Zhang Liling was speechless. She could already feel the exaggeration from her tone.
Normally, Zhang Xiaoling wouldn't even bother acknowledging her presence in public, But now that she was doing so, she had to attract attention to them.
It was very obvious to her that she was playing some sort of games with her.
Thinking about the reason she was acting out, Zhang Liling glanced at herself before her gaze shifted to the man beside her and slowly moved the members of the Fang family.
A 'ding' sound went off in her head as she finally got her answers.
Zhang Xiaoling was acknowledging her and attracting attention to herself only because of the Fang family.
'Does she want to be acknowledged y the Fang Family too?'
'What is the reason she was seeking notice for?'
Tang Enlai also glanced over just like a few other guests and was surprised to see that Zhang Liling was the woman in Fang Bingwen's company.
He knew that Zhang Liling was the second daughter of the Zhang Family but also the real heiress of the Zhang Group.
And this was the first time he was seeing her in public.
A year ago, he heard that she had disappeared but seeing that no one in the Zhang Family was making any effort to find her, he just thought that it was not a serious matter.
Seeing the young lady sitting at the same table with the Fang family, and who happens to be Fang Bingwen's girlfriend, he was indeed stunned.
Zhang Liling who was still speechless, thought of how to responding to the silly stepsister of hers before she causes more commotion.
Although she has never seen Zhang Xiaoling act like that, but she was her mother's daughter so obviously, she wouldn't be herself if she didn't do anything.
But before words could form in her mind, she heard her stepsister ask a ridiculous question.
"Zhang Liling, is this really you?"
And as if that wasn't enough attraction to the already wandering minds of the Fang Family members and the guests leaving so that there would be room for others to come and toast as well, Zhang Xiaoling continued.
"Where have you been for the past one year? We have been worried about you since you moved out of the house and ceased to return home."
"Huh?"
"..."
"??"
Heads turned at Zhang Xiaoling's proclamation and looking at that worried look on her face, they believed her immediately.
'Zhang Liling left the Zhang Family and had not set foot there since?'
'Where has she been then?'
'Why did she leave?'
'Did they Zhang Family look for her?'
'Perharps, was she living with Bingwen?'
The glass Fang Bingwen was holding in his hand paused before he slowly put it down.
Raising his head, he glanced at Zhang Xiaoling's way.
'What stunt is this woman trying to pull?' He thought as his brows slowly furrowed.
Whether she was aware of Song Jujing having cancer or not, still, it was wrong of her to give ideas about their family matter in public.
And she didn't even look one bit bothered by it.
If this was not the Fang Family's party, Zhang Liling would have given Zhang Xiaoling a piece of her mind.
What sort of nonsensical query was that?
But because she had a reputation to maintain as Mr. Fang's girlfriend and also this was her first time she was officially being introduced to the members of the Fang family, she decided to control her temper.
She was not going to let that dimwit of a stepsister bring out her vulgar side.
Even Tang Enlai felt that somethinf was wrong with his wife, but it was not long before he discovered what she was trying to do and immediately, his gaze turned dark.
It was very clear that she was trying to embarrass Zhang Liling and let people think otherwise of her. In summary, she was trying to ruin her stepsister's reputation because she was jealous after seeing her with Fang Bingwen.
Feeling the attention on them, and probably guessing the thoughts of the people around them to what she had said, she smiled inwardly at the effects of her words and felt the need to continue.
But just as her lips parted, Zhang Liling beat her to it.
"Don't you know the reason my mother came down to City S to help me move?" Zhang Liling asked while gazing at her like she was a fool.
In one sentence, she had confirmed that she had indeed moved out of the Zhang house, but also proved that her moving away was official as her mother had come over.
Now the Fang Family and the few guests that stayed back to hear the rest of the story, were already wondering the big matter and reason behind her moving out of the house.
Not expecting her to find a countermeasure so soon, Zhang Xiaoling was taken aback.
"W-Well, I-I..." she stammered, not knowing exactly what to reply.
She was tongue-tied because of the lack of time to actually think of a reasonable response to give.
Paying her no heed, Zhang Liling continued without batting an eye.
"In case you have forgotten, I ran away because I was afraid of my life after Dad decided on picking a successor between me and Mingyu."
Pretending as if she didn't just divulge a family secret, she added, "Anyway, I don't like these messy troubles. But as for me telling you what I have been upto since the last year, I don't think I owe you that."
Zhang Liling said a lot more casually towards the end if her statement.
Actually, she could have just stated that she returned to Paris to take care of her mother because of the cancer, but she stopped herself as she had a reason for keeping it to herself for the time being.
If she had revealed her mother's predicament there and now, the effect would have been hight, becwsus everyone would be wondering how her mother suffered something serious yet no one from the Zhang family knew about it.
Zhang Xiaoling would have been more embarrassed than she was at the moment, but Zhang Liling had her own thoughts.
Still, everyone was able to understand something import, and that was the fact that Shi Wenqian was obviously not treating Zhang Liling well. And that Zhang Liling was scared she would do something to her hence, she stepped down from her place and moved out just to stay out of trouble.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦