My sister, whom I raised, has turned evil after faking her death for three years.

Although she couldn't stay overnight at Sister Su's place, Jiang Yi's happiness today was written all over her face.

Not only did Sister Su come back, but she was just as kind and gentle to her as before.

That alone was enough for her to relive in her mind for months.

The only drawback was that Sister Su had instructed her not to announce her return yet, and the reason was quite valid: it was indeed difficult to explain in a short time.

Jiang Yi thought about it and agreed with what Sister Su said.

After all, even someone as slow-witted as her first reaction upon seeing Sister Su was, "This person must be fake; we must arrest her and torture her to extract a confession." How much more so would her elders, who were smarter and more cautious than her?

Besides, Xiao Ran, being so jealous, probably wouldn't want Sister Su to come into contact with too many people so soon.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yi leaned back in the car seat, turned her head to look at the streetlights rushing past the window, and the joy in her heart slowly sank down.

In the three years since Sister Su left, Xiao Ran has never stepped into the Jiang family home, not even for the New Year's Eve family dinner or when her aunt was sick and hospitalized.

Every year, the Jiang family would send invitations to the Linjiang Hotel in advance for important occasions, with each invitation more earnest than the last, but those meticulously crafted letters always disappeared without a trace.

Although her uncle, aunt, and Jiang Renge often visited her, they could only exchange a few words in the hotel lobby's reception room before being politely asked to leave.

No one dared to question Xiao Ran about why she didn't go home, and no one dared to mention the "Jiang family" in front of her, because everyone knew she hated them, and they had no words to refute her.

When I got home, the living room light was still on.

Cui Ying sat on the sofa, a thin blanket draped over her, holding a cup of now-cold floral tea in her hands, her gaze fixed on the entrance.

Since finding Xiao Ran, her spirits have indeed improved a lot compared to when the accident first happened, but Su Qing's death and Xiao Ran's coldness and aloofness towards her still make her feel as if something is slowly hollowing her out from the inside.

Her illness has improved a lot, but the fatigue and sadness accumulated over the years still quietly surface every night.

Her family also knew that if there was anyone in the world who could stay with Jiang Ran a little longer, or who could make Jiang Ran tone down her coldness, it was probably only Jiang Yi.

Upon seeing her return, Cui Ying put down her teacup, pulled her to sit down beside her, and eagerly inquired about Xiao Ran's recent situation.

Jiang Yi looked at her aunt's expectant eyes and felt a pang of sadness, but she didn't mention that Sister Su had returned. Instead, she smiled and said that Xiao Ran had been doing much better recently. Today, she not only let her in but also let her stay for a while and they even had a meal together.

She silently tried to justify herself, even though it was all thanks to Sister Su, she wasn't entirely speaking well of Xiao Ran, since Xiao Ran hadn't actually kicked her out today.

After saying all that, Jiang Yi looked at her aunt's expression—a mixture of lingering satisfaction and a forced attempt to avoid troubling her—and felt a pang of sadness. She quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Auntie, where's my brother? Didn't he say he'd be back soon?"

  

When Jiang Ren was mentioned, Cui Ying's expression clearly shifted, but Jiang Yi felt that Cui Ying seemed to have an even bigger headache, though she wasn't sure if it was just her imagination.

"Don't even mention it. He and that kid from the Cheng family went to Ancheng again. They didn't say what they were going to do, they were being very secretive."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi sighed dramatically and, seizing the opportunity, fanned the flames: "Who says otherwise? He's almost thirty and still never home. I wonder when my poor sister-in-law will finally appear before me again."

Cui Ying was amused by her precocious, heartbroken expression and chuckled, gently pinching the tip of her nose: "You."

Jiang Yi smiled affectionately, chatted with her aunt for a few more minutes, and then, seeing that it was getting late, urged Cui Ying to go and rest, emphasizing repeatedly that health was the most important thing.

After taking her aunt back to her room, she went back to her own room. She had just changed into her pajamas and lay down on the bed when her phone lit up right on time.

After the call connected, a young voice quickly came on the other end. After chatting for a few minutes, he asked her if she seemed very happy today.

Jiang Yi buried her face in the pillow, her voice still carrying a hint of lingering excitement. She neither denied it nor elaborated further.

The voice didn't press further, but simply listened quietly to her rambling chatter, and then waited for her to finish singing her song for the day.

After a moment of silence, the voice on the other end lowered slightly, and with a hint of apology, said that they might be temporarily out of contact for the next few days as they had some things to take care of.

Jiang Yi expressed her understanding and told him to go about his business.

The boy's voice on the other end of the phone suddenly called out to her before hanging up, his voice very soft and tinged with reluctance: "Then it's a deal, wait for me to come back."

Hearing this, Jiang Yi's lips curved into a wider smile, and she replied in a soft, gentle tone, "Okay, I understand. Without you, where would I find such a generous top-ranking friend?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Gu Lei buried her face in the pillow, mumbled an "Mmm," and then quickly said "Go to sleep early" before hanging up the phone.

She lay on her back on the bed, her chest heaving violently, feeling her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

The echo of Baozi's words still lingered in her ears. Her voice was soft and gentle, and she could almost picture Baozi's slightly curved eyes and gently upturned lips as she spoke.

She tossed and turned in bed several times, really wanting to find out about Baozi, what she looked like, what her name was, where she lived, and what she liked.

But every time the thought popped into her head, she would suppress it.

Since I've already decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with her, I can't do something like this.

If what she wants is a good friend who is honest and open with her, then she should approach her in the most ordinary way.

As the night deepened outside the window, only a warm yellow bedside lamp was lit in the room.

Her gaze shifted from the ceiling to the formal suit she would wear tomorrow on the clothes rack.

The suit was dark-colored and sharply tailored, and the shirt collar was crisp and wrinkle-free.

She looked at the outfit and a self-deprecating smile curled at the corner of her lips.

Gu Lei, what's the use of dressing up so well?

No matter how big the contract she signed or how difficult the project she won, the old folks never talked about her abilities behind her back; instead, they would say, "That good-for-nothing kid from the Gu family has finally figured it out."

No one knew that the real Gu Lei was already lying unconscious in a hospital bed, and no one knew that every time they praised "Young Master's skillful handling of things," the person standing on the stage was her.

She was used to it long ago.

Once this matter is over, she will finally no longer have to face Jiang Ran, that formidable opponent.

That guy was inhuman at the negotiating table; the way his eyes looked at you made you feel like all your cards were laid bare.

But it's all for the best. Once the Nancheng project is settled, the entanglement of interests between the Gu family and the Jiang family will come to an end. They won't have to deal with opponents of that caliber anymore, which is the only consolation in all this trouble.

She reached out and gently touched the petals of the jasmine plant on the bedside table with her fingertips.

Sure enough, only Baozi didn't care who she was, whether she was Gu Lei or Gu Lei, whether she was a rising star in the business world or the top-ranking guy who said "I've covered myself with the blanket" in a clear voice.

Once she's done all this, she'll go find Baozi.

I don't know if Baozi will blame her, or if she will like girls... It doesn't matter if she doesn't, she'll make her like them.