Chapter 26: Sisters (Part 2)

  If the provocation at noon was just a flash of lightning that tore through the calm before the storm, then the sudden event that occurred after school was enough to wash everything away like a torrential downpour.

  Because she had submitted her withdrawal application to the piano club, the sudden quietness of the after-school time made Gu Huanli somewhat at a loss. She looked down at the diamond-encrusted rose gold watch on her wrist, which was a recovery gift from her brother and also a return gift for those cards she had never sent out. Gu Huanli didn't care about how expensive this watch was; what she valued was her brother's heart, his warm heart. Since Cassidy still had some time before coming to pick her up, Gu Huanli hesitated for a moment before deciding to go sit in the music room and space out for a bit.

  A serene classroom, the afternoon sunlight shines through the glass window and forms a colorful shadow on the ground, soft and gentle. Cassiodorus once said that a bright and clear church is more like heaven. Or, this warm sunlight from above symbolizes the "divine inspiration" entering the hearts of believers, diluting mystery.

  Look, this is the result of being brainwashed by Cassidy for several days in a row. Just looking at a few pieces of colored glass makes her think about God and his followers. Gu Huanli thought to herself, she must be crazy, otherwise why would her train of thought not listen to commands?

  She smiled wryly and changed her posture, then memories of childhood suddenly rang out like an ancient bell that had been sleeping for many years, bringing dust flying in the dappled light, and ripples rising gently in the silence. It is known that life is but three days, perhaps yesterday's flying ash was washed away, but because today's mistakes were overlooked, tomorrow will be shrouded in a layer of smoke or marked with a period.

  “Bang!” The music classroom door was suddenly pushed open. Gu Huanli raised her head, only to find that the person who rushed in was Mo Tianbo. She hesitated for a moment and hadn't had time to speak when she was pulled up by Mo Tianbo and hastily rushed out of the classroom.

  "What's going on?" Gu Huanli slightly furrowed her brow, although her foot had almost recovered, but this kind of all-out sprint was still a bit strenuous for her.

  Mo Tianbo stopped in his tracks and panted as he said to Gu Huanli, "Lian You and someone got into a fight."

  "Huh?"

  Mo Tianbo saw Gu Huanli's bewildered face and hastily explained, "There have been some strange rumors in school recently. Lian Youxin thought they were true and led a group of people to beat up Shen Moru from the second year."

  What's wrong?

  Her hazy and dreamy eyes suddenly became clear, the pure black pupils shone exceptionally brightly, just like a cat's sharp gaze. She didn't like watching plays, but that didn't mean she wasn't interested in seeing how the person who had pushed herself into a miserable situation would step by step walk towards the depths of suffering. Since it was something she had started, she naturally wanted to see its development and changes. Whether it would change or follow a different path, perhaps Chu Liuyue and Shen Moru would give her a satisfactory answer.

  The sky is still azure, with a few more white clouds floating about like paper. The yellowish silver apricot trees are set against a backdrop of lush green cypress and pine, dyeing the autumn atmosphere even more intense. Chu Lianhe and Shen Muran stood facing each other on this lawn soaked in autumn colors, their eyes flashing with starry sparks that seemed to burn the entire mountain wild like the red flowers of February, carrying with them a hatred that seemed to be etched into their bones.

  They actually look very similar, especially in their youth. So, from the whispers of onlookers, you can completely hear that certainty. That certainty born from being connected by blood!

  It's just that the kids' mouths aren't really worth listening to. Gu Huanli listened in and it was nothing more than the evil princess bullying poor Cinderella. The things they did were no more than buying off Cinderella's classmates, then handing over all the cleaning duties to Cinderella, and waiting for her to sweep the floor before snacking on melon seeds and eating dried plums. In short, just as Cinderella had finished sweeping the floor clean, a minute later it would be messy again with a big pile of trash.

  Today, the lovely princess finally decided to upgrade her pranks, so there was a banana peel on Cinderella's head, and also a watermelon rind hanging from her hair, as well as chewed-up bubble gum.

  Cinderella is not a weak little sheep, being bullied for so long, if she still can't figure out who's behind the weakness, then she's really too stupid. So, she directly poured the big bag of garbage in her hand onto the princess, perfectly interpreting what "absolutely not enduring humiliation" means.

  After throwing, Cinderella burst out laughing, and her laughter was terrifying. Moreover, she said something very interesting, which seemed to be "This is how the heavenly maiden scatters flowers. Eldest sister, did I learn it correctly?"

  The problem is that the first half of the sentence was fine, but a certain word in the second half directly struck the princess's weak nerves. Anger burned in her chest, but she couldn't see the panic and confusion she imagined in the other person's eyes. Instead, she herself looked like prey, while Cinderella was the cat teasing her.

  The burning anger in her chest was growing, and an indescribable impulse made Chu Lianyu involuntarily stretch out her hand to give Shen Moran a slap. This time, what was ignited was not only anger, but also war.

  When women fight, regardless of age, they always end up pulling hair and slapping each other. So, Chu Lianyou and Shen Muran were no exception. Gu Huanli watched for a while, feeling that it was really pointless to let two originally innocent little girls, only seven or eight years old, beat each other until their faces were bruised and swollen!

  She slowly sauntered to the art club, slowly borrowed a not-too-big-not-too-small plastic bucket, and slowly went to the water room to fetch a bucket of water. Because it wasn't cool enough, she waited for a while longer in the water room. Now she slowly strolled back to the battlefield of Cinderella and the princess, and with both hands raised.

  "Whoosh——"

  The world has solidified.

  The next second, screams erupted, and the fight not only didn't stop but became even more intense. The princess and Cinderella both accused each other of being the mastermind behind this water splashing incident.

  Gu Huanli innocently dug into her ears, carrying the bucket away. She returned the bucket to the art club and took the opportunity to pick up the gardener's forgotten watering hose on the lawn. After connecting it to the faucet, she looked up at the sun.

  It shouldn't be cold... right?

  Let's go!

  "Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh..."

  Just as the princess and Cinderella were about to scratch each other's faces, a sudden downpour of rain caused the onlookers to scatter and the fighters to calm down slightly. However, those who ran away found that they had only run for tens of meters when the sky cleared up again, and there was not even half a cloud in the sky where it had just rained.

  Actually, such events have been experienced by everyone in their childhood to a greater or lesser extent. So when time passes, the quarrels of childhood often become yellowed photos between book pages, becoming vinyl records that crackle under the brass needle. Who can still remember the intense hatred from back then?

  Unfortunately, Gu Huanli was very clear - the hatred between Chu Lianyou and Shen Moran was completely different from this. They were fighting for not only a father, but also for their future, even their lives.

  When the disputes finally became a habit in their lives, the flames of war gradually spread, even involving her. But it doesn't matter now, Gu Huan thought, after this semester is over, her brother will send her abroad, and at that time, whether Chu Lianyou and Shen Moran are engaged in benevolent competition or vicious cycle has nothing to do with her.

  "Gu Huanli, why did you pour water all over everyone?" The guidance counselor looked at the three little girls standing in front of her with concern. They had similar delicate features, but their personalities were vastly different. Gu Huanli's aloofness, Chu Liuyue's cuteness, and Shen Mueran's strength - how did they come together to create a shocking bombshell that stunned the entire school?

  In Gu Huan's eyes, a mysterious light flickered, but her breathing remained steady. "Because this way causes the least harm and takes effect the fastest."

  The instructor smiled slightly, "Your approach is indeed correct, but now it's autumn, and the water is so cold that everyone can't bear it. If good intentions lead to bad results, then the original good intentions will also be tainted, right?"

  "At that time, I really couldn't think of a better way." Gu Huanli's lips curled up with a hint of a smile, a playful smile anticipating something to happen soon. After all, the school would definitely invite parents over in this situation, and it would be a meeting between kings then.

  All this is sin if it is a crime, and its root is man's greed.

  All this, if wrong, can be blamed on Ciji Primary School being the best choice in Mother's heart.

  Whether it's love or hate, fate or doom, there should be a moment of closure.

  The first to arrive at the Dean's office was Shen Mu Ran's mother, Shen Yan Ran. From the moment she saw her, she gave off a feeling of maturity and warmth, full of intellectual charm. Even without makeup, her natural face was refined and captivating. No wonder she could stay by her brother-in-law's side, even tempting him to stray at the most important and beautiful moment in his wife's life.

  After Shen Yanran came in, she first looked at the miserable state of her own daughter's face and body. Her eyes were already filled with tears. When she looked at Chu Liuyue with a pale complexion and bitten lips, the tears suddenly turned into fear.

  She had seen Chu Lianyou since she was a baby, and she had always been concerned about the legitimate miss of the Chu family. It wasn't just because she was jealous of Gu Wenjuan, but more because she couldn't bear it, that a clever and sensible daughter could only be a illegitimate child, living humbly in the background, under the shadow of Chu Lianyou.

  But she didn't dare to blame Chu Linyao, without his order, even if Gu Wenjuan, as the wife of Chu, knew about her existence, she couldn't reveal Shen Muran's affairs. Yes, Muran was surnamed Shen, and this name contained many memories of Shen Yanran and Chu Linyao, such as how they met in the twilight; it was because their hearts were delighted that they eventually became lovers. Although Shen Yanran thought that both her mother's and daughter's names having a "Ran" character seemed to be confusing generations, however, Chu Linyao was her heaven, and she would unconditionally obey whatever he liked.

  If there's anything to regret, it's not that Shen Yanran didn't have any. She can no longer recall how many times she spent those so-called reunions alone at home, nor can she remember how many times she took her feverish child to the emergency room by herself when Shen Muran was young. Faced with her increasingly grown-up daughter and her numerous questions, Shen Yanran doesn't know how to respond.

  Maybe she will have her own outbreak one day.

  She firmly believes in it.