Chapter 5: She Came Back with Four Coffins

Twenty minutes later.

Fu Hanyan and Gu Yining emerged from the Civil Affairs Bureau, one following the other. A sleek black Maybach was parked at the entrance, its driver, Li Feng, already holding the door open.

As Fu Hanyan settled into the car, his expression was icy, his lips pressed into a thin, unforgiving line. Gu Yining was just about to follow him when he raised his voice, commanding Li Feng to drive off. The luxury vehicle sped away, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the unmistakable arrogance of its departure.

Gu Yining stood there, clutching the red marriage booklet tightly in her hands, and shouted after the disappearing car, "You might be ignoring me today, but I swear I'll make you regret it soon enough!"

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As night fell, the Gu family villa was ablaze with light, exuding warmth and merriment. Gu Father, Gu Tingyuan, sat at the dining table with his wife, Chen Huilan, and their two elder daughters, Gu Wenshan and Gu Wenxuan, enjoying their dinner together, the atmosphere buoyant and joyful.

At the table, no one seemed to notice the absence of one family member; if anything, the mood had improved. Gu Wenxuan was the first to break the comfortable silence.

"Now that that ugly little monster, Gu Yining, is gone, I can finally eat in peace," she exclaimed, her tone dripping with disdain. "Dad, Mom, did you see? Her scandalous photos with some upperclassman have been plastered all over the forums! Even if she gets expelled, I still have to deal with people pointing fingers at me because I'm her sister. It's like I've been cursed to have her as my sibling! But now she's completely out of our lives, and I can't tell you how relieved I am. It's a win for everyone!"

Chen Huilan cast a sidelong glance at her daughter, filled with approval for her sharp remarks. If Gu Wenxuan hadn't orchestrated that scandal at school, it was unlikely they would have managed to get Gu Yining out of their lives so quickly.

Gu Tingyuan, a man who valued his reputation above all, couldn't tolerate the shame brought upon the Gu family by Gu Yining's antics. He sat there, his brow furrowed in contemplation as he ate his dinner, his expression a mixture of irritation and complexity.

"Enough about that ungrateful brat; she makes my stomach turn," Chen Huilan interjected, keen to divert Gu Tingyuan's attention. After all, despite Gu Yining being his flesh and blood, she was a burden they could no longer afford.

Understanding the signal, Gu Wenxuan quickly picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of meat into her father's bowl. "Dad, you need to help me navigate things with the Fu family. My sister already has a boyfriend, which means the position of Fu family's young mistress should rightly belong to me."

Gu Wenshan, the elder sister, quietly chewed her food, saying nothing. Though she, too, coveted the position of the Fu family's young mistress, she had always prided herself on being the tolerant and gentle older sister, unwilling to make a scene or tarnish her image.

Chen Huilan raised her eyebrows triumphantly. "Wenxuan, you should know that the old man from the Fu family has already indicated that he wants a granddaughter-in-law from our family. The position of the Fu family's young mistress is practically yours. Once everything falls into place, you'll marry over there, have a son, and secure the inheritance rights from the Gu family. With the backing of the Fu family, who would dare look down on us in Lingcheng?"

As Chen Huilan spoke, Gu Wenxuan's spirits soared, and she beamed with uncontainable pride. Gu Tingyuan felt a flicker of satisfaction as well, though as the head of the household, he maintained an air of calm authority.

"Let's eat, everyone. Tomorrow, I'll have your mother take you both to pick out a few new outfits. You'll need them soon enough."

Just then, the butler burst into the room, his face pale with urgency. "Sir, madam, there's trouble! The third young lady has returned!"

Gu Tingyuan slammed his chopsticks onto the table, his appetite vanishing in an instant. "That ungrateful wretch dares to come back?"

Gu Wenshan set her chopsticks down calmly, casting a quizzical glance at the butler. "What's all the fuss? So what if she's back? It's not like she's a ghost."

The butler, visibly shaken, stammered, "It's not just that… She… she returned with four coffins."

"What?" Gu Wenxuan's temper flared, her impatience bubbling over. She threw down her bowl and chopsticks, hastily heading for the door. "Is she insane?"