In the study, Shi Sheng stood in the middle of the room while Father Bei sat in the office chair behind his desk. He spoke to her as if dealing with an official matter.
“You’re already all grown up, so we can’t control you. However, since we’ve provided you with a generous upbringing and a good education, as a child of the Bei family you should properly do your duties for the good of the family...”
Shi Sheng quietly listened to Father Bei’s spiel.
“...The Gao Family has intentions of creating ties with us through marriage. Since you are the Bei Family’s only girl, once you’ve graduated you will be engaged to the third son of the Gao Family.”
He finally got to the point. The third son of the Gao Family was Gao Anlang.“Don’t tell me you don’t know what kind of person Gao Anlang is? You’re planning on pushing me into a hellhole?”
‘Gao Anlang is lucky to still be alive! The ancients weren’t lying when they said disasters are hard to get rid of!’
Her calm response was out of Father Bei’s expectations. He had thought she’d throw a tantrum; who knew she’d simply calmly ask a question in reply?
“The Bei Family is facing a crisis. A child should naturally help her parents shoulder some of the burden. Bei Zhi ah, Anlang that kid is just a bit playful. It’s only because he’s young; it’ll get better.”
‘Playful? Are you sure that’s just playful?! He’s playing with lives!’
“And if I refuse?”
“Bei Zhi, what right do you have to refuse?!” Father Bei flew into a rage. “The Bei Family has given you food to eat, clothes to wear, and a life others could only dream of! What right do you have to refuse?!”“Based on... the fact that I’m not your daughter.” Shi Sheng looked at him with a fake smile.
Father Bei’s expression changed. “Wha- what are bullshit are you spouting?! Bei Zhi, you’re getting worse and worse if you’re saying things like this!”
“I’m spouting bullshit? Then why haven’t you guys shown any concern towards this ‘daughter’ of yours? So you’ve given me a generous upbringing. What else have you provided besides that?”
Father Bei’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but everything he thought of sounded too unconvincing.
It was true that the only thing they had provided her was material wealth. But she wasn’t their child, so wasn’t that enough?
“Nothing to say?”
“Even if you’re not our child, we’ve raised you for so many years! Could it be that you refuse to repay us?!” Father Bei decided not to keep up the act.
“Repay you?” Shi Sheng blinked before unhurriedly speaking, “17 years in total. Every month you give me 10 thousand for pocket money. In total, that’s 2.04 million. As for all the other expenses, I wager they’re around 3 million or so. I’ll just give 10 million, is that enough?”
Father Bei frowned as he looked at Shi Sheng. He didn’t understand what she meant. Shi Sheng took out a cheque book from her bag and filled it out before slapping it in front of Father Bei.
“Here’s 10 million. From now on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other.”
“Where did you get so much money?” The first thing Father Bei thought was that it was impossible for Bei Zhi to have so much money. Her calculations hadn’t been wrong; in fact, it had been more than enough. The amount they had spent on her hadn’t exceeded RMB10 million...
“I shan’t trouble Mr Bei to wonder about that.” Shi Sheng withdrew her hand and spoke leisurely, “The reason why you guys adopted me back then was for the sake of your son. Now that he’s perfectly fine and healthy, it’s time for me to leave. If you don’t want things to get ugly, I suggest you return my resident card1 to me.”
Waves surged in Father Bei’s heart. ‘How did she find out?! She even knows why we adopted her...’
For the first time, Father Bei properly examined this adopted daughter of his who he had always ignored.
Though she stood there unassumingly, there was a sharp opposing aura on her that made one unable to ignore her. Her lips curved into a smile, an endlessly mocking one.
But those eyes were clear and bright yet without the slightest ripple, causing one’s heart to be filled with coldness.
Father Bei took a deep breath. “You are our Bei Family’s daughter, after all. How can you break off relations just like that?”
“Then what do you want?”
“Fulfill the marriage alliance with the Gao Family. Then you won’t have any more ties with my Bei Family.”
Shi Sheng, “...” ‘This guy is crazy, right?’
Shi Sheng looked at Father Bei like he was cuckoo. “Mr Bei, do you really think everyone but you is a pig? Why should I step foot into what is clearly a hellhole?”
“This is the only way for you to leave the Bei household!” Father Bei’s attitude turned harsh. Since she already knew, then he wouldn’t have to worry about civilities. If she could give the Bei Family more benefits before she left, it would mean they hadn’t raised her in vain for so long.
Shi Sheng gave a scoffing laugh and picked the cheque on the table back up. “Since we can’t come to an agreement, I supposed I’ll have to use my own way then.”
“Bei Zhi, don’t be too cocky! Even if you suck up to the Fu Family, do you think they’ll offend the Gao Family for you?! You’re nothing without the Bei Family!”
‘There’s no connection between me(bbb) and the Fu Family! Don’t try and play matchmaker!’
“So I’m cocky, kill me!” Shi Sheng lifted the cheque in her hand. “Mr Bei, I hope the next time we meet, you’re just as... sensible.”
Father Bei was angered by Shi Sheng’s arrogance. He picked up an object on the table and flung it at her. “Ingrate! If it wasn’t for us, you’d have died long ago!”
“That’s right, if not for me, your son would’ve died long ago too.” Shi Sheng replied lightly.
Father Bei was rendered speechless. Back then, Bei Ze’s condition had been terrible. They had tried everything to no effect. Yet he showed signs of getting better after bringing Bei Zhi back. He hadn’t even used that much medicine.
......
Shi Sheng packed up her stuff and left the Bei Family mansion. She hadn’t taken any of Bei Zhi’s possessions, only a few of the stuff that truly belonged to her, so there wasn’t much in her bags.
Standing outside the mansion, Shi Sheng turned to look back at it. She hadn’t planned on dealing with the Bei Family before. After all, she was lazy.
But Father Bei had crossed a line that he shouldn’t have and arranged a marriage between her and Gao Anlang.
After leaving the mansion district, Shi Sheng moved over to a small neighbourhood near the academy. She had bought this apartment early on. She had planned on leaving the Bei Family mansion from the start, she just hadn’t found an opportunity to move out earlier.
The apartment was already furnished so she could move in with her luggage.
The next day, Shi Sheng went to buy flaky lotus cakes for Fu Qin before leisurely taking a taxi to school. Because of the matter at Mt. Shaoyang, school had been suspended for a week and only reopened today.
“Xiaozhi, Xiaozhi! Over here!” Lin Yin was standing at the gates, waving at Shi Sheng.
Shi Sheng walked over and propped up Lin Yin’s chin, a wicked smile on her face as she spoke, “Hey beautiful. You’ve gotten prettier today as well. I’m feeling tempted.”
Her movements were fluid and completed in one breath. Her posture was elegant and her every movement contained an inherent nobility, allowing the onlookers to enjoy a feast for the eyes.
Lin Yin blushed with an embarrassed expression. “Xiaozhi, can you stop teasing me?”
Every time Shi Sheng teased her, Lin Yin would find her particularly handsome. Handsome enough to want to make monkeys with her2.
And from the low gasps by the surrounding girls, it was clear she wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
Charming Sheng gave her a slight smile. “Who told you to be so beautiful? I can’t control myself.”
Lin Yin swooned.
