Chapter 144: Let Them Come and Talk to Me

Jiang Sui hung up the phone and took a sip of her milk.

“So, you mean the Lu family wants to take Xuanyuan back?”

Lu Ye’s gaze fell on the faint milk residue at the corner of Jiang Sui’s mouth. He reached out, curling his fingers close to her lips.

Instinctively, Jiang Sui took a step back, frowning.

Lu Ye’s hand paused momentarily in midair, then he smiled faintly and gently wiped away the trace of milk from her lips.

It was only then, with that simple gesture, that Jiang Sui realized what he was trying to do.

Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?

Doesn’t he find it somewhat flirtatious?

Or has he already decided to pursue her?

Ever since his room was burned down, every time he returned to the villa at night, he would slip into his own room.

Goodness, had she been slower to react, he might have ended up in bed with her.

That was why sometimes she would spend the night at her other house—the place she had left for Miaomiao to live in.

“Indeed, the old residence has called me several times, but I’ve turned them all down,” he said. “Of course, I wanted to hear your thoughts on this as well.”

“Although Xuanyuan is attached to you now, I don’t want her to interfere with your own plans,” Lu Ye’s tone was filled with sincere respect and inquiry.

Jiang Sui frowned and replied indifferently, “If they wanted to take Xuanyuan back, why didn’t they do it sooner? She’s doing well now. It’s not like we can’t support her. Why send her back? Her parents are gone, and the Lu family never accepted them. Do you really expect those old-fashioned people to raise Xuanyuan properly?”

She was certain she wouldn’t agree to the Lu family taking Xuanyuan back.

The fact that Lu Ye insisted on keeping Xuanyuan by his side instead of sending her back spoke volumes about the Lu family’s character.

She had finally managed to straighten Xuanyuan out and didn’t want her spoiled all over again by returning to the Lu household.

“So what exactly do you mean?” Lu Ye leaned back slightly but kept his eyes fixed on Jiang Sui’s face.

“I don’t agree,” she said calmly. “If the Lu family wants to take Xuanyuan, they should come and talk to me.”

She paused for a moment, then added, “And I’ll make sure they never dare show up again.”

Lu Ye was speechless.

As they talked, their attention suddenly shifted to the staircase.

There, Xuanyuan stood quietly, listening to their conversation.

Her lips were pressed together tightly, her eyes red and watery like a frightened little rabbit.

With a choked voice, she sobbed, “I don’t want to leave! Daddy is mean! Daddy wants to send me away! I want to stay with Mommy Jiang Sui! I’m not going!”

Then she turned and ran upstairs.

Jiang Sui and Lu Ye exchanged glances.

Jiang Sui cleared her throat softly. “Go comfort her. She’s mad at you.”

Lu Ye was left speechless once more.

Suddenly, he felt a strange pang deep within.

He recalled just a few days ago when Xuanyuan said to him, “Daddy, I think Mommy Jiang Sui doesn’t like you.”

And now, the verdict was clear: Xuanyuan hated him.

Why was it that, no matter what, he always ended up hurt?

A few days later, the interview program they had recorded earlier was broadcast.

As expected, all mentions of Xuanyuan talking about her own parents had been cut out.

Even their mother-daughter exit was given a plausible explanation.

They dared not tamper recklessly; what aired was the original footage.

After all, the live broadcast had already drawn enough criticism, and the production team had been reprimanded—they wouldn’t dare provoke further trouble.

Once the program aired, Bai Xixue’s few remarks immediately stirred widespread dissatisfaction among netizens.

“How can she take being rude as being straightforward? And then call people dogs when criticized?”

“Stop it. I used to like her character a lot, but after all this, I realize I must have been deluded to ever support her.”

“This is hilarious. There’s a reason why Li Lan and Xu Manman don’t like her. Does she really think so highly of herself?”