Chen Liuyue thought for a moment and quickly replied.
"I'm more curious, Brother Wei Miao, why did you want to add me on WeChat?"
Wei Miao, on the other end of the phone, had just stepped out of the shower.
Steam filled the air. He wore only a white bathrobe, the belt loosely tied.
It revealed the wheat-toned skin of his chest and the defined lines of his muscles.
Beads of water, not yet dried, trailed from his face down his throat and dripped onto his chest.
It carried a certain inexplicable allure.
The first thing he did upon picking up his phone was open WeChat.
He saw the message.
He couldn't help but chuckle softly.
His slender fingers tapped on the phone screen.
"I'm curious about you."
Chen Liuyue: "Alright, I admit I am indeed quite special, so it's normal for you to be curious. Then, I'll give you a chance to get to know me, okay?"
Wei Miao replied with a smile: "What chance?"
Chen Liuyue: "I don't want to stay at the Chen house today. Come pick me up and take me out."
Wei Miao: "Is that appropriate?"
Chen Liuyue: "Why wouldn't it be? Are you scared? Or... are you not actually that curious about me?"
Wei Miao: "Wait for me."
...
When Chen Liuyue went downstairs, the Chen family was already sitting in the dining room having breakfast.
Seeing her approach, Wu Peihua, who had been leaning close to Chen Ruanruan, froze, then subtly shifted her body back.
For some reason, Wu Peihua actually felt a bit guilty about her biological daughter seeing her being so close with the adopted daughter.
Chen Ruanruan was also taken aback.
Was Mother starting to care about Chen Liuyue's feelings?
Chen Zhenye waved warmly and said, "Liuyue, come have breakfast."
After she sat down.
Chen Zhenye added, "Last night's banquet was a great success. Everyone now knows our Chen family has another beautiful and outstanding second daughter."
Chen Liuyue picked up a glass and took a sip of milk.
She gave a very perfunctory "Mm-hmm."
Chen Zhenye hadn't expected such a reaction.
Seeing this, Wu Peihua was somewhat displeased. "What's wrong with you? Your father is talking to you."
Chen Liuyue looked very wronged.
"Mother, you're speaking to me so harshly."
"I'm just very tired from last night, and I woke up hungry with no food yet, so I have no energy."
"I really like Father. Look how good Father is to me, his biological daughter, even gifting me a big apartment in the city center."
As she spoke, she glanced at Chen Ruanruan, seemingly asking casually:
"Elder Sister, Father must have given you one too, right?"
The smile vanished from Chen Ruanruan's face.
While the Chen children had ample allowance, assets like stocks and properties were held tightly by Chen Zhenye; even Wu Peihua had no say in the matter.
She appeared to live in splendor, but in reality, if she left the Chen family, she would have nothing.
Wait, Chen Ruanruan suddenly remembered she still had shares.
Her smile returned as she said,
"Liuyue, you are Father's biological daughter, of course he treats you well."
"As for me, even though Father didn't give me an apartment, I am already deeply grateful just for him raising me all these years."
Both Chen Zhenye and Wu Peihua looked at her with satisfaction.
They praised, "What a good child."
Chen Liuyue also said with sincere expression, "Yes, Elder Sister is truly filial."
At this point, Wu Peihua remembered the request Chen Ruanruan had made to her earlier, before her biological daughter arrived.
She tentatively said,
"Next week, Ruanruan is going back to her hometown with The Tao couple. Liuyue, could you..."
Chen Liuyue: "No!"
Wu Peihua felt both awkward and flustered.
She said irritably, "Child, I haven't even finished speaking. Why are you in such a hurry to refuse?"
Chen Liuyue blinked and asked with a smile,
"Is it a good thing? If it's a good thing, I'll agree."
Wu Peihua nodded, "Of course it's a good thing. Look, you returned to our Chen family, and last night at the banquet, Ruanruan helped you greet the guests and introduced you to friends in our social circle."
"Now Ruanruan is going back to her hometown, meeting those relatives for the first time. Liuyue, you should also help your elder sister get to know them."
Chen Liuyue took a bite of her sandwich.
It contained dried pork floss, which she disliked.
She immediately spat it out with a "Pfft."
Wu Peihua: "..."
Chen Liuyue looked at her innocently.
"Mother, I really wasn't spitting at you."
"It's just that this sandwich is terrible, and also, I don't eat dried pork floss."
"Next time, could you tell the chef not to make this flavor, please?"
Distracted by this interruption, Wu Peihua almost forgot what she was about to say.
So she nodded along, "Alright!"
Seeing the matter about to be brushed aside, Chen Ruanruan thought this wouldn't do.
She very considerately pushed her own untouched plate of sandwiches over and said,
"Liuyue, have mine. This sandwich doesn't have dried pork floss."
Chen Liuyue blinked her eyes gratefully.
"Elder Sister, you're so kind."
Chen Ruanruan was about to curve her lips into a smile.
But the next moment, Chen Liuyue pushed the plate back, saying with a sincere face,
"However, I never eat what's left on someone else's plate."
"Leftovers, how unappetizing."
As she spoke, she raised an eyebrow, a flash of provocation in her eyes.
Chen Ruanruan clenched her fingers, using all her strength to restrain herself from losing her temper in front of Mother and Father.
This was too much!
She was implying that Chen Ruanruan had picked up the 'leftover' Qin Xuanye and was still eagerly chasing after him.
If only Brother were here, she wouldn't be bullied like this by Chen Liuyue.
Thinking this, Chen Ruanruan's eyes reddened as she looked at Wu Peihua.
"Mother, I meant well..."
Just as Wu Peihua was about to say something, they heard Chen Zhenye put down his cup and say sternly,
"Enough! Our Chen family isn't so poor we can't afford a proper breakfast. Tell the chef to make a fresh one for Liuyue."
Chen Liuyue raised the corners of her mouth happily.
She smiled sweetly and said,
"Thank you, Father! I only like things that are fresh and hot."
Chen Ruanruan took a deep breath.
Controlling her emotions, she bit her lower lip and said softly,
"Liuyue, I'm sorry, I was just afraid you were hungry."
"And that plate wasn't leftovers either, I hadn't touched it at all."
Chen Liuyue gave another perfunctory "Mm-hmm."
Chen Ruanruan probed,
"Whenever I think about going back to the hometown, a completely unfamiliar place, I actually feel very nervous and scared."
"And Father Tao and Aunt Jin and I have only met once, I don't know..."
Chen Liuyue frowned and immediately interrupted.
She looked at Chen Ruanruan as if she had committed some heinous crime.
"What? It's been almost a week, and you, Elder Sister, haven't even taken the initiative to call them?"
"No matter what, they are your biological parents."
"No matter how busy you are, you can't be so cold. Father Tao and Aunt Jin must be so heartbroken."
"Elder Sister, you are so filial to Mother and Father, but how can you be so indifferent to your own biological parents!"
