Just as Lan Die was staring blankly into the mirror, at a loss, a rhythmic knocking sounded at the door.
She suddenly remembered what the man had said—someone would come for her in five minutes.
“Who… who is it?”
“Miss Lan, it’s Yi An!”
The door opened, and Yi An stood there with a beaming smile. “Miss Lan, we meet again!”
“Uncle Yi, who asked you to come?”
Yi An smiled, deftly sidestepping the question. “Miss Lan, let me brief you on our next arrangements. First, I’ll take you to have the dressing on your leg changed, then I’ll escort you back to Jing University.”
Lan Die knew she wouldn’t get any answers by asking.
She had tried—searching her phone for information, looking into the National Security Agency, investigating the mysterious Mr. He.
As expected, all the crucial details were untraceable.
“Miss Lan, please take this.” Yi An handed her an exquisite gift bag.
Lan Die glanced at it warily.
The bag was light, containing only two items: a conspicuous black card and a simple box of ointment.
“Uncle Yi, may I ask what this means?” Lan Die asked earnestly, genuinely wanting to know what this was all about.
“The card holds your payment for tonight’s performance—what you rightfully earned. The PIN is six ones. The ointment is specially formulated by the family doctor—it reduces swelling and relieves pain.”
Yi An had cooperated to the fullest extent possible. Lan Die took the items and said softly, “Thank you, Uncle Yi.”
…
Liao Zhongqing had been puzzling over where He Canglan had disappeared to for nearly an hour.
He distinctly sensed that He Canglan was in a much better mood upon his return.
Just as he was about to try and pry some information, He Canglan’s declaration of “Mahjong!” snapped him back to reality.
Thirteen Orphans! Liao Zhongqing’s face turned ashen. Losing every hand, and losing badly!
“Canglan, there’s something off about you!” Liao Zhongqing leaned in and sniffed. “There’s a strange aura!”
He Canglan sniffed him back. “Stay away from me! There’s something off about you too—bad luck!”
Everyone burst into laughter and continued drawing tiles.
“You’re all having fun without us!” Liao Zhongqing’s younger sister, Liao Zhongqiu, approached, her arm linked with another woman.
The woman glanced at He Canglan seated at the table and chimed in, “Exactly, we’d like to join in the fun too.”
“Zhongqiu, come over here. What about Shuyi?” Liao Zhongqing looked toward He Canglan.
He knew the relationship between the He and Wang families was delicate.
The key figures in both families had almost tacitly agreed that He Canglan and Wang Shuyi would naturally come together when the time was right.
However, He Canglan had always been deeply reserved about matters of the heart.
Even among close friends, no one dared to casually joke about him and Wang Shuyi.
He Canglan didn’t respond, and the others didn’t dare to speak either.
Wang Shuyi stood there, momentarily awkward.
A phone rang. He Canglan picked up his phone and stood. “Shuyi, take my seat. I have something to attend to; I need to take this call.”
Wang Shuyi looked at him. “Thank you. My mahjong skills are poor—come back soon and give me some pointers.”
He Canglan didn’t reply and walked straight out.
The call was from Yi An.
“Mr. He, everything is taken care of. She has been delivered safely!”
He Canglan gazed out the window at the gradually deepening night. “How is her mood?”
“Miss Lan is very gentle and has remained quite calm.”
Very gentle? He Canglan recalled the woman who had been constantly causing a fuss—biting, scratching, kicking…
A faint smile touched the corner of his lips. He replied with a simple “Hmm” and hung up.
…
Lan Die did not return to the dormitory but went straight home.
She rented the old house belonging to Cong Yue’s family. Although the living conditions were modest, the location was bustling and close to the school, making it convenient for her to return home anytime to take care of her grandmother and younger brother.
Cong Yue’s parents treated Lan Die like their own daughter. Knowing that Lan Die’s parents had passed away and her situation was difficult, they took extra care of her.
They initially did not want to charge rent but, fearing Lan Die might feel embarrassed, they settled on a symbolic amount far below the market rate.
“Grandma! Lan Tian.” As soon as she entered the house, she put on a bright smile.
“Little Die, you’re just in time! Grandma just finished cooking the century egg and lean pork congee!”
After changing and freshening up, Lan Die hurried to the kitchen to help serve the congee, bring out the dishes, and wash the fruit.
Seeing her busy figure, Grandma sighed quietly, tears welling up in her eyes.
In the past, her granddaughter’s slender, fair fingers could dance, play the piano, and paint…
Now, those same hands were learning to chop vegetables, trying to wash dishes, and taking on various odd jobs to earn money whenever she wasn’t studying.
The burden of the family had truly fallen entirely on those narrow shoulders!
“Sis, what happened to your mouth?” Lan Tian stared at her.
“A mosquito bite, it’s swollen!” Lan Die pursed her lips slightly. “Let’s eat while it’s hot, don’t worry about trivial things!”
Lan Tian grinned. “Sis, I remember you had a lot of people chasing you. You’re not dating anyone, are you?”
“Date your head! Let’s eat!” Lan Die playfully punched the smirking Lan Tian.
Lan Die and Lan Tian were twins.
Back when Lan Sheng Group had not yet collapsed, Lan Tian was diagnosed with leukemia. He had been relying on expensive medication and treatments to stay alive.
The siblings shared an exceptionally close bond!
In their current situation, Lan Die gritted her teeth and did her utmost to ensure Lan Tian received treatment.
Late at night, when all was quiet, Lan Die returned to her room, exhausted. She collapsed onto the bed, too tired to move.
Day after day, she was as busy as a spinning top!
Lan Tian’s teasing about “dating”—something she once thought was beautiful—now felt like a luxury she had no time for.
The engagement ceremony when she was eighteen had once made Lan Die believe she was the luckiest girl in the world.
The older brother who had taken care of her since childhood had become her fiancé.
Kang Jian held her hand, his eyes sparkling like stars, and said, “Little Die, I will love and protect you for the rest of my life!”
Lan Die blushed shyly and replied, “Brother Jian, for the rest of my life, you will be my warmth through the seasons and the tenderness in my heart!”
A perfect pair!
Kang Jian wanted to kiss her right then, but she gently pushed him away with her arm.
The man’s gaze was tender. “My Little Die is only eighteen, still a shy young girl. I’m in no hurry; I’ll wait for you!”
His work at the hospital kept him busy, while her days at university were relatively leisurely.
Kang Jian would always squeeze out time between his shifts to hold her hand and explore every corner of the city’s streets and alleys.
Once, on a whim, she mentioned craving crab roe soup dumplings from Shanghai. The very next morning, authentic crab roe soup dumplings, freshly airlifted from Shanghai, would arrive right on time, still steaming hot.
That was her Brother Jian!
Lan Die gently wiped away the tears that kept welling up.
She truly couldn’t let go! But reality had taught her to be strong, to endure, and to bow her head.
Sometimes, she even regretted that aside from holding hands, she had never even given him a hug.
She had thought they had plenty of time, that a lifetime was enough for them to gradually give themselves to each other.
A wave of regret suddenly washed over her heart.
The scent of pine once again seemed to linger in her nostrils.
She loved that fragrance, yet she detested the man who had forced her!
What gave him the right!
…