Gu Chiyuan had always been an efficient man.
In less than a day, his suspicions had already narrowed down to specific people.
At the top of the list were Second Uncle Gu’s two little troublemakers.
The following afternoon, Second Uncle Gu’s family arrived right on time.
By the time Yu Wan came downstairs, the living room was already bustling with activity.
Second Uncle Gu and Uncle Gu were sitting by the tea table, drinking tea and chatting, while Second Aunt Gu was holding Mother Yu’s hand as they talked about everyday family matters.
Yu Wan walked over and greeted them politely.
“Second Uncle, Second Aunt.”
Second Uncle Gu looked up with a warm smile.
“Xiao Wan, you’re here? Come, have a seat. It’s only been a few months, and you’ve become even prettier!”
Second Aunt Gu also took Yu Wan’s hand and looked her up and down.
“Oh my, you’ve grown even more beautiful. How are things at school? Is studying tiring?”
Yu Wan answered each question politely, wearing her usual courteous smile.
She wasn’t close to either Second Uncle Gu or Second Aunt Gu. They were simply keeping up appearances.
Sure enough, after only a few polite exchanges, Second Aunt Gu patted her hand.
“Alright, you young people go have fun. No need to stay here keeping us old folks company.”
Yu Wan nodded and walked toward the other side of the living room.
Gu Chiyuan was still seated at the tea table, a teacup in his hand, with no intention of moving.
Clearly, now that he had taken over Hongtai Group, Gu Chiyuan no longer belonged in the category of “children.”
Yu Wan walked over to the sofa.
A young man and a young woman were sitting there.
The young man was Gu Yihang. He was a year older than Yu Wan and had already graduated nearly a year ago.
At the moment, he was lounging on the sofa with his head lowered, playing on his phone. His fingers kept swiping across the screen without so much as lifting his eyes.
The young woman was Gu Xiaoxiao, a second year high school student. She was flipping through a magazine, her gaze fixed on the pages, and likewise didn’t bother looking up.
Technically, one of them should have been called Cousin Yu Wan, while the other should have called her Older Cousin.
Yu Wan walked over and sat in the single armchair opposite them.
“Yihang, Xiaoxiao. Long time no see.”
Gu Yihang gave a brief hum without looking up.
Gu Xiaoxiao turned another page of her magazine as though she hadn’t heard a thing.
Yu Wan didn’t mind.
She had long since grown used to it.
From the very first day she entered the Gu family, these two had never treated her kindly.
When she was younger, she hadn’t understood why and had even tried to win them over.
She had brought them snacks, played games with them, and shared the things she liked.
In return, she received nothing but cold stares and ridicule.
“Burden.”
“Outsider.”
“Why should you get to spend our Gu family’s money?”
She had heard those words far too many times.
In the novel, Gu Yihang was one of Su Nanzhi’s devoted admirers, while Gu Xiaoxiao was Su Nanzhi’s little fangirl.
Before Yu Wan learned she was the Villainous Second Female Lead, she would still argue back.
Now, she simply shut her ears and couldn’t be bothered arguing with NPCs.
Wasn’t it only natural for NPCs created to serve the heroine to dislike the Villainous Second Female Lead?
Leaning back on the sofa, Yu Wan took out her phone and found the Shanghai professor she had contacted earlier.
After hesitating for a moment, she sent a message.
【Yu Wan: Hello, Professor. I’m Yu Wan, the graduate student who’ll be enrolling this September. Do you have any recommended papers I should read? I’d like to prepare in advance.】
The professor replied almost immediately, sending over a long list of recommended reading.
【Professor: Start with these and take your time.】
【Yu Wan: Got it!】
From the tea table came the occasional sound of the adults laughing.
Meanwhile, on the sofa, the three young people each did their own thing, the silence making it feel like an entirely separate world.
Gu Yihang’s fingers continued swiping across his screen, but from the corner of his eye, he secretly glanced at Yu Wan across from him.
Damn it! He gritted his teeth.
How had this burden become even prettier again?!
Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling across Yu Wan’s face and making her skin appear almost translucent.
Her eyelashes rested gently against her cheeks, casting delicate shadows beneath her eyes.
An inexplicable irritation welled up inside Gu Yihang.
“Hey.”
He spoke, his tone unfriendly.
Yu Wan looked up at him.
The moment Gu Yihang met her gaze, his heartbeat skipped.
Damn it! He became even more annoyed.
“What are you looking at?” he snapped.
This silly kid is acting up again, Yu Wan thought.
She couldn’t be bothered arguing with him, nor was she angry.
Pretending not to hear him, she lowered her gaze and continued looking at her phone.
She didn’t argue. She didn’t get angry.
Her expression didn’t even change.
It was as though she hadn’t heard him at all.
That only made Gu Yihang angrier.
“What are you pretending for?” he said again. “You think staying silent will solve everything?”
Yu Wan looked up at him.
Her gaze was as calm as still water.
“Do you need something?” she asked calmly.
Gu Yihang felt a little uncomfortable under that gaze, but stubbornly continued.
“Can’t I talk to you even if I don’t need anything?”
Yu Wan was silent for two seconds.
“You can,” she replied. “What do you want to talk about?”
Gu Yihang opened his mouth, only to realize he genuinely had nothing to say to Yu Wan.
Beside him, Gu Xiaoxiao turned another page of her magazine and curled her lips in disdain.
“Brother, why are you wasting so many words on her?” she muttered quietly. “You’re wasting your breath on someone who doesn’t matter.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was more than enough for Yu Wan to hear.
Yu Wan’s expression remained unchanged.
Instead, Gu Yihang frowned slightly.
He glanced at his sister and pursed his lips.
The sofa area fell silent once again.
At the tea table, Gu Chiyuan casually sipped his tea while his gaze seemed to drift toward them unintentionally.
Time passed bit by bit.
The adults continued chatting merrily at the tea table.
On the sofa, the three young people remained silent.
On the other end of the phone, Li Yi had just woken up from his hangover and wished Yu Wan a good morning, despite it already being afternoon.
Somehow, he had managed to collect a huge assortment of adorable stickers and began bombarding Yu Wan with them throughout their conversation.
Gu Yihang’s phone screen had long since gone dark, yet he still kept his head lowered, pretending to be busy.
From the corner of his eye, however, he couldn’t stop stealing glances across at her.
Yu Wan leaned comfortably against the sofa, typing on her phone. Every now and then, the corners of her lips would lift ever so slightly, as though she had seen something amusing.
She was smiling because of someone on her phone.
The realization left Gu Yihang feeling strangely uncomfortable.
“What are you smiling at?” he blurted out.
Yu Wan looked up at him.
“What?”
“I asked what you’re smiling at.” Gu Yihang’s tone was stiff. “Who are you chatting with? Why are you smiling like that?”
Yu Wan looked at him but didn’t answer.
Instead, she reached into her pocket.
Under Gu Yihang’s watchful gaze, she searched around for a moment before pulling out a Bluetooth earbud.
Then she calmly put it on.
Gu Yihang: “…”
He grew even angrier.
People with poor self control often lost all restraint when they were angry.
“What are you acting so high and mighty for?” he sneered. “Who do you think you are? Aren’t you just a burden? If my eldest uncle hadn’t taken you two in, who knows where you and your mother would be begging by now?”
The moment the words left his mouth, even he froze.
That had gone far too far.
Yu Wan removed her earbud and looked at him.
Her gaze was calm, as though she were looking at a complete stranger.
“Finished?” she asked.
Gu Yihang felt a chill under her gaze, but stubbornly forced himself to continue.
“I’m not finished! You…”
“Gu Yihang.”
The voice wasn’t loud, but the entire living room fell silent for a moment.
Gu Yihang turned around and met a pair of eyes so cold they were terrifying.
Gu Chiyuan stood beside the tea table, having walked over at some point without anyone noticing.
He wore a dark gray sweater, his tall figure imposing and his sharp gaze impossible to meet directly.
The conversation among the four adults had also stopped as they all turned to look.
Gu Yihang hurriedly jumped to his feet.
Ever since childhood, this older cousin had been the one person he feared most.
“Brother…”
“The next time I hear you say something like that,” Gu Chiyuan said coldly, “don’t bother coming here again.”