Chapter 289: Discord
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Ji Sisi looked at Qi Shaoze with furrowed brows and a complex expression in her eyes.
Qi Shaoze’s peach blossom eyes softened as he gazed at Ji Sisi.
After a moment of staring at Qi Shaoze, Ji Sisi asked in a low voice, “Although I don’t wish for Mr. Huo to be deceived by Miss Gu, I’m not foolish. You’re telling me all this because you want to use me to cause a divorce between Gu
Qingcheng and Huo Sicheng.”
Qi Shaoze wasn’t surprised by Ji Sisi’s statement.
“I’ve made it clear. I don’t want my good friend Gu Qingcheng to ruin her life.
She deserves a better man than Huo Sicheng.”
Ji Sisi challenged, “Why should I help you?”
“The precondition for you marrying Huo Sicheng is Gu Qingcheng’s divorce,” Qi Shaoze calmly informed her. “Without Gu Qingcheng’s divorce, no matter how much you imitate her, you can’t marry Huo Sicheng.”
Ji Sisi scoffed, “How do you know I want to marry Mr. Huo? Mr. Qi, I haven’t imitated Miss Gu, and I won’t help you.” Qi Shaoze smiled, “Give me your phone.” Ji Sisi asked, “Why?”
“Just give it to me,” Qi Shaoze insisted.
Ji Sisi handed her phone to Qi Shaoze with a meaningful smile.
Qi Shaoze took Ji Sisi’s phone and saved his number in it.
“Call me when you’ve thought it through.” He returned the phone to Ji Sisi. “I believe I’ll be waiting for your call.”
“I won’t call you,” Ji Sisi asserted.
Qi Shaoze’s smile was full of nuance, “You will.”
He then turned and left.
Ji Sisi stood there, looking at Qi Shaoze’s name in her phone contacts, her brows furrowed.
Meanwhile, in the Gu family villa, Chu He sat beside Gu Mei’s bed, looking at her daughter’s ashen face with heartache.
“Xiaomei, mom was wrong,” she said with sorrowful regret. “I truly know I was wrong. Please, talk to me.”
Hearing Chu He’s apologies day after day, Gu Mei finally couldn’t bear it any longer and looked at her mother with dim and lifeless eyes.
“Mom, stop apologizing. I’m not angry anymore.”
Seeing Gu Mei finally respond, Chu He burst into tears. “I was wrong to trust your father, wrong to hold leverage over Gu Qingcheng and not reveal it, hoping to control her. Then I lost my phone, losing the only chance to control
her…”
As she spoke, her regret and pain deepened.
“It’s all my fault. During the Taohe Cup, I should have sent more people to kill Gu Qingcheng to avoid future troubles. If we had killed her, we wouldn’t be in this situation now.”
“Mom, stop crying. In the end, you were too soft-hearted,” Gu Mei said with a deep-seated hatred in her eyes. “I wanted to kill Gu Qingcheng’s son, Huo Xuan, and you stopped me from killing that brat. Now Gu Qingcheng has us under her foot, humiliating us, all because we were too soft-hearted. We should have dismembered her the night she refused to marry.”
Chu He replied, “Huo Xuan was just a child. I believed the enemy was Gu
Qingcheng, not a child.”
Gu Mei reminded her, “Gu Qingcheng was also a little girl once. Look what happened because you didn’t kill her!”
Chu He was momentarily speechless, as Gu Mei’s words pierced her heart like a knife.
After Mu Xia’s death, Gu Qingcheng, a six-year-old girl, was left alone and vulnerable. Chu He had cunningly driven her out of the Gu family, leaving her to die in boarding school.
She regretted not being crueler then, not killing Gu Qingcheng directly, which could have prevented all these current troubles.
“It’s my fault,” she admitted. “I was too kind and soft-hearted. I should have strangled that wretched Gu Qingcheng.”
“Now it’s useless to say these things,” Gu Mei said, her eyes filled with thoughts. “We need to find a way to target Gu Qingcheng, or else we will continue to be bullied by her.”
Chu He asked, “What about your father?”
“Father?” Gu Mei’s hatred intensified. “He beats you, doesn’t care if I live or die, and you still care about him? He deserves to die just like Gu Qingcheng!”
“Don’t say that,” Chu He sighed. “Let’s not talk about your father for now. What do you think we should do about Gu Qingcheng?”
Gu Mei’s eyes gleamed viciously. “I’ve thought a lot recently. Despite the world condemning me, it’s nothing compared to my hatred for Gu Qingcheng. I’ve had people check on Ji Sisi; she can be used, as well as Qi Shaoze.”
“Qi Shaoze?” Chu He was surprised. “Qi Shaoze is Gu Qingcheng’s good friend, and he likes her a lot. He can’t be used.”
Gu Mei explained, “I’ve sent people to investigate. They tell me Qi Shaoze can’t win Gu Qingcheng’s heart and is trying to separate her and Huo Sicheng. If his love is unrequited, he must harbor hatred for Huo Sicheng.” Chu He questioned, “Are you sure about your information?”
Gu Mei replied, “I’ll be the judge of that.”
Chu He asked, “How will you judge?”
Gu Mei said, “You don’t need to worry about that. Right now, I need a lot of money. Money makes the world go round, and I’m determined to kill Gu Qingcheng.
“I’ll give you all my savings,” Chu He decided. “Don’t worry, daughter. As long as it takes to kill Gu Qingcheng, I’ll get you the money!”
“Good,” Gu Mei responded.
At that moment, on her way back to the villa, Gu Qingcheng had a craving for spicy shrimp.
She went to a nearby supermarket, disguised to shop for groceries. After finishing her shopping, she was ready to leave.
“Can’t this tie be any cheaper?” a woman’s pitiful voice rang out.
“Madam, I’m sorry, but this tie is a limited edition. It’s just come on display. It’s also the only one in the world. The price is fixed, and I can’t offer a discount.”
“Oh, what a pity. I can’t afford it.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingcheng glanced over and saw a stylishly dressed woman sighing as she walked away.
Following the woman’s gaze, Gu Qingcheng saw a black tie displayed in the showcase, woven with a white silver thread. It was luxurious and restrained, instantly catching her fancy.
“Hello, can I help you?” the clerk asked. “This tie…”
Before the clerk could finish, Gu Qingcheng interrupted, “Wrap it up.”
The clerk was momentarily stunned, then smiled politely. “Madam, the price of this tie…”
“Wrap it up,” Gu Qingcheng repeated.
After a moment of hesitation, the clerk happily obliged, “Of course, madam.
One moment please.”
Qingcheng looked at the tie gift box in her hand, she was momentarily stunned.
She thought to herself that she must be crazy. At that moment, she was so focused on the beauty of the tie that she impulsively bought it without thinking.
Only after getting the tie did she realize she had been thinking of Huo Sicheng the whole time, as it perfectly suited his understated and reserved style.
When Gu Qingcheng regained her composure, her mind was filled with thoughts of Huo Sicheng, but they were not pleasant ones.
Having already bought the tie, she realized that returning it would be like playing games with the store clerk.
Her mood soured quickly, especially considering the high value of the tie.
“Never mind,” she decided, clearing her mind of the unpleasant thoughts and leaving.
Having bought it already, why not give it to Huo Sicheng? She had her obsessions with him, waiting for his response about Miss Li.
Back at the villa, Gu Qingcheng entered the living room to find Huo Sicheng and their son Huo Xuan, an unusual occurrence.
“Mommy’s back,” Huo Xuan said cheerfully, running to Gu Qingcheng.
“Mommy, I missed you.”
With hands clutching groceries, Gu Qingcheng could only look at him tenderly. “Mommy missed you too.”
Huo Xuan offered to help with the groceries. “Let me carry them for Mommy.”
“No, I bought shrimp. They’re smelly. Don’t touch them,” Gu Qingcheng refused, turning to Huo Sicheng. “You come here.”
Seeing Gu Qingcheng home, Huo Sicheng’s uneasy heart settled, filled with joy for her.
He approached her, offering to take the groceries. “Let me.”
“No need,” Gu Qingcheng said, handing the tie gift box to Huo Sicheng. “For you.”
Huo Sicheng looked at the luxurious gift box in his hand, asking Gu Qingcheng, “What’s this?”
