Beijing, military compound.
Gu Li had already successfully infiltrated the original female lead’s inner circle by slipping into the home of Fu Yishen, the obsessive male supporting character who had grown up alongside the original female lead.
The novel had mentioned that after the original host recovered from her injuries, she traveled thousands of miles to Beijing, filled with hope as she sought recognition from her biological family within the military compound.
Unfortunately, she never even made it through the compound gates.
There were countless people coming and going from the military compound every day. She would stop anyone she saw, grabbing at them as she recounted her tragic life story.
At first, the residents of the compound were skeptical but sympathetic, thinking the young woman was pitiful.
As time passed and the story was repeated over and over again, while the Su Family made no response whatsoever, people gradually stopped paying attention to her and began treating her as a lunatic.
Without money or ration coupons, the original host had neither food nor a place to stay.
Within just a few days, she had become filthy and reeked of sweat and grime. When hunger became unbearable, she resorted to scavenging through garbage for scraps to eat.
Later, several local thugs arranged by the original female lead dragged her away. When she returned, her clothes were disheveled.
Whenever kindhearted people asked what had happened, she could only repeat the same phrases over and over.
“I’m the real one. I’m the real one. She’s fake, she’s fake.”
Day after day, she sat outside the military compound gates like a madwoman. Whenever the compound residents saw her, they avoided her from afar.
It wasn’t as though the guards stationed at the military compound had ignored the situation.
On the very first day the woman arrived, they had reported the matter to the Su Family. Coincidentally, the Su Family’s daughter, Su Baozhu, had been home at the time.
She had specifically instructed them, “This woman has lost her mind. She’s quite pitiful, so don’t chase her away. If you leave her alone, she’ll get bored and leave on her own.”
Afterward, Su Baozhu and Madam Su had left the military compound to visit Su Baozhu’s maternal grandparents.
As a result, the madwoman remained outside the compound for more than half a month. By the time she had wasted away to skin and bones, no one had been able to locate another member of the Su Family to report the matter to again.
Later, the original host’s biological father, Su Jianshe, happened to return to the military compound and learned of the situation.
He summoned the woman for questioning.
But by then, she had completely lost her sanity and could no longer explain anything clearly.
Based on the details she had shared during her lucid moments, Su Jianshe made a special trip to Gu Family Village to investigate.
All signs pointed to the possibility that this madwoman was indeed his biological daughter, who had been switched with another child at birth.
In the end, he chose to keep her by his side.
Who could have imagined that once she lost control, she would become obsessed with marrying the Fu Family’s son?
Unable to bear the guilt of occupying Gu Li’s rightful place as the true daughter of the Su Family, Su Baozhu generously gave up her beloved Fu Yishen to Gu Li.
Heartbroken, she quietly left the military compound.
After Gu Li married Fu Yishen in Su Baozhu’s place, Fu Yishen left as well.
He went to find Su Baozhu.
On one occasion, the original host saw Fu Yishen talking to Su Baozhu. She immediately lost control and rushed forward, slapping Su Baozhu across the face as she screamed,
“You bitch! You’re the one who ruined my life! You stole my parents and even stole my husband!”
Because of that incident, her biological parents sent her to a psychiatric hospital.
Therefore, after arriving in Beijing this time, Gu Li had no intention of rashly seeking out her biological parents.
She remembered that the novel had mentioned Aunt Liu, the woman responsible for cooking for the Fu Family.
After Aunt Liu’s son injured his leg at work, she had requested a month’s leave to return to her hometown and care for him.
Meanwhile, Gu Li’s future mother-in-law, Zhao Yaqin, worked at the hospital.
With the household cook suddenly gone, Zhao Yaqin had to prepare meals herself after work every day, only to be criticized by her husband for her lack of culinary skill.
It was precisely at this critical moment that Gu Li arrived on their doorstep.
After explaining that she had come to Beijing in search of her mother and demonstrating her exceptional cooking skills, she quickly earned Zhao Yaqin’s approval.
In this way, Gu Li successfully gained entry into the military compound and infiltrated the original female lead’s circle.
She became the Fu Family’s temporary housekeeper.
Fu Yishen was one of the admirers of the fake heiress in The Story of the Troupe’s Star Performer and Her Ninety-Nine Admirers.
He had a fairly substantial role in the novel, unlike Panbao’s Brother Dazhu, who had merely been a briefly mentioned supporting character.
He was also the man Gu Li would eventually marry in Su Baozhu’s place after reuniting with her biological family.
He was an obsessive male supporting character, a powerful figure within Beijing’s elite circle, and the owner of numerous courtyard residences.
According to the novel, Fu Yishen had fallen hopelessly in love with the original female lead simply because she had once given him a piece of candy.
Later, after Gu Li’s arrival exposed the original female lead’s identity as the fake daughter, Su Baozhu pretended to leave in sorrow.
In reality, she had merely gone off to date the other ninety-eight admirers.
As a result, Fu Yishen became unable to obtain the woman he loved and gradually descended into complete madness.
Thus, in Gu Li’s mind, Fu Yishen could be summarized as follows:
Rich! Handsome.
Severely lacking in affection. And an oxygen-deprived lunatic.
Starting today, Gu Li had decided to feed this madman candy.
Sugar in stir-fries.
Sugar in soup. Sugar in porridge.
She would let him eat and eat until he developed diabetes.
Then perhaps he wouldn’t have the energy to go insane anymore.
After all, what novel had ever featured a diabetic obsessive male supporting character?
Unfortunately, she had already spent three days quietly surviving in the Fu Household without catching even a glimpse of Fu Yishen.
Her “diabetes plan” remained impossible to implement.
Today was no different.
Fu Yishen still hadn’t appeared.
Instead, the original host’s biological mother arrived at the Fu residence with the fake daughter, Su Baozhu.
Gu Li’s primary purpose in infiltrating the Fu Household was to use Zhao Yaqin as a bridge, allowing her biological parents to learn that she was the true daughter.
After all, words spoken by respected members of society carried far more credibility than those spoken by a nobody who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Zhao Yaqin and Director Su’s wife, Li Liping, who was also Gu Li’s biological mother, were close friends.
However, Zhao Yaqin looked down upon Li Liping.
She considered Li Liping a country bumpkin whose naturally alluring appearance made her seem like the type of woman who would seduce men at any moment.
Li Liping, meanwhile, looked down on Zhao Yaqin’s lofty and arrogant attitude.
On the surface, the two women appeared to get along quite well.
In reality, they constantly competed with one another, comparing husbands and children while waiting eagerly for the opportunity to witness each other’s downfall.
And now, the perfect source of amusement had delivered itself right to Zhao Yaqin’s doorstep.
The moment Gu Li explained that she had come to search for her mother, Zhao Yaqin noticed the striking resemblance between Gu Li and Li Liping.
The girl possessed the same enchanting features, sharing seven or eight parts of Li Liping’s appearance.
Zhao Yaqin immediately sensed the potential for juicy gossip.
Could Li Liping have secretly given birth to an illegitimate daughter and hidden her away in the countryside?
Zhao Yaqin wasn’t some self-sacrificing saint.
The reason she allowed Gu Li to remain in the Fu Household as a temporary housekeeper wasn’t because she pitied the girl.
She simply wanted to enjoy Li Liping’s embarrassment.
“Ding dong…”
The doorbell rang through the Fu Family’s detached residence within the military compound.
Seated in the living room, Zhao Yaqin immediately rose with a bright smile and walked toward the door.
Opening it, she greeted the visitors enthusiastically.
“Oh, Liping, I’ve finally been waiting for you. Come in and have a seat.”
“Baozhu is here too? Hurry inside and let Aunt Zhao have a proper look at you. Why have you gotten even thinner?”
Li Liping smiled.
“With you being this enthusiastic, of course I had to come sooner rather than later.”
She still couldn’t figure out what Zhao Yaqin was plotting.
For three consecutive days, Zhao Yaqin had invited her over.
Taking advantage of the fact that Su Baozhu had a day off from the performing arts troupe, Li Liping had brought her daughter along.
Perhaps they might run into the Fu Family’s son.
Lately, her daughter seemed especially interested in him.