Gu Jiaojiao took the lead, stepping in front of Leng Yuan. After putting Wu Cuilan in her place, she shot him a look, signaling for him to hurry up and leave.
Leng Yuan had a look of fond exasperation.
’This woman of his always made his heart stir.’
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his deep eyes shone with a tender emotion.
But the completely oblivious Gu Jiaojiao didn’t notice at all. She just pinched his waist, urging him to get a move on.
Leng Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Left with no choice, he did as his wife urged and pushed the flat-bed cart away.
It was then that Wu Cuilan finally realized what was happening.
Gu Jiaojiao hadn’t been complinting her—she’d been mocking her.
’If I could make a flat-bed cart myself, why would I have co asking Leng Yuan for help?’
"Gu Zhiqing, what do you an by that?"
"All I did was ask for your help making a flat-bed cart! It’s not like it’s a huge effort. You people are so petty! When soone in the village needs sothing, doesn’t everyone pitch in to help?"
Gu Jiaojiao felt that was a fair point.
’That’s exactly how things are in the village right now.’
"Then how have you helped our family?"
Wu Cuilan was at a loss for words.
’Of course she hadn’t helped.’
’Leng Yuan had been disowned by the Leng Family and was drowning in debt. She did her best to avoid him, so why on earth would she go out of her way to help?’
’But she couldn’t admit that, or she could kiss that flat-bed cart goodbye.’
"Your family hasn’t needed any help! If you did, of course I’d help!"
Gu Jiaojiao smiled, stepping forward to take Wu Cuilan’s hand with a look of utmost sincerity.
"Auntie, I just knew you had a good heart."
"Our shed collapsed, and we need to build a new one. Plus, the vegetable plot we were just assigned still isn’t fenced in. Since you’re so kind-hearted, why don’t you co over to our place and help us out today!"
Wu Cuilan was completely dumbfounded.
Gu Jiaojiao didn’t give her a chance to react.
"What’s wrong, Auntie? Are you not willing? Then all that talk just now... were you being sincere or not?"
"I... I..." Wu Cuilan was normally sharp-tongued—she wouldn’t have earned her reputation as a shrew otherwise—but now, questioned by Gu Jiaojiao, she couldn’t get a single word out.
’She just wanted to freeload, not actually do any work.’
Everyone in the village knew that Gu Jiaojiao’s private plot had been moved next to Leng Yuan’s ho, and they also knew it hadn’t been fenced in yet.
So this was a real task she was being asked to do.
For a mont, Wu Cuilan didn’t know how to answer.
If she agreed,
she’d have to do manual labor.
If she refused, there’d be no cart.
Gu Jiaojiao’s smile vanished, her expression turning cold.
"Auntie, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. You don’t want to spend money, you don’t want to lift a finger, but you still expect to get things for free. Your selfish scheming is so obvious it’s practically smacking everyone in the face."
"And you talk about ’pitching in to help.’ It seems to it’s only ever others helping you, and never you helping anyone else."
"With an attitude like that, who’s going to want anything to do with you after a while!"
Wu Cuilan’s face flushed bright red at Gu Jiaojiao’s words.
’I’m her elder! Does a junior like Gu Jiaojiao have any right to stand here and lecture ?’
’So what if I don’t have any friends?’
Thinking about it, Wu Cuilan felt a pang of heartache.
’It was true, she didn’t have many friends.’
’But would she ever admit it?’
’Never.’
’It wasn’t that others didn’t want to associate with her; she didn’t want to associate with them!’
"Gu Jiaojiao, you lazy woman! You have the nerve to lecture ? You think you’re so..."
Wu Cuizhi, carrying a burlap sack, walked over just in ti to witness this scene.
Her eyes imdiately widened.
Without a second thought, she rushed over and covered her younger sister’s mouth.
Everyone present was baffled by her action.
Wu Cuilan frantically glared at her older sister.
’What the???’
’What’s going on?’
Wu Cuizhi ignored the surrounding stares and instead turned to Gu Jiaojiao with a benevolent smile.
"Gu Zhiqing, my sister doesn’t know how to talk. Please don’t lower yourself to her level. I’ll teach her a lesson in a bit."
With that, she clamped her hand over Wu Cuilan’s mouth again and dragged her away.
Gu Jiaojiao was left speechless.
Before she even had a chance to say anything, Wu Cuizhi and Wu Cuilan had already scurried far away.
’Anyone who didn’t know better would think sothing was chasing after them!’
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