Chapter 125: Not So Easy to Fool Anymore

Gu Mianmian's lashes trembled, revealing a hint of fear on her face. She deliberately put on a wronged look and denied it: "I didn't, Brother… I may not be very good with words, but that's not what I meant. I did it for my sister's own good."

"Brother, I also hope… that Sister won't be questioned, and that this competition was fair and just, so that in the future no one can use this as leverage to threaten us and affect our Gu Family."

Gu Mianmian's little-white-flower expression was still as pitiful as ever, but unfortunately, given her long list of past offenses, her words no longer carried enough credibility.

It was not easy to make people believe her.

Gu Yeting looked at Gu Mianmian like this and frowned.

In the past, whenever Gu Mianmian showed such an expression, no matter what she had done wrong, Gu Yeting would have been willing to do anything for her and would not have blamed her.

But now, looking at Gu Mianmian again, Gu Yeting could only feel helpless—already overwhelmed with so much helplessness.

He could not understand from which day it had started that Gu Mianmian had become the way she was now.

"Mianmian, maybe you think you've hidden it very well… but you, I watched you grow up since you were little. It's only now that I've had this feeling, realizing that sometimes… I really don't understand you as well as I thought."

"But sometimes, I can see what you're thinking. Even now, your hostility toward Wen Yan still exists, and it has never disappeared."

Listening to Gu Yeting's slightly disappointed words, tears slid down Gu Mianmian's face. Her expression was wronged and pitiful: "Brother, I knew it… in your heart now, you're already full of disgust toward me."

"So you don't believe me anymore… Brother, I'm also more upset than you can imagine. Maybe we're no longer as close as we used to be, and we can't go back to the past."

Gu Mianmian's eyes reddened: "Actually, Brother, you could just tell me directly. From now on, I'll recognize my place."

Gu Yeting's face darkened: "You know perfectly well that's not what I meant. I'm just discussing the matter at hand with you—what you did at the venue today."

"…Mianmian, it's because you have prejudice against Wen Yan that you did this."

Gu Yeting's expression was full of disappointment: "I also don't understand what exactly turned you into what you are today. Maybe it's my fault—maybe the way we took care of you in the past made you feel insecure."

At this point, he was actually still reflecting on whether his own behavior had been wrong, whether it was because of them that Gu Mianmian had become the way she was today.

But at this moment, all Gu Mianmian could think about was that she had actually been found out, not reflecting on herself.

Gu Mianmian had long since stopped being the little sister they imagined. Even though she always played the victim, they thought she could still be saved, never considering that no matter what they did next…

…they could no longer save Gu Mianmian.

Gu Mianmian was already rotten to the core; in this lifetime, she could never return to normal.

Gu Yeting looked at the pitiful expression on Gu Mianmian's face and suddenly felt a pang of heartache, wondering if he had been too harsh. He deliberately slowed his tone: "Go apologize to Wen Yan and let her forgive this matter. If she thinks it can end here, we won't pursue it any further."

"…Brother, what do you mean?"

Gu Mianmian gritted her teeth: "In other words, if Sister doesn't forgive me, what are you going to do? Are you going to drive me out of the house?"

The tears in her eyes flowed more and more, as if her tear ducts had broken down.

Gu Yeting shook his head: "Mianmian, we have never thought about driving you out of this home. That's always been something you've worried about on your own."

"I'm scared too! Brother! You've always known how scared I am, but there's nothing that can make me believe… that I can stay here forever. Tell me, what should I do?"

Gu Mianmian said plaintively: "If I thought I could stay with you all forever, but one day Sister says she doesn't want to see me in this house anymore, that she wants to drive me away—would you keep me? Wouldn't you also drive me away without a second thought?"

"No. When have I ever broken a promise I made to you? You should know that I've never once thought about a home without you in it. You will always be our sister."

"No…" Gu Mianmian broke down sobbing, "I don't believe it. I'm sorry, Brother, I can't bring myself to believe it. Whenever I think about everything I'm facing now, I feel so stupid, so sad…"

"So you refuse to apologize, is that right?"

Gu Mianmian choked out: "If Mom and Dad knew I'd made another mistake, they wouldn't forgive me either. Brother, do you want me to upset them?"

"What are you all standing here for?" Gu Yechen suddenly walked over and quickly noticed that the atmosphere between them was clearly off.

Gu Yechen looked at Gu Mianmian with concern, and Gu Yeting did not expose her at this moment either. He only said to her: "Think it over carefully."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Gu Yechen looked at Gu Mianmian seriously: "You had a fight with him just now."

"…Big Brother, tell me, shouldn't I leave soon? Staying in this house any longer might not be the right decision. Maybe staying away from you all is what I should do…"

Gu Yechen frowned: "What are you thinking? There will always be a place for you in this home. You'll never have to leave."

"But…"

"Alright, stop overthinking. If he said something that hurt you just now, don't take it to heart."

Gu Mianmian held back and then asked Gu Yechen anyway: "If just now, Brother misunderstood me because of the things I did to Sister today, would you still stand on my side, Big Brother?"

Gu Yechen was no fool either, and immediately understood why Gu Yeting had come to talk to Gu Mianmian earlier.

He looked at Gu Mianmian with a dark expression: "Search your heart and tell me—have you ever done anything to hurt Wen Yan?"

"I haven't! Big Brother, I couldn't possibly do something like that. I already know I was wrong…"

"If you haven't, we can forgive you. But if you still hold onto those previous thoughts, then my decision will be the same as Yeting's."

Gu Mianmian suddenly felt as if the sky had turned gray, as if she had reached a dead end.

Gu Wenyan, listening to their conversation from around the corner, looked up at Bao Sihan and silently mouthed: "Interesting, isn't it."

Bao Sihan pulled her into his arms and sighed softly by her ear: "Don't bother with them anymore. Soon you'll be marrying me, and from then on, nothing about the Gu Family will affect you anymore."

"But if I end all this now, it's too much of a loss. I'm not willing."

Gu Wenyan had her own obsession in her heart. She hadn't yet made Gu Mianmian fully admit defeat—how could he just give up like this?