"Auntie, talking badly about people behind their backs is not a sign of good upbringing!" Tang Se Se's words had barely left her lips when a piercing car horn blared from behind her.
Su He, who had been watching the surveillance feed inside, couldn't stand the woman's ungracious rambling and used the intercom function to politely tell her off.
Tang Se Se jumped, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.
That damned girl!
"Madam, shall we continue to wait?" the driver asked in a low voice, seeing her taken aback.
Tang Se Se let out a cold snort and shot him a fierce glare. "Tang Jiao Jiao is being so uncooperative, she'll regret it later! Let's go!"
"Yes," the driver said, stepping forward to open the car door for her.
Inside the house, Tang Jiao Jiao raised her eyebrows triumphantly upon seeing Tang Se Se's discomfiture.
She patted Su He's shoulder approvingly. "My daughter, indeed!"
"She said her name is Tang Se Se and she's your sister," Su He said, looking curiously at her adoptive mother, as if waiting for an explanation.
Tang Jiao Jiao had never spoken of her family before, nor did she intend to. "There's nothing to say. From now on, if you see them, just pretend you haven't."
Su He murmured an "Oh." "However, I don't think they'll give up that easily."
"When troubles come, we'll deal with them," Tang Jiao Jiao said, taking it in stride. "They're only coming to us because they see we're well-off now, and they want to get some benefits."
"Heh, they really think I'm a fool. When I was down and out, they ignored me; now that my husband is successful, they remember me. They have quite a good plan!"
"Miss Tang looked quite stylish. Is her family well-off?" Su He played with the fruit knife in her hand, expertly peeling an apple.
"The Tang family is doing reasonably well in C City. She married someone well-matched, and they live comfortably." When Tang Jiao Jiao spoke of her sister, her tone was as detached as if she were discussing a stranger, devoid of any emotion.
Although they were blood-related, the two had never gotten along since childhood.
Tang Se Se was sweet-tongued and good at charming people, while Tang Jiao Jiao disdained using such tactics to get what she wanted. Being the second child, Tang Jiao Jiao was always overlooked.
Even though her grades were better than her brother's and sister's, she never received praise even when she brought home awards. Her father, Tang, would deem her arrogant and overbearing and constantly suppress her. Her mother would always advise her to be more discreet, so as not to hurt the pride of her brother and sister.
They were all his children, yet their parents doted on the eldest son and the youngest daughter, completely disregarding her existence. Consequently, Tang Jiao Jiao developed a rebellious streak at a very young age.
Her parents wanted her to be obedient and sensible; she insisted on being unconventional. Her parents wanted her to study medicine; she insisted on majoring in business administration. In short, she did as she pleased.
Because of this, her relationship with her family grew increasingly strained, and she became known as the "unfilial daughter" in her parents' eyes.
Who wouldn't want to be cherished by their parents? Tang Jiao Jiao had once longed for it, but reality did not permit it.
Her memories brought her here, and Tang Jiao Jiao's expression became resolute once more.
She did not regret leaving that suffocating home.
Over the years, the Tang family had publicly disowned her and said many unpleasant things, but she could let it all go. After all, her heart had long been shattered into a thousand pieces.
Her relationship with Su Da Zhi had merely been the last straw.
Others thought she had been blinded by love, but only she knew that she had accumulated enough disappointment to leave without looking back. Since she had chosen to leave, she would never return.
Furthermore, the grudges between her and Tang Se Se could not be erased by a few words.
To win favor, Tang Se Se had learned to lie at a very young age.
"Mom, Sister stole my homework and got me in trouble with the teacher!"
"Mom, I saw Sister go into your room at noon..."
"Mom, I fell by accident, it's not Sister's fault!"
Such incidents were countless.
Tang Jiao Jiao was not magnanimous enough to forgive someone who repeatedly slandered her.
However, the other party seemed determined to see her.
Thus, three days later, one evening, Su Da Zhi's business partners arranged a gathering and insisted on bringing family members. Su Da Zhi then brought both Tang Jiao Jiao and Su He.
Somehow, the Tang family had managed to use their connections and also attended the same reception.
When the two parties encountered each other, Su Da Zhi instinctively looked at his wife beside him. "Perhaps we should leave?"
Tang Jiao Jiao pursed her lips and said, "Leaving now would make it seem like I'm afraid of them, wouldn't it?"
"But you don't like seeing them?" Su Da Zhi hesitated.
"Disliking them is one thing, running into them is another." Tang Jiao Jiao held her head high, ready for battle.
As expected, in the next second, the partner led those people over. "Old Su, let me introduce you..."
"No need for introductions, we know each other," Tang Se Se said, a smug smile pulling at her lips. "Long time no see, my dear sister."
"Miss Tang Se Se, although we share the same surname, please refrain from making baseless claims of kinship." Tang Jiao Jiao fiddled with the large diamond ring on her hand and adjusted her fluffy hair. "Besides, I look much younger than you. It really sounds unnatural to hear you call me sister!"
Over the years, Tang Jiao Jiao had been pampered by Su Da Zhi, and her appearance seemed to have stopped around the age of thirty. She indeed looked much younger than the scheming Tang Se Se.
The smile on Tang Se Se's lips faltered, and she almost ground her teeth. "I didn't expect you to still be so sharp-tongued after all these years."
"Alas, I'm out of practice. I'm rusty," Tang Jiao Jiao said with a sweet laugh, though her eyes held no mirth. "However, it's more than enough to deal with you."
When it came to arguments, she had never lost.
"Tang Jiao Jiao, watch your words." Tang Ren, unable to stand Tang Jiao Jiao's sarcasm any longer, stepped forward to scold her. "Se Se is your sister. How can you speak to your sister like that?"
"Whose sister?" Tang Jiao Jiao picked at her ear. "I'm an only child, where would I get a sister!"
"You!"
"Oh, and who is this gentleman? What gives you the right to boss me around?" Tang Jiao Jiao cast a cold glance at him, not taking him seriously at all.
This Tang Ren, relying on being the only boy in the family, had caused her no end of trouble.
Like Tang Se Se, he was equally detestable.
"I'm your brother!"
"Sorry, I don't have a brother who points fingers at me and yells the moment we meet!" Tang Jiao Jiao retorted unceremoniously.
"Jiao Jiao, don't be angry. If you get sick, no one can take care of you." Su Da Zhi, seeing her chest heaving, was afraid she would get overly upset and tried to soothe her gently. "If you don't want to see them, just have someone kick them out. No need to waste your breath."
"Who are you going to kick out? I'm a guest invited by Mr. Zhao!" Tang Ren had never acknowledged this brother-in-law before, and now he disliked him even more.
"Old Su, this... isn't quite right, is it?" Mr. Zhao, the partner, felt somewhat awkward seeing the tense situation.
"Our partnership ends here." Su Da Zhi already had many opinions about his partner. Now, with such disgusting people brought over, he had even less desire to continue the collaboration.
"I will handle the company shares as soon as possible. If you don't want the company to change its name, please buy back my shares at market price as soon as possible," Su Da Zhi said, then put his arm around Tang Jiao Jiao and turned to leave.
Su He: ...
She hadn't even had a chance to show off yet, and they were leaving?
However, her adoptive father's words were awesome!
A true domineering CEO!