Before meeting Old Madam Gu, what troubled Gu Yuan most was how she would get along with the Gu family. She had thought that even with some of the original owner’s memories, she would still feel distant toward Old Madam Gu, and that calling her “mother” would be awkward.
But after meeting her, Gu Yuan realized she was wrong. Perhaps it was because Old Madam Gu gave her a feeling too similar to her grandmother—when she spoke, the word came out naturally, without the discomfort she had expected. It felt as if the woman before her truly was her mother.
The similarity wasn’t in appearance, but in the feeling they gave her.
Gu Yuan had never known her parents. She was raised by her grandmother. According to neighbors, her mother had been deceived into giving birth to her. Perhaps seeing her as a burden and disgrace, she abandoned her to her grandmother and never returned.
To Gu Yuan, her grandmother was the only important person in her life.
Old Madam Gu didn’t notice the fleeting nostalgia in her eyes. She carefully touched the cloth wrapped around Gu Yuan’s head and said irritably, “Why bring her up? That damned girl—she was clearly instigated by her mother, daring to snatch things from her own aunt.” Though she said she didn’t want to mention it, she still answered, “That girl’s grown bold now. She even dared to talk back to me and the village chief. Your eldest brother is making her kneel outside to atone.”
When speaking of the eldest son, Old Madam Gu’s expression was calm. In her view, Er Ya’s disobedience was entirely the fault of her parents. Having the eldest son supervise her was simply making up for their failure.
She continued, “Hmph, she’s lucky you woke up. Otherwise, I would’ve beaten her to death.” Her eyes reddened again. “My precious girl has suffered so much. If anything had happened to you, I wouldn’t want to live either.”
Old Madam Gu had three sons but only one daughter, whom she cherished dearly. Others said Gu Yuan was spoiled and ignorant, but aside from not doing chores, she wasn’t bad-hearted. Whenever she received something, she always saved a portion for Old Madam Gu. That was why the old woman loved her even more.
Although Gu Yuan hadn’t fully absorbed the original owner’s memories, the emotions toward Old Madam Gu had all been passed on. Seeing her red eyes, Gu Yuan thought of her own grandmother. Their faces overlapped in her mind, and her eyes reddened as well.
Lowering her head, she said awkwardly, “Mother, don’t say such things. Didn’t we agree we’d both live long lives? When I grow up, I’ll take care of you properly.”
She wasn’t lying. The original owner had often said the same.
The Gu family wasn’t well off, and with two children studying, their living standards were even tighter. Everything had to be carefully calculated.
Gu Yuan was delicate—she couldn’t bear hardship herself, nor could she bear to see Old Madam Gu suffer. Whenever she saw her eating coarse grain mixed with bran, she would say, “When I grow up, I’ll let Mother live a good life.”
Now, the original owner was gone, and Gu Yuan had taken her place. Whether intentional or not, she felt responsible for fulfilling that wish.
She herself came from a rural background, but modern farming was mechanized. If she had to do farm work, she might not even match the original owner. And the Gu family was poor—according to her memory, even favored girls like her only ate coarse grain buns.
She had eaten such food as a child—it felt like swallowing rough sand, scratching the throat painfully.
Just the thought of living like that made her restless.
She threw off the blanket and tried to get out of bed.
Old Madam Gu stopped her, frowning. “What are you doing? Your injury isn’t healed. Stay in bed. If you need anything, tell me.”
Gu Yuan had intended to retrieve the bracelet herself, but the moment she moved, her head throbbed painfully, and she felt nauseous. Remembering the injury, she suspected a concussion.
Since this body was now hers, she didn’t force it and lay back down.
The bracelet had to be retrieved.
So she grabbed Old Madam Gu’s hand and said in a spoiled tone, “Mother, my bracelet is missing. Er Ya must’ve taken it. You gave it to me—please help me get it back. I feel uncomfortable if I don’t wear it.”
Old Madam Gu was immediately enraged. Slapping the bed, she said, “That wretched little slut! Just you wait—I’ll get it back for you.”
Beating her aunt and stealing from her—this girl had truly gone too far. Old Madam Gu decided she wouldn’t show any mercy this time.
She walked out with a dark expression. The people outside thought something had happened to Gu Yuan, and everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.
Everyone knew how favored Gu Yuan was. If anything happened to her, Old Madam Gu would turn the whole family upside down—especially the eldest son’s family.
The eldest son felt it too. Seeing her, his voice trembled, “Mother… little sister, she—”
Under her glare, he swallowed the rest.
Old Madam Gu snorted. “I knew you heartless lot didn’t wish for my precious girl to recover. Hmph, too bad—she’s awake.”
Though scolded, the eldest son felt relieved. If she hadn’t woken up, he wouldn’t know what to do.
Not because he cared about his sister—but because if she died due to his daughter, people would gossip and blame him.
After all, he wasn’t Old Madam Gu’s biological son.
Ignoring him, Old Madam Gu walked straight to Er Ya and extended her hand. “Hand over your aunt’s bracelet. I can’t control you anymore, can I? Beating your own aunt and stealing from her—we don’t have such ‘fine’ traditions in the Gu family.”
She shot a glance at Yang Shi, clearly implying that Er Ya had learned this from her mother’s side.
All eyes turned to Er Ya. She stiffened. Though she had been a skilled agent in her past life, now she was just a malnourished village girl—she had no power to resist.
She instinctively wanted to touch the bracelet hidden in her clothes but stopped herself.
“I didn’t steal anything,” she said stubbornly. “And I didn’t mean to push her.”
Old Madam Gu ignored her. “Eldest son, hold her. Eldest and second daughters-in-law, search her.”
The family had arrived quickly after the incident, and there hadn’t been much time. If the bracelet had been taken, it had to be on her.
In the Gu family, Old Madam Gu’s word was absolute.
The eldest son grabbed Er Ya’s arm. No matter her experience, she couldn’t resist him. Yang Shi and the second son’s wife began searching her.
Yang Shi cried as she searched, “Er Ya, if you took it, return it now. You know your grandmother’s temper—if it’s not found, our family won’t have peace.”
Er Ya struggled, regretting not hiding the bracelet earlier. She hadn’t expected Gu Yuan to survive—or to care so much about a bracelet.
Seeing her struggle, Old Madam Gu struck her with a stick. “Stay still, or I’ll sell you.” Then she added coldly, “Take her inside and strip her if necessary.”
Er Ya’s gaze turned icy. Such humiliation—she had never endured it before.
“Kill me if you dare,” she said. “Otherwise, I’ll make you regret it.”
Old Madam Gu laughed. “Hear that? She’s threatening me now.”
At this point, she wasn’t even that angry anymore.
Just then, the second daughter-in-law suddenly pulled the bracelet out from Er Ya’s clothes.
Holding it up, she said loudly, “Mother, is this it?”
She already knew it was.
Er Ya’s face turned pale. Panic surged within her—something important was slipping away.
“Give it back!” she shouted. “It’s mine!”
The second daughter-in-law sneered, seizing the chance to stir trouble, but Old Madam Gu cut her off, snatching the bracelet and examining it carefully before putting it away.
“I may be old, but I’m not blind,” she said coldly. “Don’t try tricks with me. I promised your father I’d protect this family. Anyone who disrupts it won’t get off easy.”
With that, she glared sharply before heading back to Gu Yuan’s room, bracelet in hand.