Chen Haotian, hearing his father say this, felt his resistance towards the Tao couple lessen considerably.
Chen Zhenye spoke again:
"Since Liuyue has returned, your mother and I have decided to meet with the Tao couple tomorrow."
"You'll all have a meal together, clear the air, and see how we should proceed from there."
Chen Haotian said warily, "No matter how good they are, I won't let Ruanruan go back with them."
Chen Zhenye shot him a sidelong glance.
With a serious expression, he said:
"Haotian, you're not a child anymore. You can't just act based on your own feelings."
"We'll have to see what Ruanruan thinks."
Chen Haotian immediately raised his hand in agreement. "Of course, I will absolutely respect Ruanruan's wishes."
Their conversation revolved entirely around Chen Ruanruan.
How to prevent her from feeling wronged, everything centered on respecting her wishes.
What an enlightened father, what a doting brother.
Yet they overlooked the person who truly needed care, Chen Liuyue, who shared the same bloodline.
She was like a shadow in the room, completely relegated to the background.
But Liuyue would not let such a thing happen.
She bounced forward and proactively linked her arm through Chen Ruanruan's other arm, smiling sweetly.
"That's wonderful! I've been an only child all my life, with no one to play with at home."
"Now it's perfect, I have an older sister. I'm really so happy."
"Mom, you and sister will both be good to me from now on, right?"
It took quite some nerve to say such words.
But Chen Liuyue not only said them.
She even said them without a hint of awkwardness.
Wu Peihua was stunned once more.
In contrast, Chen Ruanruan stiffened slightly the moment her hand was linked, then relaxed again. She turned her head to look at her.
Speaking gently, she said:
"Your name is... Liuyue, right?"
"I've always wanted a sweet and lovely younger sister too. From now on, I'll be extra good to you."
"To make up for what you've missed all these years."
Chen Ruanruan naturally had a face that exuded grace, stability, and dignified elegance.
Speaking these words softly and kindly, she couldn't help but make people feel close to her.
Chen Zhenye gave her an approving look.
Truly the daughter he had raised from childhood, she had perspective and was magnanimous.
Chen Liuyue curled the corner of her lips, smiling with an air of innocence.
"I haven't missed anything at all? My adoptive parents are wonderful."
"Didn't you hear what Dad just said, sister? My adoptive father is a university professor, not only highly educated but also elegant and handsome."
"As for my adoptive mother, she's an elementary school Chinese teacher, diligent and responsible in her work, highly praised at the school in our town."
"They were both very good to me, so it's no wonder sister turned out so well. It must be the genes, right?"
Seeing her praise her biological parents, Chen Ruanruan's smile became a few shades more genuine.
If that was truly the case, then she wouldn't feel so much guilt.
Originally, she thought that while she enjoyed comfort in the Chen family, Chen Liuyue suffered in the Tao family and would surely envy and hate her.
Thank goodness...
Thank goodness.
Seeing his biological daughter getting along so well with Ruanruan, Chen Zhenye immediately decided she should stay.
"Which room will I stay in, Dad?" Chen Liuyue called out sweetly.
Chen Ruanruan instinctively spoke up, saying, "My bedroom is the biggest. Now that little sister is home, she should have it."
Chen Haotian and Chen Liuyue spoke almost simultaneously.
"No way!"
"That would be great!"
After speaking, the two of them looked at each other.
Chen Haotian stared at her with a displeased expression.
Chen Liuyue, completely oblivious, still clung to Chen Ruanruan's arm and cooed,
"Sister, you're so good to me."
"Even better than my own brother is to me. I don't even want this brother anymore."
"Having you as my sister is enough!"
Her words both placed a high hat on Chen Ruanruan and subtly put down Chen Haotian.
The one being praised wasn't necessarily all that pleased.
The one being slighted looked increasingly grim.
Actually, Chen Ruanruan had initially only meant to be polite.
After all, saying this, even if Chen Liuyue wanted to act obedient and sensible in front of Mom and Dad, she would definitely say, 'I'll just choose another room.'
Unexpectedly, she didn't play by the rules.
She actually really wanted her room.
And now, having been put on the spot, although Chen Ruanruan was extremely reluctant, she forced herself to suppress her feelings.
She nodded with a smile.
"As long as you're happy, Liuyue."
Wu Peihua looked at Chen Liuyue with a hint of reproach in her eyes. She had just returned home and was already fighting and grabbing. It was truly shameless.
Chen Zhenye's gaze towards Chen Liuyue also lost some of its earlier gentleness.
However, she stuck to her established persona of a naive, sweet, and socially oblivious character. Smiling brightly, she pointed towards the stairs.
Addressing Chen Ruanruan, she said:
"Then, sister, can you show me my room now?"
My room.
My room.
These two words echoed in Chen Ruanruan's head like some kind of spell.
In less than a minute, Chen Liuyue was already calling her bedroom her room?!
"Alright." Chen Ruanruan forced out a proper smile.
Leading Chen Liuyue, the two sisters went upstairs, appearing affectionate and close.
...
Chen Haotian plopped down on the sofa next to his father.
He said with great dissatisfaction:
"Dad, didn't you see Ruanruan's expression just now? She must have been wronged."
"But she's generous and considerate of the difficult position you and Mom are in, that's why she gave up the bedroom."
Wu Peihua couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"I know Ruanruan is kind and generous too, but she just had to run into this sort of person."
Chen Zhenye slapped the table.
He looked first at Chen Haotian, then at Wu Peihua.
"Ruanruan is your sister, our daughter."
"But Liuyue also carries the Chen family bloodline. She is your biological sister, our biological daughter!"
Chen Haotian frowned, deflated.
He said quietly:
"I know that, of course. But I can't accept a stranger suddenly becoming my sister."
"Just this morning when I went to the airport to pick up Ruanruan, everything was still normal."
"It's too sudden. I need time to adjust."
Chen Zhenye gave an 'mm' of acknowledgment and added, "Then adjust quickly."
He then turned to look at Wu Peihua.
"And you, your relationship with your parents has been so strained. This event with Liuyue's return is a good opportunity to mend things with them."
Wu Peihua turned her head away unwillingly.
"I don't want to deal with them."
Chen Zhenye's initial entrepreneurial success was inseparable from his father-in-law's support. Who would have thought that after marriage, his wife's relationship with her family would deteriorate so badly.
The reason was related to her younger sister.
He had wanted to repair the relationship but never found the right opportunity.
If Wu Peihua could see that Chen Liuyue resembled her late sister, Chen Zhenye could see it too.
He concluded decisively:
"Tomorrow, when we have dinner with the Tao couple, I'll also invite your parents. This is a major event; they need to be involved."
Seeing her husband's firm tone, Wu Peihua could only purse her lips.
"Fine, fine, whatever you say."
"But I'm putting this out there right now: even if Ruanruan acknowledges the Taos, she absolutely must continue living here with me!"
