Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Gu Jinyan arrived at the residence of his second cousin, Gu Shiquan.

The mansion is located on the outskirts of the Gu family compound. It is quite large, but it is clearly in disrepair over the years.

No one greeted her at the gate; only a young servant led her into the mansion, his steps hesitant and his head bowed in silence.

Upon entering the mansion, Gu Jinyan keenly sensed that the atmosphere here was completely different from that of his uncle Gu Shichang's mansion.

Gu Shichang's mansion was luxurious, with carved beams and painted rafters everywhere, rare flowers planted in the courtyard, and servants coming and going in an orderly manner.

However, the mansion of his cousin Gu Shiquan was unusually deserted. The plants in the courtyard were neglected, and a thin layer of dust had accumulated in the corners of the walls.

Several servants dressed in coarse cloth hurried past with their heads down, their eyes cold and cautious.

As Gu Jinyan walked along the corridor toward the main hall, he observed the surroundings and began to form a judgment in his mind.

Although the Gu family is a powerful clan, with the patriarch Gu Yuande controlling the main resources, there is indeed obvious bias in the treatment of some branch members of the family.

Although my cousin's mansion was large, it lacked the financial resources and manpower to maintain its daily operations.

Gu Shichang's mansion was not only vast and luxuriously decorated, but also had a group of guards and servants, which shows the master's favoritism towards him.

Upon entering the main hall, my cousin Gu Shiquan was already seated in the main seat, a faint smile on his face, but his eyes revealed a hint of caution and indifference.

Upon seeing Gu Jinyan, he stood up and said in a gentle yet distant tone, "Jinyan, I specially invited you here today for no other reason than that I feel you have a difficult time in the family, and it would be a good opportunity to chat about what's on my mind."

Gu Jinyan understood immediately, smiled slightly, sat down in the hall, and casually straightened his sleeves, his expression respectful yet with a hint of probing.

This cousin's status in the family has always been suppressed by his uncle, Gu Shichang. This invitation is probably not just for "casual chat".

Gu Shiquan sighed slightly and said in a low voice, "Jinyan, you may not know, but although my branch is a collateral branch of the Gu family, the resources we receive have become increasingly limited since the patriarch took power."

I've never asked for anything, but seeing so many affairs being handed over to Gu Shichang, and even some resources gradually being tilted towards him, it's hard not to feel resentful.

His voice was low, carrying a hint of grievance and a touch of dissatisfaction.

Gu Jinyan nodded slightly, maintaining a polite smile on his face, but a slight chill ran through him.

Gu Shiquan's grievances were not unfounded.

The patriarch's favoritism towards Gu Shichang was already common knowledge within the family, and Gu Shiquan had always tolerated it. At this moment, his words were probably more than just a simple complaint.

After a pause, Gu Shiquan seemed to be carefully considering his words before slowly continuing, "The resources in the family were earned through the hard work of our ancestors, and they should be distributed fairly."

But the current situation chills me to the bone.

To be honest, if the right opportunity arises, I hope to join hands with insightful members of my family to fight for justice.

Gu Jinyan asked with some speculation, "Does my cousin mean that if someone supports you, you are willing to share some of the family's resources?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Shiquan was slightly taken aback, then chuckled softly, "Jinyan is indeed intelligent; he doesn't say much, but he gets straight to the point."

"That's right. Although I'm currently in a passive position within the family, I still control some resources. If anyone with similar aspirations helps me, I'm happy to share."

After hearing this, Gu Jinyan pondered to himself.

My cousin's words were polite on the surface, but they subtly carried a hint of probing and trying to win me over.

If the internal strife within the family were to become public, it would inevitably affect the overall strength of the Gu family. Since I have not yet fully established myself within the Gu family, it might not be appropriate to make a hasty statement.

But this cousin was clearly unwilling to be suppressed. Since he was willing to make amends, if I could get some resources from him, my situation in the family might be a little easier.

She lowered her eyes and said slowly, as if casually, "Cousin is right. The distribution of family resources should indeed be more equitable, after all, this is the result of generations of hard work and accumulation in the Gu family."

She paused, then smiled slightly, "However, I am still young and inexperienced, and I'm afraid I can't offer my cousin any substantial help for the time being."

Gu Shiquan smiled slightly, with a hint of confidence: "Jinyan, don't worry. I think you will definitely achieve great things in the future. As long as you have your heart, that's enough."

Besides, who says youth lacks power? Some of the older generation in the family have long harbored resentment towards Gu Shichang, but no one has taken the lead.

His words were laced with hidden meaning, but Gu Jinyan remained unmoved, smiling as he picked up his teacup and took a sip, seemingly oblivious to the deeper meaning.

While pondering to herself, she responded vaguely to her second cousin's attempt to win her over: "Cousin, you flatter me. I am just a young junior. If I can really help, I will do my best."

I hope my cousin's wish will be fulfilled soon.

Seeing that Gu Jinyan did not express his opinion, but his words did not refuse, Gu Shiquan's eyes revealed a hint of satisfaction.

He nodded slightly, raised his teacup to Gu Jinyan in a toast from afar, and said, "Alright, then I'll wait for Jinyan's contribution."

After saying that, he changed the subject and said in a low voice, "However, the situation within the Gu family is complicated, and it is not appropriate for outsiders to interfere."

I just feel that since Jin Yan is part of the Gu family, she should understand the rules and boundaries.

As for how to choose, that's up to you.

Gu Jinyan nodded slightly, but sighed inwardly.

She understood her cousin's implication. Although he didn't say it aloud, he had long regarded Gu Shichang as a rival and was even waiting for an opportunity.

Caught between the two uncles and nephews, he was in danger of being drawn into the vortex if he was not careful.

She didn't dare to take sides rashly, but she also didn't want to completely offend her cousin, since although his influence was small, it still had its value.

When saying goodbye, Gu Shiquan escorted her to the door, his eyes filled with reluctance, and said in a friendly tone, "Jinyan, thank you for coming today. I hope you will visit the mansion often in the future so that we can get closer."

We both belong to the Gu family; sooner or later, we'll see things clearly.

Gu Jinyan smiled gently: "Cousin, you are overthinking it. I am just a junior in the Gu family, and I naturally prioritize the interests of the family in everything I do. I will come to bother you again when I have the opportunity in the future."

After saying this, she bowed and turned to leave.

Leaving Gu Shiquan's residence, Gu Jinyan walked slowly, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

She kept her head down in deep thought, her cousin's words echoing in her mind, pondering how she could protect herself in this chaotic family power struggle.