Rebirth: I Became Mr.President's Beloved-Chapter 1154: If It Can’t Be Erased, Then So Be It
"What do you care about what I said!"
Lai Yuaner sneered, "Aren’t you supposed to be fearless? What are you afraid of me telling others then?"
Tang Li successfully schemed against Ouyang Qian and Lai Shengxia, but she overestimated Lai Yuaner’s intelligence. Hearing Lai Yuaner’s sarcastic tone, she retorted, "Have you become the mistress of Third Master Zuo?"
This remark angered Lai Yuaner. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
"Tang, stop hurling baseless accusations! Third Master Zuo and I are innocent. He acknowledged me goddaughter only because my parents were kidnapped, leaving a young girl like me helpless in the Capital."
Tang Li: "So, he’s your godfather now?"
Lai Yuaner: "..."
"You’re indeed a good daughter, sharing even your family’s dirty secrets with him."
Lai Yuaner sneered at the words: "Don’t pretend to be innocent here! The Lai Family’s current disarray is all thanks to you! Do you really think, after causing such calamity to our family, you can still leisurely marry His Excellency?"
If it weren’t for Third Master Zuo telling her, she would have remained clueless—
The relationship between Tang Li and His Excellency was much closer than they had thought.
Third Master Zuo said Song Baiyan had long been bewitched by this playful thing, Tang Li. Now, wherever he went, he wanted to take Tang Li with him. Anything Tang Li asked for, Song Baiyan never refused.
Tang Li prospered more and more, while she, the Second Miss of the Lai Family, was on the verge of becoming a distressed ’beggar.’
Now her parents’ lives were uncertain, and who knew when they would be rescued.
Living at her maternal grandfather’s home, her aunt often mocked her coldly.
She tried to find her elder sister at the Ninth Hospital for assistance, only to be repeatedly turned away.
It was after being pushed to the ground by security that she met Third Master Zuo.
"Do you think that if I don’t mention it, no one will know?" On the other end of the call, Lai Yuaner mocked, "The fact that you are my father’s illegitimate daughter has long been discovered; His Excellency chose you to marry, and in the circle, many have been privately mocking your prowess in climbing into powerful beds."
Tang Li caught the main point in her words.
What Lai Yuaner disclosed to Zuo Bin was her relationship with Tang Shen.
That’s why there was the phrase ’His Excellency wants to eradicate drugs, why not start by sweeping his own backyard first.’
Having received her answer, Tang Li didn’t plan to waste more time on Lai Yuaner.
Just as she was about to hang up, Lai Yuaner added, "If I were you, I would voluntarily leave His Excellency to avoid burdening him with my disgraceful family history!"
Tang Li retorted blandly: "Even if I leave, it won’t be your turn to ascend."
"You!" Lai Yuaner was ashamed and indignant.
"What ’you.’ " Tang Li interrupted her coldly: "You ungrateful daughter who forgets her roots! Your real father isn’t dead yet, struggling in the dire state of Northern Myanmar, and here you are, already acknowledging a new dad, stepping on your real father to curry favor with this new one. Of the two daughters your mom bore your dad, you’re the one who bites the hand that feeds you!"
Lai Yuaner: "..."
Realizing Tang Li was trying to provoke her, Lai Yuaner laughed angrily, "You keep going on about it because you’re afraid of being exposed as Tang Shen’s granddaughter!"
"You say I’m Tang Shen’s granddaughter and I am?"
Tang Li’s denial of her heritage was unexpected to Lai Yuaner!
"Your mother is clearly Tang Shen’s daughter!"
"Where’s the evidence?"
Lai Yuaner: "......"
Tang Li remained indifferent: "Taking a life is a dirty trick, rumors run fast, refuting them is a long haul, you say I’m Tang Shen’s granddaughter, can I then also say you’re the result of an affair between Third Master Zuo and your mom?"
Lai Yuaner refuted, "You’re talking nonsense!"
"You’re certainly defending your new dad, but too bad the Zuo Family doesn’t invest in films, otherwise, you’d be the star of the next ’Hachiko.’"
’Hachiko’ tells the story of a man and a dog.
When Tang Li suggested she star in ’Hachiko,’ it certainly wasn’t to play the man.
The only role she could play would be that of the dog.
"!!!"
Lai Yuaner was about to interrogate further but was preempted by Tang Li: "One moment you say I’m your father’s child, the next you say I’m Tang Shen’s daughter’s child, so by your logic, can I interpret it as your father shot Tang Shen not out of patriotism but for indulging with your mother to conceive you?"
She was about to rebuke Tang Li for talking nonsense when Tang Li seemed to anticipate it: "Or are you trying to say your mother is actually Tang Shen’s daughter?"
"..........."
Lai Yuaner was furious and exasperated.
Even though she knew Tang Li was twisting the truth, she couldn’t come up with a strong counterargument.
The reason Tang Li was making these sly arguments was because Tang Shen had long passed!
She couldn’t even gather samples for a paternity test!
"Only your mom could manage to keep a placenta growing until nineteen." Tang Li added, "Otherwise, how could she not realize how many troubles would arise from publicly associating your family with a drug lord?"
Listening to the end, Lai Yuaner’s face gradually lost color.
However, before she could speak again, Tang Li had already ended the call from her end.
Tang Li held her cellphone and looked again at the biscuits on the cabinet, no longer in the mood to taste any.
Without Ouyang Qian’s supervision, if someone offered her a candy, Lai Yuaner would sell herself off completely. Being too well-protected at home resulted in acting without thinking, only seeking momentary pleasure.
Tang Li sent Feng Qi a WeChat message.
---To inform them, her family background might be exposed.
In any case, it’s always best to have a PR plan ready.
Whether she admits it is one thing, but guiding public opinion is also crucial.
When Song Baiyan came upstairs for lunch, he also noticed something odd in Tang Li’s demeanor. Putting down his wet wipes, before he could inquire, Xiao Minglan got up first, asking her eldest son to accompany her back to the room, using the reason of discussing when to return to the ancestral shrine this year.
Watching Song Baiyan being called away by Xiao Minglan, Tang Li didn’t intervene. Deep in thought, she also put down her chopsticks.
"Don’t waste it." Song Jingtian grabbed the sweet and sour pork from her bowl.
Tang Li asked the little guy, "Do you go to pay respects to your ancestors every year?"
"Of course." Song Jingtian proudly replied, "Our Old Song’s family doesn’t just have an ancestral hall, we also have a family tree. Last time, my big brother said that next time we pay our respects, he’ll add your name to the family tree."
The little guy pursed his lips as he spoke.
The next time they update the family tree, it might be when his identity is revealed.
Elsewhere, Xiao Minglan called her son to the room, using the ancestral rites as an excuse. What she brought up were rumors outside regarding Tang Li’s background.
"How do you plan to handle this?" Xiao Minglan got straight to the point.
"Since they’re just rumors, if you take them too seriously, it gives away something."
Song Baiyan turned back from the floor-to-ceiling window, his right hand holding the cufflink on his left sleeve, then he sat down on the couch, "With rumors, they grow exaggerated when spread."
Seeing her son so calm, Xiao Minglan couldn’t help but remind him, "Her grandfather being Tang Shen is undeniably a fact."
Song Baiyan replied, "If it can’t be erased, then it won’t be."
"Your son wouldn’t be in his current position if he feared gossip."
