Chapter 169: Foul Atmosphere
"Alright, you can all call me Grandpa Jiao Jiao, haha... Second Brother is just too brilliant. Not only does Shuo Ci like it, I like it a lot too."
Old Sir Gu quickly swallowed the malted milk in his mouth and said with a hearty laugh.
Mr. Gu: ...
’What in the world is going on!’
’Actually, being called "Jiaojiao’s Dad" would have made me very happy too.’
Second Brother Gu: ...
’Good thing I didn’t mention Third Sheng. This is the first time Grandpa has ever praised me in my life.’
’I’ll just make something delicious for Third Sheng next time to make it up to him. As for Grandpa’s praise, that’s all mine.’
He stared with his big, dark eyes, looking from his grandfather to his father, but ultimately said nothing.
Gu Jiaojiao: ...
’I really am just too outstanding!’
She had always been a low-key person and never thought she’d become the center of her family’s attention.
Even in her past life, when she stood at the pinnacle of the medical world, she had never been showered with such affection by her family.
That father of hers didn’t even know what awards she had won or what she had accomplished.
Every time she won an award, she could only share the news with her grandfather, because her father was always either taking his other two children to school or picking them up.
Now, she was just a high school senior, yet the Gu Family was already treating her as their pride and joy.
This feeling of being valued by her family, of being cherished in the palm of her lover’s and her family’s hands... it was just too wonderful for words.
After finishing his glass of malted milk, Su Shuochi took his wife’s hand and spoke to everyone.
"Grandpa, it’s getting late. You should all get some rest. Jiaojiao has school tomorrow, so we’re going to bed now."
"Alright. Good night."
Geng Haoyi never knew that drinking a glass of malted milk before bed could help one sleep.
When he and his sister moved into the Lin Family home after their mother remarried, their living conditions were excellent.
He was never lacking for food, but he didn’t drink malted milk every day.
He lifted the glass and took a sip. It was sweet straight to the heart. A good mood really did help one sleep.
’His father’s health has only been treated for a short while, but at this rate, he should recover in just a few more months.’
Geng Haoyi once again silently thanked everyone in his heart, especially Su and Little Sister-in-law.
While the Su family’s home was filled with warmth and harmony, the atmosphere in other households was not so pleasant.
Over at the Song Family’s home, Song Xiaxia was in a terrible mood because the old woman from the Wang Family had come and caused a huge scene.
’She felt terribly sorry toward her parents. If she weren’t so useless, why would her mother-in-law come to their doorstep to harass them!’
"Xiaxia, don’t overthink it. None of us blame you. If you had told me sooner, I would have gone to the Wang Family and torn that old hag to shreds."
Aunt Song’s voice, gentle yet with a fiery edge, rang in her ears.
Dad Song also took his daughter’s hand and said, "Xiaxia, don’t take it to heart that your mother-in-law came to our door to curse at us. We just didn’t want to stoop to the level of a shrew like her."
Hearing her parents comfort her like this, Song Xiaxia couldn’t stop the tears from falling.
She said through her sobs, "Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. I’ve made you worry."
"Silly child, why are you being so formal with your dad?" Dad Song patted Song Xiaxia’s shoulder.
"Xiaxia, you have good taste. That boy, Wang Gang, is a really good man. He’s willing to donate a part of his liver to your big brother. We just don’t know what his test results will be."
"Wang Gang... has always been very good to me. It’s all my fault for being such a disappointment and making a mess of our lives."
Song Xiaxia’s heart stirred. Thinking of her husband, an indescribably complex feeling washed over her.
An image of a face suddenly appeared in her mind. His eyes were clear and bright, his nose was high and straight, and his lips were perfectly proportioned. All together, he was very handsome.
’If only I could have a son or a daughter for him, we would all be very happy.’
’Or maybe, if I hadn’t tried so hard to please my mother-in-law out of insecurity, she wouldn’t have me under her thumb, free to verbally and physically abuse me as she pleases.’
"Xiaxia, your mother and I want you to live a good life. Regardless of whether it’s your liver or your husband’s that’s used in the end, we thank you, and we will give you a sum of money as compensation."
"Dad, what are you talking about? As long as my brother can be cured, he is our family’s greatest support."
Song Xiaxia hugged her parents, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said with determination.
"Mom, Dad, let’s all go to bed early. I need to listen to Divine Doctor Su Gu and get plenty of sleep."
"Mm."
Dad Song and Mrs. Song nodded at the same time, then went back to their room to rest.
Staring at the empty living room, Song Xiaxia’s eyes reddened once more. Gradually, her gaze hardened with resolve.
’I must get healthy. Not just for my brother, but for my own future.’
At the Sheng Family home, however, the atmosphere was toxic and suffocating. Sheng Yueyue, having reached her breaking point, had smashed the living room to pieces.
She had lost face to Gu Jiaojiao that morning, gone home to sleep it off, and then had lunch at home with just her mother.
Her father wasn’t there, and even her two older brothers didn’t come home for lunch. She tried her best to suppress her rage.
In the afternoon, her mother took her to school. She had planned to rope in a few classmates to pull a prank on that bitch, Gu Jiaojiao.
But who would have thought that Gu Jiaojiao wouldn’t even come to school? She was the one who got hurt, so on what grounds did that bitch get to skip class?
So, Sheng Yueyue also took leave from school and went home. Having slept enough that morning, she didn’t want to sleep in the afternoon.
Lying in bed, she grew angrier and angrier. ’I am the chosen one; I shouldn’t have to live such a frustrating life.’
In her past life, although she had been subjected to countless disdainful looks, she had never been beaten up on the street.
Her three older brothers had been pretty good to her, just not as good as they were to that bitch Gu Jiaojiao, which made her feel incredibly indignant.
In this life, her eldest brother had only been gentle with her for a short period when she first returned to the Sheng Family. The look in his eyes had been full of affection, exactly like in her past life.
But later, she didn’t know when it started, her eldest brother was always glaring at her.
His eyes were filled with disappointment—a look he had never given her in their past life.
’What a joke! In this life, I’m so outstanding, leagues ahead of Gu Jiaojiao. On what grounds does my eldest brother have to be disappointed in me!’
Her father was the same way. That father-son pair didn’t just look alike; even the look in their eyes was nearly identical.
The second and third idiots, however, were different from her past life. Under her instigation, they had grown to hate Gu Jiaojiao more and more.
Sheng Yueyue swore that in this life, she would definitely rise to the very top and grind the once-unattainable Gu Jiaojiao under her heel.
She was on the verge of success, but then that bitch Gu Jiaojiao suddenly changed. She became more assertive than in her past life, no longer following her previous path of being weak and delicate.
This was something she had never expected. Sheng Yueyue had never seen a Gu Jiaojiao like this before.
The Gu Jiaojiao of the past life was always delicate and frail, crying at the drop of a hat, and everyone loved her for it.
’So, after being reborn, I decided to walk the path Gu Jiaojiao took in her past life, leaving that bitch with nowhere to turn.’
The more she thought, the angrier Sheng Yueyue became. By dinnertime, her father still hadn’t come home to eat, though her mother and the two idiots had.
Mrs. Sheng picked out pieces of meat for her as always. The second idiot just ate his own food, and the third idiot didn’t even spare her a glance before finishing his meal and leaving.
When Sheng Yueyue saw the third idiot ignoring her, she flew into a rage and flipped the dining table.
Sheng Shiwen raised his hand as if to strike her. "Yueyue, what’s with this crazy fit now? You know Mom hasn’t eaten yet. Do you have any conscience at all?"
"Go on, hit me! Hit me in the face! Who’s the one with no conscience, me or you people?
My dad usually comes home for dinner. Today, his daughter was beaten by a thankless wolf.
And he’s still not home this late? Is he deliberately staying out to avoid coming home?" Sheng Yueyue sobbed, breathless and choking.