He slowly exhaled.

No, there's still more than a year left, it's not too late.

First, he wanted to make the Ning family keep a low profile. Second—he clenched his fist, determined to teach this younger brother a lesson.

"Big brother, you're back."

Gu Qingxiu had her hair neatly styled in a bun, adorned with hairpins.

She wore a heavy, light green overcoat with a matching long skirt, her hands clasped in front of her, and a jade bracelet on her wrist, looking extremely dignified.

Ning Hong then recalled Bai Chen in her mind.

Actually, to be honest, Gu Qingxiu is much prettier than Bai Chen.

The two people have very different personalities.

Gu Qingxiu was a well-bred young lady, knowledgeable and reasonable. Although she did not bind her feet, it was because her father loved her very much.

However, Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu passed away one after the other last year.

The eldest sister-in-law is now in charge of the Gu family.

Gu Qingxiu and her sister-in-law had always been at odds, which is why she lived alone in the house prepared by the Ning family after the divorce.

However, Gu Qingxiu was not very literate.

Mr. Gu was willing to teach his daughter to read, but Mrs. Gu was extremely traditional and believed that a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent. She taught her domestic skills and needlework, but refused to let Mr. Gu teach her to read and write.

The few characters she knew were all learned secretly after she came to the Ning family.

She was a clever girl and naturally sensed that her husband was unhappy about her illiteracy.

However, she didn't know what the rest of the Ning family thought, so she only dared to learn in secret—