Until Su Yi and Xia Qixin reunited, the original host had always believed her parents were deeply in love.
When he had time, he would take her along to pick her mother up from work. Every time they left, he would bring gifts for both her and her mother. At home, he never argued with her mother.
Only after they divorced did the original host gradually realize that all of that had only been surface-level.
Whenever she made her mother angry, her father never comforted her mother. He would only wait until her mother left, then hold her in his arms and coax her.
In contrast, whenever Zai Zai made Su Su angry, Gu Shao would always stand on her side and discipline the child.
Who held first place in someone’s heart was obvious at a glance.
Her father had only pretended, in front of her, that he had a good relationship with her mother, and he kept up that act for more than ten years.
Within this body, Su Su could feel the original host’s resentment toward her father. Even though he treated her well, she still hated that he had never truly loved her mother.
Ning Ke waited for Su Su to carry out her punishment but never got the chance. After what had just happened, it was no longer appropriate for her to stay, so she said goodbye to Su Su and Gu Shao and left.
The call Su Su made was answered by Su Yi.
His voice sounded both pleased and a little anxious. “Su Su, I didn’t hear my phone earlier, so I only picked up now. Are you and the children doing well?”
When Su Su was little, she loved calling him. If he answered late, she would get upset. He would have to explain clearly why he didn’t pick up right away, then coax her and promise to buy her something she liked.
It had been years since he last received a call from her. Most of the time, it was him reaching out to her.
When he saw the incoming call just now, he even thought he was imagining things.
The habit of explaining why he answered late was still there, but now he had nothing to use to coax her. And even if he bought her things, she wouldn’t accept them.
Su Su couldn’t understand his feelings at this moment, nor did she answer his question. She went straight to the point. “Fan Jing’an just came to see me.”
“Hm?”
“She said she had something to discuss with my mom and wanted to meet her. Tell your daughter to stay away from my mother.”
Su Yi felt a sharp ache in his chest at her words and explained with difficulty, “My only daughter is you. I know you’re angry with me. Su Su, can’t you forgive me just once?”
She had married Gu Shao against his wishes, and now she had two children but never brought them to see him. These were things he could not get over.
Back then, he had never imagined she would react so strongly. If he had known…
Seven years had already passed. If things remained strained for another seven, how many such years would he have left?
Su Su said, “If you want me to forgive you, then Mom has to forgive you first.”
Su Yi fell silent.
“Why did Fan Jing’an come to see my mom today?”
Su Yi replied, “Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.”
Su Su pressed her lips together and continued, “I have two more questions.”
“Go ahead.”
“A few days ago, my mom was out all day. Did she go to see you?”
“…Yes.”
Su Su took a deep breath. “Fan Jing’an said she owns an apartment in this neighborhood. Did you buy it for her?”
Su Yi said, “Yes and no.”
“What does that even mean?”
After a pause, he said, “You’ll understand in the future. It’s not convenient to tell you right now.”
“Future, future, future, you always say that. Who knows what you’ll do in the future?”
Anger flared in Su Su, and she hung up the phone.
Gu Shao was standing behind her. She turned around, wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest.
Logically, she shouldn’t feel this upset. But perhaps influenced by the original host’s memories, scenes of Su Yi being kind to her as a child kept replaying in her mind, clashing with the present.
It was hard to accept.
Gu Shao gently patted her back.
Su Su suddenly thought about how deeply children could be hurt when their parents divorced.
In the book, when the original host and Gu Shao divorced, had Zai Zai and Wan Wan been hurt like this too?
Even she, an outsider, felt this pain. She did not want her own children to go through the same thing.
“Gu Shao, if one day I’m no longer full-figured and my skin gets worse, you’re not allowed to fall for someone else.”
Gu Shao gave her a light smack on the hip. “What are you talking about?”
“Add one more condition. You can never hit me.”
Gu Shao hadn’t even considered that a “hit.” Hearing her say that startled him. “When have I ever hit you?”
“You just did.”
He paused, then realized what she meant.
He hadn’t used any strength at all. Such a delicate little thing.
…
After the call with Su Yi, Su Su was still in a bad mood. She pulled Gu Shao to sit down in a corner and asked gloomily, “I asked Dad if Mom went to see him, and he said yes.”
“Why would Mom still go see him?”
Gu Shao didn’t really know how to answer. He had almost no experience in relationships. Before even dating, he already had children, then got married in a hurry. After marriage, his wife had been distant until recently.
With such a limited emotional background, he couldn’t fully understand the ups and downs of his in-laws’ relationship.
But there was something he did know. “On Wan Wan’s one-month celebration, Dad originally planned to come, but Aunt Xia was hospitalized that day, so he couldn’t make it.”
Aunt Xia was Fan Jing’an’s mother and Su Yi’s current wife.
Su Su frowned. “What kind of illness requires hospitalization?”
Gu Shao shook his head. It definitely wasn’t something minor. That side had kept it tightly under wraps, not a single detail leaked, and he couldn’t find out.
Su Su said irritably, “That mother and daughter are really something, always causing trouble. Gu Shao, do you know, Fan Jing’an shouldn’t have moved into this neighborhood at all.”
This hadn’t happened in the original story. What had changed? Was it because she had come here, causing certain events to shift?
Gu Shao assumed she simply disliked Fan Jing’an.
He said, “A few days ago, I asked my father to check her property records. She paid in full, and the ownership is already hers. The only option is to see if we can buy it at a high price, if she’s willing to sell.”
But that seemed unlikely, judging by her intention to stay long-term.
The “father” Gu Shao referred to was his own father, not Su Yi.
If he had known earlier that Fan Jing’an would move here, he would have contacted the sales office in advance. Even though he hadn’t formally taken over the Gu family business, his identity as the eldest son still carried weight.
Su Su said, “I’m not afraid of her. She’s just annoying to look at.”
Like a fly. Not frightening, but endlessly irritating as it buzzed around.
Still, Su Su understood that once Fan Jing’an moved in, all the main characters of the original story had gathered.
Gu Zai, Gu Wan, Bai Ningyue, and Fan Siyu.
A storyline meant to begin more than a decade later might already be quietly set in motion now.
Gu Shao noticed her thoughtful expression, pulled her onto his lap, and comforted her. “Let your parents handle their own matters. Whatever your mother decides, we just need to respect her, alright?”
He leaned close, speaking softly near her ear, “Stop thinking about all that. What exactly did you want to tell me earlier? Don’t be shy. Just say it. Whatever it is, I’ll agree.”
She shook her head. “I’m not telling you.”
“Really not?” His tone lifted slightly, as if he was about to come up with some mischief.
As soon as he finished speaking, his hand started creeping upward.
Su Su tried to break free and scooted backward, but Gu Shao’s chest was right behind her, leaving her nowhere to retreat.
She pulled his hand away. “Stop messing around. Mom will come over in a bit.”
Even though this spot was a little hidden, they were still in the courtyard.
“Then tell me what you were just saying to Ning Ke.”
Ah, Su Su grew anxious. Why was Gu Shao suddenly fixated on this topic?
“Gu Shao, I really have nothing to say. Ning Ke was just joking with you.”
After a while, Su Su realized this was nothing more than an excuse for Gu Shao to act as he pleased…
She could not stop him in time, and could only breathe out softly, “Take me back to the room.”
Although it was inconvenient at her mother’s house, there was nothing else to do. Annoying Gu Shao!
When Qu Qingwei came back after shopping, Zai Zai was reluctant to go into the house.
Qu Qingwei held his hand and said, “Come on, Zai Zai, let’s go find Mommy.”
Zai Zai kept leaning back, so Qu Qingwei could only coax him inside. “Mommy is playing hide and seek with you. Let’s hurry and find her!”
“Haha.” Hearing the words hide and seek, Zai Zai got excited. Holding his grandma’s hand, he ran inside.
At his age, he loved playing the kind of hide and seek that adults found a bit boring.
Qu Qingwei set the things down and said to Zai Zai, “Call for Mommy. If Mommy hears you, she should come out.”
The two of them went upstairs.
Zai Zai walked along the long corridor, calling for Mommy as he went.
At each room, he would open the door and look inside.
Every time he played hide and seek with Mommy, Mommy would hide behind the door, under the blanket, or behind the curtains. This time, he searched in all those places too.
“Mommy.”
He called for Mommy every time he reached a spot.
If he did not see her, he would come back out and continue along the corridor to search other rooms.
Qu Qingwei also called out loudly, “Su Su, where are you? Zai Zai is coming to find you.”
Finally, the sound reached Su Su and Gu Shao.
Su Su instantly panicked and kept urging Gu Shao, but the soft sounds spilling from her lips were already broken and breathless, forcing tears into her eyes. Afraid that her mother might hear something strange from outside the room, she could only clamp her lower lip tightly between her teeth.
Seeing her lower lip bitten pale, Gu Shao felt bad for her. He bent down and took her lips into his mouth.
Su Su did not know when her mother might come in, so she hurriedly shook her head, urging Gu Shao to hurry, her whole body pleading with him.
Gu Shao let out a muffled groan and stopped, barely holding himself back, then gave a few hard, punishing thrusts.
Su Su only felt that he was being unbearably ruthless.
Gu Shao comforted her in a low voice, “Don’t rush. It’s fine.”
In his mind, he was cursing that chubby little brat for only knowing how to set up his dad. That little troublemaker needed discipline. He would see how to deal with him later.
This room was not the one Su Su and Gu Shao usually slept in. Gu Shao had been in a hurry, so he had gone into the nearest guest room. Qu Qingwei had never expected anyone to be in there. When Zai Zai reached this room, she helped him open the door.
Gu Shao held Su Su and turned over, pulling her into his arms and covering her up tightly. Before Qu Qingwei had fully opened the door, he called toward it, “Mom, come in later. Su Su and I are taking a nap.”
Qu Qingwei froze for a moment, then realized they had not even had lunch yet, so what nap were they taking?
There was no way she could not guess what they were doing.
When Zai Zai heard his father’s words, he thought he had found Dad in the hide and seek game. He laughed loudly and started to run into the room.
Qu Qingwei hurriedly grabbed him, closed the door, and left.
Su Su kicked Gu Shao under the blanket, furious enough to scold him.
“It’s all your fault, all your fault. How am I supposed to face Mom now?”
Gu Shao flipped over on top of her again and said in a hoarse voice, “It’s fine. That way you do not need to worry about it.”
“You!” How hateful!
…
The two of them went to wash up. Su Su came out first, and Gu Shao came out afterward.
Su Su sat at the edge of the bed drying her hair.
Gu Shao went to change into his home clothes and pulled them over his head. Before he had fully straightened them, his powerful and springy abdominal muscles were exposed.
Su Su quietly took out her phone, adjusted the angle, and secretly snapped a photo, then silently put the phone away.
Gu Shao did not notice. He walked over, took the towel from Su Su’s hands, and helped her dry her hair.
The two of them were very close, able to smell the same fresh fragrance from their showers.
Gu Shao ran his hand through Su Su’s hair. Once he was sure it was dry enough, he stood up, put the towel away, and came back to say, “Alright, let’s go downstairs.”
Heh. Su Su shook her head. “You go downstairs by yourself.” Big, bad guy.
Gu Shao looked at her wide-eyed expression, which was especially like Zai Zai’s, and barely held back his laughter. “Come downstairs with me. Wouldn’t it be even more awkward if you go down alone?”
Su Su said, “Actually, you are worried that if I do not go down with you, you will be the one who feels awkward.”
Gu Shao let out a light laugh. “Then you are mistaken. I would not feel awkward.”
Oh, how proud you are, huh.
Su Su still did not go downstairs with him, but just as Gu Shao said, not going down with him made it even harder to go down later.
By noon, she was so hungry she could not hold out any longer. She lingered by the door for a long time but still could not bring herself to leave the room.
All the while, she was cursing Zai Zai in her head. That hateful little Zai Zai, why did he not come upstairs to call Mommy for lunch? Had this little brat forgotten how to feel sorry for his mother?
When she heard footsteps outside, Su Su quickly ran back to the bed and lay down, pretending to be asleep.
The door was slammed open with a loud bang. Su Su jumped in fright and turned her head.
It was Mom.
Qu Qingwei said with a dark face, “What is this? You are so impressive today that I have to come up and invite you down for lunch.”
This was outrageous, making the whole family wait for her to eat.
Seeing her mother angry, Su Su no longer dared to act coy. She hurriedly got out of bed, straightened her hair, and followed behind her mother downstairs.
Downstairs, Gu Shao was sitting at the dining table feeding Zai Zai. His eyes held a smile. When he turned and saw Su Su, the smile deepened.
Su Su made a face at him. As if she could not tell, this guy was laughing at her.
Zai Zai also saw Mommy. He pushed Gu Shao aside and ran to a seat, patting the chair while calling out to Su Su, “Mommy, Mommy.”
He wanted her to sit there and eat.
Su Su felt a little emotional. Zai Zai really was nice. Even though he looked exactly like his father, he was much more pleasing to the eye than his dad.
…
The group ate and chatted happily. Su Su quickly forgot that awkward episode, when suddenly a phone call came in. She glanced at the screen, it was an unknown number with no note.
She answered.
A woman’s voice came through.
“Hello, is this Su Su?” The woman’s voice was a bit sharp and bright, with a smile in her words.
But Su Su had no impression of her at all. She replied, “Yes.”
“Haha, I’m Lu Ziyi. It’s been so long since we last met, you didn’t forget me, did you?”
Su Su sifted through her memories and finally found an impression of this woman. She answered, “I remember, you were the class monitor.”
She had been the class monitor in the original host’s university days.
The original host’s college life was very different from Su Su’s. Although they both attended art schools, the original host’s classmates were, honestly, all very distinctive characters.