Gu Zhiyuan nodded to Grandpa Gu and Grandma Gu: "I'll go back to my room first!"
After saying that, he picked up the package and went straight upstairs.
The Gu family's three-story building houses the Gu family's patriarch and matriarch on the first floor, along with Fang Dani and the nanny.
The second floor is where the two families of the brothers Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui live.
The third floor is where Gu Yong, Jiang Yuan, and the two brothers Gu Zhiyuan and Gu Zhixing live.
Gu Zhiyuan's room is at the very back, facing Gu Zhixing's room.
His room door was locked. After Gu Dajun and the others arrived, things in the room would often disappear and then be found in Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui's room.
When Jiang Yuan pressed for answers, Fang Dani hugged Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui and cried, saying that the two children grew up in the countryside and had never seen these rare things in the city. She said it was all her fault as their mother for not teaching them well and that she was sorry for making them suffer.
Gu Yong, who had initially been reprimanding her, softened and instead turned to Jiang Yuan, telling her to be more magnanimous and not to hold a grudge against a child.
So later, Jiang Yuan simply locked the door to Gu Zhiyuan and his brother's room with two large padlocks, so that apart from the three of them, even Gu Yong couldn't get in.
Although Gu Zhiyuan hasn't come back to live here in the past two years, he still carries the key with him.
Upon entering, the room was spotless and tidy, clearly indicating that someone regularly kept it clean.
The bedding on the bed was neatly laid out, and it had all been recently aired out; it still smelled of sunshine.
Without a doubt, it was Jiang Yuan who cleaned it up.
Gu Zhiyuan opened the wardrobe. Inside, besides a few clothes from his childhood, there were also a few new clothes hanging there. They were obviously bought recently, and they were all ironed and washed, and hung up neatly.
Gu Zhiyuan felt a warmth in his heart. He put the package in his hand on the table, took a change of clothes, and went to the bathroom inside to take a shower.
He was still drying his hair when he heard hurried footsteps coming up the stairs and stopping at his door. "Brother, brother, you're back?"
It was the voice of Gu Zhixing, the youngest son of the Gu family.
Gu Zhiyuan opened the door, and Gu Zhixing stood at the door, covered in sweat. When he saw his older brother, his eyes lit up and he rushed over.
Gu Zhiyuan disdainfully extended a finger and pressed it against Gu Zhixing's forehead.
Gu Zhixing struggled for a long time but couldn't move forward an inch. His face fell with displeasure: "Brother—"
Gu Zhiyuan withdrew his hand: "You stink so badly from all that sweat! I just took a shower and changed my clothes, I don't want to take another shower!"
Gu Zhixing's eyes darted around, and he dejectedly lowered his hand. Seeing Gu Zhiyuan turn around, he immediately pounced on him—
Could his little tricks possibly fool Gu Zhiyuan?
Gu Zhiyuan's lips curled up. He was about to dodge, but he paused and pretended not to know that Gu Zhixing had not only hugged him tightly, but the brat also retaliated by wiping all the sweat from his face and head onto Gu Zhixing's back.
Gu Zhiyuan was so angry he laughed. He turned around, grabbed Gu Zhixing, and shoved him into a chair.
After taking a look, I realized that this brat had grown up in the two years since I last saw him. He had become more mature and composed, but he only showed his old cunning and cleverness in front of his older brother.
After hanging the towel on the rack, Gu Zhiyuan patted Gu Zhixing's head and said, "Have you and Mom suffered while I was away for the past two years?"
Gu Zhixing was still young after all. When his older brother asked him that question, he felt wronged and his eyes reddened. He still tried to put on a brave face: "What grievances could Mom and I suffer in our own home? But you, brother, must have suffered a lot these past two years, right?"
Gu Zhiyuan patted Gu Zhixing on the shoulder, without denying it.
He knew that even if he denied it, Gu Zhixing wouldn't believe him.
After all, in order to infiltrate Jingshan County seamlessly, he had notified the Gu family when he was labeled as a "black element".
At that time, Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui were terrified. They made a scene in front of Gu Yong, demanding that Gu Zhiyuan be kicked out and that they sever ties with him.
Gu Yong was wavering at that moment. If it weren't for his mother Jiang Yuan's strong argument, Gu Yong might have really severed ties with Gu Zhiyuan for the sake of the Gu family.
Last time he went home to let them know he was safe, he only stayed for less than half an hour before leaving. He only remembered that Gu Dajun and the others looked unhappy. Gu Yong, his biological father, had both pride and guilt in his expression, but he was too lazy to look at him. He only said a few words to his biological mother, Jiang Yuan, before leaving in a hurry.
Now that it was just the two brothers, they naturally had time to ask about the family's situation over the past two years.
Mentioning this, Gu Zhixing's initial sadness vanished instantly, replaced by a mocking look in his eyes: "That's a long story—"
In summary, it was because after Gu Zhiyuan was labeled as one of the "Five Black Categories," Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui made a scene at home every day. Fearing being implicated, they kept urging Gu Yong and Jiang Yuan to divorce, give Gu Zhiyuan and Gu Zhixing to Jiang Yuan, and sever all ties.
For some reason, Gu Yong, who usually doted on Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui, suddenly became adamant about not agreeing to divorce Jiang Yuan on this issue.
This infuriated Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui.
Even bringing up the old man and the old lady of the Gu family was useless; Gu Yong insisted that he would never divorce Jiang Yuan.
Helpless, Gu Dajun and the others had no choice but to give up, and then they spent their days at home making sarcastic remarks and picking on Jiang Yuan and Gu Zhixing.
Jiang Yuan was preoccupied with Gu Zhiyuan and had no interest in paying attention to them; she felt as if she were looking at clowns.
On one occasion, Gu Zhixing was harassed by Gu Dajun and his brother. Then, for some reason, Gu Yong, who had previously only given a few perfunctory reprimands, suddenly flew into a rage and gave Gu Dajun and Gu Da Kui a severe scolding and warning.
He also said that if he saw the two brothers bullying Gu Zhixing again, he would kick them both out.
The two brothers, Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui, finally calmed down a bit.
Gu Yong then comforted and made amends to Gu Zhixing.
Gu Zhixing then realized that his biological father, Gu Yong, was actually quite interesting. Before, when Gu Zhiyuan was at home, Gu Dajun and the others pretended to be bullied, and he sided with them. He had already assumed in his mind that Gu Zhiyuan would bully Gu Dajun and the others.
But now that Gu Zhiyuan has been demoted, Jiang Yuan and Gu Zhixing are left alone and vulnerable, and he feels sorry for them.
Instead, he always protected and looked after Gu Zhixing, not allowing Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui to bully him. Even when the old master and old lady of the Gu family muttered a few words, Gu Yong would stop them.
So Gu Zhixing and Jiang Yuan haven't really suffered any losses in the past two years.
At this point, Gu Zhixing chuckled, "I don't know why our dad suddenly changed his ways—"
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhiyuan's expression changed.
Suddenly, he asked, "Did he change his ways, defend you, and reprimand Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui after April of last year?"
Gu Zhixing was taken aback by the question. After thinking for a moment, he said, "It was May 1st last year. I remember that was Labor Day. I came back from the holiday. Brother, how did you know it was around that time?"
Gu Zhiyuan sneered, "Because on April 25th, I was ambushed and surrounded by men sent by Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui. If it weren't for a benefactor who saved my life, I'd probably be dead in Jingshan County! Our father probably knew I was injured, and also knew it was his two precious sons who did it, but he couldn't bear to punish them. He felt a little guilty, so he protected you as an atonement—"
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