Chapter 24
Perhaps both of them had frozen, or perhaps that single second stretched on forever.
Ruan Xin’s hand remained stiff against Ye Muyan’s trousers, her eyes fixed on those two long, straight legs.
Ye Muyan stood against the light. Her clothes only partially covered the rounded curve of her hips, while her legs seemed outlined in soft, graceful strokes. Her skin looked as smooth and delicate as a richly painted portrait, and her slender legs appeared both supple and strong.
At fifteen, however, her frame was still delicate and unmistakably youthful.
Ruan Xin had no interest in admiring her legs.
The autumn wind was bitterly cold—every bit as cold as her heart.
Not only was her heart frozen, but ten thousand groundhogs were screaming inside her head as she cursed her own traitorous hand.
Ye Muyan remained stunned. The warmth around her legs was gradually fading, yet she could clearly feel a scorching gaze upon her.
Twelve years old.
Ruan Xin was only twelve.
Ye Muyan had assumed she knew nothing. Yet the girl had taken advantage of a moment’s carelessness to pull down her trousers.
If she was already doing this now, wouldn’t she start stripping off Ye Muyan’s clothes once she got older?
Did she covet her that much?
“Ruan Xin…”
The more Ye Muyan thought about it, the angrier she became. She called Ruan Xin’s name through gritted teeth.
Killing intent.
Ruan Xin could feel killing intent.
Her scalp tingled, and her entire body tensed like a frightened cat with its fur standing on end.
“I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Guilty as hell, she hurriedly explained, “No, I meant to grab your clothes, but you happened to stand up at that exact moment! I’m a respectable person, honestly! It was an accident. Your waist is just too thin to keep your trousers up!”
Ye Muyan: “?”
Grab her clothes?
Her waist was too thin?
“…”
Ruan Xin realized that every explanation only made her sound guiltier.
After struggling for words, she asked weakly, “Um, Ye Muyan…would you like me to pull your trousers back up?”
“Wow. I truly have to thank you for that.”
Ye Muyan forced out the most insincere smile imaginable.
I’ve been falsely accused!
Ruan Xin wanted to cry. Her face was burning.
Ye Muyan pulled up her trousers and patted Ruan Xin’s cheek.
“Xinxin, you’ve certainly been growing bolder lately.”
Ruan Xin ducked her head, looking considerably smaller and more timid.
“Forget it. I’m going to bed.”
She shifted aside before darting into her room like an arrow.
“Idiot.”
Ye Muyan stared at the closed door and involuntarily muttered the word.
“You’re the idiot.”
Back in her room, Ruan Xin grumbled under her breath while opening her status screen.
Her Black Heart score hadn’t changed today, while her Little Devil score had risen by only thirty-two points.
“What an unlucky day.” Ruan Xin sighed.
She had grown accustomed to seeing her Little Devil score soar. Now that its growth had suddenly slowed, she felt strangely dissatisfied.
It was like playing a game or cultivating some mysterious technique. At first, progress came at lightning speed. Eventually, however, all kinds of bottlenecks and impassable barriers began appearing.
“Sweetie, how may I help you?” the system asked.
Ruan Xin thought briefly, then opened the envelope.
“I want to view the Black Alliance story event.”
“Certainly!”
…
Ruan Xin’s vision abruptly went dark.
When she opened her eyes again, she instinctively examined her surroundings.
“Are you certain this plan will work?”
A deep, magnetic male voice asked the question.
Ruan Xin flinched at the sound.
Turning toward it, she saw An Chen, Blackhearted Ruan, and Li Zhe.
This An Chen looked far more mature than the one she knew. His expression was completely different as well. His handsome face was cold, and his long, well-defined fingers curled around a wineglass. The oppressive aura surrounding him made it difficult to breathe.
“You have to trust me, Brother An.”
The original host answered with a gentle smile, tucking a lock of curled hair behind her ear.
Ugh.
Ruan Xin’s skin crawled at the words Brother An.
It hadn’t sounded particularly sickening while she read the novel. But hearing Blackhearted Ruan say it aloud to An Chen—
She couldn’t handle it. The whole thing felt completely surreal.
An Chen was restless and agitated. When he raised his eyes, his expression was dark and obsessive.
“I must have Little Ye.”
“Of course. I’ll help you.”
The original host’s smile deepened.
She couldn’t wait for the two of them to get together. Once that happened, Ye Muyan would be ruined and forced to bear the stigma of their taboo relationship for the rest of her life.
“I certainly hope so.” An Chen sneered. “You truly are a wonderful little sister to Little Ye.”
The original host heard the mockery in his voice, yet her expression remained gentle and pure.
“Little Ruan didn’t come here to be ridiculed,” Li Zhe interjected.
An Chen glanced at him and lazily swirled the wine in his glass.
“And I have every right to reject her proposal.”
The room fell as stagnant as dead water.
Ruan Xin found herself a place to sit.
She recognized this scene.
It took place several years after An Chen discovered that Ye Muyan was his cousin. It was also a period when Ye Muyan’s career was flourishing.
Naturally, Blackhearted Ruan couldn’t tolerate watching her succeed. She secretly approached An Chen and began plotting trouble behind Ye Muyan’s back.
“Brother An.”
Several minutes passed before the original host spoke again.
Her tone was unusually serious, yet deeply seductive.
“I understand how you feel. I’m also the person who knows my sister best. As her little sister, why would I ever want to hurt her? I genuinely want what’s best for both of you.”
She continued, “Think about it. Only by dragging her down and preventing her from moving forward can you make her turn back to you.”
“So,” the original host concluded, her tone shifting, “you have nothing to lose from this deal.”
An Chen became thoughtful.
Ruan Xin swung her legs, knowing that his resolve was wavering.
The original host smiled and extended her hand.
“Come. We’re allies, aren’t we?”
An Chen looked at the two of them.
Greed and darkness finally consumed him completely.
After the words “A pleasure doing business with you,” the scene froze on the moment he shook the original host’s hand.
…
Beep.
“The story event has ended.”
Ruan Xin opened her eyes and glanced toward the window.
The sky was already beginning to brighten.
She checked the alarm clock.
4:33 a.m.
Ruan Xin yawned and crawled out of bed, beginning another day of school life.
Instead of immediately washing her face and brushing her teeth, she crept over and quietly opened Ye Muyan’s bedroom door.
No one was inside, and the bed was a mess.
“Ruan Xin, what are you doing?”
The sudden question behind her made Ruan Xin spin around in fright.
Ye Muyan had just emerged from the bathroom, still surrounded by warm mist. The water had probably been too hot, because her cheeks and the tips of her ears were slightly flushed.
Water dripped from her hair as she silently stared at Ruan Xin.
“Huh?”
Ruan Xin relaxed when she saw her clearly, then pointed at Ye Muyan’s hair.
“Your…”
Ye Muyan tossed a towel over her face.
“Servant Ruan, dry my hair.”
“Tch!”
Ruan Xin pulled down the towel, looking thoroughly unwilling.
She examined Ye Muyan’s newly shortened hair, which barely reached her shoulders.
“Why did you suddenly cut it?”
Believing that her plan had succeeded, Ye Muyan smiled.
“I wanted to wear it loose. Doesn’t it look good?”
“Oh.”
Ruan Xin wasn’t accustomed to the new hairstyle yet.
“All done.”
After a while, Ruan Xin tidied Ye Muyan’s freshly dried hair.
She already knew that the female lead’s hair was incredibly soft. Ye Muyan was the author’s beloved daughter, after all. The novel had piled up countless elaborate phrases to describe her.
If Ye Muyan’s hair changed color whenever she became angry, her tears turned into diamonds, or smoke rose from her head whenever she was happy, Ruan Xin wouldn’t have been surprised.
Still, after touching it herself, she couldn’t resist remarking, “People with soft hair are supposed to have good tempers. Why are you the only one who’s so irritable and overbearing?”
“My temper is bad?”
Ye Muyan swept aside her newly dried hair, stood, and looked down at Ruan Xin.
Ruan Xin raised her head and examined her in return.
The haircut should have looked mature and capable, but Ye Muyan was still only fifteen and appeared too youthful. As a result, it made her look sweet at first glance, though prolonged observation revealed a certain sharpness and handsomeness.
“It works. This hairstyle perfectly suits your magnificent bastard aura.”
After examining her for a while, Ruan Xin raised a thumb. It sounded more like an insult than praise.
She had just called Ye Muyan a bastard?
Ye Muyan knocked her on the head. “Little bastard, have you folded the blankets?”
“Nope.”
Ruan Xin rose to do it, but paused just before entering the room.
“Ye Muyan, the back is uneven.”
“Oh.”
Ye Muyan’s answer was indifferent. She wasn’t particularly attached to her hair and didn’t regret cutting it. Right now, she thought the uglier she looked, the better.
Anything that would make Ruan Xin give up on her was worthwhile.
“Wait here.”
Ruan Xin fetched a pair of scissors. As she trimmed Ye Muyan’s hair, she held the strands with one hand to keep them from falling inside her clothes.
Because of their height difference, she had to stand extremely close.
Ye Muyan remained still. Even through their clothes, she could sense the subtle rise and fall of Ruan Xin’s breathing.
Unfortunately, Ruan Xin was flat as a board, leaving absolutely nothing to imagine.
Someone flatter than a prairie thought she could seduce Ye Muyan?
Ye Muyan felt that her integrity was truly unshakable.
“Okay!”
Ruan Xin admired her handiwork with great satisfaction before happily going to fold the blankets.
Ye Muyan watched her cheerful figure, seemingly devising another plan.
…
Over the following three days, Ruan Xin finally discovered the true meaning of confusion.
Not folding blankets was nothing.
Ye Muyan could be even lazier and messier. She was practically a living ancestor demanding constant service.
Laziness aside, she also argued with Ruan Xin over everything. Ruan Xin seriously suspected that she had been an iron railing that cultivated a spirit in her previous life, only to be struck dead by lightning halfway through her ascension.
What fantasies could she possibly retain about this woman?
Ruan Xin had already seen through her. All she felt toward Ye Muyan now was disgust piled upon more disgust.
If she had to invent a headline for the situation, it would be:
Heartbreaking! Everyone Who Sees This Will Cry: Twelve-Year-Old Girl Attends School While Caring for Her Functionally Helpless Idiot Sister!
What a miserable fate.
Ruan Xin believed she had been born to labor for others. Before transmigrating, Ruan Meng constantly tricked her. After transmigrating, she found herself burdened with this female lead as her older sister.
That afternoon, school ended once again.
As usual, Ruan Xin said goodbye to her classmates and merged into the departing crowd with Ye Muyan.
“Little Ruan!”
A boy called to her from amid the crowd.
It was her good brother Li Zhe!
Ruan Xin’s eyes lit up as though she had seen hope itself.
Three days earlier, Li Zhe had transferred from another province into Yu Qiaotian’s high school. It took Ruan Xin two days to convince the stubborn male supporting character to give up, and the two had temporarily become friends.
Li Zhe spotted her immediately and approached carrying a bowl of malatang.
What a good brother!
Ruan Xin’s eyes shone even more brightly.
Just as the two were about to reunite over the bowl of malatang, a familiar scene repeated itself—
“Thank you, but Ruan Xin doesn’t eat this.”
Ye Muyan took the bowl and led Ruan Xin away.
Damn it!
That vicious woman!
Li Zhe frowned furiously. He swore that one day he would expose Ye Muyan’s disguise and show Ruan Xin exactly what kind of person she truly was.
“Little Xin, Little Yan.”
Just as Ye Muyan was about to wheel out her bicycle, someone sounded a car horn beside the road and lowered the window.
A familiar, kindly face appeared.
“Uncle Wang?”
The two spoke in unison.
Ruan Xin was overjoyed. “What are you doing here?”
Uncle Wang smiled. “Mr. Ye and Madam have returned from abroad.”
“That’s wonderful!” Ruan Xin blurted out.
Ye Muyan gave her a meaningful smile. “Yes. Wonderful.”
Uncle Wang spoke earnestly. “Little Ye, you haven’t been home in quite some time. Mr. Ye is usually busy, but you should visit while he’s back.”
Ye Muyan didn’t respond.
After several seconds of silence, she got into the car.
Before her rebirth, when she severed ties with her family and was thrown out, Aunt Huang and Uncle Wang had been the ones who saw her off.
In truth, she was closer to them than to her biological father. Naturally, she didn’t want to make things difficult for Uncle Wang.
Besides, she had something she wanted to ask Ruan Tao.
Once the doors were shut, the windows were lowered.
Ruan Xin untied the knot around the container and happily began eating the malatang.
“Ruan Xin.”
Ye Muyan glanced at her.
Uncle Wang assumed she disliked the strong smell and was about to mediate. Before he could speak, however, he saw Ruan Xin feeding Ye Muyan.
Ruan Xin seemed completely accustomed to it. She ate a little herself, then offered some to Ye Muyan, treating the other girl as though she were incapable of feeding herself.
No—to be precise, she was feeding her like a pet.
She was truly feeding her!
Uncle Wang’s eyes widened. He couldn’t understand how the two girls had suddenly become so close.
Besides, Ye Muyan ordinarily hated sharing food with anyone. Why was she…
Uncle Wang felt confused yet strangely comforted.
The drive was short. They reached home in the time it took to finish the malatang.
“Mommy’s precious little piglet!”
The moment Ruan Xin entered the living room, Ruan Tao enthusiastically pulled her into a hug.
Had traveling abroad been unpleasant?
Of course not.
Ruan Tao was simply worried that her daughter had been mistreated.
“Mom!”
Ruan Xin sounded equally excited, but not because she had missed her mother.
She was wondering whether her mother would rescue her.
Standing to one side, Ye Muyan calmly greeted her. “Mom.”
“Yes, it’s good that you’re back.”
Ruan Tao nodded. Knowing Ye Muyan disliked being touched, she didn’t attempt to embrace her.
“Come over here.” She beckoned to them with a smile. “I bought things for both of you.”
When women shopped, they generally bought clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, perfume, shoes, and handbags.
Ruan Tao was no exception.
As the weather was growing colder, she had naturally bought both girls new seasonal clothes and shoes.
Their scarves matched, though everything else was different.
Perhaps her past experiences had left a lasting scar, because Ruan Tao was especially fixated on clothing.
She had changed the moment she left her hometown. She wasn’t merely determined to live well—she wanted her daughter never to repeat an ordinary outfit. Every day’s clothing had to be new and beautiful.
“There are hats too.”
By the time Ruan Tao placed hats on their heads, the items piled around the two girls had nearly transformed them into snowmen.
Ruan Tao might have been the person who loved the original host most, aside from Li Zhe.
At least, that was the impression Ruan Xin had gained from the novel.
For precisely this reason, the original host believed her mother should always take her side. But Ruan Tao bought equal amounts for both girls every time, leaving the immature Ruan Xin bitterly resentful.
As a child, the original host hadn’t understood that Ruan Tao’s kindness toward Ye Muyan was largely superficial.
Once she grew older, she became determined to fight Ye Muyan to the bitter end and refused to listen to any advice.
One wrong step led to another.
Ruan Tao might have enjoyed watching them scheme against each other, but she wasn’t blind. As an outsider, she would eventually see the situation with perfect clarity.
When it came to dealing with people and maintaining a façade, the original host still had much to learn from Ruan Tao.
“Where’s Dad?” Ye Muyan asked.
“He had an urgent matter and went to another meeting,” Ruan Tao replied. “It’ll just be the three of us for dinner tonight.”
Ye Muyan relaxed slightly. Had her father been home, dinner would inevitably have ended in an argument.
“Oh, right…”
Ruan Tao adopted the expression of a virtuous mother, her smile affectionate and gentle.
“Muyan, you should stop quarreling with your father. Why don’t you move home?”
“No.”
Ruan Tao had expected that answer. She knew Ye Muyan would never move back. The more she pressured her, the more rebellious she would become.
“What about Xinxin?”
That was the real point.
Of course I want to come home.
Before Ruan Xin could speak, Ye Muyan answered for her.
“Ruan Xin loves living with me. We’re constantly together, and she’s grown very accustomed to it. She keeps pestering me to let her stay.”
Her expression was so sincere that the lie almost sounded real.
“Is that so?”
Ruan Tao’s eyelid twitched.
Fortunately, Ruan Xin was her biological daughter. Otherwise, she might genuinely have believed Ye Muyan.
“Yes…”
Ruan Xin sounded utterly aggrieved.
Ruan Tao: “…”
That rotten girl had definitely been tricked.
Dinner remained relatively harmonious.
Afterward, Ruan Xin followed Xiao Peng to her room to pack the remaining things she needed.
Ye Muyan wandered into the storage room. She hadn’t entered it since third grade.
It was called a storage room, but most of its contents were childhood objects she had refused to discard: sketchbooks filled with childish drawings, small medals, and plastic shovels once used for playing in the sand.
As she walked, her foot struck something.
Ye Muyan crouched and pulled it out.
It was an old snow globe.
She shook it gently. The liquid inside had become cloudy, and glittering snowflakes drifted slowly downward. The white snowman’s features had faded, making its smile appear strangely forlorn.
She remembered Ruan Xin giving her a snow globe when she first arrived at the house.
At the time, Ye Muyan had promised to buy her many, many more.
But children had short memories. She said it and immediately forgot, never fulfilling her promise.
Once they grew older, snow globes seemed too childish.
“Xinxin loved snow globes when she was young.”
Ruan Tao stood in the doorway.
“I remember. Dad bought this one for her.”
Ye Muyan looked down at the snow globe. She had once gotten into an argument over it.
Remembering the past, Ruan Tao sighed.
“She originally had another one that she absolutely adored. She even fought with another child over that little toy. Whenever she had nothing else to do, she would shake it and watch the snow fall.”
Ruan Tao continued, “She used to carry it everywhere. The day before she came here, she even said she wanted to give it to you. But later, it seemed to disappear…”
Because Ye Muyan had thrown it away.
Her hand stiffened around the snow globe.
Several minutes passed before she recovered enough to ask, “Has Ruan Xin ever behaved abnormally before?”
“Abnormally?” Ruan Tao had always believed her daughter was perfectly healthy.
“Talking to herself, having an explosive and unpredictable temper, laughing and making noise when she’s alone.”
Ruan Tao’s expression became serious. “Well…”
Ye Muyan pointed toward her head.
Ruan Tao carefully searched her memories. Seeing her gesture near her face, realization finally dawned.
“I remember now. Has it started happening again?”
Ye Muyan was startled. “She behaved like this before? Why did you never mention it?”
“It was such a minor issue from the past. How did it start again after I was abroad for only a few days? When did you notice?”
Ye Muyan’s chest grew even heavier.
Ruan Tao blamed herself. “She has no self-control at all. It must hurt terribly when it flares up. I’ve told her so many times to eat less—”
Before she could finish, Ye Muyan rushed out.
Her heart ached.
She felt as though she had been bullying someone vulnerable.
What had she been doing these past few days?
Hurting Ruan Xin.
If she had understood Ruan Xin a little better and shown more patience, perhaps their previous lives wouldn’t have ended that way…
Ye Muyan had thrown away this person’s most precious possession, yet Ruan Xin had continued loving her and desperately trying to attract her attention.
She had called Gu Junyan a scumbag.
But in the end?
Ye Muyan was even more of a scumbag.
“What happened?”
Ruan Xin looked thoroughly confused as Ye Muyan rushed past her.
Once Ye Muyan disappeared, she approached Ruan Tao and asked, “You didn’t scold her, did you?”
“I’m not that stupid.” Ruan Tao dropped her façade, looking equally perplexed. “I only told her you had a toothache.”
Ruan Xin became even more bewildered.
“Then why did she run off looking like I’ve been diagnosed with a terminal illness?”
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