The next day was Saturday, and there was still half a day of classes. Gu Juan only returned around lunchtime.
With a cold expression, she entered Gu Lingling's room, tossed her school bag onto the kang, and climbed onto it. She kicked the sleeping Gu Lingling, "Move over a bit."
Gu Lingling was sleeping in the warmest part of the heated kang. She had a slight fever, and Gu Juan's kick startled her awake, her eyes flashing with a momentary chill.
"Why are you staring? Like an idiot." Gu Juan glared at Gu Lingling fiercely, "Don't think that just because Dad's home, someone will back you up."
Gu Lingling didn't say a word, wrapped herself in the blanket, and shifted to the side to make room for her.
She naturally didn't have time to deal with the neurotic Gu Juan right now.
When Gu Juan came back, Gu Lingling was dreaming. The dream was about what happened after her death in her past life, so vivid that she couldn't believe it was just a dream.
She needed time to digest it all.
In the dream, Yang Yunhai had indeed adopted her child and included him in the Yang Family genealogy. Throughout his life, Yang Yunhai never married.
Because he fell in love with his long-lost cousin, He Yue.
Although he lived a glamorous life in front of people, he suffered from insomnia every night after seeing He Yue.
That melancholic gaze shouldn't have appeared on him at all.
Gu Lingling rubbed the blanket and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
This lifetime, she not only needed to change her own fate but also had to stop Yang Yunhai from falling for He Yue again.
"Hey... Did you hear me talking to you?" Gu Juan leaned against the wall and kicked Gu Lingling through the blanket, "Get up and write for me. I'll come to get it tonight. If the family finds out, you're dead."
"Did you hear me?" Another kick followed.
"Hmm." Gu Lingling shrank into the blanket, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
Gu Juan's writing looked like chicken scratches, whereas Gu Lingling had been learning to write from Yao Ruanqian since she was three.
After Yao Ruanqian passed away, a few years ago, Gu Lingling inadvertently saved Old Man Zhou, who was frozen stiff in winter.
Old Man Zhou secretly taught Gu Lingling, and her writing was actually all taught by him.
Of course, he also taught Gu Lingling some other knowledge, like English and more. Even though Gu Lingling didn't understand, Old Man Zhou didn't force her, only insisting she memorize everything.
This was something that made Gu Juan jealous of Gu Lingling; despite her pig-like looks, Gu Lingling's writing was so good.
Seeing Gu Lingling agree, Gu Juan was satisfied and lay down on the kang.
When Gu Chunhai returned, Wang Meili wanted to show her virtuous side, so Gu Lingling's life was a bit better. She no longer had to cook, wash clothes, and do all sorts of housework every day.
Unfortunately, Gu Chunhai was a long-haul truck driver, and he wasn't home much throughout the year.
Once Gu Chunhai left, Wang Meili and her daughter would relentlessly torment Gu Lingling. If Gu Lingling tried to get close to Gu Chunhai, Wang Meili's methods would become even more brutal.
Over time, young Gu Lingling figured it out. Every time Gu Chunhai came home, she acted very aloof.
It was Gu Juan, with her sweet talk, who grew closer to Gu Chunhai.
At lunchtime, Wang Meili brought a small table onto the kang, "Lingling is still sick, so don't get off the kang. You two sisters get along well, so eat on the kang together."
Her virtuousness was beyond words.
Gu Lingling accepted this 'virtuousness' with peace of mind.
Gu Juan was still just a little girl, and seeing this, she gave Gu Lingling a hard shove.
Gu Lingling seemed frightened, looking at Gu Juan with tears in her eyes. Hesitantly, she said, "You... go ahead and eat? I'm... I'm not hungry."
As soon as she said it, her stomach protested with a couple of growling sounds as if to contradict her words.
Gu Lingling lowered her head in shame, her fingers nervously tugging at the edge of the blanket.
Gu Chunhai's eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.
Over the years, his daughter had distanced herself from him. As he was always busy away, even when he returned, he focused on housework, paying little attention to his daughter.
Especially when he saw a face so similar to his wife's, Gu Chunhai instinctively wanted to avoid it.
He was afraid of remembering his wife's face.
It caused a pain in his chest.
Living like this now was actually quite good.
Yet he never imagined that Gu Lingling would grow up with such a personality.