After a short while, the heavy rain finally stopped. Jin Chao instructed Tong Mama to go to Jing Fang Zhai and tell Gu Jin Rong about yesterday’s matter with Manager Sun and Yu Xiang.

Jin Chao also began to reflect on her previous approach. She had always pitied Gu Jin Rong for his misfortune while resenting his lack of resistance. If guidance didn’t work, she had been ready to let him fend for himself. But after her mother’s death, she contemplated many things. Gu Jin Rong was, after all, still a child who hadn’t grown up and needed guidance. If she told him what Song Yiniang and Gu Lan had done before, he could think about it properly and avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

After listening to Xu Mama’s words, Gu Jin Rong was both angry, but mostly filled with remorse. He bit his lip, unable to say anything, tears flowing uncontrollably.

Although he had long known that Gu Lan harbored vicious ambitions, he had never felt it as deeply as now! Colluding with Manager Sun to harm his mother? Driving a wedge between him and his eldest sister? What was most hateful wasn’t what Song Yiniang and Gu Lan had done, but that he had believed them for so long, harming his eldest sister and mother for so long!

His mother was already dead—how could he ever make amends now?

His eldest sister didn’t even want to see him anymore. What should he do?

Tong Mama looked up and said, “Young Master must pull yourself together. It’s been nearly half a month since Madam passed away. If you continue like this, you’ll only please your enemies and pain those who care for you. The Young Miss is now busy taking care of Madam’s affairs. Though you may not be able to help with that, you can assist with other matters. The Young Miss said you should think about returning to Qi Fang Hutong to study. You shouldn’t be grieving like this…”

Gu Jin Rong was taken aback. During this time after his mother’s death, he had been listless, his heart filled with guilt.

His mother’s funeral matters were mostly handled by his eldest sister and second aunt. As the legitimate eldest son, apart from attending the required memorial ceremonies, he hadn’t done anything else. He had just been shutting himself in Jing Fang Zhai, grieving. But when it came to grief, wasn’t his eldest sister also grieving? Yet she never acted like him.

Thinking about it now, he should take on the responsibilities of the legitimate eldest son and not remain so dejected.

Tong Mama continued, “…It’s good that you understand. The Young Miss does care about you. But you know her personality—she won’t speak about what’s on her mind.”

Gu Jin Rong nodded and personally escorted Tong Mama out.

As Tong Mama walked out of the courtyard gate of Jing Fang Zhai, she saw Gu Lan approaching from a distance with her maid.

What was Gu Lan doing coming to see the Young Master? Hadn’t she and the Young Master had a falling out?

Seeing Gu Lan walking closer, Tong Mama grew suspicious and quietly retreated into Jing Fang Zhai. A young maid saw Tong Mama return and was about to speak in surprise, but Tong Mama quickly gestured for silence. The maid was sharp-witted and immediately closed her mouth obediently. Tong Mama hid behind a Taihu rock.

Gu Lan, carrying a box in her hands, stepped through the door and entered Jing Fang Zhai. A small maid went to announce her to Gu Jin Rong, and after a moment led her to the study. Tong Mama emerged from behind the Taihu rock and quietly walked to the outside of the study, looking in through the bamboo screen.

Qing An and Qing Xiu saw that Tong Mama wanted to eavesdrop and were about to speak up—after all, inside were their Young Master and the Second Young Miss, and Tong Mama was the Young Miss’s person! The Second Young Miss had always been at odds with the Young Miss!

Fortunately, Tong Mama saw them first and glared at them coldly, saying in a low voice, “Not a word, or I’ll tell the Young Miss and have you sent to the stables…”

The two book boys, with their delicate skin and tender flesh, had been living in luxury following Gu Jin Rong—how could they possibly endure life in the stables? They hurriedly stood aside pretending not to see, though harboring some resentment in their hearts.

Even though she was just a housekeeper, they were still the Young Master’s bookboys! In the future, they might become managers too. This Tong Mama was being too disrespectful to them.

Tong Mama couldn’t care less about their petty thoughts. Inside, Gu Lan was talking to Gu Jin Rong.

“…I know you hate me deeply. But, Rong’er, your sister grew up with you, and in that letter where the sister asked about Yu Ping, she didn’t know what Yiniang would do later! Even if your sister did something wrong, you should remember when you were little, how good your sister was to you. When you had a high fever and wanted fresh lotus seeds, it was already autumn, but your sister searched everywhere for you… When you fell from the rockery and hurt your leg, sister stayed with you for over a month, and fearing you would be bored, she brought paper-cuts to amuse you…”

Gu Jin Rong silently looked at Gu Lan, who wore an expression of innocence and tenderness.

If it had been before, he would certainly have been deeply moved, but now hearing these words, all he could see was the image of his mother’s death and his eldest sister’s eyes filled with both pain and disappointment as she looked at him. He gazed coldly at Gu Lan, his hand hidden in his sleeve, clenched tightly.

Tong Mama had said that Gu Lan had been secretly driving a wedge between him and his eldest sister—this came from Yu Xiang’s mouth. Moreover, these things were all ordered by Song Yiniang, who said that if the brother and sister were alienated, it would be easier to usurp the position of the principal wife in the future.

…All nonsense! She was good to him? What she truly wanted in her heart was probably the position of the legitimate daughter and all its honor!

Was she as innocent as she claimed? Now she was still trying to deceive him! That gentle, delicate face, how hateful it seemed now!

Seeing that Gu Jin Chao wasn’t speaking, Gu Lan grew anxious. Why wasn’t he showing any reaction?

Gu Lan opened the box she had brought. Inside was an ivory carving of the Eighteen Arhats, the craftsmanship exquisite and lifelike.

She pleaded, “…This is what you once gave to sister, and sister has kept it, knowing you respected me. Sister only asks for your help. Yiniang is now in Lin Yan Xie, pregnant, and truly cannot be without someone to attend to her. Those two maids have been tormenting her, and she really can’t hold on…”

“That day when Yiniang brought Yu Ping to speak with Father, it was only for the truth, not to harm Mother. The Young Miss believes otherwise and is now being so cruel to Yiniang, sending two harsh maids to serve her… Yiniang is, after all, carrying a child of the Gu family. You must help her. If you don’t agree, sister can only kneel before you!”

Her eyes were glistening with tears, crying pitifully. She truly seemed to have suffered an immense injustice!

Gu Jin Rong looked at the ivory carving in her hand, but it didn’t evoke past tenderness; instead, his heart grew more furious!

He had once treated her so sincerely as a sister, and when she said she liked ivory carvings, he had painstakingly learned the craft, neglecting his studies. The gift he brought for his eldest sister was just a random jade pendant with symbols of fortune from Yu Shi Ju! When his eldest sister saw the gifts he gave to his second sister and then looked at her gift, she must have felt hurt.

Gu Jin Rong felt ice-cold throughout his body. What absurd things had he been doing all this time!

He coldly said to Gu Lan, “When I was sick with a high fever, Mother tended to me without changing her clothes, neglecting sleep and food. When I injured my leg, she sought medical help for me everywhere. What you did, compared to my mother, what does it amount to?”

“Now you pretend to be innocent, pushing all responsibility onto Song Yiniang? In the end, you’re just as selfish! Don’t think I don’t know anything. The matter of Da Huang, the matter of your maid Zi Ling, the matter between you and Madam Wen—do you dare say you know nothing, that it was all Song Yiniang’s doing? You play the innocent and pitiful so well!”

Gu Jin Rong continued with a cold smile, “Heaven sees what people do. Someone is bound to speak up eventually! Your Yiniang’s maid, Yu Xiang, has told everything—how you conspired with your Yiniang, one thing after another. Just hearing it makes me feel ashamed of you! How do you still have the face to cry innocence before me?”

Gu Lan was stunned! Yu Xiang…Yu Xiang… No wonder the managers had all been ignoring her these past few days, and she couldn’t see her mother. So it was Yu Xiang who had betrayed her mother! Had she told them everything they had done?

Gu Lan became somewhat afraid. She feared her mother truly wouldn’t be able to recover her position. She hurriedly threw herself forward to grasp Gu Jin Rong’s sleeve, crying, “That maid is no longer Mother’s person. She must have been forced by the Young Miss to fabricate… Rong’er, you can’t refuse to help me…”

Gu Jin Rong suddenly shook off her hand and angrily said, “You still have the nerve to ask for my help! Help Song Yiniang who harmed my mother! You still slander the eldest sister, saying everything is the eldest sister’s fault. Won’t you reflect on your actions? Have you no shame!”

He seized the ivory carving from Gu Lan’s box and violently threw it at her, “Take this thing and get out! Consider it never given! Get out now!”

The ivory carving grazed Gu Lan’s forehead, its sharp edge cutting a gash from which blood immediately seeped. Gu Lan was stunned by the blow. She covered her wound, unable to react for a long time. Gu Jin Rong had dared to treat her like this, dared to throw something at her!

How could she have forgotten that Gu Jin Rong was the most easily provoked, with an impulsive temperament? She had once used this against Gu Jin Chao, and now Gu Jin Chao was using it against her!

Gu Lan wiped away the blood, feeling both shame and anger. She had come to beg him like this, and not only did he refuse to help, but he humiliated her this way.

Gu Jin Rong was truly heartless. Even if she had harmed his mother, she had never harmed him! If her heart had been more vicious, she would have dealt with him long ago!

No matter what, they had been siblings for many years. Was Gu Jin Rong truly breaking ties with her?

Gu Lan was silent for a moment but then smiled. Tears still lingered on her face, but she wore a very eerie smile: “Rong’er, acting like this, you truly no longer see me as your sister.”

She had a very regretful expression, then nodded and said, “Do you know why you’re so angry? You understand in your heart, can you truly blame me entirely for your mother’s death? You’re feeling guilty and self-reproachful. You know the eldest sister won’t forgive you. Doesn’t that make you feel uncomfortable inside?”

Gu Jin Rong stared at Gu Lan without speaking.

Gu Lan sneered, “Actually, your mother always knew you and your eldest sister weren’t on good terms. She was heartbroken about it, probably thinking about it even as she died. It was you who killed her, not me. Do you understand?”

Gu Jin Rong clenched his fist. Deep down, he vaguely felt this way. What Gu Lan said was right—he was displacing his anger; in his heart, he was blaming himself. He pursed his lips, “This is all my business, it has nothing to do with you!”

Blood flowed from the wound on Gu Lan’s forehead, and tear stains marked her face, yet she smiled brilliantly at Gu Jin Rong: “…I tell you, everything that you and Gu Jin Chao have taken from me, I will take back one by one. Just wait, this isn’t over yet.”

After saying this, she straightened her back and left with a graceful posture. She didn’t even glance at the ivory carving that had fallen to the ground.