Chapter 95: A Cold Heart and a Heavy Blow Part 2

“Gu Qingshuang, do you really think no one in this family can touch you?” the woman hissed. “Assaulting your uncle on the day Grandmother dies, and now you want to hit your aunt too?”

“It was clearly you who moved first, Aunt,” Gu Qingshuang replied coolly. “If Uncle had behaved himself, no one would have wanted to hit him.”

“Big Sister,” the aunt turned to Gu Xueqiang, “is this the ‘good’ daughter you raised?”

Gu Qingshuang squeezed the woman’s wrist with significant force. Hearing her question her mother, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m thirty years old. Why do I need my mother to answer for my trouble-making? If you have a problem, can’t you say it to me directly?”

“There’s no reasoning with you!” the aunt spat.

Gu Qingshuang flung her arm back. “Then don’t speak.”

Her sharp, indifferent eyes locked onto the woman, her voice growing even more ominous. “Our family matters are not for you or Uncle to dictate—especially not my parents’ business. If you agree with what Uncle said, then perhaps you should let him commit some of those ‘small mistakes’ for you to see firsthand.”

The aunt’s face turned pale instantly. Still, she insisted, “Your uncle isn’t that kind of man.”

“Not that kind of man?” Gu Qingshuang sneered. “Or are you just practicing self-deception? You know exactly what kind of man he is.”

…

Once Gu Zhengbo’s family left, the atmosphere became much quieter.

Even Gu Ying didn’t know about Gu Zhengbo’s affairs. Hearing Gu Qingshuang’s threat to her sister-in-law, she initially thought it was a bluff.

But later, when she asked Gu Qingshuang about it, the younger woman simply said, “It happened a long time ago.”

She didn’t elaborate.

Seeing Gu Xueqiang’s busy state, Gu Qingshuang didn’t force any emotional comfort. She made her mother sit in a chair to rest for a while and naturally took over the tasks she had been handling.

Except for the major strategic decisions of the company, Gu Qingshuang handled everything else with methodical efficiency.

Watching Gu Qingshuang work, Gu Ying comforted Gu Xueqiang softly. “Shuangshuang has grown up. You can start letting her take over more things.”

“She doesn’t want to,” Gu Xueqiang said, her voice heavy and unreadable.

“How do you know if you don’t ask?” Gu Ying said. “She’s so smart; she can do anything. Besides, in her whole life, has she ever disobeyed you in anything other than her desire to study medicine?”

Gu Xueqiang smiled faintly, but her eyes dropped, filled with a sense of loss.

Gu Ying thought she was worried about the will and inheritance. She lowered her voice. “You don’t need to worry about the shares. I have ten percent. Mother knew we were close; my portion is yours. She was definitely looking out for you.”

“That’s not it.” When Gu Xueqiang looked up again, tears were finally falling. “I was thinking… was I really wrong back then?”

Regarding Gu Liufu—had she been too stubborn, too eager to win?

Perhaps a direct divorce would have been better for everyone, but at the time, she couldn’t swallow her pride.

Gu Qingshuang hadn’t wanted her to fight, and her mother hadn’t wanted her to be so obsessed. Over the years, they had both urged her to let go, but she had refused, walking her dark path to the very end.

Gu Ying patted her shoulder. “Sister, it’s all in the past. There’s no use dwelling on it.”

Gu Xueqiang looked at Gu Qingshuang’s composed figure and felt a flicker of relief.

–

While the Gu family was in a state of chaos, Ming Li’s world felt bright and calm.

After a heavy snow, the temperature had dropped slightly.

On Ms. Ming’s day off, Ming Li took her to the mall to buy some winter clothes.

Ms. Ming took a liking to a down jacket worth five thousand yuan. In the past, she wouldn’t have thought twice about swiping her card; even then, she might have only worn it a few times because it was “cheap” by her old standards.

But for the current Ms. Ming, that jacket represented half a month’s salary. Even if she wanted it, it required a lot of resolve to buy it, and she ultimately couldn’t bring herself to spend the money.

Ming Li wanted to buy it for her, but she insisted on paying for it herself. When she finally bought it, she was happier than she had ever been in the past, hanging it up as soon as they got home.

Ming Li then put on an apron to cook. The mother and daughter had picked up a pile of fresh ingredients from the supermarket.

Coming in from the balcony, Ms. Ming saw Ming Li busy in the kitchen. She immediately recorded a video and sent it to Little Xi on WeChat to lure her home.

Little Xi was easily tempted. She replied with a flurry of drooling emojis: [I’m coming back right after class! Slurp~]

Ms. Ming went into the kitchen to help Ming Li.

While they were busy, the doorbell rang. Ms. Ming went to open it. She froze for a moment when she saw the visitor, then offered a warm smile. “Miss Luo.”

Luo Chaoxue looked at her with a polite smile. “Hello, Auntie. Is Ming Li here?”

She looked a bit bashful, but her eyes were sparkling, like someone waiting expectantly for praise.

Ms. Ming called toward the kitchen, “A-Li, someone’s here for you.”

These days, it was rare for someone to just show up at the door without a WeChat message or a call first. Ms. Ming’s call left Ming Li a bit confused.

When she reached the door and saw Luo Chaoxue, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“We agreed,” Luo Chaoxue said. “I’m treating you to dinner. I’ve finished cooking.”

Ming Li was stunned. “Huh? I’m already cooking.”

Luo Chaoxue’s expression immediately fell. “Is it already done?”

“In progress,” Ming Li said. “My sister is coming home to eat tonight too.”

Luo Chaoxue looked down, sounding dejected. “Oh, okay then.”

Her tone was filled with reluctance.

Seeing this, Ms. Ming suggested, “If you don’t mind, Miss Luo, you can eat with us. Bringing your own dish isn’t really ‘mooching.’ Neighbors should help each other out.”

When the auntie across the hall was still there, Ms. Ming would occasionally do this. Since Luo Chaoxue moved in, it hadn’t happened yet.

Ming Li was surprised. Fearing Luo Chaoxue might feel offended, she said, “If you’re not comfortable, we can do it another time.”

“No, it’s fine!” Luo Chaoxue laughed instantly. “I’d love to. Let Auntie judge my cooking as well. Just… I hope you don’t think it’s too bad, Auntie.”

Ms. Ming waved her hand. “How could I? No one is worse at cooking than me.”

While Luo Chaoxue went home to grab her food, Ming Li asked her mother how she seemed so familiar with the neighbor.

Ms. Ming replied, “She often buys things at our supermarket. She’s a major customer.”

She paused for a moment before adding, “I think she’s interested in you. Consider this a little help for her.”

Ming Li: “…?”