Gu Zhixing's expression immediately changed. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to rush downstairs to settle scores with Gu Dajun and Gu Daikui: "I knew it! No wonder he suddenly changed his tune! Turns out he's still cleaning up after those two bastards! I'm going to skin Gu Dajun and the others alive—"
Gu Zhiyuan grabbed Gu Zhixing: "It's been over a year since then. Do you think they'll still admit it now? I'm afraid our good father has already wiped all traces clean for their two good sons! If you go to them now, not only will Gu Dajun and the others not admit it, but they'll also turn around and accuse you! And our good father, for the sake of so-called family harmony and brotherly unity, will only suppress this matter."
Gu Zhixing's strength vanished instantly, and he slumped down, gritting his teeth as he said resentfully, "We are all his sons, so why does he always favor those two? Are we adopted? If he really didn't want us two sons, why did he marry our mother and have us in the first place!"
The young man grew angrier the more he thought about it, and his whole body began to tremble with anger.
Gu Zhiyuan patted Gu Zhixing on the shoulder: "You only realized it today? Our good father's heart has always been biased! It's been irreversible for a long time."
Gu Zhixing lowered his head, large tears falling onto his feet, struggling to suppress a sob: "Brother, I refuse to accept this—"
Gu Zhiyuan pulled Gu Zhixing into his arms and patted his back: "It's okay. Even if you don't have a father to love you, you still have a mother, and you still have your brother!"
The room fell silent for a moment as the two brothers comforted and supported each other in silence.
After a while, Gu Zhixing wiped his eyes and forced himself to cheer up: "I understand! I've actually understood for a long time! I just feel sorry for our mother! Our mother did nothing wrong. He thought that family was all dead, so he shamelessly pursued our mother. It was the higher-ups who arranged the match! If our mother didn't marry him, whoever she married wouldn't be worse than him, right?"
"So when that family came, it all became Mom's fault? He wasn't at fault at all? If he really wanted to remain chaste for that family, he shouldn't have married Mom—"
Gu Zhiyuan listened to Gu Zhixing's words with a complicated expression.
Unexpectedly, after two years apart, his younger brother, who had always been protected by him and his mother, had grown up, become more sensible, and was able to distinguish right from wrong.
This made him both gratified and saddened.
I'm relieved that my younger brother has grown up without me even realizing it, but I'm saddened that this kind of family environment is forcing him to grow up.
But this is good too; it's better to grow up than to know nothing.
He patted Gu Zhixing on the shoulder and said, "Sit down and listen to me."
Gu Zhixing sat down obediently.
Gu Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "This time I came back, I wanted to persuade Mom to divorce him. What do you think?"
Gu Zhixing was startled and stood up.
He looked puzzled at first, but quickly realized what was going on and slapped his thigh: "Brother, you're right! Mom should divorce him! She's suffering too much in this family!"
“We’ll go tell Mom right now that after the divorce, we’ll stay with her and let their whole family live happily ever after!”
Gu Zhiyuan grabbed Gu Zhixing with a headache: "What's the rush? We need to discuss this with Mom carefully! Do you think he'll give in easily? When I was sent to the countryside, it was the best opportunity, but he didn't agree! Now that I'm back, I'm afraid he's even less likely to agree!"
"Besides, we don't even know what Mom thinks or what she thinks, and you've already made a scene. I'm afraid that even if Mom doesn't want to be with him anymore, it will be even harder for her to leave!"
Gu Zhixing, who listened to his older brother Gu Zhiyuan the most, immediately made a shushing gesture: "I understand, I won't say anything! We can't let them know!"
Gu Zhiyuan nodded: "Besides, even if we get divorced, we can't let Mom suffer! Do you think she really relied on him to support her all these years? Mom has contributed so much! We need to keep track of everything! Also, even if they get divorced, since we brothers also have the surname Gu, we are his sons, so why should we get nothing? Whatever Gu Dajun and his brother have, we shouldn't be left out!"
"Otherwise, why should we take his surname? We might as well take our mother's surname!"
Gu Zhixing's eyes lit up as he listened: "Brother, you're right! Let's do it that way!"
But she quickly became dejected again: "But what if Mom doesn't want a divorce?"
Gu Zhiyuan smiled and patted Gu Zhixing's head: "Then we'll have to rely on you! Let's find some time to talk to Mom alone! If Mom hesitates or has concerns, then you should try to persuade her! Whether you cry or beg, no matter what methods you use, we have to get Mom out of this quagmire!"
Upon hearing his older brother's trust in him so much, Gu Zhixing immediately patted his chest and assured him, "Brother, don't worry! I've got it covered!"
With a goal in mind, the two brothers felt more relaxed.
Gu Zhixing then noticed the package on the table, stood up curiously, looked at the address on it, and turned to ask, "Brother, did this come from the place you were sent to? Who sent it to you? What's in it?"
When Gu Zhiyuan mentioned this, his eyes and brows softened considerably: "She's a friend of mine in Jingshan County, and also my savior. Her name is Xu Ningyan. She's a very good girl. You'll know when you meet her."
Gu Zhixing's eyes darted around: "Brother, you like her, don't you?"
What's wrong with Gu Zhiyuan admitting it in front of his younger brother?
He nodded.
Gu Zhixing immediately became interested: "Quick, brother, open it and let me see what your future sister-in-law sent you?"
Gu Zhiyuan's lips curled up, and he lightly patted Gu Zhixing, scolding, "What nonsense are you talking about? She even agreed!"
Although it was a reprimand, it was weak and had no deterrent effect.
Add to that the pat on the shoulder, which was so gentle yet full of encouragement, how could Gu Zhixing not understand?
He chuckled and said, "Then you better work harder, brother, and hurry up and marry our sister-in-law!"
The two brothers laughed and joked around for a while before opening the package.
The outside was sewn with a snakeskin bag. Inside was a small wooden box containing three jars of beef sauce, two jars of fried noodles, and several packets of dried meat. The jars were surrounded by clean straw to ensure they wouldn't break.
Gu Zhixing couldn't wait to take the things out. He first pinched a piece of jerky and chewed it in his mouth. Then he couldn't help but unscrew the jar of beef sauce and smell it. A fragrant and spicy aroma wafted into his nose.
Gu Zhixing quickly covered his mouth and nose, turned his face away, and sneezed.
He turned around, grabbed a jar of beef sauce, a jar of fried noodles, and two packets of dried meat, stuffed them into his clothes, and ran to his room.
Gu Zhiyuan was amused and annoyed: "Why are you running away?"
Gu Zhixing turned to Gu Zhiyuan and made a face: "It's not too much to ask me to share half of my sister-in-law's things, is it? I'll hide them first, so that some shallow-minded people won't see them and shamelessly take them! This is my sister-in-law's kind gesture, those people don't deserve it!"
Gu Zhiyuan was about to say something, but Gu Zhixing's two words, "sister-in-law," stopped him from speaking.
He could only wave his hand silently, signaling his younger brother to get lost.
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