Gu Fanyan waited a while longer before leaving the children's room and going to the bar outside the restaurant downstairs.
She was a little tired and needed a cocktail to relax.
"Can drinking solve the problem?" came Gu's mother's voice.
She took a sip of the wine and smiled, "No, but it can help me forget my troubles for a while."
Gu's mother came to her side and said, "Pour me a glass too."
Gu's mother has been in good health these past few years, and she can easily have a small drink.
"Where do your worries come from?" Gu's mother asked. "Is the work pressure too much?"
“Yes,” Gu Fanyan simply went along with her mother’s words, “Now I’m in charge of the entire branch company, and there are countless things to do, it’s very complicated.”
"Have your dad send two capable assistants," Gu's mother said, feeling sorry for her daughter. "Just pretend, I don't want you to actually develop into a career woman."
Gu Fanyan smiled and said, "Mom, are you belittling me?"
Mother Gu shook her head: "I'm not looking down on you. Everyone has their own way of living. You don't have to live like Yun Suiwan."
Gu Fanyan felt a sense of defeat. Wanwan had a fulfilling love life and a successful career, and she was truly inferior to her.
More worries have arisen.
No amount of alcohol can extinguish it.
Gu's mother saw right through her: "You're not really troubled by your work; the root of your troubles is Lin Zhibai."
Gu Fanyan lowered her head and drank the wine guiltily.
Gu's mother sighed softly, "Lin Zhibai has indeed not had a good time during the years you've been abroad."
"I saw him at a party last year. He was all alone, which was quite poignant to see."
Gu Fanyan was speechless, recalling something similar that Lin Zhibai's assistant had said to her.
"Why does everyone tell me how miserable his life is? Is his misery my fault? He keeps saying he loves me, but what has he done for me? Is it my fault that I'm not as moved as him?"
Gu's mother glanced at her and chuckled, "Look at you, so resentful. Isn't it because you're still unwilling to accept it?"
"I..." Gu Fanyan was speechless for a moment.
"Yan'er, first figure out what you want, and follow your heart." Gu's mother's eyes were gentle. "Your father and I don't care about reputation, as long as you are happy."
Gu's mother refilled her glass, saying, "I hope that next time you drink, it won't be because you're troubled, but because you're happy."
“Mom…” Gu Fanyan felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
From childhood to adulthood, no matter what she did, her parents always supported her unconditionally.
Perhaps, just to avoid worrying her parents, she also needs to sort out her own life and live it well.
...
late at night.
The secluded alleyway appears even longer and more mysterious.
A woman walked quickly through the alley; she was wearing soft-soled shoes and made no sound as she walked.
At the end of the alley, there was a low-lying house.
She stopped and coughed lightly twice towards the window.
A soft "thump" sound came from inside the house.
The woman nodded and whispered to the window, "Gu Fanyan and Lin Zhibai are still entangled. Although they have some conflicts, they haven't stopped seeing each other. Moreover, Lin Zhibai has always wanted to marry Gu Fanyan."
"What conflict do they have?" a man's voice came from inside the house.
“That child, Liang Mufan,” the woman replied, “Lin Zhibai has a hard time accepting the child, but Gu Fanyan is raising the child as her own. They even had a big argument about it tonight.”
Inside the room, the man chuckled coldly.
"Child...this is a great opportunity! You know what to do, right?"
The woman nodded: "I understand."
But the woman hesitated: "I don't know how much longer I can do this. I'm not sure if Gu Fanyan is starting to doubt me."
After a moment of silence, the man's voice rang out again: "What you did before was all insignificant. You must do something that will completely sever ties between Lin Zhibai and Gu Fanyan."
"After it's done, I'll arrange for you to be sent abroad and never come back."
"Haven't you always wanted to go to that country? Remember, it's always waiting for you there."
The hesitation on the woman's face faded, replaced by a determined look in her eyes. "I will get things done."
After saying that, she turned and left.
The room quickly fell silent.
The next morning, while Gu Fanyan was still washing up, she heard lively voices coming from downstairs.
After she finished washing up, she came downstairs and saw Chen Qiao greet her with a smile: "Good morning, President Gu."
"You've come so early, is there something you need?" Gu Fanyan asked.
“Young Master Lin invited me here,” Chen Qiao said, pointing to the sofa. “These are all gifts from Young Master Lin to Little Meatball.”
Next to the sofa, a pile of unopened toys were neatly stacked.
Judging from the packaging, these are all the most fashionable toys right now.
Gu Fanyan remained silent; she hadn't fully processed what was happening.
At this moment, Gu's mother carried Liang Mufan downstairs.
"Little dumpling," Chen Qiao quickly stepped forward and picked up the child, "Come and see what these are?"
Liang Mufan was very affectionate towards her, obediently letting her hold him, and his eyes lit up when he saw the toys.
"Dinosaur!"
"Ultraman!"
They were all things he liked.
He immediately sat down on the ground and started unpacking the toys, a smile spreading across his face.
Gu Fanyan smiled. Children will be children; after a good night's sleep, they'll forget all their troubles.
"Aunt Qiao, did you buy the toy for me?" Liang Mufan asked.
Upon hearing this, Gu Fanyan's heart skipped a beat.
"Chen Qiao..." She wanted to call out to Chen Qiao, but Chen Qiao didn't notice anything amiss and said, "It was Lin Zhibai who asked Aunt Qiao to bring it to you. Do you remember Lin Zhibai? The one who bought you toys at the auction?"
Gu Fanyan was secretly alarmed and immediately looked at Liang Mufan, unsure of his reaction.
"Smack!" The smile on Liang Mufan's face vanished instantly. He threw the toy in his hand to the ground and shouted, "Who wants his toy? I don't want his toy!"
This reaction was unexpected by both Chen Qiao and Gu's mother.
Although Gu Fanyan was worried, she did not expect Liang Mufan to react so strongly.
"You're all bad people, I'm not playing with you!" Liang Mufan shouted, scrambling to his feet and running upstairs.
Perhaps because he was too excited, he slipped and hit his face hard after running up only two steps.
"Wow!" The child burst into tears instantly, his nose bleeding all over his face and mouth.
"My dear child!" Gu's mother exclaimed with heartache, rushing forward to pick up the child.
Gu Fanyan quickly arrived, only to be scolded by her mother: "Go get a towel, get a towel, what are you rushing around for!"
The nannies immediately brought towels.
After a flurry of activity, they finally managed to stop the nosebleed.
Chen Qiao looked bewildered: "Little dumpling, what's wrong with you? Don't you like Lin Zhibai a lot and even call him Dad Lin?"
Upon hearing this, Liang Mufan, who had been sobbing, burst into tears.
Mother Gu was heartbroken and impatient. "Chen Qiao, shut up. Take all the toys with you. Our Gu family doesn't need these things."
After saying that, she carried Liang Mufan upstairs.
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