Forty-one pairs of happy shoes

  When the news of Liu Liuniang's arrival came, Gu Man was standing under the corridor, watching the raindrops wash over the pillars, her vision a blur. She turned her head to glance at the motionless curtain and let out an almost inaudible sigh.

  Wang had become increasingly thin, her love, her day, and her dignity were all shattered by the same man on the same day. Such a huge blow made her, who had never known anything else and only obeyed her husband, suffer greatly. Although she didn't cry every day, her situation was not much better.

  Gu Boqi was going to take half of Wang's life, Gu Man lowered his head and thought so, his whole heart seemed to be soaked in snow water, cold and numb without feeling.

  She doesn't hate Wang for not being able to protect herself and her sister well, nor does she hate Wang for seemingly forgetting about herself and her sister after getting a husband. Sometimes the existence of a mother is already the greatest blessing, at least Wang's existence makes her believe that this world still has warmth.

  There is someone who loves you without any reason, without a bit of self-interest, how precious.

  When she lowered her head, the entire person's back was desolate and vicissitudinous, Gu Yan thought.

  At that time, Gu Yan stood at the other end of the corridor, wearing a large red velvet cloak with the same color as Gu Man. The fine fluff on the edge of the wind hat was blown to one side by the wind, and her face had a just-right smile.

  Gu Man is the biggest enemy, she stared at Gu Man who was as still as a wooden carving, not knowing why her heart was always filled with unease, that feeling was like the nightmares she had many times before, there would be a woman with an unclear face holding a hairpin dripping with blood, smiling sinisterly at herself.

  Her smile made her feel extremely cold even in a warm room with a radiator and a heater.

  She stood there for a moment before Gu Man turned his head back to look at her, the content in his eyes something she couldn't decipher.

  Gu Man stood there, standing upright against the wind, her slender body stretched straight.

  Then just as she was about to get goosebumps, Gu Man slowly cracked a smile and asked her: "Eleventh Sister came so early."

  It was very early, just at one o'clock in the morning.

  Gu Yan nodded uncontrollably and subconsciously said: "Eldest sister's complexion looks so bad, is something uncomfortable?"

  A sorrowful cry came, and Gu Yan subconsciously turned her head to look, only to see several rough servant women hastily carrying a beheaded chicken towards the small kitchen on the right.

  The chicken's head hung crookedly to one side, yet it still managed to let out a cry. Gu Yan suddenly shrieked in fright and hid behind Ru Hua and Chu Qin, trembling with fear.

  Gu Man, however, was not affected. She calmly glanced over and went to comfort Gu Yan: "It's just a dying chicken struggling, nothing to be afraid of. With a big temper like yours, you don't even put people in your eyes, let alone a mere chicken."

  Gu Yan narrowed her eyes and looked at Gu Man, who still stood in the same place with an expressionless face, his eyes conveying a sense of detachment that was hard to read as either disgust or indifference.

  She suddenly burst out laughing coldly as she thought of Liu Liuniang's wet nurse, who had followed her to her room in the evening to think of a plan.

  I'm afraid you've found out something, haven't you?

  It's also strange that Liu Liuniang is so ruthless! She actually deliberately tried to drag herself down with her, thinking that letting people know that Gu Yan was on her side would add a few points of weight? What a joke, at the critical moment she can even abandon herself, let alone this unrelated pawn?

  She put on a bewildered look and muttered to Gu Man, "I didn't sleep well last night. The second wife who just entered sent the wet nurse over with something for me."

  That's a good explanation, Liu Liuniang also sent someone to deliver things to herself, and even to Gu Zhao who hadn't returned yet. Someone had delivered it there too. But Gu Man just coldly smiled, not taking it seriously. If it were the previous life, she might have still believed it. However, in this life, after seeing through Gu Yan's true nature clearly, she knew that there would never be a single true word coming out of Gu Yan's mouth.

  "Is that so?" Gu Man nodded without confirming or denying: "I suppose you know the weight of Eleventh Sister in Father's heart, and can't wait to come and curry favor."

  The new wife of the previous life was particularly fond of Gu Yan and Gu Chengyu, treating them like her own children.

  She didn't believe that Gu Yan would have nothing to do with Liu Liuniang.

  But now everything is different, Liu Liuniang has entered the mansion, but she is no longer the new wife, just a second room, and Wangshi is also alive.

  She coldly glanced at Gu Yan and continued: "In that case, why don't Eleven go pay her respects to Second Madam first?"

  Gu Yan was shocked and stood still on the spot.

  Second Mistress! That Liu Liuniang can indeed be called Second Mistress, but the real Second Mistress will forever be Wang Shi. This title is nothing but a joke to those in the know. Now, however, Gu Man solemnly told himself that it would be better to go pay his respects to that Second Mistress first.

  "How is this possible? She hastily stepped closer to Gu Man, her eyes brimming with tears as she bit her lower lip and looked at her: "Jiujie! Erniang is Erniang, but Mother is Mother. How can I not distinguish between the weight of these relationships? You... do you have some misunderstanding about me?"

  Before Gu Man could continue speaking, the curtain in Wang's room was suddenly lifted, and Meng Yu led a woman wearing a light green blouse and gray skirt out slowly. Her face was full of joy as she bowed to her and said: "Congratulations, young lady! You're going to have a little brother or sister!"

  Gu Yan's head buzzed with a loud noise. At this critical moment, Wang Shi was unexpectedly pregnant!

  Gu Man didn't seem surprised, she just nodded coldly and looked at the woman with a mocking and disgusted gaze: "Seventh Aunt is still so energetic, thank you Seventh Aunt." At the same time, she instructed Pei Yin: "Don't hurry up and take Aunt down to drink tea? Also, have someone inform Old Lady and Second Master."

  The woman known as Seventh Aunt repeatedly said she didn't dare, bowing her body into a humble posture and thanking her profusely: "Miss is truly a living Bodhisattva! At such a young age, you've taken care of me so thoroughly, tsk tsk tsk, I'm not exaggerating, it's really rare!"

  Gu Man no longer listened to her nonsense, from now on this person would keep a distance from Wang Shi, anyone who had any connection with Ma Niang or Gu Yan would not be able to get close to them for the rest of their lives.

  "What's wrong with you, Eleventh Sister?" Gu Man turned around to see that Gu Yan had unknowingly retreated a few steps and was standing under a birdcage, staring blankly. She smiled and said with a hint of meaning: "Not happy? This is actually good news. The Second Madam and Father have secretly entered the mansion, originally planning to rely on their child's noble birth to gain status. What a pity! Now there's not just one surprise in the mansion."

  Double happiness!