Chapter 7 – Dad, Mom, This Bracelet Can Recognize Its Master by Blood

“Never again,” Bai Yalan silently added in her heart. After throwing out that line, she turned and left without looking back.

Watching her walk away, Qin’s mother was seething with hatred—and more than that, she was heartbroken over the jade bracelet. She had suffered in the Qin family for most of her life. It hadn’t been easy raising her son. For the sake of his career, and with her husband scrimping and saving so he could eventually marry a good wife, she had endured a lifetime of thrift. Even in old age, she never got to wear a single piece of gold or silver.

Then Bai Yalan gave her a bracelet. She had treasured it like a prized possession, proudly showing it off around the village.

Now that the bracelet was gone, what did she have left to flaunt?

Qin’s mother was overcome with grief. With a wail, she slumped to the ground, crying out about her miserable fate.

“Oh heavens, what kind of sin is this? Why did we end up with such a troublemaker in the family, one who comes in just to stir chaos and steal?” she cried out in anguish.

Qin’s father kicked her. “You old fool! What are you wailing for? Our son rarely comes home, and here you are crying like someone died—on a holiday no less!”

Startled by her husband’s anger, Qin’s mother wiped her tears and slowly got up without making another sound.

Qin Kaishen also felt deeply embarrassed. Meanwhile, Qin’s father stared after Bai Yalan’s retreating figure, murmuring to his son in confusion, “Kai boy, I still think that Comrade Xiao Bai is acting strange. Given how head-over-heels she was for you before… this just doesn’t make sense.”

Qin Kaishen had already been suspicious, but hearing his father say this made him even more convinced.

“Maybe I’ve just been too cold to her lately. Women can be emotional sometimes,” Qin Kaishen said confidently.

His father nodded. “Not that I want to criticize you, Kai boy, but with how devoted you’ve been to that Lu family girl, what woman could stand that? Be honest with me—what exactly are you thinking?”

Before Qin Kaishen could answer, his mother butted in angrily. “I don’t care whose daughter she is! We’re never taking that Bai girl into our family again! Haven’t we already lost enough face?”

But Qin’s father, being a man of broader vision, scolded her sternly. “Stay out of this. Let us men talk.”

To him, putting aside Bai Yalan’s actions from today, the girl had always been respectful and giving—towards both of them and especially to their son. That made her much better than that Lu girl.

Besides, her looks and family background were just as good, if not better.

If he had a say in it, he’d pick Comrade Bai over that restless Lu girl any day.

Qin’s mother dared not speak again and sat on the side, sulking.

Qin Kaishen, however, was growing irritated and didn’t want to keep talking.

“Forget it. We’ll discuss this later.”

With that, he waved them off and headed to his room to rest.

Behind him, he heard his father calling out, “Kai boy, you’re successful now—already a company commander at such a young age. What kind of girl wouldn’t match with you? I bet Comrade Bai was just upset and acting out. There’s no way she’s truly fallen out of love with you. Talk to her, make it right, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Qin Kaishen replied impatiently.

Meanwhile, Bai Yalan, now with the bracelet back in her possession, didn’t waste a single moment and rushed home.

She recalled what Lu Qing’er had said in her previous life, when her soul had separated from her dying body:

“…I was cooking when I accidentally cut myself. A drop of blood landed on it, and the space recognized its master…”

Recognized by blood, huh? Bai Yalan thought as she carefully examined and caressed the jade bracelet.

The bracelet had an ancient, transparent quality—warm and smooth, with a delicate texture. Naturally, there were no marks on it; her earlier talk of “engraving” had been a complete lie to trick the Qin family.

All that nonsense about certificates and receipts from prestigious shops had just been to intimidate them.

If she hadn’t pulled those tricks, it was unlikely the Qin family would’ve given it back so easily without evidence.

Bai Yalan studied the bracelet thoroughly but couldn’t find anything unusual.

Eventually, she went into the kitchen and picked up a kitchen knife.

The blade was sharp, gleaming coldly.

No one likes pain.

After a moment of hesitation, she set the knife down.

She ran to the living room and saw her mother’s sewing kit. Picking it up, she wondered whether the knitting needles could do the trick.

She tried one against her skin—too thick. It would take a lot of force to draw blood, and the pain would be unbearable. Not an option.

She searched for something else—maybe a regular embroidery needle would work better.

She rummaged through the living room, even her parents’ bedroom, but couldn’t find a single needle. Frustrated, she wondered where her mother usually stored them.

Looking at the bracelet in her hand and remembering the miserable state of her past life—betrayed in love, ruined in career—she clenched her fists.

Now, the item that should rightfully be hers was back in her hand. Did she not even have the courage to rise again?

It’s just a little pain. What am I afraid of?

She steeled herself.

She wanted to know exactly how Lu Qing’er had used this bracelet to destroy her last time.

Back in the kitchen, she picked up the knife again, gritted her teeth, and was just about to cut into her wrist when—

CLATTER! A loud noise startled her, followed by a high-pitched, nearly eardrum-shattering scream.

“Xiao Lan! What are you doing?!”

Her mother’s voice exploded behind her. Bai Yalan froze, her whole body jolting in fear.

“Mom?” She stared wide-eyed. Why was her mom back so soon?

Hadn’t her parents only been away for a week?

Her mother rushed over and hugged her tightly, crying hysterically. “Child, what are you doing?! If something’s wrong, just talk to us! Your father and I only have one daughter—you!”

Bai Yalan stood stunned. “Mom, I wasn’t… I wasn’t trying to…”

Her mother had already started screaming, panicked. “Old Bai! Old Bai, come quick!”

Her father had just entered the house and dropped everything to run over. “What’s going on? What happened?!”

“Our daughter tried to kill herself!” her mother shouted, clutching Bai Yalan tightly and trying to wrestle the knife from her hand.

That scared him nearly to death. He rushed forward, grabbed the knife, and threw it far away.

Tears streamed down his face. “Child, don’t do something so stupid. No matter what it is, we’re here for you. We’ll fight for you if we have to! Don’t scare us like this!”

Bai Yalan’s eyes turned red with emotion and guilt. She quickly explained, “Dad, Mom, I wasn’t trying to kill myself, I swear!”

“Still denying it? You were about to slash your wrist with a kitchen knife! You nearly scared me to death!” her mom said, still pale with fright.

“If anything’s wrong, talk to us. Don’t do something rash. Come on, let’s go sit outside and talk it through calmly,” her father said. Seeing that her expression wasn’t truly desperate, his panic began to subside, though he still looked puzzled.

He helped his wife up and led the family into the living room, where the three of them sat closely together on the sofa.

Bai Yalan hurried to pour tea and bring them shoes from the rack. But her parents wouldn’t let her serve them—they couldn’t bear it.

Seeing that her daughter seemed stable, they finally began to calm down.

“Dad, Mom, I really wasn’t trying to take my own life. I just… wanted to draw a little of my own blood,” Bai Yalan said carefully.

Her parents stared at her, baffled.

Well, their daughter was studying traditional Chinese medicine, so it didn’t seem completely absurd.

Bai Yalan recalled how her parents had died in her past life—in a car accident on the way home from a business trip.

They had loved her unconditionally. Now, with this bracelet and the hidden space inside, maybe it was better to tell them the truth. It might even help them with future business.

Otherwise, they might misunderstand things again, like today.

She absolutely didn’t want to cause them worry ever again.

With her mind made up, she took off the bracelet and placed it before them. “Dad, Mom, do you remember this bracelet?”

“Of course!” her mom replied. “It was passed down from your grandmother. It’s a very old heirloom—must be hundreds of years old.”

Back when she worked at a textile factory, her mom hadn’t wanted to wear such a valuable item, so she gave it to her daughter instead.

Bai Yalan suddenly felt ashamed. In her past life, she’d been so foolish to just give this treasured family item away.

But now wasn’t the time for regret. The past was gone.

“A few hundred years old? That explains it,” she said. “Dad, Mom, this bracelet isn’t just an ordinary piece of jewelry.”

She paused, carefully choosing her words to help them believe what she was about to say.

But her parents were only getting more confused.

“Xiao Lan, what are you trying to say? It’s just a bracelet. What’s it got to do with blood and kitchen knives?” her mom asked.

“Blood recognition!” Bai Yalan finally decided to be blunt. “Dad, Mom, this bracelet can recognize its master through blood. When I drip my blood on it, it reveals a magical space inside—something truly incredible. I’m not lying. Please, you have to believe me!”

Her parents: “……”