The Guo Family

In a high-end residential district in the southern part of the city, a mother and daughter walked home together, hand in hand, their faces brimming with joy.

“Mom, do you think now that Guo Jingyuan is back, Dad will beat her again? Last time he did, it was so satisfying—I still get excited just thinking about it!”

The girl speaking looked about seventeen or eighteen, her face sweet and innocent, radiating the vibrant energy of youth. Yet the words from her lips starkly contrasted with her seemingly pure appearance.

The elegant middle-aged woman at her side, however, did not share her daughter's enthusiasm. She sighed softly and shook her head.

“What’s so delightful about a beating? Your father only hit her because he still held out hope for her. If it were up to me, I’d rather she was thrown out for good and not have to endure any beatings at all.”

The girl pouted in discontent. “Mom, didn’t you say Dad had long since stopped caring about her and her mother? He gets annoyed just seeing her. She’s been gone for over ten days and he didn’t even ask about her once. How could he still have hope?”

“Not caring doesn’t mean he has no hope. After all, he’s raised her for over ten years.”

“Hmph. And hasn’t that Aunt Yu been married to him for over a decade too? Yet just a few words from us and she... mmph mmph!”

The middle-aged woman quickly covered her daughter’s mouth, glancing around nervously.

“Quiet! How many times have I told you not to speak of this outside? Why can’t you remember?”

The girl struggled and broke free from her mother’s grasp.

“Mom, what are you doing! You’ve smudged my new lipstick. I won’t bring it up again, okay?”

Her mother gave her a reproachful look, but the two entered the house, arms still linked.

“Study well tonight. Your father finally agreed to send you abroad, so make sure you get into a good university. When Guo Jingyuan drops out and stays home, you’ll return as a graduate from overseas—let’s see how she’ll ever compare to you then!”

The two women indulged in imagining the scene of Guo Jingyuan being expelled from home after dropping out of school, and their anticipation for a bright future only grew stronger.

Not long after, Guo Yang returned home, just as the mother and daughter had hoped. Seeing that Guo Yang came back alone, the woman was momentarily surprised, then delighted, quickly schooling her features into an anxious expression as she gently welcomed her husband.

“Where’s Jingyuan? Is she still sulking and refusing to come home?”

The memory of his encounter at the school earlier that day darkened Guo Yang’s expression.

“Don’t mention that ungrateful girl!”

The woman replied sorrowfully, “It’s my fault. It was only a necklace—if it’s lost, so be it. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Now the child is ashamed and stays outside all the time. What if she goes astray? It’s all my fault!”

Guo Yang snapped, “How is it your fault? She stole something—should we just let that go? You not only don’t blame her, you even make excuses for her. You even sent people out to look for her over the holidays. She’d rather run with strangers than come home. How can you blame yourself, Meijuan?”

“In the end, I’m just her stepmother. It’s normal that she doesn’t like me,” Liu Meijuan said, dabbing at her eyes. “But she’s still a daughter of the Guo family. It’s not proper for her to spend the night at different boys’ homes. How will she ever get married if word gets out?”

“If she can’t marry, it’s her own fault!” Guo Yang muttered angrily, though he seemed slightly relieved. “At least she’s been staying with a girl these past few days. That’s less embarrassing.”

A girl?

Liu Meijuan’s teary expression froze, and she gripped her clothes tightly.

How could there still be a girl at No. 1 High willing to take Guo Jingyuan in? With her reputation, shouldn’t only a few lustful boys take any interest? Liu Meijuan ground her teeth, realizing she’d been too distracted arranging her daughter’s study abroad plans to bother with that wretch. Clearly, she’d need to keep a closer eye from now on—she couldn’t allow that brat to catch her breath!

“A girl is fine. I didn’t know Jingyuan had any friends left. As long as it’s a respectable girl, and she doesn’t pick up any bad habits, that’s all that matters,” Liu Meijuan said, feigning concern for Guo Jingyuan while subtly undermining her once more.

Thinking of the “landlord” who’d chased him for money, Guo Yang’s face darkened again.

“That useless brat—somehow, she owes someone three hundred thousand yuan! I went to her school today and got hounded by debt collectors!” he warned harshly. “Don’t go looking for her these next few months. If her creditors find us, we’ll be the ones paying the price. Let her pay it off on her own when she’s of age!”

“Three hundred thousand?!” Liu Meijuan’s voice rose in disbelief.

She had schemed tirelessly to coax Guo Yang into sending her own daughter abroad, barely managing to get five hundred thousand out of his wallet—Guo Yang had been so careful, fearful that the authorities would find out. And now, after just half a month out on her own, Guo Jingyuan had racked up a debt of three hundred thousand?

“Jingyuan wouldn’t have taken out a loan from some loan shark, would she?” Liu Meijuan asked anxiously.

She wasn’t worried about Guo Jingyuan’s debts per se—it was just that she’d heard stories of terrifying debt collectors, who did everything from harassing phone calls and splashing paint to taking compromising photos for blackmail...

She didn’t care if Guo Jingyuan was photographed, but some companies went so far as to kidnap or assault debtors’ families. If she and her daughter got caught up in it, wouldn’t they suffer for nothing?

“That’s not it,” Guo Yang waved a hand, seeming unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Being humiliated by a mere slip of a girl was something he didn’t even want to tell his wife. Yet when he recalled the face of the creditor who’d confronted him, he couldn’t shake a lingering sense of familiarity.

That face...

He felt he’d seen it somewhere before, but just couldn’t remember where.

Forget it. He’d have his trusted men look into it. If it turned out to be someone he couldn’t afford to offend, so be it. But if not...

Hmph, he’d make sure that person suffered.

Still, that woman was certainly beautiful. If her family was willing to offer up their daughter in exchange for peace... Guo Yang’s heart burned with desire. In that case, perhaps he’d show some mercy after all.

Without a clear answer, Liu Meijuan couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Though Guo Yang said the wretch’s daughter hadn’t taken out a loan, what if she’d tangled with some other dangerous crowd and dragged them down as well?

How could an ordinary person lend her three hundred thousand?

Could it be... gambling losses?

Liu Meijuan’s heart leapt with glee.

Yes—apart from usury and gambling, what else could burn through three hundred thousand in just half a month?

That little brat, she hadn’t even had to lift a finger—she’d already sunk so low and landed herself in so much trouble.

All the better. She would use this as an opportunity to utterly destroy her reputation!

That wretch had wasted nearly twenty years of her life, stealing the place that should have belonged to her—and as for the brat who had stolen her own daughter’s position, Liu Meijuan would make sure she never knew peace.