Chapter 691: Not Fortunate Enough to Share in Your Glory

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

With wide eyes and a sense of profound injustice, Su Li wondered why he was being silenced. Yet, under the pressure of his brother’s stern instructions, he closed his mouth and led Lele to the dining room.

By the time Gu Zi led Gu Shan and the others into the dining area, the three siblings were already enjoying their cornmeal porridge and pickles. They seemed to relish the simple meal as if it were a feast.

Even little Su Le, after taking a bite of the cornmeal porridge, clapped her hands and declared, “This is the best cornmeal porridge ever!”

Gu Shan and the others were taken aback. If the best meal they had was cornmeal porridge, what did they usually eat? No wonder they served plain water instead of tea to their guests in such a nice house. Could it be that they couldn’t afford it?

Gu Shan pointed at the pot of cornmeal porridge on the table and asked, “Is this all you eat for lunch? Porridge and pickles? Don’t you have any rice?”

Zhang Mei’s elder brother frowned slightly. Their living standards were not high. He had thought they were more formidable. It seemed that after getting the quota, he wouldn’t need to interact with them much, or else he would be at a disadvantage.

Gu Zi shook his head, furrowing his brows as he began to explain, “We’ve run out of rice. We have to use part of this month’s living expenses to cover the rent, so we have to be frugal. For the next half month, we’ll make do with the cornmeal porridge we brought from the countryside. But it’s quite tasty, and I believe our days will get better.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have said all this. Let’s not talk about it anymore. Please sit down. I’ll get you some bowls and chopsticks. You can try the cornmeal porridge and pickles. It’s enough for everyone.”

The two men looked at the yellowish substance. It was not unfamiliar to them, but it made them feel nauseous. Even if they were starving, they would never eat it. That stuff was only fit for pigs!

They hadn’t always lived in comfort. They had experienced hardship in their younger days, having come from the countryside.

Back then, everyone had little to eat. It was rare to have rice. Most of the time, they ate sweet potato leaves and cornmeal porridge. During the hardest times, they couldn’t even afford these and had to eat wild vegetables. Now, the sight of these foods made them want to vomit. They couldn’t possibly eat them.

Gu Shan quickly declined, “We won’t eat. Let the children eat first. You come with me, and we’ll talk.”

Gu Shan’s tone softened, even carrying a hint of sympathy.

He had initially thought that Gu Zi was living well in Jifu New Village. But it turned out she was renting a house here to save face for Su Shen. He felt a bit sorry for his adopted daughter.

After all, she was raised by the Gu family and had attended the best schools. She was an excellent child. Gu Zi should have had a bright future.

At the very least, she should have married into a respectable family, like the Gong family. She wouldn’t have ended up like this. But it was they who had arranged for Gu Zi to marry on someone else’s behalf, and a sense of guilt welled up within them.

Gu Zi followed Gu Shan, asking, “Uncle Gu, why have you come? Just tell me directly. I have a lot of work to do after dinner.”

Gu Shan looked serious and said straightforwardly, “This is your eldest uncle. You remember him, right? You have two quotas for the First Bilingual Primary School, right?”

“Your eldest uncle’s two grandsons need them. I think, since we’re all family, you should give the two quotas to his grandsons. They’ve been studying in the city since they were young, so they’ll definitely be able to keep up. The quotas won’t be wasted.”

Listening to this shameless request, Gu Zi’s eyes flickered. Did they mean that if the two quotas were used by the two children who grew up in the countryside, it would be a waste?

Gu Zi almost laughed in anger. So, the Gu family was eyeing these two quotas. No wonder they had gone all the way to Little Lin Village to ask for her new address.

She heard the so-called eldest uncle say, “Yes, Gu Zi, as the old saying goes, ‘Mother’s brother is greater than mother.’ If you give the quotas to our family, when my two grandsons become successful in the future, you can also benefit. There are no outsiders here, so I’ll just speak frankly.

“Look at your three children. They’re not your biological children. Now they might need you to take care of them, so they call you ‘mom.’ But when they grow up and don’t need you anymore, will they still recognize you?

“Of course not. How can you not plan for your own future? Your eldest uncle is thinking for your own good.”

Gu Zi lowered her eyes, not wanting to listen to their nonsense. Her tone became much colder, “But, dear uncle, when I left the Gu family, Uncle Gu and Aunt Gu made it very clear that we were no longer in a parent-child relationship. Apparently, I’m not fortunate enough to share in your glory.”