Guzi transmigrated into a novel and became a character in a story about a true and false rich others who transmigrated into novels become the true heiress, she became the fake heiress. To make matters worse, both she and the true heiress are engaged.
She was engaged to the son of a military leader, while the true heiress was engaged to a divorced man with three children from his previous 's parents, caring for the true heiress, decide to have Guzi marry in her place. In the book, the character
"Guzi" was furious and attempted suicide but a result, she lost the love and favor of her parents. After marrying the divorced man,"Guzi" blamed him for all the wrongdoings and mistreated his children. Eventually, he could no longer tolerate her actions and divorced her.
"Guzi" would become a destitute beggar and die miserably on the transmigrating into the book, Guzi left her family and married the divorced man. When she faced the man and his three children, Guzi believed that the original owner of her body made a terrible mistake.
This was a painless experience of being a mother without any hardships to endure!On the other hand, the true heiress had to deal with her husband's illegitimate child and fight for family assets. She would lead a daily life full of true heiress consoled herself, thinking that she was still better off than Guzi. She had to raise someone else's child and care for an old man.
However, one day she sees Guzi stepping out of a luxurious car with a protruding belly, supported by the richest man in the aggrieved, Guzi got out of the car and said, "We agreed not to have children!"The man beside her responded tenderly, "Sorry, my mistake."
Chapter 1: Transmigrating Into a Novel
Gu Zi was woken up by a woman's crying. Before she could open her eyes, a bunch of unfamiliar memories flashed through her mind.
Just then, footsteps could be heard in the distance, and the woman's crying gradually stopped.
"No, I absolutely won't allow my own daughter to marry an older man with three children!"
"I never expected that we mixed up our daughter with the Lin family. The Lins are so poor, and they agreed to marry our precious daughter into such a household. You need to think about this, Lin Miao is our real daughter, not Gu Zi. You should think about our real daughter."
Gu Zi groggily opened her eyes and saw a man standing by the window, while the woman by her bedside was still weeping and wiping away tears.
It then dawned on her that she had transmigrated into the historical novel she had read just last night.
The real heiress of the Gu family, Lin Miao, had recently shown up at their doorstep. She was a spitting image of Madam Gu, Zhang Mei, when she was young. The Gu couple had even had her authenticated, and it turned out that Lin Miao was indeed their daughter.
The original host used to be pampered, but her position in the Gu family was now very awkward.
Lin Miao, the real heiress, had lived in poverty, and as soon as Gu Zi heard about the mix-up, she clung to the Gu family and refused to leave.
The original host of this body was going to marry the chief's son according to her parents' agreement. She was on the verge of ascending to a high social status. Who would have thought that the appearance of the real daughter would cause her life to undergo earth-shattering changes?
Originally, the Gu family had wanted to keep both daughters, but the Lin family objected. They had long planned for Lin Miao to marry an older man with three children, and now that Lin Miao was gone, the Lin family could only make the original host take her place.
The original host couldn't accept her current situation. She was forced to marry an old man and mistreated his three children, ultimately leading to a bitter end, with the husband divorcing her and her tragic death on the streets.
Because the original host wasn't the main character, her story was just a side note in the novel.
Now, the current timeline of the story was at the point where the original host learned she was to marry the divorced older man and had attempted suicide by jumping into a river. However, she was rescued.
Gu Zi noticed that the two people in the room hadn't realized she had woken up. She struggled to sit up, making some noise, but the Gu couple remained lost in their own world and didn't hear her.
From Gu Zi's point of view, the Gu Zi in the book was too arrogant and had never faced real challenges, which is why she exploded over small matters.
But she was different; she was thirty years old now and had experienced many hardships. She had just bought a house and a car, ready to reach the pinnacle of her life, only to wake up in this novel's world.
Gu Zi looked at Zhang Mei, her supposed mother, and softly said, "Please don't cry. I'm willing to marry him."
Gu Shan turned his head to look at Gu Zi on the bed but remained silent.
Zhang Mei suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. She looked at Gu Zi's calm face and thought of what she had just said. A trace of embarrassment flashed across her eyes. "Zizi, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I couldn't protect you and had no choice but to let…"
"Mom, I understand," Gu Zi flashed a sweet smile and said softly, "If I stay with the Gu family now, people might think I want to steal Lin Miao's fiancé. Mom and Dad, thank you for taking care of me all these years. I'm fine now. We don't need to go back. I can go directly to my fiancé's house."
Hearing Gu Zi's words, Zhang Mei felt guilty and uncomfortable. Gu Shan also couldn't bear it.
For over a decade, they had treated Gu Zi like their precious daughter. If Gu Zi had caused a scene, they might have felt like they wasted all those years raising her. But now, Gu Zi was being so obedient, it touched their hearts.
The door opened, and the real heiress, Lin Miao, walked in. She saw that Gu Zi had awakened and that her parents were hesitant to send her away. With teary eyes, she said, "Gu Zi, you should stay here. I'll go get married..."
Gu Shan and Zhang Mei looked at Lin Miao's weak appearance, and the guilt in their hearts instantly disappeared. They reasoned with themselves that Gu Zi was just returning to her rightful place.
Gu Zi looked at Lin Miao, who was being super fake, and smiled, saying, "Miao Miao, this is your home. I should be the one to leave."
Gu Zi got out of bed and, as if remembering something, looked at Zhang Mei, who was in front of her. "Can you lend me some money? I need to take a bus to my fiancé's house."
Zhang Mei, upon hearing this, quickly took out ten yuan and handed it to Gu Zi, saying, "On your way there..."
Before Zhang Mei could finish her sentence, Gu Shan furrowed his brows and pulled out a hundred yuan. "Zi Zi, just take it! Don't talk about borrowing. If you ever need anything, just call."
Gu Zi thanked him. It would be a waste not to accept it.
Gu Shan's words sounded nice. He gave her a hundred yuan and refused to let her return it. In other words, he did not want her to come back to the Gu family again.
He even said that she could call them directly if there was anything. This sounded nice, but in reality, he was cutting ties with her.
Gu Zi still obediently said "thank you" and left without taking anything with her.
As Gu Zi walked away, Zhang Mei couldn't help but watch her retreating form, a growing sense of unease settling within her.
Chapter 2: Marriage Substitute
Today was the day when Gu Zi was to marry the older man.
The older man's name was Su Shen. He was thirty years old this year and owned a pig farm. To make it easier to manage the farm, he had moved his home close to the pig farm and lived in the countryside.
He had three children, none of whom were his biological children; they were orphans from his sister's family.
It was precisely because he had three children to take care of at home that he had planned to get married last year. However, not long after getting married, the woman had insisted on a divorce.
Su Shen not only had to handle the farm's affairs but also care for the three children. So, he was eager to find another wife.
Money makes the world go round.
And Lin Miao was more than willing to go the extra mile for that.
Everyone thought it was the Lin family wanting to marry Lin Miao off to Su Shen for money, but in reality, Lin Miao had volunteered herself.
However, as soon as Lin Miao found out her true identity as the real heiress, she immediately returned home and passed the responsibility for this marriage onto Gu Zi.
The Su family was in the countryside. Gu Zi had to take a bus to the countryside. Gu Shan and Zhang Mei were worried she might get lost, so they gave her a map with directions to Su's home.
Gu Zi's thoughts were quite different from Lin Miao's. In her previous life, she didn't want to have children at all, which had driven away many potential suitors.
There was nothing more beautiful than finding a man with three children and becoming a mother without the pain of childbirth.
When Gu Zi arrived at the village entrance, she got off the bus and started walking towards Su's home.
Gu Zi could have a reasonable conversation with Gu Shan and Zhang Mei because she was acting more submissive, not wanting Lin Miao to make fun of her.
As for clothing and jewelry, she doubted that the Gu family would let her take anything with her. She figured it was better to leave without taking anything with her.
The path beneath her feet was rough and muddy, and Gu Zi almost twisted her ankle several times.
While looking at the hand-drawn map, Gu Zi walked toward Su's home. When she arrived, she saw a two-story Western-style bungalow.
Gu Zi glanced at the other houses in the village, which were all made of stacked stones, and they couldn't compare to this house.
Could this really be Su Shen's home?
No way!
Su Shen was just an ordinary person. Logically speaking, such a grand house was much better than a house in the city. It cost a lot of money, and the Su family couldn't possibly have that much money.
Seeing someone passing by, Gu Zi quickly approached and asked, "Excuse me, do you know where Su Shen's house is?"
"Brother Shen?" The youth carrying the pole looked at Gu Zi with confusion in his eyes. "Who are you?"
He had been lost in thought just a moment ago, and now this young lady, who looked like she came from the city, was talking to him. She seemed pretty.
"I see you know Su Shen. Well, I am his wife," Gu Zi explained simply.
Hearing Gu Zi's words, the young man was puzzled. If he remembered correctly, wasn't Brother Shen's wife unwilling to come here?
It was rumored that the woman had initially agreed to marry Brother Shen, but then changed her mind. He hadn't expected that this girl in front of him was that wife.
The young man impatiently pointed at the small bungalow with a hint of disdain in his eyes. "It's this one."
"Thank you!" Gu Zi expressed her gratitude and quickly walked toward the house.
Honestly, she didn't have time to pay attention to the young man's expression. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the two-story Western-style bungalow!
She really didn't expect that the wealthiest person in the village would be Su Shen.
Well, this turned out to be quite profitable!
The Gu family had a respectable position in the military, but their house was not as good as Su Shen's. In any case, it was far inferior to the Su family residence.
It seemed Su Shen had excellent conditions.
Gu Zi walked to the door of the house and was about to knock when he saw a middle-aged woman coming out with fruits in her hands.
Gu Zi smiled. "Hello, I'm Su Shen's wife. I…"
Unexpectedly, the middle-aged woman frowned and interrupted her mercilessly. Her tone was cold as she said sharply, "What are you here for?"
"I am Su Shen's wife. Who are you..." Gu Zi looked at the middle-aged woman in confusion.
The middle-aged woman not only didn't answer Gu Zi's question, but she also criticized her harshly, "So, you are Lin Miao, huh? How shameless can you be? You refused to return the 3,000 yuan dowry that Su gave you, and last month, you made such a big fuss. How dare you come here now and claim to be Su Shen's wife?"
"I think there's a misunderstanding. My name is Gu Zi," Gu Zi patiently explained, her gaze shifting on the middle-aged woman's face. "And you are..."
The middle-aged woman's face flashed with embarrassment as she muttered softly, "Gu Zi? I remember Su Shen's wife's name is Lin Miao."
She snapped back to reality and looked at Gu Zi coldly. "Well, here's the thing. I am the nanny Su Shen hired to take care of the children. Just call me Aunt Chu. What's your relationship with Su Shen?"
She looked at Gu Zi with hostility.
Gu Zi's eyes briefly showed confusion, but she quickly regained her composure and patiently explained, "Let me clarify. Originally, the one getting married to Su Shen was the daughter of the Lin family. But as you may have heard, Lin Miao found her biological parents, and I am the real daughter of the Lin family. Now, I am fulfilling the marriage contract according to the agreement between the two families."
Aunt Chu's pupils dilated, and she looked at the well-dressed city girl in front of her with disbelief.
However, she quickly calmed down and said coldly, "Leave! Get out of here! Do you think we're playing house? What's with the exchange? We're all honest people here. We won't listen to your deceit. Let me tell you, you better leave now, or don't blame me for not being polite!"
Chapter 3: Chasing Her Away
Gu Zi frowned slightly and her tone became unfriendly, "You are here as someone Su Shen invited to take care of the children, to be precise, you are just a nanny for the kids. As a nanny, do you have the authority to make decisions for the family?"
"Miss, I'm being polite by talking to you like this. Let me make it clear: a few casual words from me and Su Shen will listen. It's because we have a good relationship that Su Shen asked me to help take care of the children. Go back to where you came from. Don't cause a scene here. If it comes to that, your reputation will be ruined!" Aunt Chu said impatiently, one hand on her hip, clearly unwilling to let Gu Zi inside.
Gu Zi sensed that Aunt Chu didn't want her to enter. Her expression turned cold as she said, "Where is Su Shen? I want to see Su Shen. This is a matter between him and me, and I want him to talk to me in person!"
"I'm trying to persuade you to leave out of goodwill. If Su Shen comes back and finds you here, he'll definitely drag a marriage scammer like you to the police station. Hurry up and leave. Don't embarrass yourself here!" The disdain in Aunt Chu's eyes could not be more obvious.
Aunt Chu saw the young man nearby and rolled her eyes and complained, "You came at the right time. This woman cheated Su Shen of three thousand yuan at first, and now she's here again. She might want to cheat him for more money. Hurry up and help me chase her away!"
When the youth heard that, he frowned and looked at Gu Zi.
Gu Zi glanced coldly at Aunt Chu and said coldly, "Lin Miao, who was previously engaged to Su Shen, has already found her biological parents. She went back to the Gu family, and as the real daughter of the Lin family, I'm now here to fulfill the engagement on Lin Miao's behalf. I never took the three thousand yuan. I don't understand why Aunt Chu is unwilling to let me in. Could it be..."
The young man's eyebrows relaxed. He knew it. How could such a good-looking girl be a bad person?
Gu Zi paused and looked at Aunt Chu's face. "Could it be that you harbor some secrets?"
"You... you're bullshitting. What secrets can I have? I…" Aunt Chu stammered, not knowing what to say.
Gu Zi had only said it casually, but she did not expect it to really hit Aunt Chu's sore spot. She looked at Aunt Chu meaningfully and then at the young man beside her. "Do you know where Su Shen is right now?"
"Brother Shen should be at the pig farm now. It's a busy time, so he probably won't be back until late. Why don't I go find him now and ask him to come back earlier?" said the young man, who went by the name Li Zhu.
"Work is important. I'll wait for him here," Gu Zi said understandingly. She then looked at Aunt Chu and asked, "Aunt Chu, do you think it's better for me to wait for him inside the house, or should I go to the pig farm right now?"
Aunt Chu's eyelids twitched, and she squinted her eyes with clear displeasure. She knew Gu Zi was trying to pressure her. Reluctantly, she agreed, "Well, I'm old, and I must be getting forgetful. I mistook you for Lin Miao. Come inside, this is all a misunderstanding. Come in!"
"Is it really a misunderstanding?" Gu Zi looked at Aunt Chu, her smile hiding a deeper meaning as she saw the malice in Aunt Chu's eyes.
With her foot in the door, Gu Zi knew she couldn't let this nanny stay. She didn't want to be blown up by this unpredictable time bomb!
Gu Zi looked at Li Zhu and thanked him softly before walking into the house.
As she entered, she made a quick estimate of the house. The house had to be at least 300-400 square meters.
As soon as she walked in, she found herself in a spacious living room of nearly 50 square meters, with leather sofas and a television.
In this era, having such luxuries indicated wealth. It seemed Su Shen was quite well-off. Gu Zi naturally took a seat on the living room sofa.
Aunt Chu walked in and looked at Gu Zi with a sinister gaze. She placed the fruit in her hand on the cabinet at the side, and the corners of her lips curled up into a wicked smile. She turned around and walked out.
When Aunt Chu came in again, there was a large Tibetan Mastiff weighing around 70 pounds following her.
When the Tibetan Mastiff saw the stranger in the house, it immediately rushed towards Gu Zi.
Chapter 4: What Do You Think?
"Woof woof!"
Gu Zi was taken aback when she heard the dog barking. Turning towards the sound, she saw a Tibetan Mastiff, about the height of a person, charging straight at her.
Aunt Chu, who was standing at the door, watched Gu Zi's face turn pale in fear with a smirk on her face.
The Su family's dog was particularly fierce and loved to bite people. If it weren't for Su Shen's instructions, she might have been bitten by that dog.
Gu Zi?
That seemed to be the name.
She wanted to see if Gu Zi would still be able to show off in front of her after having one of her legs bitten off by a Tibetan Mastiff.
This Gu Zi was not more than a vixen who owed money and refused to return it. How dare she try to show off in front of her.
Gu Zi froze in place when she saw the dog charging towards her, but the next moment, the dog obediently sat down at her feet.
Even so, Gu Zi was still very flustered.
At that moment, she felt someone tugging at her clothes. She looked down and saw a dirty little girl sitting on the ground, looking up at her.
The Tibetan Mastiff sat beside the little girl, wearing a big smile.
Gu Zi looked at the dirty little girl with tangled, messy hair. Despite her appearance, the girl was adorable, with round, big eyes fixed on Gu Zi.
"Yiya yiya…" The little girl made babbling sounds and smiled sweetly, looking up at Gu Zi.
Gu Zi bent down and picked up the little girl. She looked to be about two years old and didn't seem to be able to speak yet.
Gu Zi took a white rabbit candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in the little girl's mouth. The little girl happily wiggled her tiny feet.
Aunt Chu, who was standing at the side, rolled her eyes in disgust and said sarcastically, "Oh, look at that, the act starts as soon as you step in. No matter how well you perform, it won't change the fact that you're a wicked woman with malicious intentions."
Gu Zi looked at the Tibetan Mastiff and then at Aunt Chu who was standing not far away. She originally thought that Aunt Chu would play some tricks to make things difficult for her in the future, but now it seemed that she was wrong.
Aunt Chu was so impatient for her to leave as soon as possible that she brought the Tibetan Mastiff over.
When the Tibetan Mastiff had lunged at her earlier, it was so ferocious and looked as if it would kill Buddha if Buddha blocked its way. Perhaps it was because of the little girl's presence that it had stopped its attack.
Gu Zi helped the dirty little girl tidy up her hair and calmly said, "This dog was probably locked in the backyard, right? It doesn't look like an ordinary dog. It must have bitten quite a few people."
Gu Zi noticed Aunt Chu's haughty attitude as she stood nearby, seemingly unfazed. She continued, "It seems you do know that this dog has bitten people before. Well, I'll wait for Su Shen to come, and then I'll report it to the police."
Aunt Chu wrinkled her brow slightly and quickly walked up to Gu Zi, looking down at her condescendingly. She questioned, "Report it to the police? What are you going to report, you little wretch? Do you dare report it? Before you can even report it, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
"Attempted murder. I think that might land you in jail for a few years," Gu Zi said calmly.
Aunt Chu met Gu Zi's cold eyes. She felt as if she was in an ice cellar and could not move. "You... You're talking nonsense!"
"I'm talking nonsense?" Gu Zi glanced at the Tibetan Mastiff beside her and smiled faintly. "Do you really have no intention of letting the dog harm me?"
Aunt Chu clenched her teeth, trying to defend herself, "I'm not a murderer!"
"Well, attempted murder. Don't worry; the police will make sure you spend some extra years behind bars," Gu Zi said indifferently, seeing Aunt Chu's panic. She then cast a sidelong glance at the Tibetan Mastiff. "But, you know, maybe we can discuss this..."
Aunt Chu, who was desperate, was eager to hear what Gu Zi had in mind. She was afraid that Gu Zi would make a big demand, but she couldn't afford to refuse.
Aunt Chu knew that Gu Zi had dug a pit for her, but she still jumped into it willingly. Aunt Chu asked cautiously, "What... What do you want me to do?"
Gu Zi looked up at Aunt Chu, and upon seeing that the other party was a little flustered, the smile on her face became even more obvious. "Don't you know?"
Then, she kicked the ball in front of Aunt Chu.
Aunt Chu pursed her lips slightly and looked at Gu Zi with a complicated expression. After a long time, she said, "What exactly is it you want me to do for you?"
Gu Zi smiled. "What do you think?"
Aunt Chu, "Nothing good obviously!"
Chapter 5: Staying
Gu Zi leisurely sipped her tea while playing with the child in her arms.
After about an hour, footsteps approached the door, and Gu Zi caught a faint whiff of blood. She held the child and looked towards the door.
A man in his thirties entered. He was a pig farmer. With Lin Miao's eagerness to escape, Gu Zi expected to see a beer belly and a simple demeanor.
But what she didn't expect was that a cold and slender man entered. He was dressed in traditional Chinese clothing, exuding an air of coldness.
As the man approached, Gu Zi stood up, still holding the child.
The man was quite handsome, with well-defined features. In her era, he could have become a celebrity solely based on his looks.
Su Shen sized Gu Zi up. When he saw her carrying the child, the coldness in his eyes dissipated a little. "What's your name?"
"Gu Zi," Gu Zi replied, focusing her gaze on the man's face, her voice gentle. "I'm eighteen years old. Lin Miao, who was engaged to you before, is the biological daughter of the Gu family. I'm the daughter of the Lin family, so I'm here to fulfill the marriage agreement between our two families."
Su Shen's eyes shifted to the sofa, his expression indifferent. "Please, have a seat."
Gu Zi sat down on the sofa while holding the child. She didn't know what to say as Su Shen sat nearby, scrutinizing her.
Su Shen had heard about Lin Miao finding her biological parents and the rumor that Gu Zi refused to return to the Lin family because of her dislike for poverty. However, he couldn't understand why she had come to him of her own accord now.
"You might not be aware of my situation," Su Shen said succinctly. "I'm thirty years old now. Have you really thought this through?"
He was twelve years older than her.
Gu Zi smiled faintly and nodded. "I'm aware of your age. I've thought it through."
Su Shen was slightly stunned. His sharp eyes were locked onto Gu Zi. "I have three children, all of whom were adopted from my sister. Even if I remarry, I don't intend to have any more children."
Gu Zi smiled and shifted the child in her arms slightly towards Su Shen. With one hand holding the child, she extended the other towards him. "I will do my best to be a good stepmother and take care of these three."
Su Shen only paused for a moment, then glanced at Gu Zi's fair and smooth hand. He hesitated briefly, shook her hand briefly, and quickly withdrew his own.
"Well, then, you can stay here for now," Su Shen said calmly.
"Thank you," Gu Zi smiled.
Aunt Chu, who had been watching this scene, was anxious and had beads of cold sweat on her forehead. She had wanted to remind Su Shen about the Lin family's deceit, but when she remembered what Gu Zi had said earlier, she hesitated.
Aunt Chu knew she couldn't interfere in this matter involving Gu Zi. She approached Su Shen and said, "Little Su, the Lin family is full of tricksters. Why are you..."
"Aunt Chu, the one I was engaged to before was Lin Miao. She deceived me, not her," Su Shen said with a complex expression as he looked at Aunt Chu.
Gu Zi thought Aunt Chu wouldn't dare to speak carelessly, but she was surprised to hear her speak out. She smiled and said, "Aunt Chu is very enthusiastic towards me. As soon as I entered, she brought the dog over to greet me."
Su Shen's face darkened. His dog was capable of causing fatal harm. Aunt Chu's intentions were clear, but Gu Zi...
"That dog is so cute and commanding, not at all aggressive," Gu Zi smiled as she looked at the little girl in her arms. "Our Lele also loves dogs, right?"
The little girl in Gu Zi's arms was called Su Le. She was Su Shen's youngest child.
Su Shen's gaze fell on Gu Zi's face. Only then did he realize that she was not complaining, but stating a fact.
Su Shen looked at Gu Zi and continued, "As long as you're good to the children, that's enough. As for the wedding, if your family doesn't want to hold it, so I haven't prepared for it either. If you want to, we can pick a suitable date later.
"If you don't have any other matters to discuss, I'll head to the farm. Things have been busy there recently," Su Shen said calmly.
"Sure," Gu Zi smiled and nodded. "Whether we have a wedding or not doesn't matter. I just wanted to know where I'll be staying."
When Su Shen heard Gu Zi's words, his expression froze.
There were quite a few rooms in the house. Other than his and the three children's room, the other rooms were still empty. There were no beds in those rooms.
"The first master bedroom on the second floor, right next to the stairs, is where you'll stay," Su Shen said.
Gu Zi smiled and said, "Great. You can go about your business. I can handle the rest myself."
Chapter 6: Skinny
Su Shen nodded and walked out of the room.
As Su Shen left, Aunt Chu, with a cold expression, approached Gu Zi and sneered, "People from the city are indeed different. You really know how to talk."
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were Su Shen's mother. Why are you so nosy? Is this your seaside residence?" Gu Zi raised an eyebrow at Aunt Chu and said with confusion, "Or have you already taken this place as your own and that's why you're acting so arrogant?"
"You... you're shameless!" Aunt Chu was exasperated.
"Auntie, please recognize your position. You're just a nanny here. Don't overstep your boundaries."
When Aunt Chu heard the word "nanny", her expression turned even uglier.
In ancient times, a "nanny" was just a servant. How dare this impudent city girl call her a servant.
"You... You really have no manners at all."
"I'm sorry, I only have manners when dealing with people," Gu Zi smiled slightly, carrying a large bag and holding Lele in her arms as she walked upstairs.
When Gu Zi left the Gu family residence, she hadn't taken anything with her. However, on her way here, she realized there wouldn't be any clothes to wear and decided to buy some clothes, beddings, and other necessities at the local store. She carried a bag with her on the bus ride to Su Shen's house.
She walked to the room Su Shen mentioned. As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw a wooden bed in the middle of the room. There was a wardrobe beside the door, and there was a table and a chair beside the window not far away.
Apart from that, there was nothing else in the room.
The room was quite spacious, but it looked empty.
Gu Zi's gaze landed on the bed. The bedsheets were neatly spread, the duvet was folded into a block at the head of the bed, and there was even a pillow on top of it.
A folded duvet in block form.
She remembered that back when she was in military school, everyone used to fold their duvets into blocks. After that, they wouldn't bother folding them again unless a teacher checked.
Gu Zi placed Lele on the ground, then took out the newly bought clothes and bedding. She organized them in the room, leaving some daily necessities on the table.
She headed outside where there was running water in the yard. Since it was hot, the clothes would dry quickly after washing. Gu Zi washed her clothes and, within a few hours, they were almost dry.
Afterward, she returned to her room and arranged the daily necessities. Whether it was for bathing or regular face cleansing, she had bought new ones with her own money.
Gu Zi then busied herself cleaning the second-floor rooms one by one. The clothes had almost dried, so she folded them and placed them in the wardrobe. She also had Lele join her for a bath.
Her room had a separate bathroom with a water heater, so there was no need to heat water for a bath.
After their baths, Gu Zi changed into a simple white long dress. Her hair was still wet, hanging loosely over her shoulders. She sat at the table to wipe her face.
The original host of this body had good skin, and Gu Zi didn't want to neglect it.
The original host was a high school student and a top student. It was said that she ranked first in the school every year.
If it weren't for her infatuation with her military officer fiancé, she would probably still be studying in school.
The reason she quit school was mainly due to her military officer fiancé, who was twenty-five years old. Both families hoped they would marry early and have children.
Precisely because of this, the Gu family agreed to let the original host drop out of school.
After all, her officer fiancé was the son of the chief, and his future was exceedingly bright.
Not long after the original host dropped out of school, the real heiress came crying to the door. When the original host heard this, she refused to leave the Gu family no matter what.
No, something was wrong.
Gu Zi's eyes flashed coldly as she recalled the scene in the original owner's room. Beside the bedside table, not far from the desk, piles of books were stacked.
The original owner must have been very fond of studying, but she was also a hopeless romantic.
After she wiped her face, she wiped Lele's face and helped Lele dry her hair.
Lele looked more obedient and cute after washing up, but she was frighteningly thin.
Suddenly, she heard a dog barking happily from outside. She looked through the window and saw the Tibetan Mastiff circling around the two teenagers, its tail wagging vigorously.
The two teenagers were carrying school bags.
The taller one had a gloomy expression, somewhat resembling Su Shen.
The other teenager was shorter and was happily greeting the Tibetan Mastiff.
Gu Zi glanced at the little girl in her arms. Why were all three of Su Shen's children so thin? They looked like big-headed dolls.
Logically speaking, Su Shen should have doted on the three of them very much. These three children should not be so skinny even if they were not fair and fat.
"Yiyiyaya." Lele held the comb in her hand and was about to put it in her mouth.
Gu Zi quickly took the comb from Lele's hand and kissed Lele's forehead with a smile.
Chapter 7: Plans
Gu Zi had read this novel before. In the novel, the original owner of the body reluctantly married into the family and immediately turned into a vicious stepmother. She abused these three children every day.
As a result, the three children all grew crooked and were led astray.
And with Su Shen's intimidating aura, the three children were too scared to even approach him!
As a result, the three children became villains.
The eldest, Su Bing, grew up distrusting women. Despite excelling academically and joining a research team, his terrible personality turned him into a feared demon everyone dreaded.
Su Li, the second brother who happily greeted the Tibetan Mastiff, looked thin and frail now. He would later grow to be incredibly strong, capable of taking a life with a single punch. He would drop out of junior high school and start hanging out with the wrong crowd, getting into fights with knives every day, eventually meeting his end in a chaotic brawl.
As for Su Le in her arms, her lack of love in childhood led her to become obsessed with romantic relationships. She would endure bullying in school and fall for a scumbag. Eventually, she would end up getting photographed naked and coerced into a porno. Unable to bear the humiliation and scrutiny, she would take her own life by jumping into a river.
Apart from the eldest, Su Bing, who continued to suffer, the other two had tragic endings.
Su Shen, for all the sacrifices he made for these three children, couldn't bring them happiness.
It was truly heartbreaking.
Gu Zi believed she could change everything when she came here. She was confident she could help these three children grow into strong individuals, like towering trees.
As for the Su Shen...
He was good-looking,but she hadn't yet assessed his other qualities. She planned to guide him in the direction she desired.
In just a short while, Gu Zi had already mapped out her future plans:
1. Take good care of the physical and mental health of the three children and never let them go down the wrong path.
2. Cultivate Su Shen and mold him into her ideal husband.
3. Despite the current decent state of the household, she would continue her education as a backup plan. If she couldn't change them, she had other paths to explore.
To Gu Zi, the fact that Su Shen did not want to have children made her very happy. She admired motherhood but didn't want to experience it herself.
Painless motherhood, what a wonderful concept!
Su Shen seemed reserved; she wondered what he'd be like in bed. The thought made the corners of her lips curl.
Gu Zi carried the child and was about to go down when suddenly, the image of her original body reading an English book at night flashed across her mind.
She was studying late at night under dim lighting, with her gaze fixed on a piece of paper that read "Study Abroad!"
Gu Zi suddenly came back to his senses and slowly lowered his eyes, his expression lonely.
She snapped back to reality, her eyes downcast, a sense of melancholy washing over her. In her past life, she came from an ordinary family, worked hard to get into a top university, and even considered studying abroad after graduation. Although foreign universities offered tuition waivers, the high cost of living abroad was beyond her means.
She couldn't help but reflect on how deeply the previous host had loved her military officer fiancé, which led her to give up her dream of studying abroad.
Gu Zi carried the child downstairs.
When she reached the ground floor, Aunt Chu had already prepared dinner. The eldest and the second child were sitting at the table, ready to eat.
The noise of her descent caught their attention, and they looked at Gu Zi in astonishment. She was wearing a white dress with her hair flowing loosely, and the evening sun's glow made her look like a fairy stepping out of a painting.
Su Li, the second child, couldn't help but gape at her; he had never seen anyone so beautiful.
Su Bing, the eldest, was more composed. He noticed the baby in Gu Zi's arms and quickly said, "Come and eat."
Eat?
Gu Zi's gaze fell on the table with blackened potatoes and a wilted cabbage. She then looked at the porridge in the bowl that only had a few grains of rice. Her brows furrowed slightly.
This was their dinner?
The children were still growing. How could they eat this?
Gu Zi walked to the table and saw that there were only two bowls on the table. It seemed that Aunt Chu had not prepared dinner for Lele.
"Ya ya!" When Lele saw the food, she shouted excitedly.
"Why are you making so much noise? There's no food for you!" Aunt Chu snapped irritably, shooting an angry glance at Lele.
Seeing that the other two were looking at Gu Zi and not eating, she scolded, "If you don't want to eat, then don't! Get out of here!"
Su Bing and Su Li's bodies stiffened. They immediately lowered their heads and ate, not daring to make another sound.
Gu Zi furrowed her brow slightly and turned her gaze to Aunt Chu's face, asking, "No dinner for Lele?"
Chapter 8: Vixen
Aunt Chu rolled her eyes and ignored Gu Zi.
Seeing the two children eating quietly, Gu Zi's expression turned stern, and she questioned in a cold voice, "The Su family invited you here to take care of the children, not to intimidate them!"
Aunt Chu originally did not want to argue with Gu Zi. She slammed her chopsticks onto the table, stood up, and pointed at Gu Zi's face, saying, "You say I'm intimidating the children? If you've got the guts, show me some evidence. We live differently in the countryside; we're not like you city folks, pampered and afraid of a little hardship!"
Gu Zi let out a cold chuckle and replied, "So, this is how you raise children in the countryside. Alright, I'll remember that. When I meet your sons and grandsons, I'll make sure to teach them the same way."
"How dare you!" Aunt Chu was so angry that she raised her hand to slap Gu Zi's face.
Gu Zi placed Lele on a chair at the side and raised her hand to deflect Aunt Chu's hand. Without waiting for Aunt Chu to speak, she continued, "I'm only learning it from you. And when I see them, I'll be sure to ask them if you also taught them how to commit murder."
"You!" Aunt Chu was so angry that her lips were trembling. She had thought it through when she was cooking just now. No one had seen her bringing the dog in front of Gu Zi. As long as she refused to admit it, the crime of attempted murder would not be pinned on her. "You're just talking nonsense. If you keep making baseless accusations, I'll call the police!"
"Go ahead," Gu Zi glanced at the dishes on the table and questioned, "I'm curious, Su Shen seems like someone who cares about the children. So why does he only provide them with this kind of food every day?"
"If you're so great at cooking, do it yourself! Stop talking nonsense and don't meddle in our affairs. I don't want to talk to a vixen like you," Aunt Chu snapped irritably.
"Thank you," Gu Zi replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Aunt Chu was momentarily taken aback by Gu Zi's thanks and responded in an annoyed tone, "I was insulting you."
"I'm thanking you. After all, ugly people won't be called vixens in their lives. Someone like you will at most be called piggy. In any case, even the pig would be insulted that you're called after it."
With that, Gu Zi turned and walked towards the kitchen, carrying Lele with her.
Aunt Chu was so angry that she threw her chopsticks on the ground and gritted her teeth as she looked at Gu Zi's back.
She had heard about Lin Miao finding her biological parents and the families' plans to exchange the children. Lin Miao's biological family had come to take their biological daughter home, but she had refused to leave.
Aunt Chu could understand Gu Zi's choice at that time. After all, she had become accustomed to a comfortable life, and no one wanted to endure hardships after enjoying a good life.
Gu Zi had a handsome appearance and fair skin. Just by looking at her delicate hands, it was clear she wasn't accustomed to physical labor!
Su Shen must be out of his mind to marry a woman who couldn't do anything!
Aunt Chu had intentionally cooked less food. If Gu Zi tried to compete with the children for their share, Aunt Chu would simply complain to Little Su. He would surely kick Gu Zi out of the house.
Aunt Chu sat back down smugly. Seeing that the two children were looking at her, she said unhappily, "What are you looking at? Hurry up and eat!"
Back in the kitchen, Gu Zi gently placed Lele in a chair and said with a tender smile, "Lele, be a good girl and wait here. Mommy will make you something delicious."
Lele tilted her little head, her grape-like eyes blinking, making her look exceptionally cute.
Gu Zi's heart immediately softened. How could this child be so sweet and adorable?
The kitchen was a mess, with a large pot on the left side of the stove, some rice and noodles nearby, and only salt, soy sauce, vinegar, with not even sugar for seasoning.
In a corner on the floor, there were some sprouting potatoes and a wilted cabbage.
Gu Zi furrowed her brow slightly. The Su family wasn't lacking in money, so why were they raising children like this, with only these meager ingredients?
Gu Zi remembered that Su Shen had returned home briefly and left in a hurry after a few words. It seemed he had no time to care for the children.
She glanced around and her eyes fell on a basket in the corner.
Inside the basket, there was an overturned large bowl. When she opened it, she found a piece of pork belly and three eggs. She quickly took them out and discovered fine flour at the bottom.
Why are all these things in the basket?
Gu Zi thought of the food on the table again, and her eyes gradually darkened. It seemed that Aunt Chu had not been honest.
No wonder the three children were so skinny.
Gu Zi took a deep breath and looked towards the dining room, meeting Aunt Chu's triumphant gaze.
Gu Zi took out the meat and was about to cut it when Aunt Chu ran in like the wind and shouted, "What are you doing?!"
Chapter 9: Cooking
Gu Zi tilted her head to look at Aunt Chu. She turned her body to shield the meat behind her and asked, "I'm preparing to cook. Is there a problem?"
Aunt Chu's eyes were red. She stretched her neck to look at the meat behind Gu Zi.
That piece of meat was sent over by Su Shen this morning. Aunt Chu had intentionally hidden it, planning to take it back home for her beloved grandson to eat tonight!
If this woman hadn't discovered the meat, it would definitely have ended up in her precious grandson's belly!
"No…" Aunt Chu could not bear to part with that piece of meat. Her eyes were red and her voice trembled. "You took such a big piece of meat; it's such a waste!"
When Gu Zi heard this, she immediately chuckled and replied, "Aunt Chu, this is my house. Even if I waste it, it's my family's waste. What's it to you?"
"You…"
"Besides, if we don't eat this meat, it might end up in someone else's stomach, right?" After Gu Zi said that, she washed the meat briefly and began to cut the meat into slices.
Aunt Chu watched as the piece of meat became smaller and smaller until it became pieces of meat. Her heart ached so much that it bled. She was so angry that she had a headache. She turned around and walked out. When she saw the two children sitting at the table and drinking the soup silently, she glared at them fiercely.
"You both heard it, right? Look at your stepmother. She's a wasteful woman. She only thinks about eating and drinking well all day long. Despite that, she talks all high and mighty with a mouthful of principles." Aunt Chu complained with one hand on her waist.
When she saw Gu Zi starting to crack eggs, her heart could not take it anymore. She quickly turned her head.
"She's so arrogant and looks like a vixen. When she's together with Little Su, she'll probably bewitch him and might even kick you three out!" Aunt Chu ranted, then stormed off.
Su Li, the second brother, was so scared that his chopsticks fell to the ground. He sat there dumbfounded, not daring to speak.
Su Bing clenched his chopsticks tightly in his hand, his lips tightly sealed.
As for Gu Zi in the kitchen, she had no idea what was happening outside.
She planned to make noodles and then braised pork with cabbage.
After preparing the pork, she started washing the cabbage, then set these ingredients aside to knead the dough and roll out the noodles.
Once the noodles were ready, she placed the pot on the left burner, filled it with water, and began cooking the noodles. On the right burner, she started simmering the cabbage in another pot.
Lele sat in the kitchen, quietly observing Gu Zi's activities.
Su Li forgot about his chopsticks on the ground. He got up and walked to Su Bing's side, asking cautiously, "Big brother, she…"
Su Bing didn't say a word, but his face tightened further, and his eyes grew even colder.
Gu Zi quickly cooked the noodles, then prepared three large bowls of noodles and a small bowl of egg custard. Finally, she brought out the pork stew with cabbage.
Gu Zi only took half an hour to do this.
Su Li stood by the dining table, staring at the dishes with stars in his eyes. He couldn't help but swallow and said excitedly, "Oh my, it smells so good!"
Su Bing also found the aroma incredibly tempting. He had barely eaten anything earlier when Aunt Chu served them what she called "soup," which was more like water with a few grains of rice.
"And there's meat!" Su Li's mouth watered, and his eyes turned red. "Big bro, I haven't had meat in so long. This meat smells amazing!"
Su Bing also hadn't had meat in a long time. He swallowed hard, gently grabbed Su Li's arm, and whispered, "Let's go upstairs to do our homework."
"Big brother," Su Li's eyes welled up with tears due to his craving.
As for Lele, who was sitting in the kitchen, she was already drooling. She kept making "Yi Yi Ya Ya" sounds as she sat on her chair.
Gu Zi carried three large bowls of noodles to the table, along with a small bowl of egg custard.
Su Li stood beside the dining table, looking at the food on the table. His eyes were sparkling, and he kept wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth.
His hand reached out almost instinctively toward the dish, but Su Bing's quick action prevented him from touching the meat.
Su Li snapped out of his trance and looked at Su Bing with a pleading expression.
Su Bing, facing Su Li's gaze, gently shook his head, silently advising him not to indulge just yet.
Gu Zi retrieved four pairs of chopsticks from the kitchen. She noticed Su Li's eager anticipation and chuckled. With warmth in her voice, she said, "Enjoy the noodles!"
Su Li stared at the enticing bowl of noodles before him. Each one was crowned with a golden egg pancake, its aroma wafting through the air.
Su Li mechanically accepted the chopsticks Gu Zi offered him, while she extended another pair toward Su Bing.
Chapter 10: Suspicion
Su Bing looked coldly at Gu Zi in front of him and then swatted the chopsticks out of Su Li's hand.
Gu Zi blinked in slight confusion, unsure of what had just transpired.
Su Li, feeling wronged, turned to look at Su Bing.
Su Bing looked warily at Gu Zi in front of her. The last stepmother had poisoned the three of them in order to snatch their father away.
Su Li had also nearly died from her cooking due to his insatiable appetite.
Su Bing recalled what Aunt Chu had said earlier. Even though she had been stingy with their meals, she wouldn't have poisoned them.
However, this woman was so beautiful, so she definitely had bad intentions.
Gu Zi met Su Bing's gaze and felt a chill run down her spine. He was only a ten-year-old child, yet he had such a cold gaze.
Su Li's eyes welled up with tears. He picked up the fallen chopsticks and wiped them clean with his hand, ready to eat the noodles. However, his chopsticks were once again swatted away by Su Bing.
"Big brother, I want to eat," Su Li said with teary eyes.
"I've already told you, you can't eat it!" Su Bing said, his tone unwavering as he looked sternly at Su Li.
Gu Zi, observing the situation, decided to take matters into her own hands. She picked up her own chopsticks and took a bite from both Su Bing's and Su Li's bowls of noodles. She then said, "I've had some too, so these noodles are safe."
Gu Zi placed Su Bing's chopsticks back in front of his bowl and returned to her seat. She picked up her bowl of egg custard and began feeding a ravenous Lele, who had been crying for food.
Lele was two years old this year. She was already drooling from the smell of rice. Gu Zi took a small handkerchief to help Lele wipe the corner of her mouth before scooping a spoonful of egg soup into Lele's mouth.
The egg custard smelled fragrant. It was soft, smooth, and melted in her mouth. Her eyes lit up with joy, and she started eating without any need for force-feeding.
Meanwhile, Su Bing and Su Li remained in a daze.
Su Li glanced at the noodles in the bowl, picked up the chopsticks again, and began to eat the noodles silently. He eagerly pick up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth.
When Su Bing came back to his senses, Su Li had already eaten a few pieces of meat. He looked at Su Li's normal expression and frowned slightly.
It was strange.
There was something wrong with this woman.
Their previous stepmother had been terrible at cooking, and she had withheld good food from them. She would keep the delicious food for herself.
The only time that woman had prepared delicious food for them was when Su Li almost died after eating it.
In the end, that woman was chased away by her adoptive father.
Aunt Chu prepared meals for them, but every time she cooked, the food was not delicious, and they were not full every time.
Therefore, in Su Bing's opinion, as long as someone served him delicious food, it had to be problematic. They must want to harm them.
However, this woman really didn't seem to have tampered with the food.
How was this possible?
Su Bing's brows furrowed tighter and tighter. There was definitely something wrong with this woman.
The reason why he tolerated Aunt Chu's terrible cooking was because she would only starve them and not poison them to death.
Aunt Chu would always take away all the good food that their father had sent over, leaving only the unpalatable food for them.
If it wasn't for the fact that he was afraid that the next person who came to take care of them would poison them, he would have told his father about this long ago.
After Gu Zi fed Lele the egg custard, she fed Lele some vegetables and meat. When Lele touched her stomach happily, Gu Zi then moved her chopsticks to eat.
She saw Su Li had finished a bowl of noodles and smiled. "There are still some more noodles in the pot."
Su Li's eyes lit up when he heard that. He quickly got down from the chair and went to the kitchen with the bowl.
Su Bing wanted to hold Su Li back, but when he saw that the woman was also eating, he was sure that there was nothing wrong with the dishes.
Gu Zi's appetite was relatively small. After she finished eating, she saw that Su Bing still had not touched the food. So she said, "I'm done eating. Remember to wash the dishes when you're done!"
Gu Zi knew that Su Bing was suspicious of people who showed goodwill for no reason.
From another perspective, if she were a little fiercer, perhaps Su Bing would think that she only cooked because she wanted to eat meat as well and would not suspect that she had ulterior motives.
After Gu Zi finished eating, she carried Lele upstairs.
After Su Li saw Gu Zi leave, he said to Su Bing, "Big Brother, the noodles she makes are really delicious."
"Aren't you afraid of being poisoned?" Su Bing said coldly.
"Big Brother, didn't she eat a few mouthfuls first? That means the noodles in the bowl are fine. She ate everything she cooked with us. Don't think too much about it." Su Li looked at Gu Zi with anticipation and said excitedly, "I really hope she cooks for us every day!"
Su Bing was speechless.