Ch. 131..140

Chapter 131 Saved from a beating

Tao Qi was afraid that Tan Jing would be waiting for him outside, so he ran into his house quickly. But, he stood at the door and hesitated for a long time.

Tao Qi was a little scared. What if his mother found out that he went out with Sister Jingjing and scolded him? What if they asked him what he did with Sister Jingjing? Should he tell them honestly that they went to a high-end Western restaurant for dinner?

He would definitely be criticised for that. However, if he didn’t tell the truth, wouldn’t that be lying? He had never lied.

Tao Qi paced back and forth at the door anxiously. He didn’t know if he was nervous or what, but he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. His stomach was churning and his breathing gradually quickened. Tao Qi thought that he might have been too nervous. It was normal to go and find Sister Jingjing, but it was all Tan Rou’s fault that the family was so sensitive to this, making him nervous as well.

Just as Tao Qi was rubbing his stomach and taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, the door was pushed open from the inside. Tan Rou stood at the door in her beige pajamas, holding a glass of fruit juice in her hand. She looked at Tao Qi, who was standing dumbly outside the door, and said, “What are you doing sneaking around? You’re already at the door, why aren’t you coming in?”

Tao Qi felt a little embarrassed as if he had been caught red-handed. When he saw Tan Rou, he was reminded of what Sister Jingjing had said just now. Unwilling to give Tan Rou a good time, he pulled a long face and rolled his eyes at Tan Rou before walking into the living room without a word.

Tan Rou looked at Tao Qi’s angry face and raised her eyebrows. Sure enough, after seeing Tan Jing, he lost his temper again. Tan Jing was really good at brainwashing others. The little idiot was really affected again.

Tao Qi came to the living room. He thought he would be facing a joint trial from his family but the living room was empty. He couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Tan Rou walked over from behind Tao Qi. “Don’t worry, mom and dad are out for a walk. Big brother is tired from going out all day and so he went back to his room early to sleep. No one is waiting to scold you. Didn’t I promise you that I won’t let you get scolded? Look at you, you’re so useless. You dare to go out with Tan Jing but don’t have the guts to face them?”

Tao Qi knew that he couldn’t hide the fact that he had sneaked out to find Sister Jingjing. His parents must have guessed who he went out with but they didn’t stay behind to criticize him; perhaps Tan Rou had really fulfilled her promise and pleaded for him.

Tao Qi had wanted to thank Tan Rou for doing him a favor and not go back on her words, but when he heard Tan Rou mocking him, Tao Qi felt unhappy. His physical discomfort became more and more obvious. He puffed up his little face and turned his back, unwilling to talk to tan Rou.

Tan Rou looked at Tao Qi’s resentful look from behind and snorted coldly. This brat, after meeting Tan Jing, he immediately became so rude. What a waste of my effort that I said so many good things in front of my parents in order to save his ass.

As soon as Tan Rou got home, mother Tao anxiously asked her if she had seen Tao Qi, saying that he seemed to have sneaked out on his own.

Tao Qi’s father was also a little angry. He said that Tao Qi had just returned and must have sneaked out to look for Tan Jing. The brat was not obedient at all. He would definitely punish Tao Qi when he returned.

Tan Rou quickly comforted her parents and told them that she saw Tao Qi at the school gate and that he was taken away safely by Tan Jing. Although Tan Jing was up to no good now, she wasn’t crazy enough to harm Tao Qi, so there was no need to worry too much.

“We’re not worried about anything else, but Xiaoqi has always been …” Mrs. Tao sighed. “If you let him see Tan Jing again, I’m afraid that he’ll have a worse impression of you. It won’t be easy for you after this. Besides, the Tan family is evil. I don’t want Xiao Qi to have any contact with them!”

Father Tao even took out a small wooden stick and was prepared to teach Tao Qi a lesson when he returned.

Tan Rou hugged Mrs. Tao and consoled the couple. She reasoned with them and made promises. She told them that if they insisted on not allowing Tao Qi to meet Tan Jing, it would only stimulate Tao Qi’s rebellious mentality, which would be detrimental to the relationship between them. Besides, it was not necessarily a bad thing for Tao Qi and Tan Jing to meet. Since the Tao family had seen Tan Jing’s character clearly, Tao Qi would also understand it sooner or later.

After talking for a while, Mr. And Mrs. Tao finally relaxed and decided to leave Tao Qi’s matter to Tan Rou, letting the children communicate these problems themselves. The two of them were persuaded by Tan Rou and went out for a walk.

 

Chapter 132 Tao Qi's dilemma

Tan Rou’s advice to Mr. And Mrs. Tao was naturally sincere. Tao Qi was already ten years old and he was already a smart boy. He could already think for himself. No matter what others said, it would be useless if he didn’t understand it himself. It would only make him feel that he had deceived everyone. Everyone was drunk and he was the only one who remained sober. It would instead stimulate his fighting spirit and it would be difficult to deal with it then.

However, Tan Rou was also a little curious. Tao Qi’s current attitude was a little strange. He didn’t listen to Tan Jing’s instigation and scolded her as soon as he got home, saying that she had bullied his Sister Jingjing. However, he didn’t seem to be unaffected by Tan Jing either. Now, he had his back turned and remained quiet, as if he was angry and competing with her. He didn’t even react when she deliberately ridiculed him. If it was any other time, he would have already been eager to argue with her.

No matter what the change was, Tan Rou was prepared for it. She was waiting to deal with Tao Qi’s emotions when he returned home. She was even mentally prepared for the possibility that her relationship with Tao Qi would return to the state of liberation. After all, Tao Qi still had feelings for Tan Jing. After meeting her with great difficulty, there should be some changes in his heart. However, the current situation made Tan Rou a little confused. What exactly did Tan Jing do and say? To cause Tai Qi to be in such a dilemma.

Tan Rou frowned and asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you?

Tao Qi didn’t know what was wrong with him. Before he went home, he had a stomach full of questions to ask Tan Rou, but when he saw her, he didn’t know how to say them.

Tao Qi’s mind was in a mess. Sister Jingjing said that Tan Rou didn’t care about him and only acted well in front of him, pretending to be nice in order to gain a good impression in front of his parents.

However, since last night, Tan Rou had not only helped him cook, but also put in a good word for him to avoid being reprimanded. If she was only pretending, then she was doing a great job; even Sister Jingjing had never been so attentive to him. Besides, Tao Qi subconsciously refused to admit that the heartwarming time last night was all an illusion that Tan Rou put up.

Tao Qi was very distressed. Sister Jingjing also said that Tan Rou had a bad temper and often bullied her in school. So, she was afraid that he would be bullied by Tan Rou. After spending a day with her, Tao Qi felt that even when Tan Rou was always fierce and even ridiculed him, she was still sincere to him.

Tao Qi was willful but he wasn’t a fool. Tan Rou told him to eat more vegetables and to be careful when crossing the road because she was concerned about him. It was just that the way she expressed it was unlikable and always goaded him but he enjoyed it.

Tao Qi didn’t know whether he should believe Sister Jingjing’s words or his own heart. What if his feelings were wrong and Tan Rou was really good at pretending? What if Sister Jingjing had misunderstood Tan Rou or was deliberately lying to him?

Tao Qi was shocked by this thought. He couldn’t believe that he would suspect his favorite sister because of Tan Rou. Sister Jingjing had no reason to lie to him. Tao Qi couldn’t understand it and became more and more irritated. After holding it in for a long time, he asked Tan Rou stiffly, “Did you bully Sister Jingjing in school?”

Tan Rou saw that Tao Qi didn’t speak for a long time and thought that he was preparing to lose his temper at her. She didn’t expect that he would say this after waiting for a long time. She suddenly laughed and said with a smile, “Did Tan Jing tell you that?”

Tao Qi felt that Tan Rou wasn’t being serious at all. He only asked this because she had treated him well and he wanted an explanation. What was she laughing at? Tao Qi turned around as his eyes were opened wide. “Don’t bother with what Sister Jingjing said. If you bullied her, you have to admit it!”

Tan Rou looked at Tao Qi’s particularly serious expression and couldn’t help but become serious as well. Tao Qi wasn’t asking randomly for no reason, he really wanted to hear her answer.

This surprised tan Rou a little. Tao Qi didn’t directly throw a tantrum at her, nor did he question her without listening to her explanation. Instead, he was very serious and wanted to hear her answer. This meant that no matter what Tan Jing said, Tao Qi didn’t completely believe it. Instead, he began to struggle and wanted to distinguish it independently.

Although this was Tan Rou’s ultimate goal for letting Tao Qi meet Tan Jing, she didn’t expect it to progress so quickly. It seemed that Tan Jing’s performance wasn’t as good as she expected. She didn’t completely win over Tao Qi and blind his eyes.

 

Chapter 133 Believe in yourself

Tan Rou no longer laughed, and her eyes turned serious. She no longer treated Tao Qi like a ten-year-old child and deceived him, instead communicating with him as two equal individuals.

Tan Rou looked into Tao Qi’s eyes gently. “I didn’t bully her. Even if I did, I was only trying to defend myself. I would never take the initiative to bully her.”

Tao Qi frowned, “You mean it was Sister Jingjing who provoked you first?” That’s impossible. Sister Jingjing has the best temper and is also the kindest. She … We used to feed stray cats together when we were young!”

Tan Rou didn’t refute. Tan Jing left a beautiful image in Tao Qi’s heart. If it were suddenly overturned, Tao Qi wouldn’t be able to accept it. At this age, Tao Qi might be easily hurt, so it was understandable that he would subconsciously find an excuse for Tan Jing.

Tan Rou wasn’t in a hurry to talk about what happened at school to convince Tao Qi. Tao Qi’s head must be in a mess right now. He would suspect that she was just adding oil to the fire even if she said those things. The good image of Tan Jing in his heart had not collapsed yet, so he definitely wouldn’t believe her.

Therefore, Tan Rou still smiled slightly. “If that’s the case, you wouldn’t have asked me, right? You’re not sure of the answer as, well. So, you’re hoping to get an answer from me so that you would be more confident, right?”

Tao Qi only had the awareness to recognize it in his heart, but he still didn’t understand Tan Rou’s complicated analysis. He looked at Tan Rou with doubtful eyes, but he still didn’t give up and asked, “Then, are you just pretending to be good to me? Are you doing this to make mom, dad, and brother think that you love me more and that you’re more sensible than Sister Jingjing? Are you using me?”

Tan Rou sighed with some heartache. What kind of nonsense did Tan Jing say to Tao Qi? To make such a pampered little tyrant lose his self-confidence and feel their love for him was merely for show. One could imagine how conflicted and sad he was after hearing this.

Tan Rou wasn’t the kind who liked to boast about her efforts, but to avoid making Tao Qi sad, she patiently explained, “Think about it carefully. From last night until now, did I take care of you in front of mom and dad?”

“They had no idea that I made a special meal for you in the middle of the night. If I wanted to show off in front of them, I wouldn’t have cared about you, or I should have tormented everyone and let them watch me cook for you, right? ”

Tao Qi was deep in thought. Thinking back carefully, he felt that Tan Rou was right. She didn’t deliberately act extra attentively to him in front of her parents and brother. Instead, she was gentler when they were alone.

Tao Qi’s heart inexplicably relaxed a little. Thank God! Thank God for that moment of warmth last night wasn’t just for show. Tao Qi’s heart was finally relieved, and emotions surged in his heart for a moment. His eyes were a little red, but he still stubbornly threatened Tan Rou, “Don’t let me catch you that you’re using me! Otherwise, I will never let you off!”

Tan Rou smiled and touched Tao Qi’s head. “Alright, I know. You don’t have to be afraid. No matter what happens between Tan Jing and me, I will never hurt you. I promise.”

Tao Qi pursed his lips, not wanting to show his sadness, but he still couldn’t hide his inner emotions, especially after Tan Rou touched his head so gently. He revealed a rare tenderness in his heart and lowered his head to Mutter, “What’s wrong with you guys? I’m confused.”

Seeing Tao Qi like this, Tan Rou’s heart ached even more. This kind of change was already heavy for adults like them. Mr. And Mrs. Tao were already hit hard after seeing Tan Jing show her true self, let alone the ten-year-old Tao Qi. It was indeed a little difficult for him to face such choices.

Tan Rou bent down and gently lifted Tao Qi’s head. She looked into the depths of Tao Qi’s eyes calmly. “Tao Qi, remember, I’ll only tell you this once. Don’t be sad, and don’t rush to conclusions. Don’t believe what Tan Jing said, and don’t believe what I said either. Believe in yourself; your heart won’t lie.”

Tao Qi stared into Tan Rou’s eyes in a daze, feeling as if her gaze had fixed him. When he heard Tan Rou say not to believe Sister Jingjing’s words, Tao Qi wanted to refute, but when Tan Rou said not to believe her either, but to believe in his heart, Tao Qi suddenly calmed down. It was as if the haze had been driven away by a beam of light, and he was shocked by what power this woman had.

 

Chapter 134 Pretending to be pitiful

Tan Rou saw Tao Qi’s dazed look and thought it was very cute.

Tao Qi was her younger brother. In her previous life, she was insensible and deliberately went against him, which caused Tao Qi to become more and more paranoid and crazy.

Tan Rou thought that if she had unravelled the knot in Tao Qi’s heart earlier and had a good talk with him earlier, perhaps Tao Qi wouldn’t have been used so badly by Tan Jing.

No, not necessarily. Looking at Tao Qi’s reaction now, he was about to see the truth. This time, he definitely wouldn’t be so stupid as to be used by Tan Jing to fight her. She definitely wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen again!

Tao Qi finally digested Tan Rou’s words and said thoughtfully, “Believe in myself? But, I can’t see anything clearly.”

Tan Rou was helpless. She couldn’t control Tao Qi’s thoughts, or else he would have already succeeded. Although this was a bit difficult, he could only rely on himself.

Tan Rou continued to persuade him. “Don’t worry about it. I won’t stop you from meeting Tan Jing. If you still think she’s good and you’re willing to protect her, then I have nothing to say.”

Tao Qi pursed his lips and looked at Tan Rou suspiciously. “Really? Even if I didn’t choose you in the end, wouldn’t you be angry?”

Tan Rou’s expression was aggrieved and her eyes were full of disappointment. “I won’t be angry, but I’ll be very sad.

Tao Qi looked at Tan Rou’s aggrieved expression and didn’t know what to do. Tao Qi often saw this kind of expression on Sister Jingjing’s face. Every time he saw them, he felt that Sister Jingjing was pitiful and weak.

But… this was the first time he had seen it on Tan Rou’s face. Tan Rou usually had a cold face or a competitive look. Tao Qi was shocked to see her suddenly show such an expression.

This was similar to the story of the wolf. When a person who had never been soft suddenly showed weakness, it would have a huge impact on others. On the contrary, when a person cried continuously, others would get used to it and no one would be able to tell if she was really sad.

Tan Rou’s acting addiction revealed itself. As if she was really hurt by Tao Qi’s words, she frowned slightly and pouted, as if she was about to cry the next second.

This immediately triggered Tao Qi’s protective desire as a little man. Although he didn’t like Tan Rou yet, he was a boy. How could he make a girl cry?

Tan Rou … Now that she looked like this, she was also a young woman, right?

Tao Qi felt like his head was about to explode. Sister Jingjing was crying in front of him, why was Tan Rou crying in front of him now?

Sigh, as expected, he’s a little man now. They all needed his help.

Tao Qi pretended to be mature and tiptoed to pat Tan Rou. “Well, don’t cry. I haven’t chosen Sister Jingjing yet, so you still have a chance. Don’t be sad! Just continue to work hard!”

Tao Qi tried to comfort Tan Rou the same way he did to Tan Jing. He thought, ‘So, Tan Rou would cry too. Girls are just as hard to please. Did I go too far?’

Tan Rou couldn’t hold it in anymore and covered her face with her hands. Tao Qi thought that Tan Rou was crying because she was too sad and didn’t want him to see it, so he hurriedly comforted her, “Don’t cry, I was wrong, okay? What are you doing, big sister? I already called you sister! Please stop crying!”

Little did he know that Tan Rou had hidden her face so that she wouldn’t laugh in front of Tao Qi.

Listening to Tao Qi’s mischievous words, Tan Rou couldn’t help but want to laugh. She could only cover her face with her hands and laugh silently. Her shoulders shrugged as if she was really crying.

Tao Qi’s face was bitter. He didn’t know what was wrong with Tan Rou. He had clearly come back to question her, but now he was comforting her.

Tan Rou was indeed happy. She was just teasing Tao Qi on a whim, but she didn’t expect him to react like this. He actually comforted her like a little adult. So, Tao Qi was afraid of girls crying?

Tan Rou couldn’t help but sigh at this discovery. Tan Jing had always been very good at showing weakness. No matter when, she could always publicise her identity as a victim. Even in the face of a ten-year-old child like Tao Qi, she would cry and act pitiful.

She used to be disdainful, but she didn’t expect it to be so useful, especially in front of Tao Qi. It could be said that Tan Rou had grasped Tao Qi’s weakness, which was much easier than her goading.

Tan Rou secretly smiled. It was just pretending to be pitiful and obedient. It was a simple skill and she had succeeded in it.

 

Chapter 135 Tao Qi getting sick

Tan Rou covered her face and calmed herself down for a long time. Then, she slowly raised her head and pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes.

She had no choice. If Tao Qi found out that she was pretending to cry to deceive him, he would definitely burst into rage out of humiliation and never believe her again.

Tan Rou could only put on a show and prevent Tao Qi from knowing the truth.

Fortunately, Tan Rou covered her face and laughed until her face was red and tears flowed out of the corners of her eyes. By then, she really looked like she had cried.

Tao Qi stared at Tan Rou uneasily. “You’re not crying anymore, right? I didn’t say anything, why are you so agitated? Are you pretending to be pitiful?”

Tan Rou felt a little guilty, and her eyes wavered for a moment. She quickly explained, “Why should I act pitiful? You don’t like me very much. Do you even feel bad for me?”

Tao Qi’s eyes widened. “Don’t be delusional. Why would I feel sorry for you? I just despise you for crying so horribly, ugly freak!”

Tan Rou pursed her lips. “It’s fine if you don’t feel bad for me. I feel bad for you, okay? Are you in a better mood now?”

Tao Qi was stunned. He had been particularly conflicted and in a heavy mood just now, but he didn’t expect that after chatting and bickering with Tan Rou, he really felt much better.

Although his body still felt uncomfortable, his mood was relaxed. Was Tan Rou deliberately comforting and consoling him?

“If you’re not trying to show off in front of mom and dad, then why are you being so nice to me?” Tao Qi asked hesitantly.

Tao Qi didn’t understand. He had been refuting Tan Rou since he returned and he had quarrelled with her on the first day he came home. He had always argued that he didn’t acknowledge her and didn’t want her to be his sister, but why was Tan Rou still able to care for him and take care of him?

Tan Rou didn’t know that Tao Qi had such complicated thoughts. So, she answered the question casually, “What could I do about it? You’re my younger brother!”

Tao Qi didn’t expect Tan Rou to say that. Did she mean that she would tolerate him unconditionally because she already treated him as a younger brother?

Tao Qi didn’t know if it was because he was uncomfortable or because he was embarrassed by Tan Rou’s words, but his face burned so badly that even his head began to feel dizzy. His eyes were hazy, and he even saw double images of Tan Rou.

Tao Qi quickly shook her head and didn’t think much of it, thinking that he was just too emotional.

Tan Rou noticed Tao Qi’s overly red face and was about to go up to check. “What’s wrong with you? You haven’t looked right since you came back!”

However, he didn’t expect Tao Qi to be so sensitive at this time. Tan Rou’s words kept ringing in his mind. He felt that she had accepted him so openly but he still wanted to compete with her. It made him seem like he was insensible. He instantly felt embarrassed.

Tao Qi dodged Tan Rou’s touch and said, “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me!”

Then, he ran back to his room.

Tan Rou was stunned. She didn’t expect Tao Qi to have such a strong reaction.

She had just said that he was smart and had already treated him as an adult where she could communicate with. She did not expect that he would still act like a child and could change so quickly.

Seeing how fast Tao Qi ran, he should be fine. Tan Rou shook her head and stopped chasing after her.

After Tao Qi ran back to his room, he immediately jumped onto the bed and hid himself well.

But, after lying down for a while, Tao Qi still felt the world spinning around him. Not only was his face burning, but his entire body felt like it was on fire. His stomach was churning and twitching.

Tao Qi rolled around on the bed, curled up and held his stomach, thinking that it was because he didn’t eat well during dinner and he was suffering from indigestion. He would be fine after lying down.

After some time, Tao Qi not only felt that his whole body was hot but it also started to itch. It was so itchy that Tao Qi didn’t know what to do next. He wanted to find a piece of old wood and lie down on it.

Tao Qi was also a little scared at this time. He felt that it wasn’t because of his digestion problem. He was scared and uncomfortable. Tears welled up in his eyes as his hands clenched his body.

Tao Qi thought helplessly that he had been like this since he came back from dinner. Could it be that the heavens were punishing him for sneaking out?

However, he didn’t dare to look for his parents. They were already very angry at him. If they knew that he had fallen sick after eating with Tan Jing, they would be even angrier. They might even blame Sister Jingjing for it!

 

Chapter 136 Heroine

Although Tao Qi was very uncomfortable, he was still a little timid and did not dare to make a sound. He was also afraid of implicating Tan Jing.

After all, her family already had a very bad impression of Tan Jing. If they knew that he had fallen sick after Tan Jing had taken him out to eat, they would definitely blame her!

Tao Qi gritted his teeth and decided to bear with it a little longer. Maybe he could endure it. Wasn’t it just a little itchy? He was already a man and so he definitely could take it!

When Tan Rou couldn’t stop worrying and came up with a glass of milk to ask if Tao Qi was feeling better, Tao Qi was already in the bedroom, silently crying from the pain and itchiness on his body.

Tan Rou knocked on the door. “Tao Qi, are you feeling alright? Come and have a glass of milk.”

Tao Qi heard Tan Rou’s voice in his daze. In an instant, it was as if a life saviour had arrived. ‘Tan Rou found herself uncomfortable! She’s here to find me!’

Tao Qi almost couldn’t help but cry for help. However, at the thought of Sister Jingjing, as well as his parents, Tao Qi cowered again. He bit his lip hard and refused to speak.

Tan Rou was a little confused at the door. It was still early. Could Tao Qi have fallen asleep so quickly?

Tan Rou was still worried, so she knocked on the door again. “Tao Qi, are you asleep? Say something, what’s wrong?”

Seeing how Tan Rou was so persistent, Tao Qi felt both happy and sad. He could only endure the pain and reply in a trembling voice, “I want to sleep! I don’t want the milk!”

As soon as Tao Qi said this, Tan Rou’s eyes turned cold and her expression became serious.

Tao Qi’s tone didn’t sound right. Why did he sound like he was crying? Or was he suppressing something? Thinking of Tao Qi’s abnormally red face just now, Tan Rou frowned. She had been careless. Tao Qi might really be sick!

Tan Rou quickly knocked on the door. “Tao Qi! Open the door! Are you not feeling well? Quickly let me see!”

Tao Qi stubbornly endured in the room, not wanting Tan Rou to see him like this.

He was afraid that she would be smug again and might even say, ‘I told you not to eat with Tan Jing and now you’re sick! You deserved it!’

Thinking of this, Tao Qi was even more unwilling to let Tan Rou in. Besides, after enduring for so Long, Tao Qi’s limbs were already weak, and he didn’t have the strength to get up and open the door for Tan Rou.

Tao Qi cried out weakly, “Don’t meddle in other people’s business, go quickly! I don’t want you to come in!”

Tan Rou took a deep breath. She didn’t want to waste any more time with Tao Qi. She still didn’t know what was wrong with him, so she had to get in as soon as possible. Most illnesses were a race against time.

Tan Rou didn’t say anything. She put the milk aside, raised her long leg, and kicked the door lock.

With a ‘bang’, the door lock was broken. Tan Rou reached out and pushed, opening Tao Qi’s door.

Tao Qi lay in bed, thinking he was hallucinating. Otherwise, how could Tan Rou break in to save him like a heroine in a movie?

The moment the door opened, Tan Rou stood there against the light like a warrior. She looked so handsome!

Tao Qi was still in a daze. It wasn’t until Tan Rou walked over quickly and pulled him out of bed, examining him from head to toe, that Tao Qi knew that this wasn’t an illusion. Tan Rou had really broken in to save him!

Tao Qi’s heart was filled with mixed feelings. He was worried that his illness would be exposed, but he was also happy that he was finally saved.

Everyone had the instinct to survive. No matter how timid Tao Qi was and how he didn’t dare to make a sound, he had already vaguely sensed that his illness wasn’t a minor one. He wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

When he rejected Tan Rou, he was just being stubborn. In fact, he had long hoped that Tan Rou would come in and help him.

Now that Tan Rou had really seen through his pretence and kicked the door open to rush in, Tao Qi couldn’t hold it in any longer. The sadness and fear of his illness, the gratitude and reliance he had for Tan Rou, all burst out, making him cry out loud, “What took you so long? You even broke my door … Huhuhu…. You have to pay for my door. Wait, does your foot hurt?”

Tan Rou listened to Tao Qi’s incoherent words and laughed in her heart. What nonsense was this child talking about? At a time like this, he still cared about the door.

However, seeing Tao Qi’s abnormal face and red and swollen skin, Tan Rou couldn’t laugh anymore. She directly grabbed Tao Qi’s arm and pulled up his clothes. Sure enough, she saw dense red rashes.

Tan Rou’s face darkened. Tao Qi was allergic and the symptoms were very severe. If she hadn’t arrived in time, he might have gone into shock. This brat, was he gambling with his life?

Chapter 137 Allergic reaction

Tao Qi was still sobbing. “I don’t know what’s going on. I feel horrible.”

As Tan Rou took Tao Qi’s pulse, she glared at him sternly. “You’re already in this state and you’re still not saying anything. You even locked the door. Do you want us to be staring at your body tomorrow morning? Are you an idiot? How can you just endure this in silence?”

Tao Qi’s face was red with a few tear stains, and he looked very pitiful. “Am I dying? I don’t want to die yet, so stop scolding me and save me!”

Tan Rou sighed helplessly and grabbed Tao Qi’s jaw, making him open his mouth wide. After taking a closer look, she said, “Don’t worry, with me here, you won’t die.”

Tao Qi’s face was being pinched, he looked at Tan Rou in confusion.

He had been so upset that his head was muddled. He had held on to his breath and he didn’t want Tan Rou to find out about this but he was actually scared to death.

Now, although Tan Rou had scolded him a few times, Tao Qi somehow felt a lot more at ease. Tan Rou was like his backbone, making him subconsciously want to rely on her.

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Tao Zheng ran in with a panicked expression. Looking at the door that was on the verge of collapse, he asked in disbelief, “I just heard a loud noise inside the room. Did you guys fight? ”

After that, he saw the scene in the room and realized that something was wrong with Tao Qi. He quickly ran into the room. “What happened to Little Qi?”

Tao Qi frowned and didn’t say anything.

“It’s an allergic reaction.” Tan Rou explained with a frown. “The situation is a little serious. Big brother, keep an eye on him. Don’t let him scratch the rash on his body. I’ll go get something from my room.”

Tao Zheng had never been in a situation like this before. He subconsciously wanted to call the ambulance but Tan Rou’s tone was firm and her expression serious stopped him. Her entire aura was different from usual and Tao Zheng subconsciously nodded in agreement. He sat down beside Tao Qi and held his restless hands in place.

Tan Rou quickly ran back to her room to get her silver needles. When she returned to Tao Qi’s room, Tao Qi’s allergic reaction was even more intense, and he was already gasping for breath.

Tao Zheng looked at the silver needles in Tan Rou’s hands. He recalled that Tan Rou had said that she knew how to concoct medicinal herbs and had sold quite a number of them, but an allergy could be fatal if it got serious. Tao Zheng was a little anxious, so he said tactfully, “Xiao Rou, I know you’re skilled in medicine, but Little Qi’s condition doesn’t allow for any mistakes. It’s not that I don’t trust you but we can’t afford to bet on this. Let’s take him to the hospital!”

Of course, Tan Rou understood Tao Zheng’s concerns. It was also fortunate that Tao Zheng was her brother and had even accepted her. If it had been anyone else, they would have scolded her for making a scene.

Who would dare allow another person who had no proper title, who had always said that she was self-taught, to waste time at this juncture?

However, Tan Rou didn’t have time to explain herself. She could only say, “There’s no time now. He won’t be able to hold on until he goes to the hospital. He’s been keeping this quiet and has already missed the best time for treatment. Trust me!”

Tan Rou looked at Tao Zheng seriously. The confidence and certainty in her eyes stunned him.

Tao Zheng had never seen such an expression on Tan Rou’s face. At that moment, the person standing before him was not only his mature and strong sister, but also a dignified and confident doctor.

Tao Zheng only hesitated for two seconds before he gritted his teeth and made up his mind. He decided to trust Tan Rou and take a gamble.

Tan Rou wasn’t someone who liked to take such risks. This matter concerned Tao Qi’s life and so Tao Zheng believed that Tan Rou would put up a show now. He swiftly carried Tao Qi in his arms and looked at Tan Rou with an especially serious expression. “What are you going to do?”

Tan Rou heaved a sigh of relief. If Tao Zheng did not believe her, she would have to do it the hard way. However, that would take up a lot of time. Luckily, Tao Zheng chose to believe her.

Tan Rou gave Tao Zheng a consoling look, then quickly took out a silver needle from her bag. The silver needle reflected a terrifying light under the bedroom light.

Tao Qi was already showing signs of fainting. His eyes were half-closed as he panted heavily in Tao Zheng’s arms, but the moment he saw the silver needles, he instantly sobered up and cowered in Tao Zheng’s arms.

“Are you going to kill me?”

Tao Qi was already having a hard time breathing. His struggle and rejection were as adorable as a kitten. Tan Rou didn’t care about Tao Qi’s resistance and kept approaching him with the needle.

Tao Qi was scared and struggled instinctively. “I don’t want it! I don’t want it!” He was already having trouble breathing, and now that he was struggling, his face was so red that it almost turned purple.

Tao Zheng’s heart ached as he hugged Tao Qi tightly. He watched Tan Rou’s movements nervously and prayed in his heart, ‘Tan Rou would have to make this work! Otherwise, he would regret it and hate her for the rest of his life!’

 

Chapter 138 Listen to Xiao Rou

Tan Rou’s heart ached for Tao Qi, but at this moment, she had to force herself to calm down and show her professionalism. She couldn’t be affected by her personal feelings. Otherwise, if she hesitated when inserting the needle, it would be easy to make mistakes.

Tan Rou looked at the acupuncture point and made a quick decision. She quickly inserted several silver needles into Tao Qi’s head and arm.

Tao Zheng’s brow furrowed, his heart uneasy.

Acupuncture was the specialty of Chinese medicine. The knowledge was profound. Tan Rou’s acupuncture must not cause any problems. However, there were no patterns or orders to how she was inserting the needle. Would this actually work?

Tao Qi cried so hard that he was almost out of breath. In his daze, he felt that he might die from Tan Rou’s acupuncture instead of his illness.

This woman wouldn’t take this opportunity to take revenge on him, right? She actually took out so many needles and was randomly stabbing him!

Tao Qi’s entire body was covered in sweat as he continued to writhe in Tao Zheng’s arms. However, his breathing was gradually weakening, and he was making a hoarse sound like an old accordion. His eyes were shut weakly.

Tao Zheng hugged Tao Qi tightly. Even though he was nervous, the needles had already been inserted, so he couldn’t let Tao Qi move around. It would be bad if it was inserted in the wrong place.

The tense atmosphere felt like years had passed. Tan Rou stared at Tao Qi closely after she finished the acupuncture, observing the changes in him.

Tao Zheng said hesitantly, “Why isn’t there any reaction? Why don’t we hurry to the hospital?”

Tan Rou’s expression was calm. “Don’t panic. It’ll be effective soon.”

Tao Zheng’s heart was burning with anxiety as he looked at Tao Qi in his arms.

Just then, Mr. And Mrs. Tao’s voice came from downstairs.

“Huh?” Mrs. Tao asked, confused. “Where are the kids?”

“Mom!” Tao Zheng shouted from upstairs. “We’re here in Little Qi’s room. He’s sick!”

“What?” Mrs. Tao was shocked and ran upstairs, followed by Mr. Tao.

At first, Mr. And Mrs. Tao were shocked by the broken door. Then, they saw Tao Qi in Tao Zheng’s arms and broke out in a cold sweat from his pitiful look.

Mrs. Tao’s tears fell immediately. She ran to the bed and shouted anxiously, “What’s wrong with little Qi? Hurry! Let’s go to the hospital!”

Tao Zheng was about to carry Tao Qi up, but Tan Rou stopped him. “Don’t, it’s best not to move him now!”

Then, Tan Rou hugged Mother Tao who was in a daze. “Mom, I don’t know what Xiaoqi ate but he’s allergic to something. I just finished performing acupuncture on him, so I need some time.”

Mother Tao was a little stunned. She looked at the silver needles on Tao Qi’s body hesitantly. She knew that Xiao Rou was skilled in medicine, but Xiao Qi’s condition. Her love for her son made Mrs. Tao’s heart very conflicted.

Tao Zheng looked at his parents hesitantly, hoping that they would try to persuade Tan Rou. At this point, it wasn’t a matter of whether he believed in her medical skills. Saving their brother was more important.

Mr. Tao was still calm. Although his eyes were filled with worry for Tao Qi, he still said calmly, “Let’s just listen to Rou. I believe in her.”

Mr. Tao already knew that Tan Rou had been acknowledged by Bai Jing and was recommended to treat Zhuang Liu.

He had a general understanding of his daughter’s skills and so he trusted Tan Rou.

Mrs. Tao glanced at Mr. Tao and remembered what her husband had told her. She felt a little comforted and let out a long sigh of relief. She looked at Tan Rou with teary eyes and asked, “Xiao Rou, how is your brother?”

Seeing that his parents had chosen to believe Tan Rou and seemed to be at ease, Tao Zheng was a little puzzled. However, since things had come to this, he could only do as he was told.

Tan Rou took a closer look at Tao Qi. Knowing that his condition was almost under control, she was relieved and explained to Mr. And Mrs. Tao, “He wasn’t feeling well when he got home, but I didn’t notice it at the time. When I realised something was wrong, this silly child had already locked himself in the room for a long time. His allergic reaction had been serious and the situation was urgent. If we went to the hospital, he might suffocate and go into shock midway. This is why I decided to go with acupuncture first.”

Father Tao frowned. “An allergy? Could it be that Tao Qi had dinner with Tan Jing and ate something?”

Mrs. Tao clutched her chest in heartache. “Where did they go for dinner? Little Qi is only allergic to mushrooms!”

Tan Rou’s eyes were cold as she frowned. “We can only ask him when he’s better or, we could ask Tan Jing.”

Just as they were talking, Tao Qi, who was in Tao Zheng’s arms, said weakly, ” No… It’s not Sister Jingjing’s fault.”

Everyone heard the voice and quickly turned to look at Tao Qi.

Mrs. Tao anxiously went over to hold Tao Qi’s small hand. “Little Qi, mommy’s here. Are you feeling better?”

 

Chapter 139 Tan Jing has to be responsible for it

Tao Qi tried to clear his throat and felt that the swelling from before was much better. His head wasn’t as dizzy as before, and he recalled that his last consciousness was seeing Tan Rou walking towards him with a silver needle. He immediately lowered his head in surprise and stared at the silver needle on his arm. He even wanted to touch the one above his head but was stopped by Tao Zheng.

Tan Rou stepped forward and bent down to look at Tao Qi. “Open your mouth!”

Tao Qi subconsciously opened his mouth wide and blinked at Tan Rou. He knew in his heart that he felt much better than before and he could finally breathe. Did Tan Rou really save him?

She took a needle and randomly poked it into her body. Was it that magical?

Tan Rou looked at it for a while, then straightened her body and let out a sigh of relief. Her expression relaxed.

Tao Zheng was the one who could feel most about the changes on Xiao Qi. He looked at Tao Qi who was in his arms in surprise. When he saw that Tao Qi’s complexion was gradually recovering and his breathing was also much more normal, he couldn’t help but be shocked by Tan Rou’s medical skills.

“Is it done?” Tao Zheng asked excitedly. “Xiao Rou, you’re so powerful!”

Tan Rou didn’t act boastful and instead, she shook her head calmly and said, “I only relieved the breathing difficulties caused by his allergy but the treatment of Chinese medicine is mainly aimed at nursing his health. Allergies are an emergency. He still needs to be admitted for an injection so that he can recover faster.”

Mr. Tao nodded in agreement, his eyes full of admiration and love for Tan Rou. “Xiao Qi, it’s all thanks to your sister that you were saved this time. Don’t scare us like this in the future! Let’s go to the hospital!”

Mrs. Tao nodded her head repeatedly and looked at Tao Qi with heartache. “Listen to your sister and we shall head to the hospital now for the injection. You really scared us to death, child!”

Then, she thought of something and looked back at the broken door. She realized that the lock had been kicked open. She hurriedly looked at Tan Rou’s foot. “Xiao Rou, did you kick the door open? Does your foot hurt? Let’s go to the hospital for an X-ray! Let’s go!”

Tan Rou’s mood was much more relaxed now, and she smiled. “Mum, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all. Xiao Qi’s condition is more important. Let’s go!” After saying that, she took out the silver needles from Tao Qi’s body one by one and carefully wrapped him up with her coat.

Tao Zheng picked up Tao Qi and the family of five hurried to the hospital. However, they were feeling much more relaxed than before.

Tao Qi’s condition was much better now. He knew he’d gotten into trouble and so he obediently hid in Tao Zheng’s arms without making a sound. However, he kept sneaking glances at Tan Rou as if he was very curious.

She was the one who saved him. How did she know everything?

Tan Rou noticed Tao Qi’s Secret gaze and blinked at him with a smile. The two siblings had a tacit understanding. Tao Qi toothed and turned his face away shyly.

However, Tan Rou’s eyes gradually turned cold.

Tao Qi’s condition had improved but the cause of his allergy was suspicious. She had thought that no matter what Tan Jing did, she still wouldn’t do anything to Tao Qi. However, Tao Qi was poisoned as soon as he returned home from dinner. The only possibility was that something had gone wrong during the dinner with Tan Jing.

Mrs. Tao had also said that Tao Qi was only allergic to mushrooms.

Tan Rou vaguely remembered that Tan Jing said she was going to take Tao Qi out for Western food. Was she deliberately doing this or did she just happen to not know about Tao Qi’s allergic reaction to mushrooms?

If it was the former, then Tan Jing really didn’t deserve to be human.

After a while, the family arrived at the hospital. Tao Zheng carried Tao Qi and comforted him while they stayed in the observation room for the injection.

Tan Rou and Mr. And Mrs. Tao were standing outside the door. Tan Rou frowned and asked Mrs. Tao, “Mom, does anyone else know about Tao Qi’s allergies to mushroom?”

Mrs. Tao realized what Tan Rou meant and her face darkened. “You are asking about Tan Jing?”

Tan Rou nodded. “Tao Qi didn’t eat anything after he got home. He went back to his room after talking to me for a while. He probably ate something wrong for dinner.”

Mrs. Tao frowned as she tried to recall, but to no avail. “I’ve been the one who prepared all their meals since they were young. I’ve told Xiao Qi that he can’t eat mushrooms and I don’t know how to cook them at home either. This was why Xiao Qi never had a reaction at home. I’m not sure if Tan Jing knows about this either.

Father Tao snorted coldly. “Little Qi is only ten years old. He was afraid that we would be worried which was why he sneaked out on his own. But, Tan Jing is already an adult. She took little Qi out for a meal on her own accord and something like this happened. No matter if she did it on purpose or not, she has to be responsible for it!

Chapter 140 On Speaker

Mrs. Tao let out a heavy sigh. She didn’t know what to do with Tan Jing, who was once her daughter. Their mother-daughter relationship of more than ten years was cut off in one day. Even if Mrs. Tao knew that Tan Jing’s thoughts were not right and she hated her to the core, she couldn’t accept it when she thought that Tan Jing might have intentionally harmed Tao Qi.

Tan Rou could tell that Mrs. Tao was upset. She put her arm around Mrs. Tao’s shoulders, feeling sorry for her. Although she hoped that her family could see Tan Jing’s true colors and not be deceived by her mask of weakness, she still felt bad every time she saw Tao Qi’s conflicted expression and Mrs. Tao’s disappointed expression.

However, it couldn’t be helped. It was better to suffer a short pain than a long one. This was something that would happen sooner or later. It was better to be sad now than to be deceived by Tan Jing in the future.

Tan Rou consoled her mother softly and said to her parents considerately, “I’ll give Tan Jing a call. You guys go in and keep Little Qi company. I’ll talk to her.”

In fact, Tan Rou was afraid that if Tan Jing was really the one who did this. But, if Mr. And Mrs. Tao heard what she said over the phone, they would be so angry that it may even affect their health. So, if Tan Rou was the one who spoke to Tan Jing, at least she would be prepared. If Tan Jing really did this unscrupulously, she would take revenge behind Mr. And Mrs. Tao’s back and not let them be sad for nothing.

To her surprise, even though Mrs. Tao was upset, she managed to calm down very quickly. With a serious expression, she said firmly, “No, I’ll be here. I want to see what she has to say. Xiao Rou, mom is a strong woman. There’s nothing that I can’t accept.”

At this moment, Mrs. Tao didn’t look like a weak and helpless housewife at all. The light in her eyes was soul-stirring. Although there were still traces of tears on her face, it didn’t affect her strength in the slightest. The softness and strength of a mother were perfectly displayed on Mrs. Tao’s body, and it reminded tan Rou of the Tao family’s true power. From the looks of it, not only was her father powerful, even her mother, who was usually a gentle woman who made soup every day, was no ordinary person!

Mr. Tao stepped forward and held Mrs. Tao in his arms. He didn’t say anything, only nodded at Tan Rou, indicating that Tan Rou should respect Mrs. Tao’s decision. The two of them stayed behind to listen to what Tan Jing had to say about this.

Tan Rou could only nod, take out her phone, and dial Tan Jing’s number. She turned on the speaker so that Mr. And Mrs. Tao could hear her.

The phone rang for a while and Tan Jing picked up the call. She was a little confused as to why Tan Rou would call so late. She asked in a strange tone, “Tan Rou? Why are you looking for me so late at such hours?”

Tan Rou’s tone was cold, and she didn’t want to waste time talking to Tan Jing. “Where did you bring Tao Qi to? Was it Western food?”

Tan Jing didn’t expect Tan Rou to call to ask about this. She assumed that Tao Qi might have listened to her and made things difficult for Tan Rou after he got home. Although Tao Qi didn’t show anything at the restaurant, it was possible that the child was thin-skinned and didn’t want to show it in front of her. However, as soon as he returned home, he couldn’t help showing it off to Tan Rou. Tan Rou must have been upset and angry which was why she called her.

Tan Jing was proud of herself and she didn’t expect Mr. And Mrs. Tao to be listening at the side. She thought that Tan Rou was hiding to call her out of jealousy which was why she couldn’t be bothered to pretend anymore. Her tone became even more eccentric. “I thought that it would actually be important. I’m so sorry. I’m rich now, so….. of course I’ll bring my brother to enjoy delicacies. Unlike you, you must’ve spent a lot in high-end Western restaurants in the past. It’s a pity that you’ve become poor now after returning to the Tao family and you won’t have the chance to eat those again!”

Tan Jing continued to mock him. “I just brought Tao Qi out to experience something that you can never experience. You don’t have to be angry. If you’re jealous, I can treat you next time, haha!”

Tan Rou was not affected by Tan Jing’s words. She sneered. “So you were doing it for Tao Qi? You must’ve put in a lot of effort just to bring him out to a fancy place?”

Tan Jing didn’t hear the hidden meaning in Tan Rou’s words and was still proud of what she did. “Of course! Tan Rou, let me tell you, don’t be delusional. Tao Qi only recognizes me as his sister. I can bring him out for expensive food and even buy him luxurious gifts. I have the Tan family as my support and I will never run out of money. You can just stay in that poor Tao family and be envious in silence. You will never be able to get to the glory you had in this life!”

Tan Rou’s face was cold but she was unwilling to pay attention to Tan Jing’s smug face. Only a vain person like Tan Jing would think that Tan Rou would still be obsessed with the power of the Tan family. One would only be considered strong if they could depend on themselves. This was something that Tan Jing will never understand.