Gu Mingcheng slowly unfolded the unfinished canvas, looked at Gu Mingzhu, and asked back, "When did you come back? Mom went to play mahjong today. If she knew her precious daughter was back, how could she go out?"
"Don’t change the subject. You know exactly what I mean." Gu Mingzhu stared at Gu Mingcheng and said word by word, "She is your real second sister."
Gu Mingcheng had a moment of panic, but then calmly pressed his lips together and said, "I feel sorry for my second sister who has suffered since childhood and want to paint her. Is that not allowed? I like my second sister, what’s wrong with that? Gu Mingzhu, if you want others to like you, change your ways. Aren’t you tired of pretending every day?"
Gu Mingzhu was almost furious listening to this. She took a deep breath and placed her hand on her bulging abdomen, telling herself not to get angry. The child was most important. She said coldly, "Whether I’m tired or not is my business, none of your concern."
It seems she underestimated her brother who usually only knows to bury his head in painting, but now it seems, he’s quite smart.
"My business is none of your concern either." Gu Mingcheng glanced at her, then sat back down to continue his unfinished painting.
"Hmmph, I can’t be bothered to care." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵~𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖~𝙣𝙚𝙩
Gu Mingzhu turned and left.
Suddenly, Gu Mingcheng was the only one left in the room.
On this return trip from Shuanghe Village, Gu Mingcheng was inspired by the beautiful scenery and painted several satisfactory pieces. But as soon as he got home, he felt that if he added people to the scenery, it would definitely look better.
So, he took a new canvas and began painting again, and in the process, it turned into a painting of Xu Nianhua.
Gu Mingcheng had been painting earnestly, but now, he found himself unable to continue.
She is your real second sister.
Gu Mingzhu’s words echoed in his mind. He took a deep breath, clutching the canvas tightly, almost tearing it. In the end, he couldn’t bear to rip it. He rolled up all the paintings and locked them in his large box.
The next day, Gu Mingcheng informed Gu Hai and Fang Yue—or rather, notified—that he would be taking his easel to paint outdoors and might be living outside for a while.
Neither Gu Hai nor Fang Yue found it strange. Gu Mingcheng was just like that, restless at home and always liked to carry his easel to paint everywhere. It wasn’t unusual for him to live outside for a while for the sake of painting.
"Mingcheng, do you have enough money? If you need anything, let me know." Fang Yue, thinking about playing mahjong with others today, changed her tone and said, "Tell the housekeeper to provide you with everything you need. Be careful when you’re out."
"I will." Gu Mingcheng was long used to Fang Yue’s attitude. If Gu Mingzhu was going out, Fang Yue would certainly take the time to carefully pack her things.
"Nianji, Nian’an, today I got Liu Si’s testimony."
When Pei Yicheng suddenly came to talk, Xu Nianji was taken aback and didn’t react immediately as to who Liu Si was.
"Brother Cheng, do you mean Liu Si can prove there was no thief back then? That Fang Yue deliberately abandoned little sister?" Xu Nian’an quickly caught on and asked.
Pei Yicheng nodded and handed over Liu Si’s signed testimony, saying, "Liu Si explained in detail how he was made to confess to the theft and that he received ten thousand yuan after it was done."
"They really went through great pains to make sure the story held up," Xu Nian’an said sarcastically.