"Aunt Zhu, please make yourself at home. No need to be so polite," Chi Yu said as he glanced at Zhu Shulan, who was sitting on the sofa.
Zhu Shulan's eyes reddened slightly. She never imagined that after living for more than half her life, she'd end up in such a situation. "Thank you, Xiao Yu."
"Mm." Chi Yu nodded in response, without much emotion. He grabbed the keys on the table, intending to return to the office.
"Mom, Aunt Zhu, I'm heading back to the office now," Chi Yu said flatly.
His mother smiled kindly. "Alright, come back early."
After Chi Yu left, his mother held Zhu Shulan's hand. "Shulan, I'm very happy that you came to stay with us. Please feel at home here."
Chi Yu's mother understood her personality well; Zhu Shulan was proud and had never faced setbacks in the first half of her life. Now, encountering something like this, it was only natural for her to be deeply affected.
Zhu Shulan sighed, her brow furrowed in worry. "I... I'm such a failure."
Choking up, Zhu Shulan suddenly grasped Chi Yu's mother's hand tightly in agitation and pleaded, "Xiaolan, you had the best relationship with Weiwei, and she always listened to you. Can you help me? Please help me get Weiwei to forgive me. I know I was wrong..."
Chi Yu's mother took a deep breath. How could she not want to help her? But now, Weiwei had started a new life and was very happy. How could she bear to disturb a happy woman?
Chi Yu's mother thought for a moment, unable to bear rejecting her, "I'll do my best, okay?"
"Xiaolan, thank you so much," Zhu Shulan said, embracing her in a rush of emotion.
"What are you doing?" Chi Ye's voice came from the doorway. He frowned as he looked at the two women embracing tightly.
Chi Yu's mother looked up at the door when she heard his voice. "Xiao Ye, why are you home so early?"
Chi Ye stepped inside, glanced at Zhu Shulan, and said coldly, "I finished my work at the company, so I left early."
Zhu Shulan sat stiffly to the side, her mouth taut. She and Chi Ye had a strained relationship, and he had often been scolded by her when he was younger because of Luo Wei.
After a few seconds of silence, Zhu Shulan spoke up, "Xiao Ye, you're home?"
Chi Ye looked at her, raising an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Mm."
Another awkward silence followed, and Chi Ye curiously looked at his mother as if asking why Zhu Shulan was here.
Chi Yu's mother maintained a strained smile. She knew Chi Ye had never liked Zhu Shulan since childhood, so to ease the tension, she pulled Chi Ye toward the room.
"Xiao Ye, come here. I need to talk to you."
Before Chi Ye could react, his mother had already pulled him into the room. Annoyed, he asked, "Mom, why is she here? You know I don't like her."
His mother tapped his head, "You rude child! Aunt Zhu is still an elder, so speak politely."
"Give me a break. I remember clearly how she treated Weiwei back then," Chi Ye said nonchalantly, shrugging.
"I know all about that, but it's different now. Your Aunt Zhu..." Chi Yu's mother hesitated, her expression complicated.
Chi Ye frowned, his voice turning cold. "What's wrong with her? I saw her luggage. Is she planning to stay with us? It's not like she doesn't have a home to go back to."
"Your Aunt Zhu... She's homeless now. She and Uncle Luo are getting a divorce."
"What?" Chi Ye exclaimed, then started laughing. "I knew it! Revenge may come late, but it always comes. This is karma."
His mother gave him another tap. "Ouch! Mom, stop hitting my head!"
She bit her lip and raised her hand. "That's for gloating. Remember, don't speak out of turn. Your Aunt Zhu has already been punished."
Chi Ye widened his clear, deer-like eyes and blinked. "What punishment?"
"Turns out, the daughter Zhu Shulan loved for over twenty years, Qianqian, isn't her biological child. Weiwei is her real daughter. Qianqian is actually Uncle Luo's daughter with his mistress."
Chi Yu's mother said this all in one breath, her expression heavy.
"Really?" Chi Ye exclaimed excitedly, "That's crazy!" He was as excited as a child.
"Do you want another tap on the head? Or should I tell your father to make you write a reflection?" His mother scolded, raising her hand threateningly.
"No, no, I won't laugh. I'm wrong," Chi Ye pleaded, pressing his hands together and miming zipping his lips.
At the Emperor Sheng Hotel, Gu Chuyi was out for dinner with her colleagues from the design department. After drinking too much, she went to the restroom. Her feet, in seven-inch high heels, were starting to hurt slightly. Her graceful figure swayed as she walked back to the private room.
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. The woman inside looked so familiar. Gu Chuyi took a few steps forward, peeking through the door. Even though the woman was wearing smoky makeup, barely any clothes, and the middle-aged man beside her was groping her with his rough hands, Gu Chuyi still recognized her.
Luo Qianqian!
Gu Chuyi clicked her tongue twice, cursing under her breath, "Serves you right," and quickly took out her phone to snap a photo as evidence. If Luo Qianqian ever dared to bully her good friend again, she'd expose these photos to the public and ruin her reputation.
Just as she was thinking this, she didn't notice that Luo Qianqian had spotted her. Luo Qianqian glared at her, as if trying to bore a hole through her. Gu Chuyi hurriedly put away her phone and fled.
Back in her private room, Gu Chuyi was disoriented. Her colleagues had mostly finished eating, and as she returned, they decided to call it a night and go home.
As Gu Chuyi grabbed her coat from the chair and left the private room with her colleagues, a familiar yet strange voice called out.
"Gu Chuyi."
She stopped and turned around, finding Luo Qianqian standing with her hands on her hips, looking down at her. Her colleagues said goodbye and left, leaving Gu Chuyi to force a smile that looked worse than crying. Nervously, she asked, "What do you want?"
Luo Qianqian sneered. "Don't pretend. Hand over your phone." She held out her hand.
Gu Chuyi clenched her phone tightly to her chest, trying to calm herself as she lifted her chin. "Why should I give you my phone? Who do you think you are?"
Though she knew it was wrong to take the photo, she refused to back down. She had never been afraid of anyone in her life.
"You..." Luo Qianqian waved her hand angrily. "I know you took pictures of me. Delete them now, or don't blame me for being rude."
Luo Qianqian was furious, but Gu Chuyi didn't back down, her attitude just as strong. "What do you mean, rude? Which eye of yours saw me take your picture? Do you think you're some big celebrity? I spit on that."
Gu Chuyi had long despised Luo Qianqian's behavior, and today she saw it as an opportunity to vent her frustration on behalf of her close friend.
Luo Qianqian, now enraged, lunged at her.
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