In the private room, Song Tingwan was examining her new phone.
Hearing footsteps, she said without looking up, “You’re done with your call already?”
Bai Xiyuan didn’t answer. She walked straight over and sat down opposite her, saying coldly, “If you know what’s good for you, leave Song Hanzhou at once.”
At the sound of her voice, Song Tingwan looked up from her new phone and studied the woman across from her.
She recognized Bai Xiyuan at a glance.
She really did look a lot like her.
But only in her features.
Bai Xiyuan was staring at her as if she’d caught her with another woman’s man. Her eyes seemed to hold twin flames, and every word she spoke was barbed.
Did she think Song Tingwan was the other woman?
Even though Song Tingwan had lived only eighteen years across both her lives, she’d always been good at reading people.
Of course, except when it came to Fu Shiyan.
Song Tingwan was certain Bai Xiyuan was no kind soul.
A thought crossed her mind. She leaned back slightly and gave Bai Xiyuan an amused, knowing look.
“Leave Song Hanzhou? And who are you to tell me that?”
Bai Xiyuan had now gotten her wish and had a clear look at Song Tingwan, too.
Shock surged through her. Disbelief filled her eyes, and she nearly let out a cry before she could stop herself.
Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched the fabric of her skirt as she struggled to steady her emotions.
She looked so much alike!
Far too much alike!
She was practically identical to the woman in the photograph Bai Xiyuan had seen!
Bai Xiyuan lost her composure for a moment. But then she remembered that Song Hanzhou’s Older Sister had been dead for ten years, and her nerves settled again.
She looked Song Tingwan over once more, as if searching her face for some flaw.
A cold smile appeared on Bai Xiyuan’s face. Leaning forward a little, she glared at Song Tingwan.
“Nice work. Which hospital did you get it done at?”
Song Tingwan raised an eyebrow. She understood exactly what Bai Xiyuan meant.
For the woman in front of her to say that, she must have seen her before—or seen a photograph of her.
Now that was interesting.
Tilting her head, Song Tingwan drawled, “So, did you get your face done too?”
“Bullshit! I was born with this face!” Bai Xiyuan’s voice rose, as if Song Tingwan had stepped on her tail.
That reaction…
Song Tingwan gave a quiet scoff. She’d already figured things out.
Bai Xiyuan was getting worked up by Song Tingwan’s casual manner, and was nearly unable to keep up even the most basic pretense of composure.
She slammed her hand on the table and warned her viciously, “I’ll say this one last time: get away from Song Hanzhou right now! I don’t care why you approached him, but he belongs to me.”
“If you don’t leave, don’t blame me for not giving you a chance.”
Song Tingwan didn’t take Bai Xiyuan’s threats or warnings seriously at all.
Her lips curved. A chill seemed to veil her delicate face; though she was smiling, she somehow sent a cold shiver through the room.
“Xiaozhou should be back soon. Miss Bai, if I were you, I’d leave now, Older Sister.”
Song Tingwan’s reaction left Bai Xiyuan feeling as though she’d punched a pillow.
But she also knew she couldn’t let Song Hanzhou see her true nature. In the end, she could only glare at Song Tingwan before tossing out one last warning and hurrying away.
Bai Xiyuan had barely left when Song Hanzhou came in.
He was carrying an elegant gift bag. As soon as he sat down, he eagerly pushed it toward Song Tingwan, presenting it like a prized treasure.
“Older Sister, this is the latest necklace from MG. It’s the pearl style you like.”
Song Tingwan didn’t mention Bai Xiyuan’s visit. She leisurely opened the velvet box and glanced at the necklace, then said in a casual tone, “Tell Older Sister about the person who made you spend five hundred million.”
Song Hanzhou froze for a moment, his eyes darting away. “Older Sister…”
Song Tingwan toyed with the necklace in her hand, smiling warmly. “I’ve only been dead for ten years. I’m not some old fossil. What are you afraid of?”
Song Hanzhou couldn’t bear to hear the word “dead” now. He put on a stern face and, for once, tried to act like a grown man in front of her.
“Don’t say things like ‘dead’ anymore. It’s bad luck.”
“Fine, I won’t.” Song Tingwan leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand and putting on the air of an older sister who wanted to have a heart-to-heart with her younger brother.
“Come on, tell me. I want to know what the girl my younger brother likes is like.”
Song Hanzhou scratched his cheek and mumbled awkwardly, “She’s really not my girlfriend, and I don’t like her.”
Song Tingwan rolled her eyes. “Then why spend five hundred million on her? Charity?”
She’d meant it as nothing more than a sarcastic remark, but Song Hanzhou immediately nodded. “Yeah.”
Song Tingwan: “?”
Song Hanzhou didn’t know how to explain it to his older sister.
He couldn’t exactly tell her that he missed her so much that, after seeing someone who looked just like her, he couldn’t help wanting to be kind to that person, his Older Sister.
That might have been how he felt at first, but over time, Song Hanzhou had also realized that Bai Xiyuan was a really good girl.
She was resilient and sensible, and worked incredibly hard at her career. She was an ambitious, sunny, and gentle young woman.
Song Hanzhou thought he could make up for all the kindness he hadn’t been able to show his older sister by looking after Bai Xiyuan a little more.
Besides, he wasn’t some kind of pervert who’d fall for someone who looked so much like his own Older Sister.
But he didn’t dare let Song Tingwan know what he really thought. She’d definitely beat him up.
Song Tingwan studied Song Hanzhou carefully and was sure he wasn’t lying to her.
Suppressing her thoughts, she knew she wouldn’t get any more useful clues out of Song Hanzhou.
In that case, she’d have to investigate on her own, little by little.
She didn’t dwell on the subject after that and focused on enjoying the food.
Song Hanzhou waited on her like a little attendant the whole time, making Bai Xiyuan, in the private room diagonally opposite, burn with jealousy.
“Who is that woman? Why does she look so much like the woman in the photo?”
“No! I can’t let her stay by Song Hanzhou’s side. Otherwise, all my efforts will have been for nothing!”
“I worked so hard to win the favor of all three brothers from Song Residence. I can’t let anyone take it away from me!”
“Otherwise… otherwise they’ll discard me like a pawn…”
Bai Xiyuan’s face twisted with resentment as she glared at Song Tingwan. “I absolutely will not let you take everything that belongs to me!”
Then, once she’d calmed herself, she took out her phone and made a call.
The call was answered quickly. Bai Xiyuan immediately tightened her voice, making it sound tearful. “Zhaoyang, someone’s had plastic surgery to look like your older sister, and she’s deliberately getting close to Brother Hanzhou.”
Song Tingwan had no idea Bai Xiyuan had already dug a pit for her. After Older Sister and her younger brother had eaten their fill, they happily headed home.
Song Tingwan took a thoroughly relaxing bath, finished her skincare routine, then flopped onto the bed and got lost in short videos on her phone.
The internet ten years in the future really was something else.
She kept scrolling until the middle of the night. Yawning, Song Tingwan tossed her phone aside, turned her head, and fell asleep.
At that moment, at Hillside Villa,
Fu Shiyan emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, water still glistening on his skin. He was about to get his pajamas when he noticed a small lump on his bed.
He paused, momentarily startled. After quickly pulling on his clothes, he hurried over.