Chapter 8

"Ah Ci, are you all right? Is your cold better?"

Just as Gu Jiuci came out, Xu Yun'er immediately rushed over and took her hand. From her worried expression, it was as if nothing had happened.

Given her ability to act and change her expressions, the Oscars owed her a golden statuette.

Gu Jiuci suddenly recalled that in her last life, Xu Yun'er had indeed become a movie star. No wonder she could fool her and date a number of men.

"I'm fine, I was just a little cold," Gu Jiuci replied lightly and unobtrusively avoided Xu Yun'er's hand.

"I was so worried. The devil was so scary just now. He didn't bully you, did he?" Xu Yun'er asked with feigned concern, but all of her words describing Huo Mingche were very negative.

In her last life, Gu Jiuci had not noticed that in the beginning, Huo Mingche had not acted in an extreme way. On the contrary, it was Xu Yun'er's words that made her develop a bias against Huo Mingche. As time went on, the misunderstandings between her and Huo Mingche deepened... This time, she would not allow this bitch to get what she wanted!

"It was fine. I didn't find him scary at all. He even gave me his jacket to wear."

As Gu Jiuci spoke, she turned and purposely allowed Xu Yun'er to see the suit jacket she was wearing.

Xu Yun'er's eyes bulged. She had not expected Gu Jiuci to react like this. Was she not meant to follow along and spew vitriol about Huo Mingche like she used to?

When Xu Yun'er saw the men's suit jacket Gu Jiuci was wearing, deep jealousy flashed through her eyes, however, it only lasted half a second before she perfectly masked her emotion.

However, in this life, Gu Jiuci didn't miss Xu Yun'er's expression. She couldn't help admiring Xu Yun'er's ability to endure and mask her emotions.

The silly girl she had been in her last life would never have thought that Xu Yun'er was such a sophisticated bitch.

Seeing her swallow her jealousy now, Gu Jiuci immediately felt much happier.

"Xu Yun'er, there's plenty of time in the future..."

"Xun'er, Ah Ci is already engaged to Mingche, so be careful of what you say in the future."

Her big brother, Gu Qian, who had not spoken until now, looked at Xu Yun'er firmly. There was a warning in his tone.

"I was wrong, Brother. I just wanted to help Ah Ci. I should have thought more..."

As Xu Yun'er lowered her head to admit her mistake, her eyes immediately reddened. Just at this moment, Gu Qingyuan and Su Furong approached them.

Seeing the situation, Gu Qingyuan immediately frowned and looked in disdain at Gu Jiuci.

"You're already engaged, yet you're still so immature... Bullying your cousin again!"

Gu Jiuci almost threw up blood in anger. After her mother had passed away, her father, Gu Qingyuan, had always been cold toward her. However, after Su Furong and her daughter moved into the Gu Family's home, she had fallen even further in her father's eyes. Now it reached the point where if Xu Yun'er cried, it was her who had done wrong.

"Dad! It's Xu Yun'er who wanted to cry, what does it have to do with Ah Ci?!" her second brother, Gu Qijue, said unhappily.

"Do you think I don't know what you're like? You only know to protect her and can't tell the difference between right and wrong!"

Gu Qingyuan stubbornly maintained his opinion. In his eyes, Gu Jiuci only knew how to make mistakes.

"The person who doesn't know right from wrong is you, isn't it? Do you even know what happened?"

Gu Jiuci looked coldly at Gu Qingyuan as she glanced out of the corners of her eye at Su Furong, who was standing very close to her father.

In her previous life, as she was about to die, Xu Yun'er had come as a victor to her prison and gloated.

"Gu Jiuci, not only is Brother Yutang subordinate to me, even your father belongs to my mother. Today is the day of their wedding..."

Remembering Xu Yun'er's words, Gu Jiuci's hands curled into fists at her sides.

"Why? Gu Qingyuan!

"Didn't you say that you would only love Mom your entire life? That you would never marry again?"

"Ah Ci, your dad is just concerned about you..."

Su Furong once again feigned concern as she jumped into the conversation.

Gu Jiuci came back to her senses and, without hiding her disgusted expression at all, said sarcastically, "Why are you two standing so close? Is there good news coming soon? When are you planning to have the wedding? Before me or with me?"

In any case, she had been spoiled by Xu Yun'er and her mother to know no bounds. Speaking like this was perfectly in accordance with the proud and arrogant persona she had created.

As she said this, Xu Yun'er, standing beside her, immediately let out a breath.

She thought Gu Jiuci had suddenly come to her senses. Who would have thought she was still that brainless idiot? It had just been her misperception.

"Bastard! What are you saying?"

Her father, Gu Qingyuan, was immediately angered. He raised his hand and was about to bring it down in a slap. Gu Jiuci stubbornly stood where she was without moving or hiding. She waited for the slap to land.

"Go ahead, slap me! Is what I am saying wrong? Mother is watching in the sky!"

"Dad! What are you doing? You've never hit Ah Ci before! Are you going to hit her now because of an outsider?"

Her two brothers immediately shielded her behind them, and her second brother, Gu Qijue, retorted back angrily.

"Dad, this time it really had nothing to do with Ah Ci."

Big Brother Gu Qian's voice was very light, but his eyes were full of disapproval toward their father's actions.

"Is this the kind of person I am in your eyes?"

In the end, Gu Qingyuan could not bring himself to hit her, and he slowly lowered his hand. A desolate expression appeared in his eyes.

"Qingyuan, don't get angry. Ah Ci is still young and immature..."

Su Furong was secretly delighted, and she immediately opened her mouth to play the part of a virtuous woman.

Unexpectedly, before she finished speaking, Gu Qingyuan waved his hand and coldly said, "I will always be your brother-in-law. In the future, don't give the children any hints for such misunderstandings."

"I..."

Su Furong was spitting with rage, she wanted nothing more than to rip off Gu Jiuci's mouth, but on the surface, she had to maintain a pitiful expression.

However, Gu Qingyuan did not even look at her this time and headed straight for the car.

Gu Jiuci felt sick watching this scene. "No wonder Xu Yun'er is so good at acting; like mother like daughter."

"Let's go as well."

...

Returning to the familiar Gu Family home, Gu Jiuci immediately ran to her familiar room and threw herself onto the bed.

She buried her head in her pillow and her tears finally fell.

Just then, she had been terrified that she wouldn't be able to hold back and would cry in public. If she did that, her brothers would find it strange, and Xu Yun'er would also be suspicious...

Only when she had shut herself alone in her room could she let out the complicated and joyous feelings of regaining all that she had lost and being given a second chance at life.

Gu Jiuci lay there for a long time before sitting up and considering her room.

There was a large image of a skeleton on her ceiling, and her bedspread was dark with images of bones. Her carpet had an image of a hand giving the middle finger.

"My God, was I crazy in my last life?"

Gu Jiuci felt physiologically unwell and put a hand to her chest to stop herself from throwing up.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

"Miss Ci, would you like some milk?"

Aunt Fu's carefully modulated voice rang out from outside her door, as if terrified that a single word would trigger her anger.

A lump rose in Gu Jiuci's throat as the past washed over her like a tide...