The hospital lights blurred above Song Meiqi, flickering faintly overhead. The air felt heavy and unreal, footsteps echoing in the distance as voices drifted in and slowly faded away.
Her vision narrowed—to a little girl standing up ahead—and Meiqi caught her breath. She recognized her instantly.
It was herself, fifteen years ago.
And this was the moment her mother died…
Eight-year-old Song Meiqi shifted her tear-filled eyes from the frantic medical staff struggling to save her dying mother, to the man kneeling before her—a stranger in a suit, whose face strangely resembled her own.
"From now on, I'll take care of you, Little Qi," he said, his voice firm and steady. Somehow, a surge of warmth spread through Meiqi's chest, easing the fear that had taken over her.
Her breath hitched. "Mr… who are you?"
He patted her head, eyes unreadable. "I am your father."
Then he pulled little Meiqi into his embrace, and for the first time, she felt the warmth of a father's hug—the father she had believed was gone forever.
Then, like a scene from a movie, a light flashed, cutting to the moment when little Meiqi first stood outside the Chen family's villa.
Her father tapped her shoulder, gently nudging her toward a woman in a qipao. Ashen hair was neatly tucked into a bun, and perfectly shaped brows framed sharp, foxy eyes. She was elegantly beautiful, her thin lips curving into a poised smile.
The woman leaned forward, lowering herself to meet little Meiqi's gaze.
"This must be Meiqi, right?" she asked.
Her father nodded.
"Little Qi, this is Auntie Li Xue—my wife," he said.
Li Xue reached out and stroked Meiqi's hair, smiling flawlessly, the curve of her lips stretching almost to her eyes. Too perfect. Too deliberate.
"From now on, I'll be your mother," she said softly, and from a distance, Meiqi watched her younger self place her small hand into Li Xue's.
Panic surged like a heavy stone pressing against her chest, suffocating her as she tried to run forward, her voice tearing through the haze.
"No… no… don't go."
The world seemed to flip, and in the next instant, Meiqi was transported to a dark room, where she saw little Meiqi cowering in a corner, tears flowing down her cheeks.
It was the same room Li Xue had used when punishing her. Every corner was steeped in shadow, every wall a reminder of the fear that had once crushed her.
"Mom! Please… please… let me out!" Little Meiqi cried weakly.
The sound crushed Meiqi's heart, making it heavier to breathe with each passing second. She slowly moved toward her, wanting to give her comfort—when suddenly, she disappeared.
Meiqi looked around, trying to understand where she was, only to realize she was alone inside the room, everything around her slowly turning into a haze.
"Your mother was a mistress. Did you really think I'd ever treat you as my own?" Li Xue's voice rang out from beyond the door, and Meiqi turned toward the sound.
Standing in the doorway was Li Xue, her gaze sharp like a knife, that flawless smile twisting into a sinister smirk as she drew closer.
She suddenly grabbed Meiqi by the arm, her nails digging into her skin.
"Know this—no matter how much you cry, no one's going to come for you," she murmured. "Because you have no one. No mother. No family."
She leaned closer. "No one you can trust."
Meiqi froze, her gaze locking into hers, a tear slipping down her cheek as Si Haoran and Zhang Mengyao emerged, their hands intertwined, smiling at each other—and at Meiqi.
Li Xue's words echoed endlessly, hammering through her chest as Meiqi began to tremble, lips paling, each breath coming in short, shallow gasps.
Then her eyes shot open.
Meiqi jolted upright in bed, her gaze sweeping the room. Slowly, she realized it had only been a dream, and her breathing started to even out, though still shaky.
She sank back against the headboard, curling up and wrapping her arms around herself, trying to calm her racing heart—but Li Xue's words still echoed in her mind, sharp and relentless.
Outside, the heavy rain kept pounding against the windows, thunder cracking, echoing the storm she carried inside.
…
Morning came, sunlight spilling across H.City, casting long, soft shadows on the streets.
Inside Wang Mansion, the family sat around the dining table, their movements precise and measured as they ate breakfast in near silence.
"Today is Saturday… Zi Rui, why don't you meet the Lin family's daughter today?" Wang Jing Feng asked, sitting across from him.
Wang Zi Rui paused, his gaze darkening, then fading instantly as he looked at his father.
"Okay. I'll do it," he replied, flatly.
Wang Yixiao glanced at her brother, studying his face as she wondered if he truly wanted to meet this woman.
Afterwards, she left for piano practice, while Zi Rui, following his father's request, went to meet the Lin family's daughter.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Wang sat on a bench, sighing as she tended the flowers in the garden.
"What's with that troubled look?" Wang Cheng Shou asked, approaching her.
"You think I don't know what A'Feng is thinking…" she began.
"The Lin family might match our status, but I know they would only see Rui'er as a means to their own advantage."
"If your grandson is truly capable, a marriage of convenience will not hold him back," Wang Cheng Shou replied, his voice low, carrying an unspoken meaning.