"Of course not, Siya. Mom believes in you. I’ve raised you for twenty years—how could I not trust you?"
Nan Muchen scoffed coldly. "Nan Sangning clearly grew up in the countryside with no discipline, running wild without restraint. Ever since she came back, this household has been in chaos."
The memory of her slapping him in public still burned in his mind, and his resentment lingered.
"A-Chen, don’t speak about your sister like that," Wen Meiling said, her heart torn.
"Mom, you’re still defending her? Look how arrogant she’s become—she dares to hit anyone!"
Wen Meiling gently stroked Siya’s forehead. "It’s Mom’s fault. From now on, I’ll protect you."
Siya’s heart settled, and she clasped her mother’s hand, nodding tearfully.
The rise of Nan Sangning’s status in the Nan household had initially filled her with unease. But now, with Wen Meiling’s promise and Nan Zhenming’s disdain for Sangning, she finally felt at ease.
Today’s gamble had paid off.
Sangning returned to her room and, as usual, started with a bath.
She loved soaking in the tub. Slipping out of her dress, she stepped barefoot into the bathtub, filling it with bubbles before leaning back. She picked up her phone again.
Today, she had learned to use a new app—Weibo.
After the concert, while collecting fan merchandise, Shi Mu’s fan club leader had enthusiastically taught her how to use the fan super topic, reminding her to check in daily.
It was a mandatory task for fans.
The term "fan" still felt unfamiliar to her, but she was nothing if not dutiful.
She opened Weibo, tapped into Shi Mu’s super topic, and carefully clicked the check-in button.
The next morning.
The atmosphere in the Nan household was tense. The old master didn’t bother with last night’s incident—petty squabbles among the younger generation never concerned him. Only matters related to the family could capture his attention, and today, he didn’t even make an appearance.
When Sangning came downstairs, Nan Zhenming and his family of four were already having breakfast in the dining room.
Nan Zhenming shot her a cold glance but said nothing.
Nan Siya’s head was wrapped in bandages, her face pale. She looked at Sangning with timid, fearful eyes, while Nan Muchen didn’t even lift his head.
Sangning’s gaze swept over them before she turned to leave.
Wen Meiling called out, "Sangning, have you eaten breakfast?"
Sangning’s voice remained calm. "I don’t have time. I’ll eat at school."
The old master had already arranged for her to attend business classes at the university, and today was her first day as an auditor at Jingda.
Wen Meiling hesitated, then grabbed a pack of bread and hurried over to hand it to her. "At least take this for the road."
Sangning accepted it with a polite smile. "Thank you, Mom."
Then she turned and walked away, bread in hand.
Wen Meiling stood frozen for a moment, staring blankly at Sangning’s retreating figure. That obedient smile on Sangning’s face was exactly the same as before—unchanged, as if yesterday’s events had left no mark.
She had expected some resentment from Sangning.
But it seemed Sangning simply didn’t care.
"Mom," Nan Siya called out hoarsely.
Wen Meiling snapped out of her daze and returned, tenderly stroking Siya’s hair. "Does your wound still hurt?"
"It hurts," Siya whimpered, her voice thick with grievance.
Nan Zhenming said sternly, "After committing such a grave mistake, she still hasn’t properly apologized to Siya. Stubborn and unrepentant—why bother with her?"
"But Sangning is still our daughter..."
"Do you think I don’t know that? Precisely because she’s our daughter, I’m even more disappointed! When we first learned she’d grown up in the countryside, uncultured and wild, I still brought her home despite everything."
Nan Zhenming’s expression darkened further. "I never expected much from her. Even if she amounted to nothing, I would have accepted her as my daughter. But I never imagined her heart could be so malicious."
And so lawless.
It truly disheartened him.
Wen Meiling sighed, at a loss for words. "Let’s just eat."
---
Sangning stepped onto the university campus for the first time, and everything felt exhilaratingly new. The youthful energy of the students, their carefree laughter and boundless vitality, was a stark contrast to the rigid, stifling atmosphere of the Xie family’s private school, where boys and girls were strictly separated and no transgressions were tolerated.
Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Sangning’s mood lifted. She loved it here.
The business course was challenging, filled with unfamiliar and complex concepts, but she tackled it with determination.
By five in the afternoon, classes ended, and she headed home.
The moment she stepped inside, she was met with boisterous laughter and chatter.
After changing her shoes, she walked into the spacious living room, where a crowd had gathered—just like her first day at the Nan household. Even the abrupt silence that followed her entrance was identical.
Today was the Nan family’s reunion dinner. Her aunt and second uncle’s families had all returned.
Several children were huddled on the sofa playing board games or video games, with Nan Siya seated in the center. The moment they saw Sangning, their eyes flickered with varying degrees of judgment.
There were no secrets in the Nan family. Yesterday’s incident had undoubtedly spread, especially with Nan Siya’s head wrapped in such conspicuous bandages. Who wouldn’t want to know the details?
"Oh, look who’s back—bringing a chill with her the moment she walks in," a boy around seventeen or eighteen said dramatically, pretending to shiver.
"Better watch your mouth, unless you want to get hit too?"
The group burst into mocking laughter.
"Unlike some people raised in the countryside, I’d never stoop to such vulgar behavior."
Their tones dripped with sarcasm.
Nan Siya pressed her lips together, saying nothing, but her timid gaze at Sangning hid a surge of satisfaction.
This was exactly what Nan Sangning deserved! Now, who in the family would still treat her kindly? Even Mom, who once felt guilty toward her, was now utterly disappointed.
And Grandfather, who only cared about profit, was merely tolerating her because of her connection to the He family. Once her usefulness ran out, he’d discard her too!
What could Nan Sangning possibly use to compete for status?
Seeing Sangning isolated and ostracized by the entire Nan family filled Siya with vicious glee.
"Sangning, you’re back?" A plump, elegantly dressed woman in a modernized qipao approached with a smile.
Sangning recognized her—Aunt Nan Wenyue.
Nan Wenyue warmly took her hand and led her to the backyard. "Last time you came home, Auntie didn’t prepare a gift for you. Today, I brought something special."
She handed Sangning a gift box, then spoke earnestly. "My dear, I know you must feel insecure after just returning home. Your parents just need time to adjust—they’ll see your worth eventually."
Sangning lifted her eyes, meeting the woman’s kind yet shrewd gaze.
Now that her reputation was in tatters and the entire Nan family avoided her like the plague, why was Nan Wenyue suddenly showing her such kindness? What did she want?
Lowering her lashes, Sangning murmured softly, "Thank you, Auntie."
"Oh, you poor thing. Auntie knows you must be hurting. My heart aches for you, growing up alone all these years without proper guidance. If you ever need anything, just tell me. If your parents won’t cherish you, Auntie will!"
When Sang Ning raised her eyes again, they shimmered with the gratitude of one who had just spotted a lifeline. "Is it really possible?" she asked.
