The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Zhou Mei Blocks the Way

Zhou Gu’er spotted Zhou Feng’er right away.

She didn’t really know the others. Their faces were familiar, but she couldn’t put a name to them.

Sun Jiaming glanced over before quickly looking away. Since it was a group of four young women with no men among them, he felt it would be improper to keep staring.

"I see your sister. She’s probably here for you, so I’ll head back now."

Sun Jiaming murmured to Zhou Gu’er.

"Okay, thank you, Brother Jia Ming."

Zhou Gu’er nodded. Although she knew perfectly well that Zhou Feng’er wasn’t there for her, she didn’t want to involve Sun Jiaming.

Sun Jiaming started walking toward the village.

"Brother Jia Ming, did you go to the city to see Auntie again today? Is she doing alright? I haven’t seen her in ages, and I miss her so much. I should go visit her in the city sometime soon."

The girl at the front of the group watched Sun Jiaming approach, her face wreathed in smiles.

Faced with her enthusiasm, Sun Jiaming simply nodded at her without saying anything in return.

Zhou Gu’er watched the girl talking to Sun Jiaming. ’That’s right,’ she remembered. ’This is Zhou Mei, Sun Jiaming’s wife from my past life.’

Zhou Mei’s eyes were practically glued to Sun Jiaming. ’That fervor of hers was really...’

Zhou Gu’er inwardly shook her head. ’From the looks of it, Zhou Mei must really like Sun Jiaming. So why did she betray him for another man later on?’

"Brother Jia Ming..."

Zhou Mei prattled on, not pausing for a moment.

Sun Jiaming was visibly uncomfortable. He and Zhou Mei had almost nothing to talk about, and he couldn’t stand her forwardness. But she acted this way every time she saw him, and he couldn’t just say something blunt; after all, she was a young woman and had her pride to consider. He really couldn’t be bothered to speak with her. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what she was implying, but he felt they weren’t on the same wavelength, so he preferred to avoid her altogether.

"I’ll let you girls talk. I’m heading back."

With that, Sun Jiaming strode away.

Zhou Mei trembled with anger as she watched his retreating back. ’He couldn’t even be bothered to talk to me! He just humiliated me like that!’

’How despicable!’

’He’ll accompany that slut Zhou Gu’er to the city, he’ll help her push her cart, but he can’t be bothered to speak to me?’

’It’s all Zhou Gu’er’s fault. She must be the shameless one who seduced Brother Jia Ming. That’s the only reason he’s ignoring me.’

A resentful gleam flashed in Zhou Mei’s eyes. She spun around and shot Zhou Gu’er a vicious glare, a look that could kill.

Zhou Gu’er was no stranger to such looks. Though she had been an ordinary person in her past life, she’d experienced enough to understand. One glance was all it took to know that Zhou Mei now hated her, and Sun Jiaming was the cause.

Though there was nothing between her and Sun Jiaming, Zhou Gu’er knew Zhou Mei wouldn’t see it that way. ’People are subjective creatures,’ she thought. ’They only see what they want to see.’

Zhou Gu’er said nothing, her expression calm. She steadied her cart and prepared to head into the village.

"Zhou Gu’er, you shameless hussy! Take a good look at yourself! An adopted girl like you trying to seduce men? In your dreams!"

Zhou Mei was already furious with Sun Jiaming, and now Zhou Gu’er’s calm indifference made her snap. She couldn’t hold back any longer and screamed the vicious words.

"That’s right! The likes of her trying to steal Brother Jia Ming? She should take a look in the mirror! Is she even worthy?"

Zhou Feng’er chimed in. In her eyes, Zhou Mei was one of her own, while Zhou Gu’er was just an inferior outsider.

"Exactly! She should look at the state she’s in. Going around trying to seduce men... who would want her?"

The other two girls added their support.

Zhou Gu’er found their behavior almost comical. ’Blocking my path like this is so childish.’ Then a wave of melancholy washed over her. ’But this is what girls their age are like, isn’t it? Impulsive, but full of vitality. Not like me. My mind is old. I’m at an age where I should be blooming like a flower, yet I feel like someone in their twilight years.’

"She’s actually laughing! She’s so shameless."

A girl named Zhou Ya saw Zhou Gu’er’s smile and shouted.

Zhou Gu’er really couldn’t be bothered to deal with them. They were on completely different wavelengths. She just pushed her cart and kept walking.

"You stop right there! Don’t even think about leaving until you explain yourself."

Zhou Mei stepped in front of the cart, blocking Zhou Gu’er’s path.

"What do you want?"

Zhou Gu’er felt exasperated. She couldn’t exactly run the girl over with her cart. But she really didn’t want to get entangled with this group. It was pointless. She had been walking all day and just wanted to go home, have a drink of water, and lie down on her wooden plank bed for a good sleep.

"Speak up! Did you seduce Brother Jia Ming?"

Zhou Mei demanded, staring fiercely at Zhou Gu’er.

"I didn’t."

Zhou Gu’er shook her head.

"Don’t believe her! She wouldn’t let me go to the city with her, but she let Brother Jia Ming go instead. They were together all day! If she wasn’t trying to seduce Brother Jia Ming, then what was she doing?"

Zhou Feng’er cried out, fanning the flames of Zhou Mei’s anger. She was counting on Zhou Mei to help her deal with Zhou Gu’er, and she couldn’t let Gu’er talk her way out of it.

Zhou Gu’er shot her a cold glance. ’I knew Zhou Feng’er was awful in my past life, but I never imagined she would sic Zhou Mei on me. It seems I’ve truly underestimated the shamelessness of the Zhou family.’

"Tell me, what exactly did you and Brother Jia Ming do all day?"

Deciding that Zhou Feng’er had a point, Zhou Mei pressed on, unwilling to let the matter drop.

Zhou Gu’er opened her mouth to explain, but then abruptly closed it. A smile touched her lips as she said, "What did we do? Why should I tell you? Who are you to me? And for that matter, who are you to Sun Jiaming? What right do you have to question us or meddle in our affairs?"

If this had happened in her past life, Zhou Gu’er would have been terrified, frantically trying to explain herself and deny everything. But she knew this wasn’t her past life. She wasn’t anyone’s inferior, and there was no need to be so cowardly. She was sending a clear message to Zhou Mei: ’Who the hell do you think you are?’

"You! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you not know who I am?"

Zhou Mei pointed at Zhou Gu’er in disbelief. ’Usually, Gu’er doesn’t even dare to raise her head in my presence. I could taunt her, curse her, and all she’d do is get red-eyed without daring to talk back. What’s wrong with her today? How dare she speak to me like this? Could it be... she’s actually managed to get her hooks into Brother Jia Ming, and that’s why she’s suddenly so bold?’

"You’re Zhou Mei, aren’t you? Technically, you should be calling me ’older sister.’ So why can’t I speak to you this way? Or are you so special that no one is allowed to?"

Zhou Gu’er found it interesting. ’So, standing up for myself isn’t actually that hard,’ she thought. freēwēbnovel.com

"’Older sister,’ my ass! You think you’re worthy of being my sister? You’re just a worthless burden they picked up off the street!"

Zhou Mei snapped. ’This doesn’t seem like Zhou Gu’er. She’s too different from before.’ But it was undeniably her standing there. Not dwelling on it, she snarled, "Zhou Gu’er, let me tell you something. Don’t you for a second think Brother Jia Ming would ever be interested in you. He won’t! And his mother would never let him have you, so just give up that ridiculous idea!"