"You’re not welcome here!" After spitting out the words, Uncle Shen sat back down and resumed splitting bamboo strips.

Uncle Shen was usually good-tempered, so it was rare to see him with such a cold expression. The small courtyard fell silent at once. Tan You noticed the change, too. She frowned and looked at the five people at the gate, instantly matching them with Ji Li’s memories.

"What are you doing here?" Tan You set down her teacup and tilted her head slightly to look at them, making no move to welcome them.

Seeing Ji Li’s attitude, Aunt Ji ground her teeth. "Ji Li, this is your grandfather and grandmother. It’s been a long time..."

Tan You gave a slight nod. "Mm-hm, and?"

Aunt Ji faltered, not expecting Ji Li to be so cold. She forced a smile. "It wasn’t easy for us to find this place. Could we come in for a glass of water?"

Tan You glanced at Shen Yu out of the corner of her eye. He was puffed up with anger and looked ready to jump to his feet. Tan You shot him a look, and Shen Yu obediently stayed put. He was no longer streaming, however, having discreetly shifted the camera away.

The chat room grew even more lively. An unexpected situation had suddenly arisen—and it looked like the streamer’s private family business. Naturally, everyone was even more curious.

After placating Shen Yu, Tan You looked at the group at the gate and suddenly smiled. "Come on in."

Fifth Uncle took a drag from his cigarette, having already guessed who the visitors were. He sighed. "I’ll go pour some tea."

Shen Yu immediately jumped up. "I... I’ll get it, Fifth Uncle. I can handle something small like this."

In the Shen family’s courtyard stood a stone table surrounded by several stone stools. As the group approached, Tan You’s smile remained exactly as it was before—a curve of the lips that didn’t reach her eyes.

Tan You had learned this kind of fake smile from Yi Ru. At the thought of Yi Ru, her gaze became distant for a moment, but she quickly composed herself.

Even though he had no love for the Ji family, Shen Yu still found stools for them after bringing over the tea. He had learned this from his cousin: no matter how much you disliked someone, you should always maintain perfect courtesy to deny them any grounds for criticism.

After the old Ji couple sat down at the stone table, Granny Ji, her eyes brimming with tears, reached for Ji Li’s hand. Tan You picked up her teacup, using the motion to dodge Granny Ji’s grasp.

Granny Ji’s face twisted for a second before she started wiping her tears. "Child, you blame us, don’t you?"

"Shouldn’t I blame you?" Tan You retorted. Granny Ji was dumbfounded. The scene she had imagined wasn’t playing out at all. ’Isn’t this the part where I cry and my granddaughter says she doesn’t blame us?’

Tan You found it laughable. "Let’s see, we haven’t seen each other in four years, not since I started college. You’re really something, ma’am. Showing up and crying your eyes out when someone is having a good day. It’s as if I’m the one who’s done something monstrous."

At home, Old Man Ji’s word was law. No one had ever dared to contradict him like this. He instantly felt his authority had been challenged. "Ji Li, is that any way to speak to your grandmother?"

Tan You gave Old Man Ji a strange look. "And in what capacity are you lecturing me?"

"What did you say? I’m your grandfather! You haven’t even called us ’Grandfather’ or ’Grandmother’ since we arrived. Is this how your parents raised you?" Old Man Ji thundered. But then he saw everyone in the courtyard staring at him, some even grabbing stools and carrying poles. His voice subconsciously dropped a few notches.

"My parents died a long time ago. Even if they wanted to teach me, they’re not able to." Tan You set down her cup. "I’m not denying who you are. If I were, would you even be in this courtyard today? Blood ties can’t be severed, but if you want to act like my elders, you first have to have fulfilled your responsibilities as elders."

"Otherwise, if you come here making empty accusations... well, I have a bad temper. I can’t guarantee what I might do if I get worked up."

"Responsibilities? How have we not fulfilled our responsibilities?" Old Man Ji fumed. "Did we not feed you and clothe you? We raised you when you were a child! How have we failed in our responsibilities?"

"My parents paid you for it!" Tan You said coldly. "Not only did my parents pay you, they also supported your good-for-nothing younger son’s entire family. You were taking money to do a job. You call that fulfilling a responsibility?"

"You took my parents’ money to support your younger son’s family. You call that fulfilling a responsibility?"

Aunt Ji didn’t expect Tan You to be so blunt. She quickly tried to smooth things over. "Ji Li, your grandfather is just hot-tempered. Calm down, calm down..." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Tan You smiled. "I’m not the one who’s angry; someone else here is. Let’s just get to the point. What are you here for today? You’re not thinking I’ll go back with you, are you? That’s impossible. I’m doing very well for myself here."

Aunt Ji was stunned for a moment, but she quickly found a new angle. "Well, it’s about that video you posted. Your grandparents saw it, and they were very angry..."

"And? Was I lying? Did they not take my parents’ compensation money? Did I ask you for a single penny during my four years of college? Have I been back home even once since I left for college? Are these not facts?"

Tan You’s lips curled into an amused smile. "Ji Peng, long time no see. I originally didn’t want to burn bridges with you all. Since we went our separate ways, I figured we should just leave each other in peace. But you don’t want me to live well, so now, none of you get to."

Ji Peng stared at Tan You. "Just because of those private messages I sent you? Because I threatened you a little? They’re still your grandparents! How could you do this to them?"

Tan You scoffed. "That’s hilarious. So now you know how to hide behind your elders. Why didn’t you think about the consequences when you were sending those messages? Now that you can’t handle the fallout, your only move is to use them as a shield?"

"They’re *your* grandparents. When they were mistreating me and scheming for your family’s benefit, did they remember I was their granddaughter? Wasn’t Ji Rongchang their son? Their son had just died, and in the next breath, they were kicking his daughter out onto the street. Did they give a single thought to Ji Rongchang then?"

"My dad was the eldest son, and he was completely devoted to your grandparents. When my parents were alive, whenever they bought something for me, they always had to get one for you, too. Because your grandparents said you were the Ji family’s eldest grandson, so my parents couldn’t show favoritism. Whatever I got, you had to get too, right?"

"But are you my dad’s son? You have your own parents, yet you still latched onto mine like leeches." Tan You sneered. "My parents supported your family for so many years. The house you live in now was bought with my parents’ compensation money. Doesn’t your conscience bother you, living in a house like that?"

"You’re lying!" Ji Peng’s face flushed with anger. "That’s my parents’ house! They worked their fingers to the bone to buy it!"

"Oh, so very hard," Tan You said with a laugh. "Hard for my parents, who had to die to get him that house. Hard for him, who had to happily plot to get it. Hard for him, who had to move into it."