Zhutian: I have been happy to be a father since I was a child.

Thursday night.

Chen Tao leaned back on the sofa, watching a World War II documentary on TV.

The cheap daughter sat beside him, shaking his arm, smiling and coquettishly saying:

"Dad, do you believe me? Aunt Zhou next door looks exactly like my mom!"

Chen Tao hummed, staring at the TV without blinking, and at the same time habitually reached out for the potato chips.

Zhao Rui was a little dissatisfied, and she opened her mouth to intercept him. After swallowing, she threw herself into her father's arms and said flatteringly, "Dad, tell me quietly, have you confirmed your relationship with your girlfriend?"

Chen Tao took another potato chip, handed it to the girl's lips, and asked with a smile:

"It's confirmed, so what? It's not confirmed, so what? If you have any opinions, don't beat around the bush!"

Zhao Rui ate potato chips and said with a smile:

"If you are not sure, can you consider changing people?"

Chen Tao's eyes narrowed: "Let's change to Aunt Zhou next door?"

Zhao Rui nodded.

Chen Tao taught him a lesson: "Unfilial!"

Zhao Rui said aggrievedly, "Dad, how am I unfilial? I'm thinking about you! You love my mom so much, how suitable would it be if you could marry Aunt Zhou? She looks like my mom, I like her too."

As he spoke, he wiped away his tears.

Chen Tao snorted, "It's because she looks so much like your mother that I can never have any relationship with her, and neither can you! Otherwise, after a long time, will your mother still be in our hearts? She's just a fake, and of low quality. She's not worthy of my love, and she's not qualified to be your mother."

It wasn't you who did it, why do you care?

Whatever suffering Zhou Lin had, it was all caused by others, and Chen Tao would not pity her just because she was suffering.

Zhao Rui was given a wake-up call.

yes!

She only has one mother!

She will call Zhou Lin mom from now on, so how can her biological mother rest in peace in heaven? The person she misses is her biological mother, not Zhou Lin!

Zhao Rui immediately admitted her mistake: "Dad! You are absolutely right. I was stupid again and didn't think straight."

Chen Tao pinched her face and said, "Since you know you are wrong, why don't you go and review? You just keep pestering me. I am so tired from work, can you be more considerate?"

Zhao Rui immediately retorted: "How are you tired? If you were really tired, how could you have the energy to exercise and hang out with your mysterious girlfriend? You are really too partial! If you come home on time and accompany me to eat and review, would I be able to pester you? You have been busy with work since I was a child. Now that you have time, you go to accompany your girlfriend again. I feel uncomfortable."

Is it because you have a girlfriend?

'From this point of view, Zhou Lin is indeed not suitable. Otherwise, if she really replaces my mother, and she is still young, what should I do if my father has a child with her? She just looks like me, not a resurrected corpse. Can she really treat me as her own daughter? If she becomes a stepmother and confuses my father, and then harms me, how can I resist? I am so stupid! '

Chen Tao stroked her back gently and said softly, "It's not that I don't love you anymore, it's that you've grown up, and we can't get along like before."

As he said this, he ate another shrimp cracker.

Zhao Rui hummed, and then said coquettishly:

"Dad, I want to eat too!"

"Take it yourself! When you were little, you wouldn't eat even if I chased you and fed you. Now that you've grown up, you want your dad to feed you. What's this? Are you getting younger and younger as you get older? Are you actually growing older?"

"Can't get younger as time goes by? Then what's your situation?"

"I am a deity, and you are not."

"I am your daughter! You should also teach me how to cultivate immortality."

"Humph, nonsense! Go back to your room and do your homework. I think it's because you don't do enough homework that you have so many ideas and you even want to find me a girlfriend! Go back quickly! Don't disturb me while I'm watching TV."

"Humph, I won't leave! My eyesight was not good before, so I couldn't see you clearly. Now that it's better, I want to see you more! We depend on each other, so don't even think about leaving me."

"Saying these words is useless. Just be honest in the future, stop chasing stars, stop skipping classes to play games, and study hard. That will be more effective than saying anything. I want to see actual actions, not just words. Do you hear me?"

"I didn't hear it! My ears are broken! I can't hear my dad's sermon!"

Zhao Rui in the original novel also has hearing impairment and affects her intelligence. She is really stupid, after all, she is chasing after the star signed by Wu. At a young age, she is picked up by Tao Wuji's senior brother, Jiang Rui.

Jiang Rui flirted with her purely because he was attracted to her father, and it was definitely not because of her stupid brain.

Chen Tao pretended to be serious: "You really don't want me to take care of you in the future?"

Zhao Rui said angrily: "Dad~ you are so annoying!"

Even though he said he disliked her, he held her tighter and cried, "I miss my mom, wuwuwu~"

Chen Tao was helpless.

After all, he is not Uncle Ying, and he doesn't have the ability to set up an altar and perform rituals to call Li Ying up to comfort his daughter.

I can only wait for Zhao Rui to finish crying and let her go to her room to review. I can miss my mom, but I can't drop my homework. Wouldn't it be more motivated to review while thinking about her? If I don't have motivation, it's just cheating, not really missing her.

The next day.

morning.

The father and daughter went downstairs together and took the elevator with Zhou Lin.

Chen Tao nodded to her, then started playing with his phone and ignored her.

Zhao Rui hugged her father's arm, looking at Zhou Lin and then at her father from time to time, feeling that the atmosphere was very strange.

Zhou Lin was not in a hurry. It didn't matter if the man was aloof. She could first try to get his daughter. After getting his daughter, was there any need to worry that he wouldn't take the bait?

downstairs.

Seeing the father and daughter about to get in the car, Zhou Lin took the initiative to say, "Ruirui, goodbye~"

Zhao Rui smiled and waved, then got into the car.

On the way.

She asked curiously, "Dad, have you seen her? Why aren't you surprised?"

Chen Tao laughed: "I have met so many people. Apart from her appearance, what else is there about her that is worth my extra attention? I am a married man now, I won't look at anything else."

Zhao Rui burst into laughter: "How come you are a married man? You can't have married your mysterious girlfriend without telling me, your daughter, right? This is not right, you have to let me see her first!"

After laughing, he peeled another candy and handed it to his father's mouth to prevent him from smoking.

Chen Tao ate it.

Zhao Rui asked again: "What do you think of Zhou Lin?"

Chen Tao shook his head. "I can't tell now. I'll find a chance to test her when I'm free on Saturday or Sunday. Your Uncle Su likes your mother. After meeting her, he's also been tricked by her. I'll have him hide and eavesdrop. If he loses interest in Zhou Lin and even dislikes her, you'll know what she's like."

Zhao Rui opened her eyes wide: "How are you going to test her? I want to hear it too!"

"You are just a little brat, don't eavesdrop on adults' conversations."

"Ah~ adults are so dirty!"

"What do you mean by adults are so dirty? Who taught you to talk like that? Stop saying that, and don't fall in love so early."

"Who's in love early? Dad, don't talk to me about this!"

"You think I want to say this? But your mother is gone. If I don't tell you, who else will tell you? Who can you tell?"

"Huh, I'm telling my stepmother, isn't that okay? Dad, you won't stop me from seeing her, will you?"

"No one likes to be a stepmother. If you don't understand, I won't let you see her. You two should live your own lives."

"How biased!"

"Well, I am partial! I have to accompany her during the National Day holiday, so I don't have time to take care of you. You can do whatever you want. In another half year, you will be eighteen years old. Even if I want to take care of you, you don't have to obey me."

"Dad, don't say that! I won't be a fan anymore, and I won't skip classes. I will study hard and get into a good university!"

"Humph, that's more like it!"

Chen Tao's teaching was not without purpose. After all, Zhao Rui's skipping classes was not entirely her fault. Wu Xianlong often called her to ask her to go.

Zhou Lin wanted to go the daughter route, and so did Wu Xianlong. Every time he called Zhao Rui to ask her to go over to his place to play, he would intentionally or unintentionally ask her to invite Zhao Hui along.

Therefore, Chen Tao said this in order to break Wu Xianlong's plan.

If you want him to do something, you should come to him and beg him to do it. How can you ask him to come to you? No matter how small the task is, you still need a favor. What life-saving favor, you must repay it once and for all!

Wu Xianlong had to think of another way.

After all, Zhao Rui's grades were terrible, and she had wasted half a year because of her eye disease. Now she has been held back for a year and is trying to make progress. If someone spoils her and tempts her to skip classes, then no matter how great the favor is, it will not count!

As for finding her a tutor, Tao Wuji or Jiang Rui? CUFE is pretty good. The alumni who sang "Tears Behind Bars" in Tilanqiao can probably compete with the alumni of Fudan University.

But in the field of tutoring, I am afraid that parents would still prefer to hire someone from Fudan University. So if you need a tutor, don't worry, these two stepmothers can do it for you.

***

Sunday.

Afternoon.

The autumn rain continues.

Zhou Lin sat on the sofa and ended her phone calls with her son and her master Xie Zhiyuan. Then, holding her coffee, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and admired the Huangpu River in the rain alone.

To be honest, the cost of Mr. Xie's use of the beauty trap this time was not low. At least to rent this large flat with a river view, he had to pay a monthly rent of 45,000 yuan.

Yes, every month.

How could she not feel emotional?

My heart couldn't help but feel hot.

Don’t talk about feelings anymore!

Zhao Hui is almost fifty years old. If he is not the head of his industry, how could a thirty-year-old woman like her be interested in him?

Now according to Xie Zhiyuan, someone has millions of dollars, and his annual salary is easily over a million, so he doesn't have to spend too much money on his daughter!

This made her very excited.

If she could get with this man, would she still have to worry about her son's future? She could also live a good life, without being sent around by Xie Zhiyuan and others and selling her body.

Besides, she looks like his deceased wife, which is a huge advantage! Even if the other party knows that her purpose is not real, what does it matter? She can handle it!

"I will definitely take you down! Zhao Hui!"

Just as she was thinking about what to do after taking down Zhao Hui, Chen happened to ring the doorbell of her house.

The door opened.

Just as Zhou Lin was about to speak, Chen Tao said coldly, "Follow me!"

A tone that brooks no rejection.

Zhou Lin was stunned, knowing that Chen Tao might talk about Xie Zhiyuan, so she did not refuse.

This is not surprising.

After all, this man was someone that even Xie Zhiyuan couldn't handle. If she didn't look like his deceased wife, there would probably be no further chances for her.

But she still suggested: "Let me change my clothes first."

Chen Tao looked at her for a few times, looking like an old wolf, and then urged:

"Okay! Come over here when you're done changing! Don't drag your feet!"

So simple?

Not surprising.

After all, he loved his late wife very much, and it was said that he had never touched other women, so wasn't it normal that he suddenly couldn't help himself today? He was not the only one who couldn't help himself before?

Don't mention President Yao, Xie Zhiyuan also played with her. Don't say it didn't happen, normal people don't believe it.

Wandering among men, just eating and drinking? Stop talking nonsense!

When talking about such huge interests, doesn't she need to come along to add to the fun?

So Zhou Lin didn't think there was anything wrong, but she still acted shy professionally. This was a skill she had cultivated.

Chen Tao didn't look at her again and turned around and went back to his home.

There are other people at home.

Su Jianren was like a cuckolded victim, hiding in his master bedroom and secretly looking at the living room to see if Zhou Lin was worthy of his love.

As for the little kid Zhao Rui, she naturally went to art class.

A quarter past two.

Zhou Lin pushed open the half-open door, changed into the shoes that someone had prepared for her, and walked into the house with some trepidation.

When she arrived in the living room, she saw Chen Tao leaning on the sofa, looking at her with a scrutinizing look. After a while, he asked bluntly:

"Xie Zhiyuan asked you to come, right? He gave you to me, so I should return the favor by approving his messy trust products and investment projects? It's not that easy. I have to try it first. I will only consider cooperating with him if you can satisfy me, instead of just agreeing to help him after sleeping with him."

Zhou Lin looked pale.

Su Jianren in the room began to breathe rapidly.

Chen Tao was not polite at all. After lighting the cigar with a lighter, he said contemptuously:

"Do you think I'm different from what you imagined? You're totally wrong! My current behavior is the most normal. You are not my deceased wife, and it is unreasonable for me to treat you like my deceased wife. Take off your clothes and crawl over here slowly. You can also refuse, then just move out and don't waste the rent!"

'Go! Go! Get out of here!'

Someone in the room yelled in his heart.

He really couldn't bear to see a woman who looked like Li Ying, the woman he liked, doing such a despicable thing.

But unfortunately, the woman did not do as he wished. Instead, she took off the skirt she had just put on while crying, and crawled forward on her knees with incomparable humiliation, which made him extremely devastated.

This is nothing to Zhou Lin.

Will those men pity her? I'm afraid they will kick her until she's smoking.

Chen Tao said coldly: "It seems like something is missing. I like dogs, but I haven't found a suitable one. Bark a few times."

It has come to this, what can it do to be more despicable?

Zhou Lin obeyed woodenly.

"What's wrong with you? Why do you seem unhappy? Cheer up!"

"Crying? Why are you crying? Weren't you given to someone else by Xie Zhiyuan before? What did those people do to you? Tell me."

"Don't get too close! Don't tell me about your difficulties! Your difficulties are caused by other people. They have nothing to do with me. I don't have to pay for them."

"Go back! I called you here just to test you. Now you obviously failed my test and are not qualified to replace my late wife. You can't handle me, let Old Xie replace you! He's an old classmate! How can he still be a human being when he plots against me like this?"

“…”

Zhou Lin was still fine, but Su Jianren didn't dare to look at her anymore. She was too clownish. (End of this chapter)