Chapter 31: Really Knows How to Stir Trouble
The necklace Jiang Chuchu gave Yu Xin was the brand’s anniversary edition from the first half of the year. It wasn’t sold directly, but given as a gift to long-time customers.
As for how many years or how much spending counted as a “long-time customer” … well, Yu Xin had never seen this design at home.
Gu Qinghuan had originally planned to convince Jiang Chuchu to take the necklace back after they’d finished making Yu Yuan jealous.
But Jiang Chuchu stood with her hands on her hips. “What’s there to fuss about? If you refuse again, I’ll get angry!”
Gu Qinghuan and Yu Xin exchanged a glance — in the end, they could only give up.
Jiang Chuchu’s lips curved into a smile.
She’d met people before who deliberately tried to please her, hoping to get valuable gifts from her. Back then, she couldn’t see through it — and since her family was indeed wealthy, she didn’t think much of it.
But after meeting Gu Qinghuan, she realized that wasn’t how it should be.
Friends should share joy, help each other when something happens — not constantly take and take from one another.
She believed that even if Gu Qinghuan and Yu Xin accepted the necklace, they wouldn’t go around flaunting its price or bragging about their closeness with her, and they certainly wouldn’t “accidentally lose” it later as an excuse to secretly sell it.
More likely, after they finished showing it off to Yu Yuan, they’d put it away and keep it safe.
Compared to her so-called “friends” in the past, she preferred friends like Gu Qinghuan and Yu Xin.
Leaving the accessory room, Jiang Chuchu took Gu Qinghuan and Yu Xin outside for a walk, strolling around the Jiang family’s courtyard — which, frankly, Gu Qinghuan felt could be called a park.
While everyone was in good spirits, Jiang Chuchu nervously admitted that she had investigated Yu Xin in order to help her.
Yu Xin thought for a moment, then said calmly, “I’m not angry about it. After all, it’s not the first time I’ve been investigated. When my biological parents found me, they also looked into my entire life history.”
Jiang Chuchu froze for a moment, then flared up. “They already investigated you? Then why do they still treat you like this?!”
Gu Qinghuan quickly grabbed Jiang Chuchu’s arm to keep her from exploding.
Seeing how genuinely angry Jiang Chuchu was on her behalf, Yu Xin felt warm inside. “Maybe after looking into me, they decided I could never be the ‘good daughter’ they wanted.”
She was a little surprised at herself — she could actually face that fact now.
Yu Xin stepped forward and hugged Jiang Chuchu. “Thank you for caring so much about me.”
Jiang Chuchu felt a little embarrassed but hugged her back, muttering, “I just wanted to help you… If you ever need anything, just tell me.”
Yu Xin instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she met Jiang Chuchu’s sincere gaze, she stopped.
She said seriously, “When I need help, I’ll definitely come to you, to Qinghuan, and to others too.”
Jiang Chuchu immediately brightened and nodded hard. “Okay!”
Watching from the side, Gu Qinghuan felt pretty good too. She took the chance to chat with the system:
[By the way, since Xin Bao is the real daughter, does her rebirth follow the usual ‘real vs. fake daughter’ novel plot?]
When Jiang Chuchu had mentioned finding out about Yu Xin’s background earlier, Gu Qinghuan had thought it sounded exactly like something out of a novel.
The system replied: [Based on the definition of ‘real vs. fake daughter’ novels in this world, my answer is — yes.]
Gu Qinghuan asked again: [So in terms of progress, how much have I influenced Xin Bao’s rebirth?]
The system gave a number: [Nine percent.]
[Only nine?] Gu Qinghuan felt a bit crushed. [I thought it’d be at least in the teens or twenties.]
The system explained: [For the initial stage, that speed is already impressive — especially considering it also involves the fates of other people.]
[The key factor leading to Yu Xin’s rebirth is her family environment, but at its root, it’s her inner longing for love. Her family couldn’t give her that love. In the future…]
Here, the system paused for a few seconds: [I can’t tell you about future events.]
Gu Qinghuan understood: [Got it — create possibilities, not kill them.]
In typical novel logic, the heroine before rebirth was always blind to people’s true nature, always betrayed by the scumbag, and only after rebirth would she end up with the male lead who had silently protected her all along, lamenting how blind and foolish she’d been in her past life.
But in the system’s logic, all that was “normal.”
Gu Qinghuan’s task wasn’t to make sure the scumbag never appeared in the heroine’s life, nor to tell her about the male lead beforehand — that would erase possibilities.
When the heroine met the scumbag, she could guide her to see his true colors; when the heroine was heartbroken after betrayal, she could encourage her to embrace a new life.
The one who had to make the choice was the heroine herself — and she had to take responsibility for it.
The system was satisfied with Gu Qinghuan’s mindset: [In any case, you’re doing very well. No need to rush.]
The three girls continued happily strolling around the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yuxuan wasn’t so happy. He went to complain to Qin Min.
“Last night I called Chuchu, and she actually told me to stop having Qin Yue watch her! How can I not keep an eye on her? I’m just worried, so I asked Qin Yue to look out for her more!” Jiang Yuxuan said angrily.
Qin Min thanked the waiter and ordered a latte.
“Hey, listen to me!” Jiang Yuxuan was annoyed.
“I’m listening,” Qin Min said calmly. “But from what I’ve heard from A-Yue, you’re overdoing it.”
Even Qin Yue had complained to him, saying Jiang Yuxuan’s questions were too detailed.
Originally, Qin Yue had just happened to be in the same class as Jiang Chuchu, and since they’d known each other since childhood, he’d agreed to help keep an eye on his friend’s sister.
But if the “keeping an eye” got too detailed, it became awkward for Qin Yue too.
Jiang Yuxuan was silent for a while before grumbling, “I’m just worried some scheming punk will go after my sister. You have no idea — girls at this age are the easiest to fool!”
Qin Min didn’t have any sisters, so he couldn’t fully relate, but he could understand somewhat.
He thought for a moment, then said, “Still, you can’t push her too hard. She’s grown up — give her some space.”
Jiang Yuxuan muttered, “I’ll try to adjust.”
“I don’t think you need to worry too much. She probably doesn’t have time to think about that sort of thing right now.” Qin Min’s latte arrived. He took a sip, feeling his mind clear.
“What do you mean?” Jiang Yuxuan asked.
Qin Min thought that if it were him, with someone as lively as Gu Qinghuan around, his days would be full of excitement — no time at all to think about romance.
Thinking of Gu Qinghuan reminded him of Xia He, so he used him as an example. “The current student council president at Mingde High is Xia He — you know him, right?”
“That crazy guy from the Xia family?” Jiang Yuxuan frowned.
Qin Min continued, “As far as I know, Xia He is currently acting as a backer for one of Chuchu’s friends.”
“That real daughter from the Yu family who’s with Yu Xin?” Jiang Yuxuan was surprised.
He’d heard Qin Yue mention Jiang Chuchu’s recent circle — the two names that came up most often were Yu Xin and Gu Qinghuan. Because of the real vs. fake daughter situation, Yu Xin had left a deeper impression.
“No, it’s Gu Qinghuan,” Qin Min corrected.
“What?” Now Jiang Yuxuan was not just surprised but shocked. “I remember that girl’s family situation is pretty ordinary, right?”
“Compared to ours, yes,” Qin Min nodded.
“Then why would Xia He back her?” Jiang Yuxuan didn’t get what Xia He saw in Gu Qinghuan.
“She went to him herself. She thinks she might go up against Yan Zhengqing in the future, so she wanted a backer,” Qin Min explained with a shrug.
“How did Yan Zhengqing get involved now?” Jiang Yuxuan’s thoughts were a bit tangled.
One thing was clear though — this Gu Qinghuan girl really knew how to stir things up.
