Many people in the courtyard had dispersed. Gu Chang’an was the only one from his immediate family still present, talking with Xiao Yunjing and Gu Dalin.

First Brother Gu’s family and Gu Qingmei’s family sat on separate benches, far apart, neither side speaking.

Daniu was trailing Dashuang, both watching the baby.

Gu Qingli went over and took the baby from Dashuang’s arms. She told the three children to take their little sister and go play, then walked over to Gu Qingmei.

She didn’t greet First Brother Gu’s family; she had no desire to see any of them ever again in this lifetime.

Since she was holding the baby and had nowhere else in particular to go, she simply headed towards Gu Qingmei.

When Gu Qingmei saw her, she immediately stood up and offered her a seat.

“Sit down. Er, Xiaoli.” Gu Qingmei had intended to call her Erni, but Ms. Qiao had just said that ’Erni’ didn’t sound very pleasant, so Gu Qingmei quickly corrected herself.

Gu Qingli smiled, sat down holding the baby, and Chen Erlang tactfully moved over to where Xiao Yunjing was.

“How have you been recently?” Gu Qingli asked.

Gu Qingmei appeared very reserved. She bit her lip and said, “I’m doing okay. Xiaoli, I truly want to apologize to you. I was so muddle-headed in the past and did many things to wrong you.”

“Xiaoli, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I truly have changed. I don’t ask for anything else; I just want to live a good life with my husband for the rest of our days.”

Gu Qingmei poured out all the words she had been wanting to say for so long, her eyes filled with unease and uncertainty as she looked at Gu Qingli.

Gu Qingli sighed. She hadn’t expected Gu Qingmei to say such things in front of First Brother Gu’s family.

First Brother Gu’s family must be furious hearing this, she thought.

That was indeed true. Ms. Yun, especially, was mentally cursing that wretched girl, Gu Qingmei, hundreds of times.

But they refused to leave. Ms. Yun, in particular, was still thinking about the exquisite box Gu Qingli had given Gu Qingmei earlier; she was certain it contained something valuable and was desperate to get her hands on it. Ideally, Gu Qingli would give her one too.

Dream on, Gu Qingli thought.

Behind Ms. Yun sat two young women. One was pregnant, and the other looked to have been recently married.

The pregnant one was Ms. Jiang, whom Gu Qingming had married just last year. Thanks to Gu Qingli’s support during the Earthworm incident, Qinghe Village had been rebuilt quickly. At that time, even the bachelors in the village who previously couldn’t find wives were able to get married.

Gu Qingming had married Ms. Jiang from a neighboring village.

Gu Qingyan had also married this year, to Ms. Peng, also from a neighboring village.

Both Ms. Jiang and Ms. Peng came from families so poor they couldn’t even lift the lid of their pots. After marrying into the Gu family, their lives had improved slightly. Still, this was nothing as extravagant as Gu Qingli, who wore silk and brocade, adorned her hair with jade pins, and had married a man of outstanding temperament.

Whenever they saw Gu Qingli, their eyes, filled with an envy, jealousy, and resentment they couldn’t hide, would fixate on her.

Now, hearing Gu Qingli conversing so warmly with their husband’s younger sister, various schemes began to brew in their minds.

First Brother Gu and his two sons also wished they could go over and chat with Xiao Yunjing and the others to build connections, but they didn’t dare.

Gu Qingli freed her right hand and patted Gu Qingmei’s. “It’s good that you think this way,” she said with a smile. “It’s not that I don’t hold grudges for past events, but dwelling on the past isn’t productive. So, from now on, focus on living well and making your life better.”

Regarding Gu Qingmei’s transformation, Gu Qingli was somewhat surprised but also understood. In those times when she felt utterly helpless, when her pleas to heaven and earth went unanswered, no one had extended a helping hand to Gu Qingmei.

Even her own parents and elder brothers had abandoned her. If she still couldn’t come to her senses and become self-reliant, then she would have deserved even death.

She also noticed Gu Qingmei’s attitude towards First Brother Gu’s family. Hmm, it had to be said, it was quite satisfying to see.

It seemed her help hadn’t been entirely in vain; Gu Qingmei could still distinguish good from bad.

As for her apology, Gu Qingli accepted it. After all, those actions had been directed at the Original Host, and the Original Host was worthy of receiving it.

Upon accepting Gu Qingmei’s apology, Gu Qingli felt a subtle sense of release somewhere within her. Her brow furrowed slightly, but when she tried to examine the feeling more closely, it vanished.

Gu Qingmei was so touched by her words that she started wiping away tears. She knew Xiaoli wouldn’t hold things against her and would forgive her.

Why had she been so foolish back then? Why hadn’t she appreciated Xiaoli properly? Instead, she had constantly listened to the instigations of that old shrew, Ms. Hua, and her own mother, finding fault with everything Xiaoli did.

Her eyes and heart must have been smeared with pig crap!

With trembling hands, overcome with emotion, she fumbled in her clothes for a purse. Taking out a banknote, she unfolded it and placed it on the baby Gu Qingli was holding. “Xiaoli, this is to repay the silver I owe you. For now, this is the principal. We… we’ll repay the interest later.”

Gu Qingli accepted the banknote. She wasn’t short of money, but rules were rules. Borrowed money had to be repaid; that was a matter of principle.

However, she could waive the interest. “Forget about the interest,” she said. “I’ll have someone return the IOU to you tonight.”

Gu Qingmei stared at Gu Qingli, her eyes wide, thinking she had misheard.

“Yes, really,” Gu Qingli affirmed with another nod.

“But… how can that be?” Gu Qingmei finally managed to say after a moment.

“Why not? Just make a few more pairs of shoes for the little ones.”

Gu Qingli wasn’t joking. Winter was approaching, and the three little ones would need new shoes.

She would either have to buy them or have nanny and the others make them.

She might as well let Gu Qingmei make them; this way, Gu Qingmei wouldn’t feel indebted or as if she were taking advantage.

As expected, Gu Qingmei nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes! No problem! I can make as many as you need!”

Gu Qingli patted her hand again. “That’s settled then. Don’t be so formal. Just interact naturally, like you used to.”

Aside from her past habits of stirring up trouble and bossing everyone around, what else was there to their ’natural’ interactions back then? Gu Qingli mused.

Gu Qingmei’s face flushed. Even the thick-skinned Ms. Yun looked a bit uncomfortable.

After chatting for a while longer, Gu Qingli went back to the room to nurse the three little ones.

Given Gu Qingmei’s current enlightenment, Gu Qingli genuinely hoped she would have a good life.

She wasn’t one to be merciless when she was in the right, nor did she begrudge others their happiness. Gu Qingmei’s awakening was, all things considered, a good thing.

The best outcome of all was that Chen Erlang had finally stopped pestering her and was living a normal life.

As for Chen Erlang, one could only say the Original Host had been far too infatuated with him. Once that infatuation was gone, he simply wasn’t used to it.

Now, things were much better. Everyone was living their own normal lives. How wonderful. A happy ending for all.

But Gu Qingli rejoiced too soon. She, Wuyou, and Xiao Yunjing had just finished feeding the three little ones when they heard shouting and cursing from the courtyard.

The three of them went out, each holding a baby.

There, they saw Ms. Yun pointing at Gu Qingmei and yelling, “You unfilial daughter! After all, I raised you for so many years! We’re barely surviving, and you have silver but won’t even lend us any! Are you deliberately trying to starve your own mother to death?”

When she saw Gu Qingmei repaying Gu Qingli earlier, Ms. Yun had already wanted to confront her. That wretched girl! She had silver but wouldn’t even offer it to her own mother out of filial piety!

Ever since Ms. Hua had become paralyzed, all of Master Gu’s household expenses had fallen on their branch of the family. On top of that, two sons had recently married, and the eldest son’s wife was about to give birth. They really couldn’t lift the lid of their pots.

Search the NovelFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.