Li's parents stood awkwardly to the side, looking at Xiaoli and then at Zhou's mother, unsure of what to say.
The thought that the child she had raised for so many years was not her own flesh and blood left her with mixed feelings.
She felt somewhat disappointed that her biological daughter hadn't come back to visit her.
Xiao Li broke free from Su Luan's hand, walked to Li's mother Xiao Wen's side, nestled against Xiao Wen, and then spoke.
“I have lived a good life over the years. Although my family is not rich, we are not poor either. I have everything I need, and I have not suffered much.”
Su Luan was stunned, unable to believe what she was hearing. Someone actually didn't envy the Zhou family's wealthy lifestyle?
It must be because the daughter didn't realize how wealthy the Zhou family was.
She gave an awkward smile and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Li, you can't give your child much more, so let him come home with me."
Li Dongliang, Li's father, paused for a moment. For his daughter's sake, he thought she should return to the Zhou family, as it was a benefit she was entitled to.
"Then let them switch back. Xiaoxiao is your daughter, and she deserves a better life."
Su Luan pursed her lips. "Yihan is at a critical stage right now. She can stay at home while she's in college. If she comes back, she might be traumatized. Let's respect her choice."
Xiao Wen glanced at Xiao Li and said, "Everyone goes through a critical period, right? Xiao Xiao just got into university too."
Su Luan was a little afraid that Xiao Li would misunderstand, so she quickly clarified.
"That's not what I meant. It's just that our two families are so different, I'm worried that Yihan won't be used to it when she comes back."
Li Dongliang understood; they didn't want to come back. He suppressed his bitterness and patted his weeping wife on the back.
"Xiaoxiao, what do you think? Do you want to go back to the Zhou family? No matter what you choose, Dad will support you."
Xiao Li said without hesitation, "Mom and Dad, I will definitely stay in the Li family. You are my parents. I don't want to go to the Zhou family."
Xiao Wen looked up at Xiao Li and said, "But that's the treatment you deserve. It's too unfair for you to come with us."
Xiao Li took Xiao Wen's arm and said, "Mom, I'm not suffering. I can't bear to leave you all, just like Zhou Yihan can't bear to leave the Zhou family. If she doesn't come back, I won't go back either."
Xiao Wen felt a lump in her throat. In the end, she didn't have much affection for her biological daughter, but she was closer to the one she raised.
"Xiaoxiao, have you thought this through? We have limited resources and can't give you much. We're afraid you'll suffer in the future."
"I'm not wronged, I'm willing! From now on, I will earn my own money and give myself everything I want."
Li Dongliang patted Xiaoli on the shoulder with satisfaction and nodded.
"Alright, we're still a family, just like before."
He then said to Zhou's mother, "I'm sorry you made this trip for nothing. The two children are still the same as before. Just treat them as your own children, and treat them as if you have another pair of parents."
Looking at the warm and harmonious way the family was getting along, Su Luan felt even more uncomfortable.
She was already being very generous by coming to pick up Xiaoli, yet she still refused to go back. How is the Zhou family supposed to cope? Their own daughter is living away from home; what will people in their social circle think if they find out?
She wanted to persuade her further, but Xiaoli had already politely seen her off.
"Please go back. I will not return to the Zhou family. Just like Zhou Yihan, she will not return to the Li family either."
Xiao Li subtly tried to sow discord between Zhou Yihan and Zhou Yihan, suggesting that if she was going to be so materialistic, she shouldn't care about her reputation.
Having no other choice, Su Luan returned to the capital alone.
Xiao Li secretly rejoiced as she watched Xiao Wen, who was secretly relieved.
Li's parents were clearly reluctant to part with their daughter, but they pretended to respect the original owner's decision. In the end, they didn't get their daughter back and were left alone and heartbroken.
"Mom and Dad, let's go out for a buffet tonight to celebrate our new relationship."
Li's parents naturally agreed.
They were afraid that Xiaoli would leave them after learning about her background, so they were treating her with extreme care.
I used to buy her shoes for 200 yuan, but now I have to think twice before buying 500 yuan shoes, for fear of making her feel bad.
Xiao Li also treated the two of them even better, which was the warmth that the original owner was trying hard to hold onto.
School started, and Xiaoli went to a medical university in the city as she had wished.
Because it's close to home, I can go home on weekends.
The Zhou family never came to the Li family again, as if they had never been there at all.
The Zhou family in Beijing.
"Did that child really say that?"
As the head of the family, Zhou Qiuyu was busy with company affairs all day long, leaving the family matters to his wife, Su Luan. He never expected that his biological daughter would be so principled.
He glanced at Zhou Yihan. Compared to her adopted daughter, she was inferior in this respect. Although she kept crying and did not explicitly say that she did not want to return to the Li family, that was her intention.
She didn't even have the thought of going back to take a look.
After all, she was his daughter whom he had doted on for 18 years, so Zhou Qiuyu didn't criticize Zhou Yihan too harshly, but he still harbored a slight resentment in his heart.
Zhou Yihan felt ashamed and angry, thinking to herself that Li Xiaoli was really something, making it clear how greedy she was for the Zhou family.
That night, she became increasingly angry, so she called her brother, Zhou Yifan.
"Brother, waaaaah..."
Zhou Yifan is currently traveling abroad. He is a sophomore in college and took advantage of his summer vacation to travel overseas.
"Hanhan, what's wrong? Who made our little princess angry?"
"Brother, I just can't bear to leave you all, sob sob sob..."
Zhou Yifan couldn't care less about the beauty in his arms. He had always had a good relationship with his sister, and when he heard her crying in grievance, he couldn't sit still any longer.
While arranging to buy plane tickets back to China, she also comforted her younger sister.
"Don't cry, I'm coming back right now. What exactly happened? Tell your brother about it."
An hour later, Zhou Yifan finally learned the truth.
★
"What? I don't believe it. Hanhan is my only sister. No one else can enter the Zhou family. Even if they come back, I won't acknowledge them."
Su Luan pursed her lips inelegantly as she listened to her son's accusations.
I never thought anything of it before, but now I realize that Xiao Fan is too protective of Han Han. How can she not even acknowledge her own sister? And she even comes to question her own mother.
"Xiao Fan, she is your own sister, the true daughter of our Zhou family. Whether she comes back or not, that's an indisputable fact. Don't say things like that again."
Hanhan, too, called you back for such a small thing. You haven't even been away for a week, and you've already wasted the hotel reservation.
Zhou Yifan loosened his tie and said irritably.
"How can something as trivial as my sister's affairs? Anyway, I only recognize Hanhan as my sister."
Su Luan said irritably, "You'd like to acknowledge her, but she doesn't acknowledge us."
"She dares to complain? How is that possible?"
“What’s impossible? She hasn’t even stepped foot in the Zhou family’s door. Your father has already said that we should just pretend we don’t have this daughter anymore, but no matter what, she’s still a member of the Zhou family.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com