Miss Zhang had watched over Yao Ran?ever since she was a little girl. However, even she had to admit that Yao Tang’s beauty far superseded her looks. Her lips pursed at the thought.
So what if this girl looked like she was the true member of the Yao Family?
Yao Tang may have been their biological daughter, but it was Yao Ran who had been raised under their roof. In terms of the relationships she had formed with both the elders and the staff, she was already considered a “true member” of the family.
It was a bonus that Yao Ran had always been an obedient and clever woman–a trait Qin Man?would laud over ever since she was a little girl.
She had always been so well-loved. While she may not be blood-related to them, she was far better than their biological daughter.
As for Yao Tang...
Given the fit she had thrown earlier, her days in this household were already numbered.
Yao Tang, however, didn’t seem to mind as she closed the door behind her. Instead of thinking about what had happened, she took a shower and spent the next hour getting used to the large space. Just then, her phone dinged, and she glanced at the message almost non-committedly.
By the time she had finished blow-drying her hair, she was already exhausted. The long car ride must’ve taken a toll on her. Not bothering to eat, she went and got ready for bed.
After what had happened, sleep was probably the only thing that would keep her sane around here. “Hm,” she grumbled to herself.
But just as she was about to turn off the lights by her bedside table, she heard a deliberate knock on her door.
“Yao Tang,” Yao Ran’s sweet voice rang from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?”
Of course, she had to come to interrupt her nap. A hint of irritation flashed across her eyes.
She didn’t say anything when Yao Ran knocked again. “I brought over some food,” she murmured. “I just want to tell you something. I swear–it would only take a couple of minutes.”
Another knock. “Have you gone to sleep?”
Another knock. “Yao Tang...”
When would this bint shut up? Not bothering to tame her frizzy locks, she jumped out of bed and stomped towards the door, yanking it open.
There, she saw Yao Ran, who had already changed into a pink cartoon nightdress.
Yao Ran innocently held the food box in her hand as she waited for the newcomer. What she didn’t expect was to be greeted by a pair of cold, bloodshot eyes. A shiver shot down her spine, and she staggered backward.
“Yao Tang,” she stuttered. “I noticed that you didn’t get to eat, and I was afraid that you’d go hungry, so...I decided to...”
The atmosphere had gone cold around them, and all Yao Ran could see was Yao Tang’s curled lips and narrowed eyes. Her tongue felt like it was tied into a knot as she stammered on her next words, “I brought some food. You...Is it okay if I–I come inside?”
Yao Tang glanced at the food basket before gazing back at her “sister”. After a few seconds, she crossed her arms and reentered her room, leaving the door wide open.
While she appeared indifferent, Yao Ran felt otherwise. Her heart raced in her chest as she glanced from side to side.
Her hands trembled.
It’s going to be okay. There was nothing to be afraid of. Comforting thoughts ran through her mind, and even that wasn’t enough to calm her down. Despite this, she took a deep breath and puffed out her chest, trying to suppress her shakiness.
When she entered the room, she decided to take a look around. It was simple–very much less decorated than the room she had upstairs. It made sense. It’s not like the Yao family would care about their country bumpkin of a daughter. A bed and a table were just enough to keep her here.
In fact, the room looked all too similar to that of a maid. At the thought, the corners of her lips curled upward.
“If you have anything to say, just say it.”
Yao Tang stood by the entrance. Her eyes were narrowed as she struggled with all of her might to stay awake. In the village, no one was that intimidated of her, but in here... it seemed to be different.
Yao Ran stiffened.
She felt as if she was being eyed down by a predator. An evil aura enveloped her figure, and she bit back a yelp.
Deliberately avoiding the young woman’s gaze, she took a deep breath. “I feel like there’s been a misunderstanding between us,” she murmured. “I’m just here to explain things to you, is that okay?”
As she spoke, Yao Ran continued to survey the room. There were a few foreign novels propped by her bedside table. One of the books displayed was in English–one of her old books. She remembered being so annoyed by all these obscure and complicated words that she chucked them out of the room.
There were also French and German books propped right beside it.
Having taken several foreign language classes, she could understand a few words here and there. However, she still wasn’t at a conversational level.
Despite this, her smile widened.
Butler Shen told her that she had nothing to worry about, noting how Yao Tang?had never been much of a reader either. Not only did she rank last every semester, but she had also been quite a troublemaker–earning zero marks in all of her subjects.
Yao Ran suppressed the urge to sneer. The country bumpkin could fill the papers out with her eyes closed or open, and she’d still get zero marks.