Chapter 54: Even She Once Had Expectations of Her Birth Parents

After driving for a while, Gu Ci asked the car to stop. With a polite and measured smile, she thanked the couple, “Thank you, uncle and aunt. You can drop me off here.” She was truly grateful that they were willing to side with her and offer their help, but she also understood that they were only putting on an act for Gu Changfeng and the others. Now that she was already outside the Gu family’s sphere, it was time for her to leave on her own.

Su Wan’s heart ached for Gu Ci at that moment.

Calling them uncle and aunt made it clear she had no intention of acknowledging Gu Changfeng and Chu Shixian as her parents and wanted to draw a clear line between them. Just how much must Gu Changfeng’s family have hurt her for her to make such a decision?

In truth, Su Wan was blaming Gu Changfeng and Chu Shixian a bit unfairly. Gu Ci had already decided on her approach based on how they had treated her in the past. It was never her style to run headlong into disaster and wait until she was battered and bruised before coming to her senses. She was used to nipping unnecessary risks in the bud, even if she had once harbored hope for her biological parents.

Of course, Su Wan knew none of this. She simply held Gu Ci’s hand tightly. “Ah Ci, you’re alone in an unfamiliar city—where could you possibly go? Listen to your aunt, come stay at our home.”

Hearing Su Wan refer to herself as “aunt,” Gu Ci didn’t insist on drawing boundaries any longer. “It’s all right, Aunt. I’ve already rented a place.”

She’d already found a place to live? Did that mean she’d been staying out on her own for quite some time? She’d only just arrived in Songdu—how could Gu Changfeng and his wife be so at ease letting her live alone?

Su Wan was furious. “Those two—”

But in front of Gu Ci, she held her tongue and didn’t let the curse slip out. Instead, she patted the back of Gu Ci’s hand, her tone gentle yet firm. “Good child, come home with us. Since your name is now on our household register, you’re our child. I won’t let you live outside by yourself.”

Gu Changrong didn’t heed Gu Ci’s request to stop the car. He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Don’t worry, Ah Ci. Stay at your second uncle’s house. Tell me what you like to eat and I’ll cook for you later.”

He and Su Wan were of one mind. He had always thought of Gu Ci as a very capable young lady. But now that she had become his niece, how could things remain the same?

Even though he knew Gu Ci had some skill in acupuncture, he couldn’t help but see her as a lonely, vulnerable girl, all alone in a strange city with no one to rely on.

Su Wan chimed in, “That’s right, Ah Ci. I’m not exaggerating—your second uncle is a wonderful cook.”

To many, Gu Ci appeared cold and indifferent. But to elders who truly looked into her eyes, she seemed gentle and obedient, in a calm and understated way.

Like Gu Changrong and Su Wan.

They thought she was so well-behaved it made their hearts ache; they just wanted to take her home and keep her under their watchful eyes so she wouldn’t be bullied.

Gu Ci could only smile wryly, warmth spreading in her heart. In the end, she was swept along and taken to Gu Changrong’s home in Songdu.

Gu Changrong filled the table with dishes, while Su Wan was already chatting with Gu Ci about her current school.

Upon learning that Gu Ci was enrolled at No. 1 High School, Su Wan immediately began to worry that Gu Ci might feel pressured. After all, she had just transferred and might not be able to keep up with the pace. As she continued conversing with Gu Ci, she was already planning to speak with the teachers at No. 1 High School to ask them to look after her.

Gu Changrong emerged from the kitchen with a dish in hand, a warm smile on his face. “All right now, you can chat more later. Come eat first.”

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Gu Ci went to answer it and found a girl with an oval face wearing a trench coat standing outside. At the sight of her, the girl’s smile vanished, her brow furrowing. “Who are you? Isn’t this Uncle Gu’s house?”

Without waiting for an answer, she thrust her suitcase into Gu Ci’s hands in a commanding fashion. “Carry this for me,” she ordered, walking into the house as if she owned the place.

At that moment, Su Wan brought out a dish and approached. Seeing the girl, she was slightly surprised. “Wen Yu? What brings you here?”

Zhao Wenyu’s sweet smile instantly reappeared as she latched onto Su Wan’s arm, acting spoiled. “Aunt Su, I just missed you, that’s all.”

Zhao Wenyu was the daughter of one of Gu Changrong’s late colleagues. Her mother had always raised her alone, so Gu Changrong and Su Wan had always taken extra care of their family.

Su Wan smiled. “You child…”

She looked at the two girls and introduced them. “You two haven’t met, have you? This is Ah Ci, my daughter.”

By transferring Gu Ci’s household registration to theirs, they were, in effect, acknowledging her as family in front of others. All the more so since Su Wan had always wanted a daughter and, in her heart, truly regarded Gu Ci as her own.

Su Wan then turned to Gu Ci. “Ah Ci, this is Wen Yu, your Uncle Sun’s child.”

“Daughter?” Zhao Wenyu’s mouth fell open in disbelief. She laughed awkwardly, testing the waters. “Aunt Su, are you joking? How come I never knew you had a daughter? Didn’t you and Uncle Gu only have three sons?”

At the same time, a wave of anxiety washed over her, making her instantly dislike Gu Ci.

Su Wan and Gu Changrong had always doted on her as the only girl in their lives. So how could there suddenly be a daughter she’d never met? Could it be… Aunt Su’s illegitimate child?

But Su Wan simply smiled. “Of course I’m not joking.”

She didn’t elaborate further. Instead, she gently extricated her arm from Zhao Wenyu’s grasp, took the suitcase from Gu Ci, and set it by the door. “Wenyu, you’re going home soon, aren’t you? Let’s just leave your suitcase here for now.”

Zhao Wenyu pouted, clinging to Su Wan again. “No, Aunt Su, I want to spend the night at your house today.”

As she spoke, she shot Gu Ci a provocative glance, chin lifted in challenge where Su Wan couldn’t see.

However, she failed to notice that the smile on Su Wan’s face faded slightly.

Seeing that her subtle hints weren’t working, Su Wan could only be direct. “Wenyu, I’m afraid we don’t have an extra room for you tonight.”

She had only just hurriedly messaged someone to get the Gu family’s only spare guest room ready—for Gu Ci.

Zhao Wenyu’s smile froze, but she wasn’t ready to give up. “Aunt Su, don’t I have a room here?”

She glared resentfully at Gu Ci, emphasizing “my room” as if Gu Ci were the outsider stealing her place.