"Indeed, Chu Yunyun is truly worthy of being a member of the Chu Family—kind-hearted and innocent. Unlike some people who don't even know how to show gratitude, leaving as if someone owed them money." Chu Xun glared angrily at Li Jiu, clearly still harboring a grudge.
Yet Li Jiu remained completely indifferent, ignoring him altogether and refusing to give Chu Xun so much as a glance.
Chu Xun felt as though he had thrown a punch at a cotton ball, feeling rather frustrated inside.
Before Li Yuan could speak, Li Jiu was the first to chime in, "No need. It's just a meal; we don't need your charity."
"Chu Jiu! What is that supposed to mean? Yunyun is acting out of kindness, and you still reject it?" Chu Xun's tone turned even more hostile.
Li Jiu maintained her unshakeable, frosty composure. "My name is Li Jiu. Please watch how you address me."
The commotion had drawn quite a crowd, and people at the nearby tables stopped eating to watch the show.
"Furthermore, if Miss Chu truly wishes to repay the Li Family, she should return the Chu Family villa to the Li Family, rather than offering a simple meal. Doing this just makes it look like you're tossing scraps to beggars. What? Do you look down on the Li Family that much?" Li Jiu's logic was razor-sharp, firing back point by point.
"That makes a lot of sense."
"Yeah, I heard that when this Chu Yunyun went back, she didn't show the slightest bit of attachment to the Li Family."
"She claims she's inviting them to dinner, but she really just came to show off."
"Sigh, the child has forgotten her roots."
"I think the girl named Li Jiu is quite good. Great temperament, and she didn't complain a bit about returning to a poor family. When she talks back, she has solid facts and reason. Really nice."
Hearing the surrounding murmurs, Chu Yunyun's face instantly turned pale.
She lowered her head, internally cursing Li Jiu to hell.
Knowing full well she couldn't compare to Li Jiu, the seed of inferiority in her heart began to fester once more.
Chu Hao shielded Chu Yunyun behind him and coldly rebuked Li Jiu, "Yunyun is innocent; she's not as bad as you think. Li Jiu, if you won't accept her goodwill, fine, but there's no need to smear Yunyun like this."
Li Yuan let out a light scoff and slammed her chair down right in front of Chu Hao. "What? Your Chu Family has people, but our Li Family has no one? Two grown men bullying my younger sister, do you two have any shame?"
"I don't think they have any shame at all," Li Xin chimed in with a cheeky grin.
"And they call themselves high society? More like howling society, all they know is howling day and night and bullying a young girl. You're a disgrace to the Chu Family!" Li Wan rolled her eyes, akimbo, joining her two older sisters in the verbal assault.
Hearing this, Li Jiu almost laughed out loud. She hadn't expected her three sisters to be so articulate; it seemed she didn't even need to step in.
Sure enough, Chu Hao's expression turned extremely ugly. People from these so-called elite families were usually used to putting on airs and didn't know how to use crude language.
"As expected of people straight out of the slums. Your breeding speaks for itself," Chu Hao finally spat out with a cold face after a long silence.
Li Yuan replied disdainfully, "If your brain doesn't work, just admit it. Stop using poverty as an insult. Besides, your ancestors crawled out of the slums a few generations ago. Never bully the young for being poor."
"Is there going to be a 'never bully the middle-aged for being poor' next?" Chu Xun scoffed mockingly.
"No, what I want to say next is: the barefooted aren't afraid of those with shoes," Li Yuan replied with a cold, elegant smile.
Chu Xun froze for a moment, never expecting this woman to be so strikingly attractive.
"Sisters, it's all my fault. Please don't be angry, and stop arguing with my brother," Chu Yunyun said, seeing that things had gone far enough, and hastily tried to play the peacemaker.
That delicate, pitiful act would melt anyone's heart at a glance.
Yet right now, Li Yuan only found it sickening.
In the past, the family had pampered their youngest sister, and look where that got them...
Li Jiu stepped forward and, *smack*, slapped Chu Yunyun right across the face.
The crowd gasped in astonishment.
Li Jiu nodded slightly. "My apologies, my hand slipped just now."
Chu Yunyun clutched her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Sister, I know you harbor resentment. It's only right that you hit me."
"Is that so?" Li Jiu nodded thoughtfully. "Since you feel you deserve to be hit, then..."
*Smack.* Another slap.
Li Jiu struck back without the slightest bit of hesitation. "I can't stand green tea bitches." Li Jiu used all her strength, lowering her voice so that only Chu Yunyun could hear her.
A flash of hatred crossed the depths of Chu Yunyun's eyes.
Yet on the surface, she maintained that pitiful, aggrieved look, her red-rimmed eyes making it seem as though she might faint at any second.
Li Jiu chuckled softly. "Shall I call an ambulance for you in advance?"
What Li Jiu actually wanted to say was: *Don't die here.*
But that was a bit beneath her dignity, so she reined it in slightly.
"Yunyun, are you alright?" The three brothers were frantic with worry, fussing over Chu Yunyun like she was a precious treasure.
"Li Jiu, I never expected you to be such a vicious woman!" Chu Hao's eyes were filled with disappointment.
Even Chu Xi couldn't watch any longer. "I'm so glad right now that you aren't my real sister!"
"What a coincidence. I'm glad you're not my brother anymore either," Li Jiu said, lifting her eyelids, her voice cold as she fired right back.
"I should go burn incense tomorrow to properly celebrate," Li Jiu added.
Chu Xi's face turned green.
Gu Qinghuan had been watching quietly the entire time without a word. At that moment, she took out her phone at the opportune moment, sent a few messages, and calmly resumed sipping her tea.
"Brothers, let's stop arguing and go inside to eat," Chu Yunyun said. She knew the most important thing right now was to secure her footing in the Chu Family, so she had to act sensible and obedient to leave a good impression on them.
For the sake of their little sister, Chu Xi decided not to press the issue further.
"I'll go buy some medicine for you," Chu Xi said with a heartbroken expression.
Chu Hao's complexion remained foul. "Yunyun must be hungry. Let's go eat first."
Just as Chu Hao finished speaking, the manager hurried over from not far away with an apologetic expression. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but your private dining room is no longer available."
"What do you mean? Didn't I make a reservation in advance? Why is it gone?" Chu Hao's brows furrowed deeply as he suppressed his rising anger and questioned the manager.
The manager explained, "Our policy for private rooms is that if the guests haven't arrived within half an hour of the reservation time, we reassign the room to other customers. As it happened... you hadn't entered for half an hour, so it's already been taken by someone else."
Hearing this, Gu Qinghuan swirled her glass, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.
Hah, daring to mock her daughter? They didn't even know their own weight; not even fully grown yet, and they dared to jump around causing trouble?
"Brother, do we not have anywhere to eat?" Chu Yunyun was also starting to get upset. She had deliberately chosen this place to humiliate Li Jiu. Could it be... she had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used as bait?
"Who dares to compete with our Chu Family?" Chu Hao said with a cold face. "Manager, won't you check on the situation again?"
"This..." The manager hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone to make an inquiry.
"Why don't you all just make do and join our table?" Gu Qinghuan offered generously.
Chu Hao looked at them with utter disdain. "Eating with a bunch of slum-dwellers like you? I'm afraid I'll catch your poverty."
"Tsk tsk tsk, what an ugly thing to say." Gu Qinghuan sighed, then waved her daughters over to sit down. "Let's eat first. Oh right, you lot can order whatever you want now—someone should be treating us shortly."