Chapter 1: Took Three Years of Prison Time for Her?

It was early spring, still carrying a hint of chill.

Su Rong tightened her trench coat, as today was the day of her release from prison.

The clothes were a bit too large, looking out of place on her thin frame.

A Maybach was parked by the roadside.

She recognized the car; it belonged to her older brother, Su Heng.

She had been a young lady of a wealthy family for nineteen years, but during a physical examination three years ago, she discovered that she was not the Su family’s biological daughter.

Later, the truth was uncovered: it was the Su family’s maid, Lin Lan, who was behind it all.

She and Madam Su had given birth on the same day, and Lin Lan, wanting her own daughter to live a good life, had switched the two children.

After the truth came out, Lin Lan chose to commit suicide out of guilt and fear.

The Su family took back their true daughter, Lin Xue’er, renaming her Su Xue’er.

She clearly remembered the day Su Xue’er returned; the Su family parents and brother hugged Su Xue’er, crying and laughing, embracing each other.

She stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.

Lin Lan was unmarried when she became pregnant and married Zhu Quan after taking away the Su family’s true daughter.

After the man’s business failed, he became an alcoholic, beating and cursing them daily.

Considering that her stepfather was unreliable, the Su family parents said that Su Rong was still their daughter, and from now on, she and Su Xue’er would be sisters, inseparable.

Su Xue’er was also very generous, not at all resentful that she had replaced the luxurious life that should have been hers, never competing or fighting, so sensible that it made people feel sorry for her.

Su Rong thought life would continue peacefully like this.

Until one day, she suddenly received a call from Su Xue’er, asking her to go to Zhu Family Village to help move some things.

Su Xue’er had lived a hard life with Lin Lan since she was a child. At the same age, Su Rong had already obtained a driver’s license, and the Su family had provided her with luxury cars, while Su Xue’er hadn’t even learned to drive.

All of this, she had obtained by replacing Su Xue’er, so she would do whatever Su Xue’er asked without hesitation.

The streetlights in the village were very dim at night, and Su Xue’er kept calling to urge her. In her haste, the car hit someone.

That person was Zhu Quan.

Su Rong was sentenced to three years, starting a nightmare-like life.

She was often inexplicably humiliated and beaten, with injuries all over her body.

In the beginning, the Su family came to see her a few times, bringing food each time and asking about her situation inside.

Su Rong didn’t want her family to worry, always saying she was fine and could take care of herself.

Later, they came less often, and then they stopped coming altogether.

She vaguely felt that she had been abandoned by the Su family.

…

“Rongrong.” Su Heng’s voice pulled Su Rong back to reality.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar face before her, Su Rong’s heart felt like it had been stabbed. This was the brother she had called brother for nineteen years!

He was five years older than Su Rong and had always doted on this younger sister. The first salary he received after joining Su Corporation was used to buy Su Rong her favorite Lego set.

The sports car she used to drive was Su Heng’s gift for her coming-of-age ceremony.

Later, however, he slapped her several times because of a few words from Su Xue’er.

Three years apart, he was still so tall and handsome, noble and aloof.

Meanwhile, Su Rong before her was haggard, thin, and no longer had her former arrogance and willfulness. Only her clear eyes still showed a hint of cleverness.

Seeing the sister he had doted on for many years turned into such a state, Su Heng felt a strange sense of heartache. “Get in the car, Mom and Dad asked me to pick you up and take you home.”

Su Rong stood still. She looked around; Chufeng also knew she was being released today, so why hadn’t he come?

Qin Chufeng was her fiancé; their engagement had been set when she was fifteen.

They were childhood sweethearts, growing up together.

Three years ago, when she was sentenced to prison, she had tried to kill herself several times. It just so happened that Qin Chufeng was going abroad for further studies at that time.

He did not despise Su Rong. Before leaving, he confessed his love to her and specially told her to live well and wait for her release, when he would marry her.

These three years, she had endured humiliation and torment, and it was Qin Chufeng’s words that had supported her to live on.

Could it be that he was still abroad?

Seeing her standing still, Su Heng wondered if his attitude had been too cold and softened his tone a little. “Let’s go, Mom and Dad miss you a lot. Today is Grandma’s seventieth birthday, and she has been thinking about you.”

He reached out to pull her into the car.

When his hand touched her sleeve, Su Rong reflexively took a step back, her eyes showing fear, unease, and obvious alienation.

Her reaction made Su Heng lose his patience. The sister who used to rush over and chatter non-stop whenever she saw him was now acting like she was seeing a stranger, even showing some resistance?

Being imprisoned was her own fault for breaking the law, not something he had caused!

He didn’t even despise her for being a criminal, condescending to pick her up, yet she was putting on airs, not even calling him brother after seeing him. He had said so much, and she hadn’t uttered a word.

She really didn’t know what was good for her!

“Do you even want to go back or not…”

Su Heng was angry. A gust of wind blew by, and he vaguely caught sight of the scars under her collar, realizing that she must have suffered a lot inside, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her again.

Su Heng took a deep breath, patiently took her hand, “Come back with brother, we’ll talk about the rest later.”

This “brother” made Su Rong’s heart tremble, and the pain and grievances that had been suppressed for three years all surged to her heart at this moment.

She opened her mouth, but still suppressed the words “Why didn’t you come to see me for so long?”

Three years of prison life had taught her to know when to stop, and she had grown up in the Su family, and her adoptive parents loved her very much, especially her grandmother, so she should go and see the old lady.

After a moment, Su Rong nodded slightly, obediently following Su Heng home.

After washing up and changing into a clean set of clothes, she went to see Madam Su.

The door was ajar. Su Rong was about to knock and say hello when she heard the voices of Su Xue’er and Madam Su, Baifei, inside.

“Mom, why did you bring Su Rong back? I am the Su family’s real daughter!”

“Su Rong is the daughter the Su family raised. We can’t watch her wander outside. This is also your grandmother’s wish.”

“But I don’t want to see her. Every time I see her, I remember the suffering I endured because of her. Zhu Quan beat and scolded me almost every day, and Lin Lan was like a madwoman. When Zhu Quan beat her, she would beat me to vent her anger. Just thinking about it gives me nightmares even now…”

“Alright, Mom knows you’ve been wronged and suffered a lot, but if you hadn’t schemed against Su Rong three years ago…

Considering that she took three years of prison time for you, just let her stay in the Su family. Don’t worry, no one can replace your position as the Su family’s daughter…”