Gu Xueqiang raised an eyebrow in surprise, feeling a sense of pride as if her daughter had finally grown up, though she didn’t say it. Instead, she said coldly, “Assistant Lin is Ming Li’s assistant now. You want Ming Li to handle your ex-girlfriend’s problems?”
Gu Qingshuang: “…”
“Even if she is Ming Li’s assistant, she still answers to you,” Gu Qingshuang said. “If anything happens, she will report directly to you.”
Gu Xueqiang huffed. “Then you might as well just give her my number and let her come to me directly.”
“If you’re willing.”
“She certainly won’t be.”
Gu Qingshuang had considered that, but she hadn’t been thinking about whether Shen Lideng was willing; her main concern was Gu Xueqiang.
Gu Xueqiang had always been prejudiced against Shen Lideng, believing she used her past favor to demand rewards, thinking she was petty and lacked class, and even thinking her dancing was vulgar.
Yet, when she brought Ming Li home, Gu Xueqiang never said Ming Li’s dancing was vulgar.
Gu Qingshuang had argued with her mother many times over this. The two of them never saw eye-to-eye when it came to judging people. Gu Xueqiang thought Gu Qingshuang was naive and childish, while Gu Qingshuang thought Gu Xueqiang was materialistic and selfish, viewing people through tinted glasses.
So now, Gu Qingshuang had learned to be smart. She didn’t confront her directly but bypassed the issue. “I won’t go visit her. But I hope you keep your word and don’t let her suffer too much.”
Gu Xueqiang sneered. “If someone else heard that, they’d think you were some great romantic hero. You’re already broken up, yet you still say such misleading things.”
Gu Qingshuang’s brow furrowed. She wanted to retort but felt too tired. She chose silence.
“That…” Gu Xueqiang saw her daughter’s poor complexion and paused. “Has your friend not returned to the country yet?”
Gu Qingshuang froze for a few seconds. Suddenly realizing who Gu Xueqiang was talking about, her eyes widened. “You mean Siwang?”
“I don’t like that name,” Gu Xueqiang frowned. ” Siwang —thinking of the past. It’s as if she wants everyone to know the Liu family’s wild ambitions.”
“Her name wasn’t originally Siwang, it was Xiwang,” Gu Qingshuang explained. “It’s not what you think.”
Seeing Gu Qingshuang mention Liu Siwang with a smile and brightening eyes, Gu Xueqiang felt as if she were seeing the high-school version of her daughter. In the past decade, they had fought so many times that Gu Xueqiang had almost forgotten when she last saw Gu Qingshuang make such an expression.
Bitterness rose in her heart, but she suppressed it. She couldn’t afford any more losses, especially not Gu Qingshuang. So, she chose to take a step back.
These were problems between adults; why involve the children? As long as she stayed clear-headed, that girl could be the blade in her hand—a blade to strike at that cold-hearted man and the insatiable Liu family.
Gu Xueqiang realized that sometimes, when one’s perspective shifts, things become much simpler. She had learned this from Ming Li. Ming Li seemed to be able to find a way to be happy even in the midst of suffering.
Gu Xueqiang looked at Gu Qingshuang. “And what does Xiwang mean?”
“From The Book of Songs,” Gu Qingshuang said. Mentioning this reminded her of when the three of them had first introduced themselves.
When Chun Liuyi heard the name Liu Siwang, she had slapped the table. ” ‘Long ago when I started (si), the willows were fresh and green (yiyi)’—our names are a match made in heaven!”
Gu Qingshuang had frowned at Chun Liuyi and muttered one word: “Stupid.”
Chun Liuyi had tsked. “You’re the stupid one. Your whole family is stupid.”
Gu Qingshuang corrected her: “The line is ‘Long ago when I started (xi), the willows were fresh and green (yiyi).'”
“What’s the difference?” Chun Liuyi had said shamelessly. “They’re basically the same.”
“The difference is that you wouldn’t get any points if you wrote it that way on the college entrance exam.”
Liu Siwang had sat to the side, adjusting her glasses with a shy smile. “My name used to be Liu Xiwang. But after my mother passed away, it was changed to Siwang. I think she wanted me to remember her.”
Even Chun Liuyi had looked awkward then. “Oh…”
Gu Qingshuang hadn’t known how to react either. She had stiffly introduced herself: “I’m Gu Qingshuang.”
“Nobody asked who you are,” Chun Liuyi had said. “You’re so narcissistic.”
“I can’t compete with you, ‘Willow Branch,'” Gu Qingshuang snapped back.
Chun Liuyi rolled up her sleeves. “What did you say, Little Frosty?”
Liu Siwang just sat there, smiling as she watched them bicker.
That was the first day they met. Perhaps some people are destined to be friends by fate.
And during the year of their college entrance exams, the poetry section of the Chinese paper happened to test that exact line: Long ago when I started, the willows were fresh and green; now that I’ve come back, the rain and snow fly.
Thinking of this memory, Gu Qingshuang’s expression softened. She stole a cautious glance at Gu Xueqiang. Seeing her mother’s neutral expression, she whispered, “It’s from the poem Cai Wei. The author was reminiscing about the days they first set out for war.”
Hearing this, Gu Xueqiang gave a faint “Oh” and added, “You don’t need to tell me so much. As long as you’re happy.”
“Then… I can meet her?” Gu Qingshuang peeked at her mother’s face.
Gu Xueqiang smiled. “Would it matter if I said no? You’ve already decided.”
Gu Qingshuang lowered her head, silent. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and said, “Thank you.”
The sincerity in her tone nearly brought Gu Xueqiang to tears. Gu Xueqiang had wanted her to grow up to be a sincere, kind, and gentle person, and she had indeed become that.
But Gu Xueqiang also felt she was too naive. Frighteningly naive—naive enough for anyone to deceive her.
No matter. She would clear the obstacles for her. Gu Qingshuang was a frost flower in the early morning; she had her own shape and her own temperature, existing between water and ice, between rain and snow—the most unique existence in the world.
A moment later, the phone on the table vibrated. Gu Qingshuang opened it to see a message from The Geek.
[I’ve landed at Jing’an International Airport. See you tonight?]*
Gu Qingshuang looked at Gu Xueqiang in surprise, then showed her the screen. “Can I go see her?”
Seeing her daughter’s cautious eyes, Gu Xueqiang said gently, “Go.” After a pause, she added, “Take Ming Li with you.”
Gu Qingshuang nodded without hesitation. “I already told her I wanted her to meet Siwang.”
But then, a thought occurred to her, and the smile vanished from her face.
“Actually, I know that we can never go back to the way we were,” Gu Qingshuang said. “I’ve met with Liuyi… we aren’t who we used to be.”
She just wanted to see her one more time, to know that she was doing well. After all, back then, it had been her fault.
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