Li Shi's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long time.
Is this still her daughter?
What's happening to this family? Now the elder daughter has changed, dressing up flamboyantly and going out every day, and the younger daughter has also changed from her previous obedient and gentle manner, becoming fierce.
Even the son is not close to her anymore.
With the husband absent, the whole household has fallen into chaos.
Jiang Youzhi's eyes flickered between the mother and daughter, noticing that Gu Yunjiao's attitude toward her brother was completely different from her attitude toward her mother.
For some reason, he instinctively felt it must be something Li Shi was doing wrong.
Li Shi was shocked for a long while before she noticed Jiang Youzhi. She pouted aggrievedly at him, "Son-in-law, can't you do something about Yun Jiao—"
Gu Yunjiao coldly interrupted her, "This is my uncle."
"My husband was gone the day I married in."
Li Shi was shocked again, "Ah, this—"
The kitchen has two doors.
Seeing the situation was truly awkward, Jiang Youzhi lifted his foot and left through the back door.
After walking a circle outside, he happened to bump into Gu Chuan coming out after a bath, so he went in to help with the water.
Gu Chuan entered the kitchen, and Gu Yunjiao openly took two pancakes she had left for him from the cupboard.
Li Shi watched Gu Chuan devouring the pancakes, tears silently streaming down her face.
Whether it was from hunger or anger, she didn't know.
Gu Yunjiao lowered her gaze, "Mother, I will say some things only once, listen if you want, if not, forget it."
"Firstly, your health, if you keep lying down like this, you will never get better; cry less and move around more, and in just one or two months, your health will improve, no medicine needed."
She initially thought about getting some medicine for Li Shi, but then figured it would be a waste since she cried every day lying in bed.
"Secondly, there's a saying, a mother must be strong."
"With father's fate unknown, as a mother, you should take on the responsibilities of a mother, manage the household well, and take care of Xiao Chuan."
"If you remain muddle-headed, this family will fall apart."
"Right now, brother is like a wild child with no parents. If father comes back and asks you, what will you tell him?"
Li Shi's lips moved, and after a while, she said, "Will your, your father really come back?"
Gu Yunjiao: "······"
After saying so much, all her mother focused on was the father.
Well, it was all in vain.
She passed by Li Shi, went back to her room, and got a towel to dry Gu Chuan's hair. Li Shi, who hadn't gotten any food, cried for a while, then trembled her way back to her room.
Gu Yunjiao dried Gu Chuan's hair until it was half-dry and loosely tied it up before saying, "Sister has to go back, take care of yourself at home."
She stood up, found her bundle, picked it up, and, upon stepping outside, saw Jiang Youzhi waiting in the courtyard. They left in single file.
Just a few steps out, Gu Chuan ran out of the house, hugged Gu Yunjiao's waist, and cried uncontrollably.
"Second sister, I don't want you to go, can't you stay?"
Though young, he understood that once his second sister left, no one at home would care if he bathed, ate, or slept.
The day he lost his father, he also lost his mother.
Gu Yunjiao was heartbroken by Gu Chuan's crying, she patted his head, squatted down, and said with a hardened heart, "Xiao Chuan, in this world, you can't rely on anyone, ultimately, you can only rely on yourself."
"Remember your sister's words, cook your own meals, bathe, and do laundry, find a way to survive on your own."
"If anything happens, go to Qingshan Village to find your second sister."