184 184 A superficial mother-daughter relationship
Tan Rou nodded obediently. âDad, I understand. Iâll do as you say!â
Tan Song nodded solemnly and returned to his usual well-mannered self. He probably felt that he had lost his self-control just now and put on an act, saying, âYou must have wasted so much time on planning this. Did it affect your studies? How did you do in your exams?â
Tan Jingâs heart trembled, and she quickly replied, âI did pretty well. I wonât embarrass the Tan family!
Only then did Tan Song feel satisfied. âThatâs good. The Tan family canât be worse than others. If thatâs the case, what would it look like? If you donât have enough money, ask your mother for it. Work hard and donât cause me any trouble.â
Tan Jing nodded and agreed. âI know. I wonât do it again.â
Tan Song tidied up his suit and went to study and work without looking back.
He usually stayed at home in the study room and went to the office. He rarely ate at home. If the principal had not called him today, he would not have talked so much with his wife and daughter.
Unfortunately, Tan Song was the kind of person who wasnât born with any talent. Even if he looked very dedicated and busy, it was just an illusion. He did not have any achievements in his career and had been depending on the wealth that his father left behind. As time passed, he became more and more inferior, and he was unwilling to admit it. His inferiority complex made him conceited.
As soon as Tan Song left, the atmosphere in the living room finally relaxed a little.
Chen Yi and Tan Song had been married for many years, but they had long since become strangers who shared the same bed and had different dreams. For her, this husband was also very strange. They just took what they needed from each other.
Chen Yi was also a daughter of a rich family. When she married into the Tan family, she took a fancy to the past two generations of the Tan family, who had some skills, and thought that Tanâs song was also promising.
Although she was a little disappointed with Tan Song later, the good thing was that the elders left a lot of family property, and the company had a good foundation. As long as Tan Song did not lose his mind and mess around, they could still enjoy endless glory and wealth. Chen Yi was unconcerned about Tan Song and felt at ease as the madam from a wealthy family.
Chen Yi consoled Tan Jing, âYour father is doing this for your own good. He doesnât care much about the familyâs affairs, and heâs a little tough with his words. Donât be afraid.â
Tan Jing forced a smile. âHeâs my father. Why would I be afraid of him? Both of you are the most important people to me, and I want to be your good daughter forever.â
Tan Jing still had some lingering fears. This time, it was too risky. If she had not just had an idea and found an excuse to fool them, her parents might have abandoned her because she had caused trouble and was not as obedient as they had imagined. Then, all her efforts would have been in vain.
Tan Jing quickly acted coquettishly toward Chen Yi. âMom, you wonât blame me for this, right? Iâm really not a bad child; I was too impatient.â
Of course, Chen Yi would not really be angry with Tan Jing. Plus, Tan Jing had given a clear explanation of why she did such things. It was fine as long as Tan Song didnât think that Chen Yi didnât do a good job.
Chen Yi, as long as Tan Song did not have any opinions about her, was not willing to delve into what Tan Jing was thinking.
As long as Tan Jing was obedient and did not disobey her like Tan Rou, she was willing to be a loving mother. She would give Tan Jing the money that she deserved and occasionally show her concern. It was no different from raising a pet.
Chen Yi hugged Tan Jing. âOf course! I know that youâre not a bad child. Youâre different from that little traitor, Tan Rou. Youâre delicate and smart. We donât have to worry about your studies. Our daughter should be like you, unlike Tan Rou, whoâs rebellious. Iâve never liked her before. Itâs no surprise that she isnât my daughter.â
Tan Jing was relieved. Everything she had done was to protect her identity as the Tan familyâs daughter and to crush Tan Rou. She could not be careless in the future. If she did not destroy Tan Rou this time, there would be other chances in the future. If the Tan family was disappointed in her, that would be bad.
Tan Jing lay in Chen Yiâs arms and acted coquettishly, making Chen Yi laugh. She returned to the shallow mother-daughter relationship and no longer complained.
Tan Jing seemed to have thought of something and felt that this was the perfect time to do so. She pretended to ask casually, âMom, I remember dad working with a foreign hospital previously. There was a doctor called Peter. Is Dad still in contact with him?â
Chen Yi thought for a moment but didnât think of anyone. âI donât know. Why are you asking about this? Are you feeling sick?â
Tan Jing shook his head. âItâs not me⦠Itâs just the grandfather of a classmate of mine, and his health isnât very good. I was hoping to help him find a good doctor.â