The Wang family was on the verge of becoming the wealthiest clan in the capital.
They claimed that all their good fortune was brought by their granddaughter, Pearl.
When Pearl was born, the entire hospital was bathed in Auspicious Golden Light. After her birth, the Wang family charged ahead unstoppably on the path to Heaven-Scattering Wealth.
Pearl was their Fortune Child, their treasure, their House Guardian Beast.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ling Bao, who was born almost at the same time as Pearl, was cursed by them as a Crow Mouth, a “Jinx”…
The Wang family called Xiao Ling Bao “Little Mud,” scolding and punishing her as a daily routine. They blamed every misfortune and wrongdoing on her, even subconsciously wishing she would “disappear” from this world.
The Wang family was collectively blind!
They never imagined that the golden light had descended for Xiao Ling Bao, that the wealth was brought to them by Xiao Ling Bao, and that all the evil deeds they committed were mitigated by Xiao Ling Bao’s unseen protection.
Without Xiao Ling Bao, they would have nothing but poverty and ruin.
Of course, what they never expected even more was that one day,
Xiao Ling Bao would be recognized and taken back by the Ling family…
…………
…
“Do you admit your mistake?”
In the garden under the scorching sun,
Third Master Wang glared darkly, sternly questioning Little Mud, who knelt on the ground.
Little Mud was three and a half years old, her childish face adorned with a pair of large, glistening eyes.
But she stubbornly clenched her lips, not uttering a word.
Tonight, Grandma Wang was supposed to attend an important banquet but suddenly couldn’t find her favorite gemstone necklace.
Knowing Grandma would worry herself sick, Little Mud kindly revealed that Pearl had taken the necklace.
Unexpectedly, the Wang family found the necklace hidden under her pillow…
Thus, Little Mud not only became a thief but was also accused of framing the innocent Pearl.
The Wang family forced her to admit her mistake. When she refused, they pressed her down to kneel on the scorching garden tiles.
It was noon, and the sunlight was excessively fierce, mercilessly baking every inch of the garden.
Xiao Ling Bao’s delicate knees were already blistered from the heat, and her small face was flushed red from the burning rays.
“Admit your mistake, and you can go inside,” Third Master Wang threatened her. “Otherwise, you’ll kneel here until evening!”
Little Mud only lowered her eyes, hiding the bitterness within them.
“Hah, still stubborn, I see,” Third Master Wang sneered. “Fine, then keep kneeling!”
He turned and walked toward the cool interior of the house, cursing as he went,
“At such a young age, you’ve already learned to steal, lie, and frame others! Like mother, like daughter.”
“Honestly, dealing with this little Broom Star is exhausting me in this heat…”
In the garden, Little Mud had already collapsed softly to the ground.
She hadn’t had a single sip of water since morning.
Pearl had knocked over a water cup but told Auntie that Little Mud had done it.
Auntie then punished her by forbidding her to drink water for the day.
Now, Little Mud felt as if she were burning up from the inside out.
“Mommy…” she whispered faintly, “Mommy…”
She felt herself slowly turning into mist, rising bit by bit…
Was Little Mud going to see her mommy now?
Everyone in the family said Little Mud was a little troublemaker, fatherless and the cause of her mother’s death during childbirth. Every time she spoke, disaster struck the family…
So, no one could possibly like Little Mud.
How wonderful—with such a Little Mud gone, everyone should be very happy…
“Who is your mommy?”
Suddenly, a voice sounded above her head.
Little Mud couldn’t open her eyes; she could only intermittently open and close her mouth.
“Mommy… mommy is… Ling Yiyan… Yanyan… Mommy, save…”
“Uncle?” The voice above sounded puzzled. “You have an uncle?”
Little Mud fell silent again, as if she had completely fallen into unconsciousness.
“Hey!” The voice above grew louder. “Who is your uncle? Do you have a phone number?”
After quite some time, the voice above carried a hint of regret. “Seems like she’s dead…”
“Phone… number is…” For some reason, Little Mud managed to utter a faint reply. “It’s 139…”
……
……
In the VIP ward of the Imperial Capital Hospital.
Several sons of the Ling family gathered around the hospital bed.
Old Master Ling was already at the end of his rope, yet he refused to close his eyes.
“Dad.” The eldest son, Ling Xuanyan, leaned over, his expression grave and sorrowful. “Hold on a little longer. Maybe we’ll have news of Yanyan soon…”
The youngest daughter of the Ling family, Ling Yiyan, went missing unexpectedly at the age of three and had vanished without a trace ever since.
This incident had been an indelible pain for the Ling family for twenty years.
If he couldn’t see his daughter one last time, the old master wouldn’t be able to rest in peace; he would die with his eyes open.
However, everyone knew that Old Master Ling’s condition was beyond help—even if a Divine Physician Reborn appeared, it would be Powerless to Reverse Heaven.
The Ling family also understood that after all these years, finding Yanyan was nothing but a pipe dream…
The sound of the heart monitor gradually slowed.
Old Master Ling’s pupils slowly dilated, but his mouth remained slightly open, as if he were murmuring something.
The Ling sons couldn’t bear to watch, their hearts aching with pain.
Even in his final moments, the old master was still whispering his sister’s name…
They were all useless…
Suddenly, Ling Xuanyan’s phone rang.
An unknown number.
A surge of irritation rose in Ling Xuanyan’s heart. He was about to hang up when he caught sight of the sudden brightness in the old master’s pupils…
Suppressing his annoyance, he thought, Fine, since the old master is at his end, I’ll just put on an act, deceive him a little, so he can pass away in peace…
“…This is me.” Ling Xuanyan answered the call. “I am… What!”
His voice abruptly rose. “What did you say? Say it again! What about Yanyan? Where is Yanyan?”