Section 9

"Enough!" Aunt Huang scolded her son in annoyance, "Look at you!"

Gu Xiang twisted the handkerchief and said, "In fact, the teachers at school have told me that there are scholarships available, and the amount is enough to cover one semester's accommodation fees. So as long as I study hard, I only need to stay with my father for one semester temporarily."

Grandma said angrily: "I am well aware of what you are planning. You want her to live with you, and it is nothing more than to get your hands on the little money her mother left her! Let me tell you, don't even think about it; that money belongs to Xiao Xiang and has nothing to do with you"

Gu Xiang sat on the old sofa, her hands resting on her knees, her head bowed, quietly listening to her father lecture her

Gu Xiang rode her bicycle through the narrow alley and turned into the small courtyard where her home was located. It had just rained at noon, and the stone-paved ground was a bit slippery; she almost fell when she got off the bike. The neighbor's big yellow dog ran over excitedly, wagging its tail around her.

The room fell silent all at once

Gu Xiang felt somewhat uncomfortable and avoided his gaze, "Not yet. Grandma is still waiting for me, so I will head home first"

Zhang Zhichao saw Gu Xiang and immediately stopped, lowering his voice slightly, "Are you back? Have you had dinner?"

Next week you will be starting school, right? Huayue is very far from here, as you know, commuting is clearly not realistic. However, if you board, it will cost a significant amount of money each semester, and the school cafeteria is not cheap either. You are also aware of our family's financial situation, aren't you?

He took out the key and deliberately made a loud noise while opening the door

Gu Jianguo turned his head and saw his daughter push the door open and walk in. After more than half a year without seeing her, the girl had grown taller, yet she had not gained any weight. Her thin hair was tied back at the nape of her neck, her back was hunched, and her expression was calm.

Gu Xiang swallowed hard, feeling a bitter and spicy sensation in her throat. The hallway was stifling, and she was drenched in sweat, looking both disheveled and dejected. She understood that although her father's words were unpalatable, they were nonetheless reasonable. Thus, her grandmother remained silent.

Aunt Huang said enviously: "Our Xiao Xiang is truly capable, and Hua Yue is a key high school in the province. Your grandmother must be overjoyed, right? If my Zhi Chao had half of your success, I would be so happy that I would burn incense in gratitude!"

"You are back? That's good, I was just discussing your matters with your grandmother, you might as well come and listen in," Gu Jianguo called to his daughter

The girl took three steps and then two more, gracefully like a butterfly, and in an instant, she disappeared at the staircase. Zhang Zhichao gazed longingly at her, who refused to turn back.

Just as he was speaking, a tall and sturdy young man with dark skin and a buzz cut walked out from inside the door. While lifting the curtain, he shouted, "Mom, why haven't you washed my soccer shoes yet? I need them for the game tomorrow... Xiao Xiang?"

Gu Xiang blushed, "Auntie, Zhi Chao is actually quite good, he excels in sports."

She went to the bathroom to wash her face, and her grandmother followed her, asking: "Are you planning to live with your father? Their place is so small, and the stepmother is difficult to deal with. With you, there will be four people; how can you live there? Sleeping in the living room, how could he even think of that? A girl of fifteen or sixteen years old sleeping in a busy living room, how can he be so shameless? I feel embarrassed just thinking about it!"

Saying this, without greeting her grandmother, she opened the door and left like a gust of wind

Alright! Gu Xiang stood up awkwardly and said, "Everyone, stop talking. Dad, I am aware of the situation. Let me think it over, and I will give you a response tomorrow, is that alright?"

Gu Xiang smiled, "Don't be so pessimistic. The school has waived the tuition fees, isn't that a good thing!"

Gu Xiang walked to the door, and before she could push it open, she heard a familiar voice coming from inside

Gu Jianguo swallowed his anger towards his former mother-in-law and stood up as well. "You should think this over carefully. I am neither your stepfather nor a bad person. If you want to succeed, the only way is to study well; your education is the most crucial. Your father is not a wealthy man, but I can certainly provide you with a place to stay."

Then you should also consider how her university tuition will be handled

He cannot help but feel a bit disappointed. Gu Xiang's mother was one of the most beautiful women in the area back in the day, but her daughter clearly did not inherit her mother's beauty. He had originally hoped to find some semblance of his deceased wife in his daughter, but now he has nothing to look forward to.

The home is on the third floor, which can be considered a high-rise in this residential area. Therefore, looking out from the small kitchen window, one can see the densely packed rooftops, the semi-new chimneys, and the pigeon coops made of wooden slats. Just like in the movies, children who have finished school climb onto the rooftops, lining up along the ridges as they walk. A boy releasing pigeons whistles, while adults returning from work ring their bicycle bells as they pass through the narrow alley. The evening sun hangs in the sky like a gigantic fireball, and a withered tree, under its backdrop, seems to be burning.

"Mom, where have you been?" Gu Jianguo shouted, "I am doing well with my business right now and have no shortage of money. I want Xiaoxiang to live with me, simply for her convenience in attending school. Look, she has now been accepted into Huayue, and it takes almost two hours to get from here to the school. If she were to board, that would be another significant expense. The little money her mother left her is hardly enough!"

Grandma slammed the table and said, "You don't need to worry about this. I'm not dead yet, and I still have a pension!"

"Xiao Xiang is back?" Aunt Huang from next door went out to take out the trash and greeted her, "School is starting soon, right? I heard you got accepted into Huayue?"

"Is there such a father as you?" Grandmother stood up angrily, "What food and accommodation, what work? How can you even say such things! Your daughter is your own flesh and blood; it is only natural for you to raise her, yet you are still so calculating!"

The rough voice of a man is all too familiar; it is my father

Gu Jianguo retorted defiantly: "That family does not belong to me alone; Xiaolin is my wife, and Feifei is my son. Our family situation is complicated, what can I do? If I don't take care of Xiaoxiang, you criticize me, and now that I am taking care of her, you are still not satisfied. Mom, what do you think I should do? Please tell me!"

"Therefore, I have decided to take you to live with me," Gu Jianguo said decisively. "I have already cleared out the living room at home for you to stay there." Grandma attempted to interject but was silenced by a gesture from Gu Jianguo. "You are my daughter, so of course, I won't charge you for food and lodging. However, both Aunt Lin and I are busy with work, so you will need to help with the housework and take care of your younger brother. It only takes a little over ten minutes from my place to your school, so you can consider the hour you save as a part-time job... However, both Aunt Lin and I are busy with work, so you will need to help with the housework and take care of your younger brother. It only takes a little over ten minutes from my place to your school, so you can consider the hour you save as a part-time job..."

Gu Xiang shook her head helplessly. However, she honestly admitted that after her father left, she felt a sense of relief and much more at ease

Grandmother sighed, "Indeed, poverty brings sorrow in all matters"

The house at my grandmother's place consists of two bedrooms and one living room. The kitchen is so small that only one person can turn around in it. There is no range hood; instead, a ventilation fan is used. The stove is quite old, and it takes seven or eight turns of the knob to ignite the fire. The faucet has a slight leak, but the elderly person has been reluctant to spend money on a replacement, so Gu Xiang placed a basin to catch the water, which can be used to flush the toilet

Gu Xiang shyly nodded her head

"How could that be? She is my daughter; how could I possibly harm her? Everything I do is for her own good"

Gu Xiang's mother passed away early, and her father remarried soon after. She was primarily raised by her grandmother and naturally did not have a close relationship with her father. Moreover, Gu Jianguo had a strong personality and always spoke to his daughter in a commanding tone, rarely showing a gentle demeanor, which made Gu Xiang feel somewhat intimidated by him