Zhao Jianjun chuckled sheepishly, "Brother Ning Hao, I don't have any ulterior motives. Jiang Qiao is from our compound, and I'm even older than her. We're just neighbors, so it's good to look after her."
Ning Hao said unhurriedly, "Since we're neighbors in the same courtyard, you should take good care of Jiang Qiao's safety from now on. Don't keep an eye on your childhood sweetheart all the time."
That one sentence almost made Zhao Jianjun stammer, "Huh, what little green plum?"
Ning Hao snorted coldly, "Zhao Jianjun, do I need to say this?"
Zhao Jianjun was genuinely embarrassed this time. "Brother, you're my own brother, let's not talk about this anymore. Don't worry, if anyone bullies Jiang Qiao in the future, I'll help them, okay?"
Jiang Qiao smiled and said, "Zhao Jianjun, I'll be grateful if you don't join others in bullying me."
"How could I? Don't underestimate me. We're from the same school and even live in the same neighborhood. If I don't help you, who will I help?"
Jiang Qiao nodded again, "That's true. You've been riding on my bicycle for so long, you really should help me in the future."
Ning Hao raised an eyebrow. "Did you hear that? Putting everything else aside, just for Jiang Qiao's bicycle, you'd better take good care of her—"
Actually, the school wasn't far, and they chatted all the way until they arrived at the school. Jiang Qiao told Ning Hao to take the bike and pick her up later, and not to forget to do things for her.
"Alright, I understand. I'll be right there. Hurry up and go inside."
Ning Hao wanted to stand at the door and watch Jiang Qiao and the others go in, but he couldn't resist the gazes of the girls around him. Why were all these students looking this way? There was nothing wrong at first, but if people gathered together, even nothing would happen. It was better not to cause trouble for Jiang Qiao.
Unfortunately, his initial intention to avoid causing trouble for Jiang Qiao was good, but the trouble had already begun. Imagine, on the first day of school, such a handsome guy appeared at the school gate, wearing a military uniform. Even without saying a word, just standing there, someone like Ning Hao would be considered a sight to behold.
It's not that the boys in school are bad-looking, but compared to someone like Ning Hao, they're nowhere near as good-looking.
The shy ones can only admire such a handsome guy in their hearts, while the bold ones, especially when they see Jiang Qiao arrive by car, will directly ask Jiang Qiao, regardless of whether they know him or not.
When told to others, Jiang Qiao always referred to them as "brother," but they wouldn't explain what kind of brother he was, and would just turn around and leave.
However, she secretly grumbled to herself, wanting to complain about Ning Hao. But he meant well, and she wasn't going to be so unreasonable. She just felt that these female students were a bit too unreserved. They were just men, yet they acted like they'd never seen the world before.
Zhao Jianjun had been warned by Ning Hao that morning, so he's not going to blabber anymore. When people ask him, he just says he met him on the road. As for anything else, this kid is shrewd enough. Why would he promote another man? There's no reason for that.
That morning, the girls privately discussed a lot of speculations about Ning Hao.
However, Jiang Qiao wasn't interested in such topics at all. Besides, she didn't seem to be very familiar with the people in her class. At most, she could only call them by name, and as for close friends, she really wasn't as close as Li Ling.
Li Ling is also a gossip lover. Sure enough, when she ran into Jiang Qiao after school, she immediately asked her about it.
"Jiang Qiao, that's so unfair! I heard a handsome guy brought you here this morning, is that true? I heard he was your brother?"
Jiang Qiao smiled and nodded, "I call him brother, but we're not that close. I just hitched a ride with him today. I guess you probably won't have a chance to see him again, since he doesn't live here."
Li Ling looked disappointed. "Oh dear, how could this happen? I heard from others that the guy was really good-looking. I just wanted to know just how good-looking he was. Oh well, if I don't have the chance, I don't have the chance."
Just then, Gu Zhixuan called out to Jiang Qiao from ahead, "Alright, I'm not talking to you anymore. We'll chat later. My brother's calling me, gotta go!"
Li Ling shrugged, watching Jiang Qiao run off into the distance with a sigh. "This guy, how come he has so many brothers? His family has so many relatives. But all those brothers are quite good-looking, no comparison!"
Li Ling also longed for a brother like that, at least someone she could bring to school and make her proud. Unfortunately, her brother was honestly not presentable, and thinking about it made her feel a little heartbroken.
On the way, Jiang Qiao brought up the matter of asking Ning Hao to investigate that aunt.
"Will it work?"
"It has to be done, who knows what kind of identity or background this aunt is? We don't want her to come and stay in Shajiabang forever."
Gu Zhixuan couldn't say he had any good feelings towards this aunt he had never met. Based on what he had done over the years, he already had no feelings for her, and now he had added a sense of hostility. He had to be careful around this person. However, Jiang Qiao's approach pleased him.
Jiang Qiao finished cooking when Gu Zhihong returned, but his expression seemed a little off.
"What's wrong? Who upset you?"
Gu Zhihong looked up at his older brother, then at his older sister, his eyes welling up with tears of grievance.
Jiang Qiao didn't ask anything. She pulled her younger brother over and checked him over. "If you're not injured, then you must be upset. Did someone use your identity to make trouble for you?"
Gu Zhihong started nodding, and Gu Zhixuan sighed, "This is an old topic. Why are you still concerned about it? We used to face this every day in the countryside, and we were doing just fine. Why are you suddenly so upset?"
Jiang Qiao put her arm around her younger brother's shoulder and sat down. "Are you feeling wronged? I know you're upset, but we can't change class background. Not to mention you, I bet Grandpa feels wronged too. Great-grandfather was a landlord, so who can Grandpa complain to? He feels wronged too. But what can he do about it? Grandpa didn't shirk his responsibilities."
Your parents are gone, your aunt is gone, your uncle is in jail, and he single-handedly carried the family and raised you all. Who can Grandpa tell about his grievances?
My sister also felt wronged. I had been living away from home for more than ten years and I didn't know who my biological parents were.
My parents have been stuck in that place for over ten years. Aren't they aggrieved? You haven't seen it, but my dad has several scars on his body.
But what good is feeling wronged? So we have to look forward and turn our grievances into motivation. Let those who look down on us and laugh at us wait and see what our Gu family will be like in twenty years. They'll have their moment of regret.
Okay, tell your sister how they bullied you.
Actually, after hearing what was said earlier, Gu Zhihong was no longer feeling wronged; it was just that the peaceful life he had experienced over the past year had made him somewhat vulnerable.
She rubbed her eyes sheepishly. "They insulted me on the bulletin board, calling me a landlord's son and saying other nasty things. I don't know who did it. I've already told the teacher, and the school will investigate. Sis, I'm fine now."
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