Zhao's words struck Old Lady Gan like a heavy blow. She carefully recalled that ever since Zhao Juan caused that farce of "real and fake Gan pears," her feelings towards Zhao Juan had become very complicated.
On the one hand, she resented that her daughter had been in her body for over ten years and had turned the family upside down during that time—just thinking back on those days was incredibly painful.
On the one hand, we've known each other for over a decade, and seeing her in this state makes me feel a little sorry for her.
In addition, her daughter-in-law Zhao had been behaving very domineeringly these days, so Old Lady Gan couldn't help but wonder if Zhao was taking this opportunity to settle old scores. So she subconsciously took Zhao's words as nitpicking at Zhao Juan and picking a fight.
Grandma Gan realized that she had unknowingly favored Zhao Juan, which was indeed unfair to her eldest daughter-in-law.
Grandma Gan knew the truth, but she couldn't bring herself to apologize to Zhao. After all, she was the mother-in-law, and there was no reason for a mother-in-law to bow down to her daughter-in-law.
Just as they were at an impasse, Ganli lifted the curtain and came in from the front.
She glanced at everyone in the kitchen, her brow furrowing slightly, and spoke in a serious tone:
"What are you all doing gathered here? Don't you have any work to do?"
Since Gan Li left the Chen family and returned home, she has always treated them with kindness and smiles, rarely speaking to them with such harshness.
However, the Gan family knew they were in the wrong, especially Old Mrs. Gan, who felt both guilty and remorseful when she looked at her daughter.
In the silence, Gan Li rubbed her temples and said impatiently:
"Alright, stop arguing! Go do what you're supposed to do. We can talk about it after we close the shop tonight!"
When Gan Li spoke, everyone, already feeling guilty, dared not say anything and dispersed to get back to work.
After finally making it to evening and closing time, Gan Li hastily ate a quick meal and then called the Gan family to the lobby for a meeting.
Zhao Juan wanted to go along, but Gan Li stopped her.
“You can’t go,” Gan Li said coldly.
Zhao Juan feigned ignorance and asked, "Why? Ali, I work at the restaurant now, so I'm considered one of them. Why can't I attend your meeting?"
Gan Li sneered: "What I'm talking about today is the Gan family's internal affairs. What right do you, an outsider, have to listen in?"
She paused, then added:
"By the way, from now on please call me Manager Gan. You're just someone I took in out of kindness, not anyone to me. Calling you Ali is too ambiguous!"
Zhao Juan was speechless at Gan Li's words, her face turning red and white in turns. She was helpless and could only watch as Gan Li led the Gan family into the main hall. Her hatred for Gan Li grew even stronger.
In the front hall, Old Mrs. Gan and Old Mr. Gan sat on either side of a table, while the others sat down in order of seniority. Zhao was accompanied by her two children, looking aggrieved with red eyes, clearly having just finished crying.
The atmosphere was somewhat somber, and no one spoke.
As soon as Gan Li entered, she naturally sat down in the head seat at the head of the table. She looked around and broke the silence:
"I'm sure you all know why I've called you here today. What do you have to say about what has happened recently?"
After she finished speaking, there was another deathly silence. Seeing this, Zhao felt even more aggrieved and couldn't help but sob.
The heavy atmosphere was almost unbearable. Gan Mingyi was the first to lose his temper. He sighed and said:
"Little sister, let me speak first! I feel like I'm not as happy as before since we reopened! Everyone seems to be holding back their anger, and we argue all the time!"
Gan Mingli echoed, "Yes, it feels somewhat similar to before."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the Gan family was taken aback, and a strange feeling arose in their hearts.
Yes, during this period of time, it seems that they have returned to those repressed and painful days from before!
Especially their opinion of Zhao... For the past ten years or so, they all thought Zhao was petty and calculating, but a few days ago they discovered that Zhao was clearly a cheerful and talkative person!
But during this time, even Zhao Shi seems to have changed! She's reverted to her old, resentful self!
They spoke back and forth, and although they phrased it very tactfully, the meaning was still conveyed.
Zhao was not stupid. After understanding, she was furious and was about to retort when she saw Gan Li give her a look that said, "Take it easy." She obediently shut her mouth.
Gan Li's lips curled into a cold smile.
"But have you ever thought about why things have turned out this way recently?"
The Gan family members looked at each other, shook their heads, and expressed their confusion.
Gan Li didn't keep anyone in suspense and told them all about the little tricks Zhao Juan had been up to behind the scenes during this time.
In particular, it details how Zhao Juan deliberately provoked the Zhao family, how she sowed discord, and how she exploited their kindness and soft hearts, manipulating them at will.
After hearing this, the Gan family suddenly realized what was going on. It turned out that the reason they had been living such a depressing life lately was because Zhao Juan was behind it all!
"I told you long ago that this woman is no good, but you wouldn't believe me!"
Zhao slammed her hand on the table in anger, then burst into tears, feeling wronged: "You say I'm petty? That's because you haven't suffered the same loss I did!"
Gan Mingyi felt extremely guilty and stood up to apologize to Zhao:
"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry. Although I didn't say anything before, I did misunderstand you. I don't know what's wrong with my mind..."
He slapped his head in frustration.
He had clearly been strongly opposed to his younger sister taking in Zhao Juan before, but these days he inexplicably felt sorry for Zhao Juan, especially after seeing how she was 'bullied' by his sister-in-law.
Now, after hearing what his younger sister had said, he suddenly realized that he had unknowingly fallen into the trap set by Zhao Juan!
It wasn't just him, but also other members of the Gan family.
Ganli looked at her family members and said in a serious tone:
"Actually, the root cause of this incident is not that Zhao Juan has any particularly clever methods, but that you yourselves are to blame."
"You are always so easily trusting and easily soft-hearted, always thinking that people can't be that bad, but you hurt your own family members because you trust others! To put it nicely, it's kindness; to put it bluntly, it's forgetting the pain once the wound heals, which is why you fall into the same trap again and again."
Gan Li's words made the Gan family members lower their heads in shame, but she felt it wasn't enough and directly administered a drastic measure:
"Since you believe in the fortune teller's words, didn't the past ten years or so teach you a lesson?"
Some people's hearts can't be warmed. Have you ever considered that your soft-heartedness will only embolden her and ultimately harm us all?
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