Gu Qianran's voice carried far, drawing passersby from all directions to stop and stare.
"Isn't that the Li family's mansion?"
"Yeah. The two at the door, is the mistress here to make a scene?"
"Doesn't sound like it. Forget it, we civilians do not understand rich family love and hate."
Liu Cuimei had not expected Gu Qianran to be so unrestrained, so Liu Cuimei had to grit her teeth and open the door. Gu Qianran narrowed her eyes at the woman who was gnashing her teeth and made a few adjustments to her plan in her heart.
Although Gu Qianran was fighting this whole household, apart from Li Junyao individually, Gu Qianran had never intended to leave no survivors. Since Li Junsheng had tacitly approved Liu Cuimei's actions, then…
Anyway, these people did not influence the "plot" much. They should be dispensable.
Gu Qianran helped Gu Lian into the house and prepared to call Hu Mantian. Gu Qianran and Hu Mantian could be called enemies turned acquaintances. Hu Mantian had boldly declared that as long as the money was in place, he would do anything except smuggling and drug trafficking. Hu Mantian had the confidence to say it. Anyone who played with arms like toys must have a terrifying network. Blackmailing someone was nothing to him.
Gu Qianran entered the number, but hesitated right before pressing call. Gu Qianran thought of Bai Ziyuan. If that law-revering little one found out, she would be very disappointed.
Gu Qianran deleted the digits one by one, lay back on the bed with her eyes unfocused, and after a long moment let out a faint sigh.
Forget it. Take the legal route.
It had to be said, love really can change a person. These were methods Gu Qianran had long been accustomed to using, yet now, because of one person's existence, they felt repellent.
But Gu Qianran was willing to give up shortcuts for her, simply because Gu Qianran would always stand on her side.
Downstairs, Li Junyao was irritably berating Liu Cuimei. "Mom, why did you let the two of them in again? Dad might tolerate you once, but will he tolerate you a second time?"
Liu Cuimei was furious as well. Liu Cuimei's eyes gleamed viciously. "Did you not hear what that little tramp shouted? She said I stole a man. Does she have any sense of shame? Can such things be shouted in public? And she herself is a filthy woman entangled with another woman…"
Listening to Liu Cuimei's vulgar insults, Li Junyao felt a little better. Ever since Gu Qianran appeared, he had been unlucky in everything. Even his greatest point of pride, his luck with women, had faded. The man who used to be surrounded by beauties now could not get anyone to pay him attention.
Li Junyao felt deeply unbalanced. He was always conceited and never looked for faults in himself, so he blamed everything on Gu Qianran.
Upstairs, Gu Qianran looked at Gu Lian, who kept silent, and felt a headache over this pig teammate. "Tell me, Gu Lian, can you handle life or not? It was not easy for Li Junsheng to allocate you some money, but you instantly got thrown out by Liu Cuimei. If I had not been in a good mood and decided to come home today, were you planning to sleep outside?"
"You are a grown woman. Face reality. You said you wanted a rich life. Then stay away from Li Junsheng and Liu Cuimei, all right? Day in and day out, which of us is the mother here?"
Gu Lian was lucky. Today Gu Qianran had come back to file investment materials so as to "create an opportunity" for Li Junyao. Otherwise, Gu Lian might well have been swept out into the street.
Gu Lian pinched the hot milk tea bag, pursed her lips, and said nothing, just listening to forceful Gu Qianran scold her. Gu Lian realized that every time, Gu Qianran refreshed her understanding.
This person, Gu Lian had never understood or seen through. Since two years ago, Gu Lian had been losing to her. Over these two years their relationship had changed again and again, finally stabilizing at that delicate balance called partners.
After so many years of cold eyebrows and hard faces, Gu Qianran's overbearing concern left Gu Lian a little flustered. Gu Qianran slid new files into the drawer, put on her trench coat, and prepared to leave.
Gu Lian called out on reflex. "Where are you going?"
Gu Qianran rolled her eyes at Gu Lian. "Back to the dorm, of course. Evening self-study is about to start. Can you save me some trouble?" Although Gu Qianran had just won a bit of goodwill, Gu Lian's talent for stirring up trouble made Gu Qianran launch into motherly reminders again.
What was so good about Li Junsheng that made Gu Lian seem to have swallowed stupidity pills? Gu Qianran was no longer worried that Gu Lian could trip her up. What worried Gu Qianran was Gu Lian going toe to toe with Liu Cuimei again.
Gu Lian kept staring without speaking. Gu Qianran shivered. "What is with that creepy look?"
Helping Gu Lian was purely to settle accounts for the few times Gu Lian had been decent to her, so they could be even in the future. Gu Qianran did not want Gu Lian to overthink it. Even if Gu Lian wanted to whitewash, after abusing the original host for more than a decade, there was no washing it clean.
Feeling spooked by Gu Lian's gaze, Gu Qianran hurried out. In the room, Gu Lian stared at the milk-tea pouch and fell into thought.
Bai Ziyuan had already bought dinner and was waiting in the dorm. As soon as Gu Qianran pushed the door open, Bai Ziyuan pounced and rubbed against Gu Qianran. "Ranran, you are back!"
Gu Qianran ruffled her hair as if petting a small animal, eyes soft with affection. "Mm. Go wash your hands. Time to eat."
Dinner was sweet beyond belief. The unconscious harmony and affection the two showed filled the room with pink bubbles and smacked the other two in the dorm right in the face.
Bai Zilu propped her chin on her hand and watched her younger sister awaiting Gu Qianran's feeding. She clicked her tongue twice, full of disdain. Tch, it is just feeding. Bai Zilu could do that too.
Bai Zilu turned to the opposite bed and deliberately cooed with an exaggerated, syrupy tone, "Tangtang, President Ji."
Reading, Ji Tang jolted, then looked at Bai Zilu helplessly, shifted her gaze back to the page, grabbed a bag of snacks one-handed, tore it open, and held it out.
Bai Zilu caught and ate without instruction. Their motions were smooth and in sync. Soon, one feeder and one eater had wiped out the entire bag.
Only when Ji Tang's fingers touched the last chip did Ji Tang's thoughts return. But Ji Tang's hand had already moved on instinct, and Bai Zilu bit down. By accident, Bai Zilu's tongue brushed Ji Tang's fingers.
The air went a little charged.
They looked at each other, eyes falling on the poor chip caught between Ji Tang's fingers and Bai Zilu's lips.
Only now did Ji Tang realize what Ji Tang had done. Ji Tang wondered if she had spoiled this clown a bit too much.
They spoke at the same time. "Why are you so practiced at this?"
"Eep. It is your fault, you temptress, luring me into mistakes. Now I am going to gain weight again." Sensing the odd shift in the air, Bai Zilu hurriedly fell back on her tried-and-true clowning.
It earned her Ji Tang's feather-light death stare. "Bai Zilu, have I spoiled you too much?"
Bai Zilu giggled and tried to slip away. "How could that be? President Ji's word is law. Who could possibly be spoiled by her?"
"You." Ji Tang was blunt. In Ji Tang's view, if words were not clear, this do-not-know-when-to-stop person would only push further.
Bai Zilu: !!!
She was stunned by Ji Tang's fastball, and a flush climbed both cheeks. A straight girl flirting with a girl, heaven strike me.
Bai Zilu quickly convinced herself that Ji Tang probably had not meant anything by it. She felt a bit relieved, and a little disappointed. She adjusted her state at once and nestled into Ji Tang's arms with a grin, calling it "granting you a human-shaped heater."
Feeling the warmth in her arms, Ji Tang pressed her lips together and shifted positions so the person in her embrace could stretch out, then continued on to the second page.
Watching the two, Gu Qianran gave Bai Ziyuan a small smile. "Little cutie, our dorm is about to leave the single-noble life behind as a group."
Bai Ziyuan looked knowingly at her silly elder sister and Ji Tang. It had not been easy to meet someone who could rein her elder sister in, so her silly elder sister had better seize the chance.
The road is long and far…
===
Author's Note:
The main obstacles are all cleared. Next chapter will likely be one year later.
The secondary couple's sweet moments are coming soon.
I showed my classmates this story and somehow they are shipping Gu Lian x Liu Cuimei. What.
Do not worry, Gu Lian cannot be washed clean. It is just that there are rarely purely bad people, and Gu Lian also has her kinder side.
Were these chapters sweet? They will get even sweeter.