After hearing Luo He's words, Bai Tao's mind immediately conjured up countless classic scenes from dramas about wealthy families: relatives turning against each other over inheritance, sisters-in-law fighting secretly, and even siblings pointing guns at each other… It seemed the dramas weren't exaggerating—the entanglements and conflicts within the upper class were real.
A surge of sympathy for Luo He rose within Bai Tao. A family like that couldn't even be called warm; it was a miracle they didn't end up at each other's throats. Beneath Luo He's glamorous exterior, there hid a heart full of sadness. Bai Tao couldn't help but feel a little proud of her own situation. Though her family wasn't rich, they had enough to get by, lived comfortably, and were filled with love. The atmosphere at home was harmonious.
Bai Tao raised her glass and spoke sincerely: "President Luo, don't be too upset. You have a background that everyone envies, and the coldness in your family isn't all that important."
Luo He gave a bitter smile, raising his glass to her from across the table. He took a small sip and then set the glass down. "It's easy to say that, but do you know how much pressure it is to live in a family like mine?"
Bai Tao immediately put on a listening pose, eager to hear more. Though she might never enter a wealthy family herself, listening to their secrets would be a good topic of conversation for when she hung out with her friends.
Luo He began slowly: "If you fall short by even the tiniest bit, people will laugh at you. Especially for me. My grandfather has always favored me. I've gone to the best schools from elementary to university, carrying the hopes of my family. But after five years of entrepreneurship, I still haven't achieved anything significant. People are polite to me only because I'm Luo Zhendong's grandson, and they know he dotes on me. But deep down, they don't respect me. Sure, I attended prestigious schools, but I got into them with my own abilities, ranking first in my class from elementary school to high school. Even for university and studying abroad, my family only provided financial support—they didn't pull any strings for me. But no one believes that. Even if they've heard of my achievements, they think my grandfather must have worked behind the scenes to create this 'genius image' of me... Now that my business isn't doing well, everyone thinks I'm nothing without the support of the Luo family. My relatives are always making snide remarks, sarcastically advising me to stop trying, saying that I'm not cut out for business. But I know what they're really thinking—they're jealous of me because I've always been favored by my grandfather, and I've always been better than their children in every way."
Luo He poured his heart out, and Bai Tao took the opportunity to raise her glass again. At the table, Bai Tao was always good at finding the right moment to toast. They clinked glasses and took another sip.
Bai Tao spoke from the heart: "President Luo, you're not what I imagined, nor what most people think of you. We all thought you wouldn't care about other people's opinions."
Luo He smiled slightly and replied, "You've made me out to be some kind of deity. I'm just an ordinary person—how could I not care? Even saints care about how they're seen by the world. What's more, I'm just a mortal. But honestly, I don't let what other people say bother me too much. It annoys me, but it doesn't weigh heavily on me. But you know, when your own mother repeatedly questions you and mentally undermines you—do you know what that feels like?"
Bai Tao's eyes widened in shock. "Your mother?"
Luo He looked at her, slightly puzzled, as if something about her tone felt strange.
Bai Tao immediately realized her slip-up and quickly corrected herself: "Uh, your mother mentally undermines you?"
"Yes!" Luo He's face twisted in pain. "When I returned to China, my family arranged a marriage for me. You can probably imagine how outstanding the person was."
Bai Tao nodded, understanding: "She must have been a top-tier heiress from a wealthy family. But you probably didn't like her personality, disliked the kind of playgirl she was, so you turned her down."
Luo He shook his head.
"Wait, you didn't refuse?" Bai Tao was utterly confused.
"I did refuse, but she wasn't some spoiled playgirl. On the contrary, she was an extremely excellent person."
Bai Tao was taken aback. "Uh! This is not what I expected!"
Luo He smiled helplessly. "Don't have such a deep prejudice against heirs of wealthy families. That kind of thinking might mislead you. Let me tell you, most of the heirs from wealthy families are actually quite capable. The former richest man in the world, the founder of Microsoft—he was a second-generation rich guy. You know that, right?"
Bai Tao nodded.
"China's richest man, the founder of Tencent, also came from a wealthy family. Do you know him?"
Bai Tao nodded again.
"These are in the business world. In politics, if you look at both the current and past figures, many are children of officials. Even going back to the Three Kingdoms period, which really tested one's abilities—Cao Cao's adoptive father was a powerful eunuch with strong political influence. The official position he held when he 'emerged' was equivalent to today's head of the security bureau in the capital. That makes him an official second-generation, right? Sun Quan inherited his family business—he was a bona fide second-generation rich. Liu Bei, though his origins were humble, was actually a royal descendant. So, do you still think heirs of wealthy families are incapable?"
Bai Tao fell into silence, wondering to herself: Have I misunderstood what it means to be an heir of a wealthy family?
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。