Accompanied by a somewhat unsteady set of footsteps, several people turned their heads to see a tall, strikingly beautiful figure limping toward them from the doorway.
First, she shot a warning glance at Auntie Fu, but when her gaze fell upon the small figure standing beside Xiao Wang’s feet, she froze as if rooted to the spot.
Nan Zhizhi stared at the little face that bore some resemblance to her own childhood appearance. Her eyes gradually reddened, and when she spoke, her voice trembled with an uncontrollable, cautious emotion.
“A… A Sui, your name is A Sui, right? I… I’m your…”
Hearing her struggle, Xiao Asui piped up crisply,
“I’m A Sui! Are you Mama?”
The word “Mama” struck her heart like a spell.
Nan Zhizhi nearly burst into tears. She quickly stepped forward, crouched down, and wrapped her arms tightly around the small figure.
“Yes! I am… I’m your mother, Sui Sui, I’m your mother…”
Caught off guard by the embrace, Xiao Asui was enveloped in a fragrant, soft, and warm scent—like the feeling of sunshine.
In her four-and-a-half years of life, this was Xiao Asui’s first encounter with the concept of “Mother.”
Unlike her stern and cold masters, this was a mother’s embrace.
Xiao Asui blinked, feeling both bewildered and curious as she allowed herself to be held. Only when she began to feel a little too warm did she squirm slightly.
Nan Zhizhi immediately released her with care. Her eyes were red at the corners, tears still clinging to her lashes, as she finally took a good look at her own flesh and blood, lost to her for four years.
Knowing that her child had been taken in by a Taoist temple on the mountain all these years, Nan Zhizhi’s first words were filled with pity.
“Baby, these years on the mountain, you must have suffered…”
She wanted to say that the child must have endured hardship.
But upon closer inspection, the little girl before her was fair, tender, and adorable—with plump, rosy cheeks like carved jade, and skin so fair it glowed with a hint of pink.
Her hair was thick and jet-black, her eyes dark and bright.
She had been… raised quite well, actually.
If anything, her clothes were a bit plain, but when held, the fabric felt soft and comfortable, clearly indicating she had been cared for with attention.
Nan Zhizhi faltered for a moment, then couldn’t help but feel relieved.
Her child hadn’t suffered—that was what mattered.
Unable to resist, she looked at the little girl again and again before finally leading her inside.
The Wan family currently lived in a three-story villa. Although Wan Yuntao came from an ordinary background, he had built a considerable fortune over the years through his own efforts. His career was developing rapidly, and he was now considered one of Beijing’s rising elites. As such, the villa was decorated with relative luxury.
Nan Zhizhi led A Sui inside and was about to take her upstairs to see her room when, just as they stepped onto the staircase, something suddenly tumbled down from above.
Upon closer look, it was the head of a doll.
Xiao Asui looked up and saw a little girl about her own age standing on the stairs, glaring at her angrily.
“You’re not allowed in my house! It’s because of you that Mama and I got hurt! You’re a jinx! You’re not allowed in my house! Get out!”
Xiao Asui stared at her face without saying a word. Meanwhile, Nan Zhizhi, standing beside her, darkened instantly upon hearing these words, her tone sharp with reprimand.
“Jiaojiao! Who taught you to say such things?! What does your injury have to do with Sui Sui?! And this is Sui Sui’s home too—don’t you dare be so rude!”
Xiao Wang, who was responsible for carrying the luggage nearby, nodded silently upon hearing this.
Exactly, exactly.
Strictly speaking, this is Little Miss A Sui's home, while Miss Jiaojiao is the imposter.
How could she have the nerve to say she wants to drive away the rightful heiress?
She's still young, after all, and doesn't understand things properly.
As for Wan Jiaojiao, perhaps it was the first time she had been scolded so harshly. She first looked at Nan Zhizhi in disbelief, then her expression crumbled, and she simply sat down on the stairs, throwing a tantrum.
"You yelled at me!! You actually yelled at me for this bastard!
I hate you! I don't want you to be my mom anymore! I want Aunt Xuetong to be my mom, waaah!!"
Hearing her call Xiao Asui a bastard, Nan Zhizhi's expression turned very grim.
Because she knew that the mix-up back then was not Jiaojiao's fault, and after raising her for so many years, she had developed feelings for her, Nan Zhizhi had also worried that Jiaojiao might not be able to accept the truth all at once. So she agreed with her husband's suggestion to keep it hidden from the child for the time being.
That was why, when Jiaojiao fell and cried, refusing to let her leave, and she accidentally sprained her own foot, and her husband insisted she stay, she didn't go to pick up her own child.
But she never expected that Jiaojiao harbored such deep malice toward A Sui!
Hearing her final words, the last bit of pity Nan Zhizhi felt for Wan Jiaojiao quickly vanished, and her gaze toward her gradually turned cold.
"If you like Lu Xuetong so much and keep saying you want her to be your mom every day, then go be her child."
This wasn't the first time she had heard Wan Jiaojiao say she wanted Lu Xuetong to be her mother.
In the past, hearing it would chill her heart and make her feel hurt, unable to understand why the child she had cherished since infancy would rather be close to an outsider than to her.
She had even questioned herself because of it.
But now, Nan Zhizhi suddenly didn't care anymore.
After all, she had A Sui now.
This was her own flesh and blood. As for the kinship that couldn't be forced, she would no longer seek it.
Nan Zhizhi knew that saying such things was too cruel for a child, but she had finally found her own biological daughter and would never let her own child suffer for the sake of an adopted daughter.
Wan Jiaojiao seemed equally shocked to hear her say such a thing, and her wailing abruptly stopped.
She looked at Nan Zhizhi in disbelief, a flicker of panic flashing in her teary eyes.
The next moment, that panic turned into resentment, suddenly directed at A Sui beside Nan Zhizhi.
As if she had finally found the culprit.
It was all her fault!
It was all because of this bastard that Mom didn't want her anymore!
Wan Jiaojiao suddenly scrambled to her feet, clattering down the stairs, determined to personally drive this jinx out.
She had always been pampered at home and was used to everyone obeying her, so she acted on impulse without a second thought.
However, she had just fallen and injured herself that morning, and with her short legs, her hurried movements caused her to tumble headlong down the stairs.
Although Nan Zhizhi felt heartbroken by Wan Jiaojiao's behavior, she was still the child she had raised. She couldn't possibly stand by and watch her fall. Immediately letting go of Xiao Asui and ignoring her own sprained ankle, she took a big step forward and caught Wan Jiaojiao just as she was about to fall.
A loud thud echoed through the air.
The two of them tumbled onto the stairs together.
Nan Zhizhi had cushioned Wan Jiaojiao beneath her, her back hitting the edge of a step, sending waves of sharp pain shooting through her.
Such a loud commotion naturally drew the attention of others in the villa.
Soon, hurried footsteps could be heard from upstairs.
Along with another childish voice, tinged with nervousness and worry, quickly following from upstairs,
"What happened? I heard Jiaojiao crying?"
As the words were spoken, a little boy about eight or nine years old hurried downstairs. Seeing him, Wan Jiaojiao immediately pointed at Xiao Asui, who had just stepped forward, and cried,
"Brother! Brother, she pushed me! Wuwuwu!"
Nan Zhizhi was still feeling the pain in her back when she suddenly heard this. She looked at Wan Jiaojiao with disbelief in her eyes.
How could she lie so blatantly with her eyes wide open?
When did this child become so unreasonable?
She wanted to scold her but couldn’t speak due to the pain in her back.
Meanwhile, the Wan Jiaojiao in her arms kept crying and demanding that her brother stand up for her.
Xiao Asui had originally wanted to help her mommy up after seeing her fall, but Wan Jiaojiao was not only pressing down hard on Nan Zhizhi but also screaming and crying incessantly.
Xiao Asui grew annoyed and snapped at her,
"You’re so noisy! Shut up!"
Wan Shuo, the little boy, upon hearing this, didn’t care about the truth. He rushed down the stairs and pushed Xiao Asui.
"Don’t bully my sister!"
Along with Wan Shuo’s fierce push came Nan Zhizhi’s anxious and sharp shout,
"Wan Shuo!!"
After all, A Sui was still standing on the stairs!
Even though there were only a few steps left, falling face-first from such a height could be fatal in an instant.
Nan Zhizhi felt her vision darken and instinctively reached out to grab her daughter, but her arm was tightly held by Wan Jiaojiao.
In that moment, she felt disgust toward her adopted son and daughter for the first time.
How could they… how could they treat her Sui Sui like this?!
Nan Zhizhi’s eyes reddened with hatred. However, the imagined scene of Sui Sui being pushed down the stairs did not happen.
Instead, Xiao Asui, who should have been pushed down the steps, stood motionless in place.
Her small body seemed nailed to the stairs—not only did she not stumble in the slightest, but her upper body didn’t even sway.
Wan Shuo, failing to push her, paused in confusion.
Seeing her unmoved, he tried pushing again, but she still didn’t budge.
What was going on?
He had pushed with all his strength!
Why didn’t she fall like Jiaojiao?
Confusion flickered in the boy’s eyes, mirrored by the others in the room.
Xiao Asui let him push her twice, first looking up at this fierce little brother, then down at the hand pushing her.
Her chubby little face wore a serious expression as she quickly reached a conclusion after some thought,
"You pushed me."
It was an obvious fact, but no one knew what would happen next. Then, Xiao Asui’s small, milky voice continued, sounding somewhat indignant,
"I’m going to defend myself now."
With that, Xiao Asui suddenly stepped forward, her short arms wrapping around the boy’s leg. With a burst of effort, she actually lifted… lifted the little boy into the air!