She glared at Qin He, then turned to Madam Gu, "Mom, you asked Hao Ge and me to come back, saying you'd open a bar for us, is that true?"
Gu Ranran's heart was filled with anticipation. Did this mean her mother was finally going to accept Hao Ge?
Madam Gu's expression was aloof as she glanced at Yang Hao.
In the early morning, this man already reeked of alcohol!
Qin He let out a mocking chuckle, "Ranran, sit down."
Her tone was sarcastic, and Gu Ranran glared at Qin He, unwilling to engage with her.
Madam Gu frowned, "Your sister-in-law told you to sit, didn't you hear?"
Gu Ranran's face turned red. She looked at Madam Gu, "Mom, how could you scold me for Qin He!"
Madam Gu sneered, "Didn't you start the argument with me yesterday? I've doted on you and spoiled you since you were a child. Is there anything I haven't given you? Now you turn around and say my love for you comes with strings attached."
"I was a bit emotional yesterday," Gu Ranran pursed her lips, regretting her words after leaving yesterday.
Yang Hao, standing nearby, hadn't said a word. He was here for money, and money was paramount.
Whatever squabbles the Gu family had was of little concern to him.
Gu Ranran and Yang Hao sat down, on the sofa opposite Qin He.
Compared to Qin He's relaxed demeanor, they looked like guests who had arrived at someone else's home.
Madam Gu looked at Qin He and smiled, "He'er, you say it."
Qin He hummed and finally sat up straight. "Gu Ranran, you angered your aunt yesterday, and she told me. You're doing this for a man, and your mother-daughter bond has reached its end."
Gu Ranran frowned, "Qin He, what do you mean!?"
Qin He smiled sinisterly and took out two documents from her bag.
"I know you and Yang Hao want to open your own bar, and it's understandable you'd want money from the family, after all, you still carry the Gu family blood."
Gu Ranran stared at Qin He with a cold face, then at the documents pushed in front of her.
"What is this?"
Qin He smiled, "If you don't want to read it, I can briefly explain. It means we'll give you two hundred million, but this money represents all your past and future inheritance from the Gu family."
Gu Ranran's head shot up. "You mean you want to give me two hundred million to kick me out of the Gu family!?"
Qin He quickly shook her head, shrugging. "I didn't mean that. You're still a Gu family member, still carrying the Gu surname. It's just that whether it's in a few decades when your aunt passes away, or even longer, you won't have any claim to the Gu family's assets."
Gu Ranran gritted her teeth and turned to Gu Qichen, "Brother, is this your intention too?"
Gu Qichen's lips thinned. Under Gu Ranran's gaze, he slowly nodded.
"Consider this two hundred million as your dowry, an advance payment."
Gu Ranran's heart felt like it had plunged into an ice cellar!
She had always known her brother's heart belonged to Qin He, but she never imagined he would forsake her for Qin He one day!
Gu Ranran looked at Madam Gu in disbelief, "Mom! You agree too?"
Madam Gu turned away without speaking, tacitly admitting it.
The contract clearly laid out the division of assets. Gu Ranran lowered her head, her eyes blurring as she looked at the words.
Her heart felt as though it was being squeezed, causing unbearable pain.
No amount of wealth was more important than family.
Gu Ranran sobbed, "Why are you doing this? Am I not a member of the Gu family anymore? We're a family, why are we settling accounts like this?"
Even if the Gu Corporation were to go bankrupt in the future, she would still share hardships with her family.
She just wanted to marry Yang Hao, why was it so difficult?
And now, she was being asked to sign something like this!
Opposite Gu Ranran, Qin He sneered, "Gu Ranran, you didn't think of it this way when you hurt your aunt. Sign it quickly, or you won't even get this money."
Gu Ranran looked up abruptly, her tear-filled eyes fixed on Qin He.
"It's you! You instigated my brother and mom to abandon me, didn't you?"
Qin He feigned innocence, smiling with malice, "Gu Ranran, you're the one who did this, you're the one who chose this path. I didn't ask you to run away from home, did I?"
Gu Ranran gnashed her teeth in hatred.
Qin He continued to fan the flames, "Oh, and you'll always be a member of the Gu family. You're welcome to come home for a casual meal anytime, but you won't get a cent of the Gu family's wealth."
"How dare you interfere in my family's affairs! You're not even married to my brother yet!" Gu Ranran, enraged, stood up and pointed at Qin He.
Qin He leaned back on the sofa, raising an eyebrow and sneering, "And how dare you? Didn't you run away from home? You wouldn't come back because the family didn't agree to you and Yang Hao. Since you're threatening them like this, why pretend to be a loving mother and daughter now?"
Gu Ranran's entire body trembled.
Qin He dared to say that to her! Yet she couldn't refute it!
She had indeed run away from home, but she had never intended to leave the Gu family; she had only meant to scare her mother!
Qin He said lazily, "Or, to prove your affection, you could refuse the two hundred million, and you'd still be a member of the Gu family."
She then muttered, "It's going to be divided sooner or later anyway, and you won't get any more than this in the future."
Gu Ranran desperately wanted to say no, but Yang Hao pulled at her sleeve.
She stood frozen, and Yang Hao stood up, leaning close to Gu Ranran's ear and whispering.
"I told you your sister-in-law is vicious. Let's sign the contract now, get the money, open the bar, and then we can come back and make amends with your mom and brother. If we don't sign now, we'll have even less capital to fight your sister-in-law."
"Ranran, listen to me, okay? I'm doing all this for your own good."
Gu Ranran's lips trembled as she looked at the silent Gu Qichen and Madam Gu, who had turned her back to her.
"Mom, you don't even want to look at me now?" Gu Ranran felt a sense of despair.
She didn't know how she had reached this dead end, as if she had suddenly found herself on the edge of a precipice with no way back.
She had dropped out of school, lost her friends, and now she was losing her family.
How did it all come to this?
Gu Ranran looked at the sinisterly smiling Qin He, her eyes gradually reddening.
"Qin He, you are truly the most vicious and disgusting woman I have ever met!"
Beside her, Gu Qichen frowned and said sternly, "Ranran!"
Gu Ranran wiped her tears. "Brother, you don't need to protect her so much. She's very capable!"
Gu Ranran desperately wanted to call Qin He scheming, but she couldn't refute anything Qin He said.
It felt as though a childish tantrum had been blown out of proportion and her crime had been solidified, leaving her heartbroken and wronged.
Yang Hao was still whispering, "Ranran, I'm with you. Sign it, and we can come home often after."
Gu Ranran closed her eyes in despair. Yes, Hao Ge wouldn't lie to her.
Qin He was so insidious and cunning, and she had no capital to fight her right now. At the very least, they needed to open the bar. Otherwise, with the money she had, she wouldn't even be able to afford food tomorrow. This was reality.
Gu Ranran picked up the document and signed her name.
"Is that enough?" Gu Ranran asked with a cold face, looking at Qin He with hatred.
Qin He nodded and pointed to the other document. "Sign this one too. It's a duplicate, and I need to get it notarized tomorrow."