“Miss, things will gradually get better.”
Butler Liu was direct.
He felt that the young miss was not an ordinary child in her thinking.
A mature and sensible young miss would surely understand what he meant.
Sure enough.
Lu Yinghan nodded, quickly wiped her eyes, and looked at Butler Liu with a smile again.
This version of Lu Yinghan made Butler Liu’s heart ache even more.
He let out a long sigh.
Unable to resist, he reached out and gently ruffled Lu Yinghan’s hair.
“Miss, I’ll bring you your lunch. Please wait here for a moment.”
Butler Liu adjusted his mood, returning to his usual work demeanor. He gave Lu Yinghan a slight bow, then turned and left to fetch her lunch.
Lu Yinghan’s attention immediately shifted to the phone and the notebook.
She rummaged through the shopping bag, wanting to check the receipt inside.
As she had expected, there was no receipt at all.
Lu Jiansen had anticipated her anticipation.
The receipt had been delivered to Lu Jiansen’s hands the moment the items were purchased.
Lu Yinghan was stunned for a moment.
She quickly picked up her phone, downloaded a Peach app, and scanned the notebook.
Leaning close to the screen, she squinted and carefully counted the digits.
“Hiss!—”
After seeing the price clearly, Lu Yinghan immediately pulled back.
Uncertain, she counted again…
Well then.
At such a young age, she was now tens of thousands in debt.
Lu Yinghan’s heart suddenly darkened.
Dejectedly, she opened the notebook and downloaded a short video editing software.
Still feeling gloomy, Lu Yinghan adjusted her mindset, tapped open the software, and began exploring its features.
She also downloaded that app that would one day take the world by storm onto her phone.
Lu Yinghan set a firm goal in her heart.
Squinting like a little old man, she diligently fumbled her way through.
…
The next morning, Lu Yinghan groggily opened her eyes.
She had been woken by Butler Liu’s knocking.
“Miss! The young master said he’ll take you to school today. You need to get up and wash up now.”
“Mmm… I know.”
She struggled out of her blanket, rubbed her face, and forced herself to wake up.
Quickly, she found her cleanest and most presentable clothes from the wardrobe and put them on.
She tied her hair into a ponytail.
And just like that, she appeared in the dining room, neat and tidy.
Lu Jiansen was sipping his coffee while scrolling through work messages on his phone.
He heard Lu Yinghan’s footsteps but didn’t look up at her.
“Eat quickly. Once you’re done, we leave immediately. I don’t have much time—just meeting the principal once. Then you’ll spend the day at school. Your backpack and stationery are already prepared. You go carry them yourself.”
“Mm, got it.”
Their exchange was cold and brief.
With just those few words, the atmosphere in the dining room instantly became unbearably awkward.
The servants kept poking their heads out from the kitchen to glance at the dining room.
Confusion was written all over their faces.
“What’s going on? Why is the atmosphere between the young miss and the young master getting worse and worse?”
“I heard from someone on the morning shift that the young miss had an argument with the old master and the young master in the dining room yesterday morning. That’s why it’s so awkward today.”
“Huh?? The young miss argued with the young master? I’d never believe that even if you killed me!”
“But it’s not impossible! When I was cleaning the young miss’s room yesterday, I saw a sachet she’d made for the young master in her trash bin! She hadn’t even finished it before throwing it away!”
This piece of news left the servants’ mouths hanging wide open.
Everyone had seen with their own eyes what the young miss did for this family and for them.
They all felt for her, which was why they helped her however they could.
What was happening now?
Had the young miss given up on building good relations with her family?
Some of the softer-hearted ones teared up from heartache.
They wiped their eyes with their sleeves.
Muttering under their breath,
“What a tragedy, what a tragedy!…”
At breakfast, Lu Yinghan ate as if chewing wax. She only had one egg and a glass of milk before hopping down from her chair to grab her backpack in the living room.
Lu Jiansen also finished his last sip of coffee.
He set down his cup and headed straight for the door.
Lu Yinghan followed behind him, climbing into the car with some difficulty.
Seeing that the car door still hadn’t been closed, Lu Jiansen turned his head toward Lu Yinghan with a hint of irritation.
He saw her head facing him, having just climbed in without even sitting properly yet.
The scolding words got stuck in his throat.
They lodged there, making him deeply uncomfortable.
“Hurry up! Is this how you waste time?”
Lu Yinghan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. After sitting up straight, she reached out her little short arm and pulled the car door shut with effort.
After doing that.
Lu Yinghan was already exhausted…
She truly had no energy left to fire back at Lu Jiansen.
The moment the door closed, Lu Jiansen signaled the driver to go.
The crease between his brows remained furrowed.
A faint dark circle showed beneath his eyes.
A throbbing pain in his head shot straight toward his temples.
Uncomfortably, he narrowed his eyes, put down his phone, and began to doze off.
Beside him, Lu Yinghan gave off a faint scent of cheap shampoo.
It was something she’d asked for from Grandpa Butler.
But it was this fragrance that gradually soothed Lu Jiansen’s restless heart throughout the night.
It even eased some of his headache.
In the past, under this very scent, Lu Yinghan would gently massage his pressure points.
Back then, her eyes were full of worry, and her touch was gentle.
Even when her hands grew sore, she would persist until he fell asleep…
Fell asleep?
Lu Jiansen’s half-closed eyes snapped open.
He looked at Lu Yinghan sitting quietly beside him.
Thin beyond recognition, she hugged her schoolbag and leaned silently against the seat back.
Gazing at the scenery outside the window.
The clothes she wore seemed to be an old set that Yaoyao had discarded not long ago.
Her hair, yellowed from malnutrition, was almost translucent under the sunlight.
Lu Jiansen’s heart ached with unprecedented pain.
When did this little one stop acting spoiled toward him?
In the past, she would use her soft, sweet voice to coax him into giving her what she wanted.
Then, suddenly, she became sensible—bringing him tea and water, brewing a sleep aid tailored to his insomnia, and even learning massage.
Lu Jiansen felt a lump in his throat!
Beside him, Lu Yinghan watched the scenery outside the window.
The sunlight was beautiful today.
Just like in her past life, when she lay on that scenic mountain.
The azure sky, the warm sunshine.
She couldn’t help but raise one hand.
Spreading her palm, she tried to touch the pure white clouds drifting across the blue sky.
Her mind replayed the beautiful memories before her death.
“Yinghan…”
The moment Lu Yinghan raised her hand, panic seized Lu Jiansen. Even with each breath, he could feel his heart pounding as if it would leap from his throat.
He called her name with a trembling voice.
At this moment, Lu Yinghan seemed so distant.
And yet so heartbreakingly pitiful.
She was right before his eyes, so why did it still feel so unreal?
Lu Jiansen’s breathing grew heavier. He reached out his hand to touch this sister of his.
The car came to an abrupt stop.
“Young Master, we’ve arrived.”