Chapter 733: Chapter 632: Showdown

Seeing how entertained the little ones were, their faces flushed with glee, Grandpa Gu decided not to scold Shaozheng and Shaolian. He let each of them carry one of the children back. Shaoying didn’t want to be carried. Instead, she held Xiao Man’s hand, skipping and chatting as they walked.

Grandpa Gu followed behind, his hands clasped behind his back, watching his granddaughter with a loving, beaming smile. ’To keep her from going astray, I have to make time in my busy schedule to be with her and teach her. I just can’t accept that the girls of our family, generation after generation, are always falling short of others. See? The granddaughter I’m raising myself is so wonderful. It really takes an old pro to get things done. If I left it to that old woman, she might just raise another Gu Shaoling.’

It had to be said, Grandpa Gu was quite thick-skinned. Every few days, he would take half an hour to play with his granddaughter, teach her a few lines of poetry, or tell her a story, and on that basis alone, he took all the credit for Shaoying’s development. As for her day-to-day life—her meals, her needs, and everything in between—he completely ignored it.

Back in the main hall of the central courtyard, the little ones were put down and immediately started darting about under the covered corridor. Jiang Yuyan and Mrs. Hao tried to catch them to wash their hands and faces but kept failing. Xiao Man, Shaozheng, and Shaolian joined the chase, and the whole group ended up trying to corner the kids like they were catching little chicks, all of them dissolving into laughter.

Grandpa Gu smiled as he took the damp towel from his eldest daughter-in-law to wipe his hands and face. Then he took a folding fan and, fanning himself, was the first to enter the hall. The family of the second branch, who had been sitting and chatting on the sofa, all rose to their feet. Gu Qiyuan and Gu Shao Feng came forward to greet him, calling out, "Father." Grandpa Gu nodded, his smiling gaze shifting to Gu Shao Feng’s face. But then he saw Tian Xueqin behind them, her own smile ready as she prepared to call him ’Father.’ His expression instantly stiffened. With hooded eyes, he turned and walked toward the small parlor, his hands behind his back.

Gu Qiyuan naturally followed his father. Gu Shao Feng turned, put an arm around Wu Xiangyun’s shoulder, and whispered a couple of things to her before following as well. Neither father nor son had said a single word to Tian Xueqin.

’In the past, in a situation like this, Gu Qiyuan would have thoughtfully told her as he left, "Eldest Sister-in-law is here. You must be tired from work, so don’t worry about helping. Go and get some rest!"’

’Her son, though outwardly cold and taciturn, was actually very filial. He would have walked his mother directly to the sofa, poured her a cup of tea, and only then would he have left.’

’But now... Gu Qiyuan was being cold and heartless, completely ignoring her. And Gu Shao Feng only had eyes for that lowly woman. Did his own mother mean nothing to him anymore?’

Tian Xueqin stood rooted to the spot, gritting her teeth. Her eyes were fixed on some distant point, her gaze rigid, as her heaving chest slowly began to calm.

After watching Shaofeng disappear behind the carved screen divider, Wu Xiangyun turned to walk out the door but was stopped by Gu Shaoling. "Where do you think you’re going?"

Wu Xiangyun said, "I’m going out for a walk to see if Eldest Aunt needs any help."

Gu Shaoling snorted. "Our family has plenty of maids and staff. What can you even do? Are you trying to run off and suck up to Grandma and Eldest Aunt again? Don’t bother. You married my brother. Since you’re so good at putting on an act, you might as well spend more time with my mother. *She’s* your real mother-in-law, the one you’re supposed to be serving!"

"Isn’t Second Madam Gu already accompanied by a wonderful daughter like you? If that’s not enough, you can always invite your dear Sister Rong over. I, for one, don’t have that privilege, nor do I want it," Wu Xiangyun said coolly, glancing at the mother and daughter.

Gu Shaoling’s finely shaped eyebrows shot up. "What did you call my mother? Second Madam Gu? It’s one thing if you have no manners, but how dare you disrespect your own mother-in-law! My brother must have had lifetimes of bad luck to get entangled with you. If he had married Sister Zeng Rong, it would have been a hundred, a thousand times better than marrying you. Don’t you dare mention Sister Zeng Rong. You’re not worthy! Sister Zeng Rong is like a cloud in the heavens, and you—you’re nothing but mud on the ground. You aren’t even qualified to carry her shoes!"

"Is that so? Then you can have that qualification all to yourself. You can carry your Sister Zeng Rong’s shoes for your entire life. And in a little while, I’ll be sure to tell your brother that if I’m mud, and he’s my husband, then in your eyes, he must be mud, too!"

"You!" Gu Shaoling leaped up, fuming, and ran to Tian Xueqin’s side. "Mother, look at her! She’s gone too far! Aren’t you going to put her in her place?"

Tian Xueqin’s gaze was like a dagger, as if she wanted to stab Wu Xiangyun right through. "Don’t think I can’t do anything to you. Since you insisted on marrying Shaofeng, you’d better get used to the rules of a wealthy family. I am your mother-in-law, and Shaoling is your sister-in-law. You are expected to show nothing but respect and obedience. Otherwise, you’ll face the consequences!"

Meeting that sharp gaze, Wu Xiangyun’s heart couldn’t help but tremble. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head forcefully. She had, after all, spent a long time mentally preparing for this moment. When she opened her eyes again, her composure was restored, and she stared directly at Tian Xueqin.

"Now I understand why I always feel terrified when I face you. It’s not because you’re my mother-in-law and I’m worried you won’t accept me. It’s because you once tried to take my life. You’re a murderer! And who isn’t afraid of a murderer? Don’t doubt it; Shaofeng told me everything. He’s investigated what happened back then, and it’s all clear now. We watch out for you now like we’re watching out for a demon, do you realize that? Shaofeng says you’ve lost the right to be my mother-in-law. He has given me permission not to love and respect you as family. Of course, as your son, he will still provide for you. But I’m sure he can no longer love you the way every son should love his mother! I married Shaofeng for his heart, not because I was coveting the Gu family’s wealth and glory like you think. Since I was able to walk through the Gu family’s gates, this is my fate. You have no right to order me around and constantly look down on me! After all, you’re not the one in charge of this house. If you were, I wouldn’t have dared to step inside, for fear you’d try to kill me again! Do you hear me clearly? Many people in this family have already seen through it all. You and I are enemies in reality, merely maintaining a hollow relationship on the surface! And you, Gu Shaoling, for Shaofeng’s sake, this is the last time I will lower my voice to speak with you. If you two provoke me again, I won’t hold back. I’ll rip those false masks right off your faces!"

Without another word, Wu Xiangyun turned and walked out of the living room, leaving the mother and daughter standing there, utterly dumbfounded.

Gu Shaoling reached out and tugged on Tian Xueqin’s sleeve. Looking frightened, she asked, "Mother, is what she said true? Did you... did you do something? Did you really try to kill her?"

Tian Xueqin snapped back to her senses and slapped Gu Shaoling’s hand away, glaring at her with irritation and anger. "What nonsense are you spouting? Your mother is a doctor; I only save lives and heal the wounded. How could I harm someone? *She’s* the patient. All that medication she takes has damaged her brain. She’s mentally unstable, delusional, and always thinks people are out to get her. Stay away from her from now on!"

Gu Shaoling was shocked. "Ah? So she’s really mentally unstable? Then my brother... my brother can’t be stuck with a crazy person for the rest of his life! We have to get him to divorce her, quickly! Sister Zeng Rong is still waiting for him!"

But Tian Xueqin’s eyes were fixed on the doorway. As she replayed Wu Xiangyun’s words in her head, her heart churned like a stormy sea, and her mind was in turmoil. She answered her daughter distractedly, "Don’t worry. Your Sister Zeng Rong will definitely become your sister-in-law."

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