Gong Ning shook her head. "I'm not sleepy anymore, brother. When did you get back?"
"Just got back," Gong Qiaoyu sat down by her bedside, looking at Gong Ning's slightly pale face. His usual nonchalant smile was gone. He patted her head and said, "You've lost weight!"
Gong Ning was slightly taken aback by his affectionate gesture, but then smiled and said, "Brother, do you still treat me like a child?"
Gong Qiaoyu ruffled her hair and tapped her forehead in annoyance, "When have you ever grown up in my eyes? Silly girl!"
"Brother~~"
A relaxed smile appeared on his face. "It's good that you're back. Whatever you want to do or eat, I'll take you!"
"It's good that you're back." This is what her family has said to her most frequently since she returned home. They don't ask why, but simply welcome her home with the greatest joy and enthusiasm.
Gong Ning smiled. The indulgence and doting in Gong Qiaoyu's eyes had remained unchanged for more than a decade, so familiar and warm that it seemed to soothe and calm her chaotic emotions.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, just staring blankly at him, Gong Qiaoyu touched his face. "What's wrong? Haven't seen you in a while, do you think your brother has become even more handsome?"
"..." She stopped smiling. "Brother, aren't you going to ask me why I came back?"
"What are you asking? Isn't this your home? A child who has been wandering for so long wants to come home, do they need any reason?"
Gong Ning tightened her grip on the corner of the blanket, pursing her lips without saying a word.
A flicker of heartache crossed Gong Qiaoyu's eyes. "I know you can't forget or let go of the past. If it were me, I probably wouldn't have handled it as well as you. Don't torture yourself by dwelling on the past anymore, A-Yun. Can't you try a lighter way of living?"
Who doesn't want to live an easy life?
After her rebirth, she never intended to return to the Gong family. Her biggest wish was to avoid Gong Xiangru's sharp edge, protect the Gong family, and stay by Yan Jingzhou's side.
Perhaps Gong Xiangru never imagined that the fame and fortune she so desperately pursued were things that Gong Ning was originally uninterested in.
Despite her concessions, Gong Xiangru remained persistent, causing a car accident that knocked her and Yan Jingzhou off a cliff. He also sabotaged Beiyin International behind their backs, forcing her to watch those terrifying 3D simulations and remember those…
She could no longer stay in Xingzhan Garden; she feared that one day, Gong Xiangru would destroy her beloved Azhou as well.
She wouldn't give up on Yan Jingzhou, so...
"Brother!" She raised her hand to interrupt him, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked directly at him. "My purpose in coming back this time is not simple!"
"What does that matter?" Gong Qiaoyu laughed smugly, his eyes brimming with unbridled confidence. "It's rare for you to be interested in something and want to achieve certain goals. It's commendable that you have some ambition. We won't consider anything that's purely naive!"
He's already twelve, fifteen, or sixteen years old, but he exudes an indescribable arrogance and brightness, and his smile is like that of a warm and energetic young man in a teen idol drama.
Gong Qiaoyu possesses a youthful spirit that most of his peers lack.
Gong Ning was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing, her eyes seemingly sparkling with starlight.
“Whatever you want to do, I’ll help you, but…” Gong Qiaoyu leaned closer to her, like a husky that was about to wreak havoc and destroy the house. His sharp, narrow phoenix eyes gleamed with a curiosity that didn’t match his appearance, which was strangely endearing. “Tell me, did you dump Yan Jingzhou when you came back this time?”
Gong Ning's upturned lips stiffened slightly. Gong Qiaoyu noticed her strange expression and his eyes widened slightly. "Could it be that he dumped you?"
"..."
"Don't worry, A-Yun, I won't let this bastard get away with it. I'll definitely find a chance to teach him a lesson. But..." He glanced at her, his tone tinged with disappointment, "You're still a member of the Gong family, how come you ended up being dumped? This is a bit sudden!"
Gong Ning was so overwhelmed by his words that she forgot all about feeling bad. She took a deep breath and kicked Gong Qiaoyu out the door.
The man who had been kicked out of the door stood by the door, looking aggrieved. "Get up quickly, it's almost time to eat!"
No one answered him. Gong Qiaoyu touched his nose and thought to himself: This kick was quite sudden!
Gong Ning stood in the bathroom, looking at her somewhat unkempt reflection in the mirror, then at the jade bone chain on her wrist, and suddenly burst into laughter.
This road doesn't seem as difficult as she thought!
**
Today, many of the younger members of the Gong family came to Yuexi Garden. Everyone moved to the large dining room in the reception room next door. The servants had been busy all afternoon, and a sumptuous array of dishes was on display, emitting an enticing aroma.
As soon as Gong Ning came downstairs, Butler Sang Mo led her to the main dining room with a smile. "My dear Third Miss, you must have suffered a lot these past few years. Look how thin your face is. From now on, you can't go anywhere. Stay home and Aunt Sang will definitely help you recover!"
Gong Ning frowned, feigning distress, and bluntly stated, "No, Aunt Sang's cooking isn't good~"
Hearing these spoiled and disdainful words, Aunt Sang didn't change her expression at all. Instead, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and smiled, her smile becoming more affectionate and relaxed. "Miss, I'm so happy to see you like this!"
After all these years, the Third Miss has not become estranged from her. She seems to see again the lively and mischievous little girl who runs around the garden with a cat in her arms.
Gong Ning lowered her eyes slightly, said nothing, but squeezed Aunt Sang's hand.
Gong Ning's seat today was arranged to be to the right of Old Master Gong, which is the seat traditionally reserved for the eldest grandson of the Gong family.
Gong Xiangru's smile was somewhat stiff and forced. She turned to look at Gong Qiaoyu, showing no anger at having her seat taken. Instead, she smiled gently and indulgently, her eyes full of pampering.
She clenched her hands tightly, gripping her palms firmly, afraid that she might lose control and embarrass herself in public.
Even her breathing was trembling slightly. She forced herself not to look in Gong Ning's direction, but her mind kept asking herself why Gong Ning was back and why it was as if nothing had happened.
Where exactly did things go wrong?
This trick had always worked on Gong Ning in the past. As long as she was provoked, she would invariably become despondent and then retreat into a corner to shut herself off.
Gong Ning had tried to step out of her own world and learn to forgive and accept her family, but whenever things improved, Gong Xiangru would strike like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, delivering a fatal blow at the crucial moment.
Gong Ning did try to resist, but what awaited her after her resistance was even deeper and heavier torment, both physically and psychologically.
She was kidnapped and threatened countless times, big and small. She was even locked in a dark room full of water snakes for an entire night. Worse still, they would drug her water and then dump her in a deserted wilderness. They also secretly replaced her medication with drugs that caused agitation and depression, which eventually made her unable to control her behavior and she would stab others and self-harm.
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