The Lin family’s banquet hall was on the second floor, with a high ceiling and a crystal chandelier hanging down from above, illuminating the entire floor in dazzling splendor.
Lin Xi stood in a corner with a glass of juice in her hand, but she did not drink it. Her light blue dress was completely inconspicuous among the crowd, making her look like a forgotten potted plant.
She watched Lin Yu’s back. Lin Yu was wearing a white gown, and the jade pendant around her neck glowed with a warm luster under the lights. Holding a wineglass, she walked from one end of the room to the other, smiling at everyone she met and revealing two small canine teeth.
“Mom said this is the Lin family’s heirloom.”
“Although the style is a little old-fashioned, its significance is more important than its value.”
Its significance is more important than its value.
Lin Xi repeated those words in her heart. Then why did you stuff it into the very bottom of your jewelry box and let it gather dust?
She withdrew her gaze and lowered her eyes to the tips of her shoes.
It was 8:15 p.m. Most of the guests had arrived, and the banquet had reached its liveliest point. Waiters moved through the crowd carrying trays, while someone accidentally bumped into the champagne tower, producing a crisp sound.
Lin Yu was being led around the room by her father, smiling sweetly and appropriately. The jade pendant around her neck swayed with every movement, like bait dangling from a fishhook.
Lin Xi waited.
8:25 p.m.
Lin Yu walked over to the dining table and bent down to pick up some dessert. Someone passed behind her, causing the red wine on a tray to slosh.
“Ah!”
A cry of surprise rang out. A large stain spread across Lin Yu’s white dress, and the bowl of soup overturned onto the floor, splashing everywhere. The jade pendant around her neck swung with the impact before being struck by the splashing soup and falling straight into the bowl of unfinished abalone soup.
Lin Yu’s face flushed bright red as she stood there at a loss. The guests around them all turned to look.
Lin Xi rose from her seat and walked toward her. She did not move quickly, and her posture was somewhat awkward, as though she had been frightened by the attention of so many people. Yet her eyes were fixed only on the jade pendant soaking in the soup.
“Xiaoyu, what happened?” Her stepmother pushed through the crowd, her voice filled with concern.
“Mom, I, I didn’t mean to…” Lin Yu’s eyes grew moist. “My dress is dirty, and the jade pendant fell in too…”
“Oh, dear, what are we going to do?” Her stepmother wiped at her dress while calling for the servants. “Quick, bring some tissues!”
Lin Xi reached the dining table and bent down to pick up the jade pendant. Soup dripped from it, landing on her fingers. It was warm and carried a faint fishy smell.
“This was something my mother left for me.”
Her voice was not loud, but the surrounding area suddenly fell silent.
Her stepmother’s hands stopped. Lin Yu’s crying stopped as well. Lin Xi lowered her head and used her thumb to wipe away a smear of grease from the jade pendant, her voice soft, almost as though she were talking to herself.
“I’ll wash it for you.”
Her stepmother frowned and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something. But Lin Xi had already turned and walked toward the bathroom. Her back looked thin and hurried, as though she were running away.
Her stepmother stared at her retreating figure, her lips moving slightly, but in the end, she said nothing. After all, every guest present had heard Lin Xi say that it was something her mother had left for her. If she fought over it now, it would make her and her daughter look like they had no rightful claim to it. Forget it. It was only a worthless piece of jade.
There was no one in the bathroom.
Lin Xi held the jade pendant under the running water. The soup, grease, and perfume were gradually washed away. She turned off the faucet and clasped the pendant in her palm, gently rubbing the character “Lin” engraved on it with the thumb of her other hand.
It bore the same surname as her mother and father.
When her mother had been alive, she often sat alone by the window, holding this jade pendant and staring at it in a daze. Once, Lin Xi had asked what she was thinking about, and her mother had smiled.
“I was thinking about your maternal grandfather. He loved sitting in the courtyard in the sun, and he always wore this around his neck.”
Later, her mother had given the jade pendant to her father, saying that it was meant to be her daughter’s dowry. Her father had given it to her stepmother, and her stepmother had given it to Lin Yu. Lin Yu, in turn, had treated it like a toy and left it gathering dust in her jewelry box.
Lin Xi stared at the jade pendant for a long time before closing her eyes. Countless images flashed through her mind: her mother sitting by the window, the back of Chengzhe standing at the entrance to the basement and telling her, “I’m here to take you home,” and, finally, the woman dressed in mourning clothes holding the zombified Lin Yu as they jumped down together.
Lin Xi opened her eyes and slipped the jade pendant into her pocket.
This was hers.
The bathroom door suddenly swung open. Lin Yu walked in wearing a different dress, a pink one that was even brighter than the previous gown. When she saw Lin Xi standing in front of the sink with nothing in her hands, she frowned.
“Where’s the jade pendant?”
“I’ve washed it.” Lin Xi turned around and lowered her head, her voice timid. “I’ll keep it for you. I’ll give it back to you after the banquet.”
Lin Yu’s brows knitted even tighter. “That’s my thing. What gives you the right to keep it?”
“That was my mother’s keepsake.” Lin Xi’s voice became even softer, as though she were talking to herself. “When Mom left, she didn’t leave anything for me. Only this…”
Lin Yu’s expression stiffened. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She glared at Lin Xi’s lowered brows and eyes, wanting very much to say, “It’s mine too,” but the words went around in her throat without ever coming out.
She suddenly felt annoyed. With so many guests present, if someone overheard her arguing with her older sister over a worthless piece of jade, it would not reflect well on her if word got out. It would also be difficult to explain to her father.
“Give it back to me once you’ve cleaned it,” she said stiffly. “Don’t lose it.”
“Mm.” Lin Xi nodded.
Lin Yu glanced at her again, as though she still wanted to say something, but eventually turned and left. Her high heels struck the floor a little harder than necessary.
The door closed.
Lin Xi raised her head, and the timid, harmless expression on her face slowly faded.
She turned toward the mirror and made an expression at her reflection, tilting her head and smiling sweetly with bright, sparkling eyes. It was the exact expression Lin Yu had worn at the banquet. Lin Xi watched the “Lin Yu-style smile” in the mirror before slowly letting it disappear.
She took the jade pendant out of her pocket and clasped it in her palm again. It was cool against her skin.
When the banquet ended, Lin Yu was somewhat drunk and was helped away by her stepmother. Lin Xi stood at the entrance and watched them leave, her expression still timid and harmless.
After returning to her room, she locked the door, drew the curtains, and took out the jade pendant.
Under the light, it was a warm, milky-white color with a soft, gentle luster. The character “Lin” was carved into the front, while a lotus flower was carved into the back.
It was exactly the same as she remembered.
In her previous life, she had only seen Lin Yu wearing it from a distance a few times and had never touched it. Now it lay in her palm, slightly heavy, cool to the touch, with its edges pressing against her skin.
She stared at it for a few seconds, then closed her eyes and focused her mind on the thought of going inside.
Her consciousness sank into a void.
The storage space was larger than she had imagined. It was square and spacious, with a very high ceiling and nothing inside. A pool stood in one corner, its crystal-clear water glowing with a faint, milky-white light.
She crouched down, scooped up a handful of water, and drank it. The water was warm with a hint of sweetness. Warmth spread from her chest throughout her body, as though something inside her were slowly awakening.
She exited the storage space and opened her eyes, then tucked the jade pendant securely against her body. She lay on the bed, stared at the ceiling, and let out a quiet breath.
She had gotten it.
The next step was to make the spiritual spring water truly show its effects.