CHAPTER 205: 204: GAP (7TH UPDATE)

Zhao Guodong and a few others pursued them, and the people around them also tried to persuade them. Bai Xue also felt embarrassed, and only then did she get her daughter’s support to return home. As soon as they entered the house, Ye Qian shook off her mother and went into the living room, sitting at the table and starting to cry.

"Mom knows you were wronged, but you also know she’s heartless and aggressive. We can’t deal with her, so stay away from her in the future." Bai Xue advised her daughter.

Ye Qian raised her head angrily, "Mom, can you stop being so obvious in the future? Today, you acted without even asking, hitting people directly. What do the people in the compound think of you? What do they think of me? If you truly care about me, don’t do this anymore. Haven’t you noticed how they look at me? They must think I’m stirring trouble, excluding Ye Ling, which makes you dislike her. Otherwise, how could a real parent dislike her so much, hitting people regardless of right or wrong?"

Bai Xue’s hand paused mid-air while taking off her shoes, "Are you blaming me?"

Thinking of how she had focused all her energy on her younger daughter only to be blamed now, Bai Xue felt hurt. She decided not to take off her shoes, went straight into the living room, sat on a chair, and began to cry.

Ye Qian sobbed, "Shouldn’t I blame mom? Look at how good our family used to be. Since Ye Ling came back, mom doesn’t like her, but you don’t need to keep showing it. Now, how does the compound view our family? Hasn’t mom noticed that Liu Rui doesn’t come to our house as much anymore? Aunt Wu used to invite them over for meals often, but now they rarely come, let alone eat at our place. Look at the way the people in the compound look at our family—as if they’re seeing a monster. Hasn’t mom noticed?"

Ye Qian cried uncontrollably, "Mom, do you really want everyone to keep looking at our family like that? I know mom cares for me, but mom also needs to consider this for me. If this continues, others will only laugh at me. Even if I’m excellent, I won’t be liked. Now Ye Ling is going to take the college entrance exam, skipping grades. If she passes, everyone will praise her. The better she does, the more people will say mom is wrong. Hasn’t mom thought about this?"

Bai Xue stopped crying, sitting there stunned, listening to her daughter’s words.

Her heart seemed to flip upside down. Could it be that this family really seems so chaotic in her daughter’s eyes?

"Mom, I beg you, please don’t be impulsive anymore. No matter how unhappy you are, you must hold it in front of outsiders. If dad finds out about today’s incident, he will be unhappy too. Now dad doesn’t come home much anymore. Every time he does, he goes to the school first. If not for seeing my sister, I think dad wouldn’t come back to this house anymore." Ye Qian was truly heartbroken. Everything had been so good; why did it all change with Ye Ling’s appearance? It’s all Ye Ling’s fault. She doesn’t want this family to be well, doesn’t want them to live happily. Ye Qian really won’t let her have her way. She must do well, and she can’t fall into Ye Ling’s trap.

Listening to her daughter’s pleading, Bai Xue finally softened, and the previous anger dissipated. "Silly child, mom understands. I won’t be foolish anymore. Mom will definitely be better."

Ye Qian received her mother’s reply and finally managed a smile.

The Ye Family finally calmed down. Over at the Song Family, after Song Mei returned, she locked herself in her room. When Wang Danhong returned and knocked on the door, there was no response even after a while, so she cursed outside the door, "Song Mei, I’m telling you, today’s trouble was your own doing. You’re not a child; you should know what to say and what not to say. You’ve been spoiled by me and your father, acting like a spoiled brat, thinking you’re always right. I’m telling you, if you don’t learn to restrain your temper, more incidents like this will happen. Take a good look at yourself today."

"You’re still siding with outsiders. You say I’m wrong, then why do you talk behind my back?" Song Mei shouted discontentedly from inside the room.

Wang Danhong got increasingly angry, "Alright, alright, you say it well. From now on, I won’t care about you. Let’s see how good you can get."

After leaving those words, Wang Danhong stopped persuading, walked away infuriated back to her own room, without preparing a meal. Song Mei threw a tantrum until she felt hungry and came out of her room, seeing the kitchen empty, feeling even more wronged, turned back to the living room, and sat on the sofa crying again.

Wang Danhong ultimately couldn’t bear it and got up to prepare the meal. Song Mei realized she had upset her mother and softly admitted her mistake during dinner. The matter was finally settled.

Meanwhile, Ye Ling, who had left the compound, wandered aimlessly, feeling chaotic inside. Not knowing how long she wandered, she finally realized Zhao Guodong and a few others were following her when she calmed down.

"I think I’ve made some trouble with the compound. I won’t go back there to stay. Could you help me send my belongings back to school? I’m fine living in the dormitory, and I’ll be taking exams in a few days. Studying in the dormitory doesn’t disturb anyone, and it’s closer to school, convenient for the exams." Ye Ling was genuinely afraid that Zhao Guodong and the others would persuade her; that would make her feel even more embarrassed.

Today’s chaos in the compound, even if she was right, she still felt embarrassed and didn’t want to face those people anymore.

"Alright, we’ll send you back to school first, and then we’ll go get your belongings." Zhang Linong spoke straightforwardly, his usual mild smile gone from his face.

Ye Ling looked at him gratefully, "Thank you."

Zhao Guodong clenched his teeth, said nothing, followed behind, only taking Ye Ling to school before he and Zhang Linong and Wang Ping headed back. As they approached the compound, Zhao Guodong hardened his heart, "We can’t let this go."

"What do you want to do? Let’s talk after the exams, no rush now." Zhang Linong glanced toward the Song Family’s direction, "Come on, your grandma is waiting, let’s pack Ye Ling’s stuff and bring her some food."

Zhao Guodong, like a deflated balloon, entered the house listlessly. Mrs. Zhao saw only the three of them return, sighed, and turned to the kitchen, "I’ll pack the food. You three eat quickly, then take it to Lingzi."

Zhao Guodong looked at the table full of delicious dishes but felt tasteless for the first time. Whenever Ye Ling was in trouble, he could never help; this sense of helplessness frustrated him greatly. Similarly keeping silent, Zhang Linong also rarely turned serious. At any other time, he could show indifference to everything, but today’s incident stirred a rare anger in him. Yet he couldn’t do anything because for Ye Ling’s sake, he had to hold it in.

Wang Ping also felt today’s affair was frustrating, picking at his food. When they finally had Ye Ling’s things and left the house, the three of them didn’t speak a single word. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you’re welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)