Chen Haotian pursed his lips.
"I understand."
"You like Qin Xuanye, don't you? Don't be afraid, your brother will help you."
"I'll call Dad right now!"
But before Chen Haotian could dial the number, Chen Zhenye had already called him.
The call connected to a torrent of scolding:
"You useless fool! What do you think I sent you to the branch company for? It was to properly train you."
"And what happened? You ran off to Tao Village for Chen Ruanruan, abandoning the company. Do you have any idea how the people below see you now? Those old guys on the board are laughing at me behind my back."
Chen Haotian hadn't even said a word yet.
He was already being berated mercilessly.
But he didn't dare to fight back.
He listened obediently until his father finished venting, then cautiously said,
"Dad, I know I shouldn't have been so impulsive."
"But you don't know how awful the Tao family and those relatives are. They bullied Ruanruan, she even cried."
"And that Teacher Jin, who claims to be Ruanruan's birth mother, either hits or scolds her, and orders Ruanruan to get up early to light the big stove to make breakfast for them."
"This isn't how you treat a daughter; it's clearly how you treat a servant."
On the other end of the line, Chen Zhenye listened to his son's complaints and grievances.
He asked a very calm question.
"What does that have to do with you?"
Chen Haotian covered the phone, afraid Ruanruan might hear, and walked a few steps away, saying,
"Of course it has to do with me. Ruanruan is my sister. I can't just stand by and watch her get bullied."
Chen Zhenye's tone was icy.
"Ruanruan is the Tao family's daughter. They have the right to decide how to treat her."
"And remember, Liu Yue is your biological sister, connected by blood."
Chen Haotian, very unconvinced, opened his mouth and said, "But..."
Chen Zhenye stated gravely:
"Haotian, you've overstepped."
"If you dare to exceed a brother's concern again, believe me, I'll send Chen Ruanruan far away where you'll never see her again in your lifetime!"
Chen Haotian said guiltily, "Dad, what do you mean?"
Chen Zhenye said:
"Stop pretending. I'm your father; I can see right through your little thoughts."
"Besides, Ruanruan is meant to marry into the Qin family in the future. I don't want any problems."
Hearing this, Chen Haotian quickly changed the subject.
"Dad, speaking of the Qin family, there's something I need to tell you."
"That brat Qin Xuanye, he's actually Liu Yue's ex-boyfriend. He just came looking for Ruanruan, saying he wants to break off the engagement."
"It's really too much! Ruanruan likes him so much, and this is how he hurts her..."
Seeing that Chen Haotian was still rambling without getting to the point, Chen Zhenye swiftly interrupted:
"Qin Xuanye is determined to break the engagement?"
"What if we change the marriage alliance candidate to Liu Yue?"
Chen Ruanruan had been secretly listening to her brother's call with their father.
Hearing this sentence felt like falling into an icy abyss.
What did this mean?
Was Dad giving up on her?
Chen Haotian was even more incredulous. "Dad?! What nonsense are you talking? That's Ruanruan's fiancé."
Chen Zhenye said calmly:
"There was never any 'Ruanruan's fiancé.'"
"There is only the marriage alliance between the Qin family and our Chen family. Qin Xuanye is our Chen family's future son-in-law."
"As for which daughter it is, either one will do."
Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Haotian saw Chen Ruanruan cover her eyes and run away.
He was both angry and anxious.
"Dad, this is so unfair to Ruanruan!!!"
Chen Zhenye: "What is fair? Chen Ruanruan has enjoyed twenty years of privileged conditions in our Chen family, while your biological sister suffered hardships. There's no fairness to speak of anymore."
"Chen Haotian, let me remind you again! You are not the only heir to the Chen family."
After saying that, he angrily hung up the phone.
The air in the study seemed to freeze instantly.
Chen Zhenye remembered how, not long ago, his father-in-law Wu Hongjun had placed the records of Liu Yue's life over the years in front of him.
Wu Hongjun: "Xiaoyue stayed in the Tao family all these years. Not only did she not break down or become depressed, she even managed to raise herself so well. You should be grateful, and you should also blame yourself."
Chen Zhenye opened the investigation file, looked at the past records, and gradually fell silent.
What kind of highly-educated family was the Tao family?
It was all just nice-sounding talk.
Teacher Jin was a foster mother who enjoyed putting children down and advocated for hardship-based education.
Tao Tian seemed like a gentle and refined foster father, but he didn't involve himself in family matters.
He buried himself in his work at the school; he was always the missing piece in the family.
Even when conflicts arose and he needed to step in, he would just smile and play the peacemaker, telling the wronged party to swallow their grievances.
Just to maintain superficial peace.
Chen Zhenye had thought very clearly before. After all, Ruanruan was the daughter he had raised for so many years, investing effort and emotion.
Furthermore, from an economic standpoint, their family had money and could afford to raise two daughters.
Ruanruan could even be sent out for a family marriage alliance, which was very cost-effective.
But from Liu Yue's perspective, the moment they decided to raise both daughters together, it was already a hurt to their biological daughter.
The father-in-law sighed and said,
"Zhenye, a person can't have everything they want."
"If you're too greedy... you'll end up losing everything."
Back then, Wu Hongjun cared too much about Wu Peihua's feelings and deliberately neglected the needs of his younger daughter, Wu Lihua.
After all, the younger daughter was smart and capable; there was nothing she couldn't handle herself.
But no one expected that the overly intelligent and precocious younger daughter would eventually develop psychological issues.
Leading to a tragedy.
Snapping back to reality.
Chen Zhenye let out a long sigh.
He pushed open the study door and slowly walked towards the bedroom.
As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw his wife Wu Peihua on the phone, coaxing someone:
"My precious daughter, don't cry. It hurts me even more when you cry."
"Whatever it is, tell me slowly. Mommy will help you with everything."
Chen Zhenye walked over slowly and snatched the phone from his wife's hand.
Wu Peihua looked up, puzzled and surprised. "Old Chen, what are you doing? Ruanruan is calling me."
Click—
Chen Zhenye pressed the end call button.
He said calmly, "Although Chen Ruanruan still bears the Chen surname, we all know she is the Tao family's biological daughter."
Wu Peihua was stunned for a moment.
Then she exclaimed, "Old Chen, how can you be so cold-blooded?!"
"Yes, she is the Tao family's daughter, but she's also the daughter we raised from childhood."
"Twenty years of affection—even for a cat or a dog you'd find it hard to let go. How have you become like this? You used to dote on Ruanruan too."
Chen Zhenye: "What about Liu Yue then?"
Wu Peihua's agitated emotions paused slightly.
Her voice also softened a bit. "Liu Yue is our biological daughter. I won't treat her poorly either. I'll give her everything Ruanruan has."
Chen Zhenye: "Giving Liu Yue what Ruanruan has is already showing favoritism."
"Peihua, you keep saying your parents were biased, that they favored your sister Lihua more even though you were both their biological daughters."
"But what about you now? One is an adopted daughter, the other is a biological daughter, and your heart is already leaning towards the adopted one."
"In that case, how are you any different from my parents?"
