274: She's still young, please forgive her.

Just as Xiao Niannian, Grandma Xiao, and the others were talking, a girl's voice came from the doorway.

“Maternal Grandparents.”

She ran in like a gust of wind, followed by two middle-aged women and a young girl.

“Eldest Maternal Uncle.”

Ma Xue saw two unfamiliar people in the room and ignored them entirely. She rushed towards Grandma Gu, intending to push Xiao Niannian aside and shove her hard.

Unexpectedly, she failed to push Xiao Niannian away and instead stumbled and fell directly onto the ground.

“Are you blind? You made me fall!”

Ma Xue sat on the floor, angrily cursing Xiao Niannian.

Xiao Niannian looked at Ma Xue. She already knew who Ma Xue was and knew that this adopted Aunt Gu was not an easy person to deal with. For years, Aunt Gu had tried to leverage the Gu Family's influence to support her in-laws. She obeyed her husband in everything, but that husband wasn't a good person either.

Aunt Gu had spoiled Ma Xue greatly; one could say she was a PLUS Version of Hu Ping.

“Xiao Xue, are you alright?”

Zhang Xiaorou noticed Lu Jing, and her face instantly flushed with shyness. Seeing Ma Xue fall to the ground, she immediately stepped forward to help her up.

“Who are you? Why did you come to my house to bully my daughter?”

Aunt Gu looked at Xiao Niannian, her brows tightly furrowed.

“Grandma, I fell so hard, it hurts.”

Grandma Gu’s expression was rather unpleasant.

“Xue'er, how dare you speak like that? Apologize.”

Zhang Rong was currently sizing up Xiao Niannian. Her eyes showed a hint of shock before she quickly withdrew her gaze.

“Grandma, it was this little bitch who pushed me and made me fall! Look at my hand…”

Ma Xue was furious when she heard Grandma Gu’s words. She stretched out her hand. Her hand had hit the ground and hurt a little, but it didn't look visibly injured.

Xiao Niannian sensed Ma Xue’s hostility towards her, and also the dislike coming from the two middle-aged women. Then there was Zhang Xiaorou, who looked shyly at Lu Jing.

“Mom, look, Xue'er’s hand is all red. Who is this? This stinky girl is so ill-mannered.”

Old Chief Gu’s face turned red with anger upon hearing this.

“Little bitch? Who are you calling ill-mannered? Who exactly lacks manners? Does your daughter have manners? Running in here and pushing Niannian…”

Chief Gu glared furiously at Gu Ying.

“Brother, why are you talking like that? Xue'er is your own niece…”

Gu Ying hadn't expected that not only would her mother tell her daughter to apologize, but her Eldest Brother would also protect this unfamiliar girl.

Who exactly is this little bitch? Why are Dad, Mom, and Eldest Brother all protecting her?

And who is that Old Madam? Could she be someone with a powerful background? But Gu Ying felt she knew most of the prominent figures in Da Xia.

Grandma Xiao hadn't expected that on her first day as a guest at the Gu Family, she would see someone bullying her Granddaughter, Niannian.

“Ma Xue, apologize to Niannian immediately. If you don't recognize your mistake and apologize, then get out.”

What?

Eldest Maternal Uncle actually wanted to chase her out?

“Eldest Maternal Uncle!”

Eldest Maternal Uncle actually told her to ‘get out’? He used the word ‘get out’! She felt as if she had been slapped hard across the face.

“I am your niece, how can you protect her…”

Ma Xue started crying loudly.

Gu Ying also looked angrily at Chief Gu.

“Brother, what is wrong with you today? She clearly bullied Xue'er, yet you are still protecting her.”

“Smack.”

Old Chief Gu struck Gu Ying directly with his walking stick.

“Ah!”

Gu Ying fell to the ground in pain. Clutching her leg, she looked at Old Chief Gu in disbelief.

Dad actually hit her for this little bitch? How could this be? Who exactly is this little bitch?

“Dad, who exactly is she? Why are you all acting so strange?”

Gu Ying glared at Xiao Niannian.

Zhang Fu spoke up.

“Brother-in-law, why don’t you introduce us? Who is this young lady?”

When Zhang Fu said this, her voice was soft, and the look she gave Chief Gu was laced with a smile.

Xiao Niannian had been sitting there, observing the expressions of everyone present.

Now seeing Zhang Fu call her father ‘Brother-in-law,’ could this be her maternal aunt?

But Dad had said her mother only had two older brothers.

“Gu Ying, you and Ma Xue apologize to Niannian.” Chief Gu ignored Zhang Fu and repeated his demand in a severe tone.

Zhang Fu’s expression changed slightly, and she looked at Chief Gu with a hint of sadness, but she immediately forced a smile and looked at Gu Ying and Ma Xue.

Gu Ying had rarely been hit by her parents these past few years, let alone publicly. In the eyes of outsiders, she was the Gu Family’s eldest daughter, the Gu Family’s only daughter.

For many years, no one knew she was adopted.

The Gu Family had meticulously educated her, sent her to university, and even to the Military Unit, but she found the Military Unit too tiring and difficult, so she returned after two years and went back to university.

Although she wasn't a teacher at a top-tier university, the Capital Agricultural Labor University was still quite good.

She was now a Director there; who wouldn't address her as Director Gu when they saw her?

And her husband was now a bureau chief.

Although he couldn't compare to her Eldest Brother or Second Brother, he was still excellent among their peers.

It was a pity that her parents and brothers wouldn't allow her to leverage the Gu Family's influence; otherwise, her husband would certainly be a Deputy Mayor in some city in Ji Province by now.

How could he still only be a small bureau chief?

Thinking of this, she felt a surge of resentment.

Her parents, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother had all disapproved of her marrying Ma Jin. But she couldn't marry the person she truly wanted, and Ma Jin was handsome and capable.

If her parents had supported her more back then, she definitely would have married the person she wanted.

Later, she genuinely came to love Ma Jin, her husband. He was completely obedient to her, pampering and coaxing her in everything.

Yet, Eldest Brother had called her by her full name several times.

Gu Ying looked at Xiao Niannian, and upon closer inspection, she paused.

This Xiao Niannian looked somewhat like Eldest Brother. Could she be Eldest Brother's illegitimate daughter?

Eldest Sister-in-law went missing years ago, and Eldest Brother has been searching for her all this time. Could this be an imposter trying to claim kinship?

Ma Xue kept crying, her eyes fixed on Xiao Niannian. She was furious that Xiao Niannian had made her lose face.

“Sister Xue, please get up quickly.”

Zhang Xiaorou gently called out to Ma Xue and helped her up.

Old Chief Gu and Grandma Gu both maintained cold, displeased expressions as they looked at Gu Ying and Ma Xue.

Seeing her Maternal Grandparents look like this, Ma Xue felt scared. When she saw her Eldest Maternal Uncle’s expression, Ma Xue didn't dare to throw a tantrum anymore.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.”

To be forced to apologize! She would remember this grudge. She wanted to see who this Xiao Niannian was, to make her Maternal Grandparents and Eldest Maternal Uncle so biased.

“Child, is your name Niannian? Where are you from? Xue'er is usually spoiled and has a bit of a temper. She is still young, please forgive her.”