Maybe it was the cold—or maybe it was the rush of blood to her face—but Tang Yan stammered a bit as she answered, “I got caught in the rain a little when I went out to take the trash.”
“Do you want to see a doctor?” Ji Yuqing asked, her tone even and detached.
Tang Yan quickly shook her head. “No, no, it’s fine. I’ll be okay after a bit of rest.”
Ji Yuqing pursed her lips, then—somewhat awkwardly—handed her the cold medicine she was holding. “Drink this and then get some sleep.”
“Okay!” Tang Yan took it with both hands, obedient and grateful.
“Mm, get some rest,” Ji Yuqing said before turning away. Tang Yan looked down at the medicine in her hands, a wave of warmth rising in her chest. So Aunt Ji still cared. She didn’t want to send her away after all.
Tang Yan smiled faintly, closed the door gently, and sat down to take her medicine.
Ji Yuqing shuffled back to her bedroom, forgetting entirely about the computer waiting for her in the study. Ever since she’d discovered that girl’s secret, something in her had changed. Everything felt off when she was around Tang Yan—especially when she tried to maintain distance.
What was happening to her?
She had to admit, the medicine worked quickly. Not long ago Tang Yan had been coughing nonstop and unable to sleep, but now she was drifting off peacefully. The coughing had calmed.
Thanks to Aunt Ji’s medicine, she nestled into her pillow and closed her eyes with contentment.
—
“Where have you been!” In a lavishly decorated sitting room, a woman dressed in elegant finery sat upright, exuding authority. Her tone was sharp and full of interrogation.
Shen Yuyin stepped inside without flinching, accepting a dry towel from a maid and wiping her dripping hair. “What’s wrong?”
“The rain was pouring! Look at you—what kind of example are you setting? You’ve become more and more disobedient lately,” the woman snapped.
“I can go out if I want to, can’t I?” Shen Yuyin retorted, brushing past and preparing to head upstairs.
The woman stood abruptly and grabbed her arm. “Aren’t you going to greet your father?”
“It’s late. I’ll do it tomorrow. Don’t want to disturb him,” Shen Yuyin said casually.
The woman’s voice dropped to a sharp whisper. “Your father doesn’t have many days left. If you want a bigger share of the inheritance, you’d better start making yourself visible.”
Money. Always money. For the past year, every conversation with her mother revolved around the inheritance. Sometimes Shen Yuyin truly believed that her mother had only gotten involved with her father for his wealth—that she was the mistress who wrecked someone else’s family.
Shen Yuyin gave a cold laugh, looking up at her. “Weren’t you dying to know where I went tonight? I’ll tell you. I went to see Ji Yuqing. I told her everything you’ve been doing behind the scenes.”
“You—” Without hesitation, the woman slapped her across the face. “Do you even know what you’ve done? Everything I did, I did for you!”
Shen Yuyin held her cheek, her gaze icy and unmoved. “For me? You mean for yourself.”
“You—!” The woman raised her hand again, a second slap about to fall.
But Shen Yuyin didn’t flinch. She stared her down. “Go ahead. Hit me. Just remember—if I die, you won’t get a cent.”
The woman trembled, then slowly lowered her hand. Her tone softened instantly. “I didn’t mean to hit you. I was just anxious. Yuyin… Yuyin, sweetie—”
Shen Yuyin wasn’t listening anymore. She stormed up the stairs.
She’d known since she was little that her father had another woman besides her mother. Back then, she was too young to understand, and her mother had drilled it into her that the other woman was the homewrecker—the villain.
So she’d directed all her scorn toward Ji Yuqing and her mother, treating them with nothing but hostility. But the day she accidentally learned the truth and confronted her mother, the woman had only sneered:
“That old hag couldn’t keep her man. Not my fault your dad liked someone young and pretty.”
In that moment, Shen Yuyin’s entire worldview collapsed. All those years of luxury, the silver spoon she was born with—it had all been stolen from someone else.
And now, thinking about the half-sister she’d barely met, the one with the same father but a completely different life, she felt things she couldn’t explain. Guilt. And also… the unbearable urge to prove herself.
The guilt only grew stronger. She tried to numb it with parties and indulgence, but every morning after a hangover, the self-loathing came rushing back.
She drifted through life, detached and hollow. Her mother didn’t understand her and treated her like a pawn to secure more of her father’s estate. She didn’t even know anymore if her mother truly loved her, or only loved what she could use her for.
With her father’s health declining fast, Shen Yuyin realized she couldn’t go on like this. She had to do something—to take back control of her own future.
If Ji Yuqing could break free from her past and carve out a life on her own, why couldn’t she? Did she really want to be the kind of person who lived off the things others had built?
So she gathered her courage and returned to Ji Yuqing’s door.
If the first visit had been because her mother forced her—for her father’s favor—then this time, it was entirely her choice.
—
The next morning.
Ji Yuqing stepped out of her room, neatly dressed and on the phone. “Alright, let’s discuss it once I get to the office.”
She ended the call just as she looked up—and saw Tang Yan coming out of her room.
“Morning, Aunt Ji,” Tang Yan greeted with a smile. “Heading to the office again?”
“Mm. Something urgent came up,” Ji Yuqing said, then frowned slightly. “What’s wrong with your voice? You sound off.”
Tang Yan blinked. She hadn’t noticed anything odd. Before she could think of a reply, Aunt Ji had already walked up and pressed a hand to her forehead.
Her touch was cool, soft, and faintly fragrant. Her expression was serious.
“You’re burning up,” Ji Yuqing said, pulling her hand away. “Did you take the medicine last night?”
“I did… I did,” Tang Yan answered, though now that she thought about it, her voice really did sound hoarse.
The next moment, Ji Yuqing reached out again, touching Tang Yan’s forehead and comparing it with her own. Then she said, “We’re going to the hospital.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll be fine after another day of medicine,” Tang Yan protested.
“No,” Ji Yuqing said firmly. “Your health isn’t something to gamble with.” She pulled out her phone and dialed. “Xiao Li, something came up. I won’t make it to the office. Send the files to my email, okay? Thanks.” She hung up right away.
Tang Yan panicked. “Aunt Ji, you don’t have to worry about me—don’t miss work because of this.”
“I said no,” Ji Yuqing snapped, eyes stern. “You’re going to the hospital. Now.”
“…Okay… alright…” Tang Yan mumbled, still dazed. She was about to say something else, but Ji Yuqing clearly wasn’t in the mood to delay. She grabbed Tang Yan’s wrist and started heading for the door.
Tang Yan was stunned. She never thought this moment could actually happen.