Sitting in the passenger seat, Gu Yingying couldn’t help but glance back repeatedly, trying to observe the man in the backseat through the rearview mirror. Her cautious, curious gaze didn’t escape the man’s sharp perception.

Suddenly, he shifted his attention forward, his cold eyes meeting hers directly in the mirror. Their gazes locked for a brief, charged moment, sending an inexplicable tension through the air.

The man’s obsidian-black eyes were as sharp as a blade, paired with a face so finely sculpted it seemed like god himself had crafted it. His stern demeanor exuded an intensity that made Gu Yingying feel as though she were being stalked by a wild predator, her back tingling with an instinctive fear. Yet, the thought that he might be her brother quickly washed away her unease. With a bright smile of appeasement, she instinctively tried to win him over.

Qin Yusen noticed her smile, and something inexplicable softened within him. He shifted his gaze away, lowering his head and no longer looking at Gu Yingying.

Gu Yingying, now slightly flustered, glanced down at the enchanted mirror in her hands. The image reflected confirmed it—her supposed brother was incredibly handsome. She dismissed the possibility of him being her father immediately; the man clearly wasn’t even thirty yet, much too young to have a daughter her age. Besides, the enchanted mirror had made it clear from the start: in this world, she had no parents left—only blood-related brothers.

At the next red light, the driver briefly turned his head to look at the young girl in the passenger seat. She was around the same age as his own daughter, currently studying at Experimental High School. Seeing her holding a mirror and peering at it intently, he couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly—definitely the age when young girls love their appearance the most. Little did he know, the magical mirror’s display was visible only to its owner.

“My daughter is about your age. She’s in Experimental High too. Young lady, it’s best not to ride in random cars on your own in the future. Safer to use your family’s car,” he said kindly. Having worked for a compassionate employer who, despite his cold exterior, had a soft heart, the driver didn’t worry about chatting during work hours. That said, it would’ve been nice if his boss talked more—on most days, he rarely spoke more than a few words.

“Really? What a coincidence! Uncle Driver, I can read fortunes, you know. How about I read yours as a thank-you for your help?”

Surprised, the driver blinked before letting out a hearty laugh. His own daughter sometimes played with tarot cards and other fortune-telling games, so he was familiar with the whims of kids at this age.

“Sure, why not? How does it work?”

It happened to be a red light, one that would take three minutes to turn green. This gave the driver ample time to humor the young girl. Meanwhile, in the back seat, Qin Yusen found himself unable to look away. It was the first time he felt such uncontrollable curiosity about a stranger.

“Uncle Driver, please look into this mirror,” Gu Yingying said, handing over her magical mirror. The driver obliged, glancing at his reflection before the girl quickly pulled it back and focused on its surface.

What she saw shocked her. The reflection of the driver appeared pale and gray, surrounded by a sinister red haze, with a horrifying display of bloodshed. It was unmistakably a sign of great misfortune. Even more chilling, the date on the mirror was today. Gu Yingying’s heart sank into a panicked whirl. If something terrible happened to the driver, her brother—sitting in the same car—might also be in danger.

Filled with worry, she turned slightly, her uneasy gaze falling on the man in the back. Though they hadn’t formally confirmed their relationship, her instinct drove her to seek reassurance from him.

“Big Brother, how about I read yours too?” Her timid voice broke the growing tension.

The car fell silent for a moment, the suggestion hovering awkwardly in the air. As the red light turned green and the car rolled forward, the driver wanted to dismiss the idea, believing his employer would never entertain such frivolities. However, to his surprise, Qin Yusen—silent and aloof—extended his hand to accept the mirror.

Gu Yingying hurriedly handed it over, astonished that the man, radiating an air of untouchable authority, would entertain her quirky request. Qin Yusen held the mirror, turning it in his hands but finding nothing unusual about it. Internally, he wondered what had possessed him to indulge this peculiar little girl. Perhaps it was the optimism of his day; he was on his way to the police station, where he would finally uncover clues about his long-lost relatives.

“Here,” he said, handing the mirror back.

Gu Yingying quickly retrieved it and peered into the surface, her breath hitching.

As expected, the reflection had shifted—her brother’s image now appeared in stark black and white, streaked with blood, echoing the driver’s ominous fortune. Above it all was today’s date.

The enchanted mirror had spoken, guided by their familial connection. A grim warning emerged clearly: “Yongan Road, No. 1 Street—fatal car accident.”

It was undeniably a grave omen! Whether for the driver or her brother, Gu Yingying couldn’t let either of them face such a tragic fate. Her face turned pale, and she quickly spoke up.

“Uncle Driver, Big Brother, I’ve foreseen great misfortune for both of you today. If you go down Yong’an Road, something bad will definitely happen. If you need to go somewhere, could you please avoid that road today? Please, don’t take Yong’an Road, okay?”

With her hands clasped together in a pleading gesture, she looked up at them with concern. The driver smiled, thinking about how often traffic backed up on Yong’an Road. He was about to ask his employer, but before he could speak, he heard Qin Yusen’s voice.

“Okay.”

Today, Qin Yusen had no work planned as he was heading to the police station to check the latest news on genetic matching. He could take any route.

“Thank you, Big Brother! Please, don’t take Yong’an Road!” Gu Yingying’s face lit up with a wide smile when she heard his response. Her adorable expression made Qin Yusen feel an unexpected sense of warmth.

“Mm.” Qin Yusen, usually reserved in front of strangers, gave a brief and cold reply, but the little girl’s smile in return softened his demeanor.

Perhaps because of his growing fondness for Gu Yingying, Qin Yusen directly instructed the driver to take her to the First Experimental High School. As she got out of the car, Gu Yingying turned to remind him once again.

“Please, don’t go down Yong’an Road, okay?”

“Mm.” Qin Yusen nodded and watched the little girl walk into the school, her back disappearing from sight.

Rushing into the school, Gu Yingying barely made it to class on time. However, once inside, she realized that she still didn’t know her older brother’s name—this was her real brother, after all! But it seemed like he also lived in the same villa area, so if she tried hard enough, she would probably be able to find him, right?

Once in the classroom, Gu Yingying transformed into a diligent student. She waited patiently until the second class ended, marking the start of the long break, before she rushed out. After visiting the restroom, she headed straight for Class 2 in the second-year section, standing by the window and waving at Gu Xuezhen inside.

Gu Xuezhen was focused on her homework when her desk partner suddenly spoke up.

“Isn’t Yingying calling you from outside?”

Back when Gu Yingying was in Class 2 of the second year, the family had moved her to another class after their identities were revealed. Gu Yingying’s family feared conflicts might arise between them if they were in the same class. Therefore, everyone in Class 1 knew who Gu Yingying was, along with the story of how she had “taken their place.”

Gu Xuezhen looked up and saw Gu Yingying eagerly waving at her from outside the window. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she felt a sense of exhaustion but strangely, Gu Xuezhen no longer disliked Gu Yingying at all.

Ever since her foster parents were sent to the police station and she learned the truth, Gu Xuezhen understood that Gu Yingying was also a victim. She, too, had been taken away from her biological mother by that couple. Gu Xuezhen had even developed some admiration for Gu Yingying, who had voluntarily moved out. She noticed something her parents didn’t: her dear brother’s gaze toward Yingying. That look wasn’t like that of an older brother toward his little sister. She remembered that she had been found because of this same brother.

What were Gu Xiao’s intentions? His real parents might be unaware, but Gu Xuezhen, who grew up in the muck, saw it all too clearly.

She feared him because of his power within the Gu family. She also despised him, as she could sense that the man harbored ulterior motives toward Yingying—something so corrupt.

Gu Yingying, however, was too naive to realize what was really going on. She thought he had good intentions.

The thought made Gu Xuezhen’s head ache. After thinking briefly about the cat named Bastet, she reluctantly stood up from her seat and walked toward the door.

When Gu Yingying saw Gu Xuezhen step out, her excitement grew even more. Her face lit up with a bright smile that caught the attention of many of the male students. Compared to Gu Xuezhen’s glamorous and sharp beauty, Gu Yingying’s innocent and pure appearance, like a delicate little blossom, was much more endearing. It seemed that young boys, in particular, were drawn to protect such untainted, pure girls.

“Xuezhen!” Seeing her, Gu Yingying’s smile grew even sweeter. Her already delicate face seemed to blossom like cherry flowers, stunningly beautiful and impossible to look away from.

Though they hadn’t met in just a few days, Gu Xuezhen felt that Gu Yingying had become even more beautiful.

“What do you need?” Gu Xuezhen admired Gu Yingying’s independence, but she also felt that befriending someone as naïve as her would be troublesome. She thought, this little fool is quite cute, and she didn’t want to see her fall victim to someone like Gu Xiao.

“Here! I brought you something. Look, this is the beauty pill I bought from a cosmetic doctor before—it’s called the Rejuvenation Pill. It makes you even more beautiful after taking it~ And a few days ago, when I was at home, I noticed your skin was a little rough. If you use this, in a month, it will become soft and smooth. I’ve been using it too~ it’s really expensive~”

Gu Yingying grabbed Gu Xuezhen’s hand and placed a small porcelain bottle into her hand, continuing to instruct her.

“Your health isn’t too great right now, so you need to take two pills a day. It’ll show effects in just one week~”

Gu Xuezhen, holding the soft little hand and feeling the concerned look from Gu Yingying, felt a rush of warmth and a slight ache in her heart. She had never paid attention to her skin before. With her old life, constantly working at home, it had become second nature, leaving her skin rougher than most girls’. Even back in the Gu family, it wasn’t something that could be healed easily.

But Gu Xuezhen also felt that Gu Yingying was being a bit naïve. Were they close enough for her to care so much about things like this? Was their relationship so intimate that she could take all these random pills?

She wanted to sarcastically respond to the girl, but then she heard Gu Yingying muttering again.

“Also, I’ve noticed the scars on your body. I’ve already secretly checked. Once I get in touch with that amazing doctor, she’ll prepare a scar-removal pill. It’ll take some time to get ready, but I’ll be sure to bring it to you as soon as it’s ready. Soon, there won’t be any scars left on your skin!”

Of course, modern science couldn’t compare to what Gu Yingying was referring to. The beauty pills were magical. After taking them, one’s skin would become as smooth as jade, and they were especially effective in healing scars. With the unrest in Anlan Continent, many people were injured, and when Gu Yingying developed this formula, it became very popular. It brought in a substantial income for the Medicine Sect.

A sudden wave of bittersweet emotions overwhelmed Gu Xuezhen’s heart—not the kind of jealousy or resentment, but a bitter, warm feeling that almost made her want to cry. Because even her own parents had never cared for her like this. They were more afraid of her remembering the pain from her past and always avoided discussing it.

“Mm, I’ll take them.”

After she spoke, she suddenly remembered that her parents had already kicked Gu Yingying out of the house. She only had five million left, and thinking about the two cards her parents gave her, she pulled one out of her pocket and handed it to Gu Yingying.

“Here, take this card. Don’t worry about spending money. It’s Mom’s secondary card, and it will be paid off every month.”

Gu Yingying was taken aback at first, not expecting Gu Xuezhen to offer her a card, and quickly shook her head to refuse.

“I can’t take this. I’m no longer Dad and Mom’s child. It wouldn’t be right. Don’t worry, I still have money.”

Her refusal was expected by Gu Xuezhen, though. She had already seen through Gu Yingying’s character—she wasn’t the type to assert herself strongly.

“If you don’t take it, then I won’t take the medicine you gave me.”

The threat seemed trivial, but it actually made Gu Yingying nervous, and she finally took Gu Xuezhen’s card.

“Alright, I’ll take the card. But you must remember to take your medicine—two pills a day, don’t skip! When you’re done, come ask me for more.”

Gu Yingying genuinely hoped that Gu Xuezhen could become more beautiful and shine with her own unique brilliance.

Eventually, Gu Yingying left after Gu Xuezhen urged her. Holding the small porcelain bottle, Gu Xuezhen returned to class. Her classmates, curious, asked what the two had discussed, but Gu Xuezhen didn’t respond. Instead, she took the pills from the porcelain bottle.

The pills were soft and pink, with a sweet, candy-like taste when placed in her mouth.

After taking two, Gu Xuezhen furrowed her brows.

That little fool, Gu Yingying—she couldn’t have been tricked, could she? These pills just tasted like candy-coated beans…

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