Qu Wan paused and looked at Ling Tianya, waiting to be introduced to Zhang Ke. She was smiling but didn't seem welcoming.
"Follow me." Ling Tianya led Zhang Ke straight into the house, ignoring Qu Wan.
The smile disappeared on Qu Wan's face. Her eyes burned into the backs of Ling Tianya and Zhang Ke.
In contrast to Ling Tianya's calm demeanor, Zhang Ke appeared quite nervous. She could clearly feel the chills from behind her back. "You can almost see the bad blood…in a wealthy family like this…
"Sister Tianya! Come on in, I missed you!" Ling Tianya's total indifference to Qu Wan didn't seem to dampen the enthusiasm of Ling Yuqing. She giggled like a little girl and pushed Zhang Ke to the side. Then Ling Yuqing put her arms around Ling Tianya andd looked as if she really missed her.
The scene was something Ling Tao always hoped to see. When Ling Yuqing acted clingy towards Ling Tianya, Ling Tao looked very content.
"That's what a family should look like." When he saw the dispassionate expression on Ling Tianya's face, Ling Tao frowned. "Yaya, you don't look like a big sister!"
Ling Tianya glanced at Ling Tao as she skillfully slid herself out of Ling Yuqing's arms, "What should a big sister look like?"
"You –" Ling Tao bit his own tongue. He looked at Zhang Ke who was standing awkwardly and felt that Ling Tianya had put him on the spot in front of a stranger.
"Don't say that, Sister Tianya. You'll make daddy sad. Let's get long with each other…" Ling Yuqing tried to look understanding and pitiful at the same time.
Ling Yuqing might have sounded like she was speaking for Ling Tao, but in reality she just exposed the conflicts between Ling Tianya and the family in front a stranger, further embarrassing Ling Tao.
Unsurprisingly, Ling Tao gave Ling Tianya an even harsher look.
Once upon a time, Ling Tianya was hit by this tactic of Ling Yuqing's: hidden jabs in sweet words. As a result, she became increasingly distant from her biological father Ling Tao.
"We should indeed get along." Ling Tianya smiled and patted Ling Yuqing's hand, "I didn't mean anything bad just now. When I was young, I didn't know any better and I only had Ling Tianxin as a little sister. Then…" Ling Tianyan noticed the change on Qu Wan's face when she mentioned Ling Tianxin's name, but she pretended not to see that and continued, "I left the house for many years and didn't have many opportunities to be with you. Yuqing, you and I are the same age, how come you are still so immature? It's fine if you want to play daddy's little girl at home, but in public you should appear more sophisticated. The madams of the other influential families might fault you for it."
Ling Yuqing was startled. "Is Ling Tianya lecturing me? Did being called the big sister make her feel like she is one?"
It was not supposed to be like that. After what had happened, Ling Tianya must hate her to death! The normal Ling Tianya would have continued to turn a cold shoulder to her good will.
Ling Tianya's sudden strategy change made Ling Yuqing lose her footing and forget how to act.
Ling Tao eased his expression and even nodded to Ling Tianya's words, "Your sister is right. You are not young anymore, you can't act like a little girl."