Jin Minjia's face showed displeasure.
Her parents passed away early, and her aunt was like a mother to her.
In the past, when Liuyue saw her great-aunt, she was always obedient, not like Ruanruan.
She scolded:
"Ruanruan, apologize to your great-aunt right now."
"You have no manners at all!"
Chen Ruanruan was at a loss and looked at Chen Haotian for help.
Chen Haotian stepped forward, shielding her.
"Teacher Jin, Ruanruan is your daughter, not your servant."
"Your tone is far too harsh!"
Jin Minjia scoffed twice. "I'm harsh? I can be even harsher."
With that, she raised her hand, aiming to slap Chen Ruanruan's face.
"I'm disciplining my own birth daughter, who dares to interfere!"
Seeing this, Chen Haotian also flared up. "You old witch."
Jin Minjia was incredulous. "What? How dare you call me an old witch?"
Immediately, the two of them erupted into a noisy scuffle.
Chen Liuyue stood not far away, quietly filming the whole spectacle with her phone's camera.
She even winked at Wei Miao beside her and said with a mischievous smile,
"Who do you think will win?"
Wei Miao said seriously, "They've both been unkind to you. I hope they both lose."
A smile touched Chen Liuyue's eyes.
"That's what I think too."
Chen Ruanruan was frightened by the scene before her and cried, trying to pull her mother away, but Jin Minjia pinched her viciously.
"Hurry up and pull your crazy brother away from me!"
Seeing her pinch Chen Ruanruan, Chen Haotian's heart ached, and his fist came down.
"If you dare bully Ruanruan, I'll kill you."
Chen Ruanruan panicked, crying out, "Stop! Please stop fighting. Wuwuwu... Mom, Brother..."
Unfortunately, no one paid her any attention.
Tao Hui, standing nearby, took the opportunity to secretly kick Chen Ruanruan in the butt.
Chen Haotian's fist landed unexpectedly on Chen Ruanruan, who had been kicked into the fray.
He was horrified. "Ruanruan, are you okay?"
Seeing him stop, Jin Minjia's slap landed firmly on Chen Haotian's face.
"You rude brat! Who are you calling an old witch? Say it again, I dare you!"
Supporting Chen Ruanruan, Chen Haotian said resentfully,
"Ruanruan just got hurt. Your own birth daughter is injured, and you don't care, yet you have the mind to hit me?"
Jin Minjia lifted her chin. "That's a separate matter. Besides, wasn't Ruanruan hurt by your fist?"
Just as their conflict was about to escalate again,
Chen Ruanruan could only cry out loudly, "Dad, please pull them apart..."
The refined university professor Tao Tian had been hiding in a corner of the battlefield, silently watching the scene.
How ironic.
Wei Miao took a deep breath, his heart aching a little. "A domineering mother, a father who plays deaf and dumb... Is this what your childhood was like?"
Chen Liuyue reached up and smoothed his furrowed brow.
Her tone was light and cheerful:
"Don't feel sorry for me."
"Everything that doesn't defeat me makes me stronger."
"Wei Miao, I have never been someone who needs others' pity or care. I can protect myself."
Wei Miao naturally took her hand and said gently,
"I know you are strong."
"And can protect yourself."
"In the future, you'll have one more person by your side. You can occasionally lean on me to rest."
"I'll be with you."
The corners of Chen Liuyue's lips lifted slightly as she gazed directly into his beautiful phoenix eyes.
"Brother Wei."
Wei Miao: "Hmm?"
Chen Liuyue: "You look so handsome when you talk."
Wei Miao: "..."
Chen Liuyue spoke without restraint: "It makes me want to kiss you."
Wei Miao's face instantly flushed red again: "..."
Chen Liuyue raised a slender willow-leaf eyebrow, teasing:
"You're so cute when you're shy, it makes me want to pin you against the wall and kiss you even more."
Wei Miao kept a straight face, saying seriously, "Alright, noted. You like wall pins. We can try that next time we have a chance."
Chen Liuyue tugged at his tie.
"Don't wait for next time. Let's do it tonight."
Wei Miao's phoenix eyes widened instantly, his pupils flickering.
Chen Liuyue laughed even more happily seeing his rare, brain-frozen expression.
Teasing a kitten is so much fun.
...
In the end, it was Tao Tian who stepped in to separate the two.
Jin Minjia was still fuming. After being pulled away, she shouted at Chen Ruanruan, "Make your foster brother get out of here right now!"
Chen Haotian was led aside by Chen Ruanruan.
Hearing this, he raised his head defiantly and said,
"No way! If I leave, what if you bully Ruanruan?"
"If you want me to leave, fine, but only if Ruanruan comes with me."
Chen Ruanruan felt a flicker of hope.
To be honest, she really didn't want to stay in the countryside anymore.
The way those relatives looked at her was like examining a rare object.
And Jin Minjia, her birth mother—after witnessing her domineering and controlling nature, Chen Ruanruan felt suffocated.
It would be wonderful if her brother could take her away.
But Jin Minjia would never let that happen.
She stated categorically:
"I gave birth to Ruanruan. She is my daughter. She's only been back with the Tao family for a few days, and she hasn't even met all the relatives yet. Why should she go back with you?"
Tao Tian quickly tried to mediate. "Haotian, don't be angry. Teacher Jin, you should calm down too."
"Ruanruan coming back to her hometown to meet relatives is supposed to be a happy occasion. How could we possibly make her feel wronged?"
"Haotian, your concern just got the better of you. This was supposed to be a joyful time, no need to let it turn into such a mess."
"Ruanruan, isn't that right? Haven't Mom and Dad been good to you?"
Tao Tian's gaze fell on Chen Ruanruan. It seemed gentle and refined, but held a hint of pressure.
Chen Ruanruan met his gaze.
She nodded timidly and said, "Right."
Seeing this, Tao Tian smiled even more kindly.
"There, see? Everyone should sit down and chat happily with the relatives. That's much better."
With this peacemaker intervening, Jin Minjia gradually calmed down.
However, Chen Ruanruan was still forced to say several nice things to her great-aunt. Only then did the old lady nod in satisfaction.
Her words were still dripping with sarcasm: "Coming from the big city sure makes you different."
Chen Ruanruan swallowed her anger.
She told herself, just get through these few days.
Chen Liuyue managed to endure it, so how could she be worse than her?
She could do it!
Chen Ruanruan's gaze fell on Chen Liuyue, who looked perfectly at ease by the doorway. She deliberately called out loudly:
"Liuyue, come in and join the chat."
"We sisters are so close. These elders used to be your relatives too. Come and say hello."
She was uncomfortable and wanted to drag someone else down with her.
Hearing this, Chen Liuyue glanced at her with a faint, mocking smile.
She stepped into the inner hall and politely greeted several elders by name.
Those difficult and mean-spirited relatives instantly seemed like different people.
In front of Chen Liuyue, they became as docile as clay statues, each one nodding and bowing with smiles.
Chen Ruanruan was utterly stunned!!!
