Gu’er frowned slightly at Chen Fengjiao’s words. ’Lin Sui’er has fallen in with a gang of punks?’

Lin Sui’er was seventeen, and she’d be a grown woman of eighteen after the New Year. It was about time for her to start dating. Gu’er had originally assumed that once Lin Sui’er turned eighteen, she would quit school, find a job, and then start dating or something. She never imagined her sister would get mixed up with a gang of punks. ’What is she thinking?’

"Gu’er, I’ve been wanting to tell you, but... but I was too scared. I was afraid that if you knew, you’d tell your father. You know his temper. I was worried he’d get anxious, and since he can’t come back, he might worry himself sick over it. That’s why I didn’t dare to say anything."

Chen Fengjiao was now pinning all her hopes on her eldest daughter.

"How bad has it gotten?"

Gu’er understood what her mother was thinking. Apart from her fear of their father’s anxiety, she was also trying to cover for Lin Sui’er.

"Now... now... At first, Sui’er was just hanging out with them. I told her a couple of times not to run around with those hoodlums, but she wouldn’t listen to me. She just kept going out with them. She even... she even cut her hair and made herself look like some kind of siren. I scolded her, but she talked back and told me to leave her alone. Then, a few days ago, she didn’t come home until the middle of the night. I could tell something wasn’t right, she seemed... she seemed... I got so angry I slapped her. But who knew that would make her stay out the entire night yesterday! I didn’t sleep a wink. When she came back this morning, I asked her if she had been with that hoodlum, and she said yes. She said she loves him and wants to marry him! And she told me to buy her a house, saying that since we bought one for you, we have to buy one for her, too. She wants to go live her life with that boy. Gu’er, you have to help me. I really can’t control her anymore. If I tell your father, he’ll beat her to death. Please, can you talk to her? Get her to break it off with him, will you?"

Chen Fengjiao explained the situation to Gu’er through her tears.

"And you think she’ll listen to me?"

’Gu’er honestly hadn’t expected Lin Sui’er to do something like this. She’d always thought of her sister as just a spoiled child—jealous and rather selfish, but not a fundamentally bad person. She never imagined Sui’er would do something so outrageous.’

"Gu’er, I know. I know you don’t like Sui’er deep down, but she isn’t a bad kid. It’s just that... it’s because after you came back, your father and I focused all our attention on you. She couldn’t accept it, and that’s why she targeted you. She tries to compete with you because she knows she can’t measure up. Now that she’s done this, you’re the only one who can talk sense into her. If you just talk to her nicely, I believe she’ll listen to you."

Chen Fengjiao took Gu’er’s hand.

Gu’er watched her in silence. Chen Fengjiao’s hopeful expression faded, her face turning deathly pale. She understood Gu’er’s unspoken accusation—that even now, she was trying to shift the blame onto her. ’But is this matter really completely unrelated to Gu’er?’ she thought. ’If Gu’er had never walked through our door, would Sui’er be the way she is today?’

’But Chen Fengjiao knew she couldn’t say those words, couldn’t even let herself think them. It was wrong. It was unfair to Gu’er.’

"You want me to have a ’nice talk’ with her? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just get angry, give her a beating, and make everything worse?"

Gu’er asked, her voice tinged with sarcasm. ’She couldn’t believe Chen Fengjiao was actually blaming her.’

"Gu’er, I know you wouldn’t do that. I’m begging you. I have no one else to turn to; I can only rely on you. If... if Sui’er really marries that hoodlum, it’ll be the death of me."

Chen Fengjiao looked at Gu’er with a pleading expression. She didn’t know why, but she had a deep-seated feeling that as long as Gu’er was willing, Sui’er would surely listen to her.

Gu’er fell silent. ’To be honest, she really didn’t want to get involved. Lin Sui’er loved to stir up trouble and act outrageously; these were her own choices, so let her face the consequences. But seeing Chen Fengjiao in this state made her feel terrible. She thought about what Zhang Da had done to her in her past life. No matter what, Lin Sui’er was still a young woman in the prime of her life. If she really got mixed up with a hoodlum, her entire future would be ruined.’

"I’ll go with you, but I can’t guarantee any results."

Gu’er stood up. She truly didn’t know what the outcome would be. ’Would Lin Sui’er actually listen to her? It was highly unlikely. But she had to try, so she wouldn’t have any regrets.’

"Good, good. As long as you’re willing to go, that’s what matters. She doesn’t listen to me at all anymore. You’re more capable than I am; I’m sure you can talk some sense into her."

"Is she home now?"

Gu’er asked.

"Yes, she’s at home sleeping. She seemed so exhausted, I didn’t make her go to school."

Even though Chen Fengjiao was furious with her daughter’s behavior, her heart still ached for her.

"Let’s go."

With that, Gu’er led the way out of the bedroom.

The moment she stepped out, Sun Jiaming came up to meet her.

"I need to go over to Mom’s house."

Gu’er didn’t elaborate. She couldn’t very well explain Lin Sui’er’s situation to Sun Jiaming in front of Chen Fengjiao—her mother would be too embarrassed.

"I’ll go with you."

Sun Jiaming didn’t ask any questions, simply insisting on accompanying her.

"I’ll drive you over."

Li Zhi also took out his car keys without another word.

With them being so helpful, Chen Fengjiao didn’t feel right refusing. She managed a weak smile and nodded at the two men.

When they arrived at the Lin family home, Chen Fengjiao moved to wake Lin Sui’er, but Gu’er stopped her. She told her mother to wait in the living room with Sun Jiaming and Li Zhi. She would go to Lin Sui’er’s bedroom to talk to her alone, and she warned them not to come in, no matter what sounds they might hear.

Without another glance at Chen Fengjiao’s worried face, Gu’er entered Lin Sui’er’s bedroom and locked the door behind her.

Inside, Lin Sui’er was sound asleep. She must have been exhausted, as she didn’t even stir when Gu’er came in.

Gu’er looked at the peacefully sleeping Lin Sui’er. Her hair had been cut short and dyed yellow. It was a tangled mess, probably from how she’d been sleeping.

In later years, dyed hair would be nothing special, but in this era, it was still considered rebellious.

Though her hair was rebellious, Gu’er had to admit that Lin Sui’er was actually quite pretty. Asleep, she looked tranquil and beautiful.

Gu’er pulled up a stool, sat by the bed, and quietly watched Lin Sui’er. ’This girl is my sister,’ she thought. ’If we had grown up together in the same home, maybe we wouldn’t be like this today.’

"Sui’er. Lin Sui’er, wake up."

Gu’er finally spoke. ’She was here to talk to Lin Sui’er, not to watch her sleep. If she just waited, who knew if the girl would sleep until nightfall.’

Lin Sui’er was sleeping soundly when she heard someone calling her. She was annoyed. ’Mom is so irritating. Doesn’t she know I was out all night? Can’t she even let me get some sleep?’

"I’m trying to sleep. Leave me alone."

Lin Sui’er mumbled without even opening her eyes.

"Lin Sui’er, wake up."

Gu’er called out again.

Lin Sui’er furrowed her delicate brow. She was still groggy. ’That voice doesn’t sound like Mom’s.’ She squinted, her eyes barely open slits, to see who it was. ’It’s no use, I just woke up and can’t open my eyes properly.’

When her vision cleared and she saw Gu’er sitting by her bed, she let out a scream and shot upright.

"You... you... What are you doing in my room?!"

Lin Sui’er looked as if she’d seen a ghost. She was genuinely terrified. ’How could Lin Gu’er just appear in her room without a sound? Or was she dreaming? A nightmare about the person she hated most.’