After being kicked out of the wealthy family along with her yandere childhood friend

The sales staff at SKP mall are all quite good-looking.

This male salesman was one of the best; his hair was neatly combed, his tie was exquisitely tied, and his name tag on his chest was polished to a shine.

He had a standard professional smile on his face, but when he turned his head away, he couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I'll pay for whatever she buys."

A deep, steady male voice came from behind.

Bai Tao turned around and saw Bai Shen walk into the store. Yu Xiaozhen followed beside him, gently holding his arm, almost pressing herself against him.

Bai Shen walked to Bai Tao's side and stood still, causing the male salesman to stare wide-eyed.

He couldn't recognize the brand of Bai Shen's suit, but he had a good eye for the fabric, the cut, and the sheen on the buttons, having worked in this industry for so many years.

The cufflinks were handmade and custom-made; just that pair of cufflinks cost him several months' salary.

The male salesman stared wide-eyed at Bai Shen's handmade suit, a brand he couldn't recognize, and then at the wealthy Bai Tao and the penniless man beside her. He immediately began to imagine a wonderful novel.

The young lady, blinded by love, fell for a pretty boy, while the devoted CEO offered his devoted protection.

The male salesperson mentally gave himself a thumbs up. How brilliant!

"Big brother?" Bai Tao looked at Bai Shen, somewhat surprised. "No need, I can pay myself."

Didn't we just part ways? How come we're meeting again?

Bai Shen didn't answer her question, but turned directly to the male salesperson next to her: "What did she buy? I'll buy it for her."

The male salesman quickly straightened his tie, straightened his back, and gave a smile that was ten times more sincere than before.

"Sir, this lady is buying a mobile phone for the gentleman next to her. The price is 12999. How would you like to pay?"

He doesn't care who pays.

What he cares about is whether he can get a commission.

Bai Shen did not answer immediately.

He turned around to face Pei Jin, his gaze carrying an indescribable scrutiny.

"Young Master Pei left home without even taking a cell phone?"

They used to be neighbors, their houses separated only by a wall, and they would exchange gifts during holidays. Now it's not good to say anything too harsh, but everyone can hear the barb in Bai Shen's words.

"No, big brother," Bai Tao quickly stepped between the two, like a small wall blocking Pei Jin's way, "His phone was stolen."

Bai Shen's gaze shifted from Pei Jin to Bai Tao's face.

"Has he been with you these past few days?"

His voice was a little lower than before, "You were robbed? Was anything wrong? Where are you staying now? Is it safe for you?"

A barrage of questions came at Bai Tao, who was momentarily stunned.

"I'm safe, big brother."

This was the first time Bai Shen had spoken to her in such a worried tone, and with so many people watching.

The male salesperson was listening intently, while the female salesperson next to her also peeked out. Bai Tao felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she were being roasted over a fire.

Bai Shen felt his anger rising as he watched her stand in front of Pei Jin.

He remembered that when Bai Tao was little, she went to play with Pei Jin, holding a Barbie doll in her hands, her eyes sparkling. But Pei Jin scolded her, and she ran back crying.

She never went to see him again, and Bai Shen thought that was the end of it.

Now that Pei Jin is in trouble, he's actually clinging to his sister?

Bai Shen's gaze fell on Pei Jin, and he looked him up and down.

Pei Jin stood there, his expression indifferent, revealing no emotion.

Bai Shen suddenly became serious.

"What is Young Master Pei doing right now?" His voice wasn't loud. "You're not just letting my sister support you, are you?"

Pei Jin remained silent.

"Bai Tao isn't some rich young lady anymore."

Bai Shen's gaze was like a knife. "If you can't offer her help, it's best to stay away from her."

Bai Tao's eyes widened suddenly.

Brother, what are you saying?

It was clearly her who shamelessly went to find Pei Jin again.

She waited for him outside the villa area all day, she followed him through several alleys, she dragged him from next to a trash can to a pharmacy in the rain, she let him live in her basement, and she insisted on buying him a new cell phone.

All of this is for her to invest 100 million in the future!

"That's enough, bro."

Bai Tao's voice wasn't loud, "Pei Jin is fine. You're right, since I'm no longer the eldest daughter of the Bai family, you should leave me alone."

Bai Shen's expression changed.

He was usually calm and composed, and rarely even lost his temper at the company.

But now, a rare look of anger appeared on his usually expressionless face.

The vein on his forehead throbbed slightly, and his jaw was taut.

Yu Xiaozhen quickly grabbed Bai Shen's arm, her voice soft and urgent: "Brother, don't worry about Sister Bai Tao. She has another brother now, let's go."

Bai Shen's gaze remained fixed on Bai Tao. After several seconds, he tried to calm himself down, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

Then he turned to the male salesman next to him, his voice returning to its usual calm and steady tone.

"I'll pay her. How do I pay?"

The male salesman smiled broadly: "Sir, WeChat, Alipay, and credit card are all acceptable."

Yu Xiaozhen opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again.

She can't stop Bai Shen now.

Bai Shen is now in charge of half of the Bai family's affairs. Even when it comes to giving her pocket money, Lin Meng calls Bai Shen's secretary to transfer it to his card.

"How do I pay with WeChat?" Bai Tao took out her phone. "Scan my QR code."

Bai Shen's face darkened completely. He glanced at Bai Tao, his gaze holding something indescribable, like disappointment, or something else entirely.

Then he turned and left, his steps quick and hurried. Yu Xiaozhen quickly chased after him, her high heels clicking behind her.

The male salesperson stood behind the counter, his smile frozen.

He glanced at Bai Shen's retreating figure, and his heart sank. Oh no, his commission was gone.

But Bai Tao was unaffected. She handed her phone to the male salesperson, her tone calm as if nothing had happened: "Please wrap this up for me, thank you."

The male salesperson paused for a moment, then quickly took the phone and deftly packed it into boxes, sealed it, and bagged it.

When he handed the bag to Bai Tao, the smile on his face was genuinely sincere.

The company's performance was saved.

He was terrified; he almost thought his prize had slipped away.

Just as Bai Tao was about to take the phone, before her fingertips even touched the white paper bag, a hand reached out from the side and easily hooked the bag away.

Pei Jin took the phone and looked down at her. The mall lights shone on his face, softening his features and making him appear less aloof than usual.

"Shall we go? Would you like to look around some more?"

Bai Tao seemed a little cautious.

She looked up at Pei Jin, then quickly looked away. What her older brother had just said was truly unpleasant.

Someone like Pei Jin must feel that his elder brother has humiliated his dignity.

Although he didn't show it on his face, Bai Tao just felt that it was impossible for him to be completely indifferent.

"My older brother is probably just worried about me," Bai Tao said softly, as if coaxing a slightly unhappy cat. "Don't take his words to heart."

Pei Jin found her cautious manner somewhat amusing.

She's not usually like this. Her current cautious and hesitant manner, as if afraid of saying the wrong thing, is actually quite refreshing to him.

He lowered his head and brought his face close to hers.

I was so close I could see the curve of her eyelashes, so close I could feel the temperature of her breath.

"If I took it to heart," Pei Jin's voice was low, "what would you do?"

Bai Tao was stumped by the question.

She opened her mouth, but found herself unsure how to answer.

What will happen to her?

She doesn't know either.

She couldn't exactly force Pei Jin to ignore it, could she?

Pei Jin looked at her blank expression and his lips twitched slightly.

He reached out, wanting to touch her head.

His hand, halfway outstretched, suddenly changed direction and landed on her forehead. His fingertips gently touched her forehead, the force as light as a falling leaf.

He couldn't bear to see someone who cared for him so much suffer.

"It's alright," Pei Jin withdrew his hand, "Your older brother is right. But I won't take it to heart."

He looked into Bai Tao's eyes and lowered his voice a little, "I need to work harder too. After all, I owe you more and more money."

Bai Tao blinked, and after confirming that he wasn't angry, she immediately relaxed.

"That's good," her voice lightened considerably, "Then let's go back."

"Not going to browse around anymore?"

Bai Tao glanced around.

The first floor of SKP is filled with high-end luxury stores. Even the most ordinary dress starts at five figures.

Bai Tao shook her head.

"I'm not going, I can't afford it."

After saying that, she turned and walked towards the mall entrance. The hem of her skirt swayed around her calves; the peach-pink color looked particularly fresh and vibrant under the mall's cool white lights.

Pei Jin rode the electric scooter, with Bai Tao sitting behind him.

The light green car body shone slightly in the afternoon sun. At the intersection near SKP, the light was red.

Pei Jin stopped, bracing himself with one leg on the ground to easily stabilize the vehicle.

Bai Tao sat in the back, holding the white paper bag containing the phone above her head as a sun umbrella. The bag swayed back and forth above her head, the logo on it reflecting the sunlight.

To their right, a low-key Bentley was parked.

The car body was dark gray, and the window tint was applied very thickly, making it impossible to see who was sitting inside from the outside. But if you looked out from the inside, everything was crystal clear.

Bai Shen's driver glanced at the back seat in the rearview mirror, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

"Boss, big..." He almost bit his tongue, "Miss Bai Tao is outside the car."

I was terrified; he almost called me "Miss."

Bai Shen looked up from the tablet in his hand and glanced out the car window.

Pei Jin propped himself up on the electric scooter with one leg, tilting his head slightly, seemingly listening to what Bai Tao was saying.

Bai Tao sat in the back seat, holding the white paper bag in her hand. Pei Jin listened, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

They were standing very close together.

Bai Tao's knees were almost touching Pei Jin's waist. When Pei Jin turned his head, the tip of his nose almost brushed against Bai Tao's hair.

Bai Shen frowned slightly.

Yu Xiaozhen also raised her head and looked out in the direction of Bai Shen's gaze.

"Wow,"

"I'm so envious of my sister. Even though she was kicked out of the house, she still rides a Yadea bike."

She paused, as if recalling something unpleasant: "I used to be able to only buy any electric bike, I didn't even know what brand it was, the kind that would make a noise after riding it for a while, and you couldn't even fix it."

Bai Shen did not respond.

Yu Xiaozhen didn't seem to care, continuing to look out the window, her tone light as if she were gossiping: "Are they together? They look so sweet."

Bai Shen turned his gaze away from the window and back to the tablet.

The colorful reports were laid out before him, the numbers jumping around. "They're not together," he said calmly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Don't talk nonsense."

Yu Xiaozhen glanced at him but didn't say anything more.

The red light turned green.

The driver stepped on the gas, and the Bentley drove off smoothly.

Pei Jin said, "Hold on tight," and Bai Tao nodded, the paper bag dangling in her hand.

As they passed the business hall at the entrance of the residential area, Bai Tao patted Pei Jin on the shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Pei Jin leaned back slightly, and Bai Tao pointed to the brightly lit mobile phone store on the side of the road. "Mobile phone store, I can get you a phone card."

Pei Jin glanced at it and nodded.

The electric scooter turned a corner and stopped on the side of the road.

The card application process was faster than Bai Tao had imagined.

The service hall was air-conditioned and cool. A young girl with a ponytail greeted them. She was quick and efficient, and her attitude was very good. She didn't ask many questions, but only confirmed their identity information a few times.

Pei Jin also took the opportunity to cancel his previous phone number.

She didn't say anything, she just stood there and waited for him to finish.

When the two returned to the basement, light streamed in through the tiny window, casting a slanted beam of light on the floor, with dust particles slowly drifting within the beam.

Pei Jin inserted the SIM card into the new phone and fiddled with it for a while with his head down.

The new phone wasn't logged into any accounts; the contacts and chat history were empty. He created a new WeChat account, but hadn't had time to choose a profile picture.

Bai Tao didn't disturb him. She walked to the stove and began to study how to cook.

She opened the tutorial video on her phone, leaned the phone against the wall, and followed the steps one by one.

First, she washed the bok choy under the tap, separating each leaf one by one to rinse away the mud hidden inside. The water droplets fell on the back of her hand, feeling cool and refreshing.

After washing the vegetables three times, Bai Tao felt they were ready and took them out of the water and put them in a colander.

The little girl in the video has already started cutting meat.

Bai Tao paused for a moment, stared at the screen for two seconds, and slowly realized that she and Pei Jin hadn't bought any meat.

Forget about meat, there wasn't even any scallions, ginger, or garlic.

There were no eggs, no noodles, but there was soy sauce and sugar, but that was all.

Bai Tao stared at the pot of lush green vegetables and remained silent for a long while.

Then she sighed softly.

"Why--"

It was a very soft sound. But Pei Jin heard it.

He put down his phone, stood up from the stool, and walked behind her.

"What's wrong?"

Bai Tao heard his voice and instinctively turned around, her nose almost brushing against his chest.

So close.

Bai Tao quickly turned her head back to face the pot of small green vegetables. "It's nothing," her voice was a little softer than usual, "we forgot to buy meat."

Pei Jin watched her retreating figure, then reached out and took the knife from behind her.

"I'll do it."

Bai Tao stepped aside and watched Pei Jin standing in front of the stove.

He first lifted the pot of cooking vegetables to drain the hot water, then poured some soy sauce and sugar into the pot, and stirred it with chopsticks.

The movements weren't particularly skillful, but they were unhurried and pleasing to the eye.

Pei Jin scooped out the cooked bok choy and stirred it with chopsticks. The soy sauce color stained the bright green leaves, making it look like it wasn't inedible.

He placed the dishes on the coffee table and glanced back at Bai Tao, who was sitting on the sofa looking dejected.

Bai Tao huddled in the corner of the sofa, looking like a wilted flower. Her eyes were fixed on the plate of boiled vegetables on the coffee table, her expression unreadable, a mixture of disappointment and something else.

"fine,"

Pei Jin pulled up a chair and sat down next to the coffee table. His tone was calm, but it inexplicably calmed Bai Tao down. "Eat like this for now. I'll go out and buy some more later."

Bai Tao looked up at him and nodded.

The two of them sat at the small coffee table, each with a pair of chopsticks, picking up boiled vegetables from their plates.

The soy sauce and sugar flavors coated the greens, which weren't particularly delicious. As Bai Tao chewed, she suddenly thought that it would be nice to have a steamed bun.

It's hot and soft, and you can dip it in the soy sauce soup at the bottom of the plate.

After finishing his meal, Pei Jin cleared away the dishes and rinsed them briefly in the sink. Bai Tao nestled on the sofa. Pei Jin shook the water off his hands, turned around, and looked at the person on the sofa who was almost asleep.

"Give me the electric scooter keys," he said. "I'm going out to see if there's any work, and I'll buy some meat and eggs while I'm at it. You can stay home and rest, okay?"

Bai Tao mumbled a confused "Mmm".

After eating a rather bland meal, and having woken up too early in the morning, she was overwhelmed by a wave of drowsiness.

She didn't have time to think about anything else; all she wanted was for Pei Jin to leave quickly so she could change into her pajamas and go to sleep.

"Can I take the key with me?" Pei Jin asked again.

"it is good."

Pei Jin glanced at her, took the key from the coffee table, took two steps outside, and then stopped.

"White peach."

"Um?"

"I'm leaving."

Bai Tao stretched out a hand from the sofa and waved it.

Pei Jin pushed the light green electric scooter from the aisle towards...