“Lin Luoxi has removed Sally from the group chat.”
Xu Qingzhu looked at the documents while chatting with them in the group chat, but Sally was mainly the one setting the mood.
Sally has a very easygoing personality and never gets angry no matter how much you joke around.
Everyone has enjoyed joking with her since college.
After Liang Shi went in, he only exchanged a few words with Sally. After a few more conversations, they made plans to have drinks together.
Xu Qingzhu couldn't help but laugh when she thought about how drunk she looked. Every time she drank, she was so confident that she could drink three bottles, but she would pass out after just three cups.
In their chat, Xu Qingzhu sent Liang Shi the message: "So what did you post on Weibo?"
Liang Shi's well-behaved screenshot: [Just one photo, for business purposes.]
Xu Qingzhu: [And then some fans started asking for kisses, hugs, and to be lifted up high?]
Liang Shi: [...]
Xu Qingzhu: [I didn't realize Teacher Liang was so popular.]
Liang Shi: [...]
Xu Qingzhu: [That fan actually wanted to dance on your collarbone! I even wanted to give you a passionate kiss on your abs!]
Liang Shi: [...]
She sent an emergency stop emoji: "I don't have abs right now, but I will in a while. [Faceless emoji]"
Xu Qingzhu: [Teacher Liang doesn't have abs, but she does have collarbones! The perks female celebrities give their fans are truly something else.]
Liang Shi: [...]
She felt that if this topic continued to develop, it might get out of control.
So I changed the subject, asking, "Why didn't you ask me how I was doing at the Liang family's?"
Xu Qingzhu stared at the screen in silence for a few seconds, then couldn't help but press the phone and say, "What can you do? You, your eldest brother, and your second brother, none of them can be a match for them."
Liang Shi: "..."
"You've been reduced to sitting in the car trying to soothe the child, so it must have failed." Xu Qingzhu's tone was somewhat nonchalant, a bit like Xu Qingya's. She paused halfway through her sentence, "Let me guess, they just pulled out their trump card and said they were leaving, right? And then the three of you were helpless?"
Liang Shi: "..."
She almost wanted to call Xu Qingzhu a genius strategist.
With an inquisitive look, Liang Shi asked, "President Xu, what should we do now?"
Liang Shi was inherently at a disadvantage when it came to green tea.
She couldn't see through the green tea's tactics at first, and now she doesn't know how to deal with it.
He could rival her in acting skills, but Qiu Zimin certainly wouldn't believe it.
Moreover, Liang Shi didn't want to act in front of Qiu Zimin and waste his feelings.
She needs a simple, direct, and effective method.
Xu Qingzhu tapped the screen: [Wait, I'll ask Lin Luoxi for you; she's a top performer.]
Liang Shi: [...]
No wonder Xu Qingzhu is so knowledgeable; it turns out she has experts all around her.
A few seconds later, Xu Qingzhu sent a voice message to Liang Shi, "Don't go up there for tea, let your eldest brother go. If she wants to play the victim and gain sympathy, use the same tactics she uses online. Have your eldest brother say that the Liang family has had a tough time over the years, and how hard everyone has worked, just like that, and play the victim with her. If she wants to leave, have your eldest brother say something polite. After all, we're still family, and we won't drift apart just because of distance. But there's really nothing we can do right now. Wanwan cried all night because she lost her picture book and almost ended up in the hospital. Lingdang was also insulted at the hospital."
Xu Qingzhu sent two voice messages, each lasting a full sixty seconds.
Passionately offered Liang Shi some advice, and after listening, Liang Shi only summarized one point: When dealing with someone trying to play the victim, you have to act even more miserable than them.
If someone teases you, you should tease them back.
Of course, this is assuming someone else makes the decision for you.
Xu Qingzhu also included Lin Luoxi's exclusive guide: if no one stands up for you and you encounter a manipulative, scheming woman, then just go and slap her.
Lin Luoxi's original words were: "Slap her mouth until it's ruined. Since I'll already have a bad reputation anyway, I might as well have some fun myself first."
After hearing this, Liang Shi found it difficult to look Lin Luoxi in the eye.
But it must be said that this method is very effective.
Just as she was about to give her older brother some advice, she noticed that he was carrying Liang Xinran's suitcase, and Liang Xinran was following him out of the old house.
Liang Xinran was on the verge of tears behind him, while Liang Xinzhou walked ahead expressionlessly.
Liang Shi immediately got out of the car and called out, "Brother, where are you going?"
Liang Xinzhou pursed his lips and said coldly, "Send Xinran away."
Chapter 116
Liang Shi's gaze swept over Liang Xinran, and then over Liang Xinzhou.
Liang Xinran wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, her eyes red, and said, "I only realized how out of place I was after I came here. I can't fit into this family, but you're different. You grew up here, and your brothers all love you very much. Even Wanwan and Lingdang like you more. I missed out on them, and I made a lot of mistakes after I came here. I'm so sorry. I'm leaving now, but you can still be a family with them. You all have to take good care of yourselves."
Her tone was sincere, and her gaze towards Liang Shi was aggrieved and bewildered. Her face was as pale as paper, and her lips were devoid of color.
They looked weak and powerless.
Liang Xinran spoke very softly, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.
Her words made Liang Shi very uncomfortable.
The main point is that Liang Xinran's true identity is there. When she said this to Liang Shi, the implication was that although you took away my parents, siblings, and the affection that should have been mine, I am willing to give them to you because I didn't grow up by their side and they don't like me.
Liang Shi clearly did nothing wrong, yet now he's caught in the middle, pleasing neither side.
Anyone looking at such a pale face would be speechless. If it were someone as kind-hearted as Liang Xinhe, they might even try to persuade her to stay.
Liang Shi was also kind, but she knew that kindness should be directed towards good people.
Being kind to everyone would make you a saint.
She was shorter than Liang Shi, and Liang Shi always looked down at her. After a moment, Liang Shi said coldly, "Oh, then have a safe journey."
Liang Xinran: "..."
Clearly, a moment of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly recovered.
Liang Shi ignored him and instead said to Liang Xinzhou, "Brother, you've worked hard. I will take good care of Lingdang."
Liang Xinzhou nodded to her, "Yes, don't overwork yourself."
Liang Shi nodded and smiled, "I understand."
The two of them were interacting so harmoniously that Liang Xinran was left standing there, completely ignored.
Liang Xinran looked at the two of them, her teeth clenched so tightly she could barely speak, but she couldn't reveal a word of it.
She was still in that weak state. When Liang Xinzhou took another step to leave, Liang Xinran passed by Liang Shi. Just then, a gust of wind blew by, and she lost her footing and fell straight towards Liang Shi.
Liang Shi instinctively reached out to help, but quickly regained his senses and withdrew his hand in a flash, also moving rapidly to the side to get away from her.
Liang Xinran lost her balance and her body became unsteady. Her feet stomped wildly on the ground. She had already given up on herself and wanted to fall into Liang Shi's arms, but Liang Shi dodged her. She could only balance her weight in this way, which looked like she was dancing.
It took a lot of effort for Liang Xinran to stand still.
Liang Shi crossed his arms, looking completely indifferent to the situation.
Liang Xinzhou had already reached the car. He turned around and saw Liang Xinran still standing there. He frowned and asked in a cold voice, "Is there anything else?"
“That’s all,” Liang Xinran said, sniffing as she looked extremely aggrieved. Tears streamed down her face like a flood, but she stubbornly wiped them away with the back of her hand, like a small white flower swaying precariously in the cold wind.
Liang Shi was afraid she would cause trouble again, so he kept his distance from her.
Liang Xinran smiled at her, "You are luckier than me. You have parents who love you, brothers who love you, and a sister who respects you. To be honest, I envy you, but I know I don't deserve it. Life is a one-way street. My life was changed over twenty years ago, and I have nothing to complain about. I just hope you can take good care of them in my place. Thank you."
Liang Shi: "...?"
You'd think she was acting in a melodrama here.
Honestly, Liang Xinran could become famous even if she became a screenwriter, right?
Her ability to compose lyrics is truly impressive.
Liang Shi listened to her words, standing there lost in thought.
But he didn't really listen to what she said.
Overt praise but covert criticism.
Liang Shi had heard this kind of talk many times in the entertainment industry before.
On the surface, they're good sisters to you, and they feel happy that you've come a long way and achieved such success. But what they really mean is that you, a country bumpkin, must have had some incredible luck to become a phoenix. But so what? That's all they say.
Liang Shi was basically immune to such remarks.
She hasn't done anything to wrong anyone, so she doesn't care what others say.
Liang Xinran put on a grand performance, but no one appreciated it, only to receive a dismissive question from Liang Shi: "Don't you want to leave?"
Liang Xinran was startled, like a frightened little rabbit, "How could this be? I was leaving because..."
She paused, then muttered in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "I just don't know where to go. I have no home anymore."
Just then, Liang Xinzhou returned after putting down her luggage. Upon hearing her words, he paused slightly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Liang Shi clicked his tongue inwardly, but said coldly, "Isn't this your home? Why don't you stay here?"
“No, I can’t,” Liang Xinran said. “My brothers and sisters don’t like me, so I can’t stay here.”
Upon hearing this, Liang Xinzhou's expression became even more complicated.
This is just saying—because I grew up in a bad place, in a small mountain valley, my family doesn't like me, so it must be their problem, it has nothing to do with me.
Liang Xinzhou suddenly spoke up, “Liang Xinran, if you want others to like you, you first need to show your personal strengths, instead of playing the victim here. You didn’t get good material conditions in Taozhi Village, but you clearly created good conditions for yourself before. Although I don’t know what you paid for it, your annual salary is already equivalent to that of a mid-level employee in Dongheng, even if they are graduates from 985 and 211 universities.”
Liang Xinzhou's words were very straightforward, and his tall figure alone was enough to give people a sense of oppression.
“If you feel that the Liang family is not giving you enough, you can ask again,” Liang Xinzhou said. “I don’t see how much you lack family. Your home is here, and you can come back anytime, but you don’t need to expect so much. We are all married and have established our own careers. To be honest, I don’t even have much energy to spare for Liang Shi, but you want everyone to revolve around you.”
Liang Xinzhou adjusted his glasses, revealing sharp and piercing eyes hidden beneath them. His words were like a knife, precisely striking Liang Xinran's weak spot.