Chapter 17
Gu Xi went back to her room and changed her clothes.
When she turned to look at the mirror on the table, she saw her own pale and melancholy face reflected in it. In a daze, she felt as if she was still trapped in fate, and that all of this was just an illusion born from infinite loneliness.
In fact, she had died long ago, isolated from the world, and was only fantasizing about coming back to life.
Gu Xi lowered her head, straightened her clothes, opened the door and went out.
She stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the group of teenagers and hearing their excited chatter.
"...Then, we'll push her into the water and make her look foolish!"
"Isn't this a bad idea?"
"What's wrong with her? She can swim, and the weather is hot now, so she won't get sick."
"We're just trying to make Hui Zi happy!"
"Hey, what are you hesitating for? If you're brothers, then do it together. Otherwise, just leave and don't tell anyone else you're our brothers!"
"..."
Sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenagers are ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, impulsive and reckless, talking about so-called brotherhood, like-minded people, and thinking they are doing righteous but cruel things.
Gu Xi looked at them expressionlessly and slowly walked downstairs.
The teenagers downstairs who were discussing how to prank Gu Xi immediately fell silent. They glanced at Gu Xi's face, saw that she was expressionless, and assumed she hadn't heard them. They quickly ignored them, exchanging winks and then leaving arm in arm.
As they were leaving, they ran into Gu Yuanxiang and Chen Yunsheng, who were walking hand in hand.
Seeing these people, Gu Yuanxiang was somewhat surprised. She glanced at Gu Yuanhui's still-recovering face and asked, "Where are you going?"
She was puzzled. Gu Yuanhui, like Gu Maowen and his wife, was also extremely proud. He probably wouldn't go out with anyone until his face recovered. These past few days, many people had come looking for Gu Yuanhui, but he hadn't seen them at all, hiding in his room and telling her to tell everyone he was visiting his uncle.
Seeing the confusion on her face, Gu Yuanhui felt a pang of grievance.
If Gu Xi hadn't opened the door and let these people in, would he have faced them directly? Would he have gone out with them? He was furious that his friends of the same age had seen him with such a bruised and swollen face. He felt utterly humiliated in front of them and would never be able to hold his head up again.
He was very angry. Although he was afraid that Gu Xi would hit him, he couldn't help but feel excited about the possibility of teasing her this time. He suppressed his shame and went out.
He's already sacrificed so much, so Junzi and the others should step up and teach her a lesson.
Presumably, she still had some reservations when she was out in public and didn't dare to make things too outrageous.
"Let's go boating," Gu Yuanhui said casually. "The weather is so hot, it's perfect for boating. Okay, let's go."
As he spoke, he urged them on, and the group of teenagers left in a lively and cheerful manner.
Gu Xi walked at the back, wearing a straw hat to shield her from the sun. As she passed by, she looked at Gu Yuanxiang and the other person and suddenly asked, "Do you want to go boating together?"
Gu Yuanxiang hesitated for a moment, glancing at Junzi, Li Weiyi, and the others who were arm in arm with Gu Yuanhui. She had a feeling that they were going to deliberately make fun of Gu Xi again, as there had been such instances in the past.
Junzi and Li Weiyi considered themselves good buddies with Gu Yuanhui, and they often helped Gu Yuanhui bully Gu Xi.
Although Gu Xi is a lesbian, it is shameful for a man to bully a lesbian. But for these young men who value brotherhood, they are capable of anything. They are inherently wicked and despicable.
Gu Yuanxiang understood that it was best not to be with them at this time, lest she get involved.
If she saw Gu Xi being bullied by them, it would be really inappropriate for her not to help her; it would be bad for her image. But if she helped Gu Xi, she would offend these "loyal" young men, and Gu Yuanhui might even get angry.
The best course of action is to pretend you don't know.
Just as he was about to refuse, he heard Chen Yunsheng say cheerfully, "Okay, I'll go too!"
Chen Yunsheng really wanted to go, not for any other reason than that Gu Xi was there, making it a rare opportunity.
Since deciding to befriend Gu Xi, she had visited the Gu family several times, but she had never been able to see Gu Xi. Gu Xi was either out or staying in her room and never showed up.
Gu Yuanxiang said she was resting, and she didn't want to disturb her, so she gave up.
It's rare to see someone like this, so why would I pass up such a good opportunity?
Gu Yuanxiang's heart tightened, and she immediately changed her mind: "Then let's go together, it'll be more fun with more people."
"Sure!"
The other teenagers cheerfully said that it would be more fun to go boating with girls, since it would be a good mix of men and women.
**
The weather is hot, and people hardly like to go outside during the day.
For these energetic young people on vacation, even the hottest weather won't stop them from going out. On hot days like this, swimming pools in the city or other places where they can play in the water are especially popular with them.
A large group of people headed to a nearby park.
The park was quiet in the afternoon, with few people around. The only sound was the loud chirping of cicadas, which only enhanced the park's tranquility.
There is a sizable lake in the park, surrounded by tall trees that cast long shadows. A gentle breeze blows, and the lake shimmers in the sunlight, making people squint.
A row of small boats for rent were moored by the lake, and an old man was tending the boats and selling tickets at the pavilion next to it.
When the weather is nice, people often come to the park to go boating on the lake. Some young men and women come here for blind dates or to date. Occasionally, naughty children living nearby will sneak over to play in the water, take off their clothes, and plunge into the water with a splash.
The small boats here can only seat six people, but since there were many of them, they rented three boats.
After renting the boat, the group of people boarded it separately.
Gu Yuanhui saw Junzi and Li Weiyi winking at him, pulling a few people and intentionally or unintentionally squeezing towards Gu Xi, bringing her onto the boat.
Seeing this, his heart pounded, and he grabbed Gu Yuanxiang, preventing her from getting on the boat.
Chen Yunsheng didn't notice the boy's suspicious expression and was about to follow him when Gu Yuanxiang stopped her.
"Hey?" she urged, "Yuanxiang, hurry up and go over there, the three of us women should sit together." That way it would be easier to talk to Gu Xi.
Earlier on the way, she tried to strike up a conversation with Gu Xi several times but didn't get a chance.
Although Gu Yuanxiang didn't know what these people were up to, based on past experience, they were definitely up to no good. Since they wanted to play a trick on Gu Xi, she certainly wouldn't kindly remind them.
He immediately said, "That boat is full, let's take another one, since they're all the same."
Chen Yunsheng watched helplessly as the group of teenagers occupied the boat, surrounding Gu Xi in the middle, and had no choice but to give up.
She and Gu Yuanxiang boarded another boat, and she said, "Why don't we wait a bit and then meet up with them, and then change boats? It's better for women to sit together."
Gu Yuanxiang smiled and gave a perfunctory reply.
The boat sailed away from the shore and headed towards the center of the lake.
Gu Xi sat on the small boat, watching the teenagers on board chatting enthusiastically, occasionally exchanging words with people on the two boats next to them, shouting at each other, adding a touch of liveliness to the hot afternoon park.
The boatman was Junzi. He was strong and powerful, and he could row the boat very fast.
He said to the people on the other two boats, "Hui Zi, Zhang Ping, let's have a race to see who's faster. The loser will jump into the water for ten minutes and then treat everyone to popsicles."
“Sure!” Gu Yuanhui readily agreed, then called out to the people on the other boat, “Zhang Ping, let’s go together.”
Zhang Ping, holding the bamboo pole for punting the boat, flashed a set of white teeth and said, "Alright, the loser remembers to treat everyone to popsicles!"
Everyone else cheered.
This group of teenagers often come here to row boats and play in the water. They can all swim, and they know each other very well for this kind of competition. They reach the arched bridge on the other side as the finish line.
Once the three boats were in the same position, they immediately rowed swiftly towards the arched bridge.
The boys on the boat cheered and encouraged them, their laughter echoing throughout the boat.
Even Gu Yuanxiang and Chen Yunsheng watched the group of teenagers compete with smiles on their faces and great interest.
Gu Xi pressed down on the straw hat on her head with her hand, letting the wind from the lake blow across her face, looking at the group of carefree young people with a calm expression.
Suddenly, the small boat rocked.
Sitting next to Gu Xi, Li Weiyi shouted, "Junzi, are you sure you can handle this? Don't let things go wrong!"
"No, I'm pretty good!" Junzi said loudly, exchanging a glance with Li Weiyi, both with mischievous smiles on their faces.
At this moment, the boat started to rock again, and Gu Xi felt a force pushing her from behind. She immediately grabbed the edge of the boat and used her hands to push the person who was pushing her off the boat.
"Weiyi!"
The boys on the boat cried out in alarm.
Li Weiyi, who had fallen into the water, quickly surfaced, wiped the water off his face, and angrily pointed at Gu Xi, saying, "How could you push me?"
Gu Xi reached out and lifted the brim of her hat, revealing a pale face, expressionless: "If you hadn't pushed me on purpose, why would I have pushed you?"
Li Weiyi was immediately startled, thinking that she already knew about their plan, and hurriedly said, "I, I was just joking with you!"
"I was just joking with you," Gu Xi said coldly.
She looked at the group of teenagers on the boat, not regarding them as innocent children. In this particular era, sixteen or seventeen-year-olds were no longer considered children; many were already working and shouldering the responsibility of supporting their families.
The boys who were swept by her gaze suddenly felt a tightness in their hearts, and even Junzi, who was rowing the boat, stopped.
Could she really know about their plan?
Should we push her into the water?
Gu Xi suddenly stood up, snatched the bamboo pole from Junzi's hand, and kicked him into the water.
She said to them, "Just now at home, I think I heard you guys planning to push me into the water. I didn't expect it to be true!" She sighed, "Usually when you and Gu Yuanhui play pranks on me, saying it's just a joke, I don't say anything. Now I'm playing a joke on you too. You shouldn't mind, right?"
As she spoke, she swung the bamboo pole she had snatched, sweeping the boys on the boat into the water one by one. Then she stood there, hands on her hips, watching them thrash about in the water.
The people on the two boats ahead realized something was wrong and stopped.
When Gu Yuanhui turned his head and saw this scene, he was shocked, but also felt a sense of relief. He even felt that Gu Xi was no longer trying to hide anything and dared to hit people in public.
Isn't she afraid of being laughed at? If word gets out, she might lose her reputation.
Gu Yuanhui quickly rowed the boat back.
The people on the boat weren't frightened by this scene; they thought they were just playing around and asked all at once, "Are you performing a diving act?"
"Why did they all suddenly jump into the water? Are they canceling the competition?"
"What are you guys playing? Want to join in?"
"..."
The boys soaking in the water were furious when they heard what they said.
They weren't playing around; they were pushed off the boat.
Junzi swam over, reached out and grabbed the boat, and said angrily, "She pushed us off the boat! I don't know what's wrong with her!"
Gu Xi smacked his hand with the stick, making him release his grip, and said calmly, "If you hadn't pushed me, would I have pushed you?"
The boy who fell into the water felt wronged, "But you didn't fall into the water, it's us who fell in, we're still soaking in the water!"
Gu Xi: "This proves you're useless, a bunch of idiots!"
The boys: "..."
Everyone was stunned; they never expected someone so beautiful to have such a sharp tongue.
This is the first time someone has called them stupid to their face.
"How could you talk like that?"
"Alright then." Gu Xi adopted an easygoing demeanor, her face full of innocence. "I was just joking with you guys. Can't you even take a joke like this? Really? Really? You're so petty? You should have said so earlier. If I had known you couldn't take a joke like this, I wouldn't have come out!"
"You guys were at home, plotting to push me into the water! I thought you enjoyed playing this kind of game, so I joined in..."
Before the boy in the water could say anything, she launched into a torrent of words that left him speechless.
To say they can't take a joke would make them a laughingstock among their friends. Young people value their self-esteem and face more than their lives, and they would never admit that they can't take a joke.
After all, when people go too far in their playful banter, they usually just say "it was just a joke" and let it go. It's an unspoken understanding, and even if they're angry, they have to try their best to hold back for the sake of face.
Sure enough, the people on the other two boats burst into laughter.
"Haha, you guys can't take a joke, can you?"
"That's right, Hui Zi's sister was just joking with you guys, don't take it so seriously. If you're a man, don't argue with a woman!"
"It's so hot outside, wouldn't it be more comfortable to soak in the water? She kindly helped you get in the water, you should thank her!"
"..."
Everyone chatted and laughed, not taking it seriously.
Anyway, they were just pushed into the water, no one will die, so there's no need to worry about it.
Earlier at the Gu family's house, they overheard Junzi and Li Weiyi discussing how to push Gu Xi into the water while rowing, to embarrass her. They planned to row away and leave her in the water while they swam back.
Unexpectedly, Gu Xi overheard this, kept quiet, and then took the initiative to push them into the water. She was quite clever, decisive, and courageous.
This made them all look at her differently, feeling that she was not the kind of ignorant country bumpkin, disgusting rural wife, or ignorant country person that Gu Yuanhui described, but clearly had her own opinions.
Gu Xi stood on the boat, unsurprised by the reactions of these people.
How familiar this scene is!
She had experienced this in her past life, where she was the one soaking in the water. A group of people sat on a boat laughing, but no one asked her to get on board, saying it was just a joke. Among them, Gu Yuanhui and Li Weiyi were the most arrogant.
On the same day, this group of people came to Gu Yuanhui's house and asked him to go boating with them. She happened to be home, and Gu Yuanhui insisted on dragging her along, making her go boating with them while they secretly plotted how to play a trick on her.
She didn't really want to go; she wasn't familiar with these people and had no interest in playing with a bunch of unruly boys.
But Gu Yuanhui said that if she didn't go, he would tell his parents when they came home that night that she was bullying him and wouldn't even go out with him.
At that time, she was naive and cared a lot about her relatives. She hoped to gain their approval, but she was also afraid that they would really get angry. She didn't want to have a conflict with Gu Yuanhui and upset her parents, so she had no choice but to go with them.
While rowing, they deliberately pushed her into the water, leaving her to soak while they swam back.
Gu Xi could swim; she had learned in the countryside, but she was only a novice and didn't swim very well. When she was in the water, she would paddle like a dog, and her posture was ugly. She was laughed at by the group of boys on the boat, which made her extremely embarrassed.
She disliked this kind of "joke," especially being teased by a group of teenagers.
Although these are all "younger brothers," they are still boys of similar age. It would be difficult for any girl to feel comfortable with them being so embarrassed in front of the opposite sex.
It's also her fault for being so foolish before, not daring to resist, afraid that if she went too far, she would anger Gu Maowen and his wife and embarrass them. Most of the time, she silently endured their teasing.
Now, of course, we should do whatever makes us happy.
Gu Xi used a bamboo pole to beat the boys who had fallen into the water, hitting them mercilessly until they cried out in pain, and then said, "You can swim back yourselves."
"ah?"
Not only were the people in the water dumbfounded, but the people on the other two boats were also dumbfounded, not knowing what she meant.
It's not that she can't swim, but her tone doesn't sound like she's joking; it sounds more like she's doing it on purpose.
As Gu Xi rowed away, passing Gu Yuanhui's boat, she suddenly raised her bamboo pole and poked him.
Gu Yuanhui never expected her to do such a thing. He leaned back and fell into the water with a splash.
"Yuanhui!" Gu Yuanxiang exclaimed, glaring angrily at Gu Xi.
When Gu Yuanhui emerged from the water, a bamboo pole was placed on his shoulder, rendering him unable to move.
While holding him down, Gu Xi said to the dumbfounded people, "You all row the boat away and let them swim back."
Everyone: "..."
Everyone stared at Gu Xi in a daze, as if they were seeing her for the first time.
They were good friends and brothers with Gu Yuanhui, and had seen how Gu Yuanhui teased her many times. They knew her to some extent, that she was a quiet and reserved girl, as gentle as if she had no temper.
However, what happened today completely overturned my previous impressions.
What do you mean she has no temper? She has quite a temper.
They now believe that she deliberately played a trick on Gu Yuanhui and his group, and that the people who fell into the water were all people who usually helped Gu Yuanhui to play tricks on her.
Although boys shouldn't argue with girls, there was no other way; Gu Yuanhui was their good buddy, and for his sake, they had to help bully her.
Thinking this through, the boys on the boat felt relieved and didn't take it seriously at all.
Someone laughed and said, "Huizi, Junzi, Weiyi... did you hear that? Sister Gu Xi said so. You should swim back quickly and don't get on the boat."
"Yeah, who told you to always tease Sister Gu Xi? Now you've gotten your comeuppance, haven't you?"
"Those who play tricks on others will always be played tricks on in return; it's perfectly normal!"
"But you guys are really useless, you actually got pushed into the water by a girl."
"Yeah, Junzi, you look pretty strong, but you still couldn't defend against it. Are you just all bark and no bite?"
"Haha, Junzi really is all show and no substance!"
"..."
Gu Yuanhui and the others, who were soaking in the water, were already very angry from being hit by the bamboo poles. When they heard their indifferent words, they were so angry that their faces turned red and they almost exploded.
They couldn't stand the mockery, and in a fit of anger, they lashed out at Gu Xi, swimming over to capsize her boat and throw her into the water as well.
Gu Xi was waiting for them, and with a swish, ...
The people on the other two boats laughed heartily, treating it like a monkey show.
The men who had been hit in the water couldn't laugh. They realized that Gu Xi was really hitting them, and it hurt terribly. They didn't dare to get close to her anymore and quickly swam away to a place where she couldn't hit them.
Junzi angrily said, "You damned old hag, you actually hit me! Be careful, or I'll beat you to death!"
The others echoed him, their faces full of hostility.
Gu Xi scoffed and immediately rowed the boat over, and then another round of fighting broke out.
Junzi screamed repeatedly and quickly swam away.
Seeing this, the others dared not shout or curse anymore, and all shut their mouths and shrank into the water.
Everyone on the boat was smiling, except for Gu Yuanxiang, whose face looked extremely ugly.
Gu Xi's erratic behavior at home is one thing, but going crazy outside is another. Isn't she afraid she might seriously injure someone and have their parents come to complain? What good would it do her if word got out that she was beating people up? Would she even care about her reputation? Doesn't she fear the Shen family's repercussions?
Gu Yuanxiang bit her lip and raised her voice: "Xixi, don't go too far, Mom and Dad will be angry if they find out."
Gu Xi glanced at her, "It was just a joke with them, do you think Mom and Dad would get angry over something like that?"
"Even if you're joking, you can't actually hit them!" Gu Yuanxiang said angrily. "You should let them on the boat. We're all out having fun, so don't spoil the mood."
Gu Xi looked at her quietly, then rowed the boat over, and the boat crashed hard into their boat.
The people on the boat were so frightened that they quickly grabbed the edge of the boat and looked at her in surprise.
Gu Yuanxiang's expression changed. She hadn't expected her to be so crazy. Her heart almost stopped. She wished she could quickly grab the bamboo pole and row the boat away from Gu Xi to prevent her from going crazy on her.
She said those things on purpose, taking advantage of the distance between them, to make people think that Gu Xi had gone too far.
She was genuinely afraid that Gu Xi would hit her in public and push her into the water—Gu Xi was definitely capable of doing such a thing.
Ignoring the surprised or inquisitive looks from others, Gu Xi looked directly at Gu Yuanxiang on the boat and said, "You don't need to say that on purpose. I know you don't like me because I am the real daughter of the Gu family, and you have become the fake daughter in the family, making you a laughing stock. This is your unresolved issue. So you want your parents and Gu Yuanhui to like you more, and you suppress and belittle me at every turn. I can understand that."
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.
Chen Yunsheng, who was sitting next to Gu Yuanxiang, stared wide-eyed and turned to look at Gu Yuanxiang, just in time to see the sudden look of terror in her eyes.
Is she scared? Or was Gu Xi right?
Gu Yuanxiang was indeed terrified. She was terrified of Gu Xi's sharp tongue; it was so hurtful that her parents were always getting angry at her.
She hadn't expected Gu Xi to see things so clearly, to understand her mindset so perfectly.
She didn't need to look to know how the people around her would react, or what kind of looks they would give her, which made her so ashamed she wanted to cry.
"I...I didn't." Gu Yuanxiang burst into tears, her voice trembling with sobs. "Xixi, how could you think of me like that? I've always considered you my own sister..."
She began to regret it. She shouldn't have come along, and she shouldn't have said those things earlier. She should have said them at home. Who would have thought that Gu Xi would be so disrespectful to them in public, not understanding the principle of not airing family dirty laundry in public? It was truly too much!
Gu Xi remained calm, her tone even and without any aggressive intent. She spoke only the truth: "You know perfectly well whether you've done it or not! You should be happy to see Gu Yuanhui bullying me for your sake, right? You should be happy to see Mom and Dad neglecting me for your sake, making me work like a slave for the family, serving your whole family? You should be happy to see Gu Yuanzheng buying you a watch from Shanghai as a birthday present, while I got nothing?"
"..."
Gu Yuanxiang almost screamed, "I really didn't..."
The people around them fell silent, staring wide-eyed at the sisters with excitement in their eyes.
These days, entertainment is scarce, and even the smallest things can become topics of conversation, not to mention gossip about acquaintances.
Everyone in the family compound knew about the Gu family switching babies, but apart from the initial laughter when Gu Xigu returned home, things were peaceful afterward, with nothing interesting to watch. Everyone assumed the family was getting along well, but no one expected something like this to happen.
So this is what Gu Yuanxiang, who is generous, cheerful, polite, kind and reasonable, thinks in private?
So it turns out that Gu Xi really did work like a nanny in the Gu family, taking care of the whole family?
It turns out that Gu Yuanhui bullied Gu Xi all for Gu Yuanxiang's sake. The two brothers in the Gu family don't treat Gu Xi like their own sister. They bullied her for their fake sister and didn't even give her a birthday present. They are so biased...
Looking at the swaying Gu Yuanxiang, Gu Xi didn't press the matter further and said indifferently, "If you say no, then no."
With that, she rowed away.
The group of people left behind watched Gu Xi leave, and not one of them called out to her.
The main reason was that what she had just said was so shocking that they were all a little slow to react.
This is a live broadcast! It's much more interesting than listening to the elders at home gossip. They actually saw it live! I must tell my family about this when I get back; they'll definitely be surprised too.
Gu Yuanxiang didn't notice the way these people were exchanging glances, and simply collapsed there.
Oh no, oh no! She could already imagine how the people in the family compound would laugh at her family, how furious her parents would be when they found out, and how they might even take their anger out on her.
What upset her even more was that when she turned to look at Chen Yunsheng, she noticed that Chen Yunsheng had subconsciously turned to the side, clearly having believed Gu Xi's words and harboring resentment towards her...
Gu Yuanxiang's heart sank instantly.
She has always been a smart person and knows that words can be used against her. She never speaks ill of Gu Xi in public and even defends Gu Xi, only praising her. This gives people a generous, well-mannered and polite impression.
Everyone praised her for being well-bred by the Gu family, being very polite, and being a college student. She also had many admirers and was considered a suitable daughter-in-law by many of the older women in the family compound.
If the Chen family believes Gu Xi's words, how will they view her?
What does Chen Ruian think of her?
Thinking of the possible consequences, at this moment, Gu Yuanxiang felt that the July sun was dazzlingly bright, the weather was as cold as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and her eyes were sore.
**
Gu Xi rowed the boat back and returned it to the old man guarding the boat on the shore.
She didn't leave the park, but found a shady spot nearby, sat quietly, and gazed at the lake under the bright sun.
She was thinking about her past life.
In her past life, she swam back to shore in a disheveled state, her whole body covered in sweat, her clothes clinging to her body. She was so ashamed she wanted to cry, but afraid of being seen, she hid under a tree and waited for her clothes to dry.
Those people had already left, and not a single one came to call her.
“Gu... Gu Xi…”
Gu Xi turned her head slowly and saw the person standing not far away calling her. Her pupils were somewhat unfocused.
It wasn't until the other person got closer and saw that young and beautiful face that he was slow to remember who it was and some things came to mind.
"Gu Xi." Chen Yunsheng took a step closer, a little nervous. She first scratched her face, then her neck, a sign of her nervousness.
Gu Xi calmly hummed in agreement, her eyes focusing as she suddenly looked at her seriously.
"W-What's wrong?" Chen Yunsheng was very nervous, not knowing what she was looking at, her eyes looked a little strange.
That look in his eyes... how to put it? It wasn't like looking at someone he knew; it was like looking at something strange, a distant story, across a vast expanse of time and distance...
Gu Xi quickly looked away and said she was fine, but in her heart she was thinking, "So Chen Yunsheng is the female lead in the novel."
Many years after their deaths, they learned by chance that the world they lived in was actually a book.
Or rather, their fates were already sealed long ago, as they were written into stories by later generations.
The female protagonist in the book is Chen Yunsheng. Next year, her family suffers a tragedy, and she is sent to the countryside to take refuge. There, she meets the male protagonist, who has a bad family background. The two go through all kinds of hardships and get together. When the college entrance examination is reinstated, she and the male protagonist return to Beijing, take the college entrance examination, do business, and become wealthy people who rise with the tide in this turbulent era, striving for the country's prosperity.
The female lead, Chen Yunsheng, is obsessed with good looks; anyone who is good-looking will leave a deep impression on her.
What impressed Chen Yunsheng the most was Gu Xi, the real daughter who was switched at birth in the family compound. Unfortunately, Gu Xi was a cannon fodder beauty who died before the story even began, dying in the prime of her life, becoming a regret in the hearts of some people.
The one who felt the most regret was Shen Mingzheng, a promising military officer.
Many years later, when he was in a high position, he encountered the male protagonist who was being deliberately framed in the business world. He helped him out and was recognized by Chen Yunsheng, who realized that he was Gu Xi's fiancé. She learned that he had been single all these years and had never married for Gu Xi's sake.
He felt guilty for not being able to save Gu Xi in time back then, and this became his regret, trapping him for the rest of his life.
When Chen Yunsheng later told the male lead about this, she felt deeply saddened.
“If only Gu Xi hadn’t gone boating with those people and hadn’t died saving someone,” she said. “Shen Mingzheng was nearby. If she had just waited a little longer, he could have saved her. She was so close…”
This is the predetermined fate.
She was destined to die today. While she was drying her clothes on the shore, she encountered a drowning child and died saving him.
**
Chen Yunsheng walked over shyly, scratched her face, and mustered up her courage to say, "Gu Xi, they've all gone back. Do you...do you want to go back?"
After what had just happened, everyone lost interest in boating, returned the boat, and left.
Chen Yunsheng originally wanted to leave as well, but when she passed by and saw Gu Xi sitting there, no one else dared to come over. Instead, they avoided her, clearly affected by what had just happened.
She came on a whim and now doesn't know what to say.
Gu Xi said, "It's hot outside, but it's cool here. I'd like to sit for a while."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunsheng immediately said, "Then I'll go with you."
Seeing that Gu Xi did not object, she was delighted and slowly sat down on a rock next to her, idly tugging at the weeds that had wilted in the sun at her feet.
Gu Xi didn't chase her away, but she also ignored her, sitting quietly and enjoying the occasional warm breeze.
Soon after, the lake, which had returned to tranquility, became lively again.
A group of seven- or eight-year-old children ran over, playing and laughing. They ran to a relatively secluded spot on the shore, took off their clothes, and jumped into the lake with a splash.
The lake in the park was large, with only an old man watching the boats; there were hardly any other people around.
When the weather is hot, the neighborhood children like to sneak over to play in the water, and despite repeated attempts to stop them, the parents have no choice but to keep a close eye on their children.
However, during holidays, parents are busy with work and sometimes they can't keep an eye on their children, allowing them to sneak over and play in the water.
Gu Xi looked at the group of children taking off their clothes on the shore, stood up, and said to Chen Yunsheng, "Chen Yunsheng, go find someone and tell them that a child has drowned."
"ah?"
Chen Yunsheng stared at her, completely bewildered. The child drowned? No way?
"Go quickly!" Gu Xi said. "These children are young and it's too dangerous for them to play in the water without someone watching them. We should find someone to scare them and drive them away."
Chen Yunsheng then realized that what she said made sense.
It is said that every summer there are reports of children drowning. Without adults watching, accidents can easily happen. These children clearly came here to play in the water secretly, and they can't be driven away by the adults alone.
Chen Yunsheng turned and ran outside to find someone to come over.
After she left, Gu Xi walked over to the group of children playing in the water, grabbed a naked child who was about to jump into the water, and said sternly, "The water here is deep. You are not allowed to play in the water without a parent watching you. If you don't leave, I will go and find the police to arrest you!"
The child was still scared when she said she was going to call the police.
However, some people weren't afraid. A child nearby immediately said, "You're lying. The police don't care whether we play in the water or not! We come here to play all the time, nothing will happen to us."
Without waiting for her response, he jumped into the lake.
The other children scattered with a commotion, some jumping into the water and swimming far away, making faces at her as she stood on the shore.
The commotion attracted the attention of the old man guarding the boat, who angrily came over with his stick to drive them away.
The old man knew that children often sneaked over to play in the water, and he would chase them away whenever he saw them.
The more the old man tried to drive them away, the more arrogant the children became. They made faces and swam towards deeper water. The old man got furious, rowed a boat over, and used a bamboo pole to try to drive the children ashore.
Just then, a child was swimming happily in the lake when suddenly his body stiffened and he sank directly into the water.
The children around didn't notice, thinking he was just playing, and even the old man didn't notice.
This scene overlapped with my past life.
In her past life, a child was also drowning. Apart from the old man guarding the boat, there were no other adults around. She had learned to swim haphazardly when she was in the countryside, and in a moment of urgency, she jumped into the water to save the child...
Gu Xi's pupils constricted, and the world suddenly lost its color and sound in her eyes. As if it were fate, she instinctively wanted to jump into the water...
Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed her.
The hand was very hot; the heat penetrated the thin fabric of her clothes, and she could even feel the slight sweat on it. It held her tightly, preventing her from jumping.
"Stand still!"
The man spoke in a low, cold voice, piercing her heart like ice and snow, and revealing the black and white before her eyes. The world returned to its clamor, and the voice flowed into her ears again.
Gu Xi heard a splash as someone jumped into the water and swam towards the drowning child. They quickly lifted the child up and placed him on the boat that the old man had rowed over.
The children playing in the lake were terrified. When they saw two men in military uniforms coming over, they thought the police had arrived.
When they saw that one of their friends had drowned, they were terrified.
"You little devils, get out of the water!" The middle-aged man in military uniform shouted angrily at the group of children in the water, his face extremely grim.
The children, who had been playfully splashing around in the water, no longer dared to misbehave and obediently swam to the shore.
"Gu Xi, has a child really drowned?"
Chen Yunsheng ran over from a distance, panting, looking into the lake as she asked.
Gu Xi had asked her to call for help earlier, but as soon as she left the park, she saw two People's Liberation Army soldiers in uniform talking nearby. Based on her trust in the PLA, she impulsively said without thinking that someone was drowning.
By the time she realized what was happening and tried to explain, the two People's Liberation Army soldiers had already run off at breakneck speed, leaving her breathless as she ran over.
Gu Xi stared into the lake and saw the rescued child. Because he was rescued early, he had only swallowed a few mouthfuls of water and choked. He recovered quickly and burst into tears while lying on the boat. The old man patted him on the back and scolded him for being reckless.
The man who put the child on the boat said something and then swam over here.
Reaching the shore, he emerged from the water with a splash, standing in the sunlight. Water droplets cascaded down, revealing his deep, sculpted features and the tall, powerful physique of a man beneath his military uniform.
Chen Yunsheng couldn't help but look at the man on the shore, who was soaking wet. He was very tall and had handsome features. He was an extremely handsome man. When his eyes looked over, they were sharp as knives, almost capable of piercing the heart, making people panic and dare not meet his gaze.
The soaked military uniform clung to his body, revealing the outline of his bulging muscles, showcasing the innate wildness and strength of a powerful man.
He was a handsome and strong man. She blushed and lowered her head, not daring to look at him for long.
At this moment, the man suddenly spoke: "Gu Xi."
Gu Xi stood still, meeting his gaze intently, as if confirming something, and said, "Big Brother."
The middle-aged man in military uniform who was disciplining the group of naughty children nearby turned around and looked over. Hearing Gu Xi's voice, he asked in surprise, "Ming Zheng, is this your sister?"
Shen Mingzheng paused for a moment, said no, and continued to ask, "What are you doing here?"
Gu Xi finally looked away and honestly said, "I'll row the boat."
The old man who was rowing the boat brought the children over, thanking Shen Mingzheng for saving them in time, and saying, "Thank you so much just now, otherwise what would have happened?"
If something happens to a child here, how heartbroken and desperate their family would be.
The old man then went to thank Chen Yunsheng and Gu Xi for helping to call people, saying that he wouldn't charge them for boating next time they came.
The middle-aged man in military uniform asked, "Do children often sneak over here to play in the water?"
"Yes, there's no way to keep an eye on them all. Those kids are too naughty; they always find a way to avoid people."
"Isn't anyone patrolling to stop this?"
"There are some, but it's always impossible to completely prevent them..."
The middle-aged man in military uniform was somewhat angry and said to Shen Mingzheng, "It seems we need to be careful about this! I'll go and report this to them later. We need to pay more attention to the child's safety."
Shen Mingzheng hummed in agreement.
Chen Yunsheng looked at the two men in military uniforms with curiosity, and secretly glanced at Shen Mingzheng. Although he was covered in water, he still had an imposing presence that was quite intimidating.
This was the most imposing man she had ever met, and he was so young; he was probably an officer from the military compound.
After the children dispersed, the old man left, the middle-aged man greeted Shen Mingzheng and also left, leaving only Chen Yunsheng, Gu Xi and Shen Mingzheng at the scene.
Shen Mingzheng walked over to them, his gaze falling on Gu Xi, and asked, "Do you still want to go boating?"
Gu Xi shook her head, "I'm not going to paddle anymore."
He nodded slightly. "I'll take you back."
Chen Yunsheng blinked, somewhat bewildered. Seeing that Gu Xi obediently followed, she subconsciously followed as well, finally realizing what was happening.
She nudged Gu Xi gently with her elbow, glanced at the tall, long-legged man walking quickly ahead, and asked, "Gu Xi, is this Brother Gu?"
She had also heard Gu Xi call out "Big Brother" earlier.
But she remembered that Gu Xi's older brother, Gu Yuanyang, didn't look like this.
Although Gu Yuanyang joined the army more than ten years ago, he did return to the army in the middle of that time. She was still young then, so she still remembered that Gu Yuanyang did not look like this.
Gu Xi said in a low voice, "No."
Back then, Feng Min brought her back to Beijing with the intention of adopting her. Just then, Shen Mingzheng came back to visit his parents, and Feng Min pointed at Shen Mingzheng and told him to call him "Big Brother".
Who would have thought that things would turn out that way? The Shen family couldn't adopt her, but instead arranged a marriage between her and Shen Mingzheng. However, the title "elder brother" was still retained.
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