Tao Cong's words hit the nail on the head.
Tao Hui couldn't help but let out an 'ah' as well, exclaiming in shock:
"No way, no way."
Chen Ruanruan's lips trembled, her face paled a few shades, and she reacted vehemently:
"Tao Cong! How can you be so disgusting? The relationship between brother and me is the purest sibling affection."
"He sees me as his own younger sister. We grew up together since childhood. You people wouldn't understand this kind of bond."
As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Chen Haotian.
"Brother, you agree, right?"
Chen Haotian's eyes flickered. He nodded and said, "Mm! Ruanruan is like my own little sister."
It was at this moment that Chen Liuyue and Wei Miao arrived at the entrance of the Tao family house.
"Oh? Quite lively here," she said with a smile.
Jin Minjia, seeing her arrival, quickly said:
"Liuyue, hurry up and take your brother away. He barged in early in the morning, who knows what's gotten into him."
Chen Liuyue let out an 'oh' and looked at Chen Haotian.
She spoke with some difficulty:
"Auntie Jin, although... Chen Haotian is my brother, he only listens to Ruanruan as a sister. My words go in one ear and out the other."
"If you want him to leave, you'll need Sister Ruanruan to say so."
Chen Ruanruan glanced at Jin Minjia, then at Chen Haotian.
She wasn't a fool; she could see that Chen Liuyue wouldn't help her. If Chen Haotian left, she would be left to be bullied in the Tao household.
She whispered:
"Mom, brother came here for my sake. He's a guest. We can't just chase someone away first thing in the morning."
"People would say we lack manners."
Jin Minjia was furious, pointing at her and scolding:
"He stormed into our house first thing in the morning and gave me a thorough tongue-lashing. Isn't that lacking enough manners already?"
Chen Haotian couldn't bear to see Chen Ruanruan wronged.
"Teacher Jin, how can you speak to your own daughter with such a harsh tone?!"
Jin Minjia glared, saying:
"What of it? I've scolded Liuyue like this since she was little."
"Now Ruanruan is my biological daughter. What's wrong with me saying a few words to her? It's not like she'll lose a piece of flesh."
"Besides, Xiao Cong is right. My daughter has a fiancé. You, a foster brother with no blood relation, shouldn't be so close."
"It wouldn't be good if it caused misunderstandings!"
Standing outside the door, Wei Miao, hearing Teacher Jin say this, couldn't help but look at Chen Liuyue with a pang of heartache.
Lowering his voice, he asked:
"She used to treat you like this before?"
Chen Liuyue curved her lips into a smile, speaking with great nonchalance:
"Mm, verbal suppression. Actually, it's quite childish."
"I never let her control me. If she said something nasty, I'd retort with something even nastier."
Everyone has a rebellious phase.
Teacher Jin got a headache just from seeing her.
Over there, the conflict between Chen Haotian and Jin Minjia seemed about to escalate.
Chen Ruanruan couldn't hold back her tears and started crying, saying:
"Mom, brother, I know you both mean well for me."
"Please stop arguing. We're all family. Can't we just sit down and have a nice breakfast together?"
"I even got up early to make it myself."
Chen Haotian took a deep breath and said, "Fine, for Ruanruan's sake, I'll endure it."
Jin Minjia frowned, saying with disdain:
"Alright, stop crying at the drop of a hat. You're my daughter, be stronger."
"You're not even as capable as Liuyue yet."
Thump—
An arrow straight to the heart.
Chen Ruanruan wondered if she was hearing things.
Was her biological mother saying she wasn't as good as Chen Liuyue?
Chen Liuyue, standing at the main entrance, also heard herself being praised, but she felt not a single ripple in her heart.
She wasn't a little girl anymore, naively thinking Jin Minjia was genuinely praising her.
It was just a control tactic, deliberately praising one person to suppress another.
Like how some parents often say, "So-and-so's son or daughter gets such good grades, so much more promising. Look at you."
These are all suppressive remarks.
To confirm the parent's dominant position, making it easier to control you later.
She was clear-headed.
She wouldn't fall for it.
Everyone sat down to have breakfast together.
Besides Chen Haotian, Wei Miao, who was visiting, was also asked to stay.
Old Mrs. Tao's eyes lit up. Upon hearing that Wei Miao was also from a wealthy city family, she couldn't help but ask:
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Look at our Xiao Hui, so pretty and hardworking. She's wonderful."
As she spoke, she gently nudged Tao Hui closer to him.
Tao Hui, from the first glance at Wei Miao, couldn't help but lower her head shyly.
Hearing Old Mrs. Tao say this, her face flushed even redder.
Tao Cong's scrutinizing gaze swept over Wei Miao's suit and the watch on his wrist, a shrewd glint flashing in his eyes.
Leaning close, he whispered in his sister's ear:
"Sis, this one's a real catch."
"That watch on his wrist seems to cost several hundred thousand."
Tao Hui gasped.
However, the look in her eyes when she turned to Wei Miao grew even more fervent.
She called out shyly:
"Brother Wei Miao, hello."
Wei Miao frowned: "Don't. My parents only have me, one son."
He then looked at Old Mrs. Tao, his tone indifferent:
"I have a girlfriend."
Old Mrs. Tao looked regretful upon hearing this.
Tao Hui was also greatly disappointed.
"Who is it?" Their gazes shot over in unison, still somewhat unwilling to give up.
The corners of Wei Miao's lips lifted slightly. He turned to look at Chen Liuyue sitting beside him.
Extending his hand, his voice gentle, he said: "Yueyue."
Under the gaze of everyone at the table, Chen Liuyue also revealed a sweet smile.
"Mm."
She placed her hand on top of his.
Their fingertips touched, and Wei Miao gently yet firmly enveloped her palm in his.
Old Mrs. Tao looked utterly pained and regretful.
"Young man, you might not know, but this Liuyue, her temper is quite..."
Chen Liuyue slightly raised her head and let out a soft, questioning "Hmm?"
Old Mrs. Tao immediately shut her mouth, not daring to continue.
She hadn't forgotten the time she told her eldest son, Tao Tian, that his daughter was disobedient and might as well be sent off to an arranged marriage early.
The very next day, Chen Liuyue went to the village matchmaker and spread the word that Old Mrs. Tao was feeling amorous and wanted to find a second spring behind the old man's back.
Old Mrs. Tao didn't know what was happening at first, only noticing people in the village pointing and whispering about her.
Some even covered their mouths and snickered behind her back.
It wasn't until the matchmaker came to her door that she found out her eldest granddaughter had pulled this stunt behind her back.
And what's more, Liuyue had played the victim first, telling Grandpa Tao about this matter.
That little mouth of hers could turn white into black and black into white.
The old lady, at her age, was filled with nothing but regret!
She never dared mention sending Liuyue off to get married again.
Tao Hui was also somewhat jealous.
But while she dared to pick on Chen Ruanruan, she didn't dare provoke Chen Liuyue.
So she lowered her head and silently drank her rice porridge, thinking to herself:
"Actually, that foster brother of Chen Ruanruan's seems pretty well-off too. Maybe... that could work."
