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

The next morning at 7:30, people began to wake up one after another in the Bai family's living room.

Bai Tao felt Bai Shen move slightly beside her. He had spent the night on the sofa, and his suit was all wrinkled.

Bai Shen slowly sat up straight, loosened his tie with his slender fingers, then stood up, straightened his clothes, and was about to go upstairs.

Bai Tao thought he had already gone upstairs, so she quietly opened one eye.

The result was that his eyes met Bai Shen's, who seemed to be thinking about something.

Baitao:......

They got caught.

Thinking that her older brother was the only person who had ever secretly cared about her in her past life, Bai Tao smiled and gave him a big, soft smile.

Bai Shen was stunned for a moment.

Upon closer inspection, one will find that Bai Tao's face does indeed not resemble that of a member of the Bai family.

Bai Tao has the kind of face that makes it impossible to look away at first glance; she's beautiful, charming, and captivating.

Her peach blossom eyes were full of affection, and every frown and smile was seductive. She would turn heads 200% when she walked down the street.

Yu Xiaozhen is the kind of girl who is delicate and refined, with a graceful and composed appearance. However, when placed next to Bai Tao, she is like a glass of lukewarm water.

Bai Shen's gaze lingered on Bai Tao's face for a moment, then he nodded slightly, said nothing, and walked past her upstairs.

Bai Tao followed Bai Shen's example and nodded solemnly.

Look, this is the Bai family.

Even if your sister isn't your sister anymore in the next second, the older brother still has to go to work on time. Even if the sky falls, it won't stop him from pursuing his career.

At nine o'clock, the people in the Bai family's living room gradually woke up.

The nanny started serving breakfast on the table: millet porridge, steamed buns, and several side dishes, all steaming hot and fragrant, filling the whole house.

Bai Tao glanced down at her phone and silently began a countdown in her mind.

9:30.

The Bai family's private doctor jogged into the living room, carrying three paternity test reports, beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead.

Bai Zhongjing took the report, opened it, and glanced at it.

The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The blood relationship between Bai Shen, Yu Xiaozhen, Bai Zhongjing, and Lin Meng is 99.99%.

White peach... 95%...

Immediately, Yu Xiaozhen's tears flowed like a faucet turned on.

She fell to her knees with a thud, collapsing onto Lin Meng and Bai Zhongjing's laps, sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face.

"Dad, Mom... can you believe me now? I missed you so much... so much..."

Bai Zhongjing and Lin Meng exchanged a glance.

To be honest, they didn't have any deep feelings for this biological daughter who suddenly appeared.

We hadn't seen each other for 23 years, and suddenly they appeared and called each other "Mom and Dad." Apart from blood ties, there was nothing else between us.

Bai Zhongjing's hand froze in mid-air before finally landing on Yu Xiaozhen's back and patting her gently twice.

Lin Meng patted him too, but the gesture looked more like she was coaxing a relative's child she wasn't very familiar with.

The white orchid is different.

She picked up the report on the table, took a picture of it, and then started shouting:

"I knew it! Xiao Zhen is such a well-behaved and obedient child; that's exactly the kind of gene our Bai family has!"

"Bai Tao is clearly not an obedient and sensible child. She's been willful and disobedient since she was little. I've known that for a long time!"

Bai Tao sat on the sofa, listening to her aunt's rant without any emotional fluctuation; she even felt a little like laughing.

In her past life, she would have already started making a huge scene at this point, tearing Bai Fenglan apart until the very end, and she was still cursing as the bodyguards dragged her out.

Throughout her life, Bai Tao simply sat quietly, her eyes slightly red.

Then he slowly raised his head and looked at Bai Zhongjing and Lin Meng with an expression that said, "I am very sad but I am very sensible."

"Dad...Mom..." Her voice trembled slightly, "Is this true?"

The next second, Bai Tao also knelt down and threw herself into Bai Zhongjing and Lin Meng's arms, even naturally and subtly nudging Yu Xiaozhen.

Yu Xiaozhen was jostled to the side and almost lost her footing. She looked up at Bai Tao with a hint of annoyance in her eyes.

Bai Tao, on the other hand, looked completely innocent and continued crying.

Bai Zhongjing looked down at Bai Tao, who was nestled in his arms, and felt a mix of emotions.

Even if Bai Tao isn't their biological child, they've still raised her for 23 years.

Twenty-three years! From a tiny toddler just learning to speak to a graceful young woman, she has finally grown up to be able to bring value to the family and elevate the Bai family to a higher level.

Moreover, Bai Tao's appearance, temperament, speech, and abilities are far superior to Xiao Zhen's in every aspect. This is not favoritism; it is a fact.

Bai Zhongjing pondered for a moment, then spoke:

"It's alright. Although Xiao Zhen is back, Bai Tao will always be Lin Meng and my child. Our Bai family won't miss this extra pair of chopsticks."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaozhen's expression immediately changed.

She cried even harder this time, not just tears like a delicate flower in the rain, but a torrential downpour:

"No! Mom and Dad, it's all because of her mother that our family is separated!"

"I've done so much hard and tiring work since I was a child, while she's enjoying a life of luxury in the Bai family..."

"The moment I see her, I can picture how her mother tormented me..."

Yu Xiaozhen raised her head, her eyes red from crying, her voice filled with an almost obsessive pleading.

"Please, Mom and Dad... please get rid of her, okay?"

Bai Fenglan immediately added fuel to the fire:

"That's right, brother! If you acknowledge Xiao Zhen again, you'll have three children in the future."

"Do you really want someone who's not related to you by blood, someone as despicable as your own mother, to inherit your shares?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhongjing's expression changed.

The Bai family's money is the empire built up by generations of the Bai family.

Shares, real estate, trust funds—every single penny has its origin and destination; naturally, not a single penny should fall into the hands of outsiders.

Yu Xiaozhen was exceptionally good at reading people's expressions. Seeing Bai Zhongjing's expression relax, she immediately seized the opportunity:

"It's okay, Dad. We're twenty-three years old now. The Bai family has raised that bad man's child so well; he won't starve if he goes out into the world."

She wiped away her tears, her voice lowering.

"I worked at a supermarket during the day and a convenience store at night, and that's how I grew up."

Sister Bai Tao seems much better than me... she'll definitely live a better life than me.

That was said flawlessly.

On the surface, it appears magnanimous and tolerant, but in reality, every word implies that Bai Tao should leave.

Bai Zhongjing was still hesitating.

After all, you've raised someone for 23 years; the bond isn't something you can just sever.

Besides, you planted an apple tree, and now it's time to reap the harvest.

But Bai Tao knew very well what was going on.

The next second, Bai Zhongjing will ask him to move out of the Bai family.

No matter how outstanding a child is, if they don't own a single share of the Bai family's property, they cannot help the Bai family reach new heights.

In her past life, she was met with the cold, dismissive "You should move out first."

She's not going to wait any longer in this lifetime.

Bai Tao reached out and took Yu Xiaozhen's hand, holding it tightly with a sincere expression:

"Really, little sister? Do you really think I look better than you, prettier than you, more capable than you, and that I'll definitely have a better life than you?"

She blinked her captivating peach blossom eyes and smiled with utmost gentleness.

"Thank you, sister. Thank you for your blessing."

Yu Xiaozhen: ? ? ?

When did I say you were prettier than me?

Regardless of what she was thinking, Bai Tao decisively let go, stood up, walked to Bai Zhongjing and Lin Meng, and bowed respectfully.

Elegant and sophisticated.

"Bai Tao is here to thank her parents, no, thank you uncles and aunts for raising her."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.

"Since my sister can't stand me and feels uncomfortable seeing me, I'll move out now."

The money the Bai family spent raising me... I will definitely work hard to pay it back.

Bai Zhongjing and Lin Meng were both taken aback.

Bai Zhongjing, in particular, was surprised when he looked at the graceful young woman in front of him.

I don't know when it started, but Bai Tao has grown up to be so elegant and poised, so composed and graceful, that she is fit for a refined occasion.

what a pity.

If it weren't for this incident, Bai Tao would definitely be a suitable marriage partner.

She's much better than Yu Xiaozhen.

Bai Zhongjing sighed inwardly and nodded.

"It's commendable that you think this way. In that case, pack your things and move out."

He paused, then added,

"The money used to raise you... you don't need to pay it back. Consider it a way to preserve the bond between us as a family for the short time we had together."

Bai Zhongjing knew very well that Bai Taohua would most likely never be able to repay the money he had spent raising her from childhood to adulthood.

A handbag costs hundreds of thousands, a piano costs millions, not to mention the cost of learning art or dance.

Bai Tao nodded, wiping away non-existent tears with the back of her hand, behaving as obediently as a model student.

"Then I'll go upstairs to pack some underwear, and then I'll leave."

She turned around, her back to everyone.

No one saw the sly glint in Bai Tao's eyes.

She never intended to pay back the money.

She said that just to make herself seem sensible.

After all, why not take advantage of free prestige?

Bai Tao squatted on the floor of the dressing room, dragged out the suitcase she had packed earlier, unzipped it with a whoosh, and started stuffing clothes inside.

Thankfully, it's summer now.

The skirt is so thin that you can fold it up and stuff dozens of them inside.

If it were winter, a single coat could stretch a suitcase to its limit, and she'd probably be devastated in the walk-in closet.

As Bai Tao stuffed the food in, she mentally gave herself a thumbs up for her cleverness. Luckily, she had already stuffed some of it in last night because it was valuable.

She was busy tidying up when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.

Bai Fenglan took Yu Xiaozhen upstairs, and also dragged Lin Meng along. The three of them, along with the nanny and a whole bunch of other people, stood behind Bai Tao in a grand procession.

Bai Fenglan was calculating her next move. She wanted to personally oversee the situation to prevent Bai Tao from taking away all of the Bai family's valuables.

When I came up, I found that the little slut had almost finished packing, and the box looked like it was full of clothes and skirts, but she hadn't even taken a decent bag.

Bai Fenglan's eyes darted around, her gaze landing on a hem of a skirt peeking out from outside the suitcase.

With lightning speed, she grabbed the hem of the skirt and yanked it hard. With a rip, the neatly folded clothes on top were torn to shreds, revealing some jewelry hidden underneath.

"Oh dear, your skirt isn't assembled properly."

Bai Fenglan first spoke in a mocking tone, then covered her mouth, her eyes widened, and her voice suddenly rose eight octaves.

"What are these? Well, you little rascal, after raising you for so many years, you've learned to steal!"

Bai Tao was so angry she almost lost her temper on the spot.

"What are you stealing? Does Auntie think the Bai family's upbringing is so terrible?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail piercing through the air.

"These are all gifts I've received since I was a child. Birthday gifts, holiday gifts, exam rewards—weren't they all gifts from my elders?"

After saying that, Bai Tao's tears welled up. This time, it wasn't an act; she was genuinely aggrieved.

She turned her head, looking at Lin Meng with a pitiful expression, her voice as soft as a melted cotton candy:

"Mom, I didn't mean to steal it... I was just worried... worried that if I missed you in the future, I could take it out and look at it."

Lin Meng looked into Bai Tao's tearful peach blossom eyes, and her heart softened instantly.

How much are these pieces of jewelry worth?

You wouldn't get much even if you took it to a luxury store.

Besides, Bai Tao is right. These are all gifts she has received since she was a child, not stolen or robbed.

Lin Meng nodded, her tone indifferent, but her meaning was clear.

"Let her take it."

Bai Fenglan was so angry that her teeth itched, and her expression looked like she had swallowed a live fly.

Just then, Yu Xiaozhen made a move.

She took Lin Meng's arm, nestled herself into his embrace like a little bird, and looked up at him, her eyes filled with envy and longing.

"Mom, I've never seen so much beautiful jewelry before... If it hadn't been swapped, would it all be mine?"

Before Lin Meng could speak, Yu Xiaozhen added insult to injury:

"Mom, please don't let Sister Baitao take this away, okay? These are all proof of your love for me when I'm not around..."

I want to see how much you would love me if I had grown up in this family.

Baitao:......

Bai Fenglan is growing increasingly fond of her new niece.

As soon as Yu Xiaozhen finished speaking, Bai Fenglan rolled up her sleeves and started rummaging through Bai Tao's suitcase. Bai Tao's heart skipped a beat.

The bracelet that my grandma gave me is still inside!

She reacted quickly and pushed Bai Fenglan's hand away.

"Okay, I'll get it for you. Don't cry, little sister, it's all yours. It's all my fault, I'm just a thief."

She crouched down and took out the jewelry one by one from under the suitcase, placing them on the small coffee table next to her.

With each item removed, my heart bleeds.

As Bai Tao rummaged through the jewelry, she regretted it in her heart. She should have known better than to leave so much jewelry outside the hidden compartment and instead stuff a few pieces into the hidden compartment.

What a blunder! A complete blunder!

After she finished, she looked up at Bai Fenglan, her tone as calm as still water.

Are you satisfied now?

The lesson from her tantrums in her past life was too profound, so in this life, Bai Tao chose a different path: the art of feigning suffering.

She didn't make a fuss, just stood there quietly shedding tears, making everyone feel that she was a good child who had suffered a great injustice but was still so sensible that it broke everyone's heart.

This tactic clearly worked.

Bai Fenglan didn't even want her to take the cosmetics and clothes; she had her mouth open, but before she could say anything, Lin Meng waved her hand, her tone tinged with impatience.

"Let her pretend."

Yu Xiaozhen wanted to be cute again, and just as she snuggled closer to Lin Meng, she opened her mouth—

"These are all ones she used."

Lin Meng glanced down at Yu Xiaozhen, her tone gentle but firm.

I'll buy you a new one.

Yu Xiaozhen shut her mouth and nodded obediently, but a trace of resentment flashed quickly in her eyes.

Without saying another word, Bai Tao repacked her suitcase, zipped it up, and stood up.

All the glamorous, sparkling things in the walk-in closet that once belonged to her were left behind.

When Bai Tao walked out of the Bai family's gate, she breathed a complete sigh of relief.

The air outside was cool and smelled of earth, much better than the air inside, which smelled of perfume and tension.

With the Bai family making such a big commotion, it would be impossible for the neighbors not to be curious.

Bai Tao could feel several gazes coming from different directions, but she neither dodged nor lowered her head.

She smiled at everyone who looked at her, poised and graceful, as if walking on a red carpet.

Bai Tao dragged her suitcase, her back straight, her steps neither hurried nor slow.

When passing by the Pei family's door, Bai Tao deliberately stopped.

Pei Jin, oh Pei Jin.

Her mortal enemy from her past life, the man she's going to take home in this life.

Bai Tao thought for a moment and asked the servant at the door to go in and pass on a message, saying that Bai Tao from the Bai family was waiting for him outside and had something to say.

The maid trotted inside.

Bai Tao stood at the door for a while, gently tapping her fingers on the handle of her suitcase.

A few minutes later, the maid came out, looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Miss Bai, the young master said... he's not home."

Baitao:......

If you're not home, then who told the maid he wasn't home?

Fine, Pei Jin, you're aloof, you're amazing.

In the past, with Bai Zhongjing backing her up, she could have stormed in and asked Pei Jin why he wouldn't admit it at home. But now she can't. If she barged in now, the Pei family would call the police and arrest her.

Bai Tao took out her phone, opened her WeChat friend list, and found L with the black profile picture.

She and Pei Jin had been friends for several years, but their chat history was completely clean; neither of them spoke to the other.

Bai Tao thought for a moment, typed a few words, then deleted them, typed again, and deleted again.

Finally, she took a deep breath and sent the first WeChat message since they became friends:

Goodbye, my friend, I'll miss you.

After sending it, I felt it wasn't enough, so I added another one:

Even if I get kicked out, I will still consider you my best friend.

No reply.

Bai Tao waited a few seconds, shrugged, put her phone back in her pocket, and continued walking forward, dragging her suitcase.

On the second-floor terrace of the Pei family mansion, a tall, slender figure leaned lazily against the railing.

Pei Jin was wearing a black loungewear outfit, his hair was unkempt with a few stray strands hanging over his forehead, making him look like he had just been woken up from bed.

He held his phone in his hand, the cold light from the screen reflecting on his indifferent face.

He glanced down at the two nonsensical messages on WeChat, his brow furrowing slightly.

Goodbye, my friend, my best friend...

Him and Baitao?

friend?

Pei Jin scoffed and casually tossed his phone onto a lounge chair on the terrace.

He has no friends.

Bai Tao dragged a huge suitcase, walking slowly and steadily. Even after being kicked out, she still maintained this stubbornly prideful demeanor.

Pei Jin withdrew his gaze, turned and walked into the house, casually pulling the glass door to the terrace shut.

Neuropathy.

baffling.

Who are her friends?

Bai Tao and Brother Wang arranged to meet at the entrance of a Mixue Ice Cream shop.

Across half a street, Bai Tao saw... well, how should I put it.

A striking head of blond hair, tight pants, loafers, and a full-sleeve tattoo of a blue dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right protruding from his short-sleeved shirt.

Bai Tao, dragging her suitcase, tentatively approached.

Huang Mao was holding two cups of Mixue Ice Cream in his hand, scrolling through his phone listlessly, his legs bouncing up and down to the background music in the store.

"Society... my brother Wang?" Bai Tao asked cautiously.

The blond-haired man raised his head.

Standing in front of me was a stunningly beautiful woman, about 165 cm tall, dragging a suitcase.

The blond guy froze for two seconds, almost dropping the lemonade in his hand.

"What peach?"

Bai Tao nodded, forcing a friendly smile.

"Yes, yes, it's me."

Huang Mao suddenly turned around, his back to Bai Tao, and quickly tidied his appearance.

First, he smoothed the blond hair, then tugged at the hem of the tight T-shirt.

Finally, he wiped his hands haphazardly on his body a couple of times to make sure his palms were dry before turning around and solemnly extending his right hand.

"Hello, hello, my name is Wang Jianguo."

Bai Tao reached out her hand, and the two hands touched briefly before separating.

She has a good sense of propriety, Bai Tao thought.

Wang Jianguo took the handle of Bai Tao's suitcase and led the way.

Bai Tao followed behind him, weaving through the streets and alleys. After chatting for a while, Bai Tao learned that her brother Wang was actually four years younger than her.

He's just nineteen this year.

He dropped out of school after graduating from junior high and started hanging out with what he called "gangsters" in the underworld.

When he spoke, his tone carried a youthful pride, a kind of pride that was trying too hard to appear mature, but his still slightly chubby face betrayed him.

Looking at the stubborn tuft of blond hair on the back of his head, Bai Tao felt a pang of sadness mixed with amusement.

After walking for about twenty minutes, Wang Jianguo stopped in front of a fairly new-looking apartment building.

"arrive."

Bai Tao took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself. Then, when she actually went inside and saw the scene, she was completely shocked.

Three tenants share one toilet.

Bai Tao peeked into the toilet, then quickly withdrew.

"No, no!"

She shook her head repeatedly, her head bobbing like a rattle-drum, "I can't accept... queuing to poop."

Wang Jianguo: "..."

Three households share one toilet. If everyone is in a hurry to leave in the morning, they will have to line up at the toilet door. Just thinking about it makes Bai Tao feel suffocated.

Wang Jianguo scratched his blond hair.

"I also have a basement with a separate kitchen and toilet."

However, the windows are small, so the lighting and ventilation aren't very good. But the location is quite good, right on the Third Ring Road.

Separate toilet.

"Let's go take a look!"

Without saying a word, Bai Tao dragged her suitcase and walked out.

So Bai Tao dragged her suitcase and followed Wang Jianguo onto the subway.

One and a half hours.

It lasted a full hour and a half.

Bai Tao was almost asleep on the subway, her suitcase resting against her legs, her head nodding slightly.

Wang Jianguo, on the other hand, was very energetic, telling her along the way things like, "I know this area well," and "My older brother has a lot of influence in this area."

Bai Tao let it go in one ear and out the other, dealing with it in a daze.

finally reached.

The so-called basement is actually the underground floor of an old residential building.

Wang Jianguo took out his key and opened the iron gate. Bai Tao followed him inside, her first reaction being, "It's so dark."

Two small windows, each about the size of a palm, are set at the very top of the wall, allowing a clear view inside from the outside.

The kitchen, living room, and bedroom are all connected without any curtains or partitions.

There was only a narrow aisle between the pots and pans and the sofa.

The toilet was separate, small, squeezed into the foot of the bed, and had a small window, about the size of a palm, letting in a little light.

There was a desk in the middle of the room, with a thin layer of dust on its surface.

A light bulb hung overhead, its wires gleaming brightly, swaying slightly in the wind.

A rope was casually strung across the wall to hang clothes, but it was empty at the moment.

The bed was just a bare wooden board, without even a mattress.

Bai Tao reached out and pressed it; it was rough to the touch, and lying on it was probably no different from sleeping on the ground.

There was still a slight dampness in the air, but thankfully it hadn't rained recently, so it was bearable.

Bai Tao stood in the middle of the room, turning around and around.

Wang Jianguo rubbed his hands together at the door, and the blond-haired man didn't seem so conspicuous in the dim light.

"How is it?"

"Aren't there any other houses?"

"Let me tell you, beautiful lady, I have the most listings of these small houses in this area."

Nobody else has as many as me. And you need to move in right away, there are only a few rooms available. If you really want them, I can give you a discount—”

He paused, as if making a very difficult decision.

"Five thousand a month, I'll rent it to you."

Bai Tao glanced at the surroundings again and sighed deeply.

Wang Jianguo is right.

She needed to move in immediately but didn't want to spend money, so this was the best option she could find right now.

She just took a break and browsed other rental apps, but all her messages went unanswered, with no one replying at all.

Bai Tao thought for a moment, then tentatively began to speak.

"Is it okay to rent it for a month?"

"No, that won't do, beautiful. It's a three-month deposit plus three months' rent in advance. How would you like to pay?"

"Five thousand is too expensive."

Tao shook her head and held up three fingers. "It looks to me like it's only three thousand a month. Don't try to fool me."

"Three thousand? Beautiful lady, are you kidding me? The Third Ring Road! This is the Third Ring Road!"

The two of them stood at the basement door, arguing back and forth for a long time.

They argued from 3,000 to 3,500, then from 3,500 to 4,000, and finally, both sides compromised.

One month's rent as deposit and three months' rent in advance, four thousand yuan a month.

Bai Tao gritted her teeth, opened her mobile banking app, and scanned 16,000 yuan for Wang Jianguo.

After receiving the money, Wang Jianguo became even more enthusiastic.

As he was leaving, he walked to the door, then suddenly turned back, pointed to the rusty iron gate, and his tone became unusually serious.

"Remember to change the lock on this iron gate, beautiful."

Bai Tao nodded.

After seeing Wang Jianguo off, Bai Tao stood in the house for a while. She took a deep breath, dragged her tired body, and went to the supermarket at the entrance of the community.

Mop, alcohol, rags, dish soap, garbage bags, clothes hangers, slippers, towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, tissues, water cups, electric kettle...

Bai Tao pushed her shopping cart around and around the supermarket, throwing whatever she saw into the cart as if she needed it.

It cost several hundred more when I checked out.

Bai Tao stared at the numbers on the receipt, numb to it all.

Back in the basement, Bai Tao rolled up her sleeves and started working.

After everything was tidied up, Bai Tao straightened up and glanced at her phone.

Two o'clock in the morning.

She stood in the middle of the room, looking at the small, simple, but clean space, and suddenly an indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.

The bed was too hard; just looking at it made her back hurt.

Bai Tao hesitated for two seconds, then took the long trench coat she had brought from the hanger and spread it on the sofa.

Then she covered herself with a thin blanket and curled up on the sofa.

The sofa was so small that she could only curl her legs up.

She must never repeat the same mistake in her life.