After Transmigrating as a Tycoon’s Wife, My Thoughts Are Heard by the Whole Family

As soon as Qin Tiantian finished speaking, she linked arms with Ji Fei and headed toward the main building.

“Who is Xiao Yi?” Ji Fei asked curiously.

“She’s Aunt Mao’s daughter. We’re the same age and went to the same elementary school. We used to play really well together,” Qin Tiantian replied, bouncing as she spoke.

Ji Fei didn’t think much of it—it was just a casual question.

With the arrival of Sixth Uncle’s family, the house finally felt lively, as if the birthday celebrations were truly underway.

Qin Tiantian was indeed a delight. Even their usually stern grandfather couldn’t stop smiling, utterly enchanted by her sunny demeanor. She was the undisputed little princess of the family.

Later that evening, when the younger generation returned to their building, Qin Tiantian tagged along. She seemed to have an endless supply of energy and stories.

But her arrival seemed to trigger Aunt Mao’s presence as well. The woman quickly brought over Qin Tiantian’s favorite desserts. For the other young masters and ladies, the offerings were more generic, plain repeats of past dishes.

Of course, no one minded or compared themselves to Qin Tiantian.

Overjoyed, Qin Tiantian happily grabbed her gifts and then sat with Aunt Mao at a separate table to chat.

“Where’s Xiao Yi? Didn’t she come?” Qin Tiantian asked curiously.

Aunt Mao immediately replied, “Oh, we’re just servants. How could we bring family members to play at the employer’s home? She’s not worthy.”

Qin Tiantian frowned, her expression darkening. “She’s my friend. What does it matter if I invite her over? My family is kind; no one would mind.”

Aunt Mao’s expression stiffened, and she replied awkwardly, “She’s busy with work and really can’t come.”

“Work? Isn’t she supposed to be in her last year of high school?” Qin Tiantian asked in surprise.

“She’s not that capable. She didn’t do well in school and dropped out after middle school to start working,” Aunt Mao said dismissively, waving her hand.

Qin Tiantian was even more shocked. She distinctly remembered that when they were younger, Duan Yi had loved studying. She used to say she wanted to work hard to prove her worth because her father and brother didn’t care about her. Duan Yi had been a diligent student, even more focused than Qin Tiantian herself. Though they lost contact during middle school, she couldn’t imagine Duan Yi giving up on her education.

Being a kind-hearted girl, Qin Tiantian started imagining scenarios. Was Duan Yi forced to quit school due to favoritism toward boys in her family? Was she made to work to support her father and brother? But that didn’t seem right—Aunt Mao worked for the Qin family, earning a generous salary, enough to support two children through college without any issue.

Confused, Qin Tiantian couldn’t shake her doubts. She coaxed Aunt Mao into giving her Duan Yi’s current contact information.

Soon, she reached out to Duan Yi, who answered with a tone of surprise and distant indifference. Sensing the awkwardness of reconnecting after so long, Qin Tiantian quickly invited her over to the house, offering gifts and hoping to catch up. If Duan Yi was facing difficulties, Qin Tiantian was determined to help, just as she had when they were kids.

She shared her plans with the others, who had no objections. After all, it was Qin Tiantian’s home; she could invite whomever she pleased.

However, Qin Tiantian decided to add an element of fun. She suggested that everyone go to the backyard amusement park, which was more of a youthful hangout area. Qin Weiwei and Qin Xi were regular visitors, but the older adults politely declined.

In the end, Qin Jiaxi and Qin Rong couldn’t resist Tiantian’s enthusiasm and were roped into joining.

The next morning, as Ji Fei descended the stairs, she noticed two people arguing in the living room.

“Who told you to come here?”

“What? Am I embarrassing you? Qin Tiantian invited me.”

“She was just being polite!”

“Does a wealthy young lady like her need to be polite to someone like me? I know you adore Qin Tiantian, think she’s better than me in every way, and love her more than your own daughter. But do you really have to treat me like I’m some kind of contamination? Every time she comes back, you hide it from me. I’ve told you for years I want to see her, but you’ve kept me in the dark. I just want to meet her—what harm can that possibly do? Is she some kind of noble being while I’m a lowly commoner? Am I not even worthy of being in the same room as her?”

Ji Fei, standing at the corner of the stairs, listened with interest. She’d already thought Aunt Mao was a bit odd, but now it seemed she truly looked down on her own daughter, favoring her employer’s daughter instead. It was, in a way, a twisted form of snobbery.

Peeking out, Ji Fei spotted a girl with sharp, striking features but wearing clothes that screamed poverty. Her face was filled with resentment as she confronted Aunt Mao.

This struck Ji Fei as odd. The Qin family paid well—there was no reason Aunt Mao’s daughter should be dressed like someone from a slum.

Aunt Mao, visibly sweating and anxious, finally said, “Tiantian is a cherished young lady, born into wealth and privilege. You can’t compare to her. I’m saying this for your own good—you two aren’t on the same level, and it’s impossible for you to be friends.”

Duan Yi’s gaze softened briefly, but she remained defiant. “That’s for me to decide.”

Seeing her daughter’s determination, Aunt Mao reluctantly added, “Fine, but take your gift, exchange a few pleasantries, and leave. Even if you’re off work today, the house needs cleaning, and your father and brother need to eat—”

The more Aunt Mao spoke, the darker Duan Yi’s expression became, her glare practically searing.

Aunt Mao faltered, looking helpless and aggrieved. “I have no choice. I still have this job to think about. Otherwise, I’d help you…”

Tears welled up in Duan Yi’s eyes as she looked at Aunt Mao, who appeared pitiful but offered no real solution.

Ji Fei’s curiosity got the better of her, and she unintentionally tuned in to Duan Yi’s story.

So that’s the situation. Aunt Mao remarried, bringing her daughter into a blended family. She’d been a single mother who married a man with a son. The husband turned out to be a lazy gambler who sweet-talked his way through life. The family’s finances relied solely on Aunt Mao, while the stepson lazed around playing video games and scraping by in vocational school.

Duan Yi, on the other hand, was ambitious and studious. She could’ve gone to high school, but when the stepson caused trouble that required compensation, the family’s limited funds were used to solve his problem. Aunt Mao even borrowed money from the Qin family but chose to prioritize her stepson. The father and son objected to spending more on Duan Yi’s education, and this foolish mother actually agreed. She essentially sacrificed her daughter’s future for the sake of two freeloaders.

No wonder their relationship is so strained. Duan Yi must have suffered a lot at home.

Just then, Qin Chao and Qin Rong returned from the main building, overhearing Ji Fei’s thoughts.

“Wow,” Qin Chao muttered. “We were only gone for a bit, and you’ve already stumbled upon a tragedy?”