Bai Tao’s face pulled into a frown.

If Bai Li hadn’t gone to his father, Bai Wei would have continued to be a big part of his world. She would have become the person he relied on the most as his mother’s actions became more malicious towards him.

“Go to your brother if you need protection. Your brother will always help you. You are your brother’s adorable little sister. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. Look how cute you are, the entire world should be yours, when you get older your big brother will give it to you. You are so pretty. You don’t need to work hard, your brother and mother will take care of you.” How many times had he heard his mother say these things to Bai Wai?

“Considering Ping An, do you think these words are just harmless things she is saying to her daughter? If Wei Wei is high on something that makes her mailable to suggestions, what will those words mean?” Bai Li took a breath to calm himself.

“I agree that Wei Wei is young enough to change. In fact, it is what I hope for more than anything. Yet, I don’t think the responsibility or impetus for that change should be me. If I hadn't decided to dig myself out, would any of you even notice what was happening?” He couldn’t bear to look at his father. He didn’t want to know what look the older man was wearing.

You got older but still remained a child. No matter how old you got, your parent’s approval still meant something to you.

“Bai Li. I am sorry. I don’t think I ever apologized.” Bai Tao spoke plainly. “You don’t have to respond. Actions speak louder than words.”

Bai Li didn’t know what to do with that. An apology was on the top of the list of things he wished to hear from Bai Tao. Now that he received it, it did not have the effect that he expected.

He did not know if he could forgive his father. He wanted to see what relationship they could have, but even now, his resentment popped up at the oddest times.

What should he say?

He felt relieved that Bai Tao didn’t expect a response but guilty that he didn’t have one anyway.

It would take time. He would watch and see what actions his father would use to back up his words. So far, he was doing a terrible job.

“Can we talk about this elsewhere?” Bai Li wasn’t sure why he was expected to bear his soul in front of a man he didn’t know all that well and didn’t particularly like.

Bai Li didn’t lookup. He ended up missing the deep look exchanged between Bai Tao and Julian Simmonds.

“Let’s head home.” Bai Tao said.

Bai Li stiffened up before relaxing. Bai Tao and his concept of what home was, were two different things.

Bai Tao made it seem like he was going to meet a stepmother and not a mistress. Maybe that was how it was in Bai Tao’s mind. If Bai Li were in Bai Tao’s place, he would also want to pretend his marriage was over.

As they drove in silence, Bai Li had an epiphany. He was too good at understanding his father’s situation. His father wasn’t that understanding of his situation.

They weren’t on equal grounds. It was an unequal relationship.

“I don’t want to have to live with Bai Wei, and I don’t want to have to speak to Lee Shan. I don’t mind interacting with Bai Fang, Bai Wei, or Bai Mei.”

They were children and his siblings. He wanted to get to know them, but he understood what kind of impact their mothers could have on them. Would sibling love exist in the face of benefits?

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“Lee Shan is your mistress. No matter what place she holds in your mind or heart. Can you say that she has never considered the position that Bai Fang will hold? Ping An is the exception, not the norm. She is willing to harm her children to bring benefits to you, but do you think you hold a higher position in Lee Shan’s heart in comparison to Bai Fang.”

Why was he hesitating? His father would either meet him halfway and accept the relationship on his terms, or they would cut things off here.

His life would be more comfortable with the support that Bai Tao could provide, but he didn’t need it. If he needed to start from scratch, he could do it.

“You don’t have all the information.” The words were strained. Bai Tao’s knuckles were white as he squeezed the steering wheel.

That was obvious to Bai Li. “The time for you to shelter me from life and Ping An has already passed.”

The car swerved. “Is it too late for me to try?” Bai Tao’s voice was high and tense.

He couldn’t do anything about Bai Tao’s guilt or distress. “I don’t know, but I need that information before I make a decision. Respect. What I need from you is respect. What does grandfather know? Why are you so against C school? Who is Julian?”

The first was most crucial. His grandfather was the only person who could influence Bai Tao’s decisions like that. If Bai Tao wasn’t even going to continue the pretense of sending him to C school, something must have changed on Ping Zen’s end.

He got a headache just thinking about having to deal with Ping Zen.

Bai Tao relaxed his hold on the steering wheel and started talking. “We called Ping Zen to take Bai Wei to get tests done. I don’t know how, but grandfather was able to identify the family of drugs. While he was there, he got tests done on himself. They found high levels of Thallium in his system. His previous symptoms were miss diagnosed. He didn’t outrightly state it, but Ping An is the main suspect.”

His father was avoiding the main point. “What did Bai Wei do?” Bai Li looked at his father for the first time since they left the hospital.

“Bai Wei was distraught. Ping An asked her to give Ping Zen some candy. She was to give it to him for one week. It is suspected that this candy contained Prussian Blue, which is used to treat Thallium poisoning.”

Ping An overplayed her hand. Why did she do that? In his last life, Ping Zen found out what she did and used Bai Fan to guard against…

Who was Bai Fang guarding against?

Hahaha. He started laughing uncontrollably. “Who did he originally suspect was poisoning him?”

Bai Li knew the answer to this question. The person Bai Fang would be most useful to guard against wasn’t Ping An. It was him. In his last life, he was the suspect.

Ping An didn’t overplay her hand. She dug the pit deeper for him. She knew that Ping Zen had caught on to her scheme, so when he requested that Bai Wei be sent to live with Ping Zen, she used that opportunity to set him up.

Was this the cause of his grandfather’s apathy towards him?

“Your grandfather was surprised to find out that you and Bai Wei were also being poisoned. They did not find lead in your sister system, though.”

In what world would a fifteen-year-old have the skill and resources to poison Ping Zen?

“Who did I partner with to carry out this theoretical situation where I poison my grandfather?” Bai Li had a list of possible candidates, but one stood out in his mind.

If the trial was placed later, it should directly lead to the Goldson Family, who just happened to be the family behind C school.

He was suspected of poisoning his grandfather in both lives. Ping An used it to isolate him from his support system. If he turned to his grandfather, there was nothing she could do. It worked in both lives. Didn’t he remember his grandfather’s treatment and seek out Bai Tao as the lesser of two evils.

In this life, the added benefit of putting a guilty crown on Bai Tao’s head was there. If all three sides couldn’t get along, wouldn’t she benefit the most? It would all cave in if the three sides communicated, but how likely was that to happen.

If this happened once, it was likely it happened multiple times. How many people who attacked him in his last life were enemies he made from Ping An, sent to him courtesy of Bai Wei.

No wonder Ping An was so distraught when he wanted to go to a doctor. He’d never seen her lose her composure that badly unless it had something to do with Lee Shan.

It also became clear why she was against him going to his grandfather. If he went and asked about those candies, wouldn’t everything unravel?

“Did Ping Zen tell you I had to go to A school or S School?” It would be the best way to prove his innocence. If he had really partnered with the Goldsmith family, a condition they would give him would naturally be to live under their thumb.

His father was also stupid, throwing himself under the bus and taking the blame for other people’s actions.

“Your Grandfather is still looking forward to you being the heir. With the poisoning and you hiding your grades, you look like a tiger pretending to be a pig.” Bai Tao didn’t answer the questions, but they both knew the truth.

“She is very thorough.” Bai Li’s tone was bitter.

“Your grandfather knows about Bai Mei as well.”

Bai Li laughed at that. “You mean you told Ping Zen about Bai Mei.” At this time, the only four people who knew about that child were him, his father, his mother, and the child's mother.

It looked like he would have to bite the bullet and do the one thing he didn’t want to do ever since being sent back in time. He would have to have to go and see his grandfather.

“I’m going to talk to Ping Zen.”

“I could protect you, just like I planned” His voice was hopeful.

Bai Li wasn’t willing to do that. He’d been avoiding it, but it was time he jumped in feet first. If this kept on happening, he would always be in a defensive position.