Gu Shi Yun and Cheng Ming Ze?!

“Impossible!” Wu Wan Jun instinctively exclaimed in anger.

Given her relationship with Li Si Tong, how could Gu Shi Yun possibly have any connection with Cheng Ming Ze!

“Gu Xue Jiao, don’t talk nonsense!” Gu Jing Xu slammed his chopsticks on the table, his face filled with rage.

Cheng Ming Ze was one of the more outstanding young people of his generation, but he was Cheng Shuo’s son! The stepson of his ex-wife!

How could these two possibly be together?

Gu Jing Xu didn’t believe it; he just thought Gu Xue Jiao was talking rubbish.

Only Gu Shi Yun’s eyes flashed with panic. After a moment, following Gu Jing Xu and Wu Wan Jun’s denials, she suddenly regained her composure.

“Sister! There’s nothing between me and Ming Ze!”

“So you like him?” Xue Jiao blinked.

“No, I—”

“You don’t like my brother? I’ll go tell him when I get back that you don’t like him at all.” Xue Jiao nodded seriously.

Gu Shi Yun instinctively became anxious: “Don’t—”

After saying those two words, she immediately fell silent.

Oh no!

“It’s okay to like my brother if you do. We all remember how you risked danger to save my brother at that time. Maybe in the future, Aunt Wan Jun might even become in-laws with my mom!”

As Xue Jiao’s words landed, Gu Jing Xu felt his temple throbbing, the veins on his forehead bulging, and his eyes widening, filled with rage.

Seeing his reaction, Xue Jiao quickly stood up.

“Well, I’m done eating. Thanks for the meal, goodbye.”

With that, she vanished in a flash.

In the original story, Li Si Tong died early, and though the relationship between the two families remained poor, it wasn’t this deeply entangled.

Additionally, because Xue Jiao was incompetent, Gu Shi Yun was more important to Gu Jing Xu than she was now.

Therefore, when Cheng Ming Ze and Gu Shi Yun finally overcame all obstacles to be together, Cheng Shuo, having exhausted his energy worrying about Gu Xue Jiao, handed Peng Cheng over to Cheng Ming Ze early.

It was also at this time that he formally confessed to Gu Jing Xu. Although Gu Jing Xu was still somewhat reluctant, by then his company was far inferior to Peng Cheng. He valued Cheng Ming Ze’s potential and happily accepted him.

In the original story, the pressure from their parents wasn’t significant, but in this life, because of Xue Jiao’s changes and Li Si Tong still being alive, the pressure from the older generation would be immense.

Gu Jing Xu’s company hadn’t declined yet, and Cheng Ming Ze was still a student.

Xue Jiao had exposed Gu Shi Yun’s feelings prematurely, and afterward… things should be quiet for a while, right?

——

At the Gu family home.

When Xue Jiao left the Gu household, no one said a word. Gu Jing Xu was too angry to speak, and Wu Wan Jun looked shocked.

How was this possible?

How dare Gu Shi Yun!

“You…” Wu Wan Jun raised her trembling finger, pointing at Gu Shi Yun.

“No, I’m not! I’m not!” Gu Shi Yun’s eyes reddened, and she could only say these words.

That damned Gu Xue Jiao!

“Gu Shi Yun.” Gu Jing Xu’s voice seemed to be spat out through gritted teeth. “Tell the truth! Have you fallen for that Cheng boy?!”

“I…” Gu Shi Yun bit her lower lip, facing Gu Jing Xu’s eyes, she couldn’t speak.

If she denied it today… would it mean she could never be with Cheng Ming Ze in this lifetime?

She truly liked Cheng Ming Ze and had liked him since the first time she saw him, and the more she knew about him, the deeper she fell.

“Speak!” Gu Jing Xu glared at her, his voice increasingly stern.

Tears flowed down Gu Shi Yun’s face as she looked at Gu Jing Xu tearfully. “Dad…”

When Gu Shi Yun was young, Gu Jing Xu could only stay by Xue Jiao’s side most of the time, so whenever he saw Gu Shi Yun, he would feel both heartache and affection.

Compared to Xue Jiao, who had been somewhat spoiled since childhood, Gu Shi Yun had always been obedient and sensible, with excellent grades.

Later, after marrying Wu Wan Jun, this obedient and sensible daughter was always by his side, both his pride and his most beloved daughter.

But now, this most beloved daughter had fallen for the stepson of his ex-wife, with whom he had a terrible relationship.

Would this daughter eventually want to marry into the Cheng family, just like Li Si Tong did?

Cheng Ming Ze was indeed a good young man, but his surname was Cheng!

The veins on Gu Jing Xu’s forehead pulsed. After a while, he suddenly swept the plates off the table, stood up, and went upstairs.

He left behind a mess on the floor, a shocked Wu Wan Jun, and a sobbing Gu Shi Yun.

“Shi Yun…” Wu Wan Jun’s voice trembled.

She was more shocked than Gu Jing Xu. Her daughter… liked Cheng Ming Ze and wanted to offer herself to Li Si Tong as a daughter-in-law.

“Impossible! Gu Shi Yun, if you end up with Cheng Ming Ze, don’t call me your mother anymore!” Wu Wan Jun suddenly stood up. “This is like letting Li Si Tong ride on my head and defecate!”

With that, she stood up and followed Gu Jing Xu’s footsteps upstairs.

Gu Shi Yun sat there, crying in both anger and grievance.

Gu Xue Jiao! That bitch!

She just liked Ming Ze, why wouldn’t they allow it?

——

During the New Year, the Gu family home was in chaos, and only Xue Jiao had eaten her fill at lunch.

When she returned to the Cheng family, Li Si Tong was surprised.

“Why are you back so soon?”

Xue Jiao said while changing her shoes: “I saw they were about to argue, so I left.”

“They argued?!” Li Si Tong’s voice rose, and then she moved closer, her voice curious and gleeful. “What happened?”

Xue Jiao shook her head, indicating it wasn’t good to say.

Li Si Tong thought she meant she didn’t know, so she didn’t pursue it further, but her steps were light.

That woman who had married into the Gu family used to occasionally come and flaunt her happiness. How about now? Fighting?

Karma truly comes around!

“Mom, I’m going upstairs to study!” After speaking, Xue Jiao quickened her pace and headed upstairs.

“We’re going to have dinner at the old house tonight. Get ready early. These two days are for celebrating the New Year, so don’t study.” Li Si Tong looked up and called out.

“Mm, mm.”

Xue Jiao responded perfunctorily and hurried upstairs.

The math problems Lin Zhi Hua gave her were too difficult; she was quite afraid she wouldn’t be able to finish them.

“This child…” Li Si Tong sighed helplessly, then happily hummed a tune.

——

In the evening, at five o’clock.

“Jiao Jiao! Get ready, we’re about to leave!”

“Okay!” She responded, then continued to write diligently with her head down.

In previous years, whenever the third round included calculation problems, they always required many pages of high-difficulty calculations.

Xue Jiao now seemed to be caught in a misconception, calculating vigorously until she could calculate no more, only to realize she had made a mistake.

She crossed out what she had done before, took a few new sheets of paper, and started calculating again.

Math problems weren’t hard to understand. As long as one’s foundation was solid, all math problems could be solved.

Especially when looking at the answers.

Many people can’t solve problems on their own or find the entry point, but once they see the answer, they realize it’s not difficult.

This is a dangerous stage. If one can’t find a breakthrough, they’ll always remain at the stage of understanding only when seeing the answer.

Therefore, even if she made many mistakes, Xue Jiao wouldn’t look at the answers but would recalculate.

Since time is often a factor in problem-solving, after spending considerable effort and time to solve a problem, it’s essential to carefully review the solution process to identify where the previous attempts went wrong.

With multiple analyses and familiarization, one can ensure that the next time they encounter the same or similar type of problem, they can solve it quickly and effectively.

Xue Jiao was now amid multiple calculations, with all her energy focused on the paper.

After another ten minutes or so, a voice called from downstairs—

“Jiao Jiao, are you getting ready?”

“I’m getting ready!” Xue Jiao replied casually, not thinking about what she was saying.

Her fingers moved faster, and her eyes lit up slightly.

This time it seemed correct!

Another ten minutes passed.

“Jiao Jiao! Come down, we’re ready to go!”

“Okay—” She responded casually.

But her eyes remained bright, staring at her notebook, verifying her calculations while looking at the solution process with sparkling eyes.

Soon, her fingers stopped.

Correct!

She had finally calculated it!

Xue Jiao smiled and was about to pick it up for a thorough review when she suddenly seemed to remember something—

She stood up abruptly, grabbed the down jacket she had worn to the Gu family home earlier, put it on, took her phone, and rushed downstairs.

“Jiao Jiao, hur… oh my, why haven’t you fixed yourself up?!”

“Huh?”

Xue Jiao’s eyes showed a moment of confusion as she woodenly looked at Li Si Tong. Her hair was somewhat messy, and her delicate face had a silly expression.

Cheng Ming Ze, wearing a men’s short down jacket with his hands in his jeans pockets, looked at Xue Jiao’s dazed appearance. He took out his right hand, formed a fist, coughed slightly to his mouth, and held back a laugh.

“Didn’t you just say you were getting ready? What were you preparing?” Li Si Tong’s eyes widened.

Xue Jiao instinctively replied—

“Preparing homework?”

“…”

Cheng Shuo also laughed, his eyes crinkling, clearly amused.

“Alright, alright, let’s go. Jiao Jiao looks good however she dresses.”

Cheng Ming Ze nodded in agreement. It was indeed true. Her eyes were beautiful, her hair long and black, and her skin naturally fair, making her even more stunning. With her small face, no larger than a palm, nestled in the down jacket, she looked both silly and endearing.

“…Fine, fine, let’s hurry and leave then.” Li Si Tong sighed helplessly. Now the two people at home were quite protective of Jiao Jiao.

The four of them got into a car and headed to the Cheng family’s old house.

——

“Zhi Hua…” Lin Zhi Hua was handling some year-end issues for Lin Corporation when his mother approached.

“Hmm?” Lin Zhi Hua didn’t turn his head.

“Um… your grandfather said… he wants to come over tonight for New Year’s…” Lin’s mother tentatively said.

“No.” Lin Zhi Hua rejected it without hesitation.

Despite his usual manner of speaking, Lin’s parents were still somewhat uncomfortable.

“Outrageous! Your grandfather doted on you so much when you were little, and Lin Corporation was left by him. He just wants to come for a meal; why are you so unwilling?!” Lin’s father burst in.

He had been hiding at the door, not daring to come in and say these things himself. He had been hiding, but because of Lin Zhi Hua’s words, he couldn’t hold back anymore.

Lin Zhi Hua looked up: “New Year’s? Do you think he’s coming to properly celebrate the New Year?”

Lin Chang Ji was still in prison, and Grandfather Lin couldn’t possibly have a good New Year’s celebration even if he came.

“But he is your grandfather after all. It’s just having a meal together. Zhi Hua, after the meal, we’ll send him away!” Lin’s mother also urged.

Grandfather Lin was, after all, Lin’s father’s father, and he had been raised well by Grandfather Lin since childhood. The last time regarding Lin Zhi Hua’s car accident, it was entirely Lin Chang Ji’s intention; although Grandfather Lin was involved, he didn’t intend to kill Lin Zhi Hua.

Additionally…

“Just him?” Lin Zhi Hua raised an eyebrow, his fingers stopping.

Lin’s mother smiled awkwardly: “And the granddaughter of your grandfather’s neighbor, Uncle Xu…”

Lin Zhi Hua laughed coldly: “How considerate of you, arranging a blind date for me even during the New Year.”

“No! That girl is just spending the New Year with the Xu family, and your grandfather thought to bring her along for a meal. If you don’t want to meet her, that’s fine, just let your grandfather come for a meal.” Lin’s mother anxiously explained.

Lin’s father frowned slightly, then said: “That girl is quite good, with a special profession, just right for—”

“Old Lin—” Lin’s mother glared at Lin’s father, signaling him to be quiet, then looked at Lin Zhi Hua with a smile. “It’s alright if you don’t want to meet her, forget it. Her being with the Xu family is just a coincidence.”

“What profession?” Lin Zhi Hua stared at his father, his voice calm.

Lin’s father was taken aback, his voice involuntarily lowering: “…A well-known psychologist.”

“Heh.” Lin Zhi Hua laughed coldly and stood up.

He extended his hand, and Lin’s father instinctively backed away, but Lin Zhi Hua merely took the coat from behind him, put it on, and walked out.

“Where are you going?!” Lin’s father raised his voice.

Lin Zhi Hua didn’t respond and quickly walked out of the Lin family home.

Lin’s father’s angry voice followed from behind—

“Is this your attitude?! Your grandfather said if you want him to accept you, you must spend more time with that girl! Lin Zhi Hua! Stop right there!”

Lin Zhi Hua didn’t stop walking. However, just as he left the Lin family home, his footsteps paused slightly.

He wanted to call Chen Yan to pick him up, but then remembered Chen Yan had gone home for the holiday. Tan Qi had also left, and even the driver had taken a few days off. He was all alone now.

The entire company was on holiday, and even the security guards, who were usually present year-round, could lock the doors and go home to celebrate the New Year tonight.

In contrast, only the boss—himself—remained—

A lonely figure, with nowhere to go in this vast world.