Gu Sijiu never expected the original owner's parents to return at this moment. Throughout the entire afternoon today, she recalled some things about the original owner's identity and family. The original owner's father, Gu Nancheng, was a former imperial general who had retired a few years ago due to old age but had trained disciples and some comrades who were still active in the military. Even in retirement, he held extensive connections and influence within the Federal Bureau.
The original owner's mother, Li Jing, came from the prominent Li family in Wucheng and was also a notable figure in politics. Their marriage was considered a century wedding within the empire. One was an Alpha whose physical tests all ranked S-level, and the other was a recognized beauty Omega, with their compatibility rated at 72%. Many speculated that if these two were to marry, they would have an exceptionally talented child.
Unfortunately, Gu Sijiu's existence shocked everyone. Setting aside her physical defect, her performance in the military, including her test scores, was only average for an Alpha. Thus, everyone came to accept a certain conclusion: strong genes do not always guarantee strong offspring. The powerful genetics of her parents had not been passed down to Gu Sijiu at all. Of course, such teasing remarks were only made in private, as no one dared to confront Gu Nancheng and Li Jing directly.
"Dad... Mom... what are you doing here?" Seeing Gu Nancheng and Li Jing, Gu Sijiu felt a chill run down her back and inwardly cursed her bad luck. It wasn't that the relationship between the original owner and her parents was poor, but rather that their timing was quite inappropriate, it was clear they had overheard her earlier conversation.
"Why? If we hadn't come, were you planning to move to the military camp? Jiu'er, you're already an adult. Can't you be more reasonable in your actions? Why must you and your spouse quarrel over everything? Planning to live separately?" Li Jing said somewhat helplessly. Gu Sijiu pursed her lips, unsure of how to respond. Firstly, her biological parents had perished in a plane crash when she was young, so she had no idea how to interact with parents. Secondly, she feared that saying too much might not align with the original Gu Sijiu's character.
"Mom, I didn't mean it like that, I just—"
"Just what? You two just got engaged, this is the time to nurture your relationship. Your dad and I didn't have a strong foundation either, but we built it over time. You pursued Xiao Jin yourself back then, and now you want to live separately just because of an argument? Let me tell you, don't even think about it. An Alpha, sulking with their own Omega? Aren't you afraid of what people will say?"
Gu Nancheng finally spoke at this point, hitting the nail on the head. Gu Sijiu knew that the original owner's parents cherished their child deeply. Otherwise, they wouldn't have protected the original owner's pride to the extent of accepting an imperfect Alpha and not considering having other children. But the problem was, these parents had no idea that their daughter was an abusive scumbag.
"Xiao Jin, Jiu'er is a child who lacks stability. It's also my fault for spoiling her too much when she was little. Don't be upset, you two should talk things over. If she doesn't treat you well after you get married, her father and I will make sure to break her legs." Li Jing said, seeing Gu Sijiu looking down and not speaking. She then turned to Song Jinzhi, trying to coax her. Song Jinzhi simply nodded, surprisingly not taking the opportunity to complain.
In the past, Song Jinzhi indeed held respect for Gu Sijiu's parents. They were easygoing and open-minded, making them pleasant elders to be around. However, after discovering Gu Sijiu's true nature, Song Jinzhi couldn't help but doubt whether their kindness towards her stemmed from genuine liking or guilt. If they knew what Gu Sijiu had done to her and still made such comments, it would truly chill one's heart.
"Uncle, Aunt, I understand. It's actually not a big deal. Gu... A'jiu treats me well." Song Jinzhi said softly, completely devoid of her usual indifference. Hearing her softly call her A'jiu, while pleasant to the ear, gave Gu Sijiu a layer of goosebumps. She hadn't expected the usually wooden-faced Song Jinzhi to have this side to her, she was... quite good at pretending.
"Now that everything's fine, let's not bring up the military camp living again. You two should take this time to get along. Xiao Jin, tomorrow night invite your parents, let's have a family dinner together." Gu Nancheng, seeing Song Jinzhi yield, was also happy. After mentioning the plans for the next day, he and Li Jing left. The room was left with just Gu Sijiu and Song Jinzhi. Gu Sijiu glanced at the not-so-happy Song Jinzhi sitting on the sofa before turning to head upstairs. She knew that whatever she said now, Song Jinzhi wouldn't listen.
The next evening, the two arrived at the restaurant at the agreed-upon time as mentioned by Gu Nancheng. This place had excellent security measures and was frequently used by political figures for gatherings, with a sprinkle of celebrities visiting as well. Once in the private room, Gu Sijiu took a seat, only to notice Li Jing frantically signaling to her from the side. Gu Sijiu smiled slightly, but Li Jing's expression darkened, showing a look of disappointment and frustration.
Seeing this scene, Song Jinzhi casually pulled out a chair and sat down, and Gu Sijiu finally understood the meaning behind Li Jing's hints earlier. In this world, most Alphas maintain gentlemanly and considerate behaviors, including gestures like pulling out chairs for Omegas. Gu Sijiu furrowed her brows, it wasn't that she didn't understand but rather that she wasn't accustomed to such actions. After all, in her previous world, she had always been the one being pampered, but now she had become the one who had to pull out chairs for others.
Snapping back to reality, Gu Sijiu looked up at the two elders sitting across from her. One was a kindly-looking Alpha, and the other was a gentle-looking Omega. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that Song Jinzhi bore some resemblance to the middle-aged Omega, she had inherited her mother's beautiful features and grace. Surely, Song Jinzhi's mother was also an exceptionally beautiful Omega in her youth.
"Uncle, Aunt, it's been a while." Gu Sijiu said politely. She knew that the original owner had also been this courteous when facing Song Jinzhi's parents and was fully aware that her current demeanor appeared completely insincere to Song Jinzhi.
"After not seeing each other for so long, you still call us Uncle and Aunt? Isn't it time to change how you address us?" Song Jinzhi's mother, Wang Yue, was very fond of Gu Sijiu, the type of mother-in-law who increasingly found her son-in-law more appealing. Upon hearing this, Gu Sijiu immediately glanced at Song Jinzhi's reaction, but saw her calmly sipping tea, though her hands hidden beneath the table were clenched and trembling.
"Dad, Mom." Gu Sijiu said softly, feeling that the beginning of this meal was already awkward enough, but the embarrassing part was yet to come. The two families gathered today not just for a simple meal but to discuss the marriage between Gu Sijiu and Song Jinzhi. Despite only being engaged for a little over a month, both sets of parents were eager to see them married and having children soon.
Throughout the dinner, Gu Sijiu ate absentmindedly, while Song Jinzhi seemed to be even more uncomfortable. As the meal progressed, the parents even started to discuss setting a wedding date. Gu Sijiu could sense Song Jinzhi's discomfort. Song Jinzhi remained silent throughout, maintaining her composure until the end of the meal. After bidding farewell to their parents, the two headed towards the parking lot.
On the way to the garage, Gu Sijiu walked behind Song Jinzhi. Even without seeing her expression, Gu Sijiu could tell from her back how heavy her heart was at that moment. Song Jinzhi had not slept well the night before due to the upcoming dinner, and the continued tension at the table, making her steps much heavier.
She nearly tripped over an uneven patch of ground, and Gu Sijiu instinctively wanted to help her, but when she caught a glimpse of tears in the corner of Song Jinzhi's eyes, she hesitated. Even though she hadn't spent much time with Song Jinzhi, Gu Sijiu knew that she was a proud person who couldn't bear to let someone she disliked see her in a vulnerable state.
Gu Sijiu understood that Song Jinzhi didn't want to face her at that moment. After a moment of thought, she quickened her pace to walk ahead of Song Jinzhi, keeping a distance where she couldn't see her expression. "Wooden face, have you had too much to drink or eat? Nearly stumbling while walking?" Gu Sijiu teased, deliberately using the nickname she had taken to calling Song Jinzhi, especially after realizing that the other didn't mind it.
Upon hearing Gu Sijiu's smug and slightly teasing tone, Song Jinzhi's depression gradually turned into anger. If it weren't for her good upbringing, she would have turned around and kicked Gu Sijiu out of frustration. Unfortunately, as an Omega, she couldn't control her own marriage and couldn't physically overpower Gu Sijiu.
"Gu Sijiu, there's nothing to talk about. Don't talk to me, I don't want to say another word to you." Song Jinzhi said, lowering her voice. Her earlier urge to cry had faded, replaced by annoyance and defiance. Hearing her voice still sounded normal and devoid of tears eased Gu Sijiu's concern slightly, and she smirked.
"Wooden Face, do you think I really want to talk to you?" Gu Sijiu's provocative tone finally pushed Song Jinzhi over the edge. She quickened her pace, leaving Gu Sijiu behind as she got into her car and activated the autopilot, driving off quickly without waiting for Gu Sijiu. Gu Sijiu was completely taken aback that Song Jinzhi would do something like this. She had only intended to annoy Song Jinzhi to distract her from her troubles, but instead... she was left standing by the roadside.
Gu Sijiu looked around at the sparsely populated area, realizing she could only stand there and wait. However, knowing that Song Jinzhi had forgotten her sadness out of anger, perhaps this outcome wasn't so bad after all.
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