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

in the afternoon,

Bai Tao lay on the sofa, enjoying the air conditioning, holding a tablet, and happily sipping the milk tea Pei Jin had ordered for her while watching her favorite drama.

Her phone vibrated twice, but she ignored it.

Ten minutes later, it rang twice more before she picked it up and saw it was Lin Meng's call.

She didn't reply, and placed her phone screen-down on the sofa.

Half an hour later, a message popped up on the screen; it was from Lin Meng.

Are you currently working at a nail salon?

Bai Tao paused for a moment, then her heart skipped a beat.

Unable to grasp Lin Meng's meaning, she subconsciously tried to interpret Lin Meng with the most malicious thoughts.

She didn't reply, but she also stopped watching the show. Lin Meng's next sentence gave her goosebumps all over in the summer.

[It must be tough for the two of you girls working so hard at this shop, right? I wonder if you could handle things if something happened.]

What does that mean?

Are you investigating me?

[Mom cares about you. I'll be waiting for you at 4 PM.]

Yin is a very private teahouse. In the past, Lin Meng often took her there on weekends to sit by the window, where they could see an artificial lake and a bamboo forest.

Bai Tao scratched her head vigorously. This was what she hated most—dragging innocent people into it.

She thought of the nanny's daughter from her childhood, who was about the same age as her, and Bai Tao took her everywhere she went.

Later, at one banquet, Bai Tao didn't want to attend, so she secretly took that girl and went out to play.

The next day, the girl and her mother disappeared.

Bai Tao broke down in tears in the hallway. Lin Meng walked over and gently took her hand.

"Why are you crying? She's not important. It's her fault for taking Xiaotao out to play, which disrupted Mom's plans for you."

That's not how it works at all; she insisted on bringing other people along...

From then on, Bai Tao rarely opened up to others and rarely went against Lin Meng's arrangements.

And now...

She thought she had escaped, but in reality, Lin Meng had always had ways to keep her as a puppet.

But now, she's not willing anymore.

It was four o'clock in the afternoon when I went into hiding.

Bai Tao was led by the waiter through the corridor, where bamboo curtains on both sides were half-rolled up, and the sound of flowing water flowed between the artificial rocks.

The entire store was open only for her and Lin Meng this afternoon.

She was wearing a black silk dress with red roses and silver flats, both bought for her by Pei Jin.

She's becoming more and more like a woman.

Lin Meng glanced at her, put down her coffee cup, and her gaze swept over her, her eyes showing pride as well as a hint of barely perceptible ruthlessness.

"Ms. Lin."

Bai Tao sat down opposite her without calling her "Mom".

Lin Meng smiled. "Young people are just too impatient."

She waved, and the waiter brought over a cup of coffee.

"Thank you, but I don't want coffee."

The waiter seemed about to leave, but then returned, glancing at Lin Meng with some embarrassment.

"This was ordered by Mrs. Lin..."

Lin Meng smiled, and the waiter left after putting down the coffee.

Bai Tao was a little angry, but she also understood that he was just a staff member, and whoever paid the money was the boss.

Lin Meng pushed the coffee towards her.

"Mom doesn't like coffee either, but only obedient people have the right to be spoiled, don't you think?"

Bai Tao pushed the coffee away to the side.

"Stop being sarcastic, I don't understand."

Lin Meng wasn't angry; she pushed the coffee back in front of her.

"I know that you were wronged when you left the Bai family."

"Mom can compensate you. What do you want? Shares in the Bai family? Or money?"

"And then what? What do I need to do for you?"

There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially with Lin Meng. Bai Tao has completely seen through it all: to gain something, you have to lose something else.

Lin Meng stood up, walked to the Steinway piano in the center of the coffee shop, sat down gracefully, and slowly placed her hands on the keys.

Bai Tao thought she would play "Für Elise," but the first note that fell was "Rush E," rapid and intense, like a downpour.

As the last note faded, Lin Meng did not turn around.

"Xie Lingyun has had someone investigate you."

If you make another move, you might actually be able to get close to this big shot.

The Xie family is powerful and influential; for these businessmen, all they ever pursue in their lives is face and power.

It sounds impressive to outsiders to be a CEO or chairman, but once you step outside your circle and don't contribute to society, you have no social standing whatsoever.

By associating with the Xie family, the Bai family's status will rise to a higher level, placing them on par with the Pei family.

No, by then, the Pei family won't amount to anything.

Bai Tao was stunned for a moment.

She did nothing. Xie Lingyun, the person who had spoken a few words to her at the charity gala, she didn't even leave her name.

"I'm also surprised, why you?"

Lin Meng sized her up, and Bai Tao's surprise was genuine; it seemed she was also quite surprised.

"But Tao Tao, you are the best investment your father and I have ever made."

Bai Tao's voice was filled with anger and a sense of vulnerability.

"Investment, so in your eyes am I even human?"

So your investment is all for me to marry a good man in the future, so that the Bai family can rise to a higher level?

Have you ever shown any love for my investments?

After Bai Zhenzhen returned, in order to avoid a scandal, she told me to leave, and you really did kick me out.

Now that everyone is getting married, they want to call me back.

From beginning to end, all you've ever wanted is a daughter to marry into an alliance; who she is is completely irrelevant!

Bai Tao's voice echoed throughout the hall before returning to silence.

There were only the two of them in the entire hall.

Bai Tao's words echoed throughout the hall, and Lin Meng's expression grew increasingly cold.

This was the second time in her memory that Bai Tao had cried so heartbreakingly, and the second time she had so anxiously disobeyed her.

Lin Meng sat in front of the piano, remained silent for a while, then stood up and walked to Bai Tao.

She reached out to touch Bai Tao's face, but Bai Tao dodged her hand.

Lin Meng's hand paused in mid-air for a moment, then withdrew.

"You've grown up."

she says.

Bai Tao raised her hand to wipe her eyes, then lowered her hand.

So you came to see me not because you love me at all.

It's only because I have some use that my reputation isn't bad.

If my reputation were already ruined, you wouldn't even bother coming to me.

And I already have a boyfriend now, and we're living together.

The Xie family will find out as soon as they investigate; there's no need for you to deceive yourself.

After Bai Tao shouted those words, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Lin Meng walked to her side and gently placed her hand on her shoulder.

"That's why I'm here, so you can cut your losses in time."

The Xie family would never consider a woman to whom they have no blood relation.

But they would never accept a woman who goes out in public, serves others, and has no blood relation to a wealthy family.

"If you return to the Bai family now, there's still a chance to salvage the situation."

Bai Tao tried hard to stop herself from trembling.

"Heh, in the end, aren't you just doing this for yourself and for the Bai family?"

Lin Meng's patience ran out, and her words were no longer gentle. She lowered her voice and leaned close to Bai Tao's ear.

"What do you have to complain about? In the end, if you can really marry into the Xie family, wouldn't you be the most direct beneficiary?"

You look down on the Bai family so much, thinking your father and I are despicable and only interested in profit?

But actually, you're the one who has enjoyed the benefits of the Bai family for 23 years. You're more like a member of the Bai family than Bai Zhenzhen is.

You know better than anyone how much effort and money the Bai family spent raising you.

I am driven by profit, I am heartless, I am despicable, I swarm like an ant to carrion.

But can you really honestly say, with your hand on your heart, that you, Bai Tao, haven't learned even a single thing from these things?

Lin Meng's voice, like a demon, surged into Bai Tao's ears from all directions, causing Bai Tao's hands and body to tremble violently.

She was right. Lin Meng's tendency to seek advantage and avoid harm, and the Bai family's cold-blooded greed and opportunism, had long been learned by her.

From a young age, she was adept at reading people and knew what to say to whom.

Learn to quickly determine which side is best for you when faced with interests.

Wasn't her fate in her past life the best explanation?

Climbing the social ladder and currying favor with the powerful...

Lin Meng continued speaking regardless of the consequences.

"The more you despise the Bai family, the more you know how despicable and hypocritical you are at your core."

Bai Tao stopped talking. She knew exactly how much she despised the Bai family, and how much of the Bai family's influence she had on herself.

Lin Meng thought she had won, and raised her head.

I know you took in the Pei family's original child, and now you're dating him.

His company is so small, I could just open my mouth and it would disappear from our city.

Where will he go then? You can still break up with him now.

When Lin Meng said this, she wasn't very confident, because Bai Shen was now in charge of the Bai family's company.

But she was more than capable of scaring Bai Tao.

Bai Tao glared at Lin Meng, and for a moment she suddenly wanted to die together with her.

"You can't do this, are you crazy?"

Lin Meng brought her face close to hers.

"You're afraid, which means you know the benefits of power. Are you really willing to be an ant for the rest of your life?"

"I'm not reconciled."

Bai Tao suddenly smiled, picked up her phone, and Lin Meng's face appeared on the screen.

"I was unwilling to accept it, so I recorded everything."

Lin Meng's expression faltered for a moment, and she was about to call for her bodyguards.

Bai Tao put a finger to her lips.

Shh~ Ms. Lin,

The fact that you lured me here today and tried to force me out shows that you have no way of finding my address right now, right?

Once you call someone over, I'll post this video immediately. You should know how popular my account is, right?

Deleting videos takes time, but can you really stop these heavy-handed comments?

Similarly, you don't need to have someone ambush me.

If I don't get home safely by 8 p.m. tonight, our chat this afternoon will be posted online by 10 different accounts.

Aren't you supposed to be the most concerned about your reputation? You probably wouldn't want to see this happen either.

"you!"

Lin Meng never expected to be tricked by Bai Tao here. Her years of maintaining her dignity were overwhelmed, and she wanted to tear Bai Tao's mouth off.

Bai Tao continued speaking, trembling.

"If you dare to touch Pei Jin, I swear this video will be seen by the entire nation."

Even if you don't care, and you're really willing to go all out, I don't think the Xie family and other wealthy families you mentioned would be indifferent.

"At that point, just these people alone will be enough to wipe your Bai family off the face of the earth."

Lin Meng suddenly remembered Mrs. Shu's warning and gripped the corner of the table tightly with her fingers.

If even a whisper of this video gets out, Bai Zhongjing alone won't let her off the hook, and he might even lose his current position.

She could no longer maintain her composure and said through gritted teeth,

What do you want?

"I want you to stop bothering my life from now on, and stop threatening me and my friends. You already have a daughter."

Lin Meng nodded, a fierce expression on her face that Bai Tao had never seen before.

"If this video gets leaked, I'll make sure you die before the Bai family falls."

Bai Tao nodded.

"I will keep this video safe and sound, don't worry."

As long as you stop disturbing my life, I swear no one will know about this video again, and I will not use it to threaten you.

Consider this repayment for the 23 years of mother-daughter relationship we shared; from now on, we are strangers.

"OK."

The last word was uttered by Lin Meng through gritted teeth.

She picked up her bag, put on her high heels, and for the first time, the high heels made such a crisp and hurried sound under her feet.

After Lin Meng left, Bai Tao leaned on the table next to her and slowly sat down.

Fortunately, she made the right bet.

After calming down, Bai Tao looked at the magnificent decorations around her, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

It's both a relief and a source of sorrow.

Lin Meng tried her best to maintain a respectable appearance when she left home.

Her back was very straight, but you could still tell from her gait that she was in a state of turmoil.

The driver opened the car door for her in advance. She bent down and sat in. The moment the door closed, she raised the partition inside the car and slammed the bag in her hand onto the partition.

The bag fell to the ground with a dull thud.

She leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, the words Bai Zhenzhen had said flashed through my mind: what freedom, what love.

Love can be faked.

If you have enough money, haven't you and Bai Zhongjing been like this for so many years?

In public, they also have a relationship that others envy, living in harmony and mutual respect.

What exactly is the problem?

-

It wasn't until Bai Tao calmed down and picked up her phone that she realized it was only five o'clock.

In just one hour, she did something she had never dared to do before.

She washed her face in front of the mirror, put on a mask, and went outside.

Pei Jin hadn't gotten off work yet, but she missed him terribly.

Bai Tao, wearing a mask and hat, walked downstairs to Pei Jin's company building.

She didn't message him; instead, she found a quiet, inconspicuous corner in the reception area, sank into the soft cushions, and slowly fell asleep.

The receptionist peeked out.

Bai Tao has come so many times, and although they have never spoken, the receptionist already knows her.

Sun Lishu glanced at her phone. Everyone had already left work; they would probably have to work overtime again tonight.

She opened WeChat for Business and found Pei Jin's chat window.

【image】

[Manager Pei, your girlfriend is here.]

【expression】

After sending the message, she put down her phone and glanced again at the figure curled up on the sofa in the corner.

Pei Jin was reviewing a new set of test data in the conference room when his phone vibrated. He glanced down at it and saw a message from the front desk.

He ignored it and continued discussing with the technicians.