Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Quran originally thought that as long as he didn't stand up, the matter would be forgotten, but he also knew that backing down now would inevitably give others ammunition to criticize him.

He then forced a smile and explained, "There is indeed a minor error in the accounts, but after repeated verification, the numbers have been corrected and there will be no further problems."

Seeing this, Gu Shichang nodded slightly, continued to hold his teacup, and looked at Gu Yuande with disdain, as if he were provoking the head of the family.

Gu Shiquan, however, wore a cold smile, as if he had seen a deeper flaw in this explanation.

At that moment, Gu Jinyan, who had been quiet all along, observed the expression on the head of the family's face and noticed that his father seemed to have a well-thought-out plan for all of this.

She suddenly realized that her father had probably gathered everyone together today not only for the sake of accounts, but also to observe the attitudes and stances of the various ethnic groups present.

This thought alerted her, and she secretly restrained her emotions.

As the meeting drew to a close, Gu Yuande stood up and slowly announced the adjournment, and everyone took their leave in turn.

After everyone left, Gu Jinyan remained in the hall, tidying up her records. She noticed that her cousin, Gu Shiquan, glanced at her with a look of inquiry and complexity.

This made her wonder if her cousin had noticed her observation. But she didn't show it and pretended to be nonchalant.

In the following days, Gu Jinyan noticed that Gu Shichang was interacting more and more frequently with several elders of the clan, and occasionally Gu Lanci could be seen mediating between them, clearly they were plotting something in secret.

His cousin, Gu Shiquan, seemed to be increasingly estranged from family affairs, his gaze cold and filled with dissatisfaction.

Whenever she met him, she always felt a strong sense of hostility and helplessness.

The cousin harbored resentment and even intentionally distanced himself from the head of the family's arrangements.

That evening, Gu Jinyan decided to visit Gu Shiquan. When she arrived at her cousin's courtyard, she found him sitting under the lamp, focused on organizing a pile of accounts and documents.

She walked over quietly, and her cousin looked up and saw her; his expression was not friendly.

“Cousin, the clan has been busy lately, and you seem to be preoccupied. Would you mind having a word with me?” Gu Jinyan asked casually, yet with a hint of sincerity.

Gu Shiquan sneered, pointed to the pile of accounts, and said indifferently, "What is there to talk about? These documents are nothing more than things used to shut me up."

"Cousin, what do you mean by that?" Gu Jinyan was slightly taken aback.

Gu Shiquan shook his head with a wry smile, his voice low: "Do you really think the patriarch is involving us in these affairs to cultivate an heir?"

It's simply a matter of seeing who's more obedient. Someone like me, how could I possibly gain his trust?

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinyan was shaken. After a moment of silence, he said, "But if my cousin continues to stand aside, it will only allow those with ill intentions to succeed."

"You have the ability; if you participate, you can at least fight for a fairer opportunity for yourself."

Her cousin looked at her with a complicated expression, as if he was pondering her words.

After a moment, he slowly said, "Gu Jinyan, you will be a clever opponent, but in this family, clever people are not necessarily able to go further."

I hope one day you'll understand that the undercurrents within the clan run deeper than you imagine.

Gu Jinyan silently watched his cousin, gaining a deeper understanding of the complexities of this family.

Although their conversation that night didn't completely earn her cousin's trust, it did allow her to glimpse a hint of his inner struggle.

As she took her leave, her father's teachings came to mind, making her feel that the road ahead would be even more difficult.

In subsequent family affairs, she acted cautiously, constantly gathering information and observing the attitudes of the clansmen.

She began to learn to distinguish who had goodwill towards her and who was merely masking hostility with polite formalities.