Chapter 142: The once‑towering brother image in her heart has collapsed

Crack!

It was at this moment that the disheveled Lu Manman went home.

When she smelled the strong tobacco scent in the living room, she instinctively lowered her head and thought, why is her husband at home?

"You're back; why are you so disheveled?"

Gu Tingchen's voice was indifferent, his questioning tone as rude as if interrogating a criminal.

However, Lu Manman had something hidden in her heart, so she dared not probe further, and could only dryly change shoes while explaining:

"Long‑distance train travel inevitably brings inconvenience."

She thought, if it weren't for reclaiming the space, she wouldn't have eagerly forced herself into the situation to take the blame!

Moreover, since all her savings had been given to Shen Man, she had little money left, so she had to live frugally, barely making it back to the Capital.

Next, she plans to return to her natal home, ask her mother for money, then go to the black market to acquire the treasures from her past‑life memories!

She will also use the spirit spring water to craft her persona and quickly find a new job.

After handling everything, she can seize the initiative and will certainly fare better than in her previous life, standing higher and farther!

"Oh, you wash up first, change clothes, then come to the living room; I have something to discuss with you."

Gu Tingchen asked casually, not out of particular concern for his wife.

The top priority is Yinyin's marriage.

As an elder sister‑in‑law is like a mother, the wife must certainly put effort into helping Yinyin prepare her dowry.

"Alright."

Lu Manman was bewildered, but clearly now was not the time for questions.

She obeyed, went to wash up, changed into a set of clothes, and then came back.

Gu Tingchen took a cigarette from the pack, lit it, and began to smoke.

The struggle in his eyes, before the future, everything is merely a stepping stone!

His own marriage can still be measured by benefit, and Yinyin, his adopted sister, is no different!

For the Gu Family's future, he believes Grandfather can also understand his actions!

Lu Manman showered quickly, without delaying long.

But after seeing her haggard self in the mirror, she was startled.

She hurriedly took a cup of spirit spring water from the space and drank it down in one gulp.

Strangely, the taste of this spirit spring water was odd, indescribably odd.

Perhaps she overthought it, because after drinking the spirit spring water, the haggard expression in the mirror faded, replaced by a vigorous, radiant self...

Sure enough, she was overthinking; the spirit spring water could not possibly be problematic.

After drying her hair, she put on a comfortable, light dress, returned to the living room, and sat opposite her husband.

"Tingchen, what do you want to tell me?"

"Liu Bureau Chief's son has taken a liking to Yinyin; I just persuaded Yinyin to agree to this marriage.

As the sister‑in‑law, you must now arrange the betrothal, ensuring Yinyin's marriage is splendid."

Gu Tingchen crushed the cigarette butt, his gaze falling on his wife, whose complexion was rosy, with a hint of suspicion.

Can a woman change so much after a shower?

Just a moment ago she was haggard, now how...?

Lu Manman heard this and felt a delighted glee, reveling in misfortune.

But she still wore a worried expression and exclaimed:

"Isn't Liu Bureau Chief's son a fool?"

"Shut up; such remarks must not be mentioned in the future!"

Gu Tingchen sternly stopped her, his face full of displeasure.

It seemed like a reminder that, for his own official career, he was pushing his sister into the fire pit!

Even though that's the fact, he still cares about his face!

"Yes, yes, I misspoke, I'm sorry, I will never say that again."

Lu Manman hurriedly admitted fault, but inside she was overjoyed.

Finally, the annoying younger sister‑in‑law was married off, and to a fool!

Even if Liu Bureau Chief's family has great conditions, Gu Yinyin marrying a fool is hilarious!

"Regarding the dowry, you contribute one thousand from the public account—oh no, two thousand."

Gu Tingchen is still generous toward this sister.

Especially since this sister sacrifices her marriage to facilitate his smooth official career.......

"What, two thousand?"

Lu Manman's complexion twisted a bit; the public account only had 2,500 in total, after spending two thousand, only five hundred remained!

For this wedding, as the natal family they must also purchase other items, so there would be no remaining money in the public account!

"Everyone says use the public account, it's not like we're asking you to take private funds; why are you so angry?"

"Yinyin is my sister; her sacrifice of marriage is also for my and the Gu Family's future; as sister‑in‑law, how can you have no foresight?"

Gu Tingchen vented his dissatisfaction onto his wife, masking his own guilt and dark thoughts.

He is not wrong; he also acts for Yinyin's good, for the Gu Family's good.

Lu Manman, chastised, lowered her head without a word, humbly apologizing repeatedly:

"I'm sorry, my vision was narrow."

"I will definitely make Yinyin's wedding grand."

Faintly, she felt her husband was evading something, throwing the blame onto her.

Obviously, she had just returned; it was her husband who made the decision!

Just a wall away, behind the bedroom door, Gu Yinyin sat slumped, her eyes swollen and red.

The image of her brother, once towering and upright in her heart, collapsed.

She finally saw that her brother was actually the most cold‑blooded, selfish person in the family.

Unfortunately, she discovered it too late.

She herself had already been made a sacrifice by her brother, placed on the altar.

All for the sake of a successful offering, becoming a pawn in her brother's career advancement....

Junqu Jiayuan—

As the sunset fell, Lu Mingyuan pedaled his old bicycle, leisurely heading home.

Just as he was about to arrive, an old neighbor stopped him.

"Mingyuan, come over, I have something to tell you."

Lu Mingyuan stopped his bike, completely bewildered, and invited warmly:

"Lao Wang, what's the matter? Why not come to my house and tell me?"

"No, no, I just wanted to give you a heads‑up; the family is still waiting for me to eat."

Lao Wang looked around, led him to a secluded corner, then leaned in and muttered a few words quietly.

"How could that be? Could it be that the younger sister‑in‑law misread it?"

Lu Mingyuan's complexion turned a sickly green‑white, his seven orifices seemed about to emit smoke.

No man could stay calm upon hearing his own wife had cheated and taken another.

Lao Wang didn't answer the question directly; instead, he spoke earnestly:

"Honestly, if we hadn't shared a life‑risking bond, I wouldn't have brought this up to you."

"Precisely because our bond will be life‑risking in the future, I cannot let you—anyway, I know exactly what kind of person my wife is; she would never make a joke of this!"

"In short, you know it in your heart; if sister‑in‑law has gone astray but hasn't yet caused a big mistake, you should coax her, otherwise..."

Lao Wang stopped there, unable to continue, finding it hard to speak.

Anyway, he's said everything he needed to; what to do now is Lu Mingyuan's decision.

Lu Mingyuan felt completely unsettled; Lao Wang is a brother with whom he shares a life‑risking bond, and after years of close interaction, he would never joke about such a matter with him!

Suddenly, he recalled that lately his colleagues at work had been giving him strange looks, and even his arch‑rival had started to strike up conversation with him...

Could it be that the one beside her pillow was truly jealous of her!