CHAPTER 638: CHAPTER 627: VICIOUS VILLAIN

Seeing Ye Qiu’s face filled with resentment, reluctance, and disappointment, both Jiang Hongcai and Jiang Yi’s expressions changed instantly.

"What nonsense are you talking about, child? Nobody in this house can’t accommodate you. As for you doing household chores before, that indeed was my negligence. You are a student; your focus should naturally be on your studies. You should not involve yourself in these matters from now on." Jiang Hongcai hurriedly put on a kind face and said to Ye Qiu.

As he spoke, he then reprimanded Luo Sitian in a scolding tone: "I’m always so busy with the company that I haven’t paid much attention to the household matters. You, as a mother, are too careless. From now on, I’ll take care of Ye Qiu’s pocket money, which will be the same amount as the second child."

"I..." Luo Sitian was at a loss for words, her face turning even uglier after Jiang Hongcai’s rebuke, and then she redirected her anger towards Ye Qiu.

If it weren’t for this daughter who acts like she’s here to collect a debt, would she be in such an embarrassing situation as she is now? Couldn’t she discuss any dissatisfaction with her in private? Why point it out in front of everyone? Can’t she be considerate of her situation as a mother? Does she realize how difficult it is for her in this family?

When she first married Jiang Hongcai, she was just a widow with a child, while Jiang Hongcai was already a big company boss. How could she hold her head high in this family if she wasn’t careful? Would Jiang Hongcai tolerate this stepdaughter if she didn’t make her do household chores?

All she did was for whom? Wasn’t it all for Ye Qiu, this daughter?

All she knows is to accuse her of treating her unfairly, but why does a young girl need so many clothes? Can she compare to Jiang Hongcai’s own children?

But Luo Sitian herself never considered, if she didn’t want to live so cautiously, she could have easily chosen not to marry at all! Ye Qiu’s father had left them a house and compensation, and with a bit of her own effort, mother and daughter could have lived well. Claiming it’s all for her daughter, isn’t it her own greed for wealth?

"No need." Ye Qiu spoke up to refuse Jiang Hongcai’s insincere kindness, "I have hands of my own, I can earn money myself. Actually, speaking of which, my dad did leave a sum of compensation money. Mom, I can do without that money, but could that small house of dad’s be transferred to my name?"

At this moment, Jiang Yi came over with a smile, trying to touch Ye Qiu’s head, but she dodged away. He wasn’t embarrassed and continued to look at her with a concerned expression: "What’s wrong? Are you unhappy living in this family? It’s big brother’s negligence. Would you consider staying on? Besides, the police wouldn’t agree to a minor like you moving out to live on your own. Also, didn’t we agree to tutor you from now on?"

At the mention of tutoring Ye Qiu, Jiang Cheng suddenly turned his head, his lips tightly pursed, his eyes seemed a bit aggrieved.

As if saying, wasn’t it agreed that he would do the tutoring?

Ye Qiu, with her keen senses, even without looking, sensed this and a hint of a fake smile appeared on her face: "I thought big brother was joking, after all, big brother is very busy every day, isn’t he? Moreover, my grades are not good, if I were to affect big brother’s studies, Uncle Jiang would blame me."

Jiang Hongcai remained silent; for him, only his son Jiang Yi was the most important. The things he said before were just for show. Let his eldest son tutor his stepdaughter? He would never allow it. He could not let his son’s grades drop by a fraction.

"How about this, uncle will pay for you to go to a tutoring class, having professional teachers instruct you would surely be better," Jiang Hongcai spoke.

Luo Sitian hurriedly glared at Ye Qiu: "Aren’t you going to thank your Uncle Jiang?"

"No need, Second Brother already promised to tutor me," Ye Qiu flatly refused, then chuckled lightly, "Uncle Jiang also doesn’t need to worry about me saying anything outside. I just want what my dad left for me; is that not allowed?"

Jiang Hongcai pondered, "Of course, everything your dad left behind is yours, but you have to promise Uncle that you won’t talk about moving out to live on your own anymore."

"Thank you, Uncle Jiang." Ye Qiu hurriedly smiled and apologized. She didn’t necessarily need that little house, but she felt that Luo Sitian no longer deserved to have what her dad left behind.

"Did you say Xiao Cheng is tutoring you?" Jiang Yi, standing aside, focused on something different, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief.

Jiang Hongcai, impatient and disdainful, looked at his second son: "What can he tutor you when he’s idling away his days? How about this, you both attend a tutoring class to avoid him hanging out with those shady friends and going to indecent places every day."

"My friends aren’t shady people," Jiang Cheng said with a sullen voice, having kept silent until now.

Jiang Hongcai, infuriated by the backtalk, burst out: "Still denying they’re shady? Look at the places you go. Which of them is appropriate for a student? Coming back so late every day, what do you say you’ve been doing? And you’re leading your stepsister astray too."

"Uncle Jiang, could you be misunderstanding something? Second Brother hasn’t led me astray!" Ye Qiu said, looking very innocent.

"Still saying he hasn’t? Then why do you both come back so late every day?"

"Hasn’t Uncle Jiang been very busy lately? How would you know what time we come back?" Ye Qiu glanced at Jiang Yi, "Did Big Brother tell you?"

Jiang Yi’s expression remained unchanged, "Big Brother is concerned about you. Even though you and Ah Cheng are siblings, you’re not blood-related after all. Big Brother is just afraid you might go astray."

"Go astray? What path? Are you afraid we’re dating?" Ye Qiu snorted derisively, "Does Big Brother have any evidence when he says these things?"

"Evidence, what more do you want? Haven’t we clearly seen you both come back so late together? Your Big Brother also said that every night, if you’re not cooking for Jiang Cheng, you’re bringing food to him, and you, as a girl, doing these things for a man, doesn’t it warrant suspicion? Furthermore, your Big Brother said that only Jiang Cheng could eat those meals you brought, not anyone else. So, what exactly are you trying to do? Can’t you have a shred of decency?" Luo Sitian pointed at Ye Qiu’s nose and scolded.

"Couldn’t you have listened to my explanation before accusing me like this? Even if I’m just an add-on to the family, you can’t just label me with such disgrace! Mom, do you know? I really don’t like being your daughter, perhaps only Miaomiao is truly your daughter!" Ye Qiu stated emotionlessly.

Luo Sitian felt a twinge in her heart; in truth, she had some regrets about what she’d said. But if she didn’t blame Ye Qiu, could she blame her husband’s son?

But the words Ye Qiu said next sent a chill through her, what did it mean she didn’t want to be her own daughter? Did it imply she was unfit as a mother? She was already the stepmother of her husband’s two sons, a position that was difficult enough; couldn’t she receive a bit of understanding?

And, as a girl coming back home in the middle of the night with her stepbrother, isn’t she, as a mother, entitled to ask a few questions?