A short while later, Gu Qiulin's in-laws happened to pass by the Sheng family's house.
Granny Xu patted her chest, still shaken. "It was terrifying! Luckily, I didn't go to the Third Courtyard to play cards today. The weather was perfectly fine, but then a clap of thunder struck and snapped the century-old banyan tree in the Third Courtyard in half."
"I heard it just collapsed. So many people were playing cards and chatting under that tree. Who would have thought that a natural disaster would happen? I also went to play cards at the Third Compound a few days ago. I happened to have something to do today and didn't go. Otherwise, I would have been either killed or maimed if I had been hit."
Xu's daughter-in-law asked suspiciously, "Mom, are you very familiar with the people in the Third Compound? Do we have relatives there?"
Granny Xu waved her hand, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and then said without any pretense, "I'm not familiar with them. It's just that we live in the First Compound now, and a lot of people fawn over me. I can't find any sense of superiority in the First Compound, so I have to go to the Third Compound to show off my presence. I like being flattered; it makes me feel high and mighty. The people in the Third Compound are quite accommodating. Every time I go, they give me a bunch of gifts. I have to go out and make a lot of money. Some people even bribe me. Otherwise, our family would have been robbed clean by Shi Zhenxiang's bloodsucking family, and Gu Qiulin is being watched by special departments. Where would we get any money?"
"Relying on Gu Qiulin is not as good as me taking matters into my own hands. There are rumors that Gu Qiulin is not the biological daughter of the Gu family. They are saying it in great detail. I am very worried. I am afraid that when Old Master Gu comes back, he will kick us out."
The thought of being kicked out of the Gu family made Xu's wife's scalp tingle. "No way! I haven't even lived in the Gu family long enough. Is it because the Gu siblings want revenge that they deliberately spread rumors? Gu Qiulin is Gu Lao's most beloved daughter. Thirty-odd years of blood ties are something the second branch of the Gu family can't compare to. If it weren't for Gu Lao's demotion and Gu Qiulin's support, could the second branch of the Gu family be on equal footing with Gu Qiulin? The second branch of the Gu family should be the ones kicked out the most. I think it's true that Gu Huaien is an adopted son!"
"The most despicable family is Shi Zhenxiang's family. They are clearly the most suspicious of theft, but they refuse to admit it and even say that we orchestrated this to frame her family. What's laughable is that they plan to pin the blame on Gu Wanwan, falsely accusing her of theft. It's ridiculous. Do they think our Xu family is stupid? Even if Gu Wanwan returns to Beijing, she can't even get through the Gu family's gate. It's absurd that she could steal right under our noses. We can only say that everyone living in the Gu family is a suspect, but Gu Wanwan is absolutely not a suspect because she couldn't have done it."
Granny Xu grumbled and said, "That's right, they lie without thinking. There are eyewitnesses who saw that it was Shi Zhenxiang's family who did it, but they just won't admit it. Even Gu Qiulin won't let us pursue it. We can't do anything about them. They're all from the Xu family, but they still side with outsiders. I bet Gu Qiulin is having an affair with Gu Huaien. Could Gu Yarou be their illegitimate daughter? Otherwise, Gu Qiulin treats Gu Yarou better than my own granddaughter, Xu Luoxue."
“If it weren’t for the fact that we’re still relying on the Gu family for support, I would definitely make my son divorce that fickle Gu Qiulin.”
"In short, don't go to the Third Courtyard during this period. It's very unlucky. I heard that the tree fell directly onto the card table. Fortunately, only two old ladies were injured. One of them was Old Lady He from the He family. She considers herself the most noble in the Third Courtyard and has always wanted to befriend the noble ladies of the First Courtyard. It is said that Old Lady Cheng often goes to the Third Courtyard to play cards, and Old Lady He often comes to join in the fun. Old Lady Cheng was supposed to go today, but she changed her mind at the last minute, leaving one person short to play cards. Old Lady He stepped in first, and that's how she got into trouble."
Xu's daughter-in-law nodded, agreeing with her mother-in-law's point of view. "It's really unlucky. She took the fall for Old Madam Cheng. It seems she was hit on the leg. At her age, she has to suffer the pain of a broken leg. It's fortunate that she wasn't hit on the head."
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