“Miss Sheng, you mustn’t say such things. I grew up in this compound; does that mean I’m childhood sweethearts with everyone?”

“How is that the same? Brother Zijin is your fiancé.”

“Miss Sheng, are you mistaken? The one engaged to the eldest son of the Song family is you, the true daughter of the Sheng family.”

“Sister~ I shouldn’t have returned to the Sheng family…” Sheng Xinglian looked on the verge of tears.

“Enough~ Who’s your sister? Officer Sheng has already publicly severed all ties with me. Stop trying to get close to me.”

Gu Jiaojiao had no desire to deal with this white lotus, who was always seeking attention.

“Gu Jiaojiao, how can you speak to Miss Sheng like that, you ungrateful wretch?” Song Zijin’s lackey stood up for Sheng Xinglian.

Gu Jiaojiao looked at the young man speaking. He had always held a grudge against her former self.

The only reason he hadn’t openly humiliated her before was because she was Song Zijin’s fiancée.

Priding himself on his academic achievements, he was usually aloof and looked down on others, often glancing at people sideways.

Especially when it came to those who didn’t study hard, he would practically look down his nose at them.

Now that he knew Gu Jiaojiao was no longer his boss’s fiancée, he didn’t hold back.

The former Gu Jiaojiao had been unusually tolerant of Song Zijin’s lackeys.

But this Gu Jiaojiao was different. She retorted immediately, “Then tell me, how should I speak?”

Seeing that Gu Jiaojiao wasn’t as polite as before, the lackey angrily questioned her.

“You enjoyed eighteen years of luxury in the Sheng family. Don’t you feel even a little gratitude?”

“How should I show my gratitude? By kneeling and thanking them every day? Did Sheng Xinglian grow up drinking the northwest wind for eighteen years?

Everyone can see that Sheng Xinglian is well-educated, beautiful, and doesn’t look like she was raised in hardship.

Who isn’t the treasure of their family, raised with care by their parents?

After returning to the Sheng family, she only told me my surname was Gu, but she never mentioned where the Gu family was.

Isn’t she, the one who knew the truth, the ungrateful one? Why am I, who knew nothing, the ungrateful wretch?”

Gu Jiaojiao smiled as she countered, her smile as infectious as a sunflower blooming under the sun, dazzling everyone.

After a moment of silence, the crowd’s sympathy shifted toward Gu Jiaojiao, and some even began to gossip in low voices.

“True, the Sheng family’s daughter doesn’t seem like she’s from the countryside. She must have been pampered in the Gu family too.”

“She’s back with the Sheng family, so why hasn’t the Gu family come to take Gu Jiaojiao home?”

“Maybe she didn’t tell the Gu family about Gu Jiaojiao?”

There’s no shortage of conspiracy theorists anywhere. With this reminder, everyone began to speculate.

Song Zijin himself didn’t know why, but whenever he saw Lian’er, he particularly disliked Gu Jiaojiao, finding her utterly disagreeable.

Seeing Sheng Xinglian rendered speechless by Gu Jiaojiao’s retorts, he blurted out in anger.

“Jiaojiao, you need to understand that I was kind to you before because of the friendship between the Song and Sheng families. You should apologize to Lian’er now.”

“Who are you? Why should I listen to you? What have I done wrong? What apology are you talking about?”

Gu Jiaojiao looked up at the handsome man, her expression blank as she questioned him, with no trace of admiration in her eyes.

“You… you… you’re simply unreasonable.” Song Zijin was left speechless.

“If I’m unreasonable, then don’t reason with me. My husband and I were walking peacefully. Did I ask you to speak?”

Gu Jiaojiao silently cursed in her heart. What’s so special about a handsome man’s brain? It’s the same structure and composition as anyone else’s, yet the moment he opens his mouth, he sounds utterly vulgar.

She pushed the wheelchair away without looking back, her back straight and somewhat aloof.

The afterglow of the sun stretched her shadow long and thin, making her seem somewhat adorable. Song Zijin stared at Gu Jiaojiao’s retreating figure, lost in thought.

Sheng Xinglian’s eyes turned red with anger, the veins on her neck throbbing like earthworms.

Since her marriage, Gu Jiaojiao had become cleverer, and Sheng Xinglian could no longer gain any advantage over her.

Sheng Xinglian glared fiercely at Gu Jiaojiao’s back, her hateful and ferocious expression startling Song Zijin.

He rubbed his eyes, and when he looked again, Sheng Xinglian was back to her usual pitiful, delicate self.

Song Zijin thought he must have imagined it. How could someone as kind as Lian’er have such a terrifying expression?

“Lian’er, Gu Jiaojiao has gone mad. Let’s ignore her. Come, let’s go home for dinner.”

“I don’t want to go with you. You’re my sister’s fiancé, I… I…”

Sheng Xinglian shyly finished her sentence, waiting for Song Zijin to comfort her as usual, but this time he stood still, unmoving.

From afar, Sheng’s father, riding his beloved 28-inch bicycle, heard Gu Jiaojiao’s clear, melodious voice.

Her words were sharp, raising points none of them had ever considered.

Yes, his wife had been complaining at home, saying she had given Jiaojiao eighteen years of maternal love.

But they had never considered that the Gu family had also given all their love to their Lian’er.

Though Lian’er had a hard life, it was still better than most in the countryside. They even sent her to high school and spoiled her rotten.

The Gu family hadn’t shown up for a long time. Only recently had Sheng’s father investigated and found out that the eldest son of the Gu family had been injured and returned home.

The second son had gotten into a fight due to rumors and had been taken in by the local police for education. Madam Gu had fallen ill from worry.

The patriarch of the Gu family had been in poor health for many years and was now bedridden.

When their Lian’er returned to the Sheng family, the Gu family was already in deep trouble, yet Lian’er had never mentioned a word of it.

Wasn’t this the true ungrateful wretch? Sheng’s father glanced at his daughter and called her home for dinner.

With just that one glance from her father, Sheng Xinglian froze.

Her scalp tingled, and her back felt as if a snake were crawling on it, sending shivers down her spine.

She had no choice but to follow her father’s steps, glancing back at Song Zijin every few steps.

But Song Zijin was staring intently at Gu Jiaojiao’s retreating figure, lost in thought.

The setting sun filtered through the dense leaves of the plane trees, casting fragmented light on his face like a grid, giving him a somewhat profound appearance.

Song Zijin was thinking that Gu Jiaojiao was still the stunningly beautiful Gu Jiaojiao.

He had once been gentle with her, and they had shared many beautiful memories.

But whenever he saw Lian’er, he couldn’t help but pity her and feel a deep loathing for Gu Jiaojiao.

Su Shuoci knew someone was watching them from behind. When he turned around, he saw Song Zijin’s “infatuated gaze.”

He shot a cold glare, his eyes filled with an imposing sense of authority.

Song Zijin, frightened, turned and left. Su Shuoci felt pleased. No matter how infatuated you are, it’s useless now. The fairy wife is already mine.

“Jiaojiao, Song Zijin just told Sheng Xinglian that you’re crazy and unreasonable.”

“Are you suggesting I should go back and beat him up?” Gu Jiaojiao teased.

“Hehe, wait until I’m better, and I’ll do it. You’re too delicate; don’t hurt yourself.”

Gu Jiaojiao and Su Shuoci walked back, chatting and laughing, drawing envious glances from passersby.

So what if he’s disabled?

He has subsidies and a salary, enough to support a sickly wife.

Gu Jiaojiao had made a name for herself in a single battle. No one in the compound dared to look down on her anymore, and no one called her an ungrateful wretch.