For a moment, Yan Xi didn’t know whether she should praise her mother for being a loyal servant or call her utterly absurd.

The Qing dynasty is long gone, she thought.

How could someone still hold onto such servile thinking? Being a driver or a housekeeper is honest work—how is that considered charity?

Moreover, if her parents wanted to show gratitude, that was their choice. But why sacrifice their own daughter for it?

Yan Xi couldn’t fathom it. Since she wasn’t sure how the original Yan Xi interacted with her parents, she said little. She merely frowned slightly, expressing her reluctance.

Even this small gesture of resistance was noticed by her mother, who jabbed her finger hard at Yan Xi’s face multiple times. “You ungrateful girl!”

“Ouch, that hurts!” Yan Xi covered her cheek and leaned away.

Mrs. Cheng was not pleased. “What are you dodging for? You’re not some precious lady with delicate skin. You think you’re Miss Ning?”

She continued, her tone growing harsher, glaring fiercely at Yan Xi. “Tell me, is it because you’ve fallen for Mr. Gu that you refuse to help Miss Ning by staying by his side—even going so far as to stage a suicide?”

Yan Xi didn’t respond. It wasn’t her who had feelings for Gu Qinghan—it was the original Yan Xi.

“You shameless girl!” Mrs. Cheng, assuming her silence was an admission, grew even more furious. If they weren’t at the Gu family residence, she might have struck her.

“You lowly, worthless creature! What do you think you are? The daughter of a driver and a housekeeper—how dare you covet what belongs to your betters? Mr. Gu belongs to Miss Ning! A lowly person like you has no right to dream of such things.

Remember this—you must never compete with Miss Ning. You are not worthy!”

Her words were growing increasingly outrageous.

Yan Xi, who had become much calmer after her near-death experience, could no longer bear such insults. Although the scolding wasn’t aimed at her personally, taking on the original Yan Xi’s identity made her feel an acute sense of pity.

No wonder the original Yan Xi had attempted suicide. Rejected by her husband and unloved by her parents, she had no safe harbor from the storm of life.

Yan Xi suppressed her growing frustration, but in the end, she couldn’t hold it back. Her voice turned cold.

“You’ve chosen servitude for yourself, wallowing in self-degradation, and that’s your business. But don’t drag me into it. I am a person, not a servant or an animal. People are equal.

The only difference between me and Ning Xia is that she has money, and I don’t.

But having no money doesn’t mean I’m inferior.”

“You ungrateful girl!” Mrs. Cheng, unable to argue back, raised her hand and swung it toward Yan Xi’s face.

However, Yan Xi caught her wrist midair.

The girl’s hand was pale and slender, as if a slight touch would break it. Yet it radiated strength.

She looked directly at her mother, her gaze calm and unyielding.

Her reaction was natural—not out of anger, nor from a sense of triumph in stopping her mother’s strike.

Her eyes were so bright, sparkling like the sun.

For a moment, Mrs. Cheng froze, her body trembling uncontrollably.

The previous Yan Xi had always been timid, keeping her head down and quietly enduring. Mrs. Cheng had never thought she resembled that person.

But the current Yan Xi, despite her pale and frail appearance, had a sharp, unwavering gaze and an aura of quiet strength.

It was uncanny—too similar, far too similar!

Mrs. Cheng was so startled that she couldn’t speak. Her body shook slightly.

Noticing her mother’s pale complexion, Yan Xi grew worried. Had she scared her mother?

Though she wasn’t the original Yan Xi, this was still her biological mother. By taking on Yan Xi’s identity, she had to fulfill her duty as a daughter.

Realizing this, Yan Xi softened her expression immediately. She stepped forward to steady her mother and apologized. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”

Mrs. Cheng glanced at Yan Xi with a complicated expression and didn’t pursue the matter. Instead, she said, “I came here today mainly to remind you that Miss Ning’s birthday is coming up. Don’t forget to prepare a gift.”

Yan Xi: “…”

She had indeed forgotten. Or more accurately, she didn’t even know Ning Xia’s birthday.

“You didn’t forget, did you?” Mrs. Cheng frowned, clearly displeased by Yan Xi’s reaction.

“Of course not! How could I forget?” Yan Xi quickly shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control. I’ll make sure to prepare a great gift for Miss Ning.”

“What could you possibly give her?” Mrs. Cheng scoffed and added, “The important thing is Mr. Gu. Make sure you remind him.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” Yan Xi replied helplessly.

Why was such a trivial matter so important that it required repeating? Couldn’t it have been handled over the phone instead of interrupting her sleep?

Finally sending off her parents, Yan Xi instructed the servants to set up a lounge chair outside. She then lay down leisurely.

But as soon as she got comfortable, she noticed a familiar figure on the second-floor balcony.

The man was dressed in light-colored loungewear, leaning casually against the railing. Though the loose clothing hid his toned physique, it emphasized his tall, slender frame.

Those long legs—straight and elegant—seemed designed to make people fall to their knees.

Wasn’t this Gu Qinghan, the ever-elusive Mr. Gu?

Yan Xi was initially surprised, then quickly realized that the balcony overlooked the living room. Conversations from downstairs could easily be overheard.

This meant that everything she had said to her parents earlier had likely been heard by Gu Qinghan.

Well, if he heard, he heard. At least she wouldn’t need to remind him.

She raised her hand to shield her face and waved at him with her other hand. “Good morning, Grandpa Gu!”

Gu Qinghan: ???

Grandpa Gu? Was she talking to him?

For a moment, Gu Qinghan was stunned by the absurdity of the nickname.

Unaware of his confusion, Yan Xi continued waving. “Since Grandpa Gu has already overheard everything, I won’t repeat myself. Just remember Miss Ning’s birthday, alright?”

The girl’s attitude was relaxed and carefree, devoid of the timidity or anxiety one might expect.

Gu Qinghan studied her thoughtfully.

For the past few days, the servants had reported Yan Xi’s activities to him. She no longer obsessed over his whereabouts or sought his attention. Instead, she lazed about indifferently, as if nothing mattered to her anymore.

If the old Yan Xi had been a trembling little rabbit, the current Yan Xi was a lazy kitten.

Though equally small and fragile, she now exuded the confidence of someone who considered the house her own.

And her conversation with Mrs. Cheng just now.

It was her first time standing up to her mother—calmly, rationally, and with quiet determination.

Not bad.

Gu Qinghan nodded slightly, a hint of admiration flickering in his gaze.

At least she was finally learning to resist. Her previous demeanor, endlessly yielding and allowing herself to sink deeper into the mud, had thoroughly disgusted him.

Gu Qinghan despised weaklings, especially those who let themselves be trampled on without any attempt to fight back.