"Hello, good day..." Gu Xiaoer suppressed the unease in her heart and answered the call with politeness. She always treated strangers with a consistent courtesy and detachment.
"Xiao Er, it's me." The other side fell silent for a moment before speaking the first sentence.
After so many years of no contact, Gu Xiaoer instantly recognized the voice—it was her father, Gu Zhengjin.
Gu Xiaoer couldn't help but curl her lips in desolation. When had he ever taken the initiative to call her? Now, when Lin Kexin was in trouble, he remembered her existence.
She glanced at Ai Le and nodded apologetically, then ran to the corridor alone to make the call.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Gu?" In the absence of others, her tone suddenly grew cold; the word 'Dad' she couldn't bring herself to utter.
Gu Zhengjin pondered before getting straight to the point, "Come home today, I have something to tell you."
"Home? That place is my home? Mr. Gu, are you confused, or do you need something from me?" she said sarcastically. That place hadn't been her home since seventeen years ago.
"Xiao Er..." Gu Zhengjin was left embarrassed and at a loss for words, "Regardless of everything, I'm still your father. Come back for a visit; it's settled." Gu Zhengjin ended the call promptly, not allowing Gu Xiaoer another chance to speak. The father and daughter's relationship had stiffened over the years like a cold slab, from not living together.
It felt now more like a superior addressing a subordinate, with an authoritative tone that brooked no refusal.
Gu Xiaoer's good mood evaporated instantly; she clenched her fists, anger tingeing her eyes. 'Fine, let's go then. Even if it's a wolf's den, there's nothing for me to fear!'
After speaking in haste to Ai Le, Gu Xiaoer took the bus to head for the Gu Residence. Calculating the time, she would arrive around one o'clock, just in time to avoid the lunch hour since, after all, she didn't expect that family would invite her to share a meal.
Yet this visit weighed heavily on her mind...
Arriving at the Gu Family Villa, Gu Xiaoer could scarcely remember how long it had been since her last visit. The last time was probably about two years ago, she guessed.
Back then, she was so naive. For Lu Tianze's sake, she swallowed her pride to ask Gu Zhengjin for money. Throughout her life, aside from basic living expenses, she never asked Gu Zhengjin for money. That time, for Lu Tianze, she even...
But now, Lu Tianze indeed had become Gu Zhengjin's son-in-law. Sadly, the daughter he was marrying wasn't her.
Oh, the irony.
Taking a deep breath, Gu Xiaoer finally stepped inside.
Aunt Li, long-serving in the Gu family, recognized Gu Xiaoer immediately and hurried to greet her with warmth, "Miss, you've finally come back. You don't know how much Aunt Li has missed you."
Gu Xiaoer smiled sweetly, embracing Aunt Li warmly. Aunt Li was the only person close to her at the Gu Family Villa. As a child, when she lived on her own, it was Aunt Li who worried about her and took care of her. After she turned eighteen, Aunt Li then returned to the Gu family.
"I missed you too, Aunt Li! Come visit me sometime. I miss your shrimp dumplings the most!"
"You little sweet-talker! It's one o'clock already, you haven't eaten lunch, have you? No need to wait any longer; I'll make some for you right now!" Aunt Li said, glancing up at the opulent European-style wall clock and quickly heading for the kitchen.
Gu Xiaoer felt a surge of emotions and hastily shook her head. Eating here, she really couldn't stomach it. This place was not her home; the place where she and her mother lived—that was home!
"Yo, just got back and already ordering the servants around, thinking you're the lady of the house?"
A sharp voice descended from above, and Gu Xiaoer and Aunt Li looked up to see Lin Shuhua, the mistress of the Gu family, on the second-floor staircase.