Mother Lan, while speaking casually, helped herself to the fruits that had been washed clean from the pond, devouring them with relish while nodding her head in praise of their sweetness. She went on to say, "This time, for the old master’s longevity celebration, Xiao’en personally painted a Hundred Longevity Picture. I heard from Lin Deng that it made the old master extremely happy!"
"This child is indeed very filial. She prepared the Hundred Longevity Picture for half a year, and had redrawn it numerous times due to dissatisfaction," Grandma Gu said with a smile. Then suddenly sighing, she added, "But I don’t understand why, as she grows older, her temper also grows larger."
"A girl is entitled to be a little temperamental from time to time," Mother Lan laughed.
"Little temper tantrums are no big deal, but if they happen too frequently and spoil her character, then there’s trouble." Grandma Gu lightly shook her head, "During the New Year, you all kept me and the old master in the dark. Yet, secrets can’t be kept forever. I’ve heard whispers around the courtyard about Xiao’en’s doings these past six months. If it weren’t for fear that the old master couldn’t handle the news, I would have called you all back for a proper inquiry."
Upon hearing that they were talking about Gu En, He Zhilan retracted her already lifted hand, understanding that family matters were being discussed and it wasn’t appropriate for her to intrude at this moment.
"Mom~," Mother Gu looked surprised, "You know?"
"What I should know, I know, and what I shouldn’t know, I know too!" Grandma Gu nodded her head, "Sure, not letting the old master know about her major car accident was the right thing to do. But, in the past six months, she really has made many mistakes. Oh right, have you seen the nanny? Why hasn’t she returned after being out for so long?"
"Oh," Mother Lan responded, "She’s upset and hiding, still in the midst of crying after being scolded by the old master."
"She..." Grandma Gu sighed again, "After today, let her leave. We don’t have the time to look after Xiao’en, and she spends most of her time with the nanny at the Gu’s. Look at Xiao’en now, she’s becoming more and more like the nanny."
"Actually, it’s not entirely the nanny’s fault," Mother Lan stated, "Gu En’s classmate, she is the sister of Lan Li’s comrade-in-arms." Saying this, Mother Lan looked at Grandma Gu, asking, "You know, right?"
Grandma Gu nodded, "Yes, she’s the one always being bullied by Xiao’en."
"It’s not me talking nonsense, but this kid is vain and unscrupulous. She wasn’t even invited to today’s longevity feast, but she boldly got a new outfit and came with the two Zhou siblings. I mean, what’s a country bumpkin like her doing at a grand house like ours? She doesn’t know anyone here, the only reason she’d attend is to network with the wealthy and powerful, right? When a young girl is so scheming, who knows what she’ll be like when she’s older?"
After Mother Lan finished speaking, Mother Gu picked up the conversation, "Mom, when I went to check on dad just now, I ran into the nanny. She told me that she had just seen Xiao’en’s classmate sneak upstairs and even go into dad’s study. I mean, it’s one thing for her to come to our house uninvited, but running around like she owns the place is simply ill-mannered, isn’t it?"
"Is that so?" Grandma Gu looked shocked.
"Mom, do you think the nanny would make up something ? Dad scolded her just because she made a comment about He Zhilan," replied Mother Gu, "I just saw Xiao’en’s classmate too. She was sitting alone in a corner, looking so stiff and unsophisticated; she didn’t even know how to drink champagne. Her eyes were restless, darting around nervously, making you wonder what she was calculating in her mind. Such a scheming girl, with such a heavy mind."