56. You Have to Always Like Me

"Dad, Mom, Godfather, Godmother, this is Killian. I showed him to you on video last time. Oh, right, these are the gifts he prepared for you, and there are still a lot more in the car."

"I'm not cold, Killian prepared a lot of hand warmers for me, he's super thoughtful."

"We drove here, but the car broke down at the intersection. It's all my brother's fault for speeding without looking at the road."

The group talked and laughed, the atmosphere exceptionally lively.

And the cold, noble young man placed in the middle of it remained perfectly polite throughout, his posture composed and elegant, his words gentle and courteous.

I don't know what he's putting on airs for, in reality he's just a poor college student, acting like some wealthy young master from a prominent family.

Stephanie watched from the side, sneering in her heart.

At night, after the family had enjoyed a bustling dinner together, Tara's father was cleaning up the dishes while Killian and the other three elders were playing mahjong.

Tara looked at this scene with a dazed expression, murmuring, "So strange."

Leo was lazily eating New Year candies while playing a game, his words muffled: "What's so strange?"

Tara pointed her finger at Killian and the three elders who were playing mahjong. "Why didn't Dad and Mom test Killian at all? They just accepted him like this?"

Hearing this, Leo sneered without even raising his head: "How do you know they didn't test him?"

Tara didn't catch his meaning: "Ah?"

"What," Leo put down his phone and turned his head over, "that guy didn't tell you?"

Tara was completely blank: "Tell me what?"

Leo said casually: "Tell you that he actually came to see Dad and Mom in advance a long time ago."

Tara was even more blank, "Ah?"

Seeing his sister's clueless look, Leo simply decided to be a good guy to the end and detailed the matter of Killian privately meeting the elders to her.

"So that's how it is."

Tara mumbled: "No wonder Dad and Mom look so satisfied with him."

After she finished speaking, the corners of her mouth curled up into an uncontrollable smile.

He had said he would perform well, but she hadn't expected him to perform this way.

She had worried for a long time for nothing, not expecting him to solve it by himself first.

"Then, what exactly did Killian do?" Tara asked curiously.

Leo shrugged: "How should I know? Ask him yourself."

Ask him herself?

Tara glanced at a certain Mr. Qi who was happily playing mahjong with the elders, and pouted.

She hadn't known that Killian could actually play mahjong.

Looking at how he was frantically losing money to the elders, how could she go and disturb their enjoyment at this time?

"Forget it, I'll ask tomorrow. Brother, I'm so sleepy, I'm going to bed first. Remember to remind Killian not to stay up late."

"Go on."

The next day, Tara was awakened by the sound of music from the doorway.

With sleep-filled eyes, she ran to the balcony and looked down, discovering that the deafening music was coming from the luxury car in front of Stephanie's house.

At that moment, a man dressed in a fine suit was leaning against the car door, waiting for something in an exceptionally dashing posture.

"What are you looking at?"

Her back suddenly warmed up, and her waist was gripped tightly by a firm arm.

Tara looked up at him and was about to speak, when she suddenly heard a woman's voice from downstairs: "Tara."

Tara paused and looked down again.

Then she saw Stephanie staring up at her without blinking: "The Classical Street is very lively today, do you want to go out and play together?"

Were they on such good terms?

The New Year goods had been mostly eaten up since they came back yesterday, and they did intend to visit Classical Street today.

But Tara didn't want to go with her.

Who knew what tricks this scheming ex-best friend was playing again.

She thus shook her head very coldly.

"Alright then."

Being rejected, Stephanie still appeared very gentle, speaking familiarly and warmly: "Then I'll head out first. I'll come over to your house to hang out tonight, bye-bye."

After she finished speaking, under the attentive care of the man, she bent down and sat in the passenger seat, leaving with the car music blaring all the way.

"She is your childhood best friend?" Killian suddenly asked her.

Tara nodded.

However, after nodding, she shook her head again: "She's not my best friend anymore."

Sensing her low mood, he leaned down slightly and placed a kiss on her cheek: "Then just ignore her directly next time."

Tara nodded.

"Is Classical Street very fun?" His jaw rested lightly on the top of her head as he inquired intimately.

"Mhm, it's fun."

As soon as this was mentioned, the slight unpleasantness and morning crankiness in Tara's heart dissipated a lot, and her eyes sparkled as she told him: "There are a lot of delicious things there, especially during these few days close to the New Year."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm, mhm, and there are wonderful performances. At night, there's also a lantern display to watch, it's very beautiful."

Her voice was lowered very softly: "I go every year, because these things can only be found in Jing."

Once she left Jing, she wouldn't be able to see them anymore.

And if she didn't go for a stroll this time, after her plan was executed, she might not have the chance for several years to come.

She didn't know when she would return.

Therefore, she definitely had to go, but not right now.

She didn't want to go over now and bump into Stephanie.

Seeming to read her mind, Killian comforted her: "Alright, then I'll accompany you later."

Tara was very happy to hear this, "Okay!"

She had wanted Killian to accompany her anyway.

Hopefully, they wouldn't run into Stephanie then.

However, as the saying goes, sometimes whatever one fears most is exactly what comes.

"Tara, want to share a table?"

In a classical tea restaurant on Classical Street, while Tara was feeding Killian a delicious pastry, Stephanie walked over gracefully with Ethan, without even giving her a chance to refuse.

Tara frowned instantly, about to grab Killian's hand and stand up to leave.

But just as she stood up, Stephanie's words rang out again: "What, what exactly are you running away from?"

Hearing this, Tara's movements paused, and she looked at her expressionlessly: "Running away?"

"Isn't it so?"

Stephanie's red lips curled up as she smiled, looking at Killian beside her and sizing him up from head to toe.

This kind of gaze was highly impolite, making anger rise in Tara's heart. Killian's expression, however, remained cold throughout; he didn't even spare her a single glance.

This arrogant posture made Stephanie, who had held back all night wanting to show off, feel somewhat irritated. She stopped pretending to be peaceful and sneered:

"To be honest, Tara, your taste is as superficial as always."

Tara frowned, "What do you mean?"

"It means, so what if your grades are good and you got into a prestigious university? In the end, the partner you found is still this type who only has a good physical appearance, while in every other aspect..."

Her language was flippant, leaving her words unfinished, but the intended meaning was glaringly obvious.

Like a psycho, coming up and launching a personal attack right off the bat.