It was impossible for the young girl to change overnight.
However, Gu Yunsheng believed it was only a matter of time.
She was confident that she could slowly straighten out that stubborn little girl.
But right now, she had something more important to do.
Gu Yunsheng suddenly stood up.
“Dad, Mom, Chengxuan, I need to go back for a while.”
After speaking, Gu Yunsheng went upstairs to change her clothes.
Not long after she went upstairs, Huo Chengxuan followed her.
He pushed the door open and saw her sitting in front of the dressing table. He spoke.
“Are you sure you can go alone? Do you want me to come with you?”
Gu Yunsheng was braiding her hair. She glanced at the man in the mirror behind her.
“No need. I can go by myself.”
“There are some things I need to retrieve personally. Your presence would affect my performance.”
“Hm?”
Huo Chengxuan looked puzzled.
“It’s nothing. Don’t you have work to do? Just leave me be. I’ll be back soon.”
Huo Chengxuan looked at Gu Yunsheng for a moment, then nodded.
After finishing up, Gu Yunsheng did not delay and soon arrived at the family housing compound of the steel factory.
The residential buildings in the compound were dull gray and extremely old. The mottled walls had long lost their original color.
Even so, such old buildings were already considered quite rare at this time.
The courtyards stood one next to another, filled with the atmosphere of everyday life.
Arriving at the Gu family’s door, Gu Yunsheng pushed it open and walked in.
No one was home. They were probably out buying things.
Gu Yunsheng did not care. She went straight to what had once been her room.
The room had already been changed from a double bedroom into Gu Yunzhao’s single room.
Gu Yunsheng searched through the entire room, but still found nothing.
“It’s not here. It must already be in Gu Yunzhao’s hands.”
Gu Yunsheng muttered to herself and took a deep breath.
The original owner had truly been foolish, handing over her own golden opportunity for nothing.
In the book, the female protagonist, her so-called good sister, had accidentally obtained a jade pendant.
This jade pendant was not an ordinary item. It was a golden cheat.
With it, Gu Yunzhao advanced smoothly all the way, eventually attracting Gu Jingke and becoming his wife, living in endless glory.
But Gu Yunsheng had read the original story.
This jade pendant had originally belonged to the original owner.
It was left to her by her biological mother after she was born.
If Gu Yunsheng had not seen the memories of the original owner, she would never have known that the woman who raised her was not her biological mother.
Then again, if she had been her real mother, how could she have joined forces with that father of hers to sell her to an old man?
Just as she was about to turn and leave, she heard a woman’s reproachful voice.
“Shengsheng? Child, why didn’t you tell us in advance that you were coming back?”
Gu Yunsheng turned her head.
Yu Manman walked in. In this era, at around forty years old, she still maintained the appearance of a woman in her early thirties.
When she saw Gu Yunsheng, she gently shook her head.
“You’re already married into the Huo Family, yet you still don’t understand proper manners.”
Gu Yunsheng looked at the woman before her and fell silent for a moment.
“This is my home. Do I need to notify someone before coming back?”
Yu Manman pulled her to sit on a nearby chair.
“Child, how can you talk like that? You look so exhausted. Didn’t you rest well? The Huo Family is about to be sent to the countryside. What did you and Chengxuan decide? Did you get a divorce?”
Gu Yunsheng simply watched Yu Manman perform her act quietly without saying a word.
Seeing Gu Yunsheng remain silent for so long after returning, Yu Manman thought she had been struck by the blow.
“As soon as she comes back, the house is thrown into chaos. Back then we carefully chose a marriage for her, yet she insisted on climbing higher. Now that it failed, she’s come back to trouble the family again.”
Gu Detao walked in from outside. He glanced at Gu Yunsheng’s shabby clothes with obvious disdain.
Gu Yunsheng looked at Gu Detao, her gaze turning cold.
She decisively pulled her hand away and spoke calmly.
“When I got married, weren’t you smiling quite happily when you accepted the bride price?”
“You! You unfilial daughter!”
Gu Detao raised his hand and was about to slap her.
Gu Yunsheng did not dodge. Instead, she stepped forward.
“What? Planning to hit me again? I don’t recall ever saying I got divorced.”
Gu Detao was still somewhat afraid of Huo Chengxuan as a son in law.
Although the Huo Family had fallen into trouble, Huo Chengxuan had still come from the army.
Moreover, he knew that his daughter had Huo Chengxuan completely wrapped around her finger. If she went back and cried a little, his old life might not survive the consequences.
Gu Detao resentfully lowered his hand and glared at her.
Yu Manman, however, was momentarily stunned.
“Shengsheng, if you’re not divorcing, does that mean you’re going to the countryside? It’s so hard there. Can your body handle it?”
Gu Yunsheng truly could not understand why, after so many years, the woman before her could treat the original owner this way.
She could not understand it and did not bother to.
She glanced at the two of them. Right now, she only wanted to retrieve what belonged to her.
“Where is my jade pendant?” Gu Yunsheng asked coldly.
Yu Manman was slightly startled.
“The jade pendant with the red string?”
Gu Yunsheng nodded.
“That pendant was seen by your sister. She thought you didn’t want it anymore, so she took it to wear.”
Gu Yunsheng had actually guessed that already, but her heart still sank slightly.
“Oh? Really? Did any of you ever ask me? Where is Gu Yunzhao?”
Yu Manman frowned slightly. She felt that something about Gu Yunsheng was different. Could it be that she had discovered something?
No, that was impossible.
No one knew except her.
“Gu Yunsheng, that’s your sister. It’s only a jade pendant. Why are you being so petty?”
Gu Detao looked at her with displeasure.
Yu Manman smiled gently.
“Shengsheng, it really was Zhao Zhao’s mistake. Tell me what kind you like and I’ll get you one…”
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yunsheng interrupted her.
“I said I only want my own things. Also, the salary I’ve earned all these years, as well as what the Huo Family gave, please return them.”
Yu Manman looked at Gu Yunsheng’s face.
Her expression was extremely calm, yet there was a trace of coldness in her eyes.
It was clearly the same face, yet Yu Manman felt as though she was seeing another person on her.
Someone who had already died.
Her heart tightened inexplicably.
Gu Detao, however, immediately exploded with anger.
“Gu Yunsheng! You’re a married daughter. Instead of showing filial respect, you come back demanding things. Are you trying to rebel against heaven?”
Gu Yunsheng let out a cold laugh as if she had heard a joke.
“Filial respect? Haven’t I given enough over the years?”
“Ever since I started working, I have handed over every single cent of my salary to this household. Even the bride price from the Huo Family was taken by you, and you didn’t allow me to bring a single coin back. You didn’t even prepare any dowry for me!”