“Young comrades, please don’t speak up for her. I know my daughter. We were busy before and didn’t have time to take care of her, always leaving her alone at home. We felt guilty towards our daughter, so we tried our best to satisfy her every need. As a result, we spoiled her and she became more and more out of control…”
Wu Jianmin's words were unpleasant, as if he were speaking ill of Wu Shishi in front of them.
Zhao Pandi was the first to lose her temper.
"Uncle, Shishi is a very good person. She knows her limits and is always very respectful of us when she's with us, afraid of upsetting us."
Sudan looked at Wu Jianmin, his eyes full of disapproval.
She was clearly also unhappy with Wu Jianmin's behavior of deliberately belittling Wu Shishi.
The way the two of them protected Wu Shishi made Wu Jianmin pause for a moment, but then he smiled.
Xia Lan pursed her lips, looked at Wu Jianmin, and was speechless.
Although she knew he was testing them and deliberately saying those things to provoke them, she wondered if what he said was a bit too much.
Is it really okay to dislike your own daughter like this?
Wu Jianmin turned to look at Xia Lan. Xia Lan met his gaze, pursed her lips slightly, and her words still carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
"If you feel guilty, why don't you spend more time with her? You know that Shishi lacks parental companionship, yet you always use work as an excuse to leave her alone at home. Do you know how that feels?"
Xia Lan's words stunned everyone.
Xia Lan herself also subconsciously brought her own emotions into the situation.
She was treated coldly in her past life. Her parents coldly abandoned her at home and went their separate ways. Although she had parents, she lived the life of an orphan.
"I'm sorry." Xia Lan realized that she had been a bit too emotional, so she quickly got up, apologized, and went outside.
The people inside looked at each other in bewilderment. Sudan and Zhao Pandi immediately chased after Xia Lan and went outside.
Xia Lan stood in the garden, looking at the vibrant spring scenery, trying to calm herself down.
She thought she had long forgotten that past, but now it seems she hadn't forgotten at all.
She had kept it buried deep in her heart, but it was accidentally touched upon just now, and she exploded in an instant.
"Lanlan, what's wrong?" Sudan walked over worriedly and gently hugged Xia Lan.
Xia Lan shook her head, turned around and smiled. "I'm so sorry, I was a bit too aggressive just now and scared you."
“We weren’t scared, we just saw that you didn’t seem to be feeling well.”
Zhao Pandi looked at Xia Lan with concern; this was the first time Xia Lan had shown this side of herself in front of them.
"Nothing, I just thought about some things."
Xia Lan pulled them back to the living room. Wu Shishi came out of the kitchen and didn't see Xia Lan and the others. She thought they had been angered by her father again and was about to argue with him.
"Dad, where are Lanlan and the others?" Wu Shishi asked Wu Jianmin angrily, her face stern.
"She went out," Wu Jianmin said guiltily, glancing at his daughter.
"Dad, why are you doing this again..."
Wu Shishi was so angry that her eyes turned red, and tears were about to fall.
"Dad, what did you do to make that young man leave in anger?"
When Wu's mother came out of the kitchen and saw that everyone was gone, she also expressed her dissatisfaction to Wu Jianmin.
"This really has nothing to do with me. I just mean that I've spoiled Shishi..."
Wu Jianmin was also innocent; he was just following his usual practice by first pointing out Shishi's faults to find out how others would evaluate her and whether they would protect his daughter...
Who would have thought that Comrade Xia Lan would react so strongly?
She meant that she had also had the experience of being home alone in the past.
That's why I feel this way so much.
"Dad!! You're talking bad about me again!" Wu Shishi stomped her feet angrily. This was the first time her father had ever said something embarrassing or bad about her in front of her friends. How were people supposed to see her like this?
“Dad needs to see if the friends you make will protect you… This is the basic procedure, didn’t you know that before?” Wu Jianmin explained helplessly to Wu Shishi.
"You just can't stand to see me make friends. I'm going to tell Grandpa," Wu Shishi pouted.
"There's no need for that. Grandpa isn't feeling well, so don't bother him. Let Dad explain..."
Wu Jianmin pulled his daughter away, preventing her from going to her father.
Given his father's personality, he would definitely try to teach him a lesson.
Wu Shishi ignored him and was about to tell her grandfather when Xia Lan and the others returned.
"Lanlan!"
Wu Shishi ran over excitedly, but tripped over her own foot and almost fell to the ground. Xia Lan quickly stepped forward to catch her.
Are you alright?
Looking at Wu Shishi, Xia Lan's heart was still pounding.
"It's nothing." Wu Shishi shook her head and was helped up by Xia Lan and Su Dan.
"What are you planning to do?" Xia Lan asked Wu Shishi, puzzled.
"Lanlan, did my dad bully you again? Tell me, and I'll go tell Grandpa!" Wu Shishi thought Xia Lan was frightened by her father.
"No, it has nothing to do with your uncle. I was thinking about some things from the past and I got a little overreacted just now, so I went out to calm down."
Xia Lan's explanation successfully saved Wu Jianmin.
“I told you, it really has nothing to do with me,” Wu Jianmin said earnestly to Wu Shishi.
Wu Shishi glanced at Wu Jianmin suspiciously, but seeing that Xia Lan had already said so, she snorted and decided not to tell her grandfather.
"Lanlan, what did my dad say that reminded you of yourself...?"
Wu Shishi asked casually.
Xia Lan paused, and Wu Jianmin exchanged a helpless glance with his mother. Their daughter's question was truly...
"It reminded me of my mom and dad," Xia Lan replied, feigning indifference.
"They...abandoned me and left."
“Xia Lan’s father encountered a tiger in the mountains, and her mother, heartbroken, also followed him in death…” Sudan, knowing Xia Lan’s background, spoke up for her.
Upon hearing that Xia Lan had suddenly lost her parents, Wu Jianmin and his mother were stunned.
Wu Shishi never expected that Xia Lan's parents had just passed away not long ago; she lost her father and then her mother...
"I'm sorry, young comrade..."
Wu Jianmin pursed his lips. Xia Lan indeed thought what he had just said about Wu Shishi was inappropriate...
"It's alright," Xia Lan said with a smile.
But her smile looked different to everyone.
Although Zhao Pandi is the second child in her class, with an older sister, she said she wanted to study, but no one was optimistic about her. However, her father was willing to send her to school.
He has done everything he could for her.
She could understand her parents' feelings, and thinking of Xia Lan's situation, Zhao Pandi felt that she was already very lucky.
At least... both her parents are still alive.
She found it hard to imagine what she would do if she lost her parents like Xia Lan...
Xia Lan's resilience impressed Zhao Pandi.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
