Chapter 114: A Visit from Chu Shixian

Just as she was about to arrive at her second uncle’s house, Gu Ci’s WeChat buzzed with a series of incoming calls.

She tapped to open it and found messages from Elder Qin.

【Qin Jing: Little Gu, I have arrived in Songdu.】
【Qin Jing: Let’s meet up and have a meal together.】

Gu Ci replied that she was busy today and couldn’t make it. Moments later, Elder Qin sent another message.

【Qin Jing: Then, are you free tomorrow, Little Gu?】
【GC: I have school during the day.】

The person on the other end seemed choked by her response, waiting a full minute before sending another message.

【Qin Jing: Shall we meet in the evening then?】
【Qin Jing: As it happens, there is an internal exchange meeting here in Songdu.】
【Qin Jing: Aren’t you interested in the Music Association? Although this is only a branch in Songdu, the general structure is the same. There will be music masters from all over coming here for the exchange.】

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow and replied with a simple "Okay."

Elder Qin assumed Gu Ci was interested in the structure and networking of the Music Association, but in reality, that was not the case at all. The only reason she was interested was that the emblem on Elder Qin’s clothing was identical to the symbol inside the wooden box she had been searching for.

After discovering this, Gu Ci had actually already researched the internal archives of the Music Association. However, despite the existence of high-tech methods to store data in the modern age, the most important records of the ancient families and factions still in existence were preserved on paper and kept in restricted locations, accessible only to specific individuals. The Music Association was no exception. This was the true reason Gu Ci had ultimately chosen to apprentice under Elder Qin and infiltrate the inner workings of the association.

Upon arriving at her second uncle’s home, Gu Ci saw the last of the service staff smiling as they walked out of the Gu residence. She took a deep breath, knowing immediately that the number of clothes and bags delivered was significant. After all, she had encountered three such staff members in the elevator and two more in the hallway.

Shortly after Gu Ci finished looking at the clothes in the house with Gu Jinyan, Chu Shixian arrived at the door with Gu Zhiran. Having been warned by Gu Ci, Su Wan was not surprised to see them. She simply greeted them with a polite smile and ushered them inside.

Chu Shixian had arrived in a foul mood; seeing Gu Ci lounging lazily on the sofa, she let out a cold snort. "Your manners have truly gone to the dogs! I told you to wait for me after school, but instead, you just left without a word."

Before Gu Ci could respond, a brighter smile appeared on Su Wan’s face as she stepped in protectively. "Oh my, I’m so sorry, sister-in-law. It was I who asked my Jinyan to pick up A-Ci. Look at this mix-up..."

Chu Shixian was left speechless, not knowing how to retort. Gu Zhiran quickly stepped in with a smile to smooth things over. "Actually, Mother just said that because she was worried, since Sister left school alone without calling to let us know she was safe."

Turning to Gu Ci with a look of extreme sincerity, Gu Zhiran added, "Sister, it’s fine that the third cousin came to pick you up, but could you please call us next time? It would save us from worrying while waiting for so long."

Gu Ci raised an eyebrow. Before she could speak, a large hand ruffled her hair and handed her a bag of potato chips. Gu Jinyan’s voice rang out with a playful lilt. "Cousin Zhiran, we certainly won't make you wait for ten whole minutes next time."

"But look, you can't really blame our A-Ci for this. She’s used to walking home alone and forgot someone was planning to pick her up. Since you care so much about our A-Ci, surely you can understand those ten minutes?"

As he spoke, Gu Jinyan deliberately emphasized the words "ten minutes" twice. In reality, excluding the eight minutes Chu Shixian spent waiting for Gu Zhiran, Gu Ci had only made them wait for two minutes.

The smile on Gu Zhiran’s face faltered slightly. "Third cousin is right."

Chu Shixian was so incensed that she turned her gaze away from Gu Ci. Recalling the purpose of her visit to Gu Changrong’s house, she took a deep breath and donned an elegant, kind smile once more. She lifted the gift bag in her hand and placed it into Su Wan’s hands. "Let's put that aside. Here, this is for you."

Su Wan found it bizarre. When had her sister-in-law ever come over with a gift and such a beaming smile? She didn't have any ulterior motives, but she felt as if the sun had risen from the west; it was incredibly strange. Yet, the moment Chu Shixian spoke, Su Wan knew it was indeed her sister-in-law—no matter how kindly she smiled, that condescending tone was unmistakable.

Su Wan’s suspicions only grew. Instead of taking the bag, she asked with a smile, "Sister-in-law, what brings you and Zhiran to my house today?"

Seeing Su Wan hesitate to accept the gift, a flash of arrogant displeasure crossed Chu Shixian’s brow. She pulled Gu Zhiran to sit on the sofa, took the gift box out of the bag, and said loftily, "Sister-in-law, this is the Moxi Qingyan skincare line. Are you really going to refuse it?"

Gu Zhiran wore a proper smile, whispering to Su Wan, "Second Aunt, this skincare line is limited to 100 sets a month. It’s very rare, so you should just accept it."

As she looked at the gift box, a flicker of imperceptible regret crossed Gu Zhiran’s eyes. Skincare products from Moxi were hard to get even if you had the money. The Gu family couldn't even buy them every month. This box was supposed to be hers; it was a waste to give it to someone as unrefined as Su Wan. However, thinking that such a box of skincare would solve her biggest headache, she felt it was worth it.

Su Wan glanced at the logo and frowned, a spark of doubt crossing her mind. *Rare... is it?* Why did she remember having several bottles of this sitting unused in her room? Sometimes Gu Changrong bought them for her, and other times her sons bought them. They had never been in short supply, and they just kept piling up. Especially after Gu Ci had given her a different skincare set, Su Wan had completely abandoned the older ones. Now, hearing someone present this as a "limited edition" gift, Su Wan felt a strange complexity.

However, Gu Zhiran and Chu Shixian were unaware of this. Gu Zhiran’s comment led Chu Shixian to believe she had found the crux of the matter. She covered her lips and laughed, her tone dripping with undisguised contempt.

"Sister-in-law, you don't even know what Moxi skincare is, do you?"

"Well, I suppose that’s not a level you and the second brother usually reach."

"But really, sister-in-law, at your age, a woman needs to take good care of herself. Otherwise, you’ll end up a haggard old woman, and you’ll have nowhere to cry to later."

Chu Shixian spoke with a beaming smile, turning to look at Su Wan with a critical gaze. But upon closer inspection, the smile on her face nearly froze.