“Hehe, yeah. It’s not good to stay at home all the time. The morning air is nice, so I came out for a walk.”
“Don’t do any intense exercise. Light movement is better for your recovery.”
“I know, Doctor Shi. I’m just taking a walk.”
Shi Muchuan nodded. When the elevator arrived, the two stepped in.
After reaching the first floor, Shi Muchuan jogged off down another path, while Yun Shu strolled leisurely through the spacious residential park.
There were quite a few people around—some jogging, some playing ball—but most were elderly.
Whenever Yun Shu saw someone, she greeted them sweetly. Everyone responded with smiles and looked at her with gentle, affectionate expressions.
Feeling the kindness around her, Yun Shu felt very happy. She figured she must have gained quite a lot of affection points this time—she’d ask the system when she got back.
After walking around for a while without running into Shi Muchuan, she guessed he probably exercised somewhere else.
She walked and rested along the way, and after about an hour, she went back home.
Her brother would be coming today, though she didn’t know what time his flight would arrive.
Back home, she found the system on the sofa and shook it awake—how could it sleep even more than she did?
“System, check quickly—how many affection points did I collect today?” She had greeted almost every elderly person in the park, so it should be quite a lot.
“Meow, Master, let me see…”
“Wow, Master, you’re amazing! You’ve collected 500 affection points—you can exchange for the second drop of essence now. Congratulations!”
“Really? That’s great! I won’t drink it yet. My brother is coming to see me—I’ll use it after he leaves.”
“Okay, Master, but you should drink it soon. It’s good for your heart.”
“I know.”
Yun Shu waited at home all day. At around 3 PM, someone knocked on the door. She hadn’t ordered takeout, so it must be her brother.
She didn’t even bother putting on her shoes before running to the door and opening it.
The moment she saw her tall, handsome, reassuring brother standing there, tears instantly streamed down her face.
Her lips trembled as she pouted, her shoulders shaking pitifully—it was heart-wrenching to see.
Yun Ruizhe set down his suitcase and strode forward, pulling her into a tight embrace, just like when they were children, gently stroking her hair.
“Be good, don’t cry. Big brother’s here. Don’t be afraid.”
Yun Shu buried her face in his chest and cried uncontrollably, releasing all the grievances, loneliness, and fear she had felt since coming here.
At that moment, Shi Muchuan had just stepped out of the elevator and saw the two people at Yun Shu’s door, hugging and crying together.
Is that her family?
Didn’t she say she had no family here? Then who was this? Her boyfriend?
Seeing how intimate they looked, he felt his guess was probably correct.
He carried his things, opened his own door, and went inside.
After crying her fill, Yun Shu finally calmed down.
“Brother, is it just you? Where’s sister-in-law?”
Yun Ruizhe smiled and patted her head. “Your sister-in-law had something come up with her family in the UK. She can’t come back for now—probably another month.”
“Does she know yet?”
“No, I haven’t told her yet. I’ll tell her when she comes back.”
“Mm. Brother, come in and see the place I’m living in now.”
Yun Ruizhe stepped inside and couldn’t help but frown. The living room here wasn’t even as big as Yun Shu’s old bedroom.
His expression darkened slightly—he strongly disapproved of their parents’ actions. Yun Shu had lived with them for over twenty years, always well-behaved and sensible. How could they just cut her off like that?
He looked at her with heartache as she enthusiastically introduced the apartment.
“Yun Shu, I’ll buy you another place. This one is too small.”
Yun Shu paused. If it had been when she first arrived, she would have happily accepted. But now, she felt this place was enough for her alone.
“Brother, it’s fine. This is enough for me. If it’s too big, I’d actually feel scared living alone.”
“Then I’ll hire a few servants for you. How can you take care of yourself alone, especially with your health?”
“But—”
“No ‘but.’ Since you don’t want to move, then at least get someone to cook for you and take care of you. That way I’ll feel at ease.”
“…Alright.” Her brother had always been decisive—once he made up his mind, he wouldn’t change it easily. This was fine too; at least she wouldn’t have to order takeout every day.
Yun Ruizhe knew his sister had almost no life skills and couldn’t cook. Without someone to take care of her, he simply couldn’t relax.
That evening, Yun Ruizhe took her to a high-end local restaurant for dinner, making her feel as if she had never been cast out of the Yun family.
…
Back in the Yun family home in the capital—
Ever since the new young lady returned, the servants had been living in misery.
Yun Shanshan came downstairs, sat directly on the sofa, crossed her legs, and grabbed some fruit from the table, eating casually.
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—life in a wealthy family was so comfortable. Whatever she wanted, she only had to say the word, and someone would bring it to her. The clothes were all luxury items she had never even touched before.
Sitting across from her, Mr. and Mrs. Yun held their foreheads in frustration as they watched their daughter eat without any grace.
“Shanshan, girls shouldn’t sit with their legs crossed like that. It doesn’t look nice—put them down,” Mrs. Yun said gently.
Yun Shanshan glanced at them. “Can’t help it. I’m used to it. I’m just a wild girl from the countryside. Whose fault is it that I was lost back then? If I had grown up here, would I be like this?”
“Yun Shanshan! Is that how you speak to your mother? You have no manners at all!” Mr. Yun scolded.
“So what if I don’t? Isn’t it all because of you? If you had protected me properly, I wouldn’t be like this. If you don’t like me, I’ll just go back to the countryside. You can bring back your elegant, well-mannered daughter!”
With that, she stood up and walked toward the door, fully confident they wouldn’t let her leave.
Just as she was about to step out, she heard them call her back—exactly as she expected. She had already mastered this trick to control them.
“Shanshan, don’t go. It’s Mom’s fault. Do whatever you want,” Mrs. Yun finally gave in.
After all, as the girl said, it was their failure to protect her that allowed someone to swap the babies back then, leading to her current personality.
“Old Yun, help me upstairs. I’m tired.”
Mr. Yun looked at his daughter standing at the door with a triumphant expression. He could hardly believe she was his child—she was nothing like Yun Shu, who had been obedient and well-behaved.
When they first brought her back, he had been full of joy.
Now, it was the complete opposite.