Ming Li thought that perhaps once this relationship ended and she had moved on from Gu Qingshuang, she might find a suitable girl and start a new romance. She was a bit afraid of marriage, but she still looked forward to being in love.
On quiet days, they could play on their phones together. When it was time to eat, they’d go out together. They would decorate their home, do things they both enjoyed, travel, and take strolls in the streets. They would do mundane things that might seem boring to others, but because they were together, those small moments would shine.
Just thinking about it made her feel that life was worth living.
Ming Li’s car merged into the evening traffic. A song played randomly on the radio:
“We will always circle around and around,
Circling for thousands of miles, looking toward the road home.”
Ming Li thought it was a beautiful song and added it to her playlist. She thought to herself that her “road home” probably wouldn’t lead to Gu Qingshuang. It was a gentle song, yet her eyes welled with tears as she listened.
***
When Ming Li returned to Gu Manor, the house was quiet.
The servant informed her that Gu Qingshuang and Mingyue hadn’t returned yet. However, Grandmother Gu had sent word that she wanted to see Ming Li as soon as she got back.
Ming Li knew she couldn’t avoid it. She didn’t want to go empty-handed, so she grabbed two of the yogurts she’d bought and headed over.
She found Gu Fei practicing calligraphy by the Grandmother’s side. Her “Slender Gold” script was sharp and elegant. Ming Li handed a yogurt to the Grandmother and one to Gu Fei.
Gu Fei smiled. “A-Li is the only one who remembers what I like.”
Ming Li was slightly surprised; she hadn’t known Gu Fei liked yogurt, but she had apparently stumbled onto the right gift. She didn’t explain herself, only smiling. “I’m glad you like it.”
Gu Fei reached out and took the one from the Grandmother’s hand, explaining to Ming Li, “Mom’s stomach hasn’t been great lately; she can’t have this. I’ll take it off her hands.”
“Lucky you,” the Grandmother teased gently.
“Of course. Thank you, dear Mother.”
They truly looked like a harmonious family.
Ming Li suddenly recalled some rumors she’d heard—that Gu Fei wasn’t the Grandmother’s biological daughter, but the biological daughter of the late Grandfather Gu. After the Grandfather passed away, the Grandmother had taken her in and raised her. Supposedly, it had been the Grandfather’s dying wish, and the Grandmother had been forced to accept it.
The rumors were quite detailed, but Ming Li had never sought confirmation from Gu Fei. She always maintained a respectful distance.
As she was thinking, the Grandmother asked, “I heard you brought a child back?”
“Yes,” Ming Li explained. “She’s my friend’s sister. Her sister is away filming and there were no adults at home. The nanny they hired… was abusive. The girl ran away, and after I found her, I decided to keep her with me for a few days until my friend returns.”
Ming Li was afraid the Grandmother would be like Gu Xueqiang—hearing only the surface and jumping to conclusions. She made sure to explain everything clearly.
The Grandmother remained gentle. “You are a person of sentiment. It’s just your mother…”
“Mom thought she was my illegitimate daughter,” Ming Li said helplessly. “She was furious.”
Since Gu Xueqiang was the Grandmother’s most beloved daughter, Ming Li didn’t dare speak ill of her. She kept her description vague.
Grandmother Gu already knew what had happened that morning. She took Ming Li’s hand and patted it. “You’ve been wronged.”
“It’s fine,” Ming Li said. “As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up. Mother isn’t an unreasonable person.”
“In other matters, she might be reasonable, but in this…” The Grandmother paused, her voice turning solemn. “She isn’t reasonable at all.”
Ming Li was startled. “This…”
“Shuangshuang has a sister. Did you know that?” the Grandmother asked.
Ming Li: “…”
How on earth would she know that?!
Ming Li realized this was a massive secret. She wanted to hear it, yet she was terrified that knowing too much might be dangerous. It was a state of intense curiosity warring with self-preservation.
She could see there was friction between the members of the Gu family—Xueqiang, Liufu, and Qingshuang. Otherwise, a wealthy family of three where one person was seriously ill wouldn’t be this strained. Every time Gu Liufu appeared at the manor, Gu Xueqiang would be in a foul mood for days.
But she had never known the specifics.
Ming Li shook her head. “I didn’t know.”
“Xue’er is too proud. For the first half of her life, she loved, she hated, she resented. For the remaining half, she has done nothing but fight.” The Grandmother fingered a string of prayer beads, her voice low. “You are part of the Gu family now. You ought to know these things.”
“Ming Li, you are a good child—filial, polite, and gentle. Since you married Shuangshuang, I have seen the changes in them. You deserve the credit,” the Grandmother said.
Ming Li was stunned. Me?
She felt like she was struggling every day, with Gu Xueqiang and Gu Qingshuang both seemingly dissatisfied with her. Could it be that her presence was simply a target? Like how Qingshuang and Xueqiang used to be at each other’s throats, but now they were united against her?
As her mind raced, the Grandmother continued. “Liufu’s original surname was Liu. I brought him back from an orphanage. But after he became an adult, his biological family found him. The Liu family was poor in the early years, but once they saw Liufu had found success, they insisted on reclaiming him.”
“I wouldn’t let them. I didn’t expect them to trick Liufu into going back and… force him into a situation with a girl. Later… that girl gave birth to his child. That child is Shuangshuang’s sister.”
Ming Li felt the situation was far from simple. She asked cautiously, “Who was the girl?”
“Liufu’s cousin. She was beautiful, but her mind wasn’t quite right… She was intellectually disabled and understood nothing.” The Grandmother sighed. “She passed away shortly after giving birth.”
Ming Li had tried to remain calm while hearing the tea, but this revelation was so shocking she lost control of her expression.
Amidst her shock, she didn’t forget to ask, “Does Shuangshuang… know?”
The Grandmother seemed to recall the past with pain, her voice growing heavier. “She knows some of it. Over the years, Xue’er has fought with Liufu incessantly over this. With all that arguing, Shuangshuang likely figured most of it out.”
Ming Li couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Gu Qingshuang. She let out a soft sigh.
“Grandmother, what do you want me to do?” Ming Li asked sensibly.
The Grandmother patted her hand tenderly. “You don’t need to do anything. Just spend more time with Shuangshuang. Even… even just as a friend.”
She paused, then added in a murmur, “Shuangshuang hasn’t made a single friend since that happened.”
