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Zhen Yuwei blinked her long lashes, as she stared at the tiny figure reflected in the mirror before her, and for a moment, her breath seemed to stop because everything looked exactly the same as it once had.
The little girl in the mirror had round cheeks as soft as a steamed bun, bright clear eyes, and short, chubby arms and legs that made her look so small and delicate that anyone who saw her would feel the urge to pinch her face.
She had really come back.
Before she could gather her thoughts, a familiar voice came from downstairs, yet the moment those words reached her ears, Zhen Yuwei's tiny body stiffened, and a chill ran through her heart like icy water.
"Ah-Wei, Aunty Chen is here!"
Just hearing that name was enough to make her blood turn cold.
Aunty Chen.
Her father's childhood sweetheart and the woman who had destroyed her entire life.
In her past life, Aunty Chen had always acted like a caring sister to her mother and a loving aunt to her.
She spoiled Zhen Yuwei endlessly, buying her beautiful things, telling her sweet nothings, and slowly turning her heart away from her own mother.
Little by little, without even realizing it, Zhen Yuwei began to hate the person who loved her the most.
She remembered how she used to frown at her mother's plain clothes, how she compared her to Aunty Chen's beauty and elegance, and how, in her childish ignorance, she even begged her father to divorce her mother, thinking that her mother was not good enough.
But what happened after her mother left?
The gentle aunty who once smiled so kindly revealed her true face, and Zhen Yuwei, who had lost the only person who truly loved her, became nothing more than a toy in her hands.
Her father, blinded by love, never believed her words. Whenever she tried to complain, he would only get angry, slap her, and call her a spoiled child who didn't know how to behave.
Until one day, unable to endure it any longer, Zhen Yuwei climbed up to the terrace, her small heart filled with despair, and chose to end everything.
And after her death…
Aunty Chen had finally brought her own child into the Zhen family, placing him right at the center of everything, ready to inherit the fortune that never belonged to him.
"Pfft…"
A bitter sound escaped from Zhen Yuwei's lips.
Her small hand tightened unconsciously as she lifted her head and looked toward the doorway.
There, standing under the gentle light, was Aunty Chen.
She stood graceful and gentle as ever, she had a slender figure and a face small and delicate with fair, smooth skin that seemed to glow softly under the light.
Her eyes curved into a sweet smile, and her voice was as soft as spring water, making it easy for anyone to trust her at first glance.
No wonder she had fallen for her before.
Back then, she was proud to walk beside Aunty Chen, proudly introducing her to her friends, even letting others mistake her for her real mother.
Whenever her friends came over, she would cling to Aunty Chen and ignore her own mother, and under her influence, those same friends began to treat her mother like a servant.
Winter had wrapped everything in a layer of snow, and the ground was covered in white snow that reflected the pale morning sunlight, making the air seem even colder than it already was.
In the middle of that courtyard, Yu Lian was kneeling.
Her thin housewife attire clung lightly to her body, far too light to shield her from the biting cold.
Because she was not favored, she could not even afford proper clothing to keep herself warm.
Her hands were red from the cold, yet she remained there quietly, enduring everything without complaint.
"Hey, maid! I said I want iced tea!"
Wei Xinyue stood there arrogantly, with her chin raised high.
As the daughter of her father's business partner, she was wealthy, powerful, and completely used to getting whatever she wanted. Zhen Yuwei had always treated her well, so she dared to act however she wanted.
Back then, Zhen Yuwei had watched this scene without care.
She had even felt that her mother was embarrassing.
While other mothers dressed beautifully, her mother wore simple, worn clothes. She compared her to Aunty Chen again and again and always found her lacking.
But the truth was—
Her mother had once been the most beautiful woman in the country.
She was talented, graceful, a singer and a dancer admired by many. Her family was even more powerful than the Zhen family.
Yet, for her daughter, she gave up everything.
"…Iced tea isn't good for your health," Yu Lian said softly as if she was afraid of upsetting the child.
Wei Xinyue snorted. "How dare you talk back to me? Do you even know who you are?"
Back then, she would have stood beside Aunty Chen and watched her own mother suffer without a second thought.
Unable to bear the scene any longer, the younger Zhen Yuwei in that memory had pushed Aunty Chen away and walked forward.
Behind her, Aunty Chen smiled faintly, her eyes flashing with hidden satisfaction.
She had always hated Yu Lian.
Once, Yu Lian was the envy of the whole city, beautiful, talented, and married to the richest man. Aunty Chen could not accept that someone she looked down on was better than her.
So, from the moment Zhen Yuwei was born, she began her plan.
She slowly turned the child against her own mother.
Zhen Yuwei used to act like a spoiled brat whenever Aunty Chen was around, making everyone blame Yu Lian for raising her badly.
Even her father grew tired of Yu Lian because of this.
But now…
Zhen Yuwei saw everything clearly.
"Pfft…"
She suddenly felt disgusted with herself.
How could she have been so blind?
How could she have treated the only person who loved her so deeply in such a cruel, heartless way?
If there was anyone who deserved punishment…
It was her.
She slowly lifted her gaze. Wei Xinyue was smiling, clearly pleased as she noticed Zhen Yuwei approaching, while the woman kneeling in the snow raised her pale face, her eyes was soft and filled with affection as they rested on her daughter.
Zhen Yuwei's appearance was stunning even at such a young age. Her skin was fair and smooth like porcelain, and her eyes large and bright, shimmering like polished jewels, and her lips was naturally rosy, giving her an innocent and lively charm.
She wore a delicate little coat trimmed with soft fur, paired with a neatly tied ribbon in her hair, making her look like a tiny princess who had stepped out of a painting.
With a father known as the most handsome man in the country and a mother once hailed as the most beautiful woman, it was only natural that she inherited the best of both worlds.
Wherever she went, she shone.
After all, her father was a man whose power could shake the entire country with a single command.
And she had always been proud of that. He spoiled her endlessly, gave her everything she wanted, and never let her lack anything.
"Ah-Wei," Wei Xinyue words trailed off as she began to complain, explaining everything in a self-righteous tone, as if she was the one being wronged.
Zhen Yuwei didn't even look at her.
Her gaze slowly moved to Yu Lian kneeling in the snow.
In the past, she never called her"Mother."
It was always "Yu Lian" or "Miss Yu," as if she was a stranger.
But Yu Lian never complained. Even now, she only looked at her daughter with warmth, as if nothing could change her love.
She didn't even try to explain. She simply let Wei Xinyue speak, as if none of it mattered, as long as her daughter was happy.
She frowned at Wei Xinyue's words. What she once thought was normal, now sounded like insults.
"Yu Lian… how could you bully a child like that?"