“It’s all right if you hang up on me, Sister, but you should speak with Dad properly. Don’t upset him too much, his health isn’t as good as it used to be.”

Yao Ran’s gentle voice came over through the line, sounding like one of those annoying daddy’s girls.

“What exactly do you want to do?” Yao Yuandemanded. “Do you want to sever ties with theYao familyonce and for all? I swear, if you were only half as considerate asRanran, I would be most grateful to the heavens!”

His eyes were burning with fury. When Yao Ransaw this, she lowered her head and smiled.

“If you have nothing else to say, I’m hanging up,” Yao Tangsaid indifferently.

Beside him, Cheng Yanwas looking a little angry himself. He got out his phone, ready to dispatch his men if the situation escalated.

“Don’t, Yao Tang! We really need to sit down and talk to you this time. Go home, okay? We’ll be waiting for you.” This time, it wasQin Manwho spoke, in the gentlest voice she could possibly muster.

Although they weren’t on good terms with Yao Tang, the couple believed that they could still remedy the fact if they worked hard enough.

“Yes, yes, Yao Tang, drop by for a while! Daddy has something to discuss with you.”Yao Yuan’s tone changed as well.Qin Man’s words had reminded him of his purpose for calling in the first place.

“I’m sure it isn’t easy for you to live alone outside your home. Come back, okay? No matter what you do, your real home will always be the Yao Residence. Don’t be childish and let bygones be bygones.”

To most people, the family’s pleas sounded sincere and reasonable. Yao Yuansounded like a generous father trying to talk some sense into his errant daughter.

Of course, Yao Ranand her friends knew better.

“Sister, please come home!” Yao Raninterjected.

It looked like they had put the call on speakerphone. Yao Tanghad to commend them for their united front.

“I’m in the middle of a meal,” she said calmly. “I’m hanging up now.” She ended the call before one of them could utter another word.

Yao Tang didn’t care about what they had to say, she had her own ways of dealing with her affairs.

The Yao Residence.

“Mom, Dad, don’t be mad with Sister,” Yao Ranimplored, her eyes filling up with tears. “She’s probably holding a grudge against me. After all, I took away everything that should have been hers.”

Qin Man put her arms around the girl and refuted what she said. “No,Ranran, it’s not your fault! This is all fate, don’t blame yourself.”

“That’s right, it’s all that damn girl’s fault, her and her bad temper!” Yao Yuanwas scowling at his phone, racking his brain for another way to persuadeYao Tang.

That wench was much too headstrong for anyone’s good.

If only she was half as obedient as Ranran.

…

After their meal, Cheng YansentYao Tangback to school.

Early morning the next day, shortly after she had arrived at their classroom, a young, female student came looking for her.

“Hello,” she said timidly to one of the boys near the door. “Can you please tell Yao Tangto come out? I need to speak to her.”

Her small face was fair and gentle, and she had the demeanor of a delicate flower.

The boy got to his feet and called out in Yao Tang’s direction: “Yao Tang, someone is looking for you!”

Qin Jing took off her headphones upon hearing that. She turned to look toward the door, and her eyes instantly filled with disdain when she saw who it was.

As if on cue, Meng Yangplopped down on the seat beside her. “Why is she so thick-skinned? A lot has already happened between us, yet she still has the face to come to Class 20?”

“Who knows? I don’t think we’ll ever understand, since none of us are as shameless as she is!” Qin Jingdeliberately spoke in a loud voice, catching the attention of their classmates.

Yao Ran looked aggrieved by the taunts, and she put on her usual act of being small and weak.

As for Yao Tang, she put down the book she was reading, then stood and walked to the door.

Her aura was particularly cold and distant today.

“What is it?” she asked Yao Ranbluntly.

“Sister! I’m here to relay my parents’ words. They miss you terribly, and we would like for you to come back home.”

At this point, the entire classroom fell into silence. Everybody was watching the interaction between the two girls.

Yao Tang raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m not going back. Go and tell your parents that.” She made to turn away, only to be stopped byYao Ran.

Her eyes turned glassy with tears, and her nose turned red. “Sister, I—”

She stopped short after seeing Yao Tang’s piercing glare, butYao Ransoldiered on.

“Sister, you may only be thinking of yourself at the moment, but you also need to consider the future. Do you have any idea how worried Mom and Dad were when they heard about all the fiasco on the forum?”

She looked and sounded worried, but just as always, her words carried some malicious insinuations that put the blame on others.

Surely, anyone could see that she only wanted what was good for her dear sister. Surely, they would realize that Yao Tangwas the bad egg in this entire scenario.

She was just a bumpkin that the Yao familyhad picked up from the countryside, a slip of a girl who kicked up a fuss over the most trivial things because of her foul temper and inadequate upbringing. Most importantly, she was obviously very jealous ofYao Ran.

“Is that all?” Yao Tangdrawled. She didn’t care what anyone else thought. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to my reading.”