Yun Juan blinked in surprise. How come he didn't know? Thinking back to yesterday, it was possible he didn't hear it…
He continued, “What have they been doing these past few years?”
Da Pang's small eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice, saying, “My grandma said it's because his mommy is sick and hospitalized in a mental hospital. She goes crazy and hits people! That kind of illness is contagious, that's why I said he's sick, but Yun Shu doesn't believe me!”
Yun Juan gave him a helpless look: “Da Pang, read more books.”
“I love reading,” Big Fatty earnestly counted on his fingers, “I can recite last week's comics by heart.”
Yun Chuman was quite far away and once the children lowered their voices, she couldn't hear anything. Seeing that it was almost two o'clock and soon to be the hottest part of the day, she decided to take the two children home.
She walked into the playground and she cheerfully called out, "Little Juan, little Shu, it's time to go home."
The two children immediately ran towards her with their short legs, beaming, "Mommy!"
With Yun Shu’s abrupt departure, the support behind Yang Qingshu vanished. He instantly felt a pang of sadness, staring blankly ahead. He saw a beautiful woman crouch down, extending her arms. Yun Shu and a little boy who looked very much like her simultaneously rushed into the woman's embrace.
Yun Chuman pulled out a tissue and wiped the sweat from their brows. "Look how hot you both are. How about Mommy taking you to get some ice cream?"
The two children obediently tilted their heads back, letting her wipe their sweat, and smiled sweetly, "Okay!"
Standing to the side, Da Pang bit his finger. Was Yun Juan and Yun Shu's mommy always this gentle?
He turned and saw his mommy and ran over, shouting, "Mommy, I'm hot! I want ice cream!"
The mommy's voice was as loud as her son's and boomed in the neighborhood: "Eat what Ice cream? You look more like ice cream!"
Hearing this, Yun Juan and Yun Shu simultaneously covered their mouths and giggled and their eyes curved with amusement.
Yun Chuman gently tapped their foreheads with her fingers.
Yun Shu stuck out her tongue shyly.
Yun Juan removed his hand from her mouth, pursing his lips and regaining his serious expression.
Yun Chuman held their hands and said, "Let's go to the supermarket and pick out the ice cream you want."
The two children cheered.
Yun Shu took a step forward but stopped, turning back to point at Yang Qingshu, who was still sitting on the swing, "Mommy, that's my new friend. Can he come with us?"
Yun Chuman turned her head and met the little boy's envious gaze.
Caught red-handed, Yang Qingshu hurriedly lowered his eyelashes, concealing the emotions in his eyes.
Yun Chuman smiled. This little boy wasn't in her existing information, but she was happy to accept Yun Juan and Yun Shu's friend: "Sure, what's little Shu's friend's name?"
"Yang Qingshu, Qingqing!"
Yun Shu said happily, running towards the little boy and extending her hand to him with a beaming smile, "Qingqing, let's go get ice cream together!"
Yang Qingshu wanted to refuse the name. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but when he looked up and met Yun Shu's bright smile, he couldn't utter a single word.
He placed his hand in hers and gave a rather dejected "En."
Yun Shu squeezed his hand in return.
Seeing the two children run back, Yun Chuman greeted them with a smile, "Hello, Qingqing."
Yang Qingshu paused for a moment. His ears turned slightly red as he looked down. "Hello, Auntie."
Yun Juan raised an eyebrow. The child didn't seem to have any aggression towards little Shu and mommy, so leave it for now.
Yun Chuman took the three children to the supermarket in the neighborhood.
The four of them each bought an ice cream, ate it under the shade of a tree, and then went home.
When Yun Chuman took Yang Qingshu home, she discovered that he actually lived next door.
Yang Qingshu was very polite, thanking her sincerely before leaving and saying he would return the favor with a gift later.
Yun Chuman smiled and agreed.
After returning home, Yun Juan and Yun Shu soon fell asleep. Probably because they had been so active earlier and the hot weather made them sleepy.
Yun Chuman took her art supplies and the package and went alone to the small balcony in the living room.
The room wasn't large, but the layout was excellent. In addition to the necessary rooms, there was a protruding balcony.
Looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the small park next door, lush and green—a beautiful view.
Yun Chuman opened a package and took out a small lamp, about the size of an adult's palm.
She then took out some soft wire and colorful twine from another package.
Head down, she pondered about how to design her entry for an art competition while modifying the small lamp in her hand.
She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice the passage of time until she heard footsteps behind her.
Two children walked out of the bedroom hand in hand.
Yun Juan's little head was turning around rapidly, clearly looking for her.
Yun Shu, still half asleep, clutched her small blanket as her little head bobbed up and down.
So cute!
Yun Chuman mentally assessed them and smilingly waved to them, "Little Juan, little Shu, I'm here."
The two children perked up, toddled over, and sat down on either side of her, leaning against her.
Yun Shu, clutching her blanket in one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other, asked softly while her voice still slightly nasal, "What is Mommy doing?"
Yun Juan took in the art supplies scattered on the floor, tugged at Yun Chuman's sleeve with shining eyes, and whispered, "Is Mommy going to start painting?"
Yun Chuman nodded, patted Yun Shu's head, and asked, "Little Shu, can you help Mommy with something?"
Yun Shu agreed without hesitation. With her eyes half-closed, she nodded and said, "Sure~ What does Mommy want Little Shu to do?"
Yun Chuman smiled and said, "I want Little Shu to be my model."
She looked up in confusion. Was it the kind of model she knew?
But…
"Little Shu isn’t pretty. My arms and legs are short. Also, I’m chubby.”
The little girl said dejectedly, shaking her limbs and puffing out her cheeks.
Seeing how cute she was, Yun Chuman couldn’t resist pinching her chubby little arms.
She hugged Yun Shu and laughed, “Nonsense! Our little Shu is the cutest little girl in the world! If you agree to be my model, my painting will definitely win an award!”
“Really?” Yun Shu asked uncertainly. There was a hint of expectation in her eyes.
“Of course! Don’t you believe Mommy?”
“I believe…”
Yun Shu lowered her head. Her two thumbs pressed together hesitantly for a long time before finally asking, “When do we start?”
“Can we start after dinner?” Yun Chuman said.
Yun Shu glanced at elder brother, Yun Juan, who immediately gave her a thumbs up.
She took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and resolutely said, "We can!"
To save energy, Yun Chuman ordered takeout for dinner. While waiting, she found a supermarket membership card and applied a layer of white glue to the oil painting paper.
Yun Juan stayed close by her side, eagerly asking, "Mommy, what are you doing?"
"Modifying the oil painting paper, otherwise it absorbs too much paint."
Yun Chuman patiently explained, "After dinner, the white glue on the paper should be dry. Then I can sand it smooth and then start painting."
"I see." Yun Juan watched her actions intently. His little head constantly recalling what she had just said, absorbing the new knowledge.
Yun Chuman glanced at him. Seeing that he didn't look sad, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
She had originally wanted Yun Juan and Yun Shu to be models together, but to cheer Yun Shu up, she changed her plans at the last minute.
Although Yun Juan himself agreed not to be a model, she was still worried that the child was forcing himself. However, it seemed that Yun Juan was more interested in painting than modeling.
Yun Shu wasn't as enthusiastic about these things. She sat absentmindedly on a small stool, her hands supporting her cheeks, gazing wistfully out the window.
Yun Chuman couldn't help but laugh every time she caught a glimpse of her small, curled-up back.
By the time they officially started painting, it was already getting dark outside, and Yun Shu became even more nervous.
"Mommy, what should I do?" she asked. Her little hands were unsure of what to do and her face scrunched up as she looked.
"Relax," Yun Chuman said, taking her hand. "I'll take you to change your clothes first."
She turned to talk to Yun Juan, but saw the little boy squatting motionless beside the canvas.
Yun Chuman scratched her head and said, "Little Juan, can you help me sand the rest of the oil painting paper? Did you see how I did it?"
Yun Juan immediately looked at her with sparkling eyes. He unusually raised his voice and said, "I saw! Don't worry, Mom, I'll definitely finish the task."
"Okay, then I'll leave it to you."
Yun Chuman smiled. Sure enough, Yun Juan was very interested in painting and learned quickly.
She led Yun Shu into the bedroom and found a carefully preserved children's Tang suit in the wardrobe. It looked very new and probably hadn't been worn much.
The dress was mainly smoky blue, with occasional touches of white and light pink. The sleeves of the top were made of white gauze, making it look light and cute.
Yun Shu saw the dress and happily clenched her little fists: "Mommy, can I wear this dress?"
"Yes."
Yun Chuman patiently helped her change the clothes. The little girl obediently followed her instructions, raising her arms and stretching her short legs.
She had originally wanted to style Yun Shu's hair again, but the child's hair was too fine and soft to style, so in the end she could only tie it into two simple little buns, revealing her entire face.
When Yun Chuman led Yun Shu outside, Yun Juan had just finished working on the canvas and was wiping away sweat. He turned around, saw the two of them, paused for a moment, and then smiled sincerely, "Little sister is so pretty!"
Yun Chuman smiled and led her to the white wall beside the small balcony, turned on the small lamp she had modified that afternoon, and handed it to her, saying, "Little Shu, just hold it with both hands and stand still."
Yun Shu took the lamp and obediently stood against the wall, "Like this?"
Yun Chuman frowned, feeling that it wasn't quite what she had imagined. Something seemed to be missing.
She thought for a moment and changed her words, "Little Shu, you don't have to do it my way. Just act however you want, and eventually stick to one pose. If you get tired, just tell me, and we can rest."
After speaking to Yun Shu, she patted Yun Juan's little head and said, "Little Juan, go turn off the living room lights. Just leave one drawing lamp on."
Yun Juan toddled to the door and snapped off the living room light, leaving only the drawing lamp beside Yun Chuman and the small lamp in Yun Shu's hand still lit.
He moved a small stool next to Yun Chuman and quietly sat beside her in front of the easel, watching Yun Shu standing alone on the balcony.
The little girl stood there anxiously and confusedly, instinctively looking at her mommy and brother, her eyes pleading for help.
"Little Shu, look at the lamp in your hand. What does it remind you of?” Yun Chuman said softly. “Don’t be nervous. It’s just me and elder brother here. You can do whatever you want.”
Yun Shu’s nervousness was soothed. She lowered her head and carefully examined the prop in her hand. The orange-yellow sphere seemed familiar…
She glanced out the window. Her eyes suddenly lit and her confusion vanished.
She moved to the window, holding the lamp up to her nose, just covering her lips, and then, under the gaze of Yun Chuman and Yun Juan, slowly closed her eyes.
Yun Chuman frowned in confusion, but quickly realized Yun Shu’s intention. A hint of amazement flashed in her eyes. Yun Shu’s expressiveness exceeded her expectations!
Inspiration flowed freely. She mentally sketched the image on the canvas while skillfully brushing the canvas with linseed oil, and then found all the necessary paints.
With all preparations complete, Yun Chuman began to paint, her expression focused and serious.
Yun Juan sat quietly beside her. His gaze fixed on Yun Chuman's hands as the painting gradually took shape and his eyes grew increasingly intense.
The painting wasn't large and with Yun Chuman's focused attention and exceptionally good condition, she finished it quickly.
Even so, it was late at night. Her shoulders ached and her body felt completely drained.
Yun Chuman put down her paint palette and breathed a sigh of relief. She instinctively stretched, but halfway through, she suddenly remembered that neither of the children had asked for a break.
She panicked immediately: "Little Juan, little Shu?"
Yun Shu heard her voice. Her long eyelashes fluttered and she peeked open her eyes a crack, whispering, "Mommy, what's wrong?"
Yun Juan, sitting beside her, was wide awake and excitedly asked, "Mommy, are you finished?"
"Finished, finished! Little Shu, move around a bit!"
Yun Chuman anxiously rushed towards Yun Shu. Her heart ached terribly. The little girl had maintained one position for so long without a single rest.
Yun Juan realized how much her younger sister had suffered and ran over as well.
Yun Shu, with her puppy-like eyes brimming with tears, sniffled and said softly, "Mommy, I can't move..."
Yun Chuman was startled. Her first thought was that she had ruined the child due to painting and she had to get to the hospital immediately!
Before she could even reach out to pick up the little girl, Yun Juan pinched Yun Shu's arm, frowning with concern, and asked, "Is it numb?"
Yun Shu nodded pitifully, managing a weak "En."
Seeing that she was alright, Yun Chuman breathed a sigh of relief, but her legs gave way and she sat down on the ground.
She carefully cradled Yun Shu in her arms and together with Yun Juan, massaged her arm.
The little girl's flesh was almost stiff. It took a while of massaging to gradually soften it.
Like a kitten, Yun Shu comfortably squinted her eyes. She looked up, nervously and expectantly, and asked, "Mommy, can I see the painting?"
"Of course you can," Yun Chuman tapped her little nose.
"Little sister, you'd better be prepared. Don't get scared in a bit," Yun Juan said.
"Huh?" Yun Shu asked tentatively, "Is it ugly?"
Yun Juan deliberately didn't answer.
Yun Shu's eyebrows furrowed and she looked at Yun Chuman for help.
"Elder Brother is just teasing you!"
Yun Chuman took her hand and led her to the painting. Yun Juan followed behind, chuckling to himself.
Despite mommy's comforting words, Yun Shu still dared not look and instinctively squinted. The moment she saw the painting clearly, her eyes snapped open and her mouth agape in disbelief.
"Is this me?" she cried.
The little girl in the painting wore a flowing, ethereal dress, holding a green flower stem that held a miniature sun atop it. The twilight light illuminated the red cloud-like mark on her nose and her long eyelashes. Behind her hung a crescent moon, like a silver hook in the sky.
The entire composition resembled a sunset and moonrise, with the little girl appearing as if she were the embodiment of the red cloud holding the sun.
The unique brushstrokes of the oil painting and the ethereal little girl created a striking and unusual beauty.
Yun Chuman was a skilled painter. Every stroke and every color was perfectly placed. She dared to say this was her most satisfying work to date.
"Our little cloud fairy, do you like this painting?" Yun Chuman asked, patting Yun Shu's head.
Yun Shu nodded vigorously, her gaze lingering on the painting. After a long while, she asked, "Is this really me?"
"Isn't it you? How can you forget what you look like?" Yun Juan said seriously.
Yun Shu wrinkled her nose at him.
"Of course it is! But if you ask me, our little Shu is a hundred times cuter in real life than in the painting!" Yun Chuman said.
Yun Shu blushed instantly.
Yun Chuman met her gaze and said earnestly, "Little Shu, promise Mommy you'll have confidence in yourself from now on, okay?"
She touched the red mark on the little girl's face: "Elder brother and I will never lie to you. Your red mark is proof that we love you. It's your unique feature."
"It's something others would love to have. It's unique. Don't let a few words from others make you doubt yourself, okay?"
Yun Shu's eyes gradually brightened. She looked at Yun Chuman and then at herself in the painting. The little girl in the painting was truly beautiful.
She nodded vigorously: "En!"
Finally, she believed that mommy and elder brother weren't just comforting her. She would never again be saddened by other people's words!
Yun Chuman patted her little head: "Once the painting dries, I'll send it to the competition. With little Shu as the model, it's sure to win an award."
"Are you sending it away?" Yun Shu asked in surprise.
Yun Juan said reluctantly, "Should we take a picture with our phones?"
Yun Chuman couldn't help but laugh: "It'll be returned after the competition."
The two children breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alright, it's time to sleep. Kids won't grow tall if they stay up late."
Yun Chuman pulled them to the bathroom. While washing up, she glanced at the two children, whose eyelids were already drooping, and thought to herself that today had yielded an unexpected bonus.
Both Yun Juan's enthusiasm for painting and Yun Shu's expressiveness far exceeded her expectations.
After washing up, the two children squeezed into a small bed and quickly fell asleep.
The next day, even Yun Chuman couldn't get up early. In the end, she was woken up by the ringing of the phone.
"Hello? Who is this?" Yun Chuman asked indistinctly, holding the phone without opening her eyes.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu beside her both rolled over and fell back into a deep sleep.
The person on the other end of the phone was speechless for a moment before saying, "Elder Sister, you're still not awake?"
Yun Chuman heard a familiar voice and glanced at her phone—it was Xiao Xi, the director in charge of their group for "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs."
She slowly sat up, glanced at the two children, tucked them in, and tiptoed out. She yawned before saying, "I slept too late last night."
"I stayed up all night for you and you are sleeping! Next time you have to take me with you!" Xiao Xi wailed.
Yun Chuman poured a glass of water and smiled, "No problem, we don't have much else, but we have plenty of empty beds."
Xiao Xi coughed, "Let's get down to business. The guest you'll be filming with next episode has been decided.”
"Who is it?" Yun Chuman asked expectantly, wondering if it was the person she and Yun Juan and Yun Shu had chosen.
"It's a secret," Xiao Xi chuckled. "Also, the filming location for the next episode is a temporary venue rented by the production team, not in your city, so you and the two kids need to leave early."
Yun Chuman subconsciously glanced at the oil painting she finished last night. Leaving early would be a bit troublesome…
She frowned and asked, "Approximately when do we leave? Where is the destination?"
"Two days later," Xiao Xi said, "I've sent the flight information the production team booked for you to your phone. See you then!"
She hung up the phone after speaking.
Yun Chuman opened the flight information. The destination was Z City. She was stunned. Wasn't that the city hosting the new artist competition?
"What? Got rejected?" "Lu Nan's words carried a hint of amusement.
Watching Lu Bei get flustered was a hobby Lu Nan had recently developed. After all, his younger brother had become increasingly introverted as he grew older, always wearing a cold expression and making it difficult to discern his emotions. But this trip had not only cured his illness, but also made him seem more vibrant than before.
The death of their mother had always been a knot in the hearts of the two brothers, and he was very gratified that Lu Bei could move on.
"No, don't speculate." Lu Bei said, putting down his phone and turning back to the television, which was broadcasting entertainment news.
"...Movie Queen Cheng An has finished her three-year studies in the US and will be returning to the country soon."
"Cheng An is returning to the country?" Lu Nan asked from the side. "Are you going to pick her up at the airport?"
"Why should I go? What does she have to do with me?" Lu Bei said coldly.
Lu Nan shook his head: "Didn't we grow up together? That girl is your best friend." Lu Bei glanced at Lu Nan: "If you want to pick her up, go ahead. I'm not going. So noisy." "
Lu Nan smiled and shook his head. Cheng An had a lively personality, but his younger brother described her as noisy.
Before, because of this relationship, the two families visited each other frequently and the media even fabricated a romance between Lu Bei and Cheng An, which was immediately denied by the parties involved.
However, netizens privately shipped this couple quite well, until Cheng An went abroad. At that point they toned it down a bit.
But why did that girl Cheng An suddenly go abroad? And for three years at that?
This thought flashed through Lu Nan's mind.
Tang Yao enjoyed the dinner served in her room, then sat on the viewing balcony, enjoying the night breeze while searching in her spatial dimension for a birthday gift for Elder Ji.
Since he liked flowers and plants so much, why not give him a rare and precious one?
After much deliberation, Tang Yao finally chose a flower.
This flower was a tribute from a small country when she was a princess in the ancient world. both the blossoms and stems were translucent white. It was as beautiful as a crystal.
It was unique to the snow-capped mountains near the small country. Because Tang Yao loved it, the emperor at the time collected many for her, all of which she stored in her spatial dimension.
She had researched it. In this world, this flower was extremely rare and there were practically no more than five pots of it in the entire country.
This should be enough for a gift.
After deciding on the gift, Tang Yao comfortably laid back on the recliner, gazing at the starry sky.
Xiao Yue reported to her via her phone about what had happened at the guesthouse that day.
Xiao Yue and the other two could directly connect their systems to Tang Yao's phone, making communication very convenient.
The guesthouse wasn't open to the public, but many fans came to take photos at the entrance.
Aunt Li from across the street came over to get the fruit baskets. She had already paid, but she had overpaid. Xiao Yue wanted to return the money, but Aunt Li had already quickly run away.
Tang Yao smiled helplessly, indicating that she understood.
"Yao Yao, the guesthouse feels so deserted without you. I hope you come back soon." "..."
Xiao Yue, who had already finished her report, suddenly spoke up.
Tang Yao was pleasantly surprised. This was the first time Xiao Yue had expressed her feelings so directly.
After a good night's sleep, Tang Yao woke up early the next day. After washing up and having breakfast, Huang Hui's assistant was already waiting downstairs.
There was a very important show in three days and Huang Hui was extremely busy running around.
"...President Huang asked me to give you a brief explanation of why she invited you. We had originally ordered a finale dress for tomorrow, but at the crucial moment, due to an employee's negligence, the dress was ruined. Although we have a spare, President Huang is not satisfied, so she would like to invite you to give it a try," the assistant said.
Tang Yao nodded: "I told President Huang, I can only do my best. I can't guarantee I can do it perfectly."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the foot of a building.
A prominent "H" logo on the building gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
The assistant led Tang Yao to the president's private elevator, directly to the president's office on the fifteenth floor.
"President Huang and the designer are in a meeting. She asked me to take you there directly."
The assistant led Tang Yao to the back door of the conference room. As soon as the door opened, Tang Yao heard Huang Hui's voice. Unlike her usual tone, her voice was somewhat stern.
Tang Yao found a seat at the back. Huang Hui's eyes softened slightly when she saw her and she nodded slightly before continuing the previous topic.
Tang Yao listened to the gist of the conversation. Everyone had expressed their opinions and the ideas were all quite good, but Huang Hui's brow remained furrowed.
An hour later, the meeting ended. Huang Hui walked straight towards Tang Yao.
This action drew the attention of many people. Tang Yao entered subtly. Everyone was focused on the meeting and didn't notice the extra person appearing on this seat.
Seeing Huang Hui's familiar attitude towards her, everyone had their own thoughts.
Huang Hui led Tang Yao to her office: "Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you had breakfast?"
"I've had breakfast and I haven't been waiting too long," Tang Yao replied with a smile. Following Huang Hui, she scanned the surroundings.
Everyone was busy in an orderly fashion. Although the dress for the finale three days later had a problem, no one seemed overly panicked.
"I'll take you to see that dress now and like to hear your opinion," Huang Hui said.
Tang Yao nodded.
The finale dress was in Huang Hui's office. It was a beautiful light blue long dress, made of satin-like material covered with a layer of tulle. This tulle was very pretty and seemed to shimmer under the light. Upon closer inspection, there were auspicious cloud embroideries on the tulle.
This beautiful dress was ripped at the hem. The biggest flaw of the entire garment — the outer tulle had a large hole, rendering it almost unusable.
"This dress took the whole company six months to make, and we were preparing it for the fashion show in three days. It was to be exhibited with several countries’ and I wanted to take this opportunity to showcase our country’s embroidery," Huang Hui said, a hint of regret in her voice.
Huang Hui then showed Tang Yao another spare dress, also beautiful, but lacking the ethereal quality of the first.
"Now this light blue one has to be discarded. I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to incorporate double-sided embroidery into this spare dress," Huang Hui asked.
Tang Yao's gaze fell on the two dresses. After a moment of contemplation, she finally looked up and said, "No need to give up. If you trust me, I can replace it for you and I'll give you an even prettier one."
Huang Hui's eyes lit up, but then she asked with some concern, "Is three days enough?"
Tang Yao nodded: "More than enough."
Perhaps it was Tang Yao's calm and confident demeanor that influenced Huang Hui, making her feel that she could look forward to it.
"Ms. Huang, is this some famous designer?"
The office door opened, and a tall, thin man walked in. His gaze towards Tang Yao carried a hint of wariness.
After the guests left, Liu Hanyue created a group chat called "The Four Beauties of the Gu Family," and pulled her sisters-in-law in. Luo Zhengzheng opened the group chat and looked at the name. Only Liu Hanyue would choose such a confident name. She saw Liu Hanyue mention in the group that Eldest sister, Gu Hualuo, hadn't come again.
Luo Zhengzheng thought to herself that Gu Hualuo had never come to Mother-in-law's birthday celebrations.
Gu Hualuo was the eldest sister in the Gu Family, older than all the brothers. When Ye Li married into the Gu Family, she was already quite mature and strongly resented the stepmother Ye Li. After Ye Li gave birth to Gu Shi and being influenced by her maternal family's instigation, she became wary of Ye Li secretly harming her two younger brothers. She showed Ye Li no basic respect and barely interacted with her.
Ye Li didn't hold a grudge with her and didn't take her seriously, so Gu Boyuan couldn't say anything.
Even if Gu Hualuo wasn't married, Gu Boyuan wouldn't stand by and watch her lead his two younger brothers astray. Over the years, Gu Ming and Gu Xian hadn't achieved much in business, but their interpersonal skills were acceptable. If he allowed his eldest daughter to discipline the two younger brothers, it was hard to predict what Gu Ming and Gu Xian's thoughts would be.
Unusually, Yu Shuang asked in the group chat what gifts they had given mother-in-law.
In previous years, for their parent-in-laws' birthdays, they prepared expensive gifts, but their father-in-law told them they had everything and there was no need to give them useless things. The expensive gifts they bought were deemed useless, clearly indicating his disapproval. Later, mother-in-law told them that it was the thought that counted, even if the gift was small.
As Ye Li's daughter-in-law, Luo Zhengzheng spoke first: "A family portrait that Chengjia and I painted together."
Seeing Luo Zhengzheng's words, the others fell silent and no one replied.
Wang Yaning quietly replaced the diamond necklace she had prepared for mother-in-law with a calligraphy scroll she had written: "Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things."
Liu Hanyue smiled and said, "I'm planning to cook Mom a bowl of longevity noodles later."
Luo Zhengzheng couldn't help but tease her, "Don't bother! Your cooking skills are terrible and you might upset Mom's stomach."
Wang Yaning chipped in, "You should get her a different birthday present."
Luo Zhengzheng suggested with a smile, "How about we team up and make Mom a bowl of longevity noodles?"
Liu Hanyue: "That's great, that's great!"
Wang Yaning finally said, "Then let's skip the other gifts and just make Mother-in-law a bowl of longevity noodles."
Luo Zhengzheng agreed, and Liu Hanyue and Yu Shuang also agreed.
The sisters-in-law put down their phones and went to the kitchen. The four brothers glanced at their wives' backs as they left. Gu Xian nudged Gu Ming's arm: "Where are they going?"
Gu Ming had no idea.
Gu Xian muttered to himself, these women were acting so mysteriously. Gu Shi gave him a seemingly casual glance.
Half an hour later, the group brought out a bowl of longevity noodles, looking delicious and appealing. Ye Li looked at the noodles on the table and exclaimed with delight, "Did all four of you make this together?"
The four nodded with smiles.
Ye Li was pleased. She took a bite of the noodles and praised, "Delicious, chewy!"
The four were relieved. Although Luo Zhengzheng had done most of the work, they had washed the dishes, picked the scallions, washed the vegetables, boiled the water, and served Luo Zhengzheng the seasonings—so it counted as them all working together.
Gu Boyuan looked at the noodles and couldn't help but say sourly, "I want to eat longevity noodles for my birthday too." He then looked at his sons.
Gu Ming and the others exchanged glances. Gu Shi remained calm: "If you don't mind, we can make longevity noodles for you ."
Gu Boyuan snorted. Sons weren't as considerate as daughters. Thinking of Gu Hualuo, he wisely refrained from saying this aloud.
Luo Yongsheng and Yuan Mei went home after Ye Li's birthday. Luo Can didn't go back. He said he was going to work to earn money to buy a phone. Since younger brother have the heart to improve himself, Luo Zhengzheng naturally supported him and swallowed back the suggestion of giving him a phone. The next day, when Gu Shi went to work, Luo Can followed behind him. Gu Shi looked at him helplessly: "Why are you following me?"
Luo Can smiled brightly: "I've never worked before, I'm going to observe your company first."
Gu Shi gave him a meaningful look: "If you want to observe, then observe."
Luo Can sat in the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and looked around excitedly: " Elder Brother-in-law, what brand of car is this? It's so impressive!"
Gu Shi, who had his eyes closed to rest, opened them upon hearing his words: "Do you like it?"
Luo Can nodded. He loved it! “No man dislikes a car."
Gu Shi said, "If you do well on the college entrance exam, I'll buy you a car."
Luo Can was delighted but then eyed him warily: "I don't want it."
Why would he give him a car for no reason?
Gu Shi raised an eyebrow at him: "So reserved?"
"How can I let you buy me a car?" Luo Can's heart bled. He had actually refused a car, possibly a luxury one. He sat listlessly in the car, not wanting to say a word.
Gu Shi glanced at him, a slight smile appearing on his usually indifferent face.
After getting out of the car, Luo Can watched Elder Brother-in-law stride confidently towards the elevator. He quickly caught up. Once inside, he couldn't resist leaning close to Gu Shi's ear and whispered, " Elder Brother-in-law, are you trying to bribe me?"
One hand in his pocket and the other holding a file folder, Gu Shi glanced at Luo Can with slightly cool eyes. "Who gave you the impression I'm trying to bribe you?"
Luo Can leaned against the elevator wall, looking at him. "Still denying it? Then why give me a car? I'm elder sister's only younger brother. No amount of sweet talk can corrupt my protective heart. Don't think that just because you're the young master of the Gu Family, you can bully elder sister. I'll definitely avenge her."
Gu Shi suddenly chuckled softly. "How do you plan to get revenge?"
This uncouth young man had quite the momentum.
However, Luo Can was extremely serious: "Just remember what I said."
"Okay." Gu Shi was satisfied with younger brother's protective instincts, "I'll remember what you said."
Luo Can was overjoyed to hear this and patted him on the shoulder like best buds: "But if elder sister is ever unreasonable, tell me, and I'll talk to her for you."
Understanding younger brother-in-law's good intentions, Gu Shi nodded shrewdly and then asked, "Now, can you accept the car I'm giving you?"
Luo Can coughed and looked at him, "Elder Brother-in-law, you're really going to give me a car?"
It was a car, not a bicycle or a motorcycle, but a car.
Gu Shi raised an eyebrow: "Of course, first of all, you have to do well on your college entrance exam."
Luo Can was confident in his grades. Suppressing his excitement, he asked rationally, "Will elder sister agree?"
Elder Brother-in-law had given him gifts before, but elder sister only allowed him to give him clothes and shoes that fit him. She wouldn't allow him to give him anything too expensive.
Mimicking him, Gu Shi patted his shoulder: "Your elder sister will agree."
Luo Can followed Gu Shi to his office. He looked around and exclaimed, "Elder Brother-in-law, your office is so spacious! It would be so impressive if I can work in an office this big when I start working."
Gu Shi sat down in his office chair and pointed to the leather sofa next to him, inviting him to sit down and rest.
Luo Can sat on the sofa, observing the staff who came to elder brother-in-law's office. Most were middle-aged men in their forties and occasional young female secretaries. He ignored the middle-aged staff, but carefully observed the two young secretaries. Seeing that they kept their eyes straight ahead, and after Elder Brother-in-law signed the documents, they obediently left, unlike in TV dramas where they tried to seduce the boss, he felt relieved.
At noon, Gu Shi took Luo Can to a restaurant near the company. Sitting at a table, Luo Can picked up the menu, looked at it, and saw many dishes he hadn't tried before and was unsure of their taste. He handed the menu to Gu Shi: "Elder Brother-in-law, you order. I'm not picky."
Gu Shi glanced at him and took the menu.
As expected of a place frequented by a big shot, the food was delicious. Luo Can had never eaten so satisfyingly.
He rubbed his belly: "It's so good to be rich. No wonder everyone wants to be rich. I want to be a boss someday."
Gu Shi looked up. Younger Brother-in-law still needed encouragement: "You will be."
That evening, back home, Luo Can held little Chengjia and sat next to elder sister on the sofa, whispering to her: "Elder Sister, I went to Elder Brother-in-law's company today to check the situation. The female employees there are all very well-behaved. There's no sign of them seducing the boss. You can rest assured."
Luo Zhengzheng poked him on the head: "Nosy."
Luo Can rubbed his head, indignant. "How am I being nosy? I was just trying to help you. Instead of praising me, you scold me?"
Luo Zhengzheng wanted to poke his head again. "I already trust him. Just mind your own business. Don't worry about me and your elder brother-in-law."
Luo Can grumbled in agreement. Seeing Gu Shi change into his pajamas and come downstairs, he put little Chengjia in elder sister's arms, walked up to Gu Shi defiantly, and said, "No wonder you didn't need to bribe me."
Gu Shi glanced at Luo Zhengzheng and then looked back at Younger Brother-in-law. "Where did you get that conclusion?"
Luo Can's tone was droll. "I don't know how you fooled elder sister. I told her your company's female employees are very well-behaved and no one's seducing you, and she said I was being nosy and that she trusts you completely and doesn't need me to supervise you."
In his mind, Elder Sister had married Elder Brother-in-law right after graduation; she must have been tricked by him. Their family was just ordinary people, while Elder Brother-in-law's family was wealthy. No matter how he looked at it, Elder Sister would suffer after marrying him.
Gu Shi looked at Younger Brother-in-law's confident argument and was somewhat speechless. He said lightly, "I'm taking back my promise to give you the car."
Luo Can: ......
He was really cunning. Even if he agreed to give him the car, he wouldn't be bought off.
That night, Gu Shi and Luo Zhengzheng laid in bed; one reading a book, the other reading a novel on her phone.
Gu Shi suddenly asked Luo Zhengzheng, "I heard you trust me?"
Luo Zhengzheng was confused: "What?"
Gu Shi looked at her and his gaze was extremely indifferent: "Luo Can said you trust me and not worry about me being tempted by outside influences."
"What nonsense." Luo Zhengzheng put down her phone, pulled up the covers, and prepared to sleep. "He overthinks. Don't take it to heart."
"I do take it to heart." Gu Shi's voice echoed in the room, sounding ethereal in the quiet night.
Luo Zhengzheng: "What does a little kid like him know? Don't pay him any attention."
She then closed her eyes.
Gu Shi's voice rang out again: "Why aren't you worried about me being tempted?"
Luo Zhengzheng heard but didn't answer, slowly drifting off to sleep.
Helpless, Gu Shi put down his book. These two siblings were a real headache.
Two days later was Ye Li's birthday. Luo Zhengzheng had arranged a driver to pick up her parents the day before her mother-in-law's birthday.
During the day, Gu Shi sent Xiao Zhang to his company to retrieve two set of dresses, shoes, and jewelry. She knew these were the outfits Gu Shi had prepared for her to wear to Mother-in-law's birthday banquet.
Previously, Gu Shi would always prepare outfits for her to wear to banquets. She thought he was doing this to avoid embarrassing him. Later, she learned that many designer dresses were custom-made and unavailable to the average person.
Wang Yaning was also worried about what to wear to Mother-in-law's birthday banquet. As the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu Family, her manners and attire were always under scrutiny. She was always competitive and didn't want to be outdone.
She knew Gu Shi had already prepared Luo Zhengzheng's outfit for the banquet and she couldn't help but envy her. Gu Shi was aloof and reserved, yet he was remarkably attentive to Luo Zhengzheng, anticipating her every need and even arranging things in advance. The three brothers, Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling, were clearly inferior in this regard.
The three sisters-in-law, none of whom had their husbands prepare their dresses in advance, went shopping together.
These past few days, news about Ye Li, Gu Shi, and Luo Zhengzheng had been circulating widely online, drawing more attention to the Gu Family. When the three sisters-in-law went shopping, they were recognized and photos were taken and posted online. Instantly, some people said that although Luo Zhengzheng had married into the Gu Family and gained Mother-in-law's favor, she was being ostracized by her sisters-in-law. The other three daughters-in-law went shopping, but Luo Zhengzheng was missing, clearly indicating that people looked down on her and didn't want to include her.
Logically, let alone their daughter-in-law, Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling, who have never given interviews or appeared in the media, were rarely known outside of the entertainment industry despite how wealthy the Gu Family was. The reason they were recognized was because Liu Hanyue had participated in a singing competition and achieved a good ranking. She was just playing around and wasn't signed to a company. but as a wealthy heiress, she didn't hide her background and it was easily uncovered. Later, her marriage to Gu Xian even made headlines in entertainment news.
Only when Gu Ming and Gu Xian were scolded by old Master through the phone at the company, did they learn that their wives had made the entertainment news while out shopping. They checked online and were shocked to see that while fourth younger sister-in-law was in the news and brought a positive impact to the company, their wives were being accused of looking down on her. They couldn't help but curse inwardly. "You three went shopping without inviting fourth younger sister-in-law? Let alone netizens, even I think you three are ostracizing her!"
The three sisters-in-law returned with their shopping bags and, upon hearing the news, secretly felt wronged. Even if they hadn't ostracized fourth younger sister-in-law, they wouldn't have dared to be so blatant. Who was the idiot who took the photos and released the press release? It was utter nonsense and had caused immense harm.
Su Zhilan saw the news at home and smiled as she sent Liu Hanyue a text message: "Luo Zhengzheng is already married to Gu Shi. Even if you don't like her, at least pretend. After all, even if Aunt Ye doesn't like Luo Zhengzheng, she's her daughter-in-law and she would protect her. With you, she might not."
Liu Hanyue saw the message, scoffed, and showed it to Gu Xian: "Su Zhilan thinks I'm stupid. Even if I don't like Luo Zhengzheng, that's our family matter. What's she doing? Wolf pretending to be a rabbit?"
Gu Xian was quite surprised, not understanding women: "Didn't you grow up together?"
Weren't they close friends, both disliking Luo Zhengzheng?
Liu Hanyue glanced at him, thinking, "What do you know? It was true that they grew up together, but they also secretly competed. On a large scale, they competed in family background and in-laws. On a smaller scale, they compete in clothes, looks, and even friends. Luo Zhengzheng was, after all, her sister-in-law from in-law’s side. No matter how many conflicts they have at home, they must unite in public.”
Gu Xian became respectful and said seriously, "Quite insightful. Not bad."
Liu Hanyue asked him, "What should I say to her?"
Gu Xian patted her forehead, "Just now I said you are insightful! Just ignore her."
Back then, Gu Shi and Su Zhilan suddenly broke off their engagement. Besides Gu Shi and Su Zhilan, no one knew the reason.
Liu Hanyue rolled her eyes at him, lowered her head and insincerely replied to Su Zhilan's text message: "I actually quite like Luo Zhengzheng. We went shopping to prepare for Mother-in-law's birthday banquet. Gu Shi prepared Luo Zhengzheng's dress and jewelry. They are all privately ordered, so we didn't ask her to come along. Online is all nonsense."
After sending the message, she waited for Su Zhilan's reply, but after a long time, there was no response.
She pointed to her phone: "I knew Su Zhilan wouldn't reply to my message after I said that. Although I don't know why Gu Shi and she broke off the engagement, I know Su Zhilan definitely regrets it."
Gu Xian: ......
So you two really were just fake friends.
That evening, Liu Hanyue showed her phone to Luo Zhengzheng. After looking at it, Luo Zhengzheng stared at her speechlessly: "You’re showing off to me?"
Liu Hanyue glared at her: "Showing off what? Did you see that? Su Zhilan openly flattered me while secretly trying to sow discord between us. I didn't fall for it and even turned the tables on her."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled slightly: "Isn't this the day you've been waiting for? That's why you came to show off to me."
Two girls of similar age and family background and people liked to compare them. Su Zhilan was bright, dignified, gentle, and sensible—the kind of girl elders liked. Liu Hanyue, on the other hand, was spoiled, willful, and naive. People would only mention how cute she was. Over time, Liu Hanyue realized what people thought and couldn't bring herself to like Su Zhilan anymore. Nobody liked being compared, especially being the losing party.
Luo Zhengzheng said slowly, "How can I not be worried? Isn't this just praising what you said?"
Women always knew where to hit when dealing with women. If Liu Hanyue sent that message to Su Zhilan, Su Zhilan would be so angry she wouldn't be able to eat. Thinking of this, she even found her sister-in-law, who often picked fights with her, somewhat more agreeable.
Liu Hanyue smiled smugly: "Since you know I spoke well, let's take some photos and post them online so those people can see we haven't ostracized you."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at her: "So that's what you were waiting for."
Although she said that, Luo Zhengzheng still cooperated with the three sisters-in-law to take a few photos, showing that the sisters-in-law had a good relationship.
Gu Boyuan watched the sisters-in-law whispering amongst themselves. Normally, as a father-in-law, he shouldn't interfere in his daughters-in-law's affairs, but things on the internet involved not only family matters but could also affect the company. He couldn't help but ask, "Isn't your relationship quite good?"
Liu Hanyue's heart tightened. She was afraid her parents-in-law would hold them accountable, mainly because she frequently appeared in entertainment news, while Elder Sister-in-law and Third Sister-in-law weren't well-known.
Luo Zhengzheng explained, "Elder Sister-in-law asked if I wanted to go shopping this morning. Gu Shi prepared an outfit for Mother's birthday banquet, so I stayed home with Chengjia and didn't go."
Gu Shi looked up at Luo Zhengzheng. He had also seen the news online and thought she would feel wronged, but judging from her expression, she clearly didn't.
Gu Boyuan turned to Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling: "Gu Shi manages such a large group and he still had time to prepare dresses for his wife. Why didn't you think of preparing dresses for them?"
Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling felt aggrieved. They were women with nothing to do all day. Did they really need them to care about their clothes? Even if they felt aggrieved, what could they do? It was their dad who said this, so they could only endure it. They couldn't help but complain about Gu Shi. Was he that idle? He even helped buy clothes and jewelry for his wife. Didn't this make them seem like bad husbands?
Gu Boyuan internally shook his head. Was this about them caring about their wives' clothes? This was about showing the public that their marital relationship was good and their family harmonious, resulting in better work mentality and others would trust them more.
Seeing the photos online, netizens had mixed reactions. Some said their predictions were definitely correct, otherwise why would they rush to post photos as proof? Others said that since they were willing to take photos together, their relationship, even if not good, wouldn't be bad. Good and bad opinions were all over the place. As long as they said their relationship was good, it represented their attitude. As for what others thought, as long as it didn't affect the company, no one cared.
Seeing the online discussion, Su Zhilan's dad said to his daughter, "You're not young anymore, you should start thinking about your personal life. President Zhou from Tang's Building Materials is quite nice, how about we arrange a meeting?"
That country girl's position in the Gu Family was secure. Zhilan's efforts were wasted.
Su Zhilan's expression changed slightly: "I'm not going."
President Zhou from Tang's Building Materials was far inferior to Gu Shi.
"You'll have to get married eventually," said Father Su.
Su Zhilan knew her dad was serious. She tried to say, "Dad, I don't want to marry just anyone. Since I was little, you've always wanted me to be engaged to Gu Shi and I always thought I would marry him. I can’t accept it."
Father Su's expression softened. "But he's already married and even has a child. A few days ago, that country girl went back to her maternal home and Ye Li and Gu Shi both went. Ye's company even saw its shares rise because of this. Even if Ye Li isn't satisfied with this daughter-in-law before, she'll be satisfied now."
What he wanted to ask her more was, if she wanted to marry Gu Shi so much, why did she agree to breaking off the engagement in the first place?
Su Zhilan lowered her head and remained silent.
Unable to bear her sadness and disappointment, Father Su said, "Come with us to Ye Li's birthday banquet."
Su Zhilan finally smiled. Even as the eldest daughter of the Su Family, she couldn't live as she pleased. what right did this country girl have to live a carefree life in the Gu Family?
On Ye Li's birthday, Gu’s home was filled with guests. The four sons and daughters-in-law accompanied Gu Boyuan and Ye Li in greeting the guests, while the grandchildren stayed with their maternal grandparents.
Unlike before, this time everyone's attention was somewhat focused on Luo Zhengzheng. After all, Ye's shares had increased significantly because of her. Seeing her dressed in a dignified and elegant gown, standing out even among the many handsome men and beautiful women, and effortlessly following behind Ye Li to greet the guests, one couldn't help but sigh. There was a reason this girl could marry Gu Shi. Her poise alone was unmatched.
Arm in arm with her mom, Su Zhilan arrived at the Gu Family’s home. She immediately spotted Luo Zhengzheng and puffed out her chest. Today, she wore a red dress that was not only elegant and graceful but also dazzlingly beautiful. She refused to believe she would lose to Luo Zhengzheng. Seeing Luo Zhengzheng in a light pink dress, she smiled. Today, she had won.
Following Luo Zhengzheng, she saw Gu Shi. Of the four Gu brothers, Gu Shi was the most handsome. He inherited his looks from Ye Li, possessing a cool and handsome appearance. The composed personality and an innate noble elegance made him unforgettable.
What irritated her was that Gu Shi and Luo Zhengzheng looked surprisingly well-matched standing together. She felt a little deflated. Had she come to the Gu Family just to see how well-matched they were?
Standing between Wang Yaning and Yu Shuang, Liu Hanyue tugged at Wang Yaning's arm and whispered, "Is Su Zhilan out of her mind? Wearing such a bright color, is she trying to steal Mom's thunder?"
Everyone knew that red dresses exuded more presence and today's protagonist was Mother-in-law, so naturally she wore a red dress. The daughters-in-law all tacitly wore light-colored dresses and makeup. They were young and looked good even in casual clothes. Not wanting to overshadow Mother-in-law, they could only find a way to do so through their clothing. Of all the guests, only Su Zhilan wore a red dress, clashing with Mother-in-law's color.
Su Zhilan wasn't stupid. Seeing Ye Li's dress, her expression changed slightly. "Mom," she said, "why didn't you remind me?"
She had been so focused on competing with Luo Zhengzheng that she had completely forgotten it was Ye Li's birthday and she would be wearing a red dress. Luo Zhengzheng's online fame had unsettled her and caused her to lose her composure.
Mother Su thought to herself, "How did I not remind you? You also need to listen!"
Since it concerned her daughter, Mother Su had to mediate: "This child said it's your birthday today, so she wore something festive."
Ye Li didn't care that much, nor did she forbid others from wearing the same color scheme as her. Even though she was older, she was confident that she wouldn't lose out if her clothes clashed with others.
At her age and status, she was the center of attention. This was the confidence of a group chairman. She didn't care much about her clothing. Her assistant always chosethem for her, so she accepted it without raising an eyebrow.
Su Zhilan could only distance herself from Ye Li, which went against her original intentions. But it couldn’t be helped. She couldn't resist glancing at Luo Zhengzheng standing next to Ye Li and her eyes narrowed instantly. She had heard that Gu Shi had spent over a hundred million yuan at auction to buy a necklace. She thought it was just hearsay, but seeing the necklace around Luo Zhengzheng's neck, she knew it wasn't. She had been to that auction and she liked that necklace too, but it was too expensive. She didn't have that much money to buy it. It wasn't that her family didn't have that much money, but she knew her dad wouldn't spend over a hundred million yuan on jewelry for her. She could only watch as the necklace was sold.
Su Zhilan felt a mix of emotions. The necklace she had longed for was now being worn by Luo Zhengzheng, this country girl. The thought was incredibly stabbing.
Luo Zhengzheng wasn't surprised by Su Zhilan's attire. In her past life, Su Zhilan's online reputation was mixed and she was prone to outbursts. At first, Luo Zhengzheng thought it was just publicity stunts, but after Su Zhilan exposed Gu Shi's affairs online, offending parents-in-law, Luo Zhengzheng realized Su Zhilan was prone to acting impulsively and doing outrageous things when angry.
Yuan Mei and Luo Yongsheng sat on the sofa, watching the guests come and go, feeling like they were in another world. Touching her dress, Yuan Mei felt uneasy: "Zhengzheng, what kind of dress did you buy? It's too tight."
Luo Can was dressed in a casual suit and trousers. Little Jiajia sat obediently in his maternal uncle's lap. Hearing his mom's words, he said, "Mom, this is a formal dress. It won't look good if it's too loose."
He didn't really understand either. He could hear and observe. A quick glance at the guests' dresses revealed they were all like this. It wasn't that elder sister didn't know how to buy dresses, but rather that this was the style they were supposed to wear.
Yuan Mei glared at him: "Do you think I don't know what a formal dress is? You think I don't know anything? It's just that I'm not used to it."
Luo Can chuckled, picked up Jiajia, and planned to go outside for a stroll. It was too stuffy inside. Yuan Mei and Luo Yongsheng were both good-looking and their two children inherited their best features. Luo Zhengzheng was beautiful and charming, while Luo Can was sunny and handsome. Neither was outdone. People who didn't recognize Luo Can guessed his identity upon seeing him carrying Gu Chengjia.
Su Zhilan went outside, feeling gloomy. She couldn't understand why Gu Shi had married a village girl, and even more so, why he treated her so well. Was he deliberately humiliating her?
Luo Can was in the yard watching birds and holding Xiao Jiajia. The bird belonged to Gu Boyuan and he didn't recognize its breed. He was about to take out his phone to look it up online when a voice behind him interrupted him, "Who are you? Why are you holding Gu Shi's child?"
Luo Can turned around and saw a woman. Without thinking, he said, "What's it to you?"
His dad, Luo Yongsheng, was a farmer, but handsome. When he was little, he had seen village women approach his dad more than once. This woman mentioned elder brother-in-law but not elder sister, so they weren't exactly good women. Especially since elder brother-in-law was rich and handsome, he was sure to attract more women than his dad. Thinking of this, he felt worried for elder sister.
Su Zhilan was surprised that a mere boy dared to speak to her like that: "Whose family are you?"
Luo Can retorted, "What's it to you?"
Su Zhilan was already in a bad mood and hearing his words, she couldn't help but say, "How can you talk like that?"
Luo Can scoffed, "That’s how to talk?"
Su Zhilan looked at him in astonishment: "Don't you know any manners?"
Luo Can didn't want to deal with the ill-intentioned woman: "How do you know I know manners if you don't talk to me?"
Su Zhilan: ...
Where did this brat come from, so impudent?
Having finished entertaining the guests, Luo Zhengzheng didn't see her younger brother and son. She asked her parents and learned they were outside. Just as she came out, she heard younger brother's words and looked over to find Su Zhilan.
She frowned and turned to younger brother, "What happened?"
Luo Can considered how it was auntie's birthday today and this woman must have come to celebrate, he didn’t want to cause trouble and replied, "Nothing."
Luo Zhengzheng hummed in agreement, took little Jiajia, and looked at Su Zhilan. As a guest, even if she didn't like Su Zhilan, she still said, "Miss Su."
Seeing their interaction, Su Zhilan knew this young man was a member of the Luo Family. Knowing she was in the wrong, she didn't say much. Just as she turned around, Gu Shi came out of the house.
Gu Shi saw Su Zhilan, nodded to her, and said to Luo Zhengzheng, "Let's go in."
Luo Zhengzheng glanced subtly at Su Zhilan and Gu Shi. Seeing Gu Shi's expression was normal, she followed him into the house without making a sound.
Su Zhilan watched their retreating figures and followed them into the house. She saw Gu Shi and Luo Zhengzheng sitting down next to a middle-aged couple, with Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu also accompanying them. They were chatting and laughing, clearly enjoying themselves. She knew those must be Luo Zhengzheng's parents. She hadn't expected Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu to value Luo Zhengzheng's parents so much, leaving their guests to accompany them, even if only for a short while. This showed Luo Zhengzheng's status in the Gu family.
Not only was Su Zhilan surprised, the other guests were also astonished. Judging from Gu Boyuan and Ye Li's attitude towards Luo Zhengzheng's parents and brother, the online rumors that Ye Li liked Luo Zhengzheng as her daughter-in-law seemed to be true.
"Little Juan, little Shu, come with me to pick up a package, okay?" Yun Chuman looked out the window. The weather was sunny with a slight breeze, perfect for a walk and to digest.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu couldn't sit still any longer. Hearing the invitation, they immediately jumped off the sofa, ran happily towards her with their short legs, and said in a drawn-out voice, "Okay~"
The residents of the old-style community were mostly elderly people and children.
After the one adult and two children changed their clothes and came downstairs, they happened to run into a few groups of people enjoying the cool evening air.
The "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs" livestream from a couple of days ago had caused quite a stir, and the residents of the neighborhood knew about it, but since they didn't recognize Yun Chuman and her family, they assumed they were just minor internet celebrities.
However, after the official premiere of the "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs" pilot episode, they realized that Yun Chuman and Yun Juan were legitimate minor celebrities.
Furthermore, Yun Juan and Yun Shu's well-behaved behavior on the show and Yun Chuman being a single mommy, the residents' curiosity about the family were fueled. It also made them feel the family didn’t have it easy.
Therefore, Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu attracted everyone's attention as soon as they appeared.
They seemed unconcerned about the stares, strolling leisurely to the drop-off point to pick up their package, and then slowly walking back.
Throughout it, Yun Juan walked with a steady, rhythmic gait and had his hands behind his back.
Normally, shy and timid Yun Shu would be quiet, but now that healthy-bodied Yun Chuman was by her side, she was often pulled into skipping and jumping.
Seeing them running too fast, Yun Juan would quicken his pace frowning as she chased after them, saying, "Little Shu, Mom, stop running! There are many bikes here!"
Hearing this, Yun Chuman finally slowed down. She awkwardly scratched her cheek and felt ashamed that she'd been reminded by a kid to walk properly five times already!
But she just couldn't resist—jumping around with her healthy body was too easy!
Yun Shu also stopped skipping and jumping. Her chubby little face was flushed with heat, and she was a little out of breath. Her bun was slightly askew, and her light blue linen dress was slightly damp with sweat.
She smiled and tilted her head back, asking, "Mommy, what did you buy?"
Wearing matching linen pants, Yun Juan took out a tissue from his pocket and expertly wiped Yun Shu's sweat. Hearing her question, he instinctively looked at Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman quickly winked at him, looked down at Yun Shu, and said, "It's a secret, but little Shu will find out soon."
"Huh? Okay..." The little girl pouted, dissatisfied but not demanding an answer.
Seeing how well-behaved she was, Yun Chuman couldn't help but pinch her little cheek.
At this time, a woman with permed hair walked over, smiling and greeting them, "Young Yun, taking the two children out to play?"
Yun Chuman was taken aback by the address, only realizing it was her when the woman with the curly hair approached.
The woman was around fifty years old, slightly plump, and had a kind smile.
Yun Chuman didn't know the woman's identity, but seeing no ill intent, she smiled and replied, "No, I’m just going to pick up a package and take a walk to digest lunch."
The curly-haired woman's enthusiasm increased dramatically upon receiving a response: "Our neighborhood has great greenery and fresh air. It's good to bring the kids down for a walk. You've lived here for so long, and I've barely seen you."
She gushed out and then slapped her forehead: "Oh right, look at my memory! You don't recognize me, do you? My surname is Sun, and I work at our neighborhood committee. You can just call me Auntie Sun."
Yun Chuman wasn't averse to such enthusiasm and smiled, calling her "Auntie Sun."
Auntie Sun immediately beamed, thinking to herself that this girl wasn't as unapproachable as others had said.
She took two lollipops out of her pocket, bent down to examine Yun Juan and Yun Shu closely, and had a slight smile playing at the corners of her eyes. She praised them repeatedly, "These two children are even cuter in person, more beautiful than the dolls in those New Year's paintings! Come, little Juan and little Shu, have some lolly."
Yun Shu blushed slightly, lowering her head and quickly touching the red mark on her nose.
Yun Juan looked up at Yun Chuman, his eyes asking if he could take one.
Seeing her nod, he smiled and took the lollies, giving one to Yun Shu.
The two children held hands and said in unison, "Thank you, Granny Sun."
Granny Sun smiled even more broadly, acknowledging the response a few times.
Then she looked at Yun Chuman, her eyes filled with pity, and said, "I watched the program. It's not easy for you to raise two children alone. If you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to come to me."
"Thank you, Auntie Sun."
Yun Chuman sincerely thanked her. In her previous life, she had spent her time alone in the hospital and out of boredom, she often visited different wards and gradually became a social butterfly.
It was clear that Auntie Sun was a kind-hearted person. She guessed that the original owner of this body rarely went out, which was why they hadn't gotten to know each other.
She knew the importance of good neighbors and decided to take Yun Juan and Yun Shu down for walks more often to build closer relationships with the residents of the neighborhood.
Not only that, she also needed her neighbors' help.
“Auntie Sun, I really have something I want to ask you,” Yun Chuman said hesitantly. “Can I ask the security guards in our complex to stop certain people from coming in?”
Auntie Sun was taken aback, but quickly understood. “What’s wrong? Is someone harassing you?”
Her expression turned serious. “Don’t worry, tell me. I know the security guards in our complex. I’ll have him keep an eye out for you.”
Yun Chuman thanked her again, but didn’t say anything more.
Her expression was troubled and she sighed three times.
She wasn’t comfortable just accepting Li Yanzhen’s key. Ideally, she’d prevent her from even entering the complex.
Furthermore, she wanted to intentionally reveal Li Yanzhen’s relationship with the original owner to Auntie Sun, at least to gain an advantage in public opinion. Even if Li Yanzhen came to cause trouble and smear her and her two children later, the residents wouldn’t believe her.
Auntie Sun’s years of gossip-loving radar kicked in. Seeing Yun Chuman’s expression, she knew this matter was not simple and there was more to it than met the eye!
She said earnestly, "Young Yun, this matter can be big or small. You're a woman with two children. What if the person harassing you has ill intentions? Come, come over to this side with Auntie Sun and talk it over. I can introduce you to a few people who can help you."
Yun Chuman looked in the direction she pointed and saw three women sitting on a small stone bench, about the same age as Auntie Sun, chatting and eating melon seeds.
She hesitated, frowning slightly. Her gaze returned to the two children, and she hesitated, saying, "Auntie Sun, I..."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu instantly sensed something was wrong. Their mommy's behavior was off! But something seemed strangely familiar.
Seeing this, Auntie Sun quickly said, "Let the children play by themselves. You young parents are overprotective of your children. Didn't your mom tell you that children need playmates?"
"My mom... she would never tell me these things."
Yun Chuman's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled slightly.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing their mommy was putting on an act again! Normally, their mommy wouldn't be this upset when talking about their Grandma!
They thought for a moment and decided to play along with Yun Chuman, so they followed Auntie Sun's lead and said, "Mommy, can we go find some friends to play with?"
Seeing that they were willing to leave her, Yun Chuman knew they had seen through her act. What clever little ones!
She patted their heads and said, "Okay, be careful, don't leave my sight, okay?"
"Okay!" the two children replied, turning and running off.
After running some distance, they slowed down.
Yun Shu's eyes sparkled as she whispered to elder brother, "Elder Brother, is Mommy going to act again?"
"Yes," Yun Juan nodded, pursing his lips, "but I think Mom's acting isn't very good this time. We all noticed."
"Not good? I thought it was pretty good."
Yun Shu shook her head, kicking a pebble on the road with her short legs. "Are we really going to go find some friends to play with? I don't want to go."
"Then let's not go. Let's go to the little pavilion next to the playground."
Yun Juan took her hand and slowly led her forward. "It's cool there, and we can see Mommy."
Yun Shu immediately smiled and waved the lollipop in her hand: "We can eat lolly too!"
Meanwhile, Yun Chuman followed Auntie Sun to the stone bench. The three women who had been sitting there were all very welcoming.
"What's wrong, Young Yun?" Auntie Sun asked worriedly. "Is there an ‘obsessive fan' harassing you? My daughter told me yesterday that you and the two children are very popular now, and you'll definitely become even more famous. And now you're being targeted?"
Yun Chuman shook her head with a wry smile: "I'm not even a third-tier actress, and little Juan and little Shu are just child stars. How can we have obsessive fans?"
She pursed her lips, and after a long pause, said hesitantly, "Actually, it's my mom..."
Auntie Sun and the others exchanged glances, their faces saying, "There's definitely some juicy gossip here!"
They waited eagerly for what would happen next, but Yun Chuman only said that one sentence, stopped, and only gazed worriedly at the two children in the distance. This left them incredibly anxious.
They wanted to help Yun Chuman, but they also didn't want to miss out on the gossip.
So, Auntie Sun spoke first, skillfully asking, "Young Yun, are you wary of your mom? Is there some misunderstanding?"
Yun Chuman was waiting for this bait and willingly took it. Her eyes reddened and she shook her head, saying, "I'm not afraid to tell you, Auntie Sun, but my mom came the night the recording ended. She wanted to take all the money we earned from the variety show, but it is all savings for little Juan and little Shu's education. Of course, I refused. She called me heartless and even pushed little Juan down..."
She choked back tears, "I've been beaten and scolded by my parents since I was little. I never thought they'd treat little Juan and little Shu like that. They say grandparents love their grandchildren more, so why..."
At this painful point, she covered her face and cried.
Auntie Sun and the others stopped eating their melon seeds. This was too heartbreaking. They quickly comforted Yun Chuman.
Yun Chuman knew when to stop. She took a few deep breaths and controlled her emotions.
Facing their concerned gazes, she sincerely thanked them, "Thank you all, I feel much better after talking about it."
She had originally intended to further connect with Auntie Sun and the others, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yun Juan and Yun Shu being led away from the pavilion to the playground by a group of children.
Yun Chuman recalled what Yun Juan had said on the Ferris wheel—that a boy named Da Pang had once mocked Yun Shu and she immediately felt uneasy. She quickly said goodbye to Auntie Sun and the others, "It's almost nap time for little Juan and little Shu, I'll go pick them up. Thank you so much this time, let's chat again next time."
With that, she hurried towards the playground.
Auntie Sun and the others shook their heads as they watched her go, picked up their melon seeds, and continued chatting.
"Sigh, Young Yun has it tough, raising two kids all by herself, and her parents are awful."
"I was wondering why a celebrity like her, earning so much money and still lives in our neighborhood. Turns out her family takes it all."
"Pah, what trash! Hitting the kids! I can’t wait to treat my granddaughter like a little ancestor."
"Old Sun, quickly talk to your nephew, tell him not to let Young Yun's parents in anymore."
Grandma Sun threw down her sunflower seeds, got up, and headed for the security room: "I'm going right now!"
The playground wasn't far and Yun Chuman soon arrived quickly.
But before she even got close, she saw a group of children standing in front of Yun Juan and Yun Shu. Every one of them were grinning. She paused, stopping at a blind spot around the corner to see what was going on.
Standing at the front of the group of children was a little boy, his large frame quite conspicuous and his voice booming. He said to Yun Shu, "Yun Shu, are you really the little cloud that Grandpa Sun likes? Can you ask Grandpa Sun to give me the same red mark?"
Yun Juan didn't react at all, concentrating on rolling pebbles on the ground with his foot, clearly uninterested in the people and things around him, and lost in thought.
Yun Shu was also different from usual, completely lacking her usual angelic demeanor, and listlessly replied, "Oh... I'll discuss it with him later."
Yun Chuman almost laughed when she heard her words. Judging from the two children's attitude, she could more or less guess the identity of the large little boy. It was probably the chubby boy who had mocked them before.
Da Pan was very excited when he heard this: "Then, can the sun print it on my forehead?"
The other children chimed in, "I want it printed on my neck!" "I want it printed on my belly!"
Yun Shu wrinkled her little nose, put her hands behind her back, and silently took a step back.
Before, Da Pang and his friends always mocked her red marks, but now they were suddenly so enthusiastic. She didn't know what to do… and she wondered when mommy would come to pick them up.
Thinking this, she looked around and spotted a little boy sitting on a swing in the distance.
He was all alone, slowly swinging in the sun, and had his white shirt buttoned neatly to the top. Compared to his age, he was thin and small. Even from a distance, his shoulders looked thin and his hands gripping the swing weren't chubby at all.
He was a child she'd never seen before.
Yun Shu blinked. Why was he playing alone? Was he being bullied by Da Pang and his friends like she used to be?
She lifted her foot and unconsciously walked towards the little boy in the white shirt.
"Yun Shu, don't go near him! He can't talk and he hits people! He's mentally ill!" Da Pang yelled out.
The little boy in the white shirt looked at him sharply. His eyes cold, completely out of character for his age.
Da Pang shuddered, a chill creeping down his back despite the sweltering heat, and he involuntarily hunched his shoulders.
However, Yun Shu didn't see this. She happened to turn around and look at Da Pang.
Her brows furrowed, her eyes widened slightly, and she clenched her little fists angrily, saying, "Why do you always bully people!"
Da Pang froze, 'I...I didn't...'
Still saying you didn't!
Yun Shu harrumphed, deciding not to pay him any more attention.
She turned to look at the little boy in the white shirt, whose sharp features instantly softened and his expression innocent and harmless.
Yun Shu blinked, walked up to him, tilted her head, and smiled, "My name is Yun Shu, what's yours?"
"Yang Qingshu." The little boy in the white shirt subtly sized up the little girl before him.
"Wow! You have the same name as me! Both are 'Shu'! Mommy said this character means happiness!" Yun Shu's smile grew even sweeter.
Yang Qingshu thought to himself that his Shu was from aloof, but he didn't deny it aloud, because explaining to a little idiot would be too troublesome: "Mm."
"Can I play with you?" Yun Shu bent down slightly to meet his gaze, asking cautiously.
Yang Qingshu saw her expectant eyes up close, and... the cloud red mark on her cheeks. For the first time, he truly understood the meaning of the word "beautiful."
He shifted under Yun Shu's gaze, slightly turning his head away, and hummed in response again.
Pleased with his response, Yun Shu happily moved behind him.
Yang Qingshu stared at her movements in surprise, until he felt a small force behind him, and then he realized what Yun Shu meant by "play together."
He had thought it meant sitting side by side, but it turned out to be pushing him on the swing. Yang Qingshu felt the gentle breeze from the swing and comfortably squinted his eyes.
Yun Juan had already come to his senses when Yun Shu walked towards Yang Qingshu, and had clearly seen the other party's composed expression.
He couldn't help but frown. Something was amiss with this child.
Da Pang next to him was sobbing uncontrollably because of Yun Shu's words. The other children found it boring and gradually dispersed. Seeing no one to comfort him, Da Pang cried even harder.
"Da Pang," Yun Juan said, his gaze fixed on Yun Shu and Yang Qingshu.
Da Pang kept glancing at him between sobs.
"Stop crying," Yun Juan said, frowning.
The chubby boy had run out of tears long ago and was just waiting for an excuse. Hearing this, he deftly wiped away his almost dried tears and said, "Yun Juan... Yun Shu is angry, will she let still let Grandpa Sun leave a red mark on me?"
Yun Juan: ...
He knew Da Pang's crying wasn't out of guilt or remorse for his past behavior.
He pointed at Yang Qingshu and asked, "Who is that person? If your answer satisfies me, I'll consider comforting little Shu and tell her not to be angry with you."
Hearing there was still a chance, Da pang immediately moved closer to Yun Juan and said, "That guy surnamed Yang was here before you moved in, but his house has been empty for the past few years. He only came back to live here yesterday. Oh, his house is right next to yours."