At the stairs, Xia Wan was already in tears. She struggled to hold back the overwhelming pain and sorrow as she quietly returned to the attic.
Sitting by the window in the attic, she gazed out at the view, her heart filled with a sense of loss and helplessness. It felt as though she were trapped in an endless abyss of darkness, surrounded by loneliness and despair.
She realized that she could no longer stay here. She needed to leave this place and find a life of her own. After all, she was now an adult and capable of facing the challenges of life independently.
In the afternoon, after her family had all gone out, Xia Wan began packing her things.
She found that she didn't own much, and a small suitcase was enough to hold everything.
After organizing her clothes, books, and a few necessary personal items, she sat quietly on the edge of her bed, waiting for the right moment to leave.
Checking the time, it was only around three in the afternoon, and everyone else in the family was either working or out shopping. Xia Wan quietly grabbed her suitcase and carefully made her way out of her room, trying not to make a sound.
She tiptoed through the hallway and downstairs, eventually closing the door gently behind her.
With her small suitcase in tow, Xia Wan wandered aimlessly on the road, feeling heavy-hearted and lost. She was like a lone boat adrift on a vast ocean, unsure of where she was headed, uncertain of where to go next.
She didn't know where she should go, or what her future held. She only hoped to find a direction, a place where she could start anew.
At that moment, a luxury business car slowly passed by her.
The car caught Xia Wan's attention, and she was even more surprised when she saw that it was moving unusually slowly, barely going at thirty miles per hour.
Curious, Xia Wan watched the car, and the window rolled down, revealing a kind, elderly face.
Inside the car sat a dignified old lady, smiling warmly and kindly, her eyes filled with affection as she looked at Xia Wan, almost as if she were admiring a rare gem.
"Leng Yan, check into the background of this girl with the suitcase," the old lady said softly to the driver.
She gazed at Xia Wan with great interest, as though she had found a special treasure.
Unaware of being observed, Xia Wan continued walking, still filled with confusion and unease.
She didn't know what to do, but she was determined to keep walking, hoping to find something that would help her rebuild her life.
Sometimes, a moment of eye contact is all it takes. The first time you look at someone and feel an instant connection, like seeing a girl who looks so sad—surely she must have encountered some hardship.
In times of difficulty, you would want to help someone like her, someone so kind-hearted, just like your own granddaughter.
Sitting in the driver's seat, Leng Yan spoke in a calm tone, "Old Madam, this is the 36th girl you've investigated this month. After checking them all, only two met the criteria of being from a respectable family, but after being sent to the second master's Cloud Peak Villa, they were both beaten terribly."
The old lady frowned and glared at him. "I don't care. Check this one out. I have a strong feeling that this girl is the destined partner for my grandson."
Leng Yan shook his head helplessly, unable to argue with the stubborn old lady. He had no choice but to agree, "Alright, I'll check right now. Give me twenty minutes."
With that, he parked the car by the side of the road and began his investigation into Xia Wan.
Meanwhile, Xia Wan felt a little exhausted and found a small stone wall surrounded by greenery where she sat to rest.
The elderly lady continued watching Xia Wan with affection, her eyes filled with warmth.
After some time, Leng Yan returned, a faint smile on his face as he reported respectfully, "Old Madam, it looks like your intuition was right. The girl's name is Xia Wan. She's an adopted daughter of the Xia family, but her adoptive parents are not kind to her. Just now, Xia Tianfu agreed to marry her off to Deng Jin."
Upon hearing this, the old lady's face darkened with anger. "How outrageous! These monsters!"
Leng Yan continued, "There's more, Old Madam."
The old lady shot him an impatient glare. "What now? Stop keeping me in suspense, or I'll knock some sense into you."
Leng Yan smiled slightly, though his eyes remained cold. "Two weeks ago, the Xia family found their biological daughter after many years. Yesterday was her 18th birthday, and on that special day, she was... violated."
The old lady's eyes widened in disbelief, her body trembling as she whispered, "Oh no! The granddaughter I worked so hard to find... how could this happen to her? But... maybe it won't matter too much to Ah Yuan."
Leng Yan quickly reassured her, "Old Madam, you don't have to worry too much. In fact, the one who violated Xia Wan was none other than Second Master himself."
"What?! Say that again!" The old lady shouted in surprise.
"Slap!"
With a loud, crisp sound, the old lady suddenly snapped back to reality, her face lighting up with an ecstatic smile. She laughed uncontrollably, her joy evident.
She stepped forward, smacking Leng Yan on the back of his head, scolding him, "You rascal! Don't tease me like that. Just say it directly next time!"
Leng Yan calmly responded, "Yes, I'll be more careful next time. So what should we do now? Should we bring her to the Second Master's villa like before?"
The old lady smiled warmly at Leng Yan. "Of course not. Now that Xia Wan has been defiled by that brat, maybe she's already carrying my great-grandson. We need to get them married right away."
Leng Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead and thought to himself, "Only the old lady would dare to make such a bold move against the Second Master."
In his heart, he silently wished the girl well, hoping Xia Wan would somehow survive this trial.
After all, with someone like the Second Master, her future days were likely to be full of struggles. But he also knew that once the Second Master made up his mind, nothing could change it. And now, it seemed the old lady had successfully trapped the Second Master in her scheme.
What happened next would depend on Xia Wan's luck.