Chapter 443: The Cousin's Change of Attitude!

The next morning, Tang Ye got up early to prepare for his morning exercise.

Chen Lan happened to be walking out of the bathroom; she was slightly stunned when she saw him wearing sportswear—it had rained all night, so it must be very wet and slippery outside, yet he still intended to exercise early in the morning?

Tang Ye, on the other hand, was a bit dazed.

Chen Lan was wearing Du Xi's pajamas; it had to be said that her figure was quite good, possessing a bit more allure than Du Xi's.

Tang Ye took the initiative to greet Chen Lan: "Cousin, why are you up so early? I'm going out for a run and will buy some breakfast on the way. You should rest a bit more. Today is the weekend; later, you can have Du Xi take you around Hanzhou."

Chen Lan nodded slightly: "I had intended to leave early; I'm truly sorry for disturbing you both."

"You and Du Xi are cousins," Tang Ye said softly, "She once told me that when she was little, she always loved wearing your clothes, thought your clothes were especially beautiful, and had always regarded you as a goal to chase after."

Chen Lan widened her eyes, her face full of disbelief, and then an inexplicable regret welled up in her heart.

In the past, every time Du Xi saw her, she would always follow her like a little tail.

But at that time, Chen Lan always treated Du Xi like a servant girl, considering herself a high and mighty princess, while Du Xi was just a wild girl from the countryside.

Every time she saw Du Xi wearing her old clothes, she felt both disdain and a sense of psychological superiority.

But everything changed after Du Xi entered university.

After just one summer vacation, she suddenly grew taller, took off her braces, and underwent a complete transformation.

More importantly, the determination and confidence in her eyes made Chen Lan feel like a stranger.

"Is that so? I never heard her say any of this; actually, we aren't very close," Chen Lan said shamefully.

Tang Ye thought to himself that when Du Xi spoke of her childhood, it was mostly with a sense of grievance.

Because Xiao Qin had married Du Chengfeng despite opposition back then, Du Xi always felt a strong sense of inferiority whenever she was with the children of her age at her grandmother's house.

"That's all a long time ago. With more contact in the future, your relationship with Du Xi will get better." Tang Ye smiled at Chen Lan and turned to walk out the door.

Chen Lan returned to the guest room, lay on the bed, and recalled Tang Ye's words, sighing to herself: Did I do something wrong?

Influenced by her parents since childhood, she had a poor impression of the Du Family.

But thinking about it carefully, was the Du Family really in the wrong?

After falling into a hazy sleep, it was already noon when Chen Lan woke up.

Opening her phone, there were many missed calls.

Besides those from Shen Mingcheng, there were also some from her mother, Xiao Fang.

In addition, there were quite a few unread text messages.

Messages from Shen Mingcheng were bombarding her one after another!

"Wife, I'm sorry, I was too impulsive yesterday; I sincerely apologize to you. Where are you? I've been searching the world for you, worried about you."

"Why aren't you answering the phone? I admit I was wrong; give me a chance, let's talk in person, okay?"

"Chen Lan, you're driving me crazy. If you don't answer the phone again, we're getting a divorce!"

"Honey, I regret it, please forgive me; as long as you forgive me, I'll listen to whatever you say."

Looking at these messages, Chen Lan felt a tightness in her chest, and tears welled up in her eyes.

At this moment.

The bedroom door was gently pushed open.

Du Xi walked in carrying a glass of milk.

Chen Lan quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile: "Thank you for taking me in last night."

Du Xi placed the milk on the cabinet and sighed softly: "My mom called just now, saying your mom is searching the world for you. I didn't reveal that you were here with me."

Chen Lan was stunned for a moment and said self-deprecatingly: "I did so many excessive things to you in the past, yet you bear no grudges; I am truly moved. Yesterday, for a moment, I even wished I were dead."

"Don't be so pessimistic," Du Xi shook her head firmly, "If you were exposed to various criminal cases and saw the contradictions of human nature like I am every day, you would understand one saying—apart from life and death, everything else is just a scratch."

Chen Lan pondered the meaning of these words and murmured: "That makes a lot of sense; you are quite good at comforting people."

"Let's go out and eat," Du Xi took her hand, "Tang Ye is cooking today; you should try his craft."

Arriving at the dining room, the table was filled with delicacies.

Tang Ye placed the clay pot soup in the center of the dining table and said with a smile: "Cousin, hurry and taste how it is; if there's anything that needs improvement, feel free to give your opinion."

Chen Lan tasted a bite of the Ants Climbing a Tree and smiled slightly: "It tastes very good, impeccable."

"Then I'll go back into the kitchen to stir-fry another dish; you two go ahead and eat." Tang Ye laughed heartily and turned to walk into the kitchen.

The way he hummed a tune while wielding the spatula made Chen Lan's definition of a "good man" begin to waver.

Shen Mingcheng had once said that a man shouldn't cook, and that the outside world was his battlefield.

But Tang Ye told her with his actions: A man who cares for his family can give a woman enough sense of security.

All those prominent families and high-ranking officials with generous salaries turned out to be things that were merely superficial.

At this moment, Chen Lan envied Du Xi immensely.

She finally understood the true meaning of what Du Xi had said at the dinner table: "Only the one who drinks the water knows if it is cold or warm."

When Tang Ye brought a plate of stir-fried greens to the table, he saw Chen Lan's eyes were filled with tears and asked in surprise: "Is the food that bad?"

She wiped away her tears and revealed a genuine smile: "No, the food is delicious. Thank you both, not only for taking in a homeless person like me but also for letting me eat such a warm, home-cooked meal."

"If it's delicious, eat more; come often in the future."

Chen Lan's huge transformation made Tang Ye happy and gratified...

The doorbell rang, Du Xi got up to open the door, and Xiao Qin walked in with a worried look on her face.

Seeing Chen Lan sitting in the dining room, her eyes were full of astonishment.

Chen Lan quickly stood up: "Aunt..."

Xiao Qin walked over quickly, held her in her arms, and patted her back gently: "Don't cry, tell me if you have any grievances; Aunt will back you up."

As she spoke, she held Chen Lan's swollen face and examined it carefully, "Shen Mingcheng is a beast; how could he treat you like this!"

Feeling Xiao Qin's sincerity, Chen Lan could no longer control herself and began to wail.

She suddenly realized why she was different from Du Xi—because their original families were different.

Although Xiao Qin and her mother shared the same parents, they were completely different people.

Xiao Qin looked at Du Xi with a reproachful gaze: "You child, why didn't you tell me Chen Lan was here? You had me worried all night."

"It's because you can't keep your mouth shut and would tell Auntie; I wanted to let Sister Lan have a good night's rest," Du Xi said crossly.

Xiao Qin sighed helplessly and turned to Chen Lan: "I have to call your mother, otherwise she will be worried sick."

Chen Lan shook her head with a bitter smile: "She isn't worried about whether I am happy, she is just afraid of family scandals being exposed. My conflict with Shen Mingcheng has existed for a long time; every time I mention it to her, she always urges me that 'all men are the same'."

Xiao Qin waved her hand and said very earnestly: "How can all men be the same? Your mother simply doesn't know what a good man is like, which is why she is so shallow!"