The short film 《Daffodil》 was trending on hot searches but it didn’t pique the interest of netizens apart from fans and those who liked Luo Yang.

Especially since the producer was a singer. No matter how famous he was, he couldn’t change people’s prejudices as he was not a professional director.

Members of Meng Zhen’s fan club watched the short film with a sense of shock, then captured their idol’s most beautiful scenes and posted them on Weibo, where they didn’t take long to go viral.

The fan club president, being a popular comic artist with an excellent aesthetic sense, captured each clip with vibrant detail. Many netizens, simply drawn by the visuals, were quickly captivated and made Meng Zhen their new favorite.

Fangirls loved to boost their idols’ stats, and at this moment, they mobilized everyone to push the clips to the top of the trending list.

This move not only increased their idol’s exposure but also boosted the short film’s viewership. After all, an actor’s true measure of success was in their tangible achievements, and viewership ratings were the best proof of Meng Zhen’s professional capabilities.

The discussion about 《Daffodil》 on Weibo steadily increased, bringing benefits to the two leads as well. Both Meng Zhen and Yi Beizhao consecutively made the star ranking list, with their index soaring rapidly, making them the hottest stars of the moment.

Xu Xuero returned to her room after taking a cough suppressant. Then she opened her computer and logged into Tomato.

After watching the short film, Xu Xuero’s head buzzed, as if all the strength had been drained from her body. She collapsed into her chair and didn’t move for a long time.

Xu Xuero had long known that Meng Zhen was a rare beauty, but she hadn’t expected her to possess such exceptional talent in acting. The flower spirit she portrayed on screen was so captivating that it was unforgettable.

The thought of Meng Zhen gradually shedding her shell of insecurity and timidity to become a highly acclaimed actress weighed heavily on Xu Xuero’s heart, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Lost in thought in front of the computer, Xu Xuero didn’t notice the knocking at the door. A handsome and delicate boy, around thirteen or fourteen years old, walked up to her. Catching a glimpse of Meng Zhen on the screen, a hint of disgust flickered in his eyes.

“Sis, why are you watching her? It’s such a waste of time.” Xu Ruixi furrowed his brows, his tone tinged with displeasure.

The boy was going through puberty and his voice was hoarse, which was quite grating to the ears.

Xu Xuero snapped out of her thoughts, her face showing a gentle smile as she sighed, “Ruixi, Meng Zhen is your sister after all. You shouldn’t say such things in the future, lest it angers Mom and Dad.”

“I only have one sister, and that’s you. Someone like Meng Zhen, who is hypocritical, selfish, and always scheming, doesn’t deserve to be my sister.”

Xu Ruixi was exactly four years younger than Xu Xuero, and since he could remember, they had always lived together in the villa.

Xu Xuero was born prematurely, so every year, she required several months of hospital stay until her condition gradually improved by the time she turned sixteen.

This year, Xu Xuero hadn’t been to the hospital at all. Ironically, when Meng Zhen arrived at the Xu family’s home, she fed a stray cat, causing his sister to develop a severe allergic reaction.

In such circumstances, how could Xu Ruixi possibly develop any favorable feelings towards Meng Zhen?

Xu Xuero’s slender and delicate fingertips lightly touched the glass ball on the table, her eyes fixed on the shimmering specks swirling inside, lost in thought.

“I heard from Mom that you went to see Meng Zhen.” Xu Ruixi asked with a frown.

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

Xu Xueruo nodded slightly.

“Stay away from her in the future. Every time you’re near her, something bad happens to you. Meng Zhen really is a jinx!”

At just fourteen, Xu Ruixi already stood over 1.7 meters tall. Leaning against the wooden desk, his tone carried an indescribable mockery.

The more Xu Ruixi disliked Meng Zhen, the more at ease Xu Xuero felt.

To put it bluntly, Meng Zhen was the biological daughter of her parents, while she herself was just a substitute. After years of cautious effort to finally secure Meng Zhen’s position, the rightful owner unexpectedly returned.

Anyone in her situation wouldn’t feel comfortable.

Xu Ruixi took over the mouse and closed the Tomato website’s page, muttering, “Sis, I don’t want to live with Meng Zhen. Anyway, Mom and Dad have already kicked her out, so it’s best if she never comes back.”

In the room with only the two siblings, Xu Xuero no longer needed to keep up pretenses. She ruffled Xu Ruixi’s fluffy head and whispered softly, “Whether you accept it or not, Meng Zhen is Mom and Dad’s daughter. You should be more polite to her in the future, understand?”

Grudgingly, Xu Ruixi let out a dissatisfied hum.

———pr

After the release of 《Daffodil》, Meng Zhen changed her Weibo information. She registered a new email and directed work-related information there, bypassing the need for approval from Yunlai Entertainment.

However, suitable job opportunities weren’t as common as cabbage. They could be discovered but not sought. So Meng Zhen could only choose carefully. Fortunately, her patience had always been good, and she enjoyed the process.

The July weather was exceptionally hot, even with the air conditioning on, the air still carried a lingering heat.

Meng Zhen sat at her desk, flipping through the book about line delivery. Before long, she unexpectedly fell asleep.

She had a dream where, after the other Meng Zhen passed away, the frail Xu Xuero gradually regained her health. Xu Xuero then made slight modifications to the diary written during the most desperate times of the other Meng Zhen’s life, narrating it in Xu Xuero’s own voice. The diary was published first and later adapted into a movie, making Xu Xuero a revered goddess of literature in everyone’s eyes, known for her delicate writing and sincere emotions.

In addition to the diary, the other Meng Zhen had also written over a dozen musical scores. Being shy and insecure, she never dared to present her work to others, unwittingly letting Xu Xuero take credit for it.

At a banquet, Xu Xuero played one of the musical scores on the piano, and the lively notes were brimming with deep emotions. Though Xu Xuero’s skills were not exceptional, they inadvertently struck a chord with an elderly man’s heart.

The elderly man controlled the economic lifeline of the country. Gaining his favor, the Xu family’s business gradually expanded, and Xu Xuero became a lucky star in the eyes of her parents and family.

Meanwhile, the other Meng Zhen had died early on a rainy night at the age of eighteen, fading into obscurity without anyone remembering her.

The vibration of her phone woke Meng Zhen up. She looked at the screen and saw the label displayed, her eyes slightly dimmed.

Dad.

She pressed the answer button, and a flat voice came through, “Zhenzhen, Dad just returned from a business trip in France. Come home for dinner tonight.”

Since her reincarnation, Meng Zhen had never met the father of the other Meng Zhen. After all, Xu Youheng was the helm of the entire Xu Group, preoccupied with work and never focused his attention on his long-lost daughter.

“Okay.” Meng Zhen didn’t refuse. She didn’t understand why she had such a dream, but she knew she had to seek justice for the other Meng Zhen.

She hung up the phone and changed into a basic shirt and jeans, revealing her smooth and fair skin. With her dark hair and snow-white complexion, she looked effortlessly stylish and attractive.

Before heading to the Xu family’s home, Meng Zhen went to the mall and bought a bottle of fine wine for Xu Youheng. She also purchased two bottles of perfume and the latest model of a tablet computer.

Seeing the amount on the receipt when she swiped her card, Meng Zhen’s mouth twitched, feeling the sting of the expense.

The villa area where the Xu family lived was located in the suburbs of the capital, with excellent greenery. Near the main gate of the residential area, there was large group of ginkgo trees, their leaves lush green at this time of the year, emitting the refreshing fragrance of vegetation.

When Meng Zhen reached the entrance of the residential area, she was stopped by security.

She didn’t have an access card.

Meng Zhen took out her phone, about to call Zhao Rong, when she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around and saw a boy carrying a backpack, looking at her disdainfully.

“What are you doing here?” Xu Ruixi’s attitude was definitely not good.

If Meng Zhen remembered correctly, in her memory, the other Meng Zhen had never offended this younger brother. They had only exchanged a few words—— a greeting and a goodbye.

Then his aversion towards her was indeed worth pondering.

“Dad asked me to come.”

“That’s impossible! Dad was the one who kicked you out in the first place. Why would he ask you to come back? You’re just a jinx. Last time you came home, you caused Sister to have an allergic reaction. Who knows what trouble you’ll cause this time.”

Fourteen-year-old boys were typically clear about their likes and dislikes. Xu Ruixi’s dislike for Meng Zhen was straightforwardly expressed, unlike Xu Xuero, who appeared gentle and kind on the surface but schemes behind others’ backs.

Meng Zhen didn’t want to argue with the child and simply ignored Xu Ruixi’s words.

She stood beneath a ginkgo tree and dialed Zhao Rong’s number.

“Mom, I’m at the entrance of the community.”

Zhao Rong suddenly remembered that she hadn’t arranged an access card for Meng Zhen and a hint of chagrin showed on her face. She poured the red wine into a decanter and hurriedly left the house.

Xu Xuero stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching as Zhao Rong drove Meng Zhen and Xu Ruixi back. They truly looked like blood relatives, their facial features remarkably similar. Anyone seeing them together would never doubt their kinship.

She gripped the curtain tightly, her fingernails showing a faint bluish-white color.

Meng Zhen walked into the living room and saw the delicate and frail young woman. Likely due to poor health, Xu Xuero’s complexion was noticeably pale and somewhat sallow. She wore a light blue short-sleeved dress that made her look even more wan, resembling a dry cabbage.

“Zhenzhen, you finally came. I thought you were still blaming me.”

Xu Xuero hurried over to Meng Zhen’s side, a smile lighting up her face as she took her hand, but her words carried a deeper meaning.

Zhao Rong furrowed her brows slightly, her gaze fixed on Meng Zhen, waiting to see how she would respond.

No parent in the world didn’t cherish their children. Meng Zhen was Zhao Rong’s first child, and she remembered the heart-wrenching pain when her daughter went missing. However, time healed all wounds and washed away her maternal love, allowing Zhao Rong to now scrutinize this recovered child with a calm and rational eye.

“I went to buy you perfume. It’s your favorite Wild Bluebell.”

Meng Zhen didn’t directly answer Xu Xuero’s question. Instead, she handed her the exquisitely packaged gift box. Then, Meng Zhen turned to Zhao Rong and said, “Mom, this Nile Garden is for you.”

Meng Zhen was attentive. The perfume she bought happened to be Zhao Rong’s favorite. If she still harbored resentment towards the Xu family, why would she meticulously prepare a gift like this?