THIP Chapter 47 V1

Gu Changran lay on the clean, soft bed, still in disbelief that she had been adopted. And that man—he had even given her a name.

Gu Changxi. Gu Changran.

“I hope you’ll live your life in peace.”

As she recalled the gentle expression on Gu Changxi’s face when he said those words, a soft smile unconsciously tugged at Gu Changran’s lips.

In her heart, she quietly whispered, “Big Brother.”

That night, she slept soundly and without dreams.

—

The next morning, when the butler was about to call Gu Changran down for breakfast, Mu Liuyin stopped him and knocked on the door himself.

Gu Changran had already freshened up, though she wasn’t sure what she should be doing next. When she heard the knock, her beautiful eyes lit up. She quickly opened the door—standing there was the very man who had brought her home yesterday: her new brother.

She stood nervously in place, the tips of her ears turning red. Her past made her hesitate—she didn’t know if she should call him brother yet.

“Come down for breakfast,” he said gently above her, his voice soft and laced with warmth. “Changran.”

Hearing her name spoken so gently, a blush crept across Gu Changran’s cheeks. She nodded seriously, then softly called out, “Big Brother.”

After that, the little girl tilted her face up to look at him, her large eyes filled with anxious uncertainty, like she was worried he might not respond. The sight was painfully adorable.

Mu Liuyin reached out and gently patted her head, smiling. “Good girl.”

—

At the dining table, the breakfast in front of Gu Changran was a carefully prepared, nutritious meal—one Mu Liuyin had specifically instructed the chef to make.

Because of her difficult life in the orphanage, her body had been undernourished for a long time. Though she was already thirteen, she still looked like she was only eight or nine.

This was the first time Gu Changran had ever seen such a hearty meal. She ate cautiously, taking tiny bites, like a little hamster sneaking food.

“Don’t be so careful. Eat more,” Mu Liuyin said with a helpless smile. She blinked up at him.

“Changran, don’t worry—you won’t eat your brother’s poor.”

Her face turned red. Of course, she knew he was wealthy. Before yesterday, she had thought mansions like this only existed in fairy tales.

But she’d heard the orphanage director say that wealthy families were extremely particular about etiquette. Gu Changran had never learned anything about proper manners, so all she could do was act as carefully as possible, afraid of doing something wrong and being sent back.

Still, she thought, someone as gentle as Big Brother probably doesn’t care about things like that… right?

She stole a glance at Mu Liuyin, only to find him watching her with a soft smile in his eyes. Gu Changran quickly lowered her head and pretended to focus on her food like nothing had happened.

How is she this cute? Mu Liuyin’s smile deepened.

—

Shortly after breakfast, the Gu family’s doctor, Yu Chen, arrived.

The moment he stepped inside, a teasing smile curled at his lips. He looked at the tiny, skinny Gu Changran and said, “Oh, so this is the little girl you adopted? She’s adorable.”

Yu Chen had a slightly roguish charm to his looks, and when he smiled, there was something mischievous about him. Gu Changran glanced at him briefly before lowering her head again.

Mu Liuyin shot Yu Chen a cold look, then gently told Gu Changran not to worry and had Yu Chen perform a check-up.

In the original storyline, Gu Changran had also gotten a physical exam right after entering the Gu family—but back then, Gu Changxi only did it to prepare her heart for a transplant. Unlike the original character, Mu Liuyin simply wanted to improve her health out of genuine care.

Because of Bai Qi’s illness, the Gu family had its medical room, so the check-up could be done at home.

Once it was over, Mu Liuyin told Gu Changran she could watch TV in the living room, then headed to the study with Yu Chen.

“How is she?” Mu Liuyin asked.

Yu Chen tossed the report onto the desk and raised an eyebrow. “Malnourished. And she’s got a bunch of old scars from being beaten. But if she gets proper care for a few years, she’ll recover.”

Mu Liuyin’s tense brows eased slightly. “That’s good.”

“She’s also a near-perfect match for Bai Qi’s heart—and the risk of rejection is very low,” Yu Chen added.

Mu Liuyin froze for a moment, only then remembering that Yu Chen knew about the original plan to use Gu Changran’s heart for Bai Qi.

Her brows knitted slightly.

Yu Chen had once tried to persuade the original Gu Changxi to search for a willing donor instead. But back then, just hearing the phrase “low rejection risk” was enough to make him refuse to give up on Gu Changran’s heart.

Recalling the gentle way Gu Changxi had treated her when they first arrived, Yu Chen’s voice turned a bit somber.

“If you’re still planning to give her heart to Bai Qi, why are you being so kind to her? Gu Changxi, sometimes—aside from how you treat Bai Qi—I wonder if you’re completely heartless.”

Mu Liuyin was silent for a moment. Then she said coolly, “Don’t say a word about the heart. I’ve already ordered people to keep looking for a suitable donor. Even if we never find one… I won’t use Changran’s heart for Bai Qi.”

Yu Chen looked at her, a hint of surprise in his gaze. Under the light, the man’s sharp, aloof features softened just a little. After a moment, Yu Chen let out a lazy smile.

“I hope so. I like that little girl. She’s sweet and soft.”

Still, knowing how much Gu Changxi cared for Bai Qi… Yu Chen didn’t fully believe her.

If a matching heart were found, maybe Gu Changxi would keep her word.
But if not, between Bai Qi and Gu Changran, Gu Changxi would only choose Bai Qi.

Of course, that was just the original character’s choice. What Yu Chen didn’t know was that if only one between Bai Qi and Gu Changran could survive, Mu Liuyin would choose Gu Changran without hesitation.

At that moment, Mu Liuyin’s phone rang. She picked it up and saw the caller ID read “Qier.”

She swiped to answer, and Bai Qi’s soft, delicate voice came through:
“Brother, Qier misses you.”