The rough hands, accustomed to years of hard work were suddenly gripped by two soft hands. For a moment, Gu Xuezhen wanted to pull away but when she saw Gu Yingying’s sparkling eyes, she let her actions go. The two sisters walked closely together into the kitchen, so intimately that the chef inside nearly dropped his jaw in surprise.

Gu Xuezhen asked Gu Yingying what she wanted to eat and had the chef prepare it. That was when she noticed the cat, Bastet who had come back with Gu Yingying.

“Did you pick up this cat?”

She crouched down and gently picked Bastet up, not at all bothered by the dirty little paws that had been running around on the floor.

It suddenly occurred to Gu Yingying that she hadn’t really taken care of Bastet herself before. Bastet always took care of his own meals, or the senior brother did. Gu Yingying had never really fed Bastet before.

“Yeah, isn’t it cute?” she asked, watching Bastet lazily nestle against Gu Xuezhen’s chest, further convinced that Gu Xuezhen must be a kind-hearted girl. Bastet, a spirit cat from Anlan Continent could bring good fortune to kind-hearted women. The fact that Bastet was willing to get close to Gu Xuezhen meant she was a good person.

“Mm.” A rare, soft smile appeared on Gu Xuezhen’s face as she gently stroked Bastet’s fur. She really liked long-haired pets—she loved both cats and dogs.

The presence of Bastet seemed to have brought peace between Gu Xuezhen and Gu Yingying. Gu Yingying ate happily, while Bastet under Gu Xuezhen’s care, daintily ate his fill of meat.

By the time they laid down for bed, Gu Yingying still felt like everything was so surreal. She couldn’t believe that she was getting along so peacefully with Gu Xuezhen. Gu Xuezhen was actually an undercover cat lover!

Stretching out her hand, she pulled Bastet into her arms, burying her face in his fur and rubbing it fiercely.

“Ahhhhh, Bastet, I’m so happy! I think Xuezhen is a really good girl. She used to want to drive me away because I didn’t really belong to the Gu family. She’s the true young lady of the Gu family! Look, today I came back so late, and she was still waiting for me. She’s so thoughtful!”

Bastet, being rubbed so much was starting to get uncomfortable but had no way to resist. He closed his eyes and pretended not to hear Gu Yingying’s constant chatter.

After a while, Gu Yingying grew tired of talking and fell asleep but was still holding Bastet.

The night was cool, the moonlight outside gradually casting its glow on Bastet. The once-closed eyes of the black cat suddenly opened, revealing not the usual deep blue, but a startling crimson hue. It then noticed Gu Yingying, and in an instant, those red eyes softened.

Lying in Gu Yingying’s arms, Bastet raised its head slightly, its human-like eyes greedily scanning her features. The soft paws reached out gently to rest on Gu Yingying’s face, carefully brushing against her skin. Suddenly, the little paw emitted an eerie red glow which twisted into a thread, wrapping itself around Gu Yingying’s arm.

Unaware of this, Gu Yingying slept peacefully through the night. The next morning, she woke up feeling refreshed. It was as if the events with Gu Xiao had never happened. She ate with the Gu family, including Gu Xuezhen, and then took a car with Gu Xuezhen to school. Everything seemed calm, as though it was the quiet before a storm.

Two days later, Gu Yingying and Gu Xuezhen returned to the Gu family’s villa. As soon as they entered, they saw a couple standing in the middle of the living room. Gu Xuezhen’s face immediately hardened, and without a word, she walked straight to Mother Gu, ignoring the couple entirely.

Gu Yingying curiously glanced at the couple, quickly realizing, from Gu Xuezhen’s reaction, that these were the Yu family couple—those who had treated Gu Xuezhen like a servant for years.

The Yu couple had been notified by the Gu family that they were to bring their biological daughter back. It stung them that the daughter they had raised for over a decade was not their own. However, with the significant sum of money the Gu family had given them, they were more than happy to comply. Now, hearing that they could “gain” a beautiful daughter in addition, they were in high spirits.

The Gu family had assured them that they would cover Gu Yingying’s expenses until her marriage.

The Yu couple’s eyes immediately fixed on Gu Yingying, appraising her from head to toe. Especially seeing her so well cared for, like a princess from a TV show, they couldn’t help but imagine taking her away right then. After all, once she married, she’d likely marry a wealthy man—bringing in a hefty dowry.

Mother Gu, standing protectively behind Gu Xuezhen, finally looked at her daughter, Gu Yingying whom she had pampered like a princess for the past sixteen years. Her gaze was filled with complex emotions. Father Gu, on the other hand, remained calm. To ensure he could send Gu Yingying away without causing a scene, he had arranged for his son to be sent on a business trip. If the son were here, he might cause more trouble.

He felt pity for Gu Yingying, but when he thought of his own flesh and blood being mistreated by the Yu family for so many years, he couldn’t stomach it. He didn’t want Gu Yingying around to remind him of that.

At this moment, the Yu family had arrived. Father Gu looked at Gu Yingying, standing there.

“Yingying, these are your biological parents. They’re here to take you today. You should go with them.”

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