The siblings hurried back from Tongren Alley.
As soon as they entered, the aroma of food greeted them.
Su Wanqing composed herself. She was deeply saddened by her master’s death, but she couldn’t let her parents share in her grief.
“Mom, you made so many delicious dishes—and they’re all my favorites.”
Shen Manyun had prepared a full table of food.
“You’re back. Go wash your hands and eat,” she said, finally relaxing when she saw them. As if she hadn’t noticed anything unusual, she gently patted her daughter’s head. “After we eat, it’ll be time to leave.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Thank you for your understanding and trust.
On the table were glossy braised pork, golden crispy fried small yellow croaker, and a rich crucian carp tofu soup, simmered to a milky white. The spread was as lavish as a New Year’s feast.
Even among wealthy families, this would be considered top-tier.
Su’s father had gone to great lengths to obtain these ingredients.
He just wanted his daughter to have a good meal before she left.
The family sat together, eating in silence.
The sorrow of parting lingered in everyone’s heart—something that couldn’t be chased away with a few words.
“When you get there, don’t be reluctant to spend on food,” Su Hongyuan broke the silence first, pushing a thick envelope toward Su Wanqing. “I managed to gather some more money and national food coupons these past few days. Take them. Buy whatever you need—don’t mistreat yourself.”
“Dad…” She wanted to say she still had plenty of money.
Forget it. She would secretly leave it under her mother’s pillow before departing.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I won’t neglect myself.”
Shen Manyun also took out a small cloth pouch, carefully sewn with red fabric.
She placed it into her daughter’s hands.
On it was the character “Peace” embroidered in gold thread, the stitches fine and delicate.
“It’s a safety charm I got for you. Keep it close to your body,” she said, turning her head away so her daughter wouldn’t see her reddened eyes.
“Mom.” Su Wanqing hugged her tightly. “Thank you!”
Her elder brother, Su Mufeng, sat beside her and lowered his voice, whispering an address and a line of poetry only the two of them could hear.
“I’ve already started investigating the ‘Hengtong Shipping’ matter.”
“I know it’ll be hard for you to leave once you’re there, but if anything urgent happens, go to this address and find someone surnamed Zhou. Recite ‘Though a sunken ship lies by the shore, a thousand sails pass by,’ and he’ll help you.”
Su Wanqing nodded, committing it to memory.
Her second brother, Su Muyang, handed her a sharp military knife, its handle still warm from his grip.
“If anyone dares to bully you, don’t hold back,” his eyes filled with killing intent.
Killing was illegal—but self-defense was different.
She engraved every piece of advice from her family into her heart.
“Dad, Mom, Big Brother, Second Brother—take care.”
She set down her chopsticks, stood up, and tightly embraced her mother.
“Qingqing, take care of yourself,” Shen Manyun said, patting her back, her voice finally trembling with tears. “We’ll wait for you to come back.”
Su Wanqing stepped back, her gaze firm. “I will.”
She turned to her elder brother, eyes bright. “Big Brother, don’t give up your studies. In a few years at most, the college entrance exam will be reinstated. Everything will see the light again.”
Su Mufeng adjusted his glasses, his eyes shining behind the lenses. “Alright, I’ll remember.”
Finally, she looked at her second brother, her gaze filled with solemn trust. “Second Brother… please take care of Master Wang.”
Su Muyang punched his chest firmly. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
No matter how reluctant they were to part, time moved quickly.
The vehicle taking the educated youth to the train station was already waiting at the alley entrance.
“I’m leaving.”
“Take care!”
“Take care!”
Shanghai Railway Station.
The platform was packed with people—cries, shouts, and the sound of the train whistle blending together.
“Woo—”
The whistle sounded long and loud.
Just as Su Wanqing was about to board the train, the livestream comments in her mind suddenly flickered wildly, sounding a sharp warning.
[Qingqing, stay alert! The scumbag is coming!]
[Lu Zhenting, that bastard, is about to appear!]
[Don’t panic—show your strength and crush him!]
[Don’t be afraid of him. You have us now! He’s nothing!]
Her heart tightened, but her face remained calm.
She wasn’t afraid of him.
She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from stabbing him to death.
For the sake of her parents and brothers, she couldn’t act rashly.
She boarded the train and found her seat.
The train slowly began to move.
A new chapter was about to begin.
Suddenly, she felt a surge of malice.
Her senses, enhanced by the spiritual spring, had become extremely sharp.
Pretending to look around curiously, she spotted a figure on the platform not far away.
Lu Zhenting!
Dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit, he looked refined and scholarly.
But those hawk-like eyes were fixed on her, his face wearing a meaningful, nauseating smile.
He hadn’t expected her to turn her head, and his expression hadn’t yet changed.
It looked utterly unpleasant.
That same look—she couldn’t help but gag.
The suffocating feeling of being imprisoned in a cellar in her previous life surged back like a tidal wave.
Her nails dug deep into her palm, the pain snapping her back to clarity.
She quickly concealed her true emotions.
Lu Zhenting rubbed his eyes. He must have seen wrong—how could the delicate Miss Su show such a “vicious” expression?
The train roared forward. The carriage was crowded, filled with the smells of sweat, smoke, and instant noodles, making people dizzy.
Su Wanqing clutched her canvas bag tightly, tilted her head against the cold wall, and closed her eyes as if trying to sleep amid the noise.
The next second, her consciousness had already entered her space.
She walked to the spiritual spring, scooped up a handful of clear water, and drank it in one gulp. The cool liquid flowed down her throat, refreshing her instantly.
Lu Zhenting’s appearance was like a sharp alarm bell.
It was obvious he had been watching her since she boarded the train.
In her previous life, she had been truly foolish—thinking he was a kind man.
Barefoot on the soft grass of her space, she quickly reviewed everything in her mind.
The journey from Shanghai to Hongqi Brigade would take 15 hours.
She could get a good rest.
And when she arrived—
Based on her memories from her previous life and the fragments from the livestream comments—
Lin Zhaodi was already waiting for her.
Lin Zhaodi—the seemingly weak and harmless, pitiful “white lotus”—was in truth the most vicious snake.
A cold smile curled at Su Wanqing’s lips.
She wasn’t like her second brother.
She wouldn’t swallow unjust humiliation.
For rats hiding in the gutter, reason was useless—only crushing them completely would work.
Lin Zhaodi, since you love acting so much, then I, Su Wanqing, will play along with you to the very end.