Lu Wan knew she had brought this upon herself, so she sat alone in a huff. Qiao Li glanced at her angry daughter before turning her gaze to Ruan Xing, her eyes growing somewhat resentful.
Eventually, mealtime arrived, and Ruan Xing reluctantly left her father’s embrace with a frown.
This fool was acting far too unusual today. Lu Wan suddenly felt a sense of unease, her gaze toward Ruan Xing tinged with urgency.
If Ruan Ting weren’t present, she would have immediately confronted that fool Ruan Xing for an explanation. But in front of Ruan Ting, she dared not say anything. Lu Wan would never forget the first words Ruan Ting had spoken to her and her mother on their first day in this household:
“First, don’t call me Dad—I’m not your father. Second, everything in this house belongs to Ruan Xing. You’d better not entertain any inappropriate ideas.”
The icy glare and disdainful tone still sent chills down their spines whenever they recalled it. Lu Wan was terrified of Ruan Ting to her very core.
At the dining table.
Ruan Xing sat petite beside Ruan Ting, obediently eating with her head bowed. Her cheeks puffed out roundly like an adorable little hamster.
Seeing his daughter’s cute demeanor, Ruan Ting couldn’t help but curve his lips slightly, warmth flickering in his eyes.
Ruan Xing was fully aware of the intense stare from across the table. From the moment she sat down, Lu Wan’s eyes had been glued to her, making it impossible to ignore.
For Lu Wan, this meal was pure torture. For the first time, she realized how difficult life would be for her and her mother in this household without that fool. Sitting there, they felt like invisible ghosts.
Remembering how the fool had treated her today, her anger burned even fiercer. Normally, the fool would insist on sitting right next to her during meals, yet today she sat so far away.
“Xingxing, here, have more. I know you love sweet and sour fish, so Auntie specially made it for you today,” the woman’s voice was soft and gentle.
As Qiao Li picked up a boneless piece of fish with her chopsticks, Ruan Xing’s delicate brows slightly furrowed when it was about to land in her bowl. A flicker of disgust crossed her eyes before she swiftly moved her bowl away, watching the meat fall onto the table.
Qiao Li’s face turned pale then flushed, looking utterly mortified.
What’s gotten into this wretched girl today?
She wanted to lash out but couldn’t, silently vowing to remember this offense.
Ruan Ting also noticed his daughter’s action and paused briefly, puzzled.
Hadn’t this girl always adored these two?
The next moment, the girl’s childish voice rang through the dining room.
“Auntie, why are you using your own chopsticks to serve me? That’s so dirty! What if there are germs?”
Yet Ruan Xing’s expression remained completely unchanged, merely widening her eyes slightly and wrinkling her pretty brows as she delivered the casual remark, as if discussing the most mundane matter.
Her demeanor was so earnest that had Ruan Ting not previously heard her tell the mother and daughter they needn’t use serving chopsticks, he might have believed her.
Qiao Li’s expression was truly unpleasant at the moment. As an elder being lectured by a junior, she was flushed with embarrassment yet had no way to refute it.
She had clearly noticed the change in this wretched girl today. In the past, this idiot had been the most attached to her—it was Qiao Li herself who said family members didn’t need serving chopsticks when putting food in her bowl. But today…
This little wretch had indirectly called her dirty. If not for having to rely on this fool in this household, she would never have tolerated such behavior.
“I’m sorry, Auntie wasn’t paying attention just now.” Though unwilling, Qiao Li had to consider the future for herself and her daughter, forcing herself to swallow this humiliation quietly.
Ruan Xing didn’t miss the momentary fierceness and restraint in the woman’s eyes.
This was the woman’s true nature. In her past life, she had been too foolish, allowing herself to be manipulated by this mother-daughter pair.
Having already died once, Ruan Xing boldly met Qiao Li’s gaze without any fear.
She curved her lips at Qiao Li.
“It’s good that Auntie recognizes her mistake. I’m only thinking of your benefit. If you make this mistake outside in the future, others might not be as tolerant as I am—they’ll simply think you lack manners.”
The girl’s voice remained soft and seemingly non-confrontational.
Qiao Li choked on her anger but could do nothing about it.
Witnessing this scene, Lu Wan suddenly felt an ominous premonition.
Even Ruan Ting, as the father, couldn’t understand why his daughter had suddenly become so cold toward this mother-daughter pair. But noticing his daughter’s tightly furrowed brows, the man’s aura instantly turned several degrees colder, his face showing clear anger.
“Don’t serve Xingxing food with your own chopsticks from now on! With all those germs, what if my precious daughter gets sick?” His icy tone brooked no argument.
The thought of this mother-daughter pair causing his beloved daughter to frown made Ruan Ting displeased, and his gaze toward them cooled considerably.
With school starting tomorrow, Ruan Xing felt a headache coming on looking at her closet full of punk-style clothes. She eventually went to Ruan Ting to wheedle him—he had always been helpless against his daughter’s coaxing. He made a call and had designers deliver all the new season’s latest outfits.
If she wanted clothes, he’d provide them; if she wanted stars from the sky, Ruan Ting would pluck them for his little princess.
Staring at her red hair, Ruan Xing felt she wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully that night. Taking advantage of the early hour, she went alone to a hair salon and dyed the red hair black. The moment it was done, she found it much more pleasing to the eye.
The next day.
The closet no longer contained any punk clothing, replaced instead by the new designer arrivals from yesterday.
Entering the walk-in closet, Ruan Xing felt refreshed and lighthearted. She randomly picked a polo dress, tied her hair high at the back, paired it with little black leather shoes, and headed out.
Ruan Ting was already waiting downstairs early. After much reflection yesterday, he realized he had given his daughter too little care and companionship. He had secretly resolved to spend more time with her going forward.
After dropping his daughter off at school, he hurried to the company.
Walking through the school gates, passing students couldn’t help stealing extra glances at Ruan Xing.
“Damn, this girl is really pretty—so freaking pure.”
“How come I never knew our school had such a little fairy?”
“A transfer student? New here?”
“Looks like our school belle title is about to change hands.”
“Seriously, this girl is way prettier than Lu Wan. Suddenly feel like Lu Wan would pale in comparison if standing next to her.”
…