Su Ye arrived, a thin and small figure, with hardly any flesh on her face, making her eyes appear even bigger and brighter. Her face showed unease in this unfamiliar environment, and her clothes were washed white by water.

I thought of the soft and delicate Liu Xuanxuan, and my heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle. She could have lived a carefree life like Liu Xuanxuan.

At some point, Liu Xuanxuan stood at the staircase, looking down at Su Ye with disdain and said with a sharp tone, "Mom, is she a beggar? How come anyone can come to our house?"

The anger in my heart was about to burst, but before I had a chance to react, I heard a crisp sound near my ear. Liu Jingliang directly slapped Liu Xuanxuan:

"Liu Xuanxuan! Who taught you to speak like that!"

"Dad..." Liu Xuanxuan covered her face in disbelief and ran upstairs with tears in her eyes.

The light in Su Ye's eyes dimmed, and a trace of embarrassment appeared on Zheng Jie's face. I took the initiative to hold Su Ye's hand. She was only fifteen years old, but her hands were calloused.

"Auntie apologizes on behalf of Xuanxuan. Just stay here and study with peace of mind. Don't feel distant from Auntie, okay?"

This voice, this person connected to my bloodline, I hadn't seen her in fifteen years.

"Thank you, Auntie." Her voice was timid, but she looked up at me with a sincere smile.

Liu Jingliang came down and calmly observed between me and Su Ye. His expression was a bit unpleasant because Su Ye's face resembled me when I was young.

I nudged Liu Jingliang and said, "Go check on Xuanxuan. You hit her so hard just now, she must be feeling upset."

Anyway, he felt uneasy being here. Since he was pretending to be kind in front of me, he didn't care about the daughter I gave birth to. It would be better to go upstairs and comfort his daughter, whom he cared about.

Liu Jingliang pretended to suddenly realize and repeatedly praised my thoughtfulness, but his departing figure was filled with anxiety.

I led Su Ye to a small room at the end of the corridor, where I personally chose the facilities and bedding.

Su Ye turned around and bowed to me, saying, "Auntie, thank you. You've gone to great trouble."

I raised my hand and touched her soft hair, almost unable to hold back my tears.

I really wanted to give her the best, but it's not possible now. If Liu Jingliang could tamper with my brakes, it meant he wasn't a good person. I couldn't let him harm my daughter.

What I can do now is to treat Liu Jingliang and Liu Xuanxuan as I did before, allowing them to relax their guard. Only then can I catch them off guard.

Calm down and think about it. I treated Liu Xuanxuan harshly this morning because I lost my rationality.

I cut some fruits and made a fruit platter, then went upstairs to find Liu Xuanxuan. The result of my actions in my previous life was indeed disheartening, but if I guide her properly, I don't want to go to extremes. After all, I have invested so much love and effort in her over the years.

Her room door was closed, and faint voices could be heard. I inexplicably leaned closer to listen:

"Control your temper and don't confront Su Ye."

"Dad, I can't accept it!"

"Even if you can't accept it, you have to endure it. For the future of you and your mom..."

"I'll try my best. Su Ye better not try to snatch things from me, otherwise, I won't show mercy."

"She can't snatch anything from you. Now you are Fang Tan's daughter, but she's not! When that old man in the company is gone, our family will reunite, and everything will belong to our Liu family. I'll leave everything to you."

My hand clenched into a fist, trembling uncontrollably. My nails dug into my flesh, leaving deep marks. They were not only plotting against me, but they also wanted to harm my father! And I didn't even notice anything.

Allof a sudden, the door creaked open, and Liu Xuanxuan stood there, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

"Mom, why are you here?" she asked, wiping away her tears.

I forced a smile and held out the fruit platter. "I brought some fruits for you, Xuanxuan. Let's sit down and talk."

Reluctantly, she stepped aside and let me into her room. We sat on the edge of her bed, and I handed her a tissue to wipe her tears.

"Xuanxuan, I know you're upset about Su Ye's arrival. But please understand, she's your sister. She's also my daughter," I said gently, trying to keep my emotions in check.

Liu Xuanxuan looked at me with a mix of anger and sadness. "Mom, how could you hide this from me? How could you have another daughter? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Xuanxuan. It wasn't easy for me to make this decision. I had my reasons, but I never wanted to hurt you," I explained, my voice filled with remorse.

She sniffled and looked down at her hands. "But why does she get to live with us now? Why does she get everything?"

I reached out and held her hands, trying to comfort her. "Xuanxuan, I understand that it's difficult for you to accept this all at once. But Su Ye is still your sister, and she deserves a chance to be part of our family. I hope you can find it in your heart to accept her."

Liu Xuanxuan pulled her hands away and looked at me defiantly. "I can't, Mom. I can't accept her. She's a stranger to me."

I sighed, feeling a pang of sadness. "Xuanxuan, family is not just about blood. It's about love and support. Su Ye needs us, and I hope you can find it in your heart to show her kindness. Maybe with time, you'll grow closer and develop a sisterly bond."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I can't, Mom. I can't pretend to be happy about this. I don't want her here."

I reached out and gently touched her cheek. "Xuanxuan, I know it's not easy, but I hope you can try. For my sake, for our family's sake. I love you both, and I want us to be a united family."

Liu Xuanxuan looked at me, her eyes filled with conflicting emotions. After a moment of silence, she nodded slowly. "Okay, Mom. I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

I smiled, relieved that she was willing to give it a chance. "Thank you, Xuanxuan. That's all I ask for. Just give it a try."

We sat there for a while, talking and wiping away tears. Although the road ahead wouldn't be easy, I hoped that with time and patience, we could build a stronger and more loving family together.