"These years, I’ve never dared to tell my uncle and aunt, that in fact, back then, I watched Miss Zhilan leave our courtyard, cross the road, her tiny figure gradually melting into the crowd until she was invisible. Back then, I was naively young, and Zhilan, only six, could understand what? Her parents were busy and had no time to accompany her. Lan Lin and I, who grew up with her as her brothers, might, in her eyes, have been even closer to her than her own parents. That’s why she clung to Lan Lin and me. But I, annoyed by her clinginess which stripped me of the mood to play, did nothing as I watched her leave home without trying to bring her back."
Every time Lan Li reflected on the scene of that year, he felt an indescribable discomfort in his heart.
Then, he had never thought that six-year-old Gu Zhilan walking right past him would be the last time he would see Gu Zhilan in his life. From then on, Gu Zhilan suddenly disappeared from his world and never came back.
The chubby little girl sulking, stomping into the crowd until she disappeared from his vision, has become a memory that he has been unable to, and dare not forget for so many years.
If at the time, he had not been so immature, had not been so irresponsible, he could have walked over and brought Gu Zhilan back home, then everything would have ended differently.
The disappearance of Gu Zhilan caused the Gu Family to almost collapse overnight. It also caused Lan Lin to live in guilt until his death for not protecting this only sister of the Gu Family.
Yet, no one knew, other than his mother, that the pain suffered by the Gu and Lan Families was magnified tenfold in Lan Li.
Nobody knew that he, Lan Li, was in fact the greatest sinner to the Gu Family.
So, after Gu En came to the Gu Family, Lan Li took on the responsibilities of an older brother and lavished love on Gu En, the new daughter of the Gu Family, as if he was making a penance.
Indeed, it was a way of atonement. The sin he committed against Gu Zhilan, he could only atone in this way.
Thirteen years had passed, and Lan Li didn’t even know whether the person he owed the most in this world, was alive or dead?
So, Lan Li never dared to question himself, how could he be so insensitive and cold-blooded thirteen years ago, watching Gu Zhilan walk into the crowd and disappear from the world of the Gu Family.
"You mean to say, He Zhilan is your lost sister Gu Zhilan?" He Teng almost couldn’t find his own voice. His thoughts instantly connected the dots. The surname of the leader of the Gu family was Gu, and the wife of the lead was his Aunt Gu, whose maiden surname was Lan, and He Zhilan once mentioned that her parents’ surnames were Gu and Lan.
"I’m not sure. I wanted to ask her just now, but from her attitude, it seemed she didn’t have any emotional connection to the Gu Family." Lan Li shook his head, "He Teng, Though you and she are divorced, the bond you share is still unique. Please help me ask her. Whether it is or not, at least there will be an answer. It seems my mother suspects she is Gu Zhilan."
Even Lan Li didn’t know why his mother had this suspicion. Was it just because of the similarity in name and age?
He Teng nodded without saying anything else. Although he had many doubts, and almost certain about the answer, he refrained from claiming anything. After all, He Zhilan, who had just had contact with Lan Li, was present. Because the Gu Family was not an ordinary family, family ties could not be casually claimed.