Turning icy, Li Beinian got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

  Li Xueqing was rather frightened by Li Beinian’s reaction.

  She took a step back reflexively, but almost immediately remembered that she was in her own house. Her boldness returned.

  Li Beinian walked forward and reached out to retrieve her belongings.

  Li Xueqing took a step back and looked at her in surprise, asking, “Nian Nian, what are you doing?”

  Li Beinian’s expression darkened. “Give it back!”

  His tone was cold and hostile.

  The warning caused Li Xueqing to stiffen visibly.

  Looking aggrieved, Li Xueqing retreated a few steps to stand behind Li Haoran. “Why are you so aggressive? I’m just taking a look. Anyway, this suit is a birthday gift for Dad!”

  As she spoke, she reached out to open the box.

  Li Beinian reacted quickly, shouting, “No it’s not, give it back!”

  Li Xueqing turned around and lifted the lid of the gift box.

  However, before she could even see the color of the suit, a hand gripped her shoulder firmly.

  Li Xueqing held onto the box tightly, grabbing the thin layer of packaging paper inside.

  But before she could tear it open, a voice called out, “Nian Nian!”

  It was Li Haoran’s voice.

  Before Li Xueqing could react, she felt someone grab her.

  Li Xueqing gasped subconsciously as her body was pulled back.

  The box that she was carrying was snatched right out of her arms.

  Li Xueqing’s eyes flashed as she looked at Li Beinian’s anxious expression.

  She reached out and gave the bottom of the box a knock. The luxurious package tipped over.

  Li Beinian was taken by surprise and immediately tried to protect the suit inside.

  Fortunately, the box righted and the suit neatly slipped back into the box.

  At the same time, a shriek came from behind.

  “Ah!”

  Li Beinian turned, and saw that Li Xueqing had already fallen to the ground. Her head hit the ground with a dull thud.

  Li Beinian was stunned. When she composed herself again, she heard Li Haoran calling out anxiously, “Xueqing!”

  Li Haoran rushed forward to help Li Xueqing up, immediately, another voice was heard.

  It was Fang Zhili!

  “Xueqing!” Fang Zhili ran up to them, looking very anxious.

  Li Xueqing seemed to be in a daze. She laid on the ground with her eyes wide open and stared blankly at Li Haoran.

  \r \r \r

  Li Haoran was shocked and shook her frantically, calling out, “Xueqing?”

  Li Xueqing sat up with some help and looked around before bursting into tears.

  Fang Zhili had also come up to them by this time. Seeing what had happened, she cried out, “How did this happen? It’s your father’s birthday today. No matter how much you hate Xueqing, can’t you just bear with it. My poor daughter……”

  Li Haoran was furious as he surveyed this scene.

  He stood up, strode towards Li Beinian, and raised his hand, aiming it at her face.

  Li Beinian’s eyes were as cold as ice. She looked at his raised palm.

  Bam!

  A heavy blow landed on the box in Li Beinian’s hand.

  Following the dull sound, a palm-shaped dent appeared on the luxurious hard paper box.

  When Li Beinian saw the hand print, her heart sank.

  It wasn’t hard to imagine how Li Beinian would look now, if this slap were to have landed on her face.

  “Enough!” Old Master Li shouted. “How unbecoming!”

  As he spoke, he walked towards Li Haoran and gave him a forceful shove.

  “Dad, you’re too biased!” Fang Zhili cried. “You saw it too. Nian Nian pushed Xueqing onto the ground. She hit her so hard. I wonder if she has a concussion. My poor daughter……”

  As though confirming Fang Zhili’s words, Li Xueqing wailed even louder.

  Li Haoran barked angrily, “Father, don’t spoil her!”

  Fang Zhili wiped her tears and held onto Li Xueqing, feeling heartbroken. She shouted, “If you can do such a thing in our presence, who knows what you will do when we’re not around!”

  These words made Li Haoran even more certain that he had to teach Li Beinian a lesson.

  To everyone’s surprise, Li Beinian suddenly laughed.

  She looked at everyone coldly and said steadily, “I didn’t.”

  Li Xueqing cried and said, “Are you saying that I fell down myself?”

  Li Beinian looked at Li Xueqing expressionlessly and pursed her lips. “You know how you fell.”

  “We all saw it, and you’re still trying to deny it!” Fang Zhili helped Li Xueqing to her feet and continued, “Xueqing was just joking with you, yet you hit her so hard…… What good would it have done you, if something happened to her!”

  “It’s just a piece of clothing.” Li Xueqing was full of grievance and cried pitifully. “Either way, you’d have given it to Dad anyway. What’s wrong with us taking a look? Isn’t this for Dad?”

  “You’re right, it really isn’t.” Li Beinian put the suit away, and eyed the people coldly.

  She glanced at Li Haoran, Fang Zhili, and Li Xueqing.

  This was the real family of three.

  Li Beinian pursed her lips and smiled. However, there wasn’t a hint of that smile in her eyes. It was as though there was a layer of bone-chilling frost in that expression.

  Finally, her eyes rested on Li Haoran and she said icily, “Firstly, I didn’t push her. I just happened to be between you and her when she fell.”

  Fang Zhili was furious. “Are you saying that Xueqing framed you?”

  “Whether she did or not is your own opinion.” Li Beinian looked at them indifferently and said slowly, “As for your opinion of me, I really can’t care less.”

  Although she said this, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of sadness.

  Even though her eyes had started stinging, her expression was calm as she stared at Li Haoran and continued, “Secondly, you don’t seem like a father to me at all, apart from contributing a sperm for my birth. I only came here today because Grandpa wanted me to. It has nothing to do with you.”

  When Li Xueqing heard this, her crying gradually faded.

  Fang Zhili was shocked to hear this. She turned to look at Li Beinian, secretly overjoyed.

  Was she…… trying to cut ties with Li Haoran?

  At the thought of this, the two women became excited as their hopes were raised.

  They exchanged a look of joyful surprise.

  However, they quickly restrained themselves.

  His eyelids twitching. Old Master Li turned to look at Li Beinian. “Nian Nian, what are you saying? Shush!”

  “I’ve had enough.” Li Beinian was expressionless. Her cold gaze swept past Fang Zhili, Li Xueqing, and even Li Haoran.

  She didn’t seem to be looking at her family, but…… her enemies.

  Li Haoran’s anger vanished and he returned to his senses. Staring at his daughter, he felt as if his heart had been stabbed.

  Old Master Li knew Li Beinian very well. When he heard this, he immediately pulled the girl back and said, “Nian Nian, Grandpa believes you. Grandpa saw. You didn’t push her.”

  Li Beinian lowered her eyes and whispered, “Thank you, Grandpa.”

  His voice was faint, it was difficult to tell what she was feeling.

  Li Haoran was suddenly overwhelmed by inexplicable emotions.

  As he looked at his daughter, she was familiar yet like a stranger. All sorts of feelings welled up in his heart.

  Li Beinian looked up and smiled politely at Li Haoran. “Sorry, please wait a moment.”

  Her smile was pretty, but the expression in her eyes was as though she was looking at an enemy, making the man feel downright uncomfortable.

  It was too polite, too cordial, like she was addressing a stranger.

  Li Haoran suddenly panicked and said, “Nian Nian……”

  Li Beinian ignored him. She held the box in her hands and opened the car door.

  She placed the suit back in the car, and then took out a small gift box that she had prepared.

  Standing in front of Li Haoran, she smiled politely and gracefully as she said, “Happy birthday, Mr. Li.”

  Li Haoran’s heart ached and he hollered angrily, “What Mr. Li? I’m your father!”

  Old Master Li, too, had a bad feeling about this and called out, “Nian Nian!”

  Li Beinian felt a lump in her throat, but she maintained her composure and said, “I’ll take my leave now, Grandpa. Have fun.”

  Old Master Li stood in front of Li Beinian’s car and said with a sullen expression, “Are you trying to anger your grandpa to death? Don’t say such silly things to me, come back here now!”

  As he spoke, he reached out to push Li Beinian towards the house. “It’s your father’s birthday today. Grandpa believes that it’s not you. You’re not a child anymore. You’re being too insensible, saying things like that to hurt your father over such a small matter.”

  Li Beinian was unmoved and looked at Old Master Li coldly. “I’m sorry, Grandpa.”

  As she spoke, she tried to pull away from Old Master Li.

  However, Old Master Li wouldn’t give in. He pulled a sullen expression and said, “Are you not going to give me face now?”

  As Old Master Li spoke, he glanced at Li Haoran and hollered, “You’re really muddle-headed. It was obviously Xueqing who snatched Nian Nian’s belongings and then fell down on her own accord. Yet, you blamed Nian Nian! Those who didn’t know any better would have thought that Xueqing was your biological daughter and Nian Nian was brought here by someone else!”

  His words were like a wake-up call for Li Haoran.

  The man finally realized that he was in the wrong.

  Seeing that things were not going well, Fang Zhili quickly raised her voice and said, “Dad, what are you saying? Xueqing and Haoran are father and daughter. She even personally baked Haoran a birthday cake. What did Nian Nian do? Haoran was so happy because she was coming back today, but in the end, she called him ‘Mr. Li ‘. The whole time, she didn’t even address her own father. Furthermore, it’s only a suit, and she can’t even bear to give it to her father……”

  The more Fang Zhili spoke, the closer she got to tears. “What has Haoran done to deserve such a daughter? Even if you don’t feel sorry for your son, I do!”