Chapter 115
Seeing Xu Gui frown upon seeing her, Su Ya's expression immediately soured.
"What kind of expression is that?" she said angrily.
Xu Gui didn't speak, but carefully looked her up and down, and then his brows furrowed even more.
Seeing her reaction, Su Ya became even angrier and couldn't help but say, "What do you mean? You frown as soon as you see me! Am I that bad for your eyes?"
"Ah, no." Xu Gui snapped out of his reverie, looked at her, and said, "I just wanted to ask, have you been to the hospital for a checkup recently?"
Suya's first reaction: "...Are you cursing me?"
Xu Gui's lips twitched slightly, and he said with a somewhat complicated expression, "Why would I curse you? Curse you to be less famous than me and earn less money than me? But that's already a fact, so I have no reason to curse you."
Xu Gui's words were hurtful, but they were indeed the truth... Su Ya couldn't refute her at all, which made her feel even more heartbroken.
Xu Gui looked at her and suddenly said, "You've been riding high lately, everything's going smoothly for you, isn't it because you've hooked up with a sugar daddy who's been supporting you?"
Upon hearing her words, Su Ya and her group's expressions changed drastically. Su Ya's assistant was so frightened that she looked around, afraid that someone might be nearby. Fortunately, there were only the two groups of people there, but unfortunately, each group had a paparazzi with them.
Suya and her group: Oh no.
Su Ya immediately pulled Xu Gui to a corner, glared at her hatefully, and asked through gritted teeth, "You want the whole world to know I'm being kept, don't you?"
Xu Gui: "Ah, it's not that bad, you haven't offended me."
Suya really wanted to ask: So, if I offend you, you'll make this public and tell everyone?
However, she didn't dare to ask in the end, for fear that Xu Gui would nod in agreement.
Su Ya took a breath and asked Xu Gui suspiciously, "How do you know about this? Who told you?"
Xu Gui said speechlessly, "...Have you forgotten what I do?"
Upon hearing this question, an answer instantly flashed through Su Ya's mind: fortune tellers.
Then she realized that her question was a bit silly, and at the same time she felt relieved—thankfully, as long as no one else told her, it meant that at least the matter hadn't been widely publicized.
After all, even though she found a sugar daddy and was being kept, she still had some sense of shame.
She looked at Xu Gui and whispered, "For the sake of our past as roommates and artists in the same company, please don't tell anyone about this, okay?"
Xu Guixin thought to himself: What kind of relationship do we have? There is, of course, the relationship you have with me, like when you glare at me and blow your horns.
However, despite thinking this to himself, Xu Gui nodded and said, "Don't worry, I don't need to tell anyone about this."
Su Ya muttered, "I hope that's really what you think..." But although she said that, her expression softened after hearing Xu Gui's words.
Xu Gui looked at her, finding it strange, and said, "I thought you would deny it to the death."
Su Ya glanced at her, but said, "This is the truth, why should I deny it? Besides, even if I didn't admit it, wouldn't you have known?"
Xu Gui nodded in agreement.
“Actually, I don’t really mind this getting out,” Su Ya said dismissively, “In this industry, who doesn’t have connections if they want to make a name for themselves? Everyone knows that. It’s just that it sounds a bit unpleasant to say it out loud, and people might laugh at us.”
Speaking of this, Su Ya was a little indignant and said, "Men who find rich women are considered enlightened, while women who find rich men are considered to lack self-respect. Ha, it's as if men are so self-respecting."
Upon hearing this, Xu Gui began to treat Su Ya with a different kind of respect.
Su Ya glanced at her, then said angrily, "You still haven't told me why you cursed me just now?"
“I already said I didn’t curse you,” Xu Gui said speechlessly. “I was just sincerely reminding you.”
Su Ya was bewildered: "Remind me? Remind me of what?"
Xu Gui: "...So, is it possible that your sugar daddy has some kind of shady past?"
"..." It took Su Ya several seconds to realize what Xu Gui meant. Immediately, her expression changed, and she stared at Xu Gui with wide eyes.
Xu Gui whispered, "I just felt that there was something subtly off about your scent, so I did some calculations. Your sugar daddy has a disease that's contagious. I figured out his name is Mei... um!"
Suya suddenly covered her mouth.
The two women were talking in a corner, with their assistants and cameramen standing a few steps away. Because they hadn't interacted much before, and the two bosses seemed to be at odds, the two groups were really unfamiliar with each other. They stood there looking at each other without saying a word, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Just then, they saw Su Ya suddenly reach out and cover Xu Gui's mouth tightly for some unknown reason.
Yuan Lu's eyes widened: Murder?
"Teacher Xu!" She quickly walked towards Xu Gui.
Just then, Su Ya shouted, "Don't come any closer!"
Su Ya's assistant and cameramen instinctively stopped in their tracks, but Yuan Lu and Yang Haolin ignored them. They paused briefly before rushing over, but fortunately, Xu Gui turned around at the right moment, pulled Su Ya's hand away, and said to them, "You don't need to come over. Su Ya and I will talk for a while longer."
Yuan Lu looked at her worriedly: "Teacher Xu, are you really alright?"
Xu Gui: "I'm fine."
Since she had said that, Yuan Lu and Yang Haolin had no choice but to return to their original positions—from where they couldn't hear Xu Gui and the other person speaking.
However, just as Su Ya shouted that, some guests happened to come down from upstairs and looked at them curiously. However, they could not hear what Xu Gui and the others were saying, but they could see that the atmosphere between them was not very pleasant.
Uh, or rather, heavy?
"...Could they have had a fight?" The guest had this thought in mind, his eyes constantly glancing at Xu Gui and the others.
She should have gone out by now, but her steps were slow and hesitant. It was as if she wished she could walk the distance from the hotel to the entrance forever, and even wished she had super hearing so she could hear what Xu Gui and the others were talking about.
Otherwise, it would be fine to let her get a little closer... It's just a pity that both Xu Gui and Su Ya's assistants were eyeing her covetously. Although the guest was unwilling, she still walked out of the hotel step by step.
"Sigh..." I missed out on some gossip.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the hotel lobby, the atmosphere between Xu Gui and Su Ya was indeed not pleasant. However, contrary to Yuan Lu's worries, there was no conflict between them; they were simply silent.
Of course, Su Ya remained silent, while Xu Gui wanted to say something but didn't know what to say.
After thinking for a moment, she comforted Su Ya, saying, "It's okay, try to think positively. You'll be a hero again in eighteen years!"
Su Ya: "..." Are you sure this is just to comfort me? I haven't thought about dying yet.
But thinking about it, this disease won't kill anyone right now, so I don't need to worry too much. As long as I don't die, everything else is a small matter. In a way, Su Ya is also a person with a unique way of thinking.
“You can’t tell anyone about this,” she said to Xu Gui, her tone much more serious this time. “You really can’t tell anyone!”
Xu Gui nodded.
Su Ya let out a breath, her expression somewhat annoyed, but she didn't say anything more.
The two parted ways and returned. Yuan Lu quickly walked up to Xu Gui and asked worriedly, "Teacher Xu, are you alright?"
The main problem is that Su Ya's expression turns sour whenever she sees Xu Gui, and she seems quite hostile towards him. So Yuan Lu is worried that Xu Gui will be bullied by Su Ya... Although, in all their interactions, Xu Gui has always been the winner.
The two groups of people didn't have much of a relationship to begin with, and after they parted ways, they went their separate ways, creating a cold atmosphere, as if the two groups had never had any contact at all.
After Xu Gui got on the bus, she met Fu Xia's curious gaze. After she sat down, Fu Xia asked her in confusion, "What did you just say to Su Ya?" She didn't remember the two of them having any relationship.
Regarding this question... Xu Gui shook his head.
"I can't say," she said.
Fu Xia was surprised for a moment, but didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she nodded and said, "Okay..."
She then mentioned their plans for the day: "We're going to a friend's house first... She watched your live stream yesterday and learned about what happened to Yueyue's family. Now she suspects she's encountered something similar, so she's asking you to come and check on her."
Xu Gui was surprised, and so were the viewers in the live stream: How could such a niche topic as the Qiao family have a second episode? Is this some kind of mainstream event?
"Don't her parents like her either?" Xu Gui asked curiously.
Fu Xia said, "No, but she is also studying abroad. When she came back from abroad, her parents insisted on taking her as a goddaughter. She is also their only child, so she now suspects that one of her fathers or mothers may have been replaced."
Xu Gui: "..." She felt that such niche things should not be common.
Fu Xia: "She's willing to give you 1.5 million!"
Xu Gui's expression changed, and he said very enthusiastically, "Then let's go now!"
Her facial expressions changed so quickly, almost like flipping through a book, that it was impossible not to laugh. At least at that moment, the chat in her live stream was filled with "hahahaha".
Fu Xia continued, "If there's enough time after I finish dealing with my friend's matter..."
She went through Xu Gui's arrangements for the day one by one, and her extremely organized manner made Kuang Ming, who was watching the live broadcast, suddenly feel a little uneasy... Why did it feel like this Miss Fu was more like Xu Gui's agent than he was?
Kuang Ming shook his head, trying to shake off this inexplicable thought from his mind.
*
Xu Gui and his group's first stop was Fu Xia's friend's house.
Her friend's family wasn't exactly well-off either. Although they couldn't compare to the residents of the [Peony Garden] area, they were still considered wealthy. They owned a small company with tens of millions in assets, and it was all in cash flow.
When Xu Gui and his group arrived, this friend gave them a very warm welcome.
This friend's surname is Lan, and her given name is Lanxin. Judging from the name, she seems to be a gentle and kind girl with a kind heart. However, that's just an impression. In reality, Lanxin's personality is not at all like that. She has a cheerful personality, and her voice is as clear and crisp as rolling beads on a plate. She also speaks very quickly.
Upon seeing Xu Gui, her eyes sparkled, and she said, "Master Xu, I've watched your live stream, you're really amazing! Are you really not God's daughter? You're so beautiful and so talented, you're practically a fairy!"
She speaks incredibly fast; she can finish a sentence almost without pausing. After she finishes, it takes everyone a few seconds to process what she just said.
However, once they arrived at the Lan family's residence, everyone sensed the difference between their family and the Qiao family's.
Yesterday, when Xu Gui and his group went to the Qiao family, the Qiao family parents were still teaching Zhou Qingping to play the piano and didn't come out at all. But this time, as soon as Xu Gui and his group arrived at the house, Lan Xin's mother warmly welcomed them, and her words were full of natural affection and love for her daughter.
Lanxin herself, however, pouted and looked very unhappy when facing her mother.
Seeing this, Lan's mother looked helpless and glanced at Xu Gui and the others with some embarrassment.
Lan Xin didn't want to stay in the living room any longer, so she said directly, "I'll take Xu Gui and the others inside to play..."
Upon hearing this, Lan's mother simply said, "Alright, alright, you go ahead. I'll prepare some snacks and juice for you and your friends."
Lanxin led Xu Gui and the others to her room. After inviting them to sit down, she told them about her family's situation.
Her family situation is quite similar to that of the Qiao family. Like Qiao Xinyue, she is also an only child. She has been studying abroad for the past two years. When she returned this year, she found that her parents had a caring "god-daughter" by their side. She heard that the goddaughter was also sponsored by a charity.
Everyone in the live stream was quite surprised after hearing this:
[No wonder this sister thinks that way; this situation is exactly the same as the Qiao family's!]
Could it be that one of this sister's parents was replaced by her twin brother or sister? Is it really that much of a coincidence?
[That's unlikely. The probability of something like what happened in the Qiao family is quite low. Having twins and one of them dying unexpectedly—it's something that happens once in a century, right?]
[Actually, I've always wanted to say that the claim that Qiao Xinyue's mother's death was an accident is only Qiao Xinyue's aunt's side of the story. Was Qiao Xinyue's mother really killed in an accident?]
【Wow, sis, that's a scary statement...】
The live stream chat was buzzing with discussion, and everyone started speculating about conspiracy theories.
Xu Guilan said, "Don't worry, your parents are still your biological parents. No one has been replaced..."
Upon hearing this, Lanxin didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed. She asked, "So, there's nothing wrong with our family's affairs, right?"
As she spoke, she said dejectedly, "But in the past, no matter what my parents did, they would never insist if I objected. But this time, even though I said I didn't want it, they still wanted to take that person as their goddaughter! Is it because they realized that I was too immature compared to that girl?"
"...It's not entirely without problems," Xu Gui replied with a negative answer.
Now, both Fu Xia and Lan Xin looked at Xu Gui in surprise.
"What's wrong?" Lan Xin asked anxiously, then worriedly added, "Could it be that something's wrong with my parents?"—Although she and her parents had had some disagreements about this matter recently, she was still very worried about their situation.
In an instant, countless unpleasant thoughts flashed through Lan Xin's mind.
Then she heard Xu Gui say, "It's not your parents who have a problem, it's that girl who has a problem."
Upon hearing this, Lanxin's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with her?"
Xu Gui did not answer her question directly, but said, "Have you ever thought that if you and your parents keep disagreeing about this matter and things get more and more unpleasant, and then you leave the country in a fit of anger, then your parents will only have that girl by their side?"
“You thought that if you left in a huff, your parents would kick that girl out, but after you left, the girl became even more considerate and gentle to your parents. She reminded them to put on more clothes when it got cold, and she stayed with them when they were sick. She took your place and made them happy. Your parents liked her more and more, trusted her more and more, and became less and less guarded around her.”
"Finally, when you calm down, you realize that they are the real family of three, while you feel like an outsider. At that point, you get even angrier, and your relationship with your parents becomes even more strained..."
"..."
Xu Gui's voice was so immersive that Lan Xin listened and followed his words, her expression constantly changing. By the end, her face was quite pale, filled with anxiety and anger.
"My parents would never treat me like that!" she said angrily. "I'm their daughter. How could they possibly like an outsider more than me?"
Xu Gui replied, "But relationships also need nurturing. Even if you are parents and children, if you maintain a strained relationship for a long time, and there is someone stirring things up, do you think your relationship can be improved?"
Lan Xin opened her mouth, her expression somewhat blank.
Fu Xia suddenly said, "If your parents really treat the other party as their own daughter in the end, given your personality, you definitely won't want to come back. Have you ever thought about who will end up with your family's property?"
Lan Xin's expression changed again, and she stammered, "No, that's impossible, isn't it? Would my parents really give their property to an outsider?"
“Nothing is impossible,” Fu Xia said. “Since you’re not with your parents, there’s a lot more room for maneuver.” Especially as Lan’s parents get older, the feasibility of this matter becomes stronger and stronger.
Hearing this, Lanxin panicked a little.
Xu Gui nodded, then looked at Lan Xin and said, "Your parents must have very good personalities, right?"
Lanxin nodded. Her parents were indeed kind and generous, and approachable. Both of them were very good people.
Xu Gui sighed and said, "Your parents have good personalities. If a girl opens her heart to them and gets hurt because of them, do you think they would treat her with the utmost kindness? Putting aside everything else, they would definitely give her some money, right?"
Lan Xin nodded firmly, and then realized that what Xu Gui and the others said could indeed really happen.
For a moment, she fell silent.
Seeing that she looked unwell, Fu Xia comforted her, "Don't worry, we're just assuming the worst. Things might not be as bad as we think."
Upon hearing this, Lan Xin revealed a smile that was more like a grimace. She said, "My parents want to take that person as their goddaughter because she saved them and sent them straight to the hospital."
She looked at Xu Gui expectantly and said, "This matches exactly what Miss Xu said."
Fu Xia: "..."
"What happened with saving your parents?" she asked, puzzled.
Lan Xin composed herself and told Xu Gui and the others about the incident, which happened more than three months ago. Her parents took the girl out shopping, but they almost got into a car accident. At that critical moment, the girl pushed her parents out of the way and was hit by the car herself.
The other person's leg was also injured in the incident, and it is said that it will leave lasting effects, and their left leg may be lame for the rest of their life.
Lan Xin became somewhat uncomfortable as she spoke, and said hesitantly, "I know she paid such a high price to save my parents, and I should accept her... But, but there are many ways to repay kindness. My parents could simply give her money!"
She pouted, sobbed, and said, "Anyway, I just don't want my parents to have any other daughters besides me! Not even goddaughters."
She thought that if she objected, her parents would give in to her as before, but this time, they didn't. Instead, they blamed her for being immature.
Lanxin said, feeling wronged, "I just don't want other children to call them Mom and Dad. They are my mom and dad! Not other people's... Does my unwillingness mean I'm being unreasonable?"
Lanxin was actually somewhat confused.
"...Maybe it's true that I'm not as considerate as that girl." She said dejectedly, "She's obedient, sensible, and considerate, while I'm willful, like to act recklessly, and talk back to them. Maybe in my parents' hearts, she's the kind of child they want the most."
Many viewers in the live stream were moved by Lanxin's condition.
[Families with two children really understand Lanxin's feelings. Before my younger brother was born, I was the only child in my family, and my parents only had eyes for me. But after my brother was born, I was no longer their only one. That feeling was really hard to bear.]
[This is the second child in our family, especially since you're unhappy and they say you're not considerate or mature enough. But before, Mom and Dad only had me as their child, so why did they have to have a second one?]
What I think is even harder for Lanxin to accept is having to listen to her parents say that she is not as good as that girl, and watching her place in her parents' hearts be erased little by little by the girl... Parents will never know how much they hurt their children.
Although my parents didn't have a second child, I just imagined that I would have to share half of my parents' love with my younger siblings, and I felt that I couldn't bear that.
Netizens, especially those who were originally only children but now have younger siblings, have a strong desire to speak out. Seeing Lanxin like this, they feel a deep sense of sympathy and sadness, as if they are grieving for someone of the same kind.
After Lanxin voiced her deepest thoughts, it was as if her psychological defenses had completely collapsed, and tears began to stream down her face as she cried, becoming more and more heartbroken.
Fu Xia looked at her: "Lanxin..."
No one noticed that halfway through Xu Gui and the others' conversation, the door to the room was opened a crack from the outside. After Lan Xin finished speaking, the crack widened, and after Lan Xin burst into tears, the door was opened completely.
Clang!
The sound of the door opening startled the people inside. Lanxin turned her head sharply and saw her mother standing at the door with tears in her eyes.
"Lanxin, my precious daughter..."
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