Like the first gleam of moonlight emerging from the horizon, silk and chiffon shimmered with the softness of stars and clouds, the hem adorned with scattered diamonds.
A dress as radiant as moonlight hung quietly at the very back.
It wasn’t a full-length gown but a slightly flared skirt, with silver rose patterns subtly woven into the hem—exquisite and luxurious to the extreme.
Wow—
Yan Sui carefully took out the dress as if she were holding an entire galaxy.
So beautiful.
A dress that perfectly matched her aesthetic had inexplicably appeared in her wardrobe. It definitely hadn’t been there yesterday.
No one in this household would ever give her such a garment—
To be precise, she didn’t believe they had the financial means or the taste for it.
Even Yan Sui, who knew little about high-end luxury, could tell that this dress was likely more expensive than all of Lin Ran’s dresses combined.
She blinked, a thought stirring in her heart. Rushing to the window, she abruptly pulled open the curtains!
For a moment, she felt a gaze burning against her skin.
Fleeting. Like an illusion.
Outside was pitch black, nothing in sight. In this upscale residential area, houses were spaced far apart, and below lay dense shrubs and trees. Tonight, there was no moon.
Utter silence.
She withdrew her gaze, squinting happily as she smiled, hugging the dress and nuzzling against it, innocent and carefree, seemingly unfazed by anything unusual.
“So pretty~”
She couldn’t wait to try it on.
Turning her back to the window, she crossed her hands, grabbed the hem of her shirt, and lifted it without warning—
Revealing a slender, fair waist.
Suddenly, there was a rustle in the nearby bushes.
The young girl paused, ultimately not removing her clothes, and looked toward the window in confusion.
It was just a stray cat, darting out from the shrubs and scurrying away.
The prickling sensation on her back vanished.
Facing away from the window, the girl couldn’t help but squint and curl the corners of her lips.
She changed clothes leisurely.
The moment she put on the dress, she froze.
This dress seemed tailor-made for her.
Every inch of the cut fit perfectly, as if someone had meticulously measured every part of her figure.
The pearl belt perfectly accentuated her slender waist, while the flowing moonlight-like fabric made her skin appear as smooth as jade.
Satisfied, the girl twirled in front of the mirror.
Then, she shook her backpack, and something long and slender slipped out, disappearing in an instant.
Time to go out.
The door opened, and the crisp sound of her small heels echoed.
The living room fell silent for a moment.
All eyes turned toward her once again, but this time, the gazes were entirely different from before.
She had an exceptionally beautiful face, delicate like a doll. Even with just a touch of lipstick, she outshone others wearing heavy makeup.
Tilting her chin slightly and curling her lips, there was no trace of timidity left.
All the brilliance seemed to gather around her, shimmering with every step she took, yet none could outshine her bright, dark eyes.
She was like the true princess from a fairy tale.
Conversations ceased.
Lin Jian looked at his daughter, momentarily failing to recognize her as Yan Sui.
He Wan stared wide-eyed, stunned and speechless.
Yan Sui descended step by step, walking straight toward He Wan first, offering a sweet smile:
“Auntie, are you satisfied?”
Not far away, a group of boys were whispering among themselves, unable to hide the admiration in their eyes.
“Damn, Lin Qi, is that your sister? Since when did you have such a beautiful sister?”
A classmate nudged Lin Qi, his eyes fixed on Yan Sui’s retreating figure.
Lin Qi himself hadn’t fully recovered either.
Truth be told, he had almost no impression of Yan Sui.
Out of disdain, he never felt the need to have any interaction with her.
When Yan Sui first appeared, he hadn’t even glanced in her direction.
But now… was this what she really looked like?
Without waiting for his reply, the classmate grinned and asked, “Lin Qi, I want to be your brother-in-law.”
“Get lost,” Lin Qi snapped back.
“Your sister is definitely worth pursuing—she’s stunning.”
“When are you going to invite your sister out to hang with us?”
“Hey, she’s coming over. Damn, I almost feel too shy to look at her face.”
Yan Sui walked up to Lin Qi.
The young man stood up, his expression slightly awkward.
In contrast, Yan Sui smiled naturally, her voice soft and gentle. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” Lin Qi replied, feeling inexplicably happy.
His friends beside him were especially enthusiastic. “Can we add you on WeChat?”
The girl squinted her eyes, her smile sweet. “Sure~”
Lin Qi shoved his troublemaking friend aside. “Ignore them.”
“It’s fine,” she replied with a smile that could enchant anyone.
Just as Lin Qi was gradually enjoying his conversation with Yan Sui, He Wan walked over.
“Yan Sui.”
She called out, smiling, but her expression was clearly unpleasant.
Everyone froze, exchanging meaningful glances.
Before Yan Sui could speak, Lin Qi frowned. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
He Wan felt a throbbing pain in her temples and roughly pulled Lin Qi aside. “Why are you standing so close to her?”
Lin Qi was baffled. “How am I close to her? Are you going through menopause or something?”
Yan Sui couldn’t help but lower her head, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
When she looked up again, her expression had shifted to one of innocence. “Auntie, what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”
A delicate, beautiful girl in a moonlit princess dress, and a red-dressed stepmother looking for trouble—it was like a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
The moment He Wan saw Yan Sui’s pitiful expression, she wanted nothing more than to tear her face apart.
But with so many people watching, she had to restrain herself. She sneered coldly and asked, “Tell me, where did you get that dress?”
Yan Sui looked confused and wronged. “Auntie, didn’t you arrange all the clothes in my wardrobe?”
“You’re full of lies!” He Wan struggled to maintain her composure and posture.
“Have you been hanging around outside for too long and picked up all sorts of unsavory habits? Which man gave you that dress?”
She had already passed judgment, almost outright accusing her of selling herself.
The girl’s eyes instantly reddened, filled with disbelief. “Auntie, how could you say that to me! I know you’ve always looked down on me, but…”
She choked up, unable to continue, staggering back two steps before Lin Qi steadied her by the shoulders.
Lin Qi felt the warmth of her jade-like skin under his palm and couldn’t help but speak up.
“Mom! What are you even saying? How can you accuse someone like that?”
He Wan was so furious she felt dizzy, never expecting her own son to side with an outsider.
“What do you know!”
Lin Qi, rarely scolded so harshly by his mother, was left stunned.
Yan Sui’s eyes were red as she spoke word by word: “Auntie, if you don’t want me to appear before you, you can say it directly. There’s no need to humiliate me like this.”
Out of the corner of her eye, a dark shadow was moving precisely toward the hem of He Wan’s skirt.
She had marked He Wan—it would never fail.
He Wan: “Don’t pretend. I know exactly what kind of trash you are.”
Yan Sui sniffled and suddenly took a step back, quickly winking at He Wan.
He Wan was stunned, not yet understanding the meaning of that glance, when she suddenly felt a wet, cold, and slimy sensation wrapping around her calf!!
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
A piercing scream rang out!
The noblewoman no longer looked like a noblewoman. Her face turned deathly pale as she frantically lifted her skirt and desperately kicked her foot backward to retreat.
A snake!!
Everyone screamed and scattered in all directions!
Yan Sui quickly retreated into the panicked crowd, a pleased smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
Guests rushed out the door, and security guards were thrown into chaos!
He Wan wailed like a ghost, and Lin Jian roared, “Catch the snake!”
Now, no one was concerned about the skirt anymore.
Yan Sui covered her face, looking as if her heart had been broken, and hurried upstairs to her room.
Closing the door, she finally couldn’t hold back and threw herself onto the bed, giggling uncontrollably.
After laughing her fill, she got up to drink a glass of water.
Her gaze suddenly froze.
Before going downstairs, she had combed her hair. If she remembered correctly, a few strands of her long hair were tangled in the comb she left on the bedside.
Now, the comb was still in its place.
But the hair on it was gone.