"Ruyi, what are you doing? That bracelet is a birthday gift for Xiaoyu from your mother!"
Ruyi looked down at the jade bracelet she had just snatched up. Though she didn't know much about jewelry, this wasn't an ordinary piece. It wasn't a solid green but had a rare mix of red and violet hues, with colors blending so exquisitely that it gleamed under the light, as if it were alive. Clearly, this was no ordinary item.
More importantly, her instincts screamed that this was the key she had been searching for.
"Xinyu, I love this bracelet so much. Would you give it to me?" With a firm grip, Ruyi held on tightly, ready to cast aside any sense of decorum. After all, she was now the "villainess" of this story. If she didn't live up to that title, how could she justify all the painstaking effort Tong Yinyin had poured into blackening her reputation?
Wen Xinyu clearly didn't want to give it up. She'd been captivated by the bracelet from the moment she saw it, and she very much wanted it for herself. But with so many people watching, she hesitated to refuse outright. She turned to Qiao Huixin with a look of helplessness.
"Mom, I really love this bracelet. Could you give it to me instead? You can find another gift for Xinyu." Anticipating that the always "gracious" Wen Xinyu wouldn't want to look like the bad guy, Ruyi addressed Qiao Huixin directly.
"Ruyi, don't be unreasonable. This is a gift for Xiaoyu's birthday. Give it back. When your birthday comes, I'll get you something even better." Lowering her voice, Qiao Huixin leaned in and whispered, "People are watching. Can't you show a bit of respect?"
Unexpectedly, Ruyi's eyes filled with tears. "Mom, you know, I've always loved you, but you keep breaking my heart, over and over again. When I was a child, you said you'd buy me a doll and never came back. After Dad was gone, you promised you'd make it up to me, that you'd take care of me. But the truth is, you care for Xinyu more. Mom, please, stop hurting me. I won't believe your words anymore."
Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Ruyi realized this wasn't just an act. She was genuinely heartbroken. These were words she'd never have uttered as the strong and indomitable Ji Ruyi in reality, but here, as an outsider in this strange world, she could finally lower her defenses.
Qiao Huixin hadn't expected this reaction and looked at her with deep sorrow. "I know I've wronged you, and I've been trying to make amends. I never thought you saw me this way, Ruyi. You've truly disappointed me."
Whether here or in reality, your heart was never with me. How could I possibly disappoint you?
Watching Qiao Huixin's pained expression as she left the hall, Ruyi felt nothing. Her heart, long hardened from countless wounds, remained unmoved.
Wen Liguo, who had barely been noticed, sighed and followed Qiao Huixin out, leaving the hall's previously lively atmosphere in an awkward silence.
Ignoring the disdainful looks of the crowd, Ruyi wiped away her tears and turned to head back to her room.
"Ji Ruyi, stop right there!" Shi Liu's face was red with anger. "Give Xinyu back her bracelet! How can you stoop so low as to steal someone's birthday present?"
Ruyi turned with a cold smile. "The bracelet was bought by my mother for her stepdaughter. As her actual daughter, isn't it only fair I get a say? And what business is it of yours? Worry about your own affairs, and stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
"Just because you're guilty doesn't mean you get to ignore it! Return the bracelet to Xinyu. It's the right thing to do," Shi Liu insisted.
Ruyi glanced at Wen Xinyu's helplessly pitiful expression, then at Shi Liu's indignant, rooster-like stance. She sneered. "Idiot."
Truly, a short-tempered lackey was an essential accessory for every saintly heroine who loved to play the martyr.
"What did you say? You vile woman!" Shi Liu's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Ruyi had underestimated her current body's capabilities, and she certainly hadn't expected Shi Liu's fighting skills to be so impressive. As she would later discover, Shi Liu came from a family of police officers and had even represented her school in the city's youth martial arts competition, where she'd taken third place. Great.
In the end, their struggle led to disaster.
Ruyi stared at the shattered bracelet on the floor, and an overwhelming urge to kill someone surged through her.
In that chaotic, humiliating evening, the supposedly invincible Ruyi, for the first time, felt the desire to dig a hole and bury herself. The writer of this story had indeed succeeded in ensuring the villainess would never have it easy.
Dejected, Ruyi picked up the three broken pieces of the bracelet and returned to her room.
This wouldn't be the end. If her "resets" allowed her to return to the moment she first arrived here, she would find a way to get the bracelet ahead of time.
The next time she opened her eyes, she saw the now all-too-familiar white ceiling. Ruyi winced, determined to avoid this painful shortcut unless there was absolutely no other option.
It wasn't just the agony of near-death; it was the frustration of constantly repeating this miserable beginning.
But then again, was there anything more terrifying than death itself? She supposed that idea was relative. When life is finite, death becomes the ultimate fear. But when it simply resets in a never-ending loop, death becomes little more than a chore.
Lost in thought, Ruyi gradually became aware of her surroundings. The overpowering smell of antiseptic, the white walls, and the IV drip were all familiar—but what was with the noise?
Her private hospital room was suddenly filled with extra beds, patients, and families creating a chaotic, headache-inducing din.
Just then, a patient's family member began arguing with a nurse nearby.
"How much longer do we have to wait? The news said they were developing a vaccine. Why haven't we heard any updates?"
The nurse, with dark circles under her eyes and an exhausted expression, snapped back, "Am I a scientist? Why are you asking me?"
Her reply sparked a flurry of arguments—some sympathizing, some chastising, others anxiously trying to gather information. In the background, the sound of families calling out echoed down the crowded corridors, a cacophony that made Ruyi's head throb.
Weakly, she lifted her aching hand to her forehead, still warm with the remnants of a fever.
Can someone please tell me what's going on? Just as she was beginning to drift into a daze, Qiao Huixin and Wen Xinyu rushed in, followed closely by the familiar Dr. An and a nurse carrying a tray.
"Ruyi, you're awake! Thank goodness. An Yang, come take a look at her!"