Chapter 25: The Real and Fake Daughters

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

When Jiang Junlin returned home, Gu Chuyun was hiding in her grandmother’s arms, crying with red eyes. Grandpa Jiang, Jiang Minghua, and Lin Chunli were there, comforting her. Grandpa Jiang and Grandma Jiang only had one son and one daughter, and they doted on Gu Chuyun as if she were their own child. After the death of Jiang Mingyue, they treated Gu Chuyun as their precious jewel. In their eyes, Gu Chuyun was even more cherished than their grandson, Jiang Junlin.

“Junlin, you came back at the right time. Why was the entire Song and Dance Youth episode canceled?” Grandma Jiang felt sorry for her granddaughter. “Your sister has been crying all afternoon.”

A calm gaze swept over Gu Chuyun as Jiang Junlin replied, “The show was canceled because she made arrogant remarks during the recording, which led to Zhou Li’s withdrawal from the show.”

Grandma Jiang didn’t care about the future and prospects of a singer. “If Zhou Li withdrew, then find someone else.”

Jiang Junlin frowned. “Grandma, this is a substantial investment. I don’t engage in ventures that will lead to losses. If she doesn’t want to continue recording, then let’s not do it.”

“Junlin!” Lin Chunli shook her head, indicating that he should be more tactful in his tone.

Gu Chuyun cried bitterly, holding onto her grandmother as she accused, “Grandma, my brother is bullying me.”

“Junlin, apologize to your sister. As her older brother, you should be more accommodating to her,” Grandpa Jiang said. Although he was accustomed to Jiang Junlin’s cold demeanor, he still felt sorry for his granddaughter.

Jiang Junlin calmly drank his tea and remained silent.

Jiang Minghua said, “Junlin, Chuyun said she lost her composure on the show because she encountered Gu Ci. How could you let Gu Ci appear on Song and Dance Youth? Is she worthy?”

Jiang Minghua favored his sister, Jiang Mingyue, the most. After the exposure of Lu Man’s affair, Jiang Minghua almost killed Lu Man and Gu Wenliang. He was particularly ruthless, showing no kindness even to the child Lu Man had with him.

The Jiang family harbored resentment towards Gu Ci. If it weren’t for Lu Man getting pregnant with Gu Ci and coming to provoke them, Jiang Mingyue wouldn’t have given birth prematurely and wouldn’t have died.

“The specific affairs of Song and Dance Youth are not under my jurisdiction. The company has so many things to handle, and I can’t handle them all,” Jiang Junlin said.

Grandma Jiang became extremely angry. “Chuyun is your sister. Her matters should always be on your mind and take first priority. What could be more important than your sister?”

Jiang Junlin rubbed his temples and his tone became heavy. “Grandpa, Grandma, her matters may be your top priority, but for me, my own matters are more important than her petty issues!”

“You… are you trying to kill me with anger?” Grandma Jiang held onto Gu Chuyun, who looked even more aggrieved, and her blood pressure began to rise.

“Junlin, drink some water,” Lin Chunli poured him a glass of water to ease the tension.

“Grandma, please don’t get angry. It’s all my fault. My brother doesn’t like me, so please don’t trouble him any more,” Gu Chuyun tried to soothe Grandma Jiang with a sense of grievance. “Don’t harm your health because of me.”

Gu Chuyun had always tried to please Jiang Junlin, but he was just too difficult to please. He had a cold personality and strict self-discipline. Moreover, there was a significant age gap between Jiang Junlin, who was twenty-seven, and Gu Chuyun, who was only eighteen. They didn’t have many opportunities to develop a sibling relationship.

Jiang Junlin coldly curled his lips. “Gu Chuyun, you are manipulative. Don’t you dare try to play mind games with Grandpa and Grandma. Are you willing to tell them why you forced Zhou Li to withdraw and tried to suppress him?”

Gu Chuyun remained silent.

Jiang Junlin stood up, took a tablet, loaded the video onto it, and tossed it onto the table. “It’s because Zhou Li chose Gu Ci. Gu Ci plays the violin better than you. Lu Man, in order to appease the anger of the Jiang family, raised Gu Ci while heavily investing in you. But you lost. Out of embarrassment and anger, you lost your composure and threatened to suppress Zhou Li. Gu Chuyun, don’t make excuses for your incompetence and failures. Reflect on yourself!”

He coldly turned and went upstairs. Gu Chuyun felt deeply humiliated, her eyes red with shame. On the table, there was a video playing Gu Ci’s violin performance, filled with rich and moving emotions, which touched the hearts of those who watched.

Grandma Jiang stared at Gu Ci in the video, extremely stunned. Was that Gu Ci? Their family despised Lu Man and Gu Ci, so they had never seen Gu Ci before.

She recalled her daughter, Jiang Mingyue, at eighteen. She was unparalleled in beauty, and when she played the violin, she was the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Gu Ci and Jiang Mingyue resembled each other by about fifty to sixty percent, with an air of solitary elegance that made them even more similar.

Jiang Minghua picked up the tablet, staring at it in a daze. “She is… Gu Ci?”

Gu Chuyun felt a bone-chilling coldness. They had seen Gu Ci. Lu Man had hidden Gu Ci and didn’t allow her to appear at any social events, fearing that the Jiang family would see her.

Lu Man and Jiang Mingyue were cousins and had a certain resemblance. Gu Chuyun also had traces of Jiang Mingyue’s shadow, but Gu Ci was the one who resembled Jiang Mingyue the most.

“Grandma, Uncle, are you abandoning me?” Gu Chuyun cried in grievance. “If Mom were still alive, she would definitely help me.”

Grandma Jiang snapped out of her thoughts. “Chuyun, don’t cry. Grandma is heartbroken for you. Don’t worry, Grandma will help you.”

Jiang Minghua walked upstairs absentmindedly. Jiang Junlin took off his coat and changed into casual clothes. He was about to check two international emails. “Dad, don’t try to persuade me anymore. Gu Chuyun has been spoiled by Grandpa and Grandma.”

Jiang Minghua sighed. “Mingyue passed away suddenly, leaving only Chuyun behind. Your grandparents dote on her, and you should understand that. I’m not here to persuade you. When I saw Gu Ci playing the violin, I was reminded of Mingyue. I never expected… Lu Man’s daughter resembles Mingyue even more.”

Jiang Junlin pondered silently without speaking. Jiang Minghua continued, “Chuyun has turned eighteen, and she will inherit 20% of Mingyue’s shares. Your grandfather is urging you to arrange the transfer of shares.”

“I have some doubts that I have yet to resolve. Let’s postpone the transfer of shares for now,” Jiang Junlin replied.

“Don’t you want to give the shares to your sister?”

“When Aunt passed away, I was already nine years old. Both you and Mom were busy at the time, and it was Aunt who raised me. I remember her facial features, her preferences, and the humiliations she endured. I will never mistreat her daughter.” Jiang Junlin’s voice was cold and deep. “Lu Man has an unscrupulous character and lacks sibling affection. How could she treat Gu Chuyun like her own and abandon Gu Ci?”

Jiang Junlin took out the documents from his briefcase and handed them to Jiang Minghua. “After seeing Gu Ci play the violin today, I had someone thoroughly investigate everything about Gu Ci. Dad, don’t you find it strange? Even if she wants to favor Chuyun, why treat Gu Ci this way? Gu Ci has shown stronger violin talent since childhood, but Lu Man never allowed her to learn the violin, and she even prohibited her from touching any musical instruments. For so many years, the second young miss of the Gu family has been like an invisible person to us. We have never seen her. At Chuyun’s engagement banquet, she was plotted against and expelled. Now she lives at Lu Zhiyuan’s house, and the Gu family doesn’t care. A tiger doesn’t devour its own cubs, so why is she treated like this?”

Jiang Minghua looked at Gu Ci’s profile, shocked by what he saw. Lu Man intentionally raised Gu Ci as a waste, and the rumors about Gu Ci being useless and willful seemed to be true.

“What do you mean?” Jiang Minghua asked.

“Gu Chuyun and Gu Ci were born on the same day in the same hospital,” Jiang Junlin replied with profound and calm eyes. “Dad, do you think that’s normal?”

Jiang Minghua realized a sinister plot. “Lu Man… how dare she!”

“Investigate it, and we’ll know!”