Chapter 133 A Mother's Strength (Second Update)
Gu Changqing hoped it wasn't what he thought: "Did he not only beat you up, but also tie you up with a rope and lock you in the woodshed, refusing to let you out for a long time?"
Gu Chenglin was taken aback: "Brother, how did you know?"
Gu Changqing clenched his fists, suppressing his surging anger, and asked, "Was it a little girl who beat you up?"
Gu Chenglin was even more bewildered.
Seriously? His older brother is that amazing?
They could even tell that the injuries on his body were inflicted by a woman.
Now that things have come to this, is there anything Gu Changqing doesn't understand?
Just as he guessed, it was this kid who bullied the other person's younger brother first, and that's why the other person retaliated.
This kid has the audacity to claim he's innocent!
"How did the Marquis's mansion produce such a good-for-nothing as you?" Gu Changqing said, and then gave him a good beating.
Gu Chenglin was completely dumbfounded.
What's going on?
Why did I get beaten up again?
Even after being beaten up, Gu Chenglin hadn't realized he'd been exposed. He kept acting, saying, "Big brother, what are you doing? I got beaten up because I'm not good enough. But who told Grandpa to only teach you martial arts and not me and my second brother! Otherwise, I could have beaten him up myself. Why would I need to come to you?"
This made Gu Changqing even angrier.
Was it because their grandfather wouldn't teach them martial arts? Or was it because they couldn't endure the hardship?
Gu Changqing used to think that his grandfather's demands were too strict. He was able to do it because he had no other choice. He was the eldest grandson of the Marquis's family and he bore the fate of the family on his shoulders. His two younger brothers did not need to work so hard.
But today he saw that child in the yard. The child was only three or four years old, but he had practiced even harder than he had when he was a child. The child hadn't uttered a single sound!
No one even forced him!
Compared to this, Gu Changqing realized that the younger brother was indeed someone else's.
Gu Changqing looked at Gu Chenglin, his last trace of sympathy gone: "Go kneel in the study yourself."
Gu Chenglin could hardly believe he'd heard correctly: "Brother, what did you say?"
Gu Changqing said coldly, "I'm telling you to kneel in the study!"
Gu Chenglin exploded: "Why are you making me kneel? I've been beaten up like this and you're still punishing me? Are you even my older brother?"
Looking at his younger brother, who not only failed to repent for his mistake but also spoke arrogantly, Gu Changqing felt a surge of anger.
When their mother passed away, their two younger brothers were still very young. Because they felt sorry for them, the whole family spoiled them, especially Gu Chenglin, who was almost spoiled beyond recognition.
Gu Chengfeng has gradually become more restrained in recent years, but Gu Chenglin remains as mischievous as he was in his childhood. However, he is no longer a real child, and no one will easily forgive the mistakes he has made.
"It's precisely because I'm your older brother that I have to discipline you! Are you going to the study by yourself, or am I going to drag you there?"
"you……"
Gu Chengfeng had been eavesdropping outside the door for quite a while. Seeing that his elder brother was about to get serious, he hurriedly came in and said, "Elder brother, third brother, stop arguing!"
When Gu Chenglin saw Gu Chengfeng, he felt a pang of grievance. Of his two older brothers, his second brother was clearly closer to him. His eldest brother was always busy with his studies and martial arts practice, but only his second brother was truly by his side.
He said, "Second brother, you be the judge! Eldest brother wants to punish me!"
Gu Chengfeng whispered, "Say less!"
When his elder brother started to deal with his younger brother, he guessed what his elder brother had figured out. He had long felt that this method was unreliable. If his elder brother were such an easy person to fool, he wouldn't have earned the title of "Iron-Faced Yama" in the army.
Gu Chengfeng tried desperately to signal to his third brother with his eyes, but Gu Chenglin was in a fit of anger and wouldn't listen to any of his signals.
"Big brother, you're punishing me for some wild brat! You'll regret it! Mmm ...
Do you know who he is?
Gu Chengfeng covered her mouth in time before she could pronounce the last sentence correctly.
Gu Chengfeng was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.
Is the silly third brother planning to expose Gu Yan's identity?
Telling his elder brother that he recognized the boy as Gu Yan would be tantamount to confirming that he started the trouble. Moreover, the whole family knows that Gu Yan has a heart condition, so locking him in a dark room is tantamount to taking his life.
This isn't just bullying; it's premeditated murder!
Although Gu Chenglin did not intend to kill anyone at the time, could Gu Chenglin explain himself clearly?
Will my older brother believe it?
"Your brother is punishing you for your own good! Look at you, you caused trouble and then came home and spoke rudely to your brother!" Gu Chengfeng glared at Gu Chenglin, giving him a thousand meaningful looks!
Gu Chenglin understood this time and remained silent.
Gu Chengfeng breathed a sigh of relief and said to Gu Changqing, "Brother, Third Brother did deserve to be punished for causing trouble, but look how badly he is injured. He has already learned his lesson. Kneeling again would be too much for him. Let him recover first."
The older brother may be strict, but he still loves his younger brother very much.
Gu Chengfeng secretly gave Gu Chenglin a reassuring gesture.
Before the gestures were even finished, a commotion broke out outside the courtyard.
A servant rushed in, looking flustered: "Third Young Master! No, it's terrible! Madam is here! She wants to see you! She can't be stopped any longer!"
Gu Changqing's impression was that Yao Shi had always been a frail woman, but now, several rough-looking old women in the courtyard couldn't stop her. She barged in like a madwoman.
She came to Gu Chenglin's bedside, ignoring Gu Chengfeng and Gu Changqing in the room, and slapped Gu Chenglin hard across the face!
Gu Chenglin was immediately stunned by the blow!
This was far more shocking than being beaten by Gu Jiao. His understanding of Gu Jiao was limited to the rumors among the servants. In the end, he had no idea what kind of person Gu Jiao was.
But he knew Yao Shi too well; she was easy to bully, otherwise she wouldn't have taken Gu Yan to live on the estate.
Not to mention hitting him, Yao didn't even dare to scold him!
Gu Chenglin stared at Yao Shi in disbelief.
Yao's eyes were terrifying, as if she wanted to devour Gu Chenglin alive.
Gu Chenglin actually felt a sense of fear.
Gu Changqing was no less shocked than his two younger brothers. He had seen Yao Shi laughing like a child before, but now he saw Yao Shi acting like a madwoman. He suddenly felt that he had never really understood this stepmother.
"Why did you hit him?" Gu Changqing asked.
Madam Yao sneered, tears welling in her eyes: "Don't you, as the eldest brother, know why I hit him? I don't care how you target me, but why did you bully my Yan'er? He barely... barely managed to survive until today..."
Madam Yao had just gone to her daughter's place when she learned that her son had been bullied. Neither of them would tell her, so she secretly asked Gu Xiaoshun and begged him before he finally told her.
Gu Xiaoshun didn't know much. He didn't know who saved Gu Yan, only that Gu Yan was in great danger and almost lost his life. It was a guy named Gu Chenglin who did it.
Gu Jiao also asked him what Gu Chenglin looked like and which class he was in.
Madam Yao was heartbroken. She couldn't imagine her son being tied up and locked in the woodshed, struggling until his hands were covered in blood, and struggling until he suffered a heart attack.
She is a mother!
Her heart will ache!
Tears streamed down Yao's face: "You can disown him as your brother, treat him like a complete stranger... He has his sister, he won't come back to fight you for anything! He's already gone so far away... Why can't you let him go!"
As she continued, Yao began to roar almost hoarsely.
"When you were little, you bullied him, and I took it into consideration that you were children... But you're not children anymore! How can you still treat him like before? Don't you know he has a heart condition? Are you determined to kill him before you're satisfied?"
"Why? Just because you resent me? What have I done wrong?!"
“I have never harmed your mother! I have never thought of taking your father away! Your mother’s death has nothing to do with me! Why are you blaming me for all of this?!”
Yao had never defended herself against the rumors and gossip from the outside world; she had always silently endured them. However, today, when she learned that her son had almost died at the hands of his half-brother, Yao could no longer control herself.
At this moment, the emotions she had held back for more than ten years completely erupted. She lost all her former composure and became like a madwoman ready to fight anyone at any moment.
Ultimately, she is just a mother who has been separated from her daughter for more than ten years and has been struggling to raise her seriously ill son.
Her child cannot be harmed.
That was going to kill her...
If one of them has to die to stop this, then let her die.
She killed Gu Chenglin! She took him with her!
"Madam!" Gu Changqing grasped Yao's wrist and said to her, "You're tired, go back to your courtyard and rest. I will discipline my third brother properly. Someone! Escort Madam back!"
He gave the order, and what arrived was not a rough old woman, but a secret guard.
The guards grabbed Yao's arm.
"Don't hurt her," Gu Changqing said.
"Yes," the guard replied.
The guards helped the nearly collapsing Yao Shi away.
Gu Changqing concealed the dagger he had discreetly taken from Yao's sleeve into his wide sleeve, then turned and looked coldly at Gu Chenglin.
Gu Chenglin's heart skipped a beat: "Big brother! Let me explain! I...I recognized him...but...I didn't mean to...I...I didn't want to kill him...I thought it wasn't him...I..."
Gu Chengfeng sighed, "It's over. The thing I was most worried about has happened. It really can't be explained away."
(End of this chapter)
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