Chapter 2: Contracted Space

“Dad! It was sister! On our way home, we ran into bad people. We could have split up and run in different directions, but she was afraid of being caught, so she pushed me toward them to trip them up and ran off by herself. That’s why I couldn’t make it back home!”

These words—she had said them once before. Repeating them again now felt somewhat bittersweet.

Despite being accused, Lu Mianmian remained calm, as though she had expected Jiang Tangtang to say all of this. Her tone was indifferent, as if the whole matter had nothing to do with her.

“Dad, it wasn’t me. She’s slandering me. She snuck out to fool around with someone, did something shameful, and now she’s afraid you’ll scold her, so she’s blaming me.”

Hearing that tone, Jiang Tangtang was even more certain—Lu Mianmian had been reborn too.

After all, in her past life, she had returned unexpectedly. When she accused Lu Mianmian, the girl had been completely unprepared, flustered and incoherent—completely unlike how composed she was now.

These words now… were clearly premeditated.

“Bullshit! You were the one who took advantage of the darkness and pushed me out there. Dad, don’t let her fool you! No matter where I went, I’m still your daughter! If I had really run off to fool around, how could I come back in this condition?”

Jiang Tangtang stared coldly into Lu Mianmian’s eyes, her response calm and logical.

“Hmph, you just said it yourself—it was dark, you couldn’t see clearly. So how can you say it was me who pushed you? Dad, she’s falsely accusing me! She wants to drag me down to cover up her own mess!”

It wasn’t the first time she’d lied. Lu Mianmian wouldn’t be thrown off by a few words. Biting her lip, she looked more pitiful than anyone else.

After all, she was the one who shared their father’s surname. So what if Jiang Tangtang was also his daughter? He didn’t care anyway!

Looking at her like this, Jiang Tangtang’s fury boiled over. She shot to her feet, raising her hand to strike her.

She couldn’t let this second life go to waste!

“Everyone in the Jiang family knows we sisters were always together! If it wasn’t you, who else could it be?!”

But before her hand reached Lu Mianmian, Lu Zhicai grabbed her wrist.

“Stop this nonsense! Look at yourself—where’s the dignity of a proper lady? Look at your sister!”

The veins on the back of Lu Zhicai’s hand bulged as he tightly gripped her arm.

She had lost her purity and brought shame to the whole family, and now she even wanted to hit someone? Looks like what Mianmian said was true. He couldn’t go soft anymore—keeping Jiang Tangtang was the right decision!

Feeling the restraint on her arm, a flash of hatred appeared in Jiang Tangtang’s eyes.

“Dad, what did I do wrong? You won’t even listen to the truth? She’s the one who pushed me! Otherwise, how could I have gotten caught by bad people?!”

But Lu Zhicai didn’t care about any of that. He paused, swallowed his anger, and leaned close to her, asking in a low voice, “So you disappeared for so long—were you taken by those criminals? Were you… violated by them? Is that it?!”

The last three words were squeezed out through gritted teeth. Veins popped on his neck, his face filled with accusation.

If she told him now, Jiang Tangtang knew what the consequences would be. So she remained silent for a moment.

But her silence only brought more suspicion from Lu Zhicai.

“Is! It! True!”

Jiang Tangtang sneered. His daughter had suffered, and all this man cared about was his pride. It was disgusting.

“No. I wasn’t violated. I wasn’t harmed by anyone.”

She glared into Lu Zhicai’s eyes, her voice firm.

She had escaped from many people… but just hadn’t escaped from one.

Hearing this, Lu Zhicai clenched his jaw and flung her arm away, collapsing onto the nearby sofa, turning his head and refusing to look at her.

He knew how beautiful his daughter was. After being missing for so long, how could she still be untouched?

Just imagining what might have happened made him feel humiliated. Just like her mother—an eyesore. He wished she were dead!

“You say I’m the one lying, but it’s you! Don’t you know in your own heart whether or not you were assaulted?” Lu Mianmian sneered.

In her previous life, though she and their father escaped together, she returned under a new identity and investigated Jiang Tangtang’s situation.

She learned Jiang Tangtang didn’t go to prison. Since she had been pregnant at the time, she was exempt. Even if she were to be jailed, it would’ve had to wait until after childbirth. And during that period, she proved her father’s business had nothing to do with her. Their family background—traced to Red capitalist roots—saved her from punishment.

But an unwed pregnancy? That had to mean she was violated during that time!

Lu Mianmian had once guessed it might have been a group of men. But later, she encountered a handsome man in a military uniform, clearly of high rank. When he saw her, he seemed to recognize her and even greeted her, asking why she hadn’t come to the state-run Qingjia Hotel to find him. Did she not want him to take responsibility?

She was stunned. The man came closer, took a good look, and realized—she wasn’t who he thought she was.

That’s when Lu Mianmian realized—he had mistaken her for Jiang Tangtang.

They were identical twins, after all. Only one small difference: Jiang Tangtang had a tear-shaped mole beneath her eye.

Lu Mianmian suspected that man was Jiang Tangtang’s child’s father.

But for some reason, in the past life, Jiang Tangtang never went to the place that man mentioned.

Too bad she knew the truth now—but had no intention of telling Jiang Tangtang.

Why should she?

Standing by the side, Bai Shuiniang had been quiet. Seeing the tension drag on, she grew nervous—the investigation team might arrive soon. She had to step in.

“The child’s come back already—stop overthinking it. Focus on the important things!”

Their whole family was planning to run, and they wanted this daughter to take the fall. Lu Zhicai immediately snapped out of it.

“All right, Mianmian! Say no more… Tangtang, you’ve just come home—go rest in your room. We’ll talk later.”

Talk later? Jiang Tangtang sneered to herself. More like they were planning to flee soon.

But she didn’t intend to entangle with them either. Just like her past life, she pretended to be obedient, muttered an “okay,” and went upstairs to her room.

She had more important things to do—she didn’t care to fight with this group.

Hearing her door close upstairs, Lu Zhicai let out a long breath and whispered:

“We don’t have much time left. You all, come here and listen.”

“It’s too late to withdraw the money now. Shuiniang, take Yaozu right away to buy forged ID reference letters. Make them look real—don’t let anyone get suspicious.”

“Mianmian, take this money and hurry to buy train tickets for the whole family.”

“There are still antiques at home. If we’re searched and they’re confiscated, our family will suffer huge losses. I’ll pack up the portable jewelry and cash, and hide the rest. Once this blows over, we can come back for it.”

“We’ll split up—move quickly and quietly!”

He ended with a glance upstairs.

The other three exchanged looks and immediately dispersed, busying themselves.

Upstairs, Jiang Tangtang wasn’t idle either.

As soon as she shut the door, she dropped to the floor and pulled out a carved red pearwood box from under her bed.

She blew off the dust, ran her fingers over the old brass lock, and opened the box.

Inside, on red velvet, lay a collection of antique gold and silver jewelry. She rummaged through them until she found what she wanted:

A simple Hetian jade bangle.

Holding the bangle in her right hand, Jiang Tangtang gritted her teeth and bit open the middle finger of her left hand.

A bead of red blood welled up instantly. Without hesitation, she dripped the blood onto the jade.

The moment the blood touched it, a crimson light burst out.

Moments later, the glow faded. Jiang Tangtang knew:

The contract had been successfully formed!