Chapter 108 One's Own Self
As soon as the final exams were over, Guan Xiang felt like a bird that had been caged for a long time, breathing in the fresh, free air outside.
On the way back to the classroom from the exam hall, Guan Xiang affectionately took Gu Zhaodi's hand and said, "Zhaozhao, the exam is over. Come stay at my house tonight. It's been so long since we slept together."
Gu Zhaodi glanced at the time on her watch and replied with a smile, "Okay, I'll talk to Uncle Dan in a bit."
The exam was still early, and Dan Anwen hadn't left work yet.
Back in the classroom, the girl immediately took out her phone to report to the man.
Kid: Uncle Dan, Guan Xiang invited me to sleep at her house tonight.
The man was probably busy, because he didn't reply to the message for several minutes.
The girl wasn't in a hurry; she planned to call again after school if she still hadn't received a reply.
"Zhao Zhao, Sister Guan, what are your plans for the holiday? How about we go on a trip abroad together?" Yao Xin entered the classroom with a smile, clearly pleased with the exam questions.
"Plans? Aside from tutoring, I really don't have any plans." Guan Xiang looked worried.
Given her steadily improving grades in recent months, Guan's parents were worried that her grades would drop back to what they were before, so they had already found several top tutors for her in different subjects several weeks ago, intending to help her consolidate her knowledge.
After all, there is only one year left until the college entrance examination. Although the family has a huge business and is not worried about Guan Xiang's future livelihood, almost every parent hopes that their son will become a dragon and their daughter will become a phoenix.
"What about you, Zhao Zhao?" Yao Xin turned to look at the girl.
Gu Zhaodi tidied up the documents and stationery on the table, her tone indifferent, "I'll most likely be studying and practicing the piano."
"Learning piano?" Dan Si joined the conversation, his tone languid. "This isn't my uncle's idea, is it?"
"How did you know?" Gu Zhaodi stopped what she was doing and looked up at Dan Si with a puzzled expression.
With his legs crossed casually, he said, "My uncle used to win a gold medal in a world-class piano competition, so it's not surprising that you're learning this."
Gu Zhaodi felt as if a roaring sound flashed overhead; she felt utterly out of reach of the world of the big boss.
Guan Xiang swallowed the bread in her mouth, blinked, and said, "Uncle Dan is really amazing."
"This is only a small part of my uncle's achievements. I remember there was a room on the fourth floor of Danyuan that was dedicated to storing all his awards from childhood to adulthood, and it seems that it is already overflowing."
Gu Zhaodi paused in her drinking of milk, her pupils shrinking as she stared at the milk in the cup. This was the milk that the max-level boss who lived under the same roof as her every day filled for her every morning.
In that instant, she suddenly felt that the cup of milk in her hand was very heavy.
After exchanging a few words, the girl's phone vibrated.
Uncle Dan: How many days do you plan to stay before going home?
In the past, when Dan Anwen didn't understand his feelings, he would only tell the girl to be careful and wouldn't interfere with her staying for a few days.
However, now that he sees the girl less than once a day, he feels distracted at work.
A few weeks ago, the child stayed at Guan Xiang's house for a few nights. As a result, during the meeting, he was absent-minded for the first time and hardly participated in the meeting.
Child: About three or four days.
Dan Anwen's fingertips trembled slightly as he held the phone, pondering for a moment.
Uncle Dan: Aren't you in a hurry to come back and learn piano?
Gu Zhaodi thought about it and realized that it would be good for her to learn piano earlier.
Child: Then let's do it for two days.
Uncle Dan: Okay, call me when the time comes and I'll come pick you up.
Sitting on the leather sofa, Dan Anwen smiled slightly, his expression one of triumph, a stark contrast to his composed demeanor when signing the multi-billion dollar contract, which greatly startled the company executives opposite him.
"President, do you think we should continue with this project?" the executive asked nervously, feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
Dan Anwen smiled, her phoenix eyes sparkling, and her tone was more relaxed than before, "Let's leave this project here for now, and I'll reconsider it later."
The executive immediately closed the document and said with a look of relief, "Okay, President, I'll head out now."
The executives who walked all the way to the office door couldn't understand how the president, whose face had been so dark it looked like ink could drip from it, could have changed his expression from gloomy to cheerful after glancing at his phone.
After reporting her itinerary to the man, Gu Zhaodi got into the Guan family's car with Guan Xiang.
Upon arriving at the Guan family's residence, the servants had already prepared dinner.
"Zhaozhao, eat this. Xiangxiang said you like it." Guan's mother moved the shrimp on the table in front of Gu Zhaodi.
The girl smiled shyly and said in a soft voice, "Thank you, godmother."
Guan Xiang, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, glanced at the two of them and couldn't help but sigh, "Mom, you can't even remember what I like to eat. I told you once that Zhao Zhao likes to eat shrimp, and you immediately made it. You two are definitely mother and daughter."
These words left Guan's mother both amused and exasperated. She chuckled and said, "You mischievous monkey, every move you make is just like my own daughter's."
“Yes, yes, Zhao Zhao, let me tell you, as soon as you returned to Jinshan Villa, my mom kept asking me when you would come again.” Guan Xiang pretended to look jealous.
Gu Zhaodi's almond-shaped eyes curved slightly, and a smile bloomed on her lips.
His interactions with the Guan family, especially with Guan's mother, felt somewhat like those of family.
After finishing their meal, the two girls went straight into Guan Xiang's room.
"Zhao Zhao, let's play some games. I've been holding back for days because of this final exam." Guan Xiang took out her phone and opened a mobile game.
Gu Zhaodi glanced at the various apps on the screen and felt a little dizzy. "Xiangxiang, you should play by yourself. Mobile games aren't really for me."
During the Chinese New Year, she played games with Dan Shu and Dan Si. She was either being crushed by the two of them or being suppressed by the enemy on the other end of the phone.
It's all just bitter tears to tell.
Fortunately, Uncle Dan saw it in the end and used her phone to salvage the situation for her.
Otherwise, she would definitely be ridiculed to death by Dan Si. She is a master in her studies, but when it comes to playing games, she is a complete novice and the kind of person who drags her teammates down.
Guan Xiang saw that Zhao Zhao wasn't interested and was also a little bored, but that didn't stop her from finding other fun.
"How about we watch a movie and have some snacks together?"
Gu Zhaodi thought it was a good idea and it would be a good way to relax. "Okay!"
Guan Xiang got up from the carpet and hurriedly went downstairs to get snacks and fruit, while the girl went upstairs to choose a movie.
"Xiangxiang, you just finished eating, and you're already eating snacks?" Guan's mother, who was watching TV in the living room, noticed the snacks in Guan Xiang's arms and said in a slightly serious tone.
Guan Xiang, as nimble as an eel, disappeared at the stairwell in the blink of an eye, leaving only one sentence: "It's Zhao Zhao who wants to eat."
Guan's mother looked helplessly at the empty staircase. Little did she know that this was just an excuse. Zhao Zhao was not a greedy child. She would not eat junk food right after finishing her meal.
Back in her room, Guan Xiang wore a smug smile. Normally, her mother wouldn't let her eat so much junk food. If it weren't for Zhao Zhao, this happy time would definitely have been missing.
"Zhaozhao, let's eat quickly, or my mom will come after us." Guan Xiang dumped all the snacks she was holding onto the carpet, taking up a large area of space.
Looking at the mountain of snacks, Gu Zhaodi laughed and said, "Xiangxiang, are you using me as an excuse again?"
"Hehe." Guan Xiang scratched her hair, using any excuse was always effective.
When the movie was halfway through, Guan Xiang seemed to suddenly have a meltdown and asked a question, "Zhao Zhao, if you had the chance to change your name, what would you want to be called?"
Gu Zhaodi paused in her potato chip eating. If she had the chance to change her name, what would she call herself?
It seems she hasn't considered this issue in the past few years.
When Gu Baogang was born, she was only eight years old. But children from poor families mature early, and she knew the meaning behind her name at a young age.
She did suggest changing the name, but Gu's mother dismissed her with the argument that changing the name would diminish Gu Bao's good fortune.
They even accused her of being heartless, saying she would abandon her brother's life for the sake of a name.
People in the countryside tend to be a little superstitious. Both Gu's father and mother believed that Gu Bao's birth was partly due to her name, so changing her name would be equivalent to shortening Gu Bao's life.
The girl pursed her bright red lips, as if she were whispering, "If I had the chance, I would like to be myself and no longer be anyone's appendage."
After thinking for a moment, Guan Xiang heard the girl say softly, "Let's call you Gu Ji, Ji as in 'myself'."
Guan Xiang, who was standing nearby, realized that she had touched on Zhao Zhao's sore spot and quickly said, "Let's not think about this anymore, let's watch the movie."
"Okay." The little incident earlier didn't leave a mark on the girl's mind, and she turned her attention back to the screen.
Guan Xiang, however, secretly glanced at the girl a few times.
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