Chapter 17 – You’re No Longer My Sister, Step Aside

Tang Jie’s slap aimed at Tang Xiao!

But Tang Xiao was no longer weak and defenseless!

His body leaned back slightly, skillfully dodging the slap.

Slap! A crisp sound echoed.

The slap landed squarely on Tang Zijiang’s face.

Caught completely off guard, Tang Zijiang spat out a mouthful of saliva.

His ears rang, and his head felt dizzy.

Tang Zijiang collapsed to the ground.

“Zijiang!” Tang Jie quickly rushed to support him, feeling guilty. “Zijiang, are you alright? I didn’t mean to do that.”

Tang Xin, startled, quickly let go of Tang Xiao and rushed to check on Zijiang’s injury.

Half of Tang Zijiang’s face was swollen and red, with a large slap mark.

“Ugh… ugh…” Tang Zijiang couldn’t even speak properly.

Tang Xiao looked on, almost amused by the scene. “My dear second sister, you really know how to strike.”

Judging by the severity of Zijiang’s injury, Tang Jie’s slap was no joke.

Under the training from Gu Xiaoxi, Tang Xiao’s physical abilities had improved dramatically.

He had also learned Master Chen’s fighting techniques, with dodging being the most practiced move.

There was no way Tang Jie’s slap would have landed on Tang Xiao.

She had meant to slap Tang Xiao but ended up hitting Tang Zijiang instead.

Tang Jie was livid!

“Tang Xiao! I’ll kill you!!!”

Every time she tried to target Tang Xiao, something backfired terribly.

It was as if Tang Xiao were wearing reverse armor, with every blow she aimed at him being reflected back on her, causing more harm to herself.

Tang Jie lunged toward Tang Xiao in a frenzy.

Tang Xin quickly stepped in to stop her. “Second sister, calm down.”

“Zijiang’s face is all swollen! How can I calm down?!”

Tang Xiao innocently shook his head. “You did it yourself.”

“I’ll kill you!”

Every time Tang Xiao acted indifferent, it only stoked the fire in Tang Jie’s heart.

The Tang family was in chaos at that moment.

“Ridiculous!”

A stern voice suddenly boomed.

Tang Rushan, Zhang Ping, and Tang Yuan walked out of the study.

They were met with this chaotic scene.

When Zhang Ping saw Tang Zijiang’s swollen face, she rushed over to check on him.

Tears almost welled up in her eyes. “Zijiang! How did you get hurt like this? Does it hurt? Oh dear~”

Tang Zijiang had been spoiled by the Tang family, growing up pampered and never having faced such an injury.

He had always been treated as if he were held in the palm of their hands, never once hurt in his entire life.

This was the first time Tang Zijiang had been hurt so badly.

Tang Rushan, furious, pointed at Tang Xiao. “You bastard! You dare hit your brother! I’ll chop off your hand today! Tell me, which hand did you use?”

Tang Rushan was furious at the sight of his beloved son being hurt by Tang Xiao. How could he not be angry?

Although he was just venting, it showed how deeply angry Tang Rushan was. He wasn’t going to forgive Tang Xiao so easily.

Back then, when Tang Xiao was beaten and hospitalized, no one cared. No one even took it seriously, and some even said he was faking it.

But now, Tang Zijiang had received a slap, and Tang Rushan was already threatening to chop off Tang Xiao’s hand.

His favoritism was obvious.

Tang Xiao pointed at Tang Jie’s hand. “That hand did it. Go ahead, chop it off.”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Tang Rushan, Zhang Ping, and Tang Yuan all turned their gaze toward Tang Jie.

“Xiao Jie, Zijiang is your brother. How could you strike him so harshly?” Zhang Ping rebuked Tang Jie.

Tang Jie was embarrassed. “I accidentally hit Zijiang. It’s all Tang Xiao’s fault…”

Tang Rushan’s anger, once again, bounced back at him.

Tang Rushan nearly roared, “You little bastard! Get out of my sight! The Tang family doesn’t have someone like you!”

Tang Xiao retorted, “I’m the little bastard? You’re the old bastard.”

“Damn it! Don’t stop me! Today, I’ll eliminate this ungrateful son!” Tang Rushan exploded, attempting to charge at Tang Xiao.

The whole family held him back with all their might.

Tang Xiao casually shrugged. “You can’t even beat me. I never wanted to come here in the first place. It was your daughter and your son who insisted on bringing me back.”

“Your son? Your daughter?”

Tang Xiao’s words were resolute, as if Tang Rushan were not his father, and the Tang family was no longer his family.

After saying that, Tang Xiao turned around and walked away, feeling that speaking any more to these people was a waste of time.

Tang Xiao left the villa and walked to the roadside.

Xin Ling’s car was parked there.

Xin Ling got out of the car. “All done?”

“Yeah, it’s over,” Tang Xiao said, feeling a sense of relief, as though a burden had been lifted.

At that moment, Tang Xin ran out.

She was crying, her face drenched in tears, and blocked Tang Xiao’s path.

“Xiao Xiao, why haven’t you been answering my calls?”

Tang Xiao remained indifferent. “I blocked you. Miss Tang, please move aside, or I’ll call the police.”

A tight knot formed in Tang Xin’s heart. Tang Xiao’s coldness made her even more miserable.

She sobbed, “I don’t believe it! You still care about us. The whole thing with the study was just a misunderstanding. Please stop being angry with Dad, explain things to him, and come home, alright?”

These past few days, Tang Xin had thought a lot and had grown less convinced that Tang Xiao had ruined the books.

Then, looking at the family portrait Tang Xiao had drawn, her heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Tang Xin was deeply sentimental.

Learning that she had hurt a brother who truly loved her made her regret immensely.

But it was too late now.

Tang Xiao gave a nonchalant smile. “You were the one who said I was unrefined and uneducated. You’re the one who insisted that I ruined the books.”

Tang Xin froze. She stared at Tang Xiao, his indifference making him feel like a stranger.

The sarcastic words she had once thrown at Tang Xiao now felt like bullets, shooting back into her own heart.

“Tang Xiao, aren’t you leaving?” Xin Ling spoke up from the side.

She saw Tang Xin was still holding on to Tang Xiao and noticed his growing impatience, so she suggested that he leave.

“Alright,” Tang Xiao replied, stepping around Tang Xin and about to leave.

“Xiao Xiao, don’t go!” Tang Xin cried out.

She eyed Xin Ling warily. “Who are you? Where are you taking my brother?”

Before Xin Ling could respond, Tang Xiao stepped protectively in front of her. “This is my sister. What do you want?”

My sister!

Those four words pierced Tang Xin’s heart like a thousand needles.

Tang Xiao no longer acknowledged her as his sister, but instead called someone else sister.

Tang Xiao had once considered her the best sister in the world.

But now, he no longer recognized her and called someone else that title.

Another person, someone Tang Xin didn’t even know, had become Tang Xiao’s sister.

Tang Xin felt like her heart was breaking.

“Sis, let’s go,” Tang Xiao said, without even sparing Tang Xin a glance, as he got into Xin Ling’s car.

Tang Xin collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

The car drove away, leaving only the red taillights fading into the distance.

“Tang Xin!”

Tang Xin ran after them, but the Tang family rushed out to support her and helped her back inside.

Seeing Tang Xin in such a broken state, everyone felt a deep sense of pity.

They tried to comfort her, but her tears wouldn’t stop.

Tang Jie and Zhang Ping were busy comforting Zijiang.

If Zijiang’s injuries hadn’t been confirmed to be minor, they would have rushed him to the hospital.

Tang Rushan was seething with anger. “That little bastard, bullying his sister, hitting his brother—how can he still be considered a person? After all we’ve done for him, he’s nothing but an ungrateful dog!”

Tang Jie added, “Tang Xin, don’t cry over such an ingrate. He only wants our money, and those paintings were all a lie.”

On the side, Aunt Li hesitated before speaking, “Master, Miss, Young Master Xiao asked me to give this to you.”

She handed over an envelope.