The mansion was quiet that afternoon, the sun casting gentle rays through the wide glass windows. Bai Zhiqi sat on the lounge sofa, barefoot, dressed in a simple white linen shirt and loose pants Xiao Lin had given her. Her long hair was tied in a messy knot, a mug of untouched tea cradled between her palms.
The peace didn't last.
The front door opened—too forcefully. Sharp heels clicked on marble. The sound was impatient. Bold.
Zhiqi's eyes lifted as a girl entered.
She was young—maybe nineteen—with chin-length black hair and bold makeup that looked too sharp for her baby face. She wore a cropped designer jacket, high-waisted jeans, and an expression that screamed *attitude*. She stopped when she saw Zhiqi sitting there, head tilting slightly.
"Who are you?"
Zhiqi blinked, unbothered. "I live here."
The girl scoffed. "No, you don't."
Zhiqi took a sip of her tea, gaze calm. "And you are?"
"You're not answering my question."
"Because it doesn't deserve an answer."
The girl's brows rose in disbelief. "Wow. Arrogant much?"
Zhiqi's smile was faint. "I've been called worse."
"You're in my brother's house," the girl said, folding her arms. "You're either a guest who's overstayed or someone who snuck in."
Zhiqi placed her mug down gently. "And you walk in like you own the place. Funny how assumptions work."
The girl stepped forward, voice sharp. "I don't know who you are, but I don't like you."
"Lucky for both of us, I don't need to be liked."
"Tch," the girl muttered, clearly annoyed. "You've got a smart mouth. That'll get you kicked out soon enough."
Zhiqi rose from the sofa, not to argue, but because she refused to let some spoiled teenager tower over her. "And you have a sharp tongue for someone whose name I don't even know."
The girl looked her up and down. "You don't need to know it."
Zhiqi smirked. "Afraid I'll forget it anyway?"
The girl took a threatening step forward. "You're really testing me."
"Careful," Zhiqi murmured. "You might break a nail."
Just then, footsteps rushed from the hallway.
"Miss Bai! Ah—Young Miss Ji!" Xiao Lin nearly dropped the tray in her hands.
Both women turned. Ji Lingxue looked annoyed. "Xiao Lin, who is *she*?"
"This is… Miss Bai Zhiqi," Xiao Lin said cautiously. "Master Ji asked her to stay for a while. She's a guest."Ji Lingxue's expression didn't change.
She looked Zhiqi up and down again, as if reevaluating. "Huh. Doesn't look like a guest."
Zhiqi smiled, sharp and cold. "And you don't look like family."
Xiao Lin's mouth opened, horrified. "Miss Bai—this is Young Miss Ji Lingxue, Master Ji's younger sister."
Zhiqi raised an eyebrow. "Ah. That explains the ego."
Lingxue's face reddened. "You've got guts, I'll give you that."
"And you've got an attitude without substance."
Xiao Lin clapped her hands together in a panic. "Tea! Let's all… have some tea. Yes?"
Neither moved.
The air was thick with silent daggers.
Finally, Lingxue turned with a scoff. "Whatever. I'm not wasting time on someone who clearly doesn't belong here."
As she stalked off, her voice echoed in the hallway. "Brother better have a *very* good reason for this."
Zhiqi stood in the living room, her lips curling faintly.
She didn't know what kind of world she'd walked into yet, but it seemed like the game was already starting.
And she had no intention of losing.