officially part of family

Family. 

It's supposed to be a haven, a place where love runs as deep as the roots of an ancient oak. They were supposed to be the ones who knew you before anyone else, the keepers of your earliest secrets, the witnesses to your most awkward stumbles.

Yet, here she sat, staring at the faces that mocked that definition. 

"Now that you have officially become part of the family, you have to leave all your previously learned behaviors." Xiao Meifeng has been on about this for half an hour now. From the moment she entered the dining hall to the moment the breakfast was served, and even after that, never once did she pause to take a breath.

Joining along with her was Xiao Hongmei, the wife of her second son but Xiao Fei had decided to call her the official bootlicker of the family. She was a short plump woman, with a round face that seemed perpetually flushed. Her eyes, small and beady, darted constantly between Xiao Meifeng and Xiao Fei, as if afraid to miss a single opportunity to curry favor. 

"Oh yes, Xiao Fei, you must listen carefully to Mother Xiao," Xiao Hongmei chimed in, her voice sickly sweet.

"Our family has standards and traditions. It's not like... well, where you came from." She paused, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "But don't worry, we'll teach you everything you need to know."

Xiao Fei's nimble fingers continued to peel the skin off the salted duck egg, her focus seemingly absorbed on the egg rather than the people around her. This was the first time she got to experience what she had heard was called a family breakfast.

Family.

The concept had always been a hazy one for her. A fleeting glimpse here, a whispered story there. But none of it had prepared her for this. 

Xiao Chengwei sat at the head of the table, his weathered face impassive as he ignored Xiao Fei's very existence. To his right, her father, Xiao Zhiming, wore a perpetual frown, his stern gaze fixed on his plate as if it had personally offended him.

Across the table sat Xiao Rong, the 'perfect daughter', with impeccable posture, taking small, delicate bites of her breakfast. 

Beside Xai Rong sat Xiao Minghao, the teenage son of Xiao Hongmei who was lost in his own world. His nose was buried deep in a thick book, his breakfast barely touched. Occasionally, he would surface long enough to take a bite or sip of tea before diving back into the pages, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around him.

"Your manners, your habits, the way you carry yourself. Everything must reflect the dignity of the Xiao family." Xiao Meifeng continued.

Once the salted duck egg was perfectly peeled, Xiao Fei began to slice it into pieces and place it on her rice. 

"Did you hear what I said?" The matriarch's voice sharpened, unused to being ignored.

Xiao Fei finally lifted her gaze, meeting the older woman's eyes with a stare as cold and empty as a winter sky. "I heard."

Xiao Meifeng's lips thinned in disapproval. "Then repeat what I just said."

A beat of silence stretched between them. Xiao Fei's hand hovered mid-air, holding the knife poised over the egg.

"Something about manners and dignity," Xiao Fei finally offered, her voice as bland as the unseasoned tofu on her plate.

"Insolent child!" The matriarch's face flushed with anger. "Do you have any idea of the honor bestowed upon you?"

"Honor?" Xiao Fei repeated, her voice quiet but clear. She placed the knife down carefully beside her plate and looked around the table. Each face held a different emotion – annoyance, amusement, or simply indifference. "Is that what this is? An honor?" 

The dining room fell into a shocked silence. Even Xiao Minghao looked up from his book. 

The question hung heavy in the air. Xiao Chengwei, who had remained silent throughout the tirade, finally lifted his head. His gaze met Xia Fei's for a brief moment, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes before he looked away again.

"Xiao Fei," Xiao Zhiming growled, a warning in his tone.

Xiao Yan cleared her throat softly. "Perhaps we could discuss this later? Xiao Fei has only just arrived, and I'm sure she's still adjusting."

Her voice was gentle, almost concerned, but Xiao Fei knew better than to trust it.

After that, the breakfast continued with an uncomfortable tension lingering in the air. Conversations were kept to a minimum, punctuated by forced coughs and the nervous clearing of throats. Xiao Fei returned her attention to her plate as if nothing had happened.

Family... it seemed like more of a burden than a haven. 

It was a gathering of strangers bound by blood and obligation, more concerned with appearances than genuine connection. Each member here was playing their assigned role. They all wore masks, hiding whatever humanity lingered beneath.

"Since it seems my presence disrupts the tranquility of breakfast," Xiao Fei suddenly said, "I've decided on a solution."

A bewildered silence hung heavy in the air.

"I recently purchased an apartment before coming here, and I'll be staying there," Her gaze swept across the table, landing on Xiao Meifeng. "Besides, wouldn't it be wonderful to maintain the family's dignity without the burden of someone with such... unrefined manners?"

"An apartment? You just arrived, and you already want to abandon your family?" Xiao Meifeng's voice was sharp, incredulous.

Xiao Fei met her gaze unflinchingly. "Abandon? Or perhaps create some breathing room for all of us?"

"I'll join you on public occasions, of course," Xiao Fei continued, her voice smooth as silk. "We can pretend to be the happy family we're supposed to be." 

Xiao Meifeng's face turned red with rage, but before she could explode, Xiao Yan intervened. "Fei'er, maybe it's better if you stay here with us. We can work through our differences, and I'm sure we can find a way to make this work."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. " Xiao Fei smiled sweetly. "I'll be in touch though, but for now, goodbye."

With that, she stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. She walked out of the dining room, leaving the Xiao family in stunned silence.