My Straight Childhood Friend Successfully Pursued Me After The Breakup - Chapter 20

The private jet landed promptly at 10:00 AM in Country D, touching down at its largest airport.

Several black-suited bodyguards escorted the cold-faced girl, who then proceeded through the VIP exclusive channel and directly into the car waiting to pick her up.

In the low-profile black commercial van, the driver silently stepped on the gas, and the vehicle slowly began to move.

Tao Ran sat quietly in the back seat, raising her eyes to fix her gaze on the middle-aged man in the passenger seat.

The man noticed her look, tilted his head slightly, and respectfully said, “Miss, is there anything you need?”

He was Assistant Song, sent by Tao Yizhang to pick up Tao Ran. Most of the few times Tao Ran had come to Country D before, this assistant had been the one to greet her, so she was somewhat familiar with him.

“Assistant Song,” Tao Ran opened her mouth. “Can I now know why Father so suddenly arranged for me to go abroad?”

“I apologize, Miss. These are all Mr. Tao’s arrangements, and I am only responsible for execution.”

The implication was that he was also unclear.

Hearing this, Tao Ran nodded slightly and stopped speaking.

She knew Assistant Song was lying and, furthermore, that he wouldn’t tell her any information.

Assistant Song straightened up and observed Tao Ran through the rearview mirror.

A girl only sixteen years old.

Other second-generation heirs at this age were still in school, unaware of the world, or were making some childish “achievements” under the protection of their families.

Assistant Song was Tao Yizhang’s most trusted special assistant, and he knew much more than others.

He had also seen many of Tao Yizhang’s descendants. With excellent genes, those children were all outstanding.

Assistant Song clearly knew that their current excellence was preparation for the future fight. Mr. Tao was no benevolent father, and he scoffed at the idea of an equal distribution of inheritance.

Only the strongest could inherit everything he owned; the rest… were rubbish, defective products.

In the past, the descendants were evenly matched and fought desperately to stand out in front of Mr. Tao.

Only Tao Ran, Tao Yizhang’s sole child born in wedlock, had previously had almost no presence in front of him.

Until Tao Ran took over the group’s subsidiary in the country. This company, which had been losing money, was taken over by a high school student and quickly regained vitality in less than half a year.

This child was silent until a moment’s notice, and then startled everyone with her achievement.

The commercial van slowly stopped outside a villa. Assistant Song got out first to open the door for Tao Ran. Tao Ran calmly accepted his service and stepped out of the car.

She stood outside the villa, scrutinizing the building.

A classic Western-style building; Tao Ran preferred to call it a castle rather than a villa.

A medieval European castle, whose master was a cold and arrogant vampire.

The iron gate in the distance slowly opened. Tao Ran walked ahead, showing no sign of awkwardness or panic, and looked at the butler waiting by the door.

Even abroad, Tao Yizhang’s residence mostly employed Chinese people. The butler was no exception; despite his head full of white hair, his Asian facial features were still distinct.

“Miss, the Master is waiting for you in the study,” the refined butler bent slightly, taking a half-step sideways to lead the way for Tao Ran.

The castle was huge. Tao Ran hadn’t visited many times, and without the butler’s guidance, it might take her a long time to find the study.

Led by the butler, a few minutes later, she stood at the study door, separated from her father by just a door.

She raised her hand and knocked.

“Enter.”

Pushing open the door, Tao Ran stepped into the study. Her boots made no sound on the thick carpet. Her gaze fell upon the man in front of the study’s floor-to-ceiling window.

The sunlight cast down, stretching the man’s shadow. He turned around. His features bore a three-point resemblance to Tao Ran’s, but he looked more severe.

Thin lips, an aquiline nose, and narrow, elongated eyes. As his gaze swept over Tao Ran, his expressionless face relaxed for an instant.

“Father.”

“Mm.” Tao Yizhang responded, walked to the sofa and sat down. He took a cigar from the coffee table and beckoned to Tao Ran, “Sit.”

Tao Ran walked over and sat opposite him.

Tao Yizhang’s eyes were fixed on Tao Ran, as if appraising her. After a long pause, he slightly lifted the corners of his mouth. “Do you know why I asked you to come abroad to see me?”

Tao Ran raised her eyes, looking at him neither subserviently nor arrogantly. “Father, is it because of the subsidiary company?”

He let out a scoff. “And what else?”

“Father wants to test me.”

“Not bad. I originally thought you were a fool, which is why your mother wanted to bring you back to the country and protect you under her wings.”

Tao Yizhang held the cigar between his fingers and gestured vaguely at Tao Ran. “I felt it was a pity then. Because your mother, aside from the flaw of being too soft-hearted, is a very excellent woman. As the child of both her and me, I had high hopes for you.”

Tao Ran looked at him. “So Father is surprised now.”

“Not surprised, but rather the expected outcome has returned.” Tao Yizhang scrutinized her. “You not only have great methods but also a sufficiently steady mindset. I think highly of you.”

This was the second time Tao Yizhang had expressed his affirmation of Tao Ran. If it were any of the other illegitimate children, they would have long been ecstatic and started to guess the deeper meanings in Tao Yizhang’s words.

Tao Ran, however, was very clear that these words were useless.

Tao Yizhang had spoken a lot of nonsense and had also insulted her mother.

Tao Ran had never particularly liked him.

But he possessed what Tao Ran desired—the Tao Group.

So even if it was acting, Tao Ran would act until he was satisfied.

Tao Yizhang spoke a lot to Tao Ran, and his expression grew increasingly pleased as he watched her.

Finally, he announced, “Don’t go back to the country. Stay in Country D, stay by my side.”

Tao Ran’s pupils trembled. Her hands, resting on her lap, clenched tightly. She suppressed the urge to flat-out refuse.

Patience.

Refusing the vampire’s request rashly in the castle was not a smart choice.

“Alright, let the butler take you to your room. Remember to report your safe arrival to your mother, and tell her that I miss her,” Tao Yizhang said with a false smile.

“Understood, Father.” Tao Ran got up and left, following the butler.

Her room was on the second floor, the largest bedroom.

The butler left after escorting her. Tao Ran closed the door, gently locked it, and sat on the small sofa in the room.

After turning her phone on, several messages popped up simultaneously.

Ranran, did you get home safely?

How many days are you going to stay this time? We have final exams soon, don’t forget.

Remember to message me when you’re free. I’ll be waiting for you to come back in Lu City.

Tao Ran’s frosty eyes melted like ice and snow, and the corner of her lips curved slightly upward.

There was a time difference between Country D and the home country. It was probably around 5 PM in the capital’s time. Tao Ran replied to Zuo Xian’s messages one by one.

The phone’s message alert rang rhythmically three times. Zuo Xian, who was meeting with Xue Shuangxi at a coffee shop, paused and immediately stopped to look at her phone.

“And then? That box wasn’t from Tao Ran, and then?” Xue Shuangxi, only halfway through the story, tapped the table in dissatisfaction. “Can you have some basic respect for me?”

Zuo Xian hummed twice. “Wait a moment, Ranran messaged me back.”

Xue Shuangxi: “…”

I’ve arrived in Country D.

I can’t confirm the exact time of my return yet, but I’ll likely miss the final exams. You need to study seriously on your own while I’m away. If you don’t understand any problems, you can send them to me, and I’ll explain.

I’ll be back as soon as possible. Wait for me.

Zuo Xian couldn’t help but bend her eyebrows into a smile. She chatted with Tao Ran for a couple more lines, then, remembering her long journey, urged her to rest quickly.

Putting down her phone, Xue Shuangxi, sitting opposite her, said in a sarcastic tone, “Now you finally have time to chat with me?”

She stuffed a bite of matcha mousse into her mouth and mumbled, “If you hadn’t just said the confession was a misunderstanding, I’d have thought you and Tao Ran started dating last night, you’re so lovey-dovey.”

“Lovey-dovey? No, we’re not,” Zuo Xian frowned slightly. She and Tao Ran had always interacted this way.

Xue Shuangxi was speechless for a moment. After thinking about it, she felt it was normal, after all, it was common for two straight girls to be a little close.

The unique national context fostered particularly intimate friendships between women.

“Well, isn’t that great now?” Xue Shuangxi was happy for her. “Tao Ran doesn’t like you, everything is back to normal, and I, the love guru, can retire successfully.”

“Haha…” Zuo Xian gave a dry laugh, scratching her cheek nervously. “Maybe… it can’t go back to normal.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“I’ve fallen in love with Tao Ran.”

Silence, boundless silence spread between the two girls. Xue Shuangxi’s single-core brain began to slowly process what Zuo Xian had said, and her mind went into overload, spinning in circles.

After a long while, she reacted. “You mean, in the process of trying to get Tao Ran to not like you, you ended up falling in love with her, but then found out she actually doesn’t like you?”

Upon uttering that tongue-twister of a sentence, Xue Shuangxi herself was shocked. This was too dramatic!