Wang Mengyao cherished her time with her brother, but once she started working on her test paper, she became completely absorbed, her little face filled with serious focus. Xu Zifan tilted his phone and snapped a picture of her focused expression. In the photo, the girl wore a white dress, her long, flowing hair cascading over her shoulders. The hair facing the camera was tucked behind her ears, revealing her delicate and adorable ears, with a small crystal stud on her earlobe reflecting an alluring light.
It's often said that men who are focused on their work are the most attractive, but girls who are focused are just as captivating. The girl in the photo, engrossed in her exercises, exudes the aura of an elite scholar, instantly conjuring images of "scholarly family" and "refined lady." Her beautiful face and fashionable attire add a touch of elegance, making her appear far from weak or stiff; rather, she evokes a desire to look up at her.
Xu Zifan, a smile playing on his lips, posted the photo on his WeChat Moments: "[I'm a fucking genius! I personally created my little princess!]"
He silenced his phone, and as soon as he refreshed his WeChat Moments, more than a dozen people liked and commented, and the number kept increasing. They were all praising the beautiful woman in the photo, asking him which family's daughter she was, and what he had done, and why he said the beautiful woman was his little princess.
Xu Zifan didn't hold back at all and picked a friend to reply, [This is my sister. Those idiots at home don't know how to dress her up. They make her look all dowdy. I have to personally take care of her. [Disdain] But when I take care of her, I'm worth two people. Are you blinded by my brilliance?]
[Brother Fan, are you drunk?]
[Is she an adopted sister? Or maybe an illegitimate child? [Shh][Shh][Shh]]
[Brother Fan, please be clear! Your cousin, her sister, her adopted sister? Whose are they?]
Xu Zifan straightened his hair, leaned over and put his arm around Wang Mengyao's shoulder, "Yaoyao, smile."
Wang Mengyao subconsciously looked up and smiled at the camera, and the first photo of the siblings together was captured on the phone screen. Xu Zifan glanced at it; the man was handsome and the woman was beautiful. He nodded in satisfaction and quickly posted it to his WeChat Moments: [Are you blind? Look how alike we are! This is my own sister, born to the same parents. Make sure you recognize her. If anyone sees her in the future, take good care of her. If my sister suffers any injustice, you'll be held responsible!]
Xu Zifan deliberately turned his face slightly to the side in the photo, and from this angle, he and Wang Mengyao looked alike, almost like siblings. However, his social media feed still exploded. Apart from a few who had heard rumors, everyone else couldn't understand how he could have a full sister. The comments implied that she used to be quite unsophisticated, with no one in her family to care for her, yet Xu Zifan was fiercely protective of her. What was going on?
When Wang Mengyao saw what he posted on his WeChat Moments, her expression changed. "Brother, Grandma and Mom and Dad said... I shouldn't reveal my identity to outsiders. We have to wait for the right occasion to announce it. You should delete this post on WeChat Moments. You'll get scolded when you get back."
Xu Zifan returned to her seat nonchalantly. "If it's a suitable occasion to go public, then it's for everyone to see. Only my friends can see my WeChat Moments, so it's fine. Besides, you're my own sister, not someone I'm ashamed of. What's with all this hiding? Go do your homework, it's okay."
"Grandma and Mom and Dad will be unhappy..."
Xu Zifan chuckled, "Yaoyao, you're too nervous. So you're being so obedient because you're afraid they'll get angry? Let me tell you, we're their own flesh and blood. They might pretend to dislike us and scold us, but deep down they love us. A few sweet words will be enough to appease them. Look at me, I eat, drink, and have fun all day, and I'm good for nothing, but they still dote on me, don't they? Because I'm their only son. You're the same. You're their only daughter. As long as you don't do anything outrageous, what's a few scoldings? Let me give you an example. Yalin is an adopted daughter now, she doesn't have Xu family blood anymore. If she does something to upset Mom and Dad, they might send her back to the Wang family in a heartbeat. We're different. Even if we make them faint from anger, we're still the young masters and ladies of the Xu family. Of course, I'm just giving an example, we wouldn't upset anyone for no reason, right?"
Wang Mengyao had always been overshadowed by Xu Yalin in the Xu family. From the old lady to the servants, everyone treated Xu Yalin as the eldest daughter of the Xu family, as if she were an outsider from the countryside. No matter how hard she tried, no one was willing to show her any kindness. She had always thought that the Xu family didn't want to accept her. This was the first time she had heard anyone say that she was the eldest daughter of the Xu family, and that Xu Yalin was just an adopted daughter who could be sent away at any time. This feeling was very strange and overturned all her previous understanding.
She gripped the pen tightly, staring blankly at Xu Zifan. "Is that so? Xu Yalin... she really became an adopted daughter?"
"Of course! Haven't you seen her trying to please Grandma and Mom and Dad every day? She's afraid of falling out of favor and being sent away. Today she even tried to please me. I've never seen her cook before. Luckily I didn't eat at home, I don't know if the food she makes is poisonous." Xu Zifan didn't even look up, still picking and choosing who to reply to on his WeChat Moments.
Wang Mengyao was surprised to find that Xu Zifan seemed to be right. She thought Xu Yalin had always been like this in the Xu family, but it turned out that she was only trying to please her because she had become an adopted daughter. She suddenly realized that in the past month or so, she had gone from being reserved and fearful to being taciturn, often keeping her head down and feeling invisible. She had embarrassed herself at school several times and even got the lowest score in the monthly exam. But the three elders in her family just looked at her with disdain and said a few words to her. They really didn't do anything to her and let her live comfortably in the Xu family. Was it because she had Xu family blood?
She was even more surprised by Xu Zifan's attitude. Didn't Xu Yalin say in private that her brother hated her and only loved Xu Yalin as his sister? Why does it seem like that's not the case?
She hesitated for a long time before cautiously asking, "Big brother, don't you like Xu Yalin?"
Xu Zifan glanced at her and frowned. "She was alright before, but lately I've found her quite annoying. Even though you two were switched at birth, she doesn't seem to care about your biological parents at all. She doesn't even go back to see them during her holidays, and at home she acts like a spoiled princess. You follow her around like her little follower or maid, it's just ridiculous. By the way, I see she's bought quite a few new clothes and bags for the new season, they're much nicer than yours. Doesn't she have any self-awareness?"
Xu Zifan shifted his position, leaning back in his chair, and said, "It's the Xu family's business how good the Xu family is to her, but her problem is that she doesn't know how to restrain herself. If she were really as happy as she says about having another sister and feeling guilty towards you, would she have gone so long without helping you dress up? Would she have spoken well of you in front of Mom? She's obviously just talking and fooling people. When she first found out you two were switched at birth, she cried her eyes out and offered to switch you back. I thought she was quite sensible and pitiful back then, but now the more I look at her, the more I think she's faking it. I hate it when people lie to me and treat me like a fool."
Wang Mengyao stared at him without blinking, tears streaming down her face. Xu Yalin mocked and looked down on her behind her back, and Xu Yalin's friends all bullied her. She had tried telling Feng Xiangjun, but Feng Xiangjun scolded her, saying she was malicious and couldn't tolerate Xu Yalin. She never imagined that someone could see through Xu Yalin's true colors and discover that she had been wronged—and that person was her brother!
Xu Zifan was stunned for a moment, put down his phone, and handed her a tissue. "What's wrong? Did Yalin bully you? Why are you crying?"
As he wiped away her tears, Wang Mengyao finally couldn't hold back anymore and threw herself into his arms, crying out, "Brother..."
The little girl finally vented her grievances. Xu Zifan gently patted her, sighed silently, and said, "Yaoyao, don't cry. Who wronged you? Tell me, and I'll help you get revenge. You are the rightful eldest daughter of the Xu family. There are only a handful of people in Yanjing who will give you a hard time. Don't be afraid. From now on, you can walk with your head held high. If you cause trouble, I'll cover for you."
Wang Mengyao was amused by his last sentence. She sat up straight, embarrassed, and took a tissue to wipe her tears. Xu Zifan tilted his head to look at her and said, "Finally you're smiling. Crying makes you look ugly."
There was a knock on the door of the private room, and the dishes they ordered were brought out one by one. Xu Zifan ruffled her hair and said with a smile, "Eat up, the food here is better than at home. Tomorrow I'll take you to eat roast duck."
"Mmm." Wang Mengyao nodded. When she heard that he would take her out again tomorrow, her eyes crinkled with laughter, and all the gloom in her heart vanished.
Although the meals she ate at the Xu family's house during this time were exquisite and delicious, the three elders at the table were always chatting and laughing with Xu Yalin, while showing her no kindness. She found them all tasteless and couldn't taste the flavor at all. Now, at Huangjue, by her brother's side, she realized for the first time that the food in Yanjing could be so delicious. It was so fragrant that she almost wanted to swallow her tongue—it was better than anything she had eaten in the past ten years!
The two ate a delicious meal, while Xu Zifan's phone, lying to the side, lit up and then went off repeatedly, accumulating countless missed calls and WeChat messages, which he didn't even glance at. After the meal, he drove Wang Mengyao home. The house was brightly lit, and the servants were all silent, only stealing glances at them out of the corner of their eyes. Especially after seeing Wang Mengyao's outfit, they couldn't hide the surprise in their eyes.
Wang Mengyao looked through the floor-to-ceiling window at the three elders sitting on the sofa inside. Their expressions were grim, as if they were about to be interrogated. She instinctively gripped her bag tighter. Xu Zifan patted her shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips, still with his usual nonchalant attitude. "What are you afraid of? Have you forgotten what I told you? They can't eat us, can they? Come on, you've been wearing heels all day, go inside and rest."
Wang Mengyao felt a warmth in her heart and boldly took Xu Zifan's arm. Seeing that he didn't reject her at all, she felt relieved and smiled, "Yes, with my brother here, I'm not afraid of anything."
The two walked into the hall chatting and laughing. As soon as Xu's father, Xu Zhenhua, saw them, he said in a stern voice, "You actually know how to come back?! Get your ass over here!"
Wang Mengyao's smile faded, and Xu Zifan led her slowly over, exclaiming in surprise, "Dad, you never taught me how to roll! What's wrong and why are you so angry? I just took my sister out to buy some clothes and have a meal, and we went home right after ten o'clock."
"You! You're asking me what's wrong? Look at the mess you've made! Now everyone knows our Xu family's daughter was switched at birth. There's been no public relations effort, no official announcement. Who knows what people outside will speculate about? What's wrong with you?!" Xu Zhenhua threw his phone onto the coffee table. The screen showed the two posts Xu Zifan had made on his WeChat Moments.
Madam Xu, Li Xiulan, spoke up: "Although Zifan loves to play, he has always been very measured. He shouldn't be acting so recklessly. Did someone whisper something in your ear?" Her sharp gaze shot towards Wang Mengyao, and it was obvious who that "someone" was.
Feng Xiangjun glared at Wang Mengyao and said angrily, "What exactly do you want? You just came to our house and you're already talking badly about Yalin. Now you're urging your brother to reveal your identity. Are you afraid that our Xu family won't acknowledge you? We agreed to wait until your eighteenth birthday to make it public. What kind of nonsense is this? You're really from a small town and you still have such a petty attitude!"
Wang Mengyao's face turned pale. Xu Zifan pulled her down to sit, saying impatiently, "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? What's wrong with me taking pictures of Yaoyao and posting them on WeChat Moments? Can't I even show off my pretty little sister? What does it have to do with Yaoyao? Can't you see she's doing her homework in the picture? I took it secretly, okay? Who dares to question my own acknowledgment of her as my sister? How is it considered inappropriate to say it out loud? Mom, in your eyes, am I inappropriate, not as good as your precious Yalin? You scolded me this afternoon, and you scolded me again tonight. I really suspect I was adopted, and Yalin is your real daughter. This is so unfair!"
My mind is completely off to outer space.
He put his arm around Li Xiulan's shoulder and laughed, "Grandma, I think someone's been whispering something in your ear, hasn't they? Your grandson is so sensible, who could possibly bewitch him? Come, come, look at your granddaughter, isn't she pretty? I personally took Yaoyao to get her dressed up. Hey? I hadn't noticed before, but Yaoyao looks just like you when she's dressed up! It must be a generational inheritance. Yaoyao is so beautiful because she takes after you. Grandma, you must have been a great beauty when you were young, right? There must have been a long line of young men chasing after you."
Li Xiulan was initially angry, but upon hearing his words, she subconsciously looked at Wang Mengyao's face and found that the girl really did resemble her when she was young, almost five-tenths! Hearing Xu Zifan's honeyed praise, the corners of her mouth curved up. "You brat, how can you tease your grandma like that? Your dad is asking you serious questions, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"To be honest, if the three of us take a picture here, everyone will immediately recognize us as a family of three. No wonder people say that people who aren't family don't enter the same door. Speaking of which, I need to deal with someone first. Uncle Liu? Come here!" Xu Zifan seemed to remember something, his expression changed, and he turned around and called out.
Enraged, Xu Zhenhua pointed at him and yelled, "Do you even respect me as your father? Didn't you hear me? It's one thing for you to cause trouble outside, but today you've stirred up such a huge mess and you're acting like nothing happened? I think you deserve a beating!"
Xu Zifan frowned at him and said helplessly, "Dad, take it easy. You're not young anymore, why are you so easily angered? It's such a small thing, why are you so angry that my grandma can't rest? Is it really necessary? You're upset because I told others that Yaoyao is my sister, but isn't she your daughter, my sister? She's your own flesh and blood, why are you acting like a thief and not letting anyone know? If she were an illegitimate daughter, I could understand, but she's your own, why are you all so nervous?"
Xu Zifan looked at them with a puzzled expression. "We have such a well-behaved girl in our family. She doesn't cause trouble or make a fuss. Other families must be so envious. If word gets out, it's just a mistake from back then, not a scandal. What's there to be afraid of? Everyone who needs to know already knows. We'll officially announce it when Yao Yao turns eighteen and introduce her to everyone. That way, everyone will be mentally prepared. Otherwise, what if they come and only bring a gift for Ya Lin, but not for Yao Yao? That would be so embarrassing. I think this is much more thoughtful. There's no problem at all. It won't affect the stock price or our reputation. It's not worth getting angry over. Grandma, don't you think?"
Li Xiulan had initially believed that Wang Mengyao had instigated Xu Zifan to post on WeChat Moments, but now that her anger had subsided, she found Xu Zifan's words surprisingly reasonable. However, she frowned when she thought about Wang Mengyao's behavior at school. "Zifan," she said, "Grandma knows you're sensible and take care of your sister, but she just came back and isn't used to our circle yet. She doesn't know any etiquette. If you rashly spread this, won't people laugh at her? Besides, Yalin's current situation is awkward. If she doesn't give a proper explanation or statement, what will people think of her? Won't she suffer at school?"
Xu Zifan chuckled and said, "Grandma, let's talk this out. I love Yalin too; after all, she's been my sister for over ten years. But she's been pampered in our family for all those years. It's no big deal if she suffers a little grievance these past few days, is it? Think about Yaoyao, she's suffered for over ten years! You all know what the Wang family is like—they favor sons over daughters, treating their daughters like livestock. Our Yaoyao has suffered for Yalin all these years! Don't you feel sorry for her? We finally found Yaoyao, are you worried about her making a fool of herself? If she makes a fool of herself, you should hold the Wang family accountable! You raised their daughter so well, but look how they've treated Yaoyao! You can't blame Yaoyao. I think Yaoyao is much more innocent than Yalin. If you don't love her, I will. We finally found our sister, I can't let anyone bully her."
Xu Zifan grasped Wang Mengyao's hand and said in a deep voice, "I've never been treated badly before. The Wang family has abused my sister like this. Isn't that a slap in my face? I've already been more than kind by not punishing them. Should we continue to treat their daughter like a princess and make our Xu family bloodline hide in the shadows? Anyway, I understand. No matter how ill-mannered Yaoyao is or what embarrassment she makes, it's because the Wang family didn't teach her well. It's the Wang family that's disgraced and owes us something. I'm only angry at the Wang family, not at Yaoyao. Think about it, isn't that the truth?"
Li Xianglan and Xu Zhenhua exchanged a glance, both frowning and remaining silent, seemingly pondering Xu Zifan's words. Feng Xiangjun said angrily, "You're spouting complete nonsense! Do you think outsiders would think that much? They'd just say the eldest daughter of the Xu family is a country bumpkin..."
"Mom, then you teach her." Xu Zifan interrupted her directly. "If you don't teach her or find a teacher, are you determined to let her remain a country bumpkin and be a stepping stone for your precious Yalin?"
Feng Xiangjun trembled with rage. "You! How dare you talk to me like that? I'm your mother!"
"Grandma, Dad, Mom's so biased! I think I should take care of my sister from now on. If Mom keeps doing this, she might be a country bumpkin her whole life." Xu Zifan didn't give her any face. In the original owner's memories, the old lady was still the one who doted on her the most. Xu Zhenhua, who considered the original owner his heir, naturally favored her as well. Only Feng Xiangjun always treated Xu Yalin like a sweet little cotton-padded jacket, complaining that the original owner wasn't ambitious enough and couldn't compare to the sons of her friends. She only liked the academically excellent Xu Yalin. Since his mission didn't involve being filial to his elders, he naturally wouldn't indulge her.
Feng Xiangjun was furious, but Xu Zifan turned to the butler who was waiting for orders and asked, "Uncle Liu, you're the one who arranges Yao Yao's food, clothing, and accommodation, right? I heard that you bought her clothes and cell phone?"
The butler, bowing slightly, said nervously, "Yes, young master, is there something wrong?"
Xu Zifan snorted coldly, "Inappropriate? Absolutely inappropriate! Don't you see Yao Yao going out and coming in every day? She doesn't know how to take care of herself, doesn't know how to coordinate her clothes, doesn't know how to exercise."
"She doesn't know how to maintain her health, and you don't even provide her with a proper care, not even a thoughtful maid? What are all these people doing here? When the young lady goes out, she represents the Xu family's reputation. You can't even take care of her reputation; are you just here to eat and do nothing?"
Upon hearing this, the butler broke out in a cold sweat. All servants acted according to their masters' wishes, and he was no exception. He didn't seek merit but only to avoid mistakes regarding this new young lady, preparing everything that needed to be done and saying nothing unnecessary. But the master and mistress hadn't mentioned these things before; they were still observing whether the new young lady could truly become a young lady. Why was the young master suddenly supporting her?
He replied cautiously, "It was my oversight. I will be more careful in the future and fulfill all of Miss Er's requests."
"Who is the second young lady? She is my only younger sister. She has the blood of the Xu family. She is the only young lady in our Xu family." Xu Zifan looked at him calmly. Although his voice was not loud, the butler felt as if he was being crushed by a mountain and did not dare to utter a word in rebuttal.
Feng Xiangjun slammed her hand on the coffee table. "Zifan! What's wrong with you today? Are you saying you don't consider Yalin your sister? Yalin is also a daughter of the Xu family. How many times do I have to tell you before you remember?"
Xu Zifan glanced at her. "She's an adopted daughter. Uncle Liu, tell all the servants to call Yao Yao 'Miss' from now on, and call Ya Lin 'Miss Lin.' Dad, Yao Yao is the one who truly bears the Xu surname; she's your bloodline. If people look down on her, you'll lose face, won't you? Dad, listen to me. If our family spoils Ya Lin more than Yao Yao in the future, people will laugh at us to death. They'll laugh at us for not cherishing our own bloodline, while we dote on that scoundrel Wang couple's bloodline like it's nothing. Isn't that stupid? Which prominent family doesn't value bloodlines? Dad, don't think I'm being harsh. I'm out there every day; I know best what they're laughing at behind everyone's backs. You can trust me on this."
Xu Zhenhua looked thoughtfully at Wang Mengyao. This daughter didn't know how to say nice things, didn't know how to dress up, and didn't have any outstanding qualities. Naturally, he didn't like her, but he didn't hate her either. He had taken Xu Zifan's words to heart. Bloodline inheritance was important, of course. He ignored his own bloodline, but instead doted on the Wang family's daughter every day. Thinking about it, why did it feel so disgusting? Thinking of the greedy faces of the Wang couple, his brows furrowed even more.
He had always felt that Wang Mengyao, raised by the Wang family couple, must have picked up their habits and wasn't a very good person. But just now, Xu Zifan kept emphasizing bloodline, and he suddenly wondered how his Xu Zhenhua's daughter could be so despicable. Looking at this well-behaved and quiet girl in front of him, where was there even a trace of the Wang family couple? She was clearly influenced by the Xu family bloodline, remaining untainted by their corruption! He had been prejudiced before.
Xu Zhenhua pinched the bridge of his nose and said in a deep voice, "Zifan's words are not without reason. Xiangjun, things have already come to this. From now on, you will have to take better care of Mengyao. Teach her what needs to be taught and give her pointers. She has been back for so long. If she makes any more mistakes, it will be a disgrace to the Xu family."
Li Xianglan also spoke up, "Alright, teach Mengyao well during this time, so that when the two children turn eighteen and make a grand appearance, we'll have regained all our face. If we raise the two girls well, having such a pair of beautiful sisters will be a wonderful thing, and it will also show that our Xu family is kind and righteous."
Xu Zifan winked at Wang Mengyao, as if to say: See, you didn't get scolded, did you?
Wang Mengyao's lips curved slightly, and she quickly lowered her head, afraid that her grandmother and parents would think she was getting carried away.
"Ah—" A scream suddenly came from behind. Wang Mengyao turned around and saw Xu Yalin rolling down the stairs, hitting her forehead on the last step, bleeding and fainting.
"Ya Lin!" Feng Xiangjun was the first to react, rushing over to hug Xu Ya Lin and shouting anxiously, "Get the car ready, take her to the hospital quickly! Hurry!"
The housekeeper rushed out to make arrangements, and Feng Xiangjun saw the maids running down the stairs and angrily said, "How are you taking care of Miss? How could Yalin have fallen down the stairs?"
The maid cried, "Madam, Miss...she wanted to go downstairs for a drink of water, and she overheard the young master saying...saying that Miss is an adopted daughter." The maid glanced cautiously at Xu Zifan and continued, "Miss lost her footing for a moment and...that's how she fell down the stairs..."
Feng Xiangjun hurriedly looked down and saw Xu Yalin's face covered in tears. Her heart ached terribly, and she yelled at Xu Zifan, "Look at you! Haven't you two siblings developed any feelings for each other after more than ten years? You..."
"Mom, getting Yalin to the hospital is the priority. You can scold me all day if you want." Xu Zifan interrupted her again, gesturing for the maids to carry Xu Yalin to the car.
Feng Xiangjun felt a tightness in her chest from his words. She didn't know how many times he had angered her that day. She had never been like this before. She glared at Wang Mengyao fiercely. It must have been this petty person who stirred things up with Xu Zifan! At this moment, she couldn't care less about scolding her. She grabbed her bag and quickly got into the car with Xu Yalin.
Xu Zifan, Wang Mengyao, and Xu Zhenhua rode in another car, while the elderly lady stayed home to wait for news. While the car was on the road, Xu Zifan called the housekeeper to inquire about Xu Yalin's condition, then said to Xu Zhenhua, whose face was dark, "Dad, don't worry, Yalin didn't break any bones, it's just a superficial injury. She's always been lucky, she'll definitely be alright this time."
Xu Zhenhua snorted coldly, "Now you're saying she's blessed with good fortune? Why did you seem to dislike her so much before?"
Xu Zifan said matter-of-factly, "She must be incredibly lucky. Otherwise, how could she have enjoyed the blessings of our Xu family for over a decade after being born into a family like the Wang family? The Wang family has struck it rich. They switched daughters at birth, and not only does our daughter eat and drink well in our house, growing up like a little princess, but our Xu family's daughter has to serve them like a slave. In the end, we not only raised both daughters but also gave them five million. I said Yalin is incredibly lucky..."
"You're mistaken, the Wang family is the one truly blessed."
These words pierced Xu Zhenhua's heart like a thorn. He hadn't thought about any of this before; he kept Xu Yalin only because of the father-daughter bond they had shared for over a decade, and he couldn't bear to let the child go back and suffer. But after Xu Zifan explained it so thoroughly, it was as if the Xu family were complete idiots, happily raising someone else's daughter while their own daughter was treated like a slave, and then ignored after being brought back. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed the Wang family had made a huge profit, while the Xu family had suffered a huge loss!
Seeing the change in his expression, Xu Zifan glanced at the car in front and said, "Dad, I think Mom really likes Yalin and doesn't have the energy to take care of Yaoyao. Why don't you leave Yaoyao with me? I promise you'll be a daughter of a prominent family at Yaoyao's eighteenth birthday celebration."
Xu Zhenhua looked at his two children and nodded. "Okay, take good care of your sister."