Falling into the rain

The moment Yu Tingyu heard Wen Huaixu's voice, her fingertips suddenly stiffened, and her palms, which were holding the cup, instantly became sweaty.

The first emotion that welled up in her heart was not seeking his support, but rather a strange sense of panic.

She was nervous, nervous about Wen Huaixu's reaction. After all, from his perspective, she was the one who had splashed a glass of water on Chen Xuran in public. What if even he thought she was being willful and unreasonable?

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from not far away. Chen Xuning was affectionately holding Wen Yun's arm, but when she saw Chen Xuran's soaking wet appearance, her expression changed immediately.

"Xuran, what's wrong?"

Chen Xuran's eyes reddened, and large tears rolled down her cheeks. Her voice trembled with sobs as she said to the two women, "Sister, Aunt Wen, Yu Tingyu splashed water on me..."

Chen Xuning tenderly draped a coat over her younger sister, then looked at Chen Xuran and Yu Tingyu, her tone hesitant: "This...is there some misunderstanding? Tingyu probably didn't do it on purpose, right?"

Wen Yun frowned, turned her head to look at Yu Tingyu, who was standing motionless and silent beside her, and asked, "Tingyu, what happened? Why did they suddenly start hitting each other?"

Yu Tingyu could feel a burning, direct gaze fixed on her from the side, but she dared not meet it. Her voice was faint, revealing no emotion, yet it subtly conveyed a stubbornness: "I did it on purpose."

"Aunt Wen, listen to this!" Chen Xuran immediately seized on the opportunity, her sobs suddenly rising in intensity, sounding even more aggrieved, "Yu Tingyu is still unrepentant!"

Wen Yun looked surprised. In her memory, Yu Tingyu had always been docile and well-behaved at home, never arguing with anyone. But now that Yu Tingyu had admitted it herself, she could only lower her voice and say, "Tingyu, no matter what, this is your fault..."

"Chen Xuran, stop talking nonsense! You were the one who said Tingyu was, was..." Shen Sihe had been listening to Wen Yun from the beginning, but finally couldn't hold back and interrupted her. However, she couldn't finish her sentence, her face turned red, and she couldn't say those two words. It was just too awful.

"What is it?"

Wen Huaixu's voice suddenly rang out. His deep, cold voice had no discernible tone, yet it instantly quieted the noisy scene.

All eyes were on Yu Tingyu.

Her eyes were lowered, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow beneath them, and her fingertips unconsciously curled up.

Those two words, those two words, are like her label, something she can't get rid of, but they are indeed something else.

She hated it terribly; she hated that it exposed her vulnerability to everyone, and she hated it even more for constantly reminding her of the fact that she had no parents.

But besides hatred, there was even more pain.

She used to be cherished by her parents, but after an accident, she lost everything.

It felt like a dream.

Shen Sihe opened her mouth, but she stammered and couldn't say it, while Yu Tingyu said it herself.

"Orphans, orphans with no one to care for them."

Her voice was as light as a snowflake falling into the palm of your hand, melting as it landed, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Chen Xuning's expression changed drastically when she heard the last two words. She glanced cautiously at Wen Yun's face.

Everyone knows that Yu Tingyu has lived in the Wen family since she was a child. Saying she is an orphan puts Wen Yun and Liang Kaizhou in a terrible position. But before Chen Xuning could speak, Chen Xuran suddenly muttered in a low voice, "...That's how it is."

Chen Xuning's face darkened completely, and she sternly rebuked, "Chen Xuran, shut your mouth."

Wen Yun understood most of what was going on, and her heart sank. However, she remained calm on the surface. Chen Xuning was her preferred marriage partner. In terms of family background and other factors, she was a good match for the Wen family. There was no need to make things unpleasant over this.

She casually remarked, "If Tingyu is an orphan, then what are we?"

Hearing Wen Yun's words, Chen Xuning's heart skipped a beat. She quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, saying apologetically, "Aunt Wen, my little sister was just being silly, please don't take it to heart."

Wen Yun patted Chen Xuning's hand, her attitude exceptionally tolerant: "They're just kids, it's nothing serious, let's just let it go."

Yu Tingyu stood aside, listening to the two of them talking back and forth, and didn't feel too uncomfortable.

After all, she never had any expectations of Wen Yun and her husband from the beginning.

Of course, she was grateful; if she hadn't come to the Wen family, she might have grown up in some orphanage.

But she was also very clear that in the eyes of the Wen and Liang families, she was not even a choice compared to their interests.

Chen Xuning nodded in agreement as she spoke, "Aunt Wen is right..."

"It can't be turned over."

Those three short words interrupted Chen Xuning's words and instantly chilled the slightly relaxed atmosphere.

After speaking coldly, Wen Huaixu strode to Yu Tingyu's side, naturally pulling her back slightly. He looked up at Wen Yun, his voice unusually deep and cold:

"Xiaoyu has been in our family for eleven years. No one has the right to insult her. Besides, who is still a child? They are all adults. They must take responsibility for their words and deeds. Was your statement just now disrespectful to Xiaoyu, or to me?"

Wen Yun was taken aback, clearly not expecting Wen Huaixu to question her first. But before she could speak, Wen Huaixu changed the subject and looked at Chen Xuran, who was hiding behind her sister.

He narrowed his eyes, his dark pupils chillingly deep: "I never expected that the Chen family would produce such a junior who only knows how to stir up trouble behind others' backs."

Chen Xuran shuddered involuntarily as that cold gaze swept over her, and she gripped Chen Xuning's arm even tighter.

"Huaixu," Chen Xuning hesitated for a few seconds before finally taking a half-step forward, trying to ease the tension, "Although Xuran spoke rudely first, Tingyu also splashed water on her later... How about we just let it go and each give way?"

Wen Huaixu let out a deep laugh, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Victims can't resist? Is this the kind of upbringing your Chen family has instilled?"

"Huai Xu." Wen Yun frowned, her tone stern, clearly dissatisfied that he hadn't left the Chen family any room to maneuver.

Wen Huaixu ignored her. His tone was flat, yet it carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

"Apologize."

Yu Tingyu stared blankly at Wen Huaixu's broad back.

She never imagined that Wen Huaixu would defy Wen Yun for her sake.

But this protection made her heart tighten.

Sometimes she felt like she was a contradiction, worried that Wen Huaixu wouldn't protect her, but even more afraid that she wouldn't be able to handle his favoritism.

Yu Tingyu lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on Wen Huaixu's straight back, and quietly said to herself—

Can you please stop being so nice to me?

I'm afraid that if I get used to having you by my side, I'll never be able to leave you.