Chapter 2: Reluctance

Luo Jiahui was naturally angry when he heard this. He looked at his biological daughter standing next to his wife. Although they resembled each other, he couldn’t bring himself to be happy. Both he and his wife were of average looks, and Luo Meihui’s appearance was less than half as good as Luo Jiaojiao’s. He was reluctant to send Luo Jiaojiao away.

He had originally planned to keep Luo Jiaojiao at home since her parents had passed away and she had no other relatives. He thought that with her looks, she could marry into a wealthy family and support them in the future.

Luo Jiahui had ignored Luo Meihui’s previous attempts to sabotage Luo Jiaojiao. His wife would scold Luo Jiaojiao, and he would let it pass, considering it compensation for his biological daughter, allowing her to vent her anger. He never expected Luo Meihui to escalate the situation, forcing him to give up Luo Jiaojiao.

Luo Meihui was somewhat afraid when she saw her father’s gaze. In this family, she feared her father the most; it felt as if he could see through all her actions.

“I’ll go handle it,” Luo Jiahui said, looking at his wife and daughter. “Did you give Luo Jiaojiao the one hundred yuan I told you to?”

Lin Li didn’t understand why he asked. Was he suspecting that she wouldn’t part with the hundred yuan meant to get rid of Luo Jiaojiao?

“Yes, and we also let her take her previous allowance,” Lin Li nodded.

Luo Meihui felt a pang of guilt but didn’t dare say that she had taken the money back. Her father wouldn’t go ask Luo Jiaojiao, would he?

“Meihui, don’t worry,” Lin Li said, looking at her daughter who resembled her. “From now on, you’re the only daughter in our Luo family. Luo Jiaojiao will never have the chance to hurt you again.” No wonder she disliked Luo Jiaojiao before; she looked like a seductive vixen.

“It’s good that she’s gone now. Everything that was meant for her will now be yours. You suffered eighteen years of grievances in this house. You’ve truly suffered,” Lin Li hugged her daughter, comforting her.

“Thank you, Mom. I know you’re the one who loves me the most,” Luo Meihui hugged Lin Li.

In truth, although Luo Meihui didn’t have the pampered life Luo Jiaojiao enjoyed for eighteen years, she wasn’t mistreated either. She didn’t go to high school because she wasn’t interested in studying and didn’t do well on the exams.

“Let’s go see her off,” Lin Li said, pulling Luo Meihui along. “We don’t want people thinking we bullied her. She dared to push you into the pond! That place is deep enough to drown someone in. If someone hadn’t gone by, you would have been killed by her!”

“We were so good to her for eighteen years, and this is how she repays us? I’m going to question her properly. That hundred yuan shouldn’t have been given to her; it’s a waste,” Lin Li said resentfully.

“It’s okay, Mom. Let’s just consider it charity,” Luo Meihui comforted her.

“Okay, listen to our Meihui. You have such a kind heart, unlike Luo Jiaojiao, that ungrateful wretch. Your father and I said we’d take her in as our adopted daughter, and she still wasn’t satisfied. She even tried to kill you and take your place for eighteen years. Now that you’re back, she still wants to take everything from you.” Lin Li was still afraid when she thought about it. She had misjudged Luo Jiaojiao, thinking she was a gentle rabbit, but she turned out to be a viper.

It’s better to send her away. Even if she used their Luo family to climb the social ladder, she wouldn’t help them; after all, they weren’t family.

“I’ll nurture you carefully from now on. I’ll make sure you marry someone of high status and live a comfortable life. Don’t forget to help your father and your two brothers when the time comes,” Lin Li patted her hand.

Luo Meihui, thinking of Luo Jiaojiao’s husband in her previous life, became even more determined: “Mom, what are you saying? Isn’t it natural for us to help each other as a family?”

“That’s right, blood is thicker than water,” Lin Li was happy to hear her daughter say this.

“Captain Luo, you’re finally here. I thought no one from the Luo family was home. This is how you treat your daughter’s savior and biological daughter? It seems you don’t love your newly returned biological daughter very much either,” Leng Mohan said, looking at Luo Jiahui.

Luo Jiahui was unhappy to hear Leng Mohan say this, but he couldn’t show it with so many people watching.

“Naturally, we’re happy that Meihui is back. We originally planned to keep Jiaojiao as our own daughter, but she pushed Meihui into the pond, almost costing Meihui her life. We had no choice but to marry her off. Besides, this marriage was arranged by her parents for their biological daughter.”

“I also gave Jiaojiao one hundred yuan as a dowry. We gave her allowance and other things, and she took all of her clothes. Because the marriage was rushed, we didn’t prepare much. I’ll give you another two hundred yuan. If you need anything else when you get to your unit, just get it then.”

Seeing that Leng Mohan wasn’t accepting it, Luo Jiahui looked at Luo Jiaojiao sincerely. “Jiaojiao, you know how we treated you. We believe we didn’t mistreat you. But we can’t let you hurt Meihui again. We remember your parents’ kindness. We know they truly loved Meihui. Entrusting you to them and the person they chose for you gives us peace of mind.”

“Take this money.” Luo Jiahui tried to stuff the money into her hand.

Luo Jiaojiao dodged, hiding behind Leng Mohan. Leng Mohan stood in front of her, taking her suitcase. It was surprisingly light, and Leng Mohan frowned.

Luo Jiaojiao looked at Luo Jiahui. “I didn’t push her; she fell by herself. And I don’t have the money you gave me. The hundred yuan, and the two hundred and fifteen yuan and fifty cents I saved from my allowance—a total of three hundred and fifteen yuan and fifty cents—was taken back by Luo Meihui.”

Luo Jiahui looked at his wife and daughter who were walking towards them in disbelief.

Luo Meihui hadn’t expected her father to say this. She had originally wanted to leave, but when she heard her father was going to give Luo Jiaojiao another two hundred yuan, she got angry and followed her mother.

“Dad, I didn’t! Luo Jiaojiao is slandering me!” Luo Meihui quickly defended herself when she saw Luo Jiahui staring at her.

“I’m not slandering her. I don’t have any money on me,” Luo Jiaojiao said seriously, clinging to Leng Mohan’s clothes. Her soft, childish voice moved Leng Mohan, who looked at her deeply, a complex emotion rising in his heart.

“Really,” Luo Jiaojiao said again, thinking he didn’t believe her.

“You must have taken the money with you already. You’re just trying to slander me because you’re going to marry Leng Mohan,” Luo Meihui said, pointing at Luo Jiaojiao.