Mistakenly recognized as a cousin, thousands of pampered

"Then how did you reply?" Tao Jiuxi smiled, his eyes full of curiosity.

"I said, it's all up to my father." Tao Qingwan told the truth with a shy smile on her face.

"Ah... This... is indeed the truth. What does father say?"

"Perhaps he had already told my father clearly. After he left, my father called me to his study and said that he had not noticed him before and would pay more attention to him in the Hanlin Academy in the future."

Tao Qingwan said softly, with a hint of expectation in her eyes.

"Sister, I'm glad you can find your own happiness. I'm so happy for you."

After Tao Jiuxi finished speaking, he excitedly ran up and hugged Tao Qingwan tightly, with a joyful smile on his face.

Tao Qingwan was already accustomed to Tao Jiuxi's sudden hugs, and she responded to her sister's hug enthusiastically.

With the happy event of Tao Qingwan, Tao Jiuxi's originally gloomy mood immediately improved a lot.

After Tao Qingwan helped her comb her hair, the two of them went to the flower hall to wait for Ji Qingyi to have dinner together.

Tao Jiuxi thought to herself that if Ji Qingyi was still as enthusiastic as usual today, she would ignore Shen Zhiyi's advice and directly tell Ji Qingyi that she already had someone in her heart, so as to prevent him from getting deeper and deeper into trouble.

However, when they arrived at the flower hall, Ji Qingyi was just polite and treated her with the same attitude as Tao Qingwan.

Seeing this, Tao Jiuxi thought, let's observe for a while, maybe there is still room for improvement, so the two of them got on the carriage and set off for the south of the city.

At first, Tao Jiuxi was determined to observe Ji Qingyi carefully, but after a while, the carriage was swaying forward, and the two people in the carriage did not have much communication, and her eyelids became heavier.

Finally, she leaned against the wall of the carriage and fell into a doze, but she remained alert.

The carriage stopped steadily. Ji Qingyi saw the drowsy Tao Jiuxi and couldn't bear to wake her up. Just as he was about to ask the coachman to find a cool and secluded place for Tao Jiuxi to sleep for a while, he saw Tao Jiuxi suddenly open her eyes.

"Yeah, we're here so soon."

"Do you want to sleep a little longer?"

"No, I just took a nap and I feel much better." Tao Jiuxi said, and got off the carriage without saying anything, and ran straight to the room where the children lived.

But when we arrived at the room, we were told that the children had left after breakfast.

"Did you say anything when you left?" Tao Jiuxi asked hurriedly.

"They asked us to tell you two that if you come to see them, just say they haven't made up their minds yet." The waiter relayed what the children said truthfully.

Tao Jiuxi nodded slightly after hearing this.

"Maybe it's too hasty, and the children don't know much about the orphanage, so they are a little scared." Ji Qingyi comforted softly.

"I didn't think it through enough. I should have given them some silver yesterday so that they could buy some food when they were hungry." Tao Jiuxi also felt that he was inconsiderate. After all, the children had been wandering for a while and had their own living habits and concerns.

"It's okay. We can leave some money for them. It won't be too late to make a decision after they have thought it over." Ji Qingyi said.

"Then I'll go exchange some copper coins and small change. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient for them to be outside since they are young." After Tao Jiuxi said this, he went to find the shopkeeper in the store to exchange some.

The two went to the dilapidated yard from yesterday, but the children were nowhere to be seen.

"The children must be worried that we would come looking for them and it would be difficult for them to face us, so they didn't come back."

"Since the children are deliberately hiding, let's divide the money and hide it in several places. Let's go." After Tao Jiuxi said this, he took out the silver coins from his purse and hid them in the corners of the wall, under the wood pile, and between the tiles.

Ji Qingyi also stepped forward to help.

After they hid the money, they got back on the carriage.

"Brother Yi, I'm feeling a little unwell today, so I won't be going out today. If you want to go somewhere, you can..."

"No need, I'll go back home with you." Ji Qingyi looked at Tao Jiuxi's tired appearance, and felt a little distressed in his heart. He only wanted her to go back early and have a good rest.

After the two returned to the mansion, Tao Jiuxi had just gone back to his room to rest when he was summoned to the study by Tao Hongyuan.

Tao Jiuxi stood at the door of the study for a moment before slowly walking into the room.

"Father is well."

"You've been spending time with Qingyi these past two days, and your father is very pleased."

Tao Hongyuan was writing something at the table. After Tao Jiuxi saluted, he did not look up, but just spoke in a low voice.

"Father, don't be happy. Today I will tell Brother Yi that I cannot marry him." Tao Jiuxi said in a gentle tone. She didn't want to make Tao Hongyuan unhappy, but she had to say it.

Upon hearing this, Tao Hongyuan, who was writing, suddenly pushed the things in front of him to the ground. The things were scattered all over the floor, and Tao Jiuxi's dress was stained with ink.

"you dare."

"Father, why are you forcing me? If I didn't know Shen Zhiyi, maybe I would listen to you, but Shen Zhiyi and I are already in love with each other." Tao Jiuxi's voice trembled slightly, with a hint of stubbornness and helplessness in his eyes.

"Forced you? Did I force you to have private dealings with him, Lord Shen?" Tao Hongyuan glared at him with a stern tone.

"I know I acted inappropriately before, but some things cannot be judged as right or wrong." Tao Jiuxi tried to explain, with a hint of grievance in his voice.

"You are like this, don't you even care about your reputation? If I had known you would be like this, I would rather not have given birth to you." Tao Hongyuan was so angry that his face turned blue and his words became more and more harsh.

When Tao Jiuxi heard this, she felt a little sad and didn't want to argue anymore.

"Father, if there is nothing else, I will withdraw first."

After Tao Jiuxi finished speaking, he turned around and was about to leave.

Tao Hongyuan felt mixed emotions as he watched his daughter turn and leave.

How could he possibly want this? Not only because of the various court issues, but also because of the marriage certificate, which he and his father-in-law had agreed on long ago. He remembered that he had failed to take good care of Wan'er's mother, who had passed away just a few years after marrying him.

Although Tao Jiuxi is also his biological daughter, in his heart, her status is ultimately inferior to Tao Qingwan's, nor can it compare to the promise he made to his father-in-law.

However, he would never express these thoughts deep in his heart openly.

Just as Tao Jiuxi reached the door, he heard Tao Hongyuan's cold voice behind him: "The name on the marriage certificate is either you or Wan'er."

When Tao Jiuxi heard this, she stopped walking unconsciously. Tao Hongyuan's words were like spring thunder exploding in her ears, making her unable to move in an instant.

She tried to remain calm and said, "Father, what are you talking about? Didn't you just meet Fang Mingxiu yesterday?"

"It's good that you know. Xier, if you were my, Tao Hongyuan's, daughter, you wouldn't be so ignorant."

There was an obvious threat in Tao Hongyuan's tone, and the voice seemed to carry invisible pressure.

Tao Jiuxi slowly turned around and looked at Tao Hongyuan, her eyes full of disbelief, and her eyes gradually began to redden: "Father, are we still your daughters in your heart? Why do you treat us like this?"

Tao Jiuxi knew in his heart that Tao Hongyuan's remarks were clearly a threat to him using Tao Qingwan. He might not really let Tao Qingwan replace him, but he knew that Tao Qingwan was an effective way to control him.

"Qingyi knows everything about you. You are already engaged. It's your own fault for not being sensible. Don't blame your father. Get out."

Tao Hongyuan's expression was indifferent. He waved his hand, which seemed extremely impatient, signaling Tao Jiuxi to leave quickly.