Didn't you see the master's face had changed? Hurry up and change the subject, "It's rare for the family to be reunited today. I specifically ordered the kitchen to prepare a rich lunch, all of everyone's favorites."
Bai Tianpeng was silent for a moment before instructing the servants to serve the meal. As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere immediately livened up.
At the dining table, Bai Shuxue was unusually quiet for the first time. She was a lively and cheerful person, somewhat willful and spoiled by Madam Bai and her brother.
The first time she learned she wasn't born to them was when Old Master Bai told her. Her mind went blank, and she didn't know how to react. Suddenly, she understood why her father had always been indifferent to her, no matter how well she behaved.
For many days afterward, the Bai couple and Bai Shuming engaged in heated discussions about how to arrange the positions of the two daughters.
To be honest, she was terrified at the time. After all, Old Master Bai had clearly told her that she had been sold to him by a rural couple. She had lived a life of luxury for over a decade. If she were to be sent back to the countryside, it would be no different from death.
As a result, she fell ill from worry, which also involved her own little scheme to make them pity her. For two days, she couldn't eat anything and lost a lot of weight.
On the first day she refused to eat, Madam Bai came to comfort her, telling her not to overthink things. She cried miserably, recalling every moment she had spent with her mother, gaining a wave of sympathy.
On the second day, when she still refused to eat, Madam Bai couldn't bear to see her in such a weakened state. After all, she was someone she had doted on since childhood. She immediately assured Bai Shuxue that no matter what, she would always be Miss Bai.
Honestly, when she received her mother's assurance, she felt relieved. As long as she could stay with the Bai family, she believed she could win the affection of her parents. After all, she had been with them for over a decade and had developed feelings, whereas the other girl, despite being their biological daughter, had lacked those feelings for so many years, which couldn't be compensated for in a short time.
She originally thought that the other girl, having grown up in the countryside, would be very rustic and unrefined. However, the first time she saw her, she knew she was wrong. Some people were naturally noble. Her heart was filled with a sense of crisis, and she had been staring at Bai Shuxue since she entered.
Not only her, but everyone was paying attention to Wu Caiwei's every move from time to time. Although her dining etiquette wasn't perfect, she possessed a unique charm that was pleasing to the eye. This completely exceeded Old Master Bai's expectations, and he couldn't help but silently nod in approval of this daughter.
After lunch, Old Master Bai did not leave as usual. Instead, he instructed Wu Caiwei, "This is your home. If you encounter any problems, you can go to your mother or the housekeeper, or you can come to me. No matter what others think, you are very important to me. Otherwise, how could I have persevered in searching for so many years? Also, I think it's time to add you to the family tree. After all, you are our Bai family's legitimate eldest daughter."
"Master, what do you mean by that? Shuxue has been in our family for so many years. Even if she hasn't made any contributions, she has endured hardships," Madam Bai couldn't help but interject as soon as he finished speaking, her face full of disapproval.
"Her biological parents are that rural couple. If I hadn't brought her back, where would she have gone? Why do you speak as if I should be grateful to her?" Old Master Bai asked somewhat angrily. In his eyes, his wife was being unreasonable about this matter.
"But the affection of over a decade isn't fake. Since we made a mistake back then, shouldn't we continue to make that mistake?" She disagreed when the master said he would bring his biological daughter back a while ago. In her opinion, what could a child raised in the countryside bring to the table? She would surely be ridiculed when they went out and socialized.
"My Bai family's children are not allowed to be abandoned outside. In the past, if you had such thoughts, I only thought you hadn't thought it through. Now it seems you haven't thought it through, but rather you don't want to acknowledge her from the bottom of your heart. From now on, all her affairs will be managed by the housekeeper or me. You don't need to interfere." In recent years, his relationship with his wife had deteriorated, and this incident today had completely disappointed him.
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Bai Shuxue quickly signaled to Bai Shuming. Although Bai Shuming was also unhappy with Wu Caiwei's appearance, he didn't want to add fuel to the fire at this moment.
"Please calm down, Father and Mother. It's only the first day for sister, and already the family is at odds. Don't scare her," Bai Shuming said. As soon as he spoke, Wu Caiwei inwardly sneered. This was the original owner's biological brother, who had almost explicitly told her that her arrival had caused discord in the family.
"From now on, if you have any needs, just tell me directly, Father. When I'm not here, you can also find the housekeeper. By the way, how about I change your name to Bai Yulan? Because you were called Lin Lan before, I want to keep the character 'Lan' for you as a memento," Old Master Bai tentatively looked at his daughter.
"I like it very much, thank you, Father. Also, I want to learn to read and write. Please trouble Father to find a female tutor for me," Wu Caiwei said, accepting it well. After all, the original owner had also been called this name before, and she was mentally prepared.
Old Master Bai was overjoyed to hear that his daughter was eager to learn, "This is a small matter. It's good to read and write. I'm also planning to find you a good governess. You can learn the rules from her, and as long as you don't make major mistakes, it will be fine."
The father and daughter began to chat as if no one else was there. Although Wu Caiwei knew everything, she had to start learning from the basics to avoid suspicion.
This meal ended with the father and daughter conversing happily, while Madam Bai and her children remained sulky.
A couple of days later, Old Master Bai took Wu Caiwei to register her in the family tree, changing the name of the eldest daughter of the Bai family to hers. Bai Shuxue was only listed as the second daughter of the Bai family in the genealogy.
Upon hearing the news, Bai Shuxue vented her anger fiercely. Afterward, the housekeeper had to replace quite a few porcelain items, and even the maids in her courtyard had red marks on their faces, clearly having been slapped.
For the next period, Wu Caiwei lived a very fulfilling life, studying calligraphy in the morning and learning etiquette in the afternoon.
At first, she was a little rusty, but gradually the governess and tutor constantly praised her in front of Old Master Bai, marveling at her talent. She could learn anything perfectly after just one try. Old Master Bai couldn't help but sigh, wishing she were a son, as the Bai family would surely reach new heights under her leadership.
Wu Caiwei did not forget the original owner's wishes. She visited her father from time to time, sometimes chatting about family matters, sometimes about outside affairs. Most of the time, her father spoke, and Wu Caiwei listened attentively, occasionally expressing her own opinions.
With each additional interaction with his daughter, he became prouder, feeling that she was indeed his daughter and understood everything.
Every time Wu Caiwei saw her father, she looked at him with a regretful expression, knowing what he was thinking. If it were something else, she might have found a way to satisfy him, but this matter was irreversible.
Madam Bai and Bai Shuxue saw that the relationship between Old Master Bai and Bai Yulan was getting better and better. They felt that if this continued, it wouldn't be good and were getting anxious.