C12 Consult Me

"Is this what it means to be obedient?"

A flicker of joy rose in Tong Fu's heart, but it was mixed with a sense of conflict. She had no idea when she could finally get her revenge or when this life would come to an end. What did Fenng Yun truly like or dislike? The only thing she knew for sure was that Fenng Yun appreciated her obedience.

Wasn't that simple enough? Just being obedient. If enduring a bit of hardship meant she could succeed in her revenge, she was willing to choose that path.

Tong Fu sighed softly, noticing it was getting late and deciding to rest. Just then, she received a call from Tong Haoyuan.

Why was he calling at this hour?

She set her phone to silent and focused on her tasks. But when she was finally ready to sleep, her father's call lingered in her mind.

After all, he was still her elder, and she felt she should at least respond. Tong Fu was kind-hearted like that; even when her father had done such hurtful things, she held onto her last bit of conscience.

She picked up her phone and checked the missed calls—only three—and one text message:

"Tong Fu, I know you're upset with Dad, but you can't just ignore my calls! We understood why you didn't come for dinner today, but you must come tomorrow! We'll be waiting for you at home. If you really can't make it, I'll come to pick you up, okay?"

For some reason, Tong Fu felt a pang of sympathy. After all, they had lived together for so long, and he was still her biological father. Tong Fu found herself unable to make a decision, and it was almost midnight. She picked up the phone and called Fenng Yun.

"Are you asleep?" Tong Fu asked hesitantly, clearly feeling a bit guilty. "Um... I need to discuss something with you. Can you spare me some time?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"My dad just asked me to come over for lunch tomorrow, and I..."

"If you want to go, then go. He is your father, after all."

"But you know, the relationship between us has already..."

"Tong Fu, all you want is for him to face some consequences. Are you really so scared of having a meal with him that you can't go? What kind of revenge are you talking about then? It's just a meal. If you want to go, go. If not, don't." Fenng Yun seemed a bit annoyed and said, "I just finished a meeting and was about to go to sleep. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."

"Okay, I get what you mean."

The next morning, Tong Fu chose a simple outfit of a shirt and jeans, ready to head to the Tong family for lunch. On her way there, she realized it was just a meal, nothing more. After all, she was now with Fenng Yun, and they wouldn't dare do anything to her.

At the doorstep of her former home, now belonging to her father and his new wife, Tong Fu felt a pang of discomfort. She rang the doorbell, and Mrs. Zhang came to open it. Unlike last time, Mrs. Zhang seemed genuinely happy.

"Miss, you're finally back! Your father has been wanting to apologize. Come in! I've made your favorite dishes today," Mrs. Zhang said excitedly.

Tong Fu smiled at Mrs. Zhang, feeling that she was the only unchanged presence in the house. Mrs. Zhang was the sole source of comfort for Tong Fu.

As she walked in, she saw Tong Yingqing sitting on the couch, exuding an air of entitlement.

"Mrs. Zhang, who is it?" Tong Yingqing asked impatiently.

"Miss, it's Miss Tong Fu. Your father invited her for dinner, remember?" Mrs. Zhang replied with a smile at Tong Fu. "The food is almost ready. Why don't you sit for a bit, watch some TV, and there's fruit over there."

"Alright, I get it," Tong Fu said, taking a seat on the couch and smiling at Tong Yingqing. "Hello."

"Just sit tight. Dad might be a while; he's busy with payroll at the company. Thanks to you, if it weren't for your help, there might have been a financial gap. But honestly, whether you went to Fenng Yun's or not didn't matter much. Dad could still have secured a loan from the bank. But you, you're just someone who's been cast aside. After all these years Dad raised you, it's only right you do something for him."

Tong Yingqing looked at Tong Fu's calm expression and chuckled, "What? Have you already accepted your fate and don't want to say anything more? Well, at least you understand your true place. This home was never yours to begin with."

"Yingqing, what are you talking about? Tong Fu is still a guest here; you shouldn't speak like that," Qiao Zi approached with a smile. "Tong Fu, I actually wanted to invite you to this meal today. I know you can't accept that I've moved in with your father. But the truth is, I had feelings for your father before your mother came into the picture. Do you understand?"

"So, you're saying my mother was the other woman? If I understand correctly, we still have laws about marriage in this country. Do you need me to explain what an affair means?" Tong Fu was exhausted and didn't want to argue further. No matter how much she protested, Qiao Zi had already made herself at home, and her mother wasn't coming back.

"Fine, since that's the case, let me be clear! You're still a member of the Tong family. Even if you have misunderstandings about us, you must not be disrespectful to your father. When he comes home, you need to show proper manners and not confront him. Being with Fenng Yun is something many people envy. You should be grateful, understand?"

Seeing Qiao Zi act all superior, as if she was doing her a favor, made Tong Fu feel sick.

"Exactly! My mom's right! Fenng Yun is quite the catch, and Dad's giving you a chance! Hmph, don't be ungrateful!" Tong Yingqing acted like Tong Fu wasn't even there.

A chance? Back then, Fenng Yun was known to have a serious illness. Marrying him was considered a curse. Was that really an opportunity?

"Alright, where's my dad? If he doesn't come back soon, I'm leaving," Tong Fu said coldly, unable to stay in this house any longer.

Mrs. Zhang, who had been busy in the kitchen, heard the commotion in the living room and rushed over to mediate. "Ladies, please don't argue. A family meal should be a happy occasion! The master said he'll be back soon, so let's not fight."

Tong Fu chuckled softly, choosing not to say more. Fine, she thought. Let's see what else this family can do to push her limits.

To them, she was just the ungrateful one who didn't respect her elders.