Gu Susu finally understood why Qin Tianyi was living here and not returning to the Qin family mansion. With the old madam gone, he wouldn't stay in the Qin family mansion; it would only be a place of hardship.
"What major events have happened in the Qin family these past two years?" she asked, suppressing her grief.
Aunt Chen sighed and said, "It's a long story, many things have happened, and I don't know the specifics. Young Madam, you should ask the young master when he has time."
Gu Susu hummed in response. Seeing the photograph in Aunt Chen's hand, she asked, "Is this the photo you were talking about?"
"Yes, this one," Aunt Chen handed the photo to Gu Susu.
Gu Susu was still saddened by the old madam's passing. She took the photo and glanced at it, not finding Xiao Xingxing and Qin Tianyi particularly alike when they were children. She only felt that Aunt Chen, with her preconceived notion that Xiao Xingxing was Qin Tianyi's child, saw a resemblance.
She returned the photo to Aunt Chen and said perfunctorily, "They do look a bit alike."
"Young Madam, look again. It's not just a bit alike; the nose, the eyes..."
"Mm, I've seen it. I'm feeling a bit tired, I'll go back to my room first." She still couldn't accept the fact that the Qin family's old madam had passed away. She recalled that two years ago at the Qin family mansion, the old madam had always protected her and helped her a lot.
She had regarded the old madam as the most respectable elder. How could she be gone just like that?
The old madam had doted on her grandson, Qin Tianyi, so much. Qin Tianyi must be very sad and heartbroken, unable to accept this reality.
No wonder after their meeting this time, he was even colder than before, his expression always tense, devoid of any human warmth.
She stayed in her room, unable to comprehend why such things had happened in the Qin family after she left.
As soon as she closed her eyes, the old madam's voice and smile appeared before her. Her heart felt heavy and uncomfortable. She opened her laptop, wanting to browse something online to distract herself.
She clicked on the QQ account she had previously used and found that Chang Qingchuan had replied. Reading Chang Qingchuan's QQ messages, she saw that it was similar to what Aunt Chen had said – many major events had occurred in the Qin family over the past two years.
What shocked her even more was that the Qin Group had gone bankrupt! A large group with nearly a century of history had gone bankrupt just like that?
It seemed she had been living in an idyllic, ignorant world for the past two years, unaware of all this. However, even when she went online, she would deliberately avoid news of this nature, trying to steer clear of anything related to Lancheng, or the Qin and Ai families.
She wanted to completely forget that past experience, but Qin Tianyi had forcefully pulled her back here, making it impossible for her to remain ignorant of these developments.
She couldn't help but search for news related to the Ai Group. The Ai family, having lost the Qin Group, a major group they could rely on and curry favor with, had also declined drastically, with very poor business operations.
Then, in all news related to the Qin Group and the Ai Group, she saw a large group called "Aoxiang." It was a newly emerging multinational group in Lancheng, which had rapidly occupied a large portion of Lancheng's market in just two years. It not only managed all the projects of the former Qin Group but also poached many employees from the bankrupt Qin Group.
Currently, no group in Lancheng could contend with Aoxiang Group. It was the new rising star of Lancheng's business world.
In a news photo, Gu Susu saw Xiao Anjing. He was actually the person in charge of Aoxiang Group. But... but wasn't he Qin Tianyi's subordinate?
When the Qin Group went bankrupt, he didn't help it. Instead, he stepped on it after its bankruptcy. Would Qin Tianyi stand by and do nothing?
Perhaps it wasn't that Qin Tianyi stood by and did nothing, but that Qin Tianyi had instructed him to do so?
She had often seen Qin Tianyi and Xiao Anjing together in the past. Their interactions clearly showed Xiao Anjing obeying Qin Tianyi.
Although Xiao Anjing's personality was a bit unrestrained, she could see his loyalty to Qin Tianyi. He shouldn't have betrayed Qin Tianyi to do these things.
Thinking about it made Qin Tianyi seem even more terrifying. The old madam had weathered many storms; she wouldn't have died of anger from minor issues. The most fatal blow was the bankruptcy of the Qin Group. Therefore... therefore, the old madam was angered to death by Qin Tianyi?
"Mom, Mom! Come play with us in the garden," Xiao Xingxing suddenly called out, pushing open her room door.
Gu Susu hurriedly closed her laptop. Seeing Xiao Xingxing enter while holding Qin Tianyi's hand, they walked in together.
Qin Tianyi glanced coldly at the laptop on her lap. Seeing her slightly flustered expression, he wondered what she was doing on the computer. Was she planning another escape?
Gu Susu smiled at Xiao Xingxing and said, "Okay, let's go to the garden together."
She just had to avoid being in the same room as Qin Tianyi to not feel so suffocated. As she spoke, she wanted to push her wheelchair herself. Xiao Xingxing, being sensible, quickly ran behind the wheelchair, wanting to help her push, "Mom, let me push."
However, Xiao Xingxing could only reach the handle behind the wheelchair by standing on tiptoe and couldn't push it.
Qin Tianyi walked over and helped Xiao Xingxing push the wheelchair, saying, "Let me. You go to the garden first, we'll be right there."
Xiao Xingxing smiled at Qin Tianyi, said "Okay," and then skipped off on his own.
Qin Tianyi watched the child's retreating back, his facial features softening slightly. For some reason, his mood always improved when he saw this child. Perhaps it was because he had always wanted a child of his own but couldn't have one.
This was all because Gu Susu had secretly taken birth control pills two years ago, preventing her from getting pregnant. This time, he would definitely make her have a child of their own!
He pushed her out of the room. On the way to the garden, they passed a threshold. He didn't slow down, deliberately ramming the wheelchair against the threshold.
Gu Susu, sitting in the wheelchair, felt a significant jolt and almost fell out. Fortunately, she held tightly onto the armrests on both sides of the wheelchair.
After crossing the threshold, she quickly said, "You don't need to push me. You go to the garden first, I can manage myself."
Qin Tianyi didn't let go of the wheelchair. He deliberately pushed it forward a couple of times, saying with a mocking tone, "What, are you afraid I'll push you to the ground?"
Gu Susu took a deep breath, pressed the brake on the wheelchair, and turned to glare at him, "Qin Tianyi, I haven't done anything to hurt you or wrong you. Why do you always take your anger out on me?"
"Haven't done anything wrong to me?" Qin Tianyi walked directly in front of her, towering over her. He suddenly grabbed her neck with his large hand, "You'd rather have a child with someone who forced you than have a child for me. Is that not wronging me!"
"Let go of me," Gu Susu couldn't pry his hand open and could only pat his hand uncomfortably, "I didn't know you then, nor did I know I would marry you... Moreover... Moreover, I hate you, I really hate you!"
As soon as she said this, she saw a fleeting pain flash in Qin Tianyi's eyes, and she inexplicably felt a pang of heartache.
Qin Tianyi tightened his grip on her neck, and she felt unable to breathe.