Within the mid-mountain estate, red and white buildings were nestled amidst verdant hills and clear waters. Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, the dappled shadows heralding the arrival of midsummer.
A black sedan was parked at the foot of the steps outside the villa’s main entrance, the driver waiting by the door with his hands down at his sides.
Shen Zhiyi dragged a twenty-eight-inch black suitcase down from upstairs.
As she crossed the living room, the cleaning maids stole glances at her, huddling in small groups to whisper.
“The Madam is really just sending her back like this?”
“What else? The real young lady is coming back. Who would keep this fake around?”
“I heard they were switched at birth in the hospital. She got to enjoy nineteen years of luxury for nothing.”
“Alright, alright, what are you all crowding around for?” The housekeeper came down from upstairs. Without even looking at the girl walking out the door, he raised his voice, “A few of you, go and move everything out of that room. Madam said this room will be for Miss Nianqing from now on. Throw everything inside away.”
The Madam had specifically stated that she didn’t want to see a single thing related to this fake daughter once she returned.
The Madam had never liked this daughter to begin with. Upon learning that they had been switched at the hospital nineteen years ago, she couldn’t wait to fetch her biological daughter and cast this pretender out.
However, to avoid making a scene and losing face, they had waited until today—the day they went to pick up the true heiress—to tell her the truth.
“The driver will take you to your parents’ home. Don’t ever show your face in front of me again—it’s all your fault my biological daughter had to suffer for nineteen years out there. You jinx!”
Recalling the woman’s teeth-gritting curses, Shen Zhiyi sighed inwardly.
While she understood a mother’s rage upon discovering her daughter wasn’t her own, the original host was also a victim in this entire ordeal.
To say such cruel words to a daughter she had raised for nineteen years… even though she wasn’t the original host, she still felt a pang of sadness.
That was right; she wasn’t the real Shen Zhiyi.
Two years ago, she had undergone a soul transmigration into the Shen Zhiyi of this world.
At that time, the original host had already died in a car accident right after graduating high school.
Meanwhile, she had been heavily injured after sealing a Demon Venerable, resulting in the astral projection of her consciousness. When she woke up, she found herself reborn in the original host’s body.
She figured the gods and immortals, grateful for her merit in exorcising demons and defending the Dao, had granted her a second chance.
This parallel space was completely different from her original world, but fortunately, she was highly adaptable and had grown accustomed to life here.
After placing her luggage in the trunk, Shen Zhiyi was about to get into the car when another vehicle approached from a distance.
It was the Shen couple returning with the true heiress.
The car stopped. As soon as Madam Shen, Zhou Wanran, stepped out, she frowned and called out, “Xiao Liu, why haven’t you sent her away yet!”
Behind her, the true heiress, Shen Nianqing, followed her out of the car. Grabbing Zhou Wanran’s sleeve, she said timidly, “Mom, if Sister is unwilling to leave, I… I don’t have to come back…”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Zhou Wanran immediately pulled her daughter into her arms, comforting her in a soft voice.
“Xiao Liu is sending her away right now. You are Mommy’s darling. Everything here should have been yours to begin with. She’s the one who usurped everything from you, understand?”
“But…”
“No buts.” Zhou Wanran hugged her daughter tightly and glared at Shen Zhiyi. “Get lost already! Are you waiting for me to have someone throw you out?!”
Shen Qin also stepped out of the car.
Hearing Zhou Wanran’s words, he frowned in disapproval and said softly, “Wanran, Zhiyi is innocent in this too.”
“It’s all the fault of her pauper parents!” Zhou Wanran said viciously. “Innocent? They probably swapped the children on purpose because their family was poor and they wanted their own daughter to live a life of comfort!”
“Wanran!”
“I don’t care! I never want to see her again! Tell her to get out right now!”
The woman kept telling her to “get lost.” Shen Zhiyi suddenly looked up at her.
The girl’s gaze was as cold as the accumulated snow of midwinter, her dark pupils deep and bone-chillingly frigid.
Zhou Wanran’s entire body stiffened, feeling a strange sense of dread.
“My, my, some people have lived so long and yet still haven’t learned how to speak like a human,” the girl chuckled softly. “What happened back then was the hospital’s mistake. It had nothing to do with me or my biological parents. The hospital explained it so many times—sigh, being illiterate is truly pitiable.”
Zhou Wanran had never liked this daughter. Perhaps sensing that dislike, Shen Zhiyi had not been close to her since the car accident.
Now, seeing Shen Zhiyi talk back with a smirk, her fear was instantly replaced by even greater fury: “You dare talk back to me?!”
“Auntie Shen, Uncle Shen.” A gentle male voice interrupted Zhou Wanran’s shriek. “Is Nianqing back?”
“Haoyu!” Shen Nianqing looked up from her mother’s arms, a look of pleasant surprise on her face. “You… you’re here.”
“Mhm.” The man approached, his gaze lingering on Shen Nianqing with tender affection. “I heard you were returning today, so I specially prepared a gift for you.”
Cheng Haoyu, Shen Zhiyi’s former fiancé.
However, he had disliked the original host since they were young. He met Shen Nianqing in university, and it was love at first sight. But because the gap in their family backgrounds was too large, Cheng Haoyu never dared to tell his parents he loved someone else.
As it turned out, by a stroke of luck, Shen Nianqing was actually the true heiress of the Shen family!
Now, there were no obstacles left for the two lovers; they could finally be together openly.
“Xiao Liu.” Without turning his head, Cheng Haoyu said to the driver, “Why are you still waiting here? Send the guest away.”
He deliberately emphasized the word “guest.” From beginning to end, he didn’t spare Shen Zhiyi a single glance, his tone dripping with irony.
The moment she saw Cheng Haoyu, Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by the results of her mental calculations.
To think… it was like this?
Cheng Haoyu, to be able to marry the woman you love, you actually went to such lengths?
Tsk, should I say you’re quite the “good man”?
…
Before dinner, Shen Zhiyi met her new parents and her younger sister, who was in high school.
The two elders were somewhat constrained in her presence, seemingly worried she wouldn’t be able to adjust to her new life. They spoke with great caution.
“This is your room, Zhiyi…” Zou Hong paused awkwardly before saying, “Your father went to transfer your residency registration this afternoon. If you don’t want to change your name, you don’t have to.”
“Okay,” Shen Zhiyi said. “Thank you, Mom.”
The address came naturally to her, but Zou Hong’s eyes suddenly reddened.
“Good girl. If you need anything, you must tell me.” She took Shen Zhiyi’s hand, her voice trembling. “It’s your father’s and my fault for letting you suffer for no reason.”
They had also suddenly learned of the accident from nineteen years ago. By the time they heard the news, the Shen family had already arrived in luxury cars to pack up all of Shen Nianqing’s things.
As for Shen Nianqing, the daughter they had raised for nineteen years, she had only left them with one sentence before departing.
“That jinx who stole my place is coming back. You two troublemakers stay away from me from now on!”
They had raised her for nineteen years, doing their absolute best to give her the best life possible. In the end, all they received was a complaint about being “troublemakers.”
How could they not be heartbroken?
“I understand, Mom.” Shen Zhiyi put her suitcase into the room.
The apartment had three bedrooms and a living room. This room had previously belonged to Shen Nianqing; it had been cleaned thoroughly, leaving no trace of its former occupant. Even the bedsheets and covers were new.
Shen Zhiyi wasn’t picky about food or lodging, but seeing how much care the Shen parents had put into this, she couldn’t help but feel moved.
She opened her suitcase and began taking out her clothes one by one.
Shen Nianxin saw a ruby bracelet she had casually tossed onto the bed and asked curiously, “Sister, is this jewelry that your parents in that other house bought for you?”
The rubies were bright and polished smooth. She didn’t understand the value of gemstones, but she thought it was very beautiful.
“This?” Shen Zhiyi glanced at it and tossed it to her. “If you like it, you can have it.”
Shen Nianxin was overwhelmed: “For… for me?”
“Mhm.” This bracelet was a birthday gift she had received last year. She usually had no use for it and kept it at the bottom of her trunk.
“Thank you, Sister!” Shen Nianxin thanked her joyfully and squatted down to help Shen Zhiyi organize her luggage. “Sister, let me help you.”
Seeing the two sisters getting along harmoniously, Zou Hong breathed a sigh of relief and went to the kitchen to help Shen Ke prepare dinner.