Chapter 56 Not As Adorable As Wen Zixin

“So… so that’s how it is,” Zhao Wenyu forced a smile, hastily explaining, “I just never met Aci before, so I misunderstood. I’m really sorry, Uncle Gu, Aunt Su…”

In truth, Gu Changrong was somewhat annoyed. “Wenyu, don’t you know the relationship between your Aunt Su and me? Why do you always think of these strange and fanciful things?”

Zhao Wenyu lowered her head, biting her lip, apologizing in a timid, fragile voice, “I’m sorry, Uncle Gu, I shouldn’t have thought that way…”

Gu Changrong frowned again, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable. “You should apologize to your Aunt Su, not to me.”

“It’s all right, Changrong,” Su Wan interjected with a gentle smile, seeing the embarrassment on Zhao Wenyu’s face and signaling to Gu Changrong to let it go. “She’s just a child and got it wrong for a moment. She hadn’t met Aci before, it’s understandable for her to think so.”

She was quite tolerant about being misunderstood this way.

After all, she herself had once made a blunder, thinking Gu Ci was Gu Changfeng’s illegitimate daughter.

At most, Zhao Wenyu was still just a child, and she too had her pride.

But what she didn’t realize was that when the two of them thought about this matter, their perspectives were fundamentally different.

She suspected Gu Changfeng because he’d always been something of a playboy, only reining himself in in recent years. It was only natural for people to assume that, should some illegitimate child suddenly appear, it wouldn’t be surprising in the least.

But Su Wan was a different case altogether.

Anyone who knew her even a little understood that she had always been devoted to Gu Changrong, and there was no way something like that could happen.

If it were someone else here, when Su Wan introduced Gu Ci as her daughter, they would have assumed she was the daughter of Su Wan and Gu Changrong, and would have asked what had happened before that Gu Changrong had never met their daughter.

But Zhao Wenyu, without a second thought, placed Su Wan in that humiliating position…

Gu Changrong frowned but, remembering Zhao Wenyu was a guest, said nothing more.

He had watched Zhao Wenyu grow up and didn’t want things to become so strained between her and his wife and “daughter.”

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Wenyu composed herself and smiled naturally again. “Uncle Gu, Aunt Su, you could have told me earlier that Aci was coming. I would have helped plan and decorate her room.”

Once again, she offered to help with the room and deliberately referred to Gu Ci as her “little sister,” but her tone was full of the airs of a hostess.

“No, it should be me welcoming you,” Gu Ci finally spoke, having been silent until Zhao Wenyu addressed her. Her tone was cool and polite.

Hearing this, Zhao Wenyu was so angry she nearly ground her teeth to dust. A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind in that instant.

What did Gu Ci mean? Was she mocking her as an outsider?

So what if she was Uncle Gu’s daughter? What was there to be so proud about? What right did she have to act so superior?

After all, all these years it had always been her by Uncle Gu’s side!

As they entered the dining room, Zhao Wenyu’s eyes flickered and she quickly took the seat beside Gu Changrong’s usual place at the head of the table.

A satisfied smile appeared on her face. “Aci, have a seat, don’t be shy.”

On one hand, she was quietly declaring her territory to Gu Ci; on the other, she was trying to leave a good impression with Uncle Gu.

She knew that Uncle Gu and Aunt Su would never pick up on the subtle undertone in her voice, but Gu Ci would definitely find it unpleasant!

Called out once again, Gu Ci’s brows creased with impatience, but she still responded with restraint, “You’re the guest. You’re the one who shouldn’t stand on ceremony.”

Stabbed by Gu Ci’s words yet again, Zhao Wenyu nearly coughed up blood in anger.

Her eyes blazed as she shot Gu Ci a look as sharp as a knife.

This Gu Ci!

She was clearly doing it on purpose, constantly reminding her that she was merely a guest!

Truth be told, Gu Ci found Zhao Wenyu rather irritating. They were hardly acquainted, yet Zhao Wenyu kept pestering her for conversation.

She couldn’t quite say why, but though both Zhao Wenyu and Wen Zixin were chatterboxes, Gu Ci found Wen Zixin much more endearing.

She was only making an effort to respond for the sake of Gu Changrong and Su Wan.

With that in mind, Gu Ci seated herself at the far end of the table, as far from Zhao Wenyu as possible, to avoid further conversation.

Zhao Wenyu was secretly pleased. The Gu family’s dining table was rectangular. By seating herself at the far end, Gu Ci had essentially cut off any possibility of interaction with her during the meal.

But in the next moment, both Gu Changrong and Su Wan chose seats close to Gu Ci!

Zhao Wenyu maintained her smile, but her grip on her chopsticks nearly splintered them.

She had no doubt that, were she not present, the two of them would have sat directly next to Gu Ci without a second thought!

Uncle Gu had always been strict about table etiquette. Even when the three Gu brothers were home, such a breach of protocol had never occurred!

She still remembered the first time she and her mother came to dine at the Gu home; shy and self-conscious, they had taken seats at the end, and Uncle Gu had only suggested they move a little closer, never once coming down to join them himself.

Zhao Wenyu took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in her heart.

Thick-skinned, she stood up, bowl in hand, and sat down right next to Gu Ci, flashing a playful smile. “Since Uncle Gu and Aunt Su are keeping Aci company, I’ll join her too. I’m sure you won’t mind, will you, Aci?”