Upon entering the door, Chu Han saw his third uncle and third aunt. The Chu family is large, consisting of Mr. Chu's three sons and one daughter.
The eldest son, Chu Chengxian, has passed away; the second son, Chu Yuheng, is the father of both Chuci and Chu Han. The third son is Chu Muping. Their only daughter has married into a prominent family in Beijing.
The members of the Chu family were known for their distinguished appearance in their early years, and the three brothers of the family were all regarded as attractive and wealthy young men in their youth.
This year, Chu Muping, the third uncle of the Chu family, is forty years old. He is tall and has a straight posture, good features, and a pleasant demeanour, though he has some wrinkles now.
Recently, Chu Muping and his wife had to travel for business. Upon their return, they learned that their father had brought home a granddaughter, specifically, the daughter of Chu Muping's second brother and sister-in-law.
Chu Muping felt puzzled and confused. Where had this eighteen-year-old daughter come from?
As Chu Han entered the door, Chu Muping hurriedly stepped forward and inquired, "Xiao Han, the girl who just came in—is she your older sister? Is that true?"
"Yes, it's true," replied Chu Han.
After receiving the confirmation, Chu Muping pondered for a moment, still feeling confused. "But... wasn't your sister supposed to be dead?"
"Dead?" Chu Han realised that his third uncle might be aware of something relevant. "Third uncle, do you know about Chu Ci? Why do you believe she is dead?"
"I'm not entirely sure," replied Chu Muping. "All I know is that your mother gave birth to a girl named Chu Ci, but she died of an illness when she was just one month old."
Chu Muping didn't know much about his second brother and sister-in-law. At that time, he had not yet graduated from university; he was still studying and only went home during the summer and winter vacations.
Chu Han frowned, wondering if there had been a misdiagnosis in the past. Could it be that she was thought to be dead while she was actually alive, resulting in all those missed years?? After reflecting on this, Chu Han said, "Perhaps it was a mistake back then. The important thing is that she is alive now."
Chu Muping fell into deep thought, contemplating his situation.
If Chuci is still alive, there will be one more person to share the inheritance. The old man knows he doesn't have many days left to live, and when he passes away, the Chu family will definitely split up.
On the surface, no matter how good the relationship is between him and his second brother, when it comes time to divide the family assets, it will inevitably be his own brother who competes against him. He fears that when the moment arrives, the old man will divide the family property equally, leaving him at a disadvantage.
"Did you really bring her back from the slums?" Chu Muping asked again.
"Third Uncle, that's what happened in the past," Chu Han replied, frowning slightly. His uncle's tone made him feel uneasy.
"What kind of person can someone be if they've never left a place like that, especially after living there since childhood? I've heard that she arrived dressed in rags, and since then, all she seems to do is eat and sleep."
Before Chu Han and the others returned, Chu Muping had already asked the household servants about Chu Ci. The servants of the Chu family held a negative impression of Chu Ci. They described her as lacking motivation and being indifferent, even neglecting to show respect in front of the elders.
Despite Chu Han's frustrations with Chu Ci's shortcomings, he felt uneasy when his third uncle spoke poorly of her. After all, she was his blood-related sister! She hadn't chosen to live in a slum since childhood!
"Third Uncle, please don't say that. She is our relative and has had a difficult time over the years. Instead of blaming her, we should support her."
Chu Muping quickly corrected his response, saying, "You're right; she is indeed our relative." He had been confused a moment ago and had mistakenly spoken those hurtful words in front of Chu Han.