Chapter 27: Have You Watched Too Many Palace Intrigue Dramas?
Gu Zhao glanced at her deeply and turned to Principal Zhang, saying, "Principal Zhang, arrange an exam for her. I won't pursue the previous matter."
When Gu Zhao spoke, Principal Zhang naturally didn't dare to directly contradict him.
Well, arranging an exam wasn't difficult, and since Gu Qingning would definitely fail, it could be seen as giving face to Gu Zhao.
"Alright," Principal Zhang looked up at Gu Qingning and adjusted his glasses on his nose, asking, "Qingning, when do you want to take the exam?"
After thinking for a moment, he added, "Do you need a few days to review?"
He thought that reviewing would be useless anyway, even if she crammed at the last minute.
Gu Qingning replied, "No need, I can take it today."
So casually?
Principal Zhang's smile froze on his face, and he looked at her with a suspicious gaze, "Are you sure?"
Gu Qingning nodded and then turned to Li Fei, asking, "Teacher Li, what procedures do I need to go through to apply for dormitory accommodation?"
"It's simple, just have your parents sign and pay the fee," Li Fei said.
Parents' signature?
Gu Qingning frowned. This was not simple for her.
"Can't I sign it myself?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhao's eyes dimmed slightly, and a trace of disappointment surged in his heart.
His own brother was right in front of her, but she completely ignored him.
He interrupted, "Principal Zhang, please arrange the exam first. I need to talk to Qingning."
Principal Zhang nodded and looked at Li Fei, saying, "Teacher Li, come over here."
Li Fei responded with a "Okay" and followed him towards the office desk.
In April, cherry blossoms bloomed magnificently on the campus.
In the corridor, Gu Qingning rested her hands on the railing and habitually looked around at her surroundings.
She had been silent, and it worried Gu Zhao.
He didn't know how to start a conversation at the moment.
His second brother made it sound easy, just coax her a few times, but if he had the ability, he would coax her himself.
After thinking for a while, he tentatively asked, "Qingning, where did you go last night?"
She hadn't returned home, and she didn't come to school either. They sent people to look for her, but there was no news.
Gu Qingning replied, "Just wandered around."
"Qingning, if you don't want to stay at home, how about coming to live with me?"
"No need."
She refused without hesitation, and Gu Zhao's smile turned bitter. Even if she hesitated for a second, it would be enough.
He sighed softly and explained, "Qingning, we didn't ignore you before. You disappeared right after you were born, and we have been looking for you all these years."
"After Mom died in a car accident, everything changed. Dad remarried not long after, and the three of us brothers grew distant from him. When our eldest brother turned eighteen, the three of us moved out of the Gu family."
Pausing for a moment, he tilted his head and looked at her cold profile. "Until recently, Grandfather said he found you, and we thought it was someone pretending to be you again, so we spent some time investigating."
There had been countless people pretending to be her over the years, and the three of them had been disappointed many times.
Gu Qingning listened quietly, her heart calm like a mirror, without a ripple.
After a moment of silence, she turned her body slightly and met his gaze. "I don't blame you, nor do I hold any grudges against you, so you don't have to explain to me."
Gu Zhao felt heartbroken.
He would rather she blamed them than treat him, her own brother, as a stranger.
"Aren't you curious about the results of our investigation?"
Gu Qingning casually said, "Are the results important?"
"Of course," Gu Zhao's tone suddenly became excited. "The result of the DNA test shows that you are our biological sister, we are siblings."
His eyes lit up astonishingly, perhaps due to the effect of blood ties, and Gu Qingning's words of rejection got stuck in her throat.
Gu Zhao continued, "Qingning, you've suffered so much outside all these years. Now that you're back, can you give your third brother a chance to take care of you?"
His tone was cautious, hiding a trace of expectation.
"Third Brother."
A sweet and pleasant voice suddenly interrupted, filled with joy.
The smile at the corner of Gu Zhao's mouth froze, and his temple throbbed.
Gu Qingning glanced sideways, looking behind him.
The newcomer wore a blue and white school uniform, with her skirt swaying, exuding a youthful vitality.
She hooked her lips, a faint curve filled with playful intent.
She hadn't even come to settle the score with her, yet she had come to her on her own.
Hearing that Gu Zhao had come to school, Gu Wanwan skipped her physical education class and rushed over.
She ran over excitedly, intimately linking her arm with Gu Zhao's, "Third Brother."
Her artificially sweet voice made Gu Zhao's body break out in goosebumps.
He pulled back his hand and shifted his footsteps to the side.
But...
He took a step, and Gu Wanwan immediately stuck to him again.
"Third Brother, why didn't you tell me you were coming to school? We haven't had a meal together in a long time. How about we go out for lunch?" she said.
Gu Zhao remained silent, occasionally glancing at Gu Qingning.
"Third Brother?"
Gu Wanwan tugged at his sleeve, following his gaze, only then noticing the other person there.
"Third Brother, who is this?"
As she spoke, the person opposite raised the brim of her hat, and that face, which made her jealous, entered her field of vision.
With cold brows and eyes, deep and penetrating ink-colored pupils, the gaze was full of penetrating power, unlike the previous timidity and weakness.
Gu Wanwan's face slightly changed. She had heard about Gu Qingning's situation after she returned home last night, but she didn't expect to see her here.
Why would she be with Third Brother? Did she want to retaliate against her and take away everything from her?
In just a few seconds, Gu Wanwan's mind was filled with countless thoughts and possibilities.
She reluctantly pulled her lips into a smile, revealing a harmless and gentle expression, "Sister, I'm glad you're back safely. We were all worried about you these past few days."
Gu Qingning raised an eyebrow, her ink-colored pupils looking at her with a smile that was not a smile, "Were you worried about me coming back?"
Did she think nothing of her disappearance?
Although she knew Gu Qingning's voice wasn't mute, hearing her speak with her own ears still surprised Gu Wanwan.
"N-No, of course not," she was taken aback and hastily changed the subject, "Sister, did you meet some extraordinary doctor during these few days? Did they cure your congenital muteness?"
At her words, Gu Zhao looked at Gu Qingning, also curious about this matter.
"Struck by lightning, and suddenly it got better," Gu Qingning casually replied.
She didn't meet a divine doctor, but she did meet an interesting person.
Though he wasn't sure if it was his imagination, Gu Zhao caught a hint of tenderness in her eyes.
Just as he was about to investigate further, those ink-colored pupils returned to their calmness.
Gu Wanwan forced a smile, "Sister, you have a great sense of humor."
In this day and age, no one believes the truth anymore.
Gu Qingning stood up straight, hands in her pockets, "We're not close, don't address me so intimately."
Addressing her as sister, did she watch too many palace dramas?
Gu Wanwan looked up at Gu Zhao, pitifully saying, "Third Brother, did I do something wrong?"
Gu Zhao remained silent, shifting his footsteps closer to Gu Qingning's side.
It was clear which side he stood on.
Gu Wanwan froze, and then her eyes instantly filled with tears, looking like a bullied victim, "Sister, if there's anything about me that you're not satisfied with, just tell me, I'll change. Please don't dislike me, okay?"
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