Chereads / (Zhao Lan's Rebirth: The Revenge of the White Lotus) / Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: A Hidden Legacy Unfolds

Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: A Hidden Legacy Unfolds

Zhao Lan's life had taken on a new intensity, each passing day like the click of a countdown clock as she moved closer to uncovering her family's buried secrets. She poured over documents left behind by her late mother, remnants of a life her mother had left behind long ago, documents she'd been too naive to take seriously in her former life. Now, every word on the brittle pages felt like a clue, like pieces of a puzzle that only she could solve.

For days, Zhao Lan had moved carefully, slipping into familiar places as a stranger in her own past, keeping her presence a secret from her step-sister Lin Meiyu and her father. She visited an old friend of her mother, a woman known for her knowledge of family histories. Each story she uncovered only deepened the mystery of her maternal lineage—a lineage rich with tales of wealth, hidden assets, and influence that went far beyond anything she had known in her previous life.

But one morning, Zhao Lan decided it was time to return to the Zhao mansion. Her appearance was unannounced, her steps quiet yet purposeful as she strode into the grand marble foyer. The echo of her footsteps broke the silence, drawing the attention of the staff and family alike. It was here she had grown up, and yet it was here she had also been treated as an outsider, a mere shadow against Lin Meiyu's bright, well-polished image.

Lin Meiyu was the first to appear, her expression twisting at the sight of Zhao Lan. "So, you're back?" she sneered, her voice sharp as a blade. "Did you come to admire what you'll never have?"

Zhao Lan met her gaze, her eyes calm and unyielding. "You're wrong, Meiyu," she replied, her voice laced with confidence. "I didn't come to admire anything. I came to claim what's mine."

Lin Meiyu's laughter echoed through the hall, bitter and mocking. "Claim? You think you have any right here?" She stepped closer, her voice lowering to a venomous hiss. "You're just a mistake that my mother was forced to accept. You'll never be one of us."

But Zhao Lan stood her ground, unfazed. She tilted her head slightly, a glint of amusement in her eyes. "You seem so sure, Meiyu. Maybe you should check with the family attorney on that," she suggested, each word like a carefully placed blow.

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Lin Meiyu's face, but she quickly hid it behind a scornful smile. "Do you think a few old documents can change anything? You're still nothing more than a forgotten shadow."

Zhao Lan took a step closer, her eyes piercing. "It's not about what I think, Meiyu. It's about what's true. And soon, everyone else will know it too."

The tension in the room was thick, the silence stretching as Lin Meiyu struggled to maintain her composure. The staff watching from the shadows looked on with growing interest, sensing that the Zhao family's untouchable facade was beginning to crack.

Without another word, Zhao Lan turned and left, leaving Lin Meiyu standing in the foyer, her mind spinning with questions and suspicions. Zhao Lan felt a rush of satisfaction, but she knew this was only the beginning. She had set the stage for a confrontation, but the real battle was yet to come.

As Zhao Lan made her way down the grand steps of the Zhao mansion, a sleek black car pulled up at the curb. The window rolled down, and she found herself face-to-face with Liang Chen. He leaned out, his intense gaze locking onto hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to fall away.

"I heard you were here," he said quietly, his voice laced with concern. "Are you sure this is the best place for you to be right now?"

Zhao Lan hesitated, her heart pounding as she looked into his eyes. There was something about Liang Chen that steadied her, yet set her soul on fire at the same time. "It's where I need to be," she replied, her voice softer than she intended. "There are things I have to uncover, truths I've been blind to for too long."

Liang Chen studied her, his expression unreadable. "Then let me stand by you," he said simply. "Whatever it is you're fighting, you don't have to do it alone."

A wave of emotion surged through Zhao Lan, but she forced herself to keep her guard up. She had been betrayed before, her trust shattered by people she once loved. But there was something about Liang Chen that felt different, something that stirred her heart and made her want to believe in him.

"Maybe one day," she replied, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. "But for now, I need to do this alone."

Liang Chen nodded, though a shadow of disappointment crossed his face. "Then I'll wait. Just know that I'm here whenever you're ready."

As the car pulled away, Zhao Lan took a deep breath, feeling both strengthened and shaken by the encounter. Her past life had taught her the dangers of trusting too easily, but her heart whispered that Liang Chen was different, that he was the one person who might understand the depths of her pain and the strength of her resolve.

But there was no time for emotions now. Zhao Lan had a mission, and nothing—not her family, not her past, and not even her heart—would stand in her way.