Lin Muke was slightly taken aback for a moment, then quickly realized.

When Yuyin first mentioned “Aunt Gu,” Lin Muke had already been pondering: a girl with the surname Gu… Naturally, her thoughts drifted to Gu Qianqian from the neighboring class—the student representative of their year. Of course she remembered her; she just hadn’t been certain.

Only when Yuyin spoke the full name did Lin Muke’s heart churn violently once more.

Disbelief, frustration, and confusion swirled within her.

How could the other girl also like Ye Huaixian—and even earlier? Otherwise… Ye Huaixian wouldn’t have rejected her…

Her frustration deepened. Gu Qianqian’s advantages surpassed imagination: born into a prominent family, undeniably beautiful even by Lin Muke’s standards, and with a personality as distant from hers as two parallel lines—virtually her opposite.

If Gu Qianqian had already won Ye Huaixian’s heart first… did that mean she had zero chance? If Ye Huaixian was drawn to *that* kind of personality… she herself would surely receive little attention.

Though Lin Muke tended to imagine the worst, she snapped out of it quickly.

That was the source of her confusion.

Gu Qianqian was already so captivating—surely few boys could reject her advances.

Then… why was *she* the one who ended up bearing Ye Huaixian’s child, Yuyin?

Lin Muke fell into deep thought. This meant that even in the original timeline—without Yuyin’s interference—she had triumphed over Gu Qianqian through her own effort alone!

But how to defeat her now… especially when Gu Qianqian had already gotten a head start…

A tiny dark cloud seemed to hover above Lin Muke’s head as gloom settled over her. Yuyin sighed helplessly, leaned back, and lay her petite frame on her mother’s fragrant bed.

After a silence, she suddenly spoke.

“Mom… What if I go talk to Dad and come clean? And… give him a piece of my mind for you… Um…” Though her voice faltered toward the end, Ye Yuyin steeled herself for her mother’s sake.

Lin Muke exclaimed sharply, “No!” She flatly rejected little Yuyin’s offer.

Yuyin sat up again, her face etched with confusion as she looked at her mother.

“If I relied on Yuyin’s power to force Ye Huaixian and me together… that would just be… a marriage without love or soul.” What she meant was a union born of circumstance—a pregnancy-driven match, rarely ending well.

Lin Muke was simply too pure-hearted. She longed for mutual, sincere love and marriage.

“So… Yuyin, trust Mom. I won’t lose to Gu Qianqian. No outside help. Only my own effort. I *will*… make Ye Huaixian fall for me.”

Hope reignited in Yuyin’s eyes. She gave a firm “Mm!” and added,

“I believe in you, Mom! You’ll win Dad’s heart and defeat Aunt Gu!”

“Mm… I will.” Lin Muke finally regained her spirit. She rose from the floor. Ye Yuyin stood up on the bed, tiny feet padding softly. Lin Muke pulled her close; the little girl buried her face in her chest.

Though a faint blush tinged her cheeks, Lin Muke showed no shyness. Her eyes gleamed—resolute, radiant, and uniquely beautiful.