We Just Hadn't Seen It

Yan Wen had just reached the foot of the dormitory building when he ran into Tang Yun.

"A Yan, where did you go? I even went to your room to look for you."

"I just got back from the track. I was bored, so I went to work out for a bit."

Yan Wen delivered the lie without so much as a blush or a racing heartbeat. Tang Yun believed him without question. "Then remember to invite me next time! How could you sneak off and get ahead behind your buddy's back?"

"Sure, sure. Anyway, what did you need me for?"

Tang Yun opened his phone. "Look, the school administration issued a new notice. Anyone who ranks in the top three of their grade on this year's final exams can apply to study online without coming to school. Students from any grade can apply."

Yan Wen's eyes lit up. "Really?! That's great! I'll apply right now."

Tang Yun hung his head. "But getting into the top three of our grade is still too hard for me. A Yan, could you really bear to abandon your best buddy?"

Yan Wen cut him off. "Hey! Don't try to shake my resolve. There are still several months until finals anyway. Can't you grit your teeth and give it a shot?"

After a moment's hesitation, Tang Yun psyched himself up. "All right! Then I'll go all out to keep you company! I can do this!"

"I'm going back to get some sleep. Remember to wake me up for dinner."

"Sure, no problem."

Yan Wen returned to his room and called Xie Yunshu. When she received his call, she assumed he was upset about that post and had called to pour out his grievances.

"Wen, you've been wronged. I never imagined Xiao An would go this far. Don't worry. When you come home at the end of the month, I'll give Xiao An a proper scolding and stand up for you."

"Mom, I didn't really care that much about it to begin with. Besides, Mu Huai'an can barely keep his own head above water these days. You could say he's getting what he deserves."

The tearful concern in Xie Yunshu's voice faltered. "Then what did you call me for?"

"I wanted to ask you and Dad for a favor." Yan Wen explained Li Zhaoxi's situation. "So she wants my help. She wants to cut ties with the Tao Family completely."

Xie Yunshu sighed. "That poor child. How could parents not love their own child? After finally finding her, shouldn't they cherish her? How could they abuse her instead?"

Yan Wen said calmly, "Mom, not all parents are like you and Dad. There are countless parents in this world who don't love their own children. We just haven't seen them."

Xie Yunshu asked, "Then what do you need me to do?"

"She said she'll gather evidence of the Tao Family abusing her first, then hold a Family Severance Banquet. She might need our help with the banquet."

"I understand, Wen. Keep talking things over with her. Since that family doesn't love her, she's right to leave. She shouldn't feel guilty about it. If there's anything she needs help with, just let me know."

"I will. Thanks, Mom."

"There's no need to thank your own mother."

Just after Yan Wen ended the call, Xiao Qi appeared. In his mind, Yan Wen saw a little translucent blue figure with a round head and short arms and legs.

Xiao Qi, is that you?

Yep! I spent a hundred points to get this from the Main System. Host, isn't Xiao Qi adorable?!

A little, yes. Did you pop up because you have some juicy gossip?

Xiao Qi nodded. Yes, but it's still about Li Zhaoxi.

Go on.

In two weeks, during the end-of-month break, Tao Niannian and Li Zhaoxi will get into an argument at home. Tao Niannian will fall down the stairs, and the Tao Family will believe her story and decide that Li Zhaoxi pushed her. During the few days Tao Niannian is in the hospital, the Tao Family will keep Li Zhaoxi locked up and turn her into Tao Niannian's personal blood bank. They'll take blood from her three times for Tao Niannian, and she'll nearly die!

Yan Wen's face filled with shock and bewilderment. Are they out of their minds? Don't they know that's illegal?

They'll force Li Zhaoxi to sign a consent form.

I'd better warn Li Zhaoxi first.

Yan Wen opened the chat window. [Try not to go back to the Tao Family at the end of this month. If you do, make sure you avoid being alone with Tao Niannian, or you'll be in serious trouble.]

Li Zhaoxi replied a few minutes later. [All right, then I won't go back this month.]

Yan Wen could hardly believe it. She trusts me that much? Xiao Qi, is this normal?

Xiao Qi rested both hands behind that little round head and crossed one leg over the other. Isn't it a good thing that she trusts you? It'll save us a lot of effort.

That's true. Can you look up what happened on the day Li Zhaoxi was taken back to the Tao Family?

Of course! I can look up anything that's already happened.

Then hurry and pull up what happened that day, starting from when Mr. and Mrs. Tao went to the Li Family's home.

Xiao Qi sprang up and worked away with those two stubby hands. A minute later, a video appeared before Yan Wen.

Host, here you go.

"In the video, an expensive car stopped in front of a small single-story house. A wealthy-looking woman and a driver got out.

The woman surveyed the little house before her, unable to hide the disdain in her eyes.

Li Zhaoxi came out holding a broom, ready to sweep the path outside. The moment she stepped out, she saw a wealthy-looking woman standing at her door.

There was no joy at finding her biological daughter in the woman's eyes. Instead, she looked coldly at the girl before her. 'You're Li Zhaoxi, right? I'm your biological mother. I've come to take you home. What is this dump? You've been living in a place like this all along? What an embarrassment to our Tao Family.'

Li Zhaoxi went to find her parents. To her surprise, they said it was all true. They had found her abandoned, and now that her biological parents had found her, it was time for her to return to them.

Li Zhaoxi followed the woman back to the Tao Family's home. No family members welcomed her, no one embraced her and wept, and no one asked whether she had been doing well.

Her two older brothers treated her with hostility and warned her not to even think about bullying Tao Niannian. The first thing her biological father did was demand that she cut off all contact with her adoptive parents. Her biological mother assigned her a storage room in the farthest corner of the house, claiming there were no other rooms available."

Yan Wen asked Xiao Qi to save the footage so that everyone could see the Tao Family's true colors at the Family Severance Banquet.

Are there any other videos of Li Zhaoxi being abused in the Tao Family's home? Download a few more.

Yes. There's one where Tao Jingxing drove Li Zhaoxi out in the middle of the night and dumped her on a deserted mountain road to get back at her for Tao Niannian. Li Zhaoxi walked for a whole day and night before she came across a car, and the kind driver took her back.

Save that one too. These should be enough.

Yan Wen lay spread-eagled on his bed. I probably won't go home at the end of the month. I won't get to eat Mom's cooking.

Then you won't get to see Mu Huai'an being scolded either, Host.

That's fine. You can give me a live broadcast when it happens. Speaking of which, how are things going between my eldest brother and Brother Qi?

Want to take a look, Host? I can give you a live broadcast.

Hurry, hurry!