Chapter 416: The More She Says It, the More Something

Song Shiwei sat in the car, not knowing where to go for a while.

She had lived in B City for over thirty years, knowing it better than anyone, yet in this familiar place she could only let the driver wander aimlessly.

She had acquainted friends in B City, but all were met after marrying into the Gu clan; the purpose of their interactions was clear—though they called it private friendship, it was essentially exchanges between two families, based on each other's status.

The friends from her maternal family lost contact after marrying, and even when they did keep in touch it was sparse; they were no longer confidants.

Moreover, the Gu family threw a grand banquet for Jiang Lai, and now anyone she contacts asks about the real or fake daughter; even without contact, many indirect messages arrive on her phone, making her irritated whenever she sees it lately.

If we speak of private friendship, Nian Zhaoning is the one she is closest to.

Although Nian Zhaoning became close to her because of Gu Sen, he always says, "You are you, he is he; I won't mix you up," and "We've known each other long, grew close, so we're just friends."

Due to the ancestral ties between the Nian and Gu families, they interact frequently; many times she gladly confides in Nian Zhaoning, who never judges, which makes her feel at ease.

As their children grew, she suggested several times that the two kids date and become engaged; Nian Zhaoning always smiled and said to let the children decide, and since then a slight rift appeared between her and Nian Zhaoning.

As long as she didn't bring up the children, everything was fine; when she did, Nian Zhaoning repeatedly refused.

In fact she never understood how Nian Zhaoning could pamper his son so much; even a son shouldn't have everything decided by the child, right?

Anyway the relationship between the Nian and Gu families was there; an alliance marriage was inevitable, and she didn't want to upset Nian Zhaoning, so she simply didn't bring it up again.

But now… the relationship between Nian Zhaoning and her has become an unspoken rupture; they can no longer sit together calmly and chat.

Song Shiwei drifted in thought, turned to look out the window, and only when they passed a family restaurant did she snap back, telling the driver, "Stop ahead."

The driver stopped the car.

After getting out, Song Shiwei said, "You don't need to wait for me, go back first."

The driver replied "Okay," and only after seeing Song Shiwei enter a restaurant did he drive away.

A family restaurant that had been operating here for nearly thirty years, growing from a tiny shop to a three‑story building; the owner never changed, but now the family's children run it.

When Song Shiwei entered, she habitually glanced toward the cash register; for a while she often brought her brother and sister there, and the owner would always smile and say, "Mrs. Gu has arrived."

This time she only saw youthful faces.

So many years had indeed passed.

Song Shiwei sat at a window seat, watching the play area; back then the play area was simple, painted bright red and green, but now it's expanded, with many attractions, still in pastel macaron colors—pretty and gentle.

She ordered a glass of fresh juice and sat quietly, her mind tangled—thinking of the Song family, then the Gu family, then her husband and children, especially her brother and sister.

Whenever Gu Yinxue came to mind, she couldn't help thinking of Jiang Lai, so she quickly hit the brakes, forcing herself to do something to distract—like drinking more juice or ordering a whole table of food.

When Gu Yinxue arrived, she happened to see her mother order a whole table of children's meals, all the dishes she and her brother loved as kids.

Gu Yinxue looked at her weary mother, a flash of compassion in her eyes, but… compassion for others turned into cruelty toward herself.

Gu Yinxue's gaze hardened, and she walked toward Song Shiwei, calling out, "Mom."

Song Shiwei looked up when she heard the voice, suddenly seeing her daughter who hadn't been home for several days; her nose inexplicably tightened, yet she didn't want the child to see her disheveled state, so she smiled gently, "What brings you here?"

"This restaurant holds many memories of me, Mom, and my brother," Gu Yinxue sat down, picked up a fry and ate it, twirling the remaining half in her hand, "In my recollection, this place was the first time Mom took me out to play."

Song Shiwei's eyes flickered when she heard that.

"Later Mom often brought my brother and me here; I've missed you all lately, and today I happened to be free, so I thought of sitting here, never expecting to see Mom." Gu Yinxue looked at the food on the table, "They're all dishes my brother and I liked, even the fries without ketchup."

Song Shiwei watched Gu Yinxue still eating fries without ketchup just like when she was a child, and remarked, "You're still the same as back then."

Gu Yinxue shook her head, "I've grown up, and I'm not Mom's biological daughter anymore."

Song Shiwei's throat choked, and after a pause she replied, "Nonsense, you'll always be Mom's daughter."

"You were raised by Mom, Yinxue."

Gu Yinxue lowered her eyes, chewing the fry intermittently, "I know, Mom, you love me, but… Dad has laid hands on Mom, and Grandfather and Grandmother also argued with Mom."

Her voice grew softer.

Song Shiwei watched her daughter's self‑blame, and her heart ached; this was the child she had cradled in her palm and cared for delicately.

"Don't be scared, don't be scared, Mom is fine, Mom didn't do anything wrong, Mom won't be hurt, Mom didn't do anything wrong…"

Gu Yinxue heard Mom muttering softly that she hadn't done anything wrong, as if trapped in a self‑validating loop, constantly brainwashing herself.

"Mom, what's wrong?" she reached out, grasped her mother's hand, and found it very cold.

Song Shiwei nudged Gu Yinxue's hand, composed herself, and said, "It's nothing."

The more she says it, the more something feels off.

Gu Yinxue frowned, her mind racing, recalling that lately her mother kept emphasizing "no fault," and every time she mentioned Jiang Lai, she reacted strongly, even showing great dislike for Jiang Lai.

How could a mother despise her own biological daughter?

Especially in the profit‑driven Gu family, Jiang Lai not only holds a status that brings glory to the Gu house, but had long ago confirmed a relationship with Ke Zhongyu; shouldn't mother be eager to acknowledge and be proud of that?

But her mother's attitude was completely opposite.

Father's attitude had always been odd; before Jiang Lai returned to the Gu house, he tried every way to see her, but after she came back, he no longer rushed, merely watching silently.

Moreover, father seemed to have known long ago that she wasn't his biological daughter.

The incident twenty‑eight years ago was certainly more than a simple baby‑swap.

Gu Yinxue's gaze fixed, and she said to her mother, "Mom, you haven't been to my Gongzuoshi many times; is it convenient to go take a look today? I also want to take a set of photos with you as a keepsake."

Song Shiwei was already in a bad mood and no one was speaking; having someone to accompany her was of course welcome, especially a beloved little sweetheart she had raised herself.

……

Gu clan.

Gu Sen received news of Song Shiwei at the family restaurant, and he was startled when he saw the restaurant's name.

He had a deep impression of this restaurant, not because his wife often took the children there, but because the day before she took Gu Yinxue to it was the very day he gave up searching for Jiang Lai.

Agents had been searching in secret for two and a half years with no leads; the old master and Gu Hai told him to stop, saying that after so long without any trace, it was gone, Gu Yinxue was almost three years old, and continuing would eventually be discovered and harm the Gu family's reputation and development.

(Many readers ask why there's no update; perhaps they missed the author's note. Here's a supplement: the Seven Cats sync was the update from seven days ago, and seven days ago I was back home for a funeral, with traditional burial customs and many rules; I kept vigil for three consecutive nights until the coffin was taken up the mountain, so there was no update, only a single chapter, but I will make up the missed updates.)