Yu Manman looked at the unfamiliar Gu Yunsheng standing in front of her.
She did not know whether Gu Yunsheng had really discovered something.
Gu Yunsheng simply looked at her quietly. In truth, the book had not given much information about this matter. It only briefly mentioned that Yu Manman was not the original body’s biological mother. Nothing else was written.
Gu Yunsheng did not really care. She was going to the countryside soon anyway, and her biological mother was already dead.
At the moment when the jade pendant disappeared, Gu Yunzhao suddenly felt as if she had lost something.
She could not explain the feeling.
“Shengsheng, what do you mean by that?”
Yu Manman’s voice interrupted Gu Yunzhao’s thoughts.
Gu Yunsheng looked at her and said calmly, “Exactly what the words mean.”
At this moment, Yu Manman had no idea what had happened to this foolish Gu Yunsheng.
But it was obvious that Gu Yunsheng had slipped out of her control.
Could it be because she was about to be sent to the countryside and the shock had changed her?
She seemed like a completely different person.
Gu Detao and Gu Yunzhao had the same feeling.
“I’m someone who is about to go to the countryside. Barefoot people are not afraid of those wearing shoes. As long as you’re not afraid of losing face, I don’t care.”
“Oh right. I heard Gu Yunzhao and Chen Jingke have been getting very close lately. I wonder if he knows…”
Gu Yunzhao’s face instantly turned pale. She tugged lightly at Yu Manman’s sleeve.
Gu Detao was also furious. With a dark expression, he said,
“Gu Yunsheng, what exactly do you want?”
“My salary is one thousand. The Huo family’s two thousand betrothal gift. And the gold jewelry.”
Gu Yunsheng spoke calmly.
“Why don’t you just rob us!”
Gu Detao almost lost his breath from anger.
Yu Manman clenched the corner of her clothes, panic flashing in her eyes.
“Shengsheng, what did your father and I ever do to wrong you? Are you trying to push us to death?”
Gu Yunzhao had not expected this either. Gu Yunsheng not only refused to divorce now, she even looked like she wanted to completely cut ties with the family.
She stepped forward and held Yu Manman’s hand.
“Mom, Shengsheng must just be throwing a tantrum. Shengsheng, hurry and apologize to Mom and Dad. You must be angry and confused, right?”
Gu Yunsheng could not help but laugh.
“Do you all have hearing problems? Is what I said really that hard to understand?”
“I didn’t mention the past before, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know about it. If you insist on tearing everything apart, I’m sure the steel factory director would enjoy hearing some gossip. And my dear mother, what exactly are you?”
“Give it to her, Detao. It originally belonged to Shengsheng anyway.”
Yu Manman interrupted quickly, afraid that Gu Yunsheng would say something else.
“Mom…” Gu Yunzhao said quietly.
The Huo family’s betrothal gift had already been spent. If all the savings were given to Gu Yunsheng, would they not have to live very frugally afterward?
Yu Manman did not dare take the risk.
She could not be sure how much Gu Yunsheng knew, but one thing was certain.
She definitely knew something. Otherwise she would not behave like this.
Gu Detao’s expression was also extremely unpleasant.
This was a critical time. If they gave away so much money now, it would all be wasted.
That unfilial daughter. If he had known earlier, he should have strangled her right after she was born.
Then she would not be here angering him now.
Grinding his teeth, Gu Detao said,
“Give it to her!”
Even though Yu Manman was unwilling, she had no choice but to go inside and get it.
Only the father and two daughters remained in the room.
Gu Yunzhao stared at Gu Yunsheng in shock, unable to understand where things had gone wrong.
Gu Detao cursed angrily,
“How could I have such a cold-blooded daughter?”
Gu Yunsheng glanced at him.
“Because I take after you.”
“You.”
The single sentence completely silenced Gu Detao.
Yu Manman soon returned with a box.
Gu Detao grabbed it and threw it onto the table.
“Take it and get out. Don’t ever come back again. From now on, I’ll pretend I never had a daughter like you.”
Gu Yunsheng ignored his angry shout. She opened the box and began counting.
Three thousand yuan.
And the gold jewelry Huo Chengxuan had originally bought for the previous owner.
After checking everything, Gu Yunsheng took the items and turned around, leaving in large strides.
Only the three people in the room remained, each with their own thoughts.
All three of them were full of schemes. No wonder they were family.
On the way back to the Huo Family House, Gu Yunsheng touched the jade pendant.
Its warm texture reminded her that she had taken back what belonged to her.
She no longer wanted to think about those troublesome matters, and her mood was especially good.
When she arrived home, Huo’s mother and the others were not there. Gu Yunsheng went straight back to her room.
When she opened the door, Huo Chengxuan was packing his things.
The moment he saw Gu Yunsheng, he visibly relaxed before asking,
“Are you alright? Did anyone bully you?”
As he spoke, he carefully looked her up and down.
Their eyes met.
Gu Yunsheng was in a great mood, and she immediately gave him a bright smile.
When Gu Yunsheng smiled, two small dimples appeared on her cheeks.
For a moment, Huo Chengxuan stared in a daze before quickly looking away.
Gu Yunsheng handed him the box in her hand and said with a smile,
“Who could bully me? I’m the one who bullies others.”
Huo Chengxuan thought about her personality. It really did seem possible.
He accepted the box and asked,
“What is this?”
Gu Yunsheng briefly described her achievement.
After listening, Huo Chengxuan said,
“That originally belonged to you. You can give it to whoever you want.”
Gu Yunsheng looked at him and soon understood what he meant.
Since it had been given to her, she was free to give it to anyone. No one in the Huo Family would blame her.
This family really spoiled her too much.
“Huo Chengxuan, aren’t you being too indulgent? Don’t you think I’m wasteful?”
Huo Chengxuan pressed his thin lips together.
“No. I can afford to support you.”
Gu Yunsheng felt very satisfied after hearing this.
With the Huo Family and Huo Chengxuan treating her like this, at least she would never have to suffer any grievances.
She was not someone who could tolerate being wronged.
“Alright then. You keep packing. I’ll go make lunch.”
Gu Yunsheng was in a great mood.
Perhaps because she was pregnant, she got hungry very quickly.
Filling her stomach was the most important thing right now.
Huo Chengxuan actually wanted to tell her not to tire herself out. But when he thought about the bowl of wontons she had made before, he could not help feeling a little expectant.
He had never thought of himself as someone greedy for food.
Gu Yunsheng went to the kitchen downstairs.
She saw a piece of pork belly and some dried shiitake mushrooms.
She soaked the mushrooms, started steaming rice, and placed about ten eggs into a pot to boil. Then she washed the pork belly and cut it into small cubes.
Once the eggs were cooked, she peeled them and fried them in oil until the surface blistered.
By the time she finished, the mushrooms had already softened. She washed them clean, cut them into small pieces, and set them aside.
The pork belly went into a pot of cold water with a spoonful of white liquor and some scallion segments. After the foam rose to the surface, she removed it.
Next, the pork belly was placed in the pan and stir fried until it released its fat.
As the fragrance of lard filled the kitchen and the pork turned golden on both sides, she removed the meat. She then added rock sugar and cooked it until it melted into bubbling syrup.
The pork belly went back into the pan until every piece was coated with the caramelized color.
Then she added the diced mushrooms along with scallions and garlic, stir frying briefly before tossing ginger, star anise, and other seasonings into the pot.