022 Burning bridges
Li Jia was shocked by the look on Tan Rou’s face. For some reason, Tan Rou was even scarier than before. Li Jia didn’t dare to stay any longer, she inched to the side bit by bit, “I’m fine, I’m fine. I should get going.” Then, she scampered away.
Tan Rou sneered. The person that Tan Jing found was so easy to scare off? She wanted to see what tricks she had up her sleeves. She turned around and went home.
Not long after, Tan Jing came over with a gift. She piled the gifts at the door and knocked loudly. “Mom! It’s me. I’m back!”
Inside the house, Mother Tao frowned in annoyance, “Why is she here?”
Tao Zheng sighed in exasperation. “Why didn’t I notice in the past that she was so shameless?”
The knocks on the door did not stop. It was as if the knocking on the door would not stop if she was left unanswered. “Open the door quickly. I really realized my mistake. I want to come home!”
The neighbor next door opened the door. “Oh my, it’s Xiao Jing. What brings you back? Didn’t you return to your biological family?”
Tan Jing pretended to be reserved and nodded. “Yes, Auntie Liu. I missed them. I brought along gifts.”
The neighbor looked at the gift. “Oh, I heard that your biological mother is very rich. The gifts don’t look cheap. You’re so sensible. You even came back to check on them.”
Tao Zheng, who was in the house, could not stand listening to her anymore. He opened the door and clarified, “Auntie Liu, don’t listen to her nonsense. Our family has already disowned her. Whether her family has money or not has nothing to do with us!”
To her surprise, there was someone home, which means that they did not answer the door on purpose. What was going on? However, she did not say anything. She just nodded politely and returned to her home.
Tan Jing was somewhat unhappy. If Tao Zheng did not open the door, she would have continued talking to Auntie Liu. It would be best if everyone thought that she was not an ingrate. She wanted to show the others that she even came back to visit with so many gifts and was very filial.
Tao Zheng said bluntly, “We have already made ourselves clear. Why are you still here? In the past, you were so afraid that getting involved with us would delay your return to the Tan family. So what is wrong with you today, why are you acting like you’re possessed by a ghost today?”
Mother Tao did not want to show her face. She coldly said, “You’re not welcome here.” As she was done speaking, she was ready to return to her room.
Tan Jing hurriedly picked up the gifts and rushed into the house. “Mom! This is the tonic I bought for you! It was very expensive. And I got a branded watch for Dad. His colleagues will be so envious of him if he wears it at work. Brother, this latest mobile phone is for you!”
After saying that, she saw Tan Rou. Why was she still there? What did Li Jia Do?
Tao shook her head. “I don’t need any tonic. Rou Rou has been nursing me back to health. I’m better than ever. Your Uncle Tao is just an ordinary salaryman. He doesn’t need such luxurious products. Instead, it will attract unwanted attention. Take it back.”
Tao Zheng was even more disdainful. “I don’t need the latest model of mobile phone either. The one I’m using now is working fine. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Tan Jing held the gifts awkwardly. She didn’t expect her family to not appreciate her kindness at all. She never cared truly cared for them before and naturally, she didn’t know what to buy at all. She just blindly picked the expensive ones thinking that they had never seen them before and would definitely be pleasantly surprised. Tan Rou was also there. These luxurious goods were nothing to her. Tan Rou was probably laughing at her in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more Tan Jing felt hatred in her heart.
Tan Rou smiled,. “The sun has risen from the west. I still remember the day when I found out about our real identities. Before I could react, you ran to the Tan family excitedly. You hugged Chen Yi and cried out for her. I even thought that you must have been a child suffering from vagrancy. You have already abandoned this family at that very moment. However today, you refused to leave?”
Tan Jing blushed in embarrassment. At that time, she was so excited as if she had won the lottery. She had been staying with this poor family for a long time. Of course, she was excited to return to the Tan family.
Mother Tao also recalled that scene Tan Rou was talking about and sighed helplessly.
Tan Jing quibbled loudly, “No, mother! At that time, I was just overwhelmed with joy… No, not joy. I just thought that if I could return to the Tan family and be rich, I would definitely return to repay you guys. Look, now I can buy you anything!”
Mother Tao had never felt so tired before, “Don’t you understand? We never needed any expensive gifts. No matter how rich you are, it has nothing to do with us. You should leave quickly!”
Tao Zheng was also in a difficult position. Although he did not treat her as his biological sister anymore, he was a gentleman. He could not force her out if she insisted on staying here, what more can he do?