6.Get out of this suffocating place

The day after Tang Ying's grand wedding was the day for her to return to her natal home. The morning sunlight filtered through the carved window lattice and spilled onto the ancient and elegant courtyard of the Tang family, casting a thin golden veil over this traditional Chinese-style building. However, the homecoming banquet, which should have been lively and festive, was faintly filled with an unusual atmosphere because of the absence of Tang Ying's newlywed husband.

At dinner time, the dining room of the Tang family was brightly lit. By a long mahogany dining table, the male and female members of the Tang family gathered together. The table was laden with sumptuous delicacies, and the exquisite dishes exuded an alluring aroma. Yet, the array of delicious food on the table couldn't dispel the subtle tension in the air. Except for the grandmother, who was old and weak and had long stayed in the inner chamber, everyone in the Tang family sat upright in their seats, maintaining on the surface the proper etiquette and reserve befitting a noble family.

Tang Qian, the low-key and reserved young lady of the Tang family on ordinary days, sat quietly in the corner of the lower seat. She was dressed in a plain-colored dress, simple and elegant in style, but it couldn't hide her inherent gentle temperament. In the bowls and plates in front of her, there was an appropriate amount of food, and she was quietly having her meal. Every movement of hers was graceful and composed, as if all the hubbub around her had nothing to do with her.

Tang Ying, who had just gotten married, was wearing a gorgeous cheongsam, but there was an obvious look of displeasure on her face. Her carefully plucked eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and her eyes were filled with a cold chill. She casually glanced at Tang Qian in the lower seat and then suddenly said loudly, "Tang Qian, you really stole the show at my wedding yesterday and even caused such a big commotion!" Her voice was sharp and abrupt, instantly breaking the relative calm in the dining room, and everyone's eyes involuntarily focused on Tang Qian.

Upon hearing this, Tang Qian just slightly lowered her head. The chopsticks in her hand didn't stop, and she still leisurely picked up the food, saying softly, "I wasn't in the banquet hall throughout the wedding. I was always in the private room painting. I neither stole the show nor caused any trouble." Her tone was calm and firm, as if she was stating an ordinary fact, without the slightest hint of panic or guilt.

As soon as Tang Ying heard this, her eyes widened instantly, and she glared at Tang Qian, demanding, "That painting was defaced! A blood-red skull was drawn on it, and it was completely ruined! Why didn't you stay there and keep an eye on it?!" Her voice trembled slightly with anger, and under her delicate makeup, her cheeks flushed with excitement.

Tang Qian calmly put down her chopsticks, raised her head, and met Tang Ying's angry gaze with a calm look in her eyes. She explained, "I was just a bit hungry, so I left early." Her eyes were as clear as water, without the slightest evasion, as if telling Tang Ying that all of this was just a normal behavior.

Upon hearing this explanation, Tang Ying couldn't help but let out a cold laugh and sneered, "Would you die if you were hungry for a while? My husband didn't even accompany me on my homecoming! It's all because of that skull. It has a bad omen! You're just brainless!" Her words were full of aggression, and every word was like a sharp knife stabbing straight at Tang Qian.

At this moment, Aunt Zhao Yu also cast her gaze on Tang Qian in the lower seat. She frowned, with a look of dissatisfaction on her face, and said in a slightly reproachful tone, "Tang Qian! As a child of a noble family, you should pay attention to your image outside. After the wedding, everyone was talking about you, and all kinds of people came to inquire. What kind of mess is this?" Zhao Yu's well-maintained face was now full of seriousness. As an elder in the Tang family, she seemed extremely dissatisfied with the "commotion" caused by Tang Qian at the wedding.

Tang Ying seemed to have found an ally and immediately chimed in, "That's right! Have you no shame?!" Her voice became even sharper, and her emotions became more and more agitated. She seemed eager to vent all the anger in her heart on Tang Qian.

Just when the atmosphere was getting more and more tense and everyone thought that Tang Qian would be left isolated and helpless, the eldest brother, Tang Zhen, finally spoke. His voice was deep and powerful, like a steady barrier separating the surging tide of accusations: "Alright, stop talking. She didn't do anything." Tang Zhen sat on one side of the dining table, tall and straight, with a stern face, and a hint of undeniable majesty in his eyes. As soon as he spoke, the dining room fell silent instantly. Tang Ying looked at her brother in disbelief, her eyes full of anger and confusion.

Tang Ying was by no means willing to let it go. She suddenly flew into a rage and shouted at Tang Zhen, "Brother! Why are you speaking for her! I said I wanted to lock her up and not let her attend my wedding. Why did you have to take her with you?!" Her hands were tightly clenched into fists, and her body trembled slightly with anger. A few strands of her carefully arranged hair fell down, making her look a bit disheveled.

Just when everyone was at an impasse, "Tap, tap!" Uncle Tang Chen gently tapped the table with the chopsticks in his hand. His movement was elegant and steady. Although the sound he made was not loud, it seemed to have an invisible power that made the entire dining room fall silent instantly. Tang Chen was dressed in a well-tailored Chinese-style long gown and wore a delicate skullcap. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were deep and gentle, and his every gesture exuded the refined temperament of a wealthy merchant from a noble family.

"Stop talking a bit. What about the manners?" Tang Chen's voice was not loud, but it carried an irresistible majesty. His gaze slowly swept over everyone at the dining table, and everyone involuntarily restrained their emotions under his gaze.

Then, Tang Chen fixed his gaze on Tang Qian and said, "Tang Qian, come to my study after dinner." His tone was calm but undeniable, as if he was giving an order that must be executed.

Tang Qian nodded slightly and replied softly, "Yes." Her voice was gentle but firm, making it impossible to ignore.

After dinner, Tang Qian came to the study. A faint scent of ink filled the study. All four walls were lined with various ancient books and rare editions. A large mahogany desk was placed in the center of the room, and on the desk were neatly arranged writing brushes, inkstones, paper, and several books. Tang Chen sat upright behind the desk. He was wearing a dark gray Chinese-style long robe. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were intently fixed on a book in his hand, and in his other hand, he was playing with a string of warm-toned olive pits. As his fingers gently turned the olive pits, they made a "tap, tap" rubbing sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet study.

Tang Qian stood quietly in front of the desk. There was no seat prepared for her in the study, so she stood there straight, with a tall and upright posture and a calm look in her eyes. As time passed, the only sounds in the room were the sound of Tang Chen turning the pages of the book and the rubbing sound of the olive pits. After about an hour, Tang Chen finally slowly raised his head and fixed his gaze on Tang Qian. He asked softly, "Do you want to go to the backyard?" His voice was gentle, but it seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

Tang Qian raised her head and looked directly into Tang Chen's eyes. She retorted, "Uncle, I'm also a member of the Tang family. Can't I walk around in my own home?" There was a hint of stubbornness in her eyes, and her words carried a firm recognition of her own identity.

Tang Chen frowned slightly. His tone was still gentle, but it carried a hint of an undeniable tone as he said, "Your grandmother is not in good health. Don't disturb her." His gaze was fixed on Tang Qian, as if he wanted to see something from her expression.

Upon hearing this, Tang Qian bit her lip slightly and didn't respond immediately. Her heart was filled with helplessness and unwillingness. Her grandmother was the closest person to her in this family, but now she was being blocked from seeing her for such a reason.

Tang Chen seemed to see through Tang Qian's thoughts and continued, "When you've thought it through, you can see her. Whether it's in three months or three years, it's up to you to choose." His voice was still warm, but it was like a cold shackle that tightly bound Tang Qian.

Tang Qian remained silent for a long time, and the anger and unwillingness in her heart were surging. Finally, she raised her head, and a hint of determination flashed in her eyes as she spat out two words, "Go to hell." Although these two words were brief, they were full of power, expressing her strong resistance to Tang Chen's unreasonable request.

Upon hearing this, Tang Chen didn't get angry. He just slightly shook his head and then lowered his head to continue reading the book. His voice was still warm as he said, "Recite the Admonitions for Women once." His tone was like that of teaching a disobedient child, completely ignoring Tang Qian's anger and resistance just now.

The next day, the sun was still shining brightly and spilled onto the courtyard of the Tang family. A young woman in a beautiful dress walked lightly into the gate of the Tang family. She was Chen Ling, the apple of the Chen family's eye. Chen Ling was wearing a light yellow dress, and the skirt swayed gently with her steps, just like a blooming flower. A bright smile was on her face, her eyes were bright and lively, and a long lock of shiny black hair casually draped over her shoulders. The whole person exuded a youthful and lively atmosphere.

When the members of the Tang family saw her, they all warmly came forward to greet her. When Tang Zhen saw Chen Ling, a gentle smile appeared on his face, and he asked, "Lingling, are you back from abroad? Is it a vacation?" There was a hint of concern and familiarity in his tone, as if Chen Ling were his own child.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling replied with a smile, "I'm back from graduation!" Her voice was clear and melodious, full of vitality, and the smile on her face became even brighter.

Seeing this, Tang Zhen smiled and coaxed, "You look so young. Our Lingling will always be 85 years old!" There was a hint of teasing in his words, trying to make Chen Ling happy.

As soon as Chen Ling heard this, she immediately pouted unhappily and said, "I'm 22 years old! Stop saying I'm young!" Her expression was cute and charming, making people unable to help laughing.

Before long, Tang Qian appeared in the living room. As soon as Chen Ling saw her, her eyes lit up immediately. She took a few steps forward and affectionately took Tang Qian's hand, saying excitedly, "Tang Qian! Let's go out and play!" There was a look of anticipation in her eyes, as if she couldn't wait to escape from this somewhat oppressive Tang family with Tang Qian.

Tang Qian raised her eyes and looked at the other members of the Tang family. There was a hint of inquiry and hesitation in her eyes. Seeing this, Tang Zhen stepped forward and asked with concern, "Shall I send you there?" There was full of brotherly care in his tone, wanting to provide some convenience for his sisters.

As soon as Chen Ling heard this, she immediately jumped up and objected, "No! So annoying!" Her voice carried a hint of coquetry, obviously not wanting anyone to disturb their outing.

Tang Zhen smiled helplessly and quickly apologized, "Okay, okay." He looked at Chen Ling and Tang Qian, and his eyes were full of doting, as if he saw two carefree children.

Without further ado, Chen Ling pulled Tang Qian and walked outside. As soon as they walked out of the gate of the Tang family, Chen Ling's originally excited expression immediately became tense. She lowered her voice and asked eagerly, "Tang Qian, what's the plan?" There was a look of curiosity and anticipation in her eyes, as if she knew that Tang Qian had some important plan.

Tang Qian looked around, and after making sure that no one could hear, she said softly, "The airport." Her voice was low, but it carried a firmness, as if she had already made up her mind.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling's eyes immediately sparkled, and she said excitedly, "This is so exciting! Let's go!" Her voice trembled slightly with excitement, and her face was filled with an excited blush, just like a child about to start an adventure.

Chen Ling was driving a cool Lamborghini sports car and speeding all the way. The sports car was speeding on the road, and the engine roared loudly, attracting the attention of passersby. Chen Ling was driving and yelling excitedly. She seemed to be completely immersed in this exciting atmosphere. "Tang Qian, I'm really stunned! You actually dare to play the trick of running away from home? I've never even tried it!" She turned her head and looked at Tang Qian sitting in the passenger seat. Her eyes were full of admiration and envy.

The two of them met when they were 12 years old. At the same age, they had formed a deep friendship since then. Over the years, Chen Ling had never seen such a crazy Tang Qian. When she received Tang Qian's call last night, she was so excited that she couldn't fall asleep all night, eagerly looking forward to this upcoming "adventure."

Tang Qian looked at the excited Chen Ling and smiled slightly, saying, "You're going to get scolded when you go back." Her voice was gentle, with a hint of worry. After all, Chen Ling would surely be blamed by the Chen family for helping her run away from home this time.

However, Chen Ling raised her eyebrows indifferently and said, "So what?" There was a look of freedom and uninhibitedness in her eyes, as if no difficulty could stop her.

The Chen and Tang families are friends in the family and have maintained close communication for many years. However, the Tang family is currently showing a trend of decline. Grandpa has passed away, and grandma is not in good health. The power and influence of the entire family are much weaker than before. In contrast, the situation of the Chen family is exactly the opposite. The two elderly people are in good health and have a certain status and voice in Xizi City. As the only girl of the Chen family generation, her father is the leader of the Chen family, and Chen Ling is so popular in the Chen family. No matter how big a mistake she makes, someone will always take responsibility for her.

"By the way, where are you going?" Chen Ling asked curiously while driving. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, and her hands skillfully maneuvered the steering wheel.

Tang Qian took a deep breath and slowly said, "England." Her voice was firm and calm, as if she had made full preparations for this decision.

"Ah?! You're going to Europe?! You're really going all out with this runaway from home!" Chen Ling exclaimed in surprise when she heard this answer. She turned her head and looked at Tang Qian in disbelief, her eyes full of shock and admiration.

Tang Qian looked at Chen Ling's surprised expression and couldn't help but smile, saying, "London, to study for a master's degree." There was a look of longing and anticipation for the future in her eyes. Perhaps there was the freedom and independence that she had always longed for, breaking free from the shackles of the Tang family that had bound her for so long.