Chapter 9
Gu Maowen felt a sense of displeasure at his children challenging his authority.
However, he was more surprised than anything else. He seemed to have never expected that this usually timid and quiet child, who made him feel ashamed, would dare to look him in the eye. He did have some merit in this regard.
He suppressed his displeasure and said in a deep voice, "Why did you hit Yuanhui?"
Jiang Huijun hugged Gu Yuanhui tenderly, staring at Gu Xi. Gu Yuanhui turned his head and glared at her fiercely.
Gu Yuanzheng stood at the top of the stairs, looking at her with a thoughtful expression.
Gu Yuanxiang was also watching from the kitchen doorway.
Under the gaze of everyone, Gu Xi did not lower her head timidly and quietly admit her mistake as before, but even dared to say, "He hit me first."
"I didn't!" Gu Yuanhui shouted. "You threw books at me the moment I walked in, and you even hit me! If you don't believe me, ask my second sister!"
Gu Maowen looked at Gu Yuanxiang, "Really?"
Gu Yuanxiang hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Indeed, although Gu Yuanhui rushed over looking like he was about to hit someone, it was Gu Xi who struck first.
Gu Xi said, "He smashed up my room, tore up my books, and entered my room without my permission. What's wrong with me asking him to leave?"
No one agrees with this statement.
These days, family members living under the same roof have little privacy or concept of privacy, and can freely enter and leave other people's rooms.
As for Gu Yuanhui smashing her room and tearing up her books, the Gu family knew about it and didn't think it was a big deal.
Gu Xi continued, "Later, he bumped into me, and I got angry, so I hit him." She also asked Gu Yuanxiang, "Is that right?"
Gu Yuanxiang felt her scalp tingle from the question and dared not lie, so she could only nod.
Jiang Huijun said, "Xixi, you hit Yuanhui a few days ago, so he was angry and smashed your room. If you were at home, why would he do that?"
Ultimately, he wasn't too happy that she went to the Shen family's house and stayed for several days.
If she were at home, and everyone could have talked things out, why would Gu Yuanhui have gotten so angry that he went to her room and vandalized it?
Gu Xi glanced at her and said, "It was Gu Yuanhui who spoke ill of me first, calling me a slut."
"What?"
Gu Maowen and his wife were stunned and looked at Gu Yuanhui.
Clearly, none of the three Gu brothers mentioned this incident when Gu Xi hit someone that day. Perhaps in their eyes, it was just a verbal conflict, and since it was said at home, it was nothing serious and there was no need to bring it up.
Gu Xi had spent five years with them and knew their character all too well; she knew exactly what they were like.
She used to be foolish, having been bullied for fifteen years by her ignorant, patriarchal adoptive parents in the countryside, which fostered her inferiority complex and timidity. They said that as long as she was well-behaved and sensible, and did more work at her biological parents' house, everyone would like her, and the family would be harmonious. Over time, the fifteen years of separation would be erased, and she would eventually become a member of this family. They would love her as much as they loved Gu Yuanxiang.
But she didn't know if she would ever live to see that day when they would love her as much as they loved Gu Yuanxiang.
Because she died, she couldn't wait any longer.
Everyone dies once, and after being a ghost for decades, they've seen it all and have long since come to terms with it.
Nothing matters more than life and death. Looking back now, those things she used to care about seem ridiculous. She no longer cares about these people. If she's going to fight, she'll fight. What's there to be afraid of?
So what if I die again?
Gu Yuanhui hadn't expected her to say such a thing. At his age, he certainly knew how offensive it was to a girl to be called a "slut," and that it could cause serious trouble if said in public. But he was used to putting Gu Xi down, and he would say anything hurtful to make her feel bad.
He protested, "I... I was just saying it casually..."
Gu Xi said, "So I hit you whenever I want, isn't that what I should do?" She gave a very faint smile, which looked like a forced smile. "If I hear such words again, I will hit you every time I hear them."
Gu Yuanhui flinched.
Gu Maowen and his wife were taken aback by this and were speechless for a moment.
At this moment, Gu Yuanzheng spoke up, "You hit me back then too, and I didn't say anything." He paused, then continued, "And what about my room? Did you smash it up?"
I initially thought it was caused by a fight between her and Gu Yuanhui, but thinking about it, it doesn't seem like something from a fight; it's more like it was intentional. Gu Yuanhui and Gu Yuanxiang wouldn't do something like this for no reason, so it can only be her. After all, she's willing to hit people now, and she'd probably be willing to smash up rooms too.
Could it be that she had been bullied by Gu Yuanhui for too long and finally snapped?
"You're still smashing up the room?" Gu Maowen frowned.
Although he disliked that she had been raised by that ignorant couple in the countryside and had become timid and inferior, unlike the Gu family, and was not likable at all, she still shouldn't be so bold and reckless. How could she be like a girl?
Gu Xi said, "You tried to stop me back then, so I had no choice but to hit you. Otherwise, would you have waited for me to hit you? As for your room, since you could just stand by and watch Gu Yuanhui smash my room and tear up my books, then I'll smash yours. That's fair."
She spoke with such conviction, as if it were truly fair.
For a moment, no one knew what to say.
"Where is the fairness?" Gu Yuanzheng suppressed his anger. He wanted to say that he wouldn't hit people, but it was useless to say that now. "You're just being unreasonable."
Gu Xi didn't refute, and said indifferently, "If that's what you think, then go ahead and smash it back. I'll open the door and let you smash it."
Should we smash it back, and then let you keep smashing it?
Gu Yuanxiang silently pondered, increasingly feeling that Gu Xi had gone mad, and her madness was terrifying.
Gu Yuanzheng found that she was truly unreasonable, like a madwoman, and completely illogical.
Suddenly, he missed the quiet and well-behaved Gu Xi from before, and couldn't help but wonder if it was because she asked him for a birthday present that day, and he hadn't prepared one for her, so she wanted to take revenge on him by taking her anger out on his room.
Gu Maowen and his wife were initially very angry, but after Gu Xi's rebuttal, they suddenly found that they couldn't stay angry. A lump formed in their throats.
What are these names?
"Even so, you can't just hit people like that!" Jiang Huijun complained. "Can't we talk things out? Why do we have to resort to violence?"
How could I not feel heartbroken after my youngest son was beaten like this?
To everyone's surprise, Gu Xi nodded, "Of course we have to take action, because some people don't understand human language, so talking to them is useless."
Her words were pointed, and everyone present could tell that she was referring to Gu Yuanhui.
It could also refer to someone else.
Jiang Huijun felt a pang of pain in her chest from her retort and could only emphasize, "Xixi, hitting people is wrong. You're a girl, how can you hit people?"
“But he’ll hit me even if I don’t hit him.” Gu Xi insisted, indicating that she was determined to do it. “You don’t actually think Gu Yuanhui won’t hit me, do you?”
Jiang Huijun was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at Gu Yuanhui, "You hit Xixi?"
Gu Yuanhui wanted to say that he hadn't hit her, but Gu Xi was staring at him, and he was afraid that if he refuted her, Gu Xi would probably hit him again, so he hesitated.
Seeing this, Jiang Huijun understood perfectly.
Gu Maowen also felt a headache coming on and said, "Gu Xi, Yuanhui is a younger brother. He is still young and doesn't know any better. As his older sister, you should give way to him."
He didn't mention the beating again. It was indeed Gu Yuanhui's fault, but Gu Yuanhui was the youngest son and was usually spoiled by everyone, to the point of being somewhat lawless. But he shouldn't be beaten like this by his older sister.
They originally thought that after he said that, Gu Xi would admit her mistake and promise not to do it again. But to their surprise, Gu Xi seemed to be going against them today. Not only did she not admit her mistake, she even said, "Why should I give in to him? If I give in, he will hit me and make fun of me. So why not hit him until he obeys and doesn't dare to hit me or make fun of me?"
Everyone: "..."
This sounds like fallacy, but it seems to make a lot of sense.
Unfortunately, no matter how reasonable the words are, they must yield in the face of favoritism. Gu Maowen was displeased, feeling that she was going against him, and his anger, which had just subsided, suddenly flared up again.
"Gu Xi!" Gu Maowen's voice rose several decibels, "What exactly do you want to do?"
Gu Xi looked puzzled. "I didn't mean to do anything."
Gu Maowen was speechless. This was the first time that his child not only refused to be disciplined but also talked back. She could retort with several sentences for every one sentence he said, making him feel extremely embarrassed.
Gu Maowen said, "Huijun, tell me about her!"
He rarely interfered in his daughters' education, leaving it to Jiang Huijun, their mother, to teach and communicate with them. Now, finding Gu Xi disobedient and unable to be reasoned with, he could only helplessly ask Jiang Huijun to talk to her.
Jiang Huijun looked at Gu Xi, opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
They say she was wrong to hit someone? They say she went too far? They say she shouldn't have smashed Gu Yuanzheng's room? They say she...
But what just happened told her that Gu Xi was no longer obedient, and talking to her was useless. This child seemed to be indifferent to everything, leaving her helpless.
Finally, Gu Yuanxiang came over and said that dinner was ready, breaking the silence in the room.
It was getting late, so everyone went to eat first.
Gu Xi also sat down at the table, picked up most of the scrambled eggs from the bowl with her chopsticks, and ate them silently.
Actually, she didn't have much of an appetite. Not only was the weather hot and humid, but she also felt heavy and uncomfortable. However, she still forced herself to eat more and take good care of her body. She didn't know how much longer she could live, but since she was alive, she might as well live well for now.
Everyone who saw this wanted to say something but held back.
In the past, Gu Xi would only pick up the vegetables in front of her when eating, and dare not eat much of the other dishes. Gu Yuanhui and the others would not let her have any, and would take the best food from her bowl first, without inviting her to eat.
Seeing her actively picking up food and meat, and competing with everyone else for food, I didn't know what to feel.
After dinner, Gu Xi went back to her room.
After washing the dishes, Gu Yuanxiang came over and said, "Second brother, the wardrobe in my room has fallen over and I can't lift it. Can you and Dad help me lift it and put it back in place?"
Gu Yuanhui was injured and had no strength, so Gu Maowen and Gu Yuanzheng had to do the work.
Gu Maowen asked in confusion, "Why is the wardrobe in your room overturned?"
"Xixi overturned it." Gu Yuanxiang pouted, looking very aggrieved when she talked about it.
"What?" Jiang Huijun asked in surprise. "Why did Xixi lift it up for no reason?"
Gu Yuanxiang whispered, "Today she not only smashed my second brother's room, but also my and Yuanhui's room."
This time, Gu Maowen and the others were stunned once again.
Gu Xi, who was usually so submissive, suddenly doing something like this caught them off guard. They couldn't understand why she would do such a thing. What was wrong with her temper?
Gu Maowen's anger, which had not yet subsided, flared up again. He immediately knocked on Gu Xi's door and questioned, "How could you smash up your second brother and Xiangxiang's room? They didn't offend you."
Gu Yuanhui smashed her room and tore up her books. She hit Gu Yuanhui, and they could ignore it, but it was wrong of her to smash Gu Yuanzheng and Gu Yuanxiang's room.
Gu Xi said, "Gu Yuanhui smashed my room, and you did nothing. You didn't try to persuade him or punish him. So, it's not a big deal that I smashed their room, is it? If you're unhappy, punish Gu Yuanhui first."
Gu Maowen: "..."
When did my daughter become so eloquent?
Gu Xi looked up at him and calmly asked, "Is there anything else?"
Gu Maowen gritted his teeth, feeling that this was unacceptable and disgraceful. His tone became stern: "What you did was wrong. Go down to the living room and kneel down to reflect on your actions. Get up only when you realize your mistake!"
"I did nothing wrong!" Gu Xi turned her head away. "You kneel if you want, I'm not kneeling! If you don't want to kneel, then let Gu Yuanhui and the others kneel!"
She slammed the door shut in front of him, saying, "Kneel or not, it's none of your business."
Gu Maowen was so angry that he trembled all over.
This was the first time a child had dared to talk back to him like this, so disobedient. He pounded on the door, "Gu Xi, come out!"
However, the door remained closed, and even after Gu Maowen clapped his hands until they were red, he still couldn't get the person to come out.
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