As Ruyi stepped into the living room, she hadn't even reached the staircase when she heard the sound of a heated argument drifting down from upstairs.
A smirk played on her lips as she continued up the stairs with exaggerated, heavy steps. As expected, the intense argument above fell silent. Moments later, Wen Liguo's hurried footsteps approached, and Ruyi quickly put on a polite, bashful smile. "Uncle Wen!"
Wen Liguo's face was still flushed from anger, and with a slightly forced tone, he muttered, "You're back, Ruyi. Tell Aunt Yun to prepare something extra for dinner tonight." He stomped downstairs and soon left the house.
Qiao Huixin, who had also heard the commotion, felt a pang of embarrassment at having been seen like this by her estranged daughter. Her heart, already bruised from Wen Liguo's anger, grew colder as Ruyi walked past without a glance. Hiding her face in a pillow, she began to sob. After a moment, she remembered her purpose and, with tear-stained eyes, knocked on Ruyi's door.
"How's school going lately? I heard from Xiaoyu that you won another scholarship. I haven't had a chance to congratulate you," she said, struggling to find the right words. Uncertain of how to broach the subject, she tried to ease the tension, fearful their conversation would end with the same cold distance as always.
"Mm." Ruyi replied indifferently, her back to her mother, continuing to organize her papers.
"And what about your classmates? Xiaoyu says you're very popular and that quite a few boys are interested in you…"
At this, Ruyi set down her papers, folded her arms, and leaned against the desk with a faint, amused smile. "If you have something to say, just say it directly. Hints and subtlety aren't your forte. Playing mysterious doesn't suit you."
Qiao Huixin's face fell, and feeling more awkward, she forced a laugh. "Oh, is that so? Well then, I'll just be direct. I wanted to ask about Zichen… Xiaoyu mentioned—"
"Oh? What's your dear Xiaoyu said this time? That I've seduced her future husband, ruined their relationship, broken up her happiness, destroyed her life…?"
"No, no! Xiaoyu didn't say that! It's just… Zichen comes by frequently to see you, and Xiaoyu feels a bit uneasy about it. I wanted to ask out of concern. I'm worried you might take a wrong step."
"Oh? Then thank you for your concern, but I'm doing fine. If that's all, please leave—I have work to finish."
Qiao Huixin felt a surge of sadness. Recalling the hurtful conversation with Wen Liguo earlier, she couldn't hold back a tearful sob. "You know what your father's like. Living with him any longer will drive me mad. All I want is a better life—is that so wrong? I know I've wronged you, but isn't this my way of making amends? I brought you here, tried to give you everything you wanted…"
"Let's not talk about the past. My father is gone; dredging this up is pointless. As for Zichen, I know what I'm doing, so don't worry." Ruyi cut her off, impatience slipping into her tone. People may strive for higher ground, but leaving a five-year-old to a man who could barely care for himself… She had once resented her mother for it, but she forgave her the moment they met again. Her chest tightened with a familiar ache. *I don't ask for much—why can't you understand?*
"So… you're really with Zichen?" Qiao Huixin looked at her, unable to comprehend.
Ruyi clenched her teeth. "Why not?"
"How can you do this? What about Xiaoyu? Zichen and Xiaoyu are meant to be together!"
"But that's not what Zichen said. He told me he sees Xiaoyu as a sister. I'm the one he likes."
"That's still wrong, Ruyi. Listen to me—you can't be with Zichen. Xiaoyu would be devastated…" Qiao Huixin's voice grew desperate.
Ruyi felt an urge to laugh, but it came out bitterly. "Mom, am I not your daughter too?"
Even Qiao Huixin realized her words had gone too far. Hastily, she added, "That's not what I meant. It's just… you're so exceptional, Ruyi—intelligent, beautiful. I'm proud of you, and it feels like I never have to worry about you. But Xiaoyu is different. To put it kindly, she's innocent; to put it plainly, she's a bit naive. Her father spoils her terribly, and without guidance, she's bound to make mistakes. Zichen is the only one I trust with her. But you, Ruyi, you're so capable; you'll find someone even better…"
For a moment, Ruyi felt as if the world had collapsed around her. She had always thought her mother didn't care because she wasn't good enough, but now she realized it was because she was *too* good. Her mother valued Xiaoyu's neediness over her own independence.
Fixing her mother with a steady gaze, she said, "Mom, growing up, if I didn't cook, I went hungry. If I didn't study hard, no one cared. I had no choice but to be independent. I envied Xiaoyu's innocence and indulgence, but I couldn't afford that. Thank you for finally making me understand. There's nothing between Zichen and me. He's weak, raised in a world of privilege, and we're not suited for each other. Rest assured, I have no interest in him." With that, she turned back to her work, as if unaffected.
Qiao Huixin, her face streaked with tears, failed to notice the slight tremor in Ruyi's hands.
After her mother left, Ruyi found herself unable to stay in the house any longer. She gathered her things and headed back to school. Entering her dorm room, she found her roommate Lin Na grinning at her laptop, munching on chips.
"Oh, Ruyi! You're back so soon? Guess what—your 'little cousin' just updated her story! The grand finale. She even killed off your son! Your zombie child sacrificed himself to save humanity, battling his father to the death. And your rival became the hero, riding off into the sunset with your 'lover'—they're the envy of all!"
Ignoring her, Ruyi grabbed her books and went to the library, where she stayed until evening. Exiting the library and standing on the high steps, she took a moment to gaze at the sunset, relaxing her eyes. She hadn't expected to run into a familiar face.
"Well, well, little cousin!" Ruyi smirked as she walked over, grabbing Tong Yin's shoulder just as she tried to escape. "What brings you to my school? Perfect timing—I was just thinking about how you killed off my son in your story."
"S-sister Ruyi…" Tong Yin forced a weak smile, glancing back for help from Wen Xinyu.
Wen Xinyu had assured her that Ruyi would be at home, currying favor with her uncle. Why was she here?
The world is vast, yet small. Some people live their whole lives in the same city without ever meeting, while others seem fated to cross paths, no matter where they go.
That's the fate between Tong Yin and Ji Ruyi.
Once, Tong Yin and Ji Ruyi had attended the same elementary school, then middle school, and due to a misunderstanding (one that, Tong Yin assured herself, was absolutely not her fault), Ruyi had beaten her up badly. From that day, a grudge had formed, and Tong Yin had always considered Ruyi someone to avoid.
When she entered high school, she thought she'd finally escaped Ruyi's shadow, only to later discover, to her horror, that Ruyi was actually her cousin Wen Xinyu's stepmother's daughter.
Tong Yin's life had felt bleak ever since.
Ruyi was despicable; everyone knew it. Her cousin seemed to feel the same way, and recently, Xinyu had confided in her that Ruyi had dared to "seduce" Zichen—someone even Xinyu, with all her charms, hadn't dared approach. Inspired by these complaints and with some extra time on her hands, Tong Yin had taken her frustrations to the internet, turning them into a popular web novel to vent her anger.
But she hadn't anticipated the story's unexpected success. Tong Yin was feeling quite pleased with herself—until today, when Ruyi's appearance poured cold water on her smug satisfaction.
"Ji Ruyi, let go of Yin Yin!" Wen Xinyu, who had been following behind, cursed inwardly. Her cousin had told her of Ruyi's past as a "little thug," and fearing for Tong Yin's safety, she quickly stepped forward to pull her away.
"It's just a novel! Don't take it so seriously—it's not even real."
Ruyi usually wouldn't have cared about the ridiculous novel; she found it childish and trivial. But her mood was particularly sour today, especially with Xinyu around.
She and Wen Xinyu had never gotten along, their energies clashing. Ruyi's resentment toward Xinyu had a hint of envy—Xinyu had everything she'd once dreamed of, particularly her mother's affection. But Ruyi was not someone easily swayed by jealousy alone. If it weren't for Xinyu's constant flaunting and subtle provocations, they might not have ended up as rivals.
Since peace wasn't an option, Ruyi decided she wouldn't make life easy for her cousin either.
Xinyu's eyes blazed as she glared at Ruyi. With a scoff, Ruyi pulled out her phone, made a call, and set it on speaker for all to hear.
"Ruyi! I wasn't expecting you to call," came Lian Zichen's enthusiastic voice from the other end.
Ruyi, uninterested in Zichen, would never have called him if not for Xinyu's antics. But Xinyu's endless provocations had finally pushed her past her patience.
"You said you wanted to treat me to dinner, didn't you? I'm at the library. Come find me," she said, ending the call without waiting for his response. With a faint smirk, she glanced at Xinyu, who looked ready to explode.
Predictably, Xinyu lunged forward, but Tong Yin held her back, whispering, "Wait! You can't beat her. Just wait for Zichen to get here—make her look bad in front of him. Let him see her true nature…"
Ruyi ignored their murmuring, feeling a twinge of regret. She hadn't intended to stoop to their level. Already, she was considering calling Zichen back to cancel, but before she could, Xinyu's mocking voice interrupted.
"Like father, like daughter. Your thug of a dad must be so proud, passing down all his low-life tricks to you. Like father, like daughter—did he teach you any prison tips too?"
*Slap!*
Ruyi's expression turned icy as she withdrew her hand. "You don't get to speak about my father. Leave, before I make you."
"You—you actually hit me! You'll pay for this!" Xinyu shrieked, launching herself at Ruyi.
Ruyi nimbly sidestepped, twisted Xinyu's arm, and held her in place. Xinyu cried out, drawing the attention of nearby students who began to gather.
Not wanting to make a bigger scene, Ruyi loosened her hold, planning to give a final warning before letting go. But she suddenly sensed movement behind her.
A hard kick landed on her leg, and she stumbled forward, instinctively grabbing onto someone's arm to steady herself—only for them to resist her grip.
In the ensuing struggle, Ruyi lost her balance, and they tumbled down the steps together.
Through the chaos, she faintly heard two voices calling out her name.
"Ruyi!" It was Lian Zichen.
"Yin Yin!" Wen Xinyu cried.
Then a sharp pain struck her head, and everything went black.