Ch. 91..100

Chapter 91 The New School Belle

Tan Rou, Zhuang Liu, and Xiao Mo stood near the school gate and chatted. Within a short period of them, they’ve attracted the attention of the students passing by.

Only a few students with some family background recognized Zhuang Liu. They felt that it was just as Tan Rou had said; these two had a close relationship. He even came to pick up Tan Rou from school! All of them then secretly reminded themselves that they had to be more careful in the future and not provoke Tan Rou and Third Master Zhuang again. Unconsciously, Zhuang Liu added some credibility to Tan Rou’s image of someone who should not be provoked.

Most of the students didn’t know Zhuang Liu and they couldn’t associate this handsome boy with the ruthless business tycoon who appeared in the newspaper. They only thought that this boy was sitting in a wheelchair for some reason and his face and temperament was definitely of the same level of Handsome Lu. It can even be said that he was even better looking than Lu Qing.

If Lu Qing was a lazy and proud leopard that usually exuded a dangerous and charming temperament, then this boy in front of them was a cold and cunning lone wolf. His eyes were slightly squinted and he made people feel like they were being watched. They didn’t dare to get close to him easily and none of them would be able to tame him.

Before Tan Rou’s appearance, Zhuang Liu was completely surrounded by silence. The students had yet to enter society and so they were subconsciously frightened by Zhuang Liu’s temperament. They were afraid that they would disturb him. He clearly looked a little thin and weak but his unapproachable aura was still enough to keep others away.

However, after Tan Rou’s appearance, he shed away all of his cold aura. His eyes curved beautifully and they became gentle and lively.

The other students started guessing. No wonder Tan Rou didn’t like the school hunk. She was actually involved in a relationship with such a beauty! Isn’t this huge contrast something cute? He was no longer a lone wolf. Did you see the way he looked at Tan Rou? He couldn’t wait to wag his tail and run around him happily!

Most girls looked at Tan Rou with eyes that were envious and jealous. Tan Rou lived a good life. She was protected by the school hunk Lu Qing at the beginning of the school term and was picked up by such a handsome guy after school. If they were her, they would wake up from her dreams laughing. No, she was so happy that she couldn’t sleep!

It was also at this time that everyone seemed to realise that Tan Rou’s appearance was just as outstanding. Her appearance wasn’t flushed out even when she stood next to such a handsome man. She clearly looked like a cold and mature lady with a temperament that said no one should provoke her. However, when she smiled, she was a little warm sun. Wasn’t she the perfect match for the handsome man next to her?

Usually, everyone was brainwashed by Tan Jing. No one knew when the news of Tan Jing being the campus Belle got out and no one knew when it was evaluated. But now, Tan Rou’s eyes were full of heroic spirit. When she smiled, her big eyes seemed to be able to speak for themself. Not to forget, the flirtatious and flamboyant energy on her body. When they compared her to Tan Jing, Tan Jing seemed a little mediocre and she was always soft and weak. There wasn’t much contrast seen on her.

Tan Rou’s temperament was more suitable to be the school Belle. After looking at the handsome guys around her, they were more in line with the configuration of the new school Belle. She should be an influential figure in the school and be the centre of attention. Who wouldn’t like to watch handsome men and women?

As a result, on the first day of school, Tan Rou had become the new campus Belle by virtue of her beauty and popularity. It seemed that there was no official election and it was simply a feeling of approval from the public. This also showed that Tan Rou had gradually won the approval of more people.

It was often easy to capture the hearts of boys but it was difficult to move girls. However, girls understood girls the most. Many girls had long been impatient with Tan Jing’s greasy character. At this time, with tan Rou as a comparison, they were immediately attracted to this handsome character. They even started speaking about how handsome Tan Rou was but they seem to have forgotten about how they had previously despised and laughed at Tan Rou.

Tan Rou felt the heated gazes coming from the other students. Many of them even stopped in their tracks and looked at her and Zhuang Liu in silence, making them feel a little uncomfortable.

On the other hand, Zhuang Liu was happy to see this. It would be best if more people could see that Tan Rou was his. Those overconfident boys and girls with bad intentions should stay away from Tan Rou. No one should taint the light in her heart.

Hence, Zhuang Liu straightened his chest without a trace, constantly exuding the aura of a superior, silently declaring his sovereignty.

 

Chapter 92 Zhuang Liu is jealous

Tan Rou didn’t notice Zhuang Liu’s childish and cute little actions. Otherwise, she would have teased him.

However, Xiao mo, who was in the background, read the mind of the third young master. He laughed silently inside his heart. He never thought that this day would come. Usually, he would hate it if people stood around him. He hated it when people talked about his outstanding appearance but now, he was standing in front of the school gate like a peacock with its tail open. He was like a human model for everyone to look at.

Zhuang Liu enjoyed the gazes of others on him and Tan Rou. He wanted to tell the world that they were close.

Zhuang Liu suddenly thought of something and turned his eyes to Tan Rou and asked, “I heard from Uncle Bai that you’ve asked him about old master Lu. He said that his grandson is your classmate. If I remember correctly, his name is Lu Qing?”

Tan Rou nodded. “That’s right. Old master Lu’s illness seemed to have acted up today. Lu Qing rushed home to visit him.”

Zhuang Liu frowned, her eyes filled with grievance, and he probed, “You….are you close to him?” Otherwise, why would she be so concerned about Lu Qing’s family when school had just started? Zhuang Liu was a little unhappy but he did not dare to show it to Tan Rou.

Xiao Mo displayed his professionalism as a professional assistant and fearlessly added, “I heard that Lu Qing is the most handsome guy in the school. He’s very popular with the girls.” With that said, he smiled in a serious manner.

Zhuang Liu shot daggers at Xiao Mo with his eyes, causing beads of sweat to form on Xiao Mo’s forehead. Deep inside, he started scolding himself for being so talkative. The third master had such a good temperament when he was with Miss Tan and he got carried away.

Tan Rou watched the interaction between the two and laughed. However, she suddenly remembered what Uncle Bai said on the phone about not being seduced by other boys and that Zhuang Liu was waiting for her. Combined with Zhuang Liu’s question, Tan Rou blushed slightly. Was Zhuang Liu getting jealous?

Tan Rou quickly dispelled this thought. She hoped that Zhuang Liu was just being curious and that Uncle Bai would not tell Zhuang Liu what he had said earlier. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing.

She had no idea that when Bai Jing called Zhuang Liu, Bai Jing was even more straightforward than he was with her. He directly warned Zhuang Liu about only being focused about work in his office. What was the point of earning so much money if he couldn’t marry Tan Rou in the end? Tan Rou was popular in the school and the male students these days were like wolves and tigers. They might even have their eyes on Tan Rou. Moreover, Tan Rou was already interested in the grandson of the Lu family. If Zhuang Liu didn’t take any actions and lost Tan Rou, Zhuang Liu was never allowed to come knocking on his door.

Bai Jing obviously exaggerated but it still gave Zhuang Liu a big shock. Finally, his competitive spirit was aroused. He left the conference room that was filled with people and rushed over to declare his sovereignty.

At this time, Zhuang Liu’s eyes were burning with resentment as he stared at Tan Rou. He couldn’t help but ask about Lu Qing, which made tan Rou feel inexplicably guilty. She quickly and honestly explained, “I’m not interested in Lu Qing. I’m only concerned about old master Lu’s condition. After all, I don’t want to let Tan Jing get away with it.”

Zhuang Liu didn’t know what Tan Jing’s role in this matter was but when he heard Tan Rou say that she was not interested in Lu Qing without any hesitation, he felt comfortable. Tan Rou had a superb medical skill and so this must be the reason why she was interested in old master Lu’s illness.

Zhuang Liu nodded in a good mood, “Well, I’ll help you look into it too. The Lu family also has some businesses and dealings with us.”

Tan Rou smiled naturally. With their status now, there was no need to be too polite and grateful toward Zhuang Liu. Otherwise, it would make them look like strangers.

Tan Rou didn’t want to stay at the school gate any longer. The other students’s gossiping eyes were getting more and more intense. So,she suggested, “It’s getting late. You’ve wasted a lot of time delivering my medicine. You should head back to the office. I’ll have to go home as well.”

Zhuang Liu shook his head. “I’ll send you back. Get in the car then. Besides, there are so many medicinal herbs here. It’s not convenient for you to carry them home.”

Tan Rou didn’t refuse and directly went forward to push Zhuang Liu’s wheelchair. Zhuang Liu’s car had been modified, so he easily fixed the wheelchair on the car with a push.

Under everyone’s gossiping eyes, Zhuang Liu’s luxury car slowly drove by, leaving behind a gorgeous back view.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao mo drove his luxury car into the alley where the Tao family’s house was located and sent tan Rou to her house.

Zhuang Liu wondered why the journey was so short. If only Xiao mo had driven a little slower. He could have taken a detour. How insensible. How dare he mention the school hunk just now? his bonus for the month will be deducted.

 

Chapter 93 Meeting Tao Qi

Xiao Mo didn’t know that he had been despised by his boss and had lost his generous bonus. He politely got out of the car and opened the trunk to help Tan Rou take out the bags of medicinal herbs.

Tan Rou said goodbye to Zhuang Liu and quickly got out of the car to take the herbs. She rejected Xiao Mo’s offer to send them to her house.

Tan Rou didn’t want her parents to think too much about it. Xiao Mo was dressed like a professional and because he was Zhuang Liu’s most capable assistant, his clothes were all expensive. With such a luxurious car parked at the gate, it may cause others to be misunderstood. Tan Rou was afraid that her parents would be too reserved and she didn’t want to cause any trouble.

Xiao Mo turned back to Zhuang Liu hesitantly. Zhuang Liu understood Tan Rou’s thoughts and nodded his head. He did not force her and merely smiled and waved at her.

Tan Rou knew that Zhuang Liu understood her and was willing to understand her. She was afraid that the luxury car would be blocked in the alley and the neighbours would look at them. Tan Rou quickly waved back at Xiao Mo and ran into the Tao family’s house.

Zhuang Liu shook his head helplessly. Usually, wherever he went, he would be the centre of attention but now he was getting despised and he didn’t mind it.

Zhuang Liu glared at Xiao Mo. “Hurry up and leave. If you waste anymore of my time, I will deduct your pay again!”

Xiao Mo paused for a moment and finally realized that the third master was angry at him. Why did he deduct his salary and why did he say ‘again’? Unknowingly, how much of his pay has been deducted?!

Feeling dejected, Xiao Mo got into his car and drove away from the Tao family. He didn’t dare to say another word on their way back.

As soon as Tan Rou entered the house, she heard laughter coming from the living room. A young boy’s voice was acting coquettishly with Mrs. Tao.

Tan Rou raised her eyebrows. This boy had actually come back so soon and it was much earlier than expected. He didn’t know if it was because he was eager to protect his elder sister which was why he was in a hurry to come back to help Tan Jing deal with her.

When Mrs Tan heard the noise from the door, Mrs. Tao called out to Tan Rou happily, “Is Xiao Rou home? Come! Meet your little brother.”

Tan Rou took off her shoes and walked into the living room with the herbs. She finally saw her younger brother, Tao Qi.

In her previous life, Tao Qi was the most deceived by Tan Jing and was an accomplice alongside Tan Jing. In the end, when he faced the destruction of the Tao family, he came to a sudden realization and couldn’t stand the blow of it. He was on the verge of collapse.

Tao Qi was just a teenager. After hearing his mother’s words, he glared at Tan Rou, who had just walked into the living room. His gaze was unfriendly and he even curled his lips provocatively, revealing his sharp little canine teeth.

However, in the next moment, Tao Qi felt his mother’s gaze and his expression changed. He raised his head and smiled at his mother, appearing cute and innocent.

Tan Rou found it funny. This little brother of hers was pretending to be obedient but he was actually a little wolf that was difficult to tame. However, no matter how difficult it was to tame him, it would not be a challenge for Tan Rou. There will be a day where she would make him put away his claws and learn how to be a good little brother.

Tan Rou secretly criticised him in her heart but she still pretended to be gentle and amiable on the surface. “So…. is this Tao Qi? Hello, I’m your sister, Tan Rou.”

Tao Qi looked at Tan Rou and rolled his eyes in disgust. What a hypocritical woman! She had the nerve to say that she was his sister. Then, he pretended to be innocent and asked while looking at the bag in Tan Rou’s hand, “Did you pick up trash? Our family shouldn’t be that poor, right?”

Tan Rou’s eyes narrowed. This boy….was he declaring war?

Mother Tao patted Tao Qi lightly and chuckled, “Don’t talk nonsense. Your sister is very capable. She has the abilities to treat others.”

Then, she turned towards Tan Rou and asked, “Why did you buy so much herbs?? Your studies are more important for you now. Don’t tire yourself out!”

Tan Rou nodded obediently. “It’s okay, mom. I know what I’m doing. Some of them need it urgently and so I would need to make more of it. It isn’t tiring at all.”

Mrs. Tao smiled in relief. It was a good thing that her daughter had these skills.

Tao Qi’s mouth twitched. “You make it sound so nice but I’m just afraid that you don’t have any real ability. What if you poison someone and our family would end up compensating other’s for your mistake?”

Mother Tao’s face turned serious as she looked at Tao Qi. “Xiao Qi, stop talking nonsense! This is your elder sister! What do you mean by our family? What are you saying? We’re a family. If I hear you talking nonsense again, you’ll be punished!”

Tao Qi hurriedly hugged his mother and acted like a good boy. “Mom, I won’t say it anymore, okay? I don’t know her yet and I’m already an adult. Please don’t punish me like you did when I was a young boy!”

 

Chapter 94 Tao Qi's thoughts

Mother Tao sighed helplessly. There were many children in the family and Tao Qi was the youngest. He was spoiled by the elders in the family to the point that he was lawless and knew how to act coquettishly.

Plus, Tan Jing was her favourite. If she wanted Tao Qi to accept Xiao Rou as his new sister, she would need to put in more effort but no matter what, Tao Qi had to admit that Xiao Rou was a part of the Tao family now!

Tao Qi hid in his mother’s arms and turned his head to smile at tan Rou smugly.

Tan Rou wasn’t angry at all and still returned Tao Qi a gentle smile.

‘You little brat, just wait and see. I’ll deal with you sooner or later!’

Just like that, Tan Rou had a secret fight with her fourth brother Tao Qi as soon as she got home.

Tao Qi didn’t hide his malice towards Tan Rou and showed great dislike for her. Tan Rou naturally had a deeper impression of this little brat who had taken a thief as his sister and he kept provoking her. She had thought of dozens of ways to deal with him.

However, the two of them had only just met and didn’t fight out of consideration for Mother Tao’s feelings.

For Mother Tao, it wasn’t easy for her to find her real daughter and it was rare as well for her youngest son to return home. This was the happiest moment of her life. Although Tao Qi was a young boy, he still knew that he had considered Mother Tao’s feelings.

It was the same for Tan Rou as well. She didn’t want Mother Tao to worry about the quarrels and fights between the siblings like she did in her previous life.

Tan Rou didn’t continue bickering with Tao Qi. She spoke with Mother Tao for a bit before returning to her room with the herbs. While Father Tao was still at home for dinner, Tan Rou wanted to use the remaining time to start working on the herbs.

Seeing that Tan Rou had returned to her room, Mother Tao worriedly told Tao Qi, ” You have to be good and stop thinking about Tan Jing. Xiao Rou is your real sister. She’s really good and has become more sensible. You’ll like her after some time.”

Tao Qi wasn’t too happy about what he was hearing. “I will never like her! Big brother has told me about the things she did before. I hate her. Sister Jing Jing is the best!”

Mrs. Tao sighed helplessly. “Then, did your brother tell you anything about what happened recently? Your sister, Xiao Rou, has suffered a lot in the past. It’s normal that all of these are unacceptable toher. She’s been very well-behaved recently and I’m happy. If you’re a good son of mine, you’re not allowed to say such things again!”

Tao Qi frowned. He hadn’t called his brother in a long time. The last time they talked was when Tan Rou had just returned home.

Tao Qi may be the youngest but he was still a member of the Tao family, he had heard from Tao Zheng that he had a new sister. Tao Zheng couldn’t help but tell him about what she had done back then.

However, Tao Qi didn’t believe that Tan Rou had become very obedient all of a sudden.

She could lie to her parents and her brother but she will never be able to lie to him!

He had already heard from Sister Jingjing that Tan Rou was becoming more and more cunning. This was all an act!

Tao Qi lowered his head, unwilling to agree to his mother’s request.

Inside his heart, Sister Jingjing was the best and she would not lie to him. He must tear Tan Rou’s mask apart and not let his family be deceived by her lies!

Just like that, Tao Qi inexplicably felt a sense of duty and was even more motivated to compete with Tan Rou.

Tao Qi thought to himself, ‘I’ll definitely make Tan Rou look like a fool and force her to reveal her true and most vicious side. By then, my family will naturally know who they should consider as family and Sister Jingjing will be able to come back!’

The young boy’s thoughts were naive. He had not yet seen through his sisters’ abilities and was still immersed in the lie that Tan Jing had weaved for him.

Seeing the stubbornness on her son’s face, Mother Tao knew that she couldn’t rush things. So, she didn’t say anything else. She just wanted her children to spend more time together.

Tan Rou was much better than Tan Jing, that ungrateful villain. Her son was a smart boy and he would definitely understand.

After a while, Father Tao got off work and came home.

As soon as he entered the house, Tao Qi jogged into his father’s arms and acted like a spoiled child. “Dad, did you miss me?”

Mr. Tao threw down his briefcase and caught his son, grinning from ear to ear. “Of course I do, you little brat. You’ve become much heavier!”

Tao Qi grinned. “I’m all grown up now. I can help both of you chase away the bad guys!”

The bad person Tao Qi was referring to was naturally Tan Rou but father Tao didn’t realize it and thought that this was just a joke. So, he played along and said, “Good, good, good! Xiao Qi is the best and you will definitely be able to protect us.”

Tao Qi waved his fist in his father’s arms, full of fighting spirit.

Mrs. Tao looked at the father and son who were close to each other.

Their children were all grown up and only Tao Qi still acted coquettishly like a child, which made her husband, who was usually quiet, a lot more cheerful.

 

Chapter 95 Total Annihilation

Mr. And Mrs. Tao naturally wouldn’t be particularly biassed towards any child. They were all flesh and blood that fell from their bodies. Even Tan Rou, who had just been found, was the same as the other children they had raised since young in their hearts. They even wanted to make it up to her.

However, it was undeniable that due to Tao Qi’s age and character, he was indeed the most favoured person in the family. This was also why Tan Jing was so confident.

Based on her understanding of the Tao family, she had Tao Qi in her grasp and could use him to defeat Tan Rou.

Tan Jing was like a venomous snake hiding in the dark, constantly flicking its tongue, ready to give Tao Rou a fatal blow. As for whether this would harm the Tao family, it was not within her consideration.

The Tao family had no idea about Tan Jing’s secret scheme.

Mrs. Tao watched as the father and son got closer and interrupted, “That’s enough, Xiao Qi. You’re already so old and yet you’re still pestering your father. Come down quickly, don’t tire your father out. Let’s eat!”

Father Tao put Tao Qi down on the ground with a smile and patted his head affectionately.

Tao Qi ran over with a cheer. “It’s time to eat! Mom, did you make my favorite red braised pork?”

Tao Qi’s mother pinched Tao Qi’s nose affectionately. “Of course I’ve prepared it for you, little glutton!”

Then, she called out loudly, “Xiao Rou! Ah Zheng! Come out and eat!”

As soon as Tao Qi returned, the house became lively. Mother Tao smiled, secretly thinking that once he accepted Tao Rou, then everything would be complete.

Tan Rou heard the sound from inside the room, put down the medicinal herbs in her hand, and came out.

In the other room, Tao Zheng also opened his door upon hearing this.

Ever since Tao Zheng was provoked by Tan Song the last time, he knew very well that he was still unable to protect his family now. Hence, he became even more hardworking.

Recently, he had been preparing the works for a photography competition. He had put in so much effort that his eyes had turned red.

Tao Qi wanted to rush in to find his brother as soon as he got home. In his heart, his elder brother must hate Tan Rou as much as he did.

However, before he could reach the door, Mrs. Tao stopped him, telling him that his brother was busy and that none of them should be disturbing him.

That was why Tao Qi never got to meet his elder brother and now that he did, he definitely wouldn’t waste such a good opportunity.

Tao Zheng touched the top of Tao Qi’s head, messing up his fluffy hair. “You brat, how long has it been since you called me your brother? You sneaked back home! You’re getting bolder and bolder!”

Tao Qi felt extremely guilty. He had been in contact with Sister Jingjing more frequently recently and he naturally forgot to call his brother. When he heard that Sister Jingjing had been bullied by Tan Rou, he quickly rushed home.

Afraid that his brother would be angry, Tao Qi quickly acted obediently. “Brother, I have been studying hard.”

Tao Zheng snorted with laughter but he wouldn’t argue with Tao Qi over this.

He turned around and saw Tan Rou coming downstairs. Tao Zheng greeted her, “Rou ‘er, you’re back. How’s school?”

After the previous incident, Tao Zheng finally understood.

The Tan family couldn’t distinguish between right and wrong. They were no different from animals. Tan Rou, his little sister, had suffered in their family. She only did those things in the past because she lacked love from her family.

She had never been a member of the Tan family but a real member of the Tao family. In the future, Tan Rou’s matters would also be his responsibility as an older brother.

Tao Zheng was being gentle and so Tan Rou naturally answered obediently. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine!”

Hearing this, Tao Zheng felt at ease.

At this point, the conflict between Tan Rou and Tao Zheng had truly been eliminated. They were as close as siblings who had grown up together since young.

The Tao parents were especially happy to see their son and daughter being so nice to each other. They were biological siblings!

Although there were some misunderstandings in the past and they took a long time to get to where they are, the both of them had still come back to his senses.

Mother Tao kept using her eyes to signal to Tao Qi, wanting him to see how close Tao Zheng and Tan Rou were; in order for him to understand how close they were. She hoped that Tao Qi could learn from Tao Zheng.

However, Tao Qi’s brows were tightly furrowed. He let go of Tao Zheng’s hand and looked extremely unhappy.

He thought to himself, ‘Why is this situation so different from what I imagined? Why was her brother so close to this bad woman, Tan Rou? Shouldn’t there be daggers drawn? Could it be that even her brother had been deceived?’

‘Great! I didn’t expect this bad woman to be so powerful. It seems that I’ve made the right decision to come back earlier. If I had been any later, I would have been completely annihilated from this family!’

Tao Zheng looked at Tao Qi in confusion. He didn’t understand why his younger brother was suddenly throwing a tantrum.

Tao Qi glared at Tao Zheng as he yelled internally, ‘Bad brother! Traitor! He actually betrayed him and Sister Jingjing!’

Tao Zheng was confused by the glare. Just as he was about to ask Tao Qi what was going on, Tao Qi ran away quickly.

 

Chapter 96 I want to find sister Jingjing

Tao Zheng thought that Tao Qi was throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get enough attention at first. So, he shook his head helplessly and let Tao Qi do as he wished.

Tan Rou had been observing Tao Qi the whole time. Seeing him run away with a sad and angry face, she laughed secretly in her heart.

The brat didn’t think that Tao Zheng would change his opinion of her. Tao Qi was so angry that his entire face turned red. How cute!

Tao Qi’s face was droopy as he ran back to the dining table and sat down.

Mr. And Mrs. Tao assumed the same as Tao Zheng, thinking that Tao Qi was throwing a childish tantrum and was jealous of Tan Rou because he didn’t receive the full attention of his family when he returned home. They even shook their heads and laughed at how childish he was.

Mother Tao held the dish and teased Tao Qi on purpose, “Oh my! The red braised pork looks good today. Who would like to have them tonight? Where should I put it?”

Tao Qi’s eyes lit up but he still looked at Tan Rou awkwardly before saying, “Me!!! I want it!!”

Mother Tao placed the red braised meat in front of Tao Qi lovingly and beckoned for Tan Rou and Tao Zheng to quickly take their seats. She also carefully placed the two children’s favourite dishes in front of them.

Father Tao looked at his children, who were well-behaved, sensible, lively, and cheerful, and his wife, who was virtuous. He suddenly felt emotional. Days like these were comforting and comfortable. If his other son came home as well, it would be a real family reunion. It would be worth it even if you gave him a mountain of gold or silver!

Before father Tao could fully enjoy this happiness, Tao Qi’s big eyes rolled and he had an idea.

Tao Qi got up, ran to the coffee table, picked up the phone and was ready to make a call.

“What’s wrong, Xiao Qi?” Tao Zheng asked with concern. “You don’t even want the red braised meat? What’s the matter?”

Tao Qi turned around with a smile. “I’m going to ask my sister to come over. She loves red braised pork just as much as me. I haven’t seen my sister in a long time. I miss her!”

As soon as these words came out, Tan Rou raised her eyebrows in a calm and unruffled manner but she didn’t say anything. As for the rest of them, their faces changed and they immediately had a serious look on their faces.

“Your sister is sitting right here. There’s no other sister. Come back and eat!” Mr. Tao chuckled.

Mrs. Tao frowned as well and tried to persuade him, “Xiaoqi, what did I tell you just now? Stop messing around. Come back and let’s eat!”

Hearing his parents say this, Tao Qi felt unhappy. Ever since he returned home, his parents and brother’s attitude had been so strange. They didn’t mention Tan Jing at all and were so good to that bad woman Tan Rou!

Tao Qi couldn’t hold back the dissatisfaction in his heart any longer and shouted, “I only have one Sister and that’s Tan Jing! I don’t know the one sitting at the table and I can’t eat looking at her!”

Mr. And Mrs. Tao were both angry and helpless. They quickly looked at Tan Rou uneasily, afraid that Tan Rou would be hurt by these words.

Tan Rou shook her head and used her expression to tell them that she was fine with it.

Although Tao Zheng usually doted on his little brother, he still became angry when he heard this. He immediately brought out his authority as an older brother and rebuked loudly, “Tao Qi, there are some things you don’t know yet, so stop it with the nonsense! Tan Jing doesn’t deserve to be in our house anymore. Quickly come over and apologize to my sister. I’ll talk to you about the other things later!”

Mrs. Tao’s face turned serious as well. She no longer tried to guide Tao Qi patiently like before. Instead, she spoke firmly to her youngest son, ” Xiao Qi, come and apologize to your sister. No matter what, you shouldn’t have said that. She’s your sister, not your enemy!”

Even though Father Tao didn’t say anything, he stared at Tao Qi sternly. He undoubtedly agreed with Mother Tao’s point of view.

eeing that his family was so strict with him, Tao Qi was both scared and aggrieved. He started wailing. “Mom, didn’t you dote on Sister Jingjing in the past? Why is everything like this now?! It’s all her fault! She’s the reason why Sister Jingjing couldn’t return to our house and now you’re scolding me for her?! I hate her!!! She’s my enemy!”

Tao Qi couldn’t stand his family anymore. He cried and ran back to his room, slamming the door.

He didn’t know why everything in the house had changed the moment he returned!

Mrs. Tao wanted to run up to comfort him but when she thought about what Tao Qi had just said, she held herself back.

This child was too willful. It was all their fault for spoiling Tao Qi. Although it was a good thing for him to be independent at such a young age, it also made him develop a lot of bad habits. He always has thoughts of his own.

Father Tao sighed heavily and said with a serious expression, “Don’t worry about him. If he doesn’t eat, let him starve. It’s his punishment for saying the wrong thing.”

 

Chapter 97 Father-daughter conversation

After saying that, Father Tao turned to look at tan Rou.

“Xiao Rou, your brother just came back. He might not be used to it yet. He used to be close to Tan Jing. Kids like him don’t know much about these things. Don’t take it to heart. You know how we treat you. We will talk to Tao Qi about this.”

Tan Rou wasn’t bothered by it. She was already mentally prepared and wouldn’t really get angry at Tao Qi.

“I understand. It’s normal for him to be unaccustomed to a new sister. Just take it slow. There’s no need to force him.”

Mrs. Tao felt even worse when she saw how sensible Tan Rou was. She blamed herself for not bringing Tan Rou back home earlier and causing the siblings to drift apart.

Mr. Tao nodded in satisfaction. “Come to my study room after dinner. I have something to discuss with you.”

Tan Rou obediently agreed.

Still in a fit of anger, Tao Zheng told Tan Rou, “That kid has a stubborn temper, so don’t get angry with him for now. If he causes a scene again, tell me and I’ll deal with him!”

Tan Rou smiled. “Thank you, brother. You’ve already accepted me. I’m sure Tao Qi will soon grow to like me as well.”

Hearing Tan Rou’s words, the other three finally relaxed. Tao Zheng smiled in embarrassment.

He couldn’t help but feel a little emotional when he thought of his previous malice toward Tan Rou.

At that time, he had a very magical intuition that this family would be destroyed by Tan Rou sooner or later. However, not long after, Tan Rou became better and better.

Now, Tao Zheng felt that Tan Rou’s return would make their family even more blissful.

Tan Rou looked at the three family members in front of her and made up her mind that she would never repeat the mistakes of her previous life!

Even though they weren’t that rich, they were so warm towards her. It was her arrival that disrupted their lives and caused them to end up in a tragic end.

It could be said that their encounter was an undeserved disaster. In this life, not only did she want to protect them, they also wanted them to be proud of her.

It would be a daydream if Tan Jing wanted to use Tao Qi to cause drama to this family!

Tan Rou would never allow anyone in the Tao family to be deceived and be used by Tan Jing, let alone her beloved younger brother.

If Tao Qi continued to be deceived by Tan Jing and was treating Tan Rou as an enemy, then her parents would be the ones who are heartbroken.

So she had to hurry and correct Tao Qi’s opinion about her. She secretly swore to herself that she would never allow her younger brother to be like her.

When the three of them finished their dinner, Mr. Tao silently gave Mrs. Tao a look. Mrs. Tao nodded in understanding and went to the kitchen to take out some food that she had left in advance. She was going to bring it to Tao Qi’s room so that she could have a talk with her.

Mr. Tao brought Tan Rou to the study room. This was the first time the father and daughter duo had such a formal conversation.

Mr. Tao sat in front of the table and motioned for Tan Rou to sit beside him. Then, he pondered for a moment, as if thinking about how to communicate with his daughter. It would always be more difficult to speak to those who are closest to them. As he was facing the daughter that he had finally found, Mr. Tao did not want to hurt her feelings because of insufficient communication.

Tan Rou sat obediently by the side and didn’t want to disturb him. She even took the opportunity to look around Father Tao’s study.

However, the more Tan Rou looked around the room, the more she felt that she had overlooked something.

Father Tao was usually very low-key and never wore any branded clothes or accessories. According to him, he was just a small employee and didn’t need to put on a show to waste his money.

The first time Tan Rou sold medicine to Bai Jing, she earned 2 Yuan. She even bought Mr. Tao expensive tea leaves. That was the first time Tan Rou saw Mr. Tao had the urge to show off. He carefully divided the expensive tea leaves into several small bags and brought them to the company every day to make tea.

At first, Tan Rou only thought that Father Tao liked simplicity and was the typical China kind father. Secondly, the family’s conditions were limited. He had to raise so many children and was under so much pressure that he couldn’t bear to waste any of it.

She had also secretly made up her mind to share the burden with her parents as soon as possible so that they could live a comfortable life. That was why she registered an account in the stock market while selling the medicine.

But now, Tan Rou looked around Father Tao’s room and her heart trembled. Why did she see so many authentic cultural relics in Father Tao’s study?

Tan Rou blinked and she couldn’t believe her eyes. Those paintings were all made by masters and some of them were even national treasures.

Tan Rou had achieved relevant identification studies abroad. So, she was sure that this was the real deal.

However, some of the paintings in Tao’s study were very unpopular. Ordinary people would probably think that they were counterfeits or wouldn’t recognize them at all, treating them as common decorations.

Tan Rou suppressed how shocked she was and quickly calmed herself down. How did these priceless treasures appear in Father Tao’s study all at once? Could it be that the Tao family wasn’t as ordinary as they appeared to be and that they were hiding their true strength?

 

Chapter 98 The big boss's father

Tan Rou was afraid that her eyes were playing tricks on her. She couldn’t help but stare at the paintings a few more times. The result was still the same. Those collectibles were authentic!

Tan Rou looked at Father Tao, who was simple and down-to-earth, and sighed in her heart. Was this what the legendary netizens ridiculed where your family has nothing but four simple walls but when you turned 18, they tell you that your family is actually loaded?!

The father of the family who was a small employee who worked hard every day had suddenly become a millionaire. This contrast was thrilling.

Mr. And Mrs. Tao had hidden it well. If it wasn’t for Mr. Tao’s love for painting and calligraphy which resulted in his collection inside his study, and that he happened to run into Tan Rou, who was an expert in painting and calligraphy, his secret wouldn’t have been discovered.

Now, Tan Rou felt that everything had a reasonable explanation. Last time, when she earned her first bucket of gold, Father Tao immediately announced that he was promoted that night and there would be a raise. So, there was no need for Tan Rou to worry about her family.

At that time, Tan Rou felt that everything was coincidental. It turned out that he was afraid that she would be tired and so he couldn’t help but changed the script.

However, after the shock, Tan Rou’s heart returned to normal.

There had to be a reason why Mr. And Mrs. Tao wanted to hide the true identity of the family. Since they didn’t want their children to know about this, she would just pretend that she didn’t know anything.

After all, Tan Rou had never thought of relying on her parents for anything. Whether the Tao family was rich or were only left with four walls, Tan Rou had long made up her mind that this family was something that she had to protect.

It was a good thing to find out that this family was actually in a better state which surprised Tan Rou. This meant that their family had the ability to risk what was coming to them.

However, whether the Tao family was rich or not, it did not conflict with Tan Rou’s desire to protect the Tao family. So, there was no need for Tan Rou to ask for an explanation and put her parents in a difficult position.

Tan Rou felt that for Mr. Tao to have such an amazing collection ability, he must have been an important person in the past. However, he and Mrs. Tao were able to abandon their wealth and become someone who lived a simple life. They even taught their children so well. It definitely wasn’t something that was easy to accomplish.

It was easy for one to change from frugal to luxurious but difficult for the other way round.

There were so many of them who were blinded by greed and only had eyes for money but Mr. And Mrs. Tao chose to stray away from it. It was clear that they had characters that ordinary people couldn’t match up.

Tan Rou blinked her big eyes and looked at Mr. Tao with admiration as a daughter. She also worshipped her as well.

It had only been a minute or two since Tan Rou had discovered the paintings. Mr. Tao was still in deep thought but he was shocked by Tan Rou’s bright eyes.

Father Tao was confused. Why was his daughter so excited all of a sudden? He hadn’t even said anything!

Mr. Tao sighed in his heart. A boy could be strictly disciplined but were there any of his sons that had not been badly beaten by him?

He couldn’t do the same to his daughter. As a girl, he couldn’t wait to pamper her and wouldn’t want to say a single harsh word to her.

However, doting on a son was like killing him indirectly. Father Tao felt that he had already carefully disciplined Tan Jing but the result was still disappointing. In front of his biological daughter, Tan Rou, Father Tao had to be more careful.

Looking at Tan Rou’s cute appearance, Mr. Tao forced himself not to smile and made himself look more serious.

He cleared his throat and said to Tan Rou, “Xiao Rou, you’ve been home for some time. If you feel uncomfortable or unhappy, you have to tell me and your mother.”

Tan Rou looked at Father Tao’s expression and became more serious than before. “Everything is fine. I’m feeling better than ever!”

Hearing Tan Rou’s words, Father Tao was pleased.

It wasn’t easy for this child to understand and completely let go of her obsession with the Tan family. He was so sensible. It wasn’t in vain that he and his wife doted on her from the bottom of their hearts.

Mr. Tao nodded. He remembered what happened at the dinner table and comforted her,”We all know that you’re a good kid. We’ve also seen Tan Jing’s character clearly. Don’t think too much about what happened with Tao Qi, we’ll definitely criticise him for it. No matter what, we’re a family, and I definitely won’t allow him to turn his back on an outsider! We will be fair in regards to this matter, you don’t have to worry.”

Father Tao’s attitude was firm because he knew that the conflicts between children were part of the responsibility of parents.

If he couldn’t mediate the situation properly, it would be his fault. It was easy to say that he was fair but to actually practise it was difficult. However, Father Tao had already made up his mind to not side with any child.

Tao Qi had just said something wrong, so he had to be punished. If Tan Rou had made a mistake, she would also be punished.

That was because she had truly become a part of the Tao family!

 

 

Chapter 99 Father Tao's promise

Tan Rou understood what Father Tao meant. She knew Father Tao was not a cold, heartless scum like Tan Song, who was not worthy of being a father. She was pleased.

“I know, dad,” she nodded as she felt touched. “Tao Qi is my younger brother, and I’m confident he’ll accept me. If anything happens between us during this moment between I and my brother, you can treat him as normal and not be biased toward me. I know what I’m doing. Let’s give him some time.” Then, she winked at father Tao meaningfully.

Seeing that his daughter already had a plan, Mr. Tao shook his head and laughed. “You’re brilliant. You’re confident enough; we don’t need to worry about you.”

Tan Rou smiled mysteriously. She had seen all kinds of storms. How was it that she couldn’t handle a little kid?

Because Tan Rou wasn’t affected by Tao Qi’s reaction, Father Tao was relieved and liked Tan Rou even more.

This child really treated Tao Qi as a family, which was why she was so understanding and tolerant. She was still a young woman, but she was sensible. It was indeed gratifying.

Mr. Tao’s mood was much more relaxed. He felt it was not as difficult to communicate with his daughter as he had imagined. He no longer felt worried. He directly asked the key question that he had mentioned to Tan Rou earlier. ” Your mother has already told me about Tan Song coming to our house to cause trouble the other day. I just wanted to know what are your thoughts on it?”

After that day, Mrs. Tao called Mr. Tao to discuss the bankruptcy of the Tan family. With Mr. Tao’s ability, it wasn’t a big deal, but after thinking about it, Mr. Tao felt that he should ask for Tan Rou’s opinion before making a move.

If Tan Rou still had feelings for the Tan family, Father Tao wouldn’t bear for his daughter to be sad. He would only do enough for Tan Song to learn his lesson. However, this would inevitably disappoint Father Tao.

However, hearing what Father Tao said as she recalled Tan Song’s rudeness the other day, her eyes gradually became determined from how she looked relaxed previously.

“Dad, I don’t have any feelings left for the Tan family because I feel disgusted from the bottom of my heart whenever I see them. If I don’t have any expectations, why would I be affected? Tan Song will pay the price for his words sooner or later. If he doesn’t deserve his virtue, he will face disaster. I am not that magnanimous. I hope that his whole family will go to hell.”

Tan Rou was a little agitated.

Father Tao didn’t know what had happened in her previous life, so he probably thought she was too vicious.

“I’m sorry,” she explained, as she was a little disappointed. “This may be a little vicious, but they are my real thoughts. I will work hard towards this goal. I won’t lose my conscience, and I won’t do anything that goes against my conscience, but I’ll definitely make the tan family pay the price.”

Hearing Tan Rou’s words, a storm stirred up inside him. At the same time, he was shocked by Tan Rou’s firm and fearless expression.

Mr. Tao didn’t expect Tan Rou to have such courage at such a young age. Just now, for a moment, the will need that Tan Rou exuded even made Mr. Tao a little dazed.

Father Tao had seen many people. At this moment, he naturally understood that his daughter was not ordinary. To be so decisive and clear-headed at the same time, this determination made Father Tao feel that there was nothing she couldn’t achieve. She would definitely be a dragon among men!

Moreover, Tan Rou was determined. The Tan family must have hurt her deeply. She should have been at the age where she could run around the campus innocently, but she had to bear all these painful memories, which made Tan Rou sad and angry.

Mr. Tao’s heart ached so much that his eyes teared up. He quickly comforted Tan Rou, “You’re a good girl. Why wouldn’t I believe you? We, the Tao family, are all good men, regardless of gender. You’re my child; of course, you wouldn’t do bad things. I believe in your character.”

Seeing that Father Tao didn’t blame her for being cruel, Tan Rou gradually relaxed.

In this life, she had to bear the burden of the Tao family’s blood feud. She hoped the Tao family would never experience that kind of suffering again, but she didn’t want them to misunderstand her.

Father Tao sighed deeply. His tone was solemn as if he had made a decision.

“Don’t be too stressed about it. Just like you said, the Tan family is unworthy of their position. Sooner or later, there will be retribution. I promise.”

Mr. Tao’s eyes shone proudly. He was very pleased that Tan Rou had such thoughts. After suffering so much, the other party showed no signs of repentance. Instead, they even came here to provoke her. If he still had to endure it, would that still be reasonable?

Chapter 100

Good Acting

Once Father Tao understood what his daughter had in mind, he could show off his skills without worry.

Hearing how determined Father Tao was, Tan Rou guessed that he would probably intervene in this matter.

Tan Rou didn’t expect Mr. Tao to make a move. On one hand, she had never mentioned this to any of them previously. Mr. And Mrs. Tao didn’t know what happened in their previous life. The rebirth that Tan Rou had was miraculous and she couldn’t tell them the truth.

To Mr. And Mrs. Tao’s knowledge, it wasn’t a blood feud over the destruction of her family but how the Tan family had abused and humiliated her and the Tao family.

Tan Rou had thought that the Tao family would choose to stay away from the Tan family and never be in contact ever again.

After all, the Tan family was powerful. If the Tao family couldn’t afford to offend them, they could still hide from them. However, Mr. Tao’s attitude today showed that he wanted to take revenge for Tan Rou. It seemed like her maturity and obedience in this life had inspired Mr. And Mrs. Tao’s love for their daughter.

She wondered if they had been completely disappointed in her in her previous life.

On the other hand, Tan Rou used to think that the Tao family was just an ordinary family. She never thought that an ordinary family could compete with the Tan family. Even if Mr. And Mrs. Tao wanted to, they were probably powerless. Tan Rou could not bear to let the Tao family strike a rock with an egg. She only wanted to fight the Tao family with her own abilities.

However, there was a turn of events tonight. The Tao family was not as ordinary as they looked on the surface. Father Tao’s strength was unfathomable.

Tan Rou was not entirely cheered up by this truth. She really wanted to protect the Tao family.

She had only realised that Mr. Tao’s abilities were extraordinary but she couldn’t expose him and ask him how capable he was. Tan Rou didn’t want to break the family atmosphere that Mr. And Mrs. Tao had worked so hard to maintain all these years and so she wasn’t sure.

If Father Tao used his methods to compete with the Tan family, in the event of an accident, the Tan family would be desperate and fight Father Tao to death. Wouldn’t she cause the Tao family to suffer once again?

If Mr. Tao was powerful enough, he could help Tan Rou take a shortcut but she didn’t dare to gamble on the Tao family’s future. She would rather take it slow and be harder on herself than let her family suffer any more accidents.

Tan Rou kept thinking about how to dispel Mr. Tao’s thoughts without exposing what she had already noticed. She said hesitantly, “Dad, don’t be sad about what I just said. I’m all grown up now and I have the ability to protect myself. Just leave it to me. I’ll take revenge on my own.”

Mr. Tao didn’t know that his cover was on the verge of collapse. He thought that Tan Rou was just comforting him, so he smiled faintly. “It’s not entirely on you. As your father, it’s my responsibility to protect you. How can I not care that the Tan family is bullying the Tao family because they think that we have nobody?”

Then, he chuckled and covered it up. “Besides, I’m not very capable. I might not be able to do anything at all. I’m just fulfilling my father’s wishes. You don’t have to think too much about it. Your main priority now is to study well. Go back to your room and study!”

Mr. Tao was afraid that he would reveal something if he said too much. He urged Tan Rou to go back to her room, unwilling to talk about this topic anymore and cause trouble for his child.

Tan Rou was speechless. ‘Dad, just by looking at the calligraphy and paintings hanging in your study, you don’t look like someone who’s ordinary!’

But perhaps Father Tao was just a close friend to someone who was wealthy but didn’t know much about the business world?

The more Tan Rou thought about it, the more worried she became. She was afraid that Mr. And Mrs. Tao would do everything they could to seek justice for her because they loved their daughter so much. That wouldn’t be worth it.

However, since Father Tao had already said so much to her, Tan Rou could only sigh helplessly. She decided to investigate further and find an opportunity to stop Father Tao.

Father Tao watched as Tan Rou walked to the door. He suddenly remembered something and called out to her, “Oh right, I heard that you know the third young master of the Zhuang family? ”

When Tan Song came to the Tao family to cause trouble, he mentioned this matter. Mother Tao was puzzled and so she told Father Tao.

Tan Rou came back to her senses and said, “Yes. I came to know about a divine doctor by chance. He introduced me to Zhuang Liu in order for me to treat him.”

Mr. Tao raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Could that doctor be Bai Jing?”

Tan Rou was also surprised. “Dad, you know Bai Jing?”