Zhang Tingfei kept sending WeChat messages to Wang Yalin, angrily telling her what had happened at school. Wang Yalin was with Feng Xiangjun when she saw the messages and immediately burst into tears.
Feng Xiangjun sensed something was wrong, snatched her phone, and trembled with rage. "How dare she! She's spreading rumors without even investigating the matter properly. Does she have no regard for the family's reputation?!"
Hearing the commotion, Li Xiulan walked to Wang Yalin's room and looked at her with displeasure. "What is it now? You're being a proper young lady, are you being wronged?"
Feng Xiangjun hurriedly handed over the phone, "Mom, look at what Mengyao has done! We just changed her household registration and she's already showing her true colors, spouting nonsense at school. Is she afraid outsiders won't know about this family affair? Even if the maid thing is true, we shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public. And what about Yalin? How will Yalin face people at school now?"
Li Xiulan frowned as she looked at her phone, feeling dissatisfied with Xu Mengyao, but she was even more dissatisfied with Feng Xiangjun. "What's the use of being angry now? You've had the child for so long, have you properly taught her? You're always worried that Yalin will be wronged, but what wronged could she possibly be wronged? It's Mengyao who did such a stupid thing because no one taught her. Who can you blame? It's all your own fault!"
Before Feng Xiangjun could explain, Li Xiulan waved her hand impatiently and turned to leave, saying, "Alright, when Mengyao comes back, you can teach her properly. And don't let the house be filled with crying all the time, it's bad luck!"
Wang Yalin's crying immediately subsided. Feng Xiangjun closed the door and comforted her. She forced a smile through her tears, "Mom, I'm fine. I... I was just a little scared because I just found out about what happened at school. I didn't know what my classmates would think of me. But... but I can't blame Mengyao. It was my fault for not doing things right, which made her misunderstand me and say those things. Mom, please don't scold her when she comes back. Don't worry Grandma, Dad, and my brother. I'm okay. The truth will come out, and my classmates will believe me."
Feng Xiangjun hugged her tightly with heartache, "Silly child, you were raised by your mother, how can I see you suffer like this? Don't be afraid, you will always be my daughter, I will never let you be bullied, I will personally take you to school tomorrow."
Wang Yalin sobbed in her arms, a slight smirk playing on her lips, a flash of hatred in her eyes. So what if Xu Mengyao dared to speak out? As long as Feng Xiangjun personally intervened, who would believe that country bumpkin Xu Mengyao? Besides, without Feng Xiangjun's guidance, Xu Mengyao would never integrate into the upper class; at best, she'd be nothing more than a rich heiress in name only.
After finally managing to get Wang Yalin to sleep, Feng Xiangjun went back to her room and called Xu Zhenhua. She was genuinely furious. Even if there was chaos at home, it shouldn't have spread outside. What would others think of the Xu family? The Xu family was already gradually weakening, and Xu Mengyao was causing even more trouble. She truly felt that this daughter was born to bring misfortune to their family; how could she cause so much trouble as soon as she came back!
Secretary Zhang quietly alerted Xu Zhenhua, who was in a meeting, when she saw the incoming call. Xu Zhenhua frowned, recalling Xu Zifan's earlier call, and assumed Feng Xiangjun was calling to complain. He simply told Secretary Zhang to handle the situation. Feng Xiangjun then called three times, but Secretary Zhang answered each time, saying Xu Zhenhua was in a meeting.
Feng Xiangjun called Xu Zifan again, and Xu Zifan immediately blocked her. He was outside the back door of the classroom when Xu Mengyao said those things, and he heard everything clearly. He knew without guessing what Feng Xiangjun was talking about on the phone, and he had no interest in listening to her rambling.
While Xu Mengyao was in class, he went to the principal's office and chatted with the principal about all sorts of things, eventually bringing up the school's gymnasium. The school does have a gymnasium, but it's quite old and relatively small, containing only a basketball court and a table tennis court; other sports are played on the outdoor playground.
Xu Zifan meant that the Xu Group could donate a large gymnasium where activities could include basketball, table tennis, badminton, baseball, bowling, swimming, boxing, taekwondo, etc., with the specific categories and size to be determined by the school. This was clearly a display of considerable wealth, and the principal's attitude was much more enthusiastic than before.
In addition to the gymnasium, Xu Zifan also plans to donate books to enrich the school library, including various professional books and leisure and entertainment books that students need. The school can raise any needs they may have, and he will find professionals to select the books to fill the library as much as possible. He also suggested that the principal clear out some rarely read books to make room for new ones.
When the school bell rang, Xu Zifan was going to pick up Xu Mengyao. The principal was reluctant to let him leave, since he had brought so many benefits. Maybe if they talked it over, he could even donate a school building! Securing such a sponsorship would count as part of his achievements. He immediately took this newly transferred young lady from the Xu family to heart.
As soon as Xu Zifan left, the principal immediately called a meeting with the school leaders, told them about the incident, and ordered them to come up with the best solution and the school's needs within a day, and to keep in touch with the people from the Xu Group.
In addition, he specifically instructed school leaders to pay attention to Xu Mengyao's situation, to prevent her from being bullied, and to ensure that no negative rumors circulate about her. He also emphasized that all teachers must monitor Xu Mengyao's grades, as teachers play a significant role in her learning, both in and out of class. Furthermore, he stressed that if there are any future competition or university admission opportunities, Xu Mengyao should be given priority consideration if she qualifies.
Xu Zifan gave the school benefits, and the school reciprocated by taking good care of his sister. As for Wang Yalin, judging from the attitude of the siblings, she should just be treated as an ordinary student.
Xu Zifan has plenty of money right now, so he didn't feel any pain donating so much stuff. He told Xu Mengyao about it in the car and even estimated the total cost. Xu Mengyao was indeed incredibly shocked; it was an astronomical figure she had never even imagined. Her brother had donated it after just a few casual words, and it was...
She felt that she wouldn't be worth that much money even if she sold herself, just to make her school life a little easier!
She unconsciously pressed her hand to her chest to prevent her heart from leaping out of her chest in shock. Looking at her brother beside her, she took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, telling herself that the Xu family's money was more than enough to last several lifetimes, and this was nothing. She had to get used to it, she had to get used to it...
Although she still felt a pang of regret, she managed a natural smile in the face of Xu Zifan's calm demeanor. "Thank you, brother. I will definitely study hard."
Xu Zifan was very satisfied with her progress. He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Study if you want to, play if you don't. It doesn't matter. As long as you're happy at school this year, that's all that matters. We have plenty of money at home. You can donate it if you like."
Xu Mengyao's eyes lit up. "Brother, can I do it too?"
"Of course, I'm Dad's son, and you're Dad's daughter. We're the same. Don't listen to the Wang family's patriarchal nonsense. A girl can be the richest person in the world if she's outstanding enough. The Wang family is poor because they're patriarchal and have outdated ideas. Forget everything they taught you from now on, okay? Just trust what I'm telling you."
"Yes, I believe in you, brother."
Xu Zifan drove the car towards the Xu Group headquarters and casually asked, "What do you want to donate?"
Xu Mengyao hesitated and said, "I want to build a road for my hometown... for the village where I used to live. The road from the village to the town is still a dirt road, and it turns into mud as soon as it rains, making it very inconvenient for students to go to and from school. I want to build a cement road so that it will be easier for students to go to school, and the elderly can also take their goods to town to sell. I just don't know how much it will cost, brother, is that okay?"
"Of course, I'll find you an assistant later. You can ask him to look up anything you want to know, and then you can make all the decisions yourself. Finally, write a plan and give it to me, and I'll take you to ask Dad for money."
Xu Mengyao was stunned for a moment, "A business plan? I don't know how to do that..."
"If you don't know how to learn, that's fine. There's a first time for everything. Once you've done it, you've gained experience. Background and wealth are all meaningless. Only your experience and knowledge will never leave you. Yao Yao, now you are the eldest daughter of the Xu family, a thousand times better than the Wang family daughter of the past. But if your family abandons you, goes bankrupt, or dies, you will still have nothing. Just like Wang Yalin, why does she cling to the Xu family? It's because if she leaves the Xu family, she will lose everything she has."
Xu Zifan parked the car in the Xu Group's parking lot, rested his arm on the steering wheel, and turned to look at Xue Mengyao. "So you need to take advantage of your current status and position, and use all available resources to learn and gain experience. When you become strong, what is the Xu family? Even if the whole world rejects you, you can still stand firmly on your own. Only then can you have confidence forever, understand?"
Looking at her brother's serious expression, Xu Mengyao felt that this time he wasn't lying, but was genuinely telling her the truth of survival: only by being strong enough can one be fearless in the face of adversity and harm. She nodded solemnly, "I understand, brother. I will work hard and definitely won't let you down."
"You're working hard for yourself. As long as you don't disappoint or regret it, that's enough. Never live for anyone else, only for yourself." Xu Zifan put on sunglasses and got out of the car. "Let's go, let's take a look around our company. You don't need to overthink what I'm telling you, just remember it, you'll understand someday."
Xu Mengyao got off the car carrying her schoolbag and followed Xu Zifan into the tall and imposing office building, still processing her brother's words. Xu Zifan walked past the reception desk with his hands in his pockets, and the receptionists immediately stood up and bowed slightly, "Good afternoon, Young Master Xu."
Everyone in the Xu family recognizes Xu Zifan's face. He stopped and leaned against the front desk, pointing at Xu Mengyao, "This is my younger sister, the only young lady of the Xu family, Xu Mengyao. Xu Yalin has changed her name to Wang Yalin. Don't mistake her for someone else when you come to the company in the future. Remember to inform the other employees."
The receptionists were taken aback for a moment, then immediately looked at Xu Mengyao to memorize her appearance, and smiled, "Okay, Mr. Xu, Ms. Xu, good afternoon."
Xu Mengyao nodded, and Xu Zifan led her to the elevator. A receptionist secretly took a picture of them, capturing a clear image of Xu Mengyao's face as she turned around inside the elevator. She quickly posted the photo to the company's employee group chat, recounting Xu Zifan's words. No one dared to speak out in the employee group chat, but the other smaller groups were buzzing with discussion, everyone curious about why the boss's daughter had been replaced.
Secretary Zhang was also in the employee group. As soon as she saw the information, she got a headache. This playboy was still doing things so recklessly. This was practically forcing the boss to make it public!
Xu Zhenhua had finished his meeting and was processing documents in his office. Secretary Zhang hesitated for a moment, but still braced herself and went in to report to her boss. The young master and young lady would be coming up soon, and she certainly couldn't keep her boss in the dark.
Upon hearing that the entire company knew about his daughter-swapping, Xu Zhenhua's face darkened, and his anger flared. Just then, Xu Zifan knocked three times and pushed the door open to enter.
"Oh, Secretary Zhang is here too. I haven't properly thanked you yet. You worked hard today helping Yao Yao change her household registration. I'll treat you to dinner another day." Xu Zifan smiled and greeted Secretary Zhang as soon as he saw her.
"It's all I should do, Mr. Xu, please don't be so polite." Secretary Zhang silently stepped aside, praying in his heart that the quarrel between the father and son wouldn't affect anyone else.
Before Xu Zhenhua could even speak, Xu Zifan pulled Xu Mengyao to sit across from him at the desk, took off his sunglasses, and said, "Dad, guess what I did today? I did charity work in the name of the Xu Group! Don't you always complain that I'm not doing my job properly? I guess so. As her older brother, I have to set a good example for her. Leave this to me, and I'll make sure it's done perfectly."
Xu Zhenhua's attention shifted as he listened to him, and he frowned, asking, "What charity? You first..."
That's clear.
Xu Zifan smiled smugly, "I donated a gymnasium and a library to Yao Yao's school. From now on, we'll also provide afternoon tea for the senior students to help those hardworking teachers and students get some nutrition."
Xu Zhenhua felt a lump in his throat. "What is all this? Why would they donate a gymnasium out of the blue? And afternoon tea? What school has afternoon tea?"
"Dad, think about it. Yao Yao just came back from outside. Her classmates at school will definitely look down on her. And the teachers only care about the top students. How can she be happy at school? It's different when I donate these things."
First of all, the teachers and students should remember Yao Yao's kindness by treating her to good food and drinks every day, right? We don't need many people to be close to her, just that no one talks about her behind her back or ostracizes her. Secondly, students think of Yao Yao when they look at new books in the library; similarly, who would bully her when she benefits from it? Even if someone does bully her, there will definitely be others who speak up for her.
Furthermore, I also donated a gymnasium. The principal was very happy. From now on, the school leaders and teachers will definitely pay attention to Yao Yao, so you don't need to worry about her going astray at school. Her grades will also be monitored. What do you think? Have I made good arrangements for Yao Yao?"
Xu Zhenhua took a deep breath. "Mengyao is just going to school to study, and only for a year. Is it necessary for you to make so much trouble? If she can't even protect herself at school, what will she be able to do after she enters society? Are you going to protect her for the rest of your life?"
Xu Zifan waved his hand, "Of course not, Dad, why would you think that? Isn't this a transition period? I've already said that we need to protect Yao Yao because she just came back. Look at Wang Yalin when she was in school, I didn't care about her either, but she was always pampered. But now no one is pampering Yao Yao, and it breaks my heart as her brother."
"Dad, do you think it's not worth it? No, we can do other charity work. Since we're about to reveal Yao Yao's identity, we can say that our Xu family is grateful that our long-lost daughter has been found and that the family is reunited. So, doing more charity work will accumulate merit, which will benefit the Xu family's reputation."
Xu Zhenhua said coldly, "Have you taken the wrong medicine these past few days? I told you to announce it at their 18th birthday celebration, but you had to be in such a hurry. Not only did you post it on WeChat Moments, but today you even had the receptionist notify all the employees in the company. What's the rush? Can't you just stop causing me trouble?"
Xu Zifan, just like the original owner of this body, showed an impatient expression. "Alright, Dad, why do you scold me whether I do anything or not? Yao Yao has been found, why do we have to wait? Why not just hold a press conference and give an interview? What's the impact? Now that you're publicly doing charity, it's a good opportunity to promote the group. If you don't like my donations, then this is my own business. I'll earn the money back, okay?"
Xu Zhenhua snorted coldly, "Do you think everything is as easy as just talking?"
"Dad, are you looking down on me? I only did it because I didn't want to. If I wanted to, there's nothing I couldn't do!" Xu Zifan raised his chin slightly, looking arrogant.
Xu Zhenhua, who had been rebuked, said angrily, "Then you can earn it yourself. Just remember not to use the name of the young master of the Xu family to swindle and cheat people."
Xu Zifan turned to look at Xu Mengyao, "Yaoyao, you've never seen jade gambling before, have you? I'll take you to open some stones this weekend and make some money back."
Xu Zhenhua snorted again, "Gambling on stones? Don't expect a windfall. Be careful you don't end up in debt."
Xu Zifan seemed to be at odds with him, looking at him coldly, "You don't need Dad to worry about that. Do you think I'm useless? Isn't it all because of what Mom says? Does she know me at all? I was raised by my grandparents. My grandfather taught me everything. You just wait and see."
Xu Zhenhua was amused by his words. "You mean your mother deliberately belittled you? What grudge does she have against you? Fine, fine, you can go, but you can only use your allowance. You're not allowed to ask your grandma for money."
Xu Zifan rolled his eyes and said disdainfully, "How could a real man like me possibly covet my grandma's money? I'm not talking to you anymore. Someone as capable as me lets my results speak for themselves. When you see my abilities, remember not to believe what others say."
Xu Zhenhua was very dissatisfied with his attitude towards Feng Xiangjun, but with tensions at home and many things happening these past two days, he didn't want to talk about it anymore and directly changed the subject to revealing Xu Mengyao's identity. He had only casually picked a topic to mention, but unexpectedly, Xu Zifan actually gave him advice, and in just a few words, they finalized the overall plan, which was quite suitable.
He thought about how his son hadn't gone out to fool around these past two days, and a thought suddenly struck him. He said calmly, "Since you're so concerned, then I'll leave this to you. You love Yao Yao so much, so don't do a bad job and embarrass her. Also, family scandals shouldn't be aired in public. Don't create any scandals that could damage the family's image. Can you do that?"
"Of course I can. It's no big deal, leave it to me," Xu Zifan readily agreed. Given the original owner's level of spoiled brat behavior, it would be unreasonable for him to directly return home and take over the family business. He decided to use his sister's situation to demonstrate different abilities and change Xu Zhenhua's opinion. Xu Zhenhua had always hoped his son would improve, and with such an opportunity, he would have no doubt. Perhaps he could even take advantage of the situation to trick Feng Xiangjun.
With the decision to go public, Xu Zhenhua's anger subsided, and he continued processing his documents. Xu Zifan then told Xu Mengyao to do her homework on the sofa, and occasionally, when he saw Xu Mengyao struggling with a problem, he would quietly explain it to her.
Xu Zhenhua didn't pay attention at first, but after a while, he heard Xu Mengyao say excitedly, "Brother, you're so amazing! So that's how you do it." He couldn't help but glance over a few times. Senior high school questions are not easy. How could Xu Zifan do it? Wasn't he always the last in his class?
After finishing his work and stretching his stiff neck, he heard Xu Mengyao praising Xu Zifan. He finally couldn't resist going over to look at Xu Mengyao's test paper. It was for senior high school students and looked very difficult. He asked in confusion, "Zifan, you can do this? How come you can?"
Xu Zifan played with his phone nonchalantly, "Who told you I couldn't?"
"Your mom said..." Xu Zhenhua started to say, then stopped abruptly, clearing his throat twice, "...you can do it? Then how come you always get the lowest score?"
"I'm too lazy to take the test. If I know the answer, I will; if I don't, I won't. What does it matter what rank I get? Does it affect me?" Xu Zifan looked up at him.
Xu Zhenhua was furious. "You're just spoiled. You've never experienced hardship and don't know how to cherish a good life. You act recklessly every day..."
Xu Zifan interrupted him, "Dad, Yaoyao is right here, can you give me some face? How could I not cherish her? I'm so filial, I make Grandma happy every day and take care of my sister. How could I be reckless? Compared to real spoiled brats, I don't race cars, I don't smoke, I don't gamble, I don't do drugs. I'm practically a model citizen. When have I ever caused you any trouble?"
Now that you mention it, it does seem to make sense. It would be a real headache if he were truly messing around. Xu Zhenhua thought of several notorious dissolute young masters in the circle, and felt a little better. But then his face darkened. What kind of logic is this? Why compare him to the mediocre? Why not compare him to the outstanding ones?
However, Xu Zifan didn't give him another chance to educate himself. Seeing that Xu Mengyao had finished her homework, he suggested, "Dad, I took Yaoyao to get checked out today. I had both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine done. Let's go to the hospital to pick up the test results before going home. I'll drive."
"Checkup?" Xu Zhenhua wanted to say that if there was nothing wrong with his body, why would he need a checkup? But after glancing at Xu Mengyao, he said nothing. If protecting his sister could prevent Xu Zifan from doing some outrageous things, that would be good too.
On the way, Xu Zhenhua discovered another good quality in Xu Zifan: he drove steadily, paid close attention to traffic safety, and was very attentive, adjusting the air conditioning temperature according to the passengers' needs—not at all like the playful, carefree person he remembered. This made Xu Zhenhua somewhat puzzled. Had he really neglected his son too much, failing to even understand his son's personality? Or had his wife complained too much, causing his impression of his son to worsen?
At the same time, he also discovered some of Xu Mengyao's good qualities. She was well-behaved, loved to laugh, and was very innocent. Her big eyes were very lively, not at all like the dull and unsophisticated person he had imagined. Most importantly, she relied on and trusted her brother a lot, and her brother was also very sincere towards her. As a father, seeing his children get along so well naturally made him happy, but he also felt a little envious. Why weren't they so attentive to him?
Upon arriving at the hospital, the three went directly to the doctor to collect the test results. Xu Zifan asked the doctor to explain Xu Mengyao's condition in detail. The doctor had barely finished speaking when Xu Zhenhua frowned deeply. Xu Mengyao was malnourished, had suffered from uterine coldness due to a fall into the water, and had some inflammation in her finger joints from excessive physical labor. He had raised the Wang family's daughter with such pampered care—was this how the Wang family raised their daughter?!