At those words, everyone instinctively looked toward the door.
"Someone drove you home?" Her eldest brother held a cup of coffee and glanced at Gu Luosheng.
Before Gu Luosheng could speak, Gu Luoxi answered first.
"Could the guy who just drove you home be some street punk? His car looked pretty beat-up..."
Gu Luosheng: ?
"No. He's just a friend," Gu Luosheng explained flatly.
"Really? I saw you sitting in the car for ages before you got out. Even your clothes are all wrinkled," Gu Luoxi said quietly.
Xia Zhiyun blinked and grabbed Gu Luosheng's arm, looking eager for gossip. "Shengsheng, do you have a boyfriend? Is he in our social circle or outside it? Well, it doesn't matter, as long as he likes you."
"Mom, this guy she found... might be really poor. And he could be a street punk." Seeing that her mother didn't seem to understand her point, Gu Luoxi hurried to add that.
"She was living away from us before, and the rumors about her aren't very good either," Gu Luoxi said softly, sounding a little embarrassed.
Xia Zhiyun gave Gu Luoxi a leisurely, contemptuous glance.
So, she had even learned to slander her biological daughter now.
"Oh? Is that so?" Xia Zhiyun deliberately played along.
Gu Luoxi nodded emphatically. "Yes. I'm just worried that if word gets out, it'll reflect badly on the Gu Family. That's why I wanted Mom, Dad, and our brothers to talk to her and tell her to stop hanging around shady people."
Her eldest brother frowned. "Gu Luosheng, have you really been fooling around that much?"
Her second brother, Gu Bai, had started to change his attitude toward Gu Luosheng, but his expression darkened at Xixi's words. "You really did grow up away from home. No wonder you're so wild."
Her third brother, Gu Chi, took a step toward Xixi. "Our little sister is still the well-behaved one. We watched her grow up, after all."
Gu Luosheng: ...
Keep protecting her. When Gu Luoxi kills you all someday, let's see if you can still be this optimistic.
All three brothers: !
"I haven't been hooking up with random men." Sincerity was all Gu Luosheng had left, so she explained each word carefully.
If they still refused to believe her, so be it.
Xia Zhiyun's heart ached at the sight.
Those three idiot brothers were all siding with Gu Luoxi. Seriously... had they inherited anything from her at all?
Compassion filled Xia Zhiyun's beautiful eyes as she took Gu Luosheng's hand. "I believe you. Besides, dating is perfectly normal these days. You can date whoever you want."
"Mom, that's different. What if he really is a street punk?" Gu Luoxi asked awkwardly.
"Hah. So what if he is, as long as my daughter likes him? A street punk isn't necessarily a bad person! I trust Shengsheng's judgment. If she likes him, then so do I." Xia Zhiyun lifted her gaze and spoke firmly.
Gu Luoxi: ???
"Besides, if that man doesn't have money, the Gu Family does. We can just help them out financially," Xia Zhiyun added decisively.
Gu Luosheng swallowed, staring at Xia Zhiyun in disbelief.
Did Mom get up on the wrong side of the bed? How could she say something so touching?
Waaah, my eyes are about to pee.
"Shengsheng, people are free to choose who they love these days, so you can like whoever you want. Don't suppress your feelings just because certain people run their mouths, understand?"
Xia Zhiyun blinked, speaking with remarkable open-mindedness.
Gu Luosheng licked her lips. This... had left her at a loss.
The novel hadn't said Xia Zhiyun was this nice.
"Thanks, Mom. I understand," Gu Luosheng replied gratefully.
Now Gu Luoxi's expression was as ugly as it could get.
She had realized it too: Xia Zhiyun was simply too good to Gu Luosheng.
Blood really was thicker than water.
"Certain people should stop gossiping behind others' backs every day and disrupting the harmony of our family." Xia Zhiyun straightened and spoke casually.
It was obvious who those "certain people" were.
"Mom, that's not what I meant. I was thinking of the Gu Family too. Since none of you care, I have nothing else to say. I'll go back to my room and change."
With that, Gu Luoxi returned to her room, looking wronged.
Sensing that something was off, Gu Bai quickly spoke up. "I'll go check on our little sister."
"Hey, Bai, Shengsheng is your sister!" Xia Zhiyun frowned.
But Gu Bai followed Gu Luoxi anyway, as though he hadn't heard her.
"What's wrong with that boy?" Xia Zhiyun muttered.
Gu Luosheng had been feeling bored. Still, with her mother on her side now, things weren't too bad.
Just then, the system suddenly popped up:
[Juicy gossip! Your second brother will gradually fall for Gu Luoxi.]
What? Has he lost his mind? My second brother likes Gu Luoxi!
Everyone except Gu Bai: Bai likes Gu Luoxi!
What exactly is going on? Give me the details.
[It all starts with Gu Luoxi's schemes. To secure her position in the Gu Family, she tried to seduce all three brothers at once. Unfortunately for her, the other two only loved her as a sister. But she used her body to tempt Gu Bai. For example, she would deliberately change into something sexy when he was painting her portrait. You get it, right?]
By the end, even the system let out a mischievous chuckle.
That... absolutely blew Gu Luosheng's mind.
Doesn't that count as incest?
[How would it? They aren't biological siblings.]
Fair point.
Then are they being all lovey-dovey in there right now?
Gu Luosheng stared at the bedroom door, her interest piqued.
Hearing that, Xia Zhiyun felt utterly sick.
That wretch Gu Luoxi was actually setting her sights on her wonderful son!
The others looked grim too.
When Gu Luosheng came back to her senses, she had no idea what was happening and assumed it was because of the earlier incident involving her.
She licked her lips. "Mom, Dad, brothers, if you're really angry, just scold me. Don't hold it in. It's bad for your health."
After speaking, Gu Luosheng folded her hands in front of her and lowered her head, obediently waiting for everyone to reprimand her. Instead, Xia Zhiyun waved a hand.
"This has nothing to do with you. I'm going to call Bai down for dinner!"
Dinner was only an excuse.
Xia Zhiyun wanted to see exactly how Gu Luoxi was seducing her son!
Gu Luosheng had wanted to stop her. It wouldn't be good if she saw something she shouldn't.
But Xia Zhiyun looked so furious that Gu Luosheng didn't dare stand in her way.
Meanwhile, inside the room.
Tears filled Gu Luoxi's eyes, and her little face was flushed. She looked utterly pitiful.
"Bai~ I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I've let everyone down." Gu Luoxi's voice trembled, sounding unbearably aggrieved.
Gu Bai's heart broke at her words.
He took a tissue and gently wiped away Gu Luoxi's tears. "This isn't your fault. You were thinking of the Gu Family too. Xixi, stop blaming yourself."
Gu Luoxi caught Gu Bai's hand. "I know I don't matter anymore now that Shengsheng is back. If I really am causing trouble for the family, I should just leave."
"Don't." Gu Bai had been troubled by the earlier incident with Gu Luosheng in the Study, but now... once Gu Luoxi started crying, he felt he could understand everything.
After all, Xixi was only worried that Gu Luosheng would take her place.
Gu Luoxi wrapped her soft, pliant body around Gu Bai's waist.
Gu Bai stiffened.
They were both adults, and his little sister had developed quite a figure. Instinctively, he didn't dare move.
"Bai~ Do even you dislike me now?" Gu Luoxi cried harder.
"No." Gu Bai hurriedly waved his hands.
"Then... why won't you hug me back?" Gu Luoxi's little face was as red as a tomato, and her voice grew even sweeter.
Just then, with a bang, Xia Zhiyun kicked the door open.
Before you continue