Rebirth: She is Ready for a Counterattack!-Chapter 116: Three Days of Kinship

Jiang Xiulan has been quite delighted these past two days.

There hasn’t been a single trace of those two children.

The entire village has mobilized, but not a word of news has come back.

If a few more days pass and those two can’t be found, and Gu Xiaojie doesn’t return, it will mean the end of Gu Ruhai’s only heir.

Jiang Xiulan smugly lifted the pot lid, scooped out the poached eggs, sprinkled some green onions, added a drop of sesame oil, and served it to Li Xuemei.

Li Xuemei hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for two days and nights; she had wasted away to skin and bones, like a breathing skeleton.

Now was the time for her to perform publicly. The more she, as the sister-in-law, took care of Li Xuemei, the more people in the village would talk well of her in the future.

This moment was about giving face to Gu Xiaocheng and earning goodwill for herself.

Jiang Xiulan occasionally muttered vaguely in front of Mrs. Gu, guiding her thoughts toward the notion that the eldest brother will be left without an heir.

Mrs. Gu was especially concerned about this.

Sure enough, these past two days, it seemed that Mrs. Gu was already leaning toward her side, likely because she felt that Gu Ruhai’s child, Gu Xiaojie, was lost.

So, when Gu Ruhai grows old, won’t he have to rely on the care of the second and third sons?

Mrs. Gu had already taken this place as the heritage of her second and third sons. She wandered inside and outside the house, her beady eyes filled with calculation.

Gu Xiaoying has felt something amiss these past two days.

Her grandmother looked at this place as if it was her house, and ordered her around.

The problem was, the tone suggested that this might not be her home anymore.

Gu Xiaoying didn’t understand what was happening. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Li Xuemei was already so ill and confused, while Gu Ruhai spent all his time outside looking for the children.

The household was practically without anyone to hold it together.

How could a granddaughter like Gu Xiaoying stand up to her grandmother?

Mrs. Gu had even broken into Li Xuemei’s chest, taking the few hundred yuan left from building the house, and stuffed it into her own bosom. She gathered some things from the chest into her own bundle.

Gu Xiaoying wanted to tell Gu Ruhai, but he wasn’t in the mindset to listen, and he only came home briefly to eat before heading out again.

Li Xuemei was so sick, Gu Xiaoying didn’t dare say anything, fearing it would cause her to succumb to her illness.

She could only endure.

In her heart, she silently prayed to all the Buddhas, hoping for her brother and sister to be found soon and for her home to return to how it was before.

She felt if her brother and sister weren’t found, it might spell the end for her family.

If nothing else, her grandparents would take everything away.

Early in the morning, after eating, Gu Ruhai threw on his clothes to continue searching for the children.

Though he wouldn’t admit it to himself, many people had subtly or overtly advised him that after three days of searching, there was no hope.

They insisted the children had likely been taken to some far place by traffickers, as happens to many children.

Yet whenever Gu Ruhai thought of his Gu Xiaoqing, his Gu Xiaojie, his heart ached as if being cut with a knife; they were his flesh and blood, his children.

Raised all these years, they were the essence of his life.

Gu Xiaoqing was such a lovable child, so smart and doing so well in school. He had high hopes for a brilliant future for Gu Xiaoqing.

Gu Xiaojie was supposed to start primary school this year, his only son, the male heir he had placed all his hopes on.

Yet in just a few days, everything had vanished.

Gu Ruhai was relentless.

Even if it meant losing everything, he would find them.

Gu Ruhai was truly determined these past few days.

He’d sell the house if he must, but the children must be found.

Mr. Gu looked at Gu Ruhai’s haggard appearance, his heart aching as well.

But the old woman had been nagging him incessantly, and he had thought long and hard; her words had some truth to them. Without Gu Ruhai’s child, the eldest line would end.

In the future, wouldn’t he have to depend on the second and third sons?

So, he couldn’t let the eldest keep making a mess of things.

If it went on like this, it would break him.

Gu Ruhai looked at his father, seeing the hesitation in Mr. Gu’s eyes, and said, "Dad, I need to talk to you."

Mr. Gu tossed his cigarette stub to the ground and extinguished it with the toe of his cloth shoe. "Speak."

"I want to sell this house."

Mr. Gu blinked, unable to believe it. "What did you say?"

"I’m going to sell this house."

Gu Ruhai replied firmly.

He could earn again after losing a house, but once the children were lost, where would he find them?

Gu Ruhai had made up his mind: he’d sell the house, take the money, and offer a reward. As long as the children were found, he would reward whoever found them.

Wouldn’t the people in the village go all out to inquire about the children’s whereabouts for him?

It was the only way Gu Ruhai could think of.

Mr. Gu slammed the table, angry: "Nonsense!"

Mrs. Gu heard this too and scolded Gu Ruhai: "You fool, such a fine house, and you want to sell it? What if you don’t find the children? Who will you rely on when you’re old? Listen to me, this house is to be left for the second and third sons. Their children will look after you in old age, so you have something to depend on.

With brothers helping support you, you won’t end up with no one to burn paper offerings for you."

Those words hit Gu Ruhai where it hurt.

Looking at his father, he asked: "Dad, do you think so too, that it’s inevitable I’ll end up childless?"

Mr. Gu frowned uneasily; his authority had never been so overtly challenged before.

"Eldest son, your mother’s words aren’t without reason. It’s been three days. If the children could be found, they would have been by now. Whose children go missing for three days and get found again? You have to think for the future.

You’re nearly fifty; having another one, is that feasible? If Gu Xiaoying stays, when she marries, she’ll belong to someone else’s family. Will you and Xuemei have anyone to depend on? Won’t you have to rely on your two brothers by then?

If you have a house here, you can save some money from doing business, and many would be willing to take care of you for this inheritance. If you don’t even have a house, who will you expect to break tiles for you? Who will wear mourning for you?"

Gu Ruhai exhaled, his heart aching unbearably.

Just three days...

His own kin, his parents, had already set their sights on his house. So much for family...