"Oh, I know, didn't your sister say your brother-in-law would go with you? Mom doesn't know anything about this stuff. It's better if your brother-in-law goes—he can give you some useful advice. Plus, the school wants to talk to you and your brother-in-law about that incident," Shen Han said, looking at Wen Ting with a puzzled expression. Seeing Wen Ting's sour face, she frowned, clearly displeased.
The family was having a good time, but Wen Ting's attitude was such a buzzkill. It didn't just annoy Shen Han—Wen Wan and Little Lan were fed up too.
In the past, Wen Ting, spoiled and pampered by her mother, could get away with her sarcastic tantrums, and no one in the family would call her out. But now, Shen Han seemed increasingly fed up with her.
"Wen Ting, Mom has to work. She took leave yesterday—how can she take another day off? Isn't it fine with your brother-in-law going? You're being so dramatic," Little Lan said bluntly, glaring at Wen Ting with a hint of reproach.
"I want Mom to go with me! I don't want my brother-in-law!" Wen Ting insisted stubbornly, her face dark and hesitant.
"What's wrong with you, Wen Ting? Sulking first thing in the morning! The whole family's happy, and you're the only one throwing shade! I told you, I'm busy. The hospital's swamped, and I can't take two days off in a row—no one's covering for me! Isn't it better if your brother-in-law goes?" Shen Han snapped, her face stern as she scolded Wen Ting.
"I just don't want him to go! I want you to go! The school said a parent should come, and he's not my parent!" Wen Ting stood up, fuming, and stubbornly declared, "He bought you a car, and now he's your precious son? What about me, your real daughter? Don't I matter anymore?! People like him, always sucking up with ulterior motives—either crooks or thieves! You all treat him like a treasure now, but you'll regret it later!"
In her anger, Wen Ting lost her composure, directing her ire at Little Bin, her eyes burning with jealousy and wary hostility.
Her reaction startled Little Bin. This girl seemed fine yesterday—what was with her suddenly coming at him today? Was she onto something and planning to expose his true colors?
The thought sent a cold sweat down Little Bin's spine, his hands trembling as he scrambled to figure out how to handle it.
Slap!
Wen Ting's words infuriated Shen Han. She slammed her hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and shouted at Wen Ting, "Wen Ting! How dare you talk like that? I won't allow you to speak about your brother-in-law that way! Apologize to him right now! Immediately!"
"Wen Ting! How could you say that about your brother-in-law? What's he ever done to you? Why are you so weird about him?" Wen Wan chimed in, frowning and scolding her sister.
"Wen Ting, enough with the tantrums. What did your brother-in-law do to you? Why do you target him every time he's around? Mom used to coddle you, but she ain't gonna do that anymore. Heh, stop acting out," Little Lan mocked with a sarcastic edge.
"I said it, and I meant it! I don't like him! I don't want to go with him! Who knows what kind of shady thoughts he's got!" Wen Ting glared at Little Bin, starting to say more but stopping short, unable to voice her full thoughts.
Slap!
This time, Shen Han slapped Wen Ting across the face, pointing at her in a rage. "Enough, Wen Ting! I'm giving you one last chance—apologize to your brother-in-law now! Or get out of this house! I'll act like I never had a daughter like you!"
"Alright, alright, Mom, calm down!!" Seeing Shen Han actually hit Wen Ting, Little Bin panicked, terrified that Wen Ting, pushed too far, might blurt something out. He quickly stood, pulling Shen Han back to defuse the situation. "Wen Ting, if you don't want me to go, we'll have your sister take a day off to go with you. It's fine, it's fine."
"I know I haven't been great before, too much of a loser, and you look down on me—I get it. But I'll change, I promise. I'll make sure everyone's happy," Little Bin said earnestly, almost groveling.
His sincerity made Shen Han and Wen Wan, unaware of the full context, feel even worse for him. They thought Wen Ting was just being a brat, making a scene.
"Mom!! You—You hit me for him?!" Wen Ting clutched her face, tears streaming as she glared at Shen Han, nearly hysterical. "You hit me for an outsider? For someone like him?!"
Wen Ting hadn't adjusted to the new family dynamic. In the past, she could mock and belittle Little Bin in front of everyone, relying on her mother's favoritism, and no one would stand up for him.
But now, not only was Shen Han defending Little Bin at every turn, she'd even slapped her for him.
To Wen Ting, this was unthinkable, humiliating, and felt like her world was collapsing.