Chapter 208 A token of my heart

Nan'an University doesn't start until mid-September, and Gu Ji hesitated for a long time before deciding to visit the Gu family before classes began.

At the entrance of Gujia Village, Gu Ji sat in the car, hesitant and unable to make up his mind to enter the village.

“Little friend, if you don’t want to, I’ll go in and check on Gu Bao for you,” Dan Anwen said, patting Gu Ji’s hand.

Gu Ji pursed his lips slightly, shook his head at the man, and said, "We'll have to face this sooner or later. Let the driver take us inside."

Dan Anwen lowered his eyelids slightly and nodded.

When the car arrived at the Gu family's gate, Gu Ji found that the Gu family's courtyard was unusually quiet. There was no more crowing of roosters, and the courtyard was very desolate, indicating that no one had cleaned it for a long time.

"Gu Bao, are you home?" Gu Ji called out from the yard into the house.

She specifically chose to come on Saturday so that she could see Gu Bao.

There was no sound from inside the house. Just when she thought no one was home, the door to the main room was opened, and Gu Bao rushed out and hugged Gu Ji tightly.

Upon seeing this, Dan Anwen instinctively reached her hand behind Gu Ji's back, afraid that Gu Bao would bump into her.

"Sister, you're back!" Gu Bao's tone was clearly excited, and her dull eyes brightened a bit.

She then looked at the man beside her and addressed him as "brother-in-law" in a practiced tone.

Throughout the year, he maintained contact with Gu Ji and knew that the gentle man in front of him was his brother-in-law. When the two of them chatted, Dan Anwen and Gu Bao would also exchange a few words, so they were naturally not strangers.

Dan Anwen curled her lips and smiled at Gu Bao, her tone gentle, "Gu Bao has grown up quite a bit."

Gu Ji looked at Gu Bao, who was taller than a year ago, and a smile appeared on his lips. He patted Gu Bao's head and said, "I came back to see you."

"Then let's go inside quickly." Gu Bao pulled Gu Ji along, her eyes full of hope.

Gu Ji paused for a moment, then asked with pursed lips, "Is he home?"

Since severing ties, Gu Ji has always referred to his father as "Gu's father".

Gu Bao often talks to Gu Ji on the phone, so he naturally knows who he is referring to.

"Dad got heatstroke while working at noon and is sleeping in his room," Gu Bao said, looking up with his chubby little face.

Gu Ji and Dan Anwen exchanged a glance and then followed Gu Bao into the house.

After sitting down, Gu Ji began asking about Gu Bao's recent situation. Gu's father, who was inside the room, heard the noise and called out, "Gu Bao, who are you talking to?"

Gu Bao walked to the bedroom door, opened it, and said, "It's my sister and brother-in-law who are back."

"Zhao Di is back!" Gu's father's voice was weak and powerless as he tried to get out of bed.

Seeing this, Gu Ji got up and walked to the door, saying, "You don't need to get up. I'll leave after I've looked at Gu Bao."

Mr. Gu paused in his act of getting out of bed, and gave an awkward smile. "How about we have dinner here before you leave?"

"No, I'll just come back and check on things. I'm happy as long as everything is alright." Gu Ji pursed his lips and shook his head.

She came back specifically to check on Gu Bao's condition.

Mr. Gu sat on the bed without saying a word. After a long while, he looked at Gu Ji and said, "Zhao Di, I'd like to talk to you alone, is that alright?"

Gu Ji stood there silently for a while, and finally nodded.

Dan Anwen frowned slightly and gently squeezed her hand.

Gu Ji looked up and smiled at him, "Uncle Dan, you don't need to worry."

"Then let's go out and play for a while, Gu Bao." Dan Anwen pursed his thin lips and finally looked down at Gu Bao and said.

Knowing that Gu Ji and his father had something to talk about, Gu Bao obediently nodded and followed Dan Anwen out the door.

Gu Ji closed the door and stood a meter away from his father, waiting for him to speak.

Father Gu blinked, his eyes brimming with weariness. Seeing Gu Ji's distant manner, he didn't say much, but let out a barely perceptible sigh.

"Are you really not going to see her?" Gu's father looked up at Gu Ji, hoping she could let go of her resentment and go see Gu's mother.

Gu Ji lowered his eyes, his slender white fingertips nervously rubbing the hem of his clothes, and remained silent for a long time.

Silence is a silent rejection.

Seeing this, Gu's father closed his cloudy eyes and said, "She and I are very sorry for you. We have made you suffer unfair treatment since you were a child. We are really sorry."

Gu Ji's thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and she remained silent.

As if entering a world of memories, Gu's father, not caring whether Gu Ji reacted or not, began to ramble on about her childhood stories.

"When you were born, you were such a tiny little bundle. My heart melted when I saw you. I thought I would definitely treat you well, but your mother..."

At first, Gu's mother and father doted on Gu Ji, thinking that things would blossom first and bear fruit later.

However, as time went on, Gu's mother never conceived again. The couple began to feel anxious about not having a son, compounded by Gu's grandmother's instigation and dissatisfaction with Gu's mother.

The mother-in-law's dissatisfaction and the husband's tacit approval increased the pressure on Gu's mother, who could only vent her dissatisfaction on Gu Ji to get a moment's respite.

The pleasure of venting her dissatisfaction on Gu Ji made Gu's mother deeply immersed in it. Originally influenced by the village's preference for sons over daughters, she gradually began to agree with Grandma Gu's views, believing that girls were a waste of money.

Gu Bao's birth was a salvation for Gu's mother. After that, Gu's grandmother stopped being sarcastic and veiled towards Gu's mother, which made Gu's mother feel that her son was even more important.

Gu Ji became the older sister who helped her younger brother, someone who was willing to sacrifice everything for him.

The father's role in the story is that of a kind-hearted person. Although he sometimes speaks up for Gu Ji, he always succumbs to the mother's authority and remains silent.

"I've always felt guilty towards you. I wanted to be good to you secretly, but I didn't know how." As Mr. Gu spoke, tears welled up in his eyes.

It wasn't that he didn't care about himself, but boys were too important in the village, and his wife was also someone who took care of the household chores and was his only companion. So he had no choice but to pretend he couldn't see his wife's behavior.

When he goes shopping to buy delicious food for Gu Bao, he always brings some back for Gu Ji, thinking that it will make her a little happier.

When Gu's mother beats or scolds Gu Ji, he will try to persuade her.

Gu Ji's lips trembled slightly, and the corners of his eyes reddened. He looked at his father quietly for a few seconds, his eyes showing no emotion.

"Are you finished?" Gu Ji's voice was slightly hoarse. "What are you trying to say?"

Mr. Gu sighed, took out the bank card from under the pillow and handed it to Gu Ji. “This is our family’s bank card. I’ve divided the money into two parts, one for you and one for Gu Bao. It’s not much, but it’s my token of appreciation.”

Gu Ji looked down at the bank card in the rough hand in front of him, blinked slightly, and said, "I don't need it. You can leave it all to Gu Bao."

"This is just a token of my appreciation, nothing more." Seeing that she refused to accept it, Mr. Gu tightened his grip on the bank card.

He felt guilty towards Gu Ji, and this was the only way he could make it up to her.

"Do you think that if I accept this money, you'll feel less guilty and be able to make up for the injustice I've done to you over the past ten years?" Gu Ji bit his lip, seeing right through his father's thoughts.

Mr. Gu's fingertips trembled slightly, and his head drooped a little. "That's not what I meant. I know the harm I've done to you over the years can't be made up for with money. I just..."