Ch. 111..120

Chapter 111 What did you call me?

Downstairs, Tan Rou had already started eating her breakfast.

When Tan Rou came down by herself, the other three thought that she had failed. Mrs. Tao comforted her, “Did he lose his temper again? Don’t pay attention to him, hurry up and eat. I’ll deal with him!”

Tan Rou shook her head obediently and sat down. She calmly took a mouthful of porridge and said, “Don’t worry, he’ll be down here soon.”

Mother Tao and Tao Zheng looked at each other in surprise. They couldn’t believe that Tao Qi would really be so obedient. Usually, if they were to wake him up, they would have to coax him and even threaten him a few times before they could get this lazy bum who always had a bad habit of not being able to wake up in the morning.

But not long after, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs. Tao Qi rolled his eyes at Tan Rou unwillingly, but still sat down obediently.

Tan Rou ate her porridge with peace of mind and took a few mouthfuls of vegetables. She didn’t even look at Tao Qi. Tao Qi became bored and also lowered his head to eat.

However, this gave Tao Zheng and their parents a shock. Tao Qi had actually come down to join them after being called by Xiao Rou and the two didn’t argue. Although Tao Qi still had a morning temper, he didn’t grumble like he did in the past. Instead, he obediently ate his food.

Mother Tao’s eyes kept shifting between Tan Rou and Tao Qi. She felt that the atmosphere between the two children seemed to have changed. It may seem strange but Tao Qi seemed to be suppressed?

Mr. Tao seemed to have understood something. He thought of what Tan Rou had said last night. She knew what she was doing and she had asked him to just treat it casually. He didn’t expect that after just one night, there would be such obvious results. She was indeed his precious little girl!

Mr. Tao cleared his throat, signalling for Mrs. Tao not to make a fuss. He tried to smooth things over. “It’s good that everyone’s here. Let’s eat!”

Mrs. Tao nodded, sat down, and handed Tan Rou the black pepper sausage that she had specially prepared. “Xiao Rou, you have to eat more of this. Otherwise, you’ll get hungry quickly when you’re tired from studying in school.”

Tan Rou smiled sweetly and didn’t reject Mother Tao’s kind offer. She picked up a roasted sausage with a fork and began to eat it deliciously. “I usually eat a lot in the morning and would never be hungry even until noon. It’s all thanks to the delicious breakfast mom makes!”

Mrs. Tao was happy to hear that. She looked at Tan Rou with loving eyes. She was more satisfied to see her daughter eat more than if having it on her own.

Tao Qi raised his brow. He smelled the aroma of the sausage and couldn’t help but look over.

Tan Rou noticed Tao Qi’s focused gaze, as if he wanted to take the sausage from her mouth. Her eyes rolled and she deliberately said, “Actually, one would be enough for me. It’s not good to waste so many of them.”

Tao Qi snorted coldly. “You wanted to have them all to yourself? We should share it so that everyone can eat it together!”

However, Tan Rou continued eating by herself as if she hadn’t heard him.

Tao Qi was angry. He glared at the sausage in front of tan Rou and shouted, “Hey! Give me one!”

Mrs. Tao chided him, “Little Qi! I’ve prepared one for you as well. Can’t you see your favourite small steak that’s right in front of you?”

Tao Qi ignored his mother’s dissuasion and continued to stare at the sausage, unwilling to give up. Compared to Tan Rou’s sausage, Tao Qi felt that the steak he had was no longer looking delicious. He was already sick of it. The sausage was so oily and fragrant and Tan Rou didn’t want to share it! She was so selfish!

Tao Zheng chuckled at the side. “You just want what’s in another person’s bowl. Why are you drooling over her food?”

Tao Qi didn’t care what his brother said and was exceptionally stubborn.

Tan Rou glanced at Tao Qi and raised an eyebrow. “What did you call me? Hello? I didn’t hear it wrong, did I?”

As if a switch had been triggered, Tao Qi’s expression turned awkward. He weakly glared at Tan Rou and lowered his head. He no longer had his eyes on the sausage.

Tan Rou didn’t let him off so easily. “Of course I can share the sausage with you, but you have to say something nice, right? Not only the sausage but I seem to have recalled that you promised me something last night…..”

Tao Qi suddenly raised his head, frowned, and shouted, “Don’t say it! Didn’t we agree to keep it a secret?”

Tan Rou nodded. “Yes, it is a secret. Now, do you still want a piece of it? It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It’s delicious.”

Tao Qi’s eyes fell on the roasted sausage again, and he was struggling internally.

He was a child to begin with, so it was normal for him to be a little greedy. After being teased by Tan Rou, Tao Qi felt like he had nothing to lose. It wasn’t the first time he called her that anyway, so it wouldn’t make a difference if he called her a few more times, right?

Thus, under the shocked gazes of the rest of them in the room, Tao Qi blushed and awkwardly said to Tan Rou, “Big sis … Sister, please give me a piece of that sausage?”

With that said, he gave up on himself and lowered his head to drink his porridge. He was blushing so much that it felt hot.

 

 

Chapter 112 Almost Tamed

Tao Zheng almost spat out the milk in his mouth when he heard Tao Qi call her “big sister.” He coughed repeatedly and looked at Tao Qi in shock. What kind of medicine did this kid take? Then, he turned to look at Tan Rou, who was smiling with relief.

Mr. and Mrs. Tao seemed to have hit the pause button as well. They didn’t dare to say a word as they watched the situation between the two siblings change dramatically.

Tao Qi was still arguing about not acknowledging Tan Rou yesterday, and he was calling her sister this morning.

Mr. Tao secretly gave Tan Rou a thumbs-up while Mrs. Tao’s eyes were a little wet from excitement.

Yesterday, when Tao Qi refused to acknowledge Tan Rou, Mother Tao was so worried that she couldn’t sleep well. She didn’t expect to have such a big surprise when she woke up in the morning. How did Xiao Rou do it?

Tan Rou was very calm. She had already figured out Tao Qi’s temperament. She was always able to step on Tao Qi’s bottom line and constantly force him to retreat, making him struggle on the edge of erupting and compromising. Then, she would give him a sweet date, and he would be able to convince himself to do so.

Tan Rou considerately handed Tao Zheng a piece of tissue, then shot a consoling look at Mr. And Mrs. Tao, telling them not to worry.

Only then did he place the plate in front of Tao Qi. “Be a good boy; eat more of it. You’re still growing.”

After that, Tan Rou didn’t stay to provoke Tao Qi anymore. She got up and said goodbye. “I’m done. I’ll go to school first. You guys enjoy your meal.”

Mrs. Tao was still in a state of shock and joy. She replied, “Okay, okay, okay. Rou’er, be careful and study hard.”

Tan Rou smiled and nodded. She picked up her school bag and went out.

Only Tao Zheng and his parents were left, staring at Tao Qi in a daze. No matter how they thought about it, they found it rather magical that the little tyrant of the Tao family would one day bow his head obediently.

However, the three of them didn’t dare to say anything else. If they provoked Tao Qi now and he flew into a rage out of humiliation, Tan Rou’s efforts would be in vain.

Hence, they all lowered their heads in tacit understanding and acted as if nothing had happened. They ate their meals in silence, but the corners of their lips curled up in unison, secretly laughing in their hearts.

Although this little brat still looked awkward and unconvinced, it was a good start!

Tao Qi didn’t notice that the other family members were snickering. He was still immersed in the shame that Tan Rou had brought him. He fiercely stabbed the fork into the sausage and ate it in big mouthfuls, treating the sausage as Tan Rou. He was using such a method to vent his inner dissatisfaction.

‘Hmph, what an evil woman! Threatening me at every turn. I’ll eat all your sausages! He would be tall and strong! By then, she will never be able to bully me anymore!’

Tao Qi swept across the dining table, only stopping when his little stomach was full. He shouted loudly, “I’m full! I’m going to exercise later!”

Mother Tao pursed her lips and smiled. She could roughly guess Tao Qi’s thoughts. He was turning his grief into appetite, not forgetting to exercise after he was full.

He must have felt that he had embarrassed himself and wanted to use his physique to gain an advantage over Xiao Rou.

Mrs. Tao didn’t demoralize her child. Even though she thought that Tao Qi was only ten years old and wouldn’t be able to surpass Tan Rou for some time, she still nodded her head in encouragement.

“It’s been a good day. It’s good to exercise, but you still need to rest and digest before going. Otherwise, it’ll hurt your body.”

Tao Qi gave a casual reply and ran back upstairs.

After Tao Qi left, the remaining three looked at each other and laughed. Tao Zheng couldn’t hold it in and laughed out loud. “Tan Rou really has her ways. Is the little tyrant about to be tamed?”

Mrs. Tao smiled in relief. “Xiao Rou is really the most considerate and sensible child. Even when she was wronged, she still took the initiative to help us train Xiao Qi. It must be hard on her.”

Mr. Tao patted Mrs. Tao’s hand to comfort his wife. “Xiao Rou is a child with her own ideas and strong mental fortitude. We don’t need to worry too much.”

It was already too late last night, so Father Tao didn’t have the chance to tell Mother Tao about his conversation with Tan Rou. At this moment, Father Tao was relieved, but not as surprised as Mother Tao and Tao Zheng.

He knew that since Tan Rou was able to say so, she would be able to figure it out. She was no ordinary child.

Mrs. Tao nodded repeatedly, thinking that Tan Rou was a gift from the heavens. She was so smart and obedient that it would be incredibly difficult for them to find someone like her.

Mrs. Tao’s love for Tan Rou was indescribable, and she was even more concerned about Tan Rou’s previous grievances. She looked at Mr. Tao hesitantly.

Mr. Tao got the hint and patted Mrs. Tao’s shoulder meaningfully, hinting for them to have a private chat after the meal. Tao Zheng was still around and he had no plans to reveal the family’s affairs to the children.

Mrs. Tao nodded, suppressed the excitement in her heart, and continued eating.

Tao Zheng’s personality was more boorish, so he didn’t notice the secret conservation between his parents. He gobbled down his meal and returned to his room to study his photography.

 

Chapter 113 Friends

After cleaning up the dining room, Mrs. Tao went to have a chat with Mr. Tao about the study. Mr. Tao extracted the conversation he had had with Tan Rou the night before and comforted Mrs. Tao.

Mrs. Tao was shocked by Tan Rou’s abilities, but she was also pleased with Tan Rou’s magnanimous attitude. Her heart ached for Tan Rou’s determination to go all out. For a while, she had a mix of emotions, but she calmed down after a long time.

Mr. And Mrs. Tao looked at each other and made up their minds. Their child was so capable they obviously couldn’t hold her back. It was time to take action!

The two parents of the Tao family had complicated feelings, while Tan Rou felt relaxed on her way to school.

She checked up on Tao Qi’s condition early in the morning and was very satisfied.

Even if Tao Qi was still unwilling, he had already dropped his shell and was willing to interact with her.

In fact, Tao Qi had never been a bad kid. In her last life, Tan Rou and Tao Qi were like two little porcupines, stabbing each other with their hardest spikes.

Tan Rou complained about everything and gave up on herself. She never thought of getting close to Tao Qi. Instead, she constantly provoked and cursed him, intensifying his rebellion. The siblings were like fire and water.

However, when Tan Rou corrected her attitude in this life and intentionally got close to Tao Qi, she realized that he was actually a good child with a sharp mouth but a soft heart. He was, in fact, very sentimental.

He used to like Tan Jing, so he did everything he could to help Tan Jing deal with Tan Rou. However, if he thought it through one day and acknowledged Tan Rou, he would be willing to treat her wholeheartedly.

After all, they were connected by blood, and the improvement in her relationship with Tao Qi made Tan Rou particularly happy. She walked into the school with light steps.

Due to Zhuang Liu’s declaration of sovereignty the day before, there were more rumors that revolved around Tan Rou in school. Tan Rou felt the gazes from all directions and sighed helplessly. She was really getting famous this time.

Tan Rou didn’t care about the gossip or weird gazes. She walked alone on campus while the people around her deliberately avoided her.

They didn’t hate Tan Rou as much as they did in the beginning. It was just that Tan Rou looked cool, and there were so many rumours about her. For a while, no one dared to take the initiative to talk to Tan Rou. They were afraid that Tan Rou wouldn’t talk to them, and things might get awkward. It was better to watch from a distance.

Tan Rou did not mind it at all. She did things as she pleased and did not want to create an image of a fragile little flower like Tan Jing. The friendship between gentlemen was as light as water. As long as others did not, no one deliberately came looking for trouble; she would not disturb anyone else as well.

However, Tan Rou’s loner’s thoughts were quickly broken. Li Li was lying on the balcony of the corridor when she shouted, “Tan Rou! Come quickly, I came early today, and I’ve been waiting for you!” As she spoke, she waved her hands as if she didn’t see the surprised gazes of the people around her. It also seemed like she wanted to break Tan Rou’s lonely state. She shouted at Tan Rou from upstairs without restraint, smiling very brightly.

Tan Rou chuckled. She had actually forgotten about this little chatterbox. They had already become good friends.

She raised her arm and waved back with a gentle smile. Then, she quickened her pace and went upstairs.

The people around them were a little surprised. Tan Rou had already made a friend, and Tan Rou no longer looked fierce. She was just like a sweet little sister! She looks so pretty when she smiles!

As soon as Tan Rou went upstairs, Li Li held her arm. Li Li handed Tan Rou a bottle of chocolate milk and joked affectionately, “I’ve finally found you, the new campus Belle. My beautiful sister, please don’t forget me!”

Tan Rou laughed, but she felt confused. “Stop it with the nonsense. What’s with the new campus belle?”

Li Li smiled mischievously. “Everyone in school was talking about you this morning. They said that you look incredible. Most people agreed that you should be the new campus belle!”

Tan Rou said helplessly, “To be honest, I don’t understand how they picked someone to be the campus belle. Even now, when I’m the person involved, I don’t even know what the basis is.” There was one more thing that Tan Rou did not say. The previous school Belle was actually Tan Jing. She did not care about this kind of tasteless selection at all.

Li Li, on the other hand, was very happy. She leaned over to Tan Rou and whispered, “Who cares? Anyway, you’re better than Tan Jing. I’m happy that you’ve overthrown her. She won’t have the nerve to call herself the school Belle!”

Tan Rou looked at Li Li’s smug expression and shook her head. She allowed Li Li to say what she wanted. Those were just outsiders ‘judgments, and they wouldn’t bring her any academic credits.

However, as Li Li said, if she could defeat Tan Jing from a certain angle and make Tan Jing unhappy, then she would be quite happy.

 

Chapter 114 Stealing books

Tan Rou and Li Li looked at each other and smiled. As soon as they walked into the classroom, they saw Tan Jing sitting in her seat dejectedly. When Tan Jing saw Tan Rou, Tan Jing secretly cast a resentful look at her.

Tan Rou looked gentle but she smiled provocatively at Tan Jing and no longer looked at her. Instead, she and Li Li went to their seats.

The relationship between her and Tan Jing were already irreconcilable. So, there was no need to restrain her hatred for Tan Jing. If Tan Jing didn’t like her, then she could come and beat her up! If Tan Jing can’t do it, she was only worthy of her contempt.

However, as soon as Tan Rou sat down on her seat, she found that there was something wrong with it. She had clearly arranged the books before school ended yesterday, but now they were all in a mess, as if someone had flipped through them.

Tan Rou carefully looked through it and found that one of her textbooks was missing. Coincidentally, this book had just been listed as an important one by the teacher. She said that most of the contents for the exams would be in it and most of the important points of the recent mock exam were in it.

Tan Rou sneered. Another wave was rising before the other had ended. They were using such dirty tricks on her. Were they hoping that she would fail the exam?

Or was this just a small step in their scheme? It was a pity that they had to steal books instead of other things. Tan Rou hated trouble. She had her own unique learning method, all the knowledge was already in her mind. She was not willing to do anything unnecessary.

She didn’t know if they realized after they stole the book, but the book was actually blank. She had left the knowledge outline that she had arranged, based on her memory, back at home. Even if they had the ability to steal all those, it wouldn’t affect her at all.

However, Tan Rou felt that this kind of scheme was too naive. It might just be a small bait, and their ultimate goal wouldn’t be that simple. So, Tan Rou still cooperated and pretended to be a little flustered. She kept bending over and searching, but in fact, she was observing the reactions of the people around her.

Sure enough, she saw a hint of joy on Tan Jing’s face. Tan Rou remained calm and pretended to be angry as she loudly questioned, “Who took my book?”

The class was in an uproar. They looked at each other, not knowing what had happened. Only Tan Jing and a few girls who were close to her hid their unnatural expressions and pretended to be innocent, not saying a word.

Tan Rou threw the rest of her books on the table. Her face turned cold, as if she was really angry. “If you have the ability, do it in front of me. Don’t use such underhanded means! How am I supposed to study if you steal my books?”

Li Li Ran over worriedly. “Which other book is missing?”

Tan Rou sighed. “The one where the teacher said had important points, I clearly put it inside my drawer.”

Li Li also knew that this was definitely not a coincidence. She shouted anxiously, “Who is it that is so evil hearted?! ”

The rest of the class naturally didn’t know anything and could only watch the show curiously. A girl who was close to Tan Jing said indifferently, “Why are you shouting so early in the morning? It’s just a book that went missing. We can just look for it. Must it be that someone had stolen it? What do you take your classmates for?”

Li Li snorted coldly. “Chen Xiao, you’re just standing there and talking. The books were properly placed. Why was it that only one went missing?”

The girl named Chen Xiao wouldn’t accept being defeated. “Everyone’s books are in their seats. If they can’t keep their things properly, they shouldn’t be blaming it on the others. How would I know why was it only one that went missing? Don’t vent your anger on your classmates just because your book went missing!”

Li Li was so angry that she wanted to continue arguing, but then Tan Rou gently held Li Li’s hand, shook her head slightly, and said, “I would also hope that it wasn’t intentional. I didn’t vent my anger on any of you. I was just targeting one person here and I’m sure everyone knows that.”

The students who understood had already turned to Tan Jing. It was no longer a secret that Tan Rou and Tan Jing did not get along. Tan Rou’s words just now had a hidden meaning!

Tan Jing still maintained an innocent expression, as if she didn’t understand what Tan Rou was saying at all. She even turned back to comfort Tan Rou hypocritically. “Maybe you just misplaced. You can look for it again. That book is quite important for our next exam!”

Tan Rou glanced at Tan Jing and ignored her before looking away. Tan Jing’s expression was awkward for a moment, but she put on a gentle smile again, as if she was magnanimous enough to tolerate Tan Rou’s rudeness.

 

 

Chapter 115 The top student character setting

Li Li was worried for Tan Rou. It was obvious that it was Tan Jing and her group of bootlickers, but they had no solid evidence. Tan Rou did not allow her to quarrel with Chen Xiao because she was afraid that they would be wasting their time. It was impossible for them to win the argument.

Li Li sighed helplessly. Tan Rou was such a good person, but she was always bullied by people like Tan Jing. This stimulated Li Li’s sense of justice and desire to protect her.

She took the initiative to say to Tan Rou, “Xiao Rou, don’t worry. I’ll lend you my books. Let’s study together!”

Tan Rou smiled at Li Li and patted her to comfort her. She turned around and mouthed, “Don’t worry, I did it on purpose.”

Then, she gave Li Li a playful look.

Li Li’s eyes widened slightly. She realized that there were still students around looking at her, so she quickly pretended that she didn’t know anything. She winked at Tan Rou to hint at her before returning to her seat.

Li Li still looked worried, but she was secretly happy deep inside.

She had complete trust in Tan Rou. Since Tan Rou said it was fine, she must have figured something out. There must be a reason for her to deliberately make such a big scene and allow the whole class to hear it. After all, she couldn’t just suffer in silence! Sure enough, Xiao Rou was the smartest!

Tan Rou tidied up the desk and secretly frowned in disgust.

It didn’t matter if the books had been stolen, but Tan Rou felt very disgusted that those people had casually flipped through her things.

The strict and even perverted training she had experienced abroad had a great influence on Tan Rou, making her very territorial.

This was because one careless move could lead to an ambush. So, she had to be extra careful with her clothes, food, shelter, and transportation. These trials always came inadvertently, so Tan Rou had to be on guard at all times and make sure that she was in a safe environment. If anyone broke in, she would definitely take them as her target.

After returning to China, in the collective environment of the campus, she naturally could not be as different as she used to be. However, Tan Jing’s action still provoked Tan Rou.

Tan Rou sneered. It was not difficult to guess what Tan Jing had in mind. She valued reputation and status the most. Recently, Tan Jing had been continuously defeated and her reputation, which Tan Jing valued the most, had been badly damaged. This morning, there were so many people who supported her to be the new school Belle. Now that this title is gone, Tan Jing must be infuriated. So, Tan Jing wanted to beat her in academics. She was afraid that Tan Rou would do better than her and steal her status as the top student.

Unfortunately, Tan Jing was going to be disappointed.

When it came to their academics, even ten ‘Tan Jing’s would not be able to beat her. Tan Rou’s brain, which had undergone high-intensity training, was like a printer, automatically storing knowledge into Tan Rou’s mind. This was something that no one could steal.

No matter how much Tan Jing struggled, it was all in vain. However, Tan Rou would not allow Tan Jing to be aware of all these now. Tan Jing would only be angrier when she suffered a blow after being smug first.

Tan Rou tidied up the table and wiped it a few times with a disinfectant wipe, allowing her to feel more comfortable.

At this moment, the teacher walked in and said, “You will be allowed to revise freely today. Everyone must read through all the topics that you’ve learned. Tomorrow will be the preliminary test. I don’t want anyone in our class to hold us back. This concerns our future study plans, so you have to take it seriously. Alright, go ahead with your revision.”

As the teacher was speaking, Lu Qing walked into the classroom at a leisurely pace. He knocked on the door and reported his presence. Then, he leaned against the door and waited for the teacher’s permission.

He had no other choice. Lu Qing did not mean to be late.

Yesterday, Grandpa Lu still found out about how Lu Qing had used the radio for his own use. The principal went to the hospital to visit Grandpa Lu and they had a good chat. The principal then told Grandpa Lu about this matter as a joke.

At that time, both of them were chatting and laughing, and Grandpa Lu didn’t say anything. However, when Lu Qing went straight to the hospital after school and stepped into the ward, an apple headed his way.

Old Master Lu didn’t look sick at all. He still had the energy to be violent. Fortunately, Lu Qing reacted quickly and caught the apple. However, his palm was still numb from the shock.

Lu Qing complained, “Grandpa, why did you do that? Are you trying to kill me? I see that you’re still as strong as you were back then. Were you pretending to be sick?”

Old Master Lu was so angry that he glared at Lu Qing and scolded him. Lu Qing was forced to stand in a military stance as a form of punishment.

Although Lu Qing had been trained by Old Master Lu since he was young, he was still so tired that he collapsed on his bed the moment he returned home which was why he ended up waking up late for class.

 

Chapter 116 The tsundere Lu Qing

Seeing that Lu Qing was late again while being so lazy, the teacher couldn’t help but say, ” The exam will be happening tomorrow. Look at your condition now!”

Lu Qing smiled ingratiatingly, “Don’t worry, teacher. I will not drag the class’s grades.”

The teacher sighed helplessly, but there was nothing he could do about Lu Qing. Although Lu Qing always caused some small trouble and has always been lazy, his academic results had always been excellent. He didn’t have to worry too much. This made it impossible for the teacher to be angry at him for too long.

The teacher glared at Lu Qing and raised his chin, indicating for Lu Qing to return to his seat. After some thought, he still instructed, “Don’t be arrogant. Take a good look at the teaching material that I’ve mentioned before.”

Lu Qing nodded happily and walked to his seat.

The teacher turned around and left the classroom once he was done.

Lu Qing had just sat down when the boy beside him came over and whispered to him, “You missed another good show. Someone stole Tan Rou’s notes and she questioned everyone who was inside the classroom!” After saying that, he raised his eyebrows with a gossipy look. “Take a guess. Who could it be?”

Lu Qing frowned and turned to look at Tn Rou. The words were just on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. He turned to the boy and said indifferently, “How would I know? It has nothing to do with me.” With that, he took out his revision materials and prepared to read.

Seeing that Lu Qing wasn’t interested, the boy pouted and felt that it was boring. He mumbled, “The teacher just said that the books were important for the exam tomorrow and it just got stolen. Is there anyone who wants Tan Rou to do badly in the exams? Tsk, tsk, girls are so complicated.” Then, he lifted his chin in Tan Jing’s direction. “I think that person is the most suspicious. She definitely isn’t someone simple.”

Lu Qing chuckled and pretended to kick the boy. “You’re a man, why are you being so nosy? Get lost and stop disturbing me!”

After getting rid of the boy, his surroundings finally quieted down. However, Lu Qing felt that his heart was still in a mess. Originally, this had nothing to do with him; but for some reason, he had heard Tan Rou’s name so many times in the past two days that it caused Lu Qing’s mind to be filled with the thought that Tan Rou might be anxious now with how she lost her books.

“If she doesn’t do well, she’ll be sad.” Lu Qing muttered to himself with his head lowered. He couldn’t read a single word from the book in front of him.

Lu Qing realized that he was worried about Tan Rou. He shook his head and blushed.

What was wrong with him? Why was he so worried about a girl he had just met? This was something abnormal!

However, Lu Qing couldn’t resist it. He persevered until the end of the class. Lu Qing pretended not to care and walked to Tan Rou’s side with his books. He threw them aside and cleared his throat, “Cough cough … I heard that you’ve lost your book. I’ve already studied through them so you can have a look at it.”

Lu Qing felt extremely uncomfortable when he spoke. He didn’t dare to look at Tan Rou the entire time. His hands were clenched into fists in his pockets, and he was in a dilemma.

Lu Qing, what are you doing? Do you still want to be misunderstood? No… so what if others misunderstand? I’m just helping a classmate!

Thinking of this, Lu Qing felt much better. He forced himself to look at Tan Rou and acted normal.

Tan Rou looked at the study materials on the table and was stunned for a moment. She looked up at Lu Qing and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, but there’s really no need. You can keep them for your revision. Didn’t the teacher say that you shouldn’t be overconfident?”

Lu Qing looked at Tan Rou’s smile and his mind suddenly went blank. His pupils dilated slightly, and he could only hear his heart beating faster.

Why did Tan Rou suddenly smile at him like this? Did she smile like this in the past?

Lu Qing felt that he was getting weirder and weirder, especially after yesterday’s incident. Tan Rou seemed to have changed his perspective of her. Her every move was attracting his attention.

Lu Qing didn’t know what this meant, but at this moment, he really couldn’t stand Tan Rou’s bright smile.

Lu Qing’s face was slightly red. He quickly took the book back as if he was snatching it. “If you don’t need it, then forget it. Just pretend I didn’t say anything.” With that, he quickly walked back to his seat and lay down his hide, hiding his face.

Tan Rou sat there with a blank look on her face. She didn’t understand what was wrong with Lu Qing all of a sudden. Yesterday, he was still so carefree and generous in clarifying for her. Today, he became someone else. He was just as strange as the first time they met.

Tan Rou shook her head. She didn’t understand him, so she stopped thinking about it.

 

Chapter 117 Tan Jing who was jealous

However, Lu Qing’s strange actions weren’t as simple as he thought in the eyes of those who were observant.

Tan Jing’s face turned pale. She looked in Lu Qing’s direction and gritted her teeth.

She had always been in love with Lu Qing. How could she not know what it was like to like someone? Lu Qing took the initiative to deliver the books to Tan Rou and even stared at Tan Rou with that look on his face. This was completely different from his usual self. It was too abnormal.

Lu Qing was indeed pretending to be casual, but the more he tried to hide it, the more it showed that Tan Rou was special in his heart.

This realization broke Tan Jing’s heart and she felt extremely wronged.

She knew it. Lu Qing was lying when he said that he loved studying and that he didn’t have anyone he liked.

Not only did he want to clarify the scandal, but he also wanted to help Tan Rou vent her anger. He even hurt Tan Jing! He was still seduced by Tan Rou. How could he be so easily seduced by Tan Rou?

No matter how Tan Jing thought about it, she couldn’t figure out what exactly Lu Qing saw in Tan Rou. Ever since she left the Tan family, she had been putting on a long face every day. Recently, Tan Rou had become even fiercer. Tan Jing didn’t know where Tan Rou got her confidence from. She had obviously become the daughter of an ordinary family, but she was still so confident. Tan Rou was being so arrogant. She also became sharp-tongued and always tried to belittle Tan Jing. Did Lu Qing really fell for someone like him?

Tan Rou’s appearance was what Tan Jing hated the most!

She couldn’t stand how Tan Rou was still so proud even though she had lost everything. Every day, she would dream of pushing Tan Rou to the ground and kneeling down to her. However, Lu Qing seemed to be even more interested in Tan Rou now. This was something Tan Jing couldn’t accept.

Tan Jing turned her gaze back to Tan Rou. She recalled Lu Qing’s expression just now, and her heart turned sour. On one hand, she secretly hated Lu Qing for being blind. He actually abandoned her, the real young lady of the Tan family, and was interested in Tan Rou instead. On the other hand, she hated Tan Rou even more.

There was a reason for Lu Qing’s abnormal behavior. Tan Rou always had a cold face on, as if someone owed her a few million dollars.

But, in front of Lu Qing, she smiled like a flower. Wasn’t this seduction? Look at her flattering look, maybe she seduced Zhuang Liu with the same method.

Tan Jing did not want to admit that she was jealous of Tan Rou.

She could only keep telling herself that Tan Rou would never be ableto defeat her in terms of the advantages that Tan Jing had. As long as she worked hard and showed Lu Qing Tan Rou’s true colors. He would soon realize that Tan Rou was just a shallow, vulgar, and vicious woman. He would naturally remember how good Tan Jing was instead.

Tan Jing consoled herself. Even if Tan Rou used her foxy appearance to gain more support, it would be fine. Fortunately, Tan Jing had laid the foundation in advance, so she wouldn’t lose too many support in a short time. At least these people in the school had only begun to hesitate and did not completely hate her. All of this was only temporary.

Next up would be the battle between her and Tan Rou. Whoever performed better and won the favor of more people would be able to gain a firm foothold in the school, while the other would naturally lose face and it would be impossible for her to survive in school.

Tan Jing was confident that she could win the final victory. She didn’t care too much about some deviations in the middle. So what if there were some who thought that Tan Rou was handsome? What if they thought Tan Rou was pretty? At their age, the things they envied the most were family background and grades.

Tan Jing sneered. She had always been a top student. Even when she returned to the Tan family, she did not fall behind in her homework.

Tan Rou, that idiot, had never learned anything before. She came back because she couldn’t survive abroad. She definitely didn’t have time to study the courses in China, not to mention that she had taken away Tan Rou’s revision materials in advance. The Tao family had always regarded themselves as a family with a literary reputation. If Tan Rou failed her exams, she would be too embarrassed to return home.

At that time, the people in the school and the Tao family would know that Tan Jing was the only lady with excellent character and academic performance. Tan Rou was just an idiot who only knew how to act cool and fight ruthlessly! At that time, they would regret being blind.

Tan Jing thought about it happily, but she was still depressed by the assumption that Lu Qing might have already fallen for Tan Rou.

Tan Jing quietly took out a small mirror and carefully looked at her face. She was no longer as confident as before.

The more she looked, the more she felt that she wasn’t pretty enough. So, she took out a light pink lip gloss and carefully applied it.

Someone saw Tan Jing’s actions and quietly reminded her, “Tan Jing, the school doesn’t allow makeup. If you’re caught, your credits will be deducted!”

 

Chapter 118 A black wok

Tan Jing was stunned for a moment. She rolled her eyes as she thought of an excuse.

She pretended to smile shyly and deliberately raised her voice so that Tan Rou could hear her. “My brother just got back. He said he wants me to take him for dinner. I haven’t been looking well recently, so I don’t want him to worry. My brother loves me the most.”

Tan Rou heard it and looked up at Tan Jing. She knew that she was deliberately saying it for her to hear and wanted to see her panic.

However, she was afraid that she would be happy for nothing. The change in her relationship with Tao Qi was something that Tan Jing would never have expected.

As a result, Tan Rou glanced at Tan Jing and ignored her.

Tan Jing rolled his eyes and wanted to continue provoking Tan Rou. “My brother is perfect in every way but just that he’s too clingy. He’s been clamoring to see me the moment he came back and he even wants to wait for me at the school gate today!”

When the people around heard Tan Jing’s words, they were all very interested. However, some people were also puzzled. “That’s not right, Jing Jing. Aren’t you the only daughter in the Tan family? Where did this younger brother come from? Is he a cousin? It’s rare to see someone so close to my big sister.”

When Tan Jing saw that someone had finally asked this question, she was overjoyed and quickly explained, “Of course, I’m the only daughter of the Tan family. This younger brother is from the Tao family. After all, we grew up together. Although I’ve returned to the Tan family, our relationship will never change. I also treat him as my biological younger brother.”

The people around them finally understood. It turned out that the younger brother of the Tao family was still making a fuss about coming to find Tan Jing. It seemed that Tan Jing must have treated her younger brother very well in the past, which was why her younger brother was so reluctant to part with her. Even though he knew that she was not his biological sister, he still missed her so much. What about Tan Rou? She was his biological sister, but she didn’t seem to be close to her own brother.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Tan Jing smiled slightly and deliberately shouted at Tan Rou, “Tan Rou, Tao Qi was the one who contacted me first. You wouldn’t mind it, would you? He’s still a child, so don’t bother with him. Why don’t you come with us?”

Tan Rou raised her head and looked at Tan Jing with a smile. Tan Jing really liked putting hidden messages in her words.

Wasn’t Tan Jing just trying to make others feel that she treated Tao Qi badly, bickering with him and being jealous of their relationship? And he even hypocritically invited her to go together, bla bla bla~

However, the gazes of the people around them did change because of Tan Jing’s words. They felt as if they had learnt something interesting.

It seemed that Tan Rou didn’t get along well with her family after returning to the Tao family. It must be because Tan Jing had been too outstanding. In contrast, the Tao family still preferred their previous daughter. Tan Rou must be feeling unhappy about it, right?

Tan Rou didn’t care what the others thought. They were just a bunch of fence sitters, but Tan Jing’s smug expression made Tan Rou very unhappy.

Tan Rou smiled faintly. “I won’t. According to what you said, Tao Qi doesn’t like me but you’re inviting me now? Aren’t you just trying to make us fight? If I go along, how are you going to talk about those secrets together?”

Tan Rou emphasised the word ‘secret’ and looked at Tan Jing meaningfully. Tan Jing’s expression froze. She didn’t expect Tan Rou to tear down everything between them and even hinted that Tan Jing would provoke Tao Qi.

Tan Jing’s lips curled up. So what if Tan Rou knew that Tan Jing had been doing this on purpose? Tan Rou had no choice but to silently endure Tao Qi’s rebellion.

In order to not get outdone, Tan Jing automatically ignored the deeper meaning in Tan Rou’s words and changed the topic. “That’s good. We should allow Xiao Qi to have a pleasant dinner. But, Tan Rou, I still have to advise you that our families have a special relationship. Both parents have been kind to us, so we should be more filial. You should treat Xiao Qi better as well as those from the Tao family. That way, our parents won’t be sad. Also, you haven’t been back to the Tan family for a long time. Mom really misses you.”

Tan Jing’s words were very comprehensive. On the surface, she was just persuading Tan Rou, but behind it, there was a lot of meaning in her words. Everyone around could understand her easily.

Tan Rou did not get along with her brother in their new home and had made her parents unhappy. Moreover, it was a bit too much for her to forget the kindness of her foster parents for raising her. Even if they were not her biological parents, she should at least visit them.

Tan Jing was different. Even after returning to the Tan family, she still missed the relatives of the Tao family so much and even treated her little brother wholeheartedly. She was obviously a good daughter and sister.

The people around them all sighed. “Tan Jing, you’re such a considerate person. The relationship between the two families must have been great. No wonder your brother is so close to you.”

Tan Jing pretended to sigh. “It’s a pity that I’m not their biological daughter nor Tao Qi’s biological sister. There will always be times when I can’t take care of them. I still need Tan Rou to work hard on this.” She had casually shifted the blame of causing the chaos in the Tao family over to Tan Rou.

 

Chapter 119 Sincere and fake

Everyone was whispering to each other. It was rare to exchange daughters after 18 years, and it was a secret between the two families. The situation after the exchange aroused everyone’s curiosity. It was like a TV drama.

After listening to Tan Jing’s words, everyone looked at Tan Rou in unison, wanting to hear how Tan Rou would explain.

However, Tan Rou did not want to argue with Tan Jing over this matter at all. The quality of filial piety was not only by words. No one could prove anything. The parents of the two families could not be called to the school to evaluate the most filial daughter, right?

Tan Jing naturally knew this, so she preempted her and exaggerated her unfilial remarks. She had no way to prove it, which achieved Tan Jing’s purpose of disgusting others.

However, Tan Rou wasn’t in a hurry. She knocked on the table with her fingers and said slowly, “Tan Jing, last time when Chen Yi … Oh no, Aunt Chen, have you forgotten that she yelled at me? That day, I made it very clear that she and Uncle Tan did not have the grace of giving birth to me, and they did not give me much while they raised me. As parents, they were never kind to me, so why do I have to be filial to them?”

Tan Rou narrowed her eyes slightly. Tan Jing had been criticizing her for a long time, both openly and secretly. Now that she had said this, she had to spit it out.

“There’s a good saying where if they only gave birth to me and had not raised me, I should return a finger to them but if they did not give birth or raise me, nothing in my life would be able to repay what they have done for me. Unfortunately, the Tan couple gave me neither but I’ve already paid back what I should have. Besides, it’s not up to you to say whether I’m filial or not. It seems that you can speak on behalf of your parents and be on equal footing with them at home? Then, you’re not that filial as well.”

After Tan Rou finished speaking, she chuckled.

Tan Jing’s expression froze, and she secretly cursed Tan Rou for still being so eloquent.

The people around them suddenly realised the truth. That’s right. Not long ago, the Tan family had scolded Tan Rou in the restaurant. They heard that it was pretty unpleasant. They even accidentally slapped Tan Jing when they were actually targeting Tan Rou.

It seemed that Tan Rou had been badly beaten and scolded a lot in the past. It seemed that Tan Rou’s words made sense. Since they were not her biological parents and they did not treat her well, there was indeed no need to keep in touch with them!

Tan Jing saw that she couldn’t win against Tan Rou, so she didn’t want to make any more fuss regarding the Tan family. After all, she and Chen Yi were wrong in many things. The more she spoke, the easier it was for Tan Rou to get hold of something.

Tan Jing tried to lead the conversation to the Tao family. “You have a misunderstanding about the Tan family, so I won’t try to persuade you. I’ll be there to be filial to them. But according to what you said, the Tao family has been kind to you for giving birth. Are you going to make them feel sad?”

As Tan Jing spoke, she seemed to be sad and started to choke again. “Tao Qi was so anxious to find me. I was always worried that he would be unhappy at home. That’s why I decided to tell you about it. You don’t have to choke me with every word!”

Some people around them couldn’t stand it anymore and went up to comfort her. They also turned around to persuade Tan Rou, “She’s right, Tan Rou. As an elder sister, you should treat your brother better. Children are the most honest. He can be nice to whomever he wants. Tan Jing misses him so much which is why he made a fuss about coming to school to find Tan Jing.”

Tan Rou sneered. “Tan Jing, I wouldn’t have been angry if you didn’t mention this. Tao Qi is only ten years old. Even if he misses you, he’s running around like a newborn lamb in the streets filled with tigers; but how old are you? Don’t you know how to stop him? What if he got into danger on the way? It’s great that you are concerned about him.”

Tan Rou showed no mercy and ruthlessly exposed tan Jing’s hypocritical mask.

She has been wanting to ask Tan Jing how she let a ten-year-old child come all the way to school to find her. She still had the audacity to say all these proudly and was using Tao Qi’s safety as a capital to show off. She was really shameless.

Although Tan Rou knew that Tao Qi was smarter than children his age and had left home earlier, he was already independent on his own and would not have any problems. She still didn’t like how Tan Jing liked standing on the high moral ground and criticising her?

As soon as Tan Rou said this, the people around her were stunned. The people who had just helped Tan Jing persuade Tan Rou looked embarrassed as well.

Her brother was only ten years old? That was indeed a little dangerous. Tan Jing had said so much, but she had not mentioned a single word about her brother’s safety. Tan Rou’s last sentence made everyone afraid to come to a conclusion. It was really hard to judge who was truly concerned and who was pretending.

Chapter 120 Your teeth are stained with lip gloss

Tan Jing was speechless. She was stunned for a moment before she weakly retorted, “No, Tao Qi…. He … He’s a mature boy for his age and has been independent for a long time. There won’t be a problem.”

Tan Rou only smiled coldly. “Oh, really? Anyway, whether he likes me or not, I have to take care of him and ensure his safety. It’s okay if he hates me. I can call him later, but I have to thank you for telling me about this.”

The people around him nodded in agreement.

After listening to Tan Rou’s words, they felt that Tan Jing’s words were more ruthless. No matter how independent and precocious he was, her brother was only ten years old. It must be an excuse.

On the other hand, Tan Rou did the right thing. Perhaps it was because Tan Rou was too strict that her brother did not like her. Children always liked people who spoiled them unconditionally. For example, Tan Jing said that she loved her brother and was afraid that he would be unhappy, but she was still not as good as Tan Rou.

After all, Tan Rou was her biological sister. She might be a little fierce, but she was really concerned about her brother. They had misunderstood Tan Rou just now!

Tan Jing couldn’t explain herself and kept trying to explain to the people around her. “It’s true that Tao Qi would be able to come here on his own, and he had asked for it himself.” However the people around her all nodded their heads, but it was hard to say if they really believed him.

Tan Jing glared at Tan Rou fiercely. He didn’t expect to be tricked by Tan Rou again. Tan Rou really had the ability to spew out things from her mouth. Why didn’t she speak so well before this?

Tan Rou was a slacker who had just returned to the country, but the things that she was saying were clear and logical. The exam was not a debate. Let’s see how many words she could answer on the paper!

Tan Rou tilted her head as she was in a good mood. Seeing Tan Jing biting her lips in anger, she laughed and said, “I forgot to remind you that your lip gloss isn’t applied well. It got all over your teeth. Quickly wipe it off.”

Although it was a light reminder, it was still a sharp one. Tan Jing’s face turned red, and she quickly turned around. She took out a mirror and took a good look at herself.

As expected, she was distracted just now and didn’t apply it well. Damn it! Tan Rou that b*tch was definitely laughing and mocking her.

Tan Jing was originally a little unconfident and regarded Tan Rou as an imaginary love rival. So, she took out lip gloss to make herself look better, but, as a result, she made a fool of herself. Tan Jing held the lip gloss tightly in one hand and took out a paper towel with the other hand to wipe the lip gloss off her teeth.

She thought to herself that she had been really unlucky recently. She should go home and tell her mother which temple she should visit, to pray to the gods and get rid of this evildoer, Tan Rou!

After laughing at Tan Jing, Tan Rou gave her a final blow. She laughed to herself for a while, then walked out of the classroom to a remote place to call home.

Mr. Tao had gone to work, and Tao Zheng was studying his photography work in his room. Mrs. Tao was doing housework during the day, fiddling with the flowers and plants, so they didn’t hear Tan Rou’s call. Only Tao Qi, who was at home during the holidays, heard the phone ring and ran over to pick it up. “Hello, I’m Tao Qi. Who are you looking for? ”

Tan Rou chuckled. This little brat is quite polite. Then, she said with a smile, “It’s me, your dear sister.”

Tao Qi recognized Tan Rou’s voice. Only this shameless woman would call herself his dear sister.

He was stunned. He was no longer as polite as before. His voice was obviously reluctant as he snorted. “What do you want? What’s the matter?”

Tan Rou raised her eyebrows. “You don’t seem to be happy with me calling?”

Tao Qi pouted. “It’s not the first time I’ve hated you. I don’t want to hear your voice, and I don’t want to see you. Hmph!”

Tan Rou laughed. Tao Qi might not have realised it himself. He always said the same thing. When they met for the first time, they were indeed true. He said them with great hatred and disgust for Tan Rou.

However, when he said this now, he felt a little coquettish, a little depressed, and a little awkward.

Tan Rou looked at the time and stopped the teasing. She asked directly, “You’re coming to school to see Tan Jing later today?”

Tao Qi was pleased with himself as if he had finally found something to piss off Tan Rou about. “Of course! Sister Jingjing is the best! She’s treating me to steak tonight! She’s much better than you! I’m going to find her!”

Tan Rou didn’t pay attention to his words and said firmly, “No,”

Tao Qi was unhappy. “Why not?? It’s no use even if you disagree, I’m still going! What right do you have to control me? My parents didn’t even say a thing!”

Tan Rou chuckled. “Are you sure mom and dad know that you’re coming to school to look for Tan Jing tonight? If they knew, they definitely wouldn’t agree to it.”