Luo Zhengzheng woke up feeling dizzy. She was slightly surprised to find Gu Shi still asleep and that he hadn't gone to work today. Touching her forehead, she only remembered drinking a few too many drinks in a moment of excitement, but had no recollection of what happened afterward.
She got out of bed and went to the dressing table, picked up a mirror, and looked at herself. Her makeup was off; she didn't know who had removed it.
After washing up in the bathroom, Gu Shi was still asleep. She went over and noticed his face was flushed. Touching his forehead, she found it very hot. She nudged his arm and called out, "Gu Shi, wake up, you have a fever."
Gu Shi slowly opened his eyes, his usually calm eyes showing a rare hint of weakness. He looked at Luo Zhengzheng, his voice hoarse: "My head hurts!"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him: "I just touched your forehead, it was very hot. Does your throat hurt?"
Gu Shi: "A little."
Though he said "a little," it must hurt quite a bit.
Luo Zhengzheng instructed him, "Lie down first, I'll go downstairs to get a thermometer to take your temperature."
Gu Shi hummed in agreement and watched her leave.
Soon, Luo Zhengzheng came back upstairs, took his temperature, and said, "Your fever is already 39 degrees Celsius, let's go to the hospital."
Gu Shi sat up, "No, some medicine will do. My throat is inflamed."
Since he didn't want to go to the hospital, Luo Zhengzheng didn't insist, "Since you have a cold, just rest at home today. Have breakfast, then take your medicine. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you."
Gu Shi was about to speak when Luo Zhengzheng said to herself, "Never mind, it's better to eat something light when having a cold. I'll make you some pumpkin porridge. Get up and wash up, I'll go downstairs and cook the porridge."
Gu Shi chuckled as he watched her departing figure. It was just a cold; there was no need to rest at home. Since she had already made the decision for him, he would go along with it.
Thinking of this, he picked up his phone and texted his secretary, Guo Yao: "I have a cold. Your president's wife won't let me come to work. Contact me if anything happens."
Guo Yao received the text. While lamenting that with the president absent and that he'd have to work twice as hard, he simultaneously suspected the president was flaunting his relationship. He even had evidence, but he dared not speak.
Luo Zhengzheng came downstairs, and Nanny Wang asked her, "Does Gu Shi have a fever?"
Luo Zhengzheng said, "39 degrees. He said his throat hurts; it's probably inflamed. He doesn't want to go to the hospital, saying some medicine will do. I'll cook him some porridge."
Nanny Wang said, "Eat first, then give medicine, to avoid upsetting his stomach. Do you have any medicine at home? If not, have your Uncle Wang go out and buy some for him."
Luo Zhengzheng nodded: "We have all kinds of cold medicine, fever reducers, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Oh, better put a fever-reducing patch on him first to bring the fever down."
Gu Shi saw Luo Zhengzheng went downstairs and then returned back up, quietly looking at her: "What's that in your hand?"
Luo Zhengzheng tore open a fever-reducing patch and said, "You can't take medicine for now, so I'll put on a fever-reducing patch."
Gu Shi frowned, somewhat resistant: "Isn't this the one Jiajia used when he had a fever?"
Luo Zhengzheng placed the peeled patch on his forehead, glaring at him: "This is for adults, don't dodge it. Why are you even harder to please than Jiajia?"
Gu Shi sighed helplessly: "It's a bit strange."
Luo Zhengzheng thought to herself, "Even when sick, he's still so picky. He really is a young master."
Half an hour later, Luo Zhengzheng cooked porridge and went upstairs to call him down for breakfast. She found him sitting on the bed reading documents. She frowned: "You have a cold, why are you still reading documents? You should rest more. Come downstairs for breakfast."
Gu Shi took off his glasses, put the documents on the bedside table, and obediently followed her downstairs.
Little Chengjia was very happy to see his dad was still home today and ran over to ask for a hug.
Gu Shi looked at him and said gently, "Daddy has a cold, let Granny Wang hold you."
Children have weak immune systems.
Granny Wang came over: "Granny Wang will take you to the pond outside to watch Grandpa next door fish, okay?"
The little guy's attention was indeed diverted: "Look at the fish, look at the big fish."
Granny Wang took little Chengjia out.
After the meal and half an hour later, Luo Zhengzheng poured Gu Shi some water, watched him take his medicine, and told him to go upstairs to rest.
An hour later, she went upstairs to take his temperature again, but found him looking at documents again. She was a little annoyed: "Didn't I tell you to rest?"
Saying this, she stepped forward and took the documents from his hands.
Gu Shi stared blankly at her actions, and after a few seconds said, "Much better."
Luo Zhengzheng said, "Then don't look at documents. When you have a cold, your body is weak and it's bad for your mental state. Let me take your temperature again."
Gu Shi touched his forehead: "The fever should be gone."
She took his temperature, and it was indeed normal. He asked, "Can I take this fever patch off now?"
Luo Zhengzheng could only say, "Your fever's gone now. Since you don't like it, take it off. You should rest." She then tried to go downstairs to keep Jiajia company.
Gu Shi looked at her and made a request: "Chengjia was taken out to play by Nanny Wang. Will you sleep with me for a while? No, you should stay with Jiajia, lest you catch a cold."
Luo Zhengzheng opened the bedroom window. She could accommodate some harmless requests from a sick person, saying, "It's alright. I exercise every day; my immunity is strong."
After her rebirth, she paid special attention to maintaining her health. Exercise was naturally an essential part of her daily routine.
Speaking of fitness, she looked at Gu Shi: "Haven't you been exercising lately? Did you stay up late again while on your business trip?"
Gu Shi denied it outright: "Of course not."
Seeing his expression, Luo Zhengzheng knew he wasn't telling the truth. She said, "Health is the foundation of everything; even elementary school students know that. If you don't take good care of yourself, what if something happens to you? I'm so young; I certainly can't be a widow. I'll have to remarry with Chengjia..."
Gu Shi stared at her, his tone somewhat strained: "Don't worry, I definitely won't die young."
Seeing his anger, Luo Zhengzheng thought she shouldn't upset the man considering he was sick. She coughed and said, "I was just worried about you, telling you to take care of your health. Look at you, not exercising, not eating on time, and staying up late. How can your body take it? You caught a cold."
Gu Shi's expression softened and he awkwardly tried to distract her: "My head hurts a little."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him: "Your head is starting to hurt again? Then you should lie down and rest."
Gu Shi nodded and slowly closed his eyes. Seeing that he fell asleep within minutes, Luo Zhengzheng went downstairs to be with her son.
Gu Shi slept until noon. After lunch, he took his medicine and felt much better. Guo Yao called him and he went upstairs to his study to work.
Luo Zhengzheng came upstairs and reminded him, "Work for a while, then come downstairs and rest. Staring at the computer for too long is tiring."
Gu Shi nodded.
Luo Zhengzheng had been busy all morning and was about to take a nap in her bedroom when she saw the documents on her bedside table. She picked them up and flipped through them; it was an investment plan that Wang Maoxiu had brought. She casually looked at them.
As she was looking at the documents, Gu Shi came out of the study and saw her reading them. He asked, "How's it?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked up at him: "You're asking me?"
Gu Shi hummed in agreement, sat down next to Luo Zhengzheng, looked at the documents in her hands, and said with a faint smile, "Wang Maoxiu has been trying to persuade me to invest. Do you think I should?"
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at the first document: "He wants to invest hundreds of millions to build a large amusement park?"
Gu Shi said, "He thinks investing in a large amusement park might be profitable."
Luo Zhengzheng thought for a moment and said, "I haven't done any research. I don't know if building a large amusement park can be profitable, but I know the Ye Group has many real estate projects, and each region has an amusement park. Investing in another large amusement park, isn't that redundant?"
Gu Shi's lips curled slightly, teasing her, "I didn't expect you to know so much about the Ye Group."
Luo Zhengzheng glanced at him, "It's strange that I know something outsiders already know?"
Gu Shi nodded, smiling, "That's true."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at the document in her hand, "So, you don't want to invest?"
Gu Shi glanced at her, "You said it's redundant, look at the next one."
Luo Zhengzheng let out an "Oh," not believing he was telling the truth, and looked at the next one. A document: "He wants to get into logistics?"
Gu Shi: "Yes."
Luo Zhengzheng's eyes lit up: "I think logistics is worth investing in."
Gu Shi smiled at her: "Tell me about it."
Luo Zhengzheng thought for a moment and said: "Online shopping sales have been growing every year for the past two years, reaching over 200 billion. With the increasing development of internet information, I think online shopping will become a nationwide consumption trend. Investing in logistics, as long as the person in charge isn't too stupid, should be feasible."
Gu Shi's smile deepened, somewhat surprised that this girl could say something like that. He patted her head: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Luo Zhengzheng Zheng looked at him in surprise: "I just said a few words, and you listened?"
Wasn't that too casual?
Shouldn't a qualified investor conduct thorough market research, analyze data, and ultimately decide whether to invest?
Gu Shi's eyes held amusement: "I think your analysis is quite good. I've decided to listen to my wife."
Luo Zheng rolled her eyes at him: "Please be serious."
Gu Shi said: "Honestly."
In his eyes, there were no projects that are 100% guaranteed to make money. Investment involved risk; any project had the potential to profit or lose. It depended on the vision and ability of the person in charge, as well as favorable timing and circumstances. Some projects were clearly profitable to anyone with a discerning eye, but a single misjudgment by the decision-maker, or unforeseen circumstances, could turn a profit into a loss.
Luo Zheng fell silent. She felt that he had already made up his mind and she had simply struck a chord with him.
Gu Shi took her hand: "Consider it a private investment, in your name."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him, puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Gu Shi looked at her and explained earnestly: "You speak very eloquently; it seems you've been paying attention to this for some time. Are you going out to work? Why not invest in a project? With Wang Maoxiu overseeing things, you only need to check on things occasionally."
Luo Zhengzheng: "...What kind of job is this? A hands-off manager?"
Gu Shi smiled: "This job is easy and has great potential; being a hands-off manager isn't bad."
Luo Zhengzheng shook her head: "If you're willing to invest, then invest. I won't participate; I have other things to do."
Gu Shi looked at her: "What things?"
Luo Zhengzheng closed the file in her hand and said, "What do you think about me investing in a TV series?"
Gu Shi asked her, "Why do you want to invest in a TV series?"
Luo Zhengzheng pondered for a moment and said, "I'm interested. I recently read a novel that I think is very suitable for a TV series adaptation, and I'd like to give it a try. What do you think?"
Only with interest will one put their heart into something. Having lived a second life, she also wanted to do things she enjoyed.
Gu Shi hadn't paid attention to the film and television industry. He said, "If you want to do it, then do it. If you don't know anything about it, you can contact Chen Ze. He has an entertainment company; let him analyze it for you."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and nodded. Chen Ze was Gu Shi's childhood friend, and she thought this man was really quite nice.
Besides, the house was in a mess right now. It was fine to let him to go out for a walk.
Xu Haocheng usually liked to stay at his buddies' or friends' houses, and Xu Anguo assumed this time would be the same.
…
While Lu Bei was helping out, Tang Yao wasn't idle either.
Her method was even simpler and more direct.
She directly posted a paternity test result for herself, Xu Anguo, and Sun Yulan.
This was the paternity test she had done with the Xu Family before returning home. She took the photo then as a memento, never expecting it would be useful here.
"I don't know why President Xu couple would describe me as an adopted daughter. Is it because I was switched at birth and didn't grow up with you? Not from a prestigious family? I was really looking forward to meeting you, but it doesn't matter anymore. I hope your family continues to live happily ever after."
The paternity test results were stamped with an official seal, impossible to forge that easily. Coupled with this text, a pitiful image of a child not recognized by her biological parents was instantly established.
This twist was unexpected to everyone.
Everyone was momentarily at a loss for words. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed Tang Yao was always the innocent victim.
Shortly after the message was sent out, Xu Anguo and Sun Yulan began taking turns calling Tang Yao.
But Tang Yao didn't answer any of them.
In the end, Xu Anguo sent a message: "You're a member of the Xu Family. You should understand the principle of shared prosperity and shared loss. There's no need to make this situation so tense. Delete the message first, come home for dinner tomorrow, and Dad will have a proper talk with you."
Immediately after, Sun Yulan also sent a message: "Do you really want to disrupt our family's peace? Which parent doesn't love an obedient and sensible child? The more you cause trouble, the less love you'll get."
Sun Yulan's tone remained condescending, as if she was certain Tang Yao would compromise to return to the family.
Perhaps the Tang Yao of the past life would have, but the current Tang Yao didn't care at all.
At this point, netizens felt completely manipulated and their anger rose. The official Weibo account of the Xu Group and the personal accounts of the Xu Family members were flooded with questions from netizens.
"You guys are really something, making your own biological daughter appear as an adopted daughter."
"And you're deceiving netizens, creating such a good image for yourselves. You're really capable."
"From now on, boycott everything from the Xu Group!"
"Being your daughter is so unlucky. Not only was she switched at birth, but a fake heiress has also taken her place."
"What's worse, you're actually protecting the fake heiress? Is there something wrong with your brains?"
"The rumors about Tang Yao being an illegitimate child were actually spread by the Xu Family, right? It's disgusting, constantly throwing dirty water."
"So Tang Yao was kicked out? And then Xu Wan pretended to beg her to come home?"
"It's terrifying to think about. Life in a wealthy family is definitely not for ordinary people like us."
"Support Tang Yao, don't acknowledge them anymore. It's good enough for her to be free and independent."
Many people also went to Xu Wan's Weibo to hurl insults.
The official Xu Group Weibo account and Xu Wan's personal account had to temporarily disable comments.
The Xu Family villa was brightly lit all night.
Unlike them, Tang Yao slept soundly that night, even dreaming of her long-deceived adoptive parents, who stood smiling at her in front of a small courtyard filled with flowers.
The next morning, Tang Yao woke up refreshed. The sun was shining brightly outside. It was a rare beautiful day.
Just as she finished washing up, someone knocked on the door.
Tang Yao opened the door with a puzzled look, only to find a few women carrying makeup cases standing outside.
"Hello, Miss Tang, we are the makeup artists Mr. Lu specially invited to do your makeup. May we come in now? If you are not ready yet, we can wait at the door," the woman in the lead said gently.
Tang Yao was taken aback for a moment. Then she nodded and made way for them. "Okay, thank you."
The makeup artists' movements were very gentle, making Tang Yao feel perfectly comfortable.
After the makeup was done and the clothes were changed, Tang Yao looked like a princess who had stepped out of a castle.
Even the makeup artists were amazed by Tang Yao's natural beauty. As Tang Yao stepped off the elevator, she saw Lu Bei, who had been waiting for her for some time. He was dressed in a suit and tie. His bangs neatly combed back, looking both aloof and handsome.
However, the next second, the man pulled a sandwich and a bottle of milk from somewhere and handed them to Tang Yao.
“You probably haven’t had breakfast yet. You can eat this on the way,” Lu Bei said.
“Thank you,” Tang Yao said. Her face unusually flushed, as she accepted the sandwich and milk.
“You’re welcome. It’s only right that I take care of you as a friend since you’re in the capital,” Noticing Tang Yao’s slight discomfort, Lu Bei eased the awkward atmosphere between them.
Although Tang Yao had experienced so many small worlds, she had never been in a relationship. She was already exhausted from completing her missions every day, so she wasn’t used to such direct advances.
Lu Bei opened the car door, let Tang Yao get in, and then got into the driver’s seat from the other side.
The car slowly started and drove towards the Ji Family villa. Meanwhile, Xu Anguo, along with Sun Yulan and Xu Wan, were on their way to the Ji Family villa.
Compared to Tang Yao's exquisite beauty, the three of them looked noticeably less vibrant.
They didn't seem to have rested well. Thick layers of powder barely concealed the dark circles under their eyes.
"Put everything else aside for now. Elder Ji's birthday banquet is very important. I spent a fortune to get this ticket, so don't let me down. If we're connected with the Ji Family, the company will be saved."
Because of yesterday's revelations, Xu Group's stock had been greatly affected, causing internal turmoil within the company. Xu Anguo had barely slept a wink.
He probably hadn't expected his decision to have such a significant impact.
Xu Wan remained silent. Ever since Xu Anguo slapped her, she was different from how she used to be at home.
Her face lacked its usual feigned gentleness. It was replaced by a blank expression.
The car was stopped at the gate by the security guard, who told them to walk up.
Just then, another car drove straight past them, and the gatekeeper didn't stop them.
"Why can they go up?" Xu Anguo complained.
"They're homeowners here. Of course they can go up," the security guard replied.
Xu Anguo was silent for a moment. Although the Xu Family also lived in a villa, it was worlds apart from the villas here. Not only did they need money, but they also needed strong connections.
Unbeknownst to them, Xu Anguo's abandoned biological daughter, Tang Yao had entered in this very car.
Tang Yao had been chatting with Lu Bei and hadn't seen Xu Anguo and his two companions standing at the gate.
"That's the one, my own house," Lu Bei said, pointing to the nearby villa as he drove. "But I usually stay at my elder brother's, so this one's been sitting vacant."
Tang Yao asked, "Is your elder brother coming today too?"
Lu Bei nodded. "He should arrive a little later than me."
The car quickly reached the top of the hill, where several cars were already parked.
Tang Yao stepped out of the car and was greeted by a spacious garden. In the center stood a five-story villa, surrounded by a few lower houses.
As they walked, Tang Yao noticed that the villas were all decorated in different styles. Elder Ji clearly preferred a Chinese style, as evidenced by the garden's pavilions, terraces, and flowing water.
She lifted her skirt and walked in with Lu Bei.
From the wrought-iron gate to the villa's entrance, people dressed in traditional clothing were there to greet and guide them.
The villa's gate was open, and voices could be heard from inside.
Tang Yao noticed that quite a few people had already arrived, standing together, raising their glasses and exchanging greetings.
Their appearance attracted considerable attention.
However, Tang Yao disliked being in the spotlight, so she found a corner to stay in.
Lu Bei didn't participate in the socializing but instead stood with her in the corner.
"Don't you need to go over?" Tang Yao had attended similar banquets in the small world before and knew this was a good opportunity to expand one’s network. “Leave the socializing to my elder brother,” Lu Bei said. Besides, with his current status in the entertainment industry, he didn't need to deliberately cultivate relationships. “Are you thirsty? Shall I get you a glass of juice?”
Tang Yao was about to say no, but then realized her skirt was indeed restrictive.
“Okay, thank you.”
Just as Lu Bei left, the Xu Family finally arrived.
Xu Wan was exhausted and could barely maintain her composure, especially since the last stretch was uphill and she was wearing high heels.
However, she still spotted Tang Yao in the corner.
“Mom and Dad, it’s Yao Yao,” Xu Wan said.
Xu Anguo’s gaze swept over, his brow furrowing slightly. Tang Yao was alone, standing on the edge, looking as if she were isolated.
“What’s she doing here? What bad luck,” Sun Yulan frowned.
“Perhaps she came in with someone,” Xu Wan deliberately obscured her words.
Just then, a bald, pot-bellied man spoke to Tang Yao, and the three of them immediately misunderstood.
"Sorry, I didn't see her. Ask someone else," Tang Yao waved her hands to the man in front of her.
The man had come with his young daughter, but she had disappeared in the blink of an eye. He had anxiously asked around and finally came to Tang Yao.
After seeing the man off, Tang Yao looked up and saw Xu Anguo and the other two walking towards her.
Tang Yao's eyes instantly turned cold.
"What are you doing here?" Sun Yulan's tone was sharp from the start.
Xu Anguo glared at Sun Yulan and she softened her tone somewhat.
At this moment, Xu Anguo was still concerned about his reputation. Subconsciously, he already believed that Tang Yao had climbed the social ladder by clinging to some older man to get in. His family's recent troubles had been significant and he couldn't afford to add another stain to their record because of Tang Yao.
"This isn't a place for you. Go back first. I'll give you an explanation," Xu Anguo said softly, as if his own daughter were something shameful.
Xu Wan, on the other hand, looked at Tang Yao's dress with a hint of jealousy. She had seen it in a magazine. This dress was one of a kind in the whole country, a custom-made, fully-diamond princess dress from Country Y.
It seemed that man was quite willing to spend money on her. She wondered if his wife at home knew, Xu Wan thought maliciously.
"If you can all come, why can't I?" Tang Yao initially didn't want to acknowledge them, but their dismissive tone stirred up long-dormant emotions.
"Yao Yao, this banquet is very important to our family. Elder Ji and his wife have been loving their whole lives and wouldn't like to see such frivolous matters," Xu Wan said with self proclaimed consideration.
Upon hearing her words, Tang Yao instantly realized that the three of them had seen her talking to that gentleman and misunderstood.
"I've discovered you're really good at framing me. First you said I stole your bracelet, then you said online I’m an illegitimate child, and now, based solely on that one scene, you're concluding I'm someone's mistress? It really proves the old saying: what you have in your own head determines what you see in others," Tang Yao said.
"No, Yao Yao. I just wanted to remind you. You've misunderstood me," Xu Wan's eyes reddened again.
She always used this tactic. While she was never tired of it, everyone else was.
Just as she was about to speak, another voice rang out.
“Wanwan, you’re all here.” It was Chen Yuxuan’s mother, with Chen Yuxuan and his father beside her.
Because Huang Hui’s company was part of her dowry from her maternal family and hadn’t been publicized, the Chen Family didn’t know that Huang Hui was the real big boss of H Clothing. They had only managed to get into this banquet through connections.
Chen Yuxuan’s gaze first fell on Tang Yao and amazement flashed in his eyes.
In just a few months, this true heiress from the countryside had blossomed into such a beautiful young woman.
“And this is?” Mother Chen’s gaze swept over Tang Yao.
“This is also my daughter, Tang Yao,” Xu Anguo said bluntly. After all, everyone knew about their family now, so there was no need to hide anything.
“We were just about to let her go. She’s young and inexperienced and came in with someone else,” Sun Yulan said, holding Xu Wan’s hand beside her, as if to tell the Chen Family that their family valued Xu Wan more.
They had overheard part of the conversation between the three. Now, Mother Chen looked at Tang Yao with disdain: "It’s not my opinion, but in-law, you really need to teach your girls properly. Even if not well-mannered as Wanwan, she should at least know how to be reserved and know her place."
Although she wasn't entirely satisfied with Xu Wan as her daughter-in-law, she disliked Tang Yao, who came from the countryside, even more.
"Is that so? So daughters raised by families like yours are like you, gossiping?" Tang Yao retorted without flinching. She was willing to eat anything, but not disadvantage.
"You!" Mother Chen was furious, but Father Chen pulled her back. After all, this was Elder Ji's birthday banquet.
Xu Anguo's expression was not good. He turned to Tang Yao: "You'd better leave now while there are fewer people."
"What right do you have to drive away the guests here?" At this moment, Lu Bei walked over from the side with a drink.
He placed the juice in Tang Yao's hand before looking at the group of people in front of him with a slightly grim expression.
Xu Wan's nails dug into her flesh. Why was the person who brought Tang Yao in Movie Emperor Lu?! This was completely different from what she had imagined!
"This is our own family matter," Xu Anguo said, his brows slightly furrowed.
He didn't know the person in front of him was Lu Nan's younger brother. He only felt the man looked somewhat familiar, but didn't pay much attention.
"Family matter? Yao Yao, are these people your family?"
"No, I don't know them," Tang Yao shrugged, cooperating perfectly with Lu Bei.
Xu Anguo was furious, feeling that Tang Yao was completely unyielding.
At this time, Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan arrived.
Xu Anguo was both surprised and delighted, taking a few steps forward, but Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan bypassed them and walked towards Tang Yao.
"Why didn't you come over when you arrived?"
The Xu and Chen families watched as Huang Hui took Tang Yao's hand, asking in a familiar tone.
“I originally sent a car to pick you up, but Xiao Bei called and said he was going the same way and would give you a ride.” Huang Hui glanced at Lu Bei, a smile in her eyes.
“Boss Tang, it’s been a long time.” Though Ji Mingquan was talking to Tang Yao, his eyes were drawn to the flowers wrapped in plastic film beside her.
“Elder Ji, thank you for the invitation. Happy birthday. This is a gift for you.”
Tang Yao tore open the film, revealing the pure white flowers.
Ji Mingquan was instantly captivated. He knew what kind of flower it was. Tang Yao had truly touched his heart. His hand, holding the flowers, was trembling with excitement.
“This… isn’t it too precious?” Those around Ji Mingquan were surprised by his words. Just how precious was it?
Ji Mingquan’s friends also gathered around. Even without Ji Mingquan’s introduction, everyone knew that Tang Yao was the one who had sold him the Ghost Orchid.
Everyone was eager to seize the opportunity, crowding around Tang Yao and shoving business cards into her hand.
“Girl, Old Ji and I have been friends for years.”
“Yes, we’re both plant lovers too. Where is your garden located? When can we come and take a look?”
“Go away, go away! Making demands right off the bat, do you think she’ll agree? Child, my family is in real estate and we’ve done quite well in this industry. Do you have any properties you like?”
Xu Anguo’s mouth hung open for a long time. Not only Ji Mingquan and Huang Hui, but also all these people surrounding Tang Yao, were tycoons in their respective fields, far more powerful than the Xu and Chen families.
In that instant, both Xu Anguo and Father Chen had the same thought: they’d made the wrong bet.
Meanwhile, those who had just been talking to Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan noticed them, the two apologizing and hurriedly headed towards the gate.
Most assumed it was because of Lu Bei. After all, Lu Nan held a high position in the business world and the two families were old acquaintances.
But when they got closer, they discovered that Huang Hui and Ji Mingquan were both talking to the woman next to Lu Bei.
Seeing Xu Anguo and the Chen Family nearby, they roughly guessed Tang Yao's identity.
Everyone's eyes held a meaningful glint. After all, losing the big picture for a small gain would probably make Xu Anguo regret it deeply.
Xu Anguo put on a smiling face again and approached, "What do you gentlemen want? I'll have my Yao Yao personally deliver it. I'm Yao Yao's father, my surname is Xu."
The previously amiable elders now had cold faces. Everyone knew that Xu Anguo's actions were unethical.
"Now you know she's your daughter? You should protect your adopted daughter instead. A perfect match, like snakes and rats."
Yun Chuman looked at the chaotic living room and thought she might have opened the door wrong.
She pulled the two children back a step, reached for the doorknob, and said as she closed the door, "Sorry to disturb you..."
Yun Juan and Yun Shu finally recovered from their shock at this moment. They turned to look at each other, exchanged a glance, and then nodded firmly. A split second before the door closed, they both slipped through the crack, each faster and more agile than the other.
Yun Chuman didn't even have time to react. When the door closed, her first thought upon seeing the empty space beside her was, "Where are the children? Where are my two big kids?!"
The viewers in the live stream were completely surprised by Yun Juan and Yun Shu's sudden rush in. The two children, who had been well-behaved and obedient since the show started, had never done anything so unexpected.
Therefore, one second they were laughing at Yun Chuman's reaction, and the next they were screaming with worry for the children's safety. Furry kids fight without thinking. Even Mo Rongwen couldn't stop them, let alone two unfamiliar children. Wouldn't they just get beaten up if they went over?
They wanted to see a good show, but not one where two children were injured and bleeding.
Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen were equally surprised.
Realizing what was happening, Yun Chuman panicked, quickly reopened the door, and rushed into the living room.
Forgetting his social anxiety and gloomy mood, Mo Rongwen abruptly stood up from the corner, intending to pull the two children away.
However, before they could even get close, they were stunned by the scene before them.
The two children split up after entering the living room. Their short legs moved incredibly fast.
Yun Juan went straight for the husky that had been beaten up, while Yun Shu went straight for the pug and hairless cat that were still bumping into each other.
The two children arrived almost simultaneously and then solemnly directed their childish voices to the furry creatures in front of them, "Good children don't fight!"
Most surprisingly, the furry creatures actually stopped when they heard them.
However, their gazes towards Yun Juan and Yun Shu were strange, filled with confusion and a hint of bewilderment.
Yun Chuman hesitated and was about to walk towards the two children, when she noticed Mo Rongwen gesturing for her to stay put in the corner.
She frowned, reluctantly stopping.
They didn't know the situation and dared not act rashly. The furry creatures were lenient with children, but that didn't necessarily apply to adults.
The furry creatures weren't attacking the children yet, but if they, the two adults, accidentally angered any of the cats or dogs, the children would be the ones to suffer.
So, an eerie silence fell over the living room.
Yun Chuman and Mo Rongwen dared not move.
Yun Juan stared wide-eyed at the golden and silver shaded cats riding on the husky's back.
The husky covered its head, unable to move, while the orange cat, seemingly unconcerned, sat steadily on its head, feigning sleep.
Yun Shu stood between the pug and the hairless cat. Her two short, chubby arms outstretched to the sides, seemingly trying to mediate the fight.
The little Pomeranian on the sofa was still perched on the Ragdoll. Its beautiful, fluffy head tilted, staring blankly at the little girl.
This quiet atmosphere lasted for an unknown amount of time before the pug finally made its move.
Perhaps exhausted from the fight, the pug couldn't stand for long and plopped down on the floor, panting pitifully with its tongue lolling out. Its comically awkward appearance, coupled with its large, watery eyes, made it look incredibly pathetic.
Yun Shu frowned slightly. Slowly, she crouched down like a little crab, and after seeing that neither the pug nor the hairless cat reacted, she gently stroked the pug's head.
The pug didn't resist; instead, it let out a pitiful whimper.
Yun Shu's heart softened immediately. She gently stroked the pug's round shoulder, the spot where it had just used its ‘self-sacrificing attack,’ and whispered, "Does it hurt? Do you want some water? Where's your water bowl?"
The pug's body swayed, landing squarely in her arms, and its eyes fixed on a corner.
The hairless cat opposite it bared its small, sharp teeth, turning its head away in disdain and looking utterly disgusted.
Yun Shu was following the pug's gaze and didn't notice its action.
A row of brightly colored pet food and water bowls stood in the corner, each labeled with a corresponding animal image.
Yun Shu scanned the pug, stretched out her short, chubby arms, and laboriously lifted it up. The dog wasn't big, but it was quite heavy.
She huffed and puffed as she carried the pug to the water bowl. After casually wiping the sweat from her brow, she squatted down, tilted her little head, and said with a smile, "Have some water first."
Then she stood up and toddled towards the hairless cat.
The pug casually licked the water a couple of times and slowly turned around. Its eyes fixed on Yun Shu, showing no signs of being tired or thirsty.
Yun Chuman saw the interaction between Yun Shu and the pug clearly. She couldn't help but think to herself, "Why is this pug acting so tea?"
The hairless cat, noticing Yun Shu approaching, instinctively tried to get up and leave. It wasn't that silly dog that pretended to be pitiful. It didn't want to be carried by a little girl.
However, Yun Shu was a step faster than it.
Having learned from her experience with the pug, the little girl became much bolder. She ran straight to the hairless cat, squatted down, and said softly, "Don't fight! What's so good about fighting? That little dog is crying in pain and your handsome clothes are all wrinkled, little cat!"
She reached out her hand to the hairless cat.
The hairless cat froze, looking down in surprise. It saw those chubby little hands unbutton its clothes, tug at the hem, and then deftly button them back up.
Yun Shu nodded in satisfaction. "That's much more handsome!"
The hairless cat awkwardly turned its head to the side, its eyes constantly glancing at Yun Shu. Finally, it slowly stood up. As it left, it gently nudged her chin with its tail.
Yun Shu immediately giggled, scratching her chubby chin a couple of times. So ticklish!
The hairless cat glanced at her again before taking a few steps away, but stopped abruptly. It suddenly remembered that it seemed to have bumped into its owner, so it turned and walked towards Mo Rongwen.
Mo Rongwen had raised it for so long; how could he not see what had just happened?
He was speechless. "Thank you for remembering me!"
Resolving the fight between the pug and the hairless cat, Yun Shu then stood up and ran towards the sofa.
Before she even got close, the little Pomeranian raised its head and haughtily snorted.
Yun Shu didn't mind at all. She gently took the paw that was stepping on the Ragdoll cat's paw and said with a smile, "You two are so beautiful, how can you fight? It's so unsightly."
"Be good, let go of the paw, okay?"
The little Pomeranian's bright black eyes lit up. This human girl had good taste; she could see its beauty on their first meeting. For now, it would listen to her. Anyway, it was tired. The dog released the ragdoll cat, tilted its head back, wagged its tail, and slowly walked to the other end of the sofa to rest.
Yun Shu breathed a sigh of relief and smoothed the ragdoll cat's ruffled fur. However, she didn't quite understand why such a big cat was being pinned down by a tiny dog.
Feeling the little girl's gentle touch, the ragdoll cat's blue eyes welled up with tears. It meowed, stood up from the sofa, and jumped into her arms.
Sob sob It didn't know why that pretty little dog had suddenly started hitting it, and then it was inexplicably pinned down! This human girl was practically its hero, much better than its owner!
Surrounded by fluffy fur, Yun Shu couldn't help but laugh, patting its back with her chubby little hand in comfort.
The little Pomeranian glanced at the huddled person and cat and snorted again.
That silly cat actually wanted a hug from a human girl! If it weren't for its good looks, it wouldn't have pretended to beat it up to avoid the Golden and Silver duo dragging it into a group fight!
The pug, sitting beside the water basin, looked at Yun Shu with eyes full of surprise and admiration. Could this be what humans call a social bull? Envious!
Seeing Yun Shu instantly deal with four, Yun Chuman was speechless with astonishment. That was incredible!
Mo Rongwen was also somewhat surprised, but not entirely unexpected.
Because he knew these four were relatively docile; the troublesome ones were the Golden and Silver duo and the husky. As for the fat orange cat…
When it heard Yun Shu say that the Ragdoll and the Pomeranian were cute, it curiously went over and even spun around in front of Yun Shu to show off its beauty. It hadn't eaten for half a day and had lost a lot of weight.
Yun Shu laughed heartily at its round, chubby appearance. She squatted down to stroke its plump body: "You're so cute!"
The chubby orange cat rubbed contentedly against her palm. It also thought it was cute too.
Holding the ragdoll cat in her arms and having the orange cat lying beside her, Yun Shu felt both satisfied and worried as she looked at elder brother.
Yun Juan was still confronting the golden and silver shaded cats. The husky lying on the ground turned around, looking at him pleadingly.
Not far away, two chinchillas watched them with their small, beady eyes.
"Why are you fighting? Aren't you friends?" Yun Juan asked seriously with a small face.
silver shaded cat glanced at him. This child was so strange. How could cats and dogs be friends?
golden shaded cat looked at Yun Juan, looked at its younger brother, meowed, and asked him what to do next. Should they beat the human boy as well?
silver shaded cat glanced at Yun Shu and found that they were already in harmony. It immediately lost interest in continuing the fight, swung his tail, jumped off the husky and left.
The golden shaded cat followed closely behind.
The two little chinchillas looked at each other in surprise, the gold and silver duo actually just let it go!
The husky instantly stood up and kept rubbing its head against Yun Juan, crying and howling.
The little human boy was so awesome. Not only did he save it, he also recognized it as a friend of the cats!
It was so touched. It was not easy for it to be an undercover dog among dogs for so many years. The gold and silver duo still misunderstood it! It was almost too much for the dog to bear!
Though unaware of its thoughts, Yun Juan stumbled back two steps after being bumped by the husky. He instinctively hugged the dog's head, but ultimately couldn't help laughing.
Yun Chuman stared blankly at the seemingly harmonious scene. Was it really resolved just like that?
Mo Rongwen couldn't help but question his existence. He rubbed his waist and thighs. When the two Yun family kids tried to break up the fight, nothing happened; but when he did, he got a beating from the furry friends.
Who, then, was their owner?!
After a while, seeing that the cat-and-dog fight had indeed been resolved by the two kids, Yun Chuman led them to greet Mo Rongwen, who was still huddled in the corner: "Hello, Mr. Mo, it's a pleasure recording this episode with you."
Mo Rongwen snapped out of his daze, stiffly hugging the hairless cat in his arms, almost squeezing it until its eyes rolled back.
He took a deep breath, avoiding Yun Chuman's gaze, and whispered, "Hello..."
Yun Chuman knew he was socially awkward from the preview, so she didn't find his behavior impolite.
After their mommy finished greeting them, Yun Juan and Yun Shu tilted their heads up and said in clear, crisp voices in unison, "Hello, Elder Brother Mo! I'm Yun Juan/I'm Yun Shu, nice to meet you!"
"Elder Brother..."
Mo Rongwen looked at them in surprise.
After what had just happened, he had changed his opinion of Yun Juan and Yun Shu. Unlike the unruly children he remembered, these two were quite well-behaved.
Not only that, they had also helped him resolve a cat-and-dog fight, so he had some anticipation for this episode. But that didn't mean he could accept being called "elder brother"!
Their mommy was still present! According to this generational hierarchy, what should he call Yun Chuman? Auntie?
Even after racking his brains, socially awkward Mo Rongwen couldn't utter a single word. Finally, he looked to Yun Chuman for help, hoping she could correct the two children's way of addressing each other.
However, Yun Chuman smiled at him and deliberately asked, "Mr. Mo, is there something you need?"
Mo Rongwen's face darkened. He hesitated before finally managing to squeeze out, "N-nothing..."
Yun Chuman chuckled mischievously to herself. She deliberately didn't correct the children's way of addressing each other; after all, Mo Rongwen had given her such a big "surprise." Heaven knew how terrified she was when she saw Yun Juan and Yun Shu run into the middle of the cat-and-dog fight.
Although she understood that this wasn't really Mo Rongwen's fault—after all, he was injured—she couldn't very well take it out on the animals.
The number of viewers in the live stream increased after the encounter between the human cubs and the furry children.
—What's going on? What Mo Rongwen had struggled so hard to achieve was easily solved by the two children?
—Is this the power of human cubs?
—I almost died laughing when I saw the Ragdoll and the Husky crying while holding the two cubs. I bet they were saying Movie Star Mo is useless, hahaha.
—The little Pug is so tea, and the little Pomeranian is so arrogant. Does it know it's pretty?
—Hahaha, am I the only one focusing on the generational difference between Mo Rongwen and Yun Chuman?
—The two cubs are too cute! I love cubbies who call everyone "elder brother" and "elder sister" and never mention "uncle" or "aunt."
—Me too, even though Movie Star Mo inexplicably became Yun Chuman's cheap nephew, hahaha.
—Mo Rongwen's expression is meme-worthy, so funny.
—Ahhh, the fluffies are fighting again!
—Why are they fighting? Did anyone see it?
—I don't know, I was watching them the whole time and it inexplicably started.
The people in the house naturally noticed the cat and dog fight had started again.
However, the hairless cat in Mo Rongwen's arms reacted faster. It broke free, leaped easily, landed steadily, and headed straight for the battlefield.
Yun Chuman, Yun Juan, and Yun Shu were a beat slower, turning around to see three dogs and five cats engaged in a massive melee, with two chinchillas excitedly circling around.
Yun Chuman watched the two little figures almost disappearing into afterimages and couldn't help but think that Mo Rongwen's two chinchillas were incredibly bold and practically superhuman.
This time, she reacted quickly, grabbing the two children to prevent them from getting closer. The melee was far more dangerous than before, something Yun Juan and Yun Shu couldn't handle.
She finally understood: golden and silver shaded cats, especially the golden shaded, were incredibly strong fighters, able to attack almost anything they wanted. And the two cats even coordinated!
Yun Chuman gasped in fear, relieved that they hadn't tried to attack Yun Juan.
The husky's size gave it an advantage, though. It didn't discriminate, attacking cats one minute and dogs the next.
The hairless cat and the pug clashed again, neither giving an inch.
The Pomeranian was fighting the chubby orange tabby. Being smaller, it was quickly overpowered, howling in pain.
As for the Ragdoll cat…
Yun Chuman thought that if it were human, it would be a complete silly little beauty. The other cats and dogs had been fighting for a while before it realized the danger around it, but by then it was too late; it couldn't escape.
Mo Rongwen was used to this kind of scene and rushed over without thinking.
Yun Chuman watched helplessly as the husky headbutted him, and the golden shaded cat kicked him in the stomach.
Mo Rongwen grimaced. He couldn't last five seconds on the battlefield before rolling out and clutching his stomach.
Yun Chuman gasped: "Hiss..."
She couldn't let the two kids go in; what would they get beaten up if they did!
Yun Juan and Yun Shu had just interacted with the furry creatures and felt they actually had good personalities. This fight seemed problematic and they subconsciously didn't want them to continue. But even though they were young, they knew no one would believe them if they said that.
The two children stamped their feet anxiously, secretly glancing at their collars, which Yun Chuman was tightly gripping. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously twisted their bodies rapidly.
Yun Chuman was engrossed in watching the cat-and-dog fight and, without noticing, the two children broke free. By the time she reacted, Yun Juan and Yun Shu were already in front of the cats and dogs.
Startled, she quickly followed: "Little Juan, Little Shu!"
"Elder Brother, catch the golden and silver kitties!"
Yun Juan was faster. Running behind him, Yun Shu called out as they went.
Without a second thought, Yun Juan swiftly grabbed the Golden and Silver duo by the scruff of their necks from among the fluffy cats.
The two cats, who were throwing punches at the husky, were startled by the sudden lift and their fur stood on end.
Realizing the intruder, the other fluffy cats initially tried to pounce on Yun Juan and Yun Shu, but stopped upon seeing who it was and quietly watched the two children.
Only the Golden and Silver duo had their necks seized and were meowing incessantly at the air.
Lying on the ground with a throbbing stomach, Mo Rongwen realized for the first time that his own fluffy cats were hypocritical! Why wasn't he treated this way when he tried to break up the fight?!
Yun Chuman, who had caught up, stopped. A puzzled expression emerged on her face. What was going on? Had they stopped them again? Were Yun Juan and Yun Shu the youngest cubs among the fluffy cats?
Yun Juan placed the gold and silver cats on the ground, frowning earnestly, "Didn't I just say not to fight? Why do you have to fight?"
Yun Shu stood beside them, nodding, "That's right, look at yourselves. You shed fur every time you fight. You'll go bald!"
The furry creatures were initially shocked and then all looked at the hairless cat.
The hairless cat: ...
So annoying! It hated it when people said it had no fur. It did have fur! Just very lightly!
Yun Shu vaguely sensed its irritation, walked over and patted its head. Then she held out her palm in front of its eyes, feigning surprise, "Oh! Look, you're shedding fur too!"
The furry creatures peered over again and indeed saw a few almost invisible short, light-colored hairs.
The husky chuckled foolishly, while the pug turned away, smirking.
The Pomeranian, Ragdoll, and orange tabby huddled together, heads touching, trying to hide their mouths.
The hairless cat paused for a moment and then rubbed its head against Yun Shu's cheek at once.
Watching the commotion, the gold and silver cats turned back and glared at Yun Juan. They were very unhappy with this human boy for repeatedly interrupting their fight.
"Meow meow meow!" The golden shaded cat's fur stood on end and its flat ears perked up. It meowed loudly at Yun Juan.
Yun Chuman subconsciously looked at Mo Rongwen beside her: "Mr. Mo, what are your cats saying?"
Mo Rongwen gave her a strange look, thinking that if he could understand what these furry kids were saying, his house wouldn't be so chaotic every day.
He shook his head: "I don't know."
Yun Juan frowned. He could sense the two cats' hostility towards him, so he retorted confidently, "I don't understand! Speak human language if you dare!"
The Gold and Silver duo: ...
You think you're right because you don't understand?! Why don't you learn cat language?!
The silver shaded cat's mouth twitched, revealing a small, sharp tooth. It looked around and pointed at a certain spot: "Meow!"
The next second, two Chinchillas appeared from that spot, trotting over to them.
The Silver shaded cat lowered its head, meowing irritably: "Meow meow meow meow!"
The two Chinchillas looked up, listening intently. Their little eyes darted around before finally nodding.
They first patted Yun Juan's trouser leg. Seeing him look over, they stood beside the Silver shaded cat and him respectively.
The two Chinchillas pointed with their little paws at the people or cats next to them, then simultaneously pointed to themselves.
Then the chinchilla next to the Silver Shaded stood up straight and suddenly swung its little paws.
The chinchilla next to Yun Juan perked up, clenched its little paws into fists, slightly turned its body, and looked sharply at the other.
The chinchilla beside the silver shaded chinchilla mimicked the action, leaping up simultaneously as if ready to fight.
Yun Chuman stared wide-eyed in surprise. No wonder it was the chinchilla raised by the movie star; it was quite the drama queen! But what were they doing?
Yun Juan frowned, watching for a long time before suddenly remembering the chinchilla's claw-swinging motion—it resembled swinging a glove.
He looked at the silver shaded cat and finally spoke after a long pause, "You want to duel with me?"
The silver shaded cat narrowed its eyes, opening its mouth excitedly, "Meow!"
The two chinchillas finally stopped and high-five each other, satisfied that Yun Juan understood their meaning.
"How do we fight?" Yun Juan asked.
The silver shaded cat raised its paw, pointed to the fluffy things behind it, and then to itself: "Meow!"
Then it pointed to Yun Juan and Yun Shu: "Meow!"
Yun Juan raised an eyebrow: "Little Shu and I are on one team, and you and the other cats and dogs are on one team?"
The two chinchillas jumped up and raised their hands.
"Oh, and you'll also need to add two little mice," Yun Juan added.
The chinchillas looked at each other and stomped their feet in exasperation. They weren't mice!
The silver shaded cat defiantly raised its chin: "Meow?"
This time, Yun Juan didn't even need the two chinchillas to translate; it knew it was asking "You dare?"
He thought for a moment: "I can, but there are conditions."
The scene of the human and the cat talking was truly bizarre; even Mo Rongwen found it hard to accept.
"Ms. Yun, you...you...aren't you going to do anything about this?" he stammered.
Yun Chuman, on the other hand, was calmer than him.
Twice! Twice in a row, Yun Juan and Yun Shu resolved the cat-and-dog fights.
By now, she could somewhat tell that the two children genuinely didn't want the furry creatures to fight, though she didn't know why.
But they would be spending almost three more days together and she dared to say that every time the furry creatures fought, the two children would rush in. Now that both the golden and silver shaded cats were hostile towards Yun Juan. The two children might not be as lucky as they had been these two times to escape unscathed.
Judging from what Yun Juan said, he seemed to have an idea.
In that case, as his mommy, she should trust him. And it wouldn't be bad to take this opportunity to resolve the conflict with the furry creatures once and for all.
Yun Chuman suppressed her worries for the two children, outwardly feigned composure, and said, "What's wrong with that? We adults shouldn't interfere in the affairs between furry children and human cubs."
Mo Rongwen's eyes widened in surprise. What was this person saying!
On the other side, the silver-shaded cat meowed in confusion when hearing Yun Juan mention conditions.
"The competition must be civilized. I won't use violence against you," Yun Juan said, arms crossed. "Also, after Little Shu and I win, you can't fight each other anymore."
The silver-shaded cat stared at him silently for a while. The chinchilla beside it nudged it with its little paw and its small eyes were sparkling.
The silver-shaded cat glanced at it and nodded: "Meow!"
Yun Juan smiled and looked at Yun Shu: "Little Shu, would you like to accept a duel with elder brother?"
Yun Shu quickly ran to his side. Smiling as she took his hand, she stood opposite the gold and silver duo: "Yes! Little Shu is willing!"
The two children weren't much taller than the two cats. The live stream chat was filled with exclamation marks.
—What did I just witness! A cat challenged a human cub to a duel!
—How did Little Juan understand those two mice's performance?
—Chinchilla, chinchilla! What two mice? But did those two from Movie Star Mo's house gain a spirit?
—Ahhh, although I'm excited, I admit I want to see human babies fight with furry kids!
—What kind of duel is little Juan going to use? One husky over there can easily take down two kids!
This duel was both magical and inexplicably hilarious.
However, Li Rufei, the director of "Every Family Has Its Own Affairs," didn't care about any of that. Long before Yun Juan and the Silver Shaded Cat agreed on the duel, he had his staff cut out this scene and post it on Weibo.
In less than a minute, the hashtag #FurriesChallengesHumanBabies# topped the trending list.
"Finally, we're getting attention again!" Li Rufei clutched her phone. Her hands trembled as she almost bursted into tears. "Thank you to Yun Chuman's two little ones! Thank you to Mo Rongwen's bunch of fluffy creatures. Thank you!"
Author's Note:
【Yun Family Diary】
Yun Juan: If you lose, you'd better learn how to speak human language!
Yun Shu: If you lose, you'd better play house with me~
Fluffy Creatures: We must win this duel!
Yun Chuman: Today I witnessed the moment animals gain a spirit. I'm in a daze.
————
This chapter contains some exaggeration regarding the relationship between the human cubs and the small animals. Mainly, the small animals are all very individualistic. Just between you and me, I did give each one a "persona," [only two chapters (just kidding)] and then there won't be any more.
However, real-life furry animals are actually quite intelligent. There are athletic dogs that can skateboard and ski, mischievous dogs that mock Corgis for their crouching gait, and cats and dogs that care for human infants… Many animals are more intelligent than humans imagine.
And personally, I think human infants and small animals can naturally communicate, so I wrote it in a slightly exaggerated direction (:з」∠) If you mind or don't like it, I apologize in advance.
Wang Maoxiu wasn't the eldest son in his family. His eldest brother was more than ten years older and had some business acumen. Their family was in the catering business, and his eldest brother had already been involved in its operations. Judging from the elders' wishes, the family business would be handed over to his eldest brother.
With an heir, if he wanted to achieve something and stand out, he could only rely on himself. As a second-generation rich kid, he naturally had some investments. Now he had a project he wasn't sure about and wanted to consult Gu Shi. Ideally, get his investment too.
So the three men went downstairs to the study to discuss matters.
Luo Zhengzheng stayed in the living room to entertain Zhang Xuan and Su Mengrou.
As for Chengjia and Xingyue, the two little ones, they were taken to the children's playroom by Nanny Wang and Xiao Zhang to play games.
Zhang Xuan smiled at Luo Zhengzheng and said, "I've always wanted to get to know you, but I've never had the chance."
Luo Zhengzheng poured them a cup of herbal tea: "Now that we're acquainted, let's meet up sometime."
Zhang Xuan took out her phone: "Want to add each other on QQ?"
"Sure!" Luo Zhengzheng also took out her phone, and the three of them added each other on QQ.
Su Mengrou was rather shy. She had been observing Luo Zhengzheng and Zhang Xuan, and only after seeing that they didn't seem to exclude her did she relax and whisper to them, "What do you do at home every day? I want to go out and work, but I don't know what to do."
Actually, Wang Maoxiu didn't agree to her going out to work, but she wasn't familiar with Luo Zhengzheng and Zhang Xuan, so she couldn't tell them the truth.
Luo Zhengzheng pointed to her phone and said, "I just got back from Yunnan a few days ago. After returning, I took care of the kids and downloaded a few novels online. I've been reading them these past few days."
Su Mengrou looked at her in surprise: "You like reading novels too? I like reading novels too! What novels are you reading?"
Luo Zhengzheng smiled and said, "A few days ago I found a novel called 'Home and Country'. That's really good. I've been reading it these past few days."
Su Mengrou exclaimed excitedly, "Ah, I'm reading that novel too! I follow the updates every day. I even joined the author's group. But now the novel is finished, the author said in the group that someone wants to buy the film and television rights and he's still hesitating." She became quite talkative when talking about her hobbies.
Luo Zhengzheng was unaware of all this. She had only discovered the novel by chance and hadn't paid attention to who the author was. In her previous life, with the internet so readily available, she had followed some entertainment news and knew about several popular TV shows and movies. She didn't know if this novel had been adapted into a film or television series, and even if it had, she figured it would have made very little splash and not attracted much attention; otherwise, she would have known about it.
Speaking of the novel, Su Mengrou couldn't stop talking: "I like both the male and female leads. Although the ending is open-ended, I still hope they didn't end up together. After all, a life was lost between them, and they were originally on opposing sides, each serving their own master. Although the female lead put aside their hatred for the sake of the people and for the sake of justice, I still don't want them to be together."
[The opening of *Home and Country* was set in the late Liang Dynasty. The land was desolate, littered with the corpses of the starving. Small groups of emaciated refugees wandered aimlessly, trying to find something to eat.
The male and female leads were among these refugees. The female lead's dad was once saved by the male lead's father, and even though he later starved to death. The female lead's mother remained deeply grateful to the male lead's family, repeatedly offering them her own food. Although the female lead was reluctant, remembering they were her father's saviors, she restrained herself and gave them her provisions. One day, when the female protagonist found some dry rations for her sick younger sister, her mother went behind her back and gave the rations to the also ailing male protagonist with tears in eyes and helplessly watched the younger sister starve to death.
The female protagonist erupted in anger. One life for one life, they no longer owed the male lead's family.
After several twists and turns, the male and female leads joined different factions, serving different masters.
Though militarily capable, the female lead's master was cruel and ruthless, treating the people like cattle.
However, the male lead's master was eager to recruit talent, cared for the people, and was also militarily capable, showing signs of a wise ruler.
The female lead's feelings towards the male lead were complex. On opposing sides, each serving their own master, they clashed several times. In their final battle, when the female lead's master once again shielded a subordinate's bullet, she personally killed her master.
Later, the master the male lead served declared himself emperor, and the female lead went into seclusion.
[In the extra chapter, the male lead was injured in battle against the Tatars. Just as the enemy army was at the city gates, the female lead's reinforcements arrive.]
The author's writing style was refined and skillful, the plot twists and turns were frequent, and both the main and supporting characters were well-developed. Luo Zhengzheng was captivated after only a few chapters and was currently only halfway through. She wondered if the male and female leads end up together.
Luo Zhengzheng said, "By the end of this novel, whether the male and female leads end up together is no longer important. The female lead's character and sense of justice have already won over the readers."
Su Mengrou frowned, "I wonder how it will turn out in a TV series. If the adaptation is bad, it will ruin the novel."
Zhang Xuan joked, "If you're worried about others adapting it badly, why don't you invest yourself?"
Su Mengrou's eyes lit up, but then she said dejectedly, "I don't have any money."
Zhang Xuan pointed to the study, teasing her, "Have your Wang Maoxiu, invest."
Su Mengrou shook her head vigorously, "He has a project right now and is still looking for investment."
Luo Zhengzheng recalled the two popular TV dramas adapted from popular IPs that Su Zhilan starred in during her past life, both of which became hits. She had roughly read those two novels; they were just ordinary historical romance dramas, nothing like this novel. This novel had themes of national righteousness, family, and love.
In the face of millions of suffering people, the female lead set aside her prejudices and killed the master she had always served, elevating the entire novel.
She didn't understand why the TV adaptation hadn't made much of a splash. Was it, as Su Mengrou worried, that the novel had been poorly adapted?
Lunch was naturally lavish. After lunch, the three men went to the study to discuss business.
Zhang Xuan glanced at their backs and asked Luo Zhengzheng: "Is Aunt Ye home? It's been a long time since I visited her."
Luo Zhengzheng replied: "She's home."
Zhang Xuan stood up: "Let's go see Aunt Ye."
It wouldn't be appropriate to come to the Gu Family and not visit the elders.
The group, along with the children, went to Ye Li's place.
Upon arriving at the Ye family home, Luo Zhengzheng discovered that Gu Hualuo and Su Zhilan were already there.
As guests, Luo Zhengzheng greeted them with a smile, "Elder Sister, Miss Su, you've arrived."
Su Zhilan looked at her and nodded with a smile.
Gu Hualuo gave Luo Zhengzheng a critical look: "This is my home. I can come and go as I please." A country girl married into the Gu Family, yet she acted like a mistress.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled but didn't respond.
Zhang Xuan and Su Mengrou exchanged awkward glances. Had they arrived at the wrong time?
Zhang Xuan had always known that Gu Hualuo and Aunt Ye didn't get along, but she hadn't expected them to be this tense. She was somewhat taken aback. Aunt Ye was so kind; she hadn't mistreated the siblings. The Ye Group seemed to have more potential than the Gu Group and wouldn't compete with them for anything. What was Gu Hualuo after?
Zhang Xuan quickly said, "Aunt Ye, I heard you have many flowers in your yard. May we go see them?"
Ye Li smiled and said, "Of course." She then had someone lead them to the garden to see the flowers.
Watching them go to the garden, Ye Li smiled and said, "Zhengzheng, come sit down."
She then took her grandson into her arms. Luo Zhengzheng was her daughter-in-law and Ye Li naturally wouldn't stand by and watch outsiders bully her.
Gu Hualuo's face turned somewhat pale. Su Zhilan patted her hand reassuringly, signaling her to be mindful of the situation.
Gu Hualuo glanced at her, indicating that everything was alright.
With Gu Hualuo present, Luo Zhengzheng naturally didn't rush to the garden to accompany Zhang Xuan and Su Mengrou. Instead, she stayed here to keep mother-in-law company, not wanting her to be isolated and helpless. She looked at Ye Li and asked, "Mom, Uncle Wang and the others are marinating barbecue ingredients. Come over for barbecue tonight?"
Ye Li naturally gave her daughter-in-law face: "Sure, tell your Uncle Wang to prepare more ingredients. We'll all go. Your dad can't eat spicy food, so make him something mild."
At this time, Gu Boyuan came downstairs: "I can eat a little spice."
Luo Zhengzheng smiled at Ye Li: "I'll listen to Mom."
Gu Boyuan: "You silly child, why listen to your mom in everything?"
Luo Zhengzheng smiled sweetly, "Mom is doing this for your own good."
Gu Hualuo was furious to see her dad treating Luo Zhengzheng more kindly than he treated her. Remembering the purpose of her visit to her parents' home, she said, "Dad, what's your opinion on Zheng Weiming's proposal?"
Gu Boyuan gave her a stern look, "This matter ends here."
Seeing that he still disagreed, Gu Hualuo couldn't help but stomp her foot, "Dad..."
Gu Boyuan waved his hand, "It's alright, just go back. Don't come back unless it's absolutely necessary."
He didn't want to say anything too harsh in front of so many people. But Hualuo was pressuring him in front of everyone; wasn't she forcing him? She had no regard for their father-daughter relationship.
Gu Hualuo looked at her dad in disbelief: "Dad, are you kicking me out?"
Gu Boyuan looked at her sternly: "If you continue with this attitude, then I'm kicking you out. You're married now. Since you only care about the Zheng Family and neglect your own family, you should come back less often."
He was helpless and pained that his daughter had become his enemy. As the head of a company, he had to be responsible for his employees and couldn't just invest in a project that was destined to have no return. Was Gu Hualuo treating him, her father, like a fool, or did she think that because he was her dad, he should give in to her every whim, or else he was a stepfather?
Her dad had already said this much, Gu Hualuo couldn't stay any longer. She grabbed her bag and was about to leave when Su Zhilan tugged at her arm and looked at Luo Zhengzheng.
Gu Hualuo glanced at Su Zhilan, then at Luo Zhengzheng. She squinted as she asked, "You're treating people, so why not invite me too? What, am I, your elder sister-in-law, not worthy of your invitation?"
Luo Zhengzheng, seeing her arrogant demeanor, smiled and said, "Not really. It's just that we have guests at home and don't have time to entertain you."
No time to entertain her? Gu Hualuo laughed in exasperation, looking at her father, "Dad, now even an outsider can belittle me?"
Gu Boyuan waved his hand dismissively, "Alright, go ahead. Zhengzheng is Gu Shi's wife, the Gu Family's daughter-in-law, not an outsider."
Ye Li, holding her grandson, pinched his little cheek, "The mother of our Ye Group's heir, the wife of the Ye Group's president, is not an outsider. Not everyone can compare. Isn't that right, little Jiajia?"
Gu Hualuo suddenly looked at Ye Li, staring at her blankly.
Seeing her murderous gaze, Gu Boyuan said coldly, “Quick go, quickly go. Zhilan, Uncle must trouble you to take her away."
Su Zhilan looked at Gu Boyuan: "Uncle, I..."
Gu Boyuan raised his hand, stopping her: "Come visit with your parents when you have time."
Su Zhilan could only reluctantly pull Gu Hualuo away from the Gu Family home.
That evening, a group of people were having a barbecue in the yard. With friends and family around, and still young, Luo Zhengzheng was relaxed and happy, and unconsciously drank a few more glasses with her three sisters-in-law, Zhang Xuan, and Su Mengrou.
Zhou Chen looked over and saw them staggering around, laughing, "Three women make a drama, these women are something else."
Seeing his wife so drunk wasn't surprising at all; after all, she got drunk once or twice a year.
Wang Maoxiu looked at Gu Shi with a half-smile: "Looks like mine and yours get along well. Would they drink together if they didn't get along?
Gu Shi looked at Luo Zhengzheng, saw her down her drink in one gulp, frowned, and said nothing.
After seeing the guests off, Gu Shi saw his wife sitting on the sofa, her face flushed, lost in thought.
Luo Can finished cleaning up the kitchen waste, looked at Elder Brother-in-law, and pointed to Elder Sister: "My Elder Sis might be drunk."
Gu Shi looked at Younger Brother-in-law and said, "You go and rest, I'll take care of your elder sister."
Luo Can nodded; he trusted Elder Brother-in-law.
Gu Shi sat down next to Luo Zhengzheng, gently rubbing her rosy cheeks. "Zhengzheng, are you drunk?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him groggily and asked, "Who are you?"
Gu Shi sighed softly, "Really drunk? Don't you even recognize your husband?"
Luo Zhengzheng suddenly pointed at him, "You're Gu Shi, Chengjia's father."
Gu Shi couldn't help but laugh, "Should I be glad you still recognize your husband?"
Luo Zhengzheng leaned in and vigorously rubbed his face, "You're alive? Really alive?"
Near noon, Tang Yao found a highly-rated asian restaurant not far from the mall for lunch. The environment was nice, and the service was good, but the food was somewhat disappointing. However, adhering to the principle of not wasting food, Tang Yao ate everything clean.
After putting the gifts in the hotel, Tang Yao strolled around a nearby garden in the afternoon.
During this time, Huang Hui called, saying that a friend wanted her to embroider a double-sided piece, offering a high price, but Tang Yao refused.
In fact, quite a few other people had asked Huang Hui for help, but she had turned them all down as she knew Tang Yao's personality.
When Huang Hui was free, she transferred the payment to Tang Yao's card.
The payment was eight figures higher than the agreed price. Huang Hui explained that this was a separate payment for the fabric.
The whole day passed leisurely. By the time Tang Yao returned to the hotel, it was already evening.
Because she hadn't checked her phone much that day, she was unaware that she had been posted online and subjected to a lot of insults from netizens.
Around 1 AM this morning, while everyone was still asleep, an anonymous netizen jumped out and revealed that the person Miss Xu mentioned and was looking for on the show was actually looking for the Xu Family's illegitimate daughter.
Furthermore, it was Father Xu who forced her to go.
The anonymous netizen also released a video showing Xu Wan meeting Tang Yao at the guesthouse.
There was no live broadcast at the time and the camera angle clearly indicated it was being secretly filmed.
Uninformed viewers of this video would only perceive Tang Yao as aggressive. The legitimate heiress of the Xu Family had humbled herself to beg her to come home, yet she still gave attitude?
Xu Wan's words were also somewhat ambiguous, making it difficult for everyone to discern the truth.
Xu Wan's best friend, Sun Le, also spoke out in support, stating that she despises illegitimate daughters the most.
This statement further corroborated the anonymous netizen's revelations.
Sun Le regularly shared her life on Weibo and had accumulated a following. Everyone knew she came from a wealthy family, so her words carried some credibility. By the time most people woke up, the matter had already gone viral and trended on social media.
The words "illegitimate daughter" were particularly jarring.
Netizens were quick. They soon found Tang Yao's newly registered guesthouse account and began posting sarcastic and abusive comments under her only Weibo post.
The situation escalated rapidly, even affecting the Xu Family's company.
Not only were people criticizing Tang Yao, but others were also attacking Xu Anguo.
At noon, Xu Anguo returned home with a dark expression.
"How could this happen? How did Tang Yao become my illegitimate daughter? The company's business has been significantly impacted!"
As he said this, Xu Anguo looked at Xu Wan.
"I don't know, Dad. I just listened to you and tried to appease Tang Yao to get her to come home. I don't know how someone took these photos. Lele probably misunderstood. I'll explain it to her later," Xu Wan said innocently.
“We can’t entirely blame Wanwan. Ultimately, it’s Tang Yao who’s bringing bad luck to our family. Look, everything was fine before she came back. She’s caused so much trouble since,” Sun Yulan said.
Xu Anguo sat down irritably. “We need to clarify this as soon as possible.”
“How do we clarify it? Tell everyone that Tang Yao is actually our biological daughter?” Sun Yulan frowned.
Actually, she wasn’t very willing. After all, Tang Yao wasn’t close to her, and she grew up in a small town, not at all like Xu Wan. If word got out, her close friends would laugh at her.
Xu Anguo glanced at Xu Wan, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
Comparatively, Xu Wan did bring him more benefits. Even though the Chen Family was exposed for plagiarism, they quickly spent money to quell the trending topics. Besides, the Chen Family had more than just clothing businesses. Their foundation wasn’t so easily shaken.
And based on his observations, the Ji Family and Tang Yao weren’t close. If he directly announced that Tang Yao was his biological daughter, it would do him more harm than good.
After some thought, Xu Anguo rushed back to the company without even eating and immediately instructed the public relations department to release a public relations statement.
The statement changed Tang Yao's identity from their biological daughter to their adopted daughter.
Subsequently, Sun Yulan also posted on Weibo, claiming that she was the one who facilitated the whole affair.
The comments section was filled with praise for the heartwarming gesture, with many commending Sun Yulan and Xu Anguo for their kindness.
Tang Yao naturally became the primary target of online abuse.
"They kindly adopted Tang Yao, even having their daughter come and humble herself to speak kindly, and Tang Yao didn't appreciate it."
…
Tang Yao was completely unaware that she had been betrayed by the Xu Family and was being verbally abused.
Only after returning home did she learn from a waiter that someone had delivered something to her that day.
She took the gift box back to her room and opened it, discovering it contained a beautiful dress.
A champagne-colored skirt trailed on the ground, studded with tiny rhinestones that shimmered under the lights.
Just as Tang Yao was wondering who had sent it, the phone rang.
It was Lu Bei on the other end. His voice slightly distorted through the phone.
"Did you receive the dress?"
It dawned on Tang Yao, "Did you send it?"
"Yes, isn't tomorrow Grandpa Ji's birthday banquet? I passed by a shop today and felt this dress would suit you perfectly, so I bought it." Lu Bei switched hands to hold the phone. The usually composed actor now appeared somewhat nervous.
"Thank you so much! It must be very expensive. I'll transfer the money to you," Tang Yao said hurriedly.
"It's not expensive. I have a membership, so I got a discount. It's not much," Lu Bei began to make up a story with a straight face.
"I'll still transfer the money to you," Tang Yao said. She couldn't accept such an expensive gift without an eased mind. Even with the discount, the dress from this brand probably wasn't cheap.
Seeing Tang Yao's insistence, Lu Bei was a little disappointed, but he still casually mentioned a number not exceeding five figures.
Tang Yao was a little surprised. Only that much? But seeing Lu Bei's firm tone, she could only transfer the money with some skepticism.
Lu Bei knew that the road ahead was long, but he wasn't in a hurry.
"Don't go online for the next few days. I'll handle this for you," Just before hanging up, Lu Bei said.
Tang Yao asked in confusion, "What's going on online now?"
"Your identity has been exposed, and everyone's cursing you."
"My identity has been exposed? Why are people cursing me?" Tang Yao asked in surprise. Shouldn't they think of her as a pitiful girl unloved by her parents?
Lu Bei realized from Tang Yao's words that the situation might be different from what was being revealed online and that Xu Anguo and his wife were actually fueling the flames. His eyes instantly turned cold.
Tang Yao opened her phone and tapped on Weibo. Sure enough, the buzzing vibration almost made her hand numb.
Clicking in, she saw nothing but insults directed at her.
Tang Yao pieced together the truth from netizens and also checked the Xu Group's Weibo account.
She couldn't help but sneer. This family was truly something else. Not only did they let others slander her as an illegitimate child, but they also quickly distanced themselves from the situation.
Their methods of shifting blame were truly first-rate.
"Are you alright?" A voice came from the other end of the phone, and Tang Yao realized she hadn't hung up yet.
"I'm fine, thank you for telling me. I'll handle it myself."
After saying that, Tang Yao hung up.
Lu Bei sighed to the busy signal on the phone.
Lu Nan walked by, raising an eyebrow slightly: "What's wrong?"
"Elder Brother, is being too independent a good thing or a bad thing?" Though Lu Bei's tone remained flat, Lu Nan detected a hint of resentment in it.
He patted Lu Bei's shoulder, suppressing the urge to laugh, and said seriously, "Take it slow."
Just then, his phone rang: "Hello, An'an? Don't rush, tell me slowly."
After saying this on the phone, Lu Nan, who was initially heading towards the study, turned and walked towards the door, grabbing his coat from the hanger and leaving.
Lu Bei stood there. Exhaling another breath, he took out his phone to call his manager. "...Help me find someone to control the comments on Tang Yao's Weibo." After briefly explaining the situation, Lu Bei said to his manager.
"Elder Brother, do you think I'm on vacation like you? I'm swamped with work all day. Can you please stop giving me extra work?" The manager was already overwhelmed with work because Lu Bei hadn't been taking on any activities lately and this sudden addition of work was a relief. However, after complaining, he still dutifully contacted a PR company to help control the comments on Tang Yao's Weibo.
He himself found it unbelievable that he was doing this.
He had never seen Lu Bei ask him for anything because of a woman.
Meanwhile, at the Xu Family dinner table, Xu Haocheng also learned about what had happened that day.
He looked incredulous: "Dad, why did you do this? Isn't Tang Yao my biological elder sister? Can't you just admit it? How heartbroken will Tang Yao be when she finds out?!"
"You don't understand, Haocheng, sometimes it's forced," Xu Anguo said.
“What’s there to be forced? Admitting your mistakes instead of trying to cover them up is something even a three-year-old knows!” Xu Haocheng’s eyes were filled with disappointment.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sun Yulan frowned at her son. “Xu Wan is your elder sister. You’ve been acting really strange lately. Did Tang Yao contact you privately? Don’t let her lead you astray. She’s from the countryside and doesn’t know any manners.”
Xu Haocheng looked at his parents, feeling a sense of estrangement. He shook his head, suddenly realizing how utterly wrong he had been.
“You did it, didn’t you?” Xu Haocheng turned to Xu Wan. “You sent out the message. You told everyone Tang Yao was an illegitimate child?”
“Haocheng, what are you saying? How can you accuse me like this?” Xu Wan blinked, and tears welled up in her eyes.
This tactic always worked on their family. Whenever Xu Wan cried, the whole family would rush to comfort her.
Xu Haocheng used to do the same, but now, standing outside the crowd, he felt those tears were utterly fake.
He went back to his room, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and left the house.
Busy comforting her, Sun Yulan didn't notice anything amiss. Xu Anguo did see him, but he didn't call out to Xu Haocheng.
In his opinion, Xu Haocheng was too kind. How could he possibly support the Xu Group in the future?