Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Window Paper Is Pierced
’Heh, so this girl is telling me all this because she’s also bullied by Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao. She’s looking for an ally...’
Gu Nuan Nuan chuckled softly. The reminder made everything click into place. ’That’s right. Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao were so "popular" in class, and the teachers always protected them. Wasn’t it all because they were riding on the coattails of their so-called grandfather, the director of the textile factory?’
The textile factory was a major state-owned enterprise in their small town. More than half the students at their school had parents who worked there. It wasn’t just the students’ parents, either; plenty of teachers had family working at the textile factory as well.
In her past life, the Lin family had also been afraid of losing face. So even though the siblings’ mother divorced their nominal father, the truth was never exposed. That was how Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao were able to keep thriving at school.
The thought made her want to laugh again, and as she did, a sarcastic look crept onto her face. ’If that’s the case, the Lin family probably won’t be quick to expose the truth this time either. But if they don’t, wouldn’t that just let those two siblings get away with it again?’
"It’s so satisfying, right? Hmph. Now that her dad’s going to be executed, let’s see how she can act so high and mighty anymore." Seeing Gu Nuan Nuan smile, Dong Xinran giggled softly too. Her mother had told her that even if she was going to distance herself from Lin Jiayi, she had to do it secretly. It couldn’t be too obvious for everyone to see.
She had been scared Teacher He would see the note she passed to Gu Nuan Nuan, but she was also afraid everyone would find out she was the one gossiping about Lin Jiayi’s father. Her parents thought she didn’t understand, but she knew perfectly well what was going on. It was because Lin Jiayi’s grandfather was her own father’s superior. If she offended the Lin siblings, her dad would get into trouble.
"You know, the man the police arrested actually isn’t Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao’s real father," Gu Nuan Nuan said to Dong Xinran, picking up a fountain pen and twirling it in her hand as she spoke deliberately.
"He’s not? Don’t tell me a murderer escaped and hid in their house?" Dong Xinran’s eyes widened, her face falling with indescribable disappointment.
"Haha, no." Gu Nuan Nuan couldn’t help but be amused by Dong Xinran’s imagination. Break time was short, so she didn’t drag it out. Wiping the smile from her face, she said in a low voice, "Actually, my dad is their real father. Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao’s current so-called father somehow found out. So yesterday, he went looking for my dad and threw sulfuric acid in his face. That’s why the police officers arrested him."
"..." Dong Xinran’s jaw dropped, and she stared blankly for a long moment. Finally, she swallowed hard and asked, "Is that true? How do you know?"
"I overheard it. But I saw their so-called father throw the acid at my dad with my own eyes. The people from the shops near Liuhe Road helped call the police and the ambulance," Gu Nuan Nuan said slowly, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Now my mom knows too, so she’s divorcing my dad. We moved back to my maternal grandparents’ house yesterday. In the future, Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao’s mother will definitely marry my dad. Lin Jia Bao is a boy, so my paternal grandmother will be thrilled. She’s always looked down on me for being a girl, and she’s always hated both my mom and me."
"Y-you’re not sad that your dad was stolen from you?"
"Why should I be sad? My grandma and my dad never liked me anyway. It’ll be better for me to live with my mom in the future. Besides, I have my maternal grandparents and uncles to dote on me. Whenever Lin Jiayi and her brother bullied me and I went home to tell my dad, he would always scold me. He was biased just because they’re his children too. He never even bothered to ask what happened, he’d just say it was definitely my fault and tell me to get along with my classmates."
"How could your father do that? Are you sure you’re his biological daughter?" Dong Xinran was suddenly filled with righteous indignation, her eyes brimming with sympathy for Gu Nuan Nuan.
"What does it matter if I am? I’m just a girl, and they’re his biological children too, aren’t they?"
Gu Nuan Nuan huffed. "Look at this fountain pen I use. My cousin accidentally dropped and broke it. It’s really hard to use; the ink skips whenever I try to write. My mom told my dad to buy me a new one, but he insisted it was still usable and refused."
"And then, guess what he said to me the other day? He told me I had to be friendly with Lin Jiayi and her brother. He said he’d take me to buy fountain pens for their birthday, as an apology gift from me to them. I refused. I told him they already had fountain pens, and that we should just buy them notebooks and use the leftover money to get me a new one. But my dad flat-out refused and even said I was being petty, just like my mother..."
"SOB... Nuannuan, you poor thing." Dong Xinran’s eyes reddened as she threw her arms around Gu Nuan Nuan and started to cry, drawing a flurry of sideways glances from the other children.
"Hey—" Gu Nuan Nuan was a bit stunned, but also a little touched. "Don’t be like this. Look, I’m not even crying."
"I don’t care! If my dad treated me like that, I wouldn’t want to live anymore. You’re so much stronger than me." Dong Xinran hugged Gu Nuan Nuan, overcome with grief and indignation. "No wonder those two loved bullying you so much, and you always just let them. It must be because they already knew your dad was their real dad, right? So they weren’t afraid of anything! They could bully you and then go tattle to your father, and that’s why he always thought it was your fault! They’re so evil! And their mother is an evil woman, too. Their so-called father is the one who’s really pitiful. I don’t think the police officers should have arrested him..."
’...’ ’What an imagination. She can connect so many dots without any prompting, and she’s so emotional. With web novels being so popular in the future, this kid might really have a talent for writing them when she grows up...’
Gu Nuan Nuan was still marveling to herself when the bell for class began to blare shrilly.
Friendships between children often blossom quickly, especially those, like Gu Nuan Nuan and Dong Xinran’s, built on shared secrets. Soon enough, the two girls, who already had a good impression of each other, grew so close that they would go to the restroom together during breaks. Whenever they could, they stuck together like inseparable conjoined twins.
This kind of close, best-friend experience was new to Gu Nuan Nuan, and she didn’t mind it one bit. She found that being with Dong Xinran was surprisingly comfortable. The little girl had a wonderful personality and wasn’t the least bit spoiled. She was thoughtful, patient, and considerate, always able to see things from another person’s perspective. For example, if a topic came up in conversation that you didn’t want to discuss, she wouldn’t insist on getting an answer like some children—or even some adults—might, forcing you to talk under the guise of being your "best friend."
Gu Nuan Nuan could tell that she was curious, but the moment she saw you weren’t going to respond, she would suppress her curiosity and consciously change the subject. ’It was a small thing, but it spoke volumes. The girl clearly had a good upbringing, which meant her parents were probably decent people, too.’
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