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Chapter 36

After lunch, Gu Nanyan went upstairs to rest, while Zhan Yiran and Hua Ying'an chatted downstairs.

After a while, Hua Ying'an suddenly asked Zhan Yiran what Gu Nanyan liked.

Zhan Yiran was surprised: "Sister Hua, why are you asking this?"

Hua Ying'an looked a bit embarrassed, her fair face showing a faint blush. "I want to apologize to Gu Nanyan. Didn't she say I wasn't sincere? So I'll apologize and buy her some gifts."

Zhan Yiran tilted her head and thought for a moment. She really didn't know what her sister-in-law liked. Gu Nanyan hadn't shown any particular preferences in clothing, food, housing, or travel. No matter how luxurious things were, they couldn't spark her interest. Whenever she had free time, she would just read in the study.

That's it, books!

Zhan Yiran's eyes lit up. Her sister-in-law loved books the most.

She shared this discovery with Hua Ying'an.

"Books, huh? What kind of books does she like to read?" Hua Ying'an asked.

"She likes everything - astronomy, geography, history, finance, and novels too. My sister-in-law reads anything. As long as it's a book, she likes it."

After hearing Zhan Yiran's words, Hua Ying'an made a phone call, asking her assistant to collect books. Any type of book would do, regardless of quantity. The more, the better. All of them were to be sent to The Zhan Family Courtyard.

Zhan Yiran listened with her mouth agape. This was too much. "Sister Hua, are you planning to move an entire library here?"

She meant to say that it was too many books, but upon hearing her words, Hua Ying'an suddenly became anxious. She asked cautiously, "Yiran, do you think if I give her a library, she'll forgive me?"

Would it not be sincere enough? Should she collect all the books in the world?

"She definitely will. My sister-in-law is very generous," Zhan Yiran said, patting her chest. In her heart, her sister-in-law was the best, most capable, and most tolerant person.

Hua Ying'an felt much more relieved. She leaned back on the sofa and, recalling Gu Nanyan's words, looked up at Zhan Yiran: "Yiran, do you think I'm hypocritical? I never dare to express my true thoughts and only know how to cater to others. I actually don't like seafood and I'm allergic to it, but I never dare to say so. I didn't like your previous little hooligan style, but I never dared to point it out. Instead, I catered to you and praised you. Am I very annoying and fake like this?"

Zhan Yiran shook her head. If it were her former self, she definitely wouldn't have liked this Hua Ying'an, but she had grown up and matured. "Sister-in-law once said that every girl is a shining star, unique in her own way. But stars don't shine brightly from the beginning. They need to learn constantly, grow continuously, and finally become one-of-a-kind stars. Sister Hua, it's because of your family background. You were so young then, you didn't understand anything. No one taught you, no one cared about you. Your parents only asked you to compromise yourself to please others. Even your parents taught you to be hypocritical, so how could you dare to be sincere? It's not your fault."

Hua Ying'an was amused. She reached out and stroked Zhan Yiran's chin. "The little girl has really grown up, able to say such things."

"I'm not a child anymore," Zhan Yiran glared, shaking off Hua Ying'an's hand.

"Alright, alright, our Yiran has grown up. She's an adult now," Hua Ying'an couldn't help but laugh.

After laughing, Hua Ying'an calmed down.

She knew that Gu Nanyan was indeed a good person, understanding and genuinely kind to others. But Hua Ying'an still felt that Gu Nanyan was speaking from a position of privilege. If their positions were reversed and Gu Nanyan had been born into the Hua Family, she might not have fared as well as Hua Ying'an.

The Hua Family was not like the Zhan Family with its simple family structure of only four or five people. Her grandfather had nine children, and because none of them were capable, they desperately had more children.

Hua Ying'an ranked seventeenth in the Hua Family. She had sixteen older cousins above her and fifteen younger cousins below. Some of the older cousins had already given her grandfather many great-grandchildren.

All in all, there were over a hundred people, all depending on grandfather for food, all trying to get money from grandfather's hands. How could there not be competition?

Every day was filled with scheming and sabotage. Being sincere and kind would make you a fool, an idiot who would be eaten alive.

"A delicate flower like Gu Nanyan wouldn't survive in the Hua Family," Hua Ying'an said meaningfully.

"My sister-in-law definitely could. She's very capable," Zhan Yiran immediately defended Gu Nanyan.

"You little loyal dog. Fine, your sister-in-law is the most capable. Happy now?"

Hua Ying'an tapped Zhan Yiran's nose, not arguing further with her.

Hua Ying'an believed that if Gu Nanyan had been born into the Hua Family, she definitely wouldn't have managed. She was too beautiful and fragile, like a delicate porcelain, a hothouse flower that needed a safe and comfortable environment to nurture. The jungle-like society of the Hua Family wasn't suitable for her.

After chatting for a while, Zhan Yiran yawned, feeling a bit sleepy.

Hua Ying'an told Zhan Yiran to go back to her room for a nap. Unable to sleep herself, she decided to take a walk in the courtyard. The afternoon sun was warm, and Hua Ying'an, wearing a coat, slowly strolled through the ginkgo forest.

As she walked deeper into the forest, she suddenly heard the sound of something cutting through the air. Curious, Hua Ying'an walked towards the sound.

There, she saw Gu Nanyan dressed in black, a red ribbon tied around her head, wielding a long sword, moving nimbly between the trees.

Her clothes fluttered, the ribbon danced, and ginkgo leaves swirled in the air.

It was as if a female swordsman had walked out of ancient times.

Hua Ying'an stood there, stunned, even forgetting to breathe.

It was too beautiful!

Gu Nanyan sensed someone approaching and immediately swung her sword towards them. The sharp sound of the blade cutting through the air made it seem as if it could split space itself.

Hua Ying'an froze completely, unable to move, watching wide-eyed as the sword came towards her.

In that moment, she truly believed she was going to die.

However, the sword stopped just above the tip of her nose.

Gu Nanyan flicked her wrist, throwing the sword back into its scabbard nearby, not missing by even a hair's breadth.

She ignored Hua Ying'an, sheathed her sword, and turned to leave.

A moment later, Hua Ying'an came back to her senses, her heart pounding. She walked to the scabbard, wanting to pull out the sword.

However, as soon as she gripped it, she realized the sword was very heavy. She couldn't even lift it with one hand.

Just a moment ago, watching Gu Nanyan wield it so effortlessly, she thought it would be easy. She hadn't expected it to be so heavy.

Hua Ying'an's heart sank as she suddenly recalled her previous assumptions about Gu Nanyan.

She had thought Gu Nanyan was a hothouse flower who couldn't survive in the Hua Family.

But now, with her hand on the sword hilt, she realized that Gu Nanyan wasn't what she had imagined at all.

She turned to chase after Gu Nanyan, calling out loudly:

"Hua Ying'an, do you really dislike me that much?"

Gu Nanyan turned around, not answering Hua Ying'an's question directly. Instead, she calmly asked in return, "What difference would it make if I liked you or disliked you? Why do you care about my opinion?"

Hua Ying'an bit her lower lip, remaining silent.

Gu Nanyan continued, "If I disliked you or didn't like you, would you change your ways? Would you tell your grandfather that you don't like seafood and that you're allergic to it?"

Hua Ying'an shook her head. No, even if she could do it all over again, she would still make the same choices, still fight.

"Then that settles it. If you wouldn't change anyway, why ask if I like you or not?"

Hua Ying'an lowered her head. "Don't you think I'm hypocritical?"

"I'm not you. I haven't experienced everything you've been through. What right do I have to judge you from a high horse? Those hardships, those struggles—you endured them all on your own. Miss Hua Ying'an, as long as you believe you're doing the right thing, that's enough. You don't need to worry about anyone else's opinions."

Hua Ying'an's eyes reddened. She never expected Gu Nanyan to say something like this.

Unable to control her emotions, she choked back a sob and asked, "Don't you blame me? Even though I knew Yiran's behavior was wrong, I didn't stop her. Instead, I went along with her, catered to her?"

"Why should you be responsible for Zhan Yiran's actions? If her mother and brother don't manage her, why should you be blamed? You don't have to be responsible for others; people can only be responsible for themselves."

With that, Gu Nanyan reached out and gently patted Hua Ying'an on the head. "Don't be upset. You don't need to feel guilty about these things. There, there."

Who was she calling "there, there"?

Hua Ying'an's cheeks flushed red as she huffed, "I'm even a few years older than you."

Gu Nanyan's hand paused on top of Hua Ying'an's head as she inwardly sighed.

Silly child, if only she knew that Gu Nanyan was over a thousand years older—a true ancient ancestor!