19 – Missing him the moment we’re apart
Tangtang frowned. “Madam, I advise you not to stand in my way. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that what happened that day won’t happen again today!”
As she spoke, Tangtang was utterly cold, her entire demeanor a perfect replica of Ji Hanyuan’s, enough to make one’s liver tremble.
Zhao Xuefen was instantly frightened, her joints reflexively aching with pain. She nearly couldn’t help but step back right away.
However, she struggled to steady herself.
Seeing Tang Jiaojiao’s current reaction and this overbearing attitude, she became even more certain—Tang Jiaojiao might have indeed lost her memory!
So, she simply didn’t remember them at all!
Thus, she tentatively asked again.
“Jiaojiao, since you don’t want to hear Aunt Zhao’s explanation, I won’t disturb you any further.”
“But… in two days, it’s your sister Yingying’s engagement banquet. This is the most important day of her life, and we hope you, as her sister, can attend to give her your blessings. So, will you be able to come then?”
As soon as Zhao Xuefen finished speaking, Tang Yingying immediately leaned in, looking at Tang Jiaojiao with eager eyes.
“Jiaojiao… we sisters grew up together, even sharing the same bed, our relationship was so, so close. Now that your sister has found her own happiness, I hope you can come and witness it too, okay?”
Looking at Zhao Xuefen and Tang Yingying before her, Tangtang lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
The kinder and more well-intentioned they were, the more uncomfortable she felt.
Even her stomach churned with nausea, making her want to vomit!
Hearing Tang Yingying say that she had even shared a bed with her, Tangtang found it utterly unbelievable!
How could she possibly have shared a bed with Tang Yingying!
In this lifetime, she could only accept sharing a bed with her Brother A Yuan!
Anyone else, forget it!
Moreover, just last time at the mall, they had been so malicious toward her.
And today, they acted as if they were completely different people!
Wasn’t this clearly setting a trap for her to fall into?
An engagement banquet…
Why did they insist she attend?
She simply wouldn’t go!
The next second, Tangtang directly reached out and pushed Zhao Xuefen aside.
Although she felt she hadn’t used much force at all, Zhao Xuefen was pushed back two or three meters, her high heels clattering as she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
Tang Yingying quickly supported Zhao Xuefen, glaring at Tang Jiaojiao in disbelief. “Tang Jiaojiao! Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! How dare you push my mother!”
Tangtang glanced down at her hand, still feeling disgusted.
So, while washing her hands, she spoke with utter coldness.
“Sorry, but I don’t accept toasts or forfeits! From now on, please stay away from me!”
Otherwise, she couldn’t control these strangely powerful hands of hers!
After delivering her harsh words, Tangtang strode away without looking back!
She couldn’t be bothered wasting her energy on these people!
Until she regained her memory, she wouldn’t believe a word anyone said, even if they claimed to be her mother or sister!
In this whole world, she only trusted her Brother A Yuan!
Besides, rather than wasting time talking nonsense with them, she’d rather stick close to her Brother A Yuan.
After all, it had only been a few minutes, and she already missed him again!
Her Brother A Yuan must have been waiting for a while too!
Tangtang eagerly rushed toward Ji Hanyuan, only to find him speaking with Zhao Gang, his expression even grave.
As if they were discussing something very important, yet not something good.
So, Tangtang slowed her pace and waited quietly on the side.
However, Ji Hanyuan noticed his Tangtang at a glance.
He immediately softened his stern expression and beckoned to Tangtang.
“Come here.”
His deep tone seemed to carry a gentle melody.
Tangtang instantly broke into a radiant smile and excitedly ran toward Ji Hanyuan.
Ji Hanyuan curled his lips, opened his arms, and Tangtang laughed as she threw herself straight into his embrace.
In that moment, even Zhao Gang, standing nearby, was utterly dazzled.
Four words reflexively popped into his mind: mutual pursuit.
So, mutual pursuit in love really was… this, this sweet.
Ji Hanyuan held the little soft candy in his arms tightly, ruffling Tangtang’s fragrant hair as he murmured hoarsely, “Let’s go home, hmm?”
“Okay~”
Tangtang leaned against his chest, obediently nodding, “Mhm, let’s go home~”
Being by her brother’s side was still the best, the warmest.
She would never be curious about the people and things outside again.
She only wanted to stay by her brother’s side, waiting obediently at home every day for him to return from work.
In her world, having him alone was enough.
As for Tang Yingying and Zhao Xuefen, they could get as far away as possible! She wanted nothing to do with them!
However, just because she didn’t want to deal with them didn’t mean these clingy nuisances wouldn’t come sticking to her on their own.
At that moment, Zhao Xuefen spat in frustration, her eyes filled with malice. “Who knows what that damned Tang Jiaojiao did? Her strength has become so immense! It really hurts!”
“Mom…” Tang Yingying frowned. “That bitch used to be so timid she wouldn’t even dare make a sound. Why is she standing up to us every time now? And this time, we even put on such a friendly attitude. In the past, she would’ve been led by the nose by us. Why is she like this now…”
“I’m really worried that with this rough personality she’s developed since losing her memory, if she ever remembers that we were the ones who pushed her off the cliff, would she…”
“Yingying, don’t be afraid,” Zhao Xuefen interrupted her, taking Tang Yingying’s hand and patting it reassuringly.
“With me here, I won’t let such a thing happen!”
“Besides… heh…” Zhao Xuefen sneered, a determined glint flashing in her eyes.
“As long as she dares to show up at your engagement party, I’ll make sure she comes but never leaves!”
The next day.
Moonlight Manor.
Lin Qingmian and Lin Jiaran came as usual to check on Ji Hanyuan and Tangtang.
Now that Tangtang was here, Lin Qingmian almost always brought Lin Jiaran along when he visited.
There was no other choice—someone’s possessiveness was too strong. For self-preservation, he could only trouble his cousin to accompany him back and forth.
Moreover… to ensure the “she runs, he chases, she can’t escape” scenario could unfold as soon as possible, he had to seize every opportunity to bring Lin Jiaran over to give Tangtang acupuncture.
Fortunately, his cousin Lin Jiaran was kind-hearted and didn’t mind taking time out of her busy schedule to come to Moonlight Manor, even though she risked provoking Ji Hanyuan’s anger every time.
However, Lin Jiaran seemed to get along quite well with Tangtang and was quite willing to come.
Today, when she arrived at Moonlight Manor, Lin Jiaran didn’t go straight to find Tangtang. Instead, she followed Lin Qingmian into Ji Hanyuan’s study.
Lin Qingmian belatedly realized this and glanced at Lin Jiaran suspiciously.
Lin Jiaran’s expression was grave as she said seriously, “Cousin, you weren’t at Third Master Ji’s banquet yesterday. While I was there, I overheard some rumors about Tangtang and felt the matter was urgent enough that I had to report it to Fourth Master.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingmian’s brow twitched.
Since it concerned Tangtang, he dared not be careless and led Lin Jiaran into Ji Hanyuan’s study.
The first thing Lin Jiaran saw upon entering was Ji Hanyuan, dressed in black, seated at the desk. Her heart skipped a beat.
He remained as noble, handsome, and distinguished as ever.
There was no man in this world more outstanding than him!
Suppressing all her emotions, Lin Jiaran took a deep breath and calmly reported, “Fourth Master, at the banquet yesterday, I heard someone call Tangtang ‘Tang Jiaojiao’ when they saw her.”
“Afterward, I looked into it and discovered that Tangtang is indeed the second daughter of the Tang family—Tang Jiaojiao.”
After a brief pause, she added, “The Tang family lives on Tianshan Road and runs a modest furniture company.”
Lin Qingmian raised his eyebrows in surprise. “The Tang family on Tianshan Road? In the furniture business? Which Tang family is that? I’ve never heard of them.”
Lin Jiaran concealed the emotions in her eyes and continued, “Not the Tang family among the second-tier families.”
The implication was that it was merely a small family they had never heard of.
Instantly, Lin Qingmian frowned.
Good heavens, he had always leaned toward the belief that Tangtang must have come from some hidden, prominent family.
After all, in Beijing’s high society, he had genuinely never seen Tangtang before.
Yet, Tangtang was so beautiful and naturally carried a princess-like aura—how could she come from an ordinary background?
But now… her background turned out to be… so ordinary?
So ordinary that it was almost… completely insufficient to match Ji Hanyuan and offered him no assistance whatsoever.
With the Ji Family members watching like tigers and so many forces in the underworld keeping an eye on him…
Lin Qingmian couldn’t help but glance at Ji Hanyuan.
Now that Ji Hanyuan knew Tangtang’s background, what would his attitude be…
Would he… abandon her after taking advantage?