Chapter 08

Jiang Nuonuo was about to explode with rage.

She knew exactly what kind of child her parents liked and what kind of personality they preferred. So from the moment she found out she wasn’t their biological daughter, she had grown up according to their expectations. Only by doing so could she reclaim what she wanted.

To be honest, Jiang Nuonuo had never taken Jiang Lisheng seriously.

So what if they shared the same blood?

That girl who came from a small rural town was plain and ordinary, socially clueless, and even a little naïvely foolish. Her very existence only served as a reminder to the Jiang family that Jiang Nuonuo was the more exceptional one.

Everything had been going smoothly—at least until yesterday began.

Jiang Nuonuo’s eyes were red, brimming with sharp resentment. That delicate and refined face of hers could barely hide it anymore.

She wasn’t stupid. She knew full well that if she continued to beat around the bush, it would only make Father Jiang, who already had a bad temper, even more impatient. So she forced herself to suppress her anger, turned to cling onto Mother Jiang’s arm, and began to cry and plead—

“Dad, Mom, I’m sorry. It’s me… I was afraid that once you had my sister back, you’d regret keeping me. I acted out of jealousy in a moment of weakness.” She pulled all the bank cards from her bag. “I’ll give all of these to my sister. Mom, please don’t stop loving me, okay?”

Jiang Nuonuo wept like a pear blossom bathed in the rain, full of sorrow and deep emotion.

Compared to Jiang Lisheng, who had only been back in the family for just a year, it was clear that Mother Jiang cared more about Jiang Nuonuo—especially since she had always been frail and delicate.

Before Mother Jiang could even speak a word of comfort, Jiang Lisheng snatched those cards away first, her brows knitted with concern. “Dad, Mom, I’m not bothered or anything, but if Madam Zhao were to find out about what Nuonuo did, she’d definitely be upset.”

The moment the Zhao family was mentioned, both parents visibly tensed.

Whatever sympathy or pity they had vanished in an instant.

Jiang Lisheng casually toyed with the thin stack of bank cards. “Madam Zhao said she’d be coming to see me in a few days. It’s not really about pocket money—I won’t starve, after all—it’s just…”

“Just what?” Father Jiang urged impatiently. “If you have something to say, say it.”

Jiang Lisheng lifted her lashes. “If she sees that I’m dressed poorly and living in a shabby part of the house, she might think you’re favoring Nuonuo. What would the Zhao family think of you then? Maybe even Madam Zhao’s impression of Nuonuo would change.”

She gave a light cough. “What I mean is, let’s turn the piano room and entertainment room on the fourth floor into my study and walk-in closet. That way, when Madam Zhao visits and sees that I’m living comfortably, she’ll be reassured, and you two won’t look bad either.”

The moment Jiang Nuonuo heard that, she panicked. “But that’s my piano room—”

Jiang Lisheng turned to her with an innocent and sincere look, speaking gently and earnestly. “Don’t worry, Nuonuo. I’ve come into this family to join it, not to tear it apart. I’m doing this for your own good. Think about it—if Madam Zhao misunderstands you, how will you continue to socialize among the upper-class ladies? And besides…” She trailed off, as if reluctant to continue. “It wouldn’t reflect well on Mom either.”

Everything Jiang Lisheng said seemed to be out of consideration for the family. Her expression, filled with tolerance and self-restraint, made it look as though she were making an enormous sacrifice.

Jiang Nuonuo was instantly silenced, her neatly trimmed nails nearly digging into her flesh.

Father and Mother Jiang had no idea what was going through her mind at that moment. After thinking over what Jiang Lisheng had said, they actually found her words quite reasonable.

She was currently living in a small partitioned room on the fourth floor, a space that used to be a storage room. Right next to it were Nuonuo’s piano room and the entertainment room that had been expanded by combining two rooms.

If an outsider were to see that, it really wouldn’t look good.

Father Jiang’s expression softened as he patted Jiang Lisheng’s shoulder with satisfaction. “Shengsheng has become so sensible. It was your father who didn’t consider things carefully before.” He added, “I’ll have the renovation team come tomorrow and try to finish the fourth floor before the new school term starts.”

With that final decision from Father Jiang, Jiang Nuonuo’s face instantly went pale.

“As for Nuonuo…” Father Jiang glanced over and, seeing the daughter he had raised since she was a child holding back tears, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything too harsh. With a sigh, he said, “Let’s let it go this time. But don’t throw tantrums like this again. If word gets out, people will laugh at you. As for the piano room, I’ll have the greenhouse in the backyard remodeled. It doesn’t matter where you play, it’s all the same.”

Jiang Nuonuo bit her lower lip and gave a quiet reply of “Alright.”

With the matter settled, everyone dispersed and returned to their rooms.

Jiang Lisheng stepped into the elevator just ahead, and Jiang Nuonuo squeezed in right after her.

Her apricot-shaped eyes were red from crying. Now that their parents weren’t around, she couldn’t be bothered to keep up the act. She gnashed her teeth and demanded, “What’s your problem? What right do you have to make Mom and Dad change my piano room?”

Jiang Lisheng leaned against the wall.

She was slightly taller than Jiang Nuonuo. Her posture was relaxed, shoulders loosely hanging, the corners of her lips curled faintly in something between a smile and a sneer, carrying both mockery and cool indifference.

After all, she was only seventeen, unlike Jiang Lisheng, who carried the maturity of someone twenty-seven.

And this was only the beginning, yet she was already losing her composure.

“Heh.”

A cold laugh slipped out.

Jiang Lisheng suddenly took two steps forward, causing Jiang Nuonuo to flinch and step back in fear. “What, are you going to hit me?!”

But Jiang Lisheng didn’t hit her.

She lightly tapped her index finger against the necklace on Jiang Nuonuo’s chest, her long lashes lowered just slightly. “Yours?” Her voice was clear and calm. “Here, in this entire Jiang family, what exactly belongs to you?”

Jiang Nuonuo hadn’t expected her to say something like that. Her pupils contracted, and her lips turned pale.

[Warning! Character persona deviation!]

Jiang Lisheng thought about her own life.

She had once believed that she was destined to live like a rat, forever trapped in the dark, sunless depths of the sewer.

She had struggled just to survive.

Fighting against her family, and against herself.

But one day, someone told her that she was never meant to go through any of it.

She, too, could have lived a life full of light and splendor.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open from both sides.

Jiang Nuonuo tried to run, but Jiang Lisheng didn’t give her the chance. She grabbed her slender, delicate wrist with force.

A girl raised in luxury and comfort—her skin, even her arms, were soft and faintly fragrant.

“Jiang Nuonuo, do you know what spoiled mantou smells like? Do you know what it feels like to hand-wash clothes for a family of four in the dead of winter? Do you know what it means when a living person is only worth a hundred thousand yuan?”

[Character persona collapse at 10%! Host, please maintain your character!]

Jiang Lisheng ignored the warning, smiling with something close to cruelty.

Then, under Jiang Nuonuo’s terrified and shocked gaze, she yanked hard on the bracelet she had shown off earlier, pulling and tearing it until it snapped.

Jiang Nuonuo let out a whimper of pain and clutched her wrist, cursing, “Jiang Lisheng, are you insane?!”

[Character persona collapse at 15%! Host, please maintain your character! Warning! Host, please maintain your character!]

The system’s alarm blared sharply.

Jiang Lisheng toyed with the fine little chain without a care. “What I want to tell you is that from now on, everything in this house will be mine.”

There was no attempt to hide the greed and ambition in her expression. “No one is allowed to fight me for it.”

Of course, Jiang Nuonuo didn’t understand.

The facade of harmony between the two was completely shattered in that moment.

Jiang Nuonuo glared at Jiang Lisheng with all her might, squeezing out just two words from her lips. “Lunatic.”

After that, she didn’t dare linger another second and bolted.

At the same time, the alarm abruptly stopped.

The system was so frightened that its entire data stream nearly crashed, still trembling from the shock. [Host, do you realize your brother saw everything you just did? If you do anything else, the two of us are really done for!]

If it had only been one person, it might still be manageable.

After all, once the door was closed, no one could see. No matter how crazy she acted, the system wouldn’t issue any judgment.

But the moment it involved a character tied to the main plotline, the meaning changed entirely.

Heaven knows—it had nearly fried its circuits from the panic just now.

Jiang Lisheng’s eyelids drooped, her expression lazily indifferent.

[Pathetic.]

She shot that line mockingly at the system, then stepped out of the elevator. As expected, she ran into Jiang Ansheng right outside her door.

The young man acted as if he hadn’t seen any of what had just happened. He kept his head down, playing with the little pink pig circling at his feet. The pig’s snout was nuzzling messily against his gray-white pants.

That gray loungewear looked a little familiar.

She glanced down at the matching gray-white suit she was wearing and frowned slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Without much thought, she took off the jacket.

Jiang Lisheng lightly nudged the pig’s rear with the tip of her foot. Jiang Ansheng looked up.

“Sneaking around—what are you doing outside my door?”

Jiang Ansheng stood up. “Your pig pooped all over my place.”

Oh.

She had almost forgotten she was raising a pig.

Jiang Lisheng opened the door and went inside.

Say what you will, pigs are smart. The moment that little piglet saw Jiang Lisheng come out, it immediately recognized her. Wiggling its butt, it trotted after her enthusiastically and snorted sweetly at her in an attempt to please.

Jiang Ansheng hesitated for two seconds at the door, then finally decided to step inside.

He scanned her room with a calm, unreadable expression.

Ever since Jiang Lisheng had come to this house, this was probably the first time he had set foot in her room.

This bedroom had originally been converted from a storage room.

Unlike their suites, her room had no attached bathroom. If she wanted to use the toilet, she had to go to the guest bathroom outside.

Father Jiang had initially said he would arrange a room for her on the third floor, but it had been delayed again and again. She never brought it up, so she just kept living here.

The lighting was poor, and the space was small.

By the window stood a small 1.5-meter bed, and beside it was a desk. She wasn’t fond of studying, so there were barely any books on it.

Not long ago, the words Jiang Lisheng had said still echoed in his ears, each one clear and sharp.

Jiang Ansheng’s gaze flickered, eventually settling back on Jiang Lisheng.

She was sitting on the floor, casually playing with the little pig. Just then, light from outside the window poured in, landing on her shoulder—half illuminated, half cast in shadow.

It was as if… she could never fully step into the light.

Jiang Ansheng’s throat moved as he swallowed.

Before he could speak, Jiang Lisheng looked up and said, “Do you still need your study materials from first to second year? If not, give them to me.”

Jiang Ansheng was stunned, as if he had just heard something unbelievable. His usually aloof expression showed a rare trace of surprise. “You… want to study?”

Jiang Lisheng nodded. “Yeah.”

“……” Jiang Ansheng was silent for a moment. “I can tutor you.”

At that, Jiang Lisheng looked up and gave him a curious once-over. “Sure.”

Her quick agreement caught Jiang Ansheng slightly off guard, making him feel a bit awkward.

But the next second, he heard her say, “But I’m on a tight schedule. If you’re going to tutor me, you’ll have to pay me.” She held up her fingers to show a number. “Five thousand per hour.”

Jiang Ansheng: “…”

Jiang Ansheng: “…………”

This was—

Utterly outrageous!

In the end, Jiang Ansheng chose to just give her the study materials.

Jiang Lisheng returned the piglet to the backyard garden. After taking a shower, she tied her hair up into a little sprout and began earnestly flipping through the materials.

She had to admit, her cheap older brother was really smart.

Not only was his handwriting neat and elegant, but his notes were also logically clear and easy to follow.

Which just went to show—since they were twins, Jiang Lisheng couldn’t possibly be a fool either!

She studied seriously for a while, then started to feel something was off.

She had been back in the Jiang family for some time now, and her relationship with everyone was pretty lukewarm—including Jiang Ansheng, of course.

So why had he suddenly become so attentive and eager ever since her awakening…

Plot influence?

Reasonable.

Jiang Lisheng stopped overthinking and lowered her head, focusing on her review.