Chen Haotian thought she was like a nouveau riche who had suddenly struck it rich.
"As soon as you have money, you go shopping and buy clothes?"
"You should learn from Ruanruan. Every month, she sets aside a portion of her allowance to donate to children in impoverished mountainous areas."
Chen Liuyue let out an 'oh' and stretched her hand out towards Chen Ruanruan with a laugh:
"Sis, I'm quite impoverished too. How about you donate some to me every month as well?"
Seeing her like this, Chen Haotian was so angry he couldn't speak.
Chen Ruanruan, however, mindful of the few girls beside Liuyue, said with a smile:
"Liuyue, stop joking with brother. You know how rigid he can be."
"By the way, are these the roommates you're planning to invite home in a few days?"
Chen Liuyue nodded.
She briefly introduced everyone's names.
Chen Haotian frowned and said, "You want to invite people to our house? How come I didn't know."
Chen Liuyue flashed a scornful smile at this 'brother-in-name-only'.
"As long as Dad and Mom know, it's fine."
"You're not the one in charge of this household."
Chen Haotian raised his voice agitatedly, "You..."
Afraid of any negative repercussions, Chen Ruanruan quickly stopped him.
"Brother, since Liuyue is shopping with her roommates, let's not disturb them."
Chen Haotian pursed his lips and was about to leave.
Suddenly, Chen Liuyue called out to him.
"Wait, brother."
"What is it?" He turned around impatiently.
"Money." Chen Liuyue held out her hand and said, "It's only natural for brothers to buy clothes for their sisters. I'll let the past twenty years slide."
"But now that we've run into each other, shouldn't you make up for today's share?"
Chen Haotian frowned.
"How much?"
Chen Liuyue made an outrageous demand: "Twenty thousand!"
Chen Haotian picked up his phone.
"Fine, transferred."
Only after the pair of 'Chen siblings' had walked far away did Little Zhu dare to speak up: "Liuyue, your biological brother doesn't seem very nice to you."
Ya Ya added, "What do you mean 'not very nice'? He's clearly not nice at all! He acts like Chen Ruanruan is his real sister."
Da Mai, however, said honestly,
"Um, our clothes only cost two thousand, but you asked for twenty thousand."
Chen Liuyue said with a bright smile, "That's normal. I was fleecing him!"
"He was over there blabbering and lecturing, so annoying. Might as well just give me the money."
"And asking for twenty thousand isn't much for him. It's probably just the cost of two dresses for Chen Ruanruan."
Her other roommates fell silent upon hearing this.
They knew that the luxurious lifestyle Chen Ruanruan enjoyed was all misplaced; originally, all of it should have belonged to Liuyue.
...
On the other side.
As Chen Haotian walked Chen Ruanruan back to the school gate, her mood was low, her eyes rimmed red.
"Ruanruan, what's wrong?" Chen Haotian asked with concern.
Chen Ruanruan pursed her lips. It took her a long time to gather her emotions.
"Brother, do you think Liuyue's roommates, after seeing us, now know about my background?"
"Soon, everyone at school will know I'm not the Chens' biological daughter."
Hearing this, Chen Haotian comforted her with a pained and tender expression.
"Ruanruan, don't worry. In my heart, you are my sister."
"Chen Liuyue is just a distant relative with a blood connection."
"I will always be on your side."
Seeing this, Chen Ruanruan looked up, moved, but then she hesitantly shook her head.
"Her roommates are still coming to our house on Wednesday."
Chen Haotian said with certainty, "Don't worry, I'll talk to Mom and Dad about this. Our Chen family isn't a place just anyone can enter!"
Chen Ruanruan spoke hesitantly, "...Really? But won't Liuyue be unhappy?"
Chen Haotian comforted her:
"Ruanruan, you're just too kind-hearted. You always think of others but never consider yourself."
"If Chen Liuyue is unhappy, then she's unhappy. It's impossible to please everyone in this world."
"As long as the people we care about are happy, that's enough."
...
Upon returning home, Chen Haotian immediately voiced his opinion.
"Dad, I don't agree with letting Chen Liuyue bring all sorts of random people into our house."
"Mom, you dote on Ruanruan the most. If Liuyue's roommates come to our house and then go back to school spreading rumors, how will Ruanruan face everyone?"
Chen Zhenye fixed a deep gaze on Chen Haotian.
He stared until his son began to feel somewhat guilty.
"Dad, why are you looking at me like that?" Chen Haotian shrank back a little.
Chen Zhenye said, "You seem to be a bit too good to Ruanruan."
Chen Haotian was surprised and asked, puzzled, "Ruanruan is my sister. It's only right that I'm good to her."
Chen Zhenye corrected him, "Liuyue is your biological sister."
Chen Haotian: "That's different!"
Chen Zhenye said gravely, "It is different. Ruanruan has no blood relation."
Wu Peihua, who was originally about to speak up for her son, froze upon hearing these words.
It took her a long moment to regain her composure.
"Old Chen, what do you mean by that?"
Chen Zhenye rapped his knuckles on the table and said,
"I hope I'm overthinking it."
"Haotian, now that Ruanruan's identity as non-biological is exposed, you, as a brother with no blood ties, should keep your distance."
"Don't make Xuanye unhappy."
Chen Haotian swayed slightly, his face showing panic and confusion.
He even began to stammer.
"Dad, what do you mean by that?! I genuinely see Ruanruan as my own sister."
"It won't affect Ruanruan's relationship with Qin Xuanye."
"I'm just worried that Chen Liuyue will bully Ruanruan."
"Mom, can't you see Chen Liuyue is no pushover? Say something!"
Wu Peihua was still lost in the possibility that her eldest son might have feelings for her daughter Ruanruan, momentarily plunged into self-doubt.
After a long pause, she finally came back to herself.
"Haotian, your father is right. It's better to keep some distance."
Chen Haotian was incredulous!
His mother, who doted on Ruanruan the most, was actually saying such a thing now.
Chen Zhenye cleared his throat and said,
"Since you're back, it's a good time to tell you something. We plan to host a dinner party at home this Friday to publicly announce Liuyue's identity."
Chen Haotian: "...What about Ruanruan? She'll become the laughingstock of the entire event."
Chen Zhenye looked at his son with disappointment.
He used to think his kindness towards Chen Ruanruan showed he had the bearing of an elder brother,
who knew how to care for his sister.
But now, knowing Chen Ruanruan wasn't his biological child, the more he looked, the more Chen Haotian's attitude towards Ruanruan seemed unusual.
Moreover, the idea of holding a public banquet was suggested by his father-in-law, Wu Hongjun. Of course, he wouldn't go against his father-in-law's wishes.
Chen Zhenye cleared his throat again.
"Haotian, stop getting involved in the matters between Ruanruan and Liuyue!"
"Go to the out-of-province project tomorrow. Don't come back until the project is finished."
Chen Haotian's pupils flickered.
Was his father exiling him to the frontier?!
