As she snuggled in the embrace of the man before her, An FeiFei was reminded of a not so distant memory in the borders of Z City. A times when there was no Ren JiYu and no omnipotent system named Yi'er. Just a lone girl trying to survive in the slums of Z City.
Her eyes dimmed as the memories of that year flashed past her usual sparkling eyes. That year, she had just turned eighteen. Because she had grown up in an orphanage, turning eighteen meant that she could no longer stay there. An FeiFei had been well prepared. She had rented a cheap apartment and a good job at a local store.
Life should have worked out fine until that incident.
When she left the orphanage, the director had asked her about her future plans. An FeiFei revealed that she planned to live an ordinary life. She wanted to finish her education, get a good job and that the dream was to make a family of her own.
"What about your own family?" the director had asked her.
"What about them?"
"Do you on finding them?"
An FeiFei told him that she would not. Despite her cheerful and carefree personality, an orphan who knew her family gave up on her held on to a deeply hidden resentment towards them. Those people who had the gall to do something like that were no familly of hers.
Seeing the icy cool look in her eyes, the director felt that it was a pity for such a young girl to hold such a large grudge. He was a family-man, so he didn't condone the actions of her family. However, the director still decided that it was better for An FeiFei if she could find closure. And that's what he told her.
The director handed her an envelope containing the information he found on her family. When An FeiFei had been sent to the orphanage, the director had noticed how unusual the couple that sent her seemed. They were wealthy people. He explained that he had been curious about the wealthy couple that gave her up, so he investigated discreetly and carefully. His careful method did not amount to much in terms of findings except for the knowledge that she was the daughter of the recently deceased head of the An Family.
An FeiFei had been surprised when she found out. She had always assumed that her family had been destitute when they gave her up. She didn't think that her family were wealthy, with means to raise and protect her, yet still gave her up. Surely her parent's death hadn't been so traumatic that the family had to send her away?
Curious, she had sought them out. They were a prominent family so they had not been difficult to find. Her uncle, the current head, refused to see her. And after days of persisting, nothing changed and An FeiFei decided to give up.
The director had warned her that rich people had their own problems and it would be wise for her to be careful. She didn't want their money nor her righful postion in the family. All she sought was closure or an explanation. But if she received nothing, that was fine as well. It wasn't as if not being a part of the An Family would be any skin of her bones. She'd be fine. So she left.
Had that been the end, An FeiFei wouldn't be in Z City within the comforting embrace of her beloved. She had been naive to think that if she left them alone, they would leave her alone too. That night after she returned home, she realized that someone from the An Family had sent men after her. The unspeakable things they did… the torture they inflicted… it killed her.
Ren JiYu felt her tremble uncontrollably in his arms. There had only been a few occasions when she had that reaction. One of his hands reached up and lifted her chin. Her face was pale and her eyes clouded with terrible memories of the past. So, he dipped his head down and pressed his lips against hers in a comforting kiss.
Surprised, she blinked and Ren JiYu could see the cloudiness in those pair of clear eyes vanish.
"Stop thinking about it," he murmured.
"… Vanquishing my demons for me again?"
"Always."
The sweetness of his words, intent and actions made her melt in his arms again.
If she hadn't known the truth about her heritage, she wouldn't have gone to look for the An family. She wouldn't have had to suffer in their hands. She wouldn't have those horrible memories that haunt her and sent her reeling down that dark abyss.
Yet as she laid in the embrace of her beloved, and absorbed his warmth, An FeiFei also knew she probably wouldn't change the past if she could. The omnipotent system, Yi'er, and Ren JiYu. That she received these treasures in exhange for those horrible moments was worth its price to pay.
At the same time, An FeiFei was not such a magnanimous person. The reason she was in Z City again this time was partly for revenge and for closure. That, and… she secretly peeked at Ren JiYu before her eyes lowered again, for the treasured person she received in return, she was there in the city for him.