1

The bedroom was bright and spacious.

A pale and weak-looking Lu Huan lay sprawled on her pink-themed bed, absentmindedly playing a mobile game to kill time.

A knock came from outside the door, followed by the butler’s voice: “Miss, the Master and Madam would like to see you downstairs.”

Lu Huan responded lazily, “Okay, I’ll be down in a minute.”

The hallway fell silent again. Lu Huan sighed and tossed her phone aside.

So, it’s finally happening.

Not long ago, she’d been a moderately well-known voice actress in the entertainment industry.

She had taken on a voice role for a web drama adapted from a novel, voicing the third female lead.

Lu Huan had always been serious about her work. In order to fully immerse herself in the role, she read the million-word novel over and over again.

The title was Addicted to My Sweet Wife—a cliché, over-the-top romance about a domineering CEO and his twisted love. The story was full of emotional torment in the beginning, followed by the classic “regretful male lead chasing his ex-wife” arc.

The heroine, Ye Sangsang, turned out to be the real daughter of the Lu family, lost and only recently found. But after being brought back home, she didn’t live the life of a true heiress. Instead, she was constantly bullied and suppressed by the fake heiress—Lu Huan.

Ye Sangsang was a master at enduring. To get her revenge, she decided to steal Lu Huan’s man.

At a birthday banquet held after her return to the Lu family, she first pretended to seduce Chu Jun, the male lead. But pretend turned into reality.

The original Lu Huan, upon discovering that Ye Sangsang’s seduction was all for revenge, exposed the truth to Chu Jun. She then manipulated and schemed, driving a wedge between them until Ye Sangsang finally gave up on the man completely, running away while pregnant. Years later, she returned to the entertainment world with a cute kid in tow.

By that time, the male lead had figured out what really happened and kicked off his redemption arc: groveling, pampering, and swearing eternal devotion.

As for revenge, he left no stone unturned. The one who suffered the most? None other than the vicious supporting role—Lu Huan.

The Lu family no longer protected her. She refused to return to her biological parents. In the end, she was cast out, renting a run-down apartment, sick and penniless. She eventually died alone, from illness and neglect.

Ye Sangsang was smart and beautiful—a true black lotus.

When Lu Huan read the novel the first time, she couldn’t help scoffing at how brainless the villainess was. She had a good life handed to her, and she still managed to ruin it.

Who would’ve thought—right after staying up all night to finish the novel, Lu Huan suddenly found herself inside it, becoming none other than the villainess who shared her exact name: Lu Huan.

A week ago, the original Lu Huan had stormed out of the house after learning she was just a fake heiress, switched at birth. Furious, she ran off with a group of friends to party at a seaside villa.

During the chaos, she accidentally fell into the swimming pool. She couldn’t swim and struggled desperately, screaming for help. But everyone else was busy partying inside, completely unaware someone had gone missing.

It wasn’t until a villa staff member happened to pass by that she was discovered. They pulled her out of the water, barely breathing, and rushed her to the hospital.

After hours of emergency treatment, they managed to save her.

But the original Lu Huan died in that pool—and the one who woke up in her body was someone else entirely.

This Lu Huan didn’t inherit any of the original’s memories. Faced with a group of so-called “friends” she didn’t recognize at all, she had no choice but to pretend she’d lost her memory.

Still, she’d been raised by the Lu family for over twenty years. Even if there wasn’t real blood between them, there were still emotional ties.

As soon as the Lu parents heard she had nearly drowned and was being resuscitated at the hospital, they rushed over immediately.

Madam Lu cried her eyes out, hugging Lu Huan and swearing she would never let her go back to that other family.

Lu Huan could only sigh inwardly. They didn’t know the real Lu Huan was already gone.

And so, it had already been a week since she was thrown into this fictional world.

In that time, she had managed to sort through her thoughts and figure out what she wanted to do.

Why bother messing with the heroine and digging your own grave?

Wouldn’t it be much better to just focus on a career and make some money?

The original Lu Huan had been spoiled and temperamental. When she found out she wasn’t the Lu family’s biological daughter, she’d thrown a massive tantrum—crying, shouting, and storming around in rage.

But ever since the current Lu Huan had “lost her memory,” she seemed like a completely different person. No more wild partying or reckless outings—she’d quietly stayed in her room for the entire week, resting and patiently waiting for this day to come.

In the original plot of the novel, Ye Sangsang was supposed to return to the Lu family two days ago and officially take her place as the true heiress.

But Madam Lu, worried that the still-recovering Lu Huan wouldn’t be able to handle the shock, had deliberately delayed it.

Downstairs in the grand living room, Ye Sangsang sat stiffly on the sofa, glancing around from the corner of her eye.

The Lu family’s wealth was beyond anything she’d imagined. Just this one living room was already bigger than the entire Ye family home.

Madam Lu—Guo Yi—looked at her long-lost biological daughter with red-rimmed eyes. Her voice trembled as she choked out, “Sangsang, from now on, this is your home.”

Ye Sangsang, moved by Guo Yi’s emotions, felt her own eyes begin to sting. She rasped out a quiet, “Mom.”

Guo Yi’s face lit up with a mix of shock and joy. “Y-You called me Mom!”

Lu Zhong looked at the pair of them—mother and daughter sobbing in each other’s arms—and sighed silently to himself.

At that moment, Lu Huan descended the stairs, gripping the railing for support. She caught sight of the touching reunion scene unfolding below.

Uh… am I crashing something?

Should I… come back later?

She hesitated and started to retreat, lifting her foot off the next step. But just then, the butler’s voice rang out:

“Miss, you’re here.”

Everyone in the living room looked up, their gazes shifting toward the second floor where Lu Huan stood.

Having several pairs of eyes lock onto her all at once—yeah, no pressure at all.

Lu Huan forced a smile and braced herself as she walked the rest of the way down.

“Dad, Mom.”

Guo Yi quickly wiped her tears and took Lu Huan’s hand. “Huanhuan, this is your sister, Sangsang. From now on, you need to take good care of her.”

Lu Huan glanced at Ye Sangsang. Long, jet-black hair, porcelain skin, and eyes that were bright and clear—she looked so delicate and gentle, the kind of girl that made people instinctively want to protect her.

No wonder Chu Jun was drawn to her at first sight. Ye Sangsang was in a completely different league from those bold, flirtatious types who used to throw themselves at him.

But Lu Huan had no intention of making an enemy out of her. After all, Ye Sangsang was the heroine, protected by the all-powerful halo and a CEO-grade love interest.  Picking a fight with her would be asking for an early death.

So Lu Huan gave her a sweet smile, eyes full of genuine warmth. “Sangsang, welcome home.”

Ye Sangsang froze for a moment, her gaze landing on Lu Huan’s face in surprise.

This is Lu Huan?

She seemed… different.

Unlike Ye Sangsang, who dressed simply and sweetly, the original Lu Huan had gone for a more mature look—specifically because she’d heard Chu Jun liked older, sophisticated women.

She’d dyed her hair chestnut brown and styled it into soft waves that cascaded over her shoulders like seaweed, framing her delicate face and refined features. Her amber-brown eyes, in particular, were striking—clear, bright, and full of depth.

The original Lu Huan used to wear heavy makeup every day, but ever since the new Lu Huan took over, that had changed.

She was lazy by nature—if she wasn’t leaving the house, there was absolutely no way she was putting on makeup. She couldn’t even be bothered to change out of her pajamas.

And so, the Lu Huan standing here now had a clean, makeup-free face, her skin soft and dewy with youth, her eyes bright and sincere.

She was still wearing light pink pajamas, and honestly, she looked two or three years younger than Ye Sangsang.

Ye Sangsang couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy. Lu Huan had grown up in luxury, pampered and spoiled—she had everything handed to her.

Unlike her, who had to do everything on her own.

Facing Lu Huan, Ye Sangsang felt small and self-conscious, worried that her sister would look down on her.

She’d overheard Mr. and Mrs. Lu saying that Lu Huan had a bad temper, and that it was her tantrum that delayed Ye Sangsang’s return to the Lu family in the first place.

I’m the real daughter of the Lu family, Ye Sangsang thought, she must resent me for that.

Of course Lu Huan wouldn’t be happy to see her. She must be pretending to welcome her in front of their parents, just so she wouldn’t lose face. She was probably terrified Ye Sangsang would steal everything from her.

Ye Sangsang lowered her gaze, hiding the emotion in her eyes, and softly called out, “Sister.”

Lu Huan wasn’t blind—she instantly caught the trace of hostility in Ye Sangsang’s expression and paused in surprise.

Wait… Has the original me even done anything to her yet?

Mr. and Mrs. Lu exchanged glances, visibly relieved to see Lu Huan behaving calmly—no tantrums, no jealousy, and even a warm welcome for Ye Sangsang.

To prepare for Ye Sangsang’s arrival, Guo Yi had already asked the housekeepers to set up a bedroom for her.

It was the first time Ye Sangsang had ever had such a spacious, beautiful room. She was both moved and uneasy, afraid that all of it might disappear if she blinked.

After a week of recuperating at home, Lu Huan was getting restless. She wanted to go back to school.

She hadn’t forgotten that the original Lu Huan was still a second-year university student.

When she brought it up at breakfast, Guo Yi was so shocked she dropped her fork onto the table. “What… what did you just say?”

Lu Huan took a sip of milk and replied calmly, “I want to go back to school.”

Catching Guo Yi’s stunned expression, she couldn’t help but understand her shock.

After all, the original Lu Huan had never been the academic type. She’d been a troublemaker since she was a kid, always out partying with a crowd of equally wild friends. Back in high school, she constantly skipped class and barely scraped through her college entrance exams.

As for her current university? Well, she only got in because Lu Zhong had donated two buildings to the campus.

So when Lu Huan suddenly announced she wanted to go back to school, how could Guo Yi not be shocked?

It was like the sun had started rising in the west—her daughter, who had never cared about studying, was now saying she wanted to go to school?

Guo Yi looked at her, full of concern. “Huanhuan, are you feeling okay? Does your head still hurt?”

Was it possible she’d inhaled water when she almost drowned… and it had messed with her brain?

Lu Huan couldn’t help but twitch her lips. “Mom, I’m fine. Really.”

Since her memory loss, Lu Huan had practically become a whole different person—obedient, calm, and sensible. It made Guo Yi both happy and uneasy.

She walked her to the car and reminded her gently, “If you feel unwell at all, you have to tell me, okay? Don’t try to tough it out.”

Lu Huan and Ye Sangsang attended the same university.

Just as Lu Huan got into the car, Ye Sangsang came jogging over with her backpack slung over one shoulder.

Guo Yi quickly told her to hop in, but Ye Sangsang hesitated, her eyes flicking uncertainly toward Lu Huan.

It was just sharing a car—Lu Huan wasn’t that petty. She scooted over to make room and motioned for Ye Sangsang to get in.

Ye Sangsang climbed into the car and glanced at Lu Huan from the corner of her eye. She looked even prettier than she had yesterday.

“Thanks, sis,” she said softly.

“No need for that. Just call me by my name,” Lu Huan replied with a smile.

They were the same age, after all.

Ye Sangsang had always dreamed of becoming an actress. She had gotten into S University on her own merit, and during her sophomore year, she caught the eye of an entertainment executive during a campus performance. That was how she got signed and officially entered the industry.

Figures. Female side characters always existed to make the heroine shine brighter. With someone like her—lazy and aimless—as a backdrop, how could the male lead Chu Jun not fall for someone as pure and unaffected as Ye Sangsang?

The whole ride, Lu Huan was absorbed in her phone, barely speaking to Ye Sangsang.

When they arrived at the campus gate, Lu Huan got out first with her bag slung over her shoulder. Ye Sangsang followed close behind.

Right then, Ye Sangsang’s friend Hu Yan happened to spot her getting out of the luxury car. “Whoa, Sangsang, did you hit the jackpot overnight? Coming to school in a car like that?”

Ye Sangsang stared blankly at Lu Huan’s retreating figure. Hu Yan linked arms with her and followed her gaze.

She caught a glimpse of Lu Huan’s profile and blinked. “Hey, that girl who just got out of the car—she looks really familiar. Who is she?”

Ye Sangsang snapped out of it and asked, “You don’t know her?”

=^_^=