As soon as Gu Ningning returned home, she received a call from Lu Xueshi.
It wasn’t concern, but a probing question.
“Ningning, how was your first day of school? If you really don’t like it, I’ll talk to Old Master Lu and find a university for you to attend,” Lu Xueshi said thoughtfully.
He couldn’t let her become too outstanding.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to control her.
Especially since his plan failed and he couldn’t get a handle on Gu Ningning.
He was a little worried.
“No need, Brother Xueshi, I’m in class six; I can just coast until the college entrance exam,” Gu Ningning said softly, “Don’t bother Old Master Lu.”
Hearing her flippant tone, Lu Xueshi relaxed a bit more.
The way she was now, she would definitely not strive for anything.
Thinking, he then said, “Ningning, I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow morning!”
“Okay!” Gu Ningning, of course, wouldn’t refuse; she had to play the role of someone dependent on him, clinging to him.
This was the only way to make Shen Xiuxiu jealous, make her feel insecure, and make her desperately try to snatch this man away.
Sitting beside Lu Xueshi, Shen Xiuxiu clenched her fists tightly.
She had, of course, heard Gu Ningning’s words.
She just couldn’t understand.
This Gu Ningning was clearly just the daughter of her father’s driver, yet she lived so well.
And she, Shen Xiuxiu, seemed to have boundless glory on the surface: the only daughter of a high-ranking official, a graduate of a worker-peasant-soldier university, and the pillar of the Cultural Troupe.
But what was the use of all that?
It was all superficial.
In reality, she lived a more exhausting life than any other woman around her.
Every day she had to work hard to improve.
Gu Ningning, on the other hand, lived a free and easy life.
Before, she was unlearned and a useless good-for-nothing.
Now, with the Lu family’s help, a degree was within easy reach.
Listening to Lu Xueshi’s words just now, if Old Master Lu was willing to step forward, Gu Ningning could also attend university.
Thinking of this, she became even angrier.
She couldn’t help but cough lightly.
Gu Ningning quickly asked, “Brother Xueshi, is there someone else with you?”
“En, Aunt Zhang!” Lu Xueshi also grew anxious, giving Shen Xiuxiu a deep, warning look.
He couldn’t let Gu Ningning discover anything suspicious yet.
Shen Xiuxiu looked wronged, could only lower her head, and dared not make any more sounds.
By the time Lu Xueshi hung up the phone, half an hour had passed.
He was also mentally exhausted.
But he had to humor Gu Ningning.
Hanging up the phone, Lu Xueshi quickly hugged Shen Xiuxiu: “Xiuxiu, don’t be angry, I was just too anxious earlier.”
Shen Xiuxiu was a resilient girl.
She didn’t cry.
She just nodded lightly.
“Xiuxiu, I’m just humoring her and deceiving her; my heart only has you,” Lu Xueshi said softly, “You know, if Gu Ningning makes a fuss, I won’t be able to marry her. Then, this marriage will have to be fulfilled by Lu Jingchen, and you wouldn’t want the thirty thousand yuan betrothal gift and the villa in Chongwen District to fly away, would you?”
This was also half coaxing, half warning.
He was a person who only focused on core interests.
If Shen Xiuxiu dared to ruin everything for him, he wouldn’t be soft-hearted either.
He was merely interested in her having a high-ranking official as a father.
“Brother Xueshi, I know I was wrong.” Shen Xiuxiu also sobered up in that instant, nodding vigorously.
She told herself to endure.
Lu Xueshi then smiled and said, “It’s okay, I don’t blame you, you are my darling!”
He kissed her on the cheek, took her hand: “Come on, I’ll take you to the department store to buy clothes, then to the State-run Restaurant.”
Shen Xiuxiu was still easy to appease.
She could be appeased without spending too much money.
And she was utterly devoted to him.
On the other side, Gu Ningning hung up the phone and began to organize her study materials.
Liu Xuehong was somewhat surprised to see this.
“This girl, for Lu Xueshi, is actually studying so diligently,” Liu Xuehong muttered while cooking.
“Studying is a good thing,” Gu Pingwu said casually, “If she gets into a good university, we’ll also have bragging rights.”
“I’ve always had bragging rights,” Liu Xuehong said indifferently, lowering her voice, “Our daughter is now enjoying boundless glory.”
She glanced in the direction of Gu Ningning’s room: “Keep your voice down.”
“It’s fine, she’s so clueless, she won’t understand at all,” Liu Xuehong’s tone was laced with disdain and mockery, “Actually, for someone like her, having Old Master Lu find a school is just a waste.”
Pausing, Liu Xuehong added, “If it weren’t for your insistence, who would pamper her like this.”
“Aren’t we afraid of ‘what if’!” Gu Pingwu rolled his eyes at her, “Long hair, short on wisdom.”
“‘What if, what if,’ eighteen years have passed, and still nothing has happened,” Liu Xuehong said unhappily, feeling bad about the money.
They hadn’t spent any less money on Gu Ningning over the years.
Her food, drink, and clothes were all good.
She was allowed to do whatever she wanted.
Gu Pingwu glared at her again: “It’s best to say less; if we really cause trouble, none of us will survive.”
Hearing this, Liu Xuehong finally reined in her temper.
“Continue treating her as before,” Gu Pingwu instructed again, “Let her do whatever she wants; the betrothal gift will be in hand soon.”
This ignorant woman really had no brains.
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. How qualified have I been at playing the kind mother all these years?” Liu Xuehong’s spirits lifted instantly.
Thirty thousand yuan, they really hit the jackpot.
And her kind mother was the kind mother who spoils her children.
She only cared about letting Gu Ningning eat, drink, play, and dress up.
She never properly educated her.
Her studies were a complete mess.
She didn’t care or ask.
If Gu Ningning didn’t want to go to school, she would just come home.
Staying out all night wouldn’t incur blame either.
This time, with Lu Xueshi, Gu Ningning was also the instigator, which was why Chen Xuehong casually asked.
Gu Pingwu nodded: “Just keep going like this.”
Otherwise, if the truth ever came out, they really wouldn’t survive.
He had also been on tenterhooks all these years.
Fortunately, they had gotten through it safely.
In fact, Gu Ningning heard their entire conversation clearly and thought she had been truly stupid in her previous life.
Her parents’ actions were so obvious, yet she was blind and couldn’t see it.
Early the next morning, Lu Xueshi’s car was parked outside Gu Ningning’s house.
Gu Ningning had adjusted her emotions very well.
She was actually considering trying to extract her birth parents’ identities from Lu Xueshi and Mr. and Mrs. Gu Pingwu.
But then she thought that at this current time, Lu Xueshi probably wouldn’t know.
She would still have to investigate through Mr. and Mrs. Gu Pingwu.
“Brother Xueshi, pick me up at noon and take me to the State-run Restaurant, the cafeteria food isn’t good,” Gu Ningning said coyly at the school gate.
She also needed to give Shen Xiuxiu a push to make her nervous.
Lu Xueshi hesitated for a moment.
He still nodded: “Okay, I’ll pick you up.”
Thinking of Gu Ningning’s pampered demeanor, it was perfectly normal for her not to be used to cafeteria food.
He had promised to take Shen Xiuxiu out for lunch, so it looked like he would have to break that promise.
He would have to appease her well again.
Gu Ningning didn’t care about all that, waved goodbye to him, and entered the school gate cheerfully, where she ran into Xiao Hongshi.