Chapter 213: A Change in Attitude

Chu Xiaoguai froze for a moment, taking a while to process what was happening, before finally pouting and bursting into tears.

Her head and shoulders shook with each sob, looking truly pitiful.

But Annan and Gu Zhiyu weren’t buying it at all. Even Chu Peipei, who had always doted on her, frowned at her behavior today.

“I’m talking to you! What are you crying for?”

Chu Xiaoguai paused, staring at Chu Peipei in disbelief. “Mom…”

What’s going on? Why isn’t this trick working anymore?

Chu Peipei was unmoved. “Apologize to your aunt!”

Chu Xiaoguai stared at her for a long while, then reluctantly turned to Annan. “Auntie, I’m sorry.”

Chu Peipei pressed further, “Sorry for what?”

Chu Xiaoguai hadn’t expected her to be so relentless, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She mumbled, aggrieved, “I shouldn’t have made things up and lied.”

Only then did Annan speak up, “Come on, Peipei-jie, it’s not that big a deal. Why be so harsh with the child?”

Chu Xiaoguai shot her a resentful look: You kept quiet just now, and now you’re playing the good guy?

She really couldn’t figure it out—why was gentle Chu Peipei suddenly so angry with her?

It couldn’t just be because of some best-friend bond, could it?

She scoffed inwardly.

Best-friend bonds? As if those are reliable.

She didn’t believe for a second that Chu Peipei, seeing Annan with such a handsome boyfriend and receiving such expensive jewelry, wouldn’t feel even a twinge of jealousy as her so-called best friend.

Chu Xiaoguai thought for a bit, and suddenly understood.

She must be upset and taking it out on her!

Having figured it out, Chu Xiaoguai let out a sigh. “Mom, don’t be mad. I won’t say things like that again.”

But Chu Peipei’s expression was still cold, her mind replaying the image of Chu Xiaoguai glaring at Annan with jealousy.

A chill ran down her spine. She looked at Chu Xiaoguai as if she were a ticking time bomb.

“Annan, we’ve stayed long enough. I’ll take her home now.”

Annan could tell Chu Peipei was on guard now, so she didn’t try to keep them. She just nodded, “Okay.”

The little girl, having just been scolded, didn’t dare say a word and obediently put on her shoes to leave.

When Chu Xiaoguai wasn’t looking, Annan leaned in and whispered to Chu Peipei, “Peipei-jie, where’s your gun?”

Chu Peipei glanced at her waist. “I always keep it on me.”

Annan gave her a meaningful reminder, “Make sure the kid doesn’t get her hands on it.”

Chu Peipei nodded knowingly. “Don’t worry.”

After Chu Peipei and Chu Xiaoguai left, Gu Zhiyu immediately pulled Annan into his arms.

Annan looked into his eyes, so close to hers. “What are you doing?”

Gu Zhiyu said, “I made quite a sacrifice today. How are you going to make it up to me?”

Annan raised an eyebrow. “Make it up to you? Not happening.”

Before Gu Zhiyu could say anything else, she stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“That’s your reward.”

Gu Zhiyu chuckled. “You’re good at this.”

Annan grinned back at him. “Right back at you.”

With no one else in the room, the two of them started flirting openly again.

1401.

Chu Xiaoguai watched Chu Peipei’s expression carefully.

“Mom, are you still mad?”

Chu Peipei glanced at her, her expression unreadable, then shook her head without saying a word.

Chu Xiaoguai breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

She put on an innocent face. “I won’t make you mad anymore, Mom. Please don’t abandon me.”

Her words were so pitiful that, on any other day, Chu Peipei would have pulled her into her arms and reassured her that she’d never abandon her.

But this time, Chu Peipei just stared at her, lost in thought.

She’d always thought this child was pretty, but now she realized—her face barely had any baby fat at all. She used to think it was because she was too skinny, but even after putting on some weight, her cheeks were still gaunt.

Chu Xiaoguai started to feel uneasy under her gaze. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

Chu Peipei frowned. “Why aren’t you gaining any weight?”

Chu Xiaoguai pouted. “I am! Look at my tummy!”

She pinched her little belly to show her.

It used to be flat and bony, but now there was some flesh on it.

Chu Peipei looked and saw that, indeed, not just her belly but her arms had filled out a bit too. Only her face hadn’t changed.

Chu Peipei hid her emotions and kept her face neutral. “Are you hungry? I’ll go make dinner.”

Chu Xiaoguai immediately acted cute. “Thank you, Mommy!”

Chu Peipei went to the kitchen, leaving Chu Xiaoguai sitting on the sofa, lost in thought.

She kept replaying the image of Annan flaunting her necklace in her mind, and couldn’t help but kick the sofa in frustration.

The hen, Xiaobai, was startled by the noise and wandered over.

Chu Xiaoguai, as if she’d found a target for her anger, kicked Xiaobai a meter away.

Xiaobai was so frightened it crouched on the ground, not daring to move.

Chu Xiaoguai watched for a while, and when it still didn’t move, she frowned and went over to pick it up and check. “You okay?”

It better not die—she was counting on its eggs every day.

In the kitchen, Chu Peipei was reheating leftovers and opening a can, glancing out through the glass door every so often.

She happened to see Chu Xiaoguai picking up Xiaobai.

Frowning, she went out. “Xiaoguai, what are you doing?”

Chu Xiaoguai immediately changed her expression. “Mom, I’m playing with Xiaobai.”

Seeing Xiaobai get up and run off as lively as ever, Chu Peipei finally relaxed. “Come eat.”

Chu Xiaoguai stuck out her tongue. “Okay!”

At the dinner table, the mother and daughter were unusually quiet.

After a while, Chu Xiaoguai rolled her eyes and asked, “Mom, how did you meet Auntie Annan?”

Chu Peipei replied, “She’s our neighbor.”

Chu Xiaoguai pressed on, “Then how did Auntie Annan meet Brother Gu?”

Chu Peipei frowned and corrected her, “Uncle Gu.”

“How did she meet Uncle Gu?”

Chu Peipei took a bite of her canned luncheon meat with rice. “I don’t know.”

Chu Xiaoguai looked surprised. “Don’t best friends share things like that? Auntie Annan never told you?”

Chu Peipei raised an eyebrow. “Who told you that?”

She put down her chopsticks and studied Chu Xiaoguai seriously. “You seem to know a lot about the adult world, don’t you?”

Chu Xiaoguai stared back, unable to read her mother’s intentions.

She mumbled, “You always say I’m mature for my age.”

Chu Peipei didn’t respond.

Seeing her mother’s expression, Chu Xiaoguai didn’t dare ask any more questions.

After dinner, it was time for bed. As usual, Chu Xiaoguai wanted to sleep with Chu Peipei.

Chu Peipei thought for a moment and said, “You’re already nine years old. You should sleep on your own.”

Chu Xiaoguai pouted, about to protest, but Chu Peipei added,

“Otherwise, Uncle Gu will laugh at you!”

Chu Xiaoguai froze, thought about it, and said, “You’re right, Mom. I’m a big kid now.”

Chu Peipei glanced at her but didn’t say anything more."