping from her mind. ¡°Even in jail, her star power shines bright enough to secure an early release!¡±

    Not only that, but Lin Miao was savvy enough to realize that her ticket to redemption lay in acing the exam. In a world where college graduates commanded respect and opportunities, a degree could effectively sweep her prison record under the rug, rendering it almost irrelevant.

    Gu Zi recalled the story in which Lin Miao, after marrying Gong Zhan, threw herself into her studies and eventually gained admission to a prestigious university. From that moment, she transformed from a mere village girl into the darling of the elite, effortlessly rising to the top, her life becoming a series of victories.

    But this time was different. Lin Miao had a mountain of challenges ahead of her. Rumor had it that Zhang Mei and Gu Shan were embroiled in a divorce battle, and for Lin Miao, that drama alone was enough to keep her on her toes.

    With Lin Miao¡¯s plate full of complications, Gu Zi felt a twinge of satisfaction. After all, if Lin Miao was preoccupied with her own mess, it meant fewer chances for her to create chaos elsewhere¨Cat least for now.

    Gong Xin was seething as she spoke about Lin Miao and the Gu family, her hands clenched and a mouthful of pastry barely contained. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it! That Lin Miao and those two old fools from the Gu family are absolutely shameless. They promised my parents that as soon as Lin Miao got out, they¡¯d initiate the divorce with my brother, but guess what happened?¡±

    Gu Zi listened, not wanting to interrupt her flow. ¡°They turned the tables and kneecapped my parents in front of the whole neighborhood! They begged for mercy, claiming they couldn¡¯t disrupt Lin Miao¡¯s preparations for the exam. They insisted on waiting until after she took her test before addressing the divorce. They swore they wouldn¡¯t create any further fuss.

    ¡°Right, like that¡¯s going to happen. They¡¯re just dragging this out! And who wouldn¡¯t look bad if my parents refused? If Lin Miao flunks the exam, they¡¯ll say it¡¯s our fault for putting too much pressure on her. We¡¯d be the villains!¡±

    This predicament left the Gong family entangled with the Gu family, unable to sever ties quickly.

    Her brother Gong Zhan had shut himself away in the military since returning, focused entirely on his training. After witnessing Su Shen¡¯s prowess, he knew he had to elevate his game¨Cno more coasting in his comfort zone.

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    While Gong Zhan busied himself with self-improvement, Gong Xin felt the weight of the situation pressing on her. She had found some solace in indulging in the delicious pastries with Gu Zi, which helped her momentarily forget the turmoil.

    After finishing her snack, Gong Xin recalled another troubling matter. ¡°Oh, and that incident with your school? Zhang Mei orchestrated that, I overheard her conspiring with some registrar from Guangwai Middle School. It wasn¡¯t that the school didn¡¯t want you; they purposely booted you from the roster just to sabotage your chance at the exam.¡±

    Gu Zi, unfazed, replied, ¡°I suspected as much. Who else but Zhang Mei would stoop so low? She¡¯s terrified I¡¯d outshine Lin Miao, and she knows that any comparisons would make Lin Miao look bad.¡±

    Understanding Zhang Mei¡¯s mindset wasn¡¯t particularly difficult. Gu Zi often found it exhausting to engage with her, but Gong Xin was incredulous. ¡°Can you believe this woman? There are so many people smarter than Lin Miao! It¡¯s absurd to think she¡¯d feel threatened. Luckily, Zhang Mei doesn¡¯t wield much power; otherwise, she could ruin countless lives.¡±

    Meanwhile, back at the Gu household, Zhang Mei had moved back in with a fierce determination to defend her marriage at all costs. She was fully committed to nurturing Lin Miao. She focused on making sure Lin Miao would ace the exam, and ultimately secure a spot at a good university. After all, if they could just endure this storm together, perhaps they¡¯d finally emerge victorious.

 Chapter 935 - Chapter 935: Afraid of Being Overshadowed by Gu Zi

    Chapter 935: Afraid of Being Overshadowed by Gu Zi

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Lin Miao couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of relief upon hearing that Zhang Mei was willing to return to their home and resolutely refused to divorce Gu Shan. It was a small comfort, but at least her mother wasn¡¯t as foolish as she had feared.

    On her first day at Guangwai Middle School, Zhang Mei accompanied her, and thanks to their shared connections, the admissions staff welcomed them with open arms.

    Lin Miao had never considered her mother to be particularly useful, but at this critical moment, she was proving her worth. Lin Miao felt a renewed affection for Zhang Mei, who had navigated the day so adeptly.

    As they approached the classroom, Lin Miao clutched Zhang Mei¡¯s hand, her face a mask of forced sweetness. ¡°Mom, thank you for making this trip,¡± she said, her brow furrowing in faux concern. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not still upset with me about our last conversation. Everything I said was only for your future, after all. I promise I¡¯ll do better. I want you to be proud of me. Can you forgive me?¡±

    She knew that her earlier objections to Zhang Mei¡¯s divorce had stung, and now she needed to soothe her mother¡¯s feelings. It was crucial that Zhang Mei focused on her own well-being, enabling Lin Miao to concentrate on her studies without distractions. She had to perform well on her upcoming exams; failure was not an option.

    Although Lin Miao had begun her studies while incarcerated, she understood that wasn¡¯t nearly enough to secure a desirable score. She needed to immerse herself in her studies without succumbing to distractions. She relied heavily on Zhang Mei¡¯s dedicated support, as getting into a reputable university was non-negotiable.

    Fortunately, she had access to memories from her previous life, allowing her to recall the exam format for this year¡¯s college entrance examination. All she needed was to master the types of questions through sheer practice, and success would surely follow.

    If she could gain admission to a prestigious university, it would wash away the scorn currently directed at her. She could then rise above it all, eventually overshadowing Gu Zi, and she would find a way to avoid a divorce with Gong Zhan.

    Yes, she would not easily relinquish her status as Mrs. Gong; it was too advantageous for her.

    With feigned remorse shimmering in her eyes, Lin Miao shared her heartfelt sentiments with Zhang Mei.

    The sight of her daughter¡¯s tears stirred something in Zhang Mei. Although she hadn¡¯t forgotten Lin Miao¡¯s previous insensitivity during her darkest hour, she couldn¡¯t hold onto her resentment. After all, blood is thicker than water¨Cwhat mother could bear to harbor animosity against her own child?

    ¡°Miao Miao, it¡¯s all in the past,¡± Zhang Mei replied with a gentle smile, making a concerted effort to appear sincere. ¡°We¡¯re mother and daughter. Just focus on your studies and prepare for your exams, alright?¡±

    Lin Miao had anticipated this response, and her face lit up with obedience. She forced an enthusiastic grin, her brow unwrinkling. ¡°I understand, Mom! But there¡¯s one more thing¨CI heard Gu Zi is also taking the exam, supposedly enrolled at Renhe Middle School. If we both get into college, you¡¯ll be the proud mother of two university students!¡±

    While Lin Miao feigned excitement, her words were a veiled jab at Zhang Mei. It was hard to fathom how Gu Zi, initially rejected by Guangwai, somehow ended up at Renhe and was now eligible for the exams.

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    Lin Miao felt a twinge of anxiety as she recalled how much more capable Gu Zi was academically. If they both competed in the same examination, any success she achieved would likely be overshadowed by Gu Zi¡¯s accomplishments. This was not the news she wanted to hear.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi received a special invitation from her children¡¯s school to attend a parents¡¯ meeting. The attendees were parents of the school¡¯s top-performing students, and the purpose of the gathering was to announce an exciting new initiative.

    The school planned to establish a gifted program aimed at nurturing exceptionally talented students, with a focus on providing tailored education from the finest teachers.

    In addition to their core curriculum, this program would also include specialized courses designed to cultivate the students¡¯ interests and talents. The school had even reached out to the education bureau to secure guaranteed spots for these students in top-tier universities.

    With such a promising plan in place, the school naturally sought out parents like Gu Zi. As she walked in, she noticed Xu Sheng¡¯s mother, Huang Fei, was also present.

 Chapter 936 - Chapter 936: Wont Measure Up to Su Bing

    Chapter 936: Won¡¯t Measure Up to Su Bing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei spotted Gu Zi from across the room. Ever since Gu Zi had rebuffed her attempts at reconciliation, Huang Fei had harbored a grudge, and was always eager to seize the opportunity to say something cutting.

    With an air of feigned friendliness, she strode over to Gu Zi, who was deep in conversation with a teacher.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Su Bing¡¯s mother! I didn¡¯t realize your son made it onto the school¡¯s consideration list. Tell me, do you really think it¡¯s wise to judge a child¡¯s potential solely by their grades?¡± Huang Fei began, her voice dripping with condescension. ¡°I heard Su Bing is from the countryside. Even if he does get a recommendation based on his grades, can he really adapt? I think it would be more suitable for him to focus on his studies in a traditional manner.¡±

    The teacher beside Gu Zi, oblivious to Huang Fei¡¯s barbs, replied earnestly, ¡°Oh, Su Bing¡¯s talents extend far beyond his grades. We even had him evaluated by the psychology department, and they found him to be a remarkable research and leadership talent. Su Bing is exactly the kind of student our country needs. Of course, he belongs on this list!¡±

    Huang Fei rolled her eyes at the teacher¡¯s lofty praise, feeling irked. ¡°It seems this school doesn¡¯t have the same high standards for everyone. After all, a child raised in the countryside has limited exposure. What happens when he can¡¯t keep up in the accelerated program and has to be sent back? That would be quite embarrassing, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    Gu Zi felt the sting of Huang Fei¡¯s pointed remarks and rubbed her nose in annoyance. How relentless could this woman be?

    Not one to back down, Gu Zi matched Huang Fei¡¯s venom with her own.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say whether Su Bing will be sent back, but I can confidently tell you that, in this upcoming exam, your Xu Sheng stands no chance against my Su Bing. Even if you push him through rigorous training, he still won¡¯t measure up. Honestly, it¡¯s quite tiresome to hear you cling to the idea that Su Bing¡¯s age or rural background is a disadvantage!¡±

    Huang Fei was left fuming, her teeth clenched in frustration, but with so many people around, she forced herself to hold back, her face burning with suppressed anger. Grabbing her designer handbag, she stormed away from Gu Zi, who quickly turned back to her teacher.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to our earlier conversation,¡± Gu Zi said, her tone now more focused.

    The teacher, shaking his head with mild disbelief, replied, ¡°I had no idea Xu Sheng¡¯s mother had such an unusual disposition. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not the one dealing with her. But honestly, you should consider having Su Bing join the talent program. Here¡¯s the internal list of potential candidates, and Su Bing¡¯s name is right here.¡±

    Gu Zi took the list and scanned it. It contained only a handful of names¨CSu Bing, Xu Sheng, and a few others she recognized from recent competitions. These were all exceptionally bright students, individuals who stood out among their peers.

    There was no doubt these bright children exerted considerable pressure on the average students in their class. Other parents had also voiced their concerns about this group of prodigies.

    These kids were remarkably self-driven; the standard curriculum barely posed any challenge for them. Being in the same class as ordinary students not only stifled the motivation of their classmates but also hindered their own advancement.

    It made sense, then, for the school to create a separate program where these gifted children could thrive with the right resources and support.

    While skipping grades wasn¡¯t a novel concept, having so many exceptional students from the same school aiming to do so was unusual.

    Gu Zi thought it a positive development.

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    Su Bing had already mastered middle school content and had long outgrown the elementary curriculum. Sticking around there would only delay his progress, so she had no reason to reject an opportunity that could benefit him.

    ¡°I will certainly consider it,¡± she assured the teacher. ¡°But I also need to discuss this with my son. It¡¯s his education, after all, and his opinion is what truly matters.¡±

    After the parent meeting, Gu Zi didn¡¯t rush home. Instead, she waited for Su Bing and his classmates to finish school so they could return together.

    Once they were home, she turned to Su Bing and said, ¡°Today¡¯s meeting was mainly about you. I believe the school¡¯s plan is excellent and advantageous for your future, but ultimately, it depends on you. Su Bing, do you want to join the talent program?¡±

    Su Bing was already aware of the discussions as he had been approached by his homeroom teacher about this matter in private. To be honest, he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in joining the program. He believed that a person¡¯s worth came from their inherent abilities, not from the classes they attended.

 Chapter 937 - Chapter 937: Su Le Sneaks In

    Chapter 937: Su Le Sneaks In

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The fact that his mother was talking to him about this meant she would support him if he wanted to join the program.

    He¡¯d heard that admission to this special class came with the added benefit of being fast-tracked to a top-tier university, bypassing the years of high school. What fantastic news! The sooner he finished his studies, the sooner he could start earning money. Spending so many years in school felt like such a waste.

    ¡°Mom, I want to join the Fast-track Class!¡± Su Bing said eagerly. ¡°Could you help me register for the test?¡± He had learned from his homeroom teacher that, although his name was already on an internal shortlist, the school had decided to make the testing fair by opening it to all students.

    The test would cover both academic and physical fitness. Anyone who scored high enough on both fronts would gain entry into the Fast-track Class for young talents.

    Gu Zi immediately called the school, confirming Su Bing¡¯s application for the Fast-track Class.

    Everything was going smoothly on their end; however, things at the Xu household were quite the opposite. The moment Xu Sheng returned from school, he felt the tense atmosphere as soon as he walked in. He was so overwhelmed he almost turned to leave, but Huang Fei¡¯s voice stopped him in his tracks.

    ¡°Xu Sheng, where do you think you¡¯re going? I¡¯ve arranged a physical training coach for you. Get over here and greet him¨Cstart your training immediately. Don¡¯t act like an unruly child with no manners!

    ¡°Testing starts next Monday. Your academics don¡¯t worry me, but your physical fitness needs serious work,¡± she declared with an imperious tone. ¡°The Su kids from the countryside apparently know martial arts, so you¡¯d better not lag behind Su Bing in fitness. Don¡¯t embarrass me. From today on, train with your coach every day after school and make sure you work extra hard!¡±

    Xu Sheng dared not argue and merely nodded, placing his unusually heavy school bag down. He walked over to the trainer, knowing his mother must have mapped out another brutal training regimen.

    On the day of the test, Gu Zi brought Su Le along to the school to accompany Su Bing. The test was held on the first floor of the school library, and when they arrived, the crowd of parents and students was astonishing. Easily over a hundred people had gathered, packing the library lobby to the brim.

    It seemed the Fast-track Class¡¯s promise of an automatic pathway to a prestigious university had attracted many families, all eager for their children to secure a spot.

    Soon, Gu Zi spotted Huang Fei leading Xu Sheng through the crowd, disdainfully sidestepping parents and children in her way. Their eyes met briefly, but, to Gu Zi¡¯s surprise, Huang Fei didn¡¯t approach her.

    Gu Zi focused on Su Bing, despite knowing he wouldn¡¯t be nervous. Still, she offered him a reassuring reminder, ¡°Just do your best. No matter the outcome, Mom supports you!¡±

    Standing calmly in the line, Su Bing observed as students and parents emerged from the testing room one by one, heads hung in disappointment. He felt surprisingly detached from the pressure.

    The test itself was straightforward. One by one, students entered the testing room, where a university professor invited by the school would administer only three questions. Answering all three correctly meant passing the academic portion, while anything less meant failure.

    Su Bing felt confident; to him, the questions wouldn¡¯t be challenging.

    Xu Sheng was two students ahead of Su Bing in the line. When he emerged, he was escorted out by a teacher, his face brimming with pride, evidently having passed the test. So far, he was the only student to do so.

    Huang Fei hurried up to meet him, beaming. When she noticed Gu Zi, she couldn¡¯t resist raising her voice for effect, ¡°My son has always excelled academically!¡±

    Her chin lifted high, every expression brimming with pride.

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    Gu Zi, unfazed, smiled back and delivered a quick jab. ¡°Then hurry and get your son back to training. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if he placed last in fitness.¡±

    Huang Fei¡¯s face froze momentarily, but she forced a smile, retorting, ¡°My son¡¯s physical abilities are hardly lacking. Perhaps you should be more concerned with whether your own son can pass this academic test. It¡¯s not like those little schoolyard exams. These questions were set by university professors. I sincerely hope your son is as lucky as he was last time. Xu Sheng, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Pulling Xu Sheng along, Huang Fei strutted out of the library lobby. Meanwhile, Gu Zi had become engrossed in conversation with Yang Zhen, who had no classes and had come specifically to support Gu Zi.

    Before long, it was Su Bing¡¯s turn for testing.

    But, caught up in her conversation with Yang Zhen, Gu Zi missed a small detail¨CSu Le had followed closely behind Su Bing right into the testing room.

 Chapter 938 - Chapter 938: Im My Mommys Daughter

    Chapter 938: I¡¯m My Mommy¡¯s Daughter

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi approached the door, she realized it had already closed behind Su Le and Su Bing.

    She moved forward, preparing to knock and retrieve her little daughter, but Yang Zhen gently stopped her, saying, ¡°Inside, it¡¯s just the school¡¯s teachers and two professors we invited¨Cno one dangerous in there. Someone will keep an eye on Lele. If we barge in now, we might interrupt the professors¡¯ questioning.¡±

    Gu Zi thought about it and agreed. Since Su Le had followed Su Bing inside, if the teachers hadn¡¯t yet brought her back out, she¡¯d likely be fine. Relieved, she stood beside Yang Zhen, both of them waiting for the outcome eagerly.

    Inside the room, Su Bing was led forward by a teacher. He halted in front of the two professors. His calm, composed expression immediately caught their attention.

    The female professor adjusted her glasses as she studied Su Bing, murmuring in admiration, ¡°Such a handsome young man¨Cno way his IQ is low. I¡¯m thrilled to be on this assignment.¡±

    The professor, known for her appreciation of talented students, particularly those both bright and good-looking, saw in Su Bing the ideal candidate. She added a discreet note beside his name, marking him for special attention.

    Meanwhile, her colleague watched, slightly disapproving of her tendency to focus on appearances.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in education for decades,¡± he murmured to her, ¡°and still you can¡¯t get rid of this habit of judging by looks. It¡¯s not fair; we need to stay impartial for the school¡¯s sake!¡±

    The female professor dismissed his concerns with a wave. ¡°How is it unfair? I can appreciate a well-presented young man, can¡¯t I? Now, instead of criticizing me, why don¡¯t you get on with presenting the questions? Stop wasting time.¡±

    Understanding her personality, the male professor dropped the issue and started setting up the test questions. Despite her fixation on appearances, he knew she conducted her work seriously and fairly, so he trusted her judgment.

    Meanwhile, three teachers standing by the door caught sight of an adorable little figure¨Cthe same little girl who had followed Su Bing inside. Upon realizing she¡¯d entered the test room, one of the teachers immediately picked her up to prevent any interruptions.

    They recognized the child as Su Le, the little sister of Su Bing. Yang Zhen had mentioned her before, and her cuteness had charmed nearly everyone at the school.

    Some of the teachers even joked that if they could have a daughter as beautiful as her, they would be overjoyed. Now, holding the precious little girl, they shared silent hopes of someday having their own daughters just as sweet and lovely.

    Ms. Zhang held Su Le first, then passed her to Ms. Wang, who held onto her tightly, much to the frustration of Ms. Liu, who stared longingly.

    Unable to hold back, Ms. Liu whispered urgently, ¡°Ms. Wang, don¡¯t be selfish! You¡¯re not letting go¨CI¡¯d like a turn too. And you¡¯re pregnant! Let me hold her instead. My husband and I plan to have a baby this year too!¡±

    Ms. Wang reluctantly clung to Su Le, pleading, ¡°Just one more minute! You and your husband haven¡¯t conceived yet, but I¡¯m already pregnant, so I need this little cutie¡¯s good luck even more! Let¡¯s not make noise and disturb the test.¡±

    Su Le, feeling unsettled by the endless passing around, began to kick her legs in protest. She glared at the teachers, her tiny brows furrowing, and announced, ¡°Put me down! I want to find my brother!¡±

    Her voice, small but commanding, carried through the room, instantly catching the attention of the professors, who both turned their gaze toward the commotion.

    The test, it seemed, had now been interrupted.

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    Ms. Wang quickly set Su Le down, and the other teachers fell silent, exchanging nervous glances as they realized their mistake.

    The female professor, however, beamed at the sight of Su Le, captivated by her doll-like face and bright eyes. She walked over to Su Le, smiling warmly. ¡°Oh my, whose little angel are you? You look like a little porcelain doll!¡±

    Su Le, still somewhat indignant, puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m my mommy¡¯s daughter. And I heard you¡¯re a professor?¡±

    Her response was so endearing that the adults couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Even the female professor¡¯s eyes sparkled with amusement.

    She squatted down to Su Le¡¯s eye level and asked with a gentle smile, ¡°Oh, so you know what a professor is, do you? That¡¯s right¨CI¡¯m a professor. I teach foreign languages at the university level. Do you know what a university is? Or what foreign languages are?¡±

 Chapter 939 - Chapter 939: Su Les Talent

    Chapter 939: Su Le¡¯s Talent

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The male professor felt that too much time was being wasted on this little girl. Wasn¡¯t this a test session?

    Just as he was about to remind his colleague to focus on the task and let the three teachers handle the child, he heard Su Le begin speaking¨Cfluently¨Cin a foreign language, answering the female professor¡¯s question.

    ¡°I certainly know what a professor is! My mom told me that professors are university teachers, and that universities are places of higher education, where talent is cultivated. When I grow up, I¡¯ll go to university too, to contribute to our country. As for foreign languages, they¡¯re popular languages spoken in other countries. Many people in those countries speak them. I already know a foreign language, Professor. What do you think of my foreign language skills?¡±

    The female professor was astonished, and the male professor was equally dumbfounded. This little girl, who seemed no older than three, could speak a foreign language so fluently!

    The three teachers stood wide-eyed and open-mouthed, too shocked to form words. They¡¯d known that the Su family kids were impressive¨CSu Bing was a top student, and his younger brother Su Li was unmatched in martial arts. But no one had imagined that this youngest sibling was a hidden prodigy, excelling in language at such a young age. It was almost unbelievable!

    When Su Le didn¡¯t get a response, she tilted her head, puzzled. She thought her answer was pretty good, so why wasn¡¯t the professor replying?

    Just then, Su Bing came over and gently pulled his little sister closer to him. He spoke to the two professors, ¡°Professors, this is my little sister. I¡¯m sorry for the disruption. She must have followed me in when I came, and I didn¡¯t notice. May I escort her outside? My mother is waiting just outside the room.¡±

    Originally, Su Bing had planned to let his sister stay with the teachers while he completed his test. But with the interruption, he decided it would be best to take her out now.

    The female professor remembered that they were in the middle of a test and said, ¡°We¡¯ve already started the test. According to protocol, we can¡¯t open the door midway¨Cdoing so means the test is over. Su Bing, you still have one question left.¡±

    The male professor nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s best if you finish the last question first, then you can take your sister outside. Teachers, could you please take care of the little one in the meantime? And, young lady,¡± he said kindly to Su Le, ¡°would you mind staying with the teachers until your brother finishes his test?¡±

    Looking up at the professors and then at her brother, Su Le nodded obediently. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that. My mommy told me to listen to teachers!¡±

    Her earnest expression melted everyone¡¯s hearts. This time, Teacher Liu was quick to pick her up, holding her close like a precious treasure.

    Teacher Wang, who hadn¡¯t managed to hold Su Le, patted her own belly and murmured softly, ¡°Baby, listen up in there. Mommy doesn¡¯t expect you to be as beautiful or brilliant as Su Le, but if you¡¯re even half as cute and smart, I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯ve won the lottery!¡±

    With that, the professors returned to their seats, and Su Bing proceeded to answer the last question. When he finished, the professors were beyond pleased. It was the most flawless performance they¡¯d seen yet, and they both noted down his name: Su Bing.

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    As Su Bing prepared to leave with Su Le, the male professor urged, ¡°Su Bing, you¡¯re outstanding. We hope to see you in our talent development program. And don¡¯t worry about the physical test this afternoon¨Cwe¡¯re confident you¡¯ll do well. Also, please tell your mother that your sister has an extraordinary gift for languages. With the right guidance, her future is boundless.¡±

    Before the male professor had finished speaking, the female professor handed Su Bing her card and said, ¡°This is my private number. When your mother decides how she¡¯d like to support your sister¡¯s language development, please ask her to contact me. With such talent, it would be a shame to let it go to waste!¡±

    When Su Bing and Su Le exited, they were accompanied by all three teachers, making their departure far grander than Xu Sheng¡¯s.

    The waiting parents and children looked on enviously as Gu Zi and Yang Zhen, who had been anxiously waiting outside, hurried forward as soon as the door opened.

    The teachers cheerfully handed over both children, and Gu Zi finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that everything had gone smoothly after all.

 Chapter 940 - Chapter 940: Let Him Decide

    Chapter 940: Let Him Decide

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi bid farewell to Yang Zhen and took Su Bing and Su Le to a state-run restaurant outside the school for lunch.

    Su Bing had a physical fitness test in the afternoon, so she wanted him to eat well. Going home would take too long, so eating out was a convenient change of pace.

    During lunch, Su Bing relayed the professors¡¯ comments to Gu Zi and handed her the business card the female professor had given him. ¡°Mom, Su Le spoke in a foreign language in front of the professors, and they overheard her. One of them gave me this card and said her language talent shouldn¡¯t be wasted. She suggested we start nurturing it from a young age and asked you to get in touch.¡±

    Gu Zi listened with surprise as Su Bing recounted what had happened, turning to Su Le in awe. ¡°My little Lele, you followed your brother inside and even caught the professors¡¯ attention?¡±

    Su Le nodded, excited by the experience, and began chattering away. ¡°Mommy, I met the professors! They¡¯re all so old and wear glasses¡­¡±

    Su Le was too engrossed in sharing to notice the worry in Gu Zi¡¯s eyes. Ever since she discovered her daughter¡¯s remarkable language skills, Gu Zi had known that Su Le wasn¡¯t an ordinary child. Luckily, Su Le was still young and didn¡¯t attend school, so her talent wasn¡¯t obvious to others, sparing Gu Zi the worry of unwanted attention for now.

    But Gu Zi hadn¡¯t anticipated today¡¯s events.

    Su Le¡¯s abilities had immediately caught the attention of two professors. While it was certainly out of their love for talent, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t convinced it was a good thing.

    Su Le was still just a child; she¡¯d rather see her daughter enjoy a simple and happy childhood over any intense nurturing of her gifts.

    Still, the professors¡¯ suggestion was reasonable. Cultivating Su Le¡¯s talent from a young age would benefit her future development. Since she couldn¡¯t make the decision alone, Gu Zi decided to discuss it with Su Shen that evening and let him weigh in.

    In the afternoon, the results of the academic tests were announced. Out of more than a hundred students who participated, only twenty-one qualified for the next round of physical fitness testing. After the physical test, another six students were eliminated, leaving only fifteen to advance to the prestigious Little Genius Training Program.

    Both Su Bing and Xu Sheng made it into the final list, although Xu Sheng placed last in the physical fitness test.

    When Huang Fei heard this, her face went pale with anger, and she glared furiously at her son, disappointed beyond words. Xu Sheng, unable to meet her gaze, kept his head down. Yet, despite her frustration, Huang Fei maintained a proud front in front of others, unwilling to admit any perceived weakness.

    ¡°We Xu family members have been scholars for generations,¡± she declared pointedly. ¡°No trace of farm labor in our genes, so it¡¯s only natural to lack in brute strength. Physical ability isn¡¯t what makes a good student; academics are what really matter. And since my son passed the test, he¡¯s more than qualified.¡±

    Her words carried a not-so-subtle implication that the Su family¡¯s rural roots explained Su Bing¡¯s top rank in the fitness test and that it was hardly something to brag about.

    Other parents exchanged glances and rolled their eyes. After all, Su Bing hadn¡¯t just topped the fitness test¨Che also ranked first academically. If Huang Fei¡¯s son was from a scholarly family, why didn¡¯t he take first place academically?

    Gu Zi overheard but didn¡¯t bother to engage. Her son¡¯s strength was obvious to anyone paying attention. First in academics and first in fitness¨Cno argument was needed. She had no intention of wasting time debating with Huang Fei.

    Fuming on the way home, Huang Fei¡¯s frustration had reached its peak, and Xu Sheng didn¡¯t dare make a sound.

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    When they arrived home, he relaxed slightly as his mother diverted her irritation toward the housemaid. Xu Sheng sighed with relief, wondering if he should tell his father how much his mother¡¯s behavior frightened him.

    Late that night, lights still illuminated the Su family¡¯s living room. Gu Zi hadn¡¯t gone upstairs, waiting instead for Su Shen to come home so they could discuss Su Le¡¯s situation.

    After dozing off for the third time, she awoke to the sound of Su Shen¡¯s car pulling up in the driveway. She walked outside just in time to see him striding up to the house.

    As he passed the dog¡¯s kennel, their dog, Big Yellow, wagged its tail in greeting. Su Shen patted its head affectionately before heading over to the outdoor faucet to wash his hands.

    Once he¡¯d finished, he joined Gu Zi inside and spoke to her gently. ¡°Why are you still up so late? Couldn¡¯t this have waited until morning? You have so much to do these days¨Cstudying, managing everything. It¡¯s important for you to rest.¡±

 Chapter 941 - Chapter 941: Not in a Rush to Cultivate

    Chapter 941: Not in a Rush to Cultivate

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Recently, Su Shen had been consumed with expanding his business, often working late into the night. By the time he returned home, Gu Zi was usually already asleep.

    Out of respect, he wouldn¡¯t disturb her rest, only occasionally awakening her if his longing became too strong. But once, he¡¯d been too rough, leaving her uncomfortable afterward. Since then, he preferred to restrain himself rather than interrupt her sleep.

    Seeing her waiting for him tonight, he felt both happiness and concern¨Cconcerned she wasn¡¯t resting enough.

    But Gu Zi, hearing his gentle scolding, thought he was the one who truly needed rest. In the countryside, he had always worked tirelessly, even taking night shifts and managing tasks alone, without ever appearing fatigued.

    Now, even as he pushed to grow his business, he still insisted on doing everything himself, leaving precious little time for rest.

    She knew that if not for her upcoming exams, he wouldn¡¯t have stayed home recently at all. Though he never showed it, watching him work so hard tugged at her heart.

    Gu Zi reached out, lightly tracing her fingers across his face. ¡°I needed to talk to you about something, and I couldn¡¯t wait till tomorrow. But before we get to that, let me tell you this: when you come home at night, after your shower, just leave your clothes by the washing machine. I¡¯ll wash them with the rest. There¡¯s no need for you to scrub them yourself. You need all the rest you can get.¡±

    Su Shen often insisted on hand-washing his clothes after returning from the pig farm, fearing they were too dirty to put in the washing machine, which others used. He would rinse himself off and then, without a second thought, wash his work clothes by hand before hanging them up to dry.

    The thought of his nightly routine made Gu Zi¡¯s chest tighten slightly, her brows furrowing with a quiet frustration.

    Su Shen noticed the look and, smiling, slipped his arm around her waist, taking her hand in his. Her hands were soft and delicate, hands he felt were meant to be cherished. He would rather do everything himself than let her feel burdened.

    But hearing her gentle insistence tonight warmed him. In his eyes, she was not yet twenty, still young. He hadn¡¯t realized that, in her heart, she could also feel such tenderness for him. How could he not be moved?

    He bent down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead and murmured, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you. From now on, I¡¯ll use the washing machine too.¡±

    His response brightened her expression, her eyebrows relaxing into a natural, captivating charm. She pulled him over to the couch, saying, ¡°Good. From now on, no more treating yourself like that; it makes you look pitiful. Now, let¡¯s talk about Su Le.¡±

    Su Le was soundly asleep on one end of the sofa, a small blanket tucked around her by Gu Zi. Since she planned to wait for Su Shen to return, she had let Su Le fall asleep there so she could keep an eye on her in case she woke up unexpectedly.

    Su Shen¡¯s gaze shifted from his sleeping daughter to Gu Zi, his expression softening with gratitude. He knew how lovingly she cared for Su Le, and he trusted that if Gu Zi wanted to discuss her, it was something important. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he said, his tone attentive.

    Gu Zi took a breath and said, ¡°Today, I took Lele along with Su Bing for his test. She went into the room with him and somehow managed to catch the attention of two professors inside. One of them even gave Su Bing a business card for me. They want to start training Su Le¡¯s language skills right away, which, of course, could be good for her. But I¡¯m also worried; I don¡¯t want her to become a target at such a young age. I need your thoughts on this.¡±

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    Su Shen¡¯s brows drew together slightly, revealing his reluctance. He, too, was uncomfortable with the idea of Su Le being thrust into a formal training program so early.

    ¡°Your concerns are valid,¡± he replied. ¡°We don¡¯t know the true intentions of those involved yet, and Lele is still so young. There¡¯s no rush.¡±

    Understanding his perspective, Gu Zi nodded. It was the same thought that had crossed her mind earlier. Ever since Su Bing¡¯s abilities caught the attention of someone in the shadows, they had taken extra precautions. If Su Le were also recognized as a child prodigy, it would only invite more trouble.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call the professor tomorrow and decline their offer,¡± she agreed. ¡°But I have to admit, I¡¯m still puzzled. After that group came from the capital to look for the children, they vanished without a trace. If the person behind all this is indeed Su Bing¡¯s biological father and he wants to reclaim the children, then why stay hidden?¡±

    Could she have been mistaken? Perhaps this mysterious figure wasn¡¯t their father after all, or if he was, then taking the children back wasn¡¯t his goal. But if that were the case, what purpose did his actions serve?

 Chapter 942 - Chapter 942: Treat Yourself Better

    Chapter 942: Treat Yourself Better

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen had clearly invested considerable thought into the matter. As Gu Zi spoke, his eyes flickered with concern as he turned to her and said, ¡°There¡¯s still no clear lead on this. I¡¯ve had people investigate, and they confirmed that the mastermind is indeed from the capital and currently in Guangcheng. However, we can¡¯t identify his name or position. It¡¯s possible he isn¡¯t here solely for the three children.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded in agreement. If the person were entirely focused on the children, they wouldn¡¯t still be sitting idle.

    Knowing that the mastermind hailed from the capital suggested that the children¡¯s biological father had some significant background, which surprised Gu Zi. She hadn¡¯t expected the origins of the three children to be so extraordinary.

    She remembered that the original story didn¡¯t mention the children¡¯s backgrounds; after all, the second and third children had passed away early, and the eldest showed little interest in his lineage. He only acknowledged Su Shen as his father, and both of them were naturally discreet, leaving them unnoticed by the outside world, including the irresponsible biological father who failed to pay them any attention.

    Gu Zi¡¯s worry was palpable. ¡°Regardless of whether the mastermind is here solely for the children, we can¡¯t let our guard down. We cannot allow him to take them.¡±

    Su Shen chuckled softly and gently rubbed her back, offering comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I promised I wouldn¡¯t let anyone take the kids. Why don¡¯t you go to bed? I¡¯ll carry Lele upstairs.¡±

    He carefully picked up Su Le and, together with Gu Zi, headed upstairs.

    After she had settled into bed, he took a quick shower and changed his clothes before joining her. He found her already asleep, softly murmuring as he wrapped his arms around her.

    Leaning in closer, he caught snippets of her words: ¡°You need to take better care of yourself. You¡¯re working too hard, and it pains me to see you like this. You¡¯re my man; don¡¯t wear yourself out. Who will grow old with me then?¡±

    Su Shen was taken aback, realizing she was still thinking about him even in her sleep. His eyes widened in surprise, and he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, softly replying to her dreams, ¡°I will, Gu Zi.¡±

    The next morning, Gu Zi awoke to Su Shen¡¯s gentle kisses. He had started softly, but as he sensed her waking, he grew bolder, deepening the kiss. His hand slipped beneath the collar of her nightgown, caressing her soft, supple curves. Gu Zi found herself responding, and soon the morning was filled with their tangled warmth, creating quite a stir.

    After a while, Su Shen finally withdrew, content, and lifted her in his arms. They shared a bath together before getting ready and heading downstairs.

    Su Le was still fast asleep, so Gu Zi decided to let her rest a little longer. Their two sons had already made their own breakfast and left for school.

    As Gu Zi headed to the kitchen to prepare her own breakfast, Su Shen followed her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. He inhaled her scent, savoring the closeness they had just shared.

    Though Gu Zi had enjoyed their time together, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a little overwhelmed by Su Shen¡¯s energy. Remembering something she had meant to ask for a while, she turned to him and said, ¡°I still don¡¯t know the birthdays of the three children. I want to celebrate them.¡±

    Su Shen seemed surprised by her sudden thought. ¡°Su Bing and Su Le both have their birthdays in October, and Su Li¡¯s is in the first half of the year¨Cthis month, in fact. If I¡¯m not mistaken, his birthday is next Monday.¡±

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    Gu Zi gasped, turning to push Su Shen playfully. ¡°That¡¯s just a few days away! Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? I need to prepare a birthday cake for Su Li! When you come back today, can you bring me a cake-making set?¡±

    Su Shen, unfazed by her push, simply held her tighter. To him, her strength was almost negligible. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll pick one up. But there are plenty of ready-made cakes available in the city. You don¡¯t have to go through all that trouble.¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head. ¡°They might have cakes, but their sponge cakes can¡¯t compare to the ones I make in the earthen oven. I really enjoy the process, or else I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to replicate the earthen oven I used in the countryside for the backyard.¡±

    The earthen oven was something Su Shen had built before he left for the capital, and it was finally ready for use, perfect for baking cakes.

    After finishing breakfast, Gu Zi sent Su Shen off to work and began her review and tasks. During breaks, she played with Su Le, who had just woken up. By noon, Su Shen returned with everything Gu Zi needed, and she started tidying up the earthen oven to prepare for the celebration.

 Chapter 943 - Chapter 943: Su Lis Birthday

    Chapter 943: Su Li¡¯s Birthday

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The day swiftly turned to afternoon, and as Su Bing and the others returned from school, they found their home transformed into what resembled a festive party setting. Curiosity sparkled in their eyes as Su Li asked, ¡°Mom, are we having a food party again?¡±

    Gu Zi smiled at Su Li, maintaining an air of casualness as she replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t your birthday next Monday? I¡¯m planning to throw you a birthday party, complete with a cake. You can invite your classmates to celebrate with you after school!¡±

    Su Li had never celebrated a birthday before, and disbelief washed over him as he echoed her words, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re really going to throw a birthday party for me and make a cake?¡±

    Gu Zi walked over and gently ruffled his hair, affirming, ¡°That¡¯s right! From now on, I¡¯ll celebrate your birthdays. I¡¯ll do the same for Su Bing and Su Le, too. Whenever you have a birthday, I¡¯ll make sure to throw you a party and bake a cake!¡±

    In that moment, Su Li felt like the happiest person in the world. Finally, he would have someone to celebrate his birthday with, and the thought filled him with joy. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to tell Gao Ming! I want to invite him to my birthday party!¡±

    With excitement bubbling over, Su Li dashed out of the house. Watching her son¡¯s delight, Gu Zi felt a swell of gratitude as Su Bing turned to her and said, ¡°Mom, thank you for everything you do for us.¡±

    Though Su Bing was not one to often express gratitude, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge Gu Zi¡¯s efforts.

    He thought about how he wanted to earn money to support her better, yet he still felt it wasn¡¯t enough. He wanted to show her kindness, to express his gratitude for the love she had given to the three of them. They were so fortunate to have her in their lives.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to make the moment overly serious. Seeing Su Bing¡¯s earnestness, she chuckled lightly, ¡°Silly boy, we¡¯re family. Caring for each other is what we do. Don¡¯t feel too pressured. This birthday party is for Su Li, but you¡¯re his brother, so you can invite your friends, too!¡±

    Scratching his head, Su Bing replied, ¡°I don¡¯t really have anyone special I want to invite, but can I ask the three Hu brothers? They¡¯ve never had cake before, and I¡¯d like to treat them to some.¡±

    Gu Zi felt a pang of sympathy for those three kids. They had grown up wandering without a family, probably unaware of their own birthdays. It dawned on her just how fortunate they were, and she nodded, ¡°Of course! If you consider them friends, then their character is trustworthy. Go ahead and invite them.¡±

    The next day at school, Su Li took it upon himself to invite his classmates. He spread the word among the martial arts club as well, excluding only his rival, Sun Wei, and Sun Wei¡¯s entourage.

    The other students were more than willing to attend, having heard from those who had come before about Su Li¡¯s beautiful mother and her ability to whip up delicious treats that couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else.

    When they returned home that afternoon, Su Li presented Gu Zi with a list of classmates who had confirmed their attendance. Gu Zi was astonished when she saw the names.

    Su Li was quite popular; he had managed to invite over fifty classmates to the celebration! It was no surprise he was destined to become a future leader, given his remarkable ability to rally people together.

    Gu Zi calculated the logistics and realized she would need to bake three cakes for the party, but this was not a problem for her. She planned to bake the cake layers on the morning of the party, so they would be fresh and flavorful. On that day, she would prepare two large cakes in advance, leaving the third one to bake with Su Li and his friends after school.

    She also intended to make smaller cake layers for the children to decorate themselves, so that they all felt included and had fun.

    When Su Li learned of his mother¡¯s plans, his excitement grew tenfold, and he found himself eagerly counting down the days until his birthday.

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    Gao Ming knew there would be cake, made by Aunt Gu Zi herself, and he had been buzzing with excitement all night. He woke up early, washed up, and slung his backpack over his shoulder before heading to Su¡¯s house to find Su Li.

    As Su Li rubbed his eyes and steadied himself, he heard Gao Ming¡¯s voice calling from downstairs, ¡°Su Li, happy birthday! I brought you a present!¡±

    Su Li swung open the window and waved at Gao Ming. ¡°Good morning! Thank you, Gao Ming! Just wait for me downstairs; I¡¯ll be right down after I get ready!¡±

    Both boys were filled with anticipation¨Cone eager to receive a gift, the other thrilled to give one. Before long, they reunited in the living room downstairs.

    Gao Ming handed Su Li a wrapped gift box, and upon glancing at it, Su Li hesitated. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the toy you¡¯ve always wanted that your dad bought for you?¡±

 Chapter 944 - Chapter 944: Best Friend

    Chapter 944: Best Friend

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Since learning that his parents were moving back in, Gao Ming could hardly contain his excitement.

    While others might not have noticed, Su Li was aware of his friend¡¯s eagerness. Gao Ming pretended to be indifferent, but Su Li knew he cared deeply. The last time Gao Ming¡¯s father had bought him a toy, he had treasured it, especially a tin Santa Claus toy that was his absolute favorite.

    Inside the carefully wrapped gift box that Gao Ming brought with him was precisely that cherished Santa Claus toy. Dressed in a bright red coat, the Santa was riding a bicycle with a small basket filled with various gifts.

    Su Li remembered Gao Ming telling him that these gifts were meant for children, as Santa Claus was the kindest old man in the world.

    Su Li was captivated by the stories Gao Ming shared about Santa, making him particularly interested in the toy. He was touched to learn that Gao Ming had noticed his fascination; on his birthday, Gao Ming was willing to part with his favorite toy as a gift. Su Li sniffled, overwhelmed with gratitude.

    Looking at the toy in the box, Gao Ming felt a pang of reluctance but said to Su Li, ¡°You are my best friend, so I want to give you what I think is the best toy. Happy birthday, Su Li!¡±

    With a firm motion, he pressed the toy into Su Li¡¯s hands. Su Li took a moment to admire the beautiful Santa. He genuinely liked it, but he understood that this toy held significant meaning for Gao Ming. His mother had once taught him that a gentleman should not take what others cherish, so he couldn¡¯t accept Gao Ming¡¯s favorite toy.

    After a moment of contemplation, Su Li reached into the basket on Santa¡¯s bicycle and pulled out a candy. Although it wasn¡¯t real candy, it looked incredibly realistic.

    He handed Santa back to Gao Ming and said, ¡°Thank you! I just want this candy. Let¡¯s pretend it¡¯s your gift to me. You keep Santa safe. I can¡¯t take your favorite thing because you are my best friend, too. Now let¡¯s go to school! We can eat cake together tonight!¡±

    Watching this exchange, Gu Zi felt a wave of warmth. Su Li was usually so carefree, but his kindness was heartwarming.

    Gao Ming was equally wonderful; true friends were indeed like this¨Cinnocent and selfless, always thinking of one another. This bond was priceless, and Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy at their pure friendship.

    Once the children left for school, Gu Zi leisurely began preparing for the birthday party. With several days of preparation behind her, there wasn¡¯t much left to do today, aside from baking the cake. This task was simple for her, especially since Grandma Gao had offered to bring a housekeeper to help out, ensuring there would be plenty of hands on deck.

    By the afternoon, everything was ready, and the children returned from school. Su Li and Gao Ming jumped out of the car and raced towards Su Li¡¯s house. As they ran, Su Li exclaimed, ¡°I want to show you our clay oven! The delicious cake is made in that oven, which my mom designed!¡±

    Gao Ming¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as he replied, ¡°Su Li, your mom is amazing! I can¡¯t believe she can make something like that! But when can we bake the cake?¡±

    Gao Ming was particularly eager to participate in the cake-making process. Though he never lacked for cake, he had never experienced making one himself. He found the prospect thrilling.

    ¡°We¡¯ll check out the oven first, and then I¡¯ll show you everything,¡± Su Li replied. ¡°Mom said we can start baking as soon as we get back.¡±

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    The little birthday boy dragged Gao Ming toward the backyard, while the adults, aware that school was out, prepared to greet the children coming for the birthday party. The event had been communicated to both the school and the parents, ensuring that the kids would arrive accompanied by their parents, who were welcome to stay and interact.

    Many guests were expected, so Gu Zi had arranged the living room and front yard to accommodate everyone. The Su family home was spacious, providing ample room for the birthday celebration.

    The children invited were friends of Su Li, and their parents had come to recognize the Su brothers positively, allowing their children to attend the party.

    As a result, both children and parents arrived with bright smiles. Thoughtful parents had even prepared gifts for Su Li that their children were ready to give.

    The atmosphere was harmonious, and just then, Huang Fei arrived with Xu Sheng from across the street.

 Chapter 945 - Chapter 945: You Havent Had Cake Before, Have You?

    Chapter 945: You Haven¡¯t Had Cake Before, Have You?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi was feeling a bit overwhelmed. She needed to greet the guests and manage the event, and in her bustling preparations, she hadn¡¯t noticed Huang Fei arriving.

    She was focused on displaying the two large cakes she had prepared earlier. She asked a maid from the Gao family to help her push them out on a cake cart. The cakes were covered in whimsical floral fabric, drawing no one¡¯s attention just yet.

    As she worked, Gu Zi needed to bring out the baked cake layers, both large and small, along with the cream and other ingredients for the children¡¯s cake-making activity. She planned to make three large cakes; she had already completed two earlier, leaving one to be made with the kids later.

    She had also prepared many candles. Once the lights were turned off, she envisioned lighting the candles on both the large and small cakes, which seemed like a dream come true.

    Just thinking about it made her smile.

    Suddenly, a keen-eyed parent called out, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the transfer student genius, Xu Sheng, with his mother? They live here too! Hello, Mrs. Xu!¡±

    ¡°Wow! It¡¯s really Mrs. Xu! Did she come to celebrate Su Li¡¯s birthday? I heard she and Mrs. Su don¡¯t get along. This looks like they¡¯re on good terms¨Cmust have been just rumors,¡± another parent chimed in.

    ¡°What else could it be? Look at the gift Mrs. Xu is holding! Did you see the tag? It¡¯s all in foreign languages. That¡¯s from the most famous cake shop in the city, and their cakes are really trendy. No wonder Mrs. Xu is from the capital; she really knows how to impress!¡±

    The gossiping parents drew Gu Zi¡¯s attention to Huang Fei, making it impossible for her to ignore. Although she wasn¡¯t fond of Huang Fei¡¯s demeanor, she knew it was her duty to greet her as a guest. She set down what she was doing and walked over.

    However, Huang Fei spoke first.

    Huang Fei raised the gift box high, casting a glance around at the other parents before fixing her gaze on Gu Zi. With a condescending smile, she said, ¡°Gu Zi, even though Su Li isn¡¯t a classmate of Xu Sheng¡¯s, we¡¯re neighbors. I¡¯m here to deliver this gift, whether you invite me or not. Su Li, perfect timing! This is a cake I specially bought for you. I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t tasted a cake before, right?¡±

    As Huang Fei spoke, she spotted Su Li running towards them and called out to him.

    Her eyes glinted with disdain; to her, he was just a country bumpkin who had become a newly rich upstart because his family raised pigs. Hosting a birthday party and inviting so many classmates was a ridiculous display, one that overshadowed even her son Xu Sheng¡¯s celebrations. Who did he think he was?

    Determined not to let them outshine her family, Huang Fei had already prepared. When she picked up Xu Sheng from school, she had visited the city¡¯s most famous cake shop and bought a cake there. It was the smallest size, no larger than her palm, and the cheapest version.

    However, cakes sold in that cake shop were still expensive. For someone from the countryside, simply getting a taste of it was already a luxury, so how could they care about size or style?

    Su Li, being so naive, would surely be thrilled and grateful. He would surely run right up to her and thank her for bringing such an extravagant cake. She wanted everyone, especially the other parents, to see who truly belonged to a wealthy family. She would make sure that no one mistakenly befriended the wrong people.

    Su Li felt puzzled upon seeing Huang Fei. Why was she here? She always seemed to pick on his mother, and he wasn¡¯t fond of her. Yet, as an adult, she was calling him over and offering him something; refusing would be rude.

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    Reluctantly, Su Li slowed his pace, tugging Gao Ming along. He hesitated before accepting the cake, countering Huang Fei¡¯s words, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve eaten cake before. Are you really giving this cake to me?¡±

    What he really wanted to ask was whether she was just there to deliver cake or to flaunt her superiority. But he was still too young to articulate his thoughts clearly, and his question came out sounding a bit forced.

    The other parents observed, interpreting Su Li¡¯s response as defiance. They knew the Su family was wealthy, but after all, they were still from the countryside. Where would they have had the chance to eat cake before?

    Clearly, Su Li had never tasted a birthday cake before. The Su family had just moved to the city, and with Su Li¡¯s birthday coinciding with their arrival, it was likely that this was the first birthday celebration for him with a proper cake. It made sense that the party was so extravagant.

    For the parents and children from the city, eating a birthday cake wasn¡¯t particularly novel, but they had come to accept the Su family¡¯s two children. They didn¡¯t mind allowing their kids to join in and share Su Li¡¯s first experience of eating cake.

 Chapter 946 - Chapter 946: Beneath the Floral Cloth

    Chapter 946: Beneath the Floral Cloth

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei¡¯s smile widened as she said, ¡°You¡¯re still young, yet you sure know it¡¯s important to save yourself from embarrassment. Of course, this cake is for you! Don¡¯t be shy; everyone has their first time. Not having eaten cake before is nothing to be embarrassed about. Go ahead, take it and try it! This isn¡¯t just any cake; it¡¯s an expensive one. I bet the cake your family ordered today isn¡¯t as good as this. If you¡¯re interested in getting one from this bakery, I can give you the address.¡±

    Su Li, even with his limited understanding, could see that Huang Fei wasn¡¯t there to celebrate his birthday; she was simply trying to outshine his mother.

    He didn¡¯t like the idea of Huang Fei overshadowing his mom, especially since he had eaten birthday cake before. Why did she insist he hadn¡¯t?

    Before they got the new oven, his mother had made small cakes for him and his siblings to enjoy. Those cakes were not only delicious but also beautifully crafted¨Cnothing a bakery could produce could compare!

    Despite his upbringing, Su Li didn¡¯t take the cake Huang Fei offered. Instead, he firmly stated, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve really had cake before. I don¡¯t want your cake. My family didn¡¯t order one today because my mom is making a cake for my birthday herself. Later, she¡¯s going to bake with everyone, and her cakes are way prettier and tastier than yours!¡±

    Gu Zi had initially thought this little matter was hardly worth a comparison. Huang Fei seemed intent on making a scene, and in light of Su Li¡¯s birthday, she could have her moment. But now, with her son unwilling to let Huang Fei take the spotlight, Gu Zi felt no obligation to indulge her.

    She couldn¡¯t understand what was going through Huang Fei¡¯s mind. Here she was, hosting a birthday party for her son, and this woman still tried to steal the limelight.

    It was no surprise that Huang Fei ended up embarrassed.

    Without hesitation, Gu Zi echoed Su Li¡¯s words to Huang Fei and the crowd, saying, ¡°Su Li is right; the cake is homemade. I¡¯ve already made two, and we¡¯ll bake more together in a bit. There will be plenty of cake today!

    ¡°Today, we don¡¯t lack for cake, Huang Fei, but your gesture is appreciated. Su Li thinks my food is the best, and with what you¡¯ve said, he surely won¡¯t want to accept your gift. I apologize for that.¡±

    Huang Fei was taken aback by Su Li¡¯s rejection; she hadn¡¯t expected it at all. She couldn¡¯t believe he had truly eaten a real birthday cake before. Did Gu Zi really think she could bake something worthwhile? Ridiculous!

    Huang Fei scoffed, ¡°Gu Zi, I¡¯m not trying to be rude, but you¡¯re being quite stingy. You invite everyone over to celebrate Su Li¡¯s birthday and can¡¯t even buy a decent cake? You want to make one yourself? Do you think cake-making is that simple?¡±

    Coming from a privileged background, Huang Fei had consumed her fair share of exquisite cakes but had never baked one herself. To her, making a cake was a complex task meant for professional pastry chefs. The idea that Gu Zi could make a decent cake was laughable; she probably just threw something together to fool everyone.

    The murmurs among the other parents began to rise. ¡°So they¡¯re having the kids come over to bake cakes instead of just enjoying them? That seems a bit petty, doesn¡¯t it? If we had known, we could have brought a cake for Su Li too. It¡¯s all about making the kids happy, after all.¡±

    ¡°Why are you speaking so loudly? You think Mrs. Su doesn¡¯t care about appearances? I heard the Su family is expanding their pig farm, so maybe they¡¯ve poured all their funds into that. Financial struggles are common in business, and we can all understand that. But honestly, if it¡¯s about making cakes, it¡¯s a great opportunity for the kids to practice their skills. They¡¯ve all had real cakes before; why fuss over this?¡±

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    ¡°Let¡¯s not even mention practicing skills. I¡¯ve heard baking isn¡¯t exactly easy; it¡¯s not as simple as it sounds. We¡¯re just here to let the kids have some fun and build a rapport with Mrs. Su. Let¡¯s all try to be supportive and not come off as dull.¡±

    Gu Zi listened to the chatter and felt relieved that these parents still had some sense. However, she was surprised to hear about the pig farm¡¯s expansion. It seemed that Su Shen was making significant moves lately. Fortunately, the older man was skilled at concealing his financial strength, and there wasn¡¯t really any cash flow issue at all.

    Not feeling the need to rush her response, Gu Zi walked over to the cake cart and slowly pulled back the floral-patterned cloth covering the cakes.

    Today, she wore a simple yet elegant dress, exuding beauty and grace.

    Su Li and Gao Ming quickly followed her, walking proudly behind her like two little sentinels. The other parents, drawn by curiosity, turned their attention to the reveal, eager to see what treasures lay beneath the floral cloth.

 Chapter 947 - Chapter 947: Top-tier Pastry Chef

    Chapter 947: Top-tier Pastry Chef

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Soon, the floral cloth was completely pulled aside, revealing the treasures beneath.

    Two transparent square boxes housed two large, beautifully crafted cakes, each with two layers. The cake on the left was themed around flowers and butterflies, fresh and unique, while the one on the right featured animated characters, playful and charming.

    Regardless of the theme, both cakes were exquisitely made, resembling works of art rather than mere desserts. At first, the guests thought they had wandered into the display area of the city¡¯s most famous bakery, but as the realization set in, they remembered they were at the Su residence.

    Could these cakes truly be the creations of Gu Zi? It seemed almost too incredible to believe!

    As everyone remained enchanted by the stunning cakes, Gu Zi¡¯s melodious voice broke through the chatter. ¡°Dear parents and students, these are the two large cakes I prepared to celebrate my son Su Li¡¯s birthday. In a moment, I will also demonstrate how to make another cake on the spot. You¡¯ll see that making a cake isn¡¯t as difficult as it seems. The theme for this one will be familial love.¡±

    Gu Zi spoke with calm confidence, not needing to embellish her skills or compare herself to professional bakers. The sight of the cakes alone spoke volumes, and it was clear to everyone that she had poured her heart into this celebration.

    The parents began to lean toward Gu Zi, reassured by the evidence before them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just baking; this is artistry!¡± one parent exclaimed. ¡°Mrs. Xu, or should I say Ms. Huang, the level of detail in Gu Zi¡¯s cakes is on par with what you would expect from a top-tier pastry chef. You¡¯ve misunderstood her intentions¨Cshe¡¯s truly making an effort to entertain us all.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Plus, she¡¯s organized a cake-making activity for the kids. This is a great opportunity for us to see how cakes are made. It¡¯s not something bakeries usually show, and I¡¯ve always been curious!¡±

    ¡°Gu Zi, when did you start making cakes? My child and I can hardly wait to begin! Ms. Huang, let¡¯s stop discussing unnecessary matters and focus on giving the children a memorable birthday celebration!¡±

    The other children soon joined in, eager to experience cake-making themselves. They had eaten cake before, but none had ever made one. Playing with Su Li was always a joy; there were so many new experiences to share. They wanted to be his friends for life!

    As the popularity of the Su family soared, Huang Fei watched in frustration as everyone rallied around Gu Zi. She hadn¡¯t expected Gu Zi to produce cakes of such quality.

    Still, she was determined to dismiss it. With a huff, she declared, ¡°Just because it looks good doesn¡¯t mean it tastes good! I bought the most expensive cake in the city¨Ccan Gu Zi¡¯s cakes really compare?

    ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want them, just ignore me. I was just trying to be thoughtful by bringing a cake before leaving. My son has a heavy study load and can¡¯t afford to waste time like other children with no future plans. Xu Sheng, let¡¯s go.¡±

    After making her displeasure known, Huang Fei grabbed her small cake and pulled Xu Sheng away. She failed to notice her son¡¯s longing gaze as he watched the other children, eager to participate in the cake-making.

    Xu Sheng didn¡¯t understand what was so enjoyable about making cakes, yet he inexplicably wanted to stay and join the activity. His legs felt as heavy as lead, and he wouldn¡¯t have moved had his mother not been tugging him along.

    With every step away, he felt more confined, as if her grip was a shackle, robbing him of his freedom.

    Once Huang Fei and her son left, the atmosphere of the birthday party returned to one of joy and celebration.

    Grandpa Gao and Grandma Gao had also arrived, and their fondness for Su Li and his siblings was evident. For Su Li¡¯s birthday, they gifted him a high-end assembly toy car, the finished model depicted in the photo looking incredibly cool.

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    Su Li¡¯s face lit up with delight upon receiving it.

    At that moment, other parents encouraged their children to present the gifts they had prepared for Su Li. With heartfelt ¡°thank yous¡± pouring from his lips, the pile of gifts soon grew into a small mountain¨Cfilled with pencil cases, plush toys, candy boxes, and cookie sets.

    Su Li was ecstatic; not only was this his first birthday party, but it was also the first time so many people had come together to celebrate him. He felt incredibly fortunate!

    Once he finished opening his gifts, Su Li led a gaggle of excited children to the cake-making station.

    One child, eyes wide with envy, exclaimed, ¡°Su Li, you are so lucky! You have a dad who makes a lot of money and a mom who bakes cakes. Plus, your mom is so beautiful¨Cshe¡¯s even prettier than a fairy!¡±

 Chapter 948 - Chapter 948: Cake Business

    Chapter 948: Cake Business

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The children swarmed around Su Li, their laughter echoing in the garden, while the parents gravitated toward Gu Zi.

    Most of the attendees were mothers¨Cgenteel women who found camaraderie in these gatherings.

    Earlier, Huang Fei¡¯s snide remarks had lowered their expectations of Gu Zi¡¯s homemade cake. But as soon as they saw it, their skepticism gave way to awe.

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought someone as young as you could do it all?¡± one of the women marveled, her eyes fixed on the elegant cake. ¡°The design alone is stunning. I wonder how it tastes.¡±

    Gu Zi, ever gracious, smiled and gestured toward the housekeeper. ¡°Please bring out the sample cakes.¡±

    Moments later, two small cakes were placed on a tray and carried out for everyone to see.

    Each cake was crafted into a heart shape, with one half coated in smooth, white cream and the other glazed with glossy blueberry jam. The rich, buttery aroma mingled with the tart sweetness of the jam, filling the air.

    ¡°These are made from leftover batter,¡± Gu Zi explained modestly. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be nice for everyone to have a taste before the main event. Once we finish singing happy birthday to my son, you can enjoy the big cake. For now, let¡¯s give these a try.¡±

    As the housekeeper handed out small spoons, one of the mothers beamed. ¡°Su Li¡¯s mom, this is the most delightful gathering I¡¯ve attended. Thank you for going through so much trouble¨Cit¡¯s truly appreciated.¡±

    The other women chimed in with their gratitude.

    Hosting a child¡¯s birthday party was one thing, but Gu Zi had elevated the event into a refined affair. From the intricate cake to the thoughtful decor, it was clear she¡¯d invested her heart into the celebration.

    When the sampling began, the reactions were immediate and unanimous. Despite their measured etiquette, each mother took a tiny bite, savoring the balance of flavors.

    ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± one finally exclaimed, breaking the reverent silence. ¡°This is divine! Perfectly sweet without being cloying. You don¡¯t get this kind of taste even in the best bakeries.¡±

    Others nodded in agreement, lamenting their initial restraint. ¡°I should¡¯ve taken a bigger bite,¡± someone muttered.

    Within minutes, the two small cakes had conquered the taste buds of the entire group. Praise flowed freely now, accompanied by an unexpected wave of entrepreneurial suggestions.

    ¡°You know,¡± one woman began, ¡°you could start a little business just for our circle. Imagine¨Ccustom birthday cakes made by Su Li¡¯s mom. We¡¯d pay top dollar, no question.¡±

    Another eagerly added, ¡°Absolutely! You don¡¯t even have to open a shop. Just take our orders through your son¨Che can pass them on to you. We¡¯ll prepay, of course. Honestly, after tasting this, I don¡¯t think I can go back to store-bought cakes!¡±

    Gu Zi listened, her thoughts already spinning. It was an intriguing idea. These were influential women, and their purchasing power was undeniable. Still, she didn¡¯t commit immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯m flattered by your trust in my skills,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°But I¡¯d need to think about how to manage my time before starting something like that. For now, please enjoy the refreshments and help yourselves to more snacks and juice. I¡¯ll step away for a moment to check on a few things.¡±

    The lively chatter in the Su family¡¯s garden was a perfect backdrop for the celebration, but one corner near the gate remained quiet.

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    Standing there, Su Bing looked out toward the road with a pensive expression on his face.

    Gu Zi, always attuned to her son, noticed immediately and made her way over.

    As she approached, Su Bing¡¯s frown softened slightly. ¡°Mom,¡± he began hesitantly, ¡°I invited Da Hu and his brothers to come tonight. I was so sure they¡¯d show up, but they¡¯re still not here. Do you think¡­ they forgot?¡±

    Gu Zi could see the disappointment etched on his face. Su Bing didn¡¯t have many friends¨Che hadn¡¯t made any close ones at school yet, and back in the countryside, companionship had been even scarcer. For him, Da Hu and his brothers were more than friends; they were a lifeline.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re running late,¡± Gu Zi reassured him gently. ¡°Or something came up. But I know Da Hu and the others wouldn¡¯t forget your invitation.¡±

 Chapter 949 - Chapter 949: Afraid of Embarrassing You

    Chapter 949: Afraid of Embarrassing You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi made her way towards the gate, her mind churned with unease. She had no idea why Da Hu and his brothers hadn¡¯t shown up yet, but she clung to the hope that perhaps they were just running late.

    The last thing she wanted was for Su Bing to feel disheartened over his friends.

    Unlike Su Li, who was naturally sociable and bright, Su Bing¡¯s personality leaned towards the reserved and distant. If his friends truly failed to appear, Gu Zi feared he might withdraw even further from forming connections.

    Su Bing trailed behind her, his steps heavy with a mix of hope and doubt.

    But just as Gu Zi reached the gate and stepped outside, she caught sight of three familiar figures lurking near the corner of the yard wall, hesitant and fidgety. It was them¨CDa Hu, Er Hu, and Xiao Hu.

    Relief flooded her, and Su Bing, noticing them too, immediately quickened his pace.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Su Bing exclaimed, his voice laced with a mixture of surprise and mild reproach. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come in?¡±

    Da Hu stepped forward reluctantly, his face tinged with a deep crimson. His brothers hesitated before following his lead.

    ¡°Su Bing,¡± Da Hu began, his voice subdued, ¡°we did come, but¡­ we didn¡¯t know you¡¯d invited so many kids from those rich families. We figured we¡¯d better not go in. We didn¡¯t want to embarrass you.¡±

    His words hung in the air, raw and unfiltered. Standing there, Da Hu¡¯s usual bravado seemed to crumble under the weight of the reality before him. He and his brothers had known Su Bing¡¯s family was wealthy, but today they¡¯d witnessed just how vast the gulf between them was.

    Every child at the party had arrived in sleek cars with uniformed drivers waiting to take them home. The disparity felt insurmountable, and the grand threshold of the Su family¡¯s home suddenly seemed forbidding.

    Er Hu, clutching a small package wrapped in paper, stepped forward. He held it out to Su Bing, avoiding his gaze.

    ¡°We brought this for your little brother,¡± he said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s a wooden spinning top. Back when we were kids, it was what we wanted most. I remember our big brother once found a broken one for me, and I played with it for ages¡­¡± His voice trailed off, a wistful smile playing on his lips. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    Xiao Hu, standing slightly behind, tugged nervously at Da Hu¡¯s sleeve. His wide, earnest eyes darted to the spinning top in Er Hu¡¯s hands, his longing palpable.

    Finally, he mustered the courage to speak, his words tumbling out in a rush. ¡°Su Bing, I¡­ I wanted to teach Su Li how to play with it. But Da Hu and Er Hu think we¡¯d just bring you trouble. Maybe I can show him next time instead. You can give it to him for me and tell him happy birthday.¡±

    Xiao Hu¡¯s cheeks flushed as he finished, his small hands twisting together. He wasn¡¯t merely holding back his own desires¨Che was swallowing them whole. The scent of birthday cake wafting from inside the house only deepened the ache.

    He¡¯d never been to a real birthday party, never tasted the sweet, frosted cakes that other kids spoke of. And yet, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to cross the invisible boundary separating their world from Su Bing¡¯s.

    The brothers¡¯ plight struck a chord in Gu Zi. She saw the shame in Da Hu¡¯s posture, the hesitance in Er Hu¡¯s gift, and the yearning in Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes. These boys had no parents, no stability, and were scorned as street kids. They¡¯d endured so much rejection that the idea of stepping into her home felt impossible.

    Su Bing, however, was resolute. His gaze softened as he said firmly, ¡°You¡¯re my friends. If you leave now, I won¡¯t forgive you. Come inside and help me celebrate my brother¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s chest tightened at the rawness of the moment. To spare the boys any further embarrassment, she stepped forward with a warm, inviting smile. ¡°Da Hu, Er Hu, Xiao Hu, you¡¯re here. How can you leave without even stepping inside? Come, join us. We¡¯re about to start making cakes. Don¡¯t you want to see how a birthday cake is made?¡±

    Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes lit up, his eagerness betraying him. But he quickly checked himself, glancing nervously at Da Hu for approval.

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    Da Hu, as their unspoken leader, hesitated. His hands balled into fists, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. This was the first time anyone had extended such genuine warmth to them.

    His eyes glistened, but before the emotion could spill over, Gu Zi tactfully added, ¡°It¡¯s settled then. Su Bing, take your friends inside. I have some things to attend to.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked briskly back into the house, leaving no room for further protest.

    The three brothers shuffled into the yard, still unsure but no longer able to refuse.

    The chatter and laughter of children surrounded them as Su Li spotted them from across the room. His face lit up, and he waved enthusiastically, his hands smudged with frosting. ¡°Da Hu, Er Hu, Xiao Hu! Come here! Making cakes is so much fun. Join me and Gao Ming!¡±

 Chapter 950 - Chapter 950: One Punch, and Wed All Be Flying

    Chapter 950: One Punch, and We¡¯d All Be Flying

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The little cake that Su Li and Gao Ming had worked on was an uneven mess of frosting¨Clumpy, bumpy, and unmistakably amateur. Yet, somehow, its ugliness had a certain charm.

    Su Li, however, didn¡¯t seem to mind in the least; he was beaming with pride.

    Su Bing, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He walked over, determined to rescue the poor cake. With calm precision, he smoothed out the frosting, his movements mirroring the careful techniques Gu Zi had demonstrated earlier. Then, with a steady hand, he piped delicate little flowers onto the surface. Under Su Bing¡¯s skilled touch, the disfigured dessert transformed into a stunning floral cake.

    Su Li wasted no time claiming credit. Parading the cake around like a trophy, he declared, ¡°You guys are still not done? Look at this floral cake Gao Ming and I made. Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±

    Su Bing merely rolled his eyes as his younger brother brazenly boasted about his handiwork. Meanwhile, he continued guiding Da Hu, Er Hu, and Xiao Hu through the process of making their own cakes.

    The other kids, who had been preoccupied following Gu Zi¡¯s instructions, hadn¡¯t noticed Su Bing¡¯s quiet intervention. They gazed at Su Li¡¯s cake in awe, fully believing it was his creation.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder you¡¯re our leader, Su Li! You¡¯re always the fastest learner, even at making cakes,¡± one of them exclaimed in admiration. ¡°Can you teach me how to make mine look like that? I didn¡¯t really get what the auntie was saying earlier.¡±

    Su Li puffed out his chest, feigning the air of a seasoned expert. With Gao Ming playing along, he launched into an impromptu lesson, giving what seemed like genuine guidance. Under his direction, cakes that were once disastrous started to look halfway decent. The kids cheered, delighted by their progress, but this left Su Li and Gao Ming scratching their heads. How come their cakes turned out so nice when ours looked so terrible?

    Not one to admit defeat, Su Li pulled Gao Ming aside, determined to try again.

    The other children, too, were hooked. They became engrossed in their new hobby, alternating between nibbling on their creations and attempting to outdo one another.

    Even the Hu brothers, initially shy and hesitant, slowly got swept up in the festive atmosphere, their earlier insecurities melting away. Laughter and the sounds of joyful chatter filled the courtyard.

    Amid this lively chaos, Su Shen returned home. In his hands, he carried a gift for Su Li¨Ca pair of imported sneakers.

    Su Li¡¯s face lit up with uncontainable excitement as he tore into the package. ¡°Gao Ming, let¡¯s go try them on!¡± he yelled before dashing inside, abandoning his cake-making crusade entirely.

    Su Shen stood in the doorway, his imposing figure momentarily silencing the crowd. The children gawked at him in awe, their chatter dying down as they took in his towering frame. Whispers spread like wildfire.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ Is that Su Li¡¯s dad?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s huge! Look at his hands¨Cone punch, and we¡¯d all be flying!¡±

    ¡°Okay, no one¡¯s messing with Su Li ever again.¡±

    Though bemused by the kids¡¯ reaction, Su Shen didn¡¯t linger. He made his way to the kitchen, where Gu Zi was busy chopping vegetables in preparation for dinner. The cakes were only the start¨Cthere was a full banquet to come.

    Without a word, Su Shen gently took the knife from her hands. His voice softened as he said, ¡°Just like old times¨Cyou give the orders, and I¡¯ll do the work.¡±

    Gu Zi blinked, surprised to see him home so early. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be busy?¡± she asked.

    He sliced through the vegetables with practiced ease, replying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t wait. Su Li¡¯s birthday comes first. I¡¯m his father¨Cit wouldn¡¯t be right to leave all the work to you.¡±

    There was a pause before he added, almost as if speaking to himself, ¡°I used to think as long as I earned enough, the kids would be fine. But I¡¯ve realized that¡¯s not enough. They need more than just money. They need time, care, and a home filled with love.¡±

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    Gu Zi didn¡¯t respond, but the look in her eyes said everything. Together, with help from the housekeepers, they quickly whipped up an impressive array of dishes. Soon, the tables were groaning under the weight of culinary masterpieces¨Cdozens of plates, each more enticing than the last. The tantalizing aromas wafted through the courtyard, drawing everyone to the tables like moths to a flame.

    Parents and children alike tucked in with gusto. Even the wealthier guests, accustomed to gourmet spreads, couldn¡¯t help but gush over the flavors.

    ¡°This is incredible!¡± one woman exclaimed. ¡°I wish I had a bigger stomach¨CI¡¯m already full, and we haven¡¯t even started on the cake!¡±

    ¡°I know! What are we supposed to do with these gorgeous cakes if we¡¯re too stuffed to eat them?¡± another chimed in, her tone equal parts regretful and amused.

    Overhearing this, Gu Zi stood and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± she reassured them. ¡°We made plenty of extra cake so you can all take some home. Just pop it in your fridge, and it¡¯ll taste just as fresh tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 951 - Chapter 951: Came for the Cake

    Chapter 951: Came for the Cake

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The moment the adults heard they could take as much as they wanted without worry, the atmosphere became even more animated.

    The children transformed into miniature eating machines, shoveling spoonful after spoonful of the delicious food into their mouths. Gone were the days when they needed coaxing from grandparents at home to finish even a few bites.

    Here, the aroma and flavor were irresistible¨Cbetter than anything they¡¯d ever tasted, even in fancy restaurants.

    Even the poised socialites, ever-mindful of maintaining their trim figures, threw caution to the wind. The dishes were simply too delectable to pass up.

    ¡°If I don¡¯t indulge in a few more bites, it¡¯ll feel like a crime!¡± one whispered conspiratorially to her friend. The garden hummed with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of cutlery¨Ca lively symphony of a perfect evening.

    Once the feast concluded, it was time for the event everyone had been anticipating: the cake-cutting ceremony.

    Under Gu Zi¡¯s careful instruction, Su Shen turned off all the courtyard lights, leaving only the silvery glow of the moon to illuminate the space.

    Gu Zi, assisted by Su Li and the children, set about lighting the candles on both the towering main cake and the dozens of smaller ones scattered around. These candles weren¡¯t ordinary ones, either. Handmade by Gu Zi, they were vibrantly colored like candy sticks.

    One unsuspecting child couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. Convinced he¡¯d discovered a sweet treat, he grabbed a candle and bit into it, only to immediately grimace in horror.

    Spitting it out with an exaggerated ¡°blech,¡± he exclaimed, ¡°Su Li, your mom¡¯s cooking is always amazing, but this candy stick is awful!¡±

    Su Li doubled over with laughter, snatching the half-chewed candle out of the boy¡¯s hand. ¡°I told Mom these candles looked too much like candy! Guess it¡¯s not just me who got fooled, huh?¡±

    His teasing sent ripples of laughter through the crowd, although some children only managed nervous chuckles¨Cthey¡¯d nearly made the same mistake but were too embarrassed to admit it.

    In their world, candles were either red or white. Who would¡¯ve thought someone could craft them to look so¡­ edible? Su Li¡¯s mom was practically a magician!

    Even the glamorous mothers were rendered speechless. They stared at Gu Zi with newfound admiration, their eyes practically sparkling.

    She made these by hand? Not only were they gorgeous, but they outshone anything available in high-end stores. Was there anything this woman couldn¡¯t do? The silent consensus was unanimous: the disparity between them and Gu Zi was staggering.

    After the laughter subsided, the evening progressed smoothly. Candles were lit, and the children enthusiastically sang a heartfelt birthday song for Su Li.

    Always the life of the party, Su Li wasn¡¯t about to let the energy dip. ¡°Alright, everyone,¡± he declared with a mischievous grin, ¡°let¡¯s do the foreign version!¡±

    Leading the group, he belted out the English rendition of ¡°Happy Birthday,¡± his voice loud and confident.

    Not content with just singing, Su Li began dancing around the cake, pulling everyone into a circle. Soon, they were holding hands, spinning, and hopping in rhythm. The courtyard was filled with joyous laughter, cheerful voices, and the soft glow of candles¨Cpure magic.

    When it was finally time to cut the cake, the sweet aroma filled the air, wrapping around everyone like a cozy embrace. The children eagerly bit into slices, their delighted expressions saying it all. Outside the courtyard, however, a different scene unfolded.

    Wang Qiang stood by the wrought iron gate, flanked by a group of wide-eyed children from the rundown tenement building nearby. They peered longingly through the bars, their noses twitching at the tantalizing scent of cake wafting their way.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll really let us eat cake?¡± one of the children whispered, clutching the gate as if trying to will it open.

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    Wang Qiang frowned. ¡°The gate¡¯s locked. I¡¯m working on it,¡± he muttered.

    Another child, his voice tinged with confusion, asked, ¡°But why are we here, Wang Qiang? Didn¡¯t you say you hated Su Li and told us not to play with him? We all listened to you!¡±

    The group nodded in agreement. In their world, Wang Qiang was the unchallenged leader, a self-appointed boss who kept them in line. To avoid his wrath, they¡¯d followed his decree to steer clear of Su Li, even when they didn¡¯t fully understand why.

    Wang Qiang¡¯s connections, however, had given him access to this gated community, and the allure of its pristine villas was too intoxicating to resist. On the rare occasions when his grandmother brought him along, he¡¯d sneak his friends inside for a glimpse of this dreamlike world¨Ca world so far removed from their crumbling tenement building that it felt like stepping into a movie set.

    But tonight, standing outside Su Li¡¯s house, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder: Why had Wang Qiang brought them here if he didn¡¯t even like Su Li?

 Chapter 952 - Chapter 952: Choose Your Friends Wisely

    Chapter 952: Choose Your Friends Wisely

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The group of followers exchanged puzzled glances, their confusion apparent. One of them hesitated before asking, ¡°But why would we want to play with him? Isn¡¯t this against what you said before?¡±

    Wang Qiang, brimming with self-assured cunning, stroked his chin as if he were hatching the master plan of the century.

    ¡°Play with him? Of course not!¡± he scoffed, flashing a mischievous grin that stretched across his broad face. ¡°We¡¯re not here to be his friends. We¡¯re here to eat his cake. That idiot Su Li? He¡¯s nowhere near as sharp as his siblings. If we act like we¡¯re here to make amends and want to be friends, he¡¯ll probably open the door with a big stupid grin. We¡¯ll have our cake and leave. Easy.¡±

    Hearing Wang Qiang¡¯s twisted logic, the group of lackeys collectively nodded, their doubts dissolving. ¡°That makes sense,¡± one of them chimed in. ¡°But how are we supposed to get in? That glutton Su Li is probably too busy stuffing his face to even notice us.¡±

    Wang Qiang¡¯s grin widened into a sly smirk, the kind that made his round face look almost comical. His followers stifled their giggles, knowing better than to laugh at their self-proclaimed leader. ¡°Just watch,¡± he said, his voice dripping with overconfidence as he swaggered to the iron gate.

    He pounded on the bars loudly, calling out in an exaggeratedly friendly tone, ¡°Su Li! Su Li! We¡¯re your friends! We came to celebrate your birthday. It¡¯s me, Wang Qiang, and I¡¯ve brought lots of playmates for you. We all want to be your friends now. Come open the gate and share your cake with us!¡±

    The other kids quickly caught on, their eyes trailing toward Su Li, who was happily playing cards with Gao Ming inside while munching on a slice of cake. They began shouting along with Wang Qiang, their voices full of false enthusiasm. ¡°Yeah! We want to be friends with you, Su Li! Just let us in and share your cake!¡±

    Inside, the kids were enjoying themselves, their laughter filling the air. But the commotion outside caught their attention. Heads turned toward the gate, and even some of the parents glanced over, their expressions shifting at the sight of the ragtag group of children beyond the fence.

    Clad in grimy clothes, with dirt-smudged faces and even dried snot on some, the sight was enough to prompt several parents to whisk their own children further inside.

    Gu Zi, deep in conversation with a few other parents, also noticed the scene at the gate. Her brows furrowed with concern.

    Wang Qiang? What was he doing here? And with his gang, no less? She found it odd, given that Wang Qiang had always kept his distance from Su Li, even openly refusing to play with him.

    Her worry deepened as memories surfaced¨CWang Qiang wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of friend Su Li needed.

    In the original story, Su Li¡¯s tragic fate had much to do with his poor choice of friends. Still, as much as she wanted to step in, Gu Zi held herself back. This was Su Li¡¯s decision to make. She would only intervene if necessary.

    Su Li, hearing the commotion, finally looked toward the gate. His brow creased in confusion as he recognized Wang Qiang and his posse. Why were they here?

    For a moment, he hesitated before walking over, drawing closer to the gate.

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart tightened with apprehension, her fingers gripping the edge of her cup. She prayed silently that Su Li wouldn¡¯t make the wrong choice.

    Stopping just short of the gate, Su Li stood firm. His voice, usually cheerful and warm, was unusually cool as he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t invite you to my birthday party, and I don¡¯t need you to play with me. I already have lots of people here celebrating with me. I don¡¯t need you.¡±

    Gu Zi exhaled quietly, relief washing over her. Su Li must have listened to her advice after all. Yes, Wang Qiang was not a friend worth keeping.

    Wang Qiang, however, was stunned. His jaw slackened in disbelief.

    Was Su Li actually rejecting him?

    He tried again, his tone carrying a mix of arrogance and desperation. ¡°Think carefully, Su Li. If you don¡¯t take this chance to be friends with us, you¡¯ll lose all of us. And let me remind you, the alley behind the apartment block? That¡¯s my territory. Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever get to play there again if you don¡¯t let us in now.¡±

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    Unfazed, Su Li responded evenly, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I can play just fine here in the neighborhood. I have Gao Ming, and I have plenty of classmates at school. I¡¯ve thought it through, and I¡¯m here to tell you¨CI don¡¯t need you as friends. You can leave now.¡±

    Su Li¡¯s words were resolute, echoing the lessons his mother had drilled into him: never trust those who showed you hostility from the start.

    Wang Qiang was precisely that kind of person¨Ca friend in name only, one who would undoubtedly bring more harm than good. And Su Li, for all his love of making friends, was determined to follow his mother¡¯s advice.

    Wang Qiang¡¯s face turned beet red, a mixture of humiliation and fury. His fists clenched at his sides as he spat out, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Su Li! If I ever catch you near my alley, I¡¯ll have my grandmother and my dad kick you out so fast you won¡¯t know what hit you!¡±

    His lackeys, emboldened by their leader¡¯s outburst, chimed in angrily. ¡°Yeah! Same here! We¡¯ll get our parents to kick you out too! It¡¯s just cake. Who even cares? I don¡¯t even want to eat it anymore!¡±

 Chapter 953 - Chapter 953: A Day of Reunion

    Chapter 953: A Day of Reunion

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gao Ming, seeing so many people ganging up on his best friend, rushed forward to bolster their forces. Puffing up his small chest, he shot a glare at Wang Qiang and his crew. ¡°You lot are so annoying! You didn¡¯t get any cake, so now you¡¯re throwing tantrums? Too bad! We couldn¡¯t care less about your nonsense. Su Li, let¡¯s go inside and finish the cake. We haven¡¯t even touched the mango one yet!¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Gao Ming grabbed Su Li by the arm and started pulling him toward the house. As they turned to leave, Gao Ming stuck out his tongue and made a goofy face at Wang Qiang and his lackeys.

    The defiant gesture made their blood boil. Their faces twisted in frustration as they stomped away in defeat, muttering curses under their breath.

    Inside the house, Gu Zi watched it all unfold from the doorway. She couldn¡¯t help but beam with pride and relief as Su Li firmly turned away from the kind of people she¡¯d warned him against.

    Her heart swelled as she thought about her three children¨Ceach of them truly growing into thoughtful and independent individuals. Her smile broadened, but before she knew it, tears spilled down her cheeks.

    Just then, Su Shen walked in and caught sight of her tear-streaked face.

    Alarmed, he quickly approached with a kitchen towel in hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying? And laughing, too? If you¡¯re tired, go upstairs and rest. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    Gu Zi batted away his outstretched hand and laughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine! These are happy tears. Su Li¡¯s birthday has made me so happy. Can¡¯t a mother cry from joy?¡±

    She glanced around at the guests still mingling nearby and added with a playful scold, ¡°What are you trying to do, scoop me up and carry me upstairs? Don¡¯t forget, most of the guests here are moms. How do you plan to handle them all by yourself if I leave you alone?¡±

    Su Shen, realizing he had overreacted, awkwardly withdrew his hand. ¡°Point taken,¡± he muttered and retreated to the kitchen to busy himself.

    He figured she was right¨Cbetter to leave the social niceties to her while he made himself useful elsewhere. Besides, cleaning the kitchen meant less work for her later.

    When Gu Zi finally walked into the kitchen after seeing the guests off, she was stunned to find it spotless. The counters gleamed, and every dish was neatly stacked or put away. Not a crumb was left in sight. She instantly knew who the culprit was.

    Her heart brimming with gratitude, Gu Zi went on a mission to find her husband. She found him in the backyard, watering their little vegetable garden. The sight made her pause for a moment.

    Su Shen, tall and broad-shouldered, looked almost comical holding her dainty watering can, which seemed absurdly small in his large hands. But to her, he was perfect.

    Without a second thought, she dashed forward and threw her arms around him, clutching his waist as if she¡¯d never let go.

    Su Shen, caught off guard, froze for a moment before instinctively wrapping his arms around her. His heart raced at the unexpected affection, his throat dry as he looked down at her. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± he asked, his voice husky.

    Gu Zi stayed nestled in his embrace, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked, and the air between them thickened with unspoken emotion.

    She smiled mischievously. ¡°Nothing¡¯s gotten into me. I just felt like hugging you. Su Shen, let¡¯s stay like this a little longer, okay? Look at that moonlight. Doesn¡¯t it make tonight feel special, even though the moon isn¡¯t fully round? It feels like a night for family, for togetherness.¡±

    Su Shen glanced up at the velvety night sky, its pale blue glow casting an almost magical aura. She was right¨Cit did feel like a night of warmth and connection.

    As he held her closer, a rare sense of complete contentment washed over him. Since being with Gu Zi, moments like these came often, filling his life with a joy he never thought possible.

    He remembered a story he¡¯d once heard during a culture lesson in the army. The instructor had told them that every person is born with only half a soul. Only when they meet their destined other half does their soul feel complete.

    Looking down at the woman in his arms, Su Shen felt the truth of that story. She was his missing half.

    Unable to resist the pull of the moment, he leaned down and kissed her gently. His lips parted hers, their breaths mingling as his tongue brushed hers, drawing her into a deep, lingering kiss. For Su Shen, it felt as though their souls were merging, becoming one.

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    Meanwhile, a truck rumbled down the winding road from Pingshui Town toward Jifu New Village.

    Lin Cheng was at the wheel, with Li Hua seated in the middle. Beside her sat someone who, just months ago, seemed like a distant memory. Yet today, that familiar figure was unrecognizable. Her transformation was astounding. Gone were the plain clothes and timid demeanor. In their place was a woman dressed with an artistic flair, exuding an air of serene confidence.

    When this figure had shown up earlier that day, the Lin family had been stunned. Even Li Hua, who prided herself on being unflappable, couldn¡¯t help but comment as they neared their destination. ¡°It¡¯s such a coincidence the store was closed this afternoon. Otherwise, we might not have run into you. Su Jing, where have you been these past few months? You¡¯ve changed so much!¡±

    Su Jing, seated by the window, stared out at the dimly lit streets, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. The closer they got to her brother and sister-in-law¡¯s new home, the more uneasy she felt.

    Would they welcome her after so much time apart? Had she changed too much for them to recognize? She answered quietly, almost as if to herself, ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling¡­ north, mostly. I even went to the capital to study painting with a renowned master. I only recently heard that my brother and his wife left the capital, so I thought I¡¯d come back to see them.¡±

 Chapter 954 - Chapter 954: A New Su Jing

    Chapter 954: A New Su Jing

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Li Hua¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Wait a second¨Care you saying you¡¯re going to be an artist now? That explains everything! No wonder you¡¯ve changed so much. You¡¯re practically radiating artist-in-the-making vibes!¡±

    Su Jing responded with a soft smile, her gaze carrying a newfound serenity. She seemed like a completely different person from the Su Jing of the past.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± she said modestly. ¡°Just because I¡¯m learning doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll end up a painter. I¡¯m taking it one step at a time. Back in school, my teachers used to say I had a natural talent for drawing¨Cwhatever I sketched always came to life. I didn¡¯t think much of it then, but now I realize this is something I should¡¯ve paid attention to all along. Learning, growing¡­ it¡¯s all about enriching my soul.¡±

    She paused, reflecting on the whirlwind of change she¡¯d experienced over the past few months. Traveling through the northern cities had been eye-opening.

    For the first time, she truly understood how narrow her previous worldview had been¨Chow shallow and laughable her actions were. Yet she had been blissfully unaware of it all. What a tragedy it would¡¯ve been to stay that way forever.

    But fate had been kind. She had walked away from that version of herself. Now, she was reborn, revitalized. And she knew she had her sister-in-law, Gu Zi, to thank for it.

    Su Shen had been right¨CGu Zi was the Su family¡¯s lucky star. They all owed her more than they could ever repay.

    Li Hua nodded, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. ¡°This is incredible, Su Jing. People always say it¡¯s hard to change, that your nature is fixed, but look at you! Such a transformation in just a few months! Honestly, it¡¯s so heartwarming to see. I always believed the Su family had potential, but now I¡¯m convinced. And you know what? This is great news for Gu Zi, too. She won¡¯t have to worry about the whole sister-in-law dynamic anymore.¡±

    Lin Cheng, who had been driving the truck in comfortable silence, glanced at the women in the rearview mirror. Though he didn¡¯t say a word, he shared their sentiments. Seeing Su Jing¡¯s remarkable transformation made him genuinely happy for Gu Zi. After all, Su Jing¡¯s growth would bring peace to the family¨Cand by extension, to Gu Zi.

    The night deepened as Lin Cheng¡¯s truck finally pulled up outside the grand Su family villa.

    Su Jing stepped out and found herself staring at the three-story mansion, its elegant facade glowing softly in the moonlight. Her jaw nearly dropped.

    Wow¡­ my brother really spared no expense this time. But then again, after years of hard work and financial success, Su Shen deserved to splurge a little.

    The Su Jing of the past would¡¯ve been consumed with jealousy at the sight of such luxury. But now? Now, she simply felt gratitude¨Cand a touch of self-reproach.

    ¡®What a petty person I used to be,¡¯ she thought. She shook her head, slapping her cheeks lightly as if to banish the thought, then followed Li Hua and Lin Cheng toward the door.

    ¡°Sis! Bro! I¡¯m home!¡± she called, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation.

    In the courtyard, Su Li was sweeping up fallen leaves when he heard her voice. He froze for a second, then dropped the broom and bolted toward the house like a shot. ¡°Mom! Dad! Little Aunt¡¯s back!¡± he hollered, his voice echoing through the property.

    Su Bing, more composed than his younger brother, calmly opened the gate to greet the visitors. ¡°Little Aunt, Uncle, Auntie,¡± he said politely. ¡°Come in, please.¡±

    Inside, Gu Zi and Su Shen had already heard the commotion and were making their way to the living room.

    When Gu Zi laid eyes on Su Jing, her surprise was evident. She¡¯d changed so much. And it wasn¡¯t just the clothes or the polished demeanor¨Cit was something deeper, something harder to define.

    Still, Gu Zi quickly pieced things together. Su Jing must have returned to her hometown, crossed paths with her family, and been escorted here by them.

    Before anyone could speak, Su Jing broke the silence. ¡°Surprised, aren¡¯t you?¡± she teased. ¡°I didn¡¯t write or call on purpose. Wanted to keep it a surprise and show you just how much I¡¯ve changed!¡±

    Gu Zi laughed and gestured toward the couch. ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely a surprise! Come, sit down. We were just saying how tonight feels like a reunion kind of night¨Cand here you are. Now tell us, where have you been these past few months?¡±

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    As everyone settled around the coffee table, Su Bing brought over tea, and Su Li proudly pulled out small cakes from the fridge. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, Little Aunt,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°You¡¯ve got perfect timing. It¡¯s my birthday today! Luckily, we made extra cake. You can have some too.¡±

    Su Jing¡¯s eyes lit up as if remembering something. She hurried to her luggage, returning with a neatly wrapped box. She handed it to Su Li. ¡°Happy birthday! This is for you¨Ca little toy car I picked up. Hope you like it!¡±

    Su Li gasped, his excitement palpable. ¡°Wow! A gift from you? This is the first time I¡¯ve ever gotten a birthday present from you! Thank you so much, Little Aunt. I promise I¡¯ll get you something for your birthday too!¡±

    Su Jing chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s sweet of you, but do you even know when my birthday is?¡±

    Without missing a beat, Su Li puffed up his chest and declared, ¡°July 20th! Next month, right? I¡¯ve already marked it down!¡±

 Chapter 955 - Chapter 955: Why Are You So Busy?

    Chapter 955: Why Are You So Busy?

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing had barely sat down when she sprang up again, caught somewhere between surprise and delight. ¡°How do you even know my birthday?¡±

    Su Li, with a smug little grin, turned his gaze to Gu Zi. ¡°Of course, Mom told me! She said that since Little Aunt isn¡¯t like how she used to be anymore, she¡¯s truly family now. And family should always remember each other¡¯s birthdays, right?¡±

    Hearing this, Su Jing¡¯s heart swelled with emotion as her eyes drifted toward Gu Zi, brimming with gratitude.

    She was on the verge of tears, but Gu Zi, ever the pragmatist, wasn¡¯t one for emotional theatrics. With a casual wave of her hand, she diverted the conversation, saying, ¡°It came up the last time we were talking about Su Li¡¯s birthday. It got me thinking we should take stock of everyone¡¯s birthdays. Your brother actually reminded me of yours. Anyway, enough about that¨Cwhat have you been up to these past few months?¡±

    Su Jing nodded, trying to rein in the tide of feelings washing over her.

    Her brother remembered her birthday. In the end, it was always her family who loved her most. Thank goodness she had turned her life around in time.

    Taking a steadying breath, she began recounting her journey over the last few months.

    ¡°At first, I just wanted to travel a bit, see new places, and come back after some fun.

    ¡°But when I got to the capital, I stumbled upon an art exhibition. It reignited something in me¨Cmy passion for painting. I started taking lessons with an art teacher, but after only a few days, it became clear the lessons were too basic for me. The teacher said I had an incredible talent, so he introduced me to my current mentor. I¡¯m now officially one of his apprentices. He¡¯s a renowned painter in the capital.¡±

    She paused, glancing at the rapt faces around her before continuing. ¡°Funny thing¨Cmy mentor didn¡¯t used to take on female disciples. Not because he¡¯s biased, but because he¡¯s incredibly old-fashioned. He didn¡¯t want any misunderstandings with his wife, so to make her comfortable, he made it a rule not to work closely with women.¡±

    Gu Zi, intrigued, leaned forward. ¡°So, what made him change his mind for you?¡±

    Su Jing shot a quick look at Su Shen, who had been quietly listening all this time. ¡°I have my brother to thank for that!¡± she said, a note of pride in her voice. ¡°It turns out my mentor is a veteran from an older generation. He deeply admires war heroes and had heard all about my brother¡¯s accomplishments from his juniors. At first, I couldn¡¯t even get through his door, no matter how many times I tried. Then one day, he found out I¡¯m Su Shen¡¯s sister, and just like that, he agreed to take me in!¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Su Jing added with a smile, ¡°my mentor has been wanting to meet my brother in person for a long time, but something always comes up. Before I left, my mentor¡¯s wife told me he¡¯s planning to visit Guangcheng this year.¡±

    Her voice softened as she went on. ¡°Through my mentor, I¡¯ve learned so much more about my brother¡¯s incredible achievements. I feel so proud to call him my brother. Honestly, I think all the good fortune in my life is thanks to him. Because of him, I¡¯m now the only female apprentice under my mentor.¡±

    Gu Zi grinned. ¡°If he does come, I¡¯ll make sure to host him properly¨Cas long as he¡¯s not too hard to handle, of course. But wow, I didn¡¯t realize Su Shen¡¯s reputation stretched so far! Our family is just too amazing!¡±

    Her eyes sparkled as she turned to look at Su Shen. The admiration in her gaze was so radiant, it was almost tangible.

    Su Shen, visibly flustered, coughed lightly and said, ¡°Gu Zi, stop it.¡±

    Their playful exchange was so sweet it could have melted chocolate. Su Jing, watching this rare side of her brother, couldn¡¯t help but mock them. ¡°You two are absolutely unbearable with your lovey-dovey antics. Ugh, I can¡¯t take it anymore! Anyway, I¡¯m exhausted. Sister-in-law, can you show me to my room? Once I finish this cake, I¡¯m crashing.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled and led Su Jing to her room, also setting up a guest room for her brother and sister-in-law. It was late, and it made sense for them to stay the night and head back in the morning.

    After ensuring everyone was settled, Gu Zi noticed Su Shen getting ready to leave. He had already showered but looked like he was about to head back out.

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    Concerned, she asked, ¡°Why are you so busy these days?¡±

    Based on his workload, Gu Zi had estimated that even with expanding their business, he shouldn¡¯t be this overwhelmed. After all, wasn¡¯t that why they had Jin Long?

    Su Shen, sensing her worry, paused and explained, ¡°Jin Long is resigning. He¡¯s gradually handing off his responsibilities, but for now, I have to take over some critical tasks. Once I find the right person to replace him, things will settle down. Don¡¯t worry¨Cit¡¯s just a temporary rush.¡±

    Gu Zi blinked, caught off guard by this revelation. Based on her understanding, Jin Long had no reason to leave. He seemed content with his role.

    ¡°Jin Long? Is he heading back to inherit the family fortune after all?¡± she asked.

 Chapter 956 - Chapter 956: Panic of Swine Fever

    Chapter 956: Panic of Swine Fever

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi found the news quite unexpected. Her thoughts wandered to Jin Long and Gong Xin, and she couldn¡¯t resist a teasing remark. ¡°The Gong family is in politics, and the Jin family excels in business. If Jin Long and Gong Xin really become a couple, wouldn¡¯t that be the perfect match? Power and wealth combined¨Cwhat a brilliant union!¡±

    Su Shen didn¡¯t engage in her playful banter but instead offered more context. ¡°Jin Long¡¯s father has fallen seriously ill. His two half-brothers are utterly useless and incapable of managing the family business. Meanwhile, a few out-of-town tycoons are entering Guangcheng to invest heavily in the hotel industry, giving rise to several competitive ventures. If Jin Long doesn¡¯t return soon, Golden Sun will be devoured by these rising competitors. The situation is dire.¡±

    He paused, as if recalling something unpleasant. ¡°The day the Jin family sent someone to the slaughterhouse to seek my help, it was pouring rain. Despite the weather and his failing health, Old Master Jin sat in the backseat of a car, braving the elements just to personally invite me to talk.¡±

    An elder¡¯s plea was not something Su Shen could easily refuse. That day, Old Master Jin shared a lot, detailing the precarious state of his family¡¯s business.

    Su Shen understood that Jin Long, as the eldest son, had an obligation to return and take charge. He had the talent, and this move would be beneficial for his future as well.

    Deep down, Su Shen genuinely regarded Jin Long as a good friend. Of course, he wanted the best for him. So, in the end, he agreed to help convince Jin Long to return.

    Eventually, Jin Long relented. Despite his reluctance to step back into a house that never felt like home and his aversion to his father, he couldn¡¯t harden his heart against the old man¡¯s earnest pleas¨Cespecially with Su Shen¡¯s persuasion. So, he made the decision to go back.

    With Jin Long gone, Su Shen naturally had more on his plate.

    Gu Zi, concerned, frowned slightly. ¡°If you keep working around the clock like this, how will your body hold up? You need to find someone to replace Jin Long soon. Jin Long¡¯s a jack-of-all-trades, but if you can¡¯t find another like him, lower the requirements. Divide his responsibilities among several people. Hire more staff, and you can train someone to take on the all-rounder role later.¡±

    She thought back to earlier that day when Jin Long had come by to help. He wasn¡¯t one to hold back in conversations, yet he hadn¡¯t mentioned any of this. It seemed he was truly reluctant to discuss his family matters, preferring to avoid the topic altogether.

    But now that he was gone, Su Shen was clearly overworked.

    Her heart ached for him. Normally, she stayed out of the factory¡¯s affairs, but this time, she couldn¡¯t resist offering suggestions, fearing the toll it might take on him.

    Su Shen nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I already have someone in mind. Once things settle down over the next couple of days, I¡¯ll talk to them and make a decision. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a temporary crunch. Now, it¡¯s cold out here¨Cgo back inside.¡±

    Not wanting to delay him further, Gu Zi nodded and quickly headed back indoors. From the second-floor terrace, she watched Su Shen¡¯s car as it disappeared into the distance, the taillights growing fainter until they vanished completely.

    Su Shen had promised to come home after a few busy days. But a week passed without his return. It wasn¡¯t intentional; he was simply overwhelmed. A major crisis had erupted in the pig farming industry.

    Since early June, cases of swine fever had been reported in pig farms around Guangcheng, spreading rapidly. By mid-June, the entire southeastern region was in a state of panic.

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    Most pig farms in the area had been devastated by the outbreak, with herds dying en masse and businesses collapsing one after another. The pork market couldn¡¯t meet the demand, sending prices skyrocketing.

    In many cities, pork had become so expensive that ordinary people could no longer afford it.

    Amid this chaos, Su Shen¡¯s farm stood out as the only one unaffected by the disease. This caught the attention of reporters, who flocked to his farm for coverage.

    One journalist, visibly impressed during a tour of the facility, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Su, I¡¯ve visited advanced farms overseas, but what I¡¯ve seen here is astonishing. Your farm¡¯s management model is on par with the best international standards. Did you study abroad to learn these methods?¡±

    Caught off guard by the question, Su Shen lowered his gaze, his sharp features softening slightly. After a moment, he replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never been abroad. The management system we use here was suggested by my wife. Ever since I implemented her recommendations, we haven¡¯t had a single issue. My wife¡­she¡¯s an incredible woman.¡±

 Chapter 957 - Chapter 957: Shes Not Just A Pretty Face

    Chapter 957: She¡¯s Not Just A Pretty Face

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The reporter was startled by the sudden softness in Su Shen¡¯s expression¨Cit was so unlike him that it sent a chill down her spine.

    But more than fear, her curiosity was piqued. Who exactly was this enigmatic wife of his? She seized the moment, her voice carefully measured. ¡°I see¡­ It seems Mrs. Su must be a truly remarkable woman. Su Shen, do you think we could arrange an interview with her?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s brow furrowed ever so slightly, and he corrected her with deliberate precision. ¡°My wife isn¡¯t exactly a ¡®Mrs.¡¯ in the way you might imagine. She¡¯s young, exceptionally beautiful, and far more learned than most people I¡¯ve met. She works at a newspaper, and right now, she¡¯s busy preparing for her college entrance exams. I¡¯d rather she not be disturbed.¡±

    The finality in his tone left no room for argument, yet the glint of pride in his eyes spoke volumes.

    The reporter was captivated.

    A wife who was both youthful and intellectually formidable, who could advise on state-of-the-art livestock management while still preparing for exams?

    And the way Su Shen spoke about her¨Cit was clear this man, with his usual stoicism, was deeply in love.

    She wanted to press further, but the return of Su Shen¡¯s steely demeanor silenced her curiosity. Reluctantly, she pivoted to a safer topic.

    ¡°Mr. Su,¡± she ventured, ¡°your pork prices have barely risen¨Cjust a single yuan per kilo, whether it¡¯s wholesale or sold directly to farmers. In contrast, prices across the southeastern region have skyrocketed tenfold or more. Your pork is of the highest quality. Don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re at a disadvantage?¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s expression remained impassive. ¡°No,¡± he replied simply. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m losing out.¡± And that was that.

    The reporter tried again, determined to get more than a monosyllabic answer. ¡°Nearly every pig farm in the southeast has been hit by swine fever. Your Daqing Pig Farm is the last uncontaminated stronghold. Aren¡¯t you worried about the disease spreading to your farm? And given your farm¡¯s prominence, aren¡¯t you concerned about potential sabotage from envious competitors?¡±

    For a moment, Su Shen¡¯s stony facade softened again¨Cbut only because the question touched on his wife. ¡°As my wife instructed, meticulous daily management is key. We¡¯ve adhered strictly to her methods, which are both advanced and thorough. As for sabotage, they wouldn¡¯t even get the chance.¡±

    His voice was calm but laced with an undercurrent of ironclad confidence.

    The reporter, now thoroughly intrigued, noticed a pattern: Su Shen only offered elaborate answers when the subject was his wife. Otherwise, his words were curt, dismissive even.

    It dawned on her that this interview, meant to be about agriculture, had inadvertently become a showcase of Su Shen¡¯s devotion.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel she had just been force-fed a hearty serving of ¡°relationship goals¡± in the form of Su Shen¡¯s unwavering adoration for his wife.

    Now more than ever, she wanted to meet this extraordinary Mrs. Su.

    As they wrapped up the interview, the reporter¡¯s curiosity refused to wane.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± she mused aloud as they packed up.

    Her assistant, who had been quietly observing her fascination, finally spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? A few months ago, we had dinner with Guan Xin from the Guangcheng newspaper, and she brought along a colleague named Gu Zi. You dismissed her as just a pretty face.¡±

    The reporter frowned. ¡°Gu Zi? Oh, please. She¡¯s just a pretty face. She¡¯s not even a professionally trained editor¨Cclearly hired for her looks. What else could she be?¡±

    The assistant chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Ah, Li Jie, you¡¯re too quick to judge. I did some digging. Gu Zi wasn¡¯t hired just for her beauty. She¡¯s brilliant. A former Guangwai High School student, she¡¯s been featured in the news multiple times. Remember that article in Guangcheng Daily about Hua Jie¡¯s Braised Pork restaurant? The one with the family photos? Gu Zi is a major shareholder there.¡±

    He paused for effect before adding, ¡°Not to mention her kids¨Cthey¡¯ve been in the papers too, excelling in their respective fields. She¡¯s a woman who doesn¡¯t need a diploma to secure a top spot at a leading newspaper, all while running a lucrative business and raising exceptional children. Does that sound like ¡®just a pretty face¡¯ to you?¡±

    The reporter¡¯s skepticism faltered. ¡°Wait¡­ Are you saying Gu Zi and Mrs. Su are¡­ the same person?¡±

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    The assistant grinned. ¡°Bingo.¡±

    Li Jie froze, replaying the assistant¡¯s words in her mind. When realization struck, she gasped. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Gu Zi is Mrs. Su? I misjudged her. She¡¯s not just a pretty face¨Cshe¡¯s a force to be reckoned with!¡±

    Meanwhile, back at home, Gu Zi was restless.

    Su Shen had been away for a week, longer than usual. He¡¯d called to explain, and while she understood, the constant thunderstorms and ongoing swine fever outbreak left her worried.

    She couldn¡¯t help but recall the injuries Su Shen had sustained during his previous ordeal rescuing Gong Zhan. The wounds had barely healed, and now he was working himself to exhaustion again. Her heart ached for him.

 Chapter 958 - Chapter 958: Waiting for You

    Chapter 958: Waiting for You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The thunderstorm had finally subsided, though the sun had yet to make an appearance, the air felt fresh and the weather was decent enough.

    Deciding to make the most of the day, Gu Zi resolved to visit the Daqing Pig Farm in the countryside, bringing some food to Su Shen and, of course, to see him herself. She had already informed him of her plans over the phone.

    She entrusted her three children to Su Jing, who was more than happy to take charge.

    With a confident pat on her chest, Su Jing assured Gu Zi, ¡°Sister-in-law, you go ahead and spend some time with my brother. Leave everything here to me!¡±

    Gu Zi rolled her eyes but smiled, handing over a crisp hundred-yuan note. ¡°Stop teasing me. Take this, and if you need anything for the house, go ahead and buy it. But make sure to look after Lele.¡±

    Su Jing, though in her thirties, had never experienced such care from anyone before, especially not from someone younger. Surprised by the gesture, she accepted the money, a broad smile on her face as she sent Gu Zi off. ¡°Sister-in-law, please take care! I¡¯ll make sure to take good care of the kids!¡±

    With a final wave, Gu Zi stepped out, leaving Su Jing behind.

    As she walked down the familiar street, she reflected on the unexpected closeness she now shared with Su Jing. Perhaps it was true, she thought¨Cwhen you are with the right people, everything falls into place. Even a rocky start can bloom into something meaningful. Su Shen was that right person for her.

    Since the Su family moved to the city, it had been a long time since Gu Zi had visited the pig farm. As she arrived just in time for lunch, she was greeted by a group of farm wives bringing meals to the workers. The moment they saw her, they approached enthusiastically, calling out greetings, their faces lighting up with warmth.

    As she walked with them, chatting as they went, one of the women called out teasingly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should hurry and find your husband? He¡¯s expecting you.¡±

    The playful tone was unmistakable, and Gu Zi blushed slightly, quickening her pace toward the office. The women exchanged knowing looks as they watched her retreat, their admiration unmistakable.

    ¡°Look at our boss¡¯s wife, so young and beautiful. I¡¯d fall for her myself if I were a man!¡± one of the women said, her voice filled with admiration.

    ¡°It¡¯s clear the boss and his wife¡¯s relationship is stronger than ever. To come all the way from the city just to see him¨Cso enviable!¡± another added with a sigh.

    Not long ago, there were whispers about Gu Zi from the village, but now, all anyone could do was admire and respect her. Even the pig farm workers, once skeptical, now regarded her with fondness and awe. Any lingering resentment was carefully kept to themselves.

    Arriving at the office, Gu Zi found not only Su Shen but also Lin Cheng and Li Hua. As she walked in, she greeted them with a smile. ¡°Hello, Sister-in-law, Brother.¡±

    Seeing her, Lin Cheng and his wife exchanged glances, but neither appeared surprised. They greeted her warmly. ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯re here. We¡¯ve been waiting for you. Su Shen has something to discuss with us, but we needed you here first.¡±

    Gu Zi made her way to Su Shen, who stood to pull her onto the sofa beside him. He leaned in slightly and spoke softly, ¡°Do you remember when I mentioned there was someone I had in mind for something?¡±

    Though it had been a week since they last discussed it, Gu Zi had been paying close attention and remembered clearly. ¡°So, you mean the person you have in mind is my brother?¡±

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    Su Shen nodded, then turned to Lin Cheng and Li Hua. ¡°Jin Long is leaving, and someone needs to take his place. After much thought, I¡¯ve decided to offer Lin Cheng the position. What do you think?¡±

    The statement left Lin Cheng stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Su Shen to offer him such a significant responsibility. He stammered, looking over at his wife, unsure of how to respond.

    Li Hua, ever practical, raised a concern. ¡°Su Shen, I¡¯ve heard Lin Cheng say before that Jin Long was in charge of business operations. Do you really think Lin Cheng, with his honest and simple nature, can handle these negotiations? He may not get taken advantage of personally, but what if the business suffers because of it?¡±

    Su Shen was undeterred. ¡°Sister-in-law, honesty is an asset. In fact, it makes him more reliable. Clients trust people who seem grounded. Besides, Lin Cheng is more than capable. With a little guidance from me, I¡¯m confident he won¡¯t be easily deceived. This will be a great opportunity for him to grow.¡±

    He turned his gaze back to Lin Cheng. ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush. Lin Cheng, you¡¯re the youngest man from Gu Zi¡¯s family. I want you to step up, to become stronger. I believe you understand what I mean.¡±

 Chapter 959 - Chapter 959: A Request

    Chapter 959: A Request

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The moment of realization hit Lin Cheng like a sudden bolt of lightning. He may not have fully grasped the depth of it, but Gu Zi understood completely.

    Her husband, Su Shen¨Cwas truly thinking of her. In his own way, he was trying to provide her with more support, more foundation. To do that, he had been carefully nurturing Lin Cheng, giving him the opportunity to grow and take on the responsibilities of the Lin family.

    It wasn¡¯t just about securing a steady job for Lin Cheng at the pig farm¨Cit was about grooming him, pushing him to become stronger, to rise up as a capable man who could shoulder the burdens of the family.

    The more Lin Cheng succeeded, the less Gu Zi would need to worry about her own family back home. And, perhaps most importantly, the smaller the gap between the Lin family and the Su family, the straighter her back would be.

    Though Su Shen had given her plenty of love and support, easing her fears about not having a solid foundation to lean on, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t just protecting her¨Che was trying to strengthen her family, to fortify her roots.

    Unlike many men who viewed their wives¡¯ families as burdens to be avoided or kept at arm¡¯s length, Su Shen treated them as his own.

    What made this gesture all the more meaningful to Gu Zi was that Su Shen¡¯s devotion to her was rooted in love.

    She felt a warmth spreading through her chest, a sense of deep affection that made her heart swell. She turned her gaze to Su Shen, who, as if sensing her thoughts, met her eyes.

    ¡°Gu Zi,¡± he said softly, his voice full of intent. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Gu Zi understood his intentions perfectly. She smiled with a knowing glint in her eyes. ¡°Although I¡¯m the owner of this farm,¡± she began, ¡°I haven¡¯t been involved much in the operations. If you believe my brother is up for it, then I trust your judgment. I¡¯ll leave it to you, and please, don¡¯t let my brother off the hook¨Chelp him take on this new responsibility, instead of letting him find an excuse to back out.¡±

    Her thoughts on Su Shen¡¯s decision started to form. It made sense on multiple levels.

    On one hand, Su Shen was genuinely trying to help Lin Cheng grow stronger, but there was something else too¨Cbusiness-minded individuals, especially those with a bit of grit and loyalty, often had the power to succeed.

    Lin Cheng, with his solid work ethic and perseverance, might just be the kind of man who would catch the eye of people in the business world. Even in the original story, Lin Cheng had been recognized for his character and eventually elevated by his boss.

    But Su Shen wasn¡¯t just giving Lin Cheng a job out of kindness; this was a serious position, one that came with immense responsibility. The role that Jin Long had once held covered a wide range of duties¨Cfrom business dealings to financial oversight.

    And now, Su Shen was asking Lin Cheng to step into that massive role, one that included managing the farm¡¯s finances. It was bold, but it made sense in the larger picture.

    Gu Zi understood that with the scale of Su Shen¡¯s business, there was no fear of Lin Cheng growing complacent.

    Su Shen likely held the true power in his hands and wasn¡¯t worried about Lin Cheng betraying him.

    With that confidence, Gu Zi felt reassured. Lin Cheng was a good, grounded man with a strong character, and his wife, Li Hua, was just as virtuous. She wasn¡¯t concerned that this newfound power would corrupt them.

    Lin Cheng had been processing everything silently, and now, Li Hua, listening to Gu Zi¡¯s words, seemed caught in her own thoughts. Finally, she spoke, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°Sister-in-law, brother-in-law, I know you¡¯ve helped us a lot already, but if my husband really takes on this responsibility, people are going to talk. They¡¯ll say the Lin family is just living off my sister-in-law¡¯s success.¡±

    She paused, as if weighing the impact of her words. ¡°Honestly, we¡¯ve already heard some unkind things. It¡¯s one thing for people to say whatever they want about us, but it¡¯s worse when they say my sister-in-law is carrying our family. Those words are hard to hear. Maybe you should consider choosing someone else.¡±

    Lin Cheng, finally finding his voice, addressed them both. ¡°The thing is, I¡¯ve always done the heavy labor. I¡¯m used to working with my hands, hauling loads. But this¨Crunning the business, handling the books, dealing with clients¨CI¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m cut out for it.¡±

    Su Shen, however, was quick to reassure him. ¡°Everything starts from nothing, Lin Cheng. Jin Long was trained by me, too. What¡¯s more important¨Clistening to rumors, or us, as a family, sticking together and making this work? I¡¯m sure you understand what I¡¯m saying. And by the way, now that you and Li Hua are together, doesn¡¯t it seem like your wife¡¯s business is doing better than yours?¡±

    Lin Cheng blinked, unsure where Su Shen was headed.

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    ¡°I¡¯m not saying a man has to earn more than his wife,¡± Su Shen continued. ¡°I just want to ask¨Cyour wife is moving forward, but you¡¯re staying where you are. Are you content with that? Are you willing to let her be the sole breadwinner of the Lin family?¡±

    His words hung in the air, charged with meaning. Gu Zi felt the weight of the moment, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. But Lin Cheng, as if fully understanding the gravity of the question, made his decision.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said, cutting through the silence.

    Li Hua, her expression softening, looked at her husband with a mixture of pride and relief. ¡°If you say you¡¯ll do it, then I¡¯m on board,¡± she added, offering her full support.

    Lin Cheng turned to Su Shen and Gu Zi, his voice steady. ¡°But I have one condition.¡±

 Chapter 960 - Chapter 960: Leave It to Gu Zi

    Chapter 960: Leave It to Gu Zi

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen and Gu Zi exchanged a brief, meaningful glance before Su Shen spoke, his voice steady but warm. ¡°Feel free to ask for anything, Lin Cheng. As long as it¡¯s reasonable, I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill it.¡±

    Lin Cheng hesitated for a moment, then spoke, his words measured. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I can¡¯t take on¨Cthe accounting. I¡¯m more than willing to learn everything else, but I don¡¯t have the head for numbers, especially when it comes to the books. I think the financial responsibilities should fall to Gu Zi. She¡¯s smart, well-educated, and honestly, it makes more sense for her to handle it. Besides, as your wife, it¡¯s only fitting.¡±

    The Lin family¡¯s rise had been largely thanks to Gu Zi and Su Shen. With their guidance, the family had flourished.

    Lin Cheng understood the importance of perception in their world; taking on the financial responsibility would risk raising eyebrows and inviting gossip. It would be too much for anyone to claim the books as their own, especially when the success of the family was so intertwined with the work of Su Shen and Gu Zi.

    Li Hua, overhearing her husband¡¯s suggestion, couldn¡¯t help but look at Lin Cheng with newfound admiration. Her eyes softened with affection. ¡°I never thought of it that way,¡± she said, her voice filled with tenderness. ¡°Gu Zi, you should take charge of the accounts.¡±

    Su Shen, his thoughts already on the proposal, nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered it at first,¡± he admitted. ¡°Gu Zi loves money, after all, and running the books at the pig farm might just make her happy. But I was worried it would be too much work for her. Now that Lin Cheng has suggested it, though, I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts, Gu Zi.¡±

    Gu Zi, who had come to visit her husband with no idea that she¡¯d end up with a new responsibility, paused for a moment. The thought wasn¡¯t unappealing¨CSu Shen was indeed working himself to the bone. If Lin Cheng didn¡¯t take on the accounting, Su Shen would have to. But giving it to someone outside the family felt risky. It was clear, though, that if she were to take charge, Su Shen¡¯s workload would lighten considerably.

    Gu Zi had always excelled with numbers, and though her studies were on hold for a year, she had no doubt that managing the accounts would be within her ability. After all, she¡¯d just completed her entrance exams and planned to take a break from university.

    This gap year would allow her time to not only care for Su Shen but also contribute to the family business. She had no intention of being merely a consumer of wealth¨Cshe wanted to play a part in its growth.

    After a brief moment of contemplation, she smiled, her decision made. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take on the accounts. As long as you trust me with it.¡±

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t?¡± Lin Cheng said, grinning at her enthusiasm. ¡°It¡¯s your own money, after all.¡±

    With that, the decision was made. Lin Cheng would step into Jin Long¡¯s shoes as Su Shen¡¯s right-hand man, but the financial management would remain firmly in Gu Zi¡¯s hands.

    Once Lin Cheng and Li Hua left, the office was silent except for the soft hum of activity outside.

    Su Shen, unable to resist, moved toward Gu Zi and tried to pull her into an embrace, but she swiftly sidestepped him, her expression serious. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on business first. You¡¯ve got a moment now, right? Please, show me the accounting methods for the pig farm.¡±

    Su Shen chuckled, knowing exactly how much his wife cared about the numbers. He didn¡¯t press, not wanting her to think that he was reluctant to let her take over. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said with a wink, ¡°but don¡¯t blame me if you get tired of this job.¡±

    He retrieved a thick ledger from his desk and gestured for her to sit in his chair. With a fluid motion, he stood beside her, pointing at the entries.

    ¡°These are records for long-term clients. They¡¯re reliable, usually pay a deposit upfront, and settle the balance in three months. The others are on monthly accounts. When you¡¯re doing the books, make sure you¡­¡±

    Gu Zi listened intently, taking mental notes as she absorbed the information. This was her husband¡¯s business, and as his wife, she was more than just the ¡°boss lady¡±¨Cshe was a partner, and she intended to contribute fully.

    As Su Shen spoke, an employee knocked and informed him that someone was looking for him. ¡°I¡¯ll go handle this,¡± Su Shen said. ¡°You start with the books. If you have any questions, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Someone will bring lunch soon. Don¡¯t wait for me¨Cjust eat.¡±

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    Gu Zi nodded, her mind focused on the work at hand. As Su Shen left, she looked down at the lunch that had been delivered. It was rich with large chunks of meat, the kind of hearty meal that most of the workers would devour. But Gu Zi wasn¡¯t used to such heavy, greasy food. She had already brought something for Su Shen and planned to wait for him to return before eating together.

    She stepped out of the office to stretch her legs and wandered through the building, eventually reaching the lobby.

    There, she spotted the entrance to the building ajar. Her eyes followed the movement outside, where Su Shen and several young men were gathered, the leader of the group handing him a cigarette.

    Su Shen accepted the smoke, and the man lit it for him. They walked further away, likely discussing something important.

    Gu Zi frowned. Why would they be meeting outside? Important matters were usually discussed in private, in the office, not out in the open.

 Chapter 961 - Chapter 961: New Family Tradition

    Chapter 961: New Family Tradition

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The foreman at the factory, noticing Gu Zi¡¯s curiosity about the situation, was well aware of Su Shen¡¯s well-known penchant for pampering his wife. He knew that Su Shen would never keep anything from Gu Zi, especially not matters related to the factory.

    Sensing the opportunity, he decided to take the initiative to explain things to her.

    ¡°Those people are all business partners of Brother Shen,¡± he began, offering an amiable smile. ¡°They came to discuss something important today¨Cmainly to introduce a potential new client.¡±

    He paused, then added with a hint of regret, ¡°This client is a big one. If Brother Shen agrees to the deal, it would mean another order for our pig farm, one that could keep us stocked for the next six months. But it seems Brother Shen isn¡¯t too eager to take on this business. These folks have visited several times already, and they were in the office discussing things earlier. But since you were here today, Brother Shen didn¡¯t want to disturb you, so he decided to meet with them outside.¡±

    The foreman¡¯s face betrayed a hint of disappointment. Though he didn¡¯t openly voice it, Gu Zi could tell the factory staff was eager to land the deal. They didn¡¯t understand why Su Shen was reluctant.

    It piqued her curiosity, but she trusted Su Shen¡¯s judgment. She didn¡¯t feel the need to press him for answers¨Cafter all, he had his reasons.

    Meanwhile, at the Su family¡¯s house, Su Jing had just finished the cleaning as Gu Zi had asked. She glanced at the time and was startled by how late it had gotten. ¡°Goodness, it¡¯s already past noon! I didn¡¯t even realize! I need to hurry and start lunch.¡±

    Su Jing sighed in relief, thankful that it was Saturday and Su Li and the others were home.

    Su Li, along with the neighbor Gao Ming, was outside playing with Su Le, so she didn¡¯t need to keep an eye on the little one.

    It was almost lunchtime before she had finished cleaning. She had to admit, buying such a large house wasn¡¯t always convenient. When she had the money, she promised herself that she¡¯d opt for a two-bedroom, one-living-room place instead¨Cspacious enough to feel comfortable but much easier to maintain.

    When Su Jing reached the kitchen, she found that Su Bing was already there, preparing ingredients. He was slicing bitter melon with practiced precision.

    Su Jing stood frozen for a moment, watching him. It took her a moment to gather herself before walking over to him.

    ¡°Sorry, I lost track of time,¡± she apologized. ¡°Let me take over. You go ahead and relax, or finish your homework.¡±

    Su Bing glanced at her, his expression softer than before. Since his mother had accepted his aunt, he¡¯d made an effort to be more open with his little aunt.

    He continued slicing the bitter melon and responded, ¡°I saw you sweeping outside, so I didn¡¯t bother you. You¡¯ve worked hard. Go rest. I¡¯ll handle lunch today.¡±

    Su Bing had been learning to cook from his mother for a while now. He had already mastered breakfast and could handle lunch and dinner with ease. Whenever he had free time, he practiced new dishes, constantly honing his skills.

    Su Jing, unwilling to let him do all the work, pulled some meat from the fridge and began rinsing it. ¡°No way,¡± she protested. ¡°I¡¯ve already accepted a hundred yuan from my sister-in-law. If I don¡¯t work, she¡¯ll take it back! You should go and rest instead.¡±

    Seeing that Su Jing was insistent, Su Bing didn¡¯t argue further. He had noticed that Su Li and the others were famished after playing all morning.

    Just then, Su Li, pulling Su Le by the hand, entered the kitchen, searching for food.

    Hearing the conversation between his older brother and his little aunt, Su Li grinned and explained proudly, ¡°Little Aunt, you probably don¡¯t know, but our Su family has a new tradition!¡±

    ¡°The men of the Su family,¡± he said with a dramatic flair, ¡°we don¡¯t let the women work too hard. And since you¡¯re one of us now, we¡¯ll do the work. That¡¯s why Big Brother insisted you rest. Now, go on and relax. I¡¯ll help out.¡±

    With that, Su Li started looking for something to do, eager to contribute.

    Gao Ming, standing nearby, chimed in enthusiastically, ¡°Me too! I¡¯ll help with the cooking! Su Bing, Su Li, I¡¯ll peel the garlic! Lele, you go watch TV with your little aunt! Little aunt, you look after little sister!¡±

    Gao Ming playfully pulled Su Le over to Su Jing, who was deeply moved by the gesture. Su Le, with her big eyes wide open, smiled up at her and stretched out her tiny hand. ¡°Little Aunt, can we go watch TV?¡± she asked in his sweet, high-pitched voice.

    The sight of his innocent face filled Su Jing¡¯s heart with warmth, and her eyes welled up. She had made so many mistakes in the past, letting an unworthy man drive a wedge between her and her family.

    Now, here she was, surrounded by the love and care of her own kin. She wiped away her tears quickly and smiled brightly at Su Le. ¡°Of course, we can go watch TV!¡± she said, her voice full of affection.

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    Outside, Gu Zi had taken a quick stroll around the grounds but ultimately decided to return to the office. She noticed that Su Shen¡¯s office was a bit dusty, and being surrounded by so many men who likely didn¡¯t pay attention to such details, it was clear the space needed some tidying up.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little protective of the office. It was her husband¡¯s work environment, after all, and she couldn¡¯t let it stay untidy.

    She began by wiping down the surfaces, taking care not to disturb any important documents. After clearing the dust and giving the room a much-needed cleaning, she moved on to the break room.

    As she worked, the sound of steady footsteps approaching from outside caught her attention.

    Su Shen had returned.

 Chapter 962 - Chapter 962: I Wont Let Myself Get Sick

    Chapter 962: I Won¡¯t Let Myself Get Sick

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi quickly tidied the new sheets on the bed, folding the used ones into a bag.

    As she stepped out of the rest area, she found Su Shen already in the office, having returned alone¨Cclearly, he had dismissed everyone else.

    ¡°I cleaned up a bit for you. I¡¯ll take these back and wash them in the machine later,¡± she said, holding the bag in her hands.

    Su Shen walked over, gently taking the large bag from her and placing it on the couch. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°But it¡¯s starting to rain outside again. I¡¯ll drive you back when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Although his schedule was packed¨Cespecially lately¨Cit was starting to rain, and the walk from the pig farm to the nearest bus station was a considerable distance. The village wasn¡¯t as convenient as the city. He had his car and couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her walking that far alone in the rain.

    Even though he was swamped, he could spare the time¨Cafter all, it wouldn¡¯t take much to push some tasks until tomorrow.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t want to refuse his kind offer, so she simply nodded. Her eyes wandered to a set of papers on the couch¨Canother business proposal, she noticed.

    The title caught her attention. It was something Su Shen must have brought in after she finished cleaning the office earlier.

    Su Shen, noticing her gaze, spoke up. ¡°The people from earlier are business partners. They came to introduce a major new client. But I¡¯m not interested in taking on this client. They¡¯ve been pushing for it for a while now. I only accepted this proposal out of politeness. I have no intention of using it.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s curiosity piqued, and she softly asked, ¡°They said the client is a big one. Why don¡¯t we take it? I¡¯m not trying to meddle, just¡­ curious.¡±

    Su Shen was candid with her, not hiding anything. ¡°Yes, the client is big. But do you remember when I told you that our biggest competitor in the pig farming industry is the Advanced Pig Farm?¡±

    Gu Zi nodded.

    ¡°Well, this client is one of their long-time partners. And now, with news of the pig plague breaking out over there, their old clients are starting to reach out to us. It¡¯s not exactly a good thing, though. Business is like war, Gu Zi. In business, it may not always be obvious like a battlefield, but there are risks that are not worth taking.¡±

    He leaned back slightly, his tone measured. ¡°Even though this deal could bring us huge profits, I¡¯d rather not take the risk. With the pig plague spreading through the southeast, all I need to do is manage our farm carefully. Once this wave of sickness is over, we¡¯ll be in the best position in the region.¡±

    Gu Zi, ever perceptive, understood immediately. She admired his prudence and foresight.

    The other farms were likely eyeing the gap in the market, waiting for an opportunity to pull everyone down into the mess. If he took the client, it might drag them all into a precarious situation.

    But by holding back, Su Shen was playing the long game, ensuring that when the storm passed, he would come out on top.

    She smiled inwardly, impressed by his strategic mindset. It was no wonder he had built such a successful business.

    Gu Zi took out the food she had brought with her. ¡°You¡¯ve made up your mind, then? I was just curious, but now I understand. Let¡¯s eat, shall we? It¡¯s still warm.¡±

    As she spoke, she opened the thermal container, revealing a set of steamed dumplings. Alongside it was a small bowl of homemade peanut sauce. Su Shen immediately recognized the rich, sweet aroma of the peanut sauce, subtle yet comforting, the perfect match for the dumplings.

    They sat down on the couch, quietly enjoying the meal. After a few bites, Su Shen suddenly coughed softly, his throat seemingly irritated.

    Gu Zi, concerned, quickly handed him a tissue. ¡°You¡¯ve been out in the rain a lot lately, running around. Did you get cold? You have to be careful. You can¡¯t let yourself get sick. When we get back, I¡¯ll get you some medicine. You need to take care of yourself first.¡±

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    She stood up, heading toward the drawer where the medicine chest was kept. As soon as she opened it, Su Shen wrapped his arms around her waist and gently turned her around, pulling her into his embrace.

    Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, his voice soft and reassuring. ¡°I just caught a slight chill. I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. I won¡¯t let myself get sick.¡±

    Gu Zi froze for a moment, her eyes meeting his, the air between them thick with unspoken tension.

    The room seemed to heat up, and for a moment, neither of them moved.

    Her heart beat a little faster as she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say a word, Su Shen had gently pressed her against the cabinet, his lips meeting hers in a kiss.

 Chapter 963 - Chapter 963: One Spark and Its All Up in Flames

    Chapter 963: One Spark and It¡¯s All Up in Flames

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen¡¯s face suddenly leaned in closer.

    His sharp, angular features¨Cthose brooding brows and strikingly handsome jawline¨Cwere almost hypnotic.

    Gu Zi found herself caught off guard, completely drawn in. When his lips met hers, she blinked in astonishment.

    What? He just kissed me out of nowhere? Doesn¡¯t he need to take his medicine first?!

    But her surprise melted away almost instantly when his tongue slipped into her mouth. At that moment, all her fleeting thoughts scattered. Yes, it had been days since their last kiss. Her husband might have been craving her, but if she was honest, she had been craving him too.

    Gu Zi¡¯s body responded instinctively, her lips moving against his, her kiss meeting his with equal fervor.

    Su Shen, ever the opportunist, seized the moment, his tongue boldly exploring her mouth, stirring a sweet, intoxicating rhythm that made a soft, audible sound. It was the kind of sound that would make anyone¡¯s face flush with heat, but right now, Gu Zi didn¡¯t have the luxury of feeling shy.

    Because Su Shen was far too irresistible at this moment.

    His strong arms slipped under her, lifting her effortlessly as he walked toward the desk.

    By the time he set her down, his arousal was unmistakable. His lips left hers, trailing heated kisses down her pale neck, then lower still, brushing across her collarbone. Even through the fabric of her blouse, she could feel the warmth of his mouth as he teased her sensitive skin.

    Her body melted under his touch, her breaths growing softer, sweeter, laced with an undeniable allure. She could feel herself responding to him, the heat pooling deep within her, her underwear dampened by her desire. But she didn¡¯t care¨Cthere was nothing shameful about it.

    In fact, Gu Zi thought there was something profoundly beautiful about this. To be wanted, to want back, especially with someone she loved? It was perfection.

    Su Shen¡¯s hand slipped under her blouse, caressing her soft, full breasts with reverence.

    He had to admit to himself, he¡¯d meant to take her advice and have his medicine first. But when she had risen earlier to fetch it, the curve of her back as she moved had stirred a flood of memories in his mind. And now, he couldn¡¯t hold back.

    He needed her, and waiting until they got home wasn¡¯t an option anymore.

    When had he become so insatiable? So impatient that even the office wasn¡¯t off-limits? He didn¡¯t know, and at this point, he didn¡¯t care.

    Lifting her once again, he carried her into the rest area, gently laying her down on the narrow bed. It wasn¡¯t as spacious as their bed at home, but he would manage. He shrugged off his shirt, unbuckling his belt with practiced ease, when a voice outside the office interrupted him.

    ¡°Brother Shen, I¡¯ve left the order on your desk for signing,¡± came an employee¡¯s voice from the door.

    Gu Zi froze, her senses snapping back to reality. She held her breath, waiting for the footsteps to fade before whispering urgently, ¡°Su Shen, let¡¯s not. What if someone comes in again? We can just¨C¡±

    She had meant to finish her sentence by offering to ¡°reward¡± him properly at home later, but before she could get the words out, Su Shen silenced her with another kiss. His tongue parted her lips with ease, dominating her senses.

    Simultaneously, she felt him pressing himself against her entrance, the slickness there drawing a satisfied gleam to his eyes. His kisses deepened, becoming almost feverish.

    Of course, the universe had a way of ruining even the most passionate moments. Just as he entered her, the door outside opened again.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Brother Shen?¡± someone muttered. ¡°He was just here a minute ago¡­¡±

    ¡°Idiot!¡± A woman¡¯s voice¨Clikely one of the employee¡¯s wives¨Chissed, though her words were still loud enough to carry. ¡°Do you ever see Brother Shen shut the door to the rest area? No? Use your brain! He¡¯s obviously in there with his wife. Don¡¯t be a fool and interrupt their business. Young couples like them, especially after a week apart, are like dry wood meeting fire¨Cone spark and it¡¯s all up in flames.¡±

    Gu Zi recognized the voice and wished the floor would swallow her whole. The woman was notoriously talkative, and her vivid commentary only added fuel to her mortification.

    Yet Su Shen, utterly unfazed, continued his rhythmic movements inside her, his lips brushing against her forehead as he murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one will interrupt us again.¡±

    She wanted to scream at him for being so shameless, but instead, she found herself surrendering once more to the pleasure he so expertly delivered.

    Only Su Shen could reduce her to such a state¨Cwhere her inhibitions melted away and nothing else mattered.

    *

    Later that afternoon, Gu Zi rested in the break room while Su Shen attended to some work. Once finished, he drove her back to the city. Rain drizzled softly against the car¡¯s windows, the air inside heavy with the scent of damp earth.

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    ¡°It¡¯s stuffy in here. Can you crack the window a little?¡± Gu Zi asked.

    Su Shen obliged, but as soon as the window opened, a foul, putrid smell wafted in¨Csomething like rotting carcasses.

    Gu Zi wrinkled her nose, and Su Shen immediately rolled the window back up, pulling the car to a stop. His expression darkened, clearly sensing the same thing.

    Gu Zi¡¯s mind raced. She hadn¡¯t smelled anything like this when she arrived earlier. If it were a fresh carcass, it wouldn¡¯t have reeked this badly yet. But if it had been there for a while, why hadn¡¯t anyone noticed during the daily inspections around the pig farm?

    A chill ran down her spine as realization dawned. Someone had to be sabotaging them. Su Shen¡¯s instincts were right¨Ctaking on that client would have spelled disaster.

 Chapter 964 - Chapter 964: Competitors Evil Schemes

    Chapter 964: Competitor¡¯s Evil Schemes

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen turned to Gu Zi and said calmly, ¡°Wait here in the car. I¡¯ll go check what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, he stepped out and strode towards the source of the stench.

    From the passenger seat, Gu Zi watched him go. His tall frame and long strides made quick work of the uneven path. He stopped at a suspiciously elevated mound of earth, standing still as if he¡¯d found something.

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart tightened. Moments later, Su Shen returned, his expression unreadable but composed.

    Sliding back into the car, Su Shen glanced at her and offered an explanation before she could ask, ¡°There are several dead pigs in the ditch near that mound. Their necks are blackened, a clear sign they succumbed to the recent outbreak of swine fever. They aren¡¯t from our farm.¡±

    That last sentence sent a chill down Gu Zi¡¯s spine.

    If the pigs weren¡¯t from Su Shen¡¯s farm, why were they left near it?

    Her mind raced, piecing together the malicious intent.

    This had to be the work of Su Shen¡¯s competitors¨Cdeliberately dumping diseased carcasses near his farm to contaminate the area.

    The recent rains only worsened the situation, as the virus could easily spread through the water system. The nearby ditches connected to the village¡¯s main river, which the farm also relied on for its water supply. If the water became infected, Su Shen¡¯s prized pigs would be at risk, wiping out the farm¡¯s competitive edge.

    This wasn¡¯t just underhanded¨Cit was vicious. A real-life business war, darker and dirtier than she had imagined.

    ¡°Su Shen,¡± Gu Zi urged, unable to keep the worry out of her voice, ¡°don¡¯t bother driving me back. Go back to the farm and deal with this immediately. If it rains throughout the night, it might be too late.¡±

    But Su Shen simply started the engine and resumed driving toward town, his face stoic yet touched with a flicker of anger.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it. Besides, if I hadn¡¯t stepped out to drive you, I wouldn¡¯t have discovered this. I¡¯ll drop you off at the station and return right away. There¡¯s still time.¡±

    His gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, cold and sharp. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of unease. She had never seen him this serious¨Cor this furious.

    She nodded silently, sensing the storm brewing within him.

    At the station, Su Shen watched her board the bus, his intense eyes following her until she was out of sight. Only then did he turn the car around and head back to the farm.

    Upon arrival, he wasted no time calling the local police and rallying his employees. His voice was clipped and authoritative as he issued orders, ensuring every precaution was taken to contain the contamination.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi tried not to worry. She knew Su Shen was more than capable of handling such crises. His business success wasn¡¯t luck; it was built on sharp instincts and unwavering resolve. Still, she couldn¡¯t shake the unsettling feeling as she returned home.

    When she arrived, Su Li and Gao Ming were in the yard, playing with Su Le and their loyal dog, Big Yellow. The moment they spotted her, the children rushed over, chattering excitedly.

    Su Li tugged on her sleeve and said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re just in time! Xu Sheng¡¯s mom came over again, and Auntie Jing almost got into a fight with her. She¡¯s in the house now, super mad.¡±

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    Gu Zi sighed internally. What did Huang Fei want this time? That woman seemed to have a knack for creating drama. Thankfully, she had been out all day and didn¡¯t have to deal with it herself.

    Stepping into the house, Gu Zi found Su Jing pacing, her expression sour. ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Zi asked, already bracing herself for the tirade.

    Su Jing wasted no time unloading her frustration. ¡°That woman is insufferable! She came looking for you again, and when I answered the door, she insisted I call you out. Said she wanted to learn your cake recipes! I told her you weren¡¯t home, but she accused you of hiding from her.

    ¡°She actually said neighbors should be friendly and share their skills. Can you believe that? As if you owe her your recipes just because she asked! And her attitude¨Cso entitled! It wasn¡¯t even a request; it was practically a demand. I told her you genuinely weren¡¯t here, but she kept saying you were avoiding her. Honestly, does she even understand human language?¡±

    Su Jing threw her hands up, exasperated. ¡°Talking to her is like arguing with a brick wall. She almost drove me insane!¡±

 Chapter 965 - Chapter 965: Xu Sheng Looks Like Xu Ye

    Chapter 965: Xu Sheng Looks Like Xu Ye

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi could tell that if this had been the old Su Jing, the argument with Huang Fei would have escalated into a full-blown fight.

    Su Jing had every reason to be upset; Huang Fei had an uncanny knack for stirring up trouble. While Gu Zi wasn¡¯t easily ruffled, she still preferred to steer clear of Huang Fei whenever possible. But the woman just wouldn¡¯t stay away.

    This time, Huang Fei had the audacity to demand Gu Zi¡¯s cake recipe¨Cjust like that, without any preamble.

    Gu Zi turned to Su Jing with a sigh. ¡°She¡¯s our new neighbor, Huang Fei. Quite the busybody, as you¡¯ve noticed. If she shows up again, just send her packing. Don¡¯t bother being polite.¡±

    Su Jing, reassured by her sister-in-law¡¯s support, visibly relaxed. Her mood lifted, though she frowned, recalling something odd. ¡°You know, she brought a child with her. And for some reason, the moment I saw that kid, I felt he looked familiar. But I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve never met him before.¡±

    Gu Zi considered this. ¡°Maybe he reminds you of someone you used to know. That happens. Huang Fei and her son came from the capital. Her husband¡¯s surname is Xu, and the boy¡¯s name is Xu Sheng. He¡¯s in the same class as Su Bing now¨Cquite the little prodigy. Skipped grades and already in the fourth year.¡±

    Su Jing¡¯s attention snapped back to one detail. ¡°Her husband¡¯s surname is Xu?¡± she repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief.

    Before Gu Zi could answer, Su Li chimed in enthusiastically. ¡°Yep! Definitely Xu! Xu Sheng¡¯s in our school too, so there¡¯s no mistake!¡±

    Gu Zi noticed the peculiar intensity in Su Jing¡¯s expression and asked cautiously, ¡°What is it? Did something come to mind?¡±

    Su Jing took a deep breath and said, ¡°Su Li, take Lele and Gao Ming outside to play for a bit. Auntie needs to talk to your mom about something.¡±

    Su Li nodded obediently, understanding that adults had their own secrets, much like he and Gao Ming had theirs.

    Once the children were out and Su Bing safely ensconced upstairs with his books, Su Jing leaned closer. ¡°Sister-in-law, did my brother ever tell you about my sister, Su Mo? The man who abandoned her¨Chis name was Xu Ye. He was a soldier. And now I realize why that boy, Xu Sheng, looked familiar. He¡¯s the spitting image of Xu Ye!¡±

    She grew more animated, her voice trembling with anger. ¡°And it¡¯s not just Xu Sheng. Look closely, sister-in-law. From the nose down, that boy looks exactly like Su Bing, Su Li, and Su Le. It¡¯s like they were all cut from the same mold! Tell me¨Cdo you know Xu Sheng¡¯s father¡¯s full name? Is it Xu Ye? If it is, I swear, I¡¯ll find a knife and deal with that scumbag myself!¡±

    Gu Zi froze, her mind racing. She replayed the children¡¯s faces in her head, comparing Xu Sheng to the three Su siblings. The resemblance was uncanny¨Cso obvious she wondered how she hadn¡¯t noticed it before.

    And then there was the matter of their intelligence. Both Su Bing and Su Le were exceptionally bright, and Xu Sheng was no different. Could there truly be a connection between Xu Sheng and her three children?

    Her memory flashed to a visit from some supposed relatives claiming to be the Su children¡¯s ¡°real family.¡± That had been a startling episode.

    The visitors hadn¡¯t shown their faces but had sent an emissary with an air of undeniable authority, clearly people of influence. Su Shen had investigated and discovered they were linked to the capital¨Cjust like Huang Fei¡¯s family.

    But finding information about Huang Fei¡¯s husband had proven difficult, eerily reminiscent of the shadowy background Xu Ye once had. If Xu Sheng¡¯s father truly was Xu Ye, then his reappearance now wasn¡¯t a coincidence. He had to have an agenda, and it involved her family.

    The implications hit her like a tidal wave. Was Huang Fei¡¯s persistent interference part of a larger scheme?

    But something didn¡¯t add up. Huang Fei didn¡¯t seem hostile toward the three Su children. Her constant bragging about her son felt more like a competitive streak than genuine malice. Most of her venom seemed directed at Gu Zi herself, not the kids.

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    Gu Zi¡¯s thoughts spiraled, but she forced herself to focus.

    Right now, Su Jing needed her support. Grasping Su Jing¡¯s hands, she said firmly, ¡°Calm down. I don¡¯t know for sure what Huang Fei¡¯s husband¡¯s name is, only that his surname is Xu. I¡¯ve never seen him. But you¡¯re right¨Cwe need to get to the bottom of this.¡±

    If Xu Ye truly was Xu Sheng¡¯s father, the Su family deserved answers.

    Whether or not the man intended to take responsibility for his actions, he had come too close for them to ignore.

    Su Mo¡¯s death, the years of suffering endured by Su Bing and the others¨Cthese weren¡¯t wounds that could be left unaddressed.

 Chapter 966 - Chapter 966: Testing Huang Fei

    Chapter 966: Testing Huang Fei

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Mo had undeniably made her share of mistakes. She should never have destroyed her own body for a man who didn¡¯t love her, nor taken out her anger on her children.

    But when it came down to it, the root of all her suffering was Xu Ye, that irresponsible excuse of a man.

    A man who shirks responsibility after leaving a woman pregnant and then abandons her? Truly, the worst of humanity.

    Hearing Gu Zi¡¯s calm yet firm tone, Su Jing gradually regained her composure. She glanced at the rain-soaked window and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother? Didn¡¯t he send you back home in this weather?¡±

    Gu Zi shook her head. ¡°He was going to, but something urgent came up at the pig farm. You know how bad the swine flu outbreak has been lately¨Che can¡¯t afford to let his guard down. And to make matters worse, someone tried to sabotage the Daqing Pig Farm today. He had to stay behind to deal with it, so I came back on my own. He¡¯s probably going to be tied up for the next few days.¡±

    Su Jing frowned, concern evident in her voice. ¡°That farm never catches a break. But about Xu Ye¡­ What are we going to do? We can¡¯t just sit here while that scumbag enjoys his life with his family, right under our noses.¡±

    Gu Zi raised an eyebrow and patted Su Jing on the shoulder. ¡°Who said anything about sitting around? I just meant we need to involve your brother in this¨Che¡¯s the best person to dig deeper. But in the meantime, we¡¯ll take the initiative. Let¡¯s test the waters with Huang Fei.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s ability to tackle problems head-on was one of her defining traits. She wasn¡¯t the type to wait unless the situation absolutely required it.

    And in this case, patience wasn¡¯t an option. This was about the three children¨Cno matter how powerful the Xu family might be, the Su family was no pushover either. And it was unthinkable to let a man like Xu Ye swoop in and take the children away.

    Su Jing looked at Gu Zi with admiration. Young, beautiful, and razor-sharp, her sister-in-law carried herself with a poise that belied her years. Though she was barely more than a girl, her calmness and decisiveness were unparalleled.

    Su Jing often felt inadequate in comparison. Approaching thirty herself, she sometimes wondered if she¡¯d wasted her years.

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead, sis,¡± Su Jing finally said, her tone tinged with newfound respect.

    Gu Zi smiled. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll visit Huang Fei together. Let me grab something to bring along¨Cit¡¯s always better to show up with a gift.¡± She disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a beautifully wrapped cheesecake. The corners of her mouth quirked up in a mischievous smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As they headed out, Su Jing eyed the cake skeptically. ¡°You¡¯re really bringing that? Isn¡¯t it a bit much for her?¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re here to fish for information, aren¡¯t we? A little sweetener won¡¯t hurt. When we get there, I¡¯ll tell her I¡¯m bringing you over to apologize¨Cpurely for the sake of neighborly harmony. Play along, but don¡¯t overdo it. Oh, and that line you just said? Feel free to repeat it word for word.¡±

    The two arrived at the Xu family¡¯s door, Gu Zi¡¯s sharp mind already dissecting her strategy. If she suddenly acted overly friendly, Huang Fei¨Cparanoid as she was¨Cmight grow suspicious. The woman¡¯s tendency to control everything around her was baffling; how could she be so lax when it came to her own husband?

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    Gu Zi rang the doorbell. It took a long while before anyone answered, no doubt a deliberate delay on Huang Fei¡¯s part.

    Finally, the door swung open to reveal a sour-faced housekeeper. ¡°What do you want? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s nap time?¡±

    Undeterred, Gu Zi flashed a dazzling smile and lifted the cake slightly, letting its pristine, transparent box catch the light. The cheesecake, with its perfect cheesecloth pattern and rich, golden hue, was a masterpiece.

    The housekeeper¡¯s eyes widened, her frosty demeanor momentarily melting. Even she had heard of Gu Zi¡¯s cakes¨Cher notoriously picky mistress had once admitted a weakness for them.

    If Huang Fei, of all people, craved these creations, they had to be extraordinary.

 Chapter 967 - Chapter 967: Apologize

    Chapter 967: Apologize

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi immediately saw through the housekeeper¡¯s thoughts and seized the moment. With her usual disarming smile, she said, ¡°It¡¯s really not a big deal. My sister-in-law here and Mrs. Huang may have had a bit of a misunderstanding earlier, so I brought her over to make amends. And, of course, I made this cheesecake for Mrs. Huang¨Cjust a little gesture of goodwill. After all, we¡¯re neighbors, and it¡¯s always better to stay on good terms, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The housekeeper¡¯s expression softened noticeably.

    So they¡¯d come to apologize? That made more sense. Her madam, after all, was a distinguished lady from the capital¨Chow could Gu Zi, of all people, dare to disrespect her? Of course, she couldn¡¯t. And here was the proof: a personal visit and an apology.

    The housekeeper also remembered how much her madam had been craving Gu Zi¡¯s cakes. Why, she had even set her pride aside and tried to ask Gu Zi for the recipe.

    That venture had ended disastrously, with the madam storming back in a foul mood after being humiliated at the Su household. Naturally, the servants had borne the brunt of her temper ever since. But now that Gu Zi was here, bearing a peace offering, surely the madam¡¯s spirits would improve.

    Having calculated all this, the housekeeper¡¯s demeanor became less frosty. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re here to reconcile with our madam. Very well, wait here. I¡¯ll go and fetch her.¡±

    As soon as the housekeeper turned her back, Su Jing¡¯s irritation boiled over. She delivered an imaginary kick in the air toward the retreating figure and muttered to Gu Zi, ¡°I knew it¨Clike master, like servant. That Huang woman is insufferable, and her housekeeper is just as arrogant.¡±

    Gu Zi gave her a light tug on the arm and a playful grin. ¡°Patience. We¡¯re here to gather information, remember? You don¡¯t want to ruin our chances, do you?¡±

    Su Jing huffed but fell silent, standing obediently by Gu Zi¡¯s side while they waited.

    At the staircase landing, the housekeeper, now safely out of sight, quickened her pace to find Huang Fei. She found her in the study, overseeing her son Xu Sheng as he worked through an English listening exercise.

    ¡°Madam, Gu Zi is here,¡± the housekeeper reported eagerly. ¡°She¡¯s brought a cake and her sister-in-law, saying they¡¯ve come to apologize.¡±

    Huang Fei arched a brow, surprise flashing briefly across her face. Gu Zi, apologizing to me?

    The idea was novel enough to intrigue her. But then the mention of a sister-in-law made her scoff. ¡°Oh, her little sister-in-law? Please. Isn¡¯t Gu Zi married to some old man who¡¯s much older than her? It¡¯s no wonder her sister-in-law might actually be older than she is.¡±

    The housekeeper seized the opportunity to flatter her mistress. ¡°Exactly! Gu Zi had to marry someone so much older¨Cher fate is set. Not everyone can have a life as blessed as yours, Madam. You and Sir Xu are a perfect match¨Cequally talented and well-bred.¡±

    Huang Fei chuckled, her mood clearly lifted by the compliments. Together, they descended the stairs, their voices echoing with laughter.

    The moment Huang Fei saw Gu Zi standing there with the cake, her eyes briefly flickered with interest. The cake was a masterpiece¨Cits creamy, delicate decoration practically begged to be devoured.

    But Huang Fei was nothing if not a seasoned player in the art of social pretense. She schooled her features almost immediately, lifting her chin and crossing her arms as she addressed her guests with thinly veiled sarcasm.

    ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t you two,¡± she drawled, her tone as cold as the marble beneath their feet. ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯ve brought your sister-in-law to apologize? Now, that¡¯s a surprise. But tell me, does she even mean it? From what I saw earlier, she seemed pretty fearless.¡±

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    Gu Zi¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver, but there was a noticeable edge to it now. ¡°Mrs. Huang,¡± she said, her tone even but firm, ¡°I heard all about what happened earlier. My sister-in-law admits she was wrong to argue with you. But I must clarify¨Cshe wasn¡¯t making excuses when she said I¡¯d been out all morning. It¡¯s true.¡±

    She paused, letting her words hang in the air before continuing, ¡°Of course, misunderstandings happen. That¡¯s why I brought her here¨Cto apologize in person. And I made this cake especially for you as a token of goodwill. But if you feel you can¡¯t forgive what happened, we¡¯ll take our leave. Su Jing, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s words were polite, but they carried an unmistakable undertone of dignity and resolve. She wasn¡¯t about to let Huang Fei trample all over them.

    Su Jing, who had been bracing herself to take all the blame if necessary, was momentarily stunned. She¡¯d thought Gu Zi might throw her under the bus for the sake of their mission, but instead, Gu Zi had stood up for her.

    In that moment, Su Jing felt a surge of admiration. To have someone as sharp, protective, and composed as Gu Zi on her side¨Ctruly, being her family was a privilege.

 Chapter 968 - Chapter 968: Showing Off Intentionally

    Chapter 968: Showing Off Intentionally

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing turned to leave with Gu Zi but remembered her earlier instructions. Quietly, yet deliberately, she muttered, ¡°Sister-in-law, if she doesn¡¯t want to accept it, so be it. After all, she¡¯s the one who started this mess. I haven¡¯t even mentioned how she falsely accused me! You weren¡¯t even home when she came by. I explained everything, and she flat-out called me a liar. Forget it¨Clet¡¯s take the cake back and eat it ourselves. A woman as unreasonable as her doesn¡¯t deserve something this good anyway.¡±

    Huang Fei had initially planned to deliver a few more sharp remarks to assert her dominance over Gu Zi, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to simply leave¨Ctaking the exquisitely crafted cake with them.

    Panic flashed across her face for a brief moment, quickly replaced by irritation. That little wench Su Jing was fanning the flames now, spurring Gu Zi to leave. Her fingers curled into fists at the thought of missing out on that coveted dessert.

    From the moment she had moved into this neighborhood, Huang Fei had tried, and failed, to get the upper hand over Gu Zi. Not once had she managed to gain the upper hand in their petty skirmishes. But to let this cake, crafted by Gu Zi¡¯s own hands, slip through her grasp? That was unacceptable.

    For all her disdain for Gu Zi, Huang Fei couldn¡¯t deny Gu Zi¡¯s unparalleled talent in baking¨Cthose cakes of hers were the stuff of legend, utterly impossible to replicate or purchase elsewhere.

    Huang Fei shot a pointed glance at her housekeeper. Catching on immediately, the housekeeper hurried to intercept the guests. ¡°Oh, please stay!¡± she called out, forcing a conciliatory smile.

    Gu Zi and Su Jing paused, letting themselves be persuaded without much resistance.

    Huang Fei, now with a slightly more affable expression, stepped forward and said, ¡°Gu Zi, you¡¯re right¨Cthis really isn¡¯t a big deal. No need to blow it out of proportion. I¡¯ll accept the cake, and let¡¯s just pretend none of this ever happened. We¡¯re neighbors, after all. All I ask is that you teach your sister-in-law to be a little less confrontational in the future.¡±

    The housekeeper, taking her cue, eagerly reached out to collect the cake from Gu Zi, who relinquished it without protest.

    Smiling politely, Gu Zi said, ¡°Well, I must say, I didn¡¯t expect us to make peace so quickly. Perhaps this is a turning point for us. If you ever host a housewarming party, I trust you¡¯ll invite the Su family as a gesture of goodwill?¡±

    Huang Fei¡¯s eyes flickered with a hint of suspicion. A housewarming party? Why bring that up? Then she remembered that the Su family had recently hosted one of their own. Perhaps Gu Zi was merely making small talk. Brushing it off, she replied, ¡°Oh, we hadn¡¯t planned on having one, actually. You see, we¡¯re originally from the capital, and we don¡¯t have many friends or family in this area. Moving here was only because of my husband¡¯s work transfer.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll eventually return to the capital,¡± she continued breezily. ¡°There¡¯s no point in throwing a party here. Besides, my husband is so busy with work, and I¡¯m not the sort to bother with organizing events like that. He wouldn¡¯t even let me lift a finger for something so trivial. He¡¯s always been like that¨Ceven when we were dating, he promised I¡¯d never have to tire myself out after marriage. And he¡¯s kept his word. We¡¯re very much in love.¡±

    The timing couldn¡¯t have been better. Gu Zi seized the opportunity to prod further, her tone light but pointed. ¡°So both of you are natives of the capital? That¡¯s quite impressive. But doesn¡¯t this constant relocating make things rather unstable? My husband¡¯s work in business is much more flexible¨Cwe have the freedom to settle down in one place. It¡¯s certainly less disruptive for the kids.¡±

    Standing off to the side, Su Jing was utterly baffled. What was the point of all this chit-chat? Wasn¡¯t Gu Zi just showing off now? This isn¡¯t like her at all!

    Yet, as Huang Fei basked in her smug superiority, Su Jing had to admit that her preening was oddly amusing. If she were a man, she might even find Huang Fei¡¯s haughty mannerisms charming.

    What Su Jing failed to realize was that Gu Zi¡¯s apparent indulgence in petty rivalry was a calculated move to lower Huang Fei¡¯s defenses.

    Sure enough, the strategy worked like a charm. Huang Fei, now completely at ease, didn¡¯t sense any ulterior motive as she replied, ¡°Oh, my husband¡¯s job is perfectly stable. This is the first time he¡¯s been transferred out of the capital, and it was entirely his own choice. We¡¯ve been together since high school, you know. He comes from an excellent family with a stellar background. After graduating, he stayed in the capital to work and, of course, to marry me. We¡¯ve never really left¨Cuntil now.¡±

    Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Huang Fei¡¯s son, Xu Sheng, who had just finished his assignments upstairs.

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    Hearing his mother recount the story of her idyllic romance for what felt like the hundredth time, he rolled his eyes and approached. ¡°Mom, what should I work on next?¡± he asked, his voice carrying a faint edge of impatience.

    Gu Zi and Su Jing¡¯s attention immediately shifted to the boy. Both women scrutinized him carefully, their gazes lingering. Gu Zi noticed something she hadn¡¯t paid attention to before¨Ca striking resemblance between Xu Sheng and her children, particularly Su Le. It was uncanny.

    Her mind raced as an old saying echoed in her memory: daughters resemble their fathers. If Xu Sheng truly were Xu Ye¡¯s son, his resemblance to Su Le would make perfect sense.

    Su Jing, meanwhile, was frozen in place. The moment she saw Xu Sheng, she felt as though she were staring straight into a reflection of Xu Ye himself.

    That same air, those features¨Cit was unmistakable. In that instant, she became almost certain: Xu Sheng¡¯s father had to be Xu Ye.

 Chapter 969 - Chapter 969: No Definitive Proof

    Chapter 969: No Definitive Proof

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei beamed proudly at her son, her voice dripping with affection as she addressed Xu Sheng. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll be practicing martial arts today¨Cto build strength and discipline. Your coach will be here any moment now. Sure, Su Bing and the others started earlier than you, but it¡¯s never too late. I know you¡¯re just as clever as your father¨Cwhatever you put your mind to, you¡¯ll master it in no time!¡±

    While Huang Fei was busy flaunting her son and husband, she completely missed the storm brewing behind Su Jing¡¯s gaze.

    Su Jing wasn¡¯t listening to a word she said; her attention was fixed intently on Xu Sheng. Her eyes darkened, a shadow of anger and bitterness flickering within. This wasn¡¯t just resentment¨Cit was for her late sister, Su Mo, whose tragic fate gnawed at her even now.

    Su Mo had loved Xu Ye with a devotion so consuming it had destroyed her. She had given him everything, only to be abandoned and left to die alone, while he moved on to build a picture-perfect life with another woman.

    Su Mo, you were such a fool! Su Jing¡¯s heart twisted painfully.

    Watching Xu Ye¡¯s wife and son revel in their seemingly perfect lives only fueled her fury. She wanted to storm forward and tear it all apart, to avenge her sister¡¯s sorrow. Men like Xu Ye¨Cfaithless and cruel¨Cwere all too common, while women like Su Mo paid the ultimate price for loving them.

    Su Jing despised it, and the thought dragged her back to her own emotional scars.

    Though Su Jing had sworn to leave her past behind, some memories were inescapable. They simmered beneath the surface, threatening to erupt in a blind need for vengeance. She didn¡¯t care about reputation, family, or the future¨Call she craved was the catharsis of destruction.

    Gu Zi, ever observant, immediately picked up on Su Jing¡¯s shifting emotions. They¡¯d already gleaned what they came for, and this wasn¡¯t the time for confrontation. If Su Jing lost her temper now, the fallout would be irreparable.

    Though Gu Zi wasn¡¯t afraid of stirring the pot, certain pieces of the puzzle still didn¡¯t quite fit. Based on Huang Fei¡¯s casual remarks, there was no definitive proof yet that Xu Sheng¡¯s father was Xu Ye.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Gu Zi murmured, sensing the storm brewing in Su Jing. As Su Jing opened her mouth to unleash her wrath, Gu Zi grabbed her arm and cut her off smoothly. Turning to Huang Fei with a polite smile, she said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re busy with your son. We¡¯ll be on our way now.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Gu Zi not only spoke but physically steered Su Jing out the door. To any onlooker, it appeared entirely natural, but Huang Fei was left standing there, puzzled by their abrupt departure.

    She frowned, her thoughts churning. Gu Zi had seemed fine just a moment ago. Why the sudden rush to leave? Then it hit her¨Ca flash of inspiration lighting up her face. It must be the pig crisis!

    With the recent outbreak of swine fever, safe pork had become a rare commodity. Even the largest stores had stopped selling pork entirely, shutting down their meat counters altogether. Yet the Su family¡¯s pig farm had somehow remained unaffected, making their pork highly sought after and nearly impossible to obtain.

    Huang Fei¡¯s family hadn¡¯t had pork for days. Her housekeeper had tried and failed to buy some, and the mere thought made her mouth water. Could it be that Gu Zi left in such a hurry because she feared being asked for pork?

    Ha! This woman thinks I¡¯m here to freeload. As if I wouldn¡¯t pay!

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    A smug smile spread across her face. She decided to head to the Su household and make her case. When she arrived, it was Gu Zi herself who answered the door, stepping out just enough to block any view of the interior. Clearly, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t planning to let her in, though her expression remained calm and polite.

    ¡°Huang Fei,¡± Gu Zi said evenly, ¡°what brings you here?¡±

    Huang Fei cleared her throat, feigning nonchalance. ¡°Well, with this swine fever situation, you can¡¯t trust the meat from outside. But your husband¡¯s pig farm must have some safe pork stocked up. I was hoping you could sell me some¨Cname your price. I¡¯ll pay whatever it costs. Xu Sheng is still growing, and it¡¯s not good for him to go without meat for so long.¡±

    Ah, so this is what she wanted. Relief washed over Gu Zi, who had been bracing for something far more serious. Her lips curved into a light smile as her shoulders relaxed. ¡°Oh, I see. Unfortunately, things aren¡¯t as easy as they seem,¡± she replied, her tone apologetic but firm. ¡°Even we¡¯re running low on pork these days. Normally, Su Shen sends some over, but with demand so high, even he¡¯s stopped. What little we have left in the freezer is barely enough for our three kids, especially Lele¨Cshe¡¯s still so young. How could we let her go without?¡±

    Gu Zi shrugged lightly, her expression the picture of regret. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t spare any. You¡¯ll have to look elsewhere, Huang Fei.¡±

 Chapter 970 - Chapter 970: I Was Being Impulsive

    Chapter 970: I Was Being Impulsive

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei never imagined that chasing someone down in person to buy meat would lead to an outright refusal.

    She pursed her lips, feeling insulted. What kind of person is Gu Zi? Huang Fei had even offered to pay for the meat, yet still, Gu Zi wouldn¡¯t sell. Her husband ran a pig farm, for heaven¡¯s sake! How could they possibly be running low on pork?

    Clearly, it was just an excuse!

    Fuming, her tone turned icy as she muttered while walking away, ¡°Fine. Your family¡¯s so amazing, huh? Got meat to eat while the rest of us don¡¯t? Keep it all to yourself, then. Who cares? It¡¯s not like going without pork is going to kill me. We¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t manage without it!¡±

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother responding. She quietly shut the door, only to turn around and find herself face-to-face with Su Jing, whose anger was barely contained.

    ¡°Sister-in-law, that was the right move! There¡¯s no way we should be selling meat to the Xu family. Who do they think they are? It¡¯s bad enough I haven¡¯t taken a knife to them in revenge for my sister, and now that woman has the nerve to come begging for pork!¡± Su Jing¡¯s indignation radiated through the room.

    Gu Zi walked further inside, her composure unshaken. ¡°I didn¡¯t refuse to sell to Huang Fei out of spite. The woman¡¯s suspicious by nature and loves stirring up trouble. With this swine fever spreading, if anything happens after she eats the pork I sell her, you can bet she¡¯ll point the finger straight at me. It¡¯s not worth the risk. She¡¯d not only cause me trouble but potentially ruin the reputation of the pig farm.¡±

    She spoke with such measured calm, as though discussing the weather. Gu Zi knew women like Huang Fei all too well. This wasn¡¯t a matter of pettiness or revenge; it was simply about avoiding unnecessary headaches.

    Su Jing wasn¡¯t entirely convinced. ¡°Sister-in-law, are you trying to say that my sister¡¯s death is too old a matter to bother pursuing? If that¡¯s how you feel, just tell me, and I¡¯ll take care of it myself!¡± Her voice was fierce, her eyes sharp.

    Gu Zi, unfazed, plopped onto the sofa and started stacking little wooden blocks with Su Le. ¡°You¡¯re jumping to conclusions again,¡± she said leisurely. ¡°Su Jing, did you even listen to what Huang Fei said just now? Xu Sheng¡¯s father might not even be Xu Ye. According to her, she¡¯s been with her husband since their school days, and except for this recent transfer, her husband has never worked outside the capital.¡±

    She placed another block on the growing tower and continued, ¡°If her husband¡¯s always been stationed in the capital, how could he have been in Guangzhou at the same time, deceiving your sister? Sure, Xu Sheng resembles Su Bing, and Xu Sheng¡¯s father may well have some connection to Xu Ye. But that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re the same person. You need to stay calm.¡±

    She paused to let the words sink in. ¡°Think about it: Huang Fei said her husband applied for this transfer. If that¡¯s true, it means his move had a purpose. Our first priority is to figure out what that purpose is¨Cand what his relationship with Xu Ye really is.¡±

    Before Su Jing could respond, Su Li and Gao Ming bounded in from the backyard, laughing and chasing each other. Gu Zi immediately fell silent, not wanting the children to overhear.

    Su Jing caught the hint and kept quiet too, though her thoughts churned.

    Once the kids ran off to play outside again, Su Jing finally spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re right, sister-in-law. I was being impulsive. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled, pleased. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. Now, you stay here and play with Lele. I need to go upstairs and study for a bit.¡± She kissed Su Le on the forehead before heading upstairs, leaving Su Jing to reflect on their conversation.

    An hour later, the doorbell rang. Gu Zi, eager to stretch her legs after sitting for so long, went to answer it herself. Standing at the gate was none other than Gong Xin, the ever-glamorous daughter of the Gong family. She was holding a pastry box¨Ca box that Gu Zi immediately recognized.

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    ¡°Well, well,¡± Gu Zi teased as she let Gong Xin in. ¡°Is the illustrious Miss Gong here just to return my pastry box?¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s expression was unusually serious as she stepped inside, following Gu Zi into the courtyard. ¡°You¡¯ve still got the energy to joke, huh? With this swine fever outbreak, aren¡¯t you worried at all? You¡¯re the wife of a pig farm owner, after all.¡±

    Gu Zi waved off her concern with a light laugh. ¡°Su Shen¡¯s handling everything at the farm. He told me there¡¯s no need for me to stress about it. My job is just to keep the household running smoothly. Besides, what good would worrying do? Might as well save my energy.¡±

    Gong Xin gave her an admiring look. ¡°I have to hand it to you. You¡¯re as cool as a cucumber¨Cborn to be the wife of a boss. If it were me, I¡¯d be worried sick by now.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s lips curled into a knowing smile. ¡°Well, speaking of boss¡¯s wives, you¡¯re not exactly out of the running, Miss Gong. Why don¡¯t you marry a businessman¨Cor better yet, the heir to a business empire? That would make you a boss¡¯s wife too. Consider it training for your nerves.¡±

 Chapter 971 - Chapter 971: Zhang Mei Fell Sick

    Chapter 971: Zhang Mei Fell Sick

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As Gu Zi spoke, she handed a cup of tea to Gong Xin.

    Gong Xin accepted it, her face turning noticeably red, though she maintained her usual haughty tone. ¡°Marriage? Please. Who wants to get married? I want to stay a little girl forever.¡±

    Gu Zi took a small sip of her tea, her eyes lifting to meet Gong Xin¡¯s defiant gaze. With a playful lilt, she teased, ¡°Oh? Someone might be heartbroken to hear that. Anyway, what brings you here today? Out of snacks already and looking to restock?¡±

    Gong Xin set her teacup down, her expression indignant. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person? Coming to you just to beg for food? Actually, I heard from Jin Long that the swine fever has been causing a lot of trouble, making it hard for pig farms to operate. I was worried about you, so I came by. Oh, and I brought back your snack box¨CI¡¯m not the type to keep something that isn¡¯t mine.¡±

    Gu Zi found her little haughty tone amusing, her lips curving into a soft smile as she picked up the returned snack box. ¡°Ah, yes, this is indeed mine. But wait, you ran into Jin Long again? What a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a planned meeting,¡± Gong Xin replied, her voice tinged with nonchalance. ¡°The other day, my colleagues and I were entertaining a client at the Golden Sun Hotel, and guess who we bumped into¨CJin Long! You won¡¯t believe it, but he¡¯s the young master of the family that runs the Golden Sun business empire. I was shocked! I always thought he was just some countryside guy who rose to manage a pig farm under Su Shen. Turns out his family¡¯s been in business all along.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded knowingly. Of course, she was aware of Jin Long¡¯s true identity. Still, she couldn¡¯t resist probing further, sensing a budding connection between Jin Long and Gong Xin. ¡°That¡¯s something Su Shen mentioned to me, too. He also said Jin Long returned to take over the family business. Rumor has it his family¡¯s already arranging a marriage for him. They¡¯re even scouting potential matches.¡±

    Her tone was casual, but her eyes watched Gong Xin closely. Sure enough, at the mention of a marriage alliance, Gong Xin¡¯s pupils dimmed ever so slightly. For once, her usual quick wit failed her, and she fell silent.

    Gu Zi understood perfectly. She¡¯d long suspected that Gong Xin harbored feelings for Jin Long, even if the two were still in the ambiguous stage of mutual attraction. Under normal circumstances, their relationship might naturally evolve. But with Jin Long back in his family fold, facing inevitable interference from his elders, their progress seemed doomed to stagnation.

    Jin Long, now burdened with managing the Golden Sun¡¯s affairs, was likely drowning in responsibilities. He probably didn¡¯t even have the time to contemplate personal matters, let alone nurture his budding connection with Gong Xin.

    Gu Zi decided she might need to subtly nudge Jin Long. After all, she wouldn¡¯t mind playing matchmaker for this pair¨Cthough, of course, the final decision lay with them.

    Lost in thought, Gong Xin suddenly snapped out of her daze, scrambling to divert the topic. ¡°Well, he does need to settle down eventually. But that¡¯s not why I came today. Did you know your foster mother, Zhang Mei, has been in the hospital for a while now? Lin Miao¡¯s been by her side, studying while taking care of her.

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    ¡°Everyone in the old neighborhood is singing Lin Miao¡¯s praises¨Cabout how filial she is, how devoted she¡¯s been to her biological mother. But honestly, I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so impressive. Those same people are bad-mouthing you, saying you¡¯re heartless for not visiting Zhang Mei even once, even though you live in the city. It¡¯s obvious to me Lin Miao¡¯s been stirring the pot, trying to make you look bad. She¡¯s such a schemer.¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t surprised. Lin Miao had always been this way¨Cendlessly antagonizing her in petty, underhanded ways. Now, fresh out of prison, Lin Miao was clearly trying to deflect attention from her tarnished reputation by making Gu Zi the scapegoat.

    Unbothered, Gu Zi shrugged. ¡°Let them talk. People can say whatever they want¨Cit doesn¡¯t bother me. I have no desire to reconnect with the Gu family or to deal with Lin Miao. I¡¯m perfectly content with my life as it is.¡±

    Gong Xin studied her, a flicker of sympathy crossing her face. Gu Zi¡¯s life wasn¡¯t easy. Her husband was neck-deep in handling the swine fever crisis, while she juggled exam prep and constant gossip. But Gong Xin couldn¡¯t fault her approach. The Gu family was like a stubborn stain¨Conce involved, it was nearly impossible to extricate oneself.

    ¡°You¡¯re right to keep your distance,¡± Gong Xin agreed. ¡°Look at my family as an example. My brother was all set to divorce Lin Miao, but after several fruitless negotiations, her family used her college entrance exams as an excuse to delay things. They claimed the stress of a divorce would hurt her chances. It¡¯s so infuriating!¡±

 Chapter 972 - Chapter 972: Gu Shan Is Having An Extramarital Affair

    Chapter 972: Gu Shan Is Having An Extramarital Affair

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°They¡¯re just stalling, plain and simple,¡± Gong Xin fumed, her arms flailing slightly for emphasis. ¡°They don¡¯t want the divorce to go through. My parents, being the ¡®keep-it-classy¡¯ types, don¡¯t want to make it a public spectacle. They¡¯re worried about people gossiping, so they¡¯re putting everything off until after the college entrance exams. But honestly, it¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    Gu Zi listened to Gong Xin¡¯s tirade, easily picking up on her frustration. She could practically feel the irritation radiating off her friend. Lin Miao was clearly exploiting the Gong family¡¯s tendency to prioritize appearances, weaponizing moral guilt to her advantage. But something about the situation nagged at Gu Zi.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Why is Zhang Mei in the hospital? What happened?¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s expression shifted conspiratorially as she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s because of your foster father. You know he¡¯s been trying to divorce your foster mother for a while now, right? Poor Zhang Mei thought that once Lin Miao got out of prison and came home, things would settle down. But Gu Shan¡¯s still dead set on the divorce, and the whole ordeal made Zhang Mei so upset, she landed in the hospital.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s mind flashed back to the original novel. In that storyline, Gu Shan¡¯s divorce drama had also sent Zhang Mei to the hospital, but it had been handled so much more¡­ gracefully. Thanks to Lin Miao¡¯s almost supernatural ¡°main character halo,¡± any potential troublemakers had been dealt with swiftly, leaving the family intact and enviable in the eyes of others.

    Sure, rumors of Gu Shan¡¯s infidelity had floated around back then, but the public still saw the Gu family as the picture of domestic harmony. After all, in any era, a man¡¯s indiscretions were considered forgivable, something to be quietly endured for the greater good of the family. Women were expected to grin, bear it, and keep the peace.

    But this wasn¡¯t the novel anymore. Things had clearly spiraled out of Lin Miao¡¯s control. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s relationship was in absolute shambles, and Gu Zi was almost certain Gu Shan¡¯s affair wasn¡¯t just a rumor. If he was this desperate to end the marriage, there had to be another woman¨Cand that woman was very likely someone already close to them.

    Gu Zi sighed inwardly. What kind of protagonist is Lin Miao, anyway? Instead of focusing on the chaos unraveling within her own family, she kept fixating on petty schemes to target Gu Zi. Was this supposed to be some sort of strategy?

    Gong Xin, noticing Gu Zi had zoned out, leaned forward with concern. Before she could speak, Gu Zi dropped a bombshell. ¡°Gong Xin, I¡¯m almost positive my foster father is having an affair. And that woman? She¡¯s right there in their circle.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Gong Xin¡¯s hands flew to her mouth in shock. ¡°No way! I thought Gu Shan wanted the divorce because he was sick of Zhang Mei. Plus, there was that incident where Zhang Mei embarrassed him in front of his boss. But an affair? And the woman¡¯s in their circle?¡±

    Gong Xin¡¯s curiosity was practically bursting at the seams, but before she could press for more details, Gu Zi cut her off with a knowing smirk. ¡°The person in question is pretty obvious. But I need you to help me spread a few words¨Cmake sure Lin Miao hears them. Once she does, you¡¯ll figure out who it is soon enough.¡±

    The wheels in Gong Xin¡¯s head began to spin, her love for gossip fully ignited. ¡°Oh my God, I have to know who this woman is! Don¡¯t worry¨CI¡¯ll handle it. You can count on me. Anyway, I¡¯d better go now. I¡¯ve got things to do.¡±

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    With that, Gong Xin practically flew out of the Su household, eager to share the juicy tidbit with her mother. But as she passed by the pavilion on her way back to the courtyard, she overheard a small group deep in conversation.

    Curiosity piqued, she stopped to listen.

    ¡°Zhang Mei¡¯s been in the hospital for weeks now,¡± one woman sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what she¡¯s going through. First, she raises someone else¡¯s child as her own, only for that girl to end up belonging to someone else¡¯s family. Her biological daughter, meanwhile, spends years suffering in the countryside. And just when Lin Miao finally comes home, she gets thrown in jail. Then Zhang Mei herself falls ill, and now her marriage is falling apart. The poor woman¡¯s life is nothing but tragedy.¡±

    Another chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t Lin Miao¡¯s prison sentence all because of that foster daughter? I heard they could¡¯ve settled things quietly, but Gu Zi insisted on pressing charges. And now that Zhang Mei¡¯s in the hospital, Gu Zi hasn¡¯t even visited once, even though she lives in the city! I never would¡¯ve guessed Zhang Mei raised someone so heartless.¡±

    A third voice joined in, brimming with indignation. ¡°Gu Zi¡¯s gotten full of herself ever since marrying that businessman. She¡¯s living it up in a big mansion in the city, acting like her foster parents don¡¯t exist. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she¡¯s the one behind Zhang Mei and Gu Shan¡¯s divorce drama¨Cprobably still bitter about being married off to the countryside because of Zhang Mei¡¯s meddling. That girl holds grudges, not gratitude!¡±

 Chapter 973 - Chapter 973: Lin Miao Did Steal The Money

    Chapter 973: Lin Miao Did Steal The Money

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gong Xin watched as the women¡¯s gossip grew more heated by the second, her face darkening with each passing moment. Unable to hold back any longer, she stepped forward and snapped at them.

    ¡°You¡¯re all talking nonsense! No one falsely accused Lin Miao of stealing the betrothal money¨Cit¡¯s a fact. Since that¡¯s the case, she deserved to be held accountable for her actions and was arrested. What does any of this have to do with Gu Zi?

    ¡°And another thing¨Cwhy should Gu Zi be obligated to visit Aunt Zhang Mei? Did you all conveniently forget how the Gu family treated her in the first place? Just to bring their adopted daughter back, they sent Gu Zi to the countryside as a stand-in bride. She was lucky Su Shen turned out to be kind. Otherwise, who knows how horribly she might have suffered? If it were me, I¡¯d probably hate Aunt Zhang Mei to death, but Gu Zi didn¡¯t even think that way! And now you¡¯re blaming her instead?

    ¡°You people are so quick to twist right and wrong. And to think you¡¯re the wives of military officers¨Csupposedly women of honor. Yet here you are defending a thief like Lin Miao. I hope when she steals from you someday, you¡¯ll be just as understanding!¡±

    The group fell silent, recognizing Gong Xin as the daughter of a high-ranking officer¨Csomeone they could not afford to offend. They were all well aware of how close Gong Xin and Gu Zi had become lately.

    Gong Xin always stood up for Gu Zi, and speaking ill of her in Gong Xin¡¯s presence was bound to end badly. Worse, what if Gong Xin went home and reported this to her father? That could mean serious trouble for their husbands.

    What puzzled them, however, was how the two had gotten so close in the first place. After all, Gong Xin had always disliked Gu Zi. Yet ever since Gu Zi left the compound and married into the countryside, their relationship seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.

    Still, not everyone was willing to back down. One of the older women, feeling her years gave her some authority, muttered under her breath. ¡°It¡¯s true Lin Miao stole the money. And yes, the Gu family may have treated Gu Zi unfairly in the past. But they did raise her all those years. Even so, did she really have to send Lin Miao to prison? She turned the entire Gu household upside down¨Ccan she really say she bears no responsibility for that?

    ¡°And let¡¯s not forget Gu Shan and Zhang Mei are now on the brink of divorce. If you ask me, that¡¯s Gu Zi¡¯s doing too. She¡¯s clearly out for revenge against the Gu family. Miss Gong Xin, just because you¡¯re partial to Gu Zi doesn¡¯t mean you can defend her blindly.¡±

    The speaker was the wife of one of Gu Shan¡¯s subordinates. Gu Shan¡¯s demotion and workplace struggles had affected her husband¡¯s career as well, leaving her resentful. She firmly believed Gu Zi had gone too far and didn¡¯t hesitate to voice her frustrations.

    Gong Xin recognized the woman instantly and quickly pieced together the situation. She had always shown respect to these older women, calling them ¡°Auntie¡± and ¡°Madam,¡± but today, as they attacked her dear friend, she wasn¡¯t about to play nice.

    Without skipping a beat, Gong Xin shot back, ¡°Bullshit! I said Gu Zi¡¯s not at fault, and I stand by it!

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    ¡°And as for Gu Shan and Zhang Mei¡¯s divorce¨Cdon¡¯t you dare pin that on Gu Zi either! Zhang Mei ruined her own reputation when she sided with human traffickers after Gu Zi¡¯s adopted son was kidnapped. Do you think people wouldn¡¯t talk? Even the senior officials found out, and Gu Shan lost his face¨Cand his chance at a promotion. That¡¯s why his attitude toward Zhang Mei changed.

    ¡°Besides, let¡¯s be honest here. A man like Gu Shan¨Cmiddle-aged, successful, and image-conscious¨Cwould never risk public scandal and insist on divorce unless something serious happened. Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know what that means.¡±

    Gong Xin didn¡¯t stop to soften the blow. She gave them a cold snort and turned on her heel, walking away without sparing them another glance. The women she left behind stood frozen, their faces a mix of shame and embarrassment.

    But embarrassment quickly gave way to realization. These women were no fools. They could read between the lines. For Gu Shan, a man so obsessed with appearances, to risk the stigma of divorce¨Cit had to mean one of two things. Either he truly couldn¡¯t stand Zhang Mei anymore, or there was already another woman in the picture.

    As that thought sank in, someone gasped. ¡°Wait, does this mean the rumors about Captain Gu having an affair were true all along? My God, he never seemed like that type of man!¡±

 Chapter 974 - Chapter 974: Deliberately Slandering Gu Zi

    Chapter 974: Deliberately Slandering Gu Zi

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°You know what? That actually makes sense!¡± one of the women exclaimed, her eyes widening with sudden realization. ¡°Now that I think about it, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were constantly arguing for a while. Don¡¯t you all remember? I even saw Gu Shan storming out of the house a few times, fuming with rage. He didn¡¯t come back until late at night, or sometimes, not at all.¡±

    The more they thought about it, the more certain they became¨CGu Shan must have another woman outside, which was why the divorce with Zhang Mei had escalated so dramatically. However, someone raised a question, ¡°But wait. Didn¡¯t Lin Miao say that Gu Shan decided to divorce only after a private conversation with Gu Zi? So, was Lin Miao lying? Was she deliberately slandering Gu Zi?¡±

    Another woman chimed in, ¡°Most likely! Honestly, would Miss Gong Xin go out of her way to spread false rumors? What would she even gain from it? But Lin Miao? She¡¯s nothing but a troublemaker, stirring up drama and nearly getting us into serious trouble. We should gather ourselves and pay a visit to Miss Gong Xin to apologize. We can¡¯t let a few careless words jeopardize our husbands¡¯ futures.¡±

    The group of women began dispersing, leaving behind Gu Shan¡¯s housekeeper, who grew increasingly anxious. Seeing the way things were unfolding, she dared not speak ill of Gu Zi anymore. With the sky darkening and rain clouds threatening another downpour, she hurried off toward the Gu family home, determined to warn Lin Miao about the situation.

    By afternoon, Gu Zi emerged from the shower, refreshed but unsettled. Outside, the wind howled and lightning cracked across the sky. She stared out at the storm, unable to stop worrying about Su Shen, who was still out managing the disposal of dead pigs.

    He would surely get drenched. He was already nursing a cold, and no matter how strong he was, his body wouldn¡¯t hold up under such conditions.

    Gu Zi had told him to come home earlier so she could brew him some herbal medicine, but he hadn¡¯t made it back.

    After taking Su Le from Su Jing and holding the baby in her arms, Gu Zi sat on the sofa, staring at the old-fashioned telephone on the table. She wanted to call Su Shen¡¯s office to check on him but worried it might distract him.

    Instead, she called Gui Hua¡¯s corner store and asked her to go into town to get herbs from the old Chinese doctor, following her specific prescription. She instructed Gui Hua to prepare the medicine and have Lin Hun deliver it to Su Shen.

    With Jin Long now focused on inheriting the family business, Su Shen was grooming Lin Cheng to take over as the top manager at the pig farm.

    Lin Hun, who worked closely with Lin Cheng, had become a significant figure at the farm. Given his frequent interactions with Su Shen, Gu Zi felt reassured that Lin Hun would handle the delivery properly.

    Due to the heavy rain, Gui Hua waited until the downpour eased before fetching the herbs. By the time Lin Hun delivered the thermos filled with herbal soup, it was already late at night.

    Su Shen stood atop a mound of earth, his tall and commanding figure cutting through the dim light. Despite the occasional cough, his sharp, hawk-like eyes gleamed with determination.

    Lin Hun felt a surge of admiration. Serving such a capable and charismatic leader was an honor. And to top it off, Su Shen was clearly a romantic. Holding the thermos prepared by his wife, his fierce eyes softened with a rare tenderness.

    Lin Hun resolved to learn from Su Shen¡¯s example¨Cto work hard and create a better life for Gui Hua. Life suddenly seemed full of promise.

    That night, Gu Zi slept in Su Le¡¯s small room. The rain pounded against the roof, filling the air with its relentless rhythm. Yet, nestled in the cozy room, Gu Zi felt a sense of warmth and security. She drifted off to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring sunshine after so many days of rain.

    When morning arrived, her wish came true. The sun shone brightly, and the grass seemed greener than ever. Standing in the courtyard, Gu Zi stretched and inhaled deeply. The air was so fresh it felt like the entire world had been scrubbed clean, leaving behind only the faint scent of damp earth.

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    Su Jing had risen early to prepare breakfast. Seeing Gu Zi in the courtyard, she brought over a plate of food. ¡°Eat up before you start your morning exercises,¡± Su Jing said with a smile.

    Though Gu Zi was her sister-in-law, Su Jing often felt more like an older sister to her. Gu Zi was so much younger than her brother and even younger than herself. Sometimes, Su Jing had an urge to pamper Gu Zi like a little sister. But Gu Zi was no ordinary girl. She was smart and capable, fully deserving of her role as the lady of the house.

    Su Jing often thought back to the Xu family incident. Without Gu Zi¡¯s calm advice, she might have made a mess of everything.

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and accepted the breakfast with a grateful smile. She ate in small bites while her gaze occasionally drifted toward the house across the way.

    ¡°I trust Su Shen,¡± she said confidently. ¡°The issues at the pig farm will be resolved soon. After that, we¡¯ll tackle the Xu family matter. Don¡¯t worry¨Cwe¡¯ve got this.¡±

 Chapter 975 - Chapter 975: Weekend Barbecue Day

    Chapter 975: Weekend Barbecue Day

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing listened intently to Gu Zi¡¯s words, nodding in agreement. She trusted her sister-in-law completely¨CGu Zi exuded such a natural aura of reliability that Su Jing now felt she would be at a disadvantage if she didn¡¯t heed her advice. After all, her brother Su Shen had often said that Gu Zi was their family¡¯s little lucky star, their guiding light for the future.

    Unaware of how highly she was regarded, Gu Zi finished her breakfast slowly, savoring each bite. She then instructed Su Jing, ¡°Later, cut up some meat into chunks and marinate them using the recipe I showed you.¡±

    Su Jing, already heading toward the kitchen, called back, ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll start now.¡±

    Gu Zi spent some time playing with Su Le before heading upstairs to work on her translation manuscript. The weather had cleared, and she longed to be outside, soaking up the sun. But, work was work, and there would be time later.

    She didn¡¯t dwell on it for long, pulling the curtains shut in her study and flicking on the lights to begin her task. She worked until nearly eleven before heading downstairs.

    In the kitchen, Su Jing was rinsing rice. Gu Zi smiled and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s not stir-fry the dishes for lunch today. Why don¡¯t we bring the charcoal grill out into the yard, grab a bag of charcoal, and have a barbecue instead?¡±

    Though the sun had emerged, the air still felt damp, and Gu Zi thought it was the perfect opportunity to cook outdoors. It would be fun for the children, and the heat of the grill would help clear the humidity in the air.

    Su Jing placed the rice in a pot to cook and agreed, ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll get the rice done first¨Cif we need it later, we¡¯ll have it with the barbecue. If there¡¯s any left over, we can make fried rice tonight.¡±

    The two women worked together, gathering spices and various foods to grill. They carried the charcoal grill to the front yard near the flower arch.

    Su Bing, who had been reading, saw his mother and aunt hard at work and set down his book to help. He brought out a bag of charcoal, and soon, the other children realized what was happening: it was barbecue time.

    Su Li pointed at the grill and proudly told Gao Ming, ¡°Look, that¡¯s the barbecue grill my mom designed herself! She¡¯s so amazing¨Cshe can do anything!¡±

    Gao Ming, thrilled but also a little envious, could only admire the scene. He often found himself wishing his own mother would do things like this for him.

    The difference between him and his friend was clear. Even though his parents had moved back into their home, they were always busy¨Cworking and taking care of his younger brother.

    Gao Ming still preferred to stay with his grandparents. It wasn¡¯t that he resented his parents, but he had grown accustomed to the distance.

    But Gao Ming was no longer upset. After all, he had a great friend now, and his friend had an amazing mom. All the warmth he didn¡¯t receive from his parents, he got to experience in Su Li¡¯s house.

    Su Jing overheard Su Li¡¯s praise and turned to Gu Zi, incredulous. ¡°Sister-in-law, is Su Li telling the truth? Did you really design this grill?¡±

    She had never seen such a grill before, and only when Gu Zi had explained it did she realize it was meant specifically for barbecuing. It was hard to believe¨Cit seemed like her sister-in-law could design anything, even airplanes!

    Gu Zi chuckled lightly. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t exactly design it. I drew up the plans, and your brother had someone make it. But it¡¯s not really my design¨CI was inspired by a book I read, and I more or less copied the idea.¡±

    Gu Zi wasn¡¯t being modest¨Cshe truly had drawn up the plans herself, inspired by memories from her previous life.

    The grill, which would become a popular style in the early 2000s, wasn¡¯t her original concept. She just wanted the freedom to have barbecues whenever she liked. It reminded her of a similar grill her family had owned when she was younger.

    She¡¯d drawn it up and had Su Shen get someone to make it, but she had no intention of selling it¨Cshe just wanted the convenience for her own home.

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    To Su Jing, however, it only seemed like her sister-in-law was being humble. She was even more in awe of Gu Zi now and asked her to teach her how to barbecue, as she always burnt the food when she tried to do it herself.

    Gu Zi, on the other hand, had the process down to an art. She expertly roasted the pork belly until it was golden and sizzling with oil, the rich scent of the spices filling the air.

    The variety of flavors¨Cspicy, savory, five-spiced, and peppery¨Cmade the pork belly irresistible, and it was enough to make anyone¡¯s mouth water.

    In addition to the meat¨Cpork, sausages, and chicken legs¨CGu Zi had prepared vegetable skewers of potatoes, mushrooms, chives, cabbage, and tofu. After grilling a few, she handed Su Jing a chive skewer and a mushroom skewer.

    Su Jing was amazed. She hadn¡¯t expected the vegetarian skewers to be so flavorful¨Cshe almost thought they tasted better than the meat!

 Chapter 976 - Chapter 976: Bona Fide Wealth

    Chapter 976: Bona Fide Wealth

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Jing barely noticed the heat rising from the grill. With one hand occupied copying Gu Zi¡¯s barbecuing technique, she had already devoured four or five skewers.

    The golden, glistening pork belly and crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside chicken drumsticks were so delicious that Su Jing found herself at a loss for words.

    Suddenly struck by inspiration, she dropped everything and dashed into the house.

    Gu Zi glanced after her but didn¡¯t bother asking. The kids were devouring the skewers as fast as they came off the grill, and if Su Bing hadn¡¯t stepped in to help, Gu Zi would¡¯ve been completely overwhelmed.

    Before long, the rich aroma of grilled meat filled the Su family courtyard. A gust of wind carried the scent farther, drawing curious glances from passersby¨Cchildren and adults alike¨Cwho couldn¡¯t help but steal envious looks through the Su family¡¯s gates, swallowing their drool.

    These were hard times. An outbreak of swine fever had left even the wealthiest families struggling to put pork on the table. Yet here was the Su family, throwing an impromptu barbecue with enough meat to feed an army.

    This wasn¡¯t some gaudy display of new money, as Huang Fei often snidely suggested¨Cthis was bona fide wealth. Rumor had it the Su family¡¯s pig farm was now supplying pork exclusively to the military and research institutions.

    Military personnel and scientists in the region owed their access to pork in these lean times entirely to the Su family¡¯s farm. The local government, eager to support those contributing to the nation¡¯s progress, had prioritized the Su farm¡¯s operations. This wasn¡¯t the kind of influence a nouveau riche family could buy¨Cit was genuine prestige.

    Across the street, several people glanced toward the Xu household and spotted young Xu Sheng¨Cthe so-called child prodigy¨Chovering near his gate, staring longingly in the Su family¡¯s direction.

    Someone snickered, ¡°And Huang Fei keeps bragging that her son is too refined to care about worldly pleasures. Looks like even geniuses crave barbecue!¡±

    Another voice chimed in, ¡°Huang Fei¡¯s too strict with him. She¡¯s pushing that kid too hard. I¡¯ve never seen him play outside. Meanwhile, look at the Su kids¨Cthey¡¯re always out and about, laughing and having fun with Gao Ming. They¡¯ve brought so much life to this neighborhood. Kids should enjoy their childhood. What¡¯s Huang Fei so worried about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± someone said. ¡°She¡¯s from a big-shot family in the capital. Her education philosophy is different¨Celitist, you know? But let¡¯s not be too harsh. That kid¡¯s carrying a lot on his shoulders for someone so young. Poor thing.¡±

    Xu Sheng must¡¯ve felt their eyes on him because he quickly lowered his head and took another bite of his dry, flavorless bread.

    Just then, Huang Fei stepped outside. He glanced at her and, from the way her eyes lingered toward the Su family courtyard, knew she¡¯d been drawn by the scent too.

    Xu Sheng couldn¡¯t explain why, but he felt his mother should try to get along with the Su family. Yet he dared not voice his thoughts¨Cjust as he never dared to resist the endless classes and workbooks she piled on him. Instead, he swallowed his feelings, resigned to being the obedient son she expected.

    Meanwhile, Su Li and Gao Ming had finished eating and were now marching out of the house with skewers in hand. They dragged Jiang Nuan along with them. She lived nearby in Jifu New Village and often visited the Su family on weekends. Her parents approved, trusting their housekeeper to drop her off safely.

    Su Bing, ever the serious one, stayed behind to either read or help with chores. So Jiang Nuan usually teamed up with Su Li and Gao Ming. The trio strolled through the neighborhood, skewers in hand, attracting stares from both kids and adults.

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    Jiang Nuan handed out meat skewers to younger children along the way, and seeing this, Su Li and Gao Ming followed suit. The adults, however, were left empty-handed, forced to watch in silence.

    By the time they reached the old apartment blocks outside the neighborhood, their skewers had dwindled. But this didn¡¯t stop Su Li from lingering there the longest.

    Both Jiang Nuan and Gao Ming knew exactly what he was doing¨Ctrying to drive the kids from the apartment block crazy with jealousy.

    Jiang Nuan didn¡¯t pity them. Those kids had no sense of right or wrong and didn¡¯t deserve sympathy. The sight of Su Li¡¯s skewers had them practically drooling. Some hadn¡¯t even smelled meat in ages, let alone tasted it.

    Unlike the well-off kids in Jifu New Village, whose families could still afford meat even in these tough times, the children in the old apartments came from struggling households. Even before the outbreak, meat had been a rare luxury for them. Now, with the swine fever crisis, it was nearly impossible to come by.

 Chapter 977 - Chapter 977: Wang Qiangs Familys Downfall

    Chapter 977: Wang Qiang¡¯s Family¡¯s Downfall

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The children now stared at the skewers in Su Li¡¯s hands, their intestines twisting with regret. They shouldn¡¯t have listened to Wang Qiang and decided to stop playing with Su Li. And they definitely shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble at Su Li¡¯s birthday party.

    If they had stayed friends with Su Li, they would surely be feasting on meat right now. Su Li, for all his occasional show-off tendencies, always had good food and was generous about sharing it. Unlike Xu Sheng, who acted superior and barely acknowledged them, let alone shared snacks. And Wang Qiang? He was even more hopeless.

    Wang Qiang¡¯s family, once the wealthiest in their apartment building, had taken a massive hit from the recent swine fever outbreak. Wang Qiang¡¯s father, hoping to make a fortune, had secretly sold diseased pork and ended up arrested. The adults whispered that he might be in prison for many years.

    After Wang Qiang¡¯s father was taken away, his grandmother fell ill. She wandered everywhere asking for loans and pulling strings, desperate to get him released early. She even begged the Xu family for help but was flatly rejected. The Xu family had no intention of associating with anyone with a criminal record.

    The adults in the neighborhood had long predicted Wang Qiang¡¯s downfall. Over the years, his family had bullied others plenty. Now that karma had struck, most people were quietly celebrating their misfortune.

    But the kids didn¡¯t understand such complexities. They just regretted following the wrong leader. If only they had sided with Su Li back then, they wouldn¡¯t be stuck drooling over skewers they couldn¡¯t have. They didn¡¯t dare approach Su Li now, not after declaring they would never play with him again.

    Su Li glanced at their longing stares and felt a twinge of sympathy. Though he had initially planned to make them pay for their past actions, the sight of their pitiful faces made him change his mind.

    Still, he wasn¡¯t about to forgive them either. Without another word, he grabbed Gao Ming and Jiang Nuan and headed home.

    By the time they returned, Su Li¡¯s stomach had settled, making room for more food. The memory of his aunt devouring grilled meat earlier made him anxious, and he quickened his pace. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back before Auntie eats all the barbecue,¡± he said.

    Back home, Su Bing was grilling potato slices. Su Li dashed inside, cutting off Su Jing, and exclaimed, ¡°Brother, I want grilled potatoes! I¡¯m starving!¡±

    Su Bing looked up at his younger brother, frowning at the grease smeared all over Su Li¡¯s mouth. With a slight grimace, he handed him the freshly grilled slices and said coolly, ¡°Wash up when you¡¯re done.¡±

    Su Jing scoffed, ¡°Su Li, do you think I¡¯d fight you for potatoes? I¡¯m already full.¡±

    She then turned to Gu Zi, holding up a painting she had been working on. ¡°Look, I captured you grilling earlier. I¡¯m thinking of framing it and calling it ¡®The Barbecue Fairy.¡¯ What do you think?¡±

    Gu Zi took the painting, instantly recognizing the skilled brushstrokes of someone trained by a master. ¡°Thank you! Let¡¯s buy a frame for it later,¡± she said with a smile.

    Meanwhile, Su Li devoured five skewers of potatoes and then turned to Su Bing again. ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t eat much more. Just five more skewers, and that¡¯s it. Mom says overeating is bad for digestion.¡±

    Su Nuan and Gao Ming exchanged stunned looks.

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    ¡°Not much more?¡± Gao Ming muttered. ¡°That¡¯s ten skewers altogether! And that¡¯s after all the pork belly and chicken drumsticks he ate earlier.¡±

    Clearly, Su Li had a very loose definition of ¡°not much.¡±

    Gu Zi chuckled but let Su Li continue eating. The boy was growing fast and needed the nutrition. With his energetic personality, he burned through food quickly.

    Seeing Gu Zi¡¯s approval, Su Bing grilled more potatoes. Su Li¡¯s eyebrows practically danced as he ate, completely content. After lunch, the barbecue grill was left on for dinner, and the family retreated inside to watch TV.

    But Su Li couldn¡¯t sit still for long. Before the show ended, he was back outside, drawn to the table where leftover skewers were covered. Just as he reached for one, he froze¨Cstanding in front of him was Xu Sheng.

 Chapter 978 - Chapter 978: Scolding Her Fiercely

    Chapter 978: Scolding Her Fiercely

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Xu Sheng crouched in an inconspicuous corner just outside the Su family¡¯s courtyard, peering inside with an almost predatory focus.

    His lips moved faintly, and Su Li followed his gaze, only to realize Xu Sheng was staring longingly at the barbecue grill.

    Su Li didn¡¯t know much about Xu Sheng¡¯s character, but he definitely recognized the look of someone with a craving. Picking up two skewers of grilled meat from the table, Su Li walked over and said, ¡°You want this, don¡¯t you? Here, take it.¡±

    Xu Sheng flinched in surprise, nearly hitting his head on the door frame as he stood up. He¡¯d only come out because his mother was off playing mahjong, and he¡¯d wanted one more whiff of the barbecue¡¯s aroma. He never expected to run into his sworn rival, Su Li.

    The humiliation made his face burn bright red¨CSu Li must be feeling smug now.

    Despite the hunger gnawing at him, Xu Sheng tried to save face. ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong!¡± he snapped. ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking at your food. I saw something run into your courtyard.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, he turned and bolted toward his house.

    Su Li stood there, skewers in hand, blinking in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t understand Xu Sheng. Who refused free barbecue?

    Shrugging it off, Su Li lifted one skewer to his nose, inhaling deeply. Even cold, it still smelled amazing.

    Just as Su Li was about to take a bite, a loud thud startled him. He looked up to see Xu Sheng sprawled out on the ground, motionless.

    Panic surged through Su Li, and the skewer slipped from his fingers, hitting the dirt. He sprinted toward the house, shouting, ¡°Mom! Auntie! Xu Sheng collapsed in front of our gate!¡±

    Life-or-death situations had a way of wiping out petty grievances. Gu Zi dropped her earlier suspicions about Huang Fei¡¯s antics and rushed to get help.

    The Gao family¡¯s driver and Gu Zi quickly loaded Xu Sheng into the car and sped off to the hospital.

    At the hospital, the doctor emerged from the emergency room, his face like thunder. ¡°What kind of mother leaves her child to eat contaminated food? Do you have any idea how serious this is? He could have died from food poisoning if you¡¯d brought him in any later!¡±

    Unfazed, Gu Zi replied, ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m not his mother. I¡¯m his neighbor. He fainted outside my house, so I brought him here. I¡¯ve already sent for his family. His mother should be here soon¨Cplease make sure to scold her properly when she arrives. This is absolutely outrageous.¡±

    The doctor, caught off guard, looked flustered. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so sorry, Miss. I misjudged you. His mother, though¨Ccompletely irresponsible!¡± Still muttering under his breath, he disappeared back into the room.

    Su Li, who had been quietly listening, tugged at Gu Zi¡¯s hand. His eyes were wide with worry. ¡°Mom, does Xu Sheng¡¯s family want to hurt him too? Like how I was poisoned before? Is he going to be okay?¡±

    Gu Zi hugged Su Li tightly, understanding his fear. He had every reason to be paranoid, given how Su Shen¡¯s ex-wife had deliberately poisoned him once.

    But this was different.

    Stroking his hair, she said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Xu Sheng just ate something expired or unclean. He¡¯s out of danger now.¡±

    Still, the incident made Gu Zi suspicious. Huang Fei, for all her flaws, was known to be strict about Xu Sheng¡¯s diet. How could she let this happen?

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    Before she could investigate further, Huang Fei burst into the hospital, her face dark with rage.

    Spotting Gu Zi, she launched into an attack. ¡°Gu Zi, I know you don¡¯t like me, but how dare you harm my child? What kind of monster poisons someone else¡¯s son?¡±

    Huang Fei had nearly fainted when she heard the news. Her son had been perfectly fine when she left home. Then she remembered the barbecue earlier in the Su family¡¯s yard and how Xu Sheng had looked tempted. She had trusted him not to embarrass her by begging for food, but clearly, he¡¯d failed to resist. He must have sneaked over and eaten their pork¨Cand now he was paying the price. This useless boy!

    The fact that Su Li and his family had eaten the same pork without issue only fueled Huang Fei¡¯s suspicions. She was convinced Gu Zi had deliberately given her son bad meat.

    Su Li, overhearing the accusation, immediately regretted offering the skewers earlier. He rushed to defend himself. ¡°Aunt Huang, Xu Sheng didn¡¯t eat our pork! I offered him some, but he refused. He fainted before he could even take a bite. My mom isn¡¯t a bad person!¡±

 Chapter 979 - Chapter 979: Huang Fei Doesnt Make Sense

    Chapter 979: Huang Fei Doesn¡¯t Make Sense

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Huang Fei¡¯s eyes bulged with rage, her face turning a deep shade of purple as she flailed her arms in fury. She was beyond furious, her every movement exuding an overwhelming sense of urgency and anger.

    If it weren¡¯t for the passing medical staff intervening, stepping in to block her path, she might have lunged at Gu Zi right then and there. She couldn¡¯t hear a word the child was saying. Su Li, being Gu Zi¡¯s stepson, was naturally going to defend her, but Huang Fei¡¯s son would not be so easily wronged.

    Ignoring Su Li completely, Huang Fei continued to yell at Gu Zi, her voice rising in indignation. ¡°I¡¯ve known all along that you¡¯re not a good person! You claim to be our neighbor, yet when I tried to buy pork from you before, you refused! But now you¡¯re feeding my son this filthy, tainted meat! Gu Zi, you¡¯re truly malicious!¡±

    Gu Zi, however, wasn¡¯t fazed by Huang Fei¡¯s outburst. Over the years with Su Shen, she¡¯d learned a thing or two about handling people like Huang Fei. Even if she rushed at her, Gu Zi knew she wouldn¡¯t lose out.

    What she feared more, though, was the uncontrolled fury brewing in Su Li. His eyes were bloodshot, his face taut with anger, as he stamped his feet and seemed on the verge of charging.

    Gu Zi¡¯s only concern at the moment was to calm him down before he acted on impulse.

    She firmly grasped Su Li¡¯s arm, pulling him back to steady him before slowly standing tall. Turning to face Huang Fei, Gu Zi¡¯s voice rang out clear and calm, ¡°You still remember that I didn¡¯t sell you the meat? Look at the way you¡¯re acting now¨Cjumping to conclusions without a second thought. Do you think I¡¯d sell meat to someone like you?¡±

    The crowd that had gathered around began to murmur, casting confused glances at Gu Zi.

    One of the nurses, speaking up in a tone that suggested genuine concern, said, ¡°Miss, if you have good pork at home, why wouldn¡¯t you sell it to Mrs. Huang? Times are tough, and as neighbors, shouldn¡¯t we help each other out?¡±

    Others nodded in agreement, and Huang Fei, noticing the shift in public opinion, smirked smugly. She raised an eyebrow at Gu Zi and said to the others, ¡°Everyone here knows that Gu Zi is a selfish, self-serving person.¡±

    But Gu Zi, unaffected by the continued slander, responded with poise. ¡°So, just because I know how to bake cakes and don¡¯t offer to teach you for free, I¡¯m selfish and self-serving? You¡¯re talking about the people in this neighborhood, but you and your circle of friends certainly don¡¯t speak for everyone in the whole district. Do you think you represent all of Jifu New Village?¡±

    She continued, her voice steady and unwavering, ¡°As for the pork in my house¨Cit was bought before the pig plague, and I¡¯ve had it stored in the freezer. It¡¯s for my family, and I wasn¡¯t going to risk it getting mixed up in any rumors. As for the Gao family next door, I gave them some pork because they are reasonable people. I never once worried about them. But as for you, I wouldn¡¯t dare sell it to you. And do you know why? To avoid situations like this!¡±

    Her eyes never left Huang Fei as she spoke, her words cutting through the tension in the air. ¡°You¡¯re accusing me of poisoning your son with pork from my house, yet I haven¡¯t even found a single piece of tainted meat. Even my husband¡¯s Daqing Pig Farm would never provide any questionable pork. I¡¯m supposed to risk ruining my reputation and my own brand just to get back at you? That¡¯s a ridiculous thing to even consider. Only someone like you could come up with such an idea of revenge.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s voice was clear and ringing with truth, and the people around her could see it for themselves: Huang Fei had no proof, no evidence, just baseless accusations. What¡¯s more, they didn¡¯t expect this composed, elegant woman to be the owner of the very Daqing Pig Farm¨Cthe one that had managed to steer clear of the pig plague during the entire crisis. In fact, Daqing Pig Farm was now a local legend.

    The entire Southeast region knew of Daqing Pig Farm, the only one that had managed to remain unaffected by the outbreak, and now it provided trusted pork for various government departments, saving a significant amount of money by not relying on imports from the North.

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    Daqing Pig Farm¡¯s owner, Mr. Su, had even earned a reputation for his social responsibility. When the outbreak first began, while other pig farm owners raised their prices outrageously, Mr. Su only raised his prices slightly, ensuring the public didn¡¯t have to pay exorbitant amounts for meat.

    Though the crisis worsened, and most of the pork from Daqing was requisitioned by the government, there was still some available for the market. Lines began forming early every morning just to buy Daqing¡¯s pork. If you were early, you¡¯d get some; if you came too late, it was sold out, and sometimes people went without meat for days. Yet, the people were grateful for Mr. Su¡¯s efforts.

    Mr. Su, with his good heart, had a beautiful, young wife¨CGu Zi, who, with her calm demeanor, radiated warmth and grace. It was impossible to see her as the malicious person Huang Fei described.

    In fact, Gu Zi had given pork to the Gao family but was hesitant to sell it to Huang Fei. Now, it was clear who the real troublemaker was.

    The nurse¡¯s face hardened as she turned to Huang Fei. ¡°Mrs. Huang, I saw just a moment ago¨CMiss Gu was the one who brought your son to the hospital. You claim she harmed him, but where¡¯s your evidence?¡±

 Chapter 980 - Chapter 980: Expired Bread

    Chapter 980: Expired Bread

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°My son was poisoned at her house and was sent to the hospital by her. Isn¡¯t that proof enough?¡± Huang Fei snapped, her face darkening. ¡°What more evidence do you need? Are you suggesting I¡¯d harm my own son? Gu Zi, I know you have a sharp tongue and I can¡¯t outtalk you, but don¡¯t think you can brush this matter aside so easily!¡±

    The crowd stirred uneasily. After all, what mother would deliberately harm her own child? And considering the boy had indeed fallen ill after visiting the Su household, it wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable to suspect a connection. The whispers grew louder as doubts began to surface.

    Gu Zi, however, remained unfazed. With an air of practiced composure, she addressed Huang Fei directly. ¡°I am not brushing anything aside. You suspect I fed your son tainted food, and I am saying I did not. Naturally, I have the right to defend myself. If you don¡¯t believe me, you should report this to the police. I¡¯m more than willing to cooperate with an investigation. But if it turns out that I¡¯ve been falsely accused, I hope you¡¯re prepared to compensate me for defamation.¡±

    Gu Zi knew exactly what kind of person Huang Fei was and had anticipated this kind of slander. She had hoped to resolve the misunderstanding quickly, without escalating the situation, but Huang Fei had crossed a line. To openly level such accusations in front of so many people? Well, Gu Zi wasn¡¯t about to back down.

    Huang Fei, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, thought Gu Zi was merely bluffing. After all, she never let her son, Xu Sheng, eat just anything. Their household exclusively stocked high-end imported groceries.

    Xu Sheng had always been fine¨Cuntil today. Clearly, the problem couldn¡¯t have come from her home. It had to be something he ate at the Su household.

    And even if Gu Zi hadn¡¯t deliberately fed Xu Sheng bad food, accidents happened. Gu Zi¡¯s children were raised in the countryside, accustomed to eating anything and everything. But Xu Sheng was different¨Cdelicate and pampered from birth. What their stomachs could handle, his certainly could not.

    Huang Fei saw an opportunity. Pin the blame on Gu Zi, tarnish her reputation, and watch her crumble. No more flaunting her status in the neighborhood after this.

    Determined to make Gu Zi pay, Huang Fei¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°I will report this to the police. And when they confirm that my son was poisoned by the food at your house, you better be ready to compensate us. Out of consideration for our being neighbors, I won¡¯t pursue criminal charges. But you will have to kneel before my son and apologize publicly to make amends.¡±

    Gu Zi let out a sharp laugh. ¡°Sure. But to be fair, if it turns out Xu Sheng wasn¡¯t poisoned by anything from my house, I expect you to compensate me for defamation¨Cincluding financial damages and a public apology. Kneeling included. That¡¯s reasonable, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Huang Fei scoffed, while Gu Zi stared back coolly. The tension crackled like fire between them, setting the crowd on edge. No one dared to speak, but many secretly questioned Huang Fei¡¯s priorities. Her son had just undergone emergency treatment, and yet here she was, arguing instead of checking on him. Was this what a mother was supposed to be like?

    Just then, the attending doctor emerged from the emergency room. His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, and he barked, ¡°What is all this noise? Clear the area! The patient needs rest!¡±

    Huang Fei hurried toward the doctor. ¡°Doctor, how is my son? Could he have contracted swine fever? Is it contagious?¡±

    The doctor blinked, momentarily taken aback by the question. To avoid repeating his earlier mistake of misjudging a situation, he asked, ¡°You are Xu Sheng¡¯s mother?¡±

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    Tears welled up in Huang Fei¡¯s eyes as she nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, doctor, that¡¯s me! I rushed over as soon as I heard. My poor boy¨Che hadn¡¯t had pork in so long, and just one bite landed him in this state! Someone must have given him tainted pork.¡± She shot Gu Zi a venomous glare.

    Having confirmed her identity, the doctor¡¯s expression darkened. His voice dropped to an icy tone. ¡°So, you¡¯re the irresponsible mother? The one who fed her son expired bread, causing him to suffer food poisoning? If this young lady hadn¡¯t rushed him here in time, he might not have made it!¡±

    Huang Fei froze, the words hitting her like a slap. ¡°Expired bread?¡± she stammered. ¡°Impossible! It must have been the diseased pork from the Su household.¡±

    The doctor¡¯s face darkened further. ¡°Diseased pork? What diseased pork? Stop talking nonsense! Are you even a mother? How can you not know what your child ate?¡±

    For the first time, Huang Fei found herself publicly humiliated. Her face burned with embarrassment as panic set in. She stammered, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m his mother! I just¡­ I just stepped out for a bit, that¡¯s all. But our household doesn¡¯t keep expired food! Doctor, please double-check¨Cit had to be the pork!¡±

 Chapter 981 - Chapter 981: Cant Follow Through the Bet

    Chapter 981: Can¡¯t Follow Through the Bet

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The doctor finally lost his patience. Marching out of the hospital room with a clipboard in hand, he thrust it toward Huang Fei, his voice sharp with irritation. ¡°We just induced vomiting, and the child expelled a stomach full of bread mush. Lab tests confirmed it¡¯s contaminated with excessive E. coli and other pathogens. Here is the report. I hope you can read. You kept insisting it was tainted pork, but clearly, you¡¯ve been too negligent to even know what your son ate!¡±

    He slapped another sheet onto the clipboard, his eyes boring into her. ¡°And this is his physical evaluation. Apart from food poisoning, your son also has hypoglycemia and calcium deficiency. Thankfully, he¡¯s otherwise healthy, so these issues are likely due to severe stress. With a mother as self-absorbed and inattentive as you, it¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s under pressure!¡±

    The doctor didn¡¯t wait for her response. ¡°He needs to be admitted for observation. Where¡¯s the father? I haven¡¯t seen him. Get in touch immediately. I need to speak to a responsible guardian¨Cand as for you, go pay the fees.¡±

    With a heavy sigh, the doctor strode away, the force of his footsteps echoing his frustration.

    The crowd lingered nearby, having overheard every word. Murmurs of disapproval rippled through the group, and judgmental glances darted toward Huang Fei. Moments ago, she had been so domineering, but now her face had drained of all color, leaving her visibly shaken.

    She never imagined her son¡¯s sudden illness would be traced back to the bread she had given him.

    Earlier that day, after finishing a set of practice problems, her son had complained of hunger. With the housekeeper busy elsewhere, Huang Fei had grabbed a loaf of bread from the bookshelf cabinet and handed it to him without a second thought.

    Her household was always stocked with premium, individually wrapped breads¨Cthe kind most families wouldn¡¯t even dream of buying. It was her go-to snack, paired with milk, and she often gave it to her son as well. They¡¯d eaten it countless times without issue. So how could it have sent him to the hospital today?

    Her mind raced, replaying the morning. Then it hit her¨Ctwo days ago, the housekeeper had found that very loaf under the cabinet while cleaning. She¡¯d noticed the expiration date had passed by over a week and meant to throw it out, but she had gotten distracted and forgotten. Now, in a moment of carelessness, she had given it to her son.

    Standing rooted to the spot, Huang Fei felt her face flush with humiliation. She forced herself to look at Gu Zi, her tone suddenly soft. ¡°Gu Zi, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t realize the bread was expired. The doctor didn¡¯t say anything earlier, so how could I have known? Honestly, it¡¯s the housekeeper¡¯s fault for being careless. I¡¯ll scold her later. I was just too worried about Xu Sheng and lost my temper. I¡¯m sure, as a mother yourself, you understand.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes narrowed, her gaze laced with disdain. Huang Fei¡¯s sudden change in attitude was laughably transparent. It was obvious she wanted to dodge the consequences of their earlier wager. But did she really think it would be that easy?

    Gu Zi didn¡¯t bother masking her contempt. ¡°Sorry, Huang Fei, but I don¡¯t understand you at all. What kind of mother arrives at the hospital to find her son in critical condition and immediately starts blaming others instead of figuring out what actually happened? Even though I knew you might turn on me, I still don¡¯t understand you.¡±

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    She crossed her arms, her voice dropping icily. ¡°Your son happened to faint at my doorstep, and I chose to bring him to the hospital. I don¡¯t need your gratitude¨Cconsider it a good deed for my own child¡¯s karma. But earlier, you insisted on betting in front of everyone here. I¡¯m holding you to that. Get down on your knees and apologize first. We can discuss financial compensation afterward. And if you refuse, that¡¯s fine too. My family doesn¡¯t need the money.¡±

    The crowd, now privy to the truth, didn¡¯t sympathize with Huang Fei in the slightest. Someone piped up, ¡°Huang Fei, you were the one who wouldn¡¯t let this go and even slandered Miss Gu. She¡¯s just asking for an apology. Honestly, kneeling wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable.¡±

    Others quickly agreed, their murmurs growing louder. Huang Fei, seeing the tide turn against her, trembled with anger.

    Ignoring the crowd, she shouted at Gu Zi, ¡°Gu Zi, I already apologized! And I¡¯m willing to pay you. But you can¡¯t expect me to humiliate myself like this in front of everyone! We¡¯re neighbors. We have to see each other again. Isn¡¯t money enough?¡±

    Gu Zi smirked, her voice dripping with mockery. ¡°How convenient. Good thing the tests proved your son ate expired bread. But what if they hadn¡¯t? You would have dragged my name through the mud with no way to clear it. I took a huge risk bringing him here. You¡¯re the one who proposed kneeling as an apology, and now you can¡¯t follow through?¡±

 Chapter 982 - Chapter 982: Really Meaningless

    Chapter 982: Really Meaningless

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    ¡°And you still have the audacity to raise your voice? Do you think this is something money alone can fix? Even if you emptied your entire fortune, would it be enough to repair the damage you¡¯ve done to my reputation? Sorry, but I take my reputation very seriously. I can¡¯t accept anything less than you kneeling and apologizing,¡± Gu Zi said.

    Huang Fei had initially planned to smooth things over with a softer approach, hoping to dodge the confrontation entirely. But faced with Gu Zi¡¯s unyielding attitude, she could no longer keep up the pretense. Her eyes locked fiercely onto Gu Zi¡¯s, fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Hatred boiled within her like molten lava, threatening to erupt.

    Just as the crowd leaned in, eager to see how the drama would unfold, a frail yet resolute voice broke the tension. ¡°Auntie Gu, this is my fault. Please don¡¯t make my mom kneel. I¨CI can kneel instead.¡±

    All heads turned to the doorway, where a pale and fragile boy stood, one hand clutching the frame for support. His face was drained of color, but his eyes were red and brimming with guilt.

    It was Xu Sheng, the unfortunate victim of the food poisoning incident. Unlike his mother, he exuded a sense of responsibility far beyond his years. But how could this possibly be his fault?

    Xu Sheng, however, saw things differently. After regaining consciousness and learning the cause of his illness, he was overwhelmed with guilt. He blamed himself for not checking the expiration date on the bread before eating it, leading to the entire debacle. The thought of his mother worrying herself sick over him only compounded his guilt.

    Hearing the crowd criticize his mother made him feel even worse. His father was constantly away on business trips, leaving his mother to raise him alone. She was strict, yes, but Xu Sheng knew it was because she loved him.

    Now, because of his carelessness, his mother was being humiliated in public. He felt it was only right to take responsibility and apologize.

    Xu Sheng thought simply: if his apology could put an end to the matter, then his mother wouldn¡¯t have to face any more scorn. Despite his weak and aching body, he climbed out of bed, determined to set things right.

    But Huang Fei, already mortified, felt her humiliation deepen. Her son¨Cher only son¨Coffering to kneel for Gu Zi? What an idiot! All his education, wasted!

    Fuming, Huang Fei stormed toward him.

    Xu Sheng, seeing his mother approach, tried to smile through his exhaustion. ¡°Mom¡­¡± he started, but the word barely left his lips before Huang Fei¡¯s palm struck him across the face. The slap sent him sprawling to the ground.

    Gasps filled the room. Everyone froze, too stunned to move. Xu Sheng himself was too shocked to react. He stared up at his mother with wide, disbelieving eyes.

    But Huang Fei¡¯s face was dark with rage. ¡°You¡¯re my son! What does it make me look like if you kneel to her? Don¡¯t you dare kneel! Look at yourself¨Ctoo weak to even stand properly, and you still came out here to meddle? Are you trying to embarrass me even more? This whole mess is your fault, and yes, you should apologize¨Cbut who told you to kneel?!¡±

    Gu Zi, rarely caught off guard, found herself genuinely stunned. She had always assumed Huang Fei doted on Xu Sheng, her only child and a source of pride with his stellar grades. But to see her strike him in his fragile state¨Cwas this something a mother could actually do?

    Even more baffling was Xu Sheng¡¯s reaction. Despite being a bright and capable child, he somehow couldn¡¯t grasp that none of this was his fault. He carried all the blame himself. The situation was beyond unsettling.

    Huang Fei was far more terrifying than Gu Zi had ever imagined, and Xu Sheng¨Ctrapped with such a mother¨Cwas downright pitiable.

    Before Xu Sheng could utter another word, Gu Zi cut him off. ¡°Xu Sheng, you did nothing wrong. I don¡¯t need your apology¨Cor your mother¡¯s, for that matter. Not when she doesn¡¯t even recognize her own mistakes. Her apology would mean absolutely nothing.¡±

    Finished, Gu Zi turned away, unable to bear looking at Xu Sheng any longer. The stubborn determination in his eyes was too heartbreaking.

    Ever since becoming a mother herself, Gu Zi¡¯s heart had softened. She simply couldn¡¯t stomach this scene any longer. Huang Fei had already embarrassed herself enough for one day.

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    With a sharp tug, Gu Zi took her own child¡¯s hand and walked out of the hospital.

    The crowd finally snapped out of their daze, their expressions shifting from shock to fury. ¡°What kind of mother are you?¡± someone yelled. ¡°How could you hit your own son when he¡¯s already so weak? Shame on you!¡±

    Others joined in, voicing their outrage. But Huang Fei ignored them all.

    Face cold and unmoving, she roughly yanked Xu Sheng to his feet and dragged him back into the hospital room. The door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang, silencing the onlookers.

    Inside, Huang Fei unleashed another tirade, venting her anger at her son without restraint.

 Chapter 983 - Chapter 983: Better Than His Birth Mom

    Chapter 983: Better Than His Birth Mom

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi and Su Li rode back in the Gao family¡¯s car, just as they had arrived earlier. Once seated, Gu Zi felt a twinge of embarrassment and turned to the driver.

    ¡°I told you earlier that you didn¡¯t need to wait for us. You could have gone back first. This is too much trouble for you,¡± she said apologetically.

    The driver kept his eyes on the road, his tone respectful but firm.

    ¡°Mrs. Su, you are someone our madam holds in very high regard. Since she specifically instructed me to bring you to the hospital, it¡¯s only natural that I see it through to the end. Don¡¯t feel bad about it. It¡¯s no trouble for me at all. The Gao family has done so much for me, after all.¡±

    The Gao family was indeed prestigious, but not every member of the family carried the same weight. The driver was well aware that his position as the Gao family¡¯s chauffeur was thanks to his distant relation to the Gaos. It was a good job¨Cone he had no intention of jeopardizing.

    Given how highly Mr. and Mrs. Gao regarded Gu Zi and her family, he, too, knew better than to show any sign of negligence or displeasure.

    Seeing that the driver was adamant, Gu Zi didn¡¯t press the matter further. Instead, her gaze shifted to Su Li, who sat unusually quiet beside her.

    He hadn¡¯t said a single word since they left the hospital¨Ca stark contrast to his usual chatty and lively demeanor. Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the events earlier had stirred up some unpleasant memories for him.

    Reaching out, she gently rubbed his forehead and spoke softly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on unhappy thoughts, sweetheart. Let the bad memories stay in the past, okay?¡±

    Su Li finally lifted his eyes to meet hers. His expression was solemn, and after a long pause, he spoke in a low voice.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unhappy. It¡¯s just¡­ I feel like this whole thing might be my fault.¡±

    Gu Zi blinked in surprise.

    ¡°Your fault? What makes you think that?¡±

    Su Li bit his lip and stayed silent for a moment before heaving a sigh.

    ¡°Because I like to show off too much. When we were eating barbecue today, I shouldn¡¯t have bragged about it to everyone. If I hadn¡¯t, Xu Sheng wouldn¡¯t have been tempted by the smell of the food and come over to our house. He wouldn¡¯t have fainted at our doorstep, and you wouldn¡¯t have been falsely accused by his mom. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    Truth be told, Su Li had already been grappling with regret ever since the heated argument between his mom and Xu Sheng¡¯s mother erupted at the hospital.

    Why had he felt the need to show off? He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his behavior had caused trouble for his mom. From now on, he vowed to be more humble and never boast like that again.

    Hearing his confession, Gu Zi felt a wave of relief and pride wash over her. Su Li seemed to have grown more mature. She reached out and patted his hand reassuringly.

    ¡°Su Li, it¡¯s good that you can reflect on your actions, but you shouldn¡¯t shoulder all the blame. Xu Sheng fainted because he ate expired bread, not because you were showing off the barbecue skewers. What happened today was just an unfortunate coincidence.¡±

    Gu Zi paused before adding firmly, ¡°Remember, this wasn¡¯t your fault. But still, we should keep our distance from Xu Sheng¡¯s family in the future to avoid more trouble.¡±

    Su Li nodded seriously, then hesitated as another thought struck him.

    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. Why does Xu Sheng¡¯s mom treat him that way? He¡¯s so weak, and yet she still hit him. She doesn¡¯t act like his real mom at all¨Cmore like a wicked stepmother.¡±

    Gu Zi fell silent at his question. Su Li had voiced something that had unsettled her too. Huang Fei¡¯s treatment of Xu Sheng was so cold and harsh that it was difficult to comprehend.

    For a moment, Gu Zi struggled to find the right words. After all, the truth could be brutal. But then she reminded herself that growing up also meant learning about life¡¯s harsher realities. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t such a bad thing for Su Li to know the truth sooner rather than later.

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    After a brief internal debate, she spoke carefully, ¡°Not all parents in this world truly love their children. Some people love themselves far more than they could ever love their kids. Others don¡¯t love their children at all¨Cthey only have expectations. They care less about the child as a person and more about what the child can achieve for them. For these parents, affection is conditional. They reward their children with love only when it serves their interests, to ensure the child continues to bring them more success.¡±

    As she spoke, Gu Zi felt a pang of sadness. Wasn¡¯t Huang Fei exactly that kind of parent? And weren¡¯t her foster parents, Gu Shan and Zhang Mei, the same?

    The more she thought about it, the clearer it became. Her foster parents had never truly loved her¨Cthey had only cared about the status and honor she brought to them. It was no wonder the original Gu Zi had placed such importance on romantic love. Deprived of parental affection, she had craved love so desperately that she would risk everything for it¨Ceven her life.

    Su Li frowned as he listened, his face darkening with sympathy for Xu Sheng. He had always thought his own life was tragic, but now he realized Xu Sheng¡¯s situation was even worse.

    Still, Su Li felt a flicker of gratitude. No matter how bad things had been, at least now he had Gu Zi¨Cnot just a mom, but the best mom anyone could ask for. She wasn¡¯t his birth mother, but she loved him like no one else ever had.

 Chapter 984 - Chapter 984: Standing Up for My Wife

    Chapter 984: Standing Up for My Wife

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The car glided smoothly into the gated neighborhood and came to a stop in front of the Gao family¡¯s home. As soon as the car doors unlocked, Su Li sprang out, all traces of his earlier distress forgotten. He turned to Gu Zi, his face lighting up like fireworks.

    ¡°Mom! Dad¡¯s back!¡± he shouted, hopping excitedly on the pavement.

    Gu Zi recognized Su Shen¡¯s car immediately. Whatever lingering annoyance or worry she¡¯d been harboring vanished in an instant. She quickened her pace, following her son¡¯s energetic skips toward the front door.

    Before they even reached the entrance, Su Shen stepped out, clearly having been waiting for her. He strode over, purposeful and commanding, while Su Jing trailed behind him, holding little Su Le in her arms.

    The moment they were close enough, Su Shen wrapped Gu Zi in a firm embrace and guided her inside without missing a beat. She didn¡¯t resist¨Ctruth be told, she had missed him too.

    Behind them, Su Jing rolled her eyes and couldn¡¯t resist teasing. ¡°Sister-in-law, my brother¡¯s been completely out of it since he got back. The second he saw you weren¡¯t home, he practically lost his mind. I tried talking to him, but it was like talking to a wall. Now that you¡¯re back, maybe his soul can return to his body.¡±

    Su Shen ignored his sister¡¯s jabs and turned his full attention to Gu Zi. ¡°How did it go? Everything sorted out?¡±

    Gu Zi settled herself on the sofa, Su Le climbing eagerly into her lap. She held the little girl close and offered Su Shen a reassuring smile. ¡°We dropped Xu Sheng off at the hospital, and his mom arrived not long after. Nothing too serious.¡±

    But Su Li wasn¡¯t about to let the matter slide so easily. He marched over, face scrunched in righteous indignation. ¡°Dad! Xu Sheng¡¯s mom is awful! Mom saved her son, and she still tried to accuse her of poisoning him with bad pork! No wonder Mom didn¡¯t want to sell her pork before. She¡¯s the worst!¡±

    Su Shen¡¯s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. He turned to Gu Zi, concern flashing in his eyes. ¡°Are you okay? Don¡¯t worry¨Cif she thinks our pork is so dangerous, then she doesn¡¯t need to eat it. Let her find her pork somewhere else.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s heart did a little flip. Damn, this man could be infuriatingly attractive when he got all protective. If Su Shen wanted to cut the Xu family off entirely, she had no objections. That woman, Huang Fei, had gone way too far.

    Su Li was equally impressed. He beamed at his father. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re the best! Thanks for standing up for Mom!¡±

    Su Shen gave his son a sidelong glance and replied coolly, ¡°I¡¯m standing up for my wife.¡±

    Su Li pouted, clearly unimpressed. ¡°Ugh, Dad, you¡¯re so annoying. You act like the whole world doesn¡¯t already know Mom¡¯s your wife. Boring!¡± With that, he dashed off like a little cannonball.

    Su Le, not wanting to be left out, wriggled out of Gu Zi¡¯s lap and scurried after her brother. Su Bing quickly followed to keep an eye on them.

    With the kids gone, Gu Zi accepted the cup of tea Su Jing handed her and turned back to Su Shen. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Su Jing already told you about Xu Sheng¡¯s father?¡±

    Su Shen nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I already know where to start digging. We¡¯ll have answers soon.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s expression sharpened. ¡°Good. If he really is the father of our children, he doesn¡¯t get to just walk away from this. And what about the pig farm situation? Any updates?¡±

    Noticing the couple slipping into serious conversation, Su Jing excused herself and left the room. Su Shen watched his sister retreat and made a mental note¨Cshe was getting more considerate lately.

    Then he turned back to Gu Zi.

    ¡°It¡¯s handled,¡± he said. ¡°Just like you predicted, someone deliberately tried to sabotage us. Good thing you went to check on the farm that day. If I hadn¡¯t been there to deal with it, the farm might have been completely set up.¡±

    Gu Zi¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you know who¡¯s behind it? What if they try something else?¡±

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    Su Shen¡¯s voice was calm, but there was a steely edge to it. ¡°They won¡¯t. I reported everything to the authorities. The police are already investigating, and the main culprits have been arrested.¡±

    It was true¨Cthings had come dangerously close to disaster. If they hadn¡¯t caught the problem early, the farm might have been accused of being the source of the swine fever outbreak. Whoever orchestrated this had clearly intended to destroy Su Shen completely. But since luck was on their side, Su Shen had no plans to show mercy.

    Word had already spread among the farm workers. They now referred to Gu Zi as a ¡°lucky star,¡± convinced she was a blessing sent to protect Su Shen.

    Of course, Su Shen had thought so all along. Ever since Gu Zi came into his life, everything seemed to go more smoothly. Obstacles melted away, and even the most difficult situations somehow resolved themselves. She really was his lucky star.

    Gu Zi leaned back and let out a breath. ¡°As if dealing with swine fever wasn¡¯t bad enough, we had to deal with human sabotage too. It¡¯s terrifying.¡±

 Chapter 985 - Chapter 985: The Su Family Is Going Down

    Chapter 985: The Su Family Is Going Down

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Gu Zi couldn¡¯t help but think¨Cnatural disasters were bad enough, but the real catastrophe always came when human missteps followed. Chaos tended to snowball, leaving people restless and anxious.

    Thankfully, this time, the issue had been caught early. Still, the thought of what might have happened if it hadn¡¯t sent a chill down her spine. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the public backlash Su Shen¡¯s pig farm would have faced. The mere idea left her uneasy.

    Sensing her distress, Su Shen gave her shoulder a reassuring pat and spoke in his calm, steady voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said softly. ¡°They didn¡¯t succeed, and this swine fever outbreak will pass soon. Everything¡¯s going to be fine.¡±

    His words eased her nerves. Gu Zi trusted Su Shen implicitly¨Cif he said things would improve, they certainly would. And sure enough, within days, good news began to spread.

    Reports came in that the National Institute of Biotechnology had teamed up with the Southeast Military District to develop a vaccine targeting the swine fever. Mass vaccinations were already underway.

    The supply of certified safe pork began to rise in the markets. Although buying meat still required quick reflexes and luck, more households could finally get their hands on it.

    Thanks to government intervention, other pig farms also resumed operations, but Su Shen¡¯s Daqing Pig Farm remained the primary supplier.

    Gu Zi was aware of all these developments, but outsiders didn¡¯t have such detailed insight. What they did know was that the swine fever scare was gradually subsiding and that other pork producers were aggressively adopting the vaccination plan to restore supplies.

    Many speculated that Su Shen¡¯s business would inevitably take a hit.

    Strangely, there had been no news about Su Shen¡¯s farm participating in the vaccine program.

    Rumors began to swirl¨Cpeople claimed the farm must have been intentionally excluded by its competitors. With other farms joining the vaccination effort, Su Shen¡¯s pigs would be viewed as unsafe.

    The consensus was clear¨CSu Shen¡¯s farm was finished, and its days of dominating the pork market in Guangcheng were over.

    No one reveled in this gossip more than the residents of the old tenement building. They had always regarded the Su family with resentment. After all, the Sus had come from the countryside, not so different from them¨Cyet here they were, living in a grand house and dining like royalty.

    While everyone else could barely afford a scrap of meat, the Su family was still hosting barbecues for their children. Now that rumors of their downfall were spreading, the tenement residents couldn¡¯t hide their glee.

    Even the children in the tenement got in on the mockery. They listened to the adults¡¯ chatter and then ran off to the entrance of Jifu New Village, waiting for Su Li to pass by so they could tease him.

    ¡°Pig fever¡¯s gone, the Su family¡¯s done! Poor little Su Li, your farm¡¯s no fun! Time to pack up and head back to the sticks¨Cno more BBQ for the rich kids¡¯ clique!¡±

    Su Li had been out gathering bean jelly grass with Gao Ming. He had discovered a patch growing just outside Jifu New Village and had excitedly told his mom about it. She promised to make them some delicious jelly desserts if they picked enough. So, with baskets in hand, Su Li and Gao Ming had set out on their mission.

    They were nearly home, chatting about all the tasty treats his mom could make, when the gang of tenement kids pounced.

    Su Li froze, his face burning as the chants rang out.

    Gao Ming scowled and muttered, ¡°What nonsense¨Cthey think your family¡¯s going bankrupt? Ridiculous.¡±

    But Su Li had already clenched his fists around the handles of his basket. His voice trembled, but he shouted back, ¡°You¡¯re all talking rubbish! My family¡¯s not being shut out, and we¡¯re definitely not going broke!¡±

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    Just then, an adult from the tenement building strolled over, calling out to gather the rowdy kids. But instead of reprimanding them, the grown-up took a jab at Su Li, too.

    ¡°Kid, you don¡¯t understand how these things work,¡± the adult sneered. ¡°If your pigs aren¡¯t vaccinated, people could die eating your pork. And let me tell you¨Csoon enough, there¡¯ll be plenty of other pork on the market. Your family¡¯s monopoly is over.¡±

    With that parting shot, the adult herded the children away, but not before the kids turned back to make faces at Su Li and Gao Ming. The taunts stung, and even the usually cheerful boys couldn¡¯t shake the dark clouds that hung over them.

    When Su Li got home, he noticed his father¡¯s car parked in the driveway and knew he was there. Dropping the baskets in the yard, Su Li ran inside, tears already welling up.

    ¡°Dad!¡± he cried, rushing to Su Shen. ¡°Is it true? Our pigs didn¡¯t get vaccinated? Will no one buy our pork anymore? Tell me it¡¯s not true!¡±

 Chapter 986 - Chapter 986: Just Dont Eat It in the Future

    Chapter 986: Just Don¡¯t Eat It in the Future

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    Su Shen had just started preparing the fresh pork ribs he¡¯d brought home when Su Li¡¯s words froze him mid-motion. He exchanged a glance with Gu Zi before setting down the large cleaver and turning his full attention to his son.

    ¡°What¡¯s this sudden interest in the family business? And why are you crying?¡± Su Shen asked gently. ¡°Tell me what happened first.¡±

    Gu Zi watched from the side, feeling a flicker of admiration for the man. At that moment, Su Shen seemed taller, steadier¨Ca father who not only cared for his child but was also trying his best to fulfill the role.

    It reassured her. It wasn¡¯t just her struggling to be the perfect parent; Su Shen was making the same effort. And that, in her eyes, made all the difference.

    Su Li hesitated, then blurted out the whole story. ¡°The kids from the tenement building said our family is finished. They said we¡¯re all going to have to move back to the village. And even one of the adults said so! Dad, is it true? Are we really going back to the village?¡±

    Before Su Shen could respond, Gao Ming burst in, equally concerned. ¡°Uncle Su, are you really taking Su Li back to the village? Can I go too? I don¡¯t want to be separated from him!¡±

    The two boys stood side by side, hand in hand, their shared anxiety written all over their faces.

    Su Li, for all his bravery, couldn¡¯t hide the slight quiver in his voice. And although he didn¡¯t hate the idea of going back to the village, he couldn¡¯t bear to leave Gao Ming, Grandma Gao, or even the martial arts club at school.

    Gu Zi finally understood what had been gnawing at her the past few days. She¡¯d sensed whispers and sidelong glances whenever she walked by certain groups, but the moment she turned around, the chatter always ceased. Now it made sense¨Cit was all because of these ridiculous rumors.

    ¡°No wonder I felt like people were talking about me behind my back,¡± she said, her voice firm. ¡°So it started with the tenement building. Su Li, Gao Ming, don¡¯t believe a word of it. It¡¯s all nonsense. Don¡¯t cry over such silly gossip.¡±

    She reached out and gently wiped the tears from Su Li¡¯s face.

    Meanwhile, Su Shen¡¯s expression darkened as he recalled what Gu Zi had mentioned earlier about Su Li¡¯s struggles in the tenement building. Clearly, those rumors had spiraled out of control.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably because Da Qing Farms didn¡¯t participate in the vaccine program,¡± Su Shen said, his tone low but steady. ¡°They assumed our pork wouldn¡¯t pass inspections and wouldn¡¯t sell. If they¡¯re so worried, they can stop eating it altogether.¡±

    With that, he picked up the phone and made a call. Gu Zi listened carefully¨Cit was brief and to the point. Da Qing Farms would immediately halt pork deliveries to the tenement building¡¯s butcher shop.

    By the next morning, chaos erupted in the tenement building. Instead of hearing about the downfall of the Su family, the residents were blindsided by news that pork prices at their local butcher had doubled overnight.

    ¡°What kind of joke is this? We¡¯ve known each other for years! You can¡¯t just hike the price like that!¡± an irate customer shouted at the butcher.

    The butcher, clearly fed up, slammed his cleaver onto the cutting board with a loud thud. ¡°Hike the price? Are you kidding me? I¡¯m barely making anything as it is!¡± He spat to the side before continuing, ¡°Some big mouth among you spread rumors that Daqing Pig Farm¡¯s pork wasn¡¯t safe, that it wasn¡¯t tested or vaccinated. Well, guess what? Su Shen heard about it and pulled his supply. Now I¡¯m stuck buying from other suppliers¨Cat prices double what I used to pay. So unless you want to buy pork somewhere else, this is what it costs!¡±

    The crowd erupted with questions.

    ¡°What? You were selling Su Shen¡¯s pork all this time? Didn¡¯t you know it wasn¡¯t vaccinated? What if it¡¯s unsafe?¡±

    The butcher shot them a look of pure disdain. ¡°You people have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Daqing Pig Farm produces top-tier pork that doesn¡¯t even need vaccines¨Cit¡¯s certified special-grade meat. Half the city¡¯s restaurants are begging to buy from them, but they can¡¯t even get an order in. I was lucky to have their supply¨Cuntil some busybodies ruined it for everyone!¡±

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    The butcher pointed his cleaver at the crowd. ¡°You think this is my fault? It¡¯s you lot spreading lies that got me into this mess!¡±

    Suddenly, the self-righteous indignation in the crowd evaporated. The women who had been leading the charge fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances.

    None of them had any idea that Su Shen¡¯s pork was so highly prized. And now? Now they were the ones left stranded.

    Sure, Su Shen couldn¡¯t pull his pork from every butcher shop in the city. But in this neighborhood? This was the only butcher within walking distance. The alternative was trekking across town, hoping to find pork that hadn¡¯t already sold out. And in this shortage, there was no guarantee they¡¯d get any at all.

    As the crowd was mulling over their misfortune, an exquisitely dressed woman stepped into view.

 Chapter 987 - Chapter 987: She Cant Even Buy Meat

    Chapter 987: She Can¡¯t Even Buy Meat

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    A murmur rippled through the crowd as someone recognized the woman stepping into the bustling market. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mrs. Huang Fei from the Xu family?¡± a sharp-eyed shopper exclaimed. ¡°What brings you here today? And where¡¯s your son, Xu Sheng?¡±

    The other ladies in the market, ever eager for gossip, quickly gathered around Huang Fei, their eyes gleaming with curiosity.

    Huang Fei, a resident of the prestigious Jifu New Village, was someone they all envied. It was well-known that the pork sold at Jifu¡¯s exclusive farmers¡¯ market came from the illustrious Su family, and if Huang Fei could grant them access to such premium meat, it would solve all their culinary woes.

    But today, something about Huang Fei was different. The usual arrogance in her demeanor seemed to have dimmed. Her lips twitched into an unnatural smile as she explained, ¡°I¡¯ve been on a diet lately and thought a longer walk to buy pork would be good exercise. Shopkeeper, give me ten pounds of pork belly¨Cmy son needs to build his strength.¡±

    The butcher¡¯s wife, who had been busy slicing meat, perked up the moment she heard Huang Fei¡¯s voice. She elbowed her husband aside, picked up a hefty slab of pork belly, and began cutting with practiced efficiency.

    But halfway through, she snorted and barked, ¡°There¡¯s barely over eleven pounds left. If I give you ten, what will the other customers buy? I¡¯ll cut you two pounds¨Cno more.¡±

    Before Huang Fei could protest, the butcher¡¯s wife swiftly wrapped two pounds of pork belly, slammed it on the counter, and handed it over with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

    The blatant disrespect left Huang Fei seething. Gritting her teeth, she threw the money onto the counter, grabbed the package, and stormed off.

    The other women in the market were stunned. This butcher¡¯s wife dared to treat Huang Fei, a woman from Jifu New Village, with such contempt? What nerve! They scrambled to catch up with Huang Fei, their voices dripping with flattery.

    ¡°Mrs. Xu, please don¡¯t take it to heart. These folks here lack refinement¨Cthey don¡¯t know any better.¡±

    Huang Fei¡¯s expression softened slightly. Yes, she thought, she was above all this. Why should she stoop to the level of an ill-mannered butcher¡¯s wife?

    With a haughty tilt of her head, she dismissed their apologies. ¡°Why would I waste my energy on such trivial matters?¡±

    The group of women eagerly chimed in, heaping on praise. ¡°That¡¯s so gracious of you, Mrs. Xu. If it had been that Gu Zi, she¡¯d have made a scene for sure!¡±

    Huang Fei preened under their compliments, her mood visibly improving. Spotting their chance, the ladies pushed one of their own forward to speak.

    ¡°Mrs. Xu, we¡¯ve got a small favor to ask,¡± the woman began, her tone sugary sweet. ¡°The price of pork here has skyrocketed¨Cit¡¯s just too expensive for us. But you, being a resident of Jifu New Village, surely wouldn¡¯t mind helping us out? If you could take us into the farmers¡¯ market there to buy some meat, it¡¯d mean the world to us. We¡¯ll be quick¨Cwe promise not to take up too much of your time!¡±

    It was well-known that entry into Jifu New Village wasn¡¯t open to just anyone. But with someone like Huang Fei leading the way, they¡¯d have no problem gaining access.

    The women, having observed Huang Fei¡¯s love for basking in their admiration, were certain she wouldn¡¯t refuse such a simple request¨Cespecially since it would give her yet another opportunity to show off her privileged status.

    But to their shock, Huang Fei¡¯s smile froze. Her face darkened as she curtly replied, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. My housekeeper is on leave, and my son just got back from the hospital. I need to take care of him. You¡¯ll have to find another way.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, she clutched her pork tightly and strode off toward Jifu New Village, leaving the women dumbfounded. They stood there, puzzled and crestfallen. How could she refuse? Wasn¡¯t Huang Fei the one who loved flaunting her superiority at every turn? This was the perfect chance to do so, and yet she¡¯d turned them down!

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    Their bewilderment was short-lived. The butcher¡¯s wife, who had been eavesdropping from her stall, burst into laughter. ¡°You silly women! Didn¡¯t you hear what happened? Huang Fei accused Gu Zi from the Su family , of selling tainted pork to harm her son. That didn¡¯t sit well with Mr. Su. He ordered the Jifu farmers¡¯ market to stop selling pork to the Xu family entirely¨Canyone who disobeys loses their supply. Huang Fei can¡¯t even buy pork there anymore, and you¡¯re asking her to take you in? Hilarious!¡±

    The realization hit the group like a slap. So that¡¯s why Huang Fei was here, of all places, buying pork¨Cshe¡¯d been blacklisted by the Su family! They hadn¡¯t known Mr. Su wielded such influence.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± one of them asked, panic creeping into her voice.

    The butcher¡¯s wife smirked. ¡°Simple. You lot have been running your mouths about the Su family, haven¡¯t you? Go to their house and apologize. And don¡¯t show up empty-handed, understand?¡±

    The women exchanged uneasy glances, reluctant but resigned. Left with no other choice, they hurried home to prepare gifts, ready to grovel at the Su family¡¯s doorstep.

 Chapter 988 - Chapter 988: To Protect You

    Chapter 988: To Protect You

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    As soon as the aunties returned to the shared housing complex, they were greeted by a cacophony of children¡¯s voices chanting a mocking tune about the Su family:

    ¡°Pig vaccine is here, Su¡¯s reign is done! Poor little Su, cast out and shunned! Back to the village, they¡¯ll have to go, Plowing fields, fetching water¨Coh, what a show!¡±

    The aunties nearly fainted from anger. Regret surged through them like a tidal wave¨Cwhy had they badmouthed the Su family in front of their children? Now the kids had not only internalized the gossip but turned it into a sing-song taunt.

    Worse yet, this tune had likely reached the ears of the Su family. No wonder Su Shen had been so livid! Those little rascals had practically signed their own death warrants!

    Fuming, the aunties charged forward and grabbed their respective children by the collars, unleashing a storm of scolding. ¡°What nonsense are you singing? Do you want to tear the neighborhood apart? Go home this instant, prepare an apology, and make sure you play nicely with Su Li from now on. If he asks you to fetch something, you fetch it. If he tells you to do something, you do it. Understand?¡±

    The children, bewildered and teary-eyed, were dragged home in a flurry of reprimands. Sitting on their beds, they were still processing the abrupt shift.

    Just yesterday, their parents had joined in badmouthing the Su family and hadn¡¯t stopped them from singing the very same tune. Today, it was all about apologizing to Su Li. ¡°Adults are so fickle!¡± one child muttered, wiping their eyes.

    Meanwhile, Gu Zi had an entirely different morning. She had entrusted Su Le to Grandma Gao¡¯s care and set off for Renhe Middle School to attend a critical lecture. The homeroom teacher had specifically called to stress the lecture¡¯s importance, urging her not to miss it.

    This was Gu Zi¡¯s first time attending a class at school. As she walked, she rehearsed how she would introduce herself to her classmates, trying to sound approachable yet confident.

    But as soon as she arrived at the school gates, the Chinese teacher intercepted her and led her straight to the faculty office. She didn¡¯t even make it to the classroom.

    Puzzled, Gu Zi watched as the teacher opened a textbook and pointed to the syllabus. ¡°Given your situation, we¡¯ve decided not to send you to the classroom. Instead, the subject teachers will take turns giving you private lessons here in the office. We¡¯ll highlight key points and exam content for you to review at home.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded politely, but a subtle unease crept in.

    It was convenient, sure, but it also felt as though the school was deliberately isolating her. Were they ashamed to have a married, child-rearing student in their classrooms? Did they think she¡¯d bring shame to their reputation?

    After the last session, Gu Zi couldn¡¯t hold back her doubts any longer. Addressing the foreign language teacher, she asked bluntly, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s inappropriate for someone like me¨Cmarried and with a child¨Cto attend classes with the others?¡±

    The teacher didn¡¯t flinch, responding calmly, ¡°Not at all, Gu Zi. On the contrary, we¡¯re very proud of you. If you¡¯re willing, we¡¯d even like to invite you to give a talk to the class about your experiences. The decision to teach you privately was made to protect you.¡±

    Hearing this, the math teacher chimed in, ¡°Exactly. There have been some ugly rumors circulating about you in the school. While we¡¯ve banned any discussions about it, you know how people are. If they want to gossip, they¡¯ll find a way. The principal is already investigating the source of these rumors¨Cit seems they originated from your previous school, Guangwai.¡±

    Gu Zi was taken aback. The school¡¯s efforts to shield her moved her deeply. Renhe Middle School, despite not having Guangwai¡¯s prestige, clearly valued its students¡¯ well-being.

    A warmth spread through her chest, though her mind quickly zeroed in on a likely culprit¨CLin Miao, ever the troublemaker.

    ¡°Can you tell me what these rumors are saying?¡± Gu Zi asked.

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    The foreign language teacher hesitated but eventually relayed the gist. ¡°They¡¯re saying that you abandoned the foster parents who raised you for over a decade, causing their marriage to fall apart. They also claim that, at such a young age, you chose to become someone¡¯s stepmother for ulterior motives. It¡¯s all slander, of course. We don¡¯t believe a word of it. While your classmates may be easily influenced, we teachers are not.¡±

    Gu Zi nodded solemnly, gratitude shining in her eyes. ¡°Thank you for your trust, and please convey my thanks to the principal. I¡¯ll personally uncover the person behind these rumors.¡±

    Leaving the faculty office, Gu Zi found herself crossing paths with students spilling out of their classrooms for a break. A group of boys, hair tousled and brows rebellious, stopped in their tracks the moment they saw her.

    Despite her low-profile look¨Cher hair tied into a simple high ponytail, her face bare of makeup¨CGu Zi exuded an effortless charm. Her skin was porcelain-like, glowing even under the harsh sunlight. She wore a plain white T-shirt tucked into light-wash denim jeans, paired with white sneakers. Her legs were long and graceful, her figure both slender and slightly curvaceous, a perfect blend of youth and allure.

    As she walked past, a soft floral scent lingered in the air, leaving the boys frozen in place, staring after her as if she were a vision straight out of a painting.

 Chapter 989 - Chapter 989: I Saw My First Love

    Chapter 989: I Saw My First Love

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    The faint, lingering scent wafted through the air as Gu Zi walked past. It wasn¡¯t overpowering, but it was enough to make everyone¨Cwhether male or female¨Cstop in their tracks.

    Heads turned, gazes followed, and a collective sense of awe settled over the crowd. Even her back was mesmerizing: her slender frame, the graceful sway of her ponytail, and her effortless poise left everyone entranced.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± one student whispered, unable to contain their astonishment. ¡°Which class is she from? How have we never seen her before?¡±

    A group of boys, recovering from their initial daze, began nudging one another with nervous excitement. Each one wanted to muster the courage to approach her, but none dared. She was simply too beautiful, too unattainable. Their usual bravado faltered in the face of her radiance.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably not even from our school,¡± one boy speculated, masking his disappointment. ¡°Someone that stunning? I¡¯d have noticed her ages ago.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a transfer student,¡± another chimed in, a flicker of hope sparking in his eyes. ¡°If she ends up in our class, I swear I¡¯ll study harder than I¡¯ve ever studied before. I¡¯ll ace the college entrance exams and win her heart! This must be destiny¨Cmy first love!¡±

    The declaration earned a round of eye-rolls from nearby students. One girl scoffed, ¡°You? Please. Apart from your family¡¯s money, what do you even have to offer? A girl like her could have anyone she wants. Why would she settle for you?¡±

    Before the boys could start bickering, a sudden commotion erupted ahead. ¡°Something¡¯s happened!¡± a voice shouted. ¡°Someone just collapsed right in front of her!¡±

    The news spread like wildfire. Within moments, a breathless student came running back, yelling, ¡°She¡¯s saving someone! That girl knows first aid!¡±

    By the time everyone arrived, a dense crowd had formed around Gu Zi, who was now at the center of it all. The murmurs of the onlookers filled the air as they strained to catch a glimpse of what was happening.

    The incident had unfolded so quickly. As Gu Zi walked by, a girl had suddenly fainted, collapsing at her feet.

    Without hesitation, Gu Zi sprang into action. Calm and composed, she assessed the situation and called for two nearby boys to help her. Together, they carefully laid the unconscious girl flat on the ground. Gu Zi loosened the girl¡¯s collar and elevated her legs, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she worked methodically.

    The crowd buzzed with uncertainty. ¡°Does she really know what she¡¯s doing?¡± someone whispered. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just call the school nurse?¡±

    But before anyone could act, the girl on the ground coughed softly, her eyelids fluttering open. A collective gasp rippled through the students.

    Gu Zi quickly reached into her pocket, producing a candy. She unwrapped it and gently placed it in the girl¡¯s mouth, then looked up at the crowd. ¡°Everyone, please give her some space,¡± she said, her voice warm but authoritative. ¡°She needs fresh air to recover.¡±

    Her tone was so reassuring that the crowd instinctively obeyed, stepping back to create a wide circle around her. Some even passed the message along to those further behind.

    Turning back to the girl, Gu Zi asked softly, ¡°How are you feeling now?¡±

    The girl, still sitting on the ground, nodded weakly. ¡°Much better,¡± she said, her voice trembling with gratitude. ¡°Thank you. And thank you for the candy¨Cit¡¯s helped a lot. My vision isn¡¯t blurry anymore.¡±

    Gu Zi smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. It seems like you fainted from low blood sugar. Your face was pale, and your limbs were cold, so I guessed as much. Make sure to get checked at the hospital just to be safe. And from now on, keep some candy or snacks with you in case you feel dizzy again.¡±

    The students around her were utterly spellbound. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful¨Cshe was intelligent and capable, too. And the way she had handled the situation with such grace and composure? It was almost too perfect to be real.

    Just then, the teachers arrived, led by none other than Gu Zi¡¯s homeroom teacher, the foreign language instructor. ¡°Gu Zi!¡± he exclaimed, astonished to see her. ¡°You were the one who helped? You know first aid, too?¡±

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    Gu Zi brushed off the praise with a modest smile. ¡°It was nothing, really. But we should get this student to the hospital for a proper check-up. Low blood sugar can be serious if not addressed.¡± She glanced at her watch and added, ¡°I have to run¨CI¡¯m on a tight schedule. Excuse me.¡±

    And with that, she left, her figure disappearing down the corridor as the crowd parted to let her through.

    The girl was taken to the hospital, and the other students gradually dispersed, though their minds lingered on what they had just witnessed.

    Back in the classroom, someone suddenly slammed their hand on a desk. ¡°I knew her name sounded familiar! Gu Zi¨Cshe¡¯s the transfer student who got kicked out of Guangwai, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡± another student exclaimed. ¡°But that¡¯s so weird. She doesn¡¯t seem anything like the rumors said. She¡¯s so kind, so refined. Did you see how quickly she reacted? She didn¡¯t even hesitate to help. How could someone like her be a¨Cwhat did they call her? A selfish ingrate?¡±

 Chapter 990 - Chapter 990: The Female Lead of the Rumors

    Chapter 990: The Female Lead of the Rumors

    Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

    If Gu Zi hadn¡¯t left school to get married, she would be at the age for university now¨Cbarely older than these high schoolers.

    Her youthful looks and stunning beauty made it easy for everyone to assume she was just another normal student. No one would ever connect her to the protagonist of those recent scandalous rumors: the married girl with three stepchildren, infamous for becoming a stepmother at such a young age.

    But when word spread that this breathtakingly gorgeous girl was, in fact, Gu Zi, the students were stunned.

    The whispers turned chaotic. Many had despised her based on the stories alone, with some even boldly declaring in class, ¡°Thank God she doesn¡¯t come to school. If she dared show her face here, I¡¯d make sure to chase her out!¡±

    Now, however, their convictions wavered. After seeing her in person¨Chow graceful she was, how effortlessly poised¨Cthey couldn¡¯t help but feel there must be more to the story. Could the rumors really be true? Doubt began to creep into their minds.

    As for Gu Zi, she hadn¡¯t expected her return to campus to coincide with a dramatic rescue. But life had taught her plenty, and her knowledge of emergency first aid had come in handy yet again. Who would have thought that living two lives could prove to be so useful?

    She walked briskly out of the school gate, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done, only to suddenly sneeze¨Ctwice. Almost immediately, a faint itch crept into her ears, accompanied by voices drifting toward her on the breeze.

    ¡°I really think my sister Gu Zi knows she was wrong. Can you guys stop spreading this around?¡±

    ¡°Lin Miao, you¡¯re too kind! After everything that ingrate did to your family, you¡¯re still defending her? Don¡¯t worry. Everyone at Renhe hates her. If she dares step foot here, we¡¯ll humiliate her and kick her out for good!¡±

    Gu Zi stopped in her tracks, her lips curving into a faint, icy smile as she spotted the group gathered just outside the school gate.

    Lin Miao, dressed in her Guangwai uniform, stood flanked by two other Renhe female students. The more Lin Miao pretended to ¡°defend¡± her, the angrier the girls seemed to become. Her feigned kindness only solidified the lies as truth. Clearly, Lin Miao was the one orchestrating all these rumors.

    Perfect, Gu Zi thought. She had been meaning to settle the score, and now fate had handed her the opportunity on a silver platter.

    Without sparing the other two girls a glance, Gu Zi walked straight up to Lin Miao, her voice cool and sharp. ¡°The rumors about me at school¨Cyou¡¯re behind them, aren¡¯t you? Do you really have nothing better to do with your time?¡±

    Her tone wasn¡¯t questioning; it was a declaration of fact.

    Lin Miao froze, her fake smile faltering for just a moment before she quickly recovered. Forcing a syrupy sweetness into her voice, she greeted Gu Zi as if nothing had happened. ¡°Oh, Gu Zi, what a surprise to see you here! I heard from Mom that you¡¯ve transferred to Renhe. What a coincidence!¡±

    This was the first time Lin Miao had seen Gu Zi since her release from prison. And there she was, as radiant as ever¨Cflawless skin, an elegant figure, and that infuriatingly effortless charm.

    Jealousy twisted in Lin Miao¡¯s gut. Why did Gu Zi get to have everything¨Cbeauty, grace, and the admiration of everyone around her¨Cwhile she had been reduced to this?

    Lin Miao¡¯s own hair was only just beginning to grow back after being shaved off in prison. It clung to her head like a man¡¯s buzz cut, forcing her to wear a hat every time she went out in public. The summer heat was unbearable, but the thought of anyone seeing her like this was even worse. She didn¡¯t even dare meet Gong Zhan in her current state; she knew he¡¯d only look at her with even more disdain.

    And yet, here was Gu Zi, standing before her like a phoenix risen from the ashes, dazzling and untouchable.

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    When Gu Zi wasn¡¯t around, Lin Miao could tell herself she didn¡¯t care¨Cthat she had moved on. But now, faced with the real thing, her jealousy burned hotter than ever. Why should Gu Zi have it all?

    The two girls beside Lin Miao snapped out of their daze, their initial awe at Gu Zi¡¯s beauty giving way to scorn. Remembering everything Lin Miao had told them, they sneered. ¡°Evil people see the world through evil eyes. Lin Miao¡¯s been defending your reputation, and this is how you repay her? Accusing her like this? How shameless.¡±

    But Gu Zi remained unbothered, her gaze steady as she locked eyes with Lin Miao. ¡°Pretending to defend me while actually fanning the flames of those rumors¨Cthat¡¯s your specialty, isn¡¯t it? A few months in prison, and all you¡¯ve learned is how to lie better. Oh, wait¨Cdo they even know you¡¯ve been to jail?¡±

    Lin Miao¡¯s face went deathly pale. Her eyes widened in panic as she stared at Gu Zi, her carefully constructed facade crumbling.

    No one at Renhe knew about her prison stint. Even the class advisor who had let her replace Gu Zi¡¯s spot at Guangwai had kept it a secret to preserve their own reputation. But now, here was Gu Zi, ready to blow it all wide open.