Chapter 998: Shouting Match

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhang Mei’s expression darkened further as she digested Gu Zi’s sharp words, but she wasn’t about to give up just yet. She straightened her back and launched into her tirade with the self-assurance of a matron who believed her moral superiority was unquestionable.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” Zhang Mei declared, her tone heavy with reproach. “But just because someone errs once, you can’t label them for life! Gu Zi, we’re family. Even if Lin Miao isn’t your blood sister, fate has tied you two together. This time, you must help her. Do you understand?”

Gu Zi rested her chin lightly on her hand, pretending to ponder Zhang Mei’s plea. Then, with an almost theatrical shrug, she replied, “If I’m not mistaken, didn’t you, Aunt Zhang, say several times that you wanted nothing more to do with me? Not once, not twice, but multiple times. So, let me get this straight—when you’re dissatisfied with me, we’re strangers. But now that you have designs on my job, suddenly I’m family again? Aunt Zhang, I truly don’t understand the logic here.”

Before Zhang Mei could retort, Gu Zi continued with a sly smile, her tone suddenly sharper. “And speaking of things left unresolved, my sister-in-law just mentioned something interesting—she saw Li Li visiting the gynecology department at the hospital earlier. At first, I was puzzled about why Li Li would go there, but now it’s all starting to make sense. Her relationship with Uncle Gu is progressing much faster than anyone expected, isn’t it?”

The words landed like a bombshell. Zhang Mei’s face turned ghostly pale, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for air. “What did you say? Li Li went to the gynecology department? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“Oh, it wasn’t me who saw her,” Gu Zi replied breezily. “It was my sister-in-law, who used to be good friends with Li Li. Hardly a case of mistaken identity. But if it makes you feel better, you can pretend she saw someone else.”

Gu Zi’s casual dismissal only deepened Zhang Mei’s panic. Her mind raced, piecing together implications she had never dared to entertain. What on earth would an unmarried woman like Li Li be doing in a gynecology department? Zhang Mei’s breath quickened, and her eyes glinted with fury.

Without another word, she bolted from the Su family home, muttering curses under her breath. “Gu Shan, you bastard! How could you do this to me?” she raged as she marched off, each step heavier than the last.

Lin Miao, torn between staying and following her mother, hesitated for a brief moment before scurrying after Zhang Mei. As the duo disappeared down the road, Gu Zi exhaled in relief, feeling the oppressive air of their presence lift.

Su Jing emerged from a side room, a mix of amusement and curiosity on her face. “Sister-in-law, are you okay? That Li Li—is she really involved with your foster father?”

Gu Zi smirked. “Oh, I’m fine. And yes, thanks to you, I now have more ammunition to keep them off my back. As for whether Li Li is actually pregnant, who knows? But it’s enough to plant the seed of doubt in Zhang Mei’s mind. The rest will take care of itself.”

Su Jing raised an eyebrow. “You’re ruthless, Sister-in-law.”

“Ruthless? If only,” Gu Zi replied with a shrug. “I’m just tired of their endless meddling. Let them turn their family into a circus. As long as they don’t bother me, I couldn’t care less.”

And true to Gu Zi’s prediction, Zhang Mei wasted no time storming into the Gu family compound, confronting Gu Shan in a fit of rage.

The shouting match that ensued echoed through the house, and Lin Miao, already drained from her earlier humiliation, fled to a park with a stack of textbooks in hand.@@novelbin@@

It was blisteringly hot under the midday sun, and though Lin Miao sought refuge beneath a tree, the swarm of mosquitoes made studying impossible.

As she slapped away yet another bite, her thoughts drifted to the chaos at home. Gu Shan’s betrayal with Li Li was a bitter pill to swallow, but her mind soon wandered to Mo Li, the ever-present thorn in her side.

Mo Li had been spending far too much time around Gong Zhan. Lin Miao had initially believed that a man as proud and unyielding as Gong Zhan wouldn’t let a woman like Mo Li get too close. But now, she wasn’t so sure. Men were notoriously hard to control, and the thought of Mo Li winning Gong Zhan’s affections was unbearable.

Panic bubbled up inside her. If Mo Li got too close—if she ended up in Gong Zhan’s bed—Lin Miao’s position as Mrs. Gong Zhan would become all but impossible to secure.

She had to act now. She couldn’t afford to become another Zhang Mei, blindly furious at a mistress who had already secured her place in the family by bearing a child.

Her fingers tightened around her textbook as an idea began to take shape. Her eyes lit up with determination. Without wasting another second, Lin Miao gathered her things and headed home, making a beeline for Daqing Village, where Li Li was reportedly “handling family matters.”

When she arrived, she spotted Li Li and called out before the woman could retreat into her house.

Li Li, startled and uneasy, instinctively stepped back, but Lin Miao was quicker. She grabbed Li Li’s arm, her grip firm.

“Relax,” Lin Miao said, her voice surprisingly calm. “I’m not here to make trouble about you and my father. In fact, I need your help. Can we talk?”

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