Volume One, Chapter One: Returning Home

Midsummer.

Jiangcheng, Airport.

The summer in Jiangcheng was as scorching as ever. Passersby hurried along, unwilling to spend even a second outdoors.

“Song Wei, my car’s almost here. Just wait outside,” came an impatient voice over the phone. Before Song Wei could respond, the call was abruptly cut off.

Hearing that voice again after five years felt both strange and familiar.

Familiar in its timbre.

Unfamiliar in its tone.

Once filled with affection, now steeped in impatience.

It reminded her involuntarily of the sudden change five years ago.

Seventeen, during her college entrance exams, her family suddenly brought home a girl, claiming she was her twin sister.

That was when she learned that their mother, during a visit to her hometown years ago, had given birth prematurely to twins, but the younger twin was taken away, replaced by a stillborn infant.

Upon discovering she had a sister, she was overjoyed, and out of concern for her sister’s hardships, she and her family tried their best to make up for what her sister had missed.

But...

She didn’t understand.

She had given her sister the most beautiful and expensive dresses, yet those dresses arrived tattered and worn.

She hadn’t pushed her sister down the stairs, yet her sister begged the family to forgive her.

She hadn’t plagiarized her sister’s work, yet her sister’s creations were not only identical but appeared earlier.

...

Too many things she couldn’t explain or prove.

Until after the college entrance exams, an incident occurred that enraged her family so much they sent her abroad, only leaving enough tuition for the first year and never contacting her again.

They said it was so she could learn to be self-reliant like her sister once was, and thus understand respect.

Five years passed in this way.

Until a month ago, she received a call.

It was from her eldest brother, Song Siyen, asking her to return home.

Song Wei held her phone tightly, a flicker of hope stirring in her heart.

Did their permission for her to return mean they had finally uncovered the truth and were ready to clear her name?

Half an hour passed, and the car still hadn't arrived.

The relentless sun left Song Wei drowsy and weary. She took out her phone and dialed Song Siyen’s number. The call connected quickly; his tone remained impatient.

“What's up?”

“Big brother, it’s too hot outside. Can I come in and wait for you? I’ll come out as soon as you arrive…”

Before she could finish, he interrupted, “Song Wei, are you blind? There are so many cars coming and going right outside the airport, stopping only briefly. Where’s the time for you to run around?”

“Can you not throw a spoiled princess tantrum? After all these years abroad, haven’t you changed at all?”

“Just wait outside. My car’s nearly here.”

The phone was once again mercilessly hung up.

The exhaust fumes mixed with the summer heat made Song Wei almost sick, but she endured.

Time ticked away slowly. As the sun began to set, the awaited car still hadn’t appeared.

Her faint hope sank with the sinking sun.

She reached out to hail a taxi.

Just as she raised her hand, a black Maybach pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Song Siyen’s impatient face.

“Get in.”

Song Wei felt wronged and wanted to ask why it took so long, but seeing his expression, she dared not speak.

She pushed her suitcase and was about to approach the car when the passenger door opened.

A girl in a white Louis Vuitton gown stepped out, beaming with joy.

“Sis, you’re back!”

The sight of Song Min made Song Wei’s heart skip a beat; she instinctively stepped back.

But Song Min grabbed the suitcase from her hand.

“I’ll carry it for you, sister.”

Suddenly, memories from five years ago flashed through Song Wei’s mind — how Song Min had done the same and then mysteriously fallen to the ground.

That was the first time their parents and brother had scolded her.

No matter how much she explained, they never believed she hadn’t harmed Song Min.

“No, I can do it myself,” Song Wei pressed down on the suitcase.

“Oh, come on, sis! You’ve come back after so long; you shouldn’t be doing this little thing.”

They tugged back and forth.

The old suitcase’s zipper suddenly burst open, scattering its contents across the ground.

Song Min stood there looking innocent and frightened.

“Song Wei!”

Song Siyen stormed down from the driver’s seat, anger etched on his face.

“Always causing trouble as soon as you get back. What exactly do you want?”

“I…”

“Minmin was just trying to help with your suitcase, and you’re throwing a princess fit? Look at you now—still acting like a lady?”

He cast a disdainful glance at Song Wei. Seeing her faded jeans and a stretched white T-shirt, a flicker of pity flashed in his eyes.

But he quickly suppressed it.

“Big brother, don’t blame sister. It’s not her fault. I insisted on carrying the suitcase,” Song Min said, eyeing the scattered items. “Sis, why are you bringing back all this junk?”

Speechless, Song Wei knelt down to gather her belongings.

When she was sent abroad, she had nothing but tuition for the first year.

Every piece of clothing, every pair of shoes here was bought with her own hard-earned money.

Passersby watched this fractured scene unfold.

Luxuriously dressed men and women in designer clothes beside a girl wearing cheap garments.

“Miss, need some help?” A burly man with a strong Jiangcheng accent approached, his face clouded with anger.

Behind him was a man shrouded completely—wearing a black baseball cap, black mask, and large sunglasses—silent and cold.

Song Wei looked up, about to reply, when Song Siyen frowned.

“I’m her brother, her real brother.”

The burly man ignored him.

“Miss, really? Is he truly your brother?”

They just didn’t look like siblings.

Song Wei’s pupils contracted as she prepared to answer.

[The heroine is so detestable, but I love her so much! One move and her brother no longer pities the rival.]

[The rival deserves it. That so-called pure white moonlight is nothing but a white lotus flower. How could she possibly compete with our heroine!]

These two lines suddenly appeared above Song Min’s head before vanishing as if they were an illusion.

“Miss!” the man called again.

Snapping back to reality, Song Wei looked at the man who offered help.

She thanked him, then replied with a hint of sadness, “…Yes, he is my real brother.”

The man shook his head, walking away while jeering, “A real brother who doesn’t help his own sister and bullies her instead? What kind of brother is that?”

His voice was just loud enough for those nearby to hear.

Song Wei lowered her head, hiding the hurt in her eyes.

Strangers could see she needed help now, yet her own brother, who had once spoiled her like a princess, could be so indifferent.

“Sis, you can’t be like this.”

Song Min’s sweet, coquettish voice sounded.

“How can you deliberately embarrass big brother?”

She turned to Song Siyen.

“Big brother, sister didn’t mean it. She didn’t break the suitcase on purpose or mean to have others insult you.”

Song Siyen, who hadn’t been very angry, now furrowed his brows deeply.

“Song Wei, your tricks just keep getting more cunning.”

“Trying to shame me like this?”

“Fine!”

He kicked the suitcase. The items she had just gathered were scattered once more.

Seeing Song Wei still crouched there, he bent down, grabbed her roughly, then picked up the entire suitcase, throwing all the clothes and shoes left on the ground back inside.

Carrying the suitcase to the nearby trash bin, he tossed it straight in.

“Our Song family doesn’t need this junk,” he glared at Song Wei. “If you want to take this junk, then get out with it!”

“Minmin, let’s go!”