It was late into the evening when Ruyi finally emerged from her room, stomach grumbling. She had food stored in her personal space, but to avoid suspicion, she'd have to eat with the others from time to time.
For security, only a small lamp was turned on in the expansive living room, casting a soft, limited glow over the area. Seated around a makeshift dining table were the others, consuming what could only be described as a meal of last resort: instant noodles.
Ruyi's stomach twisted in distaste. If there was one food she despised, it was instant noodles—a taste etched in her memory from too many desperate meals. She wrinkled her nose at the smell permeating the room, then slipped silently into the kitchen.
After a few minutes of preparation, she returned to the table with a final dish, a simple but fresh plate of sliced tomatoes with a light dressing. She took her seat, looking at the faces around her. "Rich, privileged, pampered elites," she thought. "Truly a waste." She had prepared more food, though most of it was safely stored in her space. Now, seeing their entitled faces, she could only laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Her voice held a razor-sharp edge. "Funny, isn't it? No one lifted a finger to help while I was cooking, but you all rushed here fast enough once the food was on the table. What am I—a servant? Or maybe you think I'm your personal chef?"
A wave of discomfort passed over the faces at the table.
"Ruyi, that's no way to speak to guests," chided Qiao Huixin, snapping out of her dazed phone-scrolling as she turned on her daughter with a hint of irritation.
Wen Xinyu took this cue to play the role of mediator. "Yes, Ruyi, mind your manners. Everyone, please don't be offended. Ruyi can be a bit spoiled, but I assure you she's a good person at heart. Let's just enjoy the meal."
Ruyi's simmering frustration rose to a full boil. But she managed to rein it in, reminding herself of her limitations. For now, she still needed these people.
"Fine," she muttered with forced calm, "have your meal then. But I'll warn you right now—this is the last time I'll be cooking for everyone. If you want food from tomorrow on, do it yourself, or you'll be back to snacking on dry noodles." She paused mid-stride on her way back to her room and threw a final glance at Wen Xinyu. "And one last thing: you might want to think carefully about who you let mooch off of you. Things are about to get worse out there. Don't say I didn't warn you."
Leaving her words hanging in the air, Ruyi turned on her heel, marching upstairs without so much as a backward glance. She locked her door, irritation buzzing in her chest.
Inside, she couldn't stop her thoughts from turning bitter. This was the same family who, in the first chapter, had told her she wasn't worthy of Lian Zichen and to know her place. She felt a pang of disgust, especially for the two younger girls who acted like clueless guests, completely oblivious to any form of common courtesy or basic decency. Even in times like these, they only seemed concerned with looking delicate and helpless. She felt her jaw clench in frustration.
"That's enough," she muttered to herself, pushing the thoughts aside. With her private stash of supplies hidden in the space, she didn't plan on eating with them again. She wouldn't have to see their entitled faces any more than necessary.
The following days passed in isolation. She continued to train in her personal space, preparing for the third level of her trial. After a week of grueling sessions, she emerged having conquered the initial stages of the space's defenses, finally able to dodge the incoming attacks. She knew it wasn't easy, but every ounce of pain and effort meant she was inching closer to true strength. It would be worth it.
When she finally rejoined the others in the living room, she was startled by the scene awaiting her: the once-spacious room was filled with more people—seven new faces, including a few she recognized.
Ruyi's gaze drifted over the crowd until she noticed Shiliu, one of Wen Xinyu's closest friends, glaring at her with an open scowl. That expression instantly reminded Ruyi of the scorn she'd experienced in the story. Perhaps part of her frustration had stemmed from this same friend, who seemed to find joy in antagonizing her at every opportunity.
The room fell silent as everyone turned to stare. Ruyi's eyes swept the crowd, then dropped to herself, checking if she'd somehow wandered downstairs in her pajamas.
"Oh, Ruyi, you're finally down!" Wen Xinyu called out in a tone laced with false sweetness. "We've been worried about you. It's been a whole week. You're probably starving." She made a show of standing, pretending to fuss over Ruyi. "Let me get you something from the kitchen. You must be tired of dry food, and I know you prefer hot meals…"
Ruyi shook her head, holding up a hand to stop her. "I'll help myself." With a pointed glance at the crowd, she brushed past them and into the kitchen.
The kitchen was a disaster, cluttered and messy with an overwhelming, stale stench. She clenched her teeth against the revulsion creeping up her throat and quickly grabbed what she needed. Her brief respite, however, was short-lived, as she felt someone hovering near the doorway. She turned to find Shiliu blocking her path.
"Where do you think you're going with that?" Shiliu sneered. "You've barely lifted a finger all week while the rest of us have been struggling to find supplies. And now you just help yourself to whatever you please?"
Ruyi, with calm she could barely muster, turned to Wen Xinyu and gave her best pleading look. "Sister Xinyu, didn't you say this was my home? That you and Uncle Wen would take care of me, just like family?" She infused her words with as much sweetness as she could manage.
Wen Xinyu, caught in the spotlight, hurried to reassure her. "Of course, Ruyi! This is your home as much as it is mine. Take whatever you need."
Ruyi smirked, casting Shiliu a glance full of contempt before slipping past her and heading back upstairs, slamming her door shut behind her. At least here, in her private space, she could pretend the rest of them didn't exist.
It didn't take long for the relentless banging on her door to begin. First, Wen Xinyu had come in a fit of feigned concern, then Shiliu, each trying to draw her back to the group under the guise of "friendship." But she wasn't about to fall for it. She propped a heavy chair against the door, ignoring them all until their visits finally ceased.
A few days later, as she ventured downstairs again, she noted an odd number of people in the living room. Seven unfamiliar faces now filled the space, which once held only her and the others.
"Ruyi!" Wen Xinyu exclaimed, greeting her with that practiced look of genuine surprise. "Just in time! We were about to discuss our plan. We were actually going to call you down, but we knew you'd barricaded yourself in." She tittered lightly, as if the memory were fond rather than annoying. "I was so worried about you."
Unmoved by the theatrics, Ruyi only gave a nod, ignoring the muttered complaints from Shiliu. The people around the room were an eclectic mix—a middle-aged woman, two burly men, a frail-looking young girl, and a few others she didn't recognize. Among them, however, was a familiar older man and a young boy no older than twelve.
Ruyi's suspicion only deepened. How many more people would they take in under Wen Xinyu's charity?
As she turned to grab a bowl of rice from the kitchen, Shiliu's voice cut through the crowd, loud and dripping with derision. "Look at her, strolling down as if she hasn't been hiding away all week while we've been risking our necks out there."
"Oh, Shiliu," Wen Xinyu sighed, flashing a sweet smile. "I don't know what I'd do if you suddenly became shameless." She laughed lightly, the perfect picture of indulgent patience.
Ruyi ignored the jab, simply observing the newcomers as she scanned the living room. In total, seven new faces—all with the same hopeful, pleading look she'd come to associate with Wen Xinyu's "charity cases."
She met Wen Xinyu's eyes, who immediately put on her most concerned expression. "We were about to discuss some arrangements," she said with a welcoming smile. "I was actually planning on calling you down, but we didn't want to intrude on your space."
Ruyi suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Giving a brief nod, she made her way back to her room, mentally blocking out the sound of their voices behind her. It wasn't worth her energy.